Chapter 16: Destroyer of Scarecrow
Although I failed to land a combo on the 7th or 8th try, the message said I would still receive additional EXP for my series of successful hits up to that point, just like I did in the first, second, and third closed betas.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Not caring about it, however, I kept hitting on the red spot on the scarecrow's body.
I didn't know it then, but now I realized I was hitting very slowly.
<You have succeeded in hitting the target 20 times in a row.>
<You have succeeded in hitting the target 30 times in a row.>
<You have succeeded in hitting the target 40 times in a row.>
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I didn't care about a desire to win at first, but when I hit more than 20 times, 30 times, and 40 times, I became more and more eager to hit the target.
Of course, the message mentioned nothing about a bonus for my successful combos, and I'd never heard about it either.
But the bonuses that I earned via hard work were far from small.
For example, I earned Iceman, Mutual Growth, God of Enhancement and even the title, 'The only closed beta max level achiever.'
So, I didn't give up. I revealed myself much faster than before and wielded the stick at the disappearing red spot even though my right hand felt numb.
And when I hit over 40 times, the red spot appeared and disappeared instantly.
From now on I needed to rely on my intuition, not my eyes, to hit the target.
I laughed at that because I felt relaxed. I did my best on my own, and the only thing left was luck.
So, I hit the scarecrow's head with a smile, prepared to accept my failure humbly if the red spot didn't appear.
At that moment the red spot appeared above the scarecrow's head, which I predicted accurately.
Clang!
I succeeded in hitting the target for the 41st time.
Those users who played 'Revival Legend' for the first time or removed their existing characters and recreated them took their eyes off the scarecrows they had been hitting and looked elsewhere blankly.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
They were hitting the scarecrows with the sticks endlessly.
"Does it make any sense?"
"Well, that's supposed to be impossible in my opinion…"
"Is that guy high-leveled? Maybe he is doing it because he is too bored."
"Hey, the maximum level user who can enter this training field is Level 9. Anyone Level 5 and above will see their EXP decrease, and if you reach Level 10, you'll be automatically kicked out of the field. Look at his stick. He's using the same one as us. In other words, he's only a beginner."
"Then, what's that?"
"..."
While talking loudly at his friend's rebuttal, the guy shut his mouth because he also agreed that it was impossible beyond description.
Not only the two but about 50 users who were bashing scarecrows in the field saw me wielding the stick frantically with their eyes open wide.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Prediction success! Success! Success!
While wielding the stick, I got goosebumps before I knew it.
I was wielding the stick based on my intuition because the red spot appeared and disappeared so quickly that I could not even think about it. My hunch was right ten times in a row, and a message showing my 50th successful hit appeared.
And the scarecrow made a noise different from before. It sounded like bang! instead of kang!
At the same time, the scarecrow, which boasted of its toughness, turned into dust and scattered on the ground with the following message:
<You have succeeded in hitting the scarecrow 50 times in a row.
You have achieved the impossible record.
You have obtained 200 remaining stat points.
Title: Scarecrow Destroyer.>
<You have achieved Level 10, the highest you can obtain by hitting scarecrows.
With Level 10 you can obtain Skill
3 Skill points will be given initially.>
<You have reached Level 10.
You will now be kicked out of the training field.>
At that moment I felt dizzy, but I was not surprised by the situation because I had been there before.
In fact, I had more alarming stories than this.
Now, I, Juyoung Hong, disappeared from the training field.
"Oops!"
"The scarecrow has been…"
"Smashed?"
Watching the smashed scarecrow, they opened their eyes widely in shock.
They have never heard of or thought that could happen.
"Damn it. Isn't the max combo at seven or eight?"
"Nope. As far as I know, you can hit the target up to 15 times in a row if you are Level 9 and invest all your points in Agility, Physical Strength, and Stats."
"15 times? I saw that guy hitting the scarecrow more than 30 times."
"I saw 40 times."
"..."
"..."
"..."
They were silent because they really saw me hitting the target more than 30 times.
"By the way, did you see that guy's face?"
"No, I was so fascinated with his stick fighting that I didn't."
"I didn't, either."
"Dang it. You should have checked his face! He must be a master gamer if he really smashed the scarecrow."
"What did you do, then? Did you see his face?"
A guy next to him talked back.
Then the other man who got angry at him opened his mouth, blushing, "Well, I was also absorbed in his …"
Although Juyoung Hong had already disappeared, the noisy argument among the users in the Kotum Castle training field did not subside easily. They were blankly looking at the spot where the scarecrow in question was standing among the other 299 ones spaced at regular intervals.
"Confirm title. Scarecrow Destroyer!"
As soon as I was forced out of the field, I shouted out loud right away.
<Title: Scarecrow Destroyer
Title reserved for the user who has destroyed a scarecrow
: Health increase by 100,000
: Mana increase by 100,000
: All stat points increase by 200.>
"..."
Compared with my title as 'The only closed beta user with max level achievement, the new title is much lower in rank, but I still felt like it was too much for me.
It dwarfed my favorite titles 'King of the Field of Honor' or 'Waterproof Gatekeeper'.
Except for the title as 'The closed beta user with max level achievement,' this new one called 'Scarecrow Destroyer' was as powerful as the two mentioned above.
I destroyed the scarecrow that those between Level 0 to 9 could defeat.
But I thought a little further too.
"Am I wrong? It's impossible that nobody below Level 10 is as good as me, and it's sheer luck that I hit the target the last ten times.'
Thinking of it again, I felt it might be more difficult to obtain this new title than 'King of the Field of Honor' or 'Waterproof Gatekeeper.'
The stronger I was, the more likely I could earn the two titles. But there was a restriction on the 'Scarecrow Destroyer' title because only those below Level 10 could earn it.
In other words, those above Level 10 were denied chances to challenge the title.
I smiled in satisfaction because I obtained as many as 200 stat points thanks to my 50 successful hits, in addition to the enormous gains from the 'Scarecrow Destroyer' title.
With the Mutual Growth trait, the 200 stat points would increase to 500.
"Confirm the status."
With all smiles on my face, I opened the status bar.
<Name: lumen
Level: 10
Kills: 0, Death: 0
Title: The closed beta max level achiever, Scarecrow Destroyer.
Health: 471,000/471,000 Mana: 471,000/471,000
Strength: 710 Agility: 710 Stamina: 710
Willpower: 710 Intellectual Power: 710
Remaining stat point: 1,300
Traits: Iceman, Mutual Growth, God of Enhancement.>
"..."
Five minutes? Ten minutes?
My level changed from 0 to 10 during that short time span.
It was only a difference of 10 levels, but not much had changed.
If the word 'level' was missing here, nobody would think it was a level change.
"By the way, isn't it time for me to start investing?"
-- Gift
received