Chapter 32: Time still flows (4)

“Pouring Hailstones, Multiple Arrows.”

Soon I used Hailstones toward the rest of the ants clustered together, then approached the ants running around separately to use Multiple Arrow.

Of course, I didn’t have to use the Pouring Hailstones, but I did because I had enough mana to use the skills freely.

Shortly afterwards, I got rid of the ants and picked up the golden rings and miscellaneous items that they dropped, and at the same time, I opened the status bar for fear I might level up to 101, which was the last thing I wanted.

[Name: lumen

Level: 98

Kills: 0, Deaths: 0

Titles: The only closed beta max level achiever, Scarecrow Destroyer.

Health: 701,000(now) / 701,000(max)

Mana: 581,442(now) / 591,000(max)

Strength: 715 Agility: 711 Stamina: 2910

Willpower: 1810 Intellectual Power: 2920

Remaining Stat Points: 10

Remaining Skill Points: 0

Traits: Iceman, Mutual Growth, God of Enhancement.]

“Huh?”

After I achieved Level 100, I didn’t open the status bar for a while because I didn’t have to check the change in my level.

Since I didn’t allow any single blows, my Health was full while mana decreased a bit because of my random firing of magic.

Nevertheless, I could not find the change that I duly expected.

“Why are the remaining stat points only ten?”

I was leveled down by 3 at Level 100, namely Level 97. But when I went up one level, my level should be 98, and the status bar also confirmed it. Everything would be okay if the remaining stat points were -20, not 10 because going down to 97 would give me the additional benefit of 30 stat points. So, it should be -30. And now, it should be -20 because I achieved Level 98. This was normal. And this was what I experienced not only in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd closed betas on Forgotten Legend, but also on Revival Legend that was formally open to the public.

First of all, Strength 5, Agility 1, and Intellectual 10 should be removed because those increased due to the items.

I double-checked whether what I invested in Intellectual Power stats was also removed. First, I achieved 1,000 stat points as the only maximum level at the third closed beta, and another 200 by destroying the scarecrow, regarded as an impossible goal.

And I gained 1,000 stat points by achieving Level 100.

I invested all this in Intellectual Power, so I had 2,000 Intellectual Power.

In addition, since I gained 500 stat points by earning the title of The closed beta maximum level achiever and another 200 with the title of Scarecrow Destroyer, my stat points increased by 700. Thus, everything was correct.

My Intellectual Power, which I started with 10 in the beginning, was 2,910 in total, and except for an increase by 10 with the addition of an item to Intellectual Power, my Stamina was 2,910 and my Willpower was 1,810. In other words, my stat points were exactly the same compared to Level 100.

“Huh…”

On the off chance, I invested 10 remaining stat points in Intellectual Power, my hand slightly trembling.Then, Intellectual Power increased by 1.

After all, I invested ten of them, and my Intellectual Power was 2,930. I gained 10 for free. In fact, I gained 10 in Stamina and 5 in Willpower thanks to Mutual Growth, so I gained a total of 25, not 10.

“If my level went down by 3, it’s supposed to be 75 in total. Then why?”

I had a question. I had to wonder why all this happened. Of course, there was something suspicious. I thought Mutual Growth was to blame because my level was down by 1, so in a normal situation, I can do -10, but it was messy because 10 was 25 to me.

“Huhhhhh.”

I laughed in spite of myself. When I got here, I was thrilled with the joy of hunting, but at the same time I had some other things to think about. Namely, it was a dark situation because it was like running a rat race. It was a meaningless hunt with me moving from Level 100 to Level 97 and then back to Level 100.

Of course, I could acquire miscellaneous items like golden rings, but I could define it as a meaningless hunt because it lacked the most important factor, namely becoming stronger by levelling up. Besides, I was not sure whether I might have to be at a standstill for a longer period than before when the God of Enhancement cooldown time was over.

But it turned out that I hadn’t marked the time. It was not a meaningless but useful hunt instead.

“Good! Then let me reach Level 100 quickly and make the God of Enhancement.

Huuuuh. I wish my level went down by 10, not 3.

Well, I wish my level could go down to 1.”

Right now I wanted to be Level 1 because I was confident of reaching Level 100 in four or five days. I quickly closed the status bar and ran again to hunt ants.

Then ‘Death: 0’ in the status bar caught my eye, but I ignored it because my priority was achieving Level 100.

Two hours later I saw a message.

[You have levelled up.]

Actually I already confirmed a message earlier that I levelled up. So, it was the second message that told me I had achieved Level 100.

I opened the status bar right away and confirmed 20 remaining stat points.

So, I quickly invested all of them in my Intellectual Power for fear I would lose them.

Shortly afterwards, I felt relieved after confirming that there was an increase in Intellectual Power by 20, Physical strength by 20, and Willpower by 10. I was satisfied with this much anyway.

“By the way, I still have six hours of cooldown time for the God of Enhancement left…”

It was a huge bonanza. Of course, I had another way to make use of it, namely, dying right away. If I die now as soon as I achieve Level 100, my level will go down to 99.

In addition to losing the EXP through the God of Enhancement, it’s the easiest way to level down. But there was a problem.

“Hmm. I did it before, so the number of deaths…”

During the 1st, 2nd, and third closed betas, I never died. I tried really hard not to die because I was denied access for 24 hours as a death penalty.

Besides, I should never die in order to achieve the max level during the two weeks of the closed beta period. And that was true even now.

On the other hand, the number of Kills was zero during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd closed betas.

“Um…”

I was worried. Of course, from a common-sense point of view, I had to die unconditionally because there was no chance to get it with 10 or 25 stat points with limited items, skills, or very precious titles. Not right now of course. If I die right now, I will not be able to access the game for 24 hours, in which case I won’t be able to use the “God of Enhancement” in six hours either.

However, after the God of Enhancement is over, I must die infinitely. Roughly over 1,000 times. No, as many times as I can. Then something really ridiculous will happen.

I felt really uncomfortable about artificially raising the number of Deaths, aside from all other things.

“Come to think of it, I leveled down by 3, but the number of Deaths did not increase…”

To level down, there must be something inevitable, which is death. So, I agonized over it.

But I didn’t agonize for long because the ants were regenerating.

So, I turned my steps to the outside because I didn’t intend to die anyway right now.

Of course, I got hampered by the ants that had been regenerated along the way, but I used Ice Field as much as possible to get rid of the ants. And only after I got out did I hit myself on the head.

“What an idiot I am! I should have had more EXP reduction at Level 98, not Level 100, so I can level down more!”