I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 224 Deck Battle

Haragad, the former capital, is the southernmost major city in Harua.

This place was destroyed by a barbarian army more than 800 years ago. After the war, because its geographical location was too indefensible and too many people had died here, the Harua people left this sad city and established a new capital 300 miles further north.

However, some people were unwilling to give up this once rich land and coastline. Some residents built a new city 30 miles south of the old capital, retaining the old name, and referring to the ruins as the old capital.

Although this place is still indefensible, given that the legendary barbarian king and his hundreds of thousands of troops have perished here, no one dares to set foot on this land established by the mage. People live and work in peace in this new city. Apart from the occasional ignorant pirate, the biggest threat is the typhoon season.

Unlike the north, the south has no mountains, only coconut trees and jujube trees, making it extremely difficult to withstand storms.

Fortunately, there are still mages. Every summer, Veronica basically stays here, using the powerful energy source of the mage tower in conjunction with her own spells to try to change the weather and make those powerful storms move away from the city as much as possible.

However, the weather was perfect at the moment, and the sea was like a huge sapphire, with occasional light waves more than a meter high splashing up small sprays of water that shimmered in the afternoon sun.

A small sampan, larger than the two men themselves, bobbed gently on the waves. DuPont adjusted his stance, making sure his center of gravity was stable. He squinted at the distant main ship—the sailboat carrying their entire expedition had become a tiny dot on the horizon.

Deva clearly had a lot of influence; she readily agreed to have someone help tow the boat and even gave them some fresh fish, saving the two of them the trouble of rowing.

Although it's only a hundred meters or so from the shore.

But he originally just wanted to practice on a log bridge or something, how did he end up on a boat?

“We’re just killing time anyway.” The paladin girl stood up straight, but didn’t meet DuPont’s gaze, perhaps out of guilt. Her specially made leather armor didn’t reflect light even under the intense sunlight, and her long black ponytail swayed gently in the sea breeze. “Going back to rowing will also help you build strength, which is exactly what you want.”

"Alright then." DuPont didn't expose the girl's little scheme; his gaze was drawn to the slender sword at Deva's waist.

The scabbard is engraved with exquisite patterns and gleams with an antique luster in the sunlight.

And this was actually a training sword.

"In my memory, paladins either use greatswords or longswords with shields. Rapiers shouldn't be your specialty, right?"

"That's true for some people, but for combat professionals, losing their most trusted weapon in a complex environment is a situation they have to consider. So they should at least have some knowledge of the weapons commonly used by monsters or the less common weapons, so that they can at least be combat-ready with them."

Deva tossed another sword to Dupont, saying, "Not to mention, even if you have some barbarian level, how could you possibly be my match in swordsmanship?"

“That’s true.” Dupont was indeed humbly accepting the criticism, even though he had a high warrior level, he was only a novice when it came to swordsmanship.

The reason he was forced into such a sorry state by that cursed swordsman was not only because he couldn't cast spells and the opponent was unpredictable, but also because he rarely fought against those serious combat professionals with weapons.

Although the Nine Swords technique was well executed and successfully outmaneuvered the opponent, it also caused the opponent to suffer from unfamiliarity. Such a few who only read books and lack practical experience can only rely on surprise attacks. To achieve real results, they still need a lot of training and practice.

However, if you frequently use unconventional tactics, you might end up at a disadvantage if your opponent doesn't respond well to them.

Not to mention the somewhat rocking boat beneath his feet, which made it difficult for him to exert any force.

"Draw your sword." Dupont held the sword in one hand. There wasn't much room to dodge or maneuver on the small sampan, which was only 12 feet long and less than 5 feet wide. "Let me see the swordsmanship of a paladin."

"Stop when you've got enough?" Deva asked, already assuming a starting stance—her sword tip slightly lowered, her body turned sideways to DuPont, her left arm elegantly draped behind her back.

“Since it’s training swordplay, stopping short of a proper strike is no fun.” DuPont’s sword pointed straight ahead, his body leaning slightly forward like a cheetah ready to pounce, a slight smile on his face: “Of course, we’ll fight until we’re exhausted.”

"Very well." The paladin held his breath and said, "Begin!"

Almost instantly, DuPont struck first without hesitation, the tip of his sword drawing a silver line straight for Deva's left shoulder.

Because his training and sparring focused on honing his skills, he wasn't wearing magical equipment, so his explosive power was nearly half that of when he was fully armed. The same was true for Deva.

The paladin girl didn't take the hit head-on, but instead nimbly spun around to avoid it. At the same time, her sword, like a venomous snake, attacked from below, aiming straight for DuPont's wrist.

Although the training sword has no edge, it still hurts no matter where it hits.

DuPont withdrew his arm, the swords clashing together with a crisp "clink." He staggered back half a step, slightly surprised.

While 15 units of strength is a number that an ordinary person can achieve, it is close to the peak of mortals. He actually suffered a loss with that move just now.

“Your sword is fast.” Deva commented as she launched her attack, her eyes fixed on Dupont’s shoulder: an experienced swordsman can predict the direction of his attack from the slightest movement of his opponent’s shoulder.

"But when you launch a fierce attack with your sword, your footwork becomes somewhat unsteady. You need to coordinate your footwork with your attacks to make them more stable."

DuPont nodded, his offensive waning, and began to parry in response to the opponent's attacks, but he was getting annoyed by the messy deck of the small boat.

"Calm down," Deva reminded her again, but her sword continued to swing without stopping. The undulating waves had no effect on her; in fact, they could launch unexpected attacks due to the turbulence.

The white spots on DuPont's body were gradually increasing. Although they were not injured and did not hurt much, they were somewhat unsightly. The small sampan began to rock violently because of their movements, and slippery seawater splashed onto the deck.

"Don't stumble." Deva was somewhat surprised; DuPont's performance was far below her expectations.

DuPont has also killed many powerful enemies, including a level 9 cursed swordsman.

This is no ordinary opponent. Vampires and trolls are not easy to deal with either. How come DuPont is in such a sorry state?

Is it because you're not used to the terrain or because you've lost your magical equipment?

DuPont, however, had no way to express his grievances.

His ability to trade blows and his thick skin, even stronger than plate armor, are his survival skills. Combined with appropriate magic and a burst of berserk power, he has used these methods to kill many enemies.

But the purpose of exchanging skills is to improve, so these techniques are naturally not applicable. And DuPont, whether from the Northeast or the Northwest, is undoubtedly a landlubber.

If it weren't for his excellent physique that prevented him from getting seasick, coupled with his considerable agility, fighting on the deck would have been a difficult task.

Thinking of this, DuPont couldn't help but recall the Ranger's ability to master terrain.

I wonder what would happen if I acquired this special ability, which is supposed to be something only a wanderer can gain by living in certain terrains for a long time.

"Don't be distracted!"

Just as DuPont was distracted, Deva changed tactics.

Her sword traced complex arcs in the air, seemingly aiming to attack DuPont's right waist, but at the last moment it turned to the left.

DuPont managed to parry, the vibrations from the impact of the swords colliding traveling up his arm.

Even though the light sword weighed only a little over a pound, the tingling sensation almost made Dupont lose his grip. He scoffed and used his left wrist guard to parry the girl's straight slash, eliciting a pleasant laugh: "Oh, is this still a sword fight?"

"You know practical swordsmanship, right? That's how we barbarians fight!" Dupont casually slurred. It would have been truly embarrassing if his sword had been knocked from his hand earlier. Using the gap between them, he retreated several steps, stomped heavily on the ship's edge, and launched a fierce attack: "Let the storm rage on!"

"Practical swordsmanship includes this?" Deva's voice carried a hint of sarcasm. "But I grew up by the sea."

The girl with the wrist quickly parried with her sword. DuPont's sword moves, which seemed sharp but were full of flaws, were like a newborn to her: "Unsteady footwork, fierce but unsystematic swordsmanship, acting recklessly and without regard for the consequences, is this the mage prodigy who has already become famous in Harua?"

“Then look.” DuPont said, his eyes suddenly turning red. The sudden increase in explosive power allowed him to lunge forward, almost touching Deva in front of him. The girl was caught off guard and was directly attacked, her forehead instantly covered in sweat. At this distance, the rapier was difficult to wield. DuPont grabbed Deva’s wrist holding the sword with his left hand, while his own sword tip gently pressed against Deva’s neck.

"OK~"

"You're cheating!" Deva angrily slapped away the sword from DuPont's subordinate. "It's supposed to be a friendly spar, not a contest of who wins or loses, and you even used Berserk!"

"Well, there's a reason for that." DuPont put the two swords into his spatial bag and was about to pull Deva into the cabin next to him, but he couldn't because he was in a weak state at the moment.

He sighed helplessly, "The wave is coming!"

"Huh?" Deva turned around and saw a wave nearly three meters high already less than 10 meters in front of the small boat.

For ships sailing on long voyages, this wave is definitely not big, and for some people who like to surf at the beach, it is just so-so.

But for these two men who were fighting on the deck, the question now was whether they could swim.

Although they bent down to try to reduce their body size, the two still managed to plunge directly into the sea at the same time.

Although he had prepared, DuPont was still momentarily stunned by the sudden attack, and the seawater was colder than he had imagined.

However, this wasn't a major problem. Although DuPont wasn't a good swimmer, he wasn't panicked. He untied the ropes of his spatial bag, quickly selected a piece of wood using his mind, and soon retrieved a somewhat damaged wooden shield. Using its buoyancy, he successfully escaped.

Although the shield was almost worn out and I forgot when I bought it, because of my habit of hoarding things, my DuPont space bag was always full of all sorts of random things.

He took a few breaths to calm himself down and stuffed the leather armor he was wearing into his spatial bag.

I didn't feel anything when I was wearing it, but after getting into the water, I felt that the leather armor was unusually heavy, and I had to take it off.

The small boat not far away hadn't capsized, indicating that it had indeed seen many storms and waves. It remained there drifting with the current as if nothing had happened.
"Deva??"

DuPont shouted something, but received no response.

This made DuPont somewhat uneasy.

She grew up by the sea, and they're only a dozen meters from the seabed. How could they not swim up?
Could he have accidentally been knocked unconscious?
Thinking about this, DuPont realized he didn't have a scroll for underwater breathing, so he had no choice but to dive directly into the seabed.

My own spellbook is still not enough; I'll definitely copy down all the spells below the third ring when I get back.

Opening his eyes, the clear seawater stung them slightly. DuPont quickly spotted Deva's trail in the distance.

About ten meters to my left, I sank about eleven or twelve meters. At this point, with my eyes closed, my situation was unknown.

DuPont was getting anxious. He used the wooden shield as a float to reach the unknown area above Deva, then put the shield away and tried to dive down to rescue her, only to find that he couldn't sink no matter what he did.

This left him somewhat bewildered: how exactly was he supposed to sneak down and rescue people?

Do you expect me to drink seawater until I become solid?
However, DuPont quickly found a new solution. He took out his previous loot—the chainmail and the adamantite greatsword—and fastened the power belt, also spending 100 gold coins to purchase a new skill.

Swim.

Even if it's not sure if it will work, in this critical moment, even if these 100 gold coins only increase the chance of saving someone by one percent, it's still worth it.

Taking a deep breath, DuPont dived back into the sea. Whether it was because he had acquired swimming skills or because he was carrying enough weight, DuPont's descent was much smoother this time, and he reached Deva's location in just over ten seconds.

He put the armor back into his bag and watched as Deva, with her eyes closed, was lifted up by DuPont's shoulder. Deva's soft body offered no resistance, which made DuPont somewhat alarmed.

It's cold so quickly?

If someone falls into the sea normally, they can struggle for a while, right? This time, he only stayed for less than two minutes.

It would take time to float to the surface, so DuPont simply kissed the girl's lips and exhaled the air from his lungs into her mouth.

He didn't know if this trick would work, but it seemed like someone in a movie was that brave, so he decided to give it a try.

However, just as their lips met, DuPont felt a reaction from the other side. He subconsciously explored slightly, only to find that there was no seawater in Deva's mouth, and her soft tongue was nervously retracted to the side because of the unexpected visit.

This reaction made DuPont realize the implications.

Why would a paladin resort to such petty tricks?

Could it be that he read some random romance novel?
Having already figured out the general situation, DuPont simply removed the leather armor from the girl's body in a few quick movements. During this process, the girl's body was somewhat stiff, but she still let him do as he pleased.

With the armor and shield removed, DuPont found it much easier to carry the girl's body thanks to the buoyancy of the wooden shield. After about twenty seconds, the two surfaced, and DuPont couldn't help but feel a little troubled carrying that hundred-pound body.

The disobedient paladin was still feigning death, making it somewhat difficult to get her up there.

Oh wait, how could I forget about this spell?

Using the second-circle spell Levitation, DuPont's body instantly rose a foot above the sea surface, and the support he had under his feet made his movements much easier.

He simply hoisted the girl onto his shoulder and jumped off the ship, lying in the cabin panting heavily.

It wasn't exactly tiring, but I'm a complete novice in the ocean, and I had trouble breathing underwater.

However, this is not a time for rest.

Without her leather armor, Deva was now only wearing a linen blouse, which perfectly showcased the young woman's curves. However, DuPont was in no mood to appreciate the scenery at the moment.

He bent the girl's soft body into a Z-shape, and then slapped her pert buttocks without mercy.

In an instant, a red handprint appeared on the girl's delicate buttocks. Caught off guard and waiting for rescue, Deva broke down and cried out in pain, only to be slapped a second time.

"Why did you hit me?!" The girl tried to cover herself, but DuPont left a handprint on her other side. "Stop hitting me, it hurts!"

"Ah, you're awake." DuPont said with a serious face, "I read in a book that you might swallow seawater, which could be fatal if it gets into your lungs. A few slaps on the butt and it'll come out!"

"Hey, that's not how it works! Normally you just blow air into your mouth!" the girl protested, but DuPont ignored her completely: "What nonsense are you talking about? You've been in there for so long and haven't spat out a drop of water. What if you suffer any lasting effects?"

"Hey, stop hitting me! I was wrong! You damn DuPont, if you hit me again, I'll fight you!"

"Ha, turning against me." DuPont patted lightly, creating an alluring wave: "Circumstances are beyond your control, how can you turn against me like this?"

“Like this!” the girl said, grabbing DuPont’s collar. But before she could exert any force and was about to get up, DuPont pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

The girl's pupils dilated instantly.

She had recalled this scene countless times, and it had even become somewhat familiar to her.

She closed her eyes.

(End of this chapter)