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Hardware failure...

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Chapter 11 – Crystal Trial Part 2

>

“…”

“…”

>

I’ve been trying a lot of things since the young lady left me alone. It seems > has a time limit and can be cancelled by certain action. Since nobody is here except me, I can’t really test what action actually cancels my stealth other than that “Boo!” from earlier.

> allows me to hide in the shadows, but I don’t really know the restriction other than this. Tree’s shadow is the only thing I can find in this place.

I also notice certain thing. It seems mana consumption in this place is reduced. I cast > over and over, but my mana pool is still over 90%. I also tried > and > and my mana pool is still so high.

Since there’s no target, it seems casting random magic won’t raise my skill level, even the self-target spell doesn’t get any experience after continuous casting.

‘Too bad. This should be a perfect place for grinding if I can gain experience on my skill.’

Considering the situation, I decided to use > and try to learn some other skill.

>

I’m using the second method to copy skill; that is to produce the same movement by spending mana over and over again until I can get it right. My mana will be consumed when > is active and the amount of mana consumed is tremendous.

I check my mana pool. Indeed, the mana consumption rate is significantly reduced in this plae. This should allow me more time to copy another skill.

I start imaging the scene of Peridot versus Juggernaut. I replay their movement in my head and start moving my body according to it.

The first move is leg sweeping. I lowered my body and stick out my right leg. I quickly spin my right leg clockwise making a sweep movement on the ground.

No notice. It seems the leg sweep is not a skill or I’m doing it the wrong way.

‘Let’s do another one then.’

I continue to do leg sweep about one hundred times before I finally give up on it.

‘So it’s not a skill. Damn! I just wasted a lot of time for that.’

Replaying the image again in my head, I realized that every time a skill is activated, the skill name can be seen briefly above the person who uses it.

‘Ah. I didn’t notice that.’

I proceed to do another movement. The next thing I try to copy is >. This is when I find out the negative side of >.

The movement of > is simple. Stick out your palm and a light will burst forth from it. Even if I repeat this stupid movement a thousand times, there’s no way I can do >.

I recall the way I used to cast spell. One hand holding an orb and one hand to shoot out projectile magic.

‘Oh my god! This… this stupid flaw!’

How am I supposed to copy a magic if the only thing I can see is a wave of hand. No incantation and no spell formula. Only casting bar can be seen if a person cast some magic.

I replay the image of > spell that was used in a duel earlier. It is true there is only a casting bar and the mage doesn’t chant anything else.

‘Holy shit! I… I didn’t notice this.’

If it was like this, then I can’t copy another magic. I feel like I am going to cry over this. Then I realize, I can still copy a magic if it is used against me.

*sigh

‘Haaa… in the end, I still need to get hit.’

My brain went into full throttle looking for a way around this. I try to copy a mage movement when they cast magic, but no result. Then I figure out something, Ethan’s skill.

>, that was the name of his skill. Different from other skill, I can see a trail of white light coming from each of his step. It’s either a passive skill or toggle magic since he didn’t cast anything.

‘Passive skill. Hmm. I also can’t copy that. Goliath also has >.’

Even > can’t be copied. My dream of using compressed high-tier magic is being trampled by the limitation of >.

‘Grrraaahhhhhh! The more I think of it, the worse it becomes. Forget copycat, I need to find out what to do in this place.’

I need to focus on my current assignment, crystal piece for guild creation. From what I know, the trial has nothing specific. Tatsu said “you just need to do what you want.”

Since I can’t copy another person magic unless I got hit, I decided to test what kind of skill I can copy right now.

I keep moving my body and testing what kind of skill I can copy. From the easiest > towards >. All of them tested using my initial equipment short sword.

I try replaying all the movement of a swordsman whose video was uploaded in the official website. Three hits combo > and then higher level skill >.

There is also >, the three hits combo from hand-to-hand skill tree; a fast one-two and ended with a spinning kick.

I can’t reproduce > with my current equipment. > requires a spear equipped. This skill does a fast stab on three different places with a quick speed. It briefly stuns the opponent when used correctly.

I just redo the same things over and over again. When it prompted to save > or >, I refused it all. I’m going to find a mage after this trial and ask him/her to cast high-tier magic on me. If he/she refused, I will force him/her to PK. It’s that simple.

“Phew… That should do, it’s time to find that young lady.”

Now that I think of it, I didn't see her anywhere on the place when I trained earlier. She just scared me and then vanished. Is it possible that she also possess stealth skill?

From my experiment with >, I found out that focused attention can break a half-assed job at doing stealth. How did I find that out? Of course from the moment that young lady screamed at me, my > actually got cancelled.

‘Let’s see how you like being surprised.’

I walk slowly and carefully not to make any noise. I scan the area trying to find something out of ordinary. I was hoping for a trail of white light just like Ethan’s.

A long time passes and I still can’t find her.

‘Damn! Where is she hiding?’

I spend some more time trying to find traces of light. At first I was skeptical, but now I have some hope. I found a little bit trail of green light, the same green light as my >.

It was hard to detect since the trail is covered in grass with same color. I keep focusing my eyes on the flickering light until I get used to it.

Once I confirmed the existence of green light, I know it just a matter of time until I can find her. The only thing on my mind is how am I going to approach her?

I start planning on what kind of tricks that I can pull off.

‘Hmm, maybe I should do the same thing? Scare her a little.’

I was thinking of screaming at her ear, but I can’t really tell where her ear would be if I do find her. Let’s just focus on finding her first.

Following the trail of green light, I arrive at a place that looks like grassland. There are three trees placed exactly like a triangle formation, one at the top and two at the bottom corner. The trail points to the center of the formation.

‘Now, this is interesting.’

The situation is strange. The place looks like it is inviting me to come in. This whole situation reeks of danger, but it also provides stimulation for my adventuring soul. My hand start twitching and I grow excited.

‘Fine then, if there are monsters around here, I need to setup proper defense.’

I take out a few potions and throw them around the triangle formation. I make sure the puddles are scattered evenly. Even while doing this, I never take my attention off the green light trail.

‘Let’s see.’

I charge > and walk around the formation. The thing pointed by the trail doesn’t show any indication of moving. I throw my > towards it.

The > breaks and the figure that was invisible, now become visible. At this time, a window shows up.

Do you want to learn “Keen Eye”?YesNo

I forgot the recording is still on. Keen Eye then registered on my skill list.

“Grrooowwlllll….”

In the middle of triangle formation, a tiger beast appeared. Its skin is green colored and it has wings. Two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth and drool starts dropping from it. Even with just a glance, you can feel the sharpness of its fangs.

Mo body shivered, but I quickly regain my composure. My memories when I was facing the corrupted deadwood are flashing on my mind.

The red eyes that keep flashing, the sound it makes when it drags its body, the crunching sound effect when it eats me.

‘Relax, relax. Keep your cool, Ren.’

At the corner of my eye, I see the tiger starts moving. I steeled my heart and start fighting the tiger.

Wind Tiger Lv 23

>

>

Now that I take a look at it, my mana pool already dropped to 40%. I forgot to turn off the recording.

‘Well, it doesn’t look like it will disturb my battle. I still have the Rosalia Pendant.’

I leave the recording on. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get another skill.

I cast > towards the tiger who is moving inside the triangle formation.

*Wooshh

The javelin pierces its leg and hits a puddle. The puddle immediately freeze when hit by the javelin. The frozen area spread out and stops halfway on the tiger’s leg. The tiger stumbles when it tried to move its leg.

I run around the triangle formation and keep throwing > towards its leg.

“Huahahahaha, I am a magician. You can’t kill a magician who is prepared before battle.”

With three of its legs frozen stiff, it lets out a roar. When its HP bar drops to 60%, the wings on its back start to move. They flap faster and faster as if the tiger is trying to fly.

But I was mistaken, it wasn’t trying to fly, but conjures a strong wind. A spiraling wind can be seen formed behind the tiger. Its frozen legs break free when the wind blows away the frozen ground.

“Shit!”

A blade made of wind come charging towards me. It is visible but too fast to dodge.

*Swish

It cuts deep into my shoulder. If it was aimed a little bit to the right, I’m sure my neck would be chopped off. My HP bar drops to 84%.

‘Good. Although the visual looks like it hurts so much, the damage it caused is not that high thanks to the Rosalia’s Necklace.’

Indeed the Rosalia’s Necklace provides me with 5% reduction from elemental damage. Visually the windblade looks like it will cut apart anything it touch in two, but looking at my HP bar, I smiled.

“Yosh, let’s see how you deal with fire.”

>

>

Just about 0.5 second passes before my flame burnout. The wind it conjured is strong enough to suppress my flame.

‘Bad choice. > and > probably not going to survive in this wind.’

My only choice is to keep using ice magic to kill the tiger. I keep throwing > when I see an opening. It can’t conjure strong wind continuously and need to recharge about 4 seconds before conjuring another wind.

When its HP bar dropped to 14%, its eyes become darker. Its whole body trembles and generates wind pulse.

‘Damn!’

It was an AoE attack, every time I am hit by the pulse, my HP bar is cut by 11%. Although the tiger doesn’t seem to be able to move away from the triangle formation, it has a lot of long range attack.

>

Although it doesn’t recover much of my HP, it still helps to keep up when my potion is on cooldown.

The pulse lasts for 8 seconds and generates 6 pulses before cooling down.

‘Chance!’

>

With condensed magic, I cast multiple layered firewall beneath the tiger. Soon enough, the tiger drops dead with my HP bar showing 13%.

‘That was insanely dangerous!’

I am about to relax when I realize the green light trail moves.

‘What the…’

End of Chapter 11

Nearing the end of volume 2