Endless Leveling Done Right!

Chapter 175: Guys, No Matter What You Do, Don’t Run

”It’s a shame that Professor Zanna doesn’t know where the other Heavenly Flames are located.” Chuck sighed.

”Even if she knows, she won’t tell anyone where they are,” Alex pointed out. ”Some believe that the reason they are called Heavenly Flames is because only the ones chosen by heaven can find them.”

”Alex, I think you’re forgetting something very important.” Chuck flipped his hair before pointing at his own face with his thumb. ”I am one of those Chosen Ones!”

Alex and Dim Dim patted Chuck’s shoulder while giving him the ”sure you are” gaze.

Nessia, who was following behind them, giggled because she was finding their banter quite amusing.

She had also been in the alchemy class earlier because she planned to master alchemy as well.

”I think the only thing you’re chosen for is chaos,” Nessia teased. ”Heaven probably took one look at you and said, ’The world needs chaos,’ and then sent you on your merry way.”

Chuck gasped, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded. ”Ouch. That one hurts, Ness. Right here.”

The teenage boy pointed dramatically at his heart, even going as far as to grimace as if he was truly hurt by her words.

From the top of Alex’s head, Dim Dim mimicked Chuck’s pose, clutching its tiny chest with its little hand.

It was the one that had made the world of Arcana so wasn’t Chuck technically born due to the wishes of the world it had created?

”Don’t encourage him,” Alex said dryly, reaching up to keep Dim Dim from falling off.

The group passed under the ivy-laced archway that connected the Alchemy Hall to the rest of the academy grounds.

The marble path sparkled subtly under the warm afternoon sun and the subtle scent of herbs and incense from alchemy class still clung to their robes.

As they walked, Alex spoke again, more contemplative this time.

”Still, the Heavenly Flames... It makes you wonder if they really choose people, or if people are just chasing myths.” Alex knew of the Heavenly Flames, and had even tried to look for one in the game.

However, he hadn’t found any no matter how hard he looked. Even those who had been able to acquire these flames attested that it was due to luck. ”It was a fortuitous encounter,” a player had said. ”I didn’t expect it.”

”I mean, what if both are true?” Nessia suggested. ”What if they don’t appear until someone worthy is looking?”

Chuck scratched his head. ”So... if I want one, I just have to look really hard while being worthy?”

”Pretty much.” Alex smirked. ”Good luck with that second part.”

”Hey!”

Alex, Dim Dim, and Nessia burst out laughing. Chuck pretended to be insulted for a few seconds before breaking into a toothy grin.

However, when the laughter faded, Alex glanced at Nessia. He sighed in his heart.

Not only did Nessia acquire a Heavenly Flame in the game, it was ranked fourth in the Heavenly Flame Rankings!

It was none other than the Phoenix Flames, which allowed her to show the world why she was one of the three Main Heroines of the world of Arcana.

As the group walked near the garden of the academy, they saw someone who should still be sleeping inside the Alchemy Classroom.

Latifa Everglen.

Or rather, a projection of her.

The ethereal fox girl walked slowly between the flowerbeds, her rose-gold hair flowing with phantom grace.

Her three spectral tails glided behind her in a dreamy arc. Students passing by either didn’t notice her or, more likely, were simply unable to see her astral projection.

But to those attuned to mana, like Alex, Chuck, and Nessia, the air shimmered faintly with spiritual resonance.

”Is this the fabled Astral Projection?” Nessia asked, eyes wide.

”Maybe,” Alex replied. ”This is the first time I’m seeing it with my own eyes.”

”That’s kind of cool,” Chuck commented. ”If I had that power, I would definitely travel the world with one consciousness and let the other one study here in the academy.”

Suddenly, Latifa’s spirit form stopped walking and glanced at their direction.

Perhaps she had heard them talking about her. She smiled at them before giving them a polite bow.

A moment later, she disappeared, turning into particles of light. Clearly, she had somewhere to go.

’I wonder where she’s going,’ Alex thought as he made a turn.’Still, it’s nice to see h—’

At that moment, his face smashed into something big and wide that was blocking their path towards the Ironheart Dormitory.

”What the...” Chuck’s eyes were practically bulging out of his sockets. Right in front of them was a Rank 4 Monster.

”A Doom Cow.” Nessia froze after identifying the monster. ”Guys, no matter what you do, don’t run.”

Chuck, who was about to do just that, gulped. He was relieved that Nessia’s warning had reached him in time, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened had he ran.

The answer was that Doom Cow might have gouged him with its demonic horns had he tried to escape.

Standing before them was a cow that was slightly over two-meters tall.

It was taller than a war horse, and its massive muscular frame was wrapped in a dark hide that looks like charred stone rather than flesh.

Deep cracks ran along its flanks and shoulders, glowing faintly with red-orange light—like veins of magma pulsing with barely-concealed rage beneath the surface.

Two jagged obsidian horns curved forward from its skull, threatening to pierce anyone who was foolish—or unlucky—enough to anger it.

Surprisingly, its crimson eyes didn’t look wild or mindless.

They were cold, intelligent and calculating.

Its gaze was not that of a common animal. Rather, it looked at them like it was passing a verdict.

And right now, it seemed to be judging whether the three teenagers were going to be its early dinner.

A tense standoff took place as the students stared back at the Rank 4 Monster, which was known for its aggressiveness and fiery personality.

Suddenly, the Doom Cow lowered its head towards Alex, making the young man flinch.

Just as he was about to summon Svalinn, he heard a giggle on top of his head. For a split second, Alex was at an utter loss, unable to decide his next move.

The Doom Cow was licking Dim Dim, and the Dim Sum God giggled because it felt ticklish.

Alex, Chuck, and Nessia instantly assumed that the monster was licking the little bun to know if it was delicious or not.

”What are you doing, Daisy?”

A familiar voice reached the three teenagers’ ears. They turned to the speaker and saw Fran, the Dwarf girl, in farmer’s clothing.

She was even wearing a straw hat that complemented the rest of her outfit.

”Moooo!” the Doom Cow—which apparently answered to the name Daisy—replied.

”Sorry if she scared you.” Fran bowed in apology to her classmates whose faces were more than a little pale from their encounter with Daisy. ”She’s a good girl. It just so happens that she likes to patrol the academy from time to time.”

The Doom Cow snorted before resuming to lick Dim Dim, which prompted the little bun to giggle once more.

”S-She won’t eat Dim Dim, right?” Alex asked, fearing that the lick would turn into a chomp later on.

”I wonder?” Fran replied in a teasing tone, which made Alex’s heart skip a beat.

The cute dwarf smirked and Alex wished that he had a camera to snap some photos. Fran was usually quite serious and stoic. It was very rare for her to show this cute side of her in public.

”Daisy, let’s go.” Fran lightly tapped the side of the cow’s body. ”Captain is looking for you.”

Daisy obeyed, but not before mooing at Dim Dim.

The Dim Sum God nodded before jumping on top of Daisy’s head like it was hitchhiking for a ride.

”Dim Dim!” Dim Dim said to Alex.

”You want to play with your new friend?”

”Dim!”

”Okay, just be careful that Daisy doesn’t eat you,” Alex reminded the Dim Sum God. The moment the words left his lips, he knew he was probably worrying too much. Dim Dim could get along well with anyone and anything.

”Dim!” Dim Dim saluted before lightly patting Daisy’s head, telling her that they could now go and play together.

Alex watched as the Doom Cow walked away, seemingly happy that she had found someone to spend time with in the academy.

Fran bade them goodbye before following Daisy, which was just one of the several monsters that she was looking after.

”I didn’t know that Doom Cows could be tamed like that,” Chuck said only after the Doom Cow disappeared from his sight. ”I thought I was going to have a heart attack.”

As a Fire Mage, Chuck hated anything that was fire resistant.

The Doom Cow was a fire-breathing monster. Naturally, it was quite resistant to flames.

”Will Dim Dim really be okay?” Nessia asked. ”What if Daisy eats it?”

Alex was also still a little worried. After a brief internal struggle, he decided to follow Fran and make sure that his little partner wouldn’t get eaten by its new close friend.