Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 5 (Patreon)

An entire month had passed since Noah began fishing. At first he wanted a few Levels, but that few turned into more than a dozen. He didn’t want to stop. Not because he was addicted to fighting, or fishing. Okay, maybe a little, but before heading deeper into the strange city, he wanted to be at his strongest.

And what was stronger than a class evolution? Of course, that wasn’t the only surprise he had earned.

You defeated a - Level 124 Coarsal-Fin.

…
| Extra experience is rewarded for defeating an enemy beyond your Level.

You have Levelled up!
| Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 86 -> Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 100

Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.
| Krall level 86 -> Krall level 100

Gluttony has Levelled up.
| Gluttony level 82 -> Gluttony level 94

Colossal Fishing has reached Level 51

You have gained a World First achievement!
| You're the first Otherworlder to reach Level 100!
| You have gained a World First title - Level 100 Elite III.
| +20 to all Stats.

Noah shifted on the spot, gazing at the message. The plus 20 was a nice addition, but his eyes remained on the title itself. Before, the system had always said that it was the first in the tutorial to obtain the title. Now it has changed to Otherworlder. The tutorial has ended? It didn’t feel like it. Noah scratched his head, confused. Well there again, it didn’t feel like he was in a tutorial at all, anyway. Maybe he was missing something?

Noah continued.

You have gained a World First achievement!
| You're the first Otherworlder to raise a pet to Level 100!
| You have gained a World First title - Elite Caretaker.
| +5% damage to all pets.

More damage, nice. Noah would never complain at more percentage increases. The more, the merrier.

You have gained a World First achievement!
| You're the first Otherworlder to reach 1000 in a Stat!
| You have gained a World First title - Statistically Ahead.
| +20 to all Stats.
| +5% increase to Willpower.

Noah smiled. Technically, he had reached over 1000 in both Willpower and Strength, but Willpower was higher. So that’s why I gained the percentage increase to Willpower instead. It was actually what he preferred. He wouldn’t have complained about receiving an increase to Strength, of course, but Willpower was the more useful to him. Both now, and in the future.

Level 100 Milestone reached!
| Requirements for evolution: Defeat a Level 150 monster, gain 35 sponsors, complete an area mission, clear a dungeon, reach 1000 in a Stat, defeat a King-ranked monster.
| Requirements for evolutions not met.

Noah sighed. He had already guessed that he wouldn’t meet the requirements. It was wishful thinking on his part, but even without the class, he had received a sizable increase in power. Not only from the stats he had gained over the course of Fishing, but from the titles. He felt more comfortable pathing the city now.

However, there was one thing that surprised him. He had reached Level 50 in his profession, and even that wasn’t enough to earn a World First title. Someone, somewhere, was blazing through profession Levels, but how?

Noah was fighting elite Level fish, granting him a lot of experience. Someone was obviously entirely devoted to their profession, doing nothing else but focusing on it day in, day out. But Noah couldn’t remember anyone that was like that back at the Hub.

Well, he wasn’t exactly that interested in the goings on within camp, so maybe he missed them. Somehow. Shaking his head, Noah exited his system, and flexed his new power.

Sprinting, jumping, attacking; he felt a good increase in the strength he was capable of showcasing. However, it felt… clumsy. As he realised in the next second. He missed a step, crashing into the dense stone path of the port city. He rolled to a stop. Thraz laughed. Noah frowned.

He had realised something. All the strength and Stats he had gained from Fishing, had ended up breaking the equilibrium within his body. He was unbalanced. A fact that made him uncomfortable.

Thraz aimed pointed laughter at Noah. “Graceful, like a garzol with two left hooves.”

Even Pillow joined in.

Noah stood up. That wasn’t good. If he couldn’t control his body, then fighting right now was a death sentence. He had to quickly acclimate to his new ‘body’, and quickly.

Noah spent another two days running, jumping, and attacking the air. It was the same process as shadow boxing, but now he had supernatural Skills to make use of. Speaking of, Noah had also gained some upgrades to his Skills.

Namely to his basic Skills. Weapon Specialist, Sneaking, Animal Taming, Spear Proficiency, and finally Shield Proficiency. All of them had evolved, granting extra damage, and control in his shield, and weapon.

As for his main Skills, he didn’t make much progress as he had a lot of help thanks to his new team. All of the experience was shared with them, slowing the progress considerably. Despite that, he was close to evolving a few of his Skills. In the next few fights to come, he imagined they would evolve then.

A new day rose, and with it, the smell of smoke, meat, and dew from the night’s long, mighty storm.

“We’ll be heading into the city today,” Noah said in between eating some rabbit stew. It had become a staple amongst the team.

“It’s finally time, huh?” Pillow said.

After a month spent together, they had gotten quite close. As always, the little black panda had an almighty temper. But it was never out of malice, Noah discovered. Instead, it seemed to just be a strange personality trait. One Noah just attributed to a long history that Pillow had yet to share.

However, it was obvious that it was a dark one. Everytime Pillow flashed looks of remembrance, it was one filled with pain, suffering, and longing.

Noah was curious what that story was, but he didn’t push. He had made that mistake once already.

Thraz slammed his fist into his open palm. “Finally. I’m getting sick and tired of waiting on one spot for my prey. Fishing,” Thraz spat. “No more.”

“I agree with you there,” Noah said.

Sitting in one spot for fourteen hours a day was not only a killer on his back, but he was getting bored of it. It wasn’t why he volunteered himself into this world. He wanted to explore. And there was also the Master Fisher’s reward to gain. A fact he never once forgot.

So, they packed what they needed, then headed into the depths of the city.

***

Noah narrowly dodged an incoming pincer. It snipped the air above him. Air rushed into his ears. It was a familiar enemy. A giant horned crab. Noah noticed a deep wound on its shoulder and realised it was one that he had struck saving Thraz.

He jumped to the side again on the back of Gluttony, but he almost fell off. Damn it. He still had a ways to go to regain full control of his body. But he was getting there.

Noah took his time on this one as the others watched. When he was finally growing accustomed to his newly gained strength, Noah pounced. Snapping his spear ahead, it bore through the monster's mouth, and continued into its brain.

You defeated a - Level 118 Legion Crab.

…
| Extra experience is rewarded for defeating an enemy beyond your Level.

Shaking his arms, Noah smiled. It was time to continue. With the help of his team, they moved like a well oiled machine. None of the Legion Crab’s were able to put up much resistance. But the further they travelled, the stronger they got.

And it was easy to see why. Noah heard an intense battle take place. It shook the buildings in the surrounding area. Noah turned the corner, and indeed, it was a violent battle.

Four massive crabs battled each other. Each snip of their mighty pincer’s chopped off legs, arms, and sliced through armour plates like a hot knife through butter.

Noah’s brows rose in surprise. They were battling for supremacy. The strong would live, and the weak would die. Noah watched for a little longer. The strongest one smashed one that had missing limbs against a building.

Instead of continuing the vicious fight, it shrinked back, further down the street. It was running away.

That’s why the weaker ones are at the outskirts of the city.

Noah activated his Thrust Shard, and threw a lance right into the injured crab’s skull, killing it instantly. Then he broke free from the shadows. He bolted through the shade of the streets. His lance crushed the last surviving crab’s carapace. His weapon disappeared into its body. Eyes turning murky, it fell to the floor.

The moment he killed the crab, a piercing, rattling screech emerged from the end of the street. Noah aimed his gaze ahead. A colossal leg emerged, poking a hole in the durable road.

Noah readied himself.