I'm back again.

The release will be late since we're nearing the end of the month. [Second busiest day for a finance staff / my current job]

Enjoy

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CHAPTER 3 - Combat Style and Trump Card

It's been 20 hours since I start the mock battle with goblins. I got a new skill that change my whole combat situation.

Skill Info

Skill Name:Mana ManipulationSkill Rank:IntermediateSkill Type:Passive / Skill TreeSkill Level:245%

Mana manipulation. Allowed you to control your mana output.

Skill List :

* Minimum Power (Reduce Mana Cost)

* Piercing Spell (Toggle Support Magic, Reduce Damage by 20% to add piercing effect to your spell)

* Charged Spell (Delay Your Magic Activation)

<> allows me to keep one spell after finishing its cast. It looks like I'm holding a ball of light in my hand.

All mages can't move while casting their magic, this is an iron rule. Even battle mage can't move while casting their magic but since their casting time was almost instant, it's regarded as the most prominent mage class.

This <> allows me to move while keeping one magic charged in my hand. In other words, I'm capable of moving while shooting fireball.

'Uhu hu hu hu hu, this is the biggest jackpot!'

Let's see if it also work with my copycat skill. I start casting heal, and hold it in my hand.

'Oh! It worked!'

Once I confirmed that it worked great with my copycat, I resumed my training with the goblins. They respawn pretty fast and got low HP, the perfect status grinding place.

Another 5 hours passed since I start implementing the <> into my training.

Character InfoNameRenRaceHalf ElfClassElementalistLevel121%Physical Strength521%Magical Power1156%Physical Resistance815%Magic Resistance748%Endurance888%Speed101%Focus1097%

It seems when I used magic, my M.Res status also grow along with my M.Pow although it's got low exp rate. My character level is stuck at 12 without being able to gain any exp from killing goblins.

'This time, I will defeat that tree!'

I go back to Cross Town to resupply.

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There are a lot of noises in the center plaza, a lot of players are gathering.

'Why is it so crowded?'

A man in steel armour is standing in the middle of the crowd accompanied by two beautiful girls. The man looks pretty old with that bearded face and there's a single line scar on his face.

"Come and join us. We are the Legion. We are the first guild. Find the benefit of joining a guild right at this moment." (Man)

"The only requirement is battle evaluation rank above B" (Girl 1)

"Those of you who want to join, go get your evaluation from Natalie." (Man)

The girl on his right step forward and pull out some kind of crystal ball. It's different from the one used by Ellen. This one didn't glow blue or red. Every time a person come forward and get inspected, the crystal ball glows green and some text pop out. Somehow the only person who can read its text is the girl holding the crystal ball.

'That's a handy device. I wonder how they calculated the battle evaluation rank?'

I still haven't decided whether to participate in it or not.

Somebody tap my shoulder. I turn my head to find out who.

It's Lilith. She gestured me to follow her.

We arrived on the back alley of potion shop.

"Ren, do you want to join the Legion?"

"No. I was just... interested in that battle evaluation rank."

"Good. Let me tell you something good. The crystal ball is not capable to determine a person ability in combat."

"What do you mean?"

"It's an exclusive item for a certain class. I only know that much. Tatsu said you can only create a guild in the second town. The leader must be at least lv 30."

"Lv 30!"

"Tatsu's currently lv 26. He said he'll definitely make a guild and want us to join. How about it, Ren?"

"Sure, that's my intention. I'm just curious about that crystal ball."

"Look here, Ren. Think about it a little. A convenient item to evaluate your combat ability just by touching it. See how weird that explanation is?"

'That's a smart comment.'

"You just think of something rude, huh?"

'Sharp!'

"Just... don't put your hand on the crystal ball, okay?"

"Got it."

"I'm going to hunt a little more, what are you going to do, Ren?"

I was about to say corrupted deadwood when I heard something.

*tap...

It's a footstep!

I turn my head.

"Shit!"

I caught a glimpse of a person shadow as he's running away.

"Spy?"

'Who's the one being stalked?

"Oh, they're here."

"Who're they?"

"Remember that time when we fight a group after Hellhound?"

"Ah, the crooked smile."

"Yeah, that's the one. It seemed they still hold a grudge about it, so they send someone to spy on us."

"Well well, shall we teach them a lesson?"

"Now that's what I'm talking about. So what's the plan?"

Lilith and I discussed some way to get their spy captured. We got into a few arguments fight, but in the end we decided to go with plan A. I'll be the bait.

I wander around the town, waiting for the spy to follow me. Once I confirmed his movement, I send a message to Lilith.

"I got him."

I continue to move towards the south gate. It seems the spy is hesitant whether to follow me or not.

'If I stop moving, he'll get suspicious."

I continue to make my way towards the forest clearing. When I encountered a goblin warrior, I killed it with a single cast of <>, and after that I cast <> and hold it as charged spell.

I arrived in the forest clearing. I take a brief scan around the area, once I confirmed there are no other monster in the vicinity, I try to find the spy.

I do the same thing when I first observed the goblin scout. I focus on my hearing .

"..."

"..."

I heard something strange at my 10 o'clock direction. The sound of wind swaying some grass with the sound of the grass rustling didn't match.

'Found him.'

I started searching for Lilith. She said she'll be here when I message her, but I can't seem to find her.

'Shall I deal with him myself?'

When I was about to move, I heard a screeching from behind. I quickly do a side step. An arrow grazed my upper arm.

5

'Did the spy make his move?'

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

He was located in my 10 o'clock, but the arrow come from behind me. This guy had already called for allies?

I immediately cast my <> on the spy location.

"Wh... what the...!"

'Good. He didn't move.'

I need more information. What kind of enemies am I facing? The spy is probably an assassin or scout and there's one archer nearby.

I cast <> to increase my speed. I put <> between my position and the archer.

I charged my hand with <>.

'Where is the archer?'

I was waiting for another screeching sound, instead I got hit with a <>.

330

'Wha...!'

He got stealth! My HP dropped to 29%.

I retaliate by throwing my <>, the assassin looks surprised. The<> hit the assassin in the leg, he was frozen.

'Chance!'

I cast <>, at the same time a screeching sound came from behind me. The arrow hit my left shoulder. My HP dropped to 19%.

I killed the assassin, but it's just a matter of time before I die in the archer hands.

'This sneaky bastard!'

I cast <> on myself, at the same time another arrow was released from behind. My HP raised to 40% and then dropped again to 29% since the arrow hit my upper arm.

'His accuracy is low, but his positioning and timing are superb.'

That's the third time he shoot arrow at me from my blind spot.

'How far?'

Shall I just throw my <> blindly? An idea comes to mind.

I charged <>, and once again an arrow was released towards me.

'Twin Arrow!'

My HP dropped to 5%!

I start running towards the direction where the arrow come from. This time I was close enough to hear the sound he made when he nocked his arrow.

'He's close!'

I activate my <> immediately. It blocked the arrow. I hide behind the <> and charged another one.

I focused my hearing, trying to find his footstep sound.

"..."

"..."

It's silent. This guy must have a good hearing. To be able to capture my movement and timed his action perfectly, this guy must be a pro IRL.

Note : if you don't know, IRL stands for "In Real Life"

Just like this, we come into a stand still. Both sides didn't make a single sound, no movement either.

'Stressful!'

I wonder how the opposite feels right now. Under this kind of pressure, my stress level probably rise bit by bit until I go into "Do or Die" condition.

'F*ck this! The worst thing that can happen is death to my character."

My buff already ran out of time since 10 seconds ago. In my hand, I still got one <> ready to be deployed. My mana pool is over 60%. So far, I never hit him and he only used one skill.

'To think I have to use my trump card this early.'

I decided to cast my <> after I moved a few steps. This time, I can hear him pulling his bowstring. The shield block his arrow, I cast <>>, my HP rise to 25%.

I crawl on the ground, charging <>.

<>

I tried to do a feint by doing a zig zag movement around my shield.

The archer nocked another arrow, it missed.

I throw my javelin towards the source of the sound right through my shield. It hit the shield and pass through it. After that I cast <> on the javelin.

The javelin speed up and it surprised the archer. The archer surprised by my action that he stumbled and got hit by my javelin.

It just grazed his leg, but enough to damage him quite a bit.

I ran after him. When I'm close enough, I cast <> aimed at his head.

It knocked him down and then I cast <> for the highest damage output. I take look last look to see what his character name is.

Wind Runner Lv 11

'I'll remember this name.'

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In the mean time. Lilith point of view.

When I got the message from Ren, I ran immediately to the forest clearing.

On my way through the south gate, some people block my way.

"Woah woah, slow down missy."

Said the person holding a scimitar.

"What do you want?"

Unconsciously, I growl at him.

"We have some business with you. This will take a while."

'Are they trying to keep me from leaving?'

I prepared my bow and run past the three people who stood in my way.

Once I jump outside the gate and roll down a few times, I aimed my bow at those three.

"Come out, you cowards!"

The three of them look undecided whether to chase after or stay inside the safe zone.

I left them. I run towards the forest clearing.

A few moments later, a <> come from behind.

62

'Tsk!'

I keep heading towards the forest.

'As long as I can reach the trees, it's my win.'

Once I climb a tree, I try to see my enemies info.

Barbaros Lv 14

True Mage Lv 10

STRONG Lv 12

The one holding a scimitar named Barbaros is probably their leader.

I jumped from a tree to another while shooting my arrows.

Their mage can't even aim at me.

I nocked one arrow at the mage.

112

It hits the mage in his chest, probably around the heart area. It took out over 50% of his health.

The mage immediately drank a potion.

<>

I fired three arrows in succession towards the mage.

'This is what you get when you mess with the wrong people.'

One down, two to go. The other two are warrior based, so they can't really chase me in the trees. They still lingering around the trees.

'You're just like a practice target.'

I shoot another arrow, but it was parried by the one with the scimitar.

'Hmm?'

I kept shooting, but my damage is low against them. It takes about 20 minutes before I manage to kill the last of them.

When all's done, I slumped my body against the tree.

"I'm tired!"

I drank some potion to recover my mana.

A few moments later, Ren comes out of the forest.

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"You..!"

"Hiya Ren."

"What do you mean hi! I'm almost dead!"

"Errr... actually I was about to go there, but I got ambushed by some people."

"Really? The way I see it, I think you're about to take a nap."

"How rude! Even if I'm tired, there's no way I'd sleep in a place like this."

"How many?"

"Three, two warriors and a mage. Pretty much became targets practice."

"I got two. This should teach them a lesson not to mess with us."

"Yeah yeah. Whatever you say. I do enjoy killing those people"

'We got S over here!'

After that, we part ways again. I continue with my first intention, finding the corrupted deadwood.

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End of Chapter 3