Chapter 182
Evan D. Sherden, Turns 14 (7)
Evan, who successfully managed to break through the 20th floor of the Dungeon with three Rookies, decided to have Jhin and Ena return. Of course, Evan thought that they both would be capable enough to climb up to the 30th floor. However, there was a possibility that their physical balance would be damaged due to the rapid increase in their abilities.
‘In fact, this was only possible because they had strengthened their bodies with the Rookie training method …….’
Moreover, it had been planned to move on only to the 20th floor to give them a chance to adapt to their improved physical abilities and acquire new skills.
“It’s wonderful. Who taught you the willingness for improvement and self-control. He must teach you very well.”
“Master, you are quite intense in self-praise other than your abilities…….”
Evan was also aware of it. He used to think that his personality might be very annoying to others times if he had not had stereotypes as an Extra and self-brainwashing. He had not noticed he was so full of himself yet.
“You’ve reached level 21 until here. Level 21 at ten……. it will be hard for people to believe.”
“You cleared the 20th floor at 10. The previous record must’ve been held by Belois, so now it’s a new one. Are you angry, Belois?”
“Not at all. Records are irrelevant; I’m just serving you, Master.”
Arisha teased Belois with a slightly spiteful tone, but she quieted down at Belois’s response. Could there be a human with such a firm priority in behavior and mindset? It was just amazing!
“Oh, can I not go back, Brother?”
As Evan smiled bitterly at the conversation the two were having, Serena approached him with crossed arms. Evan loosed her arms and continued to talk.
“Because you’re not a Rookie, and you don’t fight directly with your body. Oh, and you don’t have to restrain yourself from now on. Do whatever you want.”
“Exciting, then I become a member of the first group! My dream of becoming the vice-captain won’t take long!”
“I don’t know what the first group is, but you should give up on the vice-captain position.”
While talking back to Serena, Evan felt a little bit guilty.
Evan had stopped Serena to use that expression of the first group, but as the number of the knight members increased, there was a clear need to divide the group into the 1st and 2nd one.
‘Measure individual strength and rank them, then divide groups into teams within the knights……. it’s essential for increasing the efficiency of each group.’
It wasn’t possible to attack the Dungeon by randomly mixing members each time. There was also a need to practice group tactics by forming a party that could fight together. In other words, someday, according to Serena, Evan would need to cla.s.sify groups 1 and 2.
‘There was such a commotion just when I chose the members to enter the Dungeon with me this time, but when we have formal groups….… uh, even if the knights follow me blindly, there will be a problem.’
After considering the matter for a moment, Evan soon shook his head to clear his thoughts. It wasn’t something he could solve by worrying about it now, and the problem had no solution other than putting the children together and confronting them. As he thought about this, something lumpy touched his elbow. Turning his gaze, Serena crossed her arms again and was smiling proudly at Evan.
“But you confirmed that I am a member of the 1st group, right?”
“Would you please stop reading my thoughts as if it were natural? And don’t keep crossing your arms. Something can reach me.”
“What do you mean? Huh? Huh?”
“Enough. Don’t keep bothering Evan.”
The clever Princess blatantly increased physical contact with Evan once she had a secondary s.e.x character. Serena was soon stopped by Arisha, who had a bit small bosom though she also had a secondary s.e.x character.
“Oh my goodness, Arisha likes me.”
“Yes, I like you so much that I want to kill you.”
“It’s nice seeing you get along so well, but we have to start moving. From the 21st floor, there will be Orc Shamans and Orc Mages, so stay alert.”
Evan had no way of hiding his sigh as the two girls exchanged creepy smiles. It was a strange thing, as they had had a great Dungeon exploration atmosphere until they fought the Blood Orc warrior, but as soon as Jhin and Ena left, they returned to this exhausting atmosphere…
“I’m ready for battle, Master.”
“Thank you, Belois. I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m always by your side.”
Serena and Arisha probably didn’t notice that Belois was raising her value with Evan while the two girls were quarreling.
***
From the 21st floor, the cla.s.ses of the Orcs were divided in detail, with not only Orc warriors and Orc archers but also Orc priests and Orc wizards frequently appearing. Moreover, if they appeared in a well-balanced party, the explorers who had only fought disorganized monsters until now would fall into a chaotic condition…
[There are humans…….]
“Slime Jet Stream attack!”
“Lay, how do you know about Jet Stream Attack?”
[Cue!]
[Cue!]
[Cue!]
Of course, they had not only a party with excellent balance but also Raihan, who could unconditionally pull all enemies into him. On top of that, they had Serena, who used three powerful elite Slimes. Even though Shine had temporarily left, their team power had increased. The Slimes performed splendidly, moving freely between provocation, reconnaissance, and attack according to her instructions. Evan and the others had to move quickly in order not to lose their roles.
[Your level has been improved to 22.]
As a result, in only two hours, they had cleared all the secrets hidden on the 21st floor and had moved onto the 22nd floor. Of course, it would’ve been impossible without Evan’s incredibly upgraded ability to guide them.
[It’s been a long time.]
“Now you’re saying h.e.l.lo as if it’s natural.”
[If it were another human, I would’ve been thrilled, but how is this child so strong?]
“I’ve been dragged by you since I first leveled up. What do you want me to react in this situation?”
And Evan, who had leveled up safely, conversed with the G.o.ds this time as well. Now they just felt like an auntie or uncle he would meet in his neighbors.
[I’d be glad if you treated me a little more intimately……. I will increase your power kicking skill to the next level, so please speak in a more lovely voice.]
“Did I have a kicking skill?!”
[Every time you took action, it was constantly being trained. It is one of the important skills that enhance your physical abilities along with grip skill.]
Evan now knew he had a high level of kicking skill.
“I’m happy because it’s an unexpected benefit, but……. still, it’s only awakening. It feels like my job has become completely fighter.”
[Don’t worry, your path is totally different from fighting.]
“How noisy!”
The skill was similar to fighting but was in a different category. That was because it was a skill that could be acquired and training through kicks that were included in normal attacks, not fighting techniques. Yet, the status added by the kicking skill had a positive effect on fighting skills, so it was good to practice together with martial arts. Of course, there weren’t many players in the Yoma Great War series who wanted to take that hard way!
‘Wait…perhaps now I’m walking a very special path compared to legends in the Yoma Great War?’
He belatedly realized something. Evan was wearing two of the five available artifacts: leather gloves that prevented weapons from being worn and boots that were cursed to lower his status……. He was already quite special at this point!
‘Phew, that’s good. If I hadn’t increased the limit of worn artifacts with the Limit Breaker, I would’ve been treated as a complete pervert.’
Of course, he was already the perfect pervert at this point, but Evan tried his best to ignore that reality.
[Now G.o.ds are discussing how to evolve your gloves.]
“Why?!”
Those gloves were for training only!
[By the way, there is no skill to give you right now, so the only thing left is to evolve your equipment. However, the necklace is not something we dare to touch.]
“Is it such a great thing?!”
Evan had been worried about how far this necklace would evolve.
[The Snow Mountain Spirit earring has a fixed path, so I can’t touch it.]
“Well…?”
In the game, the Snow Mountain Spirit earrings were an artifact that couldn’t be evolved. Nevertheless, their performance was so excellent that it was considered to be a piece of final equipment. However, according to the G.o.ds, this artifact seemed to have an unknown evolutionary method. No, wait. If so,… Evan had an idea that suddenly came to mind. Of course, he couldn’t check it right now. He still needed those earrings.
[We don’t want to put our hands on those boots with the power of demons in it…so the only thing left is those gloves.]
“Then I would rather bring in another artifact.”
[It’s meaningless unless it’s an old artifact you’ve worn. So, it’s confirmed. We’ll evolve those gloves.]
“That’s a little bit…”
As always, the calm voice of G.o.d cut him off.
[So please collect a little more energy of blessing and evolve them around the 25th floor.]
“That’s also very kind.”
The lack of a mileage system for G.o.d’s blessings was an unwritten rule among players, but when he talked to the G.o.ds, he found that wasn’t necessarily the case. In the end, what mattered was the total amount of blessings that were given according to one’s achievements. The game was a simple system, but it was G.o.d’s power that imparted blessings to the people in this world, so their discretion was also involved.
“This is the 25th floor. Okay, let’s go inside.”
[How about aiming to reach the 100th floor in just one day?]
“I’m not X Christine. (?)”
Eight hours later, Evan successfully defeated the hidden boss on the 25th floor, the War Troll Knight, in one day as promised. He didn’t forget to strengthen the curse on the boots by splitting the demon statue on the 25th floor, either. G.o.ds willingly rewarded him for fulfilling his promise.
[There are enough blessings! I will bless your equipment. From now on, your gloves will live and breathe with you because of our language, the runes!]
Unexpectedly, he had gotten a rune, a divine language.