96 Intermediate Training Ground Part 1

...

Shin logged back in the game after taking his dinner.

And the moment he appeared in the Inn, his ears were bombered by a bunch of messages. He frown his brows before taking a look at messages.

And when he saw the sender, he felt a sudden chill on his spine. Then he immediately open his friend list and dial Shiella's number.

And when the call connected, Shiella immediately shouted at Shin. "What the hell are you doing? You know how much time and money were wasted during your absence?"

Shin release a helpless sigh before saying. "Sorry Big Sis, Uncle Nathan brought me on the Military Base to do some things. If you don't believe me, then just ask Uncle."

Shiella massage her temples before saying to Shin. "We already found the Intermediate Training Ground of Holy City so come at my office in the firm immediately. We already lost a lot of profit because we don't know where you are!"

'But you can just contact me in the Real World if you can't contact me here.' Thought Shin in his mind while listening to Shiella's rumblings, but his mind suddenly turned blank after hearing her next words.

"And I can't even contact you in the Real World because you are not answering the call on your Advance Watch."

'What!? I didn't answered? Wait! Oh, right! I forgot to wear my Advance Watch earlier because Uncle Nathan fetch me early in the morning.' Shin slap his forehead when he realized his mistake.

"Sorry Big Sis, I forgot my Advance Watch at home earlier." said Shin while feeling ashamed.

Shin release a helpless sigh before saying. "OK, I'll to your office real quick."

After that, Shin ended the call. Then he checked out from the Inn before rushing towards the 'Hand of Midas' Trading Firm.

He was immediately escorted by one of Shiella's subordinate when he arrived at the firm."Big Sis." greeted Shin as he entered Shiella's office.

Shiella release a helpless sigh when she saw her little brother. "Why am I always having a headache every time you are involved. You are even more troublesome than Arthur. At least that rascal only beat some people up in other people's place, but you!...You are always affecting my business every time you are in trouble!"

"And now, you are affecting my business inside the game too!" Shiella calm herself down before pointing on a certain place on the room. "You! Stand over there."

Shin stand on the place that Shiella was pointing. A moment later, a formation circle suddenly appeared on the ground where Shin was standing.

Then he heard Shiella's voice. "Don't move and don't rejected the invading Mana. That circle will directly take you in the entrance of the Intermediate Training Ground. And remember, take as much benefits as possible."

After that, Shin disappeared in the office. And he felt that he was sent inside a spinner once again. "Can the game developers become a little more creative on this kind of travels?"

.....

Swoosh! Few moments later, Shin arrived in front of a cave. And when Shin saw that, he can't help but to curse to himself. "Oh~♪ come one~♪. Can you be a little more creative on the dungeons Oh, God (Author)?"

And immediately after that, a voice suddenly call him from behind. "Are you Young Master Shin?"

Shin turn his head and body around to look at the source of the voice. "Ah! You look familiar, Hmmm..... Are you one of the guards at home?"

The person that Shin is talking to is bulky man. That guy shook his head and said. "No, Young Master. I'm one of the Security personnels in the Lake Heart Hotel."

Shin nodded his head and said. "Ah? Yeah, that is what I'm talking about. Anyway Uncle, why are you still playing the game? No offense, but aren't you a little old for still playing the game?"

The bulky guy smiled bitterly and said. "I'm only 21-years-old, Young Master."

The expression on Shin's face suddenly turned stiff after hearing that. "Really!? You know, you look a little mature than your actually age."

Then Shin immediately change the topic. "Anyway, I'm going to enter that Training Ground now."

Then he immediately turn his body around and walk towards the cave. But before he manage to take a single step forward, the bulky guy call him once again. "But that was not the way towards the Training Ground, Young Master Shin."

Shin was frozen in place after hearing that. He slowly turn his body around and look at the bulky guy. "Then where?"

The bulky guy pointed towards his back. Shin lean his body to the side to see what's behind the bulky guy. And what he saw in there is a huge metal gate being guarded by four Level-125 NPC Royal Guards. Not far from the gate are some tents where some high leveled players gathered.

Shin turn his head at the bulky guy and asked while pointing his right hand index finger at the metal gate. "There?"

The bulky man give a token to Shin while saying. "Here is the pass. The Young Miss said that you need to clear the challenges inside the Training Ground to get the management rights."

'I knew it! Of course it is about money!' said Shin to himself before taking the entry token.

Shin then thank the bulky guy before walking towards the metal gate. After showing the entry token, the NPC Royal Guards let Shin enter the gate.

And when Shin walked pass the door, a series of System Notifications sounded on his ears.

System: You entered an Intermediate Training Ground.System: You are challenging the training ground on the highest Level Limit (Level 74). The difficulty will be adjusted accordingly.

System: The Training Ground Difficulty was set at Chaos Level.

System: Special Quest Detected. The Difficulty will be lifted by another level accordingly.

System: You can't summon your pets inside the Training Ground.

System: Your equipments' effects will be disabled inside the Training Ground. You also can't use their Skills during your time inside.

After that, all of Shin's stats dropped significantly after losing the effects of his equipments.

Shin was frozen in place after reading the notifications. He then look at the 'Sky' and said. "Oh~ God(Author) do you have some beef against me? I know that I just criticized your creativity, but is it right to do the payback right after it? Can you just forgive me this time?"

After that, Shin was teleported to another dimension. And the place where he was teleported into is inside a volcano.

Then another system notification sounded.

System: The Training Ground have seven stages. Each stage will give and test different stats.

System: You need to kill a certain number of Monsters to clear a stage. Clearing all the monsters on each stage will give you some bonus rewards.

....

Shin take a look at the place that he was transported into. There is a huge magma river in front of him. There are some rock platforms floating above the magma river, and those floating platforms have different sizes.

Shin raise his head while squinting his eyes to observe the floating platforms a little more. Moments later, he saw some moving figures on top of those platforms.

Shin is looking for the way to go up while muttering to himself. "Is this still a training ground? It looks a real dungeon to me."

After few more moments, Shin finally found the 'Starting Point'.

Shin saw a bunch of Lizardmen standing like a human. They are wearing a battle helmet and an upper armor. Each of their hands are holding a double-edge shortsword and a shield.

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Monster Name: Magma Lizard-Man(Special Elite)

Monster Rating: Special Creature

Level: 85

HP: 200 000

Attack Power: 3 987 - 4 000

Basic Defense: 2 000

Skill Resistance: 30%

Note: Immune to Flame related Skills. (They will recover their HP instead)

-----------------------

"Hmm... from what I can see, maybe the monsters on a dungeon with a Chaos difficulty are all humanoid monsters. Good thing their stats are adjusted according with my own." muttered Shin to himself after using his 'Scouting' Skill.

"Alright, I'm all alone for now. Tsk, now that I think about it, this brings back some unpleasant memories." sighed Shin to himself before walking towards the solitary Lizardman.

When Shin arrived at 30-meters away from that Lizardman, the monster immediately notice him and rush towards him using a 'Charge' skill.

"Alright, Let's go back to basics." Shin move his right foot forward while squatting his hips. Then he hold the sheath of the [Yamato] with his left hand while putting his right hand on its hilt.

When the Lizard Man is upon him, Shin took a forward diagonal step to the right while unsheathing his sword and slashing it towards the incoming Lizard.

Shing!

'Class Fighting Style: Quick Draw'

-27 619

After that, Shin use the momentum of his diagonal step to turn his body around and throw a diagonal slash at the back of the Lizardman.

-1 563

Immediately after that, Shin swiftly swing the [Yamato] diagonally at the back of the Lizardman in a powerful manner.

'Extra Skill: Destructive Slash'

-14 252(Stunned)

Then Shin throw some basic attacks to maximize his damage. And when the stun effect is about to end, Shin immediately thrust the [Yamato] forward, piercing the Lizardman's back all the way to its chest.

'Extra Skill: Heart Seeker'

-10 698

-3 563(Bonus Effect)(Stunned)

Shin swiftly pulled his sword back before throwing six consecutive stabs forward.

'Extra Skill: Multiple Stab'

-2 200

-2 200

-2 200

...

...

...

After that, the [Yamato] suddenly enfolded by a purple light before Shin slash it forward, and sending a powerful sword wave that devoured the Lizardman.

'Slayer Skill: Eclipse Slash'

-25 359

Shin immediately hop backwards after throwing those skills. Then the Lizardman regain its freedom to move, and chase after Shin.

Suddenly, the Lizardman leap towards Shin and immediately reach his front. Then it swing its sword downwards targeting Shin's head.

Shin calmly raise his left hand while hold the sheath of his sword as he turn his body in a clockwise direction.

'Dual Wielding Style: Sheath Wielding: Defend'

Clang!

After deflecting the attack, Shin immediately position himself at the back of the Lizardman once again, before throwing three consecutive slashes at the back of the later.

'Self-Created Skill: Triple Slash'

-3 980

-5 567

-7 560

Then Shin flicked his right wrist to change his grip on the [Yamato], before swiftly putting it back to its sheath. After that, he hold the hilt back in a forehand grip manner.

Next, Shin pulled the [Yamato] once again, and slash it rightwards, sending a blue colored crescent shape sword Qi towards the Lizardman.

'Class Fighting Style: Lunar Flash'

-17 696(Slowed)

Shin immediately channels the power of the Moon towards his sword after throwing that skill. Then he swiftly swing the glowing sword in the air five times.

But instead throwing the five slashes in five directions on his front, Shin control his swing and focus it in a single point of direction, resulting for the five vertical sword waves to combine into one.

This is one of the things that Shin have learned inside the 'Tiger's Altar' Instance Dungeon. Combining the skill's power and focusing their force in a single point.

'Slayer Skill: Modified Crescent Cleave'

Because the five sword waves are fuse together, they created a much more powerful sword vertical wave that have an unstoppable force.

-78 000(Killed)

The Lizard Man was cleaved into half when the sword wave passed through its body. Unfortunately it didn't drop any kind of items and didn't give any EXP at all, instead and numerical number (1) appeared at the corner of Shin's eyes.

"Hmm.... Is this the progress indicator?" muttered Shin to himself while waiting for his skills to be cooldowned and his MP to recover.

After few moments, he walk towards his next target. "Time to test some of the things that I've learned so far."