Debuff Master

The Chimera-0154 was a powerful monster Siegfried would barely be able to kill even if he threw everything he had at it. On top of that, the real problem was that there were hundreds of these monsters in this dungeon. Siegfried would certainly find himself dead on the floor in less than a minute if he had entered this dungeon alone.

But for Shakiro, it was different. He displayed strength worthy of being one of the five officially recognized Masters on the continent, and he easily disposed of the Level 150 monsters.

Seuk!

Siegfried suddenly found Shakiro holding a blade he retrieved from out of nowhere.

Chwaaaak!

The blade danced in his hand.

Thud…! Thud…!?

The Chimera-0154s were cut into dozens of pieces.

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

A barrage of messages indicating the increase in his Experience Points appeared in front of Siegfried.

[You have reached Level 47!]

[You have reached Level 48!]

He leveled up twice in the blink of an eye.

‘Wow… what a massive wave of Experience Points…!’?Siegfried inwardly marveled at the Experience Points he was getting. He felt like he would get drunk on the experience. That was only natural since the Level 150 Chimera-0154s were lumps of Experience Points for him, who was only Level 50, and killing them was akin to hunting dozens of boss monsters.

However, that was not the end of the surprise…

[Standard Saber]

[A normal saber that can be made by any blacksmith with decent skills.]

[Type: Blade] 𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗼𝘃𝐞𝐥.𝗰𝗼𝐦

[Rating: Magic]

The weapon Shakiro was using to cut down the Chimera-0154s was not special in any way, and it had no special abilities or options attached to it.

An ordinary saber was massacring the Level 150 monsters as if they were air… It really went without saying that a master would not blame their weapon.

“Let’s go,” said Shakiro after killing dozens of Chimera-0154s.

“Yes!” Siegfried exclaimed and followed the Weapon Master.

***

The boosting service that Shakiro was giving Siegfried could only be described as ‘fxcking awesome.’

‘This isn’t a normal boost anymore… this is like putting wings on me! I don’t think even Rankers could boost someone like this…!’?Siegfried exclaimed inwardly.

He wasn’t really mistaken because no Players had reached the Master level so far.

‘This is awesome… Amazing!’?Siegfried thought. He resolved to suck every single drop of Experience Points Shakiro would give him.

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

[You have obtained Experience Points!]

His Experience Points kept piling up.

[You have reached Level 49!]

[You have reached Level 50!]

He leveled up.

[Alert: You are now able to learn new skills!]

Upon reaching Level 50, Siegfried could finally learn the Debuff Master’s new skill.

[Proof of Existence]

[A buff that increases damage dealt by 20% when attacking debuffed targets.]

Proof of Existence was a skill that lived up to its name. It ensured that the presence of the Debuff Master would be felt. The buff could only be cast on oneself, and it allowed the user to deal increased damage to a debuffed target. It would cement the Debuff Master’s position as a hybrid Debuffer and Physical DPS.

“It seems you got something good out of what we had done here. Congratulations,” Shakiro said with a warm smile while looking at Siegfried checking his new skill.

“Thank you,” Siegfried replied with respect.

“Your master seemed to have engraved the skills he created in your brain, am I correct?” Shakiro asked while observing Siegfried.

“How did you know?” Siegfried asked, seemingly surprised.

“Your master is an astounding person. I’m certain that he engraved those skills in you so that you will not have to go through the process of trial and error or go down the wrong path.”

“Aha!”

“His confidence is amazing as well. That’s not something someone can do without being a hundred percent confident in the skills they have created. It seems as if he is trying to tell you that his way is the path to invincibility. A teacher would usually place a few forked roads to help their disciple enlighten themselves…” Shakiro muttered.

“He is indeed capable of doing that,” Siegfried confidently said.

In fact, Deus did mention something similar to what Shakiro had just said.

“Don’t ask. Don’t even be curious. The thoughts of someone like you are not important. Just shut up and do as I say. Eventually, you will become invincible. Do you understand?”

However, the way Deus had said it was quite different from Shakiro…

“You are truly blessed…” Shakiro praised.

“It is a bit hard to look at it that way…” Siegfried grumbled.

“Hmm?”

“I should create my own path as well. I don’t feel so comfortable being spoon-fed by my master like this. It feels like…”

“Hahaha!” Shakiro boisterously laughed at Siegfried’s words, and then he said, “Truly amazing! The more I look at you, the more admirable you become!”

“Huh?”

“How can I become as passionate as you? I can’t understand how you can think of wanting even more, even though you already have the entire map of the path toward invincibility.”

“That’s because I still have a conscience, hahaha…”

“Don’t worry. It’s important to create your own path, but there’s no reason for you to do that since you already have the complete blueprint with you. What’s more important than all of your concerns is your life.”

“My… life?”

“Yes, you inherited the complete and perfect blueprint, but the life that you will live with it will certainly be different from the one your master lived, don’t you agree?”

“Ah…!”

“And eventually, you will have to forge your own path.”

“Will that day really come?”

“Yes, once you can stand with your master as equals.”

“…!”

“A crossroad will appear on that day, and you might become an invincible being that transcends invincibility itself.”

The Weapon Master’s words just now were simply astounding.

Surpassing his master? Siegfried wasn’t sure if such a thing were even possible in the first place.

“Will that day… come? I am not sure of that… My master has surpassed the limits of this world and is on the verge of becoming a god,” Siegfried said.

“Why? You aren’t confident?” Shakiro asked with a smirk.

“I am not confident that I can achieve that…”

“My, my…”

“How can I be confident about doing that? Thinking that I can surpass my master is not being confident but being arrogant, but…” Siegfried said with a smile before he paused for a moment and continued, “I feel like I do want to surpass him one day.”

That ‘one day’ could be the day BNW ended its services and shut its servers down, but becoming a Level 999 user and leaving a legacy in this game did not sound so bad to Siegfried.

However, such words were perfect to tell one’s parents if one wanted to get slapped.

“Heh…!” Shakiro grinned after hearing Siegfried’s words, and then he said, “That’s good.”

“Good?”

“You have the qualifications to achieve that since you didn’t get consumed by the shadow of your master’s greatness. There are many people out there who cannot achieve enlightenment because they are being pressured by their master’s greatness. But the way you look at things from a different perspective makes you different from them. My, my… I am honored. I could be talking to an invincible being of the future right now,” Shakiro said. He wasn’t stringy with his praise.

However, Siegfried wasn’t happy upon receiving such praise.

“Is there a hole I can use to hide around here…?” he muttered while lowering his head in embarrassment.

‘Ah… why is he praising me so much when I’m?just trash...’?

Those were Siegfried’s honest thoughts.

***

[You have reached Level 51!]

[You have reached Level 52!]

[You have reached Level 53!]

The dungeon boosting service continued even after Siegfried leveled up three more times.

When they were about to reach the end of the dungeon, Siegfried suddenly asked, “May I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” Shakiro coolly replied.

“I’m just curious, but… just what exactly are you looking for? What is it that you had to dedicate your entire life to finding it…?” Siegfried asked.

“Are you aware of the top three workshops?” Shakiro said.

“Yes, I am,” Siegfried replied with a nod.

There was no way he was unaware of the top three workshops on the Nürburg Continent: the Autonika of Technology, Bavarian of Power, and Mercedes the Greatest.

“Then, do you know that the Bavarian Workshop has one special department?” Shakiro asked.

“Are you talking about the Hometown of Death?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

The Hometown of Death department was the producer of the best artifacts for the Bavarian Workshop. Their artifacts boasted the highest destructive and killing power, and they lived up to the ‘Bavarian of Power’ motto of the workshop.

“What about the name of the best master craftsman within the Hometown of Death?” Shakiro asked.

“I am not aware of that…” Siegfried muttered in response.

“Herbert is the legendary master craftsman who had been nominated as the third head of the Hometown of Death. He is the best master craftsman in the history of the Bavarian Workshop. Moreover…”

“…?”

“He is also famous as the mad blacksmith unrivaled throughout history.”

“What do you mean by mad…?”

“He was obsessed with making lethal weapons. In fact, he even learned how to draw so that he could draw a portrait of his weapon killing a human being.”

“He’s insane…”

It became clear as day to Siegfried that Herbert was indeed a madman.

“In the later years of his life, Herbert started creating the deadliest weapon he could ever create. It was naturally deadlier than any of the hundreds of weapons he had ever made, and it was his masterpiece—no, his life’s work,” explained Shakiro.

“Then… what you’re looking for is…” Siegfried trailed off.

“That’s right. I’m looking for Herbert’s life’s work,” Shakiro replied with a nod.

“Aha…”

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m not planning on using that weapon. I have already given away all of the weapons I had to my disciples, and I don’t particularly need another weapon,” Shakiro hurriedly clarified.

Siegfried knew that Shakiro was telling the truth since the Weapon Master managed to make quick work of Level 150 monsters with a mere Standard Saber.

“Then, why are you looking for it?” Siegfried asked.

“Let’s say that there is some lingering regret?” Shakiro replied while rubbing his chin.

“By lingering regret, you mean…”

“It’s just this thing I had in my younger days. I told myself back then that I will find and obtain Herbert’s life’s work.”

“So… it’s your dream?”

“Well, you can put it that way. A dream from my younger days.”

“You will find it…”

“I hope so, too. Perhaps I can call it my long life’s final wish? It’s nothing amazing, though.”

“What are you going to do with it once you find it?”

“I’m not sure since I don’t really have any use for it…” Shakiro muttered. He then looked at Siegfried and said, “I’m thinking of selling it to you.”

“Huh?”

“What do you think about it? If I managed to find Herbert’s life’s work, will you buy it?”

“Ah… no…” Siegfried muttered. He shook his head and said, “I cannot possibly afford it.”

“You can pay in installments,” Shakiro said nonchalantly.

“Do you mean in installments of 1,200 months? I think the monthly interest alone will be worth a whole city. I dislike the thought of being in debt, so I shall politely refuse. A man has to be able to pay for things in one go, so I have no intention of buying things in installments,” Siegfried replied.

“Even if I will sell it to you for cheap?”

“It will still be worth a whole kingdom even if you give it to me for cheap. I shall only accept your thoughts. I cannot take more from you since you have already taught me a lot, and you even helped me grow stronger.”

“You are truly a rare man in this time and age…”

“I just hate the thought of being in debt.”

The life’s work left behind by Master Craftsman Herbert would surely be a Legendary weapon at the very least. Siegfried didn’t even try to feel any greed over it since he knew that he wouldn’t have the capability to purchase it. He was also certain that he would drown in the interest alone if he were to purchase it in installments.

‘I’m sure he doesn’t plan on selling it, though…’?Siegfried inwardly grumbled. He couldn’t help but think that Shakiro was just teasing him.

“I think we’re almost there,” Siegfried said, shifting the topic.

“It should be over there,” Shakiro said while pointing at a spot about fifty meters away.

In front of them stood a large stone door engraved with the emblem of the Bavarian Workshop as well as the letter ‘M,’ which was the hallmark of the Hometown of Death department of the Bavarian Workshop.

“There should be a clue to Herbert’s final work in that place,” Siegfried said.

“I think so as well,” Shakiro replied with a nod.

“We wandered for quite a bit, but we finally found it—” Siegfried’s words were interrupted by someone’s laughter from behind

“Kekeke!”

It seemed that someone had been trailing them all along.

1. This is an age-old saying that basically means that a professional does not care what they are using. An example would be that a professional guitarist could play just as well with a $100 guitar while a noob would still play badly with a $100,000 one.

2. Boost in Korean is actually called ‘bus’ so the original said ‘this isn’t a bus anymore but an airplane’, but there was no way to put that into English.

3. Really? (-_-)