Chapter 16: A Storm Is Brewing “Eyah!” (Magnum Burst!) A shower of leaves fell down on William’s head as he tried his skill on a tree. The bark of the tree had no visible damage, but the effect of the AOE had activated. [ Magnum Burst ] (5 Mana Points) — Deals AOE Damage up to three square meters around the caster. — Damage is dependent on the caster’s strength. — Knockback effect ‘… So, this skill currently deals no damage because I don’t have any strength?’ William frowned. ‘But, it still has the knockback effect.’ William checked his stats and sighed. - [ Strength: 0 ] [ Agility: 0 (+1) ] [ Vitality: 1 (+1) ] [ Intelligence: 14 (+1)] [ Dexterity: 0 ] Current Exp: 544 / 1366 [ Shepherd Lvl 2 ] Job Exp: 60 / 461 - ‘I need 822 more exp before I gain another level to increase my stats,’ William mused. ‘Killing one goblin gives me 60 points. In order to level up, I need to kill fourteen goblins. Should I add my points to Strength when I level up?’ After careful considerations, William decided that it was not a good idea. Even if he added his stats to strength, he would not be able to deal massive damage to the enemy. Adding the stat points to intelligence would be more ideal because he could act as support to his Mama Ella. ‘Magnum Burst is a good skill because it allows me to repel anyone that dares to target me. It will also give enough time for Mama Ella to come to my rescue. Although it doesn’t deal damage right now, the knockback will be able to keep me safe.’ - “Eyaaaah!” (Mama, use Horn Assault!) “Meeeeh!” Ella’s horns doubled in size and glowed bloody red. The goblin was skewered and shrieked madly. Ella didn’t stop after she impaled her target. Instead, she ran towards the wall of the dungeon with the intention of crushing the goblin to a pulp. [ Gained Exp Points: 60 ] Current Exp: 604 / 1366 [ Shepherd Lvl 2 ] Job Exp: 120 / 461 ‘Nice!’ William grinned when he saw the notification. Right now, he was multitasking. While checking the battle, he was also observing the map at the same time. His right hand was holding the wooden staff in preparation to protect himself if a random monster spawned beside him. He had already learned his lesson and he wouldn’t allow any mistakes to happen this time. He and his Mama Ella only had one life. It was best to be careful and take things slowly. [ Gained Exp Points: 60 ] [ Gained Exp Points: 60 ] [ Gained Exp Points: 60 ] [ Gained Exp Points: 60 ] After killing thirteen more goblins, William finally gained a level in his stats and job level. Current Exp: 18 / 2010 [ Shepherd Lvl 3 ] Job Exp: 439 / 880 Although he was tempted to add the stats to strength, he knew that now was not the right time to do it. He placed the three stat points he gained to int and it made him feel a bit more confident. [ Strength: 0 ] [ Agility: 0 (+1) ] [ Vitality: 1 (+1) ] [ Intelligence: 17 (+1)] [ Dexterity: 0 ] After taking care of his stats, William placed all of his available skill points to Wolf’s in Sheep’s Clothing. He knew that this was the safest investment he could make because Ella was the one fighting for him. The stronger she became, the safer he would be. [ Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing 7 / 10 ] (Passive) — Increases all stats of the herd by 7 points ‘Now, it’s Mama Ella’s turn.’ [ Strength: 2 ] [ Agility: 10 ] [ Vitality: 4 ] [ Intelligence: 2 ] [ Dexterity: 2 ] [ Quick Attack 2 / 5 ] (5 Mana Points) — Charges at the enemy with incredible speed. — The speed of this attack will depend on the Agility Stat x 3.5 [ Horn Assault 2 / 10 ] (5 Mana Points) — Deals a powerful blow to the enemy. — May cause the target to flinch. — Damage is based on the Strength Stat x 2.5 ‘With this the first floor has been cleared,’ William clapped his hands happily. ‘Time to go to the second floor and see what kind of adventure is waiting for us.’ Ella licked the baby’s cheeks. Clearly, she was in a good mood. She could feel herself getting stronger. For her, it was a good thing. Her only concern was William’s safety. As if reading her thoughts, William reached out to hug her neck. “Eyah.” (Don’t worry, Mama. I’ll keep myself safe.) “Meeeeeh.” “Eyaaaaaah!.” (Let’s go to the second floor!) “Meeeeh.” William sat on Ella’s back with a smile on his face. The Angorian Goat walked steadily as it descended, carrying her baby, to the second floor of the Goblin Crypt. - Nine years passed swiftly, like the grains of sand inside an hourglass. For William, those nine years were filled with close calls as he and Ella walked the thin line between life and death. Of course, he could choose not to use the Ring of Conquest and live a peaceful and stable lifestyle. However, he didn’t choose that route. He didn’t want to waste his youth doing nothing but eating and sleeping. His mentality in regards to his second life was largely due to the influence of the novels that he had read when he was still back on Earth. William knew that if he didn’t grasp the opportunity to become stronger while he was young, he would regret it for the rest of his life. In a valley located near the outskirts of Lont, hundreds of Angorian Goats and sheeps were currently grazing in peace. Not far from them, a ten-year-old boy sat on top of a tree branch. He was keeping a lookout for any potential threats to the safety of his herd. The wind rustled his short-red hair as he watched his herd with a smile. Among the hundreds of Angorian Goats, his herd only consists of fifty individuals. The rest were managed by five other shepherds, and apprentice shepherds like him, who lived in the town of Lont. “Will!” A boy in his early teens ran towards the tree where William was taking a rest. “Your grandfather is looking for you!” ‘Gramps?’ William glanced at his friend, Theo, who was also the son of the most senior shepherd in Lont. “Do you know why he is looking for me?” William asked. “No.” Theo answered. “But, he doesn’t look good. He seems to be very angry.” William frowned. His grandfather was a very happy-go-lucky person. Very few things could make him angry. Theo had no reason to lie to him, so something must have happened to the old man while he was away from the estate. “Alright.” William nodded his head. “Can you keep watch over my herd while I’m away? If I’m not back before my shift ends, bring them back to our family pen.” “Eh? But, I was supposed to play with the others this afternoon…” “I’ll give you a slice of apple pie.” “Two slices.” “Deal.” William grinned. He then shouted at the herd who was grazing at the pasture. “Mama! Let’s go home. Gramps is calling for us!” “Meeeeeeh!” An Angorian Goat who was a meter and a half tall broke out from the herd and ran towards William. The boy jumped off the branch and landed nimbly on the back of his Mama Ella. The two traveled back to their residence in haste. What William didn’t know was that there was a storm brewing within the Ainsworth Residence and it was all because of him.