Chapter 16

BOOM! KUABOOM!

KARURUK!

Inside of goblin cave filled with sounds of explosion and cries. The goblins in the cave had been leading peaceful life in here because there was hardly anyone coming by. Complacent with their life style, the goblins panicked as they faced the invasion by Vulcan.

BOOM! KUABOOM!

[Level Up!]

“As I thought, my level is rising up faster because it is so low.”

Vulcan hummed a song as he slaughtered everything in the cave. Hellfire poured out from his left hand to attack goblins.

-KURUK…… KUK.

The death toll was mounting up in midst of endless storm of flame magic.

Goblins came at Vulcan, all wielding their own weapons and crimson blood aura blades, but they were no match for him. Most of goblins got shot down by the Hellfire before being able to move even a few step. As for others that managed to come in close, their lives were extinguished by the pure lightning blade in Vulcan’s right hand.

Even with goblin clan’s legacy protective energy blade that was passed down for generations, goblins were helpless against Vulcan. By the destructive power far outclassing their own, goblins were falling in mass numbers.

-KURUK! KUKEKEK!

“Oh, this one is level 150.”

[Goblin Patrol Captain Pakumu]

[150Lv]

*One of goblin clan’s elite monsters that appear after many of ordinary goblin warriors had been slain. Becomes more aggressive with damage taken.

Pakumu’s level was higher than ordinary goblins by 30 levels.

However, in Vulcan’s eyes, even Pakumu looked about more of the same to other ordinary goblins.

“Thunder God’s Might.”

Surrounded by lightning sparks, Vulcan charged in head on toward goblin patrol captain Pakumu. It was a powerful dash showing not even an ounce of hesitation, and at its tip was the pure lightning blade – holding its place with its sharpness.

KUAAANG!

[Level Up!]

Vulcan just blew up Pakumu, but he still had momentum from his charge attack, hence he was able to stop only after making a few more steps past the target.

The blood streams from Pakumu’s body evaporated as they came in contact with lightning sparks surrounding Vulcan, and they resulted in unpleasant stench. Vulcan smiled in joy, turned around and looked at the remaining goblins.

Ku… kuruk.

Chock-full of fear, goblin patrols ran away in all directions. Of course, Vulcan wasn’t going to just sit and watch.

“Where are you all going, you bastards.”

Vulcan’s magic sprayed out flames.

***

[Ordinary Accessory – Goblin’s Teeth Necklace]

[Level Limit: 70Lv]

[Ordinary Weapon – Patrol’s Worn-out Axe]

[Level Limit: 105Lv]

……

[High Quality Armor – Patrol Captain’s Leggings]

[Level Limit: 130Lv]

Defense +80

Durability 22/45

Movement Speed Increases by 5% While Attacking

*The legging belonging to patrol captain Pakumu, the one in charge of Goblin clan’s security. Dangerous spikes becoming of Pakumu’s aggressiveness are nailed in.

“This is great. Compared to items in Rubel continent, this one’s defensive ability is at another level.”

Looking happy like a kid in a candy store, Vulcan murmured as he replaced his worn out equipments.

Inside of the cave was in shambles from the aftermath of numerous powerful blade strikes and magic.

In its middle, Vulcan was organizing the spoils he gathered up to now.

“This one is below average, that one is also below average, this one…… I don’t know what this is. I wonder if Mr. Jake would know?”

Blade, armor, herbs and even currencies accepted in Beloong city, the items were piling up like a mountain. It was unbelievable that Vulcan accumulated all this just in three hours of hunting.

Of course, items weren’t the only thing that Vulcan gained in a mass quantity.

[Third-Rate Magic Swordsman Vulcan]

[131Lv]

Vulcan’s level was 117 before he entered the dungeon, so he leveled up 14 times.

It was no surprises with all things considered.

The specs that Vulcan currently had, other than the level, easily exceeded that of zeniths. When it came to those that could be considered zeniths in Asgard, possessing level of 400 or above was one of the ways to be qualified as a zenith. However, possessing S level abilities also counted among the qualifying traits.

Vulcan had S level abilities in combat, evasion, lightning and fire masteries, total of four.

Vulcan’s passive skill masteries far exceeded that of even zeniths, making him an existence that belies his level. By this unconventional strength, Vulcan was able to mass exterminate Goblins and gain explosive level ups.

Ordinary 100 level players had to party up with several people to hunt goblins.

On the other hand, Vulcan managed to clean up the entire dungeon by himself. The difference in level gain was to be expected in this situation.

“I think that’s enough. I picked up all of the useful items I want.”

Vulcan stood up and took a look around himself.

The worn out 80-90 level equipments that served him for almost three years throughout the training were replaced with 100 level and above equipments. Vulcan felt refreshed.

Vulcan carefully distributed the stat points he obtained from level ups.

Thanks to the new equipments, the improvements in the stats were enhanced further, making Vulcan feel greatly satisfied.

“As for the boss…… 200 level was it? Whatever. I bet it’s going to be a piece of cake.”

Vulcan rounded up all of other miscellaneous junk items to the inventory, and he kicked opened a door decorated with two human skulls.

***

“Oh man, this is so boring and repetitive.”

“I might be way better off doing mastery gruntwork training under Filder.”

“Retard, no way.”

“I’m just saying. I wasn’t actually going to go. A prison is better than that.”

“Yeah. That’s not for a human being.”

The men with dirtied getup, as if they just returned from hunting, entered Beloong city through the east gate.

They were Anderson and the bunch, the people that were laughing at Vulcan’s idea of hunting by himself.

“Anyway, next time, let’s just go in even if we are a little short on number of people. Honestly, seven people are enough as long as the patrol captain doesn’t show up.”

“Yeah, if it looks like the patrol captain might appear soon, we just need to go outside for a while and come back.”

“Ah, really, hunting vagrant goblins are about as good as not doing it in the first place. If I had enough money for a drink, I would have called it a quit and came back a long time ago.”

The bunch gave up on entering goblin cave because nobody came around even though they waited for another hour after Vulcan entered.

They decided that instead of wasting time waiting, they might as well go hunt for vagrant goblins that appear occasionally on east field.

So off they went, but vagrant goblins were only level 90, and it took longer to find them than hunt them, making the monster hunting time-inefficient.

Also, the experiences from the hunt were shared by the spoons of seven people, so each of the party members only received ant’s tear sized portions.

So in the end, the Anderson bunch returned to Baloong city with junk items and infinitesimal amount of experiences and currencies.

“Ah, really, if those two guys didn’t give up on leveling up, we would have been stable.”

“I know. If we reached at least 200 level, we wouldn’t be living like this, ignored by everyone.”

“What’s the point of thinking about the bastards that left? They said they will just live like that for the rest of their lives.”

“Man…… look at the pathetic state we are in……”

Anderson used water magic to wash his entire body, and he looked up the sky. The sky with the sunset, which was just about to go away into the night, was quite a sight to behold. Anderson reminisced about his glorious past days.

‘Why did I beat the final quest…… I should have just enjoyed being the emperor. Ah, I want to go back…… Not to Earth, but the last dimension where I was the emperor……’

Like that, Anderson was giving a blank stare into the distance, but then he saw something approaching from the horizon.

It looked like a little black dot, and it was forming dust clouds behind its path. The dot’s speed was so incredibly fast that the dot arrived to the front of the gate even before all of the dust clouds dissipated.

There stood an Asian young man with black hair and golden sparks surrounding his body. It was Vulcan.

“No way, that guy……”

“Oh, I thought he would die in an instant, but he managed to come back alive.”

“Looks like he had it really rough in there. His entire body is stained in blood.”

“Yeah, to get out of there alive, it is difficult without getting hurt.”

The Anderson bunch talked about it as they observed Vulcan’s ragged appearance.

Although there weren’t much of kindness in their words, they were all at least expressing that they are glad Vulcan returned safely.

Even Anderson was welcoming Vulcan’s safe return. However, it wasn’t because someone’s safe return mattered to his mood.

“Hey, friends,”

“Uh?”

“I think it will be perfect if we had that guy in our party for hunting from now on. What do you think?”

“Oh, yes. Since he came back alive from there, he must have the basic abilities. Also, I bet the experience scared him straight now, so I’m in.”

“I’m in too.”

“Me too.”

Everyone responded favorably to Anderson’s proposal.

These players were treated poorly by the others because of their low levels and lackluster talents, so the idea of gaining one more ally was a rare opportunity for them.

For these players, because there were more players giving up than joining, having even just one more ally was something to welcome and get excited about.

Anderson looked at Vulcan’s appearance from top to bottom.

He noticed that some of Vulcan’s items were changed, meaning Vulcan didn’t just run away from the cave.

Anderson started to think that Vulcan’s skills must not be so bad, and that got rid of the little bit of hesitation he had left.

Anderson smiled like a good man and approached Vulcan. As Anderson approached him, he unconsciously scanned Vulcan with the SYSTEM.

[Third-Rate Magic Swordsman Vulcan]

[147Lv]

“……?”

Anderson’s steps toward Vulcan came to a sudden halt.

‘What? Did I read it wrong? Is there an error in the SYSTEM?’

Anderson disengaged the SYSTEM ability and tried scanning Vulcan again.

SYSTEM’s accurate assessment ability told Anderson about Vulcan’s current level once more.

[Third-Rate Magic Swordsman Vulcan]

[147Lv]

“……?”

“What is it?”

“Ah.”

Before Anderson realized it, Vulcan was standing in front of him and staring at him.

Vulcan’s face was saying, ‘why are you staring at me.’

His look was also saying he was aware that Anderson scanned him.

“Ah, nothing, just that I am glad that you came back alive……”

“Ah, that’s what it is. I misunderstood. I thought you were staring at me because you were trying to pick a fight with me.”

“No! That’s not why! I’m not that kind of person.”

“Ok. I have been running into a lot of strange old people in Asgard, so I was mistaken. Well then.”

Vulcan was just about to go through the east gate past Anderson.

Anderson was standing there with a blank face, but then he suddenly regained his mind and called Vulcan.

“Hey! Wait! I have something I want to ask you!”

Vulcan stopped. He only turned his head and looked at Anderson.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, it is just…… What I’m trying to ask is…”

“If you don’t hurry up, I’m going to get going. I am very busy.”

“Ah, Ok. It’s about your… your level.”

“What about my level?”

Vulcan’s gruff face made Anderson nervous.

Anderson was certain this was the same Vulcan he met in the morning, but he felt strongly that Vulcan was not someone to treat carelessly.

“That is…… You were, until the morning, you were level 117 right? But now you are level 147, so I was wondering……”

“Yes, I was level 117 in the morning, and it is also correct that I am level 147 now. Is there a problem……”

“No, nothing. Ah man, what I was trying to say isn’t……”

“Ah, if you were going to ask me to hunt together…… I am sorry.”

Anderson was at loss for words.

He was confused and none of this made any sense to him, but in front of him, Vulcan was someone that gained 30 levels in just one day.

Anderson figured it is obvious that Vulcan would not want to be in his party.

However, Anderson had so many questions and expectations from Vulcan to just step aside now.

‘A player that gains 30 levels in just one day, I never even heard rumors about such a person!’

Anderson thought that this situation, being face to face with Vulcan, could bring incredible luck to himself.

Anderson gulped and asked a question toward Vulcan.

“That’s not it, but maybe…… how you leveled up…… can you give me a little bit of tip on that? Ah of course! I won’t ask for it for free. Your weapon, it looks like it is something you have been using since the time you were in your previous dimension. I will give you a nice weapon. You seem to be a blade user. Here, I will give you mine. It is a high quality blade with level 128 as the limit. Its attack power is pretty good.”

Anderson sounded desperate.

Listening to Anderson’s desperate words made Vulcan cringe a little.

Vulcan’s face was that of someone agonizing over whether or not to tell Anderson about the reason behind Vulcan’s success. Anderson felt that Vulcan might tell him if he plead with Vulcan just a little more.

“Oh yes, it could be inconvenient to just have a long blade, so I will also give you my short sword as well. Here, these are 105 level short swords……”

“No thanks. It’s fine.”

Vulcan raised his hand to stop Anderson and said,

“I’ll just tell you.”

“Thank… Thank you! I’ll make sure to return this favor when I find a good skill or item. So, what is the secret?”

“But it is really nothing special.”

“Oh no, you don’t need to be so modest. I am really, very grateful. Thank you.”

“……”

Vulcan looked at Anderson with pity. Vulcan’s gaze locked on to Anderson.

Five, and ten seconds have passed, and when Anderson was just about to speak, Vulcan opened his mouth.

“Increase the mastery of either weapon techniques or magic to rank A or above, and then clear goblin dungeon from start to finish twice. By the time you make a round and come out of the dungeon, the monsters will be regenerated so you can make your rounds indefinitely. Well then, I’ll be going now.”

“……”

Vulcan uttered those words and disappeared quickly.

Anderson was just standing there with a blank face again, and his friends came by.

“Hey, why are you standing there like that?”

“I can understand how you feel. I was also surprised after I scanned him. So, did you ask him how he leveled up?”

“By the looks of it, it seems like he left without telling you.”

“Of course he wouldn’t tell us. Even I would just leave.”

“No. He did tell me.”

After a long silence, Anderson finally spoke. They were all tossing all sorts of questions at Anderson, but now the bunch suddenly silenced themselves.

All six of them were staring at Anderson with gaze reflecting great expectations.

Anderson, with his face still showing signs of shock, explained to the bunch.

“He said it can be done if you increase the basic passive skill mastery to A rank.”

“……”

The entire seven, including Anderson, have fallen silent from that moment.