The MP Guild's countermeasures meeting ended there.
The subordinate who was reporting disappeared somewhere using a Rune Book, and Firia remained, beginning to focus on leveling up with other guild members.
'It's okay.'
The fact that Firia was here meant she was at least level 70.
But Lokan's stats were booming due to his training and title effects, and the combat skills he had accumulated from his previous life were immense. In that respect, while Firia wasn't necessarily *bad*, she was far from being *good*.
'Movement at just that level, judgment at that level.'
Like most players who stood out early on, she seemed to be ahead due to good initial luck or resources, but from an expert's perspective, long-term success seemed unlikely.
Feeling there was nothing more to gain, Lokan turned around and continued on his way.
* * *
Lokan's destination was Qingming Lake. After another fifteen minutes, he saw a scene that looked like it was out of a fairy tale.
"Lucky again. Or is this place just unpopular?"
He didn't know which it was, but it was a major advantage that he could have the area to himself without disturbance.
"Let's see… … . Great!"
The next item to acquire after the 'Fruit of the Forest Monster' was 'Clean Meat'. This involved catching animals that had grown strong by drinking the water of Qingming Lake.
The quest didn't specify a particular type, so if he was lucky, he could complete it by catching rabbits. If unlucky, he might have to deal with Blue Wolves or Blood Bears over level 80.
"I'm really lucky this time."
And in front of Lokan were all of them. The number of aggressive animals corresponding to levels 70-80 exceeded ten.
Normally, they would watch each other, drink the water, and leave, but the intrusive presence of a human stimulated all of them. As if by agreement, they surrounded Lokan, ready to attack at any moment.
"Grr… … ."
But Lokan smiled brightly. For him, eager to level up, this situation was welcome.
"Let's play!"
Lokan rushed in without delay.
He could use Berserk, but his skill proficiency didn't increase well in that state. It was still a time for growth, so he decided to save it as a last resort. He chose a strategy of quick, precise strikes!
Before they could coordinate a pincer attack, he decided to strike first and break their formation.
"Growl!"
When Lokan's eyes gleamed, the animals attacked him convulsively. It was like a battle between invaders and guardians, but it didn't matter. Because *he* was the aggressor.
Lokan slit the throat of a Blue Wolf that charged at him and let out an exhilarating laugh.
"Feels so good!"
Humanoid monsters sometimes had secondary jobs, but other monsters had unconditionally enhanced racial traits. Because of that, most users, unfamiliar with animal movements, had difficulties. But Lokan was different. He was someone who had fought countless battles against beasts, undead, and other strange creatures.
The movements of these sub-level 100 monsters were so obvious to him that he was confident he could kill them even if their raw stats were higher.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
And he unleashed a War Cry. Thanks to the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King's effect, it impacted them all at once. It instilled fear into their beastly instincts, making the entire Qingming Lake tremble.
"Shoulder Charge!"
*Koo!*
The heavy body of a Blood Bear collapsed with a sound like a crashing car. Its chest was sunken, and its front paws, which had been ready to slam down, lost strength and faltered.
The others were no exception. Even if they might have run away, those swept up by madness and attacking like moths to a flame were no match for Lokan.
In an instant, the surroundings became a sea of blood, and their blood began to flow into Qingming Lake.
- *Who dares pollute my lake?*
"Damn it."
At that moment, Lokan's battle fever cooled. The moment their red blood flowed into the clear blue lake, a voice echoed from the water.
[Lake Knight Artwight][Lv 100]
The guardian of Qingming Lake showed signs of anger and rose.
Its body, made of lake water, soon took a solid shape. It gradually changed from a spirit-like appearance to a humanoid form, showing clear hostility toward Lokan.
"I forgot about this."
The lore was that a knight who loved the lake spirit long ago had sworn to remain as its guardian even after death. This being was the reason Trinshik's "graduation" level was considered level 100.
While you didn't need a specific level to move from the starter city to Trinshik, leaving Trinshik for higher-tier areas was different. A player below level 100 who ventured out would likely accomplish nothing but die and be sent back. The significance of level 100 was that great, and the power difference between level 99 and 100 was huge.
"Should I run and come back later?"
So, it wasn't surprising that Lokan felt burdened. Stat-wise, he might already be comparable to level 100, but the strength of a true level 100 wasn't just about stats. It was about Combination Skills.
Combination Skills, created by synergizing skills from the first and second jobs through one's own actions, created an overwhelming difference in power. Therefore, even Lokan couldn't guarantee victory and considered escaping. If he left Qingming Lake and returned, the Lake Knight would disappear.
"I don't *have* to fight this guy yet."
He would have to fight a level 100 monster eventually anyway, as it was a condition for the third job change: to defeat a level 100 monster while at level 99, thus proving one's skill. Many players got stuck at this point for a long time. But it didn't have to be now. This particular knight was a tough opponent who dropped nothing of great value except the possibly useful 'Essence of the Lake'.
"… … Wait."
A hypothesis popped into Lokan's mind. If Mage Terian's goal was to study the purifying power of Qingming Lake, what role could the 'Essence of the Lake' play? Recalling that he often achieved better results by not strictly following the quest instructions, Lokan turned back, abandoning his thought of escape.
He radiated a bloody aura, and as if accepting the challenge posed by the approaching Lake Knight, he raised his battle axe.
"Well, let's try it!"
Come to think of it, there was nothing he *couldn't* do. His weak armor could be compensated for by the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King, and his weapon's somewhat lacking attack power could be somewhat offset by title effects. Moreover, his stats were higher than a typical level 99 character. It was a pity his skill proficiencies were still low, but he felt he could manage with his experience.
"Come on, you stubborn bastard!"
- *Those who pollute the lake shall apologize with their deaths!*
The Lake Knight rushed forward without delay. The moment it landed on the ground from the lake, it lost its 'Blessing of Immortality', but the prowess of a level 100 entity remained. It slammed into Lokan with a force he had never faced before and immediately unleashed a powerful slash.
- *Aqua Slash!*
"Fuck, a Combination Skill right from the start?"
The Lake Knight was a third-tier class combining Knight and Spirit Mage. Thanks to this, both martial force and spiritual power dwelled in its sword simultaneously. Lokan knew better than to block it head-on.
"Leap Attack!"
This time, the leap wasn't for attacking a target. It was solely to escape the skill's range. Lokan's body, hurling itself backward, covered a distance of ten meters, and he quickly spun around into a defensive stance.
The Combination Skills were fearsome, but the 'Force' ability learnable after the third job change was also absolute. While not as powerful as the 'Aura' learned later, it was a basic skill that greatly amplified attack power by channeling mana into the weapon. Although at level 100 it couldn't be maintained for long, it could be activated instantly, requiring caution.
However, Lokan had a skill that could counter it. Immediately… … .
"Berserk!"
While Berserk didn't grant the 'Force' ability, the massively enhanced attack power meant he wouldn't be overwhelmed even when clashing with a Force-imbued sword.
*Klang! Klang! Klang! Klang!*
Of course, with each weapon collision, the durability dropped significantly.
'Oh, my repair bill!'
But even while lamenting the cost of repairing his deteriorating Battle Axe, Lokan's eyes shone sharply. He felt the battle itself was worthwhile, even as his health dropped from the magical damage added to each clash.
- *Aqua Slash!*
"Dash!"
The main thing to avoid was the Combination Skill. Its attack power was overwhelming if taken directly. He avoided it using Dash or Leap Attack and aimed for a counterattack during its recovery period.
"Shoulder Charge!"
- *Aqua Guard!*
*Koo!*
A Combination Skill creating a sword shield combined with a water barrier. It sacrificed the overwhelming power of Aqua Slash for strong defense. Lokan bit his lip at the knight's well-rounded toolkit. He endured the sharp pain in his shoulder, protected by the Lizardman Leather Pauldrons, and pushed forward.
"Haa!"
*Splash!*
Since he was under Berserk, his vitality was high. As long as his neck wasn't cut or his heart pierced, he could recover later. As Lokan threw himself forward more violently, the knight's defense skill broke. Pushed back by raw strength, the knight's sword was deflected, and its posture disrupted.
"Strike!"
- *Escape!*
The moment Lokan broke through the defense, gathered his strength, and tried to drive his axe home, the knight's third Combination Skill activated. An escape skill similar to the one on Lokan's ring. It had a long cooldown but granted one guaranteed dodge. It showed why Artwight, the Lake Knight, was considered one of the strongest level 100 monsters.
"So cheap, so cheap!"
Knowing this, Lokan prepared to attack again, clicking his tongue in frustration. Since he already knew the knight's skill set, he also knew it likely had no more escape options.
"Then let's finish this now."
Lokan smiled at Artwight, who had nowhere left to retreat.