Ian could tell that the skill was really good.

‘I have read about a similar skill on the Dark Sorcerer page.’

Dark Sorcerers also fought by summoning creatures, so there were some Dark Sorcerers who had

similar class skills to the Summoners.

Ian nodded, it would be helpful when hunting.

However, there was one thing he couldn’t understand exactly.

‘When using the skill for the first time, the two Linked entities’ Health is balanced. What does that

mean?’

Ian decided to use the skill to understand it properly.

‘I just finished a battle, so my pets’ Health all vary…’

Ian checked Ly’s and Big Guy’s remaining Health and activated the skill.

“Ly, Big Guy, Link!”

A red light glowed around Ly and Big Guy. Next, a faint chain appeared between the two pets.

Big Guy’s Health, which was only 30%, started to rise.

“Huh?”

On the other hand, Ly’s Health, which was almost at the maximum thanks to Bleeding, started to

decrease.

Seeing that, Ian immediately understood.

‘Aha! This is what balancing means. No matter what the maximum Health is, both parts’ Health

becomes the average of their percentage.’

Both Linked pets were given the mean of the remaining Health percentage.

The effect’s cooldown time was three hours and could be used only once, but it seemed like it could

be used well.

‘However, it’s a double-edged sword. Now, it was useful because I used it when Big Guy’s Health was

lower than Ly’s, as Big Guy’s maximum Health is high. However, if I Link them when Ly’s Health is

little and Big Guy’s is at the maximum, things can get worse.’

Ian checked the things he needed to consider before using the skill. Then, he looked at the other skill.

‘What is Assimilation?’

The skill’s information window appeared.

[Assimilation]

Category: Active Skill

Skill Level: Lv. 0

Proficiency: 0%

Cooldown Time: 60 minutes

Lasting time: 30 minutes

Usage Limit: Can only be used on summoned pets. When the pet is dismissed or released, the skill is

deactivated.

The Summoner is assimilated to the pet.

When Assimilation is applied, the Summoner’s battle stats’ percentage becomes the same as the

pet’s battle stats’ percentage. The Summoner receives an additional 20% of the stat that is highest

among the pets’ stats.

As the Proficiency rises, the cooldown time decreases and you get more additional stats.

…

Ian finished reading and was interested.

‘My stats’ percentage becomes the same as the pet’s?’

Ian had to try that one as well.

Ian thought for a while and decided to use the skill on Bukbuk.

‘Bukbuk’s stats are the most concentrated on one of them.’

Ian put down the pet.

“Bukbuk.”

Bukbuk stuck its head out of its shell after being called.

Bukbuk-?

Bukbuk was always so cute. That made Ian smile.

“Stay still. I’m going to use this skill.”

Bukbuk nodded.

Ian got ‘permission’ from Bukbuk. He then put his hand on Bukbuk’s shell and used the skill.

“Assimilation!”

A blue light came out from Bukbuk and was absorbed by Ian.

When the skill was activated, Ian opened his statistics window and checked his stats.

He laughed, “Ha! My stats are really just like Bukbuk’s!”

Counting Defense Force added by his gears, Ian’s Defense Force was almost 1500 now.

‘I am almost as invincible as Big Guy.’

However, his Attack Force and Speed had dropped.

But then…

Buk- Bubuk-!

Bukbuk got excited. It laughed and crawled around Ian.

“What, Bukbuk? What’s the matter?”

Buk-!

Bukbuk looked very happy.

Ian suddenly became nervous.

‘What? He is even more excited than when eating meatballs!’

Then, Ian saw his own hologram right next to the statistics window.

“What the-!”

Ian couldn’t help but shriek!

The hologram looked too shocking.

‘There’s a shell on my back, and my head is so big! I also have become shorter…’

His stats were not only things assimilated to Bukbuk.

His appearance was assimilated, too!

Ian’s body was now like Bukbuk the big-headed turtle’s.

‘My good looks…’

Ian hastily deactivated the skill.

“Deactivate!”

Huuung-

Ian returned to his usual self again. He let out a sigh of relief.

“Hu… I should try to not use this skill on Bukbuk.”

It didn’t matter, as he probably would use the skill on Ly or Rake.

However, Ian had a bad feeling that he would someday have to use the Assimilation skill on Bukbuk.

‘I will rather use it on Big Guy; I would never use it on Bukbuk, ever.’

Meanwhile, Bukbuk, who was excited about its master’s funny looks, was sad to see him return

normal again.

Ian glared at Bukbuk, “Why are you laughing?”

Buk-!

Bukbuk’s face said it wanted Ian to ‘transform’ again. Ian frowned, “Was it funny?”

Bukbuk nodded without a second of hesitation.

Bukbuk!

Ian shook his head.

“Do you know why I just changed like that?”

Bukbuk stared at Ian with curiosity. Ian told it the sad truth.

“I have become like you, you idiot.”

Bukbuk’s eyes started to shake.

It thought of itself as a handsome turtle. There was no way it looked so funny.

Buk-!

Bukbuk denied the reality.

Ian played with Bukbuk for a while then soon felt tired.

“Hu, shall I sleep for a few hours now?”

He checked the playing time, it was almost 60 hours.

Even he could no longer play.

“At least, I finally reached Lv. 90.”

Ian knew how hard it was to raise 3 level from Lv. 90, but it felt different from Lv. 89.

He had reached the 90 and it gave him the strength to continue.

“I should sleep for about 5 hours and then return.”

Ian dismissed all his pets, including the despairing Bukbuk, then logged out.

…

‘Hmm, Yuhyeon said the Virtual Reality department is in this building…’

After Harin joined the Lotus Guild, she got more and more close to the members.

Jinsung and Yuhyeon especially talked a lot with her as they all went to the same university.

Harin was a sophomore, but they were all of the same age, so all became friends.

‘Anyway, why is Jinsung not reading my message? Is he in class?’

It was the first day of the semester.

It was the changing courses week, so Harin’s first class ended early. She had some free time now.

So, she had come to visit Jinsung and Yuhyeon’s Virtual Reality department.

She looked around in the hallway. A lot of students were glancing at her.

‘Was there someone that pretty in our department?’

‘What, does she major in Theater and Films? Or is she a would-be star?’

Harin then saw a familiar face, “Oh, Yuhyeon! Yuhyeon, right?”

Yuhyeon was on his way back to the department’s student room with Sewon. He was startled from the

voice calling him and turned to that direction.

He was even more startled at seeing the person who called him.

“Uh… uh?”

The person clearly seemed to know him.

It was a very awkward situation in which he didn’t know the woman but the woman knew him. He

panicked, ‘But I do not know any girl this pretty…’

He thought like that and was about to say so, but then he suddenly recalled someone.

‘Maybe, she is Harin?’

Harin brightened at seeing Yuhyeon recognizing her, “Wow, you recognized me immediately!”

Then, she complained about someone, “Ha! I haven’t made many changes. He was weird at not

recognizing me.”

Actually, Yuhyeon had not recognized Harin by her face.

He had guessed because Harin had sent him a message that she would come to visit.

And, apart from that, Yuhyeon and Sewon were both dumbfounded.

From a close distance, Harin was even more beautiful than when seen from afar.

Yuhyeon collected his senses and managed to speak, “You said you will come after all the classes.

Are you done for today?”

Harin shook her head, “No, not that. I have a long break between the classes, so I came to visit.”

Harin then looked around and asked, “But Yuhyeon, where’s Jinsung?”

“Did he not come today?”

“Huh?”

Harin was going to ask why, but she soon realized the reason and nodded, “He must be playing

Kailan at home because it is changing courses week.”

Harin now knew Jinsung quite well. Yuhyeon could only laugh.

…

Grey robe.

Black pointed hat and a staff taller than himself. He looked quite funny.

On the North Continent, the Dark Sorcerer CoolHuni was working hard to raise his level.

“Judgement of Darkness!”

A black light came out of his hand and hit a Lv. 90 White Ogre.

Kwang-!

With large sound, the attack drained the Ogre’s Health.

The Black Skeletons around the Ogre were moving in harmony.

Huni’s battle style was very organized and neat.

His fashion style was a little funny, but his control was impressive.

“Good, my level will rise again soon.”

CoolHuni killed the three White Ogres and sacrificed one of his Skeletons by using Absorbing Soul to

recover his Health to the Max.

Then, he grabbed his hat with one hand and tilted his head.

“Ian, where is he?”

Huni didn’t forget.

The sad memory of the unfair defeat at the Rookies’ League.

He also recalled that turtle with a big head that made him tilt over it and fall.

He clenched his fist, his rage was burning like fire.

“I am Lv. 85, so he must be over Lv. 80 by now.”

Then, he shook his head.

“No, he is a sly Summoner. Maybe he cheated and has gone over Lv. 85 already.”

Huni muttered to himself. Then, he took out someone.

It was a doll that looked like a man.

Huni glared at it and gritted his teeth.

“Mean bastard, Ian!”

Puk-

Huni hit the doll with his fist. That wasn’t enough. He even used a skill on it.

“Avenge of the Dead!”

However, of course, the skill wasn’t activated on a doll.

Huni steamed like that for a while. Then, he put away the doll and moved again to hunt.

‘I must become stronger to beat that crafty Ian.’

Huni moved with a determined look.

Once the summer vacation ended, he had been gaining levels slowly.

‘I must try harder.’

If he couldn’t defeat Ian, then he had hunted hard, instead of doing his vacation homework, for

nothing.

Thinking about how he had to stand at the back of his classroom with his hands raised because of the

vacation homework, he felt even more humiliated.

Huni walked a little faster.