Chapter 150 | Bound by Gear, Forged by Power

Matthew quickly composed his thoughts and spoke sincerely:

“Instructor, what are you saying? You have accumulated experience over many years and made a stable breakthrough with an ordinary crystal core. Your foundation is incredibly solid, which is the most reliable way to advance.”

“You've only just broken through today, and your future potential remains immense. How could you possibly call yourself the ‘weakest’?”

Hearing these heartfelt and reasonable words, Calm's smile deepened. He nodded slightly, no longer offering humble denials.

Calm nodded, his expression turning serious.

He looked at Matthew and said in a steady voice:

“The sensations from the breakthrough are freshest right now, and my memory of them is at its clearest. It's the perfect time to explain it to you in detail.”

Hearing this, Matthew nodded solemnly, not expecting such an unexpected harvest.

Calm paused for a moment before recalling in a low voice:

“When the energy slams against the barrier, the pain is far more intense than expected. The body instinctively fights this external force, as if every inch of your muscles, bones, and flesh is being torn apart and reshaped.”

“At that moment, you can only rely on your willpower to guard your mind and guide the energy throughout your body.”

“The entire ‘expansion’ process is pure endurance.”

“Once the barrier is breached and the new cycle begins to form, there is an instant, overwhelming sense of release. But that is far from the end—”

“Next, like untangling a ball of messy yarn, you must patiently guide the active energy back into the cycle. Only when your aura has completely stabilized and the cycle runs smoothly on its own can you be considered to have truly secured your footing.”

A trace of lingering fear flashed in his eyes.

“Only by going through it yourself can you truly understand where the critical bottlenecks lie.”

“Theory is just theory after all. Only when you experience it yourself do you know which step is the most dangerous, and at which moment you absolutely cannot let your guard down.”

“These sensations are clearest to me right now. You must remember them.”

The room fell silent. Calm's gaze rested on Matthew's face, and he froze for a moment, suddenly remembering that the youth before him, who was far more composed than his peers, was only sixteen years old.

The gravity and warning in his eyes softened, and his tone became gentle and comforting:

“You don't need to be too tense. Your talent is far superior to mine. When you make your breakthrough in the future, you might not even need to rely on the assistance of a crystal core like I did.”

“Perhaps, with your own accumulation, it will happen naturally.”

Matthew nodded respectfully upon hearing this, but he had already made up his mind.

Although the instructor's words are comforting, I know my own situation best.

Matthew knew that his talent was not top-tier; his strength grew primarily due to the panel.

Moreover, the high-quality crystal core he had obtained from the goat demon, Rivera, was a rare treasure that one could only dream of finding.

It was brimming with energy and of extremely high quality. The life energy feedback it would provide after a breakthrough would undoubtedly be incredibly profound, enough to let him instantly secure a firm footing at the Silver Rank.

Leaving such an opportunity unused would be a complete waste.

However, while this crystal core is of high quality, the risks associated with it are also significantly greater.

Since Instructor Calm mentioned that there are medicinal herbs that can neutralize the violent life energy within it, I should prepare early and gather the necessary items.

Matthew murmured to himself, keeping the preparation of the medicinal herbs in mind.

Just then, Matthew suddenly felt an almost imperceptible vibration beneath his feet.

He frowned slightly, assuming it was just a sensory illusion from sitting cross-legged for too long.

However, as he instinctively looked around, his gaze sweeping over the slightly old furnishings of the room, he noticed that the bowl of clear water on the wooden table in front of Instructor Calm was rippling. The mirror-like surface was forming tiny but undeniably real ripples.

Matthew's gaze instantly shifted from the ripples on the water to Calm.

Almost at the exact same moment, Calm also noticed the extremely faint but real vibration. Their eyes met; no words were needed.

For a village at the edge of the forest, any tremor of this scale could only have originated from within the forest itself.

Calm's expression tightened as he rose first.

“Let's go. We'll head outside and take a look.”

Matthew followed closely behind. The two quickly left the room, crossed the front yard, and arrived at the entrance.

The afternoon sun was somewhat dazzling, but a faint, stifling oppression hung persistently in the air.

At the same time, a commotion arose in the village.

Many villagers had clearly noticed the anomaly as well. They left their homes one after another, gathering on the village path and looking anxiously toward the forest. Whispers and barking dogs filled the air.

Quite a few familiar faces were hurrying in their direction, heading straight for Instructor Calm's house!

Matthew withdrew his gaze from the villagers and immediately activated 【Eagle Eye Vision】.

As the combat technique took effect, the distant scenery rapidly zoomed in and became clear in his vision.

He focused his gaze toward the forest—

To the southeast, above the forest canopy, a massive flock of birds was flapping their wings in panic, fleeing far away from that area.

This was precisely the territory of the Shadow Wolf King that Calm had mentioned earlier, and the direction in which Regg's group had headed.

Matthew's heart sank.

It seemed something had indeed happened in the forest, and it was by no means a minor disturbance.

But this disturbance couldn't possibly be caused by the Shadow Wolf King. After all, even if it was a wolf king, it was no different from ordinary prey in front of a half-step Gold Rank expert like Taylor.

He had a faint inkling, a thought that made his chest tighten and even gave him a subtle urge to retreat...

But before he could voice his thoughts, Instructor Calm turned to him and spoke decisively:

“Go get your weapons ready, Matthew. We're heading to the town to ride this out for a while.”

The instructor's expression was grave and serious, his eyes carrying a trace of deep caution.

Matthew's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise upon hearing this, his mind racing.

Logically, investigating the source of the disturbance would seem to be the primary course of action.

Yet now, despite lacking critical information about Darkhoof and relying solely on a faint tremor and the sight of distant birds, the instructor's judgment aligned perfectly with his own quiet urge to retreat.

This sent a shiver through Matthew's heart, followed by a wave of heartfelt admiration.

As expected of an experienced adventurer... But this is for the best. It saves a lot of trouble.

He sighed inwardly, quickly composed his thoughts, and nodded in agreement.

“Yes, Instructor.”

Without any further hesitation, he turned and walked briskly toward his own lodging.

Pushing open his wooden door, he noted that although his status in the village had been rising day by day, the furnishings inside remained as simple and rustic as ever.