Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

Chapter 73 The mystery of the breathing method revealed

"Why are you reacting like this, Maxime?" asked Ernest, his tone tinged with concern.

Maxime gasped slightly, brought back to reality by his friend's question. He turned his head and saw Ernest and Laura staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. But even as he met their gazes, his mind remained cluttered with questions.

"Henry, Ultia, can you practice the breathing method and tell me if there are any changes?"

The two young apprentice knights awoke too, being busy feeling the changes deep in their genes.

"Yes, of course!"

The two then began to make a few slow movements, then speeding up suddenly before gradually slowing down again.

Their breathing was also strange, obviously quite different from that of an ordinary person.

It was as if there was an incomprehensible rhythm to it.

As they did so, Henry and Ultia's faces became increasingly shocked.

"It's okay, you can stop now. Can you tell us exactly what the changes are?"

The two looked at each other, then seeming to feel the same, Henry spoke up.

"It seems...that the breathing method has become totally ineffective."

Maxime's eyes sparkled.

"That's exactly what I thought! And I was wrong all along!"

Ernest and Laura were confused, but everyone was curious.

"What exactly is going on, Maxime?" asked Laura, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, I think what I'm about to say will still have some omissions, but as I understand it, the breathing method is about gradually changing your potential while improving your physique passively through effort."

"Normally what you feel Henry and Ultia, and why the breathing method tires a lot, is because it literally transforms your potential to make it stronger."

"Similarly, every time, the satisfaction and pain you have during and after your workouts is almost exclusively related to improving your potential."

"The importance of physical strengthening is in the minority when practicing the breathing method."

This discovery also disappointed Maxime a little, as he thought he'd obtained a method for improving his physical strength without going through the system.

But having the knightly talent also meant being able to awaken the vital seed at the knightly stage, and thus be able to exercise the powers associated with it.

Indeed, a knight could almost be said to be disabled if he could no longer use his vital seed.

"Now, my talent consists in improving the potential of any individual joining my mercenary group, by one level."

"Which means your potential has already met the standards for becoming a knight."

The excitement in Ultia and Henry's eyes could be seen.

"We can become knights at any time then?"

Maxime shook his head.

"Not exactly. You've only fulfilled the fundamental condition for becoming a knight."

"To awaken the vital seed and become a knight, you still lack at least 0.9 points of physicality as well as the opportunity to awaken it."

Indeed, once potential and physique had been achieved, it took powerful excitement, usually triggered in life-or-death battles, or through expensive potions for the vital seed to awaken and fully form.

Henry and Ultia calmed down a little; they themselves knew far more than Maxime about the conditions for becoming a knight, but the excitement had clouded their judgment.

However, they were now extremely optimistic!

If before they'd only had a slim chance of becoming knights, and even then it was at least 10 years of training or more, now they were confident of becoming knights in less than a year!

"Indeed, joining this mercenary group is the opportunity of a lifetime!

Henry's thoughts were similar to Ultia's.

"Why did you hesitate so long? Because of my hesitation we've lost so much time!"

Henry had a slightly bitter taste in his mouth knowing this.

And thinking about how he'd offended Maxime in the past with his arrogance, he felt like smashing his skull into a wall.

He could have ruined the chance of a lifetime just because of his ego!

Maxime also warned them as usual.

"The chance you had today must remain discreet so that my talent is not known to all."

"What's more, I have great control over this part of my talent. At any time, if you wish to leave the mercenary group, if you make an irreparable mistake or if you betray the group, I will directly take away what I have given you today. You'll also lose all the progress that's been made thanks to the blessing of my talent."

"In practical terms, this would return you to a physical strength similar to today's."

"If the circumstances are particularly grave, your head will also be drawn on several supports and then your face will be shown to all our mercenaries. You will then be hunted down by all the Sabertooth Tigers until your death is confirmed."

Henry and Ultia shuddered.

In their early days, saber-toothed tigers were already so strong, so in the future they could already imagine that if they did anything wrong, they might be hunted down by countless mercenaries as powerful as knights...or even stronger.

Hearing all this, Henry made himself a promise.

"From now on I'll keep my head down forever in front of him and I'll never cause trouble in the group!"

For her part, Ultia wasn't too worried by Maxime's words and simply nodded in response.

She knew she wouldn't do anything to lose this opportunity.

The speech over, Maxime smiled again.

"Welcome to the saber-toothed tigers."

Ernest and Laura smiled back.

"I hope to be able to entrust you with my back on the battlefields, I'll also assist you as best I can." added Ernest, while touching his girdle.

"You will undoubtedly become the pillars of the mercenary group in no time, when that happens I hope to be able to count on you." continued Laura, as she lightly combed back her hair.

Henry blushed slightly; it had to be said that Laura's charm might even make her one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom.

But Henry quickly suppressed his thoughts, realizing how dangerous the situation could be for him if he fell under Laura's spell.

Without a doubt, coveting the chief's wife was synonymous with courting death!

"Question like that, but do you think Baron Irut might let me learn his breathing method?" asked Maxime without too much expectation.

"The breathing method is the foundation of a noble family, it's not so easily transmitted." replied Ultia, shaking her head.

Henry disagreed.

"I think Baron Irut might make an exception if we manage to defeat Baron Barthon, and in exchange for some benefits or promises."

"Well, we'll see," concluded Maxime without much conviction.

Henry looked quickly at Ultia before taking a step forward as he assumed a more serious expression.

"Besides, we came here for another reason."

Everyone looked at Henry, who had taken on a very serious expression.

"Baron Irut's scouts have reported that the first lines of battle against the orcs are only three days' march to the south. The orcs are already gaining ground, and there are sporadic clashes. If you leave now, you'll reach the front lines just in time to reinforce the allied troops."

Maxime crossed his arms, pondering this new information. The orcs were a growing danger, and the situation seemed more urgent than expected. He turned to Laura and Ernest, seeking their advice with his eyes. They nodded in silent approval.

"We're not changing our plans, we're still leaving tomorrow," replied Maxime rather dryly.

These cold words cooled Ultia and Henry's spirits slightly.

They wanted to reply, but suddenly remembered that the man in front of them, who was also their age, was now their leader.

But Maxime quickly explained a few things so they could understand their new identity.

"Mercenaries are not knights, we only act for money and to get stronger so we can survive longer and make even more money."

"Intervening when people really need help adds enormous value to our intervention while putting our men at less risk."

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Henry and Ultia looked at each other, confused.

All their lives, they'd been raised on chivalric virtues. But today, they were embarking on a very different path.

Yet one thing was certain: they would not go back.