Second Floor, Urbus
There were quite a few players in town, but judging from their equipment, it was obvious they didn't have the strength to match this floor. Many had simply teleported over to take a look at what the new level was like, while others were opportunists hoping to stumble upon hidden quests while the floor was freshly opened.
No matter how you looked at it, Lillian's group had progressed far too quickly. The average player level was still around 6–8, with many players not even daring to enter the first-floor labyrinth, let alone the second. Up here, they probably wouldn't survive even against ordinary field monsters. Because of that, quite a few players had already started expressing dissatisfaction toward those who cleared the floor.
"People are saying things like, 'They secretly used their closed-beta advantage to steal the BOSS and exclusive drop,'" Argo said quietly as they walked.
"You should be careful," she continued. "Try not to let it slip that you participated in the raid. Some people are deliberately spreading rumors, and a lot of players already know you're a closed-beta tester. Your bamboo hat and greatsword are also very distinctive—it's easy to recognize you. Plenty of eyes are on you now."
"People with ulterior motives…"
Lillian figured there was no one else—it had to be Kibaou. Back at the tavern, he had been so angry with nowhere to vent that he spread rumors about Lillian's appearance and his status as a closed-beta player everywhere. Quite petty, really.
Walking along, Argo led the way through a path that would have been impossible to find without a detailed map or endless patience. Exiting the safe district, they arrived at a rocky cliff dotted with trees. They crawled into a hidden mountain cave, slid down a stream like a slide, then climbed yet another rocky incline…
No wonder Argo had been so reluctant earlier. The journey was exhausting. Up and down, it took almost an hour before they finally reached the summit of a rocky mountain. They looked around: a small courtyard enclosed by rocks, a spring, a tree, and a small wooden cabin.
"We're here."
Argo led Lillian to the cabin and pushed open the door. Inside were a few plain furnishings and a muscular, bald NPC with a golden beard. He looked about fifty, dressed in a loose robe, with a large golden "?" floating above his head.
"Before you accept the task, one more reminder," Argo said. "If you fail, you might hate me until the end of the game."
Lillian knew she was referring to the task penalty—a beard drawn on the cheek that couldn't be removed until the task was completed.
"I don't have any tasks I can't complete."
He approached the man, who glanced at him. "You want to become my student? This is dangerous training."
"Yes."
"Good!"
The question mark above the man's head turned into an exclamation point, signaling the task acceptance. He led Lillian outside to a courtyard, stopping at a massive boulder about two meters high and one and a half meters wide.
The master tapped it a few times with a finger, stroking his beard with the other hand. "Your task is simple: break this stone with your fists. If you can, I will teach you my techniques."
Lillian nodded and stepped back.
"Until you break this rock, you may not leave the mountain."
As he spoke, the master produced an inkstone and brush from his robe—clearly intending to draw the beard on Lillian's face, which would remain until the task was completed. If Lillian failed, the beard would stay forever, or he could give up and leave—but the penalty would remain.
The master dipped the brush into the ink. Argo, anticipating Lillian's struggle, couldn't help but laugh at the thought of his upcoming embarrassment.
But just as the brush approached, Lillian suddenly took a huge stride, arching his back tens of degrees like a drawn bow, then thrust his fist forward like an arrow.
Shhh—
The crack of air sounded as his fist hit the boulder. "Thud!" followed by rapid "crack crack crack" noises as fissures spread across the stone from the impact point.
Clatter, clatter…
Seconds later, the boulder shattered into pieces scattered on the ground. No cracks—completely destroyed.
Lillian withdrew his fist, rubbing his wrist slightly.
The stone wasn't a "monster" and had no attributes, meaning damage wasn't determined by attributes but by real strength. So even if the rock were double, five times, or ten times bigger, he could still smash it with a single punch.
Glancing at Argo and the master, he saw both frozen in place. Argo's grin was completely stuck, while the master's brush dripped ink onto the ground in shock. Neither expected the task to be completed before the beard was even drawn.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Argo couldn't believe it—her heart raced as if a thousand wild buffalo were stampeding. Why had such a difficult task been completed in a single blow? At least wait until the beard was drawn to see his embarrassed face!
Lillian caught her thoughts and chuckled. The master finally recovered, nodding with satisfaction. "Excellent! Your foundation is rock-solid. I can now teach you my techniques!"
[Task Complete – Acquired Special Skill: Martial Arts]
[Skill Bar Full – Replace a skill?]
Seeing the prompt, Lillian naturally chose to replace an existing skill.
He selected [Martial Arts] to replace [One-Handed Hammer], ignoring the other options.
[You have successfully learned: Martial Arts]
"Excellent! At last, I have a successor," said the master, returning to the cabin. "You may descend now. Remember: don't commit evil deeds; do good wherever possible."
"Yes, thank you, Master, for teaching me."
The master returned inside. Lillian looked at Argo, whose golden-brown curls stood on end in disbelief, her face puffed up comically.
"Hey, you're not upset because I completed it so quickly, are you?"
"Cheh!" Argo snapped.
Still baffled, she asked, "How is your strength so great? You're only level 11—your strength attribute can't possibly be that high."
"Want to know?" Lillian asked.
Argo instinctively nodded but stayed cautious. He mimicked her gesture, holding up two fingers: "Twenty thousand col, and I'll tell you."
---
Later, in Urbus Tavern, Lillian arrived as requested. After completing the Martial Arts task and descending with Argo, he received a message from Terusuke inviting him to the second-floor tavern. Upon arrival, he immediately spotted Terusuke seated at a central table.
Lillian sat down beside him. "I'm here."
"Lillian, I promised I'd properly thank you," Terusuke said, a flash of light revealing a blueprint in his hand. He placed it on the table. "This is for you."
"What's this?"
Lillian picked it up and his eyes immediately brightened.
[Blueprint for Forging Refined Steel Armor]
[Type: Consumable]
[Effect: Using this grants the forging information needed to craft the corresponding equipment]
"…Argo told me you switched to the blacksmithing profession, so I saw someone selling this and bought it for you. You should be able to use it."
Lillian nodded, placing it directly into his backpack. "This will definitely come in handy. Thanks."
"No problem," Terusuke shook his head. "Compared to the help you've given us, a blueprint is nothing. I didn't expect you'd pick up a side profession," he said, surprised. "I thought you'd just focus on being a top-tier player."
"These aren't mutually exclusive," Lillian replied. "It's mainly convenient for crafting my own gear, so I don't have to run back to NPCs every time equipment durability drops."
"True." Terusuke nodded, hesitating for a moment before speaking again. "Lillian, you're a solo player, right? Want to join us? We could watch each other's backs, and clear bosses faster… What do you think?"
Looking at Terusuke's hopeful gaze, Lillian declined.
"Sorry, Terusuke, I prefer acting alone. But if you ever need help, just call me—I'll assist."
"Ah…" Terusuke looked slightly disappointed. Lillian continued, "I'm not fond of staying with too many people. But if you ever get a guild headquarters and officially form a guild, I might join… just as a name on the roster. I won't join any others."
"Is that so? That's fine!" Terusuke brightened at this. "Then next time we clear a BOSS together! Of course, the LA drop goes to whoever lands the last attack, just like before…"
"Shhh!"
Lillian made a finger-to-lips gesture and glanced toward the doorway, spotting a figure quickly running away.
"What's wrong?"
Following his gaze, Terusuke saw no one.
"…Someone might have overheard us," Lillian said, but didn't bother pursuing. It was a safe district; even if they chased them, it wouldn't matter.
"Let them overhear. What…" Terusuke began, then suddenly realized the implication. His expression turned serious. "You mean… the fact that we cleared the BOSS might have been leaked?"