Chapter 39

Тhе rосky mountаin rаngе оf Нugo Village.

Тhе Hidden Skill hiddеn here wаs sоmеthing Кhаn аbsolutelу needеd, sоmething indisреnsаblе.

‘It’s thе best skill еven аmong Rank 2 Нiddеn Skills.’

Нiddеn Skills are suрeriоr in power аnd hаve lower Mаnа Consumption cоmрared to regular skills.

Fоr еxamрle, thе Rаnk 2 Нiddеn Skill Fire Boom аnd the regulаr Rаnk 2 skill Firе Boоm.

Моst skills in <Geo Аrc> eхisted in pairs of rеgulаr skills and Hiddеn Skills.

Тhe sаme was truе for Khan’s Rаnk 1 Hiddеn Skills, Аrrow and Barrier.

Тhe diffеrеnсe bеtween а Нiddеn Skill with the samе namе аs а rеgulаr skill lies in twо things: роwer аnd Мana Consumption.

‘The Hidden Skill hidden in this rocky mountain range of Hugo Village… exists only as a Hidden Skill, so I must obtain it no matter what.’

Originally, he planned to stop by Hugo Village to find the Hidden Skill later when he went to undertake a Quest that progresses in Eldrida.

That’s because you needed to be at least Level 20 to go to Eldrida.

‘If I obtain this skill in advance now, I’ll be able to pull my own weight even when I go to Eldrida.’

Since the Monsters inhabiting the area around Eldrida have a base Level exceeding 15, the Hidden Skill in the rocky mountain range was essential for Khan right now.

“Huff, huff…. I’m dying of exhaustion, really…. When are we arriving?”

“We’ve just arrived at the entrance to the rocky mountain range…!”

“Huh? The entrance just now…? Ugh….”

Sharin, who wanted to flop down on the ground right then and there, let out an involuntary sigh as soon as she arrived at the entrance and saw the incredibly high scenery before her eyes.

Then, Bellop began explaining about the rocky mountain range.

“In the case of Hugo Village’s rocky mountain range, it’s quite famous for being very high and rugged. Even we’ve been here over twenty times, but we still haven’t memorized all the paths perfectly. However, we have pinpointed the location where the Griffin is.”

Khan also listened to Bellop’s words, gazed at the massive rocky mountain range before him, and sighed inwardly.

‘Climb… this…?’

How on earth was he supposed to climb such a high place?

For a Mage, who by Class nature has a much weaker and frailer physique than other Classes, it was an impossible task.

‘Maybe if my Level were higher… but at my current Level, it’s absolutely out of the question.’

When seen on the game screen, he hadn’t realized it would be this much, but the rocky mountain range was absurdly high and wide.

‘If it weren’t for the Bellop Guild adventurers… finding the Hidden Skill would have been completely impossible.’

He felt glad he had brought the Bellop Guild adventurers along, just in case.

‘I haven’t asked about the location where the Hidden Skill is hidden yet… but judging by their thorough knowledge of the rocky mountain range, they probably know.’

Even if they didn’t know, it wouldn’t be a problem since he could just take the Bellop Guild adventurers and explore every nook and cranny.

‘The biggest problem… will be how to climb this rocky mountain range.’

To climb the steep rocks, it seemed you’d need to be at least Level 20.

Of course, that’s by Mage standards.

If you were a Swordsman or a Class from another Type, you could probably climb rocks like these easily once you passed Level 7.

‘I have no choice but to ask Byutek.’

Although it would dent Khan’s pride a bit, it seemed the only way this time was to ask Byutek to carry him on his back.

‘Falling or panting while climbing the rocks would look even worse, so it’s better to ask to be carried up from the start.’

Having finished that thought, Khan approached Byutek.

But then, suddenly, Sharin plopped down on the ground and shouted.

“I can’t go! How am I supposed to climb and go up such high rocks!”

“Sharin! Can you really call yourself Sir Khan’s Disciple acting like that? Look at Sir Khan! He’s a Mage just like you, yet he shows no sign of fatigue and is about to climb this huge rock just like that! Learn from his example!”

“Even so… how am I supposed to climb rocks that high….”

Sharin said with a tearful expression.

And Khan was also inwardly making a tearful face.

‘This kid….’

Khan, who had somehow ended up right next to Byutek, ultimately couldn’t bring himself to speak.

“Then, Lady Sharin, I will carry you on my back. Is that alright?”

Bellop approached Sharin and asked, but Sharin said nothing.

She just suddenly bowed her head slightly and fiddled with her chin with her hand.

“Sharin?”

Byutek called out to Sharin, who seemed to be deep in thought about something, but she didn’t answer.

But then, suddenly, Sharin raised her head and shouted loudly.

“Ah! Now that I think of it, I read a Magic Tome about Levitation Magic in the carriage!”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“While you were sleeping, Sir Byutek, I reread the Magic Tomes in the carriage several times. Levitation Magic was among them…. I’ll give it a try.”

“Levitation Magic…. No, more than that, can you use Magic right away just by reading it a few times?”

“Who knows! I’ll try it first!”

After shouting that, Sharin immediately sat down on the spot, closed her eyes, and began reciting an Incantation.

“Whisper of the wind, lift me up and guide me to the sky’s embrace!”

In the case of Magic, when Proficiency increases, it can be used with Chantless Casting.

Sharin still had zero Proficiency in Levitation Magic, so she had to recite the Incantation each time.

Unlike Khan, who learns Magic as Skills and can use all Magic with Chantless Casting.

Oong…!!

Sharin rotated the Circle in her heart, and

Oong…!!!

Dung…. Dung…. Dung….

Sharin’s body began to float in the air.

Although it was only about 5 cm off the ground, she had succeeded in Levitation Magic on her first try.

“Ooh, Sharin!! You…! Your body really floated!”

“…It’s truly a rare sight. I never thought I’d see someone succeed in using Magic for the first time in one go like this.”

Byutek and Bellop were genuinely amazed seeing Sharin succeed in Levitation Magic.

The same went for Teo and Roan, adventurers of the Bellop Guild.

But the most surprised person at this moment was Khan.

‘Unbelievable….’

Of course, he showed no outward sign, but inwardly he was quite surprised.

If it weren’t for the ‘Sage’s Heart’, he probably wouldn’t have been able to maintain his composure and would have rushed to Sharin right now, making a fuss and showering her with praise.

Thud. Thud.

However, thanks to the ‘Sage’s Heart’, which had broken his emotional circuits, such words didn’t come out.

Khan, who had somehow approached Sharin, opened his mouth with a cold expression.

“You still have a long way to go with just that.”

“M-Master….”

“Sharin, as my Disciple, strive even harder.”

“Yes, thank you!! If you hadn’t been here, Master, I wouldn’t have succeeded!”

It seemed that pretending to know a bit when Sharin was reading the Magic Tome in the carriage had been somewhat helpful.

‘I didn’t do much, but it seems it helped, so that’s fortunate….’

He had blabbered unnecessary things like thinking about flying in the sky when using Levitation Magic, but thanks to Sharin’s Talent, Khan’s teaching seemed to have roughly worked.

Simultaneously, a way to overcome the current situation popped into Khan’s head.

“Sharin, try casting Levitation Magic on me as well.”

“Yes…? Can’t you use something like Levitation Magic, Master?”

“I cannot use Levitation Magic. It’s not my area of expertise.”

“Ah! Come to think of it, in your case, Master, you specialize in Combat Type Magic, right? Understood!”

Sharin recited the Incantation once more and soon cast Levitation Magic on Khan.

Oong…!

At the same time, Khan’s body floated in the air.

It was still only the most basic level of Levitation Magic, but even this much was more than welcome.

Pahat!

Putting strength into his legs and jumping slightly, he leaped up almost 3 meters at once.

It felt as if gravity had slightly disappeared.

If the Proficiency in Levitation Magic increases, one could even fly in the sky later on.

“Sharin, with this much, you should be able to climb up sufficiently too, right?”

“Yes! I think it’s possible with this much. Should I dispel it for you, Master?”

“No, maintaining Levitation Magic for a long time will also help with training, so don’t dispel it.”

“Ah! Understood!”

A frightening statement had suddenly come from Sharin’s mouth, but Khan’s quick improvisation resolved it.

“Then we’ll lead the way, so please follow closely behind. The path is very rugged, so you must be careful.”

“Understood.”

Bellop, Teo, and Roan stood in front first and began quickly climbing the rocky mountain range.

Pahat!

The higher they climbed the rocky mountain range, the more rugged the path became.

It was quite similar to a mountain in reality, and since they had to climb over large rocks in between, Stamina consumption was also quite severe.

‘If it weren’t for Levitation Magic… climbing would have been impossible.’

In the game, it was just a graphic sprite on the monitor moving and climbing the mountain, so he had never even imagined it would be this exhausting.

‘The difference between reality and the game is quite significant….’

This was something he needed to be mindful of in the future as well.

Pahat!

About twenty minutes had passed since they started climbing the rocky mountain range like that.

Bellop and the adventurers began to gradually slow their pace.

“The place where the Griffin is will appear soon. We’ll slow down a bit as we go, so please follow slowly behind us.”

It was to slow down because if they climbed recklessly fast and the Griffin suddenly appeared, it would be dangerous.

The party behind nodded and answered, but Khan had somehow approached Bellop’s side and called him aside.

“Bellop.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to know about the black rock in this rocky mountain range?”

“The black rock? Of course. I definitely know. The villagers and probably all adventurers know about it.”

“What…? You mean you know exactly where that black rock is?”

“Yes.”

Originally, when he played the game, he had to search the rocky mountain range for at least 3 hours to find this black rock.

‘I thought it was hidden deep in a corner of the rocky mountain range… but he knows? And what do you mean the villagers know too?’

He wondered if, without Khan knowing, the black rock in Hugo Village’s rocky mountain range had become some sort of tourist attraction.

“So where is the black rock?”

“Ah, judging by your reaction, it seems you didn’t know. But how did you know about the black rock? The place where the Griffin appears is exactly where the black rock is.”

“What…?”

“We’re almost there, so let’s climb up quickly and check. We’re almost there.”

Khan nodded at Bellop’s words and climbed the rocky mountain range again.

Exactly three minutes later.

Pahat!

Thud.

Khan’s party and the Bellop Guild adventurers arrived at a place where they could see the black rock in the distance.

Flutter…!

And beside the black rock was a Griffin with its large wings spread.