Chapter 13: Setting a Record II

Chapter 13: Setting a Record II I focused, carefully aiming each Magic Missile as it left my palm. The spell was simple, but I had to remain sharp to keep hitting targets accurately. One of the targets, shrouded in a faint shield, required multiple missiles to destroy. I fired three Magic Missiles in rapid succession, cracking the barrier and then obliterating the target. As I continued, the number of targets increased, and some began shifting and teleporting. I activated the charged version of Magic Missile, a trick I’d picked up from novel. Holding a spell momentarily allowed it to build power, slightly enhancing its speed and impact. I used it on a particularly evasive target, firing with just the right timing to catch it mid-teleport. The timer ticked down, and just as I was about to hit the final target, a giant barrier-protected target appeared—a test to see if I could break through a more advanced shield with Magic Missile alone. Firing a barrage of Magic Missiles, I focused each shot carefully until the barrier shattered. [Challenge Complete: Magic Training] Your Record: 84 targets Rewards: +4 Magic Mastery, +75 Gold, and an upgraded skill: Power up Power up : Increase the power for spells for every second it is hold up, Increases by 1% for each second and limit is 30 seconds. I took a deep breath, pleased with my performance and satisfied with my new skills. The skill I unlocked was exactly one of the what I’d aimed for: Power up and Arcane Echo. Arcane Echo : This passive skill has a 50% chance to replicate a spell and cast it with zero mana cost or cooldown—an incredibly useful tool for chain-casting spells in rapid succession. Among these two, I received Power-Up. This one rewards players based on strategic performance in the Training Center, which was why I’d spammed multiple Magic Missiles together. The gamble paid off; Power-Up now is added to my skill set. "Thank you, Max," I murmured with a grin, recalling how the game’s Mc exploited similar tactics. "Umm, excuse me?" As I was still basking in my success, I heard a voice from behind. I turned to see a girl with pink hair and dressed in mage attire approaching me. "Would you like to join our team? We need just one more player for a dungeon raid," she asked, flashing a cute smile. ’What the heck is this?’ I thought, baffled. ’Does she really think this tactic will work on me? That might lure in some desperate player, but I’m not one of them.’ "I’m only level 10," I replied flatly, trying to keep the conversation short. "Huh?" She looked shocked. Other players around us started to notice, murmuring in disbelief. "Wait, are you really just level 10?" someone else shouted from behind her. "A super rookie?" More voices joined in, and before I knew it, I was surrounded by guild recruiters and curious players, all talking over each other. **** "Ugh, those nosy idiots," I muttered to myself as I finally managed to slip out of the crowd, standing alone at the edge of the village, trying to catch my breath. "Now, I should head to the Black Forest," I thought, refocusing as I set out towards my destination. With each step, the bustling sounds of the village faded behind me, replaced by the eerie silence of the forest ahead. The thick, dark trees loomed ominously, their twisted branches almost blotting out the sky. A shiver ran down my spine, but I pushed it aside. This was the real start of my journey—the place where heroes legend were forged. As I crossed the boundary into the Black Forest, an unnatural chill settled over me; it was almost too quiet. The usual rustling of leaves and distant chirps were absent, creating an eerie silence that pressed in from every side. "Alright, time to find my prey," I murmured, focusing my thoughts. A familiar glow appeared on the ground as a magic circle formed, and from it emerged my loyal companion, Puddle. "Kyuu~" he chirped, his jiggly, slime-like form bouncing in excitement. "Haha, how are you doing, little buddy?" I asked with a grin as he hopped onto my shoulder. He nuzzled against my cheek, and I gave his jiggly body a gentle pat, which only made him wiggle more enthusiastically. "Alright, partner, let’s do this!" I said, feeling my confidence grow. With Puddle by my side, the shadows of the forest didn’t feel so daunting. Together, we moved deeper into the dense, dark woods, ready for the trials ahead. My target here was a simple Troll. Although this forest teemed with other creatures—Goblins that everyone else would target, elusive Dire Wolves with their Shadow magic, and brute-force Orcs wielding some clumsy techniques—the Trolls presented a unique challenge. With their near-constant regeneration, Trolls were formidable opponents, which is precisely why they managed to stay one of the overlords of this forest. Their impressive healing was a powerful defense; otherwise, their lack of intelligence would have left them as easy pickings for the other overlords. But, as I’d come to realize, there was a key to handling them effectively: knowing their weakness. "Compared to others, Trolls are the easiest—if you know how to play it right," I murmured. My eyes scanned the darkened forest floor, watching for signs of movement. Their regeneration might be intimidating to others, but with a bit of strategy and a carefully timed attack, I was ready to show just how fragile that so-called invincibility really was. One of the trolls’ major weaknesses, which only became known much later, is their extreme vulnerability to poison. Most creatures can fend off poisons with some difficulty, but for trolls, poison is uniquely deadly. Their high regeneration, which normally saves them from most wounds, works against them when a potent poison is in their system. As the trolls’ bodies try to heal, their regeneration forces their blood and mana to flow rapidly through their entire system, spreading the poison throughout their whole body in record time. This rapid spread overwhelms them, and rather than healing, their bodies start deteriorating from within. However, most poisons barely affect them against their regeneration. There’s only one that’s truly effective: Bloodburn Poison. This particular toxin, true to its name, burns the troll’s blood as it spreads, causing intense internal damage. The more the troll regenerates, the fiercer the poison’s effect becomes.