Chapter 49: (5). First Death -2

Ian had gotten two very big quests unintendedly. He then sighed.

‘At least I know where to go to complete the Trace of the Forgotten Ancient Monster quest… but I

don’t even have a clue about the Griffin’s egg.’

He could do nothing about both quests right now.

So, Ian decided to focus on the Arena that would be opened in a few days.

‘The Arena is opening in 5 days, is there anything I can do apart from gaining levels? I want to

excel…’

Ian was much more powerful than users of his level. That was a fact.

However, that didn’t mean that he could relax.

Countless users enjoyed the game, so no one could know what kind of change would happen.

The new classes would be tested for the first time in PvP.

No one could tell what would happen before the actual fighting began.

Ian couldn’t reckon how high he would be able to go up in this Rookie’s League.

“Shall I go to raise the Proficiency of my new skills?”

Right now, Ian was Lv. 50 and had 0% EP.

‘I just have to remain as Lv. 50, so I will raise my EP until it reaches 99% of the Lv. 50. Plus, I need to

raise the Skill Levels and Proficiency of my new skills… then I should go hunting.’

Ian could just rest for 5 days, but he appeared to be infected by some virus that would make thorns

sprout at his butt if he didn’t hunt.

‘Where should I go?’

Ian recalled all the decent hunting grounds that were close to Muran.

He soon remembered a good one, ‘The Ant Tunnels! Right, it’s not far from here!’

The Ant Tunnel wasn’t the home of real ants.

It was a famous instant dungeon in which giant monsters similar to ants lived together.

An instant dungeon was a dungeon where no one could go in, unless the user or party that had gone

in left or died.

Popular instant dungeons were very crowded therefore you needed to make a reservation, so the

impatient Ian didn’t like that kind of dungeons.

However, this Ant Tunnels was a little different.

It was an instant dungeon, but it was composed of dozens of similar dungeons. That was why it was

called the Ant Tunnels. No one had to wait there, even when there were many users.

At least 30% of the dungeons were empty all the time.

‘Great! It is the perfect place to practice my new skills.’

Giant Ants of the Ant Tunnels were about Lv. 48.

However, there were so many of them, so users who actually hunted there were mostly at least Lv.

It was a dangerous dungeon where even Lv. 60 users died when plying solo.

However, Ian had cleared the Dungeon of Chaos, so he was sure he could handle it.

‘Okay, let’s go!’

Ian was about to go to the dungeon when he received a message from Harin.

‘Um? It’s Harin!’

Ian checked the message.

• Harin: Ian, what are you doing now?
• Ian: Oh, I am about to go hunting.
• Harin: What? But you are Lv. 50! Didn’t you tell me that you would compete in the Rookies’ League?

Ian and Harin often talked by sending messages, so Harin knew a lot about what Ian was up to.

• Ian: Yes. But my EP is still 0%, I can raise it to 99%.
• Harin: Ha…

Harin was dumbfounded at Ian’s obsession with leveling-up.

• Harin: Actually, I came near to our university to meet a friend today.
• Ian: Really? Are you at the university now?
• Harin: No, but I am near it. I came to a café to talk about the vacation task with a friend.
• Ian: Oh, I see…
• Harin: Why don’t we have a meal together later? You live nearby, right?

Ian thought about the offer.

‘It would be good to go out and eat some decent food…’

Actually, if it hadn’t been for a situation in which he couldn’t gain levels, he would have refused Harin’s

offer immediately and go hunting.

However, for the first time since he started to play Kailan, he was free. Therefore, he found the idea of

going out quite appealing.

‘But I want to try the Lightning Spheres skill…’

Ian was more excited about hunting with his new skill than eating out with Harin. So, in the end, he

refused the offer.

• Ian: Um… I’m sorry, Harin. Maybe later. I am almost at the hunting ground, so I cannot log out now.

He was still in the Village, but Ian lied.

He tried to deny his guiltiness and muttered silently, ‘It is a white lie to not make Harin feel bad…’

• Harin: I see. Then send me a message when you finish hunting. Um… I won’t be online, so I will

give you my phone number.

Ian didn’t know when he would finish hunting, and he wasn’t yet sure if he would like to bother himself

by going out. However, he still wrote down Harin’s phone number.

‘Well… I will go out if I die while hunting.’

He said that only because there was a 24-hour access limit death penalty.

However, he would not die in the Ant Tunnels, so he wasn’t going to go out of his home.

Ian finished talking with Harin and hurried to reach the Ant Tunnels.

…

“Ha, just as I expected.”

Ian entered the Ant Tunnels. He then grinned widely at seeing the Giant Ants in packs of 10~15.

Luckily, he had been able to enter Dungeon 7, which was known to have more Ants than the other

caves.

“Kee.”

Ian thought it was the perfect place to use his new ‘Lightning Spheres’ skill.

‘The more I read about the skill, the more I think it is fit to hunt packs of animals.’

Lightning Spheres was used by making balls of lightning in both hands and throwing them to the

enemy.

When the balls hit the enemy, they were divided into four and would bounce off in every direction and

inflict damage to multiple enemies.

Compared to wide-range skills used by high-level Sorcerers, the skill’s range and activation limit were

limited, but Ian thought it could be used well.

Ian summoned all the pets he had, including his new Chirpy and prepared for battle.

“Now, Big Guy, you go in as usual.”

Big Guy started to move toward the Giant Ants slowly.

Kung- Kung-

Because of the loud sound it made, the Ants soon looked at it.

Crrrk Crrk-

The Ants made weird sounds as they approached Big Guy.

Big Guy swung his fist.

Bam-!

The Ants were big and ugly, just as their name suggested.

However, they were small compared to Big Guy, and Big Guy had a higher level, so it wasn’t afraid at

all.

-Your pet Big Guy received 376 damaged from a Giant Ant.

-Your pet Big Guy received 201 damages from a Giant Ant.

In a moment, a number of Ants surrounded Big Guy.

Big Guy was attacked by many in a short time, but its Health was about 20,000 now, so the attacks

just tickled him.

Then, Ian, who had been waiting for that moment, gave an order, “Big Guy, Ice Wave!”

As soon as Ian said that, a white snowstorm started to form around Big Guy.

Kwaang-!

• Big Guy inflicted 298 damages to each of the 12 Giant Ants.
• Giant Ants slow down by 30% for 10 seconds.

Next, Ly, who now knew Ian’s thoughts without even hearing them, immediately lunged at the Ants.

“Ly, Frenzy!”

Ly used the Frenzy skill and started to storm through the Ants.

There were many of them, but Ly had been facing much stronger enemies, so he could kill Giant Ants

easily.

Then, Ian glanced at Bukbuk.

Their eyes met and Bukbuk, accepting its fate, used the Enlarging Shell skill.

Ian smiled and carried Bukbuk on his back.

He had made some special leather straps just for that purpose.

Now was the time to test his new skill.

Ian used the skill with excitement, “Lightning Spheres!”

With that, yellow spheres were formed in both of Ian’s hands.

Zip- Zip-

‘Should I throw it at the Ants?’

Ian threw both spheres at the nearest Giant Ant.

They left Ian’s hands and flew at the Ant.

However, the Giant Ants weren’t hit by the spheres.

‘Oh, why do they fly so slowly? They are as slow as snails… who on earth would let himself get hit by

them?’

Ian’s complaint was right.

The spheres weren’t very slow, but anyone who saw them coming would be able to avoid them.

Piiing-

The spheres hit nothing, next, they just disappeared.

‘Hu, then this is the only way…’

Ian checked his Spirit Magic.

‘Luckily its recharging speed isn’t as slow as I thought.’

Spirit Magic was recharged to the Max by the time the Lightning Spheres’ cooldown time ended.

Once the skill was ready, Ian used the skill again.

He then lunged at the Ants with balls of lightning in his hands.

Next, he hit a Giant Ant’s stomach with his fist.

• You hit the target with the Lightning Spheres skill. You inflicted 1179 damages to a Giant Ant.

Ian had expected the Paralyzed mode to be activated and reset the cooldown time, but the probability

of that happening was only 15%. It didn’t happen on the first try.

But then, four balls of electricity bounced off quickly and started to hurt the Giant Ants nearby.

Zip- Zap-!

• Multiplied lightning inflicted 359 additional damages to a Giant Ant.
• Multiplied lightning inflicted 317 additional damages to a Giant Ant.

Four, five Giants Ants were hurt…

• Giant Ant is on Paralyzed mode.
• Giant Ant slows down by 30% and receives 50% additional damaged to Lightning type attacks.
• Cooldown time of Lightning Spheres is reset.

A few System messages came up.

The cooldown time was reset, next, the balls of lightning were formed in Ian’s hands again. He felt

thrilled.

‘Yes, yes!’

Ian started to raise the Lightning Spheres Proficiency.