[ Instances
First floor: Snow Wolf
Difficulties:
Easy (Cleared)
Normal
Hard
Nightmare
Hell
Second floor: Resentment ghost
Difficulties:
Easy
Normal
Hard
Nightmare
Hell ]
Upon entering the normal mode of the first floor, Lorian opened his eyes.
He slowly retrieved the wolf mask and Fanar's legacy and equipped them under the watchful eyes of 3 snow wolves, which were staring down at him from 3 snowy hills.
The same way as before, they rushed down the hills with light steps, but this time, they didn't immediately attack as they sensed a threat from him.
Lorian didn't move and waited. In the end, the snow wolves surrounded him and were running circles around him, but they couldn't delay forever.
The wolf situated right behind Lorian lunged from behind, but its movements made no noise.
Lorian's eyes flashed and his body swayed to a direction, while his elbow connected with the lunging wolf's jaw. He didn't delay and before the wolf was flung away, followed up with a hack.
He felt how Fanar's legacy almost split the whole wolf at waist and was amazed by its power, but he wasn't distracted.
The snow wolf whimpered for a few seconds and didn't move anymore as blood started gushing out of its split waist. Soon after, its corpse turned into dust.
[+6 Battle Exp ]
The other 2 wolves didn't move even until now. They were alarmed by Lorian's strength. Unfortunately, they were designed to fight and had no option to flee, so the two beasts came to a mutual understanding. In order to kill the human, they need to act together.
The two of them lunged at the same time. Lorian grinned under his mask.
- It's useless.
He drew the second sword and did the same motion with both swords in hands while jumping right at them.
Though the wolves were good at evasion, they couldn't retreat in mid-lunge. Both of them met their end at Lorian's hands.
[+6 Battle Exp ]
[+6 Battle Exp ]
[ 1st Floor, normal mode cleared
Reward: Frostbite (Skill book)
Today's attempt: 0/1 ]
Lorian exited the realm and opened his eyes wide in surprise.
- Did I get the skill book?
He immediately retrieved the silver book with about a dozen pages.
[ Do you wish to learn the skill 'Frostbite'?
Yes/No ]
Lorian accepted excitedly.
The book disappeared and his head started aching as the influx of information was forcibly stuffed in his mind. His body started radiating the chilling coldness. When he came to conscious his whole body was shivering and the beddings were covered in thin layer of frost here and there.
Lorian subconsciously retracted the chilling coldness, that emanated from his body. Next, he forced his mind to calm down and sat down with eyes closed, reviewing the knowledge about the skill and how to control it.
- Amazing. I wonder if it's added in my status?
[ Lorian Ellins
Warrior (Level 0) (1356/10,000)
General Exp: 3
Battle Exp: 18
Titles: -
Innate trait: Anti-poison body (Level 0)
Skills: Basic sword mastery (Level 2) (4114/15,000)
Basic dagger mastery (Level 1) (789/10,000)
Frostbite (Level 1)(0/20)
Attributes: Spirit: 1.1 ]
- It's there!
Grinning to himself, Lorian grabbed his new sword and once again activated the chilling energy in his body, directing it in his sword. The sword's body started giving out chilling mist and quiet ice crackling sounds emerged from it as a thin layer of ice covered it. Lorian focused even more and directed the coldness to the edge of the sword, shaping it so its sharpness would rise. The thin layer of ice moved to the edge of the sword but moved around messily. After fiddling with it for a while, Lorian found himself exhausted.
Having no option, he rested to recover lost stamina and continued practicing. He had no idea where the source of the coldness was and blamed it on mysterious skill book. Lorian practiced for the whole night and got better at controlling the skill.
- Ah, time for for the test.
It was probably well past 00:00, which was when the instances attempt was reset.
Lorian hesitated for a while and entered the hard mode of the first floor.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he saw 9 pairs of cold eyes focusing on him at the same time. All these snow wolves also had enchanted, 120% of original attributes.
Lorian killed 5 of them before going down, gaining 35 more Battle Exp, and 6 more General Exp.
Despite experiencing what he didn't wish to ever experience again, Lorian managed to test the frostbite skill.
Upon contact with the enemy, the biting chill would invade its body and slow down its movements over time, but this effect was limited on snow wolves as they had high cold resistance and possessed the same skill themselves, so Lorian deduced this skill would be more effective on other beasts.
However, continuous usage would drain him faster of his stamina.
As stated in the skill book, which was stored in his mind, the skill couldn't be upgraded with normal means. To upgrade it, he had to hunt snow wolves, gouge out their blue eyes and eat it raw. Lorian was depressed to even think about doing it...
- Sigh, so tired...
Poor, tired Lorian soon drifted to sleep but had another nightmare. He was woken up by rustling sounds that old couple made.
He grumbled in his heart and blinked his reddened eyes. People got up early in the villages as they had many things to take care of.
- Yawn~
With his sleep gone, Lorian had no choice but to get up. He dined with the old couple in silence, which somehow made him depressed. He decided to slightly change his plans.
- Thanks for the meal.
He bid his goodbye and went out to meet the old chief.
Night had barely passed. It was cold in the morning. Roosters stained their vocal chords to wake up the village. The sun wasn't up yet.
Lorian went past chief's metal gates and entered his garden.
- I thought city folk didn't wake up this early.
The old chief was crouching down and watering the flowers, that didn't seem to be in good shape.
Chief was facing Lorian with his back.
He didn't mind it much and said.
- Change in plans.
Chief's expression showed fluctuation as he turned around. He showed surprised expression as he saw Lorian wearing the mask.
- I'm not welcome here. They won't listen to me. You should change my introduction and give me new clothes. Some of them had already seen my face, after all.
This way, villagers wouldn't recognize him, even with his voice as he hadn't said much in their presence.
Chief seemed confused.
- Do they need to listen to you? I'm the chief boy, not you.
Lorian shrugged.
- Anyway, they don't like the soldiers, so let's pretend I'm not a soldier.
Chief got up from crouching position and viewed him from up to down.
- Alright then. Give me a second. I'll find you a set of clothes.
The chief went into his house and came out with a set of new clothes. Lorian nodded.
- Did you keep your old clothes?
Lorian asked incredulously as he found the clothes fitting.
Pain flashed past chief's eyes as his eyes blurred with emotion.
- It belonged to my deceased son...
Lorian turned silent.
- I see. I'm sorry.
Saying this, he turned back to find a comfortable place to change, leaving the lonely hunched figure of the old chief in the garden.