《Loiterous》 Chapter 1 Author''s note: I dealt with the last version, thanks for your help guys! The old version will remain available on my blog here Next chapter should be up tomorrow. A new popular video was circulating through the internet. Quite popular youtuber, Sais, uploaded something that sent tremors through the gaming community. Jeremy sat in front of his screen when he noticed a popular thread on the forums. He was scrambling for information, raring to go from the excitement since the game¡¯s release date one year ago. Incapable of resisting the curiosity, he clicked the link and pressed the play button. The screen flashed and a white young man in his twenties sitting in his chair appeared, waving to the screen. ¡°Hello dear gamers, it¡¯s your favorite youtuber, Sais! I know I¡¯ve been gone for a long time, but real life isn¡¯t as easy as cashing out from youtube¡­ Cough! Okay, let¡¯s get to the point. The reason you guys have decided to sacrifice your time for this video is its title ¨C ¡°Revealing the hidden content of Loiterous, the new VRMMORPG.¡± However, before I start, let me tell you this. Record this video and post it wherever you can before it gets taken down! Tell your friends all about it before it¡¯s too late!¡± Sais¡¯s face was solemn, showing the urgency and grave importance of the matter. ¡°With great effort and help from my friends who are quite good with computers¡­ cough cough, they managed to borrow the footage from the Albatros Company, footage that none of you had the chance to see!¡± while saying borrow, Sais made two air quotes. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, we know it¡¯s ¡°hacked¡±, how else would it leak you dumbass undercover dev? Get on with it!¡± Jeremy cursed under his nose, yet he didn¡¯t want to skip the good parts so he held his hand. ¡°The three clips you¡¯ve seen up till now on the official website were nothing more than developers in overpowered sets, shining like gold ingots in the sun, slaying some pitiful creatures that only looked ferocious, yet did absolutely no damage to them. That¡¯s no fun and it only shows the incapability of the developers to play properly and somewhat makes us drool seeing the graphic side of the game. Hehe, however, your favorite youtuber Sais has something great to show you all! Without further ado, let¡¯s begin the footage. Remember! Record it before it¡¯s gone so you can show it to your friends!¡± Sais¡¯s figure disappeared and the new footage rolled out. The sun was high up in the air, palm trees swayed under the wind, the sand glistened under the feet like ambers on a beach. The entire town was bustling with activity. Merchants, young, old, warriors, guards, people in cloaks carrying wooden staves and staffs, all kinds of faces could be seen. Young player spawned in a large plaza, looking around in a daze. The camera changed to first person and all of the wonders of the city could be seen through his eyes. An almost whisper-like ¡°wow¡± escaped his lips. The blue inventory screen popped up, displaying his shabby starting equipment, but when the man touched the sword, his palms were trembling with excitement! As the camera switched through the first and third person view, one could see the newbie practicing his swings, stabs and slashes. Swinging the damaged sword a few times, the player looked like a newborn calf, happy to see the world for the first time. He rushed outside the village to face the monsters. Compared to the interior of the town, the surroundings looked like a burning hot desert. When the rush of heat hit the player, he looked around only to realize with a big ¡°Oh¡± that he¡¯s in a place resembling an oasis. At the distance rippling air created a mirage. Outside the beginner village [Poisonous Scorpions] crawled and [Wild Dogs] ran madly, looking for prey. Their names could be seen above their heads, yet there were no stats shown. The nameless player rushed forward and swung his sword at the nearest [Wild Dog], dealing 5 damage! The [Wild Dog] retaliated almost instantly, swiping its claws and dealing 15 damage which appeared above the player¡¯s head. The player¡¯s blood spurted like a fountain. Miserable shriek escaped his mouth. Vicious whelp didn¡¯t wait for player to recover and immediately followed with 12 damage, putting the guy out of his misery. After a flash of light, the lone player respawned in the church. Scenes flashed, as if the video was fast-forwarded. Suddenly, the black light changed into a rear view of the player charging outside once again. He faced the [Poisonous Scorpion] with a swing dealing mere 3 damage! It could be seen that the scorpion has less HP, but much more formidable defense! Paralyzed by the scorpion¡¯s sting, the player was unfortunate enough to aggro one of the nearby [Wild Dogs]. Soon enough, he was clawed to death. The screen became black for a moment. Then the player was seen with his class information on the display, his class clearly stated: Druid, as for the level, he was still level one. His statistics were blurred, so unfortunately there was nothing to be seen there. ¡°Goddamn scammer, not showing everything but mere parts to evoke curiosity!¡± Jeremy cursed again. Exiting the beginner village, the man shouted ¡¶Shapeshift¡·¡±. His physique was enveloped by glaringly radiant yellow color, then his constitution changed. It wasn¡¯t a normal human player anymore, but a fierce white wolf! Furthermore, based on the wolf¡¯s posture it should be the long extinct Dire Wolf! Drums sounded highlighting the scene, enhancing the moment. Dire Wolf stormed towards the two nearby [Wild Dogs], battling them simultaneously. Its damage increased to 20, every swipe and ferocious bite let out blood, making the scene gruesome to the extreme. Two dogs on the side tried to help their friends but were pushed away with a savage slam of the body at least twice their size. The music increased in tempo and then with a final paw the two wounded [Wild Dogs] died. As if satisfied with its overwhelming victory, the player let out a wild howl, echoing in the ears of the listeners. Everything turned black again and soon after Sais appeared. Jeremy didn¡¯t pay attention for a moment so he paused the video. His blood was boiling! The skill of the player wasn¡¯t something to look at, it was mediocre at best. But, when the blood splattered, it looked real! The damage increased whenever the attacks hit a vital area, dodging resulted in the opponent¡¯s miss. Counters were welcome! Scoring a critical hit wasn¡¯t a chance but a skill! What an awesome world! Calming down a little, Jeremy played the video again. ¡°As you could see dear gamers, this is one of the classes available in the starting locations called Druid. I don¡¯t have much information on it, merely that it can, as you have already seen, ¡¶Shapeshift¡·. How the shapeshifts are acquired and what its skills are, I do not know. Unfortunately, I do not have any more footage from the game itself, but I was able to get some screenshots. I put additional descriptions based on the files I got my hands on. Here we go.¡± A new scene appeared, there was a blue window atop which a holographic mage was casting a fireball! Based on the visible description of ¡¶Lesser Fireball¡·, all of the steps were provided in the holographic animation itself. Next on the menu was the warrior¡¯s skill called ¡¶Overhead Swing¡·. It was a skill for both sword and axe users, only the damage done by axes was raised to 125%. Furthermore, the tooltip clearly stated that the skill can utilize elemental damage for additional effects! Continuing with the Archer class, a skill called ¡¶Ensnaring Dart¡· appeared. Experienced Archer class players might recognize this skill as one called ¡¶Net Arrow¡·or the like in the other games. Basically it was a skill that immobilized the target for a short amount of time. However, the tooltip once again clearly stated that some elements may add additional effect to the skill! Rogues had their ¡¶Stealth¡· skill showcased, saying that its effect depends on the owner¡¯s ¡¶Hide Presence¡· and the opponent¡¯s ¡¶Sense Presence¡· skills. Aside from the slight movement speed reduction and the ¡¶Hide Presence¡·requirement, it looked like a normal stealth skill. The tooltip didn¡¯t disappoint. ¡°Special element can enhance the duration and hiding effect of the skill.¡± it said. Sais appeared again and after sighing resignedly, he said regretfully ¡°Unfortunately, this is all the screenshots I could obtain. However, I have another piece of news regarding classes!¡± Sais put on his trademark smile, scratching his head in embarassment. ¡°From what I learned, there will be the following available combat classes. ¡¶Druid¡·, five types of ¡¶Mages¡·, ¡¶Warrior¡·, ¡¶Swordsman¡·, ¡¶Rogue¡·, ¡¶Archer¡·, ¡¶Hunter¡·, ¡¶Paladin¡·, ¡¶Priest¡·, ¡¶Sailor¡·and ¡¶Mercenary¡·!¡± Sais¡¯s face was beaming. ¡°The rest, like artisan classes, all of us will have to see in the game itself. Remember dear gamers, there is no pre-order of Loiterous. You can get the device and the game as a set three days from now in your local malls and computer stores. The other option is to get one from the giveaways listed on Albatros Company¡¯s website. That¡¯s all for today. If you liked the content, please subscribe to my channel, there will be more after the game officially launches. It has been a long year of waiting, but we¡¯re finally at the finish line! Have a nice day and see you soon.¡± Jeremy had already signed in for all the giveaways. Three days. Only three more days and the new experience for the entire gaming community will begin. Feeling the blood in his veins surging, Jeremy rushed off to the nearby ATM to withdraw cash in advance. ¡­ Three days later, afternoon, Jeremy¡¯s condo ¡°Don¡¯t push!¡± ¡°Hey, that was my spot!¡± ¡°All of you! Stay in line! If you don¡¯t follow our instructions, you¡¯ll be kicked out!¡± one of the guards barked at the mob fiercely, his spittle flying all over the place. Jeremy heard the clamoring people outside and sighed resignedly. Blazing afternoon¡¯s sun rays illuminated his white skin through the small part of the rolled up window screen. Currently he was livid from anger. His pale face looked like he was about to explode as he cursed unceasingly ¡°Goddamn giveaway site! ¡°You won¡± confirmation email my ass! Where the hell is the package that I supposedly won?! I didn¡¯t stand in that long ass line to the mall across the street because I was assured of winning the device! Now there¡¯s at least a few thousand people lined up! Fuck, I even checked the email address and it¡¯s the official one!¡± he stood up as he continued mumbling ¡°I¡¯ll rip them a new one¡± and ¡°Even Jewish prayers won¡¯t save you¡±. Jeremy wasn¡¯t lacking money. In fact, he had enough to live through a hundred lifetimes and still have a lot to spare. After his grandfather died, he took care of his business. Over two years had passed since that unfortunate moment and he decided to settle in a small town, trying his hand at living like a normal citizen. The second reason was obviously staying low-key and operating from the shadows. However, at that very moment, when he looked at the crowd outside that was slowly dispersing, and people who carried only one box each, he felt hopeless! That hopelessness turned into anger, his fists were balled, at the verge of cracking. Jeremy was trying to calm down, to keep it cool, but thoughts of destroying the bastard who scammed him unceasingly flashed through his mind, gnawing at him. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. He looked through the window again and at the sheer number of people standing in the line. It most likely exceeded the total population of the town! If he tried to stand in line now it would be too late! Those who drove here from afar to increase their chances were now struggling to get their hands on the product. As for him? He was currently struggling to keep his sanity. Those mad gamers acting like dogs with rabies resembled his current behavior flawlessly. They waited for a long time, some for dozens of years until finally Virtual Reality that is also an MMO emerged, yet they couldn¡¯t get it! Supply shortage, what concept was that! Jeremy¡¯s case of winning one of the giveaways angered him even further. It was supposed to be a formality, yet he had nothing, not even a chance at buying the product today! Did he really have to start late because of getting scammed?! Seething with anger, Jeremy heard a sound. He thought it was a hallucination. Knock knock! Someone really did knock! The heavens still cared about him! Opening the door, he saw a young courier in his twenties, standing there huffing and puffing, package in hand, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. When Jeremy noticed the package, his wolf-like gaze instantly softened, all of his anger instantly dissipated, turning into endless joy! He looked like he was unexpectedly visited by his bosom friend. Truth be told, if it wasn¡¯t a man he would kiss him a thousand times! ¡°Hello.¡± said Jeremy in an amiable tone. He was so happy that he didn¡¯t even need to try sounding friendly. ¡°H-Hello.¡± huffed the courier, visibly tired ¡°Are you Mr. Jeremy Grand?¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s me.¡± his gaze drifted to the package and glued itself into it, as if its insides contained a ring to rule above all others¡­ ¡°C-Can I see some ID sir? It¡¯s just a formality, but we need to make sure that the right person received the package. Please understand.¡± slowly steadying his breath, the courier extended his hand. ¡°Oh right, here you go.¡± Jeremy handed the document, recovering from his daze. ¡°Very well, Mr. Grand, it¡¯s indeed you. Here you go.¡± the courier parted with the package without struggling. Jeremy held the package under his left arm and patted the courier¡¯s shoulder with his right hand ¡°You can call me Jeremy. And thank you, really, you made my day!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ron, nice to meet you Jeremy.¡± the courier smiled wryly while shaking Jeremy¡¯s hand and continued ¡°I have to say, Jeremy, if the employees didn¡¯t get a package like this for free, I wouldn¡¯t have picked this lousy job. I was worked like a dog! I worked for three months already, my goal of getting a VR headset kept me going. Hehe, it has paid off. If not for that, I would probably try to steal one¡­¡± his gaze flickered, as his face burned hot in embarrassment. Jeremy laughed out loudly, he was so angry just a moment ago that he understood the man perfectly and didn¡¯t hold it against him. He had the device, it was afternoon and the servers were launching at 8pm. What did he have to worry about? ¡°By the way, I¡¯m sorry for the late delivery, this place was so remote and it was last on my list¡­¡± Ron put on apologetic look as he explained. ¡°Haha, no problem.¡± Jeremy smiled faintly, exuding so much friendliness that he seemed to glow. ¡°I heard the coworkers saying something about different starting locations. The probability we will meet is low, but if we do, let¡¯s help each other out!¡± Ron declared with his chest puffed. Jeremy agreed, they talked for a while and then said their goodbyes. ¡­ It was 8pm. Jeremy read through the manuals, but there was nothing new. The most information players received was obviously from this undercover dev, Sais, who advertised the game ¡°secretly¡±. Jeremy did similar covert operations in his line of work, so he knew the ins and outs of the job. Recognizing a fellow ¡°scammer¡± wasn¡¯t hard. Despite being such an innovative technology, the VR headset was unimaginably easy to set up. It only required to be plugged to the power socket. How it was connecting to other players wasn¡¯t revealed, but there were rumors that Albatros Company had their own internet network which allowed the device to be safe from any hacking. Of course those were nothing but rumors circulating through the Internet. Jeremy reclined on his newly bought leather chair, put the headset on and logged in. ¡­ Amidst the boundless darkness, Jeremy woke only to realize he couldn¡¯t breathe! He tried to inhale the air, but there was nothing, as if he was a floating object in the endless space! He closed his mouth instinctively. To his side appeared a bright spot that slowly became distinct. He looked in shock to discover that it was a little fairy. ¡°Welcome adventurer, create your character in the mirror in front of you.¡± as soon as the melodious voice rang out, in front of the confused Jeremy appeared a mirror made of solidified blue flames. What was even more shocking was that he didn¡¯t need to breathe¡­ Gaping at his reflection in the solidified flame mirror, he didn¡¯t make any changes. His black hair was barely visible in the dark environment, but his amber eyes shone like burning embers in the moonless night, giving the impression of boundless power residing in his body. His lean muscles indicated that he was a healthy male. There weren¡¯t enough to call him ripped though. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± he told the fairy. ¡°Congratulations on making your character, adventurer. Please follow me.¡± The little fairy flew into the window and Jeremy made a leap of faith, following blindly. Slight tremors went through his body and when he appeared on the other side, he was speechless. It wasn¡¯t caused by the sudden appearance of air, but by the grand view before him! Myriads of brightly glowing stars covered the firmament, they seemed so close, yet at the same time so far, somewhere in the galaxy. The starlight illuminated the cold, black granite floor. In front of him were rows of decorated tables with an innumerable amount of dishes placed on them, smelling fragrant and arousing taste buds. Crowd of players like him sat at the sides of the table, voraciously wolfing down the food. To his left, there were dozens of sparring rings and circles where players could engage in combat. Some people already brandished their weapons against each other. On Jeremy¡¯s right was a practice ground for solo players, consisting of target dummies, archery targets and immobile stone golems. Players could apparently practice their swordsmanship, archery and spellcasting before logging into the game. ¡°You will be transported to finalize your character creation shortly. Have fun, adventurer.¡± as soon as the words left the little pixie¡¯s mouth she disappeared without a trace. Jeremy looked at the middle of this place. There was a large platform around which a few players congregated. They tried to walk on it but they were repelled by an invisible wall. ¡°Interesting.¡± he thought, moving to the tables. He grabbed a chicken leg and moved towards the practice ground. Taking one of the empty spots, Jeremy noticed three menus hovering in the air in front of him.
Swordsmanship [Choose] Archery [Choose] Spellcasting [Choose]
He chose archery for starters. A wooden bow started materializing in the air, which Jeremy grabbed. He noticed red linear lights. Those lights showed an optimal trajectory for beginners. Jeremy drew the bowstring, trying to mimic the real archers by steadying his breath and aimed at the suggested trajectory. Whoosh! The arrow flew and it hit the archery target, the value was displayed next to it ¨C 7. Furrowing his brows, Jeremy looked at the targeting system as if it was faulty. Why didn¡¯t it let him shoot at the center of the archery target for a straight out ten? Not accepting such a result, he immersed himself in the archery, drew the bowstring again and diverted from the suggested trajectory. What he didn¡¯t know is that archery like everything else required mastery. How could it be so easy to make your arrow hit right at the middle on your first shot? System¡¯s help was limited in that regard to balance things out A few minutes passed and Jeremy couldn¡¯t hit anything more than the outer rings for a five or a six. His accuracy was improving slightly, but he knew he wouldn¡¯t play the Archer class, so he gave up. There were so many surrounding players making constant noise that nobody minded him. Just like him, those players were trying to practice as much as they could before the game officially launched. Jeremy chose spellcasting and five spells appeared before him. ¡¶Lesser Fireball¡·,¡¶Compact Earth Wall¡·,¡¶Lightning Bolt¡·, ¡¶Soundless Cut¡· and ¡¶Water Prison¡·. As one could imagine ¡¶Lesser Fireball¡·was an offensive spell focused on dealing damage with a slight chance of causing burn damage. ¡¶Compact Earth Wall¡·was a defensive earth spell focused on creating a wall of mud blocking the incoming projectiles for a short amount of time. ¡¶Lightning Bolt¡·seemed like a grander version of a spark that flew extremely quickly and had 30% chance of stunning the enemy for 2 seconds. Based on the description its mana cost seemed rather high. ¡¶Soundless Cut¡·represented air magic, dealing armor piercing magic damage. Its total damage was incomparable to fire and lightning magic, but the 5 seconds of armor shredding sounded like wind element mages would be a great addition to the party. What caught Jeremy¡¯s attention the most was ¡¶Water Prison¡·. Water based spell that trapped the enemy inside the bubble for 3 seconds. He immediately tried casting it. The feeling of using magic was wonderful. Something sucked inside his body, as if trying to retrieve energy for conjuring the spell. Then in his line of vision appeared a blue light, indicating where the current ¡¶Water Prison¡·would fall upon. ¡°So it¡¯s a skillshot, huh? Awesome!¡± Jeremy¡¯s mouth curled up into a grin. Casting it once, the bubble landed on a target dummy. The target dummy was lifted up in the air and hover there for 3 seconds before the bubble burst. Jeremy¡¯s eyes shone. He used it again and this time tried to move the bubble sidewards. The distance it travelled wasn¡¯t large, but it actually moved! He quickly inferred that if the bubble were to be thrown aside with greater force, then 3 seconds of its duration plus at least additional 2 seconds of the monster getting back into a fight made for a terrifying immobilizing ability! Awesome! Powerful! Overpowered! Those three words reverberated in his head continuously. As Jeremy marveled at the wondrous class he discovered, he tried to calm down. He didn¡¯t know what other abilities of water element mage did after all¡­ You can¡¯t rely on only one ability. His musings broke like a soap bubble. A large pillar of light shone in the middle of the restricted area, thunderous voice resounding ¡°Welcome to Loiterous, adventurers!¡± Large figure of a middle-aged man appeared. Above his head were two words in a bright green ¨C Game Master! Chapter 2 Author¡¯s note: This version didn¡¯t go through my editors since it was finished like 3 hours ago. If you want to read it with better grammar give it a day or two. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! ¡°Goddamnit, why are those wolves still chasing me?!¡± Jeremy huffed and puffed as he ran. His palms and back were covered with sweat. He didn¡¯t even have the time to look at the surrounding forest as he escaped with top speed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t these wolves have an aggro range, goddamnit?!¡± he felt hopeless as he glanced back. Growl! Jeremy gaped at the open maws packed with razor sharp teeth. Five [Alpha Grey Wolves] were chasing him. He couldn¡¯t even see their levels¡­ Feeling a tinge of fear, Jeremy looked at the flashing blue screen on his right. It was the tutorial. One of its first steps had a prompt¡±Distribute your starting points.¡±
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 1 Experience: 0/100 Class: None Subclass: None Titles: None Statistics: HP: 50 Mana: 50 Strength: 5 Dexterity: 5 Vitality: 5 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom: 5 Charisma:0 Luck: 2 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information about monsters which aren¡¯t more than 5 levels higher than you.
Icicle, that was Jeremy¡¯s new character¡¯s name, read through the statistics quickly. Strength increased physical damage and allowed you to carry more weight. He couldn¡¯t put up a fight with the wolves. Hell, he couldn¡¯t even see their level, so he disregarded Strength for now. Vitality increased health points, health regeneration and resistance to poison. More health could help him a little, but the wolves were already chasing him for 5 minutes! Since they didn¡¯t turn back, it was only a matter of time before they ripped him to pieces. Intelligence increased magic damage and the magic¡¯s radius while Wisdom increased mana, mana regeneration and the duration of effects. Neither of those could have currently helped him. Luck and Charisma couldn¡¯t be added. Those stats were earned. Icicle was left with only one choice ¨C Dexterity. Dexterity increased attack speed, movement speed and critical damage. He quickly pressed the + button and added all of 15 stat points into it. His movement speed increased slightly. Wolves seemed to be farther and farther away. AWOOOOOOOOO! Five [Alpha Grey Wolves] gave chase, increasing their speed. As if bored with playing cat and mouse they lunged forward. Merely five seconds passed and they were already upon Icicle! One after the other, claws swiped through the air. -25 Excruciating pain as if someone flayed him alive filled Icicle. He gritted his teeth and persevered. -24 Another paw attack landed and Icicle couldn¡¯t help but scream! His HP merely at 1/50, he looked with dismay at an open mouth of impending doom¡­ -42 Agonizing pain lasted only for a second before Icicle¡¯s body disintegrated into particles. Since you haven¡¯t chosen a starting location, you¡¯ve been automatically assigned to the nearest safe zone. You¡¯ve discovered [Adian¡¯s Resting Place]. As the first person to discover this location you¡¯re granted 3 points of luck! Icicle balled his fists and opened up the character menu.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 1 Experience: 0/100 Class: None Subclass: None Titles: None Statistics: HP: 50 Mana: 50 Strength: 5 Dexterity: 15 Vitality: 5 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom: 5 Charisma: 0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you.
Icicle received the other two points of luck when he spawned in an area called [Humming Forest]. That¡¯s where the wolves noticed him and gave chase, giving him a run for his money. When he saw the stats he wasted, his heart ached. Charisma and Luck could be apparently acquired through discovering new areas, events, equipment and killing rare monsters. At least that¡¯s what tutorial said. After Dexterity reached 10 points, the cost to level it up increased to two stat points per point added. As he glanced at those wasted stats, Icicle¡¯s heart ached. Fifteen stat points wasted on only 10 points total! Damn it! As Icicle cursed the employee who sent him here, his thoughts returned to the moment when GM arrived. ¡­ ¡°Game Master?¡± rang astonished voices of the players. This was their first time logging in. They didn¡¯t even have their names chosen, yet such a personage welcomed them. ¡°I¡¯m sure most of you are confused. No wonder, you couldn¡¯t choose your nicknames after all.¡± middle-aged man laughed heartily. His mouth curled into a friendly smile. The players who looked at him could feel the warm atmosphere. They felt welcomed. ¡°Currently, we¡¯re in the middle of the registration process. Honestly speaking, there are so many of you that we had to delay the official launch a little.¡± Game Master scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°For that, I¡¯m deeply sorry. Albatros Company expected high traffic, but the player turnout surprised us. Nevertheless, it won¡¯t take more than a couple minutes. I would like to ask you players for some patience.¡± Users looked at each other, their eyes shining with fiery light. Game Master said that there are so many players that the company has difficulties accomodating them. Doesn¡¯t it mean that fighting over monsters, quests and grinding spots will become even more fierce? Jeremy on the other hand shook his head. ¡°Those guys are good.¡± his mouth curled into a wry smile. He knew that there was no way Albatros Company had problems. The reason? Take this training area for example. There were no distortions of space, no lag, no one complained about any bugs. Since their waiting area had no problems, how could the game have any? ¡°Acting humble only to make the players lower their expectations, but when they get in, you¡¯ll deal the heavy blow!¡± Jeremy thought, clearly amused. Uproar broke out, many people discussed their ¡°plight¡±. Some players complained, others tried to console themselves. There were quite a few whose fighting spirit was ignited. Nonetheless, this piece of news caused quite a ruckus. ¡°Ekhm.¡± Game Master tried to take control of the crowd, but to no avail. Shaking his head, administrator used his powers. You were muted! Players looked at each other with dismay. They couldn¡¯t speak! ¡°Now then, since it¡¯s finally quiet, I¡¯ll share some important information with you.¡± middle-aged GM looked unperturbed, as if muting all of the congregated players had nothing to do with him. The fervent gazes fell upon him.¡±As you have probably noticed, lots of you kept on disappearing from this place. Those players were transported to our employees to finish their registration process.¡± GM smiled again. ¡°When you¡¯re done with that, you¡¯ll spawn in the game. To help you adjust to the new world, we provided you with a tutorial. I strongly recommend you to finish it. Our employees will inform you in more detail. This is all. Have fun in Loiterous!¡± middle-aged man¡¯s projection disappeared. No one knew if he was pissed or simply didn¡¯t want to reveal too much. All they could see was that the GM vanished. Muting restriction disappeared and the players started clamoring yet again. Jeremy only laughed inside ¡°That GM showed his true colors.¡± His amusement didn¡¯t last long. He was teleported out. ¡­ Nix was currently sitting comfortably in one of the office chairs of Albatros Company, looking at the enormous screen in front of her. On the screen there were numbers, representing player traffic. Her left hand held a cup of coffee, gently sipping the hot liquid with her slightly parted lips. She fiddled with her phone with the other hand. Suddenly, a shout came from the hallway. ¡°You¡¯re still here?! It¡¯s 8pm. GET BACK TO WORK!¡± Nix almost spilled her coffee when she heard the angry shout. The situation didn¡¯t look too good. It was her boss. Despite that, she managed to blurt out ¡°But boss, I wanted to finish my coff-¡± ¡°Shut your mouth you goddamn slacker! If you don¡¯t want me to fire your sorry ass then start working!¡± Nix¡¯s boss wasn¡¯t harsh. In fact he was one of the gentlest bosses out there. He was mad because his higher-ups constantly rebuked him for uncompleted tasks. Tasks Nix was supposed to carry out¡­ Seeing her slack in such an important moment simply touched his sore spot. Nix moved her chair away from the desk and hurriedly logged in. Her boss looked livid, she knew his temperament and didn¡¯t want to anger him any further. ¡­ Jeremy appeared in a booth with a number 966. Brown desk with two chairs stood in the middle of the white room. On the desk was a plant and a beige lamp. Red carpet with various embroiderings laid on the wooden floor. He stopped under the chandelier behind the desk and his gaze fell at the windmill painting on the wall. Nix appeared on the chair behind him. Both of them didn¡¯t notice each other. Jeremy turned around and saw a woman dressed in a blue skirt. Her straight black hair drooped over her shoulders. At the moment she was sipping her coffee leisurely. Jeremy started ¡°Was she here before? No way, I would have noticed her. Must be an employee.¡± he thought. Nix looked bored, wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a crowd of people waiting to get registered? Why isn¡¯t anyone coming? She didn¡¯t mind the peace and quiet though. ¡°Hello.¡± said someone behind her. Nix¡¯s hand trembled and almost spilled the coffee. It was her second time today. She turned around, somewhat irritatedly and said in a harsh tone ¡°Hello. Sit down.¡± There was no reason for her not to know who it was. Obviously one of the players arrived here before her. ¡°Fill out your nickname in the menu. I would advise you to do it quick. There are two reasons for that. One is that others are waiting. The second one is connected to the first one. Since there are so many players currently choosing, you may lose your preferred name.¡±
Nickname:
Jeremy thought for a while. He didn¡¯t want to choose his previous ¡°Prey¡± nickname. That name might be recognized by those who played Eurasia, the MMO where he killed quite a lot of people. He thought of something simple. When he was done, he hailed Nix ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Nix sipped her coffee ¡°Icicle, huh? Pretty¡­ original.¡± Her face was clearly saying otherwise. ¡°Well then, Icicle.¡± hint of ridicule could be heard in her voice ¡°Whether you heard the GM¡¯s speech or not, here it goes. You¡¯ll spawn in one of the starting areas. There are four types. Which one you¡¯ll be allocated to is random. Each starting area can accomodate around 50 000 players. To adjust to the new world you should follow the tutorial. When you reach appropriate level, you can leave the starting area and join one of the four kingdoms.¡± she stopped for a while to let the man process and asked ¡°Do you follow?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± replied Icicle. ¡°Good. Those areas differ. The skills and classes you can get are the same everywhere, but NPCs may task you with various local quests. Since the quests are different, so are the rewards. This includes skills. If you want to have a specific one, you will need to travel to the respective kingdom.¡± Nix explained. Icicle nodded, this much was obvious. Different people teach different things. ¡°If you¡¯re concerned with your appearance, you can change it only through the cash shop. You can look it up on our website.¡± Nix looked at Icicle and saw him nodding again. ¡°Have you practiced in the waiting area?¡± Nix asked out of the blue. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°So you chose a class then, huh? Which one is it?¡± Nix¡¯s ¡°cutiosity¡± was plainly professional. A few days before the launch her superiors asked her to do some surveys. What for she didn¡¯t know. Icicle touched Nix¡¯s forehead with his palm. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± stuttered Nix. ¡°Just checking if you have a fever.¡± As Icicle spoke, he shook his head. Sighing resignedly, he continued ¡°Seriously, what a dumb question. I could only use a few skills, how was I supposed to choose a class?¡± Icicle faked his anger outburst. Since there were over 50 000 players allocated to one village, he hoped to anger the cute employee before him. Who knows, maybe she¡¯ll send him somewhere secluded? ¡°Do you think I wanted to ask you this?! If I wasn¡¯t forced¡­! Not only have you sneaked behind me like a pervert, now you¡¯re even questioning my intelligence!¡± Nix stood up and smacked the desk with her hands. ¡°Since you¡¯re such a Mr. Smartass, why don¡¯t I send you somewhere fun? When you remake your character, you had better pray on your knees not to encounter me again! Have fun, I-C-I-C-L-E.¡± Square shaped window appeared before Nix. She pressed her finger somewhere in the top right edge of it and Icicle was instantly teleported out. ¡­ Remembering those events only made him sigh. How could he just remake the character? He has his pride. Icicle closed the character window and opened his inventory.
[Rye bread] x5 Fills out the stomach and relieves some of the accumulated fatigue. [Canteen] Receptacle full of water, quenches thirst and relieves fatigue. [Chipped sword] Damage 1-2 Requirements: Level 1 Once a fine steel blade that has not withstood the test of time.
Aside from the items there were only 5 copper coins. Icicle didn¡¯t know their value but considered it as scraps. He disappointedly closed the inventory and opened the map. What appeared was a blue dot signifying the starting area he appeared in. [Vilen Town] was its center with Port location attached to it and Hunter Village to its right. Icicle was currently located at the far north-east of the [Vilen Town]. His location was displayed ¨C [Humming Forest]. He suddenly remembered he had received the notification of entering the area. Looking through the notifications, he quickly found the right window.
Welcome to [Humming Forest] You¡¯re currently in the farther part of the forest where the PK restriction is off. Watch your back. As the first person to discover this area you¡¯re granted 2 points of Luck!
Except those 5 points of Luck nothing went well for him. He thought that Nix will be more forgiving, sending him to a level 5 area. However, this forest¡­ he couldn¡¯t even see the level of the monsters! Sighing resignedly, Icicle closed all of the windows together with the tutorial. How could he do the quests in the turorial if they were provided by the NPCs in the town? He was in the middle of nowhere! This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report itHe looked around. Pebbles and broken twigs littered the soil. The place he arrived in seemed to be someone¡¯s camping site. There was a tent set up in the middle, next to which was a bonfire. Wherever eyes could see was grass, surrounded by a boundless forest. His current location appeared to be a clearing. Icicle approached the tent and parted the rough cloth to have a look inside. Empty sleeping bag and blankets covered the grass and soil. On the right side there was a table full of vials filled with colorful liquids. Behind the table in the right corner was a stash of tools. Shovels, hammers, axes, pickaxes, spades¡­ There were so many he didn¡¯t even want to count them. When he looked to the left¡­ Swish! Cold steel blade touched Icicle¡¯s throat, making him swallow loudly. ¡°Who are you?!¡± came a raspy voice of a youth in his twenties. He was holding a one-handed axe shakily. His name was Adian, it seems like this area belonged to him. ¡°Sir Adian, I¡¯m Icicle, I got lost in the forest and arrived here. I have no ill intentions¡­¡± Icicle tried to explain himself. ¡°Lost my ass, you¡¯re a filthy thief! Die!¡± the axe came swinging down at Icicle, splitting him in half as if a knife went through butter. -145 appeared above Icicle¡¯s head. After feeling an unbearable pain for a split second, Icicle turned into particles and respawned outside the tent yet again. ¡°Y-You! You¡¯re actually not from this world! A newcomer, eh? I¡¯m sorry adventurer, there are many thugs here who like to steal things. If I were in my peak condition I wouldn¡¯t fear them, but unfortunately¡­ cough cough.¡± Icicle noticed Adian¡¯s physical state. His eyes glistened in the morning sun ¡°I need to get out of this area and this seems like a quest!¡± he thought, promptly asking ¡°Sir Adian, is there anything I can do to help you?¡± Adian¡¯s raspy voice came from the tent ¡°Get inside, I need to lie down¡­ cough.¡± Icicle walked in hastily. Adian prompted him to sit, so he found a place on a blanket and sat awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re willing to help me, eh? You don¡¯t seem too capable, but I guess it¡¯s better than nothing¡­¡± Adian laid in his sleeping back, coughing from time to time. ¡°Even so, I would like to help.¡± Icicle continued exerting the pressure. This quest could be something that releases him out of his bind! ¡°Well then, alright. Before you decide to help me, you need to understand what happened. I am a trainee in the [Vilen Town]. Recently there was a new guard recruitment. All of us trainees received tasks to carry out for promotion. Mine was to eradicate a group of vicious wolves in the [Humming Forest]. Normally, we wouldn¡¯t care about such things, but recently those wolves were attacking the villagers. We have only a few farms around Vilen Town, we couldn¡¯t let those monsters terrorize the farmers and devastate the crops.¡± coughing fiercely, Adian covered his mouth and then continued. ¡°Aside from plants, there are a few people like me who went to the nearby forest to collect plants and herbs. Those people suffered various injuries as well. As a person who knew the forest like a back of my hand, I was tasked to deal with the problem, but¡­¡± Adian stopped for a second, his expression bitter. ¡°But when I was dealing with weak wolves at the beginning of the forest, I was attacked by stronger ones. As I continued slaughtering my way forward, I ended up here, where their pack leader is supposed to have its lair.¡± his gaze flickering, Adian winced from the pain he was feeling. ¡°That goddamn whelp used the time when I was engaged in combat with one of its packs and attacked my weak spots. His hit and run tactic made me retreat in shame. Not only did I not eradicate the wolves, I was even injured¡­ This task cannot wait forever, if I don¡¯t finish it soon, I¡¯ll be disqualified from the guard promotion! Those promotions don¡¯t come often, only once every few years¡­ If I fail, my father will surely be disappointed.¡± Adian shook his head and fell silent. ¡°What do I need to do to help you?¡± asked Icicle. He felt kind of sorry for Adian. He was stuck just like he was. However, being sorry was being sorry, amidst the feeling of compassion he sniffed the chance! If Adian were to help him, he can leave the forest! Adian¡¯s saddened gaze brightened a little and he said ¡°Adventurer, help me gather 5 [Stout Stalk Herbs]!¡± Ding!
You received a new quest! [Help out injured Adian!] Gather 5 stalks of [Green Stout Stalk] to allievate Adian¡¯s pain and help him recover from his injuries! Rewards: Experience, improved relationship with Adian.
Icicle looked at the quest, then at the right side of the tent. That table filled with various vials made him feel like there was something else to gain from the quest. Since he already got one quest, why not try receiving another? ¡°Those herbs you want me to gather, how do you know them? Are you a Herbalist?¡± This was only Icicle¡¯s guess. In other MMOs there was such a profession so Icicle probed Adian. ¡°Herbalist? Hmph, don¡¯t make me laugh! I¡¯m an [Alchemist]!¡± Adian retorted with pride. ¡°Alchemist, huh?¡± thought Icicle. Then his eyes shone with unconcealable light. This seemed like a good subclass profession. Since he can get one, why wouldn¡¯t he? He can probably change it in the town anyways! Icicle spoke bluntly ¡°Sir, teach me the ways of the [Alchemist]!¡± ¡°Teach you?¡± Adian replied angrily ¡°Do you know how much money did I have to fork out to even learn the ropes? My father had to work for dozens of years before he managed to collect 5 gold coins! Those could last us for a few years! I had to pay such a ridiculous amount of gold yet you want me to teach you for free?! Ridiculous!¡± Adian¡¯s eyes spew fire. Ding!
Your relationship with Adian worsened!
Icicle didn¡¯t give in and said ¡°Sir, I wouldn¡¯t ask for something so absurd but I¡¯m stuck in this place. You killed me before and I revived next to your tent. As you can see, I¡¯m currently weak. My only chance is to help you recover and then leave the area in your company. That¡¯s why I want to aid you in any way I can!¡± his expression earnest, Icicle bowed his head. Icicle didn¡¯t want to raise his head before Adian responded. Silence was too overbearing for him, but he had to endure it. At least ten seconds passed and he started doubting if he broke the AI¡¯s script. Suddenly, Adian responded. ¡°Hahahahaha! Ow ow ow, my injuries! You¡¯re such a silly goose! To think there¡¯s someone who has it even worse than me!¡± tears started streaming down Adian¡¯s face, as he laughed heartily. Wiping the tears with his hand he continued ¡°I truly couldn¡¯t imagine that you¡¯re actually someone who needs my help more than I need yours!¡± his loud laughter rang out again as he clutched his stomach from laughter and pain. Icicle raised his head and looked pleased. What was a little bow if he could get the benefits? Ding!
You unlocked a hidden follow-up quest! Your relationship with Adian increases to Friends!
¡°Here you go adventurer, no, Icicle. This book and the respectful alchemist¡¯s teachings cost me 5 gold coins. However, I already remember all the contents of this book and don¡¯t need it anymore. You can have it.¡± Adian took out a book seemingly out of nowhere and handed it to Icicle. Ding!
You received an item closely related to one of the professions! [Basic compendium of herbs and potion making] [Rare]
Icicle bowed again and said ¡°Thank you!¡± Checking his inventory, it really was there.
[Rye bread] x 5 Fills out the stomach and relieves some of the accumulated fatigue. [Canteen] Receptacle full of water, quenches thirst and relieves fatigue. [Chipped sword] Damage 1-2 Once a fine steel blade that has not withstood the test of time. [Basic compendium of herbs and potion making] [Rare] Requirements: Free slot for a class or subclass. Introductory manual created to introduce the reader to the profundities of [Alchemist] class.
Dragging the book out, another menu appeared.
Do you want to learn the contents of the book? [Yes]/[No]
Warning: After learning its contents, the book will be destroyed. Before making his decision, Icicle looked at Adian and asked ¡°Are you sure you no longer need this book?¡± ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s yours now.¡± Adian replied with a faint smile, but inside he felt a bit bitter. He could sell this book for quite a sum¡­ Pressing yes, Icicle was enveloped with a green light and another blue box popped up before him.
Congratulations, you¡¯ve become a zeroth grade [Alchemist]. To become a proper first grade level [Alchemist] you need to increase your skill, proficiency and knowledge! This is only the beginning, good luck in your struggles adventurer! You do not have any main subclass chosen so your [Alchemist] profession will become the main one. You can change it by dragging it to another slot in the next 15 minutes. You are now able to recognize [Basic] and [Common] level herbs! To access more information about the book¡¯s contents, you can flip through the books collection in your ¡°Subclass¡± menu. As the reward for choosing the class, you¡¯ll be assigned with one new class skill! [Basic Healing Potion][Formula][Lvl 1] ¨C allows you to concoct lowest level healing potions. Requirements: 3 Green Stout Stalks. Success rate increases, while the requirements may diminish with the increased proficiency in the skill.
¡°Haha, awesome¡± thought Icicle, looking at the new skill he got. Adian looked at Icicle with a strange gaze, as if he couldn¡¯t understand what has just happened. ¡°Adventurers sure are on another level compared to us.¡± he thought. ¡°Say, Adian, how long do I have to gather these herbs?¡± Icicle asked cautiously, to receive the highest amount of time possible. After all, he had a recipe for healing potions. If the quest spawns the herbs nearby like he thinks it will, he can gather as many as he can and create copious amounts of potions! ¡°No more than five hours! Now go, I need to rest!¡± Adian waved his hand and scrambled to the sleeping bag, wrapping himself tightly. Icicle felt that something was amiss again. He hastily looked at the [Basic Healing Potion] skill and realized there are additional requirements!
[Basic Healing Potion][Formula][Lvl 1] Requirements: 3 Green Stout Stalks. Recipe: Make sure your mortar is clear. Grind the herbs in the mortar with the pestle. When all the liquid is drawn out, seep it through a strainer into the vial. Shake the vial a little to see the liquid¡¯s uniform clarity. The results will vary depending on the proficiency of grinding.
¡°This¡­ so much requirements! I rejoiced too soon!¡± thought Icicle, quickly turning to Adian. ¡°Adian, my dearest friend, lend me some apparatus!¡± he pleaded. ¡°What? You still want more?! You greedy bast-¡± ¡°Adian, calm down. Listen, friend, I acquired a skill to make health regenerating potions! I am certain it will help you more than just bringing you the herbs.¡± as Icicle said that, he puffed his chest proudly, as if his luck was his greatest virtue. ¡°Hmph, health regenerating potions you say? Fine! Tell me the formula, if it¡¯s correct I¡¯ll lend you the tools!¡± Adian still had his doubts. He wants help not to be milked like a cow. ¡°Alright, here goes. It requires three [Green Stout Stalks]. The mortar needs to be clear. Grind the herbs in the mortar with the pestle. When the liquid surfaces, seep it through a strainer into the vial¡­¡± ¡°Wait what?!¡± Adian suddenly interrupted Icicle. Icicle was utterly confused, did he make a mistake? ¡°Liquid needs to be seeped through a strainer? What kind of gibberish is that!¡± Adian raged, he clearly wasn¡¯t taught about such a thing. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Adian. It clearly states here that you need to pour the liquid through a strainer to receive the higher quality liquid. Then, when the liquid¡¯s in the vial, you shake it so it becomes uniform.¡± Icicle explained like a sage. Adian looked dumbfounded. Then he mumbled ¡°Could it be the reason why my potions were subpar¡­?¡± Icicle heard Adian¡¯s mumblings and waited patiently for his answer. After a while, Adian¡¯s eyes blazed with light as he asked ¡°Do you know which grade Alchemist are you?¡± ¡°Umm, it says zeroth grade here. That health potion skill is my only one.¡± Icicle replied honestly. ¡°Zeroth grade, zeroth grade¡­ zeroth grade!¡± Adian mumbled, then continued in a clear voice ¡°Icicle, I will take you in as my disciple!¡± Ding!
Adian wants to take you in as his disciple. Do you accept? [Yes]/[No]
Icicle obviously pressed yes. Ding!
Your relationship with Adian increased to Brothers!
¡°Huh?¡± Icicle looked at the menu and was surprised. Even he didn¡¯t expect such an outcome. He only wanted to extort some tools for his money making activities, yet such a thing happened. ¡°Listen, Icicle. As my disciple you need a lot of equipment. Here, take those. Those tools will help you in harvesting herbs. Make sure to bring some potions for me to try.¡± Ding!
You received the following items: [Alchemist¡¯s Spade] [Mortar and Pestle] [Empty small vial] x50
Ding!
Your quest [Help out injured Adian!] updated! Gather 50 stalks of [Green Stout Stalk] and make potions out of them to speed up Adian¡¯s recovery! Rewards: Experience, relationship with Adian rises, Adian will teach you a new skill. Additional rewards: Additional rewards may be given dependent on the results. Time limit: 5 hours.
When Icicle saw ¡°Additional rewards¡± tooltip his eyes blazed with inextinguishable avarice! ¡°You have everything you need. Go. You can find the herbs in the vicinity. Your time limit is 5 hours!¡± Adian reminded him seriously and went to sleep. Icicle left the tent hurriedly and skipped to the forest, completely forgetting about his previous encounter with [Grey Alpha Wolves]. Chapter 3 Soon after Icicle left, Adian was walking in circles in his tent. Disregarding his injuries he mumbled ¡°This kid is a walking money bag! If only I can make him concoct more potions, I¡¯ll earn a fortune!¡± wry smile plastered itself on his lips. ¡°Guard promotion, haha! Who cares about that! It would earn me a little prestige and a pretty decent salary. On the other hand, if I become an esteemed Alchemist¡­¡± as he thought of the never-ending stream of money Adian¡¯s wild laughter echoed through the clearing and the surrounding forest. Adian was right in his assumptions. Guards earned only a miniscule portion of what Alchemists did. They were vulnerable to external danger too. Not only that, if Alchemist¡¯s skills were sufficient, he could aid the lord of the area with various tasks. There were precedents where some lucky Alchemists managed to get a title of a noble. As for the powerful, experienced Alchemists, those didn¡¯t need to advertise themselves. Various powerhouses were seeking their services on their own. Although Adian didn¡¯t have such lofty aspirations, becoming a full-fledged first grade Alchemist in Vilen Town sounded tempting to him. ¡­ Icicle moved into the forest. Amidst the high pines and sturdy oaks, he moved through the shrubbery, vigilantly scanning the area. Last time with the wolves taught him to be cautious. Trying to move as stealthily as he could, Icicle made his way to one of the [Green Stout Stalks] under a willow. Under the drooping leaves of a willow, the herb looked as if it blended with the tree. If not for its name appearing above it in a box when Icicle neared it, he most likely wouldn¡¯t distinguish it at all. ¡°Okay what do I do now?¡± Icicle looked at his subclass¡¯s information and found the [Green Stout Stalk] page. ¡°Dig a 30cm deep into the ground. To be sure make it half a meter. Take extra caution not to damage the roots, otherwise the liquid will flow out, damaging the herb. When you¡¯re done digging the herb up, cut the roots and let the liquid flow into the mortar. Place the remaining green stalk into the mortar and ground it, extracting its essence. Seep all of the liquid through a strainer into the vial. Follow with another 2 stalks to reach the optimal value.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s like that, huh?¡± thought Icicle, somewhat amused. It wasn¡¯t as hard as he originally thought it would be. He started cautiously digging around the herb.
[Damaged Green Stout Stalk] [Common] [Herb] Slightly damaged common herb used to alleviate pain and recover minor injuries.
¡°Well, it¡¯s my first try. It would be weird if I succeeded.¡± Icicle didn¡¯t mind his failure and moved along the forest, making sure not to step on the dried leaves. Making noise would mean his untimely death in the hands of a predator. ¡­
[Green Stout Stalk] [Common] [Herb] Common herb used to alleviate pain and recover minor injuries.
It was already Icicle¡¯s third undamaged [Green Stout Stalk]. Every time he successfully dug up one, he received one experience point. If he dug up an exact 100 then he would level up. ¡°I wonder what the stat gain on levelling up is.¡± Icicle thought with some yearning hidden deep within. There was nothing he could do at the moment to speed up the process, so he reluctantly gave up on the idea. ¡°I should try making one of the potions.¡± moving into action, Icicle looked for a suitable place to set up his workplace. Finding a nice round stump nearby, he brought out the mortar and pestle. Following the instructions, he cut off the roots, letting the red liquid flow into the mortar. He was surprised that the liquid wasn¡¯t green, but considering that health potions in most games were almost always red, he understood the concept. The next thing to do was to ground the stalk itself. When the pestle merely touched the [Green Stout Stalk], Icicle immediately realized something. ¡°It¡¯s so tough! When I picked it up it was resilient, but also soft to the touch. However, now that I¡¯m trying to get its essence out it puts up such a fight! What a great resistance!¡± suddenly his worries dispelled and his mouth curled up into a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s so, then health potions will surely have immense value. Who would bother gathering the herbs and then grounding them in such a tedious process after all?¡± Happy about his discovery, Icicle started grounding the stalks. It took him 10 minutes to properly ground the three of them. His body was tired so he took a bite of [Rye bread] and quenched his first with fresh water from the canteen. It was time to make the potion. Only then did Icicle realize he has no strainer¡­ ¡°Shit, what can I use to replace it?¡± he looked around but those wilting leaves couldn¡¯t help him. Icicle took a glance at his equipment and there wasn¡¯t anything that could aid him either. Wait a second, there might be!
[Beginner Shirt] Starting attire of adventurers. Defense +1
Since it¡¯s a virtual reality, this might work. He took off his shirt. What replaced it was his bare body! Tearing a patch of it, Icicle placed it on the vial. Carefully seeping the red liquid through the shirt, it slowly made its way into the receptacle. The torn off piece wasn¡¯t large so the red substance didn¡¯t have any way to disperse outwards. Finally finished, Icicle looked at his new creation. He shook the vial to make the liquid uniform. Putting the cork in, he felt satisfied. Ding!
You have successfully created [Basic healing potion]. Experience +2 Skill proficiency +1% As the first craftsman to create one of his class products, you¡¯re rewarded with a passive skill! [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
Icicle¡¯s eyes shone brightly. Shouldn¡¯t there be someone before him? Considering that majority of the players will choose battle professions first, the chances would be higher, but what about those crafting lovers? They should be getting their professions right now. ¡°Hmm, maybe the respective quests for professions are hard. Adian told me I was ripping him off after all. Whatever, I won¡¯t mind others. All I have to do is not to squander this luck.¡± He then took a look at the potion¡¯s efficacy.
[Basic healing potion] Recovers 125 HP on use. 60 sec cooldown.
¡°125 HP, huh? Not bad. It should be fairly useful coupled with the healers. Why is the vial only half full though?¡± Icicle looked at it with curiosity then mumbled ¡°Since I¡¯m already doing the quest, I might as well experiment some more.¡± Icicle continued looking for the herbs, making rounds around the camp. He started off in the south of Adian¡¯s tent, then moved westwards. Digging up another [Green Stout Stalk], it was his sixth undamaged one since the start. Coupled with the experience of his potion making, his EXP bar was at 8/100. Whoosh! Thud! Icicle was putting the herb into his inventory when something hard hit his head. Jolted by the impact, his head then hit the tree in front of him, adding another batch of damage. -15 -5 After the stun effect wore off, Icicle looked back angrily only to see a grey-furred squirrel. It was munching on an acorn. Another acorn lay beneath his feet. Its size was fairly large. ¡°What an overpowered squirrel. I don¡¯t have any way of hunting it down. I guess scavenging in this area will only do me more harm than good.¡± he looked around only to notice a couple dozen squirrels perched on the trees in the vicinity. They were either grey or orange in color. Nonetheless, seeing how one of their casual acorn throws could do so much damage, Icicle backed off. As he was carefully retreating, he stumbled on one of the twigs, falling on his butt. This caused quite a ruckus and three more squirrels took notice of him. Taking a look at them, they were fairly pissed for disturbing their peace. Not to mention invading their area¡­ Icicle didn¡¯t have time to consider all that. He was worried about his loot dropping in case of death. Tutorial only hinted that items and experience will drop after reaching level 10, but considering his circumstances, who knows if Nix didn¡¯t tick those restrictions off? His head still a bit dizzy, Icicle shook it and in the corner of his eye flashed something grey. He focused his gaze and noticed it¡¯s one of the wolves that chased after him, [Grey Alpha Wolf]. It was laying beside one of the trees. Of course whether it was the same one or just one of its kind wasn¡¯t something he could possibly know. The squirrels were watching him in high alert. Their names were respectively [Grey Flying Demon] and [Orange Soaring Devil]. Icicle didn¡¯t even dare to laugh at those names. The wolf that laid on the bottom of the tree didn¡¯t look like it was sunbathing there¡­ That [Grey Alpha Wolf] was probably above level 10, meaning that the squirrels were most likely at least level 15. Icicle put his hands above his head, as if he was about to be arrested and moved one step at a time towards the wolf. He didn¡¯t want to leave. If those squirrels for some reason hated wolves, he could ¡°borrow the knife to kill the enemy¡±. Not only would Adian have an easier time, Icicle might even extort Adian to powerlevel him! He walked step by step, avoiding acorns on the way, making sure not to piss off the squirrels. Who knows what might trigger their aggro. As Icicle closed in on the wolf, he saw it lying on the side, its eyes closed. He bowed to the squirrels and then grabbed the wolf by one of its hind paws, dragging it outside. The wolf suddenly jolted and freed itself. ¡°That bastard was only pretending!¡± Icicle cursed under his nose. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Baring its razor sharp fangs, grey wolf lunged on Icicle with unbridled ferocity. Although it was sudden, Icicle had an inkling something like this may happen. Playing dead wasn¡¯t a rare thing among the animals after all. He took out his sword and sliced at the wolf. His wild brandish merely blocked the wolf¡¯s charge, resulting in a powerful knockback. He landed almost three meters away, slamming into the tree. His back against the tree, Icicle thought of how to deal with this sudden event. His health was now at 10/50, both the squirrel and the wolf hit him for 15 damage each. Another 10 damage came from hitting the tree with his head and now his back. Icicle gritted his teeth and he looked up only to see the blurs of orange and grey. Dozens of squirrels moved in unison, like a hivemind. When they perched themselves high above, Icicle noticed that their eyes were crimson red, as if showing their unbridled fury and hatred. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Hundreds of high velocity acorns flew towards the [Grey Alpha Wolf], hitting its body all over. It let out a miserable howl, but it couldn¡¯t do anything. Acorns the size of a fist hit its body from all sides, making it rise into the air, as if levitating, only to be knocked down by another projectile. Such a besiegement was a really sorry sight to behold. Icicle even somewhat pitied the wolf. Gruesome sounds of bones cracking could be heard. [Grey Alpha Wolf]¡¯s body looked extremely mangled, barely retaining its former dignified shape. When the barrage of acorns finally stopped, Icicle carefully approached what remained of the once powerful wolf. He put the thrown acorns to one side, making sure that the squirrels are not aggro¡¯d. He bowed to them, then raised his sword and stabbed the wolf¡¯s head. -3 -4 -3 -5 As he was repeatedly stabbing, single digit numbers rose up, not exceeding 7 damage. Icicle could only laugh at his low level equipment and stats. That didn¡¯t bother him too much though. He praised his luck. The squirrels didn¡¯t attack him. He continued stabbing like this approximately 30 times, when suddenly the wolf disintegrated into particles. Couple of items laid on the ground, Icicle hurriedly picked them up without even looking. His experience bar rose by a whopping 50 points! Feeling grateful, he bowed three times to the squirrels and started backing off slowly. Disturbing their peace as much as he did could already be considered overstaying one¡¯s welcome. Ding!
Your relationship with [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] increased from Strangers to Neutral!
¡°Huh?¡± as Icicle looked at the message, his eyes couldn¡¯t help widening. The squirrel tribe actually considered him ¡°not a nuisance¡± now. That was a great progress! With their assistance, he can slowly thin out the wolves, letting Adian take care of the alleged boss. Who knows, if those squirrel and wolf tribes hate each other for some reason, there might be a hidden quest involved. Icicle noticed another [Green Stout Stalk] in the vicinity, but he didn¡¯t know whether the squirrels put any value into it. Last time he was hit with an acorn, so he quickly gave up on the idea. Bowing again he left with furtive steps. His overall haul could be considered extremely large for his level. If that wolf was about level 10 then the drops should be plentiful. Icicle hurried towards [Adian¡¯s Resting Place]. As soon as he entered the safezone, he opened up his inventory.
[Fluffy Wolf Boots] [Basic] [Equipment] Equipment type: Boots Requirements: Level 10 or above +3 defense +5 dexterity +15 movement speed +10% cold resistance Description: Boots made out of soft yet resilient grey fur of an [Alpha Grey Wolf]. Their value is properly appreciated in the cold region of Glacia Kingdom. [Grey Alpha Wolf¡¯s Claw] [Common] [Crafting] Common grade crafting material used in making low level weapons. [Grey Alpha Wolf¡¯s Fur] [Basic] [Crafting] Basic grade crafting material used in making cold resistant equipment. [???] [???] [Equipment] ???
The wolf dropped 25 copper coins, making his total wealth mere 30 copper. Disregarding the pitiful monetary wealth, Icicle looked with interest at the soft boots. He couldn¡¯t yet wear them but he still smiled brightly. Five dexterity was considered good for him. Coupled with the additional movement speed, in his eyes it was a great item. The one item he couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of was a silver bracelet. It had a winding pattern as if someone used a paint brush to create a wave on it. Noticing that the bracelet emitted a blue glow, Icicle had to look through the tutorial to find some information about it. He read one of the articles regarding item grades. ¡°Inside Loiterous you can find several grades of items. Starting from the bottom it starts at the [Common] grade. Those items are the ones beginners use. They only provide defense and miniscule stat gains if any. [Basic] grade items are comparable to those which poor guards would use. Nothing exaggerated but not bad either. [Basic] level equipment adds considerable defense as well as some stat boosts.¡± Icicle read it and smiled wryly. Five points of dexterity wasn¡¯t something small at all! ¡°[Rare] grade items are as the name suggests, quite valuable. Unique ones boost up to three statistics! Those items very rarely drop from [Common] and [Basic] level creatures. You can sporadically see them dropping from one-starred and [Rare] monsters. Bosses, [Elite] and two stars monsters often drop such equipment. If you get one, trust us, you¡¯ll know it. This kind of equipment gives off a blue hue. You can identify it in your starting areas and towns, look for more information in the Merchant Guilds.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s Rare equipment, huh? I guess I was really lucky to have it drop. Wait, I don¡¯t know what grade those wolves are, maybe they¡¯re actually [Rare]. That squirrel did 15 damage to me with one throw, and the wolf could withstand at least a hundred¡­¡± as he pondered, Icicle inferred that the wolf was most probably one of the ¡°1 star¡± monsters. If [Alpha Grey Wolves] really were of [Rare] grade, then how could five of them chase him at the spawn point? Most likely it was an event or some hidden quest to solve. Nonetheless, it didn¡¯t matter to Icicle at the moment. All he did was grasp the bracelet tightly then put all of his gains back into the inventory. Tutorial mentioned other grades. There were [Elite] grade items that dropped from [Elite] level monsters, which often guarded boss level creatures. Wild monsters could achieve a three star rank, comparable to that of an elite monster. Those critters rarely dropped white equipment of [Elite] rank. [Elite] equipment was something experts wanted. There were [Legendary], [Artifact] and [Special] grades mentioned, but it was too far off, so the tutorial didn¡¯t explain anything about them. ¡­ Adian¡¯s tent was right behind him. Icicle decided to get some additional resources. ¡°Adian, you there?¡± Icicle parted the rough cloth and walked in. Adian was laying in his sleeping bag, but his eyes were open, his face had an expression of excitement. ¡°How come you¡¯re done already? Not even 30 minutes have passed¡­¡± Adian gave Icicle a puzzled look. As if sensing something bad, his brows furrowed. His recent experience told him it¡¯s yet another extortion. ¡°Well, I need a strainer. That and you should let me take a look at your maps. I¡¯m sure you have at least one. Now, now. Don¡¯t look at me like that. I bear gifts. Here, my first creation.¡± Icicle handed over the potion. Adian received the ¡°miracle drug¡± and scanned Icicle frostily. He then said ¡°Why is your upper body bare? Did you try to fight a bear or something?¡± he smiled teasingly, uncorked the potion and swigged the contents. ¡°Good. Very good. Although bitter, this is some potent stuff. It¡¯s not that far off from my Master¡¯s potions.¡± Adian looked at Icicle with gratitude and some veneration in his gaze. His newly gained disciple was actually better than him in making health potions! ¡°Mm, I have my suspicions that these potions can be made twice as potent as they are now.¡± Icicle smiled wryly, enjoying the astonishment written all over Adian¡¯s face. ¡°T-Twice as potent, you say? How?¡± Adian couldn¡¯t help but ask. If it was true, then even the old Alchemist who was selling potions in Vilen Town couldn¡¯t compare! ¡°If you looked at the vial before you drank it, you would notice that it was only half filled. That means twice as much liquid can be poured. As you can imagine, the potency should double as well. What¡¯s more, I didn¡¯t use a strainer but my shirt to seep the liquid through. If we use proper equipment, the increment in efficacy might be even higher.¡± Hearing all of this made Adian incomparably excited. His eyes turned into gold coins. Without even regarding his former dignified disposition, he gave Icicle his roughly sketched maps then added ¡°When we get to the town and sell the potions, we¡¯ll buy you all the necessary apparatus. I promise you.¡± Icicle was once again dismissed to finish his earlier task. He looked back at the tent, shook his head and examined the maps. He put away the sketches of faraway lands and focused on the starting area. ¡°Adian sure was weird.¡± he thought ¡°Not only did he not show signs of injury, he even leapt with joy. I wonder if he¡¯s profiting more than I am from this bargain. Oh well, as long as I can leave this forest with some items, experience and abilities, I can make money in the future.¡± Icicle moved towards the wolves¡¯ area, hoping to not only get the herbs, but also to lure the pitiful grey furries under the squirrels¡¯ fierce assault. Chapter 4 Icicle was moving vigilantly amidst the shrubbery, broken twigs and humming pine trees. His herb collecting was going smoothly. He decided to first gather all the herbs and then make them into potions. His biggest disappointment was not encountering even one [Grey Alpha Wolf]. This was most likely caused by his close proximity to the safe zone. Last time he was attacked a few kilometres to the south-west. When Icicle was peacefully gathering the necessary herbs, all the starting areas villages were brimming with new characters. Players ran around madly, wave after wave, looking for NPCs to get their tutorial quests. Some shady players who allegedly finished the tutorial received a [Common] grade set. Most gamers didn¡¯t value this information as dependable. Their shirts only gave them 1 defense. What could the entire set give, 5 defense total? This 5 defense against [Wild Dogs], [Horned Rabbits] and [Brown Lizards] was something that could save their lives. Tutorial giving the entire set sounded too good to be true. Many individuals ran outside after putting all of their points into strength. They wanted to test if the video posted by Sais was real. Fifteen points of strength could provide some substantial damage, but it didn¡¯t make their attacks any faster. On top of that, if they couldn¡¯t swing the sword properly in the first place, it was a tiresome task to kill even a level 1 creature. Those who luckily managed to arrive in the same starting village came up with a plan. One person put all of their points into strength, the other into constitution. 150 HP could easily withstand lvl 1 creatures¡¯ damage. If they were ganged by two or three that changed things. In such a situation, dodging and parrying came into play. However, as long as those players kept hunting critters one by one, they would emerge victorious. To players¡¯ dismay, level 1 creatures usually dropped only a scrap of fur or skin coupled with 1 copper coin. The price for a full beginner [Basic] set with around 10-15 defense on average ranged between 3 and 4 silver. 300 to 400 coins, how could they get them so fast? Blacksmiths and tailors gave discounts only to their apprentices¡­ Those apprentinces didn¡¯t have it easy either. Paying 5 gold to become an apprentice was a ridiculous sum. Only by doing certain chain quests could they receive tutelage for free. Such requirements made getting a subclass hard. Those who wanted to make a character without a battle profession, specializing only in crafting, had their quests lighter and more rewarding. NPCs liked getting such apprentices. They were devoted and loyal. Battle professions like warriors and mages weren¡¯t a piece of cake to get. To become a warrior one needed to either complete a training course or pay 5 silver for brief tutelage. By tutelage the game developers meant ¡°imparting skills¡±. All it did was give the player class skills and change his class. The rest he had to learn on his own. Needless to say, everyone chose the training course. They had to kill hundreds or even thousands of various monsters to finish their training¡­ Mages were tasked to read books or copy scrolls before receiving any tutelage. Otherwise their tutelage cost whopping 1 gold coin. Those that wanted to instantly get their magic skills were disappointed, but upon hearing how hard artisan classes had it, they felt a bit better. Paladins and Priests wannabes had it the toughest. They had to either make a contribution of 5 gold coins or bring back 50 yellow petals to receive their classes. Yellow petals dropped from creatures called [Bright Yellow Flower]. Those flowers were stationary and shot the players with thorns and leaves. Apart from this, the flowers exuded a kind of gas that made players dizzy. 5 gold coins equaled 50000 copper coins, who could have such a large sum in the beginning of the game? [Bright Yellow Flowers] were level 3 creatures, so most people created waves of 8 man parties that stormed out of the starting areas to deal with the problem. In other parts of the world, people complained about cold, about heat or lack of any proper warrior equipment. Various kingdoms specialized in different things. Lucky ones who arrived at Vilen Town could be described to receive a proper starting environment. Aside from the ridiculous class expenses, they had almost all resources available to them. Many players envied such circumstances. In the cold Glacia Kingdom in the far north, players needed to get cold resistant items, otherwise they would soon get a cold. Needless to say, the cost of cold resistant equipment was not something they could afford. Fortunately, the turorial helped a little with that issue. Qured Kingdom was the exact opposite. The heat of scorching hot desert made the players drink a lot of water. They had to constantly refill their canteens in the fountain. The cost of water was immense. Forum users compared the cost of equipment and realized that Qurem Kingdom sold equipment dirt cheap. How could those who suffered from the glaring sun care about that though? They looked for ways to get a larger canteen¡­ Acalen Kingdom was the kingdom of mages. They had all necessary equipment for mage wannabes. Staffs, staves, wands, cloaks, robes, orbs and many more littered the stores. The prices were of course high, but items were top notch. Warrior equipment was practically non-existent. All the stores had were some scraps for beginners and equipment for Magic Swordsmen. It was a class combining magic and swordplay. A hybrid so-to-speak. Mages were rich and lofty, thus the difficulty of their initial quests wasn¡¯t hard, but not too rewarding either. Thousands of users complained on the forums. Only one response came from the Game Masters. The thread was pinned at the top of the forum. ¡°No one said it¡¯s going to be easy. If you don¡¯t like the game, then you don¡¯t need to play it. Find yourself another VR where you can take it easy.¡± Such a harsh statement made various gaming communities bustle with activity. Curses flew the Game Masters¡¯ way for alienating the players, but after a while those outraged people understood. Loiterous was the only multiplayer virtual reality as of yet. They had the right to be arrogant. There were many players who were willing to play yet couldn¡¯t even get the device. Those who complained received countless private messages to sell their devices if they don¡¯t use it. Just this fact made them log back in and focus on their characters. ¡­ As almost every player was distraught with their early game experience, Icicle collected 49 out of required 50 [Green Stout Stalks] for his quest. It had taken him one hour and a half. There were still three hours left to complete the quest. To cheese out the quest, Icicle decided to make potions right here and now. After he empties out the herb count, he¡¯ll gather the herbs again. What was more important is that he has leveled up. With his level reaching 2, he was given 3 points to distribute. This time he was careful and saw that every point put into dexterity still required 2 stat points. But he didn¡¯t need dexterity right now. If he were to be of any use to Adian, he needed to put those 3 points into vitality.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 2 Experience: 3/250 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Statistics: HP: 90 Mana: 60 Strength: 5 Dexterity: 15 Vitality: 8 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom: 5 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
Icicle¡¯s HP and Mana increased by 10 points each after levelling up. Icicle was obviously happy about that. More health and mana never harmed anyone. What worried him a little was the amount of experience to level up to 3. It was over a double increase. If this trend kept up, it would be really hard to gain levels in Loiterous. However, that may be a good thing. No one will get too strong too fast. Not minding that anymore, Icicle looked for a suitable place to begin his basic alchemy. There was no nice stump around this time, so he had to make do with the sturdy black soil. Brushing away the broken twigs, pine cones and remnants of leaves, Icicle put his mortar down. Repeating the process of cutting off the roots, then grounding three [Green Stout Stalks] he began potion making. ¡­ Time slowly passed. Icicle has just corked his third potion when a message popped up. Ding!
Your Strength stat has increased by 1 point.
Icicle only smiled faintly. He grounded those herbs with all he had, making his whole figure sweaty. It required quite a bit of struggling before those stalks let their liquid flow out. Every herb put a fight. To Icicle it was like fighting in a war. This seemingly simple job required all of his concentration and focus. When his strength increased, his time to ground the herbs decreased slowly. It didn¡¯t take 10 but close to 7 minutes. It wasn¡¯t all due to strength increase though. His proficiency in using mortar and pestle slowly reached a point where he could be considered a beginner Alchemist. Icicle made another 8 potions. All in all, it was 11 potions total. His strength increased by another point yet again. As for his experience bar, it displayed 25/250. Mere 10% filled. For an artisan class this could be considered as a rapid progress. There was no fighting involved after all. Sixteen undamaged [Green Stout Stalks] were left in Icicle¡¯s inventory. He couldn¡¯t turn them into potions for two reasons. First was that his shirt was all used up. The second was obviously that he was tired. Icicle couldn¡¯t sacrifice all of the rye bread and canteen¡¯s water on mere potion making. He desperately needed resources for the upcoming fight. With that in mind, he decided to halt the potion making process. He can complete it after he comes back to Adian. Time was trickling after all. He looked at the pile of 108 damaged [Green Stout Stalks]. His digging up often slightly grazed the root and then the display immediately showed that the herb is damaged. Icicle was sure that those herbs had at least 90% of their original essence intact. Still, he had no recipe for them so he left them in his inventory to await experiments. However, he first needed to confirm his theory about a full vial¡¯s potency. He took out 2 of his 11 potions and poured one into the other. Ding!
You have succesfully created [Big basic healing potion]. Your proficiency has increased.
Icicle looked at his skill¡¯s proficiency and noticed that it has 20% next to it. That was a sizable progress. Then he examinated his creation.
[Big basic healing potion] Highly potent basic healing potion. Recovers 245 HP after use. 60 sec cooldown.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Icicle was expecting to see 250 HP recovery, but that result was in his margin of error. All it meant was that his grounding skill wasn¡¯t adequate. He himself was aware of that. If it was so easy to become an Alchemist then every player would choose this profession. ¡­ Icicle was happy about his choice. Angering Nix wasn¡¯t the kindest of choices, but he received an advantage. He was sent in the middle of nowhere, where any player has yet to set his foot into. If it wasn¡¯t for Adian, he would definitely have to remake his character. Fortunately, that easy to extort guy was there. This alone has saved him a lot of time and worries. As he was walking back with a full inventory of [Green Stout Stalks], Icicle noticed that after the quest was deemed completed, he managed to find only one plant on his way back. Judging from the way he was collecting them before there should be at least three. There were often even up to five in the areas he passed by. Digging up that last one, he made his way to the safe zone. It was time to see Adian and receive some juicy rewards. Of course Icicle wouldn¡¯t be himself if he didn¡¯t extort some powerleveling. Parting the rough cloth of the tent, Icicle went inside. Adian stood there, waiting for him, ¡°You¡¯re back huh? How did it go? Did you manage to complete the task?¡± ¡°Yes, the herbs are all here. I just need some time to convert those herbs into potions.¡± Icicle said blandly and cleared a wooden table. Putting his mortar down, he started grounding once again. Adian waited patiently at the side. He realized Icicle is in a pickle because of the lack of a strainer. He pulled out a handkerchief out of his bag. Icicle gratefully took it and carried on. Soon enough the 16 potions were done. Icicle took out additional [Green Stout Stalk] and started making the last potion. His strength increased by one point once again. Even his dexterity jumped a point. He was really happy about those 4 stat points gain. Especially about the dexterity, which now costs double. With his stats increased, the time to process the ingredients was much shorter. Icicle was finishing his potion making when a sound rang out. Ding! You¡¯ve successfully made [Small rare healing potion]. A bottle of well made health regenerating liquid. Recovers 500 HP. 60 sec cooldown. Requirements: Level 15 or above. Icicle looked at the potion with a dazed expression. He was sort of regretful. There was no recipe nor skill given for lucking out. Whether it was [Crafstman¡¯s splendor] skill or pure luck, it was merely one item. However, it was good enough to show his results to Adian. ¡°It¡¯s better than a normal one.¡± Icicle consoled himself inside. When Icicle handed over the bottle, Adian was greatly surprised. Since Icicle knew what this item was from the tooltip, it didn¡¯t need to be identified. Even if it wasn¡¯t identified, Adian saw his master make potions. His expertise wasn¡¯t bad. It¡¯s just that his skill was somewhat lacking. Staring at the inconspicuous vial of red liquid, Adian was delighted. 500 HP just from one small potion. It was only 3/4 full too. Really good stuff. He promised himself to give Icicle something good. As he turned around, Icicle held another vial. This one was full.
[Big basic healing potion] Highly potent basic healing potion. Recovers 245 HP after use. 60 sec cooldown.
¡°This big one as assumed was made by combining two small potions. The rare one was just a fluke, don¡¯t expect more. If I could make such rarities, I wouldn¡¯t be in such a bind.¡± that last line was for Adian to relieve him of any suspicions. ¡°Alright, this is really a great harvest. Since you¡¯re my disciple, I can¡¯t treat you poorly. Of course I won¡¯t skimp on such a talent.¡± as he harrumphed, Adian patted his chest. After a ding sound, a blue window popped out in front of Icicle.
You have succesfully completed [Help out injured Adian!]. +50 experience +30 copper coins You received a new class skill ¨C [Numbing Venom] [Basic] [Formula] Adian decided to give you an additional reward! [Wind Stinger] [???] [Skillbook]
Icicle blinked twice to make sure he sees the rewards correctly. He actually received a book that gives off a white hue. Before he even managed to understand the situation, Adian¡¯s proud voice rang out beside him ¡°The skill I imparted on you is used by hunters to tame various critters. It has a paralysis effect. If it¡¯s made from strong, effective herbs, it will do wonders. However, if you use the most common herbs, [Numbing Venom]¡¯s chance to trigger won¡¯t exceed 30%.¡± Adian looked at Icicle affectionately and added ¡°As for the book in your hands, it was handed to me by my father. Recently there were a lot of wasps in the area. After following their trail, my father and his guard friends found their nest. He didn¡¯t tell me the details, but it was supposedly taken from a giant wasp. Whether it¡¯s true or not I don¡¯t know. My father couldn¡¯t comprehend the obscure skill inside. He wanted me to try, so that I can have the edge over the other trainees in the exam. But, look at me, I am about to become an Alchemist! Why would I care about this book now! Take it. From now on, it¡¯s yours brother!¡± Icicle blinked once again, stared at Adian for a while with his mouth agape then hurriedly nodded his head. If that fool knew it¡¯s an [Elite] grade item he definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go! You were informed of the origins of one of your unidentified items! Icicle couldn¡¯t restrain his curiosity anymore, so he examined the new gains.
[Numbing Venom] [Basic] [Formula] lvl 1 Commonly used formula by hunters and beast tamers. Darts, arrows, bolts or any other weapons smeared with this concoction have a chance to paralyse the target for 5 seconds. Requirements: Three stalks of herbs with paralysing effect. The higher the grade, the better. Recipe: Boil the herbs in a 10 liter cauldron for three hours. Stir this concoction from time to time (approximately every 5 minutes). After the herbs let out their essence, take them out of the cauldron and ground them. Turn those herbs into powder. You can combine the powder with water to make a [Lesser Numbing Venom]. As for the boiled water, vaporize it. When it¡¯s done vaporizing, you¡¯ll see a green viscous liquid at the bottom of the cauldron. This is the thing you need. Take a vial, use some elongated wooden apparatus and slowly fill the vial up. Make sure you¡¯re not touching the liquid directly, its effect is really strong! If you have the time and means, cool the water vapor from the cauldron. Let it become a purified liquid. Take a few other vials and fill them up with the cooled water. You can use that water potion to give your newly tamed creatures a drink. They surely won¡¯t be as violent. Restrictions: Cannot be used in PvP nor in player killing. Paralysing effect is only available for PvE.
Icicle¡¯s eyes glittered brightly. This skill is op as nutballs! He looked at the other one.
[Wind Stinger] [Elite] [Skillbook] ¡°Move like the wind, sting like a¡­ wasp!¡± This movement technique was developed by a hidden boss [Golden Plated Wasp Queen]. Her movements were so fast that they seemed hazy. During her mystical dance, she stung her targets from their blindspots, making her their worst demon. Those who survived to know the might of this technique are not many¡­ Requirements: Dexterity equal to 50 or higher. Notice: This technique can be adjusted to the user.
Adjusted to the user? It means this skill can evolve together with him! Evolving technique that requires only 50 dexterity? Icicle was drooling! Adian really gave him something really good! He couldn¡¯t help but check his stats anxiously.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 2 Experience: 144/250 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Statistics: HP: 90 Mana: 60 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 16 Vitality: 8 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom: 5 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
Icicle somewhat regretted putting three points into vitality now. But there¡¯s nothing he could do about it, how could he know such a great skill will be bestowed on him? Sighing inwardly, his mouth¡¯s corners curled a little. Since Icicle couldn¡¯t do anything about it, he won¡¯t mind it. He was more than happy with his rewards. ¡°So, Adian, what are we doing now?¡± he probed gently. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Vilen Town of course. We¡¯re going to be rich!¡± Adian smiled brightly. ¡°What about the guard promotion test?¡± Icicle furtrowed his brows and asked. This was his chance to get some levels for free. ¡°Who cares about that, it¡¯s not a well paid job anyways. Come on, I¡¯ll bring you out of the Humming Forest.¡± Adian patted Icicle¡¯s back and started packing. ¡°Look Adian, I need to gain some levels. When I do, I¡¯ll be able to get some herbs myself. You helped me immensely, so of course I will help you out in the future, but I need your aid right now. What¡¯s more, I might have found a way to deal with the wolves faster than you think.¡± Adian turned around and looked at Icicle seriously. ¡°Listen, little brother. I don¡¯t care about this trainee quest anymore. We¡¯re going back.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, BROTHER. Look Adian, I need help to get out of this forest, that¡¯s a fact. But you need my help to get rich. It¡¯s a mutual, beneficial relationship. Besides, killing the boss gives immense rewards. All you need to do is let me deal the finishing blow. How hard can that be? When we¡¯re finished with your task, we will get back to Vilen Town and make money. Unfortunately, if you don¡¯t want to help me out, I don¡¯t mind letting my adventurer friends know of the healing potion secrets. They¡¯ll be delighted to know them.¡± Icicle looked at Adian with pity. ¡°Y-You¡¯re extorting me!¡± Adian helplessly shouted. In this situation he really couldn¡¯t do anything! ¡°Now, now. We both know it¡¯s not like that. Well then, since we¡¯re on the same page, let¡¯s form a party.¡± blue window appeared before Adian and he resignedly pressed yes. ¡°Very good. Now then, equal experience distribution¡­ Oh and I need that table to experiment a little, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Icicle snatched Adian¡¯s wooden table and left him packing. Adian could only shake his head and sigh repeatedly, cursing his luck for associating himself with the wrong guy. Chapter 5 Author''s note: At least two chapters next week. Icicle started experimenting. At first, he grounded 3 damaged [Green Stout Stalks] to see if the potion will still be created, only with minor difference in health recovery. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Since he used 3 of 108 damaged [Green Stout Stalks] he collected, Icicle decided to try it with a few more. He put another 2 in. Still nothing. Feeling a little dejected, Icicle steeled himself to use up to 10 herbs. Sacrificing more than that for a mere experiment would be a waste. On his 6th damaged [Green Stout Stalk], there was still no change. Icicle worried about the vials being too full soon. He went to Adian and got a stock of 50 [Empty Medium Vials], as well as a new handkerchief. Poor Adian felt heart-wrenching pain giving away all of his stuff for free. If it wasn¡¯t for the future treasures and money blinding him, he would never give in so easily. Icicle poured the liquid over to the [Empty medium vial] and continued grounding. Soon, the seventh stalk went in. Ding!
You¡¯ve successfully invented an existing potion! [Turbid Medium Healing Potion] Restores 200HP on use. 60 sec cooldown. For inventing this potion recipe you¡¯re granted the following: +30 experience +1 Intelligence +2 Wisdom
[Turbid Medium Healing Potion] [Formula] [Common] Lvl. 1 Requirements: 7 damaged [Green Stout Stalks]. Recipe: Ground the herbs in the mortar, then pour the liquid into the vial through a filter.
Icicle looked at the new potion in amusement. The recipe could be considered super easy, no wonder it was a [Common] grade. However, receiving stats for inventing the already existing potion was really nice. The experience gain wasn¡¯t bad either. Icicle checked his stat window again.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 2 Experience: 174/250 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Statistics: HP: 90 Mana: 80 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 16 Vitality: 8 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 7 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
Wisdom increased his mana by 20 points. Too bad he can¡¯t use any of that mana yet. Before Adian finished his packing, Icicle managed to make another 14 bottles of [Turbid Medium Healing Potion]. Every bottle made gave him 3 experience. Currently, he was at 226/250 experience. Just mere 24 experience points shy of level 3. Icicle looked at the time and 6 hours passed since he logged in. However, when he looked at the real world time it was 11 pm. Only three hours passed! The time was apparently dilated by two in Loiterous. Getting inside the tent again, Icicle saw Adian was still packing. He called out ¡°Adian, I need to do something in my world. I¡¯ll be back in around 30 minutes. Wait for me.¡± ¡°Ok, I should finish packing by then. See you.¡± Adian was so helpless with the way things played out that he couldn¡¯t even be happy about a moment of reprieve. ¡­ Icicle logged off. He used the restroom, quickly grabbed a drink from the fridge and went on the forums. There were already a few threads reaching millions of views. Disregarding the ¡°First look in the game¡± and ¡°Why is the game so hard?¡± threads, Icicle looked for important information. ¡°Let¡¯s see, this thread here lists the prices of various kingdoms, it¡¯s pay to view though. Oh well, it¡¯s just a couple cents.¡± His bank account dimmed by a few pennies and he was permitted to open the thread.
Vilen Town starting area has lots of resources available at reasonable prices. The cost of getting a class is absurdly high though. The tutelage cost ranges from 1 to 5 gold coins, equaling 10000 to 50000 copper coins. There are various chain quests to receive such professions for free, however, the difficulty is rather high. Those quests are time consuming, difficult to find or troublesome to finish, because of all the players who are searching and killing required quest monsters.
¡°Since I¡¯m in Vilen Town, I don¡¯t need to bother with the other starting areas. There¡¯s no way for me to get in those anyways. Is there anything else? ¡°Tutorial rewards¡±, huh?¡± Icicle opened the link and another thread popped up on the screen.
These are the rewards I received for completing the tutorial. [Beginner pants] Starting attire of adventurers. Defense +1 [Beginner gloves] Starting attire of adventurers. Defense +1 [Beginner boots] Starting attire of adventurers. Defense +1 [Beginner helmet] Starting attire of adventurers. Defense +1 [Beginner sword] Damage: 1-3 Starting weaponry of adventurers. +50 copper coins, +35 experience
Icicle looked at the screenshots and laughed out loudly. He had to cover his mouth when he noticed the time.¡±That equipment is so shabby. I wouldn¡¯t mind having it though. This thread was posted half an hour ago, meaning that someone most likely took around 4 to 5 hours completing the tutorial. That¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Icicle knew that players couldn¡¯t get too much information out of the beginner areas. Even if someone did hear or get something valuable, they wouldn¡¯t share. He finished his drink and decided to log back in. ¡°Can¡¯t let that fat sheep get away, can I?¡± he smiled as he put the helmet on. ¡­ Icicle spawned in the same place, he took the table into his inventory. It would be bad if Adian decided to get it back. Adian came out of his tent, fully packed. After getting the tent down, he shoved it into his enormous backpack. Ready to move out, the tragic duo of a miserable and a very happy man departed. Ding!
[Adian¡¯s Resting Place] is no longer a safe zone! Please leave the perimeter marked on your map. The area will refresh itself in five minutes!
¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like that. An event to be fulfilled. Pretty clever.¡± Icicle thought. As he followed Adian, he looked at his map thoughtfully. Judging by the direction they were headed at, they would barely avoid the [Red Devil Tribe]¡¯s territory. Icicle didn¡¯t have to ask Adian about this. Being on neutral terms with the deadly squirrels was great, but that didn¡¯t mean they will definitely help out. Receiving assistance would be nice, but they shouldn¡¯t count on it. ¡°We¡¯re closing in on their territory. Be careful.¡± Adian raised his right hand and warned Icicle sternly. There was a large clearing littered with fragrant, colorful flowers. Each side was cut off with a dense forest, making the air in the area invigorating and refreshing. Suddenly, Adian titled his head to the right, furrowing his brows. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± he whispered. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Two [Grey Alpha Wolves] sped off towards Adian and Icicle, baring their sharp fangs and claws. Adian, who was now wearing a battle uniform, immediately moved in to intercept them. Icicle didn¡¯t want to be a deadweight, so he followed after Adian. He couldn¡¯t do much damage, but at least he could distract one of the aggressors. Adian was much faster than Icicle. When he arrived, his axe flashed, flowing smoothly. Icicle started admiring that trainee a little. He wasn¡¯t bad. Icicle saw a masterful swordplay back in the day. Adian was using an axe and was far from that graceful, elegant level, but he could be considered as an expert among the beginners. -125 -140 -170 -320! Four slashes landed on [Grey Alpha Wolf]¡¯s body in a flash. His health bar was half gone! Icicle only shook his head muttering ¡°Overpowered.¡± and ¡°His level must be really high.¡± The other wolf looked confused, not sure which target should he lunge on. Icicle struck decisively at the confused wolf¡¯s head. -3 ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the difference in strength, Icicle¡¯s determination slightly waned. He felt discouraged. However, it was not the time for that, the other wolf already jumped at him! -26 -25 -20 Icicle retreated backwards, dodging the flurry of claws. He could only see the five attacks, but there might have been more. When he landed, he hurriedly drank a potion. The wolf was relentless. It swept his claws at Icicle yet again! -25 -3 -5 -28 -29 The lower digits obviously belonged to Icicle. The difference in level, stats and equipments was too much for him. As he was on the verge of death, his potion still on cooldown, suddenly Icicle¡¯s fighting spirit lifted! +150 experience Icicle felt warm. He leveled up to 3! His health raised to 100. Not only that, it was instantly replenished by the level up! -35 -35 -MISS -DODGE Icicle struggled with the impending death, clinging to his life by a thread. If he died, he might respawn somewhere even more dangerous than [Humming Forest]! -28 As he was on the verge of despair, Adian attacked the wolf from behind, sticking his axe into the wolf¡¯s butt¡­ -418! Taking the aggro of the rear bleeding wolf, Adian dispatched it swiftly. +180 experience Icicle widened his eyes, looking at the ever increasing experience. His experience bar was at 306/800. This was a great progress! Dealing damage was definitely not an option. That last dodge could be attributed to his dexterity. Icicle felt like it increased his fitness level by a bit. He put one point which cost 2 stat points into dexterity and left the one unspent point.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 3 Experience: 306/800 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Statistics: HP: 100 Mana: 90 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 17 Vitality: 8 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 7 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
¡°Stop grinning like a fool. This was just the beginning. I don¡¯t want to waste my time here, you shouldn¡¯t either. Let¡¯s go.¡± hearing Adian¡¯s stern rebuke, Icicle was surprised. It seems that Adian was quite serious when it came to combat. No wonder, unlike Icicle he could really die here. Adian moved to collect the furs and claws that dropped, but when he reached the place he frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have any room for it, collect it yourself.¡± after saying that, he strolled forward. Icicle quickly collected the loot. It was a shame there was no money, but he wasn¡¯t the one who killed the wolves. ¡°Can¡¯t be too greedy. Powerleveling is enough.¡± he muttered. Following Adian, Icicle encountered another group. There were three [Grey Alpha Wolves] this time. Icicle couldn¡¯t even help Adian, so he moved out of the way. He watched as Adian dodged the claws and sharp fangs of wolves by a hair¡¯s breadth. Icicle tried to mimic the moves but his joints ached. He simply couldn¡¯t twist his ankle the way Adian did. +180 experience +180 experience +180 experience Except for a minor bruise on his right thigh, Adian was unscathed. He looked as if he was dancing among the wolves, slashing at their every opening. Even a laic could see that he received an extensive training combat and had some prior exposure to danger. Icicle leveled up to 4. His experience bar now stated 46/2000. With the leftover stat point, he now had 4 points to distribute. He added 2 points into dexterity. ¡°I have to get this [Wind Stinger] technique going! If I can dodge the attacks, then I don¡¯t need vitality. AoE attacks should be rare, if I meet a creature with such an attack and can¡¯t stand it, I can always run!¡± he made the decision and threw a [Basic healing potion] to Adian. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Take it. Try pouring it on your wound directly.¡± Adian looked puzzledly at Icicle and asked ¡°You had more and didn¡¯t share with me? Miser.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can¡¯t die here, Adian. In the event I do die, I¡¯ll be transported to the nearest safe zone. Who knows if it¡¯s not in the middle of an even more dangerous area?¡± Icicle smiled sheepishly. He was quite embarrassed about not being able to help out at all. ¡°Then keep this potion, you¡¯ll need it.¡± Adian was about to toss it back, but Icicle waved his hand in front of him. ¡°No need, I have some more prepared. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m stupid enough to give you everything. I kept the smaller ones, I have a few that regenerate 200HP if need be.¡± Adian stared at Icicle as if he has seen his greatest business rival. ¡°It¡¯s not so easy to milk that money making cow, eh?¡± he thought, uncorking the potion and pouring it over his right thigh. After Adian was done, they plunged further into the [Humming Forest]. A group of five wolves emerged from behind a cave. One of them looked different.
[Minor White Direwolf] [???] ???
Icicle obviously couldn¡¯t see its stats. His instincts told him it¡¯s most likely a [Rare] or a 2 star creature. ¡°Can you take care of those?¡± Icicle probed. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem as long as they don¡¯t call reinforcements.¡± Adian was quite confident. ¡°And if they do?¡± Icicle asked with some tinge of worry. He didn¡¯t want to be teleported to a worse place than he already was in. ¡°Then you had better pray your legs are fast enough.¡± Adian muttered and dashed off towards the wolves. Icicle looked for a way to help Adian. He hid in a bush to the east of them and started surveying the area. There was a piece of large rock laying nearby. ¡°Might as well try.¡± he thought, picking it up. The gruesome slaughter continued, Adian waved his one-handed axe with precision, sometimes dodging, other times parrying with his buckler or weapon. What he did the least was blocking. He couldn¡¯t attack while blocking in the middle of 5 wolves! Icicle noticed the pattern and made notes to himself. One of the wolf was heavily injured, profusely bleeding. It moved back, lurking there, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Icicle didn¡¯t let this moment go. He swiftly moved through the bushes, sneaking into the back of the pack. On the way, he picked up a few smaller stones and put them into his inventory. He was surprised that it worked, but he had no time to be smug. He had to hurry if he wanted to be of assistance. Throwing one of the smaller stones, it made a loud sound as it crashed into the tree. Three of the wolves shifted their attention. Adian didn¡¯t let such an opportunity slide and viciously slammed his axe at one of them. Its head emitted a cracking noise, after which it fell down to the ground, limp. Icicle looked in astonishment as he realized that the wolf was dead! Its body remained, but its brain was most likely cleaved in half! +200 experience When Icicle saw the pop up, it confirmed his guess. The situation didn¡¯t look any better though. Adian was lightly injured, but the [Minor White Direwolf] seemed to enter into frenzy. With one of its companions dead, its attacks became more vicious and concentrated. It started shifting its position, attacking from the flanks, then rapidly sliding to the back of Adian. In such circumstance, Adian had less and less opportunities to attack. Icicle threw another stone, but only one wolf shifted its attention. Preoccupied with the [Minor White Direwolf], Adian didn¡¯t have any time to capitalize on the distraction. ¡°If I don¡¯t help him, my experience making machine will be dead! Fuck!¡± Icicle cursed the wolves heavily. He gritted his teeth and mumbled ¡°All or nothing then!¡± He threw another stone above the wolves. Its shadow flew over the wolves. All of them looked at it as if they were playing fetch. ¡°More intelligent than dogs my ass!¡± Icicle scolded inwardly. Adian¡¯s axe flashed at the [Minor White Direwolf] but its body moved backwards. It moved based on instinct! Icicle was already running towards the back of the pack. The heavily wounded wolf turned back and glared at him. ¡°Too late!¡± Icicle thought, as he viciously slammed the giant piece of rock onto the wolf¡¯s head.
By using special means you¡¯ve caused a stun effect! Target is stunned for 3 seconds.
Icicle¡¯s eyes merely glanced at the window. What he was sure of was that the wolf laid on the floor, not moving. He took out his [Chipped sword] and started stabbing at its eyes! -15! -20! -25! -50! -150! Four critical strikes followed by a fatal blow, just like the one Adian delivered! +250 experience Delivering the final blow gave Icicle additional boost of experience. As he huffed and puffed, Icicle picked up the loots. Rejoicing for a bit, Icicle¡¯s joyful expression quickly dimmed. He noticed that Adian was having trouble. Adian¡¯s leg was bleeding, three wolves were lunging on him incessantly. There was virtually no room for him to attack. Icicle took two large breaths, retrieved one of [Turbid Medium Healing Potions] and shouted ¡°Smash it!¡± he threw it high in the air, in an arc that the potion was certain to land behind Adian. Adian looked up and understood the hint. He quickly moved backwards, smashing the vial in midair and letting the liquid splatter on his body. As it did, his wound stopped bleeding and started rapidly closing. Icicle knew that going rambo on the wolves would mean his death. He closed in a little and threw the large rock with both hands as far as he could. The wolves immediately jumped backwards, avoiding the danger. GROOOOOOOOWL! Menacing snarls came Icicle¡¯s way, but he only grinned like a grim reaper. His mouth curled into a crescent moon pointing upwards. Maliciousness and wickedness emanated from him, wishing those wolves nothing more than their untimely demise. Such mocking behavior from a weak being that couldn¡¯t even be considered as their enemy made the wolves howl in anger. They completely forgot about Adian who was right behind them! ¡°[Chopping Wood]!¡± Adian howled. Swish! Swish! Swoosh! Three slashes filled with power and ferocity landed on the [Grey Alpha Wolf]¡¯s body, severing two of its front paws. Adian moved out of the wolf¡¯s bite range and left it to bleed out. Its two companions turned in a swift manner, enraged more than ever. With foam-like saliva dripping from their mouths, they lunged at Adian! Icicle didn¡¯t mind Adian anymore. There were only two wolves left, he felt like he helped Adian enough. Rushing towards the bleeding out wolf, he started chopping at its head. -25! -20! -50! -75! +250 experience Icicle¡¯s damage was lower because he attacked the skull, not the eyes. However, this wolf bleeded more profusely than the other, so his attacks quickly resulted in a killing blow. To Icicle¡¯s dismay, he only picked up a couple pieces of fur and claws. Picking up the loot from the wolf Adian killed, his inventory now had 150 copper coins, equaling 1 silver and 50 copper coins. ¡°This one is low, kill it!¡± Adian screamed, parrying the attacks of [Minor White Direwolf], hinting at the [Grey Alpha Wolf] limping at its side. Apparently Adian broke its forepaws. Icicle noticed the greed flashing in Adian¡¯s eyes. He knew that if Icicle killed it there would be a larger drop of items and coins! Icicle liked this Adian guy more and more. He quickly dashed forward and started dancing around the wolf. His speed in going around the wolf was faster than the wolf¡¯s body turn. -6 -7 -9 -11 -12 -20 -6 -8 Unsatisfied with the damage, Icicle waited for the wolf to turn and stabbed the wolf at its eyes! -30 [Grey Alpha Wolf] shifted its skull a little, making Icicle hit a spot between its eyes. Retrieving the sword, Icicle perveiced that the wolf¡¯s eyes turned crimson red. It had to be some kind of a skill! Bone creaking sounds emerged as the wolf made its last-ditch effort, lunging at Icicle with its remaining strength! ¡°Fuck you!¡± Icicle howled, stabbing the sword straight at the wolf¡¯s maw! -50! -20 Icicle took 20 damage because of a strong impact. The wolf choked and couldn¡¯t move up. It bit on the sword and tried to wring it out of Icicle¡¯s grasp. Icicle knew he couldn¡¯t win in the strength duel. He gripped the sword tighter and twisted it, making a mess out of the wolf¡¯s throat. -60! -75! -82! -120! -200! ¡°How the fuck was that low?! He simply crippled that wolf!¡± Icicle tilted his head and glared maliciously at Adian. He received a grin in reply. ¡°Goddamnit!¡± Icicle cursed under his nose. His strength was waning, he couldn¡¯t hold his ground for long. Without his sword, what else could he use to kill that wolf? There was no way he could twist the sword any more. Icicle took out an empty vial out of his inventory and smashed it against the sword! Crack! The vial broke in half and piece of glass fell around. Using the jagged vial, Icicle held the sword with his left hand, while stabbing with his right! ¡°Go for the eyes!¡± Icicle urged his body to move under the tremendous effort and pressure. -20! -21! -50! ¡°Not enough, damn!¡± he kept on madly stabbing, but his hand loosened, letting go of the sword. ¡°Why don¡¯t you internally bleed out you fucker!¡± Icicle raged. Holding a piece of broken vial, Icicle faced the wolf once again. It seemed as if the wolf had trouble spitting out the sword. Icicle thought of yet another wicked idea. ¡°This time you¡¯ll be dead for sure!¡± he moved his left foot forward, as if trying to jump. [Grey Alpha Wolf] in its raging madness mustered the strength to lunge at Icicle once again! As it did, its bones cracked in the air, but it managed to fly towards him! Waiting for that moment, Icicle pivoted on his left leg, kicking out with his right foot straight at the wolf¡¯s maw! -200 -500! -700! The [Chipped sword] did continuous damage as it slided down the wolf¡¯s throat. Icicle staggered from the impact of the kick and tumbled backwards, hitting a tree. -30! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± holding his head, Icicle looked at the wolf, lying on the floor, his sword nowhere in sight. He painfully stood up and circled the wolf. Terrified, he looked at the rear of the whelp. The tip of his sword seemed to be stuck there! ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m not using that sword ever again!¡± he cursed out loud. +500 experience +400 experience Icicle looked at the two enormous experience gains and his mood lifted a little. The 500 portion was his, because he managed to solo the wolf. 400 came from the [Minor White Direwolf]. ¡°It seems like you managed to solo it after all, hahaha!¡± Adian laughed, standing behind Icicle. ¡°Here, catch. You earned it.¡± Icicle swiped the air unconsciously and caught the fur of the wolf. The item was identified because you have knowledge of its origins!
[Minor Direwolf¡¯s Fur] [Elite] The fur of one of the most dangerous of wolves, a Direwolf. Although it comes from a thinned out bloodline, its resilience and cold resistance is exceptional. Many hunters take pride in having such a fur hanging on their wall. Nobles love the soft touch and snow white color of the pelt.
¡°Thanks.¡± Icicle nodded and gathered the loots from the wolf. Once again, just a couple of furs and claws. However, picking up the coins, his total gain was now 2 silver and 30 copper coins. Icicle looked at Adian suspiciously. Where could he get that fur from? It doesn¡¯t seem like he skinned the wolf. ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t look at me like that, brother. Items drop for us too, it¡¯s just that being in a party with you means that we both have to participate. The drop rate is quite low to begin with, coupled with the level difference it¡¯s even more so. However, when you deal with the monsters yourself, it¡¯s not as high becasue of the party. If you were to kill a wolf like this on your own, being low-leveled, it would most likely drop a [Rare] grade equipment, maybe even an [Elite] grade.¡± Adian patted his chest and said proudly. ¡°I have no need for this fur. When I become a full-fledged Alchemist, I will be able to afford such things with ease.¡± he added. Icicle looked at Adian as if he was an idiot. He knows of [Elite] grade items yet he gave him the [Wind Stinger] book. It¡¯s either that he¡¯s good-willed or retarded. In either case, it¡¯s good to have him around. Icicle won¡¯t say no to more equipment. Chapter 6 ¡°So, did you fake having trouble?¡± Icicle asked Adian, but his voice wasn¡¯t suspicious anymore. He didn¡¯t care, he wanted to know if they met with another group. Fighting with the wolves on his own and gaining experience was a way of Adian¡¯s to let him experience the world. ¡°Hehe, indeed, I made a few blunders on purpose. Who would have thought you would scheme so much, hehe. You¡¯re pretty good brother.¡± Adian smiled brightly. He made sure he wasn¡¯t mistaken about this disciple of his. Icicle even spared his potions on him, that made him feel especially good. They were both frugal, trying to save the resources yet Icicle didn¡¯t hesitate and threw the potion to him. It wasn¡¯t something big, but the gesture counted. ¡°Thank you.¡± Icicle said in a low voice. He raged just a few seconds ago, but now he realized he was led by the nose like a little sheep. That made him embarrassed. ¡°Haha, not a problem. Did you pick everything up? If so, then let¡¯s move! Those groups will only grow up in number. There are many more patrolling the area.¡± Adian warned and picked up his backpack. ¡°There¡¯s this one thing¡­¡± Icicle stared at Adian with puppy eyes. ¡°I need a sword.¡± he pointed at the dead wolf¡¯s behind. The wolf didn¡¯t disintegrate into particiles like others, most likely because the sword was stuck up its ass. ¡°Buahahahaha! That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve ever seen! You¡¯re really good!¡± Adian fell on his back and started rolling, only when the sound of glass breaking rang out from his backpack did he stop. ¡°Man, that¡¯s so cruel yet so funny. Leave this wolf here, the other wolves will find him and scatter in search of the perpetrator. By thinning out the packs, we can move straight to the their leader¡¯s lair!¡± ¡°What about the new sword? Come on, help me out!¡± Icicle pleaded. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve earned it.¡± Adian scratched his head, put down his backpack and handed over one of his swords to Icicle.
[Novice sword] Damage: 3-5 Requirements: Level 5 Fine steel blade used by novice practitioners.
When Adian bent a little to hand over the sword to Icicle, Icicle noticed that this youth¡¯s axe gave off a blue hue! Adian had a [Rare] grade weapon! Realizing that fact, Icicle looked at Adian with more respect. He was worthy of powerleveling him. ¡°What are you smiling so impishly about? Are you contemplating robbing me? It won¡¯t be easy.¡± Adian laughed joyfully as he brandished his axe. ¡°No, I just realized that you¡¯re worthy of powerleveling me. That¡¯s all. Oh, and thank you for the sword. It¡¯s really good.¡± Icicle bowed his head and put the [Novice sword] into his inventory. Adian looked at Icicle completely dumbfounded. He actually treated his master like a stepping stone! What a high ambition! However, he didn¡¯t feel offended. Adian knew that adventurers were destined to aim high. Maybe when Icicle reaches high level, as a show of gratitude to the one who helped him early on, he will help him rise high. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve idled long enough. Let¡¯s go.¡± Adian commanded. He was in a good mood. On their way, they met a lone [Grey Alpha Wolf]. Adian swiftly dispatched it. Only a few copper coins dropped which Adian swiftly swept away. Icicle looked at him with furrowed brows. ¡°What? I¡¯m poor too.¡± Adian replied innocently, as if taking the money was the most common thing in the world. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s fine.¡± Icicle couldn¡¯t be bothered about a few copper coins. He simply didn¡¯t want this trend to continue, otherwise he won¡¯t have enough money to buy any equipment! Icicle looked at his stats.
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 5 Experience: 46/8000 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Points left to distribute: 1 Statistics: HP: 120 Mana: 110 Strength: 8 Dexterity: 20 Vitality: 8 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 7 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%.
Icicle sighed. His experience bar progressed fast, but the required experience was more and more. If he only relied on Adian, he would need 40 [Grey Alpha Wolves] to level up. It¡¯s not that hard considering it¡¯s an event, but their resources aren¡¯t limitless either. Icicle pulled out two loafs of bread and handed one to Adian. ¡°Thanks.¡± Adian was curt as he munched on the bread. When he finished he threw something Icicle¡¯s way.
You received [Dried Boar¡¯s Meat].
[Dried Boar¡¯s Meat] was a great item to replenish stamina. Icicle gobbled the meat up and looked at Adian, his saliva dripping on the ground. Adian was long finished with his piece, chewing on a second one. For someone like Icicle who didn¡¯t fight long, one piece of meat was enough, but he still looked at Adian with ¡°I want more.¡±gaze. That meat tasted delicious! ¡°We¡¯re not gourmets. You¡¯ll receive another portion when you deserve it.¡± Adian smiled deviously. He enjoyed teasing Icicle back. He could vent his ¡°extorted¡± state of mind this way. Icicle gulped loudly and moved along. There was nothing he could do at the moment, he had to try harder. As Adian and Icicle proceeded forward, a large group of wolves centered on them. Whelps moved swiftly, the two were already surrounded. ¡°Look at that, it¡¯s your time to shine, little guy!¡± Adian laughed loudly, as if seeing money right before him. Although the group was large, it only had 4 [Grey Alpha Wolves]. The other 30 or so wolves were of level 5 to 8. Icicle could even see their stats!
[Grey Wolf] Lvl.5 HP: 350 Attack: 14 Defense: 4 [Brown Vicious Wolf] Lvl.7 HP: 600 Attack: 18 Defense: 7
There were only little discrepancies in health between level 5 and 6 [Grey Wolves] as well as lvl 7 and 8 [Brown Vicious Wolves]. There was one more type of wolf that emerged from the pack.
[Grey Wolf Brigand] Lvl.9 ¡ï HP: 1100 Attack: 21 Defense: 9
¡°One star monster, huh?¡± Icicle looked at the wolf as if it already turned into equipment. However, seeing that the majority of the wolves dashed towards Adian, he realized he has 5 [Grey Wolves] and one [Brown Vicious Wolf] to combat. Icicle carefully observed the wolves. During his observation, the wolves encircled his position. The only way out was to break the encirclement! Before he charged out, he heard a wild, joyous laughter. His gaze turned to Adian who was wildly sending the wolves flying left and right. Every swing of his axe was powerful and decisive. Some wolves ended up crippled from the brunt force of the blow, others from the awkward landing. They laid on the ground limply. However, Icicle was sure that Adian wasn¡¯t doing this on purpose. He was not helping him out with gaining experience. Instead, Adian was enjoying himself! It was his revenge for the ambush attack he talked about earlier! Icicle was encouraged by the brute-like ways of Adian. He gripped his sword tightly and slammed the wolf who lunged at him down. -16 Although this was not a critical hit, with [Novice sword]¡¯s increased damage, Icicle was able to target the head of the wolf. The most crucial part was that he was faster than the lvl 6 [Grey Wolf] in front of him! Moving behind the wolf, Icicle stuck his sword in the wolf¡¯s behind. -75! The other five wolves weren¡¯t idle. They immediately came up before the wounded wolf, growled menacingly and circled around Icicle yet again. Icicle looked at his sword carefully. His brows were furrowed. ¡°What a pity.¡± he said. If the wolves knew what he found so regrettable they would explode in rage. What Icicle expected was some wolf dung stuck to the sword. He would then slash the other wolves¡¯ eyes with the dung covered sword, blinding them! Icicle¡¯s mentality was simple ¡°When you¡¯re strong you can use all kind of graceful and elegant moves. Weaklings don¡¯t have such ability so they should use any underhanded means they can!¡± Icicle knew he was not a match for the wolves if he fought them the normal way. He didn¡¯t have anything of use around. Even if he tried to hide behind the tree, he would only get himself cornered. That wasn¡¯t an option, he had to be able to freely move around. Thus, he stayed in place and repelled the attacks. Icicle remembered how Adian dealt with the wolves. He was striking at the vitals! But that¡¯s not all. He struck their forepaws, sliced their throats and cleaved their skulls. The last move was impossible for Icicle, he was not a giant nor a body-builder. He arrived in this world 8 hours ago, so there wasn¡¯t much he could achieve. Relying on mimicking Adian¡¯s way of fighting, Icicle struck the wolves decisively. However, even that proved to be of no use in the long run. As Icicle fought for a couple minutes, he realized that even while using potions, his health recovery cannot keep up! With each minute he lost more and more health. He had to dodge more, parry more, move faster! His gaze fell on Adian who was walking among the pack of wolves as if he was their king. Adian¡¯s buckler slammed the wolves, his brown short hair dripped with sweat, glistening in the sun rays that made their way through the treetops. Icicle realized Adian used his whole body to attack, not just his footwork, axe and hands. Remembering the sword lessons Icicle took in his childhood, he decisively stepped forward and struck with his weight behind him. -34 Just a normal hit to the side of a [Brown Vicious Wolf] yet it was so effective! Icicle felt like just this wasn¡¯t enough! His hunger for power increased, his mind buzzing with activity. He remembered watching boxing matches where the participants swayed to avoid the other¡¯s blows by a hair¡¯s breadth. Adian¡¯s way of dodging looked refined, he could somehow shift his ankles in a way inconceivable to Icicle. Just thinking about it made him imagine sprain his ankle. Icicle was quite athletic in real life, but here, in Loiterous, his body didn¡¯t differ much from an ordinary adult. The body you spawn in was in a raw state and needed large amount of training. Could that matter to him when he was fighting though? Of course not! He started swaying, shifting weight, dodging to the sides and using the wolves¡¯ momentum to slam them against each other. Every step he made, he tried to get either on the side or behind his attacker, keeping track of other wolves¡¯ positions in his head. This blissful feeling of enjoyable fighting continued, Icicle felt like the game was prompting him to persevere. He wanted to gain a new skill, whichever it was! During the next five minutes, Icicle¡¯s original stack of 9 [Basic Healing Potions] dwindled to none. He was left with only 14 [Turbid Medium Healing Potions]. He didn¡¯t mind that. That was the price of him learning. Adian was almost finished with his group and looked at Icicle with interest. His mouth was curled into a smile. Currently Icicle was in a battle mode state. His entire being was focused on surviving. Each wolf he fought with was heavily wounded, but they all covered each other¡¯s faults and weren¡¯t easy to kill. Icicle didn¡¯t want to kill them either, he considered them great practice partners. All his eyes could see were the wolves, all his ears could hear were the low growls the six wolves made. Icicle enjoyed this state and he concentrated to the fullest extent. He tried any move he could think of, tumbling, rolling, sidestepping, deflecting. Every style he read of or practiced even a tiny little he tried to employ. Aikido, karate, kickboxing. His body dripping with sweat, Icicle made his move. His sword moved downwards, cutting straight at the [Grey Wolf]¡¯s head. The wolf dodged sideways, but Icicle followed with a kick to its side. Powerful force behind the kick made the wolf tumble and hit a tree, falling on its side. Icicle followed like an agile monkey and stabbed the wolf¡¯s abdomen with all his weight behind it. -60 +80 experience If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.-12 -15 -11 As one of the wolves turned into particles, three hits landed on Icicle¡¯s back as retribution. Adian was done. He leaned against a tree and observed the changes in Icicle, smiling wryly. ¡°This kid¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s making so much progress in merely one day. It has taken me a month to get in this battle mode state. He even started to develop an aura. No wonder those wolves sometimes dodge to the side without him attacking. It¡¯s a shame he can¡¯t control his aura, it would make his fight a lot easier.¡± What Adian didn¡¯t realize was that Icicle was looking for his style. Every experienced warrior had one. It was a set of moves they were the most comfortable with. Warriors didn¡¯t exhaust as much energy as they normally would because they enjoyed moving in a specified way. Their mental fatigue was decreased by a lot too. Icicle was encircled yet again. He was about to break through one of the sides when in his mind appeared the image of a wolf behind him. He turned around and swung his sword down. -27 Ding!
You¡¯ve successfully developed a new skill ¨C [Sense presence]. [Sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the non-concealed targets in a 3m radius.
Suddenly all of the struggling turned into an advantageous fight! Icicle couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly where would the wolves attack, but based on their presences, he knew which side of his was targeted. He moved swiftly and started finishing off the wolves one by one. Even their [Frenzied] state didn¡¯t matter. So what if their attacks were more powerful if they didn¡¯t hit? +80 experience +80 experience +80 experience +80 experience One by one [Grey Wolves] met their maker. The only one alive was [Brown Vicious Wolf], however its health was mostly depleted too. Icicle ran towards it and the brown wolf turned tail and ran! ¡°Like hell I¡¯ll let you escape!¡± Icicle jumped off a stump and hurled his sword at the wolf. +60 experience As he looked at his sword missing, plunging into the ground, Icicle¡¯s expression dimmed. However, Adian¡¯s axe embedded itself into a wolf¡¯s skull. He walked towards Icicle clapping ¡°Well done, little brother. I didn¡¯t think you would manage so well.¡± Adian patted Icicle¡¯s shoulder. Icicle didn¡¯t mind Adian. He was furrowing his brows unhappily. ¡°Let¡¯s find some more wolves to fight.¡± he said, picking up the sword. Adian looked at Icicle with shock. ¡°That little bastard still has energy to fight! What a freak!¡± he picked up the loot and stuffed it into his bag. ¡­ The next group they encountered had five [Grey Alpha Wolves] with 50 followers. Icicle shouted ¡°Give me one of the [Grey Alpha Wolves] and a few others. Take care of the rest.¡± Adian heard it and looked at Icicle with a frown. ¡°Who told you you can order me around, eh?¡± he thought. As he looked closer, he noticed Icicle was still in a battle mode state. ¡°This is inhuman. How can he keep it up for so long? His aura isn¡¯t decreasing but increasing instead! Only those who killed a lot of creatures or are simply mad can keep it up for this long! Could it be adventurers receive some additional help from the gods?¡± Adian wondered for a while, but then directed the [Grey Alpha Wolf] to Icicle. To test his theory, he made sure to damage the wolf¡¯s butt, enraging it, before it was blasted over to Icicle. Icicle faced two [Brown Vicious Wolves], two [Grey Wolves] and a [Grey Alpha Wolf]. He considered getting rid of the followers of [Grey Alpha Wolf] first, but that would decrease the difficulty of the training. [Grey Alpha Wolf] commanded his little pack as they lunged towards Icicle in unison. Icicle considered closing his eyes to feel their presences better. He did as he thought. -MISS -MISS Two of his slashes hit the air. He wasn¡¯t at the level where he could comprehend [Sense presence] to this extent. Seeing things in a movie isn¡¯t the same as knowing them through and through. Pack of wolves capitalized on Icicle¡¯s mistake and clawed him repeatedly. -20 -12 -15 -18 -17 -18 -12 -27! Backing off immediately, Icicle drank [Turbid Medium Healing Potion]. The potion recovered 200HP so some of its health recovery was wasted. Wiping his mouth, Icicle steadied himself. He looked around carefully to examine the nearby terrain. He looked for large boulders and trees that could block the line of sight, as well as elevated or sunken soil. Encouraged by their previous success, the pack of wolves rushed at Icicle with renewed vigor and ferocity. Icicle dodged, swaying to the sides and deflecting the razor sharp claws. As he sidestepped to the right, one of the midair wolves slammed right into the tree. Icicle followed with a curved arc, starting from the ground and curving upwards, making it look like an uppercut. [Grey Wolf]¡¯s abdominal area was lacerated, bleeding profusely. Enraged by the sight of a wounded comrade, the attacks of the pack were even more savage and fierce. However, with powerful, unbridled swings of claws came many flaws. Utilizing these openings, Icicle struck the wolves¡¯ forepaws, trying to cripple them. ¡­ The fight continued, Icicle killed all of the level 5 and 8 wolves, as they were of no use, earning 340 experience. Only [Grey Alpha Wolf] was left. Icicle closed his eyes and tried to predict where would the attack come from. At first it was with his eyes opened, but his reaction speed was always too slow. Wrong, it was that [Grey Alpha Wolf] was too fast for him! He had to improve if he wanted to parry its blows perfectly. Every blow [Grey Alpha Wolf] dealt, Icicle countered by smashing his [Novice sword] against its claws. -5 -10 -2 -1 -3 -8 Icicle took damage from the impact every time. It was a problem of insufficient strength and technique. If he could clash against [Grey Alpha Wolf]¡¯s claws perfectly, then the damage would range from 0-3. However, only around 25% of his counters managed to get close to that. The other times it was the wolf¡¯s fault for missing. ¡­ Icicle continued to fight in such a deadlock for the next 10 minutes. His health bar was dangerously low, his stockof potions dwindled to 3 [Turbid Medium Healing Potions]. [Grey Alpha Wolf] was tired and so was Icicle. The resulting impact damage couldn¡¯t be healed by the wolf, it had no potions to drink. Icicle had an edge over it in this regard. Both of them looked at each other and mustered the remaining strength for the final strike. Swish! Two figures moved as fast as lightning, aiming to eliminate the other! Icicle¡¯s sword flashed with an overhead swing, but it stopped midway! [Grey Alpha Wolf] was startled, it bounced off the ground with more ferociousness and speed, closing in on Icicle. Icicle¡¯s figure sidestepped to the left, swinging the sword horizontally, cleaving the Grey Alpha Wolf¡¯s maw in half. -175! +500 experience Icicle picked up the loot, struggling to even walk, before he fell on the ground motionless. He heaved like the bellow of a blacksmith, releasing his exhaustion and gobbling up oxygen to restore his energy.
Due to your extensive workout, you¡¯ve gained 1 vitality. Using all your power in battle for a continuous period of time increased your strength by 1 point. Due to your extensive workout, you¡¯ve gained 1 vitality. Agilely dodging and parrying your enemy¡¯s attacks earned you 1 dexterity.
Adian walked towards Icicle and said with a tinge of surprise ¡°You were having so much trouble with this [Grey Alpha Wolf], yet you emerged victorious. Not bad, kiddo.¡± Icicle who was still catching his breath answered weakly ¡°Who said I was having trouble.¡± he coughed then added ¡°I merely practiced my moves on it.¡± Inhaling fiercely, Icicle looked at Adian seriously and said ¡°It¡¯s true I have no chance going one versus one against it. First thing is, I do have no equipment, meaning no defense. If not for all these potions, I would be clawed to death ten times already.¡± Icicle shook his head resignedly and gulped down oxygen again. ¡°The second thing is obviously difference of levels. When I was still level 1, a [Grey Alpha Wolf] could kill me in two to three moves. However, now that I can utilise my dexterity and know how to parry attacks, it¡¯s not so easy to kill me anymore.¡± Icicle declared. ¡°If I had the entire set of [Basic] grade level 5 equipment, I¡¯m sure I could handle [Grey Alpha Wolf] without any potions. Hell, I¡¯m certain I could handle two of them.¡± Adian looked at his disciple with some pride. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help rebuking him ¡°Learning how to use an aura isn¡¯t so simple boy. You only comprehended the glimpse of it, that¡¯s why you were so focused. Don¡¯t think it¡¯s easy to enter this state again.¡± Icicle looked at Adian with his brows raised, not knowing what Adian was talking about. ¡°I have no idea what this aura thing is, but I learned the [Sense presence] skill and utilised it to my utmost. That¡¯s why I¡¯m certain I can deal with two [Grey Alpha Wolves] at once, if I had the equipment, that is. Without equipment I still do need to rely on potions. Speaking of which, I only have 3 left.¡± Icicle sighed and then continued stabilising his breathing. Adian looked at him in shock. Sensing presence this early? It took him months! This child is a freak! A monster even! ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with this soft gaze, hand me some of that boar meat instead.¡± Adian¡¯s illusion broke as he realized that he¡¯s in front of someone comparable to himself. A scheming miser who¡¯s good at extorting things! However, he was proud of having such a disciple. Before, he thought it would be good if Icicle helps him in the future, but now he knew he¡¯s going to become someone known throughout the world. He can¡¯t die after all! Adventurers respawn, so this Icicle kid will definitely get far. Since it was a joyous occasion, Adian took out three pieces of meat and handed it to Icicle. Then he took out two metal cups and filled them with wine. ¡°Here, drink brother. We¡¯re going to be rich when we return!¡± Adian passed the cup to Icicle with a smile. Icicle¡¯s pupils narrowed, thinking of various drugs that could be in the cup. However, Adian drank all of his wine so he followed suit. Devouring three pieces of meat Icicle felt full. The feeling of sleepiness overcame him. He lied down on the side and fell asleep. ¡°These herbs work wonders, eh? I¡¯m sure this little brat wouldn¡¯t want to sleep even for a minute. If he doesn¡¯t rest, he¡¯ll strain himself.¡± Adian took out a blanket and covered Icicle. Then he stood watch, guarding his vulnerable disciple. ¡­ Two hours passed and Icicle woke up. Rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, he yawned loudly. As he looked around, he realized he¡¯s still in the [Humming Forest]. Next to him was a large pile of furs, at least a couple hundred. Grey, brown and some white colored pelts were ready for the taking. Icicle stood up and looked for Adian. Not seeing him anywhere he stuffed the furs into his inventory. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve woken up? How was the rest?¡± Adian asked as he cheerfully walked towards Icicle. In his hands he was carrying a stack of furs. ¡°Pretty good, thanks. That wine¡¯s effect was pretty strong.¡± Icicle commented. Adian smiled wryly. He didn¡¯t know what to say. He was seen through by his disciple. ¡°Give me the rest of the furs and I won¡¯t mind it.¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes flashed with greed. ¡°Hahaha, I can¡¯t stuff them in my bag anymore, there¡¯s almost no more space left. Here take 10 of those too, I cooked some while you were sleeping.¡±
You received 10 [Slabs of Grilled Wolf Meat].
Icicle thanked Adian and stuffed all of the furs and meat into his inventory. ¡°Tell me, how do you really feel? If you¡¯re tired we can make a camp.¡± Adian was pretty straightforward. He wanted to rush to the Vilen Town to make money, but now that he has seen Icicle grow he¡¯s not in a rush anymore. He knows he¡¯ll be able to earn tons of money later on without moving a finger. ¡°I¡¯m weak, but it would be weird if I felt strong after such an intensive training. Let¡¯s go, I need to forge my body more before it moves how I want it to. As for the camp, we¡¯ll pitch a tent later.¡± Adian nodded and took his stuff. The duo went futher into the territory of the wolves. Chapter 7
Character Information: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 5 Experience: 1346/8000 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Points left to distribute: 1 Statistics: HP: 140 Mana: 110 Strength: 9 Dexterity: 21 Vitality: 10 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 7 Charisma:0 Luck: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the non-concealed targets in a 3m radius.
Icicle and Adian moved into the boss¡¯s territory. Ding!
You¡¯ve entered [Atlas¡¯s Lair]. For discovering this special area you¡¯re rewarded with +1 Luck.
¡°How far are we from the boss¡¯s location?¡± Icicle asked Adian. ¡°This area spans at least a few kilometres. Don¡¯t get comfortable. There¡¯s still a lot of guards before we can deal with that wolf¡­¡± Adian¡¯s face was unsightly as he remembered the time he had been wounded. Icicle nodded and the duo traversed the forest swiftly. There was no time for hesitation and being sneaky. It would be a disaster if they encountered too large of a pack. As they moved, Icicle noticed a herb he hasn¡¯t seen before. It was a white flower with red pistils.
[Piros Root] [Common] Fragrant type of flower possessing minor paralysis effect.
Icicle read the information from the basic herb compendium he received. ¡°So it¡¯s a common herb useful in putting little critters to sleep. Well, even if the chance is small I should take some. It¡¯s a shame only the roots are useful.¡± Icicle shook his head as he plucked 5 [Piros Roots]. Adian only glanced at the [Piros root] as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Inside his bag, there were hundreds of these, but he couldn¡¯t tell Icicle that. ¡°Oh you just happened on something that¡¯s barely worth plucking.¡± just the thought made him snigger inwardly. Icicle wagered his options. Without time to suddenly stop and boil the herb, extracting its essence would be difficult. Icicle thought of a more mundane way, cutting the roots and letting the liquid cover the blade. It may not be practical but it should have some use. However, with the limited information in the [Basic Herb Compendium], Icicle had no idea how loung would the longevity of the paralysis effect be. Thus, he decided to wait with the usage for the final battle. Only then would he use this minor trump card. In the open space before Icicle, there was a large clearing riddled with caves. As far as the eye could see was grass, atop of which stood stone caves. This bizarre sight made Icicle curse inwardly. ¡°This goddamn event is especially made disadvantageous for the players. Level 10 players would have to bring at least three tanks to deal with the wolves. Who knows, maybe the boss itself requires a cooperation of a few dozen people to kill it.¡± To Icicle the game had to be challenging. But this terrain was clear as day provocation! If Adian and Icicle went far in and the pack of wolves were to ambush them, there was nowhere to hide! ¡°No obstacles, clear line of sight. Damn it!¡± Icicle stamped his foot. He wanted to gain some more experience and equipment but not at the price of death. His spawning point would be unpredictable. As he was contemplating the strategy, Adian said in a hushed voice ¡°They¡¯re upon us!¡± Icicle turned around to see 5 wolves in the distance. Four of them were [Minor White Direwolves] but there was a new one.
[Atlas¡¯s Guardian] [???] ???
Icicle couldn¡¯t see its level, but seeing Adian gripping his axe handle tighly, he knew it¡¯s not a small fry. ¡°Let me handle one of the [Minor White Direwolves]. I most likely won¡¯t be able to kill it, but I can stall it for some time. You should be done with the rest by then.¡± Icicle took out his sword and used one of the [Piros Roots] on it. During the way Icicle gave Adian 3 of his [Turbid Medium Healing Potions]. In exchange he took 10 [Basic Healing Potions] if a situation like this were to arise. Adian was able to protect himself well. He wouldn¡¯t need too many healing potions. Adian and Icicle both moved forward, their backs facing the clearing. In the edge of a dense forest, they planned to use the natural obstacles to deal with the wolves. Icicle grabbed a piece of stone as he ran and threw it at one of [Minor White Direwolves]. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go according to plan and two of them rushed at him. Just as he was preparing to face two of them, Adian slashed with his axe, targeting one of the thin trees. The tree fell, trapping one of the direwolves underneath. It won¡¯t be long until it gets out, but it bought Icicle some time to retreat. When it crawls out from under the tree, its aggro should switch to Adian. Icicle moved to the west to not obstruct Adian in his fight any more. The other direwolf followed him, decreasing the distance quickly. As Icicle ran, he spotted an area with a great density of trees. It would be hard for the wolf to hit him there. Unfortunately, not only was it far, he would have trouble attacking just as well. The wolf was way faster than him. Icicle abruptly came to a stop and swung his sword! -11 -12 -25 -13 -DODGE -MISS -DODGE -MISS -MISS Icicle barely outdamaged the wolf. He slashed 6 times, three of them missing. The wolf only attacked thrice, but Icicle managed to dodge two of the attacks. Overall it was a loss of an exchange. If it continued, even with his potions Icicle wouldn¡¯t be able to outsustain the direwolf. The white predator bared its white, razor sharp. It leaped off the ground with alarming speed. Icicle sidestepped, using the momentum of the airborne wolf to direct it into a tree. Unexpectedly, the wolf landed on its paws before the tree and fiercely sprang off the ground again. As a wolf flew straight at Icicle, he realized he had nowhere to dodge. Not willing to take the brunt of the massive impact, Icicle stabbed with his sword! Clang! Razor sharp teeth and the steel blade collided, sending tremors through Icicle¡¯s arm. It was numb from the sheer force of impact. -25 Icicle withstood the forceful impact, moving only a step and a half back. He finally realized that this [Minor White Direwolf] is not an easily manageable doggie like the [Grey Alpha Wolf] before. Whether it was attack damage, defense or speed, the two belonged to two completely different leagues. The feeling of impending doom slowly sank in within Icicle¡¯s mind. It clarified his mind and vision of all disturbances, making him focus solely on surviving. All of his senses heightened. At this point of time, Icicle forgot it¡¯s ¡°just a game¡±. There was only a slight chance of Icicle winning this deadly dance with the devil. He had to wager on a chance of paralysis effect. [Piros Root] wasn¡¯t prepared correctly, so Icicle was sure it had no more 10% chance of succeeding. Besides, even if he were to trigger the effect, he needed to draw blood! With the direwolf¡¯s thick fur it will be difficult. Extremely difficult! His blood pumping, Icicle¡¯s two hands gripped the sword even tighter. Various simulations quickly flashed through his head. He tried to find the way that gave him the highest chance of survival. Today, he had Adian as his companion, but this was only the starting area! Solo dungeoning? Pfft! If he can¡¯t even deal with a mini-boss like this, then dungeoning is a mere fool¡¯s dream! While Icicle was thinking about this, he was under constant attack. With his body dodging and retaliating on instict, he found himself at 15/140 HP. Quickly sliding backwards, he uncorked a potion and swigged it, refilling his health. His eyes focused on the wolf and he finally noticed what he was lacking. ¡°I¡¯m such a moron, swinging my sword wildly without any purpose. This [Minor White Direwolf] isn¡¯t giving my any slack even though I¡¯m weak! It wants to tear me apart and eat my flesh! What I need to do is to imbue my whole self with the intent to kill!¡± Icicle knew he had no chance of killing the wolf with one slash. He had to change his mindset to that of winning! How could he prevail if he thought of himself as the loser from the start? His concentration reached a new height. Now it wasn¡¯t a game nor a battle he could lose. For the sake of his future gameplay and enjoyment of playing he had to overcome this obstacle. Around Icicle¡¯s body the air started distorting a little. One would suspect there would be a flash of red or black and one¡¯s inner demons resurfaced, creating the eerie atmosphere. No. Icicle¡¯s ¡°killing intent¡± manifested in a completely different way. As he let out a long breath, the shred of aura around him was filled with calm, shrewdness and ruthlessness! There wasn¡¯t any desire to kill but to conquer! It was as if the [Minor White Direwolf] couldn¡¯t even enter his eyes. But that¡¯s what appeared on the outside. Inside, Icicle knew he¡¯s still too weak to think that way. Only a true expert had the right to be arrogant, because he could back it up with strength. All he did right now was show his ambition to become someone great. Without training, fortuitous circumstances and luck he¡¯s not likely to ever reach a grand level. Today was his first big step in the new world, Loiterous. If he could prevail against the [Minor White Direwolf] then the path before him will be that of someone strong. However, if he were to bail out, this experience will forever gnaw on his mind, restricting his growth. [Minor White Direwolf] sensed Icicle¡¯s change of aura and became cautious. It didn¡¯t attack rashly like before, but started looking for openings. Icicle suddenly dashed off! The wolf raised its left paw and swiped in front of itself. Expecting Icicle to block the blow with his sword, the wolf prepared to claw with the second paw. Unexpectedly, Icicle stopped gripping the sword with two hands, he moved the sword to his right hand, while his left hand clutched the wolf¡¯s paw! Riiiiiiip! [Minor White Direwolf]¡¯s abdominal area was sliced, leaving behind a minor wound. If Icicle had a better sword or if his strength was slightly higher, he might have left a huge gash! Enraged by the cheap blow of the human, the direwolf stood on its hind paws. It distinguished the vulnerable neck of the human before it. It tried to bite at Icicle¡¯s neck, finishing this bout at once! Icicle quickly raised his left shoulder and blocked the bite with it. -40! ¡°Arghhhhhhhh!¡± Icicle let out a bloodcurdling shout. Trying to endure the excruciating pain of fangs ripping through his flesh, he gritted his teeth. His sword was plunged deeper in the wolf¡¯s stomach. He tried to force the wound to open even more! Feeling the changes in his abdominal area, the direwolf bit even more ferociously, making Icicle¡¯s forehead drip with sweat, his face draining of blood. ¡°This had better work¡­!¡± Icicle drawled out before taking out two [Piros Roots]. He cut off the roots using the sharp side of the plunged blade. As the liquid started flowing out, he placed the roots on his palm and shoved it into the wolf¡¯s open wound! Direwolf shuddered then his teeth bit even deeper! Icicle¡¯s legs grew weak and he felt like he was about to fall. He persevered, tearing through the wolf¡¯s flesh with his hand, spreading the paralysis effect! Plunging it deep enough, he uncorked another potion and drank half, the other half he sprayed under the wolf¡¯s bite. With his pain lessening only a little, Icicle tried to grab the wolf and slam it aside, but it was difficult! The wolf was too heavy! ¡°Goddamn you, are you trying to wrestle me?!¡± Icicle cursed the wolf. He grabbed its back with difficulty again and threw out a knee! -10 Not giving a damn about the numbers, Icicle started viciously kneeing the wolf in the stomach. Direwolf still ravaged his flesh, making him feel the excruciating pain. His tactic wasn¡¯t working, so Icicle grabbed the sword, kneed the wolf and forcefully plunged it out! -15! With a critical blow, the wolf started bleeding more profusely. Icicle gripped the sword handle and stabbed it horizontally, straight at the wolf¡¯s left eye! Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! -50! The damage numbers increased, but Icicle was losing blood as well. The damage he took wasn¡¯t light, he couldn¡¯t continue like this forever! Stabbing the eyes even more ferociously, Icicle saw that the wolf didn¡¯t give in. ¡°Damn it!¡± Icicle gnashed his teeth so hard they were on the verge of cracking. He gripped the sword lighter, letting his right hand fall. [Minor White Direwolf] perceived it as a sign of weakness and let up some of the intense pressure. It too needed a moment of reprieve. That¡¯s when Icicle suddenly struck! -45! He pierced the direwolf¡¯s jaw from below, maliciously pulling the sword out only to shove it in deeper! Now even more wounds riddled the [Minor White Direwolf]¡¯s body. Unable to bear the intense pain and vulnerable position it got itself into, direwolf released its bite lock and quickly backed out. Icicle stared at the direwolf and it stared back at him. Whoever prevailed would be called the predator. The loser doesn¡¯t deserve any recognition! He will end up as food on the plate of the victor! Icicle gripped his left shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding, but to no use. He still had to wait for 15 seconds before his potions could be used. [Minor White Direwolf] wasn¡¯t in a better shape. Its jaw and abdomen were heavily bleeding, decreasing its life force bit by bit. As the blood trickled down, its eyes started to lose their luster, as if veiled with mist. The direwolf staggerred like a drunkard, having trouble maintaining its balance. Icicle didn¡¯t dare to move forward. This could be the ruse of the wolf. Right now they were at equal standing, but once he drank the potion his situation would be upended! He¡¯ll gain absolute advantage. Thus, there was no reason for him to make the first move. He can be manly when he¡¯s strong, right now he¡¯s like a new born baby ¨C weak! More and more blood trickled down from direwolf¡¯s body, making a puddle of sanguine liquid underneath its paws. [Piros Roots] were still plunged underneath its skin, releasing their essence. With less and less blood, its effect surfaced! Ding!
You¡¯ve paralyzed [Minor White Direwolf] for 5 seconds!
As if on cue, Icicle saw the direwolf falling on its side, panting heavily. He rushed forward and stabbed with his sword at the abdominal area, making the wound even more severe! -15 -18 -20 -11 -8 -9 Five seconds were almost up. Icicle quickly withdrew, propping himself up on his sword. Huffing and puffing, he tried spreading the oxygen all over his body. In Icicle¡¯s head various thoughts made their way into his mind. One was the most dreadful ¡°What if the bleeding stopped?¡± Certainly, Icicle had no way of defeating [Minor White Direwolf] even if he was in his ¡°in the zone¡± state. The only thing that could save him was either the wolf losing large portion of its enormous health bar on its own or if it ended up crippled! Icicle didn¡¯t see Adian nearby and he himself didn¡¯t have the required speed nor reflexes to skillfully target the same part of the direwolf¡¯s body over and over again. One or two lucky hits against its paws would be feasible, but could he really cripple the powerful, sinewy paw with just two measly hits? Hell no! Thus, his only option was to create a circumstance where he could surely hit the vulnerable spots on the direwolf¡¯s body. Fortunately, the wolf caught onto his bait, biting down on his neck. If he hadn¡¯t been prepared, with his low movement speed, Icicle wouldn¡¯t be able to block the jaws of death! A moment ago, when the wolf was paralysed, Icicle didn¡¯t strike the eyes or the insides of the wolf¡¯s throat because he had to ensure the bleed effect! He didn¡¯t know how long did it last nor if it could be recovered from. In case it worked like in normal MMOs, where the bleed would only work for a short period of time, he stabbed the wolf in his abdomen to restart the timer! Right now, Icicle was propping himself up on his sword, looking at the whimpering direwolf on the ground. The direwolf stood up with its last strength, struggling to keep its balance. Its eyes had a strong fighting spirit emanating from them. Icicle inferred the meaning. [Minor White Direwolf] knew it was going to die so it wanted to go down fighting! As a player he absolutely despised himself for throwing out his advantage, but as a man¡­ he understood! No one wants to go down as a weakling, it¡¯s better to die fighting than bedridden in bed! Icicle mustered his strength and dashed off towards the direwolf. His movements agile, his sword gripped in his right hand, Icicle advanced valiantly! Clang! Clang! Clang! The sword and the claws clashed, the force of impact much less than before, but just as ferocious. Althought the strength behind the blows waned, their fighting spirits were lifted, burning fiercely like an azure flame in the middle of the night. Their best moves clashing, rivaling each other, measuring the worth of the opponent. Both Icicle and the [Minor White Direwolf] long ago recognized each other as rivals. Now it was the time to show what they¡¯re worth! The sounds of panting and clashing continued, sparks flew whenever the claws and sword intertwined in a deathly silent environment. Every little critter nearby has long gone into hiding. One after the other, the tremors of the two forces clashing ran through the soil, disturbing the creatures underground. Soon after, only one sound emerged in the middle of the humming trees. Plop. Icicle slumped down to the ground. Looking at all of the loot before him, his mouth curled into a smile. He grabbed all of the items and his weak voice emerged, almost undetectable ¡°Thank you for teaching me a very important lesson. I can¡¯t slack in the future. There will be many who will cross my path. People and creatures who are stronger than both you and me. I¡¯ll remember you, friend¡­¡± after mumbling that out Icicle blacked out. +800 experience Ding!
Due to your beginner understanding of aura, you gain 1 Charisma point!
¡­ Icicle woke up, he was covered with a blanket, laying on another one. Behind him he could feel a source of warmth. He turned his body and looked at Adian who was leaning on a tree, his eyes closed. ¡°I have to tell you kid, you¡¯re quite a handful.¡± Adian¡¯s voice rang out as his eyes snapped open. He looked at Icicle with more and more curiosity and warmth. ¡°What happenned?¡± Icicle asked, he remembered dueling the wolf, even emerging victorious, but then his memory is hazy. ¡°I found you on the ground, bleeding profusely from the remnant of your left shoulder, lights out. You didn¡¯t even flinch when I was carrying you here.¡± Adian shook his head as if rebuking Icicle for his lack of awareness. Icicle looked at the time and another 4 hours passed. He was in the world of Loiterous for 12 hours now, equaling 6 hours in real time. It was 2am in the real world. ¡°So, how was it?¡± Adian asked with curiosity. ¡°How was what?¡± Icicle was still tired, he didn¡¯t grasp the meaning. ¡°The girl!¡± Adian laughed deviously ¡°What the hell are you thinking, the fight with the direwolf of course!¡± Adian shook his head. This kid was ridiculously dumb at times. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Icicle smiled faintly, he knew he was being made fun of. ¡°I was at a large disadvantage. If not for my scheme working out and the paralysis taking effect, I would most likely lose terribly. Fortunately, it all worked out. Then, when I saw the [Minor White Direwolf] standing up, trembling, looking at me with fighting spirit, I couldn¡¯t use the potion. I would feel ashamed if I did. I know it¡¯s wrong, but I just felt that I learned too much from that wolf. I simply couldn¡¯t recover my health in the middle of such a fight. Maybe it was deep respect? Honestly, I don¡¯t know. Anyways, I duked it out at the end, not minding my injury. I remember grabbing the loot before I passed out.¡± Icicle told his story. Adian laughed raucously. ¡°I think like you¡¯re leaving out a larger part of your story, but that¡¯s okay. As long as you know how to deal with such a situation, it¡¯s fine.¡± Adian smiled brightly ¡°By the way, the feeling you had when fighting ¨C that¡¯s exactly what it feels like to be a man! I truly didn¡¯t pick a wrong discip- Adian was interrupted ¡°That¡¯s right, the loot!¡± Icicle stared at the pop up windows and the copious amount of items that dropped. Adian frowned, but seeing the light lit up in his disciple¡¯s eyes he only sighed. He was once the same as Icicle is. Brave and full of fighting spirit. Although weak, whenever he managed to grab some loot his eyes would shine. ¡°I gained a charisma point, huh? I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s used for yet, but it probably has something to do with the fighting spirit. 800 experience? But nothing else? I presume there¡¯s a proximity range for the party member to gain the experience. I didn¡¯t receive even a tiny bit from Adian after all. That¡¯s most likely why the whole 800 experience was allocated to me for soloing the [Minor White Direwolf].¡± Icicle summarised and then examined his inventory.
[Damaged Minor Direwolf¡¯s Fur] [Elite] The fur of one of the most dangerous of wolves, a Direwolf. Although it comes from a thinned out bloodline, its resilience and cold resistance is exceptional. Many hunters take pride in having such a fur hanging on their wall. Nobles love the soft touch and snow white color of the pelt. Unfortunately, this one is damaged, decreasing its value.
There were two other items.
[???][???] ???
This item looked like a bag made from wolf¡¯s fur. It gave off a blue hue, meaning it was a [Rare] grade! Icicle¡¯s eyes lit up! Next one on the list was¡­ a ring!
[???][???] ???
This ring was silver with various golden inscriptions on it, at the middle of which were a howling direwolf! However, what¡¯s weird is that it gave off no hue, yet it couldn¡¯t be identified! Icicle looked at it like it was the best treasure ever. He even pulled it out of the inventory to glance at it from closer up and feel its texture! Adian noticed his actions and laughed heartily ¡°Do you need this baby identified? I can help you.¡± Icicle reluctantly averted his gaze from the ring and blurted out ¡°Huh?¡± They looked at each other and Icicle added ¡°Weren¡¯t you a trainee and an Alchemist already? Are you telling me you¡¯re a Merchant as well?¡± Adian scratched his head and said embarrassingly ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t believe me when I said my father just forked out 5 gold coins, right? Of course he wouldn¡¯t spend this much on me, he had his equipment to take care of and the family to feed. The cost of living in Vilen Town isn¡¯t cheap. I had to work to earn some money as well. After I tirelessly served under a wandering merchant for a year, I learned various tricks. One of them was [Identify] skill. You simply have to see a lot of the world to gain it.¡± Even though he said that in a self-deprecating way, Adian still looked proud. ¡°Can you do anything else?¡± Icicle mumbled out. He was shocked! Not only was Adian an Alchemist but he was a Merchant as well. What¡¯s more he knew [Identify] skill, why would he give the book to him then?! ¡°You must be wondering why I gave you that [Elite] grade book, eh?¡± Adian¡¯s words thundered in Icicle¡¯s mind. He hit the nail right on the head! ¡°Hahaha, you really thought I¡¯m this careless? Come on! From what I¡¯ve seen, when you adventurers learn a skill, the books disintegrate into particles. My father and I have read the book. However, as you have probably seen, I can only comprehend a small part of it. That¡¯s why I can shift my ankles faster than others.¡± Adian explained. ¡°Alright, here, identify these for me.¡± Icicle threw three items to Adian. He didn¡¯t fear getting robbed. If Adian had any misgivings about him, he would have robbed him already. There was also a slight possiblity of Adian being the greatest villain ever, but Icicle disregarded the notion. How could the starting NPC be so cruel after all? Nix wouldn¡¯t be so heartless, would she? ¡°Just so you know, I can¡¯t identify everything. Anything that¡¯s [Legendary] rank or above is impossible for me.¡± Adian said blandly and started examining the items¡­ Chapter 8 Author¡¯s note: I¡¯m still trying to deal with Chapter 9 since many things happen there. I¡¯ll be tinkering with it tomorrow, so it should be released at Tuesday. I¡¯m sorry for the delay. With chapter 9 getting transferred to next week, it will be 3 chapters total. Once again, sorry for the inconvenience. Five minutes passed and Adian tossed everything back to Icicle. ¡°Well, I have to say, my disciple¡¯s luck is really outstanding.¡± he commended. Icicle didn¡¯t even hear Adian¡¯s comment. He was itching to find out what kind of items did he really get.
[Fluffy Wolf¡¯s Pelt Bag] [Rare] Allows you to carry up to 800kg of weight. Requirements: Level 10
[Silverfang Ring] [Special] Excellent ring possessing the leftover of Silverfang¡¯s spirit. Silverfang was a fearsome Direwolf who once shook the world. His roar sent tremors throughout the land, making the creatures who heard it cower in fear. With the residue of his spirit left in the ring, Silvefang¡¯s spirit will aid the owner in releasing his fearsome power! Stats: +1 Charisma Unique skill ¨C [Soundless Fear] ¨C emit a terrifying sound wave mixed with ovebearing aura to intimidate your enemies. Effects vary depending on the Charisma of the user and the target. Fear cannot last more than 3 seconds. 60 sec cooldown. Requirements: None
[Silver-flowing Bracelet] [Rare] This fine bracelet was cast from molten silver, retaining some of its properties. Stats: +3 intelligence +3 wisdom +3 dexterity Additional effect: Your every attack does additional 10 true damage. This damage cannot be reduced by armor nor magic resist. Requirements: Level 10
Icicle was very satisfied with the loot. The bracelet was great if he decided to choose the Water Mage class. His damage wouldn¡¯t suffer much in the early game. As for the bag, it was obviously superb. More inventory space equaled more money and items. Icicle equipped the [Silverfang Ring] and checked his stats.
Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 5 Experience: 2146/8000 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: None Points left to distribute: 1 Statistics: HP: 140 Mana: 110 Strength: 9 Dexterity: 21 Vitality: 10 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 7 Charisma: 2 Luck: 6 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the non-concealed targets in a 3m radius.
Icicle put the bag and the bracelet into his inventory. His gaze fell on Adian ¡°Did you get anything good?¡± Adian scratched his nose, as if he expected the question ¡°Merely a couple of furs and claws. I stored them away, but if you need them later on, I can hand them over to you¡± Adian smiled amiably. Icicle furrowed his brows. There was no way Adian would willingly give his items up. He started calculating how many potions would he need to make to appease this money grubber. Shaking his head to dispel this ominous thought, Icicle probed ¡°When are we going to deal with the boss?¡± this issue was gnawing on his mind. He had to prepare. His mental fatigue was weighing him down. In case it was a long battle he needed to rest. ¡°During nighttime monsters grow stronger. I would advise us to rest. The sun should be up in 8 hours or so.¡± Adian took out a flask filled with wine and took a sip from it. Icicle nodded. This was indeed a good course of action. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my world then, just so you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯ll be back in 8 hours.¡± Gaining Adian''s approval, Icicle logged off. He took off his helmet and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It really was a few minutes past 2am. Playing for twice as much time was a great feature of Loiterous. Icicle speculated it had something to do with dreams. After all, some dreams felt like they lasted for a few years, others appeared to go on for a few days and some merely for a few minutes, yet all of them last 20-30 minutes, 2 hours at best. Icicle decided to get some sleep and then continue his journey with Adian. He hoped he could get to Vilen Town soon. He needed to buy equipment. However, before heading off to rest, he decided to check the forums. In the forum search bar Icicle typed ¡°furs¡±. There was only one result applicable for Vilen Town. ¡°Hunters are selling and buying copious amounts of wolf fur.¡± Icicle clicked the link and realized it¡¯s a part of the quest. On the screenshot, the NPC who sold it had a whole mountain of wolf furs behind him. Icicle recognized them, their quality was poor. Those furs belonged to low level wolves. Icicle started thinking. He had a large amount of furs. However, if there were so many to be bought from the Hunters, the price would be low. He can¡¯t sell himself cheap. If he could get the Alchemist subclass, so could others. Although Adian was just an NPC, he had helped him immensely. It was only courteous to return the favor. That¡¯s why Icicle¡¯s plan had to work. He first had to go to the Tailor or a Merchant depending on the offered price and sell a couple of his rare furs. After doing that, he needs to calculate properly to buy off the entire stack of furs from the Hunters. If he does that, the price of furs should skyrocket. Even if it doesn¡¯t skyrocket, it should raise by quite a bit. Then he can truly profit. Giving Adian a large sum of money won¡¯t be a problem. Depending on how all of the town works, Icicle may even get him an apprenticeship at the Alchemist¡¯s. Feeling quite satisfied with this not overly complicated plan, Icicle went to sleep. ¡­ Nearly four hours passed. Icicle ate his breakfast hastily. The sun was starting to lazily illuminate the world. Finishing his meal, Icicle relieved himself and then logged into Loiterous. He spawned in the same location he was previously in. In the world of Loiterous, the sun was lazily crawling up the horizont as well. However, Adian was nowhere to be seen. The bonfire in the middle of their resting place was extinguished. As Icicle looked around, he realized that Adian was actually in the middle of a fight! Icicle hurried over, spotting three of [Atlas¡¯s Guardians]. He rapidly took the aggro of one on the right side. Adian shouted ¡°Careful!¡± Barely blocking the attacks, Icicle had to clash with a monster that outclassed even the [Minor White Direwolf]! -12 -25 -11 -34 Taking only two hits made Icicle retreat hastily. Adian was dodging the wolves¡¯ attacks with ease, but he didn¡¯t have much way to attack. ¡°Attack their weakest areas when I shout! You¡¯ll only have a couple seconds!¡± Icicle hollered. Adian was perplexed but after a second he understood. That ring he inspected at night had indeed had such a monstrous ability! Icicle used [Soundless Fear]. The three 2.5m long white direwolves immediately cowered in fear. Adian didn¡¯t let the opportunity slide. He struck at the forepaws of one of them, crippling it. With a pivot of his foot, Adian cleaved the second direwolf¡¯s eye. The ground quaked under the tremendous force of the blow. -800! Icicle was stumped! 800 damage in just one hit! It seemed to be a skill, but the damage was tremendous! Just what was Adian¡¯s level?! Icicle quickly shook his head and woke up from his stupor. He had no time to be astonished. Adian used a combination of a few skills and dispatched one of the direwolves. The other one, as if led by aggro, left Icicle and focused on Adian. It must have sensed that Adian is a substantial threat. About a minute has passed. Adian was about to finish the direwolves when a loud, reverberating howl echoed through the clearing and the nearby caves. Adian quickly dispatched the howling wolf but it was already too late. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Four [Atlas¡¯s Guardians] growled menacingly. At their front was a 2m tall, 3m long, snow white direwolf. Its pair of translucent blue eyes shimmered with dangerous light. Saliva dripped from its maw, revealing razor sharp teeth. This was the leader of the wolves ¨C [Atlas]! ¡°You¡¯ve finally come, trickster!¡± Adian grinned. Icicle quickly threw one [Piros Root] to Adian, smearing his weapon with the last herb. Seeing the bodies of their comrades and the blood stained axe of the youth in brown short hair, all of the direwolves quickly realized what happened. They jumped at Adian with unbridled ferocity. ¡°This little disciple of mine really worries about me, eh?¡± Adian smirked with glee. Those wolves were nothing to him, but had to play his part. He had to forcefully struggle! Savageness emanated from the direwolves, making their howls even more fierce and deafening. Icicle knew the situation wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Now, cripple one!¡± he shouted, immediately activating [Soundless Fear]. As expected, [Atlas] wasn¡¯t cowering in fear like its pack, it merely stopped for half a second and continued assaulting Adian. In the allocated fear time, Adian struck [Atlas] away, crippling one of its comrades with a wild strike to the forepaw. Icicle picked up the hint and started assailing the wounded wolf. With one of its legs crippled, [Atlas¡¯s Guardian]¡¯s mobility was even lower than that of [Minor White Direwolf]. The fight continued, Adian was only lightly injured, Icicle who had slept in the real world felt refreshed. His mental and physical fatigue was gone. Soon, he was done with his opponent as well. With [Soundless Fear]¡¯s 60 second cooldown, there wasn¡¯t too much of a problem in dealing with his enemies. Only [Atlas] was struggling to keep its life. ¡°You really took care of those wolves easily.¡± Icicle praised Adian. This supposedly weak trainee was actually really strong! Icicle suspected that Adian wasn¡¯t any weaker than lvl 30¡­ ¡°Heh, I told you that little vicious wolf took me by surprise! Back then, there were hundreds of wolves that I had to fight! How can that situation compare to these few¡­¡± Adian was laughing loudly when [Atlas] suddenly let out a ferocious howl. ¡°Reinforcements?¡± Icicle hurriedly asked. ¡°Seems so. Distract [Atlas], I¡¯ll take care of it. Quickly!¡± Adian urged. It was high time he had dealt with the little critter. Icicle naturally lent a helping hand, using [Soundless Fear] to distract [Atlas]. From time to time, Icicle sneaked in some cheap blows. Soon, another group of at least 100 wolves started closing in. [Atlas] had only one AoE attack, it was a swipe of the claws. Its range wasn¡¯t huge, around 5m in radius, but judging by the way Adian prudently moved back every time, it dealt quite a lot of damage. Aside from that visible threat, it was hard to say. Icicle couldn¡¯t see the stats nor abilities of [Atlas]. If he knew how powerful the direwolf in front of him was, Icicle wouldn¡¯t even think of challenging it before getting a decent equipment and a skillful healer. ¡°You wanted the last hit then come on and deliver!¡± Adian shouted. ¡°After you¡¯re done we need to fight our way out!¡± Adian stood on the neck of Atlas with his arms crossed, appearing majestic and mighty. Icicle looked at Adian strangely. ¡°Overpowered¡± escaped his lips. He nonetheless quickly moved into position and stabbed [Atlas]¡¯s head. Its translucent blue eyes flashed with unwillingness. However, Adian was standing on its neck so it had no way to escape. -35! +2000 experience Ding!
As a first person to kill a boss above lvl 10, you¡¯re rewarded with a new title! [Pioneer] [Unique] ¨C You¡¯re the one who sets examples for others. Well done, keep up the good work. Stats: All statistics +3.
Icicle quickly picked up the loot. Equipping his title right away, he felt like this new title will aid him a lot in the early game! Before he could rejoice though, there was still a large pack of wolves to get rid of! Ding!
Your recent actions activated a hidden chain of events! You have 30 minutes left until the wolf tide attacks!
Wolf tide? What wolf tide? Wasn¡¯t there already so much trouble?! Icicle glared at Adian as if he was an eyesore. ¡°What kind of special NPC are you, goddamnit?!¡± he thought discontentedly. ¡­ Inside a quiet Albatros Company studio, two men were tapping their keyboards furiously, making melodious sounds ring out constantly. Twelve enormous screens before them flashed with streams of information, displaying windows, tables, charts and usernames. It was merely 10 hours since the game launched and this two man team was responsible for surveilling the players. They observed if there were any hacking attempts, reports of bugs and glitches and other game breaking issues. From time to time, they would zoom in on some pretty female players and wonder if these beautiful flowers have changed their appearance severely. Suddenly, a red light flashed across the main screen and new information popped up. ¡°What is it?¡± came a female voice from behind the two men. Lisa, their boss, calmly walked over. ¡°Boss, there seems to be a group who has defeated a boss above level 10!¡± Carl, one of the men clicking on the keyboard responded obediently. He and Jack were friends. They worked under the beautiful tyrant named Lisa. This curvy blond female with a cute mole under her left eye seemed harmless. But that¡¯s what was on the outside. Learning from their predecessors¡¯ example, both Jack and Carl didn¡¯t dare have any ideas about her. She may look like a doll but she¡¯s a fierce tiger! Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Defeating a boss monster over level 10 so quickly? Even if those people have been online since the game launch, it¡¯s merely been 20 hours. Isn¡¯t it a bit too fast?¡± Lisa grumbled. Carl and Jack immediately picked up the hint and looked for the video of the slain boss. ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? It¡¯s obvious it had to be one of the event bosses. How could those unequipped players with no mechanics to speak of and no prior experience in such a large world suddenly kill a proper one? Hurry up!¡± Lisa cursed her inept underlings. They really had no imagination! How could the new players possibly kill a normal boss so quickly? They had no equipment, so they couldn¡¯t take the brunt of the damage of the bosses. Albatros Company was aware of that, so they prepared a series of events with weaker bosses. It should allow the new players to get some [Basic] grade equipment. The company couldn¡¯t expect the players to suddenly turn into skillful swordsmen and mages after all. ¡°B-But boss, the event bosses are all fine¡­ this seems like it¡¯s a proper boss monster.¡± Jack drawled out weakly. Lisa tapped her chin. She seemed both angry and intrigued. ¡°Find whoever killed the boss! We need to investigate if those people are hacking! That¡¯s nearly impossible but¡­ I¡¯ve seen weirder things happening. At least get their nicknames for now!¡± Lisa commanded in authoritative voice. Jack and Carl jolted, their minds cleared and they began earnestly searching. While Lisa was waiting, the door to the little studio room opened and another female walked in, yawning. ¡°Lisa, what the hell are you screaming so loud for? Can¡¯t I even get a nice sleep?¡± Nix lamented. She has recently finished registering the players. New VR devices were constantly transported to the malls and computer stores due to shortages. That forced Nix to pull out an unexpected all-nighter. ¡°Getting up early for once won¡¯t kill you, you lazy girl. Besides, no one told you to sleep in the office. Go back home if you want to properly rest.¡± Lisa smirked. Nix rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. ¡°What were you so excited for?¡± she walked over and looked at the screens. She didn¡¯t put Lisa¡¯s teasing to mind. They knew each other for quite some time. ¡°There have been some people who have killed the boss above level 10. We¡¯re looking for the actual names at the moment.¡± Lisa curtly said. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve found the people who hold the record. Actually, it¡¯s only one person¡­¡± Carl muttered. He feared Lisa¡¯s reaction. She was known to have a short fuse. ¡°Who is it?¡± Lisa asked expectantly. ¡°Right, here¡¯s the video. Pulling it up on screen right now.¡± Carl and Jack almost smashed their keyboards. They didn¡¯t dare to tarry. If they made a blunder right after the game launch, the consequences would be too severe. The video played and there were only two men. One was Adian, who dealt with [Atlas] swiftly. The other, Icicle, jumped around distracting the direwolf and nimbly avoiding its attacks. ¡°Interesting, only one person, yet he managed to trick the NPC into getting the record.¡± Lisa laughed with amusement. On the other hand, Nix¡¯s pupils constricted ¡°It¡¯s that goddamn brat!¡± her hands balled as she stamped her feet. ¡°Oh? You know him?¡± Lisa looked at Nix with curiosity. ¡°Your boyfriend?¡± she teased. ¡°My boyfriend my ass! That brat dared to call me a retard! I sent him to the dangerous area so he had to remake his character! Hell, I even put the hardcore settings on for him! Didn¡¯t he realize he¡¯s fucked?¡± Nix lamented, aggrieved. Hardcore settings were made for developers who wanted to test the drop of the game. The experience required for leveling was much higher than normal. Coupled with the restrictions on classless characters to make the stat farming unprofitable, characters with hardcore settings on needed extremely high amounts of experience to level up. ¡°So that¡¯s the case.¡± Lisa looked at Nix and smiled thoughtfully. ¡°Don¡¯t change it. We¡¯ll see if that man¡¯s capable of playing with a handicap.¡± Jack and Carl could only smile wryly. They didn¡¯t know which one of the two women had a shorter fuse¡­ ¡­ Icicle shook his head. Adian really was a special case. Not only was he overpowered when it came to this newbie area, he even had enemies far stronger than [Atlas]! Just what the hell did he do! Icicle was conteplating torturing the guy to get the information out of him, but there was no time. Thirty miunutes were ticking down. Adian had a bad feeling. He turned his head around to see that Icicle¡¯s frowning. He knew there¡¯s another exploitation in tow. ¡°No way! We¡¯re going back to town!¡± he shouted. ¡°We have 30 minutes before an enormous group of wolves targets us. If I understand it correctly, [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] has some unsettled grievances with the wolves. We have to find what it is. I don¡¯t know what role you play in all of this, but if we go back to town, it will be sieged!¡± Icicle looked at Adian with a frown and shouted ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Where are we going to?¡± Adian asked as he slaughtered his way through more than a hundred wolves. He had an inkling of who might appear so he followed Icicle. ¡°Where would you hide something valuable? I don¡¯t think those wolves could bury it in the ground. I mean they could, but if they did, we¡¯re fucked. Let¡¯s pray there¡¯s something in their caves.¡± Icicle informed Adian hastily. ¡°You¡¯re betting our lives on luck?!¡± Adian screamed. Goddamn unfilial disciple! Icicle left him before the entrance and started searching in the stone cave. Inside, the cave was damp. Musty stench assaulted the nostrils. The cave was made from grey stone, but the floor seemed slightly red. Who knows how many creatures have spilled their blood here. Icicle moved in hastily. According to his gaming experience, whatever it was that wolves did to the squirrels had to be found here. It¡¯s either an object or a creature. Either way, he has to locate it. Locate it fast! One cave after the other, Adian and Icicle moved amidst the assaulting pack of wolves. To Adian, it seemed like vacation. He didn¡¯t even sweat much. Nonetheless, he complained incessantly to play his part. The fourth cave was empty as well. Icicle and Adian moved to the middle of the clearing. In an incospicuous small cave there, Icicle found a dug out hole at the end. It was covered with withered leaves and broken twigs. He removed the leaves and branches and looked inside the hole. There was a little squirrel munching on an acorn. She looked lovely. Aside from her stinking fur, that is. ¡°They have actually hidden their treasure in the middle of the camp. Sigh, I expected more.¡± Icicle shook his head. He picked the little red fur squirrel up. Ding!
You¡¯ve found the missing princess of the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]!
If you deliver her to the tribe, you¡¯ll receive a handsome reward. Beware! Any case of extorting or blackmailing the tribe will result in a lifelong hostility! ¡°I knew it! It really was a hidden quest!¡± Icicle looked at the squirrel and smiled brightly. This was his ¡°out of trouble¡± card! As soon as he smiled, the squirrel patted his cheek. Bang! -5 Icicle felt the brunt of the force. His teeth creaked, on the verge of cracking. ¡°What an overpowered creature. It¡¯s good I¡¯m not those squirrels¡¯ enemy.¡± he thought. Coming out of the cave, Adian shouted with grievance ¡°I swear to gods if you¡¯re tricking me with another scheme, I¡¯ll¡­¡± Adian saw the squirrel in Icicle¡¯s arms and his mouth gaped. ¡°We have only 15 minutes left. Make way!¡± Icicle said in authoritative tone. He didn¡¯t want to argue with Adian. Even more so he didn¡¯t want to be ¡°patted¡± by the little squirrel princess. ¡­ Humming Forest spanned over a huge area north-east of the Vilen Town. Players who received classes after pulling out an all-nighter started killing monsters nearby. Parties of four up to eight scurried along the dirt road in the forest, looking for more monsters to kill. Level 5 [Wild Boars] and [Grey Wolves] littered the area. Players had to be careful in aggroing the monsters. The ones who were higher level had a larger aggro range. If you weren¡¯t careful and the critter turned out to be a leader, it would form a horde of its kind and trample your party to death. As such, many people used Archers and Mages to lure the monsters in groups of two to three. They chose locations where monsters wouldn¡¯t spawn, luring them there, lest they would be susceptible to an ambush. Since it was 6am in real world, a lot of players started logging in. To their dismay, the areas where they were previously hunting at were now thronged with people. They had to look for other spots to get levels. As many people were looking for monsters to kill, a bare chested man ran along with the fully armored tall youth with brown hair. They were dashing at full speed, followed by a horde of over 200 wolves. The howls scared some of the players into making way. However, how could the players who incessantly looked for prey suddenly back down? They realized it¡¯s an opportunity for massive experience gain. Whatever event it was, this situation was a godsend for them! Parties of 8 quickly formed and assaulted the wolves at the back. Players who at first retreated to the treelines saw that their female companions were blushing while looking at the bare chest of the male. They immediately got the hint and wanted to tore their equipment to shreds, showing their masculinity. Unfortunately, the equipment cost wasn¡¯t low so they quickly reconsidered. Even if they took the equipmnent off and stored it away, the effect wouldn¡¯t be as powerful. Being second to show sucked. Since showing their muscles wasn¡¯t a thing, they chose to attack the wolves. They at the very least couldn¡¯t be worse than their competitors. Icicle was running with Adian in tow. Adian was made a rear guard, deflecting the wolves. Seeing that there was a large group of players, Icicle was surprised. How could they level up so quickly? Wasn¡¯t he the only one in luck by meeting Adian? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Nix really fiddled with something¡­?¡± he thought. At first Icicle felt lucky, now that other players caught up he was aggrieved. He somewhat regretted going back to sleep. Nonetheless, there was still a horde of wolves to deal with. Icicle used [Soundless Fear] and the low level wolves quickly dispersed, straying towards the groups of players nearby. When they saw it, those who were unprepared or already occupied with a group of wolves glared maliciously at Icicle. They didn¡¯t know why the wolves suddenly turned, but he was the one who brought this horde there! Icicle merely glanced back and saw that only around 50 wolves followed him back. The rest were engaged in combat with the players. Soon, dozens of white light pillars emerged from the south-west and west direction. ¡°I guess they can¡¯t handle those wolves over level 10. No wonder, if it wasn¡¯t for the potions I would just be another meal for them as well.¡± Icicle concluded. He took out some [Wild Boar Meat] and munched on it. ¡°You goddamn slacker! You¡¯re eating while I¡¯m struggling over here!¡± Adian lamented. ¡°What a bad disciple!¡± Icicle didn¡¯t mind him in the slightest. To him, Adian was an overpowered NPC. His level was at least in the 30s. Otherwise, how could he play with [Atlas] as if it was a kitten? Dealing with those wolves was a child¡¯s play to him. ¡­ Amongst the players there were always pioneers. Some managed to get a recognition due to rank, others due to luck, some because of their skill. Either way, they had the privilege to be in the front lines, not disturbed by other players. They could enjoy the empty leveling spots. Today was the day their privileged dreams came to an end. Some dark haired lunatic with a bare chest led a horde of miscellaneous wolves forward as if he was a shepherd. He would be long eaten if not for the armored youth who repelled the attacks constantly. Holding onto a squirrel, as if it was his pet, the dark-haired man ran madly. Those high rankers who saw it sniggered at his misfortune. Whatever event has the man triggered, he was most likely done for. However, their schadenfreude lasted for merely a moment. Icicle smiled maliciously at them and the wolves who chased him started running in different directions, whimpering in fear. When they came to, the first thing they saw were those pioneers, battling their friends in remote locations. The joy of the chase was surpassed by the massacre in front of them. Their brethren were picked on! Like a surging tide, the elites who were battling the higher level creatures were quickly embroiled in the sea of death and slaughter. Under a rising sun, shrill shrieks and desolate howls of many desperate souls echoed in the Humming Forest. Soon, there was nothing but bodies disintegrating into particles and white pillars of light flashing in the horizon. By lessening Adian¡¯s workload, Icicle picked up the speed and managed to get to the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]¡¯s territory in time. Ding! You¡¯ve triggered the hidden event [Ingrained Enmity]! You will be teleported to a special location within 10 seconds! ¡°Huh?¡± Icicle stammered. What now?! ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Adian asked as he stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth. This long run drained some of his stamina. ¡°Brace yourself, this isn¡¯t the end!¡± Icicle drawled out. Ten seconds passed, blinding light emerged from the heavens, enveloping Icicle and Adian, teleporting them to the unknown location. Chapter 9 Icicle and Adian were teleported to a primeval location. The trees all around were lush, their leaves dark green in color, as if their growth was unimpeded by the humankind. The wind flowing through the tree tops gave off a low reverberating hum. Its soothing sound create a serene atmosphere. Icicle finally understood why this place was called the ¡°Humming Forest¡±. The squirrel princess climbed onto Icicle¡¯s palm and jumped through his legs, disappearing behind him. Turning around, Icicle found her sitting on a tall stump, bizarrely fenced in by large vertical black posts embedded into the ground. Seeing that the little princess looked like she was there to stay, Icicle quickly brought up some acorns he gathered on his way here. He had to make sure that the little princess wasn¡¯t in any mood for ¡°patting¡± him approvingly. Although to the adorable creature in front of him its ¡®nice pat on the head¡¯ may seem like a loving way to show Icicle her care, for Icicle it was as though he was on the losing end of a bare knuckle brawl with a giant! As soon as Icicle placed his offerings near the princess, he looked over the area. This place looked awfully similar to the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]¡¯s area. However, Icicle and Adian were clearly teleported to a secret location within it. The color of the leaves was much darker and the squirrels perched on top of the trees were several meters high. Their fur was either black or reddish in color, not to mention that compared to the squirrels Icicle had already seen they appeared far more powerful. ¡°Where are we?¡± Adian blurted out anxiously. It was the first time he has experienced something like this. No one in the Vilen Town ever spoke of such otherworldly magic. ¡°It appears to be the Humming Forest. My guess is that we were teleported to a secret location within it.¡± Icicle calmly answered. Based on his gaming experience, this should be a low level raid. However, they only have two people. Icicle has no good gear and their resources are limited. This situation is one hell of a mess! Ding!
You have been recognized as one of the participants in the [Ingrained Enmity] event! [Red Devil] and [Primeval Direwolf] were at loggerheads ever since their birth. Due to their areas being heavily contested,there was not a single day that went by without a battle. The two rivals never having reached a satisfying outcome, they secluded themselves from the world. And after many peaceful years, the two ancestors of the tribes supposedly retired. However, [Primeval Direwolf]¡¯s direct descendant, [Atlas], brought his wolf pack and decided to kidnap [Red Devil]¡¯s granddaughter, the princess of the [Red Devil Tribe]. Although this has earned him some recognition from the pack, this heinous action did not go unnoticed. Red Devil flew into rage and the flames of war were rekindled. It is now, that those two contending tribes stand before each other in preparation for their final battle. Time before the event starts: 15 minutes. Please familiarize yourself with the area.
Icicle sternly looked at Adian ¡°It¡¯s worse than I thought. I don¡¯t know what fellow that [Primeval Direwolf] is, but it sure as hell sounds scary. Any thoughts?¡± Adian shuddered. ¡°That guy is here?¡± Suddenly his eyes seemed a lot sharper. There was no more ¡°innocent youth¡± kind of feel to him. All that was left was excitement and desire to kill! ¡°I¡¯m glad they¡¯re your acquaintances, but please do not disturb the fight of the [Primeval Direwolf] and the [Red Devil] unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. In 15 minutes everything will start. The pack that chased us probably won¡¯t even compare to the one we¡¯ll about to meet.¡± Icicle scowled. ¡°Do you have anything that will aid me in battle?¡± he asked. ¡°Listen, my dear disciple, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have anything, bu- ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t be so blackhearted. This entire situation is made for hundreds if not thousands of adventurers like me. Be so kind and help this poor brother out. It is wicked not to share with your fellow companions.¡± Icicle gave a lofty speech. ¡°Damn you, you¡¯re such a bother! Here, these elixirs should help you somewhat!¡± Adian threw a bundle covered with cloth. His expression was livid. his eyes saying ¡°Damn disciple, always extorting me! Icicle caught the bundle, making sure that nothing slipped out. Ding!
You received: [Beginner Warrior¡¯s Alchemist Pack]! [Small Strength Potion] [Rare] x5 Increases your Strength by 5 points for 30 minutes! [Small Dexterity Potion] [Rare] x5 Increases your Dexterity by 5 points for 30 minutes! [Small Vitality Potion] [Rare] x5 Increases your Vitality by 5 points for 30 minutes! [Small Intelligence Potion] [Rare] x5 Increases your Intelligence by 5 points for 30 minutes! [Small Wisdom Potion] [Rare] x5 Increases your Wisdom by 5 points for 30 minutes!
Knowing the items should be valuable, Icicle¡¯s eyes glimmered with greed. He looked at Adian with ¡°give me more¡± expression. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about anything else. Those cost me a fortune!¡± Adian grumbled. Those elixirs weren¡¯t of any use to him, but he could see the greed in Icicle¡¯s eyes rising to an unfathomable height. He had to stop him! ¡°Spill it out, you money bag!¡± Icicle rebuked. ¡°I swear to God I¡¯ll make it worthwhile for you. When we get back to town we¡¯ll both be rich! If you think I¡¯m lying then you can kill me all over when we get back to Vilen Town!¡± fiercely declaring that, Icicle imitated Adian and patted his bare chest. ¡°Oh really? And how do we get rich?¡± Adian asked suspiciously. There is no way he will give out more without assurance! ¡°We¡¯ll profit from the furs! I¡¯ll first sell some rare ones, then I¡¯ll buy out the whole stock from Hunters and the Tailor so the prices of all the furs increase! When that happens, we¡¯ll sell all of our stock and profit immensely!¡± there was no need to hide his plan, Icicle was going to share with Adian anyways. That guy had many traits, one of which was free [Identifying]! Who knows how much will the players charge for this. Keeping this guy as an ally was a wise thing to do. ¡°Assuming your plan works, what¡¯s the split?¡± Adian didn¡¯t let go. If he were to profit, he first needed to calculate the amount. ¡°50-50 of course!¡± Icicle replied righteously. ¡°40-60. I invested a lot in you, meaning that I need a larger share to cover my expenses.¡± Of course Adian wanted more! He was in a position of power! Icicle glared at him fiercely ¡°Oh really? You want to scam this fellow brother that is so kind-hearted towards you? How about this. I¡¯ll leave this space and you¡¯ll be stuck here forever. What do you think?¡± ¡°Come on, you wouldn¡¯t do that. Not to me¡­ right?¡± Adian saw that Icicle¡¯s eyes were resolute and ruthless. ¡°Want to try me?¡± the smile Icicle gave was bone chilling. ¡°Unfilial disciple! Scoundrel! Bastard!¡± Adian cursed as he backed off slowly. He got rid of all the appearances and wore the battle armor. Two large one-handed axes filled his hands. His disposition gave off an intimidating feeling of power. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s indeed me, your precious disciple. Now fork out the items.¡± Icicle reached out with his open palm. He wasn¡¯t scared at all! Adian looked at him lifelessly. Can¡¯t he get the hint?! How greedy can this guy get?! ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Adian tried to avoid the inevitable. ¡°Oh come on, you dressed so nicely and you don¡¯t have anything for this poor disciple? The more wolves this impoverished disciple gets rid of, the more furs he has to sell.¡± Icicle strolled forward and said. Seeing Icicle¡¯s left palm opened like a beggar waiting for handouts, Adian¡¯s grip on the axes tightened. He envisioned chopping Icicle to pieces, just like he chopped wood! ¡°Come on, strike. Me leaving or dying is the same thing. You¡¯ll only stay here for your whole life. But who cares, right? At least the scenery is nice. Refreshing gale, humming of trees, serene forest. Who wouldn¡¯t want to stay here? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll fare well as a hermit.¡± Icicle smiled nonchalantly as he walked even closer. Adian finally realized what kind of person he has taken in as disciple. It wasn¡¯t human, it was a devil hiding in a human¡¯s skin! At this point, Adian no longer thought of killing Icicle. He thought of killing himself! When he was young, he often tried to extort some items and food out of the merchants. He appeared shy, innocent, poor. Every single appearance he donned looked convincing. However, what he gained were scraps! And his disciple? He doesn¡¯t even pretend to be good! He clearly as day extorts him and doesn¡¯t have any qualms about it! Overwhelmed with grief and powerlessness against such insatiable greed, Adian attempted another tactic ¨C feigning weakness! ¡°Fine, you win. Here¡¯s all of the novice equipment I have. But I¡¯m not giving it to you. I¡¯m lending it for the duration of the battle. Do we understand each other?¡± this was his last chance to avoid the losses! The repair cost was much lower than buying a whole new practice set¡­ If this doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯s in big trouble! ¡°Really? Thank you master, you¡¯re such a benevolent person. This disciple will remember your great gift. Such a shame it¡¯s only temporarily though¡­¡± Icicle looked like a beaten up puppy. Adian heaved a long sigh. The relief he felt couldn¡¯t be put into words. It was like a whole mountain that dropped heavily on his shoulders has suddenly been lifted. As he looked at the joy and greed that intermittently flashed in Icicle¡¯s eyes, Adian couldn¡¯t help but ask ¡°Are you the same shameless bastard in your world?¡± ¡°Not at all. In my world, I can afford anything I want. There¡¯s no need for shamelessness.¡± Icicle replied absentmindedly. ¡°Then how come a spoiled brat like you dares to be so despicable in here?¡± Adian couldn¡¯t understand. If he¡¯s rich, can¡¯t he just buy the items from the adventurers? ¡°I earned it all myself.¡± Just one sentence. There was nothing else to say. Adian immediately understood why he lost the argument. He had faced an expert! Someone who amassed a boundless wealth by playing dirty! How could his lousy tricks and measle schemes compare to a real swindler? ¡°There¡¯s this saying in my world. ¡°The first million you have to steal.¡± Do you understand what it means?¡± Icicle looked at Adian equivocally. Adian nodded affirmatively. He felt enlightened. Right now he was hundred percent sure he wasn¡¯t dealing with a youth but with a grand extortionist. ¡­ While Icicle was profiting handsomely from Adian¡¯s misery, the crowd of players approached the Red Devil¡¯s Tribe boundary. To their surprise, there were only a few wolves on the way. Most of them were high leveled, but under a massive wave of players they were quickly disposed of. All the people gathered have come to reclaim their losses! Fortunately, not all of them had their respawn points set at Vilen Town. Many players found a little shrine inside the Humming Forest. You could set your respawn point there. The only drawback was that it cost you money for every revive. Arriving at the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]¡¯s territory, the throng of players was pulled into the ongoing event. Enna and her party arrived there as well. They didn¡¯t suffer any damage from the wolves¡¯ attack, because they logged in late. Even though they have gained classes, they logged off in the middle of the night to get some sleep. Although they had slept only for a few hours, the party was woken up with desire to play. The rumors of a player named Icicle quickly spread. Some people said he indirectly caused their deaths! However, what they also mentioned was that he triggered some kind of event. Enna appeared in Nix¡¯s booth right after Icicle. She heard the female developer curse his name as she fumed. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t have an effect on her starting point. ¡°You told us this Icicle was cursed by the developer, eh? I wonder what he did.¡± Faura, the leader of the party mused. To the group she was like a big sister. ¡°Who cares what he did, right now we have this opportunity thanks to him. We should use it thoroughly.¡± the Archer, Headshot, commented. The possibility of a low level event in the beginner village appealed to him. He could imagine how high will his level rise. ¡°Do you think that there will be any Fire magic spellbooks? The base spells are alright, but against tougher enemies¡­¡± Inferno asked. His spells drained his mana quickly, but if they were to be stronger, he wouldn¡¯t have to cast them often. Mana potions won¡¯t be that costly by then, will they? ¡°That depends what enemies we face. Remember we have barely managed to get 2 sets of [Basic] grade equipment. FieryRed has one, with the other on SilentStep. The rest of us wear scraps from monsters and tutorial rewards. Don¡¯t act too cocky.¡± Faura reminded. It was good to be brave, but bravery shouldn¡¯t equal stupidity. ¡°So what do we do now?¡± FieryRed who played Paladin asked impatiently. She was rearing to go against the monsters. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.¡°Let¡¯s look around. The notice said we should familiarize ourselves with the area.¡± SilentStep, the Rogue, replied indifferently. Icicle grinned mischievously as he looked through the list of gear that Adian had ¡®graciously loaned¡¯ him.
[Novice Leather Cuirass] [Basic] Sturdy leather armor, suitable for light armor classes. Defense +4 Vitality +2 Requirements: Level 5 [Novice Leather Boots] [Basic] Sturdy leather boots. Defense +1 Movement speed +10 Requirements: Level 5 [Novice Leather Pauldrons] [Basic] Sturdy shoulder protectors. Defense +2 Strength +1 Requirements: Level 5 [Novice Leather Gauntlets] [Basic] Sturdy leather gloves. Defense +1 Dexterity +1 Requirements: Level 5 [Novice Leather Greaves] [Basic] Sturdy shin protectors. Defense +2 Vitality +1 Requirements: Level 5
¡°Mm, these are quite good. Thanks brother. This little disciple will forever remember your kindness.¡± Icicle made a curtsy like a noble. Adian stared at him bewildered. He really has encountered a better con man than himself! There was no helmet, but Icicle knew the reason. It would hinder his vision. Adian liked to move around, of course he wouldn¡¯t take it. The second point was far less sophisticated. Adian liked to show off! He thought of himself as handsome, why would he cover his face?! Grinning evilly, Icicle glanced at his new weapon.
[Warrior¡¯s Bastard Sword] [Basic] Sharpened blade from a fine steel. Weapon type: One-handed sword. Damage: 7-10 Strength +3 Requirements: Level 6
¡°You¡¯re not going to use two swords?¡± Adian asked impatiently. He has forked out his novice equipment that he didn¡¯t need, but he had to appear stalwart. He could get a couple gold coins for it back in town. ¡°Those wolves we met had dealt far more damage than me. I can¡¯t suppress them with strength alone, so what¡¯s the point? Using this [Warrior¡¯s Bastard Sword] as a two-handed weapon allows me to at least stay my ground! If I¡¯m not mistaken, even stronger creatures will appear this time.¡± Icicle looked around and noticed several dozens of players. ¡°There are more people. Good. We can use them as reinforcements or bait.¡± Icicle commented. Adian looked at him helplessly. This disciple of his was far too devious. ¡°Do you remember the plan?¡± Icicle asked. Adian nodded. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re staying here and protecting the little squirrel princess behind us. That way we can gather the most furs. If the need arises, we¡¯ll just take her with us and charge at the [Primeval Direwolf].¡± Adian recited. This plan was something he wouldn¡¯t think of. Not because he was stupid, but because he liked direct way of fighting. Sneaking around the corners and defending some areas simply didn¡¯t appeal to him. ¡°Look, there he is!¡± Faura pointed with her slender hand. The group of six quickly approached Icicle. Icicle gave the newcomers a once over with interest. Most of the people who arrived in this space stayed in groups on the sides and didn¡¯t approach him. They were pissed off, but taking into account he¡¯s the one who started the event, they worried his death might cancel it. That didn¡¯t prevent them from killing him after the event¡¯s done though. ¡°Hello.¡± Faura opened with a bright smile. Icicle looked at her and asked ¡°Do we know each other?¡± Faura laughed out loudly ¡°Yes and no.¡± she shook her head slightly. ¡°Oh?¡± Icicle was intrigued. He craned his neck to the right where a girl in short brown hair stood. Her black eyes seemed to be twinkling. Icicle was about to ask if she has taken fancy to him when Enna erupted first ¡°So you¡¯re the one, huh? That female developer was really mad. I thought she¡¯s going to roast me!¡± she made a pouting expression. Her face was so close it was almost touching Icicle¡¯s. ¡°Being this close to a boy, girls these days are really bold.¡± Icicle laughed as he scratched his chin. Enna instantly backed away, as red as a strawberry. Icicle turned to Faura ¡°I guess we¡¯re somewhat acquainted then.¡± ¡°Haha, Enna was so scared when she told us what happened. Anyways, we won¡¯t meddle in your business with Nix, but we wouldn¡¯t mind getting some information on what¡¯s going on here.¡± Faura flashed a beautiful smile. The group didn¡¯t hide their real purpose and played open cards. Icicle felt he somewhat owed Enna for facing Nix¡¯s fiery temper because of him. ¡°This is obviously a low level raid. I would suggest you to form 8 man parties as soon as possible.¡± Icicle said in a loud voice, alarming quite a few of the players. Icicle reciprocated Faura¡¯s smile and stood there thoughtfully. The players who gathered on the clearing clearly heard his words. They immediately started discussing the news. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s lying?¡± one man asked suspiciously. ¡°What for? The system gave us the notification. How could he forge that?¡± the other commented. Those two quickly reached an understanding. Many others concluded just as much. Their previous unfortunate encounter turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity! If they profited here, they will be set for early game! Meanwhile, Faura gently approached Icicle. ¡°Would you and your companion care to join us?¡± she emanated friendliness and honesty. However, Icicle didn¡¯t even seem to hear the question. He quickly replied with ¡°Show me your status.¡± Faura furrowed her brows. She was about to ask if Icicle thinks of her party as not worthy when Icicle added ¡°I¡¯m not checking your stats, hurry up.¡± Faura was still confused, but seeing the great urgency on the man¡¯s face she reluctantly opened up her status window and shared it.
Name: Faura Race: Human Level: 7 Experience: 2100/2500 Class: Lightning Mage Apprentice Subclass: None Titles: None Points left to distribute: 0 Statistics: HP: 160 Mana: 200 Strength: 5 Dexterity: 6 Vitality: 10 Intelligence: 20 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 0 Luck: 0 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Mana manipulation] (passive) lvl 1 ¨C allows you to use your mana more efficiently. Increases the damage and decreases the cost of spells depending on the level of the skill.
Just like he thought, Nix did something to his character. The amount of experience he needed in comparison to Faura was terrifying.
Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 6 Experience: 1326/20000 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 0 Statistics: HP: 210 Mana: 150 Strength: 16 Dexterity: 27 Vitality: 16 Intelligence: 9 Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 5 Luck: 9 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the non-concealed targets in a 3m radius.
Faura wasn¡¯t wearing a [Basic] grade set, only some beginner equipment and other scraps found from the monsters, so of course her statistics weren¡¯t as impressive as Icicle¡¯s. Icicle made a mental note to deal with whatever Nix did to him later. Filing a complaint was not his style, but sending a ticket to revoke the ¡°bug¡± didn¡¯t sound so bad. For now he¡¯ll roll with it and see if this setting has any unforeseen advantages. ¡°I see, thanks.¡± Icicle nodded his head. He turned to Adian and talked in a low voice for a while. Adian¡¯s face was distorting with rage but it swiftly calmed. What replaced it was approval and agreement. When Icicle finished talking to the NPC, he addressed the rearing to go throng of people ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb all of you, but there¡¯s something you should know.¡± Slowly gaining the attention of the nearby players, Icicle continued. Meanwhile Faura and her friends stood on the side, feeling completely disregarded. ¡°This man behind me, Adian, is a Merchant who lost his fortune to the wolves. The reason this location appeared is because of him. He needs to collect 2000 wolf furs, 1000 wolf claws and 500 pieces of wolf meat. Anyone who helps him succeed in his quest will receive 5 free of charge identifications and discount for his items and potions. Those that contribute immensely will be able to exchange their contribution for items. That¡¯s all, have a nice day.¡± Icicle finished speaking and turned back to the small wooden fence. Ding!
Faura wants to add you as a friend. Do you accept? [Yes]/[No]
Icicle accepted the invite. Faura tried her best not to feel offended and said ¡°We¡¯re willing to accept the quest.¡± she even smiled amiably. Icicle apologized for his distraction and asked Adian to hand them the task.
[Help Merchant Adian restock his supplies!] [Special] Merchant Adian has fallen into deep distress. Ferocious wolves destroyed his cart and he needs adventurers¡¯ help! Adian needs to collect 2000 wolf furs, 1000 wolf claws and 500 pieces of wolf meat to stay afloat. Help him collect those items and you shall be handsomely rewarded. Rewards: Free [Identify] for 5 items, rest half of the price. Major discount for potions and items Adian sells. Improved relationship with Adian. In case of failure, the relationship with Adian worsens.
Only a few people came forward. The rest of players didn¡¯t want to help out some Merchant. The loot was worth much more than the temporary gains. They would soon leave the beginning area after all. Adian immediately frowned and grumbled ¡°You said there will be many people coming. Unless I have gone blind I can¡¯t see it happening.¡± Adian decided to execute Icicle¡¯s plan on a whim. He had to use some of his resources to spread his fame. Only this way will he gain any customers once he becomes a proper Alchemist. However, Icicle¡¯s plan assumed that at the very least a few hundreds of players will come to assist him. That didn¡¯t happen. ¡°What are you grumbling about? Of course they won¡¯t come now. Only when the adventurers realize their inventories are full, will they come to drop these items for you. Wait until the battle starts.¡± Icicle reassured him. Icicle walked back to the squirrel princess with Faura¡¯s party in tow. As they chatted, Icicle learned that Faura¡¯s party consists of Rogue, Archer, Paladin, Lighting Mage, Fire Mage and Priest. Faura and her party members were friends in real life. They appeared at the same area because they lived together in a dormitory. Since they logged in almost at the same time, they were shoved into the same local area. This was quite fortunate for them. ¡°Would you and your companion care to join us?¡± Faura tried again. Her voice was brisk. The [Ingrained Enmity] event was about to start. Many other parties formed nearby, but Faura wanted to establish relationship with someone who actually started the event. Who knows what Icicle might be hiding. ¡°How about you join my party instead?¡± Icicle said with confidence. Thinking about it, Faura consulted with her members in the group chat and nodded. FieryRed made a unwilling expression but she agreed at the end.¡±That¡¯s okay too.¡± Faura accepted. Icicle sent the invitations and his party became a full 8 man party. Faura frowned and asked ¡°You¡¯re classless?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been to town yet.¡± Icicle concisely replied. ¡°Huh?¡± Enna looked at Icicle with interest ¡°Did Nix send you here?¡± ¡°Haha, yeah, I was supposed to delete this character and repent I guess.¡± Icicle nodded. Enna appeared rather quick-witted. ¡°What were you doing all this time?¡± Inferno followed up. ¡°I was helping Adian deal with some obstacles- HOOOOOWL! Icicle¡¯s answer was cut off by a wild, ferocious howl from the north. All the players which counted at least 2000 by now quickly focused their attention there. Their weapons were quickly raised as the say the horde of wolves approaching. SQUEEEEAK! [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] didn¡¯t slack either. Their orange and grey fur members emerged in thousands from the other side of the forest! Chapter 10 Author¡¯s note: I wrote this almost 5k words chapter and felt quite spent, and since my schedule keeps getting delayed, I¡¯ll just take this week off and prepare some chapters beforehand (and read¡­ a lot.). The second (delayed) chapter should come out on Wednesday though. Ding!
The [Ingrained Enmity] event has started. Final number of player participants: 3283. Notice: If you die during the event, you won¡¯t be able to rejoin. Have fun and good luck.
¡°So there are other players hidden nearby?¡± Icicle pondered. He looked around the huge clearing only to see a few silhouettes of some pretty well hidden players in the surrounding forest. ¡°So many players!¡± Seeing the message, Enna exclaimed. ¡°Any advice?¡± Faura was quick to calm down. She saw how anxious FieryRed was. That redhead was rearing to go since the start. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t attack the squirrels.¡± Icicle smiled faintly. Thousands of rodents made their way into the clearing from the south. Rumbling sounds of the quaking earth made many players shudder in awe. As the squirrel army closed in, five meter tall creature stood on its hind paws behind them, emitting a majestic aura. Its fur was entirely red, its eyes radiated ice cold killing intent. [Red Devil] let out a shrill squeak and the army of over 3000 squirrels moved forward in unison. The rest stayed back, waiting for orders. On the other side of the clearing appeared another 5m tall creature. However, it didn¡¯t have to stand on its hindpaws. [Primeval Direwolf] emanated ancientness and formidable, sharp aura. As it roared, the shockwave it emitted caused the ground to quake. The stones and broken twigs on the ground were sent airborne, incapable of withstanding the violent force. Tens of thousands of wolves bared their razor sharp teeth and howled fiercely! As they did, they split into three groups. Two went for the left and right flank, engaging in combat with the veteran squirrels perched on top of the trees. The middle horde went straight ahead for the little squirrel settled on top of the fenced stump. Icicle¡¯s pupils constricted as estimately 500 squirrels appeared next to him, all entering defensive stances. They were clearly trying to protect their princess from harm. Faura and her party members stared, they didn¡¯t know why Icicle stayed behind. Was he tasked to protect that little squirrel as well? They saw Icicle bowing to the squirrels. The leader of the 500 or so squad was a reddish squirrel at least 2.5m tall, with a diagonal scar on its right cheek. It looked at Icicle coldly and as if snorting, it turned away, not even putting him in his eyes. SQUEEEAK! Enna blinked twice seeing the little squirrel, Leila, thrashing about. ¡°What is that little thing doing?¡± she asked absentmindedly. ¡°Can¡¯t we just go?!¡± FieryRed interrupted in an anxious tone. So many players were already engaged in fighting yet her group stayed behind like sore losers. ¡°Look how many players died already. Staying behind to reap the benefits isn¡¯t wrong. It¡¯s smart.¡± Inferno corrected his friend. ¡°You¡¯re too impulsive.¡± ¡°There seems to be a change.¡± Headshot watched with interest as the little squirrel squeaked constantly, arguing with the leader of the group. Ding!
Your party was added to the ¡°Protectors¡± raid group.
Faura and her friends stared at the pop up. They looked at the party window and saw themselves among the five hundred squirrels. ¡°This¡­¡± Enna couldn¡¯t comprehend what has just transpired. ¡°Our new friend seems quite influential.¡± SilentStep smirked. He wanted to prepare a battle plan when a message appeared in the party chat. Stay around the perimeter and killsteal whatever you can! For these rodents it¡¯s war, but it doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t profit! We¡¯ll share the spoils after it all ends! Remember, don¡¯t go on the front lines! Especially you, redhead. All of the members smirked, leaving FieryRed embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him!¡± she stamped her feet. ¡°Now, now. Icicle earned us something huge. Let¡¯s not disappoint his trust.¡± Faura smiled and led her party to mingle with the squirrel troops. Icicle looked at the status windows in front of him.
Your relationship with [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] changed from Neutral to Good.
He went to Leila to thank her. As he patted her head three times, there came a series of blows! Bang! Bang! Bang! Icicle¡¯s face flew from the left to the right, distorting heavily in the process. He squeezed the squirrel¡¯s cheeks in return. Patting her a few more times to show his gratitude, Icicle left some more acorns for Leila and scurried to join the war. ¡°To think I¡¯ve lost over 20 HP just from her patting. What kind of overpowered boss level creature is she?¡± Icicle shook his head. He made sure that Adian stayed around as well. He was his hidden trump card if any trouble arose. Confirming that Adian was positioned well, Icicle joined the fray. Crowds of players were hidden in the forests, overwhelmed by the sheer wolf numbers. The squirrels perched on the trees had an easy time with the wolf force, employing their ranged attacks, but for the players it was a one-sided slaughter. Some of them tried to attack the wounded squirrels to gain something. What came afterwards left piles of blood and bones on the ground¡­ Icicle and his group proceeded with the plan. They were circling around the squirrel troops, finishing off the wounded wolves. Adventurers nearby realized that it¡¯s the way to go if they want to profit big time and tried to mimic the tactic. Icicle killed yet another wolf and some blue equipment dropped. He immediately picked it up. ¡°What right do you have to steal that?¡± came a distrungtled voice beside him. Icicle craned his head to the right and noticed a party of 8 people staring at him. He completely disregarded them and entered the fray again. ¡°You think you can ignore me?¡± Barduk howled as he charged at Icicle, swinging his two-handed heavy sword. Thud! -25 Icicle felt the brunt of the blow, his shoulderblade shuddered, pain quickly spreading through his body. ¡°He must have added quite a lot of strength.¡± Icicle frowned. He had 10 Defense, yet the blow did so much damage. Ding!
[System message] It¡¯s the first time you were attacked by another player! If you¡¯re attacked, you have every right to defend yourself and kill the attacker with no penalties given. The allocated time to do so is 3 minutes. This rule applies to the assailant¡¯s party as well. If you have any further doubts or questions regarding this matter, feel free to use the support ticket on the forums.
Icicle glanced at the blade stuck on his leather armor and focused on the attacker. The baldy in front of him sneered and pulled the sword back. ¡°Are you in the mood to talk now? Give us back the item or you¡¯re dead!¡± he screamed. ¡°Trying to extort me, eh?¡± Icicle hated those kind of people the most. They¡¯re trying to play the good guys and fail even at that. ¡°If you¡¯re scamming at least do it right!¡± he yelled. Bang! Icicle backhanded Barduk with his left hand, sending him flying. Barduk was unprepared, so he staggered and fell on his butt. He bit his tongue in the process. His party members quickly gathered around him. ¡°H-Hahahaha!¡± Barduk laughed wildly, blood splurting from his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re bold! Let¡¯s see how long can you keep it up! Kill him!¡± he howled. Icicle was watching the whole situation unfurl. He pitied those fools. Bunch of inexperienced players trying to make it big in the Virtual Reality. ¡°Tsk, tsk, this isn¡¯t a 4 man LAN game.¡± he thought. Noticing that the mage in Barduk¡¯s party was about to cast the spell, Icicle made his move. The squirrel veteran in front of Icicle was engaged in combat with three high level wolves. It was currently struggling to keep its position. Due to its negligence, one of the wolf claws was about to land on its chest when something pulled it back. The creature looked at his savior and saw Icicle smiling gently. It felt thankful. Boom! Boom! Fireball followed by a lightning bolt landed on the squirrel¡¯s body, making it stare wide eyed. As it turned back, another projectile came flying. The wooden shaft of an arrow dangled from its fur, incapable of piercing the skin. The squirrel veteran saw a couple of humans pointing their weapons at it and became enraged! Icicle quickly took its spot and engaged the wolves to fill in the blanks. He didn¡¯t have the leeway to look at the massacre, but he focused his hearing on that area. Whoosh! Orange blur moved at astounding speed, appearing next to the 8 man party. It swung its claws, using a hidden skill of the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]! Swooosh! Red lights in a form of a claw emerged from the squirrel¡¯s paw, making five, razor sharp sanguine streaks flash diagonally. As the streaks approached the players, another set of red lights materialized from the opposite direction making a large ¡°X¡± mark. ¡°ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± six players immediately died, looking at the terrifying -200 and above on their screens. Barduk and his Paladin friend barely clinged to their lives. They looked in astonishment at Icicle, who appeared to them as a devil. He used the squirrel as a meatshield and made it kill them! They saw that the squirrel was panting, looking extremely tired. They wanted to retreat and recover their health bars. The Paladin cast some minor healing. He was about to turn around and run when a red figure appeared behind them. Thunk! Thunk! Thud! Thunk! Two slices of the sword followed by a shield bash and another slash! Two pillars of light appeared in the distance. FieryRed who just now quickly disposed of the two players smiled brightly as she picked up the loot. The Paladin that died dropped a shield that was better than hers, so she quickly equipped it. As soon as she was done, she skipped to killsteal yet another wolf. Meanwhile Faura who reluctantly allowed FieryRed to run around the area focused on the teamwork of her group. Enna was about to heal injured Headshot when he smilingly said ¡°No need, my experience bar is almost full. Don¡¯t waste your mana, I¡¯ll level up!¡± SilentStep entered stealth and roamed around the wolves, sneaking in cheap blows from behind. He specifically targeted wounded leaders which dropped [Rare] equipment. [Elite] grade creatures often had powerful skills to retaliate with, so it was best to avoid the danger. SilentStep left the weak wolves to the squirrels. They disposed of them quickly due to their low health bars. As soon as SilentStep assassinated one of the wounded wolf leaders, he picked up the loot and entered the shadows. Faura, Inferno, Enna and Headshot saw how Icicle dealt with the other party. It was Faura¡¯s idea to send FieryRed to help him out. As it turned out, Icicle didn¡¯t need the help at all¡­ What they learned from the situation is that they can deter the players from stealing their loot with the assistance of their raid group. Whenever SilentStep or FieryRed were about to grab the items, the rest used fireballs, thunderbolts and arrows to make other players stay at bay. Of course when it came to loot there were always some brave souls who didn¡¯t fear danger. Faura¡¯s party was thus often marked as ¡°Temporary Player Killers¡±. Most gamers would feel anxious about it, but would they, who saw how Icicle used the squirrel as a meatshield, feel troubled? Of course not! After two or three episodes where nearby ¡°vultures¡± tried to steal their loots, Faura made sure that the projectiles landed on the squirrels. All the blood and gore around made everyone else anxious about messing with them. Those squirrels weren¡¯t slightly bit hostile towards Faura and her party, but when it came to others, those rodents didn¡¯t hesitate to kill! ¡­ As players were wondering how to earn more loot, experience and levels, the ones outside who were late for the event and those who died within its borders could only shake their heads helplessly. ¡°Damn it, we were late!¡± some of them screamed. Since the player placement was regional, many people knew each other. Thus, the news in that specific starting area spreaded fast. Lots of people felt unlucky. They banged on the invisible barrier that covered [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] to release their anger. Every time they did, a window would pop up, informing them that this area was off limits during the duration of the event. This especially tempting piece of news quickly reached the forums, where players started clamoring about how the event came to be, if it¡¯s replayable and most importantly the possiblity of many high level people emerging. ¡­ Meanwhile in Albatros Company, Lisa and her two coworkers, Jack and Carl, watched the screens filled with information with interest. There were many events going on across the globe, but the high scale raid was absolutely the first. No one had the power to barge into the wolves¡¯ lair and bring out the princess yet. Not only that, players weren¡¯t even aware of her existence, it was a hidden quest after all! ¡°Surprisingly, there were a lot of early risers.¡± Lisa commented as she drank her morning tea. She was quite amused. To think that so many players joined an event that wasn¡¯t even planned! The news about it wasn¡¯t spread either! What¡¯s more shocking is that it happened only 11 hours after the game launched, equaling 22 hours in Loiterous. ¡°How are they doing?¡± Lisa asked, reclining on the office chair. Jack and Carl immediately looked at the data on the screen and answered ¡°Not too shabby.¡± ¡°Hmm, this is really interesting. We made sure that [Ingrained Enmity] event didn¡¯t have a predetermined ending, so it all depends on the efforts of the players. It was meant for level 15s though¡­¡± Lisa looked at the empty chair beside her, where Nix previously sat. ¡°That lazy girl left early and didn¡¯t see what happened. She will be in for quite a shock when she wakes up.¡± her tiny mouth held a teasing smile. ¡­ Icicle retreated back and ate some wild boar¡¯s meat. He had to admit that Adian¡¯s cooking was quite good. As soon as his stamina recovered a little, he went back into the fight. Faura glanced in Icicle¡¯s direction from time to time. She was curious. How can it be that most of Enna¡¯s healing is focused on Icicle? What¡¯s more, her party gained four to five levels, yet Icicle was only level 7! As time passed, she grew more and more anxious. Finally, she sent a message.
From: Faura Your leveling speed is slow. Is something the matter? Are we standing too far away?
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The reply came soon after.
From: Icicle Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 7 Experience: 5240/35000
Faura gaped at the message. Enna who stood beside her shook her head and muttered ¡°Nix is scary.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on his health bar.¡± Faura sighed and started surveilling the battlefield again. Both sides were at a deadlock. No one could gain any advantage yet the blood kept on flowing, forming puddles. Judging by the number of players that were left, only around 2000 survived the initial onslaught. Most of the survivors utilized the same hit and run tactic Icicle and his group did. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK! The situation didn¡¯t look as good as it should for the wolves, so their leader ¨C [Primeval Direwolf], entered the fray. [Red Devil] who up till now stood on the side rushed after him! Whoosh! Whoosh! Two figures moved quickly through the air, arriving in the middle of the clearing in a flash. BOOM! Squirrels and wolves flew away from the impact, lightly or heavily injured. Just their leaders¡¯ landing shook the soil, sending dirt and stones flying around aimlessly, forming a 3m deep crater. The staredown didn¡¯t last long, the ancestors moved into action! BANG! BANG! BANG! Paws and claws smashed against each other, leaving shockwave after shockwave coursing through the ground. Both sides now engaged in a full scale war! Every soldier on the battlefield was sent to battle! ¡°Faura, get your team back here!¡± Icicle screamed in the party chat. Every player in the party was able to hear him clearly, as if through VoiP. Faura sent SilentStep in stealth to bring FieryRed back, by force if need be. She quickly retreated with Enna, Inferno and Headshot in tow. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± she asked impatiently. She kept to the left side and flanked the wolves to earn the most loot. Icicle was located right down the middle from the start and he appeared to have some quest to fulfill, so his information should be better. ¡°We need to defend the little one behind us. Make sure not to let any wolf through!¡± Icicle didn¡¯t bother explaining. Judging by the color of Leila¡¯s fur and her strategic placement, the rest could infer that this little squirrel is [Red Devil]¡¯s descendant. HOOOWL! Large group amassing over 10000 wolves approached the princess¡¯s location. At least half of it focused on the earlier sent group of elite black and reddish squirrels. Whichever player survived the onslaught retreated back. However, there were at least 500 players engaged in combat on the flanks, helping the primeval squirrels deal with the wolves there. Thus, the whole line amounted to around 2000 members, squirrels and players included. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! One after the other, the wolves jumped ferociously, trying to break through the defensive line. The squirrels and players fought back. Fireballs flew, wind blades whistled through the air, lightning bolts jolted the wolves and constant warm light enveloped the players, restoring their HP. From time to time, a wall of earth appeared in front of some players, blocking the charge of the wolves. In this chaotic place Icicle couldn¡¯t spot a single Water Mage. ¡°Why are there no Water Mages?¡± Icicle asked Faura who was in the middle of casting a [Lightning bolt]. She was a mage herself so she should know something. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s only one instructor for them. Her fee for teaching you the skills is 5 gold coins. You can also take a thorough, intensive training course to learn them. Some of my friends that tried to become a Water Mage said that the training course takes at least two weeks. Thus, no one has the class yet. However, I also heard that there are other academies outside of beginner area that don¡¯t require such a harsh training. I suppose most of the candidates will go there.¡± Faura took a breath and continued ¡°When I first saw the instructor, that female teacher looked more like a swordsman than a mage to me. That¡¯s probably why her course is different than usual. Since there are four starting areas, she¡¯s probably one of the unique NPCs.¡± ¡°I see, thanks.¡± Icicle memorized the information, at the same time slicing his sword at the nearby direwolf. He looked around and saw that [Grey Alpha Wolves] he encountered before were level 11. ¡°Can you see their levels?¡± Icicle pointed at [Minor White Direwolves] tangled in combat nearby. ¡°Yes I can. [Minor White Direwolf] 2 star creature, level 14.¡± Icicle turned pensive. ¡°No wonder it took the herbs and massive amount of healing potions, those 2 star creatures were actually level 14.¡± The wolf onslaught continued, large quantities of dead bodies belonging to both sides littered the floor. Adian was in the center of the conflict, casually swinging his axe. His sharp weapon tore through the wolves with ease. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL! Suddenly a violet colored wolf that was 3m tall emerged from its pack. ¡°Here he is! [Fleeting Violet Direwolf]!¡± Adian licked his lips ¡°I waited for a long time, bastard!¡± Whoosh! Adian left his position and charged at the formidable wolf. The wolf pack immediately surrounded him. [Fleeting Violet Direwolf] glanced around with its thunder-like gaze. Violet sparks crackled through its majestic, velvet-like fur. It howled fiercely and the wolves nearby dispersed. They left the space for Adian and their leader to battle. As per previous orders, they attacked Leila¡¯s fenced position on the tree stump. Two sides, both level 45. Adian who was a Warrior versus [Fleeting Violet Direwolf], a boss level creature. This was Adian¡¯s true target from the beginning. [Fleeting Violet Direwolf] was the leader of the wolf pack. Atlas was merely one of its subordinates. If he eliminated this [Fleeting Violet Direwolf], the other wolves will lose their backbone and won¡¯t dare to harass the residents of Vilen Town anymore. Bang! Bang! Bang! Explosion after explosion of violet light, Adian dodged, swinging his two one-handed axes down with unbridled force. Just like the main bout of [Red Devil] and [Primeval Direwolf], the outcome of this very battle will heavily sway the battlefield. ¡­ Meanwhile Icicle and the squirrels¡¯ Protectors group struggled to keep their formation together. Many players died to the onslaught of wolves, either by having their Clerics killed or due to the lack of necessary equipment. They were too lowleveled for the event. The defenses became thinner and thinner as the time passed, making the situation for the rest of the defenders more and more difficult. However, those players that managed to survive till now killed a lot of wounded wolves. Their levels progressed quickly, allowing them to equip the dropped equipment. Slowly, those unremarkable characters became stronger. But being powerful meant that you can hold on against two to three low level wolves. Currently, each player in the defensive formation was assaulted by three wolves, some even had to tangle with six to ten of them. This unfavorable situation was turning out to become a one-sided slaughter. The squirrels used their hidden moves, exhausting all of their strength, dispatching countless assailants. However, the lines of defense were quickly crumbling. Soon, there was one wolf that made it through to the squirrel princess. HOWL! The rest of the pack let out excited howls. Icicle saw the situation and quickly reacted. He looked at the squirrel, smiled brightly and made a patting gesture. The air around the squirrel princess surged, faintly visible red ripples appeared around, giving Leila a majestic look, similar to her grandfather ¨C [Red Devil]. As the inheritor of his bloodline, Leila was naturally strong, she just never put that strength to good use. Seeing Icicle¡¯s action, murderous glint flashed past her eyes and she struck out with her paw! Pa! The seemingly harmless pat contained enormous force! Boom! The soil underneath the wolf exploded, splitting apart as it formed a 1m deep hole underneath. The sound of dozens of bones breaking could be heard as the wolf landed. Merely the sight of the wolf who was so mangled his mother wouldn¡¯t recognize it made many players gasp in astonishment! The other squirrels were strong, but this was even more superb! An overwhelming force of Leila made the morale surge! SQUEEAAAAAAAAAK! Ding!
Squirrel princess Leila raised the morale of her nearby allies! [Follow the ruler¡¯s example] ¨C +20% damage dealt for the next hour.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK! One after the other, the other squirrels squeaked, fighting with even more savagery and vigor. How could they lose out in front of their adorable princess? She was able to fell the wolf with one hit, could they even call themselves veterans if they were any weaker?! Icicle followed every movement inside 3m radius, making sure to backup any struggling squirrel or player. Right now, it didn¡¯t matter if other players stole some equipment from him. His group already had aplently. What he needed to do was to finish the event and receive the reward! More and more wolves made it through the defensive line. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Enna screamed next to Faura. She was attacked by a [Grey Alpha Wolf]. With her measly defense, HP and movement speed, she would end up dead within a few breaths time. Icicle broke off his position and hurried to help. As soon as he was in range, he used [Soundless Fear]. Nearby wolves all retreated backwards, leaving some breather for the struggling players. Surrounding players looked at Icicle with confused gazes. ¡°FieryRed, don¡¯t you go engaging on your own, protect your friends goddamnit!¡± Icicle hollered. This girl was too reckless, charging in like a powerhouse. ¡°Headshot, you too! You¡¯re a man aren¡¯t you?! How can you hide behind women like that?! Kite those wolves!¡± Inferno laughed on the side. He was a Fire Mage yet he dodged the attacks and tried to be as mobile as possible. Meanwhile Headshot just stood like a statue and fired arrows. It truly was somewhat laughable. Headshot¡¯s face immediately became red from embarrassment. He started playing to impress some beauties and get a girlfriend. He didn¡¯t expect that he¡¯ll be the weakest link. His determination to get laid made his resolve surge. Headshot nocked his bow and started running around the wolves, taking the aggro off the backliners. SilentStep entered stealth with few other Rogues and quickly picked those scattered wolves off. Icicle quickly shifted through the ranks and helped out those who were struggling. The situation was tough. There were many on the verge of dying, either from wounds or from insufficient mana. Without resources they were a really sorry sight. It was already a miracle they could last that long. Suddenly, something landed on Icicle¡¯s left shoulder. He looked at Leila licking her red fur contentedly. She looked at Icicle and her eyes shined like the myriads of stars. ¡°You want to go in there?¡± Icicle pointed at the large wolf pack that was engaged in combat with the rest of the squirrels. The battlefield in front of them compared to what they had here was the difference of heaven and earth. The defense of Leila¡¯s position didn¡¯t even seem meaningful. Squeak! Leila waved her little paws in a patting gesture. Icicle quickly made his mind. It was either him or those wolves, and he definitely didn¡¯t want to be caressed by the squirrel princess. ¡°You just told us to stay back yet you¡¯re charging in?!¡± Faura screamed with disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s right, why can you rush in and I can¡¯t?!¡± FieryRed grumbled discontentedly. She wanted to ram through all of those wolves at once. It seems she picked the Paladin class to actually deal damage. ¡°Take care of those guys quickly. I¡¯ll lessen your burden!¡± Icicle replied as he ran into a horde of wolves. The bloodshed the main force engaged in was far more bloody. There were no defined lines of offense and defense. Every creature around the area fended for itself. Some brave players approached from time to time to deal the killing blow, but the mortality rate was really high. For most players that survived until now, one more piece of equipment wasn¡¯t worth dying for. If they died, their items could drop. As Icicle approached, he was quickly targeted by 3 of the [Grey Alpha Wolves]. He dodged to the side, allowing Leila to unleash a flurry of blows. Creak! Creak! Every time one of her paws landed, the wolf would be sent flying with its bones breaking, howling miserably. Some wolves didn¡¯t even dare to approach again. Icicle looked back and realized that defensive line was doing better now that they had no more little princess to worry about, but they were still overwhelmed by sheer numbers. He looked at little Leila and asked ¡°Do you want to have some fun?¡± Squeak! Squeak! Leila rubbed her little paws in anticipation. No one would dare think this little squirrel holds such a tremendous power. ¡°Good. Tell your friends to help the group behind us. We¡¯ll take care of these little dogs.¡± Icicle said confidently. He looked at Adian¡¯s direction and saw he wasn¡¯t doing great. This time Adian used all of his skills, but against a high level boss even he had to be overly careful. One misstep could cost him his life. Icicle had a bad premonition and examined [Red Devil]¡¯s situation. To his surprise the squirrel ancestor was doing rather well, with no sign of serious injuries. But no one knew how the event will unfold. What if the wolves are reinforced yet again? What if the squirrel flanks fall? Then all of the players and remaining defenses will be boxed in, surrounded on all sides. Icicle had to hurry and help [Red Devil] out to assure the rewards! Less players alive meant less people turning in their furs. How will Icicle explain himself to Adian if he has got nothing to sell? Icicle focused on the situation nearby. He had to make sure this group is dealt with quickly. He didn¡¯t know how the situation was at the flanks. If the worst comes to the worst, this whole event will end up in complete failure. ¡°Alright Leila, let¡¯s go!¡± Icicle pushed forward with his the sole of his foot, pushing the dirt behind him. He charged into the middle of the wolves and unleashed [Soundless Fear]. The wolves scattered and Leila released a series of squeaks. Black and reddish streaks of light immediately rushed south to reinforce the other soldiers. Those squirrels were the true elites of the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe]. With their help, even with the additional wolves those reinforcements brought along, the Protectors squad should quickly wipe the floor with the wolf force. Icicle smiled widely as he placed himself in the middle of at least 200 wolves. Menacing stares came from all over, sending chills down his spine. This madman enjoyed it! ¡°Ahh what a thrill! Let¡¯s have our fun now, Leila!¡± ¡­ Chapter 11 GROWL! The wolves circling Icicle glared at him and Leila, letting out menacing howls. Icicle seemed content, as if he was about to spar against a worthy opponent. Icicle was remembering that one brutal paintball game fondly. It was supposed to be a ¡°shooting practice¡±. It hurt. A lot. Reminiscing the times filled with joy and hardship, Icicle¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile. Whoosh! Three wolves jolted from their positions, trapping Icicle in a triangular formation. Icicle swayed to the right, allowing Leila to smack one of the wolves down, while at the same time swinging his sword horizontally. Bang! Bearing the brunt of the blow, Icicle¡¯s feet sunk into the soil. His legs were trembling, both from excitement and the strain. Seeing the minor success of their brethren, the other wolves quickly followed, assaulting Icicle from all sides. Icicle closed his eyes, immersing himself in the feeling of [Sense presence]. He felt a strange familiarity. This sensation was fairly similar to the one people have when they are followed. Where you think that someone is looking at you and you turn around, only to see that there¡¯s no one there. Icicle was realizing there are several factors to that feeling. His hearing was limited to the 3m area, perceiving any, even the almost unhearable, sounds. Grunts, panting, howling¡­ Every audible action made Icicle narrow down the area of where the wolves actually were. His sense of smell was put to work. The foul breath of the wolves, their stinky fur and even the smell of musty, old blood¡­ these seemingly unwanted odors actually helped Icicle track the wolves¡¯ positions. Tiny air fluctuations, vibrations in the wind that blew past him, every piece of information began to gather, slowly forming a clear image. It was only when Icicle blocked out his sight that he was able to perceive these things, like a blind man who slowly accustoms to the world of darkness, honing his other senses. Loiterous made such hard to experience sensations possible. Finally, the last piece of the puzzle came into play. Killing intent! Icicle felt the menacing stares and hostile disposition from all around him. His entire being shook. This was a new discovery! As excitement washed over Icicle, he also felt a his body tingling. This change made him realize this was a life or death situation! However, he was already used to such situations in real life, how could he still fear them? You can die if you breathe in some unknown chemicals. You might die from choking on a lump of bread. Since you can die even from such simple actions, would you fear someone with a gun? If you don¡¯t fear a gun, would you fear some sharp fangs and claws? Icicle¡¯s reasoning was quite simple. If you can die from almost anything, why worry about it? It was good to be aware of the dangers, but should you be a worrywart? Constantly making sure that you won¡¯t fall and break your leg? No, that would cause you to become paranoid! Icicle¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile. He felt like a tibetan monk in the middle of meditation, rested and calm, looking at his body from third person view. Various images started to appear in his mind. Wolf silhouettes appear one after the other like holograms. Those shadowy figures circled around Icicle, growling, howling, lunging at him. Leila¡¯s hologram-like shadow was especially vivid. As Icicle was experiencing the honing of his 6th sense, closely related to [Sense presence] skill, the other players glanced in his direction from time to time. They saw a madman with a squirrel on his shoulder dancing with the wolves, his sword slashing air more often than not. Although the sight of it was ridiculous, when this seemingly suicidal player turned, the players realized he had his eyes closed! He was actually disregarding the wolves to the degree of closing his eyes! But that was the opinion of a regular players. Those ¡°ambitious¡± ones immediately called Icicle a hacker, others thought of ¡°developer¡± or ¡°GM¡¯s friend¡±. Many of those suspicious players started recording the proceedings of the event. Icicle didn¡¯t know about any of this. Even if he knew he most likely wouldn¡¯t care. There are always those black sheep that envy others. He focused on developing his [Sense presence] instead. While Icicle was ¡°dancing with the doggies¡±, Faura and her friends desperately fought back against the wolves. With the help of the elite black and reddish squirrels, it was easier than before. Noticing that Icicle¡¯s health dropped to about half, Faura shouted ¡°Enna, heal him!¡± Enna quickly collected herself. She looked at the window and was surprised, her heal didn¡¯t work. ¡°It¡¯s out of range!¡± she drawled out. Faura started thinking about the strategy to make her party close the gap. However, before she even managed to formulate the plan, she saw Icicle¡¯s HP refilling. ¡°Weird, he didn¡¯t level up.¡± she thought, furrowing her brows. ¡°Could it be an HP potion? He knows that merchant Adian after all¡­¡± Faura shook her head. It would be weird if Icicle didn¡¯t have any special measures. He was the one who started the event after all. ¡­ About 15 minutes have passed, the fierce battle went on. Icicle continued honing his [Sense Presence], surrounded by the wolf pack. His mouth holding a perpetual smile, he slashed viciously. After 15 minutes of immersion he hit the wolves more often than air. His jet black hair glistened in the sun. Droplets of sweat ran down his forehead, expelling the exhaustion and heat from his body. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open! BANG! The wolf in front of him was smashed dead by Leila. She proudly puffed her chest, showing her majesty. ¡°I have finally gotten the hang of it.¡± Icicle thought with a wicked smile on his fatigued face. ¡°Heh, right on time.¡± He checked his inventory and saw there were only three small potions left, given to him by Adian, each recovering 100 HP. Ding!
You have reached a new understanding of [Sense presence] skill. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and below in 5m range.
¡°This sounds interesting. I wonder if I can sense the Rogues in stealth now.¡± Icicle pondered, as he moved quickly, shifting his position, allowing Leila to strike. With this whack-a-mole tactic, his experience rose quickly. At least 80 wolves were killed by the Icicle and Leila duo. All of the loot was scooped up. The players in the back were reduced to 1150 in number, unable to resist the violent wolf pack. However, they slowly made progress, reducing the numbers of wolves steadily. On the flanks, the remaining number of players fluctuated around 350. Only Adian and Red Devil remained in tough positions. Inferno saw that Icicle was standing in the middle of the wolf encirclement, like a dog trainer, playing fetch with his pupils. He quickly cast one of his so far unusable skills ¨C [Ember Shield]. Fire Mage was a class focused solely on dealing damage. It had basically no defensive spells. However, no one said it couldn¡¯t have an offensive yet defensive spell. This skill was exactly [Ember Shield]. [Ember Shield] created 5 wisps of flame, floating around the chosen target, damaging anyone who came within its range. The spell lasted 10 minutes, its burn damage wasn¡¯t high, but it was enough to get the job done. Its use was simple ¨C if your enemies are charging at you, you should make them pay! Many fire element bosses inside Loiterous used a similar skill to [Ember Shield], making the melee attackers have to think of ways to counter it, or attack in the limited time window when it was on cooldown. If used prudently, this spell could provide a great advantage. However, in most circumstances it was an unusable skill, thus, although powerful, it didn¡¯t provide much utility. On the side, Enna managed her mana prudently, thus she still had quite a lot left. She cast [Bless] on Icicle, increasing his defense and magic resistance by a small amount. The effect lasted three minutes and for low level players this small increase in defense was often the difference between life and death. Icicle saw two icons in his field of vision. They displayed the duration of the buffs and their effects. He realized that the [Ember Shield] didn¡¯t affect Leila at all. Based on his conjecture, Icicle figured out it¡¯s probably dealing damage outwards, with his body as the center. Since Leila was perched on his shoulder, she wasn¡¯t affected. He quickly waved the icons to the side, making them disappear. The wolves which had previously attacked with crazed fervor and vigor, suddenly started whimpering. Their yelps resembled the wailing of ghost. They were scared of fire and now that wisps of flame were circling around Icicle, they couldn¡¯t even near him without taking damage. Large groups of wolves scurried away, afraid of being burnt. Many players stared at Icicle with vigilant gazes. If he were to run into them with this kind of spell on, the damage would be devastating. Icicle turned from the victim into a bully, chasing after the wolves with a wicked smile on his face. As the wolves died and the battle progressed, Icicle leveled up to 9. When he looked at the status of his party, Faura and the rest were level 14. This made him smile bitterly. ¡°Maybe calling Nix a retard wasn¡¯t such a great idea after all?¡± he shook his head. The battlefield was getting calmer and calmer. The only relevant battles came to Adian versus Fleeting Violet Direwolf and Red Devil versus Primeval Direwolf. Boom! Adian dodged another bolt of violet lightning. The sheer power given off by these bolts made his body shudder in fear. Getting hit was not an option. He shifted his ankles and the sole of his foot pushed him forward. ¡°[Chopping wood]!¡± he screamed, waving both of his one-handed axes covered with green, rippling light. Fleeting Violet Direwolf didn¡¯t dodge. It stood majestically, slashing with its paw covered in a violet, sparking glow, emitting crackling noises! Boom! Yet another crater appeared in the soil, making it look like the aftermath of a stampede crossing a minefield. Adian panted, catching his breath with difficulty. He looked at the Fleeting Violet Direwolf who was as oppressive as ever, emitting ferocity and savagery. He drank one of the [Turbid Medium Healing Potions] Icicle gave him and stuffed wild boar meat into his mouth. Adian considered changing one of his axes in favor of a shield, but then he wouldn¡¯t be able to deal any damage to the Violet Fleeting Direwolf. So, he gritted his teeth, wiped his mouth and rushed forward yet again. The battle in the center of the clearing moved to the north. As the wind rustled the leaves, powerful shockwave sundered the ground, making the surface of the earth upturn. Bang! Two paws clashed, one red, one silver. The trees behind the two creatures uprooted from the impact. Some were completely lopped off, leaving only their tree trunks clinging to their former positions, as if cut by a 10m tall lumberjack with one swing. No one dared to approach the two ancestors, their battle was on another level. Icicle who has just routed the wolves ran back to the former defense line. [Ember Shield] was gone and he was slightly regretful. He enjoyed making the wolves flee. He looked around only to realize that most of the wolves were dead. There were only remnants of them, scattered along the sides. He quickly told Enna to heal Adian, as he was a key component in this event. Even with almost all the wolves gone, Icicle still had a bad feeling. Ding!
<> Congratulations adventurers! Most of the wolf forces have retreated! First wave of the event is considered a success! Every participant receives +1 level! Time until the next wave arrives: 5 minutes! Have fun and good luck!
¡°Shit, I knew something was wrong!¡± Icicle cursed. However, getting that one level made him able to equip his previously gathered equipment! Thus, Icicle quickly wore [Fluffy Wolf¡¯s Pelt Bag], [Fluffy Wolf Boots] and the [Silver-flowing Bracelet]. Ding!
<> Congratulations adventurer! You have managed to reach level 10 without choosing a main class! For this endeavor you¡¯re rewarded with +1 to all stats!
¡°What are my stats now?¡± Icicle checked the status window with curiosity.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 10 Experience: 14 000/100 000 Class: None Subclass: Alchemist Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 0 Statistics: HP: 280 Mana: 230 Strength: 17 Dexterity: 40 Vitality: 19 Intelligence: 13 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 6 Luck: 10 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and below in 5m range.
Icicle had to take all of his equipment off first to add 2 points into Dexterity. Otherwise, every point in the 30s costs 3 points. This made him realize it will be hard to farm any statistics. Author¡¯s note: Basically goes like this: 1-10 ¨C 1 stat point per stat 11-30 ¨C 2 stat points per stat 31-40 ¨C 3 stat points per stat 41-50 ¨C 4 stat points per stat etc. ¡°I feel like the stats are just a bunch of numbers. I can¡¯t move faster with the new boots if I can¡¯t reach that speed myself. It¡¯s like giving someone wings but not teaching him how to fly¡­¡± as he pondered, Icicle was on the verge of realizing what the stats really provided. ¡°When I fought against the wolves, every hit of theirs hurt like hell. It seems like HP represents a sheer number of hits you can take, as long as you¡¯re in good condition. If you¡¯re too tired or the pain is unbearable, you¡¯ll faint. Critical hits only appear when you hit the vital areas too.¡± Icicle concluded. ¡°Those devs really tried to make Loiterous feel real, almost too real, actually.¡± Icicle felt good about having high stats nonetheless. If even his stats were lower than others¡¯, then this ¡°prank¡± set up by Nix would truly be a catastrophe. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I was only able to heal him twice.¡± Enna panted as if she ran a marathon. ¡°That Fleeting Violet Direwolf is too fierce. It shot one bit of lightning at me and I almost died!¡± she whimpered. Enna wasn¡¯t brave to begin with, but fighting alongside her friends and constantly reminding herself that it¡¯s just a game helped her determination somewhat. ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Icicle patted Enna¡¯s head, ruffling her brown hair. ¡°We have other things to worry about.¡± he looked to the left and to the right. Those two flanks were most likely going to be overran! ¡°Leila, make your friends come back here! We¡¯ll be surrounded anyways, the more numbers we have, the better!¡± Icicle said as he looked at the squirrel princess. Leila¡¯s red fur was now entirely crimson, covered in blood of the wolves she smacked to death. Her kill count was at least twenty times that of Icicle¡¯s. Squeak! Squeak! The surrounding squirrels quickly relayed the message of the princess to others. SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK! Whoosh! Whoosh! One by one black and reddish squirrels hurried over to the center of the clearing, surrounding Leila. Icicle nodded in affirmation and walked over to Adian, making sure to stay out of the way. ¡°Adian I know you¡¯re busy but listen up!¡± he hollered. ¡°We are about to get flooded by yet another pack of wolves, I have no idea how large. There are two ways I can see right now to resolve this situation. One is that I¡¯ll send help for you to deal with that direwolf. It will most likely make the ancestor doggie over there go into frenzy and make things difficult for Red Devil.¡± Icicle spoke indifferently. ¡°The other choice is to pray that you can stall that wolf long enough for us to emerge victorious. I have no idea if we will though. The chances are pretty slim.¡± ¡°The first choice involves your pride, the second your life. Choose quickly for we do not have much time left. Whatever it is, make sure to be in your best condition, I¡¯ll need your help.¡± Icicle looked at Adian and awaited his decision. Adian shifted his body, avoiding the fatal claw attack and barked ¡°Of course it¡¯s the first choice! That ancestor wolf will go into frenzy soon anyway. How can it not, seeing all those wolves dead? You¡¯ve basically massacred its entire tribe already!¡± ¡°I wanted to deal with this tricky violet direwolf on my own, but there will be other opponents in the future. Send the reinforcements!¡± Adian made his mind. Having his fun compared to losing his life? He had a family to take care of! The simplest choice is the one where you have no say in the matter. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m most likely not even a punching bag for it, even with the potion.¡± Icicle grumbled ¡°Leila, send 10 of your experts!¡± Squeak! Leila uttered the command and 10 of the squirrels rapidly approached the direwolf. They quickly unleashed their hidden technique! Swoosh! A blood red ¡°X¡± marks appeared all around the Fleeting Violet Direwolf. Its fur surged with electricity, as if overcharging, and it jumped high up, 5m into the air. As it was airborne, all of the squirrels¡¯ claw slashes missed their mark. However, Adian was already above the wolf, swinging his two axes straight at its head! THUNK! The sound of iron clashing with iron emerged. Overwhelmingly tough bones of the Fleeting Violet Direwolf shuddered, sending vibrations throughout its body. Adian didn¡¯t give up and swung his axes again! Crack! With the second strike, it was no longer shuddering. The bones cracked, on the verge of breaking completely. Fleeting Violet Direwolf fell from the sky, crashing into the ground. Boom! Its body bouncing off the ground, Fleeting Violet Direwolf arduously retreated backwards, leaving behind a streak of violet lightning. As Icicle noticed that his shoulder suddenly felt lighter, he saw a red blur appear beside the the commanding direwolf. Leila raised her paw and the image of a demonic claw appeared behind her. However, compared to her tribe¡¯s illusory streak of blood red light, Leila¡¯s version was almost tangible! Her aura mixed with the skill. In this state, Leila appeared like a devil from hell herself! What other members of the Red Devil¡¯s Tribe learned, was a technique to rend their enemies, ripping them to shreds. However, Red Devil¡¯s bloodline was gifted with innate, indomitable strength, allowing the descendants to overpower their enemies with the sheer force of their blows! The enormous claw hovering above Leila clenched into a fist as it started swinging downwards! The Fleeting Violet Direwolf was shaking in fear. This was the first time it has seen something so terrible, so otherworldly. Its legs went limp, making it unable to move even an inch. It watched with its eyes wide open, powerless against the impending doom descending towards it! BOOM! Leila¡¯s monstrous skill landed, turning the direwolf into mince meat. All it left behind was a puddle of blood, incomparable to its former majestic visage. Leila jumped from her spot and landed on Icicle¡¯s shoulder, licking her sore paws. She looked exhausted. However, her eyes emitted a ray of proudness. Squeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak! All the squirrels immediately leapt in joy. As their morale surged, the sound reached Red Devil and the Primeval Direwolf. Like Adian predicted, the Primal Direwolf entered frenzy, fighting with unbridled ferocity. However, Red Devil was boosted by the success of his granddaughter. Since he had such a promising descendant, how could he be outdone and kick the bucket? He needs to pass on his legacy first! BOOM! The area all around the two ancestors exploded, grinding the earth into dust. Adian who was finally free of his burden huffed, catching his breath. He picked up his wine flagon and drank as if first he touched in years. Quenching his thirst, he quickly devoured large portions of meat. HOOOOWL! Wild roars of the approaching wolves resounded through the clearing. As the wolf force emerged, the players looked in dismay at the approaching numbers. ¡°We¡¯re fucked!¡± some of them screamed. 1500 players and 950 squirrels versus 4000 one and two star wolves, and 1000 wolf elites. Their odds didn¡¯t look so good. ¡°How many tanks do we have?¡± Adian questioned the crowd of players. ¡°Around 150 or so.¡± Inferno answered, looking briefly at the remaining players. ¡°It should be enough if we play it right.¡± Adian said proudly ¡°Remake your parties, make sure there¡¯s a healer and a tank in each of them.¡± Most players listened to Adian and did as he asked. Those who decided to ¡°rebel¡± were completely disregarded. If they wanted to die, so be it. ¡°Each one of you needs to take on at least 10 of those wolves out there.¡± Adian pointed at the [Minor White Direwolves] and [White Wolf Guardians], equivalents of [Atlas¡¯s Guardians]. ¡°Fire Mages should cast [Ember Shield] on each of those tanks. The wolves fear fire and may even abstain from attacking you.¡± Icicle added. The pack of wolves glared at the group, approaching slowly but surely, emanating bloodthirsty savagery. They wanted revenge!. After discussing their strategy, all the members stayed in a rectangular pattern. Shields covered most members, resembling the tortoise¡¯s shell. Icicle scratched his head ¡°This looks like a makeshift tortoise formation. I guess it will have to do.¡± he was quite satisfied with the cooperation of the players. The wolves quickly approached. The players¡¯ shield wall stood like a tall mountain, ready to take on any attackers. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! White direwolves jumped in the air, clawing at the shields. The players endured the blows, waiting for the signal. 10 seconds, 20 seconds¡­ ¡°Now, lower your shields!¡± Adian barked the order. As he did, all the players in the middle of the formation lowered their shields and let the squirrels hiding there jump out! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Streak after streak of black and red light rushed out of the tortoise formation, surrounding the wolves. ¡°Good!¡± Adian smirked. ¡°Now that we have those doggies encircled both from the inside and the outside, you can attack in every direction! Keep your backliners safe!¡± he took a big breath ¡°KILL THEM ALL!¡± Adian rushed out and started hacking away at the wolves. ¡®WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH!¡± Came the shouts from the players, they too moved in unison, kneeling when the backliners cast spells and shot arrows, other times defending them from the wolves. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised the players learned this formation so fast!¡± Icicle smirked as he ran into the wolves. His defense was pretty good now, coupled with his nimbleness he could dodge a significant portion of the attacks. SQUEEAAAK! Another fierce battle began, enveloping the primeval Humming Forest. Encircled direwolves had no choice but to desperately fight for their lives, fiercely clawing at the surrounding players and squirrels. They were the ones surrounding the group, but as the situation turned they were tricked and forced into a disadvantageous position. This well executed pincer move let the players cover their inadequacies. They still made blunders, often causing their party members to lose their lives, but they also learned a lot. Fighting in a coordinated group fashion was an invaluable experience. [Ember Shields] appeared around certain players as they charged into the wolves¡¯ horde. They protected themselves with their shields, using the [Bolster] skill to reduce the damage taken for the next three attacks. Leila stood proudly on Icicle¡¯s shoulder. She was too tired to help him out, but just by being there, amidst her brethren, she was able to boost their morale. To them, this little princess seemed too noble to even put the wolves in her eyes. ¡­ Amidst the blazing fireballs, crackling lightning bolts and clanking swords, the battlefield slowly calmed. Wolf ancestor retreated in shame. It lost its pack, there was no reason to lose its life too. As it turned back, it howled desolately, promising that one day it will return and avenge its brethren. Ding!
Congratulations adventurers! The entire wolf force has retreated! The [Ingrained Enmity] event is considered a success! Every remaining participant receives +1 gold!
¡°I¡¯m rich!¡± 1200 players that survived cried happily! They were able to afford potions and beginner sets for all of their friends.They didn¡¯t need the sets, the loot from the wolves was already plentiful! Icicle checked his inventory and realized he had 2 gold coins total. This was quite a harvest. He remembered the fake quest and said happily ¡°Remember you can exchange your wolf furs, meat and claws for items and free identifying with Merchant Adian.¡± The players looked at him with confused gazes. Why would they do that, now they were rich, 1 gold coin was an enormous sum for them! They could afford identifying the items. ¡°The path to town is paved with danger, since the news of the event were spread, who knows how many player killers will wait on the road.¡± Icicle said out loud, as if talking to himself. He wasn¡¯t sure if there were any, but planting the seed of doubt in the players was enough. Faura and her party quickly approached Adian to hand over the furs. They wanted to identify the loot. Red Devil came back, light bruises all over his body. The battle with the Primeval Direwolf was harsh on him. Icicle patted Leila and said ¡°Go!¡± As Icicle saw Leila, who was at most 50cm long running towards the 5m long Red Devil, he involuntarily chuckled. Although the resemblance was there, the size alone made the sight comical. Squeak! Squeak! Icicle watched the two squirrels discuss something and then saw another pop up. Ding!
[Red Devil] appreciates your effort in rescuing princess Leila. Thus, he decided to handsomely reward you.
A group of hundred ancient squirrels ran back towards their home and quickly came back. They brought back a small hill made out of acorns and shoved it towards Icicle.
[Red Devil¡¯s Delicacy] [Special] Special breed of acorns grown by the members of the [Red Devil Tribe]. Its taste is especially appealing to the squirrels.
Icicle looked at the small hill in front of him and wanted to kill himself. What was he supposed to do with all of this? He can¡¯t even eat it! Sighing inwardly, Icicle remembered that Leila earned him a lot by massacring the wolves. ¡°Leila come over here.¡± he said gently. Little squirrel jumped out like a spring and landed on his shoulder. ¡°You helped me out immensely today, so I would like to give all of these acorns to you.¡± he patted Leila¡¯s red head caringly. Leila¡¯s eyes glistened with bright light. She squeaked a few times and jumped off to munch on acorns. Icicle watched with amusement as the adorable creature devoured the precious acorns. Even Red Devil seemed surprised. Those acorns weren¡¯t easy to grow and he forked out quite a bit of his stock. His gaze fell on Icicle. Ding!
Follow [Red Devil] to receive an additional reward!
Icicle turned to Faura and Adian ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± he said, following the Red Devil. Since the event was done, everyone but Icicle was teleported out of the zone. People who died as well as the curious ones immediately entered the area. They saw some players clamoring around the NPC, exchanging goods. Those players were anxious about losing their precious loot. After all, the tutorial mentioned it¡¯s possible to lose the recently gained items in case of death. This rule applied to level 10 and above, which now all of them were. Quickly exchanging glances, the other players asked around, lining up to let Adian identify their items and exchange the crafting materials. ¡­ As Icicle walked behind Red Devil, they crossed the western part of the forest, entering an area with hundreds of trees bending under the weight of the acorns. The black soil all around provided the necessary nutrients for the primeval grove. Ding!
You have entered a special area ¨C [Red Devil¡¯s Grove].
¡­ Chapter 12 Author¡¯s note: Chapter 13 will be released tomorrow. Red Devils¡¯ Grove. An ancient patch of the forest where enormous, sturdy trees grew. Swaying from the weight of the acorns, they let out a refreshing scent. In the middle of this ancient place towered the king of the trees, 300m high tree, covering a large amount of space with its trunk and roots. Its treetop was so extensive that the area below it would be always shadowed. Icicle looked up and felt overwhelmed. The tree was so large that even 10 men holding hands around it wouldn¡¯t be able to cover its girth. How long did it have to grow? What tragedies did it have to go through? If only it could speak and share its knowledge¡­ Red Devil quickly ascended the large tree. On its treetop there was an overly large treehouse. The treehouse was made from dark brown wood. Even after experiencing countless weather trials its appearance didn¡¯t wane in the slightest, retaining its gloss. Two minutes later Red Devil descended, his paws clutching a large amount of acorns. Icicle looked at yet another hill of acorns, even more dumbfounded than before. What was this squirrel thinking? Feeling helpless, he rummaged through the pile looking for something useful. ¡°Oh?¡± Amidst the pile of brown acorns, there was one that looked different.
[Arcane Oval Nut] [Special] Description: Mysterious item used in crafting.
¡°I need to find out more information to get a proper description.¡± Icicle sighed. All of the good items needed identifying. Adian was definitely not a miracle worker. He won¡¯t be able to guess the origins of all these things. Although the gift was mostly useless to him, Icicle could still get Leila a snack. He prepared to say his thanks, when he realized that Red Devil had a large claw stuck in his stomach, bleeding profusely. Only now when he stood on its hind paws was it visible. ¡°Lay down, we need to take care of this!¡± Icicle barked the order like a seargant. Red Devil squeaked, not wanting to bother with the human at first. However, for some unknown to him reason, this human didn¡¯t fear him. That human even kicked his butt¡­ ¡°I said. LAY. DOWN.¡± Comparing Red Devil¡¯s helplessness at the moment to the one Icicle felt when he received acorns was next to impossible. The noble ancestor, ruler of the whole tribe getting bossed around by a youngster¡­ What sort of concept was that? ¡°Well, let me put my two cents in first. You have to live. If not for yourself, then for Leila.¡± Icicle paused. ¡°As for the other matter, this will hurt. A lot.¡± Squeak! Acknowledging the human¡¯s words, Red Devil looked at him anxiously. ¡°Alright. Pull that claw off slowly. Don¡¯t look at me like that, I know it will hurt more than ripping it out! But I¡¯m not a god nor a Priest to heal you. So we will have to do with what we have. Make sure to do it gently, otherwise you¡¯ll damage your flesh even further and I won¡¯t be able to save you.¡± Watching the Red Devil taking out the claw of its body, Icicle stared with a surgeon¡¯s deadpan face. He couldn¡¯t show weakness, not now. Blood leaked out of the ancestor¡¯s wound, making little streams form on the Red Devil¡¯s fur. Soon, there were a few puddles of sanguine liquid on the ground. As soon as Icicle saw that the foreign object was out, he uncorked one of his HP potions. ¡°This will sting.¡± he said, pouring it inside the chest wound unreservedly. SQUEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK! Red Devil thrashed on the ground, feeling his organs burn from the medicine. His wounds were healing, closing, yet profusely bleeding at the same time. Icicle used [Soundless Fear]. Silverfang¡¯s howl rang out far and wide, making Red Devil stop in his place, its instict made it battle ready, looking around vigilantly. ¡°Goddamnit, you¡¯re wasting my efforts by thrashing around. Lay still! Here, have some acorns to munch on!¡± Icicle force fed the Red Devil and climbed on his fur. Sixty seconds passed, meaning that the other potion could be used. ¡°Here comes the next dose. Grit your teeth!¡± Squeeeak! ¡­ Red Devil panted, his whole body drenched in sweat. He looked as if he just finished his bath in the hot spring, soaking wet from the hot water. ¡°How come you¡¯re the ancestor? You¡¯re more troublesome to deal with than a newborn baby!¡± Icicle complained, sucking in cold air. He had to hold down the Red Devil, creature at least 2.5 times his size. Thoroughly exhausted, Icicle grabbed the canteen out of his inventory and drank a mouthful. He laid for a bit to recover and said shyly ¡°Listen Red Devil, I don¡¯t want to sound like a greedy ingrate, I do appreciate your rewards, but don¡¯t you have something I can use? Something more¡­ human?¡± Squeak! Red Devil laid on the ground for 5 minutes, then got up slowly, ascending the 300m high tree once again. When he came back, his paws were clutching an ancient looking book. Ding!
In the times immemorial, when the continent belonged to the monsters, humans who have had no foothold spreaded through the land. They established villages, which later turned into towns and large cities. As time passed, the human population rose. They needed to expand. More and more land was taxed from the monsters, making many of them form coalitions to resist the humans. Both sides fought to the bitter end, establishing their territories and barricading there firmly. One can say this war cumbered down the number of participants nicely. Elites emerged while the weak ones died. Both sides became more experienced in battles. However, humans were the cunning kind. They developed many things with their technologies. Powerful weapons, formidable armors and range weapons. As the monsters lost ground and started to fall into disadvantage, heroes amongst them rose, capable of leading the others into battle. Their strength unfathomable, the monsters established their own lands ¨C special areas and dungeons! This book comes from the time when Red Devil fought against human settlers who overstepped their boundaries. One of them dropped this book. Red Devil later took it as a spoil of war. Now this ancient book belongs to you.
What is that thing?
[Shapeshifter Set Crafting Method] [Recipe] [Special] Long lost crafting method of a lifelike direwolf set. The wearer resembles the genuine direwolf. Includes the whole set of armor and weapons. Let your inner beast howl! Requirements: Tailor class, Blacksmith class. Notice: This book contains two parts of the set. One is made for the Tailor class, including a whole set of armor. The other is made for the Blacksmith class, containing the methods of making the weapon. The rank of the set and weapons varies depending on the skill of the Tailor/Blacksmith. One time usage.
Icicle was overjoyed. This was the jackpot! That little girl, Leila, earned him a fortune! Ding!
You¡¯ve learned the history of the area! +2 wisdom +1 intelligence You¡¯ve learned the background of the special areas and dungeons! +2 wisdom +1 intelligence Hidden class promotion unlocked ¨C Lorekeeper! Lorekeepers specialize in recording the secrets of the past, uncovering ancient artifacts and spells. They¡¯re avid readers, inventors and explorers. With the overwhelming amount of notes, they can identify most of the existing items. Would you like to become a Lorekeeper? [Yes]/[No]
Icicle immediately pressed no. This Lorekeeper class, although hidden, resembled a librarian mixed with archaeologist. Going around with his pen and paper, noting down the locations of dungeons, secret passages and supposedly boundless buried treasures. This wasn¡¯t him. Future guilds will definitely want to have such a person with free identifying, but he wasn¡¯t too keen on wasting his class slot on such a profession. ¡°Thanks for everything, Red Devil. This item will be very useful!¡± Icicle bowed to the ancestor, recovering some of the previously lost respect. Squeak! Ding!
You were teleported out of the [Red Devil¡¯s Grove]. Your relationship with the [Red Devil¡¯s Tribe] increased to [Tribesmen]. You were granted access to the special location ¨C [Red Devil¡¯s Grove].
¡­ Meanwhile at the Albatros Company¡¯s studio ¡°Boss, the event was a success.¡± Carl shouted as he turned his head. ¡°I can see that, dumbass. It¡¯s a shame it was somewhat cut short. If not for that NPC defeating Violet Fleeting Direwolf with the help of the squirrel princess, the waves would continue¡­ Such a waste. We have even prepared up to the 5th wave, where every surviving participant would receive an [Elite] grade item¡­¡± Lisa lamented. This was a waste of resources. ¡°Those players did pretty good considering they were underleveled and undergeared.¡± Jack argued. He knew how hard this event was, as he was amongst the devs who tested it. ¡°Boss, many players started complaining on the forums.¡± Carl said with a bitter expression. ¡°Let them do whatever they want. Those parasites are not gamers anyways. Merely people who are jealous over the other¡¯s fortune. If they were the ones stumbling upon this event, they would definitely grin like the devils. Hmph.¡± Lisa looked at the screen where countless players were participating in various events. ¡°Time will tell which ones are unpolished gems and which ones are merely the grains of sand.¡± Jack and Carl saw that Lisa¡¯s expression was thoughtful so they didn¡¯t dare to interrupt her. ¡°Monitor the situation on the forums, if it gets out of hand, make sure to send a warning. As for the content, type in this: ¡°Those who undermine the integrity of Albatros Company without any substantial proof will be suspended for a week. Further accusations will lead to prolonging the ban into a permanent one. This is your last warning.¡± You got that?¡± ¡°But boss, what about the freedom of speech?¡± Carl tried to reason. ¡°We¡¯re the ones releasing the product and WE are the ones making the forum available for discussion. It¡¯s our turf, thus our rules apply. If we give in now they¡¯ll want more and more liberties! There are millions of gamers waiting in lines to play the game. If those toxic players don¡¯t like it, they can stick it up their asses!¡± Lisa was a gamer as well, so she knew how some communities were like. Their members were toxic and unredeemable, spouting lies and insulting comments everywhere. Trolling was only okay when it was done right. Loiterous was a game you needed to pay for to play. The developers couldn¡¯t allow some toxic players to constantly disturb the immersion of others. Albatros Company permitted the moderators to use the full extent of the regulations against toxicity. ¡­ The scenery changed. Icicle stood amidst the chaotic players, some in line, others inspecting their newly gained items, trading with each other. ¡°That¡¯s not worth it! Give me 30 silver extra and we¡¯ll have a deal!¡± ¡°No way! That¡¯s way too much!¡± ¡°Want to trade [Howling Wolf¡¯s Shield]! Looking for equipment for an assassin, preferably a weapon!¡± Icicle looked for Leila. It was quite easy to spot the flaring red fur of the squirrel princess. She was still munching on the acorns. The small hill in front of her was now half way done. ¡°Here Leila, I brought you some more.¡± Icicle dropped around 50 acorns on the ground. Squeak! Squeak! ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Icicle smiled amusedly. ¡°You were only captured because you didn¡¯t know how to fight. To think you became so strong after imitating my pat.¡± he sighed inwardly at the tremendous power of the creature. If Louiterous has many others with special bloodline like that, the gameplay will be pretty interesting. His immersion broke as a screaming voice of Faura rang out. ¡°Here you are! Come over, we need to share the loot!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± FieryRed and Inferno whispered in unison. Their voices hushed, only the nearby party members could hear it. ¡°Yes.¡± Faura replied ¡°We¡¯re not going to take a few items for ourselves. It¡¯s early game and we¡¯re not that kind of people. Without the squirrel raid party, we wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the wolves. Learn to appreciate someone¡¯s kindness. I don¡¯t want any bad Karma right now!¡± Checking the minimap for blue dots symbolizing allies, Icicle quickly moved towards his group. The raid party was already dissolved, thus leaving the 8 man team. Icicle quickly realized there was over two dozen items on the ground. He looked them over, only one of them was [Elite] grade. ¡°Hurry up!¡± FieryRed drawled out. Without tarrying Icicle kneeled over and asked ¡°What¡¯s the split?¡± ¡°There are 30 items here. There are six of us and you¡¯re the seventh. Since you were the one who invited us to the party you can take 5 items.¡± Faura smiled amiably. ¡°Hmm, alright, let me see.¡± Icicle looked over the items again, this time reading the descriptions. There were many pieces of armor with decent stats. However, he now had a recipe for an awesome set, so he didn¡¯t need them. He focused on getting jewelry instead. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
[Silver-flowing Necklace] [Elite] This excellent necklace was made from molten silver, retaining a substantial portion of its properties. Stats: +5 intelligence +5 wisdom +5 dexterity Additional effect: Every basic attack deals additional 20 true damage. This damage cannot be reduced by armor nor magic resist. Requirements: Level 10
Author¡¯s note: Basic attacks as in shooting arrows, slashing with the sword/spear, using your wand/staff to spam mana bolts etc. Not a skill. A better version of his bracelet was presented to Icicle as a necklace. Who wouldn¡¯t take it? He looked for another piece of jewelry.
[Zircon Earrings] [Rare] These earrings were made by an experienced craftsman, retaining the properties of its precious mana-storing metal. Stats: +3 wisdom +3 vitality Additional effect: [Mana discharge] ¨C Your melee attacks discharge a bolt of energy dealing magical damage equal to 10% of your maximum mana. 5 seconds cooldown. Requirements: Level 10
Icicle saw a good sword laying amongst the items. Then he looked at FieryRed whose gaze was spitting fire. She would fight to the death if he took it. Of course with his recipe he didn¡¯t need it, but if he disregarded the items he would come out as suspicious. Thus, he wandered through some items, touching them and then putting them back. Finally he stood up, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll take these two pieces of jewelry. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± as he said that, he had already pocketed the two items. ¡°Of course, you can still pick 3 items. Don¡¯t mind us.¡± Faura remained friendly. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Icicle could see that the party remained tense. Greed always got the better of men. Why else would the wars start? ¡°You¡¯ve already done enough for me, gathering all of those items and trading with Adian. Thanks to you my quest is complete, so I should be the one indebted to you. Here, take this shield as my way of saying thanks. I don¡¯t know what its attributes are, but it¡¯s of a Rare grade and should be above level 15.¡± Icicle gave one of the unidentified shields to FieryRed. He couldn¡¯t use it and selling it to others might sounds like a good idea, but this could put him on a radar. He preferred staying clear of PKs if possible. At least for now. ¡°T-Thanks.¡± FieryRed muttered, her expression embarrassed. She has just stared daggers at someone who actually gave her new equipment¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It would be a waste on me. Especially after seeing your fighting style.¡± Icicle smirked. FieryRed was like a tank that rammed into the other players with full force. She amused him quite a bit. Saying his goodbyes, Icicle approached Adian. He patted the youth¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry guys, there¡¯s so much you¡¯re delivering I can barely hold it. We can continue our transactions in Vilen Town.¡± Adian coughed awkwardly, packed his bags and followed after Icicle. Some grumbling players followed after them, keen on making some bank. As soon as Adian took off, the players who saw his prowess moved after him, making sure they can make it to town safely. With their current gold they could buy health potions and stay safe from the wandering Player Killers. As they moved along the road, countless wolves assaulted the group. Fortunately, there were many players in tow who gladly took care of the trouble. Low level players thrived here, looking for prey after a good night¡¯s rest. Icicle and Adian chatted merrily on the way back. ¡°The furs you spoke of, what do you need them for?¡± Adian probed. Icicle handed over the recipe book. ¡°Hahahaha, you really are one lucky bastard.¡± Adian guffawed, amused. Icicle¡¯s fortune was his fortune. He believed that scoundrel will pay him back handsomely, making his days as a guards¡¯ captain easier. Pocketing the book away, Icicle asked excitedly ¡°How many did you gather?¡± ¡°Around 12000 pieces. Mostly low level. There¡¯s a few thousand of claws and meat as well.¡± Adian patted his chest shamelessly, as if it was his idea to begin with. ¡°I¡¯ll keep them for now, but once we¡¯re next to the town, I¡¯ll hand all of this over to you. You can find me in the town later.¡± Adian spoke and seeing Icicle nod he turned pensive. When he went back to town, he would be searched anyways. His father, Cus, the guards¡¯ commander would most likely impound all of his gathered loot and then some for tarrying with the given mission. Icicle willing to share half of the profit was like a godsend windfall. He couldn¡¯t tell him though, otherwise the little bastard might try to scam him. ¡­ As Icicle and Adian traveled through the forests with many players in tow, a group of Rogues in stealth scurried through the woods, looking for prey. News of the large event has long since spreaded, making the players who recently gathered good loot a perfect target for Player Killers. ¡°Look at all those fat sheep. They don¡¯t even see it coming.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pick on those at the back. There¡¯s a strong looking NPC walking in front.¡± The stealthed figures quickly moved through the shrubs, finding a position to lay in ambush. Icicle looked at the left side of the road with amusement. ¡°Oh? You felt them too? You¡¯ve improved yet again.¡± Adian guffawed. At the back of the crowd, many players were harassed by PKs. ¡°Heh, you goddamn idiots, you actually think you can get through us?! Look at our armor! What can you do with those shoddy weapons of yours? Kill them all!¡± one of the returnees screamed as he and his friends engaged the Rogues. As their skills were unleashed and the battle proceeded, the squishy Rogues without equipment and healers died one by one. Their leader was quickly alarmed. ¡°To hell with being sneaky! Let¡¯s get on the main road and get rid of them!¡± With the shout of their leader a group of over two hundred PKs of various classes walked into the forest. Icicle walked with Adian in front, chatting merrily, when a black-haired burly guy in his thirties stopped right in front of them, his expression severe. ¡°I see you¡¯re returning from a great harvest brothers, how about you share with us?¡± he said with a devilish grin. Completely ignoring the guy, Adian and Icicle moved forward, passing him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?!¡± The burly guy reached out with his large hand and grabbed Icicle¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hand out all of your belongings or-¡± Bang! His face distorting, the burly guy merely saw a flash, then his teeth started hurting. -70 What kind of concept was this! Merely one punch dealt 70 points of damage! As the leader was about to retaliate, his whole being shuddered. He felt an unprecedented fear coursing through his body. Every single fiber of his being screamed danger! He wanted to run yet he was unable to, his legs went limp from fear! Six consecutive punches landed on his face like a Dempsey Roll, making his head fly from the left to the right. His teeth were flying about, blood spraying from his mouth. His face unwilling, he mustered up his willpower and tried to struggle, but his legs were like lead, unable to move! Bang! Sixth consecutive punch landed on his swelled face. With the last sliver of health gone, he turned into particles. All of this happened in merely 3 seconds! In just 3 seconds whole 300 hit points were gone¡­ ¡°What!¡± the players and PKs around stared dumbfoundedly. Everything happened so fast that they couldn¡¯t comprehend it. How could someone kill their leader without even unsheathing their weapon?! This Icicle guy simply punched him to death, as if he was a sandbag! Icicle turned to Adian, hands behind his back. ¡°So, what happened then?¡± ¡°Like I said, there was this enormous bear, large diagonal scar across its right eye, about to tackle me. My weapon was laying on the side, I was barehanded, that¡¯s when I thought of¡­¡± They continued walking down the road as if nothing at all happened, while the stares from the people nearby bore holes in them. Faura turned her head towards Inferno and FieryRed who gaped, their mouths opened so wide that a quail¡¯s egg could fit in there. ¡°Do you still think we should have hidden the loots from him?¡± FieryRed and Inferno shook their heads like bells, their response almost automatic. FieryRed¡¯s expression soon brightened, her eyes twinkled like the stars ¡°Awesome!¡± she kept muttering under her nose. She gripped the hilt of her new sword tightly. Player Killers looked on dumbfoundedly, finding this outcome hard to accept. Their leader was a Warrior, he naturally had a high health. What¡¯s more they were sure their leader did some extra push ups on the training course, getting a few points in the vitality stat. How could he fall so quickly? ¡°Kill that guy and then focus on the rest!¡± came a scream from their party chat. As PKs were relaying the leader¡¯s message, their leader, Belis, was gritting his teeth. He was placed in jail! There was an option to bail out, but every kill cost him 1 gold coin. How could he afford such a luxury? What¡¯s more, it appears this price applied only to the beginner area. The prison guards told him that because it¡¯s his first misdemeanor, he was given a preferential treatment, thus the lighter sentence. At the future stages of the game, the bail will be in hundreds if not thousands of gold coins¡­ There was one thing that saddened Belis greatly. It wasn¡¯t the stone walls which were cold, nor the lack of proper, velvety bed. He wanted to formulate a plan for jailbreak. His group was quite numerous after all. Some were prone to die. With a lot of time to think, he could make a plan and earn their gratitude, solidifying his position. That¡¯s when he saw the pop up before him.
<> You were imprisoned for the crimes you¡¯ve commited! Your status will be restored to normal once you¡¯re released. Sentence time: 2 hours. This is a special area, not connected to the rest of the world. You will be retuned to your spawning point once your sentence is finished. Every attempt of jailbreaking will result in the prolongation of the sentence. To prevent players from dodging their jail time, every 3 hours while logged out counts as 1 hour in imprisonment. Please note that as the sentence time decreases, the required amount of gold for bail lowers exponentially. Current bail is set at 2 gold coins.
Seeing this message made Belis realize he made a mistake. There was no way to get out of this imprisonment. He basically had sent all of his followers into a trap! He started furiously shouting for his comrades to withdraw, but it was already too late. The goons formed groups and jumped into action. ¡°Is it time for some brawling?¡± Adian guffawed contentedly. As soon as he did, an arrow lodged itself into his shoulder. He looked at Icicle with a gaze that said ¡°Why did you dodge it?¡± Icicle shrugged and continued pummeling the PKs with his fists. Each time he did, 30 true damage applied, making his attacks devastating. What¡¯s more, every 5 seconds a bolt of mana struck, dealing additional 35 damage, 10% of his maximum mana. The burly leader sat in his cell, sighing. More and more people appeared around him, some directly in his cell, others in the cells nearby. Their screams echoed in the desolate corridors of the prison. Icicle and the rest picked up the scraps left by the Player Killers. Those PKs didn¡¯t have much equipment to begin with, so most of the items dropped were the tutorial rewards and some copper coins. Better something than nothing. ¡­ Meanwhile at the Assassins¡¯ Guild, one of the players finished a tiresome Wild Dogs grind quest. He had to kill a staggering amount ¨C 300 of them! Only then was he eligible to receive a follow up quest. In front of him stood a stooped, wizened old man. Despite the old age, his blue eyes radiated fierceness. Merely his aura made one feel overwhelmed. ¡°Young one, you did well thinning out the Wild Dogs¡¯ population. However, there is a task I must burden you with, one that I am not sure you can complete.¡± the wizened old man said, an expression of excitement on his old face.
[Capture the mysterious Black Hound!] [Special] Assassins¡¯ Guild is greatly interested in any news regarding Dark element and poison concocting. Inhabitants of Vilen Town claim that they have seen a [Black Hound] capable of leading a large Wild Dogs¡¯ group. What¡¯s more, it could go invisible, attacking its prey from the shadows. Find out if the rumors were true, and if so, capture the [Black Hound] and bring it back! Rewards: Relationship with the Assassin¡¯s Guild improves, experience, a unique weapon.
¡°Rest assured, leader. Curtis will bring this hellish creature back shortly!¡± the player bowed, extremely humble. ¡°Good. Travel safely then, young adventurer.¡± the old man said as he disappeared into the shadows. Curtis smiled inwardly. His forum searching finally yielded results. The rewards from this chain quest could be even better if there¡¯s a follow up! He quickly dashed to the grasslands of Vilen Town, looking for his prey. Chapter 13 Icicle traveled with Adian along the road, discovering various new creatures. After the wolves retreated, their territory was taken over by the original inhabitants ¨C [Wild Boars] and [Maws] ¨C giant earthworms that are slow but deal a lot of damage, applying various nasty debuffs. The surrounding areas seemed to finally get back to how they originally were. With the wolf infestation gone, other creatures made their way into the light, providing a variety of new environments and equipment for the players. At the exit of the forest, just before the grasslands and farms of Vilen Town, Adian stopped and nudged Icicle to transfer his items. ¡°Here, that¡¯s all the furs I collected. You can give me half of the money later.¡± Unexpectedly, the skimping bastard was suddenly meek! Icicle noticed Adian¡¯s weird behavior but didn¡¯t voice his misgivings. He¡¯ll probably learn about them soon, seeing how Adian gazes anxiously at the 5m high walls of Vilen Town. ¡°Where can I sell those for most profit?¡± ¡°Sigh, really? You told me you have this great plan and now this?¡± Adian couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°You can get the best price in the harbor. If you happen to find a merchant who¡¯s embarking to Glacia Kingdom that is. Otherwise, you should sell it to the Tailor, Marisse. She¡¯s a nice middle-aged lady with fair prices.¡± ¡°Thanks Adian, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± In Icicle¡¯s head the wheels started turning. His previous plan seemed rather bland now. This new information simply changed too much. A lot of players were hunting wolves after all, there won¡¯t be any deficit of furs anytime soon. However, if he were to secure a trade between the merchants embarking to the Glacia Kingdom, where as the tooltip on one of the items said, it¡¯s frighteningly cold, he could earn a fortune! Thinking about it, his mouth curled into a devious, impish smile. He was about to rejoice when something hostile entered his [Sense presence] range. Moving quickly in stealth, a 1m long black dog with the features resembling a genuine wolf was about to sink his teeth deep into Icicle¡¯s neck, like a vampire thirsting for blood. Whoosh! Icicle¡¯s right hand instinctively jolted, blocking the trajectory of the hound, forcing it to sink its teeth into his forearm. -35! Icicle¡¯s gloating face instantly turned sour. He was so full of himself, thinking of a possibility of a great hidden quest and now the pain brought him back. His face grimacing, he struck the black creature¡¯s head with his open palm. -70 Black Hound yelped, its mind shook, rattling like a drum. The damage of this human was ridiculous! It couldn¡¯t believe that a human could actually be this strong! It killed a lot of humans before, they were weak, completely incapable of sensing, not to mention hitting it. But not this human! This person reacted and blocked its fatal attack with his arm! Why did this human feel so overwhelming though? It couldn¡¯t understand! Black Hound bared its teeth and was about to enter stealth to launch yet another deadly attack when Icicle glared at it. His gaze petrifying, the air around him rippling, like an endless void. [Soundless Fear]! The Black Hound finally understood. The howl that came from the human sounded more terrifying than one of its great great ancestor. No wonder it was scared! This human has to be the reincarnation of the ancestor! Yes, he must be! How can the human be so powerful otherwise? Icicle grabbed the Black Hound by the scruff, lifting it. He looked at it with disdain, snorted and threw it to the side like a sack of rotten potatoes. If Black Hound had any misgivings before, they were all gone. Reincarnated ancestor found him unsatisfying! This pride of an ancient race, it had to be the ancestor¡¯s spirit that underwent reincarnation! Black Hound was now fully aware that it must appeal to the ancestor to take it under his wing! Meanwhile, Icicle disregarded the dog completely. He traded with Adian, taking most of his belongings for sell. He also used him to identify his boss and event loot. As the group of players approached the enormous gates of Vilen Town, beginners hunting Wild Dogs all around them gaped with confused expressions. There was a level 7 Black Hound jumping around, barking, performing tricks around someone in the front. Icicle who wanted to stay low-key before he gets his set and experience fixed became the center of attention yet again. ¡°The last thing I wanted!¡± he cursed under his breath. ¡°All because of this black whelp!¡± He approached the guards who stood by the town gates and was about to enter when they stopped him, crossing their halberds. ¡°You cannot bring wild monsters into the town, adventurer. You have to tame it or leave it outside.¡± one of them spoke sternly, brandishing his sharp weapon. Black Hound saw that its ancestor was threatened and growled fiercely at the guard. Icicle looked at it and couldn¡¯t understand why is the critter following him. However, if he didn¡¯t do anything about it then he couldn¡¯t enter the town. Those guards didn¡¯t seem too keen on helping him out either. ¡°You¡¯re not attacking me anymore so it would be a waste to kill you.¡± Icicle sighed inwardly. ¡°What do you want? Are you hungry?¡± Woof! Icicle examined his inventory. There was a ton of wolf meat. He planned to give a piece to the whelp, but when he looked at the Black Hound who resembled a wolf more than a dog, he considered it a cannibalism and decided against it. Thus, he took out a slab of wild boar meat, crouched and handed it over to the hound. Ancestor was giving it food! What a benevolent ancestor! Black Hound rejoiced and gladly munched on the tasty meat. It was far better than human meat. It looked at its ancestor appreciatively, barking happily. When Icicle saw the happy dog wagging its tail, his heart softened a little and he patted its head. ¡°Now go. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡± he made a ¡°shoo¡± gesture. He turned around, about to walk past the guards. Ding!
<> Congratulations adventurer! You¡¯ve succesfully tamed the [Black Hound]!
¡°Eh?¡± Icicle made a 180 degrees turn and stood petrified. The Black Hound was nuzzling his right leg and merrily wagging its tail. ¡°Ancestor, ancestor! Can you hear me?¡± the voice rang out in Icicle¡¯s head. He looked around, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish the speaker. ¡°It¡¯s me ancestor, look down!¡± Black Hound continued wagging its tail happily. Icicle stared at the black dog and couldn¡¯t believe that telepathy existed in Loiterous. He blinked twice, rubbing his eyes afterwards, then pinched his right arm. The pain he felt told him that it wasn¡¯t a hallucination. ¡°Ancestor, give me a name!¡± Black Hound¡¯s soft voice rang out as it stood on its hind paws and playfully propped itself against Icicle. ¡°Your new name is¡­ Blackie!¡± Thinking for a while Icicle declared. He used his subordinate¡¯s nickname as a name for a dog. If only Bob knew¡­ ¡°Blackie! That¡¯s a great name ancestor, thank you!¡± the hound¡¯s soft voice rang out again. Ding!
<> You have completed the taming process. Please take good care of your new familiar. Its loyalty at first will be low, hence it¡¯s possible that it can leave you if you abuse it or don¡¯t satisfy its needs. Have fun in Loiterous adventurer.
A new pop-up appeared.
Familiar¡¯s status: Name: Blackie Level: 1 HP: 80 Race: Mutant Element: Dark Loyalty: Fanatical Special skills: Stealth Summoning requirements: None Notice: You can unsummon your familiar by issuing a command to unsummon or simply saying ¡°return¡±. Please note that this action is not available in the middle of combat.
¡°Fanatical loyalty, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be low? It¡¯s calling me its ancestor for some reason. Maybe Silverfang¡¯s howl made a wrong impression on it?¡± Icicle pondered as he looked at the new, forced familiar. ¡°Listen up Blackie, I have a lot of things to do now, so I¡¯ll have to unsummon you. We¡¯ll discuss things later.¡± Icicle patted it a few times and unsummoned the hound. ¡°Alright ancestor, I understand. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± rang out the dog¡¯s excited voice from Icicle¡¯s head. A new tattoo appeared on his left forearm, resembling a black hound with an open maw. The spectators all around stared with wide opened mouths. Icicle actually tamed a Black Hound by giving it meat and patting it a little! The players stared at each other, then on their friends and finally on the map. They discussed which familiar they should get. After all, the tutorial stated that the chance to tame a creature was low and it first needed to be beaten! But Icicle didn¡¯t beat the hound, he just struck it once and then fed it, petting it a little. Since he could do it, so could they! As if on cue, a few hundred players forewent the free identifying process of Adian and rushed out into the various corners of the beginner area to get their new pet! FieryRed envied Icicle. He already had a familiar. But it quickly passed, as she resolved herself to find a tanky pet just like her, so they can both ram into the players, enjoying the true beauty of the game. Adian watched all of the happenings with a wide smile on his face. Lady Fortune seemed to be smiling upon his disciple. He hoped that this would carry on so he could profit big time as well. ¡°Move! Out of the way!¡± came voices from inside the town. The guards on duty respectfully stood to the side, lowering their heads. When Adian heard those voices his expression immediately turned sour. ¡°Here!¡± he gave Icicle his items back and whispered ¡°Find me later. I need to go.¡± Icicle woke up from his daze. Blackie has preoccupied him for a minute. He looked around and saw that there¡¯s a regiment of guards coming through. ¡°Commander!¡± the guards shouted respectfully. ¡°Here you are!¡± rang out an authorative voice. Middle-aged man in his forties with brown hair and hardened face came forward and grabbed Adian by the collar. ¡°You were supposed to come back a week ago! Goddamnit, you¡¯re a Guards¡¯ Captain!¡± he barked. His name was Cus. The description above his head was the following: ¡°Vilen Town¡¯s Guards¡¯ Commander ¨C Cus¡±. Players all around stared as the ¡°Merchant Adian¡± was dragged away by the guards. The two guards on duty sighed, shaking their heads ¡°Such a mischievous son.¡± Icicle caught on that conversation. He finally realized why Adian was injured. It wasn¡¯t Atlas who hurt him but Fleeting Violet Direwolf! Disposing of Atlas was just a bait! He wanted the Fleeting Violet Direwolf to come so he could get rid of the whole wolf infestation. That event wasn¡¯t caused by Icicle finding Leila, but by Adian entering the perimeter! ¡°That cunning son of a bitch! He was playing me all along, acting like I was the one extorting him! Just you wait, I¡¯ll cut your share by half!¡± Icicle cursed the ¡°benevolent¡± Adian. ¡°Trainee my ass, he was a Guards¡¯ Captain!¡± Icicle checked his inventory. There were a total of 18000 furs, out of which over 15000 were the low level ones. The furs were considered crafting items so their weight was 0.01kg. This made Icicle rejoice, if not for it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to carry the loot. Aside from that, there were 4000 wolf claws and 3500 pieces of wolf meat. Both wolf claws and the wolf meat counted as crafting ingredients as well. Overall, Icicle¡¯s gathered junk items and equipment weighed around 500kg. Players behind Icicle dispersed into the corners of Vilen Town, looking for the Alchemist to buy health potions and the Blacksmith to repair their gear. Icicle on the other hand hurried over to the harbor, which, according to his map, was located at the south part of the town. Crossing the plaza with the white fountain in the middle, Icicle took a left turn, gazing at the huge marble palace of the ruler, Lord Vilen. Walking futher down the street, Icicle passed by a Mage Guild¡¯s territory and a residential area, where a few empty buildings and small palaces had ¡°for sale¡± boards. He shook his head thinking that one must be crazy to buy a house in the starting area. Although safe, there wasn¡¯t much to hope for here. It¡¯s a low level area after all.
[Middle-sized Guild Residence] Able to host 3000 members. Cost: 50000 gold. Rent: 5000 gold per month.
The castle-like building made from various grey stones was covered in ivy. It was fenced by a black iron gate, looking sturdy and majestic. Its four watch towers were created to deter any possible assailants. Unfortunately, it was ridiculously pricey. Not only was the buyout cost expensive, it even had a 5000 gold monthly rent¡­ Icicle passed through the eastern gate, using [Soundless Fear] to scare off little lizards and Wild Dogs away under Blackie¡¯s constant praise of his ancestor¡¯s strength. Walking down the winding road down, Icicle gazed at the huge cliff Vilen Town was built on top of. The walls on this side were 8m tall, while the northern side only had 5m tall walls. In Icicle¡¯s opinion if there was truly potential danger from the seaside, such as naval attack or aquatic monsters siege, no matter how high the walls were, they would crumble all the same. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. When Icicle reached the bottom, a white sand beach entered his vision, stretching far and wide. Ten guards were stationed next to the the cliff, as if protecting something important. On the white sand laid a caravan trail, allowing a safe passage for the merchants. A skinny merchant could be heard ordering a horse from a stable nearby. This really was quite a sight, a stable in the middle of the beach. A robust stableman quickly reigned in a huge creature he was currently tending to and made his way outside. It was a huge grey rhinoceros! That stableman was actually a Beastmaster, employed by Vilen Town to help the merchants transport their cargo. The rhinoceros pulled a huge wooden cart, followed by two guards on each side, securing the short, but safe caravan route. Icicle moved in closer to take a look. The guards at the sides of the cliff made some signs and the cliff opened like a proverbial sesame, showing an entire regiment of elite guards, behind which was a storage and a magic-powered round elevator platform. Rhinoceros pulled the cart in and the cliff closed, restoring its former undamaged appearance. Icicle took note of the secret passage and decided to get a better look of the place. With the stable located at the east side of the beach, the west side was dedicated to travelling merchants, mercenaries and travellers. A spacious wooden inn was built on a stone platform on top of the sand. One of the inn¡¯s workers was dusting off the wooden steps leading to the entrance. On the first floor of the inn, a middle-aged woman dressed in maid outfit was cleaning the cloudy windows. Laughter from the drunk people inside the establishment echoed throughout the beach. The pier in front of the cliff spanned for kilometres, made out of brown, sturdy oak wood. Based on the little wooden post stuck in the ground before it, Lord Vilen invited Acalen Kingdom¡¯s mages to fortify the pier, inscribing various barriers and strengthening inscription patterns on the submerged logs of wood. The entire place bustled with activity, on the forefront of the pier were small stalls with fresh products where many residents of Vilen Town bought their groceries. Further in was Navy Services Guild where one could hire an entire crew for your ship. Next to it stood the Mercenary Guild, providing escort for the caravans. Both of those were apparently certified by Lord Vilen and their actions reflected on his authority and dignity. On the opposite site of them was a large market, people simply called it ¡°Bazzar¡±. The experienced, sly merchants sold their esoteric goods there. In the middle of the pier stood guards¡¯ barracks and houses of the more important officers. Finally, at the end of the pier towered an enormous white stronghold, spanning a few kilometres. Fortified stone watchtowers, cannons and braziers. Atop the walls Mages, Archers and Warriors stood guard. A few kilometres into the sea, one could see a sinking ship, its mast barely protruding out of the seawater, black flag with a skull perched on top of it. This sight accentuated the might of the stronghold which protected both the traders and the residents of Vilen Town from various calamities like pirates, aquatic monsters and unwanted guests. Icicle walked down the wooden pier, gazing with excitement at huge galleasses, frigates, ships of the line, barques and brigs moored at the port, either fully loaded or in the middle of resupplying its cargo. He was reconsidering his initial choice of the Water Mage. Sailing those ships and encountering dangers sounded like great adventure! He gave it some thought and realized that he can sail as Water Mage later on too, if he decides to do so. The profession was chosen on a whim, but it¡¯s his current top choice. Not giving it further thought, Icicle walked into the Bazzar to check how much he can get for the gathered furs. As he walked in, the loud clamoring of the merchants and customers increased in volume drastically. This place was the haven of traders. Spacious roof provided cover from the blazing sun. Inside the building the air was much cooler than on the outside. This had to improve the public opinion of the place. Stalls of merchants littered the place, there was barely enough space for customers and guards to walk through. Windows on the sides of the building made a just right amount of light enter, illuminating the Bazzar without making the eyes of the customers squint. Various scents assaulted the nostrils; fish, fruits, seafood, beef, chickens. All kinds of meat and vegetables were sold, even various kinds of exotic food like worms and alligators, roasted, grilled and boiled. ¡°Ancestor, ancestor¡­¡± Blackie screamed inside Icicle¡¯s head upon seeing all the delicacies the humans indulged themselves with. Passing the stalls of the enthusiastic merchants advertising their goods, Icicle gave in and bought five small smoked fishes for the incessantly talking Blackie, costing him 1 silver. If he didn¡¯t, the dog wouldn¡¯t stop grumbling. Free from the black, furry curse assaulting his ears, Icicle took in everything and became excited. This was an area where you could buy almost anything! From watermelons to sharp swords! From armors to delicacies! Icicle decided to buy some lemonade from the trader, paying 5 silver for a few litres. As he took a sip, a feeling of citrus refreshment coursed through his body.
Your fatigue is slowly recovering.
Reminding himself not to spend everything just because he has 2 gold coins, Icicle moved towards the armor and weapon selling merchants. Amongst them there was one old man with long beard, surrounded by three robust, burly men. Their weapons were worn from battle. Cracks spreaded through their sturdy leather armors, resembling claws of a huge beast. They seemed experienced. Icicle decided to get some information from them. ¡°Welcome young man, what do you need?¡± the old man raised his head and asked amiably, flashing his trademark merchant smile. ¡°Hello sir. I¡¯m looking for someone who¡¯s interested in buying wolf furs. Do you know of anyone in particular?¡± ¡°Wolf furs? You¡¯ve come to the right address young one! I¡¯m embarking to the Kingdom of Glacia in 40 minutes! Show me what you have.¡± the old man¡¯s expression brightened when he heard the words ¡°wolf furs¡±. It was a troublesome task to hunt down the wolves at Glacia Kingdom, where those critters were much stronger. The climate of Minaeryth Kingdom played a huge role too, it allowed the wolves to spread. However, due to the hot weather, their furs were thinner. This was offset by the possibility of buying them in bulk and then sewing them together, creating warm coats for a small amount of money. For a noble merchant such as Bingus, money wasn¡¯t too much of a problem. All he cared about was face and the prestige in his homeland. ¡°Here you go sir, these are the furs I have.¡± Icicle took out an example of each fur he possessed, presenting it to the merchant. ¡°Let me see.¡± Bingus¡¯s smile waned as his face turned serious. He wore a monocle and examined the furs. ¡°This one is from the common type of wolf, but five of those sewn together can become quite a warm coat for poor people. I¡¯ll give you 3 copper for each. This one on the other hand is sturdier, more resilient, it¡¯s from a rare variant, yes? Hehe, I know my stuff young man. I¡¯ll give you 15 copper for each of these. Oh? This one comes from a direwolf! A thinned out bloodline, but the fur is excellent. For these¡­ I can give you as much as 1 silver each!¡± ¡°Alright then, thank you for the evaluation. I¡¯ll check with the other traders and get back to you.¡± Icicle collected the items and started walking back to check the prices with the other merchants and then comparing them with the Tailor Marisse Adian recommended. ¡°Wait young one! Come on over.¡± Bingus gestured, his expression turning somber. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Those furs are worth 3 coppers in every stall. However, I¡¯m going to profit from them anyways, so I can raise the price a little. I¡¯ll give you 4 coppers instead of 3 for each one! What do you say?¡± Bingus flashed his trademark smile again, appearing magnanimous. ¡°Ten coppers each and we have a deal.¡± Icicle said curtly, not bothering with the sly merchant. Realizing he was tricked by Adian made him wary, thus the sudden offer. ¡°Ten?!¡± Bingus stood up, outraged. ¡°I¡¯ll give you six, that¡¯s my last offer!¡± ¡°So it is worth around ten, huh?¡± Icicle inferred, not showing anything on his face. Three bodyguards on the side guffawed, whispering to each other. ¡°This young man is crazy, trying to bargain with Bingus. I haven¡¯t seen anyone getting the better of the old man in years.¡± ¡°Just let him do his thing, we haven¡¯t seen the old man being so lively in a while.¡± the other looked with amusement. ¡°Ten coppers each or I¡¯m going to sell it to the Tailor. Your choice.¡± Icicle didn¡¯t budge at all. ¡°Y-You! Ten coppers my ass! No one will give you such a price!¡± Bingus yelled resentfully. ¡°You¡¯d have to sell in bulk to get a price of eight, yet you want ten?!¡± ¡°What does in bulk represent for you?¡± Icicle glared with disdain at the old man, comparing him to a stray dog. He knew that acting up is the only way to extort the merchant. ¡°Thousands! Bring me two thousand furs like that and hell, I¡¯ll give you 9 coppers per fur!¡± Bingus declared loudly, letting all the merchants around hear. His loud voice gathered their attention earlier, even the nearby customers enjoyed this spectacle, viewing it with curiosity. It wasn¡¯t everyday that someone tried to extort the Bazzar¡¯s regular merchant. Those were too sly and cunning, experienced in their trade. ¡°Two thousand?¡± Icicle made an expression of outrage. Bingus saw it and laughed out loud, patting Icicle¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Haha, is that too much for you young man? Alright then, the old man will be magnanimous with you! Bring this old man 2000 wolf furs and he¡¯ll give you not 9, not even 10, but 12 coppers a piece!¡± Bingus declared. He had nothing to lose as he was about to embark to Glacia Kingdom. ¡°Really?¡± Icicle looked at him with puppy eyes, on the verge of crying. ¡°Of course! Let it be known that I, Bingus, am always true to my word! I¡¯ll buy every single fur from you as long as they are above two thousand in number! The price for rare ones will be very satisfying as well! These people all around can be witnesses of our conversation!¡± Bingus straightened his stooped back, showing the pride of the northern people. As soon as he said that, he turned around, about to sit on his wooden stool, gloating at the victory over a shameless young man. ¡°Deal!¡± Icicle shouted. Bingus skeptically turned around and saw a nightmare of his life. If someone told him it was real, he wouldn¡¯t dare believe. A little devil stood in front of him, emanating pure greed, his impish grin spreading from ear to ear. Icicle pressed on the 15000 stack in his inventory and let it slowly pour out. Surrounding people looked on, flabbergasted, as the mountain of wolf furs formed, blocking the whole passage. Icicle walked around it to see Bingus and reached out with his hand to shake the withered palm. ¡°14500 furs, 12 coppers each, giving a total of 17 gold coins and 40 silver. It¡¯s a pleasure doing business with you.¡± Bingus stood on the side, staggering. The profit he¡¯ll make from this furs now dwindled to almost nothing¡­ He started thinking if he should just donate this entire mountain of furs to the royal family to earn their favor. ¡°Pack it up quickly!¡± Recovering from his daze, Bingus shouted to the bodyguards behind him. They didn¡¯t laugh anymore, for they understood that they¡¯re the ones who need to load those furs on the ship. Getting a handsome amount of gold, Icicle turned to Bingus and said ¡°So you will be here for another half an hour, right? I¡¯ll be right back, prepare to empty your pockets, old man!¡± he turned to the door and sprinted away. Regulars of the Bazzar laughed at the misery of the old man. He was actually played by a young man in his twenties. A new adventurer at that. Bingus was depressed. He wanted to show off and let other feel the pride of the northern people, but he was actually extorted by an actor! A young¡¯un! He considered packing his things up and sailing away immediately, but the commotion this mountain of fur caused couldn¡¯t be simply forgotten. The people of Vilen Town, which deals with Minaeryth Kingdom, will remember this day. If he wants to return here then he needs to keep his promise. Mages of Acalen Kingdom don¡¯t even bother selling lowly crafting items such as furs. As for the Qured Kingdom, their climat is so hot that wolves don¡¯t even live there¡­ Forced into staying, Bingus plopped into the ground, shaking his head from time to time, trying to get the nightmare out of his head and praying that the young man won¡¯t make it in time¡­ Icicle ran at top speed towards the Vilen Town. He took a sip of lemonade to refresh himself and opened his friends list. He sent a message to Faura. Closing the window, his devilish grin widened. ¡°I¡¯ll finally be rich!¡± He checked the map and pinpointed the location of the Hunter from the forums. On the screenshot, this Hunter had a mountain of low level wolf furs behind him, thus Icicle decided to earn as much as he can, resolved to buyout his whole stock! Chapter 14 Icicle sprinted uphill, tripping on a few jagged stones on the way, barely keeping his balance. As soon as he passed the eastern gate, the nearby Wild Dogs stormed after him. Apparently they were one of the aggresive type of monsters, attacking without aggroing them. However, to Icicle they were but a child¡¯s play. Thirty additional true damage from his jewelry and 35 bonus magic damage every 5 seconds from the earrings made him a force to be reckoned with. He didn¡¯t mind the Wild Dogs attacking him, it was akin to playing fetch, only that one party had the sword. Because of the level difference there was no loot. This system was likely implemented to prevent players from farming gear endlessly. Icicle¡¯s experience gain was negligible. Thus, he decided to summon Blackie to get let him get some levels. Since he¡¯s forced into having him, then he might as well make the fanatical dog useful. ¡°Ancestor, ancestor! Look how powerful I am, those little critters are running away!¡± Blackie wagged its tail playfully, chasing after its former allies, the Wild Dogs. Icicle smiled helplessly. He didn¡¯t have time to waste, otherwise he would walk slowly and enjoy the scene of Blackie chasing after his kind, contesting the kills with the beginner players. Those struggling players cast envious gazes at Icicle. ¡°If you do well, I¡¯ll reward you with that smoked fish I bought.¡± Icicle enticed Blackie to kill even more Wild Dogs so he can earn his level up. It was hard to determine how much experience Blackie needed as the tooltip didn¡¯t state anything. As Icicle moved further into the forest, he spotted low level wolves, wild boars and half meter orange-brown ants with shiny, metallic exoskeleton. Blackie was having trouble against higher leveled monsters so Icicle helped him out whenever it was convenient. The rest of the monsters were disregarded, terrified by the [Soundless Fear]. Ten minutes have passed, Icicle made it into the small hunter village. It was stockaded with sharpened logs, its wooden gates were over 4m high, reinforced by iron. Entering the crude and simple village of Hunters, Icicle asked around and was quickly able to locate one of the main figures of the village ¨C Jasik. Jasik was a tall black-haired man with a silver longbow strapped on his back. He wore a couple of knives on his large leather belt. ¡°Hello sir, I heard you¡¯re selling wolf furs?¡± Icicle asked through his panting, drinking some of the lemonade he bought earlier. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve found the right person adventurer, how many do you need?¡± Jasik relaxed his crossed arms, appearing extremely honest and attentive. ¡°Damn, all of those NPCs are hard to deal with!¡± Icicle thought, quickly thinking of a way to not sell himself short. A pop up appeared before Icicle and he saw that the price of the furs was set at 4 copper coins a piece. There were 10000 furs available. Icicle had to lower the price if he wanted to make a great profit! ¡°Listen sir, I¡¯m trying to become a Merchant and it¡¯s really hard to start one¡¯s business. With the recent wolf infestation gone, the price of furs will plummet quickly. I need to buy a lot of the hot commodity right now if I am to make a profit in the Glacia Kingdom¡­¡± Jasik recognized the meaning of those words. The dashing young man in front of him wanted a discount! What¡¯s more, he clearly struck a blow below the belt, highlighting the soon to be plummeting price of the furs. ¡°That¡¯s not enough young man, who knows if your friends don¡¯t make coats out of those items? What if the number of furs doesn¡¯t actually increase but become a rare commodity?¡± Jasik argued. He didn¡¯t want to lose out too much on the deal. ¡°Sir, with all due respect, since you¡¯re a Hunter, you must be experienced in the ways of the bow. You can always ask a few beginners like me to collect furs for you. As a reward you can give them some tips and tricks.¡± Icicle drilled the Hunter futher, trapping him in his net like an Arachne. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that!¡± Jasik exclaimed, quickly covering his mouth with his scarred hand. ¡°Ekhm, what discount are we talking about?¡± ¡°What do you say about 3 copper coins per wolf fur?¡± Icicle flashed a bright smile, appearing like an honest to the bone youth in a dire need of help. ¡°Alright young man, you¡¯re new to this world so let this old man help you out.¡± Jasik already counted all of the free transactions he can make off the adventurers, making him want to jump with glee! Considering the possibility of the plummeting price of his quite numerous commodity, he exclaimed ¡°Three coppers per fur it is!¡± ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll buy all of your stock!¡± Icicle shook the man¡¯s hand as his expression brightened, revealing endless gratitude. His eyes twinkled like the stars, even a lone tear swirled up in one of them. He didn¡¯t look one bit like a swindler who just extorted the poor NPC¡­ ¡°W-Whole stock?¡± Jasik stammered. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time before my competitors sniff out the occassion and depart before me. Please senior, I have to depart quickly!¡± he urged. With one touch of Icicle¡¯s hand the whole mountain of wolf furs disappeared, accomodating itself in his inventory. ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± Icicle bowed and threw three gold coins to the Hunter, sprinting away. Jasik gripped the three gold coins tightly. This was a huge profit! He quickly gathered all of his hunter friends, throwing a big feast to commemorate the occasion. As the Hunters talked, Jasik shared his experience with the adventurer. All of the Hunters quickly agreed to make their new Archer recruits gather wolf furs for them¡­ Icicle dashed back with Blackie in tow, rewarding him with one of the recently purchased smoked fish for gaining a level. Blackie¡¯s HP increased to 90, gaining ten points just like a player would. Icicle wasn¡¯t too thrilled about it since he wanted to use Blackie for tanking if need be. To his dismay, Blackie seemed like an aggresive, assassin-like pet, which wasn¡¯t bad, just not what Icicle currently needed. Killing off a few creatures on the way back, Icicle monitored the time. He had to get to the harbor before the 30 minute time limit is up, otherwise all of his efforts will go down the drain.
From: Icicle To: Faura I: Did you get it? F: I did, whole 3000 pieces. I wish we had more time to gather them¡­ I: That¡¯s aplenty. Meet me at the eastern gate, make sure to have a stack of it ready! F: Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you there.
Icicle told Blackie not to show off. Having a familiar was already drawing too much attention. Arriving at the gate, Icicle used [Soundless Fear] to scare away the horde of Wild Dogs, letting Blackie take care of them soon after. He was helpless as the dog constantly called out ¡°Ancestor, ancestor¡± reporting each kill with glee. ¡°Here you go, 3000 pieces of wolf furs. This was all we could get at the price range you told us about.¡± Faura traded the furs, barely noticing that Icicle put 1 gold coin and an item in before he pressed the okay button. ¡°T-This¡­ t-thank you.¡± she stammered. FieryRed at the side looked discontent, all the errands running made her dissatisfied. ¡°Hmph, such a shameless guy, he just took the furs and ran off like mad. What did you get, sis?¡± she asked playfully. ¡°L-Look at it yourself.¡± Faura shared the window in the party chat.
[White Oak Staff] [Elite] Weapon type: Two-handed staff Magic damage: 20-25 Effects: +5 intelligence +5 wisdom Decreases the skills¡¯ mana usage by 10%. Special effects: Every basic magic attack does additional 5 magic damage. You have 1% chance that the enemies you killed respawn as a White Oak Sapling, aiding you in battle for 90 seconds. Requirements: Mage class, level 18.
FieryRed blinked twice, making sure that what she sees is not an illusion. Seeing the numbers on the staff, she decided not to complain anymore. It actually cost them only half an hour to gain such an item. Icicle drank from his canteen, running down the cliff at neck-breaking pace. He seemed to reach the pier in few leaps. His level of determination to close the deal was comparable to a dehydrated man¡¯s on a desert, who happened to lay his eyes on a boundless oasis. He had to get it done! Icicle spotted Bingus loading his ship and loudly exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m back old man!¡± Bingus didn¡¯t turn. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t hear the evil voice of a young adventurer, he didn¡¯t want to hear it. He didn¡¯t want to turn either. All he wanted to do was to board the ship and sail away, washing his shame away amongst the rumbling sea waves. ¡°Look at those goodies, I brought you 13000 wolf furs!¡± Icicle rubbed his hands in delight. ¡°You really made it, huh?¡± Bingus craned his head, his old eyes revealing endless despair. If he considered the cost of transport, his earnings of the deal amounted to nothing. His only hope was to donate those furs to the royal family and pray that they are satisfied with his gift. Handing over 14 gold coins and 60 silver, Bingus sighed, heading over to the ready to depart ship when Icicle¡¯s voice stopped him. ¡°Hey old man Bingus, I need a favor.¡± ¡°What more could you want? Do you have more furs? Rare ones?¡± Bingus¡¯s eyes lit up, rare furs were much more useful to him. Even if the price was exaggerated he would buy them. ¡°I do, but they¡¯re not for sale. Listen, I have a great deal to discuss.¡± Icicle extinguished Bingus¡¯s hopes as soon as they were kindled. ¡°Oh really, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Bingus walked closer, pretending to listen attentively. ¡°Do you know of any cook or blacksmith I can use?¡± Icicle whispered, putting a great deal of importance on his every word. ¡°What? That¡¯s what you wanted to ask me! Why would I even help you?¡± Bingus replied in outrage. What a ridiculous youth! He wanted to shame him even further! ¡°Listen, listen. Those people at the Bazzar laughed at you, right? But if they were swindled by me, then they wouldn¡¯t be able to! If that alone doesn¡¯t convince you, I¡¯ll give you the location of a person who sells furs for dirt cheap, 3 coppers a piece!¡± Icicle flashed his bright, innocent smile. No one would think he¡¯s someone who actually plays dirty. Bingus turned pensive. He indeed wanted to get back at those Bazzar merchants. His reputation suffered, but if others¡¯ were to suffer as well, he could recover! What¡¯s more, Icicle offered him a very juicy piece of information. He might as well ¡°help¡± this youth out. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll aid you this once. But you have to tell me about the man first.¡± Bingus said with a serious expression, trying to maintain the vestiges of his dignity. ¡°Sure, I fully trust you, old man.¡± Icicle signaled Blackie telepathically to board the ship and execute his plan if the old man dared to deceive him. ¡°The man¡¯s name is Jasik, he¡¯s a one of the Hunters in a small village south-west from here. If you exit the eastern gate of Vilen Town and travel north you¡¯ll get there.¡± ¡°Alright, here are the two people you can trust. Tell them you come from me.¡± Bingus took out a parchment of paper and scribbled two names along with some barely readable message. Thanking Bingus, Icicle moved on into other pressing issues. ¡°Now that I¡¯m done with the business, I should get my experience fixed.¡± Icicle looked for the options menu and found the ¡°report bug¡± menu. He typed in ¡°My experience thresholds are too high. Can you guys fix it?¡± shamelessly omitting his history with Nix. Feeling relieved of the burden, leaving his case in the ¡°capable¡± hands of the developers, Icicle marched into the Bazzar, asking around for the two names listed on the yellow parchment. According to his intelligence gathering, Icicle found out that the listed blacksmith wasn¡¯t really reputable. In fact, he was one of the most notorious people on the Bazzar, shunned by many. Icicle asked Blackie to come back. This kind of Blacksmith was actually one that he needed. If there were too many eyes focused on his new set then he would be targeted. He wasn¡¯t scared of the Player Killers but avoiding them was saving time. Ganish sat on a tree stump in the corner of the Bazzar, hammering a steel sword on his worn, little rusted anvil. He flexed his muscular body, the veins on his arms bulged as the anvil let out clear ¡°clank clang¡± sounds. Icicle approached cautiously, peering at the blacksmith¡¯s work. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± a gruff voice welcomed him. ¡°Indeed, you were recommended to me by Bingus. I hope you can make something for me.¡± Icicle was curt with words. ¡°Bingus? Haha, I don¡¯t know what you did to piss that old man off enough for him to recommend me! Everyone here knows I¡¯m just a drunkard.¡± Ganish played hard to get, dismissing Icicle preemptively. ¡°All the more reason to get you to work. Lone souls tend to seek spiritualization. How¡¯s your craft? I doubt it has diminished and I have something challenging to make.¡± Icicle shoved in the recipe book into Ganish¡¯s big hands. ¡°It had better been worth my time, kid.¡± Ganish took a look at the book and his eyes gradually widened. ¡°This recipe.. where did you get it from?¡± ¡°Does it matter? It wasn¡¯t stolen if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. I need those claws done, so I¡¯m looking for someone capable. Are you up for the task?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t bother extorting Ganish because it was clear as day the man didn¡¯t care about riches. He sat in the corner, hammering at his anvil, free of the material gain curse. All people like him needed was a goal they can work towards. This piece of equipment was something that fit the description. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Sigh, I really cannot let go of this book now that I have my hands on it. Have you spoken to a Tailor yet? You¡¯ll need to have a whole lot more done.¡± Ganish glanced at Icicle with curiosity, his eyes rekindling the long lost shine. Such a recipe was truly a rare commodity. Adventurers who have just came to this world shouldn¡¯t be in a possession of such an item. ¡°I didn¡¯t, I wanted to check in with the Blacksmith first. But I do have someone in mind. So, how much do you want for making these babies?¡± This was the moment of truth for Icicle. ¡°10 gold coins plus the materials.¡± Ganish didn¡¯t bother lowering the prices and spoke bluntly. He could do it for free but then it wouldn¡¯t reflect on his excellent workmanship. ¡°Hmm, I can see you not having access to many materials since your reputation went down. How about this, I¡¯ll give you all of this as payment.¡± As soon as Icicle¡¯s words faded a mountain of wolf claws emerged, 4000 in total. ¡°Hoh? You really have some great stock piled up. Fine, this is worth more than 10 gold coins. I needed more materials to practice on before attempting to make those weapons anyways. I won¡¯t deceive you it¡¯s a really challenging recipe! But, since you were so sincere, I¡¯ll do my best to make you the greatest pair of weapons this world has seen!¡± Ganish¡¯s sullen face brightened up. He quickly stored the pile of wolf claws into the corner, serving as his temporary storage room. ¡°When can I expect them to be done?¡± ¡°Two days. No more, no less.¡± Ganish curtly replied. ¡°Alright. Can you repair this sword before I go?¡± Icicle took off his novice sword and handed it over to Ganish. He didn¡¯t give any of the set back to Adian yet and sure as hell won¡¯t until his own set gets done. ¡°Sure, it won¡¯t be a probem. Wait a minute.¡± Ganish hammered on it for some time under constant watch of Icicle. The small chips on the sword were gone, the steel regained its former shine, even the handle was like new. ¡°It¡¯s on the house.¡± Ganish smiled and gave the sword back. ¡°Thank you.¡± Icicle turned and left. ¡°You¡¯re pretty brave trusting me so blindly, kiddo. Aren¡¯t you going to leave someone behind to watch me?¡± Ganish asked as he saw Icicle¡¯s back, leaving him with a precious pages of the ancient book. ¡°There¡¯s been one beside you the whole time. Come on Blackie, let¡¯s go.¡± Blackie unstealthed next to the blacksmith and trotted after Icicle. Ganish¡¯s pupils constricted when he saw the black hound. A wide smile plastered itself on his hardened face. ¡°What an amusing youngster.¡± he muttered, getting back to work. Icicle lingered a bit in the Bazzar and then travelled to the artisan area, located west of the northern gate, to find the cook on the list ¨C Wurtox. As he crossed the hubbub of artisans, he took note of the location of the Tailor Marisse and the Alchemist¡¯s shop. Afterwards, he strolled into the food store, where according to the residents and few players met on the way cook Wurtox prepared delicious meals. Ding ding ding! The sound of the bell resounded as the door to the kitchen-like store opened. Icicle saw a multitude of goods, from cakes to roasted meat to fruits in chocolate and hundreds of sandwiches on display. All sorts of fragrances assaulted his nostrils, making him drool. Only when he took all of that in did he notice a tall, black-haired middle-aged man with curly bangs on the side of his face sharpening his knives behind the counter. ¡°Welcome customer.¡± the man said amiably. ¡°Take your time choosing your favorite delicacy. If you need anything feel free to hail me.¡± Wurtox experienced a lot in his life, so Icicle¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t something new. If anything, it added to his pride as a well-versed cook. ¡°Are you Wurtox, sir?¡± Icicle asked with hands behind his back, his expression still a little dazzled by all the fragrant food in the store. To his side a few female employees took care of the other adventurers¡¯ and NPCs¡¯ purchases. ¡°Indeed, do you need something? You look like someone who wants to order a unique dish.¡± Wurtox glanced Icicle over from head to toe. The person in front of him radiated a unique feeling, carrying a hint of dangerousness. Those kind of personage often craved new experiences. ¡°Do you perhaps know a merchant called Bingus?¡± Icicle probed, learning from his experience with Ganish. ¡°Hmph, so you¡¯re here to return his debt? Where¡¯s the purse?¡± Wurtox¡¯s brows furrowed, he was constantly delayed by the cunning merchant. He wanted to finally have this annoying experience behind him. Icicle laughed out loud, clutching his stomach. ¡°What are you laughing about? Did that old prick send you here to make fun of me?¡± Wurtox¡¯s disposition changed, as a trace of unique killing aura permeated the room, one of the experienced chef who¡¯s skillful in using the knives. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Icicle suppressed his laughter, taking deep breaths. ¡°It¡¯s just that I extorted that old bag of bones earlier. Then I asked him for some reference and he listed you sir and blacksmith Ganish. I knew he¡¯ll try to cook something up so I had my familiar prepare a surprise for him.¡± ¡°A surprise? What did you do?¡± Wurtox loosened up and asked with interest. The misery of Bingus would definitely better his mood. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that sunken pirate ship in the distance. I have to say that the rats are really similar to cockroaches. They¡¯ll always find a way to survive. I¡¯ve had my familiar here catch a few and plant them on the ship. Come on Blackie, show yourself.¡± Icicle¡¯s grin was wide, like a person¡¯s who accomplished something big. Woof! Blackie unstealthed, showing himself in the shop, wagging its tail happily. It received another smoked fish for his well done job. Every smell in Wurtox¡¯s shop made him drool with excitement but he didn¡¯t dare to interrupt ancestor¡¯s negotiations. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Wurtox exploded with laughter. ¡°You actually pulled one over Bingus! And not even once but twice! This feat deserves a reward! I¡¯ll give you a discount on whatever you want to buy in my humble shop!¡± as he said that, Wurtox threw a piece of meat to Blackie, watching in amusement as the creature devoured the delicacy. Icicle fell silent, he didn¡¯t want to voice out his request near all the other players. They might actually think it¡¯s a quest and bother him later. ¡°Come young one, we¡¯ll talk somewhere else.¡± Wurtox called over some more staff from the back and decided to take a break. He invited Icicle to his office. As Icicle walked through the long corridor, he saw some players making food. They were practicing, making their dishes diligently. ¡°Now then, what matter did you want to discuss?¡± Wurtox asked as he placed down two cups of fragrant tea on the wooden table. ¡°As you probably know, there was a big event today, the wolf infestation was routed, making the area around the town safe again.¡± ¡°Indeed, the prices of furs and other wolf related items will plummet shortly. Could it be that you have some wolf meat to process?¡± Wurtox quickly deduced. Many other adventurers came to sell meat to him earlier. ¡°I do have quite a bit, but I don¡¯t really want to sell it. I want to exchange it.¡± Icicle kept it short. Wurtox and Ganish were both experts. There was no need to sweettalk them since they knew their craft well. Extorting Bingus could only be done once, now that it came out the rest will naturally be more careful. ¡°Exchange it? What for?¡± the cook¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°I¡¯ve checked the prices of bread and it¡¯s dirt cheap at the moment. I thought of making a lot of sandwiches and selling them to the adventurers. Since the ingredients are cheap, I¡¯m sure many would buy them.¡± Icicle indirectly made the offer. ¡°I see. There¡¯s indeed a large interest in homemade products. They¡¯re delicious after all. So, you want to use my reputation to spread the commodity?¡± ¡°There¡¯s really nothing that I can hide from you, huh?¡± Icicle took a sip of the fragrant tea, helpless against the teasing expression of Wurtox. ¡°If you¡¯re hoping for extra rewards then I have to disappoint you. I have looked for wolf meat earlier, but it was already taken care of by other adventurers. You are late.¡± Wurtox put on a helpless smile, enjoying the advantageous position over the man who beat Bingus. ¡°I¡¯m not hoping for anything special. I can pay for the bread and give you 40% of my stock of meat for the sandwiches. Your input will be the condiments that go with them and the preparation. What do you say?¡± Icicle played his role to the dot. ¡°Sixty percent? You sure are ambitious young man.¡± Wurtox sipped his tea, glaring at Icicle with stern gaze. ¡°If it¡¯s over 1000 samples I can agree to 50%.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Icicle took out the wolf meat and one gold coin, placing it on the wooden table. ¡°This should cover the bread expenses. There¡¯s 3000 pieces of wolf meat if you¡¯re wondering.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s quite a lot.¡± Wurtox examined the items, clearly impressed by their quality. After all most of the meat came from Adian who hunted the elite wolves with ease. ¡°I have something else to discuss, an extra so to speak.¡± Icicle continued after giving the cook a breather. ¡°What is it?¡± Wurtox¡¯s gaze softened as he imagined all the dishes he could make with the meat. Sandwiches no longer satisfied him, he had to make something extranordinary! ¡°I saw some pretty tasty looking sandwiches earlier on your display. I¡¯m sure you can do something with this.¡± Icicle placed one of the acorns he received from the Red Devil on the table. It wasn¡¯t the mysterious one, but since it came from Red Devil¡¯s Grove it had to have some immense value. Wurtox looked at the item, somewhat petrified. He struggled to move his hands over to touch it, so Icicle shoved it into his hands. ¡°T-This¡­ How did you¡­?¡± the cook stammered, taking one of the knives out and cutting the acorn in half. Brown liquid spilt from within, emitting a frangrant, sweet aroma. ¡°So you know what it is. Now then, how much can you offer?¡± Icicle continued sipping the tea. Wurtox swallowed his saliva and looked at Icicle seriously. He finally realized why Bingus was taken advantage of! This man played dirty! He used silver bullets during his negotiations with the merchants, striking their vitals! The acorn in front of the cook was of the top quality, closely resembling the nuts used in peanut butter! ¡°How many do you have¡­?¡± Knowing what Icicle did didn¡¯t help the cook. Wurtox had a sweet tooth. This was known far and wide. Bazzar merchants told Icicle this bit of information for a couple silver. According to them Wurtox was often exploited by nobles bringing him unknown recipes or delicious cakes. Unknown to most, peanut butter was one on the top of Wurtox¡¯s list. He just couldn¡¯t find the right ingredients to make it the way he wanted. ¡°Just three pieces, it¡¯s hard to get them. I¡¯m sure you know where they¡¯re from.¡± Icicle spread his arms in a helpless gesture. ¡°I can give you as much as 1 silver per piece. Just because I love peanut butter.¡± Wurtox drooled over the acorn. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a nice offer, but it¡¯s too little.¡± Icicle flatly refused. ¡°Too little?¡± the cook looked on expresionlessly, how could it be too little?! This wouldn¡¯t get more than 20 coppers a piece elsewhere! ¡°Five gold coins and 30% of the sandwiches made and I¡¯ll be willing to hand over 500 pieces.¡± Icicle made his offer. ¡°T-Thirty percent?¡± Wurtox looked at the acorn, sniffing the sweet aroma, his eyes turning bloodshot. He wanted this, but now it was taken away from him. ¡°Twenty percent!¡± he screamed absentmindedly. ¡°Deal.¡± Icicle¡¯s immediate reply made Wurtox sober up. ¡°Damn it I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to give you more than 10%. You¡¯re good. Where did you learn to plant these ideas in people?¡± Wurtox helplessly took out 5 gold coins. Since the deal was made he couldn¡¯t go back on his word. ¡°When will you be done?¡± Icicle disregarded the question, taking the shiny coins away. ¡°You can pick it all up in two days time!¡± Wurtox said confidently, massaging his belly with anticipation. Icicle said his goodbyes and exited the shop. His second to last NPC to visit was the Tailor Marisse Adian recommended to him. Strolling through the busy streets of Vilen Town, Icicle munched on some wild boar meat. The fragrant smells of food from Wurtox¡¯s shop still lingered in his nose, making him hungry. ¡°This workshop sure looks fancy.¡± Icicle commented on the place where Tailor Marisse resided. It was actually a wooden house in the middle of the artisan area. If he didn¡¯t ask the other artisans around Icicle wouldn¡¯t figure out that Tailor Marisse takes her orders in home. Icicle knocked on the door and heard a clear ¡°Enter.¡± from inside. He walked in, seeing a middle-aged lady showing the ropes to new adventurers. ¡°What do you need?¡± Marisse asked, turning her head to the newcomer. She looked to be around 40, yet her face already has some wrinkles. Marisse¡¯s brown hair was disheveled, implying a lot of work or worry. ¡°I came with something special. Can you make it?¡± Icicle handed over the book for Marisse to see. The tailor turned the pages and her expression remained calm. She closed the book and gave it back, flatly refusing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I cannot make it at the moment.¡± Icicle¡¯s face turned sour. This was the NPC he had placed his hopes on! Was there something that prevented Marisse from making the set? From her expression and the way she analyzed the contents he judged that she¡¯s capable. Cough! Just as Icicle was wondering where the problem might lay, a series of dry coughs resounded from the room next door. ¡°Could this be related? And if so, is it a quest?¡± Icicle wondered. Chapter 15 The door hit the wall heavily as Marisse rushed into her daughter¡¯s room. ¡°Baby, are you okay?¡± she asked her feverish daughter, changing the wet cloth on her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine mom. It¡¯s the usual.¡± the pale faced little girl replied. Soon after, Marisse walked out with a worried expression. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± she asked, seeing Icicle in the doorway. ¡°Can I help your daughter somehow?¡± ¡°Look at them.¡± Marisse¡¯s eyes drifted onto her apprentices. A dozen or so players sat on the sofas, trying to sew some shirts. ¡°They tried to help me, yet they couldn¡¯t afford it. How do you differ from any of them? You are new to this world, adventurer. I appreciate your intentions, but you can¡¯t fork out enough for the medicine. Even I can barely earn enough to keep my poor baby girl alive.¡± Marisse sniffed, on the verge of sobbing. Icicle sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Tell me the name of the medicine and where I can get it. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± his gaze was resolute. ¡°You¡¯re still not giving up? I told you-¡± Marisse tried to argue. ¡°I need an experienced Tailor to do the job. Adian recommended you, so I¡¯ll put my faith in that rascal and do the same. If all it takes is to save your daughter, then I don¡¯t mind doing just that.¡± Icicle declared. ¡°Sigh, I have nothing to lose, here it is. And don¡¯t come back here crying that I didn¡¯t warn you, adventurer.¡± Marisse said sternly. This dark-haired adventurer in front of her was too stubborn. Ding!
[Marisse¡¯s daughter] [Unique] Obtain the medicine for the Tailor¡¯s daughter. Ask Alchemist Nurte for more details regarding the medicine. Rewards: Marisse¡¯s gratitude, ???.
¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Icicle exited the house of the tailor and made his way to the Alchemist¡¯s shop on the opposite side of the road. Most of the buildings in Vilen Town were made from wood. Icicle attributed that to the large quantities of the forest around, making the timber cheap. Thus, when he saw the wooden shop of Alchemist Nurte, he wasn¡¯t one bit surprised. Opening the creaky wooden door, a middle-aged man with the bald top of his head and brown curly bangs on the side of his face welcomed Icicle with a smile. ¡°Welcome adventurer, what do you need?¡± There were couple other people in the shop, haggling over the price of potions with the staff. They were flatly rejected. Behind the counter, few other players practiced grounding with mortar and pestle. Icicle looked at them with a smirk. He knew how hard it was. Not only was the process tedious, it was quite tiresome. Alchemist¡¯s job required a lot of patience, both towards the ingredients preparation and the constant failures. ¡°Tailor Marisse sent me.¡± Icicle said curtly, admiring the multitude of glass bottles filled with liquid and powder displayed on the wooden shelves. ¡°Oh, so yet another adventurer came to the rescue. The price is 2 gold for a bottle of medicine. Can you afford it?¡± Nurte looked smugly at Icicle. There was no way new adventurers could raise such a sum. ¡°Will it cure her daughter?¡± Icicle asked. Judging from Marisse¡¯s tone the cure was only temporary. ¡°No, it won¡¯t. It will merely suppress the symptoms for 3 days. Do you still want it?¡± Nurte was quite surprised. People who don¡¯t have any money would rarely ask such a thing. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take one.¡± Icicle placed two gold coins on the stone counter. ¡°So you could actually afford it.¡± Nurte said with praise. Nearby players gazed enviously at Icicle. Some of them had murderous glint within their eyes. ¡°Do you know of a way to cure the daughter permanently?¡± Icicle drilled futher. He could extort Adian thanks to his glib tongue, he might as well try to make Marisse happy, which would reflect on the quality of his set. It¡¯s a one time recipe that he doesn¡¯t want to lose. What¡¯s more, this situation screamed ¡°follow up hidden quest¡±. ¡°There is a way, but¡­¡± Nurte turned pensive. ¡°But what?¡± ¡°You need a special kind of flower for the real remedy. It grows in a dangerous area called [Red Blooming Valley] and it needs to be processed soon after the harvesting. Otherwise, the flower loses all of its healing properties. Even if you had grown wings you wouldn¡¯t be able to carry it over in time for me to make the medicine. I¡¯m sorry young man, but I am no fighter. I can¡¯t go there with you¡­ That¡¯s why it¡¯s nigh impossible to help Marisse¡¯s child.¡± Nurte said with a tinge of regret. ¡°The recipe for the cure, do you have it?¡± Icicle asked briefly. He was an Alchemist too, he could make the cure himself. Besides, gaining skills and advancing his profession was right up his alley. ¡°Well¡­¡± Nurte thought for a while. ¡°I do have it, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s a part of a whole compendium. I can¡¯t sell it separately.¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°How much do you want for the book?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a truly unique item, adventurer. I poured all of my knowledge into it, making it one of the best Intermediary Alchemist Compendiums. What I ask is a humble price of 20 gold coins.¡± Nurte said smugly. He was proud of his lifetime¡¯s work. 20 gold coins was a reasonable sum for him. ¡°20 gold coins you say?¡± Icicle looked at Nurte with reproach, as if he was mentally handicapped. ¡°Who would give you such a ridiculous price?¡± ¡°Hmph, young¡¯un, you don¡¯t know the true value of this piece! If you don¡¯t want it then don¡¯t buy it!¡± The Alchemist said in outrage. His lifetime¡¯s work was being questioned by a new adventurer! Shameless young¡¯un was actually trying to undermine his authority! ¡°Let me ask you this then. Since no one will buy it before they leave for the further areas, who will you sell it to?¡± Icicle started drilling the alchemist just like he did with Bingus, Jasik and Wurtox. ¡°Eh..¡± Nurte muttered absent-mindedly. ¡°With no one to inherit your legacy, it¡¯s just a useless parchment of paper. Those adventurers you see licking your boots now will move on and bathe in hundreds of gold coins in a matter of months. Will you still be willing to sell it for merely 20 gold coins?¡± ¡°Hmph! Of course not!¡± Nurte snorted. ¡°Exactly. So tell me, who will buy this glorious compendium from you if they¡¯ll be able to get it for much less in other areas?¡± Icicle mercilessly hammered the NPC. ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Nurte turned speechless. At such a short notice he couldn¡¯t refute any of the words. ¡°This book isn¡¯t worth 20 gold coins, but I¡¯m not merciless, so I¡¯ll make you an offer. 500 small empty vials, 300 medium empty vials, all of your [Green Stout Stalk], 100 small HP potions, a bottle of Piros Roots, a filter and, let¡¯s see¡­ all of the [Rigid Blue Grass] you have. I¡¯ll give you 15 gold coins for this and the book. What do you say?¡± Icicle made the ridiculous offer with a deadpan face. ¡°A-Are you crazy?!¡± Nurte howled, slamming his fist on the stone counter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be benevolent today and give you 16 gold coins.¡± Icicle said reluctantly, his face distorting. ¡°Y-You¡­! This is far too little for what you want!¡± the Alchemist burst out. The only reason why he didn¡¯t kick Icicle out of his shop was because he smelled money on him! But that rascal was too ridiculous! ¡°Sigh, you really make it hard on me here. Fine, I¡¯ll share one more information with you, but after that I¡¯m done. If you want to squander this chance feel free.¡± Icicle took a deep breath and continued ¡°The potions you sell to the adventurers come at ridiculous prices. But, if you were to task your apprentices or those who want to buy but can¡¯t afford them to gather the necessary herbs instead, you could profit immensely. Just imagine it, 3 small potions per 30 [Green Stout Stalks]. Isn¡¯t this a great deal? You can even lower the prices that way and sell even more!¡± Nurte listened with rapt attention, nodding his head like a chicken pecking rice. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that!¡± he said appreciatively. Meanwhile, the nearby apprentices who glared daggers at Icicle before turned completely hostile. He had burdened them with extra work! ¡°Those lackeys of yours over there, you should task them with making the potions. Only then will their skill rise. Of course you can¡¯t give them all of the herbs in case they¡¯re incompetent. So, what do you say about my previous offer?¡± Icicle made the apprentices sigh in relief, at the same time trying to close the deal. ¡°Still not enough, young man.¡± Nurte said, this time with a bit more respect. ¡°How much do you charge for apprenticeship?¡± Icicle waged his all on this question. ¡°You wanted to buy the compendium without being an Alchemist? You¡¯re too funny.¡± Nurte chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not for me. So, how much do you charge for learning the ropes?¡± Icicle pressed the matter. ¡°It depends on the level of attainment. But generally, it¡¯s around 5 gold coins for the whole course.¡± the alchemist said with a nod, stroking his stubble of a beard. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you 20 gold coins for the compendium, the items I requested and the apprenticeship for my friend, Adian. I¡¯m sure you know him.¡± Icicle stated his final offer. ¡°Adian? You mean the Guards¡¯ Captain? Yes, I do know him. His father and I are good friends. Since it¡¯s for him, then I can make the exception and accept your terms.¡± Nurte finally, although unwillingly, accepted. Someone with a glib tongue like Icicle could make a good use of his compendium. This was also the only way he could spread his fame later, shamelessly declaring that he helped a young genius out.
[Nurte¡¯s Intermediate Alchemy Compendium] [Rare] Contains all the knowledge gathered by Nurte, Vilen Town¡¯s Alchemist. Requirements: Alchemist class, first grade Alchemist.
Icicle didn¡¯t reach the first grade Alchemist level yet, as it required a lot of potion making and various ingredients usage. Those were things he didn¡¯t have the time for. Thus, he had to peruse the book, page by page. ¡°Which page is the recipe on?¡± he asked. ¡°Page 49. Do you need anything else?¡± Nurte asked with a faint smile. Since he received a grand amount of 22 gold coins, he was quite satisfied. ¡°Oh yes, give me one more of those medicines. Since I¡¯m going to treat the only patient soon, it would be a waste to just let it rot.¡± Icicle said absentmindedly. ¡°W-What?¡± Nurte stammered. This was something over the top! He wanted to scold Icicle when he heard the next words. ¡°Doing a good deed once in a while won¡¯t make you go bankrupt. It¡¯s not for me, nor for any profit, but for the little girl. Have some compassion.¡± Hearing Icicle¡¯s sincere words Nurte gave in once again and handed over an extra bottle of the medicine. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure the girl and her mother will be much obliged. If you could let Adian know about our deal, I would appreciate it. I last saw him getting dragged by the collar by his father. You definitely have better connections with the guards than I do.¡± Icicle said as he turned and walked out of Nurte¡¯s shop. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Both the Alchemist and his apprentices stayed silent. They just witnessed someone forking out 20 gold coins like it¡¯s nothing and even request the main Alchemist of the town to apprentice another NPC. If that man was not a hacker then who in the world was he? As he exited the Alchemist¡¯s shop, Icicle saw a new pop-up. Ding!
<> Your constant haggling with the NPCs earned you the right to master the [Haggle] skill. However, since your profession isn¡¯t that of a Merchant, the skill cannot be awarded. Thus, you¡¯ll receive a compensation of similar value. +4 Charisma
Icicle smiled at the pop up. Getting more Charisma was always good, it strengthened his [Soundless Fear] skill. Feeling content, Icicle leisurely walked back to Marisse¡¯s house. He opened the door and saw her standing right before the entrance. ¡°D-Did you get it? she asked in a quavering voice. She saw Icicle strolling at ease through the window.However, the expressions of the other players inside were sour. It looked like the daughter¡¯s disease progressed. ¡°I did, here you go.¡± Icicle gave Marisse a little glass bottle filled with red liquid. Marisse took the bottle with trembling hands. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± she said weakly, about to rush into her daughter¡¯s room. ¡°One bottle suppresses the symptoms for 3 days. Here¡¯s another one. Just in case.¡± Icicle handed over the second bottle. ¡°Alchemist Nurte¡¯s treat.¡± he added. Marisse looked at him dumbfoundedly. That stingy Alchemist actually gave an extra bottle? Just what the hell happened there? Cough! Cough! Hearing the dry coughs, Marisse nodded appreciatively at Icicle and hurried to tend to her daughter. Her eyes red, tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks. Ding!
[Marisse¡¯s daughter] quest completed! Your relationship with Marisse increased to Friends!
Marisse came back after a while, thanking Icicle profusely. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me so much. I just did what I thought was right. Anyways, I¡¯m about to go find a real, permanent cure for your daughter.¡± he said, hoping for a follow-up quest. ¡°Permanent cure?¡± Marisse asked gently as she wiped the remnants of her tears. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long, but I need you to do me a favor.¡± Icicle said straightforwardly. ¡°Of course, what do you need?¡± ¡°Well, first of all I would like you to complete my request in two days if possible. I have a blacksmith already working on the weapons.¡± Icicle said weakly. Using someone in a disturbed state made him feel bad. ¡°Just this?¡± Marisse smiled merrily. Now that her daughter was better, nothing else mattered. ¡°Well, I would like you to repair those too.¡± Icicle took off his novice set and handed it over for repairs. Marisse took the items hastily and started sewing some patches on them. Her apprentices watched her needlework with rapt attention, trying to figure out how to do it properly. Getting his items back, Icicle wore them and smiled, about to head off ,when he remembered that he¡¯s not clear on the exact location of the valley. ¡°Do you know where the [Red Blooming Valley] is?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right in the middle of the mountain range west of the Vilen Town. You can¡¯t miss it.¡± She looked at Icicle warmly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re succesful in your endeavor, Icicle. Both me and my daughter count on it.¡± Ding!
[Marisse¡¯s daughter] quest updates! [Cure Marisse¡¯s daughter] [Special] Prepare the cure for the sickly child of Marisse, Vilen Town¡¯s Tailor. Notice: This quest cannot be repeated by any other person once it¡¯s completed. Rewards: Relationship with Marisse greatly increases, discounts at her shop, Unique subclass.
¡°Those rewards are handsome. Too bad I don¡¯t want to be a Tailor.¡± Icicle thought, turning to leave. Suddenly, he stopped right in his tracks. ¡°I should be back in two days, but if for some reason it takes much longer than expected, buy yet another bottle from Nurte.¡± he left two gold coins in Marisse¡¯s hands and left. Marisse stood there for a moment, dazed. She gripped the gold coins tightly and whispered ¡°Travel safely, Icicle.¡± ¡­ Icicle visited Wurtox¡¯s shop and bought a dozen of sandwiches and some drinks for a total of 20 silver. His total wealth now equaled 14 gold coins. He looked at the number and didn¡¯t even bother. Gold was supposed to be spent. He didn¡¯t splurge it, but invested it instead. Nurturing relationships early on could help him in the long run. His gaze diverted from the gold number into the items in his inventory. ¡°There are two items left from Atlas hunt in my inventory. There are also two useful ones dropped from the [Ingrained Enmity] event. Time to check them out.¡± Icicle finally found the time to examine the items. The staff he gave to Faura earlier was just a token of his appreciation. He wouldn¡¯t use it either way.
[Metal Feathered Helmet] [Rare] Fine helmet of an ancient knight. The feather on top looks fabulous. Effects: +6 Defense +4 vitality +4 strength Special effect: Decreases the damage taken from critical hits by 5%. Requirements: Level 12
¡°Pretty useful. I don¡¯t have a helmet yet. Too bad it¡¯s for level 12.¡± Icicle tapped his chin, checking the other item.
[Heavy Steel Breastplate] [Rare] Trademark of every experienced warrior. Effects: +15 Defense +5 vitality +5 strength -2 dexterity Special effect: Decreases damage taken from blunt blows by 10%. Decreases the player¡¯s movement speed by 5%. Requirements: Level 14, Warrior Class
¡°Hmm, this one looks like a pure boss tanking machine. Shame I won¡¯t ever wear it, judging by my non-existent leveling speed and preferable profession.¡± Icicle didn¡¯t know when, and if at all, his experience will be fixed. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s next?¡±
[Fiery Blazing Sword] [Elite] Excellent sword tempered in high temperatures. It retained some properties of the fire element. Effects: Attack: 13-17 +5 strength +5 dexterity Special effect: Attacks that pierce the enemy¡¯s defense, burn for additional 10 damage. Unique skill: [Nasty Burn] ¨C release the wave of powerful flame onto the enemy, decreasing his HP regeneration by 50% for 20 seconds. Damage is fixed at 100 points. Cost: 80 mana. 60 second cooldown. Requirements: Level 12
¡°This sword looks great. It¡¯s better than Adian¡¯s and in approachable level range.¡± Icicle looked merrily at the sword. If the Direwolf Set¡¯s weapons were bad, he could always rely on this sword. Smiling happily, he proceeded to the last item.
[Random Class Orb] [Special] Do you dream of having a great combat class? Or is it a prospering artisan subclass? Whatever it is, you can find it by using the orb. If you have the luck, that is. Notice: The orb will generate a random class and a mission to acquire it. Those missions must be done alone, unless otherwise specified. The orb self-destructs after usage.
¡°Oh? This looks promising. I was so stuck on Water Mage that a new class might actually benefit me greatly. Sadly, leaving my fate to luck sounds bad¡­¡± Icicle wavered for a second. ¡°What am I even worrying about? I don¡¯t need to accept it if it¡¯s shit.¡± he smiled and with nonchalant attitude used the orb. Ding!
You¡¯ve succesfully used [Random Class Orb]! Generating a class¡­
¡­ Meanwhile, Albatros Company¡¯s Studio. ¡°What do you want Lisa? Did you really need to wake me up so early?¡± Nix yawned, rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes. ¡°Your favorite player just filed a ticket to get his experience fixed.¡± Lisa said, smirking. ¡°Hmph, that bastard thinks he can get away with what he said scot-free?¡± Nix fumed. ¡°Do you have the incident recorded?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°No¡­¡± Nix hung her head down. ¡°Then we can¡¯t do anything but fix his problem. Giving him a subtle threat won¡¯t harm though.¡± Lisa grinned deviously. ¡°Besides, look at the class quest he has just received. I only checked how he is after he filed the complaint to piss you off, but this might be an opportunity.¡± Nix disregarded Lisa¡¯s teasing and looked at the screen. She immediately realized what Ice Mage Trials represented. ¡°You want to give him that class?¡± Nix gazed at Lisa wide eyed. ¡°Why not? I mean, he¡¯s going to get one either way, it¡¯s just a matter of time. Why not torture him a little? What I want him to get is the greatest class of them all, just that the difficulty of progressing in it is absurdly hard.¡± Lisa said with a devilish smile. ¡°So, what do you want to do? Decide quickly because other devs might catch on what we¡¯re cooking.¡± Nix thought for a while and said ¡°Do it and let¡¯s be done with it. Calling me a retard once is not enough for me to torture the guy forever. If he manages to get the class and profit, that¡¯s his own luck.¡± As soon as she was done, Nix yawned and went back to sleep. ¡°You heard the lady. Watch the situation unfurl.¡± Lisa told her subordinates, reclining on her comfy office chair. ¡­
[Ice Mage Trials] ¨C The fleeting dream of many, Ice element profession. Gather your luck and courage and enter the ancient realm of trials! Rewards: Ice element class or subclass. Requirements: Water Mage, Warrior, Paladin or a basic artisan subclass.
¡°Basic artisan subclass? I guess they meant the ones available in the beginner areas.¡± Icicle looked at the window thoughtfully. ¡°Well, I sure as hell don¡¯t want to be a Paladin nor a Warrior, so this leaves me with my original choice.¡± he smiled helplessly and strolled north, in the direction of the Mage Guild. Chapter 16 Author''s note: Triple release today, check for the other two chapters within minutes! Vilen Town¡¯s Mage Guild looked different than most buildings. Its majestic castle-like appearance caused awe in the nearby players and pedestrians. Entering through the guarded black iron gate, a glossy grey stone pavement leads to the entrance of a towering, five stories high building. The Mage Guild alone occupied over 15% of the Vilen Town¡¯s interior. The reception room of the guild was full of players and NPCs, discussing their recent experiences, events and ways to cast spells. At the sides stood several wooden desks where female secretaries provided information, guidance and missions. Even futher in was a bar where a jet black-haired woman with blue eyes sat at the table leisurely, nagged by another woman with grey, long curly hair and green eyes. Icicle moved up the white stairs and stood at the entrance, unable to get through. The place was teeming with life, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. Some asshole named Blutic stood right in the entrance, his arms crossed, entertaining the crowd. ¡°So, Vilenne, do you see the guy in the spotlight right there? He¡¯s my disciple. You should really stop being so picky about your students, otherwise you¡¯ll never have many to begin with.¡± Ivir, a Lightning Mage teacher laughed coquettishly. Putting that adventurer on the spot was her own idea. ¡°Hmph, the class I want them to inherit isn¡¯t as easy as your Lightning Mage crap, Ivir. What I want to teach my students is to be self-sufficient. Nowadays, water magic hardly provides that, that¡¯s why I lecture them in swordplay too. If all you came to do is mock me then get lost.¡± Vilenne said coldly. ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t be so indifferent. We are both fellow teachers, let¡¯s chat.¡± Ivir enjoyed the mockery. ¡°Look at those punks around.¡± the guy standing in the entrance raised his voice. ¡°So weak. They truly don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for them. Choosing a useless class with a useless teacher. I thought that adventurers were supposed to be smart¡­¡± he derided. ¡°Excuse me, could you move?¡± Icicle asked politely. There was no response. Blutic, the player in front of him continued speaking gibberish. ¡°I mean look at her, she¡¯s a belle alright. But paying 5 gold coins or joining some training camp for a few weeks to get a class? Is it military or something?¡± Blutic mocked. ¡°Could you move, please?¡± Icicle decided to try again. Maybe that Blutic guy was deaf after all. However, seeing as the player not only ignored him on purpose, but even spread his arms to block the entrance, Icicle had enough. He resolved to the greatest element of persuasion known to mankind ¨C force. As Icicle took a dozen steps back, he rushed in, quickly reaching his top speed. Nearing the blocking player, Icicle jumped, sending a flying kick straight at the his back. ¡°What is this green stuff you¡¯re eating? Can it even be called a soup?¡± Ivir sneered. Both her and Vilenne were of a noble status. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it? It¡¯s delicious.¡± Vilenne grinned. ¡°Hmph, eating a plebeian¡¯s food? You must be joking. How could I even touch tha-¡± At this moment, the guy who stood in the entrance flew inside with an enormous momentum. The surrounding people instinctively dodged the human projectile. The unlucky ones were grazed, staggering and then falling on their butts. The man continued to fly through the crowd, bashing straight into talking Ivir. Splash! Ivir who reacted too late had her face land right in the middle of the green puddle of a dish. Her students looked on, petrified. ¡°Who would have thought it¡¯s this hard to even enter this renowned institution.¡± Icicle patted his leather set, as if dusting it, slowly entering. As all eyes diverted to him, Vilenne laughed out loud, clutching her stomach. The wooden chair she sat on reclined back. If it weren¡¯t for the pillar behind her, she would have fallen to the floor. Icicle calmly walked to one of the secretaries and asked for the whereabouts of the Water Mage Teacher. ¡°It¡¯s the laughing woman at the table.¡± the female secretary pointed with her slender hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ivir raised her head abruptly, green liquid dropping from her face, making her look like a genuine ogre. She glared around, trying to locate the culprit. That¡¯s when she saw her disciple lying on the floor, massaging his sore back. ¡°Excuse me, are you the Water Mage teacher?¡± Icicle walked next to the women, suddenly gasping. Icicle looked at Ivir ¡°I know you ladies need to take care of your eternal beauty, but this is the ugliest facial mask I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± he said, shaking his head to dispel the sight of the cosmetic. Ivir¡¯s fists balled as she looked at the choking Vilenne. She laughed so hard that her fists were slamming the table. Tears of joy welled up in Vilenne¡¯s blue eyes, making her melodious laughter all the more annoying. Icicle¡¯s words only served to ignite the rage inside Ivir even further. She glared at him furiously. ¡°What? It¡¯s not my fault that you look like an ogre now. Blame that little lapdog for blocking my way.¡± Icicle pointed at the groaning player on the floor and shrugged. Vilenne finally stopped laughing. She would have gladly continued if her stomach didn¡¯t already ache. She looked at the newcomer with amusement. ¡°Are you here to get the Water Mage class?¡± she asked. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m kind of in a hurry so state your price.¡± Icicle said curtly. ¡°5 gold coins.¡± Vilenne said, wiping the tears in the corners of her blue eyes. ¡°Too much. I¡¯ll give you two.¡± Icicle rejected. Ivir looked at the two arguing over the price and felt sick. She was humiliated just now, so many people saw her face plunge into the bowl of green liquid yet the duo doesn¡¯t care! ¡°Wait, this could actually be an opportunity!¡± she thought. ¡°Oi, little bastard.¡± Ivir growled besides Icicle. ¡°You¡¯ll battle with my disciple right now! If you win, I¡¯ll pay for your tuition. But if you lose, I¡¯ll make sure to wash today¡¯s shame with your blood!¡± Icicle turned to Ivir, furrowing his brow at her unsightly appearance. ¡°I accept your offer.¡± he said, immediately turning his gaze away. Ivir was so mad she wanted to explode. Vilenne saw through her and ¡°lent a hand¡±. ¡°Let me clear your face, you noble woman.¡± Vilenne chuckled, spraying water from her hand like a fountain, straight at Ivir¡¯s face. ¡°Here, all good now.¡± Ivir¡¯s face was now clear, but she looked like a stray, soaking wet dog. Lightning sparks traveled through her body, crackling on the surface of her clothing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ivir kicked her laughingstock of a disciple, making him stand up and stormed out with Vilenne in tow. Icicle followed them curiously. Saving some gold was more than alright with him. They moved through the corridor, arriving at the dimly lit staircase leading downwards. Icicle followed behind the entourage of both teachers and disciples, hands behind his back. When they reached the bottom, he followed the people to the right. An entrance to a circular room entered his vision. Walking inside, Icicle felt bewildered. Judging from the expression of other players, so were they. Although the room was located underground, it was perfectly lit. The purple walls glistened with a blue, wriggling glow. The grey tiled floor was covered in the same, blue swirling glow. ¡°Welcome to our underground arena. All kinds of disputes can be resolved here. Normally we don¡¯t allow people to fight to the death, but since you¡¯re both adventurers, you can choose to do so.¡± Blonde female called Cindy smiled brightly as she beckoned Icicle and Blutic to enter the arena. Icicle was about to walk past the female when he suddenly stopped right in his tracks and looked at her with furrowed brows. He felt something familiar from her, but couldn¡¯t get his head around it. Blackie whimpered and hid behind Icicle, nuzzling his leg. Icicle noticed Blackie¡¯s whimpering and knew this meant one thing ¨C fear! He closed his eyes to get a better feeling of the situation. As soon as he did, inside his mind appeared an image of something overwhelming! He couldn¡¯t quite see through it, but the air fluctuations around Cindy were distorting the area, as if something from inside her wanted to crawl back out to the surface. ¡°What a monstrous aura!¡± Icicle thought. All of this happened in a few seconds. Cindy who stood next to Icicle looked at him with a warm gaze, asking ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Icicle shook his head and muttered ¡°I see.¡± This had to be someone at the top of the food chain of this place! As Icicle walked past Cindy to stand on the opposite side of Blutic, Cindy¡¯s smiling expression disappeared as her closed green eyes opened. She felt a bit uncomfortable. ¡°What was that? I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t use any magic yet I feel like I¡¯ve been seen through.¡± Cindy felt as if her underwear wasn¡¯t there for a second. ¡°Even those of [Master] level can¡¯t get a feel of me with their [Sense presence] when I¡¯m on the ground, yet right now¡­¡± she gazed incredulously at Icicle. ¡°It had to be my imagination.¡± she thought, disregarding the notion. Both players were ready to go so Cindy didn¡¯t tarry any further either. ¡°If you¡¯re worrying about damaging this room, don¡¯t. People of your level cannot break through the confines of the protective spell set up on this arena, so feel free to use all of your power.¡± Cindy said gently. Her eyes then shifted to Icicle. ¡°Familiars aren¡¯t allowed in the arena, either unsummon it or have it wait on the side.¡± Icicle told Blackie to watch from the sidelines. Blutic glared at him enviously. He didn¡¯t have a familiar yet. ¡°I assume you¡¯ve chosen the battle to the death?¡± Both Icicle and Blutic nodded.¡±Very well. Although surrendering is out of the question, the acts of cruelty will be unquestionably stopped. You can begin with the sound of the gong.¡± Cindy declared, walking to the table where Vilenne and Ivir already sat comfortably. ¡°Hey Cindy, do you want to bet on the outcome?¡± Ivir asked cheerfully. She couldn¡¯t wait until the classless brat gets obliterated! ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡± Vilenne asked blandly. ¡°5 gold coins!¡± Ivir grinned. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll play with you, but I¡¯ll bet 3.¡± Vilenne placed the coins on the table. ¡°Well then, 3 gold coins it is!¡± Ivir searched her black robes. ¡°Are you going to bet with us, Cindy?¡± Ivir asked respectfully. ¡°If my predictions are right then there¡¯s no reason to bet.¡± Cindy said curtly. Ivir looked at her Guildmaster incomprehensibly, about to ask what did she mean when the sound of the gong resounded. Gong! Blutic took out his wooden stave, shooting a couple of probing mana bolts at Icicle. He saw that Icicle was level 10, so he had to be careful. Icicle stood still on the opposite side, hands behind his back. He had yet to unsheathe his weapon. ¡°I only fought with the wolves before. Let¡¯s see how it all works with duels.¡± he thought. Three of the mana bolts hit him flatly in the stomach, making some of the air escape his lungs. Blutic thought his enemy was mocking him! He thus cast one of his skills ¨C [Lightning bolt]! A streak of lightning slithered through air like a snake. Ivir looked at the proceedings with a furrowed brow. This level of control was inadequate for her. ¡°Hmph, this should be enough for this classless brat anyways!¡± she thought, smirking. Boom! [Lightning bolt] exploded on Icicle¡¯s chest, electrifying him. The hair on his body stood up and goose bumps covered his skin. He felt something stirring inside his body. The pop up in front of him displayed a 2 seconds long stun effect. ¡°I see, so this [Lightning bolt] is actually like a dulled, low voltage current.¡± Icicle noted mentally. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°All there¡¯s left to do is to see if defending my vitals decreases the damage taken.¡± Icicle put up his guard like a boxer, his elbows touching each other. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he retaliating?¡± Vilenne frowned. She couldn¡¯t understand what the adventurer who just came to the Mage Guild was doing. ¡°He¡¯s scared shitless, that¡¯s why!¡± Ivir gloated. Boom! Another [Lightning bolt] followed by a couple of mana bolts landed on Icicle¡¯s guard. ¡°Hmm, the damage seemed to decrease by about 30%.¡± Having tested what he wanted, Icicle prepared to counterattack. Cindy watched carefully. ¡°He¡¯s testing his limits on another adventurer. What an interesting person.¡± she thought. Icicle moved, his guard put up, swaying left and right, sometimes stopping, other times zigzagging. Due to his high movement speed, he was able to dodge Blutic¡¯s attacks with ease. Blutic felt helpless. Icicle was keeping a distance from him, wasting his mana while moving erratically. However, to the spectators around it must have been a completely different sight. They saw Blutic missing every basic attack and skill! It was like watching an archer trying to shoot down the apple on a person¡¯s head only to have him injure that person instead! What¡¯s more, there were hundreds of people watching. This was humiliating to the extreme! As Blutic was despairing over his situation, Icicle lowered his guard. ¡°Three hits.¡± Icicle said cooly, finally moving towards Blutic. Blutic moved back, firing mana bolts whenever he could, only to see over 90% of them easily dodged. Even with the decreased distance he was so hard to hit! The projectiles that grazed Icicle did so little damage it was negligible. ¡°Could it be any worse?!¡± Blutic gritted his teeth. Icicle prowled, closing the distance with each passing second. Blutic who had a wall behind him had to utilize his movement skill! Bzzzzzt! A blue flash of lightning appeared and Blutic was gone. He seemed to ride the lightning like a windsurfer rides the wave, making a crescent shape on the ground. This was [Lightning Rush], Lightning Mage¡¯s ability allowing the user to escape from the melee range of a target. It was a perfect skill to put a distance between yourself and the enemy melee attacker. However, it used up a lot of mana and had an impressive cooldown of 1 minute. Blutic¡¯s version of it was barely presentable, as it created a messy, winding trail on the ground. Icicle merrily stepped on the remnants of the lightning, feeling the soles of his feet itch a little. He leisurely ran up to Blutic, dodging another salvo of mana bolts and threw out a right jab! Blutic jumped backwards, trying to minimize the damage. He watched as Icicle¡¯s fist drew closer and closer to his face. As he was about to grit his teeth to endure the pain, Icicle¡¯s fist relaxed. Icicle¡¯s thumb rested on his middle finger, turning the right jab into a flick! Pa! A crisp sound rang out as Blutic¡¯s head jolted backwards. He had only 160 HP to begin with and now over 1/3 of it was gone. That seemingly weak flick did over 60 damage! ¡°That¡¯s one.¡± Icicle smiled gently, utilizing his footwork to circle around Blutic. Blutic hastily drank one of the mana potions he could barely scrape up money to afford and wiped his mouth. He tried to calm his heavy breathing and focus on hitting Icicle. Kiting was his only way to survive! Five seconds of respite passed, upon which Icicle went in again! Blutic cast a [Lightning bolt], making it scream through the air only to hit the spell protected wall. Pa! Another flick landed on Blutic¡¯s forehead, making his head rattle. He felt as if a stampede of elephants ran over him. His forehead swelled, making it look like a chimpanzee¡¯s ass. Blutic couldn¡¯t understand how could a mere flick do so much damage! He looked at the watching crowd. Females had their mouths covered with their hands, while males shook their heads disappointingly. This experience was too humiliating for him! ¡°That¡¯s two.¡± Icicle said, as he relaxedly jumped back, letting Blutic recover. Blutic never thought about buying health potions. His concept of mages portrayed the backliners who spammed buttons to kill monsters. He regretted it now. But that¡¯s all he could do, for he had no way to replenish his health. Since his spells hit nothing but air, Blutic turned desperate. He started imagining battle scenarios quickly. He thought of wagering his chances on one point blank [Lightning bolt]. However, even if he could stun Icicle, what then? He didn¡¯t have enough damage to put Icicle down in one combo. On the other hand, he was about to die! As a feeling of helplessness surged within Blutic, Icicle already appeared beside him, grinning evilly. Blutic in an act of desperation decided to throw a middle kick, hoping to imitate Icicle and deal some serious damage! -2 Icicle didn¡¯t even bother blocking the it. He just let the kick hit his leather armor. ¡°Not bad.¡± Icicle said, jolting his hand. Pa! Yet another flick made its way to Blutic¡¯s swollen forehead. As it did, Blutic disintegrated into colorful dust particles. With both [Zircon earrings] and two items of the silver-flowing series, Icicle¡¯s damage in the early game was unmatched. Even when classless. ¡°That¡¯s three.¡± Icicle said, smiling faintly, looking at the place where Blutic stood just a second ago. The surrounding crowd of people stared dumbfoundedly. Three flicks to the forehead actually killed someone¡­ What in the world was that? However, their teachers quickly told them to disperse. They followed the lead and exited the underground arena, discussing the duel fervently. Meanwhile, Icicle calmly walked over to the table. He looked at Ivir and knocked on the table with his knuckle. ¡°Thank you for your patronage.¡± ¡­ Vilenne stood in front of Icicle in the backyard of the Mage Guild. According to her, it was her private area, as no one practices swordplay but her. ¡°That was an impressive use of items.¡± Vilenne said. She was quite impressed with the way Icicle handled Blutic. Not only has it improved her standing, Ivir¡¯s domineering attitude was knocked down a notch as well. Cindy crouched next to Vilenne, gently smiling. She wanted to play with Blackie so Icicle let her. Blackie was reluctant at first, but gaining his Ancestor¡¯s consent was all he needed to let Cindy caress his fur lovingly. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to piss off whoever Cindy was. Icicle planned on getting a mission in the [Red Blooming Valley] if there was one, killing two birds with one stone, and Cindy seemed like a great person to ask for it. ¡°Let me ask you, why did you choose Water Mage class?¡± Vilenne asked straightforwardly. It was important for her students to know what they¡¯re getting themselves into. ¡°I heard it¡¯s a control class and I like to be in control of things.¡± Icicle smiled faintly. He was enjoying his view. Not only was Vilenne¡¯s butt shapely, her two mounds towered on her chest, giving her a mature charm. Besides that, Icicle noticed a sword strapped to the Water Mage¡¯s belt. Her lean muscles seemed perfect for a swordswoman. Overall, if the woman before him could cook, coupled with her exotic beauty she would be the perfect wife material. ¡°Keep your eyes where they should be, unless you want a whack, adventurer.¡± Vilenne hissed. ¡°For someone of your calibre you sure like to keep that charm to yourself.¡± Icicle shrugged helplessly. He couldn¡¯t help his eyes wandering. He was a man after all. Cindy chuckled on the side, playing with Blackie. ¡°Hmph, glib-tongued youngster.¡± Vilenne snorted. ¡°Since you want the class then watch and learn!¡± she ¡°subtly¡± changed the subject. The backyard of the Mage Guild was adjacent to the north-east corner of the wall. Perpendicularly to the wall grew trees, providing a refreshing air. Various rocks stood among the trees, glistening in the afternoon sun. In front of the treeline was a garden, with miscellaneous flowers growing wantonly. Vilenne pointed her slender finger at one of the rocks and a bubble of water encased it. She made it levitate, showing off her control. After it burst, she cast it again, this time moving the rock encased in water to the sides, displaying various potential uses to Icicle. Next on her list was forming a little cloud that sent drizzling rain. As it fell on one¡¯s body, its restorative effect took place, replenishing the lost health. Vilenne said it can also be used on multiple people, but the mana cost increases for each person under the effect. After that, Vilenne conjured a transparent membrane. She asked Icicle to slash it with his sword. Icicle swung once and he felt as if the sword slowed down inside the membrane. He took the sword out with some difficulty and slashed some more. Only after seven or so slashes did membrane break. Vilenne immediately cast another one. ¡°So, what do you think of this skill? It¡¯s called [Liquid membrane]. Its physical defense is weak, but it does a great job at swallowing up magic attacks.¡± Vilenne explained. Icicle nodded and looked at the window before him.
<> Congratulations adventurer, you¡¯ve learned the basic skills of [Water Mage] profession. You are now a [Water Mage Apprentice]. Available skills: [Mana manipulation] [Healing drizzle] [Water prison] [Liquid membrane]
¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Vilenne said, looking expectatly at Icicle. This was her first proper student. Icicle tried using [Water Prison] but nothing came out of it. He didn¡¯t know what to do! The only skill he had was [Soundless Fear] and he always activated it by stirring his aura. However, when it came to mana, he had absolutely no idea how to use it. ¡°What are you tarrying for? I saw other adventurers learning it immediately!¡± Vilenne scowled. Icicle thought for a while and realized who¡¯s the culprit behind this. ¡°Goddamn vixen, you turned off the system assist too?!¡± Icicle cursed Nix in his mind. He sighed inwardly, replying to Vilenne ¡°I have no idea how to use mana. Teach me, please.¡± Vilenne shook her head. ¡°What an incompetent.¡± she muttered, walking behind Icicle. She gripped his wrist, pointing it the way she did earlier when casting [Water Prison]. ¡°Can you feel the mana circling in your veins?¡± she asked blandly. Icicle who was supposed to be examining his body enjoyed the pleasant sensation his back relayed to him. He moved back a little, pressing against two soft clumps. ¡°Move back a little more and you¡¯ll say goodbye to your little brother.¡± Vilenne hissed. Any right-in-the-head person would take this warning to heart and stop harassing the beautiful Vilenne, but not Icicle. He had to sacrifice a lot in his life, thus he learned how to cherish the opportunity. One can say he was used to living on the edge. His toes lifting, he reclined back on his heels, as if falling down on a cushion. His back fell on two springy mounds, resisting his weight. His head was right above Vilenne¡¯s two greatest treasures, looking straight into her blue, ocean-like eyes. ¡°It appears that someone needs a special lesson of [Mana manipulation].¡± Vilenne¡¯s cherry lips distorted into a devilish smile. She pushed Icicle back and unsheathed her sword. Her aura surged as she imbued the blade with mana, making it glow resplendently. ¡°Now then, my little pupil, you¡¯re about to learn what the sound of cracking bones is.¡± Vilenne smiled innocently. ¡­ Chapter 17 Author''s note: One more to go! Vilenne¡¯s sword hummed, covered with a vibrant blue glow of mana. Vilenne stretched to the sides and then reclined her body back, making her perky breasts stand out even more. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been so long since I could thrash someone. Lucky!¡± she hummed. Icicle stopped admiring the curves of the voluptuous woman and focused. Although Vilenne seemed easy-going, her aura right now was resembling that of a succubus. Vilenne¡¯s knuckles cracked as she made a ¡°I¡¯ll beat you up¡± gesture. She felt ready to give a good thrashing. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready, adventurer.¡± Vilenne smirked. She dashed off, opening with an easy to read overhead swing. Icicle blocked with his sword. What appeared like a harmless slash followed by a streak of blue light turned out to be a sword strike with a weight of a mammoth behind it! Icicle glanced Vilenne over. Her slim silhouette shouldn¡¯t be able to produce such a ridiculous amount of strength. The only possible explanation was mana! She imbued her weapon densely and now tried to torture him! Icicle¡¯s feet sank into the soil under the force of the blow. He struggled to keep up. ¡°She¡¯s overpowering me with ease, shit!¡± Icicle cursed. To be beaten by a woman was bad, but it was even worse if she was your type. Seeing Vilenne¡¯s content smile, Icicle reluctantly jumped backwards, losing the power struggle. His new teacher didn¡¯t let him have a breather. She followed right after Icicle, striking from all directions, making his arms go numb from the impact of the blows. Icicle felt that his eyesight couldn¡¯t keep up with Vilenne¡¯s sword anymore. He closed his eyes and relied on instinct instead. His [Sense presence] stretched to the maximum, giving him a vague image of Vilenne¡¯s moves. He knew she was holding back and that ticked him off even more. His arms ached more and more. Apart from that, Icicle felt something stirring inside his veins. ¡°Could it be that Vilenne¡¯s attacks stir the mana inside me? Does it work like the immune system, protecting the host?¡± Icicle wondered. He focused on the feeling and tried to get a grasp of it. Concentrated on the feeling inside his body, Icicle¡¯s movements relied only on instinct, deflecting Vilenne¡¯s attacks and borrowing her momentum to back up constantly. As the alien mana entered his body, his skin tingled. Icicle had the exact same sensation when Blutic¡¯s [Lightning bolt] hit him earlier. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s trying to help me, beat me up or both!¡± Icicle thought. Blackie sat obediently, wagging his tail while Cindy played with his fur. Cindy looked at the student-teacher duo with interest. ¡°What a good pair.¡± she smirked. Icicle¡¯s body hurt all over. Whenever he seemed to be doing a tad bit better, Vilenne would increase the amount of force and number of attacks to make him struggle even more, constantly sneaking some kicks in. The only thing that kept Icicle going was being close to figuring out the mana system. Icicle imagined mana running through his body like a current. In his mind, a human body projection appeared, highlighting all the veins in bright red. Icicle tried imagining one thread of mana, following it with his mind. He hoped to get an understanding of it. Vilenne thrashed Icicle mercilessly, enjoying every second of it. She was holed up in the Mage Guild recently and couldn¡¯t spar with anyone. Warrior Guild which she often visited to practice was now busy with new students. Most of the Mercenaries went on missions as well. This workout opportunity was actually godsend for her! Her grin was wider and wider. Whoosh! Vilenne¡¯s sword slammed hard into Icicle¡¯s, making him faceplant the ground. He laid there for a minute or two, coughing. When he finally stood up, although his legs wobbled, his expression was different. ¡°I finally got it!¡± he thought. ¡°I couldn¡¯t grasp how it worked since I thought that the developers used something new, but it was actually based on chinese dantian breathing methods!¡± Icicle concluded. The process was greatly simplified. Mana was stored below your navel and constantly flowed through your veins, along with blood. Icicle concluded that system assist drew out the right amount of mana for the player to make casting spells much easier. ¡°I¡¯ll play with this system later. This virtual world is full of mysteries!¡± he rejoiced. ¡°Oh? Could it be that you finally got it? You sure took your time.¡± Vilenne grinned. ¡°Your adventurer friends grasped it instantaneously. Are you a black sheep amongst the flock?¡± Icicle smiled sheepishly. He couldn¡¯t say that he angered one of the ¡°gods¡± and his ¡°blessing¡± in the form of system assist was taken away. ¡°Since you wanted to play, let¡¯s do just that.¡± he said, gripping the bronze hilt of his sword with both hands. ¡°Haha, you really like getting beaten! Could you be a masochist?¡± Vilenne smiled. Icicle took initiative, striking Vilenne with his sword. His attacks were now heavier, reinforced by mana he had a little control of. As Vilenne counterattacked, their swords made ¡°clang clang¡± sounds ring out in the Mage Guild¡¯s backyard. Icicle¡¯s closed eyes allowed him to see hazy streaks of blue light in his mind. They diffused from Vilenne¡¯s body, then channeled into her sword and finally outwards, reinforcing her blows. ¡°The fastest way to learn is to steal from those who are already experienced! Take what you can and give nothing back!¡± Icicle thought impishly. The training bout continued. Vilenne mercilessly reunited Icicle with mother nature, making him eat dirt. ¡°Which time is it, the seventh?¡± she mocked. ¡°Do you fancy our fertile soil that much?¡± Contrary to Vilenne¡¯s belief, Icicle didn¡¯t crumble under her mockery. On the opposite, his demeanor was extremely calm. He took a proper battle stance. ¡°Playtime¡¯s over.¡± he said indifferently. ¡°Wooo!¡± Blackie yelped, hiding behind Cindy. He felt something ominous coming off from Icicle and decided to hide. Even his ancestor¡¯s howl didn¡¯t scare him that much. Cindy¡¯s green eyes blazed. She had an inkling of what state Icicle was in. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± she muttered. Icicle stood straight as a ramrod, his amber eyes closed. His entire posture emanated calmness that didn¡¯t befit his age. Icicle¡¯s figure blended with nature, as if he wasn¡¯t even there. Vilenne gazed at him, her expression bizarre. ¡°That can¡¯t be that state, right?¡± she thought. ¡°He¡¯s too new to swordplay, how can it be..?¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes snapped open. He dashed towards Vilenne, brandishing his sword. The momentum he had couldn¡¯t be compared to the way he was before. As if he was two different people. He didn¡¯t defend miserably, but instead forced Vilenne into backing out! She had to hold off less and less of her strength against the young adventurer! ¡°Damnit, if I don¡¯t overpower him, he¡¯ll get the wrong idea!¡± Vilenne thought, using more of her mana reservoir to push Icicle back. However, Icicle didn¡¯t even flinch. In the state he was in, he stopped caring about pride and male¡¯s dignity. Entering power struggles with Vilenne was pointless. He agilely dodged Vilenne¡¯s sword, attacking her side. [Liquid membrane] formed around Vilenne, blocking the blow. Icicle stabbed it consecutively, utilizing the full potential of his items, breaking the shield. Vilenne gaped as her spell was quickly torn to shreds. An adventurer who just arrived in their world shouldn¡¯t be able to inflict as much damage as Icicle did. Now she understood why Blutic lost so terribly. ¡°You little bastard, you actually took hold of such good items!¡± she praised. Vilenne felt as if she was less of an instructor with every second passing. Although she held off her strength, she started using her swordplay properly. Her sword trajectory started moving bizarrely, like a slithering snake in the grass. To her surprise, Icicle¡¯s body just swayed, sidestepping the sword blow. Every sword clash made Vilenne realize that Icicle¡¯s crude swordplay was actually a style of its own. It always targeted the vitals without any superfluous moves. There was no beauty nor gracefulness in it, just a pure desire to overpower your enemy. ¡°He didn¡¯t practice it properly, that¡¯s evident. Could it be he exercised those moves in his mind? Isn¡¯t that what advanced people do, though?¡± Vilenne thought. Since her disciple didn¡¯t hold off anything, Vilenne decided to use her magic too. She cast [Water prison]. Icicle sidestepped to the side, feeling the waterfall-like drop of mana. Ivir opened the door to the backyard, about to challenge Vilenne for yet another ridiculous bet. As the daughter of the Vilen Town¡¯s lord, Marcus Vilen, she wanted to reclaim her lost dignity. However, as soon as she walked in, she stared at the scene wide eyed. The black haired youth from before dodged Vilenne¡¯s blows without much effort, as if they were nothing more than gusts of wind. On the other side, Vilenne evaded every strike of his with even more grace. There was one major difference between them. The youth¡¯s amber eyes were lifeless, as if mindcontrolled, while Vilenne¡¯s blue eyes blazed with excitement. Ivir wobbled to Cindy¡¯s side, watching as she ruffled black hound¡¯s fur. ¡°How long?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯ve been at it for more than 30 minutes.¡± Cindy tapped her chin. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that youth was in self-detachment state for half an hour?¡± Ivir couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°More or less.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t take much longer though. Although Vilenne is better at restraining herself than you are, by the way things are progressing, she¡¯s going to use her full power soon.¡± Vilenne enjoyed herself more and more, forgetting the original purpose of this training course. She swung her sword wantonly, using whatever she learned throughout the years. It was a really long time since she enjoyed the swordplay this much. Cindy looked at Icicle, knowing full well he was barely holding up. She shook her head as she perceived the end of the duel. Just like Cindy foresaw, Vilenne forgot herself and used full force! Blue wave-like slash descended upon Icicle¡¯s head with extreme speed. His danger sensors all tingled. ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t felt that for a long time.¡± Icicle thought, releasing the pent up feelings. Shoo! In the face of extreme danger, Icicle¡¯s aura flared! The air beneath his feet rippled, sending out shockwaves all around him. This wasn¡¯t [Soundless Fear], but his own aura! Vilenne saw Icicle¡¯s sword approaching her throat at unimaginable speed. She quickly retracted her own blade and used her family¡¯s secret technique to defend. Pure white frost shield appeared around her, defending her from any harm. Her pupils constricted, focusing on the incoming sword. Plop! Vilenne woke up from the trance. The sword blow just now disappeared like a ghost. She blinked twice, realizing that Icicle had already sheathed his sword, sitting on the ground 5m from away from her. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now, I¡¯m tired.¡± he said childishly. Vilenne stood in place, dumbfounded. How could she believe the sword illusion just now? Clap! Clap! Clap! ¡°That was something.¡± Cindy walked over and patted Icicle¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No wonder you were able to master the self-detachment that even those who meditate for dozens of years have trouble grasping.¡± she said with a mysterious smile. ¡°When you¡¯re forced into doing it, it¡¯s somewhat easier.¡± Icicle smiled faintly. Cindy apparently had her own demons too. Vilenne walked over, glancing at Icicle with complicated gaze. She still didn¡¯t know what happened. Ivir stood on the side, furrowing her brows. Vilenne actually got such a monster as a pupil. ¡°I was actually here to say you impressed me with your calm back then, but to think you mastered self-detachment. Heh, although it¡¯s reasonable since you have such a ruthless killing intent within you. Even your teacher was scared.¡± Cindy chuckled. Vilenne blinked twice. Killing intent? This was killing intent?! Someone new to the world could actually make her believe she was in grave danger just from releasing his aura? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°You praise me too much.¡± Icicle smiled sheepishly. Cindy was too insightful. ¡°Hahaha, am I?¡± Cindy smiled thoughtfully. ¡°Was this really killing intent?¡± Vilenne interrupted. ¡°It was. If you¡¯re thinking of developing one, don¡¯t. Your pure, succubus-like aura is enough.¡± Icicle said calmly. ¡°B-But!-¡± Vilenne tried her best to gain some more information. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Vilenne.¡± Cindy interceded. ¡°Whether I¡¯m praising you too much or not, you deserve a reward. Is there anything you would like to get?¡± Cindy asked Icicle gently. Blackie stood next to her, no longer scared. His fanatism rose to a greater height. To him right now, ancestor turned into a god-like figure. ¡°Teach me how to control my mana better.¡± Icicle said plainly. ¡°Alright.¡± Cindy agreed instantly. ¡°Guildmaster, this¡­¡± Ivir voiced her objection. Showing someone¡¯s mana control was liek revealing his greatest secret. This process shouldn¡¯t be shown to just anyone! ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Cindy disregarded the warning. ¡°Take a good look.¡± she outstreched her open palm. A swirl of mana appeared in the middle of Cindy¡¯s palm, visible to the naked eye. It slowly swirled, turning into a lump of earth. Then it started shaping, as a lump of earth conjured, extremely lifelike. Rough parts of the soil started losing their roughness, making the surface of the earth lump round and smooth. Icicle tried mimicking the process on his own, but he didn¡¯t know how the technique worked. Shaping mana was too difficult for him. He asked Vilenne to show her way of [Mana manipulation]. Vilenne looked at Cindy and after gaining her permission, she opened her palm to form a swirl. It was a many times smaller swirl, resulting in a tiny water droplet being formed, somewhat translucent. Icicle couldn¡¯t understand much, so he closed his eyes and tried to follow the mana currents within the droplet of water. To Cindy, Vilenne and Ivir, Icicle just stood in front of them with his eyes closed. When he was done, he asked Ivir to show him her mana manipulation method. She reluctantly agreed under Cindy¡¯s stern gaze. Sparks crackled and soon a tiny image of a lightning dancing amidst the clouds formed on Ivir¡¯s hand. Icicle took it all in. Cindy¡¯s mana manipulation was by far the hardest to grasp. Icicle had trouble seeing through the technique. She was too powerful for him. He tried mimicking Vilenne instead. Since she was practicing in water magic, her example should be the best to follow. Shuuu! Tiny strands of mana swirled around Icicle¡¯s palm, creating a miniscule whirlpool. It was merely a tenth of Vilenne¡¯s whirlpool. Icicle thought of what to make of the mana. As soon as he did, the mana strands dispersed. ¡°Don¡¯t discourage yourself. Creating a droplet outright is a hard feat to achieve.¡± Cindy consoled. Vilenne next to her nodded, it has taken her over a month to reach that stage. Icicle steeled himself once again, determined to form a water droplet. As the mana started forming, his forehead wrinkled. Deep in concentration, Icicle continued solving the puzzle, joining lone strands of mana with each other, making sure they stayed whole. Five minutes passed. Icicle¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat, his whole body trembling from time to time. He had to push himself now, otherwise all he accomplished so far would go down the drain. Last of the mana tendrils connected, forming a little water droplet the size of a bread crumb. It was almost entirely opaque. The process of learning the [Mana manipulation] was incredibly hard. ¡°He¡¯s good.¡± Ivir muttered. Vilenne nodded like a chicken pecking rice. This process has taken her over a month to complete. ¡°You didn¡¯t even use the self-detachment state. Good job.¡± Cindy smiled gently. She was about to ask Icicle if he wants to join the Mage Guild as a full-fledged member when Icicle closed his eyes again, opening his other palm. ¡°Is he going for dual-wielding?¡± Vilenne asked, pride twinkling in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see if he succeeds.¡± Cindy recommended. Dual wielding wasn¡¯t something unheard of. People who wielded mana with both hands were usually able to defend themselves from low priority targets while attacking. However, the difficulty was immense. Their other hand often had merely 30% of the original power. What¡¯s more, magic conjured out of pure mana was weaker compared to revised and improved over the ages spells. Thus, people rarely used that style anymore. Three minutes passed. Icicle¡¯s whole body was now drenched. However, his concentration was at its peak. He always liked to challenge his limits. This was one of those situations. On his left hand another droplet of water appeared, as opaque as the first one. Icicle opened his eyes and swung his hands together, as if clapping. Two water droplets collided, mixing with each other. Joy was written all over Icicle¡¯s face. Splash! The fusion didn¡¯t work.All of Icicle¡¯s plans went down the drain. ¡°Oh well, maybe next time.¡± he said, somewhat disappointed. ¡°How much power could you control with your other hand? Cindy asked straightforwardly. This could change everything for Icicle if it was over 50%. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I could feel both droplets all the same. Sadly, I wasn¡¯t able to fuse the two.¡± he shook his head. Ding!
<> Due to your recent actions, your [Mana manipulation] skill evolves into [Flawless mana control]. As the first person to reach this level, you¡¯re rewarded with +10 Charisma.
¡°You¡¯re actually a dual wielder through and through?¡± Cindy gaped. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°Can we talk after I get some rest? It has been a long day and I¡¯m spent.¡± Icicle said, scratching his head. Latest events worn him out. He didn¡¯t have much sleep nor anything to eat recently. He needed to recharge. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Take your time¡± Cindy nodded. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll trouble you by the nighttime. I have a request to make as well. Let¡¯s talk when I return.¡± Icicle said his goodbyes and left. Before he pressed log out, he saw another pop up.
<> Your ticket has been reviewed. Screenshot, recording and share functions are temporarily disabled. ¡°Women are fragile beings. So are human bones. Use your tongue wisely.¡± Hardcore mode option has been removed, experience bar returns to normal. System assist is now available. Check your options to include them in your game experience.
¡°I should say ¡°go fuck yourselves¡± but you actually helped me. Thanks Nix.¡± Icicle thought, logging out. ¡­ ¡°Was this really killing intent?¡± Vilenne asked hesitantly. ¡°It was. What exactly did you see?¡± Cindy asked with curiosity. ¡°Well, I remember fighting and getting more and more excited. I swung my sword unrestrainedly and¡­ This is when I saw that blood red sword approaching my throat at unimaginable speed. It felt so powerful I forwent using [Liquid membrane] and instead resolves to my family¡¯s secret technique. Then I heard a loud ¡°plop¡± sound and that illusion dissipated. I saw Icicle sitting on the ground right after.¡± Vilenne explained. ¡°Hoo. Impressive.¡± Cindy nodded. She had an idea of what kind of level Icicle¡¯s aura was at. ¡°Remember when I said we won¡¯t need to bet during your students¡¯ fight?¡± ¡°Yes, what was that about, Guildmaster?¡± Ivir immediately picked up the subject. She still didn¡¯t know what ticked Cindy off. ¡°When Icicle was about to walk past me earlier, I felt as if my clothes were non-existent. His stare bore a hole in me, leaving me uncomfortable. I didn¡¯t know it back then, but now it¡¯s pretty clear. He sensed my well hidden killing intent. I don¡¯t expect you to understand, but only those who possess an overwhelming killing intent themselves can sniff it on another¡¯s body. Especially if it¡¯s hidden.¡± Cindy explained. ¡°You¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t know what happened back there¡­ Does it mean you couldn¡¯t feel his killing intent?¡± Ivir questioned. ¡°Indeed, I couldn¡¯t feel a thing. But you girls seem to be disillusioned about something. Killing intent intensity is only trainable up to level 2. When you travel through the wilderness killing monsters all it can do is make your aura more bloodthirsty. What experts call killing intent is completely different.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°Killing intent is classified into levels as well. Those levels were formulated based upon the effect killing intent has on an average human. At the first level, you make them feel uncomfortable. They will doubt their courage, thinking that fighting you isn¡¯t what they should be doing. Most people will choose to avoid you.¡± Cindy explained. ¡°At second level, you¡¯ll strike fear in the hearts of many. Weaker beings will make way for you, not daring to attack you, unless you heavily offend them. Those two levels can be slowly achieved through killing monsters, but it will take you years.¡± ¡°The third level is where I¡¯m at, capable of influencing your mental state, making you miss your attacks or use less power than necessary to cast spells. You might also see some afterimages of me if your concentration lapses.¡± Vilenne and Ivir listened with rapt attention. Those were things experts didn¡¯t wish to share. Meeting Icicle actually allowed them to learn. ¡°But Cindy, I saw the attack coming directly at my throat¡­ you can¡¯t possibly be saying¡­?¡± Vilenne muttered. The atmosphere tensed, Cindy sighed shaking her head. This was a lot to take for one day. She heaved another long sigh and explained further. ¡°Indeed Vilenne, that youngster Icicle is above me. He¡¯s at the fourth level of killing aura, where your influence on people is so huge you make them think they¡¯re attacked with but a glance. When experts fight and one has such an overwhelming advantage over the other, the fight usually ends within seconds.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°There¡¯s also a fifth level, but it¡¯s only available to those deity-level monsters. Don¡¯t bother with it.¡± ¡°What you should focus on is training your mind and soul. You are weak to killing intent because you¡¯re scared of it. When that fear is gone, you¡¯ll have much easier time handling it.¡± she added. Vilenne and Ivir turned pensive, mulling over what they just heard. This was a whole new realm for them, who only trained yet haven¡¯t ventured outside much. ¡°You said only first two levels can be trained, what causes you to achieve third and fourth?¡± Ivir asked. This knowledge could save their lives later on. ¡°Unimaginable tragedy. Something that makes you want to kill anyone who stands in your way to prevent it. A feeling that makes you despise everyone and everything. It¡¯s mostly caused by losing your loved ones, people you can¡¯t imagine your life without.¡± Cindy replied. ¡°This is also the reason why this brat Icicle achieved the self-detachment state so quickly. It was either that or being consumed by the intense killing intent within him. Remember it well, you two. When something tragic happens to you, you must dispel the killing intent as soon as possible. Whether it is by mourning or by harnessing it, do what you need to do. Otherwise it will consume you, leaving you as nothing more than a human shell.¡± ¡°Alright, this has been enough for one day. Don¡¯t mention whatever happened here to anyone else.¡± Cindy ordered, going back to the building. ¡°Are you planning on recruiting Icicle?¡± Vilenne asked. ¡°He¡¯s more or less already in.¡± Cindy grinned. ¡­ Chapter 18 Author¡¯s note: Alright, last of the triple release. I¡¯m trying to increase the release speed to at least 3 chapters a week but editing them by myself takes a large amount of my time. If you''d like to become a proofreader/editor/beta reader drop me a mail - [email protected] Edit: Recruitment for editing/proofreading officially CLOSED. Next week will most likely have two chapters as I''m about to conjure up a prologue and post Loiterous in a new thread so the reviews can be up to date. Shouldn''t take more than two weeks, I''ll keep you guys posted. Jeremy took his VR helmet off. He stretched his stiff body and washed his face. Arriving in the kitchen, he realized he didn¡¯t prepare anything to eat in advance. ¡°I was so drawn into Loiterous I even forgot my morning jog.¡± he sighed. Dressing himself up, Jeremy walked downstairs, greeting Mr.Peng, his condominium¡¯s janitor. He also worked as a watchman, making the tenants feel safer with someone watching the door. ¡°How are you doing, Mr.Peng?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mr. Grand, how are you?¡± the janitor replied happily. ¡°Kind of tired. I played too much and forgot to prepare something for dinner, so I¡¯m heading to the bar right now.¡± Jeremy smiled. ¡°You¡¯re going to get something to eat? May I trouble you to buy some for me too? You know I can¡¯t leave my post¡­¡± Mr.Peng pleaded. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not a problem, what would you like?¡± ¡°Ribs! They have the best ones in the area! Get me a portion. No, scratch that! Take two portions of ribs!¡± Mr. Peng drooled, taking the money out of his wallet. ¡°I¡¯ll take one too, so three portions of ribs it is then!¡± Jeremy noted mentally. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Get me some cola as well. I would take beer but I¡¯m on duty¡­¡± the janitor smiled wryly. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Jeremy walked outside, enjoying the fresh air. ¡°Real life air can¡¯t be compared to that in virtual world after all. This is so much better.¡± he inhaled deeply, strolling leisurely towards the nearby bar. ¡°Welcome custo- Oh, it¡¯s you Jeremy! Come sit young man. Haven¡¯t seen you for a while.¡± the owner gestured on one of the sits. Jeremy used to visit the bar quite frequently when he moved into the town. Jeremy sat comfortably. ¡°Haven¡¯t you said that you¡¯re going to prepare your own meals not that long ago?¡± the owner guffawed. He saw the drool on the young man¡¯s face. ¡°I did, but when I looked at what¡¯s left in my fridge I suddenly remembered your ribs, man, I love them.¡± Jeremy said. ¡°I felt their aroma all the way down the street!¡± ¡°Hahaha, I can see that.¡± the owner pointed to the drool on the young man¡¯s face. ¡°So, what would you like today?¡± ¡°Three portions of ribs, one steak and two colas! Add a lot of veggies to the steak too!¡± Jeremy said, his eyes wolfing down the grilling meat. ¡°Did you play too much again?¡± the owner said, as he grilled the meat. There were signs of sleepiness on Jeremy¡¯s face. ¡°Kind of. That new Virtual Reality that came out kept me going.¡± Jeremy admitted. ¡°I saw the bilboards of this Virtual Reality thing when I drove to get the meat this morning. The advertisements were all over the place.¡± the owner sighed. ¡°Albatros Company knows how to rile up the potential players.¡± Jeremy smirked. ¡°Does it live up to its reputation though?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been fun so far. There are lots of hidden quests. You can¡¯t get them by clicking with your mouse anymore, you actually need to talk to people!¡± Jeremy explained. ¡°I see, this sounds quite fun. Oh, your order is coming up!¡± owner¡¯s bald head moved from side to side as he danced awkwardly. Zssssk! ¡°Here you go, three rib portions like you requested and one steak with lots of veggies! Two colas as well.¡± the owner packed it nicely and handed the bag over. ¡°Don¡¯t lose sleep over a game. If you¡¯re good you¡¯ll catch up anyways.¡± the owner said, remembering his childhood days. The games were different, but the rivalry was all the same. ¡°Thanks owner, I¡¯ll be sure to come by soon.¡± Jeremy said his goodbyes, seeing the owner dancing to the tune in the radio. ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Jeremy smiled, walking out. Jeremy walked back to his condo, enjoying the fresh air and the aroma of the ribs wafting from the bar. He entered his condo and was about to hand over the ribs and the cola to Mr.Peng when he heard the TV noise. ¡°The craze over the new Virtual Reality, Loiterous, continues. Like we reported before, the gaming device is currently one of the most desirable products on the market. Look at all those queues.¡± The scenes of people standing in few hundred metres long lines flashed on the screen. Some lines were kilometres long. ¡°However, according to our unofficial information, the gaming headsets are available, it¡¯s just that the Albatros Company controls the release of their product. Whether it¡¯s true or not, the new Virtual Reality entertainment has gained a lot of fans!¡± the female reporter¡¯s voice resounded. ¡°Haha, this is all over the news. The new Virtual Reality ¨C Loiterous. Even my kids want to play it. It¡¯s not that expensive, I¡¯m just not sure if I should let them play.¡± Mr. Peng said as he motioned Icicle to sit next to him. He turned off the TV and said ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been playing it as well. What age are your children?¡± Jeremy asked after swallowing a mouthful. ¡°They are both 12, twins!¡± janitor laughed, stuffing his mouth with the ribs. ¡°A boy and a girl. What do you say, should I let them play?¡± ¡°I think the contract states you need to be at least 18 to play. And it¡¯s right, the monsters that prowl in the game aren¡¯t defeated by characters anymore. They attack you and it hurts. It¡¯s dulled, but it still does. I don¡¯t think your kids are ready for that yet.¡± Jeremy said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, the VR technology is still in its infancy. I¡¯m sure your kids will have a lot to play in the future.¡± he reassured. ¡°I see. Thanks for this, after hearing all about it in the TV and in the radio, I didn¡¯t know how to say no to them.¡± Mr. Peng nodded. ¡°You should check the contract information. Maybe the age restriction is lower. You could always play with them, showing them the awesomeness of their father.¡± Jeremy hinted with a smirk. ¡°I sure will!¡± Mr.Peng nodded, feeling grateful for the suggestion. Jeremy ate his own portion, chatting with the janitor for a while. They drank their cola and burped happily. Fortunately no other neighbours saw them. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get going. I need to get some sleep.¡± ¡°You sure do! Your eyes are baggy. Take a good rest!¡± Mr.Peng waved to say goodbye. ¡°And thank you for your advice!¡± he screamed to the young man on the stairs. ¡°Not a problem¡± Jeremy screamed back and went upstairs. On his way up he met the old couple, Mrs. and Mr. Hai. ¡°Jeremy, young man, you look worn out.¡± Mrs. Hai said fondly. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired, didn¡¯t sleep too well last night.¡± Jeremy scratched his head. ¡°Are you sure? You decided to earn money off games but it seems to take its toll on you. You can always work for us at our firm.¡± Mrs. Hai encouraged. She and her husband moved to America from China. They mainly employed chinese, helping their own countrymen abroad. Some time after Jeremy moved into this place, they arrived with a lot of baggage. The moving company didn¡¯t help the couple carry it to their apartment, leaving them in the predicament. Jeremy chanced upon them downstairs and organized other neighbours to help the couple settle in. ¡°Thanks as always, Mrs. Hai, Mr. Hai, but I¡¯m good. If I ever need help, I¡¯ll make sure to ask you.¡± Jeremy bowed, grateful for the concern the old couple showed him. He was merely of little help, yet they showered him with such deep care and attention. ¡°Well, you know where to find us. Come visit us sometime. I¡¯ll bake a cake for you.¡± Mrs. Hai smiled. ¡°I will.¡± Jeremy didn¡¯t tarry and left to get some sleep. ¡­ Waking up, Jeremy felt refreshed. It was nighttime. After eating a late dinner, he took a shower. ¡°Still no messages, huh?¡± Jeremy muttered, checking his phone. ¡°The meeting should be happening soon though.¡± Not minding it anymore Jeremy wore his VR helmet and logged into Loiterous. It was time to progress in the new world as Icicle. ¡­ Appearing in the Mage Guild¡¯s backyard, Icicle decided to train his spells first. He was too tired before. Now that he regained his clarity, he should be good to go. ¡°So you¡¯re here.¡± rang out the voice behind him. Icicle turned and saw Vilenne practicing her swordsmanship. ¡°Did you doubt I would return? I was just tired, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°We thought you¡¯re going to return at night, but you actually took your sweet time and came in the morning. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Entertain me a little.¡± Vilenne brandished her sword. ¡°Sorry, I have no time right now. I need to practice the spells before I head over to Red Blooming Valley.¡± Icicle tactfully refused. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll help you practice and then we¡¯ll spar a little.¡± Vilenne walked over and stretched her hand to cast [Water prison]. ¡°If by sparring you mean something like yesterday, then like I said, I can¡¯t afford to do that. It¡¯s too mentally taxing. But, I can play with you when I get back.¡± Icicle offered. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Vilenne tapped her chin, turning pensive. ¡°Alright, I have my students to teach today anyways, so I¡¯ll play with them a bit. You¡¯ll entertain me when you return.¡± she said with certainty. ¡°Fair enough. Although I thought you¡¯ll be reluctant after yesterday.¡± Icicle chuckled. ¡°Hmph, you just lucked out because I wasn¡¯t prepared.¡± Vilenne pouted. ¡°Oh really?¡± Icicle smirked. ¡°Yes, really! Do you dare to duel me now?¡± Vilenne cast him a glare, taking an aggresive battle stance. ¡°Sure, five hours of your time, teaching me with greatest care if you lose. No complaints about losing either. What do you say?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t want to go all out, but if it¡¯s just a little spar to make his learning more enjoyable, why not? ¡°I agree!¡± Vilenne accepted immediately. ¡°When this copper coin falls on the ground, we¡¯ll start. Remember, no complaints!¡± Vilenne smirked, set on releasing her full power at the beginning of the duel. Tink! The copper coin flew from Vilenne¡¯s hands, spinning in the air. Reaching its height limit, the copper coin reflected the rays of the rising sun. The copper coin was closer and closer to the ground. Vilenne¡¯s grin grew wider and wider, her eyes blazing with excitement. Icicle stood opposite her, smiling gently. Tink! The coin fell on a stone and let out a metallic sounds. As soon as it did the two figures moved. Vilenne imbued her sword with a massive amount of mana, planning to finish this duel with one strike! She felt somewhat insulted losing her cool yesterday. This was her way of showing dominance. Otherwise she would play with Icicle a while longer, enjoying her time. She was 5m away, 3m, and finally 1m! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL! Blurry image of a giant Direwolf appeared behind Icicle, shaking Vilenne to the core. She froze on spot, the mana imbued in her sword dissipating. Her muscles tensed, making her unable to move. Only her eyes were capable of moving, making her feel like a lead statue. Icicle who has just used [Soundless Fear], powered up by 20 Charisma and some mana control, took a step forward and tapped Vilenne¡¯s shoulder with his sword, bringing the cold steel to her smooth neck. ¡°You have just died.¡± he said, sheathing the sword away. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Three seconds passed and Vilenne regained the control of her body. ¡°You little scoundrel, you actually had something like that?! That doesn¡¯t coun-¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. No complaints, remember?¡± Icicle smirked. Vilenne threw a tantrum and lodged her sword deep into the soil, venting out. ¡°Are you feeling dissatisfied?¡± Icicle gloated. ¡°Dissatisfied? I want to murder you right now!¡± she fumed. ¡°Well, you lost, so adhere to your promise. Who would have thought you¡¯re such a sore loser.¡± Icicle made fun of his beautiful teacher. ¡°I¡¯m so going to make you eat dirt when you return. Just you wait little bastard!¡± Vilenne balled her fists. ¡°Now, now. Being angry will only make you develop wrinkles faster. Come on, teach me~.¡± Vilenne mustered up a smile. The corner of her mouth trembled. She seemed on the verge of going berserk. Cindy stood inside the corridor of the Mage Guild, watching the duel of the two through the window. ¡°What a great bonding between a Master and disciple.¡± she chuckled. ¡°Ivir, I know you¡¯re around. Make a trip to Lasos City and ask a Water Mage to come teach here. That childish noblewoman you so like to tease seems on the verge of destroying her icy demeanor.¡± ¡°Why me? Can¡¯t you send someone else?¡± Ivir felt wronged. She was being turned into an errand boy. ¡°I remember you saying that you wanted to buy some jewelry. This is your chance. Besides, your father asks me about your progress quite often. At least now I can say you were invited to the Lasos City¡¯s Mage Guild.¡± Cindy shook her head helplessly. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go.¡± Ivir covered the joy in her heart with indifferent expression. She was pampered by her father, so she grew spoiled. Otherwise, with her talent in magic she would be long acclaimed as a genius of her generation. ¡­ Curtis looked for the Black Hound for the entire 12 hours. He was so tired he had no more motivation to kill the Wild Dogs. He walked around the town in the rays of a rising sun, exhausted to the extreme. On the way back, he asked some players he encountered if they have seen the accursed dog. He was worried that the hound might just be prowling in stealth, never to be found. What joy it was when he heard that the dog followed someone. Curtis listened to the player¡¯s story attentively, recovering some fatigue. ¡°Like I said man, there was this guy walking with a whole entourage behind him. A black dog called Black Hound or something attacked him. He gave it a thrashing and somehow scared it into following him. When he tried to enter the town, he was refused by the guards. I saw him giving some meat to the dog after which it became his familiar. See those guys hacking at the Wild Dogs over there? They are hoping for the next black hound to spawn so they may get a familiar as well.¡± the player narrated. ¡°Fuck!¡± Curtis cursed. That player who tamed the Black Hound made it impossible for him to find another now. Even if the creature respawned there was a bunch of fanatics outside the city looking for it! He could only wait for them all to leave the beginner area¡­ ¡°What was that player¡¯s name?¡± Curtis tried to grasp the last straw of hope. ¡°I think it was Icicle? Something like that man.¡±the player replied, somewhat irritated by the barrage of questions. ¡°Thank you.¡± Curtis spoke weakly, heading over to the town to log off. ¡­ Icicle practiced with Vilenne. His control over the spells turned from ¡°I can¡¯t do anything¡± to ¡°at least 50% of the time they work¡±. He couldn¡¯t really pinpoint the target with his [Water prison] yet, but he was satisfied. ¡°It has been over 2 hours since we started. Your control is getting better and better rapidly. I don¡¯t understand why don¡¯t you just learn the spells we teach like other adventurers.¡± Vilenne shook her head. ¡°Because those adventurers can¡¯t control them fully. Their spells are predictable. That¡¯s the last thing I want.¡± Icicle explained. ¡°I see.¡± Vilenne smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve learned long enough, time to put it into practice.¡± she unsheathed her sword. ¡°You¡¯re trying to get back at me for what happened before?¡± Icicle hesitated. ¡°Ask me one more time and I will. Now unsheathe your sword, little bastard. There¡¯s nothing to make your body learn better than a good trashing.¡± Vilenne cutely snorted. ¡°Besides, I keep to my word. I¡¯m just HELPING you.¡± Vilenne smiled innocently. ¡­ Another 3 hours passed, Icicle was drenched in sweat but his control over the spells increased even futher. Vilenne¡¯s battle stimulation forced him to adjust many things, including spells and sword attacks. She didn¡¯t give him any breathers, making him spent his entire stamina bar and continue after that. Fortunately he could do without relying on his self-detachment state, saving on fatigue. After eating Wild Boar¡¯s meat and drinking some lemonade, Icicle¡¯s fatigue recovered. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better now. All you need to do is practice some more. Make sure to work on that little droplet of water as well. You need to refine it if you want to use the pure mana to attack or defend.¡± Vilenne reminded. ¡°Thanks for the lesson, Master~.¡± Icicle stuck his tongue out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you learn some respect when you return.¡± Vilenne ruffled Icicle¡¯s dark hair, smiling innocently. Her mouth held a deviously impish smile. Icicle stretched lazily. ¡°Can you shower me with water like you did with Ivir earlier?¡± he asked. Vilenne laughed, holding her sides. ¡°To think you¡¯ll actually ask for something like that. Here.¡± Water sprayed more than enough on Icicle¡¯s face and whole set, making him soaking wet. It seemed as if he had just exited from the underwater cave. ¡°Thanks, that¡¯s better.¡± Icicle nodded, feeling satisfied. The sticky sensation of sweat was now gone, replaced by pleasant cold feeling. ¡°I need to talk to Cindy before I go.¡± Icicle said. ¡°I¡¯ll call her for you. Just wait here.¡± Vilenne cast Icicle a glance and covered her mouth, smothering the laughter. Icicle waited patiently and after a few minutes Cindy came out. She gave Icicle a weird glance. When Vilenne stood next to him it looked dubious. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t have sex.¡± Icicle said curtly. Whack! Icicle¡¯s head crooned downwards as Vilenne smacked it with her open palm. Cindy chuckled on the side, clutching her stomach. ¡°You make a great pair.¡± she said. ¡°Hmph, who wants to be with this little bastard?¡± Vilenne refuted immediately. ¡°Well, he¡¯s your height, he¡¯s well-built and quite handsome, what else do you need?¡± Cindy smirked. ¡°Hmph. Don¡¯t just push men into my arms Cindy. Especially younger ones.¡± Vilenne turned her head away. ¡°How old is that beautiful flower?¡± Icicle asked Cindy, gesturing at Vilenne. ¡°She¡¯s 21.¡± Cindy chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t just tell him!¡± Vilenne fumed. ¡°Hm, 21 huh. For someone younger than me she¡¯s quite fierce. Aren¡¯t you, little brat?¡± Icicle smirked. ¡°W-What?! You¡¯re older than me? Bullshit!¡± Vilenne cried out. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, let¡¯s talk about business. I¡¯m going to the Red Blooming Valley, do you have any task I can complete there?¡± Icicle asked Cindy, smiling gently. He completely ignored the raging Vilenne on the side. ¡°Did you know that adventurers rapidly advanced in strength recently? More and more people head over there. However, members of the Mage Guild have priority¡­¡± Cindy hinted. ¡°Is that so? Any obligations?¡± Icicle followed the lead. ¡°Defending Vilen Town when it¡¯s under attack, that¡¯s about it. The rest is purely optional. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like the benefits we provide. I¡¯ll tell you all about them when you return from your mission, established as a full-fledged Mage Guild member.¡± Cindy chuckled as she watched Vilenne thrashing on the side. ¡°Little bastard, how old are you! Tell me!¡± Vilenne kept screaming. ¡°It¡¯s a secret, little brat. Now act your age in front of your elders and pipe down.¡± Icicle dismissed his teacher, turning to Cindy. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll join. I hope you won¡¯t turn me into an errand boy though. I do have some aspirations, you know?¡± Icicle said, as he walked back to the guild with Cindy. Vilenne¡¯s limbs were trembling. ¡°Little brat?¡± she muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the little brat!¡± Powerful swirl appeared in front of her, turning into a large body of water. Whoosh! A huge ball of water flew Icicle¡¯s way at high velocity. He walked along Cindy, not minding it at the slightest. When it was 3m away from him, he swayed to the side, letting it hit the Mage Guild¡¯s building, splashing water all around. ¡°That little bastard knows [Sense presence] to that degree?¡± Vilenne furrowed her brows. ¡°I thought it was a bit weird when he dodged my attacks with his eyes closed, but¡­¡± she tapped her chin. ¡°Oh well, he can¡¯t have anything more stored up. I¡¯ll make him eat dirt when he comes back!¡± she resolved herself, venting her frustration by swinging the sword. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Cindy next to him¡­¡± she fumed. ¡­ Ding!
[Bring back Blue Lizardman Prince¡¯s Heart] Cindy from the Mage Guild asked you to deliver lizardmen prince¡¯s heart. Rewards: Relationship with the Mage Guild improves, ??? No time limit.
¡°I hope you won¡¯t be too tempted by the thing I requested.¡± Cindy smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Icicle hasn¡¯t made any promises. Icicle glanced at the quest window and made it disappear. He showed his appreciation towards Cindy. ¡°Before you leave, tell me more about the dual wielding.¡± Cindy proposed. ¡°How do you control your mana currently?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cindy smiled gently. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m not asking about your method. What do you think about when you channel the mana through your body?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Cindy stammered. ¡°Alright, let me start then. Your current thinking probably goes along those lines ¡°generate the power in one hand and then channel the rest of the mana to the other¡±, right?¡± Icicle inferred. Cindy nodded. ¡°Well, for me it¡¯s different. Think of yourself as of a tree. Your legs are the roots, your abdomen area where the mana resorvoir is located is the trunk, your arms are the tree branches and your head is the treetop.¡± Icicle saw Cindy closing her eyes to imagine that, so he continued. ¡°When you send out the mana from your mana container to nourish the branches, you don¡¯t just send the right amount. If you could, you would be dual wielding already. What you should do, is think of the entire tree as a one large system. Although both your branches gain the same amount of nourishment, they should also have the full access to the resources of your trunk, that is your mana resoirvoir. The whole body is like a tree, imagine that and you should do better. Think on it, try it and let me know if it did help you.¡± Icicle concluded his thought, leaving the guild to accomplish Tailor Marisse¡¯s quest. Cindy was left pondering on the subject. She immersed herself in the scenery Icicle described. Mana coursed through her body with unrestrained speed, reaching new heights. ¡°This actually improved my mana control by a lot!¡± Cindy rejoiced. ¡°I can¡¯t control it the way Icicle did yet, but with time, I should be able to slowly breakthrough!¡± ¡°This news must be kept under the wraps!¡± Cindy decided. Chapter 19 Author''s note: Next chapter in a few minutes. Icicle¡¯s map showed the Red Blooming Valley to be only a few kilometers away, so he quickly put it away as he moved out of the western gate, and headed towards the black forested mountain that blocked his line of sight. Unsurprisingly, it was littered with players fighting [Wild Boars], [Mountain Bears] and [Brown-furred Grizzlies]. The level of the creatures here ranged from level 7 to level 10. Icicle saw a group of 8 players engaged in combat with 3 mountain bears, one of which was a one-star variant. Icicle noticed players scuttering all around, collecting furs, claws and other crafting materials. Some lucky ones even had their familiars with them, mostly Wild Dogs, although there were a couple of wolves and a few bears mixed amongst the new pets. The overall atmosphere was rather lively. Icicle knew that he needed to go to a more desolated area, otherwise he¡¯d be left with no monsters to kill. To the sides of the mountain path grew various herbs like [Green Stout Stalks] used for making health potions and [Blue Rigid Grass] used to create mana potions. Icicle collected the blue grass that was left by the alchemist apprentices running errands for Alchemist Nurte. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t recognize the [Blue Rigid Grass]. Thanks to that, Icicle could dig out a whole batch without disturbance. As Icicle climbed the mountain with a stealthed Blackie in tow, he gathered some stray [Green Stout Stalks] which other players missed. The stalks must have respawned recently. However, Icicle wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity to level up his Alchemist subclass to first grade Alchemist. Even if it was another player¡¯s quest. ¡°God! God!¡± Blackie called out to Icicle. ¡°First it¡¯s ancestor, now it¡¯s God? What do you need, Blackie?¡± Icicle shook his head helplessly. This dog was either ridiculously stupid or he has misunderstood everything that has happened so far. ¡°Of course ancestor is God! How else could ancestor have such a formidable power?¡± Blackie wagged his tail merrily. He clearly remembered Icicle¡¯s self-detachment state and his overbearing killing intent. ¡°Did this dog really dumb down?¡± Icicle couldn¡¯t believe his new familiar. He checked the window to make sure.
Familiar¡¯s status: Name: Blackie Level: 2 HP: 90 Race: Mutant Element: Dark Loyalty: Unshakeable faith Special skills: Stealth Summoning requirements: None Notice: You can unsummon your familiar by issuing a command to unsummon or simply saying ¡°return¡±. Please note that this action is not available in the middle of combat.
¡°What the hell is unshakeable faith? Is Blackie seriously treating me like a God now?¡± Icicle glared at Blackie and furrowed his brows. Blackie immediately ran up to him and started nuzzling his leg, showing his affection. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad God.¡± Blackie transmitted straight to Icicle¡¯s mind. ¡°Just call me Master from now on.¡± Icicle sighed. ¡°Yes Master.¡± Blackie replied happily, following Icicle. His God showed him attention, he must behave well. As Icicle reached the top of the mountain, he gazed down to see what lays beyond. The east part of the grassland was covered in vibrant flowers and lush grass. At the far east side of the mountain range stood a mountain that had a small clear stream, slowly drizzling down, turning into a mighty river that raged forth through the grassland. Next to the river stood a simple wooden hut. An old man with a bamboo hat held his fishing rod waiting for the fish to catch the bait. There were a few players sitting next to the old man, fishing rods in their hands. East of the old man laid an enormous dark brown bear, sleeping soundly. Grey, brown and black bears ran along the river, catching the fish swimming within. This scenery looked like a happy bear tribe interacting with humans. Icicle looked at that faraway sight with amusement. Virtual Reality made his eyesight much better. ¡°Hey, can you get a fishing subclass over there?¡± Icicle hollered to a player he spotted further down the slope. ¡°A newbie, huh? Yeah, that old man tells you to catch a fish yourself, muttering something along the lines of ¡°Those who have the patience of a saint will become the greatest fishermen¡±, then you¡¯re supposedly given the subclass.¡± the player said. ¡°Is it worth the time?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°Do you even read the forums man? There was some cooking duo who caught fish and then utilized the Chef profession to make a grand dish out of them. The dish temporarily boosted your stats, so it¡¯s become the craze for all those cooking fanatics. Many aspiring guilds sent their people to catch some fish too.¡± the guy explained. Icicle walked down the hill and handed the player one of the sandwiches he bought. ¡°Thanks for the information.¡± he said, looking around. On the right side of the grassland, much closer than the faraway raging river, there was a herd of wild boars. They dug up holes in the soil, looking for worms, roots and bulbs. Those wild boars had different fur colors. Some were yellow, others orange and the most dangerous looking ones were dark orange in color, resembling red. To his left Icicle saw a large rock face erecting from the ground and stretching far to the southwest in a winding pattern. This greyish-white rock face looked like a snake slithering in an irregular pattern, coming back to join with the giant mountain range in the center. Icicle walked closer to the the rock face and collected a yellow flower growing on its surface. ¡°Let¡¯s see, what¡¯s this one?¡± Icicle took a closer look.
[Cynth flower] [Basic] A yellow flower with mild detoxification properties.
Icicle walked around the cliff and collected a few dozen [Cynth flowers]. He couldn¡¯t see it before since the large rock face was blocking his sight, but there were hundreds of bears on the west side of the grassland. At least 500 players were engaged in combat with the variety of the bears. Some parties entered the hollowed out dark caves inside the rock face. Rumble! Icicle heard a loud sound and quickly turned. He saw a massive brown bear charging right at him. ROOOOAR! ¡°Master, master, what are we going to do?¡± Blackie asked excitedly. ¡°We¡¯ll let the bear slam into those rocks behind us and then assault him head on!¡± Icicle quickly made his decision. He found the black hound quite useful as it could stay in stealth for however long it wished. He couldn¡¯t imagine a better scouting pet. ¡°Alright!¡± Blackie barked. The brown bear charged at Icicle at full speed. To dull its judgement, Icicle cast [Water prison]. The beast seemingly sensed his intention and dodged to the side, bouncing off the ground heavily. It made a beeline jump straight at Icicle! Crack! Icicle dodged nimbly, letting the bear smash head-on into the rock face. The beast fell to the ground limply, stunned. Icicle brandished his sword, starting with an overhead swing to the bear¡¯s head. [Brown-furred Grizzly]¡¯s hide was tough, so Icicle¡¯s damage was minimal. If it wasn¡¯t for his items, he would have to spend around fifteen mintues hacking the bear to death. Blackie couldn¡¯t help either as he was too low-leveled to even pierce the defense of the bear. All it could do was provide distraction. ¡°Goddamnit, this is too slow!¡± Icicle sheathed his sword, closing in on the bear. He started punching the bear¡¯s side relentlessly, utilizing the true damage aspect from his jewelry. In a mere 5 seconds, he managed to deal over a 1000 damage! The stun effect from the bear¡¯s headbutt into the stone wall dispelled, letting the beast groggily stand up. It shook its head, seeing a bare-fisted human and a black dog on its sides, making short work of it. ROOOOAR! The bear became instantaneously enraged. It stood up on its hind paws, taking a large swing with its paw. HOOOOWL! However, before the bear even managed to attack, another earth-shattering howl resounded throughout the valley! A blurry image of the 8m long Direwolf appeared behind Icicle. With [Soundless Fear] activated, Icicle continuously struck with his fists, dealing over 600 damage to the bear, making it disintegrate into colorful particles. Blackie directly leveled up to 3, gaining 10 more health. Blackie¡¯s HP bar was now at a round 100. Icicle realized that Blackie is taking away half of his experience, but he didn¡¯t mind that. He resolved himself to train the dog, so Blackie can become a force to be reckoned with. Icicle collected the loot, which equaled a dozen slabs of bear meat and one bear claw. He was quite satisfied with the amount of meat as he wanted to collect some more food ingredients. ¡°Here, eat this so you¡¯ll grow strong.¡± Icicle threw a slab of bear meat to Blackie. ¡°Thank you Master.¡± Blackie chewed on it, a blissful expression on his snout. Icicle sent Blackie to scout a little, collecting the [Cynth flowers] from the surface of the rock face. His Alchemy went up bit by bit. Soon, all of the flowers in his sight were gone. He had also killed 3 more bears during that time. ¡°Alright Blackie, it¡¯s time to gather some more meat!¡± Icicle declared happily. ¡°What meat are we getting, Master?¡± Blackie asked happily. He was being fed well, more meat meant more snacks for him. ¡°Wild Boar meat! Do you see those wild pigs over there? We¡¯ll slaughter them all!¡± Icicle pointed at the whole wild boar tribe. ¡°Master is so wise!¡± Blackie barked. ¡°Let¡¯s kill those pigs together!¡± Icicle moved from the west side of the grassland to the east one. More and more players climbed over the hill looking for more powerful monsters to kill. Since the competition increased with every passing minute, Icicle had to move fast. There were a couple of players already fighting the lone boars, afraid of angering the whole herd. Icicle had a devious smile as he walked straight in the direction of the few dozen large, wild boar herd. ¡°Let¡¯s try this Water Mage class out!¡± he thought, casting [Liquid membrane] on himself and Blackie. Icicle rushed towards the herd, sword in hand. He wantonly slashed one of the boars, then followed up with the second and third boar. Those three Wild Boars immediately focused on him, their yellow fur standing on end. ¡°Blackie take care of the herd, when you drag it far away, just enter stealth and return. We need to thin out the ranks first.¡± Icicle commanded, casting [Water prison] on two of the boars. ¡°Alright Master!¡± Blackie unstealthed, smacking the asses of the swine with his paws, running away right after, as if playing catch. A few of the wild boars confusedly chased after the surrounding players. Most of the players gladly welcomed an additional lone monster to kill, but for those squishy ones it was a terror. Their butts were rammed into, making them feel the might of the legendary ¡°thousand years of pain¡± technique first-hand. Icicle quickly stabbed the isolated boar to death. He collected the meat quickly, focusing on the other two. The boars¡¯ speed was decent, but compared to Vilenne they were like snails moving in slow motion. Icicle jumped around the two remaining boars leisurely, as if performing tricks in a circus, striking their weak sides relentlessly. He realized that at close range the wild boars were as weak as normal swine. It was extremely easy to avoid their tusks. Only their charge was dangerous. ¡°Master, I¡¯m back!¡± Blackie announced happily. He immediately rushed to bite the wild boar¡¯s behind. ¡°You¡¯ve led them quite far. Good job!¡± Icicle praised the dog. He finished both of the boars and collected the precious, high-quality meat. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to feast for a long time, Blackie!¡± ¡°Master, I feel stronger now! Let¡¯s get all of them at once!¡± Blackie barked. ¡°Heh, indeed, he¡¯s level 4 now.¡± Icicle smirked. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t blame me if you can¡¯t keep up!¡± Icicle looked condescendingly at Blackie. Blackie rushed in first, engaging a boar all on his own. Icicle followed right after his hound. He knew that Blackie would have enough on his plate with one wild boar, so he took care of the rest. From time to time, Icicle supported Blackie with [Liquid membrane] that absorbed physical damage equal to his wisdom stat or five times more magical damage. Icicle learnt from Vilenne that the scale is better when it ranks up. At the current level, [Liquid membrane] blocked merely 26 physical damage, but that was almost a quarter of Blackie¡¯s health. Icicle made sure to keep his familiar healthy, getting proficiency in the [Healing drizzle] spell at the same time. [Healing drizzle] had a small cost of 15 mana plus 5 mana for every additional target. It healed for the equivalent of the user¡¯s wisdom. The cooldown was a short 3 seconds. Since Icicle rushed into the whole herd of boars, the surrounding players were left with scraps. They watched as the man and dog duo mercilessly slaughtered through the monsters, as if they were nothing more than normal pigs. Ding!
<> Killing the entire herd of wild boars made their overlord, [Rampant Sharptusk Boar], enraged. Prepare for the attack, adventurer.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Did I just spawn a mini boss?¡± Icicle wondered as he collected all the loot. He gained a level from killing the entire herd while Blackie leveled up to 6, his HP bar increasing to 130.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 11 Experience: 280/32 000 Class: Water Mage Apprentice Subclass: Alchemist Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 3 Statistics: HP: 320 Mana: 360 Strength: 17 Dexterity: 45 Vitality: 19 Intelligence: 20 Wisdom: 26 Charisma: 20 Luck: 10 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and below in 5m range. [Flawless mana control] (passive) ¨C allows the user to dual-wield the mana freely. [Healing drizzle] ¨C healing spell. Restores health equal to the user¡¯s wisdom. +5 mana per each additional target. [Water prison] ¨C restricting ability. Enclose the target in a sphere of water for the duration of 3 seconds + Wisdom/100 seconds. [Liquid membrane] ¨C protective shield. Absorbs physical damage equal to wisdom stat or magical damage equal to 5 times the wisdom stat. Blocks most crowd control effects until broken.
¡°I feel like I should save the stat points for now. There¡¯s probably more to them then I can see now. My stats are high enough as they are anyways.¡± Icicle concluded. He gave Blackie two slabs of boar meat and sat down to get some rest. He ate one of the sandwiches and drank some lemonade. ¡°Those are good. I need to let Wurtox process the boar meat as well.¡± Icicle decided. ¡°What do you think of that guy? He used some weird spells.¡± one of the players nearby said, pointing at Icicle who sat at the bottom of the hill. ¡°Judging by that translucent blue barrier and the little cloud spewing rain, he¡¯s probably a Water Mage.¡± one of the Fire Mages replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t it cost 5 gold to become one though? That Water Mage teacher was stubborn.¡± another mage said. ¡°Who knows man, since there are people trying to learn fishing, there might as well be a group of friends who made an effort to raise 5 gold and let him have the class.¡± Rumble! ¡°So soon?¡± Icicle was finishing his meal when the sound of hooves smashing against the soil resounded in the area. Icicle who sat at the bottom of the hill saw a gigantic, 2m high, 4m long, boar charging at him head on. Icicle looked behind him and saw at least 20 players gathered, looking for monsters to kill. He checked the boar and since it was only of a Rare grade, he didn¡¯t have much interest towards it. ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys have it.¡± Icicle said magnanimously, running in the players direction. They stood on spot, wondering what the hell was happening. Why did that giant boar suddenly appear? Then those players saw Icicle running towards them. Looking to their sides, they realized there¡¯s nothing else to kill in the vicinity. They might as well get rid of the boar. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re just too incompetent to take it on!¡± one of them said, smirking. ¡°Bring it on!¡± he shouted. Icicle didn¡¯t mind the taunt at the slightest. When the boar was close enough, Icicle cast [Water prison] to make it turn and then dodged to the side, letting the other players take control of it. Fireballs, arrows and lightning bolts peppered the boar constantly, not letting it have respite. It roared angrily, glaring at Icicle who was now out of reach. Two Warriors stood side by side, blocking the [Rampant Sharptusk Boar] from attacking their backliners. Rooooar! The boar stomped the ground with its hooves, creating a mini-earthquake, making both of the tanks fall on their butts. ¡°Look out Rokh!¡± came the scream from the Priest. The boar rose its front hooves and smashed them down with full force! ¡°Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Rokh was hit right in the middle of his chest. The air escaped his lungs, making him suffer in agony. Even with Warrior¡¯s steel armor having your chest almost punctured hurt like hell. The Wild Boar wasn¡¯t done, it stomped its hooves on the spot, set on charging into the backliners. Those pesky people dared to attack it from range! Chargeee! ¡°Do it now, Ferm!¡± came the screams from the party members. Ferm cast [Compact Earth Wall], making a small dirt wall protrude from the surface, blocking the boar¡¯s rampant charge. Boom! The earth wall crumbled instantly, barely reducing the boar¡¯s speed. However, it was enough for the backliners to escape safely. ¡°We were just surprised! Don¡¯t mind it and stun that boar!¡± one of the players screamed. Icicle watched the proceedings with a smirk. ¡°They have quite a good coordination despite being strangers.¡± Icicle looked at Blackie ¡°We need to get going as well.¡± ¡°Yes Master!¡± Blackie nuzzled against Icicle¡¯s leg. RUMBLE! ¡°What now?¡± Icicle looked at the top of the grassland hill. The rumble this time was much louder than when the boar came charging down. ROOAAAR! Gigantic white rhinoceros appeared at the top of the hill, rushing straight down! ¡°Is this the gathering of monsters?¡± Icicle thought. He examined the white rhino quickly. ¡°It looks like the grey one I saw in the Vilen Town¡¯s stables. Only its horn is a lot longer, pointed like a spear.¡± ¡°Blackie, get ready, this one is ours!¡± Icicle gripped his sword tightly and awaited the charging monster. The formidable beast¡¯s sturdy legs bounced off the ground, sending tremors through the earth. It rushed madly, as if enraged. Icicle swung his sword horizontally, straight at the rhino¡¯s snout. Tink! The white beast blocked the sword blow with its long horn, making Icicle fly backwards from the impact. The white rhinoceros charged forth, barely losing any speed from the exchange. ¡°Since that¡¯s how you want to play it out, fine!¡± Icicle steadied his feet, putting his sword in front of him. The rhino ran straight at him. When it was merely a meter away from him, Icicle slid under the rhino, cutting the beast¡¯s abdomen. ROOOAR! The white horned rhinoceros thrashed about, splattering fresh blood all around. It came to a sudden stop, making the fertile brown soil upturn. The nearby grass was uprooted, flying around, as if carried by wind. The rhino glared at Icicle furiously. Icicle sprang up from the ground, rushing towards the rhinoceros to decrease the distance, at the same time reducing its charge efficacy. ¡°Now Blackie!¡± Icicle ordered. The black hound unstealthed, flashing in front of rhino¡¯s eyes, clawing at them! ROOOAR! White rhino let out another furious roar. One of its eyes was now bleeding! ¡°Master, the hide of this beast is too hard!¡± Blackie yelped, unsatisfied with the result. ¡°That¡¯s okay Blackie, get in stealth and walk underneath the beast. You¡¯ll claw the rhino when I tell you to!¡± Icicle ordered. ¡°Yes Master!¡± Blackie merged with the shadows, circling around the white monster. Icicle and the rhino charged at each other. As soon as Icicle was close, he used [Soundless Fear]. HOOOOWL! ROOOAR! The white rhinoceros wasn¡¯t one bit dazed, it merely shook its head. But that was enough for Icicle to jump on top of the beast! Icicle grabbed the blade of his sword with the leather glove and put it across the rhino¡¯s neck, cutting horizontally as if using a saw. ROOOOAR! ¡°Now Blackie!¡± Icicle screamed mentally. Blackie appeared underneath the rhino, swiping his paws at the open abdominal wound, making it bleed even more profusely. The rhino struggled, rising its front legs to stamp the ground, trying to make the intruder fall off its back. Blackie instinctively jumped back, avoiding the colossal weight of the monster. ¡°Damn, this is better than rodeo!¡± Icicle laughed happily. ¡°Come on baby!¡± Icicle cut even deeper into the rhino¡¯s thick-skinned neck. The massive beast kept roaring, unable to get rid of the pestering human on its back. After over a minute of struggling, it fell on its left side, surprising Icicle. ¡°Ouch!¡± Icicle felt his side aching. He quickly got up from the ground and drank a health potion. ¡°Weird, it¡¯s surprisingly quiet over there.¡± Icicle checked what the party tangled with the boar was doing and saw something horrifying. ¡°Those bastards can¡¯t even control one simple monster!¡± Icicle cursed. The players he offered the boar to couldn¡¯t even keep a formation and let the boar escape! Icicle¡¯s pupils constricted as he saw the enraged boar charging in his direction at full speed. Its eyes were scarlet, its fur entirely red, covered in wounds. If that wasn¡¯t enough, the rhino next to Icicle stood up, its neck and abdomen dripping blood profusely. It was catching its breath, glaring furiously at Icicle. The boar was closer and closer. When it was 2m away from Icicle, he used [Soundless Fear] again, using every bit of mana to strengthen the effect, hoping to direct the boar away. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Long howl of Silverfang resounded through the grasslands, louder than ever, making the boar change its trajectory a little. It instinctively ran to the left, ramming straight into recovering rhino¡¯s butt! Thud! Groooooan! Both beasts fell to the ground, stunned from the impact. The rhino looked especially miserable. ¡°Get him now Blackie!¡¯ Icicle ordered, charging to finish the job. He mercilessly struck the open wound on the rhino¡¯s neck to dispatch the monster. All the damage slowly piled up, making the rhino die 5 seconds later. ¡°Sorry about that!¡± Rokh, one of the warriors scratched his head apologetically. His party ran after the boar and finished it off as well. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Icicle drawled out. It wasn¡¯t fine. That boar almost ruined his entire plan! Icicle helplessly collected the dropped items. ¡°Undamaged skin of white rhinoceros¡­ lucky! One long horn, some silvers and¡­ what is that staff?¡± Icicle looked at the piece of equipment with a frown. It was an [Elite] grade, since it emitted a white hue. The staff was entirely white, slim, and had a little angel figurine at the end. ¡°Could it be a weapon for the Priests?¡± Icicle inferred. ¡°Maybe Faura wants it.¡±
From: Icicle To: Faura Do you want to buy this off me?
Icicle sent the screenshot of the staff in the message. It was Saturday, so the answer came quite quickly. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°For you, 5 gold. It¡¯s not identified and I couldn¡¯t see the level of the elite rhino I killed, so it¡¯s at least level 17 staff.¡± Icicle added. ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡± Faura quickly responded. ¡°Wait, why did you blindly buy it?¡± FieryRed voiced her objection. ¡°You should be more careful, Faura.¡± Inferno added. ¡°We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really as he says.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not kid ourselves. We¡¯re not experts so we rely on the equipment a whole lot. We¡¯ve made it this far thanks to Icicle¡¯s kindness. If not for his party invite we would probably struggle at the backlines with other players.¡± Faura said. ¡°As for you FieryRed, you could run naked with just your sword and shield and you¡¯d do well.¡± Faura shook her head, glancing at the black bear at FieryRed¡¯s side. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± FieryRed rose her head high, proud of her battle prowess. ¡°Don¡¯t forget we¡¯re relying on Enna¡¯s healing in every battle! Her equipment should be our priority! As for Icicle, we¡¯ll just ask to identify the item prior to buying. Does that satisfy all of you?¡± Faura looked at each of her party members¡¯ faces. They all nodded in agreement. Enna blushed in embarrassment since all of her friends were spending money on her. ¡°Good!¡± Faura said. ¡°Come over here!¡± The whole party huddled together for a chant. ¡°One, two , three, let¡¯s go!¡± A few dozens of gnolls wandered in front of a giant mine-like entrance, carrying rusty flails. Their stench resembled that of a stray, wild dog¡¯s. Faura and her party hid in the nearby bushes, buffing themselves up after a rallying shout. ¡°This is going to be fun!¡± FieryRed said as she brought her shield closer to her tiny chest, ready to engage. GROOOWL! The bear beside FieryRed growled as they both entered the fray. ¡°Cover her!¡± Faura ordered, peppering the dog-like monsters with spells. ¡­ ¡°I¡¯m currently a bit busy, so I¡¯ll get back to you in a day or two about that item.¡± Icicle sent the message, receiving a simple ¡°ok¡± as an answer. ¡°Another good day of business.¡± he smiled. Ding!
<> Attention adventurers, local wild boss [One-eyed Fearsome Grizzly] has been slain!
¡°Heh, at least there are some competent people in the area.¡± Icicle smirked. Chapter 20 Author¡¯s note: So, I got the idea for the prologue and even for a new story (that might see the light of day someday¡­) but I still need to write the prologue out. Hopefully, it will be done by the end of next week. Since I¡¯ll be focusing on that I won¡¯t promise more than two chapters next week. Thanks to all of the people who signed up to help me up the release speed, you¡¯re kicking my butt, but I¡¯m grateful. The quality has gone up by a large percentage. Enjoy the read. The players who had finally finished their intensive battle with the boar sat down to rest. They chatted amongst themselves, eating and drinking, while some engaged in item trading transactions. However, there were two in the group that sat quite far from the rest, whispering. ¡°Tch, if that boar hit him we could have stolen the kill for that rhino.¡± Toar grumbled. ¡°Our calculations were correct. It¡¯s this Icicle guy who has surprised us. He actually diverted an enraged charging boar, just like that¡­¡± Jihun sighed. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that bunch of randoms we partied with, it wouldn¡¯t end like this.¡± Toar snorted. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°Leader said to scout powerful players in the region for future reference. Our scouting ranking is based on the skill of players in the last game we played ¨C Eurasia. Who knows how many of the players in our region even got the VR device. Assuming that all of them did, we can¡¯t exclude the possibility they¡¯re just good with mouse and keyboard either. Loiterous is completely different than playing on the PC.¡± Jihun said, smiling helplessly. ¡°That¡¯s true. What about that Icicle guy then? Does he ring a bell?¡± Toar asked. ¡°No, his nickname is completely alien to me. However, there¡¯s one guy we should be looking for ¨C the Scavenger! The one and only player who could ruin our guild¡¯s plans just by obtaining the most powerful pet in the server¡­¡± Jihun sighed. ¡°His skill wasn¡¯t even that great, but the sheer amount of schemes he pulled others into was terrifying. We need a strategist like that.¡± Jihun spoke firmly. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Icicle can be that Scavenger?¡± Toar asked incredulously. Although the players in other regions merely heard of the legendary Scavenger, these two were very clear on his achievements. If not for the Scavenger their guild would be the best one on the server! ¡°That¡¯s just an off-chance. Players who didn¡¯t get their devices yet said he wasn¡¯t online in the last two days.¡± Jihun said. ¡°Whether he is the Scavenger or not, we should ditch those noobs and get going. There are a lot of powerful players up ahead that we should reel in.¡± Jihun proposed. ¡°Alright.¡± Toar agreed, standing up. Icicle reorganized his inventory. He was about to depart when a group of players came running down the hill, looking around and screaming. ¡°Has anyone seen a big ass white rhino?!¡± two Warriors in the front yelled. Icicle looked at them with pity. ¡°Those guys were so slow I could have killed that rhino twice¡­¡± he thought, passing them. The group of seven people went down, asking the resting players if they have seen the rampant white beast. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it?¡± A lean boy with brown hair placed his hand on the resting player¡¯s shoulder, asking excitedly. ¡°Where is it?¡± The player shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s already dead man. You see that guy in the leather set going up the hill? He soloed that white rhino.¡± the player said with excitement. The brown-haired youth quickly relayed the message to his teammates. They all nodded in agreement since the information they gathered was exactly the same. ¡°Let¡¯s follow him!¡± they said in unison. Toar and Jihun looked at each other, smirking. ¡°Who knows, maybe they¡¯re worth recruiting.¡± Jihun shrugged, a mischievous smile on his tanned face. Toar guffawed. Those players weren¡¯t much. It was clear to Toar that Jihun only followed them for the entertainment. Which good player would let his prey run? Especially when he was amongst 6 other people. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a look.¡± Toar nodded, smirking. Icicle climbed on top of the hill, looking at the winding road to the west where the enormous mountain range towered over the land. He started planning his route around the wild boars, grizzlies and [Diamondback Rattlesnakes]. ¡°Hey man, we heard you killed the rhino.¡± a brown-haired youth called out from down below. Icicle turned around and saw that the 7 man party from before went after him. ¡°I did.¡± Icicle said curtly, walking down the hill. ¡°Wait up.¡± a Warrior called Nuho called out. His brown hair swayed in the wind. ¡°Did it drop a horn?¡± he asked, placing his palm on Icicle¡¯s shoulder. Icicle turned, his brows furrowed. ¡°Do we know each other?¡± he asked. ¡°No.¡± Nuho shook his head. ¡°Listen-¡± ¡°Are you asking me on a date then?¡± Icicle continued. Nuho stared dumbfounded. He turned around to see his friends roaring with laughter, clutching their stomachs. ¡°Way to go bro!¡± they gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Hell no!¡± Nuho screamed, his cheeks reddening. ¡°Then take your hand off my shoulder. I¡¯m not your butt buddy.¡± Icicle swatted the hand away. Nuho hid his stinging arm behind his back. He looked like a manservant ready to welcome the guests. His friends behind him laughed so hard they almost fell down the hill. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in being gay, just control yourself.¡± Icicle shook his head. Nuho hung his head low, staring at the ground. He was too embarrassed to even speak. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Icicle said, somewhat appalled. His face resembled that of a rape victim. ¡°The rhino horn, did you get it?¡± one of Nuho¡¯s party members asked, smothering his laughter. ¡°I did, why?¡± Icicle glanced at the whole party and immediately identified the leader named Maun. Maun was a tall man with teal colored hair. His eyes were likewise teal. He stood behind his whole party, acting unconcerned. What¡¯s surprising, he played the healer. His class displayed [Priest]. Aside from him, there were three mages, one fire, one lightning and one of earth element. They stood next to an Archer. In the front were two Warriors, one of them was Nuho. The entire party appeared to consist of only 7 men, but Icicle felt a Rogue in stealth sneaking in behind him. ¡°Bunch of idiots, they think I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re planning.¡± Icicle mused, laughing inwardly. ¡°Blackie, sneak behind the Archer, we¡¯re most likely going to have some fun.¡± Icicle commanded. ¡°Yes Master!¡± Blackie replied, scuttering. ¡°We need it for the quest, man. Since you hunted our monster, at least give us the item.¡± Nuho stated. ¡°Oh, I see. So it was yours?¡± Icicle asked with a raised brow. ¡°Yes!¡± Nuho nodded. ¡°Did it have your mark on it?¡± Icicle continued. ¡°No, but-¡± Nuno tried to argue. ¡°Did you inseminate it then?¡± Icicle interrupted. ¡°¡­¡± Nuho gaped, not knowing what to say. ¡°Since it didn¡¯t have your mark, nor your child in its belly, how the hell was I supposed to know?¡± Icicle shook his head. Nuho¡¯s party stopped laughing, their expressions turned serious. ¡°Is the air I breathe yours too? A bunch of entitled bitches. If you want freebies go beg around the Church in Vilen Town. I¡¯m sure some kind soul will spare you a few copper coins.¡± Icicle snorted, turning to leave. Whoosh! Icicle felt stinging pain spreading in his left shoulder area. He turned his head and saw an arrow lodged there. ¡°Finally.¡± he thought, taking the arrow out as his devilish grin surfaced. On top of the hill Maun gave his party a nod, signaling his friends to kill Icicle. The Rogue, who was sneaking behind Icicle for a good while, flashed a devious grin. ¡°You guys have kept me waiting!¡± he said to his party, ready to strike. Nuho and his Warrior friend unsheathed their swords, charging at Icicle. Three mages and an Archer on top of the hill prepared their skills. Icicle¡¯s right hand jerked backwards. His sword seemed to enter something soft. ¡°ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± came the scream from behind Icicle. It was the Rogue who just tried to backstab him. Icicle saw the Rogue staggering. clutching his bleeding eye socket. ¡°What did you do to me, man?!¡± he screamed, looking at the message displayed before his foggy eyes.
<> Your vision was impaired! The effect of partial blindness will last for 15 minutes!
Taking damage brought the Rogue out of stealth. His right eyeball was punctured, blood spewing out red liquid like a fountain. Through his blurry vision, the Rogue saw Icicle¡¯s devious grin as he turned and struck with his sword. A horizontal bloody slit appeared on the Rogue¡¯s throat, making him bleed even more profusely. ¡°Die!¡± Nuho and the other Warrior screamed, approaching Icicle. Their swords cut from two directions, making an X mark. Icicle¡¯s right hand jerked again. It carried the bleeding Rogue within its grasp, using him as a meatshield. ¡°Arghhh!¡± rang out another desolate scream. When the second sword strike hit the Rogue¡¯s back, he disintegrated into colorful particles. Icicle sensed a few projectiles heading his way and nimbly dodged to the side. Boom! Boom! [Lightning bolt] and [Lesser Fireball] exploded upon hitting the dirt road, sending gravel flying in all directions. Woken up by the rumbling, the players resting beneath the hill quickly climbed up to see what¡¯s going on. They were hoping for some kind of local event. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s this?¡± one of them said, seeing the group fighting Icicle. ¡°That¡¯s player killing! Look at those two, their names are slightly red!¡± one of the players commented. Nuho and the other Warrior turned into Player Killers for killing their own Rogue. Icicle stood to the side, smirking. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Nuho screamed, charging forward. Icicle smiled smugly, deflecting the overhead swing. He sent a stab of his own. ¡°Arghh!¡± Nuho cried out. ¡°Heal me!¡± he screamed, seeing his hp bar rapidly shrinking. Maun who started channeling the healing spell suddenly got interrupted. ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± he and the two mages screamed, encased in a water bubble. Their mouths quickly filled with water, making them choke. Only the Earth Mage and the Archer on the opposite sides were free. The sound of rocks clashing against each other reverberated as the Earth Mage cast [Clay armor] on both Warriors, boosting their physical resistance. ¡°Now Blackie!¡± Icicle ordered, dodging an arrow. Blackie pounced onto the vulnerable Archer from the shadows, his teeth sinking into the Archer¡¯s throat. ¡°Arghgghghgh.¡± came out the gurgles from the Archer. He tried to push Blackie away, but the tricky black dog constantly jumped around, ripping his neck to bloody shreds. The Earth Mage was alarmed at the sudden turn of events. He started casting the only offensive spell he had, [Rock fist]. It had a slight knockback effect. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The desolate howl interrupted the Earth Mage, making him tense up. As he was unable to move, his eyes wandered to Icicle¡¯s direction. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t drop the soap too often.¡± Icicle¡¯s impish grin only widened as he saw Nuho spurting blood all around from a deep cut on his chest. The blood splashed on Icicle¡¯s face, making him look demonic. ¡°You only lasted about 5 hacks, I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Icicle shook his head helplessly, looking at the disintegrating Nuho. ¡°Have fun in jail.¡± he said, waving goodbye. Icicle then turned to the other Warrior who was now free of [Soundless Fear]. ¡°Well then, you¡¯re next!¡± Icicle said, licking his lips. The Warrior¡¯s expression hardened. Their party engaged a goddamn lunatic! The Earth Mage in the back was no longer restrained by the [Soundless Fear]. Its effect was considerably reduced the farther the target was from the epicenter. The mage cast [Rock fist] again, trying to save his dying friend, but the black hound in front of it simply dodged to the side. The life in the Archer¡¯s eyes continued to slip away. He desperately tried to get rid of the black nightmare, but wasn¡¯t able to. A warm feeling enveloped him as Maun cast a healing spell. However, this only made him look more miserable. The pain he felt made him want to pass out, to be done with the nightmare. His expression said ¡°Just let me die already!¡± Blackie bit for the last time before dispatching the Archer and entering stealth. ¡°Kill him and the familiar won¡¯t be a problem!¡± the leader ordered, his teal-colored eyes blazing with rage. Next to him appeared a brown bear, standing guard. The last Warrior wasn¡¯t healed and quickly died under Icicle¡¯s attacks. His mage party members couldn¡¯t do anything as he was blocking their spell trajectory. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Block his path and then assault him with spells!¡± Maun commanded. The Earth Mage immediately created a [Compact Earth Wall], blocking most of the way up the hill. Icicle collected the dropped loot from the Warriors and the Rogue, unsatisfied. ¡°What a bunch of junk they were wearing. Hmph.¡± he snorted. ¡°Wasting my time with just this much¡­¡± Icicle picked up his speed. The soles of his feet glistened with blue glow as he jumped up high, landing on the other side of the earth wall. ¡°What!¡± the three mages gaped. They were ready to assault both sides of the wall but Icicle pulled one on them, jumping straight over the wall! ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, attack!¡± Maun said firmly, still vigilant against the stealthed familiar. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! [Rock fist], [Lightning bolt] and [Lesser fireball] made their way through the air, approaching Icicle in breathtaking speed. As they were about to hit, a translucent blue barrier appeared around Icicle. The spells collided with the membrane, making the barrier shudder. However, there was no explosion. It seemed as if the barrier swallowed the other spells, then burped contentedly, disappearing. ¡°It¡¯s still a little weak.¡± Icicle frowned, closing in on the hilltop. ROOOAR! The guarding bear rushed down the hill, opening its bloody maw. The bear was only 1.5m long, but it emitted fierceness. Icicle brandished his sword straight at the bear¡¯s snout, following with a cross cut. The bear disappeared immediately, barely hindering his movement. Icicle continued his death march, jumping on top of the hill. He rushed in the direction of the Earth Mage. The Earth Mage raised his wooden staff, ready to block any incoming blow. Icicle smirked as he changed his trajectory, making a diagonal jump towards the Lightning Mage! ¡°Arghhh!¡± Lightning Mage screamed as a bloody gash appeared on his chest. He quickly utilized [Lightning rush] to gain distance. ¡°Get him!¡± Icicle ordered. A streak of black light appeared behind the Lightning Mage, its jaws sinking into his neck. Icicle continued his slaughter. He was about to hack the Earth Mage for the last time when he saw a bright light enveloping the mage, restoring his life. Icicle turned and saw the Fire Mage standing next to him casting a point blank [Lesser fireball]. ¡°Goddamn idiots. You think suicide is enough to kill me?¡± Icicle smirked, imbuing his sword with mana. He slashed straight at the fireball. Boom! Icicle was sent flying, landing unsteadily 3m away. As for the Mage who cast the fireball, he was in an even worse shape, dropping down the hill. Icicle closed the distance and finished off the Earth Mage. He cast [Liquid membrane] on Blackie, allowing him to kill the Fire Mage afterwards. As soon as he was done, he turned to the leader and smiled gently. ¡°So, do you want to trade now?¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± the Priest struggled to speak. ¡°I can trade you the horn for some jewelry. Do you have any?¡± Icicle asked, swinging his sword down to dispose of the blood. A trade window opened before Icicle and he saw a small marble-like ring.
[Ornamental ring] [Common] A piece of jewelry without any value. A Jeweler can put a gem into it, increasing its value and adding various effects.
As Icicle was examining the ring, the surrounding players started discussing what had happened. ¡°Did he just slaughter the entire party by himself? What a monster!¡± ¡°I saw him defeating that rhino, but this is completely different.¡± ¡°Look at his class, he¡¯s a Water Mage! Those guys probably didn¡¯t even know his skillset, no wonder they were beaten to the ground.¡± Toar and Jihun watched quietly on the side. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s the Scavenger?¡± Toar asked. He seemed somewhat unconvinced. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± Jihun said knowingly. He knew of one trait of the Scavenger that would let him recognize him. ¡°This is no good.¡± Icicle shook his head, refusing Maun¡¯s proposal. ¡°Do you have anything else?¡± Maun looked at Icicle, his expression stern. He shook his head. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll just sell this horn on the Auction House. I hope your elite grade quest is successful.¡± Icicle nodded, collecting the dropped items of the players he just got rid of. He was preparing to leave. Maun¡¯s brows furrowed, as if he was struggling with something. He wagered the pros and cons and finally gave in. ¡°W-Wait!¡± he stammered, calling out to Icicle. ¡°Did you change your mind?¡± Icicle asked as he saw the trade window open.
[Lesser Vitality Ring] [Rare] A piece of jewelry embedded with red gem. Rumors say it prolongs the life of the owner! Effects: +3 Vitality Special effect: [Endless Vigor] ¨C Boosts all the healing effects and health regeneration of the user by 15%. Requirements: Level 12.
¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡± Icicle nodded earnestly. ¡°Do you have any mana potions?¡± he asked. ¡°J-Just 10.¡± Maun weakly muttered. ¡°Add them in and we¡¯ll have a deal!¡± Icicle said magnanimously. Maun¡¯s expression stiffened. He knew it was a crucial point but it pained him nonetheless. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t make such a scowl. Here, this is your friends¡¯ dropped junk.¡± Icicle stuffed the inventory with dropped loot. Maun nodded gratefully and pressed the accept button. Icicle saw his new ring and smiled. ¡°This is a great ring!¡± he thought. Icicle checked the allocated ¡°self-defense¡± timer. He was allocated 2 minutes for each player in a party that attacked him, a total of 16 minutes to get rid of them. There was still a lot of time left. He looked at Maun with some compassion, as he sneaked behind him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maun asked, somewhat terrified. ¡°I can¡¯t just let someone who dared to attack me walk away, right? Besides, you¡¯re heading to the town, right? Consider it a favor from me. I¡¯ll help you get there faster.¡± Icicle smiled innocently. Nearby players covered their ears as a desolate shriek escaped Maun¡¯s lips. He quickly disintegrated into colorful particles, dropping a white clerical collar with a yellow cross. Icicle collected it, checking its properties.
[Religious white collar] [Basic] Obligatory piece of clothing of every renowned priest. Effects: +5 Faith Requirements: Priest class, level 5.
¡°I should give it to Enna.¡± Icicle thought. Getting 5 gold for the staff was a lot, so he might add that collar as a bonus. Toar and Jihun continued watching what happened. Toar turned to Jihun, seeing him gape. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Shit! He¡¯s the Scavenger!¡± Jihun muttered, his expression turning pale. ¡°What? How do you know?¡± Toar was confused. ¡°There¡¯s not much known about Scavenger, but he had one rule. Whenever someone attacked him, he left no one behind!¡± Jihun gulped. ¡°I heard that when one small guild interrupted his herb gathering, attacking his side character; he razed their headquarters to the ground¡­¡± ¡°And you think it¡¯s that Icicle? Come on man, it could be anyone.¡± Toar shook his head. Jihun was turning paranoid. ¡°I¡¯m 90% sure it¡¯s him!¡± Jihun said firmly. As the two were chatting, Blackie ran back happily. He showed himself next to Icicle, nuzzling his leg. ¡°God, god! I killed three of them!¡± he barked. ¡°This again? I told you to call me Master.¡± Icicle sighed, looking at Blackie¡¯s black fur covered with streaks of red blood. ¡°Stop nuzzling up against me, you¡¯re making me look dirty.¡± Icicle scolded. ¡°Sorry God! I mean, Master!¡± Blackie corrected himself, still nuzzling against Icicle. The surrounding players looked at the duo, bewildered. Both the dog and its owner were covered in blood, looking demonic. Icicle felt the stares, turning to the players. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see all this.¡± he scratched his head. ¡°N-No need, you just got rid of the player killers. We should have helped you.¡± some of the players nodded. They didn¡¯t see what happened before. If they saw how Nuho and his friend became the PKs, their impression of Icicle would be completely different. Under the command of Icicle, Blackie entered the shadows again, disappearing from view. Blackie received two slabs of bear meat, munching on them happily. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s coming here!¡± Jihun whispered, his eyes widening. Toar stood next to him, completely unfazed. Icicle continued walking until he stood in front of the two. He glanced them over. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Toar asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± Icicle nodded, suddenly sending out a kick! ¡°Ugh!¡± Toar felt his stomach deflating as he was sent flying. He landed on the side of the steep hill, rolling down like a boulder. A jagged rock protruded out of the hill. Toar fell right from it, gaining even more momentum as he constantly tumbled down. He only stopped when he reached the bottom of the grassland hill, smashing right into the giant grey rock players used to rest their backs on. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me.¡± Icicle said out loud, turning to leave. Jihun¡¯s eyes turned completely round. He was about to apologize to the legendary Scavenger when something slammed into him, completely out of nowhere. He staggered, trying not to fall, but he failed miserably. Jihun rolled down the hill in a similar way to Toar. His whole body rattled as he fell. He felt like his bones were breaking. Crash! Jihun smashed into the same rock his friend did. ¡°Ughhh!¡± Toar groaned as Jihun landed on top of him. ¡°How dare you endanger God?!¡± Blackie barked at the top of the hill, contented about his feat. All the surrounding players heard him barking angrily. ¡°What is Icicle doing? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be a good guy?¡± one of the players muttered, analyzing the situation. Icicle killed the Player Killers and now this happens? Something was wrong. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Toar guy the Lightning Mage who ¡°accidentally¡± missed his [Lightning bolt], attacking us instead? He broke our encirclement and let the boar escape!¡± the other player said. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re right! And that guy next to him, Jihun, was the one who entered stealth and stabbed the boar in the ass, making it run in that direction in the first place!¡± another player added. The surrounding players quickly put two and two together. They walked down the hill, encircling the two battered players. Their gazes were full of suspicion. Toar¡¯s back hurt so much he wanted to kill himself. ¡°What do you want, goddamn noobs?!¡± he screamed. His self-control was gone because of the excruciating pain. ¡°Hah, see that? Look at his attitude! A goddamn celestial king descending from his high throne to meet the mortals!¡± one of the players commented. ¡°They wanted to kill that Icicle guy, get the boar loot and the rhino loot at the same time! Fucking swindlers, why don¡¯t we just kill them?¡± another player said angrily. ¡°Ha! You bunch of idiots! You think you can actually kill me?! Just you wait, I¡¯ll PK you until all of you are level 1!¡± Toar yelled. ¡°Shut up!¡± Jihun screamed, his voice hoarse. Falling down the hill took its toll on him, he could barely move. ¡°See guys, as we thought, they were in cahoots!¡± a Warrior screamed. ¡°Wait guys, hold your horses. We can¡¯t just kill them, we¡¯ll turn into Player Killers ourselves.¡± one of the Fire Mages shook his head. ¡°What do we do then?¡± the Warrior asked. He was ready to kill those two for what they did. ¡°We can¡¯t kill them, but¡­ no one said anything about not roughing them up, right?¡± Fire Mage¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s a great idea. Sadly, it won¡¯t last long.¡± the Warrior replied with pity. ¡°Where are our healers?!¡± another Warrior screamed. Two of the Priests walked to the front. ¡°Heal those idiots while we beat them up!¡± the Warrior said, raising his foot. ¡°Arghh! I¡¯ll kill all of you!¡± Toar screamed, as he was trampled by the raging players. Jihun covered his head with his hands, enduring silently. He gritted his teeth and tried to persevere. ¡°Here, receive this noob¡¯s wrath!¡± one of the players screamed, kicking both Toar and Jihun. Ptui! Some other players spat on the two. As more and more players gathered in the area, they came over to check what¡¯s going on. They saw an enraged mob encircling and mercilessly beating up two other players. Later that day, the recording of two players being beaten up made its way into the forums. Chapter 21 Author¡¯s note: Chapter 22 should be up on Wednesday, since I had no time to write. Next week will only be one chapter ¨C chap 22 ¨C then the schedule will resume to normal. I apologize for the delay, real life isn¡¯t as forgiving as I wish it was. As for the prologue it should come out in 2 weeks max, then I can publish on the new thread so the reviews are up to date. Once again, I apologize for the lateness. The winding dirt road led to a towering mountain range in the west. Icicle trodded leisurely with Blackie, letting him play with wild boars, grizzlies and even Diamondback Rattlesnakes they met on the way. The unfortunate monsters that crossed Icicle¡¯s path quickly met with their maker. It was truly an untimely and cruel death for those creatures, as the little dark-haired devil didn¡¯t hold anything back. He slashed at the most vulnerable points of the creatures without giving the monsters a chance to retaliate. If the corpses in Loiterous didn¡¯t disintegrate, there would be a long bloody trail following the youth with blazing, amber eyes. ¡°Those sandwiches are really something else. When I rested earlier, they boosted my health and mana regeneration significantly. Investing in Chef Wurtox was the right decision.¡± Icicle noted mentally. He was satisfied with his costly purchase. Blackie¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Master, master! Those players who fought the boar earlier are now torturing the two we pushed down the hill!¡± Blackie reported. His earshot range was much larger than Icicle¡¯s. ¡°Oh really?¡± Icicle¡¯s mouth curled into an all-knowing smile. ¡°You continue playing with those monsters around, you¡¯re still a bit on the weak side.¡± Icicle said. ¡°Yes Master!¡± Blackie pounced onto a nearby snake. ¡°Blackie still hasn¡¯t gotten too beaten up by the monsters. Weird. Could it be that he engages them, then runs away when they¡¯re about to retaliate?¡± Icicle wondered. He didn¡¯t want a coward in his midst. Disregarding his familiar, Icicle walked down the dirt road, getting closer and closer to the enormous steep brown rock mountain in the distance. He watched with interest as the smallest of changes appeared on his map projection. Since nothing worthy of attention happened during the leisure walk in the territory of monsters, Icicle¡¯s thoughts wandered back to the PK experience. ¡°I killed those guys using the self-defense system as a helping hand. I guess being a Player Killer is really not your optimal play in Loiterous. Not only is there jail as punishment for dying while in the PK status, but the temporary PK self-defense is a major issue for those guys as well. The only redeeming part is that killing people actually grants a hefty amount of experience!¡± Icicle smirked. If there weren¡¯t any positive sides about player killing, there would be many for which the game would be dead, no matter how awesome the other features were. ¡°That 8 man party I got rid of consisted of level 10s and 11s, with their leader, Maun, being the only one at level 12. Each one gave me 1000-1200 experience! To think that level dictates experience gain! I pity the artisan classes.¡± Icicle shook his head. Artisan classes weren¡¯t defenseless, but when the players with combat classes get used to their new professions, what resistance do the artisans pose? Artisan professions won¡¯t be able to outdo the combat classes with equipment for a long time. Yelp! Icicle¡¯s musings were broken by a sudden outcry of his familiar. Icicle glanced at Blackie and immediately identified the problem. ¡°As I thought! What a useless dog, can¡¯t even dodge a snake¡¯s fangs!¡± Icicle cursed.¡°When have I ever had such an utterly useless follower? I can¡¯t even give him a good thrashing because it would feel like animal abuse! Arghh!¡± he raged. Despite his cursing, Icicle stormed off. He stabbed the Diamondback Rattlesnake¡¯s head repeatedly, getting rid of the monster in a jiffy. With his nimbleness, it wasn¡¯t even half a challenge to dodge the snake¡¯s venomous fangs. Blackie¡¯s health was quickly deteriorating. The poison inside his body started circulating rapidly, burning him from the inside. Icicle cast one [Healing drizzle] after another, but even that couldn¡¯t keep up with Blackie¡¯s health loss because of its cooldown. Icicle¡¯s left hand balled into a fist, wanting to thrash his incompetent familiar, while his right hand made the casting gestures flow in a smooth pattern. Taking a deep breath, Icicle exhaled loudly. He opened his inventory and took a bunch of Cynth flowers he recently collected. They possessed a mild detoxifying effect. Blackie yelped constantly, laying on the ground weakly. Looking at his master¡¯s stern gaze, he covered his eyes with his paws, making him look like a little child who has done something wrong. Blackie felt a prying force taking his paws off his head. He opened his eyes weakly, looking at his Master with shame. Whack! Blackie¡¯s head rattled as a ferocious slap landed on his snout. ¡°Open up.¡± Icicle ordered. His gaze was boring a hole in the dog. Blackie was so scared he didn¡¯t even dare to yelp. His body burned from the inside yet he immediately opened his maw wide. Icicle squeezed yellow flowers in his hands, letting the translucent drops of liquid trickle into Blackie¡¯s wide open mouth. The liquid was bitter. In fact, it was so bitter that Blackie wanted to immediately spit it out. ¡°Swallow it.¡± rang out the command inside Blackie¡¯s mind. Blackie didn¡¯t dare to tarry and swallowed the extremely bitter panacea. Aside from the bitter remedy, a torrent of rain constantly fell on Blackie¡¯s black fur. He wanted to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling of being soaking wet. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of drying yourself up.¡± Icicle said sternly. Blackie hang his head low and endured. The fire inside him burned his veins, encroaching on his heart. The bitter liquid he swallowed remedied that a little, while the torrent of rain falling on his back rejuvenated his health. To Blackie it didn¡¯t really matter though. He thought it might have been better to just die and be relieved of the pain. This situation continued for the whole 3 minutes. This was the worst day of Blackie¡¯s entire life. The black hound felt like he was subjected to endless torture. The worst thing about all of this was that he had deserved it. Blackie¡¯s condition was now stabilized. Icicle glared at the dog furiously. Then his gaze turned incomparably gentle. ¡°Come here.¡± Icicle crouched, took Blackie in his arms and embraced him. Blackie barked happily, enjoying his Master¡¯s warmth. He wanted to jump in joy when his whole body shuddered involuntarily. A feeling of a grave danger spread through his limbs, making his hair stand on end. Blackie turned his head and saw his Master open his eyes. If it was said that a dog looking at a bone was looking at its greatest treasure, then what Blackie was looking at right now was the Judgement Day! Icicle¡¯s gaze bore a hole through him. Blackie felt as if he was completely seen through. Icicle¡¯s gaze was so indifferent and calm that every fiber of Blackie¡¯s body screamed danger. This sense of crisis was even larger than when he felt Icicle¡¯s overbearing killing intent! Blackie sat like a proud lion, his front paws in front, his behind on the ground. He didn¡¯t do it because he was proud nor brave, but because he was scared! The mountain-like pressure weighing on him made him want to hang his head low and immediately nuzzle against Icicle¡¯s leg to apologize, but he was unable to do even that. His entire body was like lead, unable to move even a single step. The trickling water from the leftovers of [Healing drizzle] made Blackie feel uncomfortable, but he knew now wasn¡¯t the time to dry himself. ¡°How many snakes bit you?¡± Icicle¡¯s question rang out in the poor dog¡¯s mind. Blackie¡¯s mind could be compared to a still sea at the moment. When his Master¡¯s question rang out, the waves formed on the surface of the calm sea. ¡°F-Five.¡± Blackie answered weakly. He was so terrified he couldn¡¯t even hang his head low in shame. ¡°Five, huh?¡± Icicle tapped his chin, but to Blackie those sounds were like eternally reverberating war drums of doom. Icicle shook his head, his gaze clearly saying ¡°You¡¯re incompetent.¡± But he didn¡¯t voice this out. All he did was ask one, seemingly simple question ¡°Who are you?¡± Blackie¡¯s mind rattled. His Master didn¡¯t ask ¡°what¡± but ¡°who¡±! This was a sign of respect. Blackie thought carefully before giving an answer. His entire being was shaking, never stressed as much as at this moment of his short life. Exactly one minute has passed. Blackie still hasn¡¯t answered. Icicle patiently watched him, crouching with one hand on the side of his face, as if in thought. ¡°You can¡¯t say, huh? Well, let me tell you then.¡± Icicle¡¯s voice resounded in Blackie¡¯s mind. ¡°You¡¯re a shapeless mold. Something that needs to be formed completely before it can even be called a being. Right now you¡¯re nothing more than a creature without a soul. You¡¯re just there. Breathing, smelling, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting the world.¡± Icicle¡¯s gaze focused. ¡°But can you utilize even that little? If you could see, hear and smell, would you be bitten by five snakes and put into such a precarious state?¡± Icicle mercilessly pointed out Blackie¡¯s flaws. ¡°A creature which can blend with the shadows cannot even overcome a little snake? Laughable!¡± he snorted. ¡°M-Master!¡± Blackie mustered up all of his courage to speak up for himself. ¡°Those snakes can perceive me in the shadows! They¡¯re slippery, they move fast and even use poison! Not only that, their scales are tough too! What was I supposed to do?! I tried my best, but they were just better!¡± Blackie grieved. He felt wronged by his God. How could he compare to the almighty God¡¯s existence? ¡°They can sense you? So what?!¡± Icicle snorted. ¡°If they can sense you, it only means you¡¯re even more incompetent than I thought! Look at them!¡± Icicle shifted his position, crouching sideways to Blackie. ¡°Whenever those snakes move, the grass bends, alarming you of their position. Every little movement they make can be heard if you listen carefully! The same goes for you! Even if those snakes couldn¡¯t detect your heat, by the way you¡¯re moving, your position would be immediately compromised!¡± Icicle berated. ¡°The only reason you¡¯re seen is because you rely on your stealth too much! Those snakes are your nemesis when it comes to hiding! Unless you improve your other qualities, you¡¯ll always be the one to lose!¡± Icicle chided, his gaze unforgiving. Blackie¡¯s eyes turned watery. He seemed to instantaneously master the ¡°puppy eyes¡± technique. However, to his dismay, Icicle¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t soften one bit. ¡°M-Master! I told you, those serpents are strong! Too strong for me! I can¡¯t defeat them so easi-¡± Blackie¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. He saw one of the Diamondback Rattlesnakes slithering in the grass, about to sink its fangs into God! ¡°Mast-¡± Blackie tried to call out but Icicle¡¯s right hand already jerked. Diamondback Rattlesnake hissed, its jaw wide open. Greenish poison trickled down the snake¡¯s fangs. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Icicle¡¯s right palm abruptly closed, enclosing the snake¡¯s head within. Blackie¡¯s eyes widened as he saw Icicle¡¯s right arm emitting a blue glow, squeezing the snake¡¯s head. Crack! Crack! One after the other, the sounds of scales cracking resounded. Icicle¡¯s muscles contracted, veins rapidly showing up on his right arm. He squeezed tighter and tighter, until finally the snake¡¯s head exploded, splattering its innards all around! Blackie gaped, unable to comprehend the sight in front of him. His Master just squeezed a snake to death with one hand! The miserable snake¡¯s body writhed on the ground and soon after stopped twitching, completely devoid of life! ¡°Listen up, Blackie.¡± Icicle¡¯s voice rang out in Blackie¡¯s mind. If Blackie¡¯s mind was a sea that experienced only ripples on the surface before, now those ripples turned into enormous tsunamis! ¡°In my world, there are very few who can say they are my equals. If I so wished, 100 000 people would bow in worship. They would ask me for favors, to help them solve their problems.¡± Blackie listened with rapt attention. His image of Icicle was that of a God. But only now did he see him like a pharaoh, encircled by hundreds of thousands of worshippers paying their respects. Blackie¡¯s eyes glistened as he held his head up high, looking at the sun. At the moment, he could see Icicle as the burning sun¡¯s equal, watching mortals from high above. ¡°Every direct subordinate of mine could be a ruler of a guild in this world. Some may be even kings, rulers of the vast kingdoms! I treat every single one of them as my family. Now look at you. What are you? A Wild Dog leader? A mongrel? You can¡¯t even kill a simple snake.¡± Icicle shook his head in disappointment. Blackie¡¯s glistening eyes dimmed. God was right, he was weak. There was nothing he could say to retort that. ¡°But I¡¯m not a merciless person. Those who are under my wing shall prosper, those who oppose me shall perish without a place in history!¡± Icicle¡¯s voice made Blackie¡¯s mind experience enlightenment. It was like a mantra engraving itself on the mind of the follower. ¡°Since you joined my ranks, you have to become strong enough to be called a genius of your generation like everyone else directly under me.¡± Icicle spoke calmly. Blackie listened to the words carefully, but his mind was still in the middle of the reverie. Icicle¡¯s words reverberated throughout his body, giving him courage to stand up to anyone in the world! ¡°If you want to serve me, we must work together. By working together, I mean that we are supposed to be two individual entities, striving for the same goal. I won¡¯t be next to you every time you¡¯re in trouble. I won¡¯t be able to protect you from danger every time you get into a precarious situation like today. You need to be able to fend for yourself. Only by doing that will you be able to be of use to me, to serve me properly. Do you understand?¡± Icicle caressed Blackie¡¯s black fur gently, stroking him behind his fluffy ears. Blackie nodded his head. However, his gaze was a bit helpless. He didn¡¯t know what he could do to suddenly be of use to Master. How can he compete with someone who can crush the enemy he had so much trouble with just by squeezing his hand? To God those vile serpents may be like oranges, squeezable, but to him? They were the worst opponents imaginable! ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to become stronger in a second. I don¡¯t believe you can become my match in a short amount of time either. It¡¯s a process. A process you must have the willpower to take.¡± Icicle said gently. ¡°Look all around us. Do you see those people? They are fighting with snakes, with boars and even with the overgrown bears. Why don¡¯t you observe how they do it before engaging one yourself? Learn from them, steal what they can do and make it your own! Adapt to the situation and then, when you finally see the opening, attack without mercy!¡± Icicle¡¯s blue-glowing fist slammed into the ground. Crack! The soil split, showing a 30cm deep crack, spanning over a meter. Blackie felt the vibrations underneath his paws. His awe of Master increased even more. ¡°There will be times when your opponent makes feints. When the opening he shows you will be deliberate. There will be many of those who want to use your carelessness against you. My advice for you is simple. Whenever there¡¯s opening, always expect a trap! That doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t attack, on the contrary! You should attack with a full notion that it¡¯s most likely a ruse. Then, when your opponent finally reveals his hidden fangs, you attack with even more unbridled ferocity! Destroy your opponent¡¯s defenses and deliberate preparations with an attack he cannot predict nor prevent! That¡¯s what it means to be formidable!¡± as Icicle narrated, Blackie¡¯s eyes blazed with fire of yearning. He wanted to become like that. Strong like God! ¡°Those who are under my wing shall prosper, those who oppose me shall perish without a place in history!¡± Icicle¡¯s words once again reverberated inside Blackie¡¯s mind, causing him to believe even more zealously in his God. ¡°That guy fighting the bear over there. Do you see him?¡± Blackie nodded, focusing on the task at hand. ¡°Who is he to you?¡± Icicle asked. Blackie shook his head. He didn¡¯t know. ¡°Let me ask otherwise. Is he stronger than the bear?¡± Icicle inquired. ¡°No!¡± Blackie said firmly. That much was clear to him. ¡°Then he¡¯s your learning target! You watch what he does and assimilate that knowledge, making use of it on your own! A weaker being defeating a stronger one is worth of learning from!¡± Icicle said solemnly. He watched Blackie¡¯s reaction then continued. ¡°What if he were weaker than the bear?¡± ¡°Then I should ignore him!¡± Blackie said proudly, puffing his chest. He understood Master¡¯s intentions. Never learn from the weak! Whack! Blackie¡¯s head experienced a ferocious slap. ¡°Wrong! He¡¯s also your learning practice! You learn what NOT to do when you fight against the bear! You can also learn what the bear has in store for when you fight it!¡± Icicle fiercely rebuked. Blackie finally understood. Although his head hurt, the change of his mindset started setting in. ¡°God is wise.¡± Blackie muttered, his snout all smiles. The surrounding players observed as a player crouched beside his dog, educating him in the middle of the road. What was surprising, was that the monsters which were abundant in the area all around didn¡¯t dare to enter the 5m area around the two. It was as if the critters sensed danger and decided to never go near it. ¡°Remember, if you ever meet a stronger opponent, retreating is not shameful. It¡¯s a way to let you fight another day. My advice is that you fight that adversary unless he¡¯s really too strong. You can learn a lot by going against someone stronger!¡± Icicle advised. Seeing his black familiar nod, he smiled gently. ¡°Now go! Watch, learn, adapt and experience! Only that way can you become one of the strong. Do you see this large stone before the mountain? I¡¯ll sit over there if you need my help. If you can kill 25 Diamondback Snakes in a row without getting poisoned, your mission will be complete! You¡¯ll be able to walk beside me, as someone strong and respected, as family!¡± Icicle said seriously. Blackie¡¯s eyes burned with passion. Family of God? That was something he didn¡¯t even dare dreaming about! Heavenly bells seem to ring out in his mind, heralding the future fortune of his race. No snake shall stand on his way! ¡°Remember that my resources are limited. If you fail too many times, even I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± Icicle added and left to sit beside the large grey stone, making some potions. This was the beginning of Blackie¡¯s first real trial! *** Cough! Cough! Cough! Toar stood up, his entire body hurting. Even though the players who beat him and Jihun up were flagged as temporary PKs, there was nothing they could do about it. It was a whole crowd! ¡°I¡¯ll beat those noobs up until they fall to level 1!¡± Toar hissed furiously. ¡°Hahaha! Ugh.¡± Jihun clutched his aching stomach, restraining his laughter. ¡°What are you laughing about?¡± Toar asked incredulously. Was Jihun¡¯s brain damaged during their beatdown? ¡°That surely was the Scavenger!¡± Jihun¡¯s eyes blazed. He didn¡¯t mind the beating because he found his target. ¡°Scavenger this, Scavenger that. Can¡¯t you just shut up? We need to beat those noobs up for what they did, not goose chase after some legend!¡± Toar refuted. So what if that Icicle guy was Scavenger? Did they really need him? Their guild could stand up on their own. ¡°The leader lost his legendary sword to Scavenger in Eurasia. The leader doesn¡¯t want anything else happening while playing this game. Besides, the Scavenger doesn¡¯t look as weak as he was in Eurasia. He killed that whole 8 man party with ease. Did you see him getting rid of the Rogue? He didn¡¯t even turn, yet he knew he was there!¡± Jihun praised incessantly, giving Toar a headache. He was even impressed with Icicle¡¯s domineering demeanor! ¡°You¡¯re such a bother. I¡¯ll just go train on my own. When I level up, I¡¯ll find each of those noobs and let them taste a tenfold of what they did to me!¡± Toar groaned, leaving Jihun behind. *** Curtis logged in. He slept merely 4 hours, but he was so anxious about his quest he couldn¡¯t enjoy the bed any longer. ¡°Where should I start?¡± he muttered to himself, looking around Vilen Town. ¡°I should ask around if anyone has seen the black hound or its owner.¡± Quickly making up his mind, Curtis started inquiring the residents of Vilen Town and fellow players. ***
<> You¡¯ve gained a new statistic ¨C Faith! Since you¡¯re not of religious profession nor worship any of the gods, you can gain more faith only by having more believers! Notice: Players can¡¯t become believers of a player deity. Number of believers: 1 Believers: Blackie
¡°This dog is seriously something else. Oh well, as long as Blackie improves, I don¡¯t mind playing god a little.¡± Icicle shook his head, about to focus on making potions when another window popped up.
<> Your familiar, Blackie, gained a new skill! [Ardent follower] ¨C cannot be pressured nor intimidated by anyone but its God.
¡°Now that¡¯s better. At least you know who to fear, Blackie.¡± Icicle nodded contentedly, perusing the recipe for the antidotes in his newly acquired alchemist compendium. Chapter 22 Author''s note: Returning to normal schedule next week. Blackie¡¯s determination soared. He was ready to finally kill the monsters opposing God. He chose his first opponent carefully ¨C his worst nightmare, the Diamondback Rattlesnake. Slithering through the lush grasses, the Diamondback Rattlesnake raised its head, hissing angrily at Blackie. It was beneath him to engage in combat with a mere dog. A proud creature who can fell bears fighting a mere mongrel? Disgraceful! Hiss! Greenish poison seeped down the Diamondback Rattlesnake¡¯s fangs. The Rattlesnake launched like an arrow, aiming straight for Blackie¡¯s neck. Blackie watched vigilantly, hearing God¡¯s words within him, reverberating endlessly. ¡°Those who are under my wing shall prosper, those who oppose me shall perish without a place in history!¡± Blackie¡¯s brown eyes glistened with invulnerability. God was the strongest existence he knew, how could other creatures compare? If God is omnipotent, his servant must be strong too! Whoosh! Blackie rushed straight at the snake. The fangs of the snake were about to sink into his flesh when Blackie abruptly dodged to the side. The Rattlesnake flew forward with unbridled momentum. However, his widely opened maw was empty. What was this feeling? A cunning creature using poison to fell its enemies suddenly going for a stroll to breathe some air? Not even breathe, eat it?! Damnable dog! How dare it dodge! It should suffer before perishing! Blackie saw the snake hissing in fury but wasn¡¯t fazed one bit. Only God can make him yelp like a little hungry cub. His hair standing on end, Blackie assaulted the snake from behind, trying to gain advantage. *** Icicle sat beside the stone, not bothering with Blackie. Once Icicle gained experience, he would examine the matter. Otherwise, Blackie might as well be dead to him. Can¡¯t muster the courage to fight? You¡¯re only good as a scout? Then I might as well have a bird as a familiar! Dispelling the insignificant thoughts, Icicle engrossed himself in making potions. He started with mana potions, utilizing [Blue Rigid Grass] he bough from Alchemist Nurte. ¡°I feel like those potions are too weak. If they come out only as common and basic grades, then how can I reach a higher level of expertise?¡± Icicle pondered. This was a difficult question he hadn¡¯t yet found an answer to. There have to be some advanced potions for beginners, right? Those babies should be able to push his expertise into first grade Alchemist. Icicle wouldn¡¯t be himself if he didn¡¯t add a spin into the process. Since mana potions were supposed to restore mana, Icicle decided to kill two birds with one stone. Employing [Flawless mana control], Icicle guided a strand of mana into the bottle, letting it permeate the blue colored liquid. Ding!
<> You discovered an existing low Rare grade recipe! +5 Charisma [Minor Blueberry Potion] [Rare] Restores 150 points of mana on usage. 30 sec cooldown.
¡°Damn, this is good stuff! I could make a fortune off this, but it¡¯s better to keep it for my personal use.¡± Icicle decided. 30 seconds cooldown was ridiculous! This potion could allow the mages to spam their spells! However, earning gold at the moment was meaningless. No one in their right mind would sell the good items. It has only been a little over two days in real life. Those who can get the good items are scarce, thus the market is not thriving yet. Moreover, if Icicle let the mages spam their spells, the other players would advance too quickly. This is not something he wanted. He might not really care about most players, but he didn¡¯t want to stay too behind either. He was competetive after all! Disregarding the possible sale profit, Icicle grinded the herbs tirelessly. He wasn¡¯t sure how to improve the health potions yet, but that could wait. Icicle wasn¡¯t in a dire need of them, since he had [Healing drizzle] to restore his health. Besides, he bought a whole lot of health potions from Alchemist Nurte, so he had this field covered. If he could use mana potions to become a first grade Alchemist, it was good enough. Icicle made a small health potion. This wasn¡¯t meant to be a health potion though. Icicle inferred that antidotes should not only dispel poison but also restore the lost vigor. Thus, he figured out that combining the detoxifying herbs with a health potion was likely to satisfyingly surprise him. To be sure, Icicle perused the antidote recipes in both compendiums. His guess proved out. There were mentions of superior antidotes, not only relieving illnesses but also restoring the lost vitality. ¡°This world seems complicated, but at times it¡¯s also surprisingly simple. Interesting.¡± Icicle muttered, immersed in his musings. Some time later, another message popped up. Ding!
<> You uncovered an existing Rare grade recipe! +5 Charisma [Minor Venom Remedy] [Rare] Used in detoxifying poisons of Intermediate rank and below. The potion has slight effect against Rare grade poisons.
Icicle nodded satisfactorily. He was content with the result. Using his wits paid off handsomely. ¡°God, God!¡± Blackie ran back, gasping. He was bruised all over, his body covered in blood. Moreover, his health was dropping yet again. Icicle quickly identified the case ¨C poison. He frowned, feeding Blackie the newly made potion. As Blackie drank the potion, his entrails felt warm. He immediately bounced back, attacking another snake. Icicle shook his head in disappointment. He knew the dog must be beaten black and blue before he grasps any tactics. Icicle further experimented with the potion making. He added mana into the antidote. The process felt like making a spider web. A strand of mana suffused into the yellowish-green liquid, making its way to the center of the vial through a maze of obstacles. The handling of the mana infused liquid was really difficult and mentally straining. However, for Icicle this was actually enjoyable. He was making progress, thus he felt content! Icicle continued spinning the mana strand through the hard to break invisible walls when¡­ Boom! The whole vial exploded, staining Icicle¡¯s leather set with yellowish-green liquid. There were shards of glass stuck in the whole armor. Fortunately, none of the glass shards etched themselves into Icicle¡¯s face. ¡°Well, if I succeeded on the first try, I would be appalled.¡± Icicle¡¯s mentality was close resemblimg ¡°Easy come easy go¡± proverb. If things came too easily, they weren¡¯t really worth it. Only effort could make one feel true satisfaction. Nearby players watched Icicle make potions with interest, wondering if they should buy some off him. It was at this instant that the vial exploded, making them think this Alchemist is a failure, not worth buying from. They shook their heads disappointedly and went the other way. No one wanted to be caught in a blast radius of a mad scientist¡¯s experiments. Making one more antidote, Icicle experimented again. This time he was more careful while inducing his mana. The results were obvious. The vial didn¡¯t explode but the product became tainted. The whole interior of the vial was black, like tar, completely worthless. ¡°It seems that the thinking process is good, but I can¡¯t manipulate the mana proficiently enough to make it work.¡± Icicle noted mentally. He needed to improve his mana control for the potion upgrade process to work. Blackie ran back again, exasperated. ¡°God, I fought bravely, but cannot win. What do I do?¡± Blackie grumbled as he was fed a potion again. ¡°Observe and attack the weak points.¡± Icicle said curtly. Blackie rushed back, looking for enlightenment. Soon enough, he came back, beaten up black and blue. ¡°God, I gave it my all but the snake¡¯s scales are tough. Attacking the underbelly is a rare situation. I can take four hits then I¡¯m dead, but I bit the snake over 10 times and it¡¯s still alive. What do I do?¡± Blackie felt wronged. How can there be such a huge difference? ¡°You¡¯re not decisive enough.¡± Icicle said, blaming Blackie for being a coward. Who dares escape in a battle? Although Icicle said that it¡¯s fine when the enemy is overwhelming, what can a snake really do? Blackie seemed to understand the hint. He ran back yet again, engaging in fierce combat with his nemesis ¨C the slithering serpent. By the time Icicle finished making all of the antidotes, Blackie returned yet again. ¡°God, I don¡¯t fear death, but that snake¡¯s vitality far outstrips mine. I attacked weak areas, I dodge the fangs, I try to rip that serpent to shreds, all to no avail. What do I do?¡± Blackie felt helpless. He tried all he could, fought tooth and nail, yet the snake always beats him. Is it because he¡¯s useless? Or is the snake simply too strong? ¡°You watched me fight. What did I do?¡± Icicle asked probingly. ¡°Kill all of those who stood in your way.¡± Blackie nodded, this much was obcious. ¡°And how did I do that?¡± ¡°By hacking them all to death.¡± Blackie replied excitedly. ¡°Then do the same.¡± Icicle said indifferently, focusing on the alchemy. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not as strong as God.¡± Blackie said weakly. How can God give examples based on his own strength? ¡°And why am I strong?¡± came the question. ¡°Because you¡¯re God.¡± Blackie said proudly. Icicle shook his head in helplessness. He decided to give the dog a hint. ¡°When you enter stealth, what do you do?¡± ¡°I blend with the shadows.¡± Blackie said firmly. He knew his own process the best. ¡°And how do you do that?¡± ¡°I spread the energy to my fur, making it hard to see.¡± Blackie said. Icicle smiled at him faintly. Blackie felt like God is giving him a hint, but couldn¡¯t figure out the god¡¯s suggestion. Divine providence, yet not clear enough. What to do? ¡°I told you God, the stealth doesn¡¯t work on those snakes.¡± Blackie said aggrievedly. Was God not listening to him earlier? Icicle sighed. ¡°Use the energy you cover yourself with to attack.¡± Blackie felt enlightened. He felt as if a falling star suddenly crossed the atmosphere and he made a wish to become stronger. This wish was now unfurling right before his very eyes. ¡°God is wise.¡± Blackie said, excitedly departing. He knew this was the time for him to beat his demons! Icicle submerged himself in the alchemy yet again. In the next five hours Blackie came back, he was no longer poisoned, only bruised. Icicle used [Healing drizzle] on him and went back to his learning. Gaining knowledge was enjoyable. Besides, Blackie was being productive as well. As long as the dog is able to fight on his own, Icicle will be more than happy. Icicle read through the first grade alchemist compendium. He couldn¡¯t use the item, so he had to peruse the book without learning the whole thing, page by page. Suddenly, his experience skyrocketed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Couple thousand experience at once?¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes showed mild surprise. ¡°How is it possible?¡± he looked towards his familiar. What Icicle saw exceeded his expectations. Blackie swiped his paws and decapitated one snake after the other. ¡°It can¡¯t be that Blackie suddenly became so strong, right?¡± Icicle felt it was weird. Soon enough, he realized what was going on. ¡°Hahaha, that stupid dog was choosing a new enemy every time he ran back. Now he¡¯s merely finishing them off.¡± Icicle guffawed. Ding!
<> Your familiar, Blackie, has learnt a new skill ¨C [Shadow swipe] [Shadow swipe] ¨C imbue the limb with the dark mana, letting it pass through objects. Ignores 50% of the target¡¯s physical defense.
¡°That little rascal actually learnt such a goodie. Impressive.¡± Icicle¡¯s face was all smiles. His familiar¡¯s fortune was also his own fortune. ¡°Well, since Blackie is playing, I might as well join him.¡± Icicle stretched lazily. Reading and learning all the recipes was fun, but sitting on his ass for too long made Icicle yearn for a good bout. There¡¯s nothing like slaughtering the monsters in the new world. *** By the time the night came, Icicle leveled up to 12 and some. Blackie followed close behind, reaching level 10.
Familiar¡¯s status: Name: Blackie Level: 10 HP: 200 Race: Mutant Element: Dark Loyalty: Unshakeable faith Special skills: Stealth, Shadow swipe, Ardent follower Summoning requirements: None Notice: You can unsummon your familiar by issuing a command to unsummon or simply saying ¡°return¡±. Please note that this action is not available in the middle of combat.
Blackie¡¯s health increased to 200. Apparently, that little scoundrel gained as much as 3 points in vitality by being constantly bitten by the snakes. As the dog was thrashed around left and right, it build up his resistance, slowly increasing his vitality. Thus, 200 health wasn¡¯t anything to be surprised about. To Icicle however, this was a great boon. ¡°You did a good job, you!¡± Icicle caressed Blackie¡¯s fur lovingly. Blackie stood proudly, enjoying God¡¯s love. His eyes seemed to be saying ¡°I did good, praise me more God.¡± Icicle talked extensively with Blackie, summarising what he learnt. He didn¡¯t want to return to a dumb dog again. Right now, Blackie was a killing machine. He won¡¯t be able to deal with tanks, but squishies? He can rip them to shreds! After praising Blackie some more, Icicle turned stern and reminded Blackie to stay disciplined. If he does, Icicle will care about him. To Blackie those words were divine providence, echoing in his mind far and wide. ¡°God will take care of me.¡± as Blckie muttered that in his mind, he fel happy like an innocent, newborn cub. Blackie nuzzled against Icicle¡¯s leg, receiving 5 slabs of Wild Boar meat. ¡°Well then Blackie, I need to go. We¡¯ll meet at the sunrise.¡± Icicle petted Blackie¡¯s head one last time and logged off. *** Waking up, it was noon. Jeremy decided to catch up with his routine of morning jogging. He seemed to disregard the fact that he¡¯s been at least 6 hours late. Coming back with groceries, Jeremy made some breakfast, checking his email and phone. ¡°Nothing too major, eh? The network did narrow down the perimeter though.¡± Jeremy looked at the map in front of him, where a big red circle was marked. ¡°Still not enough for me to get personally involved. They need to work fast, otherwise that person will be gone.¡± Jeremy sent a text and logged into Loiterous. *** ¡°God, you¡¯re here!¡± Blackie excitedly exclaimed. Icicle petted his familiar. The sun just rose over the perimeter, lazily illuminating the grasslands. The east river sparkled, reflecting the sun rays, giving a feeling of a boundless wealth, like a gold mine waiting for exploitation. Icicle decided to don his new equipment. [Fiery Blazing Sword] and [Lesser Vitality Ring] adorned his new look.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 12 Experience: 1 200/55 000 Class: Water Mage Apprentice Subclass: Alchemist Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 6 Statistics: HP: 360 Mana: 370 Strength: 19 Dexterity: 50 Vitality: 22 Intelligence: 20 Wisdom: 26 Charisma: 30 Luck: 10 Faith: 1 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and below in 5m range. [Flawless mana control] (passive) ¨C allows the user to dual-wield the mana freely. [Healing drizzle] ¨C healing spell. Restores health equal to the user¡¯s wisdom. +5 mana per each additional target. [Water prison] ¨C restricting ability. Enclose the target in a sphere of water for the duration of 3 seconds + Wisdom/100 seconds. [Liquid membrane] ¨C protective shield. Absorbs physical damage equal to wisdom stat or magical damage equal to 5 times the wisdom stat. Blocks most crowd control effects until broken.
¡°Should be good enough.¡± Icicle nodded. His stats seemed okay. He was satisfied with the numbers for now. The increase in dexterity made him eligible to practice [Wind Stinger].
<> Would you like to learn [Wind Stinger]? [Yes]/[No] Notice: The skillbook will disintegrate after usage.
Icicle pressed yes. A pillar of white light enveloped him. The blue window that popped up in front of his eyes, showed necessary information concerning the new skill. Apparently, after hardcore mode was removed, Icicle received prompts. However, this [Wind Stinger] skill seemed special. There wasn¡¯t any direct explanation nor holographic showcase of the skill, only four short sentences. ¡°Swift as a gale, delicate like the zephyr. The elusive body, unattainable, invulnerable, divine. Tempt fate, meet with the void. The sound of echoing laughter portends the Grim Reaper¡¯s descent.¡± Icicle read the words. His face expression fluctuated, his brows frowning slightly. He was in deep thought, reiterating the profound words inside his mind. ¡°Swift as a gale, delicate like the zephyr.¡± Icicle¡¯s mind projected an image of a man making one step, seemingly insignificant, yet the man traveled over 100m. This was a truly shocking sight. His steps delicate, graceful, yet swift like a gale. ¡°What a profound movement technique.¡± Icicle gasped. He read the words again and again, trying to comprehend even a tiny bit. Blackie saw Icicle imitating some weird steps. He thought God is warming up, so they can go on an adventure. However, when Blackie saw God¡¯s eyes, he actually knew that God is in the middle of an enlightenment. ¡°God is formidable.¡± Blackie muttered, laying down obediently. He didn¡¯t dare disturb God in his finest moments. ¡°The elusive body, unattainable, invulnerable, divine.¡± Icicle imagined an invisible, fluctuating wind. Even if you cut it, you couldn¡¯t truly destroy it. The state of the body like that is truly unattainable, after all, human body is made of flesh. However, if a deity of this world were to practice this technique to perfection, it would most likely be unstoppable, thus invulnerable. ¡°Tempt fate, meet with the void; this clearly symbolizes someone trying to attack you, only to see the strike going right through you.¡± Icicle thought, gaining confidence in his pondering. ¡°This means¡­ afterimages?!¡± ¡°Formidable. Truly formidable. This technique, just how much work does it require to master? Adian gave the book to me, but he was only able to comprehend the first stage. Even that, he was merely starting to see a glimmer of light in the tunnel. His steps couldn¡¯t cover hundreds of meters, but he could dodge the incoming attacks with ease.¡± Icicle analyzed. ¡°The sound of echoing laughter portends the Grim Reaper¡¯s descent. Miss your chance to strike, instant death. This¡­ could it be?¡± Icicle was having doubts. If his assumption was correct, this technique was monstrous! ¡°If what I think is correct, then it¡¯s not only a movement technique, but damage amplifying technique! The sound of echoing laughter is the only thing a person can hear when he¡¯s about to die. The weapon whistles in the air, vibrations sounding like a devious laughter. The Grim Reaper¡¯s descent should be the moment of death. One misstep, instant death!¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes blazed with unprecedented light. He knew this technique would benefit him immensely. This was a technique worthy of him. An hour passed since Icicle started musing. His eyes calmed down. His thoughts were somewhat organized, but Icicle was nonetheless excited. He had to try out the might of the [Wind Stinger] technique! ¡°Let¡¯s go Blackie!¡± Icicle said to Blackie who was entangled with a Wild Boar. Blackie was bored after some time and decided to spend the time fighting, impressing God later with his matchless prowess. Hearing the command, Blackie happily followed God. Blackie enjoyed fighting now. After learning of the snakes¡¯ weaknesses, that it has weak scales on the bellyside and that by controlling their heads they turn harmless, the dog was overjoyed. Thus, Blackie got rid of weaker monsters like Wild Boars with ease. As the duo traveled through the grasslands, Blackie dispatched three monsters swiftly. He was about to happily announce his progress to God, when he saw something unimaginable. God stood amidst 15 large bears, swaying, dodging every attack like they didn¡¯t even exist in the first place. Every time there was more than 15 monsters gathered, God would dispatch one quickly, effortless. ¡°This¡­¡± Blackie gaped, unable to comprehend the sight. His faith in God increased even more. ¡°God is formidable.¡± Blackie muttered yet again, this time with much more conviction and ardor. Ten minutes passed. Icicle suddenly started killing off all the bears, like a butcher amongst swine. His resilient opponents didn¡¯t even last 5 minutes. ¡°How is it, God?¡± Blackie asked excitedly. Watching God was a true feast for the dog¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not good enough, we have to go farther!¡± Icicle said, rushing to the Red Blooming Valley. Chapter 23 Author¡¯s note: Alright guys, I¡¯m a slow turtle as always. Expect next chapter (24) at Wednesday and this Sunday I hopefully will be able to deliver 2 more. As for the prologue, it''s coming along slowly but surely. However, since it foreshadows future events I need some extra thought on this one, Recently my mind was wandering to chapters 60+ and 100+, resolving issues there, I guess I should focus more on writing the current chapters :<
Cling! Clang! Scores of rusty swords let out the reverberating sound of clashing steel. Vultures circled the skies above Red Blooming Valley, looking for an opportune moment to fill rumbling stomachs with bloody flesh. Two greyish caves stood on the opposite sides of the valley. Hordes of blue and green lizardmen fought fiercely against the human invaders. It was the first time since 200 years ago that the two tribes united against a common enemy. The name of the Red Blooming Valley didn¡¯t come from the beautifully growing flowers nor trees. The valley was a place where endless amount of blood was spilled. Both lizardmen tribes had tried to get rid of the other for two centuries. The tribes¡¯ warriors were experienced, many battle-scarred. Their stalemate made the entrance of hundreds of humans into their territory quite opportune. The hunters became the hunted. Both lizardmen tribes faced annihilation. Even though they used to be enemies, when they allied, their cooperation became surprisingly good. Players faced with those lizardmen were heavily pressured. One wrong move would be their last one. This was the greatest test their healers had encountered up to date. In the middle of hundreds of players clashing against the reptiles, there was one madman who fought against 10 lizardmen on his own. As the sabers and swords in the blue reptiles¡¯ hands whistled through the air, the madman swayed, dodging every blow with precision. This impasse lasted merely 10 seconds before 10 lizardmen encircled the player and attacked him from all sides. Whoosh! Clang! Four sabers were deflected, while the other 6 weapons lodged themselves into the player¡¯s body. Soon after, the other lizardmen stabbed again and the player met his maker.
<> Your respawn point was set at Vilen Town. You respawned in the local church. You have lost 1000 experience. Be careful adventurer, dying too many times can lose you levels!
¡°To think I was so engrossed in the feeling of [Elusive body] that I let myself die¡­ Sigh, from such unrefined creatures too¡­¡± Icicle facepalmed. He slapped his face so hard both his face and hand burned. ¡°Take heart young one, you¡¯re still alive after all!¡± chubby priest beside Icicle chimed in. The priest saw dejected adventurers before, but no one has slapped his face so hard yet. Other adventurers were mostly sighing or shaking their heads in disappointment. ¡°Thank you priest, I¡¯m fine.¡± Icicle smiled faintly. To be pitied by an NPC was a low blow to his self-esteem. Blackie returned to the mark on Icicle¡¯s left forearm after his Master died. He asked anxiously ¡°God, are you okay?¡± ¡°I stopped thinking for some time and almost instantly died. It¡¯s no big deal Blackie, we¡¯ll get back at them.¡± Icicle¡¯s firm words rang out in Blackie¡¯s mind. Following his statement, Icicle rushed out of the church and beelined into the Red Blooming Valley. Icicle¡¯s thoughts revolved around [Wind Stinger] technique, but now he was much calmer. He wished to learn how to use the technique to some extent as it filled him with amazement and excitement. Nothing felt so appealing to him for a long time. What¡¯s more, [Elusive body] that came with it would improve his fighting capabilities significantly. Blackie trotted alongside Icicle. They ignored any monsters on the way, sprinting right past them. There were a few dozen creatures stacked up behind them, futily trailing. As they gained distance, the monsters behind the duo lost aggro. Arriving in the valley again, Icicle¡¯s mind was calm. He analyzed the layout and noticed a long narrow passage north, between two brown rockfaces. ¡°That has to be the next leveling area.¡± he thought. Icicle scoured the area below with his gaze. ¡°There are so many lotuses here.¡± he spotted dozens of colorful flowers. Some were floating on the surface of the water, others were wholly submerged in it. They were not rotting for some strange reason. Icicle realized that the slope leading down was where the player and monster density was the highest. Last time he came here, he ran in without looking back, not taking any sights into consideration. He wanted to fight, to understand the mystifying, arcane feeling he experienced. Seeing the lizardmen now, Icicle¡¯s desire to battle rekindled, but he knew his alchemy needed improvement to get Marisse¡¯s daughter a cure. He felt that those lotuses can be a necessary and absolutely rare ingredient! If they could help him advance to first grade Alchemist, he had to get them! ¡°Strike the iron while it¡¯s hot!¡± Icicle thought, looking around for another way down. He noticed that west of the slope there was a rocky surface. However, if one was careful with their steps, he could enter the valley without being noticed. Ten minutes later, Icicle sneaked behind the waterfall next to the Blue Lizardmen Cave on the west side of the valley. The air next to the sparkling water was refreshing, unlike the rest of the area where the scent of blood, stinking wet lizards and decaying animal remains permeated the air. Unfortunately, there was nothing of worth behind the waterfall. Icicle hoped for some hidden treasure like in most fairytales, but the reality was cruel. There was absolutely nothing but wet rocks. However, although Icicle felt disappointed, he didn¡¯t let himself be too affected. There were way too many lotuses next to the waterfall to be depressed. ¡°Let¡¯s see those goodies.¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes flashed with expectation and a tinge of greed.
[Pink Floating Lotus] [Rare] Valuable alchemy ingredient that slightly improves the quality of the concoction. Requirements: 1st grade Alchemist, [Extract essence] skill. Notice: This item was identified based on the information in your alchemist compendium.
¡°Jackpot!¡± Icicle thought, barely suppressing the idea of screaming out loud. ¡°I did read about it when I looked for antidotes. There¡¯s so many of them in this area, I have to get all of them before other players realize it!¡± Icicle steeled himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to get that [Extract essence] skill yet, but it will come in time. For now, I need all the lotuses I can gather!¡± Icicle sent Blackie to look for more of the treasure flowers. Blackie felt strange. He listened to God, but weren¡¯t they supposed to fight? How could God suddenly have such a thorough turnaround? ¡°We need those flowers Blackie, get moving!¡± Icicle¡¯s firm voice resounded in Blackie¡¯s head. Blackie¡¯s doubts immediately disappeared. ¡°This is definitely God.¡± Blackie nodded, merging with the shadows to look for more colorful lotuses. *** Icicle greedily collected all of the lotuses he could without provoking the lizardmen. However, more and more players continued to pour into the area, drawing more and more monsters outside of their caves. As such, the areas where he could gather the flowers were reduced with every second. ¡°God, there¡¯s a lot of flowers over there!¡± Blackie gestured with his head. Icicle looked over to the place Blackie mentioned and his mouth curled into a wicked smile. ¡°Of course there are, it¡¯s next to the Green Lizardmen Cave.¡± Icicle watched the players battle the green lizardmen for a while. He realized that green lizardmen are using more crowd control than the blue ones. Blue lizardmen relied on their speed and weapons, while green lizardmen used all sorts of fish nets and tridents to deal with the pesky enemies. ¡°I¡¯ve already died once so I need to take it slow.¡± Icicle decided, going around the huge groups of monsters. He stayed on the periphery, gathering lotuses while engaging lone lizardmen.
[Blue Lizardman Trooper] [Lvl. 16][Basic] Inhabitant of the caves in the Red Blooming Valley. Health: 1300 Defense: 22 Attack: 45
1300 health may be a lot to other players, but for Icicle it wasn¡¯t much. His normal slashes dealt over 70 damage, plus he could deal additional 40 or so damage every 5 seconds. There was also the [Nasty Burn] skill of his sword, dealing 100 fixed damage for 80 mana. Its cooldown was 60 seconds. With all of that powering him, Icicle didn¡¯t feel much pressure from a lone lizardman. Blue Lizardman¡¯s scales glistened in the morning sun. Its well-developed muscles stuck to the yellowish-white leather armor for so long they were see-through. Blue reptile¡¯s eyes were yellow, shining with a dangerous light. Behind it swung a formidable looking tail bristled with spikes, resembling a genuine chainsaw. Icicle noticed the webbed blue feet ended with sharp claws through the water surface. The feet of the lizardmen were adapted to this watery environment. Icicle¡¯s feet on the other hand felt heavy, as if he was moving through the mud. The size-up was over, both the lizardman and Icicle moved! Clang! The swords clashed. Blue Lizardman¡¯s weapon was rusty, severely chipped. It was a miracle that its sword could even be used for fighting. On the contrary, Icicle¡¯s sword was brand new, covered in runes, its blade smooth and sharpened. It was like a battle between old and new. Clang! Clang! Clang! After a few more clashes, Icicle gauged the lizardman¡¯s strength. Compared to Vilenne this bout was like a child¡¯s play. Unrefined swordsmanship with one superfluous move following the other made the lizardman an easy opponent to deal with. Whistle! As the airflow descended upon him, Icicle noticed the overhead swing of the lizardman. He deflected the sword to the side, following with an overhead swing of his own. 150! The swing tore through the lizardman¡¯s worn out armor, resulting in critical damage. Icicle felt like it was not enough and followed up with the sword¡¯s skill! [Fiery Blazing Sword] was fueled by 80 mana, greedily absorbing it. The runes on the smooth sword blade shined with flickering yellow-orange light, intertwining. The blade surface quickly turned into roaring flames burning fiercely, giving off a feeling of extreme heat. Icicle stepped forward and stabbed straight at the lizardman¡¯s vulnerable abdomen! Shoooo! The sword tip landed on the lizardman¡¯s well developed muscles. The roaring flames quickly converged into a fireball, setting the lizardman aflame! ¡°Rkhaaaaaaaaaa!¡± the lizardman cried out, trying to put up the flames. ¡°It¡¯s a hidden crowd control!¡± Icicle rejoiced as he looked at the screaming lizardman. The pain the reptile felt made it unable to fight for a while. Seeing this, Icicle appreciated his new sword even more. Blue Lizardmen nearby were alarmed. They saw their comrade on fire, suffering. Their tailes hit the water surface, splashing water on the burning lizardman. Pshhhhhhhhh! The flames evaporated quickly. Some flames died out on their own as the effect of the skill subsided, leaving nasty burn marks on the reptile¡¯s body. The hurt lizardman was smart enough to jump into the shallow water to extinguish the remnants of the flames. Shrieeek! Red-glowing blade whistled towards Icicle. The lizardman¡¯s eyes turned red, as he became completely incensed. ¡°A skill, huh? Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re capable of!¡± Icicle imbued his sword with 50 points of mana, countering the sword blow with one of his own. Clang! The swords clashed, sending ripples and small waves through the water surface. Icicle felt as if a mountain suddenly hit his blade, making him stagger. He was able to fend off the brunt of the blow, but the lizardman flexed his muscles right after, doubling the strength of the blow and consecutively making Icicle fly. However, before Icicle¡¯s feet rose from the muddy ground, blue lizardman¡¯s tail swiped, hitting Icicle¡¯s right side! Icicle flew, bouncing off the shallow water like a rock skipping off the surface of the lake. Splash! ¡°Ugh!¡± Icicle groaned, seeing the numbers on the screen. ¡°That tail swipe did over 50 damage! My ribs hurt.¡± Icicle massaged his right side a little. ¡°No wonder I felt like each of those lizardmen held two weapons when I died. They were using tail swipes to hit me before!¡± Icicle remembered what happened when he died. He had a feeling as if he fought against 20, not 10 lizardmen. ¡°The skill that lizardman used outweighed my blade imbued with 50 points of mana. I must be lacking necessary strength, eh? Well, this virtual body won¡¯t be developed in a jiffy, so I might as well wear the helmet.¡± he decided.
[Metal Feathered Helmet] [Rare] Fine helmet of an ancient knight. The feather on top looks fabulous. Effects: +6 Defense +4 vitality +4 strength Special effect: Decreases the damage taken from critical hits by 5%. Requirements: Level 12
Icicle wore the helmet and quickly adjusted the game options. The helmet was limiting his eyesight and he didn¡¯t want that. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too real. No wonder Adian didn¡¯t want to wear a helmet, this thing is so restraining.¡± Icicle muttered. The blue lizardman watched as the human was donning his helmet, as if readying himself for battle. The reptile felt insulted. That human was actually treating it like cannon fodder! What¡¯s more, the human in front of it started gathering flowers! If this wasn¡¯t contempt then what was? Fuming with unbridled anger, blue lizardman¡¯s webbed feet tapped off the water, quickly approaching shameless human. The reptile swung its sword straight at the human¡¯s head. Icicle¡¯s eyes blazed with mischief. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Whistle! Icicle sidestepped the sword blow, slashing lizardman¡¯s sturdy legs. As the lizardman shrieked, Icicle quickly followed up with an upward slash. Red blood splattered all over, dripping from the open wound in the lizardman¡¯s abdomen. It looked as if it was cut in half. Seeing the ghastly wound in its chest, the blue lizardman became even more incensed. It shrieked, swinging wildly at Icicle. Its rusty sword was once again covered in red glow. Icicle no longer challenged the sword head on, he sidestepped the attack, stabbing wantonly. Every stab applied true damage. Since the creature¡¯s armor was broken, the additional 10 fire damage from the sword applied as well. Slowly but surely, the lizardman was whittled down to death. Icicle collected the dropped leather armor.
[Damaged Leather Armor] [Common] A piece of junk. Unusable. This scrap of leather has no value.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Seeing this miscellaneous item, Icicle¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I guess destroying the creature¡¯s armor isn¡¯t the way to go if I want good loot.¡± he inferred. He wasn¡¯t sure about it, but his conclusion felt right. ¡°Did you watch all of that?¡± Icicle turned to Blackie who was patiently waiting on the side. ¡°Yes God!¡± Blackie replied. He has long forgotten about calling Icicle Master. While God was fighting, Blackie observed carefully, trying to learn the secret of God¡¯s hidden strength. If he could learn God¡¯s secrets, maybe he could become just as strong? During the course of the fight, when God was hit, Blackie didn¡¯t start screaming like he used to. He saw God falling, but that was because God was reckless. Now God was calm, back to his previous, scary self. Just like Blackie thought, God¡¯s enemy was quickly taken care of. ¡°You¡¯re not ready to tangle with those creatures yet, but you can learn what they do to avoid dying.¡± Icicle said, killing another blue lizardman. The areas he went through were quickly swept, not leaving even one stalk of a lotus behind. When he was serious, the lizardman fell in about a minute. If he was lucky, then the time decreased to around 30 seconds. It all depended on the moves the lizardman used. Icicle made his way around the blue lizardmen, making a semi-circle. The only unswept areas were the middle of the battlefield and the front of the two tribes¡¯ caves. As Icicle approached the middle of the valley, he noticed there¡¯s a lot more monsters there. Players were approaching this area reluctantly, afraid of dying too quickly. Icicle made his way there cautiously, sweeping the ground with his eyes. In the corner of his eyes flashed a tinge of red. ¡°Huh?¡± Icicle looked at the position of the previously seen color and realized it was a red lotus, much bigger than the ones he gathered so far. ¡°Could that one be a grade higher, an Elite grade ingredient?¡± he thought, rubbing his hands in expectation. *** ¡°Those hides are tough!¡± Headshot said disgruntledly. The arrows he shot let out soft sounds, as if flying straight into a cotton wall. ¡°Gnolls have high physical resistance, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. Just keep peppering them with arrows, slowing them down from approaching us is good enough.¡± Inferno said, casting another fireball. ¡°Switch!¡± SilentStep blocked a blow for FieryRed with his twin daggers. Whenever his stealth was on cooldown, he helped with the tanking. ¡°[Ember Shield] now!¡± FieryRed cried out excitedly as she helped her bear finish off a [Gnoll Captain]. ¡°Ayo, coming up.¡± Inferno cast the spell. Faura¡¯s face brimmed with confidence. She was gently smiling, happy about her party¡¯s recent improvement of teamwork. ¡°Do you think we should get two more people?¡± Enna asked from the side, sitting on a rock, eating. Her party was doing so well that she had time to eat whenever she wanted. Eating delicacies was the most desirable thing for her, as she didn¡¯t gain any weight! In real life she had to watch what she ate to keep a slim figure, but in Loiterous that was completely unnecessary! Enna was so happy she almost cried from happiness. ¡°We could use another two people to speed up the leveling process but then there¡¯s the issue of loot. We can¡¯t share some items with outsiders. What if some great Elite grade item drops and that person wants it? I don¡¯t want to count on our luck to win it.¡± Faura explained. She knew that seventh and eighth person could lessen their burden, but it came with some unpleasantries. ¡°How about Icicle, he wouldn¡¯t really want our stuff right?¡± Enna asked innocently as she chewed on another bun. ¡°He¡¯s most likely still busy with his own quests.¡± Faura sighed. That would be the best, the charismatic youth who didn¡¯t require much as their frontliner. Their leveling speed would probably increase by 50%. Faura¡¯s eyes widened suddenly as an idea budded in her mind. Her mouth curled into a smile. ¡°Since you¡¯re not doing anything, how about you add Icicle and ask him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you guys don¡¯t need healing at the moment, so I¡¯m relaxing.¡± Enna shrugged, completely unperturbed. She added Icicle to her friend list. Enna watched her friend list intently as Icicle¡¯s status popped out. There was green dot next to it, showing that he¡¯s online. ¡°I know Faura asked you yesterday, but would you like to come with us to the [Desolated Catacombs] dungeon today?¡± Enna typed out the message. ¡°What are the levels of the monsters there?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°They range from 15 to 17.¡± ¡°I¡¯m killing Blue and Green Lizardmen right now. I can¡¯t tell what their higher levels are, but the ones I see are at least level 17.¡± Icicle sent a screenshot of the blue lizardman¡¯s stats. ¡°I see.¡± Enna turned pensive for a while. She didn¡¯t want to drag someone out from a better leveling area. However, she decided to ask anyways. ¡°We have 6 people here so you will get more experience that way. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± ¡°How long does it take you to kill a monster?¡± ¡°We kill them in a bunch, so we get like 5 to 6 per minute.¡± Enna typed out. ¡°I get up to 2 lizardmen per minute.¡± Icicle¡¯s reply shocked Enna. Their experience was shared, so they basically killed one monster per minute if they were lucky. However, Icicle killed one a minute all the time, sometimes even two! What¡¯s more, they were higher leveled! Enna¡¯s lips puckered. She could no longer tempt Icicle to join them. He was doing better than them on his own. ¡°Oh right, if you have spare time, you can gather herbs for me, I¡¯ll pay you handsomely!¡± Icicle¡¯s message showed up. Enna smiled faintly, fairly disappointed. ¡°How is it?¡± Faura asked from the side. She saw Enna frowning, as if pouting. That usually meant she was sad or had done something wrong. ¡°Icicle is doing better than us on his own.¡± Enna sighed dejectedly. ¡°He says we can collect herbs for him if we have time.¡± ¡°I see¡± Faura focused on the gnolls. ¡°Look, I¡¯m collecting these flowers right now.¡± Icicle sent a screenshot of all kinds of lotuses in his inventory. Enna looked at the flowers with excitement. She loved cute things. ¡°Here¡¯s something I got you as well.¡± Icicle sent another screenshot. There was a clerical collar on it with a golden cross sewn on it. ¡°So cute!¡± Enna involuntarily cried out. Everyone except FieryRed looked at Enna with surprise. The Paladin girl was too busy fighting monsters. ¡°So, how is he doing?¡± SilentStep asked. Enna gaped at her friend, before closing her little mouth. It was rare for SilentStep to show concern about people he didn¡¯t know. ¡°He¡¯s level 12, killing level 17 and higher monsters, up to 2 per minute.¡± Enna said weakly. SilentStep smirked. His expression clearly said ¡°I expected nothing less of him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of that bracelet!¡± FieryRed cried out from the front lines. She apparently listened to the conversation, although she pretended not to. ¡°What class did he choose?¡± Headshot asked as he focused on hitting weak points of the gnolls. If he missed and hit the tough armor, his damage was significantly reduced. ¡°Icicle¡¯s a¡­ Water Mage.¡± Enna blurted out. She couldn¡¯t believe someone standing in the frontline like FieryRed could suddenly pick a ranged class. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Inferno laughed out loud. ¡°He picked a ranged class and he kills two higher level monsters a minute? He must be playing like FieryRed!¡± The red-haired maiden in the front frowned. That was clearly an insult. A Mage topping a Paladin in a melee fight? Ridiculous! FieryRed knew it¡¯s most likely because of the items, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling ridiculed. With nowhere else to vent, she decided to release her frustration on the poor gnolls. ¡°I need to take care of something, so talk to you later!¡± Enna¡¯s chat displayed another message. Enna sighed, closed the window and stuffed her face with another sweet bun. She spent quite a lot of money at Wurtox¡¯s shop to buy them. Fortunately, the chef gave her a discount for mass buying. ¡°Oh right, I almost forgot. You guys should turn off the system assist and use the spells and mana on your own. It¡¯s much more fun that way.¡± Icicle sent his last message before closing his chat. Enna read with rapt attention, almost choking on the sweet bun she was munching on. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Faura patted Enna¡¯s back, helping her cough out the remains of the bun. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, thanks.¡± Enna took a deep breath. She fiddled with the system settings and tried using healing spell on her own. Enna¡¯s target was FieryRed, she lost quite a bit of HP during the fight. A warm flow coursed through Enna¡¯s body. She imitated the process of the system assist. Feeling as if she gathered enough mana, Enna pushed her hands outwards, targeting FieryRed. ¡°I did it!¡± Enna exclaimed happily. Her first attempt resulted in a success. She looked at her tiny hands with glee. As she laughed, FieryRed¡¯s voice boomed out ¡°What the hell are you doing Enna?! Why the hell did you heal a monster?! You¡¯re trying to provide me with a challenge or what?!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Enna cried out. She saw FieryRed¡¯s health didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°My bad.¡± she said weakly. FieryRed shook her head, not knowing what Enna was doing. She cast [Radiant light] to heal herself. Enna didn¡¯t mind her failure. She was happy her first spellcasting worked. She tried again and this time FieryRed was healed, but only by the 1/3 of the original amount. ¡°What are you doing Enna?¡± Faura asked with concern. She saw Enna wriggling like a snake. ¡°Icicle said we should use spells without system assist, I was checking out if it works!¡± Enna emanated excitement and glee. Her face was all smiles. ¡°Use the mana on our own?¡± FieryRed¡¯s interest was piqued. She quickly turned off the system assist and tried it herself. At first, she couldn¡¯t get a feel for it, but soon she was able to imbue her sword with a yellowish glow. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± she exclaimed. Faura, Inferno and SilentStep tried it out too. Their results greatly differed. For Faura, it was quite easy to get a feel for it. She used her [Lightning bolts] with precision, as if she was born for the class. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not that hard to cast them, but my damage went down. However, they don¡¯t drain as much mana either. The stun effect seemed to stay the same at 30% chance, but its duration is lower. The only thing that didn¡¯t change is the cooldown.¡± she quickly surmised. This revelation would change the party¡¯s battle tactics. They could use less mana to get almost the same results. This meant that the entire party could spend less on mana pots, or heal to full without wasting too much mana on the spell. ¡°I wonder if I can cast a stronger version of [Lightning bolt]?¡± Faura tried imbuing twice the amount of mana the spell required, but to her dismay, it didn¡¯t work. The spell exploded, dealing damage to her and almost killing Inferno who was next to her in the process. ¡°You really do like to play with fire, huh?¡± Inferno teased. ¡°I was just checking if we can upgrade our spells that way, but it seems system assist sets the limit, we can only cast weaker versions for less.¡± Faura said in the party voice chat. ¡°Really? Let me try.¡± Inferno believed Faura, but he wanted to check for himself. As soon as he imbued more mana than the spell could take, it exploded, charring his brows and hair. His face looked like an ancient remnant of a charcoal. FieryRed imbued her sword with all the mana she had and sliced a wounded gnoll in half. ¡°This is awesome!¡± she screamed, attacking another one. However, her slash did the normal damage. ¡°Huh? Why is it not working?¡± FieryRed checked the party status and realized her mana is completely gone. ¡°I need more wisdom items!¡± she stamped her feet. SilentStep had the most problems, it wasn¡¯t easy to suddenly blend with the environment. He wasn¡¯t a natural like Blackie who simply imbued his fur with mana and disappeared from sight. It took some serious effort before SilentStep managed to use stealth, and even that quickly broke. He only lasted 3 out of 30 available seconds of the spell. Standing still in stealth prolonged the duration to 2 minutes, but SilentStep ignored that. He needed combat efficiency. Headshot scratched his head, not knowing what to do. He didn¡¯t have mana like others, but Focus stat. Archers had 200 Focus to spend, which automatically recovered 5 points a second. However, Archers also had skills known as builders, allowing them to gain more Focus by using them. ¡°You don¡¯t know what to do?¡± Faura noticed Headshot¡¯s predicament and asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have mana like you guys.¡± Headshot shook his head helplessly. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s called Focus, try doing what it says. Draw the bowstring, nock your arrow and aim carefully. Make sure the system assist is off too.¡± Faura advised. That¡¯s the only thing she could infer. Headshot did as Faura told him. His first few tries resulted in him missing the target. After hundreds of failed attempts, he finally got a feeling of improving a little. Headshot saw his Focus quickly draining. As soon as it drained 50 points of Focus, he let the arrow loose. Puchi! The arrow pierced the gnoll¡¯s tough hide and armor, directly stabbing into its flesh. ¡°Wow!¡± Headshot blinked a few times to make sure that what was happening was real. Archer class wasn¡¯t as useless against armored units as he thought it was! Ding!
<> You¡¯ve discovered [Focus shot]! [Focus shot] (passive) ¨C increases your damage and piercing ability of your arrows by absorbing your Focus. The more Focus you use, the better the effect. Can¡¯t exceed 200% damage and 35% armor penetration.
Seeing the window Headshot almost wanted to cry. ¡°Congratulations.¡± his party members one by one said, patting his back. The party continued playing without the system assist, improving as time went on. At first, their efficiency dropped to 2-3 gnolls a minute, after an hour it was already 3-4 gnolls a minute. Two hours later, they were able to return to their previous peak, 5-6 gnolls a minute. As they practiced together, their record increased to 8 gnolls per minute. ¡°Alright guys, let¡¯s wrap it up, we almost have all the symbols we need, I want to wear my baby staff!¡± Faura said with excitement. She was about to hit level 18 after handing over the quest.
[White Oak Staff] [Elite] Weapon type: Two-handed staff Magic damage: 20-25 Effects: +5 intelligence +5 wisdom Decreases the skills¡¯ mana usage by 10%. Special effects: Every basic magic attack does additional 5 magic damage. You have 1% chance that the enemies you killed respawn as a White Oak Sapling, aiding you in battle for 90 seconds. Requirements: Mage class, level 18.
Just looking at it filled Faura¡¯s face with glee. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re handing over the quest. We¡¯ll grab a bite in real life and then we¡¯ll enter the dungeon! Let¡¯s move!¡± Faura said with a smile. Night snacks tasted the best! Chapter 24 Author¡¯s note: Since I¡¯m a slow turtle, the editors didn¡¯t really get a good look on this chap. Expect some minor grammar issues.
¡°I hope they¡¯ll be able to garner some attention.¡± Icicle muttered as he closed the chat window with Enna. There was a party capable of felling a boss monster in his region. Those guys would be troublesome to deal with if they were to vie for the blue lizardman boss. Icicle felt confident going against a boss on his own, but it would be much harder if there was a party of eight hindering him. That¡¯s why he counted on Faura¡¯s party to cause some turbulences near the Desolate Catacombs dungeon they mentioned. If the bear party could be diverted there, it would be for the best. Besides, earning a few friends in the game wouldn¡¯t hurt. Since Icicle¡¯s going to have hordes of enemies, having a few reliable people in his clique will only benefit him. Not giving the matter any further thought, Icicle focused on the task at hand. Moving swiftly around the periphery, Icicle whittled down the number of blue lizardmen with every passing minute. However, more and more reptiles respawned in the middle of the valley, increasing the potential number of guards around the red lotus. ¡°Do I really need to send Blackie on a suicidal mission?¡± Icicle frowned. Although new player arrived one after the other, it was nighttime in real life. A lot of casual gamers were asleep. Even if they were here, they would probably die, but at least they could provide some distraction. Icicle looked around carefully. He didn¡¯t want to disrupt the current impasse. If he did, there would be more people inside the caves, thus his boss hunting would be constantly interrupted. He had to somehow grab the red lotus and enter the caves before the fragile balance of forces swung either way. With his mind buzzing, Icicle started formulating the plan. There were several risky factors in it, but you couldn¡¯t win if you didn¡¯t go in. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Icicle asked as he narrated the whole plan to Blackie. Blackie nodded his head. There was a glass vial with red colored liquid inside his mouth. ¡°Yes God, I understand!¡± Blackie¡¯s voice resounded in Icicle¡¯s mind. Since both of them came to an understanding, they immediately moved. Blackie attacked the blue lizardmen with his paws, gathering at least a dozen of them behind him. This eased the burden on the nearby players, allowing them to act more freely. They engaged a couple more of the reptiles. Icicle rushed into the red lotus area and immediately went for the kill. He ignored the blue lizardmen as he collected the red lotus into his inventory with right hand. Blue lizardmen nearby were instantly alarmed. They raised their rusty weapons and rushed towards Icicle. There were 7 of them! One was a Rare variant, carrying a ball and chain as its weapon. Icicle knew that running from such a group at this moment of time was pointless. He could stumble upon much more of the lizardmen and then he would be finished. He had to wait for Blackie to drag the others far enough first. Imbuing his feet with mana, Icicle moved forward to meet the attackers. His left hand cast [Water prison]. In this watery environment, Icicle¡¯s spell was barely noticeable. The lizardmen were caught completely off guard, not noticing what had happened before the bluish sphere of water enclosed them. Icicle slashed the throat of the front lizardman who luckily escaped the restraining sphere of water, not letting it retaliate whatsoever. His movements were swift and precise, like an experienced hunter dispatching prey. There was no joy of the hunt, it was merely reducing the numbers of the overpopulated race. Blood splattered all over the place like a fountain, tinging the still, sparkly water surface with red color. The water surface resembled human body with red, snake-like veins traversing through it. As the gruesome scene unfolded, the surrounding air suffused with a strong stench of blood. Icicle¡¯s moves were deft, his blade merciless. The lone blue lizardman in front of him had his throat slashed a couple of times, unable to patch it up. Swinging his blade to the side to let the sticky blood drop off it, Icicle seemed like the overlord who despised killing such a weak creature. This was him creating momentum! He would be unable to face 6 creatures at once, especially since there was a Rare variant mixed in there. However, if he were to instill doubt in the reptiles, that was another case. Meanwhile, Blackie who was running away from a large group of blue lizardmen was harassed by their rusty weapons. Although they didn¡¯t hurt as much as proper weapons, Blackie¡¯s fur still burned from pain. Blackie was faster than the chasing reptiles originally, but in the watery environment of the valley, he couldn¡¯t really do much. However, Icicle prepared him for that. Blackie swigged the reddish potion and drank its contents in one gulp. As the slightly bitter liquid flowed down his stomach, he felt a warm current inside his body, renerating his vigor and mending his wounds. As soon as Blackie was far enough, he entered stealth losing his trailers. The chasing reptiles scattered, attacking nearby adventurers to vent. Blackie quickly reported to Icicle, his voice full of excitement. ¡°God, I lost them!¡± ¡°Good, stay outside the valley.¡± Icicle replied, barely dodging a powerfully swung chained ball. As the spiked weapon hit the water surface, it splashed fiercely, quickly reaching the bottom. Icicle felt the vibration of the underwater rocks travel through his feet. If this attack landed on his foot, even the bones would be instantly pulverized. Icicle knew he could take on the 6 lizardmen by sweating a lot and using his self- detachment state, but that wasn¡¯t time efficient. He had to get into the caves and who knew how many strong monsters resided there. What¡¯s more, Icicle didn¡¯t want to fail the quest. The quest itself didn¡¯t matter too much to him, but he gave Marisse his word. As a man of principle, Icicle always valued his word. As Icicle swiftly retreated, the enraged lizardmen gave chase. They shrieked, their shrill voices reverberating through the valley. ¡°Rkhaaaaaaaaa!¡± the Rare variant lizardmen roared. Icicle moved through the hundreds of players, barely making it through the battlefield of reptiles and humans. Chasing reptiles had to finally give in. The gap between them and the insolent human widened with every second. If it wasn¡¯t for other humans who blocked the way by tangling with their comrades, they would have caught the thief! *** After Icicle and Blackie withdrew from the center, Icicle checked the properties of his new finding on top of the steep hill.
[Bloody Prime Red Lotus] [Legendary] A vigorous lotus flower that absorbed rivers of blood. This mesmerizing flower is a highly sought for alchemic ingredient increasing the quality of all invigorating potions. Requirements: First grade alchemist, [Extract essence] skill of Intermediate level or higher. Notice: This ingredient was identified based on legends, your experiences and the information contained within your alchemist compendium.
Icicle¡¯s mouth curled into a satisfied smile. It was a Legendary grade item! Although it was only an ingredient, Icicle felt content. This sole red lotus flower could be used to trigger a potential breakthrough for Icicle when he was about to advance into second grade Alchemist later on! ¡°You did good Blackie.¡± Icicle caressed Blackie¡¯s fur. He gave him a few slabs of bear meat as he pondered over the results. They vastly exceeded his expectations. *** Going down the cliff through the rocks he used earlier, Icicle sneaked into the Blue Lizardmen Cave. As soon as he crossed the superficial threshold, a new window welcomed him.
<> You¡¯ve entered the [Blue Lizardmen Cave]. Beware adventurer, countless dangers lurk in the shadows of this gloomy place. PvP restriction: Off
¡°Dangers, huh? As if it wasn¡¯t dangerous enough outside.¡± Icicle sighed. This world was ridden with danger. If someone was scared of a little hurt maybe they shouldn¡¯t play at all. At least not competetively. The inside of the lizardmen cave was greyish, just like the outside. Damp floor reeked of water mixed with blood, piss and excrements. The air inside the cave was stale, as if it didn¡¯t circulate for centuries. On the sides of the spacious passage laid remains of smaller creatures, scales and something that looked like a lizard¡¯s tail. Shed skin littered the dark corners of the cave. Icicle entered cautiously, sending Blackie ahead of him to scout. He wanted to see what¡¯s the layout like. Although the current entrance was at least 5m in width, Icicle doubted it would stay this way. Thus, he wanted to prepare for every eventuality. Who knows what freakish creatures like the one with ball and chain will appear this time? Blackie trotted swiftly through the damp corridors of the Blue Lizardmen Cave. He turned left only to see guards stationed in the way. Those blue reptiles were wielding spears and rusty metallic armor. Their posture was ramrod straight. Blackie could feel they were stronger than the ones that were chasing him earlier. As Blackie entered deeper into the cave, he arrived in a circular room with a couple of entrances. There were a few people fighting inside, overwhelmed by the numbers of blue lizardmen. They puffed and huffed, employing various spells at hand to stay alive. However, as the fighting unfurled, they disintegrated into particles. ¡°They¡¯re clearly not as strong as God.¡± Blackie snorted inwardly. Blackie covertly passed through the room, examining the equipment of the blue reptiles. Only the light flowing in through the holes in the ceiling shed some light into the cave. However, with Blackie¡¯s vision it wasn¡¯t a problem. He described everything vividly to God. Icicle could only helplessly shake his head as he praised the telepathy system more and more. With a pet like Blackie it was incredibly useful! According to his Black Hound¡¯s description, there were a couple dozen lizardmen archers, and a dozen or so spearmen. Aside from those, in the middle of a spacious room resided a completely different lizardman. Its blue scales shined without the sunlight, giving a feeling of monstrous power. It wielded a steel shield with three claws pattern in the middle. At its waist hang a large curved sword resembling a chinese saber. The sword¡¯s sheen gave off a dangerous light. Icicle noted the existence of the big guy. He disregarded him being the boss though. The distance was way too close. It was most likely Atlas level creature. Adian seemed to have trouble with that direwolf, but that was at the time when Icicle didn¡¯t know the Guard Captain¡¯s real strength. However, for the current Icicle going against such an opponent would definitely require him to enter the self-detachment state. Even that didn¡¯t make his odds too great. Icicle¡¯s nature was competetive though. There was a deep rooted pride inside him. He wouldn¡¯t let go of an opponent he could learn from. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Since that mini-boss is using a weapon resembling a saber, it must be fast and full of killing intent! This will be a test of my resolve. Let¡¯s see if the creatures in this world can compare to the big shots of the Underworld.¡± Icicle grinned insidiously. Those cunning individuals had him go through countless sleepless nights in the past. ¡°God, I went farther as you asked. The passages get more narrow as I go deeper, getting wider at the end, when I enter the new rooms. I¡¯ve noticed blue reptiles with bows again. However, their arrows were more shiny, not as rusty on the arrowheads. They even had fluffy feathers at the end of them! The quivers were packed with a lot more projectiles within them. As for the creatures¡¯ outer appearance, they looked much more formidable than those ranged lizardmen I saw earlier.¡± Blackie narrated. He ventured quite far into the caves. ¡°I see, go as far as you can before you come back.¡± Icicle replied, trying to figure out the layout. ¡°Since Blackie said those archers are stronger than the ones before, they must be of Elite grade! The Elite guards of the boss!¡± Icicle surmised. He expected more melee elite guards as well. After all, this was a large cave complex. ¡°Blackie, are there any adventurers like me inside?¡± Icicle suddenly asked. He knew there were some at the beginning, but what he wanted to know was if there were some farther in. Those guys would be skilled, hard to deal with. ¡°No God, I haven¡¯t spotted any. However, this cave is truly large. I heard some vague sounds of struggle in the other passages. There might be some of those you speak of.¡± Blackie said in one breath. Icicle received the news calmly. If there weren¡¯t many players farther in, he could deal with the stragglers. ¡°God, I¡¯ve noticed another bunch of lizardmen covered in steel. They look like giant warmachines ready to strike at anytime.¡± Blackie narrated the outlook of lizardmen soldiers covered in heavy armor with spears and swords donning their hands. They were most likely the elite regimen. As Icicle listened, he noticed something worrisome. ¡°Are those lizardmen gearing up?¡± he asked telepathically. ¡°It seems so, God. There are lots of quivers full of arrows, steel breastplates and other polished weapons laying around. It looks like a preparation for a large battle to me.¡± Blackie said with a degree of certainty. Icicle thought of the [Ingrained Enmity] event. There were waves of enemies, appearing one after the other with short time intervals. Could it be that those lizardmen were actually readying to sally out? If so, what was it based on? Time? Players¡¯ average level in the area? Equipment grade? All those thoughts swirled inside Icicle¡¯s head but he couldn¡¯t figure anything out without more information. All he knew was that the lizardmen were likely to come out of their caves in full force to get rid of the players as some sort of a local event. The burly, shining blue lizardman Blackie saw earlier will probably be the leader of the troops. ¡°Check out the boss room if you can, then come back!¡± Icicle ordered. *** In a large throne room at the end of the grey cave resided a blue scaled creature. Its height was towering, over 3 meters high. It sat on a dilapidated throne that could barely withstand its enormous weight. Red Blooming Valley was a place where both lizardmen tribes decided to settle in. Their equipment was gathered from the fallen humans who dared to venture into their territory. After the all-out war over 10000 years ago, the human settlers expanded to the distant territories. Monsters and humans engaged in a war of attrition. However, now it was different. The reason for both lizardmen tribes to choose this valley were the valuable herbs growing on their backyard. Those herbs could rapidly heal the wounds, thus they were highly coveted by greedy humans who were unable to resist the huge temptation. What¡¯s more, this passage was fairly secluded and easy to defend. Lizardmen tribes couldn¡¯t ask for much more for their dwelling. In recent times there was a tacit understanding between humans and monsters. Both sides would still occasionally fight, but as long as neither side was wiped out, they could both weed out the weak and focus on nourishing the strong! This was the way the world always worked, strong preyed on the weak! Humans had their own countries where strong relied on the votes of the weak to rule. However, that was a kind of strength as well. Only the strong would be reliable enough to carry the hope of the weak. This fragile balance between the races shattered with the arrival of adventurers. Although it was foretold, many creatures didn¡¯t believe that otherworldly human invaders would be brazen enough to attack them. Blue Lizardmen experienced the impudence of the human creatures first hand. Although those humans died, they were able to rebirth, bringing constant trouble to the lizardman race. If they couldn¡¯t show their superiority by overwhelming those invaders with strength and numbers, there was no hope for the reptiles. As the Blue Lizardman Prince thought of this, he sighed inwardly, awaiting the final struggle. ¡°Hmm? What was that?¡± Blue Lizardman Prince¡¯s eyes wandered to the entrance of the throne room. Although it appeared to be hiding, the prince could sense a creature there. ¡°A stinking dog?¡± the reptile prince frowned, somewhat appalled. ¡°You little creature, you dare enter the presence of this prince?¡± the lizardman big shot spoke in the monster language. Blackie perked his ears and realized he was noticed. He didn¡¯t know how most of the laws of the world worked. How could the poor dog know that every boss level creature could sense stealthed targets? This was the only way for the game developers to balance the assassin class. If bosses could be assassinated, there would be no challenge whatsoever facing them. Blackie looked at the huge Blue Lizardman Prince sitting on the throne with one of the webbed hands propping its chin. He knew that he had no chance against such a formidable opponent, thus Blackie was preparing to run. ¡°You little dog, I don¡¯t know how you entered here, but you should leave. There¡¯s a grand battle coming up soon at which my grandson will be debuting against evil invaders. It would dirty my hands to deal with an unsophisticated creature like you.¡± the lizardman prince said, yawning. Its arrogant pride was almost palpable. ¡°God will slash you to pieces.¡± Blackie responded, barking fiercely. He wasn¡¯t scared of anyone but Icicle. That person meant even more than a True God to Blackie. ¡°Hmph, pathetic little mongrel, you dare talk back to this prince? Die!¡± lizardman prince reached out with his hand and grabbed the hilt behind him. His right hand carried an enormous momentum with it as the giant steel axe slashed straight at Blackie! Blackie jumped backwards, trying to avoid the swift blow. Although the distance between the two was more than 8m, the axe¡¯s blade emitted a cold light that seemed to reach out far and wide, covering a 10m radius. Splatter! Blackie¡¯s right side was slashed open by the devastating blow even though he was already over 10m away. This attack was simply too scary! His own [Shadow swipe] couldn¡¯t compare. As the blood dripped down, Blackie retreated at the top speed towards Icicle. He has long since notified God of what happened. Icicle¡¯s suspicions were correct. The lizardmen tribes were preparing for an all out war. This most likely was a timed event to welcome the players to the new world! *** Faura and her party logged in after eating. They massaged their bellies as an aftertaste of the real world accompanied them to Loiterous. ¡°I wanted to eat some more barbecue meat.¡± FieryRed grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not good to eat too much at night. You know that, right? Hmph, besides, who wouldn¡¯t want to eat more when I was the one paying?¡± Faura shook her head helplessly. This bunch of freeloaders almost wasted her entire allowance! ¡°Now, now.¡± Inferno tried to loosen up the atmopshere. Headshot didn¡¯t say a word. He has eaten the most right after FieryRed. There was nothing better than a sumptuous feast that was free! ¡°Alright guys, let¡¯s enter.¡± SilentStep reminded gently. He wanted to experiment with the mana control some more. Faura gripped her new staff tightly. She felt as though it filled her with boundless vigor. She was ready to challenge whatever came her way. Faura reflexively glanced at Enna to see how she¡¯s doing. The healer would be even more important than her Lightning Mage class inside the dungeon. Monsters inside will most likely hit like trucks. The entire party would rely on Enna, increasing the burden on her tiny shoulders. Unexpectedly, Enna¡¯s eyes seemed to be spitting fire, ready to go. What could motivate that usually gentle girl so much? ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Enna firmly said, taking to to the frontlines. Other party members quickly followed. ¡°Oi, FieryRed, did you equip the shield Icicle gave you?¡± Faura asked. ¡°Hehe.¡± FieryRed sheepishly smiled. ¡°What is it?¡± The entire party stopped and looked at the grinning redhead. ¡°This Elite grade shield has a skill!¡± FieryRed was all smiles. ¡°Oh really? What kind?¡± her friends started imagining all sorts of defense boosting skills, some even envisioned a direct shield appearing around the wielder! ¡°It¡¯s called¡­¡± FieryRed faintly smiled as she created the suspense. Feeling as if she held them in the dark long enough, she shouted out ¡°It¡¯s called [Shield bash]!¡± Smack! Faura¡¯s right hand struck FieryRed¡¯s head. Poor girl¡¯s head was hit with such a force that she staggered and almost fell to the ground. ¡°You little barbarian, hmph.¡± Faura curely snorted. She was expecting FieryRed to finally play a proper role of a tank yet this fierce girl only had damage dealing in mind. What sort of a Paladin was she?! Enna, Headshot, Inferno and SilentStep were petrified for a moment. When they saw how quickly Faura recovered, smacking FieryRed¡¯s head, they bursted out laughing. This was typical of the duo. ¡°Alright, enough of the antics guys. We have leveling to do!¡± Faura said sternly. She redistributed potions and food to the party. *** ¡°This place seems quite interesting.¡± Santi, a Warrior that fell the bear boss earlier with his party, commented. The party arrived at the Red Blooming Valley just now. ¡°Yawn, let¡¯s get it going guys. That last boss was so slow¡­ I hope this one won¡¯t be as boring.¡± Tiana, the Fire Mage grumbled as she played with her long blue hair. ¡°I hope they drop some decent bows out here, I¡¯m still using the beginner stuff.¡± Puyo said with a wicked smile. If the monsters didn¡¯t drop it, the players could! With overbearing momentum, the experienced 8 man party walked down to the center of Red Blooming Valley! No chapters this week - 4 next week TL;DR: 4 chapters next week to compensate. I had a lot of trouble with my sleeping schedule recently, sleeping for 3-6 hours in random intervals. When I finally started writing yesterday, thunderstorm conjured out of nowhere to boost my confidence... If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.Since the release is delayed again, I won''t say when will the chapters come out, just that within the next week. Let''s pray Lightning Mages take it easy on me. P.S. I blame Ivir for it, she probably wanted to have some more exposure in the story. Chapter 25 Author¡¯s note: Had some health problems, mainly a nasty toothache that gave me a fever and weakened me generally for the next couple days. Now that I¡¯m feeling better, I wrote this chapter almost from the scratch, but I didn¡¯t have time for the rest of them. Do not worry though, I will write throughout the week to get out of ¡°debt¡± slowly. At least 3 more chapters this week, starting from Wednesday, maybe even the 4th on the weekend.
Icicle stood at the entrance of the Blue Lizardmen Cave, tapping his chin. His hand held a red potion prepared for his clumsy familiar, Blackie. ¡°Once those elite lizardmen storm out, the whole valley will turn bloody. Assuming it¡¯s a timed event, it will most likely take some time for the lizardmen to storm out, it¡¯s the middle of the night after all. If I were a dev, I would plan the outbreak for the time when most of the players are online, that is the morning hours.¡± Icicle concluded. Blackie came running out, his fur scarlet. ¡°Well, look at you, if I didn¡¯t know you I would think you¡¯re a seasoned warrior.¡± Icicle quipped as he poured a health potion into Blackie¡¯s mouth. His other hand cast [Healing drizzle]. Blackie swallowed the bitter red liquid. As soon as it reached his stomach, he felt a warm sensation spreading through his body, restoring his vitality. ¡°What are we going to do now, God?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t immediately go into the cave, leaving Blackie perplexed. ¡°We can¡¯t rush in blindly. Those lizardmen will come out shortly, so we¡¯ll wait and then go inside.¡± Icicle headed towards the nearby waterfall to calmly wait there. The falling curtain of water fell with unbridled momentum. Icicle cast [Liquid membrane] on himself and Blackie. Parting the wall of water, the magic barrier shook, but it was able to withstand the pressure. Icicle grabbed a few pieces of meat, feeding Blackie and stuffing himself at the same time. ¡°I don¡¯t expect those lizardmen to move for the next few hours, so I¡¯ll be back later.¡± Icicle petted Blackie and logged out. *** Dilapidated stairs led down to the [Desolated Catacombs] dungeon. On both sides of the stairs were gruesome stains of blood. The air was stuffy, reeking of blood. This place was clearly a den of ferocious monsters.
<> You¡¯ve entered [Desolated Catacombs]. Beware! This dungeon is a den of multifarious cruel and insidious monsters. We recommend to enter the dungeon as a party consisting of at least 4 members.
¡°Hehe!¡± Faura¡¯s face was all smiles as she looked at the [White Oak Staff]. The slick brown wood gave her an intimate feeling. Her hand caressed the staff as if it was her lover. When she imbued some mana into the staff, she felt an unimpeded mana flow traverse through it, making her even more joyful. ¡°Hmph. And you say I act like a child!¡± FieryRed snorted, puffing her chest out. Growl! FieryRed¡¯s bear shared the same opinion. When the party was taming him, Faura pummeled the poor bear with her fists, even though she chose a ranged class. When the bear was lying on the ground, ready to surrender, Faura started kicking him until he was half dead. Originally, the bear wanted to be taken in as a pet by Faura, but she gave him to FieryRed. Now that someone was finally opposing the hegemonic female leader, the bear naturally cried out his grievances. Faura disregarded the redhead and her new, furry orange-brown pupil, engrossed in her own world of dreams. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± SilentStep called out. The underground dungeon was spacious. There were at least a few hundred players fighting monsters in various corners of the moss covered light brown floor tiles. Huge pieces of rubble laid on the ground, clearly showing the dilapidated state of the dungeon. Glancing at the formidable looking ceiling above, or what was left of it, players could see a bit of the upper floor. Huge cracks spread throughout the ceiling, making it seem as if it was ready to fall on the people¡¯s heads at anytime. Higher level gnolls donning better equipment, kobolds carrying shaman-like staffs, green and short ugly goblins wielding rusty weapons, orange murlocs carrying spears and fishing nets¡­ this is what dwelled on the first floor of [Desolated Catacombs]. FieryRed looked around excitedly. Her eyes reflected the fighting scenes all around. She took all of them in and balled her little fists, trembling from excitement. ¡°There¡¯s so many of them!¡± Arrows flew, fireballs exploded, wind whistled through the underground mine, cutting through the monster flesh as if it was made of butter. ¡°Those Wind Mages are pretty strong!¡± Faura smiled, gripping the wooden staff tightly. ¡°I heard my friends say that Wind Mages deal a lot of damage to heavy armored units since their magic has extra piercing power.¡± Inferno added. ¡°Who cares about them, let¡¯s fight!¡± FieryRed was about to rush in when Faura¡¯s hand pulled her back. ¡°We¡¯ll watch for a while. There¡¯s no need to rush in to die.¡± SilentStep said. *** ¡°So Headshot, what do you think?¡± Faura teasingly asked. Headshot picked Archer class so he should get used to his role of a little tactician. SilentStep will most likely take over the role later, but since he¡¯s a melee class, having a ranged class give commands from the back, where the big picture is clearer and the vision is better, will greatly benefit the party. Besides, having Headshot learn a few things wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Mm, there are several types of monsters in here, some harder to fight than others. Goblins seem relatively easy to kill, they don¡¯t deal a lot of damage since their weapons are rusty. However, they¡¯re quick on their feet, thus hard to hit. As for Murlocks, those guys are not only quick, they use fishing nets to ensnare their enemies. Their spears are long, so going for a melee with them is appropriate, we just need to look out for the nets.¡± Headshot analyzed. ¡°Gnolls, well, we do know them already. They are somewhat slow, their armor is pretty tough and their weapons deal a lot of damage but are easy to dodge. Simply speaking, gnolls are only dangerous in groups, when they can encircle you. The most interesting ones are the kobolds. They look really vulnerable, yet they actually wield magic. From what I saw, they can slow their opponents, heal themselves and their allies, attack with projectiles of fire, wind, earth, lightning and water as well as¡­ as ridiculous as it sounds, I think they can summon spiders!¡± as he said that, Headshot looked at the dilapidated ceiling. ¡°Oh you noticed those spiders too?¡± Inferno looked at the ceiling pensively. ¡°Now that you say that, I saw one of the kobolds in the back waving his staff around when the spiders dropped from the ceiling.¡± Enna interjected. ¡°No wonder that 7 man party was wiped out. Those spiders are nasty. With the way they ambushed them, there was no way they could have gotten out of the webs.¡± Inferno shook his head. Faura sat behind her party and watched them debate with a wry smile. ¡°Look at them learning!¡± she thought smugly. ¡°As long as we stay off Kobolds we should be good.¡± SilentStep nodded. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Faura felt on her back, rolling on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Headshot turned and asked. Faura sat up with difficulty, holding her stomach. She wiped off the welling tears in her eyes, propped herself on her right hand and looked with interest in a set direction. Her party was quick to catch on. They followed their leader¡¯s gaze and saw a nightmare¡­ Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Four loud sounds of facepalming resounded through the mine, one after the other. The foreheads of the four had a bright red imrpint. FieryRed! How could they avoid the Kobolds with her in the team? That reckless girl is a suicidal tanking machine! ¡°It¡¯s a lost cause.¡± Enna, Inferno, Headshot and SilentStep simultaneously sighed. Growl! ¡°I know right!¡± FieryRed followed up her bear¡¯s grumbling. ¡°You think I cannot handle one little Kobold?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you cannot handle the Kobolds, we¡¯re afraid you¡¯re too capable!¡± Inferno emphasized. ¡°Geez, what¡¯s a couple of spiders to you? We can take them on! More EXP!¡± FieryRed patted her shield. ¡°Knowing you, you¡¯ll probably pull at least 10 Kobolds and that makes it around 50 spiders! Do you think we can fend that off?¡± Headshot said helplessly. ¡°Oh come on, we fought against so many wolves before, what¡¯s a couple of monsters now?¡± FieryRed argued. Growl! Her bear backed her up with vocal consent. ¡°We had reinforcements back then.¡± Enna interjected. ¡°Don¡¯t dramatize, we can do this!¡± FieryRed kept to her own. *** ¡°Enough! FieryRed, you¡¯ll stay next to us and tank what we want you to tank. This is it.¡± Faura¡¯s sonorous voice rang out, silencing the others. ¡°B-But¡­!¡± FieryRed tried to interject when Faura bent over and whispered. ¡°Did I ever mention my uncle Freddy? You know, he has a hut in the mountains, lives there for most time of the year. When I visited him, he made a great bear stew. I couldn¡¯t believe how delicious it was! And you know what¡­ after begging him for some time, he reluctantly handed me the recipe! I always wanted to try my hand at doing the bear stew, but where we live, the bear meat is so hard to come by¡­ Even yesterday, during the barbecue, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it.¡± Faura looked at FieryRed¡¯s bear and licked her lips. FieryRed started. This was a clear as day threat! She looked at her bear Teddy gently and couldn¡¯t help but quiver in fear. She knew that Faura was capable of following her threat. Those weren¡¯t just empty words. After all, there were many other bears out there. Faura¡¯s hand landed on FieryRed¡¯s shoulder firmly. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to buy a couple of ingredients to truly make the stew great and it would be a bother to go back to town now¡­ but look at the bright side! Since we¡¯re going to die soon anyways, we¡¯ll be teleported back to town in a jiffy! How great is that!¡± FieryRed¡¯s expression stiffened. She didn¡¯t want to be intimidated, but next words made her shudder in fear. ¡°Now that I think about it, this bear looks quite massive. And it¡¯s young. Apart from the stew, we should make some sushi! I haven¡¯t eaten any in a long time. Since Vilen Town is coastal, they should have some seaweeds.¡± Faura tapped her chin, her eyes sizing Teddy up. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it.¡± FieryRed stuttered. ¡°Huh? What did you say? I couldn¡¯t hear you in all this battle noise.¡± Faura leaned to hear better. ¡°I said I¡¯ll do it!¡± FieryRed bit her lip. ¡°What a good girl you are!¡± Faura ruffled FieryRed¡¯s long red hair then turned to the party. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** Splash! Green blood splattered, fusing with the reddish-green puddle of liquid on the ground. The green moss absorbed the blood crazily, becoming more and more vivid. ¡°Cut off the other leg too!¡± Headshot shouted, loosing an arrow to distract the spider. Splutter! Thud! FieryRed made a horizontal cut, removing three hairy legs at the same time. This was her new signature move ¡°Sunder the sun¡±. In fact, she wanted to call the move ¡°Sunder the world¡± but when she thought of her style, she decided to use the glaring star¡¯s name. Although FieryRed called this a great move, it was nothing more than a mana imbued horizontal slash. However, it was enough for her to be exuberant and joyful. ¡°Duck!¡± Inferno shouted. Whoosh! Boulders made of earth energy whistled through the air, right above the party¡¯s heads. They crashed on the floor, sending tremors through the ground. ¡°Another Kobold!¡± Faura screamed. ¡°I got it!¡± Headshot focused on the short creature with a long, reptile-like face riddled with teeth. It resembled a mix of a goblin and a pink lizard. As the party controlled the movements of the monsters nearby, more and more players entered the mine. Judging by the time the group spent inside the dungeon, it was about to dawn in real world. ¡°How are we doing with the preparation for the 2nd floor?¡± Faura asked, casting a 50% mana [Lightning bolt]. ¡°I checked the passage, we need to pay 5 [Kobold Crystal Shards] to pass.¡± SilentStep reported. ¡°How many do we have so far?¡± ¡°Only two.¡± Faura sighed, the group of six needed some sleep before venturing onto the second floor, but they wanted to at least finish the preparations. Unfortunately, the drop of those crystals was really low. Sometimes it dropped from one of the five kobolds, other times it took as many as twenty to get one. Nearby players often grumbled about it. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that big of a deal. When we wake up some people will definitely venture inside the second floor. I¡¯m almost certain some kind soul will let the others know what¡¯s in there. Just make sure to look at screenshots with the Albatros Company¡¯s confirmed thread sign, they¡¯re validated by the game masters. I don¡¯t want us to get in a bind because of fake information..¡± Faura cautioned. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Roger!¡± Headshot, Inferno and SilentStep replied. FieryRed didn¡¯t need to, they wouldn¡¯t give such a job to her, she was more effective in combat. ¡°Huh?¡± Faura started. She didn¡¯t hear Enna¡¯s reply so she turned her head to see what¡¯s going on. Was Enna ambushed? But her healthbar is full! As Faura turned her head she saw Enna dancing. What the hell? ¡°Oi, what are you doing Enna?¡± ¡°Oh? You guys were protecting me so well I was bored again. Thus I looked through the options and there¡¯s a music bot installed here! I was just listening to a great song and¡­¡± ¡°Alright, enough!¡± Faura shook her head helplessly. Enna really enjoyed herself out here. So did the rest of them, it¡¯s just that Enna often did it in a different way. First by talking to Icicle and discovering the mana system, now by listening to music. However, Faura couldn¡¯t grumble too much. Enna was doing her job properly, their health bars were topped off. So what if she listened to music? As long as she does a good job she could be¡­ alright, she shouldn¡¯t do that! That would be disturbing! ¡°Kobolds 9 o¡¯clock!¡± SilentStep warned. Few seconds later, two fishing nets flew towards Enna and Faura. Faura used [Lightning rush] to dodge, quickly moving out of the way. By controlling her mana, she saved up a ton on that skill! Turning her head, Faura checked Enna¡¯s condition. To her surprise, Enna simply sidestepped. What¡¯s more it looked extremely natural. ¡°Huh?¡± she gaped. Enna actually moved on instinct. She was dancing so when the net flew, she felt some disturbance and changed her steps accordingly. Thus, the net flew beside her, completely missing the target. Ding!
<> You¡¯ve learned [Sense presence]! [Sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the non-concealed targets in a 3m radius.
Enna didn¡¯t even look at the window, she continued moving to the sides, agilely tapping on the floor. ¡°Could her dance lessons finally pay off?¡± Faura blinked three times to make sure she was seeing the right thing. She had to use a movement skill to dodge, but Enna simply tapped her feet off the floor and flew away like a swallow. ¡°Fireballs, lookout!¡± FieryRed shouted from the front. ¡°Enna!¡± Faura shouted, however, the girl couldn¡¯t hear her. She was already in a dancing trance. Whoosh! Although the fireball was fast, Enna dodged it with ease. Her eyes were closed, but she still saw the health bars of her party. FieryRed¡¯s health dropped a little so she cast a heal in the middle of her moves. ¡°D-Did you see that?¡± Headshot asked with a trembling voice. That fireball came hurtling from Enna¡¯s black spot yet she easily dodged! ¡°FieryRed, don¡¯t kill that Kobold! Let him attack Enna once more!¡± Faura commanded. FieryRed moved onto another target. It didn¡¯t really matter for her which one she was going to chop as long as there was one. Besides, Kobolds were scrawny little mages, she liked to fight against stronger, brawny monsters. Killing those gave her satisfaction. This time the pink Kobold in front of the party used lightning magic. Three thunderbolts slithered through the air, searching for prey. ¡°There are three of them, let¡¯s see how she dodges those!¡± Faura watched with bated breath. Whoosh! Enna¡¯s moves accelerated, her hands moved a few times and a yellow barrier of light appeared around her. Boom! Lightningbolts exploded, the barrier cracked and finally shattered, but Enna was fine. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge!¡± Faura shouted unwittingly. ¡°This was the core part of the song, I can¡¯t change my moves too often or I¡¯ll get out of rhythm!¡± Enna replied, pouting. She was in a bad mood because her favorite song was almost ruined by some pink ugly crossbreed of a goblin and a lizard! SilentStep, Inferno and Headshot gaped. Even FieryRed wrinkled her brow, but then she returned to fighting. Clap! Clap! ¡°That¡¯s enough, get back to farming! She¡¯s moody about her dance being ruined, that¡¯s definitely our little girl.¡± Faura nodded, shook her head helplessly and muttered ¡°More and more monsters surround me. First that Icicle now even Enna turns out to be a godly player.¡± *** Two hours passed, the party leveled up to 20, with FieryRed lagging behind at level 19. That was Teddy¡¯s credit. The bear leeched off experience after all. Enna kept dancing the entire time, only stopping for a few sips of tea and one sweet bun. Ding!
<> You¡¯ve learned [Fluid mana control]! [Fluid mana control] ¨C allows you to use the mana freely during movement.
Enna looked at the window curiously, noticing the previous one. ¡°[Sense presence]? Is that what Icicle used during the [Ingrained Enmity] event? This seems really useful!¡± Enna clapped her hands in joy. ¡°Alright, enough for today! We gathered four crystals, let¡¯s back up to the safe zone and reenter tomorrow, after we get proper sleep. I don¡¯t want to have bags under my eyes!¡± Faura grumbled. Every woman liked to look pretty. ¡°One more!¡± FieryRed shouted, pulling two Kobolds over. ¡°This girl!¡± Faura raged, stamping her feet. ¡°What are you waiting for, follow that dumbass orange and red duo! Then drag her back so she won¡¯t pull another thing!¡± The first Kobold was quickly decapitated, not able to lure any spiders down from the ceiling. As the second one fell, a shiny white shard dropped on the floor. A couple tiny lightning sparks ran through its smooth surface. FieryRed picked it up. ¡°Hehe, look what I found!¡± FieryRed raised the unidentified crystal. ¡°Alright, now we can finally go back!¡± Faura grabbed FieryRed and dragged her to the entrance area which was labeled as a safe zone. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s identify it!¡± FieryRed suggested excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of crystal, what can it do? We¡¯ll get it identified once we go back to town!¡± Faura grumbled, she didn¡¯t want to waste money. ¡°Oh come on, if it¡¯s not worth anything you can deduct it off me later! I want to see what that beauty holds!¡± FieryRed was curious. She wanted to stick it to Faura for ridiculing her and her bear, Teddy, earlier. This was the prey she has chosen! Thus, if the item was good, she earned the party big time. Next time, they might even allow her to have some more freedom! ¡°Ah, that would be awesome!¡± she thought. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Faura shook her head helplessly. She wanted to get some sleep, thus she reluctantly agreed. When they were at Vilen Town, rumors about Adian cheaply identifying items spread. Some Merchants decided to lower their prices, while others put [Identifying scrolls] for sale. The normal price of 1 gold coin per scroll went down by a staggering 50%! Since she could buy such scrolls for dirt cheap, Faura decided to buy 10. The gnolls and other local creatures dropped really poor quality loot, they were quite easy to deal with and gave good experience, but the gold and loot were awful! Thus, no rare items dropped, not to mention Elite grade items. Faura used the [Identifying scroll] on the white crystal shard. Ding!
[Low grade Lightning Shard] [Rare] A highly sought for item for beginning Mages, mainly of Lightning element. This crystal holds a tremendous power of lightning, imbuing every attack of the mage with additional power, boosting his or hers offence. Bonus magic damage per hit: 10 Notice: Can only be embedded into items that have a corresponding socket. Additional information: If a professional embeds the crystal, its effects will most likely increase, they may even double! Requirements: Level 15
Since Faura was using the scroll, there was even an additional information. Really a useful thing, those scrolls. They¡¯ll probably cost a lot more later. After all, the ones she had were reserved for Starting Area only and couldn¡¯t be used elsewhere. ¡°How is it?¡± FieryRed looked with sparkling eyes. This could be the key to her fighting freedom! Teddy sat beside her, quietly waiting. FieryRed told him about Faura¡¯s threat earlier through telepathy and now the bear didn¡¯t dare to growl. What if the mad woman actually wanted to eat him again? Wouldn¡¯t he be skinned alive? Faura didn¡¯t hear what FieryRed said, she looked over her staff, checking if it has the necessary socket. As she glanced at the top of the staff, there was a hole. She looked at the crystal then back and the staff and then repeated the process two more times. ¡°They match!¡± Faura didn¡¯t want to ask any professional to imbue a low level crystal. They will most likely find a better one soon anyways. Even if they don¡¯t, it¡¯s not meaningful enough to keep it for better equipment. With her mind made up, Faura grabbed the crystal firmly and slowly let it drop into the hole in the staff. Bzzzzt! Lightning sparks flew all around. FieryRed watched Faura embedding the crystal into her own equipment with amazement. ¡°Why did she use it for herself?¡± she grumbled. Then she looked at her sword and there was no such empty hole, so she calmed down. Ding!
<> You¡¯ve succesfully embedded [Low grade Lightning Shard]. As the item you embedded it into is made of wood, it can fully contain the formidable power of lightning. Your extra magic damage goes up to 15! Congratulations adventurer, your lucky discovery earned you a stat point! +1 Luck
¡°Hey, what was that?¡± Inferno asked. He looked at his own staff but there wasn¡¯t any empty slot. Faura didn¡¯t answer verbally, she simply waved her staff and used 50 points of mana to display. Bzzzzt! The little energy ball she usually used to attack now held a powerful lightning inside! ¡°This¡­¡± Inferno stared. ¡°Awesome! I want a crystal like that too!¡± ¡°This was a [Low grade Lightning Shard]. Seeing your disappointed look earlier, I imagine you don¡¯t have a slot for it. If my guess is correct, only Elite and higher grade items have one.¡± Faura deduced. ¡°As for its properties, it adds 15 points of damage to my every attack with the staff. Normally, it would be 10, but wood can hold the lightning just fine, so it increased to 15.¡± ¡°Heheeee!¡± FieryRed giggled mischievously on the side. ¡°Oh don¡¯t laugh too early, you did good, but you¡¯re still on a leash. Before we¡¯re able to conquer the second floor, don¡¯t you even think of running around. As for your bear, I¡¯ll make an exception and give him a week.¡± Faura said firmly, like an empress holding the life and death of mortals within her grasp. Grooowl! The bear whined, what did it do to deserve such treatment? Being eaten now or a week later, is there really a difference? ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± FieryRed petted the brown bear a little and unsummoned him. She saw a cheeky smile on Faura¡¯s face before she logged off. Besides, the bear was useful to them, of course they wouldn¡¯t discard the tanking beast. ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to log off.¡± FieryRed took a last glance at the battlefield of humans and miscellaneous monsters. She heard the sounds of arrows and magic whistling through the air, making her blood boil again. Sighing, she reluctantly logged off. *** It was 8 am, Jeremy has just finished his morning jog and took a shower. He stretched lazily, eating breakfast. ¡°Those lizards should be coming out soon. I should get back.¡± Finishing his breakfast, he took the VR headset and logged into Loiterous. *** In the cave behind the waterfall, Icicle met with Blackie. He sent the dog to check the situation while he deepened his alchemic knowledge. After half an hour, Blackie came back. ¡°God, I heard a few shiny armors speaking, they said they will attack the human forces from two sides in about 90 minutes!¡± Blackie reported. ¡°Two sides?¡± Icicle tapped his chin. He didn¡¯t expect the green lizardmen to do the exact same thing. ¡°Now this is interesting!¡± he thought, organizing the potions in his inventory. Those were the last preparations for a huge battle! Chapter 26 Author¡¯s note: More to come this week (at least 2), probably starting Friday. ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± Clang! Clang! Thunk! Whoosh! Swords clashed. Arrows flew. Lotuses on the water surface gently swayed, absorbing the unending stream of the red liquid. The battlefield of the two contending races was becoming more and more bloody. ¡°We¡¯re farming here for over 6 hours and we earned jack shit! I told you guys, we should have been looking for a new boss monster! They drop nice loot and the experience is plentiful!¡± Tiana grumbled. ¡°Come on girl, we could be looking for a new boss, but will you learn how to fight from that? Those lizardmen may not drop the best loot, but they are quite capable when it comes down to combat.¡± Santi countered, slicing another lizardman up. ¡°Puyo, aren¡¯t you unhappy about not having a decent bow?¡± Tiana switched gears, looking for support. ¡°I am, but it¡¯s not really relevant right now. We should be logging off soon, our sleep is way overdue. Besides, look around. We may be holding up because we have had some martial arts training, but those guys around us? Their physical activity probably comes down to PE in highschool. In a few hours, this whole valley will be overrun by monsters.¡± Puyo shook his head. If he didn¡¯t knew Tiana, he might have backed her up, but that sly vixen is much more than just looks. ¡°We¡¯re backing out, the greenies are coming, I don¡¯t want to be caught up in a net.¡± Santi commanded and the party of 8 slowly backed up to the relatively safe area, logging off for the day. *** In the cave beside the waterfall sat a man, fiddling with glass vials. There was a restless dog next to him, walking in circles. ¡°God, didn¡¯t you say we¡¯ll be going in?¡± Blackie was confused. ¡°We will. Not yet though. Just eat your meat and save the energy, we¡¯ll be really busy later. If you dare to whine that you¡¯re tired because you haven¡¯t rested now, I¡¯ll show you the stars.¡± Icicle said blandly, mixing some potions. Blackie didn¡¯t understand what ¡°showing the stars¡± meant, it sounded pretty awesome, but God¡¯s tone¡­ there was an ominous hint to it that made him shudder. The black dog sat down and quietly ate his meal, from time to time raising his eyes to see what Icicle was doing. ¡°How could that dumb dog not understand? Reptiles with spears are scary enough, but the lizardmen archers are capable of using poison! I don¡¯t have any way of dealing with archers for now, so I¡¯ll have to rely on speed. Sigh, my understanding of [Elusive body] is almost non-existent, so I need to avoid the large groups.¡± Icicle started making antidotes. Since he couldn¡¯t avoid getting hit by every single arrow, he decided to get a half-measure to deal with the problem. *** The number of players in the Red Blooming Valley was getting less and less. Even though new people arrived constantly, boosting the overall numbers, they fell just as quickly, unable to stop the raging horde of two lizardmen tribes. ¡°We¡¯re so underleveled, how are we supposed to kill those lizardmen now?¡± one of the players cried out, unable to do anything. Players all around were losing more and more ground. ¡°We need to back out of the valley, the lizardmen are too numerous and have a constant supply of reinforcements. What¡¯s more, we¡¯re under fire of their archers with no obstacles to hide behind. The water is up to our ankles, making our movements sluggish. Since we can¡¯t get a breather, we¡¯re getting slaughtered like sitting ducks. We have to get to the higher ground and then get those reptiles one by one.¡± another player said. The situation looked grim. It was a little after 10am, a new batch of players spawned inside the valley only to be mercilessly killed. Pillars of white light flashed above Vilen Town one after the other. The chubby priest who tried to comfort Icicle before had barely any time to say some encouraging words to new adventurers before another group of dejected players revived. ¡°Take heart young ones.¡± the chubby priest patted some of the players on their shoulders. He couldn¡¯t do much at the moment, there were many people who looked horrified. Those were mostly the unlucky souls who just logged in only to be slaughtered. Only now did they understand that Loiterous can actually be cruel. *** Red Blooming Valley. At this very moment, this place represented its ambiguous name perfectly. Lotuses on the water surface crazily absorbed the blood, becoming more and more vivid in color. Their scent spread throughout the area, yet not a hint escaped outwards, as if the whole valley was bound by magic. Both lizardmen tribes were regrouping, preparing to sally out of the valley and deal with the human invaders once and for all. This was their home and those little creatures actually dared to invade it! ¡°Search the area, don¡¯t let any of those little creatures stay in the perimeter! I won¡¯t allow them to disturb grandpa any longer!¡± shiny-scaled lizardman barked out the orders in animal language. ¡°God, the lizardmen are sweeping the area! They¡¯re coming here!¡± Blackie panicked. However, he saw God¡¯s mouth curl up into an all-knowing smile. ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯ll be back in 30 minutes.¡± Icicle unsummoned Blackie without explaining anything and logged out. *** After using the bathroom, Jeremy went back to his room. There was a previously prepared glass waiting on the nightstand. ¡°Those devs are pretty good, they¡¯re carrying out this event exactly how I would!¡± he smiled, pouring himself a glass of refreshment. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on in the [Desolate Catacombs] dungeon Enna and Faura mentioned. Maybe there are some herbs they can gather for me.¡± Jeremy looked it up on the Loiterous¡¯s official website. The recent progress in the alchemic department was enjoyable for him. It required a lot of work and time, but brought great benefits. ¡°Okay, what do we have here?¡± Hundreds of new posts came up, one of them being ¡°Got brutally killed in Red Blooming Valley¡±, having a staggering 12000 likes. ¡°Alright, Red Blooming Valley, Red Blooming Valley, Red Blooming valley¡­¡± sifting through the posts, Jeremy typed the Desolate Catacombs in the searchbar and finally found the right thing. ¡°I thought it¡¯s going to be at the top yet some noobs spammed the whole section with their miserable deaths, geez. A little fighting spirit wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Jeremy shook his head and clicked on the Desolate Catacombs thread.
[Desolated Catacombs Dungeon] Welcome to the thread, I¡¯ll list all of the findings here. If you have anything new, please send me a verified screenshot or in-game footage and I¡¯ll add it to the thread. So, let¡¯s start right off the bat. First floor of Desolated Catacombs consists of a few types of monsters. Gnolls ¨C dog-like creatures with tough hides and leather armor. They¡¯re quite slow, but some variants deal a lot of damage. They¡¯re weak alone, but if they catch you in a group, you¡¯re in big trouble. Loot¡¯s absolutely horrible, scraps not even worth a bronze coin. Good experience. Goblins ¨C short and ugly, quick on their feet. Their damage is quite low because of their rusty weapons. You can compare their swords to blunt weapons, they hurt but don¡¯t cut you up. Loot and gold is horrible. Above average experience. Murlocs ¨C those are tricky. Fast on their feet, wielding short and long spears. More often than not they also carry an auxillary item ¨C fishing net. It basically lets them snare you. As long as you can get in their melee range without being caught in the net, you¡¯ll be fine. Loot¡¯s better than goblins and gnolls, but not by much. Good experience. Kobolds ¨C little pink mages resembling reptiles. You could call them midget lizardmen. They possess a variety of spells, from slows and heals, to mages¡¯ five basic elements spells and, what¡¯s surprising, summoning spiders! Those nasty creatures come out of the ceiling. It¡¯s them who you should be on a lookout for if you can¡¯t kill the low HP Kobold fast enough. Spiders spit webs at you, which act like a root, except most of the time your torso is also bound. When you¡¯re in that state, the Kobold can easily dispatch you with his large variety of spells. The gold drop is miserable, loot is quite crap, but there are a few pearls among the trash. If you¡¯re lucky enough to get them. Besides, Kobolds also drop the 5 necessary crystals to enter the 2nd floor. Now, for the limited information gathered on the 2nd floor so far. There are multiple versions coming in, I heard from 4 groups that entered the 2nd floor and there were four completely different stories. However, what they said was confirmed by both screenshots and in-game footage. My guess is that there are multiple separate spaces that you pay 5 [Kobold Crystal Shards] to enter. It¡¯s probably something along the lines of ¡°when you pass a certain stage, you can enter the 3rd floor¡±. Please note this is just my speculation. Thanks for reading. If you would like to help us gather the information and discover the world, message Bvan, the future leader of Explorers Guild. We¡¯ve got a lot more to share.
¡°Those guys will probably trade information, I¡¯ll take note of them. It¡¯s clear as dat they¡¯re not releasing screenshots and in-game footage to sound more mysterious.¡± Jeremy remembered the name of the poster. ¡°Bvan, huh? He sounds like that Eurasia giant who planted spies in other guilds. Maybe that¡¯s him.¡± he wondered. ¡°I¡¯ve still got 10 minutes, anything else worthy of my attention?¡± Jeremy looked through the pinned posts. ¡°Nope, nope¡­ huh? Ice Mage Trials?¡± Click!
[Ice Mage Trials] The recent craze of Glacia Kingdom. Many NPCs speak of legendary figures, who as they claim are their ancestors, at one time ruling over the entire Fashin Continent. There are many quests to fulfill to even get the chance to enter the legendary trial realm, one of them being ¡°gain the recognition of house X¡±. They¡¯re mostly fulfilled by killing special monsters or bosses, sometimes it¡¯s about finding a rare ingredient. The more demanding ones require bringing back the lost scroll from the ancient ruins located outside the Starting Area. Or so they say. The supposed reward is an ice-related profession. I¡¯ll update the thread if I learn something more. Update 1: There are rumors claiming that getting an ice related subclass is also a possibility. Still waiting on the source to confirm this.
¡°Oh, so they have it tough there, huh? Good thing I received a free pass from the crystal, otherwise I would have to travel all the way north.¡± Jeremy muttered, checking the time. He drank his beverage and logged into Loiterous. *** ¡°Huh? You found nothing in the waterfall cave? Weird.¡± lizardman leader Russh muttered, perplexed. ¡°I could have sworn I felt someone¡¯s presence in there.¡± he thought. ¡°Maybe it were those few we killed right after?¡± he quickly disregarded the notion. One human didn¡¯t make a difference. ¡°Are we ready to move out?¡± ¡°Reporting to Leader Russh! We¡¯re regrouped and ready to depart. The green lizardmen under the leadership of Rhukka will march alongside us.¡± one of the officer level lizardmen reported. He was a battle-scarred warrior, classified as a Rare grade monster. ¡°Good, blow the horn! We¡¯re moving out!¡± Russh¡¯s sonorous voice rang out through the valley. Soon after, the loud sounds of hundreds of footsteps reverberated through the area. *** Icicle spawned inside the cave. His body was immediately shaken by the noise outisde and the spreading tremors of the earth. ¡°They¡¯re moving out?¡± Icicle thought as Blackie came out of the mark on his left forearm, quickly entering stealth.
<> This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Death to human invaders!] event has started. Spawning in the region of [Red Blooming Valley] is now prohibited until the event is over. Those who left their characters nearby will be teleported back to town once they log in.
Icicle let out a long breath. ¡°Phew, I timed it right! I would have to run up here from the town if I missed the timing. Luckily, the devs seem to pick round timers.¡± Blackie sat next to Icicle and didn¡¯t let out a sound. They both waited until the few thousand strong army departed from the valley. ¡°Are we going to get in now, God?¡± Blackie asked with a tinge of excitement. Since the strong monsters were gone, they could kill the rest! ¡°Not yet, first we need to plunder all of the lotuses! Then we can go in and slaughter whatever¡¯s inside the cave!¡± Icicle¡¯s amber eyes blazed with fiery light. Blackie also felt the excitement, he jumped around, as if he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He clearly forgot what happened just a few hours ago, when he was nearly cleaved in half by the large blue lizardman prince. ¡°Don¡¯t loiter around here, go inside the cave, try to stay unnoticed. Check how many guards are left inside without alarming the boss.¡± Icicle ordered, getting out to gather the lotuses. There were way too many next to the caves, ones he couldn¡¯t get before. This time, they were all ready for his taking. *** Plucking the last flower, Icicle received a new pop-up. Ding!
<> Your Alchemist subclass advanced to the [Intermediary] level. You¡¯re now a first grade Alchemist! +5 Wisdom +5 Intelligence
¡°Neat.¡± Icicle examined his inventory, full of the concotion-upgrading flowers. His mouth quickly curled into a satisfied smile. ¡°I can finally get the cure for Marisse¡¯s daughter. That should give me a hefty amount of progress towards the 2nd grade Alchemist.¡± ¡°God, I¡¯ve checked the rooms! Around 30% of the lizardmen forces were left behind.¡± Blackie enthusiastically reported. He wanted to see the lizardman prince getting mowed down by God. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in.¡± Icicle anticipated this outcome. Let over 50% of the forces go to war while preserving the basic defense of the stronghold. That¡¯s how it has always been done. And if it hasn¡¯t, well, most of the time the families of those who ventured to war ended up dead¡­ or worse. Entering the gray cave again, Icicle disregarded the bloodstains on the walls and decisively walked through the dark, narrow corridor. He didn¡¯t know how long would the event last, nor what dangers were up ahead, but he knew he had to finish this dungeon up fast! Otherwise, when the players were done with the event, they will flood in here! What¡¯s more, his greedy side wanted to explore the green lizardmen cave as well! Cindy only mentioned the heart of the blue lizardman prince, but there should be a green lizardman equivalent! ¡°Shaakh!¡± two lizardmen spearmen yelled in a shrill voice. ¡°God, they¡¯re calling you an intruder!¡± Blackie bared his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re not an intruder if you¡¯re about to own the place.¡± Icicle joked, unsheathing his sword. He ran straight at the two lizardmen, disregarding their range advantage. Whoosh! Two spears whistled through the air, stabbing straight at Icicle¡¯s chest. He sidestepped, wasting some of his mana on twisting the body abruptly. Splutter! The lizardman on the left side had its torso cut open, quickly followed by two diagonal strikes to the chest. As the blood dripped down, a flash of red light conjured, then came the flames! Icicle unleashed the [Nasty burn] skill, quickly depleting the lizardman¡¯s health, while the other guard was tangled with Blackie. Although Blackie couldn¡¯t deal almost any damage to the lizardman, he could still be annoying while avoiding the spear. Icicle used 200 mana in quick succession, dispatching one of the lizardmen. He drank a blue potion which tasted like blueberries and quickly switched to the second one. His mana reservoir at the time was at 370/420, but it quickly went down to 150/420. ¡°God, you¡¯re killing those lizardmen so fast!¡± Blackie praised. A little over a minute and both lizardmen were dead. ¡°Heh, that¡¯s because I made a lot of potions to recover my mana. Only the rich can afford such an extravagant playstyle.¡± Icicle smirked. As long as it provided him with some advantage, he would spend the ¡°hard earned¡± gold. On their way forward, Icicle and Blackie met with another group of two spearmen, this time they were slightly better geared. Icicle tried to cheese his way through by making one of the lizardman drop his weapon. Thud! The spear fell off the lizardman¡¯s bleeding hands. It rolled on the ground for a while. Icicle¡¯s eyes blazed! This was really possible! At that moment¡­ Sssssssshing! The lizardman brough out a saber! A shining steel saber donned with mysterious runes! ¡°Huh?¡± Icicle stared. What the hell, those spearmen actually had another weapon! ¡°This is what I get for trying to be smart?!¡± Killing the monsters before they lost all of their health was something the developers were aware of. Since the game was supposed to reflect reality, they put such miniscule details in. Just like with humans who were shot, those people don¡¯t lose their life because of heart or brain failure, but because they bled out! The monster system worked in a similar way. You could cut off limbs, stab the eyes, incapacitate etc. However, even if you could do that, there had to be some countermeasures. Thus, the developers decided to give the monsters other ways to fight in case they lost their weapon! Icicle who has just experienced that was shocked for the first time! Even Red Devil¡¯s and Direwolf Ancestor¡¯s fight wasn¡¯t as astounding. ¡°Hahaha! This is a great way to gain more loot! Now, instead of a rusty spear, I can actually get such a badass saber! If only they can drop it!¡± Icicle¡¯s shock quickly receded and turned into pure greed. Although his damage could be considered top grade amongst the newbies, Icicle still felt it was inadequate. He was looking for a fix with mana, but this process would take a long time. A new equipment or skill could instantenously boost his fighting capacity. Swish! The air around the saber blazed with red glow, approaching Icicle at breathtaking speed. Icicle made a diagonal cut and struck the side of the saber, deflecting the weapon to the side. Ssshing! Dragging his sword through the saber¡¯s smooth surface, Icicle slashed straight at the lizardman¡¯s thick hands, drawing blood again! [Nasty burn] was unleashed, making the lizardman shriek from the excruciating pain. Icicle didn¡¯t hesitate, adding a couple wicked slashes to the misery of the screaming lizardman. Burns, bleeding wounds, dog scratches. With the body almost burned to a crisp, the first lizardman fell. Whoosh! The second lizardman decided to disregard Blackie and focus on the larger threat that was Icicle. His spear quickly traversed through the air, stabbing the human right at the chest! ¡°Ugh!¡± Icicle felt his ribs suffering a tremendous blow, on the verge of breaking. His internal organs churned, sweet taste of blood entering his mouth. ¡°You little sneaky shit!¡± Icicle cursed, taking an empty vial out of his inventory and throwing it straight at the reptile¡¯s face! Smash! The glass broke on the blue lizardman¡¯s face, pieces of glass sticking out of its yellow eyes. ¡°Rhaaaaaakh!¡± it screamed in agony. As it was clutching its glass-riddled face, Icicle took the spearhead out of his chest, pouring a health potion all over the profusely bleeding wound. ¡°To think it actually made its way through my armor, fuck!¡± Icicle cursed. Those spears looked worn-out, but lizardman¡¯s strength was no joke. Not to mention the one who stabbed Icicle used some weird wind skill, making the piercing effect even more powerful. Dropping the spear to the ground, Icicle walked towards the spearman. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you use your saber now. Oh, you¡¯re a little blind? Well, I¡¯m not even sorry.¡± Icicle mercilessly slashed the lizardman up, avoiding the wildly thrown punches with ease. Collecting the measly loot of a few silver coins, Icicle gave Blackie a health potion to drink and a couple meat slabs. Playing the role of a decoy was pretty substantial in those little bouts. ¡°Where to now?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°Mm, there¡¯s a room with a few of those bow and feathers creatures on the right.¡± Blackie said while munching on the boar meat. Icicle drank a mana potion and decided to enter the ¡°Archers room¡±. In the spacious cave, three lizardmen archers sat on a coffin-shaped stone blocks. Brown quivers full of feathered arrows weighed down on their backs. ¡°Shaakh!¡± all three of them suddenly screamed, alerted by the presence of a foreign being. ¡°Again with this intruder bullshit. You¡¯re so noisy!¡± Icicle imbued his feet with mana and stepped off! *** Curtis got a lead on the Black Hound after searching through the Vilen Town. He was ready to give up the quest, but there was some bitterness left inside him that told him to go on, even if it was this one last time. Thus, he ventured towards the western mountains, where players supposedly saw a player called Icicle trotting alongside a black dog. Icicle¡¯s whereabouts weren¡¯t hard to find. Players in the region mentioned seeing him go in a direction of the Red Blooming Valley. After all, two players being bullied a by a whole mob was quite a spectacle and Icicle was key figure in the bizarre event. Curtis quickly learnt that Red Blooming Valley is a place where monster level ranges between 16 and 20. He had to level up a little before he ventured there. That¡¯s why he spent the next few hours meticulously killing boars. *** After over 5 hours passed, Curtis barely reached level 15. If not for the party of 7 he met on the way, his leveling speed would be much worse. ¡°Thanks guys, I¡¯ll go to the Red Blooming Valley now.¡± Curtis was about to say his goodbyes when a terrible thing happened. A horde of lizardmen, both blue and green, rushed out from the north, spreading throlugh the mountains like an elephant stampede! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Hundreds of arrows flew towards the party in a volley, blotting out the sky. Curtis instinctively entered stealth, but even so, he was quickly put to death. It¡¯s as if those monsters saw him clear as day! Respawning in the church, Curtis saw a crowd of players talking excitedly. ¡°What the hell happened out there?¡± one of his party members anxiously asked. ¡°Did you just die to lizardmen? It¡¯s a new event in the area. A lot of people gathered at the western gates, awaiting the invasion!¡± a player who died earlier spoke out. ¡°Why are you all waiting here instead of hurrying to the gates?¡± Curtis asked. This situation was weird. Were those people too weak to participate? ¡°Hehe!¡± the player who spoke earlier scratched his nose. ¡°When invasion events happen in other games, there are usually three scenarios. One is that the village or castle is overrun. Since it¡¯s the Starting Area, this clearly won¡¯t happen. The second one is that the troops are dispatched to deal with the problem. If they are, we¡¯ll know and then we can follow them through the town and killsteal some monsters. The third option is the one that¡¯s most likely!¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Curtis¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°All adventurers inside the city will receive buffs to fend off the impending danger!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± as Curtis analyzed, he didn¡¯t know what to think. Those players were either geniuses or complete retards and the worst of it was that only time could tell! Chapter 27 Author''s note: Chapter 28 will most likely come out tomorrow since I''ll finish writing it in the evening and I prefer having you guys read an edited version.
Whoosh! A fiery sword covered in mysterious, glistening runes whistled through the air, approaching the lizardman archer with overbearing momentum! Seeing this happen, the archer raised its bow to block! Boom! The flames exploded, quickly rushing towards the reptile¡¯s body, as if actively looking for prey. While the lizardman was shrieking from the unbearable searing pain, Icicle quickly took out the arrow stuck in his left chest and poured a health potion over the wound. ¡°Crazy bastards!¡± Icicle murmured, brandishing his sword. His movements were now more fluid, as if his bones had been engraved with a basic tutelage on swordplay. Compared to Vilenne, Icicle¡¯s movements were still like a toddler trying to use the wood axe against an adult, but compared to the monsters in Starting Area those seemingly clumsy moves were good enough. ¡°How far am I from a level up?¡± Icicle gasped for breath. This was the 10th archer he dispatched in the recent 30 minutes. If not for the spearmen reinforcements, he would have it much easier.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 12 Experience: 53 800/55 000 Class: Water Mage Apprentice Subclass: Alchemist (1st grade) Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 6 Statistics: HP: 400 Mana: 420 Strength: 23 Dexterity: 50 Vitality: 26 Intelligence: 25 Wisdom: 31 Charisma: 30 Luck: 10 Faith: 4 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and below in 5m range. [Flawless mana control] (passive) ¨C allows the user to dual-wield the mana freely. [Healing drizzle] ¨C healing spell. Restores health equal to the user¡¯s wisdom. +5 mana per each additional target. [Water prison] ¨C restricting ability. Enclose the target in a sphere of water for the duration of 3 seconds + Wisdom/100 seconds. [Liquid membrane] ¨C protective shield. Absorbs physical damage equal to wisdom stat or magical damage equal to 5 times the wisdom stat. Blocks most crowd control effects until broken. [Elusive body] ¨C movement and mana enhancement skill. Current attainment: level 0, 3%.
¡°[Elusive body] is really hard to grasp. When I saw Adian moving, I thought that the [Wind Stinger] technique might be profound. After all, his ankles shifted in a way I never even dared to think was possible. Heh, who would have thought¡­¡± Icicle¡¯s thoughts trailed off. He realized that Adian¡¯s [Wind Stinger] may only be a small part of the skill he received ¨C [Elusive body]. ¡°If [Elusive body] is such a great movement technique, then it must be pretty popular amongst the big shots. I¡¯ll ask Cindy about it when I get back. She should know something more about the skill. For now, I¡¯ll try to at least reach level 1 of it.¡± Icicle decided. Icicle lied down behind one of the stone-like coffins. He needed a breather after intensive fighting. ¡°How are the other rooms, Blackie?¡± he asked, munching on a piece of grilled meat. ¡°Less feathers and arrows, more shiny armors and long sticks.¡± Blackie said, yawning. ¡°Elite guards and elite spearmen, huh? Luckily, there¡¯s less archers.¡± Icicle nodded, focusing on recovery. ¡°How far are we from the boss room?¡± Icicle¡¯s question immediately sparked Blackie¡¯s interest. So far he was only running between the rooms, checking dark corridors, like an errand boy. He wanted to get revenge on the boss monster! ¡°Two rooms away, God. Once you¡¯re done with the subordinates, you¡¯ll be able to safely enter. I checked other branches and they most likely won¡¯t reinforce the boss.¡± Blackie reported. ¡°I see.¡± Icicle worried about the potential reinforcements coming in out of nowhere. Fighting with the boss would be troublesome enough, if there were any other disturbances, he might as well sign his own death certificate. ¡°We¡¯re in a straight line towards the boss room, right?¡± Icicle suddenly asked, his expression anxious. ¡°Y-Yes God.¡± Blackie stammered. What was wrong? Icicle nodded. His expression remained serious. ¡°This shitter isn¡¯t the boss!¡± he thought. There was no way he moved so little into the caves and encountered the true boss of the dungeon! Since there were so many forks in the cave, they must lead further inside! ¡°No wonder Cindy treated me condescendingly, the true boss is most likely a terrifying opponent!¡± HAHAHAHA! Blackie startled. What was wrong with God? Icicle¡¯s fists balled as he let out a raucous laughter! ¡°Unfortunetely, big guy, you¡¯ve met ME!¡± *** ¡°Rhaakh!¡± elite lizardmen roared. Their steel armors were brand new, seemingly worth a lot. The warriors quickly unsheathed their swords from the scabbards hanging on their backs. ¡°Hehehe, finally someone who can play with me a little. I¡¯m starting to miss Vilenne, she was good at swordplay and an eye candy, compared to her¡­¡± Icicle sighed, shaking his head. Those reptiles had no sense of beauty. Casting [Water prison] on elite lizardmen swordsmen, Icicle dashed off towards two lizardmen archers in the back. His blade swift and accurate, his movements fluid! ¡°Rhaaakh!¡± lizardmen archers cried out shrilly. They were unable to stop the melee attacker with just their oak bows. Icicle tested his weapon theory from earlier. Once the archers drop their bows, they bring out wooden knives! This may seem like a little to no upgrade, but their movements changed as well! The archers with knives suddenly got fast, like true assassins! Since Icicle didn¡¯t want to tangle himself too long with the archers, he swiftly cut their throats, following with a couple slashes to the chest. He didn¡¯t care about the side of the bow hitting him. Even if it hit his face, it merely hurt a little. One of the archers broke out further to the back, nocking an arrow. Icicle grinned mischievously, lifting his reptile partner as a meatshield. Swoosh! Splutter! Red liquid dripped to the floor, making the originally grey stones crimson red. ¡°You¡¯re not too smart, are you?¡± Icicle finished off the meatshield of an archer, proceeding onto the other one. As soon as he hurt it enough, he let Blackie finish the job. His little black companion needed some experience before he could take care of the reptile archers for him. As the elite guards closed in on Icicle, he somewhat regretted killing the lizardman archer so soon. He could use him as a meatshield for a little longer! Clang! Cling! Clang! The swords struck against each other. Icicle was repeatedly pushed back. ¡°They are way stronger than me. Heh, but we little guys have our own ways of fighting. If you can¡¯t win in the strength department, you must outsmart your enemy!¡± Icicle used [Nasty burn] on all 3 of the guards, letting them fry a little. ¡°I wish you were tasty, so much potential bacon is being wasted.¡± Icicle sighed. Shaking his head with remorse, Icicle mercilessly struck the lizardmen. Their heads rattled as the mana-infused blade went for their eyes. ¡°Rhaakh!¡± the lizardmen roared, thrashing around. Their eyes were a little burned, making them temporarily lose vision. Thus, they started attacking at random, hitting the air all around. ¡°Hahaha, you little reptiles!¡± Icicle eyed his prey, ducking under the blows and striking the reptiles¡¯ sturdy legs. Although lizardman¡¯s legs were powerful, its knee bends were just like any other creature¡¯s, vulnerable to attack. Icicle stabbed those places without a shred of remorse. ¡°SHAAAAAAAKH!¡± elite lizardmen roared desparately. ¡°Reinforcements?¡± Icicle sent Blackie who just finished off the bleeding lizardman archer to scout around. ¡°Little human, you dare enter my place?!¡± a furious roar rang out. Blackie translated for Icicle, making him smirk. ¡°Looks like we alarmed the big guy sooner than I thought.¡± Icicle guffawed. It was his intention from the start, but he considered wiping out both rooms of monsters first. Icicle¡¯s blade fell upon the weakened elite lizardman¡¯s neck, cutting its head off! As the blood spluttered and the lizardman¡¯s life drifted away¡­ ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR! ¡°What was that?!¡± Blackie lied down on the floor, covering his ears. ¡°Just an air vibration.¡± Icicle shook his head a little to dispel the ominous sound. ¡°Air vibration? That was a terrifying weapon!¡± Blackie cursed. His dog ears were much more sensitive than Icicle¡¯s. Icicle heard the words and his eyes quickly widened. ¡°Blackie, you¡¯re a genius!¡± he muttered, stirring up his mana. ¡°Huh?¡± Blackie didn¡¯t understand. Thunk! -5 ¡°It actually works!¡± Icicle exclaimed, holding his sword tighter. He struck the hard steel armor of the elite lizardman and yet his mana went through, dealing 5 damage! Of course this was a meagre result, but Icicle wasn¡¯t proficient in using vibration to stir his mana. Once he gets skillful, this discovery will be invaluable! Looking at Blackie, Icicle had an urge to kiss this dumb dog¡¯s snout. However, the remaining two elite lizardmen didn¡¯t give him that chance. They rushed at Icicle, overwhelming him with furious, ruthless sword strikes! Clang! Cling! Clang! Icicle¡¯s arms turned numb. What¡¯s more, he heard a big guy¡¯s footsteps! ¡°Temporary blind status wore off, damn! I wish it lasted a little bit longer.¡± Slash! Using most of his mana to wholly imbue the sword, Icicle tried to use the vibration. He slashed horizontally, cutting through the lizardman¡¯s throat. ¡°Rhaakh!¡± the elite lizardman roared, its voice quickly turning into an incomprehensible gurgle. At that moment, Icicle finally caught a breather. Just when he thought that, the two lizardmen stepped aside! Whoosh! A whirling object traveled through the air with breathtaking speed! Icicle¡¯s pupils constricted, his right hand quickly cast [Liquid membrane]! Transparent blue bubble formed around Icicle and as quickly as it did, it was ripped through! Icicle¡¯s body jolted, the momentum of the flying object was so monstrous that it pierced through his flesh and made him fly! ¡°What the?! A throwing axe?!¡± Icicle stared at his left side and saw blood profusely dripping to the ground. The excruciating pain he felt made his thoughts messy. He looked at the back of the corridor and saw a large, 3m tall muscular lizardman standing there!
[Rhan ¨C the blue lizardman prince] [BOSS] ???
280! Icicle saw the number and smirked. ¡°You sneaky little bastard!¡± Icicle¡¯s smile crooked up because of the intense pain. He felt as if his ribs were broken. The bleeding effect drained his health rapidly, leaving with only a couple seconds of life. ¡°Might as well take one of you with me!¡± ¡°What are you waiting for, kill him!¡± the boss, Rhan, roared in animal language. Even though they were hurt, the two elite lizardmen immediately jolted from the spot, approaching Icicle. ¡°Go to hell! [Nasty burn]!¡± Icicle unleashed the fiery flames onto the bleeding lizard, making it shriek incessantly. As his health dropped to 10/400 and he was about to die¡­ Ding!
<> You¡¯ve leveled up! You¡¯re now level 13!
White, warm white light enveloped Icicle, instantly restoring his health to full. ¡°Blackie, disturb the other lizardman for a while, I need to take care of the injury!¡± Icicle barked the order, blocking the elite lizardman¡¯s sword. Blackie used his newly learn ability ¨C [Shadow swipe]! After observing Icicle fighting against the lizardmen for a long time, Blackie knew where their weak points were. He attacked the knee bend of the remaining elite lizardman! ¡°Rhaakh!¡± as the lizardman roared, turning around to attack Blackie, Icicle grabbed the axe and tore it off his flesh! Splutter! The blood covered the floor, making a small puddle out of it. Icicle pocketed the axe, bringing out a medium health potion. Ssssssssssssssssh! As the liquid was poured over it, the wound started closing, as if through burning. Icicle¡¯s face looked hideous. Blue veins bulged on his face, twitching, like traversing earthworms. ¡°Incompetent!¡± lizardman boss roared, rushing towards Icicle. Icicle swigged a mana potion, wiping his mouth. ¡°I have to commend you on that sneak attack. If not for that 5% crit reduction helmet, I would have most likely die to bleed.¡± Icicle smirked. His helmet has actually saved him! Casting [Water prison], Icicle entangled the boss in a blue bubble, opening two of the so far unused potions! [Small Vitality Potion] used! [Small Wisdom Potion] used! Icicle¡¯s max health soared to 460, his mana up to staggering 480 points! The effect of the two potions lasted for 30 minutes, which was more than enough to deal with the pesky boss. Icicle stepped off heavily, approaching the back of the elite lizardman. Whoosh! Three slashes, one after another, landed on the lizardman¡¯s back, making a crosscut and then completely ripping through its tough leather armor, leaving a large cleave mark. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Little human, you dare kill my brethren?! I¡¯ll hack you to pieces!¡± lizardman prince roared, breaking through the [Water prison]. Its hands held the 3m giant waraxe overhead, approaching Icicle! Crash! As Icicle sidestepped, the giant waraxe split the ground in half, creating an enormous gulf in the floor! ¡°Hmph, little human, you only know how to dodge!¡± Rhan guffawed, picking his giant axe back up. ¡°Blackie, attack this guy¡¯s hands while I distract him! Use your [Shadow swipe]!¡± Icicle ordered. ¡°Hands?¡± Blackie asked tentatively. ¡°Wrists! His wrists! When he¡¯s off-balance, attack!¡± Icicle couldn¡¯t spare any attention to Blackie as Rhan occupied all of his focus. Crash! Another crack appeared on the ground under the giant waraxe¡¯s heavy strike. Icicle nimbly dodged, countering with a blow of his own! 80! ¡°Damn, this guy¡¯s defense is high!¡± Icicle eyed the blue, tough scales, looking for a weak point. ¡°As far as I can see, only the throat, eyes and knee bends can be used to heavily damage this guy. Like hell he¡¯ll let me get this close though!¡± Icicle smirked. Since the surprise attack didn¡¯t work out for the sneaky boss, Icicle had to kill him. If he failed, he would have to pass through thousands of lizardmen to get back! "Well then, vibration time it is! I have to find the time to chug mana potions as well, otherwise I''m done for!" Icicle remembered Adian''s fight with Atlas. Judging by the damage dealt by the axe throw, Icicle couldn''t allow himself to be careless! ¡°Two hits or a skill and I might be dead! At that point, even the [Liquid membrane] might not save me!¡± At the time of the hit, [Liquid membrane] blocked 42 damage. Adding 280 to that it¡¯s 322! With the helmet reducing 5% of the critical damage and the defense reduction, just this one throw dealt over 400 damage! ¡°This guy¡¯s throw probably dealt around 400 damage. If he has an additional skill and I get hit, it¡¯s over, even with the potions.¡± Icicle shook his head, employing the little of [Elusive body] he knew into his movements. Crash! The floor crackled yet again, Rhan¡¯s waraxe was wreaking havoc. Icicle approached in Rhan¡¯s axe recovery time and slashed three times! ¡°Now!¡± he shouted in his mind. Blackie appeared out of the shadows, his paw striking Rhan¡¯s wrist! ¡°Little dog, you seemed to forget I can sense you!¡± Rhan¡¯s big spiked tail swung straight at Blackie! ¡°Shit!¡± Icicle cursed. He totally forgot about the lizardman¡¯s tail! Blackie flew through the air, his eyes focused on the boss¡¯s wrist. Splutter! Blackie¡¯s claws succesfully drew blood! Crack! The tail swipe hit Blackie¡¯s side, making his bones break! At the last moment, Blackie swept with his other claw! Splutter! Even more blood dripped from Rhan¡¯s right wrist. Blackie fell to the floor, coughing blood. Icicle saw his window and shook his head helplessly. ¡°I can¡¯t stop that bleeding¡± Blackie saw Icicle¡¯s back, God didn¡¯t turn but just when he was about to die, God¡¯s voice rang out in his head. ¡°You did good Blackie. Now rest well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Hearing this overly soft voice, Blackie¡¯s happiness dulled the pain. Two seconds after that, he disintegrated into dust particles. His soul turned into a howling wolf¡¯s mark, reappearing on Icicle¡¯s left forearm. ¡°Hahaha! One dog down, another miserable human to go! What¡¯s that look? You¡¯re mad your dog died? Hahaha!¡± Rhan laughed out loud, shakily holding his giant waraxe. Icicle didn¡¯t understand the animal language, but he could infer most of it. ¡°You know, I have to thank you. Now that Blackie isn¡¯t here anymore, I can go all out.¡± licking his lips, Icicle unleashed his smothered killing aura! Whoosh! Winds in the cave picked up, the entire air seemed to take a new hue ¨C crimson red! ¡°Hmph, little human, you think I¡¯m scared of you?!¡± Rhan unleashed his own killing aura. Vivid blue permeated the air, mingling with crimson red. Icicle¡¯s grin widened. If the prey was too easy, he wouldn¡¯t feel satisfied. ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡± The soles of his feet stepped off the floor, almost instantly appearing next to the lizardman boss. Whiz! The white sword glistened in the air, whistling straight at the reptile¡¯s head! Rhan dodged out of the way, counterattacking with his axe when¡­ ¡°What?! It disappeared?!¡± Rhan¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the afterimage. ¡°How could that be?!¡± Rhan raged in astonishment. But it was all too late¡­ Splutter! Fresh blood dripped down Rhan¡¯s muscular chest. Remnants of the vibrations traversed through his body, pricking his internal organs. ¡°Stinky human! Die!¡± Rhan¡¯s fury reached the limit. His 3m tall body glistened with mana after which he grabbed the two-handed axe tightly and started spinning! Rhan quickly gained momentum, after which he spinned like a spinning top, hacking everything around him! Icicle calmly backed off, letting Rhan tire himself out. ¡°Hahaha, miserable human! You only know how to run! Let me see what you¡¯ll do after you reach the corner!¡± Rhan increased his speed, making Icicle retreat even faster. Icicle has been driven into a corner. He looked behind him, his face showing utter horror. It was a deadend! As a last minute resort, Icicle focused all of his mana into the blade! ¡°Die stinking human!¡± Rhan¡¯s expression turned joyous. He approached Icicle, seeing his look of utter fear. This excited him even more. Finally the little prey realized what it was! Nothing more than a stray dog waiting to be slaughtered! Crash! Icicle ducked under the axe, letting it embed itself into the cave¡¯s grey sturdy wall. As the wall broke into small stone pieces, Icicle rose from his knees, bringing with him an uppercut slash! Splutter! Another batch of fresh blood littered the grey floor, giving it a gruesome appearance. ¡°Hahaha! You little human, you think that trickery will save you?! My race is known for its monstrous vitality!¡± Rhan laughed out loud, holding his bulging stomach. The wounds on his chest were rapidly healing. Sizzle! Icicle¡¯s sword lit up in flames, quickly turning into a fireball that latched itself onto Rhan¡¯s body! ¡°Arghhhhhhhhhhh! What are these hellish flames?!¡± Rhan shrilly cried out. His wounds not only got worse, his pride, the health regeneration suddenly significantly slowed down! Icicle drank a mana potion and wiped his mouth. His face held a mocking smile, as if looking at an idiot. ¡°I¡¯ll cut you limb by limb, you little lizard. You actually dared to kill my little dumb dog follower. Hmph! Because of you, now I¡¯ll have to go from room to room looking for your pops!¡± Rhan didn¡¯t have time to listen to the human devil. He tried to put out the flames, but it was all for nothing! AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Silverfang¡¯s howl rang out in the room, stunning Rhan for 2 whole seconds. Direwolves were creatures ranked higher in the foodchain than mere lizardmen. Thus, Rhan¡¯s reaction was justified. How can you not be scared when an opponent you cannot beat shows up? Splutter! Rhan¡¯s chest received another 3 powerful sword slashes, spilling blood in copious amounts. If that wasn¡¯t enough, as soon as the terrified effect ended, water bubble encased Rhan! Rhan¡¯s tail swiped at the bubble, but the magic didn¡¯t even budge. Rhan was now like a mortal trying to move the mountain with his own hands. Icicle''s sword pierced through the [Water prison], stabbing Rhan repeatedly. Rhan''s body started looking like a pincushion. After a few moments, his strong, muscular body looked nothing like its original state. If a passersby came by, he would think that the poor lizard chose a wrong mating partner - to be exact, a porcupine. Almost every body part of Rhan''s was bleeding. Comparing him to swiss cheese would be highly accurate. What''s more, the boss''s blue skin was covered in burn marks. Every time Icicle''s hit landed, the lizardman felt a burning sensation! Icicle was thoroughly incensed. Without Blackie, he wouldn¡¯t have eyes in other rooms. He¡¯ll have to wait 24 hours before he can utilize the dog again! By that time, the event will most likely come to an end! During his battles with other lizardmen, Icicle noticed two killing patterns. To kill a creature, you could either deplete their health or pierce their organs like heart or brain. Option number one was straightforward, you hack the monsters until it¡¯s dead. As for the option number two, it was more tricky. Cutting off the head or straight-out piercing the heart required precision and overwhelming strength! This likely had to do with level difference. Although Icicle¡¯s calculations couldn¡¯t be precise, he determined that to straight-out cut off the head, you had to deal damage equal to at least 15 to 20% of the target¡¯s max health. Thus, killing bosses by using this way was simply impossible! Since option two was crossed out, there was only one way to go! War of attrition! Icicle will keep riddling Rhan full of holes until he¡¯s dead! ¡°Arghhh! Disgusting tricky little human, I¡¯ll murder you!¡± Rhan raged, swinging his axe around. Icicle¡¯s devilish grin widened. He took out 3 small vials from his inventory. ¡°Eat some glass, lizard.¡± Smash! Smash! Smash! One after the other, three small glass vials exploded on Rhan¡¯s body. Glass shards stuck to his face, abdomen and hands. ¡°Rhaaakh!¡± Rhan roared, thrashing furiously. ¡°You fucked with a wrong person, little lizard. It¡¯s time for the glorious finale!¡± Icicle closed in and slashed at Rhan¡¯s abdomen yet again. Rhan¡¯s eyes blazed with unbridled hatred. He waited for that moment to get rid of the disgusting human once and for all! Whoosh! The giant waraxe came smashing down at Icicle¡¯s head with unbridled momentum! Rhan¡¯s eyes blazed with fury, then, when the axe was about to fall on Icicle¡¯s head, the thrill of the hunt ¨C excitement ¨C creeped into the boss¡¯s eyes! Boom! Crack! The ground split, creating a giant cobweb. Rhan¡¯s axe passed through Icicle, as easily as a knife cutting through butter. However, it was all for naught! What was cut was merely an afterimage! However, no mere afterimage could resemble the person this vividly! ¡°Y-You!¡± Rhan¡¯s giant waraxe was stuck in the ground. He saw Icicle leisurely walking towards him. ¡°The skill¡¯s called [Elusive body]. I barely understand the principles behind it, but for a weakling like you, it¡¯s more than enough.¡± Icicle chugged down another mana potion, wiped his mouth and threw an empty vial straight at Rhan! ¡°Rhaaaaakh!¡± Rhan¡¯s raged about, preparing to body slam Icicle! Whoosh! Flames conjured, covering Icicle¡¯s blade. Approaching lizardman boss had nowhere to run! ¡°RHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKH!¡± Rhan¡¯s shrill yell made the cave walls tremble. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, reinforcements won¡¯t come. Who would dare to fight me after you¡¯re dead?¡± Icicle smirked, closing in on Rhan step by step. ¡°This is for my familiar!¡± Icicle¡¯s sword was covered with vibrating blue hue, making the blade resonate! Puchi! ¡°Rhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakh!¡± Rhan¡¯s left eye was pierced, then Icicle without any mercy twisted the sword! This inhumane pain could be only imagined! But, this was not the end! As soon as Rhan got a little breather, clutching his face, the pupil in his second eye constricted! ¡°Nooooooooooooo!¡± Rhan actually spoke in human language. However, Icicle turned a deaf ear, his blade keeping the previous trajectory. Puchi! Rhan¡¯s second eyeball followed the first, making the lizard completely blind! ¡°I¡¯ll murder you, stinking human!¡± Rhan¡¯s blue aura raised yet again. The boss was truly desperate. His tail swung around, destroying the greyish floor! Icicle completely disregarded the running amok lizard. He took out Rhan¡¯s throw axe. ¡°And this is for sneaking on me, you little shit!¡± Icicle made an overhead swing and struck Rhan¡¯s head! Crack! The axe easily went into the lizard¡¯s head. Rhan¡¯s limp body fell to the floor, listless. ¡°Huh? This axe works really well with killing aura!¡± Icicle planned on keeping the axe but it quickly disintegrated. ¡°Was the axe supposed to be used against the boss from the get go?¡± Icicle wondered. ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m so tired!¡± Icicle slumped to the floor. Although his manner of speech was domineering to the extreme, this way of playing was extremely tiring. ¡°At least killing intent got resolved for a while.¡± Icicle heaved a sigh of relief. After resting for a while, Icicle lazily got up. ¡°Let¡¯s see the drop.¡± Icicle walked over and saw a pile of gold. Collecting it all up, his 16 gold coins immediately increased to 21! ¡°5 gold coins off one monster. Truly a boss level creature!¡± Icicle grinned. ¡°Is this the heart Cindy wanted?¡± Icicle collected the red heart-shaped object.
[Blue Lizardman Prince¡¯s Heart] [Quest Item] Deliver this item to Cindy to finish the quest.
¡°Apparently this was the boss Cindy mentioned. Hmmm, there¡¯s no flower I need for Marisse¡¯s quest though. I guess Rhan¡¯s pops is the final boss.¡± Icicle concluded. ¡°Two items left. One is a skillbook and another¡­ huh? A brown rubik¡¯s cube?¡± Icicle looked at the two items and felt perplexed. This was supposed to be the boss monster loot? If not for the skillbook, this would be a total scam! Chapter 28 As Icicle was collecting his loot, the conflict outside became more and more severe. Red Blooming Valley was completely devoid of players. Aside from a couple dozen lizardmen dispatched to guard their caves at the bottom of the hill, only boars and bears littered the once densely populated mountains. Every single player was either killed or chased out. Green and blue lizardmen tribes took complete control of the western mountains area. However, there was one place safe from all the proceedings. At the side of the raging river, the old fisherman hummed a song, completely unperturbed. The few players who decided to become fishermen were spared from the carnage that followed [Death to human invaders!] event. Now that they were in a favorable position, their influence in the Vilen Town grew. Lizardmen¡¯s position, their estimated numbers, the weapons they used, potential ambushes¡­ Since most of the fishermen disciples were sent here by their guilds, their positions suddenly skyrocketed. Many future guild leaders used their contacts to get in touch with those people, trying to snatch them. After all, events not only provided a heap of formidable items, they made people famous overnight! That¡¯s exactly what the future guilds needed to become strong! They had to gather popular players! And those fishermen could provide them with information to do just that! While some players were rejoicing about the possible rewards of the event, low level players and Alchemist Nurte¡¯s students were left in a lurch. Now that the western mountains area was taken over by the lizardmen, low level players lost their grinding area, while alchemist disciples lost their herb gathering place! Shaking their heads, those poor souls decided to venture into the [Humming forest], hoping for the best. *** On top of the western mountain, lizardmen shuffled to and fro. One of the blue-scaled reptiles came running at top speed, gasping for breath. ¡°Are we finally ready?¡± Russh asked impatiently. ¡°Yes leader, the preparations are complete.¡± blue lizardman elite reported. ¡°Good.¡± Russh nodded. ¡°Are we taking prisoners?¡± the blue lizardman asked, looking in the direction of the farms. ¡°No. Grandpa said he¡¯s not an enemy even for the lower ranked guards, we can¡¯t afford to lose all of our forces just because we provoked war. What we¡¯re aiming for are those pests that dared to invade our home!¡± Russh looked towards green-scaled Rhukka and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± both leaders roared, sending the signal to advance! As the sound of the horn rang out, three thousand lizardmen rolled down the mountain, side by side. The first row consisted of elite lizardmen warriors, wielding sharpened sabers. Their heavy armor glistened in the sun. A few steps behind them came the elite lizardmen spearmen. Their heavy, long spears were oustretched before the warriors, forming a concise phalanx formation. Behind the armed to the teeth warriors and spearmen came the elite archers. Their oak bows were polished, their quivers full to the brim. Feathered arrows swayed in the afternoon wind. With their bows nocked, archers looked around vigilantly, looking for prey. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Arrows flew down the mountain, catching unlucky strugglers. The unaware players quickly perished under the might of the lizardmen. As the wave after wave of lizardmen rumbled down the mountain, low level players hunting Wild Dogs near the western town gate noticed them, quickly retreating into the town. They hoped the guards would take care of the problem for them. Meanwhile, the lizardmen tide divided into three groups, each counting around 1000 lizardmen. Northern, western and eastern gate were simultaneously blocked. If Vilen Town didn¡¯t face the sea from the south, the reptiles would most likely siege the town from all four directions. *** Curtis stood amongst other players in the church, awaiting the news. He felt the idea of getting a buff was absurd, but there was a hint of expectation left within him. Bam! The wooden sturdy doors of the church slammed the wall, showing a gasping for breath player in the entrance. As soon as he caught his breath, he exclaimed, ¡°The lizardmen have come! Vilen Town is under siege!¡± His sudden revelation caused the congregted players to stare in shock. Every single one of the people in the church has long forgotten the idea of getting a buff. After a few seconds of total petrification, players started rushing out of the holy building, one after the other. Curtis quickly followed after the storming crowd, meeting more players on the way. The streets were completely crowded. Players discussed the recent events in groups. Next to the western gate stood two guards wearing relaxed expressions. After consulting for a while, one of the players stepped forward and asked respectfully, ¡°Will the guards lend us, adventurers, a hand in eradicating the lizardmen invasion?¡± One of the guards turned his head, lowering his halberd a little. His expression was that of scoff. ¡°We weren¡¯t given any instructions from the Lord, so naturally we won¡¯t sally out to help the adventurers. These reptiles pose no danger to the town, so I don¡¯t see any reason for the Lord Marcus Vilen to get involved.¡± the guard curtly replied, not bothering with the player anymore. Silence ensued in to the western gate area. The crowd of players immediately understood this is an event meant for them and them alone. How could they be expecting any help from the town guards? If they were to lure the lizardmen into the town, maybe the guards would lend them a hand, but wouldn¡¯t all of the experience and loot be gone as well? Discussions quickly broke out amongst the players. They debated whether to sally out now or if they should wait for a more opportune moment. However, when some of the more experienced players looked at the phalanx formation of the lizardmen, their mettle quickly lessened. Sharp spears protruted out from behind the lizardmen warriors, while lizardmen archers stood battle ready at the side of the hill, holding an advantageous position. Just imagining rushing out of the town was crazy, not to mention actually doing it. Wouldn¡¯t the players be peppered with arrows until they look like porcupines? *** Next to the Vilen Town¡¯s palace, two men conversed inside the guard barracks. The building was well furnished, not resembling common barracks at all. Comfy beds, waxed wooden floors¡­ shiny swords and polished armor hung on the interior walls. In the front of the building lay a garden with a small rockery and a fountain in the center. The joyfully gushing water of the fountain didn¡¯t reflect the gloomy atmosphere inside the barracks. ¡°Instead of executing your mission in the shortest amount of time possible, you actually had your fun with an adventurer!¡± Cus, the Guards¡¯ Commander cursed at his incompetent son. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I was actually hurt while hunting the Fleeting Violet Direwolf. When I was recuperating, one of the adventurers offered me his help, gathering herbs for me. One thing led to another and he actually became a beginner grade Alchemist. I tried him out a couple times to see if he¡¯s using me and unexpectedly, he lent me a hand every single time. Whether it were potions or food, he shared everything.¡± Adian explained, his head hanging down. He might have been one of the strongest guards around, but in front of his father he was like a little mouse facing a giant cat. ¡°According to what you said, you had the adventurer bait Atlas, the second in line to inherit the wolf tribe, only so you could kill that bloody wolf. Then your new adventurer friend turned out to be smart. He found a Red Devil¡¯s Tribe princess hidden in Atlas¡¯s lair, took it to the Red Devil Tribe and that¡¯s where you battled against the entire wolf tribe?¡± Cus glared at Adian indiffrentely. ¡°Yes, I and Icicle made enough fuss on the way to attract other adventurers. After a fierce battle, with the help of the Red Devil¡¯s Tribe we managed to repel the wolf forces. Red Devil¡¯s Tribe Princess stole the glory of dispatching the Fleeting Violet Direwolf to the underworld from me, but this served as morale boost to the squirrel army, resulting in an overwhelming victory.¡± Adan reported sincerly. ¡°Hmph, if these wolves weren¡¯t gone after all this time you¡¯ve spent idling, I would have thrown you behind bars for insubordination!¡± Cus snorted, then his gaze softened a little. ¡°Being able to beat the Fleeting Violet Direwolf is good enough. I¡¯m afraid even I would have trouble holding back the Direwolf Ancestor, so you¡¯re lucky there was someone to stop that mad overgrown furry whelp.¡± Adian smiled faintly, he knew this was a rare praise from his strict dad. He realized it was the time to leave, so he turned towards the door. ¡°One more thing. No more playing around with alchemy and doing merchant stuff. That was what you did during your youth, you little rascal. You¡¯re now holding an esteemed position. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± Cus glanced at Adian firmly, then turned to the window, his hands locked behind his back. Adian bowed, about to leave when¡­ Bam! The doors to the Commander¡¯s office opened forcefully. Mols, an elite guard, bowed respectfully, reporting, ¡°Commander Cus, big trouble! Lizardmen forces escaped the boundary of Red Blooming Valley and marched towards Vilen Town! They surrounded the perimeter, blocking all exits.¡± Cus¡¯s gaze hardened. As he turned, there was no more scolding parent within him. Instead, a domineering, authorative attitude surfaced, making people¡¯s hearts palpitate. ¡°What about the civilians? Are people outside the wall safe?¡± Cus asked firmly. ¡°Sir! Most of the civilians managed to escape the grasp of the lizardmen. So far, only the farmers are in a precarious situation. However, the lizardmen haven¡¯t yet made any move on them. What should we do?¡± Mols was quite frantic, one of his family members was working on a farm. ¡°Report to Lord Marcus Vilen immediately! Ask for the permission to use the flying beasts to evacuate the civilians!¡± Cus¡¯s voice thundered over the barracks. ¡°Sir!¡± the guard bowed, speeding towards the palace. As Mols ran in his metallic shining armor, no one dared to stop him. The rumbling sounds of heavy footsteps echoed about, filling people with awe. Two guards were stationed before the palace gates. ¡°Out of the way!¡± Mols shouted, making his two colleagues immediately stand aside. Gasping for breath, Mols crossed the white marble stairs leading to the palace, before another group of guards opened the doors. They looked unfazed, as if they were expecting him. *** Ivir was standing next to her father, Lord Marcus Vilen, showing off her new jewelry. Cindy entrusted her with a mission to bring back a Water Mage, but there weren¡¯t any available, so the task ultimately ended up being a complete fiasco. However, Ivir wasn¡¯t the least bit disappointed. She managed to find a beautiful necklace with scarlet red ruby letting off a blazing, fiery light. She wore it on her neck, spinning on her heel. Marcus Vilen could only sigh. He has already heard Cindy¡¯s rebuke about how utterly incompetent his daughter was. This wasn¡¯t the first time. However, it was his only child. How could he not pamper her a little? ¡°Dad, are you even listening to me?¡± Seeing her dad¡¯s absent expression, Ivir creased her eyebrows. ¡°Ah sorry, I was just thinking about something.¡± Marcus Vilen shook his head apologetically. ¡°What is it?¡± Ivir¡¯s playful tone was instantly extinguished. ¡°Glacia Kingdom¡¯s merchants are trying to put some pressure on me because one of the adventurers called Icicle allegedly scammed one of their own, Merchant Bingus.¡± the lord sighed, shaking his head. What did he have to do with this matter? Ivir¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°This guy again?¡± she thought, remembering her own dramatic experience. ¡°Oh? You seem to know him.¡± Marcus saw her daughter¡¯s unfocused eyes, as if she relived something. ¡°Mm, a little. I had a promising student under me and Icicle completely squashed him in a duel. Not only that, he even dared to bet with me, making me pay for his mage tutelage as a result¡­¡± Ivir bit her lower lip. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Marcus laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s quite a character then.¡± he looked at his daughter lovingly. ¡°Anyways, you shouldn¡¯t worry about the pressure from the Glacia Kingdom¡¯s merchants. This area is independent, although it somewhat relies on the presence of Minaeryth Kingdom. However, even if Glacia Kingdom¡¯s merchant indeed got scammed, that¡¯s their own problem, isn¡¯t it? I mean, if the boy had the skill, why not use it? Being careless in what they do is the damn merchants¡¯ own fault.¡± Marcus said firmly not to trouble his daughter. ¡°I think Cindy fancied that adventurer. You can ask her for help, dad.¡± Ivir muttered absentmindedly. ¡°If I sent the legendary Earth Shaper I think that the Glacia Kingdom¡¯s merchants wouldn¡¯t dare to set their foot here ever again.¡± Marcus guffawed. With Cindy¡¯s prestige, those poor merchants would probably give up most of their cargo just so they could leave peacefully. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. As Marcus and Ivir talked, a few people appeared behind Marcus without letting out a sound. They whispered something into his ear then blended with the shadows, disappearing without a trace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong dad?¡± Ivir asked. Creak! The doors opened and a gasping guard came running in, quickly kneeling on the ground. ¡°Lord! The lizardmen forces escaped out of the Red Blooming Valley and blocked out all of the Vilen Town¡¯s exits. It seems they¡¯re getting ready to siege the town! Commander Cus requests the permission to use the eagles to evacuate the civilians outside the walls!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡± Marcus¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°How numerous are the lizardmen forces?¡± he asked tentatively. ¡°Around 3000 strong, lord! What about the civilians?¡± Mols hurriedly asked. He didn¡¯t know whether his family member was safe or not. ¡°Permission to use the Martial Eagles granted! Since lizardmen aren¡¯t high level creatures, send 200 guards to the walls! Ask Warrior and Mage Guild to assist us if necessary!¡± Marcus Vilen barked out the orders authoratively. ¡°You can leave!¡± ¡°Lord!¡± Mols bowed, rushing towards the stables on the beach. Entering through the secret passage, the guard took an elevator and quickly approached the Beastmaster. Before Mols managed to utter a word, the Beastmaster nodded his head towards the stable. His subordinates brought out five reigned flying beasts. ¡°Five Martial Eagles, as per Lord Vilen¡¯s orders.¡± the Beastmaster said concisely, turning towards the haughty birds. After saying a few words in animal language, Beastmaster turned towards the guard and said, ¡°You can take them.¡± Mols bowed, impressed about the sheer speed of message delivery between Lord¡¯s subordinates. Many people speculated whether Marcus Vilen had or hadn¡¯t had an underground network, but no one could be sure if it really existed. Seeing the results right now, Mols was somewhat startled. However, he quickly collected himself under the urgency of the situation. ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Mols bowed, mounting one of the giant Martial Eagles. Three meters of black feathers outstretched, taking course towards the main barracks. *** While some of the players were distressed, others were full of joy. Artisan classes have finally had their time to shine! With such a large scale event about to start, they could show off their goods and provide various services. Disciples of Blacksmiths, Tailors, Alchemists, Merchants and Chefs advertised their services on the streets, especially near the crowded town gates. Food, weapons, armors, health and mana potions, identifying scrolls; all of these highly sought for items in the beginner area laid bare before many adventurers. Those who didn¡¯t have time to play or simply had dog shit luck eyed the goods greedily. However, when they saw the guards patrolling the area, their thoughts of theft quickly dispersed. Instead, they looked forward towards the upcoming battle. If they could earn big, they could afford all of those premium goods of the beginner area! *** While Tailor Marisse took care of her daughter, she noticed the distressed expressions of her students. It was sunday morning and those people have just logged on. Naturally, they quickly heard the news. ¡°Go, I can manage on my own. You can¡¯t miss this chance and I don¡¯t want to be ridiculed by those old hags later. Don¡¯t bring me shame.¡± Marisse said authoratively. If the reputation of the craftsman was bad, they naturally wouldn¡¯t have any customers. The group of players nodded silently, thanking Marisse in their hearts. After bowing, they left the house, entering the busy streets of Vilen Town. Marisse looked at the pure white direwolf fur. She has finished the whole set some time ago, but she didn¡¯t want to just finish it. Since Icicle was her benefactor, she wanted to make it her lifetime¡¯s magnum opus. ¡°There are still two bottles of medicine left, I hope you can succeed, Icicle.¡± Marisse silently prayed. Her expression was anxious, yet she felt calm at the same time. Her daughter¡¯s state has improved a lot. Even thought it was temporary, this alone brought her unspeakable joy. *** Ganish wiped the sweat off his forehead. Although he was tired, his face held a rare smile. Seeing all of the material he could work with filled him with joy. The order Icicle asked him to complete was finished, yet Ganish still looked for small improvements. ¡°Hmph, this kid seemed in such a rush to get his order done yet he¡¯s not coming back to pick it up.¡± Ganish snorted, yet his expression was betraying his thoughts. The more time he had, the better the weapon would turn out. His services were no longer highly sought for, so he planned on doing his best for the one order he had. As the bazzar thrived with liveliness, news of the lizardmen siege quickly spread. ¡°Heh, so that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t come back yet, kiddo. You¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised when you finally find the time to visit me.¡± Ganish guffawed, hammering at the anvil with even more force. *** After receiving the news, Ivir hurried back to the Mage Guild. As soon as she entered, Cindy¡¯s gaze locked on her, making Ivir feel incomparably pressured. ¡°Good, you¡¯re back. Take those toddlers out for a walk. They seem to have never seen a lizard before.¡± Cindy said sarcastically as she gazed with disdain at the chaotic crowd of adventurers. Ivir was shocked to find Cindy in a lenient mood. She nodded, quickly restoring the order. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough! Every Mage apprentice and those who have yet to finish copying the scrolls can come with me to enjoy some fresh air! Those of you who haven¡¯t yet learned the skills will be brought up to speed by your respective teachers!¡± Ivir¡¯s voice thundered about the Mage Guild¡¯s lobby. Excitement rose in the players¡¯ hearts. Especially those who lagged behind or haven¡¯t had the time to play. This was a windfall they didn¡¯t expect. Unfortunately, Ivir wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°You¡¯ll gather in groups of 8! If your group can¡¯t even kill 1 lizardman during the whole ordeal, each of you will pay 5 gold coins for the tutelage! If you can¡¯t afford that, you¡¯ll have to work it off!¡± These two sentences made most of the hopeful adventurers depressed. Ivir obviously didn¡¯t want anyone to pay the 5 gold coins, but giving adventurers some pressure would definitely raise the young mages¡¯ fighting spirit. After all, Warrior Guild¡¯s students will participate as well. Mage Guild can¡¯t be the weakest link. As people discussed the unexpected proposal, Vilenne¡¯s mana-infused voice resounded in the lobby, ¡°My little students, I have different requirements set for you. Since you practiced swordsmanship under me, you¡¯ll use just that. I¡¯ll hand you the swords in a second. If your group is able to behead one of the lizardmen, you¡¯ll be able to learn the skills from me, free of charge!¡± when Vilenne finished speaking, her aura exploded, covering the whole lobby. ¡°However, if you can¡¯t even kill a small lizard in a group of 8 or less, don¡¯t you dare show your face in front of me ever again!¡± Vilenne¡¯s coercion was mostly locked on the students next to her. Most of them were obviously male, following Vilenne because of her looks. They didn¡¯t care about becoming a Water Mage at all. Seeing Vilenne¡¯s aura suddenly break out, those players remembered the beatings they received. Even though Vilenne only used a wooden stick, their whole bodies hurt. Those who were lucky enough not to participate in the swordsmanship lessons swallowed their saliva. They finally realized how horrible this beautiful Water Mage¡¯s power was. ¡°Those who want to participate, follow me! As for the rest¡­ hmph!¡± Vilenne cutely snorted. To the male followers this was equal to being called a wuss. After a slight moment of hesitation, every single one of Vilenne¡¯s students followed her to the armory. Other students looked with dismay at the unlucky souls who followed Vilenne. That woman was a tyrant through and through! Cindy looked appreciatively at Vilenne. She wanted her to teach the adventurers equally, but Vilenne was always so stubborn. ¡°I¡¯ll teach them how to fight.¡± she used to say, giving Cindy endless headaches. This time around, the blue eyed maiden gave her a nice surprise. *** Coming back with the swords, Vilenne told her students to follow Ivir to the event. ¡°I¡¯ll join you in a second.¡± she said, turning to Cindy. ¡°You think that little bastard will come back?¡± Vilenne asked tentatively. ¡°You mean Icicle? I don¡¯t know, he¡¯s probably trying to get the heart.¡± Cindy smiled faintly. ¡°Besides, aren¡¯t you a little cold? You shared so much¡­ sweaty time with him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even insinuate such a thing! Me, with a younger¡­¡± Vilenne¡¯s mouth suddenly froze, as she remembered being called a ¡°little brat¡± by Icicle. ¡°Ugh!¡± Creak! Vilenne¡¯s foot fiercely stamped the floor, making it cave in. ¡°Hey, those panels are expensive!¡± Cindy frowned a little. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Guildmaster.¡± Vilenne hung her head down, her first balled. ¡°Now, now. I was just teasing you. Go to your students, your friends from the Warrior Guild will most likely be there too.¡± Cindy patted Vilenne¡¯s back. ¡°If the little bastard comes back, I swear I¡¯ll hack him to pieces!¡± as Vilenne thought of the previous embarassment, she bit her lip and reluctantly exited the Mage Guild. *** ¡°What? Lizardmen besieged Vilen Town?¡± Jasik, the hunter who sold Icicle the furs, heard the news and quickly called other Hunters for a meeting. ¡°I say we make a trip to Vilen Town and earn our share!¡± one of the Hunters said, banging the table with his fist. Other Hunters quickly smiled, nodding their heads. ¡°It¡¯s settled then! We¡¯ll move out shortly! Do we take the adventurers?¡± Jasik asked. As the one who earned the most recently, he gained quite a bit of prestige. ¡°Why not? Let¡¯s confer our skills upon them once they show some results.¡± one of the old Hunters smiled slyly. Few minutes later, the Hunter Village became really busy¡­ *** Vilen Town¡¯s Pier ¡°Oh? Lord Vilen asks for our services? It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Mercenary Leader Magent laughed out loud, slapping his thighs. His eyes showed excitement. ¡°I yearned for a bout for quite some time.¡± ¡°We¡¯re merely striving for civilians¡¯ safety. Lord Vilen asked me to bring at most 200 Mercenaries with me.¡± Lord Vilen¡¯s personal guard said hurriedly. ¡°Well then, since time is of an essence, let¡¯s get going.¡± Magent barked out the orders. ¡°Bring me 100 ranged Mercs, 100 melee Mercs and all the young¡¯ins that want to participate!¡± Players who decided to become Mercenaries quickly assembled on the pier, ready to go. Soon enough, 350 strong squad marched towards the Vilen Town¡¯s walls through the secret passage. *** Meanwhile, Icicle made his way through the Blue Lizardmen Cave. His hair was disheveled, his expression frosty. ¡°Damn those archers, I have only 30 antidotes left.¡± Icicle cursed. He hasn¡¯t even made it to the boss, yet he had to spend so much resources. What¡¯s more, he didn¡¯t know whether the green lizardmen used poison or not. If they did, he would have to restock on herbs before going to the other cave. Icicle started missing Blackie more and more. Without knowing what he¡¯s about to face, his fighting style had to be somewhat restricted. The dog might not be useful in the fighting itself, but he was a great scout, providing valuable information about the nearby enemies. Without Blackie, Icicle had to be vigilant all the time. Turning right, Icicle found an empty room. He slumped to the floor, bringing out some food to eat. ¡°Rhan was a powerful adversary, his pops must be even stronger. What can I use to get rid of him?¡± Icicle rummaged through his inventory, looking for a solution. ¡°Sigh, nothing here. Since I can¡¯t use any of the items in the inventory, I need to look elsewhere. I recently learned the power of vibration, but I can¡¯t really use it well, so it¡¯s crossed out. How about Alchemy? Is there anything that can help me? Maybe a poison or some corrosive potion¡­?¡± Icicle checked the game menu, looking for the alchemist compendium. He wasn¡¯t too hopeful though. Even if there was a recipe, he definitely lacked the herbs to make the concotion. Just then, Icicle had a crazy idea flash through his brain. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Icicle broke out in a crazy laughter. He quickly covered his mouth with his hands, smothering the sound. ¡°Who would have thought that a failure of an experiment might actually help me here! Last time when I tried to improve the quality of the potions with mana, they exploded. I obviously wasn¡¯t proficient enough in mana manipulation, so the result was predictable. What if I use the vibrating mana to stir those potions? Won¡¯t it result in an even bigger explosion?¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes shone with a crazy light as he brought out vials filled with various liquids! Chapter 29 Author¡¯s note: Next two chapters will be late (as always), you¡¯ll get them at Wednesday. Had to collect my thoughts not to rush this arc. The farms of Vilen Town were unnaturally silent today. The eerie atmosphere seemed to last for eternity. Wind swayed the lush grasslands, carrying with it a faint stench of blood. In the shed on one of those farms, a trembling familly hugged each other, shaking from fear. ¡°Mom, dad, are we going to be okay?¡± the little girl with brown ponytails asked, her eyes watery. ¡°We will be fine. The guards should come to rescue us shortly.¡± The girl¡¯s middle-aged father replied, his voice somewhat shaky. When the lizardmen rolled down the mountain, those scared farmers quickly hid in a closest building, which was this shed used to storage tools. Once the wolf infestation was repelled, the farmers could finally take a breather. Their lives were safe, their crops were no longer trampled by the scared animals escaping their territories. As soon as the farmers relaxed, their farms were isolated from the Vilen Town by a horde of lizardmen. Equipped with only their farming tools, how could the farmers break through such an encirclement? Even if they had the necessary strength, could their meager numbers have a sliver of chance against 3000 elite lizardmen? Faced with such an unfortune situation, the farmers and their families hid inside the buildings, awaiting the rescue. Mothers hugged their children, trying to comfort them, while their own eyes looked for comfort in their husbands¡¯ eyes. As many of the hiding adults dejectedly sighed, they held their children close. For some unknown reason, the lizardmen didn¡¯t attack them. This caused a glimmer of hope to blossom in their hearts, making those poor souls pray for their saviors to arrive soon. Faint sniffing and sobbing could be heard among the farms. In this gloomy atmosphere, the afternoon sky was suddenly blotted out, making the area around the farms dim. This phenomenon alarmed the adults, prompting them to look through the windows and the cracks of the wooden sheds. They feared the worst. ¡°Ah!¡± one of the mothers cried out, slumping to the ground. ¡°What is it honey?¡± the farmer asked, his expression severe. He didn¡¯t know whether it was the good or the bad news. ¡°Martial Eagles are flying our way!¡± the woman muttered, holding her wide opened mouth. ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± the family rejoiced shedding warm tears of happiness. In the bright afternoon sky, Adian flew on top of the Martial Eagle. With a wave of his hand, the other four elite guards guided the beasts to descend towards the farms. Scared farmers exited the buildings one by one, their expressions tearful. As the guards were thanked by the scared townsmen, they nodded harshly and ordered the civilians to hurry up. They didn¡¯t want to appear heartless, but there was no time to waste. There were other families that required rescuing so they couldn¡¯t dawdle. Adian landed next to the farm closest to the lizardmen blockade, opening the wooden shed. He felt the presence of a few people there. ¡°Come out quickly, I¡¯m here to take you back to town.¡± Adian¡¯s voice was firm and warm but not too loud. The words of his father clearly rang out in his head. ¡°Remember little rascal, I¡¯m sending you to rescue the townsmen. If they happen to get into trouble or if you somehow provoke the lizardmen attack because of your antics, I¡¯ll throw you behind bars for 10 years! Ten whole years, you hear me?!¡± As Adian remembered the words of his father, Cus, he shuddered. He honestly wished to just ran into the horde of lizardmen and have his fun, but then he remembered that the reptiles were actually low level creatures. They were similar to the wolves he could dispatch with a few slashes during [Ingrained Enmity] event. Only by repeating that the creatures weren¡¯t worth his time was he able to temporarily suppress his bloodthirtsty nature. ¡®Thank you Captain.¡± the scared family quickly walked out of the shed, letting their children hop onto the giant Martial Eagle. The proud bird spread its enormous wings which reached over 6m in wingspan. Coupled with its formidable, muscular body and unmatched resilience, it was a perfect transport method. Only the top Beastmasters could make such a wild and prideful creature submit to them and then be used by regular humans. Adian knew that Lord Marcus Vilen spent a lot of resources to invite the Beastmaster to the town. If it weren¡¯t for the help of the Minaeryth Kingdom¡¯s royal family, he wouldn¡¯t be able to afford even that. ¡°Mount the Eagle. I¡¯ll keep your children safe.¡± Adian took both of the rascals on his lap, whispering ¡°Grab on to me and hold on tight.¡± the two children nodded resolutely, wiping their watery eyes with their cotton sleeves. When every person from the farm mounted the gigantic Martial Eagle, Adian patted the feathery beast¡¯s back. Once given the sign, the giant Martial Eagle flapped its wings, quickly rising into the air. As the sound of whistling wind rose over the horizon, five Martial Eagles accompanied by the rays of the afternoon sun flew towards Vilen Town. *** Marcus Vilen left his palace and stood on top of the northern wall. His furrowed brows slowly relaxed as he gazed at the Martial Eagles flying over the grasslands. The giant beasts brought his people back safely. As the first Martial Eagle landed, farmers bowed deeply to the lord. Soon after, an elite guard kneeled beside the Vilen Town¡¯s lord and reported. ¡°Lord! With another flight all of the civilians will be rescued. Should we prepare to attack?¡± the guard¡¯s metallic armor reflected the sun rays. ¡°The lizardmen don¡¯t seem to be hostile towards us. Let¡¯s wait.¡± Marcus waved his hand to dismiss the guard. He wasn¡¯t sure why the lizardmen were so passive. When the lizardmen rumbled down the mountain, they shouldn¡¯t suddenly give up their momentum for no reason. Thus, Marcus decided to wait and see if there¡¯s anything he should take note of. ¡°Yes lord!¡± the guard bowed and excused himself. ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on all of this, Cus? Is it just one of those ¡°events¡± the gods spoke of in their prophecies?¡± Marcus asked, his hands interlocked behind his back. ¡°Sigh, honestly, this is one of the weirdest things I¡¯ve ever seen. Just look at those reptiles. They¡¯re not attacking anyone despite being so aggresive in nature. If you look to the left, you¡¯ll see a wall peppered with arrows. That¡¯s the exact location of one of the ¡°runaway¡± adventurers who crossed the gate to run. As soon as he left the town, he was instantly turned into a porcupine. According to my guess, those newcomers must have angered the lizardmen in some way. There¡¯s no need to shed blood for no cause. I mean, the town¡¯s in no danger, nor are its residents. We should let them resolve it by themselves.¡± Cus honestly replied. ¡°Let¡¯s watch for a little while longer then. If the lizardmen are not hostile towards us, keep the tight watch for the next two days, then return to the normal schedule.¡± Marcus nodded. Soon after Cus¡¯s firm voice rang out among the walls of Vilen Town, repeating the lord¡¯s orders. ¡°Yes Commander!¡± the guards responded in unison. When all of the civilians were rescued, one of the blue lizardmen with vivid, shining scales took a few steps forward, suddenly screeching. ¡°We. No. Kill. Humans.¡± Russh spoke in a broken human language, each word with a hard to understand accent. ¡°We. Here. Kill. Invaders!¡± ¡°So it¡¯s as we thought.¡± Marcus sighed, his face expression turning severe. Adventurers were called ¡°Invaders¡± by some. It was natural that not every person wanted some other beings suddenly summoned into their world, not to mention they were immortal and not regulated by most laws. Marcus was a responsible and smart man, thus he quickly made a decision. ¡°Vilen Town, listen up! All of the civilians were saved! The lizardmen are clearly not here to provoke us! By the order of I, Marcus Vilen, I hereby forbid attacking the lizardmen unless they try to enter the city! Any insubordination will be met with punishment ranging from flogging to yearly imprisonment! Those who dare to incite others to break my decree will be stripped of their titles and possessions and then jailed for a decade!¡± Marcus Vilen¡¯s mana empowered voice thundered throughout the town. As the residents of Vilen Town heard that, they gulped loudly. This was barely any different from a monarch¡¯s decree. Although there were many daredevils in the town, they wouldn¡¯t risk all of their possessions and hereditary titles just to make a stand. ¡°As for you adventurers, you¡¯re the one who provoked the lizardmen, so you¡¯re in it on your own! I would like to ask the Mage Guild, the Holy Light Church, the Warrior Guild and all of the Artisans to let the adventurers deal with their own mess! After the battle is over, they will be allowed to use all of the town¡¯s services again! For now, you¡¯ll have to rely on the Artisan¡¯s and respective guilds¡¯ disciples! That¡¯s all!¡± Marcus nodded towards Russh. His gaze held a heartfelt gratitude. He knew that although the lizardmen didn¡¯t pose any danger to him nor the guards, the farmers were a different matter. They could be slaughtered like sheep or even worse, taken prisoner. This would force many concessions out of Marcus, not to mention destabilize his firm position. The players below the wall looked at their teachers despondently. They wanted to receive some buffs or at least guidance in battle, but now it was all gone. The decree of the lord turned into a system message that made all of them reluctantly give up on the idea of receiving any help. However, the artisans¡¯ disciples were overjoyed! This made their services the only ones available! How good of a windfall was that? ¡°Tasty food here!¡± chefs showcased their goods, moving their plates in the air to make the salivating aromas pervade the area. ¡°Leather armor repairs! Really cheap! The better the armor, the better your chance at surviving!¡± the tailors screamed. Their fingers were patched with adhesive plasters, the result of unskillful use of needles. ¡°Weapon repairs, heavy armor repairs! All in one place! Come to the smithy!¡± a couple of blacksmith apprentinces waved their hammers around. They could finally earn something from their hard, strenuous work. ¡°Potions! Cheap potions to save your life in battle! One potion regenerates up to 150 HP! Only 25 silver a bottle!¡± Alchemist disciples shook their vials to attract customers as they advertised. Marcus sighed and was ready to get down the wall when a group of bowmen came running from the woods on the eastern side. The lizardmen stopped them. Green lizardman with vivid green scales, carrying a silver trident and a metal net stepped forward and hissed ¡°Humans!¡± Russh moved from the north side to the eastern gate. Seeing the humans, his yellow reptile eyes narrowed, as if he suspected the group to be waiting in ambush. Something was wrong though. If it was an ambush, why come alone? And why at this unopportune time? Jasik and his hunter friends nocked their bows, ready to shoot when a thunderous voice resounded. ¡°Lower your weapons!¡± Marcus¡¯s face darkened. How many mishaps could befell him in one day? Shaken by the voice, Jasik looked at the Vilen Town lord¡¯s imposing posture, making him instinctively do as the lord said. His companions quickly followed, waiting for explanation. However, one of the impatient players shot an arrow straight at the lizardmen, provoking their anger. The arrow lodged itself into green lizardman¡¯s shoulder, sticking out like a sore thumb. Russh outstretched his hand to block his furious brethren, glaring viciously at the town¡¯s lord. ¡°Grab the one who shot and throw him to the lizardmen!¡± Marcus heartlessly ordered. Seeing the manner of the Vilen lord¡¯s, Jasik nodded his head, grabbed the astounded adventurer and flung him towards the reptiles. As soon as the player landed, lightly coughing from the impact, the tridents and spears descended upon him, extinguishing his life within a second. As the silence reigned over the place, couple of guards on the walls swallowed their saliva with difficulty. The domineering aura their lord released was something they have never experienced before. They felt as if a mountain was weighing down on their shoulders. ¡°I expect you came here to help us fight off the lizardmen, Jasik?¡± Marcus¡¯s cold voice rang out. ¡°Yes lord! However, it seems you don¡¯t need any help¡­¡± Jasik looked around, somewhat stunned. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp what was going on. ¡°Lizardmen came here to settle their blood feud with the adventurers, letting us save the civilians without bloodshed. Thus, we made an agreement. We won¡¯t interfere in their battle. However, since you went to all the trouble to organize your village and come here, I can¡¯t let you return empty handed.¡± Marcus sighed, turning to Russh. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Would you let those humans enter the western mountain area without coming close to your Red Blooming Valley?¡± Marcus asked amiably. Russh thought for a while and nodded reluctantly. He didn¡¯t want to face the allied forces of humans and the invaders. Besides, looking at the group of invaders behind the humans with bows made him salivate. ¡°Very well. Jasik, take your boys and head towards the mountains. You can get your share of bear furs there. If you break the promise and enter the Red Blooming Valley, I¡¯ll personally behead you.¡± Marcus¡¯s ¡°gentle¡± smile sent shivers down Jasik¡¯s spine. ¡°Yes Lord!¡± Jasik replied faintly, briskly walking to pass the blockade. The lizardmen willingly made way, letting the Hunters pass. However, when the players neared, the reptile warriors barred the entrance. ¡°Now now, killing all those adventurers in this manner would be rather tasteless, wouldn¡¯t it? Let them regroup for 15 minutes after which you can start your battle. If they don¡¯t exit the town on their own, I¡¯ll push them out myself.¡± Marcus smiled faintly. The startled players next to the lizardmen obediently hurried to the town. Russh and Rhukka glowered at the backs of the adventurers, their killing intent rising. They knew they held the advantageous positions outside so they couldn¡¯t complain too much. ¡°All the guards except those on the watchtowers, get off the walls! From now on until the battle ends, the walls are off limits! Any adventurer who dares to climb them shall be shot down! Am I understood?!¡± Marcus¡¯s cold voice resounded over the area. ¡°Yes Lord!¡± the guards responded in unison. ¡°Very well. Adventurers, you heard me! After 15 minutes, those of you who wish to fight will sally out of the town! Make your preparations, we won¡¯t disturb you!¡± Marcus gave his orders to the guards and calmly descended. Meanwhile, Magent arrived with the group of mercenaries from the southern part of the town. Hearing the news, he was somewhat dejected. ¡°Tch, I was itching for a fight.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be paid accordingly.¡± Marcus waved his hand and walked towards the plaza to talk with the rescued townsmen. As a shrewd person, he knew it was a great time to earn some additional respect amongst the people. ¡°Heh heh, look at that. There¡¯s actually someone who wants to fight!¡± Adian¡¯s voice rang out from the southern part of the town. He has just returned the eagles to the stables. Hearing there was actually someone who wanted to fight, his dejected expression quickly brightened. Magent turned around, his somewhat somber face seemed to become 10 years younger. He let out an exuberant laugh. ¡°Oh? So you want to dance with me, kiddo? I¡¯ll be glad to lead you!¡± Magent guffawed. Crack! Crack! Adian cracked his joints. The plaza in the middle of the town was quickly deserted, making room for the two big shots of the town. Bored magicians on the side set up a translucent barrier to keep the civilians out of the harm¡¯s way. Marcus has just finished talking to the townsmen and raised his head. He gazed at the two in the middle of the plaza. His eyes drifted to Cus. Seeing him nod, Marcus could only sigh. Although the crowd all around was excited, venting off the vexation from the lizardmen attack, Marcus knew the difference of strength between the two. This could hardly be called a fight. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re fine with that¡­¡± Marcus muttered to Cus, nodding his head in acceptance of the sudden duel. Any sort of entertainment would be good for the crowd at this moment. He passed the order to the rowdy subordinates of his to prolong the bout for some time so that the crowds can be entertained. Soon after, the news about the lizardmen attacking and then coming to terms with the Vilen Town¡¯s lord spread. The people on the pier had barely any time to chew on the news when another interesting piece of information circulated on the markets. Two big shots, Magent ¨C the Mercenary Guild¡¯s leader and Adian ¨C the Guard¡¯s Captain were going to duel in the middle of the Vilen Town¡¯s plaza! *** Boom! Another vial exploded, making a lean, raven haired youth fly backwards. His body hit the tough, cold wall of the greyish Blue Lizardmen Cave, making the youth cough blood. Icicle wiped his mouth, fishing out a health potion out of his inventory. As the bitter dark red liquid flowed down his stomach, his whole body felt hot, then his missing health points slowly creeped back in. ¡°Well, it seems the effect is strong enough.¡± Icicle¡¯s mouth curled into a devious smile. ¡°From what I saw, the worst of it isn¡¯t the explosion of the liquid inside the vial, but the glass itself scattering all around. If only I had bigger vials¡­¡± Icicle sighed, shaking his head. Medium sized vials were quite formidable when exploding, while the small vials should probably be used for distraction only. Their damage was plentiful, but the area of effect was limited. Thus, they required precision and careful managing. With Icicle¡¯s pitiful control over the mana and mana vibration, it was nigh impossible to not have at least half of them explode right at his face. ¡°This potioneering really is a two-edged weapon. I can barely ascertain 50% efficiency in using the full blast radius of the explosive potion. If I stir the mana only a little, it will explode for sure, I¡¯m just not sure how soon. In case I throw the bottle at the lizardman and instead of exploding it just shatters on his skin, wouldn¡¯t I waste a valuable potion?¡± Icicle shook his head. ¡°Health potions are already pricy, but mana potions are barely available on the market. Sadly, the blast radius of mana potions is at least two to three times that of health ones. Icicle suspected the result but it reflected on his expenditure. Yes, he could be called rich, but how long will it last with such an extravagant style of playing? ¡°I hope that the final boss doesn¡¯t have too much health, otherwise I¡¯ll have to throw most of my small fortune at him.¡± Icicle looked at the numbers of potions in his inventory and sighed deeply. There were over 500 potions, out of which only a little over a hundred were mana filled vials. Since Faura¡¯s party was offline and Icicle didn¡¯t log out, he was completely impervious to the news outside. If he knew what was happening, his movements would most likely quicken, making sure to take the full advantage of the deserted hunting ground. *** Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. The players were congregated near the three town gates. The few chosen amongst them started formulating a plan for the whole battle. At the same time, Adian and Magent started exchanging blows in the middle of the plaza. Under the direct orders of Marcus Vilen they started off slow, entertaining the crowd. Their movements were fairly visible, yet mighty. The sound of axes and the longsword clashing reverberated throughout the town square. In the middle of the crowd stood 12 players. Those individuals were mostly acting up on their fame in other games, where their followers were quite numerous. In the time of need, they wanted to reclaim the fame they once had, entering the spotlight once again. After discussing for a few minutes, they came up with a bold plan. ¡°Listen up guys! We¡¯ll be frank with you. The situation doesn¡¯t look too bad. However, most of us will die at least once. Some of us will die some more. You need to be prepared for this.¡± Zunix, one of the chosen leaders spoke firmly. ¡°We formulated a plan, but it needs your cooperation to succeed!¡± as Zunix¡¯s firm voice resounded through the crowd, there were many people nodding their heads. ¡°Although our forces are numerous, most of us is underleveled. The position the lizardmen already hold makes us start with a disadvantage. Thus, we need to use some trickery to gain an upper hand. Here¡¯s what we thought of! Players of level 9 and below will go to the western gate and act as a meatshield. While you do that, the rest of us will divide into two groups. One group will stall the northern side, letting our strongest, elite force wreak havoc on the eastern side of the town. The reason is quite simple. Northern side can receive reinforcements from both the western and the eastern side. If we concentrated our forces there, the probability of getting flanked by a pincer attack is quite high.¡± Zunix continued in one breath. ¡°Now, for the western side. It¡¯s a mountainous area. What¡¯s more, the advantageous, elevated position is already taken by the lizardmen. Their bowmen hide behind the trees, making it extremely hard to target them. Going against such a group would turn all of us into porcupines in a matter of time. Thus, we decided to focus all of the elite force on the eastern side, letting them quickly break through the fortified line and help the others by flooding the lizardmen with overbearing numbers.¡± Zunix declared. ¡°Western side will be reimbursed. Any item of level 10 and below will be relinquished by the elite force! The same goes for crafting items, we will give up all of those for your service. Since players below level 10 cannot lose levels, we would like to request this huge favor from you. You¡¯ll be the main heroes of this event, sacrificing yourself in a vicious battle against the lizardmen. If you manage to kill some of the lizardmen, what drops is of course yours, so go at it!¡± Zunix encouraged. ¡°Remember that there might be reinforcements, the previous event in the [Humming Forest] proved that! You should be prepared for this eventuality!¡± Zunix reminded, taking a deep breath. ¡°Enough of the talking, players with levels below 10 focus on the western side, levels 10-12 go to the northern area and wait for our reinforcements! All above level 12 follow me to the eastern area! Focus those reptiles one by one and don¡¯t let any survive!¡± with the final rallying cry, Zunix charged out. While some of the players cried out to raise the morale, others were clearly not moved. They knew their role was basically that of a filler. Feeling dejected, they slowly moved to the gates, sighing deeply. However, the situation was completely different for the students of the Mage Guild. They knew from the start that the opponents they¡¯re facing are way tougher than them. Thus, they never held much hope to begin with. Seeing the situation unfold now, they were actually somewhat excited. With no higher leveled players to obstruct them, they might actually kill one of the reptiles and earn the mage promotion for free! Vilenne stood on the side, watching her students with a gleeful expression. She was satisfied, because she didn¡¯t see any fear in the young ones¡¯ expressions. *** Cling! Clang! Clink! As the battle raged on, the swords and sabers clashed with the crude spears. Lizardmen, although outnumbered, slaughtered their way through the adventurers. Every single kill filled their hearts with joy. They let out war cries, excitedly striking their muscular chests like giant male orangutans. On the eastern side of the gate, Santi, Tiana, Puyo and the rest of their party logged in. They were somewhat tired after logging out merely 4 hours ago, but due to anxiety and constantly ringing phones, they lazily woke up. Seeing the messages on their phones, that sleepiness was quickly washed away before they donned their VR headsets and logged in. ¡°I¡¯m glad our friends woke us up. At first I wanted to tear them to pieces for disturbing me in my blissful sleep, but if I were to miss such a giant battle, I would have definitely regretted it.¡± Tiana said through yawning, waving her reddish staff around. She lazily looked at Puyo who seemed incredibly excited. ¡°Look at you, Puyo, did you finally find a decent bow to steal?¡± Tiana giggled. ¡°Hard to say. Those bows don¡¯t appeal to me in any particular way, but they¡¯re definitely better than these few twigs glued together that I have.¡± Puyo nodded, eyeing his bow with disdain. It was high time to change the equipment. His party¡¯s weapons were much better than his. If this trend were to keep up he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with them. Archery skills could make up for some differences, but an appropriate weapon would boost his damage significantly. ¡°Well then, where should we start?¡± Santi looked around, suddenly noticing a green-scaled warrior rampaging at the eastern gate. ¡°What do you guys say about that greenie?¡± Santi asked, faintly smiling. Chapter 30 Author''s note: Next chap tomorrow, this one drained me.
[Death to human invaders!] event has started! Adventurers, you have 6 hours to repel the lizardmen forces. If the event ends in a failure, you¡¯ll receive a -15% experience gain penalty for the next week! Rating systems: Combat classes will be rated based on their killing performance. This includes party kills. If your party gets one lizardman, it count for each of you, so please don¡¯t fight over the killing blows. Artisan classes will be rated based on how many people they rendered their services to. Please note that different professions will have different rating systems. Even if you had less total contribution than some, you might receive a better reward for your efforts. This is based on the difficulty of your artisan class and its actual usefulness in this event. For example, Alchemists and Chefs need more contribution than Blacksmiths and Tailors for the same grade of reward. Notice: Only those logged in within the next 15 minutes will be eligible to receive the rewards. More about the rewards rating below. The rewards for the succesful completion of the event will be based on your level and your contribution points. Combat classes will receive contribution points for killing lizardmen. The higher the lizardman¡¯s rank, the more points you receive. However, the higher your level, the more monsters you need to kill to match lower levels. For the duration of this event you cannot party with people 3 or more levels lower than you. Please note that this rule doesn¡¯t apply to artisan classes staying in the safezone. Artisans who form parties for this event will be rated as a group. However, the system will also evaluate your personal performance. In short, the better of a team player you are, the better the rewards. Isn¡¯t rivalry great? Additional information: Contribution points for killing will be given only if you dealt damage equal to at least 30% of the targeted lizardman¡¯s max health. If the artisan repeatedly fails to complete the taken task, his contribution points will drop. Please don¡¯t try to get over your head with what you do. There¡¯s enough rewards for all participants. Raid party system is disabled for the duration of this event. IMPORTANT: If the event ends in a failure, none of the abovementioned rewards will be given out. Good luck and have fun!
If one came to the Vilen Town for a light show, their desire would certainly be fulfilled. Hundreds of white light pillars blotted out the sky of Vilen Town. Chubby priest in the church offered some words of encouragement to the miserable individuals. However, there were too many for him to attend to. While most of the combat classes despaired over their unfortune situation, artisans had the time of their lives. Every death meant that the equipment the deceased wore deteriorated faster. Thus, they needed repairs! Every constantly dying person was viewed as a potential customer. Although sweat trickled down the artisans¡¯ foreheads, they joyfully completed their tasks. After all, there might not be another chance for them to be this sought after. *** In front of the eastern gate the largest battle was taking place right at this very moment. Sabers, swords, spears, hammers and shields clashed against each other. Arrows flew from one side to the other, hitting the wrong target more often than not. But no one had the time to reflect on their insignificant misfire. Bowstrings hummed as the Archers let out constant volleys of arrows. Lizardmen were bombarded by magic spells left and right. Unfortunately, in such a grand battle, collateral damage was unavoidable. Many players killed their own kin. In fact, the battlefield was so chaotic that some inexperienced players slashed all around them, hurting or even killing a friendly player in the process. [Sense presence] was an almost non-existent skill at the beginning of the game after all. Only those who truly looked for it could find it. That¡¯s why Zunix and the other leaders quickly eliminated those eyesores, letting them reflect on their actions in the church. Rhukka wreaked havoc in the middle of the eastern gate battlefield. His constant roars energized other green lizardmen, making their morale soar. Green reptiles charged in like enraged bulls, making their way through the players as if they were trampling ants. The level advantage itself didn¡¯t pose that much of a problem, but the health difference was like a giant chasm dividing the two forces. Once three lizardmen huddled together to attack one player, that player¡¯s fate was decided. Those quick on their feet dodged, while those less agile were skewered like shish kebab. Tanks like Warriors and Paladins had it easier, but they were too scarce to take the aggro of every single lizardman. Besides, the original formation of the lizardmen was gone, the reptile beasts were hacking players left and right. To some, like Rogues, this was an advantagous move. They could utilize the hit and run tactic. However, to stationary Mages, this chaotic development was a nightmare. Santi, Tiana and Puyo looked for a way to focus Rhukka, but he was surrounded by his kin, killing players left and right. They couldn¡¯t close in on that many reptiles, no matter how skilled they were. All they could do was slowly grind the numbers of the lizards down, hoping for the best. Dying was not an option as they would lose experience, possibly their equipment as well. Thus, they decided to play it safe. *** While most of the Mages complained about the little Defense they had, how immobile or how costly their movement techniques were, Vilenne¡¯s students attacked the weakened lizardman in a circle. The casualties at the western gate were the largest. The only advantage this side had was that there was no lizardman leader nearby. As the battle raged on the western side had an unexpected development. Rogue players appeared out of nowhere, backstabbing the fortified archers! With the firepower at the top of the western mountain lessening, Mages and Archers had easier time coping with the huge numbers of the lizardmen. Most of Vilenne¡¯s students managed to score a kill after making a deal with the Rogues. Apparently, their guild was located somewhere in the forest and their mysterious leader told them to wait for an opportune moment. This gamble had paid off really well so far! Loss of the elite archers didn¡¯t really hurt the lizardmen too much though. They were very mobile creatures. Coupled with their spear range, the underleveled players where impaled one by one. As such, the war of attrition continued. *** Meanwhile, at the Vilen Town¡¯s plaza, Adian and Magent vigorously exchanged blows. The two majorily different figures stood on opposite sides. One of them was a youth with short brown hair, the other was the black haired mercenary with a rocking moustache. Both of them seemed to have the time of their lives. Tremors ran through the plaza. The white marble tiles cracked and shattered as Adian and Magent clashed. ¡°Heh, you¡¯ve got some skill, kiddo.¡± Magent guffawed. ¡°You¡¯re not that bad either.¡± Adian smiled wryly. ¡°Hahaha! Good! That¡¯s how one should live when he¡¯s young!¡± Magent nodded appreciatively. ¡°Warm-up¡¯s over, get ready!¡± Magent¡¯s foot stepped on the ground heavily, after which he seemed to teleport right in front of Adian. Holding the longsword in both hands, Magent¡¯s whole figure turned blurry. To the audience around, he seemed to completely disappear. Adian¡¯s brows furrowed as he recognized the move. He reverse gripped the two axes, his eyes closely following Magent¡¯s high speed movements. Whoosh! Magent appeared at Adian¡¯s side like a ghost, throwing three consecutive sword stabs in oblique angles. The light around his longsword distorted, making the already hard to see through movements even more enigmatic. Adian¡¯s hands twirled in the air like the Buddha¡¯s, creating whirling air currents. Cling! Clang! Clang! ¡°Ah!¡± one of the townswomen unwittingly screamed, seeing the rippling magic barrier. Magent¡¯s expression turned serious. He didn¡¯t expect the youth to actually counter his move so perfectly. Such a proficient counter must have been practiced diligently. Magent retreated by a few steps and glanced at Cus. ¡°Haha, Cus, you old fool, you actually taught your brat how to counter [Phantom Steps]?¡± Magent stroke his black moustache. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Cus. The move Adian had used just now seemed to be esoteric. None of the guards knew it, even Marcus Vilen¡¯s stealthed operatives didn¡¯t recognize it. ¡°You should exert some effort, Magent, otherwise you¡¯ll be beaten by a greenhorn.¡± Cus roared with laughter. However, as soon as Magent turned his eyes away from him, Cus¡¯s expression turned pensive. ¡°That brat must have learned it during his travels! Like hell I know such a powerful skill!¡± Cus thought. ¡°Heheheh! Very well!¡± Magent turned to his subordinates and nodded. The gathered mercenaries¡¯ faces immediately turned pale white. However, they didn¡¯t dare to dawdle and immediately spread around the plaza, preparing to use their auras to defend civilians if necessary. This move could significantly boost their Mercenary Guild¡¯s prestige if anything bad were to happen. ¡°Strenghten the barrier, it¡¯s high time I¡¯ve had some fun.¡± Magent licked his lips, sheathing the longsword. Out of the other scabbard, he pulled out another weapon. Shiiiiiiiiing! A 82cm long curved blade covered in a greenish-black sheen distorted the sun rays. Its handle was covered in brown leather, but faint gold could be seen shining through the gaps. ¡°Oh? You actually brought out your scimitar, Magent?¡± Cus stroked his brown beard. Magent flashed a grin and said somewhat joyously ¡°You had better prepare kiddo.¡± Whoosh! Magent¡¯s speed was so high an afterimage was left behind him. He appeared in front of Adian and brought his scimitar down with unbridled momentum. Clang! Adian crossed his two axes, blocking the greenish-black scimitar with difficulty. The sheer force behind the blade was something he had trouble withstanding head on. Even though Adian often bragged about his strength, a powerful expert coupled with a formidable weapon was too much to bear. The white marble tiles under Adian¡¯s soles cracked, the ones he stood on were ground to dust under the tremendous pressure. ¡°Impressive. You can actually withstand one of my blows.¡± Magent¡¯s grin widened. He quickly followed with a vertical slash and then a horizontal one. Swoosh! Adian nimbly dodged and then tried to counter with one of his axes, making a wild overhead swing. However, Magent was no fool and quickly sidestepped. His figure standing sideways like a musketeer, Magent made a horizontal cut. With only one hand left to defend, Adian didn¡¯t dare to directly face the blow. He shifted his weight to the right leg and fiercely jumped sideways. As Adian flew, his right hand¡¯s axe came in contact with the scimitar. As Adian gained distance, the burden on his right arm lessened. If he didn¡¯t quickly react, his right arm might have been broken. ¡°Shall we call it?¡± Magent asked blandly. He enjoyed himself, but he still couldn¡¯t bring out his all against Adian. Mere couple attacks were insuficient to fulfill his battle thirst. ¡°Look at you, acting so arrogant. Since you revealed your real weapon, I guess it¡¯s high time I¡¯ve used mine.¡± Adian threw the two small axes to Cus, massaging his sore right arm a little. After alleviating the pain, Adian stretched, taking off a ring from his left hand. On top of the ring was a small rectangular beige metal. It blended with the skin color, almost unnoticeable. Adian moved his hand over the ring, as if trying to cast a spell on it. A sudden flash of light blinded the audience. When the glaring light faded, they noticed that Adian held a long black halberd! Adian caressed the black wooden shaft, patting the side of the white, shining metal at the top. If one listened carefully, they would hear the oscillating winds around the sharp edges of the halberd. ¡°You¡¯re actually a halberd user?¡± Magent gaped with astonishment. ¡°I wanted to get a long ass two-handed giant war axe, but then those smartasses handed me this halberd. At first I was conflicted, but when I held it in my hand¡­heheh.¡± Adian scratched his head embarrassingly. His joyful expression betrayed his thoughts. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s dance!¡± Adian smiled wryly and stepped off. Magent''s pupils constricted. What he saw today exceeded his expectations. He started suspecting that the old fool Cus had amassed a mountain of wealth so that his son could be taught by a monster. Either that or Adian was simply a freak. He feared the second outcome. Grabbing the leather covered handle tightly, Magent flashed, creating afterimages in his wake. The ground trembled as the two made their moves. Deep foot imprints were left behind Adian, as if his feet were hot enough to reshape the white marble tiles. Placing his foot in front of him, Adian stabbed out. Magent¡¯s blurry figure dodged to the right, only to see the short haired youth flex his muscles and turned the stab into a horizontal cut. ¡°Shit!¡± Magent cursed. The incoming attack was too strong to block and too fast to deflect. He could only pray that his reflexes were fast enough! Shifting his weight, Magent leaned back on his heels! Rip! The black loose trousers Magent wore were ripped through. White skin beneath them carried a trace of blood. The shallow wound was slightly bleeding. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°What the hell?¡± Magent¡¯s instincts tingled. Something was seriously wrong. Magent watched with his own eyes as he dodged the sharp halberd blade by a hair¡¯s breadth. Even if the energy behind the blow cut him, it shouldn¡¯t be powerful to that extent. Magent¡¯s pants weren¡¯t just for show. They were made of a really durable material, capable of withstanding the aftermath of an attack. But this time, not only were they sliced apart, Magent was even wounded! If not for his muscle memory and quick dodge, he might have even lost the duel right here and now! ¡°This brat must have a powerful inscription pattern drawn on the halberd!¡± Magent grit his teeth. The thought of Adian being able to afford such a pricey weapon made him curse! ¡°What dog shit luck!¡± As the audience stared in awe at the aftermath of the exchange, they couldn¡¯t help but rub their eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming, am I?¡± one of the mercenaries on the side muttered. His boss told him to secure the perimeter so that the civilians weren¡¯t hurt, but wasn¡¯t this a little too much? Just one strike was enough to wound their powerful leader? ¡°Heh, surprised? We¡¯re just getting started. Warm-up is over, remember?¡± Adian grinned. Rising the halberd over his head, Adian stormed out! Magent saw the overhead swing approaching and grinned inwardly. ¡°What an idiot, this is so easy to dodge!¡± Sidestepping the blow, Magent unleashed his scimitar at Adian¡¯s side. However, Adian¡¯s halberd that seemed to be unusable after such a heavy strike made a sudden horizontal move! Adian¡¯s right hand was placed on his left elbow as his muscles flexed to vehemently change the trajectory of his weapon! Whistle! Piercing the wind with unbridled momentum, Adian¡¯s halberd approached Magent¡¯s right side. Now Magent was in a troublesome situation! His scimitar would definitely strike first, but if it did, there was no way he could have dodged the halberd! What¡¯s more, although his scimitar would inflict heavy damage, it wasn¡¯t enough to decide the fight. On the other hand, Adian¡¯s strike could cut him in half! Quickly shifting his gaze, Magent noticed that Adian¡¯s eyes thirsted for battle. Only those who have treaded the path of life and death could manifest such a crazed expression! Those people were madmen who actually enjoyed living on the blade¡¯s edge! ¡°Like father like son! Crazy fuckers!¡± Magent cursed, forcefully withdrawing. His life was worth way more than a mere duel with a brat. Even if he lost face, he could always do a meritorious deed to reclaim it. After Magent got out of the way, Adian¡¯s halberd¡¯s trajectory slanted, hitting the ground. Boom! The white marble tiles exploded, those directly under the halberd were cut into smithereens, the ones next to them hit the magic barrier all around, making it ripple like the sea in the storm. ¡°Wise move!¡± Adian grinned, leisurely picking up his halberd from the shattered ground. He negated the force behind the blow by bringing it down. Otherwise he would be wide open. Magent would have definitely seized the opportunity. ¡°I couldn¡¯t use this weapon against the Fleeting Violet Direwolf since it was way faster than me. Even if I somehow hit it, with its monstrous physical resistance I probably wouldn¡¯t inflict too much damage. I don¡¯t know what that squirrel Icicle rescued ate to become so devastatingly strong.¡± Adian remembered Leila¡¯s paw strike, smiling wryly. He quickly shook his head to dispel the thought. He had an opponent to face. ¡°Since that¡¯s how you want to play, don¡¯t blame me kiddo!¡± Magent¡¯s aura soared and suddenly four vivid afterimages of him appeared! ¡°Darkness Aura Clones?¡± Cus looked on with mild surprise. ¡°So that old prick Magent wasn¡¯t just wasting time.¡± While experts like Cus could easily see through the technique, Vilen Town¡¯s civilians saw 5 Magents standing next to each other! According to their eyesight, the mercenary simply cloned! Adian watched the aura clones circling around him. However, he did not make any move to stop it. With a mild smile, he asked ¡°You ready yet?¡± Magent¡¯s expression turned dark. He rose his greenish-black scimitar overhead, channeling copious amount of mana into it. His clones followed his movements, as if they were one entity. ¡°Taste this! [Five-pronged strike!]¡± Magent cried out, his voice spreading everywhere. It was hard to tell which one was of the 5 figures the real Magent as they all sounded and felt the same. Whooosh! As the scimitars whistled through the air, Adian was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Such a little deception. I¡¯ll show you how MEN should fight.¡± Oustretching his halberd before him, Adian started spinning! Whistleee! As the air was cut apart, Adian¡¯s mana powered halberd hummed! Fierce wind rose up next to him, quickly forming into a cyclone! As Magent¡¯s clones approached, they were dispersed with but a one strike! After all, although they had the same aura as Magent, they could do nothing more than act as a decoy and exert pressure on the target. The only one who truly posed danger was Magent himself! Ding! Adian¡¯s spinning caused his halberd to hum so loudly it roused the wind, making him turn into a genuine human cyclone! As soon as Magent approached Adian with his scimitar, he was hit by and overbearing strength of the halberd, making him fly! Crash! The magic barrier set up by the mages rippled intensely as Magent¡¯s body struck against it. He coughed up blood, his hands shivering. Magent looked on with utter fear as he lost control of his hands. Only after a while did the numb feeling he felt dispelled, making the shaking stop. The mercenary leader balled his fists and sighed in relief. He was fine. As Magent sorely stood up, dusting his black clothes, Adian finally stopped spinning. He patted his chest proudly. This gesture infuriated Magent, while Cus¡¯s roaring laughter resounded through the plaza. ¡°That¡¯s my boy!¡± Vilen Town¡¯s residents were so dumbofunded by the sudden developments that they turned numb. They didn¡¯t even dare to think who would win and who would lose anymore. Behind the plaza was a garden where apple trees swayed in the wind. Colorful flowers released their sweet fragrance, enchanting the atmosphere. A blond female with emerald green eyes sat under the tree, yawning. ¡°Not bad for a youth.¡± she muttered, closing her eyes lazily. Adian¡¯s dark brown eyes blazed with joy. He gripped the halberd tightly. ¡°So that¡¯s what that old cheapskate was referring to. No wonder he made it seem like he was not repaying a favor but actually even making me owe him one! The inscription pattern he left¡­ it wasn¡¯t just a pattern, was it? It was your name! My halberd¡¯s name¡­ Windcaller!¡± at that moment, Adian made telepathic contact with his weapon, making it resonate! Whooooooooooooooooooooo! An excited wind howl resonated through the area, making Adian laugh out loudly! His gaze turned to Magent¡¯s sorry figure. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Brace yourself boy!¡± Magent drawled out. Adian¡¯s joyous expression incensed him. The aura around Magent exploded, turning into a greenish blur. Soon after, the green hue solidified into a shape of a Praying Mantis! Nearby audience saw the aura and loudly gulped. Using one¡¯s aura to battle was the strongest move the warrior could use. Mages often focused on the control of their mana, trying to reach perfection. Something like auras taking shape didn¡¯t really interest them, as it drained mana too quickly. It simply wasn¡¯t cost efficient. On the other hand, Warriors trained their bodies all their lives. They were used to exhausting their energy, thus the energy drain wasn¡¯t too taxing on them. That¡¯s where their greatest advantage laid, they were resilient! Adian guffawed. His expression was extremely joyful as he looked at the Windcaller, his new partner. Adian¡¯s aura soared, its light grey color on the verge of turning transparent. What appeared behind him was¡­ it was a Steel Eagle! As the name suggests, Steel Eagle was one of the rare variants of an eagle. Not only was its defense absurdly strong, the Steel Eagle could even cut its enemies in half with its wings! Except for the mythical creatures, it was one of the strongest beings under the sky. Marcus Vilen looked at Cus standing next to him. The latter¡¯s face was all smiles. For a person who was always strict and almost never smiled, this was an extremely rare sight. As if sensing Marcus¡¯s peculiar gaze, Cus guffawed ¡°You see this, Marcus? Look at my boy, getting such a rare variant!¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes widened and he immediately understood. Cus¡¯s family was known for having eagle type auras, but none of them had an eagle so rare. It seems Adian really lucked out during his travels. As the two auras solidified, their might sent shockwaves through the ground, making the energy barrier ripple like it never has before! ¡°Strengthen the barrier!¡± Marcus immediately cried out. Watching Magent¡¯s grievous expression, Adian looked at his halberd, nodding from time to time. Magent¡¯s aura soared once again as he prepared for the final showdown. His scimitar was brimming with green colored energy, creating an illusory sight of a peaceful valley filled with colorful flowers. Opposite him stood Adian. His aura had fully solidified. The Steel Eagle let out an excited cry, winds were roused, forming into an image of a rocky cliffs assaulted by the fierce wind! ¡°I understand! This is something that belongs to you, and now, you¡¯re letting me use it as your Master!¡± Adian whispered softly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. While Adian¡¯s eyes were still closed, Magent made his move! Whoosh! A blurry greenish figure moved over in a breathtaking speed. The common folk only saw Magent suddenly disappear. As Magent was 4m away from Adian, the latter¡¯s eyes finally snapped open! ¡°Windcaller¡¯s Inherent Technique ¨C [Soar]!¡± Adian recited in his heart. A violent shockwave appeared beneath his feet, carrying fierce wind with it. Nearby pebbles and previously shattered marble tiles flew in every direction, stabbing into the magic barrier with unbridled force! Whoo! As the wind blew gently among the raging storm, Adian disappeared from sight! Boom! A fierce sound of the explosion let the audience know where the two figures clashed. Their eye movements were simply too slow to comprehend what had happened, but the violent shaking of the ground made them aware of the degree of explosive force used in the exchange. ¡°The barrier may not hold!¡± one of the Mages cried out, pushing his mana to the limit. As the cracks in the barrier appeared one after the other, a gentle breeze blew by, carrying with it a scent of flowers and rich soil. The previously transparent magic barrier changed color to yellow, turning firm and steady. No matter how strong the explosion was, it couldn¡¯t cause even the tiniest ripple in the new barrier. ¡°Tch, two little kids are playing and yet those incompetent old fools can¡¯t even contain them.¡± Cindy cutely snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t even get a wink of sleep because of them.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sure the townsmen appreciate Guildmaster¡¯s help.¡± Vilenne laughed at the side. ¡°Well, since you already came here on certain someone¡¯s request, at least tell me how you¡¯d fare if you were to fight the boy.¡± Cindy asked lazily. ¡°If I were to use everything I have, I¡¯d roll over him with ease.¡± Vilenne smiled faintly. ¡°For someone who got rolled over by Icicle, you sure have a great deal of confidence, little brat~.¡± Cindy giggled like a little girl. Hearing the words, Vilenne¡¯s expression immediately darkened. A bluish-purple vein pulsated on her forehead as she balled her fists. Her entire being was shaking. ¡°Now, now, I¡¯m just teasing you.¡± Cindy faintly smiled at Vilenne¡¯s display of anger. Her gaze turned to the plaza ¡°Seems like it has been decided.¡± Silence reigned over the entire plaza. The gathered audience watched with bated breath as the dust slowly settled. Panting of the two figures could be clearly heard from within. Splat! Magent coughed up a mouthful blood. His chest was now adorned by a diagonal cut. Fortunately, the wound was shallow. Adian on the other hand was catching his breath, propped on his black shafted halberd. ¡°It seems like Adian had won the strength duel, but he¡¯s too exhausted to continue.¡± one of the watching guards mumbled out unwittingly. Magent¡¯s thought process was almost the same as the guard¡¯s. Bearing the pain, Magent grabbed the scimitar tightly, swiftly approaching Adian. Whistle! With the curved blade¡¯s quick approach, Adian¡¯s right leg jolted! ¡°[Soar]!¡± Adian completed the technique with the fierce second step. A gust of wind pushed him right behind the madly rushing Magent. Magent was an experienced person. The [Sense presence] let him easily pinpoint Adian¡¯s location. His eye pupils quickly constricting, Magent turned, slashing his sword horizontally. ¡°Too slow!¡± he uttered, calculating the time between the halberd¡¯s and the scimitar¡¯s arrival. He was certain his weapon would arrive first! As the victory was at hand¡­ Shiiing! Just when the words left Magent¡¯s mouth, his entire being suddenly stilled. A cold halberd blade was firmly stuck to his throat. ¡°You lost.¡± Adian smiled faintly, retracting the leftover of the halberd. Just now, he had shortened it, making his attack arrive faster than Magent¡¯s. He stored the halberd in its ring form. Everyone in the audience let out a breath. Only now did they remember about the important process called air ventillation. They gazed at each other, letting out a wild, unbridled cheer! Chapter 31 Author''s note: Two more chaps this week and most likely a belated one (third) Monday. Boom! Boom! Boom! Hundreds of fireballs exploded on the battlefield, hurting both lizardmen and players alike. In this chaotic free for all, the concept of formation and teamwork was almost non-existent. Shock, dizziness, blacking out. All sorts of afflictions befell both players and lizardmen who happened to be at the epicenter of the terrifying explosions. If that wasn¡¯t enough, lightning bolts descended upon both sides, leaving them severely wounded or¡­ mumified. In that wretched state, death was something that was coveted for. As ganging up, backstabbing and arrow peppering continued, the sound of explosions suddenly died down. WOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! A monstrous cheering wave turned into a shockwave that reverberated outside the walls, its echo spreading far and wide. ¡°What¡¯s the commotion all about?¡± Tiana turned and puckered her eyebrows. Her ears were ringing from the noise. In the instant Tiana was distracted, a red glowing saber whistled through the air, targeting her vulnerable white neck. Ding! Santi bashed the lizardman aside with his shield, taking a long, deep breath afterwards. ¡°Focus on the battle and don¡¯t concern yourself with the town! If anything major had happened, we would have gotten a system message!¡± Santi brought Tiana¡¯s attention back with a dissatisfied shout. Fsshh! Tiana cutely snorted and used the [Fire Spheres] skill, summoning 7 balls of flame around her. Each subsequent hit by the sphere of flame dealt 50% of the original damage, maxing out at 250% base magic damage. The skill cost 100 mana, and the maximum damage dealt could be raised by levelling it up. At this stage of the game, using this burst damage skill merely out of frustration was a waste of resources, especially considering the circumstances the party was in. There were hundreds of lizardmen prowling in their sight, yet Tiana used her mana so inefficiently. This wasteful usage caused her party members to sigh dejectedly. Boom! Boom! Boom! One after the other, the searing hot spheres of flame exploded on the blue lizardman¡¯s body, charring it severely. The health regeneration the lizardmen were so proud of couldn¡¯t keep up with the incoming stream of attacks, resulting in the wounded lizardman¡¯s untimely death. ¡°Hmph!¡± Tiana scoffed with her hands on her hips, ¡°That will teach them!¡± Bam! The ferocious tail of a lizardman hit Santi¡¯s shield square in the middle, making him stagger backwards. ¡°Don¡¯t space out Tiana!¡± he called out yet again. Twang! Puyo¡¯s bowstring bent as he loosed an arrow. It flew right in front of Tiana¡¯s face, ruffling her hair with the violent air current behind it. The arrow pierced an approaching lizardman¡¯s chest. Tiana¡¯s eyes locked down on Puyo¡¯s apolegetic figure. However, although he seemed to be sorry, his curled up mouth betrayed his true intetions. ¡°Hmph, jerk.¡± Tiana focused on the wounded lizardman, ignoring the obnoxious archer. ¡°I even went out of my way to help him earlier.¡± she muttered under her nose. After 10 minutes of peaceful teamwork, every party member was able to reach level 20. Unfortunately, the peaceful period seemed to be over as Tiana suddenly turned and hurled a fireball. As one of the lizardman leaped on Puyo from his blindspot, the fireball flew straight at the reptile, exploding on its body. Boom! As the fires raged on, Puyo¡¯s face became momentarily engulfed in a ball of flame. His black hair had burned a little, while his sharp eyebrows were singed. Puyo looked like a chimney sweep who has just finished his daily work. Seeing his teammates laugh their asses off, Puyo¡¯s singed face immediately darkened. ¡°Tsk, tsk. Eyes around your head.¡± Tiana snorted, not even turning her back. An imperceptible smile flashed on her face but quickly receded. Puyo took a deep breath, nocked an arrow and released it with a loud ¡®twang¡¯! Whoosh! As the wooden arrow traversed the air, it quickly arrived at the side of Tiana¡¯s face. It flew past, grazing the delicate cheek of the fair black-haired maiden. ¡°Enough!¡± Santi turned and yelled. The antics of his two troublesome teammates were driving him nuts. This was not the time nor place. Tiana brushed her cheek with her small hand and saw red streak of blood on her palm. She turned fiercely, releasing a wave of heat from under her feet! Three searing flames quickly conjuted into 3m long snakes, attacking Puyo without hesitation! Hiss! One of the red serpents curled around Puyo, while the other two opened their ferocious maws and released two pillars of flame! ¡°Arghhh!¡± Puyo screamed under the extreme heat. His skin sizzled and melt, as if he was thrown into the seventh layer of hell. What Tiana has just used was a rare Fire Mage skill called [Scarlet Serpents]. Tiana learned it from a skillbook dropped by the [One-eyed Fearsome Grizzly] the party killed in the mountains. It had a staggering cooldown of 90 seconds and a whopping 200 mana cost. In exchange, the skill provided the user with three fire element serpents ready to do its bidding for 15 seconds. If this skill was used for Player Killing in the early stages of the game, it would provide an absolute advantage to the user. Thus, even though Puyo was quick on his feet, he couldn¡¯t do anything in face of the superior magic. ¡°Stop it now, both of y-!¡± Santi yelled authoratively but his voice suddenly died out. An indistinct gurgle came out of his throat, as his chest was hollowed out by an enormous scarlet red trident! Thud! Santi fell on the ground listlessly, quickly disintegrating. Only a puddle of viscous, dark red blood was left after him. Tiana¡¯s eyes widened as she saw Rhukka grinning evilly at them. His steel trident was now entirely covered in fresh blood, giving it a disgusting sanguine color. Releasing Puyo from the grip of the serpent, Tiana tried to block the charge of the green lizardmen leader. Despite all of her efforts, she couldn¡¯t fully contain him. Excited by their leader¡¯s success, nearby lizardmen let out bloodcurdling howls, rushing at players with even more ferocity and power. Tiana looked around and noticed that her party was located right in the middle of the lizardmen encirclement! This couldn¡¯t even be called frontlining¡­ This was plain as day suicide! ¡°How did the other players die so fast?¡± Tiana couldn¡¯t grasp what had transpired. However, as if someone wished to answer her, a loud howl came from the back of the lizardmen troops. Green lizardmen in thick leather armor came rushing down the grasslands. Their hands wielded monstrous tridents and thick fishing nets. Compared to the other elite lizardmen who averaged at about 2m tall, those green reptiles were at least 2 heads taller. Their muscles bulged as they rampaged through the battlefield, impaling the players like shish kebab. ¡°Every single one of them is a Rare variant! No wonder they decimated the front line players!¡± Tiana desperately tried to pull back. She hoped the party could reorganize in the town, but that¡¯s when Russha and his lizardmen brothers threw fishing nets high in the air! As the scarlet serpents reached the end of their longevity, the already struggling party was quickly dispatched, one after the other. The loss of Santi who was their tank and leader was a huge blow to their morale. As the party¡¯s movements became sloppy, the carefully set up formation was destroyed in mere seconds. Splatter! Murdering all of the humans with an unrestrained glee on his face, Rhukka roared, striking his chest with his scaly fist! He threw his trident at one of the nearby players and licked his lips. The weapon of mass destruction flew at the player like a homing missile, pierced his chest. The player¡¯s tormented soul was released soon after. *** Icicle stood amidst the puddles of dark red viscous liquid. His chest was heaving up and down like a pair of bellows.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 14 Experience: 62 000/ 115 000 Class: Water Mage Apprentice Subclass: Alchemist (1st grade) Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 12 Statistics: HP: 430 Mana: 450 Strength: 24 Dexterity: 51 Vitality: 27 Intelligence: 25 Wisdom: 32 Charisma: 30 Luck: 10 Faith: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and lower in 5m range. [Flawless mana control] (passive) ¨C allows the user to dual-wield the mana freely. [Healing drizzle] ¨C healing spell. Restores health equal to the user¡¯s wisdom. +5 mana per each additional target. [Water prison] ¨C restricting ability. Enclose the target in a sphere of water for the duration of 3 seconds + Wisdom/100 seconds. [Liquid membrane] ¨C protective shield. Absorbs physical damage equal to wisdom stat or magical damage equal to 5 times the wisdom stat. Blocks most crowd control effects until broken. [Elusive body] ¨C movement and mana enhancement skill. Current attainment: level 0, 3,5%.
¡°If this keeps up, I¡¯ll level up to 15 before getting to the boss. Goddamn lizardmen, they come out of those corridors like mad.¡± Icicle panted. His exertion wasn¡¯t fruitless though. He gained one point in Strength, Vitality and Wisdom during his time in the cave. With Blackie being gone for the next twentish hours, Icicle¡¯s leveling speed has increased significantly. At this rate, he will reach level 15 before meeting the boss. Slumping to the ground, Icicle enjoyed the refreshing feeling of the cold, greyish cave wall. His tired body greedily absorbed the energy from the air, trying to restore itself to its optimal state. Icicle rummaged through his inventory, looking for the yellow beverage. ¡°Tch, not much is left. I have to restock in the Vilen Town¡¯s bazzar when I get back.¡± Icicle greedily gulped down the citrus liquid, wiping his mouth in satisfaction. This wasn¡¯t the first time Icicle sat down to rest. Whenever he cleared out a room, he would rest to save up on the fatigue, both mental and physical. During those rest periods, Icicle found out that the balance in his body was disrupted. ¡°Weird, I always get this feeling whenever I use potions to restore my health or mana. It¡¯s as if the body wanted to recover on its own. Logically speaking, this should be the way to gain stats, letting the body tire itself out and rebuild itself later, but¡­ can it really by applied here?¡± Icicle pondered. This was the way humans trained their bodies. They ran a lot so they could run some more in the future. Their muscles got used to the fatigue, letting them overcome their limits. The only way to check his theory was waiting for the mana to replenish itself naturally. However, Icicle didn¡¯t have that much time to waste. Whether its the lizardmen or the players, their sudden appearance could majorily disrupt his plans. ¡°Heh, when have I ever worried about other players?¡± Icicle made up his mind, quickly sitting himself up in a meditative position. His two hands laid relaxedly on his crossed legs. As his breathing slowly stabilized, Icicle conjured two small water droplets in the center of his palms. Transparent blue droplets of water shook lightly, their watery structure distorting. This was caused by Icicle¡¯s inadept control of mana. Icicle tried to get a better grasp, but he felt as if he was hitting a steel wall. Despite his futile attempts at stabilizing the water droplets, Icicle concentrated on pushing the mana into the two tiny spheres of water, making them revolve around their own axes. As the two spheres of water spinned, Icicle felt a stream of energy entering his parched body faster and faster. Above the two water droplets, a miniscule crumb sized whirlpools formed, greedily sucking the mana in. Icicle felt as if his hands held a constantly expanding mountain range. His mental strain increased by the minute, but Icicle¡¯s face held a joyous expression. This was overcoming his own limits! The longer he perseveres, the better his control over the mana will be! Straining himself for the next 5 minutes, Icicle¡¯s stabilized breathing turned heavy, ragged. Sweat covered his entire body as he unconsciously grit his teeth. Icicle was reaching his limit. His hands were shaking violently. Despite that, he still persevered, until his body couldn¡¯t take it and he¡­ fell asleep. With his consciousness fading, the originally shaking hands controlling the rampaging mana stilled, as the water droplets wantonly absorbed the nearby energy. Without Icicle¡¯s clumsy control, the mana flowed in using its own passages, feeding his starving, exhausted body with vigorous energy. This state continued for 10 minutes after which Icicle¡¯s body shook violently. ROAAAR! Three lizardmen walked into the room and noticed a wild looking human figure sitting with his legs crossed among puddles of lizardmen blood! Flying into rage, the two elite warriors and one spearman charged at the treacherous human. Icicle¡¯s eyes snapped open. His [Sense presence] made him aware of the three charging reptiles. Icicle laid on his back, bent, and then jumped onto his feet in a relaxed manner. Unsheathing his sword, Icicle blocked the incoming weapons. Ding! ¡°I have no idea what happened, but I feel like I¡¯ve slept for a few hours!¡± Icicle pondered the situation, before checking the time. ¡°Only 15 minutes passed? Tsk tsk, I don¡¯t know what had happened. Truly a shame. If I knew how to meditate with such efficiency, I could beat Vilenne in a few months, fair and square.¡± Icicle sighed inwardly, regretting not video recording his actions. Activating [Nasty burn], Icicle felt his mana flowing into the sword with less resistance than before, as if his body was getting used to the new form of energy. White polished blade of the sword lit up quicker than usual, the flickering flames shone with more brilliance. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely focus on training the mana control once I¡¯m out of here.¡± Icicle grinned wildly, welcoming the three lizardmen with his fiercely burning sword. *** Respawning in the Vilen Town¡¯s church, Tiana hung her head low. She knew what had just happened was partially her fault. Her musings didn¡¯t last long. Santi who stood next to them balled fist and swiftly moved, grabbing Puyo and Tiana by the collars. ¡°Ah!¡± Tiana screamed like a frightened kitten, trying to free herself from the iron grip. Puyo was thrashing around wildly too, his hands covering his face. Even though the feeling was already gone, he indistinctly felt the burn marks all over his face. Santi turned his head and glared at the two, making them swallow their saliva. As the two glanced at Santi¡¯s back, they noticed that Santi has lost his Rare grade level 18 shield. The other four members of the party discussed what they had lost after their deaths. Their facial expressions were relieved, since they dropped a dozen of silver coins and some miscelanneous crafting items. Aside losing some experience, this wasn¡¯t too big of a deal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I tried to heal you guys, but everything happened so suddenly¡­¡± Laris said dejectedly. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not your fault girl, I was supposed to keep you safe and died too.¡± Darkk patted Laris¡¯s back, her expression somewhat bitter. She volunteered to be the second tank and yet she couldn¡¯t do much. Laris looked around and noticed one of the party members missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Frett?¡± she asked weakly. The other party members looked at each other with a flash of understanding. That¡¯s when they noticed Santi dragging off Puyo and Tiana like two sacks of potatoes. Following them, the party reached the Auction House located next to the northern gate under the passersby curious glances. Entering the Auction House, the party noticed it was surprisingly deserted. Only a blond middle-aged man sat behind the counter. His glasses reflected the book he was reading. Santi dragged Tiana and Puyo to a corner and glared at them. They hung their heads low, sitting in place. ¡°I would like to check your wares.¡± Santi called out to the middle-aged employee. The blond man raised his eyes from the book he was reading, giving Santi but a glance. He focused on the book again, saying blandly, ¡°You adventurers can use your special abilities to check our vast collection. Once you find something you fancy, give me the full name of the item and I¡¯ll bring it for you.¡± ¡°Have a seat.¡±Auction House¡¯s employee pointed to one of the empty tables with his hand. ¡°After you make a few purchases, the Auction House may extend your buying range to the entirety of the town. As for bidding from outside the town, this is a special privilege bestowed upon our most valuable customers. Now then, take your time.¡± Santi nodded appreciatively, taking a seat at the empty wooden table. He glanced at the menus and noticed a flashing house icon with ¡°Auction House¡± written above it. Santi clicked the icon and a blue screen welcomed him. On the left side of the blue screen appeared various categories ¨C Armors, Weapons, Shields, Potions, Food, Crafting items etc. Santi pressed the Weapons tab, looking through the listed items. ¡°Where are the weapons over level 50 coming from?¡± Santi asked the middle-aged man with surprise. ¡°Those items are sold by the locals. Hunters, Warriors, Mages¡­ There are all kinds of people constantly looking for treasures. Sometimes they kill a bandit group, other times they get killed by the bandits. Either way, their weapons are either taken away for personal use or make their way here, where the killer party can get their share of the profit without worrying about the possibility of revenge. We¡¯re very confidential in our business after all. I hope this satisfies your curiosity.¡± the middle-aged man slid the eyeglasses back on his nose, smiling amiably. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Santi eyed all the high level swords greedily. He had to take a few deep breaths to restrain himself. ¡°Take your time choosing, if anything piques your interest, let me know. Remember, the prices are non-negotiable.¡± the middle-aged man reminded, returning to his book. Santi perused the items for quite some time. Puyo and Tiana looked at each other, confusion spreading in their eyes. As the ones in the wrong, they wanted to apologize, but Santi seemed busy. They didn¡¯t want to step on his foot to make the matters worse. As they sat next to each other, each of them turned their head away with a ¡°hmph!¡±. After 5 minutes passed, Santi stood up from the wooden table, heading over to the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll take the [Composite Yew Bow] and [Vermillion Brilliance Staff].¡± Santi made his decision and ordered two items. ¡°That¡¯ll be 60 gold coins for both of them.¡± the middle aged employee said blandly. He hid his surprised expression quite well. After all, the adventurers came to this world recently. Gathering so many gold coins required either killing a powerful beast or robbing others. Whichever it was, both of those endeavors required immense strength. Santi walked to the four party members standing in the back and asked them for all of their gold, clarifying what he needed it for. After listening to his words, the other four nodded their heads, their expression somewhat insidious. Soon after, Frett arrived at the Auction House, bringing back the equipment and the gold coins the party dropped. Santi smiled faintly after recovering his level 18 shield. His anger subsided slightly. Gathering all of the gold the six of them had, Santi paid for the two items, tossing them to Puyo and Tiana respectively. ¡°Now then, these two level 20 weapons are for you.¡± Puyo and Tiana looked on with astonishment as the already identified weapons landed in their hands. Then they turned to Santi and glanced at him in confusion. Why were they rewarded for doing something bad? Soemthing was fishy here. ¡°The two of you will make a bet. If Tiana loses, she will have to be nice to everyone in the dorm for the next three days. Aside from that, she¡¯ll make today¡¯s dinner and pay for it without batting an eye.¡± Santi smiled gently. Hearing the ominous words, Tiana shuddered. Acting nice for three days? For a straightforward, proud person like her that was torture! The staff in her hands suddenly felt a lot heavier. ¡°As for you Puyo, if you lose, you¡¯ll pay for the bow by washing the toilets for all of us for the next month! Besides that, you¡¯ll become Tiana¡¯s errand boy for a day. You¡¯ll carry her shopping, watch how she tries out new dresses, chooses lipsticks and so on. A fun day ahead of you! Just to make sure you¡¯re available, it will happen next Saturday! I hope you didn¡¯t have any plans.¡± Santi smiled apologetically. Puyo gulped loudly, his eyes unwilling. The poisonous sarcasm leaving Santi¡¯s mouth outweighed the joy of finally getting his hands on a new bow. ¡°Now then, don¡¯t look so scared. The six of us paid for your new equipment, you can¡¯t be saying that we wasted our money, right? Besides, only one of you will have to do what I said.¡± since there was rivalry against the two, Santi fanned the flames. ¡°What you¡¯ll compete in is¡­ lizardmen killing! No blatant killstealing, we will check your contribution points after the event. If your performance is bad, I hope you¡¯re ready for some entertainment.¡± Santi spread his hands in helplessness. ¡°The one who gathers more contribution points for the party will be the winner. You can video tape your performance to brag about later if you want.¡± Santi suggested. ¡°Why does it seem like my punishment is a lot worse?¡± Puyo grumbled discontentedly. ¡°Well, first of all, it¡¯s because you¡¯re the one who cause this whole mess in the first place. Secondly, you were beaten like a little bitch by Tiana, so you have no right to complain.¡± Santi disregarded Puyo, suddenly crouching and whispering loud enough for all of the party members to hear. ¡°Can you imagine Tiana being nice for 3 days though? What a lovely vision.¡± Santi closed his eyes and his expression swiftly brightened. ¡°And what will stop her from breaking the rules?¡± Puyo was unconvinced. Since he faced suffering, he might as well bring Tiana down with him. ¡°Hehe, if she breaks the rules more than 3 times a day, her punishment will be extended by a day. I called it ¡°Tiana reformation program¡±. Whenever you act up in the future, we¡¯ll continue with this system. She will have to act nice and you¡¯ll have to carry her bags. Pleasant, isn¡¯t it?¡± Santi flashed a grin. He expected the two troublemakers to act up quite frequently, thus he didn¡¯t hold back. Tiana shuddered, balling her little fists. She looked at Puyo and her expression turned fierce! As the will to fight was born, Tiana turned into a little tigress! Standing up, Tiana patted Puyo¡¯s back and flashed a mischievous smile. ¡°Ahh Puyo, my dearest friend, I wanted to go shopping for a long time, but my fragile little hands couldn¡¯t carry such weights¡­ I¡¯m so glad you will lend me a hand next Saturday.¡± Puyo¡¯s whole body shook as he grabbed the bow tightly. He looked at Santi and firmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As the whole party left the building, Tiana¡¯s gaze wamdered, looking for Alchemist disciples. Finally locating one of the stalls, she sneakily appeared next to the stall, buying out all of their pricy mana potions. ¡°Hmph, since you dared to play with me, I hope you¡¯re ready for some weight lifting.¡± Tiana stored the mana vials in her inventory, approaching a nearby food stall to cover up her actions. Buying a peanut butter sandwich, she skipped happily, catching up with the party. Santi turned and saw Tiana munching on food. His gaze softened as he helplessly shook his head. It seemed that Tiana wasn¡¯t one least bit concerned about losing. *** After the cheering stopped and people congratulating Adian dispersed to their homes, Adian could finally heave a sigh of relief. He cheekily redirected all of the nobles to his father, letting him bathe in glory while he impertinently grabbed a chair from the watchtower and sat himself on the northern wall. His eyes lazily gazing at the low level battle, Adian pondered the mysteries contained with his halberd. ¡°Nice fight.¡± gentle female voice drifted in the wind. Adian opened his eyes and noticed a black-haired, well-endowed female in warrior outfit propping herself on the wall to his right. ¡°Not watching your pupils?¡± Adian smiled cheekily. ¡°There¡¯s no one I¡¯m really interested in. Not here at least. Besides, Ivir¡¯s watching over the little ones.¡± Vilenne shrugged. ¡°Now that you¡¯re saying that, I don¡¯t see one little rascal here either.¡± Adian guffawed. ¡°Oh? Someone you¡¯re interested in? And how do you know that person isn¡¯t amongst the crowds of adventurers below?¡± Vilenne looked at the chaotic battlefield and shook her head. This battle could be resolved by her alone if she was given a quarter of an hour. ¡°If he was, this shiny blue-scaled guy would be already eating dirt.¡± Adian pointed to Russh who was slaughtering the players around him. ¡°Do you know the name?¡± Vilenne¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°I do. How about you? Does your mysterious character have one?¡± Adian propped his face on his hand, yawning. ¡°He does.¡± Vilenne¡¯s smile stiffened. ¡°You go first.¡± ¡°Nah, ladies first.¡± Adian stood up from his chair and curtsied. Vilenne rolled her eyes, ¡°What a chivalry. Should I marry you, o¡¯ white knight?¡± ¡°Heheh.¡± Adian laughed insolently. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you first.¡± Adian cleared his throat. ¡°I met that rascal in the Humming Forest. My leg was hurt and the wolves were avoiding me, apparently aware of my strength. That¡¯s why I made a tent and waited for someone to show up, so I could use him as bait. If everything worked according to my plan, I would have been able to get rid of the wolf infestation once and for all.¡± ¡°However, when one of the adventurers actually stumbled upon my tent, instead of playing to my tune, he actually changed the notes¡­ As one thing led to the other, I taught him Alchemy, gave him my alchemic equipment and even helped him level¡­¡± Adian embarrasedly scratched his chin. Vilenne listened with rapt attention, suddenly having a foreboding. ¡°This couldn¡¯t be him, right?¡± Vilenne thought back to the duel Icicle had with Blutic. His equipment was way too strong for someone who has just started playing. ¡°Then I watched him use a shred of aura, gain [Sense presence] and even kill wolves much stronger than himself by using deception and trickery. Soon after, we found ourselves in a huge battlefield. Red Devil¡¯s Tribe and the direwolves duked it off, while my little helper actually managed to get into one of the raid parties of the squirrels, leeching off them.¡± Adian put his hands behind his head and reclined on the chair. As Adian narrated further, Vilenne blanked out. ¡°Fought with the direwolves, capable of using his aura and developed [Sense presence]. That little bastard!¡± Vilenne¡¯s fists balled. ¡°¡­ his name is-¡± ¡°It¡¯s Icicle.¡± Vilenne interrupted Adian¡¯s narrating, a shred of her blue aura spreading through the surroundings. ¡°Hahaha, it seems you know him then.¡± Adian chuckled. ¡°Yes I do. He forced Ivir to pay for his Mage tuition by decimated her pupil in a duel, then he fought against me for a good half an hour before overwhelming me with his killing aura, making me look like a fool.¡± Vilenne¡¯s face distorted as she recollected the events. Adian looked at Vilenne with some compassion and said, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for holding back in front of the trickster.¡± ¡°Says the one who played to his tune, a famed young wanderer, well-known in the four kingdoms, Adian the Viking.¡± Vilenne teased back. ¡°I wonder how they¡¯ll call me when they learn I¡¯m using a halberd too.¡± Adian stood up and straightened his clothes. ¡°You should head back as well. If you go around flashing your aura like that, the runaway royal princess might be found by some less forgiving people.¡± Vilenne nodded, her gaze turning to the north. Chapters moved to Tuesday Like in the title, ending this arc is taking so much time... Especially since I wanted to showcase other classes'' abilities. Making those class sheets takes some time. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. See you guys on Tuedsay. Chapter 32 Author''s note: Ending the arc is a pain in the ass so I assume that chap 33 will come out on Thursday. I''ve overcome the writing block and came with something better than I had planned. The tides were shifting. When the news of northern and eastern gates getting flooded by lizardmen reinforcements spread, participating players were forced to adapt, discarding their previous plan. ¡°Throw the toxins now!¡± Curtis screamed to the Rogues beside him. Soon after the shout faded, small vials filled with black liquid exploded on the ground, releasing fumes of black smoke. [Sable toxin] was a unique skill available only to Rogues. The required concotion could be purchased from the Class Trainer, up to 50 vials at a time. Lasting a staggering 10 seconds, this 40 seconds cooldown skill was a great tool to distract the enemies during the assassinations or to secure the safe retreat. With their vision blocked, lizardmen roared to vaguely estimate their positions. However, this pitiful emergency measure couldn¡¯t help them much. A few player teams strictly made of Paladins and Warriors charged right at the lone reptiles, hacking them to pieces. This is the solution players came up with after a brief discussion. They formed teams made up of people of the same class to make the teamwork easier. Every group had a different task, but it all came down to one thing ¨C retaking the western mountain area. Once the players accomplished that, all they needed to do was stabilize their western gate foothold and then slowly whittle down the numbers of lizardmen. Curtis organized a group of Rogues to split the battlefield, distracting some lizardmen and at the same time letting more players focus on one side of the battlefield. Blending with the shadows, Curtis and the other Rogues scurried towards the western mountain area. Their footsteps were light, almost soundless. Over 50 Rogues approached the leftover of the elite lizardmen archer squad and unleashed their most powerful skill ¨C [Twin Dance]. [Twin Dance] was a combo skill that required two daggers to be used. There were countless variations to it, but at the very least three moves had to be used in succession for the 250% damage amplifier to trigger. As for the moves used, most Rogues utilized reverse grip horizontal cuts, cross cuts, upward and downward double slashes and various stab variations. There were a few Rogues who mixed throwing daggers inbetween the moves, adding an extra bit of damage. With elite lizardmen archers taken out of equation, Earth Mages had their time to shine. They made a row of earth walls, hiding archers and mercenary crossbowmen behind the obstacles. As Archers and Crossbowmen positioned themselves on the now fortified western mountain, quivers were quickly emptied as the arrows flew towards the distracted lizardmen, riddling them full of holes. On the other hand, crossbowmen fired their bolts more sparingly. However, each bolt shot, if accurate, dealt heavy damage to the lizardmen and their heavy armor. Nonetheless, if it was only this much, the dire situation of the western gate wouldn¡¯t be resolved so quickly. Low level Mages stormed out of the western gate, their hands wielding polished, shiny swords. This bizarre sight made many players furrow their brows in confusion. How could low level players afford such swords? There could be one or two lucky ones, but all of them? Only a second later did they realize who those individuals were. Splash! One after the other, water bubbles encased the lizardmen, lifting them up in the air. With the lizardmen frontline severely incapacitated, surrounding players¡¯ spirits lifted as they fiercely counterattacked. ¡°Round them up with [Rock fists]!¡± one of the Earth Mages roared, signaling the rest of his team to gather the lizardmen in one spot. As the black puffs of smoke from [Sable toxins] started disappearing, lizardmen were knocked around by grey stone fists rising from the soil. As soon as a group of at least 10 reptiles gathered, [Lesser Fireballs], [Flame Spheres] and [Wind Blades] bombarded the reptiles, leaving them severely wounded or dead on the spot. Wind Mages moved alongside Fire Mages, decimating the lizardmen numbers. They stopped at places where lizardmen were quite numerous, saving every bit of mana they had. Meanwhile, Lightning Mages acted as a hit and run unit, closing in with [Lightning Rush] only to release [Lightning bolts] with devastating force and disappear as quickly as they appeared. Heavy armored lizardmen roared as their skin became charred. Although it was visibly healing because of their race characteristics, under the focused fire of players who finally acted as a team, their attempts were futile. *** Half an hour later, the western side was taken over by the players. Swordsmen and Mercenaries could be seen wandering through the burnt, rugged area, stabbing the corpses that for some reason didn¡¯t disintegrate. ¡°Go restock right now! We have to help the other gates if we want to finish this event in time!¡± Zunix yelled at the top of his lungs, heavily panting afterwards. ¡°So that¡¯s why you took us to the western side.¡± Darkk wiped the remaining water off her mouth, pocketing the canteen into her inventory. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s for Puyo and Tiana to have the best environment for their bet.¡± Santi slyly answered. ¡°He hee, I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t know anything about those Rogues showing up.¡± Darkk laughed cheekily. ¡°The benefit of having a lot of friends.¡± Santi smiled faintly. ¡°The Water Mages showing up were a surprise though.¡± Turning his head to the heavy panting duo, Santi asked, ¡°How many contribution points have you scored?¡± ¡°137.¡± Puyo answered as he looked over his inventory, checking the number of arrows left. ¡°182.¡± Tiana drawled out, smirking. She looked at Puyo with superiority, as if she already saw him carrying her bags like a personal lapdog. Then her gaze focused on the inventory and the quickly lessening number of mana potions she had bought. Puyo glanced at Tiana and saw her cheeky smirk. His right hand gripped the yew longbow tightly. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re really getting it on.¡± Santi chuckled. ¡°Once Tiana¡¯s mana supplies become exhausted, it will be your turn to counterattack, Puyo.¡± Puyo nodded appreciatively. He was about to return the smirk to Tiana when¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like you¡¯ve already won. Even if you were given the Sagittarius¡¯s bow itself, it wouldn¡¯t help you one least bit.¡± Tiana snorted, walking away while playing with her long, black hair. ¡°Whichever of them loses, we¡¯re going to have a fun time watching. Spending 60 gold compared to that is nothing much.¡± Frett chuckled at the side. *** As the players were continuously shuttling between the town and the battlefield, a group of lizardmen scouts were sent to the western battlefield. What they saw astounded them. Not one of their brethren was left alive! Blowing the horn, they alerted the two leaders of the gruesome situation! *** The time was ticking. Around two hours have passed since the event had started. The situation near the gates was constantly changing. Western gate that was recently retaken by the players was the busiest of them all. Players scurried through its entrance, rushing to flank the northern side. At the same time, eastern gate¡¯s lizardmen forces split, leaving 60% of the original lineup in the eastern gate, while sending the rest to reinforce the northern side. *** Splatter! The Blue Lizardmen Cave¡¯s walls were painted red. Streaks of red viscous liquid dripped off the once grey walls, merging into gruesome images. It seemed as if a lone swordsman had entered the cave and was attacked by a horde of enemies who he unceasingly cut down, splattering their blood all over the walls. Icicle stood in the middle of the fallen reptiles, heavily panting. His disheveled hair gave him a wild, barbarian look. Bits and pieces of his leather armor laid on the ground, an undeniable proof of his life and death battles. After gaining some basic understanding of how mana vibrates, Icicle was able to pierce the tough scales of the lizardmen with more ease. However, the formidable tails of the reptiles were a force to be reckoned with. Getting hit once could result in one¡¯s death, as the lizardmen were quick on their feet. With their aggresive, merciless disposition, lagging behind for even a second was a death sentence. Icicle had to rely on [Soundless Fear] many times to get out of a bind. As Icicle continued killing one reptile after the other, his original plan of incapacitating the lizardmen by cutting their tendons turned to be redundant. It was much easier and much faster to cut their throats, letting the blood spill. Use [Water prison] on the ranged lizardmen, cut the throats of the melee ones, then proceed with the killing as the situation demands. This was Icicle¡¯s current way of dealing with the obnoxious reptiles. After dealing with the surrounding rooms, Icicle found himself in front of the giant room entrance. Two sturdy looking lizardmen blocked the front. They were slightly taller than elite lizardmen Icicle had met before. He couldn¡¯t see their level either, so they were most likely the boss¡¯s guardians. In other words, the scrub killers. If you can¡¯t get past those underlings, don¡¯t even think of fighting the boss itself. Icicle was glad he stumbled upon those two, as the efficacy of the explosive potions he made could finally be tested. Throwing two health potions at both lizardmen, Icicle followed up with [Nasty burn], setting the already screeching lizardmen on fire. As the effect of the seething flame was fading, Icicle encased one of the guards in [Water prison], hacking the other one. He followed with [Soundless Fear], chaining the crowd control perfectly. Icicle¡¯s feet moved with unique nimbleness. At least compared to other beginners¡¯. Compared to adept people like Vilenne, he was but a toddler in the world of mana. To lizardmen, however, he was a death incarnate. All of this was possible thanks to hundreds of bouts with lizardmen, during which Icicle learned their attacking patterns. If you know that the strike is coming, it¡¯s not as deadly anymore. Dispatching the two elites, Icicle noticed that only four gold coins laid on the ground, two from each guard. Just as he thought, those monsters were only there to show the potential level of the boss. Icicle wasn¡¯t so sure about finishing the quest anymore. If the boss was really a pain in the ass to deal with, he might have to level up some, then equip the Direwolf set he has yet to pick up and then deal with the reptile. *** After resting for a bit, Icicle stood up and firmly stepped into the room. He had moved the potions to the front of his inventory, ready to throw them at any time. The room he had entered was much more spacious than the rest of the cave. In fact, it could be a cave of itself. The ceiling reached as high as 10m while the room itself was at least a kilometre in circumference. Glistening white crystals drooped over from the top of the cave, reflecting sparkling beams of sunlight. Icicle focused his gaze on the greyish floor. Huge cracks covered the ground, as if it was parched by the sun. Following the cracking pattern, Icicle¡¯s amber irises drifted to the source at the back of the spacious room. Calm snores echoed throughout the room as the belly of a giant creature rose up and down. Its entire body was covered with black, spiky scales. The top of its head had three comb-like horns, resembling ears. The closed eyelids of the reptile laid on its curled up tail.
[Rekk the Lizard] [???] [BOSS*]
Icicle¡¯s eyes wandered over the giant lizard¡¯s body, looking for any possible weak spots. He couldn¡¯t find anything useful in the area, thus he decided to look for something on the giant¡¯s body. Maybe the devs would leave an old wound or a scar that has yet to fully heal. Unfortunately, this was all Icicle¡¯s wishful thinking. Before he had the time to get any relevant information, the tightly closed eyes of a sleeping reptile opened, locking down on him. ¡°Look at that, a human dared to enter my lair.¡± Rekk¡¯s voice rang out through the cave as he slowly stood up from his sleeping position. He exited the cave, slowly walking towards Icicle. Icicle¡¯s pupils constricted as he heard the human tongue. So far only lizardmen managed to drawl out words like ¡°humans¡±. Other than that, every other screech and howl had to be translated to him by Blackie. As the giant lizard stood up, Icicle noticed that its body didn¡¯t have any deficiencies. No scars, no bleeding wounds, nothing to be exploited. Except the slow raising speed, there really was nothing he could spot. But what could he do with the fact that the lizard was old? He won¡¯t stand a chance either way. ¡°Heheh, human, you seem to be surprised I can speak your tongue.¡± Rekk¡¯s raucous laughter made the ground shake. Its yellowish-orange reptile eyes swept over Icicle with amusement. ¡°So, what did you come here for, human?¡± Rekk asked lazily. Icicle noticed an orange-red flower behind Rekk, growing exactly where the lizard had slept. His eyes locked onto the lizard as he realized what¡¯s the catch in this quest. ¡°That lizard is intelligent. He most likely thinks his intelligence is better than human¡¯s, that¡¯s why he¡¯s asking me why I¡¯ve come here, to determine if there are others who are about to enter his lair. Heh, what a shame you¡¯ve met me, little guy.¡± Icicle thought cheekily, but his expression clearly said otherwise. A bright, obsequious smile plastered itself on his face. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you, Your Highness.¡± Icicle bowed deeply. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Rekk¡¯s ground-shaking laughter rang out again. ¡°You humans always knew how to flatter. Tell me human, why have you come here?¡± ¡°Your Highness, this little human¡¯s name is Icicle. Compared to almighty Rekk, it really sounds crude.¡± Icicle let out a self-deprecating laugh. ¡°Hahaha! It sure does!¡± Rekk¡¯s huge snout opened and revealed a giant maw riddled with razor sharp teeth. ¡°Wait, how do you know my name, human?¡± ¡°Legends of almighty Rekk are circulated amongst human circles, Your Highness. They call you the strongest wingless dragon that had once inhabited these regions.¡± Icicle said respectfully. ¡°You humans compare me to a dragon? Hahaha!¡± Rekk laughed out proudly, making the ground shake yet again. Icicle decided to use this opportune moment to lose his balance, appearing feeble and weak. He fell on his butt and covered his head with his hands. Rekk looked at Icicle with open superiority. Snorting through his large nostrils, he asked, ¡°Tell me human, what brought you here?¡± Icicle stood up and shyly looked around. His head was hanging low and he didn¡¯t dare to raise his eyes. ¡°Almighty Rekk is magnanimous, no need to be shy human.¡± Rekk encouraged. But this was only on the surface. Inside, he sneered at himself for lowering his head to talk to the human. How relevant could a little human¡¯s information really be? There was something that was tugging at him though. How did this weak human manage to traverse the cave without being killed? ¡°Your Highness, to be frank, I came here out of greed. Back in Vilen Town, there was a middle-aged woman promising a list of great rewards for finding a special type of flower. I was blinded by the promised riches and agreed to look for it. If I had known that Almighty Rekk guarded this precious plant, I would have never dared¡­¡± Icicle¡¯s weak voice died out at the end. Rekk¡¯s nostrils let out a huge puff of stale air. He revealed two rows of sharp teeth as he spoke, ¡°I see. Tell me, how did you enter my lair, human?¡± ¡°I am an¡­ an Alchemist, Your Highness. My teacher gave me a couple of sleeping powder vials in case I was ever in trouble while gathering herbs. On my way here, I found a dead lizardman, so I covered myself with its blood to avoid suspicion while nearing the cave entrance. Then I spread some of the sleeping powder and waited for it to take effect. I stopped every few rooms to do the same. Your minions were put to sleep, while I safely managed to reach this room, Your Highness.¡± Icicle recited. ¡°I see.¡± Rekk thought for a while, dispersing his doubts. He had a hunch that the puny human would be unable to kill his little servants, but there was a thick stench of their blood coming from the human. With the human¡¯s explanation, Rekk found it possible to reach his lair by using such unconventional means. As for a few lizardmen dying, humans always clashed with them, losing a few wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡°You came for that flower then?¡± Rekk¡¯s head turned to his lair. Icicle looked at the swaying orange-red flower as surprise painted itself on his face. He looked at Rekk and weakly nodded a few times. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I kept that flower only for decoration. It looks pretty, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Rekk said smugly. ¡°It does, Your Highness.¡± Icicle nodded. ¡°You said you were an Alchemist. So you can create various concoctions, can¡¯t you?¡± Rekk tentatively asked. Icicle immediately realized this is where the quest had led him. He had to make something for the giant lizard so that he could get the flower. Of course that didn¡¯t mean Rekk would spare him after the concoction was made. ¡°Heh, little lizard. I may be at the top of the food chain in my world, but I remember it clearly when I was but a bug to be crushed under one¡¯s foot. I had to claw my way to the top. If you think you can pull one on me, you¡¯re gravely mistaken.¡± Icicle sneered inwardly, yet his expression didn¡¯t fluctuate one bit. ¡°I can indeed make a concoction, Your Highness. Is there something that you require?¡± Icicle asked weakly. ¡°There is indeed. No matter how strong you are, there is one thing you can never stop. Time. Even I cannot defy that primordial rule. I don¡¯t expect to gain years to live, but if I could regain my strength, even for a short time, I could go out with style.¡± Rekk narrated as he looked at the white sparkling crystals hanging from the ceiling. Icicle hang his head low as he muttered weakly, ¡°I can indeed make such a concoction for Your Highness, but the ingredients¡­ I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t affo- ¡°I have the main ingredient ready. All you need to do is perform your magic on it and it should suffice.¡± Rekk interrupted Icicle. As if he would ask for ingredients from a human. ¡°If Your Higness says so. Please show me the ingredient and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Icicle lifted his head a bit. ¡°Outside the cave grows a blood red lotus flower I prepared for this occassion. I¡¯ll order my subordinates to bring it for you.¡± Rekk magnanimously opened. He was reluctant to waste such an igredient, not knowing the real skill of the human, but he was at the end of his life. Giving himself a chance was the right choice. ¡°About that¡­¡± Icicle muttered weakly. ¡°What is it?¡± Rekk asked with displeasure. ¡°Is it this one?¡± Icicle fished out a [Bloody Prime Red Lotus] he had collected earlier from his inventory. ¡°How did you get it?¡± Rekk¡¯s gaze sharpened, drilling a hole in Icicle. ¡°There were no underlings you spoke of outside, Your Highness. I saw a rare flower swaying in the wind so I plucked it¡­¡± Icicle muttered under his nose. Rekk only half believed the human¡¯s explanation. He roared, alarming a few lizardmen in the rooms far away who immediately rushed to the spacious lair. After conversing for a while in animal language, Rekk turned to Icicle, his gaze indifferent. ¡°Those hot-blooded youngsters marched out to kill some obnoxious humans. Hmph. It seems you were right, little one.¡± Icicle nodded. Apparently the lizardmen didn¡¯t notice the lack of two guards at the entrance. They could leave with the others after all. Icicle inwardly heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards the lair. ¡°What are you doing, human?¡± Rekk glowered Icicle with his gaze. ¡°I need to check if what Your Highness is offering in exchange is the flower I need.¡± Icicle bowed and stepped into the lair. As soon as he did, stale air violently attacked his nostrils, making him cough.
[Netherworld flower] [Legendary] [Quest item] This flower if known for bringing sick people back from the netherworld. Its miraculous healing properties can cure almost every disease in existence.
¡°So it¡¯s really the one I was looking for. A shame it only works for this quest, I could earn a fortune off it otherwise.¡± Icicle sighed inwardly, turning to Rekk. ¡°It is indeed the flower I was tasked to find. I¡¯ll make the concoction ready right away, Your Highness.¡± Icicle sat at the greyish stones and brought out his equipment. ¡°Why there?¡± Rekk asked discontentedly. This was his lair! Couldn¡¯t the human do it somewhere else? ¡°If I stay here, Your Highness won¡¯t have to worry about me escaping.¡± Icicle smiled faintly, opening his Alchemist compendium. He hasn¡¯t used the item yet, so it was still in the form of a book. This saved him the trouble of Rekk suspecting him of being an adventurer. If he heard of those. Rekk looked at the human who cautiously studied the book with lots of plant pictures and human tongue explanations next to them. After looking for a while, Rekk laid down in front of his lair, waiting for the results. ¡°Umm, Your Highness?¡± Icicle asked weakly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you¡­ move? You¡¯re blocking the light from entering and I can¡¯t see anything.¡± Icicle smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°Alright.¡± Rekk didn¡¯t apologize, because superior beings never do that. Even if they¡¯re in the wrong. He snorted, thinking how useless humans were to not even see in the dark. As Icicle saw Rekk moving into the middle of the room, he gratefully nodded. Inside, however, he was sneering. ¡°You little birdbrain, this quest wouldn¡¯t require me to waste such a good lotus flower to merely receive some hidden Tailor subclass. There¡¯s definitely something much more valuable hidden in your lair. I wouldn¡¯t be so sure if this concerned expression of yours hadn¡¯t betrayed you.¡± Icicle ground the red lotus flower with a few other lotuses but his thoughts were focused on the lair. He scanned the ground with [Sense presence] and felt something hidden behind him, right beneath the soil. ¡°That sneaky lizard actually buried something in the soil. Heh, you may think you¡¯re smart because a bunch of rocks surround it, but I can feel its texture is different from this grey stone¡¯s. If I remove the slab of stone covering it, I can snatch whatever it is!¡± Icicle focused on the task, expectantly looking at the exit of the room from time to time. ¡°Lizardmen patrols should stumble upon the rooms I cleared out in the next 15 minutes or so. Once they do, they¡¯ll probably try reporting it to Rhan. After finding out he is missing, they should report it directly to Rekk. Then I¡¯ll act scared and ask Rekk to guard the entrance from the human invaders, while I snatch his prized possession!¡± Icicle made mental preparations. Icicle grounded the [Bloody Prime Red Lotus] to a pulp. He didn¡¯t know the [Extract essence] skill, so he could only do this manually. Fortunately, the method of making the revitalizing potion recorded in the compendium didn¡¯t require [Extract essence] skill either. As the lotuses were ground to a pulp, Icicle fished out a half-filled medium health potion vial, pouring the lotus pulp into it cautiosly. After that, he shook the vial gently to let the ingredients mix then turned to Rekk, ¡°Your Highness, I need something from you.¡± ¡°What is it this time, human?¡± Rekk asked discontentedly. Humans always wanted something. Does this human really not realize the situation he¡¯s in? And here Rekk thought that the human might be smart for a second. ¡°This great concoction you ordered me to make requires a dozen drops of blood from a great being. Otherwise, its revitalizing properties won¡¯t be as strong. It¡¯s best if they come from the being who wishes to drink it.¡± Icicle said weakly. ¡°Hmph, a few drops of blood. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Rekk pompously walked towards Icicle, cutting one of its giant limbs with the other. Icicle outstretched the mortar filled with the remnants of the medicinal pulp to collect the spilling blood. Seeing the dirty mortar, Rekk glared at Icicle, making him hurriedly explain. ¡°If Your Highness¡¯s blood fuses with the ingredients right now, it won¡¯t as violent when poured into the concoction.¡± Rekk filled the bowl to the brim and then walked away. The wound on his leg quickly closed, displaying the regenerative abilities of the lizards. Icicle poured two droplets of blood into the vial, filling a couple of medium sized vials with the rest of the blood. Rekk noticed his actions and glared at him. ¡°Your Highness, you have to repeat the process of letting out fresh blood 5 more times. I can only add two droplets of your potent blood at a time, otherwise, your blood will devour the medicinal ingredients¡¯ properties instead of fusing with them. As for the rest of the blood, I didn¡¯t want to waste such a- ¡°Hmph, you humans never change. You¡¯re as cheap as you were back in the day. You can keep it.¡± Rekk didn¡¯t concern himself with a couple drops of blood. He figured that if the human was a crook, he might as well devour the human later, leaving him with nothing. Learning from Icicle¡¯s words, Rekk made only a little scratch on his limb for the rest of the process, letting out the required few drops of blood. As the 12 drops of blood were poured into the vial, Icicle told Rekk he needs to wait 30 minutes for the ingredients in the vial to fuse properly, after which he needs to boil the liquid over fire for some time to solidify the fusion. Rekk laid down on the ground, waiting patiently, as a few elite lizardmen charged into the lair. ¡°What? My underlings in the surrounding rooms were wiped out?¡± Rekk asked incredulously in human tongue. The reporting lizardmen shuddered, quickly explaining what had happened. Rekk looked towards Icicle, seeing the human shudder. ¡°T-That¡­ those might be the people who followed me. Like I told you, Your Highness, there were many people enticed by the middle-aged woman¡¯s generous offer.¡± Icicle mumbled out. ¡°Hmph. Strong humans? What a joke! I¡¯ll watch over the entrance, you finish the potion, human.¡± Rekk snorted, barking out orders to the trembling lizardmen. What Rekk didn¡¯t see was that in the moment he was distracted, Icicle¡¯s mana-infused hand lifted the stone slab behind him and deftly grabbed an angular shaped object. As soon as it did, the angular object disappeared into Icicle¡¯s inventory. Slight delay My sleeping schedule has been wanky, so there will be a slight delay again. I''ll most likely release 33 tomorrow, if not, on Saturday. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Chap 34 should come out at Monday. Chapter 33 Rekk glanced at Icicle from time to time, noticing the seriousness the human worked with. The little human was shaking the vials, mixing the liquid inside. He often frowned, bringing the bottle for a closer look, then outstretched his hand to glance at the concoction from some distance, as if looking for flaws. ¡°Your Highness, your invigorating concoction must remain in this static state for at least 30 minutes.¡± Icicle said weakly, bowing. He stood up, walking outside the cave. ¡°Could Your Highness breathe some fire for me?¡± Rekk noticed Icicle¡¯s eager expression, thinking, ¡°What a dumb human. He truly believes I¡¯m a dragon.¡± Sighing inwardly, Rekk thundered ¡°My fire source is too precious for you humans to use.¡± Icicle hang his head low and nodded, walking away dejectedly. He entered the cave once again, plucking the Netherworld flower. After cleaning the bowl with some water, Icicle pocketed the canteen into his inventory, proceeding with the grounding process. As Icicle continued his work, Rekk received reports after reports from his underlings. Apparently, there were no humans to be found in the near vicinity. Rekk look at Icicle with some mild suspicion, asking ¡°We couldn¡¯t find the humans you spoke of, are you sure they were here?¡± Icicle looked back, his face somewhat frightened. He quickly bowed, replying ¡°Your Highness, you may not know, but in the recent times, as was foretold by the Gods, the adventurers from the other world arrived in the various corners of the continent. They have really strange abilities, capable of disappearing on the spot, as if they were never there. I didn¡¯t have much interaction with them, so I don¡¯t know much else.¡± Icicle said apologetically. Rekk looked Icicle over. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a tiny human could actually slaughter his underlings and then shamelessly come over, lying straight to his face. However, just to be sure, Rekk decided to do a little test. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! The ground shook as Rekk let out a menacing roar, making the white crystals on the ceiling tremble, distorting the reflected light like a disco ball. ¡°Ah!¡± Icicle¡¯s whole body shook as he dropped an empty vial, making it shatter on the ground. He looked back fearfully, glancing at Rekk as if the reptile was about to eat him. Rekk carefully observed the tiny human¡¯s reactions, finally satisfied. ¡°Did something happen, Your Highness?¡± Icicle asked weakly. His appeared terrified. ¡°No, everything is fine. I was just checking if there were any adventurers you spoke of by releasing my aura.¡± Rekk quickly thought of an excuse. ¡°I see.¡± Icicle weakly nodded as his body trembled. He shakily fished out another empty vial, shakily pouring the mashed to a pulp Netherworld flower in. With his back turned to Rekk, the seemingly scared Icicle flashed a wicked grin. ¡°If I let myself be spotted so easily, I wouldn¡¯t dare to rob you in the first place.¡± Glancing at the item in his inventory, Icicle scanned the angular brownish-red object with his eyes.
[Meteoric rune] [???] ???
Icicle¡¯s brows furrowed as he saw that mysterious inscriptions glowed on the surface of the brownish-red object. Icicle couldn¡¯t recognize the language. He inferred that it must be one of the in-game ones. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to look for some information when I get back to Vilen Town.¡± Icicle thought of Cindy, who seemed powerful enough to have knowledge of many secrets of this world. His gaze returning to the potion at hand, Icicle quickly filled 9 other medium vials with the rest of the [Netherworld flower]¡¯s pulp. Casting his sword¡¯s [Nasty burn], Icicle targeted the ground where a fierce flame came into being. Grabbing the vials one by one, Icicle carefully mixed the concoction over the fire. As the ingredients began to fully fuse, Icicle¡¯s other hand added a few pieces of the previously plucked lotuses. This was his experiment on the quality of the potions made. Icicle had to drink a few mana potions inbetween the process to keep the fire going after its 60 sec cooldown. The Netherworld flower was supposedly quickly releasing its essence, thus it was crucial to turn it into secondary product right after plucking the plant. Repeating the process 10 times, Icicle checked the results.
[High-grade disease remedy] [Legendary] x2 [Middle-grade disease remedy] [Elite] x1 [Low-grade disease remedy] [Rare] x2
The other five potions were either mishandled or mixed incorrectly, resulting in a flawed product. Those could be only thrown out. Icicle wasn¡¯t too discouraged though. 50% efficiency at the start of his alchemic adventure was already something he could be proud of. Besides, no one could tell him that he wasted ingredients since no one else wanted to do the job. The only ones who don¡¯t make mistakes are the ones who do nothing. Pocketing the five vials, Icicle noticed a rapid progress in his Alchemy. His level 1 Intermediary level Alchemy went up by a staggering 30%. ¡°As expected of a Legendary grade ingredient.¡± Icicle smiled faintly, walking back to the entrance of the lair where he left the vial filled with Rekk¡¯s blood. His expression was thoughtful as he looked at the concoction with, how Rekk saw it, the pride of an Alchemist. This was where the two differed. Icicle¡¯s eyes indeed blazed with a light that was similar to pride, what he saw, however, were numbers! ¡°How much progress is this one going to get me?¡± he thought, his expression joyful. *** Icicle finished boiling the potion over the fire, turning to Rekk ¡°Your Highness, your concoction is ready.¡± Rekk pompously strolled over, showing off his majesty. ¡°According to what I read, this concoction can cause Your Highness to feel an excruciating pain, as it brings out the life out of Your Highness¡¯s cells. I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb Your Highness during this miraculous transformation, so it¡¯s about the time I leave.¡± Icicle bowed and handed over the vial. He looked at his progress and saw it jump to Intermediary level 1, 40%. This made him satisfied. Rekk took a breath and the vial in Icicle¡¯s hands quickly flew into his maw. Crushing it with his teeth, Rekk gulped the liquid down, turning to Icicle. He was about to ask the human to wait, to check if the potion wasn¡¯t a simple counterfeit. He didn¡¯t believe the human could poison him after all. That¡¯s when Rekk noticed that there was some soil on Icicle¡¯s hands. Icicle felt the suspicious stare boring a hole in his back as he turned and smiled brightly. ¡°Your Highness is really intelligent.¡± Rekk¡¯s alarm sensors went off. His eyes turned red as he opened his maw. He was about to swallow the human whole when Icicle fished out a couple of colorful lotus flowers. Their roots were covered in muddy soil. ¡°I added some extra ingredients since Your Highness was so nice to me.¡± Icicle flashed an honest grin. Rekk¡¯s expression softened. He ridiculed himself for suspecting the dumb human, shaking his head helplessly. There were just so many strange things happening around the tiny creature. He thought he was getting old. ¡°Go, I asked my underlings not to bother you.¡± Rekk glanced at Icicle one last time then walked into his lair, preparing to digest the explosive, revitalizing force of the concoction. Icicle bowed once again. He was sure Rekk¡¯s [Sense presence] was much greater than his, so he had to keep the appearances for a little while longer. His heart was thumping wildly. The soil on his hands had almost betrayed him. If he didn¡¯t quickly think of the cover up with the lotus flowers, his cunning plan would have ended up in a total failure. The Meteoric rune he found would most likely drop, along with the medicine he has just made. Strolling to the exit of the spacious room, Icicle bowed in the direction of the lair, leaving a few words behind, ¡°Thank you for your grace, Your Highness.¡± Taking his leave, Icicle unimpededly traversed the cave. He was about halfway there when he heard a loud roar. ¡°Shaaakh!¡± A blood-curdling howl resonated throughout the cave. Rhan, who seemed to just respawn, wasn¡¯t aware of the orders of his ancestor. He madly rushing at Icicle, swinging his two-handed waraxe. Icicle¡¯s mouth curled up into a wicked grin. ¡°This play pretend with Rekk has really exhausted me. Who would have thought I would be so happy to see you.¡± Icicle muttered under his nose. Throwing one vial after the other, Icicle spent a lot of previously made health potions. As soon as Rhan¡¯s body was completely covered wtih red liquid, Icicle ignited the [Fiery Blazing Sword], releasing a terrifying fireball straight at Rhan. Rhan shrieked as the leftover of the explosive liquid covering his whole body ignited, making him go through hellish torment once again. Icicle watched the lizard with amusement. As he expected, Rhan quickly resulted to desperate measures. Whoosh! An axe whirled through the air, approaching Icicle¡¯s head at breathtaking speed. However, if you expect the move, it¡¯s child¡¯s play to avoid it. Icicle sidestepped, letting the axe whirl past his left ear, lodging itself into the grey wall. Walking over to the axe, Icicle glanced it over, somewhat dejected that he couldn¡¯t pocket the item. Dispersing the thought of throwing it right back at Rhan, Icicle dashed forward, utilizing his nimbleness. Crack! Rhan''s tail swiped horizontally, making Icicle duck. Erupting like a geyser, Icicle lodged the throwing axe into Rhan''s head. Rhan has disintegrated soon after. It seemed that the throwing axe really was his greatest demise. Icicle looked at the two objects on the floor, quickly swiping them. A crystalline white box containing a red object resembling a heart laid in Icicle¡¯s hand.
[Lizardman¡¯s essence] [Crafting item] [Rare] One of the key alchemic ingredients for beginning Alchemists. Its effect varies, depending on the power of the slain lizardman. Notice: This item was identified based on your Alchemist compendium.
The other item was a green, polished crystal shard. It was warm to the touch.
[Summoning Stone] [Misc] [Elite] This magical stone contains boundless summoning power, allowing you to call forth a formidable familiar! The higher the rank of the stone, the better the familiar one can summon. Requires a familiar of an appropriate rank to use.
¡°I didn¡¯t even need to identify the item. It¡¯s unlikely that the stone being a Misc item is the cause. Could it be because of Blackie? In Blackie¡¯s Status window, there¡¯s a ¡°Summoning requirements¡± line. Maybe this stone is used exactly for that. The stronger the familiar you manage to get your hands on, the higher its summoning requirements.¡± Icicle surmised. He had to give it to the devs. Some items had vague descriptions like the Meteoric rune he has stolen from Rekk. If he wanted to know what it is or if it¡¯s even the ¡°Meteoric rune¡± it goes as, he had to look for more clues. On the other hand, useful items like Summoning stones were handed to players without the redundant identification process. *** Icicle walked to the exit of Rhan¡¯s chamber. He peeked a little to see if there were any patrols coming his way. Learning from Rekk¡¯s reaction when he smell the blood of lizardmen on him, Icicle cleaned up Rhan¡¯s burned skin and spilled blood. This process somewhat tired him as he had to constantly use his mana to cast [Water drizzle] and [Water prison]. He wasn¡¯t as skilled as Vilenne to directly spurt water from his hand. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Taking a deep breath, Icicle strolled out of the cave, rushing to the entrance at top speed. He had a feeling Rekk is going to finish consuming the concoction soon. One corridor after the other, Icicle ran madly. He thought he was running in circles for a second, but his map clearly showed otherwise. Patrolling lizardmen just glanced at him, letting him go. They seemed to be laughing at the cowardly nature of the human. Icicle saw the light flowing into the cave, sighing in relief. He had finally made it to the exit. Walking outside, Icicle looked around the empty valley. His eyes envisioned the lotuses he could gather, but they haven¡¯t respawned yet. Icicle glanced in the direction of Vilen Town. He didn¡¯t know whether the event had ended or not. He considered logging off for the day. ROOOOOOAR! Rekk¡¯s monstrous roar reverberated throughout the valley, spreading out far and wide. Although the sounds of the lizardmen fighting never came out of Red Blooming Valley, Rekk¡¯s monstrous roar bypassed the restriction, making the entire area tremble a little. Icicle¡¯s pupils contracted as he realized that Rekk wasn¡¯t as stupid as he thought. The potion he made could indeed work wonders, but it was on the condition it was given to a human. With such a miniscule amount given to a formidable creature like Rekk, it was like feeding them a tablespoon of chocolate, leaving them wanting more. ¡°He had probably realized that the rune is gone too. Have to run!¡± Icicle knew he couldn¡¯t just log off and leave his character here. If he did, that was equivalent to foregoing his quest and considerable gains. Icicle considered luring Rekk to Vilen Town, but soon realized this was an awful idea. The western area might have been blocked by his underlings. Icicle glanced to the left, noticing the narrow path between the two rockfaces. ¡°If this quest is really doable, that¡¯s my only chance!¡± Icicle bolted towards the narrow path, approaching the unknown area. *** Russh was about to fall. The leader of the blue lizardmen was outnumbered, at least 10 to 1. His brethren were dying next to him, yet he couldn¡¯t do anything. This was truly a hopeless situation. The previous stalemate quickly broke as the lizardmen reinforcements were thinned out. This problem only occured on the blue lizardmen side, bringing Russh shame. He thought his brethren had decided to abandon him here. He couldn¡¯t know that it was one man¡¯s doing. That this man¡¯s obsession would propel him forward until he reached the boss room, sparing only those that didn¡¯t cross his path. The whole war expedition turned into a giant fiasco. It was too late to pull back, the lizardmen outside the northern gate were encircled. The eastern gate was being weakened with every passing second. Russh knew it was his fault. If the proper reinforcements came, he could have held to the northern gate and stopped the adventurers from taking over. With a sorrowful roar, Russh¡¯s life has been extinguished. He fell to the ground, his lifeless body laying in front of adventurers and his brethren. Nearby lizardmen lost morale as they stared blankly at their deceased leader. Rage filled their eyes, making them attack madly. However, without proper coordination, they were quickly subdued. *** Icicle scurried through the narrow passage. He could hear the looming footsteps of Rekk. He prayed that there was no other way to reach the place he was heading to. The winding path between the two rock faces seemed to have no end. Icicle ran and ran, gazing at the towering walls of stones. After two minutes, he has finally reached the exit. Rolling hills covered the grasslands wherever the eye could see. Towering mountains encircled the entire area, leaving a passage to this valley on the western side of the road. Dark puffs of smoke rose into the air as the fragrant aroma of roasted fish and meat pervaded the air. Icicle looked at the giant palisaded camp full of soldiers, his brows furrowing. ¡°Why was Adian dispatched to handle the wolf infestation if there were this many soldiers around?¡± Icicle had his doubts. This place was suspicious. One of the soldier patrols spotted Icicle, closing in on him. The soldiers¡¯ heavy silver armor glistened in the setting sun, giving them a lordly disposition. ¡°It must be an elite regimen. I¡¯ve seen Cus when he dragged Adian away though. Those soldiers are definitely not from Vilen Town. Who are they then? Robbers?¡± Icicle¡¯s mind went over all the possibilities. He feared that Minaeryth Kingdom¡¯s monarch might have sent those soldiers to plunder the caravans. If so, then arriving here was hardly any better than letting Rekk deal with him. ¡°What brings you here, adventurer?¡± One of the soldiers opened, smiling amiably. Icicle noticed the eyes that the soldiers looked at him with. They were not one least bit surprised. There must have been some players who explored this passage before him. ¡°I¡­¡± Icicle stuttered. He realized that the camp was way too hectic. ¡°Shit, they must have heard Rekk¡¯s roar.¡± he thought. ¡°I was gathering plants in the valley when a terrible roar surprised me. I ran without looking back.¡± Icicle said weakly. ¡°Come with us, we¡¯ll shelter you.¡± the soldiers patted Icicle¡¯s shoulders reassuringly, escorting him to the reinforced camp. Icicle nodded his head a few times and let himself be taken. If worst came to worst, he would be held prisoner. Judging by the way this quest unfolded though, those soldiers may have something to do with Rekk and his treasure. Arriving at the top of the hill, Icicle was escorted through the wooden gate, passing by dozens of tents and chaotic soldiers running to and fro. The soldiers took him to the middle of the area where a slightly bigger tent fluttered in the wind. Two imposing guards stood watch in front of it. After gaining the approval to enter, one of the soldiers slipped into the tent, presenting the situation to his leader. After a while, Icicle was asked to come in. ¡°Welcome adventurer. My name¡¯s Gaius. I¡¯m the Commander of this group of people. We¡¯re a bunch of mercenaries who bundled together.¡± Gaius smiled wryly. ¡°We¡¯re currently resting in this area. You¡¯re free to stay with us as long as you don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± Gaius smiled amiably. Icicle sat on a wooden chair, his eyes looking over a few documents on the table. ¡°Thank you.¡± Icicle muttered weakly, hanging his head low. ¡°Mercenaries? With that kind of armor? What vault did you rob?¡± Icicle mocked inwardly. ¡°Now tell me, do you know anything regarding the monstrous roar earlier?¡± Gaius didn¡¯t beat around the bush. Icicle saw through the soldiers¡¯ intentions long ago. He nodded a few times, making up a story, ¡°I was gathering the herbs in the western mountain when I remembered that it was my sister¡¯s birthday tomorrow. Some folk in the town spoke of beautiful, fragrant flowers growing in the Red Blooming Valley. I didn¡¯t know of any other place, so I went there. Once I entered the valley, I saw plentiful of colorful lotuses growing around. I thought I was the luckiest man alive as I started to pluck them, one after the other. That¡¯s when I heard the screaming.¡± Icicle gulped loudly. ¡°I ran into the cave. As an Alchemist, I could have saved a person¡¯s life if need be. I am poor, but humans should help each other.¡± Icicle said naively. ¡°What I saw made me shudder. In a giant lair, a human figure was halfly devoured by a giant, black wingless dragon. The dragon chewed the human lazily as the bones crunched under its razor sharp teeth. Behind the dragon, in its lair, there was a dug up hole. I noticed that next to the human¡¯s body laid a piece of unremarkable, angular stone. It was brownish in color, resembling a kite. If it wasn¡¯t for the greyish floor of the cave, I would have thought it was but a pebble.¡± Icicle narrated. ¡°What happened after?¡± Gaius asked as he signaled his men to hasten the preparations. This was the moment they were waiting for. ¡°The dragon didn¡¯t seem to notice me. Maybe I was too weak to make it glance at me or maybe it didn¡¯t want to bother with me¡­ I don¡¯t know. I stood up shakily and ran where my legs took me. After that, I arrived here.¡± Icicle sobbed. ¡°Was there anyone else?¡± Gaius asked. ¡°No, I was alone.¡± Icicle continued sobbing. Gaius¡¯s face hardened as his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword. His eyes widened as he saw the sight in front of him. Cough! Icicle coughed violently, as his body fell from the chair he sat on. His hand clutched his throat. He grunted as foamy saliva escaped his mouth. His whole body convulsing, Icicle¡¯s eyes slowly turned listless. He has disappered soon after. ¡°Those adventurers are really stupid. If you told me you were hurt by the green lizardmen on the way, I could¡¯ve saved your puny life. Such a low resistance to poison, truly lamentable.¡± Gaius gazed at the place Icicle¡¯s body used to be, leaving the tent with his officers. Looking around, Gaius nodded towards a few high ranking soldiers, making them rush out of the wooden gate. Cavalry galopped through the western exit, while the infantry beelined it to the narrow passage north. ¡°Don¡¯t let any new people in!¡± Gaius ordered the few remaining guards in the camp, following his troops to the Red Blooming Valley. ¡°Those old pricks will pay a hefty price for this baby!¡± Gaius¡¯s eyes blazed with desire, imagining the wealthy life of his after he sells the rune to the Mages of Acalen Kingdom. *** Icicle appeared in the tent 20 minutes after his sudden demise. He made sure to grab a bite and take a piss before logging in. He knew that Gaius was looking to kill him. After all, if he was trying to gain a priceless artifact, he would get rid of any witnesses as well. Thus, he faked a poisoning, logging off right afterwards. ¡°The amount of acting I¡¯ve done in the recent time makes me think I should become an actor.¡± Icicle smiled wryly. He didn¡¯t dislike the play pretend game, since it included a lot of thinking. Those mind games were quite appealing to him. The process was really tiresome though. ¡°Now then, Gaius is gone, so I might as well steal all that he has courteously left behind.¡± Icicle¡¯s eyes blazed with greed as he skimmed through the documents on the table. ¡°So those guys really are mercenaries. Working for Qured and Acalen Kingdom, depending on which kingdom pays the better price, huh?¡± Icicle shook his head helplessly. It seems that Minaeryth Kingdom isn¡¯t in the best shape. How could such petty thieves earn their living otherwise? Yes, they might call themselves mercenaries, but it was just a disguise. Like calling a murderer a felon. It doesn¡¯t sound as scary if it¡¯s put that way. After over 10 minutes of searching, Icicle has finally noticed something worth of notice.
[Gravel skin potion] [Recipe] [Artifact] Ancient recipe containing the mysteries of boosting one¡¯s physical resistance. Requirements: 1st grade Alchemist. [Extract essence]
Icicle read through the whole page, realizing that the exact recipe required [Extract essence] skill. ¡°I really have to get that skill soon!¡± Icicle thought as a message appeared in his chat.
Faura: We might have a skillbook for you. Do you have anything to trade?
¡°Do I have anything to trade? Heheh.¡± Icicle laughed cheekily. ¡°I always do!¡± A bit busy, chap 34 tomorrow. I had a few things to do, so I didn''t finish chap 34 in time. It will come out tomorrow. Chapter 34 Author''s note: Sorry for being an hour late guys, the chap is 4,7k so editing took some time. Faura waited for the response at the beginning of the second floor of [Desolated Catacombs]. She and her party had logged in half an hour ago, craving to know what laid on the elusive second floor. ¡°I do have a skillbook, not sure for what class though, since it isn¡¯t identified.¡± Icicle replied in the chat box. ¡°Right now I¡¯m a bit busy with a quest, let¡¯s meet later.¡± ¡°Alright, send me a message when you¡¯re free.¡± Faura pressed send and walked towards her party camping around the fire. ¡°Buying the firewood and matches was a great decision, huh?¡± Faura smiled sheepishly. Enna¡¯s eyes drifted over to Faura¡¯s face, her lovely face innocently blinking ¡°I huv noo ideaaa wat yur sayin.¡± she said with her mouth full of marshmallows. Faura ruffled Enna¡¯s hair and sat next to her. Opposite her sat FieryRed who had just cooked her meat over the fire. Growl! Teddy looked at her master with begging eyes, salivating. ¡°You¡¯re such a greedy bear.¡± FieryRed tore half of her piece and threw it to Teddy. ¡°Any news regarding the event?¡± Faura asked SilentStep who had just logged in. ¡°The forums don¡¯t say much. Those who log off early won¡¯t get the rewards unless they had sufficient contribution points, so everyone is struggling for scraps.¡± SilentStep shrugged. ¡°However, I asked a few people in the town, they say it¡¯s almost over. We have to hurry up and get what we can here. Once the event is over, this place will be overrun.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rest up and then get into it. There are a few corridors for us to explore.¡± Faura nodded, preparing her own food. Loiterous made her feel like a true adventurer in the wild, something she couldn¡¯t experience in real life. It was a refreshing feeling. ¡°Is Icicle interested in the skillbook?¡± Enna asked, stuffing herself with even more food. All she recently did was stuff herself and then dance to feel the rhythm of the world. Her [Sense presence] was advancing rapidly, as if she had an inherent talent. To Enna, however, that was only natural. She could always feel the rhythm in the music, that¡¯s why she used to dance. In this new world, she could finally express herself fully. ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell him what it¡¯s called and he said he can trade for another skillbook.¡± Faura shook her head helplessly. The youth they met during the [Ingrained enmity] event had always had an ace up his sleeve. ¡°Really? What skillbook?¡± Headshot asked. He wanted a new skill for his Archer class. ¡°No idea. He hasn¡¯t identified it yet.¡± Faura shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know about the identifying scrolls?¡± Inferno asked. ¡°If you had a Merchant in your pocket, would you waste your money on the scrolls?¡± Faura quipped. ¡°Heheh.¡± Inferno laughed embarrassedly. They saw Adian getting along with Icicle during the wolf infestation event. Since Icicle knew Adian, he definitely didn¡¯t have any problems identifying his loot. FieryRed fed her bear, eating from time to time. She glanced at SilentStep who drank tea like a gentleman and smirked. ¡°What a proper young man.¡± As the party chatted, the peaceful atmosphere was broken by Enna¡¯s cheerful laughter. ¡°What is it?¡± Faura looked at the giggling Enna amusedly. ¡°Icicle sent me a screenshot, look.¡± Enna shared her message menu with Faura. Faura looked over the screenshot and her eyes went wide. ¡°T-This¡­ is it a dragon?¡± Hearing the word dragon made all of the party members converge around Enna. It didn¡¯t matter if they were in the middle of a talk, or just about to devour delicious food. Everything became meaningless as they scurried over to see the legendary creature. ¡°Icicle says it¡¯s just an old lizard.¡± Enna replied with a cheeky smile. ¡°Looks imposing though, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± Headshot muttered as he saw the black scaled monster. ¡°No wonder we haven¡¯t heard anything about Icicle from those participating in the event. He was actually in the valley itself, taunting a giant dragon-like monster.¡± Faura sighed. ¡°He¡¯s definitely the Scavenger.¡± SilentStep thought as his expression broke into an amused smile. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t be rivals this time around.¡± *** ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to dungeoning.¡± Faura made a call, standing up. ¡°As for the Mining book that dropped, Headshot decided to use it for himself, apprently his class is lacking Strength¡­¡± Faura looked at Headshot as if he was a frail little girl, giggling. ¡°Heheh, you won¡¯t laugh once this handsome body gets some muscles.¡± Headshot puffed his chest out, flexing, but was completely ignored. Enna tapped her chin as she walked alongside Faura. She mused over the messages she exchanged with Icicle. ¡°So this feeling can still get better. No wonder I felt some throbbing. Icicle said to involve myself in the fights more, but I am a healer¡­¡± ¡°Maybe just visualizing the monsters as he did while closing my eyes will work.¡± Enna smiled brightly and tugged on Faura¡¯s mage robe¡¯s sleeve, making her walk faster. ¡°What has gotten into you, little girl?¡± Faura ruffled Enna¡¯s brown hair playfully. ¡°I need a favor.¡± Enna said, leaning over and whispering directly into Faura¡¯s ear. ¡°What?!¡± Faura screamed, outraged. ¡°No!¡± Enna didn¡¯t even look back as she ran towards FieryRed. ¡°Take me with you.¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Take you where?¡± FieryRed replied confusedly. Enna leaned over and whispered into FieryRed¡¯s ear. FieryRed¡¯s eyes widened as she grabbed Enna¡¯s collar and dashed off at full speed. ¡°Where are they going-¡± Headshot was meaning to ask when Faura¡¯s angry shout rang out. ¡°What are you waiting for, after them!¡± balling her fists, Faura¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Just you wait, if anything happens because you two screwed up, I¡¯ll work you to the bone!¡± *** FieryRed dragged Enna behind her as they charged through the empty, narrow corridor. ¡°Here!¡± Enna shouted, making FieryRed turn to the right. FieryRed dashed in like a tank, knocking one of the Gnolls standing in front of the entrance on its ass. That didn¡¯t stop her though. She continued advancing through the room, avoiding the attacks of dozens of Gnolls before she had found a Rare variant in the middle. Teddy followed right after the two, stopping next to his master. He growled at the Gnolls, his hair standing on end. ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t lying.¡± FieryRed drawled out, slashing the dog-like monsters all around her. ¡°Hahaha! What a wonderful feeling.¡± Enna smiled brightly. FieryRed looked at her as if she was an idiot. There were two Gnolls apporaching Enna from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you dodge this.¡± Whoosh! As the sword whistled through the air, Enna sidestepped to the left, her elbow jolting out. Smack! The Gnoll who received a strong elbow to the face staggered, howling in pain. The other one approached Enna from the other side, slashing straight at her lithe body. Ding! Gnoll¡¯s rusty sword collided against the dark brown floor, releasing tiny sparks. Enna grabbed her staff tightly and hit the gnoll¡¯s forehead with the back of it. FieryRed stared with wide eyes as two blows from Enna¡¯s blindspots were easily dodged. She wondered if she didn¡¯t have hallucinations. Pinching her hand, she felt pain. ¡°Definetely real.¡± FieryRed mumbled. If last time was a fluke, this was the proof of what Enna was capable of. The gaze FieryRed looked at Enna with seemed to say ¡°Teach me Master!¡± Enna laughed out loudly, beggining her dance with the staff. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Headshot muttered. The entire party charged into the room right after the two girls, seeing the situation unfold from the start. The sight of Enna easily dodging the two blows scared them. ¡°Is that sixth sense or something? I saw Icicle doing the same thing back then¡­¡± Inferno mumbled out. ¡°Monsters¡­¡± Faura shook her head. SilentStep smiled faintly, blended with the shadows and attacked the Gnolls. *** Crush! The giant flail of a Rare variant Gnoll fell on the ground, shattering the dark brown tiles of the dungeon. Its smelly breath permeated the air, making the party clutch their noses before they adapted. ¡°I hate smelly things.¡± FieryRed drawled out through her gritted teeth, rushing at the tall dog-like creature. She slashed madly, making her attacks flow in a rhythm. Growl! Teddy rushed in to interrupt the Gnoll Leader¡¯s counterattack, slamming his giant body into the creature. Faura¡¯s hands danced in midair as she released streaks of lightning. The crystal shard she had embedded earlier made her reach a new level of strength. Inferno¡¯s [Flame spheres] blasted the surrounding Gnolls away, one explosion after the other. Headshot peppered the creatures with arrows, distracting them from his allies, coordinating with SilentStep who finished the wounded ones off. In the middle of the Gnoll encirclement stood two girls, FieryRed, whose crimson hair was swaying wildly, as if the wind was blowing, and Enna, who danced gracefully, as if performing in front of the audience. Enna¡¯s wooden white staff smashed against the Gnolls, knocking them backwards. Her movements were fluid and full of grace, yet not decisive enough. It seemed as if she was dancing more than fighting. Strikes without power behind them weren¡¯t dangerous at all. All she could do was play decoy. Teddy rushed in again, trying to slam into the Gnoll leader, but this time the Gnoll leader was prepared. He swung his flail with unbridled momentum, making Teddy slam into a nearby wall. Crash! Pieces of rubble fell off the wall, opening a passage into another room. Stale air blew over, attacking the nostrils of the party as their eyes focused on the open hole. Behind the destroyed wall, there was a spacious room filled to the brim with Kobolds. Those little creatures carried shaman-like staffs emitting elemental aura. In the middle of them stood a giant Kobold, taller than a human, carrying a giant white staff with a green crystal on top.
[Grengis the Kobold Wizard] [Elite] ???
¡°Can anyone see his level?¡± SilentStep shouted. ¡°No. Should be around level 25 though.¡± Faura replied. ¡°We need to retreat to the corridor. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be surrounded.¡± Faura quickly made the call, ordering the retreat. ¡°Agreed!¡± SilentStep nodded, finishing off one more Gnoll before blending with the shadows. The party had to utilize the narrow space of the corridor to thin out the numbers before they could engage such a powerful ranged monster. *** Icicle stood amongst the bloody pools of water of Red Blooming Valley. After he had read through almost all of the documents on the table, except for the recipe he had found, there wasn¡¯t anything useful. That couldn¡¯t discourage him though. Everything of value has been already stolen by him. Both Rekk¡¯s treasure and Rhan¡¯s heart should be priceless. He had finished two quests too. The rewards for those couldn¡¯t be too shabby. However, what Icicle was the happiest about was definitely the mana control improvement he has experienced in the cave. This episode confirmed his suspicions about the virtual body adventurers received. It was a blank slate. Everyone had to train the body to utilize the numbers fully ¨C that is the stats. It didn¡¯t really matter if you had 500 Strength if you couldn¡¯t use it properly. The same went for mana. What¡¯s the use of 10000 mana to spam spells if you can¡¯t really hit your enemies, even with the system assist? Icicle felt that the path he has embarked upon was different than he was supposed to. There should be a way for players to get better in the mana control department without mimicking the locals. However, since he had already started, he will naturally continue. His path may be harder, but he has plenty of people to gain inspiration from. Besides, if it the process of training was enjoyable, it couldn¡¯t really be called training. To Icicle, seeing his magic improve was a wonderful experience. It¡¯s as if countless doors have opened to him whenever he had found one of this world¡¯s secrets. That feeling was only comparable to the one he had when playing RPGs. ¡°This world is really wondrous. Enna who hasn¡¯t even tried, managed to master [Sense presence] and is now encroaching onto the Intermediary level. She said it¡¯s all from dancing too. What a terrifying insight into rhythm and sound. No wonder she could master the dance styles so quickly.¡± Icicle shook his head. When chatting with him earlier, Enna was so excited she had basically told him about her entire dance career. Icicle smiled all the way through the narrow rockfaces, reading the girl¡¯s life story with amusement. Everyone had their own, unique past. ¡°Well, since the guards didn¡¯t really mind me leaving, I might as well visit my dear friend Gaius.¡± Icicle stood on top of the Red Blooming Valley, watching Rekk massacring the mercenaries. *** 10 minutes earlier, Red Blooming Valley ROOOAR! Rekk let out yet another menacing howl. He looked at the two giant rockfaces hindering him and thought of jumping on top of them, rushing after the sneaky human. However, killing the human would be too easy. He had to make him suffer first. ¡°That tiny being mentioned a nearby town. He said something about his sister, so I should start there.¡± Rekk made up his mind. He turned to the cave and asked his underlings for the directions. After all, he has been asleep for way too long to remember what this continent looked like. Leaving the Red Blooming Valley, Rekk was about to cross the western mountain region when rumbling sounds of heavy armor entered his ears. Judging by the auras those beings released, they were an elite regimen of humans. Rekk spread his senses further to determine the numbers. ¡°No wonder, no wonder.¡± Rekk thought as killing intent within him rose. ¡°You little human, you actually deceived me by saying some truth inbetween all those lies.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Wave after wave of humans entered the Red Blooming Valley, sealing the place off. Rekk¡¯s underlings were slaughtered within seconds. Their blood suffused the water, giving it a tinge of crimson color. Gaius led his troops with unmatched vigor, his eyes blazing with greed. Mercenary archers and crossbowmen began taking their positions on the sides, while the melee warriors straightened their backs, giving off an indomitable feeling. Rumble! Cavalrymen rushed through the mountain passage west of the raging river, shortening the distance between them and giant lizard with lightning speed. Three meters long lances had a tinge of golden on their surfaces, reflecting the glow of a setting sun. Those sharp weapons were pointed straight at Rekk as the horsemen galloped through the grassland. Rekk¡¯s gaze burned with fury as he noticed a bunch of shameless humans entering his lair. They were clearly looking for the item that little human stole! But this¡­ this was an even greater insult! That tiny human being used his smarts to trick Rekk, at least giving something in return. On the other hand, those armor clad humans barged into his home, completely disregarding him! Rekk was totally incensed. His powerful limbs propelled him off the ground, approaching the shameless regimen of humans with unbridled momentum. ¡°Shoot it now!¡± Gaius ordered. His voice was still echoing through the valley when dozens of crossbows and longbows loosened, releasing a fierce storm of arrows into the air. Rekk didn¡¯t even bother to dodge. In fact, he couldn¡¯t dodge even if he wanted to. There were way too many projectiles to avoid and the cavalry unit was behind him, quickly approaching. ¡°Roaaaar!¡± Rekk grunted under the volleys of arrows, falling flat to the ground. ¡°Ahahah! The rumors of it being weak were true! Get him!¡± Gaius excitedly ran over, unsheathing his sword. A couple dozen of warriors followed right after him. Rekk stayed motionless, holding his breath in. The horsemen behind him stopped their advance, waiting for their leader to finish the job. They didn¡¯t expect the situation to be resolved this fast. As soon as Gaius and his men were in front of Rekk, his eyes opened as his forelimbs propelled him into a pounce. Rekk flew over the warriors, landing right behind them. His mouth opened as his belly bulged, releasing a fire breath straight into the trembling ranged attackers. ¡°ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± While the ranged humans burned, Rekk didn¡¯t forget about Gaius and his men. His ferocious tail swung around, swatting the still shocked humans like flies, making them crash into the steep hill of Red Blooming Valley. Icicle felt the entire ground beneath him tremble as he gazed upon Rekk. He was glad he went for the mild approach, tricking the beast instead of trying to fight it by using the explosive potions. What would the potions achieve against a fire breath? Wouldn¡¯t he just become a roasted chicken? ¡°Miserable humans, did you really think you can slay me? Even though I am no dragon, I still have a shred of dragon blood flowing within me.¡± Rekk raged about, massacring the human mercenaries. Icicle immediately turned on the recording function. He couldn¡¯t miss anything out. Not this time. Rekk¡¯s aura enveloped the area, pressing onto the minds and souls of everything around. The proud cavalrymen behind the giant lizard were helpless as their horses turned tail. Seeing that, the other horsemen urged their horses to ran for their lives. However, not every horse could be forced to flee. Some laid down on the ground, neighing, praying that the higher being doesn¡¯t kill them. Rekk ran after a cluster of cavalrymen, approaching the wooden hut at the side of the river. A couple of fisherman¡¯s disciples trembled as they recorded the events. The lizardmen event was about to end and they earned big time, elevating their position in the guilds by spying on the reptile reinforcements. Thus, some people were prepared for the onslaught of lizardmen, safely retreating to town while the reinforcement arrived. After all, no one wanted to be the cannon fodder. However, now that they had reported a sighting of a creature resembling a dragon, they were laughed at. That¡¯s why they decided to record everything. Who would have thought that the giant reptile would chase the cavalrymen who ran in their direction! Swoosh! Rekk¡¯s formidable barbed tail swiped horizontally, cutting humans and horses alike. The cleaved bodies, or remnants of them, dropped on the ground, staining the lush stalks of grass red. Then, Rekk¡¯s gaze fell on the wooden hut. He sensed the presence of humans comparable to the one who stole his ancestor¡¯s item. In fact, it was only something Rekk had found in the past. He was lucky enough to stumble upon a dragon¡¯s burial chamber. That¡¯s also where he had gotten some of the blood and essence of the dragon, increasing his lifespan. Boom! With but a swipe of a tail, the entire wooden hut was smashed into pieces. The players who were nearby were instaneously killed. Rekk wasn¡¯t done though. He had to vent. This new power he had felt running inside his veins empowered him. It seemed that little human¡¯s potion actually had some usefulness. Boom! Boom! Two more swipes of the tail made the wooden hut turn into nothing more than a hole for splintered wood. Outside the hut stood an old man, wielding a fishing rod in his hands. Next to him lay a brown bear who had now stood up, glaring around coldly. *** While this was happening, Gaius laid on the ground, coughing violently. His internal organs were in a mess. One swipe of Rekk¡¯s tail could actually incapacitate most of his squad. As Gaius grunted, fretfully looking around for the accursed beast, a shadow of a young man loomed over him. ¡°Hello there.¡± Gaius¡¯s eyes rose and then he stared in shock. Soon after, his expression turned joyful. ¡°It¡¯s you, adventurer. You don¡¯t even know how glad I am to see you. Please help me and my comrades, we¡¯ll reward you handsomely.¡± Gaius smiled amiably. Icicle looked at the fake smile with amusement. However, his eyes showed some pity as he crouched next to Gaius. Looking over his inventory, Icicle was surprised to find a bottle filled with white powder. ¡°I completely forgot about you, Piros roots. Gathering those herbs on the way had really paid off.¡± Icicle planned on giving Gaius some hope by feeding him a health potion. However, this bottle filled with white powder would work even better. ¡°Here you go.¡± Icicle fished out the bottle and uncorked it, letting the powder slip into Gaius¡¯s open mouth. Gaius gulped loudly, nodding his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± He then turned to his teammates. Some of them were on the verge of death. He urged Icicle to help them. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you helping them? We¡¯ll pay you whatever¡¯s necessary!¡± Gaius shouted. The leader of the mercenaries glared at Icicle and saw an ominous sight. The gentle youth from before was gone, on his face was a sarcastic look complemented by a devilish grin. ¡°You know, back in the tent, I knew you were going to kill me, so I faked my own death.¡± Icicle smacked Gaius¡¯s forehead playfully. Gaius fiercely grit his teeth. He wasn¡¯t completely powerless, but severely wounded. He tried reaching out to his sword, yet his hands felt numb. ¡°Y-You! What have you given me?!¡± Gaius raged. Some of his companions stood up with difficulty, trying to muster whatever strength they had left to get rid of Icicle while they still could. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three vials of mana exploded right next to them, killing off every single mercenary in the area. However, Icicle¡¯s name was still the same. Not a tinge of blood red covered it. ¡°You see, after you left, I appeared in your tent and stole everything inside. I even took your shitty table and the wobbly chairs. I thought to myself, why are you so poor for someone with such a grand armor.¡± ¡°But then I saw it. First it was the recipe. It seemed quite old, so I guessed you must have spent a lot of resources to gain it. You had probably planned to exchange it for something better in a nearby kingdom, didn¡¯t you? Heheh, what a shame you won¡¯t be able to.¡± Icicle laughed sinisterly. Gaius¡¯s face darkened, then turned somewhat pale. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what caused me to stare though. Just as I was about to pack all of those sheets of paper into my bag, I realized there¡¯s a letter. A letter saying that you¡¯re tasked to find an ancient relic. Connecting the dots didn¡¯t take me long. After all, I am the one in its possession.¡± Icicle¡¯s sarcastic smile sent chills down Gaius¡¯s spine. ¡°Still, as shocked as I was to find such an order, the next thing I saw was something else. You, a mere mercenary regimen, were actually ordered by Qured Kingdom to sow seeds of doubt and chaos into the minds of ordinary citizens of Minaeryth Kingdom. I¡¯m sure it must have been an honor.¡± Icicle laughed out loud, amused. ¡°I read the other reports too. How you kidnapped children blaming it on some nobles, how you plundered farms near the border, and then how you raped the prettier women after which they were sold into slavery. As for males, you weren¡¯t so merciful, were you?¡± ¡°Then, I have found something really amusing. It wasn¡¯t as good as the other one, but it made me smile like a fool. I mean, really, this couldn¡¯t be any better. A note from a high level member of an underground society, stating that Rekk the Lizard is severely weakened, vulnerable to attack. Such an irony. Before I tricked that giant reptile, I have actually made a concoction for him. A revitalizing one. And here you are, dying. You should blame karma for that. After all, you tried to kill me. You surely deserve some punishment.¡± ¡°Someone you didn¡¯t even consider a danger messed up your entire plan. Your regimen is either dead or scattered, your plans didn¡¯t work out¡­ really tragic, if you ask me.¡± Icicle shook his head with amusement, smiling widely. ¡°And it¡¯s all because you haven¡¯t killed one pest that could have disturbed you.¡± ¡°In all of that chaos, I actually forgot to ask. Where are my manners?¡± Icicle dusted his clothes off. ¡°How do you enjoy my concoction?¡± Gaius¡¯s eyes blazed with hellish flames as he glared at Icicle. All he could do was ball his fists and endure. ¡°Well, don¡¯t mind that. It¡¯s just a powder used to put little critters to sleep, so that hunters can catch them without sweat.¡± Icicle waved his hand as if it was no big deal.He looked into the distance, turning pensive. ¡°You know, of all the people that had tried to kill me, whether it was this world, or the one I live in, the only ones who survived, are the ones I let live.¡± Icicle smiled faintly as he reminisced. He then turned to Gaius, ¡°Any last words?¡± ¡°Wait! I can make you rich! I¡¯ll give you everything I have, just save me!¡± Gaius roared as his eyes welled up with tears. Those were tears of bitterness. He was not willing. He was about to become rich, powerful and influential, yet all of those dreams were shattered by one young man. ¡°Really?¡± Icicle tapped his chin, his expression lightening. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. Go on.¡± Gaius looked at Icicle as a ray of hope blossomed within his heart. He opened his mouth¡­ Shiiiiiiing! A white, smooth blade went down with such a high speed it was barely visible to the naked eye. While the blade was stabbing down, fiery flames ignited on its surface, before plowing into the flesh of a dying human. Gaius¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed the blade stuck in his chest. His opened mouth opened even wider, violently coughing blood. ¡°It¡¯s indeed interesting, but whatever you might have is either hidden or under the care of someone else. Don¡¯t worry though, once I¡¯m done with you, I¡¯ll visit your little camp, making sure to slaughter every single one of you mercs.¡± Icicle smiled innocently at Gaius, yet his amber eyes flickered with cold light. This amount of mercilessness made Gaius shuddered. No young human should be able to look like that. How much did the youth in front of him have to experience to become such a cold-blooded killer? Just thinking about it made Gaius shudder. This shudder was the last thing he felt, as his scared eyes turned listless, his consciousness drifting away¡­ Icicle swiped the loot without even looking at it. His eyes focused on Rekk who stood in front of a wooden hut. *** Rekk stared at the old fisherman for a while before swinging his giant tail at him. Booom! The ground trembled as the dust rose into the air. The brown bear next to the fisherman growled fiercely at Rekk. ¡°Hmph! Insignificant pest.¡± Rekk roared, swiping the bear away with his forelimb. Growl! The brown bear fell on the grassland behind the raging river. A very weak growl resounded from the bear¡¯s throat. It was clearly hurt severely, unable to get up. Its bones and internal organs were either shattered or about to stop functioning. Rekk turned to walk away when he felt fierce mana fluctuations. His eyes widened as a pillar of translucent blue mana flew into the bear¡¯s body, reinvigorating the creature. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that nothing extraordinary has happened all around him, Rekk would have thought it¡¯s a divine intervention. Whoosh! The leftover rubble of the wooden hut was flung away as a murderous aura rose where the old fisherman stood. His smiling, peaceful disposition disappeared as he glared at Rekk who had just hurt his companion. The sky overhead was suddenly cleared. Every single white cloud scurried, blown away by the monstrous power revealed by the old man. Black clouds quickly converged on the sky above, forming clusters around each other as the sound of thunder resounded. Boom! A powerful explosion charred the grasslands as a bolt of lightning collided with the ground next to the old fisherman. Rekk gulped loudly, gazing upon the fisherman with utter fear. He was able to change the weather¡­? Just who was the old man?! Chapter 35 Author¡¯s note: You guys know me, always late. Next chapter at Tuesday. The sky was completely blotted out. Dark puffs of smoke intertwined, forming into ominous clouds. Between the masses of obscure smoke, flashes of lightning heralded the fall of an electrical discharge. Bzzzzzzt! Boom! Yet another lightning strike fell on the ground, incinerating and then turning the lush green grass into ash. The wind picked up, making the grasslands sway like an ocean in the storm. All of the those weather phenomenons were caused by one man floating in the wind. In front of Rekk, the old fisherman¡¯s majesty reached the heavens. Bzzt! Bzzzzt! Bzzzzzzt! Mana currents all around the fisherman crackled, as if the space itself was about to twist. Rekk looked on with utter fear, trembling. Old fisherman¡¯s gaze bore a hole through him, making him feel uncomfortable. ¡°T-This¡­¡± Rekk muttered in human language. ¡°Grandmaster domain!¡± Turning to the bear, the old fisherman noticed he¡¯s not in dire need of help, relieving his concern slightly. Seeing this action, Rekk gulped loudly. ¡°First my home, then my companion. You really need to learn some manners.¡± old fisherman¡¯s voice rang out. It didn¡¯t sound old, far on the opposite, whoever heard that voice would think it¡¯s a youthful person full of vigor. Raising his finger straight into the sky, the fisherman willed and the universe replied. Strands of mana visible to the eye whirled, forming into countless rivulets of transparent blue color, intertwining with each other to form a giant palm under the dark clouds. Bzzzzt! Lightning fell unto the strands of mana, solidifying their shape into an enormous palm. Its power rose as the whirlpool around it formed, sucking the surrounding mana in. The wind picked up yet again as all the mana in the area was sucked into the enormous whirlpool that was like a bottomless abyss. Icicle felt a pressure descending upon him, trying to swallow him. ¡°Compared to my mana regeneration, this is a completely different level.¡± Icicle sighed inwardly, gritting his teeth to keep his foothold. He wanted to retreat to a safer place, but moving right now might cause him to be swallowed by the giant swirl above the illusory hand. ¡°Since you want to eat my mana up, I¡¯ll swallow your mana instead!¡± Icicle desperately focused on his left hand, forming a swirl of mana. Shakily taking form, a tiny water droplet slowly rotated around its own axis. A strand of mana entered the mini whirlpool above Icicle¡¯s hand, making his whole body tremble. ¡°What a teriffying amount of energy! How compressed is that?¡± Icicle gulped down loudly, trying to decompose the strand of mana into a form he can absorb. However, just that tiny strand made him sweat. Icicle retracted his tiny mana droplet, focusing on the flow of the violent streak of mana inside his body. As the strand of mana coursed through his bloodstream, the places it swam through burst, causing internal bleedings. Bleeergh! Icicle violently coughed out blood as his internal organs shook. ¡°A beginner trying to swallow Grandmaster¡¯s energy really is a joke.¡± he smiled wryly. ¡°One day I¡¯ll be able to take all of that energy in without batting an eye.¡± Mobilizing all of the mana in his disposal to counterattack against the strand of mana, Icicle didn¡¯t forget to keep his foothold stable. This multitasking gave him a major headache. ¡°I can¡¯t even feel my own source of mana. This is so weird. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s there, but I can¡¯t pinpoint where the mana flows from.¡± Icicle frowned. ¡°I thought the mana might be flowing from the abdomen, but when I thought of it flowing from the hand, the mana seems to gather there and then spread to the other parts of my body. Really mysterious.¡± Icicle smiled wryly, coughing out blood yet again. Only madmen like him who experienced a lot of pain could focus on other things while battling the terrible, painful sensation. ¡°Whoever created this world must have been a genius. I don¡¯t think it could have been done by a human though. And if it somehow was, there were definitely many others having their hand in this.¡± *** While Icicle was fighting off the pressure and the violent energy from a strand of Grandmaster¡¯s mana, the soil under Rekk crumbled, making him burrow in the ground ever so slowly. Compared to Icicle who has barely any mana, the amount Rekk possesed was tyrannical. Since it was like that, the mana whirlpool obviously tried to suck it out of him with even more ferocity. This caused Rekk to struggle to keep his balance. Moving under this pressure was out of the question. ¡°What a violent mana swirl. Even though I¡¯m at the Master level, I can barely hold my mana intact. An entry level Grandmaster is actually such a monster¡­¡± Rekk struggled. ¡°Just who are you?!¡± he roared at the old man. As the mana in the sky gathered, the illusory hand took form, coalescing into a blue hand. The clear surface of the hand rippled from time to time, blurring the clear mirror-like reflection of the world below. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± the old man said, violently swinging his palm down. Bzzzzzzzzzt! Boom! Lightning fell all around the giant blue hand, presaging its violent fall. Crumble! The ground below sunk, making way for the giant force above. Rekk¡¯s black scales cracked as the blood flowed from within his body. Flexing his muscles, Rekk¡¯s aura soared, green color with a tinge of bright orange covered his body as his tail swept to counter the blow. Boom! The tail and the giant hand collided against each other, creating a giant shockwave that swept Icicle away like a kite. Under such a powerful force, all he could do was let it carry him and hope that he wouldn¡¯t die from smashing into something. After he flew for a few hundred meters, Icicle¡¯s feet made two rows of ditches in the ground, sliding through it with an unstoppable momentum. ¡°How terrifying of a battle is this? I was hit by the aftershock and flew so far away.¡± Icicle looked around to see him at least 200m away from the battle. But this couldn¡¯t occupy his attention as the strand of mana he absorbed earlier wreaked havoc in his body. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve underestimated you, little guy.¡± Icicle¡¯s killing intent suffused the surroundings, but the mana strand within him wasn¡¯t affected in the slightest. Thus he retracted it with a shake of his head. ¡®If I just gulp the potion, I won¡¯t gain anything from it. Since I could survive the initial absorption, there must be a way!¡± Icicle cast [Healing drizzle] over and over while thinking of a solution. *** Boom! Boom! Boom! Rekk¡¯s tail and the blue hand collided fiercely time after time. While the blue hand seemed to have a tiny crack on its surface, Rekk¡¯s whole body was rattled. Almost every black scale was cracked, blood flowing from beneath. ROOOOAR! The monsters of the western mountain area had long scurried away. However, when this roar resounded, they ran yet again, escaping from sight. Rekk¡¯s aura surged once again as he swiped his tail against the blue hand. He knew this situation couldn¡¯t keep up, so he prepared to assail the old man directly. Rekk¡¯s chances of winning were slim, but it was better than being trampled and humiliated to death. Boom! Yet another forceful collision of the two sprang up the wind and shockwaves all around, upturning the soil. The previously peaceful grassland was now riddled with holes, as if a meteor shower rained from the heavens to annihilate the peaceful scenery. Rekk bounced off the ground fiercely, rushing toward the old man who calmly levitated in the air. ¡°Such an unruly child. Can¡¯t you even take a proper beating from an adult?¡± the old man¡¯s youthful voice resounded as he chuckled. ¡°Let me discipline you some more.¡± pointing his finger forward, mana strands converged quickly, this time straight out of the old man¡¯s body. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Rekk roared out as a blinding flash of light covered the area. Boom! Boom! Boom! Earth and blood mixed up as Rekk¡¯s body was riddled with holes by a tiny sword-shaped mana streaks. They didn¡¯t pierce any of his internal organs, merely his outer layer of scales. ROOOAR! Rekk knew he was being toyed with. Unable to bear such a humilation, Rekk¡¯s blood boiled, bringing forth the power of the dragon bloodline and the effect of a concotion Icicle made for him. Swiping with his wounded tail, Rekk watched the old man¡¯s figure smiling, blasting out a punch! Boom! The scales on Rekk¡¯s tail exploded. Blood splattered all around as Rekk retracted his tail. ¡°What an overpowering amount of mana.¡± Rekk thought with dismay. If only he didn¡¯t attack that stupid bear! But now it was too late to regret. He had to get rid of the old man, otherwise he was dead. *** Icicle desperately tried to suppress the strand of mana that left him punctured. His internal organs were in a mess, yet the tiny streak didn¡¯t have any signs of stopping. ¡°Desperate situations call for desperate measures!¡± Icicle fished out the lizardman heart, eating it without hesitation. ¡°This had better work!¡± he thought, chewing the sinewy organ of a lizardman. His decision making was quite simple. Lizardmen were known for their vitality, this was proven many times over as he battled them. If it wasn¡¯t for his sword¡¯s unique skill, he would have had a much harder time dealing with them due to that absurd health regeneration. Thus, Icicle decided to swallow the lizardman prince¡¯s heart, hoping for a surge of vitality that would help him recover or even directly fight off the mana strand. He wouldn¡¯t blame himself for absorbing the mana strand. This was definitely an opportunity. A high risk one, but an opportunity. Blessings often come in an unexpected way. Icicle was rash and this was his tribulation. If he could overcome it, he would benefit, if not, he would lose the opportunity forever. Chunk after chunk of the bloody meat landed in Icicle¡¯s stomach. He bit fiercely, tearing out piece after piece. As he chewed, he cast [Healing drizzle], restoring some of his missing health. Finally being done with half of the heart, a message popped up. Ding!
<> You¡¯re full!
This seemingly simple message made Icicle overjoyed. He could save the other half for Blackie. After all, after seeing Rekk¡¯s dragon breath, Icicle surmised that consuming other creatures¡¯ essence might give him a special quirk. The same should apply for Blackie. As for what it was, he didn¡¯t know. Rumble! Icicle¡¯s stomach let out a loud sound, overturning. Icicle felt the urge to vomit, yet he swallowed it all back up. ¡°As if I let you escape now!¡± he steeled himself, sitting on the ground. Directing the mana to his stomach, Icicle tried to speed up the absorption of the alien essence. He had to try really hard to focus under the enormous pain. The mana strand he swallowed continued drilling throughout his body, ravaging his organs. Icicle¡¯s left hand sprouted out the tiny water droplet, absorbing mana from the surroundings while his right hand made incantations, casting [Healing drizzle] over and over. His whole body was wet. Whether it was cold sweat or water, he couldn¡¯t tell anymore. A streak of blood escaped Icicle¡¯s lips as he forcefully suppressed the urge to vomit. This feeling caused him no small mental strain, as there were two things causing it. One was obviously the absorption of the foreign object, the other the internal hemorrhage. *** As Icicle continued to suffer under a repulsive and excruciating pain at the same time, the battle next to the raging river reached a climax. Rekk¡¯s whole body was bleeding. His scales were barely there anymore, bleeding skin surfacing. With a furious glare at the old fisherman, Rekk¡¯s belly bulged. ¡°Fire breath? Hohoho!¡± the old man laughed loudly, pointing his hand at the direction of the river. As he did, a column of water rose into being, curving to appear right next to him. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Strands of mana escaped the old man¡¯s hand, swirling around the water column, as if carving it. His other hand poured out a large quantity of mana, letting it coalesce on the other side. Soon enough, two halves of the sword were formed. The old man clasped his hands and they clashed against each other, forming into a giant translucent blue sword that gave off an imposing, overbearing feeling. Rekk spit out a barrage of flame at the old man, while the old man cut with his hand like an experienced butcher. The two forces collided! Rekk¡¯s firebreath was directly split into two halves, flying over the raging river only to incinerate the grassland on both sides to ashes. The bear that laid behind the river was safe, as he laid directly behind the old man. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s end this.¡± the old fisherman said authoratively. He balled his hands into a fist, and the blue hand floating above did the same. The space beneath the old man¡¯s feet distorted, rippling like the ocean waves swayed by the wind. As the blue hand descended, the same distortion force applied to it. It appeared right above Rekk¡¯s body in a split second, smashing him into the ground. BOOM! Its speed was so fast that the shockwave and the sound appeared a second after. Rekk¡¯s body was pulverized, crushed under the formidable force of the hand. Using up all of tis force, the magic hand dissipated. BZZZZZZZZZZT! Peal of lightning fell on the remnants of Rekk¡¯s body, turning it into ash. *** As this was happening, Icicle felt a surge of vitality coming from the heart he had consumed. A wave of energy traversed through his body, nourishing it and letting it rebuild anew. His condition improved drastically, especially his endurance, as if he physically trained for a month. The violent stand of mana was directly crushed by the overwhelming force of vigor. Witnessing the end of the fight, Icicle¡¯s eyes blazed with happiness. He had improved his physique and witnessed something mind blowing. The sword that the old man used as his last move was made out of water magic! Who said that water magic was weak in the attack department? All it took was a lot of practice! Icicle looked at the place where Rekk laid and sighed. His expression turned somewhat regretful as he realized the wonders of the lizardman¡¯s essence. If he could eat Rekk¡¯s heart, how wonderful would that be? The old fisherman glanced at Icicle. He noticed his presence earlier, but wasn¡¯t too bothered. Right now, however, he saw the disappointed look of the young man. ¡°You wanted to ingest this guy¡¯s essence? Aren¡¯t you a voracious one?¡± the old man chuckled. ¡°I can see that your body is stronger than normal, but what you have ingested, compared to this one¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not on the same level. Although it¡¯s just a tiny amount, the dragon blood within this reptile¡¯s veins would crush you.¡± Icicle smiled wryly. The feeling of regret had lessened. After all, he had a dozen of vials filled with Rekk¡¯s blood. Those are definitely top notch materials. If he ingests them slowly, he can benefit immensely over time. However, as the old man said, this required him to improve his physique. This couldn¡¯t be done by training alone though. He had to find a way to control his mana better, imbuing his limbs with it to strengthen them. The old man walked to the leftover of his house, his gaze falling at the rubble. Then he glanced at the bear and his expression turned sour. ¡°What was that move called?¡± Icicle asked. The old man turned, shaken up from his reverie. He didn¡¯t really want to answer some youngster¡¯s question, as he felt he had told him enough. However, there was a tiny water droplet swirling on the young one¡¯s hand. ¡°A Water Mage, huh?¡± the old man pondered, flashing a faint smile, remembering his youthful days. ¡°There are many names for it. Most people call it [Mirage Sword] although the [Phantom Sword] version is popular too. You can find its users at the continent east of here.¡± The old man smiled faintly and turned to his companion again. He caressed the bear¡¯s fur, applying mana to its wounds. The bear¡¯s expression turned a bit better. ¡°Does senior need help with his companion?¡± Icicle asked amiably. ¡°If my magic can¡¯t heal it, I doubt yours can.¡± the old man drawled out. Icicle didn¡¯t mind the remark. After all, someone at such a high level had to have at least a bit of pride. ¡°Catch.¡± Icicle said, throwing a vial. Catching the glass vial midair, old fisherman uncorked it and sniffed a few times. ¡°You actually harnessed that reptile¡¯s blood?¡± Icicle smiled wryly at the suspicious glare he received. ¡°I have my ways.¡± he said. ¡°Senior should feed his companion with it. Although I can¡¯t drink it right now, Senior¡¯s companion should be able to. After all, a hint of dragon blood within a vial like that is almost non-existent.¡± Glaring at Icicle, the old fisherman turned to his bear to feed him the reptile blood. The old man felt somewhat offended. A young man was actually telling him what to do¡­ As soon as the fisherman was done, the bear¡¯s expression resumed its peaceful demeanor. It slept, recuperating ever so slowly. The hint of the dragon blood didn¡¯t seem to pose too much of a threat to it. Turning to the young man, old fisherman noticed his eager eyes. ¡°Although this is somewhat valuable, it can¡¯t compare to the skill you want.¡± Icicle laughed embarassedly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, having senior owe me a favor is good enough for me.¡± Right as the words fell, old fisherman¡¯s expression fluctuated. ¡°Cunning, sly bastard!¡± he thought. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Icicle bowed and turned to the western mountain. Silence reigned over the grasslands. Icicle traversed a few dozen metres when a voice rang out behind him. ¡°Catch.¡± Quickly turning, Icicle caught the object. It was a leather book with old, yellow pages. ¡°I don¡¯t like owing anyone favors.¡± the old fisherman said gravely, glaring at Icicle. Icicle¡¯s reaction speed confirmed his suspicions. That young man was definitely ready to catch something flying his way. Old fisherman has obviously seen through him, but it still didn¡¯t sit right with him to owe someone. ¡°This technique can be mastered once you enter the Advanced level. Judging by your current attainment in mana control, it will probably take you a decade. There are a few moods you need to realize to use the technique, but you¡¯re a smart person. Since you could force a situation like this, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage.¡± Finishing his speech, the old fisherman snorted, unsummoning his companion. Then, he waved his hand and a large piece of green crystal appeared. It looked like a [Summoning stone] Icicle dropped, but it was at least 50 times the size. Crashing the stone like it was nothing, a violent fluctuation appeared in the space around the old man. Soon, a huge blue head emerged, followed by an 8m long body. A blue scaled lithe body with a yellow belly rose to the skies. The creature flapped its wings fiercely, letting out an excited roar! Icicle¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the enormous blue creature. ¡°Water Dragon!¡± he exclaimed inwardly. The old man mounted the young water dragon and ascended to the skies. Icicle smiled faintly, shouting ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to reciprocate Senior Naterix¡¯s kindness.¡± he took a deep breath and shouted once again ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡± *** Magician Naterix disappeared under the vastness of the orange sky. The sun was about to disappear from the horizon, gracing the land with its last rays of light. Icicle stood alone in this serene atmosphere. The lush grasslands around him were no more. Upturned soil, burned patches of land, craters as if a meteorite shower fell there¡­ The area around the raging eastern river resembled an aftermath of an apocalypse. ¡°I like this world more and more.¡± Icicle laughed out loudly, falling onto his butt. He looked at the direction of the forest leading to the Vilen Town. ¡°No need to be so cautious, you can come out.¡± Icicle noticed the vigilant eyes before, but he didn¡¯t call the people out as it could spook the old fisherman, or should he say, Magician Naterix. Jasik and his Hunter friends slowly walked out of the forest. They had bags packed with furs and meat of the monsters they have just hunted. However, once they heard the terrible roar of Rekk, they hid in the forest, watching the scene from afar. Naturally, the instance of Icicle dispatching the Mercenary fell into their eyes as well. ¡°So it¡¯s you, Jasik.¡± Icicle smiled faintly. ¡°Tell me, which kingdom are you guys familiar with?¡± Jasik furrowed his brows at the unexpected question. ¡°Minaeryth Kingdom of course, why?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Icicle nodded, looking at the distance. As the silence reigned once again, Jasik and his group walked closer. ¡°You¡¯re not a Merchant, are you?¡± Jasik asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Then the furs¡­?¡± Jasik asked with suspicion. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. Their price had dropped.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°But you didn¡¯t say the truth either.¡± Jasik shook his head helplessly. ¡°I played on one of the bazzar Merchant¡¯s pride to offer me a very favorable price publicly. The rest of the story you should figure out.¡± Jasik nodded. Icicle must have had an enormous opportunity to gather so many gold coins to pull of this gamble. Offending big forces required guts. ¡°Say, are you up for a little gig?¡± Icicle laughed mysteriously. ¡°What gig?¡± Jasik decided to be cautious. Icicle wasn¡¯t simple. He always had an ulterior motive. ¡°I¡¯ve found a bunch of Mercenaries kidnapping people from the Minaeryth Kingdom. As you can see, most of them is dead, but there are some remnants in the camp not far from here. I was wondering if you can help me, or rather, help them meet their maker?¡± Icicle flashed an innocent smile. Jasik shuddered. Mercenaries kidnapping people nearby? This news has indeed circulated, but it was long before the adventurers arrived. Contemplating for a while, Jasik consulted with his teammates. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for the Kingdom, we should do it. After all, there¡¯s not much glory left for us. This one gig could give us a nice retirement.¡± one of the Hunters voiced his opinion. ¡°I agree. If it feels like we can¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll retreat and call the guards.¡± the other Hunter said. They could judge the Mercenaries¡¯ strength by watching their battle with Rekk. Chatting some more, Jasik and his group returned to Icicle. ¡°What¡¯s the split?¡± Jasik asked. ¡°Alchemic ingredients, recipes and jewelry goes to me, you can take the rest.¡± Icicle stated. ¡°The gold?¡± Jasik continued. ¡°All yours.¡± Icicle stood up and dusted his clothes. ¡°You guys ready?¡± ¡°Wait a second. Can you show us some proof that we¡¯re indeed getting rid of traitors? We don¡¯t want to be a part of your personal vendetta.¡± Jasik shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to be rude, but this had to be confirmed. After all, although they have seen the Mercenaries fighting with Rekk, they didn¡¯t know anything about them. ¡°Hmmm. Let me see.¡± Icicle checked his inventory and found the drop from Gaius. A golden signet with a reptile eye in the middle and a letter with orders were all he had. Icicle fished out the letter and opened it. He read through the content then gave the document to Jasik. ¡°Read it.¡± Jasik glanced the document over, showing the paper to his friends. ¡°All right, we can go.¡± Icicle nodded and lead the team to the Red Blooming Valley. *** Magician Naterix stood on top of the young Water Dragon. He caressed its head lovingly. ¡°Weird, how did that young man know my name?¡± he thought. After a while, his joyous laughter resounded in the skies. ¡°I see, you were an adventurer. Those young people who wanted to become fishermen knew my name right from the start as well.¡± Naterix smiled. ¡°With such a cunning mind, we may indeed meet in the future.¡± Naterix laughed raucously, disappearing from the Minaeryth Kingdom. *** Meanwhile, the [Death to human invaders!] event has ended. The lizardmen forces were defeated and the scoreboard flashed above the Vilen Town, showing the results! Overslept Sorry guys, I overslept. Played too much town of salem. Update: I''ve got the plot but words don''t flow. I''ll release at the end of the day. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Update 2: Long chapter, editing it just now, ETA around 20-25 mins. 00:30 CET. Chapter 36 Author¡¯s note: Woah, 4,8k. Took some time to edit, sorry guys. Around two chaps left till the arc is over. Under the starry night sky, a blue window visible only to players illuminated the space above Vilen Town. First 100 places in the ranking were displayed far and wide, spreading those players¡¯ glory, as well as making them potential targets. ¡°Hahaha, I won!¡± Tiana slapped Puyo¡¯s back so hard he choked. Puyo looked at the ranking list with dismay.
Death to human invaders Ranking 12. Frett 921 points 13. Tiana 867 points 14. Santi 841 points 15. Puyo 829 points
¡°Shit!¡± Puyo cursed inwardly. Every single player had received the message with their own ranking. Puyo knew it was going to be close between him and Tiana, but he was surprised to find even Santi scored above him.
Choose your reward. A) 2 bronze event boxes B) 1 silver event box
¡°Which one should we take?¡± Laris asked. As a healer, her contribution score was obviously lower than the rest, but her threshold for receiving the rewards was also lower. Thus, she received the same rewards her party did. ¡°Look at the bottom of the ranking. Take the silver ones.¡± Frett said. Checking the bottom of the display, Laris noticed additional information glistening in bright golden font.
Rewards information: Platinum event box ¨C awarded for exceptional performance during the event. Highest possible reward ¨C [Artifact] grade item. Gold event box ¨C awarded to the top of the contribution points list, thresholds differ between classes. Highest possible reward ¨C [Legendary] grade item. Silver event box ¨C awarded to the top contestants. Highest possible reward ¨C [Legendary] grade item. Bronze silver box ¨C awarded to the top 100 of the list. Highest possible reward ¨C [Elite] grade item. The rest of the event boxes are ranked as Misc. There¡¯s a miniscule chance of getting a Skillbook or an [Elite] grade item. The rewards differ depending on performance, class and your character¡¯s level. Good luck adventurers!
As the party chose the silver boxes, Santi stood in front of joyful Tiana and the very gloomy Puyo. Watching the two, he said, ¡°You two, hand over the boxes. We paid for your weapons, it¡¯s time for you to pay us back.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Tiana instantly woke up from her delight, screaming in outrage. ¡°Don¡¯t grumble or I¡¯ll cancel Puyo¡¯s punishment. You¡¯ve got your slave for the Saturday, and slaves need to eat. Once you signed a contract with the devil, you can¡¯t just say no at the end.¡± Santi gently smiled, outstretching his hand. Tiana glanced at Puyo who gifted his box away without much of a fight and reluctantly relinquished her own reward. Although she was disappointed, the corner of her mouth was curled into an insidious smile. ¡°At least I have this free horse.¡± she muttered. ¡°A horse?¡± Puyo heard the insidious whisper and stared at Tiana. ¡°You¡¯re right, a horse is too high of an evaluation. A mule would be better.¡± Tiana corrected herself. ¡°Y-You!¡± Puyo balled his fists. ¡°Do we open now?¡± Darkk asked. ¡°No, we¡¯ll open the boxes tomorrow. Let¡¯s get some more sleep today.¡± Santi happily pocketed the spoils. All of the party had barely slept, since they were roused by the news of the event. It was time to catch up on rest. *** Meanwhile, in the garden in front of Vilen Town¡¯s plaza, Vilenne chatted with Shurya, an instructor for the Warrior Guild. Shurya was expectantly waiting for her students¡¯ performance, while Vilenne was quite sceptic. She had barely touched upon those chicks. How could they do as well as Warriors who were imparted the combat skills? ¡°How did you perform?¡± Shuyra asked her disciples. ¡°Top 1000 of the list.¡± ¡°Top 3000.¡± some newbie Warriors helplessly shook their heads. They simply didn¡¯t play long enough. Since they were low level, their rewards weren¡¯t that much worse than others¡¯ though. ¡°And you guys?¡± Vilenne asked her scarce pupils. ¡°We were ranked in the top 8000.¡± Vilenne¡¯s students said somewhat embarrassedly. Some of them decided to become a Water Mage just because of Vilenne¡¯s looks. Now not only couldn¡¯t they show off, they also brought her shame. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you guys haven¡¯t gone out of town much after all.¡± Vilenne didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Tell me about the front rows.¡± Vilenne smiled gently. She knew Cindy sent the little bastard to kill the lizardman prince. During their talk on the wall, Adian confirmed Vilenne¡¯s suspicions ¨C Icicle wasn¡¯t a nobody. If the bastard wasn¡¯t here, he must have been creating a chaos somewhere else. ¡°Most of the top 10 are the guys who hunted down the Rare variants of the lizardmen. There¡¯s also a party who killed the green lizardman boss taking a few spots in the first 15 of the list. As for the number one, I don¡¯t know what he or she did. That person has 3289 contribution points while the second place has only 1347 points.¡± ¡°And the name of that person is?¡± Vilenne asked with some anticipation. ¡°Icicle.¡± the student replied. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Vilenne roared up with laughter, hands on her hips. ¡°Cindy, you heard that? Looks like the little bastard did something big.¡± ¡°Hmph, of course he did.¡± Cindy cutely snorted. ¡°How can someone who made you sweat so much fail to meet the expectations?¡± she yawned, comfortably laying on the grass beneath a tree. ¡°Kgh!¡± Vilenne¡¯s laughter died down in her throat. ¡°Congratulations Vil, it seems that you have picked up a good seed.¡± Shurya smiled wryly. This was a total disgrace. Not only a first place but almost tripling the second place¡¯s score? Doesn¡¯t it mean that one adventurer that Vilenne picked up could do what 4 of her pupils barely accomplished? And he wasn¡¯ even a combat class but a Water Mage! Vilenne didn¡¯t seem to hear the praise as she remembered the embarrassing moment from before, as well as being called a ¡°little brat¡±, making her grind her teeth. Cindy opened one of her eyes and snapped her fingers. ¡°Grow up.¡± The soil moved under Cindy¡¯s will, enveloping Vilenne and transporting her to the Mage Guild like a mole digging a tunnel under the amazement of the gathered players. They looked at Cindy with astonishment, only to find that she was nowhere to be found. Only the wind was left, rustling the grass where she had previously laid on. ***
[Death to human invaders!] event has ended. Your rank: 1 ¨C 3289 contribution points You receive 1 Platinum event box as a reward.
¡°Rank 1 in the event?¡± Icicle tapped his chin. ¡°Guess killing those lizardmen before finding the correct path wasn¡¯t a total waste.¡± Icicle looked at the item.
[Platinum event box] A reward granted for the exceptional performance in the event. Notice: Opening the box will generate a random reward out of the pool.
Icicle tapped the item in his inventory twice, making it disappear. Another window popped up.
[Shapeless Ring] [Special] A powerful protective treasure. Absorb a magic related attack, curse, pattern or seal. Notice: One time use. Requirements: Must be worn before usage.
¡°A protective ring that I won¡¯t use anytime soon, huh? Well, it¡¯s better than nothing. I will come in handy later in the game.¡± Icicle wasn¡¯t too thrilled. By the time this ring becomes somewhat useful, he¡¯ll already have a lot of other protection available. If not, that just means he didn¡¯t play well enough. ¡°How much longer are we going to wait?¡± Jasik asked. Icicle and the other Hunters hid in the cave behind the waterfall for way too long. ¡°Have some patience, will you? Once those mercenaries exit, we¡¯ll ambush them. Then we¡¯ll head to the camp to finish off the rest.¡± Icicle said, not minding the grumbling of the Hunter. Those mercenaries wore some pretty good armors, so they couldn¡¯t be weak. It¡¯s just that in front of Rekk they were like ants trying to kill an elephant. Unless the elephant had a phobia or died from laughter, their chances were next to zero. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± one of the Hunters said, pointing to the Green Lizardmen Cave. Jasik ran out of the cave, signaling a team camping outside the Green Lizardmen Cave to prepare for a fight. ¡°Nothing here!¡± one of the Mercenaries screamed exiting the Green Lizardmen Cave. His whole armor was covered in red blood, giving it a scarlet sheen. Unfortunately, the mercenaries didn¡¯t find what they were looking for. The relic described to them wasn¡¯t there. In fact, there were barely any lizardmen protecting the whole cave. Noticing the eerily calm atmosphere, the front row mercenary knew something was off. He glanced around, his eyes widening in astonishment. Whoosh! An arrow was loosened from a longbow, cutting through the air and bolting straight towards the mercenary¡¯s throat. It lodged itself firmly, splattering blood all over the water covered ground. The front row mercenary was dead on the spot. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± the other Mercenaries screamed. Due to the constant screams of lizardmen, they didn¡¯t know what was happening outside. They felt like the battle was over and the giant lizard was defeated. After all, they had received reports of the giant reptile being in a near death state. Icicle didn¡¯t waste time either. He ran out of the cave and cast [Water prison] on 3 of the mercenaries. His sword ignited, releasing a terrible wave of heat. Soon after, a fireball latched itself onto one of the bow using mercenaries, incinerating him. *** The battle has ended. Corspes of the fallen mercenaries have littered the floor. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± a scream came out from the cave behind the waterfall. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to entertain those mercenaries. Adventurers like me will get here soon. If we don¡¯t strike fast, the other mercenaries might be alarmed by the guys who had escaped earlier.¡± Icicle said. He has handed out healing potions to the wounded Hunters. After casting [Healing drizzle] a few times, they were ready to go. ¡°You¡¯re right. Bayley, how¡¯s the interrogation going?¡± Jasik turned towards the waterfall cave and asked. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed what the young one said. Those people are indeed here for some kind of treasure, but their true purpose was to terrorize the cities of Minaeryth Kingdom, spreading chaos and unrest throughout the land. This seems like a carefully thought of excuse to cause a war.¡± Bayley responded. ¡°Taking more out of them would take some time though.¡± ¡°Off them then. We¡¯ll have plenty more to interrogate. Traitors deserve to die.¡± Jasik said mercilessly. *** Under the starry sky, painful, desolate howls mixed with screams of agony resounded, as the human souls left the bodies of the silver cladded people. *** ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Jasik asked. The group has just crossed the narrow rockface passage. Now they had to think of a way to get rid of the rest of the mercenary group. ¡°I¡¯ll cause enough commotion to be the center of attention. Meanwhile, you guys need to shoot the mercenaries on the palisade and enter the camp itself. As for what means you use, you¡¯re on your own. I won¡¯t be able to help you once I¡¯m entangled with others.¡± Icicle declared. ¡°Hehehe, good enough. Don¡¯t worry about us, we have plenty of ways to make the prey sleep, it won¡¯t be hard to deal with a couple dozen humans.¡± Jasik flashed a cheeky grin. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move then.¡± Icicle nodded and carefully moved amongst the rolling hills, trying to avoid attention. ¡°Hey, you there! Stop!¡± a patrol of mercenaries came out of the shadow, spotting Icicle. Icicle turned slowly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you guys!¡± he said, recognizing the silver armor of the mercenaries. ¡°I came here to thank you for letting me rest earlier!¡± The mercenaries glared at Icicle suspiciously. They knew their Captain went to find the relic and he hasn¡¯t come back yet. Icicle came exactly from that direction. ¡°Are you looking for your team? They have already left¡­¡± Icicle muttered. The mercenaries looked at Icicle as if he was lying, gracing him with a death stare. ¡°I saw your friends dispersing after entering the two caves in the valley.¡± Icicle said with his brows furrowed, not understanding the gaze they shot him. ¡°Could you elaborate?¡± one of the patrolling mercenaries asked. ¡°There were three groups. Two smaller ones entered the caves, and a big one fought off a giant black dragon. Soon after that, one of the groups that entered the cave emerged with a pouch that they looked at as if it was made out of pure gold. I don¡¯t know what was inside, it looked like a rock.¡± Icicle thought and said. ¡°Well then brother, we would like you to tell this to our officer. Would you be so kind to let us escort you to the camp?¡± the same mercenary said, smiling amiably. ¡°Really? You can escort me? That would be great! I was afraid some monster might jump me here, but I had to make sure to thank you guys before you left as well!¡± Icicle nodded a few times like a chicken pecking rice. *** ¡°Do we change the plan, Jasik? Young one was taken.¡± one of the Hunters asked. ¡°No, we¡¯ll wait for him to make some ruckus inside. You¡¯ve seen what he has done during the battle, that little chick can protect himself. If he doesn¡¯t act within the next 20 minutes though, we¡¯ll go in.¡± Jasik made a decision. ¡°Alright.¡± the others nodded, running behind shaded covers of trees and stones. *** Boom! Vilenne heavily struck with her sword, destroying one of the earth golems Cindy created for her. She panted, taking deep breaths. This activity has been going on for quite a while. The whole grounds of Vilen Town¡¯s Mage guild shook time after time as a beautiful female vented her anger on the puppets made from soil. Thud! Vilenne fell on her back, a beautiful smile emerging on her exquisite face. ¡°Now I understand how my father must have felt. If that¡¯s how I feel towards the little bastard, then I must have been one hell of an ungrateful brat.¡± Vilenne muttered, her blue eyes staring at the starry night sky. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°A royal princess acting like a child. What an unusual sight.¡± Cindy yawned. ¡°Don¡¯t call me a royal. It¡¯s just because of my aura that I was given that meaningless title.¡± Vilenne grumbled. ¡°Inheriting the noble blood of legendary Ice Mages isn¡¯t something trivial, child. There has been like what, three of you in the last couple thousand years?¡± Cindy looked at Vilenne with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have chosen to be this way. Besides being given a title, I can only execute a few tricks given to me by the royal family. What¡¯s the point of having the legendary aura if you can¡¯t draw its power?¡± Vilenne shrugged. ¡°All the introductory and advanced ice magic manuals were lost or taken away from the royal family a long time ago.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t travelled the world yet, child.¡± Cindy smiled, looking at Vilenne with some pity. She shouldn¡¯t waste her talent. ¡°Once you get to the Master level, you should visit the boundless desert east of here. The Water Mages there are complete monsters. They can spout water from their hands like a hose. Their mana vibrates so fast that their cutting power is no different than [Wind Blades] used by Wind Mages. What¡¯s more, their defensive measures against magic are terrifying.¡± Cindy reminisced. ¡°That¡¯s not Ice magic though.¡± Vilenne bitterly smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Earth Mages that were indestructible within their defenses, Wind Mages that were so elusive that my every attack felt like I was hitting air and a Lightning Mage who has comprehended an earth mood, harnessing the power of gravity.¡± ¡°As for the Fire magic users¡­ there are a few crazy ones taking baths in volcanos as if it were a sauna. However, Fire Mages usually tend to lean towards crafting side, creating very powerful weapons with their affinity for melting very tough materials. That¡¯s why they¡¯re respected by every strong personage who looks for a weapon. And trust me, everyone does. Even though I have lived for a long time, I¡¯ve seen only one Fire Mage who was absurdly powerful.¡± Cindy helplessly shook her head. Vilenne listened with rapt attention. This could help her look for ice magic manuals in the future. ¡°How powerful was he?¡± ¡°Heheh, it was actually a woman.¡± Cindy flashed a cheeky grin. ¡°Her magic was so strong that she seemed to turn into fire itself. Then she raised her hands and sent her magic to the sky, bringing down a meteorite¡­ The city that dared to underestimate and use her was razed down to the ground. Not a single soul has survived her wrath.¡± ¡°Does that person still live?¡± Vilenne asked as she sat up. Someone who¡¯s capable of wiping out a city by calling down a meteor must be a terrifying figure. It¡¯s weird she hasn¡¯t heard anything about the woman before. Such rumors should have spread. ¡°As far as I know, she does.¡± Cindy smiled gently. ¡°That incident with the town¡­ it was investigated later. There are many parts of this world where law doesn¡¯t mean anything. Special treasures to protect yourself and your own power are the only things that you can rely on. I mean it. Even your identity is worthless if you meet someone ruthless enough.¡± Cindy shook her head. ¡°That town was one such place.¡± ¡°That Fire Mage woman entered the town in search of rare materials for smelting. Like I said earlier, those people love showing off their craft. It¡¯s like a badge of honor for them ¨C ¡°Look, I¡¯ve crafted a better weapon than you¡± and bam, it¡¯s on. If you can¡¯t outdo the challenger in the next year or so, your ranking drops.¡± ¡°Anyways, she entered the town in search of the ingredients. One of the Alchemists tricked her somehow, feeding her a strong sedative drug. With her level of power, she couldn¡¯t be checked by [Sense presence] so the dumb old man had actually mistaken her for a lost lass, trying to fulfill his wicked fantasies.¡± Cindy said bitterly. ¡°As it later turned out, that Alchemist wasn¡¯t so dumb. He had actually mixed a powerful poison with the sedative, most likely wishing to sell the woman to the slavers after he had had his fun. But could a person who was so powerful not carry any antidotes? That woman temporarily suppressed the effects of the poison and ran out of the town.¡± ¡°A running woman, especially a beautiful one amongst a town of thieves and deception in every corner can be easily discerned. So it was no wonder that the infamous lecher Rimzo has targeted her. Finally having enough, that woman exploded in flames, using her protective treasure at the same time. Well, as they say, the best defense is a good offense. A giant meteor fell from the sky, embraced by the powerful flames let out by the Grandmaster rank woman.¡± Cindy narrated. ¡°And then there were no survivors? How do you know all of this?¡± Vilenne asked. ¡°Heheh, because there was one survivor. The lecher Rimzo was actually one of those elusive Wind Mages, focusing on developing his escape moves. He had survived, but was badly burnt. As the Grandmaster rank woman fell from exhaustion and the drug¡¯s effect, he closed in on her. I was passing by that desert covered area and noticed what was happening. I used my magic by an instinct, causing a giant pointy rock to sprout from the ground, stabbing straight through the chest of Rimzo, killing him on the spot.¡± Cindy looked somewhat said. ¡°I had a lot of problems because of it later.¡± she muttered. ¡°After that, I wasted a very precious herb to heal the poisoned woman, one that I was supposed to refine to further my Advanced level. The woman woke up two days later, introduced herself and told me what had happened. As a gift of gratitude, she had given me an ancient manual.¡± Cindy flipped her palm over and summoned a slowly rotating lump of soil. The lump of soil started changing shapes, sometimes being a square, sometimes a rectangular and other times a circle. Finally, it had turned into a small golem, like the ones Vilenne vent her anger on. ¡°This¡­¡± Vilenne stared with wide open eyes. Such precise control! Even Grandmaster level people in the royal family couldn¡¯t control their magic manifestation like Cindy did. ¡°Heheh, surprised?¡± Cindy laughed cheekily. ¡°Well, watch this.¡± Cindy walked to one of the walls of the Mage Guild¡¯s backyard and pressed her finger against a stone. Rumble! As the stone was pushed in and the rumbling ensued, a yellow colored barrier appeared around the whole backyard of the Mage Guild. ¡°Watch closely.¡± Cindy smiled at Vilenne¡¯s astonishment. Bam! Cindy struck the ground with her palm, making the earth split. Various ancient patterns emerged on the floor, blazing with golden light. Two large hands emerged from the hole. A giant earth golem rose from the earth, as if called from the dead. It lifted itself up, shaking the ground with its weight once it stood up. ¡°C-Cindy y-you¡­ you¡¯re a Grandmaster level Earth Mage!¡± Vilenne was so astonished she forgot to breathe for a moment. ¡°Indeed, for quite some time now.¡± Cindy nodded as if she didn¡¯t care. ¡°Why are you keeping your level at the peak of Master rank then?¡± Vilenne asked. This situation was too much for her. A random talk about ice magic had actually evolved into this power show. ¡°Remember the manual I mentioned? The one I was given by the Fire Mage woman? I¡¯ve reached a Grandmaster stage long ago, but it¡¯s so obscure that I can¡¯t proceed any further.¡± Cindy said with a smile. She didn¡¯t seem too bothered about her stagnated growth. ¡°You asked me about the ice magic, and what I¡¯m saying now is directly connected to it. What you know now, are little tricks. But those tricks had to be developed by people. Think, how did the humans learn magic?¡± Vilenne stood there and pondered while Cindy continued talking. ¡°My guess is quite simple. They learned it from the monsters. They at first mimicked them and then tried to adapt to the system on their own. Look at the little bastard you get so peeved about. He could have learned it like other adventurers did, yet he has chosen our system. He tried to adapt and succeeded. His road will be rocky, but he¡¯ll be able to reach an unimaginable level if he meets the right people. After all, there are many Grandmaster ranked personages among this world. Well, if he has the opportunity to meet them, that is.¡± While Vilenne was still stumped by the barrage of Cindy¡¯s half-answers, Cindy continued talking. ¡°Now take my magic for example. The manual I received was an ancient one, making you able to shape earth at will. Did you really think that every Earth Mage could create golems at will? Hell no. Even if they can, they have to control every single one of them, while I can teach my golems simple commands, for example fighting patterns give them lots of examples, so they develop a limited intelligence.¡± ¡°You still here?¡± Cindy asked. ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Vilenne shakily responded. That was a lot to take in. ¡°Well then, by the example I¡¯ve given you before and your own knowledge, what does it take to advance in realms of magic?¡± Cindy asked as she glanced at the moon. ¡°Understanding a law, either consciously or subconsciously, certain affinity with the element, a lot of practice and research, often understanding certain moods and of course insight.¡± Vilenne replied. This much she was taught by the royal family. ¡°Heheh, that¡¯s correct. And insight can be reflected upon or chanced upon. So you can say that luck is involved in the process. That¡¯s why everyone should travel the world at least once. To see its wonders so they take a correct path.¡± Cindy smiled gently, like a loving parent. ¡°Taking into consideration everything you¡¯ve said, what would be the next level of my Earth shaping magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯-¡± Vilenne stuttered, suddenly widening her eyes. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t mean- ¡°Oh, you figured it out?¡± Cindy walked towards Vilenne and ruffled her black, long hair. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Creation. And that belongs¡­ ¡°To the domain of the gods.¡± Vilenne ended for her. ¡°Correct.¡± Cindy nodded approvingly. She glanced at Vilenne softly. ¡°Why are you telling me all of this?¡± Vilenne asked. ¡°Have you ever wondered why Marcus Vilen became the lord? And his family before him? Why he was given so much authority that this region has been deemed independent by Minaeryth Kingdom?¡± Cindy asked instead. Vilenne thought for a while. What Cindy has told her today has all been interconnected. ¡°Wait¡­ no. That can¡¯t be!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°The Fire Mage woman?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen Ivir¡¯s mother?¡± Cindy responded with another question. ¡°You mean to tell me that¡­?¡± Vilenne stuttered. ¡°Heheh, no. She¡¯s not the Fire Mage woman.¡± Cindy pinched Vilenne¡¯s cheek. ¡°Ivir¡¯s mom is quite a famous Lightning Mage though. She should be at the Master level by now.¡± ¡°So the Fire Mage woman?¡± Vilenne continued. Although the news of Ivir having a powerful mom was a shocker, compared to a city destroyer that was a drop in the ocean. ¡°Oh, her. She¡¯s an aunt of hers. Or a grand aunt. I don¡¯t know, never meddled with that too much. They¡¯re related though.¡± Cindy shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the Fire Mage woman called?¡± Vilenne gulped and asked. Does Ivir know any of this? ¡°They call her ¡°Star¡±. A glaringly blazing star with quite a short temper. She mostly associates herself with women as the pesky, furtive gazes of men annoy her. That¡¯s one of the disadvantages of being born a beauty.¡± Cindy laughed. ¡°As for her real name, that¡¯s not something you¡¯re allowed to know. Maybe once you¡¯ll reach the Grandmaster level, she¡¯ll introduce herself to you.¡± ¡°Oh and whatever you do, don¡¯t call her Red. She hates that.¡± Cindy suddenly added. ¡°Why do I have a feeling you did call her that?¡± Vilenne asked with a smile. ¡°Heheh, because I did, repeatedly. That¡¯s why she hates that nickname. It¡¯s not my fault though, really. She likes to wear those long red dresses with frills¡­¡± Cindy realized she said too much and stopped herself. ¡°Anyways, like I said, a short temper.¡± ¡°How did you survive angering a short tempered woman who can destroy cities?¡± Vilenne giggled. ¡°Hit the golem with all you¡¯ve got and you¡¯ll know.¡± Cindy smiled teasingly. ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t kill your lifesaver.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Vilenne focused on the giant 5m tall golem made of dense earth. Her sword glistened with blue hue and a giant blue dragon appeared behind her. ROAAR! The pebbles laying around in the backyard of the Mage Guild were swept away by the powerful shockwave. Vilenne stepped in and slashed out with all of her mana, focusing on the giant¡¯s right arm. Thunk! Vilenne¡¯s sword shook from the impact, making her entire arm numb while the golem only glanced around indifferently, not budging an inch. ¡°Do you know now?¡± ¡°Absolute magic defense.¡± Vilenne gaped. ¡°This golem can¡¯t be budged by anyone below the Grandmaster level.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Apart from a few monsters who comprehended some terrible magic, this golem is a complete stomper of Master level people. The earth its made of is quite a handy when a flame goddess attacks you.¡± Cindy smiled. ¡°Are you sure that the ¡°star¡± hated the ¡°Red¡± nickname and not you for teasing her?¡± Vilenne changed the subject. ¡°Who knows.¡± Cindy looked at Vilenne meaningfully. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s wrap it up. The young ones will worry about the barrier being up for too long.¡± Cindy unsummoned the golem, walking towards the stone with an inscription pattern on it to deactivate the barrier. ¡°Wait. Where should I look for ice magic then?¡± Vilenne asked. The information Cindy revealed was useful, but she had never mentioned ice magic users. ¡°I did see a few Ice Mages, but they were the wandering type, just like me. I can¡¯t pinpoint you to an exact location, dear. I haven¡¯t travelled through the southern continents though, so you might find your answers there. If not, there are always monsters you can try to mimic. If that doesn¡¯t work, look for people who have an influence. It¡¯s easier to accomplish many tasks once you help of those information brokers.¡± Cindy advised. ¡°Alright, thank you Cindy. I won¡¯t forget your kindness.¡± Vilenne bowed. ¡°You want to ask me something else, don¡¯t you?¡± Cindy could see right through Vilenne. ¡°Fire away.¡± ¡°Aside from Star, are there any other strong people I should be wary of?¡± ¡°Star¡¯s one of the top dogs in this realm. Once you break through the chains of Grandmaster level, you will enter the Deityhood. Then you¡¯re taken to another realm, where you compete with other Deities. As for what¡¯s there, I have no right to know.¡± Cindy shook her head. Internet dropping Like in the title, it''s dropping better than some drops in the dubstep. I am way too tired to deal with this shit now, so Chapter 37 will comeout sometime tomorrow. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. See you guys then. Chapter 37 Author''s note: Here you guys go, chap 37. I apologize for the yesterday, the net was shitty. Well, it was today too, but much more bearable. There''s a chapter or two to close this arc, then I''ll release a prologue and start on a new page, so the reviews are up to date. I''ll fix the issues in the earlier chapters too, if I find some during the editing. ¡°Wait for us here, little brother.¡± the escorting mercenary smiled as he and his friends entered one of the tents in the center of the camp. Soon after, a dozen of mercenaries came out, three of them in front. ¡°Are you the one saying that the others ditched us?¡± one of the officers asked. Icicle looked around with astonishment, answering ¡°All I said is that the horsemen and the silver clad guys on foot have left. Nothing less, nothing more.¡± he shrugged ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s not what I came here for.¡± As the confused mercenaries were exchanging glances, Icicle shuffled through his clothes, taking out a couple of health potions. ¡°I wanted to reciprocate your kindness, dear sirs. Last time you¡¯ve taken me in, I was chased by the lizardmen who left me alone only because of your presence. I may not be the best Alchemist around, but I¡¯ve put all of my heart into concocting these. I hope you can receive them.¡± Icicle outstretched his hands. The mercenary officers looked at each other. They wore badges with a golden lion standing on two legs that ordinary mercenaries didn¡¯t have. After the tacit agreement, one of them strolled towards Icicle and picked the vials up. ¡°Let¡¯s see how effective those concoctions of yours are.¡± the mercenary officer took out a knife from his belt and grabbed Icicle¡¯s hand. Splutter! Blood gushed out like a fountain from Icicle¡¯s forearm. ¡°Arghh!¡± Icicle screamed, trying to stop the bleeding. The mercenary in charge swatted Icicle¡¯s hand away, pouring the potion over the wound. Icicle gritted his teeth, enduring the searing sensation. Not long after, the wound stopped bleeding and then started closing. ¡°Hmm, pretty effective.¡± the mercenary officer went back to his friends to discuss the effect of the concoction. As they whispered in a circle, Icicle¡¯s facial expression fluctuated, but quickly returned to normal. ¡°Do you have some more?¡± one of the mercenaries turned and asked, greed flashing in his eyes. ¡°Sure brother, here you go.¡± Icicle rummaged through his clothes, pulling out 5 vials of intelligence boosting potions he received from Adian during the [Ingrained enmity] event. ¡°Catch.¡± Icicle smiled and threw the vials up. The greedy mercenaries who saw the earlier efficacy of the concoction ran up to collect the thrown vials. They outstretched their hands into the air, like children wanting to catch the balloon that¡¯s already gone. One of the mercenaries in the back glanced at the vials suspiciously. The color of the liquid inside wasn¡¯t red, but bluish-violet. Then he took a closer look and noticed that the liquid inside the vials was turbulent, like a sea during the storm. ¡°No!¡± that mercenary screamed. His eyesight was better than most as he was one of the best Archers in his city. However, by the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late. Boom! Boom! Boom! Five consecutive explosions resounded throughout the camp, one after the other. Glass and the viscous bluish-violet liquid sprayed on top of the mercenaries. The screams were unending amongst the chaos. Panic ensued as the aftermath of an explosion made many mercenaries run aimlessly. All of the eyes focused on the situation inside the camp. Mercenaries on top of the wooden palisade drew their bowstrings, ready to combat the assailant at any time. ¡°If you want to be greedy, you also need to be smart.¡± Icicle said with disdain. The blade in front of him ignited in blazing flame, shooting straight at the liquid covered mercenaries. Pssssssh! One by one, the silver clad mercenaries stood on flames. The bluish-violet concoction was highly flammable, quickly burning the skin of the mercenaries. Whoosh! An arrow flew past Icicle as he moved his head to the right. ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve got good eyes.¡± Icicle shrugged at the somewhat competent Archer. He wore the badge with the golden lion, the symbol of an officer. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you¡¯re the only lion amongst the sheep.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°I thought you threw some poison, but it was actually an explosive. That¡¯s way too conspicuous, man. Now you won¡¯t even have a chance to escape.¡± the Archer officer said gravely, nocking an arrow. ¡°Escape? Do you really think I came here to make some ruckus and run?¡± Icicle clutched his stomach as he laughed. ¡°You people have tried to kill me when I came here, so I¡¯m just returning you the favor.¡± Twang! Twang! Twang! A dozen or so arrows lodged themselves into the ground as Icicle jumped backwards. The Archers on top of the palisade shot volleys of arrows after him , waiting for the other mercenaries to close in on the sole intruder. ¡°You won¡¯t leave this place alive.¡± the Archer officer nocked his bow with three arrows and shot them at the same time. Icicle¡¯s feet shined with blue glow, allowing him to dodge nimbly. ¡°Weird, even though I use mana to move around, I still can¡¯t activate the [Elusive body].¡± Icicle thought as he avoided the constant stream of arrows. Thud! One of the mercenaries on the palisade fell to the ground, dead. Soon, a few other mercenaries left their still warm corpses on the floor. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± the sound of horns resounded throughout the camp, increasing the panic. ¡°Catch that one, I¡¯ll cover you!¡± the Archer officer shouted, pointing at Icicle. As he did, five people unsheathed their weapons and rushed at Icicle. Twang! Icicle turned, letting the arrow fly past him. He focused on getting to the exit as the mercenaries latched the gate shut. He had to let the Hunters enter if he wanted to leave the place alive. ¡°Thanks for helping me out.¡± Icicle flashed a cheeky grin. The more mercenaries gathered in one place, the more useful would his explosive potions be. Boom! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± the mercenaries in front of the gate tried to negate the explosion with their shields, yet the shockwave made them smash against the gate, rattling their muscular bodies. Icicle grunted as a bolt from the crossbow lodged itself into his left arm. ¡°Damn, there¡¯s too many of them, I can¡¯t dodge all of it.¡± Icicle grumbled. Sheathing his sword, he broke the bolt in half, dodging an arrow from behind. AWOOOOOOOOOOOO! Silverfang¡¯s howl resounded throughout the camp, startling the chasing mercenaries. Icicle cast [Water prison] on the fallen mercenaries near the gate, removing the latch. ¡°Come in!¡± Icicle shouted, dodging to the side. As he did, three arrows lodged themselves into the wooden gate, right where he stood. Bam! The wooden gate opened under the force of a violent kick from the outside. Twang! Twang! Twang! Arrows and bolts flew through the air, decimating the numbers of the mercenaries inside the camp. ¡°Don¡¯t kill the Archer with the badge!¡± Icicle shouted, hiding behind one of the tents near the front gate. Taking the rest of the bolt out, Icicle made the wound even more severe. Splutter! A gush of blood spurted from the wound, staining the elevated ground red. Taking a health potion out of his inventory, Icicle poured it over the wound, frowning from the pain. Rip! The tent behind Icicle was opened by a cold blade. ¡°Tch, lucky bastard.¡± the mercenary spoke, exiting with a dissatisfied expression. He waited for the moment Icicle would stop for a rest so he could ambush him, yet the bastard had escaped. ¡°You¡¯re just too lousy to ambush me. Face the reality.¡± Icicle shrugged, his arm itching. Then he bolted to the western side of the camp, letting the Hunters take care of the enemy mercenaries. Whoosh! An arrow brushed past Icicle¡¯s right cheek, making the chasing mercenary barely dodge. ¡°You fuckers, who are you trying to kill, me or him?!¡± the guy screamed at the other mercenaries from the western side. ¡°Move out of the way, you idiot!¡± the western side mercenaries yelled. Twang! Twang! Icicle ran into the tent on his right side to avoid the arrows. As he was about to enter the tent, he felt the presence of a mercenary inside, standing right at his left. Shiiing! Unsheathing his sword, Icicle entered the tent, immediately jumping to the right. The two sword clashed. Icicle blocked the blow in midair, borrowing the force to fly towards the right side of the tent. ¡°Shit.¡± the mercenary inside cursed. ¡°Did you get him?!¡± the ones outside hollered. ¡°No, he made a hole in the tent and is on the run! He¡¯s heading east!¡± ¡°After him!¡± Icicle bolted through the empty alleys, throwing an explosive health potion behind him to lose his tail. Boom! The potion exploded prematurely, making a lot of noise. None of the mercenaries were hit. Gaining confidence from Icicle¡¯s failure, the other mercenaries chased with more vigor, dropping their vigilance by a tiny bit. ¡°Catch!¡± Icicle shouted, throwing an empty vial. ¡°Back!¡± the mercenaries retreated, letting the vial drop to the ground. Smash! The glass broke, leaving behind shattered fragments which reflected the starry sky and the bright moon. ¡°Shit, we¡¯ve been played!¡± they silver clad people cursed. ¡°He entered that second tent on the right, after him!¡± More and more foosteps could be heard in the western area. Icicle¡¯s escape routes were blocked one by one. However, the young man was skillful. He left burning tents and explosive potions behind him, disrupting the rhythm of the chasing mercenaries. Whenever he fell into trouble, he would throw a couple of explosive potions, clearing the way for himself. ¡°Damn, those guys are taking it slow!¡± Icicle cursed his helpers. He knew he had to stall for some time, but those Hunters were seriously slacking off. *** Icicle kept running through the western area of the camp, attracting more and more attention. Arrowheads whistled through the air as they pierced the tents, following right after his hot trail. ¡°I should be really tired, but I¡¯m still feeling fine. I guess that lizardman essence had boosted my stamina considerably. The scratches I received from the whistling arrows heal much quicker than before too¡­ I have to get some training done so I can absorb Rekk¡¯s blood later. Who knows how strong my body will get once I manage to absorb all of it.¡± Icicle thought joyfully while running at top speed. Looking at the map, Icicle could only see the nearby tents and armories. There were no dots symbolizing enemies, so he had to go with his gut. Although [Sense presence] was useful, it worked only on the stealthed enemies in the 5m range, allowing Icicle to emerge from some ambushes unscathed. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± Icicle gasped as he entered the north west part of the camp. Rows of cages stacked next to each other covered the place. Some of the metal bars had cloth over them, while the others were directly illuminated by the moonlight, displaying the insides. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°An enemy attack?¡± ¡°Is this the rescue team?¡± ¡°Are we safe?¡± The locked up slaves discussed. They could barely see anything in the dark, what¡¯s more, most of their cages were isolated by a cloth or fur. All they could do was try to understand what was going on by listening to the sounds of scuffle. ¡°So they still haven¡¯t sold all of those slaves¡­¡± Icicle remembered the orders he had read. ¡°Maybe this quest was associated with the slaves themselves, yet I stumbled upon those mercenaries as the second branch of the quest, the ¡°meteoric rune¡± part.¡± Icicle shook his head as he knew he couldn¡¯t help the enslaved people. If he tried to attract more attention to himself it would be glaringly obvious that he wishes to free the slaves. This way, he might bring more harm than good. Thus, he bolted to the right, running straight to the center of the camp. *** Icicle was under fire again. Arrows whistled left and right as he nimbly dodged. His whole clothing was ragged, as if he entered a tornado only to come out of it, barely alive. Thanks to the boosted health regeneration, Icicle was able to ignore the minor scratches and bruises, saving the precious health potions. ¡°Catch it kid.¡± Icicle heard the voice of Bayley, the Hunter responsible for the earlier interrogations, as he approached one of the armories. A steaming hot white ball entered his hand. Puffs of smoke rose from the ball, forming into white wisps that diffused into the air. Icicle saw this tactic earlier, when the Hunters put half of the mercenaries entering the lizardmen caves to sleep. Grabbing the hot ball tightly, Icicle threw it into the armory, remaining in the area. ¡°You surely took your time.¡± Icicle grumbled to the Hunter. There were two groups of mercenaries approaching, so he had to run yet again. He might be strong enough to take on 2 or 3 of them, but any more than that is plain as day suicide. ***
You have been poisoned Tme left until falling asleep: 20 seconds.
¡°The lizardman essence must have enhanced my resistance to poison as well. I doubt I would be able to endure this long under the effect of the sleeping powder before.¡± Icicle thought as he looked for the antidote vial in his inventory. ¡°Luckily, that dumb dog didn¡¯t spend all of them on those snakes.¡± Icicle shook his head. It was only a couple of hours, yet he was already missing the dumb dog. This whole venture would have been so much easier with an invisible shadow by his side. Thud! Thud! Mercenaries fell asleep one by one. Icicle activated [Liquid membrane] to stay clear of the effects of the poisonous powder. ¡°How are the others doing?¡± Icicle asked Bayley who looked relaxed. ¡°They should be done soon.¡± Bayley answered, suddenly nocking an arrow with lightning fast reflexes. Twang! The arrow pierced the tent on the right side, lodging itself between the eyebrows of one of the hiding mercenaries. The mercenary fell, a piece of black cloth tied around his mouth. ¡°They are pretty organized for a bunch of mercenaries.¡± Bayley exclaimed. ¡°Are you saying they¡¯re the regulars?¡± ¡°Look at that.¡± Bayley took off the mercenary¡¯s helmet. ¡°His skin is a shade darker compared to the citizens of Minaeyrth Kingdom. The only place I can think of is the sunny area of the Qured Kingdom. Those lands have a lot of desert, so a darker shade of skin is pretty normal. If you check the others, you¡¯ll notice the same pattern.¡± Bayley explained. ¡°But there are the exceptions. If I were to call it right now, I would say that most of those mercenaries are the Qured Kingdom¡¯s regulars, the army. As for the rest of the mercs, they¡¯re conscripts. Those conscripts aren¡¯t from the guilds though. It would be too easy to link this incident back to the Qured Kingdom if they were. They are either outlaws, members of the underground or slaves who were released under contract. Of course there¡¯s a possibility of some crazy psychos and dumb enough treasure seekers joining the band, but that¡¯s highly unlikely.¡± Bayley voiced his opinion. ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys handle that. You report it to whoever you need to.¡± Icicle nodded. This explanation was pretty reasonable. ¡°There are some slaves in the north west corner. What do we do about them?¡± ¡°Slaves? How many?¡± Bayley asked. ¡°No idea, I had to run from the mercenaries, didn¡¯t have time to count them.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°Sigh, this is getting more troublesome than I thought.¡± Bayley tapped his chin. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t worry about a thing kiddo, we¡¯ll get this all sorted out.¡± ¡°I wanted to rummage through the armories and get some extra loot, but I guess it¡¯s evidence now, eh?¡± Icicle smiled wryly. ¡°Yeah, sadly.¡± Bayley shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t go against the lord, the truth always comes out.¡± Bayley shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m about to retire, I don¡¯t need any unnecessary problems.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get going then.¡± Icicle nodded, about to go. ¡°Did you get the Archer officer?¡± he turned and asked. ¡°We did, he was pretty tough to subdue. It¡¯s easier to kill yourself than to prevent someone from dying after all.¡± Bayled flashed a grin. ¡°Why, did you find anything about him?¡± ¡°I have a feeling that guy knows more than anyone else left in this camp.¡± Icicle said, turning to leave. ¡°Do you want me to report this incident to the lord? I am about to head to town.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Jasik and let him decide.¡± Bayley said. *** ¡°Deliver this safely.¡± Jasik cautioned. He handed Icicle an envelope with a red seal. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Icicle nodded helplessly. The letter was addressed to Marcus Vilen, describing the situation in the unknown mercenary camp. ¡°You guys should hurry up, there will be a lot of adventurers like me here soon. There¡¯s probably some outside already.¡± Icicle urged. Although all of the currently asleep mercenaries were tied up, there were way too many to control with the small group they had. Add adventurers into that and the ensuing chaos can be imagined. *** Icicle returned to Vilen Town under furtive gazes of a couple of players. He didn¡¯t know why they looked at him that way. Maybe his ranking in the event had something to do with this whole situation. His first stop was obviously the Tailor¡¯s house. Knock! Knock! ¡°Who is it?¡± Marisse opened the door with furrowed brows. Who could have visit her this late in the night? ¡°Hey there.¡± Icicle smiled wryly. This situation was a bit awkward. He didn¡¯t want to be seen like a burglar or a secret lover. ¡°Icicle, it¡¯s you!¡± Marisse exclaimed, giving him a hug. ¡°Did you succeed?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Icicle muttered as he was almost squeezed to death. ¡°Here you go, one bottle of high grade remedy. I¡¯ll leave a medium grade one just in case.¡± ¡°T-Thank you! Thank you!¡± Marisse teared up, hugging Icicle yet again. ¡°It¡¯s fine! You¡¯ll choke me to death!¡± ¡°Hehehe, sorry.¡± Marisse wiped her tears. She turned to her daughter¡¯s room, barging in there. ¡°Huh, mom? It¡¯s the middle of the night, what are you doing?¡± the little girl¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Here honey, mommy had finally found a cure for you! You¡¯ll be able to play with others again.¡± Marisse smiled gently, tears welling up in her eyes for the second time. ¡°Really?¡± the little girl¡¯s twin tails swayed as she happily gulped the liquid. ¡°Uuu, it¡¯s bitter.¡± ¡°You little.¡± Marisse ruffled her daughter¡¯s hair. *** ¡°Thank you once again, Icicle. I don¡¯t really have anything to give you but this.¡± Marisse handed Icicle a book. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything as a reward, Marisse. Seeing you so happy was enough of a reward for me. Besides, I have had my gains during the adventure.¡± Icicle flatly refused. ¡°No! I can¡¯t allow my benefactor to not take my gift.¡± Marisse shoved the book into Icicle¡¯s hands. ¡°Sigh, since you insist. But you should know I¡¯m most likely going to hand this over to someone else. I don¡¯t see myself making clothes anytime soon.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s yours now, you¡¯ll do what you want.¡± Marisse grinned. ¡°I know it¡¯s not a good time to ask, but¡­ could you make me anything from this?¡± Icicle awkwardly took out the white rhinoceros hide. ¡°Ah!¡± Marisse screamed, blocking her mouth with her hand. ¡°You do have a set made already, so I guess you would need a bag?¡± ¡°That would be great.¡± Icicle nodded. ¡°Hehe, the rest of the hide is mine then.¡± Marisse eyed the hide as if it was something very precious. ¡°Not a problem, do what you want with the rest.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°My little girl will be delighted. Such comfortable boots and gloves she¡¯ll have.¡± Marisse hugged the rhino hide. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get going. Have a nice night.¡± Icicle turned to the door. ¡°Wait! What about your Direwolf set?¡± Marisse asked. ¡°Oh that. If I took it today, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, so I¡¯ll come get it within two days.¡± Icicle bowed and left. *** Even though it was night in game, the streets of Vilen Town were still crowded with players. The trade flourished after the event, people exchanged items left and right. Icicle entered the Mage Guild, noticing only a few secretaries on the sides. ¡°Is Cindy here?¡± he asked bluntly. ¡°You¡¯ve come back, kiddo.¡± Cindy appeared out of nowhere, as if springing from the ground. ¡°Indeed. Here you go, your heart.¡± Icicle threw the quest item straight over to Cindy. As Cindy was still looking over the item, Icicle handed her a letter. ¡°Could you deliver this to Marcus Vilen? I¡¯m way too tired to deal with all of the ceremonies, and the matter is quite urgent.¡± Icicle yawned. ¡°What happened?¡± Cindy asked. ¡°Some mercenary group kidnapping citizens of the Minaeryth Kingdom. I coordinated with Jasik and his Hunter friends to rout them.¡± Icicle said. ¡°They have a camp north of the Red Blooming Valley.¡± ¡°Thank you, Icicle. I¡¯ll deliver it to that brat Marcus.¡± Cindy nodded seriously. ¡°As for your rewards, we¡¯ll talk later.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± Icicle shrugged. He received an Advanced realm skillbook for a Water Mage, what could be better than that? ¡°Tell the little brat I¡¯ll have my promised fight with her once I get back.¡± *** Jeremy took off the VR helmet, preparing to get to the bathroom when he saw the ¡°unread message¡± screen on his phone. ¡°The meeting is going to take place in 7 days.¡± Chapter 38 Author¡¯s note: The end of the arc. I¡¯ll take a week off to edit the previous chapters and get some work on the prologue. I also have an ¡°how to write¡± article in mind, so I¡¯ll keep you guys posted. ¡°FieryRed, get back!¡± Faura screamed. ¡°If I try to retreat, I¡¯ll be done for! Either run or help me out here!¡± FieryRed responded through gritted teeth. The Kobolds on the 2nd floor of the Desolated Catacombs had the party pinned down. Even though FieryRed blocked the entrance at first, with the absolute number advantage the Kobold possesed, it was impossible to keep control of the entrance for long. At the very moment, the whole corridor of Desolated Catacombs was strewn with Kobolds¡¯ hacked bodies. They didn¡¯t disappear after the killing blow was dealt, hindering the maneuverability of the party. However, even though a lot of the Kobolds were slain, at least 25% of the original force was intact. The situation didn¡¯t look too good for the adventurers as they were on their last breath. ¡°I¡¯m not a little bitch who would leave her teammates behind.¡± Faura snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the big guy, finish off as many as you can.¡± Enna said, rushing into the direction of an Elite level Kobold. ¡°Headshot, Inferno you two cover Enna. I and SilentStep will help out the redhead.¡± Faura ordered. ¡°Alirght.¡± With their health dangerously low, Faura and her team fiercely counterattacked, dodging the elemental blows of the Kobolds. Headshot fired arrows incessantly, drawing the aggro of many Kobolds. He was about to finish off yet another ugly monster when the elite Kobold waved its giant staff at him. ¡°Shit!¡± Headshot cursed, he didn¡¯t have any time to dodge. Boom! A giant fireball exploded on Headshot¡¯s body, making the party look in his direction with dismay. The numbers were all they had right now. If one fell, the rest would go down like the domino. ¡°Huh? He¡¯s fine?¡± Inferno stuttered, looking at the health bar in the party screen. ¡°Thanks Enna.¡± Headshot muttered, quickly standing up. Right before the fireball hit him, a protective barrier appeared around him, blocking the incoming damage. All Headshot has experienced was the knockback from the collision. ¡°What a monster. She had the time to actually cast a spell while dodging the blows of an Elite monster¡­¡± Faura stared wide-eyed. ¡°I¡¯ll have her teach us whatever she¡¯s using to dodge those impossible to foresee blows once we¡¯re done here.¡± Faura thought, shaking her head at Enna who was avoiding the strikes from her blindspot with ease, as if she had an additional pair of eyes. ¡°Both her and Icicle are monsters!¡± ¡°Wait, Icicle? Could it be that she has gotten this ability from him?¡± Faura wondered. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her later.¡± *** ¡°We¡¯re literally one hit away from dying.¡± Inferno gasped for breath. ¡°Let¡¯s kill whatever we can.¡± Faura nodded. There were only around 15 Kobolds left, including the Elite one. ¡°I got that one!¡± Faura screamed, attacking the Kobold on the right side of the corridor. As the Kobold died from the lightning strike, a green ball of light emerged from within his body. It floated in the air for a moment, suddenly flashing with a blinding light. ¡°Huh?¡± FieryRed looked back and saw roots growing out of the green ball of light, spreading throughout the corridor. A giant Oakling that resembled an Ent appeared, glaring at the Kobolds with contempt. This has taken all of the monsters¡¯ attention, making them attack the tree. ¡°Oooogh!¡± the Oakling grunted, waving its giant branch-like hand in the direction of the party. Green light glittered in the air, enveloping the six man team. Their health and mana were recovering in a ridiculously quick rate. ¡°This Oakling is a healer?¡± Headshot muttered. ¡°Stop staring, kill them all!¡± FieryRed roared. So what if the tree was a little useful? They needed to kill the Kobolds before another group patrols into them or other players enter their side of the dungeon. ¡°Careful, lightning strike.¡± SilentStep shouted. The Elite Kobold leaned, gripping its staff tightly. Sparks flew around its staff, forming into a swriling mass of cracking energy. Bzzzzt! The lightning ball flew through the air, releasing terrifying noise. Enna dodged nimbly, infusing mana into her fists to strike the Kobold¡¯s body. Bam! ¡°Ouieee! So tough.¡± Enna massaged her soaring hand, jumping a little from the pain. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Faura smiled, peppering the little Kobolds with basic mana attacks. The Oakling wasn¡¯t done either. Its branch-like palm balled, making roots spring up from the floor, locking the Kobolds in place. ¡°Now Inferno!¡± Faura shouted, casting a full force [Lightning bolt]. Boom! Under the combined efforts of the rejuvenated party and the oakling, the Kobolds fell. Only the Elite Kobold was still alive, hanging by the thread. ¡°Do the honors, redhead.¡± Faura laughed, seeing FieryRed glaring at the rest of the party furiously. Shiing! FieryRed used a beautiful overhead slash to finish the Kobold Elite off. Gold coins flew into the air as the Elite kobold died. All the nearby bodies of the fallen Kobodds have disappared, leaving the loot behind. ¡°Another skillbook!¡± Faura rejoiced, picking the Elite monster¡¯s loot. ¡°Let¡¯s see what it is¡­¡±
[Light Swirl] [Rare] Allows the user to release a swirling ball of light, blinding the enemies. Requirements: Level 20, Priest class.
¡°Enna, this is for you.¡± Faura threw the book, checking the other loot. ¡°Thanks.¡± Enna caught the book and curtsied. Faura collected the gold coins and noticed something else. ¡°A key?¡± she picked it up. ¡°Probably leads to the boss room.¡± SilentStep said. ¡°Can we even take something stronger than this?¡± Inferno asked. ¡°Not likely unless we get two more people.¡± SilenStep shook his head. ¡°Where¡¯s Teddy?¡± Faura asked. She didn¡¯t see the fat brown bear around. ¡°He died shielding Enna.¡± FieryRed shrugged. ¡°For once he acted like a male would.¡± Faura gently ruffled FieryRed¡¯s long red hair. ¡°It will be alright.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± FieryRed stared. ¡°He¡¯s not dead forever, I can summon him again in 24 hours.¡± she shrugged. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good¡± Faura smiled sheepishly. ¡°Let¡¯s check the room up front.¡± Entering through the hole Teddy made earlier, the party walked into the Kobold Elite¡¯s room, immediately noticing various ores and rocks jutting from the ground. On the right side of the room stood a cart full of rusty tools. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have your field day, Headshot.¡± Inferno laughed, pointing at the rocks. ¡°I don¡¯t really have a pickaxe.¡± Headshot smiled wryly. He hoped he could extricate himself from work. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of those in the cart.¡± Infenro pointed his finger to the cart full of pickaxes. ¡°This seems like a chain subquest.¡± SilentStep chuckled. ¡°First the Mining skillbook, now the necessary tools. We were supposed to find this room. Maybe the key isn¡¯t for the boss room, but for some kind of hidden vault. After all, this room wasn¡¯t very visible either.¡± ¡°Heh, we can only dream.¡± Faura smirked. ¡°Unless we¡¯ll have FieryRed bash into all of the walls ahead of like her pet did before, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find whatever this key is for soon.¡± Faura quipped. ¡°Who knows, maybe it¡¯s a windfall for some Scout class that we don¡¯t know anything about.¡± *** Raren City, Princess Saress¡¯s domain Ten Martial Eagles were currently resting in one of the majestic royal stables. Beastmasters attending to the creatures were selected from the finest of the Fashin continent. Inside the palace, a sleepy red-haired woman in violet dress walked in from the side. She looked around the room lazily, saying ¡°The mercenaries that plagued our land have been thrown into the dungeon. Your service for the kingdom won¡¯t be forgotten. However, it¡¯s the middle of the night, so I invite you all to stay and get some rest. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± Princess Saress yawned and then whispered something into her servant¡¯s ear. As the servant nodded a few times, Saress left the palace, going to her chambers. ¡°Good evening everyone, my name is Carret, a servant of the princess. I will be responsible for your accomodation. I¡¯d like to ask the rescued people to stay for a moment, so that I can send someone to inform your families about your current status.¡± Carret smiled. ¡°Come on girls.¡± Carret beckoned and three more servants scurried towards her. ¡°Take our guests to the guest house.¡± The three women bowed and said, ¡°Please follow us.¡± ¡°As for you, lady, you¡¯ll come with me.¡± Carret smiled sweetly at Vilenne. Vilenne followed Carret through the royal palace, while Adian, Shurya, Jasik and their respective teams were guided to the guest house. ¡°Did you see that white pajamas in bears that princess wore?¡± Jasik smothered a laugh. ¡°Unless you want to be a sight to behold, I suggest you forget what you saw.¡± Adian smiled wryly, pointing at the wall where a spear jutted out. Jasik shuddered at the thought of hanging there, killing the joy within him on the spot. The stare the female servants gave him was enough of an intimidation. *** Vilenne was led to a spacious room within the palace. ¡°This is where the other royals stay.¡± Carret beckoned, opening the large wooden door. ¡°Pretty comfy.¡± Vilenne smiled, seeing velvet sheets on the king size bed. A yellow lamp decorated the nightstand, oppposite which stood a polished wooden bar. ¡°If you require anything, just ask the guard outside.¡± Carret said. She watched as Vilenne slumped to the bed, smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would meet a princess so soon.¡± Carret muttered. ¡°In name only.¡± Vilenne responded. As Carret was about to leave, she turned and asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, may I know how you and the princess met?¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± Vilenne smiled sheepishly. ¡°It was a couple years back, in the ballroom.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Carret¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°One of the important nobles in the Glacia Kingdom was celebrating his birthday. It was also right after his son was born, so he made a great feast, inviting royalty and nobles all around.¡± Vilenne smiled. ¡°I stood in one corner of the ballroom, sipping champagne that was forced into my hand, completely bored. Those lady-like things didn¡¯t really interest me. I preferred the sword.¡± ¡°After some time, I was so bored I took out a book, walked next to the window and started reading. That¡¯s when a redhead approached me from behind, introducing herself.¡± Vilenne¡¯s mouth curled into a wry smile. ¡°Princess Saress came forward to meet you? No way!¡± Carret exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth. ¡°Yes, she did. As we were the only ones of similar age, it was quite natural that she came to me.¡± Vilenne sat up and shrugged. ¡°If you want to know what we talked about, you can ask the redhead herself.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t send me into my grave, princess.¡± Carret smiled wryly and hurried to the door. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Click! After the doors closed, Vilenne¡¯s thoughts went back to that memorable evening¡­ *** Fragrant dishes adorned the long tables in the ballroom. Maids shuffled to and fro, bringing colorful drinks and delicous, sweet desserts. A black-haired young woman stood next to the window, turning pages of the book in front of her. The way she has acted during the whole event made her seem like an outcast, a person that didn¡¯t belong to the aristocracy. ¡°Get me a drink.¡± an authorative voice of a woman rang out behind Vilenne. As if she didn¡¯t hear that, Vilenne kept on reading. ¡°Did they really hire a mute servant? Not only are you lazing around, you can¡¯t even respond to calls?¡± the voice rang out again. This has risen quite a commotion. Some of the guests looked in the two womens¡¯ direction, trying to get a gist of what was happening. ¡°You have a pair of hands, go grab a drink yourself.¡± Vilenne said coldly. ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± young female¡¯s voice went up a notch. Vilenne decided to ignore the pesky female, taking a sip of champagne. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.¡°Ridiculous, such an impudent servant.¡± the woman behind Vilenne reached out with her hand and shouted, ¡°At least face me when I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Smash! Surprised by the sudden grab, Vilenne dropped the glass of champagne, making it shatter on the stone windowsill. Glancing at the book that was now soaked with liquor, Vilenne¡¯s gaze turned frosty. She glared at the slim young female dressed in violet, grabbing her curly red hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some fresh air.¡± Vilenne spat out, hurling the female out through the window. Smash! If the previous shouting has only made some commotion, the whole window breaking apart made everyone in the ballroom stare at the two. ¡°A catfight?¡± some of the guests muttered. ¡°You impudent servant, how dare you!¡± the violet-clad female roared as her green eyes turned yellow. Red aura suffused her, visualizing a Red Winged Snake. Whoosh! Approaching Vilenne with neck breaking speed, the roaring woman unsheathed her twin daggers! ¡°Hmph!¡± Vilenne snorted, grabbing her sword. Blue aura exploded from within her body, carrying with it a dragon¡¯s roar. Boom! The two women collided, sending a shockwave through the ballroom. Shiing! The daggers flew through the air gracefully, cutting some of Vilenne¡¯s fine, dark black hair. Vilenne glared at the woman opposite her. She was smirking, rejoicing at her misfortune. ¡°First my book, now my hair. You went too far, bitch.¡± Vilenne spat coldly, slashing to kill. Utilizing her mana, violet-clad female retreated backwards, losing a few strands of her curly hair in the process. As the two women prepared for the final showdown, their collars were simultaneously grabbed. ¡°Saress, Vilenne, that¡¯s enough!¡± Glacia Kingdom¡¯s king and Minaeryth Kingdom¡¯s ruler appeared next to the two unruly women, reprimanding them. ¡°Two royal children fighting, what example are you giving to others?¡± they berated. ¡°Royal?¡± Saress stammered. ¡°That servant bitch is actually a princess?¡± ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Saress¡¯s father roared. ¡°I apologize for my daughter¡¯s rude behavior. She¡¯ll take her leave.¡± the king turned to the guards and said ¡°Take her to her room.¡± Vilenne glared at the leaving figure. That spoiled brat has actually ruined her favorite book! ¡°We¡¯re not done yet.¡± she thought insidiously. *** As the dusk fell, Vilenne made her way through the secret passageway in the ceiling. She stopped right above Saress¡¯s room, making a small hole in the tile underneath her. ¡°Sweet dreams, bitch.¡± Vilenne channeled the mana through her hand, creating a water bubble filled with water. She let the water bubble slowly descend unto the sleeping Saress. As the spell was ready, Vilenne scurried through the passageway, backing out to a safe distance. Although she couldn¡¯t be caught doing that, she couldn¡¯t miss the show either. Thus, she waited in the earshot range. Splash! The water bubble broke, releasing all of its water straight unto the sleeping red-haired maiden. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± a youthful scream came out of Saress¡¯s bedroom as she has fiercely woken up. Vilenne snickered as she exited the passageway next to the terrace on the first floor of the palace. After closing the secret door, she slid down the ivy covered palace wall, straightening her clothes. Taking a few deep breaths to control her incessant laughter, Vilenne entered the palace through the front door, meeting with the guard on the way. ¡°Back from your walk, princess?¡± the guard asked. ¡°Yes, it was very enjoyable. Thank you for looking out for me.¡± Vilenne smiled sweetly. ¡°Hehehe, it was not a problem, princess.¡± the guard laughed emabrassedly. Such a beautiful young woman flashed him a sweet, brilliant smile. This made him quite moved. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡± ¡°Certainly, princess. Have a nice rest.¡± *** A brilliant smile pasted itself on Vilenne¡¯s face as she remembered what happened that day 5 years ago. A lot has changed since then, yet the memory was still so vibrant. ¡°Those were the good times.¡± Vilenne muttered, heading to sleep. *** Huff! Huff! Jeremy panted after running through the nearby forest. This was his everyday morning routine, a jog to clear his mind. ¡°In 6 days, all the big shots will gather yet again. I hope they¡¯re going to agree to the proposal I made all those years back.¡± he thought. ¡°There were no more findings about the wanted target, huh?¡± Jeremy looked at the screen of his phone, somewhat disappointed. ¡°That damn vixen sure knows how to hide. Don¡¯t worry though, even if I have to upturn the whole Earth, I¡¯ll get to you sooner or later. After all, you owe me. You owe me way too much.¡± *** Back in Loiterous, Icicle sat on the bench in the Mage Guild¡¯s backyard. He joyfully summoned Blackie. ¡°I missed you, you black furball.¡± Icicle hugged the dog. ¡°God!¡± Blackie barked happily. ¡°I missed you too!¡± ¡°Here you go, eat this.¡± Icicle took out the lizardman¡¯s heart and threw it to Blackie. Blackie glanced at the half-eaten organ and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this, God?¡± ¡°If you want to become strong like me, then you¡¯ll eat it, no questions asked.¡± Blackie¡¯s eyes blazed as he heard God talking like that. Be strong like God? That was his greatest dream. Blackie munched on the heart without reservation and quickly swallowed it. Compared to Icicle who had problems chewing the sinewy organ, Blackie didn¡¯t encounter any resistance. Icicle shook his head seeing Blackie like that. He was looking at the panel to see whether the black dog¡¯s stats rise.
Familiar¡¯s status: Name: Blackie Level: 13 HP: 350 Race: Mutant Element: Dark Loyalty: Unshakeable faith Special skills: Stealth, Shadow swipe, Ardent follower Summoning requirements: None Notice: You can unsummon your familiar by issuing a command to unsummon or simply saying ¡°return¡±. Please note that this action is not available in the middle of combat.
¡°That little bastard gained over a 100 health.¡± Icicle shook his head helplessly. He felt somewhat cheated. Although the stamina gain he received was great, a few points in the health department wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Do you feel any different?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°Mm, I feel stronger now, God.¡± Blackie nodded his head like a chicken pecking rice. Creak! The door to the backyard opened, letting a beautiful blond inside. ¡°Here you are, little guy.¡± Cindy ruffled Icicle¡¯s black hair, crouching to take Blackie into her arms. ¡°You have made quite a ruckus, you know?¡± Cindy looked at Icicle playfully. ¡°Oh really?¡± Icicle smiled. ¡°Adian, Vilenne and a girl from the Warrior Guild made teams to resolve the mess you¡¯ve made at the mercenary camp.¡± Cindy giggled, caressing Blackie¡¯s smooth fur. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Icicle remembered. ¡°I thought Jasik had it covered.¡± he shrugged. ¡°Well, he did. At least technically speaking. Practically, it was a different story.¡± Cindy sat next to Icicle. ¡°Once Vilenne and others arrived, they had to clothe those enslaved people, feed them and then transport them to the castle.¡± ¡°Before they could clothe them though, they had to let those people wash themselves, so the Hunters were sent to get some meat, while Warrior Guild, Mage Guild and the guards took care of the water. With the help of our mages, they created a sauna so to speak, erecting a barrier for both men and women, so they don¡¯t feel embarrased in the open.¡± Cindy narrated. ¡°Then they have found a ¡°slave¡± that was way too muscular for long days of enslavement. One of the mercenaries actually hid like that, the sly bastard.¡± Cindy smirked. ¡°After some time, Adian¡¯s boys arrived on the Martial Eagles, transporting both the mercenaries and the rescued people to the Raren City, where Princess Saress resides. They¡¯ve returned a couple hours ago, as the princess had all of them stay for the night. I heard that the princess is looking for you now.¡± ¡°Really? What for?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°To reward you for finding those criminals. Vilenne said that the redhead was quite convincing when interrogating Jasik, making him spit everything out.¡± ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ll visit when I have time.¡± Icicle shrugged. Who knows what Jasik have said. Killing all those mercenaries on his own could be seen as bad. Even if it wasn¡¯t and the princess really wanted to reward him, this would give him too much spotlight. That¡¯s not something he needed while preparing for Ice Mage Trials. Taking all of that into account, Icicle wasn¡¯t too thrilled about the invitation. Cindy looked at him and shook her head. He¡¯ll visit the princess when he has time? That little bastard truly didn¡¯t know how fortunate he was. ¡°Anyways, I heard that you have made quite a mess by enraging a giant lizard. There was a burned patch of grass on the way, an aftermath of a big fight.¡± Cindy looked at Icicle meaningfully. ¡°I had nothing to do with that.¡± Icicle spread his arms and smiled. ¡°Oh I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t.¡± Cindy ruffled Icicle¡¯s hair. ¡°So, what did you get?¡± ¡°Heheh, something very useful.¡± Icicle flashed a sly grin. ¡°That good?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say I might have scammed a Grandmaster level Water Mage a little.¡± Icicle smirked. ¡°Not bad.¡± Cindy patted Icicle on the back so hard he almost choked. ¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡± ¡°You wanted to see me, what do you need?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°Oh, that. I am grateful for your help with the heart, but there¡¯s one more thing I need from those lizardmen.¡± Cindy said. ¡°A chain quest!¡± Icicle thought. ¡°One of our own went to the Lizardmen Cave and never returned. I was wondering what has happened, but now that I heard about that giant lizard laying in there, it¡¯s pretty obvious.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°That magician carried a brown rubik¡¯s cube with him, one that grants entrance into the underground levels of Mage Guild. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it normally, but now that adventurers like you have arrived in this world, I¡¯m afraid that the cube has to be found rather quickly.¡± Icicle furrowed his brows as he listened. He looked at the brown cube in his inventory. ¡°This could probably give someone else a quest to rob the Mage Guild.¡± he thought. Cindy noticed Icicle¡¯s action, asking, ¡°Why do I have a feeling that you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Icicle took out the cube from his inventory. ¡°Is this the one?¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯ve found it?¡± Cindy took the brown cube from Icicle¡¯s hands and glanced it over. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°I was going to ask you to get access to the library as a reward, who would¡¯ve thought I have actually found a key myself.¡± Icicle laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, I¡¯ll let the guys below know.¡± Cindy said. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve fulfilled two of my tasks, so you deserve some other reward. Do you want anything specific?¡± ¡°Access to the library should suffice.¡± Icicle thought and answered. He had 30 gold coins, so there wasn¡¯t much he lacked. The direwolf set was ready for him to take and he still had to get his share of sandwiches from Chef Wurtox, so the food wasn¡¯t the problem either. When it came to Alchemy, he could always go and visit old man Nurte. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. I guess I¡¯ll owe you then.¡± Cindy looked at Icicle meaningfully and sighed. ¡°Sly bastard.¡± she thought. ¡°Actually, there is something.¡± Icicle remembered. ¡°I might need some guidance on the water droplet thingy. I had a breakthrough yesterday and I don¡¯t really know what caused it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me for library access and practice guidance, where are you going once you¡¯re done with those two?¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m going anywhere?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°Well, most of you adventurers have left this place after the yesterday¡¯s lizardmen event. I assumed you would do so as well.¡± Cindy shrugged. ¡°I will be leaving for Ice Mage Trials once I shape up a little.¡± Icicle blurted out. ¡°Then you should speak with Vilenne. She hails from Glacia Kingdom, after all.¡± Cindy chuckled. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll talk to little brat after I¡¯m done running a few errands. See you later, Cindy.¡± Icicle said his goodbyes and left the premises of the Mage Guild. It was high time to get his new set! Chapter in 3 days & writing guide I had most of chapter 39 and the prologue written out, but the whole thing was too short-sighted. For the last few days I''ve been working with an improved version of the next arc, hence the delay. The prologue itself is almost done, I''m just figuring out how much information I can give you without revealing too much. Anyways, I''ll release chapter 39 in 3 days and be done with prologue by the end of the week. Once I''m done with both of them, I''ll try to release some extra chapters to compensate for the delay.
Now, for the writing guide. I''ve been writing for over a year, so I thought I should help others start along this road. With that thought, I made a little guide for the budding, aspiring writers. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The issues presented in the guide are quite general, so for case specific matters you can ask me in the comments/mail me at [email protected] Writing Guide Many thanks to Zhaernon for including pictures and the bookmarks! Chapter 39 Author''s note: If you notice any grammar errors, let me know in the comments. Kind of sleepy right now so some might have passed me. There should be a next chap this week and most likely the prologue. Vilen Town¡¯s artisan area was as busy as always. People ran to and fro, carrying packages and new equipment. The smell of charcoal drifted through the streets, a free advertisement of the blacksmith¡¯s. Although a lot of adventurers left after the lizardmen event ended, there were many who came back to explore the land. The general idea was to venture out and grasp everything before the others, but the result for most was unexpected. A crowd! A line so long they could barely distinguish any monsters in the area. Once hordes of players left the starting area, they would enter the mainland, connecting to the whole server. Vilen Town laid in Minaeryth Kingdom, in the southern corner of the Fashin Continent. As one of the four starting areas, it was bustling with activity. Even though Albatros Company restrained the release of VR devices, the raging trend continued. Wherever money¡¯s involved, there are always sharks and piranhas. Since many potential players couldn¡¯t get their hands on the device, black markets arose, selling the previously bought VR sets for a ridiculously high sum. Despite that, there were many buyers. The gamer¡¯s hunger could not be underestimated! This situation forced Albatros Company¡¯s hand into releasing all of their products. If one word were to describe the current situation at the continent it would be crowded! Players were as numerous as ants. Wherever one could see, there would be a few players teaming up to kill monsters. This time, however, the monsters weren¡¯t so easy to slay. Even those who managed to get their hands on a solid equipment had trouble with the monsters their own level, not to mention a few levels higher. The reason was quite obvious. This was no longer the starting area! It was high time the players adapted to the new environment. The hunter often became the hunted! How exciting was that?! *** Icicle leisurely walked through the artisan area, attracting many glances of the crowd. Startled by the phenomenon, he looked at his attire. Slap! Red mark was left on Icicle¡¯s forehead as he fiercely slapped it. He looked like a beggar! Tattered, bloody armor, threads sticking out from the leather¡­ On top of that, this wasn¡¯t even his equipment! ¡°If Adian saw me in this state he would first laugh then kill me.¡± Icicle smiled wryly. ¡°No matter, I wouldn¡¯t give this set back anyways.¡± Knock! Knock! The doors clicked and Icicle went inside. Marisse welcomed him kindly, preparing a cup of hot tea. ¡°Is your daughter well?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°She¡¯s much better!¡± Marisse¡¯s face bloomed with a gentle smile. She walked towards a corner of the room, opening a large chest. Creak! ¡°Catch.¡± Marisse threw a white object. Icicle¡¯s hands grabbed something soft yet resilient. A bag made of white rhinoceros skin laid within his palms.
[[Sturdy Traveller¡¯s Bag] [Elite] A storing item made with extreme diligence. Allows the user to store 1500 kg worth of items without worrying about the weight. Requirements: Level 15.
¡°This must be bordering legendary grade craftsmanship!¡± Icicle quickly deduced. His current Rare grade wolf pelt bag allowed him to carry 800 kg. ¡°Thank you, Marisse.¡± Icicle equipped the new bag. ¡°Get your set too.¡± Marisse rummaged through the chest and pulled out a piece of clothing. Receiving the black apparel, Icicle realized it looks like a wolf costume the mascots wear during carvnivals. ¡°You dyed it?¡± ¡°Yes! I thought that black might suit you better!¡± Marisse grinned. Icicle gave her a thumbs up. ¡°How do I even wear it?¡± Icicle mumbled out, looking for a zipper. ¡°Here, let me help you.¡± Marisse took her handiwork from the clumsy hands of the young man, opening it like a jacket. Icicle stared with surprise at the chest area of the wolf look-alike. He quickly took off his items. ¡°Now get in there!¡± Marisse said. Icicle raised his right leg, getting a feel for the black direwolf fur with vigilance. He stomped his foot a few times to make sure the set fits. ¡°Such softness from underneath, as if it was a real paw!¡± he thought. Then came the sleeves. Icicle slid his hands in, appreciating the warm, soft texture of the black direwolf fur. Balling his fists, the fur folded like mittens, making him feel cozy. Finishing up, Icicle wore the direwolf¡¯s head hood. As soon as the fur shrouded his eyes, his vision dimmed, as if turning to the night vision! ¡°Ah!¡± Marisse cried out in excitement. ¡°Hehe, it works!¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Icicle asked in confusion. ¡°I added a little something for you! Yellow eye-lenses, so to speak. You¡¯ll be able to see at night as if it were a day!¡± Marisse clapped her hands, admiring her own handiwork. She walked around Icicle nodding constantly. If he didn¡¯t know any better, Icicle would think that she was checking him out. ¡°Your sparkling eyes will make many people scared after dusk!¡± Marisse patted Icicle on the shoulder. ¡°If I didn¡¯t make this piece, I would definitely be startled. You look like the werewolves from the ancient times¡­¡± Marisse muttered. Icicle listened to the Tailor carefully. He balled his fists to test the new apparel. Whoosh! Whoosh! Two strikes pierced the air. ¡°Hm, a little stiff.¡± Icicle grumbled while shadowboxing. ¡°Oh, you dummy!¡± Marisse playfully struck Icicle¡¯s head. ¡°Pour your mana in!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Icicle stared at Marisse with bewilderment. Nonetheless, he followed her instructions. As soon as he gathered his mana, it slowly entered the set. Black fur expanded a little, suffusing with the blue glow. ¡°Now shape it however you want.¡± Marisse smiled. Icicle felt as if the set was a part of his body now. It fit him perfectly. ¡°This¡­ what a wonderful feeling.¡± Icicle had the urge to run out and fight someone to test the new set out! ¡°I know that expression! I used to be an adventurer too!¡± Marisse smiled, pulling out a dagger from the drawer. ¡°You want to try it out, don¡¯t you? Get ready!¡± Marisse flashed a playful smile. Icicle spread the mana around his limbs, carefully circling around Marisse like a genuine wolf. Marisse twirled her dagger, licking her lips playfully. Icicle noticed a dangerous look flashing through her eyes. Whoosh! The air stilled. A mild shockwave rustled the clothing that lay around as Marisse stopped right in front of Icicle. The dagger she held in reverse grip stopped a few milimetres off Icicle¡¯s eyeball! Plop! Icicle fell on his buttocks, unable to comprehend what had happened. Marisse seemed to teleport! ¡°Hehehe! Surprised?¡± Marisse¡¯s forefinger entered the hole in the dagger. She revolved it a few times, then threw it into the air, catching it midair to store it in her knife pouch. ¡°I had my five minutes.¡± ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t give those to my girl!¡± Marisse glanced at the counter where a pair of rhinoceros boots and mittens laid. Swiping them off the counter, she run into her daughter¡¯s bedroom. *** Marisse closed the doors behind her and saw Icicle limply sitting on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have wet your pants?¡± she teased. Icicle¡¯s pensive expression broke. He raised his head and said ¡°Can you show me again?¡± ¡°Argh, young people are so needy.¡± Marisse shook her head, remembering her old self. ¡°Just this once, you had better watch closely.¡± Icicle steeled himself, readying for the sudden blow. He spread his presence to the limit. Marisse twirled the dagger again. She took a step forward and¡­ ¡°Boo!¡± she said with a teasing smile, clutching her stomach. Icicle furrowed his brows at the antics of the Tailor. Ssssh! A few grains of sand grinded against each other as Marisse directly disappeared. Icicle felt something heavy prop itself on his back. Huff! Huff! Marisse panted. ¡°What is this called?¡± Icicle asked with a trembling voice. ¡°In this world, there are some special phenomenons. Some people are capable of changing the weather, others can make their weapons change shape or trajectory of the attack¡­ There are many names for those phenomenons, ¡°tricks¡±, ¡°laws¡±, ¡°higher magic¡±¡­ The most often used is ¡°moods¡±. The one I used is called ¡±space mood¡±. Marisse explained. ¡°This one is pretty hard to grasp as it lets you cross the space quite quickly. As you can see, I¡¯m completely exhausted after using it twice. Look at the distance I crossed, merely 5m or so.¡± Marisse smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°You may think this is ability is a cheat, but when you enter deeper into the continent, you¡¯ll learn that at my level, it¡¯s but a joke. If you want to be at the top, there¡¯s a long road ahead of you, Icicle.¡± ¡°For more, you should ask your Guildmaster or that cute teacher of yours. I was but a lucky adventurer.¡± Marisse chuckled. Click! ¡°Teacher, we¡¯re here!¡± four apprentices walked in. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get going. Thanks for everything, Marisse.¡± Icicle bowed and left. *** Icicle looked at his set and found that the properties can¡¯t be properly shown until all the pieces are assembled. Thus, he decided to visit Ganish. On the way there, he stopped by the chef Wurtox¡¯s shop and picked up his peanut butter sandwiches. He was immediately asked if he had any other exotic ingredients. Icicle suspected that the whole thing with the princess must have gotten blown out. Why else would the cunning old fox Wurtox offer him as much as 40% outright? Sighing repeatedly, Icicle walked towards the Bazzar next to the port. Exotic food and the smell of sea water immediately attacked his senses. ¡°Where¡¯s that lemonade stall¡­?¡± Icicle looked around. Thankfully, Blackie wasn¡¯t around so he couldn¡¯t grumble about the food. Cindy decided to take care of the furry while Icicle runs his errands. After restocking on the refreshing lemonade and buying some more food in preparation for Ice Mage Trials, Icicle went to the north-eastern corner. Crackle! Fiery red embers burst forth with a heat wave, ruffling Icicle¡¯s hair. Ding! Ding! The hammer struck the steel, shaping the sword. Ganish¡¯s muscles bulged, heaving up and down like the bellows behind him. Sweat drizzled down his body as he wiped his forehead. ¡°You have finally come, Icicle.¡± Ganish flashed a satisfied smile. He took the searing hot sword and doused it in water to cool off. ¡°Wait just a second, I¡¯ll bring you your order.¡± Ganish went to the back of the smithy. ¡°Here you go!¡± Ganish handed Icicle a wooden box. Opening the lid curiously, Icicle¡¯s eyes wandered over the surface of the reddish metal. A pair of claws laid on a soft material, reflecting the fire from the smithy. Ding! The Direwolf Set has been completed. Please give it a name. ¡°Night Terror¡± Icicle thought for a while and said.
[Night Terror (Direwolf Set)] [Unique] [Bound] Type: Armor Defense: 25 Damage reduction: 30%* Effects: Reduces the intimidation effect of wolf-like creatures by 80% [Night vision] ¨C special lenses allow the user to see at night as if it was the day. *Storage ¨C the moonlight energy helps the user absorb some of the incoming damage. Needs to be recharged every other day. Night effects: [Lone Wolf] ¨C hunting alone at night boosts your damage by 15%. [Moonlight empowerment] ¨C health and mana regeneration is increased by 50% under the moonlight. Unique effects: [Ruthless predator] ¨C glaring at a weaker creature under the guise of the night may cause the [Fear] effect to take place. Effects may vary depending on the mastery of the aura. Requirements: None. [Night Terror (Direwolf Set)] [Unique] [Bound] Type: Special (gloves add-ons) Attack: 5-8 Effects: Swiping with your claws deals damage 5 times. Unique effects: [Cleave] ¨C Unleashes a powerful claw-like piercing attack at your enemies. Damage varies depending on the user¡¯s Strength and Dexterity. 30 mana cost. 3 seconds cooldown. Damage decreases with range. Maximum range ¨C 5 meters. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.[Predator] ¨C ¡°Even if it¡¯s a rabbit, kill it with full force!¡± Increases the damage dealt to weaker creatures by a percentage. Maximum increase ¨C 20%. The increase varies depending on the intimidation effect.
Icicle glanced over the items carefully. This set was made to kill squishies! Which monster will have a weak defense though? For now, the Night Terror set points in one direction ¨C Player Killing! Waking up from his trance, Icicle looked at Ganish. The blacksmith stood with his hands crossed, grinning widely. ¡°They¡¯re good, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°You know your stuff. It was to be expected.¡± Icicle shrugged and grinned. ¡°If I have a next order, I know where to find you!¡± The two men parted. There was no need for thanks. In the past, one decided to gamble with his ingredients at the hands of disreputable blacksmith, while the other delivered with something better than expected! The feelings of gratitude were tacitly expressed. ¡°Heh, kiddo, I might not stay here for long.¡± Ganish grinned. During the claw manufacturing process, he had a breakthrough. This time, he was ready to challenge the capital¡¯s artisans! *** Mage Guild¡¯s Underground Icicle sat in a meditating position. His thoughts went back to the lizardmen cave where he had a breakthrough after falling asleep. Trying to enter that state again, Icicle focused on his right rand. A swirl of mana circled the translucent-blue water droplet, suffusing the underground room with a blue glow. The neutral mana inside Icicle¡¯s body started changing its properties, forming dark blue streaks. ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m missing something?¡± Icicle wondered. He could feel the threads of water mana entering his body, but they disappeared soon after, as if entering a bottomless abyss. ¡°Could it be that I can¡¯t really keep them inside my body so it¡¯s all just practice?¡± Cindy entered the underground room and looked at Icicle with amusement. Blackie followed right after her. ¡°You¡¯re quite diligent.¡± Cindy smiled teasingly. ¡°Why can¡¯t I hold the water mana inside my body? Is my level too low?¡± Icicle bowed and asked. Cindy grinned widely hearing the question. ¡°You¡¯re a quick learner!¡± she said, walking walked next to him. ¡°Focus on practicing! As long as you can quickly change the mana into a different type, you¡¯ll be able to fight efficiently!¡± Cindy explained. ¡°Like I thought!¡± Icicle sighed inwardly, asking ¡°What realm do I need to reach before I can store my mana inside my body?¡± ¡°Advanced realm!¡± Cindy answered straightforwardly. ¡°It will take you quite some time, kiddo.¡± Icicle recalled the tiny water droplet into his body and stood up. He decided to raise his stats before Ice Mage Trials. His set might not be much of a help if the test doesn¡¯t involve fighting. ¡°Now ask.¡± Cindy pierced Icicle with her seductive green eyes. ¡°Moods, tell me about them!¡± ¡°Moods, huh? That¡¯s some advanced knowledge.¡± Cindy lifted Blackie up into her arms. ¡°People of your level rarely ponder such things.¡± Cindy shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, Guildmaster.¡± Icicle smiled wryly. ¡°Since you¡¯re asking so nicely¡­¡± Cindy ¡°reluctantly¡± gave up. ¡°Those lessons usually cost a lot of money, you know?¡± Cindy sent Icicle a playful wink. ¡°Alright then.¡± Cindy harrumphed. ¡°Have you ever wondered how the natives discovered magic? They didn¡¯t have all of the books we learn from.¡± ¡°Moods?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, moods! Moods are nothing else than embodiment of nature¡¯s laws. For example, a heat mood. It usually has to do with the fire category. When you travel across the desert, the heat can make your vision blurry, creating mirages. But that¡¯s just a side effect of what it¡¯s really made to be. What it does best is amplifying the destructive abilities of the fire and lightning related spells.¡± ¡°Mages often use moods that don¡¯t belong to their element. The reason for that is quite simple. Many advanced magic has moods incorporated in them. After all, magic is based on nature¡¯s laws. Mastering wind mood as a caster is a great addition to your defensive measures!¡± ¡°My magic talent, I think you adventurers call it ¡°class¡±, is pretty unique, so I had to focus my research on the earth moods. There¡¯s a lot to explore within your element, but, if you want to be good at it, I suggest you focus on one thing and drill it to perfection! Even if you hit a bottleneck, struggling to overcome that limit, will give you a clear goal.¡± Cindy heaved a sigh. ¡°Does this satisfy your curiosity, young man?¡± she asked. ¡°Tell me about water moods.¡± Icicle continued asking. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Vilenne?¡± Cindy proposed. ¡°What about the space mood?¡± ¡°Oh? You really had some weird encounters.¡± Cindy patted Blackie¡¯s head. ¡°Space mood is quite a popular mood amongst magicians. However, many of them barely scratch the surface in their lifetime. After all, when you cast a fireball, you can feel the heat and the energy burning inside. You can¡¯t do that with space. It just exists.¡± Cindy said. ¡°There are some tricks you can use to get familiar with the space mood. For example, entering the dungeon. When you enter a portal, you¡¯re transported through space, so if you get a glimpse of it, you might be inspired. It¡¯s hard though, so don¡¯t get your hopes up. If you¡¯re thinking of entering the portal time after time, it won¡¯t help you much. You¡¯ll either get used to it or get stuck inside.¡± Cindy explained. ¡°Do you use Space mood?¡± Icicle asked. He didn¡¯t know whether Cindy had any good movement techniques. His progress with [Elusive body] was negligible. ¡°No, I have something better.¡± Cindy grinned. ¡°Watch closely.¡± Cindy¡¯s figure blurred. Soon after, she appeared 5m behind Icicle. ¡°Huh?¡± it was so fast, Icicle couldn¡¯t even compare it to Marisse. ¡°Look one more time.¡± Cindy disappeared and let her energy soar like a beacon of light. If it wasn¡¯t for that, Icicle wouldn¡¯t be able to determine she was underground! ¡°As long as I¡¯m on the land, there¡¯s no need for me to use space. It¡¯s a really exhausting practice and there are many ways to counter it. If you encounter someone with a decent defense, your attacks will be worthless. If their comprehension of moods is high enough, most people can cut through or disturb the space in some way.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°Space is the gods¡¯ plaything. It¡¯s not something we can use. Focus on your training for now, you can play around with moods once you reached Advanced realm.¡± Cindy advised.
From: Faura We¡¯re in town.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get to you in a jiffy.¡± Icicle sent the response. ¡°I have to go, tell little brat I¡¯ll come back in two days.¡± Icicle bowed to Cindy and left the premises of the Mage Guild. *** Faura and her party walked through the bustling streets of Vilen Town, arriving at the artisan area. ¡°There he is!¡± Enna pointed to the line of people. Enna brazenly walked in and grabbed Icicle by the sleeve, dragging him behind her. ¡°We have some spares, come on!¡± she smiled playfully. ¡°Really, you let us wait for such a trifle.¡± Faura pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault there was a line.¡± Icicle shrugged. He waited to even get a chance to buy for over 10 minutes. All of that because of an old man who tried to haggle. Faura outstretched her hand in anticipation. Noticing her excited and somewhat shameless demeanor, Icicle fished out the skillbook and handed it over, receiving one in return.
[Purified water] A copy of a spell belonging to the restorative category of water magic. Forms a water bubble around the target and heals it over time. Requirements: Water Mage related class, Level 20.
¡°An over time healing spell! Great, this will definitely boost my mana control!¡± Icicle knew it will take a lot of effort to cast the constantly running spell without system assist. As for the healing effect, it was a great windfall. For now, he lacked 3 levels to use the book. Icicle turned and noticed Blackie being caressed by Enna. The little guy seemed to attract all sorts of female attention. ¡°We¡¯ve gathered some rocks for you!¡± Enna grinned, playing with Blackie. ¡°Headshot, hand them over!¡± Headshot smiled wryly as he remembered the torture he had to go through mining those rocks. Not only were they ridiculously hard, there seemed to be some kind of enchantment on them, making his work even harder.
[Mysterious stone] [Crafting item] An ingredient used for crafting.
¡°I guess having some information about it isn¡¯t enough.¡± Icicle shook his head. Even though he knew the purpose of the stone, the item still wasn¡¯t fully identified. Just like the meteoric rune had had found earlier in Rekk¡¯s cave. ¡°I used an [Identifying scroll] on those rocks, but that¡¯s all it has shown. There must be some quest behind it!¡± Faura said. That was also Icicle¡¯s suspicion. Otherwise, hidden quests would be too easy to solve. Seeing Enna outstretch her hands as if wanting money, Icicle frowned. ¡°Oh right, your staff. Here you go. There¡¯s also this clerical collar.¡± ¡°How do I look?¡± Enna turned around in a white dress with a golden cross above her navel. As Enna made a pirouette, a circle of golden crosses at the bottom of the dress reflected the sunlight, giving the young brown-haired woman an elegant feeling. ¡°Pretty good.¡± Icicle nodded firmly. ¡°Ah!¡± Faura screamed excitedly. ¡°A Lightning Mage skillbook ¨C [Lightning Cage]! Lucky!¡± she pocketed the book immediately. *** After a little chat, Icicle and Enna found themselves being dragged off by their collars. Faura walked straight into the duel area in the middle of Vilen Town. ¡°What is she mad about?¡± Icicle asked tentatively. ¡°I think she wants to learn our ¡°secret¡±.¡± Enna said in a hushed tone. ¡°What secret?¡± Icicle frowned. ¡°The one, you know¡­ what we did in a¡­¡± Enna whispered so quietly it was inaudible. This only served to gnite Faura¡¯s attention. Icicle was speechless. The once shy and cheerful woman turned into a teasing and confident tigress! From his estimation, it all happened after Enna learned [Sense presence]. ¡°Now show me how you do it!¡± Faura demanded. Enna sent a duel request, staring at Icicle with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s about [Sense presence]¡± Enna sent Icicle a message. ¡°So, how do you wanna play that out?¡± Icicle asked helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll attack while you defend!¡± Enna grinned. Icicle immediately shook his head. Why would he let a woman push him around for no reason? ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that.¡± ¡°It would be boring anyways!¡± Enna rushed in, throwing a diagonal kick. Icicle leisurely dodged to the side. Pivoting on his right foot, he countered with a roundabout kick! ¡°Hmph!¡± Enna stepped firmly on the ground, her boots clicking. Clack! Clack! ¡°Step dancing, huh? Not bad!¡± Icicle grinned. *** The two madmen, Icicle and Enna, clashed in the middle of the arena, grinning from ear to ear. Mana glow suffused the air as kicks and punches were exchanged. Quite a few people gathered to watch. ¡°Damn, I can¡¯t see anything!¡± Faura grumbled. How was she supposed to learn [Sense presence] from the two enjoying themselves? ¡°Well, I have places to go, so I¡¯ll see you guys later.¡± Icicle excused himself. ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡± Faura stomped her foot. ¡°To work.¡± Icicle grinned. ¡°How should I teach them?¡± Enna asked. ¡°Just get them all on the stage and have them attack you. Then explain how you dodge in the party chat!¡± Icicle said, logging off. *** As the sun was setting, a young man dressed in a black suit walked towards a peculiar establishment. The sign next to it read: Love Paradise Rest 120$ Stay 300$ Chapter 40 Author''s note: Next week will most likely have two chapter + the prologue. There''s still some stuff I need to figure out for the whole thing, but there was great progress overall. Click! ¡°Welcome to Love Paradise. How may I serve you?¡± a blond woman dressed like an office lady said with a smile. ¡°I would like to request the mistress.¡± the dark-haired youth who just came in said, his amber eyes staring at the blond as if he could see right through her. ¡°I apologize, dear sir, but the mistress stopped taking requests some time ago.¡± the blond employee quickly explained. ¡°Martha, aren¡¯t you?¡± the youth looked at the woman¡¯s ID strapped to her black suit and smiled. ¡°Can you ask the mistress to come down and see me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, I¡¯m really not authorized to¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Who¡¯s that handsome young man?¡± three scantily clad women walked downstairs, smiling coquettishly. ¡°The mistress is unavailable, but you can have your fun with us.¡± they said temptingly. Glancing them over, the youth outstretched his hand, caressing the black-haired woman¡¯s cheek. Bringing the woman closer, his other hand ventured unto her buttocks. ¡°Ah!¡± the black-haired woman started. A wry smile plastered itself on the young man¡¯s mouth as he closed in on the woman¡¯s face. He gently sucked on her earlobe, releasing a hot breath ¡°You¡¯re out of your league.¡± The woman shuddered, stepping backwards. Meanwhile, her two friends weren¡¯t that surprised. ¡°Even though it¡¯s a new girl, you aren¡¯t that bad.¡± they commented. ¡°Sorry girls, but I¡¯m a very hard person to please.¡± the dark-haired youth smiled apologetically. He reached out to his inner pockets, fishing out a black card. Placing the rectangular card on the counter, he turned to Martha and asked ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°A VIP customer? I¡¯ll go ask the mistress right away.¡± Martha scurried upstairs. ¡°That¡¯s the highest level membership card, isn¡¯t it? Weird, I¡¯ve been working here for a long time and I¡¯m pretty sure I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡± one of the experienced ladies said. ¡°I¡¯ve been travelling for quite some time. It¡¯s only natural I haven¡¯t been sighted.¡± the youth said lightly. While the three women frowned at the quite poor explanation, Martha ran downstairs with big strides. ¡°The mistress asked you to wait, sir. She¡¯ll invite you into her office shortly.¡± ¡°Busy as always.¡± the man muttered, turning to Martha ¡°Do you still have massage in your offer?¡± *** Steam scattered throughout the room as the water from the shower evaporated. A young man in a bathrobe was being massaged by a blond female. ¡°I have to say, Martha, your hands are heavenly.¡± the young man said in a higher pitch than usual. ¡°Thank you sir.¡± Martha continued massaging the back of the man¡¯s calves, making sure that the bathrobe didn¡¯t hinder her. Sweat trickled down Martha¡¯s forehead as she meticulously massaged the lower and then the upper body. The hot temperature was taking its toll on her. Once the young man laid on his back, she noticed a lot of scars ridding his bare chest. ¡°Are you a soldier, sir?¡± Martha asked shyly. ¡°Just a field agent.¡± the man replied, looking at his own scars with a wry smile. Throughout the years, both guns and the sharp weapons have left their marks on his young, lean body. *** ¡°Who was so outrageous to actually leave me hanging?¡± A beautiful woman in a red dress walked downstairs and yelled grumpily. She looked at the three women lazing around and asked angrily ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Who? Ah, the man from before? He asked Martha for a massage.¡± the black-haired lady replied. Like a thunderstorm, the woman in red dress rushed through the rooms, quickly finding the right one. When she opened the door and saw the man lying on his back, she immediately realized why the person who walked in could be so impertinent. ¡°Hey Cam, you¡¯re finally here!¡± the youth interrupted Martha and sat up. ¡°Since the star is finally here, I think this has to suffice. I have to say, Martha, your hands are miracle workers and I¡¯m not talking sexual.¡± the youth grinned. ¡°So, how much do I need to pay?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay anything. Martha go back to work.¡± the mistress ordered. ¡°Yes, mistress.¡± Martha blushed and scurried away. ¡°Your hand for staff is great as always, Cam.¡± the youth smiled. ¡°Quit the bullshit, Jason. What have you come here for? Is it the meeting?¡± Cam asked angrily. ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s coming with big strides, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not that worried about it though.¡± Jason replied with a gentle smile. The massage made him feel elated. ¡°So it¡¯s the girl.¡± Cam sighed, taking a seat. ¡°Why are you so obsessed with Peach?¡± ¡°You know damn well why.¡± Jason¡¯s look sharpened. ¡°You sent her to investigate as a double agent and she chose the other side. This happens quite often in the business.¡± Cam lit up a cigarette and said. ¡°Would you give up if you were in my shoes, Cam?¡± ¡°If it were any other agent, probably. Since the case is so personal, I would probably be as vengeful as you are right now. That¡¯s why we¡¯re still talking.¡± Cam cutely snorted. ¡°Now put your clothes on. This isn¡¯t a striptease show.¡± ¡°For someone who runs this ¡°call-girl institution¡± you¡¯re awfully picky.¡± Jason shrugged, looking for his clothes. ¡°You know damn well I would notify you if I knew anything about the girl.¡± Cam said after a while of silence. ¡°Why did you come then?¡± ¡°Stop being so grumpy, Cam. I offered you a better job and you refused. No need to take out your frustrations on me.¡± Jason quipped. ¡°Hmph. You know damn well I¡¯m in a business of sucking a dick. The information that comes with it is just an additional profit.¡± Cam glared daggers at the man. ¡°Besides, even though you offered me the job, working for you would have been hell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty rude.¡± Jason acted offended by pouting. ¡°No matter. That¡¯s not what I paid you a visit for.¡± Jason emerged from behind a curtain, dressed in his black suit. ¡°I need you to do some digging.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use your network?¡± Cam asked. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be done internally.¡± Jason shook his head. ¡°One of the Six most likely went rogue. I need to know which one.¡± ¡°What?! Are you certain? Those people would never¡­¡± Cam stuttered. ¡°Times change and so do people. Don¡¯t dig too hard. I don¡¯t want the other side to be alerted. Try finding out what you can by staying subtle.¡± straightening his necktie, Jason walked out of the establishment. *** The same day, late afternoon. Broken cars littered the place wherever the eye could see. This remote junkyard was the propriety of Rosewell family. ¡°Stop!¡± a couple of almost bold, stout men ran in front of the metal fence to bar the entrance. ¡°Is Dainty home?¡± the youth in a suit asked with a smile. ¡°Dainty? Do you know where you are, punk? It¡¯s the Rosewell family¡¯s-¡± ¡°Oi, Dainty, you there?¡± the youth hollered. The bald head leader loaded his gun and stuck it to the youth¡¯s head. As he was about to shout ¡°Tie him up!¡±, the youth¡¯s hands moved. With a flick of his left hand, the gun stuck to the youth¡¯s forehead dropped to the ground. The other hand of the youth grabbed the bald man¡¯s neck like a claw, bringing him closer, at a breath distance. ¡°I know exactly where I am, PUNK.¡± The youth pushed the bald man¡¯s face against the metal fence. ¡°Now act like a good lapdog you are and ask one of your men to alert your boss.¡± Struggling to free himself from the claw-like grip, the bald man was helpless as the youth didn¡¯t stop even when his boys pointed their guns at him. He wanted to shoot the punk badly, but people who dared to behave so arrogantly were either put six feet under or the big shots. As such, he didn¡¯t want to risk offending the latter. Creak! The doors of a small metal building on the side opened, revealing a figure of a lean black-haired man. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to visit.¡± he said, bowing a little. ¡°Let him in.¡± The youth let the baldy go, straightening his suit, as if dusting it from filth. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± he muttered. *** After the doors behind the two closed, Jason sat at one of the wooden chairs inside, waiting for Dainty to get some tea ready. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still reside in this junkyard. Do you really like broken cars so much?¡± Jason muttered, looking out of the window. ¡°Old habits die hard. I used to play here as a kid. Now, thanks to you, it¡¯s a property of my family. As you can see, the goons reside here most of the time. We don¡¯t want to draw too much attention.¡± Dainty turned and smiled brightly. ¡°Here¡¯s your tea. I don¡¯t have any other, so don¡¯t you dare grumble.¡± Dainty said as he poured a cup. ¡°Never drank the expensiove ones unless I had to.¡± Jason said with a smile. ¡°So, Jason, you¡¯ve been undercover for over two years. What made you come out now?¡± Dainty asked, sipping on his tea. ¡°The meeting.¡± Jason answered straightforwardly, his expression becoming serious. ¡°Ah yes, I got the message. It¡¯s in a few days, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dainty thought for a while. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you concerned about one. Is anything the matter?¡± ¡°We have a few undercoats in our ranks.¡± Jason shook his head. ¡°Normally it¡¯s not that much of a problem, but there¡¯s a storm brewing, and I sure as hell don¡¯t want to be caught in the middle of it.¡± ¡°That serious?¡± Dainty was surprised. ¡°Anyways, whatever the problem is, you can count on me and my boys.¡± ¡°I know, Dainty. That¡¯s why I came here.¡± Jason emptied the teacup and propped himself on his hands. ¡°I told Cam it¡¯s one of the Six.¡± ¡°You want to drag out the forces in the shadows by pointing at one of your loyal people. Pretty smart.¡± Dainty quickly deduced. ¡°The question is ¨C will the enemy catch the bait?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I need you for. You should sniff around, try to sow some confusion. Acting suspicious towards both Cam and the Six will make the others view you as a loyalist. The enemies will most likely ignore you too.¡± Jason said. ¡°Ignore or take out.¡± Dainty smiled wryly. ¡°We¡¯ve always lived with a crosshair on our backs, Jason. You can count on me.¡± ¡°Thanks, friend. In the times of need, I really cannot count on the inner circle.¡± Jason smiled self-deprecatingly. Finishing his cup of tea, Dainty looked at Jason seriously. ¡°What¡¯s your play in all of this? Who are you trying to free the pressure off?¡± Dainty tried to read Jason. ¡°Wait, you¡­ You¡¯re trying to relieve the pressure off the Doc, aren¡¯t you?¡± Dainty exclaimed after a while of thought. ¡°Indeed.¡± Jason acknowledged firmly. ¡°I heard her daughter¡¯s back from abroad. She should at least know her mother is alive and kicking.¡± ¡°Sigh, the Doc, huh.¡± Dainty¡¯s expression turned thoughtful. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for her, we would all be six feet under a long time ago. How is Mel doing by the way?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine. Still fighting the cancer, but the experimental treatment seems to be working. I won¡¯t ler her leave us after she saved our asses all those times.¡± Jason smiled faintly, yet his expression was bitter. ¡°It¡¯s sad, isn¡¯t it? Such a kind soul has been bedridden by a malicious disease like that, and here we are, the villains of the world, healthy and kicking.¡± Dainty said self-deprecatingly. ¡°Remember that guy a couple of years ago? He used to say ¡°We¡¯re the necessary evil.¡± A funny chap he was.¡± Jason reminisced. ¡°Are we though?¡± Dainty wondered. ¡°We were both raised in good homes, educated, trained in combat¡­ We were supposed to be the upright young men of our generation, yet here we are, trying to control the evil behind the scenes. What we do muddle in is the undertaking of making various crimes less severe instead of eradicating the problem.¡± Dainty sighed helplessly. ¡°Unfortunately, nothing would have changed even if we switched sides and joined the government. Our boys would be locked up or put to death, while other people would take their places. That¡¯s just how this world works. At least with us holding the reigns, we can reform some of those people.¡± Jason shrugged. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I may not have a clear consciousness, but for the people like Mel who have sacrificed so much for us, we¡¯ve got to keep this mob disciplined.¡± Jason looked at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I should get going.¡± ¡°Your driver didn¡¯t come with you today?¡± Dainty asked. ¡°No, I was going incognito. You should try the public transport sometime. It¡¯s pretty fun.¡± Jason said and left. *** After Jason left, Dainty came out of his place and gathered the men. He then proceeded to discpline them severely. ¡°I knew that man for a long time and trust me, he had killed people for much less than what you did. Remember his face and don¡¯t you ever dare to disrespect our employer again!¡± Dainty finished his speech. ¡°B-But sir, he didn¡¯t wear the symbol-¡± ¡°No shit he didn¡¯t! He came here alone!¡± Dainty yelled. ¡°Those who don¡¯t know his face ¨C go watch the vid from the security cameras! Dismissed!¡± *** The next day. In a serene forest of a small town, a dark-haired youth performed his routine jogging. Every now and then, he would throw a few punches at the sides. ¡°Work surely makes one busy.¡± Jason grumbled. Yesterday, he had finally made a move after staying put for over two years. Although he didn¡¯t completely blew his cover of Jeremy Grand, his movements definitely won¡¯t go unnoticed. ¡°Since the decision to put everything into motion wasn¡¯t mine, I could only adapt.¡± Jason smiled wryly, stopping by a green bench to have some rest. ¡°I should start thinking on founding an information network in Loiterous too. For now, it¡¯s only fun and giggles, but once things get bloody, I¡¯ll need that world to vent some steam.¡± Jason thought ahead. Most common folk won¡¯t even know what had happened. But the Underground was different. You could live at one moment and die the next. ¡°What¡¯s left is to find the girl once everything is set up.¡± Jason stood up, his eyes shining with a resolute look. *** Loiterous, Mage Guild. Vilenne stood in the backyard, enjoying the refreshing breeze. ¡°Are you sure that little bastard is going to come?¡± she turned and asked. ¡°He said so. I¡¯m surprised you cleared your schedule so fast when the news came. Have you finally fallen of your pedestal?¡± Cindy teased. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who will fall today.¡± Vilenne grinned cheekily. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s here.¡± Cindy felt a familiar presence entering the Guild. Walking through a hallway, Cindy came to the reception hall and plastered a badge with an earth golem on it onto Icicle¡¯s chest. ¡°Since you¡¯re a formal member of my Mage Guild, you should also have the appropriate badge. It¡¯s only visible next to other members of the Guild or in the Guild itself.¡± Cindy smiled and patted Icicle¡¯s back. ¡°Now come, Vilenne is awaiting you.¡± Somewhat surprised by the sudden turn of events, Icicle grinned ¡°Is she that thirsty?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Cindy laughed amusedly. ¡°Ah, the youthful flirt. I miss those times.¡± she said as they walked into the backyard. ¡°You really came, little bastard.¡± Vilenne grinned from ear to ear. ¡°After hearing of your heroic deeds in the Red Blooming Valley, I naturally had to reward you with my presence.¡± Icicle smiled innocently. Wuizz! The wind swept the backyard, bringing with it an eerie silence. Finally, Vilenne couldn¡¯t hold it in and her already shaking hand grabbed the hilt. ¡°You really have some audacity to call me your servant, little bastard.¡± she said through her teeth. ¡°En garde.¡± Icicle said laughingly. *** Cindy watched the two clash in the middle of the backyard with a smile on her face. ¡°You seem to have improved.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Icicle replied. ¡°My body is slowly getting accustomed to this world. Also, little brat seems to be more lenient on me than usual.¡± ¡°Mm, that¡¯s not all.¡± Cindy shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re parrying more than before. That¡¯s a good way of conserving your strength.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Icicle shrugged helplessly, ¡°the little brat doesn¡¯t know how to play dirty at all.¡± Abruptly raising his foot, Icicle threw a bunch of sand straight at Vilenne¡¯s face. ¡°Argh, you little!¡± Vilenne struggled for a while, cleaning her eyes with water magic. ¡°If every noble in this world acts like this, you won¡¯t live long.¡± Icicle sighed. Vilenne cleaned her face and put up a [Liquid membrane] to stay safe from any tricks Icicle may pull off in the future. She then griped her sword hilt tighter, as if trying to vent on it. ¡°Control yourself! Otherwise it will end too quickly!¡± she kept repeating in her heart. ¡°Say, where¡¯s your cute puppy?¡± Cindy asked from the side. ¡°Blackie? I told him to go fight some Wild Dogs. He needs to learn [Sense presence] soon. After all, those Ice Mage Trials probably won¡¯t be easy to deal with. I might need him more than ever.¡± ¡°Wait, Ice Mage Trials?¡± Vilenne heard a very familiar word. ¡°You¡¯re going to participate in those?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told her?¡± Icicle looked at Cindy with surprise. ¡°I let the young ones resolve their matters between themselves.¡± Cindy grinned. ¡°Answer me!¡± Vilenne said impatiently. ¡°I am going. I stumbled upon a direct invite the other day.¡± Icicle nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s what this farce was all about.¡± Vilenne realized what was bugging her. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°In a month, maybe two.¡± Icicle propped himself on his sword and said. ¡°That¡¯s plenty of time to beat some sense into you.¡± Vilenne grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll train you until you¡¯re unrecognizable, little bastard.¡± she tugged on Icicle¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you, Teach.¡± Icicle laughed and sneaked a slap right onto Vilenne¡¯s butt. The anger that seemed to subside immediately reemerged within Vilenne. However, this time, it was at least ten times of what it was before¡­ *** In the grasslands in front of Vilen Town, an unusual scene was taking place. One black dog was taking on five Wild Dogs. What was strange, was that the black dog wasn¡¯t attacking! Quite a few people gathered to watch this, what they thought, ¡°bug¡±. However, whenever any of them tried to get involved, the black dog would fiercely retaliate, taking off a huge chunk of their health points. The black dog in question was naturally Blackie who was ordered by Icicle to learn [Sense presence]. His orders were quite simple. ¡°Learn [Sense presence]. To do that, you need to use your smell, your hearing and your brain to predict your opponent¡¯s movements! Spread your presence all around you and stay vigilant. Gather a bunch of Wild Dogs and let them attack you without retaliating! If you get used to their attack patterns and don¡¯t grasp the skill, find stronger opponents and repeat the process!¡± Blackie naturally listened to God, trying his best to overcome the test that was given to him. After the last time he died, he realized that God can¡¯t always protect him. He had to be stronger to serve God well, otherwise he¡¯ll become a dead weight. While the attacks of his kin were bearable, the pesky adventurers were making the task hard for Blackie. They just kept on interfering with his training course! *** Curtis logged in for the first time after the event. He had to attend university, so he didn¡¯t have much time to play on the weekdays. Last time he was in Loiterous, he logged off in front of the north gate. The grasslands all around were familiar, even the air was as refreshing as he remembered. Only one thing changed. A bunch of people stood a few hundred metres north, forming a circle. Curthis frowned at the sight. ¡°Could there be some kind of low level boss monster?¡± he thought. With nothing better to do, he went to see what¡¯s happening. Elbowing his way through the crowd, Curtis saw the dogs infighting. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that the Black Hound I was looking for?¡± Curtis rubbed his eyes. The scene looked to good to be true. Even though he decided to give up on the matter earlier, the excitement within him rose all the same. The prize was the elite level daggers for level 10! Although it wasn¡¯t much now, beating the Black Hound could untie the knot in his heart. Taking out his daggers, Curtis rushed in. Blackie dodged nimbly, quickly recognizing the attacker. Curtis licked his lips as he looked at Blackie. He took his daggers out of the ground and entered [Stealth]. Splutter! On Blackie¡¯s fur appeared a streak of bright red. He didn¡¯t know [Sense presence], so he couldn¡¯t see through the attack. ¡°Is this what God was talking about?¡± Blackie wondered. His next attempts at dodging were futile. Curtis chased him around, succesfully landing a hit whenever his [Stealth] was off cooldown. Blackie yelped time after time. He knew his incompetence led to this. In desperation, Blackie was about to blend with the shadows and run, but that¡¯s when he remembered God¡¯s words. ¡°Use your smell, your hearing and your brain! Spread your presence around!¡± Sniff! Sniff! Blackie looked for the source of smell, vigilantly watching his sides. ¡°Behind me!¡± jumping out of the attack range, Blackie quickly halted. He looked at his scrawny opponent and growled! Learning from God¡¯s way of dealing with enemies, Blackie knew he had to be decisive. He immediately entered [Stealth] and sneaked in on his opponent. Black glow covered his paws as he struck! ¡°Arghhh!¡± Curthis screamed woefully as a gruesome wound appeared on his back. The defense from the beginner set wasn¡¯t enough to stop the blow. Blackie didn¡¯t stop. He struck again, this time square at Curtis¡¯s chest. ¡°Urggh!¡± Curtis groaned through his teeth. Seeing his [Stealth] coming off cooldown, he immediately used the skill. ¡°He disappeared again!¡± Blackie started sniffing around. As new people came to see the spectacle, the amount of smells magnified. ¡°What can I identify him by?¡± Blackie thought, dodging the pesky blows of the Wild Dogs. ¡°Blood! That¡¯s right, he was wounded! I can feel blood and the aura similar to my own a few metres to my left!¡± Blackie excitedly ran to the left, swiping at the air! Splutter! Big drops of bright red blood dripped from Curtis¡¯s calves. His legs were now hurt as well, making his movements sluggish. Blackie didn¡¯t wait around. He jumped fiercely, swiping with his claw from top to bottom. With a flash of white light, Curtis¡¯s life was extinguished. *** Icicle endured Vilenne¡¯s venting in the backyard of the Mage Guild as Blackie ran in. His sleek black fur was covered with a tinge of scarlet blood. ¡°How did it go?¡± Icicle asked. ¡°I did it God! I mastered the [Sense presence]!¡± Blackie barked excitedly. ¡°Good job!¡± Icicle smiled. He knew what his familiar had achieved through the system windows, but he let the dog brag nonetheless. ¡°Here you go!¡± Icicle threw a bottle of red liquid. ¡°Thank you God!¡± Blackie nodded, awkwardly trying to uncork the vial. Cindy picked Blackie and the vial up, uncorking the potion for him. ¡°Here, drink.¡± she said, not minding her stained clothes. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s enough for now, you two. Go get some rest.¡± Cindy clapped her hands. Vilenne glared at her with some unsatisfaction, but she still followed the order. Once Icicle and Blackie left, heading to the library, Cindy looked at Vilenne with puzzlement. ¡°Have you felt that black familiar¡¯s presence when it entered?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Vilenne shook her head. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, that dog must have inherited some powerful dark creature¡¯s blood. That¡¯s probably the reason why it differs so much from its kin.¡± Cindy said with a smile. ¡°Little bastard lucked out then. Good for him. He needs some kind of happiness to go through the gruesome training I planned for him.¡± Vilenne grinned. Chapter 41 Author¡¯s note: I changed a few things so next chapter will come out tomorrow (today). I apologize for the delay. Birds melodiously chirped in the air as a gentle breeze soothed the citizens of Vilen Town. The refreshing feeling the wind brought in the middle of a sunny day was simply priceless. A crowd of passersby gathered next to Lord Vilen¡¯s palace, excitedly watching a golden carriage pulled by sleek black stallions. The sides of the horses were adorned by a flame-shaped emblem. In Minaeryth Kingdom, there was only one person who could be given the nickname ¡°fiery¡± ¨C Princess Saress. For civilians, seeing their ruler was a rare thing, especially when they lived in a small town. However, Lord Vilen¡¯s reputation went up by a notch in the recent days. After the mercenaries Icicle discovered were captured, Princess Saress could finally deal with the looming problem of kidnappings and genocide. For this invaluable service to the country, she sent a messanger to express her gratitude. Although it was just a formality, for a small town ruler like Lord Vilen, this was a monumental event. Whenever he looked out of the window, he felt pride. Those citizens of his were now looking up to him! After a few hours of hospitality, the messanger bowed and respectfully left. What accompanied him was the whinning of the black stallions and cheers of the citizens. As a smart person, Lord Vilen knew it was his chance to solidify his position even further. With a grand entrance, he declared that there will be a feast in the evening and all citizens are welcome to attend! This expense was naturally not small, but for a better public opinion, next to every ruler would dig into his own pockets. Greeting the gathered people with a smile, Lord Vilen exchanged pleasantries before returning to his chambers. As soon as the doors closed, his smile regressed. What replaced it was worry. ¡°Why do I have this foreboding?¡± he muttered, holding a white envelope with a heart shaped seal in his hands. Opening the envelope warily, Marcus Vilen read the contents. ¡°My dear husband, it has been a while since we last met. Although this form of exchanging pleasantries is nice, you know I can¡¯t express myself well with words¡­¡± Reading the lines, Marcus¡¯s face suffused with a red blush. He quickly shook his head to dispel the passionate memories. ¡°Last days were quite a struggle. After entering the ranks of ¡°Masters¡±, not only does your workload not decrease, you have to plow further with even more determination and strength. I¡¯m regretful that I can¡¯t be with you and our baby, but that¡¯s how the road of the Mage looks like.¡± Marcus looked at the stain on the paper, imagining his wife crying. His heart ached. ¡°Speaking of which, I hope that you take good care of Ivir. She¡¯s our only child and I want her to fare well. Recently, I had a talk with Cindy.¡± The last line he read filled Marcus with an overwhelming sense od dread. ¡°She said Ivir does fine, but I know what fine means in the mouth of the Guildmaster. You let our baby slack again, didn¡¯t you? I expressly told you to keep an eye on her! You can¡¯t even imagine how precious youth is for a mage! All the potential of our girl is being wasted because you¡¯re not strict enough! If it wasn¡¯t for our family¡¯s great ancestor, I¡¯m sure Cindy would treat that spoiled girl without any leniency!¡± Feeling the unrestrained anger hidden in the words, Marcus shuddered. He knew something even worse was coming. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy here for quite a while, but don¡¯t you dare think I¡¯ll be gone forever. Once I¡¯m back, I expect progress from our little girl. And trust me, I¡¯ll know if she made any. I sincerely hope that you¡¯ll find it within yourself and secure our baby¡¯s future. If not, I may have to resort to¡­ less kind methods. Your beloved, Arie.¡± ¡°Not good, not good.¡± Marcus muttered. He looked at the crumpled end of the letter and knew his wife vent her anger on a piece of paper. Who knows how many other copies she threw away before sending this one. ¡°Guards!¡± Marcus hollered. ¡°At your service, Lord!¡± two elite guards in heavy silver armor respectfully kneeled on one knee. ¡°Send for my daughter!¡± Marcus ordered. Soon after, Ivir crossed the threshold to the Lord¡¯s bedroom with a puzzled expression. ¡°What is it dad?¡± ¡°From now on, your allowance is gone. All the noble events you have planned, canceled! The only money you¡¯ll receive will be the amount sent to Cindy for your Mage studies!¡± Marcus spat coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve bid for time since you begged me to, but it¡¯s in the past now.¡± Ivir furrowed her brows fiercely, trying to comprehend what had happened. ¡°Has mother sent word?¡± Marcus reached out to his robe and opened the envelope. ¡°Here it is.¡± he said blandly. Ivir looked at the crumpled end of the letter and shuddered. Her mother usually left a sign on the seal, but this time, she could clearly see the lightning sparking from time to time at the bottom of the paper sheet. Knowing her mother, she must have written under extreme anger! ¡°Can¡¯t you at least give me some allowance¡­?¡± Ivir said with a pleading expression. She knew who was the real head of the family. Marcus ignored her pleading, his expression indifferent. Gazing at the distance, he said softly ¡°Arie is coming back soon.¡± Arie, also known as ¡°The Tempest!¡±. One of the Vilen Town¡¯s great beauties and acclaimed Mage. At her early days, she was courted by many, yet she seemed impossible to land. There were countless suitors who tried to impress her with their strength, yet their end was all the same. Defeat in one strike! Cindy recognized Arie¡¯s talent and nurtured her as one of the main people of her Mage Guild. She had potential to be an heiress! With Cindy¡¯s backing, Arie set off a storm in the Mage Guild, surpassing her betters with unprecedented speed. She rapidly became known in the region as an extraordinary example of a budding Mage. In her later days, Arie decided to settle with a quiet boy from her family she used to play with in her childhood, Marcus. Thus, the two married and with the support of the powerful Fire Mage ancestor received the right to rule over a small township in Minaeryth Kingdom. Ivir naturally was well aware of her mother¡¯s exploits. It¡¯s exactly because she saw her signature move, ¡°Spark¡±, in her childhood that she decided to become a Lightning Mage. Ivir had a talent for magic, but without anyone to keep her in check, her motivation waned. She started interacting with nobles, growing lazy. Since Marcus had a soft spot for his only child, there was nothing to be done. However, now the situation was different. Arie stepped in and that meant there was no going back. With a helpless sigh, Marcus handed Ivir the letter and muttered ¡°Work hard, child.¡± *** Under a brilliant waterfall in the mountain area past the raging eastern river, a dark-haired youth panted heavily. He had just had a 10km run without breaks, allowed only to drink some water from his canteen during the process. Behind him stood a gorgeous female, carrying a wooden stick. Her blue eyes gazed at the youth with a satisfied grin. ¡°Tch, you¡¯re only this much. I expected something more from you, little bastard.¡± Even though she said that, Vilenne was quite impressed. Running for this long without any proper training was a miracle. She couldn¡¯t figure out how could the little bastard be so durable. Her other students couldn¡¯t even cross the 2km mark. Had she known it was thanks to the lizardman essence, she would ask Icicle to run at least 15km instead. ¡°If it was my real body, this would barely serve as a warm-up.¡± Icicle vented inside his mind. He didn¡¯t want Vilenne to ask him to run another 10km before he caught his breath. ¡°You¡¯ve rested enough, it¡¯s time for your second course.¡± Vilenne unceremoniously grabbed Icicle by the collar and threw him into the lake under the waterfall. Plop! Icicle fell into the lake like a fish, quickly falling to the bottom. ¡°That damn vixen!¡± he cursed, swallowing some of the water as he was in the middle of his breath. Unfortunately for him, that wasn¡¯t the worst to come. Vilenne moved her hand over the rippling lake surface, creating water currents. At the bottom of the lake, the water swirled, forming into long streaks. Those streaks seemed to have intelligence as they quickly wrapped around Icicle¡¯s limbs, weighing him down. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this training is a little hardcore?¡± Icicle thought as he furiously glared at Vilenne. This wouldn¡¯t increase his lung capacity as it wasn¡¯t swimming! It was simply drowning! Even though he tried to free himself off the shackles, all it did was make him seem like a helplessly thrashing fish on a hook. Vilenne calmly looked at Icicle making an idiot out of himself, grinning from ear to ear. As he seemed on the verge of losing his breath, Vilenne looked at him and spat coldly ¡°Breathe, you idiot.¡± Although Icicle couldn¡¯t hear the sound, the way Vilenne¡¯s lips moved, he could clearly understand what she had said. Faced with asphyxiation, he decided to try breathing the water in. To his surprise, his body was immediately filled with oxygen. ¡°Could this be a hidden Water Mage perk?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t have much time to think on the issue as a geyser of water brought him to the surface. Thud! Icicle fell onto the lakeside with a bam, his body covered with sand. ¡°You were quite a sight to behold.¡± Vilenne chuckled. She obviously wouldn¡¯t tell Icicle that she went through the same process in the past. It was one of the baptisms Water Mages used for their new members. ¡°Now then.¡± Vilenne clapped her hands, looking at Icicle who struggled to get up from the sandy ground. ¡°You¡¯ve learned how to breathe like a fish, so it¡¯s time you have learned how to fight like one.¡± Vilenne pointed at the waterfall ¡°Under this beautiful cascade of water, there¡¯s a cave leading to a large underground complex of water veins. Your goal is to hunt 3 fish residing there. You have time until dusk. If you can¡¯t make that happen, then you won¡¯t have anything to eat for dinner. Not to mention¡­¡± Vilenne crouched, leaning next to Icicle¡¯s ear. She released her hot breath, tingling his senses ¡°¡­ you¡¯ll be a waste of breath to teach.¡± Icicle¡¯s whole body trembled as he forcefully endured the anger he felt. Being treated as a toy didn¡¯t sit well with him. However, he knew this is just a way of Vilenne¡¯s to repay him for the tricks he pulled on her earlier. As such, he treated it as fair, to a certain extent. ¡°Aside from returning before dusk, you cannot use any equipment. You are also banned from using your offensive abilities!¡± Vilenne threatened with her forefinger, as if telling a child it cannot eat its favorite candy. ¡°Here¡¯s your weapon.¡± Vilenne handed Icicle a training wooden sword. ¡°Now go sit on the bottom of the lake and meditate to catch your breath! Have fun!¡± she grabbed Icicle by the collar again and kicked his butt fiercely. Plop! Icicle fell into the lake again. A bunch of water bubbles rose from his mouth to the surface, making Vilenne grin. ¡°What a good day! Ahh, I missed those sunny days.¡± she took off her backpack and joyfully spread a blanket on the lakeside. Putting sunglasses on, Vilenne sunbathed, her [Sense presence] focused on the actions of the little bastard¡­ *** At the bottom of the lake, Icicle sat in a meditative position, two tiny water droplets spinning quickly. The neutral mana in his body started taking some of the water¡¯s properties, becoming a vivid blue. Although this process happened only to a tiny recess of his body, this tiny improvement filled Icicle with determination. After all, it¡¯s easier to work towards something that¡¯s showing results from the start. After 15 minutes spent meditating, Icicle felt full. The sensation was similar to overeating. If he tried to get any more work on mana control done, he feared it might all go to waste. Opening his eyes, Icicle looked around with amazement. He still couldn¡¯t fathom how he could sit underwater and breathe. The bottom of the lake was a giant pile of mud, adorned by scarcely growing plants from time to time. This was likely the source of food for the dwellers of the lake. For his progress as an Alchemist, Icicle naturally picked all of those plants up. Glancing at the miniscule progress of his profession, Icicle grinned. He knew it was likely due to Intermediary level. If it was so easy to jump through levels, Vilenne and others would long achieve Grandmaster rank. Checking if he hadn¡¯t missed anything, Icicle swam towards the cave. The insides of the cave were completely dark. Icicle could see next to nothing. ¡°This must be part of the training course. After all, Vilenne knew what¡¯s inside¡­¡± he thought, spreading his presence around. The cave outline presented itself to him. Jugged rocks protruded from the walls of the underwater cave, waiting for hapless people to stake themselves. Icicle swam with his eyes closed, vigilant towards any unforseen circumstances. After a while, Icicle felt that the force of attraction coming from the depths of the cave was getting stronger, like a monstrous whirlpool sucking the water in. He braced himself and swam further. ¡°Vilenne wouldn¡¯t be so malicious, would she?¡± he thought, coming to a bifurcation. ¡°Now which one do I choose?¡± he pondered, trying to assess which tunnel has the stronger force of attraction. ¡°Knowing Vilenne, one is a training course and another is a death trap. She knows I can¡¯t die, so naturally she wouldn¡¯t tell me which tunnel I should choose¡­¡± Icicle sighed inwardly. Sometimes experiencing the treatment of a foreign being in the new world wasn¡¯t so colorful. ¡°The right tunnel seems to have a stronger force of attraction. I guess it leads to a more advanced area. I¡¯ll go left and try my best there. If it¡¯s too easy, I¡¯ll choose the right tunnel afterwards.¡± Icicle quickly made his decision. There was no use pondering on the issue too much, as he couldn¡¯t guess anything either way. All he had was a hint. *** After swimming for over 5 minutes, Icicle felt that he was pulled with even more force. He let himself be carried, drifting in the water while conserving his strength. He didn¡¯t have to wait long. He was pulled outward, exiting the tunnel like a torpedo from a submarine. Gazing all around, Icicle furrowed his brows ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± It was no longer dark. He could finally see as if it was day underwater. Looking up, Icicle realized what was happening. ¡°This is a place somewhere under that giant mountain range! There must be some kind of hole through which the light enters. The reason I have time until nightfall is because of this lighting!¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Although [Sense presence] was useful, with his current achievements, Icicle could spread it to 5m around himself. What¡¯s more, keeping it on all the time was mentally tiring. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to do that in this potentially dangerous environment. For underwater creatures, crossing 5m is but a thought. Calling Icicle dead after the dusk falls is an understatement. There¡¯s only one appropriate term ¨C food! On Icicle¡¯s right, a school of fish swam by. However, those were but minnows. Even if he somehow managed to get 30 of them, there¡¯s no way he could fill his stomach. Without any direction, Icicle decided to get to the bottom first. *** Colorful flowers grew at the bottom of the underwater cave, releasing a special kind of pheromones. Once a fish caught the bait, the large spiky petals opened, revealing a row of sharp teeth. The large yellow maw closed, chewing on the hapless fish that was lured into its vicinity. Icicle observed those ¡°man eating plants¡± carefully, shaking his head. ¡°What a dangerous ecosystem. Even the plants here are posing some threat. It¡¯s good they¡¯re low level, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to see their properties.¡± The plants in question were level 5. Icicle thought of the task Vilenne presented him with and frowned. If the level of the creatures was so low, what trouble could await him? Despite that line of thought, the hunch he had earlier was still there. He knew there¡¯s danger lurking around. Swimming through the giant underwater world, Icicle noticed beings resembling clams, oysters and scallops. Seaweeds floated around, nourishing the small organisms. It was weird since this area, at least to his knowledge, wasn¡¯t in any way connected to the sea. However, this was a Virtual Reality. Who could tell the developers to do everything according to logic? Magic itself wasn¡¯t too logical. Icicle didn¡¯t have it back on Earth yet he accepted it readily. As Icicle was musing, something fast entered his [Sense presence] range. Turning his head to the right, Icicle¡¯s mouth opened from the pain. A giant catfish slammed right into his side.
[Catfish] [Level 4] [Common] HP: 300 Attack: 8-15 One of the more common dwellers of the underground lake.
Icicle brought out the wooden sword Vilenne had given him and slashed right at the catfish¡¯s head. His slash missed by a mile, as the catfish nimbly dodged. It slammed again, this time square on Icicle¡¯s chest. Enduring the pain, Icicle looked at the wooden sword and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to move it! No wonder Vilenne told me not to use any other weapon, if it weighed any more, I would probably die before being able to hit anything!¡± Realizing where the problem laid, Icicle tried to dodge as much as he could while thinking of the solution. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can hit that catfish right now. The only thing I can do is trying to predict where it will strike so that I can counter. Even that has a small chance of success though¡­¡± Icicle¡¯s mind went back to the past when his grandfather taught him how to look for the enemy¡¯s weak points. However, that had no use if he couldn¡¯t hit the enemy! ¡°What else was there?¡± Icicle cast [Liquid membrane] around himself to stall for time. He had to figure out something fast, otherwise, when other catfishes find him, he would be done for. When Vilenne toyed with him it was embarrassing enough, but a level 4 catfish? That was an insult comparable to Blackie beating him in combat. Taking a deep breath, Icicle tried to calm his mind under the relentless assault of the catfish. ¡°If there¡¯s no opportunity to strike, create one yourself!¡± the words of the dojo master Icicle used to study under rang out in his head. ¡°How do I create an opportunity here though? Everything works against me!¡± Icicle moved sideways to dodge a reckless slam of the catfish. Bam! The catfish slammed against Icicle¡¯s back. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll eat this thing for dinner.¡± he cursed inwardly. ¡°How can I free myself from the movement restriction? What would Vilenne do? She can¡¯t have much more cards than me.¡± Seeing the catfish approach him from the front, Icicle drew his hand backwards, preparing to stab. Just as his hand jerked, he forcefully stopped the motion. However, the catfish dodged to the side all the same! ¡°Feints are definitely a thing. But they still won¡¯t let me hit the catfish, merely delay it a little. What do the fish have that I don¡¯t? Scales? Yes, but that¡¯s not all. They have highly mobile bodies and are capable of swerving! Wait¡­ scales?¡± Realization dawned on Icicle. He couldn¡¯t suddenly grow scales and swim freely like a fish, but he could cover himself with a film of mana to decrease the water resistance. ¡°You little vixen, you actually gave me a subtle hint with your ¡°fight like a fish¡± curse!¡± Icicle grinned widely. The catfish attacked again, striking from the left. Icicle readied his sword and countered with a stab. Thud! The catfish slipped past Icicle¡¯s lousy strike and hit his ribs. ¡°Tch, that was close.¡± Icicle repaired the damaged film of mana and moved after the catfish. *** A couple of minutes passed and Icicle was still entangled with the catfish. However, as he madly chased after the creature, missing almost every strike, another catfish attacked him. Now that he was against two catfishes, he had to focus even more. Dodging became even more difficult, while striking was a rare delicacy under the relentless attacks of the two. ¡°My mana isn¡¯t infinite, so I can¡¯t keep this up!¡± Icicle thought, trying to resolve the problem of his strikes missing. ¡°I can see through most of the catfishes movements already, but my strikes can¡¯t connect¡­ Could it be that I need to encase the sword with my mana too?¡± With his current situation, it couldn¡¯t hurt to waste 15 or so mana at the possible chance of winning. After focusing his mana flow not only on his body, but on the sword as well, Icicle¡¯s [Sense presence] range had to be reduced to 3m. Despite his great mental capacity, that was as much as he could pour out at the moment. ¡°Alright, now¡¯s my time!¡± Icicle readied himself with a long breath. As the catfish neared from the front, Icicle unleashed his sword, stabbing straight at its wide open mouth! The other catfish grazed against Icicle¡¯s right side as he dodged in a last second. ¡°Finally, my strikes land close to where I want them to!¡± although this wasn¡¯t a perfect solution, for now it was more than enough. Icicle stood with his right hand outstretched, keeping the wooden sword in a defensive position, while his left hand had a tiny water droplet swirling, absorbing the mana from the water environment. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s the hunter now!¡± Icicle¡¯s amber eyes blazed as he grinned devilishly. *** Three catfishes swam around Icicle, one badly battered. ¡°Vilenne wouldn¡¯t give me such an easy task, would she? She certainly wants to punish for failing with more training. If I am to ¡°fail¡± her expectations, I need to kill this catfish before it escapes!¡± Icicle deduced. ¡°In the current situation, there¡¯s only one thing I can think of to increase my damage ¨C mana! I need to pour a lot of mana into the wooden sword and strike the attack from the inside!¡± After making his decision, Icicle stayed vigilant. He saw the wariness in the wounded catfish¡¯s behavior. It swam farther away from him than the other two. Nonetheless, the creature still waited for its chance to attack. Icicle saw all of that. He had to scheme to make his plan work. ¡°Once I leave an obvious opening, the fish will go for it. That¡¯s when I get rid of it!¡± As he fought with the three catfishes, Icicle couldn¡¯t believe he had so much trouble with level 4 creatures. If he told the others how tough the task was to overcome, they probably wouldn¡¯t believe him, calling him a useless moron. ¡°It should attack in three seconds¡­¡± Counting down, Icicle steeled himself. Now! With a decisive strike, Icicle dealt the killing blow to the catfish. His wooden sword pierced through its insides, staking the fish as if readying it for barbecue. ¡°One down, two to go!¡± Icicle looked at the catfish that didn¡¯t disintegrate with a smile.
[Catfish] [Quest item] Bring three of those to Vilenne to complete the quest!
¡°Weird, there was no notification of the quest. It¡¯s either a hidden or one with no rewards, thus no system window.¡± Icicle assumed. *** Vilenne enjoyed the last rays of the sun as she joyfully looked at the water surface. Bonfire next to her crackled as the delicious aroma of venison spread throughout the area. ¡°Little bastard seems occupied, huh?¡± Vilenne smirked. The test she gave Icicle took her over 3 days to complete. Back at the day, she was at the Intermediary stage of mana control! ¡°If you tease other people, prepared to get teased back!¡± enjoying the sweet taste of victory, Vilenne ate the venison stew with a grin from ear to ear. Another 15 minutes passed and Vilenne started packing her things into the enchanted backpack. ¡°Little bastard knows where to find me.¡± she shrugged, about to extinguish the bonfire. Splash! A geyser of water erupted from the middle of the lake, revealing a thoroughly wet, disheveled figure. Icicle shook his head to dry his hair a little. Vilenne¡¯s pupils constricted as she saw her student. At his left side there was a row of gaping wounds, as if a giant fish bit him and left its mark. Putting her bowl of venison stew aside, Vilenne quickly approached Icicle, casting [Healing drizzle] on him. ¡°Thanks.¡± Icicle muttered, taking a sit on a stump. Seeing the wounds close, Vilenne sighed with relief. The appearance of Icicle was gruesome. She had only seen wounds like this during life and death duels. What did the little bastard do to get so battered up? Despite thinking that, Vilenne didn¡¯t want to ask. The atmosphere just wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Here.¡± she handed Icicle a bowl of venison stew. Icicle took the bowl and emptied the insides in a jiffy. Vilenne smiled wryly as there wasn¡¯t any more in the pot. She made just this much for herself. Wiping his mouth, Icicle touched the air and said ¡°Can you cook these for me?¡± Five catfishes emerged out of thin air, three regular ones and two entirely black, some kind of Rare variant. ¡°S-Sure.¡± Vilenne muttered out, rekindling the bonfire. As she looked for sticks to place the fish on, she tried to grasp what had happened. ¡°Those bite marks were obviously from that giant fish living in the right tunnel¡­ but if he entered the right tunnel right away, there is no way he would have lived until now. Besides, those catfishes¡­ Did little bastard hunt them and then try explore the other tunnel, meeting his match?¡± Although Vilenne wasn¡¯t sure, she felt her guess was quite accurate. ¡°Still, to hunt five catfishes underwater as a first timer, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Vilenne turned her head to look at Icicle. ¡°Huh?¡± seeing the murderous look in Icicle¡¯s eyes, Vilenne stilled for a second. She then entered deep into the woods. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± a wild, loud laughter rang out throughout the forest. ¡°What an idiot! A complete moron!¡± Vilenne clutched her stomach. ¡°He actually wanted to defeat the underwater ruler as a first timer! That¡¯s really the biggest idiot I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Vilenne wiped the tears that welled up in her eyes. ¡°To think they called me a daredevil!¡± *** 10 minutes later, Vilenne returned with enough sticks to put the fish on. She left them to grill while she amusedly gazed at Icicle. ¡°Am I that handsome?¡± Icicle¡¯s amber eyes blazed under the light of a fire. ¡°If stupidity can be called that, then yes.¡± Vilenne smirked. Icicle smiled wryly. ¡°You have a really sonorous voice. Your future boyfriend will have a lot of fun with you.¡± Vilenne¡¯s face blushed a deep red. Fortunately, it was nighttime and the bonfire didn¡¯t reflect it well. ¡°Don¡¯t hit the wounded! Don¡¯t hit the wounded!¡± she repeated in her mind to calm herself after the sense of embarrassment was replaced by anger. ¡°So.¡± Icicle said after a while of silence. ¡°Have I passed your little test?¡± ¡°Nope. You were late.¡± Vilenne grinned. ¡°I see. No matter, I learned more than enough there.¡± Icicle said, gazing at the stars. ¡°Anyways, whatever little punishment you have prepared has to wait. I plan on going back there tomorrow.¡± ¡°Are you really that dumb?¡± Vilenne asked with amusement. ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Icicle answered vaguely, yet his mouth held a trace of a smile. ¡°The fish are burning.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Vilenne scurried to the bonfire, trying to salvage the dish. Seeing as it was somewhat burned, she smiled apologetically. ¡°No matter.¡± Icicle said indifferently. ¡°Blackie, go eat them.¡± Summoned by his Master, Blackie barked happily as he ate the meal. To him, it didn¡¯t matter if the fish were a little ¡°overcooked¡±. ¡°Here.¡± Icicle handed Vilenne a sandwich. Vilenne took it somewhat reluctantly, then as she was about to take the first bite Icicle shouted ¡°Look out, it¡¯s poisoned.¡± Glaring at Icicle with a wry smile, Vilenne¡¯s taste buds relished in the feeling. ¡°Mm, peanut butter!¡± *** Under a veil of the moonlight, two figures stood in the woods. Icicle¡¯s face held a trace of a smile as he looked in the direction of the waterfall lake. ¡°Once I deal with that guy underwater, we¡¯ll have a much fairer fight.¡± he said wistfully. ¡°Huh?¡± Vilenne stammered, packing the rest of the fish into her backpack. It worked in a similar way to Icicle¡¯s bag, storing a set amount of weight without any problems. ¡°See you soon.¡± Icicle said, logging out. ¡°What did he mean?¡± Vilenne wondered. ¡°He can¡¯t be saying he¡¯s going to enter Intermediary level so soon, right?¡± *** Back in his room, Jason laid in his bed, looking at the ceiling. After spending over 8 hours in the game, he didn¡¯t feel much exhaustion, yet something was bugging him. ¡°That goddamn giant shark was so strong!¡± he muttered. ¡°Once I get a hang of that movement technique I realized underwater, you¡¯re done for!¡± a resolute light filled his eyes. Chapter 42 After eating a hearty meal, Jason slowly washed the dishes. His thoughts drifted to the time he spent in Loiterous. Waking from the pensive state, Jason smiled slightly. ¡°The meeting is happening in less than 4 days, I have to beat that fishie by then.¡± Since it was only a few hours past afternoon, Jason decided to go back into the game. His day activities in Loiterous ended, but the night was the perfect time to utilise his new set! *** South of Vilen Town, night merchants, privateers and their bodyguards vigilantly watched a black werewolf figure strolling across the white sand beach. Despite their vigilant attitudes, the werewolf and a black hound following him crossed the pier without any trouble. At the top of the fort, the night shift of defenders glanced at the human-like wolf walking on two legs, turning their heads away soon after. There were way too many pranksters who liked to dress up to scare people. As long as they were harmless, there was no need for them to intervene. The black werewolf stopped in front of the Mercenary Guild and unceremoniously walked in. Ding! ding! Magent sat behind his desk, lighting up a cigar. As the bell rang, he noticed a black werewolf and a quite robust dog enter his establishment. ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± Magent asked lazily. Ignoring the Master of the guild, the fur-coated person walked up to the mission board located on the right side of the building. Various tasks were pinned to the wooden board, ranging from finding some items and killing monsters to apprehending criminals. ¡°If you want to access those tasks, you need to register.¡± Magent said indifferently, releasing a puff of smoke. Mutes like this newcomer happened from time to time. Swiping a bunch of the listed requests, the figure dressed in black direwolf fur stopped in front of Magent¡¯s desk. Magent glanced at the figure¡¯s hand filled with a lot of tasks and scoffed. ¡°Newbies¡­¡± Nonetheless, he searched for a new member card. ¡°State your name or nickname and then pour a bit of your mana into both of those. The registration fee is 1 gold coin.¡± ¡°Night Terror.¡± the figure said, tapping the two sleek, black cards. After shoving a shiny gold coin on the desk, the black werewolf grabbed one of the cards and said ¡°I¡¯ll be back at dawn.¡± Magent smirked as he looked at the entrance ¡°A fancy nickname yet weak as shit¡­ typical.¡± *** Western Mountain area. Circling around the grey rock face, Icicle tried to spot any vines that could help him ascend the giant rock. ¡°Where are you little ivy, help me ascend this pile of stone¡­¡± he hummed, scanning the rock face with his night vision. Moonlight spilled onto the black direwolf fur Icicle wore, suffusing it with energy. The storage option of his set greedily absorbed the moonlight, making Icicle feel a thin layer of protection spreading throughout the direwolf onesie. In the point where rockface winded to the right side, Icicle noticed a giant oak tree blocking his vision. Making sure not to miss the potential climbing spot, Icicle walked around it. ¡°I knew it!¡± Icicle glanced at the rock face covered with vines stretching all the way to the top. Most people wouldn¡¯t explore this area so meticulously. Honestly, neither would Icicle if not for the task he took from the Mercenary Guild. ¡°Now which one is durable enough?¡± he thought, pulling on the veins to test them. Meanwhile, Blackie pounced around the grasslands, hunting boars, bears and snakes. After receiving the half of lizardman heart, Blackie¡¯s fighting power rose dramatically. Icicle wanted him to get used to [Sense presence] and develop some battle instincts, in case the dog met a strong creature while scouting. Last time in the Lizardmen Cave taught Icicle enough. Without Blackie to scout for him, everything was much harder. Finding an appropriate vine, Icicle tugged on it, looking back to check up on Blackie. ¡°Why am I even worrying about that dog? He reached the Advanced level of [Sense presence] and [Hide presence] at the get go¡­ Just how strong is that second blood within him?¡± ¡°Meh, maybe it¡¯s just a canine¡¯s advantage. It can¡¯t compare to dragons breathing fire after all.¡± Icicle remembered the instance with Rekk and smiled wryly. Compared to that, Blackie¡¯s extraordinariness was a drop in the sea. Climbing the steep grey rock face, Icicle stayed vigilant. The stars may give false sense of security, but he knew that no eagle is going to let their eggs be stolen without any repurcussions. Since it was a quest, Icicle hoped he wouldn¡¯t climb this steep rock face for nothing. After climbing up for a while, Icicle swayed on the vine, hopping onto a protruding rock shelf. ¡°Only a bit more to go.¡± Icicle took a swig from his canteen to refresh himself. *** ¡°Ugh!¡± with a final push, Icicle finally stood on top of the rock face. Pieces of rubble lay around the top of the grey rocky surface. The moon seemed much closer than before, making Icicle grin. ¡°I guess this is where the wolves would normally howl.¡± Looking at the ground down below, Icicle furrowed his brows. ¡°It will be tough to descend once I get the job done. If only I could trust Blackie not to crush those eggs, I would have taken that scoundrel with me for a covert operation¡­¡± Regretfully shaking his head, Icicle located three eagle nests on the top shelf of the rock face. ¡°Marisse¡¯s lenses surely come in handy!¡± The extra nigthvision ability saved him a lot of time during this venture. ¡°No eagle presence here, no papa there as well and¡­ no guardian in the third nest!¡± Icicle scanned with his presence, hiding behind a rock nearby. Without wasting time, he approached the three eagle nests, looking for the eggs. ¡°There¡¯s one, lucky!¡± Icicle grabbed the white egg and pocketed it into his inventory. By the time he started rummaging through the second nest, a sharp eagle cry resounded in the sky. ¡°No way!¡± Icicle exclaimed, seeing the creature¡¯s stats.
[Night Eagle] [Level 14] [Rare] HP: 700 Attack: 25-39 Night Eagles are the prime examples of night hunters. Known for having a small amount of offspring, Night Eagles developed a strong sense of parenthood.
¡°No wonder no one picked this task up, it¡¯s a fucking trap for noobs!¡± Icicle cursed. As if stealing eagle eggs wasn¡¯t enough, he stumbled upon a vindictive pack of birds. The eagle¡¯s cries were getting nearer and nearer. Icicle scurried to the third nest and stole one of the three eggs laying there. He knew that if he took all of them, he would be chased till the end of the earth. Thus, he had to compromise. ¡°Gotta run!¡± Looking for the way back, Icicle ran at top speed to the location of the vine. Letting the eagles encircle and then pick on him was not something he longed for. ¡°There!¡± Icicle spotted the vine going down at his left. A quicklky moving presence entered Icicle¡¯s range of detection. He spinned on his foot, immediately unleashing [Cleave] with his claws. An X mark flew towards the Night Eagle, but it was completely disregarded. A shadow of a Silverfang Direwolf appeared behind Icicle, roaring at the eagle to slow it down. Unfortunately, while the bird was enraged, it felt no fear. With its feathers being pierced by the sharp claws of Icicle¡¯s, the eagle continued flying straight at him! Bam! Slamming directly into him, the Night Eagle pushed Icicleover the rock face. ¡°Shit!¡± Icicle cursed, falling down. He created a film of mana around his body to reduce the damage of the incoming impact. [Liquid membrane] formed around him while he took out a medium vial of red liquid and drained it preemptively. Thud! Icicle landed on the rock shelf he stood on before. The impact took his breath away, making his back ache as if he broke all of his bones. -200! Fortunately, the shelf was located near the top of rock face, so the damage Icicle received wasn¡¯t too extensive. Despite the pain, Icicle had to hurry up and escape. Two Night Eagles were quickly approaching his position. ¡°Cough!¡± Icicle spat blood, wiping his mouth afterwards. Sitting up with difficulty, he brought out his [Fiery Blazing Sword], releasing its [Nasty burn] skill straight at the approaching Night Eagle. With a sharp cry, the black eagle beat its wings furiously, trying to extinguish the flames. Icicle grabbed the vine and half falling, half climbing down, he descended the rock face. His legs were barely keeping themselves on the protruding rocks. Looking up, Icicle¡¯s face paled. ¡°Oh no you won¡¯t!¡± Icicle cried out as he saw the Night Eagle swiping its talons against the top of the ivy he held on. Knowing that the ivy won¡¯t hold out for long, Icicle let himself free fall, grabbing the Ivy from time to time to reduce his speed slightly. This action put a lot of strain on his hands and feet. Snap! The vine was cut. Icicle fell, casting [Healing drizzle] and [Liquid membrane] on himself. The thin film of mana reappeared to soak up some damage as his body helplessly fell. *** Snap! Snap! Snap! Icicle bounced off the giant oak tree¡¯s branches, breaking a few in the process. He spinned and tumbled until he finally fell on his bottom. Looking at his status, Icicle massaged his soaring back. ¡°Great, 15 HP left.¡± he mumbled. Eagle cries pierced the air outside, utterly unsatisfied with the way things played out. Icicle ignored the birds as he confusedly looked around. ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± Icicle looked at the confined space he was in. He was sure that he was sitting on the cold ground, yet wood was all around him. Looking up, he saw the starry sky. ¡°Is it an empty tree trunkkkkk-¡± the ground beneath Icicle sunk, making him fall underground. Falling on his ass again, accompanied by a lot of rubble, Icicle clutched his head. Heaving a long breath, he looked up. The stars seemed even more distant, while to his left and right were tunnels that seemed to never end. ¡°This is so weird.¡± *** Under the giant oak tree in the next to the winding rock face, Blackie dug up a hole and jumped in. ¡°Are you alright God?¡± he asked, seeing Icicle¡¯s disheveled state. It was even worse than when God let him eat a bunch of fish. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I just need to rest for a while.¡± Icicle said, sitting right below the hole which he fell from. The moonlight suffused his figure, boosting his health and mana regeneration. He was hoping that his physique improves with time, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t use any potions. ¡°Check the tunnels and report back.¡± Icicle pointed ahead, ruffling Blackie¡¯s fur. ¡°Yes God!¡¯ Blackie happily scurried through the dark tunnel. After a while, Blackie came back to see Icicle with his hands spread, two tiny water droplets swirling. ¡°God, there are some weird pink monsters carrying magic wands patrolling the tunnel.¡± Blackie reported, wagging his tail. ¡°Kobolds, huh?¡± Icicle matched the description with the one from the forums. One thing was bugging him. Kobolds were supposed to reside within the [Desolated Catacombs] dungeon! How come they were so far from their original residence? ¡°Check our back as well.¡± Icicle threw a slab of boar meat to Blackie. *** Boom! A raging fireball exploded on the side of the tunnel. Blackie lunged onto the Kobold, his fangs sinking into the pinkish reptile¡¯s neck. Behind Blackie was a scene of carnage. Four mutilated bodies of Kobolds laid on the ground limply. Gruesome claw marks spread all over their bellies and faces, as if a genuine werewolf mauled them. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Swipe after swipe, a dance of death continued. Blood was spilled and the flesh fell off as Kobolds¡¯ bodies were mercilessly mauled. Finishing the job, Icicle took off the wolf hood to catch a breather. Sweat trickled down his forehead. ¡°I still can¡¯t get into the feeling I had earlier.¡± he sighed regretfully. In the waters of the underground lake, while fighting against the last black-scaled catfish, Icicle felt as if he blended with the water, allowing him to reach an extreme speed. The catfish that was at least 5m away from him was cut in half by the wooden sword in one strike. When he looked back, a blurry afterimage of him blended with the water. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Contrary to Icicle¡¯s initial guess, it wasn¡¯t a fluke. When he looked at his status afterwards, Icicle noticed that his [Elusive body] finally reached level 1. Now, however, he wasn¡¯t able to get into this elusive state. ¡°I guess it will come with time and practice.¡± With the Kobold bodies not disintegrating, Icicle was forced to pick up the staffs and the other Kobold belongings from their robes. More often than not, Kobolds carried colorful round stone trinkets. Unsure about their usage, Icicle pocketed them for later.. Either Cindy or Adian should be able to identify them for him. *** Walking down the tunnel, Icicle looked at his map. He walked from the western mountain area straight to the north where Desolated Catacombs laid! Puzzled by the Kobolds¡¯ desire for protection and secrecy, Icicle continued down the road, eliminating another 10 Kobolds with the help of Blackie.
Status: Name: Icicle Race: Human Level: 17 Experience: 72 240 / 210 000 Class: Water Mage Apprentice Subclass: Alchemist (1st grade) Titles: Pioneer Points left to distribute: 18 Statistics: HP: 450 Mana: 460 Strength: 24 Dexterity: 51 Vitality: 28 Intelligence: 25 Wisdom: 32 Charisma: 30 Luck: 10 Faith: 5 Skills: [Identify] (passive) ¨C lets you see the basic information of lowest grade items, NPCs and monsters. You can see the information of monsters who are no more than 5 levels higher than you. [Craftsman¡¯s splendor] (passive) ¨C increases your chance of making a better quality product by 5%. [Intermediary sense presence] (passive) ¨C allows you to sense the targets of [Hide presence] level and lower in 5m range. [Flawless mana control] (passive) ¨C allows the user to dual-wield the mana freely. Current attainment: level 5, 38% [Healing drizzle] ¨C healing spell. Restores health equal to the user¡¯s wisdom. +5 mana per each additional target. [Water prison] ¨C restricting ability. Enclose the target in a sphere of water for the duration of 3 seconds + Wisdom/100 seconds. [Liquid membrane] ¨C protective shield. Absorbs physical damage equal to wisdom stat or magical damage equal to 5 times the wisdom stat. Blocks most crowd control effects until broken. [Elusive body] ¨C movement and mana enhancement skill. Current attainment: level 1, 5%.
¡°Three more levels until I can use the [Purified water] skillbook.¡± Icicle mumbled after checking his stats. Sending Blackie to scout ahead, he approached the location of the dungeon. *** Inside Desolated Catacombs, Faura and her party rested next to a bonfire. A huge brass doors stood in front of them, next to which laid a bunch of elite Kobold corpses. A few moments ago, another party was duking it off with those guardians. After finding a key to the possible vault, Faura didn¡¯t want to give up and decided to wipe the other party out with the help of the monsters. The key role was alloted to Enna, who had to timingly use her new skill ¨C [Light Swirl], to blind the enemies while the Kobolds take care of them. Although the strategy didn¡¯t work out as well as they planned, with SilentStep hiding in the shadows and FieryRed taking care of the front, the party managed to emerge victorious only with a few temporary PK statuses. ¡°We¡¯ve rested enough. If we dawdle any longer, those guys might come back.¡± Faura looked around warily. ¡°If we were them, we definitely would. They wiped out because of us.¡± Inferno shrugged. Conflicts of interests in games often ended up with player killing. ¡°Let¡¯s hope they don¡¯t have the stones necessary to enter then.¡± Faura nodded and approached the giant brass doors. ¡°3¡­2¡­1! Let¡¯s go in!¡± After counting down, Faura and the rest pushed the doors open. Creak! Torchlight from the outside illuminated the treasure room dimly. A large, 3m wide gilded chest stood in the middle of the room, reflecting the light of the flame. Approaching the chest, excitement washed over the party, letting them lose their guard. Enna and SilentStep were the only one looking around vigilantly. ¡°What¡¯s this smell?¡± Enna sniffed around cutely. SilentStep furrowed his brows before screaming ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!¡± A pair of amber eyes emerged from the darkness, staring straight at the group of six. Thud! Inferno was the first to fall down, clutching his stomach and coughing. Headshot nocked an arrow and as he was about to shoot, something attacked him from behind. Growl! Faura started casting [Lightning bolt] at the four-legged assailant while Enna moved out to meet with the front attacker. AWOOOOOOOOOOO! A shadow of a giant white direwolf emerged, releasing its majestic aura. Faura was slammed into by a swift, black creature while in front of Enna stood a black werewolf. ¡°Wait, y¨Cyou¡¯re-¡± Enna stuttered. She recognized the familiar presence. SilentStep emerged from the shadows, trying to backstab the werewolf first. His efforts were met with a [Water prison] encasing him followed by a punch to the face. Enna¡¯s head jolted backwards as a flick landed on her forehead. ¡°That hurt, you silly goose!¡± Enna punched the black werewolf in front of her lightly. Taking off the wolf hood, Icicle smiled wryly at the five lying on the floor. ¡°You guys are so easy to ambush.¡± ¡°You have some balls to tease us after ditching us the last time!¡± Faura grumbled, dusting her robes and sending Icicle a glare. ¡°Real life called, what do?¡± Icicle shrugged innocently. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Enna asked with puzzlement. It took them a lot of time to locate this place. ¡°I¡¯ll show you guys later, it seems we have company.¡± Icicle smiled gently. Blackie reported the size of the group to Icicle, waiting for orders near the open brass door. ¡°Shit, we¡¯ve been spotted! Go in, now!¡± eight players ran into the room, spells and arrows whistling through the air. One of the arrows struck Icicle¡¯s shoulder. The fur didn¡¯t seem damaged as the moonlight energy stored inside took care of the blow. Icicle has been deemed a victim of PK aggression, giving him 2 minutes total to find justice, 15 seconds for each player. A devilish grin spread around his face as he jumped right into action. [Water prison] encased two of the players in the back, while Blackie assaulted the enemy Priest. SilentStep and Headshot focused on the Warrior while, Faura and Inferno provided cover for FieryRed in the front. Dodging a fireball hurling straight at him, Icicle unleashed [Cleave], leaving a giant gaping X wound in the Archer¡¯s chest. Soon after his strike, 7 spheres of fire bombarded the vicinity of the Archer, depriving him of life. Enna vigorously cast magic barriers around her teammates, saving them from instant death. She hurled a ball of light to blind the enemies. Since Icicle wasn¡¯t in the party, the effect applied to him as well. Fortunately, he was able to find his way through the usage of [Sense presence]. Under the coordinated attacks, the rest of the attacking party was quickly killed off. *** ¡°Do you have a key for this chest?¡± Icicle asked Faura who was all fidgety with excitement. ¡°Yes, we have found it after killing the Elite Kobold in a secret room.¡± Faura nodded, crouching next to the chest. The lock clicked and the coffer opened. A bunch of gold coins and colorful stones laid in the chest. A pair of silver daggers and three staffs with different colored crystals were mixed within the glittering sea of gold. While Faura, Inferno¡¯s and Enna¡¯s attention focused on the staffs and polished crystals, Icicle reached out to a blue stone. ¡°What a familiar feeling.¡± he caressed the stone, trying to think of what gave him the familiar sensation. ¡°No way!¡± Silently activating the tiny water droplet, the swirl it created made Icicle understand.. ¡°It¡¯s the feeling of my mana changing into water element! Those must be some kind of water mana stones!¡± Blackie stood on his hind paws and huffed as the black stones in the coffer drew his attention. ¡°God, why do those black rocks feel so familiar?¡± ¡°Hey guys.¡± Icicle clapped his hands to draw the attention of the bunch. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll take the blue and black stones while you take the rest. I took care of the boss monster guarding this place after all.¡± Icicle pointed to the side where a row of neatly arranged corpses laid. ¡°Do they have any value?¡± Faura asked indifferently. ¡°NPCs can use them to boost their power.¡± Icicle said straightforwardly. ¡°Why do you need them though?¡± Enna frowned. Icicle seemed to leave them a lot of precious items for no reason. ¡°I pissed off a dev so I didn¡¯t have system assist at the start. I learned magic the way NPCs cast it, so I need those beauties.¡± Icicle said frankly. ¡°Just look at my dog, it¡¯s as if he saw a fridge full of steak.¡± Indeed, after looking at Blackie¡¯s unusual behavior Faura and Enna were fully convinced. ¡°Just take them.¡± Faura said. ¡°But it¡¯s only fair if we take the rest.¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Icicle grabbed all of the black and blue stones and headed towards the hidden trapdoor. ¡°I suggest you hurry up and use this trapdoor too, unless you want to play with yet another party.¡± Icicle grinned and entered the underground tunnel. ¡°Thank God he doesn¡¯t know about those polished crystals. If he knew how much they can boost the damage of the user, we wouldn¡¯t get away with such a cheap deal.¡± Faura grinned cheekily. *** On his way back through the tunnel, Faura and the rest caught up to Icicle, barraging him with questions and complains. Seeing Enna¡¯s cheeky smile, Icicle decided to make life a little harder for her, telling the rest to learn [Sense presence] directly from her, since she has a knack for it. After chatting for a while, Faura finally asked, ¡°Where does this tunnel lead to?¡± ¡°Western mountain area, quite close to Vilen Town.¡± ¡°How did you even find this place?¡± Headshot looked at the brown soil surrounding him and frowned. The torchlight was barely enough to illuminate the tunnel, yet Icicle walked in front as if he could see everything. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I told you.¡± Icicle said, shaking his head. He wouldn¡¯t believe in the story himself, why would others? ¡°Come on, tell us!¡± Enna nudged him from behind. ¡°Well¡­¡± Icicle harrumphed. ¡°I poached a few eagle eggs on top of a rock face, then those eagles chased me down, making me fall off¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± Enna asked with curiosity. ¡°Heheh, the rest you¡¯ll see yourself. We¡¯re here.¡± Icicle pointed ahead where moonlight shined through. *** ¡°Did we really have to crawl through earth and mud instead of just destroying a part of that tree?¡± Faura grumbled. Her stainless Mage robe was now ruined. ¡°I told you to undress yourself but you just threw a bunch of perverts at me.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°Besides, if you made a hole in the tree, you would let others know there¡¯s a secret passage there. Now, if you ever need to enter that vault again, you can choose this tunnel for a free pass.¡± ¡°That¡¯s way too much trouble for too little of a benefit!¡± Faura pouted, making the rest laugh at her fake anger. ¡°Hm? Where¡¯s the redhead?¡± Icicle looked around and noticed FieryRed attacking a bunch of bears. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she always does that when she gets her hands on a new sword.¡± Enna shook her head. ¡°Well then, we will return to the Mage Guild. If those stones are as valuable as you described, Cindy will offer us quite a good price for them.¡± Faura grinned, disregarding her disheveled appearance. ¡°I need to get some sleep, so I¡¯ll catch you guys later. Say hi to Cindy for me.¡± Icicle said his goodbyes and logged off. Chapter 43 Author¡¯s note: Next chapter tomorrow since I spent way too much time on the prologue. I guess it¡¯s much harder since it connects many dots from the past to the current events. Ugh. Loiterous, Mercenary Guild area, afternoon. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re back.¡± Magent laid comfortably on two chairs, craning his head to see the visitor. ¡°It took you longer than you said though.¡± he grinned meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯ve stumbled upon some unexpected harvest.¡± the Night Terror placed his findings on the desk. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Location of the Wasp nest, two Night Eagles¡¯ eggs and the hide of the bear fitting the description. Well, not bad, newbie. I can give you 150 contribution points for that.¡± Magent quickly assessed. ¡°Can I exchange the points someplace else?¡± the black werewolf figure asked. ¡°Since you already know of that place, why bother asking? However, if you want me to introduce you, you need to accomplish much more than this.¡± Magent shrugged indifferently. ¡°No need.¡± after Magent inscribed 150 contribution points into the black card of the werewolf figure, he turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if the tasks weren¡¯t so ¡°misleading¡± next time.¡± ¡°Valuable intel has its price as well, kiddo.¡± Magent laughed raucously, sending the figure off with a playful smile. *** ¡°Have you visited the place I told you about?¡± Cindy looked at Icicle with a smile. ¡°Yes, 150 contribution points total.¡± Icicle shrugged. There wasn¡¯t much else he could do for now. The tasks listed on the board of the Mercenary Guild took too much time for too little of a reward. ¡°150, huh? You won¡¯t be able to buy any meaningful for that, but you said you needed to work on your body a little, then this much should barely suffice.¡± Cindy ruffled Icicle¡¯s black hair. ¡°Remember to take as many of those easy tasks as you can. Otherwise the training plan I helped you draft will be nothing but a messy sheet of paper.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Icicle nodded with a smile. The stones he and Faura¡¯s party found in the Kobold¡¯s Vault were as he thought, very valuable to Mages¡¯ progress. Their price never dropped and even often went up. Thus, the elemental stones were often used as currency between Mages. Since the stones formed only in the terrains with the vast majority of one element, those places were often protected by powerful monsters or families with deep heritage. A budding Mage wouldn¡¯t have much of an access to them unless he robbed someone. As for the chance of that someone being weak, it need not to be said¡­ The stones Kobolds used were of course of the lowest quality, with a lot of impurities. The pink reptile-like monster casters used them as mana banks, keeping an additional elemental dose of mana inside the oval rocks. Thanks to his efforts in securing the rest of the stones for the Mage Guild, Cindy took it on herself to purify water and dark element stones Icicle plundered from the Kobold Vault for free. As for the little trinket-like stones Icicle had found in the Kobolds¡¯ clothing, he had to give them up as a payment for Cindy¡¯s ¡°power-up plan¡± as she called it. Now that he was a part of the Mage Guild, Cindy stopped being so ¡°cute¡± and ¡°kind¡±. She showed her business side, saying things like ¡°For everything to prosper, I need to be paid.¡± This of course had reason. The Mage Guild would go bankrupt if they just focused on developing Mages without the members giving anything back. Naturally, Icicle asked about the usefulness of the trinkets. He wouldn¡¯t give up a potential source of income. Especially when he had a backdoor to the Kobold Vault. From what Cindy said, the trinket-like stones were apparently used as gems. Embedding them in jewelry added various properties to the rings, brooches, earrings and necklaces. More often than not, Mages acquired those trinkets for their mortal families, providing the guards with auxiliary means of combat. Young family members who went out adventuring often carried one of those. In gaming terms, such a piece of jewelry would be a consummable item with 1-3 times usage, either for defense or to unleash some sort of magic attack. Icicle naturally didn¡¯t need any of those. He had magic, but he could sell the stones for additional contribution points income. The only reason he had decided to take the tasks from Magent¡¯s Mercenary Guild was to earn points he could exchange in the underground area Cindy mentioned to him later. Cindy¡¯s plan was in fact quite simple. Icicle had to earn contribution points he could exchange in the restricted area governed by all the guilds. All sorts of Artifacts, exotic items, weapons, books, information, competition and protective gear could be found there. Naturally, the sellers were a part of Vilen Town¡¯s guilds. From time to time, Merchants from the Bazzar were invited to display their goods, but that was a rare occassion. Usually, guild members traded with each other. The payment method was something of equivalent value or currency ¨C contribution points! As Icicle expected, the lizardman heart he had eaten had indeed boosted his endurance considerably. Naturally, there were other kinds of food that could do so as well. Some were easier to acquire than others, but every single one of them shared a few traits. They were either expensive or time consuming to acquire! What¡¯s more, Icicle didn¡¯t have the necessary strength to combat those beasts. On the other hand, buying a piece of meat from one was much easier when you had access! That¡¯s exactly what Cindy¡¯s plan relied upon. Icicle had to earn contribution points off easy tasks then exchange them for resources he couldn¡¯t normally acquire through middlemen, that would be Vilen Town¡¯s guild members. For a budding Mage like him, the resources sold in the underground area were a treasure trove! Staying behind in levels was something that was acceptable, but getting beaten by every NPC in the beginner area was a joke. Icicle didn¡¯t want to stay that way, so he decided to take a shortcut. Cindy presented him with one, but it wasn¡¯t without a price. Once Icicle heard the conditions, he wanted to kowtow to Marisse for making him the direwolf set. Without it, he would most likely need to cut his sleeping time to complete the tasks in time. After running errands for the joint coalition of the Guilds, Icicle was supposed to exchange the gathered contribution points for ingredients Cindy pointed out to him. Those included meat, various creature¡¯s blood and rare plants. All of them had a favorable effect towards increasing one¡¯s strength or endurance. As for fulfilling Cindy¡¯s conditions or gathering any extra, it all depended on him. ¡°When can I get introduced?¡± Icicle asked with longing. He was used to working hard if he had a goal in mind. Right now, it was quite simple ¨C get stronger. At least strong enough so that no catfish nor some shark could throw him around like a pinball. ¡°You can get introduced right now, but I won¡¯t be the one to do so. Come on.¡± Cindy beckoned. *** ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cindy closed the door behind her, leaving Icicle in a room upstairs. A neatly made bed covered by a blue sheet in cute brown teddy bears stood next to the window. A pair of small eyes glanced at Icicle from the windowsill. It was a pink teddy bear holding a bright red heart with an ¡°I love you¡± inscribed on it. At the left corner side of the room stood a wardrobe, next to which was a tightly shut coffer. To the left of the door was a white washstand with a fresh towel on top. A few bottles of perfume and makeup adorned the washstand and the shelf above it. Icicle whiffed the woman¡¯s perfume permeating the room and sat on the bed, facing the door. Since Cindy told him to wait, he didn¡¯t check what was behind the door to his left. Finally, the boredom got the better of Icicle, he reached out to the teddy bear on the windowsill and smiled. The texture was soft and fluffy. He squeezed the heart and the pink teddy bear issued out a cute voice ¡°I love you!¡± ¡°Heh, I love you too, teddy bear!¡± Icicle held the teddy in front of him and smiled. *** Water drizzled down the well-developed figure of a female, making her skin reddish from the hot sensation. Long lustrous black hair cascaded down like a waterfal, exuding a fresh aroma of the shampoo. Wringing her hair dry, the woman exited the steamy shower and loosely wore a bathrobe. Her fine curves jutted out through the piece of clothing, outlining her voluptuous figure. At this very moment, coupled with the steamy room and her reddish complexion, most men would fall for this barely clothed stunner right away. Vilenne exited her bathroom, wrapping a towel around her head. She hummed under her nose, refreshed after the afternoon shower. Icicle heard the doors click and looked at the direction. In front of him stood a stunning woman with her bathrobe loosely hanging, revealing a part of her twin peaks and thighs. ¡°That old vixen.¡± Icicle thought, recalling how ¡°hush hush¡± Cindy was in calling him to ¡°her¡± room. Naturally, even if he knew what she was planning, he wouldn¡¯t say no. Chances such as this didn¡¯t come often. Tapping his chin, Icicle looked the figure up and down with a very satisfied expression. As he did, Vilenne noticed him sitting on her bed and holding her pink teddybear. ¡°Mm, really well-endowed.¡± he said, grinning from ear to ear. Vilenne stood there, petrified, dropping her towel on the ground. After a few seconds, she came back to life, quickly covering her protruding curves. ¡°You really have a great courage to peek on me, little bastard.¡± she said through her teeth. ¡°If I wanted to peek on you, I would open that door.¡± Icicle pointed to the bathroom and squeezed the teddy bear, which let out the soft, cute ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Give that back!¡± Vilenne snatched the teddy bear and put it back on the windowsill. ¡°What are you still doing here, get out!¡± Vilenne caught Icicle by the ear and tried to drag him out. ¡°Cindy asked me to wait here!¡± Icicle innocently protested. ¡°Liar! Get out!¡± Vilenne screamed. She knew that Cindy could pull a prank on her. The sly guildmaster was well aware that Vilenne decided to take a shower after teaching her students in the afternoon. Nonetheless, the little bastard, whether framed or not, dared to peek on her so he deserved punishment! After struggling for a while, Vilenne decided to take more decisive measures. She pivoted on her foot and started choking Icicle from behind. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something witty now, huh little bastard?¡± she gloated. ¡°Really well-endowed. Soft and springy.¡± came out a weak, satisfied voice. A red flush creeped through Vilenne¡¯s face, making her tighten the grip. Icicle¡¯s face became beet red as the source of oxygen was cut off. He tapped Vilenne¡¯s elbow after a while and said with a barely audible voice ¡±Enough, little brat.¡± Vilenne was too angry to listen. She didn¡¯t care if the little bastard died, he was an adventurer. For all she cared, he could go to hell! Icicle¡¯s mouth curled into a sly smile. He was getting weaker and weaker, yet he enjoyed the sensation on his back. However, all good things must come to an end. Stretching out his thumb and forefinger, Icicle violently pinched Vilenne¡¯s thigh. ¡°Ah!¡± Vilenne jolted upwards from the sudden shock, releasing her grip a little. Icicle turned around, facing her face to face. Both of their faces were beet red, one from embarrassment, the other from the lack of oxygen. ¡°You¡¯re too young to tame this lion, little brat.¡± Icicle huffed with difficulty, landing a weak flick on Vilenne¡¯s forehead. Instinctively covering her forehead with both hands, Vilenne glared at him through her fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, little bastard.¡± her aura surged as she said through her teeth. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Creak! The door opened and Cindy waltzed in, covering her mouth with surprise. ¡°I was about to ask if you waited long, but it seems I have interrupted something. Don¡¯t mind me, continue.¡± ¡°Get off me!¡± Vilenne pushed Icicle off, making him fall on his butt. She glared at the two angrily and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. ¡°Not bad kiddo, starting it off with a missionary¡­ I totally thought you were lovers right there.¡± Cindy praised, grinning from ear to ear. She said it loudly and with such an unwavering confidence as if it was gospel. Hearing that, Vilenne was on the verge of kicking the door in, picking up her sword and lashing out on both of them until they¡¯were nothing more than fine cut sushi. Icicle only smiled wryly. His guess was now confirmed. Of course going for the risky play was his intention, so he had nothing to grumble about. ¡°Hey Vilenne, I¡¯m a bit busy, so could you take Icicle to the underground area for me? He¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Cindy said shamelessly. ¡°Come on.¡± she beckoned Icicle to leave. The invisible barrier in front of the entrance to the bathroom rippled as Vilenne slammed the wall with her fist. ¡°That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t feel her presence.¡± Icicle thought, exiting the room. This must have been some sort of anti-detection array. ¡°Hee hee, you did well.¡± Cindy ruffled Icicle¡¯s hair with a smile. ¡°Here are your stones.¡± she handed five pure water mana stones and nine pure dark mana stones to Icicle. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be more?¡± Icicle frowned. Even if the water stones were refined, there should be at least 10 of them. ¡°The rest is your down payment for my recent services.¡± Cindy said with a meaningful smile. Shaking his head with a satisfied smile, Icicle said, ¡°You know I still need them, right?¡± ¡°But of course! You can work them off!¡± Cindy grinned from ear to ear, disappearing right after. Only her voice echoed about, ¡°Wait for your teacher right there~!¡± ¡°Damn, she moves underground so fast my [Sense presence] instantly lost her.¡± Back in the bathroom, Vilenne washed her face a few times, fuming. Even Ivir didn¡¯t piss her off as much as the little bastard did. When was the time she was embarrassed so much by some youngster? The little bastard actually dared to take so many liberties with her! ¡°I swear I¡¯ll murder that goddamn kid.¡± Vilenne continued splashing water on her face as if it could restore her sanity. Taking a deep breath, she looked at herself in the mirror. ¡°Take him to the underground, bla bla bla.¡± she mimicked Cindy, making a funny face. ¡°What else? Change his diapers?!¡± Slap! Vilenne¡¯s two cheeks started to redden as she did her utmost to stay calm. ¡°Wait, take him to the underground¡­?¡± she thought for a bit, suddenly grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Just you wait little bastard, I¡¯ll make you go through hell even if it¡¯s the last thing I do!¡± *** Waiting for a good while, Icicle finally saw Vilenne emerging from her room. She wore her usual tight fitting black leather set accentuated by the sword on her thigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± she said indifferently. Icicle stared at her from behind, somewhat dazed. ¡°A shame, really.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Vilenne turned and asked. ¡°Why did you have to change? You looked really good in that bathrobe.¡± Icicle sighed regretfully. ¡°Did I?¡± Vilenne¡¯s face turned pensive. She then turned and walked straight ahead. ¡°Stay calm! You can kill the little bastard later!¡± she kept on repeating in her head, balling her fists. Icicle smothered his chuckle when he saw Vilenne act that way. Teasing her was just too fun. *** In the underground area of the Mage Guild, two Mages looked at Icicle with a scowl that quickly receded as they recognized Vilenne. A sturdy brass door covered with glowing inscription symbols opened as Vilenne waved her badge to make way. What laid beyond the door was a swirling mass of blue energy. ¡°Now enter.¡± Vilenne said indifferently and waltzed into the swirl. Icicle followed behind her, looking at the portal curiously. ¡°I wonder if it can really help me understand space mood.¡± After entering the turbulent space, Icicle felt as if his innards were about to come out of his mouth. He moved through the space slowly, like a foreign object dropped into a pot filled with mud. The sensation didn¡¯t last long. Icicle was ejected out of the portal, barely keeping his footing as his body swayed forward. His surroundings brightened a little. White crystals embedded into the ceiling and two torches set in the walls next to the portal shed some light unto the area. Two guards sat near the entrance, playing chess. When Icicle and Vilenne entered, they merely nodded with their heads before turning their attention to the board. ¡°So this is the place, huh?¡± Icicle curiously looked around as he followed Vilenne through the barrier. Almost immediately curious pairs of eyes locked onto him. It was to be expected as he didn¡¯t receive the required badge to pass through the barrier yet. The inside of the barrier was completely different. Rows of torches and bright yellow crystals shed light upon the whole area. To the right side was a library. In the center stood a giant ring where one could battle against others, either for training purposes or as some sort of bet. To the left stood an isolated cultivating area, where people who bought resources could privately sort through them or meditate to regain mana or even break through to another realm. Behind the giant ring could be seen a little town where one could rest, sell their goods or talk with friends in the inn. The currency was of course contribution points. Vilenne approached the desk in front of them to registrate Icicle as a member. It was also the place where one showed up to register their stay in the area. These standby people were often sent on emergency missions. ¡°Cindy gave us a heads up. New Mage Guild member, Icicle, right?¡± a black-haired, bearded middle-aged man looking like a mongol asked with a friendly smile. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± Icicle nodded. ¡°You can call me Khan.¡± the middle-aged man smiled, pointing at his face. He then passed two black cards over. ¡°I need you to put your mana into both of these. Please use your name or a nickname to complete the registration process. As long as the name is not taken, you¡¯ll gain a full membership.¡± Icicle recognized the black cards. Magent gave him exactly the same ones when he registered as a Mercenary. ¡°I have one already.¡± Icicle said, placing his Night Terror card on the wooden desk. ¡°That makes the process much easier.¡± taking his card, Khan put a stamp on it. The stamp was absorbed into the black card, suffusing it with yellow glow. The wanton yellow energy twisted and changed shapes until it formed into a little earth golem that settled in the bottom left corner of the card. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re now a full-fledged member of Cindy¡¯s Mage Guild. Here is your rank 1 badge.¡± Khan gave Icicle a shield-shaped badge depicting a giant deep rooted tree hugged by an earth golem. ¡°What¡¯s this star for?¡± Icicle asked noticing a metal star pin embedded into his badge. ¡°Usually privileges come with ranking up, but there are some exceptions. Cindy told us that you should be given free access to the resources of of our library. There¡¯s only one restriction, you can¡¯t lay your hands on any information above Master level.¡± Khan said solemnly. ¡°Guildmaster was really generous.¡± Icicle grinned. ¡°Now for contribution points. You can earn them by doing tasks for any of the guilds. The best rates are obviously at the guild you belong to. Aside from doing tasks, you can share information, identify artifacts or unknown materials, refer new talents or earn us fame and glory throughout the continent. If you have anything to sell or exchange, you should head to the northern area where you can set up a stall. Newcomers like you are given 3 months period to accomodate, so your payments in every place will be much lower than normal. Make sure to use that time wisely.¡± Khan informed with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Icicle bowed. He had a good impression of the mongol middle-aged man. ¡°Remember that there are various guilds gathered over here. We compete with them and against each other. If someone smells you¡¯re a newbie, they¡¯ll probably try to extort the contribution points from you. Make sure to keep that in mind.¡± Khan warned. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry about that. That little guy is a devil. If anyone¡¯s supposed to be worried it¡¯s definetely not him.¡± before Icicle could even say anything, Vilenne interceded and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Thanks for everything Khan, I¡¯ll show him around.¡± Vilenne let Icicle go when they approached a giant black stone nearby. There was a glowing ranking of members of the Mage Guild written all over it. ¡°Is this the power ranking?¡± Icicle asked with curiosity. ¡°It is. All the people of Advanced level and below can be listed here. Every guild has one.¡± Vilenne looked at the black, oval monument with admiration and respect. Icicle looked at the first three numbers on the list. 1. Arie 3774 2. Fyre 3773 3. Lukks 3772 ¡°Do you all beat each other by one point as some sort of respect?¡± Icicle asked as he looked at the board. The points always went down by one. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a tradition.¡± Vilenne nodded solemnly. ¡°Do you get anything if you¡¯re ranked here?¡± Icicle asked with curiosity. He definitely wouldn¡¯t lose to any NPC in the future. If he could gain resources by being ranked, that¡¯s the best shortcut he could possibly get. Of course Cindy told him it¡¯s impossible to beat those people quickly, as they were monsters, but he had to aim somewhere. Where better than the top? ¡°Naturally. The higher you¡¯re ranked, the more monthly contribution are allotted to your name. You can also receive a better badge¡± Vilenne looked at the monument with yearning. ¡°What is your rank?¡± ¡°I knew you would ask that.¡± Vilenne heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m closing in on top 100.¡± ¡°This Arie, what was her real power rank? Is there a way to see?¡± Icicle looked at Vilenne with a cheeky smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked!¡± Vilenne grinned widely. She moved her hand over the monument and another list of numbers appeared. 1. Arie 7586 2. Fyre 6898 3. Lukks 6760 ¡°Let me guess, the real power ranking also reflects on your allotted contribution points?¡± Icicle said with a smile. This Arie person seemed to kick ass. ¡°You¡¯re quick learner.¡± Vilenne nodded. ¡°So, tell me little bastard, where do you aim? Top 200?¡± Vilenne asked with a teasing smile. ¡°Give me 2 years and I¡¯ll be at the top.¡± Icicle said with confidence. ¡°Pffft!¡± Vilenne burst out with laughter. ¡°Sure, if you can beat Arie in two years, I¡¯ll become your housemaid.¡± ¡°Be careful with what you say, little brat.¡± Icicle smirked. ¡°Besides, having you just as a housemaid seems wasteful.¡± he shrugged it off and passed by her. Seeing Vilenne¡¯s face fluctuating with anger that she tried to forcefully suppress, Icicle asked with a teasing smile ¡°So, where are we going next?¡± As soon as the words left his mouth, Vilenne¡¯s expression turned for the better. ¡°Just follow me!¡± ¡°Little bastard, you can¡¯t even imagine what sort of baptism of fire I¡¯ve prepared for you.¡± Vilenne thought cheekily, looking around for the person she had chosen for the little bastard¡¯s punishment. Next chapter tomorrow I have the chapter 44 written, I just don''t feel like it''s my usual writing. I''ll give it another glance after sleep and release it tomorrow. I apologize for the inconvenience. Chapter 44 Author''s note: As I thought, I had to redo the whole chapter... Vilenne quickly scoured the underground area, finding her target in the nearby tavern. ¡°Here you are Bart!¡± she said happily. ¡°Eh?¡± Bart turned his head with puzzlement. When he saw Vilenne, his expression brightened. Icicle looked at Bart curiously. It was a tall youth with a lean body. His green eyes shone like a pair of emeralds, accentuating his shoulder length curly brown hair. Vilenne leaned forward and whispered into Bart¡¯s ear. His eyes lightened up even more. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help you out.¡± he said firmly. ¡°Come on little bastard, I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Vilenne said with a cheeky smile. ¡°Hiring people to beat me up, little brat?¡± Icicle amusedly followed the two. *** Stopping next to the ring, Vilenne introduced Bart properly. ¡°This is Bart, an exchange student from the Three Winds Academy. He¡¯s a Water Swordsman at Intermediary realm. I asked him to show you how most of us duke it out here.¡± Vilenne pointed to the ring. ¡°Nice to meet you Bart, I¡¯m Icicle, I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± Icicle shook Bart¡¯s hand with a bright smile. ¡°Well, let us begin.¡± Bart hopped onto the ring. Icicle followed him. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he felt a soft, springy texture. ¡°How¡¯s the Snow Silk?¡± Vilenne asked from below. ¡°Soft and springy.¡± Icicle stamped his foot to get a better feel. ¡°Nobles often wear clothing made from Snow Silk during winters because of its lightness and resilience. It¡¯s an excellent material for the ring since it doesn¡¯t favor any element.¡± Vilenne ¡°guided¡± Icicle with a bright smile. ¡°You¡¯re trying to distract me so that this chimp beats me?¡± Icicle¡¯s expression was filled with amazement as he listened to Vilenne. It seemed as if he really enjoyed those bits and pieces she threw at him. Seeing her efforts being wasted, Vilenne bit her lip. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t lose too quickly, little bastard.¡± she said with a helpless smile. ¡°Why would it matter, it¡¯s just a friendly bout, right?¡± Icicle shrugged innocently. ¡°Right, right, just a friendly bout.¡± as soon as Icicle turned around to face Bart, Vilenne glared fiercely at his opponent. Bart¡¯s whole body twitched as a cold sensation enveloped him. He nodded towards Vilenne and unsheathed his longsword. Meanwhile, Ivir waltzed into the underground area with a sullen expression. She noticed Vilenne standing next to the ring area and walked up to her. As she was about to ask what was she doing there, she noticed Icicle and Bart on the ring. ¡°I see you¡¯re sending your pupil for a beatdown. Weird, I thought you liked him.¡± she said with a grin. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you Ivir.¡± Vilenne said absentmindedly. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you here. Could it be that Arie is coming back?¡± Ivir¡¯s expression instantly soured. ¡°Yes, mother sent word and dad went apeshit, telling me to train. He even took my entire allowance from me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s high time he took good care of you. You¡¯ve been idling for so long I could beat you with my forefinger.¡± Vilenne chuckled. ¡°Oh really? You want to try me?¡± Ivir¡¯s aura surged, releasing tiny sparks. ¡°And if I do?¡± Vilenne smiled towards her. As the two¡¯s gazes met, their opposing auras spread nearby. One was gentle like a still water, the other fierce like a lightningbolt. After a short standoff, Ivir decided to watch Icicle¡¯s predicament first. As long as it could delay her training, it was good. ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s your lucky day.¡± she said to Vilenne, playing with her hair. ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Vilenne chuckled. On the ring, Bart guided Icicle with a bright smile. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a few slashes first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Icicle lightly nodded. With a powerful step, Bart shifted his weight and cut downwards at Icicle. As the sword neared him, Icicle instinctively moved his sword horizontally to repel the attack. Ding! Ding! Thud! Bart felt the longsword escaping his grasp, making his left brow twitch in embarassment. Icicle turned towards Vilenne with a frown. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± he asked innocently. ¡°He¡¯s not a total newbie! Just get on with it!¡± Vilenne angrily stamped her foot as she looked at Ivir who was at the point of choking with laughter. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me it was a circus day.¡± Ivir mumbled out through the smothered laughter. ¡°Shut up!¡± Bart picked his sword up and looked at Icicle resentfully. After stabilizing his breathing, he pounced on Icicle with even more force. Icicle wielded his sword lightly. He analyzed Bart¡¯s movements with a joyful expression. It looked like he was the one teaching Bart instead. ¡°From what he lets me see, he can shift his weight properly. His swordsmanship is only average though. He most likely finished the same basic course I did in the past. The game version can¡¯t be that much different.¡± Icicle thought as he sidestepped a downward slash. ¡°Only his sword seems somewhat special. It¡¯s not the weapon though. Could it be some kind of enchantment?¡± Icicle stepped in and struck at Bart¡¯s chest. Ding! The two swords collided, sending ripples throughout Icicle¡¯s thin mana film. The energy it contained was the same as the one exuded by Bart¡¯s body. ¡°Interesting. He¡¯s using his own mana to sharpen the sword and the small area around it. I figured out the vibration attacks while Bart has the additional sharpness. This will be fun.¡± Icicle continued his hit and run tactic to conserve his strength. He lost both in physique and mana control, so he had to stall for time. As long as he could deplete his opponent¡¯s strength little by little, he could have a proper fight with Bart in the long run.. ¡°Hm, your pupil is doing quite well.¡± Ivir twirled her silver hair. ¡°Is that Bart guy you have chosen someone new? I haven¡¯t seen him before.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a student of Three Winds Academy. From what I know, he reached the middle stage of Intermediary realm recently.¡± ¡°Why does he seem so weak then?¡± Ivir frowned. The difference between someone at Intermediary realm and Beginner realm was clear as day. One could handle his mana better than the other. As long as their fighting ability didn¡¯t differ too much, the end result was obvious. ¡°He¡¯s a greenhouse seedling. No experience whatsoever.¡± Vilenne sighed. She felt like she had chosen to bet on a wrong person. Bart came to the underground area over two months ago yet he basically had no battle record. The two losses he suffered in the beginning dealt a heavy blow to his confidence. ¡°Why is Icicle at such leisure then?¡± Ivir had seen a lot of adventurers duke it off with lizardmen, but no one really entered her eye. It was like watching kids build a sand castle. Sure, there was a chance that it would be a magnificent one, but the likelyhood of it? Next to zero. ¡°His swordsmanship and movements aren¡¯t refined, but he has a knack for reading people. If you fought him and didn¡¯t kill him in the first 2 seconds, you¡¯d be the one to lose.¡± Vilenne said helplessly. She clearly remembered how strong of a killing intent Icicle released during their spar. It made her resort to her secret technique to protect her life, only to realize it was an illusion. *** At the ring, Bart felt his arms go number and number. Every time he clashed with Icicle, he felt a vibrating energy enter his limbs, interrupting his mana flow. He had to spend additional energy to counteract this wanton vibration. He wasn¡¯t without gains though. Icicle¡¯s body resembled swiss cheese with all the small cuts littering his body. ¡°I¡¯ve played with him long enough. Winning in an endurance battle against a beginner is not something I want.¡± Bart¡¯s aura violently surged. Streaks of blue mana connected, forming into a beautiful figure resembling a siren floating right behind him. The figure held a trident and an ancient jar full of water. Glowing blue eyes gazed at Icicle frostily, making him shiver. Goosebumps spread all around his skin, making him jittery. ¡°Fear, huh? We haven¡¯t had the chance to meet recently, my friend.¡± With a joyful expression, Icicle balled his fists a few times to regain the feeling in them. After a few stretches, he was ready to go. Bart looked at Icicle with astonishment. He was all cut up, yet he was laughing. Fortunately, Vilenne warned him that Icicle is one of the adventurers. Thus, deviating from normal was nothing surprising. The Aquarius behind Bart spilled some water from her jar. It turned into a smooth mana streak that carried her forward. Icicle slashed with his sword to counter the trident stab. Ding! The two weapons connected, making Icicle realize that the illusory figure of the Aquarius could attack him physically. ¡°No wonder Warriors don¡¯t lose out to Mages. With such a powerful aura, Bart can stand away from me while mercilessly depleting my mana.¡± ¡°Sadly for you, I never planned on becoming just a Mage.¡± Icicle covered himself with a new film of mana and rushed in. Bam! Bam! Bam! The two figures duked it out in the middle of the ring. Icicle felt invisible needles graze his body every time he clashed with the Aquarius. If it wasn¡¯t for his [Sense presence] detecting the deadly weapons made of mana in time, he would have been long done for. Licking his cheek, Icicle felt the blood entering his mouth. ¡°What a familiar feeling. Was adrenaline also implemented in Loiterous?¡± his whole body shook. There was no longer fear, only the excitement from living on the edge. Bart observed Icicle carefully. Although his opponent was much weaker, he had traits Bart lacked. One was enough experience! He didn¡¯t panic even though he was wounded. Fighting so valiantly despite the odds required great courage. Thanks to that, Bart started enjoying the fight they had. He wanted to dig out Icicle¡¯s potential so that he could learn more as well. ¡°Are you done?¡± Bart asked with a provocative smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re able to handle me going all out.¡± Icicle answered with a light shrug. ¡°Try me.¡± Bart¡¯s aura surged, making the Aquarius appear even less illusory. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare complain later.¡± Icicle grinned from ear to ear. Liquid membrane instantaneously formed around Vilenne. She balled her fists as she braced for the impact. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ivir asked with puzzlement. Vilenne didn¡¯t have time to answer as a potent killing intent spread from the center of the ring. On an instinct, Ivir used her [Lightning rush] to retreat. ¡°Holy shit! What was that?¡± she mumbled feeling her heart pounding. She looked at her trembling hand with amazement. ¡°How¡¯s that? Can you handle it?¡± Icicle asked with a smile. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Bart was completely shaken. His Aquarius projection started disintegrating under his fear, but it quickly became whole again. ¡°I can deal with this much.¡± he flashed a crooked smile. His legs were still trembling. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s see if you can draw out more from me.¡± Icicle grinned. After lessening Bart¡¯s combat power by a bit, Icicle was able to cope with the Aquarius projection. He was still cut all over, but the extra endurance from the lizardman heart¡¯s essence took care of the scratches. After releasing his killing intent, curious eyes glanced at the ring from the shadows. It wasn¡¯t often that someone could control their intention to kill to that degree. ¡°He¡¯s at least at the peak of the 2nd level.¡± the guild members discussed. Meanwhile, Vilenne stood in place, somewhat disappointed. ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± Ivir looked at her and asked. Releasing this much was already an accomplishment, could there be some more? ¡°If that little bastard went all out, I¡¯m afraid this wouldn¡¯t be a fight. His killing intent is like a cheat against inexperienced people.¡± Vilenne shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. He can¡¯t have much more than that.¡± Ivir forced out a smile. ¡°Watch and learn then.¡± Vilenne smiled mysteriously. *** The aura around Aquarius was filled with water mana particles. It created a subtle hum, like the sea caressed by a gentle breeze. Icicle listened with rapt attention. It was a very similar sensation to the one he had in the underwater cave. At that time, he was able to unleash a terrifying move, killing the black catfish in one strike. Splash! Icicle¡¯s sword went straight through the Aquarius¡¯s trident. His pupils constricted as he realized he was tricked into attacking. Splatter! A bloody diagonal gush appeared on his chest as the Aquarius swiped its trident down with incomparable sharpness. Bart¡¯s sword strikes were a childplay complayed to this display of skill. A murky cloud formed around Icicle, letting off a light drizzle. The wound closed after a few seconds, making him look good as new. This process however, drained a lot of strength from him. If this kept up, Bart would be the ultimate victor. ¡°Did you get used yet?¡± Icicle asked, wiping the sweat forming on his brows. ¡°Does he have more?¡± Bart gripped the longsword in front of him. He had thought that Icicle was merely joking. How could this be a beginner? Even the assassins he knew of rarely displayed such a stifling intention to kill. ¡°Warm-up is over, let¡¯s raise it up a notch.¡± Icicle grinned widely. Shoooooooooo! Bart saw black streaks of smoke encroaching his position in rapid pace. ¡°Am I having delusions?¡± he thought, trying to clear his mind. Unfortunately, even though he realized the problem, it wasn¡¯t so easy to get rid of it. When a monster bares its teeth at you, you don¡¯t get the time to adapt to the situation. Ivir balled her fists below the ring. She had to take a deep breath before calming down. ¡°This feels like mother.¡± she shivered at the thought. Glancing at Vilenne, Ivir realized her rival wasn¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°Why are you so unfazed? There¡¯s no way he can release more, right? That would be Cindy¡¯s level¡­¡± ¡°When it comes to this, Cindy can¡¯t compare. That¡¯s why she accepted Icicle into the guild so easily.¡± Vilenne smiled wryly. During the course of the fight, she felt torn inside. On one hand, she wanted little bastard to be beaten up for what he did, on the other, she wanted him to win as her student. These ambiguous feelings made her anxious. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you realize, but if what you¡¯re saying is true, then Icicle can profit off this.¡± Ivir quickly collected herself. She was in a bind because of lack of funds! Smelling money in the air instantly brought her clarity back. ¡°Profit?¡± Vilenne turned pensive. ¡°You mean sparring against others?¡± ¡°Exactly! How many of us ventured into the wild to get used to the killing intent monsters intimidate us with? Would you bother if you could spare some contribution points on a newbie and learn everything in one place? I think Icicle is well qualified to teach them.¡± Ivir grinned widely looking at the nearby people. This could be the most prospering business in the underground area! Even the people from other towns would gather to experience such a thing. ¡°I think you¡¯re a bit overambitious.¡± Vilenne extinguished Ivir¡¯s excitement with just one sentence. ¡°What, why?¡± Ivir fiercely countered. ¡°Little bastard is a sly beast. He can actually take advantage of Cindy, if he can do that, do you think you can profit off him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s definitely a way.¡± Ivir nodded firmly. ¡°You¡¯re just saying this because you lost your allowance.¡± Vilenne sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate a girl without money!¡± *** Duking it off with Icicle made Bart realized his hidden potential. He felt as if he used his full strength for the first time. The unconspicuous duel piqued the crowd¡¯s attention. Many Intermediary and a dozen of Advanced level people quit what they were doing to watch. They weren¡¯t interested in the two¡¯s abilities, of course. Just as Ivir thought, a simple way to practice resistance towards killing intent was something that was highly desirable. It¡¯s just that there wasn¡¯t anyone who could satisfy that market need. Cindy flatly refused whenever someone asked her. Magent and the Warrior Guild¡¯s leader declined as well. Jasik was a Hunter, although he had a wild feeling about him, he and the other Hunters weren¡¯t that much better than other guilds¡¯ members. As for the Assassins¡¯ Guild¡¯s leader¡­ No one dared to ask that crazy old man. If they did, they would most likely end up as a shriveled corpse. A group of dozen or so people with sharp auras entered the underground area, hollering ¡°Shift change you lazy bums!¡± Entering the barrier, they realized what took their replacements so long. Two people fought in the middle of the ring, there was nothing to their skills, but the killing intent one of them emitted was strong enough to make them wary. ¡°Just tell the others to stay a bit longer, we¡¯ll pay them back!¡± a couple of Advanced level people grumbled around the stage. ¡°Oi, little bastard.¡± Vilenne called out, making her mind. ¡°What is it Teach?¡± Icicle turned with a grin. ¡°Go all out.¡± Vilenne said firmly. ¡°Are you sure? If I do, no one will want to fight me again.¡± Icicle blinked innocently. ¡°Hmph.¡± Vilenne cutely snorted. ¡°Just do as I say.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. If no one wants to spar with me later, you¡¯ll be the one to pay for my resources¡­¡± Icicle grumbled. He looked at Bart apolegitically, ¡°Sorry you had to wait.¡± ¡°You should back up.¡± Vilenne turned to Ivir and said. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± as Ivir said that, she felt a strong reek of blood enter her nostrils. Her legs shivered uncontrollably as she looked at the figure of the youth in the ring. ¡°Contain it to the ring only, you idiot!¡± Vilenne berated from her [Liquid membrane]. Since it was the second time she felt the sensation, she didn¡¯t let it capture her mind so easily. ¡°Stop being so noisy, I haven¡¯t used that in a long time, alright? I am a bit rusty.¡± Icicle took a deep breath and decreased the range of the effect. The Advanced level people below the ring had goosebumps. Their hair stood on end under the powerful aura being released. Only when Icicle made the aura recede did they calm down. As for the Intermediary level people, they sat limply on the ground, shivering. The discussions quickly arose. Some of the shameless individuals decided to ingratiate themselves to Vilenne in hope of better treatment. ¡°See, I told you we can profit off this devil!¡± Ivir said with a grin. ¡°Good luck negotiating with him.¡± ¡°Sorry about that, I got a bit out of touch.¡± Icicle bowed a little seeing Bart clutch the ropes weakly. He reduced the killing intent to the second level and slowly approached him. ¡°Hmph, at least he knew how to keep his value.¡± Vilenne grumbled with a gentle smile. ¡°Huh, where is she?¡± Vilenne looked for Ivir who was right next to her just a second ago. She spotted her after a while, negotiating something with the Advanced and Intermediary level people. ¡°Was she serious about profiting off Icicle? Sigh, that girl doesn¡¯t know what she got into.¡± *** The fight ended with a draw. Icicle could continue for a bit, but he learned a lot from Bart, so he gave him the tie result. ¡°Hey, can we fight again sometime?¡± Bart asked with unconcealed excitement. ¡°Sure, I would like to learn more about your ¡°sharp¡± concept.¡± Icicle said with a laugh. ¡°Then you¡¯ll teach me about the vibrations you use.¡± Bart nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± they shook each others¡¯ hands and parted. Icicle walked down the ring to see a crowd before him. ¡°Is it a welcoming party or something?¡± he thought. ¡°Hey man, I¡¯ll give you 300 CP to spar with me for 30 minutes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you 200 for 15 minutes!¡± ¡°Woah, woah, woah! Stop right there!¡± Ivir appeared before Icicle in a flash. ¡°All request to our new guild member will be processed by me, Ivir! We¡¯ll discuss the price in detail and I¡¯ll get back to you shortly!¡± ¡°Ivir, I talked with you earlier, get me in front!¡± ¡°No, get me!¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t just try to get ahead of others! It should be fair, right everyone?¡± Vilenne grabbed Icicle¡¯s forearm and dragged him away from the noisy crowd. ¡°Did I become a celebrity or something?¡± Icicle asked with confusion. He looked back at the noisy crowd with confusion. Showing your killing intent shouldn¡¯t have that much of an effect, right? ¡°You can say so. All those people want to spar with you now! What¡¯s more, they¡¯re even willing to pay you for it¡­¡± Vilenne sighed helplessly. Little bastard seemed to have the devil¡¯s luck. It¡¯s as if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, letting everything come to him naturally. ¡°And Ivir? What was she doing?¡± Icicle didn¡¯t quite get the whole situation. ¡°She¡¯s taking requests for you! Her daddy, Lord Vilen, took her allowance away so she¡¯s trying to milk you.¡± Vilenne said casually. She didn¡¯t feel the need to hold anything. ¡°Oh.¡± Icicle nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. I couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with those people.¡± if others could do the work for him, then paying a small price was only right. ¡°Do you think I can extort Cindy for the rest of my stones now?¡± Icicle caressed a blue oval rock in his hand. ¡°I knew this guy would be trouble.¡± Vilenne sighed inwardly. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll check if you can.¡± Chapter 45 Author¡¯s note: The next one tomorrow. I''ll probably change my schedule to one Sunday, one Monday since I''m always late >.> The news of Icicle providing his uncommon services quickly spread throughout the area. With more request than time to fulfill them, he had to cooperate with Ivir to develop a schedule. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to milk them harder? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anyone to steal the business from you¡­¡± Ivir smiled slyly. ¡°Have you included my recent requirements?¡± ¡°Yes, but-¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry, Ivir. Contribution points aren¡¯t everything. Training with professionals, information and rare items are far more valuable. If I wanted to, I could get 10 of those people into the ring and train them at once.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the point though? Not only do I lose business, but also respect. What¡¯s more, I can¡¯t concentrate on 10 people at once. Their reaction are key to the learning process. I can¡¯t help them if I just scare them.¡± ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Ivir sighed resignedly. She got the hint. Cindy had to instruct Icicle to do his job properly. ¡°Now go spend your pennies on training, you don¡¯t want me to beat your ass, do you?¡± Icicle left with a grin. ¡°You and your teacher are welcome anytime.¡± Ivir grinned back. *** 3 days earlier, Loiterous After the doors closed, Cindy smiled to herself, gazing at the painting depicting serene waters of a crystal clear river passing through the mountains. ¡°I thought he¡¯s going to take it slower¡­¡± she mutteredm closing her eyes. A faint smile made its way to her lips. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the better. Vilenne will beat some sense into him if necessary. Ahhh, the good days.¡± Remembering her own tutelage, Cindy tapped the desk with her fingers. She fished out a few parchments and wrote down a list of ingredients. ¡°Since he¡¯s going to earn us a lot, might as well help this devil out.¡± *** Extorting his stones and then some, Icicle dragged Vilenne to the underground area. He approached the trading area. Rows of stalls littered with clothing, weapons, food, books and maps stood next to each other. The sellers had to buy their space from the Guild, thus there was a clerk overseeing the process. Icicle stopped right in front of a Hunter¡¯s stall. Seeing the friendly expression of the guy, Icicle knew he was one of his own ¨C a swindler! Cindy informed him earlier what sorts of ingredients he should be looking for. The best delicacy for him at the very moment would be a fire element creature¡¯s meat. Not only would it force his mana to purify the leftover fire essence inside it, but also strengthened his constitution. Parrs, the Hunter who sold Firebird¡¯s meat looked at Icicle with a bright smile. Icicle nudged Vilenne a few times and pointed to the stall. Vilenne reluctantly agreed, buying the meat for him. Parrs had much exposure to the monsters as occupational hazard. Enduring killing intent wasn¡¯t something troublesome for him, thus he had no need to ingratiate himself with the newcomer. Now, however, he noticed that the beginner isn¡¯t a greenhorn. He knew how to take advantage of others so that he wasn¡¯t extorted. This gave him a good impression. ¡°Say, do you have any dark creature¡¯s meat at your disposal?¡± Icicle asked as he packed the cheaply acquired spoils. As a higher ranked person, Vilenne received various discounts. Adding her beauty to the equation, Icicle was sure that he could buy off most of the trading area if he just sent her. Of course he wouldn¡¯t do that, as that would be a problem for Vilenne. What¡¯s more, he didn¡¯t have a fraction of the needed contribution points. ¡°Dark element?¡± Parrs said with surprise. ¡°That¡¯s quite an uncommon request.¡± he smiled wryly. Since he didn¡¯t hear a straight out ¡°No.¡± Icicle caught on the hint and asked, ¡°How much?¡± ¡°200 CP, non-negotiable.¡± ¡°A bit too much to pay blindly.¡± Icicle looked around Parrs¡¯s stall. ¡°Add that mountain of bones and I can give you 250.¡± ¡°Those?¡± Parrs turned and looked at the bones laying in a pile. According to his knowledge, they weren¡¯t used by blacksmiths nor alchemists, so they had little value. The only characteristic of those bones were ¨C tough! Nonetheless, he put on a stuggling expression. ¡°Thanks.¡± Icicle said and unceremoniously walked to the stall, stuffing his inventory. After Icicle turned to the exit, Vilenne approached Parrs and whispered ¡°Are you sure. Parrs? If little bastard scammed you I can make him cough those items out.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Parrs smirked.. ¡°That Icicle is just a good businessman. If you ever need to buy anything, you should make him tag along. On the other hand, if you want to buy something from him¡­¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Vilenne frowned. ¡°Just be careful. People like him can milk you dry.¡± Parrs patted Vilenne¡¯s shoulder. Nodding weakly, Vilenne followed after Icicle. ¡±Oi, little bastard, wait up.¡± *** Icicle exited the underground area and headed to the mountains. He looked at Vilenne behind him with a sly smile. ¡°Little brat, I know you¡¯re still frustrated about earlier, so I have a great proposal for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vilenne¡¯s expression turned grave. The age issue with the little bastard was her achilles heel. ¡°You see, I need some training, but if it¡¯s just running, it would be boring. So I need you to exert yourself a little.¡± he approached with a quick step. Sivlerfang¡¯s aura surfaced behind Icicle, roaring straight at Vilenne. ¡°Huh?¡± Vilenne stood petrified as Icicle¡¯s face came dangerously close to her own. ¡°Catch me if you can.¡± he said teasingly, nibbling her left earlobe. Vilenne blinked twice to make sure what she was seeing was real. She then forced a smile and muttered ¡°I am no lumberjack, but today you¡¯ll turn into a fine-chopped firewood!¡± *** In the western mountain area, the players hunting monsters for meat saw a strange scene. A black-haired beauty chased around a newbie in beginner clothes. The newbie was like a cheetah, dodging the beautie¡¯s strikes by a hair¡¯s breadth. Their trail was ridden with cuts and slashes, making it seem like a pack of werewolves passed by. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t players go to jail for their transgressions? Why is that one being chased around by an NPC?¡± some people nearby curiously discussed. ¡°Who knows, maybe he stole something from her or watched her bathing. It could also be some kind of quest.¡± Icicle didn¡¯t have time to listen to the rumors circling around him as he was in a predicament. Vilenne took her time to cut him up, targeting non-vital areas. ¡°Come on little bastard, move your legs faster. You¡¯re being outrun by a woman.¡± Vilenne directed a strike at his back. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re checking out my butt.¡± Icicle laughed out loud only to narrowly dodge a strong blow.. ¡®Hey, that was dirty.¡± he sent Vilenne a wink. ¡°A dirty blow for a dirty little bastard. How fitting.¡± Whoosh! Vilenne slashed out with her sword and a ball of water sped through the air towards Icicle¡¯s back. He ducked quickly, only to see the black soil ahead of him upturned from the impact. ¡°Since that¡¯s how you want to play, little brat¡­¡± he muttered, fishing out a health potion. ¡°Catch!¡± A bottle of red liquid flew through the air. Vilenne knew that little bastard wanted to trick her, so she slashed straight at it. Boom! The potion exploded, stopping Vilenne in her tracks. She coughed dryly. Vilenne wiped her mouth and let out an unrestrained laugh. ¡°Ahh, I haven¡¯t had so much fun since my Master taught me.¡± Her eyes flashed with a dangerous light as she gripped her sword tightly. Blue glow formed under Vilenne¡¯s feet, letting her ride the ground as if on roller skates. Zigzagging her way through the forested mountain, Vilenne quickly caught up with Icicle. He turned, looking dismayed. ¡°You¡¯re cheating.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just better than you.¡± Vilenne grinned brightly. She licked her lips and wantonly threw a couple of water balls at Icicle. Although they appeared harmless, with enough velocity, the water was deadly. Icicle was the one who realized that the most as he saw the trees in front of him having large holes in their trunks. Icicle carefully analyzed Vilenne¡¯s movement technique with his [Sense presence]. Since little brat toyed with him, he had enough time to do so. ¡°This feeling is similar to Bart¡¯s, but somewhat different. Is it the difference in the flow of water?¡± he wondered. ¡°My impression of Bart was that of a serene pond slowly turning into a whirlpool, blending into one. This, on the other hand¡­ It¡¯s as if Vilenne rode a giant chaotic wave¡­ could it be?¡± ¡°Hey, little brat, does your movement technique have any set moves?¡± Icicle jumped over a ball of water and asked. ¡°Instead of talking, you should focus on dodging!¡± Vilenne grinned. ¡°You shameless little bastard, you dare to mimic my own technique? In your dreams!¡± ¡°It probably does, but since she won¡¯t admit it, I just have make her move a little to check.¡± a bunch of potions entered Icicle¡¯s hands. Turning with a devious grin, he threw them at a sequence, making Vilenne swerve violently. ¡°You missed little bast-¡± Vilenne¡¯s grin faded as she saw Icicle¡¯s satisfied expression. ¡°Well then, since you like my techniques so much, how about you show an Advanced level technique?¡± Vilenne forced out a smile. Winding streaks of water formed around Vilenne. They snaked around, reflecting the sun rays. Vilenne sped up after Icicle, sending the streaks of water above and around him. ¡°It looks nice, is it useful though?¡± Icicle said through his panting. ¡°You¡¯re about to see.¡± Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Icicle was hit from side to side, like a pinball. The water streaks attacked every part of his body without mercy, like snakes sinking their fangs into their victim. ¡°You asked for training so I¡¯ll give you one. You wanted to tire your body so that you could absorb the stones, didn¡¯t you? Enjoy then.¡± Vilenne outstretched her open palm and moved it upwards. As soon as she did, a water geyser erupted out of the ground, elevating Icicle. Up in the air, he was completely helpless. The water streaks hit him from all sides and all he could do was endure. Nonetheless, he glanced at Vilenne with a slight smile. ¡°You¡¯re finally getting into your role, little brat.¡± ¡°Am I? Are you saying that a child is toying with you right now?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re finally admitting it?¡± Icicle grinned. Bam! A large streak of water hit Icicle¡¯s back, making him cough violently. ¡°Don¡¯t push it, little bastard.¡± *** Thud! Icicle¡¯s battered body fell onto the ground. Bruises seemed to blend with his body, become his natural skin color. ¡°How¡¯s the feeling of becoming a fountain?¡± Vilenne crouched and asked with a smile. ¡°Cough, pretty hurtful.¡± Icicle rummaged through his inventory and took out a bottle with thick, viscous red liquid. Taking the cork out, he took a light sip. Bzzt! His entire body shook under the heat of the liquid. As if electrocuted, Icicle entered a seizure, his body trying to repel the alien substance. ¡°Goddamnit, absorb it!¡± he balled his fists and grit his teeth, enduring the burn. An even stranger thing happened to Vilenne. She looked at the bottle with fascinated expression, her aura periodically bursting with all of its might. Icicle felt the mana in the area being gathered towards Vilenne. His eyes drifted towards her. ¡°You idiot, why are you enduring it!¡± he hissed through the gritted teeth. Vilenne tried to stifle the emotion within her, yet her aura was about to go rampant. ¡°Let it out!¡± Icicle shouted. In the process, he bit his tongue. Blue mana swirled aroung Vilenne, crystallizing the water droplets into bluish ice. The ground became an ice rink under the constantly spreading frost. A figure of a giant blue dragon emerged behind Vilenne. It flapped its wings majestically and let out a roar! ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR! Every single bird in the area scattered with fright. No matter the BOSS, Elite or Rare level monster, none that heared the roar dared to stay in the powerful being¡¯s area.
<> Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. You are under the effect of [Dragon¡¯s Might]! You have been feared! Time left: 29 seconds.
Icicle¡¯s body stilled. The raging blood within him calmed down, slowly counteracting the fear effect. ¡°What¡¯s in this vial?¡± Vilenne asked with difficulty. She seemed vastly different from her usual self. That gentle and unattainable figure was now full of majesty and lordly disposition. The draconic aura gave her an enormous boost of charisma. Seeing his chance, Icicle downed everything from the vial. ¡°Y-You!¡± Vilenne¡¯s eyes turned a little red. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you wanted to have an indirect kiss?¡± Icicle coughed and then threw another vial to Vilenne. ¡°Drink it slowly, I need time to absorb.¡± Vilenne swiped with her hand, catching the vial with ease. She uncorked it hastily and sniffed. Roar! The dragon aura beside her let out a satisfied roar. Icicle smothered his laughter at the ¡°purring¡± of the dragon. ¡°This¡­¡± Vilenne felt an unexplainable familiarity with the liquid. ¡°It¡¯s dragon blood, isn¡¯t it?¡± she looked at Icicle with an astonished expression. Where could little bastard get such a treasure? ¡°Just a tiny part of it. The mess you saw before was partly because of it.¡± Icicle said with difficulty. Even though the dragon blood within him was tame thanks to Vilenne¡¯s aura reaching him, the heat the blood itself created inside made his whole body bright red. ¡°Come closer.¡± Icicle said weakly. Vilenne walked next to him and the ice particles around her slowly descended onto Icicle. They counteracted the heat of his body, maintaning a healthy balance. Gulp! Vilenne drank a bit and her expression immediately became joyful. She felt a comfortable, fuzzy feeling inside her. She licked her lips. Roar! Vilenne swigged the bottle unconsciously. ¡°Oi, slow it down little brat, you¡¯ll kill me!¡± Cough! Cough! The words ¡°little brat¡± snapped Vilenne out of her daze. She corked the bottle to temporarily get rid of the fascinating scent. With a weak nod, Icicle closed his eyes. He concentrated on the inside of his body, feeling the flood of energy permeating his cells. ¡°What a comfortable feeling.¡± he waved his hand to create the tiny cloud. It spewed water on him, resembling a shower. Time slowly passed and as the remaining essence in the dragon blood was about to die off, a faint dragon roar rang out inside Icicle¡¯s head. Splish! Splash! The sound of water rising and falling in a wave-like pattern ensued. Icicle felt the rush of energy course his whole body, as if led by a water dragon. As it coursed his body, the familiarity he felt from Bart and Vilenne turned into an understanding. He opened his eyes and saw Vilenne standing over him with a satisfied expression. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve got to move before we gather too much attention.¡± Vilenne outstreched her hand to help Icicle up. Icicle didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He sprang onto his feet and unsheathed his sword. Whoosh! The wind picked up around Icicle, making the mana around him swirl. A blue glow surfaced on his body, spreading all the way to his feet. When it reached his soles, the mild swirling aura became chaotic, unrestrained. Vilenne watched Icicle concentrating his mana with a puzzled expression. ¡°He hasn¡¯t broken through yet, but¡­¡± With the hum of a rising tide, Icicle¡¯s figure flashed! Splash! Icicle reappeared 8m to the left, next to the rock jutting out from the surface. Crack! The rock was a meter or so high. After Icicle¡¯s strike, there was a sword scar reaching ? of it. Thud! Icicle fell to the ground, unconscious. Vilenne walked towards him, shaking her head. There was a bright smile on her face. ¡°What a stubborn brat. Even after tiring himself with the absorption of the dragon blood, he gave Blend mood a go..¡± she sheathed his sword and grabbed him by the collar, leaving the area. *** The bonfire crackled, releasing a soft, warm light. Vilenne looked at the sleeping Icicle with a dazed expression. ¡°That disciple of mine has way too many secrets.¡± she muttered. All the grudge from before was gone. Thanks to the dragon blood within the vial, Vilenne has advanced to the middle stages of the Advanced mana control realm. What¡¯s more, there was no bottleneck since it came directly from her ancestor¡¯s blood. ¡°I guess I should aim for the top 80 next time.¡± she said, biting into a deer leg. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ambitious, little brat?¡± Icicle sat up, massaging his sore temples. He looked at the window in front of him.
<> Effects of the dragon blood have taken place. Permanent effect: Max HP +120
¡°Not as ambitious as a beginner getting his hands on a dragon blood.¡± Vilenne smiled, her lips covered with grease. ¡°One should be ready soon.¡± she pointed to the bonfire. Icicle turned and nodded appreciatively. He summoned Blackie and gave him the bones he bought earlier to chew on. Amidst them was one pure dark stone. Blackie witnessed what happened from the seal on Icicle¡¯s left forearm. The aura of the dragon Vilenne released gave him a dignified feeling. He wasn¡¯t scared though. Only God was able to make him feel fear. Icicled fished out a bunch of Firebird¡¯s meat he bought and made a shish kebab out of it. It was mixed with venison Vilenne hunted. ¡°A no vegetable shish kebab, not so healthy.¡± he thought. Thankfully it was inside Loiterous, so he didn¡¯t have to count calories. *** After a hearty meal, Icicle placed a few pieces of dark element meat over the fire to cook. From what he saw, one belonged to the snake, another to some kind of bird. ¡°So.¡± Vilenne opened, licking off the grease on her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you owe me something?¡± Icicle teased. ¡°Owe you something? Ah yes! A beating!¡± Vilenne said with a bright smile. ¡°Well, I know you have two questions, but I have a few of my own. Since you profited off this deal way more than I did, you start.¡± ¡°Is this your version of ¡°ladies first¡±? What a gentleman.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t grumble little brat, I need to know either way.¡± Icicle yawned, stretching his sore body. ¡°Right, Ice Mage Trials.¡± Vilenne nodded. ¡°This isn¡¯t some public knowledge, so don¡¯t go around spreading it.¡± ¡°Your secret is safe with me.¡± Icicle grinned slyly. ¡°Ah, kids.¡± Vilenne heaved a sigh. ¡°I come from the Glacia Kingdom. After my aura was discovered to be that of a pure blue dragon¡¯s, I was adopted into the royal family. You can say I am a princess of sorts.¡± Vilenne watched Icicle¡¯s expression closely. Contrary to her expectations, he didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°And?¡± ¡°And what? That¡¯s it. End of story.¡± ¡°Why is that aura a reason for adoption?¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Vilenne slapped her forehead. ¡°According to ancient textbooks, Ice Mages who ruled over Glacia Kingdom in the past had the blue dragon aura. At least every single one belonging to the royalty had.¡± ¡°Hm, I see.¡± Icicle connected the dots. ¡°Were those Ice Mages strong?¡± ¡°Of course they were, why else would so many people try to get their inheritance?¡± Vilenne pouted. ¡°They ruled over the northern area of the Fashin Continent and had connections all the way across the seas!¡± ¡°Easy there tiger, I don¡¯t know your country¡¯s history.¡± Icicle shrugged. ¡°Now then, second question. Auras. How do I get one for myself?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± Vilenne shook her head. ¡°There were a lot of experiments regarding this. Some people claimed that auras are set from the beginning, others disputed that claim, saying that what one experiences along the way coupled with his own perception helps him develop a unique aura. What is commonly agreed upon is that auras usually form after one breaks into the Intermediary realm.¡± ¡°There are cases where people in the high stages of Beginner realm formed their aura though. Anyways, I don¡¯t know if any of this stuff is true, so take it with a grain of salt.¡± ¡°Your turn.¡± Vilenne propped her cheek on her hand and said. ¡°The dragon blood, eh?¡± Icicle turned to see if the meat for Blackie was ready. ¡°I made a deal with a giant lucky lizard.¡± ¡°What deal?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± Icicle said with a smile. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you have more?¡± ¡°Why? Do you want to marry me now?¡± ¡°Hell yeah. I can finally see that manly side of you now now that you tricked some poor creature. Which girl wouldn¡¯t want such a smart husband?¡± Vilenne smirked. ¡°You¡¯re right, taking you to an altar might actually be a jailbait¡­¡± Icicle muttered under his nose. ¡°Did you say something? You know, there¡¯s still place over the fire¡­¡± Vilenne twirled with her finger, imagining Icicle slowly cooking. Bark! Bark! Blackie excitedly called out to Icicle. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s ready.¡± Icicle grabbed three sticks and handed one over to Blackie. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s delicious God! You should try it too!¡± Blackie wagged his tail happily. ¡°Really? Let me see.¡± Icicle took a bite of the pinkish meat. Gulp! A chuck of meat landed inside his stomach. Soon after the second and then the third. ¡°It¡¯s really good!¡± Icicle ruffled Blackie¡¯s fur and gave him the other piece. Hiss! A faint sound of a serpent resounded behind Icicle. Vilenne who sat opposite him stood up immediately, her eyes widening at the sight. ¡°Have you seen that?¡± she asked with astonishment. ¡°Have I seen what? No matter that, have you heard that?¡± ¡°Heard what? Come on, spill it out!¡± ¡°No, you first.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll say it on 3!¡± Vilenne said. ¡°1¡­2¡­3!¡± ¡°Snake!¡± ¡°Snake!¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Vilenne exclaimed. ¡°Pack yout things, we need to get back to the Mage Guild.¡± *** Icicle and Vilenne sat in the library located in the underground area. A large, thick book with an animal cover laid open between them. Vilenne furiously turned the pages, looking for something. ¡°Not this one, nor that one, not that one either.¡± she flipped the pages of black, brown and red snakes. As Vilenne carefully scanned the book, the feeling of anxiety rose within her. ¡°The further to the back, the more dangerous the creature. I¡¯m already at the last chapters of the book, just what aura did the little bastard get?¡± Icicle noted the name of the book to read later. It had a lot of creatures and their weaknesses listed. This could help him with the bosses he might encounter on the road. Bam! ¡°It¡¯s not here.¡± Vilenne closed the book, frowning.¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good or bad¡­¡± she thought, suddenly rushing to another shelf. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Icicle asked as the book with a black cover had its name written in an unknown ancient language. ¡°Shush.¡± Vilenne said impatiently. She turned the pages slowly, suddenly slapping her hand on the table. ¡°It¡¯s this one!¡±
[Golden Shadow Serpent] Golden Shadow Serpent is a darling of the dark. The black scales on its body are accentuated with gold symbols representing royalty. Golden Shadow Serpent can disappear without a trace and is almost completely untraceable. Although physically weaker than other serpents, it¡¯s one of the most dangerous snakes one can encounter. Thanks to its specific manner of attacking, Golden Shadow Serpent has become one of the most feared predators of the Fashin Continent. Additional notes: If Golden Shadow Serpent has been spotted in the area, do not approach unless in a group of Grandmasters! The only known way of hunting those serpents is to bring a light element creature on a similar level to the Golden Shadow Serpent and have it sniff it out. Known abilities: Stealth, Petrifying gaze, Command over the lesser snakes.
Vilenne read the information carefully and gulped. ¡°You have one hell of an aura, little bastard.¡± Taking a week break I need to take some time off to read my own work and rework some of the latest chapters. The main changes: -Vilenne''s and Icicle''s relationship progressing faster -More real life between in-game chapters -Tweaking some scenes, characters and dialogues Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. That should be all for now, I''ll get a change log if anything major changes. I might do something to the identifying process, we''ll see. As for the chap 46, it will come out in a 3 chapters batch next week. Need another week TL;DR: I need one more week to implement the changes and show the results. Read below for the short explanation. These two weeks flew by quickly. I didn''t expect my research to take this long, but at least it has proven fruitful. To some degree. I haven''t been able to do much... not yet. The problem I encountered almost immediately was style. The narrative has been too crude for the story I have envisioned. Lately, I was writing chapters to keep to the wanky schedule, follow the deadline, instead of showing you guys the story it was supposed to be. For that I apologize. I was so preoccupied with what to do with the characters'' past that I didn''t focus on the "present". Recent chapters were unnecessarly prolonged, losing in quality. I''ve noticed that, but glanced it over, toiling away to write yet another chapter. Your comments made me fully aware. Anyways, that is fixable. It will definetely make me incorporate some changes, most likely switching some scenes, addding more detail. To the point now. I have been looking for a new narrative. Something that will let me express myself better, instead of stringing the words together just so they can make do. Reading is about that magic after all, something that makes us visualize the events in fluidity. Too plain and it won''t be magical. Too sophisticated and the readers will frown at the strangeness. Finding that tenuous balance is what separates the good writers from the great. I could rant about how I read for over 10 hours a day to find the answer, but it''s not really that important. What matters is that it worked. However, after I read through a 400 000 words behemoth of a book, I haven''t had the time to implement any of the changes. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Thus, I''ll have to ask for a week more of your patience. I honestly doubt I will be finished by then. There''s a lot of chapters to rework, but it has to be done. At least if I want to proceed forward in a steady, comfortable way. Fear not, I will not get over my head with another rewrite. I DO NOT plan on changing everything. If anything, I plan on adding more detail to the world, so that it doesn''t feel so flat. There probably will be some new content mixed in too, chapters of real life or interludes of the past. I feel like there has been way too little focus on that matter. Sadly, it means more work for me and probably a REREAD for YOU. I''ll bring you guys the results, at least a few chapters by the end of the week so you can judge whether the change of narrative is for the better or if I should find another way around all this. All I can say for now is that the new narrative is that of published books. Whether I can use it well, as I said, you''ll be the judge of. I''ll try to get a chapter from the beginning and a couple of the latest ones, although do mind that these will be the "test chapters", so they might differ a bit in the long run. Thank you for all your recent support, you guys are awesome <3. Announcing Hiatus I''ve tried guys. A lot of thinking went into this decision before I made it, as I didn''t want a rewrite, yet it was bound to happen. But even that wasn''t enough. Not with the setup I currently had. This includes both the setting, number of characters and the already existing chapters. Too little planning went into writing Loiterous, and although discovery writing is fun, it isn''t used in online publishing for a reason. Discovery writers rewrite their novels after they''re done. Before they do, everything is out of place. Authors like me don''t have that luxury. Originally, I had this long post written explaining my reasoning, but I don''t think that''s adequate. An experienced writer would probably come up with one sentence that describes it all. I thought a little and I did come up with one. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I just wasn''t good enough. That''s why I decided to announce an indefinite hiatus until I have a proper outline. A story about characters who are both alive and memorable. From what I can say from the initial planning, there will be at least 3 main characters, including Jason (Icicle). This is all for now, as there is still much for me to learn. I hope to return to you guys with a story that will be both entertaining and original in a few months. See you then.