“Herss, why don’t we take a break here?”

At this, Herss thought for a moment and nodded, “Shall we? Everyone looks tired and we need some

time to organize.”

Herss, who had been going forward in the snow that came up to his waist, looked back and shouted,

“We will rest here for an hour! Those who need healing, get treated!”

Lotus Guild was one of top 5% guilds in the Korean server. It formed an expedition right after the

update and was exploring the North.

The members were all about Lv. 90.

Their levels had gone up a lot after they started on their journey. Piolan was Lv. 93 now.

“Who is on sentry duty this time?”

“I am.”

“Stay tense, just in case!”

“Yes, vice guild master!”

They had high levels, but after going over the Snowy Mountains of Crupia, they had to face monsters

of at least Lv. 90, so they needed to be very careful.

There were even Lv. 100 Ice Ogres.

“Huu.”

Piolan checked on the sentry and sat down comfortably.

They regularly took a rest in order to explore better.

Herss cleared a spot to sit on as he sat down next to Piolan.

“The North Continent isn’t easy at all.”

Herss nodded, “Yeah. But well, we anticipated it to be this hard… and we have gained a lot.”

“Yes.”

On this expedition, all the members of the Lotus Guild gained 2 or 3 levels. They also obtained a lot of

decent items.

But those weren’t the best rewards.

Lotus Guild had gotten something that couldn’t be compared to items or level.

“I’m glad we came here. Thanks to that, our guild has some land now.”

Herss nodded and agreed.

“Yes.”

In Kailan, when a guild’s level reaches 50, it is given the rights to own ‘territory’.

There were two ways for a guild to gain some land. The first was to invade the land owned by an NPC

or another guild and forcefully taking it, the other way was to go to an unexplored land and take it first.

Before the update, not a single guild owned land in Kailan. Even the Dark Luna Guild, which was

famous for being ranked No.1, obtained its first plot of land after the North Continent was opened with

the update.

The reason was simple.

There wasn’t any remaining land on the South Continent.

Most lands of the North Continent belonged to the Empire, and the other lands were owned by small

countries or noblemen NPCs.

However, players were too weak to take the NPCs’ lands by force.

As a result, all high-ranked guilds had been waiting for the update, including the Lotus Guild.

Their guild planned to get some land when they went to the North Continent and they succeeded.

In the North, the player’s land was barren, therefore, they had no big merits.

However, if they worked hard, one day they would become be big cities. Then players would be able

to receive taxes from the NPCs and users living in them.

Herss muttered, “Now what really matters is protecting our land…”

When some land was owned by a guild, no one could invade it for the first three months as it was

protected by the system.

Lotus Guild needed to develop the land they had gotten as fast as they could and turn it into a strong

base in three months.

“We will. For three months, all guild members should work on developing our base.”

Herss nodded.

Working on developing the base didn’t mean the guild’s members would stop to improve.

They would colonize nearby regions and widen their area of influence. In this process, they would

gain levels and obtain good items.

“We were lucky. We found a big base, so we could save the initial cost.”

A base was a village without an owner.

The bigger and more populated the village was, the smaller the initial cost was going to be.

“I would like to get one more base… but it would be too much, right?”

Herss smiled.

“I want that as well, but if we try to cover two bases, we could lose them both. Let’s focus on one

base.”

“Yes, I know.”

Great guilds like Dark Luna Guild and Titan Guild had already gotten four or five bases on good spots

in the North Continent.

But that was only possible because they were the strongest guilds. Lotus Guild couldn’t afford to do

that.

Herss took out a hot cup of coffee out of his inventory and sipped it.

“We should summon all guild members to our new base as soon as we finish exploring. We will hunt

near the base from now.”

There were many monsters that were a little too strong for them, but it was a risk they had to take.

Killing monsters nearby and widening their territory was the most important thing to develop the base

fast.

“Everyone would be able to come, except for one.”

Piolan looked confused, “One? Who?”

Herss smiled.

“Ian, of course. He should hunt and gain levels in the South Continent before coming up here.”

However, Piolan smiled and shook her head.

“Herss, you know what?”

“What?”

“Ian is probably on the North Continent by now. I think he is at the Snowy Mountains of Crupia.”

Herss was surprised. His voice got a little bigger, “What?!”

Piolan laughed.

“He sent me a message a while ago and asked me to give him information about the North

Continent.”

“What info?”

“He said he was going to hunt at the Mountains of Crupia and he took all information I have about that

place.”

Herss was dumbfounded. He barely managed to ask again, “How high is his level now?”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“Ha… he is my friend, but he is crazy. He started playing the Summoner only a while ago and he is

already going to Lv.50~60 hunting ground?”

Herss knew that Ian wasn’t that reckless.

If he said he was going to hunt there, it meant he could hunt there.

“Well, if Ian improves this fast, it is a good thing for us, right?”

Herss could only smile.

“I… guess…”

While Herss and Piolan were talking about Ian.

He was hunting on the Mountains of Crupia.

“Big Guy, Ice Wave!”

Kung- Kung-!

Big Guy stamped his feet and a blue Ice Wave spread.

– Ice Troll received 175 damages.

– Ice Troll is slowed down by 30% for 10 seconds.

“I will go to the front, Ly, you attack from behind!”

While Bukbuk watched, a fierce battle was going on with Ian at its center.

Growl Growl-!

Ly leaped and went behind the Ice Troll while Ian quickly went for the Troll’s side.

– Aiming Weak Spot skill is activated. The target’s weak spots are highlighted. Accuracy rate

increased by 19%. Fatal damage probability increased by 23.5%. 93% additional damage is inflicted

when attacking weak spot.

With that, Ian saw the Troll’s weak spots highlighted in red.

Next, Ian’s right fist with the knuckle flew to the Troll’s weak spot.

– You inflicted 276 damages to Ice Troll.

– You inflicted 293 damages to Ice Troll.

– You inflicted fatal damage to Ice Troll!

– Ice Troll’s Health decreased by 585.

Ian repeatedly attacked while the Ice Troll flinched. Ly would never miss that opportunity.

With Ly biting the Troll’s neck, it lost 2000 Health in no time.

– Ice Troll used Body Regeneration skill.

– Ice Troll’s Health has been recovered by 1% per second for 40 seconds.

Ian scowled.

He had fought the Troll hard to drain its Health and it was about to recover.

Kaaaaaa!

The Ice Troll roared and swung its huge club.

The club was approaching Ian quickly.

He would be hit by it.

Then, Ian used the skill he had been thinking of.

“Twisting Space!”

It was one of the Summoner’s special skill he gained with the Pet Bestowing Skill when he reached

Lv. 30.

Twisting Space skill was activated.

The skill changed Summoner’s position with the designated pet’s!

Ian changed places with Big Guy.

Bam-!

And the Troll’s club was blocked by Big Guy’s right arm.

Bam-!

– Your pet Big Guy received 1375 damages from the Ice Troll.

Big Guy was a defense type monster, but it was attacked by the Ice Troll whose level was over 60. It

received a huge damage of 1375 from a single blow.

‘I must kill it before it recovers!’

As Big Guy blocked the Ice Troll’s attack, Ian emerged behind the Troll. He went straight in to hit the

Troll’s weak spot with his knuckle.

– You inflicted fatal damage to Ice Troll!

– Ice Troll’s Health decreased by 596.

Next, the system messages Ian had been waiting for came up.

– Linking Ability of the Ancient Summoner’s Steel Knuckle has been activated.

– You borrow your pet Ly’s Frenzy skill.

A Red light started to radiate from Ian’s body.

– Attack Force and Speed increased by 30% for 15 minutes.

– Defense Force decreased by 30% for 15 minutes.

Ian felt strength filling his body.

But the risk got bigger as well.

‘Now, one blow from it can kill me.’

Ian got tense, he had experienced many times situations where one or two blows could already kill

him.

His Defense Force had decreased by 30%. Therefore, a single blow could kill him now.

Ian concentrated even harder to avoid the Troll’s attacks.

Additionally, with monsters that had big moves like trolls, it was important to make use of the moment

in which it couldn’t defend itself right after the attack.

‘Now!’

Ian concentrated as hard as he could.

One more fatal blow to its weak spot would kill him.

Frenzy skill had an effect of increasing the Attack Force by 30% for 5 seconds when inflicting a fatal

blow.

And, as he hit the Troll, Ian could feel that he had hit properly.

– You inflicted fatal damage to the Ice Troll.

– Ice Troll’s Health decreased by 876.

– You inflicted fatal damage to the Ice Troll. Attack Force increases additionally for 5 seconds!

Ian’s fist got even stronger. It repeatedly hit the Troll’s weak spot.

– Ice Troll’s Health decreased by 621.

– Ice Troll’s Health decreased by 1388.

The Troll was nearly dead, so Ly attacked it from behind to finish it.

– You killed the Ice Troll. You gained 1060 EP.