Wizard: Starting With the Knights Breathing Method Chapter 7: [Lord of the Wilderness] and the [Brotherhood of the Wilderness]

Levi Snyder

Black Snake Breathing Method: Level 2 (5/5000)

Golden Cross: Level 1 (1/1000); Special Effect: Vibrate (Beginner)

Three full days of effort had finally yielded results.

Levi’s gaze fixed on the new entry appearing beside the Golden Cross technique.

A special effect?

This was something he had never encountered before.

Clearly, this "Vibrate" attribute was exactly what Knight Fred had described. It allowed a knight’s blade to oscillate at extreme speeds, multiplying its destructive power by ten. Knight Fred’s previous lecture played back in his mind:

"This technique of mine is remarkably potent, capable of manifesting special effects even at the first level. You should realize that even the Black Snake Breathing Method doesn't grant any special effects at the second level."

Levi felt his breath catch in his throat. What kind of origin did Knight Fred’s skill actually have?

This had to be the creation of a brilliant Great Knight—no, perhaps even a Legendary Knight!

Satisfied with his progress, he nodded. He was eager to push this skill to its maximum potential as quickly as possible.

Striking while the iron was hot, he committed himself to practicing the Golden Cross multiple times every day. Internalizing the rhythm of the vibration was a grueling but rewarding endeavor. At his current stage, he could only generate a faint tremor through the blade.

[Golden Cross Proficiency +3]

[Golden Cross Proficiency +2]

He noticed that the Golden Cross offered significant room for rapid growth.

With every practice session, his proficiency climbed by at least 2 points.

He trained relentlessly, pausing only when his hunger became unbearable.

During one of his breaks for food and rest, he crossed paths with Knight Fred, who was returning from a session with the troops.

"You've already grasped the mechanics of the vibration, haven't you?" Knight Fred asked, noting the satisfied look on Levi’s face.

Levi gave a firm nod. Compared to just a few days ago, his combat strength had undergone a massive shift. Even though Vibrate was merely the entry-level skill of the Golden Cross, its lethality was undeniable.

The true difficulty would lie in mastering the subsequent stages, like Ripple or the legendary Whirlwind.

Knight Fred offered a small smile and remarked, "Your father achieved mastery of this in a mere two days."

A wave of frustration washed over Levi. He hadn't expected to fall behind his father’s pace.

"How many times did you have to practice it, Knight Fred?" Levi inquired.

Knight Fred held up two fingers in response.

"Two days of practice?"

"No, twice."

"Just act like I never asked."

Levi felt a sting of defeat. He had swung his sword nearly a hundred times over the past three days just to reach the threshold of mastery.

Yet Knight Fred had only needed two attempts.

The vast chasm between natural geniuses and ordinary people felt more real than ever.

Even a man as formidable as Knight Fred had found himself stuck when trying to unlock the secrets of Ripple.

"Whirlwind is nothing short of a myth. For an average person, attempting to learn it is an exercise in futility," Levi muttered to himself. "But you have the proficiency panel. You'll bridge the gap soon enough."

"By the way," Knight Fred said, interrupting Levi’s internal monologue, "the scouts I sent to negotiate with the Wild Boar Gang found out that they’ve recently pledged themselves to the Brotherhood of the Wild."

"So that’s why they’ve become so bold. They found themselves a patron," Levi said with a sneer.

The Brotherhood of the Wild was a notorious organization within the northern territories of the Kingdom.

They worshipped the Lord of the Wilderness, a deity representing chaos, disorder, and entropy. Their ideology championed absolute free will and the eventual return of all things to chaos. Their ranks were primarily filled with rogue knights and bandits who prowled the wastes.

Essentially, the Lord of the Wilderness served as the very avatar of chaos.

They sought the downfall of the Church and the Kingdom’s "tyranny," calling for the destruction of all established power. They believed that only in such a lawless state could life truly evolve through the survival of the fittest.

To the Church, this was the ultimate heresy. Consequently, both the Church and the Kingdom had hunted them relentlessly.

They had originally faded into obscurity, but the chaos of the Millennium War meant the Church was too busy to squash minor threats, allowing them to resurface.

"What is our move?" Knight Fred asked.

"We’ll leave Toby in their hands for the time being," Levi decided. "Milan’s skills are on par with Toby’s; get some apprentices assigned to him. We need to manufacture as much weaponry and gear as we can."

"Understood."

Realizing he wasn't strong enough to challenge the Brotherhood of the Wild yet, Levi knew preparation was his only option.

He scoffed at his current limitations and threw himself back into his daily regimen.

Holy Calendar, Year 1004. The Month of Germination (February).

Though it was the season of rebirth, the Blackwater Valley remained trapped in a bitter chill. While the temperature had risen slightly, thick snow still clung to the surrounding mountain peaks.

Levi withdrew from the world, dedicating every waking moment to his breathing method and the Golden Cross.

His routine became clockwork: he practiced his breathing method twice each morning, noon, and night, filling the gaps with Golden Cross training.

While the breathing method was the core of his strength, it drained his stamina heavily. He was also starting to grow weary of his constant diet of bread.

Nevertheless, at his current rate, he was accumulating 15 proficiency points a day. He estimated he would reach Level 3 in his breathing technique in about a year, which would likely trigger his breakthrough into a true knight.

This pace was exceptionally fast—practically matching his father's legendary speed.

As for the Golden Cross, he pushed his body to its absolute limits. Since he didn't have to worry about permanent exhaustion, his progress was visible and rapid.

Levi did allow himself one day of rest each week to ensure his muscles could recover.

Eventually, the Month of Vitality (March) arrived, bringing the first signs of spring to the Blackwater Valley.

Levi’s Golden Cross finally broke through to the second level, and he immediately summoned his status panel.