Chapter 138: Need More Results

"Hmm..." We're here at the training grounds and Afal is having a fight with the three of them after a week of training. But I'm disappointed on how slow their progress is. Feran is at Level 80 since he has bonus EXP and EXP share when allies kill something while Helga and Neco are at around Level 60. I refocused my attention at the spar.

I only told Afal to use a stick and use his mana to act as a coating so it won't be destroyed.

"Speed Down!" Feran casted on Afal debuffing him.

"Regeneration!" Helga casted on Neco for continuous healing.

"Shadow Lurk!" Neco suddenly disappeared.

Afal was standing there waiting for an attack. And Neco did try by attacking Afal's back. He only appeared when the attacking motion happened and then he completely disappeared again.

This happened over and over but Afal deflected all of his attacks.

"Increase Weapon Range!" Feran casted on Neco and it seems that the blade grew in size but it didn't become heavy seeing how Neco's handling that dagger that now looks like a longsword.

But Neco rushed again and Afal easily blocked it with a stick.

"Tsk." Neco clicked his tongue and began to cast another skill, "Clone!" And multiple copies of him appeared.

All of the copies rushed at Afal but Afal struck them all in quick succession with his great speed.

But in all that distraction, Neco emerged from above.

Feran noticed this with his great reflexes and began to cast another skill, "Double Damage!"

Neco's dagger glowed in red and he plan to perform a drop attack but it was far too slow since Afal dodged it completely.

"Hmm..." Their combat skills are great. They're not weak. They're just facing Afal which he's the second strongest in this party... I think. But, their growth has been incredibly slow.

The notes I gathered from observing them are pretty decent.

Feran is incredibly talented in enchanting skills. He can cast last second skills to further boosten a single finishing attack. He also tries to conserve mana which is incredibly important. Enchanting spells have high mana cost but is extremely important in large scale combat or even a small one. Either way, his enchants are incredibly necessary and the way he uses them are incredibly well thought out and sufficient enough.

He observes well trying to figure out the elements then he tries to put resistances and defense boost on that. The offensive element he wants to enchant he studies it too to put other buffs on that one. Despite him looking and acting like a doofus in front of his beloved sister, he's incredibly intelligent.

Helga. Her last second barriers are incredibly well done. There was this time in the hunt where Neco was nearly pounced by a demon bear in the woods but Helga instantly made a barrier then opened a hole in that barrier intentionally and Neco pierced through the bear's heart in an instant.

She has quick reflexes like his brother and a very important member. I saw her healing skills first-hand and she managed to recover limbs with ease. But as the same with the enchanter class, healing like that also consumes a lot of mana. So that's why she doesn't heal Neco fully when hunting. Only at crucial times.

The way she conserves mana is great. She knows herself that by keeping mana she can heal us all, protect us and act as another mana source with her skill to give mana. Despite her hitting his brother everytime it's possible, she's incredibly worried about him when he's damaged.

Neco, despite his looks is actually incredibly impulsive. He doesn't say much but he gives it his best to do the job done.

He's incredibly and annoyingly predictable. I can understand it due to his class, but it seems that he doesn't understand.

The monsters got a hold of his pattern so the last days of the hunt made him incredibly exhausted. And seeing how he fights with Afal, he only cares about two things.

Attacks from the head and the back. Where his critical multiplier shines. He can apply a huge damage with ease with just one attack but that's what makes him incredibly predictable.

He doesn't know how to fight head on. And once someone invites him to fight like that, he'll go back to his hiding skills, lurk in the dark and become invisible then find an opportunity to get the enemy's back and head.

He's strong. Despite his level, his damage output is maybe the same as Precia. Which is pretty high considering his level. But he has much to learn.

"This won't really work will it?" I interrupted their sparring and everyone looked at me. "Let's do some actual combat. Rize!" I called out.

"Yes?" And she responded immediately.

"Ask Lam if there are some high level Artifact dungeons here and there."

I moved Lam here at Izgoy same with the other monsters back at the old place. They were hesitant to move at first since they knew the other inhabitants are human and they've been living in that vilage for a while. But I managed to convince them all.

I just don't want to split two of my settlements. So I just joined them together because I don't have time to manage.

But good thing that these other people accepted the goblins easily. Maybe its because they attained a much more human like appearance but I'm glad that they're managing well despite being different races.

After a while Rize returned and led us to a nearby artifact dungeon. I only brought the three of the newly joined members, me and Rize. "This dungeon is apparently holding a pretty rare artifact."

I looked around and I used mana search to find the monsters and it seems that everything in this dungeon is around level 60 or so. It's going to be difficult for them. But I need to test their limits. "Neco, your job in this party are two things. Protecting Helga and Feran and eliminating the enemy before you. But for now we should focus on the first one. If I see any of Feran or Helga take even a miniscule damage, this dungeon raid will be considered a failure."

"That's unfair. This dungeon is around level 50-60."

"Unfair? Look here Neco, I already spent a lot of time waiting for you three to grow. But it's taking too long. I have a lot of things to achieve and every second of the day is important. But as of right now you can't even lay a scratch on Afal. But you know what? You're strong. But are you strong enough for this team is the question. Find the answer of your weakness in this dungeon raid."

Neco still had the calm aura around him. He knew that he was lacking. I'm sure this'll motivate him to reach new heights. "I... Understand."

"Go. Clear this dungeon."

The three of them looked at each other and nodded and went ahead and traversed the dungeon.

"Why are you so hard on the new recruits?" Rize asked.

"Well... I need something to do. Really quick. I contacted Herold yesterday and it seems that there's five anomalies happening at the same time at five different locations."

"Anomalies?"

"Giant monsters. They terrorized several kingdoms. A giant white thunder bear, giant snake, a basilisk, a giant elder dragon and the thing that I'm afraid... Umibozu."

"Umibozu?"

"It has no face. No body. Only a monster in which its whole body is dark. And the two glowing eyes on its face is its eyes. It terrorizes the seas and can create tsunamis with ease. I don't know much about them since they're far from what I know but they're powerful. Extremely so."

"I see... But why is this happening?"

"According to Herold, The Doomsday is approaching. And this anomaly is the second wave."

"Second... Wave?"

"Remember when we fought the five monsters from Tartarus? That's the first wave. Herold's theory was confirmed when these other five giant monsters suddenly spawned out of nowhere. It's probably Tartarus spawning these. So this day is the second wave. And It'll keep releasing five giant monsters every now and then according to Herold. This Doomsday is an event to make players come out of hiding."

"Why?"

"I... I don't know. But I do have a theory about why they're doing this."

"And that is?"

"The gods above are growing impatient. There's no alerts that the player base is going down. Those bastards wants an all out war to happen. Because it'll destroy this world if every player goes to an all out war. It's the perfect source of entertainment for those above. That's why even though I'm a mortal, I'll change everything. The laws of this world and the universe itself. That's why my first target is Tartarus. That's why you all have to get stronger. I need to get stronger. Because even I, get impatient."