Volume 1 Chapter 17 (2/2)

[Uhn. Got it.] (Luna)

We started to approach the group of monsters slowly. Luna has been reading the distance between us ever since we noticed the monsters.

[Til, we are 200 metres away.] (Luna)

The monsters were far away, at the end of the huge road. I could see it.

[On my count, you shoot an arrow and make sure not to hit any of the surrounding monsters.] (Youya)

[I know. Believe in my bow.] (Til)

Now let’s get started.

There are several reasons why I chose to hunt the Hermit Crab in this dungeon.

Firstly, among the available monsters at it’s level, the Hermit Crab gives more experience as compared to it’s other counterparts. This is probably due to the monster’s difficulty.

Second, if you possessed sufficient firepower in the Wind (Lightning) attribute, you could easily defeat the monster with a single spell.

Normally, a magic caster would be unable to get over the fear of it’s rush as they rarely had spells that could be casted outside of it’s 30 metres detection range. However, I can use magic beyond 30 metres by utilizing magic that isn’t ordinary.

[Prepare for battle. Luna, Til, straighten yourselves. If we fail this, it’s certain death.] (Youya)

The two of them nod with a serious face and I start my chant.

I felt my magical power rising. Napalm Strike is a customized Firestorm which threw away every concept in exchange for power. However, the magic customized from Thunderstorm is different. I compress its area of effect into a straight line, resembling a bullet while increasing it’s cast time to improve it’s power. Right now, it takes about a minute for me to finish one chant. This spell won’t be usable in a high-speed battle, but there isn’t a problem.

This spell is designed for long-range shots or accurate sniping. With Presence Detection, I can fire at enemies outside of their range while escaping if we were noticed, and the long cast time won’t matter anymore.

The area of effect and casting time is worsened to improve it’s range and power. With Magic Customization, the spell that produces a rain of thunder over multiple enemies has become a spell that shoots an enemy from afar with a rifle made of thunder boasting a range of 100 metres.

It has been over 30 seconds since I began my chant. I gave the signal to Til and she shot the Hermit Crab from two hundred metres away. She easily landed her attacks on the crab. Originally, all monsters will attack anyone in its active range. Although it differs from monster to monster, the longest range is 100 metres while the shortest is about 5 metres. Unless the adventurers are within that range, the monsters would not notice them. However, whenever an attack lands on the monster, somehow the monster will automatically detect and move towards your location. These two rules can be abuse to “lure” monsters.

[Youya. Til. The crab has hostility towards Til.] (Luna)

Following Luna’s report, the crab can be seen moving towards our position. That was what we were aiming for. We weren’t in the other monsters’ perceptive range and thus none of them has noticed our positions. However, the Hermit Crab runs towards our position, drawing aggression onto Til. This is “Luring”.

Now, the Hermit Crab is isolated from its surroundings. In a few minutes, the monsters will be drawn to its current position, we’ll have to defeat it by then.

20 seconds until my chant is complete. I point the tip of my staff directly towards the crab which is receiving waves and waves of arrows onto it’s body. Thanks to it’s high defensive power, the arrows weren’t having any effect. It was pushing through the rain of arrows, closing the distance with tremendous force.

I felt cold sweat flowing down my back. Although my spell would be able to kill the crab in one hit, Magic Casters have their life endangered if the distance was reduced too quickly between them and the target. If my chant does not complete before it enters within 30 metres, it is over and my life will be forfeit. Thus, we have to defeat him from a distance in order to prevent endangering our lives.

It felt like an eternity as I watched the crab close the distance between us. However, time flowed much faster than I thought. The remaining distance is 110 metres. My chant was completed and the timing was perfect. Magic power began to gather around the tip of the staff and electricity started to crackle.

Intermediate Magic Customization Thunderstorm.

[Superconductive Bullet.] (Youya)

A bolt of lightning was released from the tip of the staff, moving at light speed. It is a long-range shot, made by sacrificing it’s area of effect and casting time to gain overwhelming distance and power, along with the characteristics of lightning that prevents you from dodging. This characteristic is the reason why Thunderstorm was the most-suited for a sniping-type spell. Fire and ice-type spells would not be as effective.

Superconductive Bullet easily penetrates the Hermit Crab, scorching a large hole into it’s body.

The crab was penetrated with so much speed and power that it didn’t notice the fact that it is already dead, continuing to run towards us as it turns into blue particles. Unlike Napalm Strike, Superconductive Bullet had both it’s range and power strengthened, this meant that it’s power was lower than Napalm Strike which focuses on pure power. However, it’s power is still extraordinary. Whatever the level difference is between the Hermit Crab and us, the crab will not be able to take a hit from Superconductive Bullet as it’s a huge weak point.

A large amount of experience points flow into our body and our level rises. Power flows throughout our body.

[As expected of a level 25 monster, with this large of a level difference, our levels will rise multiple times each kill.] (Youya)

[Amazing, we gained three levels. We’re already level 14!] (Luna)

[Didn’t big sis tell me that it would be harder to level up once we hit level 11?] (Til)

[It wasn’t a lie. It’s rather strange for us to gain three levels this quickly.] (Youya)

It is a simple task to get to level 11 when starting out as an adventurer. However, after every 10 levels, the experience required to level increases exponentially. Usually, it takes about three days to achieve level 12.

[Now, let’s continue the hunt. Luna finds the crab. Til lures it and I’ll defeat it.] (Youya)

[I’ll try my best! I want to become stronger!] (Luna)

[Can’t be helped. If Youya needs my help, I’ll lend a hand.] (Til)

I felt the appeal of their motivation rubbing onto me as I myself got more excited.

[Let’s go. Together we will become stronger.] (Youya)

Thanks to the increase in levels, the maximum number of Superconducdtive Bullets I can shoot increases to 6. I’ll leave one shot for emergencies, so let’s hunt four Hermit Crabs before turning back. At this pace, we will reach level 20 in less than a month, definitely the fastest pace in all of history,.