Chapter 260: Not There (1/2)

[Scholar Guardian's Legacy]

[Level: 37 (4%)]

[Legacy Points: 9]

[Stats Points: 8]

[Strength: 196] [+75]

[Agility: 192] [+75]

[Stamina: 182]

[Perception: 171]

[Mana: 259/259]

[Abilities: Beginner Runes Wordsmith (58%), Useable Runes: 24]

[Skills: Lesser-Mana Breathing Skill (F – 65%), Poison Strike (F – 39%), Camouflage (F – 26%), Earth Manipulation (E – 69%), Bladeless Wind Storm (D – 22%), Shadow Space (D – 19%), Monster Claws (D – 42%), Iron Skin (D – 43%), Wings of Wind (C – 2%), Goblin's Bond (Unique – 90%)]

[Arts: The Art of Creation – Part One, Basic Dagger Art (21%)]

His strength and agility reached a whopping 271 and 267 in one go after he wore the armor. At the moment, this was the most he could amplify his body.

He followed the principle of divide and conquer, albeit differently. His body couldn't stack runes, but his organs can. Instead of amplifying his whole body, he amplified whatever tissue the artifact covered.

The six items that he engraved were the limits of what his body can handle at the moment. This wasn't a game; stats couldn't be raised infinitely by wearing a piece of armor.

As he stood in his room, he admired the black surface of it. He put away the armor and left his room, heading toward the Explorer's Facility. There, he was given a uniform and a badge for his task today.

He would be leaving in an hour toward Yalen using a teleportation circle. From there, he could take an airplane or a train to Kera and start his five days field training.

He was briefed on the task beforehand. Three weeks ago, the mountain range was swarming with undead legions, proving there was an undead lord around. A higher form of creature that kept summoning the undead and using them to kill more creatures.

This cycle had to be broken by killing the lord and then clearing the undead, but a strange phenomenon happened. Unlike the usual snowball effect, the undead stopped increasing in number about three weeks ago.

This would have been great news usually, but the unknown was always more feared. The cause of this dwindling might be a sign of a bigger disaster.

That's why the Union has asked Jerano to investigate it, assigning it to one of its students. Even though they can investigate it themselves, Jerano has a much higher success rate than most intelligence agencies.

Furthermore, everyone wanted to befriend the next generation of leaders. The Explorers are considered the pioneers of humanity in this turbulent struggle against monsters. That's why this was a good way of establishing connections and getting in people's good books.

Arthur left the college and took his badge toward the Teleportation Halls where the teleportation circles were inscribed. He showed his badge to the man behind the glass and he nodded before giving him a ticket.

As he took the ticket, Arthur heard someone run behind him. He found Ellen also holding her ticket and looking at him as she gathered her breath.

”Well, I guess there's no way to change your mind.” Arthur shrugged and lead the way. Ellen followed after him silently.

Even though they got closer during the entrance exam, the gap grew larger now after she heard Arthur talk about her like that. Arthur knew she heard and he also knew that she can conclude why he said those things, but it was still as if a wall has been built between them.

The teleportation was as fast and nausea-inducing as usual. As he felt like traveling a great distance in a second, Arthur found himself standing in a different hall.

He could feel space decompress itself after the teleportation, making the surrounding unstable. He left the hall with Ellen only to stop on the doorsteps of the hall.

Standing in the middle of the street was an alluring figure with white hair and red eyes. She wasn't looking at them but at the tower in the distance. As if sensing their stares, she turned to them.

”Do you want your eyes plucked out?” Rae snarled with hatred at Arthur.

”What are you doing here?” Arthur asked with furrowed brows. Could it be that she followed him?

”Don't think highly of yourself, I'm not here for you.” Rae sneered and pointed at the tower. Her disgusted face was overtaken by a grin. ”I'm here to conquer that.”