Chapter 60: Second Evolution (2)
TL: Haku
Editor: Hungry Panda
At the end of riding on Ly's back for an hour, Ian, who had logged back into Kailran, was able to arrive at Forcal Mountains.
"Keu, long time, no see."
Forcal Mountains was a hunting ground that long-distance damage dealer users like Magicians and Archers enjoyed.
'I feasted well here before resetting.'
Forcal was a rocky mountain with an incredibly rugged terrain covered kaleidoscopically with features that were closer to traps.
If long-distance damage dealers positioned themselves on a propitious site and hunted, it was a location where hunting was possible even with a tanker and healer that are comparably weaker.
Because of that, it could be considered a location that wasn't suitable for many Summoners to control and hunt at.
However, there was a place that Ian was thinking of.
'If it's Forcal Mountains, it could become a decent hunting ground.'
The field where Forcal Bandits lived on Forcal Mountains was like a dungeon.
The bandits' average level was lv 68-72, and because they went around in packs as their AI was higher compared to other places in Forcal Mountains, they were human-like monsters that were a pain to go against.
That's why it was not a hunting ground that many users preferred, but Ian had a plan.
'If I use the canyon near the back of the mountains, it's the most optimal place to solo-play with my current fighting power.'
Towards the back of Forcal Mountains, there was a small rocky canyon.
Ian was planning on luring the bandits to the canyon and fighting them there.
'If Ddukdae and Ly block the opening of the canyon like battle equipment, I'll have fun shooting arrows from the back.'
However, as it was memories from at least two months back, Ian felt a need to check the topography once again.
"Ly, that way."
Grr-.
Ian, who was riding Ly, was still able to move through the rough topography quickly.
If he just sat on Ly's back well, Ly moved quickly here and there, avoiding the obstacles well.
Thanks to Ly, Ian was able to arrive at the canyon soon, and after checking the topography, he wore a satisfied smile.
'It looks do-able enough.'
He was sad that the canyon was a little wider than what he remembered, but it wasn't like there was no way.
Ian, who thought of a good idea, nodded his head.
Now he just needed to lure the bandits here.
Ian also summoned Ddukdae in order to carry out his plan.
"Ddukdae summon!"
Thud-!
While looking at Ddukdae, who was summoned along with a heavy sound, Ian let out a command.
"Ddukdae, go over there and try and push that boulder over here."
Ddukdae nodded his head.
Groan-.
There was a large boulder that was close to Ddukdae's size leaning against the canyon where Ian was pointing at.
And he went up to the boulder and began to move the boulder towards the canyon, groaning.
'I was worried that it wouldn't move because it was so big, but what a relief.'
And this time, he turned his attention to Ly.
"Ly, you see those guards over there?"
Grr-.
Ly, who almost understood Ian's words at the same level as a human now, nodded his head.
Ian's explanation for his plan continued.
"Go near them, moving very quietly, and don't get caught. Then, I'll shoot with my bow and paralyze them."
After changing his weapon to a bow, his Current Proliferation skill changed to a method where it was created at the end of his arrow.
When he used the knuckle weapons that he equipped on each hand, he had two bundles of electricity be created on either hand, but as he changed to a bow, it had reduced to one.
However, Ian was instead satisfied. This was because his range and accuracy had sharply increased to an incomparable level to before.
And Ly, who received Ian's command, began to approach the guards of the mountains carefully.
Ian, who momentarily watched Ly's movements, moved to a different position and took place, calculating their angle.
'In order to increase the chance for paralysis to happen, I need to hit both of them with one.'
As his Current Proliferation skill's Proficiency had gone up since then, his chance of paralysis also increased about 20%.
Despite that, though, it wasn't that high of a chance.
However, if he hit both of them at the same time, by calculations, he had a 36% chance to paralyze one of the two.
He needed to raise the chance even by a little bit.
On top of that, if he paralyzed one of them, he could use the skill once more, it was most important that he hit multiple at once.
'Around now…!'
Ian, who positioned himself, pulled his bowstring.
"Current Proliferation!"
Along with the cast, electricity began to flow from the tip of the arrow.
Ian carefully took aim. Because he wasn't an Archer cla.s.s, he didn't have anything like accuracy rate revision, so he needed to make it solely with skill.
Ian slightly glanced at Ly. And as soon as he saw Ly approach them at a good distance, he let go of his bowstring.
Piiing-!
The bow bundled with electricity left Ian's bowstring and lodged into the guard's back.
Za-Za-Zap-!
Ian hoped that the four divided currents that spread from the point where Ian hit would hit the nearby guard as well.
And just as he calculated, the additional blow hit the guard that was beside.
Za-Za- Za-Za-Zap-!
And the paralysis effect he waited for also appeared.
"Alright!"
It was just like his scenario.
As the cooldown time for Current Proliferation was reset, an electric sphere formed at the tip of his arrow again.
Ian took aim without delay at the other bandit, who wasn't paralyzed, and released his bowstring.
Puck-! Za-Za-Zap-!
He hoped that paralysis would happen again, but that would have been too much of a lucky chance.
However, as one of the two at least received paralysis and their movements were slowed, Ian was able to pull the battle just like how he planned.
"Ly, bite and kill the one that isn't paralyzed!"
Along with Ian's Weak Point Capturing being invoked, Ly's attack continued.
Ian as well wasn't fooling around. The cooldown time wasn't over for his Current Proliferation skill, but he continued to shoot arrows.
Ping- Pi-Ping-!
Through Ian and Ly's continuous attacks, one of the guards died in an instant.
A Common-rank enemy that didn't have much of a level difference was easy.
And as one died, the one that was left was taken aback and let out a shout.
"An enemy, it's an enemy!"
And he hurriedly raised his club and hit a large drum, letting it ring out.
Thump- Thump-
'Alright, that's it!'
Ian purposely watched him hit the drum.
And he let out a command to Ly.
"Ly, come over here now!"
Grr-!
And as Ly turned his body and ran towards Ian as if he was fleeing, the guard began to chase after Ly.
"Stop right there, you wolf!"
And the bandit, who even discovered Ian, fumed and ran over.
"To have hid and shoot arrows, how cowardly!"
Ian purposely provoked him more.
"I don't think you have the right to say that, considering you had gathered all your friends because you weren't confident enough."
As he said so, the rough-looking bandit's face turned bright red.
"Th, this!"
The corners of Ian's mouth slightly rolled upwards.
'Now they'll probably all come crawling out from inside, right?'
If it was a real human, there was no chance that they would fall for such a childish provocation, but because the bandits weren't set-up to have such a high AI, the effect was immediate.
And as Ian's cooldown time for Current Proliferation was over, he paralyzed the guard.
"Ly, let's go back that way!"
Grr-!
Ian purposely ran at a controlled pace so that the bandits wouldn't lose Ly and him.
And the place he was headed towards was the canyon.
Ian, who arrived at the canyon first, looked slightly upwards.
Ddukdae was standing blankly where Ian's attention was turned towards.
"Ddukdae, when I say so, jump down."
Groan-.
As Ddukdae nodded his head, Ian additionally ordered.
"You need to crush a couple of bandits, not just jump down. Got it?"
He could just have Ddukdae stand at the canyon, but since Ian had the room, he wanted to try something new.
However, just then.
Jjaek- Jjae-Jjaek-!
Jjaekee, who was watching the instructions for the plan while sitting on top of Ian's head, was suddenly restless and began to fly around Ian.
And meanwhile, Bbookbbook, who came down from Ian's back, protested at Ian while looking up at him.
Bbook- Bboo-Bbook-!
Ian stared at the two with a dumbfounded expression.
"What's wrong with you two?"
Bbook-!
Ian couldn't tell, but Bbookbbook and Jjaekee were hurt that they couldn't be the lead of such a cool(?) plan.
The two were envious of Ddukdae, who had such a cool entrance.
"Bbookbbook, stop complaining and just get on hyung's back."
Bbook…
Bbookbbook dropped his head deliberately as if he was hurt, but Ian easily ignored it and piggybacked Bbookbbook.
As the bandits would barge through soon, he had no time to play with Bbookbbook.
And shortly after, the sound of over a dozen bandits' footsteps began.
Thump-Thump-Thump-.
"Who dares to challenge us at Forcal Mountains!"
With a bandit who looked like the chief at the head, over a dozen bandits began to pa.s.s the canyon.
However, as he didn't see the Boss-cla.s.s bandit leader, he was relieved.
'Now!'
Ian, who grasped the timing, let out a shout towards Ddukdae.
"Ddukdae, jump!"
Thud- Thud-!
As Ddukdae began to jump, because of his weight, the whole valley began to shake.
Bang- Ba-Ba-Bang-!
Along with a loud boom, Ddukdae threw his body above the bandits' heads.
"Euaaak-!"
At the unexpected situation, the bandits shouted, and Ian was in a good mood as the battle went as he predicted.
'As expected, people need to use their head!'
Ian was incredibly satisfied by showcasing the best resource(?) again since after deceptively conciliating Bbookbbook.
'Alright, if it's this much s.p.a.ce, we should be able to fight even if there's extra troops!'
Now it was time to fight freely.
"Ly, Berserk!"
Along with Ian's command to Ly, Ddukdae, who jumped down, also arrived safely above the bandits' heads.
Thud-!
Ddukdae didn't have such a high Offensive Power, but as it was an attack that crushed after dropping from the air, it seemed from the influence of his weight, quite a bit of damage went in.
'That's pretty good.'
But along with Ian's satisfaction, an unexpected message popped up.
Ian's expression immediately contorted.
'Ah, what the h.e.l.l. If it's like this, then there was no point!'
The damage he received was bigger, but Ian forcibly ignored the uncomfortable feeling he had in his heart by thinking about Ddukdae's high Health.
"Ddukdae, Ice Wave!"
Thu-Thud-!
As Ice Wave burst and the slowing effect also went through, the bandits began to panic.
And Ian's Current Proliferation attack continued.
Piing- Za-Za-Zap-!