Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Marauder! Snowfall and the World
Although Luca wasn't on the front lines charging into battle.
He following closely behind Cassman and Catherine, he still managed to take down a fair number of monsters.
Before long, Luca leveled up to 16.
What excited him even more was that he had finally completed his Wanderer Set by acquiring the last three pieces of equipment!
[Wanderer Set Bonus: When activated, all attributes +50, skill cooldown -10%, HP +500, MP +500.]
[Set Skill "Marauder": Increases attack damage by 20% and attack speed by 20% for 3 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours.]
"Now this is what I call the ultimate newbie set!" Luca clenched his fists in excitement.
The Wanderer Set alone provided a massive 200-point boost to his base stats!
On top of that, it came with a skill that increased damage—utterly overpowered!
At that moment, Luca had used up all his magic runes, significantly reducing his combat effectiveness.
He temporarily retreated from the front lines and returned to the rear to regroup.
After equipping the Wanderer Set, Luca opened his character status panel.
[Name: Luca]
[Level: lv16]
[Talent: The Person Favored (SSS-level)]
[Class: Demonic Rune Mage (Bronze Grade)]
[HP: 4736]
[MP: 6338]
[Attack: 1322-1361]
[Attributes: Strength 290, Spirit 505, Stamina 320, Agility 350]
[Special: Charm 100, Perception 100, Aptitude 100, Luck 100]
[Titles: Unrivaled in Elegance and Charm, Peerless Appearance, Danger Perception, The Son of Luck]
[Skills: Magic Rune Drawing lv3 (Class), Heavenly Thunder Purple Fire lv2 (Advanced), Air Step lv2 (Low-tier), Heavenly Charge lv4 (Low-tier), Turbulence lv4 (Low-tier), Marauder (Equipment)]
After donning the Wanderer Set, Luca's stats skyrocketed!
His Spirit attribute had surpassed 500 points, and even his HP was nearly 5000!
"These stats are comparable to a monster's!" Luca marveled.
The Wanderer Set, famously known in his previous life as the strongest beginner gear, certainly lived up to its reputation with the insane attribute boosts it provided.
With these thoughts in mind, Luca found a quiet spot and began drawing new magic runes.
The fact that none of Riverfall City's powerful figures had shown up yet made him increasingly uneasy.
Luca speculated that something might have gone wrong on Sophia's side.
The situation was becoming more complicated than he had expected.
To prepare for any unforeseen developments, Luca decided he needed to have more options up his sleeve.
After refining the necessary materials, he began to inscribe magical patterns.
By now, Luca's speed at drawing runes had significantly improved. In about ten minutes, he could create a low-tier magic rune.
As his skill level increased, he would only get faster. Eventually, it might take him just a few minutes to craft one.
If he could level up his Magic Rune Drawing skill to lv4, there was even a chance he could start creating the four mid-tier elemental magic runes.
These runes are Hurricane Rune, Thunder Rune, Radiant Rune, and Shadow Rune.
These four mid-tier magic runes not only dealt more powerful damage but could also strengthen the Demonic Rune Mage's physical body. Just crafting a single one of them would grant Luca a significant power boost.
However, leveling up skills couldn't be rushed; it had to be done step by step.
At this point, the others noticed Luca had temporarily retreated from the front lines.
Seeing him busy crafting magic runes, everyone found it intriguing.
Ben walked over, his face full of curiosity. "Hey, brother, what class is that? You can draw stuff? That's pretty unique!"
While continuing to sketch his magic runes, Luca casually replied, "Demonic Rune Mage. It's a mage subclass."
Ben scratched his head, confused. "Demonic Rune Mage? Never heard of it."
Ada, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Could it be a hidden class?"
Luca glanced at her and nodded slightly.
"A hidden class?!" Ben's eyes went wide, his voice rising a few octaves in excitement.
Since the game launched, there had only been a few whispers about rare classes.
And now this guy, Luca, had already unlocked a hidden class!
Ben's reaction drew the attention of the others.
A murmur rippled through the group of players.
"A hidden class?! Luca is a hidden class user?!"
"No way, really? Isn't this the first hidden class we've seen in the game?"
"So that explains it! No wonder his damage is so high! I thought Eternal Game had some sort of bug!"
"Man, I'm so jealous I could cry!"
"Sigh, I was going to ask him what class he picked so I could do the same. But it looks like I won't get the chance!"
…
The players around Luca were filled with envy, jealousy, and admiration.
Most of them hadn't even reached level 10 to complete their profession change.
And here Luca had already unlocked a hidden class!
It was hard not to feel envious.
"No matter what, we have to recruit Luca into the guild!" Ben and Ada exchanged glances, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.
Luca wasn't just a skilled player—he had a hidden class, and he was likely the first to obtain one.
If they could get him to join their Snowfall Guild, it would dramatically increase their guild's power and reputation!
"Mr. Luca, I'd like to—" Ada began, her expression serious as she was about to invite him into the guild.
Just then, an excited voice cut through the air."Kid! Tell me how you got that hidden class, and I'll give you 5 million! On top of that, I'll make you the branch leader of our The World Guild!"
Celephais strode over with members of The World Guild, his face barely able to contain his excitement. His first words shocked everyone present.
"Are you kidding me? Five million?!"
"Who is this guy? Does he own a ranch full of money?"
"You don't get it! That's Celephais, the Vice President of The World Guild! He's part of the James financial conglomerate!"
"They say even the branch leaders in that guild earn over three million a year!"
"No way! That rich?!"
"Yeah, if you could join The World Guild, you'd be set for life!"
The crowd buzzed with chatter, and their gazes toward Luca became even more envious.
Being noticed by Celephais from The World Guild? Luca's luck was off the charts!
"Damn it! He really picked the worst time to show up!" Ben muttered through clenched teeth when he saw Celephais approaching.
The Snowfall Guild had been struggling against The World Guild's suppression ever since they arrived in Riverfall City.
Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal, but Celephais was known for using underhanded tactics, like offering huge sums of money to poach their members.
Just thinking about it made Ben furious.
Ada's brows furrowed slightly as well.
In a cold tone, she said, "Vice President Celephais, interrupting someone else mid-conversation hardly befits your status."
"Status?" Celephais let out a disdainful laugh. "Since when does a Blues Family member like you have the right to talk to me about status?"
His eyes drifted to Ada's elegant face, and suddenly, a wicked grin spread across his lips. "Of course, if you, Ada, spend a night with me, you might just earn that right."
"You bastard! You're dead!" Ben's already simmering anger boiled over in an instant!
In a flash, Ben disappeared from where he stood, reappearing right in front of Celephais.
His eyes were blazing with fury as his dagger, quick as lightning, slashed toward Celephais's throat!
What incredible speed!
The suddenness of Ben's attack took many by surprise.
However, Celephais stood there with his arms crossed, not moving an inch, his eyes filled with scorn.
But the large man standing beside him, Dien, chuckled and casually drew his longsword.
Clang!
Sparks flew out!
Dien's sword intercepted Ben's dagger, stopping it dead in its tracks!
Dien laughed heartily. "Ben, did you forget to eat? That was weak!"
With a quick flex of his arm, Dien sent Ben flying backward.
Ben landed hard and had to take several steps back to regain his balance.
His face was dark with rage as he glared at Dien, spitting through clenched teeth, "You traitorous dog! One day, I swear I'll make you pay for this!"
Dien had once been one of Snowfall Guild's core members before Celephais lured him away.
Now, he served as Celephais's personal bodyguard.
Seeing the confrontation escalate, both The World Guild and Snowfall Guild players began drawing their weapons, tensions rising rapidly.
The tension in the air was palpable as the smell of conflict filled the scene.
Other players gathered around, their expressions excited, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Luca, however, paid no mind to the growing confrontation. He remained seated on a nearby rock, calmly sketching his magic runes.
If anyone had been paying attention, they would have noticed that, throughout it all, Luca's hand never wavered, not even for a moment.
Facing Ben's fury, Dien chuckled. "You can't blame me. Celephais offered way too much to refuse!"
Ben's forehead veins bulged as he gripped his dagger, ready to lash out at the traitor. But Ada quickly stepped in, stopping him with a raised hand.
"Don't act on impulse," she said, shaking her head slightly, clearly unwilling to provoke a conflict with Celephais here and now.
Ben's teeth ground together audibly, his frustration nearly unbearable, but he didn't dare go against his sister's wishes.
"You really are pathetic!" Celephais sneered, his eyes turning to Luca, who was still absorbed in drawing his magic runes.
Impatiently, Celephais barked, "Kid, stop wasting my time. If you've made up your mind, tell me everything you know. And that robe you're wearing—I want that too!"
"Six million in total!"
"With that kind of money, you'll never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life."
Though he said it casually, there was a fiery gleam hidden deep within Celephais's eyes.
Sure, he had money, but he wasn't a fool.
He wasn't just after Luca's talent.
He was also a mage himself, already at level 10, but hadn't yet undergone his profession change.
Luca had shown up at the perfect time.
Six million, eight million, even ten million—it didn't matter. Celephais was determined to get this hidden class!
He knew exactly how valuable Eternal Game could be.
Spending a few million now? In the long run, he could easily make billions, if not tens of billions, with what he'd gain from Luca's hidden class!
Just as Celephais finished speaking. Luca stop his action.
Luca completed his rune.
It was a Blazing Rune.
He didn't put it away.
Instead, his gaze flicked between the two groups before finally settling on Celephais.
Luca asked calmly, "Are you from the James Family?"