Full-Time Psychic Martial Artist

Lorne walked into the stone hut next to the training ground, selected an unsharpened elven-style hand sword from a row of wooden weapon racks, and returned to the training ground.

Seeing that Lorne had chosen the same weapon as her, Kovina asked, "Have you used a companion sword before? Would you like me to introduce it to you?"

Lorne smiled and nodded: "Okay, that's exactly what I was thinking of asking you."

Then Kovina began her explanation:

"This sword is called the 'Hand-Companion Sword,' but the dwarves like to call it the 'Hybrid Sword.'"

"Its length is between that of a one-handed sword and a two-handed sword, so it can be held with both hands or with one hand."

"This advantage allows it to flexibly switch attack methods according to the needs of the battle, and it can also be used in conjunction with a shield."

"Both the military and adventurers love this weapon."

"If you want to learn the Holy Slash, I suggest you start by practicing the two-handed techniques."

"Okay." Lorne nodded, then changed to holding the container with both hands.

Kovina walked over and examined it carefully, then demonstrated with her own hand holding the sword, saying:

"When holding it with both hands, don't hold it too close together. Try to get as close as possible to the ends of the handle. This will make it more flexible for both attacking and defending."

"Okay." Lorne adjusted his grip, mimicking Kovina's way of holding the bag.

"Yes, that's it." Kovina smiled and nodded, pointing to a plant dummy next to her, and said, "Give me the simplest vertical split."

Lorne walked up to the dummy, adopted the stance he had just learned from upgrading to Gun God, and delivered a vertical slash to the dummy.

"How are you feeling?" Kovina asked.

"Is it a little awkward because I'm using a gun stance?" Lorne answered honestly.

"Yes." Kovina nodded. "Your spear stance is very standard, but that's actually a good thing. With just a slight adjustment to your waist, hips, and upper body, you'll have a standard sword stance."

After Kovina finished speaking, she demonstrated the standard sword stance to Lorne.

Lorne has a strong ability to imitate. After carefully observing Kovina, he immediately adopted the same standard sword stance as Kovina.

Kovina raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise: "You have great talent and are very suitable to become a paladin."

"Thank you for the compliment." Lorne smiled slightly and followed up on the topic, asking, "Does becoming a paladin require making an oath to the goddess?"

"To be more precise, it is to make a vow to oneself and ask the goddess to be one's witness."

Lorne then asked, "Are the oaths of paladins based on a few fixed patterns, or can they be innovated upon?"

"Both possibilities exist," Kovina explained. "In fact, the fixed paradigm you mentioned was originally created by a paladin, and then passed down from generation to generation. As more and more paladins took the same oath, it gradually formed a fixed paradigm."

Lorne nodded knowingly, then asked, "Does taking an oath require any ceremony?"

"Some paladins take their oaths through sacred rites, but many more succeed in doing so during times of crisis. Paladins who take their oaths in this way usually grow faster and go further. So what really affects the success rate is your belief."

Lorne nodded, then asked, "What preparations are needed before taking the oath?"

Kovina replied, "If it's not a vow made in a moment of crisis, one needs to undergo a long period of training, both in martial arts and temperament, to meet the standards of becoming a paladin. Therefore, many elves become warriors first, and then paladins."

"Are you one too?" Lorne asked knowingly. He knew that Kovina was a pure professional, but that was determined by the system.

"I made this vow in the face of danger," Kovina said, gazing at the snow-capped mountains to the north, recalling:

"At that time, an ice giant attacked our village."

"Everyone fought desperately, but that frost giant was too powerful; we were no match for him at all."

"I lay on the ground, badly wounded, watching helplessly as that monster cruelly tortured a brave elf."

"At one point, anger ignited within me like a flame."

"I forgot the pain, got up from the ground, raised my sword, roared and charged forward, slashing at the monster with each strike, each one bursting with dazzling light."

"By the time I calmed down, the monster was already dead."

"I held the dying elf in my arms, with only one thought in my mind. The miracle has happened again."

At this point, Kovina looked away, a happy and proud smile spreading across her face.

"Holy Healing?" Lorne picked up the conversation.

"Yes." Kovina smiled and nodded, then said with a slightly dreamy look in her eyes, "I never imagined that I would become a paladin in this way."

Lorne nodded in understanding, then said, "So what is your oath? From what you just said, the whole process seems to have omitted the oath part."

"My vow is to protect everything I love," Kovina said solemnly, then switched to an explanatory tone, saying:

"Actually, many paladins are like me; they become paladins first, and then they learn about their oath."

As she said this, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she was organizing her thoughts.

Lorne remained silent, waiting quietly.

After a few seconds, Kovina spoke, "I may not have put it very well. In short, from the moment you become a paladin and receive the sacred oath, your life will undergo a qualitative change, becoming more confident, stronger, gentler, more authentic, and better at discovering and appreciating the beauty of the world."

Lorne nodded as if he understood: "Hmm, I can roughly imagine it."

Kovina took a deep breath, and said, as if talking to herself, or perhaps strongly recommending:

"In my opinion, there is nothing better in this world than becoming a paladin."

Looking at Kovina's undisguised pride and listening to her sincere and firm words, Lorne suddenly gained a new understanding of the paladin profession.

Before his time travel, his impression of paladins was mostly that of tragic heroes or suffering characters who were often the kind of good people who rarely got good rewards.

But the paladins in this world seem quite different from those depicted in previous Western fantasy stories.

Perhaps in this world, paladins are the most romantic and happiest group of all professions.

Although they are always bound by lofty moral constraints in the real world and have to face suffering and danger, their spiritual world is incredibly rich.

For keeping their oath is their highest reward. At least, that is true for paladins like Kovina.

At that moment, Lorne suddenly realized that he probably had a long way to go before he could become a true paladin.

With role models like Kovina in front of him, he had lost all interest in taking shortcuts using psychic abilities.

Because he respects such paladins, and he also respects himself, who aspires to become such a paladin.

Because he greedily wanted to achieve the kind of qualitative change that Kovina described.

With that thought in mind, Lorne calmly said to Kovina, "I don't want to learn the Holy Slash anymore."

Kovina was stunned, and so was Saina.

In their view, given Lorne's talent and temperament so far, coupled with the favor of the goddess Iluvia, learning the Holy Slash or becoming a paladin would be a piece of cake.

Lorne was well aware of this, which is why he broke away from Kovina and taught him the Holy Slash.

But now he suddenly says he doesn't want to learn the Supreme Slash?

Is this... correct?

Seeing the two elves' reaction, Lorne smiled and explained, "I want to experience the kind of qualitative change you're talking about."

Upon hearing this, Kovina suddenly understood, and with a deep sense of respect, she immediately stood at attention and saluted, saying in a very solemn and confident tone:

"You will surely become a legendary paladin!"