Chapter 116: Chapter 106: Weapon Master He shrugged and said somewhat helplessly: "When I encounter such situations, I usually just continue polishing the basics, letting my body memorize the feeling of each movement, until one day I suddenly have an epiphany. After all, a real breakthrough in swordsmanship often comes from a moment of insight rather than deliberate pursuit." The blond boy’s gaze became profound: "In the royal court, some knights spend their entire lives with their swordsmanship only at an adequate level. It’s not because they don’t work hard enough, but because they lack that special experience that can trigger an epiphany." Ron nodded. Although he wasn’t very satisfied with this answer, he knew it was indeed the most realistic solution at the moment. "You can only grind it out over time..." He sighed and decided to distract himself by busying himself with other matters. "By the way, Andre, didn’t you promise to lend me ’Alchemy Basics’ earlier? If it’s convenient, could you bring it to me now? I want to change my mindset and learn something new." "Of course, I’ll go get it right away." Andre agreed readily and then took his leave. About half an hour later, Andre returned with a heavy leather-bound book. The corners of the book were already a bit worn, and the gilded lettering on the cover had lost some of its luster, clearly indicating it had been read many times. "Here, this is the one." Andre handed the book to Ron, with a hint of regret in his eyes: "Though it’s an old book, the content is quite comprehensive, suitable for beginners. I spent a lot of time studying it back then, but unfortunately, my talent was limited, and I could never get the hang of it." Ron took the book, its weight giving him a sense of the depth of knowledge it contained. He was about to take out a Magic Stone Fragment to pay, but Andre waved it off, indicating it was unnecessary. "It’s no big deal, it was just an old book I bought myself and it doesn’t serve me anymore." The blond boy smiled, a hint of relief in his voice: "Besides, I have no talent in these wizardry skills, so instead of letting it gather dust, it’s better for you to use it for your research." Ron gratefully nodded, not insisting further. Casually flipping through the pages, a puff of dust erupted, causing him to sneeze. Just as he was immersed in the initial perusal of ’Alchemy Basics’, Andre’s gaze fell on the Magic Stone Fragment on the table, and he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Ron. Speaking of alchemy, did you know there’s a ’Simulation Battle Device’ in the School?" "Simulation Battle Device?" Ron looked up, curious, "What’s that?" "I’m not entirely sure, it was a senior who told me about it." Andre tapped his forehead, recalling carefully: "Apparently, it’s a special device invented by the alchemists within the School. It can construct a simulated battlefield within the user’s consciousness and generate preset opponents for combat training. It’s said that the experience is not much different from reality." "Sounds fascinating." Ron immediately became interested, putting down the book: "Why have I never heard of such a device?" "Because almost no one uses it." Andre shrugged: "The wizards in the School are more focused on research and knowledge accumulation and have little interest in practical training. Also, using it once is quite expensive, requiring thirty Magic Stone Fragments, which is equivalent to your half-month salary at Lady Allen’s place." "Thirty Magic Stone Fragments?" Ron frowned slightly, but soon relaxed: "For me now, this cost is acceptable, especially if it can help me break through the bottleneck in swordsmanship." "Then go give it a try!" Andre said excitedly: "The device is on the third underground floor of the School Central Tower, and it’s rarely visited; I’ve passed by there several times and it was always empty." Ron pondered for a moment, then resolved to give it a shot. He had been stuck at the last step of his swordsmanship for too long, and if this Simulation Battle Device could genuinely provide a near-real combat experience, it might be the breakthrough opportunity he needed. After preparations, the two of them headed to the School Central Tower. This towering black giant tower was the symbol of the entire Black Mist Jungle and one of the School’s oldest buildings. Descending along the spiral staircase and passing through several identification light screens, they finally arrived at the third underground floor. The Magic Crystal Lamps on both sides of the corridor emitted a ghostly blue light, illuminating this almost forgotten area. Dust floated in the air, with each step stirring up a small cloud of grey. "This is it." Andre pointed at a heavy iron door engraved with runes: "The Simulation Battle Room." A thin layer of dust had settled on the control panel at the entrance, clearly indicating it had not been used for a long time. Ron gently brushed away the dust, revealing the operation interface below. "Please insert the required quantity of Magic Stone Fragments and select simulation battle difficulty and opponent type." The text on the control panel began to glow, and a virtual projection unfolded in the air. Ron took out thirty Magic Stone Fragments from his waist and placed them one by one into the designated slots. With the insertion of the last Magic Stone Fragment, the entire control panel suddenly lit up, and the rune circuits flowed across its surface like blood vessels, emitting a bright glow. "Please select opponent type." A mechanical voice sounded. The projection displayed dozens of different opponent types, ranging from ordinary human soldiers to powerful alien extraordinary professionals, offering a wide array of choices. Ron browsed through them and finally settled his gaze on the option "Tiger Race - Weapon Master." "The Tiger Race is known for its strength and speed, coupled with rich combat experience, making it an excellent practical opponent." Ron analyzed in his mind, "I’ll go with this one." "Please select difficulty level." The mechanical voice sounded again. Ron contemplated for a moment and chose the "Hard" level. If he was seeking a breakthrough, he shouldn’t leave too much margin for himself. "Ron, are you sure?" Andre asked worriedly from the side upon seeing his choice: "I read the instructions above, ’Hard’ level is generally designed for Advanced Apprentices, it might be too dangerous for you." "It’s okay, after all, it’s just a simulation battle, not really fatal." Ron responded with a smile, though he felt somewhat nervous inside. But he clearly understood that the real breakthrough he was seeking could only come from such an extreme challenge. "Configuration complete, please enter the simulation battle room." The mechanical voice announced. The iron door slowly opened, revealing a vast circular room. In the center of the room was a giant array, surrounded by twelve stone pillars engraved with runes. "I’ll wait for you outside." Andre patted Ron’s shoulder: "Good luck." Ron nodded and stepped alone into the room. As he entered, the iron door closed with a thud behind him, enveloping the entire space in darkness. "The simulation battle is about to begin, please prepare." That mechanical voice echoed again, but this time it seemed to reverberate directly in Ron’s mind. In the darkness, Ron could feel a powerful spiritual force scanning his consciousness and physical data. The sensation was somewhat uncomfortable, but not painful, like being wrapped in an invisible current, gently stirring his thoughts. Suddenly, a dazzling light burst from beneath his feet, engulfing the entire room. Ron instinctively closed his eyes, and upon reopening them, the scene before him had completely transformed. He found himself standing in the center of a vast arena, surrounded by tiered spectator stands, although all the seats were vacant. The sky exhibited a strange purplish-red hue, and the outlines of distant mountains were clearly visible, making everything appear so real. "Is this the simulated battlefield?" Ron marveled, reaching out to touch the stone pillar beside him, feeling its solid and rough texture. "The battle is about to commence." The mechanical voice came from the sky, "Please choose your weapon." At the sound of this voice, a row of weapon racks appeared out of thin air before him, loaded with a variety of weapons: Longsword, short knife, scimitar, spear, war axe, morning star... even bizarre weapons like scythes and chains with hooks were available. Without hesitation, Ron selected a moderately weighted longsword, most closely resembling the ironwood sword he practiced with routinely. The sword blade shone with a cold gleam, and holding it in his hand brought an unusual sense of fit, as if tailored specifically for him. "Your opponent is..." The mechanical voice drew out dramatically, creating a deliberate sense of theater: "Tiger Race Weapon Master — Aksa!"