Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Pirate King (1)
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"Not much time left...!"
Catching a master-level monster every thirty minutes had shot Rokan's level up fast to 297. Just three more levels to go until 300—master level achieved.
Of course, the experience needed was overwhelmingly more than before, but what would normally take months just to reach this point was plenty satisfying.
The problem was that the Red Crusaders were starting to respond.
The special skill of the Chains Sealing Ruin—a Legend-grade item—still worked to seal them, but Chrono and the High Master Red Guards were jumping into action right away, putting him in danger.
That made it hard to keep up the every-thirty-minutes hunts like before.
"Berserk! Rage Slaughter!"
Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!
The moment he showed himself, even the Red Crusaders dealing with other users turned their full firepower on Rokan. Without Berserk, he couldn't hold out.
"Tch."
But thanks to Berserk's immortality effect, he wasn't dying right away.
Rokan just crushed the sealed Red Crusaders on the spot, then used the remaining Berserk time to maneuver Cheongolma and Kai unpredictably for an escape.
He bought time with Mechanical Engineering skills and barely slipped away.
'Hit 300, and we'll see who's boss...!'
Grinding his teeth.
That meant hunts were now only possible about once an hour—adding Berserk cooldown and stealth approach time to the thirty-minute Subdue reuse—instead of every half hour.
Sure, he hunted for scraps of experience in decent spots during Berserk debuff to save time, but the High Master Red Guards' aggressive interference was making even escapes tough.
"What to do...?"
Take a breather to lure them into lowering their guard, then snag one by one again? Or wait for the big clash with the Black Dragon Legion and hit 'em from behind?
Options swirled in his head.
Chrono and the Red Crusaders were already deep in contested territory, catching heat from both Golden Lion and Black Dragon forces—plenty to exploit.
"But I haven't even nabbed a hundred yet..."
Even so, excluding Rokan, barely anyone was properly taking down Red Crusaders, so it was iffy.
He could keep sniping one by one to thin them out, but that'd take forever. He needed a real fix.
"Get the Black Dragon Legion or Golden Lion masters and High Masters moving... Or get stronger myself."
Chrono and the Red Crusaders had already swallowed multiple bases. But since it wasn't concentrated on one faction, it wasn't desperate enough. For them to go all-out, Chrono and crew needed to push harder.
So one way forward.
Get stronger himself.
Hitting master level would solve it, but that'd take too long.
If he could handle two or three Red Crusaders at once, things might flip quick. Before any faction stirred, Rokan would likely master up first.
"Item power... huh?"
So, ways to boost without mastering? Combo skills and creation skills had nothing worth touching. One option left.
Item power.
Gear buffs were fastest and simplest.
"Attachment..."
And the answer was already in Rokan's hands.
Chains Sealing Ruin—Legend-grade item.
Subdue was too good to think of using it up, but in this kill-or-die solo hunt setup, gambling was worth it.
Attack power up on attach, plus special options applied.
No knowing what options till attached, and recovery only if the host gear breaks—but it was the surest power-up.
"Whew, go big or go home?"
Rokan eyed the chains in his left hand, then the Wrath King's Axe in his right, and steeled himself.
Wrath King's Axe was solid even at 250 level limit thanks to berserker specials—no better yet—but at 300, it'd change anyway.
Even if the result sucked, he could smash it.
Wasted reinforcement stones stung, but with stacks of stones and advanced ones, no sweat.
Just brace for attack loss till 300 if it broke.
Risky path, but he'd try. Worst case, hunt Wrath King again. He overlapped Chains Sealing Ruin and Wrath King's Axe.
"Chains Sealing Ruin, attach. To Wrath King's Axe."
Flash!
Dark red light burst out.
Chains fused to the axe haft, birthing a new item.
[+8 Wrath King's Chain Axe (Rage)][Epic]
One of Wrath King Randor's twin axes, fused with Chains Sealing Ruin.
Higher-grade fusion raised the weapon's rank.
Chain on the axe end enabled new uses.
-Attack Power: 4,050
-Durability: 5,000 / 5,000
-[Berserker] class: base attack +20%
-Berserk use: attack +50%
-[Rage] effect: 5% chance on hit for +7% attack speed (stacks 10x max)
-[Infinite Chain] effect: chain extends to 100m max
-[Infinite Chain] effect: control chain length and motion. Chain deals same attack power.
-Equip Limit: 250 level
"Whoa."
A jaw-dropper. Rank up boosted attack and all options, plus Infinite Chain.
Freely controllable, chain hits like axe—insane potential depending on use.
"Some things are just meant to be!"
Rokan grinned wide at the stats.
Scary to others, but pure joy for him.
Subdue inheritance would've been perfect, but this was plenty.
"Needs practice."
No overexcitement, though. Knew the power, no rushing in.
Chain changed playstyle from old axes. Would attach to Sealed Storm Battle Axe post-master too, so practice first, then real fights.
Facing multiple masters without mastering the weapon's edge? No way.
"Perfect practice dummy."
One name popped up.
Berserk debuff lifted, Rokan teleported far away via magic circle.
"Nothing beats real combat for practice."
He landed in Harnes, a port city bustling with sea trade—and headaches from it.
A mighty pirate crew on a nearby island.
Pirate King.
"King" in name, a beast ruling those waters.
"Hm, better stay low."
Rokan toured the town, grabbed related quests, bought a speedboat.
Hundreds of gold, but paid up front, hired temp crew.
Pricey for Pirate King island trip, but worth investing in skilled NPCs.
"Let's sail."
"Aye, shoving off! Accelerate!"
Rokan boarded, crew moved the boat, skill boosted speed further.
"Stealth cruise."
Far out, stealth enveloped the whole speedboat.
Like Rokan on Kai—NPC had boat-linked stealth skill.
Pirates 250-280—not Rokan's match, but on water? Different story.
Submerged combat nerfed hard, so till docking, Rokan stayed alert.
"Careful now. Detection risk from here."
Island visible, NPC warned. Stealth on, but pirates had alarms and dispel traps fearing raids.
Spotting meant distant barrages—sunk before approach.
Could fly Kai, but too far for stamina, too visible.
Island watchposts could swarm him.
Slowly, slowly. Rokan neared Pirate Island.
'No gaps.'
Close enough, true awe. Pirates, but military-tight defenses. Watchposts dense—no blind spots. Patrols thick.
Mid-level scrubs, but untouched by players—numbers everywhere.
"Speed charge."
"Ch-charge?!"
Rokan decided, watching.
Crew panicked, but irrelevant. Must obey.
"Speed charge."
"Urgh, accelerate!"
Order repeated, stealth dropped, speedboat charged coastal watchpost.
"Enemy!"
"Enemy speedboat spotted! Fire!"
Pew-woong. Boom! Bang! Bang!
No closer without detection anyway.
Good gauge let him close more, but cannons and arrows rained.
"Argh!"
Boom! Rumble!
Initial dodge with accel burst, but no sustaining.
Speedboat rocked from shells, arrows pincushioned the deck.
Crew steering inside didn't survive.
Whirr.
Crew death spun the wheel, boat spun in place, sinking fast.
[Title 'Sea Cleaver' effect: underwater speed +50%.]
'Good.'
Timed perfect, Rokan punched hole in hull, swam to infiltrate.
Stealth held, reached cliff under coastal watchpost safe.
"This is Pirate Island."
"Enemy!"
"Intruder!"
"Kill! Signal breach!"
Scaling cliff barehanded into watchpost, Rokan ignored the chaos, peered inland calm.
Where the Pirate King waited.
And the Lion King's gear waited too.