William had no idea what had happened. He was focused on self-healing. Moreover, even if he knew, there was nothing he could do from here.

Seven days later, he was only able to recover. In that time, he had finally finished the book. He couldn't remember ever taking so long to read a book in such a long time in his life. When he started a quest, he usually did not leave it unfinished.

The day he felt healed, he began to learn the more advanced technique. The new technique proved even more difficult than he had anticipated. This difficulty filled William's mind with various thoughts.

'I wonder if these techniques are all entry-level? Because this technique looks like something that even a real expert would have difficulty with.' He brooded, but still did not give up.

It took three days to master the technique. He never tried, as he was afraid it would damage his room. He was just trying to apply his Qi as quickly as possible by following the technique. He would have to go to the forest to try it. Once he left the academy, he did not want to leave in vain.

Therefore, he made a quest for worm blood, which no longer appears on the quest board.

Before leaving, he left a note on Baldur's door.

“I'll get more worm blood for you. Prepare my money!” He wrote it and stuck it between his door.

It wouldn't be appropriate for him to disturb him by knocking on the door right now. It was taboo to disturb someone during the breakthrough. He wouldn't want the same thing done to him. That's why he left without any disturbance.

He was overconfident right now. Even today, his target was the cave where the metal heart was found. Since his dimensional bag was large enough, he considered taking it with him. That way, he wouldn't have to go to that cave every time.

When he was far enough away from academia, he used the 'Like a Volcano' technique. It truly lived up to its name. William realized it was as fast as a top-of-the-line sports car, but it would take some work before he could drive it through the woods. Because with the technique, the slightest foot movement gave him explosive speed. He couldn't avoid hitting a few trees as he was stronger than he had anticipated. Even his nose bled when he hit a rock. Fortunately, his body was strong. His nose was healed in a short time without swelling.

This time, he had completed the same route in two hours. That meant at least a two-and-a-half-fold increase in speed!

William was already laughing constantly as he crossed the forest. He thought he needed to collect more contribution points and improve his execution sword.

He was already making plans in his mind. He would combine each technique one by one, slowly.

When he came to the foot of the Worm Mountains, the mountains again greeted him with its usual majesty. He walked towards the cave last time. The last time he was here, he didn't know much technique yet. Moreover, the creature he encountered was above the bronze level. He couldn't tell its exact level, but he had an approximation from its size and the sounds it made.

It was roughly the same size as the worm he had killed with Baldur. William's confidence stemmed from that.

Just in case, he pulled his sword out of his dimensional bag as he entered the cave and hung it around his waist. He needed to respond quickly when needed. He used his ancient technique, the flame sword, as he had great problems moving forward in the dark. Although using this technique on this sword might sound a bit insulting, there was nothing to be done. Like a fool, he forgot to take a torch with him. Nor wasn't he a mage like Baldur. Therefore, his only remedy was the flame sword.

The cave was very quiet. He looked around for things like footprints but couldn't find them. It was as if no one else had been here since the last time he had arrived. Of course, most people wouldn't accept such a risky quest for such a small reward. The quest appealed to William because he liked to be alone.

After a while, very carefully, he came to the place where the worm corpse was. He could not sense any creature around. This place was empty if his eyes and his senses did not deceive him. Even the corpses of the little worms he had killed earlier were gone. He saw a clean floor as if he had been eaten.

He waited carefully for a while. He could feel a fly move right now.

On the worm's corpse, he could feel the metal heart. An enormous metal element was beating there like a heart. It was an illusion, of course, but it felt real.

William knew he had to be careful. So he slowly descended from a height of three meters. His every move was made with the utmost care. After a while, he relaxed. Whoever would attack would certainly have attacked by now. Moreover, he could not sense any life force from those irritating holes.

He moved quickly and entered the large creature. There the metal heart hung silently as usual. William thought he could cut it this time.

He took out the firebringer and applied the execution sword. Then activated the weight and sharpness buff. This cost him ninety percent of the qi in his body.

Then he braced himself, grabbed the sword with both hands, and jumped and cut powerfully from left to right!

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“DINGGGGGGGGG!!!” 'Damn! What are you made of!'

William sighed helplessly. This blow with all his might left not a scratch on the metal heart. When he got down, he could do nothing but curse.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he heard the voice that would make him curse again.

“ZIIIIIIIIII” “Damn!” He said it out loud this time.

It immediately came out of the creature's mouth and jumped into the tunnel it came from. He glanced behind him for a moment through the tunnel he had jumped into and saw the creature coming towards him. It was coming out of the mouth of the other tunnel.

His skin was like a stone. People would believe you if you said a few rocks rolled together.

William felt its strength. The creature was an earthworm and was in the middle of the bronze level.

As much as William wanted to fight him right now, he couldn't. Because his qi was almost depleted.

"We'll Meet Again." He said and quickly left.

William thought to himself that that last sentence was cool. 'Is my speech starting to change? How cool was I just now?'

He breathed a sigh of relief as he emerged from the still half-closed small entrance of the cave. Sunlight was always the most beautiful.

William felt helpless right now. He sat on the rocks at the entrance of the cave and began to meditate. The qi pool was almost empty. A return to academia, then, could earn him an invitation to die.

Luckily the meditation technique was good. He was half full in no time. Even if he couldn't use the sword's buffs, its sharpness and weight were enough. Right now, he could use 'Like a Volcano' and 'Execution Sword' for a long time.

Just as he was about to wake up from meditation, he heard a sound that excited him. It was a loud howl. He recognized this voice. It was that sneaky bastard's voice!

Tired of the worms, he thought he could trade with the wolves again. Moreover, he wasn't afraid of the bronze-ranked wolf right now. Even if he couldn't beat him, he was sure he could escape. He might even leave a large scar. After all, his new sword was very powerful. Half of a warrior's strength came from his equipment.

He immediately started running towards the forest. This time his business was different.

When he came to a large clearing in the middle of the forest, he encountered wolves gnawing the flesh of an elephant that was at least five meters tall and seven meters long.

The sneaky bastard had already eaten his food! He was busy licking the blood from the corner of his mouth as he rested.

He knew William was coming from hundreds of yards away. He didn't make any extra moves, as he didn't see him as a stranger. Even the other wolves recognized him, and after a glance, they resumed their meal.

William now approached the larger wolf. Next to him was the same bronze-ranked wolf. He was licking the dirt off the little wolf's fur.

Although he was angry with him, they were now considered friends.

"Hello, my friend! How's it going?" William asked the dumbest thing ever to ask a wolf.

The wolf shook his head and pointed to the elephant's corpse.

'Damn! Really like a human!' he thought.

The wolf had, absurdly, communicated with him like a human. It's like, 'Well, here we are, we just caught prey.' He was saying!

This conversation could go down in history as the most ridiculous conversation in the world.

William quickly recovered from his surprise and stared at the still calm wolf. Then he made a fist and showed his muscles.

“Is there anyone to be beaten again? Can we trade?” said.

With his little wolf head, he pointed to the wolf in the corner, which was slowly gnawing at the elephant. The wolf's level seemed to have increased a bit, but there was probably still time for it to advance to the bronze level.

William was disappointed.

Then the wolf tried to say something again. It was like pointing north. He muttered something, but William didn't understand.

Finally, the wolf tilted its head to the side, as if asking a question, and looked at William. William had no idea what he was trying to say. But the quest didn't matter if he could get what he wanted. So he felt he had to submit his own terms.

He drew a flower on the ground with his hand and put a cross on it.

"I'll help with whatever it takes, but this time I don't want flowers." Said. He crossed his arms.

Then he pointed to the large wolf beside him. “I want his blood this time!” said. Then he took out the dagger he had taken from Baldur and cut off his hand. He pointed to the drop of blood that had fallen to the ground.

When pulled out the dagger, the big wolf looked at William with hostility and began to growl. Then calmed down again when he cut his own hand and pointed at the blood that had fallen to the ground.

The little wolf completely understood what William meant, but did not know why he wanted the blood. He squinted his eyes and stared at William for a long time. Then his lips moved slightly. And he opened his eyes.

William was like, "How much do you need?" seemed to hear what he said.

'Wow!' he thought.

He immediately showed ten fingers in a hurry and took out a barrel from his dimensional bag.

“Ten barrels!” said.

Wolf immediately shook his head. He thought that ten barrels were too much.

William did not want to be low in the bargain. That's why he changed the type of offer.

Again, pointing with his hand, he said, “Five barrels of this wolf. But twenty barrels from the others!” said.

He showed the wolves eating. He pointed to the other wolf who was deliberately trying to become a bronze rank.

The little wolf looked thoughtfully at the other wolf for a while and finally nodded. It was as if the other wolves' blood didn't matter at all.

William was immediately delighted. As if there was a person in front of him, forgetting for a moment, “Then we got it!” ' he said and held out his hand to shake it.

The next moment, the strangest scene in the world took place. The little wolf found William's movements strange at first, but then realized what he was trying to do. He extended his paw to William.

In astonishment, William grabbed his paw and squeezed it. He shook it up and down a few times.

Next to them, the big wolf was looking at him with killing intent as he had touched the little wolf.

William noticed this and immediately withdrew. Thus, an agreement was made between wolves and a human that should go down in history. Moreover, this deal was completed with a handshake!

The little wolf said something to William. William, of course, did not understand what he meant. But he could guess. Most likely, he was saying 'rest well'.

Seeing that the wolves were already busy eating, William immediately began to meditate to practice what he had guessed. He had to be at the peak of his form. Because he didn't know what trouble the little wolf would cause him. Maybe they would take him to hunt a silver rank creature?

Everything was uncertain. So it was best to be prepared.

Finally, a few hours passed, and all the wolves and William were completely rested.

The little wolf immediately called a wolf in the middle of the iron level and told William to get on it.

The direction they were going was north. 'I hope it's not the place I thought' William had thought throughout the journey.

And after a few hours, he realized that what he feared had happened to him. They had arrived where he had never thought of going before he reached the Bronze level.

…