All kinds of battles that were held in the Devildom were mostly large-scale ones.
This was because unless you were a top-class ranker like Ian, it was fundamentally impossible to hunt on your own.
The number of users that were able to play solo in the Devildom was just about 10 to 20 of them including Ian.
On top of that, even though it was a user that had a character with strong fighting power, if their Fame was low, it was impossible to play solo.
This was because the fact that their Fame was low eventually corresponded with the fact that their noble title was low, and if that was the case, it would mean the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the retainers that they could employ would be low as well.
This was the case for ‘Kaseil’, a Warrior user in the lv 180-range that was currently ranked 8th in the official rankings.
At least in his case, as he could be counted in the top three just based on his character’s fighting power, it was possible for him to play solo in Zones 120-130.
However, the moment that an intermediate-rank magical beast appeared, it was impossible to hunt even that on his own, and so, in the end, he was hunting on his own in Zone 120.
“Hul, look over there. It’s Kaseil.”
“Gasp! You’re right! Even a ranker in the one-digit rankings can’t get through Zone 120?”
“I’m not sure, if it’s someone like Kaseil, if he partied up with another ranker, it would surely be possible. He must be here to play solo.”
“Euh… Impressive. If it’s to that point, that’s an illness as well.”
From the beginning, he was famous in Kailan for being a maverick, and he was a battle-addicted user that just hunted to death all day.
It was to the point that many users thought it was a mystery how he had settled into the top 10 even up until now when he hadn’t joined any guilds nor accepted any quests.
Kwa-deu-deuk-!
Kaseil’s giant ax crushed the head of the low-ranking magical beast of the Devildom, the Lakoum.
• You have successfully killed the Low-Ranking Magical Beast ‘Lakoum’.
• You have obtained 2,549,800 EXP.
• You have obtained the ‘Lowest-grade Magic Stone’.
A faint smile formed on the mouth of Kaseil, who read the system message that popped up.
“Okay, I’ve finally added one.”
Kaseil diligently gathered magic stones.
When it at least came to repeated hunting, Kaseil was more confident than anybody else. To him, grinding for magic stones was just a process in order to move onto the next map ‘alone’.
• You have succeeded in fortifying the ‘Battle Ax of the Red Flame Dragon’ item!
• The ‘Battle Ax of the Red Flame Dragon’ item has been fortified from +4 to +5.
The moment the messages popped up, Kaseil clenched both of his fists.
“Finally…!”
And at that moment, a world message rang out through the whole Devildom.
• User ‘Kaseil’ has succeeded in +5 fortification and has obtained a Transcendent-rank equipment.
At the new phrase ‘Transcendent-rank equipment’, Kaseil’s two eyes slightly grew.
And after checking the Transcendence option that was newly formed on his item, he was able to wear a broad smile.
“Euhahahat, it’s definite that I’m the first person to have succeeded in fortifying to the 5th fortification!”
Kaseil stepped foot onto Devildom ground within a week since the opening of the Devildom, and up until now, he had stationed himself here for almost all of his time as he hunted low-rank magical beasts.
As this was the case for him, since he didn’t remember seeing a world message of someone else succeeding in fortifying up to +5, he had naturally thought that he was the first.
And that was the same for the other users as well.
“Wow, they did say that Kaseil was the real king of grinding, and fitting of that, he’s already reached the 5th fortification.”
“No kidding, that’s dope. I just reached 3rd fortification.”
“Keu… Speaking of which, if it reaches 5th fortification, it looks like a new modifier called Transcendent-rank is attached. There’s swagger to that, seriously.”
While feeling the envy-filled gazes of the users around him, Kaseil shrugged his shoulders.
‘Huhu, wouldn’t this taste be the reason why I grind?’
And to be honest, as Kaseil put it on private, nobody knew, but he was a user with a hidden class.
It was a valuable hidden class that made the current Kaseil just with endless solo play and grinding.
The name of the hidden class that Kaseil had was the ‘Lonesome Warrior’.
‘Keukeu, I may not be able to go into a deeper place in the Devildom, but since I shouldn’t be falling behind just by infinitely grinding here.’
The biggest characteristic of the Lonesome Warrior was its fraudulent passive skill that amplified his stats and increased the amount of EXP he received from enemies the greater the number of opponents he faced alone.
However, there were a penalties as well, one being the EXP-increasing effect was only applied to the EXP that was obtained through hunting alone and the other being that whether it was a user or an NPC, the moment that one person entered his party, all aspects of his passive would be cleared.
It was indeed a perfect passive that fit the modifier called the ‘Lonesome Warrior’.
‘After I fortify all of my equipment to 5, I should try to get through Zone 119.’
Kaseil, who momentarily admired his Transcendent option as he took a break, stood up again and began battling.
‘Since I’m the first to have the Transcendent option, the reporters will definitely catch on and request for interviews, right?’
Kaseil smiled brightly.
While thinking of the fact that his name would be engraved in the main page of the official community for a couple days, he was already feeling pleased.
“Alright, hand over those magic stones, you brats!”
The normal users stared at Kaseil’s shining ax with envious gazes.
However, nobody knew that there was a mysterious user that had set everything, even up to his last accessory, to +5 fortification.
* * *
“Bbakbbak, get ready to use the Blessing of the Turtle Dragon!”
• Got it, owner.
Ian smacked away each of the black balls of fire that was spewed out of the Rakyel’s mouth with his spear.
Bang- Ba-bang-!
As Ian knocked away all of the black fireballs that flew in his direction consecutively, the Rakyel flew into the air as it roared with a voice full of rage.
Kyaaoh!
At the same time, the Rakyel spread open its giant mouth towards Ian.
Hwa-reu-reuk-!
A flame that resembled the breath of a dragon was sprayed out of the Rakyel’s mouth, and Ian urgently rolled away as he gestured to Bbakbbak.
“Now!”
• Understood!
As he did so, Bbakbbak’s body glowed a golden light, and a golden chain shot out towards Ian.
Whoong-!
The golden chain that was shot wrapped around Ian’s waist just before the Rakyel’s flame reached him, and immediately, a yellowish protective film formed around Ian.
Bang- Ba-ba-bang-!
And the ray of fire that hit the protective film let out a boom as it scattered into the air.
Kyaaak-!
The Rakyel huffed as if it was furious, and Ian let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew, if it was even a little late, it would have been a serious issue.”
The Blessing of the Turtle Dragon skill was a skill that allowed Bbakbbak to receive the damage his connected target would instead for a fixed amount of time, so Bbakbbak had absorbed the damage caused by the Rakyel’s breath instead.
Of course, because he received damage that was more amplified than what Ian would have received, Bbakbbak received critical damage as well.
However, Celia, who was waiting, immediately cured Bbakbbak again, and as a result, they had magnificently blocked the Rakyel’s attack.
• Due to the effect of the ‘Blessing of the Turtle Dragon’, an inherent ability of Familiar Bbakbbak, 107,368 damage has been absorbed.
• Familiar Bbakbbak has instead taken 138% of the damage, equalling to 148,167 damage.
• Retainer Celia has used inherent ability ‘Familiar Healing’ and has recovered Bbakbbak’s Vitality.
• Bbakbbak’s Vitality has been recovered by 148,167.
The skills were invoked one after another like well-turning gears.
Thanks to that, Ian was able to negate one of the Rakyel’s strongest skills.
“Huff, huff.”
Ian breathed heavily as he gasped for air while he glared at the Rakyel.
“You punk. You surprised this hyung. How dare you use 2 skills like that one after another?”
As he said that, the Rakyel flapped its wings as it scowled at Ian.
And just then.
The Rakyel’s feathers began to burn a blue light.
At the same time, Ian’s two eyes shone.
‘Okay! I will enjoy beating you to a pulp again!’
The Rakyel’s feathers burning a blue light was proof that it was in a ‘physical-damage immunity’ state.
As soon as he saw that, Ian’s counterattack began.
Puck- Pu-puck-!
Ian’s spear that was zigzaggedly bent like lightning that struck down from the sky mercilessly dug into the wing joint of the Rakyel.
• You have dealt critical damage to the High-ranking Magical Beast ‘Rakyel’.
• The ‘Rakyel’s Vitality has been reduced by 0.
There was naturally a reason as to why Ian’s attacks began as soon as the Rakyel was in a physical-damage immunity state.
This was because the Rakyel’s Vitality had already dropped to a state where the gauge bar couldn’t be seen, and if two or so of Ian’s attacks went through, it was definite that the Rakyel would die.
‘This squirt, although there’s no damage going through, getting hit is still going to be painful, right?’
All of the attacks that Ian made when he swung his spear and struck the Rakyel were ‘physical’-type attacks.
In other words, the Rakyel in a physical-damage immunity state was in a state where it couldn’t die no matter how much Ian hit it.
Kaek-! Ki-aeek-!
The Rakyel, who had begun getting mercilessly beaten up by Ian’s spear, let out a horrible shriek.
Karceus, who was watching that scene, opened his mouth towards Bbakbbak.
• Bbakbbak, that scene… For some reason, it’s not unfamiliar.
At that, Bbakbbak’s head trembled as he replied.
• Same goes for me. I am suddenly reminded of the guy named Yankoun.
Karceus’s two eyes began to shake.
• Our owner wouldn’t hit us like that, right?
Bbakbbak shook his head to the left and right rapidly.
• There’s no way he would do that. I am a good turtle. I have no reason to get hit by our owner.
• Same. I am also an incredibly good dragon.
Even Ly, who was standing next to them, agreed quietly.
• I am also… A good Fenrir.
Separate from the Familiars that were trembling in fear, the battle between Ian and the Rakyel continued to proceed.
The Familiars quietly turned away from the Rakyel that sent a gaze that seemed like it was asking for them to kill it.
Only Karceus sent a pitiful gaze as he gave one piece of advice.
• Hurry up and surrender, magical beast dude. I have never seen a situation where our owner gives up on something that he wants.
Had about 15 minutes passed like that since the beating(?) started?
The blue flame that was wrapped around the Rakyel’s body died down, and Ian quickly stepped back as he took aim at towards the Rakyel with his spear.
Ian grumbled with a voice that was slightly mixed in with irritation.
“Argh, seriously, you’re an amazing punk as well. You almost died again just a moment ago.”
It may have looked like a normal beating scene from the outside, but that wasn’t quite the truth.
Each and every attack that the lv 320 high-ranking magical beast Rakyel swung randomly couldn’t help but be powerful, and although he only allowed just two or so attacks, Ian hovered between life or death multiple times.
Keu-reuk- Keu-reu-reuk-!
The Rakyel flapped its wings weakly as it glared at Ian.
“Alright, let’s stop this now. Bird-brain.”
Unable to say anything, the Rakyel drooped its wings as if it was angry.
Ian calmly shouted the spell towards the Rakyel that was like that.
“Capture!”
The ray of light that spread out from the tip of Ian’s hand began to wrap around the Rakyel’s giant body.
It was a tense moment.
‘Please… Seriously!’
To be honest, Ian had shouted the Capture spell a countless number of times up until now.
And historically, there was never a time he had failed to capture a monster that he had made up his mind to make his up until now.
However, for this to have been the case, there was never a situation where it was impossible like this, and so, a miracle did not occur.
• The blood of the devils does not flow within your body.
• Until you obtain the blood of the devils, you cannot tame monsters that have Devil Energy.
• You have failed in capturing the High-ranking Magical Beast ‘Rakyel’.
Along with the three system messages, the ray of light bounced off.
It was already the fifteenth or so capturing attempt of Ian, and from the mouths of the ones that were watching, a low exclamation flowed out.
Cervian shook his head as he mumbled.
• A tough cookie he is, a tough cookie indeed. I’ve even explained that until he becomes Half-Human, Half-Devil, he wouldn’t be able to capture magical beasts…
It was to the point the Rakyel, whose whole body was shaking like an aspen leaf, was pitiful.
Everybody slightly glanced at Ian with expressions that seemed to say, ‘Isn’t it now time to stop’, but Ian just grasped tightly onto his spear again.
Ian’s expression was more determined than ever before.
“It looks like it’s still not enough. A little more devotion is required.”
It looked like his choice of words were somewhat inappropriate, but no one could tackle Ian’s words.
Since for some reason, it seemed like if they tackled his words in the wrong way, the target of the beating would change.
“Yo, bird-brain. Attack me again. Let’s fight.”
At Ian’s provocation, the two eyes of the Rakyel, which were half-closed, glared fiercely again at him.
It seemed like the battle would begin again like that, but the Rakyel that took one step forward suddenly bowed its head deeply in front of Ian.
And the two, wrinkly, small eyes of Cervian, who was watching that scene, grew to twice their original size.
• No, this…!
A situation had occurred that even he, as someone who had researched magical beasts for over hundreds of years, couldn’t believe.
However, Ian nodded his head as if there was nothing to really be surprised about as he mumbled.
“Alright, good idea. It would have just grown more difficult for both of us even if you were to endure longer.”
The Rakyel that had exhausted all of its energy drooped down in front Ian, and at that moment, system messages popped up in front of Ian’s eyes.
• High-ranking Magical Beast ‘Rakyel’ wishes to become your Familiar.
• However, as the blood of the devils does not flow within your body, you cannot summon and handle the Rakyel.
• Will you still accept the ‘Rakyel’ as your Familiar?
One corner of Ian’s mouth slightly curled upwards.
