Hollow Earth Online - The Return of the Swordmaster

A week had elapsed since our triumph over the Goblin King.

According to the professor, only two groups had successfully vanquished the formidable foe, our group and Lucas's.

The lack of surprise on my part stemmed from the inclusion of Cain in Lucas's group.

Having two Class D adventurers with formidable equipment, aided by a couple of F ranks, proved to be a potent combination for conquering Black Swamp. 

Lucas's party comprised two Warriors, an Assassin, and two Archers.

My suspicion was that Cain had already reached at least level 25, granting him access to the Assassin's skill Backstab.

This mobility skill allowed instantaneous movement to the back of a target, and despite its limited range, Backstab with Paralyzing Dagger and Poison Dagger, delivered substantial damage, enough to dispatch a critically injured Goblin King in a single blow. 

Poison Dagger is an Assassin's level 20 skill, allowing you to coat the weapon with a weak poison that gives a poisoned status which has a decent DOT (Damage over Time).

Paralyzing Dagger, level 15 skill on the other hand gives paralyzed status that lowers movement by 50% for a few seconds.

Consequently, their group earned an A+ grade, while ours received an A.

The absence of Lucas's usual confrontational demeanor on that day surprised me.

Today marked a special training session, a showdown between teacher and student.

The F-rank members of the two successful groups had already been promoted to E-rank by the Guild Master.

Utilizing the Duel System, adventurers could assess their strengths within the protected area of the ancient pillars. This system ensured that adventurers' HP wouldn't fall below 20 percent, and any participant whose HP dropped beyond 70 percent would be deemed the loser. 

The focus of today's lesson was to illustrate the difference between ranks D and F. Professor Klein declared, "Ash Ferrer, you'll be the first to fight me."

Ash nodded in acknowledgment as he unsheathed his steel sword.

The duel commenced with the mutual acceptance of the participants. 

Ash initiated the attack, utilizing Dash to flank Professor Klein on his left side and following up with Sword Thrust .

However, his advance was abruptly halted as he was thrown backward, akin to a ragdoll. Professor Klein executed the Brawler level 25 skill Counter, reflecting 50 percent of Ash's sword skill damage and negating its damage.

This was swiftly succeeded by Iron Fist, a level 20 skill potent enough to topple an Ogre.

Ash's HP dwindled below 60 percent.

Undeterred, he rose to his feet with determination gleaming in his eyes. Launching into a quick Dash, he closed the distance and unleashed Sword Slash.

Although Professor Klein responded with another Counter, Ash skillfully canceled the skill transitioned to Sword Parry, causing the two skills to neutralize each other.

In a seamless sequence, Ash unleashed a vertical Sword Slash, but before he could make contact, a victory notice flashed, and he found himself on the ground with around 25 percent HP.

Professor Klein swiftly unleashed a consecutive Tiger Fist, a level 30 mid-range skill unique to the Brawler class.

The technique produced a burst of wind that materialized into a roaring tiger's head, propelling its target like a leaf caught in a gust. Upon seeing Ash on the ground, Claire Ashfall promptly cast Bless to restore his HP.

Professor Klein extended his hand to help Ash stand up and commended him for employing a Fake followed by a consecutive skill.

The ability to chain skills consecutively was a defining strength of the Brawler class, enabling them to seamlessly use rapid-cast skills in succession.

The impact on the professor's HP was minimal, showcasing the vast difference in skill levels. It was evident that Professor Klein was earnest in demonstrating the discrepancy in our abilities, a combination of adult cunningness and level superiority.

Despite multiple attempts by various melee weapon users from both groups, none could rival the professor's formidable strength. 

Then it was my turn, I was excited to fight someone who was not a monster, it's been a while after all. As the duel commenced, my excitement to face a human opponent surged, yet I promptly reminded myself to exercise restraint.

This wasn't a life-or-death battle, but rather a test to evaluate our skills. 

With this in mind, I decided to relish the experience and glean some lessons.

Professor Klein initiated the encounter with a swift Tiger Fist.

Sidestepping gracefully and executing a backward Dash, I skillfully evade his attack.

Closing in, the professor unleashed Iron Fist towards my face.

Employing a timely sword parry, I disrupted his balance, leaving his back vulnerable.

Capitalizing on this opening, I executed a horizontal Sword Slash. To counter, Professor Klein swiftly employed Round Kick, a level 15 skill rotating his body and using his knuckles to intercept my strike.

While he managed to block the attack, it still landed on his right shoulder, depleting a fraction of his HP. 

"You're quite formidable, Asriel. Your dodging and parrying skills are beyond those of an F or E rank adventurer," he remarked with a smile, acknowledging my capabilities.

A sudden question crossed my mind: Did I make a mistake? However, upon reflection, I realized that Professor Klein was merely commending my skills.

"Nah, he was just praising me," I thought. If he were aware of my true abilities, he might have reported me to the Guild Master by now and the Old Man would instantly inform me. 

"Practice makes perfect, Professor," I remarked sarcastically, acknowledging the harsh reality.

Fighting opponents much stronger and faster than a rank D brawler without resorting to high-level skills was already second nature to me.

Throughout my recollection, my life has consistently unfolded on the battlefield, spanning both this world and the old one.

Despite the duel's ongoing nature and both our HP gradually decreasing, I decided to employ a strategic move.

Utilizing Dash, I feigned a slip-up, allowing myself to be struck directly by Tiger Fist and conceding victory to Professor Klein for the fifth time.

He graciously congratulated me for putting up a formidable fight.

Lucas approached me, and to my surprise, it wasn't the usual malicious comment.

"The truth is, I was with the professor when you fought the Goblin King," Lucas timidly stated. "You looked so cool dodging those fast and heavy attacks," he excitedly added.

While his words seem harmless, the look in his eyes conveys a different narrative.

Good thing I never used Kaleidoscope, really great save Ash, I simply thought.

After the class ended that day, I headed to the Bellflower Diner for lunch since it was only a half day.

I was at the diner waiting for my lunch when I spotted a familiar figure – Claire. "Uhm, Asriel, can I ask you a favor?" she said softly. "Sure, but first, take a seat and order lunch," I insisted.

"Don't worry, it's my treat," I added. Initially hesitant, she eventually ordered food.

After I had a few slices of fried Red Boar meat, I inquired about the favor Claire needed.

"I felt a bit useless during our practical exam in the Black Swamp," she confessed.

"You were healing us the whole way; I think you did a great job," I commended her.

"But I can't help during actual fights," she added. Healer is a class great in healing and other useful buffs, but it also comes with a few support skills such as Bind level 20, a skill that restrains its target, and Holy Light level 25, a skill that's effective against undead and removes debuffs when cast on oneself or an ally.

"May I ask what's your level, Miss Claire?" I softly inquired. She stood up and walked toward me, softly whispering, "Level 15."

Level is one of the most confidential pieces of information in this world, revealing most of your capabilities, from your status to your actual skills.

A level 15 Healer, though a great class, has one fatal flaw.

At low levels, Healers aren't capable of solo leveling due to their lack of mobility and offensive capabilities.

Mana Shot, the Healer's basic attack, uses a lot of mana and takes a while to cast, leaving the caster vulnerable to attacks.

That's the main reason why Healers are rare, even though it's one of the base classes.

The only way to level up a Healer quickly is by level boosting, partying, and killing higher-level monsters.

A high-level Healer is a must on higher-level hunting grounds and dungeons, as it increases the group's survivability significantly.

I was considering bringing the other members, but it's challenging to protect everyone while fighting if I'm not going to use my Advanced Class Enchanter. So, I dropped the thought and proceeded to answer Claire's request. 

She was sitting silently in front of me, waiting for my reply.

Miss Claire, regarding your request, meet me at the Central Plaza near the Transport Gate tomorrow before dawn," I stated. "And please be in your adventurer's gear," I added, smiling at her.

The only way to get her to level 25 in a day is by clearing the dungeon near the Abandoned Mines.

It was still dark when I left my house. Most of the residents of the city were still asleep, and it took me a few minutes before I reached the central plaza.

I saw Claire's figure sitting on a bench, waiting for my arrival. The moment she saw me, she stood up and approached me. She seemed a bit excited.

'Miss Claire, are you afraid of spiders?' I politely asked. 'Not really,' she answered.

Today, we are gonna clear Arachnia's Cavern; it's a level 30 dungeon filled with spider-like monsters,' I continued. We then stepped on the Gate, and I chanted, 'Transfer: Arachnia's Cavern.'

We found ourselves at the entrance of a dark cavern filled with webs. "Before we enter, Miss Claire, I want to ask you a couple of things," I said.

"First, don't use Bless or any skill while I'm fighting the monsters, or they will attack you," I stated. She nodded in reply.

"Second, stay close behind me while exploring the dungeon, and keep your distance while I'm fighting," I added.

"Next, please accept the trading request," I continued.

As she clicked the confirm button on the trade, a white cloak appeared in her hand – the Cloak of Tranquil, a rare drop from killing Cyclops.

Its ability lowers the user's aggro by 50%, increases the user's vitality by 20 points, and grants the user a rare skill Moment of Courage while equipped.

It's a skill that allows the user to avoid instant death once a day and grants invincibility for a few seconds while decreasing the user's offensive capability to nothing.

She was confused for a moment as she looked at the item's stats.

"Why would you give me something this valuable?" Claire asked. "It's a gift, and you need this item to clear this dungeon safely," I said.

"Lastly, I want you to keep everything that will happen here a secret," I added.

"Ah… Sure, Asriel, and thanks for this pretty cloak," she happily said as she equipped the cloak.

"It suits you perfectly," I uttered. "Really?" she excitedly answered. 

As we entered the dungeon, we found ourselves inside a dark cave filled with mineral deposits. Several crystals illuminated the cave-like fireflies on a moonless night.

Walking past several stalagmites, monsters started appearing. I spotted several Cave Spider level 25, using Dash plus Sword Thrust, I closed the gap between me and the monsters.

Then I followed it with a consecutive Quick Slash. A flurry of slashes enveloped the monsters, defeating them before they could even spew a single web.

I looked back and saw Claire a bit surprised. "What's that skill?" she curiously asked. "It's Quick Slash, a level 30 skill of the Warrior Class.

You can use it consecutively five times," I murmured. Her eyes quickly lit up. "I see, so the professor was right that your skill wasn't that of an E or F rank adventurer," she said. 

She was about to say something when several  Cave Spiders started attacking us. I went ahead and defeated them. 

It was about an hour since we started exploring the cave. We took a break beside a rock formation, and Claire then handed me a sandwich.

I took a big bite, and a familiar flavor gushed into my mouth. It was a fried Sand Fowl sandwich with added mayonnaise and ketchup.

For a second, I thought the sandwich vanished from thin air. Claire handed me my second sandwich and a cup of coffee. "Don't worry, I made a lot," she said.

"Is it that tasty?" she asked. "I would eat this any time of the day," I said while munching the sandwich.

Claire looked happy as she ate her sandwich.

After our tasty break, we continued exploring deeper into the cave. 

A few moments later, we found ourselves in a wide space deep in the cave. Cave Spiders started falling from the ceiling of the cave, and we were surrounded.

I quickly grabbed Claire around the waist as I cleared the Cave Spiders blocking our exit. I asked Claire to stay put while I cleared the hordes of Cave Spider.

A few minutes passed, and the area fell silent.

Claire approached me, looking worried, and quickly cast Bless.

Although Cave Spiders weren't much of a threat, their webs had a slow debuff that, if not careful, could tangle and immobilize you.

At least 20 Cave Spiders fell by my sword. We took a short break, allowing my HP to regenerate to full. 

It was almost noon when we reached the Boss Room. Arachnia, a level 30 Dungeon Boss, was a monstrous creature with a half-human, half-spider figure.

This beast boasted incredible mobility, capable of expelling webs and poison that inflicted abnormal statuses, causing damage over time.

Leaving Claire in a safe corner, I lured Arachnia to the opposite side.

The monster lunged at me with incredible speed, its front legs unleashing a flurry of attacks. Fortunately, I had switched to a new steel sword upon entering the boss room.

I narrowly dodged Arachnia's attacks due to its high agility. After landing several blows on the monster, its HP dropped below half.

Arachnia started traversing the sidewalls, spewing poison as I jumped midair to avoid one of its slashes. 

However, I was hit by the poison spit, and my HP began plummeting due to the percentage-based damage-over-time effect called Toxic.

Glancing at my current health, I realized I only had a minute to defeat Arachnia, which still had about 30 percent HP.

I tried my best to land a blow, but every time Arachnia retreated to the walls and resumed its relentless assault.

With half a minute left before my HP reached zero, I prepared to equip Kaleidoscope.

However, Arachnia suddenly became surrounded by white light threads and was pinned to the ground.

This unexpected turn of events was the result of Bind, one of Claire's Healer Class support skills.

Without a second thought, I equipped myself with Kaleidoscope.

The glass-looking sword was engulfed in crimson flames as I unleashed Phoenix Slash, a level 45 skill of the Warrior class.

The monster was cleaved in half, and in an instant, Arachnia's body was consumed by flames.

I swiftly accessed my inventory to retrieve an elixir and dispel the debuff.

However, before I could grab the elixir, my body was engulfed in a golden light , Holy Light level 25, one of the most potent skills of Healers that has the ability to dispel any negative status.

I had been a breath away from my HP dropping to zero. Claire rushed toward me, casting Bless, her face filled with worry and tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

To reassure her, I quickly informed her about one of my items , the Necklace of Endurance, a bound item that instantly heals me to full HP but can be used only once.

It was a gift received at the end of the Hollow Earth Online Beta Test and a significant reason why I could afford to be reckless at times.

She took a deep breath and playfully punched my chest. After a few moments, we began examining the boss drops.

Among them were about a hundred gold coins and several items, the most notable being the Sphere Staff , a staff that enhances healing effects, cast range, and allows a single-targeted spell to become an AOE; White Snow , an uncommon armor that negates abnormal statuses and increases the user's HP by 30 percent; and Swift Staff , a staff that enables instant casting on offensive spells that are 10 levels below the user. 

I let Claire take possession of the Sphere Staff and White Snow. Although she hesitated initially, after some convincing, she eventually accepted the items.

The gold drop was evenly divided between the two of us, and I stored most of the items and materials in my inventory. Subsequently, we headed towards the Transport Gate near the entrance of Arachnia's Cavern.

By the time we arrived at the central plaza, night had fallen. Upon surveying the surroundings, I noticed my mom seated on a bench near the plaza's fountain.

A woman sat beside her, and Claire began running towards them. It was Claire's mom, and I realized that Claire must have sought her permission and informed her that I would be accompanying her.

Claire's mom, Evelyn Ashfall, happened to be my mom's best friend, and I had seen her in pictures and heard stories about her on several occasions.

"Good evening, Miss Evelyn. I'm Asriel Sanchez, Claire's classmate," I uttered, providing a brief self-introduction to Claire's mom.

She greeted me warmly and expressed gratitude for helping her daughter and ensuring her safety. After bidding farewell, I informed my mom that I intended to buy takeout from Bellflower's Diner before heading home, considering she might not have had the chance to cook dinner because of me.

While walking towards Bellflower's Diner, my mom suddenly remarked, "Evelyn's daughter is quite beautiful, isn't she?" Without hesitation, I agreed, and my mom chuckled at my almost red face as we continued walking.

Reflecting on the recent encounter, I realized I had nearly wasted the Necklace of Endurance due to Arachnia's unexpected poison attack and increased mobility.

The last time I faced that monster, its health dropped from 50 percent to zero in a few seconds.

I made a mental note to be more cautious in the future as I opened the diner's door right in front of me.