Chapter 74
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Triple Circle (1)
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Grrr! Thud thud thud thud—!
A monstrous roar erupted.
The ground trembled.
Each time, the moon shadow looming from behind drew closer.
A massive silhouette charged forward, blotting out the moonlight and the entire night sky.
The Gigatitan roared as it barreled toward them.
Ppoddong dashed ahead of it.
It panted heavily with exhausted breaths.
It kicked off the ground with legs growing heavier.
But the distance to the pursuing Gigatitan was steadily closing.
With every step of the Gigatitan's enormous legs, the roars and thunderous booms grew nearer.
‘Time's running out.’
Lloyd glanced back.
At most three minutes.
Even being generous, maybe five.
By his estimate, Ppoddong would be caught by the Gigatitan around then.
Of course, he and Haviel wouldn't escape unscathed either.
Lloyd's eyes sharpened.
‘Skill window. Asrahan Heart Method.’
He opened the skill menu.
He selected the Asrahan Heart Method.
Skill information scrolled up before his eyes.
Ding dong.
[Asrahan Heart Method: Double Circle Lv 4]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 260%]
[Skill-Exclusive Options ① Energizer ② Latent Power Burst ③ Power-Saving Mode]
[RP Required for Next Level-Up: 190]
[Current RP: 1901]
‘Good.’
He had invested quite a bit of RP into the Asrahan Heart Method back in the ant cave.
That had raised it to Double Circle Level 1.
Later, while making ice for the stone ice storage in the orc village, it hit Level 2.
After that, he trained sporadically.
Thanks to that, the Asrahan Heart Method had reached Double Circle Level 4.
‘Phew. Hope I have enough RP.’
Lloyd checked his remaining RP.
1901.
It was a bit tight.
‘Before, I could skyrocket growth with just 500 RP, but now that's nowhere near enough.’
Leveling up even one level now cost a whopping 190 RP.
And that consumption would snowball further ahead.
‘Still, no choice but to try. Nothing else I can do right now.’
Raising the Asrahan Heart Method to Triple Circle.
For that, Lloyd selected the menu at the bottom of the skill window.
[Invest RP to grow Asrahan Heart Method?]
[YES / NO]
‘Of course yes.’
No time to hesitate anyway.
He nodded immediately.
Ding dong!
[Skill level-up!]
[Asrahan Heart Method: Double Circle Lv 5]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 280%]
[RP Required for Next Level-Up: 220]
[Current RP: 1711]
‘Hmm, this is tricky.’
Various pieces of information floated before his eyes.
Lloyd clenched and unclenched his fist as he looked them over.
Numbers whirred through his mind.
‘One level-up, and the required RP jumped by 30. If this pattern holds... ugh, might fall a bit short.’
A bad premonition hit him.
But he had decided he needed to push the Asrahan Heart Method to Triple Circle.
To do that, he had to upgrade from Double Circle Level 10 one more step.
The problem was that RP looked just a tad insufficient.
‘If the required RP keeps rising as expected... might be short by about 51 on the last step.’
But there was no way to check in advance.
Well, one way.
Keep leveling up the skill.
‘No backing out now. We're committed—make it work or die trying!’
The situation was already do-or-die.
Resolved, he dumped massive amounts of RP.
The Asrahan Heart Method levels shot up.
From Double Circle Level 5 to 6.
7 to 8.
9 to 10.
Then it hit the limit.
Ding dong.
[Skill level-up!]
[Asrahan Heart Method: Double Circle Lv 10]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 380%]
[RP Required for Next Level-Up: 370]
[Current RP: 319]
“Tch.”
Bad premonitions never missed, huh.
Lloyd clicked his tongue.
Just as he feared.
His pre-calculation had hit the nail on the head, infuriatingly accurate.
‘Phew. Is this for real?’
That it was real was the problem.
Frustration bubbled up fiercely.
‘Saved up so diligently all this time.’
He had hoarded RP like a miser.
Raising affinity with Haviel, the baron couple, and others bit by bit.
Stacking achievements through countless projects for bonus RP hauls.
Each time, temptation struck to spend it.
But he held back.
It would come in handy for a crucial moment someday.
His secret weapon resource.
Like saving for 10, 20 years in a fixed deposit.
Or collecting stickers from the local Chinese takeout.
He had saved so earnestly.
‘And still short.’
He felt truly wronged.
But this wasn't the time to wallow in it.
Groooar! Rumble rumble—!
The Gigatitan had closed the gap considerably.
Meanwhile, Ppoddong's pace had slowed even more.
Exhaustion was the cause.
He needed a real plan now.
Half-baked Double Circle Level 10 Asrahan Heart Method wouldn't cut it.
‘Have to get it to Triple Circle no matter what. Only then can I use Blasting!’
The sole chance to pierce that Gigatitan's carapace.
The condition to make it happen.
‘I need RP! Right now!’
Lloyd's mind raced at full speed.
He considered every possibility.
Finally, he reached a conclusion.
He thrust one hand high.
Then swung it down hard.
Slap!
Lloyd's palm struck the unconscious Haviel's cheek squarely.
He shouted.
“Hey, you! Wake up!”
Slap! Slap!
He slapped repeatedly.
Grabbed his collar and shook.
“Wake up! Open your eyes!”
Slap! Slap!
Slap and slap again.
Only on the slapped spots.
Haviel's cheeks turned red.
After a few more, Haviel finally cracked his eyes open.
“Ugh......”
Pain twisted his face.
His dazed gaze turned this way.
“Lord... Lloyd?”
A faint voice.
Lloyd's face lit up.
Joy and relief flooded his expression.
“Yeah, it's me. You with it?”
“Yes, a bit... urk.”
“Don't push yourself.”
Haviel, forcing himself up, collapsed again.
He gasped for breath.
Lloyd quickly reached out.
He supported Haviel and laid him down gently.
He patted the panting man's shoulder soothingly.
“You're hurt bad.”
“But Lord Lloyd, I...”
“I know. You want to keep fighting.”
“Yes, so right now...”
“No. Rest.”
“Lord Lloyd?”
“If you fight more here, you'll die. That what you want?”
“Of course. If I don't step up, many will get hurt.”
“My heartbreak doesn't matter?”
“......Pardon?”
Haviel froze.
Lloyd gave a wry smile.
“Losing you would make me like an eagle with clipped wings.”
“Lord Lloyd?”
“Truth is, I don't want to lose you. Hate seeing you push too hard or volunteer for sacrifice.”
“......”
“From now on, fight for me alone.”
“But Lord Lloyd, right now...”
“Leave it to me. I'll fight here.”
“Lord Lloyd?”
“Do you trust me?”
“I...”
“I asked if you trust me.”
“......”
Haviel's eyes looked up at him.
A gaze questioning if he meant it.
Lloyd met it steadily.
Answered with firmly pressed lips instead of words.
Nodded solemnly with serious eyes.
“Lord Lloyd......”
Perhaps his sincerity got through.
Haviel's anxious gaze calmed.
Tension drained from his body.
He exhaled in relief.
“Then... I'll trust you, Lord Lloyd......”
“Yeah. Rest.”
“Yes, Lord Lloyd......”
Swoosh.
Haviel's eyes closed.
He exhaled the breath he'd held.
Relaxed, he passed out again.
At the same time, the message Lloyd had awaited popped up.
Ding dong.
[Haviel Asrahan has come to sincerely believe in your resolve and feels reassured.]
[Haviel Asrahan is deeply impressed by your willingness to step up for the greater good.]
[Haviel Asrahan's affinity toward you has increased by +4.]
[Current relationship with Haviel Asrahan: +5]
[Visible relationship improvement with a key figure grants 72 RP.]
[Current RP: 391]
[Haviel Asrahan's intimacy rank with you has risen from [Casual Acquaintance] to [Ordinary Interest].]
[Bonus 25 RP for intimacy rank increase.]
[Current RP: 416]
‘Yes!’
Lloyd clenched his fist triumphantly.
Operation impromptu RP extraction—no, exploitation—success.
‘Phew, nearly cringed my limbs off.’
He'd worked hard to rouse Haviel.
The guy had barely regained consciousness.
Time was short.
Before he passed out again, Lloyd squeezed out every cheesy line he could.
Spouting them, he desperately fought nausea.
Even bore the sensation of his duodenum shriveling up.
Worth it, though.
Haviel fell for the earnest lines.
Left words of trust and heroically(?) fainted.
Affinity rose, naturally.
‘Scored a whopping 97 RP thanks to that.’
The final hurdle to upgrade Asrahan Heart Method to Triple rank.
Just shy on RP there.
More than enough to cover it.
Lloyd opened the skill window.
Invested RP without hesitation.
The awaited message shone brightly.
Ding dong.
[Skill rank-up!]
‘That's it!’
Lloyd cheered inwardly.
Another milestone crossed.
He quickly read the guidance message.
[Asrahan Heart Method rank has risen to <Triple>.]
[Skill rank-up has enhanced your existing skill options.]
[Asrahan Heart Method: Triple Circle Lv 1]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 500%]
[Skill-Exclusive Option ①: Energizer (Upgraded) - Maximizes Triple Circle efficiency. Enables 20 minutes of tireless movement upon activation. (Limit: 2 uses per day.)]
[Skill-Exclusive Option ②: Latent Power Burst (Upgraded) - Explodes circle amplification to the limit. Boosts mana amplification rate by 5x for 30 seconds on use. However, user enters exhaustion state post-use and cannot use Asrahan Heart Method for a day. (Limit: 1 use per day.)]
[Skill-Exclusive Option ③: Power-Saving Mode (Upgraded) - Maintains weak Asrahan Heart Method use even in extreme exhaustion. Mana amplification fixed at 25%.]
[RP Required for Next Level-Up: 500]
[Current RP: 46]
‘Whoa, jackpot.’
Lloyd's eyes widened.
Asrahan Heart Method's mana amplification had skyrocketed to 500%.
Proving it, a new ring formed around his heart.
Kiiiiing—!
The third circle enveloped his heart.
It resonated with the existing two and began rotating.
The effect was astounding.
Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded stronger than ever.
Blood raced through his veins with incomparable force.
And that wasn't all.
Even his breathing changed.
Just inhaling a single breath filled his muscles with power automatically.
Without any focus, just normal breathing.
Like inhaling steroids through the air in real-time!
‘This is no joke.’
So this was Triple Circle's power.
Lloyd felt the massive gap per circle stage anew with his whole body.
‘And the options upgraded too.’
All three existing options had improved across the board.
Energizer's duration and uses doubled.
Latent Power Burst gained 10 seconds, amplification ballooned to 5x.
Power-Saving Mode too.
‘Emergency amplification up from 10 to 25 percent.’
The 15% difference usable even in exhaustion.
That gap would decide life or death in a pinch.
But the growth didn't end there.
Another surprise awaited.
Ding dong.
Another alert chimed in his ear.
Right after, an utterly unexpected new message appeared.
[Skill rank-up unlocks a new skill option.]
[Skill-Exclusive Option ④: Circle Shift - Allows setting and fixed maintenance of RPM for each mana circle at one of 6 preset stages (1-6). This option greatly aids beginners in using Blasting.]
‘What......’
An unforeseen message.
A new possibility he hadn't even hoped for.
Lloyd's eyes gleamed with the premonition of victory as he read it.