NOVEL WEB Chapter 196: The Plot Begins and Ability Values Beyond the Limit!
Chapter 196: The Plot Begins and Ability Values Beyond the Limit!
"Raise your shields!"
Finn's command echoed throughout the entire floor.
'Command Howl'
*The shout amplifies the range of transmission when the volume reaches a certain level.
*The range of transmission is expanded during wartime.
This was a skill Finn had acquired over the years of being a commander.
It ensured that he could make his orders clear to everyone under any circumstance.
Bang, bang, bang——!
Countless giant shields rose in front of the team under Finn's command, successfully blocking the monsters' assault.
"Tione and Tiona, quickly clear out the monsters on the left."
"Bete, you take Raul and the others Lv4s to defend the right."
"Luke, Ais, I'll leave the elite monsters to your group."
As Finn issued one command after another, the Loki Familia's expedition team quickly wiped out all the nearby monsters.
Finally, they reached the forefront of their dungeon exploration, the 50th floor.
…
The sound of metal grinding and the chatter of the adventurers intertwined.
Many people were bustling around, busy with their tasks.
Some carried equipment, some hammered iron stakes into the ground, some ran around relaying messages.
Everyone had something to do.
However, this kind of trivial work was not something that executives like Luke and Ais had to do.
"Finn, you called for me?"
"Yes, I called you, Ais."
There was a particularly large tent in the camp, which served as Loki Familia's temporary operations room.
Currently, Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and Luke, the four high-ranking members of the Familia, were all there.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
Finn looked at Ais and asked in a calm tone.
"… I don't know."
Ais shook her head gently, but her slightly averted gaze betrayed her inner thoughts.
"What are you hesitating about?"
"…"
Facing his question, the blond-haired girl chose to remain silent.
However, she answered Finn and the others with her actions.
The worried gaze she subconsciously directed at Luke made the high-ranking members of Loki Familia present think the same thing: "As expected."
"Ais, you are now an executive of Loki Familia."
"Your every word and action will affect those below you. I hope you remember that."
Even though he knew it wouldn't be of much use, Finn still reminded the blond girl.
"… Yes, I understand."
"Alright, you can leave now."
Seeing the hesitation in Ais's eyes before she nodded, Finn knew that she hadn't taken his words to heart at all.
There was nothing he could do about it, so he could only let her leave for now.
The moment the blond girl left the tent, three pairs of eyes immediately focused on Luke.
"Look at the mess you've created. It's starting to have an impact now."
Riveria was the first to speak.
She said to Luke in a helpless tone: "If this continues, it will probably affect the morale of ordinary members."
"Uh… it's not my fault..."
Luke rubbed his forehead helplessly and tried to defend himself.
"It's not just Ais, I've explained it to Bete, Tione, and Tiona too."
"But none of them believe me. They all feel like I'm trying to comfort them with a forced smile… I can't do anything about it..."
Luke was truly innocent in this matter.
The worry Ais was exhibiting was not because of anything else, but because of Luke's current level.
Five years later today, Ais, Bete, Tione, and Tiona had all leveled up to Lv5.
And they weren't just any ordinary Lv5s.
Ais's ability values were close to their limit now and had basically stopped growing.
If she was given the chance to achieve a "great feat," then Loki Familia would immediately have another Lv6 powerhouse.
Bete and the others weren't far behind.
Their ability values weren't at their limits, but they were close, all in a state ready for level-up.
It had been about three years since they had leveled up to Lv5.
What about Luke?
Luke had been Lv5 six years ago, fully a year longer than Ais and the others.
After he gave up hiding his strength to save Astrea Familia, the four executives of the Familia knew exactly when he had leveled up.
Everyone had been shocked at the time.
But the shock had turned into worry by now.
For a full six years, everyone who knew Luke knew that his ability values grew at an astonishingly fast rate.
Adding to that, his exploration frequency that far exceeded the norm, Ais and the others were certain that Luke had enough to fill his ability values to the max within the second year after becoming Lv5.
But he had been stuck at this level for six years.
'Luke's level-up speed has finally slowed down.'
'Ais has caught up to Luke! As expected of the Sword Princess, she's not weaker than the Sword Master.'
'Bete has also become Lv5, by the way, Luke is still making no progress?'
'Even Tione and Tiona have…'
'Could there be something wrong with Luke?'
'Hey, aren't Ais and the others about to level up to Lv6, Luke…'
'Six years… He would have already leveled up if he could.'
'Could it be that he's reached the limit of his potential? Is the legend of the Sword Master going to end here…'
It wasn't just Ais and the others who were worried about Luke, other members of Loki Familia were also buzzing about it.
There were even quite a few versions of rumors circulating in Orario.
Fortunately, Luke was extremely popular and had great prestige both within Loki Familia and in Orario.
He also possessed the strength that surpassed the typical Lv5.
The most popular theory was that "Luke had already leveled up to Lv6 but had kept it a secret for some reason."
But this explanation couldn't fool Ais and the others, who really knew that Luke hadn't leveled up.
They were genuinely worried whether something was wrong with him, or if it was true that he had reached the limit of his potential as the rumors said.
Moreover, as Ais's level-up grew closer, the theory of "keeping it a secret" was increasingly difficult to maintain.
Once Ais leveled up to Lv6, that rumor would be shattered.
At that time, the news that Luke couldn't level up would spread throughout Orario, and the high prestige and popularity he had enjoyed would vanish in an instant.
But actually, the situation wasn't what Ais and the others imagined.
You just have to look at his current ability values to understand.
Luke
Affiliation: Loki Familia
Race: Human
Ability Values:
Level: Lv5
Strength: SS 1090
Durability: SS 1084
Dexterity: SS 1097
Agility: SSS 1101
Magic: I0
Swordsman: SS
Abnormal Resistance: G
Monster Hunter: G
Magic Resistance: I
Skills:
*Sword Talent*
*Prana/Star Power*
*Desperate Reversal*
The three SS and one SSS attributes were the results of Luke's six years of effort.
After entering the first rank, the improvement of his physical abilities finally allowed Luke to take the first step beyond the limit.
However, this matter was too shocking, so Loki strictly prohibited anyone from telling others.
Even Ais couldn't be told.
Ais and the other executives were indeed strong, but they were still too young.
Loki was afraid that if they knew about this, other gods might notice something.
Therefore, besides Loki, only Finn and the other three top executives of the Familia knew that Luke had achieved this breakthrough.
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