With those words, Humbert's face changed, becoming much more solemn.
In the next instant!
Humbert's heavy war boots suddenly stomped on the ground, accompanied by a dull 'boom', causing small pebbles to emit a rustling vibration, and a surge of force was transmitted from his left foot up through his body.
Raine could only feel Humbert's entire body muscles instantly tensing up, like a fully drawn big bow ready to shoot, while the force from the ground now reached his right arm holding the raised warhammer.
Humbert's previously loose linen sleeves were suddenly torn apart by the bulging muscles of his arm.
"Hah!"
A muffled shout erupted from Humbert's rugged throat as he twisted his waist and abdomen forcefully, wielding the warhammer with a whistling sound, aiming directly at the ferrous iron plate on the dummy.
As the hammer tip struck the ferrous iron plate shield, a deafening 'clang' of metal rang out, mixed with a sound of metal tearing.
The ferrous iron plate seemed like a thin piece of paper, instantly caving inwards, the hammer tip effortlessly piercing and tearing through it, continuing to penetrate until it shot out from the back of the ironwood dummy, carrying metal fragments.
The metal fragments, like a torrential rain, hit the iron fittings and walls behind the dummy with a 'ding ding clang clang', like a shot from a shotgun.
Raine was somewhat dumbfounded as he watched this scene.
Though Humbert released his hand, the dummy continued to sway, the ferrous iron plate on its chest long shattered and fell to the ground, while the hammer tip remained embedded in the chest cavity of the ironwood dummy.
'Hiss~ This power... it's comparable to an armor-piercing bullet!'
At this moment, only this thought popped into Raine's mind.
"Do you want to learn?"
"Yes!" Raine nodded repeatedly.
"Although you're not a Classes yet, given your current physical condition, if the completion of Armor-Piercing Strike isn't too demanding, it won't be a significant burden," Humbert said with a smile.
"Completion?" Raine immediately recalled the scene from that day when Fabian, as a rogue apprentice, leaped high, his dagger drawing a silver arc as it pierced the back neck of the Wild Boar Warrior.
The completion of such a backstab must be incredibly high, right?
"Yes, you can simply understand that the higher the completion of a combat skill, the greater the power. But conversely, the higher the completion, the greater the physical burden."
"Although entry-level combat skills don't pose a significant burden for the physical condition of Classes, for non-Classes, this burden varies from person to person."
"Generally, non-Classes find it challenging to achieve a one hundred percent completion of combat skills, but this doesn't prevent them from lowering the completion to execute certain skills and enhance attack power."
"I see." Raine nodded, saying.
Having lived through a knowledge explosion in a past life, understanding Humbert's explanation wasn't difficult for him.
It's quite like in the gymnastics competitions of his previous life, where two athletes demonstrate the same set of moves with difficulty coefficients, but due to their differing completion, the judges awarded different scores.
Moves with difficulty coefficients are akin to certain combat skills, and the scores awarded are comparable to the power of combat skills.
"Tutor, what do universal combat skills mean?"
"Universal combat skills are techniques that multiple Classes can master."
"For example, this 'Armor-Piercing Strike' — in fact, the Wanderer Class can also perform it using daggers."
"However, they rely more on the inertia from high-speed movement, while we rely on stationary exertion and the inertia of the warhammer itself."
"But essentially, there's no difference — both depend on powerful impact."
"Actually, over time, you'll gradually discover that some close-combat Classes' skills have techniques that are actually connected in some ways."
After listening to Humbert's explanation regarding combat skills, Raine felt enlightened.
"Thank you, Tutor!"
....
The time spent wholeheartedly studying always flew by quickly.
The days soon led to the agreed half month later.
And just the day before, Raine learned of the second combat skill from Tutor Humbert — 'Shield Bash'.
A technique involving vigorous strikes on enemies with a shield, demanding substantial explosive force.
But unfortunately, even Tutor Humbert couldn't answer his third question — 'After mastering several combat skills and magic, what Class will I understand?'
However, for Raine, this matter could be put aside for now.
Because although he's learned two combat skills, he is still far from reaching the requirements for Class guidance.
Even with Hammer Mastery Level 1 enhancement, his Armor-Piercing Strike's completion over the past half month barely crawled beyond 80%, still quite far from the 95% required for Class guidance.
Of course, this progress wasn't slow at all, even considered quite talented, as Humbert, as the Tutor, consistently affirmed.
And the Shield Bash he learned the day before achieved just over 60% completion, barely reaching the minimum threshold for execution.
So, moving forward, the most crucial thing for Raine is to continue improving the completion of these two combat skills during subsequent training.
This endeavor, even to him, couldn't be achieved overnight.
Regarding the issue of transitioning Classes, since it involves magic, Raine reckoned he better consult a knowledgeable mage.
Perhaps, the mage could provide him with a relatively clear answer.
Meanwhile.
Chris's broken bone had healed, and that evening, the Howling Hunter Squad finally convened once more.
This time at the most lively bar in Mill Town — the Fireplace Bar.
Reya and Chris arrived first, ordering a platter of dried fruits and two lemonades, chatting as they waited.
"Chris, is your arm really okay?" Reya asked somewhat skeptically, looking at Chris's previously injured left arm.
She felt Chris couldn't stay idle, hence the urge to gather everyone together.
Fabian and Grande's injuries were much milder than Chris's, and they'd already recovered several days ago.
"It's really okay, Captain, look." Chris demonstrated the movements of his left arm, indicating it had indeed healed.
"Hey, Chris, looks like you've recovered, remember to drink more tonight." Fabian entered the bar, flipping his trademark dagger, greeting them.
Following Fabian, was Grande.
"Captain!"
"Chris, congratulations on recovering."
"Thanks!"
"Huh? Didn't Raine come along with you?" Reya glanced behind Grande, but saw no sign of Raine.
"No." Grande shook his head.
"It's not time yet, don't worry, Captain. Raine isn't the type to be late." Fabian glanced at the clock on the bar wall.
After a while.
Close to dinnertime.
The crowd inside the Fireplace Bar began to swell, growing noisy, and the atmosphere grew lively.
Just then, a burly figure wearing a Horned Helmet appeared at the Fireplace Bar door, broad-shouldered like a standing grizzly bear, overshadowing half the doorway.
"Huh? Seems like a Barbarian Adventurer is here."
"Barbarians are quite rare to see in Mill Town."
"Yes, really rare."
...
"But it's a bit strange, I remember Barbarians rarely wear chain armor." Fabian looked, feeling something was odd.
After all, Barbarians admire fearlessness and fighting, typically avoiding restrictive chain or plate armor, preferring minimal leather armor and dual wielding weapons, or using heavy weapons.
"Wait, why is he heading towards us? Captain, is he a friend of yours?" Chris questioned in confusion.
"Me? I don't have any Barbarian friends." Reya was puzzled too, shaking her head.
"What about you?" Chris turned to Fabian and Grande.
"No!" Fabian and Grande shook their heads.
"What's going on? Surely not causing trouble, right?" Chris wondered.
"Hey, Chris, looks like you've recuperated."
A familiar voice echoed from under the Horned Helmet.
"Gosh, you... you're Raine?!" Hearing that familiar voice, Chris looked astounded at the robust figure completely misaligned with his memory of Raine, jumping up from his seat.
"In just half a month, how did you get so buff? Did you take some sort of potion?"