Chapter 83: The Wolf Pack

[XP +150]

For a Fierce Beast close to the Silver Level, this was a reduction of almost half the experience. Clearly, the injury caused by the Metal Puppet earlier made the System judge the opponent to be of a level above a Grand Knight. Moreover, even in this case, Dean’s character level was calculated as too low.

If Dean’s character level had increased by 1 or 2 levels at this time, the experience he would have received would likely not have reached 100—

[XP: 186]

Seeing that the experience points were enough to raise his current [Warrior] level, Dean chose not to increase it immediately. Instead, he looked at his Skill bar.

There, the just-completed [Military Swordsmanship (Goth)] and the Special Skill [Dragon Swordsmanship] were shining with their own luster.

After obtaining that trace of [Dragon Blood], [Dragon Swordsmanship] had changed from a gray, non-upgradable state to a normal, upgradable state.

However, unlike general Skills that had no character or class level restrictions, and unlike Basic and Applied Skills that were restricted by class levels,

[Dragon Swordsmanship], as a Special Skill, was actually restricted by the rule that its level could not be higher than that of [Military Swordsmanship (Goth)].

Dean felt relieved after a moment regarding such a restriction.

Clearly, [Military Swordsmanship (Goth)] was the foundation of the [Dragon Swordsmanship] of the Goth Royal Family—recalling the Grand Duchess’s advice back then for him to master the Emerald Kingdom’s Knight Swordsmanship (Military Swordsmanship), everything was so clear at a glance. Thinking back, he had wrongly thought that the Grand Duchess was just brushing him off, being overly protective of her own secrets. Dean could not help but smile at himself in self-mockery.

Back then, he was always arrogant and unable to distinguish right from wrong.

He always thought that he should be ‘destined’—now, thinking about it, Dean had no other thoughts except self-mockery.

However, some things always had the potential to change—

[Military Swordsmanship (Goth) Lv1 → Lv2 → Lv3]

[Military Swordsmanship Lv3 (Goth): Although you had studied it before, the subsequent completion was the top priority; Effect: When attacking, it allows a judgment of Strength +0.45; Duration 9.6 (Constitution x3) seconds; Cooldown 68 (100 – Constitution x10) minutes.]

The cost of 60 XP immediately made [Military Swordsmanship (Goth)] show initial results.

As for the remaining experience, Dean invested it all into [Dragon Swordsmanship].

Compared to a Basic Skill costing 10 XP to go from Lv1 to Lv2, and an Applied Skill costing 20 XP to go from Lv1 to Lv2, the Special Skill [Dragon Swordsmanship] actually required 100 XP to go from Lv1 to Lv2.

Yes, it was 100 XP, which was more than the experience Dean had spent to raise his class level from Lv1 to Lv2.

However, this cost brought benefits comparable to it—

[Dragon Swordsmanship Lv1 → Lv2]

[Dragon Swordsmanship Lv2, Learned: Indomitable Lv1]

[Dragon Swordsmanship Lv2: A sword technique understood by the Conqueror King after watching and imitating Giant Dragons battle; Effect: Momentum of Might Lv1, Indomitable Lv1 (At Lv1, you automatically gain Momentum of Might. For subsequent upgrades, when reaching an odd level, you can choose to upgrade existing moves. When reaching an even level, you will gain new moves. However, before Lv8, you cannot possess dual effects).]

[Momentum of Might Lv1: Condense one’s own Strength to improve oneself and Intimidate opponents; Effect: Increase all own attributes by 5%, decrease all opponent attributes by 5% (Requires a Will judgment—own Will +0.2 > opponent’s Will; if the judgment succeeds, it will trigger; if it fails, neither party will change).]

[Indomitable Lv1: A power ful Will dominates your body; Effect: When facing any choice that requires judgment, the attribute [Will] can appear as an additional value in the judgment (Example: Mild Poison: In Constitution-related checks, you will receive Will-related bonuses—own Constitution + own Will /10 (-0 -0.1 -0.2) -1.5 > 0).]

(Note: In Will checks, your own Will still appears with a one-tenth bonus.)

Clearly, [Indomitable Lv1] was a very powerful passive for Dean at this moment. He knew deeply how many dangers he needed to endure, and what would happen when each judgment received a bonus in such dangers. After all, sometimes a difference of 0.1 could affect normal combat.

Moreover, this was only Lv1 [Indomitable]. If the level was raised high enough…

Dean looked forward to the time when he would receive judgment bonuses.

Of course, when Dean glanced at the 200 XP required for [Dragon Swordsmanship] to go from Lv2 to Lv3, he knew this was not an easy process to achieve.

Moreover, facing the other moves of [Dragon Swordsmanship], Dean could not ignore them.

Even the move [Momentum of Might] that was automatically gained at Lv1 was the same.

After all, this also appeared to be a good choice to cultivate, even complementary to the [Indomitable] Will attribute as an additional judgment value.

Of course, before [Dragon Swordsmanship Lv8], Dean did not need to consider having two passives active at all times.

As for now?

Dean naturally chose [Indomitable].

It was not that [Momentum of Might] was bad, but simply that [Indomitable] was more suitable for him.

There was no best, only the most suitable.

Dean acknowledged these words.

After allocating the experience points, Dean walked towards the dead Alpha Wolf. Although the opponent was already dead, a Fierce Beast close to the Silver Level still had many valuable things on its Corpse; both its teeth and claws could fetch a good price.

However, it was a pity that the Fierce Beast’s Corpse in front of Dean, except for a few intact teeth, had shattered including its claws in the explosion of the earlier fireball.

Dean only shook his head slightly in regret and returned to the Metal Square.

After all, even if Dean knew that the Fireball in the [Crimson Ring] had far greater power than ordinary Fireballs, he would still do it—otherwise, it would have been him who died.

Moreover, compared to the Fireball in the [Crimson Ring], the two scrolls he carried were even more valuable.

Of course, there was also the [Dragon Head Greatsword] in front of him—although he could not use it in the short term, and even if he did, it would need to be completely changed.

But this did not prevent Dean from loving this legendary weapon.

In fact, among Dean’s few hobbies, collecting weapons and Armor certainly took up a place.

Thud, thud, thud…

With the [Dragon Head Greatsword] on his back, Dean’s steps became much heavier again.

However, there was a sense of anticipation in his heart—after all, in his embrace, there was also a Bloodline Contract scroll for controlling the Wolf Pack!

Therefore, on the way back, even with the [Dragon Head Greatsword] on his back, Dean’s speed was not much slower than when he came.

In fact, speaking seriously, that speed was even faster.

After slightly difficultly crossing the Arrow Rain Square, Dean stood behind the trap door at the entrance to the tomb.

Unlike the automatic identification of those Metal Puppets in the previous Metal Square,

the Arrow Rain Square was completely a touch-type trap; as soon as you touched it, it would trigger the shooting of arrows—fortunately, after drinking the [Dragon Blood] and gaining ‘All Attributes +1’, Dean was much stronger than when he came; otherwise, there would have been no chance to carry the heavy [Dragon Head Greatsword] out of this tomb.

Ah wooo!

Ah wooo!

…

Perceiving Dean’s approach, the Hagaslo Wolves outside roared in low growls. Especially the Beta Wolves and Guard Wolves, they bared their teeth; if Dean got any closer, they would definitely attack him without hesitation—in fact, this was because the Alpha Wolf’s solitary pursuit of Dean indicated that Dean was the Alpha Wolf’s prey.

Otherwise, when Dean appeared in the sight of this Wolf Pack, he would have already been attacked.

However, even so, if Dean touched certain bottom lines, such an attack would be unavoidable.

So, Dean wisely chose a relatively safe distance and took out the Bloodline Contract scroll from his bosom. When Dean took out this scroll, the Wolf Pack naturally stirred up some commotion.

Obviously, the instincts of beasts made them feel the crisis.

But the previous orders of the Alpha Wolf prevented them from making the most wise judgment at the first moment.

And this, naturally, gave Dean enough time—

A series of incantations sounded.

The originally agitated Wolf Pack calmed down like this. Their eyes began to go blank, as if they were wooden or clay statues.

Then, invisible wisps of aura seeped out from the released scroll and drilled into the Wolf Pack in front of them.

Immediately, those blank eyes began to clear.

And the hostile gaze towards Dean began to show a sense of intimacy.

It was as if dogs saw their masters.

In fact, this group of Hagaslo Wolves was far better than ordinary dogs; at least, only purebred Hounds could compare.

Dean looked at the complete prey brought back by the two Beta Wolves and couldn’t help but evaluate in his heart.