n

n

nIan, unaware of what was going at the imperial palace, was working hard deep under the Scorching

nLand.

n‘Shit! What am I even doing here?’

nThe cliff was very sharp.

nHe was hanging on the cliff where a pool of lava was right under him. He was digging for something

nwith a pickax.

n‘When does this crazy gathering quest end?’

nAfter the Capturing Polluted Monsters quest, the next quest Ian received was quite satisfactory.

nIt was about killing 100 polluted monsters.

n‘The reward was small, but I had to hunt anyway, so it was fine.’

nHowever, every related quest he had to do after that was a gathering quest. Ian had to go around in

nthe dungeon and gather herbs and minerals.

n‘I hate this kind of quest the most!’

nHe hated gathering quests which required searching and gathering all kinds of ingredients.

nNot only he wouldn’t get any EP, but he also couldn’t raise his skills’ Proficiency, additionally, he

ncouldn’t even get money!

nOf course, the way Ian will feel at the end of the quest will depend on the reward. However, as it was

na series of quests, he didn’t know what he would get when all the quests were completed. This

nirritated him even more.

n‘If he gives me something useless, I will shatter that guardian of lava!’

nIan had already spent too much time.

nHe had been working on the quests without doing gaining a single level for almost 24 hours.

nHe had worked for that long, so he had to get to the end.

nDing-

nIan sighed at seeing the message when he finished gathering.

n‘Please… tell me this is the end…’

nIan climbed up the cliff and headed back to the Source of Lava.

n‘It is the end, right? It has to be… it has to be…’

nIan kept muttering like that. He then went to Hellyan and handed him the ingredient items with shaky

nhands.

n“Here, I’ve brought them…”

nHis voice was weak unlike when he had first started doing quests for Hellyan.

nThe monster smiled at seeing that.

nHellyan disappeared into the lava with Ian’s items again. Ian plopped down on the ground.

n‘Ha… the same pattern again.’

nThat red fire creature would come out again and give him another damn gathering quest.

nIan sighed heavily, “Hu…”

nIan started to even seriously consider giving up the series of quests if he received another gathering

nquest.

n‘It’s fine for me if there are more quests. Just not gathering quests, please…’

nIan closed his eyes.

nThen, he started to pray earnestly even though he didn’t believe in any religion.

n‘God, Buddha, Allah… please listen to my prayer just for once… it’s not like I always ask you

nsomething from you…’

nThis was an earnest prayer from the humble gamer Ian!

nHis prayer was answered, the lava fell in front of him started to rage.

nKwaaaaa-!

nThe sound was huge as if the dungeon was collapsing. Ian panicked, “What-what?!”

nThen, he despaired, ‘I don’t want to be the first Kailan user to be killed by a collapsing dungeon…’

nIan considered logging out.

nThen, the vibration started to fade.

nIn front of Ian’s eyes, the lava that flowed like a waterfall disappeared and a still lake of lava

nappeared.

nIan stared at that blankly.

n‘Is it over?’

nA lot has certainly changed.

nIt was still hot but the Source of Lava, which used to be a little grim, had become brighter. The

nblackish lava that flowed here and there turned red again.

nThe quiet lake of lava shook and Hellyan, the huge guardian of lava, appeared.

n“That… was nothing.”

nIan answered and carefully asked, “But is purifying the Source of Lava over?”

nHellyan nodded.

nIan couldn’t understand. He asked back, “I worked more than you expected?”

n‘I did only what he told me to do…’

nIan looked confused. At this, Hellyan smiled.

nIan didn’t say anything and listened to Hellyan.

ncore of lava.

nHellyan looked at the bubbling lava and continued.

nWater to purify the lava.

nIan’s face started to distort as he listened.

nHowever, Hellyan didn’t notice that. He just spoke again.

npurify the core of lava, that is regularly polluted, 5 times.

nIan’s legs turned to jelly. He sat down.

n‘Ah… the quest had a time limit…’

nAccording to Hellyan, he only needed to do the quest enough to make one bottle of Purifying Water.

nHe felt it was unfair. He almost cried.

n‘No wonder he made me gather the same ingredients multiple times…’

nIan had worked very hard in order to finish the series of quests as fast as possible.

nHe didn’t work hard to help Hellyan.

n‘I should have been hunting in the intervals instead of only gathering…’

nIf he had done that, he would have filled at least 40~50% of the EP progress bar.

nHowever, Ian couldn’t yell at Hellyan for deceiving him.

nHe had worked hard to get Friendship with the NPC. He couldn’t blow that away just before he got his

nreward.

nPlus, strictly speaking, Hellyan hadn’t fooled Ian.

nHe just didn’t tell him everything.

nHellyan, unaware of Ian’s feelings, looked very happy.

nIan muttered quietly, ‘Then, give me my reward now.’

nAs if he heard Ian, Hellyan spoke again,

nA system message announced the end of the series of quests.

nDing-

nHe gained enough EP to reach Lv. 71 and fill the EP bar by 50%!

nIan had spent almost two days, but the reward was worth it.

nIan had completed all the quests starting with the capturing quest till the maximum possible, so the

nclear rank was a triple S.

nHowever, Ian didn’t look very happy.

n‘If I had hunted between quests, I would have gained another level?’

nIan regretted and shook with anger. Then, another message came up.

n‘Hmm… what is the Binding Stone of Lava?’

nIan asked Hellyan, “What is this, Hellyan?”

nHellyan smiled and replied.

nthe reward. However, since you have done so much for me, I am giving you the one I cherish the

nmost.

n‘Guardian?!’

nIan opened his inventory with excitement.

nHe checked the Binding Stone and the monster’s information window appeared.

nLava Drake King

nLevel: 80

nType: Drake

nRank: Hero

nCharacter: Brave

nEvolution Impossible

nAttack Force: 1975

nDefense Force: 975

nSpeed: 527

nIntelligence: 609

nHealth: 23537

/23537

nMagic: 9750

/9750

nUnique Abilities

nminutes)

nBreath of Lava

nWhen using basic attacks, Breath of Lava is activated with a 30% probability.

nWhen it is activated, the Drake breathes fire and inflicts damage of 175% of its Attack Force to

nenemies in the front side. (Fired in a 4m cone-shaped range.)

nThe king of Lava Drakes that was born in hot lava.

nSpecialized in Fire type attacks and has a powerful Attack Force.

n…

nIan read the monster’s information and was thrilled.

n‘A Hero rank monster! Its Attack Force is nearly 2000!’

nIts Attack Force was 1975.

nIt had fire Breath that most drakes had, additionally, the passive skill called the Breath of Lava was a

nwide-range attacking skill that Ian needed the most.

nThe ‘Evolution Impossible’ part was a little disappointing, but it wasn’t a big deal.

nNo user had even seen a Legend rank monster, so right now Hero rank was the highest rank.

nIan would be asking for too much if he wanted the Evolution Possible option.

n‘It has limits because of the Evolution Impossible option… but as I need to raise my level urgently, this

npet is a perfect fit for me.’

nIan wanted to enter into a bond with it and use it immediately, but his Leadership wasn’t enough.

n‘I should go straight to the village, buy every item that raises Leadership and wear them.’

nIf that didn’t work, Ian was going to release his Clofia.

nOf course, he thought he would be able to get the necessary Leadership by spending some money.

nHis guilt of doing something that was only good for Hellyan vanished.

n‘Even if I had worked on capturing Lava Witch during the time I spent on gathering, I couldn’t have

ngotten something better than this Drake.’

nBy hunting with this Lava Drake King, Ian would be able to get high EP as well.

nIan grinned and thanked Hellyan as if he had never blamed him.

n“Thank you, Hellyan. I will use the Drake well.”

nIan said goodbye to Hellyan and hurried to use a Returning Magic Scroll to return to the village.

nIan just wanted to use the Drake as soon as possible.

n…

nWhile Ian was smiling happily while watching the Lava Drake King.

nAnother owner of a Lava Drake, Kanoel, was gaining levels with his ‘avatar’.

n“Drava, Breath!”

nKaooooo!

nThe Red Drake, Drava, fired a red breath!

n‘I have named him so well.’

nKanoel was very satisfied with his own naming sense.

nThe name Drava had a ‘deep’ meaning.

nKanoel had taken one syllable each from lava and dragon.

nKanoel’s naming sense was as ‘good’ as Ian’s.

nDrava fired a breath and five Peragons turned grey and died.

nDrava was proud of himself. It was then triumphantly breathing hot breath.

nIt wasn’t the only one who felt good, “Kahahahah! How does that feel, you idiots!”

nKanoel laughed like a madman as he slaughtered Peragons of Narhan Swamp that had troubled him

na few days ago.

nIt was so delightful!

nDrava was beyond compare with the Asiatic Black Bear that had kept kicking the air and Kanoel loved

nit.

n“Drava, well done!”

nThe Friendship between Kanoel and Drava was almost to the Max.

nKanoel had been hard on the Bear, but he just loved Drava.

nActually, as Peragons were Lv. 26 Regular Rank monsters, it was only natural they were easy preys

nto Drava who was a Unique rank Drake, but Kanoel was satisfied with his level-up speed and the

nresult of the battles that he couldn’t realize that.

n“Huhu, Narhan Swamp is too easy now. Right, Drava?”

nKrrrrr-!

nThe master and the pet got along well.

n‘Hmm… it’s time to move to a different hunting ground.’

nKanoel had been sweeping across Narhan Swamp for 3 days. He had gained six levels and he was

nLv. 30 now. He also had gotten the title of Peragon Slaughterer.

nDrava, who had been Lv. 32, was now Lv. 36.

nNow, Kanoel’s confidence alone could reach the sky.

n‘The Goblins’ Campsite would be a fitting hunting ground for me.’

nHe smiled while thinking of going to a hunting ground where he would have never imagined of going if

nhe didn’t have Drava.

n“Drava, let’s go to Somur Canyon!”

nKanoel dismissed Drava and teleported to the village using a Returning Magic Scroll.

nWith Drava, the ‘best’ drake in Kailan, Kanoel feared nothing.

n