Chapter 5: Grinding to Glory

“All I need to do is level up.”

It wasn’t possible to change jobs immediately.

Just like in the PC version, I had to reach level 10.

“Where should I grind levels…?”

Kang Juho, having left the guard headquarters, quickly started thinking.

Current level: 6.

My equipment wasn’t great, and my stats weren’t high either.

The monsters I could hunt in my current state were very limited.

Moreover, the Paraville Kingdom had very few hunting grounds.

“Okay, let’s go there.”

Since the hunting grounds and the monsters I could catch were limited, I could make a decision quickly.

Kang Juho started walking towards the west gate.

‘The blacksmith…’

While walking, Kang Juho looked at the mini-map.

It was to find the blacksmith job change NPC.

Kang Juho, who was looking at the mini-map, thought.

‘How nice would it be if I could just see the whole thing…’

It would be nice to be able to check the entire city, but the mini-map only showed a 1km radius.

To check the whole thing, you needed a separate map skill or item.

It would be nice if they could provide convenience with a map, but it was a bit disappointing.

“It’s in the production district.”

Before long, Kang Juho was able to find the blacksmith job change NPC.

The blacksmith job change NPC was located in the middle of the production district, west of the job plaza.

It was then.

“Hyung!”

A familiar voice rang in my ear.

Kang Juho stopped walking and looked at the place where the voice came from.

“Seokju!”

As expected, the owner of the voice was Kim Seokju.

Kim Seokju quickly approached Kang Ju-ho.

“No, hyung. We were supposed to meet at Plaza 3! You weren’t planning on coming from the start, were you?”

“……!”

Kang Juho couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt at Kim Seok-ju’s words.

If we couldn’t meet at first, we had agreed to meet at Plaza 3 every hour.

However, Kang Ju-ho had no intention of going to Plaza 3 every hour.

It would be fortunate if we met, but if we didn’t, it would be a waste of time and movement.

So I was thinking of going in a few hours, but to run into Kim Seokju?

‘Wait a minute……’

Then, with a sudden thought, Kang Juho frowned slightly and asked.

“Why are you here?”

“……!”

Then this time, Kim Seokju flinched.

“Haha! Hyung! Did you finish the tutorial?”

Kim Seokju quickly changed the subject.

Kang Juho smiled at Kim Seokju’s reaction and replied.

“Yeah, I finished the tutorial. What about you?”

“Me too! Let’s add each other as friends first!”

[Kim Seokju has been added as a friend.]

After finishing adding friends, Kang Juho asked Kim Seokju.

“What level are you?”

“6! What about you, hyung?”

“Me too.”

“Same.”

Kang Juho and Kim Seokju moved while talking.

“Are you going to catch Stone Foxes?”

Kim Seokju asked.

“Yeah, if there’s no competition for rabbits, I’ll catch rabbits.”

Kang Juho nodded and replied.

Stone Fox, a monster that lives in the ‘Stone Fox Forest’ a little further west from the west gate, was the next stage monster after the rabbit.

Of course, the next stage was based on the starting city ‘Villenis’.

In other countries, there was a ‘wild dog’ after the rabbit.

And after the wild dog was the fox.

Only the Paraville Kingdom did not have ‘wild dogs’.

Moreover, the foxes of the Paraville Kingdom are not ordinary foxes.

It’s not for nothing that the word ‘stone’ is attached.

The stats of some monsters were revealed in the manual.

And there were also the stats of the Stone Fox.

Compared to rabbits, they had 3 times the health, and 2 times the defense and attack power.

The problem was that they had high stats and also had the trait ‘Stone Skin’, which reduced the damage they received by 20%.

It was rude to compare them to rabbits, let alone ordinary foxes.

However, the Stone Fox did not give several times more experience than the rabbit.

If there was no competition, catching rabbits would be a faster way to reach level 10.

“Then you’re going to catch Stone Foxes.”

Kim Seokju said with a grin.

“Did you go west?”

Kang Juho asked, reacting to Kim Seokju’s reaction, who was sure that there would be many users.

“Yes.”

Kim Seokju nodded.

Unlike Kang Juho, who went to the north gate, Kim Seokju went to the west gate.

And I knew how many users there were.

“Let’s go hunting in a party!”

Kim Seokju said to Kang Juho with sparkling eyes.

“Okay, accept the invite.”

Kang Juho created a party and sent an invitation to Kim Seokju.

And asked.

“How did you distribute your stats?”

Kang Juho, who was planning to change jobs to a blacksmith, distributed the bonus stats he received when leveling up equally to strength and stamina.

However, Kim Seokju was planning to change jobs to an enchanter.

And the main stat of the enchanter was ‘wisdom’.

I didn’t think he would invest bonus stats in strength or agility.

In other words, it wouldn’t be of much help in catching Stone Foxes.

“Hehe, I invested 5 in stamina and left 20.”

It was as Kang Juho expected.

Kim Seokju did not invest in strength or agility at all.

“I’ll have to use some strength.”

That didn’t mean Kang Juho was going to abandon Kim Seokju.

Even if he didn’t invest in stats, it didn’t mean he wasn’t helpful.

There is a very big difference in combat style between one-on-one and two-on-one.

If you have to use 10 strength alone to catch a Stone Fox, you can catch it with half that strength, or even 3 or 4 strength if Kang Ju-ho and Kim Seok-ju work well together.

“After I change jobs, I’ll definitely support you!”

Kim Seokju shouted with a bright smile.

“But hyung, are you going to the training camp?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking about it.”

Kang Juho let out a groan.

* * *

Training camp.

It was a place where you could increase the main stats of your main job through training such as hitting scarecrows and dodging attacks.

Of course, there was a limit to the stats you could raise through training.

In the case of the beginner training camp, it was 10 stats.

In the case of the intermediate training camp, it was 50 stats.

In the case of the advanced training camp, it was 100 stats.

Finally, in the case of the highest level training camp, it was possible to raise 200 stats.

It was impossible to raise it any higher.

Not only that.

“I need to run straight to at least 50.”

There was a level limit for each training camp.

Beginners could enter from level 10 to level 50.

And intermediate was from 51 to 200, advanced was from 201 to 500, and highest level was from 501 to 1000.

For example, what if you reach level 51 without getting all 10 stats from the beginner training camp?

The stats you didn’t get will never be available.

“What do you think?”

Kang Juho asked Kim Seokju.

I was curious about what Kim Seokju, who would be moving with me in the future, was thinking.

At Kang Juho’s question, Kim Seokju thought for a moment and opened his mouth.

“…………..I think it’s okay to just skip it.”

After all, the stats you could get from the training camp were 10.

It was more profitable to pour that time into growth than to invest time in the training camp to get 10 stats.

“You can always get stats later.”

And you can get stats not only from the training camp.

You could also get stats by doing certain actions such as reading ancient books and running.

“Okay, then let’s skip the beginner one. Kang Juho listened to Kim Seokju’s answer and ended his worries.

I had been uncomfortable in one corner of my heart due to constant worry, but I felt much more comfortable after ending the worry and smiled naturally.

A while later, Kang Juho and Kim Seokju were able to reach the west gate.

“No, don’t steal!”

“Hey! That rabbit is mine!”

“Ugh, there are so few rabbits!”

“Should we go somewhere else?”

“I only need to catch 12 more, so let’s do it here. I think there will be just as many in other places.”

As Kim Seokju said, there were really many users at the west gate.

When one rabbit was regenerated, about four or five people would rush in.

“We almost had a big problem.”

“I know.”

We almost participated in the competition if we were just a little late.

Kang Juho and Kim Seokju moved while talking.

Kang Juho and Kim Seokju, who passed the users and walked straight, were soon able to reach their destination.

[You have entered the Stone Fox Forest.]

“There are users who came earlier than us?”

After arriving at the forest, Kim Seokju said with a surprised expression.

I finished the tutorial and came straight here.

I thought I would arrive earlier than anyone else, but some users were already walking around in the Stone Fox Forest.

Kang Juho, who was watching the users for a while at Kim Seokju’s words, opened his mouth.

“I think they just came to watch?”

The users did not attack the Stone Fox.

They were just looking at it as if it was amazing.

“……I think so.”

Kim Seokju also nodded at Kang Juho’s words.

Soon Kang Juho and Kim Seokju turned their attention away from the users.

We couldn’t just spend time like this.

“Let’s catch that.”

Kang Juho took the lead and approached the Stone Fox in front of him.

There were other Stone Foxes nearby, but it didn’t matter.

That’s because Stone Foxes don’t have group characteristics.

They don’t react even if their kin are attacked.

There was no need to worry even if there were other Stone Foxes.

“Come in when I completely draw aggro.”

Kang Juho, who had arrived in front of the Stone Fox, said to Kim Seokju.

“Yes! I’ll watch and go in!”

Kim Seokju replied, and Kang Juho swung his iron sword at the Stone Fox.

Slash!

-Squeak!

The iron sword hit, and the Stone Fox let out a short scream and stepped back, glaring at Kang Ju-ho.

And soon it rushed towards Kang Juho.

The Stone Fox jumped and swung its forefoot.

Clang!

Kang Juho, who was already prepared for the attack, quickly stepped back and swung his iron sword to knock away the forefoot.

-Squeak!

The Stone Fox let out another short scream and stepped back, glaring at Kang Ju-ho.

Kang Ju-ho looked at the Stone Fox glaring at him and thought.

‘The field of vision is narrower than I thought, it will be difficult to avoid later……’

PC ‘Earth’ allowed you to grasp the situation of the battlefield at a glance through the monitor.

But virtual ‘Earth’ had a limited field of vision.

It was incomparable to PC ‘Earth’.

I could avoid the Stone Fox’s attacks if I was watching it, but it seemed difficult to avoid large-scale battles or battles with higher-level monsters.

-Squeak!

The Stone Fox, which had been watching Kang Juho, jumped again.

As before, Kang Ju-ho stepped back and swung his iron sword.

Clang!

Once again, the iron sword and the Stone Fox’s forefoot met, and the Stone Fox screamed and stepped back, glaring at Kang Ju-ho.

And right then.

“I’m going in now!”

Kim Seokju participated in the battle.

It was the forefoot twice, but I succeeded in attacking a total of three times anyway.

There was no chance of losing aggro.

“I’ll take the left!”

Kim Seokju moved to the left of the Stone Fox.

The Stone Fox glanced at Kim Seok-ju.

It was literally a glance.

The Stone Fox gave Kim Seokju a glance, glared at Kang Juho, and then jumped again.

Unlike before, Kang Ju-ho did not step back.

That’s because he wasn’t alone this time.

Kim Seokju was with him.

Slash!

Kim Seok-ju, who had been waiting for the Stone Fox’s jump, swung his iron sword and slashed the Stone Fox’s side.

-Squeak!

The Stone Fox, which only paid attention to Kang Juho, could not avoid Kim Seokju’s attack and began to fall as it was.

Slash!

And at that moment, Kang Juho’s iron sword hit the Stone Fox’s back as it fell.