"Lucas (Vice President): ??? What I said is true, I didn't lie to you!"
Watching the guild chat scroll with disbelief and mockery, Lucas felt his patience thinning. The crooked way the conversation was turning made him feel unjustly accused. He had sincerely wanted to share a little-known trick of metaphysics that had a guaranteed payoff. Why was everyone treating him like a liar?
"Lucas (Vice President): Well, yes, the threshold for this method is a bit high. That's my fault for not clarifying. Just remember, everyone, only do what you're capable of. Don't overreach!"
He quickly sent another message, trying to salvage his credibility.
"Lucas (Vice President): Also, I only guarantee that the first time someone clears the nightmare difficulty dungeon alone, it will definitely yield loot. And not just any loot—two beams of it. But if you've already done it before in a team, you can't repeat it. I'm only sharing my verified experience here. That's it!"
Then, to ease the tension, he typed a final, joking message:
"Lucas (Vice President): The submarine Lucas is diving now, goo dong goo dong goo dong…"
The chat fell silent for a beat, before another message popped up.
"Mason (High-Level Member): Is this really true?"
"Wei Kaiyuan (Elite Member): I don't think the vice-president would play a trick on us. It should be genuine…"
"Zach Darnell (Elite Member): Relax, everyone. Let me verify it myself. I've never cleared the nightmare version of the Level 20 dungeon anyway. I'll go test it and report back later!"
"Feng Mingxuan (Elite Member): Let's go together! I'm in!"
"Xie Xiaoruo (Elite Member): Listen, those of you not strong enough shouldn't rush. Your lives come first—don't waste your resurrection badges!"
"Xu Jingqi (Elite Member): Sister Xiaoruo is right. Everyone, calm down. Don't act rashly. Let Brother Zach and the others verify it first!"
For a moment, the tension diffused. Lucas was, after all, the vice-president of the Tower Demolition Team Guild. This was his first time openly sharing dungeon-clearing advice, and despite their doubts, some members still believed him. Others chimed in, warning weaker members not to attempt something that could cost them dearly.
They all knew their limits. Nightmare difficulty was no joke—soloing it was nearly impossible unless you were ten levels above. Even then, the effort was brutal. At Level 20, only those with outrageous stats could push through.
But what good was low-level nightmare gear anyway? For players who'd already surpassed it, the gear would quickly fall behind and only be useful for selling. For the average member, though, even a small payout from the guild elites' testing was worth the wait.
And so, the guild settled. Lucas' credibility wasn't fully restored, but at least no one was calling him a liar anymore.
---
Lucas ignored the continuing chatter after that. He'd already done his part—sharing the "metaphysics" he'd discovered. Whether it worked for others wasn't his concern.
Besides, the system hadn't marked it as one of his special perks, which meant this wasn't just his exclusive buff. It should work for others too, right?
He shrugged, dismissed the thought, and summoned his heavy-duty motorcycle. The engine roared to life. With a smirk, he twisted the throttle and sped away from the Level 40 dungeon, leaving behind a small crowd of envious players.
Many stared after him with admiration and longing. One day, they hoped they too could be like him—a powerhouse capable of clearing nightmare difficulty solo.
Boom. Boom.
Lucas didn't head into the wilderness to grind monsters like usual. He had something more important to do. He wanted to return to the guild headquarters to swap out some of his accessories.
After his second transfer, he'd unlocked the talent skill "Shura Blood Rage." The problem? It had a ten-minute cooldown. Without adjustments, it was nearly impossible to use in quick succession.
But Lucas had a plan.
The guild's buffs already provided a 10% cooldown reduction. If he replaced his two critical strike rings with ones that reduced cooldown, that would bump it to 30%.
And if he could find a pendant or belt with another 10% reduction? That would bring him up to 40–50% cooldown reduction!
In short, his ten-minute skill would shrink to around five minutes.
Add in the fact that the skill itself lasted 90 seconds, and the real downtime would only be about three and a half minutes. That was a massive improvement.
Critical hits weren't a problem anyway—thanks to his Delusion-Breaking Eye, every strike he made was already guaranteed critical. Raw damage was covered. Cooldown reduction was the key to becoming unstoppable.
Still, he hesitated when it came to his Ogre Pendant. Its lifesteal effect was too valuable to discard. Sustained survival was non-negotiable. At best, he could aim for 40% cooldown reduction and call it a win.
With this plan in mind, he tore down the wilderness roads toward Kyoto's main city.
---
Just then, his phone buzzed.
Lucas pulled it out with one hand while keeping the other on the throttle. The message was from Danny Quinn and his party.
They'd been busy grinding earlier and missed the guild drama, but now they'd caught up and were sending congratulations.
"Congrats, Boss Lucas, on hitting Level 40! By the way, is that metaphysics you mentioned real?"
Lucas laughed, typing back casually with one hand:
"Thanks. And yes, it's real. But remember—only do what you can handle. Don't overdo it."
He was about to pocket the phone when it buzzed again. Another message.
This time, it wasn't from Danny Quinn's group.
Lucas glanced at the sender and froze.
Jade Walker. The guild president.
Her message was short and to the point:
"Have you completed your second transfer?"
Lucas blinked. So she knew already?
He smirked. Of course—Emily Frost must've told her. She was Jade's most reliable assistant after all.
He typed back quickly:
"Yeah, I completed it. Went smoothly—succeeded on the first try."
Her reply came almost instantly:
"Good. Then if you're working hard to level up, I'll push myself too."
Lucas stared at the screen for a long moment, lips twitching. Was she… flustered?
He finally typed back:
"Alright then. Let's work hard together."
No further reply came from Jade. Lucas slipped the phone into his pocket and focused back on the road. But then he couldn't help himself—he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha… is she panicking? Did my speed scare her?"
Even with only two short messages, Lucas could feel her mood clearly. She was rattled.
After all, they had a bet between them. And Lucas' leveling pace was monstrous.
In just a month and a half, he'd climbed from Level 25 to Level 40. He'd even completed his second transfer. Meanwhile, Jade Walker was still stuck around Level 73—the same as when they'd last compared levels. Not even a single level gained.
The gap was shrinking. Fast.
Anyone would feel threatened watching someone below them soar upward so quickly.
Lucas smirked, his playful side surfacing. He twisted the throttle, sending the motorcycle roaring forward at lightning speed.
Still, reality grounded him. He knew the real climb began after the second transfer. The experience requirements skyrocketed. It wasn't going to be as easy as before.
In fact, the total EXP he'd needed from Level 25 to 40 was probably less than what Jade needed for a single level-up.
But still—the fact that she messaged him first meant she felt the pressure. That was victory enough for now.
"Ah, it's a pity I didn't get to see her face," he muttered, imagining Jade's proud, confident expression melting into unease. The thought amused him to no end.
With that wicked grin, Lucas gunned the throttle again, racing across the open plains toward Kyoto, the wind howling around him like applause for his triumph.
---
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