Chapter 261
Chapter 261
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 261
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm (5)
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Rokan headed to the habitat of the Wrathful Raccoons, the most aggressive monsters near the starting village.
These raccoons were larger than regular ones but still only about the size of a child, and they all charged in wielding dual swords—a place that had even made Rokan flinch and retreat in the past. But this time, he was confident.
Despite their small bodies, their attack power was insane, and their numbers were overwhelming. One wrong move, and even Rokan could fail to manage his health once his Storm Incarnation wore off. But that very fact made it the perfect testing ground.
"Giant Pidegi, summon."
Boom!
Koon? Koon koon!
Rokan opened wing mode and positioned himself in the air above their habitat, then summoned the Giant Pidegi without hesitation.
He dropped its massive bulk right into the heart of the habitat.
Thanks to that, the raccoons that had nearly swarmed him were already going berserk and piling on, but Rokan had no intention of joining in.
Among all the monsters out there, he'd tamed the Giant Pidegi for one reason: its special skill.
"Giant Pidegi, Curl Up."
At that moment, the Giant Pidegi's huge body shivered faintly.
There was no visible change in appearance, but Rokan knew.
Right now, the Giant Pidegi's defense was overwhelmingly high.
Based on the skill description alone, it might even surpass his own.
'Defense up 500%, damage reduction 99%, plus increased base health regen... It's broken.'
The power of the Giant Pidegi's skill was that incredible.
The one drawback was that it couldn't move or attack, turning it into nothing more than a tough sandbag.
'No, wait. It does have attack skills—just not this one.'
But Rokan held back, simply watching. He waited for the duration of Curl Up, which had a faint taunt effect, to end.
Every raccoon in the area had already gathered, pounding away at its hide.
He could have picked them off from the edges and taken them down easily, but right now, farming exp wasn't the priority. He checked the skill's duration and waited patiently.
Szzzzz.
After about five minutes, the Giant Pidegi's body shivered once more.
Curl Up was ending.
Rokan timed it perfectly.
'5, 4, 3, 2, 1!'
Squawk! Pufff bang bang!
It wasn't Rokan doing anything. The moment Curl Up ended, the raccoons were shredded as if struck by some invisible force, collapsing in tatters.
Curl Up wasn't just defense boost and damage reduction.
At the end of its duration, it reflected 50% of the damage taken back at the attackers—a monstrous ability! And it calculated based on their pure attack damage, the so-called true damage, not the actual damage absorbed.
For raccoons with pitiful health compared to their attack power, it was the worst nightmare.
[You have leveled up.]
"Heh heh heh heh!"
Thanks to that, Rokan scored a free level.
His exp bar had already been nearly full, but this mob-clearing effect let him rake in a massive haul.
"Desummon!"
He immediately released the Giant Pidegi.
Returned it to the Subjugation Orb, then dove toward the wanted criminal wheezing off to the side: [Blood Raccoon Rakuni].
'It does have a weakness.'
That was the Giant Pidegi's flaw.
Curl Up was an amazing skill, but once it ended, its hide softened in turn.
It became temporarily weaker than before activation.
It had a ton of health, but if attacked in that window, it wouldn't hold out.
Knowing that, Rokan exploited only the skill's effect. Tamed monsters via Subjugation Orb were different from mounts or other summons—once they died, they were gone for good.
He baton-passed into a Slaughter Strike, slamming it into Rakuni.
Kuuun... Thud.
The thing was already on the brink from the reflected damage it had piled up itself. No way it could tank Rokan's attack power.
It was nimble enough to dodge heavy weapons like the Battle Axe with ease, but in its near-immobilized state, even it stood no chance.
The hunt for the trickiest raccoon pack near the starting village ended all too anticlimactically.
"Ooh, a raccoon tail!"
"Kyaa! So fluffy!"
It was a short hunt, but the rewards from the raccoon pack were plentiful.
He claimed the bounty on Rakuni first, and the 'Raccoon Tail'—proof of the kill and its byproduct—was hugely popular with women for its soft, plush feel.
The dual-wielders had dropped plenty of gear too, a solid haul in itself.
But the biggest prize was this.
[Your Fame has reached a certain threshold.]
[Your name spreads through one region of the Heavenly Realm.]
[Everyone in that region feels like they've heard your name before.]
[You have completed basic adaptation to the Heavenly Realm.]
[Some functions are unlocked.]
His Fame, ticking up bit by bit from bounty quests and hunts, had finally hit the mark.
At least in the starting village now, everyone knew Rokan—and respected his skill to some degree.
The first city in the Heavenly Realm. Time to head out.
"Time to move on to the next city, eh?"
The one who brought it up first was none other than the general store owner.
Rokan had nearly hacked him with an axe on first sight because he was undead, but now they were on joking terms. The guy urged Rokan to leave.
The local monsters and hunting grounds were all mid-tier anyway—nothing left for Rokan to grind.
Sure, higher-level mobs existed by raw stats, but hunting just them wouldn't cut it for real growth.
Knowing that himself, Rokan nodded and took the opening to ask the question he'd been saving.
"Mr. Sbeno, are you a 'demon'?"
"...What?"
After hearing the explanation in the pioneer village, Rokan hadn't brought it up in the starting village. No need to.
But now that he was leaving—and about to learn of the heavenly and demonic realms in the next city—there was no reason to hide it.
The general store owner, the undead Sbeno, burst into hearty laughter.
"Kuh hah hah! No idea where you heard that, but you're barking up the wrong tree."
"...?"
"I'm not a demon."
"What...?"
What came next was unexpected. Not a demon? Then what—an undead belonging to the heavenly realm?
Rokan stared at him, eyes wide with confusion, and the guy chuckled like it was hilarious before spilling the answer.
"I'm undead. You know that, right?"
"Well, yeah..."
Sbeno was undead through and through, no question. But that wasn't what Rokan was asking.
"Forget about mortal concepts from now on. Sounds like you picked up some ground-level info, but factions aren't just two—there's three."
"Three?"
"Yeah, three. Heaven, demons... and neutral."
"Oh...?"
Neutral existence. That was different from the mortal world.
Down there, picking a race locked you into Golden Lion or Black Dragon Legion. But here, you chose your faction yourself—and you could pick a third option, not just the black-and-white opposites.
"So you're neutral faction, Mr. Sbeno."
"Got it in one."
"What's the advantage to neutral faction?"
"Kekeke! Greedy, aren't ya? Figure it out yourself in the next city! Someone your level, every faction'll be fighting to recruit you."
"Heh, high master tripping me up? No way."
"Modest, huh? Been here a while myself, but you're the first I've seen adapt and grow this fast. And a 'visitor' with Death's Blessing to boot—sky's the limit. So quit the humble act unless you wanna hear me butter you up. Get lost already!"
"Tch, don't cry from missing me."
With that banter done, Rokan left the store.
Just like the guy said, time to move to the next city.
"The next region, huh..."
How did you get to the next region in the Heavenly Realm? On the ground, you walked, rode horses, or took carriages.
But here, it was different.
The landmasses were huge, some areas impossible to cross on foot. Walking would take forever.
Enter 'flying mounts.'
Not personal ones—public ones. Pay a fee, like a carriage, and ride fixed routes. Flying mounts were rare even on the ground, so plenty here would be riding one for the first time.
"To Border Village? 500,000 coin."
Pricey, but a bit of hunting around here covered it easy.
Sure, if you blew all your coin from local mob loot on new gear and consumables, you might come up short—but not Rokan.
He paid without batting an eye and hopped on the Green Wyvern. It flapped its massive wings and lifted off lightly.
'Riding comfort's way better on Kai.'
Kai was faster too, but Rokan shelled out for the Green Wyvern for one reason.
Minimize uncertainty.
He'd seen wyvern packs attack on entry to the Heavenly Realm, and worried about getting lost. Better safe than sorry.
Grraaawr!
With a sports-car-engine growl, the Green Wyvern shot upward fiercely.
Toward the Heavenly Realm's second village.
He arrived at Border Village thirty minutes later.
'Good call riding this.'
Rokan landed safely and was glad he hadn't gotten cocky.
En route, terrifying wyvern packs had eyed him on the Green Wyvern, smacked their lips, then backed off. He'd passed through fog zones and wind shear areas that could throw off balance.
On Kai, he'd likely have gotten lost or ambushed.
He could've gone mega-penguin and outsped them, but it was risky.
"Hmm, similar so far."
Border Village itself.
The interior looked much like the starting village.
The big difference? Two massive towers looming large.
"Those heavenly folk? Look like chicken drumsticks."
And one more thing. Among the locals, some had distinct looks.
Folks with huge bird wings called 'angel wings' on their backs, and others with bat-like demon wings.
Must come with faction choice— a dwarf with angel wings just walked by.
"What's that? You little punk, picking a fight?"
It looked pretty ridiculous, and Rokan snorted a laugh. The guy whipped around instantly.
High master senses caught even that tiny mutter.
And just like that, Rokan picked a fight the moment he arrived in Border Village.