Chapter 28. Shocking results 5

Lucas' POV

''Crap''... I had forgotten that the towering grasses were quite a distance from where I stood. 

My ability to utilise the flame maestro skill across such a distance was quite miniscule, due to my current rank. If this were a less water populated area with lot of land, I could have utilized the land as a conductor of heat, to aid in the spread of the flames across a wide region, just the operandi I employed on the first floor.

However this was a different situation in a different environment, where water, the antagonist of fire, was the key theme of the ecosystem.

''As expected of me, the protagonist, a calamity magnet through and through. To think I'd find myself in such a pickle... '' I derisively mused to myself, as I thought of a method to counterattack the vines from the towering grasses quite a distance from me, in case they launched another assault towards me. Ahem, I repeat, my referral to myself as the protagonist was just a joke I always told myself for no apparent reason. I was not in some Isekai novel I was reading. This was real life... Ahem, sorry I got carried away.

As I was saying...

I glimpsed at the countdown I had set for myself with the AI feature of my ID slot, noticing that I had about 4 hours and 50 minutes till the five hours period came to an end.

''Bullocks!!'' I sighed, almost about to question my decision to choose the hard mode difficulty option. However, a second later, I almost facepalmed. I berated myself for letting such a simple but obvious way to survive whatever ordeal was to befall me slip my mind. I had an idea....

Quickly, a thin layer of blue flames danced around my body from head to toe... 

I yawned with a lazy expression, then proceeded to sit on the tiny piece of land I previously stood on.

My plan was simple, with the flame enveloping my entire figure, all I had to do was wait for the vines to shoot out from wherever they wanted to shoot from, and the flames surrounding my figure would naturally eviscerate them.

With my plan set in motion, I waited it out. Just when I was about to question myself concerning when the next group of vines would emerge...

Swoosh... Swoosh..

The vines consecutively shot towards me from the distant towering grasses.

I remained seated in an indolent posture, with a wide grin plastered on my face.

Yeah... As you've already guessed, my strategy worked... Pretty cool right... ahem... sorry, couldn't help but give myself a little credit... Anyway...

I pitied the vines honestly, I watched them managed to scratch the surface of the flames bordering the outline of my figure, only to get eviscerated by the flames.

This practically went on for quite a while. I was quite bored at the moment.

I currently had about 2 hours till the end of the challenge, however ... it seemed like an eternity...

Picture a scene where you finished an exam question quarterly through the time, only to realize that you still had to wait for about 1 hour and 30 minutes for the other students to finish, before you could submit your paper... the boredom of such a situation currently applied to me...

With the effects of the attacking vines no longer posing any danger to me, I resorted to watching an anime program on my Id slot AI for the remaining duration of the challenge.

Due to how immersed I was in the anime show I was watching, the challenge's remaining time duration came to an end before I even recognized it.

The AI of the tower's notification appeared before me as usual, informing me of my success in managing to clear the hard mode of the third floor of the virtual reality tower as an E rank hunter.

''As expected, till the stipulated one month period is up, I can finally clear the next three floors of the tower without paying any student credits to the tower...'' I grinned with a satisfied feeling as I glimpsed at the reward I had obtained for managing to complete the challenge.

I could not help but think about the fact that although I was not the first E ranker to have accomplished such a feat, from the rumors I had heard on campus, the number of E rank awakened individuals who had managed to achieve such results on the third floor of the tower were not much to boast of.

'' So what?... Comparing myself to others will make me a mediocre who measures his progress based on the achievements of others. Such an attitude will make me proud and complacent. I cannot afford that. I cannot get carried away by this miniscule achievement'' I berated myself for my manner of thinking a few moments ago... Compared to my desire to attain a level of strength where I would not be threatened by anyone, I was currently weak... There was no room for pride.

I rejected the tower's offer to proceed to challenge another floor. I knew my limits. Even if I was not in a bad physical shape to proceed to another floor, I was mentally exhausted from the day's activities.

I needed to go to my apartment and get some rest.

[Thank you for visiting the tower, Hunter Lucas Grimstone, hoping to see you again soon]. My vision darkened after the farewell notification from the VR tower's AI.

My vision returned to me, a familiar artifact donning my face. I proceeded to take the VR helmet off, stood up from the bed and without wasting even the slightest bit of time to glance at my surroundings, I left the familiar room.

As soon as I stepped outside of the VR helmet room, countless gazes landed on me.

However silence pervaded the surroundings. I wasn't in the dark about the reality that the VR tower would publicize the details of my challenges to the spectators outside the tower after each challenge, however, was this reaction not a bit too much ? ..

The silence, it made me feel like I had committed a crime inside the tower... 

However, I could not be bothered about other people's train of thoughts.

''Young master, you were so cool''

''Young master just how are you so strong?''

''As expected of young master Lucas...''

''He is a genius of geniuses... ''

''He has an SSS rank talent after all''

''To achieve such outstanding results as an E rank hunter is truly remarkable''

''Young master can we get married?... I am a very humble lady''

A number of cringe and uncomfortable bombs were suddenly thrown my way...

''What happened to the silence?'' I was inwardly bewildered by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

However, by assuming a cold, yet polite demeanor, I managed to ward these opportunistic ladies and gentlemen.

However, my gaze landed on a particular individual...