Supreme Archer: Taking The Game's Weakest Class To The Top

Chapter 49: The Unconquerable Mountain (2)

The start of Jake's ascent wasn't demanding at all.

He could spot crevices in the steep path and hook himself on them while impaling his safety measures in case he slipped or lost strength.

His inhuman high stats for a level ten player helped him tear through the beginning of the mountain and advance considerably fast.

Though he clearly must have never been in the mountains before, Jake would have received a good score from experienced climbers upon seeing his preparation and cresting.

Any hint of impatience was shoved into the corner of his mind, and he steadily clambered up ahead. His stubbornness had passed a crown to his diligence, as Jake meticulously heeded the advice he got from Richard and climbing experts online.

Once Jake spotted a cavity on his path, he carefully crested and rolled in to rest.

Opening his inventory, he took out the warm slice of meat and the first wooden bottle of water.

'I need to keep my stamina and satiety in check,' Jake thought as he leaned his back on the cold wall. It was important to keep in mind that this climb wasn't a race but a marathon.

He consumed food like a baby Odin!

While getting his strength back and refilling his reserves, Jake picked up some curiosity and crawled to the edge of his first base.

'Haha! It's like someone shaved the tutorial forest with a razor!' Jake grinned upon seeing his path from a high altitude, his expression carved from joy and pride.

There was a childish glint in his eyes, but every adult had some of a child in their hearts--let's be honest here. It was perfectly normal for a young adult like Jake to have more of that side.

Jake hadn't noticed it yet, but his naming sense betrayed the most of that childish side!

After absorbing food and his hard work from the different altitude all the same, Jake checked his equipment before slipping out from the first cavity.

He resumed his climbing--no hint of fun remained on his expression.

Two hours later, Jake reached the point where the environment became a real hazard. He stood before the vast and bottomless chasm.

Although the entire mountain lacked snow, everything around was frigid, rock-ribbed, and gray, making the abyss' darkness much more dangerous and even alive.

Did it just smile at him?

'Should I go down here? I might find something unique...' Jake thought. He belonged to the group of the craziest players that would check every nook and cranny.

But the idea of sliding down to the abyss seemed quite pointless and ambiguous.

His rational side told him that he would find absolutely nothing here, and the diligence that held the scepter of Jake's decision-making convinced him not to go there and claim the spire, which every player who conquered the mountain had done.

Jake nodded and opened his inventory system.

He took out a long wooden ladder, which he put across the chasm. The material was the same as his safety climbing equipment, so Jake was more confident about crossing the abyss to continue climbing.

In the middle of the peculiar crawling, Jake glanced below, 'Any player who fell here no longer would log in to the game world, would he?'

Jake believed he wasn't one of those, but he could see how players could develop a trauma. He learned a lot about these from the videos about mountain climbing.

That said, those videos didn't have any inventory feature, which would have helped countless people lay claim to the K2 or Mount Everest.

After crossing to the other side, Jake stuffed the ladder into his inventory and continued the climb.

At this point, breathing became rough and even painful at times. The wind battered his face and threatened to turn him upside down with any careless move.

Jake's diligence had left no chance for nature's mischiefs, but his speed had significantly slowed.

Jake even sometimes just clung to the wall to breathe in precious oxygen... how come oxygen was so sweet right now?

He threw that thought out of the window and raised his hand.

That was when Jake belatedly noticed that his fingers were too rigid!

He couldn't add enough strength to his hand and slipped off.

Fortunately, his safety equipment came in clutch, tightening the rope and keeping him dangling close to the mountain!

Hanging sprawled on the rope, Jake clenched and unclenched his hands before inhaling and picking himself up.

'Not today,' he whispered.

Continuing the ascension after learning first-hand that his equipment worked well, Jake did his utmost to keep a steady pace without straining his muscles.

It was difficult, more than he had imagined, and his respect toward everyone who conquered K2 or Mount Everest surged in his heart.

That said, his lips were curved mostly up as the difficulties only produced more adrenaline for him!

At last, Jake found another cavity in which he found shelter. He filled himself as much as possible and even produced the fire with his high dexterity.

While his hands warmed, he thought, 'It's different from fighting monsters, but enjoyable nonetheless... I can get addicted to those challenges!'

Could a mage even climb this mountain? Perhaps with enough skills, a mage could take over the spire!

But what about an archer--the weakest and so unpopular class that even the fantasy world in which the impossible was possible had given up on it to cater to magic?

'Has Grin Grid conquered The Unconquerable Mountain?' Jake thought. The player he had just thought about was the only archer in the top rankings.

Her presence didn't change people's view of archery and that it could rival magic, but she was still an archer with famous skills and strength.

'Well, I will change people's view...' Jake smiled and got to his feet.

His ascent continued.

It was a roller coaster of emotions, curses, and adrenaline pumps, but Jake managed to latch himself to his safety measures when necessary and progress one step at a time.

A few more camps later, Jake logged out.

It was time to sleep.

The next day, he ignored his schedule and returned to the game.

At last, he was close to the mountain's spire. Its cliffs unfolded like a flower, making Jake climb it like a monkey. He fought against the lack of oxygen and dangerous angle as much as he could while hauling himself up...

His hook soon perched itself on the edge...

Jake groaned, pushing himself up.

A moment later, he sprawled on the spire's smooth ground, his chest bobbing.

He was smiling from ear to ear as he was one step away from conquering everything on the tutorial island!

Not too far away from him, Jake could see a cave's mouth in which darkness prevailed. He couldn't see what was inside but was confident that the boss was there.

The boss whose death would give him the last legendary trace!

Jake sat cross-legged and took out food. He needed to restore his stamina and stats to the extent!

An hour later, he stood up without any soreness or wounds.

The Unconquerable Mountain's Spire also solved Jake's high altitude problems--he could breathe just fine.

He walked to the cave's entrance, curious what kind of an enemy he would find there.

Once the darkness parted like a curtain, Jake's eyes widened, and his steps halted.

"I knew you would have made it on your first try," a man said.

[Richard, The Human Traitor Lv. 10 HP: 470/470 MP: 340/340]

"It's time for you to learn how to fight and kill a human," Richard smiled, his expression masking his pain. "The last lesson for a talented player like you, Jake."