Chapter 15
“Are you doing well, newbies!”
“Yes!”
“No matter how durable a scarecrow is, they still have weak points! When attacking a weak point, the damage becomes greater!”
The training center isn’t just a place to familiarize one’s self to combat.
Before dealing with monsters, this place teaches users the basics. The scarecrows’ neck, where the head and torso are connected, glowed a little redder than other parts of the scarecrow. And Leeha is not a fool to not notice it.
“Haa!”
Papapak-!
The scarecrow’s neck was broken and its head fell to the ground. The hand feel of hitting the torso and the neck was different.
“Well done! While there are areas that cause serious damage when hit, other areas can cause instakill. Of course, you need to have the sufficient abilities to deal as much damage as possible to cause such an effect, so devote yourself to training!”
There are critical hits and there’s also instakill? Leeha nodded.
Definitely, if reality is gamified there should be weak points that can cause “instakill” when struck.
However, it would still be impossible for level 1 to instakill a level 100 monsters in one shot.
That is the meaning of the words of the drill instructor NPC.
‘Does that mean you can end the hunt in one shot if you reach the required? However, it will not be easy to find and hit those weak points.’
Leeha hit the scarecrow’s torso while following the NPC’s instructions along with the strangers around him.
“Next is the technique! By collecting and managing your energy and mana, you can generate 3 times more power than normal or 5 times more power. Gather your energy and hit it!”
The instructor with an artificial leg screamed, stomping his leg against the stone floor of the training center.
As soon as the instructor’s words ended, small window opened in front of Leeha’s eyes.
〈Beginner’s Heavy Strike〉
Description : The art of striking with force. The flow is important.
Effect: 130% of maximum attack power
Distance : Melee
Mana : 30
Cooldown : 10 seconds
‘Gathering strength and striking. Of course it’s a game, so we also get skills..’
He concentrated on the explanation.
As the NPCs said, in Middle Earth, a lot of hints we’re not given outright.
It’s a skill that hits with force, but the flow is important?
“Heavy Strike!”
“Heavy Strike!”
“Heavy Strike!”
People around him were using Heavy Strike.
The combat assist system was making movements when the users are not ready, and it is obviously a little unnatural, so the strike is not strong.
“I see. That’s the flow. Just think like it’s reality, right?” What if you use the skill at any time regardless of your movement? It goes against the flow of the body in motion. Then, in the direction that the original skill should go, what if it is used in between attacks?
Leeha did not get swayed by the bustle around him. He slowly hit the scarecrow in the torso diagonally.
“Heavy Strike!!” His arms moved naturally with his shout and he felt his muscles expanding explosively, and there was no change in his form.
A bright light flashed from the smashing wooden sword, Paaang!
“Ohh?!”
As the instructor shouted to everyone with unsatisfied expressions looked at Leeha. The NPC directly mentioned his name and praised him!
A window suddenly popped up in front of his eyes.
[Achievement : Model Student at Candle Castle Training Center (E)]
Congratulations! You who have learned all the basics of battle without a single mistake! But don’t be too cocky, because the tallest tree always experiences the strongest winds!
Effect : Strength +3, Intellligence +2
‘Oh? Is it another achievement? Awesome, awesome!,
Leeha, who was looking at the explanation of the achievement, quickly hid the window with a wide smile.
‘Don’t be too cocky? The tallest tree always experiences the strongest winds. Well, that’s true. Because nothing good happens when you stand out.’
And in the midst of the users’ uproar, the shout of the instructor with an artificial leg rang out loud.
“What are you looking at! Everyone go back to you positions and practice! Practice! practice is the only way to live!” The shout of an NPCs who deal with humans better than humans. The users went back to their scarecrows. Their eyes mixed with envy, suspicion, and jealousy toward Leeha were enough to make him nervous.
‘But, while scaring me like this, 3 strength and 2 intelligence? What, is it a lot or a little?? I’ll have to ask Kijeong later.’
Leeha didn’t know how good it was to increase the stats by 2 and 3, but the “Model Student of the Training Center” is an unexpected achievements.
Level 1.
An achievement that can only be obtained when it’s the user’s first time connecting to the game and defeating a scarecrow.
There is also the additional condition of first time entering the training center, so when users know of the conditions, it’s already too late.
Can you find it in the community? Of course, there are a lot of information in the community. However, information that would be helpful to users are not usually shared. Eventually, you have to get it from a friend or a guild you belong to, but it is too late at that time.
“Huu, Huu.”
As he spent time swinging the wooden sword in front of the new scarecrow, the instructor shouted again.
“Those who have learned the basics of battle should move to the next destination! A place where you can develop your true ability and potential, to the Class Tower!”
The other users stopped, they either thought that they would not be able to extract information from Ha Leeha or that the instructor is frightening and left.
But Leeha was different, there is no one who gets benefits and will feel bad.
“Thank you, instructor.” Leeha wiped away his sweat and said hello to the prosthetic instructor. He wanted to express his gratitude to the NPC who gave him the achievement and was surprised as the expression of the instructor with a prosthetic leg who heard Leeha’s greetings changed slightly.
“Your movements were smooth. Do you know about the sword?”
“No- I do not.”
“I see. When will anyone who knows about swords step into Middle Earth? Haa....... You were quite good, Ha Leeha-kun.”
Should I have said I knew? Leeha just realized that he had missed something important in the conversation. Perhaps the instructor’s words were a trigger to a hidden quest that will start under certain conditions. What would have been the reward? A hidden class? Skill?
Considering the keyword sword, it may give him a weapon that a user can not get as a beginner.
‘I thought he was a real person and answered so quickly!’
Interaction with NPC! He had no choice and he can’t figure out what’s the right answer.
However, all of these were exactly as intended by Goople. Because there is no such thing as an answer with a choice in reality.
“I actually know about the sword can I show you?”
“Haha, thank you for your words, but it’s useless unless you really know the sword. Go ahead and go to the Class Tower to find your way.”
“Eukk......”
He couldn’t take back the words he has already spoken. Even if the target is an NPC.
Should I insist that I really know? However, Leeha also heard the explanation for affinity with an NPC. He predicted that it would be counterproductive without even trying it.
“Oh. That’s too bad. I’m really sorry. Good bye.” Leeha left the instructor with a prosthetic leg. Because it was so real, he regretted missing something great.
‘In the future, I have to be especially careful with words. Oh, such a waste!’
(To be continued...)