《MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage》 Chapter 1 Leo Blink... Blink... Frowning I slowly opened my eyes... My whole body was aching in pain, I was hit by a car and I''m supposed to be dead. '' Yes... Yes.. I''m dead.. I just need to close my eyes '' Grumbling under my nose I covered my head with a nket '' Wait... nket ? '' Quickly standing up I almost fell over due to numbness in my legs. I waspletely surrounded by darkness. Stumbling around the area I somehow managed to find a window and quickly opened its blinds allowing moon light to illuminate the whole room. " Wha... " Unknowingly my eyes started getting watery. I was standing in the room that was very dear, yet full of agonizing memories. Taking a deep breath I opened a window trying to get some fresh air. After collecting myself I decided to investigate my situation. Approaching to the door I slowly opened them and left the room. Walking through very well know, old corridors I noticed that everything was the same as I remembered. Same paintings, pictures, drawings... As I was exploring the house my body unknowingly started walking towards the second floor. Thump... Thump... My heartbeat became faster and faster. I was approaching my dead parents'' bedroom. Quietly opening the door I saw two familiar people lying in each others embrace. Their faces were covered by shadows, but I could still identify their silhouettes. " Mom.. Dad.. " Leaning on the wall. My mind momentarily nked out. I couldn''tprehend that my parents were still alive. Imaginary gears were frantically spinning inside my head. I had so many things to say, but only a dull and quiet voice left my throat. " I''vee back in time " Closing the door I stumbled back to my room and fell face first on the bed. I was reorganizing my thoughts when a sudden memory hit me. " Fragmental ! " Quickly grabbing my old phone I unlocked its screen using my fingerprint. [ 2212; August 16th; 23:26 ] ... ... I''ve traveled 12 years back to the past ! In two weeks time a new VRMMORPG game, [ Fragmental ] will beunched. The game will explode in poprity bing a giant in the markets. Few weeks after the game''s release, its currency will be connected to real life money. The game will give a chance for the poor to be rich and for the rich to be richer. In my previous life I didn''t join the game as soon as it was released. I''ve just identally stumbled upon a streamer that was trying out the game and immediately fell in love with it. Using all the money I bought a VR Pod and embarked on the new adventure. Unfortunately I had no talent for the game. I was usually referred to as garbage or even treated like air. I was about to quit when I overheard my parents talking about the huge debt we had to pay. I was shocked and ignoring all the people I did everything I could to gather money. I even signed a ve contract with a guild to gain at least some money. Everything seemed to be going well until my parents were killed. Because of our financial situation we were living in the slums, one of the most dangerous regions in Florida. While walking back from a grocery store my parents were robbed and shot. I still remember that day like it happened yesterday, all the pain and anguish bubbling in my chest. I lost all the motivation to do anything... The only thing that kept me going was the stupid ve contact that disallowed me to rest. I had to gather information about the game and rewrite it in the guild''s annals. My life ended 7 years after my parents left the world. Reminiscing about my past I unknowingly clenched my fists. Thinking about my parents I swore that in this lifetime I will be there for them. I''ll join [ Fragmental ] and use my knowledge to gather wealth and be the strongest. I will make sure my parents are safe and are livingfortably. Taking a deep breath I quickly thought of a n. First, I needed to buy a VR Pod to y the game. Picking up my smartphone I opened my bank ount. [ 3,457 Dors ] The sum wasn''t huge, but it was enough. Using the inte I found an outdated version of a VR Pod that could still run [ Fragmental ] Buying the Pod I unknowingly frowned seeing the money leave my Bank ount [ - 3,247 Dors ] Noticing that the VR pod will arrive at tomorrow''s afternoon, I threw my phone on the table and closed my eyes. ==== " Leo ! " " Leo ! Breakfast is ready ! " Feminine voice reached my ears instantly waking me up. Taking a deep breath I quickly dressed up and left my room. The path to the kitchen seemed longer than usual. Entering the room I saw two people sitting next to each other and sipping coffee. " Morning " " Good Morning Leo " Both of them spoke seeing me enter the kitchen. I wanted to reply, but my throat felt dry. I felt that I wouldn''t be able to muster a word. Simply nodding my head I sat before them and started slowly eating my fried egg. Eyeing my parents, my resolution strengthened. They weren''t eating breakfast. In my previous life I''ve always thought that they ate before me, but that wasn''t the case. They didn''t eat at all ! Biting my lips I finished the meal, before wishing them good luck at the job and climbing back to my room. I''m 19 Years Old. I''ve just finished school and in my past life I was nning to immediately get a job, but now everything will be different. Holing up inside my room I took out the phone and created a new text document. I was nning to note all the information I know about the game. I wanted it to be written in case I forget something or if I need to sell some of it for money. Spending the next few hours writing everything I know, I was honestly unsatisfied with my writing speed. I''ve only written about one hundredth of my overall Knowledge. Ring... Ring... Ring... Suddenly someone rang the doorbell. Opening the door I saw three people carrying a huge box. " VR Pod delivery " The person at the front spoke. Nodding my head I led the people to my room. Instructing them to put the Pod at the corner of the room I was almost jumping in joy. Quickly unpacking the Box, three men took out a huge white Pod and ced it at its designated ce. After installing the Pod they asked me to sign a few papers and left the house. Chapter 2 Fragmental Two weeks have passed... I still vividly remember telling my parents that I bought a 3,000 Dors VR Pod. Surprisingly enough, they weren''t mad, my father even encouraged me to find the game I like. In my previous lifetime I had low to none motivation to do anything. I usually spent my days lying in the bed and scrolling through the inte or trying to shake off the boredom by exercising. Seeing me buy something for myself made my parents happy. And today, after two weeks, [ Fragmental ] will finally beunched. Dressing up I left my room and went straight to the kitchen. Taking a seat on one of the chairs I started quickly eating the breakfast, I had about an hour before the game''s release. " Leo, Is everything alright ? Nobody is going to steal your food, slow down " My mother chuckled seeing me eat as if there is no tomorrow. Lowering my head I tried to hide my reddened cheeks receiving another chuckle from my dad. Slowing down the eating pace I finished the meal and bid my parents farewell before quickly dashing to my room. " I haven''t seen him this excited for years " My mother smiled seeing my enthusiasm. A week ago I told my parents about the Pod purchase and I also mentioned that I bought it to y a new game I really like. Agreeing with mother, my dad also nodded his head and once again indulged himself in the newspaper. ~~~~ Entering my room I climbed into the VR Pod and closed its door. My heartbeat was beating faster and faster with every second. Putting on the headgear I quickly navigated myself towards the new game section. [ Fragmental < Download Now > ] Using my trembling hands I managed to download the game. [ Do you want tounch < Fragmental > ? ] [ < Yes > / < No > ] Pressing the Yes button I felt my consciousness slip before everything around me turned dark. Blink... Blink... I was conscious again. Looking around I noticed that I was levitating in the nothingness. The only thing in the empty and ck space was a blue hologram hovering before my eyes. < Choose your Race > ~ Human ~ Orc ~ Elf ~ Fairy ~ Dwarf ~ Demon These races were the main ones. Later on, one can evolve his race, but that is only a few yearster after the game''s update. In [ Fragmental ] once you choose your race there is no going back. If you want to change your race you''ll need to delete your ount and start from the beginning. A lot of yers choose their race without batting an eye and are forced to delete their ountster on in the game. Every race has its unique starting points, different NPCs and quests. Some races can''t interact with NPCs from another race. For example demons: They were regarded as the worst race, because they couldn''t interact with most of the NPCs from the other races. Their starting point was harsh and full of powerful enemies. Most yers recreated their Demon ounts, because of a rough start the race had. In my previous life the most popr race was Elves, because they had the most quests and a pretty easy starting point. They also had one of the strongest Sub-ss in the game - Lightning Mage. In my previous lifetime the strongest yer was a Lightning Mage who could use lightning bolts to toast her enemies. Humans were regarded as the second strongest race, because of how many hidden quests they had. Completing a hidden quest or defeating a hidden boss could grant you an item, skill or a spell that is exclusively for you. All the yers have a limited capacity of 10 Passive Skills, 10 Active Skills and 10 Spells. A yer can''t have more than that or else it would be a clusterfuck. Fairies have an easy start and a rxing gamey. Their race is considered a support race and fairies are usually Healers. Orcs are simr to humans, but they have a rougher starting point. They are very strong in the mid game, but they are easily defeated in the early stages of the game. Dwarfs are usually picked by people that want to gather wealth fast. They be cksmiths and quickly gain wealth by making weapons. Thinking about all the options, I smirked and chose the Demon race. " They don''t even know " Some races have Unique Sub-sses that are not revealed until someone discovers them. I remember seeing a Forum post about the Unique demon Sub-ss which was identally discovered by a rotten water. The post showcased the ss''s Stats and its exclusive skills. I still remember shedding tears seeing how powerful the ss was. Unique ss is a ss that only one yer can have. Unfair, but broken! In my past life I was a demon as well. I was forced to choose the Devourer ss that exceeds in speed and stealth. It was good for collecting information and moving from ce to ce quickly Unfortunately it was boring as hell. < Choose your ss > ~ Mage ~ Devourer Clicking on the Mage ss another set of options appeared. < Choose your Sub-ss > ¡ú Dark Mage ¡ú Dark Priest Dark mage Sub-ss has weak physical defense, but has decent Magical Damage and Mana. Dark Priest is a Sub-ss that specializes in curses. Itcks Magical and Physical defense in return for the strong Magical Damage. yer can try to bnce his Stats, but it''s not rmended, because it''s not efficient. Levitating above the nothingness I didn''t move my hand. To get the hidden ss one has to be a Demon Mage and have no Sub-ss. After a minute of waiting another hologram appeared. < Warning ! > < You haven''t chosen your Sub-ss > < Are you sure you want to Proceed ? > < Yes > / < No > Pressing < Yes > everything around me turned white. < Wee to Fragmental > A robotic voice echoed in my head before I appeared in the middle of a spooky vige. ==== [ Fragmental ] is a game built around the Level Up system. Leveling up gives you SP ( Status Points ) which you can use to enhance your Stats. The game also has death penalties. If you die you''ll lose 2 Levels. If your ount isn''t above Level 3 you''ll have to create a new ount. Dying while fighting against another yer will result in you dropping 50 % of your Inventory. Starting viges are the safe zones in which people can''t attack each other. In other cities you are allowed to attack another yer, but if an NPC sees you, you''ll be jailed. Chapter 3 Quest After rejecting my Subss selection I was teleported to a spooky vige. Seeing some yers here and there I opened my Status page. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 1 < 0/100 EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: None ~~~~ ( Health Points ) HP: 50 ( Mana Points ) MP: 80 < Overall Mana capacity > ( Strength ) STR: 10 ( Agility ) AGL: 20 ( Physical Defense ) PDEF: 20 ( Magical Defense ) MDEF: 30 < Defense Against magical attacks > ( Intelligence ) INT: 100 < Magical Damage > ( Stat Points ) SP: 50 < Used to enhance other Attributes > ~~~~ Active Skills: < None > ~~~~ Passive Skills: < None > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Darkling Staff > [ Copper ] 2?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 3?? < Healing Potion > x5 4?? < Mana Potion > x5 5?? < 100 Gold Coins > ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > ~~~~ < CLOSE > Inspecting the Status I nodded my head. Since I didn''t choose a Subss my attributes are a bit more bnced and I only have one Spell, < Darkness st >. If I''ve chosen one of the Subsses I would''ve gotten either a < Poisonous Curse > or < Darkness Shield >. Lifting my eyes off the Status page I started walking North. A demon NPC is located at the side of the vige that will give me a quest to eliminate 5 Smanders. One of the possible rewards forpleting the quest is a < Smander Ring > which will boost your Magical Damage by 2 %. Even though it doesn''t sound powerful it''s a tinum tier equipment unobtainableter on in the game. Unfortunately the drop rate of the ring is low to none. I''ve only managed to get this information from another informant for a reasonable price and after it was not possible to obtain the ring. Approaching the end of the vige I noticed some people gathering around the house and an old Demon leaning on its wall. Approaching the old man I quickly initiated a conversation. Fragmental allows multiple people to interact with the NPC at the same time. Slightly bowing my head I lowered my horns to pay respect to the elder. Every race has different traditions. Elves move their heads, humans shake hands and Demons slightly bow their heads. Demons'' power level is identified by how detailed one horns are. Me, who just joined the game, has 2 small horns with no extra details. " You have good manners, young one " The old demon started talking with a tinge of interest in his eyes. " My name Is John. I''ve been living in this vige for my entire life... " John kept on babbling about his life for another few minutes. Until the next update yers will not be able to skip dialogues with NPCs. Some of the yers even wrote essays on Forums about how useless the Dialogue is. Picking my nose I waited until John finished his story and finally spoke about his needs. " Could you help this old man to kill a few Smanders? They''ve been trampling my crops for ages! " < Help John To Eliminate 5 Smanders! > < Do you want to ept the quest? > < ACCEPT > | < DECLINE > epting the quest I slipped through the crowd of people and opened my Map. Usually the quest pinpoints the location of the enemies. This time was no different, little further north there was a red dot near the Dark Forest signaling the Smanders'' nest location. Closing the Map I started approaching the Forest. Nearing the red dot I started seeing some yers fighting against red scaled lizards the size of a hound. While walking closer the red dot I equipped the < Darkling Robe > and < Darkling Staff > 1?? < Darkling Staff > [ Copper ] ~ MP +5 ~ INT +2 2?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] ~ MP +2 ~ MDEF +3 ~ HP +1 Looking at my Attributes I decided to put all my SP into the INT Stat. I needed to raise my damage, so I could one shot the Smanders. < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 51 <+1> MP: 87 <+7> STR: 10 AGL: 20 PDEF: 20 MDEF: 33 <+3> INT: 152 <+2> SP: 0 ~~~~ Suddenly a monster appeared in-between the tall grass. It had red scales that enveloped its whole body. Looking at its features I noticed the smander wasn''t Elite. Elite monsters have a chance to spawn randomly and have no specific location or time to spawn. They are noticeably stronger than normal monsters. Inspecting the Smander before me I took a peek at its Status. < FIRE SALAMANDER > ~ A fire type Beast that usually lives in the forests ~ Omnivore; Aggressive ~ Immune to Fire < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 1 HP: 20 MP: 20 STR: 30 AGL: 30 PDEF: 50 MDEF: 5 INT: 5 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Leap < Lv. 2 > ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 10 sec CD ( cooldown ) ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > < None > ~~~~ < SPELLS > < None > ~~~~ Retreating a few steps back I started conjuring a Darkness st. 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 1 > ~ True Damage ~ AoE damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 5 sec. Cooldown Seeing me preparing a Spell, Smander leapt at me, but it was a bit too slow... - 59 Magical Damage! < Fire Smander x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 20 EXP 2?? Smander scale x2 3?? Fiery meat x4 Seeing the loot, I put it in the inventory and walked into the forest. The spawn rate of the Smanders increases in the dark ces and the forest with high trees creates a perfect environment for them to appear. Jumping in one of the trees I sat on the branch and started waiting for the monsters to spawn. I didn''t need to wait for long, because soon light particles started gathering in one ce and another Smander appeared. Throwing the Darkness st I descended to retrieve my rewards. - 61 Magical Damage! < Fire Smander x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 20 EXP 2?? Smander scale x2 3?? Fiery meat x3 As I was about tond on the ground another Smander leapt at me from behind. - 24 HP ~ yer Leo has received a Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 5 HP every Minute ~ Duration ¡ú 1min Turning around I threw the Darkness st at the monster. - 58 Magical Damage! ~ Fire Smander suffered from Status Effect < Blindness > ~ Temporary Blind ~ Duration ¡ú 5 Sec To my surprise the Smander didn''t die. Wanting to investigate I opened its Status and my eyes slightly widened. < ELITE FIRE SALAMANDER > ~ A fire type Beast that usually lives in the forests ~ Omnivore; Aggressive ~ Immune to Fire ~ Elite Monster < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 5 HP: 122 <-58> MP: 30 STR: 40 AGL: 30 PDEF: 50 MDEF: 5 INT: 15 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Leap < Lv. 4 > ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 10 second CD ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > < None > ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Fireball < Lv. 2 > ~ AoE damage ~ Cost 10 MP ~ 20 second CD ~~~~ Chapter 4 Salamander Ring The Fire Smander was an Elite monster! Elite monster is a stronger version of the usual monster, they are very rare. For example this fire Smander has more attributes, is a higher level and even has an extra Spell. If killed, an Elite monster can drop more loot and give more EXP. While I was inspecting its Stats, the < Blindness > Status effect on the Smander ran out. Eyeing at me the monster opened its mouth and started channeling Mana into his mouth before releasing a fireball in my direction. Mages don''t usually have high agility and would not be able to dodge most of the spells. Luckily I''m a demon and since I didn''t choose a Subss my Attributes are a bit more bnced. My agility is highpared to other mages. Rolling to the side I managed to evade the fireball. I still felt the heat of the me while it flew by my side. All the sensations are implemented in the game. One can feel pain, pleasure.... You can even taste food and smell flowers. Most of the yersined about the pain part, but soon shut their mouths, because creators of the game didn''t give them any attention. Throwing another Darkness st I distanced myself from the monster. - 120 Critical Damage! ~ Elite Fire Smander suffered from Status Effect < Confusion > ~ Temporary Stun ~ Duration ¡ú 2 Sec Early game Elite monsters are easy to deal with, because theyck powerful skills and spells. Atter stages of the games Elite monsters are considered to be simr to bosses that can only be taken care of by a group of people or a powerful yer. While the monster was stunned, my Darkness st was on cooldown. Quickly dashing towards the monster I used my staff and struck the Smander with all my might. - 21 Physical Damage! < Elite Fire Smander x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 60 EXP 2?? Smander scale x6 3?? Fiery meat x4 4?? Smander Tooth x2 ~~~~ < Congrattions on reaching Lv. 2! > < Level 1 ¡ú Level 2 > < +20 SP > ~~~~ < UPGRADES > 1?? Darkness st ¡ú ~ +5% Damage ~ +2% To inflict Status Effect Picking up all the loot in the area I quickly climbed into the tree before the bleed Status effect could kick in. - 5 HP ~ Status Effect < Bleed > has stopped Taking a Healing potion out of my inventory I quickly chucked it down regenerating my HP to full. + 6 HP + 7 HP + 9 HP Seeing my Character Level up I opened my Attributes page before putting the SP into the Agility and MP. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 2 < 0/200 EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: None ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 51 <+1> MP: 97 <+7> STR: 10 AGL: 30 PDEF: 20 MDEF: 33 <+3> INT: 152 <+2> SP: 0 ~~~~ During the fight I noticed that I had enough damage to rival even an Elite Monster. Of course it was by pure luck that I managed to kill it. The critical hit saved me, because if the hit was normal and no status effect would be applied to the monster it would have a time window to attack me. Status Effect and Critical hit has around 20% to be triggered. Me being able to trigger both of them at the same time is kind a lucky. Waiting for another Smander to spawn I saw a group of people entering the forest. The group consisted of three male Devourers and two women who were either a Dark mage or a Priest. I couldn''t be 100% sure, because there isn''t a clear visual distinction between the two. For some reason the group was approaching the tree I was sitting on. I was a bit annoyed, because they might steal my Smander kills, but I was safe since the forest still counted as a vige''s territory, disallowing them to attack me. Eyeing the group I noticed that they weren''t aiming specifically at my location, they were just passing by. Lifting my eyes I saw them disappear in the distance before changing my hunting location. Seeing people I thought that I was too close to the entry to the forest and changed my position. After a few Minutes of walking I spotted a group of 3 Smanders walking through the forest. Tiptoeing my way behind them I conjured the Darkness st beforeunching it at the unsuspecting group. - 64 Magical Damage! - 61 Magical Damage! - 63 Magical Damage! < Fire Smander x3 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 60 EXP 2?? Smander scale x8 3?? Fiery meat x6 ~~~~ < Mission [ Eradicate the Lizards ] Completed! > < Return to the Old Demon John to receive a Reward! > Closing the Hologram I opened the map and headed back to the vige. I''ll probably have toplete the quest lot of times to finally get the item I want. Fortunately all the loot I get while killing the Smanders could be sold for Gold Coins to a Merchant in the middle of the vige. Even though the Demon Merchant is very stingy with money and usually underpays for your items. To get on his good side and sell or buy stuff for a reasonable price one has toplete a Hidden quest that involves finding a lost medallion of the merchant. The medallion is located in one of the abandoned houses in the vige. It wouldn''t be that bad if the house wasn''t overrun by ghosts. Later on in the game Demon''s can evolve their race into a ghost, but that is still unknown for now. Leaving the forest I saw more and more people around the vige. I didn''t like that I had to literally squeeze through the crowd. I was already waiting for the week to pass when all the yers would notice the shorings of the demon ss. Seeing the Old Man in the distance I somehow managed to pass through the people before interacting with John. " You''vepleted the quest really fast... Hmmm? Let''s see.. " John started mumbling under his breath while inspecting me from head to toe. " I see... You''ve defeated an Elite monster. Good job young one and thank you for your help! " < QUEST REWARDS > 1?? 50 EXP 2?? Smander Scale Boots x1 3?? Smander Ring x1 My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. It seems like I''m blessed By Fortuna. ~~~~ Fortuna - The goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion. Chapter 5 The Stingy Merchant < QUEST REWARDS > 1?? 50 EXP 2?? Smander Scale Boots x1 3?? Smander Ring x1 I was about to scream in joy. The information was incorrect! It wasn''t the drop rate of the ring that was low, you just needed to kill an Elite Smander to receive it. Quickly scanning both of the items I quickly Equipped them. 1?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] ~ +2% Magical Damage 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] ~ AGL +3 ~ PDEF +4 ~ HP +2 Thanking John for his rewards I started walking towards the middle of the town. My next step is toplete a quest that will give me a discount at the merchant''s shop. Walking into the shop all I could see were people. The shop waspletely full. Sighing I started pushing through the crowd until I got to the counter where the merchant was located. " Hello dear customer, how may I assist you ? " The merchant spoke with a lisp. He was a demon as well, but he thought of himself as a fairy hence didn''t bow his head like other demons did. " Hello, I need to buy some equipment for the quest, since my family is a bit too weak to go empty handed " I responded while smiling. To trigger the hidden quest one needs to use words [ Family ] and [ Quest ] in the same sentence. I saw the merchant''s eyes slightly widen before he started speaking once again. " Let me introduce myself. I''m Oliver, the merchant and I''ve been selling items all my life.... " Oliver kept on telling his story while I was looking around, trying to speed up the time. " What would you say If I would pay for you to find my family''s medallion? " Finally, the part of the story I was looking forward to. Nodding my head I received A Quest offer. < Find Oliver''s medallion! > < Do you want to ept the Hidden Quest? > < ACCEPT > | < DECLINE > epting the quest I saw a red dot appear on the map. Saying farewell to Oliver I left the shop and moved towards the abandoned building. I was in need to get a discount, because in a few weeks an update will drop that will connect real life money with in-game money. The Fragmental game is already yed by millions of people and its yer base will only increase. The game will receive a lot of sponsors that will flood its developers with money allowing them to tie the currencies together. While I was walking through the vige some random dude tried to invite me to the party to kill one of the bosses nearby. The boss battle had a maximum of 5 people and they were 1 person short. I denied, of course. I knew what boss they were about to attempt to kill. I''m just gonna say it''s designed to punish yers who are overconfident in their skills and try to kill it. It''s not possible until the mid-game... Unless you know a glitch. Unfortunately for the group they were all newbies and I was not in the mood to share the boss loot. Why should I share with a random yer whom I just met ? Finally I reached the abandoned house. Its windows were barricaded and doors locked. The only way to get in was from the basement. At least that''s what a new yer would think. Approaching the nearby tree I leapt on its highest branch and jumped down on the building roof. It was a trick I found while going through the inte. One user found this trick while ying hide and seek with his friend. Walking closer to the chimney and dived down into the house. Thud... Inded heavily on the firece. All the ghosts are located in the basement and will not ascend up the stairs. The problem was that to leave the house one needs to escape through the basement. Ghosts cannot be damaged by Physical attacks and are stealthy. Early in the game you can''t kill a ghost, because they can''t be damaged by low level spells, skills and physical attacks. The way to pass this quest is to avoid them. Going into one of the bedrooms I lifted the bed''s mattress and picked up a golden medallion. 1?? < Oliver''s Medallion > ~ Quest Item ~ Deliver to Oliver to gain rewards Leaving the room I approached one of the barricaded windows and struck it as hard as I could. - 1 Physical Damage Well it''s not gonna work. Going back to the chimney I tried climbing up, but failed miserably. Finally I decided to escape from the house using the basement. The basement is not that big, it''s just that there are 3 ghosts wandering around it randomly. Slowly opening the door I descended down the stairs. There was no light around and the only thing illuminating the area was a hologram hovering before me. Going through the spooky room I saw a lot of old and rusty stuff like farming tools, knives and even an anvil. When I was almost at the exit of the basement I heard a sound behind me. " Fuck! " I cursed and didn''t even turn back before dashing out of the basement. Unfortunately another ghost appeared at the top of the stairs blocking my path to the door. Stopping in my tracks, gears started spinning in my head. I heard a ghost behind me slowly approaching. Suddenly a light bulb appeared above my head. Conjuring a Darkness st I threw it at the ghost standing at the top of the stairs, but it went through it since the enemy wasn''t tangible. Boom... The Spell hit the door, sending it flying off its hinges and letting the sunshine enter the dark basement. Hisssss.... Hisss... Both ghosts hissed at the light giving me a chance to dash through them before they could react. Escaping the house I copsed on my knees. Those ghosts scared the shit out of me. Standing up I saw some yers ring at me with question marks in their eyes. Hiding my reddened face in the robe I sped up and ran to Oliver. ~~~~ " Thank you! This medallion means a lot to me. Visit me again. I''ll give you a permanent discount! " < QUEST REWARDS > 1?? 100 EXP 2?? Permanent discount at the Oliver''s shop [ 20% ] ~~~~ < Congrattions on reaching Lv. 3! > < Level 2 ¡ú Level 3 > < +20 SP > Chapter 6 Buying Some Spells < Congrattions on reaching Lv. 3! > < Level 2 ¡ú Level 3 > < +20 SP > I leveled up. Now, if I die, I won''t lose my ount, since dying will bring me to Lv. 1. Opening my Status page I started pondering where to put the SP. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 3 < 10/400 EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: None ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 53 <+3> MP: 97 <+7> STR: 10 AGL: 33 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 33 <+3> INT: 152 <+2> SP: 20 ~~~~ Active Skills: < None > ~~~~ Passive Skills: < None > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Healing Potion > x4 2?? < Mana Potion > x5 3?? < 100 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x18 5?? < Fiery Meat > x17 6?? < Smander tooth > x2 ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Staff > [ Copper ] 2?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 3?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 4?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > Thinking about today''s encounters I thought about the dude that tried to rope me into fighting a boss. His party was probably wiped out, but the boss is still alive and kicking. The boss''s name is < The Dark Prince >. He is immune to Dark magic and since everyone around these parts are demons it is impossible to defeat it. Unless, of course, you have a skill or a spell of a different element. To defeat a boss having a skill of a different element is not enough. You have to be at least Lv. 50 and be adept atbat. The boss fight urs in the middle of the dark forest where the < Gloomy Castle > is located. The boss is located in the Library and will not move from his ce unless aggroed. The Dark Prince has a variety of spells and skills under his belt and will not be easily defeated. And I was nning to defeat it Lv. 3... Solo. A small smile crept on my face. The boss''s drops are more than worth it. Since the Dark Prince is a mage, upon his death the loot he will give will be more suitable for mages. In my previous lifetime the Boss dropped some Spell books that were very useful for mages. Since the boss is deemed < Hidden > his drops will be unique. My eyes shone with a strange glint. Turning my head from the Hologram I quickly opened Oliver''s shop. I sold all of the Smander drops. ~~~~ Items Sold: 1?? < Smander Scale > x18 ¡ú 180 Gold Coins 2?? < Fiery Meat > x17 ¡ú 85 Gold Coins 3?? < Smander tooth > x2 ¡ú 40 Gold Coins ~~~~ Now I have 405 Gold Coins. Selecting the buy option I dived into the Spell section of the shop. I wanted to buy some long ranged spells for a boss fight. The darkness Element is weak against Light, unfortunately demons can''t wield Light spells. Scrolling through the massive list I arranged some filters before finding a perfect Spell. ~~~~ 1?? < Lightning Spear > ?? -- Throw a lightning projectile at your enemy ~ Cost 15 MP ~ 20 second CD Spell Cost ¡ú 250 Gold Coins ~~~~ Buying the Item I received a Spell book and instantly used it. < New Spell Learned! > I once again started filtering out the items and chose to search for passive skills within my budget. ~~~~ 1?? < Mana Regen > ? -- Absorb Mana Naturally ~ +5 MP per minute ~ No cost ~ No cooldown Cost ¡ú 100 Gold Coins ~~~~ Buying the Skill I once again learnt it. < New Passive Skill Learned! > I opened my Skill and Spell Tab to make sure everything is prepared. ~~~~ Active Skills: < None > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 2 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ < CLOSE > Nodding my head I opened the system Map. Marking the Smander nest I started walking towards the Dark Forest while humming a well know melody. To at least move the boss''s HP I needed to level up my Lightning Spear to a higher Lv. I also wanted to Level up my Mana Regen to regenerate MP faster. Passing through the People I went deeper into the forest where more and stronger monsters are located. While passing through the trees I recalled the group that passed through the tree I was sitting in. They were probably going to attempt to kill the Dark Prince. Shaking my head I already marked the party as dead. Hisssss.... I heard a monster hiss at me. Turning my head I saw a Fire Lizard eyeing me. The higher level the monster is the smarter it gets. For example Elite Fire Smander which was Lv. 5 could ambush me, but this Lv. 1 monster couldn''tprehend that attacking his enemy in surprise gives better results. Channeling MP, I started forming a Lightning Spear in my hand. At first MP was normal with no affinity, but suddenly the spear started receiving lightning particles and MP took the form of a tangible lightning spear. Clenching the spear a smile spread on my face. How much I longed for this feeling. Whooshhh.... The Spear pierced through the air impaling the Smander. - 124 Magical Damage! < Fire Smander x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 20 EXP 2?? Smander scale x1 3?? Fiery meat x2 ~~~~ The damage was double of the Darkness st. Collecting the loot I moved further in the forest. I made sure to walk towards the castle. Spear by spear I killed Smanders one by one. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... < Fire Smander x3 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 60 EXP 2?? Smander scale x5 3?? Fiery meat x6 ~~~~ My spell finally Leveled up. < UPGRADES > 1?? Lightning Spear ¡ú ~ +5% Damage ~ +2% To Inflict Status Effect Usually to recover your MP one needs to consume a Mana potion, but with Mana Regen I just needed to wait. Nearing the castle another level up notice appeared before my eyes. < UPGRADES > 1?? Mana Regen ¡ú ~ +50% Mana absorption Going further into the forest I didn''t see another Smander or other monster. It is probably because the Dark Prince''s territory is like a repellent to weaker monsters. Usually normal monsters don''t stay near the bosses, because of their intimidating presence. Once the < Hidden > Dark Prince will be defeated he will not respawn due to his < Hidden > rarity. After his presence is gone the monsters will probably inhabit this territory. ==== Hidden bosses do not respawn! Chapter 7 The Castle A huge castle was piercing through the clouds seemingly reaching the moon. No birds or animals could be heard arounds its territory, it was utterly quiet... Raising my head, I whistled from amazement. I''ve been here in my previous life, but the boss was long dead and the castle was a lot more... Happier? I remember digging up a video about some Beta testers trying out the boss. In the recording one of them discovered a bookshelf that could be pushed to the side revealing a hidden room with a small unzed window. From the window one can see the Boss''s location. Since Beta testers aren''t allowed to y the game I should be the first one to discover this hidden room. I will use this hidden room to throw Lightning Spears through the window and slowly kill The Dark Prince. The window is small enough to disallow any of the Prince''s attacks to hit, but big enough for my lightning spear to fit. Entering the castle''s yard I was assaulted by a stench of rotten flesh. Covering my nose with a cloth I quickly walked towards the castle''s door and opening it I ascended up the stairs that were leading to the library. Opening the Status I made sure that everything was equipped. I''ve also decided to put my spare SP points into the INT attribute, since I will deal more damage to the boss. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 3 < 90/400 EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: None ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 53 <+3> MP: 97 <+7> STR: 10 AGL: 33 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 33 <+3> INT: 172 <+2> SP: 0 ~~~~ Active Skills: < None > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 2 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Healing Potion > x4 2?? < Mana Potion > x5 3?? < 55 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x6 5?? < Fiery Meat > x8 ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Staff > [ Copper ] 2?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 3?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 4?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > Finally I reached the top of the long stairs where a wooden door was located. The door allows one party to pass at the time. This boss fight doesn''t allow multiple parties to enter, hence only one party can be in the room at the same time. Pushing the door open I didn''t feel any resistance and deduced that no one was inside. Taking a step into a library I saw rows of bookshelves with tons of books everywhere. It looked like the library was very old. All the books were covered by a thickyer of dust. Looking around I shifted my body to the left. I knew that the Dark Prince was located in the middle of the room, hence immediately made sure to not identally wander off. Approaching one of the bookshelves I leaned on it and tensed my muscles trying to push it to the side. Crack... Finally the old structure gave in and slid to the side producing a loud sound that might''ve informed the boss about someone''s presence in the library. Jumping into the open room I quickly slid the bookshelf back to its original spot. As soon as I did I heard heavy footsteps nearing my location. Thud... Thud... Thud... Thud... Thud... The sound was getting closer and closer until it finally stopped. Holding my breath I didn''t dare to move and quietly offered a prayer to the God of Luck. Finally after a few minutes of silence, the footsteps started distancing from the hidden room''s entrance. Letting out a sigh of relief I slowly crawled my way towards the unzed window and saw the Dark Princeing back to sit on the couch. The Dark Prince was also a Demon, but he was way higher and bulkier than any other Demon I''ve seen. He held a staff with a Blue Diamond at its top and wore a ck robe with some kind of engravings on its back. He had 2 huge horns that were shaped like a crown, meaning that the Prince is a very powerful Demon. I couldn''t contain myself and threw a nce at the Demon''s Status. < THE DARK PRINCE > ~ A boss that resides in the Gloomy Castle; Dark Forest. ~ Omnivore; Territorial ~ Immune to Darkness ~ A Hidden Boss; Once killed will never respawn < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 50 HP: 3400 MP: 4000 STR: 500 AGL: 350 PDEF: 300 MDEF: 150 INT: 6000 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Darkness Sword < Lv. 8 > -- Summon a Darkness Sword that can be used to cut through other Elements ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 10 min cooldown 2?? Darkness Robe < Lv. 5 > -- Surround yourself with Darkness to lower your presence ~ Single Target Use ~ Cost 200 MP ~ 20 min cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Burst Steps < Lv. 4 > -- Your speed will increase during the next 3 Steps ~ +28% Movement speed ~ 400 Mana cost ~ 30 sec cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Dark Energy < Lv. 3 > -- Gather Mana while staying in the Darkness ~ +50 Mana per minute ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Mana Maniption < Lv. 6 > -- Channel Mana faster; Spells will be casted faster ~ +6% Spell casting speed ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Darkness Beam < Lv. 7 > -- Summon a Beam that will release Dark Mana evaporating everything in its path ~ True Damage ~ AoE Damage ~ Cost 1000 MP ~ 1 hour cooldown 2?? Dark Step < Lv. 9 > -- Take Step forward temporarily blinding your enemies ~ AoE Damage ~ Cost 600 MP ~ 15 sec cooldown 3?? Darkness st < Lv. 9 > ~ True Damage ~ AoE damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 5 second Cooldown ~~~~ Well it was expected, but still... The prince''s Status was ridiculous. Clenching my fists I lifted my eyes from the hologram. Raising my right hand I started channeling MP until a lightning spear appeared in my palm. Taking a step forward my muscles tensed up and I threw the spear with all my might. Whoosh.... The spear flew right out of the window and hit the Prince''s chest. - 102 Magical Damage! ~ The Dark Prince suffered from Status Effect < Electrocution > ~ Temporary Stun and Consecutive Lightning Damage ~ Lose 15 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 5 min A Status effect came in saving the day. I was so hyped that I didn''t realize I was too close to the window. If prince could he would''ve casted a spell which could kill me easily. Taking a few steps back I once again gathered Mana in my palm until Lightning sparks started flickering on my wrist and threw the Spear at the boss. - 98 Magical Damage! " It''s pretty easy isn''t it ? I grinned seeing the Boss''s HP slowly fading away. Chapter 8 The Dark Prince -15 HP The Electrocution Effect damaged the prince for the second time. I managed to use my spears and lower the boss''s HP to 3000, but he was still standing strong. I once again threw another spear dealing some damage to the prince. - 103 Magical Damage! I knew the one sided barrage wouldn''tst for long, because the Prince would soon figure out where I''m hiding and start counterattacking. I was not afraid of the prince''s spells, because they couldn''t reach me. I was afraid of the spells'' aftereffects, because even a simple explosion would kill me. Lifting my head to see through the window I felt two red eyes full of uncontained rage and madnessnd on me. I shivered... '' Is this what they call < Killing Intent > ? '' Since I was from the future I knew that < Killing Intent > could be formed as an active skill if one goes through countless death experiences or fights in a lot of fights. The skill is usually used to pressure your enemy, in my past life only one person had the killing intent. I remember hearing a myth that some of the people even fainted when they came in contact with the skill directly. The Dark Prince before me doesn''t have such skill, but is midway in forming it. I''m lucky enough to engage with him before he fully formed it. If given time, all the monsters in the game can progress and be stronger. Channeling another Lightning spear I threw it at the Boss. Unfortunately knowing my location and seeing me prepare the spell the boss sidestepped the attack. Clicking my tongue I once again hid under the window. Now the real fight will start. The prince finally figured out where I''m hiding hence he''ll have a high chance to dodge my spells. Unfortunately for the prince I was already prepared for this. Channeling Mana I felt lightning sparks dancing on my palm. Gripping the pure Mana spear I once again reappeared in the window. A gaze full of hate instantlynded on me. The huge Demon started murmuring under his nose when two orbs of Darkness Mana started levitating above his palms. The prince was casting a spell... I needed to perfectly time when the boss would throw the spell. Casting a high tier spell usually takes around a few seconds. I needed tounch my spear aiming for the small time window when the prince was about to chant a Spell. Whoosh... A Projectile hit the prince''s chest area making him take a step back and raising a dust cloud in the air... - 205 Critical Damage! The Critical hit made the Prince lose focus and fail to chant the spell, because of a huge damage that was inflicted to him. The Demon quietly growled before using the dust as a cover and conjured a Darkness st. As smoke was slowly settling down the prince caught sight of a head protruding from the window and threw the spell towards it. I was snickering at my sessful hit and saw that the prince failed to chant the spell. Raising my head to see the boss''s location I saw a huge Darkness sting right at my face. Quickly lowering my body I was caught in after shock of the attack and suffered some damage Boom... - 24 HP - 12 HP - 6 HP " Augh... " I let out a growl, feeling my body throbbing in pain. Taking out a HP potion I gulped it down and felt the pain slowly drifting away. + 7 + 9 + 12 + 14 My HP slowly regenerated to full and I could once again move my body. Slowly lifting my head I peeked through the window and instantly fell on the ground, because another st wasing my way. Boom... This time I was fast enough and evaded the after effects. Good thing that the room was reinforced and the boss''s spells couldn''t damage it. Creating another spear in my hand I once again raised my head and seeing the Prince still conjuring another spell Iunched the spear. - 101 Magical Damage! Unfortunately the Attack wasn''t a critical hit, hence it didn''t stop prince from casting another spell. Boom... - 2 HP I dodged the spell, but some rocks from the ceiling fell on my head. Click... I was about to throw another spear at the boss when I heard a weird sound of clicking inside the library. My eyes widened and I quickly fell on my knees covering my head. Zzzzzzzz... A dark beam shot straight through the window and bounced off the wallnding near me and evaporating. Slowly lifting my head I noticed that the ce where the beam hit was severely damaged and bent in. Taking a peek through the window I noticed the Prince breathing deep breaths and wiping his sweat. shing a smile I gulped down a MP potion and once again conjured another Spell before throwing it at the Boss. + 15 MP + 17 MP + 19 MP + 22 MP Whooshh.... - 104 Magical Damage! - 15 HP < UPGRADES > 1?? Lightning Spear ¡ú ~ +5% Damage ~ +2% To Inflict Status Effect One of my skills leveled Up and the Mana regen was slowly regenerating MP, but it was assisted by MP potion, hence hasn''t leveled up yet. Hiding my head under the window''s cover I waited for the Lightning Spear Spell cooldown to end. While the cooldown was still ticking I heard a sound of something being unsheathing. I didn''t even need to look, I knew that the boss summoned his Darkness Sword. It could be used to block or cut through my Lightning attacks. I didn''t know if one required to constantly feed it with Mana or if there is a time limit for the sword, but I figured out, I just needed to wait. The Prince summoned his sword to deflect the attacks of the enemy and use his other hand to conjure the spells. The Boss was waiting for the puny Demon to reveal his head and give him a target. Unfortunately the Prince was left dumbfounded, because his enemy wasn''t moving. His opponent didn''t even raise his head. The Dark Prince felt that keeping the sword is taking a toll on his body and that his MP is quickly draining. Cancelling his Darkness Sword the Boss felt his chest burn. Looking down and seeing another lightning projectile stuck in his chest he felt blood flow to his head. - 108 Magical Damage! Another sessful attacknded bringing boss HP lower. I was keeping my calm, because I knew that the Prince has some more skills in his Arsenal. Eyeing the huge Demon I suddenly lost him from my sight. '' Darkness Robe '' Grumbling under my nose I looked around the library warily. Chapter 9 Fall Of The Prince The Prince used one of his skills and hid his presence. I warily looked through the window. Him being invisible does not prevent him from casting other spells. Whoosh... A Dark Ball suddenly appeared in the air and wasunched towards my face. Lowering my body I dodged the spell. Taking a peek through the window I strained my eyes until I saw a shadow hovering to my right. Pretending not to see it I conjured a Lightning spear and held it above the head. As soon as another Dark Orb started forming I instantly shifted my body to the right and threw the Spell. - 109 Magical Damage! The Dark Prince suffered from Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 50 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 1 min The spear impaled the prince''s palm. ck blood started spurting out of his hand. - 15 HP The Electrocution effect struck the Prince once again. The boss''s Darkness Robe came undone after he took the damage from the spear. Hissing in pain he eyed me seemingly trying to kill me with his gaze. Grinning, I threw another projectile at the boss, unfortunately the boss finally got serious and evaded the spear by using his passive skill Burst Steps. While he was dodging the spear I unknowingly held my breath, because the prince''s speed was so fast that left his afterimages. Conjuring another spear I started waiting for the prince to start chanting his spell. Unlike me this boss isn''t very intelligent due to being low level. Bosses gain human-like consciousness once reaching Lv. 100. The Prince''s thinking is narrow and the only thing he knows is how to chant spells and how to attack his enemy. The Prince started chanting another Darkness st, but a certain lightning projectile prevented him from finishing it. - 216 Critical Hit! - 15 HP - 50 HP Both Bleed and Electrocution Status Effects ran out. I''ve managed to lower the boss''s HP to around 2000. I felt my Mana reserves running dry, but didn''t want to use the MP potion, because it might stagnate my Mana Regen skill level ups. Waiting is not a problem, this boss doesn''t have any healing spells, hence will not heal his HP unless I die. The Prince will recover his MP, but that''s good, because he will continue to throw spells and give me time windows to attack him. < UPGRADES > 1?? Mana Regen ¡ú ~ +100% Mana absorption -- 15MP per minute Soon enough my Mana Regen leveled up. The Max level of the skill is Lv. 10. The Skills and Spells gain a massive upgrade at Lv. 5, but upon reaching Lv. 10 they will evolve into a stronger version. The evolved version of the Skills and Spells were called Authorities. In my past life all the top yers had Authorities. Authorities were very powerful and I''ve even seen a Water Mage raise a Tsunami in the middle of a desert. I''ve heard that the strongest yer, Lightning mage could create a Lightning Storm - her own domain where she is invincible. Shaking off my thoughts I felt that my MP is full and got ready to re-engage with the boss. Lifting my head I saw the boss ring daggers at me, before taking a step forward. I was a bit confused, as to why he wasing closer to me, but soon the confusion disappeared when everything around me turned Dark. My sight was temporarily gone... I instinctively lowered my head before arge explosion was heard and the room started shaking from vibrations. The Spell prince thrown must''ve had some fire properties, because I could instantly smell the smoke. - 12 HP Some fire got onto my clothes forcing me to blindly roll around the room to extinguish it. Blink.. Blink... I blinked my eyes. Finally, I got my sight back! Looking around I quickly used my feet to trample the fire that was slowly spreading in the room. After extinguishing the fire I drank another healing potion while my lip corners unknowingly curled up. '' I hope to get one of the boss''s skills '' The Loot boss will drop upon his death will be random, but unique meaning that only Leo will have that Skill or Spell in the entire game. Getting a Skill or Spell from the boss is rare and game developers specifically made sure that all the Spells and Skills bosses possess are very strong. Raising my head I stood up and began another round of javelin throwing. ~~~~ Boss health became lower and lower every single throw... Finally it hit the 500 HP mark. As a hidden boss, he has to have a hidden form right ? Wrong! This boss just goes berserk throwing all the spells randomly, sacrificing his HP to increase the Spells'' damage. When I saw the boss''s Eyes turn bloodshot I smiled and lowered my head. All I needed to do was to survive the onught. Covering my head with arms I kneeled at the corner of the room and then the Fiesta began. Boom.... Boom... Roaaar... Boom... The Prince lost his head and went on a rampage causing massive destruction in the library. Good thing that the castle walls were specifically enhanced and were not shattered by the prince''s onught. The same couldn''t be said about the bookshelves and other furniture like chairs, tables, couches. Everything that got in the way of the Prince''s rage was destroyed. Soon enough the prince''s HP hit 200. I knew that the prince wouldn''t die on his own, his HP would stagnate at 1 and won''t move. Slowly raising my head I saw a Dark Beam randomly passing through the library evaporating everything in its way. I held my breath... The library looked like a warzone. Finally the Prince''s HP reached 1, but he did not stop. In the frenzy state the Prince will have infinite MP until somebody kills him or the party attempting to defeat him will die. Raising my aching body I took a long breath and started guiding MP towards my arm. I felt Mana pass under and through my skin gathering in the Palm. Shaping the Mana into a spear I felt the weapon gain Lightning properties until small sparks started dancing around the spear''s surface and my wrist. Raising the Projectile above my head I took a deep breath and tensed up all the muscles in my body. Taking two steps forward I extended my hand andunched the projectile at the Prince... Whoosh... The spear pierced through the air colliding with the prince''s chest. - 235 Critical Hit! < Dark Prince Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 50,000 EXP 2?? Demon Prince''s Crown x1 3?? Diamond Staff x1 4?? Unique Passive Skill Book x1 5?? Unique Spell Book x1 ~~~~ Chapter 10 Loot < LOOT > 1?? 50,000 EXP 2?? Demon Prince''s Crown x1 3?? Diamond Staff x1 4?? Unique Passive Skill Book x1 5?? Unique Spell Book x1 The Loot hologram appeared on my screen. Upon seeing the loot I was close to jumping in joy. Not only did I get a unique spell, but also a unique skill! Inspecting my loot I felt the EXP being absorbed in my body. < Congrattions on reaching Lv. 4... Lv. 6... Lv. 8... Lv. 10 > < Level 3 ¡ú Level 10 > < +140 SP > I''m probably the most powerful yer as of right now. I recalled that the first yer reached Lv. 10 was one month after the [ Fragmental ] release. Smiling from ear to ear I appraised two wearable items that the boss had during the fight. 1?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] -- Staff made out of the Eldritch wood and Diamond ~ MP +50 ~ INT +25 2?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] -- A Crown made for the Ruler of Demons ~ MP +75 ~ MDEF +80 ~ HP +100 ~ [ ??? ] Sealed ~~~~ The new Staff I got was very powerful, but my eyes were glued to Demon Prince''s Crown. More specifically the Sealed part of its description. Sealed Description meant that to ess the Hidden property of the item I need to be powerful enough to release the seal. The sealed items were rare, but not so sought after like Unique Skill books. Equipping both items I felt my Attributes increase by a huge margin. Unfortunately the < Darkling Staff > had to go. Leaving it in the rubles I made extra sure toy it down as softly as possible. This was the first weapon I used after all. After the funeral ended I walked up to the window and looked at my reflection. What greeted me was a young Demon male with ck hair and eyes as dark as void. The game doesn''t let one change their appearance, so yers could notmit crimes or they might be recognized in real life. Even though the game doesn''t let you change your appearance you can gain items that could cover your face. My eyes were attracted towards the top of my head. The previously small and normal horns were now formed in a shape of crown seemingly symbolizing power. The horns looked majestic, but it will attract attention which I don''t need yet. Sliding my robe''s hood on my head I managed to hide my new horns. Taking out two books from my inventory I couldn''t help, but smile widely. In my previous life I didn''t even dare to think that I could get a Unique Book. With my trembling hands I held the Spell Book and used it. < New Spell Learned! > Opening the Spell tab my body suddenly froze. 1?? Demonic me < Lv. 1 > -- A me that can endlessly grow by eating... ~ True Damage ~ AoE Damage ~ Cost 20 MP ~ 10 second cooldown In my mind gears were spinning trying to process what I''ve just read. " What does '' Endlessly '' mean ? " I was mumbling under my nose while trying to wipe off a huge smile on my face. To have a Spell which can endlessly grow is a blessing. I couldn''t even fathom the power it will have in the future, but I knew that this game is cruel for its yers and it won''t be easy to grow the spell to that level. I was trying to imagine what a skill that breaches the authority''s power would look like. Suddenly an idea came to my mind. Turning around I saw the Prince''s corpse stillying on the library''s floor. The corpse''s of the monsters would disappear in a few minutes after the creature is killed. Quickly approaching the boss''s corpse I used my new Spell. A White me appeared on my palm. Even though the Spell was mine, I held my breath. The me looked strangely beautiful and intimidating. Lowering my hand I let the me spread on the prince''s body. The corpse was burnt into crisp in a minute and a hologram appeared on my screen. < Demonic me devoured a Hidden Boss! > ~ +2% Magical damage ~ +2% Cooldown reduction My eyebrows twitched at the me''s upgrade. It didn''t even level up, but its growth was huge. I was close to drooling thinking about the Demonic me devouring the World Boss. I somehow managed to control myself from ying with the white me and took out another Unique book. Using the book I closed my eyes for the good luck charm. < New passive Skill Learned > Opening both of my eyes I took a peek at the new passive Skill I got. 1?? Dark Energy < Lv. 1 > -- Gather Mana while staying in the Darkness ~ 15 Mana per minute ~ No cost ~ No cooldown I was happy, because I got a boss skill that is very rare. Unfortunately my standards were very high since I got a Demonic me, hence I was only amazed for about 5 seconds. My past self would beat me to death If he saw my reaction. Good thing my past self can''t travel through time, right... Righttttt??? Downing another HP potion I Shook off the useless thoughts and opened my Status. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 10 < 90/30k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: None ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 153 <+103> MP: 217 <+127> STR: 10 AGL: 33 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 123 <+83> INT: 195 <+25> SP: 140 ~~~~ Active Skills: < None > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 3 > 2?? Dark Energy < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Darkness st < Lv. 2 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 3 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 1 > ~ +2% Magical Damage ~ +2% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Healing Potion > x2 2?? < Mana Potion > x4 3?? < 55 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x6 5?? < Fiery Meat > x8 ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen 3?? Fast MP regen in Darkness ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > I had around 140 SP and I was tempted to put them all in INT Attribute. Who doesn''t want to have high damage? Controlling my inner Ape I put 70 SP into agility. The boss fight highlighted that I was not agile enough. Imagining myself fighting against an assassin was painful. All the other SP I split in half and put into INT and MP Attributes. Chapter 11 White Flame After using the Unique books, assigning the SP and equipping both items I stood up. Slowly walking towards the hidden room exit I noticed another hologram hovering above my face. < Congrattions on defeating The Dark Prince! > < Do You want to Announce your Achievement to the World ? > < YES / NO > Frowning at the choice I pressed the < NO > button. I won''t reveal my identity until I am sure that me and my parents are living in a safe region. There are a lot of greedy people in the world and they would do everything to reach their goal. < Congrattion to yer [ Unnamed ] for Defeating The Dark Prince! > A hologram suddenly appeared on every yer''s screen. A chaos erupted in the game, because some People knew how hard it is to defeat the Hidden Boss and someone managed to defeat it Solo. They started posting forum threads and spreading information about the boss''s difficulty. Soon enough every single Guild was on their toes trying to find the yer that managed to solo the boss. Who in their right mind wouldn''t want to have a yer so powerful. In a few minutes there were people rushing towards the boss''s location to recruit the yer. While the world was exploding I was clueless. Happily marching out of the broken boss room I carefully closed the door behind me and descended down the stairs. I was even humming my favorite song. Unfortunately when I left the castle''s territory a group of men appeared in the dark forest. I was not in the vige''s territory, hence I could be attacked. I noticed one of the men pointing at me with a smile. Seeing his grin I tightly gripped my new staff and got ready to engage. " Do you really want to fight ? " I spoke to the group while eyeing their leader. I wasn''t worried about losing, if anything I could take 5 more groups. I was hesitating, because the cover on my face was not perfect and even a slight wind breeze could remove it. As a response I heard the groupugh at me before they took out their weapons. " We''ll consider letting you go if you are willing to give us all the Boss loot " The man at the front spoke while swaying the staff in his hand. Taking a deep breath I conjured a Lightning Spear. Lightning Spear is considered a low tier spell and its chanting time is small, hence it appeared on my palm in a few seconds. Taking ast nce at the leader''s face I saw some hints of fear. He probably knew that I just defeated the boss and that I got some powerful loot. Smirking at his reaction Iunched the Spell straight at his face. Whoosh... The Spear flew through the air as a rocket, almost breaking the speed of sound. - 232 Magical Damage! < You''ve Killed a yer Carlos! > < LOOT > 1?? 200 EXP 2?? 50 Gold Coins ~~~~ " You Fucker! Now you''re dead! " Another Man shouted seeing one of hisrades fall in a few seconds. Signaling to the other men he held his staff and started conjuring a Spell. I could sidestep if they threw projectiles, but if they had a Dark Priest ss yer that would be a problem, because you can''t dodge a curse. Warily looking at the men chanting their spells I rxed my muscles seeing them cast Darkness Shield for protection. I instantly knew that all of them were Dark Mages. Dark shield is an exclusive skill only for a Dark Mage to have. Creating another Lighting Spear I threw it at the closest person. Seeing me trying to forcefully breach through his shield the man smirked. From his own experience he knew that the shield could block up to 100 Magical Damage. Unfortunately for him, he didn''t see how much damage my spear did previously. - 236 Magical Damage < You''ve Killed a yer Fabian! > 1?? 300 EXP 2?? 85 Gold Coins Now the group of four men was halved. The two alive men weren''t stupid, they knew that they had no chance to win against me. Slowly retreating they threw a few Darkness sts trying to prevent me from chasing them. Unfortunately for them I had no intention of letting them go. I wanted to test my Demonic me and let the White me dance on my palm. Taking a step forward I narrowed the distance between myself and them in a few seconds. I felt that I couldn''t throw the Demonic me yet. Extending my palm I grabbed one of the men''s faces and instantly lit it on fire. I could hear him wince in surprise, but soon his eyes dimmed down and a few secondster a hologram appeared. - 150 Magical Damage! < You''ve Killed a yer Noah! > 1?? 200 EXP 2?? 60 Gold Coins The only person left was running as fast as he could, but soon his calf was pierced by a lightning projectile and was impaled to the ground. - 42 Magical Damage! ~ yer Lucas has suffered from Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 5 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 1 min Approaching the dying man I heard him curse me in anothernguage, but I didn''t care. Throwing the Darkness st I killed him. < You''ve Killed a yer Lucas! > 1?? 200 EXP 2?? 55 Gold Coins The whole group was dead. Walking close to the fallen man I set him on fire and left his corpse to burn alone. quickly walking back to the castle I let my Demonic mes devour another 2 men before walking deeper into the forest. < Demonic me devoured x4 Demons! > ~ +1% Magical damage ~ +1% Cooldown reduction Seeing my me''s upgrade I decided to log out. I''ve had enough Fragmental for today. ~~~~ A few scouts ran through the forest trying to outrun each other. While sprinting they noticed something white in the distance. Coming closer to the thing they noticed a Man with a pierced calf burning in white mes. A silence engulfed the whole group. Taking some nces at the burning body they slowly turned their heads towards the gloomy castle. Their pace was a lot slower now. Soon after a Forum post was created with pictures and news about the Hidden boss''s defeat and 4 yers burnt in white mes. The yers that were burnt in fire alsomented about their fight and confirmed that they were killed by the same yer that defeated the boss. They also mentioned that the unknown yer was hiding his face under the hood and that he was a demon. The Fragmental yer base was in chaos for the whole night trying to find out who the unknown yer was. The Unnamed yer became some kind of celebrity in one night, while I was happily dreaming about a new and expensive mansion. Chapter 12 Class The Forums were exploding with information about the Dark Prince''s defeat. I woke up to a chaos which was made by me. Brushing my hair to the side I stood up from my bed and went to have breakfast with my parents. I ate my meal and wished my parents a good day. They didn''t eat anything today either. I had around 5 years to fix our financial position, but I was nning to do that within the next few weeks. Seeing my father''s tired eyes and my mother''s sunken cheeks I was even more determined to gather money as soon as possible. Closing the room door behind me I took out my phone from the drawer. I''ve spent an hour writing before I decided to stop. Using my phone I opened my bank ount which had 210 Dors. I decided to put all the money in the Stocks. I knew a lot about the game, but not a lot outside it. Fortunately I knew that Fragmental Stocks will skyrocket, hence had no qualms to put all my money into it. I took a deep breath andid in the VR Pod. Grabbing the headgear underneath my legs I put it on my head. < Wee back to Fragmental > < Your Current Location - Dark Forest > The World around me turned dark. A few secondster the light once again blinded my vision and I was forced to close my eyes. Soon enough I felt hard ground underneath my feet and opened my eyes. I was still in the Dark Forest, but a bit further from the castle. Looking around I noticed a few yers going through the forest towards the gloomy castle. Shaking my head, I shifted my body towards the Vige. I knew that a lot of people were looking for me and I needed to leave the vige as soon as possible or I might be recognized. Unfortunately there was another important thing I needed to get in the vige... The Hidden Subss! Strolling through the vige''s gate I went towards one of the abandoned buildings. Entering the house I closed the door and carefully climbed up the second floor. Finding a clean and empty space I sat in the middle of the room. Removing my hood, I broke one of the wooden nks lying on the ground near me. I made sure to sharpen its end so it has the ability to pierce. Looking around I made sure that I was currently sitting in the shadow. Nodding my head I aimed the nk''s sharpened end towards my belly and pierced it. - 42 HP yer Leo has suffered From Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 5 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 1 min I vomited a few mouths of blood. Pulling out the nk I winced in pain. Raising the nk once again I aimed it in my sr plexus and struck it. - 56 HP ? yer Leo has suffered From Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 20 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 1 min Blood was flowing out of my mouth. - 5 HP Before the whole thing I''ve put a HP pot near me, but I haven''t used it yet. Weakly gripping the nk I picked up the HP pot in my hand. Clenching the wooden nk I pierced my heart. I also drank the HP pot, but it didn''t help. I felt my outer wounds closing, but I was slowly dying. My dizzy mind started panicking. '' What if the guy lied ? What if the video was staged ? '' Doubt started growing inside my mind. < A Deadly Shadow is Looming Above You... > < The Shadow Is nodding its head Seeing your wounds... > < The Shadow Offers you a Legacy... > < Be The Shadow of this World! > < Do You want to ept the Shadow''s Legacy? > < YES / NO > Slowly raising my weak and trembling hand I managed to press < YES > and everything around me turned dark. ~~~~ A man was lying in his own blood pool. His ck eyes were wide open, seemingly staring into the distance. Suddenly his body started trembling, his horns shaped like a crown became as ck as void and in his open eyes closed. I couldn''t move my body. I felt myself trembling when my eyes were forcefully closed. Once again everything around me was dark, but the darkness around was strangelyfortable. Looking around I noticed some strange shapes dancing in the darkness. Straining my eyes I finally saw dark silhouettes running around in the darkness. '' Shadows! '' I''ve thought while watching them running in circles. Poof... Suddenly the world around me cracked and I was back in my body. < Congrattions, You''ve gotten an Unique Subss - Shadow Mage! > < Your Appearance was changed ording to your In-game look! > My mood suddenly plummeted. In Panic I quickly logged out of the game and jumped out of the VR Pod. Running through the house I rushed to the bathroom. Almost crashing into the mirror I came to a sudden stop and took a sigh of relief. " I have no horns " I mumbled under my breath with a stupid smile. I knew that this game had the ability to change one''s facial appearance slightly, but it should only happen only after one has reached Lv. 50. Washing away my worries I leaned on the wall and started inspecting my face. I still had Dark hair, but some of my hair strands were white in color. My face could be defined as above average before, but now I would call it pleasant to look at. The biggest change was my eyes. Previously they were as dark as void, but now my eyes seemed to be deeper and had a strange property to absorb one''s gaze. Shaking my head, I forcefully broke eye contact with myself. It was honestly distracting. shing a smile, I was already thinking how to weaponize my gaze, if used wisely it would be a powerful weapon. Walking back to my room I jumped into the Pod and logged into the game. < Do You want to Announce your Achievement to the World? > A hologram appeared in my face as soon as I was back in the game. Pressing the No button I knew that it would send the forums into chaos once again, but I simply didn''t care. My mind was already on another topic thinking about the ss perks I just got. < Congrattion to yer [ Unnamed ] for Getting The Hidden Subss! > Chapter 13 Perks < Congrattion to yer [ Unnamed ] for getting The Hidden Subss! > The world went crazy. Another unnamed yer got an achievement worthy of being shown to the entire world in the same day. '' Guilds are probably trying to locate and recruit both people, even though it''s the same person '' I chuckled thinking about the situation in the game. While the world was in Chaos I was peacefully lying on the floor. A hologram was hovering above me. < Unique Subss Chosen! > < LOOT > 1?? ? Dark Energy ¡ú ? Shadow Energy 2?? ?? Darkness st ¡ú ?? Shadow st 3?? Unique Active Skill Book x1 4?? +100 SP ~~~~ My eyes had a happy glint while I was looking at the loot. First step of my n waspleted. I''ve gotten the secret Subss, now I need to escape from the vige andplete quests with cash rewards. Taking out the new Unique book I immediately used it. < New Active Skill Learned! > I opened my Status and quickly scrolled down to see what active skill I''ve gotten. 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 1 > -- As a Shadow you must know how to fight against Light -- Absorb all light in the area creating a perfect domain for you Fight ~ Cost 100 MP / 20 Shadow Energy ~ 24 hour cooldown ~~~~ My eyebrows twitched. " What is Shadow Energy? " I''ve never heard about Shadow energy before. Even the guy in the video didn''t mention it. Scratching my neck I opened my upgraded Dark Energy Passive Skill. 1?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 1 > -- You''ve learned a stronger type of Mana; Shadow Energy. -- Shadow energy can be absorbed by staying in the Shadows ~ 1 shadow energy per minute ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ " Wha... " My question was cut short when I read the skill''s description. Now it all made sense, but still. Wasn''t it a bit broken? No shit, the dude in the video didn''t mention this. He would be hunted down if someone knew that the Subss gave him a better type of Mana. 2?? Shadow st < Lv. 1 > -- Launch an Orb full of shadows that''ll inflict fear and blindness, some fear and a little bit more fear upon colliding with the enemies ~ True Damage ~ Guaranteed Status Effect ~ AoE Damage ~ Cost 5 MP / 1 SE ~ 3 sec cooldown ~~~~ The Darkness st also received some good upgrades. It even got a property to always inflict a Status Effect. Opening My Status I quickly noticed some changes in my Attributes. ~~~~ < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 10 < 990/30k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 153 <+103> MP: 252 <+127> ( Shadow Energy ) SE: 50 STR: 10 AGL: 103 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 123 <+83> INT: 230 <+25> SP: 100 ~~~~ Active Skills: 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 3 > 2?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Shadow st < Lv. 1 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 3 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 1 > ~ +3% Magical Damage ~ +3% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Healing Potion > x1 2?? < Mana Potion > x4 3?? < 305 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x6 5?? < Fiery Meat > x8 ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen 3?? Unique Shadow Energy; Absorbed in Shadows ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > I''ve gotten a new Attribute, Shadow Energy! I was tempted to put all the SP into it, but I somehow controlled the inner Demon and assigned only half of them. Usually when you upgrade your MP you feel your Mana Capacity increase, but now I felt a strange feeling... It felt like my body''s shadow was bing bigger. Just to make sure I took a peek at my shadow I noticed its shape was constantly changing. It looked like it was absorbing light from the surrounding area. After upgrading the Shadow Energy I also had a strange hunch that my upgraded Skills and Spells can be stronger if casted while using SE. I wanted to try if my hunch is right and conjured a Shadow st while using the Shadow Energy. An Orb of grey and dark color appeared in my palm, it seemed to attract and devour light. Noticing its strange appearance I didn''t want to hold onto it for too long, so I extended my hand forward and threw the st at the closest wall. Boom... The Spell hit the wall andpletely demolished it. A street view opened revealing a lot of yers and NPCs walking in the street. All the eyes turned towards me. I felt my neck and cheeks redden. The crowd was in total silence, I was about to apologize when I heard some murmurs spread through the crowd. '' He''s hiding his face like the yer that defeated the Dark Prince '' '' ... Power to Demolish a wall with a single spell '' '' Contact the Guild! '' Suddenly I felt like I was eyed by a group of predators. Not wanting to act suspicious I turned around and started walking like I didn''t care, when I heard somebody shouting from the crowd. " He''s Lv. 10! I''ve used my special item to identify his level! He must be the yer that defeated The Dark Prince " '' SHIT ! '' I cursed in my mind. How unfortunate that such item would be dropped from the monster. Special items can be dropped from the monsters upon their death. The Item Used to inspect User''s Level and Race can be dropped from the starting vige''s bird type monsters. In theter stages of the game, much more powerful Items and equipment will allow one to even see other yer''s Attributes and Skills. No face mask will help you to hide your Identity from these items. Unless you have equipment of a simr or higher Tier specifically made to hide your Status. As soon As I was exposed I darted through the house and jumped out from the second floor window. I heard some shoutsing from the street and quickened my pace. " Catch Him! " " Quick, film him! " " Has anyone seen his face? " " He''s Running! " " Join our Guild! " I ran as fast as I could and sounds became further and further when finally, they disappeared. I leaned on the nearby tree and took a deep breath. " Do they have nothing to do? " I was questioning if those people were NPCs. To chase a yer for an hour is crazy, even obsessive. Opening the Map I shifted my body to the North and stretched my back. It''s going to be a long journey to the big city. My next Goal is to collect some materials and sell them at an auction that is happening next week. I''ll need to ept a lot of quests to kill Golems that drop rare ores that should sell for a lot of money. Chapter 14 Culg City I was quickly jogging through the Dark Forest. I''ve had another few hours of running before I''ll reach the city. While travelling I''ve met some Smanders, but quickly killed them using my Lightning Spear. I was a bit disappointed that the spell didn''t receive any kind of Shadow Energy Upgrades, but it was still powerful enough to one-shot monsters lower than Lv. 5. < Fire Smander x4 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 80 EXP 2?? Smander scale x9 3?? Fiery meat x7 While fighting against Smanders I''ve gotten two notification informing that my Passive Skill and Spell Leveled Up. < UPGRADES > 1?? Lightning Spear ¡ú ~ +5% Magical Damage ~ +2% To Inflict Status Effect ~~~~ 2?? Mana Regen ¡ú ~ +100% Mana Absorption -- 30 MP per minute Lightning Spear and Mana regen would gain a massive Upgrade upon reaching Lv. 5. Unfortunately, It takes a lot of time to Upgrade Skill''s or Spell''s level to 5. Some yers even said that it would take a week of continuous spell usage to achieve it, but I knew otherwise. To Upgrade a Spell or a Skill to Lv. 5 one needs to defeat a powerful monster with it. If I were to defeat the Dark Prince while my Lightning Spear was Lv. 4 its level would rise to Lv. 5. You can call it a quest or a challenge to see if one''s worthy enough for the upgrade. There are also Passive Skills like Mana Regen, to raise its Level there''s no shortcut. You just have to continuously use it. While I was thinking about whom to fight to upgrade my Lightning Spear, I heard some branches break behind me. Stopping in the tracks I slightly turned my head to see what''s behind me. < BASILISK''S LACKEY > ~ A Lackey of a Great Reptilian Beast ~ Water Type Beast that lives near the Basilisk''s Nest ~ Carnivore; Aggressive ~ Immune to Poison < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 6 HP: 300 MP: 50 STR: 70 AGL: 80 PDEF: 60 MDEF: 50 INT: 21 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Leap < Lv. 4 > -- Leap at your enemy within a distance of 15 meters ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 8 seconds cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Poison Blood < Lv. 3 > -- Your Blood is poisonous disallowing enemies to eat or bite you ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Poisonous Spit < Lv. 2 > -- Spit acidic Poison at your enemies ~ True Damage ~ AoE Damage ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 10 seconds cooldown 2?? Slithery Flight -- You''ll be able to move in the air... Scary! ~ Cost 20MP ~ 2 minutes cooldown ~~~~ The Snake wasn''t that powerful, but my eyes were glued to its Spell < Slithery Flight >. I''m really not a fan of snakes, I even felt shivers run down my back while reading the Spell''s description. Gulping down the fear I recalled that there''s a Hidden quest in the city that involves one fighting against a Basilisk - Huge Snake. Conjuring a Shadow st I saw the snake doing some strange movements when suddenly it started levitating in the air. Clenching my teeth I forced myself to calm down and finish chanting the Shadow st. It seems that I have severe Ophidiophobia. #Author Note; Ophidiophobia - an extreme, overwhelming fear of snakes. My spell wasunched towards the Snake, but it barely avoided it by stopping in its tracks. Fortunately its flight skill had reached the Limit and the snake fell to the ground. Unfortunately it still had time to spit on me. I dodged the Poisonous spit by rolling to the side. Turning my head towards the ce where Poisonnded I saw ground and grass around immediately corroding. Conjuring another Shadow st I threw it at the Snake which was slowly slithering towards me without its Flight Spell. - 240 Magical Damage! ~ Basilisk''s Lackey has suffered from Status Effect < Blindness > ~ Temporary Blind ~ Duration ¡ú 5 Sec ~ Basilisk''s Lackey has suffered from Status Effect < Fear > ~ Temporary loss of will to fight ~ Duration ¡ú 10 Sec ~~~~ The Snake''s eyes were clouded and a sense of fear crept inside its narrow mind. It felt that its body was severely hurt and death was approaching while its eyes were useless. After a few seconds the Snake''s eyes were once again fully functioning, unfortunately thest thing it saw was a palm covered in white mes. < UPGRADES > 1?? Demonic me ¡ú ~ +5% Magical Damage ~ +2% Corrosive Ability ~~~~ < Demonic me devoured a normal monster! > ~ +0.1% Magical damage ~ +0.1% Cooldown reduction My Demonic me''s level was raised while it was devouring another monster. I''ve also used it on the 4 Smanders I killed, but the progress was so miniscule. It shouldn''t even be counted, but still, it was progress! < Basilisk''s Lackey x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 50 EXP 2?? Basilisk Fang x2 3?? Poisonous Meat x1 Leaving burnt ashes of a Basilisk''s Lackey I collected the Loot and continued on travelling through the forest. Soon the forest trees started being more and more spread apart, quickening my pace and I strolled towards the north. While I was quickly walking a hologram appeared. < Wee to the Culg City! > I''ve reached the starter city! Walking towards the city I saw two guards with full metal armor guarding the gates. Opening my Status I quickly checked what color was my name. One can travel into the city if his Nametag is Green, White, or Light Orange. The Color of the Name means how many people you''ve killed. Green ¡ú None; Allowed to Enter into the Cities White ¡ú 1 - 5; Allowed to Enter into the Cities Light Orange ¡ú 5 - 10; Allowed to Enter into the Cities by paying. Dark Orange ¡ú 10 - 20; Not Allowed to Enter into the Cities, hunted by Mercenaries Red ¡ú 20 - 50; Not Allowed to Enter into the Cities, hunted by Knights ck ¡ú 50 - ¡Þ; Not Allowed to Enter into the Cities, hunted by Royal Knights Name Tag could be cleansed by killing various Monsters around the city''s territory or simply waiting for it to automatically regain its color. It is said that time can dull everything. Right now My name Tag was White, hence I was allowed to pass through the gates without any problems, except a guard giving me a Suspicious look. A huge city was before my eyes with a lot of NPCs walking back and forth doing their things. I didn''t see any yers, hence removed my hood revealing my crown. I probably won''t have another chance to do this in a while. It''s Dangerous... But Exciting! Chapter 15 Mayor Removing my hood I brushed my hair to the side, because they were getting in my eyes. '' I need to get a haircut '' I mumbled under my nose while walking through the street. I felt tons of gazesnd on me or more specifically, my crown. Since I was surrounded by Demons they knew that it''s not normal to have such horns. If some other being from another race would see me they would probably think of it as amon Demon thing. Approaching a small mansion in the middle of the city I walked near the city''s fountain. It was made out of the white marble. In the middle there was a statue of a muscr and handsome Demon with horns simr to mine. His horns were more detailed and they constantly radiating ck color. While walking nearby I lowered my head. The Statue was of the current Demon King - Dragres. He''s the most powerful Demon in the entire game. I haven''t heard of someone sessfullypleting his raid. There was even coboration between the strongest Guilds, but they still failed. They lost Miserably. The Guilds'' strongest yers weren''t able to survive in the boss room for more than 5 minutes. Not a lot of information was leaked from the Raid, but I heard that Dragres had a skill that could harvest souls from the yers even if they were alive. I''ve dug up a screenshot proving the myth. < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Soul Harvest -- Forcefully Harvest Souls from your enemies strengthening yourself ~ Cost 10k MP ~ 30 second cooldown ~~~~ One of the Raid''s participants even said that a single yer was destined to die every half a minute. The Boss raid was attempted a lot more times, but the best run was when the boss HP was halved. After a few years the boss collected a lot of Souls and it was basically impossible to wound it. Unfortunately developers didn''t care about its power and the Boss was named a Darkness God which can''t be defeated by themunity. Lost in my thoughts I didn''t even notice when I was already at the doorstep of the wooden mansion. Bumping into the front door I absentmindedly lifted my eyes. Before me was a wooden door with golden words engraved in its middle. [ S.U.S ] I''vee to this vige for two things: 1. Complete Quests that will provide me with Gold Coins 2. Defeat Basilisk The First thing was simple, I''ll ept a quest to defeat golems and receive XP frompleting the quest. Golems are made out of various ores and rocks, some of them are destined to be rare and sell for a good amount of Gold. The second Thing was way harder. Basilisk is an early game Boss with no known cheesy method to defeat it. The Basilisk is living in his Nest which is full of various snake species ranging from highly poisonous to invisible ones. Shaking my head I managed to get rid of the thoughts about terrifying and powerful... snakes. Raising my hand I recalled the secret code to enter into the mansion. Usually the yers are not allowed to enter the mansion until the currencies are tied together, but I knew a secret code. Knocking the door three times in a row I did a little pause and used my full power to punch the gold text in the middle of the door. - 1 HP My knuckles were bloody, but I didn''t care. I was listening for a sound that would indicate that the door is unlocked. Click... The Door was slightly opened and an old man with gray hair and beard appeared in the gap. " What do You want? " The man had reddened cheeks and his breath gave away that he was drinking alcohol.. A lot of it. Noticing that I was not at the perfect time I scratched my neck and started carefully choosing what words to say. I didn''t want to lose the only way to gain Gold coins this early in the game. If I infuriated this NPC he wouldn''t give me a quest. " While Travelling I''ve heard some minersining about Golems constantly chasing them out of the mine shafts and even destroying some of the machinery. I''d like to help you to get rid of them! " I was smiling from ear to ear while pretending to be excited to offer a helping hand to a total stranger. Fortunately the man was barely holding himself back from falling. He didn''t even look at me and closed the door. I was about to knock once again, but a hologram appeared. < Help City Mayor to get rid of Dangerous Golems x50! > < Do you want to ept the quest? > < ACCEPT > | < DECLINE > epting the quest a red mark appeared in my Map. Shifting my body from the mansion, my steps seemed a few pounds lighter than previously. While I was going out of the mansion''s territory the same old man was eyeing me from the second floor window. His eyes were slightly narrowed and a small smile was ying on his lips hidden by the long gray beard. " So he''s the one who defeated Minas " ~~~~ Happily walking through the city I saw some shops working here and there. I also saw a shop owned by Oliver''s son. I''ll sell my items there, because of the discount I''ve gotten. The Discount is halved, because this is not Oliver''s shop, but it''s still better than other shops in the city. Finally reaching the end of the Culg City I left through the gates and moved towards the mountain area to the east. Two white mountain tops could be seen from my point of view. At the mountains'' top there''s an ice wyvern living. Wyvern is considered to be a hard Boss that will assault you with various elemental attacks from the air. The perfect ss to defeat this flying Boss is considered to be an archer. Thinking about the boss I though how fortunate that the wyvern rarely descends down the mountain. The cave is located at the bottom of the hill. To my knowledge the wyvern''s descent only happened once or twice in my past life. Confident of my sess I started contemting how to defeat the Golems. I needed to cause mass destruction for their hard skin to crack. ~~~~ A beast was peacefully lying hidden in snow. Its body waspletely covered, because of snowkes continuously falling. Suddenly its blue eyes opened and the beast looked down the hill seemingly irritated. Chapter 16 Cave In the Distance I saw dozens of people with yellow helmets walking near the hill''s bottom. As I Got closer some of them noticed me. If I didn''t receive a quest to defeat the golems residing in the cave I wouldn''t be allowed to enter the cave. " How can we help you? " One of the workers approached me while holding a pickaxe in his left hand. Looking at his uniform I noticed a silver star pinned to his chest. Recalling its meaning I automatically bowed my head before stating my intentions. " Hello, I''vee to exterminate Golems " I replied while looking around the area. There were various vehicles with huge drills, huge trucks used to transport ores and other materials. Nodding his head the Silver Star worker walked towards the cave''s entrance and gestured me to follow. Being led by the Excavation''s Leader I was allowed to pass through the various safety checks and scans located at the cave''s entrance. Our small walk ended when we came across a huge gate with hinges seemingly made out of gold. Wishing me good luck I saw the Leading Demon take a few steps back and press something on his watch. Crack... The gates opened with a loud sound. It seemed that they weren''t used in a while. Before I had time to pass through the entrance the Leader threw me another watch. " Use this to notify me of your return " Catching the watch I nodded my head and equipped the newly acquired loot. 1?? Signal Watch [ Bronze ] -- Quest Item; Used to notify the Leading Demon of your return ~~~~ Walking through the gate I saw a wide tunnel with torches lit on the walls. The tunnel''s length could not be measured, because I couldn''t see its end. Fortunately I''ve got some information from my past life. The Golems have one critical weakness that creators implemented idently. Their armpit skin is very weak. Throwing one spell at it will immobilize the whole hand. Walking further I heard the gates behind me close. A small smile appeared on my face, shifting my body to the right. I conjured a Shadow st and threw it at the bundle of rocks seemingly lifelessly lying on the ground. Boom... -135 Magical Damage! A Damage screen appeared on my face informing me about the enemy''s presence. The previously lifeless rocks were now slowly raising up, building a figure that could touch the ceiling. keep in mind that the ceiling is at least 10 meters high. Distancing myself from the golem I quickly scanned his body. I didn''t see any ores exposed on its skin. All golems are different, some have no ores, some even have diamonds, but it''s very rare. Opening The Golem''s Status I quickly dodged a few stones thrown at my face. < IRON GOLEM > ~ An Earth type monster; Usually reside in mountains and caves ~ Aggressive ~ Immune to Shock < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 6 HP: 500 MP: 200 STR: 800 AGL: 50 PDEF: 200 MDEF: 500 INT: 150 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Stealthy Rock < Lv. 4 > -- Deform the body to blend into the rocky area -- Sacrifice Defense for Stealth ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 10 hour cooldown 2?? Pebble Throw < Lv. 2 > -- Throw rocks at high speed ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 1 sec cooldown 3?? Earth Maniption < Lv. 3 > -- Use Earth to do various things ~ Cost depends on how the earth was manipted ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Rocky Skin < Lv. 4 > -- Boosts your Defensive Attributes ~ +40 MDEF ~ +40 PDEF ~~~~ < SPELLS > < None > ~~~~ The Golem was an Iron one. Iron Golems excel in Defense even among the golems, they don''t have any spells, but their Active Skills make up for it. The scariest thing in the Iron Golem''s arsenal was < Earth Maniption >. Skills allowing to manipte Elements are only avable to yers who reached Lv. 30, but these golems had it from the beginning. Luckily these monsters had low to none intelligence, hence didn''t have wide imagination. Having a good creativity and holding a Maniption skill will spell disaster for your enemies. Dodging another set of stones thrown at my face I release another Shadow st. - 71 Magical Damage! The HP bar of the Golem was slowly depleting. Another few Spells and it''ll be dead. Crack... The Earth under my feet suddenly started trembling. Lowering my body to stabilize I saw a dirt wall slowly rising further in the tunnel. '' Shit! '' I cursed. I was in need of immediate cover. Ditching the golem standing still while controlling the wave I ran behind some of the wider rocks and squeezed myself behind them. The Dirt wall quickly arrived and I felt the ground underneath me tremble. Crash... The Dirt crashed against the rocks saving me from death, but some of the dirt got into my eyes. - 12 HP yer Leo has received a Status Effect < Blindness > ~ Temporary loss of Vision ~ Duration ¡ú 5 sec ~~~~ I couldn''t see shit. My eyes were full of dirt and it was very painful. I heard heavy footsteps quickly approaching my location. Using my other senses I stood up and ran in the other direction. Thump... Thump... Thump... My light footsteps were shadowed by the Golem. Finally my vision was back, looking back I saw the same Iron Golem, but something was amiss. Looking closer I noticed that there were small cracks spreading across its huge body. Still running I conjured a Lightning Spear and threw it at the monster''s head. - 90 Magical Damage! The Golem''s face was deformed, but it still ran after me, trying to trample an annoying bug that seeminglyughed at its tries. My smile was continuously widening every time the golem was hit by a spell. - 89 Magical Damage! - 88 Magical Damage! - 91 Magical Damage! The Golem''s strong appearance was slowly crumbling apart revealing a broken monster desperately running after its attacker. Conjuring a Spear I let the golem approach me and swing his hands trying to smash me. I aimed for the moment its arms were raised and threw my Lightning projectile at its armpit. - 243 Critical Hit! < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x12 3?? Stones x20 4?? Copper Ore x5 ~~~~ Chapter 17 Golems < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x12 3?? Stones x20 4?? Copper Ore x5 ~~~~ The golem''s entire arm exploded, and its previously sturdy body copsed. Approaching the monster''s corpse, I quickly collected the loot and continued to move further into the cave. The dimly lit tunnel was ying with my nerves. Every time a pebble fell and made a noise, a shiver ran down my spine, I was afraid of a sneak attack. Losing 2 Lv. would be a major setback to my ns. I don''t have enough time to fail, I bet there are already yers near the city of Culg. Bang... -1 HP A small pebble fell on my head. I scratched my aching forehead and lowered my body to examine the fallen pebble. Its surface was hard, but it looked like a normal rock. I picked up the stone and ced it in the inventory. < LOOT > 1?? Unrefined Obsidian Ore x1 A strange feeling of dread came over me. Obsidian ores don''t usually fall from the ceiling. I clenched my fists and lifted my gaze from the ground, and what greeted me was a golem with dark spots all over its body. < OBSIDIAN GOLEM > ~ An Earth type monster; Usually reside in mountains and caves ~ Aggressive ~ Immune to Physical Attacks from being below Lv. 15 < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 8 HP: 1500 MP: 300 STR: 1200 AGL: 60 PDEF: 2000 MDEF: 14 INT: 200 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Obsidian Shield < Lv. 3 > -- Deform your arm to form an Obsidian Shield ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 10 min cooldown 2?? Throw < Lv. 3 > -- Throw projectiles at high speed ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 1 sec cooldown 3?? Earth Maniption < Lv. 2 > -- Use Earth to do various things ~ Cost depends on how the earth was manipted ~ No cooldown ~~~~ ? < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Sturdy Skin < Lv. 5 > -- Boosts your Defensive Attributes ~ +500 HP ~ +100 PDEF ~~~~ < SPELLS > < None > ~~~~ The golem somehow managed to cling to the ceiling. My eyes widened and I immediately took a dozen steps back to avoid the descent of the obsidian golem. Boom... The golem''snding sent up a huge cloud of dust. The golem''srge body slowly emerged from the cloud, slowly revealing its oppressive features. His body wasposed of various ores and stones. Unknowingly, money symbols appeared in my ck eyes. When I checked the golem''s stats, I found that it had almost no MDEF. My spells should be able to do a lot of damage. It''s a shame that < Demonic me > can''t burn the golems, otherwise I''d turn this cave into a factory. I cast a Shadow st and let the Shadow Energy flow through my arm and appear in the form of an orb in my palm. Later in the game I should be able to cast spells elsewhere and not on my palm, so I could hold my staff with both hands. Imagine being able to create spells above your head and fire them all the time. That would look pretty darn cool. With so much anticipation, I didn''t even notice how my Shadow st hit the golem. - 425 Magical Damage! The annoying thing about the golems was that they''d no feelings or other senses. My two guaranteed status effects < Blindness > < Fear > couldn''t be inflicted because of these strange properties. I didn''t know how the golems knew my location without any senses, but I think it''s something to do with the Earth Maniption ability they possess. They probably feel my weight on the ground and recognize my location. I jumped backwards and dodged several rocks that were thrown at me. As I fired another Shadow st, I clicked my tongue and visibly frowned. The golem''s stupidity was starting to get on my nerves. He just ran at me without even trying to dodge my spells. His strange attack pattern made it hard for me to concentrate when I knew that a crazy bull was constantly trying to smash me. - 846 Critical Damage! My shadow projectile hit the monster''s chest, leaving a huge dent in its body. Half of the HP of the golem was gone... Soon after, the golem fell over without even scratching me. For some reason, it didn''t even try to create a dirt wave like the iron golem did. < Obsidian Golem x1 Killed > < LOOT > 1?? 800 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x8 3?? Stones x48 4?? Obsidian Ore x7 5?? Copper Ore x6 6?? Silver Ore x3 ~~~~ " 2 down, 48 to go " I muttered under my nose as I walked deeper into the cave. ~~~~ At the entrance to the cave, a massacre was taking ce. All the previously peaceful demon workers were now holding some kind of weapon. The previously green forest was covered with snow, and ice was scattered randomly over the area. A huge beast hovered above the ground, breathing ice at the little demons who were desperately trying to escape the attack. Unfortunately, the breath was too fast for anyone to escape. Whoosh... The entire battlefield was destroyed by a single breath. All the demons nearby were killed on the spot or frozen to ice. The only demon left standing was the leader of the group. Looking around, he found that most of hisrades were dead. He raised his tired eyes, eyed the beast, and made a run toward the cave entrance. Of course, the beast wasn''t so generous to let him go. A breath as cold as ice followed close on the demon''s heels. Everything in the breath''s path was demolished, and previously frozen statues were shattered. Blood stained the pure and white snow. Whoosh... The fleeing demon''s body turned to ice. When the creature saw that everyone in the vicinity was frozen, it plummeted from the sky andnded with a loud thud. The beast looked around, approached the frozen statues and began to slowly devour them, one by one. < ICE WYVERN > ~ A boss that resides in the High mountains ~ Carnivore; Territorial ~ Immune to Cold/Ice ~ A Hidden Boss; Once killed will never respawn < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 150 HP: 10000 MP: 8000 STR: 5100 AGL: 2250 PDEF: 6540 MDEF: 5400 INT: 12000 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > < Unknown > < PASSIVE SKILLS > < SPELLS > 1?? Ice Breath < Lv. 7 > -- Devastating breath of a strong monster able to destroy armies ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 10 sec cooldown ¡­. < Unknown > ~~~~ Chapter 18 Tunnel < UPGRADES > 1?? Shadow st ¡ú ~ +5% Magical damage ~ +2% To Inflict Critical Hit ~~~~ My mana was running low, luckily I had some MP potions. I was also in need to upgrade my Mana Regen skill to Lv. 5 so it would get a big boost. While I was sorting through my thoughts, I noticed some shiny rocks sticking out of the wall. When I threw a lightning spear, I did not see a panel of damage. As I looked closer, I noticed that the shiny rocks were exploding in all directions and one of them rolled near me. I lowered my body and picked up the fallen pebble. < LOOT > 1?? Dark sapphire x1 ~~~~ My eyes widened in surprise. Sapphires are insanely rare and expensive. They can be used to enchant weapons with certain elements. When applied to the weapon, the dark sapphire gives the weapon the property of darkness. Unknowingly, my eyes began to glow. I knelt on the ground and collected every single sapphire that was on the ground. < LOOT > 1?? Dark sapphire x13 ~~~~ " Maybe I should have bought the pickaxe after all? " I began to ponder while cleaning my dirty clothes. Tools are used to gather various materials such as wood, fish, ores, etc. If I had used a pickaxe to mine the sapphire, I would have gotten at least 2 times as many materials. I clicked my tongue and looked around to make sure there was not a single ore left. Even the loss of a single sapphire would be a big loss. A single sapphire is worth about a thousand gold coins. Still muttering about how the Lightning Spear had destroyed the Sapphire vein, I continued to move. This tunnel was getting on my nerves, I had to check my back every time and be on guard 24/7. Honestly, I was already pretty worn out from all the traveling. The only thing that kept me going was... Mone... Family. Yeah, yeah, family... But to help my family, I need money, right? Boom... A sound snapped me out of my thoughts. Another ordinary stone golem appeared in the wide tunnel. These golems are considered useless because they give a lot of useless loot. Besides, they have defenses that are worth a medal. < STONE GOLEM > ~ An Earth type monster; Usually reside in mountains and caves ~ Aggressive ~ Immune to Shock < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 5 HP: 400 MP: 100 STR: 300 AGL: 30 PDEF: 230 MDEF: 240 INT: 100 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Stealthy Rock < Lv. 1 > -- Deform the body to blend into the rocky area -- Sacrifice Defense for Stealth ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 12 hour cooldown 2?? Pebble Throw < Lv. 1 > -- Throw rocks at high speed ~ Cost 10 MP ~ 2 sec cooldown 3?? Earth Maniption < Lv. 1 > -- Use Earth to do various things ~ Cost depends on how the earth was manipted ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Rocky Skin < Lv. 2 > -- Boosts your Defensive Attributes ~ +20 MDEF ~ +20 PDEF ~~~~ < SPELLS > < None > ~~~~ This golem was an ordinary sandbag. With a few spells I quickly killed it and collected the dropped loot. < Stone Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x1 3?? Stones x31 ~~~~ At this point, you could call it bullying. All the golems that came could not touch me. Of course, this could have to do with my equipment and level. Nevertheless, the golems were much weaker than in my previous life. " That could be because I came here so early. " I thought about the golems once again. I have not seen any sapphire golems, which is good. Sapphire golems are considered one of the strongest types of golems. They form a group of 2 golems and roam the areas. Alone they are not a threat, but considering there is always a partner lurking nearby, it is harder to fight. Fighting against two monsters is hard even for me, who is overpowered. I wish I had a movement skill or spell that I could use to quickly dodge enemies. My eye fell on the Gale Step skill, which was to be auctioned off in a week. The skill''s level is unknown, but in my past life I heard rumors that a skill was unique and, when upgraded to authority, would allow the user to manipte the wind element. For me, being a mage, this is very powerful. With two maniption skills, I can control wind and shadow at the same time. I have already thought about all the possiblebinations and movements I could use. A shiver ran down my spine as I imagined a quiet and dark night. The city around me was quiet, when suddenly a faint breeze passed by and a man in a dark hood appeared from nowhere, with a huge shadow covering an area around. ''How cool would that look? '' My mood improved many times over. My previously grumpy face now had a little grin on it. The possibility of having another element was very exciting. When I noticed another golem in the distance, I threw a spear at its back and moved a little closer so my Shadow st could reach it. - 201 Magic Damage! The stone golem''s back was badly injured. It turned its faceless head and emitted a few sounds before lunging at me. Iunched a Shadow st and saw the golem''s body crumble to the ground. - 403 Critical Hit! < Stone Golem x1 Killed > ~~~~ The city of Culg was slowly popted by yers. More and more people wereing into the town. Every single NPC was talking to at least 4 people at the same time. The yers saw a huge wooden mansion at the end of the vige. Some of them approached and tried to get inside. Someone even tried to break into the house through the window. He seeded and broke the window with the help of a rock nearby. The person jumped through the window, but soon his bloody body was thrown out of the same window. Even the ss was magically repaired. That sessfully kept other people from vandalizing the house. Chapter 19 Cavern The torches on the walls of the tunnel grew farther and farther apart. I was approaching the first mining site. The previously wide tunnel became a cavern with huge stctites hanging from the ceiling. As I looked around the cavern, I noticed a few golems lying here and there. I noticed that they were staying near exposed veins of various ores. Golems could absorb other ores into their bodies to change their physique and be stronger. The weakest type of golems are the stone golems. If a stone golem absorbs enough iron ore, it will be an iron golem. Warily looking around I sighed from relief. Fortunately, there were no sapphire ore veins nearby. The Cavern had some obsidian and iron ore veins. I also caught a glimpse of a small silver vein further into the cavern. Two golems of simr build were sitting side by side, slowly sucking up the ores from the veins. I marked all the locations of the golems and quickly thought of a way to kill them all. You could call my n reckless, but there was no way I could fight all the golems in the cave. I took a deep breath and began channeling mana into my hand. Lightning began to dance on my wrist and a long spear hovered a few inches above my palm. In my previous fights, I always let go of the projectile if it resembled a spear, but now I''d yet to transform it. With more mana, I beganpressing the spear to make it thinner. At first the lightning refused topress, but with enough mana it got thinner and thinner. Soon the former lightning spear became like a needle. Unfortunately, the whole process took a heavy toll on my body. My mana was half depleted and was quickly used up keeping the needle from vanishing into thin air. Imitating a movement reserved only for Lightning Maniption skill was really exhausting. I lowered my body and quietly approached the first golems sitting near the iron ore vein. I already knew that they were focused on gathering the necessary ores to evolve. Once they concentrated, the golems didn''t even notice that the weight of the earth was getting heavier. With the needle, I quietly extended my hand further, but made sure not to let go of the lightning weapon. I used it like a spear. The needle stabbed into the golem''s neck and caused continuous damage. - 120 Magical Damage! - 132 Magical Damage! - 125 Magical Damage! - 262 Critical Damage! < Stone Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x3 3?? Stones x26 ~~~~ The first golem fell without being able to react. Its body crumbled and scattered some stones in the area. Fortunately, none of the stones hit the golems sitting nearby. I collected the loot dropped by the fallen golem, re-fed the Lightning Needle with mana to prevent it from disappearing, and moved towards the other two golems. < Stone Golem x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x8 3?? Stones x54 ~~~~ The golems that sat around the first vein were assassinated. I let go of the lightning needle and leaned against the wall, my MPpletely exhausted. Looking around and seeing no immediate threat, I didn''t use the MP potion and let my passive ability do all the work. I took a deep breath and opened my status. I had 50 SP left and it was time to finally use it. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 10 < 5920/30k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 153 <+103> MP: 252 <+127> SE: 100 STR: 10 AGL: 103 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 123 <+83> INT: 230 <+25> SP: 50 ~~~~ Active Skills: 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 4 > 2?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Shadow st < Lv. 2 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 4 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 2 > ~ +3.1% Magical Damage ~ +3.1% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Healing Potion > x1 2?? < Mana Potion > x4 3?? < 305 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x15 5?? < Fiery Meat > x15 6?? < Basilisk''s Fang > x2 7?? < Poisonous Meat > x1 8?? < Iron Ore > x35 9?? < Stones > x230 ?? < Copper Ore > x11 .... ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen 3?? Unique Shadow Energy; Absorbed in Shadows ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > To clean up the entire cave before the golems can awaken, I need more mana. After a moment''s thought, I was sure that adding 50 SP to the MP attribute was the best solution. My MP reserves were almost full when I heard one golem awaken from its slumber. Quietly, I jumped onto one of the nearby boulders and held my breath. The golem was no threat to me, but if we fought, it would awaken its allies and I''d be in big trouble. I silently hoped that the monster wouldn''t notice a change in the weight of the boulder. Thump... Thump... Heavy footsteps echoed through the cave as the golem passed by me and went straight into the tunnel I came from. Sighing in relief, I wiped the sweat from my face. This Quest had way too much close calls for myfort. Shaking my head I started creating another Lightning Needle. Doing it a second time was easier, but it still took a lot of Mana. While shaping the Weapon I thought that it looked simr to Lightsaber. Taking Photo I saved it in my ount. It would be fun to post this on forums and see how the people will react. I''d bet some of them could even offer money for a method to summon such saber. Silently giggling I moved towards another Iron Vein with Four Golems sitting nearby. < Iron Golems x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x21 3?? Stones x34 ~~~~ < Stone Golems x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x7 3?? Stones x61 ==== I''ll be visiting France next week, so I won''t be able to post chapters. New chaptering on September 19th Chapter 20 Silver Golems I''m back... ==== About half of the monsters in the cave were eliminated. There were only a few obsidian and two silver golems left. Slowly, I moved towards the obsidian vein, but felt my mana running low as a Lightning needle in my hand devoured my MP like a ck hole. Quickening my pace I approached the first golem leaning against the nearby wall and drilled the needle into its chest. < Obsidian Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 800 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x9 3?? Stones x35 4?? Obsidian Ore x6 5?? Copper Ore x4 ~~~~ The body of the golem crumbled and scattered ores in all directions. I collected the fallen loot and quickly disposed of the other golems sitting nearby. < Obsidian Golem x3 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 2400 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x26 3?? Stones x101 4?? Obsidian Ore x15 5?? Copper Ore x11 6?? Silver Ore x3 ~~~~ The only enemies now were two Silver Golems sitting further in the cavern. I began to prepare for battle and made the lightning needle disappear before swallowing a MP potion. + 9 MP + 12 MP + 16 MP + .... My mana reserves slowly filled up. I drank a MP potion, knowing that the enemies ahead of me were almost done with their ore absorption and would soon be the second most powerful golems. Gritting my teeth, I felt my mana leave my body before a lightning needle formed in my palm. The lightning silently danced on my wrist, giving me an eerie look. When I felt that the spell wasplete, I slowly extended my hand towards the first enemy. < ELITE SILVER GOLEM > ~ An Earth type monster; Usually reside in mountains and caves ~ Aggressive ~ Natural Regeneration ~ Elite Monster < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 14 HP: 2000 MP: 500 STR: 3000 AGL: 100 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 500 INT: 100 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Metal Shield < Lv. 4 > -- Create a shield from nearby ores ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 5 min cooldown 2?? Throw < Lv. 6 > -- Throw projectiles at high speed ~ Cost 4 MP ~ No cooldown 3?? Earth Maniption < Lv. 5 > -- Use Earth to do various things ~ Cost depends on how the earth was manipted ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Silver Skin < Lv. 5 > -- Boosts your Regeneration ~ 500 HP / min ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Silver Punch < Lv. 5 > -- Use nearby elements to empower a punch ~ Cost 100 MP ~ 10 second cooldown ~~~~ My mood has deteriorated considerably. Meeting an elite enemy is very rare and a silver golem at that, my luck was worse than shit. I moved my hand forward and impaled the golem''s head with my lightning weapon. - 120 Magical Damage! - 123 Magical Damage! - 251 Critical Damage! - 132 Magical Damage! - 124 Magical Damage! The golem''s health was slowly running low as I felt the earth shake beneath me. As I turned my gaze to the trembling ground, I felt a gaze full of killing intent fall upon me and lock me in ce. Slowly, I raised my head and noticed the other silver golem''s head hovering over me. I felt a shiver run down my spine, luckily a system notification woke me up from my daze. < Elite Silver Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 2000 EXP 2?? Silver Ore x16 3?? Stones x35 ~~~~ Pulling a needle out of the dead golem''s head I threw it at the enemy indicating the beginning of the battle. - 146 Magical Damage! The damage was tiny, but when I saw the damage window, I noticed that the MDEF of the golem was lower than the previous one. When I realized that it was not an elite monster, I sighed with relief. While I was examining the golem, its huge arm descended down and collided with the ground a few feet away from me. A huge cloud of dust was thrown into the air, obscuring my vision. I moved away from the location of the golem and hid behind a boulder, waiting for the dust to settle. All the muscles in my body were tense, I felt the power of the golem''s strike. The cave was still shaking under the aftershock of the attack, and even some stctites fell from the ceiling. Fortunately, I was not hit by any of them. Suddenly, another quake shook the cave. As I looked around frantically, I noticed a huge stone hand sticking out of the ground behind me. Boom... I rolled to the side, dodged the hand''s grip, and threw a Shadow st at its fingers. I was a bit surprised, it was the first golem to use Earth maniption skill properly. As I marveled at the golem''s ability to control earth, another hand shot towards me out of the shadows. With my superior agility, I leapt high into the air and dodged the arm beautifully. Unfortunately, I did not see another handing from the ceiling. - 121 Physical Damage! The stone hand pped me to the ground like a mosquito. I spat a mouthful of blood and gazed at the hand that was rushing downwards to crush me. By quickly ingesting a HP potion, I somehow managed to dodge the attack and roll to the side. + 15 HP + 18 HP + 26 HP + 30 HP + 32 HP My health recovered quickly and I managed to fully control my body again. I created some lightning spears and hurled them at the hand that was trying to crush me, shattering its palm. Suddenly I felt something behind me, Quickly raising my staff I tried to repel the uing attack. - 51 Physical damage! My hands felt as if they were broken and blood flowed from my mouth. The Silver Golem emerged from the dust and threw a punch that was blocked by my staff. I was lucky because if I did not have my overpowered staff, I would be dead. The low-level weapon would have simply been shattered in half by the blow. I disengaged from the sh, took a dozen steps back, and chanted a few Shadow sts at the golem''s face. - 142 magic damage! - 286 Magic Damage! - 144 Magic damage! I nced at my inventory and realized I was out of HP potions. Gritting my teeth, I cursed myself for not buying more Health potions. Summoning another Shadow st I was about to throw it when the ground shook beneath my feet. " What NOW! " Chapter 21 Shadow Power The ground shook and threw me off bnce. Lifting my head, I quickly looked around and noticed the golem making arbitrary signs with his arms. Suddenly, the floor of the cave sank down, forming a huge pit. I was about to jump out when anotheryer of earth appeared above me, blocking my way. I waspletely trapped, fortunately the golem didn''t have enough Mana to bury me alive, and could only trap me in a pit. Unfortunately, the monster''s Mana would quickly regenerate and he''d continue his act. I summoned a Lightning Spear and raised it above my head to Illuminate the ce. I waspletely buried underground, and there were no exits to be seen. The walls of my new tomb were made out of various stones and rocks. Through clenched teeth, I cursed the Golem''s ability to manipte the earth and hurled my spear at the ceiling. Boom... The projectile tore a small hole in the ceiling, but it was quickly covered by earth and stonesing from the nearby wall. " Fuck this! " I eximed as I ran to the nearest wall, throwing several shadow sts. Unfortunately, the walls were harder to break through than they seemed. The attacks created some small gaps, but they weren''t enough for me to fit through. I took a deep breath and used myst resort. " Shadow Realm " I muttered to myself and suddenly everything around me went dark. The Lightning spear I held in my hand lost its brightness and dimmed down. The trembling of the cavern disappeared and everything became silent. My senses were heightened, I could hear everything, bugs nearby running through the ground, moles digging under the earth, and a huge figure above the ground chanting something. My eyes could also see in the darkness allowing me to inspect my location. As I lifted my head upward, I noticed that the ceiling I attacked earlier was slightly less protected by the rocks. I reached my hand forward and summoned several Shadow sts. What followed next was a continuous barrage on the ceiling. Finally, After a few minutes, the rocks gave in and the ceiling copsed, burying me underneath it... At least that''s what should have happened, but with my heightened senses I could clearly see the trajectory of the falling dirt and easily avoided the obstacles easily. Straining my leg muscles I jumped out of the pit I was trapped in. I also noticed a small timer on the side of my screen. < Shadow Realm ¡ú 57 min > My only and strongest active skill had a timer. I was in need to finish the battle in less than an hour. I clenched my fists and grinned as I watched the golem''s sturdy body stand still. The monster didn''t even notice that I''d managed to escape its trap and was still creating another spell to bury me. Smiling, I began to summon a Shadow st, but this time it wasn''t a simple one. I felt a different kind of energy flowing through my arteries and veins and gathering in my palm. Click... A click sounded in a cavern and a grey orb empowered by Shadow Energy appeared floating above my hand. I noticed that the golem''s movements stopped momentarily. Seeing that I didn''t have much time left, I used all my strength and threw the spell strengthened by the Shadow Energy at the monster. ng... A grey sphere collided with the golem''s chest and produced a rather soft sound. **** Blink... Blink... I slowly opened my eyes. It felt like I''d been hit by a bus, my whole body ached and I felt dizzy. " Wha.. happened? " I slowly straightened up and leaned against something nearby. I didn''t even check what was behind me. I moved my hand and somehow managed to open up my status. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 10 < 11120/30k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 153 <+103> ¡ú [ 27 ] MP: 302 <+127> ¡ú [ 122 ] SE: 100 ¡ú [ 3 ] STR: 10 AGL: 103 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 123 <+83> INT: 230 <+25> SP: 0 ~~~~ Active Skills: 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 4 > 2?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Shadow st < Lv. 2 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 4 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 2 > ~ +3.1% Magical Damage ~ +3.1% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Mana Potion > x3 2?? < Dark Sapphire > x14 3?? < 305 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x15 5?? < Fiery Meat > x15 6?? < Basilisk''s Fang > x2 7?? < Poisonous Meat > x1 8?? < Iron Ore > x98 9?? < Stones > x496 ?? < Copper Ore > x26 .... ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen 3?? Unique Shadow Energy; Absorbed in Shadows ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ < CLOSE > I sighed from relief, I was still in the game... Looking at my HP bar I noticed that my health was low, my MP and SE were also depleted. Looking around, I noticed that I was still in the same cavern. When my vision returned to normal and everything was no longer blurry, I was finally able to check my position. < Silver Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP 2?? Silver Ore x12 3?? Stones x29 ~~~~ The System notification hovered in the corner of my vision. Slowly, I stood up and stretched my aching back. Turning around, I realized I was leaning against the remains of the Silver Golem. The condition of the corpse made me pause for a moment. The golem''s entire chest had simply been torn off. Crack... A stctite fell further away, snapping me out of my daze. The whole cavern was in ruins. If there were veins of ores before, there was nothing left. Most of the cavern''s structure was destroyed, and nothing important remained. A bemused smile crept onto my face as I examined the destruction. " Shadows.. huh? " The power of Shadow Energy was unimaginable. I managed to wreak havoc in a cave dominated by higher level creatures and even destroy its structure. ==== While I was amazed by my newfound power, a beast was creating itsir at the front of the cave entrance. Chapter 22 Fighting A Wyvern A huge Wyvern was destroying everything around the cave. Its breath spread ice everywhere. The previously beautiful forest turned into a cold tundra. The cave entrance had numerous scratch marks, as if the beast had tried to w its way in. Fortunately, or not itsrge body was too big to fit into the narrow cave. Roar... Somewhere farther from the cave, a loud roar could be heard. The roar indicated that the beast was irritated. A group of armored NPCs were continuously attacking the monster incessantly. The group consisted of a few swordsmen and two mages. The armor they wore had the symbol of a snake engraved on the chest. If Leo had seen the armor, he would have recognized the group immediately. The '' Serpents '' a group of NPC mercenaries who traveled the continents fulfilling various requests for money. In Leo''s former life, they were considered the strongest mercenaries because all group members had a special passive skill. 1?? Brotherly Power -- Boosts Attributes when near each other ~ +40% All Attributes ~ No cost ~~~~ It was widely believed that even if the strongest yers banded together to fight the group, it would still be a close fight. The same group now attacked a beast that was blocking the way into the cave. The swordsmen distracted the wyvern while the mages did the main damage. The beast, which was constantly being attacked, was furious and kept on roaring as it tried to bite one of the iing swordsmen. Unfortunately for the Beast, the sword users had agility that exceeded the speed of sound. The only thing the Beast could do was look at sonic booms that kept on appearing in front of its face. Furious the Wyvern took a deep breath and emitted an ice breath aimed at the back of the group''s backline - the mages. Whoosh... The ice breath froze everything in its path and sessfully hit the mages. A grimace that resembled a smirk appeared on the Wyvern''s face. A huge cloud of snow particles was thrown into the air, obstructing the monster''s vision. The Wyvern wasn''t bothered, because he was sure that the ice breath had achieved its goal. Whoosh... A sharp sword descended on the beast''s wing greatly injuring it. - 542 Physical Damage! Grrr..... The monster growled in pain as it moved its body and threw its tail at the swordsman. For the beast, the fight was as good as over. Without the mages, a group of 3 swordsmen would quickly tire out and fall prey to Wyvern''s teeth. The injured wing was painful, but not as painful as its injured pride. ''How dare an insect touch my wing! '' he spat out and gritted his sharp teeth. The wyvern managed to transfer his words to the minds of three swordsmen. And yet another Ice Wyvern spell was revealed. 1?? Telepathy < Lv. 4 > -- Communicate with others using your mind ~ 15 Mana ~ No cooldown ~~~~ The three attackers paused briefly when they heard the words of a Wyvern, whereupon the beast let out a growl that resembledughter. '' Didn''t expect a reptile to speak?'' Its mouth was wide open, ready to emit another ice breath. Whoosh... The cyan color beam shot out of the beast''s mouth and engulfed one of the swordsmen. Shing... Luckily, at thest second, a golden wall appeared in front of the confused mercenary and blocked the Wyvern''s attack. " Wake Up Ron! " A feminine voice echoed through the battlefield, waking up the dazed out swordsman, Ron from his stupor. He clutched the hilt of the sword''s and his blue eyes gravitated towards the two standing mages who should have been killed by the ice breath. There was not a single visible wound on the bodies of hisrades, which made Ron sigh in relief. With a smile, Ron unequipped his sword and raised his hands upward. Mana began to gather near him and a dozen white color swords appeared floating above him. 1?? Light Sword Art < Lv. 6 > -- Create Swords made out of Light Element -- Light Swords can be controlled with Mind ~ 6 Swords max. ~ 200 Mana per Sword ~ 15 minutes ~~~~ The most powerful skill known by Ron, would finally be put in use. Stomping the ground Ron bolted straight towards the Monster''s head. Extending his arm forward he clenched his fist allowing three swords to be sent flying at the Wyvern''s face. nk... nk... Crrr... The three des were aimed at the same spot, but only one managed to prate the wyvern''s sturdy scales. The Last Light Sword managed to pierce into the wyvern''s forehead just above the eye. When Ron saw the result, he clicked his tongue and gestured the swords to return. His original target was the beast''s eyes, but the wyvern''s movements made it difficult to aim. Ron continued to back away from the Wyvern, allowing the mages to open fire on the monster again. Other swordsmen also took his ce in the battle, allowing him to take a small break. Ron wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled as he thought about how reliable his teammates were. He had been through hell and back while leaning on hisrades, and the trust between them was immeasurable. As he looked around the battlefield, he noticed the two swordsmen, Josh and Luke, attempting to attack the Wyvern''s wings. Before epting the request from a noble, they made sure to do research on the Wyvern living in the mountain. < ICE WYVERN > ~ A boss that resides in the High mountains ~ Carnivore; Territorial ~ Immune to Cold/Ice ~ A Hidden Boss; Once killed will never respawn ~ Weakness - Wings < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 150 HP: 10000 MP: 8000 STR: 5100 AGL: 2250 PDEF: 6540 MDEF: 5400 INT: 12000 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Telepathy < Lv. 4 > -- Communicate with others using your mind ~ 15 Mana ~ No cooldown ¡­. < Unknown > < PASSIVE SKILLS > < SPELLS > 1?? Ice Breath < Lv. 7 > -- Devastating breath of a strong monster able to destroy armies ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 10 sec cooldown ¡­. < Unknown > ~~~~ A status Panel of an Ice Wyvern was hovering above the device Ron held in his arm. Chapter 23 Absolute Power A hologram with the Ice wyvern''s Status appeared on the device in Ron''s hand. The whole information about the monster''s attributes, known skills were disyed for the Swordsman to see. Before the battle, the group already knew about the wyvern''s weakness, but the device had the ability to examine the selected target while it was nearby. With enough time all the information about the beast would be revealed for the group to see. Unfortunately, the item is inessible to normal yers, it''s exclusively for NPCs. Also in the future, the game wouldn''t allow yers to get ess to these broken information gathering tools. So far, the device hadn''t revealed any other weakness of the wyvern. Shrugging, Ron put the device in his pocket and cracked his fingers, once again preparing for battle with the monster. Shifting his eyes Ron noticed that the John managed to inflict further damage on the monster by thrusting his sword into the wyvern''s tongue as it tried to devour him. -312 Physical Damage! Blood flowed from the monster''s mouth and dripped onto the white snow, giving the Wyvern a fearsome appearance. A huge monster with shiny scales and blood flowing from its mouth looked cool, if not intimidating. Unfortunately for the monster, the group didn''t give a damn about its appearance and continued to attack without stopping. The mages continued to cast their spells and the swordsmen slowly reduced the wyvern''s health. Crack... Suddenly, the snow under the group''s feet made a strange sound that briefly stopped the team''s attack. Crack... Crack... Huge spikes of ice emerged from the ground everywhere. The swordsmen managed to jump high into the air and dodge the spikes below them. Mages had a harder time, they were much slower than the swordsmen and had to protect themselves with a magical shield before floating up. A red-haired mage created five different tforms in the air for her teammates to stand on. The tforms were ck in color and were surprisingly shiny. When the group membersnded on these floating objects, they didn''t even flinch when their legs touched the surface of the tforms. They trusted each other unconditionally and therefore didn''t need to fear that the tform might disappear under their legs. While the mercenaries were regrouping, the wyvern used its powerful legs and jumped onto one of the tforms. One of its wings was badly injured, so it could no longer fly. The dragon opened itsrge mouth and released an ice breath that destroyed the tform with a red-haired mage standing on it. The unfortunate mage didn''t notice the dragon and was focused on keeping the tforms in the air. Crack... Suddenly she lost her footing and fell straight onto the Wyvern. The tforms under the other''s legs also disappeared, bringing her down. Luckily, Luke noticed the monster''s movements beforehand and jumped towards the falling mage. His body hit the mage and changed the trajectory of her fall. Boom... They both hit the ground farther away from the Wyvern. Luke had a badnding and felt some of his ribs break after the fall. The pain was short-lived, as the mage soon administered him a health potion. His red-haired teammate held the potion to his lips for him to consume it. " Thank you, Abigail... " he murmured while drinking the potion. The mage just nodded her head while watching the beast''s movements. Wyvern''s attention was now focused on her, on the ground. After all, it''s easier to catch the prey on the ground after all. Considering that the wings you''ve are injured, of course. Boom... Ron lunged behind the wyvern, and when he saw the beast looking away from him, he leapt onto its back and let the lightsabers wreak havoc on the monster''s scaly back. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... The sabers began shing at the wyvern, leaving minimal wounds. Unfortunately for the beast, the swords moved at supersonic speeds, causing hundreds of such wounds on its back. The beast growled in pain and shook its body attempting to shake off Ron. But the leech.. Mhhm, Ron thrust one of his swords between the scales and held onto it tightly. Seeing that the enemy wouldn''t be shaken off, wyvern stood on his two legs and lunged backward to crush the human that was trying so desperately trying to wound his back. Ron already guessed that the creature would try to crush him under its weight and gathered most of the mana in one sword. He jumped away at thest second and let the creature stab itself on the sword. Boom... Roar... The beast fell on the sword without any restrain and pierced itself on the weapon. - 2415 Critical Damage! A tip of the sword could be seen protruded from its chest. The wound bled profusely and the snow around it turnedpletely red. The pain drove the Wyvern mad, so he used one of his strongest skills. " ICE DOMAIN " His shrieking voice echoed in the silent forest. The group became alert when they saw that the monster was disying a new ability. They formed a small circle and kept the two mages inside while the swordsmen stood in front of them. Suddenly it began to snow, beautiful snowkes fell on the group and slightly obstructed their vision. Shortly after, the earth began to shake and spikes emerged from the ground, connecting with each other and forming an enclosed arena with an open roof. The falling snowkes stuck to the wyvern''s wounds and quickly closed them. Crack... Ice armor began to form on the wyvern''s scales. The beast''s whole body was reinforced with ayer of ice. Click... Click... Two ice statues began to form on either side of the beast, creating its clones. Two ice Wyvern statues, whichpletely resembled the original version, jumped towards the group and tried to swallow them whole. Fortunately for the mercenaries, the clones were only half as strong as the original version. Baaaam.... One of the Statues was damaged by Abigail''s fire spell. Unfortunately the ice clone didn''t feel the pain and didn''t even flinch before jumping at the group. Chapter 24 Defeat An ice statue lunged at the group, forcing them to break the circle formation. The mercenaries dodged the wyvern''s clone, but another ice clone appeared in front of them and struck Luke with its powerful tail. ''Gaghhh! '' Luke was thrown against the ice wall and spat blood. - 1232 HP He lost half of his Health this way. One tail blow of the clone was enough to lower his HP to half. If a clone with only 50% of the ice wyvern''s power could cut the swordsman''s health in half, the real wyvern would probably one shot everyone in the group. " Luke! " The ck-haired mage shouted as she raced towards her injured teammate. She threw a few spells at the clones while dodging the ice spikes emerging out of the ground. The real ice wyvern kept attacking the group with its ice breath and by creating spikes under their feet. Fortunately Luke was quickly encased in a golden shield that protected him from the emerging spikes. Crack... Crack... One by one the spikes were repelled by the shield, unfortunately the shield wasn''t unbreakable, small cracks began to appear on its surface. When the mage saw that the built up defense was being broken, she jumped high into the air and started chanting the spell. " I, , shall summon the ancient nt " Whoosh... The ice broke apart and a huge flower rose from the ground, taking Luke on one of its giant leaves and lifted him to the sky. As soon as the leaf with Luke reached the magician''s height, the nt stopped growing. quicklynded on the leaf and rushed to Luke. She poured a health potion in his mouth and cast a spell to make him recover faster. When Ron saw healing Luke, he used his Light swords to draw the attention of the two clones away from the nt, leaving his other tworades to fight the real Ice Wyvern. Abigail created a fireball and threw it at the Ice wyvern taking on the aggro. John held his sword in one hand and ran the de through his palm covering it with blood. Suddenly huge pressure was emitted from the de and visible red aura rose from the John''s body. His hand muscles tensed up under the pressure and veins became visible all around his body. Tightly clenching the weapon he momentarily disappeared from everyone''s vision only appearing right before the wyvern''s nose. His sword raised high in the air descended piercing through the Ice armor and damaging the beast''s wing further. - 2175 HP The sword dyed in red hue drank the blood of the beast greedily empowering itself further. Roar... The wyvern''s roar full of pain gathered attention from everyone in the Ice Domain. Mercenaries turned their heads towards the battle while the clones of the wyvern bolted towards the real one trying to assist him. Unfortunately for the beast his clones'' paths were immediately blocked by the Ron, Abigail and Luke who was back in shape to fight. " Stop the clones from advancing! " Ron shouted as swords hovering above him shot towards the nearest ice statue. Abigail and Luke followed his advice and attacked the other clone as well. The battle was already in full swing when another variable suddenly appeared on the battlefield. The sound of battle attracted beasts from the forest. The Wyvern''s clones were being destroyed and when the beast sensed the presence of monsters gathering outside his domain it smirked. The Wyvern retreated a dozen steps back and made a gateway for the monsters of the forest to enter his domain. A flood of various creatures, from smanders to an unknown monsters, rushed into the area and immediately targeted the mercenaries. When saw a wave of monsters rushing towards them, she began to cast a spell that costed her half of her mana. Her previously red cheeks turned a little pale and her hands shook. Boom... Suddenly, another domain was created over the ice domain, allowing to make some changes on the battlefield. With the other half of her mana, she created a wall of fire that split the domain in half and prevented the creatures from advancing any further. She also tried to set the wyvern on fire, but the ice around the beast''s body was too cold for the normal fire to stand against it. After she finished her actions, fell to the ground. She tried to drink a mana potion, but her hands were too shaky to hold the potion steadily. Fortunately, she still had time, because John was still holding the Wyvern at bay, while the others would soon join him, because the clones were almost destroyed. Crack... Finally, the ice statue shattered with a loud noise. Abigail and Luke did not waste a second and rushed to Ron''s aid to take care of the other clone. Crack... Another sound of something shattering rang through the domain. Shortly after, the Wyvern was fighting 4 enemies again, while was still recovering. She managed to consume the potion, but only a small part of her mana was regenerated. When the Wyvern saw the mercenaries regrouping, he finally took them seriously. His huge jaws were slightly open as suddenly the temperature around him dropped. Even the blood flowing from his wing froze as it fell, immediately turning into ice. Seeing an unseen skill Ron quickly used the device and was very surprised. He knew that the final battle would soon begin... < ICE WYVERN > ~ A boss that resides in the High mountains ~ Carnivore; Territorial ~ Immune to Cold/Ice ~ A Hidden Boss; Once killed will never respawn ~ Weakness - Wings < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 150 HP: 10000 [ ? ] MP: 8000 [ ? ] STR: 5100 AGL: 2250 PDEF: 6540 MDEF: 5400 INT: 12000 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Telepathy < Lv. 4 > -- Communicate with others using your mind ~ 15 Mana ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Ice Domain < Lv. 5 > -- Create a domain that''ll enchant your corresponding elements performance ~ 1500 Mana ~ 10 hour cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Ice Armor < Lv. 7 > -- Strong Ice armor that''ll reinforce your body ~ 1000 Mana; No cost while in < Ice Domain > ~ 5 minute cooldown 4?? Absolute Zero < Lv. 5 > [ NEW ] -- Create an elemental field that''ll change the surrounding temperature to Absolute zero. ~ 800 Mana ~ 1 hour cooldown ~~~~ < Unknown > < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Wyvern Presence < Lv. 8 > -- Influence monsters weaker than yourself ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Ice Breath < Lv. 7 > -- Devastating breath of a strong monster able to destroy armies ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 10 sec cooldown ~~~~ 1?? Ice Spikes< Lv. 6 > -- Create spikes made out of Ice than can emerge from the ground ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 3 sec cooldown ¡­. < Unknown > ~~~~ Chapter 25 Defeat (2) Ron''s eyes widened, because of the specific skill he saw in the Wyvern''s Status page 1?? Absolute Zero < Lv. 5 > -- Create an elemental field that''ll change the surrounding temperature to Absolute zero. ~ 800 Mana ~ 1 hour cooldown ~~~~ The Skill itself wasn''t particrly terrifying, but the problem was that you had to get close to the Wyvern to seriously damage it. John and Luke couldn''t damage the beast and was a fire mage. Most of the spells in her kit would be useless because the me would simply be extinguished by extreme coldness. The only two who could really harm the beast now were Ron and Abigail, but unfortunately they had little to no damage. The group members exchanged the nces and ran towards the nearest wall. John used his bloody sword to cut through the spikes, and used her mes to melt a hole in the wall. With the efforts of the two teammates finally a hole big enough to escape through appeared. Of course the escape wasn''t as easy as it sounds. While the hole was being melted, Abigail had to use all of her remaining mana to create a shield. The Wyvern kept spitting ice breath at the group trying to prevent them from escaping. Ron used his swords to keep the beast from getting too close. The situation was disastrous, and when the wall finally broke, the group ran into the forest without looking back. The wyvern could only watch them from behind as it furiously tried to fly into the air. Unfortunately, for the monster, his wing was badly injured and it was very painful. Protecting his wing with ice, the monster used his power to destroy both his and ''s domains before walking back to the cave. Its main target was in the cave... ~~~~ I was struggling... My luck was so shit that, another stone golem showed up. I don''t remember seeing any golems other than the stone ones for a few days. I''ve already killed about 40 golems, and most of them were stone golems. I consider the stone golems to be the least worth my time because the materials they drop are too cheap. Although the materials weren''t good, some of my skills have improved. < UPGRADES > 1?? Shadow st ¡ú ~ +5% Damage ~ +2% To inflict Status effect ~~~~ 2?? Shadow Energy ¡ú ~ +2 Shadow Energy per minute ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ Opening the System I nced over my Status. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 10 < 26620/30k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 153 <+103> MP: 302 <+127> SE: 100 STR: 10 AGL: 103 <+3> PDEF: 24 <+4> MDEF: 123 <+83> INT: 230 <+25> SP: 0 ~~~~ Active Skills: 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 1 > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 4 > 2?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Shadow st < Lv. 3 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 4 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 2 > ~ +3.1% Magical Damage ~ +3.1% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Mana Potion > x3 2?? < Dark Sapphire > x14 3?? < 305 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x15 5?? < Fiery Meat > x15 6?? < Basilisk''s Fang > x2 7?? < Poisonous Meat > x1 8?? < Iron Ore > x124 9?? < Stones > x1125 ?? < Copper Ore > x41 .... ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Darkling Robe > [ Copper ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Natural MP regen 3?? Unique Shadow Energy; Absorbed in Shadows ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > ~~~~ I was very close to leveling up. I''ve collected a lot of loot and was close topleting the quest. The problem was that I haven''t seen a golem in an hour. It can''t be that I cleared out the whole cave? I Couldn''t? Right... Reassuring myself that more enemies would soon spawn, I chose a random direction and entered a dark tunnel. ... I found no golems. The tunnel waspletely empty. I was a little irritated, because I had a lot more stuff to do, but the golems just didn''t spawn, it wasted a lot of my time. Checking the clock, I started sprinting through the tunnels looking for monsters to fight. Sure enough, after some time I found a lone iron golem lying on the ground in one of the narrower tunnels. His body was hidden in some rocks, but I quickly recognized him because I saw some ores shining here and there on his body. A few sts of shadow were enough to take out the enemy. - 346 Magical Damage! - 351 Magical Damage! < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x11 3?? Stone x9 ~~~~ '' 9 more to go! '' I muttered under my nose. I was already mentally tired and had to log off to get some rest. I haven''t slept in a few days because I''ve been fighting golems. Even though the time in the game is different from real time, the tension in my mind is still there. When the game will gain worldwide poprity, a new version of Pods will be released. The pod will be designed specifically for the game Fragmental and will have a function that''ll allows you to rest while ying. I was spaced out and didn''t notice that I walked past a group of golems disguised as rocks. Whoosh... I heard wind behind me and quickly rolled forward, only to dodge a huge fist. As I turned around, I saw a group of 6 golems running towards me. They were all stone golems, but I couldn''t care less, I was too tired toin. I already had enough materials to sell them for a house in a rtively safe area. At least then my parents would be safe. But, of course, I''m going to aim for the top. I pushed the thought aside and summoned a shadow st while using shadow energy. Boom... Soon after, a loud explosion was heard in the cave. My spell hit the chest of one of the golems, killing it instantly. The other monsters were stunned to see theirrade defeated in one blow. " Let''s finish this quickly " I smiled and cracked my knuckles. The golems felt dread wash over them, and although they had no emotions, they unconsciously took a step back. The real devil was standing in front of them. Chapter 26 Ah Hell Nah! Boom... < Stone Golem x6 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 3000 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x5 3?? Stones x156 ~~~~ I''ve wiped out the whole gang. All it took was a few Shadow st powered by SE. < Congrattions on reaching Lv.11! > < Level 10 ¡ú Level 11 > < +20 SP > My level finally went up. Since I was a little overlevelled, the EXP requirement was high. The cave is usually attempted when you reach Lv. 5. yers form groups and hunt the monsters that lurk in the cave. I took a deep breath, I had three golems left and I could rest. Using the received SP, I put them into the Agility Attribute and ran to another tunnel looking for more Sandba... Golems! After a few minutes of searching, I found 4 golems absorbing an iron ore vein. I did not even bother to make a lightning needle and threw a shadow st on the first golem. < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x12 3?? Stones x13 ~~~~ The monsters were startled, one of their kind just shattered right in front of them. Lifting their heavy bodies they blindly rushed towards the attacker. Whoosh... I threw a Lightning spear at the closest golem instantly killing him. - 634 Critical Damage! < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x9 3?? Stones x11 ~~~~ Half of the golems were gone, but the two remaining golems wouldn''t let me cast spells and threw several punches in my direction. I was forced to dodge them, but thanks to my superior agility I was able to avoid all attacks, killing another golem in the process. < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x13 3?? Stones x10 ~~~~ At the same time that the golem fell, a system message appeared. < Quest [ Eradicate the golems in the cave ] Completed! > < Return to the mayor of the city to receive a Reward! > A small smile was visible on my lips, finally I could leave this world-forgotten ce. I was so happy that I almost forgot about thest golem. Whoosh... The fist descended and tried to crush me. Fortunately, I was aware of the golem''s position and dodged the blow by simply taking a step towards the enemy. Boom... The punch connected with the ground and kicked up a cloud of dust that blocked my view, but that wasn''t a problem. The golem was standing right in front of me. < Iron Golem x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? Iron Ore x9 3?? Stones x14 ~~~~ After the dust settled, I collected all the loot and headed toward the exit. After a few minutes of walking, I noticed that there was a problem... I no longer knew the way back! Grumbling under my nose, I opened the map and tried to estimate my position. The annoying thing was that the map had all the tunnels and passages marked, but not my current position. When I was outside, a green dot showed my location, but there was no such thing in the cave. I looked around, trying to see anything in particr that would tell me where I was. Suddenly, I noticed the Cavern I''d destroyed when I used the Shadow Realm. An idea came to my mind. '' How about if I reshape the cave a little? '' When the structure of the cave changes, it''ll automatically show up on the map and reveal my position. While my shadow realm was on cooldown, I was able to summon a lot of Shadow sts. Boom... Boom... Boom... Boom... A sculpturing lesson began with me widening the cave. Unfortunately, the damage was too small to be seen on the map. After a few minutes, there was finally a small change on the map. A small part of a tunnel was slightly widened. After that everything was easy, I went through the tunnels and quickly reached the gates. My eyes widened slightly at the sight of the huge gates. They were slightly open and I could see some snow and ice on the other side. Slowly I approached and took a look at the other side. Although it was still a cave, there was snow everywhere. Some ice stctites were hanging from the ceiling. Puzzled by the change, I immediately realized that something was wrong. Why would the demon workers leave the gates open? After all, the cave was infested with golems. As I cautiously moved further out of the cave, I noticed an ice statue standing near the entrance. As I slowly got closer, I noticed something shining on its chest. It was a silver badge... Unknowingly, I held my breath. What would be able to freeze the demon leader of the mining site? I certainly didn''t want to encounter this creature. Looking around cautiously, I noticed that the forest around the cave had turned into a tundra. The climate had also changed, it was snowing and the temperature had dropped significantly. Whoosh... Whoosh... The sound of something fluttering echoed through the quiet surroundings. Boom... A huge object descended from the sky, throwing snow particles into the air and obscuring its appearance. I cautiously looked in the direction of thending site and had no chance of seeing a creature. The ce was at least half a kilometer away from me. All I could see were snowkes falling slowly. Thump... Thump... Heavy footsteps sounded in the area, indicating that the creature was moving towards the cave. Slowly, its huge body emerged from the blizzard, revealing its intimidating appearance. My eyes widened before I turned around and ran back to the cave''s entrance. " Ah hell nah! " < ICE WYVERN > ~ A boss that resides in the High mountains ~ Carnivore; Territorial ~ Immune to Cold/Ice ~ A Hidden Boss; Once killed will never respawn ~ Weakness - Wings < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 150 HP: 10000 MP: 8000 STR: 5100 AGL: 2250 PDEF: 6540 MDEF: 5400 INT: 12000 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Telepathy < Lv. 4 > -- Communicate with others using your mind ~ 15 Mana ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Ice Domain < Lv. 5 > -- Create a domain that''ll enchant your corresponding elements performance ~ 1500 Mana ~ 10 hour cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Ice Armor < Lv. 7 > -- Strong Ice armor that''ll reinforce your body ~ 1000 Mana; No cost while in < Ice Domain > ~ 5 minute cooldown 4?? Absolute Zero < Lv. 5 > -- Create an elemental field that''ll change the surrounding temperature to Absolute zero. ~ 800 Mana ~ 1 hour cooldown ~~~~ < Unknown > < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Wyvern Presence < Lv. 8 > -- Influence monsters weaker than yourself ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Ice Breath < Lv. 7 > -- Devastating breath of a strong monster able to destroy armies ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 10 sec cooldown ~~~~ 1?? Ice Spikes< Lv. 6 > -- Create spikes made out of Ice than can emerge from the ground ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 3 sec cooldown ¡­. < Unknown > ~~~~ Chapter 27 Escape? " Ah hell nah! " I ran deeper into the cave when I felt the beast''s gazend on me. My heart was beating faster than ever before. I heard the roar of the beast''s roar as a ear deafening sound came from behind me. I didn''t even dare to turn around. I felt something approaching the entrance of the cave quickly. All I could do was run. Turning around the corner, I sighed as the gates came into view. My pace slowed down to a slow jog. That was a mistake! A cold wyvern''s breath of ice suddenly came out of the corner and turned towards me. A shiver ran down my spine and I did everything I could to run towards the gates. I didn''t care about the rhythm of my breathing or where I put my feet, I just saw that the gates were getting closer and closer. Whoosh... The attack caught up with me and froze some of my back. I was very close to the gates. I jumped forward and felt both my legs being damaged by the attack. Inded on the other side of the gate and rolled to the side to avoid the deadly attack. My forehead was drenched in sweat, I almost lost two levels! Mumbling under my nose, I quickly checked the condition of my body. My back was a little frozen and both of my legs were covered in ice. I moved them around and held the demonic me under the ice. Surprisingly, the ice melted in a few minutes, revealing the poor condition of my legs. Fortunately, everything in this game heals over time. Except, of course, the damage you suffered in real life. At least not yet... " How should I leave the cave? " I muttered while throwing stones at the nearby wall. I didn''t know the reason why the wyvern descended from the mountain. As far as I knew, the first yer to enter the cave had no such problem. Slowly, I stood up, checked that my legs were healed, and moved further away from the gates. I didn''t know how many more attacks the gates could take. My brain had already thought of a n, since the cave won''t regenerate until I leave it, why don''t I take another exit? I went to the deepest tunnel of the cave and looked at my watch. I''d to wait for the night. ~~~~ The sky was illuminated by two moons, which gave two shadows for every being. Somewhere near the mountains, a Wyvernid looking at the cave entrance with a look as if there''s something bothering it. Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountains, a hand emerged from the ground. It looked like someone was trying to escape his grave. I managed to drill another exit to the cave. I used the Lightning Spear and spent extra mana to turn it into a primitive drill. Soon, enough a small hole had appeared in the ceiling. Not wanting to risk appearing near the wyvern, I stuck my hand into the crack to check if the climate was cold. It wasn''t! I pulled back and continued to drill arger hole. A few minutester, I climbed out of the cave. The cave behind me rebuilt itself before my eyes, indicating that I''d left the cave. Looking around, I noticed that the forest around this part hadn''t turned into tundra and was still healthy. Warily looking around, I didn''t spot any monsters, so I opened my map. I was on the other side of the mountains and could see a snow biome on the other side. Not wanting to inform the wyvern of my position, I made a wide circle and walked back to the vige. Of course, the journey wasn''t without surprises. While I was running, a green blob jumped out of the bushes. < WIND SLIME > ~ Lives everywhere with wind ~ Omnivore ~ Immune to most of the Physical Damage < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 5 HP: 200 MP: 60 STR: 300 AGL: 15 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 150 INT: 200 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Devour < Lv. 4 > -- Use your body to devour the enemy ~ 5 Mana ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Slime''s Body < Lv. 8 > -- Body with low vulnerability to physical Damage ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Wind Bullet < Lv. 3 > -- Shoot a small wind bullet ~ 10 ~ 5 second cooldown ~~~~ My previously hardened expression slowly rxed. I was very tense because of today''s events. I moved closer to the slime and dodged some of the bullets aimed at my head. Just as I was about to burn it, I suddenly saw another slime emerge from the greenery and another... Soon there were more slimes than I could count. I audibly swallowed my saliva and ran behind one of the trees. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... Wind bullets flew everywhere and forced me to take cover behind a nearby tree. ''Why would slime creatures form a group? '' I muttered softly to myself as I lowered my head and covered it with my hands. A bitter, most of the slimes ran out of mana. Still suspicious of the situation, I automatically dropped the thought of attacking them in case some slimes still had mana. Slowly retreating I didn''t dare to turn my back towards the group. The slimes only gazed at me from the distance not moving closer nor retreating. After a few minutes I lost sight of group and Sighed from relief. At least I though I did, but then something jumped out of the forest and bit into my arm. " Aghh " I shouted out while trying to shake the being off my hand. Unfortunately the creature didn''t want to let go and I was forced to grill it with Demonic me. Fortunately the attacker was not immune to mes and let go distancing itself a dozen feet. - 51 HP One third of my HP was gone like that. Staring at the creature I noticed its yellow eyes ring a my direction with an intent to kill. I had no option, but to fight. Chapter 28 Companion? The creature had grey fur and two yellow eyes. Its body was at the height of 2 meters, It had two triangle shaped ears and a tail. The monster basically looked like a bigger and more intimidating wolf. < GREY WOLF > ~ Able to live in all climates ~ Carnivore ~ Immune to Cold ~ The Last Grey Wolf ~ Weakness ¡ú Food < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 10 HP: 500 MP: 350 STR: 200 AGL: 250 PDEF: 50 MDEF: 50 INT: 300 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Empowered Bite < Lv. 3 > -- Bite the enemy with the power of Mana ~ Cost 20 Mana ~ 1 second cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Leap < Lv. 5 > -- Leap at your enemy within a distance of 20 meters ~ Single target damage ~ Cost 5 Mana ~ 10 second cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Empowering Howl < Lv. 2 > -- A howl with ability to enchant one''s Attributes by 10% ~ Cost 100 Mana ~ 10 minute cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Hunter''s Presence < Lv. 5 > -- Decreases your presence allowing you to do a sneak attack ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Predator''s Sense of Smell < Lv. 7 > -- You''re able to smell your enemies within a distance of 7 kilometers ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Windy Steps < Lv. 3 > -- Temporarily increases one''s speed by 30% ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 1 minute cooldown ~~~~ The enemy could be considered weak in my standards, but my eyes were drawn towards its weakness. ~ Weakness ¡ú Food Gears in my head momentarily stopped spinning and I spaced out. The wolf, of course, used the given opportunity to get in close distance with the mage. What the wolf didn''t know was that in my previous lifetime I wielded a sword. nk... Its open jaws shed with my extended wand producing a loud sound. Since the wolf''s Strength was superior he easily overpowered me making me take a dozen steps back. Luckily I was no longer in a stupor and could fight. Quickly assessing the situation I instantly knew that hitting the wolf would be very hard, since its Agility is way above mine. If I used the Shadow Realm it would be different, because my capabilities would be enchanted, but it was still on cooldown. It will be hell of a fight... Luckily I was not nning to kill the wolf. Why? Well I could tame him after all. In reality the monster''s weakness is actually a way to tame it. In my previous life I didn''t have any pets, because even finding one is rare and they costed a lot of money. Only the leaders of the Guilds and rich kids could buy them. The pets were rare, but not every pet was powerful and some of them were even trash. For example imagine having a turtle pet that needs to be carried around. Luckily for the owners of the immobile pets, if a bond level with thepanion reached a certain level one could receive a tattoo and store the pet inside it. Another thing concerning Pets were that one could only have one pet. Your pet could die, but it would respawn in a day in real life time. Others would consider the Beast before me weak, since it was found near the beginning zone, but I knew better. '' How lucky can I get? '' The beast before me was actually a Boss. Well... at least it would be a boss in the future. I knew that the wolf was the only one in the forest or why else would it separate itself from the pack? This wolf managed to defeat tons of yers and other beasts rising to higher levels and soon reaching power to be able to stand its ground against the Ice Wyvern I''ve seen before. Once the wolf bes a boss it''s weakness would disappear. The bosses are untamable. Why? Just imagine a yer controlling an Ice wyvern able to decimate half of the continent. Would it be broken, no? I got lost in my thoughts, but luckily I was pulled back to the fight when I heard a Howl echo in the forest. Auuuuuuuu... The wolf howled using one of its more powerful skills. I immediately felt the wolf''s aura change into a more bizarre one. I took a few steps back and hid one of my hands behind my back. It was time to use my secret weapon... Since the wolf''s intelligence was that of a child it caught on that something was suspicious, but soon leapt at me without a care. Sharpening my teeth I prayed that it would work or I''ll have to dig myself a grave, because of the embarrassment. I would also lose two levels. < Badly Cooked Fiery Meat x1 > I extended my hand forward, throwing a piece of meat towards the rushing wolf. As to why the meat was cooked I did it with the Demonic me while farming the golems. The meal ingredients like meat are better off sold when cooked. Of course my cooking proficiency is very low, hence resulting in an almost burnt meat. Luckily the monster was not picky and instantly devoured the meat thrown at its face. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 0% ¡ú 5% > A new bar appeared at the corner of my screen. With this I was sure that the wolf is tamable. Pulling a dozen of simr meat chunks I threw them on by one to the wolf. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 5% ¡ú 75% > After a few minutes all the fiery meat was fed to the wolf. The beast''s eyes were shining as if asking for more. Unfortunately I''ve already fed most of the meat and the only edible thing I had was poisonous meat cooked at a low temperature. I didn''t know if the Poison was gone and didn''t want to ruin my rtionship with the buddy before me, hence just stood there eyeing the wolf. Its two yellow eyes reflected light asking for more food, but after a few minutes passed it started baring its fangs once again. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 75% ¡ú 74% > The Taming progress went down by one percent. '' Shit! '' I cursed while frantically looking around. I really didn''t want to kill a possiblepanion. Luckily it seemed that fate was on my side. Crack... Whoosh... A sound of something moving in bushes alerted me and my possible buddy disturbing our stare down. ==== I have a Question... Would you like me to Keep the Status window of various creatures inside the chapters or should I just dupe it under the chapters? Chapter 29 Food A sound of something moving in the bushes alerted me and the wolf. We both turned our heads towards the sound expecting something to emerge from within the greenery, but nothing happened. Seeing the wolf still reluctant to attack me I approached the bush and moved the branches obstructing our vision. Two red eyes and two long ears came into my view. I instantly identified the beast to be some kind of rabbit. I didn''t even need to look at its status to know its weakness. A white me lit up on my hand surprising both, the wolf and the rabbit. Unfortunately for the rabbit its speed was simr to mine, but because of the intelligence difference I just predicted where the beast would run and scorched it with mes. < Forest Rabbit x1 Killed! > 1?? 100 EXP 2?? Rabbit''s Meat x3 3?? Rabbit''s Leg x1 ~~~~ Quickly collecting all the loot I took the Rabbit''s meat above the Demonic me and cooked it in high temperature. < Rabbit''s Meat x1 ¡ú Cooked Rabbit Meat x1 > The rabbit meat was cooked and because it wasn''t that hard to do the ingredient turned out not burnt. Shifting my eyes towards the wolf I noticed it lying on the floor and eyeing the cooked meat held in my hand. Throwing the stake at the beast I cooked the other two before giving it to the wolf. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 74% ¡ú 95% > The wolf was very close to being tamed. Its eyes were showing signs of happiness, but the food ended once again. Luckily, the wolf was a bit more trusty, hence didn''t growl or attack me. Seeing our friendship progress, I was honestly surprised. Most of the beasts will try to attack the yer even if their Taming Process is 99%. Truly, the beast before me was different. Looking at its yellow eyes I felt that the beast had a fair bit of intelligence. '' Well, in the future he''ll be a boss '' I shrugged my shoulders leaving the wolf lying and quickly scanning the area for more food. I had no time to spare. After a few minutes of walking I noticed a flock of birds drinking water from the nearbyke. looking around to see if there''s a predator nearby I threw a Shadow st in the middle of the flock hoping to kill as many Birds as possible. Boom... The Shadow stnded, killing a few birds and sending the bird flock in ruckus. After a few seconds only dead Birds remained. < Archaeopteryx x6 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1200 EXP 2?? Archaeopteryx Meat x8 3?? Archaeopteryx ws x1 ~~~~ I ran towards the Loot and started collecting it. Unfortunately I had no time to let the Demonic me devour the corpses. While grabbing the Loot a monster suddenly jumped out of theke aiming to bite me in half. I had low to none time to dodge, hence had to sacrifice one of my arms to evade the beast. Crack... The beast''s powerful jaws tore off my whole arm from the shoulder. - 71 HP yer Leo has received a Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Lose 10 HP every minute ~ Duration ¡ú 3 minutes " Aghh... " I could only shout, feeling my whole arm being bitten off. I collected my thoughts and clenched my teeth trying to suppress the pain. < ELITE DEINOSUCHUS > ~ A Powerful prehistoric crocodile; lives near the water ~ Aggressive; Territorial ~ Elite Monster < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 13 HP: 850 MP: 100 STR: 1200 AGL: 200 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 300 INT: 150 ~~~~ < END > The monster was physically strong, but its Mana reserves were fortunately low. nning to capitalize this weakness I used my me to stop the bleeding. It hurts like hell... Luckily the crocodile didn''t want to leave too far from the water and kept staring at me from a distance. After I was done with my eyes shifted to the beast seemingly trying to release all the pain I felt while performing the wound closure. I hadn''t felt it myself, but my skill Killing Intent was slowly growing due to continuous fights and multiple near-death situations I''ve been in. Of course my meager killing intent wasn''t enough to scare off the creature, it just infuriated it. nk... Its powerful jaws closed together. Its eyes were ring at me as if I''ve killed its whole family. Even though I was pretty hurt and my pride wanted to strike back I felt that I was not in my peak condition. Retreating backwards I swore that I''ll kill this beast that almost made me die. Thump... Thump... My heavy footsteps echoed from the forest. I was approaching the camping site I set up before leaving to search for food. My hand was regrown and I could already move my fingers although with much difficulty. I had no clue how much time I spent while searching for food, I just hoped that the wolf hadn''t left. Brushing apart the various branches I stepped into the campsite. I was instantly met with my hairy friend''s yellow eyes seemingly demanding to eat. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 81% > I sighed from relief seeing that the Taming process was still high. Cooking all the meat I gave it to my fe, not caring if it''s too much. I can''t be bothered to do anything else, I grumbled. I was tired as hell. < Grey Wolf Taming Process; 81% ¡ú 100% > Finally the wolf ate most of the Stakes. Click... I suddenly felt connected to the beast before me. I could vaguely feel its emotions and thoughts. < Congrattions on Taming the Grey Wolf! > < The First yer to ever receive a pet Detected... > < Bonus Rewards Added... < < Do you want to announce your Achievement to the world? > < YES / NO > Multiple tabs appeared before me notifying me about my achievements. My eyes widened seeing that I received an extra reward. I didn''t know anything about this happening in my past life, hence was a bit irritated. Don''t get me wrong I was happy about the Bonus. It''s just that I don''t like... unexpected things. ==== < ELITE DEINOSUCHUS > ~ A Powerful prehistoric crocodile; lives near the water ~ Aggressive; Territorial ~ Elite Monster < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 13 HP: 850 MP: 100 STR: 1200 AGL: 200 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 300 INT: 150 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Watery Camouge < Lv. 5 > -- Allows one topletely blend with the water ~ Cost 15 Mana ~ 1 minute cooldown < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Crocodiles Scale''s < Lv. 7 > -- A chance to halve the damage received ~ No cost ~ No cooldown 2?? Water breathing < Lv. 9 > -- Ability to breath under the water ~ No cost ~ No cooldown < SPELLS > 1?? Underwater bullet < Lv. 4 > -- Create a bullet that''ll move under the water unrestrained ~ Cost 20 Mana ~ 20 second cooldown ~~~~ < END > Chapter 30 Fenrir My eye twitched seeing some unexpected variables. Still, I was happy, so happy that I didn''t even notice the Tab asking if I wanted to announce my achievement. < Do you want to announce your Achievement to the world? > < YES / NO > Feeling a familiar wolf right beside me I smiled and quickly opened my inventory. 1?? 10000 EXP ( Familiar EXP ) 2?? Raw Pork x100 3?? Familiar''s Tattoo [ Gold ] ~~~~ Most of the rewards were focused towards my new familiar, but I didn''t mind it, infact I preferred it that way. Compared to other yers I was already very strong. It wouldn''t hurt to Level up mypanion. Coming closer to the wolf I extended my arm still varily looking at its yellow eyes. Luckily the wolf held no hostility towards me and allowed me to pet him. Brushing its soft fur I thought of a name for my new buddy. " What about ''Fenrir''? " I contemted audibly. My eyes shifted towards my pet happily looking towards me. " Fenrir it is " I smiled. Little does this wolf know his name in the previous lifetime was Fenrir as well. Spending another fifteen minutes ying with my newfound pet I decided to cook all the pork I received from the reward. While I sat and started preparing to cook all the meat the Wolf lied right beside me with eyes that seemed to radiate some kind of expectation. Because of the bond we had I could clearly feel Fenrir''s desire for cooked meat. His tail was moving from side to side giving him a cute puppy look. You wouldn''t even dare to think that the same monster tried to kill me a few hours back I couldn''t resist his cute eyes and tossed one of the stakes towards him. He lunged at the iing meat and caught it midair devouring it in an instant. < Fenrir +50 EXP! > A small smile was ying on my lips. '' So eating allows him to Level up, huh? '' Every pet has two ways of leveling up. One is killing other monsters or yers and exercising. The other is different for every single beast. Fenrir''s way to level up is very good, because it''s easy to to do. Cooking more and more of the stakes I stored them inside my inventory. I didn''t want to overfeed the wolf. The animals can also gain weight easily and I didn''t want my close ally to lose mobility. Looking at the wolf peacefully lying on its back I smiled. '' I should probably get a dog '' My mind wandered off thinking about the possibilities in the future. Unfortunately I was pulled out of my fantasy when I heard sounds of a distant fight. It was still a night and monster spawn rates were all time high. Fenrir''s ears also shifted towards the direction of the sound, but the wolf didn''t open his eyes. Slowly standing up I walked up to him and touched his fur with the intention to notify Fenrir that we are moving. Once We got ready we warily walked into the Dark Forest. I wasn''t nervous, because all the monsters in the game were manageable. I also wanted to let Fenrir fight some of the weaker enemies. Luckily a chance presented itself rather quickly. While we were slowly nearing the outskirts of the city a group of low level smanders jumped down the trees. Since Fenrir was superior in all possible ways I decided not to interrupt the fight. Gesturing Fenrir to fight the iing enemies I saw a glint of happiness pass through his eyes. I didn''t know why, but I felt like the wolf wanted to fight. Taking a few steps I sat on the imaginary chair and took out some tasty imaginary popcorns to enjoy the show. Fenrir was fast approaching the group of 3 Fire smanders. His legs full of muscle tensed up allowing him to leap in air and bite into the neck of the first monster. Blood started flowing from the neck of the bitten Smander. Fenrir bit a chunk of meat from the Smander''s neck letting it bleed to death. Even though it was cruel it was efficient as well. If Fenrir took even a second longer a fireball would scorch his fur. Taking a dozen steps back he eyed the two smanders before pouncing at the one who was responsible for throwing the fireball. Since the level distance was major in the smanders'' eyes the wolf just disappeared before biting into the neck of the Elite Fire Smander. Even though it was elite, the difference in Levels was too big. The only left Smander tried to run, but soon met its doom under the ws of Fenrir. < Elite Fire Smander x1 Killed! > 1?? 60 EXP ( Shared with Fenrir ) 2?? Smander scale x7 3?? Fiery meat x3 4?? Smander tooth x1 ~~~~ < Fire Smander x2 Killed! > 1?? 40 EXP ( Shared with Fenrir ) 2?? Smander scale x4 3?? Fiery meat x2 ~~~~ All the smanders were quickly taken care of without me even moving a finger. Looking at mypanion I smiled while collecting the loot. I was sure that Fenrir would apany me on this long and hard journey. Stepping closer to the wolf I took out a ck paper with a picture with a dark me. Looking at its eyes I tried to tell what I''m about to do. Not seeing any resistance I let the paper touch its fur on Fenrir''s right side. Click... Suddenly the Fenrir''s fur changed color from being grey to bing ck. His previously yellow eyes turned even shinier and seemingly looked at me with gratitude. 1?? Familiar''s Tattoo [ Gold ] -- Allows the Pet to sense master more easily -- Boosts Rtionship Level ~ Bonus Effect - The pet''s fur may change color. ~~~~ The tattoo I''ve given to Fenrir was like an Intelligence booster that''ll allow him to sense or find me more easily. Yawning and stretching my back I felt my eyes closing on their own. Petting the Wolf I smiled and logged off the game. " I''ve acquired a friend! " A stupid smile was lingering on my face. Chapter 31 A Meal Outside I logged off the game with a stupid smile glued to my face. " I''ve acquired a friend! " I thought out loud. Even in my previous life I didn''t have that many people who I could call friends. People simr to me who sold their lives to the guilds could be considered friends, because we both had respect for each other, but since our meetings were scarce, I wouldn''t call it friendship. Before I became a yer I was a quiet kid with no friends or need for attention. I just existed... All my school years I''ve spent alone and outside the social circles. In ss we had some kind of an unwritten rule that I bother no one and no one will bother me. As you can guess I''m not that good with socializing andmunicating, luckily I had two lifetimes of experience. Descending down the stairs I wore my favorite ck hoodie and tied up my shoeces. Since my parents wille back homete, I decided to eat outside. Leaving the old house I locked its rusty door and left into the dark. Walking through the dark streets I wasn''t wary at all. One would think that I would be scared of getting shot just like my parents, but since I spent a lot of time in the cave I was kind of used to the dark. I also knew that the gang responsible for my parents death would onlye to the neighborhood in a few years. I almost wanted to see those people who hurt my parents. Unknowingly I clenched my fists and my face had a frown. Gritting my teeth I took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. '' There''ll be time for revenge, calm down '' I somehow managed to control my anger and walked down the street towards the closest pizzeria. I wasn''t able to buy such food often, but today was a good day. Tomorrow will be a game update after all. Scrolling through my phone I noticed media attention being quickly drawn towards the new game. Almost one fourth of the people on earth had already yed the game and the reviews were good. I also noticed more and more people writingments about how weak demons arepared to the other races. Their mainint was that many strong monsters surrounded the starter vige. One of the side arguments was thatpared to other races demons had less Attributes which was not wrong. Even though they weren''t wrong I snickered. This game is already almost perfectly bnced and demons will gain more Attributes once their ss advances. '' Yes, yes pick the other races '' My eyes shined, recalling how I needed to push through the crowd to reach Oliver''s shop. " No more crowds, no more annoying people~ " I mumbled while nearing the pizzeria. When I was about to enter the Building I stumbled and almost fell. My hands were tightly holding the phone while I was reading an article I just came upon. < yer Leo - Unknown yer ? > ~ Today a worldwide message spread through the.... The article wrote about how the world came to know about my existence. Apparently I somehow forgot to decline the question if I want to announce my achievement and upon logging off the message was automatically deemed as epted. Leaning on the closest wall I rammed my hand into it. '' It''s alright, there''s no proof that Unknown yer and I am the same person '' I forcefully tried to calm myself down. Scrolling down thements I noticed somebody posted a link to a website where all known information about unknown yer will be posted. Scrolling through the website I found some pictures of me demolishing a wall and even a video of me running off into the distance. All my known stats and skill spections were also written there. Even though they were off by a margin it was still interesting to see my wiki page. I wasn''t happy with the attention I received, but the most annoying thing was my carelessness. Even though I was tired it isn''t an excuse for revealing myself. Entering the pizzeria building I quickly walked up to the cashier and gave her a smile before ordering a pizza. Since I didn''t eat pizza often I went with the safe option of ordering margarita. Sitting on one of the tables I looked around, the restaurant was half full and most of the people were already eating. Putting a phone in my pocket I crossed my arms and closed my eyes. " Tomorrow, I''ll be a millionaire " I mumbled into my alcove. Scanning everything around I noticed a waitress approaching me with my order. '' One Margarita Pizza '' ? ~~~~ I ate the whole meal and left a good tip for the waitress and left the restaurant taking a long route back home. It was chilly midnight and most of the people were already sleeping. Strolling through the empty street I raised my eyes upwards looking at the stars shining in the sky. It was beautiful... It still hasn''t hit me how lucky I am to be reborn and once again experience life. Having another chance to relive my life was simply amazing and I even knew the future. Sighing from relief I felt a burden on my shoulders lessen and I finally felt free. From the contract I''ve signed in the previous lifetime, my useless past self and finally the death of my close ones. I could restart it once again and fix my past mistakes... Closing my eyes I made a wish to be able to protect my loved ones. ~~~~ Entering the quiet house I unzipped my hoodie and took off my shoes. Climbing up the stairs I slightly opened my parents'' room and took a quick peek. They both were already sleeping. Sighing from relief I walked back to my room andid on the floor. Tomorrow it''ll be different. Tomorrow we''ll move, we''ll move to a better ce! Doing some exercises, I felt sore all around my body. Going to the bathroom I took a quick shower and jumped onto my bed right after immediately falling asleep. Chapter 32 House My eyes became wide open. My phone was ringing in a few second intervals. Rolling to the side of the bed I grabbed my phone and quickly looked at its screen. Hundreds of notifications about the game''s update flooded the media. Almost every single news was rted to the currency exchange. Yawning, I stood up and scratched my back. I was still sleepy... Wanting to fully awaken I chose to take a cold shower. Sure enough, even being near the cold water gave me slight goosebumps. After cleaning myself I descended down the stairs only to see a note written by parents stating that they''ve already left for work. They also mentioned that there''s two fried eggs in the fridge. Reading the note I almost teared up. How loving can they be? Eating breakfast with the smile I was already on my phone, looking for affordable houses on sale. One of the houses that caught my eyes was a fifteen minutes drive by car. Problem is we don''t have a car. Well I can just catch a taxi. The other house I found was approximately 80 miles away and was inside a rich people district. Even though it would take most of the money I had it wouldn''t beparable to the other houses. Looking through the pictures of the house I thought that it looked more than a pce. Huge rooms, multiple bathrooms, even a swimming pool, everything was included. Even though it looked perfect the most important thing was security. The house had high fences with electricity running through them, the district was always patrolled by police, to even enter the district one needs to have a document allowing one to trespass or proving that one is living here. Creating an appointment to check out the house I turned off my phone and quickly ran to my room. I was in need to sell some of my items, quickly! Jumping in my VR pod I put on my head gear and soon lost consciousness transferring into the game. My eyes opened allowing me to see treetops of the dark forest trees. Something sticky was covering my face. Trying to brush it off I felt something hot brush past my cheek. Momentarily paralyzed I somehow managed to push away the ruthless creature and wiped my face. I waspletely covered in saliva. Apparently my trustworthy wolf decided to drown me. Washing my face in the nearbyke I red at Fenrir who had his puppy eyes directed at me. Even though he acted cute I noticed a smirk ying on his lips. Gnashing my teeth I transferred my words to my familiar. '' No cooked meat today '' I almost let out a giggle seeing Fenrir''s eyes lose glow and his constantly moving tail stop in ce. His actpletely dropped. I saw him genuinely cry in agony. I felt bad and almost wanted to forgive him for his sins, but held myself back. '' I need to teach him '' Strengthening my resolve I gestured Fenrir to follow me and ran towards the City. Even unsatisfied, my pet followed me with the intention to somehow make up for his mistake. Running into the city I noticed some yers gathering here and there. Luckily I was already wearing a hood and nobody noticed me. Or that''s what I thought... Entering the shop of Oliver''s rtive I noticed no line and walked up straight to the counter. Exchanging greetings with the cashier I quickly spoke of my intentions and showed the items I wanted to sell. Listing all the items I wanted to sell took me a minute, but since I had to be at the house I wanted to buy in a few hours it felt like an hour. Selling all the loot I gathered from the cave I managed to get over 40k gold. Quickly thanking the cashier I left the game and tied my bank ount with my game ount. I wasn''t a millionaire yet, but I could be considered moderately rich. Wearing my best clothes I went out to catch a taxi. Even though I was lucky to find a taxi pretty quickly, the way towards the house was full of traffic. It took me around two hours to get to the meeting ce. Fortunately I was perfectly on time. I was greeted by a real estate agent. We shook hands and had a small talk before he showed me all around the house. Honestly, the house was perfect. It was not too luxurious, but not too shabby as well. The security was good, it looked pretty and most importantly my parents would be happy. After a few discussions we finally came to a deal and after signing some papers and after paying the prize, the house was officially mine. After the agent left I noticed that I had a quarter of my previous wealth left. I decided to start moving in the house immediately. Calling my parents I told them that I''m going to be homete and that tomorrow they shouldn''t go to work. Even though they were reluctant to skip a work day hearing my serious voice they agreed. Clenching my fists I raised them in the air and sighed from relief. '' My close ones are safe! '' My shoulder became lighter when another heavy burden was erased. Sitting on thefortable sofa I drowned in its softness and almost fell asleep, but a strong sense of duty to move in as fast as possible kicked in. First thing I did was make ns for a truck toe to our old house and help us transfer our stuff. Making sure that everything is set, I also thought about buying a car. I''ve always wanted a cool car that I could drive at fast speeds, but our financial situation didn''t allow it. Funnily enough, now that I had some wealth I wasn''t that attracted towards buying a ton of expensive things in one day. I felt that it would be unwise. I was stingy with my money. They were hard earned after all. In the end I settled with not buying a car right now. Catching a taxi I drove to the nearest furniture shop deciding to decorate the house a bit... Chapter 33 House (2) The shop was half empty. It was a workday after all. Quickly walking through the endless lines of various chairs, sofas, TVs and other furniture I immediately knew what I wanted. Calling an employee I quickly gave him a list of the items I''ll buy and paid for a team that''ll install all the items. Seeing the sum I had a feeling that I''ll tear up, it was a bot too much money. Catching a taxi I drove back home ordering some food for my parents. Since I''ve already eaten I wasn''t hungry. Entering my old home I put my hand on its rusty metal door and smiled. '' I''m so d, I''m not gonna see you again '' Taking off the shoes I heard my parents conversing in the living room. With a smile I greeted them and unknowingly a tear escaped from my eye. Unfortunately it didn''t slip past my parents'' perception. " Leo, What happened!? " My mother almost yelled running towards me hugging me with her frail hands. My father also didn''t miss a second and walked up to me patting my head, even though without any words. Now tears were streaming down my eyes like a fountain and with my crooked voice I couldn''t even say a sentence. " I.. l... ove you " My emotions were loose. My face was all covered in tears, but a joyous smile was glued to it. " We love you too~ " My mother spoke with a smirk gesturing my dad to take a photo. I couldn''t believe it... From a person seemingly crying his eyes out I turned into the most serious being in a second. No proof of me crying was left except for my mother''s slightly wet t-shirt. Warily eyeing my mother with my now winter cold eyes I tried to freeze her in ce receiving another set of giggles from my parents. Now with all jokes out of the pocket I gestured for my parents to sit down. It was time to be serious. With a questioning gaze my parents proceeded to sit on a nearby sofa. What followed next was a thorough exnation of how I know about the loan, how the game I''ve yed became worldwide and how I''ve earned enough money to buy a house. During my exnation my mother''s mouth was wide open. My father wasn''t any different with his eyes wide open he looked at me as if I''m an alien. Even after I exined everything they were still speechless. " Mom? Dad ? " I spoke seeing them spaced out. With my words they woke up from the stupor. First thing that came out of my mother''s mouth was... " How? " Facepalming I once again retold the story of how I earned the money earning a stupid smile from my mother and a proud look from my dad. " I''ve already paid for the house and repaid the loan. Tomorrow there will be some things arriving at our new home and also a truck wille to help us move some of our stuff to the new house " After that I spent a few hours talking to my parents. After making sure that everything is alright they retired to the bed early with smiles painted across their faces. I''ve already told them that they are free not to work and I''ll be able to pay for everything. Unfortunately they insisted on keeping working until I gained enough wealth to live till the end of my life. You know... If something happened to the game. At first I opposed this decision, but after a few minutes of talking and a scolding session, because of my parents dedication I gave up. It''ll only take a month to earn enough money, so I wasn''t especially worried. Leaning on the sofa I sighed from relief. I thought that the exnation wouldn''t go as smoothly as it did. I had a n to even let my parents join the game to make sure everything is real. Eating some pizza left from the dinner I walked to my room. I was in need to do some important things, first being to find a group. I needed some yers for an uing event, since solo yers couldn''t enter it. I was also in need of a better item to hide my face and horns. My robe''s durability was running low and my demonic horns were slightly protruding from the hood. I already had an idea of what I needed. Shadow Cloak - a Cloak made by a dwarven master cksmith. Dwarven cksmiths are usually divided into tiers from Beginner to Grandmaster. In my previous life there were myths of another rank being above the Grandmaster, but I brushed it off as a myth. Even if there was such a rank, what could a person with this rank craft? An item with a tier above diamond? Remembering my previous life I snickered at this joke and brushed my teeth before entering the VR pod. This time I felt no saliva on my face. Looking around I noticed Fenrir lying near my legs seemingly asking for something. Throwing him a piece of cooked pork I watched as he swallowed it without even chewing. Well it was expected since the wolf was my height. Feeling some res towards me I noticed many yers eyeing me and Fenrir with different gazes. Greed... Curiosity... Awe... Recognition? Shit... I quickly ran towards the forest as papparazis started chasing after me. Apparently the World announcement snitched about how my pet looks and other relevant things that would give my identity away. Cursing my carelessness I entered the forest leaving a message for all the following people. " Whoever follows me will die! " Most of the people halted their steps, but some dare devils didn''t care and ran after me. Of course I was bluffing even though I was very powerful. I couldn''t take on at least a hundred yers, yet... Looking at mypanion I made up my mind. '' I need to up my Rtionship with him'' I thought running off in the distance, losing the chasers in a few minutes. Unlike the previous time, I wasn''t tired. Looking at the map I walked towards the south. '' It''s time to meet some other races! '' Chapter 34 River Journeying through the forest I didn''t notice anything new. From time to time various monsters jumped at me attempting to assassinate me, but I didn''t even flinch. I had a familiar now, which is able to kill everything around the area. It just took him one bite to kill the monsters trying to hurt me. Enemies that would take a group of 3 yers to handle were killed without me moving a finger. The problem was that the wolf''s mouth was bloody and he had a strange need to lick me from time to time. I had to use my abilities and intimidated Fenrir with various food restrictions to prevent him from turning me into a bloody painting. The journey I thought was going to be fun turned into constant stress and evading. I felt that near the city I already knew all the attack patterns of the wolf and could dodge his tongue with my eyes closed. It wasn''t strange, because most of the monsters had attack patterns; it was just hard to learn them. The higher the intelligence of the monster the attack patterns will be more random. Wanting to test my theory I closed my eyes, acting oblivious to Fenrir''s shining gaze. Whoosh... Suddenly Fenrir leapt towards me Extending his tongue towards my face. Fortunately I knew that it''s going to happen and took a few steps back avoiding the bloody lick. Fenrir didn''t give up though and tried to lick me for another 3 minutes when he finally got me using his skill < Windy Steps >. Eyeing him I wanted to somehow punish him, but couldn''t quite find a good reason, because I left an opening to attack on purpose. Grumbling under my nose I quickly went up to a river we''ve been following to find our way towards the new city. Washing my face I looked at my reflection. It was slightly blurry and the horns were a bit visible from the hood, but my face was clean. I was about to stand up when I saw something shining at the bottom of the river. 1?? Diamond Pearl [ Diamond ] -- Rarely found in Nature -- Upon consumption may give you some SP ~ +25 SP My eyes slightly widened. To think I found a Diamond item randomly was beyond belief. Without any hesitation I dived into the river with an intention to make the loot mine. Since my attention was drawn towards the pearl I didn''t even notice that the river contained various fishes. Some of them were Carnivores, but luckily I wasn''t bleeding, hence didn''t garner any attention. Diving deeper I felt Oxygen from my lungs quickly depleting. I could approximately hold my breath for a minute. I felt water pressure press me and my head began to hurt, but I suppressed the pain and kept on going deeper and deeper. The world around me started ckening, but I was already so close. Snatching the pearl from Mollusk I didn''t expect its jaws to close. I also didn''t expect them to have teeth. - 12 HP The Pain was bearable, but unexpected damage mademe open my mouth momentarily and I lost some precious oxygen. Now I had low to none air and needed to resurface or else I''ll drown. Whoosh... Whoosh... I used my legs to propel myself upwards. ck sports were appearing all across my vision signaling that I''ll soon lose consciousness. Luckily I managed to somehow reach the water surface. Taking deep breaths I coughed up water. Slowly moving towards the shore I felt my hand bleeding. Suddenly something bit my bleeding wound. Lifting my hand out of the water I noticed a small fish with piranha-like features munching on my injured arm. < EVOLVED PIRANHA > ~ Lives in the rivers ~ Aggressive; Carnivore ~ Usually lives within groups of thousand individuals ~ Can Smell Blood < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 3 HP: 50 MP: 0 STR: 20 AGL: 60 PDEF: 20 MDEF: 30 INT: 0 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > < None > < PASSIVE SKILLS > < None > < SPELLS > < None > < END > Even though its Status was nothing impressive, a particr line caught my sight before I started frantically swimming towards the shore. < ~ Usually lives within groups of thousand individuals > Since it can smell blood and lives with thousands of simr beings they could be able to eat me within minutes. I heard sounds of water sshing behind me, but didn''t want to turn back, because it might lose me a valuable second. While swimming I thought about my options and not finding any skill useful to fight in water cursed myself. Calming down I couldn''t help, but curse myself once again. I''ve forgotten to collect the quest rewards from the mayor of Culg city. I clearly knew that the loot would contain an item useful for fights happening in water. I swore to myself that I''ll make a reminder to do that and buy some HP potions after this fight is over. Now, I was very close to shore and could touch the bottom of the river. Somehow escaping to the shore I took a deep breath. Now the Piranhas couldn''t reach me. Oh how wrong was I... Whoosh... Suddenly something jumped out of the water. Quickly turning my head you could see my face morphing from a surprised one into an angry one. It was the same fucking crocodile that''ve bitten my arm off. < ELITE DEINOSUCHUS > ~ A Powerful prehistoric crocodile; lives near the water ~ Aggressive; Territorial ~ Elite Monster < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 13 HP: 850 MP: 100 STR: 1200 AGL: 200 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 300 INT: 150 ~~~~ Now that I was on shore I felt safer, since my pet would help me. Unfortunately the situation was dire, because the creature before us was Elite after all. The only positive thought I had was that I might be able to take revenge for my arm earlier than expected. At first I was worried, because I didn''t expect that the creature chasing me was not Piranhas, but now I was even grateful. Taking a step backwards I ryed a message to Fenrir. '' We need to bait the crocodile further from the water, so it can''t escape '' Fortunately the monster wasn''t that smart to notice something strange in our behavior and went after us. Chapter 35 Crocodile We were getting further and further away from the river. Me and Fenrir were able to maneuver through the forest quite easily, but the crocodile was constantly getting stuck. In the end he didn''t give a damn about the trees and just rammed into them. After a few minutes of running we ran into an area with less trees. It wasn''t as advantageous as in the forest, but I preferred to fight in here. Waiting for the crocodile to catch up I gave Fenrir a cooked pork to replenish himself before the fight. Soon after the enemy emerged from the forest destroying another tree in the process. I could clearly see a path of missing treetops behind him. Wanting to infuriate the crocodile a little bit I created some Shadow sts and threw them at its face. Seeing an approaching projectiles, the crocodile leapt to the side, sessfully evading most of them. - 123 Magical Damage! [ Damage Halved ] Even with its superior agility It couldn''t dodge all of them. One such stnded on its back injuring it, unfortunately its passive skill halved the damage. Watching the situation my eyebrows were raised. " Why aren''t Status Effects triggering? " I questioned, since my Shadow st spell has 100% to inflict a Status effect it was clear that the beast is resistant. It''s a shame, but soon I''ll travel into the territories of other races where the beasts will have less resistance to such attacks. While the crocodile was eyeing me I was contemting on using Shadow Realm. As I am now I was not confident in killing the beast without receiving any damage or the crocodile injuring Fenrir, but with the Shadow Realm I was sure that I could keep a distance and kill it sessfully. The problem was that if I used the Shadow Realm skill right now I wouldn''t be able to pass into the other race realms for another 24 hours, since there is a guardian overlooking the wall. I''ve heard myths that there is a guardian, an undead guardian guarding the walls of these race realms. If the myths were true I was nning to assault the guardian and stack some < Blindness > Status Effects on him. My n was considerably simple not including that the guardian had superior attributes and skills which could help him detect you. Shaking my head I threw these thoughts at the back of my mind and looked at the now fast approaching crocodile. Its jaws were full of sharp and long teeth that would, without a doubt, cut me in half. Gesturing Fenrir to nk from the side I took a few steps backs Extending my Staff forward. " Lightning spear " A lightning projectile appeared on my hand illuminating my face hidden in the hood. Crocodile seeing me prepare a spell slowed down considerably leaving himself enough time to dodge the spell. Unfortunately for him my n was different. Dropping my staff on the ground I chanted a st of darkness on my other hand. Throwing both of the projectiles I made sure to cut off the possible escape path with the spear and damage the beats with A shadow st. Everything was perfect seeing the Shadow st approaching crocodile was about to stop in his ce and leap to the right, but as soon as he did his tail was impaled by a spear. - 114 Magical Damage! [ Damage Halved ] The damage was once again halved. At this point I was just enjoying the Shadow of crocodile getting beaten up, of course the area we were fighting was advantageous for me, but it''s its own fault for leaving the safe area. I took a peek at Fenrir, who was lying on his belly looking if I needed some assistance. Even though I asked him to nk, he was able to deduce that the fight was going in my favor and I needed no help unless I said otherwise. To that I only smiled. '' He''s gotten smarter '' Before I tamed him his intelligence was considerably lower, but now he has lower human-like intelligence. '' I guess that''s what bonds do '' I shrugged it off as a normal urrence when a beast and a yer bonds. Oh how wrong I was, but that I foundter on. Shifting my gaze back to the slightly injured crocodile I thought that I''ve yed enough and it''s time to end this. Conjuring another Shadow st I used SE to empower it. The crocodile, seemingly feeling something was amiss, took a few steps back and ran back to the forest. Since my agility was lower I didn''t even bother to chase him. I just lifted my eyes towards the running creature and threw my Shadow st high into the air. A huge arc was made and soon the stnded right at the top, of the beast''s head mortally wounding it. - 512 Magical Damage! [ Damage Halved ] I couldn''t help but raise my eyebrows. '' How lucky can one be to have his passive skill prock three times in a row? '' I shook my head and walked up to the creature that was now profusely bleeding. If I didn''t have experience from my past life I would''ve said that it looked cruel, but with two lifetimes of experiences I wasn''t easily shaken up. Lowering my body I crouched near the crocodile''s head and looked in its eyes. I could see pain and anguish Buried deep in them. Creating another Shadow st I almost felt bad for killing such a majestic yet annoying beast. < Elite Deinosuchus x1 Killed > 1?? 750 EXP 2?? Reptile Meat x10 3?? Deinosuchus teeth x3 ~~~~ My rewards were nothing out of ordinary. I expected something more, but I was still happy with what I''ve gotten. Setting the Corpse on Fire I watched as Demonic mes slowly consumed its body. Even though I didn''t like the process I needed to make sure not to set the forest on fire. When the body was almost gone I was about to turn around when I noticed something reflecting sunlight in the ashes of the crocodile. 1?? Reptile Beast Core -- Rarely found in corpses of reptile creatures -- Used to craft weapons and items ~ Water attribute ~~~~ '' Holy shit! '' Chapter 36 The Reptile Core Quickly grabbing the core from the Crocodile''s ashes I brushed it in my robe. The ashes were covering its bright surface, but it couldn''t hide its glow. The core was the size of a baseball and felt like it was made out of metal. Putting it in my Inventory I looked how much Stats my Demonic me gathered from burning the crocodile. < Demonic me devoured x1 Elite Deinosuchus! > ~ +0.5% Magical damage ~ +0.5% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ I felt Demonic mes growing stronger, the white light they had felt brighter than before. Extinguishing the skill I sat on the nearby stone waiting for my wounds to heal. Taking out the Pearl I''ve found in the river I put it on my tongue. < Diamond Pearl consumed! > < +25 SP > I felt my body heaten up. Probably the after effect of the Pearl. Stretching my back, I felt as if I''m full. -- yer Leo has received a Status Effect < Full > ~ One will not be able to consume Attribute boosting items temporarily ~ Duration ¡ú10 days ~~~~ '' So that''s why... '' I scratched my chin. I wasn''t particrly surprised since I expected something simr. I always wondered why the rich people in my previous life didn''t just change money into coins and buy tons of such items. Coming back near the river I once again followed it to get to the city. While walking I managed to somehow make Fenrir wash himself, because he was really stinking of blood. The good thing is that I felt our bond strengthen. To celebrate, I gave him a juicy piece of cooked pork. I was happy, since everything was going my way. I''ve bought a house, took revenge, I am the most powerful yer as of now and finally gotten a hidden Sub-ss. Everyday I wanted to scream how lucky I was to get such an amazing thing. Extra spells, new powerful energy, even a new element and its domain. It was a kit that would make one kill for it and I had it... For free. All I needed to do was offer my blood in the specific house, specific vige and at the particr time. It''s really easy... Contemting all the pros my ss had I noticed how low to none monsters attacked us. Looking at my familiar, Fenrir was constantly ring around and shifting his ears to various directions. '' That''s what they call fear of predators '' I thought that Fenrir''s presence scared away all the possible monsters. Little did I know I forgot his special passive skill < Predator''s Presence > which enables him to mask his presence all the time. The monsters were actually not attacking, because I unknowingly was a bigger threat than a wolf. Even though I had no Killing intent or other skill that would drive fear into the enemies. They could clearly feel the difference in our strength, hence chose not to attack. After the crocodile''s attack followed next was an uneventful journey to the city. Walking out of the forest I saw some smoke rising over the hill. '' Chimneys '' I quickly deduced and started jogging towards the smoke. Sure enough Fenrir treated this as a game and started chasing me. While I ran towards the vige a certain someone was spying on me by using a spyss. The stalker''s eyes shined when he saw Fenrir happily running around me and trying to tug me or receive a head pat. Taking a picture the stalker quickly sent it to his superior. " Found him " ~~~~ In a far away office, two people were arguing over something important. One of them was a middle aged man with a smile which didn''t match his cold eyes. He was tall and had a good physique, he also wore a suit and had an aura of businessman. The other party was ady no older than twenty with a visible frown shown across her face. She had looks to garner looks from all men, but this didn''t help her with the current situation. " It''ll be the future of this world " Thedy angrily yelled at the man with no visible respect shown to the man. " I''ve given you a chance, but it didn''t work did it? " The man rebuked her im by simply pulling up some sheets of paper and throwing them on the table for thedy to see. The frown on thedy''s face was turning bigger and bigger which made the man''s expression slightly loosen up. " You''ve already tried, Why don''t we forget about this and move on? " At this point thedy wasn''t angry, she was disappointed by how shortsighted the man was. Since she didn''t really have any control of the money, she decided to take a more passive way. " I need a month, I''ll make sure to make it work! " The man''s expression becameplicated. If he wasn''t biased his decision without a doubt would be to decline, but he couldn''t help, but lean on thedy''s side, she was his daughter after all. While he was thinking, a phone rang. Picking up the mobile phone thedy quickly answered the call. " What? " " Perfect, send me all the information! '' Putting the phone on the table she smiled at the man. " We''ve found him " The sentence set the man''s mind to turmoil. If they really found the unknown yer it would be a chance to strike a deal with him. The man''s eyes started shining thinking about how they could extort money from a clueless yer. On the other hand the girl had other ns in store. '' I need to somehow rope him in, he''s a chance for me to prove myself '' Oblivious to each other''s thinking a smile appeared on both of their faces. ~~~~ Climbing up the hill I looked at the city down below. Hundreds of houses and other buildings were standing near each other seemingly being only a few meters apart. Eyeing the city gates from the far I prayed that I would not be stopped by the guards and started descending down the mountain. Chapter 37 The City Descending down the mountain I''ve tried to avoid meeting any other monster that would hinder my movements. I knew that this mountain was infested by powerful and unforgiving creatures that would cut your throat if a chance is given. Warily scouting the area I noticed that the city was getting bigger and bigger. I could almost discern the castle in the middle of it. Since I''ve been here in my previous life I knew that the castle was actually a ce for a raid boss. The king living there was corrupted by a powerful evil spirit. His anger rose to an unexpected level and he was forcefully locked inside the castle''s basement. The king''s appearance has very much deteriorated and he looks more like an undead than a human. The raid''s goal is to defeat the King and kill him with a holy item which would be given by a holy church nearby. Since the boss respawns every week many tests were carried out trying to somehow cheese the fight. After a few years of the game''s release one group came across an item called: 1?? Holy Sparkling Water -- Can cleanse corruption or any disease ~ Single use only ~~~~ This item was immediately posted on the inte gaining wide recognition and soon a tip to try to cleanse the king was given to the group. Sure enough it wasn''t that easy to do. The group had to restrict the king''s movements and force him to drink the water. Upon consumption of the water the king''s body started shaking and the corruption started slowly being cleansed. The raid was streamed online to millions of people all around the world. When the cleansing was done the king was back to being human and since there he didn''t die and was cleansed the raid was out of the game. Since the loot wasn''t shown to the people, I could only guess what the group got, but by seeing the mage using some kind of spell book with a smile that seemed as if he had won life. The raid was designed for a group of people and I was alone... and a demon... Sighing, I slowly approached the city gates trying to act as harmless as possible. In this part of the world demons are seen as one of reasons for corruption of the king. Previously leisure guards upon seeing me were tensed up and ready to fight if needed. I saw them clenching their spears and felt hostility burning in their eyes. Warily passing through the gates I felt their lingering gazes looking at my back while I distanced myself from the gates. It was always weird to me how NPCs could discern one''s race, even without them showing their face. I wore a hood and was still found out even though I made extra sure to hide my horn crown and facial features. Stepping into the city I was greeted by masses of people. Looking at Fenrir I gestured him not to attack any of them. I haven''t done this before, because I thought he wouldn''t be allowed inside the city. Patting Fenrir''s head I felt a lot of gazesnd on us, thankfully, after the update the game allowed one to ignore all the other yers trying to touch ormunicate with you. I saw many ncing at me with awe and jealousy, but one gaze was different it was... Obsession? A cold shiver ran down my back. '' I don''t need any crazy fans '' I shuddered and picked up my pace. The gazes were slightly bothering me, but my wolf seemed as if he wanted to dig himself underground. Many women were eyeing him with an intention to pet him, for the first time in his life Fenrir felt like Prey. Since I saw my Familiar having trouble with people I chose a little less crowded streets. There were less people, but there were a lot of NPCs. Fortunately they didn''t mind us as much as the yers did and we moved without much resistance. I even thought about removing my hood, but thinking that being unknown is still vital, especially when I probably garnered attention from rich people, so I decided otherwise. '' I might need to have two identities~ '' I mumbled under my breath. Still feeling a sole gaze on my back I turned around trying to find the stalker. Unfortunately, I only saw white hair disappearing behind one of the chimneys. My interest was piqued. In my previous life the only person with white hair I knew was the Lightning Mage as well as the strongest yer. " It can''t be her, she''s an elf " I shrugged my shoulders, turning towards the castle. Elves'' starting point is further in a Huge forest which could only be left afterpleting an illusion maze, which is hard. So hard that it took a whole three months to map the whole ce and now I knew it like the back of my hand. There was low to none chance of the person actually being her. Even if her family is rich one cannot buy a pass to leave the maze. Unknowingly my dark eyes started shining thinking about the Elf. " What if I invite her to my party? " I immediately thought about all the benefits it would bring. Since she''s very good at the game it would help us with the boss raid. She''s also a lightning mage which should have at least a few stun abilities. That would be crucial if I want to force the boss into drinking Holy Sparkling Water. A creepy smile appeared on my face alerting Fenrir. He shuddered from fear, thest time his owner had this smile he fought a prehistoric crocodile. Moving a few meters away to keep a safe distance he kept on looking around to see if something irritated his owner. Oblivious to mypanion''s thoughts I was already thinking of how to get the holy water. I could be a bishop and request some from the Holy church. Unfortunately to be a bishop one has to go through a ten year service. I was leaning towards the slightly easier way to gain such a rare item. It was to steal it of course! Chapter 38 Kilgros The Holy church was a religious organization spread across the Fragmental world. Its origin was from the holy empire which should be discoveredter in the game. The holy church had the most power only slightly above the Corruption cult. The Corruption cult was basically a side yer could choose upon reaching a certain level. Once one has chosen the side he will be hostile to all the creatures on the other side. He will not be able to have a dialogue with NPCs and will probably be hunted by the Holy Empire''s military. All the races start on the holy side, but that''s because monsters in the Corruption side are more powerful and shouldn''t be fought against early in the game. Passing through the streets I walked into multiple inns, but was kicked out. '' That''s a bit racist '' I mumbled under my breath walking out of another inn. I really didn''t want to do this, but I had to wait till the night outside. When the sun was right above my head I felt the stare aimed at my back disappear and was honestly a bit disappointed. " So, nomunication? " I bitterly smiled. I thought that the Stalker would get bored ande out for a talk, but it seems he just left. On the other hand it''s better, because I had to somehow get rid of him. Imagine someone seeing me rob a Holy church. How much money would one make from simply telling about how I look? I still wasn''t sure if the Stalker was the strongest Lightning mage, but if it was her it wouldn''t be a huge problem, because she doesn''t act like that. From what I''ve heard, if she deems my action incorrect she would rather fight than snitch. She has a righteous yet silly personality. Since I could only see her from the inte I didn''t know the truth which was honestly bothering me. Since I regressed I knew almost everything and her being an unknown variable which could be a strong enemy or ally on my way to be the strongest yer. '' I don''t like this '' I thought while slightly clenching my fist. Few minutes were spent organizing my thoughts and after that I went to explore the city. I had a certain ce to visit... Walking through the houses I still felt some yers looking at Fenrir, but the quantity of gazes was lower. In the distance I saw an old building with rusty metal doors barely holding on their hinges. The house waspletely made out of wood. Coming closer I touched its wall and felt as if something was repelling me. " It''s him " I inaudibly murmured. One of the best cksmiths across the South Empire, Kilgros was living here after his retirement. One yer has a chance to interact with the cksmith and bring him any kind of Sapphire to get his favor. I, of course, was prepared. While I sold all the stuff I found in the dungeon I left one Dark Sapphire untouched. Slightly nervous I walked up to the front door and pressed my fist against its hard surface. Knock... Knock... The sound of someone knocking woke up an old man who was peacefully sleeping on the sofa... upside down. His legs were slightly raised in the air while his body was almost on the ground. Grumbling under his nose he was already thinking how to punish his sleep disturber. mming the door open the dwarf almost threw them off the hinges only confirming that he''s the person I was looking for. " Hello, my name is Leo and I''d like to make a deal with you " Before Kilgros could speak I quickly stated my intention. From his appearance I noticed he was just sleeping and his mood might be grumpy. '' It''s better not to waste his time '' I thought while hoping for the Dwarf to calm down and at least listen to my offer. Thankfully my prayers were answered. " Go on.. " Still with an annoyed expression Kilgros spoke with his raspy voice. The youngling before him was surprisingly interesting considering that it takes a great mental strength to see through the illusion of the almost abandoned house ande for a talk. Me, a literal dumbass, didn''t know anything and thought that the dwarf prefers this lifestyle. " I have a Sapphire and want to request a certain cloak to be made " I started by revealing my wild card instantly. I didn''t want Kilgros to lose interest and close the door right at my face. Fortunately I was correct as soon as I mentioned Sapphire his eyes slightly widened and he took a deep breath. '' Bingo '' I thought while a smile started blooming on my face. For a cksmith like Kilgros, even working with material he hasn''t touched before is worth a lot more than money and luckily for me I will not have to waste my money. Gesturing for me toe inside I noticed Kilgros eyes shining. Sighing from relief I whistled for Fenrir toe out, since I didn''t know the mood of the dwarf I didn''t want to ruin his mood further. Upon the whistle my familiar emerged from the bushes slightly startling the dwarf. " Is.. that a¡­ familiar? " He stuttered, but managed to create a sentence. Nodding my head I questioned if the Dwarf is allergic to fur, but soon I saw him literally leap at Fenrir. His short arms quickly got hold of Fenrir''s neck and started measuring his every body part. " 17 millimeters wide... 20 cent.... " He was mumbling under his nose while me and Fenrir were still stunned by his sudden behavior. Fenrir''s eyes immediately darted towards me asking for assistance, but I could only wish for him to hold strong, I didn''t want to ruin his mood. Kilgros is known for his quick mood changing personality, one moment he could beughing and the other spitting mes of rage. Back in his days he was called the Smith of Emotions, since his every creation represented a different emotion. Chapter 39 The Cloak My gaze was on Fenrir who was forcefully held by Kilgros. It seemed as if his eyes were watery. Chuckling at his demise I thought it''s about time to get down to business. " Excuse me, Can we start? " I coughed while taking the aggro of the dwarf. " Yes, yes... " Kilgros murmured, letting go of Fenrir. As soon as my familiar felt the hand around his neck disappeared he dashed towards me and hid behind my back. Seeing his actions another chuckle escaped from my lips, but I quickly got hold of myself and spoke to the cksmith. " I''d like for you to make a Shadow Cloak " As soon as Kilgros heard my words he almost flipped over the chair he was sitting on. " Do you even know what you are talking about? " He almost yelled at me as he became slightly irritated. It''s widely known that items made from Shadow property are one of the hardest to make and will not hold for long, because of their weird ability to drain users HP continuously. '' This brat probably heard about the Shadow Items and ran straight to my house dumbass '' The cksmith thought as my value in his eyes dropped by arge margin. " Yes, I do understand what I''m talking about and I need the cloak made as soon as possible " I reassured Kilgros hoping that it''s enough for him to start working. Unfortunately his personality was more stubborn than I thought. " I will not make an Item that will hurt his owner " At this point in time I wanted to punch Kilgros in the face. We''ve already spent half an hour just going back and forth, why should he or shouldn''t he make the item? Sighing in defeat I decided to show him some proof. I made Shadow energy pass through my hand and concentrate on my palm. Click... A quiet sound echoed across the room garnering attention from the dwarven cksmith. As soon as he noticed the magic, he was skeptical, but upon further inspection his mouth turned wide open. " It.. Can''t be.... " He stuttered while his eyes were quickly shifting from me to my palm. Kilgros has worked with Items which had a Shadow attribute, but it was hard. One needed to do special preparation for ingredients and always work in the dark. These items were powerful and had better attributes and even special skills, but they consumed users'' HP. The Shadow energy was wild and powerful and not even the strongest mage could control it. Howe, the boy before him could use the element without a sweat. " What kind... of mage are you? " Still stuttering he managed to make a sentence. '' Bingo '' I thought while the corners of my lips unknowingly curled up. " I am a Shadow Mage and I can control the Shadow energy " From my previous life I knew that Kilgros is not a person to share his clients secrets. That knowledge allowed me to be absentminded around his presence and not be scared of any information leaving the room. After my confession Kilgros was just staring at me. Without any words his gaze scanned me to see if I''m lying. Few minutes passed and he sighed in defeat. " I''ll make you a Cloak, any Shadow item you want, if you prove me you''re truly a Shadow Mage " This didn''t surprise me as I expected this. '' What could I show... I could throw a few Shadow sts, but seeing his stoic face it wouldn''t be enough, huh... Well, I''ll just show him my Realm " I finally came to a conclusion. Since I wouldn''t need my Realm in the uing hours I didn''t mind showing it. '' Shadow Realm '' I called out my ultimate spell while a small smile was ying on my lips. '' I look cool, Don''t I? '' My Shadow started expanding in all sides covering the whole house and further beyond in shadows creating a dorm. Everything around went silent only leaving the sound of my footsteps. I was now in the backyard of Kilgros house and was showing how I can bend my Realm boosting my Attributes and spells. My dark eyes were shining in the dark giving me a cool, yet bone chilling look. Few minutes passed and I felt that it was enough for the Shadow. Calling my skill back I saw all the shadows absorbed and turning back into my original Shadow. 1?? Shadow Realm ¡ú ~ +5% Spell Damage [ While inside the realm ] ~ +5% Cooldown reduction -- Can now mask himself in the shadows [ While in the realm ] ~~~~ I smiled while looking at the system. Even though it wasn''t unexpected I was d that the trump card I''ve got became more powerful. After all the shadows were gathered I shifted towards Kilgros with a visible question portrayed in my eyes. '' Is this enough? '' Fortunately it seemed it was plenty, because the cksmith was still in stupor after my presentation. He leaned on his house''s wall and took a few deep breaths. Expressions on his face were unreadable, but I could tell he''s in awe. '' Well it''s not everyday that one meets an Unique ss mage '' I shrugged my shoulders and sat under the apple tree with the intention to regain my lost Shadow Energy while the dwarf collected his thoughts. After a half and hour that seemed more like a few minutes I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and opened my eyes. Kilgros was patting my shoulder while gesturing me to stand up. " I''ll need you to help with the design " he said and walked back into the house without any further words. '' He''s still shocked '' I stood up and followed him into his house. As soon as I entered I saw Kilgros opening the basement and descending down the stairs. Tailing him I also came downstairs only to be met by a heat wave that seemed to drain all the water inside my body. '' The smithy of the Legendary cksmith... '' I thought while looking around the huge room. '' This will be fun! '' Chapter 40 Crafting The smithy was as one would expect, very organized and clean. Every single tool had its own ce. If the house was full of dust, the basement could be considered a direct opposite. Before descending into the smithy I gestured Fenrir to stay upstairs in case Kilgros decides to do another inspection. While looking around the smithy I didn''t notice the dwarf sneaking up on me from behind. " Take this " He spoke, making me slightly jump in fright. Turning around I was about to scold him, but kept myself together seeing he had a pencil and some paper. " I need you to draw me how you want the robe to look " Kilgros snorted seeing my reaction. With slightly reddened cheeks I took the pencil and started designing the cloth. First I drew a hood with a visible shadow indicating that one wouldn''t see the wearer''s face. This made the dwarf''s slightly widen, but kept quiet nheless. " He thought that I wanted to show off " I chuckled seeing his now surprised face receiving a cold look. Drawing the other half of the cloak I made sure to reinforce my chest and a neck with ayer of metal. I didn''t want the cloak to impair my movements, hence only reinforced the chest and back area where my vitals are. I also made sure to make the hood big enough, so my horns would fit infortably. Seeing that I was done with the sketch I was about to leave the smithy and go tour the city while my cloak was being made, but I was stopped by Kalgros'' voice. " You are going nowhere! " His raspy voice echoed in my ears, slightly disturbing me. Turning around I gave him a questioning look only to be called a dumbass a few times. " Do you know how fast we could finish your order if you help me? Come on put on the clothes at the end of the room and quicklyeback " The cksmith didn''t even wait for me to agree and went to search for materials. Sighing in defeat I strolled to the end of the room taking a cloth that looked like an apron and equipped it. Since it wasn''t a graded or special item it gave me no Attributes nor Effects, it was just a simple apron. Looking at the mirror I was happy that my face was hidden. If someone decided to take this picture my career would probably be over. '' The unknown yer wearing an apron... on top of his clothes... weird fetish '' I shuddered imagining how''d it go. Spending a few minutes collecting my thoughts and oveing the fears I finally got ready to assist Kilgros. " Come here kid! " Following his shout I came towards him only to be given some kind of ck fur. It looked as if it was as wide as paper, but its weight showed otherwise. Somehow carrying the cloth towards one of the smithing stations I took a deep breath. " It was he hard " I murmured through my breaths. Suddenly an Idea came to my mind, opening the Status I still had 25 SP left, I''ve gotten from consuming the Diamond Pearl. Putting all of them into the Strength Attribute I felt my body heating up. " Now I should be able to lift such things " I looked at the cloth on the table and lifted it with one hand. If previously I could barely carry it now it was as easy as lifting a watermelon. After testing my new strength I went to assist the cksmith further. Soon all the needed stuff was gathered and Kalgros started working. At first he made measurements for the cloak and cut through the ck fur as if it was nothing. For some reason he did it under open fire, which I guess was a reason for the fur to be cut so easily. Next we moved on to applying the shadow property to Cloth. I had to continuously hold it in my palms and constantly channel Shadow energy into this cloth that seemed more like a ck hole which devoured all the energy without any signs of it filling up. After what seemed like an hour, but was actually a few minutes Kilgros took the cloth from my hands and started using various tools to sew it. I didn''t know what to do, but was soon given a dark metal chestte and had to repeat the process of giving Shadow energy to a ck hole. After a few minutes I was about to fall over from exhaustion, when a short angel took the chestte from my hands. Kilgros was honestly taken aback of how much Shadow energy the boy managed to store in these items. He had never created an item this abundant in the Shadow element. It was a pleasure for a cksmith to ovee his limits and break records by creating yet another masterpiece. '' Good job brat '' He inaudibly said and started hammering the chestte to fit my Body. While he was working I was told that I could take a break, because I will not be needed further. Unequipping the apron I threw it on a nearby chair only to be shouted at to put it at its designated spot. Leaving Kalgros house I went to the backyard and sat in Lotus position, I needed to recover my Shadow energy I lost during the crafting process. Feeling the shadows nearby I started attracting them by using my Shadow as a ma. Soon enough all the shadows In the garden were strangely leaning towards me. While I was regaining my energy Kilgros was finishing up his work. If he had to say it honestly, It''ll be hard to part with such creation. During his long years of cksmithing he was sure that this cloak would be one of the best items he''s ever created. Smiling from self satisfaction his eyes once again burned recalling that the brat had a Sapphire. " I can make a better creation using that " He thought while grabbing the cloak and climbing up the stairs. Chapter 41 The Holy Church The Backyard of a certain house was strangely covered in shadows. They all were leaning towards the center where a young man sat in a Lotus position. His sharp face was rxed, his breaths were deep and rhythmical. One would see that the man is fully concentrated and couldn''t be interrupted, unfortunately Kilgros didn''t share the same thought. " Don''t you dare mess up my yard! " He shouted, making me lose focus instantly. Rolling my eyes I looked towards the dwarf only to see him throw something at my face. '' Keep it in Leo, you can do it '' Strengthening my resolve not to punch the cksmith and I took off the dark cloth from my face. 1?? < Shadow Robe > [ Diamond ] -- Robe enchanted by Shadow Energy with ability to hide one''s identity ~ MP +50 ~ SE +20 ~ PDEF +50 ~ [ Unique! ] - Allows one to blend in the dark... ~ [ ??? ] Sealed ~~~~ Smiling and Nodding my head I touched the robe''s material appreciating how smooth it is. Quickly discarding the < Darkling Robe > I equipped the new item. Asking for Kilgros to bring a mirror I looked at my reflection. A dark silhouette with a hood that seemed to prevent one from seeing the wearer''s face. The Robe covered most of my body still allowing me to maneuver as easily as I could before. Opening my Status I looked over my progress. < STATUS > Name: Leo Level: 11 < 4250/35k EXP > Race: Demon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ~~~~ < ATTRIBUTES > HP: 152 <+102> MP: 350 <+175> SE: 120 <+20> STR: 35 AGL: 103 <+3> PDEF: 74 <+54> MDEF: 120 <+80> INT: 230 <+25> SP: 0 ~~~~ Active Skills: 1?? Shadow Realm < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Passive Skills: 1?? Mana Regen < Lv. 4 > 2?? Shadow Energy < Lv. 2 > ~~~~ Spells: 1?? Shadow st < Lv. 3 > 2?? Lightning Spear < Lv. 4 > 3?? Demonic me < Lv. 2 > ~ +3.6% Magical Damage ~ +3.6% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Inventory: 1?? < Mana Potion > x3 2?? < Dark Sapphire > x14 3?? < 8426 Gold Coins > 4?? < Smander Scale > x26 5?? < Fiery Meat > x5 6?? < Basilisk''s Fang > x2 7?? < Poisonous Meat > x1 8?? < The Reptile Core > [ Lv. 14] x1 9?? < Archaeopteryx ws > x1 ?? < Dark Sapphire> x1 .... ~~~~ Equipped: 1?? < Shadow Robe > [ Diamond ] 2?? < Smander Scale Boots > [ Bronze ] 3?? < Smander Ring > [ tinum ] 4?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] 5?? < Eerie Staff > [ Gold ] ~~~~ Effects: 1?? +2% Magical Damage 2?? Unique Shadow Energy; Absorbed in Shadows 3?? Natural MP regen 4?? Full; Can''t consume more Attribute boosting items ~~~~ < Map > < Friend List > < Guild > < Pet > 1?? Fenrir < Lv.14 > ~~~~ I could say that I was pretty much set for the raid boss. I only needed to get the Holy Water and a team. Scratching my neck I thought about how to even talk someone into attempting to beat a mid-game boss. Cold sweat of uncertainty started to wash over me thinking that I might need to wait at least a month to find someone crazy enough to join me. Before I could express my gratitude for crafting such a useful item I hissed in pain. Someone kicked me... That someone was ring at me with a look of greed and annoyance. " Pay up! " His raspy voice echoed through the yard waking me up from my stupor. For a second I wanted to scam him and run away, but kept myself together. '' It''s bad to be an enemy of a legendary cksmith '' I thought, smiling at the old Dwarf. Trying my best not to break my smiling face I gave him the Sapphire and was about to leave when another item was tossed at my back. " I''ve had some leftover Cloth injected with Shadow Energy and didn''t want to waste it " Turning around and picking an item a smile unknowingly made its way to my face. 1?? < Shadow Gloves > [ tinum ] -- Gloves full of Shadow Energy... ~ MP +10 ~ SE +15 ~ PDEF +5 ~ [ Sealed ] ??? ~~~~ Now my interest was piqued. Both the gloves and the robe had a Sealed Effect. I''ve heard of some things called Set Items which will unlock another Attribute or Skill upon the set isplete. Seeing that both Items have Shadow in their name that is probably the case. " Thank you " I said quietly, only for me to hear and left the cksmith''s house. Calling Fenrir we dove into the busy street. I was once again reminded by how important it is to be able to store Familiar inside a tattoo. I didn''t know why the game gave me < Familiar''s Tattoo >, even though its Attribute boost is fine I would''ve preferred to store my pet. '' I need to strengthen our bond '' I thought while walking towards a huge building decorated with huge golden towers that seemed to pierce the clouds. Its majestic structure could overshadow even a Count''s castle. The windows were full of various paintings that represented multiple gods, elements and other things. Looking at many people kneeling before the church I sighed. Even in my previous church the Holy Church had many members, but the numbers were ridiculous. When I was Hundred steps away from the church I couldn''t walk further, because of the masses that were praying. Since I somehow managed toe at the time some ceremony was in-progress the streets were full of people. For me to perform a thorough scan of the area I had to get inside. Even though I already knew the building''s n from my previous life it was stupid to believe nothing would''ve changed. Kneeling on the cold street surface I hissed feeling the coldness only to receive a few cold looks. Fortunately my face was covered, hence nobody knew I was a Demon. '' It''ll change when I''ll heal the king '' Thinking about the positive things I kept my head lowered waiting for the ceremony to end. Suddenly groups of people started flooding out of the church indicating that the ceremony was over. Moving to the side I waited for the masses to dissipate and finally walked up to the Church. Its huge wooden doors with various paintings in gold were reinforced and enveloped in Mana. Touching the surface of the door I felt a slight burn on my palm. Raising the palm to my eyes I noticed a slight trail of blood drop from my hand. Quickly cleaning the blood and Equipping the Shadow Gloves I entered the building while an inaudible murmur escaped from my lips. " Saint... " Chapter 42 Stealing The Water My eyes slightly widened seeing the exterior of the church decorated in all kinds of stuff from gold to diamonds. Even though I''ve been here in my previous life it was still surprising to see so much money put in one building. Looking around I noticed guards with white armor standing near the walls. Since I''ve gotten this robe the regr NPCs couldn''t detect my race allowing me to move more freely. Walking across the huge hall I saw some people still praying to the Altar. Many would raise their eyebrow seeing such strong belief, but I wasn''t confused. '' Gods are real after all '' I thought, watching the Humans praying. Gods are considered beings of Lv. 500 and beyond. They can ascend to the higher realm. In my previous life there was no yer that ascended to the god realm. ncing over the church''s structure I noticed some slight changes, but nothing that would hinder my n. Eyeing the altar I noticed a small metal handle protruding from underneath it. Everyone would write it off as a design of the Altar, but I knew otherwise. To get the Holy Sparkling Water one needs to descend to the basement of the Holy church. Walking around I noticed some guards eyeing me suspiciously. While I did nothing wrong I also didn''t pray. Not wanting to receive unnecessary attention I took a seat on one of the benches. Lowering my head to look like I''m praying I kept on inspecting the building. After a half an hour I quietly stood up and left the building. Gesturing Fenrir to follow me, we walked towards one of the nearby inns. Since my Race was hidden I quickly got a room. Throwing some pork to Fenrir I lied on the bed. " We need to increase our bond " I said, eyeing the wolf. From my previous life I knew that to increase the bond one needs to go through near death situations or receive an item simr to Familiar''s Tattoo that would increase our bond. Thinking about all the stuff I had to do I took a peek at the clock. I had a few in-game days until the truck to transfer our items to the new house woulde. Petting Fenrir''s head I looked outside through the window. The sun was slowly descending indicating that my n would start shortly. Climbing out of the bed I left Fenrir sleeping in the room and went towards one closed church. Different from the day there weren''t many people in the streets. Since the king''s corruption, a new rule disallowing people to leave houses after a certain hour was implemented. Trying to stay in the dark I moved from shadow to shadow slowly approaching the Holy Church. There were Soldiers and Pdins constantly patrolling the whole city area, making me lose a lot of time. Fortunately, after an hour I could finally see the church''s tower. Climbing up on the roof of a nearby house I lowered my body and leapt at the church''s roof. Thud... With a heavynding I quickly hid behind the chimney and awaited for guards to pass through the area. " I think I heard something " Soon shouts were heard and a group of armed soldiers ran towards the church. Keeping an eye on the soldiers I prayed that the cloak is not bugged and will allow me to stay hidden. Fortunately the soldiers didn''t notice me even when they were performing a thorough scan of the area. After what seemed to be an eternity the group deemed the sound to be made by some kind of animal and left the church''s vicinity. Eyeing the area I still spent a few minutes hidden, in case they hadn''t left and were still patrolling close by. How good of a decision it was... As I was about toe out a soldier wearing golden armor materialized before my eyes, slightly startling me. Since I knew about the existence of spells that can make you invisible I wasn''t too surprised, but it certainly did scare me quite a bit. I was about to shout, but quickly covered my mouth. The soldier was about 10 times stronger than me and revealing my presence wasn''t the brightest idea. With cold sweat running down my back I managed to keep my head calm. '' He''ll leave soon '' I thought while gnashing the corners of the robe. If previously I was confident in stealing the water and escaping unscratched, now my confidence was shattered to dust. '' It''s going to be way harder than I anticipated '' Thinking I closely inspected the soldier''s armor. '' Why the fuck is a Royal soldier in some random city '' I almost shouted recognizing the symbol on the soldier''s chestte. Royal soldiers are soldiers of the highest caliber, who are only loyal to royal family members. Eyeing the anomaly I gritted my teeth seeing an unknown variable appear in my n. If previously it was manageable, now the n was doomed. Royal soldiers don''t travel by one, they move in groups of five and more. I could manage to somehow slip through one of the Soldiers, but the others would catch me. Sitting on the roof I leaned my head on the chimney and took a deep breath. '' It isn''t that bad, you can just wait '' I consoled myself, but soon an imaginary tears started running down my cheeks when I saw the Soldier entering the church. " Well, shit... " I cursed. Slowly standing up I moved to the right side of the church''s roof where a huge window was installed. Taking a peek inside I noticed the soldier just sitting in one of the benches seemingly offering a prayer. I could try to assassinate him, but my attempt would be rendered useless. His reaction time would probably save him from assassinations at least two times more dangerous than this. I also had a hunch that one attack wasn''t enough to finish off the soldier. Thinking of a n I didn''t even notice a pair of blue eyes staring at me from a safe distance. Chapter 43 Stealing The Water (2) Imaginary gears were constantly spinning inside my head. Even after half an hour I couldn''t devise a way to steal the water and escape. Scratching my neck I eyed the praying royal soldier and took a peek at his Status. < ELITE ROYAL SOLDIER > ~ An Elite troop trained to serve the royal family ~ Passive ~ Immune to Mid tier corruption < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 50 HP: 2000 MP: 1500 STR: 500 AGL: 800 PDEF: 1000 MDEF: 1000 INT: 2500 ~~~~ I wanted to shatter the window. It wasn''t enough for a Royal Soldier to be here, he had to be Elite, of course. Sighing in defeat I took a seat on the church''s cold roof. " Why me? " I muttered still gazing at the praying soldier''s back. My confidence to get the water was as low as it could get, but I consoled myself that soon the enemy will leave and I''ll have my chance. Funnily enough, It started raining. Looking at the sky I wanted to shout, but held myself back. It seemed as if gods were punishing me. Little did I know how big of a g I''ve just raised upon myself. Since I was on the roof and had no cover from the rain I was fully soaked in a few minutes. Even with such hindrances I stoodpletely still not to alert the praying soldier. After what seemed like an eternity the praying soldier stood up and left the church while disappearing in the rainy night. It was time for action... Not waiting any second longer I quietly conjured a lightning spear and made it thin, so thin that it could pass as a needle. Cutting the window frame I removed the whole window and ss before dumping it into my inventory. '' I''ll just throw them outter '' I thought silently entering the church. Unfortunately since I was at the ceiling level mynding was as quiet as expected. Thud... With a dull sound Inded on the red carpet. Dashing towards the corner of the church I managed to hide myself before the door was opened and a pair of two soldiers came into the hall. " Let''s just go nobody is here " One of the soldiers snorted seeing his partner rushing to check if nobody was in the vicinity. Since he was a dozen years older he had vast experience and was confident that nobody would attack the church, especially now when Royal Soldiers were nearby. Seeing that his partner will not stop he sighed and sat on one of the benches. Since his superior informed him about the nightshift few hours beforehand, he had barely any sleep. Closing his eyes, the soldier was about to doze off when he heard a dull sound and before he could turn around his world went dark. ~~~~ I was once again gritting my teeth, good thing that this world is imaginary or else my teeth would bepletely ruined. A pair of soldiers barged into room and one of them started going around every single corner of the hall, trying to find an intruder. Quickly throwing a nce towards the other soldier I noticed him halfway to the dreand. Clenching my Eerie Staff I lowered my body and awaited for the uing soldier. Thud... As soon as the soldier came into my reach I swung my staff hitting his head and making him lose consciousness. Dashing towards the other soldier I managed to knock him out before he could even turn. '' Good thing those soldiers were weak '' I murmured while dragging their bodies towards the corner of the church. After hiding the bodi... people I approached the altar. I had approximately half an hour before the soldiers woke up, so I had to pick up my pace. Quickly pushing the Altar to the side, I saw a trapdoor leading to the basement. Lifting the dusty trapdoor I saw old wooden stairs going down into the dark. For a second I stopped and looked at the darkness with a small glint visible on my face. " I was born in darkness, molded by it " After quoting a famous line from a certain viin I step by step descended down the stairs. Creating a Lightning spear I illuminated the whole area revealing the dark hallway. Lifting the light source above my head I started running, I had no time to waste. While sprinting I noticed various symbols engraved on the pathway''s walls. I didn''t have time to inspect the unknown symbols, but one symbol garnered my attention. Since this game is very well made it has multiple ancientnguages implemented in it. Through the dozen years I''ve spent ying this game I could more or less know some symbols'' meanings. The symbol on the wall meant treasure. Quickly taking a few photos of the wall I started running once again. After ten minutes I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. At this point my MP was halfway depleted, because of continuous use of the Lightning Spear. '' I really do need to buy some torches '' I thought while nearing the end of the pathway. The light was produced by a singlentern hung on the ceiling of the tunnel. Below there was a metal door with an old rusty lock that looked to be at least hundred years old. Even though the situation looked simple, it was not. The lock was enchanted by the newest Mana Technology known to this timeline. If I even try to forcefully open the door, the rm will go off informing soldiers about my presence. Carefully touching the lock I appraised its condition. By sending some MP into its construction I could tell it was often used. Not wanting to trigger the rm I let go of the lock and took a deep breath. " Herees the hard part " I grumbled and started channeling Mana into my arm. When the lightning spear started to form I quickly inserted it into the lock hole and started slowly allowing MP to run wild. The form of the spear started changing randomly and soon a clicking sound was heard. Chapter 44 Stealing The Water (3) The Lock was unlocked and fell on the floor. Quickly grabbing the fallen lock I stored it inside my Inventory. '' It will fetch a lot of money '' I thought while slowly opening the rusty door. Crack... Its hinges let out dull noises as if forcefully being on apart. As slowly as possible I made a small gap enough for me to slip in. Dashing through the door I looked at the clock and noticed that I had around 15 minutes left until the unconscious guards woke up. As I passed through the door I found myself in a room fully covered in white marbles. In the middle there was a huge pond with white nts growing all around it. I even noticed a few fishes white in colour, swimming inside the pond. Looking at the water I saw constant bubbles rising to the surface. '' Sparkling '' I thought while lowering my stance and consuming an MP potion. Even though I had enough Mana I was in need of an empty bottle. Filling up the bottle I quickly stood up and was about to dash towards the door when I heard the sound of footstepsing from the tunnel''s direction. Looking around I noticed no good ce to hide and decided to jump into theke. ~~~~ Something wasn''t right, I''ve found two soldiers knocked out cold lying at the corner of the church hall. They were cleverly hidden and I only stumbled upon them identally. I saw no need to raise the rm, because my strength would be more than enough to get rid of the intruder. Opening the trapdoor covering the basement I started leisurely going towards the white room. Nearing the room I was now sure someone was inside it. The Lock was broken and the door was slightly open. Taking the hands out of my pockets, I swung the door open and walked into the room. Unlike my expectations the room was empty. Since it was as white as snow it was hard to miss a human being. Sending Mana I scanned the whole room, but still couldn''t find the intruder. My back went cold at the thought of what my superior would say if he found out that I somehow managed to lose an intruder. We Royal Soldiers have battalions and every battalion has its leader responsible for his teammates. They can give rewards, punishments and assign specific tasks. My duty was to guard this Holy church while a special someone would arrive. " Shit " I cursed and dashed out of the room trying to catch up to the seemingly long gone thief. Sending Mana to every corner of the church I tried to find the intruder, but my Mana didn''t detect anyone else besides the patrolling soldiers. " Fuck! " Curses were flowing out of my mouth faster than the speed of light. My mind went back to the time I couldn''t walk for a week, because of a punishment. ~~~~ Gasp... I took a deep breath while swimming to the shore. I''ve spent around three minutes without breathing which was my highest record. Spitting water I shook off the strange bugs that were sticking to my skin. As soon as I drove into the pond various beings started being attracted to me and I could only watch as they glued themselves onto me. Luckily none of them harmed me allowing me to stay in water for a longer period. Unequipping and re-equipping the Shadow robe made it dry again. Doing the same with all the items, I was finally ready to leave. Still warily eyeing the exit I left the room with a new item appearing in my Inventory. 1?? Holy Sparkling Water -- Can cleanse corruption or any disease ~ Single use only ~~~~ Going back through the tunnel I carefully climbed up the stairs and put my ear on the trapdoor. Some people were talking outside. '' What the hell happened? '' '' My head hurts '' '' Shut the hell up! '' I could hear shouts and yells of two people. Slowly opening the trapdoor I noticed both of the soldiers I knocked unconscious still crawling on the floor, but now fully awake. Looking around and not seeing anyone else I quickly dashed towards them and repeated the same process. " Good Night " I said before my staff sent them to the dreand once again. Bonk... Bonk... Not wasting anymore time or hiding the bodies I quickly left the church and disappeared into the rainy night. While walking through the dark I felt a pair of eyes looking towards me. Since I was about to log off I wanted to leave in a cool way. Turning towards the direction of the gaze I casted a Shadow st and threw it high into the sky. While the projectile was still ascending I casted Lightning spear, but didn''t let it form making my arms dance with lightning. Slowly I let the lighting move towards my palms where Demonic Fire appeared. The transition was smooth. As The White me engulfed my palm I saw Shadow st Descending at fast speeds. Moving my hands upwards I let the Demonic me engulf my whole body until I was fully covered in white fire. Throwing a look towards the stalker I felt his gaze glued onto me. Turning my back towards him I felt Shadow st hitting my head and connecting with white fire making a decent explosion. Fortunately the game doesn''t allow one to be hit by his own spell. While the explosion was still in effect I logged off. Jumping out of the VR Pod I couldn''t help, but smile. ? " I hope she''s taken the bait " ~~~~ A Beautiful female Elf was sitting on one of the houses'' roofs. Most of her face was hidden by the dark, but even the dark couldn''t hide her over worldly beauty. Her White hair was tucked behind her ear and her eyes were looking in a certain direction where an explosion urred. " So he''s the unknown yer " She thought out loud looking at the now empty street. Quickly raising her body she approached the explosion site and took out a book before scrambling something into it and leaving the area with a slightly annoyed look. Chapter 45 Moving In As soon as I left the VR Pod my mother barged into my room. " The truck to take our items is here " Shifting my head to the door I saw my mother''s smiling face. I couldn''t help, but feel warmth inside my chest seeing my parents act like that. Even though I tried to suppress my emotions a single tear managed to escape from my eye. Quickly wiping it not to startle my mother, I nodded my head. " I''ll be downstairs soon " Responding I went for quick shower before climbing downstairs. Entering the first floor I saw multiple workers being instructed by my mother what to bring to the truck. Looking around I noticed my dad sitting on the couch and overlooking the process of everything being slowly moved. I knew he took a liking to this old, butfy house. When our gazes met he nodded his head, before shifting his eyes towards the workers. Even though he didn''t voice it out I knew he was proud. I was dying to see his reaction when he saw what house I''ve bought. Calling some of the employees I led them towards my room and instructing them to bring my Pod. I had more than enough money to buy a better one, but since the prices now are inted I didn''t want to spend extra money. I felt several questioning nces thrown towards my direction, but I didn''t care and kept scrolling through my phone. '' Why can''t a 19 year old y games? Especially if it''ll be the most payed activity '' I snorted while looking at the news. Abruptly speaking, the situation around the world was dire. More and more people are retiring or quitting their jobs to y . Even though it looked stupid I couldn''t help, but shake my head in approval. '' Soon the world will be revolving around '' Murmuring, I threw my phone in the pocket and packed the rest of the things. ~~~~ We were a few minutes away from our new house. A big smile was all over my face, while my parents were pestering me with various questions. Half an hour ago we drove past the checkpoint where our documents were checked. Since I''ve bought property in the area we passed quite quickly, but fortunately or not my parents noticed that we were traveling through houses that looked more like mansions. Even after spending more than half an hour trying to receive some information about the house, they didn''t stop. As I was about to give in, because all the questions were hurting my head we arrived at our new home. Climbing out of the truck I left my parents who were staring at the mansion before them. Unlocking the gates I let the trucks drive into Yard, before the workers started unpacking all the stuff. My face was kind of distorted seeing my parents'' reactions. Their faces with tired eyes and sunken cheeks were now smiling from ear to ear. Since they were staring at the mansion and looked defenseless I couldn''t help, but sneak behind them. " Do you like the house? " I asked, making both of them jump in shock. My father somehow managed to control his facial expression even though I saw his eye twitch. " I still don''t know how you, with such childish behavior manage to achieve such fortune " He stated while hugging my mother who couldn''t help but nod her head at his words. " I took after you " I smiled, making my mother slightly chuckle and father stumble backwards. With an unexpected sentence I finished our joking session and invited them inside. With the outside looking like a mansion the interior was no different. Chandeliers, huge rooms, modern technology, everything looked fancy. Guiding my parents around the house I showed around every single room and corner of our new, expensive home. It wasn''t an exaggeration if I said that the whole time they were agape. As we came back into the living room I noticed that the workers finished unpacking. Giving all of them a generous tip I''ve bid goodbyes. As soon as the truck was out of the sight my parents changed drastically. They ran up to me half shaking and hugging me. " Do you know how much this costs? " " I don''t know what to do such with so much space, you could''ve bought a smaller house " " Who''s going to clean all this ? " Both of them were bugging with various statements burying me under the massive text walls. Even within those walls I could discern the pure emotions of Awe... Thankfulness... and Worry... Hugging both of them I spent some time answering the questions, consoling them and finally talking about my ns. My parents were surprised that my goals were way higher than they ever thought, but sharing a short eye contact they just smiled and assured me that they''ll support me no matter what. ~~~~ I spent the evening with my parents talking about various things ranging from clothes to grandchildren. Even though some of the themes were embarrassing or even ufortable to talk about I''ve managed to hold on, until my mother started dreaming about being a grandma. As soon as I heard the word Grandma I knew that the normal talk was over. Quickly rising from my seat I made up an excuse that I have to order food. As I was walking out of the room I almost stumbled upon hearing my mothers next words. " I wonder if he likes me... " " I like women! " I almost yelled and hid my red cheeks within a hood. '' Even If I hadn''t spend particrly long time conversing with girls it doesn''t mean I''m not into them '' Grumbling under my nose I ordered a few pizzas to be delivered to our house. After half an hour a doorbell rang and I went to retrieve the food. Opening the door I noticed a girl simr age to me. Suddenly the atmosphere around me turned weird, looking behind myself I saw my mother looking at the girl with a weird stare. '' Shit! '' I thought and quickly took the pizzas. Tipping the girl and I quickly closed the door before a demon could do its deed. Chapter 46 The District After the food arrived, we ate and I retired to bed early. Walking through the house, big enough to call abyrinth I spent around two minutes to find my room. Entering I saw a VR Pod put at the right corner of the room. Since I was tired and in no mood to y I simply fell on the bed and let the soft mattress devour me. ~~~~ Sweating profusely I jolted awake. " Fucking nightmares! " I cursed while rolling out of my bed. My whole body was covered in sweat and I was slightly trembling. Looking at the clock the frown on my face became bigger. [ 04:16 ] Leaving my room I went to take a shower. With cold water I managed to fully wash away the nightmare. Going back into my room I tried to sleep, but soon gave up. Descending downstairs I found my parents already asleep lying on the couch. I noticed a few wine bottles and made a mental note to hide all the alcohol. Taking a nket I threw it on them before leaving the mansion. Standing outside I took a deep breath of fresh and cold air. Wearing one of my usual hoodies and running shoes I started slowly jogging through the streets. As far as I can remember I preferred cold more than hot, whether it''ll be Ice cream or weather. Running through the neighborhood I saw many different houses that were no different than pces with some even engraved with gold. Looking at such houses I couldn''t help, but raise my eyebrow. I couldn''t quite get why someone would want such an expensive decoration. '' Rich People stuff '' Shrugging it off I ran further down the street. As I was about to run out of steam I reached the middle of this district. In the middle there stood a huge building with various constructions all around it. Since it was a very famous ce I knew its name. " Preklin University... " My mind slightly wandered off thinking about all the things that happened in my past life. '' Some of the Powerful yers go to this facility and next year, when she gets enough recognition the strongest yer will attend it as well '' Thinking about everything about the University, I couldn''t help, but shake my head. '' I have no time to do such activities, at least for now '' Stretching my legs I started slowly jogging back home. ~~~~ [ 06:43 ] Looking at the clock on the wall I was a bit startled by how much time I''ve spent only running. Well, it should be given, because this neighborhood is humongous. Going to the kitchen I made some breakfast for myself and my parents. While the pancakes were still in the pan I heard some noticese from the living room. Soon my father with both hands on his head stumbled into the kitchen. He seemed in pain, but I didn''t even think of confronting him. '' You drank too much, old man '' I murmured while giving him a ss of water. As soon as he drank all of the water I pushed him back on the sofa saying that the breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes. As soon as pancakes were ready, I covered or more specifically drowned them in syrup. Gesturing dad to wake up mom, I sat on the table waiting for the rest of my family to gather. Soon I found both of my parents stumbling into the kitchen with my dad holding a certain woman that seemed to swing in all sides. Somehow managing to take a seat my mother exchanged a few greeting words before looking at the contents of the table. Her drunken mood suddenly disappeared with shock, temporarily painting her face. " When did you learn how to cook? " She couldn''t help, but question me while devouring pancakes one by one. I couldn''t help, but let my Ego expand by hearing suchments. It was my mother who praised me after all. " I''ve seen someone do it on the inte " I quickly though of an excuse. In reality I had to learn how to cook, after they were killed. I felt my face slightly stiffen and I unknowingly started clenching my fist until nails pierced through my skin. Only after I felt blood flowing through my palms did I notice how I''ve managed to injure myself. I was slightly concerned for myself. '' My rage is a bit too much, I need to rx or else I''ll bleed to death '' All of my thoughts went in the same direction. It was just hard to find how to rx in an environment where time is money. Shrugging my shoulders I grabbed some napkins to wipe off the blood before my parents could notice. '' I have some serious issues '' I thought as I threw the napkins into the bin. Suddenly an Idea came to my mind. " Mom, Dad, what do you think about getting a dog? " I asked while putting another pancake into my mouth. I felt as if the dog would help me deal with stress more easily. I wouldn''t mind having another hairypanion as well. This slightly surprised my parents. " Aren''t you... Allergic to dogs? " My mother proposed a question that managed to make my mind go nk for a second. " It was 10 years ago " I managed to connect words to make a sentence. I''vepletely forgotten about this issue. Seeing my mother''s worried face I couldn''t help, but smile. " It''ll be alright " I assured them that no problem would arise, even though I had no clue how''d it go myself. '' Well at worst I can just let my parents take care of the dog '' I thought while cleaning the dishes. My parents insisted on helping me, but I shooed them away saying that they are retired. Giving them a bank card with enough money I instructed them to go to a nearby shopping center and buy something for themselves. Even though they didn''t want to spend the money, I didn''t listen to anyints, before kicking them off the house until they bought something for themselves. ~~~~ " And no alcohol! " When a taxi arrived I quickly bid them goodbye before telling them about a new rule which seemed to impact my mother quite harshly. Chapter 47 Corrupted Rhino Seeing my parents off I couldn''t help, but keep my smile until the car was out of sight. Going back inside the house I quickly ran up the stairs and literally jumped into the VR Pod. < WELCOME BACK TO FRAGMENTAL > My consciousness faded away allowing me to enter the game. Blinking my eyes a few times I noticed myself in the middle of the street full with people. I had to go towards the castle, but the street flow was in the opposite direction. I tried going against the flow, but soon almost hurt an NPC and received cold looks from the surrounding NPCs. Sighing in defeat, I gave up and followed the flow until I found a smaller side street. Even though it seemed unkept and strangely dangerous it was almost empty except for random people passing here and there. Entering the street I felt as if I could breathe again. '' Personal space '' I looked at my newly acquired item, before something hard hit the top of my head. - 46 HP yer Leo has suffered from Status Effect < Concussion > ~ The thought process of the yer will be considerably slower ~ Duration ¡ú 5 minutes ~~~~ I somehow managed to discern what was written on the system, but my view was kinda blurry. Stumbling forward I took a peek behind only to see a man with a crossbar smiling at me, showing his missing teeth. '' Gang member '' The first thing that came to my mind was gangs. You can find gangs in every city, this one is no different. They rob, extort money or even kill. The man behind me was probably a gang member trying to gain respect from other members or simply take my money. Seeing him approaching I let him get closer until he started searching through my pockets. '' Demonic me '' My body was fully engulfed in a white me that immediately jumped on the thief. He tried to extinguish the fire by rolling, throwing his clothes away, but in the end it was pointless. Soon the only thing indicating that he was here was some ashes scattered on the ground. After the thief died I tried to stand up, but with my head still spinning I had to learn on the nearby wall. As the effect of the Concussion was about to run out I saw some blurry pictures of people approaching me. Shaking my head a few times my vision was back to normal. Directing my gaze back to the group I saw at least fifty people with simr jackets that had a rhino symbol embed onto them. I immediately knew what this group was. '' Corrupted Rhino '' Clenching my teeth I eyed the man standing at the front. This group was responsible for the king''s corruption. The Corrupted Rhino had over a thousand members all across the city. Now one of the gang branches is standing before me. Not wasting any time talking I took a fighting stance awaiting for the gang to move. Seeing me taking a stance, the leader made some signs with his hand and the group started slowly approaching me in tight formation. '' What a mistake '' I thought while a smile found its way on my face. '' Let''s start off with a bang '' Extending my hand forward I let Shadow Energy be consumed and soon a grey orb appeared. Looking at the front lines of the group I saw most of the people holding swords. Boom... The thrown orb collided with a sword of a man and exploded sending at least 10 soldiers to the overworld. Seeing many messages popping on the screen I temporarily turned them off to focus on the fight. Looking at the group''s leader I found him agape looking at where his soldiers once stood. His gaze shifted towards me to which I just smiled. Even though the smile wasn''t visible due to the hood the Leader felt shivers run down his back. '' Spread apart! '' He immediately shouted, but not fast enough, because another st took lives of another 8 soldiers. Stretching my back I saw fear painted on all the group''s members'' faces except for the leader. He had a huge frown and his eyes were bloodshot. Inspecting him I noticed a sword hanging at his hips. '' Well he''ll probablye at the end '' I thought and focused on decimating the rest of the group. Since they were further apart I didn''t use Shadow Energy, because it would be a waste. ~~~~ My Mana reservoir which was full was now half empty after killing all the group members. While I was killing his soldiers the leader didn''t even move, I''d say he didn''t even flinch. After the goons were dealt with I turned my gaze towards thest person standing. His bright red eyes were staring at me seemingly trying to take my soul. '' Well let''s end this '' With such thought I created a Lightning spear and threw it at his face. Whoosh... The projectile flew at fast speeds and was about to collide with the leader when suddenly a sharp de split it in half. The sword descended diagonally cutting the spear in half. My gaze was now glued to the sword the man held. It was nomon sword if it could pierce through a magic spell that easily. Swordsmen can use Aura to attack the spells, but this man was not at the level to be able to wield Aura. The only logical exnation would be... '' A Magical Sword '' My eyes turned into dor signs. Their prize can differ from 100k to 500k Gold coins. With such treasure one could retire and never work again. Fortunately I wasn''t nning on retiring this early. '' What car should I buy? '' Even before the fight began I was already daydreaming about things not relevant right now. Raising my hand up in the sky I let it connect with my cheek pping the hell out of me. It was one of the better ways I found to humble myself. Putting full concentration on the man before me I clenched my staff and took a step forward sending a few spears at the leader''s chest. '' Let the fight begin! '' Chapter 48 The Leader I saw my gang members massacred one by one by a man who was wearing a hood. At first I saw him as an easy prey and sent one of myckeys to deal with him, but unfortunately he was burnt to ashes. It didn''t amaze, not at all, how could he perform such feats. That staff was not for show, the man had skills. Even though he was strong, I felt that I could still mop the floor with him. That thought was thrown to the garbage can as soon as I saw him throwing a weird colored orb that decimated 10 of my men. '' It would be dangerous to be hit with any of those '' I thought while my eyes turned slightly bloodshot. These men were brought in and trained by me. Losing them would be considerable damage to my branch. '' The other branches wouldn''t miss this chance as well '' Clenching my sword''s hilt I was about to jump in the fight, when another set of my soldiers were decimated by another st. '' On another note I''ll just wait until he runs out of Mana '' I made up a quick excuse to make up for my hurt pride. Even though I had no Education, I was raised in the streets and Sacrificing some lives for mine was worth it. Even though I said that I couldn''t help, but grit my teeth every single time one of my men fell. '' Do you know how much time I''ve spent raising them? '' I wanted to shout, but kept myself together not to show any weakness to my men. After ten long and painful minutes every single man on the field was dead, except, of course, the one responsible for the killing. His dark robe was flickering in the wind, but his face was fully covered. Even around the dead bodies his clothes were clear of blood. All in all I think I fucked up. His gaze shifted towards me, making my arms momentarily go numb. After the initial surprise passed the only emotion I could feel was disgust. '' How could I, Hamel, be scared of a mere trash '' Gritting my teeth I felt a bitter iron taste in my mouth, but I didn''t care and so did the Hooded man. On his open palm a lightning projectile simr in shape to the spear materialized and was thrown towards me at fast speeds. Knowing that this man is no joke, I immediately pulled out my main sword. A sword with a hilt made out of ck leather and a de colored in bright red color appeared in my hand. Raising it high in the air I let Mana flow into the sword before I used all my strength to swing it downwards. As soon as my weapon and the lightning spear collided I felt the strength of the projectile. '' What the fuck! '' I could only curse as my sword barely managed to split the Spear in half. Trying to hide my expression I acted as if it was easy to cut the projectiles. It was ingrained in me that showing an opponent your emotions is crucial. Unfortunately my act did me dirty. As soon as the first spear was pierced the hooded man''s eyes became somewhat different. I immediately knew that the man was drooling over my sword. I''m not that stupid to not notice his gaze only focused on the sword. I swear I could even see a reflection of some kind vehicle in his eyes. As I was about to make use of the opening the man offered himself he suddenly raised his hand and... p... pped himself? I don''t even know what is happening, but after the p the aura around the man changed entirely, his previously almost bored gaze turned sharp. He took the fighting stance, beforeunching a dozen of Lighting spears in my direction. My eye slightly twitched seeing such firepower. '' He shouldn''t have this much energy '' Was one of my thoughts as I sidestepped to the side. Luckily all of the spears were created abruptly and had no particr target allowing me to evade with a single step. Bam... I felt something hit the side of my ribs, making me take a few steps back. Shifting my gaze I saw the man responsible for my members'' death holding his staff as if he was a swordsman. At first I was angry, but now I couldn''t help, but slightly admire the man before me. To be a Mage and fight a swordsman in a close range battle is nothing, but brave. '' Or he could be mentally ill '' A thought passed through my mind, but soon was discarded, because another set of spears flew in my direction. Rolling to the side I managed to evade most of them, but one of them managed to pierce through my calf. Even though it was painful I suppressed the pain. I had another set of spells to dodge. With a bleeding leg I dodged and dodged uing spells, but soon it turned into aplete one sided battle. Gritting my teeth, I finally decided to use my skill. Whoosh... Mana starter gathering at the tip of my sword, holding the sword in both hands I let the mana go wild right before swinging the sword diagonally creating a Mana arc that flew towards the Hooded man. The man quickly chanted another spell creating a grey orb and throwing it at the uing attack. Boom... Both Mana Projectiles connected creating a small explosion. Not wanting to miss a moment I dashed towards the mage before he could chant another spell. Unfortunately my sword was stopped by a staff that redirected it to the side. Even though my Strength was above the mage''s, his proficiency with weapons was superior. Taking a few steps back, I had to swallow my pride and use my full strength against the man. If previously I thought I could beat him, now it would be a question if I could even escape. Stabbing my sword into the ground I unleashed another skill which threw the mage off bnce. '' Sword''s Tremor '' Chapter 49 The Leader (2) '' Sword Tremor '' I felt my Mana being drained at an alert rate. The ground slightly trembled and slight cracks started appearing on the street''s surface. Soon in the direction where the hooded man stood an underground tremor wasunched. Boom... Boom... Boom... The underground attackunched pieces of the street''s surface into the air. The tremor traveled all the way towards the man making him step to the side, but leaving him with many openings. As he was trying to regain his bnce I took a step forward shing my sword downwards and sending another Mana arc towards the man. Fortunately the man didn''t have any time to dodge or cast a spell, he could only raise his staff to block or at least redirect the iing sh. nk... The Mana Arc collided with the staff producing a loud sound. I saw the man''s arms slightly tremble, trying to push away the attack. I could swear I even saw a slight trail of blood leave his mouth. After a few seconds my Mana sh disappeared letting the man take a breather. Unfortunately for him I had no intention to wait. '' It''s you or me! '' Raising my sword I aimed another sh towards my now kneeling opponent. Seeing another projectileing his way the man threw himself to the side. The hooded man barely avoided my sh, but fell on one of myckeys'' dead bodies. I didn''t even notice as one of his hands lit on fire before he reached for the dead body. Click... Suddenly the body got caught in fire. Surprised by his action I eyed him suspiciously as he stood up and started around lighting everyone in white mes. Even though they were dead and I felt no need to take care of their dead bodies, an eerie feeling started forming at the back of my mind. A sixth sense was telling me to stop him. Since I''ve lived in the streets for dozens of years I knew to trust my senses better than anybody else. Creating a small hole where I previously stood I bolted towards the man that was currently burning my once usefulckeys. nk... My sword was skillfully blocked by his staff making him take a few steps back before he managed to redirect my sword to the side. I heard a subtle sound of someone clicking his tongue before my abdomen was kicked and I had to take a few steps back. While I was still stumbling backwards a fist came flying to my face. Crack... With no chance to recover I stumbled backwards. Covering my face I felt blood flowing out of my nose and my eyes getting slightly teary. '' Its broken '' As I was trying to regain my bnce a Lighting spear pierced through my shoulder immobilizing my main right hand. A growl left my mouth as my arm dropped to the side. Swapping the sword to my left hand I felt slightly ufortable. I wasn''t used to holding the sword with one hand. With a bloody face, pierced shoulder and an injured calf I took a step forward unleashing my rage and performing 3 consecutive Mana shes. I was expecting him to evade them as he did previously, hence prepared to dash right after him. Crack... Suddenly the man''s arms from shoulders were lit in white me, soon the me moved towards the staff enveloping it in a thin white aura. His staff, lit in white me, swung against my shes Shattering all three of them. '' What the f.. '' I had no chance to finish the thought as the man dashed towards me swinging his burning staff towards my head with intent to inflict a fatal strike. Lowering my body, I saw the staff pass where my head previously was. Even a meter away I felt the immense heat of the fire. '' No wonder it''s so powerful '' The thought passed through my head as I retreated a few steps back. '' Why didn''t he engulf his staff in mes from the beginning? '' The thought kept on pestering me as I evaded most of his attacks. As long as the man had the fire I couldn''t directly sh with him, my hands would probably receive various kinds of burns and my sword might be damaged. Even though it was way better than any of the swords within this city, it didn''t have superior extraordinary resistance. After a few minutes I saw the aura engulfing the man''s staff be dimmer before the me covering the staff went out. Not wanting to miss this chance I quickly stabbed the sword in the ground sending another powerful tremor towards the man. Unfortunately for me he learned from thest time and didn''t let his guard down. Holding his staff before him he warily eyed me expecting another Mana sh. Seeing no visible openings I ran closer to the man before trying to overpower him with normal swordsmanship, since he could block my My mana shes it wasn''t worth draining my Mana until I copsed. Even though I knew that he''s better at using swords, I was sure his Stamina wasn''t any better than mine. Bolting towards my hooded enemy I swung my sword vertically intending to cut him in half, that of course didn''t happen as my opponent managed to block the hit with his sturdy staff. '' How much time did he spend wielding a staff? '' I couldn''t help, but question. The man before me was nothing other than a pro at handling weapons. His movements, battle sense was very sharp, even sharper than mine. To receive an attack from an enemy that is at least three times stronger than yourself is nothing, but skill. Gritting my teeth Iunched a barrage of random swings and stabs aiming for the man''s vitals. I was already on myst legs. My pierced shoulder was bleeding more and more. It was also starting to be difficult to even keep my eyes open. After a few more exchanges I suddenly felt the feeling of my left hand. nk... I heard something made out of metal hit the ground. Looking down at my arm I saw my sword lying on the ground. My arm was missing, it waspletely torn off my shoulder. A wave of pain came and as I was falling I saw some kind of wolf just a few meters away chewing on my missing limb. Dropping to the ground I saw the hooded stranger patting the wolf as he was slowly approaching my body. Even though I was in my fifties and had more adventures than even some old men... I didn''t want to die. '' I want to live... '' My thoughts trailed off as I felt something engulf my mind, afortable darkness was embracing me. " Do you want to survive? " A strange voice echoed in my head. Chapter 50 Corrupted Human? After putting up a good fight the man finally fell. Even though the ending wasn''t satisfying, because a certain someone interrupted it. My gaze moved towards a ck wolf that was still chewing on the leader''s missing limb. His saliva was sshing everywhere one meter around him, preventing me from confiscating his new toy. '' How did he even escape the inn? '' I thought while eyeing him running around with a limb in his mouth. '' He didn''t cause a ruckus did he? '' Shaking my head and worries away, I turned towards the leader''s corpse. I had an expensive sword to retrieve. Even though it was worth a fortune I wasn''t nning to sell it, at least for now. I wanted to put in a yer Auction House, but now the bids would be low, since yers don''t know the real value of such a weapon. Picking the sword from the ground I raised it in the air. A double edged de seemingly made out of ruby connected to a ck handle made out of leather. The weapon looked beautiful. Inspecting it from both sides I noticed slight engraving on the side of the de. ~ ? ????? ???? ?? ? ???, ???? ?? ????? ???? ? ????????? ?????? ~ I could only shrug my shoulders at such engravings. I couldn''t recognize them even with knowledge from my previous life. Putting the sword in my Inventory I turned around when I saw Fenrir showing me his teeth. No it wasn''t to me... It was for someone behind me! Dashing away I felt something slightly scratch the back of my leg. Running a dozen meters further and making sure I''m safe I turned around to face my new opponent. The previously dead leader was now standing, although not on his own. ck tendrils have created new limbs that were connected to his chest lifting him up to 9 feet in height. His skin was greyish and his previously red eyes werepletely dark. His arms had huge ck ws with some kind of liquid covering their surface. Even though I was experienced, I never expected this to happen. '' How the fuck did a middle Tier corrupted appear in this rather weak thief! '' I couldn''t help, but curse. Corrupted are creatures despised by nature, even Demons hate them. They are formed by One''s selfish desires or can be created by the game. Even yers aren''t save from corrupted taking over their dead body. What the leader of thief''s became is merely a puppet controlled by a real corrupted. Usually corrupted spawn in their own realm - The Desert of Corruption, a wastnd with no animals, greenery or water. Real Corrupted are creatures all different in shape from animals to walking trees. They can feed themselves on negative emotionsing from realms all around them. They seek to constantly take over more and morend to be closer to the source of such emotions. The Real Corrupted had to be a pretty powerful one to create a Middle Tier Corrupted Human. The Strength of the Puppet depends on the Host and the strength of the target. Since the leader wasn''t strong it indicated how powerful the Corrupted was. '' Probably a King Tier One '' A quick thought passed through my head as I saw the Corrupted Leader''s gazend on me. His expressionless face changed into a smile that made me slightly shudder in fear. The being''s mouth had four rows of teeth. I couldn''t even force myself to call it a human anymore. Such appearance was nothing else, but monstrous. I heard a quiet growl leave Fenrir''s mouth as he lowered his body preparing to leap at the enemy. Seeing mypanion ready to fight I also clenched my staff letting the Demonic me cover its surface. I was very happy, since after burning all the dead bodies, I could finally use the me on my weapons. Even though I still couldn''tunch it I was more than happy with the progress. I was praying that my previous life experience with swords would allow me to win in this fight, if not... I''ll lose two levels, but receive a Magical Sword. Even though the death seemed not as bad as before I wasn''t nning on dying. Screech... The Corrupted leader screeched seemingly tearing apart all of his vocal cords. An aura of death was sent in all directions probably engulfing the whole city and informing everyone about the Corrupted one''s presence. Before I wasn''t sure If I''ll survive, but now, with the help of Fenrir we should be able to stall the being until the City guards came to our aid. It was even surprising that nobody interrupted my fight with the gang. We were fighting for at least 15 minutes. Smirking at the stupidity of the creature I started creating two Shadow sts. '' Such power, but no Intelligence '' I could only shake my head. In my previous life the Mid Tier Corrupted could bepared to a Lv. 50 yer. Click... Click... Both Shadow sts powered by Shadow Energy wereunched towards the Corrupted, who didn''t even move. Boom... Boom... Two explosions shook all the ground nearby, sending shockwaves around and even shattering the windows of some houses. Even though my most powerful spells hit the enemy I felt that something was wrong. The Corrupted are stupid, but by no means weak, their instincts should be top-notch. " The only reason for him not to dodge is... " My quiet voice was cut off as a ck leg emerged from the smoke created by the explosion. " That the attack didn''t have any effect on him " I finished my sentence taking a dozen steps backwards. This was no Mid Tier Corrupted, It was at least High Tier One! '' Why the hell is a Chaos Tier Corrupted taking over such a weak person! '' I almost shouted seeing its huge frame fully emerge from the smoke. The grin the creature had was still visible on its face, or rather he couldn''t change it since all of its muscles were frozen in ce. The being waspletely powered by Mana. Gesturing Fenrir to wait for my signal I lowered my body preparing to leap away from the enemy. Chapter 51 Fight Against A Corrupted Human Lowering my posture I channeled Mana into the staff. Click... The Staff was engulfed in a thin, white aura sending off heat waves in all directions. Surprisingly I wasn''t in any way hurt by the me, I also wasn''t affected by the heat. Touching the Staff''s warm surface I let out a deep breath. '' Spreading Demonic me onto a weapon surely consumes a lot of Mana '' Even though the spell itself wasn''t Mana hungry, keeping it on therge surface for long amounts of time was very tiring. Unfortunately this time, I had no choice, but to do it If I wanted to survive. In Fragmental if a yer is drained of Mana he might feel severe weakness or in some cases might even faint. Even with such possible oues I had to take risks. Stepping forward Iunched multiple Lightning spears at the leader''s face. Unlike previously the being moved his head to the side evading the projectiles. '' So multiple attacks can harm him '' I nodded my head seeing the leader''s movement. Suddenly I felt a sense of danger from my right side. Not having enough time to evade it I raised my staff with intent to block it. nk... A ck tentacle emerged from the ground striking my staff. Suddenly all the street''s surface around me shattered and at least a dozen of simr tentacles wereunched at me. Pushing away the first tentacle I rolled backwards dodging most of them, unfortunately one of them managed to graze my leg. " Ah " A muffled shout escaped from my lips as I rolled further away. Looking down on my leg I noticed a deep cut wound. The skin around the wound was slightly ck indicating that I was poisoned. Feeling the numbness slowly spreading through my body I knew that I didn''t have a lot of time until I was fully paralyzed. Sharpening my teeth I saw Fenrir leap at the Corrupted from behind. His massive Jaws managed to bite out a chunk of ck mass covering the leader''s body, unfortunately it had no effect on the being. Without any hesitation he just swung his hands intending to use his ws to cut Fenrir in half. Boom... A few Spears managed to pierce through the being''s leg making him slightly stumble and miss Fenrir by a small margin giving him a chance to escape. Calling Fenrir to my side I felt controling my body slowly bing harder and harder. '' Where are the guards! '' I kept on repeating while avoiding the Corrupted leader''s ws and tentacles. At this point I couldn''t even lift my arms, my body''s movements were getting slower and slower until one punch managed to connect, sending me flying to a nearby wall. Crack... I crashed into the wall breaking a few of my ribs. Spitting out blood I took a kneeling position trying to stand up, but soon I saw a shadow hover over me. '' Fuck I wish the Shadow Realm wasn''t on cooldown '' I couldn''t help, but curse my stupidity for being a showoff and using the skill to prove myself for the cksmith. '' I could''ve showed him Shadow Energy '' Was myst thought before I lost the sense of my legs and fell on my back. ~ yer Leo has suffered from Status Effect [ Paralysis ] -- One will not be able to move his body -- Duration ¡ú 5 minutes; ~~~~ I saw a system message appear before my face. Seeing the Corrupted raising his hand I closed my eyes awaiting for my death. nk... Suddenly a sound of something colliding was heard, opening my eyes I saw a soldier armored in Golden Armor using his sword to block the creature''s ws. I saw the soldier slightly tremble under the pressure, the ground underneath him also had some cracks, but the soldier still stood strong. Crash... Suddenly a ck fur beast crashed against the side of the Corrupted letting the Soldier take a breather. Even though I couldn''t move my familiar could. Showing his teeth to the Corrupted, Fenrir stood before me covering me from Corrupted human''s gaze. The Royal soldier also saw this and I could swear I saw a shadow of suspicion pass through his eyes. '' Shit '' I thought. It was the same royal soldier I''ve seen praying at the church. Closing my eyes I pretended to be unconscious. I had to wait until the paralysis Effect ran out until I could escape. '' What the hell am I doing? He can''t see my face, why am I closing my eyes! '' Opening my eyes wide open I started inspecting the battle. Both of thebatants were powerful, powerful enough to kill me with one sessful attack. nk... nk... Nails were shing against a sword sending shockwaves all around them. Even though the soldier had lower attributes, his swordsmanship more than made up for it. His level of battle understanding could be considered close to mine which I''ve gotten through dozen years of ying the game. Clenching his silver sword he blocked another fisting towards him, before cutting the creatures wrist off. Roar... The vicinity was shaken by the creature''s painful roar. I thought that my ear drums would burst apart. Unfortunately I couldn''t cover my ears since I was paralyzed. I also saw a small trail of blood leave from the side of the soldier''s helmet. '' I need to leave '' My thoughts started circting like crazy. Even though the Royal soldier was currently winning, he was only a human, his Stamina would run out sooner orter. Corrupted have no such thing as Stamina, they run on Mana which is powered by negative emotions. They are restless battle machines pretty much. Rustle... Rustle... I could finally move my fingers. Slowly the feeling of my limbs came back and I was able to move. Raising my aching body I leaned onto Fenrir and stumbled out of the battlefield. Luckily both the soldier and the Corrupted were engaged in the fight and didn''t notice me leaving the scene. Leaving the vicinity I heard the corrupted screeching another time. '' He noticed '' I thought while quickening my pace to the rented inn. Since the presence of the corrupted was known little to none people were on the streets allowing me to reach the inn faster. Chapter 52 Beast Tattoo Stumbling into my room I fell face first on the floor. Soon Strength started slowly returning to my body allowing me to sit up. Leaning on the nearby wall I patted Fenrir thanking him for help. Somehow standing up I saw stars circling around the room. '' Aghh '' Taking a deep breath I managed to walk in the bathroom and wash my face under the cold water. While I was showering, multiple system messages popped up on my screen. < Corrupted Rhino Gang Members x50 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 7500 EXP 2?? 3000 Gold Coins ~~~~ < UPGRADES > 1?? Demonic me ¡ú ~ +2% Corrosiveness ~ +1% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ < Demonic me has devoured x50 Corrupted Rhino Members > ~ +5.1% Magical damage ~ +5.1% Cooldown reduction -- [ NEW! ] Ability to cover a held weapon in mes ~~~~ I momentarily froze seeing the Gold I''ve gotten from killing the branch Members. Every single member was worth 60 gold. '' Maybe I should Eliminate the whole gang? '' Drooling about the possible rewards I even forgot the coldness of the water. Leaving the bathroom I took out the item I acquired in the church. 1?? Holy Sparkling Water -- Can cleanse corruption or any disease ~ Single use only ~~~~ Holding a bottle of golden liquid I took some time inspecting it before throwing it back into inventory and standing up. '' Time to find a group for the raid '' I thought while approaching Fenrir and waking him up. Since our previous fight took quite a ton of his stamina, as soon as we reached the room he entered the dreand. Looking back at the fight I recalled that Fenrir somehow managed to escape the inn and on my way to the room it didn''t look like he caused any trouble. Walking around the rented rooms I suddenly walked into the kitchen only to see a wall with a massive hole. '' :/ '' My expression became slightly distorted. Previously I was happy since I gained a ton of money from eradicating one of the gang''s branches, unfortunately my money would soon be gone for repair costs. Still I couldn''t be mad at him, since he was very helpful and his presence allowed me to survive the Corrupted Human encounter. Sighing in defeat I took out cooked pork and gave it to Fenrir. '' Helpful Bastard '' I Couldn''t help, but shed invisible tears imagining Gold Coins disappearing from my inventory. Suddenly a system message interrupted my grief. < Your Bond with Fenrir became stronger! > < Do You want to Engrave the Beast Tattoo onto your soul? > < YES / NO > The previous agony over the lost money was gone, in fact I was so surprised that I couldn''t even speak. " Wha.. " Barely managing to let out a sound simr to a word I quickly pressed the Yes Button. Whoosh... I felt a slight tingling sensation pass all through my body and concentrate near my sr plexus. Click... < Congrattions on Achieving the Beast Tattoo! > < Do you wan.... > I threw my fist at the NO button even before it even appeared. I had a slight Trauma after the previous announcement. Looking down at my chest I saw a small ck tattoo engraved on my sr plexus. It was the head of a ck wolf. Shifting my gaze to Fenrir who was still enjoying his meal I wished for him to be stored inside the tattoo. Zoom... His figure became transparent as he suddenly became light particles that flew into my chest. Even though he now had no physical body I could hear his anguish, because he couldn''t finish his food. Chuckling at the reason of his grief I let him out only for him to grab the pork and go back inside the Tattoo. Since I could feel his emotions I knew that he feltfortable staying in the tattoo, because was cozy. Stretching my back I heard some shoutsing from the other side of the door. " We do not disclose any information about our customers! " " You are preventing a Royal Guard from finding a criminal responsible for stealing a property of the Holy Church. Do you take responsibility for your actions? " " I don''t care who you are, this is private property, plus do you have any proof that any of our clients is a thief? " ~~~~ I didn''t listen any further. Sliding the hood on my head I left the building through the hole previously made by Fenrir. " I guess I won''t need to pay for wall restoration " I shrugged my shoulders while a small smile was ying on my lips. Not wanting to act suspicious after I left the inn I entered a crowd of people moving towards the castle. I didn''t know if it was the same Royal Guard that fought the Corrupted or not, but if he managed to defeat him and recover that fast he was no pushover. It was better if I was quickly done with the raid and left the city. < The Inn owner '' Pablo '' Feels animosity towards you! > ? A system message obstructed my view prompting me to smile. '' He probably found out about the broken wall '' I chuckled, not putting any effort to hide it, receiving a few strange looks from the people nearby. If a yer receives enough animosity from the NPCs he''ll be deemed as evil and will be hunted by guards and soldiers. It is something simr to having a Dark Orange Name Tag, but I was yet far from achieving such animosity from the NPCs. Walking towards the castle I felt slight goosebumps seeing its majestic frame. No matter how many times I''ve seen this building, I am a man and I''m still amazed by how cool it looks. Its tall towers piercing the sky, awesome architecture that seems to fall even with small push. I was especially amazed by the bridge that led to the castle. The castle itself was built on a small ind with a ring of void surrounding it. If one fell into it he would immediately die. Even in my previous life nobody knew how the void formed, there were multiple attempts to collect, exploit or even move the void, but all of them were unsessful. The Bridge itself was transparent giving some with fear of heights a hard time walking on top of it. Reaching the bridge I took a step forward when suddenly everything around me went white. Chapter 53 The Raid Castle Everything around me went white. Like a sh bang it temporarily blinded me. Blinking a few times I suddenly heard distant noises. When my vision was back I found myself in a room engraved in various gold symbols and other decorations. The room itself had many paintings seemingly covering every wall leaving only the door and a window uncovered. The moon light was seeping through the window seemingly trying to enter the room. In the middle of the room, in a huge spacious bed a middle-aged man was sleeping. Some of his hair were grey and his face was full of wrinkles, nevertheless he was handsome. Like a ghost I was at the right corner of the room, levitating, with no ability to move. Looking down at my body, I was transparent, I could still see the rough shape of my arms, but I was barely visible. Gazing around the room I noticed the door open with a quiet creaking sound, of course, since it was in the middle of the night the sound was implemented a few times. '' Even the game follows the universe''sws '' I tried to shake my head. Tap... Soon a dark silhouette entered the room. His huge frame was that of a well trained soldier. With a dark mask on his face he quietly looked around the room searching for anything hidden. Coming closer to the sleeping man, he removed one of his gloves. The palm of his hand waspletely ck, it could be called rotten. Unsheathing his sword the man cut his wrist off letting the dark blood seep into the mattress. His yellow eyes were glowing in the dark room giving him an eerie look. Even after cutting the wrist he didn''t even flinch. It seemed as if the pain was an everyday urrence to him. Even I who was watching this felt shivers run down my back. Suddenly the middle aged man''s eyes opened wide and he swung his sword that previously wasn''t in his hand. Whoosh... The sword pierced through the invaders neck beheading him instantly and sshing more blood on the man and the bed. Cough... Cough... The middle-aged man started coughing, he even spat blood. Thest thing I heard before I was back at the bridge was someone barging into the room. " My King! " ~~~~ I was back to my body at the beginning on the bridge. What I''ve just witnessed was one of the cut scenes. This cut scene specifically showed the past of how the king became corrupted. Ding... A system message popped up. < Subdue the Corrupted King! > < Do you want to ept the quest? > < ACCEPT > | < DECLINE > Without thinking I pressed the ept button. < The Corrupted King Quest epted! > <~ Entrance to the Castle permitted ~> Closing all the messages I continued to walk on the bridge. After a few minutes I''ve finally reached the shore where huge gates with guards guarding them stood. Walking closer I saw one of the soldiers give me a look before gesturing to someone on the wall. Crack... The gates creaked as they were slowly opened. I couldn''t help, but think if the guards let me pass if they knew I was a Demon. Walking through the gates I felt some gazes linger on me as, but I just shook my head. '' Guards can''t attack me without a reason '' Entering the castle I saw a crowd of people forming near a trapdoor with stairs going down. '' The Raid location '' I thought while ncing around for a group. Most of the people I saw were human swordsmen. '' I need an item to inspect yer Status '' I thought while grumbling. Suddenly I recalled something, opening my notes and quickly reading through them. ~ Notes ~ 1?? ~ Retrieve Reward from the city Mayor, for defeating 50 golems. 2?? ~ Buy a shit ton of HP potions. ~~~~ Scratching my neck I looked around only to notice a small carriage with a sign '' Potions '' written on it. '' Fuck '' I cursed seeing an Old dude''s face appear in the window. " Hello, how may I help you, good sir? " The man spoke with a tone seemingly full of joy and excitement. " Shut the fuck up! " I hissed through my teeth. The man before me was the one responsible for almost making me go bankrupt a few times in my previous life. I couldn''t help, but recall an asion when I was poisoned and came to his shop to buy a cure. As soon as he heard that I was poisoned the price of the cure doubled leaving me to die and drop half of my stuff. My outrage quite startled the man. " Sir, please calm down " The shop owner said while wiping away a drop of sweat. Well he could say whatever he wanted. I didn''t care. " I need CHEAP healing potion " I said still gnashing my teeth. If he dares to up the prize even by a little I''ll grill him with my mes. I didn''t even notice as between my fingers white mes and Shadow energy were starting tobine together creating a small light show. The back of the merchant went cold seeing a customer this mad for no reason. '' Psychopath '' He thought while biting his nails. Looking down at my arms he saw some kind of me and strange dark substance connecting with each other in between my fingers. " ..How... Much po..tions do you need? " He struggled to speak, but managed to make a sentence. " At least 20 " I said, managing to calm myself down. I was surrounded by dozens of guards able to overpower even a level 10 monster. I couldn''t cause a ruckus, especially with so many yers, some of them might even have a hero syndrome. With a bitter smile I quickly bought the Potions for a normal prize, 20 Gold coins per Bottle and throwing onest nce to the merchant moved towards the crowd surrounding the trapdoor. Moving closer and closer I felt someone''s handnd on my shoulder. " Do you want to join our group? " Chapter 54 Meeting The Strongest Player Turning towards the voice I shrugged my shoulders throwing off the hand. I didn''t like being touched, especially in the game where some people can steal your items with only a slight touch. Lifting my eyes up I saw a young man with a newly cut beard and a neat haircut. He was smiling, but I noticed his eye twitch as I pushed his hand away. Looking at his appearance I instantly knew who he was. '' Red hair, brown eyes, good posture, he''s definately the Angry Bird '' Everything clicked inside my mind. In my previous life Angry Bird was a name of one of the Strongest yers. He was given such a nickname, because of his easy to provoke personality. He was also from a wealthy background making almost nobody stand against him. From his birth he was treated as a king. His parents were billionaires after all. That''s how his personality came to life. He was basically a young master with a pride of a lion. Recalling his personality with a monotone voice I quickly declined his offer quickly walking away. Of course the King himself didn''t just let this go. Extending his hand he once again took hold of my shoulder this time repeating the sentence with a louder tone. " Join our group, will you? " I was pissed, shaking his hand off and gave him a stare. " I will not join your team and I suggest you don''t touch my shoulder, unless you don''t want your limb to be attached to your body " I said while eyeing the man. I don''t want trouble, but if he touches me again, he''ll pay. I was about to turn around when I felt another handnd on my shoulder. A vein popped on my forehead. Shifting to the side I threw a fist covered in Demonic mes right behind me. Crash... I managed to navigate my fist downwards so the momentum would be transferred to the ground. It wasn''t the Angry Bird that was standing behind me, it was an elf trying to hide her true beauty within a hood. Her body was covered in green, shiny armor. She was also wearing a hood that barely covered her face. Since it didn''t have any special properties to hide one''s face like Shadow Cloak it was only partially useful. '' Strongest yer? '' My body momentarily froze. Slowly raising from the ground and scratching my aching fist I lifted my eyes upwards meeting her gaze. Click... Suddenly everything around went quiet as if the Shadow Realm was casted over the area. Her two, light blue eyes as cold as ice met mine freezing me on the spot. Her as white as snow hair and beauty made me momentarily hold my breath. Fortunately none of my expressions were seen, since my face was hidden in a hood. Unknowingly fixing my posture I noticed that she was a head shorter than me. Even though I was acting calm I couldn''t contain my excitement, it was the strongest yer! Since in myst life I was at the bottom I naturally had someone I aspired to be. That person was the Girl before me. Without any wealthy background or spending money on the game she managed to surpass all the young masters and millionaires bing the strongest one. She had some real skill! In my previous life if I would''ve met her I''d bow and plea for guidance, but now it was different. " I want to hire you " She almost inaudibly whispered, prompting me to lower my head. '' Maybe I misheard? '' A thought passed through my mind. Seeing me lowering my head made her body slightly stiffen. '' So she still hasn''t gone over that, huh? '' Due to her beauty she''s like a ma. Boys are attracted to her like bears to honey, or teenagers to vaping. Throughout her life she built a wall disallowing anyone froming too close, she doesn''t even interact with males. '' Well, she''ll get over it eventually '' I shrugged my shoulders. Since I didn''t want to make her ufortable I instantly got down to business. " How much are you willing to pay? " Since she started ying the game as early as I did she must''ve attained some wealth. I still didn''t want to name a specific number, since it might paint me as a greedy person. Having a good connection with strong yers was crucial. " Name your prize... " She gave me an answer while tucking her hair behind her ear. This action alone would freeze many men in spot, but I, who was dense as fuck, didn''t even notice her actions. '' Wait... she can''t be nning to hire me as a mercenary with no right to the loot? Well in that case I''ll just negotiate '' My mind was running a marathon trying to decipher her hidden agenda. Since in my previous life I was used to people using others for their own benefits I had built a simr wall disallowing me from trusting others easily. " How about the Loot? " Without any change in my tone I spoke slightly confusing the Elf. To her, most of the men would sumb to her beauty bing almost brainless. She was happy since she found someone who isn''t affected by her charm, but at the same time annoyed. '' He noticed '' She quietly clicked her tongue. I of course heard it, since my Attributes were higher. My Senses also became sharper after Leveling up. Especially when they were further implemented when I''ve gotten a Beast Tattoo. My smell, sight and hearing was enchanted, but not that majorly to be mentioned. '' I need to reach Lv. 15 to unlock a new Attribute '' I thought while bringing my full focus to the person before me. Her long eyshes were covering her blue eyes that were trying to see through my hood. I couldn''t help, but chuckle at her actions. " You''ll be able to choose one item from the Loot " The Elf voiced her opinion. On paper it wasn''t that bad, but since I wasn''t going to attempt to clear the Raid normally I didn''t agree immediately. " I''ll join the Group, but I will not try to kill the boss, since it''s impossible with our current level " I stated making the Elf raise her eyebrows. " You... Won''t kill... the boss? " She slowly repeated every single word of my sentence. " Yes! " Chapter 55 Meeting The Strongest Player (2) " Yes! " I confidently said making the Elf look at me as if I was retarded. " How are you going to finish the raid if you are not nning to kill the boss? " She questioned while raising her eyebrows. " I have other means and toplete them I need to be a leader. If youply with my terms and follow my instructions without hesitation I promise you, our group will be the first one toplete the raid" Extending my arm for a handshake to seal the deal I prayed that she would ept. I needed her lightning spells that could momentarily immobilize the enemy, but if she declines, I guess I''ll have to find another Mage with a lower skillset. " You''ll be payed 2000 Gold Coins for the Raid, but you shally down the n before we enter, so no surprises appear " Surprisingly she agreed and shook my hand. " I''ll gather other members. Be here tomorrow by 2 AM. Letting go of my hand she walked into the crowd leaving me alone. '' Soft '' I thought, feeling the lingering sensation on my extended palm. Waking up from my stupor I was a bit lost on what to do now. I expected to start the raid immediately, but since the Elf has its own ns, I''ll just have to wait. Stretching my back I suddenly recalled my interaction with the Angry Bird. '' Good Connections with strong people my ass '' I murmured looking around trying to see if he was still in the area. Soon I noticed him, since he was above average in height and had hair simr color to fire. His eyes were staring at me while his face was slightly distorted. I could swear I could hear him grit his teeth in rage. '' Dumbass '' Ignoring his stare I took a deep breath before leaving the castle. Unsurprisingly someone was following me. Not wanting to alert the followers about me knowing of their presence I passed through the bridge and walked into one of the side streets. The weather outside the castle was harsh, it was heavily raining with lightning striking from time to time. ~~~~ The streetnterns were barely Illuminating the street making it full of shadows. Currently in one of these Shadows I was crouching waiting for my perpetrators toe. Tap.. Tap... Raindrops fell on my Cloak, but luckily my cloak was water resistant. Raising my face to the sky I felt some water trickle down my neck. '' Cold '' I thought while changing on which leg I was putting all my weight. " .. Ran here! " I heard shouts and the sound of water being sshed quickly nearing my location. Soon a group of 6 males simr to my age came into view. They were panting while curses were continuously flowing from their mouths. " Where is he? " " If we don''t find him, the boss will kill us! " The group members screamed at each other. Inspecting every single one of them I didn''t see the Angry Bird. '' They must be Angry Bird''s henchmen '' I thought while summoning Fenrir from the Beast Tattoo. His huge frame covered in ck fur appeared to my right side. His mouth was slightly open showing his long rows of teeth. Turning its head towards me, the huge beast let out a sound simr to a sneeze. Apparently he didn''t like getting wet and since it was raining, he was out ofmission... Raising my eyebrows at his childish behavior I decided to bribe him. Taking out the cooked pork from my inventory, I split it in half and threw one side to him. Gulp... He swallowed the pork without even chewing. After finishing his half he started wagging his tail asking for more, but I only gestured to the group for him to understand my goal. '' First we fight, then we feast '' My message was crystal clear. Lowering his body, Fenrir''s hind legs were strained under the great pressure as heunched himself straight at the group. I did want for him to fight alone, since he has to gain experience of fighting against humans, on the other hand I had to show the Angry Bird not to mess with me. As soon as Fenrir dashed out of the shadows I also came out revealing my presence. Crash... The ck beast collided with a Man wearing some scraps of metal armor throwing him into the nearby wall. I didn''t know if he was dead, but soon a system message appeared on my screen. < You''ve Killed a yer @lg@$^! > < LOOT > 1?? 400 EXP ( Shared with Fenrir ) 2?? 236 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ A list of itemspletely useless to me appeared. Since the yer had died while fighting another yer half of his items were dropped. At first my eyes weren''t even drawn towards the items, it was towards the yer''s name. '' Who names their child in Demon Language? '' I couldn''t help, but giggle at his name. His parents probably felt like trolling while choosing the name. Collecting the gold and setting the body on fire I shifted my attention to the other enemies. Fenrir has already managed to kill one of them by using his ws to slice the man in half and wound another by biting a chunk out of his shoulder. Since my emotions were connected to my pet''s I could feel their smell of fear. '' Since I have time until tomorrow I better deal with theseckeys and go to buy some equipment '' My mind drifted towards the raid. I thought that we would embark on the raid immediately, but since the time was on my side I could make extra preparations. '' Where to buy... '' Trying to remember where the shop is located I casted two Lighting spears impaling the group''s Dark Priest to the ground. He was trying to cast a curse upon Fenrir and I didn''t want to use a HP pot to keep Fenrir alive until the curse''s duration ended. Since 3 of the members were already dead the other members tried to run. Crash... One of them was decimated on the spot by a grey orb seemingly as fast as the sport''s car. His body instantly became particles disappearing into the sky. The wounded man and the other man ran to different directions, but were soon followed by me and Fenrir. < You''ve Killed yers x3! > < LOOT > 1?? 1200 EXP 2?? 679 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ < You''ve Killed yers x2! > < LOOT > 1?? 800 EXP ( Shared with Fenrir ) 2?? 508 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ Chapter 56 Preparations For The Raid < You''ve Killed yers x3! > < LOOT > 1?? 1200 EXP 2?? 679 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ < You''ve Killed yers x2! > < LOOT > 1?? 800 EXP ( Shared with Fenrir ) 2?? 508 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ I''ve caught up to the wounded man and quickly killed him with a single Lightning Spear. I also felt that the other man was killed by Fenrir. Casting the Demonic me I allowed it to devour the body. I''ve also just noticed that the white mes were still burning even in the rain. Ting... < UPGRADES > 1?? Lightning Spear ¡ú Lightning Bolt ~ +25% Projectile Speed ~ +10% To Inflict Status Effect ~ +10% Magical Damage ~ +5% To Electrify nearby Enemies ~~~~ An upgrade window popped up notifying that one of my spells reached the Lv. 5. Everything about the spell was majorly upgraded. The Spell''s name even changed from Lightning Spear to the Lightning Bolt. I wanted to try its power andpare it to the Shadow st, but I had more important things at hand. Leaving the body to burn I ran and lit the other 3 bodies on fire. ( First body was already burnt, another one waspletely decimated by a Shadow st ). < Demonic me has devoured x5 yers > ~ +0.25 % Magical damage ~ +0.25 % Cooldown reduction ~~~~ Petting Fenrir I gave him the other half of the Pork and allowed him to reside in the Beast Tattoo. I could feel him nodding his head as he was no longer under the rain. Leaving the backstreet I opened a Map to navigate towards one of the shops. '' I have to somehow impede king''s movements before he could do anything able to kill us all '' My mind was running a marathon trying to recall the king''s skills. '' As far as I know he had no spells... The only thing noticeable about him was his swordsmanship and his sword rted skills '' I shrugged my shoulders remembering the clip of how the king cut a wall reinforced with a thickyer of Mithril using the hilt of his sword. '' I need to dy his movements... '' The same thought was bombarding me as I reached my goal. Standing before a humble house with a hanging sign '' Wee! '' I opened a door walking into a rather old building. The interior of the house was fully made out of wood. The room was full of wooden stoves with all kinds of things stored on them ranging from potions to an... eyeball? Shaking my head I looked towards the end of the room only to see a counter with an olddy reading a book behind it. Since she didn''t mind me I did the same. Walking through the countless shelves with items, potions, weapons I saw many things, but most of them I already knew due to my past life knowledge. I was about to give up and move to another shop when a square shaped object caught my eye. 1?? sh Grenade [ Bronze ] -- A throwable grenade that upon explosion releases a blinding sh ~ Able to Obstruct one''s vision until the effect wear off ~ Duration ¡ú 1 minute ~~~~ Taking the Grenade in my hand I Lifted its price tag. Looking at the numbers I felt as if someone punched me in my lungs, I momentarily lost my breath. ? 150 Gold Coins per a Single Grenade Catching my breath I put the Grenade back on the shelf. '' Fuck no! '' With a frown I walked towards the counter. " May I negot... " I was cut in the middle of my sentence. " Prizes are non negotiable " The olddy didn''t even lift her eyes from the book, declining my suggestion. Usually I am veryposed and mature, but today I was nearing my limit. Fighting against a Gang,bating a High Tier Corrupted, being tailed by a young master''s henchmen. '' I need to take a break '' I thought somehow managing not to do anything stupid. Walking outside to take a breath of fresh air I noticed it was no longer raining and only clouded. Looking at the passersby I noticed most of them being yers. They were mostly human''s, but I could see some Orcs. The Orc build is very different from human''s. They are muscr creatures easily towering over 6 feet. Their facial appearance is certainly uglier than human''s, they also have dark green skin. The usual weapon of Orcs is a heavy Axe, broadsword, or a Warhammer. Since Humans and Orcs are races rtively close to each other, yers can easily travel from one side to another. It''s especially good, since Orc and Human NPCs interact with both races. '' Not like Demons... '' I thought, recalling my fate of not being able to talk to most of the NPCs from the other races. Scratching my chin I finally felt more empty minded and decided to head back into the shop. Walking back towards the shelf where the grenades were stationed I noticed a person I haven''t seen before stealthily looking around the shelves. Suddenly he grabbed one of the potions from the shelf and dashed towards the door expecting to escape. Whoosh... A wind barrier blocked the thief''s path making him hit it face first and fall backwards. He wasn''t even able to move as Light particles formed chains on his wrists before he disappeared. '' Stupid '' I giggled under my breath. The yer just now tried to steal, but since he was caught he was immediately jailed. I didn''t know for how long, but it definitely wasn''t any shorter than one day in real life time. In this game one can steal from NPCs, but if caught he''ll face immediate imprisonment or even execution if the NPC is powerful enough to do it. Pressing the bridge of my nose I grabbed a box of sh Grenades and carried it to the counter. ? Purchase Completed! ? - 1500 Gold Coins! ? +10 sh Grenades! My Purchase wasplete and I stored the grenades inside my inventory. Wishing the olddy a good day I left the shop reminiscing about what else I need next. " I need a defensive spell " I thought out loudly turning towards the huge white building. Its form was that of a square and it had a circr shaped entrance with huge turrets located above it. '' Auction house '' A thought passed through my mind as I started walking towards the building. Chapter 57 Auction House The building was majestic, its white, square shaped structure was nothing, but beautiful. Nearing the entrance I saw huge turrets located above it. '' Mana Turrets '' I thought while eyeing the machine. Mana turrets are weapons mainly used for defense, in my previous life Guilds built them on their guild house to defend against others. Strolling into the building I saw many booths with curtains disallowing anyone to see what was happening inside. In every booth there was a person buying or selling stuff. Moving into one of these booths the curtains automatically closed behind me and a system screen appeared. < Wee to the Auction House! > < Purchase an Item / Sell an Item > Letters with beautiful golden outlines appeared allowing me to either sell or buy some items. Pressing on the Buy button I quickly filtered out all the other stuff leaving me with 3 spells that matched my description. 1?? < Wind Barrier > ?? -- Gather the wind nearby to form a Wind Barrier ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 15 second cooldown ~ Can block up to 500 Damage Spell Cost ¡ú 1250 Gold Coins ~~~~ 2?? < Mana Shield > ?? -- Form a shield made out of Mana ~ Cost 40 MP ~ 13 second cooldown ~ Can block up to 500 Damage Spell Cost ¡ú 1000 Gold Coins ~~~~ 3?? < Earthen armor > -- Manipte Earth to cover your body to form an armor ~ Cost 45 MP ~ 15 second cooldown ~ Can block up to 600 Damage Spell Cost ¡ú 1300 Gold Coins ~~~~ I was contemting which one to buy, all of them were good, but their Mana consumption was different. Putting < Wind Barrier > to the side I startedparing the other two spells. '' This one has higher defense, but the other one has lower cooldown. '' My head was heating up from all the thinking. Taking a deep breath I suddenly noticed that one spell has no affinity, while the other was earth. '' Bingo '' I smiled and immediately bought the spell by paying some extra money. ? Purchase Completed! ? - 1250 Gold Coins! ? + New Spell! Completing the purchase I was instantly bombarded by the system''s message. < New Spell without an attribute found... > < Due to a Special Subss the Spell will be upgraded... > < UPGRADES > 1?? ?? Mana Shield ¡ú ?? Shadow Protection ~~~~ 1?? Shadow Protection < Lv. 1 > -- Cast a shield that is able to devour the damage ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 2 minute cooldown ~ Can block one attack no matter its damage ~~~~ I momentarily stopped breathing, I expected the upgrade to be good, but not this much. Hungry for more such skills I swiped and swiped around the shop trying to find a Skill or a Spell without an Affinity, but was unsessful, since they were scarce. Having < Shadow Protection > in my arsenal I instantly felt more secure. I could now be hit by a boss once and not be punished. Rubbing my hands together I was already thinking about more ways for me to gain an upper hand against the Corrupted King. Scrolling through the List of items an Idea came to my mind. '' Since everything is underpriced, why don''t I do some flips? '' Interacting with the search bar I quickly typed in some item names. Ding... Ding... Ding... ? Purchase Completed! ? - 375 Gold Coins! ? + 3 Mithril Bars! ? Purchase Completed! ? - 450 Gold Coins! ? + 9 ck Wood! ? Purchase Completed! ? - 1500 Gold Coins! ? + Cursed Miner''s pickaxe! ~~~~ Buying some items that would rise in price I left the Auction house while humming my favorite song. With a lot of money spent and some time to spare I decided to log off. In the game I had the whole day in my hands wherever I had way less time outside. Taking off my headgear and climbing out of the VR pod I brushed my dark hair to the side. '' I need to get a haircut '' I thought, since my hair was obstructing my vision. Stretching my back I went to the kitchen to eat something light. Walking across the house I couldn''t help, but admire its beauty and size. Huge corridors, good lighting, and afortable atmosphere. Since there was so much space I could even house a few more people. Opening the fridge I took a peek inside. Zzzzz... ? A fly flew past me... The fridge waspletely empty. Facepalming, I quickly took out my phone and contacted my parents to tell them to buy some food products. I could order them to be delivered, but that would be expensive, since the delivery to this area costs above the norm. Looking through the cupboards and shelves I finally found a box with some slices of pizza left. Devouring all the food and throwing the box in the bin I did a few exercises and went back to my room. Logging back into the game this time I didn''t feel any difort while losing my consciousness. '' My body is adapting '' I closed and reopened my eyes to adapt to the light. In the game the sun was already rising and illuminating the whole city. '' I have a few more hours '' I thought while slowly moving along the rtively quiet street, since it was the morning most of the NPCs were sleeping and yers don''t usually overstay in cities, but explore the wilderness or kill monsters outside the city area. Shifting my gaze from right to left I noticed some people peeking in my direction. '' I''m getting recognized with the hood on... What is this '' I sneered begrudgingly recalling how I was found out after demolishing a house''s wall. '' Maybe I need to remove my hood and reconsider wearing the crown '' My rational mind gave me an easy way out, but I just couldn''t allow such a useful item to rot in my inventory. Ignoring the stares I walked into a more empty street only to be followed by another person. '' If you ignore the problem long enough, it''ll disappear '' I incited a famous quote I heard a long time ago. Unfortunately the stalker kept following me throughout my tour around the city. He was already on my nerves. Hiding my arm in the Cloak I conjured A lightning bolt without stopping to walk. Turning around the corner I waited for the stalker to emerge from his hiding spot. As soon as I saw his head appear behind a corner I threw my newly upgraded spell. Whoosh... The Bolt flew so fast that it was even hard for me to follow its movements. The Lightning projectile hit the head of the Stalker piercing his head. - 512 Magical Damage! < You''ve Killed a yer Theo! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP 2?? 1232 Gold Coins ... ~~~~ The system message alerted me of the stalker''s death. Looking at his name I suddenly started giggling uncontrobly. It was Angry Bird that was tailing me. '' How fortunate to meet him here '' Still giggling I grinned at the amount of gold he dropped. '' Well, His parents sure are rich '' I smiled at my fortunate encounter. Now I wasn''t regretting drawing his attention. '' Come after me more! '' I even pleaded thinking about the potential of making him a money farm. Well in the long run he and his group will surpass my individual strength, but I''m not nning to y this game alone. Scratching my neck I recalled the only friend I''ve had in my previous life. His harsh yet reassuring words and emotional support he gave me after my parents death. I wanted to shed tears recalling the past, but since my mind was reinforced by all the rebirth stuff I held myself together. As I was thinking about the past I didn''t even notice Theo''s body bing light particles giving me no second opportunity to let the Demonic me devour it. Shaking my head at my forgetfulness I lowered my body and burnt all his stuff that was dropped on the ground. I was contemting why developers would only make the Starting viges territories safe zones, but I didn''t mind it. After finishing my business with the Angry bird I left towards the castle. Seeing the sun right above me I picked up my pace. '' Can''t bete! '' ~~~~ Walking into the castle I saw many groups gathering around the entrance to the Raid room, but one of the groups was different from others. This group consisted a Muscr Female orc wielding an Axe, a human Monk with knuckles wearing an orange robe and an Elf who''s beauty attracted everyone''s gaze. Spotting me in the crowd the Elf approached me, taking hold of my hand and pulling me towards the other group members. Momentarily flustered I suddenly felt a shiver run down my back. '' What the Fuck! '' I cursed feeling intense gazes piercing me from all the sides. '' Beauty sure is a weapon '' Trying to act as calm as possible I grumbled under my nose, so only I could hear. Unfortunately I forgot that elves had heightened sense of hearing allowing the elf to hear my mumbling. Slightly turning her head to look at me she was about to say something, but a soft voice, not suited for a giant like her, rang out from the female orc''s mouth. " Nice to meet you! My name is Eli " Extending her hand forward she greeted me with a huge smile. Chapter 58 The Raid Shaking her hand I felt vibrations pass through my body. '' How high is her Strength Attribute? '' I questioned pulling my hand away. Looking at her burly hands and build I could tell it was at least above 100. Looking at the armor covering her body I was surprised, since she was only wearing a cloth chestte and pants. It was a bit weird for a fighter like an orc to wear such a small amount of armor. Shifting my gaze to the monk I also shook his hand. While being near him I could smell a faint smell of strawberries. '' Weird '' I thought finally turning towards the elf. As I was about to greet her I suddenly felt the situation be somewhat awkward. " My name is Leo " With a monotone voice I quickly spoke trying to forget the weird atmosphere surrounding us. Luckily the Elf also did the same. " I''m Ava " She said the information I already knew, but couldn''t share. Closely looking at her face I could see she was ufortable sharing her name with a stranger, but it couldn''t be helped since it''ll be revealed soon anyway. < Party Request Received! > < Do you want to to join the Party? > 1?? Elf ~ Ava 2?? Human ~ Eric 3?? Orc ~ Eli < YES / NO > ~~~~ Pressing the YES button I felt connected to all 3 yers. I could approximately tell their condition and location. While I was familiarizing myself with the Effect the other party members were staring at the Party Window. 4?? Demon ~ Leo ~~~~ " You... are you a demon? " With a slight cough Eric finally spoke. Turning towards him I noticed his eyes slightly widen while he was wearing a stupid grin. " You are the yer who Defeated the Dark Prince " He said another sentence that almost made me lose footing. '' Sherlock? '' I bitterly smiled and was about to deny the fact when a pen and a paper were shoved into my face. " Can I get an Autograph? " A giant Orc with a voice not suited for her build pleased while slightly lowering her height to match mine. Looking at the two I sighed in defeat and quickly signed the given paper. While Eli was busy jumping in joy and Monk was trying to steal my signature I shifted my eyes towards Ava. Her expression hasn''t changed, but even I could tell she was slightly interested, because of the stares she gave me from time to time. Massaging my temtes I gestured for the group to follow me to a more quiet ce so I couldy down the n. ~~~~ The nning went surprisingly well, the monk was just nodding his head, Eli was listening to me as if I was a Messiah and Ava was contemting how to follow my instructions. Since as a Lightning mage her role for the raid was crucial. I was kind of happy that my identity was revealed to this group of people, they didn''t seem too bad and their trust in me doubled hearing that I''ve already killed a Boss. I just hope they don''t believe I can fight the boss on equal ground. Just to make sure I voiced out my concerns and surely enough the Monk was surprised. " Didn''t you defeat even a stronger Boss? " His eyebrows raised sky high. " I was lucky " Shrugging my shoulders I brushed it off as luck, well that excuse would work for Eli and Eric, but not for Ava. Her Blue eyes shifted towards my face trying to read my expression. '' All hail the Shadow Cloak '' I thought smiling at the fact that Ava couldn''t read my expression. In the previous life she was very powerful, but one of her most powerful skills wasn''t even game implemented. It was an ability to read one''s expressions. She could easily discern her opponents intentions with a single nce at their face. I consider myself as a person that has a hardly breakable poker face, but you never know... It is better to wear a hood. Especially when so many people will be against you, because a certain Elf''s beauty is blinding. Quietly giggling at her attempt to see through my hood I took out 6 sh grenades and handed them out to my party members. " Throw it only when I give the signal " With amanding tone I spoke making sure that everyone understood. Swapping my demeanor from a rxed one to cold one I fully focused on the goal. Walking forward I interacted with the trapdoor. < Do You want to Enter The Corrupted King Raid? > < Waiting for party leader''s consent... > < Entrance to the Raid epted! > < Teleport willmence shortly... > < Teleporting... > A series of messages appeared and soon I saw my lower body be Light particles, before everything around me turned dark. Thump... Thump... Crash... Crash... I managed tond on my two feet while Eli and Erded on their butts. Since Ava was right beside me I helped her tond by creating a Shadow protection under her to lower her falling momentum. Confused as to why she didn''t fall, Ava looked below only to see a shadow. Since she didn''t know who''s spell it was I started walking forward where a dark, metal door was located. '' ???? ? ???? ??? ? ????????? '' On the door there was a message written in blood. Completely ignoring it I looked behind to make sure my party members are ready. Eli was tightly gripping her axe, Eric was biting his nails and Ava was nervously clenching her fists. Smiling at their nervousness I casted Shadow Realm over the area making Eric and Eli slightly jump in fright while Ava''s eyes widened. '' Fenrire out '' I called my pet who soon appeared before me. Only now I noticed that when I used Shadow Realm his Status was also improved. His Fur ck fur was shining even in the dark and his eyes were glowing in the dark. ncing over his Attributes I noticed all of them being <+50>. '' Lucky me '' I thought before widely opening the door to the boss room. " Let''s go! " Taking a look behind me I noticed my group members still in daze after my sudden show of power. Walking into the room the chandeliers on the ceiling suddenly lit up revealing a huge space filled with destroyed items like chairs, tables, mirrors everywhere on the ground. At the end of the room there was a throne where a dark silhouette wearing a red cape and a crown was sitting. His white shirt was dyed red, presumably blood. Lifting his head to face us I saw a distorted expression of pain and agony written all over his face. " R... un.! " He managed to let out a screeching sound while his body stood up from a throne and a sword appeared in his hand. " It''s starting! " Shouting out loud I quickly nced over the Boss''s Status. < THE CORRUPTED KING > ~ A Raid boss that resides in the Castle of Hope ~ Territorial ~ Immune to Fear; ~ A Raid Boss; Once killed will respawn < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 150 HP: 9 000 MP: 5 000 STR: 10 000 <+1 000> AGL: 6 000 PDEF: 6 000 MDEF: 5 000 INT: 11 000 [NEW!] ( Sense ) SN: 120 <+70> ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Corrupted Sword < Lv. 7 > -- A sword made out of sinister energy ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 500 MP ~ 5 min cooldown 2?? Mana Step < Lv. 5 > -- Step forward using Mana to almost reach speeds near teleportation ~ Single Target Use ~ Cost 400 MP ~ 10 min cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Inhuman Strength < Lv. 5 > -- Strength amplifier possessed by superior races ~ +1000 Strength ~ No cost ~ No cooldown 2?? Inhuman Reflexes < Lv. 7 > -- Sense amplifier possessed by superior races ~ +70 Sense ~ No cost ~ No cooldown 3?? Internal Darkness < Lv. 1 > -- Ability to see in the dark [ Blurry ] ~ No cost ~ No cost ~~~~ 4?? King''s Magical Swordsmanship < Lv. 7 > -- A powerful sword style passed down from the ancestors ~ No cost ~ No cost ~~~~ < SPELLS > < None > ~~~~ Seeing that everything is the same as in my past life I quickly threw the first grenade. " Close your eyes! " I shouted as the grenade was thrown in the air. Bang... An ear deafening sound echoed in the building before the scream of a beast followed right after. Hiding his face in the palms the king was stumbling backwards. '' Time to beat him up '' I thought and soon after a lightning snake hit the King''s side. - 124 Magical Damage! An icon appeared indicating that my party member damaged the boss. Our n was to first beat up the boss until his health reaches the half. Then he''ll enter the second phase, but during the small time frame while he is transforming he''ll be vulnerable. That''s when we''ll strike! ording to our n we''ll stall time with grenades and damage the boss until his HP bar drops. - 98 Physical Damage! - 104 Physical Damage! Both Eli and Eric also joined the fray attacking the King. Not wanting to be left behind I alsounched a Lightning Bolt at the King''s abdomen. ROAR... A howl of the king shook the room Chapter 59 The Raid (2) The king''s roar shook the room. My thrown Lightning Bolt didn''t manage to hit the king, because he bent his body in an unimaginable angle evading the projectile. Even though he was blinded, he managed to sense the iing threat and evade it. '' So he only chose to dodge my attack '' I clicked my tongue, the boss was no stupid, he could already sense which attacks were more dangerous than others. Seeing the boss''s eyes slowly regain their rity I threw another grenade signaling others to close their eyes. Bang... The second grenade went off blinding the boss. Unfortunately our monk didn''t manage to close his eyes in time and was temporarily blinded. " Aghh! " His shout echoed in the cave. '' Dumbass '' I thought barely managing to form a Shadow Protection before him. Boom... The king''s sword hit the Shield, shattering it, but also losing all the momentum. Throwing a Lightning Bolt I made the boss retreat and quickly ran up to Eric. " Don''t shout, he''s blind, but not deaf " I whispered while dragging him away to the corner of the room. " Rejoin us after you recover " I said and seeing him nodding his head I quickly joined back the fight. While I was helping Eric, Ava and Eli managed to lower the King''s HP to 8 000. Fenrir has already used his < Empowering Howl >, but couldn''t get too close to the King, since the boss''s sword would simply behead him. Still, it didn''t stop him, if he couldn''t attack the forefront he would use other means. Circling the king he waited for Ava to electrocute the boss before leaping at his wide open legs. By such means he managed to scar the king''s calves and leave bite marks all around the legs. Looking at Eli''s and Ava''s condition I could feel their Mana slowly running out. '' Time to get serious '' I thought, clenching the Eerie Staff. Whoosh... The thin, white aura engulfed my weapon''s surface dimly illuminating my face. Lowering my body I casted two Lightning Bolts andunched them before rushing towards the king. Whoosh... Whoosh... Both bolts traveled through the air heading straight at the king''s chest. Sensing somethinging his way the boss crouched his body evading both projectiles. Boom... Suddenly something hit the side of his face making him wince in pain. While the king was busy dodging the bolts I closed the distance between us and swung my burning staff at his jaw. - 15 Physical Damage! - 312 Magical Damage! Stumbling backwards he didn''t expect another grenade thrown directly at his face. Bang... - 226 Damage! It was in such close proximity that even some of the HP was taken out of his health bar. Following right after the explosion Eli swung her giant axe. - 258 Critical Damage! She managed to graze the king''s corbone barely missing his neck. Crack... Suddenly I felt the Mana around us tremble. " Get Back! " I shouted seeing Eli trying to go after the boss. Whoosh... Suddenly the boss disappeared, reappearing right before me. With widened eyes I was a secondte reacting to his Mana step. Fortunately Ava had my back and another Lightning spell hit the Boss''s back giving me a second to cast Shadow Protection Bang... Being directly before the king I felt wind pressure push me as his sword descdend diagnoly, if not for the new protective skill I''ve bought, I''d be 100% dead. Retreating backwards I saw Eric finally join the fight, although with teary eyes. His orange robe''s were tightly tied and his body was slightly lowered, ready for hand to handbat. In my previous life most of the Monks were bold and he wasn''t an exception, even if you have hair before joining the game, they''ll be cut upon choosing the Monk ss. They usually excel in Combat Awareness, Strength and Physical Defense. Bang... Bang... Bang... His kicks and punches could be heard hitting against hard flesh. Looking at himbating the king a certain image of a Monk appeared in my sight. '' He can''t be... '' My thoughts were cut short as the King could once again barely see. Crash... Crash... Our attacks were useless as he swung his sword around destroying them with a slight touch. '' Corrupted Sword '' Recalling the skill I couldn''t help, but curse at how useful it is. A skill that summons a sword which is able to cut through spells like paper. Bang... Throwing myst grenade I blinded the boss and not giving him a chance to recover threw a Shadow Orb. The grey cut through the air traveling towards the king''s chest. Boom... Surprisingly the king didn''t dodge the st powered by Shadow Energy and was directly hit. - 432 Magical Damage! The damage graph appeared in everyone''s sight. Even though we were in the fight they had some spare time to stare at me. Eli and Eric raised their eyebrows while Ava bit her lip. Seeing our Lightning mage''s behavior I was a bit surprised. '' Is my damage not enough? '' Shrugging my shoulders I took a peek at the boss HP. It was still over 6000. '' We still have 6 Grenades left, I overbought them '' Grumbling, I sent another Orb towards the King. I wanted to test my hypothesis that the boss can only sense mana, but not Shadow Energy and surely enough the king didn''t move and was once again hit by the orb. - 442 Magical Damage! Smiling at my new find I quickly instructed Eli to throw the sh grenade. Bang... The grenade exploded and I was about to continue attacking when I saw a huge sword verticallying towards my direction. Whoosh... Falling on the floor I felt a gust of wind pass above my head. '' Why isn''t he blinded? '' I wanted to shout. Turning my questioning gaze to Eric I soon found out the answer. " He turned around " I heard an answer I wanted to avoid by all means. If the boss has turned around on purpose that means he can evolve through the fight. '' Fucking intelligence '' I cursed contemting how to deal another 1000 Damage to the all seeing boss. " We are so fucked! " I heard a barely audible whisper leave Eli''s mouth. '' Yes we are '' I seconded gnashing my teeth. If I don''t manage to quickly think of something we''ll be dead in a minute. Gesturing for the team members to retreat, I told Ava to restrict the king''s movements as much as possible by cutting all the viable paths to reach us with spells. '' I have around a minute before her Mana is depleted '' I thought, looking at Ava''s hourss figure. '' and we still need her to stun the boss while I force him to drink the water '' Thinking about all the possible options I could only think of one way to win this fight... Grenades! Retrieving grenades from my party members I took them all in my inventory before asking Ava to cease fire. " Don''t cast any more spells, I should be able to make his HP below half myself " I said and not waiting for a reply I dashed toward the King holding shes in both hands. Bang... - 234 Damage! The first Grenade exploded near the boss''s face dealing some damage. Bang... - 213 Damage! Bang... -227 Damage! The other two grenades soon followed leaving me with two throwables left. '' 400 HP away '' I thought, shifting my gaze towards Ava and gesturing her to get ready. Roar... Suddenly the king''s sword glowed blood red and he raised it high in the sky. '' Shit! '' I cursed quickly chanting the Shadow Protection. '' The King''s sword, Third move - Ocean Splitter '' I knew the skill''s name just by looking at the angle the king was holding his sword. Even in my previous life I thought it was bs that Sword styles could have multiple skills ingrained in them. The skill limit is 10 After all, but if every skill would be a weapon style the number would be higher. Thankfully the developers only allowed a single weapon style per yer. Whoosh... A thick aura full of bloodlust and dread descended on me before the sword''s de descended downwards. I didn''t even see the strike. Suddenly my shield shattered, I lost footing and was thrown against the wall. Crash... - 143 HP I coughed up blood lifting my eyes to the battlefield. While I was recovering my party members were keeping the boss busy. '' The spell didn''t even hit me '' I thought, recalling the strike. It turns out the movement was so strong that I wasunched by merely the wind pressure of the swing. Imagining the second phase I slightly shuddered. '' Lucky we don''t have to fight that '' My mind trailed off when I suddenly felt a cold and wet nose touch against my palm. Fenrir was trying to help me stand up. Since I lost more than 90% of my HP I was barely keeping my consciousness. Taking out a HP pot I quickly downed it hoping that none of my teammates had died. Crack... I heard my shattered bones reassemble. '' I hate this boss '' With such thoughts I stood up and threw thest two grenades directly at king''s face. Bang... Bang... -234 Damage! -231 Damage! Chapter 60 The Raid (3) Both grenades collided with the king''s chest creating an explosion. - 234 Damage! - 231 Damage! The king''s HP bar dropped below half. Suddenly his skin turned light red and his eyes becamepletely white. " Ahgg " Shouts of agony and pain were heard escaping his mouth as his limbs and body started doing random movements. His shirt started being ripped apart revealing a chiseled figure with tons of scars everywhere on its body. The second phase turns King into a Peak level Corrupted. Usually corrupted above High tier are walking disasters with the ability to wipe out entire cities. Luckily the king is trapped inside the room and is not able to escape. Seeing his figure be over 7 feet tall I quickly gestured for Ava to start casting spells. Zzzzz... The lightning snake traveled through the air hitting the king. ~ The Corrupted King has received Status Effect < Stun > ~ The King will not be able to move for a short amount of time ~ Duration ¡ú 3 seconds ~~~~ Seeing the duration of the Effect I wanted to curse. We were already pretty lucky to trigger the Status Effect, but since the king''s resistance was over the roof it onlysted a few seconds. '' Better than nothing '' I thought, shifting my body towards the king. Zzzzz... I also threw a lightning bolt hoping to trigger the Status Effect. - 12 Magical Damage! Unfortunately the Status Effect wasn''t applied leaving me no other option than to keep firing the bolts. Since the king transformed we have no chance of defeating him. All of his Stats have doubled if not tripled and even with my INT Attribute being higher than normal my damage was barely visible. Zzzzz.... Zzzzz... Me and Ava kept on firing bolts one after another and finally when Ava''s MP was about to run out we reached a satisfying result. ~ The Corrupted King has received Status Effect < Stun > ~ The King will not be able to move for a short amount of time ~ Duration ¡ú 21 seconds ~~~~ With ourbined effort we managed to stack up the Stun Effect and now it was over 20 seconds long. " Cease fire " I whispered passing by Ava and dashing towards the stunned boss. On his body there were particles of Lightning dancing, but it didn''t stop me from jumping on top of him. Friendly fire was off after all... Jumping on the creature''s back quickly took out a potion full of Holy sparkling water and was about to feed it to the king when a problem urred... His mouth was tightly closed. '' Unnecessary struggle '' With a cold look I let Demonic me epass my body. The temperature around me heated up, reaching water boiling in a second. " Gohh " I heard the King growl while his teeth were sharpening against each other. '' Let''s see how much you can endure '' With such thoughts I quickly looked at the Status Effect timer right above his head. < Stun Effect > ~ Duration ¡ú 16 > 15 seconds ~~~~ I''ve had a quarter of a minute left. Extending my burning hands toward the king''s jaws I tried ripping them open, but unsessfully. '' I wish I''ve put some SP into Strength '' Such thoughts started invading my mind as the king didn''t flinch at my actions. Thud... Suddenly I felt another presence right beside me. Slightly turning my head I saw a muscr green arm take hold of the king''s jaw forcing them open and making a small gap for the potion to fit in. " It''s like a Sauna! " She said while her breathing got rough. Looking at her trembling hands I ignored thement about my mes and quickly threw the potion inside the king''s throat. '' We''ll meet again Emperio '' I whispered only for the Corrupted to hear. Kicking away from the king''s body, Eli and I retreated dozen steps back where Ava and Eric were already waiting for us. " Did you do it? " Ava asked while ncing towards the unmoving king. She was slightly alerted, because the Stun Effect was already over and the king was still standing in one ce. '' Calm down, Leo has already done everything '' She tried consoling herself, but it only backfired. '' But... How is he so strong? '' She took a peek at his hooded face. '' I wonder if he can sell me his cloak? '' A thought passed through her head as she was kind of jealous that he could hide his appearance. Sinceing to the game she was always surrounded by people attracted to her charm. How easy it would be to live knowing that no stalker is following you. Suddenly she felt someone nudging her side. Turning her head she noticed Eli, one of her few real friends pointing at something. Following where she was pointing Ava suddenly felt dread wash over her. Crack... ~~~~ As soon as I fed the potion to the king we retreated backwards. Eli instantly went to the side of Ava while Eric was trying to initiate a conversation. The only two still treating this as a battlefield were me and Ava. I didn''t know why, but I felt strangely happy seeing her not losing awareness. '' Good, good that''s a trait of the strongest yer '' I happily giggled seeing her not being distracted by Eric''s hopeless attempts to flirt. '' Well enough of this '' With such thought I turned to face the king, the fight was not over yet. I haven''t told this to my party members, but as soon as I feed the potion to the king, the real battle would begin. Upon consumption of the potion the king will not instantly regain his rity, but will be momentarilypletely taken over by the real corrupted. '' Holy water my ass, how is it holy if a Corrupted can take over the body '' My eyebrows knitted together, we needed to survive for another minute before the boss copses. Crack... Barely audible sound echoed in the room. We were facing the king''s back, but suddenly his head whipped around breaking his own neck, but also revealing his distorted face. " ???... ?? ???... ???? ?? ????! " His deep yet screeching voice gave Eli, Ava and Eric goosebumps while I was trying to recall how to speak corruptednguage. " ??? ???? ?????? " I spoke theirnguage trying to enrage the Corrupted. Fortunately the corrupted weren''t very wise creatures. " ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?????????! " His screeching pained my ears, but I didn''t even flinch, because if I did I''d be dead in a second. I''m standing before a Peak Level Corrupt that is able to destroy a city, no way in hell I''m able to make unnecessary movements. " What the fuck! " I heard Eric uttering while retreating to the corner of the room. " Follow him " I said to Ava and Eli seeing that the Corrupted is only focused on me. Turning towards the Monster I let the white mes engulf my body spreading heat in all directions. " ???... ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ? ????? ?? ?????? " Moving his body closer the Corrupted spoke while a sword appeared in his hand. The sword was different from before it was bigger and had some kind of yellow veins covering its de''s surface. '' Disgusting '' I thought, creating a Shadow st in my palm. I let the Shadow Energy power it, because it was the only thing whose power couldn''t be sensed by the Corrupted King. Looking around the battlefield I noticed a dark silhouette behind the Boss. '' Fenrir don''t! '' I used our bond to transfer a message to my familiar. " ????? ??????, ????? ??? " I heard the Corrupted speak alerting me that he knew about Fenrir''s position. '' I''ve already wasted half a minute... '' Looking at the timer above the king''s head I knew I was midway through this shit. Click... Suddenly everything around me turned white and I lost all sensations in my right hand. Thud... Looking down I saw my right limb missing. - 57 HP ~ yer Leo has received a Status Effect < Severe Bleeding > ~ The yer will bleed until he''s dead or until the potion is consumed ~ Duration ¡ú Until a HP potion is consumed ~~~~ " Shit! " Gnashing my teeth I bit my lips and soon could feel the taste of blood, It hurt like hell! Quickly downing an HP potion I felt my hand quickly recovering and soon my limb was back in ce. Lifting my eyes to meet the gaze of the Corrupted I saw his expression shifting into a hideous smile. '' He doesn''t even know how much time he has '' I snickered at his ignorance. '' How can one be so stupid yet have suchbat strength '' I couldn''t help but check the timer. 15 seconds.... 14 seconds.... 13 seconds.... The time of the corrupted was nearing its limit. Not wanting to give him another chance to attack Iunched a Shadow st at the ground between us. Boom... The cloud of dust was raised obstructing our vision. Unfortunately the corrupted was a higher ss being and had better vision then I did. 12 seconds.... 11 seconds.... 10 seconds.... " ??? ?????? ????! " His screeching voice reached my ears and I barely managed to block his sword by creating a Shadow Protection right before me. 9 seconds.... 8 seconds.... 7 seconds.... The time flowed painfully slowly, so slow that it looked to be stopped in ce. After deflecting the king''s sword I had to take a dozen steps back. '' Only a few seconds left '' My mind was overheating from the adrenaline. 6 seconds.... 5 seconds.... 4 seconds.... Unfortunately, since I''ve just used Shadow protection I had no way to defend myself from the second strike. < Leo!... > Click... A sound of a sword being swung echoed in the room and everything went dark. < You''ve been killed by a Corrupted King! > Chapter 61 ??? Everything around me turned dark as the Sword descended shing me. - 1256 Physical Damage! < You''ve been killed by a Corrupted King! > A message was hovering above me. Soon I''ll be teleported to the nearest city I''ve been to. < ??? > Suddenly another message appeared. Before I could even understand what was happening I felt a bizarre presence behind me. Slowly turning my head around I noticed a crown levitating in the air. Three chains were binding it, but one of the chains was noticeably loose. Walking closer I could finally identify the item. " Is that... Demon Prince''s Crown? " I whispered, closely looking at the chains binding the crown. Not sure why I hadn''t yet respawned, I extended my hand forward touching the loose chain. As soon as I did that the chain suddenly cracked apart. Crack... A loud noise echoed in the emptiness as the broken chain fell down bing light particles. < One of the Seals Binding an Item has been undone! > Reading the system notification I noticed that I could interact with my inventory and quickly looked at the crown. 1?? < Demon Prince''s Crown > [ tinum ] -- A Crown made for the Ruler of Demons ~ MP +75 ~ MDEF +80 ~ HP +100 ~ [ NEW! ] Demonic Descent ? ~ [ ?? ] Sealed ~~~~ One of the question marks disappeared indicating that one of the Item abilities could be used. 1?? Demonic Descent ? [ Demonic Prince''s Crown ] -- Ability to descent back to the mortal realm ~ No cost ~ 3 months cooldown ~ -10% Attributes for an entire day ~~~~ Reading the description of the Item ability my jaw hit the floor. '' Isn''t that like revival ? '' I thought while reminiscing about the past. I couldn''t quite remember if there even was a yer with the ability toe back from death without any level reduction. Even though the Ability cooldown was one of the highest I''ve ever seen it didn''t change the fact of how useful it was. '' To die without any punishments '' I snickered trying to imagine Fenrir''s and my teammates'' faces upon the sight of meing back to life. Whoosh... Suddenly a strong force started pulling me towards the light. < Demonic Descent Activated... > < Reviving the yer Leo! > My body became transparent and soon everything turned dark again. Blink... Blink... Feeling slightly weakened I opened my eyes. Above me there were dimly lit chandeliers. " H... ow? " I heard a shout and turning around noticed Eric pointing his finger in my direction. His breathing was rough and his face was slightly pale as if he had seen a ghost. Gazing around I noticed Ava and Eli also staring in my direction. '' I guess I have to give an exnation '' Shrugging my shoulders I quickly thought of an excuse. " Before engaging with the boss in closebat I drank a potion of holy water allowing me to escape the clutches of death " I couldn''t think of anything better. They probably saw that my HP hit zero and itsmon knowledge that I should''ve died, but I was revived, with no wounds at that! I could only pray that they would buy my exnation. Luckily Ava quickly swapped the subject. " Why didn''t you tell us about thest stage of the boss? " She questioned knitting her eyebrows. She was probably angry, but in my eyes she was cute. Crossing her arms and pouting she reminded me of a Mountain hare. " I didn''t know about it as well " Using the ultimate strategy of Ignorance I dodged another bullet. Even though I noticed that Ava wasn''t very satisfied with my answer she decided to let it go. Seeing that nobody else has something to say I smiled. " Time to collect our rewards! " I pped my hands and said with unusually joyous voice. I didn''t even notice how I startled my party members who were used to me always being cold. '' So he''s not a robot without any emotions '' The same thought was circling in all their minds. After all, not everyone can brush off the pain of one''s limb being ripped apart with a few curses. Even Ava''s poker face was slightly broken as the boss turned into a Corrupt whether Leo started cussing him in his ownnguage. With such thoughts the group approached the boss''s body that was back to its human appearance. " Be aware, a cutscene will soon appear " I alerted my party members before we took thest step towards the King. ~~~~ As soon as all the party members were all close enough to the body, the trapdoor was torn open and a group of soldiers instantly ran into the room with a guard wearing gold armor being in front. " King! " He shouted seeing a motionless humanying on the floor. Ignoring us he quickly dashed towards the king''s body and checked his pulse. " He''s still alive! " He shouted, gesturing to the other soldiers to help him lift the king. After the king''s body was transported outside the soldier wearing gold armor finally noticed our presence. " Thank you for bringing our king back... To gain rewards worth your achievements please visit the castle in 3 days " As soon as the soldier left through the trapdoor people started flooding inside the room. '' Shit! '' I thought quickly calling Fenrir back into the Beast Tattoo. Turning towards my teammates I sent them friend requests so we canter message each other to collect out rewards. < You''ve Purified the Corrupted King! > < Do You Want to Announce your Achievement to the World? > < YES / NO > Not even thinking I automatically pressed the NO button. At this point it was my brand. Bidding my Ava, Eli and Eric goodbye I logged off, but right before I became light particles I noticed a particr red haired girl in the crowd. '' Monica '' I gnashed my teeth seeing the girl''s eyes brighten up as she saw me. '' Fuck no! '' I thought not even giving the girl a second look. The girl was a child of a billionaire and she was helplessly trying to prove herself to her own father. Monica didn''t care about anything else, but monopolizing the game and reaching sess that would move her father''s heart. In my past life I was also pulled into her guild and of course, because of my hard financial position I was given a choice to sign a contract, a ve contract at that. Her guild was one of the main reasons I was turned into the ve, but I wasn''t mad at her particrly, since she was the higher up who probably had no idea such things were happening in the lower ranks of the food chain. It didn''t change the fact that I didn''t want to have anything to do with her this lifetime. Climbing out of the VR pod I heard quiet chatter downstairs. Leaving my room and peeking into the kitchen, I saw my parents putting various food ingredients into the fridge. My mother was wearing a new ck fur coat while my dad still had his in jacket, but I noticed that he had bought himself new shoes. '' It''s better than nothing '' Sneaking up on them I revealed my presence scaring my father while my mother gave me aplicated look. " When will you grow up? " With a look of exaggerated disappointment she turned around trying to keep her expression straight. Unfortunately seeing my father almost drop the milk made her slightly giggle. After putting all the ingredients in the fridge we decided to havesagna for lunch. Since I couldn''t log in the game, because of the crowd that is surrounding the boss room I''ve decided to go take a walk until the meal is ready. Whoosh... A cold gust of wind blew past me, the summer ising to an end. Walking through the neighborhood I noticed a few people in their huge backyards grilling meat, ying with their children and doing other stuff. '' It sure is lively '' I thought with a smile. I had a n to walk until the Preklin university, but now I just wanted to spend more time outside. Looking at the unending Vis I was once again reminded of our old house. It wasn''t anything special, but it was home. '' I''m sentimental '' Giggling at myself I finally reached the university. Looking at all the buildingplexes I couldn''t help, but question how much money they have spent to build it. During the summer people could enter the university''s area. Walking around the building I noticed a few basketball courts full of kids. They were clearly younger than fifteen years old, but I was amazed how much joy simply ying the game brought them. Looking back in my childhood I don''t recall ever ying such games. It was the same routine of going to school, doing homework, exercising, going to sleep, and repeating the same circle everyday. The only real fun I''ve really had was spending time with my parents. '' I''m lucky to have them '' With such ast thought I left the university slowly walking back home. '' I also need to buy some clothes '' I thought while looking at my in clothing. I was wearing ck jeans and a worn out jacket. It looked weird for me to live in this area, but wear such in clothes. '' Well I''m not that shy of a person '' I tried not to cringe at my words recalling how I tried to show off to Ava while she was stalking me from a rooftop. Chapter 62 Shopping Coming back home I was right on time when thesagna was made. I have to say... the meal was delicious, my mother really does have a talent for cooking. Thanking for the food, I informed my parents that I''ll go to the city, since I needed to buy some new clothes. Asking if they need anything I wasn''t surprised as both of them replied with a negative answer. I could only shrug my shoulders. '' Habits do die hard '' Calling an Uber soon a luxurious car pulled up to our house making me think that I really need to buy a car myself, so I wouldn''t need to call Uber every time I go somewhere. '' It costs more than usual as well '' I murmured while looking at the prize of the ride. Recalling that I''ve put some money into the Fragmental stocks I quickly looked it up on my phone. < 32 760 Dors > The Stocks have risen over 100% bringing me quite a fortune. '' It still hasn''t reached at least half of its peak prize '' I snickered duping all 32 thousand dors back into the stocks. I was so confident that I''ve even put x20 leverage. ( ~ Exnation at the end of the chapter ~ ) '' I feel like I am exploiting the market '' My conscience was trying to fight back, but in the end the money demon won over. With nothing else to do I started scrolling through the Inte. ~ New yer Strikes Again! He defeated yet another boss... One of the articles attracted my attention. Clicking on the link I was sent to a website dedicated solely to me, the unknown yer. Different from thest time the website was more refined, there was also a lot more information written there. Reading one of the articles a vein bulged out in my forehead. '' Now there''s no doubt in my mind. He''s the same guy! '' I couldn''t help, but lower my head in resign. It turns out that the Monk, Eric, was also famous in my past life. His nickname was - The Buddha who can''t stop talking for his own good. He was never trusted with any information, because somehow he always gave it away. He really wasn''t very good at lying. And... I was at the same party as him. I even shared the method on how to purify and not kill the boss. It wasn''t even my main concern that this information was leaked, because the boss wouldn''t respawn. The main problem was that he revealed my name and some of the skills I''ve used. Luckily he didn''t say anything about meing back to life. '' I''d be chased to the world''s end '' A shiver ran down my back. Even though Eric was such a catastrophic liar I couldn''t bring myself to hate him. There''s not a lot of people that are pure in this world. I should cherish his inability to lie. Sighing I quickly looked over everything that was known about me. -- Main Information ~ Name - Leo ~ Race - Demon ~ Level - 10 ~ ss - Mage ~ Sub-ss - Unknown ==== -- Skills / Spells ~ White me? - Very corrosive ~ Dark st ~ Unique spell of a Demon mage ==== -- Pet ~ Wolf? -- A huge, ck, 2 meter wolf ==== -- The yer seems to be highly knowledgeable about the game, has goodbat ability seeing that he defeated a boss by himself.... ==== -- Clothing ~ ck Robe with a hood ~ Shoes / Look simr to Smander scales shoe''s ~ a Staff with a diamond on its top ==== -- Kill Count ~ 1 Hidden Boss ~ 1 Raid Boss ~ 4 yer ==== Blinking my eyes a stupid smile crept up on my face. '' At this point I might as well have a wiki page '' I Murmured, slightly annoyed by the information I''ve just found out. Looking at thement section I almost lost grip on my phone -- Comments - [ Ushuga ] ~ I wonder how strong is he? - [ DarknessKnight3 ] < Replying to Ushuga > ~ I''d bet my money he can''t defeat a group of goblins! Fairies have it way harder than demons, if one can just defeat a hidden boss that easily! - [ CringeOfWorld ] ~ I am cringe and I shall divide this realm in two with the power of.... - [ DraconicChild ] ~ Can we put a bounty on the yer? - [ IQless_M8 ] < Replying to DraconicChild > ~ There is no such rule that prevents us from doing so... .... ~~~~ Thement section was nning to kill me. Scrolling through all the chats I quickly caught up to the newest message but my mind was turning into a mush. '' Why is my head worth 70k dors? '' I silently brushed away the imaginary tears. '' Suffering from sess in its finest '' Such thoughts were circting in my mind when suddenly the car stopped. " We''ve arrived " The driver said climbing out of the car and opening my door. '' I feel like a celebrity '' A thought passed through my mind as I exited the vehicle. What greeted me was a beautiful city with huge skyscrapers that pierced even the clouds. Bidding goodbye to the driver I left into the crowds of people. Walking through the city I saw a lot of different shops, but wanted to walk a bit further from the center so it''d be less crowded. Luckily I found such a ce after five minutes of walking... A doorman was standing in front of the beautiful building with ss doors. On the side of the structure there was a huge sign '' Kluirk ''. '' Seems expensive '' I shook my head and was about to leave when I saw a girl with white hair enter the shop. '' Ava? '' I quietly whispered. She wasn''t supposed to be anywhere near the city for at least half a year. '' Did the future change? '' I bit my lip thinking about all the possible events that may ur, because of this. '' Shit, she''ll probably attend Preklin University! '' My eyebrows knitted together. The future I knew was already shifting into something entirely new. '' I need to investigate... '' Thinking along these lines I absentmindedly opened up the Preklin website andpleted the registration form. '' Fuck, this is stressful '' Putting the phone back in my pocket I left the shop''s area. Even though I''ve seen Ava enter the shop I had no real reason toe inside. I''d rather go into a crowded shop with reasonable prices than into a deserted money extortion building. Walking through the main street I walked into many stores, but only a few suited my taste. Spending a few hours in the city I spent around a few thousand dors buying clothes for me and my parents. I haven''t yet told them about this, but I will probably be pummeled by my mother for such an outrageous sum of money I''ve spent solely on clothes. Even with such risks I''m going to say it was worth it. '' I look stylish '' I thought looking at my clothing. I was now wearing skinny ck jeans that costed me a little bit over hundred dors, white button-down shirt and a grey coat. I''ve also managed to buy myself a moderately priced watch. While going through the shops I almost forgot the fact that the timeline somehow got messed up and the future that previously was simr was slowly slightly deviating from its original route. '' Nothing I can do about it '' Shrugging my shoulders I took a peek at the clock on my wrist. [ 17:53 ] It was starting to gette. Since I wouldn''t be able to make it home for dinner I messaged my parents that I''ll have a meal in the city. Putting the phone in my pocket I looked at its rough edges and thought about buying a newer one. Grrrr.... My stomach grumbled making my cheeks slightly blush. '' The phone can wait after I eat '' Walking into the closest restaurant I was guided to one of the tables. Taking a look at the Menu I was kind of surprised. The Menu was simply huge. There were so many options to choose from and all of them sounded delicious as well. Unfortunately I didn''t have the luxury to be picky. Grrrr... My stomach cursed me for not giving it any food. In the end I ordered a 3 course meal which costed me a solid amount of money, but even I, who is very stingy with money, have to say that it was 100% worth it. After finishing eating the dinner I paid the bill. At first I didn''t believe the sum written on the receipt, closing and reopening my eyes a few times I hoped that the first numbers would change ces. Unfortunately this world had no magic. < - 214 Dors > Leaving the restaurant with a sunken mood and hands full of bags with clothes I called an Uber and drove to the closest Phone store buying a newer phone. Spending so much money had emotionally drained me. Driving back home I almost fell asleep. As soon as we reached our house I put all the clothes'' bags near the front door and retired to bed. '' Give me back my money! '' I cried taking off my newly bought coat that costed me around two hundred dors. After taking a shower I fell onto my bed thinking about how to proceed forward. '' I''ve alreadypleted a registration form to Preklin University, but I''m not 100% sure if Ava will attend it or else I would waste thousands of dors a month for such a learning facility. I can still cancel my Attendance, but I need more information '' Contemting how to ask Ava about the University and not look like a stalker I drifted off to the dreand. ==== Leverage - A trading mechanism one can use to increase their exposure to the market by allowing them to pay less than the full amount of the investment. Example: You have 5$, but since you''ve put the leverage on x5 the exposure/value on the market will be worth/equal to 25$ Chapter 63 Ava As soon as the King was transported out of the room a crowd of people started flowing into the room. Looking towards Leo I didn''t miss the ck wolf disappearing into his chest. Looking at him I was about to ask what''s happening when he suddenly sent me a friend request. I didn''t even have a chance to reply as he bid us goodbye before instantly logging off. I was momentarily shocked, since I didn''t expect him to run away from the crowd in such an abrupt way. < yer Leo has sent you a Friend Request > < ACCEPT / NO > Looking at the system I absentmindedly epted the request. Only a secondter I understood what I did. " Wha... " I was slightly flustered by my own actions. Never in my life have I ever let my guard down near a stranger and just now, a few seconds earlier I epted his request without hesitation. Hiding my slightly pink cheeks I noticed a system notification hovering above me. < Do You Want to Announce your Achievement to the World? > < YES / NO > Previously I would''ve pressed the YES button without even thinking, but now after spending some time with the Unknown yer, Leo, I felt strangely attracted to the ''NO'' button. '' I still need money '' Click... The YES button lit up green as I pressed it. Thinking about Leo''s actions I couldn''t help, but admire his attitude to keep his identity secret. '' He''s like a Shadow '' A thought passed through my mind as I felt someone nudge my shoulder. Turning my head towards the person I noticed that it was the Monk, Eric. < yer Eric has sent you a Friend Request > < ACCEPT / NO > He was scratching his neck, I also noticed his cheeks being slightly red. " Let''s add friends, so we canter contact each other to collect the rewards " Eric said while trying to hide his blushing cheeks. '' Shouldn''t I be blushing? '' Deeply thinking about my options I chose to ept his request. I didn''t want to act hostile towards him, since I felt it''d be truly useful to n our meet up. epting his request I couldn''t help, but notice Eric''s face turn into a dumb smile as soon as he saw my name appear on the friend list. '' I have to log off '' Seeing all the people quickly approaching our group I nudged Eli to log off as well. Whoosh... Turning into the light particles I left the game and soon was back inside my own room. Looking around thend of pinkness I climbed out of my VR Pod and stretched my back. " I''ve spent some good time " Brushing my white hair behind the ear I walked towards a wooden table situated in the corner of the room and opening one of the drawers I took out myptop. Pushing the Power-on button I waited until the device would boot up and quickly navigated myself towards the Text file I''ve started writing a few weeks ago. ~~ Fragmental Notebook ~~ Opening the file, a wall of text appeared in my sight. It was simr to a diary, but it was all about what I''ve done in Fragmental and now I''ll have to spend some time writing down everything that urred today. Tap... Tap... Quickly tapping the keyboard I didn''t even notice that I''ve written over 1000 words. As soon as I was done rewriting today''s adventure I closed the device and ced it back in the table''s drawer. Putting on the white bunny slippers I exited my room. Blink... Blink... Since my room was fully dark I had to spend some time adapting to the light outside. As soon as the light stopped pricking my eyes I started walking through a huge corridor with its walls covered with various paintings. Turning right I climbed down an expensive white, marble stairs and went into the living room. " I''m done for today! " Not even seeing if there was anyone in the room I shouted only hearing a growl for a reply. Soon a dog with brown fur slowly walked out of the room, touching my hand with his warm nose and following me to the kitchen. Approaching the fridge I noticed his eyes shining and him wiggling his tail. " You should go on a diet " I said seeing his slightly bulky appearance. In the end I still gave him some chicken wings that should sustain a dog twice his size. " I''m going to the city today, do you want anything? " Scratching his chin I didn''t receive any answer, but I wasn''t upset. If anything I was happy just for his presence. Since I''ve started living alone he was a huge mental support, especially after that event... Blocking the painful memories I giggled at myself for holding a conversation with a dog. '' I wonder how Eli would react? '' Thinking about my friend who invited me to y Fragmental, I couldn''t help, but wonder how lucky I was to have such a friend. '' It''d be better if I could somehow mask my beauty '' My thoughts unknowingly drifted to the hooded man''s face. '' Since after the currencies were tied together I earned a fortune and without a doubt he did the same. I doubt he''d sell the robe for money... '' Biting my lips I suddenly heard my phone ringing. Looking at the screen I noticed that it was Eli. " Hello? " With a questionable tone I greeted Eli. " Do you want to go shopping? " I heard a joyous voice on the other side of the line. '' I do need a break '' I thought, pushing away all the worries and thoughts to the corner of my mind. " Ok, but you''ll have to pick me up, since I haven''t yet bought a vehicle " Replying to Eli I opened the door to let my dog y outside. " So have I, we got rich overnight there''s no wa.... " Her voice was suddenly cut in the middle of the sentence. Looking at my phone''s screen I noticed that its battery was dead. Walking through the empty house I went back to my room and put the phone on the charger. '' I hope it''ll be at least 20% charged when Elies '' I thought while digging through various clothes stored in my wardrobe. ~~~~ After I got all dressed up I noticed an Uber car pull up to the house simr to mine on the other side of the road. Soon I saw a young male simr age to me leave the building and enter the car before it drove off. Even though I couldn''t fully see his facial features from this far I knew he was handsome. '' Eli would probably be jealous '' I thought, recalling how beauty-hungry my friend was. I''ve known her since childhood and ever since she was small she was always into beautiful things, be it buildings, pictures or people. She joined Fragmental, because the graphics seemed surreal. Eli also pulled me into the game, since previously we were living near each other. We both were from poor households, but since the game exploded and had its currency tied together with real life money we both became rich overnight. We immediately decided to buy houses in a more protected area. I was pretty lucky, since I''ve wanted to attend the university and I never expected that I''d live in an area close to Preklin University. I even had enough funds to attend the facility without any fear of any ends being loose. Lost in the thoughts I didn''t even notice as another Uber car arrived near my house. Honk... Honk... I lifted my eyes hearing the car horn. A certain girl with brown hair was waving in my direction. Quickly approaching Eli we greeted each other and entered the car. While moving towards the city we talked about various subjects, when suddenly Eli said something that almost made me spit the water I was drinking. " I wonder if Leo has a girlfriend? " Trying to suppress the coughs I raised my eyebrows looking at my childhood friend. " I thought you only lusted after beautiful people? " I giggled trying to recover from the shock. Unfortunately before I could Eli dropped another bomb. " I do not lust after people! Plus he is beautiful, didn''t you see his face after he died? When the King cut him in half I could see a silhouette of his face and I have to say, his handsomeness can rival your beauty " Eli showed me her tongue before opening the door and exiting the car, we''ve arrived at the city. As soon as the car was out of sight Eli held my hand and pulled me everywhere around the city while I was still trying to piece a puzzle out of the information I''ve just received. '' To have looks that can rival mine... '' I couldn''t help, but get interested in Leo''s appearance. '' I wonder if he suffered as I did? '' I thought, recalling how many people perstered me, because of my looks. " Hey, I have to go buy myself a new phone, you go to the clothes shop right there I''ll follow you right after " Informing about her ns Eli swayed her brown hair to the side and disappeared into the crowd. ~~~~ The next few hours passed in a sh. The day was long and... enjoyable? My mind is aching from too much noise, but I''m emotionally satisfied, since I''ve spent some time with my friend. '' Life couldn''t be better '' I thought, entering my house. ===== Authorment ~ Thank you guys for all the support you''ve given me, I truly appreciate it! P:S ~ If you want me to post a picture of how I imagine the main Character to look,ment '' I like apple pie! '' :) Chapter 64 Adventurers Guild Chir... Chir... The sound of birds chirping woke me up. Brushing my ck hair to the side I jumped out of my huge bed. '' Two days left until I can collect the rewards '' I thought, moving towards the bathroom which was connected to my room. After the cold shower I took out my notebook and started scribbling some more Information about Fragmental into it. '' I should transfer it onto myputer '' I thought, putting the notebook back on the table. I''ve already managed to write one third of all my knowledge and it''d be worth a lot of money if sold. Descending down the stairs and going into the kitchen I didn''t see my parents. '' They are probably sleeping '' Taking out some milk and cereal, I quickly had breakfast before going back into my room. Scrolling through the inte I found an interesting article. ~ The first potion made by Fairy... Alchemist... Money.... Looking over the article I quickly understood that another world announcement urred while I was sleeping and this time it was about the first potion being made by an Alchemist ss fairy. '' Money farm '' I thought, recalling how much potions were sold in my past life. '' I''d like to recruit my private Alchemist '' A thought of creating my own group passed through my mind. Unfortunately I still didn''t have the finances to do that. '' I''ll need to wait until the stocks rise or until the items I''ve bought in the shop began to rise in value '' I smirked, recalling that I''ve bought some rare items from the auction house for a very low price. Reading deeper into the article I also found out that the yer also chose to hide her identity, but her name and appearance was soon found out due to her selling the potion on the auction house immediately. '' At least wear something to cover your face '' I thought, recalling that fairies had various kinds of veils and costumes that could partially hide one''s face. '' I wonder which potion she made... '' My thoughts shifted to the easiest potions for alchemists to make. As far as recall the least time consuming and easiest to make potions were Low tier HP and MP pot. Potions like items are also distributed in different tiers. Potions have 4 main tiers. Low Tier ¡ú Intermediate Tier ¡ú High Tier ¡ú Superior Tier As far as I remember, to create a potion Alchemists need to spend some time finding various resources and going through various experiments until a recipe of potion will be ingrained in their mind/Status. Alchemist''s have a separate EXP bar where they can see their understanding of the potion making. For example if Health Potion understanding is above 25% Alchemist can make a Low tier HP potion, if it''s above 50% - Intermediate Tier etc. Since the game is trying to be as realistic as possible, various forms from chemistry and other things also apply to this world making people with better education superior in alchemy. I even heard that some genius with a doctorate degree joined the game and instantly got 7% Understanding in Health, Mana, Stamina and Strength potions which is very surprising, since most of the Alchemists usually start at 0%. Looking at the rising stocks and making sure that everything is going as nned I put my phone away and climbed into the VR pod. I was itching to y Fragmental. < Wee back to Fragmental! > < Your Current Location - Castle of Hope > I opened my eyes only to see the darkness. '' Demonic me '' I let the me dance on my palm as it dimly illuminated the room. Looking around I noticed destroyed furniture and could easily discern my location. I was still in the Raid boss room, luckily there were no yers around allowing me to quietly leave the ce. Moving through the city''s streets I started walking towards a Huge wooden building, near the Holy church. If I was nning to gain a lot of money and not join a yer guild I had to be a mercenary and to be a mercenary I''d have to be prepared for various situations. I should also be able tobat stronger mobs on equal ground using my knowledge and power. Unfortunately these two things were rather unbnced, since my power orbat ability fell shortpared to my knowledge. I was nning to join a guild, not a guild made by a yer, but an Adventurers'' Guild where one can take on various quests like monster ying, helping someone for money etc. Passing through the crowded streets I could even hear some whispers. '' Isn''t that Leo? Have you seen the bounty on his head? '' '' Do you n to attack him? '' '' How do even n to kill him, he has already defeated two bosses '' '' You also forgot that we can''t attack yers in cities '' Various voices full of greed and annoyance followed me wherever I went. With my face hidden in the hood I inspected the surrounding people and from their equipment I could tell they wouldn''t be able to take me down even if they teamed up. With a sigh I ignored their voices and continued moving towards the Adventurers'' Guild building. " Hello sir! " As soon as I entered a building a beautiful Woman approached me and bowed, greeting me. Since I wasn''t used to such manners I also lowered my head. " I''d like to register as a Guild Member " Immediately getting down to business I put my staff in the Inventory, so it wouldn''t get in my way, at least until the registration is over. Nodding her head the woman gestured for me to follow her and led me to a room full of various devices. " Seeing that you are a new we need to measure your Stats so we could discern your Rank " Equipping a notebook the woman spoke while gesturing to me to approach the first machine. ~~~~ Afterpleting all the measurements I was confident that I''d get F rank overall. It sounds weak, but considering that I''ve just joined the game a few weeks ago it was some good progress. Sitting in the waiting room I noticed another person besides myself. He had a tall build and blond hair. His eyes were glued to me, hence I could bet my money he was a yer who had heard of me. Seeing him debating whether to talk to me or not I summoned Fenrir in an attempt to avoid a pointless conversation. Scratching his neck I made sure to whisper him a few words about keeping the fellow on the other side of the room intimidated. Luckily Fenrir understood his assignment immediately and turned his head ourpanion''s way. He slightly opened his jaws and licked his teeth. Gulp... I heard the guy audibly swallowing his saliva. '' I feel like a viin '' Trying to suppress theughter I patted Fenrir''s head. I gave him some cooked pork and allowed him to chill in the corner of the room. Looking back at the guy I noticed him visibly morefortable as soon as the Fenrir moved further away from him. Crack... Suddenly the door opened and the same woman that helped me with measurements entered the room. " Congrattions sir, You are a F rank adventurer! " shing a beautiful smile she gave me a card with my name, picture and rank. The card was a little smaller than my phone and had a bronze outline. " How is this possible? " I heard the blond guy whisper. He probably didn''t intend his sentence to be heard, so I didn''t reply and simply left the room following the Woman. Walking through a corridor we exchanged a few word and I got to know that her name was Olivia. After a few minute walk I was finally led to a main guild hall where many people were standing near billboards, chatting with each other or drinking alcohol. Giving me some papers Olivia quickly informed me about the guild rules. To summarize I couldn''t take any quests rank above mine meaning that I could only take F or G rank quests. The guild also had a rule that I had toplete at least 1 quest a month. Not even thinking further, I signed my registration papers and bid Olivia goodbye before moving towards the billboard. Looking through various papers filled with various quests I quickly filtered out 2 quests that were suitable to me. 1?? < Sewers Problem > [ F~G Rank ] -- The residents have noticed huge rats inhabiting the sewers! ~ Investigate the Sewers ~ ??? Rewards: 1?? 10,000 EXP 2?? 1000 Gold Coins ~~~~ 2?? < Earth Whale > [ G Rank ] -- Mister Joe has noticed a Lv. 5 Earth Whale around his farm ~ Subdue the Beast Rewards: 1?? 3,000 EXP 2?? 200 Gold Coins ~~~~ Both quests were at close proximity and were both avable for my Rank. The problem was that < Earth Whale > Quest was lower ranked and the rewards were miniscule. I also noticed that the quest involved only one beast meaning that the EXP gain would be very low. Another detail I saw was that the < Sewers Problem > also had a hidden side-mission that would add an extra reward. Everything was pointing to me choosing a sewers problem Quest. The problem was that I wasn''t sure if I couldplete, since it was G~F rank and I had no information about it, since it was too insignificant. '' I do have Fenrir '' Taking the paper from the board I moved towards the counter where I''d be able to ept the job request. Chapter 65 [Bonus Chapter] Sewers... Ding... Ding... Ringing the bell on the table I waited until a receptionist came. " Show me your card and the quest " Soon a middle-aged man with a grey beard and strong ent appeared behind the counter. Handing him the quest paper and my Adventurer''s card I had to wait a few minutes until he had written something onto the book. " Adventurer Leo, you have 5 days toplete the quest, Good Luck! " Nodding my head I left the building and opened my map. As per usual the quest location was marked in red. ~~~~ Standing before the entrance to the sewers I was frantically gasping for fresh air. The smell was disgusting. Looking at the wide tunnel before me I noticed some feces on the ground. Inspecting them closer I saw that their size was way bigger than a normal rat''s. Somehow managing to calm my aching stomach I took out the Eerie staff and summoned Fenrir. '' Let''s go '' Taking a few steps forward I entered the dark tunnel. Whoosh... The darkness surrounding me partially disappeared due to a white me burning on top of my palm. Even though the smell was horrendous I was emotionless. My eyes didn''t leave the map''s icon, since every turn I took some new information was drawn onto it. Walking through the underground sewers for a few minutes I finally found my first opponent. A huge rat with grey fur and bright red eyes was eating something on the ground. Lifting the me higher, so it could illuminate the beast I garnered its attention. Turning its ugly face towards me it rose on the two feet seemingly trying to intimidate me. '' Fenrir, you take care of this one '' I said to my familiar seeing him fully adapted to the horrendous smell of the sewers. Listening to mymand Fenrir started approaching the rat while showing his teeth. Screech... The creature seeing us not retreating screeched at the approaching wolf. Only when it fully opened its mouth I could see its huge, sharp canine teeth. Just to feel safer I quickly nced over its Status. < POISONOUS RAT > ~ Wind type beast that usually lives in the sewers ~ Carnivore; Aggressive ~ Immune to poison < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 20 HP: 800 MP: 400 STR: 1,000 AGL: 1,200 PDEF: 230 MDEF: 200 INT: 250 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Tail strike < Lv. 3 > -- Strike an enemy using your tail ~ AoE Damage ~ No cost ~ 5 second cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Rat''s Bite < Lv. 4 > -- A poisonous bite of a rat ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 20 Mana ~ 10 second cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Rat''s Persistence < Lv. 3 > -- You have an unyielding tenacity of a Rat ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Silent Steps < Lv. 5 > -- Your steps are made silent -- Slight presence concealment ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Wind Nails < Lv. 3 > -- Engulf your nails with wind to increase their damage ~ Cost 35 Mana ~ 1 minute cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Smell concealment < Lv. 6 > -- Conceal your smell using wind -- Slightly better wind control ~ Cost 20 Mana per minute ~ 30 minute cooldown ~~~~ Not seeing anything out of the ordinary I allowed Fenrir to proceed. Even though Fenrir''s Level was lower than the rat''s, his intelligence was superior. The only worry I had was that he''d get bitten by the rat and be poisoned. '' He needs to be proficient atbat '' Leaning against the wall I eyed the rat trying to predict its movements. Auuuu... Fenrir used < Empowering Howl > which echoed through the tunnels. All his Attributes were now boosted by 10%. The rat also felt his opponent''s power increase, because wind currents were starting to form on its sharp nails. Eyeing each other both beasts finally dashed towards each other. One second before the collision Fenrir used another skill < Wind steps > to boost his speed to a surprising degree. Screech... Not expecting the wolf to elerate at thest second the rat barely managed to shift its body making Fenrir miss its neck by a tiny margin, unfortunately for the rat the wolf managed to bite its shoulder. - 353 Physical Damage! ~ Poisonous Rat has received a Status Effect < Bleed > ~ Poisonous Rat will lose 50 HP per minute ~ Duration ¡ú 2 minutes ~~~~ The ugly creature lost half of its HP with a single exchange. Unfortunately the rat was very tenacious and immediately went after Fenrir with eyes burning in rage. Since Fenrir''s < Wind Steps > skill ran out he was in a tight situation. Rat''s agility was higher and Fenrir was forced to take damage, because of continuous attacks he couldn''t fully evade. His side was graced by rat''s sharp nails - 16 Physical Damage! The rat managed to evade Fenrir''s teeth and almost pierced his neck if not for the wolf''s ws. - 14 Physical Damage! The damage was slowly piling up, making Fenrir''s ck fur have a shade of red. Even I was nervously clenching my fists debating whether to help myrade or not. - 50 Bleeding Damage! Suddenly the bleeding Status Effect damaged the rat making it lose its momentum giving Fenrir a chance to retreat. Huff... Huff... I heard his deep breaths resounding in a quiet tunnel. As I was about to step in and stop the fight I felt strange joy circting within Fenrir''s mind. He was enjoying the fight! Feeling my four legged familiar''s emotions I leaned back on the wall. If he wants to duke it out alone, I have to be considerate, but if his HP drops below one third I''ll immediately dispose of the rat. I can''t have myrades dying for no reason. Grrrr... Fenrir Growled seeing the rat running towards him. As soon as the creature was in his attack range he leapt towards it, but the rat was already prepared for it. Shifting its body the rat swung its tail towards the uing wolf. At thest second Fenrir managed to kick himself high in the air evading the tail, but the rat didn''t want to miss the chance when Fenrir was in the air. Lowering its body the ratunched itself towards Fenrir using its hinge legs. Auuuu... Fenrir howled, feeling the rat''s teeth pierce into his front leg. - 51 Physical Damage! ~ Fenrir has received Status Effect < Poisoned > ~ Fenrir will lose 35 HP per minute ~ Duration ¡ú 4 minutes Positioning himself right on top of the creature Fenrir endured the pain nning to crush the rat using hisrge body. The rat didn''t notice his ns and kept wing his body. Crash... Both beasts fell on the ground, the rat being underneath Fenrir. - 125 Physical Damage! Screech... I heard its screech full of pain resound across the cave. The rat didn''t even have a chance to move as huge jaws took hold of its neck. Crack... - 569 Critical Damage! < Poisonous Rat x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 500 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? Small Fur x2 3?? Rat''s Tail x1 ~~~~ Quickly approaching mypanion I noticed him indulging himself in the hunted meal. As soon as he was done I fed him a Health Potion so he wouldn''t die from poison. < Your Companion Fenrir has Reached Lv. 11! > < Assign Fenrir''s SP! > A few system messages appeared on my screen. Keeping my face straight I quickly assigned all 20 SP into his agility. Due to his Size his speed was verycking. After assigning his Stat Points and letting Demonic me devour the rat I moved further through the Sewers. After the first encounter I haven''t noticed any more sewers inhabitants. '' Sewers should be infested by monsters '' Warily looking around I ordered Fenrir to stay close to me. The sewers were eerily quiet... Spending some hours walking through theplicated tunnel system we''ve explored 20% of the whole sewers, but not a single enemy was encountered. Crack... Crack... Crack... Fenrir suddenly heard some kind of weird noises around the corner of the tunnel we were passing through. Raising a me above my head I noticed two poisonous rat''s fighting each other. One of them had its furry back soaked in blood, while the other''s face was visibly damaged by the other''s ws. Their bodies were full of bite marks, but since both were resistant to poison they didn''t do a lot of damage. Looking over the fight I decided to wait until one of the rats will be near death and then barge in to clean up both of them. As if the rats heard my plea they both dashed towards each other seemingly preparing for thest exchange. Lowering my body I was about to jump out of my hiding spot when I heard a strange sound. Hissss... A sound of a whisper traveled through the tunnel making both of the rats stop. I even noticed them slightly trembling. Screech... The rat with a ruined face turned its back towards its opponent and ran in a separate direction. Whoosh... Suddenly I heard the wind being pierced as something huge flew through the tunnel and crashed into the rat. Calling Fenrir into the Beast Tattoo I still heard rat''s screams trying to fight against something, but a few secondster the tunnel went quiet. Since the creature was too far I could only see its silhouette. Its back was covered in ck fur. It had wings and two hinge legs, I couldn''t see its face, but I could tell it had sharp teeth since I heard bone snapping sounds as it was devouring the unfortunate rat. Crack... Crack... Chapter 66 Sewers... (2) While the creature was devouring the unfortunate beast, the other rat managed to escape. Warily looking at the being I wanted to raise my me to see its full appearance, but it''d be problematic if a creature able to drive fear into rodents is notified about my presence. I wanted to leave the vicinity, but since my Quest was to investigate the sewers I''ll still have to face this creatureter on and It''d be best if I knew where it was beforehand and to not be ambushed like the rats were. Creating a Lightning Bolt I took a step out of my hiding spot and threw the projectile at the creature''s head. Crash... The projectile hit a hard surface, unfortunately it wasn''t the being''s head. At thest second the beast used its huge wings to shield itself from the iing Bolt. - 23 Magical Damage! A devastating system notification informed me about my damage output. I had no chance to rx as I felt iing danger and jumped to the side. Crack... Looking where I previously was I noticed that the creature arrived near my location. Turning its face towards me sent chills down my spine. Now that It was closer to me I could fully see its appearance. Its body had tworge wings reinforced by scales. The creature looked a lot like a bat, but what gave me chills was the surprising appearance of its face. It had no eyes, just a mouth and a nose. The bat also had cat ears that looked cutepared to its overall appearance. The bat itself was more of an abomination than a beast. Swallowing my saliva I quickly Opened its Status screen. < ELITE DRACONIC BAT > ~ Wind type beast that usually lives in the sewers ~ Omnivore; Aggressive ~ Immune to Blinding < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 28 HP: 1500 MP: 500 STR: 1,200 AGL: 1,600 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 350 INT: 300 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Wing Shield < Lv. 4 > -- Cover yourself with wings to gain 90% damage resistance ~ No cost ~ 20 second cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Screech of Fear < Lv. 3 > -- Release a fear inducing screech that is able to intimidate weaker enemies ~ AoE damage ~ Cost 20 Mana ~ 1 minute cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Echolocation < Lv. 6 > -- Due to having no eyes you use Echolocation ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Enhanced Hearing < Lv. 5 > -- Enhances your hearing sense ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Reinforced Wings < Lv. 5 > -- Due to being a mixed race your wings are reinforced by scales ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 4?? Low Poison Immunity < Lv. 3 > -- Due to living in the sewers you''ve developed a low immunity to poison ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Wind Current < Lv. 2 > -- Create a wind current that''ll enhance your speed while being in it -- +20% Agility while in the Spell ~ Cost 50 Mana ~ 1 minute cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Sound Amplification < Lv. 4 > -- Use the wind affinity to amplify whatever sound ~ Cost 15 Mana ~ 30 second cooldown ~~~~ Even looking at the bat''s name gave me depression. How lucky can I be to meet a Draconic creature and an elite one at that. Quickly ncing over its skills I noticed that its wings were probably the only thing affected by the Draconic bloodline. Screech... Combining both < Sound Amplification > and < Screech of Fear > the bat tried to explode my ears drums. Ignoring the painful sound I created another Lightning Bolt and made sure to raise my staff, so I wouldn''t be taken in surprise due to its superior speed. I didn''t even manage to release the Bolt when the bat disappeared from my vision, only appearing a few meters before me. Since I held my Staff raised I was prepared for the strike, but was still thrown against the wall. Crash... My back hit the tunnel''s wall making me spit a mouthful of blood. - 34 Physical Damage! ~ yer Leo has suffered form Status Effect < Internal Damage > ~ yer Leo will lose 15 HP per minute ~ Duration ¡ú 5 minutes; until a HP potion is ingested ~~~~ Slowly standing up I downed a healing potion washing away the Status Effect. Since I still held a Lightning Bolt I threw it while the bat was still afloat in the air. Whoosh... Suddenly my thrown projectile changed its route and crashed against the wall. It didn''t take me much time to understand that the bat used his < Wind Current > spell to change the Projectile''s trajectory. '' What a versatile way to use a spell... '' I thought, looking at the bat''s expressionless face. Even though it had no vision it could perfectly deduce my position by using Echolocation. Thinking about the possible ways to defeat the monster I instantly rejected Fenrir''s assistance, because he''d simply be a prey to a bat, because of his inability to fly andck of aerial spells. Unfortunately the bat didn''t give me any more time to think. Using its agile body it once again disappeared from my vision due to its speed. This time I again raised my staff to defend against the attack, but also covered its surface with the Demonic me. Screech... As the bat was about to ram into me it felt the heat from the me and barely managed to stop its aerial attack. Of course, I didn''t let my chance slip... - 235 Magical Damage! A lightning bolt was thrown at the bat''s running back as he couldn''t see what I was doing. Screech... His screech full of pain even not being enhanced by Sound Amplification shook the tunnel making its walls slightly tremble. Landing quite a distance away from me it started releasing various sounds simr to hissing, growling and crying at the same time. I didn''t know if it was having a mental breakdown or simply cursing me in its ownnguage. I didn''t want to let its wounds heal. Crash... Crash... Crash... My thrown Lightning Bolts were all redirected or repelled by the creature''s wings. Seeing that the battle is going nowhere I decided to close in the distance. Slowly moving towards the beast I noticed it flexing its wings. Whoosh... With one power p of its wings it propelled itself towards me. This time the bat didn''t care about the heat and crashed its hinge legs'' nails into my staff. - 25 Physical Damage! I was thrown further away from the beast, but since the bat was brave enough to touch the me he also suffered quite a bit. - 53 Magical Damage! ~ Demonic Bat has received a Status Effect < Third-degree burn > ~ Demonic Bat will lose 5% Strength ~ Duration ¡ú 5 minutes ~~~~ Even though the victory was yet far away I was smiling, I was honestly enjoying the fight. Seeing the bat once again flying towards me I let him get a little bit closer and casted a Shadow Protection right in his face. - 126 Physical Damage! With all his speed the bat crashed into my spell taking over a hundred physical damage. I even saw one of his legs bent in a weird shape. Since he hit a t surface he couldn''t keep himself afloat and fell on the floor giving me a chance to attack him. - 215 Magical Damage! - 236 Magical Damage! - 23 Magical Damage! I managed to attack the bat two times until it recovered and covered its body with the wings. Since the bat couldn''t use his Echolocation while the wings were covering his face I ran around himunching another Lightning Bolt at its back. - 459 Critical Damage! My Lightning Spell hit the bat''s lower back and triggered an unexpected Status Effect. ~ Draconic Bat has received a Status Effect < Temporary Paralysis > ~ The Draconic Bat will lose 25% Agility ~ Duration ¡ú 1 minute ~~~~ Apparently I somehow managed to damage its spine and since now its speed was lower I could follow the bat''s movements with my eyes. Dragging his Injured body in the air the Bat once again started screeching at the top of his lungs hoping to scare me off, but I didn''t even flinch. Seeing his enemy not affected by the < Screech of Fear > the Bat tried to make thest ditch effort to escape, but soon its body was further damaged by another Bolt of Lightning hitting its abdomen. - 246 Magical Damage! The Ugly creature fell on the floor still pping its wings trying to escape from its enemy. Screech... Hearing silent footsteps approaching it, the bat let out itsst screech before a Lightning projectile pierced its heart. - 461 Critical Damage! < Draconic Bat x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1500 EXP 2?? Draconic Scales x3 3?? Draconic Bat''s Fangs x2 ~~~~ Once the ugly Bat was killed I approached its dead body and lit its body on fire when suddenly the system messages I minimized before the fight bombarded me all at the same time. ==== Eric: - Hey, can you help me with a quest? - Pretty please... - I''m sorry for revealing some of your information O/ - Hello??? You here? ... ==== Eli: - Eric is verbally attacking me asking if I know where you are. - Can you please reply to him, so I don''t need to check my inbox every few minutes ... ==== Ava: - Can you block a person in-game? ==== ~~~~ Author''s Note: Since you all sincerely like Apple Pie I shall share how I imagine Leo to be ;-] ~ Picture ~ Chapter 67 Sewers... (3) Reading through the messages I couldn''t help, but roll my eyes seeing the problem. Writing separate replies to every member I promised Eric that I''ll help him with the quest, told Eli that I replied to Eric and instructed Ava how to block a user. '' I wonder who''s so annoying she needs to block him? '' Scratching my chin and giggling I looked down at the system map. ~ Underground Sewers Map ~ < 27% Completed... > ncing into the dark tunnel I suddenly got an idea. '' Fenrir '' Calling my fluffypanion I gave him a cooked pork and instructed him to go move further into the tunnel without me and wait for mymand. Tap... Tap... Tap... His footsteps left quiet sounds as he walked into the distance. Shifting my eyes towards the map I noticed some areas that were previously blurry be visible. '' So pets can help with exploration as well... '' Ordering Fenrir toe back, I told him about my n to let him explore the tunnels alone. I also warned him that if he notices an enemy, not to engage and inform me about its location. Upon the next turn we chose different tunnels, while I entered the pathway on the right Fenrir chose the left one. Since I could transfer most of my thoughts through our bond I wasn''t too worried. The only thing that made me slightly nervous was Fenrir''s impulsiveness to fight or eat. '' I should have more belief in my pet '' Shaking my head I focused on what''s in front of me. Screech... Two rats were looking in my direction. Both of them were in their tip-top shape indicating that they haven''t fought each other. When I found them they were eating some kind of bug the size of a dog. '' You did a good job '' I almost wanted to give them a thumbs up for killing such a disgusting creature, but didn''t have a chance since both of them leapt right at my face. '' Shadow Protection '' I felt Mana travel out of my body to form a sturdy shield that''ll block the iing attack. Bang... Bang... Both rats were blocked by the shield, but since they weren''t running at their full speed the damage was miniscule. - 24 Physical Damage! - 31 Physical Damage! Seeing the rats'' looking around trying to indicate what blocked them I quickly conjured a Lightning Bolt. Whoosh... - 512 Critical Damage! ~ The Poisonous Rat has suffered from a Status Effect < Electrocution > ~ Poisonous Rat will suffer from Temporary Stun and Consecutive Magical Damage ~ Duration ¡ú 2 minutes ~~~~ One of the rats'' bodies was pierced by my spell. It couldn''t even let out a screech as another Bolt ended its life. The other Rat seeing itspanion die turned its murine face towards me and showed its teeth. '' Huh? '' A vein bulged out on my forehead. '' Shadow st '' An orb powered by Shadow Energy was thrown right at the creature''s face. - 415 Magical Damage! ~ Due to spell having 100% chance to trigger Status Effects the Poisonous rat will suffer from Fear and Blindness ~ Duration ¡ú 30 seconds ~~~~ Seeing all the system notifications I took a deep breath. '' Maybe I shouldn''t be annoyed by a rat '' I thought, looking at the trembling tunnel''s walls. I noticed that the rat''s eyes were blurry and it was slightly shaking as well. '' Time to end this '' Walking closer to the rat I let the Demonic me engulf my staff. < Poisonous Rat x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP 2?? Small Fur x5 3?? Rat''s Tail x2 ~~~~ After killing both of the enemies I let the Demonic me devour them for 0,1% Magical damage and Cooldown reduction. While collecting the loot I got notified that Fenrir encountered a simr bat I''ve fought before. Warning him not to engage I quickly dashed towards the direction of mypanion. Screech... As soon as I reached the area of the bat I heard its scream. - 246 Physical Damage! [ Fenrir ] Mypanion was being trashed around by the the beast. Apparently the Bat noticed Fenrir''s location even though he was well hidden. '' Stupid Echolocation '' I grumbled throwing a lightning bolt only for the draconic creature to block it with its wings. '' Why are draconic bloodline beasts even in the sewers? '' I couldn''t help, but curse seeing that the bat negated 90% of my spell damage. Luckily this time the monster wasn''t Elite allowing me to quickly feed Fenrir a HP potion before it could attack. Screech... Using the same tactic to intimidate its opponent before attacking the bat dived down nning to cut my head off using its sharp nails. '' Shadow Protection '' Deploying the shield right before the bat I made it crash with all its momentum before giving it a taste of electricity. < Draconic Bat x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1500 EXP 2?? Draconic Scales x2 3?? Draconic Bat''s Fangs x2 ~~~~ Setting its body in fire I once again parted ways with Fenrir, since the exploration was going two times faster than previously. I even allowed Fenrir to attack a Poisonous Rat if encountered, but he had to inform me about the fight beforehand. After a few hours passed I looked down at my Sewers Map. ~ Underground Sewers Map ~ < 63% Completed... > '' I won''t need 5 days '' Grinning, I continued to wall further when suddenly I noticed a change in terrain. If previously the tunnels were fully made out of bricks, now it is covered in moss. It honestly looked like a separate ecosystem, I even noticed some kind of weird nt growing further in the tunnel. Looking at the map I noticed that this was the only tunnel left unexplored with everything else being visible. Calling Fenrir back I closed my eyes for a second, I was mentally exhausted, since I had to always keep my guard up in case a bat attempted to assassinate me. Tap... Tap... Hearing Fenrir''s footsteps behind me I turned my head only to see that he dyed his fur red. Turning my eyes towards the system I noticed some messages I haven''t seen before. < Poisonous Rat x6 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 3000 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? Small Fur x13 3?? Rat''s Tail x6 ~~~~ " You''ve went on a rampage " I said trying to evade his bloody tongue trying to lick me. Spending a few minutes warning about the food loss he''ll receive if his tongue touches me, we finally calmed down and walked into a weird tunnel. Walking near the strange nt I previously saw I noticed some kind of fruit growing on one of its branches. 1?? Poisonous Pitaya [ Iron ] -- A Pitaya growing in a poisonous environment ~ A potion making resource ~ +1% Potion Duration ~~~~ Looking at the nts growing nearby I couldn''t help, but smile. '' How lucky... '' Spending some time collecting every single fruit from the nearby nts I managed to gather around 12 Poisonous Pitayas. Putting all of them in my inventory I started slowly walking further into the tunnel, in case I saw another nt. Hisss... I suddenly heard a sound simr to a Draconic bat''s voice and warily lifted my eyes up. Unfortunately the enemy wasn''t above. - 124 HP ~ yer Leo has received Status Effect < Severe Bleeding > ~ yer Leo will lose 50 HP every 10 seconds ~ Duration ¡ú Until a HP potion is ingested ~~~~ My body was thrown in the distance while Fenrir started attacking the enemy, so I could recover. Quickly downing an HP pot I took a look at what we were fighting. Three meters tall, green skin, two sword like ws that almost cut me in half and a triangr shaped head. '' Praying Mantis '' I instantly knew my enemy, since they usually resided in the more humid areas, like a forest surrounding the Elves'' starting point. These monsters excelled at speed, but had no power or strong defense. The beast were very simr to the Bat, but since the Mantis didn''t have the Draconic Bloodline I could easily take care of him by chipping his HP away from a distance. Unfortunately in the game these bugs usually travel in groups. Hisss... Hisss... Another two huge bugs emerged from the corner of the tunnel. '' Fenrir retreat '' I transferred my thoughts creating a Shadow st. Boom... The tunnel trembled due to a strong explosion. - 514 Magical Damage! - 503 Magical Damage! - 521 Magical Damage! < Praying Mantis x3 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1800 EXP 2?? Mantis ws x6 ~~~~ Since all of them had low HP a single Spell powered by Shadow Energy was enough to get rid of them. Trying to light the body''s on fire I noticed a weird phenomenon. < Demonic me is not able to devour Praying Mantis > '' Even a Skill finds you ugly '' Looking at the dead bugs I patted Fenrir''s head and thanked him for keeping the enemy busy. Looking at the time I noticed that I''ve spent around a day inside the game leaving me only 4 days left for exploration. I had to do as many things as I possibly could, because when the next update hits, the time speed in-game will slow down considerably. Apparently the scientists found out that such disparity between real time and in-game time will make some disoriented or even mentally injured. The game creators were forced to immediately update the game. I still had around a few weeks of time, so I had enough time to do all the things I nned beforehand. Crack... Chapter 68 Sewers... (4) Crack... I heard something moving behind me. Turning around I only noticed a grey tree. '' I see... '' Shrugging my shoulders I hid one of my hands in the robe and ordered Fenrir to go inside the Beast Tattoo. Crack... Whoosh... As soon as I heard the same cracking sound I threw the Lightning Bolt I was hiding beneath my Shadow Cloak. - 215 Magical Damage! The Bolt pierced into the tree''s trunk letting out a muffled sound. Roar... The seemingly dead tree suddenly roared and its huge body turned to the side showing me its face that was previously hidden in the darkness. " Yeah Yeah, just a random tree in the middle of a sun deprived tunnel " I sneered looking at its enraged face. As soon as I saw the grey tree I was immediately wary of its presence since no normal tree would have a HP bar above its head. Crack... Crack... The tree branches suddenly were all thrown towards my direction. They moved like snakes, in an unpredictable manner constantly changing their direction making me slightly confused. '' Shadow st '' I threw a grey orb full of Shadow Energy at the uing branches hoping that it''d st them apart. Boom... My spell collided with the branches creating an explosion, but also destroying most of them. Seeing the results I was expecting an easy fight, since the tree''s main attack force was destroyed, but the monster had another surprise for me. Hsss.... The destroyed branches started regenerating. With a surprised expression I took a peek at its trunk only to see that its still damaged. '' So it can''t heal its main body '' Summoning Fenrir I instructed him to attack the Tree''s trunk while I dealt with the branches. Seeing him quickly understanding my n I summoned two Lightning bolts. Whoosh... Whoosh... Both of them flew through the tunnel reaching speeds so high that I could barely follow their movements with my eyes. Crash... One of my Projectiles was blocked by the tree''s branches, but the other one managed to hit its trunk. - 426 Critical Damage! Since the tree had over 2,000 HP I was still a long way from winning the fight, but seeing the tree''s expression I could tell it was irritated and... scared? '' So he is vulnerable to fear as well '' Recalling all the times the Status Effects triggered by my Shadow st were useless due to monsters having resistance I couldn''t help, but smile. - 124 Physical Damage! Since the tree was solely focused on me Fenrir managed to sneak up on him wing through his trunk. Roar... Suddenly the tree let out a roar that sent shockwaves around us. Commanding Fenrir to retreat I warily looked at the monster. The tree''s body suddenly startedpressing into a smaller version until it became a simr height to me. The shape of the monster also changed, it now had human-like features, limbs, simr build, but no face. The Humanoid tree also had branches extending from its back making it look like a spider. '' Why is everything in these sewers so powerful? What do you even put in the sewers for them to be like this? Radioactive waste? '' Cursing the Quest I saw the monster''s branches slowly lifting it in the air. '' Literal spider '' Preparing to cast a Shadow Protection I let my staff be enveloped by white me, since the tree should be highly mmable. Whoosh... A set of branches moved towards me in a zig-zag pattern trying to make it hard to defend against. Keeping myposure I calmly swung my burning Staff defending against all the branches and setting them on fire. Roar... Feeling the pain of his body being burnt the humanoid creature had to cut its own branches off so the fire wouldn''t reach its main body. Crash... While it was attacking Fenrir once again rammed at its side, biting off a chunk of its side. - 356 Critical Damage! Since the beast''s IQ was that of a table I managed to distract it a few times more until Fenrir finished the monster. < Suspicious Tree x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1000 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? Suspicious Wood x3 ~~~~ Looking at the lifeless body of a tree I touched it with my staff allowing the me to devour it. < Demonic me devoured x1 Suspicious Tree! > ~ +0.1% Magical damage ~ +0.1% Cooldown reduction ~~~~ After the tree burnt to ashes I continued to walk forward and after a few minutes reached a crossroad. Looking at Fenrir I didn''t n to let him explore alone, since the Quest rank was probably miscalcted due to people only seeing the rats. '' I should''ve know something was up '' Recalling the hidden side-mission written on the paper, me and Fenrir chose to first explore the right pathway. Tap... Tap... Walking through the eerily quiet tunnels I felt shivers run down my back from time to time. It wasn''t the dark that was worrying, but the unknown hidden in the dark. I was also slightly irritated, since that unknown might as well be able to confiscate two levels from me. '' Maybe I should''ve brought a shlight '' Looking forward I grumbled. I had Demonic me, but it could only do so much as my Mana allowing me and keeping the me alive was starting to take a toll on my body. Ding... Drinking a MP potion I almost spilled the expensive liquid when a system message startled me. < Friend Ava has sent you 2,000 Gold Coins! > Slightly embarrassed due to my reaction, I quickly thanked her for the Gold and muted all my friends, so the same situation wouldn''t ur again. While I was exploring the Sewers on the other side of the line Ava was in the middle of the city exploring various shops trying to purchase some equipment. While looking through various weapons she recalled that she hasn''t repaid Leo for his assistance in the Raid Boss battle. Quickly sending him the promised amount of gold she was surprised by how quickly he replied. Recalling that he is somewhat knowledgeable about the game Ava wrote a message asking for what equipment would be the best for her to buy < The yer has Temporarily Muted You > A system message popped up on her screen making her slightly stumble. '' Wha... '' Stuttering she quickly reread her messages trying to indicate what caused him to mute her. Her pride as a beautiful woman was slightly damaged. '' He''s probably busy, yeah that''s probably it... '' With a pout she continued searching for a suitable item. ~~~~ Achoo... " There is so much dust around " Pressing my nose bridge I looked down at our exploration progress. ~ Underground Sewers Map ~ < 84% Completed... > We''ve already fully explored the one of the pathways and at the end we found two Draconic Bats eating some kinds of fruits One of them we''ve taken care of by Fenrir sneaking up on him from behind and meunching a Shadow st at its back while it was distracted by Fenrir. The other bat was a higher level one having higher attributes and disallowing me from acting careless. I fought as safely as possible, minimizing my Mana output and only striking when there was an opening. In the end the bat was also killed in the same way as most of the bats I met were... He crashed into the shield and got electrocuted. < Draconic Bat x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 3000 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? Draconic Scales x5 3?? Draconic Bat''s Fangs x4 ~~~~ After burning both of their bodies I went to inspect the fruits they were eating. I expected them to be rich in Mana or other substances allowing them to be an Alchemy resource. Unfortunately it was only some kind of melon that just grew underground. Going back to the crossroad me and Fenrir went to the tunnel on the left. The humid climate hasn''t changed, but I noticed that the nts around were trampled. As if a huge creature or a group has run through here. Telling Fenrir not to leave my side I tightly gripped my staff. Tip... Tip... The water was falling from the ceiling indicating that it was probably raining outside. Looking above just now I have noticed some kind of vines hanging from the ceiling. 1?? Sturdy Vines -- Simple vines growing in humid climate ~ Inedible ~ Can hold up to 100Kg ~~~~ Looking at their description I didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary, but their strength attracted my eye, they could have multiple practical uses. Taking out a sharp tooth of a Fire Smander I''ve defeated long ago I cut a dozen vines and put them in my inventory, just in case I need them. While I was doing my thing Fenrir was exploring the territory and when I was about to cut another vine I heard him signaling that something huge wasing. Quickly calling Fenrir back in the Beast Tattoo I used vines to pull myself to the ceiling. Thud... Thud... As soon as I did, a group of dozen Poisonous Rats ran below me seemingly trying to escape their doom. Curiously looking at the scene I shifted my head behind them to see what was chasing them. " How the fu... " My faze froze seeing the creature rapidly approaching the running group Chapter 69 [Bonus Chapter] Sewers... (5) " How the fu... " I could only curse seeing the appearance of a beast chasing a group of rat''s. Its body towered over 4 meters, it had long limbs and was bipedal. Thenky body of a beast made it look hideous, since most of its ck fur was covered in blood or wounded by various scars. The Head of the beast was one of the most terrifying things I''ve seen through my two lifetimes. His face was that of a deer''s skull with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth that were constantly colliding with each other while the monster was running. The creature also had two round me-like eyes and two deer horns growing from the top of his head. Catching up to the first rat the beast used its massive ws to slice the rat in half, immediately ending its life. As soon as it did its deed I saw it rip and devour as much flesh from the dead body as it possibly could before chasing after the other rats. Praying that my arms will hold and that my stomach won''t act up until the beast passes I quickly nced over the beast''s Status. < WENDIGO > ~ A Flesh Eating Beast; Usually resides in the deep forests ~ Carnivore; Aggressive ~ Due to its nature the beast is Immune to Fear, Poison and Mind Control < SHORT DESCRIPTION > -- Wendigos are creatures highly dependent on eating flesh. These beasts have low defense in exchange for fast speed and reflexes. Wendigos have a good sense of smell, allowing them to smell flesh huge distances away. < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 30 HP: 1,100 MP: 500 STR: 800 AGL: 2,000 PDEF: 400 MDEF: 500 INT: 200 SN: 30 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Hunter''s Presence < Lv. 5 > -- You are able to spread your bloodthirsty aura inducing fear into the enemies ~ AoE Effect ~ Cost 50 Mana ~ 1 minute cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Death ws < Lv. 4 > -- Swing your ws in specific pattern to create a Mana induced strike ~ Single Target Damage ~ Cost 20 Mana ~ 10 second cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Hunter''s Body < Lv. 6 > -- The body fully adapted to hunting ~ +25 Sense ~ +100 Health ~~~~ 2?? Superior Smell < Lv. 5 > -- Allows one to smell things huge distances away ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 3?? Constant Hunger < Lv. 5 > -- Due to being constantly hungry Wendigo enters a state of partial madness ~ + Mind Control Immunity ~ + Fear Immunity ~~~~ 4?? Low Poison Immunity < Lv. 4 > -- Due to living in the sewers Wendigo developed a low immunity to poison ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 5?? Infrared vision < Lv. 1 > -- Wendigo is able to see heat waves during the state of absolute madness ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 6?? Absolute Madness < Lv. 1 > -- Upon Wendigo''s health dropping below 10% the wendigo will gain massive Strength in Exchange for burning its Health. ~ Cost 1 HP per second ~ 5 day cooldown ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Empowering Flesh < Lv. 3 > -- If Wendigo manages to consume Flesh while the spell is active it''ll gain permanent Attribute Bonus ~ Cost 35 mana ~ 1 day cooldown ~~~~ As the Hungry deer ran past me I could finally take a breath of relief. I really didn''t expect such beast to be inhabiting the underground sewers If I chose to report my finds to the Guild the Quest Rank the quest rank will probably be raised to F~E rank, but I wouldn''t get the Hidden reward. Clenching my Staff I couldn''t help, but drool imagining the reward for defeating such a creature. '' So this is why the tunnels seem half empty '' I thought looking at the ruined carcass of a Poisonous Rat. I didn''t even want to lit it on fire in case Wendigo is able to smell the smoke. Looking at the tunnel Wendigo ran to, I chose the opposite direction. '' I at least need to finish the exploration '' Thinking about the worst case Scenario where I will die I chose to explore the tunnels before confronting the beast. ~ Underground Sewers Map ~ < 96% Completed... > I was a few percent away frompleting the map when suddenly I hit a dead end. Looking around I could only see moss and vines covering the tunnel''s walls. '' ssic '' Smirking, I started pushing every vine to the side trying to find a hidden pathway. Soon I noticed a smaller tunnel covered in darkness. '' Good thing I''m not ustrophobic '' Squeezing into the small pathway I started slowly walking forward. Tap... Tap... My quiet steps were the only thing I heard apart from the eerie silence that intended to eat me alive. '' My past self would probably killed himself not to experience the jump scare '' Thinking about my past I managed to somewhat calm myself down. Even though I had many fears in my past life after death most of them disappeared. ( You Thought! ) I hope... Looking forward I saw the tunnel be slightly wider. Crack... Crack... Some rubles fell as I emerged from the small passage. Lifting the me above my head my jaw hit the ground. < You''ve Found Wendigo''s Lair! > < Wendigo is notified about your presence > ~ Congrattions you''ve explored 100% Underground Sewers Map ~ Looking at the ground I noticed many bones of various beasts ranging from Rats, Bats and other creatures I couldn''t identify. Seeing that Wendigo is now aware of my presence I quickly calcted that I wouldn''t be able to escape until it arrives. The only avable option was to fight. Looking at the narrow entrance I suddenly got an Idea. Crack... Snip... Using the bones of the dead beasts and Sturdy Vines I previously cut down I managed to make some kind of barrier so the Wendigo wouldn''t be able to simply enter itsir. I also left some gaps,rge enough for a Lightning Bolt to fit through them. Since I still had some time until the beast came, I quickly ordered Fenrir to take a look around the territory to make sure there''s only a single entrance point. After a few intense minutes I received an affirmative answer making me sigh in relief. Now all I had to do was wait for the beast toe to me. Screech... Screech... I heard its nails scratching against the wall as it was trying to fit its 4 meter body through the small tunnel. '' Why''d you create yourir inside such ce if you can''t fully fit through the door '' I shrugged my shoulders moving closer to the barricade. Growl... Its skull-like face was finally visible as it slowly approached the Barrier. I could see its red eyes glow with a slight hint of intelligence. '' I should end this as fast as possible '' Preparing the first Lightning Bolt I awaited until the beast came closer to the Barrier. - 314 Magical Damage! Growl.... The beast growled in pain and some kind of red smoke started seeping out of its body. I noticed the smoke, but didn''t mind it, because I thought that I had good resistance to fear. Thud... Thud... For a second I could hear my heartbeat and I felt as if something was holding me by my neck. It felt strangely suffocating. '' I should get an item for defense against fear '' Forcefully holding my trembling hands I lifted my eyes to meet the Wendigo''s gaze. I could''ve sworn it was grinning as it licked its teeth with a snake-like tongue. Crash... Crash... The beast tried to w its way inside their, but my Barricade held on. I saw two vines snap and some slight cracks appear on the bones'' surfaces, but the barricade still held strong. - 312 Magical Damage! Oveing the Fear I threw another Bolt making the Wendigo slightly stumble backwards. Feeling itself being pushed back by a human, the flesh eating monster''s body started releasing smoke so thick I couldpare it to a smoke screen. I couldn''t even move as the fear got to my head. If not for my mental superiority I would''ve probably fainted and been eaten by the beast. Crash... Crack... Using its ws once again Wendigo managed to break some of the main bones holding the barricade. It was only a question of time until the beast would barge into the room. Still gripped by fear I managed to conjure another Lightning Bolt and throw it in the direction of Wendigo damaging its right foot. - 156 Magical Damage! The Damage was two times lower than previously, but I didn''t mind, since I needed to move further away from the entrance. Boom... As soon as I did, my homemade barricade was destroyed by a single swipe of the beast''s ws and Wendigo entered their. I even noticed it receiving extra 50 Strength due to being inside itsir. '' I call bullshit '' Seeing its huge frame slowly walking towards me I called Fenrir out of the beast Tattoo. As soon as I did, Wendigo''s cat-like ears bent backwards seemingly thanking me for my actions. It felt as if its prey was giving it more flesh to devour. I even saw it salivating while looking at my two meter, fluffy pet. '' Don''t let your intrusive thoughts win '' Clenching my staff I lit it on fire trying to drag the beast''s attention from the wolf, since Fenrir was also feeling ufortable due to being looked at like a food. Growl... Its eerily deep voice sounded like augh as its body disappeared from my vision. Next second I felt my hands go numb from the collision between my staff and Wendigo''s Nails. '' I couldn''t even see him! '' I thought before seeing a shadow approaching Fenrir from behind. ==== Extra chapter for a Magic Castle! ~ 2/3 Chapter 70 Sewers... (6) Seeing a shadow looming over my pet I quicklyunched the spell at the Wendigo. Whoosh... I barely managed to interrupt the Wendigo''s sneaky attack on Fenrir. My Lightning Bolt flew right at its chest preventing it from carrying out its assault on the wolf. The Wendigo bent itsnky body in a weird angle evading the spell, but also allowing Fenrir to escape from its attack range. Eyeing each other, me and the beast prepared our weapons, I let the Demonic me dance on my staff while Wendigo sharpened its ws. Crack... I once again didn''t manage to see the beast moving leaving me the only option to use Shadow Protection. Unfortunately the beast''s ws ripped through my protection leaving me wide open. nk... Itsnky hand hit my staff without any hesitation. Even though the staff was burning the Wendigo withstood the pain throwing me to the side. - 98 Physical Damage! I felt my hands go numb and some of my bones break upon receiving a full strike from the monster. Luckily the monster was also dealing with problems since touching the me with its bare hand wasn''t the brightest choice. - 53 Magical Damage! ~ Wendigo has received a Status Effect < Burn > ~ Wendigo will lose 10 HP every 10 seconds ~ Duration ? 5 minutes ~~~~ Looking at the Status Effect Wendigo received I couldn''t help, but grin. If I somehow managed to survive another 5 minutes the Beast would die due to burns. Unfortunately my smile was washed off my face when Wendigo started rolling in the mud and the < Burn > Status Effect disappeared. Drinking a HP potion I quickly called Fenrir back into the beast Tattoo, because he was a bit too weak to deal with such a monster and would only be a target for the Wendigo. Growl... I heard the Wendigo''s stomach growl as if it was hungry. It had around 300 Health, but was still carefree. '' I need to somehow kill it with one strike '' Not wanting to let the beast enter the State of Absolute madness I sought to end the battle with a Shadow st, since it''d be a 100% kill. Unfortunately the beast surprised me once again. -210 Physical Damage! The Monster used his ws to pierce himself making its HP below 10%. Crack... Crack... I felt shockwaves spread around the area as the Wendigo''s body underwent a transformation. Its deer-like skull''s lower jaw became longer revealing its razor sharp teeth, the body of the beast turned even bigger making it over 5 meters. Wendigo''s ws became longer and a shade of red appeared on their surface. The scar-riddled body of the monster became even more gruesome due to flesh starting to peel off in some ces. Its me like eyes now looked more like rubies full of madness and endless pain. Even though the beast hasn''t yet used its Fear inducing Skill I was already nearly shaking in my boots. '' My levels.... '' Imaginary tears were flowing down my cheeks as the maddened monster turned its face towards me. Looking around, trying to formte a n I noticed the exit of their right behind me. If I manage to squeeze myself into the pathway Wendigo will die due to the Absolute Madness consuming HP. Creating two Lightning Bolts, one after the other I started slowly retreating backwards. Unfortunately the beast was now faster and stronger than before. - 126 Physical Damage! I saw my abdomen getting pierced by its ws prompting me to quickly throw the Lightning Bolt at the beast and consume a HP potion while it was busy avoiding the projectile. The same thing happened a few more times before I could sessfully enter the pathway. Roar... The beast, unable to reach me, started wing the tunnel''s walls desperately trying to grab me. When its HP was nearing zero I could see rage engulf its monstrous eyes before it made itsst ditch attempt to reach me before dying to its own skill. < Wendigo x1 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 4500 EXP 2?? Wendigo''s Horn x2 3?? Wendigo''s w x4 4?? Wendigo''s Bone x5 [ Silver ] ~~~~ Leaning against the wall I sighed in relief, what a fight it was. I had little to no information about Wendigos since they are treated like mythical creatures that are so rare, one might not see them ying Fragmental for an entire life. Looking at the items it dropped I noticed that the bone''s of the creature were Silver Tier. '' I can make a weapon out of them '' Looking at the Eerie staff I noticed slight cracks on its surface. Every weapon in Fragmental has durability and to repair a weapon you need to visit a cksmith. Putting my weapon aside I approached the dead body of a flesh eating monster. Crack... Crack... The Demonic me greedily devoured the beast''s body leaving nothing, but ashes behind. < Demonic me devoured x1 Wendigo! > ~ +0.5% Magical damage ~ +0.5% Cooldown reduction My eyebrows rose seeing the me''s growth rate. It was already around 10% stronger only by devouring bodies. Letting Fenrir out of the Beast Tattoo I allowed him to roam free in search of monsters and inform me upon finding one. ~~~~ Me and Fenrir spent the other day hunting throughout the tunnels. I think we got rid of all the monsters, because we haven''t seen a single monster for half a day. Looking at the system notification I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to level up. < Draconic Bat x4 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 6000 EXP 2?? Draconic Scales x7 3?? Draconic Bat''s Fangs x8 ~~~~ ? < Poisonous Rat x7 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 3500 EXP 2?? Small Fur x15 3?? Rat''s Tail x7 ~~~~ < Suspicious Tree x2 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 2000 EXP 2?? Suspicious Wood x7 ~~~~ < Congrattions on reaching Lv. 12! > < Level 11 ¡ú Level 12 > < +20 SP > ~~~~ Assigning all my newly gotten Status Points into Agility I felt my body get slightly easier to move. '' It never gets boring '' Feeling the sensation of lightness I called Fenrir back into the Beast Tattoo and started walking towards the exit of the sewers. Tap... Tap... Nearing the exit I felt like a vampire, I haven''t seen the sun for days! Slowly my eyes adapted to light allowing me to exit the tunnels. While on my way towards the Guild House I noticed many looks and even heard someone mention that my bounty has risen up from 70,000 to 95,000 Dors. '' Who has money to do this shit '' Nearing the guild house I murmured. Simr to thest time Olivia greeted me at the door bringing me to a private room where I was able to give proof of my questpletion and receive the rewards. Long story short, I quickly got over the part about the simple monsters like rats and moved on to talk about the Draconic bats, a different ecosystem where Praying Mantis and Suspicious Tree lived. I also retold my fight with Wendigo and showed proof of his death. Even though Olivia was an NPC she was momentarily stunned due to my rank not being high enough to defeat such beasts, but since I''ve given the proof she had no other choice than to believe. < Quest [ Sewers Problem ] Completed! > < REWARDS > 1?? 10,000 EXP 2?? 1,000 Gold Coins ~ Due topleting a Hidden quest [ The Flesh Eating Monster ] extra rewards will be given ~ 1?? 5,000 EXP 2?? 1,500 Gold Coins ~~~~ My expression was that of a joy seeing all the EXP and the gold seeping into my ount. I wanted to continue doing these quests, but unfortunately I promised Eric my assistance with whatever he was doing. '' It''s good to help your acquaintances... '' Trying to convince myself I was doing a good thing my thoughts were unnaturally drawn towards how much money I could''ve made instead of helping Eric. '' It is what it is '' Sighing in defeat I quickly unmuted all my friends and got in contact with Eric. He told me to meet him near the holy church in 5 minutes. While moving towards the Holy church I noticed a crowd of people following someone. Straining my eyes I could barely see the person. '' White hair '' I murmured unknowingly, staring at the elf that was going the same direction as I did. Soon our eyes met and she started approaching my location. '' Don''t bring the crowd to me '' Like a vampire allergic to the people I wanted to escape from the clutches of the crowd. Unfortunately I couldn''t, because Ava waved towards me. Eyeing the crowd behind her I managed to somehow greet Ava without stuttering. " Hello, did Eric also ask you for help? " Warily looking at the crowd behind her I was already feeling piercing gazes aimed at my back. '' How dare you talk to our goddess '' I could even guess their thoughts. '' Why did you ignore me '' Whispering so quietly that it was even hard for me to hear Ava lifted her eyes to my face. " Sorry? " Since I haven''t heard what she said I was a bit confused and leaned forward to hear her better. " Yes he did " This time her soft voice was audible, making me sigh in relief. '' At least Eric knew to invite strong yers '' Giving him a thumbs up while my thoughts circled about Ava not keeping distance like she previously was. '' Maybe I should ask her about the university? '' Chapter 71 Meet Up I and Ava were walking towards the church with a crowd following right behind us. " Don''t you wanna get rid of them? " I quietly whispered only for Ava to hear. Unsurprisingly she slowly nodded her head trying not to attract attention from the group behind us. Summoning Fenrir I quickly jumped on his back pulling Ava behind me before instructing my pet to run as fast as he could. " She''s Escaping! " " Damn you Leo! How dare you steal our queen! " I heard angry shouts of the crowd as we dashed through the streets. It was honestly very surprising that Fenrir could run at his full speed and not hit anyone. Taking a peek at Ava I noticed her looking around with open eyes and a wide smile. " Do you n to go to university? " I unknowingly murmured, attracting Ava''s attention. Her big blue eyes stared at my faceless hood trying to sense malice or any other hostile emotion. " Yes... " Slowly replying she was still surprised by my question. " Do you go to university? " Shortly after she returned a simr question letting me sigh in relief. '' At least around me she feels safe tomune about real life '' Giving myself an invisible thumbs up for interacting with Ava to the point where we could hold a normal dialogue. " I''ll start this year " Shrugging my shoulders I turned my head forward. I had no need to continue talking since we were already nearby the church. " In which university did you choose to study? " Ava said while looking around the constantly changing scenes. " Noment " I immediately squashed her attempt to find out my identity, not that I was against a beauty knowing me, it''d just be a problem if my identity somehow leaked to the Ava''s worshipers. I still don''t have enough money to oppose millionaires. Thinking about the fan club of Ava I recalled that even a son of a Billionaire tried to court her, unsessfully of course. As a matter of fact I don''t recall Ava having any boyfriends even after her initial fear of strangers died down. '' Weird '' I thought looking at her pouting face. Was she really that annoyed that I haven''t answered her question? Luckily I was saved from my thoughts, because we''ve arrived near Church. Climbing down first I offered Ava a helping hand which she surprisingly took. Calling Fenrir back into the Beast Tattoo I felt Ava''s gaze on my back and quickly gave her an exnation that Fenrir is a pet and upon reaching a certain trust level you''ll get an ability to store yourpanion. Moving towards the Church I noticed that we were the first ones to arrive. A minuteter I saw two silhouettes approaching us. When the people came closer I could identify both of them being Eli and Eric. While Eli was greeting Ava, Eric upon the sight of me started nervously smiling. " Hello... He hehe. I''m sorry I might have leaked some of your information... " With a nervousugh he continued to testify himself until a small chuckle escaped from my lips making my group members weirdly look towards me. '' He canugh? '' All of them thought at the same time. If I would''ve heard the question I''d probably beat them to death, except Ava I wouldn''t want to ruin our good term rtionship, Eli as well... she''s a girl. ... ... " I''m not mad, just make sure next you speak slowly and think about what you say " Giving Eric a thumbs up I waited until his initial shock disappeared and he started exining why he invited all of us here. " Uhmmm... Since we''ve defeated the Raid Boss and and have another day until we can retrieve our Loot. I found some fun activity, another boss! " As soon as he mentioned the word '' Boss '' our attention was fully drawn towards him. " As you probably know, at the side of the city there''s a graveyard. Apparently in the middle of the night a Boss has a 50% chance to spawn. It is a Lv. 50 Grim Reaper and is easily taken care of by a group of 10 people, but since we have an Elite here " Pointing his finger towards me Eric continued his speech. " We should be able to defeat it pretty easily. I almost forgot... The boss has already been defeated multiple times and we''ll not get the world announcement " He said thest sentence as if it was a horrible thing. I knew what the Boss he was talking about, I haven''t been nning to kill the boss since I deemed it to be useless. '' Wait... I''ve seen this quest on Adventurers'' Guild '' Recalling the huge billboard full of quests I remembered seeing a quest with a goal to kill the Grim Reaper. " Have you joined the Adventurers'' Guild? " I spoke out loud grabbing everyone''s attention. ~~~~ Tap... Tap... Tap... I could hear Ericpleting his rank measurements on the other side of the door. Eli and Ava have already done them and unsurprisingly both were G rank. Sitting on thefortable sofa I recalled the time a Blond dude wanted to strike a conversation with me. I couldn''t help, but let out a small chuckle recalling his face upon the sight of Fenrir. " Are you okay? " Eli asked me, seeing that I was giggling for no reason. " Just recalled something funny " Responding I made sure to fix myposure so I wouldn''t look weird. Thud... Suddenly the door opened and Eric, drained in sweat, came into the room. " You stink! " Immediately I heard Eli voicing out her opinion with no disregard for Eric. Unfortunately he felt argumentative. " That''s a real man''s smell. Tell her Leo! " He turned his head towards me searching for backup. '' Don''t get me into this '' I quickly opened my Friend List and navigated towards the chat window. ==== Ava: - Can you please help me, somehow calm them both down? ==== I pleaded and was already happy, since I didn''t see a reason why she would decline. ~ No My eyebrows rose seeing her message. - Why? ~ Tell me to which university you''ll go I couldn''tprehend what was happening. Is my identity that important? Well, I strangely felt as if I''d lose something if I revealed it that easily. Lifting my eyes to meet Ava''s gaze I was momentarily stunned since she met my eyes without avoiding my gaze. Clicking my tongue I turned my eyes away while she shed a quick smile. '' I feel like I lost a weirdpetition '' While I was trying to analyze what just happened a woman came in the room and quickly told us that Eric was G rank as well. Suddenly Eli ran closer to my side. " Leo, what rank are you? " Her question made Eric''s and Eli''s heads turn towards my direction. Not thinking much about it I shrugged my shoulders. " F rank" I said without any hesitation. I wasn''t in need to keep my Guild rank hidden, since it isn''t apletely urate power measurement. If the question was about my attributes I wouldn''t reveal my Stats, but the Rank was okay. They could check my rank on the guild book anyway. " Strong... " I heard Eric murmur as we left for the Guild Hall to get a quest. Looking through the papers I quickly grabbed the Quest from the bulletin board and moved towards the counter. Since the quest was E ranked and we all were lower rank than the requirement stated, we needed to have at least a group of 4 people, which we happened to have. " Good Luck with your adventure! Time limit is 10 days. " The same old man bid us goodbye and we exited the Guild house. Looking at the quest I couldn''t help, but look at the reward with greedy eyes. 1?? < The Reaper > [ E Rank ] -- The Guards have noticed a strange monster roaming around the graveyard ~ Subdue the Monster Rewards: 1?? 20,000 EXP 2?? 6000 Gold Coins ~~~~ " You look creepy " Seeing my staring into the system window Elimented. She couldn''t quite get why Leo''s character was that of shapeshifter''s. Sometimes he was as cold as ice other times he was salivating over loot. '' Did he grow up in a poor household like we did? '' Eli shifted her head and her eyes met with Ava''s. Since both of them were friends from childhood they could almost read each other''s mind. '' Probably '' Ava''s message was crystal clear. While they were transferring messages through gazes Eric was trying to talk me into helping him Level Up. " Come on man... I need you to carry me till Lv. 8. do it as a sign for our friendship? " ... ... ... '' Should I beat him up? '' Lost in my thoughts I didn''t even notice as we reached the graveyard. Looking at the rusty gates, I took the first step into the area. < You''ve Entered the Death''s Graveyard! > ~ Once there was a little knight, he was killed on Tuesday''s night. ~ Every night he has a chance to return to his homnd. ~ To regain his long lost glory and devour those who worry A few system messages appeared on our screens. '' Damn... Even some poetry '' Chapter 72 The Graveyard Walking through the rusty gates I saw rows and rows of various graves. Endless tombstones varying from golden to stone ones. Since stealing from the Graveyard was made impossible even for yers nobody could take the loot buried in the graves or other expensive grave decorations. '' Hmmm... '' Recalling the Grim Reaper''s characteristics I recalled that he''s an undead, a race that''ll be introduced to the game upon a certain World Quest ispleted. " Do all of you have a Fire attribute spell or a skill? " Shifting my head towards mypanions I saw all of them shake their heads. '' This''ll be difficult '' Looking at the time I noticed it was still 22 P.M and we had some time until midnight. " Quickly, go to the city and buy yourself whatever fire skill you find! " Feeling the uncertainty and questionable gazes of my teammates I quickly exined the situation. " Grim Reaper is an undead Boss and can only be damaged by Fire and Light Attribute " Seeing them run off in the distance I sat on a nearby rock. '' I''m not sure if my Shadow Attribute can damage the Boss... '' Feeling Shadow energy flowing through my veins I clenched my fist. ~~~~ Running through the city Ava, Eli and Eric quickly approached a house made out of stone. Looking at the system window that appeared on their screens as soon as they entered the building they knew they were at the right ce. < Wee to The Shop of Everything > Walking through the wooden door they found themselves in a spacious room full of various items. Before they could even move another system screen appeared. < What Item would you like to buy? > Below the message rows of various stuff ranging from Spells to Diamond Tier items were listed with a price tag below them. Filtering out all unneeded items the three teammates finally got to choose what Skills/Spells to buy. Eric as a monk ss human chose a Skill that would fit his fighting style. 1?? < me Fist > ?? -- For the next 10 punches your fists will be covered in fire ~ Cost 10 MP ~ 10 second cooldown Skill Cost ¡ú 250 Gold Coins ~~~~ Eli had chosen a skill that she felt would do the most damage. 1?? < Fiery Strike > ?? -- The next weapon strike will deal Huge Fire Damage ~ Cost 50 MP ~ 30 second cooldown Skill Cost ¡ú 450 Gold Coins ~~~~ While the other two chose skills, Ava being the only mage within the three of them chose a simple Fire Spell. 1?? < Fireball > ?? -- A throwable ball of fire ~ Cost 5 MP ~ 5 second cooldown Skill Cost ¡ú 50 Gold Coins ~~~~ After purchasing all the skills they rushed back since they had a bit over an hour before the boss would spawn. Nearing the Graveyard they noticed a few people circling around Leo. The man in question wasfortably sitting on the rock while the man at the front of the group was almost spitting talking to Leo. Since the territory was considered to be inside the city they couldn''t attack each other, because they''d be jailed if an NPCs sees the fight, unless a Duel would be requested. Suddenly while grinning the leader of the group spat some words to Leo and opened his System Window. Ava could''ve sworn she heard a word simr to '' chicken ''. Surprisingly Leo also opened his system and soon a transparent barrier covered both of the fighters. It seemed like thest sentence had hit Leo''s nerve. He even epted a duel, which was not so wisely offered by the enraged man. Coming closer to the Fighting site Ava, Eli and Eric took a seat expecting a cool battle. Unfortunately the battle went on for exactly a single second. As soon as the transparent barrier came down the enraged man started narrating clich¨¦ lines that you''d usually expect to hear from a third rate viin. In the middle of the barrier a huge countdown appeared and as soon as it reached zero the third rate viin was impaled to the wall by a Lightning Bolt. < You''ve Killed a yer Joe! > < LOOT > 1?? 400 EXP ~~~~ Since during the duels yer''s wouldn''t drop any items and only levels would be deducted I only received some EXP for winning the fight. Turning my head towards theckeys of the dead man I smiled. " ~ Who''s next? " With a cold, yet joyous voice I spoke, making all the other guy''s disappear in the distance. Looking at their running backs I noticed the presence of another 3 people. Turning around I was met by three different gazes. Eric was starring at me as if I was an epitome of coolness. Eli''s jaw was on the ground while her gaze was constantly shifting from the impaled guy back to me. Ava had a smile... a scary smile. I didn''t know why, but somehow felt ufortable seeing her smile like that. " So... you try to hide your identity, while fighting like that? " Her suspiciously light voice traveled into my ear unknowingly making me take a step backwards. I felt as if I was before the Wendigo once again. Luckily Eric dashed towards me saving me from the question with no possible answer. " Dude.... How much INT do you have to one shot a guy like that! " He was basically jumping around me talking about how powerful I am and how he''s going to beat me soon. As Ava was staring me down, Eric jumping around me and Eli giggling watching our interaction I heard a sound as if something rusty was forcefully unlocked. Crack... Suddenly in the middle of the Graveyard a crack, a literal crack appeared in the air. It seemed as if the reality on its own was broken. A long hand soon emerged from the crack, not long after the whole creature managed to fit through the crack and enter the graveyard. Its body was that of a skeleton, in its eye sockets there was no sight of the eyes. The monster also wore a purple cape hiding its ribs and chest. Even though half of his body wasn''t visible one could tell that he had no skin or flesh, he was purely made out of bones. The monster also held a weapon, a two meter long scythe with a curved silver de at the end of it. < GRIM REAPER > ~ A boss that has a 50% chance to spawn in the Death''s graveyard ~ Territorial ~ The boss has a unique body, hence is immune to pain < SHORT DESCRIPTION > -- Grim reaper is a once fallen knight that haunts Death''s graveyard due to his unending rage. The monster is immune to fear or other Status Effects that can affect a living body. Since Grim reaper is an undead he''s known to be weak against Light and Fire attributes. The weapon of the monster is made by one of his enved souls '' Vulcan ''. < ATTRIBUTES > Lv. 50 HP: 15,000 MP: 0 STR: 5,000 AGL: 400 PDEF: 500 MDEF: 500 INT: 0 SN: 500 ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > 1?? Soul Collection < Lv. 5 > -- Collect soul of a dead enemy to turn him into an ally ~ No cost ~ No cooldown ~~~~ 2?? Fear of Death < Lv. 4 > -- Spread the pain you''ve felt to stun the enemies ~ No cost ~ 5 minute cooldown ~~~~ < PASSIVE SKILLS > 1?? Undead Body < Max. Lv. > -- The body of a superior race ~ +1,000 HP ~ +1,000 STR ~~~~ 2?? Strong Bones < Max. Lv. > -- You have strong bones ~ +500 STR ~ +500 HP ~~~~ 3?? Fleshless < Max. Lv. > -- Due to having no flesh you''ve gotten rid of many weaknesses ~ + Fear Immunity ~ + Hunger Immunity ~ + Thirst Immunity ~ + Pain Immunity ~~~~ 4?? Undead Weakness < Max. Lv. > -- Due to being an Undead you are repelled by the nature ~ + Fire Attribute Weakness ~ + Light Attribute Weakness ~~~~ 5?? Advanced Sixth Sense < Lv. 8 > -- After bing an undead you''ve lost five of your senses, forcing you to feel the world in other ways ~ + 500 SN ~~~~ 6?? Emotionless Rage < Max. Lv. > -- Unending rage has consumed all your emotions ~ + Mind Control Immunity ~ + Cold Blooded ~~~~ < SPELLS > 1?? Undead Legion < Lv. 5 > -- Control a Legion of undead ~ Cost 5 HP per soldier ~ No cooldown ~~~~ Looking through the reaper''s Status I felt a bit unhappy seeing itsst spell. '' Annoying '' Recalling how much trouble the spell has brought in the beginning of the game I was amazed that some yers managed to beat the boss before us. Praising some unknown yers I concluded that the only impressive thing about the boss was its spell, HP and Strength. Simr to my past life the boss wasn''t versatile allowing yers to defeat it in groups of 10 using a simple strategy of draining its Health with long distance spells or killing its minions until the reaper''s HP hit zero. Feeling a presence of 4 people in the vicinity the monster turned its blind gaze towards us. Even though it couldn''t see us it had a high Sense Attribute allowing it to immediately know our positions. The skeleton''s seemingly frail body took a small step towards us and soon I felt a stinging pain at the side of my skull. ~ yer Leo has suffered from Status Effect < Stun > ~ yer Leo will not be able to move ~ Duration ¡ú 5 seconds ~~~~ Chapter 73 One Against An Army Feeling as if someone was drilling a hole in my skull I lifted my eyes to see the Grim Reaper use his skill < Fear of Death >. Looking at my teammates I noticed them frantically trying to move their stunned bodies. From experience I knew it wasn''t possible, hence just calmly assessed the situation. Since Boss used his skill that far away he won''t be able to reach us in time. After a few seconds we were freed from the Stun Status Effect and ncing at my party members I noticed all of them were still focused. " Eli, Eric, since both of you are close range fighters, take the front line. Don''t you dare get hit by the Reaper or else you''ll die immediately! " Quickly instructing how to proceed I walked closer to Ava while Eric and Eli rushed to the frontlines. " Since you will not be able to kill that being by just endlessly casting spells, use them only from time to time to intercept its attack that might hit us. I trust you to keep us safe " With that said I let the Demonic me dance on the surface of my staff before walking towards the boss. Whoosh... Whoosh... I could hear the air being pierced as the reaper swung his staff trying to cut Eli and Eric in half. Fortunately the monster''s speed wasn''t formidable due to its low Agility. Trying to find an opening I suddenly noticed Eli trying to attack the reaper from behind. Boom... Ava barely managed to intercept the boss''s attack that would''ve split Eli''s body in half. " You can''t sneak attack a being with 500 Sense! " I shouted seeing that Eli is still confused by how the creature managed to almost kill her without even turning around. '' I should''ve prepared a n beforehand '' Cursing myself for not thinking of my teammates'' inexperience in the game I lowered my body to dodge the reaper''s attack. Boom... I swung my burning staff in arge arc hitting the reaper''s ribs and making it take a few steps back. - 298 Magical Damage! Seeing the damage I felt a bit happy since I didn''t know If demonic fire would work against the Boss. Both the Boss and my Skill have close ties to hell. '' Fortunate '' Using my staff as a sword I managed to hold on a minute longer until Eric took the boss''s attention by using his new skill. His Fists covered in fire hit the bosses abdomen dealing small yet consecutive damage. - 21 Magical Damage! ... ... The boss''s Health was slowly moving towards 10,000. Rattle... Rattle... I suddenly heard rattling sounds all around us. " Everyone retreat! Gather near me! " Quickly looking towards Ava''s direction I sent Fenrir to pick her up while helping Eli to disengage from the boss. As soon as all of us gathered in one ce one of the tombstones nearby started strangely moving. Suddenly a bone hand emerged from the ground and a skeleton simr to the Reaper came out from the ground. Even though he was weaponless his level was 5. To me it didn''t really matter, but to Ava, Eli and Eric who were around Lv. 7 the skeletons were still remarkable. " You all jump on my pet''s back! " Quickly making all of them get on Fenrir I instructed him to evade the boss while running through the field. Whoosh... Whoosh... The wolf started running through the area being close enough to the skeletons, so my teammates could destroy them while they were passing nearby. Seeing them rtively safe I turned my head towards the Boss surrounded by arge horde of Skeletons. The monsters surrounding the Reaper were different, some of them even had armor or weapons. I even noticed 2 skeletons armed in good quality armor standing by the side of the Reaper acting like generals. '' I should make an advertisement for my mercenary services '' Before I began to fight I quickly went into my System window to find a red button with a text '' Record '' below it. Pressing the button I started slowly making my way towards the first rows of the skeleton horde. '' It feels like I''m going against an army~ '' Trying to suppress the urge to smile orugh I felt adrenaline rushing through my veins into my head. Looking at the approaching monsters I even felt as if they were slower than previously. '' That''s a result of fully focusing on the fight '' Quickly getting rid of the unnecessary thoughts I started cutting through the lines of soldiers as if they were frozen in time. Wide open ribs... Exposed neck... Slow attack... Like a machine, I kept moving through the enemy lines noticing the slight gaps in their defenses and killing them in one hit. Moving further into the army I was soon surrounded from all sides. I could''ve easily escaped by using my other spells, but since I was recording I didn''t want to reveal too much. Swing... Swing... Like a God of Death I moved through the battlefield harnessing lives from those nearby. Since I wasn''t using a lot of Mana I could keep this up for another few hours, but the skeletons were starting to bother me. - 3 HP - 5 HP From time to time some skeleton managed to graze the side of my chest, leg or other ce dealing miniscule damage. Unfortunately against hundreds of skeletons the miniscule damage soon into 30 HP lost. '' I''ll soon need a HP pot '' Quickly throwing a look to my teammates I notice their eyes gazing towards my direction. Raising my thumb up to let them know I was alright I once again dived into the legion of skeletons. Wherever I went the destroyed bodies of skeletons followed. I was having a lot of fun, since it was one of my dreams to fight against an army. I mean who wouldn''t want to have power to rival even a legion! Spinning my staff above my head I destroyed the skulls of skeletons nearby. Like a hammer the spinning staff smashed into the bones of soldiers instantly crushing them. Thud... Suddenly I felt the presence of a strong soldier slowly nearing my location. Lifting my eyes above the unending Skeletons I noticed the General to the left side of the Boss gone. The Reaper was also strangely leaning on a nearby tree indicating that he was hurt. '' He''s weakened '' Sharpening my focus I turned my gaze towards the approaching general. The skeleton had a long Katana and wore dirty red Samurai armor. Walking closer he unsheathed his weapon revealing the Katana''s sky blue de. '' Beautiful '' Even I, who was immersed into killing the skeletons nearby couldn''t help, but admire the weapon''s beauty. After clearing the monsters nearby I lowered my body and bolted towards the Samurai. As I was getting closer he also used his hinge legs to dash towards me. Whoosh... We both passed each other and froze with our backs turned towards each other. Crack... Suddenly the Skeleton fell on the ground lifeless. '' This is not some anime shit '' I cursed knowing what the scene looked like. Turning my gaze to the horde I couldn''t help, but sigh seeing how much of them there are still left. Endless heads of skeletons and some of them had items like scissors or even pocket knives. '' This''ll be hard '' Jumping from one leg to another I shifted my bnce towards right deflecting the fist of a nearby skeleton. Crack... His skull was soon shattered apart by the other end of my staff. '' I should''ve learned some kind of Weapon art '' Reminiscing about my poor past choices I smashed another skeleton. Even if my fighting style was efficient, it was made for swords. My only knowledge of how to wield a staff was from the early stages of the game when I tried to y as a spearman. To bring out the full potential of being a Mage and having a good closebat ability I needed to drop the path of the sword. Boom... After seemingly an endless time of smashing the skeletons I felt another presence approaching me. This time it was the second General that wasing towards me. Looking at the skeleton I could see him slowly approaching the battle site not minding the skeletons constantly flooding towards my location. He was wearing cloth armor and leather boots. Looking at his hands I noticed no weapon which left me slightly confused. '' I should kill these first '' Looking at the enormous numbers of the skeletons I spun my burning staff using my palm decimating 2 skeletons in a single strike. Crack... Crack... In a few seconds I had enough space to move towards the General. I didn''t want to dash in immediately, since I didn''t know which weapon he held. '' If I don''t engage now I''ll probably be flooded with skeletons once again '' Cursing I chose to risk it and readied my posture to leap towards the skeleton. Even though It was quite obvious that I''ll go after his head he was still acting carefree, slowly walking towards my direction. '' Dumbass '' I sneered darting towards him. Chik... Chik... As I was nearing his location I suddenly saw the general equip a shotgun and reload the barrel. " What the fuck is wrong with this legion! " Chapter 74 Grip Reaper Moving towards the General I noticed him reloading his shotgun. " What the fuck is wrong with this legion! " Boom... Barely managing to deploy Shadow Protection the bullets were repelled and the shield disappeared. Chik... Chik... The General started to reload his weapon while the skeletons, once again, surrounded me giving no space to move. '' I wonder if it''s nned or are they just attacking me at random? '' Looking at how perfectly the minions took my attention while the general was reloading his weapon I couldn''t help, but think this was nned. '' Well, I''ll just smash through them '' Using my staff I swung it in a long arc for it to gain enough momentum to split the skulls of three skeletons instantly. After killing at least 50 undead I finally got a chance to breathe only to see the General holding his shotgun and aiming at me. '' Shit '' Rolling to the side I felt something hit my right calf. Looking down I noticed a bullet hole in my pants. Quickly drinking a HP pot I recovered to my full health, even a single bullet did over 50 Damage. Since the General was reloading his weapon and the skeletons were far more scarce than previously I lowered my body and leaped at the skeleton. Rattle... Rattle... Seeing me quickly moving towards him the General started retreating trying to hide between the lines of normal skeletons, unfortunately for him, he was the only one wearing cloth armor. Crack... His skull was split apart by the end of my staff. Looking around I noticed that the legion was one third of its previous size and my Mana was starting to run low. Luckily we yers had potions. Gulp... Gulp... Quickly consuming the MP potion I covered my fist in mes before punching a Skeleton who was trying to sneak up on me. Tensing up my muscles I dove under the pocket knife another skeleton was swinging and punched the undead in the ribs letting the fire kill him on the spot. '' I wouldn''t hold a candle against these monster without my demonic me '' I thought while killing another two skeletons with my fist. Since my Strength Attribute was very low I couldn''t kill these undead in one hit, but the me had its strange properties allowing me to feel like a hulk smashing through the ss. Whoosh... Wanting to test something I created a Shadow Orb before throwing it at a nearby undead. Boom... The explosion sent shockwaves, but the skeleton was still alive and kicking. He wasn''t even damaged. '' Let''s try with Shadow Energy! '' Repeating the process I powered the Shadow st with Shadow Energy and threw it at the same Skeleton. Boom... Now the explosion was way stronger even lifting some of the dirt in the sky. As the dust settled down I noticed all the skeletons in the 5 meter area destroyed by my spell. '' So Shadow Attribute can hurt them '' Smiling, I started moving towards the direction of the reaper. The boss was leaning on a tree while its HP bar was indicating that he had around 3,000 Health left. Looking at Fenrir I noticed that Ava, Eli and Eric had already jumped from his back and were fighting skeletons on the ground. '' It''s a good EXP farm '' Shifting my focus back to the boss, I created 2 Shadow sts powered by Shadow Energy and threw them at the Reaper''s legs. Boom... Boom... Both of them exploded, but didn''t hit the boss, since he took a dozen steps backwards evading sts, but that was what I wanted. While the reaper was retreating backwards Ipletely finished dealing with his army leaving only around a dozen skeletons who were surrounding my teammates. Looking at the Reaper I noticed him swinging his Scythe in a weird manner. Whoosh... Whoosh... The weapon''s de pierced through the air letting out sounds that echoed through the quiet graveyard. Slowly walking towards me while continuing to swing his scythe the reaper suddenly changed the direction of his swings. '' What is he doing? '' Looking at the speed of the swings it wasn''t anything impressive or overpowering it was just that I wouldn''t be able tobat the boss in close range while it was swinging its styche in such a manner. '' Its like forming a shield '' Understanding the reaper''s n I smirked. '' I''m a mage, did he think I''m some kind of magical swordsman? '' Creating two Shadow Orbs I threw them at the Undead. - 512 Critical Damage! - 514 Critical Damage! Both Spells collided with the monster''s scythe creating explosions, but also severely damaging the boss. Rattle... Rattle... I even heard some of the reaper''s bones shattering. As I was about to rush in the fight a ball of Fire hit the Boss in the face. - 214 Magical Damage! Turning my head towards the direction of my group members I notice that they''ve already dealt with the undead and came to my assistance. While Eli ran towards the Boss I approached Ava and waited for a chance to use my spell. Boom... Boom... The Reaper was getting beaten up when finally he decided to use his fear inducing skill stunning Eli and Eric. Unfortunately for the monster I and Ava were out of the Skills range and could still move. - 516 Critical Damage! - 421 Critical Damage! Both mine and Ava''s attacks were critical, sending the undead to the ground. < Grim Reaper Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 16,000 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? Grip Reaper''s Cloak x1 3?? Scythe of Death x1 4?? Sixth Sense Spell book x1 ~~~~ Looking at the loot I couldn''t believe how useless it was. Even though the Spell book was simr to a skill the boss had, it wasn''t advanced. The cloak also could''ve been good if I wasn''t wearing a Shadow one. Feeling my teammates gazes I gestured for them to pick whatever they liked, since the loot wasn''t valuable to me anyway. Ava unsurprisingly picked up the Cloak, since it was an item that''d boost her overall defense which she socked being a mage. Eli chose a scythe of death, since it was an item simr to her axe and had higher stats. Eric instantly learnt the skill and started jumping in joy afterwards. < Grim Reaper''s Minions x1102 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 22,040 EXP 2?? Undead Bones x513 ~~~~ Looking at the amazing EXP I''ve gained I noticed another system window hovering at the side of my screen. < Congrattions on Reaching Lv. 13! > < Level 12 ¡ú Level 13 > < +20 SP > I''ve managed to raise my Level by two in a few missions which was kind of surprising, since I didn''t expect so much Undead to be spawned by the Reaper. '' Maybe I shoulde back here tomorrow? '' Scratching my neck I started walking towards the Adventurers Guild while Ava and others followed right after. During our walk back the atmosphere was somewhat quiet and rxing, at least for me. " So.... Leo, how much Undead did you kill? " Eric came to my side while his eyes were shining from interest. Not thinking much about the numbers I just shrugged my shoulders. " Around a thousand " As soon as I said the number I noticed Eric freeze in ce. His previously shining eyes lost all the glow while he tried to mumble out any words. '' Monster... '' I heard him grumble while he asked the same question of Ava and Eli. Of course he also shared how much Undead I''ve killed as well. I didn''t know why, but seeing Ava''s expression brought joy. '' 1 : 1 '' I tried to transfer my message through the gaze which she probably understood loud and clear. With such a note we finally approached the guild house. Entering the building I instructed my teammates to wait and quickly went to retrieve the quest reward. < Quest [ Sewers Problem ] Completed! > < REWARDS > 1?? 20,000 EXP [ Shared ] 2?? 6000 Gold Coins [ Shared ] ~~~~ After collecting the rewards I left the house only to see my teammates discussing something. As soon as they saw the sight of me they quickly stopped talking, making me raise my eyebrows. < Friend Ava has sent you 1,500 Gold Coins! > < Friend Eric has sent you 1,500 Gold Coins! > < Friend Eli has sent you 1,500 Gold Coins! > A few system messages appeared on my screen surprising me. Before I could open my mouth Eli had already started talking. " We felt as if you''ve carried us through the fight and didn''t even take the boss Loot. We thought that''s at least how we can repay you for your help. " While smiling Eli exined their reason for giving me Gold. " Thank you... " I was slightly touched by the gesture of my teammates. They were one of the few that happened to do something good for me, even if it was for repayment. Looking at the group I recalled that we have to retrieve the rewards for the boss raid tomorrow. " Let''s meet tomorrow by the Adventurers Guild house " Waving to my teammates I logged off. ~~~~ As soon as Leo turned into light particles Eli jumped on top of Ava, not letting her escape. " What was that, you ice queen? " Chapter 75 Circumstances " What was that, you ice queen? " Eli''s joyous yet teasing voice made Ava slightly nervous. " What''s what? " Ava tried to get rid of Eli, but couldn''t since she was on her back. " I''ve been your friend since we were young. Do you think I wouldn''t notice? " While Eli and Ava were doing wrestling Eric thought It''d be best for him to leave unannounced and quietly left two friends to strangle each other. " '' We should give him the gold, since he pretty much defeated the boss alone '' " Quoting Ava''s words Eli got off her back and looked straight at her face. " It''s simple manners... " Like a programmed robot Ava answered without any change in her expression. " Okay, then why did you suddenly get angry after Leo won the fight? " Eli''s curled up lips rose even higher while Ava''s cold facade started cracking apart. " Because.... " Ava herself didn''t know the exact reason. '' Was it because he didn''t tell me which university he''ll go to? '' Lost in the thoughts Ava didn''t even notice as her face turned from a serious to a dreamy one. " You look love-struck " Thement from Eli brought her back to earth. " Your fan club would tear Leo apart if they knew you made that expression while thinking about him " Eli''s sharp tongue kept attacking Ava, making her cheeks turn a shade of pink. " I wasn''t thinking about Leo! We haven''t even met each other in real life! " Trying to control her tone Ava essed her system nning to log out. " Yeah, yeah I totally believe you " Not having any of her friend''s lies Eli waved her hand bidding Ava goodbye. Whoosh... Opening her VR Pod''s door Ava jumped out of it and fell on her bed. '' Annoying '' Recalling Eli''s questioning brought Ava ufortable feelings that she couldn''t understand and purposely pushed down. Walking into the bathroom she quickly washed her face and tied her white hair in a Ponytail. Changing into a sportswear Ava put on a jacket and left her house. Doing a little bit of stretching she noticed a guy with ck hair on the other side of the street also leaving his house. He was wearing ck jeans and a grey hoodie. Absent-mindedly leaning on the mailbox he started tapping on his phone with an expression that seemed to radiate '' focused ''. Soon a car pulled up to his house and he sat in the backseat. While climbing in the car he looked through the window and their eyes met. Even though it was for a single second Ava was mesmerized by how handsome the man was. It wasn''t only his handsomeness that stunned Ava, but his carefree look free of lust or desire which was usual for most males she has met. With the car driving away Ava still did a few stretches before running towards the University she so wished to attend. ~~~~ ... As soon as the car left the vicinity my expression turned pale. '' How the fuck do we live so close? '' I couldn''t help, but shake my head. If this keeps on happening my identity would probably be revealed in no time. Clenching the side of the seat I forcefully calmed my beating heart. '' She probably still has no clue where I live... '' Comforting myself, I focused on what I''ve nned for today''s shopping. I''ve already spoken with my parents and they agreed on me buying a dog. I was also nning to buy myself a car, an expensive one at that. Salivating about today''s products I didn''t even notice as we reached the city. Exiting the Uber I quickly went to the nearest car dealership. Even though I was keen on buying a beautiful car, while paying the price I still felt like I sold half of my soul. The car was the newest version of its model made in 2208 making it the most expensive one. Its low frame and cool design reminded me of old cars I''ve seen in museums. Climbing into my newly bought grey vehicle I felt like I''ve reached the peak of male. '' This feels awesome '' Touching the smooth surface of the steering wheel I quickly drove out of the building and used my phone to navigate towards a pet store. Calling my parents I showed every dog I saw and finally, we came to the same conclusion. Our new family member will be a small Golden Retriever. With an amusing expression I started scratching the dog''s neck. Dazing off, I didn''t even notice that a shop assistant approached me. " Do you n to buy him? " Her annoyed voice woke me up from my stupor and I quickly bought my new friend and a few extra things like a cor, toys and dog food. Carrying the dog into my car I put him in the front seat and drove back home. Fortunately the little guy didn''t have any problems with the ride and didn''t vomit. In the middle of our way back home he even climbed on top of the driver''s seat and made himselffortable on myp. Arriving at our house I helped my dog out of the car and led him to the house. As soon as my mother caught sight of the dog she almost hugged him to death. At the end of the long day we all agreed to name the dog Rick. Going back inside my room I looked towards my bed. " Meh " Jumping into VR POD I quicklyunched Fragmental. < Wee back to Fragmental! > As soon as I logged into the game I quickly navigated towards video folder. Quickly rewatching the clip I made sure blur out my teammates faces and uploaded the video. Since nowadays everything with the name '' Unknown yer '' or '' Leo '' gained big attraction in a short amount of time I could see the view count on my video going up in seconds. '' I''m a bit popr~ '' With a proud look I looked high into the sky. The moon was high, above my head indicating it was a bit before midnight. " I might make it to the boss " Moving through the streets I started approaching the Graveyard. Boom... Boom... Even from a distance I could hear the sounds of battle. Nearing the Boss I entered the area through the gates and hid behind one of the tombstones. Taking a peek I could see an intense battle taking ce. A group of around 15 people were trying to assault a single boss. I even noticed some dead bodies lying on the ground either crushed or cut in half. Looking at the Grim Reaper''s HP I could say that they would probably seed, because the boss didn''t have a chance to call his minions due to the group continuously attacking. They were not bad for newbies... I was about to leave the area when I noticed a particr man standing further from the group giving various instructions to the group. His handsome looks and red hair couldn''t be hidden even in the night''s darkness. '' Angry Bird! '' I was kind of surprised to see such a wonderful guest around these parts. Looking around I noticed no guards or other NPCs passing through meaning that I was free to attack the group unless somebody saw me. '' He wouldn''t mind~ '' Looking towards the direction of a red haired individual I started sneaking behind him. Crack... While walking I idently stepped on the dry branch alerting Theo of my presence. ( Theo is Angry Bird''s real name ) He quickly turned his head towards my direction and I saw his eyes widen seeing me dashing his direction. Theo didn''t even manage to equip his weapon as my Lightning Bolt pierced through his lower Abdomen. " I swear I''ll kill you! " Bidding me goodbye he turned into the light particles. Now I was short on time since I had to kill all the yers around the graveyard and defeat the boss until the guards came. If I kill all the yers my name will turn Dark Orange meaning that I''ll be hunted by mercenaries and guards. '' No time to waste '' While I was killing Angry Bird''s minions, a certain person was thrashing around his equipment. " How dares he! " Letting out his fury the red haired man was kicking and punching everything that got in his way. Nothing was spared, even the VR Pod he was using a few minutes ago. Its shell was strangely bent inside and the ss waspletely shattered. After a few minutes of destroying everything around the man finally calmed down and walked outside his balcony. Looking at the massive city below he took out a phone with a golden case from his pocket. Calling to an unknown number he mumbled a few words waiting for an answer. Unfortunately the answer wasn''t what he was expecting. Clenching his phone he barged back into his room and threw his phone against the wall. " I''ll make you pay " With such words the man left his house. ~~~~ I couldn''t help, but smile bitterly at the approaching group. After killing the party member everyone around was notified about the Angry Bird''s death. " Annoying " Evading a sword strike from a yer I punched him with the fist covered in me. " This''ll be a long night~ " Chapter 76 Fighting A Group Evading the sword strike I punched the yer in his stomach with my fist covered in white mes. While he was stumbling backwards I noticed him taking out a red potion and quickly consuming its contents. '' This''ll be a long fight '' Looking at the group of 15 people all staring towards me with an intent to kill I felt a weird sense of excitement. These yers were all visibly above Lv. 7 meaning that they were above average. '' It''s been a while, since I fought against a strong person '' Stretching my back I moved towards the same swordsman that consumed a Health potion. I saw his eyes slightly widen seeing that I went after the same target, but since his speed could somewhat keep up with mine he managed to block my burning Staff with his sword. " You should''ve dodged " Taunting my enemy I pointed towards his weapon who''s de was melting from the Demonic me. Whoosh... I rather heard than saw a projectile rapidly approaching me. Using my 35 Strength I pushed myself away from the swordsman evading an Ice spike. Following the trajectory from where the spell came from I noticed a male elf hiding behind one of the trees. " Catch this! " I shouted while throwing a Lightning Bolt at the tree. Unfortunately the group was very bnced and had different ss yers. - 53 Magical Damage! A huge man with a shield appeared before the tree, tanking all the damage. Peeking his head out I noticed the man to be very short and weirdly hairy? " He sure hits hard! " His deep voice resounded through the graveyard attracting the attention of the people who were keeping the boss busy. " Shut up Bob! " One of them even shouted at the dwarf. While half of the group was fighting me the other half was keeping the boss in check so it wouldn''t summon its legion. ... I sensed something fast descending from above. Lifting my eyes I noticed a human monk jumping down from a high tree, trying to take me by surprise. Unfortunately for him the target in the air had close to no mobility. Whoosh... My well aimed Lightning Bolt pierced right through the monk''s heart killing him on the spot. While his lifeless was still falling on the ground I summoned another Lightning Projectile before throwing it at the Elf who was waiting for a moment to cast his spell. Thud... Thud... In a few seconds 2 out of 8 enemies fell without any chance to resist, even the Dwarf Tank didn''t manage to block the projectile flying towards the Elf. Later in the game Tank ss yers should get a spell called < Taunt > which should taunt a yer or a monster and gain their attention/aggro making tanker''s job way easier. The battle came into a sudden pause. Even the people who were holding off the boss momentarily stopped to gaze towards our direction. Seeing the attention I pointed towards the boss who was about to cast his skill prompting them awake. Turning my gaze back from the boss I noticed another Elven mage hiding at the backline of the group, behind the tank. '' Good choice '' Giving her an invisible thumbs up I looked at my stats Window and seeing 20 unassigned SP points put half of them in Shadow Energy and the other part in Health. '' Huh? '' I saw the elf take out her bow and rapidly fire 3 consecutive arrows right at my chest. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... I fell on the ground letting all the arrows fly above my head. Warily looking at the group I noticed the same swordsman that consumed a HP potion rapidly approaching my location. '' Shit! '' Not having enough time to stand up I quickly casted a Shadow Protection blocking his sword trajectory. Bang... His metal sword colliding with my shield suddenly broke apart, due to previously severely melting from the Demonic mes. The swordsman didn''t even have a chance to recover as his head was smashed by my staff engulfed in thin, white me. " 3 Down! " Intimidating the group I moved towards the Archer, but my path was blocked by a Dwarf with a huge shield. " You''ll have to pass through me " His brown eyes were warily looking towards my direction while his shield was ced in the position where he could easily lift it up. Looking towards the dude I casted Shadow st and threw it at his head making him lift the shield up. Boom... While the projectile was blocking the tank''s vision I had enough time to pass by side moving towards the elf. Unfortunately another two swordsmen stood in my way. Eyeing the yers I felt that they were stronger from the previous swordsman. With a burning staff I closed in the distance swinging it in a long arc. nk... One of the yers managed to block my staff at the cost of his weapon''s durability while the other one used his sword to sh at my arm. Unfortunately for them, I didn''t mind losing an arm... Cut... The sword detached my arm from below the elbow while I managed to use my staff topletely melt the sword''s de and hit the yer in the chest, making him spit a mouthful of blood. Retreating a dozen steps away I hissed in pain while drinking a HP potion. Soon my arm was back in its ce while the sword user was still spitting blood on the ground and the other yer looking at me we widened eyes. Whoosh... I heard arrows piercing through the air and quickly moved to the side. Unfortunately I didn''t notice as the other group keeping the boss in check was right behind me. Whoosh... Whoosh... Multiple spells rained towards my direction. I didn''t even notice them until a fireball hit the back of my head. - 53 HP My health was severely lowered, but I didn''t have time to care, because a dozen simr projectiles were heading my way. Moving through the area I was forced to dodge at least 10 spells until the other group went back to keep the boss in check. Unfortunately, while I was dodging the spells the 4 yers had to recover while the swordsman took out another weapon from his inventory. Whoosh... Whoosh... The elf shot arrows towards me expecting to make me dodge and reveal an opening. Unfortunately for her I took a deep breath before swinging my staff in rapid session destroying both arrows in a millisecond. Lighting my fists on fire I suddenly dashed towards the tank before punching his shield with all my strength. - 23 HP Due to punching the shield with my bare fists I felt something in my fist break. Fortunately my goal was reached as the fire managed to spread on the dwarf''s body. " Agh! " I heard his shout as the fire devoured him in a few seconds which was kind of longpared to how much time it''d take for a normal person to die. Shifting my eyes towards the group of two swordsmen and the archer I noticed the hands of the elf slightly shake as she shot another arrow towards my direction. Even though she was shaking I felt that the arrow was different from previous ones and just to be safe I deployed Shadow Protection. Boom... The arrow collided with my spell exploding as soon as its head hit the hard surface. The explosion was so strong that I even felt the shockwaves spread around the collision. '' I wonder how much money they''ve spent on that '' Recalling the arrow I couldn''t help, but recall the price of an explosive arrow. '' Well Angry Bird is a millionaire... '' Shrugging my shoulders I casted a Shadow st and threw it at the closest swordsman. Since the group no longer had a tank, they could only dodge my spells. Boom... The explosion shook the ground iming yet another life from the group. " 2 to go! " Smiling, I moved towards the Elf and the swordsman. Both of their faces were slightly pale, but both were still in fighting stances. Seeing my approaching silhouette the swordsman quickly shed his sword aiming for my neck. Whoosh... Stopping right outside the swordsman''s reach I allowed the sword to pass right before my nose. As the yer''s attack didn''t meet any resistance the momentum made the swordsman slightly turn to the right revealing his wide open side. nk... My staff hit the Mana shield he managed to deploy before the strike, but it was soon shattered due to the me. Thud... His body fell on the ground leaving the archer elf alone. Shifting my gaze I noticed that the group handling the Reaper was having little to none problems, the boss had around a quarter of HP left. '' I should hurry '' Turning my head towards the archer I dashed towards her while she released another arrow. Chapter 77 Fighting A Group (2) Dashing towards the Elf I felt the arrow graze my shoulder as I swung my staff aiming for the girl''s head. " Do you even know who I a... " Bonk... Her sentence was cut short as my attack killed her in the instant. Turning my head towards the group holding the boss I noticed their sweating faces as they looked towards my direction. It hasn''t been 5 minutes and half of the group including their leader fell. " Why are you attacking us? " One of the guys shouted at me while taking a dozen steps back from the boss. He held an expensive looking sword with a hilt made out of light reflecting material. " You look ugly! " With a yful voice I responded while walking towards their direction. I saw all of them bing tense as I was a dozen meters from their location. The guy I responded to was gnashing his teeth while his eyes were trying to pierce my heart. '' I had business with your boss '' I almost wanted to say, but I held the sentence for myself. It''s better if the enemy is enraged, he might make mistakes. " I''m kidding... " Giggling, I leaned on the nearby tree. I wanted the group to lower the boss''s HP a bit lower. " You! " The swordsman''s face was distorted from anger while a huge vein bulged out on his forehead. '' Is he a 5 year old kid? '' Looking at how easy it was to anger the guy I stretched my tongue. " The real reason for me to attack you was, because I''ve heard you''ve slept with multiple women and broken their hearts! " Sharpening my tongue, I noticed a different expression from what I expected. The dude''s face turned from an angry to a pale one. " What?! " I suddenly heard a feminine shout echo through the graveyard. Turning my head I noticed a woman approaching the unlucky swordsman. She didn''t even bother keeping the eyes on the boss which was running rampant. I even saw multiple skeletons rising from their graves. " Don''t... Trust Him! He''s lying! Veronica... please! " The guy started stuttering as the woman was nearing his location. Looking at his expression a sudden idea came to my mind. '' No way... It was only a lie... right? '' Somehow managing to frame a guy with no proof I hit a jackpot. He really was cheating! " Pull out your sword " Veronica spoke not caring about teammates shouting around them or skeletons appearing from all sides. Looking at her trembling boyfri... Ex, she unsheathed her sword. While the couple was fighting between themselves I moved towards the other 5 members which were kind of upied by the Reaper and Skeletons. Bonk... Sneaking up behind a monk I used my staff to hit the back of his head. Surprisingly he managed to tank the hit and distance himself from me only to be pierced by a skeleton with a fork. '' Bon appetite! '' With curled up lips I moved towards the other yer. My next target was a huge orc with biceps the size of my head. '' I shouldn''t contest in strength '' Looking at his menacing frame I avoided the hammer he swung vertically. Coming as close as possible I wanted to lessen the distance so he wouldn''t be able to use his hammer. Fortunately the Ork was still inexperienced and was swinging his weapon like crazy. Boom... Boom... I ignited my staff and hit him a few times before he died. If he were to abandon his weapon and fight bare handed, he would''ve survived way longer. Looking back at the couple I noticed that both of them were covered in wounds while the face of the cheating dude was now red from anger and not pale. '' I guess it''s the end Romeo '' Casting a Shadow st I threw it towards their direction and luckily both of them were hit and died in an instant. Turning my head to the 3 people left I saw them all engaged with the skeletons. Whoosh... Whoosh... One Lightning bolt hit a human''s chest immediately killing him and the Grey Orb with Shadow Energy was aimed at the Reaper who was trying to revive one of the dead people. - 416 Magical Damage! Seeing the damage numbers above the Boss''s health the mage and the monk became pale. Tik... Tik... Suddenly I noticed a small red dot hovering above the mage''s head. It was a sign of someone recording or live streaming. ... ... ... Our gazes momentarily met and my hand instantly moved creating another Lightning Bolt that pierced her shoulder, unfortunately she wasn''t dead. Trying to cover up for his teammate the monk moved in close range trying to hold me off until she consumed a HP potion. Crack... Unfortunately for him I spun my staff in my palm, so fast it looked like a helicopter''s rotor de. With such a move he would expect for me to engage in closebat, but I suddenly threw my spinning weapon high in the air. Whoosh... Whoosh... After reaching its height peak the spinning staff started descending downwards. " Watch closely~ " As the monk was looking at the staff I threw a Lightning bolt at his face. '' What a dumbass, why look at the staff that poses no threat to him '' After the Monk was dead due to being distracted by me throwing a staff high in the air my eyes moved towards the mage who hasn''t yet ingested a HP pot. Nearing her I lowered my face and looked directly at the red dot that was filming. " Let this be a lesson, Theo, do not mess with me " Piercing the elf''s heart with a Bolt I turned my head towards the boss. The reaper had merely any HP left after summoning some more undead. Unfortunately my n was once again ruined due to dead group''s members rushing back to the graveyard. Luckily, since they lost 2 levels and half of their items they were severely weakened. Whoosh... While the members were trying to enter into the graveyard through the narrow gates I casted a Lightning Bolt that impaled three people. Surprisingly the number of group members that came were halved in a single spell. While the other 3 people were visibly pale and regretting their choice toe back I quickly made use of their confusion and killed them with a Shadow st. The only enemy standing in the battle was a boss. Turning my head towards the reaper I felt the stinging pain in my skull and soon couldn''t move. ~ yer Leo has suffered from Status Effect < Stun > ~ yer Leo will not be able to move ~ Duration ¡ú 5 seconds ~~~~ While I was immobilized the Reaper quickly dashed towards me nning to take me out before I could move. Unfortunately for the undead I wasn''t alone... Leap... A ck silhouette leaped from behind the reaper nning to bite him, unfortunately the boss had Advanced Sixth Sense, hence knew about the attack and spun his scythe aiming for the wolf''s head. Whoosh... The weapon passed through the air not meeting any resistance except light particles which were going back into my chest. While the Reaper was preupied by Fenrir the Stun Status Effect ran out and I could once again move. Seeing the Boss aiming for my pet I quickly absorbed Fenrir into the beast tattoo beforeunching a series of strikes at the boss''s wide open back. Boom... Boom... Clearing the nearby skeletons I finally killed the Boss for the second time. Unfortunately I couldn''t yet calm down, since I heard shouts and sounds of metal nearing my location. '' Guards! '' Grabbing the boss loot I didn''t even manage to burn the bodies of the group, since they were turning into the light particles, fortunately I had time to set the whole graveyard on fire hoping that it would devour the items left behind. Jumping over the high fence I ran into a dark street nning to escape out of the city. nk... nk... For some reason, even after leaving the vicinity of the graveyard I still heard the footsteps behind me. Now I had no other choice than to leave the city. Nearing the stone wall I jumped as high as I possibly could and casted a Shadow Protection under me as an extra tform, so I could boost myself over the wall. Thud... Landing I felt slight pain in my ankles. '' Probably sprained '' Limping away from the city wall I leaned on a tree and took a deep sigh. < You''ve Killed x18 yers! > < LOOT > 1?? 6400 EXP 2?? 4134 Gold Coins ~~~~ < Grim Reaper Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 16,000 EXP 2?? Grip Reaper''s Cloak x1 3?? Unique Spell book x1 ~~~~ < Grim Reaper''s Minions x51 Killed! > < LOOT > 1?? 1,020 EXP 2?? Undead Bones x97 ~~~~ My eyes were instantly glued to the Grim Reaper loot. '' Howe I''m so lucky? '' Recalling all the lucky encounters I''ve had from getting Shadow Energy to Meeting Ava I started contemting if I really was blessed by Fortuna. Whoosh... Suddenly I recalled the certain reptile type beast that descended down the mountain specifically when I was exploring the cave. '' No way in hell... '' I murmured while taking out an old tome from my inventory. Chapter 78 Testing An old tome encased with golden borders appeared in my hand. I could even see some dust on the surface of its cover. '' Seems more like a relic rather than a Unique Spell book... '' I murmured while the dusty tome turned into light particles. < New Spell Learned! > Quickly navigating through my system I opened the description of the newly gained spell. 1?? ???????????? ???????????? < ????. ?? > -- ???????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? -- ???????? ???? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????? ~ ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ~ ???? ???????????????? ~~~~ Looking at the skill I blinked my eyes a few times. " What! '' Forgetting my sprained ankle I started jumping in joy. Quickly running up to a nearby shadow I used my newly gained spell. As soon as my hand came in contact with the shadow a dark silhouette appeared before me. It had no eyes, mouth or nose, it waspletely faceless. ( New Status Screen! ) [ ???????????? ?????????????? ] -- ?????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???? ?????? -- ???????????? ???? ????????, ???????? ??????????????, ??????????, ????????????, ????????????... -- ???????? ?????????????? ??????????, ????????, ??????, ?????????????????? [ ?????????? ?????????????????????? ] -- ?? ?????????????? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????????????. ?????? ???????????? ???? 100% ?????????? ???? ?????? ????????????????. ???????????? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????????? ???????????? ????????????. ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ??????????, ??????, ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? < ???????????????????? > [ ????. 5 ] ????: 1,000 || ??????: 100 ????: 10 || ????????: 250 ??????: 500 || ????????: 250 ??????: 300 || ????: 75 < ???????????? > [ ???????? ] ~~~~ < ???????????? ???????????? > [ ???????? ] ~~~~ < ?????????????? ???????????? > 1?? ????????????''?? ?????????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ???????????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????????????''?? ???????????? ~~~~ 2?? ???????????????? ???????????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ???????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ~~~~ 3?? ????????????''?? ???????????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ?????? ???? ?????????? ?? ???????????? ?????? ?????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ???????????????????? ~ + ?????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~ + ?????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~ + ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~ + ?????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ Looking through the Soldier''s Status Screen I couldn''t help, but be amazed by how powerful it was, even though its level was low its Strength might even be directly tied to mine. '' I wonder... '' Seeing that only summoning the soldier consumes my SE an idea came to my mind. I ordered the soldier to merge with my shadow! Whoosh... The silhouette suddenly dived into my shadowpletely disappearing from my sight. Even though I couldn''t see it I still felt him lingering in my shadow. '' Come out '' Instructing him toe out, the silhouette once again emerged from my shadow. I couldn''t help, but smile thinking about all the possibilities this spell gave me. It wouldn''t be an understatement if I called myself a walking army from now on. Unfortunately the spell was very costly, even now it consumed somewhere around 10% of my overall Shadow Energy. After Inspecting my new spell I stretched my back. '' I need to kill some monsters in order for my Orange Nametag to turn to normal again '' Looking at my Shadow Soldier I suddenly had an urge to test his limits. Summoning another 9 of them I felt Shadow Energy in my veins bing scarce. '' Go kill every monster in the vicinity! '' Letting my soldiers loose I also let Fenrir out of my beast Tattoo to follow the group and help them if needed. Walking a distance behind them I was looking over the Shadow Soldier''s Status attributes and noticed that they didn''t even have Mana. While I was lost in my thoughts my group found the first monster, a huge earth buffalo. The beast''s body was covered in huge dirt and stone tes looking like armor. Me and Fenrir took a seat a bit further from the Soldiers while they dashed to engage with the creature. Moooh... Noticing the group of shadows approaching it the buffalo turned its huge head decorated with horns that were also reinforced by some kind of dark material and started running towards the group. Whoosh... As both opponents got closer the group of soldiers suddenly all threw themselves to the side evading the giant beast''s horns. One of the shadow soldiers even managed to jump on its back trying to tear apart the Earthen tes. Of course it wasn''t that easy, since the Buffalo felt something on its back and suddenly an earth spike emerged from the ground, almost grazing the soldier. ... I, who was eating cooked pork with Fenrir, looked at my new skill with eyes full of stars. '' How broken is this? '' While thinking about the skill I felt one of the bonds I had with Shadows suddenly get cut. Lifting my eyes I saw a dark silhouette being trampled on by the Buffalo. Looking towards the other soldiers I noticed no kind of fear or anger in their emotions. They werepletely emotionless. Suddenly I noticed the dead shadow soldier turn into some kind of almost transparent matter and flow ck into my body. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] Looking at the system screened I smiled. Even if the soldier dies, a fraction of the SE used for his summoning wille back to me. Turning my gaze back to the field I noticed one of the Buffalo''s legs profusely bleeding while it was trying to get rid off three Shadow Soldiers running rampant on its back. Only now had I noticed that all my soldiers could slightly change the shape of their body and now most of them had nails like razor sharp des that were even able to somewhat pierce through the buffalo''s sturdy defenses. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] Another Shadow was killed, because the buffalo mmed its back to a nearby rock and crushed the Soldier who waste to react. Moooh... The Buffalo started roaring and I could feel slight trembles pass through the ground as Earth spikes started to emerge everywhere in the area. Even Fenrir and I had to avoid getting hit by some of them. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] 5 of my soldiers were dead, but the buffalo itself wasn''t in a very good condition. The beast''s breathing was rough while the blood was profusely gushing out from his outer wounds. Crash... Suddenly a Shadow Soldier managed topletely shatter the earth te that was covering the Buffalo''s side and reach its soft skin. Moooh... Feeling its body being critically injured the beast tried to use its hinge legs to kick the attacker, but was unsessful due to another Shadowing to his ally''s help and shing the slightly raised leg. What followed afterwards was a one-sided massacre and the Buffalo fell without any chance to counterattack, because shadows stopped its every move. < ?????????? ?????????????? ??1 ????????????! > < ???????? > 1?? 2,000 ?????? 2?? ?????????? ??????????????''?? ???????? ??2 3?? ???????????????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??3 ~~~~ Looking at the Loot I noticed that it wasn''t shared between the Shadow Soldiers like with Fenrir and all the EXP went to me. While I was lost in my thoughts I suddenly heard the trees'' behind me being broken. Instinctively jumping to the side I noticed a simr Buffalo running right past me rushing to its deadrade. Unfortunately for the buffalo the other beast was already dead. Moooh.... The monster let out a roar full of rage and his bloodshot eyes met with mine. I was a bit amazed that the creature immediately noticed that I was the reason for its kin''s death. Lowering its horns forward the beast started speeding up towards me, but I wasn''t nning on waiting. Whoosh... Whoosh... Two Lightning Bolts flew and hit the beast''s sturdy armor making some noticeable cracks appear on its surface. As the beast was nearing my location I just stood still while a small smile was ying on my lips. '' Shadow Protection '' Dark, almost transparent barrier appeared before the Buffalo''s face, not leaving him any time to dodge. Boooom.... Even though the beast managed to lower its momentum the hit was still a pretty powerful one. - 357 Physical Damage! ~ ?????? ?????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? < ???????????????????? > ~ ?????? ?????????????? ???????? ???? ?????????????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ?????????????? ~ ???????????????? ¡ú 1 ???????????? The Buffalo tried to immediately stand up, but I noticed that its legs were wobbly. '' Eliminate him! '' Like an army''s general I ordered the soldiers to finish off the confused beast. While the shadows were circling the Buffalo I suddenly heard something in the bushes. Giving Fenrir a look I instructed him to check out our stalkers. Whoosh... The ck wolf dashed past me and ran into the bushes. For the next few seconds I could hear some shouts and see damage graphs that appeared from time to time. Soon 2 people with their arms raised in the air left the greenery''s cover and started walking towards my direction while Fenrir was following them from behind. Watching their condition I noticed some w and bite marks on their bodies, but since Fenrir wasn''t out to kill they were surface level wounds. Both stalkers were guys around my age with light brown hair. They both were simr height and had simr facial features making me think that they are twins or at least brothers. " So... Gentlemen, what were we doing in those bushes? " With an ironic voice I spoke while keeping an eye on both of their faces. If I''ve learnt something from Ava in my previous life was that a human''s face could give a lot more information if looked closely at. Unfortunately I only knew information and hadn''t used it practically, so it looked as if I was staring at them with a huge amount of aggression. '' Please don''t kill us... '' One of the guys even stuttered out, snapping me out of my daze. '' I should''ve analyzed Ava''s tactics more closely '' Thinking about my past life I shook my head. " Why were you in the bushes? " Slightly turning my head to see the shadows close to killing the Buffalo I smiled. " We both are journalists and since the game exploded in poprity we are trying to get an interview with popr yers... " I didn''t hear his words afterwards, because my mind trailed off thinking about ways to exploit this chance. '' I might be able to get some money and expand my poprity '' Scratching my chin I smiled with the most beautiful smile I''ve ever performed. ~~~~ While Leo was smiling and thinking about his ns both twins felt as if a devil was standing before them, even the air around them got heavier. Unknowingly to all of them Leo''s '' beautiful '' smile was even driving fear into Shadows who had immunity to fear... Chapter 79 Business

79 Business

After we exchanged our information, I added them to my friend list and they felt secure enough to ask me some questions. Since we agreed to do an interview one monthter, now they''ll just follow me asking some light questions to prepare for the real interview or podcast as they call it. We''ve also agreed that the ns would not be shared with their superiors or any people for my safety. I also negotiated that I''ll prepare the ce for our meeting so they couldn''t prepare anything beforehand. I''ve also drawn a clear line between asking for sensitive information like my Spells or Attributes. While we were walking away I canceled all Shadow Soldiers summons, I didn''t want to show one of my trump cards. Strolling through the forest I was asked various questions: - Can I call you Leo? - How''d you get so good at the game? - Do you n on joining or forming a guild? - Are you going to the university? Since all of those questions were slightly below the line I could answer them, although not so easily. ~ Yes ~ Repetitive gaming; Luck ~ I won''t join any guild, but create a mercenary group ~ I''ll soon enter the university I noticed one of the brothers recording the whole exchange, hence had to be careful not to reveal too much. Walking through the forest I allowed Fenrir to go forward and find a prey for my hunt. Auuu.... I heard his howl in the distance. Gesturing the brothers to follow me I dashed towards Fenrir, disappearing into the greenery. Two brothers had no choice, but to follow after me, also rushing towards the direction of the howl. Boom... Boom... Boom... I could hear explosions while nearing my pet''s location, jumping out of the forest. I quickly looked around only to notice Fenrir fighting against a weird reptile. [ ?????????? ???????? ] -- ???????? ??????????, ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????????? -- ???????????? ???? ????????????; ???????????????? -- ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? [ ?????????? ?????????????????????? ] -- ???????? ???? ?? ?????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? ?? ??????????, ?????????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ?? ???????????????????? ????????????????. ???????? ?????? ???? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????????? ??????????????. ???????????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ??????????????. ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ????????????, ?????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ??????????! ???????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????????? ????????????????????. ?????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? < ???????????????????? > [ ????. 15 ] ????: 3,000 || ??????: 200 ????: 200 || ????????: 550 ??????: 1,000 || ????????: 350 ??????: 250 || ????: 25 < ???????????? > 1?? ?????????????????? ???????? < ????. 3 > -- ???????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ~ ???????? 15 ???????? ~ 5 ???????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ < ???????????? ???????????? > 1?? ????????''?? ???????? < ????. 5 > -- ???????? ???? ?????????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????????????????????? ~ ???????? 5 ???????? ~ 5 ???????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ 2?? ???????? ?????????????????????????? < ????. 4 > -- ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????? -- ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????; -30% ???????????????????? ?????? ???? ???????? ~ ???????? 20 ???????? ~ 2 ???????? ???????????????? ~~~~ < ?????????????? ???????????? > 1?? ???????????? ???????????????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ?????????? ?? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ~~~~ 2?? ??????????????''?? ???????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ???????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ~~~~ 3?? ???????????? ???????? < ??????. ???? > -- ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ 4?? ??????????????''?? ???????????????? < ??????. ???? > -- ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ??????????''?? ???????????? ????????! ~ + ?????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~ + ?????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ '' snake... '' Looking at the monster''s half human, half snake body I quickly nced over its Status and threw a Lightning Bolt at its back. Boom... Due to the snake having low Sense Attribute it wasn''t able to sense my thrown projectile and was hit. - 468 ?????????????? ????????????! The snake''s body was thrown dozens of meters to the side while I quickly approached Fenrir to assess his condition. Luckily only a few wounds were visible on his body and none of them had poison. " Sir, Leo! " Both twins jumped out of the forest, but immediately went quiet seeing Naga ring towards me. I even noticed that one of the twins took some photos of the monster. Hissss.... The monster was hissing at me while its lower body, his tail, was wrinkling around him giving him a creepy look. While the monster was staring towards me I put my staff into the Inventory and a Lightning Bolt appeared in each of my hands. Zzing... Zzing... The Lightning particles were dancing on my arms as the Bolts I held were thrown towards the snake-like monster. Unfortunately for me as the monster was now aware of my presence it used its '' unique body '' to slither away from the projectiles. '' I''ll have to get closer... '' Slowly approaching the ugly monster I got ready to deploy Shadow Protection if the Naga chose to leap at me. Unfortunately I didn''t expect for the snake to start retreating backwards. '' Wha? '' Looking at the snake I noticed its eyes darting around avoiding my gaze. ??? A bit confused by its reaction I came closer only for it to retreat. You good? I wanted to ask, unfortunately I wasn''t able to speak serpentnguage... Whoosh... Not finding any choice, but to kill it with spells I threw another Bolt at the snake which it avoided as easily as the first two. '' This is stupid '' Equipping the Eerie Staff I dashed towards the Serpent with all the speed I had. Seeing me rapidly approaching the beast also lowered its body and darted... at the opposite side. ... ... ... Chasing after the beast I felt something following right behind me. Not even turning my head I jumped in the air only tond on a soft wolf''s back. Petting his head I instructed Fenrir to follow the Serpent while I created Lightning Bolts aiming to pierce the Naga''s tail. Me and Fenrir spent the next few minutes chasing after the monster and luckily Naga was finally hit by one of my bolts. Hissss... Hiss full of pain left its throat, but it didn''t stop and kept on rushing forward without any care about its bleeding tail. ~~~~ ''Sssstupid human... '' Naga was hissing while trying not to lose consciousness. The wound on its tail was bleeding profusely, but the monster was still moving forward. '' A bit morrree... '' Naga felt that the home was so close and if it managed to reach it, he''ll survive. Even though the enemy was strong he won''t be able tobat a whole hive. Whoosh... Making thest ditch effort the monster managed to slither into the small cave that was leading underground. '' Helppppp! '' Thest words escaped through the monster''s mouth as multiple Lightning Bolts hit the same spot on its back finally piercing through the sturdy scales. < ?????????? ???????? ??1 ????????????! > < ???????? > 1?? 2,500 ?????? 2?? ????????''?? ?????????? ??6 3?? ??????????????''?? ?????????? ??5 ~~~~ Approaching the corpse of the monster I quickly collected the loot before burning the body, waiting until the twins woulde. < ?????????????? ?????????? ???????????????? ???? ?????????? ????????! > ~ +0.2 ?????????????? ???????????? ~ +0.2 ?????????????????????????? ~~~~ Tap... Tap... Tap... After a minute or two I could finally hear the brothers'' footsteps nearing the cave. " Where''s the Naga? " While gasping for air one of the twins who was filming asked. I believe his name was Styk. " Dead " Looking at the cave''s depths I thought about something and shifted my head towards the brothers. " I''ll be going further into the cave, I''m nning to hunt, since there probably is a monsters'' nest there " Turning around I started moving deeper into the cave expecting the Journalists to stay outside. Tap... Tap... Surprisingly both of them followed and while Styk was recording the me I held in my palm his brother, Jake, was inspecting Fenrir, taking pictures from every single angle possible. '' I feel like a guide... '' Mumbling under my breath I finally encountered the first monster. Hissss... The Naga was not Elite, but it held a golden trident. Looking at its weapon a smile appeared on my face. '' Treasure! '' 1?? ???????????? ?????????????? [ ???????? ] -- ?????????????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? ?????????? ~ +20 ???? ~ +35 ?????? ~ [ ?????????? ?????????? ] ? ~~~~ The Item even had an ability. My eyes turned into dor signs thinking about how much money this piece of equipment was worth. Even the Naga felt ufortable, because of my gaze and hid its weapon behind the back. '' Now... now... '' Slowly approaching the monster I saw it slowly retreating backwards while still holding the trident behind his back. I didn''t even notice the devilish smile I had on my face. Whoosh... The Naga suddenly turned and tried to run, unfortunately for the beast its path was blocked by my fluffypanion. Whoosh... Lightning Bolt soon hit Naga''s back making it hiss in pain. As soon as the first Spellnded Naga held its Weapon with both hands and a Spear-like projectile shot out of its front. The spear was purely made out of water, but I wasn''t so dumb to believe I could tank it. Crash... I evaded to the side letting the Water Projectile pass through my side and crash into the wall. Unsurprisingly the cave wall was pierced a few meters deep. '' One of the lowest damage attributes my ass! '' Looking at the damage done to the wall I cursed while evading another water spear. Boom... Boom... Dodging every single projectile I started noticing the water spears bing weaker and weaker and losing its original shape. '' Its Mana is about to run out... '' Looking at the Naga which was trying its hardest to defend against Fenrir and Me I saw it barely managing to keep the Trident from falling out of its hands. Whoosh.... Finally my Lightning Bolt managed to reach the monster, damaging him and giving Fenrir a chance to leap at the beast. < ???????? ??1 ????????????! > < ???????? > 1?? 2,000 ?????? [ ???????????? ] 2?? ????????''?? ?????????? ??4 3?? ??????????????''?? ?????????? ??3 4?? ???????????? ?????????????? [ ???????? ] ~~~~ Looking behind to make sure that both brothers were still alive I was amazed by how tenacious they were. Both of them were covered in small wounds which were probably inflicted by the after effects of the Golden Trident''s ability. " You both good? " Feeling considerate I decided to at least ask them if they want to continue. I couldn''t let my tfor... Mhm... business partners die. Seeing Styk and Jake nodding their heads I called Fenrir back to my side. I did allow him to eat the body of Naga, since I didn''t want to burn it in front of the brothers. I might be suspected as a psychopath who likes to burn bodies or they''ll be onto my skill. Too much information is not good... Stretching my back I started moving deeper into the cave expecting to level up twice or even more until I''m forced to leave due to rewards I need to collect or a powerful beast that''ll overpower me. Chapter 80 Naga Hive Moving further into the cave I noticed the climate getting more humid. Some of the walls were even covered in moss. The environment was very simr to sewers, I even noticed some small nts. '' I hope there is no Wendigo here... '' Looking at Jake and Styk I wasn''t sure if I''ll be able to protect them from a flesh eating monster. Click... Click... Both brothers were either filming, taking photos or inspecting the cave''s walls. Since both of them knew that we were in the dangerous zone they didn''t want to ruin my concentration by asking questions. While they both were here for a tour I was contemting how to proceed forward. In my past life this ce was very well known as an easy Gold and EXP farm due to huge numbers of reptile monsters residing here. Most yers bought AoE Spells or Skills to sweep many monsters in one go and receive huge EXP rewards and Loot drops. Nagas also have a chance to be carrying two weapons: 1?? ???????????? ?????????????? [ ???????? ] ???????? ???????? ¡ú 5,000 - 7,000 ???????? ?????????? ~~~~ 2?? ?????????? ?????????? [ ???????? ] ???????? ???????? ¡ú 9,000 - 14,000 ???????? ?????????? ~~~~ Bot of these weapons are expensive and powerful, I was even contemting to wield the Water Spear. Unfortunately it had no MP or INT bonuses, hence making me throw that idea out of my mind. '' I should find a Magical Spear... '' Looking at my Eerie Staff''s slightly cracked surface I thought that I''d need a weapon more resistant to fire. Hissss... Hissss... I heard hissing sounds upfront and raised my hand gesturing brothers to stop. Lowering my stance I extinguished the demonic me and started slowly moving towards the sound. Taking a peek around the corner I used my system window to slightly illuminate the nearby area and saw two reptilesmunicating with each other. I even noticed that both Nagas had Scales slightly redder in colorpared to a Naga I saw outside. As far as I recall this species has a power hierarchy. The darker the color of its scales the higher level a monster is. Quietly casting two Lightning Bolt Ipressed them as much as I could beforeunching projectiles at the monster. Whoosh... The Projectiles made with one third of my Mana pierced deep into the closest Naga mortally wounding it. Hisss... Seeing his friend at death''s door the healthy Naga leapt towards me attempting to bite me only for its face to hit a solid surface. One of its fangs even broke upon the collision. As the Naga was stumbling backwards something got ahold of its neck twisting it making the reptile hiss in pain. Fenrir was strong, but not strong enough to simply kill Naga by simply twisting its neck. Crash... Using its Explosive Naga sent Fenrir flying backwards. - 314 Physical Damage! My pet was hurt, but still able to fight. As I was about to rush towards the Naga I saw the air around it bing slightly red in color. '' Body Strengthening! '' Warily looking towards the now overpowered reptile I made sure to prepare a Lightning Bolt if it decides to rush straight at me. Unsurprisingly, since Naga had a bit of Human Intelligence it didn''t immediately dart towards me. Slowly slithering in a zig-zag pattern the beast''s arms became slightly red indicating that the next hit will be explosive. Keeping my cool I instructed Fenrir to stay away before deploying 3 Shadow Soldiers. Since the journalist brothers were around the corner they wouldn''t be able to see the fight allowing me to make use of my newly gained skill. My Shadow Soldiers rushed to the snake with their arms forming into ws of a beast. Boom... Boom... Since Naga was faster it hit both shadows exploding them instantly. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] Both of them died immediately leaving only one Soldier alive. As if avenging his brothers the Shadow extended its ws which barely pierced through the Naga''s abdomen. Noticing the monster raising his empowered hand to crush my Shadow I quickly casted a Lightning Bolt. Whoosh... The projectile flew and pierced through the beast''s forearm. Hisss... Ignoring the damaged hand Naga punched the Soldier, also crushing him, but injuring its arm beyond repair. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] Clicking my Tongue I conjured two Lighting Bolts before closing in the distance and letting the Bolt pierce deep into the Naga''s chest. Surprisingly the monster was tenacious and kept on fighting until dying due to blood loss. Walking closer to the dead body I quickly evaded the Blue blood that was all around the corpse and quickly collected the loot. < ???????? ??2 ????????????! > < ???????? > 1?? 4,000 ?????? 2?? ????????''?? ?????????? ??7 3?? ??????????????''?? ?????????? ??5 ~~~~ After both monsters fell I invited Styk and Jake toe out of their hideout and we moved further. Surprisingly none of the brothers were scared or repulsed, their eyes were even shining when I told them that we still have a long journey ahead. '' They do treat this as a tour '' I grumbled while Styk was taking pictures of the dead reptiles'' bodies. Tip... Tip... Tip... Tip... Suddenly I hear something behind us. Turning my head I quickly walked in front of Jake, who was thest one, to cover him from whatever wasing. The sound got louder and louder when finally a huge ck leg came into view. Lifting my eyes up I was met by gaze from 8 different eyes. The monster was huge, its 8 legs lifted it high in the air while the ck fur covering its body made it seem fluffy yet dangerous. Roar... The monster roared revealing its mouth full of razor sharp teeth that were the size of my fingers. '' I think I''ll get a phobia... '' Looking at the ugly ass spider I thought while gesturing brothers to fall back immediately. Crack... Surprisingly the bnce of the spider shifted and it shrieked in pain. One if its legs were forcefully torn off from its body. Looking around I didn''t notice Fenrir and only using our bond I found him behind some rocks chewing onto the spider''s lost leg. Criekk... Spider''s voice full of pain echoed in the tunnel making the cave slightly tremble. '' Shit it''ll alert others! '' Seeing that the enemy is a bug type monster I quickly equipped the Eerie Staff and covered it in fire. Surprisingly the spider slightly lowered its body and spat out some green liquid that I barely managed to evade. Looking at the green stuff I noticed it corroding the ground below it. '' That''s one hell of a corrosive property '' Warily looking at the spider I tried to slowly move towards him attempting to make a run and dash under him so he''d have no way to attack me. Unfortunately the spider was now slightly lowering its body so its mouth could reach if I tried to run under it. Crack... The spider once again shrieked in pain as his second limb was torn off from his body. This time though the monster managed to catch sight of Fenrir and use one of its 6 legs to wound his back. - 234 Physical Damage [ Fenrir ] Even though the attack was slow the effect was major. I didn''t expect a spider''snky leg to do so much damage. '' Take cover! '' Conveying my message to Fenrir I ran towards the spider avoiding another poisonous spit and hitting one of its legs with my Staff. 3 out of 8 legs were down and the spider''s bnce was seriously affected, I even saw its legs slightly tremble, not able to support the main body weight. Not giving the spider a chance to recover I tried to strike another leg, but surprisingly the beast moved it out of the way and jumped backwards once again making me stand in front of its mouth. Whoosh... Whoosh... Few green balls of mass travelled towards me making me take a dozen steps back to avoid them. As I was about to re engage the spider I suddenly felt weakness spread through my body. ~ ???????????? ?????? ?????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? < ?????????????????? > ~ ???????????? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? [ -10% ???????????????????? ] ~ ???????????????? ¡ú 1 ???????????? ~~~~ Looking at the ground I noticed the green spit of the ground vaporizing into the air. Quickly covering my nose with my hood I help my breath trying not to inhale the poisonous air. I also chose to retreat backwards, further away from the poisonous air even if I''ll release my prey. Luckily or not the spider was dead set on killing me and followed after. '' Dumbass '' I smirked as the monster passed through Fenrir''s hiding spot. Crack... Boom... Another Limb of the spider was torn away and the monster couldn''t keep its bnce falling on the ground. '' Fenrir, attack its back! '' Seeing the spider not being able to turn around I instructed Fenrir to assault the monster from behind while I used my Lightning Bolts to pierce through its body. < ?????????? ???????????? ??1 ????????????! > < ???????? > 1?? 2,500 ?????? ~~~~ Seeing Styk taking a video of the fight I cursed, since I couldn''t burn the body. '' Maybe I should send them outside... or maybe they''ll meet with an unfortunate ident... '' Thinking about all the fortunate and idental ways for the journalists to leave the cave a saving grace suddenly appeared before my eyes. " Leo, me and my brother have to go to work... " Styk opened his mouth while a sad smile was ying on his lips. Chapter 81 Naga Hive (2) " Leo, me and my brother have to go to work... " Styk spoke while looking at the ground. He was feeling sorry to leave Leo alone even though they insisted on following him to record everything. Seeing his reactions I nodded my head before bidding goodbye to both brothers. As soon as their bodies turned into Light particles I raised my clenched fist right in the air. " Yes! " Going backwards I burnt the spider and all three Nagas I''ve fought previously. < ?????????????? ?????????? ???????????????? ??4 ????????????????! > ~ +0.3% ?????????????? ???????????? ~ -0.3% ???????? ???????? ~~~~ Moving back I''ve sent 5 Shadows ahead of me to scout the area. Since everything was covered in the shadows my soldiers were practically invisible. Strolling down the cave I''ve climbed on top of Fenrir who wasn''t very willing to allow it. 10 Minutes after sending my shadows to scout ahead I felt them encounter an enemy and soon one of them was dead. [ +2 ???????????? ???????????? ] My previously joyous mood shifted into a more serious one seeing one of my summons die. I knew that a simple Naga or a Spider wouldn''t be able to kill even a single soldier, hence it had to be a group of enemies or the monster who held a weapon. With shining eyes I urged Fenrir to sprint forward hoping that Naga was in possession of a Water Spear. Unfortunately some dreams have to be crushed... After spending a few minutes running we walked up to the scene of my Shadows getting smashed by an injured Naga... wielding an axe... an axe made by connecting wood and rock with some vine. I wasn''t petty, not at all, I just simply created a Shadow st powered by SE and threw it right at the Naga''s face. Boom... The cave shook while I approached the dead body with intent to burn it. Unfortunately there was nothing left to burn. Clicking my tongue I resummoned another Shadow Soldier and sent him forward to scout ahead. In such a formation we moved for another 5 minutes when suddenly All 5 of my Shadows were Killed instantly. Seeing that the enemy is strong I guessed that the opponent might be an Elite, high level Naga with a weapon. Climbing down from Fenrir''s back I gave him a cooked pork before absorbing him into the beast tattoo. Carefully cing my feet I made sure to move as quietly as possible even though it was painfully slow. Zing... I barely managed to shift my body to the side feeling something thin pierce through my shoulder. " Agh! " A muffled sound escaped from my mouth. If I hadn''t reacted at thest second my heart would be pierced. Taking a cover around the corner I quickly consumed A Health potion. Ssssss... I heard something rubbing against the hard floor. Instantly I knew it was Naga''s scales. Casting a Lightning Bolt I used my other hand to hold a staff engulfed in white aura, scorching in white fire. As the sound got close and closer I became more and more calm as if my emotions were forcefully dulled. Whoosh... As soon as the monster was 10 meters away from me I threw a Bolt towards its direction. Unfortunately the Red scale Naga managed to block the bolt, even though its palms were pierced. My eyebrows rose seeing that the monster managed to react to my spell from this close up. Calling 2 Shadow soldiers by my side I ordered to attack the creature. I was aiming to assess the Naga''s strength before engaging. I was yet to be powerful enough to clear the cave easily, I had put my life on the line if I wanted to move forward. This is no grinding spot for me, it is do or die. Crunch... Whoosh... Both soldiers were killed in one exchange, while the first shadow was simply sent flying towards the wall as the Naga hit him with its tail; the other one was bitten by the monster''s powerful fangs. Now I was pretty much knowledgeable about who I''m dealing with. Casting two Lightning Bolts I raised my hands high in the air before throwing one projectile directly to the beast and another slightly to its right. Unsurprisingly the monster evaded the first Bolt by rolling to the side, not even seeing the second bolt. -378 Magical Damage! My spell hit the Naga''s hard scales slightly damaging it. Hissss... The monster was hissing in pain but I didn''t intend to let him recover. Whoosh... Whoosh... In simr manner two Lightning Bolts were once againunched towards the injured Naga. Simr to thest time the monster managed to dodge the first one, but the second projectile reached its target. -381 Magical Damage! Some of the monster''s scales were now slightly ck in color as if exposed to the heat. Unfortunately the monster had yet to fall and had a lot more Health. Hisss... I saw the air around the monster turn slightly red and quickly retreated backwards summoning 5 soldiers. Squash... I didn''t even manage to react as the first soldier was sent crashing against the cave wall immediately dying. '' Shit! '' Equipping my Staff I lit it on fire hoping that I''d be able to block a hit from the empowered Naga. Unfortunately I wasn''t expecting for the monster to use its long tail to hit my legs making me lose bnce. Thud... I fell on my back and felt air being forcefully pushed out of my lungs. I didn''t even have a chance to recover as I saw a system message. [ +10 ???????????? ???????????? ] All of my soldiers were already defeated by the Naga. Seeing as I had no time I instinctively rolled to the side. Boom... That was a good move, since the Naga''s explosive fist hit the ce where my head was a few seconds ago. Taking a dozen steps back I warily looked at the reptile. Its body after using the Skill seemed inted, the muscles were bulging out seemingly close to exploding. Veins were visible all around its upper body making it look like a bodybuilder. After barely escaping death I felt my heart thumping as if I was running a marathon. '' This game is unnecessarily real '' Bitterly grinning, I casted two Lightning Bolts and threw them at the Naga. After using an Empowering Skill Naga was now faster and stronger, hence avoiding both projectiles by simply shifting its body to the side. Boom... Boom... My spells exploded behind the creature making the cave slightly tremble. '' I need to buy time '' Seeing the creature''s power I understood I had no way to win until its Skill effect ran out. Slowly retreating backwards I created another Lightning Bolt and raised it above my head trying to scare off the Naga. Unfortunately the beast had other ns, it seemed to lose a sense of reason after using [ Body Strengthening ] Using its tail the creature somehow managed to leap high in the air andnded behind me blocking my exit. I even noticed that thending hurt its tail and there was blue blood gushing out under it, but the snake didn''t even care, its gaze was focused onto me. '' Psychotic Reptile! '' I thought while so unfortunately forgetting how I previously sacrificed my arm for a sessful attack in a fight against 15 yers. Spinning my Staff I lit it on fire creating a cool visual effect and making a burning shield that''d be hard to prate even if one doesn''t feel pain. < ???????????????? > ???????????? ???????????? ¡ú ~ +1 ?????????????? ?????????? ~ +1 ???????????????? ???????? ~~~~ In the middle of the fight my new Skill got upgraded, unfortunately the system window appeared in my face momentarily surprising me. Whoosh... Only a moment was needed for the Naga to leap towards me. '' Shadow Protection '' Luckily I still had my trustworthy shield which has gotten me out of many various situations. The monster not managing to stop crashed into the Shield hissing angrily. - 126 Physical Damage! The facial features of a monster were now distorted, if not for the cobra hood behind its head I''d think it''s a beaten up pig. Not wishing to give my enemy a chance to recover I threw a Lightning Bolt hoping that the monster is still confused after crashing into the shield. Unfortunately the snake was already conscious of its surroundings and easily evaded the Lightning Bolt. Good thing was that after crashing and evading my Spell the snake moved from its original spot, giving me a clear view of the tunnel leading to the cave''s exit. Using all my Shadow Energy I summoned as many soldiers as I possibly could. The sudden feeling of weakness hit me as thest Shadow came into the view. Summoning Fenrir I instructed him to run outside while my shadows will not allow Naga to follow me. '' I was overconfident... '' Clicking my tongue I understood that I was on cloud nine after having so many victories in the row and attempted to clear a cave hard even for a group of Lv. 20 yers. This time I had to take the loss, but I''ll be back and clear it... multiple times if needed. I thought, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Chapter 82 An Old Enemy Exiting the cave I sighed in defeat. '' I''m not yet able to even half clear it '' Recalling the red scale Naga I slightly clenched my fists. It was an obstacle I nned to defeat next time Ie here. Since most people don''t know about the cave or will not be able to defeat the monster I was sure that the Naga will survive until our next meeting. Unequipping my Staff I felt that all of my shadow soldiers were dead. Patting Fenrir''s head I thanked him for giving me a ride and threw him some pork. While he was eating his meal I consumed a red Health potion. Looking around I noticed a pair of yellow eyes spying me from the bushes. " I haven''t seen you in a while! " After the first loss my emotional state was somewhat irritable and seeing an old enemy considerably improved my mood. Soon the beast fully emerged from the forest revealing shiny red scales that covered all of its body. The creature had build that of the big Lizard, its red tongue was slightly protruded from the mouth revealing its forked appearance. It was the Fire Smander and a high level one! Looking at the number on its Status screen I bitterly smiled. '' Why is his level above mine? '' Grumbling under my breath I sent Fenrir to take the front line while I casted a Lightning Bolt and held it in my hand, waiting for a perfect opportunity to strike. Whoosh... I saw a Fire projectile leave the Lizard''s mouth and fly towards Fenrir. Luckily I was already prepared and quickly used my Mana to deploy Shadow Protection. Boom... A huge explosion shook the ground, but the shield managed to block the fireball. Some smoke covered the area slightly obstructing my vision. Fortunately I was smart enough to retreat waiting for the smoke to settle. I also instructed Fenrir to wait till he could fully see the beast. Not even a secondter two fireballs flew out of the smoke rapidly approaching me and Fenrir. Narrowing my eyes I tensed my muscles before jumping high in the air and evading both projectiles. While still in the air I saw an entity leap towards me with its mouth full of razor sharp teeth aiming for my throat. Whoosh... I casted a Lightning Bolt and the projectile left my hand considerably fast allowing me tounch it before the monster could reach me. With no way to evade Smander decided to counter a spell with its own spell. Boom... A fireball and a Lightning Bolt collided creating shockwaves around them. I was even forced to cover my face due to the sheer strength of the after effects. '' One hard fight after another '' I sighed seeing the lizard still approaching my location. Since I was still in the air I had no shadows around me, hence could not use my [ Shadow Friend ] skill. '' This is troublesome '' Quickly creating another two Lightning Bolts I threw them towards the Smander, buying myself enough time to reach the ground. Thump... After managing tond I was immediately forced to retreat, because the Smander''s teeth were a meter away from my body. Creating a Shadow st I lowered my body to avoid another fireball aimed at my face. While the projectile was passing above me, I could feel the fireball''s heat that seemed able topete against Demonic Fame. Throwing my Spell made with Shadow Energy I made sure it''d be aimed at the lizard''s legs. If the monster managed to evade it, it would still hit the ground making an explosion with a possibility to damage a Smander who was nearby. Unfortunately, since Smander was a high level one, his Spells were more versatile. Whoosh... A beam of fire left its mouth and collided with the Orb stopping it in its tracks and soon exploding it. Fire Smander used an attack simr to that of an Ice Wyvern - Fire Breath. Of course lizard''s skill was yet to be so powerful to rival that of a dragon''s or Wyvern''s, but it wasmendable. ... ... ... Looking at the monster I kind of wanted to test his mes against mine, the only issue was that I wasn''t yet able to throw Demonic me and only use it to engulf my body or a weapon. Clenching my Staff I let the White aura engulf its surface covering it whole. Roar... Seeing another source of fire I saw the Smander roared while I saw me climbing up its throat. Quickly using my hands I started spinning my staff as fast as I could and held it in the direction of the monster. Whoosh... A torrent of mes left the Smander''s mouth rapidly approaching my location. Bum... My Demonic mes shed against the Fire Breath, I was profusely sweating due to the heat generated, but luckily my hands were not burnt due to [ Shadow Gloves ] made by Kilgros. '' I should thank him next time... '' Holding a straight posture I kept spinning the Staff until the Smander finally stopped his Fire Breath. Grrrr... I heard a sound, simr to a growl, leave its mouth as the smoke was slowly rising from the top of its back. '' Overheating? '' Recalling that Fire Smanders can overheat due to using too many Fire attribute spells I smiled seeing some signs of it already happening. Since monsters like these are met all across the map no matter the level or ce it wasn''t rare to know all about them. Especially when information regarding them was dirt-cheap. Whoosh... Even though its body couldn''t produce any more fire spells the monster could still use its Physical Strength or Skills/Spells that are not fire-rted like [ Leap ]! The Smander''s body reinforced by red scales leaped towards me trying to reach my chest and vitals. Unfortunately for the beast, midway its jump another monster hit it from the side dealing some heavy damage. - 176 Physical Damage! A ck fur wolf was wing and biting into the body of the Lizard aiming to reach underneath its sturdy scales. Roar... The Smander feeling immense pain of its scales being forcefully detached from the body suddenly exploded in mes sending fire in all directions. The beast''s body was now covered in fire and its previously damaged side was slowly regenerating. Even though its wounds were now not that serious due to healing, the breathing of the monster was rough and uneven. Grrrr... Seeing Fenrir who was rolling on the ground to extinguish the me Smander almost leapt towards him, but its path was blocked by an almost transparent, grey barrier which previously blocked its Fireball spell. Turning its gaze towards me, its eyes met with mine. I swear I could see the mes covering its body intensify as the speed of the smoke leaving its body rapidly elerated. Whoosh... I barely managed to avoid a Fireball that was aimed at my chest by swinging my Staff covered in mes. Boom... I felt my hands go numb from the collision as I quickly unequipped my Staff to disperse the vibrations that happened due to my Weapon hitting a fast projectile. Of course it wasn''t the smartest choice to block it with the staff since the Fireball still exploded, the only good thing was that the damage was minimalpared to what would''ve happened if the Spell reached my body. '' I should be more careful... '' Taking a few steps back I came in contact with the shadow of a nearby tree and soon 11 Soldiers appeared draining me of my Shadow Energy. '' You better be useful! '' I nced towards the lizard who was ring towards me while at the same time attacking Fenrir who was buying me some time. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... My soldiers ran through the battlefield rapidly approaching the Lizard. Monster feeling a presence of another 11 enemies, turned its scaly head towards the fast approaching Shadows and threw a Fireball which travelled fastpared to its original speed. Luckily all of my Soldiers managed to avoid it, if even a single one of them was hit the explosion would probably wipe out the entire group due to them having a Weakness against Fire and explosion having high damage. All 11 Shadows approached the Lizard forcing it to shift its attention from the ck Fur to the quickly approaching enemies. Whoosh... Through its mouth a huge torrent of mes wereunched at the shadows immediately killing 3 of them. The soldiers didn''t even have a chance to react due to the sheer speed of the Lizard''s Fire breath. Unfortunately while the Lizard was upied by shadows my Lightning Bolt managed to reach its previously injured side. Chik... The Bolt managed to pierce through a small gap in between the scales that were not yet fully healed. The bolt entered the body through one side and left through another meeting no resistance. Thud... The Lizard''s eyes started bing cloudy as its tensed up muscles started to rx making it slowly fall on the ground. My Thrown Spell managed to pierce directly through the beast''s Heart instantly killing it! Chapter 83 An Old Enemy (2) < ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ????????????! > [ ???????? ] 1?? ??,?????? ?????? 2?? ???????????????????? ?????????? ???? 3?? ?????????? ???????? ???? ~~~~ The loot of the killed lizard was good for a normal monster. Grabbing all the drops I was about to move into the forest, towards the city, when another pair of yellow eyes appeared in between the greenery. Roar... Another lizard, an elite one, emerged from the forest''s cover aiming straight for my head. The monster used its hinge legs and leapt at me, managing to reach my location in a second. I didn''t have any time to dodge, hence deployed Shadow Protection to block the beast''s path. Unfortunately Smander also noticed the shield and shot out a fireball that shattered my spell and opened up a path towards me. Crash... Luckily my Shadows have also reacted to the surprise attack and were onto the Lizard trying to pierce through his red scales. [ +?? ???????????? ???????????? ] A wave of fire was released from the Lizard''s body, instantly burning shadows that were near the monster. Gritting my teeth I watched as my shadows were killed by the Lizard simply approaching and killing them with the heat of his fire. '' To my shadow! '' Commanding soldiers that were still alive I ordered them to retreat back into my Shadow and took a deep breath. Soon my whole body was covered in white mes, while the grass around me was lit on fire. I wanted to test if I could resist the me of the Smander by covering my body with Demonic mes. Roar... Seeing me also releasing an aura of Fire around me the lizard lifted his head up before releasing a breath of fire aimed at my chest. At thest second I moved to the side and raised my arm, engulfed in Demonic mes, to get it hit by the attack. Whoosh... I felt painful heat assault my hand, I felt as if the blood in my arm began to boil. It was survivable, but it was hardly bearable. I also received some miniscule damage, due to heat damaging my body. - ?? ???? - ?? ???? - ?? ???? Retreating my hand I saw the skin of my forearm red in color while there was smoke rising from the surface of my skin. '' I smell like grilled pork '' Smelling my hand I grinned while avoiding another Fire Projectile aimed towards my body. I came to the conclusion to not try to endure the Fire by covering my body with Demonic mes. Even though it was working it was also painful as hell. Taking a deep sigh I was about to engage with the beast when a sudden system notification appeared on my screen. < ?????????????????????????????? ???? ???????????????? ????. ????! > < ?????????? ???? ? ?????????? ???? > < +???? ???? > ~~~~ Pumping all of the SP points I currently had into the INT staff I summoned a Lightning Bolt that held a bit more power than previously. Whoosh... The Projectile pierced through the air making it difficult for me to follow its movements and hit the lizard''s scaly chest. - 612 Magical Damage! Even though the Lizard''s body was reinforced by scales it couldn''t do much against being electrocuted. Roar... I heard the lizard roaring in pain as I created another Lightning Spell aiming to end the fight with my next throw. Unfortunately I heard someone step on the branches behind me and instinctively jumped to the side. Behind me there was another Fire smander that was sneaking up behind me. Fenrir was also confused, because he didn''t sense nor see the lizard approaching us. '' It''s probably an Elite one... '' Eyeing the new enemy I quickly created two Lightning Bolts and held each of them in my hands. Zzinggg... Zzinggg... Lightning particles were dancing on my hands making me look like a god of thunder or a masochist who likes to feel pain by electrocuting himself. Slowly shifting my body away from the previous Lizard I, once again, summoned my Shadow Soldiers and ordered them to attack the Lizard while Fenrir will lead them. Surprisingly I could partially give Fenrir control of my shadows, so he could order them as well as I did. Focusing all my attention on the new Elite Smander I took a deep breath. '' I should prioritize to finish the fight as quickly as possible '' Looking at my draining Mana and almost empty Shadow Energy reserves I understood that I wouldn''t be able to fight for a long period of time. Even though I could regenerate Mana by potions, Shadow Energy could only be gathered by staying in the Shadows and I was in a bit of trouble. It was the middle of the day. Looking around I brushed my hair and took off my hood, the heat released from the Lizard made me kind of dizzy and I didn''t want to risk losing concentration or even worse, fainting in the middle of the fight. Even though I was reluctant to reveal my face I knew that I was a good distance away from the city and the chances of someoneing upon the vicinity were little to none. The World of Fragmental was simply so huge that some even say it is at least twice the size of the earth. Whoosh... Now that the hood was removed I could feel the cold breeze of the wind and see the light was already starting to annoy me. '' I''m reallypatible with my Sub-ss... '' Trying to cover my eyes with the palm I started running to the side while a beam of fire was chasing after me. The Elite Lizard also had a Fire breath Skill and I could clearly feel it being stronger from the previous lizard''s breath. '' He''s elite after all... '' Shrugging my shoulders I threw both Lightning Projectiles I held in my hands, aiming for the neck of the monster. Unfortunately the Lizard was not so dumb to just stand in ce and started maneuvering around the ce making both Bolts miss. Luckily one of them exploded close enough for Smander to take some damage. - 146 Magical Damage! The Lizard''s red scales were somewhat damaged while a growl left its mouth. Its yellow eyes with slit pupils red towards me and I noticed that my legs are getting strangely hot. Looking below I noticed that it was not my legs, but the ground below me that was quickly turning red. At thest second I managed to roll to the side evading an eruption of mesing out of the ground where I stood just a second ago. '' The Lizard even hasndmines '' Mumbling under my breath I quickly stood up only to feel the ground below me heaten up once again. Boom... Another explosion shook the ce while I was rolling to the side desperately trying to evade the unseen attacks. In between these moments I quickly directed my gaze to Fenrir and my shadows only to see them slowly overpowering the other lizard and driving him into overheating. '' They are doing visibly better than me '' Grinning, I looked at the Elite lizard whose head was slightly beginning to release smoke. His expression was unreadable, but I could guess he was agitated that I managed to dodge his trump card. Creating two Grey Orbs I powered them with thest reserves of my Shadow Energy. Keeping them afloat above my palms I started slowly approaching the lizard trying to get as close as possible beforeunching my spells. Of course the lizard wasn''t that stupid and understood my aim shooting fire out of his mouth. Whoosh... I had to sacrifice one Shadow st to gain some time to dodge the attack at such close range. While Shadow Orb waspeting against Fire breath I threw myself to the side where I could clearly see the unprotected side of the Smander. As I was about to release my spell when Smander''s face shifted into a grin. Whoosh... I was suddenly engulfed by mes that came from under the ground. I wanted to shout, but I couldn''t, the pain was so high that even I was momentarily stunned. Seeing my rapidly dropping Health Bar I somehow managed to slowly let the Demonic me cover my body while a HP pot appeared in my burnt arms. Gulp... Drinking the potion''s contents I could feel pain all around my body subside and my burnt body parts were turning back to normal. I could even feel my hair being regrown. After a few seconds the fire surrounding me was finally extinguished and I dropped to my knees. '' That was painful '' Recalling the odd sensation of being burnt alive I lifted my eyes to meet the monster''s gaze. The lizard''s yellow eyes were looking towards me with an emotion I couldn''t discern. Was it admiration? Fear? Awe? I couldn''t tell, but I didn''t care. Since I was still very close to the lizard and had a Shadow Orb floating above my palm I quickly dashed towards his direction while using all my power to throw the Orb at the monster''s face. Boom... At thest second the Smander managed to shift his body, but the Orb still hit him. - 745 Critical Damage! A huge damage graph appeared on my screen as I watched my previous enemy struggling to get up with only 3 of his limbs... Chapter 84 Colleting The Reward < ?????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ????????????! > [ ???????? ] 1?? ??,?????? ?????? 2?? ???????????????????? ?????????? ???? 3?? ?????????? ???????? ???? ~~~~ Because the Elite Smander lost one of its legs it was profusely bleeding and soon died due to blood loss. Quickly collecting the loot from its dead body I set it on fire before helping Fenrir and my Shadows to defeat the other Lizard. < ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ????????????! > [ ???????? ] 1?? ??,?????? ?????? [ ???????????? ] 2?? ???????????????????? ?????????? ???? 3?? ?????????? ???????? ???? ~~~~ With both enemies dead I started moving towards the direction of the city. While nearing the city gate''s I lifted my eyes upwards only to see my nametag was Green. '' I''ll be able to enter the city '' Shrugging my shoulders I passed through the guards that were giving me suspicious looks, but still allowed to enter through the gates. Since I''ve already decided where to go I turned towards the more lively street and started moving along with many other people. I could feel many gazes aimed at my back, but I''ve learnt to ignore them. Suddenly I noticed that my Inbox was overflowing with various messages. Some were questions, some threats, others various contracts, deals, I even saw a legal marriage document photo. Filtering through the stuff I also noticed some job offers, but they were very rare and the pay was not up to the difficulty of the quest. '' I should make it official that I''m a mercenary... '' While scratching my chin I quickly essed my forum page and posted a message stating that I''ll be working as a mercenary. I''ve also linked my Contacts, so yers could send quest offers to my personal email. After sorting out all the messages I moved my eyes to see how my video was doing. Currently it already had over 23 Million Views and the count was rising without any resistance. Scrolling through thements I found many who called me a hacker, cheater, undercover beta tester. '' Beta testers are not allowed to y the game... at least for now '' Closing thement section I took a deep breath and stopped in my tracks. I''ve arrived at my destination. Lifting my eyes I saw many turrets built above the entrance to the white, square shape building. Walking inside I saw many booths with red curtains covering their inside. Entering one of such booths a system window appeared allowing me to either Buy or Sell my items. Looking through my inventory I quickly found the fruits I''ve collected in the Sewers. Since the First Potion was already made, the prices of Alchemical Resources will skyrocket allowing me to sell the Fruits for a way higher price than usual. 1?? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? [ ???????? ] -- ?? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ?? ?????????????????? ?????????????????????? ~ ???????????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????? ~ +??% ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????? ?????????? ? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ~~~~ Auctioning each Pitaya at the starting price of 200 Gold Coins I felt confident that the single Pitaya''s price would reach over 300 Gold Coins. Especially now, when the Fairies are trying to get their hands on every Alchemical Resource for whatever price possible. '' Better for me... '' Putting the Buyout option on 500 Gold Coins I also set the timer, so the bidding would only take an entire day in-game. After finishing all the procedures with the Fruits I immediately got messages of some cing bids, hence muted all the messages from the auction house. Scrolling through my Inventory I''ve also decided to also sell Grim Reaper''s Cloak. 1?? ???????? ????????????''?? ?????????? ???? [ ???????????? ] -- ?????????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???????? ~ +???? ???????? ~ +???? ???????? ~ +???? ???? ? ???????????????? ???????? ?????????? ? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ~~~~ The Item was also put on sale for a minimal price that would soon skyrocket. This time I didn''t set a buyout limit, because I didn''t know how much the item would be sold for. Defeating a boss this early in the game is nothing but incredible and the loot Grim Reaper''s drops is probably valued very highly, but it wouldn''t be like that for long. With time more and more groups will defeat the Boss and the quantity of items like [ Grip Reaper''s Cloak ] will increase making their value drop. '' Supply and Demand '' Mumbling under my breath I set the bidding timer to one day. Looking at all the loot I still had in my inventory I felt that it''d be undervalued if ced into the auction or would sell for a small price if sold to a NPC, hence deciding to keep it until the price rises. '' I need to somehow get back the money I''ve spent on the car... '' Recalling my new car''s price I shuddered recalling how many zeroes it had. The car was worth around one fifth of the house. Sorting out my thoughts I moved the curtain to the side and left the booth. While walking out of the building I felt multiple stares directed towards me. One guy even tried approaching me trying to get me to join a Guild. Of course I denied him, but being the arrogant guy he was, he offered me a duel. Seeing his arrogant face and half closed eyes I smiled at him trying to act bored. The man didn''t expect me to ept the match. Click... Suddenly a transparent barrier covered us forcing all the people to move outside making the small area for us to fight. The guy seeing a barrier became pale, but wanting not to lose his pride stood strong... for 4 seconds. He managed to survive the first 3 seconds, because the battle countdown would disallow any attacks for 3 seconds. After the countdown ended and the fight officially started I casted a Lightning Bolt that impaled the guy to the ground. Before starting the Fight I noticed his pointy ears and knew he was an elf, an elven mage. I didn''t know his Sub-ss, but most mages have one thing inmon - Weak defense. Since I was faster I was able to cast the spell first and kill the enemy with a single Attack. It looked cool, but it''s how the mage battles will proceed until both parties are above level 20 and are either able to avoid or defend against an opponent''s spell. For now mage''s will fight who''s the first one to cast a spell and if the spell can one-shot a person. As the transparent barrier was dispersing all the people watching the fight made a path for me. I didn''t mind it, but I hoped they weren''t doing it out of fear. '' I''m 100% Friendly, Offer me a Quest with good payment! '' I wanted to shout, but my Ego didn''t allow it. My pride wouldn''t take it. Walking through the moving crowd I could finally see the tower of the church. Nearing the building I noticed Eli and Eric already standing below the tree. Looking at the time I knew that there''s still an hour left. '' They are early '' Looking towards them I chose to spend my time alone, efficiently, rather than in a group, talking. Shifting my body I moved towards one of the nearby NPCs. It wasn''t too crowded with people, allowing me to quickly ept the quest. I had to help a small girl find her lost cat. Since I wasn''t particrly knowledgeable about the quest, I only recalled the rough location of the cat. Not seeing any way around I took a deep sigh and started following the clues. [ ?????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ?????? ] I walked around the church avoiding Eli and Eric and found some footprints imprinted on the dirt behind the building. I also noticed some fur and blood being scattered on the ground. As far as I recall at the end of the quest I''ll have to save the cat from a wolf... Thinking about the quest I summoned Fenrir and let him smell the blood. As soon as he did, he started walking in a certain direction while his nose was still close to the ground following the smell of the cat. With such a method I attracted a lot of attention, but also halved the time I would''ve spent searching for various buildings and guessing the riddles. In the end me and Fenrir were near the border of the city where I could hear clear sounds of fighting. Sending Fenrir forward I made sure to instruct him to keep the cat safe. Disappearing into the street my familiar ran toplete my orders while I followed shortly after him. Finally a Golden Wolf came into my sight. Its leg was hurt while Fenrir was blocking his way from approaching a small ck creature lying on the ground nearby. I could see the cat''s chest slowly rising up and down indicating that it was still alive, though barely. Approaching the unfortunate animal I fed him a HP potion. Ordering Fenrir to keep the Golden wolf away from us I lifted the cat in my arms and started slowly walking away from the battlefield. Since the other wolf didn''t attack Fenrir also followed, after growling at his enemy. Carrying the small creature in my arms I saw its wounds and bloody fur turn back to normal and soon the cat''s blue eyes opened. Curiously looking towards my face, the cat yawned and seeing that the situation was not dangerous went back to sleep. It honestly looked cute... Throwing a look towards Fenrir I swear I could hear him snort as he was absorbed into the Beast Tattoo. '' He could act cuter as well '' Thinking about Fenrir my mind trailed off to Rick, my new dog. '' After this I should take him for a walk... '' Approaching the NPC I gave her the cat andpleted the quest. Chapter 85 Colleting The Reward (2) After being done with a quest I took a peak at the time and noticed that I have around 15 minutes left. '' I should move... '' Slowly approaching the church I noticed that all three of them, Ava, Eli and Eric, were already gathered. Nearing their location I noticed Eric raise his hand and wave it indicating that he saw me. Coming closer I noticed him suspiciously grinning. " What? " I raised my eyebrows seeing his expression. I didn''t see the reason for him to make such a face and was kind of bothered by it. " ~Why didn''t you tell me that you''ll attempt to defeat the boss for a second time? " With a smile he spoke. Even though the question was about the boss I felt as if it had a hidden meaning. I immediately knew that Eric is interested in my fight against 15 people. " I just happened to pass nearby... " Shrugging my shoulders I saw Eric be disappointed as he didn''t get information he was after. Turning my eyes towards Eli I noticed that she was wielding Grim Reaper''s Scythe. Exchanging short greetings I moved onto Ava. She was also wearing Equipment from the Grim Reaper, his cloak. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, I also noticed that she had some makeup. '' I should tell Eli about this... '' Since I didn''t want to tell Ava this face to face I decided to use Eli as a messenger. It is better not to wear makeup, because it might lower the connection with the VR head-set. The makeup also doesn''t help gaining favorability with any NPCs so it''d be useless, especially for a yer like Ava who seeks to be one of the strongest. Seeing me not saying anything Ava raised her eyebrow waking me up from my stupor. " Morning... " After we exchanged the greetings we started moving towards the castle. While on the way a lot of questions were thrown at me by my party members, even Ava asked some questions surprising me. - Why''d you decimate the entire group? ~ One of them was my enemy... - Why didn''t you invite me... us to raid a boss for a second time? ~ You weren''t online, I can''t contact you outside the game... - Can we exchange contact info then? ... ... ... In the end I was pressur... mhmh... lucky to exchange my phone number with all three of my party members. I was really adamant on doing it, but I didn''t see a reason why not. I made sure to warn them not to spread my information around, especially Eric. I almost wanted him to sign a contract involving something important to him, so he wouldn''t forget or ''idently'' have a slip of tongue. '' I should put some trust on him '' With a frown I sent all of them my phone number and their characters momentarily disappeared meaning that they logged off to write my number into their phones. Climbing out of the VR pod I grabbed my ringing phone. '' MmmeHello! '' I heard the voice of Eli trying to do a cat impression. Saving her in my contacts I epted the second call. '' I got lotion... '' I immediately knew it was Eric and also saved him on my phone as well. Rinng... Rinng... My phone rang for thest time, it was Ava''s turn. epting the call I heard no voice on the other side of the line. '' Hello? '' I spoke, thinking that she might''ve muted her microphone. '' Yes? '' I finally heard her voice, for some reason it was as quiet as a whisper. After telling her that I''ll end the call and add her on my contacts I took the phone away from my ear. I did hear her saying something, but her sentence was cut short due to the call ending. '' She can repeat it in game '' Stretching my back I looked outside only to see the shining moon directly through my window. Crawling back into my Pod I logged into the game and soon was once again in-between Ava, Eli and Eric. " Let''s go " Seeing Ava not initiating a talk I shrugged my shoulders. '' Probably wasn''t that important '' Moving through the bridge I noticed little to none yers waiting near the castle. Since the Raid Boss was defeated permanently it was just a tourist spot now. Seeing our group approaching I felt a ton of eyes gazing at us, but just shrugged it off. Walking into the castle we were met by a soldier wearing silver armor. The NPC had a helmet over his head not allowing us to see any of his facial features. " The King was expecting your visit... " With a deep voice the Guard moved to the side, opening the gates to the castle. Crack.. nk... Like an old, rusty door the gates opened revealing a beautiful garden ahead. None of the nts were simr, every single one was either had different colors, different shape or different fruits. Looking around I couldn''t help, but snicker seeing all the greenery growing around us. As far as I recall we''ll receive our rewards and also get a personal favor from the king. I could ask for expensive equipment or other stuff, but it''d paint me as a greedy person. Unknowingly my face shifted into a creepy smile. Luckily, because of my hood nobody saw it. '' I should control my facial emotions better... '' Thinking about my appearance I took a deep sigh. nk... nk... As we were passing through the garden a group of soldiers equipped with armor covering them from head to toe approached us and started leading us through the beautiful Labyrinth. After around a 10 minute walk we finally emerged from the garden and the main castle, in all of its glory, appeared before our sight. Since in my past life the whole thing was recorded I already knew what to expect, but sometimes the real thing is even greater than from a video. A building made with grey color marble, proportionally built so the castle would have a wide foundation. The higher the castle''s structure was the brighter the color got at the top bing pure white. '' Looks like a snow mountain '' Following the soldiers we were led through various halls and corridors decorated with chandeliers, various paintings, exquisite nts or other expensive stuff. '' I wonder how much it''d cost... '' Looking at the golden window frame I didn''t even notice Eric nudging at my side. " Leo, Leo, Leo! " Only after slightly raising his voice did he got my attention. Turning my head I could see his cheeks being slightly red. " Did you notice the maids'' clothes? " Eric''s shining eyes were directed towards me expecting to hear an affirmative answer. Even though I was absentminded I still saw some of the personnel wearing weird maid uniforms which, in my opinion, exposed too much skin. Feigning ignorance I shook my head. I''m d I did, because Eli and Ava hearing our talk red towards Eric with looks full of disgust. '' Pervert '' I swear I could hear Eli whisper into Ava''s ear. Eric probably also heard that, because his eyes were now glued to the ground. Looking at him I saw him moving his lips without any sound. I could discern such words as '' Traitor '', '' I''m not ''. I couldn''t me him, he''s known for speaking before thinking. In such a quiet atmosphere we were finally led into a huge hall. The room was mostly covered in all kinds of emeralds, diamonds and other expensive materials. Further in the room there were 2 thrones positioned close to each other. On one of them sat the king while on the other the Queen. Both people could be considered beautiful even with their age. The King had an Oppressive Aura that could make one intimidated while the Queen had a soothing one that waspletely opposite of the king''s. They both were perfect counterparts to each other. " This humble demon greets the King~ " Kneeling I lowered my head and gestured for my party members to follow my lead. After all of us introduced ourselves to the king stood up from his throne. " Thank you young ones... Thank you for letting me meet my wife for another time " His previously oppressive aura was nowhere to be seen and his eyes had tears in them. All I could feel was his gratitude, in times like these I wonder, how much our technology has advanced to create such emotional AIs? Long story short the king thanked every single one of us personally, he also invited us to have a meal with his family. We were led into another room with arge table covered by tablecloth. As soon as we took our seats, Butlers entered the room bringing various Meals one after another. Even though the food wouldn''t make us feel full the taste was 100% real. I still crave for some things that could only be found and cookedter in the game. Even recalling the smell made me salivate. After being served a 4 course meal the King finally decided to talk about the rewards. " I''d like to reward you for your help... " All of our eyes were drawn towards him. Chapter 86 Collecting The Reward (3) "I''d like to reward you for your help" The King finally spoke, drawing our attention. While Eric was rubbing his hands, Eli was trying to control her grin and Ava was trying to hide excitement visible in her shining eyes. While the hype was all time high ¡­I was calmly eating a dessert. I also liked the idea of receiving the rewards, but was skeptical, the rewards might be different from the future I knew. I was already knowledgeable that the future is slightly going off course. Starting with Ava''s decision to attend university earlier to Angry Bird bing my enemy. I shouldn''t be taking the future for granted and expect the unexpected. '' This is good... '' Taking another spoon of chocte ice cream I felt a wave of sweetness assault my tongue. " Leo... " I heard a whisper and turned my head only to see Ava pointing at my chest. Looking down I noticed a part of ice cream fallen on my cloak. While the king was murmuring about the help we gave him and our contribution to the country I was trying to wash away a patch left by ice cream. In the end I left it to be, because I didn''t have any water source nearby where I could wash my cloak. '' I could unequip and re-equip it '' Unfortunately I was surrounded by people, if it were only NPCs I wouldn''t mind, but since I was apanied by 3 yers it was a no, no. '' I wish Eric wouldn''t have such a big mouth '' Feeling my gaze, full of pity, the guy in question turned his head with a transparent question mark floating above his head. On the other hand even if Eric was tight-lipped I would probably still not reveal my identity due to another 2 variables sitting across the table, Ava and Eli. Since Ava would go to the university it''s safe to say that Eli will do as well, as far as I recall both are top level beauties with huge crowds of men lining behind them. If by any chance even one of them sticks close to me I''d be like a moving target to the men going after the girls. I also didn''t want to admit it, but some kind of weirdpetition was being yed by me and Ava, with the result being 1:1 as of now. For some reason I felt that revealing my identity in such a manner would make me lose some points. '' I''m in a pickle '' With no way to understand where thepetition originated from or what were the rules I felt kind of troubled. '' It alles down to me not revealing my identity, at least for now '' Indulging myself into the ice-cream I didn''t notice Ava who was openly staring towards me. '' Does he not notice? '' Ava''s thoughts were drifting into the direction of makeup she was trying to avoid thinking about earlier. Before joining the game she tried to convince herself that she put makeup on, because she''llter go to the city. Catching herself thinking about it she redirected her eyes from Leo and nted them on the speaking king. '' I wonder how he could have zero interest in what the king is saying? '' Even watching the king Ava didn''t manage topletely get rid of thoughts about Leo. Slightly shaking her head she quietly pped her cheeks to wake up. Looking around the table Ava found nothing out of the ordinary, but suddenly felt a chill pass through her spine as she saw her friend, Eli''s face, shift into a grin. ... ... ... Exchanging messages with the gaze made Ava lower her head with slightly pink cheeks while she was biting her lower lip begrudgingly. '' Such expression would get Leo killed you know '' She noticed a system message from Eli who was acting as if the dialogue didn''t happen. Ava so wanted to type back, but the king suddenly went quiet and a pair of people entered the room. One was a lean man with a well-built body and skin with no blemishes. He had a straight posture and was wearing a ck suit with a red tie. His hair color was yellow while his eyes were green. Apanying him by the side was a stunning young woman with hair and eye color identical to that of the man. Interestingly both of them had a simr Auras that of the queen and the king. One was soothing and the other oppressive. It was kind of obvious that they were the daughter and the son of the current king. With slow strides they approached the table. As Leo was about to stand up and bow, the young woman gestured him not to and gave him a warm smile. ~~~~ " I greet the Prince and the Princess " After being told not to bow I greeted two new people entering the hall. Soon another pair of chairs was carried into the room and both children of the king took a seat. " I''d like to thank all of you for saving my father " The son spoke while a butler served him a meal. As far as I recall his name was Frederic and he was the NPC strong enough to defeat the Royal Guard. Taking a ss of wine Frederic raised it above his head. A huge smile was stered across his face. " Cheers! " His joyous mood affected the king and the queen, mypanions were no different. The only ones that kept their faces straight were I, Princess and Ava. The meal somehow turned into a drinking contest as Eric started topete to see who can drink more without losing consciousness, him or the Prince. I didn''t know why he even proposed such a challenge, because it was kind of obvious that the Prince is stronger and, because he lives in the pce he is no stranger to alcohol. While both of them were devouring sses of wine worth a fortune I felt a fragrance of Roses brush against the side of my arm. Turning to the side I noticed the Princess slightly leaning towards me. " I would also like to thank you for helping this family. I don''t even want to imagine how''d it be if my father was still a monster " I could feel sincerity in her words, which is rare for Noble NPCs in this game. I felt like I found a hidden feature. Suddenly the Princess picked up a Napkin from the table and started cleaning the brown patch of ice cream on my cloak. " Even though you managed to help my father and subdue a strong corrupted you still drop food " She giggled while wiping away the chocte. I was a bit surprised and troubled by her actions. Who wouldn''t be when a beauty is literally right beside you. Somehow I managed to control my expression, but my body froze, even my breath turned a bit rough. '' So you are a man... '' The Princess whispered while leaning back on her chair. Looking around I sighed from relief, nobody saw our exchange. Or so I thought... While Eric was stillpeting with the Prince, Queen and the king cheering for them. Eli was frantically typing to Ava who tried to ignore her. '' Jealous? '' Peeking at the message notification didn''t help, because Eli had already made some assumptions. It wasn''t even worth arguing, because it''d be like talking with a literal word. No word would reach Eli. Even though it was annoying Ava had to agree that she was feeling slightly ufortable, but she wouldn''t call it jealousy. It was because her stomach was against the beef steak. Fortunately or Not Ava didn''t know that one can''t feel stomach ache in this world. Thump... Finally Eric sumbed to his fate falling face first to the ground due to not being able to consume more alcohol. As soon as he did, a few butlers came with some medicine in their hands and quickly injected some of it into Eric''s bloodstream with a needle prompting him awake. The previous dizziness from alcohol waspletely gone making me slightly interested in what they used to achieve such fast recovery. It could be a Health potion, but why would one inject it with a needle rather than drink it. Recalling Eric''s condition I shrugged my shoulders thinking if he could even swallow the contents of the potion. After the honorable duel both childr... men shook their hands. After all of us ate, the Royal family stood up and gestured to follow them. While walking behind them I turned to see the expressions of mypanions. Eli was smiling, although suspiciously. Eric was drooling, presumably thinking about the rewards. Ava was... trying to pierce me with a gaze? Looking at her face beautified with makeup I tried to read any emotion, but as soon as our eyes met she turned her head away. ... ... ... '' Am I being ignored? '' I recalled everything I did and couldn''t quite get why I was treated in such a manner. As I was about to ask her we suddenly stopped before a in stone wall. It had no decorations or paintings, it was made of in red bricks. Nearing the wall the King suddenly equipped his sword and shed the wall with very precise movements. Crack... Crack... Like an old rusty door the wall was suddenly split in the middle and a dark pathway appeared before us. " Wee to the treasury room " The king said before prompting us to move forward " Chapter 87 Collecting The Reward (4) The wall split in half revealing a dark, narrow corridor. " Follow me~ " The King and the Queen took the lead while their children kept talking with our group. While the Prince entertained Eli and Eric, the Princess kept talking with me and Ava. I didn''t quite get why, but Ava wasn''t too adamant on talking with the Princess. They even exchanged names, but Ava still kept the Title '' Princess '' while talking to Mia. Ava built an imaginary barrier between them, clearly drawing the line that she didn''t want to know the princess. Even though I knew her character disallowed her from opening up to the strangers, Mia, the princess, is a literal NPC, she hasn''t even done something to offend Ava, so why was she so petty? Looking towards Ava she met my gaze, but due to the corridor being dimly lit I couldn''t read her expression. I only slightly shook my head trying to gesture to her not to act cold towards the NPC, we didn''t want our favorably with the royal family to drop. I really wanted to see her expression, because she acted ignorant to my warnings. '' Why am I being held hostage? '' ring at Ava she barely tilted her head as if epting my challenge. '' Do they have bad blood between them? '' Looking towards the two females I wanted to escape and go speak with the prince, but Mia took hold of my arm. " Stay near us or you''ll get lost " She made the most childish excuse to keep me by her side and yet I couldn''t decline. As Mia pulled me back to her side I tried to free my hand, but she didn''t let go. '' I''m a literal prisoner '' Feeling her tight grip on my palm I felt a piercing gaze drilling the side of my skull. I instinctively knew it was better to embrace ignorance than to face the gaze head on, I might even die. Lucky for me, we finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Nearing it I heard my party members hold their breath seeing the riches of the royal treasury. The room was full of gold coins, weapons, expensive items, beautiful paintings, everything that''d cost a lot of money was present in the room. Gesturing us to stop, the king went forward and started going through the treasury picking various items for our rewards. < LOOT > 1?? Golden Knuckles [ Gold ] 2?? Dragon bone Greatsword [ Gold ] 3?? Mana Staff [ Gold ] 4?? Fragment ??? x1 5?? Unique Active Skill book x1 ~~~~ The panel of rewards appeared before our sight and my party members'' eyes locked on me. They knew I had the right to be the first one to choose the item, because of my contract. Looking through the items I felt a smile on my face getting bigger and bigger. " I''ll take the fragment... " Trying to control the tone of my voice I picked up the item. It was an unrefined dark red color stone with visible scratches on its surface. " Are you sure you''ll take that... item? " Ava raised her eyebrows seeing the choice I made. She didn''t quite get why the guy aiming for the most profit is picking an useless item. '' Well... Leo might know its purpose '' Trying to look at the item''s description she could only see question marks. While my group members were sharing the other items I put the rock near my lips, swallowing it whole. I was in need to do it as fast as possible, because its effect might disappear. [ Analyzing... ] The system message appeared on my screen. [ Unknown object entered the yer''s body! ] [ Analyzing... ] I felt my body be heavier and heavier before the king allowed me to lean onto him. " You shouldn''t have consumed it instantly " His voice was as quiet as a whisper. -23 HP I saw my Health bar drop at a steady pace. Turning my gaze towards my party members I saw their faces full of surprise and questions as they saw their party member taking damage. Running up to me Eric shook me by my shoulders. " What''s happening man? " His eyes were darting around, suspiciously looking at the royal family behind me. Seeing that he is suspecting them for my copse I raised my hand to gain his attention. " Don''t worry, I''m barely resetting my ount " This sentence brought chaos to Ava and Eli as well. They both approached my frail body and started shaking it as well. " Calm down! " After almost puking from all the shaking I took a deep breath. " I''ve already nned it, don''t worry... " Looking towards them I noticed doubt present in all of their eyes. " I''ll catch up to you in 2 months anyway " While grinning I said trying to transfer my expression with words. It worked perfectly! While Ava bit her bottom lip, Eric''s eyes turned into a fiery me. On the other Eli just stood there as if epting it as fact. '' Whatever '' Her expression was very easy to read. When my HP hit 0, my body started bing light particles. While I was disappearing I could see Eric having a sour expression, Eli using her fingers to poke Ava who was biting her lip, the royal family on the other hand was waving at me with smiles stered on their faces. '' Good luck '' I even heard the princess wish me luck before everything around me turned dark. < Choose your Race > ~ Human ~ Orc ~ Elf ~ Fairy ~ Dwarf ~ Demon A familiar tablet appeared before my face. I wasn''t surprised though, I was expecting this to happen, I''ve swallowed the Fragment for this to happen. Nobody besides me probably knows how lucky I''ve gotten, some would say I''m unfortunate to have consumed such an item and regress in my levels, but how foolish they''d be... With no hesitation I chose the Demon ss. Whoosh... As soon as I did I was pulled into a White room with nothing, but two figures standing before me. Both of them had my face, but had different body characteristics. One figure had huge ck wings sprouting at the back of its shoulders while the other had an almost transparent body. Above their heads two names were visible. [ Dragon ] and [ Ghost ] Those were two upper level demon sses, a yer shouldn''t even be able to choose before reaching Lv. 50 and yet, here I am, contemting which one to pick. Ghost was usually a ss upgrade chosen by Demon mages and Priests due to its good survivability. On the other hand Devourer Demons were more than happy to choose a Dragon ss upgrade, because of its superiority in close range fights. With all things in mind I should choose a Ghost ss, because I''m a Mage? Wrong! Pressing the Dragon option I was expecting great pain to assault my shoulders as the bat-like wings grew on my back, but no such thing happened. Instead a system message appeared on my screen. [ Error... ] [ yer does not meet the requirements to upgrade his ss! ] [ Analyzing... ] [ ss Upgrade will be dyed... ] [ Demon ss Upgrade will be partially sealed... ] [ Analyzing... ] [ Reach Level 50 to fully upgrade your ss ] [ All the Attributes and Levels will be reset... ] [ Good luck, yer! ] [ New Status Effect! - Sealed Dragon ] My eyes couldn''t keep up with most of the messages, but one thing was certain I wouldn''t be able to ess my Dragon ss fully until I''ve reached level 50. My level and Attributes will also be reset which I was already expecting. After sorting out my thoughts I felt my consciousness temporarily blink before I found myself in the spooky starter vige. Looking around I noticed a considerably lower count of demons roaming around the ce meaning that most of them chose to change their ss or moved into the bigger cities. Since none of the yers noticed me I quickly pulled down my hood so nobody would recognize me. I figured that the cloak was more of an attraction than the crown-like horns I had above my head. Now all I had to do was not get in trouble while using this identity of mine. Strolling through the Vige I felt a pair of eyes glued to me and turned my head to meet the gaze. It was the same Old Demon NPC that gave quests to kill fire smanders. Walking closer to him I slightly lowered my head giving him respect. Even though he was an NPC I liked to keep the rtionships between them good, in case they have some hidden reward or a quest. " I see you are on your way to be a higher demon... " The old Demon, John, spoke scratching his chin. While his face was smiling his eyes weren''t, I didn''t know the reason why, but didn''t want to pry into his personal business. Bidding him goodbye I walked away from his house, but soon a system message informed me of a Hidden Quest. [ Survive the assassins sent by John! ] [ Quest Duration - 24 Hours ] [ Quest Note: Is John really just a peaceful farmer? ] Now this is some development even I didn''t expect. Turning my head around I wanted to immediately confront John about this, but he was gone. '' It''s like a horror movie... '' Sighing I moved towards a more secluded street so I wouldn''t die to an assassin masking himself as a passerby. Chapter 88 Assassination Walking down the road I was repeatedly ncing around, making sure that no one was following me. It was kind of stressful, but at the same time fun. I kind of wanted toplete this quest, because it was hidden rarity. In my past life I don''t remember hearing about John being able to n one''s assassination. Everything I''ll experience during this quest will be unknown, I even thought that developers had something to do with such an abrupt quest. While I was lost in my thoughts a shadow was following me, traveling on top of the roofs behind me. The silhouette held a silver knife while its face was covered with a ck scarf. The assassin had a belt with multiple throwing knives pinned to it, the shadow''s footsteps were also quiet, due to him wearing shoes with special properties. Tap... Tap... The assassin''s silent footsteps wouldn''t be heard by a normal human, but since my senses were enchanted, due to bonding with Fenrir I could perfectly hear my enemy. Turning around the corner I hid myself in an alleyway, waiting for my stalker. I didn''t need to wait for long, because he soon jumped down the roof, looking around, seemingly feeling disappointed, because of letting his prey escape. I would''ve ran in and attacked him if not for my gut telling me to stay still. Unwillingly hiding my already equipped eerie staff I snorted thinking that I was about to fight with my face uncovered. Even though it wouldn''t be recognizable, my spells are well known throughout the yer base. '' I should buy some new spells... '' Clicking my tongue I made a mental note to buy some new skills and spells next time I went to the shop. Cling... Light reflected off the metal weapon thrown towards my head. I had no time to either dodge or create Shadow Protection, hence I used my hands as a shield. Unfortunately I didn''t expect the thrown knife to carry that much weight and was bashed backwards. - 56 HP My right arm''s wrist waspletely gone while some blood managed to make its way towards one of my eyes momentarily blinding me. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... Even though I couldn''t see the projectiles, I heard them and rolled to the side expecting to avoid all of them. Pierce... Oh, how wrong I was... The assassin was obviously a well trained NPC and had skills to back it up. Even though the first two throwing knives were off the target, the third one managed to pierce my chest, right above my heart. '' Shit, it was close! '' Wiping away the blood I quickly consumed a HP potion and casted Shadow Protection deflecting another projectile. Taking a cover behind an old dustbin I warily looked over my Status Screen. Since I was back to Lv. 1 I had no superior Attributes or other stuff, except for my items and Shadow Energy. If I died now my ount would be done, I would be done. Summoning Fenrir I instructed him to temporarily distract the assassin while I''d prepare a Shadow st. Nodding his giant head, my ck wolf jumped out of the cover and started running around the empty street evading knives thrown towards him by the man hiding his face with a ck cloth. I was pretty lucky that the street was also empty and nobody saw Fenrir, he was also something like a brand mark of mine. Throwing the unimportant thoughts to the side I casted a Shadow st and took a peek of how the battle was going. While Fenrir was not even injured the man was roughly breathing and his left hand was weirdly bent in shape. '' He''s like a bodyguard... '' Looking towards my pet I was once again reminded by how lucky I was, to have met him so early in the game. Not everyone can find a future boss randomly roaming around the forest. Looking towards the masked man I waited until his back was turned towards me and threw the Shadow st aiming for his head. Assassin NPC x1 Killed! LooT 250 EXP ~~~~ Congrattion on reaching Lv. 2! +20 SP As soon as my thrown orb hit the assassin a system message appeared informing me, about my Level up. I went ahead and put all the points into the Mana while approaching the assassin''s body and turning it into ashes. After giving Fenrir his pork I absorbed him into my tattoo and started distancing myself from the city. The further I am from the city the more chances the assassin will have to attack me. With a chilling smile I started sprinting through the forest while a dozen assassins were right behind me. After another few minutes of running I finally saw a building, a Gloomy Castle. Rushing through the gates I quickly made my way to the highest floor, barging into the library and entering the secret room I''ve used to kill the Demon Prince. Soon after I pushed the Bookshelf to hide the hidden entrance quiet footsteps were heard all around the library. Taking a peek through the window I saw dozens of masked NPCs walking through the rows of bookshelves with dusty books and tomes, trying to find me. Silently creating a Lightning Bolt Ipressed it to be as small as possible beforeunching at the closest assassin. Thud... The assassin''s body hit the ground notifying the others nearby. Assassin NPC x1 killed! LooT 250 EXP ~~~~ Congrattion on reaching Lv. 3! +20 SP Another level up message appeared before my screen, I didn''t even flinch assigning half of the points to agility and the other half to Intelligence. Since the assassins were very weak and died from spells casted by Lv. 1 Mage I didn''t know what to think of this mission. '' Is this really hard? '' I thought, looking at the clueless bunch of NPCs ring around trying to find out why theirrade had died. Since the Lightning Bolt dissipated the only proof of his death was a pierce wound in its chest area. ~~~~ '' The Royal family is suspicious.... especially the princess, she seems too sweet '' Ava''s thought process was... all tangled up. She was eyeing the princess who was smiling the whole time. To an onlooker the smile of Mia would be beautiful, but not for Ava, for her it looked... mocking? Ki... Ki... Ki.... She heard Eli giggling and threw her a cold stare making Eli hide her face. Even though Ava was scary the situation was too funny not tough at. With her face turned away Eli keptughing while Ava was contemting how to punish her after leaving the castle. It was about 10 minutes after Leo had left and they were on their way out of the castle. The King and the princess also insisted on seeing them off. Since Eric was no longer upied by the prince, he was darting all around Mia, talking about various things from money to favorite flowers... It was depressing to watch. The King was just enjoying the walk being a few meters ahead of the group, Eli was giggling at Ava who was sending death stares in her direction while the princess, Mia was politely answering ''sOmE'' of Eric''s questions. Suddenly the topic of their conversation took a drastic turn. " What''d you think about Leo, he''s cool isn''t he? " Eric spoke while looking at the princess, others couldn''t see, but he was currently writing every sentence of the conversation in his notebook. He had a weird sense of inferiority while being near Leo, he wanted to change that, especially now when Leo''s ount was reset. He would lie if he said that Leo''s warning that he''ll catch up to them in two months wasn''t worrying him. Eric''s mind was now working overtime trying to think of ways to outperform Leo, he''d read somewhere that to beat an enemy one has to know him better. This led up to him asking Mia the question concerning Leo. Surprised by the question, the princess momentarily held her breath before shing a beautiful smile towards Leo. " Yes, I do think he is cool! " The smile certainly did blind Eric or rather stunned him in ce. Even Ava had to agree that the princess''s beauty could rival hers. '' It is nothing that concerns me '' Turning her head back to the front she started going through her system screen, trying to keep her mind off the dialogue. ~~~~ Achooo... I sneezed helplessly revealing my hiding spot. All the assassins turned their heads towards the small window I was peeking through. '' Shit! '' Lowering my head I barely managed to evade countless knives flying right above my head. Since the assassins were high in numbers I probably have no chance to even lift my head or else I''d just be pierced by dozens of knives. Crank... Suddenly a sound of the door opening was heard. All the NPCs present turned their heads towards the newly arrived guest. The yer wore a white cloak that hid its face and held a staff, not a normal staff, some kind of random branch broken off the tree. '' What the hell '' I heard her say before the assassins threw knives towards her. '' This day can''t get any better can it? '' ==== An: Is the yer a female? O/ Chapter 89 An Alchemist Another yer besides me somehow found his way into the library. His face was covered with a white cloak while he held a random tree branch. From the looks of it, he wasn''t suited to battle dozens of well armed NPCs. Whoosh... Whoosh... A crowd of knives were immediately thrown towards his direction. I was about 50% sure he''d die, but the yer got lucky, identally slipped and fell on his back avoiding all the projectiles which flew above his head. Looking towards the guy I was a bit bbergasted how lucky he was. '' Maybe I should help him? '' Contemting about my options I casted a Lightning Bolt and put on my hood before throwing the spell towards the assassin rapidly approaching the fallen yer. " Escape! " I shouted as loudly as I could, I hoped that my shout would reach the person and he''d escape. I wanted to minimize my chances of failing the quest and I didn''t know if the yer was powerful enough to kill an assassin, hence gave him a chance to escape. If he chooses not to use it, my next spell will be aimed for his head. Whoosh... The assassin was impaled on the spot and I leveled up once again while the yer hearing my warning ran towards the door mming them behind himself. [ congrattion on reaching Lv. 4! ] [ +20 SP ] Putting all the SP into Intelligence I once again lowered my head avoiding another set of throwable knives. '' How many knives do they even have? '' Grumbling under my breath I stretched my back waiting for my Mana to regenerate. Looking towards my Status Screen I noticed that my shadow energy waspletely full, hence summoned half a dozen of soldiers. '' Kill all of them! '' Giving my shadows amand I saw them squeezing through the small gaps in the wall and leaving the hidden room. Since they could change their form however they wanted it was not a problem for them to be small enough to fit through small gaps. Not even peaking through the window I could hear the chaos happening in the library. Assassins were throwing knives everywhere, shouting and cursing while my shadows were mercilessly killing them one after the other. Soon the whole library went quiet and the soldiers came back to my shadow afterpleting their assignment. [ congrattion on reaching Lv. 5... Lv.6! ] [+40 SP ] My progress was so fast I almost wanted to send a picture of my level to Eric. '' I think he''d be even more fired up '' Shrugging my shoulders I left my hiding spot and started walking towards the library''s exit. Since I was wearing a hood I quickly unequipped it and put on a smile. I recalled that there might be a yer waiting for me on the other side of the door. I was correct, leaning against the wall was the same yer that slipped over nothing and fell, avoiding her death in such a clumsy manner. Since I could now fully see her frame I knew she was a female, a fairy at that. Her two transparent butterfly wings were well hidden behind her cloak. " What brings a fairy to the Demon Realm? " I spoke while looking towards her face covered with a cloak. Her two brown eyes were staring directly into mine or rather above them. The Fairy was looking at my crown. " Can I touch them? " Like a child asking for a toy the yer pointed towards my horns and pleaded while her eyes turned slightly watery. ... ... ... " No " I was momentarily stunned by her straightforwardness, but soon recovered, declining her request. Was I an exhibition one could touch? No! Seeing that her pleading didn''t work the fairy was momentarily stunned and at the same time disappointed. " Pretty please? " She attempted once again, but was debunked by my cold gaze. " What brings a fairy to the Demon Realm? " I repeated my question getting a surprised reaction out of her. " How do you know I''m a fairy? " She pouted while removing her hood. Her long ck hair fell till the waist level while her beautiful face came into the light. '' Bingo! '' I thought, looking at the fairy before me. Long hair, brown eyes, is exploring the Demon Realm it has to be her! " Are you Tia? " My question made her eyes widen as she took a step backwards. " Who are you? Who sent you? Are you a stalker? You look too handsome to be a stalker... " A tirade of words left her mouth as she was slowly retreating backwards. I had to say something or else she''ll run away. ? " I''m not sent by anyone, I''m here to make an offer... " With a small smile I kept talking while taking a seat on the stairs. I wanted to act as harmless as possible. From my past life experience I knew that Tia was a person easily scared yet trustworthy, she is a good coworker and the best alchemist that has ever yed the game. I was willing to offer her a job, a stable job and make her a part of my group. Her eyes were suspiciously ncing towards me while she was biting her bottom lip. I knew that she was very hesitant to stay, hence said the price I''ll pay her if she epts. Even though she was easily scared, the money rubbed her in a good way. " Let''s say I''ll ept your offer. How''d I know you have the money? " Her suspicions were understandable, but I was already prepared. Extending my hand towards her I casted Demonic me. Whoosh... Th white me appeared on my palm quietly illuminating the area. ... ... ... Silence engulfed both of us, while Tia''s gaze was constantly swapping from me to the me I was calmly controlling the me on my palm. " You... are Leo, the famous demon? " Her stuttering voice made me slightly smile and I nodded my head. Her eyebrows formed a frown while her eyes were gazing right at me. " Why did you show me your face? " Her suspicion was halfway gone and I knew she was willing to work with me. " I have a feeling you wouldn''t betray my trust " shing a smile I sent Tia a friend request which she epted immediately. Her previously tense facial expression was now somewhat calm while her mood improved significantly after I told her my identity. She felt as if she was let on a big secret and had a bargain chip if pushes to shove. Although I was happy with her employment I had to take certain actions quickly. Since most of the assassins were killed I urged her to move through the forest, towards Culg city. Since an alchemist needs equipment to concoct potions, one needs to have a permanent ce or a rented ce to install all of it. I was nning to buy a three story house and use the third floor entirely for alchemy. The property would probably cost a lot, but it would be worth it in the long run. As we were entering the city Tia saw many more demons and her eyes were constantly shifting from one to another person. Even though I acted oblivious I knew she wasparing my horns with the other demons''. " Howe your horns are like a crown? " She whispered while we were moving through the crowd. We''ve talked quite a bit while going through the forest and Tia could now freely speak to me without any hesitation. " My character was designed this way " Shrugging my shoulders I directed my eyesight from one building to another searching for a suitable house. As we were getting closer and closer to the house of mayor I noticed a certain rundown building with a sign ''Sale'' ced onto its yard. '' I can work with that... '' essing the system I quickly got connected to the NPC owning the house and paid him 5,000 Gold for the property. In my inventory a set of keys appeared and gesturing to Tia I led her towards the house. " I expected you to buy a pce... " I could hear her giggling, but paid no mind to it. I was nning to pay for the house to be renovated. Going through all the floors I made sure that there was enough space before stepping outside of the building. Going through the system screen I found the Status of my newly bought property. It was regarded as too old and rundown, below it there was also an option [ Renovate ] with a number of Gold Coins below it. Turning towards Tia I thought of a funny idea. " Tiae closer and close your eyes " I shed a smile while my alchemist became beet red. " What are you nning to do? " From her flustered voice I understood how poor my wording was and just asked her to turn around before pressing the [ Renovate ] button. Before my eyes the house started shattering into pieces and being reformed. I even saw some exterior items like couches being reshaped and somehow upgraded into a luxurious sofa. As the building was finally done I turned around only to see Tia still looking away. " Turn around! " With a smile on my face I spoke gesturing towards the new house. Chapter 90 A Contract Tia''s eyes went wide open seeing that the previously run down house was now renovated. It wouldn''t be an understatement to call the building before her a mansion. Gaping at Leo she could only muster a few words. " How did you do that? " Her expression made Leo slightly happy, but at the same time sad. Half of his money was gone just like that, he also had to buy equipment and resources for Tia to concoct potions and they will cost more money. " Power of money... " Trying to control his greediness Leo reminded himself that in the long run this will be a big profit. Looking through the system he recalled that he had yet to im the city mayor''s reward for killing the golems. Looking towards Tia he suddenly took out a pen and a few sheets of paper he prepared beforehand. Handing them over to the girl he urged her to read through their contents. " So you weren''t exaggerating... " Looking through the contract papers Tia momentarily held her breath while looking at her monthly sry. Her job in real life wasn''t even one tenth of the pay Leo offered her for making potions. It seemed surreal, but at the same time tempting. " I''d like to add some extra details... " Tia''s voice trailed off after she read the contract. Lifting her brown eyes and looking towards Leo she tried to see if he was annoyed by her sudden deration. Some people don''t like when the situation is not going the way they predicted. Surprisingly the man in question didn''t even bat an eye before epting her request without any hesitation and handing her a pen. With a suspicious smile Tia took the pen and started scribbling into the documents. Since Leo saw her expression he was feeling slightly nervous, but clenched his hands tightly and took some deep and even breaths. Even though he was interested in what Tia wrote he could temporarily suppress his curiosity. " Done! " With a wry smile his soon-to-be coworker handed him the sheets of papers and started ying with her hair. Warily looking towards Tia''s direction Leo quickly looked through the papers edited by the alchemist. [ Party A, Leo, will have to directly pay Party B, Tia her monthly sry ] This much was doable, but seeing Tia''s reaction Leo didn''t rx and quickly read the next paper. [ Party A, Leo, will have to allow Party B,Tia, to have a boyfriend ] Leo didn''t even know why this detail was even here and lifted his eyes only to see Tia inspecting the flower outside the window. She, as an alchemist, was probably attracted to nts that might make up a new recipe... Bringing his attention back to the papers Leo suddenly felt his grip on the paper sheets he held weaken as he read through thest extension of the document, written in barely visible letters. [ Party A, Leo, will allow Party B,Tia, to inspect his Horn Crown once a month ] Rereading the line Leo suddenly took a seat before Tia and put the document on the table. " ~Hmmm... What is this...? " From his voice one would think he''s happy, but the face Leo was making was the direct opposite of his voice. A smile, a chilling smile was ying on his lips making Tia slightly nervous and confused. " Aren''t you supposed to be as cold as rock? I mean you didn''t even flinch at sacrificing your arm, but now you are suddenly mad at me for wanting to inspect this phenomenon... " Gesturing towards his crown Tia made an apologetic smile, even though she was expecting something simr she didn''t expect Leo to act in such a way. On the other hand it was also kind of fun seeing some reactions from a robot. Both parties were staring at each other, not wanting toply. Leo felt that his personal space was invaded while Tia wanted to get her hands on his crown. Looking through his memories Leo recalled that Tia was known for being obsessed with museums and things like his crown, special objects. He didn''t remember her being an aggressive type or short tempered woman and took a deep breath. This contract will bind them unless one of the parties decides to breach the contract and pay the penalty or they part ways, because of financial problems. Leo knew that if the contract was signed, it''d be the biggest heist in the world. Tia''s sry wasn''t even a certain % of money the potions will be sold for, but an amount of money they agreed on. Of course Leo was not dumb and will pay her more when the sales grow, but this was a good start. " I''ll... agree with your terms... " Putting his signature on the documents Leo felt as if a part of his body was sold off for money and he was not far from wrong. Seeing Leo''s sour expression Tia almost felt bad, keyword ''almost''. Taking hold of the writing pen she also put her signature on the paper making it official. " Looking forward to working with you, Leo! " Her full of life expression was the exact opposite of Leo''s. His face was a frown while his eyes lost their glow. Looking towards his deep, like abyss eyes Tia momentarily lost herself staring into them. It felt as if she was absorbed into Leo''s eyes. '' That was dangerous... '' Breaking the eye contact she recalled her main goal of the contract. " ~Please rx your head... " With an alluring smile she approached Leo and made herselffortable by his side, so close that their shoulders were slightly touching. Even though most of the males would get flustered being approached by such a beauty, Leo knew that she was trying to tease him and snorted. " Just get this over with " Suddenly he felt a cold touch on his neck and turned his head towards Tia. She was using her arms trying to make his head fall on herp. Unfortunately for her, she was a Fairy, a race not gifted in strength attribute. ... ... ... Both people stared at each other before Leo gave in and put his head on herp, greatly starling Tia. " I''ll give you 10 minutes... " His voice sounded more like a growl making Tia wake up from her stupor. At first she was a very brave and straightforward person, but now when everything was given to her, she didn''t know where to put her hands. Looking towards Leo''s closed eyes she took a deep breath trying to calm down. A person, the strongest person with an ability to solo raid a boss, was lying on herp. Just a few hours ago she was a person who was persecuted by various guilds and other yers trying to enve her into making them potions. Luckily or not she somehow managed to enter the Demon Realm and make her way to the location she always wanted to visit, a Gloomy Castle, where the first boss in the game was defeated. Entering the library she was met by many ck robed NPCs that tried to kill her. By pure luck she managed to survive by falling on the floor. She thought she was done for, but a male voice told her to run and soon a Lightning Projectile flew through the room giving her a chance to escape. She didn''t even dare to think that her savior was the same person, who defeated the boss, didn''t flinch at pain, ruthlessly killed a group, because of his revenge against Theo. This day was full of surprises and now the Unknown yer, Leo, the most popr yer in the Fragmental wasying on herp. Leo''s expression was more rxed and peaceful when those abyss ck eyes weren''t looking at her as if they saw right through the soul. " Just so you know... I''m counting the time " Not feeling Tia making any movements Leo spoke out loud just to make sure that the alchemist wouldn''t doze off and call it unfair after the time ran out. " Hmm? Yes! " Waking up from her stupor Tia slowly ran her fingers through Leo''s hair, brushing them aside and fully revealing the crown on top of his head. Inspecting Leo''s majestic horns Tia started poking them and looking at Leo''s reaction, trying to find out if he could sense her touch. To her surprise a corner of Leo''s lips was twitching as if he was forcefully biting it, trying to control his expression. '' Oh? '' Her curiosity was piqued as Tia started running her fingers through the surface of his horns making Leo slightly wiggle in ce. '' Is it like a weak spot? '' She was unknowingly having a lot of fun ying with Leo and making him flustered. With a wry smile she suddenly thought of an idea and lowered her head. Pooch... Her lipsnded on his horns causing Leo to suddenly jolt out the sofa and fall on the ground with his face fully dyed in red color. " What are you doing? " His low voice would make one shiver in fear, but Tia felt no pressure. She has already thought of an escape beforehand. " I''ve wanted to check if it has a temperature " Pointing towards Leo''s crown Tia shrugged her shoulders and pped herp. " I have another 3 minutes left, stop the time! " ~~~~ A man with a beet red face left a beautiful house. During the two lives he had, he has never felt such shame as he was feeling now. Covering his face with his hands he suddenly pped both of his cheeks bringing himself to reality. " Focus... " With slow and staggering steps he left the house and disappeared into the crowded street. Chapter 91 Buying Equipment Leo was walking through the street trying to forget his previous exchange with Tia. '' That vixen! '' He was cursing his newrade and didn''t even see a man before him. " Watch where you''re going! " The man shouted and Leo lowered his head apologizing to the NPC. '' I should be more aware of my surroundings... '' Putting the matters concerning Tia at the back of his mind Leo started thinking about all the equipment he''ll have to buy. His wallet, as if feeling that something is wrong, was aching from the amount of money he''ll have to spend. Going through his memories Leo recalled the least expensive shop within Culg city and started going towards it. Along the way he felt some eyes gazing his way, but ignored them. They were probably only interested in his horn crown. Entering a modern building with the sign ''Alchemy'' above its entrance Leo was immediately greeted by the shopkeeper. The NPC was lean, tall, had a big mustache and a beard that covered half of its face. The shopkeeper was wearing in clothes, but had some visible jewelry that spoke about his financial position. " Wee, wee! What can I help you with? " His polite tone and good manners were quite a surprise for Leo. Usually demons, especially older NPCs, don''t even greet other demons. Leo has only heard about this ce from other people and hasn''t visited the shop, because he had no need for equipment used by Alchemists. He recalled hearing that the shopkeeper was a gentleman, treating all the races the same, all the people on equal standards. '' I shouldn''t make an enemy out of him... '' Looking around the shop Leo thought, seeing the price tags that were really smallpared to what he expected to see. Just waving his hand Leo said that he''ll look around the shop and call the shopkeeper if he had any questions. Walking in between the aisles Leo saw many things ranging from various Alchemical Pots to exotic nts and other things used to concoct potions. He nned to build a huge garden at the backyard of the house where Tia could grow all the herbs needed for the recipes of potions. Looking through the various herbs and nts Leo''s attention was suddenly drawn by the white flower with ayer of frost covering its petals. Leo''s eyes widened as he quickly went into his system and bought the flower instantly, without even looking at the price tag below it. ? Purchasepleted! ? -2450 Gold Coins! ?+1 Frost Flower! Leo wanted to jump in joy, but held himself together. How lucky of him to find such a rare item and at such a low price at that. Taking the flower out of his inventory Leo slowly put it in his mouth and swallowed it expecting it to be like a mint. [Analyzing... ] [ Frost Flowed Consumed... ] [ New System Tab Unlocked! ] [+15 Cold Resistance! ] Leo''s smile widened as he read the system messages appearing on his screen. One has to know that a yer can also have resistances to specific things like monsters in the wild. '' It has been a long time... '' Opening the system Leo looked over his Status Screen. STATUS Name: Leo Level: 6 1,500/2,000 EXP Race: Demon ~ Dragon ss: Mage Subss: Shadow Mage ATTRIBUTES HP: 152 ll AGL: 33 SE: 135 ll PDEF: 79 STR: 10 ll MDEF: 110 INT: 155 MP: 285 [SP: 40 ] Active Skills 1 : Shadow Realm Lv.2 -- Absorbs all light in the area creating a perfect domain for a shadow to fight ~~~~ Passive Skills 1:Mana Regen Lv.4 -- Absorb Mana Naturally 2 : Shadow Energy Lv.2 -- A stronger type of Mana; Shadow energy can be absorbed by staying in the Shadows ~~~~ Spells 1 : Shadow st Lv.3 -- An Orb full of shadows that''ll inflict fear and blindness upon colliding with the enemies 2 :Lightning Bolt Lv. 5 -- A throwable lightning projectile 3 :Demonic me Lv.3 -- A me that can endlessly grow by eating... 4 : Shadow Protection Lv.1 -- Cast a shield that is able to devour the damage 5 : Shadow Friend Lv. 2 -- Create and control shadow soldiers ~~~~ Equipped 1 : Shadow Robe[ Diamond ] 2 : Smander Scale Boots [ Bronze ] 3 : Smander Ring [ tinum ] 4 : Demon Prince''s Crown [ tinum ] 5 : Eerie Staff[ Gold ] 6 : Shadow Gloves [ tinum ] ~~~~ STATU S EFFECT S 1 :+2% Magical Damage 2 :Unique Shadow Energy 3 :Natural MP regen 4 : Sealed Dragon ~~~~ RESISTANCES [ NEW! ] 1 :Cold Resistance: [ 15 ] ~~~~ Map Friend List Guild Pet 1 :Fenrir Lv.15 ~~~~ CLOSE His Statuspared when he only started ying was so huge it was two pages long. Looking over his attributes he noticed that he still had 40 SP left and put them all into agility. He recalled the fight in the alleyway, where the assassin managed to greatly wound him, because of Leo''s inability to dodge. Shifting his eyes to the bottom Leo found the new tab system was talking about. RESISTANCES [ NEW! ] 1 :Cold Resistance: [ 15 ] In Fragmental there are two types of main resistances: Physical Defense and Magical Defense. These two resistances, however, are not the only ones. There are tons of them and they are exclusive for one specific element or type of attack, for example the cold resistance which Leo gained by ingesting the Frost Flower will help him resist against Ice magic. These resistances are crucialter on in the game, if one wants to cross into upper realms where the environment is basically inhabitable for normal yers. Recalling these realms Leo momentarily held his breath before pping both of his cheeks to wake up. " I came here to buy equipment, not random flowers... " Reminding himself of his goal Leo approached the shopkeeper asking him for rmendations. He was led in between the aisles of many items and finally stopped near the far corner of the shop. " I''d rmend buying one of these Alchemy Pots " Gesturing towards a group of well-decorated cauldrons the shopkeeper disappeared into the shop seeing another visitor entering the building. Since he was gone Leo could take his time choosing the item... 1 : Cauldron of Wisdom [ Gold ] -- An Alchemy Cauldron with some hidden properties... -- While using the cauldron one''s understanding of potion making will be boosted by 1.5 -- 5% Chance of a potion having a longer duration ltem cost ¡ú>50oo Gold Coins ~~~~ Reading the description Leo was already amazed by the pot''s effects on its user and wanted to buy it immediately, but held himself together. '' I should first inspect other options as well... '' ncing at the other two pots Leo also took a look at their descriptions. 1 : Speed Cauldron [ Gold ] -- An Alchemy Cauldron with some speed properties... -- While using the cauldron one will lose himself in the process, boosting the speed of concocting -- 1% Chance of a potion having a bonus effects ltem cost ¡ú>3500 Gold Coins ~~~~ 2 : The Magical Pot [ Gold ] -- An Alchemy Cauldron with some magical properties... -- While using the cauldron one has a chance to concoct two potions instead of 1 -- 1% Chance of a potion having a side effect ltem cost ¡ú>3000 Gold Coins ~~~~ Both Cauldrons were also amazing, but thest Leo wasn''t keen on buying thest one. That 1% chance of a potion having side effects made him waver thinking about the pot''s purchase. He recalled that the potions with side effects are hidden and look like normal potions until consumed. It''d be only a matter of time before the clients startining about the chance of potion having random side effects and the sales would drop. Imagine fighting a Boss that is low on health. You consume a strength boosting potion and suddenly your vision starts flickering and you go blind. [ You''ve been killed by a [ Boss Name ] ] The next message you''ll see upon regaining your sight will be the message of you dying by the boss''s hand. Leo couldn''t have this happening, hence automatically rejected thest option. The other two cauldrons were very good, one had a 5% chance to make potionsst longer, while the other had a 1% chance to make potions have an extra effect. One prioritized speed, while the other understanding of potion making. Leo''s mind was working overtime debating on which cauldron to buy, but finally his choice was influenced by the Cauldron of Wisdom having a huge boost of understanding. '' I can buy the other pot, when Tia is already an adept Alchemist... '' Purchase Completed! -5000 Gold Coins! +1 Cauldron of Wisdom! Paying the price Leo started going through the various herbs, inspecting them one by one, reading through their descriptions. This was a habit of his past life where he took everything around him as a form of information making sure to notice the minor details and inspect every single thing that was yet unknown to him. Even the shopkeeper, who was an aspiring botanist, didn''t understand why would a man spend so much time inspecting some random herbs. '' What a cultured gentleman... '' Taking off his imaginary fedora the man bowed towards Leo, who was so immersed into analyzing the herbs he didn''t even see the respect paid to him. His mind was constantly working thinking about various nts and other herbs he had to nt into the garden, so the Tia had enough resources for at least a month. Looking towards the Inventory full of various random herbs he thought that it was time to stop and exited the shop with his wallet considerably lighter than before. '' I''ll make her work overtime '' Trying to console himself Leo moved his heavy steps towards the 3-story building he just recently bought. Entering the house he could smell the aroma of coffee and went straight to the kitchen where Tia was sipping the liquid full of caffeine. " Come... " Leo''s half dead voice full of pain made Tia almost spill her coffee. Tilting her head she saw Leo''s eyes that had lost all the glow they previously had. " Did you murder someone? " Her question was unexpected even for herself, but Leo really looked like an undead lost of his soul. " My wallet... " Leo''s quiet voice left his throat reaching Tia''s ears and making her even more surprised. She didn''t expect the man to be so broken after spending some money, she understood it was an investment, so why was he so unhappy? Shrugging her shoulders she followed after Leo and went to the third floor where he was already putting everything into its ce. A massive pot with beautiful decorations was in the middle of the room, visibly being the most expensive item Leo had bought during his shopping trip. There were also some books ced onto the wooden table Leo bought while stumbling back to the house. After putting everything into its respective ces Leo left the house walking behind the building and finding a greenhouse already built behind it. '' At least I don''t need to pay for it... '' Entering the greenhouse he gave half of the herbs to Tia, instructing to nt them in the dirt. Carefully they both spent at least two hours putting the nts and herbs into the dirt when finally Leo gave Tia a bag of various herbs she could use to start experimenting. " You go ahead and start while I have to go, finish some business " Leaving the greenhouse Leo faded into the crowds moving towards the house of the mayor. '' Time to collect the reward... '' Chapter 92 Unfinished Business Walking through the streets Leo finally approached the mayor''s wooden mansion. Cracking his knuckles Leo knocked the door three times in a row, did a little pause and punched the golden text with all his strength. - 1HP Like thest time his knuckles were bleeding, but it was short lived, because soon the door was unlocked and a man with a grey beard appeared in the doorway. " Took you long enough! " His cheeks were red from alcohol and his breath stank. Quest Completed! LOOT 1 : 5000 EXP 2: Water Gear [ Silver ] 3 : 5,000 Gold Coins ~~~~ [ Congrattions reaching Lv.7 ... Lv.8 ] [+40 SP ] As soon as I got the reward and saw that I leveled up, I duped all the Status Points into the Intelligence attribute. I knew that my damage was quiteckingpared to before I reset my character. The very next thing I did was read the description of the Water Gear. 1 : Water Gear [ Silver ] -- A set of boots allowing one to stand on water. ~~~~ The item was perfect for fights in water and Leo put it in his inventory. He had no immediate use for it, but he knew that it''ll be used at least once. Shrugging his shoulder he noticed that the mayor was already gone leaving Leo alone. With a slight smile he left the mansion and started walking into the forest. It was time to raid a dungeon... Moving through the forest Leo was suddenly attacked by a snake, a monster he had already fought previously. [ BASILISK''S LACKEY ] -- A Lackey of a great reptilian beast -- Water type beast that live near Basilisk''s nest -- Carnivore; Aggressive [ Short Description ] -- Ackey of a great Basilisk. The snake was born with a sole goal of following the greater reptile being andpleting itsorders without hesitation.The beast will not allow any third party to approach the nest of the Basilisk. ATTRIBUTES [Lv. 6 ] HP: 300 ll AGL: 80 MP: 50 ll PDEF: 60 STR: 70 || MDEF: 50 NT: 21 ll SN: 5 ~~~~ SPELLS 1 : Poisonous Spit Lv.2 -- Spit acidic Poison at your enemies 2 : Slithery Flight < Lv. 4 > -- You are able to move in air... Scary! ~~~~ ACTIVE SKILLS 1 : Leap Lv.4 -- Leap at your enemy within a distance of 15 meters ~~~~ 1 : Poison Blood Lv.3 -- Your blood is poisonous, disallowing enemies to eat or bite you ~~~~ Looking at its name and Status Leo was sure that he was moving the right way, hence quickly disposed of the beast by using Lightning Bolt and went to the direction it came from. He couldn''t recall, but he was sure that the dungeon was already found, but nobody had managed to fully clear it. Approaching the entrance to the dungeon Leo noticed a crowd of people lining up in front of the dark cave. Seeing their faces Leo knew that most of them were low leveled and were yet to die, hence believed that they could easily clear the dungeon. Gazing at all the parties he noticed a party of three devourer''s biting their nails and looking around as if searching for someone. '' How lucky... '' Approaching the group Leo managed to control his smirk and tapped the closest demon''s shoulder. " Hello, may I join your group? " The young demon with two small horns protruding from his head turned towards Leo and started assessing him. " Are you a mage? " His question was straightforward, but understandable. The groupposition of 3 melee fighters was in shambles without a ranged fighter, hence having a mage or at least an archer was crucial. Nodding his Leo summoned a Lightning Bolt as a sign of him having a Spell. He could see the leading Demon sighing in relief after he saw that Leo was no imposter and gave him a warm smile. " Thank you, you really saved us. My name is Paul, these two are David and Charles " Pointing towards himself and his group members Paul did a quick introduction before indulging himself about the raid n. " Since you haven''t heard our n, I''ll quickly exin it to you... " Since his group now had a mage they could pretty much wipe out the minions easily, but the problem was the boss. Basilisk is a Dungeon boss meaning that it lives in its own domain giving it extra attributes. Paul, Charles and David were nning to bait it out of its domain and kill it before it had a chance to escape. '' A pretty decent n... '' Leo thought, looking at the scheme drawn on the ground using a stick. He did have a better one, but revealing it to the public would bring unnecessary attention. Leo was pretty confident that even without the bugs or other cheesing techniques the Boss would fall under his and his teammates'' hands, especially when his damage was a bit, only a tiny bit, above the average. He spent most of his time chatting with his teammates, trying to understand each other better, when finally their turn came. " Let''s go! " Paul said and they all jumped into a dark cave when suddenly Leo''s and the others'' bodies turned into light particles and were transported into the dungeon. " I''ll never get used to this... " Leo heard a voice and soon a sound of vomiting was heard by all the group members. Since they were all in the dark Leo couldn''t see the one vomiting, but from the voice he could guess it was David. Chirch... A torch was suddenly lit on fire and Paul raised it above his head. He also gave a torch to Leo, David and Charles respectively. Leo made sure to mention that fighting with a torch in one hand wasn''t the smartest choice and it is better to just defend and allow him to kill the monsters from a safe distance. Luckily the group members weren''t greedy for EXP, hence just agreed and made sure to stay close to Leo. The cave was wide, but had a lot of random passageways, it wouldn''t be an understatement to call it abyrinth. Fortunately for the group, Leo just led them through theseplicated tunnels, straight to the boss room. Even though the party members were surprised, because they met no enemies along the way, Leo just called it luck. Little does his group members know he has this dungeon basically installed in his mind. Even if he was awakened in the middle of the night he would still be able to tell about every bit of the dungeon with perfect uracy. Pushing all the thoughts at the back of his mind Leo braced himself, to awaken the boss they''ll need to kill a certain amount of Lackeys, hence entering the room would be useless without the boss being in it. Acting as if he was troubled Leo quickly exined to Paul that they have to kill some monsters for the boss to appear. While Paul was lost in his thoughts Leo asked David and Charles to give him their weapons. Since both of them held steel swords it was perfect for Leo''s n. nk... He collided both weapons against each other creating a loud sound and probably informing some monsters nrearby of their presence. His teammates didn''t even have a chance to react as a wave ofckeys appeared around the corner and started nearing them at quick speed. " Brace yourselves! " Leo said, but got an angry reply from David. " Why the fuck would you do that before even warning us! " His eyes were gazing towards the wave of beasts rapidly approaching them, but he still had time to curse Leo. Well, it was pretty understandable looking at the number of enemies chasing after them. Even Leo was slightly surprised by the sheer number of monsters approaching them. " Just go in... " Opening the door to the boss room he let Paul, David and Charles enter the room before closing the door, so they wouldn''t be able to see what he was about to do. Whoosh... On Leo''s palm a grey orb appeared and suddenly some kind of energy, not mana, a stronger type of energy started flowing into it when finally the Shadow st wasunched at the iing tide of the beasts. Boom... The whole cave shook, but Leo had no time to waste and quickly opened the door, pulling out his three teammates out of the boss room. Since they expected Leo to be dead they were quite surprised seeing him alive. Paul almost lost his footing seeing the wave of monsters gone,pletely gone from the face of Fragmental. Pointing towards the direction where the monsters previously were he turned his eyes towards Leo. " Where did they go? " His eyebrows were raised while his hand was slightly trembling from the stress he went through in thest few minutes. " I killed them... " Leo''s in voice didn''t help and Paul had to lean against the wall in case he fainted. ? '' He''s dangerous '' Looking towards Leo he felt that his life would be in danger every time he was nearby. Paul was surprised that his newly acquired mage was strong enough to clear dozens of monsters, but he didn''tin. Even David who was about to throw his tantrum, because of Leo''s carelessness had some second thoughts. '' Maybe everything was in his control... '' Silence engulfed the group and seeing that they were losing time and some monsters might ambush them Charles pped his hands. " So are we going inside or not? " Looking towards him all the group members nodded their heads while Paul started slowly opening the door to the boss room. Entering the room Leo heard nothing else, but his breathing, it was very quiet. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... Suddenly the room was illuminated by the torches hung on the walls. Looking around the area Leo noticed nothing different from the past and sighed in relief. '' It seems that everything is still the same... '' Looking at the floor he felt slight vibrations pass through the ground and a bitter smile appeared on his face. " Get ready, a big ass snake is about to show itself! " Warning his teammates Leo lowered his posture so he wouldn''t lose his bnce easily. Chapter 93 Basilisk The dimly lit room shook as the half of the torches hanging on the walls were extinguished. Luckily it didn''t matter, because soon huge cracks appeared on the ground and magma started creeping out of them. The temperature in the room was getting hit and Leo cursed knowing that if they didn''t manage to rule the monster out of the room, his teammates would be useless. Lowering his body he made sure that he wouldn''t lose his bnce easily and warned the others. " Get ready, a big ass snake is about to show itself! " Looking towards magma seeping out of the ground he sighed feeling that the tremors suddenly stopped. 3... 2... 1... Boom! A huge cloud of dust was thrown into the air as a massive silhouette emerged from the ground. Its ck scales reflected the troches'' light while the head of the beast was yet to be visible, hidden in the dust. Leo felt his hand slightly shake, he was no fun of reptiles, especially snakes. Hisss... The snake lowered its huge head revealing its ugly face. The boss''s face looked pretty much like the snakes, but its fangs were protruding from its mouth. The monster''s whole body also had centipede-like legs that were somehow supporting its weight, Leo and his party members also noticed that it had a forked tail with stingers at the end of it. The Basilisk was pretty much a massive snake with some centipede body parts. [ BASILISK ] -- A powerful Dungeon Boss -- Fire type beast that lives in the Basilisk''s nest -- Carnivore; Territorial [ Short Description ] -- A mix of a snake and a centipede, the creature is able to strike fear into its enemy only by its appearance. The monster alsohas deadly fangs with strong poison running through their surface.As a dungeon boss the reptile has some bonus attributeswhile in its domain... ATTRIBUTES [ Lv.50 ] HP: 30,000 ll AGL: 500 MP: 500 ll PDEF: 1,500 STR: 2,500 ll MDEF: 1,500 INT: 1,250 ll SN: 50 ~~~~ Poisonous Spit < Lv.4 > -- Basilisk can spit acidic Poison at your enemies Slithery Flight e Max.Lv. > -- Basilisk is able to move in air... Scary! Maddening rage < Max.Lv.> -- When HP is below 10% the Basilisk will be berserk Magma Shockwave < Max.Lv.> -- Basilisk can send Magma Shockwaves dealing massive fire damage ~~~~ < ACTIVE SKILLS > Strong Bite Lv.4 -- Basilisk can bite an enemy with massive force Tail Swipe < Lv.7 > -- Basilisk can use its tail to wreak havoc 50 meters around itself Death stare Lv. 5 -- Basilisk is able to momentarily freeze its opponent with a Mana induced stare ~~~~ Reptilian Insect Max. Lv. -- Basilisk is a breed between an insect and a snake, having some characteristics of both Strong Scales Lv.8 -- The body of a Basilisk is covered with sturdy scales Domain owner < Max.Lv.> -- When within its own domain Basilisk will gain a massive Attribute boost ~~~~ The Status screen of the monster appeared above our eyes making Leo''s party members gasp in surprise. They knew that the boss of the dungeon was strong, but they didn''t expect it to have such a long list of spells and skills. Seeing that David and Charles were contemting if it was worth continuing the raid and losing the levels, Paul just took a deep breath. It was toote to flee, the monster had already noticed them and running was not an option. " Slowly lead it towards the exit! " Paul shouted, gesturing Leo to cast a spell at the huge snake that was aiming to swallow him whole. He barely managed to evade it as its huge scaly body passed right by his side, making him lose bnce and fall on his but. Whoosh... Leo did not waste anymore time and gave his Lightning Bolt a try. -245 Magical Damage! He pursed his lips seeing the damage graph, the beast was definitely a dungeon boss for a reason. He knew that if baited outside the monster would lose almost half of its defensive properties, but that didn''t help, because now they still had no chance to leave, the monster would simply kill them while they were opening the door. " Open the door, I can hold it for a few seconds! " Seeing Paul evading the huge range of the beast''s tail Leo shouted while pointing towards the closed door. Paul didn''t even look towards Leo and only nodded his head dashing towards the door of the boss room. Since the monster thought he was trying to escape, its body suddenly turned eerie red and the Mana was gathered somewhere around its belly. " Hide behind me! " Feeling the sudden change in temperature around them Leo shouted to Charles and David. They both weren''t seriously wounded, but had some injuries that umted on their bodies along the fight. Seeing that Paul was smart enough to squeeze himself in the small crack on the ground Leo deployed Shadow Protection with Charles and David stationed behind him. Boom! Like an atomic bomb something suddenly exploded and the shockwave of fire wasunched in all the directions at the speed of sound. Leo wasn''t able to follow the movement of the shockwave as one second everything was almost dark and the other, the room was on fire. Crack... His shield shattering woke Leo up from his stupor, he even momentarily went blind from the sh of the explosion, but quickly downed a healing potion and recovered his sight. Helping his teammates to consume the potions as well, Leo red at the snake who was looking around the field, seeing if the enemies were still alive. In a few seconds its eyes met Leo''s and its huge body head with open jaws was thrown towards his direction. He barely managed to avoid the attack, because[ Magma Shockwave ]had momentarily slowed down his thought process. '' Wake up! '' pping his cheeks as hard as he could Leo created another Lightning Bolt and threw at the leg of the moving monster. - 461 Critical Damage! Some of the boss''s centipede-like legs were instantly broken and blue blood started seeping out of its wounded limbs. Shriek. Even the voice of the monster was no longer that of a snake, but of an insect. nk... nk... Both of his allies, Charles and David, hit their swords against the sturdy scales of the monster, dealing some decent yet small damage to the boss. - 80 Physical Damage! - 92 Physical Damage! Suddenly Leo noticed David''s tip of the sword glowing in red color as if had drunk some blood. '' Vampiric gear... '' Looking at the sword held in the hand''s of his party member Leo felt that his teammates weren''t so useless he thought they were. " David, leave it stuck in the monster''s body! " Leo immediately thought of a n and hoped that David would agree. Leo knew that Vampiric weapons require blood to be stronger throughout the fight, but the time it took for a weapon to be fully charged was immense, making Leo think this was the best option. " Are you crazy! " Looking towards Leo David shouted while almost spitting saliva, it was the only weapon he had and he wasn''t so willing to let it go onmand. " Trust me! " Trying to shout through all the noise in the room Leo pleaded for the man to listen. He didn''t know if Paul was stuck in the crack he jumped in earlier or if he had yet to open the door, but it was currently the only chance to kill the boss without it leaving its Domain. Screech... The reptile screeched and David let go of his sword looking at the direction of Charles. " Give me a spare weapon! " His shout was heard and soon he held a steel sword that seemed to be at least bronze tier equipment. '' They are surprisingly prepared for this... '' Looking at both of them Leo suddenly saw a system message he had expected to see some time ago. [ Your party member ''Paul'' has died! ] Looking behind Leo noticed a huge Magma ravine behind them and guessed that it probably opened right underneath Paul''s feet. '' Unlucky... '' Whoosh... Suddenly the huge snake used thousands of its legs to jump into the air and started levitating above the battlefield. '' Why is every snake able to fly? '' Leo tried to rx his shaking hands, but couldn''t, he had a severe case of ophidiophobia. Looking towards the huge silhouette hovering above him he couldn''t help, but allow himself to slightly tremble seeing the snake spitting poison right below itself. Thud... Thud... Thud... Green substance fell everywhere forcing Leo, David and Charles to do whatever they could to dodge it. They saw that the poison was acidic and could even corrode the rocks meaning that they would instantly die if touched by the attack. Whoosh... Finally Leo got a chance to counterattack and immediately threw a Lightning Bolt at the boss''s face. - 265 Magical Damage! The damage was miniscule, but it managed to get the creature to abruptlynd and hit its body against the side of the arena. - 1564 Physical Damage! David''s pale face regained its color seeing that the battle was not yet over, he thought that upon the death of Paul their ns would be ruined and they would surely lose 2 levels, but now he was starting to see hope. It was simr for Charles as well, at first he felt pessimistic, but his mind was fully set on killing the thing that took the life of hisrade. " Attack it before it has a chanc... " Leo wanted to shout, but his body suddenly came to a stop, he couldn''t move his tongue. The Basilisk was looking towards his direction, using its skill Death re and making him freeze in ce. Luckily both of his group members understood that and leaped towards the monster aiming to strike its soft centipede legs. - 161 Critical Damage! - 159 Critical Damage! They both managed to cut one leg each before the beast recovered its bnce and almost sent them flying by using its forked tail to perform a vertical strike. Fortunately both devourer''s were not so bad at the game not to notice the iing attack and dodge it by jumping high in the air. Screech... Suddenly the beast''s body turned red and without exchanging any words both demons ran besides Leo waiting for him to deploy a shield. " Good Job... " Looking at their faces Leo smirked seeing that both of them were really focused on the fight. Shifting his gaze back on the beast he closed his eyes before deploying Shadow Protection able to withstand the Magma Shockwave. Boom! The white sh of mes once again hit the shield and shattered it, but this time not blinding the people behind it. " It''s halfway full... " Said Leo while looking at the sword stuck in between the monster''s scales. Chapter 94 Dungeon Boss The huge creature was slithering through the ground throwing debris in all directions. Many pebbles were falling from the ceiling as its massive body rubbed against the walls. The whole boss room was shaking from the snake''s rampage, but the 3 people inside were still alive. Whoosh... The Basilisk''s tail was being used to make Leo and his teammates keep their distance from the beast, while the monster kept crawling around the room and spitting poison. Looking towards the Vampiric sword stuck in the creature''s body a grin appeared on Leo''s face. They needed tost another 5 minutes. Whoosh... His Lightning projectile tore through the air sessfully reaching the snake''s insect-like legs and destroying some of them in the process. Shriek... The Basilisk was of course hurt and immediately aimed his [ Death re ] towards Leo making him freeze in ce. Luckily this gave his teammates a chance to close in the distance and sh their sword against the beast''s legs. Even before the fight began they knew that they wouldn''t be able to pierce through its hard scales, hence the only thing left for them to do was cut its limbs. ... ... ... For a third time the creature''s body turned slightly red and the temperature around raised significantly. "Behind me!" Instantly deploying Shadow Protection Leo closed his eyes waiting for the st wave toe. Boom! A loud explosion shook the whole room and Leo felt the scorching heat of the fire pass right above his head. ''Broken...'' The shield was once again shattered, but it served its purpose allowing them to survive for another minute. Leo wasn''t exactly sure how a normal party would survive the boss battle without such spells that could shield against any damage. He wasn''t keen on using it, because it might reveal his identity, but it was the only way to survive. "The sword is about 60% full!" Making sure to inform David about the Vampiric Sword Leo used his hinge legs to throw himself to the side avoiding a tail swipe from the huge monster. He felt that his mana was running low, hence consumed a Mana potion he bought while being in the shop to get Tia Alchemy rted stuff. His battle kit was now only two spells and they both consumed Mana and not Shadow Energy. Leo was lucky he had powerful equipment, or else he''d be mana deprived long ago. Whoosh... Another Lightning Bolt was sent at the rampaging monster hitting its scales, but not the tiny legs positioned on its side. -25 Magical Damage! ''Its scales sure are strong!'' With a thoughtful expression Leo shifted his attention towards the huge chunk of debris thrown towards his direction. He had to cast another spell, so the massive rubble wouldn''t reach him. Shriek... While Leo was upied, defending himself his teammates were trying to damage the monster''s limbs as much as they could. David and Charles didn''t even catch their breath while using swords to damage the creature. They were half desperate, half hopeful trying to kill the massive creature before them. Even though it seemed impossible Leo has given them a slight glimmer of hope to defeat the monster. nk... Their swords were suddenly repelled by the monster''s scales and they had to move backwards or the snake would''ve crushed them with its weight. Even though its mobility wasn''t very high for a Boss monster it was rtively fast for the demons inside its domain. David barely managed to evade the creature''s tail by bending his body in an almost unnatural angle. nk... Leo could''ve sworn he heard some of his bones crack, but seeing that he was quickly drinking a HP potion remained calm. As he was about to send another Lightning Bolt towards the ugly thing, it suddenly dived underground sshing Magma everywhere around itself. Rumble... Diving underground the creaturepletely disappeared from the sight of Leo making him warily look at the ground under his feet. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down he focused trying to sense the vibrations spreading through the floor. 3... 2... 1... Counting inside his own head he suddenly deployed Shadow Protection right underneath his feet and jumped to the side. Boom! The creature''s head collided against the Shield making it suffer a lot of physical damage. -3719 Physical Damage! The huge damage graph made Leo''s face shift into a grin as hended some distance away from the beast. He predicted that the beast would go after him, because of the slight nce it gave him before masking itself underground. "70%!" Shouting towards David Leo nced towards the snake that was still confused after hitting a hard surface with its face. Its slit eyes were now a bit cloudy as it was disoriented, Leo hoped that it''d suffer a concussion, but no such Status Effect appeared clearing his disillusions. ''...'' Looking towards its face Leo felt fear grip his heart, but hoped that with time he''ll form resilience against such reptiles, at least he hoped so. Whoosh... In his hand a Lightning projectile appeared and was thrown towards the beast''s head. Unfortunately the snake noticed the iing Bolt and lowered his head in an attempt to avoid it. ''A mistake!'' A grin appeared on Leo''s face as David was standing right beneath the beast, as if waiting for it to lower its head, so he could reach its throat. sh... The soft skin, not covered by the scales of the monster, was shed by his sword, but not fully cut. The blood was gushing out like from a fountain, but the monster wasn''t yet mortally wounded. -2147 Critical Damage! ~ The Basilisk has suffered from a Status Effect [ Severe Bleeding ] ~ The Basilisk will continuously lose 15 HP per second ~Duration ¡ú 5 minutes ~~~~ With a grin on his face David jumped backwards evading the blood, so it wouldn''t dye him red. Shriek.. The wounded creature screeched, but only more blood left its wounded throat. Using its insect-like limbs it threw itself in the air evading the closebat and starting to spit poison from high in the sky. While the boss''s huge frame was in the sky, spitting acidic poison towards the group, Leo was slowly approaching the door, trying to see if they weren''t blocked by debris. Fortunately there were no objects disallowing the door from being opened, the only problem was a magma ravine separating him from the exit. Leo knew that he''d be able to defeat the monster alone, but would his teammates survive? He didn''t know... ''Their deaths will be remembered...'' With a yful smile Leo turned around and aimed the sparkling Lightning Bolt he held in his palm at the flying Basilisk. Whoosh... The projectile left his hands and flew high into the sky hitting directly where the Vampiric sword was stuck in between the scales. Shriek... The monster felt his insides being electrocuted and shrieked in pain. Turning its ugly head towards Leo it froze him in ce before spitting poison in his direction. Leo had to cast Shadow Protection to save himself, but suddenly the beast''s face turned into a grin. ''Fuck!'' Seeing its body turn red Leo barely managed to jump inside one of the cracks in the ground when an explosion hit demolishing whatever was above the ground. [ Your party member ''Charles'' has died! ] A system message appeared on Leo''s screen as he climbed out of the crack he jumped in to hide from the shockwave. Looking around he saw that the snake was still high in the air while a half burnt human figure was barely standing in the corner of the room. ''David!'' Dashing towards him Leo noticed how badly he was burnt and that his flesh was starting to peel off. "Drink..." Raising a HP potion up to his lips he quickly made David consume it and his skin started going back to normal. Leo couldn''t have a guy with a Vampiric Sword die before it was fully charged. Whoosh... Pulling David to the side and avoiding another acidic poison from the creature levitating above his head Leo sent a few Lightning Bolts in return. -251 Magical Damage! -260 Magical Damage! -254 Magical Damage! The beast''s legs were cut by the Lightning Bolts, but didn''t do a lot of damage considering that its HP was still over 15,000. ''I should''ve bought more spells, I should''ve bought more spells...'' Repeating the same words in his head Leo kept using the same Lightning Bolt trying to get the beast down to the ground, so David could retrieve the sword. "Its 90% full" He heard a whisper by his ear and slightly turning his head noticed that David was already fully healed. ''Health potions do make miracles, huh...'' Shrugging his shoulders Leo kept dodging the poison and throwing spells back at the creature while David used small pebbles and threw them at the beast. Even though for the creature it was probably ticklish it was still a way to do damage. One such pebble suddenly hit the eye of the beast making it go blind on one side. Leo''s eyebrows rose and he gazed at the direction of David who himself was gaping at his hand. "I used to y baseball..." Rubbing his hands together he smiled while avoiding the poison of the Basilisk falling exactly where he was a second ago. Leo could only give him invisible thumbs up after seeing the damage applied to the monster. "Its full!" Leo and David shouted out at the same time and while Leo started producing Lightning Bolts like crazy David went closer to the beast waiting until it descended, so he could grab his weapon. Chapter 95 Vampiric Sword Leo consumed another MP potion, his mana reserves were low once again. While dodging a series of acidic potions spat in his direction he barely managed to avoid the huge tail of the monster that could still reach him even though the beast itself was flying high in the air. Launching himself backwards he took a deep breath looking at the creature''s menacing frame hovering right above him. ''Just get down!'' Hissing Leo threw a Lightning Bolt at its soft abdomen, which, unfortunately, didn''t do much damage, because the Basilisk suddenly turned its body upside down and blocked the projectile with its scales. This was the third time the monster used this move to deflect Lightning Bolts. Even so Leo was collected not letting his emotions sway his judgment. Looking at his rapidly changing Mana numbers on his Status screen he noticed that he had a little bit over a dozen of MP potions left. Leo now had to be resourceful and be smart about the way he spent his Mana. Stealthily moving in between the debris Leo wanted to disappear from the monster''s line of sight. Moving his legs as rapidly and softly as he could Leo made sure that low to no sound would be produced as he made his way towards the giant creature''s tail. Of course, for a demon who had a two digit Agility it was rather hard, or in this case impossible. Leo saw the Basilisk''s eyes glistening in the dimly illuminated room and quickly took cover, because the beast would''ve frozen him in ce. ''Stupid Ability!'' Cursing in between his breaths Leo frowned looking at Vampiric sword stuck in the Basilisk''s scales, shining in eerie red color. Suddenly the Basilisk dived down towards the ground and started thrashing around the area, raising a huge dust cloud as well as making the battlefield even more of a chaos than it previously was. David was forced to retreat to the corner of the room and try to avoid the ferocious violence of the boss, while Leo hid behind a huge boulder that wouldn''t be easily moved even if the snake used its hardest to push it. Leo was struggling not to throw another Lightning Bolt at the monster destroying the battlefield behind him. He knew that his Mana was a resource he had to save and wasting it on a ''not sure to hit'' situation would be useless. Looking at the Vampiric Sword, as if glued, stuck inside the beast''s body whether it went, cursed. The damn snake was too agile and had crazy reflexes that disallowed him from constantly damaging its soft abdomen with spells. ''Just stay still...'' Creating a Lightning Bolt and aiming it at the Basilisk''s constantly moving figure he finally found an opening and threw the spell at the damaged eye of the beast. Shriek... Leo has just bought himself a few seconds to dash and grab the Vampiric sword shining in the scales of the giant snake. ''Now or never!'' Making a run for it Leo made sure to approach the snake, from the side it couldn''t see him and snatch away the weapon, before it could even realize what happened. With slightly trembling arms he finally touched the hilt of the sword and tried pulling it with all his strength he had saved throughout the battle. Unfortunately being a mage he had invested nothing into his Strength attribute, hence couldn''t even move the sword from its original spot. "Come on!" Leo''s expression turned grim, feeling that the Basilisk shifted its head so it could see what was tickling its side. ''Fuck!'' Making ast ditch effort Leo felt his hands go numb while one of his muscles tore from overextension. The damn sword didn''t even move, as if cemented into the monster''s body it stayed in its position not giving in to Leo''s attempts. Eventually Leo had to give up and retreat backwards or else his whole body would''ve been devoured by the Basilisk. "David! I''ll distract the fucking snake! Get the sword!" Hoping that the guy was close enough to hear his words Leo jumped away from another tail strike approaching him at a surprisingly fast pace. This time Leo wasn''t as lucky as before and was slightly grazed by the attack. Unfortunately even the slightest graze was very powerful, sending Leo crashing into the wall on the other side of the room. "Aghhh!" Vomiting blood the Shadow Mage felt that the inner damage was massive, he had to consume a potion... Quickly! Unfortunately, the Basilisk thought otherwise. Boom... The beast''s giant jaws collided with the wall Leo was thrown against a few seconds ago. The man in question wasying on the ground a few meters to the side, trying to drink the red potion held in his trembling hands. The gut-wrenching pain was not helping him, but finally Leo emptied the potions contents into his mouth and his body started recovering at a speed visible to an eye. Hisss... Unfortunately the Basilisk''s shadow was hovering above him, staring directly into his eyes making Leo freeze in ce. Leo could even see a small grin stered the monster''s face as it opened its giant jaws intending to devour him. Crack... Suddenly the beast froze in ce and blood left its mouth as it threw its head backwards aiming at something standing on top of its body. When the eye contact was broken Leo could finally move and propelling himself on his legs he quickly noticed David shing with the beast while holding a shining red sword. ''We have around a minute'' Recalling the time limit until the sword was out of the blood energy Leo quickly created some Lightning Bolts before throwing them towards the Basilisk who was busy, trying to repel attacks from David. The sword devourer was wielding could even pierce through the scales of the Basilisk making it wary of David''s presence, fortunately it forgot that Leo was also able to make it suffer. Shriek... The Lightning Bolt pierced into its blind eye sending electricity through its body. ~ The Basilisk has suffered from Status Effect [ Electrocuted ] ~ The Monster will be temporarily unfunctional, due to the damage done to the brain ~ Duration a?¡¯ 30 seconds ~~~~ Grinning Leo jumped towards the beast who had suddenly fallen on the ground not able to move a muscle. "Aim to damage its scales!" Shouting to David Leo started tearing scales of the beast''s body. Even though it didn''t do a lot of damage, Leo didn''t intend to damage the monster. His n was to uncover as much of its skin as he possibly could, so it''d have more weaknesses they could hit during its Berserker state. David, of course, heard Leo''s shout and turned his gaze to see Leo ripping away the scales using his Lighting bolt as a knife. ''What a weird way to use a spell...'' He thought, but followed after him using his sword to basically cut open the ck scales of the massive monster. Shriek... The 30 seconds they had passed in a sh and while the beast''s upper body had a patch of scales missing its HP was still in thousands. As soon as the Beast recovered from the Status Effect, it instantaneously started charging up the Magma Shockwave. Of course David got behind Leo, while the mage deployed a shield, but this time the attack from the beast was unexpected. Crash... The shield shattered, but the explosion didn''t ur, instead a massive tail rammed against the Shadow Protection, shattering it in pieces. ''Shit!'' Grabbing David by his cor, Leo threw him into the nearest crack and followed right after him. Boom... The real Mana shockwave now exploded above the ground shaking the whole room. Leo even felt the heat brush against his back as he was considerably close to the surface. ''We Should end this...'' Looking at the sword held in David''s hands slowly losing color Leo lowered his head and whispered a few things into his teammate''s ear. After their small dialogue was over Leo was grinning while David''s face waspletely pale. "You are a crazy!" He pointed as if ming Leo, but the Mage only shrugged his soldiers before quickly leaving the temporary crack in the ground. The menacing figure of the Basilisk was towering above him, but Leo now had no fear over it... his hands were shaking, because it was cold. The damn Basilisk was too big to be called a snake, it ugly face, big fangs, ability to fly, everything about the creature made Leo frown. Distancing himself from the crack he was previously hiding in, Leo made sure to taunt the boss so it would follow after him. Whoosh... Whoosh... His Lightning Bolts flew at the snake, one of them hit the snake''s uncovered skin, while the other missed, although barely. Shriek... The Basilisk''s HP was slowly moving towards 10% and Leo''s smile was only widening by every second. Whoosh... Another Lightning Projectile tore through the air and hit the beast where its scales were ripped apart. [ The Dungeon Boss is entering Berserk Mode! ] A system message notified Leo about the monster''s condition. "It''s show time!" Chapter 96 Berserker Mode The Basilisk''s health dropped below 10% as the Lightning Bolt tore through the air, hitting its soft skin, where it''s scales were ripped apart. Shriek... Suddenly the Beast''s body started radiating red aura as if it was about to cast another Magma Shockwave. "It''s show time!" All the while Leo was fighting the monster, David was safely lying inside a small pot in the ground. ''He'' crazy!'' Like a prayer he kept repeating, but still tightly clenched the hilt of his vampiric weapon, ready to spring into action whenever needed. Before leaving him alone Leo has whispered the n to David, which he didn''t like it. He basically had to wait until the snake''s body was slithering above him to use his weapon and cut it open like a can. Crack... The sound of bones being broken resounded across the room, so loud that even David, being underground, could clearly hear it. ''What is happening above!'' His hands were shaking from anticipation and fear of unknown. While David was biting his nails underground, Leo was looking at the beast before him turning into a different being all together. The Basilisk''s bones were snapping as if they were twigs and reshaping the beast''s body structure. The boss imposing frame was now at least 1.5 times slower while it''s crazy long body shortened rewarding it with extra agility. The huge fangs of the Basilisk also somehow went back in its mouth bing sharp rows of teeth while the forked tail started releasing some kind of weird red particles into the air. ''I should...'' Leo didn''t even have a chance to finish his sentence as he was sent flying to the other side of the room. Luckily at thest second, before the hit, he managed to barely shift his body to the side avoiding the full force of the boss''s tail attack. Stabilizing himself while mid-air Leo looked at the creature, who was now more like a slug than a snake and grimaced feeling the sharp pain in his ribs, a few them were probably broken. Leo vomited some blood and felt sharp pain everytime he inhaled air, the broken bones had probably pierced his lung. Quickly using a HP potion Leo managed to barely evade another charge of the slug and jump to the side, slowly directing the monster where David was hiding. While Leo was slowly baiting it towards it''s death, the Basilisk just kept causing violence everywhere he went, getting more and more infuriated everytime the puny human dodged its attack. The monster began casting Magma Shockwave, it felt that otherwise the human would keep running, evading its every strike until its skill effect would disminish. Leo taught by thest time, made some distance away from the creature casting Shadow Protection.Even though he was holding the boss on his own, the battle was taking its tall on him. No matter how strong the yer, in normal conditions defeating the boss monster was practically impossible. ''I should end this...'' Consuming the fifth MP potion in a row Leo stole a nce at the hole where David was hiding. He noticed a slight red glow dancing inside it and hastened his pace. Shriek... Since the Magma Shockwave didn''t effect Leo the giant slug quickly closed in the distance trying to bite his head off. Unfortunately for the beast all its teeth tore through was only air. Confused it looked around only to see the human dozen meters away from it. "Goodbye!" Waving his hand towards the monster Leo noticed how its eyes widened in shock and soon it''s body trembled in pain. Screech... David was doing his job cutting open the body of the slug from below it. As if stung the Basilisk jolted away from the hole with a trail of blood closely following it. Even though it was now mortally wounded the monster was not done for, especially when it was still in its berserker state. ''Shit'' Feeling the temperature around him heaten up, Leo knew that his skill was still Cooldown, hence didn''t even blink before jumping in a nearby pool of magma. Since no cracks that could shelter a human his size were nearby Leo chose to dive into the pond of Magma. -12 HP -17 HP +21 HP Consuming HP potion Leo was trying to fight off the effect of burning, and soon the room shook from the schockwave. Gasp... Gasping for air Leo emerged from the pond with his body burnt in various ces. His hair was gone, but we''re regrowing at fast speeds, his body was in almost perfect condition by the time he fully emerged from Magma. "Fuck!" Cursing he quickly shouted David to stop hiding and assist him fighting boss head on. Boom... The wall of magma was suddenly raised in the air as the Slug jumped in the pond of magma nearby Leo. The mage barely managed to defend himself by deploying the grey shield that just came off cooldown. Closing his eyes, trying to feel the vibrations passing through the ground Leo felt that the monster was somewhere below him. ''Right after I used my Shadow Protection'' Clicking his tongue Leo started moving in a random pattern, trying to confuse the boss. Crack... The ground right behind him was thrown into the air as the Basilisk emerged from it trying to devour Leo with its mouth full of teeth. Feeling the danger right behind him Leo was calm, too calm, it was as if he was prepared for this to happen. As soon as the monster was 1 meter within him he grinned. "Now!" A red sword descended on the creature''s forked tail separating it from the body. Shriek... The boss was feeling more and more pain which made it infuriated. The inability to touch its prey was making its anger reach new heights. The pain of losing one of its important body parts was sending sending constant pain waves towards it''s brain, making it thrash around the battlefield, destroying anything in its path. Rolling on the ground its eyes suddenly locked on David freezing him in ce or rather paralyzing him in fear. The thick wave of bloodlust was transmitted through the gaze of the slug, the human was the one responsible for its lost tail. Screech... Because of the tails absence the Basilisk lost some of its agility, otherwise it would appeared nearby David before he could react. Even though its speed was lowered hundreds of insect-like limbs were working, bringing the Basilisk''s body infront of the Demon considerably fast. Whoosh... A projectile impaled the beast''s uncovered part of the body, but the slug didn''t care, its eyes were set on the target - David. Seeing the beast closing in the distance between itself and David Leo frowned. The vampiric equipment wielded by his teammate was devoid of any blood and wouldn''t be able to do the same damage it could previously, leaving David almost defenseless in front of the Basilisk. Even throwing his Lightning Bolt didn''t disturb the Slug, it was fully locked on killing David. Its gaze was freezing it in ce, while hundreds of its legs were carrying it towards its prey. ''I will not make it...'' Seeing the distance between himself and David Leo could only thrown Lightning Bolts trying to stop the unstoppable. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... Shriek... Only after the third projectile the Basilisk''s eyes shone with anger as it turned its gaze towards Leo. That''s all it took for David to escape, dashing to the side, behind the boulder where the creature''s eyes couldn''t reach him. "Good..." Seeing that David is safe and well Leo smirked, he was interested in the Vampiric sword, but it''s wielder, David was also a good yer, surviving the boss battle until the end. ''Maybe I should bring him to my group?'' Scratching his neck Leo threw a small at the beast, seeing how pathetic its situation truly was. The body full of wounds, one eye where seemingly a sea of hated was located was staring into him as if trying to kill with his gaze. ''Its skill is still on cooldown'' Casting a Lightning Bolt Leozily grinned towards the beast before throwing the projectile directly at its face. Crack... Suddenly the beast opened it''s giant jaws and simply bit the spell shattering it with teeth. ''Well that was unexpected'' Slightly taken by surprise Leo had to take a few steps back, in case the snake had other magical things he didn''t know about. Luckily the creature was only staring at him and soon lunged at the Mage as it did previously. Boom... Jumping high in the air Leo heard the teeth collide together as they caught nothing else but air. Landing on the slugs head he almost slipped, but barely managed to hold his bnce before creating a Lightning Bolt inside his palm. "Goodnight!" Using it to impale the beast''s head he was soon thrown off it''s body, but the damage was already done. The spell has touched the Basilisk''d brain sending the high voltage into it. Chapter 97 Three Weeks Leo was running through the street dimly lit withnterns. Everywhere he looked there were things that''d make a normal person go bankrupt. Expensive pools, sports cars, artificialkes in the backyards of even more luxurious houses. Leo was jogging through the neighborhood he lived in. Its already been 3 weeks, since he defeated the Basilisk and he hadn''t yed the game once during the time. Leo spent most of his time with family, away from the house. They spent some quality time together in various expensive hotels, visiting popr objects and of course indulging in pleasures like SPA or swimming. Leo wasn''t too worried about being left in the dust by the other yers, because one day after his and David''s sessful dungeon raid the game servers were shut down. Previously disparity between real and in-game time was huge and since the Fragmental''sunch many had pointed this out. After some time scientists have found out that this feature can damage user''s brain making the game developers take quick actions. The game immediately went offline and was being updated for a whole two weeks before bing essible to public once again. All the update did was make the time almost simr to the real world. The slight difference was that a single day in game was 20 hours. ''Should I Stop?'' Feeling his leg muscles twitching Leo made a small smile. He had already spent a few hours running without a single break. "Anotherp!" Hyping himself up Leo recalled how important it is to have an athletic body and picked up his pace. Having a lean body will make one''s hitbox smaller. Running towards the Preklin University he saw a girl with white hair jogging on the other side of the road. Almost everyday Leo has seen her excericing, but not a single time they passed near each other, Leo always chose to run on a different side of the road than her. He wasn''t sure about her character and if she will exploit him if she founds out his identity. He was at least 70% sure that she wouldn''t, but the other 30% were making him ufortable. There was also the stupidpetition he had to somehow win. ''It is what it is...'' Focusing on the path before him Leo put the wireless airpods back into his ears, listening to music he downloaded beforehand. While running he felt Ava''s gazend on him for a second, but soon her eyes left him, going back to looking only forward. After a few minutes of running, Leo was nearing the University. His courses will start in one week and he wasn''t ying to skip it, especially when Ava was 100% attending them. Clicking his tongue Leo felt that listening to the professor will be a waste of time, especially when he could grind levels in Fragmental. "Why would you go to university this early..." Mumbling under his breath Leo scratched his neck. Entering the yard of the University he noticed some people ying a game of basketball. Leo could even recognize some of them from his past life. Throwing them ast nce he made a full circle around the University before going back home. By the time he saw his house it was already midnight. Looking at the house on the other side of the road Leo noticed two cars parked near each other. Was one Ava''s an the other one was Eli''s. While the game was updating Ava bought herself a nice jeep. He was certain that the other car was Eli''s, because it was the exact same model she bought in her pas life. ''Just to make sure...'' Going back inside his house Leo noticed no lights, hence thought that his parents were asleep. Going into the kitchen he opened up the refrigerator and took out a pair of mango ice cream. Leaving the house he walked to the other side of the street and put the on the te he carried with him as well. ''How should I proceed?'' Leo was now feeling troubled about his n. What will he say? ''Oh yeah I just brought you some ice cream!'' Ava would probably immediately call the police. Looking around he noticed a rock lying nearby the road and a small smile appeared on his face. Thud... Putting the te on the ground he distanced himself away from Ava''s house and threw it at her door. Dashing inside his house he quickly turned off the lights and looked through the window. Soon a head with a bunch of brown hair emerged from the door and seeing the ice cream jumped in joy. Following her was another female with White hair with an irritated expression on her face. Looking at the ice cream her expression turned slightly confused seeing that they were mango, Leo knew that they were her favorite. After making sure that her guest was really Eli, Leo sighed and went to prepare himself some dinner. He was slowly bing a night lurker. Since he slept during the whole day, he was not tired and was nning to spend his time efficiently. He promised his parents not to y the game until the University starts, hence he had a lot of free time. Eating the dinner Leo quickly packed his things and left for the car. Jumping inside his expensive vehicle he quickly drove it into the main road before leaving the rich district. In half an hour Leo was walking through the city going through shops of various technical stuff, he was searching for a newer version of VR Pod. Since the game Fragmental has exploded the product was very scarce and their price was inted. Not that it mattered to Leo who has already made up his mind to spend up to 100,000 Dors if needed. Thinking about money he recalled that the bounty for his head suddenly jumped over 1 million dors. Leo was almost certain that Angry Bird, Theo had something to do with this. ''Not like it''ll effect me...'' Shrugging his shoulders Leo entered the fifth store that was yet to be closed. Walking deeper into it he scanned the contents of the shop expecting to see nothing useful, but suddenly his eyes stopped on a box with a huge price tag glued onto it. ''Found it'' Going to the cashier Leo quickly led him towards the product, quickly signed some papers before writing down his address. With a smile he left the shop slowly going back towards his car. "What the hell?" Approaching his car Leo noticed a group of people around the car posing and taking pictures. Looking at them Leo suddenly got an idea. "Hello, is this your car?" Tapping the closest man on the shoulder Leo acted as if he was very interested about the car. He even tried to make his eyes glister. Hearing Leo the young man also turned around and seeing Leo quickly threw a nce towards his friends. Leo even noticed a small small ying on his lips. "Yeah... A beauty isn''t she?" Petting the front of the car as if it was a pet the man gave Leo a smile before winking towards his friends who soon followed his lead. Leo couldn''t help, but smile inwardly seeing how the situation was unfolding. Nodding his head he gave them a thumbs up before unlocking the car and getting into the driver''s seat. As soon as the group heard the car bring unlocked their faces went slightly pale looking for the owner of the vehicle, but their blood waspletely drained from their faces when they saw the man who previouslyplemented the car entering it. "What..." The man''s who imed that the car was his cheeks went Bert red form the embarrassment while his friends turned away their gaze as if avoiding to meet Leo''s eyes. ''I should do this more often...'' Feeling good about his purchase Leo drove off the car to his next destination. Moving through the city he noticed many people taking pictures of the car, but since car windows were tinned he didn''t mind. Parking the vehicle nearby the huge building. He lifted his eyes trying to see the tip of it. Unfortunately the structure was above the grey clouds disallowing him from seeing it''s full height. Paying the entrance price, Leo chose the lift before ascending to the top of the huge tower-like building. As soon as the elevator''s doors opened he felt a gust of cold wind ruffling his hair and put on his hood. Approaching the barrier at the side of the huge terrace Leo looked down towards the City. Even though the clouds were obstructing his vision, he could still see some lights below. Suddenly his back went cold, he recalled that in a few days he has an interview and he hasn''t even prepared anything yet. With no time to enjoy the view Leo took out his phone and going back to his car quickly made some arrangements and found some rentable rooms he could use for an interview. "I need a mask..." With a smile on his face Leo drove back home, the sun was already visible in the sky. Chapter 98 Interview Leo was sitting in afortable chair listening to the quiet voice in his headphones. He was wearing somefortable jeans and a sleeveless shirt revealing some of his well-defined physique. Leo''s face was covered with a mask, a in ck mask which had two holes for his eyes. From time to time Leo would take a peek at the expensive watch he wore on his wrist. ncing at the two empty chairs on the other side of the table he took off his headphones, before going for a small walk. Ring... Ring... Finally a doorbell to a studio rang and Leo took a deep breath before opening the door. "Hello!" "d to see you again..." On the other side of the door there were two people, Jake and Styk. Looking at them Leo noticed that their faces momentarily froze seeing his mask. ''Did they expect to see my face?'' Leo though before gesturing for both of them to enter the studio. While Jake and Styk were simr to him in height Leo''s frame was definitely bigger, making him feel somewhat safe. Both of the brothers quickly made themselvesfortable in the studio, quickly preparing the filming equipment they brought. ''3... 2... 1...'' Styk counted and soon the recording began. Jake did a quick intro while his brother took out a sheet of paper with some questions written on it. Turns out they scavenged the inte finding various questions that people would like to ask Leo andpiled the most popr ones in a single sheet of paper. "Is it true that you killed Dark Prince alone?" The first question was quite surprising to Leo, he thought that it was kind of obvious, because no other system message concerning the dark prince''s death apart from his ever appeared in Fragmental. Nodding his head in affirmation he was soon asked the next question. ''What is your affiliation with Ava?'' Leo almost spilled the ss of water he held in his hand. Seeing his reaction brothers'' eyes started glistering. ''Drama!'' They both thought while Leo took a few seconds to collect himself. Absentmindedly clenching his thigh with his hand he gave them a dark smile which couldn''t be see through the mask. "She can be considered my aquaintance..." Trailing off the sentence Leo suddenly stopped. He didn''t quite understand the rtionship he and Ava had, same with Eli and Eric. While Leo was contemting about his previous teammates Styk dropped another question and slid a picture towards Leo. "Only an aquaintance? Can youment this picture?" Looking at the photo given to him by Styk, Leo almost choked on water for the second time. The photo was taken when he was giving Ava a ride on his pet. Looking at the journalists he wanted to pierce them with eyes, but they chose to feign ignorance. "I''ve had a mission toplete and Ava was within my group, hence I gave her a ride" With a monotone tone, like a robot, Leo recited a line he seemed to have practised for a hundred times. This character change made both brothers frown, they wanted some more spicy drama stuff to ur. "As you''ve mention you''ll attend university this year, are you by any chance nning to attend Preklin University?" The question made Leo''s back go cold. If he wasn''t told that the interview was live beforehand he would probably cut the tape. ''I should''ve seen thising...'' Now when Jake mentioned Preklin University his overall living location was out of the bag. ''Maybe Ava won''t watch the interview...'' Shrugging his shoulders Leo gave brothers an affirmative answer before sighing in defeat. ''I should just be happy my face is yet to be revealed...'' Wiping away the imaginary tear Leo proceeded to answer the next few questions. They were considerably lessplicated like asking his preference of food and desert. Suddenly an Idea came to Leo''s mind. ''Should I mess with her?'' Smiling to himself he opened his mouth aiming to answer the question of his favorite desert. "I really love Mango Ice cream!" With a joyous voice Leo even gave a thumbs up while talking about the ice cream. Thinking about Ava''s reaction if she watches this interview Leo couldn''t help, but giggle. ''I''m not going to be marked as a stalker...'' Suddenly all jokes pushed to the side Leo looked at his behavior from the side and frowned. He really did seem like a stalker. ''I should apologize the next time we meet...'' Hoping that his house wouldn''t be raided by police beforehand Leo continued answering questions. Some of them were about the game, while some about his personal opinion about certain matters, like favorite song. Leo was asked why he hasn''t been seen in the game for over than half a month, but he could only shrug his shoulders and say ''I''ve been ying the game, I''ve just removed my mask''. This got both, Jake and Styk almost jumping from their chairs. While Styk was ncing at the chatting window where the viewers could type Jake asked Leo to borate. "Since nobody can recognize me without the mask, I''ve taken it off not to be bothered by other people" Repeating what he said before Leo hummed feeling as if he wasing off clean, telling truth, well almost truth. He hasn''t yed the game for three weeks with update included. ''Maybe I should talk about me being a Mercenary?'' Suddenly a thought passed through Leo''s mind as Styk was about to ask him another question. "We''ve scrolled through your forum ount and found some interesting posts written in it..." Luckily Leo didn''t even need to initiate the conversation about him being a mercenary one could hire for money. The chat went smooth with Leo expressing his willingness to help whoever needed his help and had the capital to hire him. He even went so far to say that he could even help, one raid a World Boss. Leo was confident about his im, because he knew that World Boss location will not be found until at least the Spring. Finally at the end of the interview Styk gave Jake a nce and then turned towards Leo. "We''ve also found a person that ims to be a part of your group, her name is Eli... Is that correct?" Leo momentarily froze and held his breath. ''What does she have to do with this?'' Warily ncing at the journalist brothers he nodded his head and smiles, not simple smiles, smiles of devils appeared on Jake''s and Styk''s faces. Ring... Ring... A sense of danger permitted into Leo''s mind, he was feeling as if cornered by wolves. He couldn''t evenin, because the journalists told him beforehand that they are expecting another person to arrive and Leo agreed even though reluctantly. ''At least its not Ava...'' Recalling that they both have seen each other running for whole three weeks, Leo could bet that she would recognize his frame. He specifically wore different clothes from what he''d wear normally, so he wouldn''t be recognized. As Jake went to let the visitor in, Styk kept smiling while talking about a subject they hadn''t spoken about today. "We''ve seen that you have quite a huge bounty on your head... Do you have clue who''d want you to die?" Leo who was ncing towards the corridor leading to the room expecting Eli to emerge, heard the question and frowned. "It''s probably Angr.... Theo" Since both brothers were ying dirty he was going to do the same. Calling out a massive figure on their podcast was a way of him paying back his favour. Seeing Styk''s eye twitch Leo grinned and kept talking about Theo, which was making journalist''s face paler every second. "Leo!" A girl with brown hair suddenly ran into the room before offering a smile to Styk and almost literally jumping on top of Leo. If not for his quick reactions his mask would''ve probably been ripped off, revealing his face to the camera, but Leo managed to stand up and catch Eli with his hands. ''Troublesome'' Looking at her face, he noticed that she was smirking. "What muscles you have... Are you an angel?" Leo wanted to offer her a forehead flick as gift, but since he was forgiving, he chose not to. "Nice to meet you too..." Annoyed he removed his hands and went to take his seat while Eli got herself a chair and kept ncing towards Leo. ''At least make it not that obvious!'' Leo wanted to cover his face with palms. "Miss Eli, have you seen Leo''s face?" The first question didn''t suprise Leo at all, he was actually expecting it. "Yes" But the answer was certainly out of his expectations. "Well... only half of it" Seeing Leo''s questioning look Eli gave him a smile while the journalists wrote something in their notebooks. "He is handsome, very handsome" Leo wanted to disappear into the ground. He wasn''t sure if Eli was bluffing, but this interview was draining too much of his energy. ''When can I go home?'' Chapter 99 Interview (2) With Eli nearby Leo had to choose his words more wisely. Whatever small slip of tongue he had would benefit Eli and the journalist brothers. Luckily Eli knew the line, unlike some other people in the studio and didn''t pry too deep into Leo''s personal stuff. As the interview ended Leo sent Eli, Styk and Jake out of the building, before giving them a menacing look. Since Leo knew that at least one of them would wait for him to leave, smirking he went into a changing room swapping the clothes with beforehand prepared ones. Removing his mask he exited the building through the backdoor, and went to retrieve his car. Driving through the main street Leo noticed Eli on the other side of the road wearing some kind of fedora and sses, eyeing the building where they just had an interview. ... ... Looking towards her Leo took a picture and sent it to Eli with an emoji of a confused cat. Soon the girl felt her phone vibrate and took it out only to see the message sent by Leo and went beet red. Leo could see her murmuring under her breath, but he was too far to hear anything. Sighing he quickly recalled everything that was talked about in the interview. ''Being productive...'' Nudging himself to move Leo drove his car out of Eli''s sight and disappeared into the crowd of vehicles. *** By the time Leo got home it was already midday, parking his car in the driveway he quickly ran into the house only to be greeted by a happy dog trying to climb up his leg. "Ricky!" Patting the dog happily wagging his tail Leo smiled, feeling a sense offort with his hand ruffling the fur of the small creature. "Wee home" He heard his mom shouting from the kitchen. Taking a peek inside Leo noticed his mother and father cooperating, trying to create some kind of dish. Leaving them up to their experiments Leo went into the bathroom and immersed himself into a bathtub full of hot water. Scrolling through his phone Leo smirked seeing how much money he made off the video of him defeating the Grim Reaper. Suddenly a new post started gaining traction through the inte. Within minutes the Video exploded, it was an interview Leo had filmed just now. Even though it was broadcasted live, it was only to a limited amount of people and now the whole world could see the footage. ''Let'' see...'' Leo tried scrolling through thements, but soon lost the desire to. Thements were full of people simultaneously arguing,menting or even threatening each other. The discussion got so heated that Leo even saw some users get deleted for inappropriatenguage. ''What is wrong with people?'' Looking at the edited interview Leo noticed that some parts like him talking about Theo were cut. Some of his slip ups were also removed. All in all the interview seemed professional. As the video was ending Leo was already clicking off the footage, but the part where Eli barged in suddenly appeared. Even the clip where she literally threw herself in his hands was left uncut making it into the inte. ''Troublesome...'' During the duration of the past few weeks Leo has told his parents about his identity in game and they both were now aware of his game persona. ''At least don''t let my mother see this...'' Putting his hands in a praying position Leo spent a minute in silence before deciding to finish writing all the information he knew about Fragmental. Opening the text document from his phone, Leo started clicking the keyboard letters at the speed barely visible to eye and after an hour or so of typing he put the device on the table. "Done!" Sighing from relief Leo smirked thinking how valuable information stored within the document was. His phone would probably be worth more than the richest man himself. ncing around his room Leo took a deep breath and changed his outfit. Ring... Ring... Soon someone was standing before his front door. Coming downstairs he made sure that his parents had already prepared the meal before opening the door. "Hi, boss" Waving his hand a man with a lean build was standing on the other side of the door. With a slight frown Leo gestured him to enter the house. before whispering the young man a few words. "Call me Leo in front of my parents~" The man invited to his house was David, he had no clue that Leo was the unknown yer. Tia and his parents were already informed about this and would not disclose anything concerning his other persona. Leo couldn''t fully trust David, because he still needed time to understand his character. Leo was lucky that David also had rich parents and lived close by allowing Leo to invite him for lunch and also inspect his behavior. Introducing David to his parents he called him apanion, when clearly they had yet to reach such a level of trust. Luckily Leo''s parents were oblivious and the lunch went through smoothly. Leo noticed that David wasn''t very sociable, but also wasn''t a shy person either. He had a good understanding of other people and could change the pace of conversation masterfully. It seemed as if he attended courses allowing him to easily read the flow of the conversation. Leo wasn''t disappointed, if anything he appreciated that at least a person that could socialice and wasn''t strangely attracted to horns and other things joined his group. ''Maybe I and Tia could use a trantor...'' Scratching his chin with a smile Leo snorted imagining paying extra money to fix his social awkwardness. ''Over my dead body...'' Leading David out of the house they both decided to take a walk, since David lived not too far away from Leo. While walking Leo suddenly noticed Ava jogging towards them. With her hair tied into a ponytail and clothes that revealed her perfect body curves she looked stunning. Even Leo had to bite his tongue not to gape at her. ''Endure...'' Keeping his eyes straight Leo tried blinking, but felt that his eyes would be attracted towards Ava. ''Why would she wear something so revealing?'' He was kind of bbergasted. As far as Leo knew Ava was kind of a shy person, usually wearing clothes that covered up most of her skin. Today was the direct opposite of that, Leo could even see people openly eyeing her, but Ava didn''t seem to care. ''Another change...'' Lost in his thoughts Leo didn''t even see David almost drooling, seeing Ava''s beautiful figure. "I think I''m in love..." Leo heard, but was a second toote to stop David from his demise, the guy bolted towards the female with white hair as if he was charmed by a witch. ''Another fallen one...'' Looking towards David nearing Ava Leo slowed down his pace and sighed in defeat. David was trying to strike a conversation with Ava, but was met with silence, he tried to talk into her saying her name, but was, once again, met with silence. The poor guy couldn''t keep up with girl as she hastened up her steps leaving David in the dust. Looking towards Ava Leo''s and her eyes met, but Leo broke the contact and went to console David. "You are not the first one, it''s alright..." From hisst life Leo has heard about guys being emotionally crushed by the white witch, but never has seen it in person. Looking into David''s eyes he could see his happiness and sanity withering away and jolted backwards. ''I''m afraid he''s too far gone...'' Knowing that David would not do anything stupid, Leo patted his shoulder before calling a taxi and walking back home. ''Beauty sure is a weapon...'' Recalling the alluring figure of Ava Leo felt goosebumps pass through his back as he shook his head trying to forget her hourss figure. p... Humbling himself with a few ps to his cheeks Leo took a deep breath trying to control his manly side. ''Focus, you have more important stuff to worry about!'' And Leo truly did have some stuff he had to be concerned about, the most important one probably being his University that''ll begin in a few days. Digging through his memory Leo recalled seeing a picture of Ava''s ssroom, the girl was sitting at the fourth row, near the window. ''I should sit at the opposite side of the ssroom'' Leo felt that his identity was already being suspected and didn''t want to risk being found out. He was nning to y it safe from now on, trying to minimize whatever interaction they both had during the sses. Leo also made sure to pick clothes for tomorrow beforehand, so they wouldn''t be simr to the ones he used in an interview. The University will probably be a huge battlefield with everybody trying to find out who''s the Unknown yer. ''This is so stupid'' Thinking about all the hardships waiting for him Leo could only cry. ''What to do...'' Chapter 100 Preklin University Looking at the reflection of himself in the mirror, a young man was trying to tie his tie. The man was wearing a ck uniform that perfectly fit his dark hair and ck eyes. His handsome face was slightly pale as if he was being choked. "Come on!" Leo was being strangled by his own tie. He had never met a moreplicated enemy, he couldn''t evenprehend the attack patterns it had. In the end, Leo gave up and climbed downstairs, receiving assistance from his mother. ''How?'' Looking at her masterfully subduing the enemy in mere seconds, Leo couldn''t help, but slightly blush feeling embarrassed. Walking into the kitchen he grabbed a sandwich before looking at his wristwatch. ''I have some spare time...'' Feeling something nudging his leg Leo lowered his head only to see Ricky chewing on his slipper. Looking back at his sandwich Leo took a deep sigh and gave it to the dog. ''I''ll grab something on my way...'' Receiving a hug from his mother and a nod from his father Leo bid them goodbye before leaving the house. Climbing into his car he took a deep breath before starting up the vehicle and driving towards the closest shop. Pulling up to the small store Leo bought himself a chicken sandwich and a bouquet of flowers. He was nning to give the flowers to his teacher. Looking at the time he noticed that he was slightlyte, but didn''t speed up. It was better to bete than be involved in a traffic ident. Driving through the gates of the university Leo grabbed the bouquet of flowers and left his car. Since he waste there were few students outside the University''s buildings, but the ones that were outside gave him curious looks seeing his car and appearance. Yesterday Leo and his mother drove to the city intending to buy him a school uniform and his mother a few pairs of shoes. identally or not Leo''s mother caught sight of a barber shop and Leo ended up getting a haircut. Even though he was not a man that would care about his appearance, he had to agree that he looked handsome. ''I just hope it won''t bring problems my way...'' Feeling dozens of gazes aimed towards him as he was walking through the university Leo sighed trying to shake off the nervousness. Even though he had two lifetimes of experience Leo couldn''t be a stone statue not affected by his surroundings. ''It''s as you nned'' Stopping before his ssroom Leo held his breath, he could hear the voices on the other side of the door. ''Smile off...'' Fixing his posture and expression Leo tried to make himself seem as unapproachable as possible and pushed the door entering the spacious ssroom. Walking into the unknown ssroom Leo felt a few dozen of gazes instantlynd on him, studying him. At the front, near the board there stood a middle-aged female with sses and a neat costume, a teacher. Walking up to her Leo gave her a polite smile before offering her a bouquet of flowers. Feeling the piercing gazes of his ssmates he turned his head to face them and instantly felt most of them disappear. ncing across the silent ssroom he noticed that only one seat was avable. ''How the hell is it not taken?!'' With a face devoid of any emotions Leo took his seat near the female with white hair. As soon as he did, he felt many males gaze in his direction with eyes full of anguish and envy. Leo couldn''t be bothered to sh with them, his mind was already thinking of a way to change his seat without making any drama waves. After the ss calmed down, the teacher introduced herself to be Flora and recited some rules of the school. "... Make yourselffortable, because your current seats during the school year will be permanent!" Leo could only curse while trying to keep his eye from twitching. ''Howe nobody took a seat nearby Ava? Where''s Eli anyway!'' Unfortunately, it seems that Eli chose a different course making her attend a different ss from Ava and Leo. Taking a peek at Ava he noticed that she was focused, listening to the teacher. Her white hair was neatly tucked behind her hair fully revealing her small and beautiful face. ''Focus...'' Growling at himself Leo bit his tongue, inflicting some pain to keep himself from gaping at the beauty beside him. Even though he had to force himself not to look towards her, Leo was doing better than all the other males in the ssroom. His fellow male ssmates were openly ncing towards Ava every minute, not caring about whatever the teacher was talking about. Leo could even see some drooling while looking at Ava''s cold, yet cute facial expressions listening to the teacher. ... ... ... Leo knew that beauty was a powerful weapon, but to make a male so mindless he could drool was above hisprehension. Recalling that his eyes could also be used as a weapon he smirked. ''It''s unfortunate that I have to make eye contact...'' Using his phone as a notepad Leo sighed feeling a certain gaze seemingly trying to skin him alive. Not even trying to see who was so gazing at him Leo closed his eyes and put his head on his hands. Thud... As the ss period was over and the teacher left the ss Leo felt someone hit his desk andzily opened his eyes trying to see who dared to disturb his sleep. ''Fuck....'' Lifting his eyes Leo saw a man with red hair standing before him and could feel immediate annoyance gathering in his chest. "Name?!" Almost spitting out the words Theo started at Leo who was contemting how to proceed. Looking towards the guy before him, he could only feel a headacheing his way. "Leonard." Replying, Leo buried his head back into his hands, closing his eyes, as if trying to escape from this ssroom. "Change your seats!" Gritting his teeth Theo demanded, while Leo only snorted hearing him. ''If not for the tie, this wouldn''t have beente...'' Not bothering to reply Leo kept lying on his table. He felt that ignorance would be the best route to escape from this situation. "Didn''t you hear me!" Theo''s face was now the same color as his hair, but Leo didn''t care. No matter who Theo was, he had to obey the rules of society, especially in a district where security is the number 1 priority. Violence or any other hostile actions would not be tolerated and Theo knew it very well. Ring... Ring... Suddenly Leo''s phone rang and Leo quickly took the call. "Boss, I''ve sessfully created an Intermediate Tier health potion!" Since Ava and Theo were nearby Leo they could hear the muffled voice of Tia and both turned their heads towards Leo with eyes wide open. Both of them knew the value of potions and making an intermediate one was unheard of, it could''ve as well been the first time someone made it. While Theo''s facial expression became a frown, a strange glint appeared in Ava''s eyes. Not caring about their reactions, talking to Tia Leo stood up and left the ssroom without looking back. He had around 15 minutes until the next period started. "Which ones and how much of the herbs have you used?" The most important thing to Leo was money, he had to make sure that making a potion would profit him as much as possible. Taking notes Leo squinted his eyes calcting the price of the ingredients needed for the potion. ''It''s still worth it...'' Thinking about various ways to gather ingredients inrge quantities, Leo told Tia to sell the first potion and keep the money for herself as a gift. Leo felt generous today and bid Tia goodbye before slowly walking back to the ssroom. Taking his seat near Ava, he felt her gaze linger on him for a second, but soon she turned her eyes straight to the front where the teacher was standing. Listening to the teacher Leo could hear some giggles and whispers spreading through the ssroom. Sighing he nced at his watch feeling excited to y Fragmental after a long time. Suddenly a small piece of paper was slid onto his table by a bypassing girl. Looking at the note Leo suspiciously nced at the female student leaving the ssroom. Lazily picking up the paper Leo quickly read through its contents and crumpled it. It wasn''t a romantic letter or something of that kind. No. It was a warning not to mess with Theo andply with his demands. ''Who am I to bow?'' Snorting Leo threw the paper in the nearby bin with a smirk visible on his face. Looking towards Theo he stared at the back of his head as if trying to intimidate him with his gaze. ''Shit!'' As if feeling his gaze Theo suddenly shifted his head and looked straight towards Leo, who chose to act as if he was admiring the beautiful sight through the window. Chapter 101 Walk Walking out of the university Leo managed to squeeze through the crowd of students and get in his car. Taking in a deep breath he held the soft surface of his steering wheel and hit his head against it. ''How did this happen?'' ? Leo just couldn''t wrap his head around why Ava was seated alone. She was a top-ss beauty and most of the males lusted after her, howe nobody sat near her? Rubbing his temtes Leo lifted his head only to see a crowd of students gathering around two people. "This day can''t get any better..." Sighing, Leo looked at the scene where Ava was, once again, bothered by another guy with a bouquet of flowers held in his hands. The guy had a neat haircut and wore expensive clothes, his chin was raised high as was his pride. ''Can I offer you a ride,dy?'' Hearing the muffled voice of the man Leo couldn''t help but giggle. He was almost certain that today the guy would lose his face. Curiously looking at the scene Leo slightly opened his windshield to hear the dialogue better. "No, thank you" Of course, Ava gave the man with a bouquet of flowers a negative answer. The poor guy was startled, he didn''t even take it into ount that she could, so inly, reject his offer. Confused, the guy looked at Ava with a visible question mark hovering above his head. "I do not need a ride, I have my own car..." borating, Ava didn''t wait for an answer and went to pick up her vehicle. Looking at Ava''s back Leo smirked, she still bore resemnce to her past self. It was good to know that only some minor details have changed. Leaving the university Leo drove off to his house before quickly picking up Ricky for a walk. As he was exiting his home he noticed Ava entering her driveway. Since Ricky hadn''t seen her before he started barking at her garnering the girl''s attention. "Come on Ricky!" Trying to calm down his pet Leo tried to pat him and didn''t even see the woman approaching him. "Can I pet him?" Leo froze hearing Ava''s voice a few feet away from him. Turning his head he met her eyes but avoided eye contact. "Sure, but he might bite" Trying to act as normal as possible Leo warned her trying to avoid conversing too much. He felt her ice-like eyes study him for a second and couldn''t help, but hold his breath. "Ricky!" Changing his attention to the dog and seeing him trying to jump on Ava''s leg Leo felt troubled. ''Just please stop!'' He tried to beg, but unfortunately, this was not the game, but real life and Rick didn''t hear him through the bond as Fenrir did. Bark... Suddenly Ava''s elegant handnded on the dog''s head, stroking it. As if the world around him stopped Ricky momentarily froze, feeling a soft touch on his fur, soon his puppy eyes were directed towards Ava with a tinge of happiness visible within them. Wagging his tail Leo''s pet even closed his eyes feeling its fur being massaged by the unknowndy''s hand. Seeing the scene of a beauty ying with his dog Leo had to redirect his attention, it was too cute and enticing. "Cute..." Leo heard a sigh escape from Ava''s lips and the corner of his eye twitched. Was she talking about Rick or herself? After a minute or so of patting Ava rose and offered Leo a smile. "Would you mind if I join you?" Leo had to hold himself back not to frown. He couldn''t quite get why a girl who usually avoids strangers wanted to join him on a walk. Was it because they were seated nearby? "Okay..." Trailing off as if confused Leo saw Ava run back to her house and leaned on the fence nearby. Looking at Ricky a grimace appeared on his handsome face. "No pork for a week!" Rick tilted his head to the side not understanding what his owner meant, making Leo sigh in defeat. ''Fenrir would understand me...'' Looking at the small, clueless creature Leo wanted to pat it, but at the same time scold it. By the time Ava got back, she had already changed her clothes intofortable jeans and a stylish jacket. Following right behind her was a bulky, brown dog with a sheepish appearance. ''Isn''t that Pifa?'' Amused, Leo looked at the dog behind her. In his previous life Leo has seen some pictures of Ava and in most of them, she had this dog by her side. Looking at Pifa he smiled before taking out a dog treat out of his pocket. Throwing it towards her Leo smiled seeing the dog''s eyes glistening, Leo was somewhat of a dog person himself. happily chewing on the food Pifa directed its thankful eyes from Leo to Ricky, who was warily inspecting her. Both of them tensed, but no aggression was shown, with aplicated look Leo approached Pifa patting her. "No need to be wary~" Seeing Leo''s actions Ava did the same with Ricky. Looking at their owners both dogs felt somewhat safer and soon were ying with each other. Phew... Leo, who was at least 30% sure that Ricky would attack Pifa, sighed in relief. Looking towards Ava he also saw her tense expression loosen up. "My name is Leonard, nice to meet you..." Acting as if he was introducing himself Leo offered her a smile, and got a beautiful one in return. "Mine is Ava, nice to meet you too!" Leo''s face was that of a happy man, but inside his mind, there was a storm raging. ''Was it a mistake to attend the university?'' He felt like the more he spoke with Ava the more suspicious she got, she was already treating him out of the norm, as if she knew him. ''Act oblivious... think beforehand... speak only when asked...'' Reciting the same phrases as a prayer Leo followed whether both dogs went with Ava walking by his side. The first few minutes were quiet, but soon Leo broke the third rule of his prayer. "Why was nobody seated near you? I''d imagine many guys wanted to... at least it seems so by the number of death stares I got..." Looking only at the front Leo held his clenched fists inside his pockets. Hearing his voice Ava tilted her head only to see his expressionless face. "I rejected the guy with red hair and he scared everyone away..." Recalling the event that urred in the ssroom while Leo was still absent Ava slightly frowned. She really didn''t like pushy people and the guy with red hair was the epitome of her dislike. "He sure is scary..." Not even trying to hide his sarcasm Leo smirked. If something really was scary it was not Theo himself, but the people behind him. ''Nothing that can''t be resolved by money...'' Feeling Ava''s gaze Leo hid his smirk and looked towards Pifa who was chasing after Ricky. "That''s a beautiful dog... What''s her name?" Following his gaze, Ava''s eyes shone in satisfaction. She really did treasure Pifa. "Pifa..." After exchanging the names of their pets both, Leo and Ava got quiet. The Silence was strangelyfortable, especially for Leo who couldn''t help, but enjoy taking his dog for a walk. With Ava or not he knew that with Ricky he''d rx and get some well-deserved rest. Leo was surprised thatmunicating with Ava wasn''t as hard as he thought it to be, she was a good listener. ''Maybe we can stay this way...'' Throwing his secret persona out of view Leo thought that Ava would be a good friend, especially when both of their characters were simr creating afortable atmosphere for each other. "So.. you y Fragmental?" Ava interrupted the silence with a sentence that made Leo vignt. Keeping his face straight Leo slowly nodded his head. "What ss do you y?" Her question got more specific as if she was trying to narrow the answers down. "Demon..." Since he was not nning to use his hidden identity for a while, there was a chance that she could see him in game, so he only tell the truth. "The game is very fun! I''ve actually been invited to a guild, because of my extraordinary closebat power, they even offered me a nk contract" As if showing off Leo quickly recited the line he had prepared beforehand. He was trying to act as out of character as possible, joining the guild and unting himself. ''Annoying...'' Feeling the bitter taste in his mouth Leo frowned, it wasn''t easy to renounce his ideals. Looking towards Ava he saw the embers in her eyes slightly dim hearing him speak. Containing his grin Leo stopped talking and with a quiet hum continued to move in silence. *** "Thank you for keeping mepany~" Sheepishly waving his hand Leo bid Ava goodbye before walking back to his house. The white-haired girl also retired to her home. As soon as her doors closed she slightly giggled while her eyes glittered in the dark. "Only a few people can keep their cool while being in my presence..." Chapter 102 Dragon Seal And The Wyvern Closing the door after him Leo took a deep breath, acting was very consuming. Looking at Ricky he couldn''t help, but grumble. ''It''s as if you did it on purpose...'' Giving him a single treat Leo explored around his house only to find his parents in the backyard, swimming in the pool. "How was the school? Any girls that caught your eye?" Leo''s mother almost leaped at him, but luckily she was still in the middle of the pool. Pressing his nose bridge Leo sighed. "It was... good I guess?" Not sure himself Leo momentarily closed his eyes trying to forget about his seat position and Theo. With those two variables out of the view... Yep, everything was perfect. Waving at his father Leo informed his parents that he''ll retire to his room to y Fragmental. "Just join us at dinner!" Hearing his father''s voice Leo smiled, he wouldn''t dare to skip it. *** Light particles suddenly materialized out of thin air, flowing in strange patterns and bing a form of a human. Soon a demon male with ck hair and crown-like horns appeared with a small smile ying on his lips. "Finally!" Taking in the deep breath of fresh air Leo smirked feeling Mana and Shadow Energy circting throughout his body. Looking around, Leo found himself to be in the forest nearby the Basilisk Dungeon entrance. [ Basilisk x1 Killed! ] 1:30,000 EXP 2:Basilisk Scale x15 3:Basilisk Helmet [ Silver ] ~~~~ [ Congrattion on reaching Lv. 9... Lv.10! ] [ +40 SP ] ncing at the system messages Leo smirked seeing that his level rose twice. The boss'' loot was already shared with David, Leo receiving all the scales while his helper got the helmet. Since Paul and Charles died beforehand Leo gave them 3 scales each. [ The Dragon Seal has weakened... ] [ +20 STR ] [+10 PDEF ] [ +10 MDEF ] [New Resistance Unlocked! ] Feeling as if blessed Leo quickly navigated himself towards the Resistances Tab. Looking at the system he had to cover his mouth, trying to suppress hisughter. "The day is getting better!" 1:Cold Resistance: [ 15 ] 2:Fear Resistance: [ 10 ] ~~~~ Leaning on the nearby tree Leo had to sort out his thoughts. He''s just received one of the rarest Resistances in the game. In his past life Leo hadn''t heard about anyone gaining fear resistance while advancing his ss. Leo was the only one! "Focus!" pping his cheeks Leo felt that his skin had be sturdier while his hands felt like they could shatter a rock. ''Dragon...'' Smirking the Shadow Mage approached the nearby tree and readied his fist. Thud... The oak sapling shook, but still tightly held onto its roots, some kind of squirrel even fell on the ground. Luckily the animal wasn''t hurt, just shocked. Looking at the poor creature Leo frowned and left the vicinity, he didn''t want to hurt harmless creatures, at least those who wouldn''t give him experience. Moving through the Forest Leo thought of what to do next. He had no immediate ns, but to sell his items and gather some stuff from here and there. Suddenly Leo recalled that he hadn''t yet received the reward for surviving the assassination attempt by John. Looking through his system Tab Leo found no mention of it and massaged his temtes. "Chain quest..." Chain quests were like normal quests, but the yer had toplete a few of them to receive the reward. Roar... His thought process was interrupted by a roar of a huge beast somewhere in the vicinity. Leo felt the ground underneath his feet rumble and paled. "Fuck this day!" Dashing under the cover of a tree he lifted his eyes to the sky warily looking at the clouds above him. As if the thing appeared out of nowhere, soon a huge monster emerged through white fluffy clouds bringing a snowstorm behind itself. Looking at the forest from above, the monster''s blue eyes scanned through the area and soon the temperature around it dropped. "Why is that wyvern after me!?" Looking at the creature hovering high in the sky, Leo bolted through the greenery, trying to avoid whatever attack woulde his way. ''BASTARD!'' Leo heard the reptile''s voice echo in his head, butpletely ignored it, it was already tense as it is, he didn''t want to get into a verbal argument with a dragon wannabe. Feeling snowstorm right behind him Leo cursed, even though the Wyvern''s Agility was ten times his, Leo expected to at least have another dozen of seconds before the monster caught up to him. ''I have no choice do I?'' Looking around Leo felt depression grip his heart, running deeper into the forest he noticed the trees bing scarcer and scarcer and soon the forest ended. A huge ravine was before him, it was sorge that Leo couldn''t even see the other side of it. The depth of the pit was also unseen, it seemed as if it was endless. Throwing onest look at the Wyvern Leo smirked and raised his middle finger high in the air making sure the beast saw it. ''DO NOT DARE!'' Taking a step backwards Leo fell into hole disappearing from the view of the wyvern. Roar... The monster roared in rage, but didn''t follow after the human, even though it could fly it didn''t dive into the hole to finish Leo off. It was as if the beast was afraid of the rave, or rather what''s inside it... *** Falling at speeds not easily reached even by sports'' cars , Leo couldn''t help, but smile bitterly. "I''m so not selling my items..." Looking below himself Leo couldn''t help but curse, the pit literally seemed endless. Tearing through the air Leo had time to look through his Attributes, Items and Skills. He had already epted his fate, he wasn''t going to leave soon. Leo even took a picture of himself falling and sent it to David. [ On a Highway to Hell! ] Soon the light from the sun disappeared and the surroundings became dark. Leo couldn''t even use his Demonic me, because it''d be easily extinguished because of the speed he was falling at. The journey was going to be an annoying one... *** Ava was also ying the game, dueling some kind of guy that challenged her to a duel after being rejected. The guy was already profusely bleeding while the skin on his chest was charred, Lightning was a powerful element. Not long after her opponent fell and dissipated into light particles. "Leo did it in a second" Tucking her white hair behind her ear Ava thought while looking at her level. Through farming monsters andpleting boss raids she has already reached Lv. 14! The only thing dampening her growth was the continuous flow of people chasing after her. ''I need something to cover my face...'' Grumbling under her breath Ava moved through a dark forest with huge trees blocking the direct sunlight from falling on the ground. "Let''s move..." Behind Ava there stood a muscr female Orc with a giant scythe visible on her back. She was gazing at the distance with a bored expression stered across her face. Both yers had already spent over the week exploring the elven forest, trying to find a wandering merchant. Ava was in dire need of the mask and only the merchant could sell it, at least that was what Leo said. Ava bought this information to Leo and had to pay him over a thousand Gold coins. ''Can''t he just give us an associate-discount...'' Ava thought with a frown visible on her beautiful face. She has already considered Leo as a friend or rather not a stranger, she had him on her friend list and his phone after all. She couldn''t quite get why the man would try so hard to hide his identity even from his friends. ''Circumstances...'' Pressing her lips together Ava let out a quiet sigh before turning her sparkling eyes towards Eli. Even she could open up to her friends, so why couldn''t Leo? "Leo said that the chances of the merchant showing himself with rise ordingly to the time we spent in the forest" With a tinge of hidden annoyance Ava spoke, she really wasn''t a fan of stumbling around the elven forest, which she spent over a month to escape, it was like abyrinth infested with monsters and other elves. "You''ve repeated that for thest 3 days..." With a bored expression Eli replied looking around, inspecting the area, or rather giant mushrooms that were the size of the tree, growing in scarce groups. ''I wonder if they are edible'' Eli licked her lips gazing at the huge Amanita, she thought that her body could resist its poisonous properties. As if feeling her friend''s thoughts Ava sighed. "Don''t you dare eat that, I still need you as a tank..." Hearing a snort behind her Ava wanted to roll her eyes, maybe she needed some new friends... Crack... Suddenly the ground below them cracked open and both yers trying to grab onto something fell into the deep pit. "That hurt~" With a grimace Eli massaged her butt, while Ava managed tond on her feet. Looking around she noticed fireflies flying everywhere around them, illuminating the area perfectly. [ New Area Found! ] [ Tomb of the Fallen Angel found! ] Both friends looked at each other, while subtle smiles appeared on their beautiful faces. "Sweet!" Chapter 103 The Fall Leo was still falling through the endless void. With closed eyes he was humming some kind of melody while a small smile ying on his lips. Whoosh... The wind brushing against his body was the only thing interrupting his peaceful time spent in the darkness. The sunlight has long been gone and the only thing enshrouding him was darkness and bats, huge bats chasing after him. The monsters were the same creatures Leo had defeated in the sewers. Normally they''d pose a threat, but Leo was moving at such speeds that none of the flying abominations could catch up to him. Screech... The screeching sound left one of the monsters'' throat making Leo frown. "Can you stay quiet?" Sending a Lightning Bolt towards the sound Leo hit one of them, but didn''t seriously wound it. Lazily opening his eyes Leo saw nothing, but darkness and sighed. The boredom was slowly getting to him, he had already been falling for a few hours and he hadn''t even reached halfway through the pit. At this pace Leo wouldn''t be able to reach the end of the abyss before he had to go eat dinner. ''I need extra weight...'' Looking through his inventory Leo quickly found an item he was looking for. Taking out 3 Mithril Bars he had bought from an auction, some time ago he stacked them on his chest increasing his weight by twofold. Mithril was a very heavy type of metal, usually only used to make equipment for Orcs who had robust and muscr bodies. Trying to stay awake Leo started sorting out his inventory by binning some worthless/cheap stuff, while keeping the rest. [ Congrattions! yer Ava has found a hidden Tomb! ] [ Congrattions! yer Eli has found a hidden Tomb! ] The world announcement caught Leo off guard, especially when the people responsible for it were his former teammates. Recalling that both Ava and Eli were probably exploring the Elven Forest in search of the wandering merchant, Leo frowned. "The only Tomb nearby is the Fallen Angel one..." The timeline was once again going off track, Ava and Eli weren''t the ones supposed to find the Hidden Tomb and Leo was probably the direct cause of that. Massaging his temtes he sighed. "Ava should''ve bought it off the shop..." Recalling the legacy that could be found in the Tomb, Leo couldn''t help, but slightly pale, recalling its fearsome firepower and its extra special property. If Ava managed to get her hands on the thing this early in the game Leo didn''t know how the power dynamic would change, the item would even pose a threat to him, mainly because it was a mental type of attack. "Beauty is a weapon..." Murmuring under his breath Leo pinched his nose bridge trying to forget the angel-like appearance of the girl he had seen in his past life. "I should get charm resistance..." Feeling the sweat pouring down his back Leo frowned. He felt that he''d be in danger if he didn''t do so. Screech... Throwing a look towards where he heard the bat screech Leo immediatelyunched a Lightning Bolt. 1:1500 EXP 2: Draconic Scales x2 3: Draconic Bat''s Fangs x2 ~~~~ Smirking at the system message Leo fell through the darkness contemting which charm protection he should get. *** A giant orc and a beautiful elf were standing in front of a huge stone statue of an elf with white feather wings. The creation was very detailed with even the smallest details like eyshes being perfectly replicated. Below the sculpture there was a small waterfall with moss and vines growing on the rocks nearby. "There has to be something behind it..." Looking at the falling water Eli spoke and Ava nodded her head. It was usual for games to have some loot or chests hidden behind such objects like waterfalls. Using her robe as an umbre Ava trespassed through the running water while Eli just ignored it and went right through. They were right, there was a certain something behind the waterfall, but it wasn''t what they were expecting. Rattle... A skeleton turned it''s fleshless head towards Ava and Eli while the two jumped backwards. "What is an undead doing here?" Frowning Eli asked while Ava raised her eyebrow looking at the skeleton before them. It was different from the ones Grim Reaper could control, this skeleton had ck, withered bones and two red mes shining in its eye sockets. [ The @*#€? has appeared! ] Looking at the system message both girls frowned. At first they saw a huge angel statue, then a waterfall underground and now an unnamed monster. Slowly moving its bone body towards Eli and Ava the skeleton radiated an almost tangible ck aura around it. Wherever it went trails if dead nts and grass followed. Seeing this weird phenomenon Ava gestured to Eli to fall back while creating a fireball andunching it at the monster. She didn''t use lightning, because Leo said it''d be ineffective against undead. Rattle... With no vocal cords the monster couldn''t speak, but its mouth moved in pattern as if it was talking or rather murmuring. Whoosh... A bright purple circle with various unknown engravings appeared in the air. Like a mirror Ava''s spell bounced off its surface returning to its owner. "Dodge!" Seeing the iing spell Ava felt that it was twice as strong and used one of her skills, ''Lightning Step'' to appear a dozen meters to the side. Eli also used her muscr legs trying to escape the explosion, but was slightly grazed by its mes. "That hurts!" Hissing in pain she nced at her slightly burnt hand. ''How did Leo cut it off?'' Eli couldn''t quiteprehend how one could keep himselfposed, even if his limb was detached. Was Leo a war veteran? Whoosh... Another magical circle appeared in the air and huge chains shot out of them aiming to pierce through Ava''s body. With a calm expression the elf jumped behind one of the bigger trees, hiding behind itsrge trunk. Unfortunately for Ava these metal chains could be controlled remotely and barely managed to avoid them by using Lightning Step for a second time. Puff... She felt her body weaken, skill Lightning Step consumed a lot of her mana and she didn''t expect that she''d need to use it so oftenly. Taking a deep breath Ava avoided another set of chains breaking some of them with a fireball. Boom... Eli also didn''t waste her time, sneaking up on the withered skeleton and using her scythe to send it crashing against the tunnel''s wall. The monster''s red eyes dimmed and soon it crumbled into dust. Looking at each other Ava and Eli frowned, no system message informed them about the kill. ... ... ... In silence both approached the dust and used a stick nearby to touch it. As soon as the twig came in contact with the remains of the skeleton it started withering away, losing its color or rather vitality. Seeing its corrosive effect both girls jolted away from the ashes making sure not toe in contact with any of them. "We should ask Leo for help..." Eli thought out loud. No matter the situation, Leo seemed to always have a way to get out of it. "We could hire him as a Mercenary..." Ava also nodded her head. She has seen the interview he did a few days ago. She felt strange hearing him talk about Mango Ice cream, because it was her favorite vor or rather, because somebody left them behind her door. ''It has to be him...'' Recalling the man sitting right next to her during the ss Ava''s expression unknowingly loosened up. ''Eli was right saying he was handsome...'' pping her both cheeks Ava focused on the path before her. "What were you thinking about~?" With a grin Eli spoke, but was ignored. Ava didn''t want to let her guard down and the conversation with Eli would do just that. Rattle... Another withered skeleton appeared in their view and Eli bolted towards it, this time keeping her distance a bit further, just in case she could be affected by the skeleton''s weird corrosive ability. nk... A purple magic circle and chains soon appeared trying to trap Eli, but she shook them off, hitting the Skeleton''s skull and shattering it on the spot. Looking at her friend Ava sighed, she was feeling kind of useless. Rattle... Rattle... Her train of thought was interrupted as a massive skeleton of a beast emerged from the shadow. The monster was a fleshless carcass of the massive wolf with massive fangs and ws decorating its mouth and limbs respectively. Both Ava and Eli grew slightly pale, feeling the oppressive Aura of the beast; if they could, they''d probably run, but both knew it was rather impossible. "We can''t run, We have to fight it..." Throwing a nce at her friend Ava prepared her spell while Eli tightly clenched her weapon. *** Leo was still falling through the abyss. The bats were long gone, but his boredom wasn''t. ''I have around 15 minutes...'' Looking below he sighed. He had already been falling for a few hours and the result was hard to tell, everything around was dark. Suddenly the temperature around him slightly increased, informing Leo that he was about reach his destination. "Finally!" Chapter 104 Hell Falling through the dark abyss Leo was half-dreaming, trying to think about everything except the absolute nothingness surrounding him. Feeling the temperature rising he sighed in relief and took the mithril bars off his chest. "Finally!" Seeing a red dot in the distance he cried and positioned his body, so he''d fall face first. Nearing the ground Leo closed his eyes and soon his body turned into light particles. He didn''t die though, he appeared on a huge cliff with a wide view to the red wastnd surrounding him. Looking around Leo saw nothing, but red sand and strange, ancient ruins. He even noticed some kind of ugly monsters with horns, simr to his, roaming across the red desert. [ ??¡ªa??¡ª2??¡ª1??¡ª¡ã??¡ª???¡ªo??¡ª2 ??????¡ª? ??¡ª???¡ª2??¡ª1??¡ª1! ] A system message appeared and Leo frowned, he was already thinking of a way back, but couldn''t quite find an essible one. The average monster level in hell is around 80. Leo couldn''t even dare think he could fight any of them. Feeling his clothes sticking to his skin, Leo frowned. Hell is considered to be one of the middle realms where the climate is uninhabitable for normal yers. Since Leo had no kind of Fire or Heat resistance, he''ll have to deal with the insane heat all the time. Looking in the distance Leo noticed a huge tower with orange clouds gathering around its peak. "Already!?" With a panicked expression Leo''s eyes darted around searching for a cover, with sweat continuously running down his face. It was starting to get hard to see, but Leo was lucky enough to stumble upon an underground pit. Not even inspecting if someone was inside Leo fell into it and quickly covered the entrance with sand, as much as he could. Boom... Soon he felt a massive explosion shake the whole world around him and momentarily held his breath waiting for what was about toe. Hisp... Hisp... Hisp... Hearing weird whispers he curled up in the corner of his shelter tightly shutting his eyes and covering his ears. While Leo was hidden in the shelter he found a few minutes ago, red fog, like a wave, was moving and consuming the world above the ground. Dead forests, ruins, everything was devoured by the intangible fog. Even the demons that were unfortunate enough not to find a shelter were swallowed by the red wave. Screech... Leo heard a muffled, blood freezing screech of a creature, but soon it went silent, bringing the world its quietness once again. Hisp... Hisp... Hisp... Hearing the whispers nearing him Leo gritted his teeth trying to remainposed. Feeling a soft sensation on his arm Leo shivered, it felt like a human touch. ''Don''t open your eyes... Do not open your eyes!'' Repeating the same words Leo bit his tongue when another voice, not his own, appeared inside his head. "What a beautiful eyes you have~ can you look at me~" Hearing a seductive whisper of a female Leo paled before tightening his grip around his ears. ''Shit!'' "Come on show us your eyes~" The voice kept insisting, but Leo only strengthened his resolve not feeling the drastic change in the temperature surrounding him, it was turning freezing cold. "Show them!" The tone of the female''s voice was now raised and Leo felt something trying to forcefully move his hand out of the way. ''Demonic me'' Summoning white me he covered his body hoping that it''d scare away the voice, but received a giggle in return. "A lighter~!" The spell he grew for about a month waspared to a lighter. Even though the voice said it, he didn''t feel any more touches and sighed. The temperature was also bing normal and Leo felt mental fatigue wash over him, like a tsunami. ''Mental attacks are dangerous...'' Massaging his temtes Leo frowned and slowly opened his eyes only to see nothing besides himself. Dusting off the red sand that stuck onto his cloak Leo stood up and climbed out of the cave. The world above ground was different, previous ruins were now shining in strange blue light as if charged, while the dead forests were now blooming. Looking at the tower in the distance Leo noticed no clouds at its summit and sighed. "I wonder how much time I have until the next wave..." Throwing ast nce at the huge spire Leo chose the direction opposite of the tower and drew a huge arrow on the red sand. "This should be enough..." Interacting with the system window Leo''s body started turning transparent and soon he became Light Particles. Shadow mage has logged off to have dinner with his family. *** Meanwhile Ava and Eli were trying to fend off against the giant skeleton wolf. Both of them were struggling to damage it, because of its sturdy bones and huge reach it had. As soon as Eli tried to get close to smash its skull, she would either be met by rows of teeth or the creature''s ws. Ava also couldn''t properly damage the creature, because her INT wasn''t high enough to seriously threaten the monster. Even though both yers couldn''t do massive damage the progress was visible. [ ????????: ???????¡®????????/???????¨C???¡°???? ] Rattle... Moving its skeletal body the wolf tried to leap at Ava who was midway through casting the fireball and wouldn''t be able to dodge, but a giant orc used its massive scythe to hit the creature in the ribs cracking some of them. Crash... The strength of Eli was no joke and the wolf was sent crashing into the nearby wall. A cloud of dust was raised as the creature collided with the wall, obstructing Ava''s and Eli''s vision. "Careful, something''s wrong!" Sensing something amiss Ava tensed looking at two shining orbs within the dust cloud. Rattle... Suddenly the sound of bones being broken resounded across the tunnel, making both yers jerk backwards. "W..hat is that?" Looking at the reemerging wolf Eli stuttered, the creature had long bone tentacles growing out of its back. The monster''s ribs have been shattered and reconstructed in order to create these, the wolf basically traded its defense for offense. "Don''t get hit by them!" Looking at the bone limbs stretching out of the skeleton''s back Ava warned Eli before throwing a fireball at the monster''s face. Surprisingly the wolf didn''t try to dodge it, he simplymanded one of its tentacles to block it. The spell didn''t even damage the creature, new limbs didn''t suffer from any damage. "Focus on its main body!" Seeing Ava''s momentary confusion Eli spoke before using ''Fiery Strike'' on her scythe and swung it against the creature. Since Eli''s weapon was from an undead, it did some extra damage against the wolf, making Eli the main damage dealer during this fight. nk... Unfortunately the tentacles were stronger than she had anticipated. Her weapon, even enchanted by a skill, was deflected off the bone limb leaving Eli defenseless. Whoosh... The other bone tentacles tore through the air, aiming to pierce through her body, but Ava was already prepared and dashed through the air using ''Lightning Step'' to push Eli out of the way. The bone limb didn''t hit any of them, but both yers suffered from light wounds, due to colliding against each other. "I think you are more dangerous than that skeleton" Massaging her butt Eli had time toin before avoiding another tentacle strike. Ava couldn''t help, but roll her eyes hearing her friend''sment. Didn''t she save her life? Looking at the wolf Ava''s gaze was momentarily captivated by its red eyes. ''It can''t be?'' Conjuring a fireball she threw it directly at its face, but the creature avoided the projectile by moving to the side. "Aim for its eyes!" Shouting to Eli, Ava used the Lightning Step to close in the distance between her and the wolf before throwing another fireball at its face, trying to garner its attention. It turns out that the withered skeleton wasn''t killed because Eli shattered its skull. It died, because its eyes were damaged as well! Rattle... Three tentacles shot out from the creature''s back aiming to stab Ava in the air, but she masterfully dodged all of them by performing some movements that not even all the gymnasts could do. Eli even frowned while looking at her friend''s bent body. ''Does she have no bones?'' Dashing towards the wolf she thought before swinging her weapon in a wide arc, aiming to deal as much damage as possible. Crack... The skull of the being was hit, but it was still alive. One of its eyes was dimming, but the other still shone bright red. Whoosh... Ava didn''t let the creature recover and thrusted her hand with a spell inside its eye socket, making the other eye explode as well. ''Ouch...'' Feeling the corrosive effect of the skeleton Ava jerked backwards pressing her hurt arm against her chest. The wolf turned into ashes like the withered skeleton did. Eli and Ava, both, drank a HP potion, before continuing to venture further into the tunnel. Even though no words were exchanged, both were disappointed that the monster dropped no EXP or Loot. Chapter 105 Hell (2) The beautiful woman sighed massaging her temtes with an annoyed expression stered across her face. She has lost all the tracks of Leo for the past three weeks. Her father''s patience was also running low, demanding for results she didn''t have. Monica could only plead for more time and invest more capital into the search. She had already spent too much money on trying to find the guy with no results whatsoever. Looking through the window she ruffled her red hair and eyed the huge city below her. Clink... A sound of an elevator opening echoed in the room and a man with a ck suit and expensive jeans walked into her office. "What do you want?" ncing at her brother Monica spoke with a slight irritation noticeable in her tone. "Don''t be mad, sis, I just want to know some information~" Looking back at her was her brother, Theo, he had bright red hair and a smirk that would make one want to punch him in the face. The rtionship between the siblings wasn''t great, probably, because both were direct heirs to their father''spany. Both held major shares and alwayspeted. "Information also has a price..." Squinting her eyes Monica red at her brother with curiosity. ''Something big must''ve happened if he came to ask for my help...'' Looking at his handsome face Monica grinned, she would use this chance to drain some of his money. "I need all the information you have have about the unknown yer" The girl momentarily froze hearing the information her sibling needed. Lifting her eyes to meet his gaze she gave him a coldest smile Theo had ever seen in his entire life. "Not for sale~" With a joyous yet chilling voice, Monica spoke gesturing towards the elevator''s door. She was no idiot, she knew Theo had a beef with Leo and would try to hunt him down either in real life or inside the game. She couldn''t let her golden goose die, because of her brother''s stupidity. "I''ll pay you?" Still confused Theo spoke, but Monica just pressed a button underneath her table and her bodyguard came into the room, to remove an unwanted guest from her office. With a slightly perplexed expression Theo was moving his lips, but no sound came out of his throat. He understood what was happening only when he was thrown outside the huge skyscraper his sister owned. "Who the fuck is that bastard!" His face became the color of his hair as he clenched his new phone so hard a weird cracking sound resounded across the street. "Shit..." Looking at the blood gushing out of his palm Theo cursed before throwing the phone into the closest bin. Leo has already costed him two phones and two deaths. *** Achoo... Sneezing Leo looked at the spire far in the distance. He had already eaten the dinner and retired to his room, to y some Fragmental. Right now he was trying to get as far away from the tower as possible, in fact he didn''t want to see it on the horizon. The strange fog wave it released with unknown creatures lurking inside it, was a phenomenon Leo didn''t want to explore. Even in his past life little to nothing was known about it, making Leo frown every time he saw orange clouds gathering at the peak of the huge tower. ''Another one...l Looking at the skeleton with two horns protruding from its skull lying on the ground with its limbs bent in weird directions Leo sighed. It was the sixth dead monster he saw while traveling. It was unknown what abominations hid inside the fog, but they sure had nimble teeth, no flesh was left on the corpses he had found. Calink... Calink... Strange sound of a bird echoed in the vicinity and Leo dove to the ground pressing himself into the red sand as hard as possible. Warily lifting his eyes in the sky, Leo saw a huge red silhouette flying through the air, ncing around the desert, seemingly looking for a prey. It was a strange bird with a head and wings of a raven. Its feather were bright red perfectly hiding its presence in the region of hell. [ HELL RAVEN ] -- Apowerful and dangerous bird dwelling in hell -- Fire and Wind type monster -- Carnivore; Aggressive [ Short Description ] -- A breed between the raven and the demon.The monster will haunt the skies of hell continuously searching for preys.Ifneeded the raven can use its strong wings to breach the speed of sound. Living in the hottest regions of hell the monsterhas developed strong Fire and Heat resistance. < ATTRIBUTES > [ Lv.80 ] HP: 20,000 ll AGL: 1500 MP: 5000 ll PDEF: 1,500 STR:4,500 l MDEF: 2000 INT: 5,450 ll SN: 400 ~~~~ [ Unknown... ] ~~~~ Looking at the beast''s description Leo frowned, he could swear in his past life they were at best Lv. 75! Screech... His thoughts ceased to exist as he felt shivers run down his back, the monster had probably spotted him. ''It was a good run...'' Looking at the beautiful icon of his level, Leo said his goodbyes before closing his eyes. Boom... The shockwaves were sent in all directions, but Leo felt no pain. Touching all around his body and looking at his HP bar he noticed that he was yet to be injured. Lifting his head from the red sand he noticed the Hell Raven being pressed down against the ground by a huge silhouette of a demon. Looking at its face Leo noticed no signs of intelligence and cursed, it was a demon that would kill him as soon as he had a chance. It wasn''t like the demon NPCs that were above the ground, it was an unintelligent monster gifted with massive strength. ''The Forest!'' Looking at the red trees in the distance Leo quickly called Fenrir and jumped on his back. Running through the red wastnd they left a trail of dust, but Leo didn''t care; he just needed to get inside the forest. Crack... The sound of bones being broken resounded behind Leo, but he didn''t dare to look. He felt that the raven had already died and he was the next target. Boom... The sand before him was suddenly uplifted and the silhouette of the demon soon emerged from the dust of cloud raised by itsnding. ''Crap!'' Absorbing Fenrir into his Tattoo Leo took a deep breath. ''Shadow Realm!'' All the light suddenly disappeared in a small radius around them. While Leo could see everything, the demon couldn''t, it kept swinging its huge ws like crazy, trying to grab or cut Leo in half. ''Dumbass!'' Looking at the monster Leo circled around it before dashing into the redwoods. At thest second the demon also felt theck of Leo''s presence within his senses and immediately stopped. Roar... Savage roar left its throat, but Leo was already deep in the forest, hiding in one of the giant tree''s roots. "I will not survive this..." Leo felt desperate, everything around him was at least eight times stronger than him. Even the simplest raven, at the bottom of the food chain, could eat him up whenever it wanted. Sorting out his thoughts Leo drew himself a clear n. "Escape the radius of the tower... Find a ruined portal... Enter it,plete it and leave this ce..." Wiping away the sweat running down his face Leo paled thinking about the time he wasted, because of the stupid Ice Wyvern that forced him to jump down the cliff. "I''ll kill that bastard..." With a sadistic grin Leo spoke and reluctantly left his temporary shelter in between the tree roots. Moving through the forest Leo was forced to walk at a very slow pace, trying not to step on any of the branches. The sound would probably attract forest inhabitants and Leo had no need for a fight. ''Fenrir!'' Finally his patience ran out and he called his pet. Giving hispanion some pork and patting his giant head Leo gave him some simple instructions. ''Be careful not to step on any of the branches...'' Mounting his huge, ck wolf Leo smiled not hearing a single sound as they rapidly moved through the forest. ''I should''ve called you a horse...'' Leo could''ve sworn he heard Fenrir snort as if he had read his thoughts. *** The journey through the forest was uneventful, but Leo didn''tin. Fenrir was already long gone into his tattoo, the heat was too much for a beast with a lot of fur to handle. Looking at the position of the red, glowing orb, high in the sky, Leo could tell the night was rapidly approaching. He couldn''t quite tell if the shiny thing floating in the air was a sun or not, but he simply didn''t care. The most important thing now was to find a ce to stay. A night in hell can be unforgiving to those who are brave or stupid enough to stay wandering through the desert. Whoosh... The wind got stronger and Leo had to cover his face with the hood, so his eyes wouldn''t be full of sand. Looking around Leo noticed the ruins of an ancient temple a bit further north and hastened his steps. Nearing the object he saw some kind of symbols engraved on its side, but didn''t have enough time to analyze them. ''I should make sure nobody is inside...'' Entering the abandoned structure Leo murmured and lit his right hand ame. Now the inside of the building was dimly lit giving it a scary look one could only see in horror movies. ''Good thing I''m not in a movie...'' Chapter 106 Hell (3) The dimly illuminated interior of the temple was cleaner than Leo had ever expected. Huge halls, rooms and corridors were free of dust and it even had some good quality furniture. ''It''s simr to my house...'' Looking at the overall size of the building Leo did indeed notice it was quite simr to the house he bought. Sitting on one of the couches he looked through the ssless window only to see absolute darkness surrounding him. There was no Moon in hell... ''I should extinguish the mes...'' Shaking his hand Leo canceled the Demonic mes and sighed seeing the surroundings turn dark. "It''s like the fall..." Recalling the time he spent falling through the void Leo snorted. He wasted too much time. Creak... Suddenly the silence of the night was interrupted by a sound of rusty doors being flung off their hinges. Leo''s body froze and he took a deep breath trying to keep his heart from jumping out of the chest. ''Why the fuck is this game so realistic!'' Feeling the huge dose of adrenaline rushing into his head Leo moved his stiffed body to the hallway leading towards the other part of the temple. Quietly moving through the corridor he lit up a small me, so he could see where he put his feet. All the monsters roaming during the night had night vision, hence Leo was sure that he''d be seen even without the me. Walking through theplicated corridors he came across a big hall with an altar at the end of it. The altar''s surface was covered with all kinds of gemstones, but Leo also noticed some old, bloody chains lying nearby. It was as if someone was sacrificed on top of it... Tap... Tap... Hearing the subtle sound of footsteps in the hallway, nearing him, Leo didn''t have time to rethink his decision and jumped behind the altar, not caring about the blood sttered everywhere around it. Touching the red liquid he felt that it was still warm. "What the he..." Leo didn''t have time to finish his sentence, an oppressive wave of aura engulfed the whole hall. The creature had entered the room. Feeling the sweat pouring down his face Leo knew it wasn''t because of the temperature. Holding his slightly trembling hands he curled up behind the altar. He would look depressed and pathetic if not for his eyes strangely shining even in the darkness. Within them one could see a hidden smirk that shouldn''t be suitable for a man in his position. "It''s wounded..." Feeling the corners of his lips rising Leo took a peek at the door, only to see a huge humanoid creature with a huge bleeding hole in the middle of its chest. The monster''s skull was decorated by huge horns, or rather it was. Now, the horns were cracked and one of the two was even missing. ''How was it even beaten?'' Leo knew that the monster was above Lv. 80, what abomination did it fight to be reduced to such a state? Leo shuddered and shook his head, he had no need for such thoughts, now his priority was to somehow escape from the demon. Scratch... The monster''s ws were so long that they even scratched the ground as the demon walked in the direction of the altar. ''Damn!'' Leo tensed feeling the monster nearing his location. He was sure that the monster had yet to see him, if he had, Leo would''ve been dead long ago. Preparing tounch himself away from the altar Leo started casting Shadow Protection just in case. Unfortunately it was a mistake... Roar! Being sensitive to Mana the demon felt Leo conjuring the spell and was immediately aware of his presence. ''I should''ve just sat still...'' Contemting, Leo rose from behind the Altar only to see ws shooting straight for his neck. Crash... The sound of demon ws hitting Shadow Protection was so loud, that one of Leo''s ear drums even ruptured. Feeling lightheaded Leo managed to retreat backwards, while the Demon just eyed his hand, confused as to why his enemy was still unwounded. ''Dumbass'' ? Preparing a Shadow st Leo held it in his right hand while Lightning particles started dancing around on his left one. Growl... Feeling the subtle change in Mana the demon shifted his head towards the Lightning Bolt Leo held within his grip. ''So it can''t sense Shadow Energy as well...'' Wanting to test something Leo created a single shadow soldier and sent him to attack the demon. [ +2 Shadow Energy] The shadow was wed in half by the Demon who turned its unintelligent eyes towards Leo. ''Shit!'' Throwing a Lightning Spear Leo moved away from the Demon while the monster evaded his spell and leapt towards him. Struggling to evade the iing attack Leo strained his leg muscles and kicked himself away from the ground as hard as he could. Crash... Not expecting for Leo to jump in the air the demon crashed against the altar and a painful growl escaped from his throat. Boom... Immediately after Shadow st hit the monster at his back making some of its blood ssh on the altar. Eyeing the monster Leo saw its unfocused eyes and was slightly surprised. The humanoid beast was slightly trembling. Following its sight Leo shivered. nk... nk... Like snakes, the bloody chains were slithering across the air as if looking for prey. There was some demon''s blood sttered on them which probably awoke them. ''Howe I''ve never heard of this...'' Looking at the intimidating chains Leo took a step towards the exit. The monster tried to do the same, but his leg was caught by one of the chains. Screech... A screech escaped from its throat as it desperately tried to remove the metal chain binding it to the altar. Unfortunately the Lv. 80 monster was not able to tear away the metal serpent stuck onto its limb. The demon even cut off its own leg, but still was caught by the other chains. In the end all of its struggles were useless, he was dragged on top of the altar. Roar... Its screams echoed across the Temple, but no one except Leo could hear it. ''Damn...'' Looking at the monster chained onto the altar Leo noticed that its previously healthy skin was starting to wrinkling, as if the beast was rapidly aging. Looking at the altar Leo noticed the gemstones glowing in dim red color as if drinking the blood of the creature on top of it. Creack... Letting out itsst breath the demon was sucked dry of his blood and died. Even though it was already dead, the chains still held its carcass and kept it above the altar. What happened in the next few minutes Leo could only describe as gruesome. At some point even he had to turn his head away, he felt vomit rising up his throat. Witnessing how a body of a human-like being is consumed by an unknown ghoulish altar made Leo uneasy, especially when he had to spend the whole night inside the temple. [ Altar of ??? has eaten a Demon] [ ??? is aware of your presence... ] [ ??? has offered you his legacy! ] Leo''s eyes went wide open reading the system message. He has been offered another legacy, by an unknown being at that. It was probably another hidden ss... [ A powerful shadow is looming above the ??? ] [ .... ] [ .... ] [ The legacy offer is canceled] Leo''s face consorted seeing the messages appearing on his screen. "What do you mean canceled!?" Frowning, he tapped his system as if asking for an exnation. [ Altar of ??? has devoured 53/200 souls... ] All Leo got in return was another system message that raised even more questions. "And what will happen if I get enough souls? AnOtHeR BoSs WiLl sPaWn?" Grimacing, Leo made sure to spit at the direction of the altar. nk... One of the chains lying nearby suddenly jolted towards him and grazed his cheek. [ ???mends your foolishness] [??? reveals the reward] [ Altar of ???; 53/200 Souls] [ Reward: Clown Mask [Rank:Unknow...] ] ~~~~ Feeling the blood running down his cheek Leo couldn''t care less about the wound. ''Unknown...'' ring at the Reward Leo smirked and paled at the same time. ''This is a treasure chest... How am I meant to kill another 147 Demons?'' The news was both good and demoralizing at the same time. Leo didn''t know if it was even smart to start the mission, he''d be left in the dust by the other yers. On the other hand the rewards seemed immense. "Maybe it is for the better..." Recalling that some people are trying to uncover his identity, Leo thought that it might be better toy low for a while, at least until the first world boss is discovered. ''I can''t let anybody get it...'' Thinking about a set of eyeballs dropped by the boss Leo smirked. ''It''s a perfect fit for me...'' Shaking his head and useless thoughts away Leo red at the chains surrounding the altar embedded with gemstones and covered with blood. "I wonder how it managed to get so many souls already..." Looking at the carnivorous object Leo sighed and left the room, he didn''t want to stay in the same room as that thing. He didn''t want to be caught sleeping. ''I don''t trust that bastard...'' Wiping the blood stained cheek Leo grumbled and went back to the chair he found previously. He decided to start collecting souls by the morning, monsters roaming at the day time are less powerful than those at night... Chapter 107 Hell (4) Leaning against the soft fabric of the chair Leo sighed. The fake sun could be seen slowly rising in the horizon... Lifting his stiffened body that had spent the whole night in one position Leo almost moaned feeling his back crack at least a dozen of times. Dusting off his cloak he looked through the window, Leo hoped to see any demons nearby, unfortunately none were in sight. Leo didn''t want to lure demons from far, because he''d have to venture out and they could simply overtake him while he ran back to the temple. He had to remember all of them were Lv. 70 and above. Massaging his temtes Leo went to the exit of the temple, only to see half-torn doors, barely holding on their hinges. ... ... ''Couldn''t he just have opened them?'' Even though Leo knew that the next wave of orange fog would make the temple regain its former form, the shroud still needed some time to recharge. Looking at the massive spire in the distance Leo eyed the orange clouds gathering around its summit and sighed. "I have around 2 days...." Moving his body, so he would face the forest nearby Leo noticed a pair of yellow eyes looking at him through the lush greenery. Leo could see the rough shape of the stalker and slightly paled. It was a high level nocturnal demon. It was simr to the monster the altar devoured yesterday, this demon was only a few levels weaker. ''I should be prepared to have a guest tonight...'' Turning his eyes away from the nocturnal creature Leo took a deep breath. Whoosh... Using half of his Mana at disposal he created a Shadow st, Lightning Bolt, Shadow Protection and even massive demonic mes that engulfed his entire body. Looking around Leo knew that now he was like a beacon to the monsters of hell, who had high sense attribute and were very sensitive to Mana. Roar... Surely enough he soon heard a loud roar and saw a silhouette with two massive horns, far in the distance, approaching him at speed hard to follow with eyes.. Waiting until he could discern its face Leo waved his hand to attract its attention and ran inside the temple while the monster chased after him. Growl... He could hear its angry growl echo through the tunnels of the temple as he stumbled into the room with the altar. ''All I need is blood now...'' Raising his thumb to the mouth Leo bit it before a stream of blood ran down his hand. Bracing himself for the iing enemy he stood with an emotionless face, leaning against the altar. Roar... A top-less demon found its way into the hall, smashing through the wall and roaring in rage upon seeing Leo leaning against the altar. Leo didn''t miss the slight hesitation visible in the monster''s unintelligent eyes as it red at the altar behind him. ''So he is knowledgeable about its capabilities...'' Clicking his tongue Leo prepared to create Shadow Protection while his hand with a bleeding thumb was hidden inside his cloak. No matter how stupid the demon was, it could still discern danger of the altar, hence Leo had to take countermeasures, hide his hand, because it might understand his n. Growl... Luckily the creature didn''t sense anything amiss and bared its teeth while rushing towards Leo. Tip... Letting the drop of blood fall on one of the chains nearby Leo deployed Shadow Protection. nk... nk... Squashh.... Two of the metal snakes awoke and while one of them made its way towards Leo the other went after the demon. Luckily Leo was already prepared and the chain was repelled by his Shadow Protection. He casted it behind himself, hepletely ignored the demon who dashed towards him. ''That was risky...'' If the chains hadn''t awoken as fast as they did Leo would''ve probably cut in half by the ws of the demon. Roar... The same thing urred again, the monster was trying to free itself in any way possible. Leo could see desperation mixed with fear within its eyes and left the room. He didn''t want to see or hear the demon eaten alive... Screech... Walking around the temple Leo heard the sounds of demons screeching in pain and soon his vision was obstructed by a system window. [ Altar of ??? has devoured 54/200 souls... ] ''Just 146 left, huh...'' Sighing, Leo waved his hand dismissing the system. ''I should be able to get 5 more...'' Looking at the position of the artificial sun Leo drank a MP potion to replenish the mana he had lost when creating 4 different spells in a short time duration. The day in hell was about 2 times shorter than in the starting realm (above the ground). While a day passes above the ground, two do in hell. "Let''s just get this over with..." Looking around and not seeing any demons Leo started guiding mana throughout his body. *** Screech... [ Altar of ??? has devoured 59/200 soul...] Leo was sitting on the soft padding of the luxurious sofa he found within one of the halls in the temple and brought to his room, the only room with a door that wouldn''t fly off their hinges from a single push. The red sun was disappearing from his sight and soon nocturnal creatures would leave their hiding ces to hunt. Leo has alreadypleted his goal of the day, managed to sacrifice 6 monsters, but there was still one left. The nocturnal demon that eyed him in the cover of the red, blooming forest. The Shadow Mage was certain that the beast woulde to kill him, it was an NPC with a clear pattern programmed into it. See a yer ¡ú Kill it In his past life some users even ran some tests and all of them confirmed that the normal creatures in hell go after the yers no matter what. Even if they were mortally wounded like the demon that stumbled upon Leo hiding behind the altar, the demons would still try to end the life of the yer no matter what. It just showed how fearsome the altar of ??? was. How could a monster with a clear goal of attacking yers no matter what, hesitate upon seeing it. Screech... Hearing some unknown creatures in the darkness Leo rose from his seat and started walking towards the altar hall. With a small me dancing on his palm he would be like a target to all nocturnal beings. Leo was, of course, aware of this and lowered his mana output and kept the me weak enough, so it would only illuminate 1 meter radius around him. "I really do need night vision..." Recalling the ufortable night vision goggles, Leo frowned, he''d better go kill a Lv. 500 Boss for the item with simr properties than wear the goggles. They were simply that ufortable and also obstructed the corners of the yer''s vision. Creak... Leo heard the rusty doors being opened, but this time they weren''t flung off their hinges. The monster obviously tried to open them quietly, but it failed. "So it has a higher form of intelligence..." Frowning Leo already deemed the monster as an Elite monster and picked up his pace. If the demon could infiltrate the temple quietly, he was capable of thinking and that made Leo tense. He could count on his fingers how many monsters, with a higher form of intelligence, he had fought during the past few months. Leo felt slightly intimidated, but at the same time the corner of his lips curled up. He was feeling ecstatic to bull.... mhmm... fight an intelligent demon. Entering the hall Leo immediately took a peek at the bloody altar, embedded with various gemstones. Fearsome metal snakes were lying all around it, as if protecting it from outsiders. Looking at the chains connected to its foundations Leo suddenly got an idea. ''I wonder what would happen if one identally destroyed its stone foundation...'' Leo was sure that the altar wouldn''t be as sturdy as the metal chains guarding it. It was made out of the same material like the walls and previously, today, a demon just bulldozed through one of them without the slightest resistance. As if reading his mind one of the chains suddenly shot forward almost piercing Leo''s abdomen. At thest second he managed to deploy Shadow Protection. [ ??? warns you not to touch his belongings! ] Slightly shocked Leo read through the system message and momentarily froze. He only knew about a dozen or so beings so obsessive over their shrines or other objects. Leo was now a step closer to finding out which being offered him his legacy. ''It''s probably an evil one...'' Recalling the chain that would''ve pierced through his stomach if he hadn''t casted Shadow protection and the way of feeding the altar Leo was at least 50% that the being, who offered its legacy was an evil one. ''Man... Fuck that Ice Wyvern!'' Cursing the reason for him being in hell Leo heard quiet footsteps echoing in the tunnel and tensed. Leo''s Mana and Shadow Energy was full, his body wasn''t stiff, in his alcove he had a potion filled with his blood. He made all the preparations he could, so it was time for the demon to reveal itself. Crack! Chapter 108 Hell (5) The ancient, abandoned temple was a sad and deste sight. Once a ce of worship and reverence, it was now crumbling and overgrown by red moss, its once-majestic columns now cracked and weathered. The temple''s massive doors that had once guarded its entrance were now hanging on their rusty hinges, their wood rotted and their hinges rusted. Red vines and weeds grew up the sides of the temple, their roots cracking the stone. Crack... Something within the structure shook and a loud sound of breaking followed after... ... Leo was looking around the hall with a distorted facial expression. He expected the demon to barge into the room, either from the main entrance or from the massive hole in the wall. Unfortunately, the demonic creature had nned otherwise, demolishing the ceiling and making the debris fall directly on Leo''s head. His eyes widened, but his body reacted, moving to the side and hiding behind the Shadow Protection he had casted above his head. Thud... Soon the massive stone debris fell on him, shattering the shield and leaving Leo defenseless. ''Shit!'' Moving in between the falling rocks Leo almost dropped the potion hidden in his alcove, but managed to grab it at thest second. As the copse of the ceiling finally stopped Leo was half covered in a thickyer of dust while his face was half painted with blood, one of the smaller pebbles had hit him in the head. "That hurt!" Touching his aching head Leo frowned, feeling a bump rising on his forehead. Turning his head towards the altar Leo frowned seeing it being untouched by the copsing ceiling. It was as if the chains blocked all the debris falling onto it. Leo didn''t have any more time to think, because soon a silhouette of the nocturnal demon fell through the ceiling. Thud... As the demonnded down on the ground, its massive weight caused the stone floor to crack and crumble beneath its feet. The demon looked around, taking in its surroundings with a cold, calcting gaze. It sniffed the air, sensing the presence of Leo. The demon''s horns gleamed in the dimly lit hall, a sign of its power and authority. Feeling the gaze of the Nocturnal demon Leo shivered. It was much more powerful than the one''s in the daylight, it was also an elite one. ''I should''ve found another ce...'' Cursing Leo saw or rather felt the gust of wind brush against his side and soon blood spurted out of the massive w wound on his chest. ''Shit!'' Quickly drinking a HP potion Leo felt another breeze of wind, but this time managed to ce his eerie staff in the way of the attack. nk... Even though his main body was protected, his hand, holding a staff, went numb and Leo was flung to the other side of the room. Leo winced in pain as he struggled to get up off the ground. He had been thrown against the pavement a few times before, but this one had the most painful impact. His left arm was throbbing in pain and he could feel a warm liquid trickling down his forehead. Despite his injuries, Leo knew that he had to quickly recover, or else he''d be killed in a few moments. Gritting his teeth and gathering all of his remaining strength, he lifted another HP potion above his lips, trying to consume its contents. ''This bastard!'' Seeing a rapidly approaching figure at the corner of his eyes Leo cursed and stumbled to the side barely evading the monster''s ws. Scratch... The demon''s massive ws bruised against one of the chains guarding the altar, Leo was thrown nearby it. The metal snake seemed offended as it begrudgingly went after the demon''s hand. Phush... Warm blood trickled down the monster''s arm, but it ignored it. Gripping the metal chain the beast tensed his muscles and ripped it apart from the altar. nk... nk... As soon as the chain was no longer connected to the foundation of the altar its movements became slower and slower and finally it stopped moving altogether. As if feeling their rtive killed the other chains lunged at the demon, but it moved further away from the altar, so they couldn''t reach him. Looking at the demon''s eyes Leo noticed no hesitation or fear within them and cursed. The demon already knew about the altar and could rip the chains if needed. ''I should escape...'' Looking at the demon''s cold, yellow eyes Leo felt that the best choice of action would be to run as far as he could. Rumble... Suddenly something dark extended from the demon''s body and rushed towards Leo aiming to pierce through him. nk... Leo''s Shadow Protection just came off cooldown and he had to immediately use it again to block the monster''s attack. Looking at the pair of obsidian daggers hanging suspended in the air, above his shattering shield Leo paled. The weapons'' glossy surfaces reflecting the dim light of the hall was menacing, yet beautiful at the same time. They had been imbued with some kind of magic, allowing them to levitate and move on themand of the demon. The daggers seemed to pulsate with a strange energy, as if they were alive and eager to taste the blood of their enemies. ''Shit!'' Throwing himself to the side Leo barely managed to avoid one of the daggers stabbing into his chest. Rushing through the hall he quickly sshed all the blood he had on chains to the altar, making them dance in joy. It seemed that the blood empowered them, because all of them suddenly became longer and lunged towards the demon, who still had a calm and calcting look stered across his face. ''Shadow Soldiers...'' Summoning some of his Shadow Soldiers Leo went to hide behind the altar. [ +12 Shadow Energy ] Leo''s shadow soldiers were killed a second, he was even kind of surprised that chains fed with blood could still fight that monster on equal footing. The demon lunged forward, its sharp ws glinting in the dim light. The chains responded by coiling around its legs, trying to trip it up and bring it down. The demon snarled and struggled, but the chains were strong and determined. The demon managed to break free and swipe at the chains with its ws, but the chains were too quick and dodged the attack. They slithered along the floor, wrapping themselves around the demon''s arms and torso, constricting it and making it difficult for it to move. The demon roared in frustration and casted some kind of empowering spell, using it to break free from the chains once again. The two beings continued to fight, the demon using its strength and magic while the chains used their agility and cunning to try and take it down. The battle raged on, the sound of nging metal and snarling filling the hall. Looking at the scene Leo unknowingly frowned, it reminded him of his bitter past life. nk... Suddenly one of the chains managed to wrap itself around the monster''s neck. Roar... Despite the demon''s efforts, the chain was too strong and too determined. Soon other metal snakes followed the first one, they continued to wrap themselves tightly around the demon, constricting its movements and making it difficult to breathe. The demon''s empowering skill duration has ended and it probably had a cooldown. The demon screeched with immense anger visible within its eyes, but its efforts were in vain. The chains held strong, slowly strangling the demon until it was no longer able to move or resist. The demon let out a final, pitiful cry before falling silent, its unconscious body copsing to the cracked stone floor. The chains had seeded in their mission, killing the demon and protecting the altar from its evil presence. They slowly untwined themselves from the demon''s body, grabbing it by the leg and dragging it on top of the altar. ''Shit...'' Not wanting to witness the gruesome scene Leo covered his ears and rushed out of the room. *** Opening the VR Pod Leo yawned, it was already morning and he had to prepare for school, had it not been for his unexpected trip to hell he would''ve enjoyed the softness of his pillow for the whole night. ''Stupid wyvern...'' Cursing in between his breath Leo left his room walking towards the kitchen. "Careful!" Leo was almost hit by a flying pating directly at his face. "What the hell is happening?" bbergasted, he looked around the kitchen trying to identify the near cause of his death. "Sorry..." Leo''s father was scratching the back of his head with an apologetic expression visible on his face. "Don''t tell me you''ve tried to cook..." Looking at his dad with a wary re Leo unknowingly took a step back. During the three weeks he had spent away from the Fragmental, he and his parents had gotten even closer. They also found out that Leo''s father can make deadly poison out of anything. "Did you at least put on a gasmask?" With a grin Leo spoke, taking the fallen pan off the ground and proceeding to help his dad cook the breakfast. Chapter 109 The Past... The sun was high in the sky as the two armies met on the battlefield. On one side was a huge, imposing force led by an unknown being, its face hidden behind a cloak of darkness. On the other side was a beautiful woman, a deity who was seeking to destroy the evil creature that had threatened the realm for so long. As the armies collided, the sound of shing swords and the cries of the wounded filled the air. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but still they fought on, determined to emerge victorious. The unknown being was a formidable opponent, wielding dark magic andmanding its army with ruthless efficiency. But the deity was not to be outdone, summoning forth her own powers to strike down her enemies. As the battle raged on, the two leaders finally came face to face, ready to engage in a duel to the death. The unknown being unleashed its dark magic, but the deity was ready, deflecting the attacks with ease. The two leaders began to circle each other, each sizing up their opponent. The unknown being struck first, its dark magicshing out in a powerful attack. But the deity was quick, dodging the attack and counterattacking with her own powers. The two continued to battle, each onending powerful blows on the other. The unknown being fought with all its might, but the deity was a skilled warrior, her powers proving to be too much for the evil creature to handle. The battle raged on, the sound of their sh echoing across the battlefield. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the air was filled with the smell of magic and death. "Isn''t it time to give up?" Looking at the deity with a grin stered across his face, the unknown creature snorted. He was feeling joyous to defeat an enemy, that has been like a cancer to all of his ns Around them, the battlefield was filled with the sounds of nging swords and the cries of wounded soldiers. Looking at the woman, the unknown creature couldn''t help, but slightly respect her. She was a deity, and fought with grace and precision, cutting down any enemy who came within her reach. Unfortunately, despite her valiant efforts, she was evenly matched with him, the unknown being, who was just as powerful and intelligent as she was. Seeing that the deity had no ns of talking, the creature let out a roar that shook the very ground beneath the soldiers'' feet, and charged at the woman with reckless abandon. The woman tried to fight back, but the creature was just a tad faster than she was making it harder for her to defend. They fought with all of their might, the deity''s sword and the creature''s ws shing and sparks flying with every blow. But despite their evenly matched strength, the creature now had the upper hand. It seemed to care nothing for the soldiers surrounding it, and focused all of its attention on the woman. The woman, on the other hand, was concerned for the safety of her troops, and tried to protect them as best she could while still fighting the creature. This distraction allowed the creature to gain the advantage, and it began to drive the woman back. The woman fought bravely, but it was clear that she was losing ground. The creature''s disregard for the lives of the surrounding soldiers gave it a ruthless edge that the woman could not match. The creature continued to press its advantage, attacking the woman with ferocity and determination. But just as it seemed that the woman might be overpowered, suddenly an unknown power shot out of her body, making the demon take a step back. Gripping the handle of her weapon the deity finally fought back with renewed vigor, her sword shing and slicing through the air with deadly precision. The creature was taken aback by the sudden surge of strength, and for a moment, it was on the defensive. But the creature was not one to be easily defeated. It regained itsposure and renewed its attack, once again driving the woman back. The two leaders fought fiercely, neither one able to gain the upper hand. The battle raged on, with no end in sight. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the woman and the creature both stumbled, exhausted from the prolonged fight. They stood panting and sweating, each one sizing up the other for any sign of weakness. "Just give up, you dumb bastard! You are nothingpared to my power and magic. I will crush you and your pathetic army, and your corpse will be just another dead body on this battlefield" The unknown being spoke while trying to hide the sweat running down his forehead, he was utterly fatigued. "What makes you think, I''ll surrender? The female deity spoke for the first time during their exchange. Her voice was soft, so soft it seemed as if the angel himself decided to give her his vocals as a gift. "Your threats and insults are meaningless! You may be powerful and intelligent, but youckpassion and concern for the lives of those around you. That is your weakness, and the most disgusting thing about you!" The deity seemed to be mad, but her opponent couldn''t be sure, she always had an expressionless face with no feelings disyed on it. The only thing indicating that she still had them, was her blue eyes that were filled with various emotions. Hahahahaaha.... The battlefield shook from theughter of the unknown creature, he was even imitating to wipe tears at the corners of his eyes. "Compassion? Concern? Those are weaknesses, not strengths. They will only hold you back in this brutal war. I will crush you and your pathetic army without a second thought, and your so-calledpassion will do nothing to save you" The being smirked before adding another important detail. "Yourte parents would agree~" He saw the body of the deity momentarily freeze and her facial expression stiffened. ... ... The silence was very loud, even the sounds of the battle around them became quiet, it was as if both of them were in a different realm entirely. "I may not be able to match your raw power, but I will not let you and your forces decimate my soldiers. I will fight to the very end to protect them, even if it means sacrificing myself. And I will not be swayed by your taunts and insults. I am a deity, and I will not be defeated by the likes of you" The beautiful woman almost spat out which made her enemy even more happier. "Avoid talking about your parents if you want, but you see... Their souls are still within my grasp, they are still suffering~" Clenching his fist as if imitating the female''s parents, the creature analyzed the woman... She was still expressionless, but her eyes burned with fury. "You shouldn''t have mentioned them... I will not back down, and I will not be defeated. I will fight to the very end, and I will bathe in your blood. When I emerge victorious, I will make sure that you and your forces are punished for your sins, your soul is going straight to heaven or rather to the chamber of eternal torture!" "Delusions, delusions... You think, you think you have a chance of defeating me. I will crush you and your army, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. You are nothing but a weak, mortal deity, and you will fall before me and your chamber of eternal torture... I''m so scared... don''t hurt me" With a sarcastic tone the creature spoke, preparing for another sh. "Surrender now or die!" He threw thest warning, but seeing the deity''s unwavering eyes snorted. "So be it..." Boom... Receiving the sword strike with its menacingly sharp ws the being slightly staggered, but held his ground and pushed away the sword, extending his other limb, trying to tear through the abdomen of the deity. Unfortunately for him, the woman was already prepared for his attack and bent her body in an unimaginable angle avoiding his ws and also letting her de pierce deep into his flesh. Roar... Letting out a roar the creature quickly made some distance between himself and the deity. He felt his power slowly diminishing from his body, he felt that he wouldn''t be able to survive another attack. ''Stupid Holy sword!'' ring at the golden sword, the woman held him frowned before releasing all of his Mana all at once creating a huge explosion that shook the entire battlefield, killing most of the troops surrounding him. The deity, of course tried to save her soldiers, but the explosion was too wide and she had to sacrifice hundreds to save thousands. As the smoke from the explosion disappeared the unknown being was already gone from the battlefield. "Bastard!" The deity couldn''t help, but let out a scream looking at the damage done to the environment and her army. Chapter 110 The Past... (2) Holding his bleeding chest the unknown creature scowled. ''It hurts...'' It hadn''t been wounded this bad its entire life. It had high regeneration capability, but the sword the deity wielded was one of the kind not allowing the wound to heal. ''Grrr...'' The creature let out a growl feeling blood gushing in between its fingers. The being was slowly dying. It had to take immediate actions if it wanted to survive another day. Leaning against the cold cavern''s wall it was stumbling towards its pce, the only ce where it could treat the wound Crawling through the dark tunnel it cursed and spat blood, but it certainly didn''t help it to move faster, it only increased the hatred it had for the deity. ''Curse you, bitch, I swear I''ll kill you and paint a painting with your blood'' Whatever sanity the creature had was slowly fading away as it lost more and more of its blood. Fortunately, for the wounded being he was getting closer to its shelter. Swinging in all sides it somehow managed to reach its pce. Previously inhabited houses surrounding it were abandoned, as if all the people disappeared at the same time. It wasn''t too far off from the truth, because all of them went to war against the deity. Those inhabitants were Unknown creature''s army troops. "She''ll y..." Gritting through his bloody teeth the unknown creature moved through the empty city, nearing the huge building at the end of it. The exterior of the underground pce was a sight to behold. The grand building rises up out of the earth, its exterior made of shimmering white marble and adorned with towering columns and ornate sculptures. The entrance is marked by a pair of massive, ornately carved doors that seem to repel visitors. Stumbling in front of the pce, the creature couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. No matter how many times it has seen the white pce, it was always impressive. Hidden beneath the earth and away from the eyes of the world. The size of the building is impressive, with its high, arched windows and grand entrance. Slowly approaching the door, the wounded being pushed them open, stumbling inside it released a sigh of relief and pain. ''I... need to heal...'' Limping through the grand halls andvish chambers of the underground pce, the unknown creature found a staircase. The stairs took a turn and disappeared around the corner, not allowing one to see what was at the end. Feeling its consciousness fading away the injured demon picked up his pace. Making its way down to the basement of its pce, the being noticed that its sight was flickering and closed its eyes. The sword wielded by the deity truly did have terrifying powers, especially against corrupted. If the sword was just any normal weapon the creature wouldn''t have to seek the healing powers of the underground chambers to mend its injury. Slowly moving down the stairs, it felt its steps bing morebored as it moved further. The being knew that time is of the essence, as the wound on its chest is deep and bleeding profusely. But it also knew that in the basement of its pce, there is a powerful magic that can heal even the most severe of injuries. As it reached the bottom of the stairs, the creature saw the faint glow ofntern light emanating from a chamber ahead. It limped towards the light, its body trembling with pain and exhaustion. Finally, it reached the chamber and copsed to the ground, its chest heaving as it tried to catch its breath. But even as the beingid there, wounded and exhausted, the creature knows that it is not alone. The magic of the underground pce surrounds it, and it can feel the dark energy flowing into its body, mending its wounds and restoring its strength. The creature closes its eyes and allows itself to drift into a peaceful, healing sleep, knowing that it is safe and protected within the walls of its underground pce. Crack... Right before it could fully emerge into sleep the being heard a sound of something shattering and warily looked around. Suddenly the being couldn''t feel its limbs. ''What!'' Trying to move its numb arms it didn''t even notice that its legs were senseless as well. ''No way...'' The being wanted to w its eyes out, but couldn''t because it waspletely paralyzed. "I''ll swear I''ll find a way to kill that bitch..." It spoke with difficulty before a huge amount of mana left its body and flew somewhere in the distance. The body of the creature became wrinkled and its previously imposing form, now looked frail. The only thing indicating that the creature is still alive was its eyes, with fury and anguish hidden within them. ''Just you wait...'' *** Leo was trying his hardest not to look towards the desk where a guy with red hair was seated. The guy was obviously Theo and he was openly ring at Leo with... some kind of anger, Leo wasn''t sure. ''Does he have nothing else to do?'' Looking at the teacher exining quantum physics Leo snorted. No way in hell Theo could learn the subject without listening to the lector. ''The more foolish my enemy, the better it is...'' Unknowingly the corner of Leo''s lips curled up making Theo even more infuriated. "Sir, Theo, could you please solve this problem?" Suddenly an old lector with visible ck bags under his eyes spoke while pointing towards theplicated form written on the board. Leo could''ve sworn he saw Theo momentarily freeze and panic overtake him, but the heir of one of the most sessful businessmen around the world quickly controlled his facial expressions and turned towards the board, acting as if he was calcting the answer. ''Dumbass...'' Knowing full well that Theo will not be able to answer the question Leo snorted. Slightly turning his head to the side, he saw Ava fully emerged in her own notebook, noting every word the lector said during the lesson. ''Still diligent, I see...'' Leo had already grasped how to solve the problem on the board andid his head on his hands. ''Ava has yet to do anything unexpected... She''s declining all the confessions, keeping her distance away from others except Eli, she also seems to dislike Angry bird...'' Sorting out all the events that urred during the past two days Leo sighed feeling Theo''s gaze locking onto him once again. ''Really...'' It all happened, because Ava greeted him as he took a seat beside her. She was already regarded as an untouchable flower of the school with a cold attitude and unshakable facial expression. It was rare for her to even open her mouth and she just initiated a conversation with a handsome, very handsome, nobody. Well... a nobody, hated by Theo, the son of a very powerful and rich businessman. Leo''s ssmates were already betting on how much time Leo had to live. ''Come on guys... there''s already over 1.5 million on my head inside Fragmental...'' With a hidden smirk Leo thought. He knew that a man so big is bound to have powerful enemies. Leo just needed to make himself a name and he''d practically be a celebrity. Killing a celebrity is certainly harder than to wipe out a normal human. One slip up and Theo''s father would be chained by his enemies waiting for him to stumble. ''It is not that easy...'' Trying to suppress the disgusting smile rising up his lips Leo felt someone tug his side. "Have you solved the exercise on the board?" Ava whispered while slightly leaning towards him. As much as Leo wanted to act indifferent, he couldn''t, a beauty was at a very close proximity. "Yes..." Trying to even out his tone Leo pushed the notebook he had towards Ava and buried his head inside his arms. ''I wonder what''ll happen when she''s going to reach Lv. 50...'' Recalling that the headgear is able to slightly change the face of its user Leo frowned. It was a function that is yet to be known to the public, but it''s not a bad one. Especially when one is made more beautiful whilst ying a VR game. Leo could recall how beautiful Ava got when she became Lv. 50. She also saw an improvement in her looks after receiving a Legacy. Leo knew that a dark future was awaiting for all the university boys. Most of their hearts will be shattered... ''I just need to gain resistance...'' Hoping that sitting nearby Ava will grant him some kind of immunity to beauty Leo also thought about the charm resistance that could be acquired inside the game. It''d certainly help him inside Fragmental, but not outside of the game. ''That''s bothering...'' Feeling someone nudge him at the side once again he was given back his notebook. Going through his pages Leo noticed a small text at the corner of his page. [ Meet me at the F15 field during the lunch break ] Ring... Ring... Ring... Hearing the bell Leo couldn''t even ask Ava for exnation as she was already leaving through the door. "Should I even go?" Chapter 111 Avas Proposition Leo sat in the crowded university cafe, reading the note left in his notebook and trying to decide if he should go to the meeting or not. He knew he was already suspected, and he had to act as out of character as possible to avoid revealing his identity. He was considering whether he should go immediately or be slightlyte. Lost in thought he didn''t even notice the envious nces of the girls around him. As one of the most handsome men in the university, Leo should''ve been approached by countless girls. But now, after making an enemy of a powerful man, nobody wanted to be seen with him. The only thing the girls could do was watch him from afar with greedy eyes. Standing up he sighed and put his notebook into his backpack. As Leo walked through the wide corridors, lost in his own thoughts, he identally bumped into someone. Apologizing to the man, he didn''t even notice something being slipped into his pocket. Checking his expensive wristwatch, Leo sighed and slowly made his way to the F15 field, a huge football stadium with massive stands filled with red seats. Some people were ying football, but Leo paid them no mind, walking straight to the spectator''s section. In the distance, he saw a lone figure sitting in the VIP section. It was a woman with white hair, wearing the Preklin University uniform. Ava was already waiting for him. ''It''s toote...'' Ava was already waiting for him... ''Act normal...'' Approaching the girl Leo exhaled a few deep breaths and waved towards her. Taking a seat one chair away he raised his eyebrows, acting surprised. "It''s a nice stadium isn''t it? I wish I could y football, unfortunately my body is not fit for a yer, I can''t even..." Leo was acting like an NPC in Fragmental. Talking about anything else, except for the main stuff. "I''ve invited you here to talk about business" Ava cut him off in the middle of Leo talking about how goodsagna is. ''I thought it''d be something more concerning...'' Secretly wiping his sweat away Leo allowed himself to get serious. "Does this have anything to do with Fragmental?" Leo knew that Ava briefly heard his conversation with Tia, most importantly, the part where she mentioned about being able to produce Intermediate health potions. Surely Ava nodded her head and Leo sighed in relief. ''My identity is yet to be revealed...'' Turning his eyes towards Ava Leo turned on his business man personality. "I''m listening..." With a calctive gaze and small smile ying on his lips he seemed as if he''d been in the business for years. *** The transactions went smooth and Leo was left surprised by how much he''d be able to sell the potions for. The demand for potions wasn''t that high yet, but Ava decided to buy them for above-average price. She even decided to buy some shares which''ll prove to be a smart choice in the long run. Leo wasn''t nning to stop making money, until he had enough to buy the entire moon. Writing some information onto the notebook he had, Leo gave the paper to Ava and she signed it. Taking a photo of it and carefully storing the sheet of paper inside his bag Leo smirked. "Pleasure doing business with you..." Leo was about to stand up and go grab himself something to eat, when Ava''s voice stopped him in his tracks. "I have a favor to ask..." Using a monotonous tone was her usual way of speaking, but this time Leo could hear slight nervousness mixed within it. Turning his body to face her he lifted his head waiting for her to borate. "I''ll need a ride home..." That was unexpected... Why? Well... Ava has a car! Why would she ask Leo for a ride, it can''t be... Is this some kind of test? Shit! Leo''s thoughts were running rampant all the while his face slightly stiffened. Even though it was barely visible Ava noticed the change in his expression. "My car has run out of fuel and my friend has caught a cold and can''t bring me back home..." You can always take an Uber.... Leo thought inside, but only nodded. He was reluctant to do so, because he knew that something was amiss. "Okay..." Waving it off he turned to leave the stadium and left Ava''s field of vision with calm and steady steps. ''I think I nailed it...'' Thinking about the conversation they''ve just had Leo clenched the handle of his bag. Quite an important document was stored within it. Nearing the building where his next lecture will begin Leo crossed paths with Eli who was running towards the stadium, probably to meet Ava. Luckily she didn''t notice him, or rather hadn''t recognized him. "WAIT!" Freezing in his spot Leo felt cold shivers run past his body. Ava mentioned that her friend was sick, but Leo saw Eli within the university. "That was a trap... huh?'' Leonard had no way of knowing that Eli was Ava''s friend, but Leo, the unknown yer, did. ''Real life is scary...'' Thinking about good times where all he had to do was y Fragmental Leo sighed. People take everything for granted until it is taken away. Taking a seat he hadn''t even noticed how the room became full with students and soon the boring lecture began. *** As Leo walked towards his car, he could feel the various looksing his way: Envy... Awe... Jealousy... Anger... He didn''t know if it was because of his car, because Theo''sckeys had spread rumors about him, or because a top level beauty was walking right behind him. With a bitter smile hidden by his cold expression, Leo snorted to himself, wondering why he was attracting so much attention. Climbing into his car he urged Ava to follow and drove away from the university with many res following him. As Leo drove Ava home, the two of them sat in silence, the awkward atmosphere was bing almost tangible. Neither of them wanted to start a conversation, but somehow, Ava found herself breaking the ice. "When will I be able to retrieve the potions?" She asked, not really expecting an answer. Leo was surprised by the question and hesitated before responding. "I''m not sure yet... I''ll have to check in with the Alchemist to make sure how much stock we currently have" He had expected that she''d contact him concerning the business through the email he gave her. Ava''s eyes narrowed as she tried to read between the lines. She had a feeling that Leo was trying to keep the conversation in and simple, and she had a feeling that he was aware of it himself. He was doing it on purpose... "What Level are you?" She asked, trying to squeeze as much information as possible. Leo shifted in his seat, feeling ufortable under Ava''s scrutiny. "Just reached Level 10 and I hope I''ll advance to Lv. 11 today!" Saying that, he shut his mouth hoping that the previous silence will engulf the ride and make the questions go away. He had to concentrate on driving and pay attention to Ava''s trap-like questions at the same time Ava wasn''t satisfied though. She was at least 50% certain that he was the unknown yer, and she was determined to uncover the truth bit by bit. "I think I''ve seen you in Fragmental..." She said, a hint of suspicion in her voice. "You''re a demon, you''ve said?" Leo''s heart raced as he realized that Ava was bing bolder and bolder. He had been careful to keep his online identity a secret, but it seemed that he couldn''t avoid the topic any longer. "I''m sorry, but I prefer people not to pry into my business..." With a cold voice he spoke, making Ava widen her eyes and bite her lip. ''Sorry...'' He heard Ava whisper and nodded his head. She should control herself a bit, he was already sweating. Ava was reluctant but decided to let it go for now. She knew that they both yed Fragmental, and she was determined to find out if Leonard was truly Leo she knew within the game. As they approached their houses and said their goodbyes, Leo couldn''t help but feel relieved that he had managed to evade Ava''s questions for now. Lazily stumbling through his front doors, he didn''t even bother to wait until Rick came to express his love and limped towards the pool. Removing all of his clothes, except the underwear he jumped into the water hoping to wash away the tiredness he had umted during the day. Soon enough a small dog leapt after him jumping straight into the pool. Rocky was not afraid of the water... "Come on! Don''t lick my face..." Trying to escape from his pet''s devious tongue, Leo was reminded about Fenrir. Especially the time when he tried to lick Leo while covered in Poisonous Rat blood. ''It''s better after all...'' Knowing full well that Ricky would not give up Leo gave up and let the soaked fur ball vite him. Chapter 112 The Tomb Of The Fallen Angel As the female orc and an elf made their way through the dark tunnel, the only light source was the small torch held in Ava''s hand. Its flickering me barely illuminated the rough walls and uneven floor of the underground passageway. The air was bing musty and damp, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the tunnel. Both knew that this tunnel was a dangerous ce, and that they had to be careful. It''s not everyday that you explore a hidden tomb filled with strong undead that drop no Loot or EXP. "It''s already our tenth potion..." Looking at her system window Eli essed her status screen and frowned seeing the number of health potions present in her inventory. They''ve already spent more than a day inside the tomb and haven''t found anything valuable. Just some withered beast bones and strangely shaped rocks. Honestly, Ava was the only one still pushing through with the exploration. Eli was already on the verge of giving up. They''ve been walking in a straight line for quite some time now and nothing except for skeletal monsters has greeted them. "Should we contact Leo?" She spoke her thoughts out loud while looking at the stctites hanging from the ceiling. She felt adamant to do so, because Ava was sure that Leo would probably ask money in exchange for the information. The girl started to think that Leo was actually a money goblin who extorts Gold Coins from everyone equally. "Yes you should..." The situation was rough, even Eli who''d usually make some kind of teasing joke was not in the mood to do it. The level of fun she had experienced within the underground tomb was the lowest during her entire ytime of Fragmental. She was desperate for some cool action and not continuous undead creatures swarming her with a single goal to bite their limbs off. While Ava was writing a message to Leo, Eli took a seat on one of the debris nearby. Leaning against its cold surface she sighed feeling shivers run down her back. Fragmental was really a game that replicates all of the human senses perfectly. Crack... Suddenly as if a rusty lever was pulled a loud cracking sound echoed through the tunnel making Ava hastily turn her head towards Eli. "What happened?" Discarding the message she was about to send Ava carefully approached her friend, looking around for the cause of the sound. "I''m not sure..." Holding a massive scythe Eli also spoke warily ncing at the rock she was just leaning on. Beneath it she noticed a slight glimmer of light and stiffened. "There''s something underneath it!" Pointing at the huge rock Eli tensed her muscles and leaned against it for a second time. She grunted and strained as she pushed against the giant debris, drops of sweat dripping down her forehead. The rock was really heavy, but it finally gave in to the strength of a muscr orc. Puff... Wiping her sweaty face Eli took a deep breath while Ava patted her shoulder. "Good job" She gave Eli a rare, honest smile, only a few people had ever seen. Both friends looked at the passage that was hidden underneath the rock. It was a forest... A normal forest with trees, bushes, nts... The only catch was that everything within it was either grey or dark... "What happened here?" Raising her eyebrows Eli spoke. She knew that Fragmental could generate a wide variety of biomes, but she hadn''t expected to see a grey forest. It looked almost as if all the life was taken away from the forest. Without colors the vicinity looked dead. Well... not exactly dead... Eli and Ava caught sight of a huge skeletal cobra slithering on top of the tree tops beneath them. ... ... Both yers looked at each other while keeping their mouths tightly shut. ''Should we even go there?'' The message was clear. The passage had a grey vine which they could use to climb down, but they weren''t sure if it was a smart idea. They just saw a Lv. 20 a massive Skeletal Cobra casually move across the treetops as if it was a walk in the park. One has to know that they weigh quite a lot and moving across the thin three branches should be impossible. "Why does every reptile have to have flying skill..." Looking at the Status Screen of the disappearing cobra Eli sighed. She was not a fan of reptiles. She didn''t have a phobia like Leo did, but she certainly didn''t like them. "The ability to fly shouldn''t be given to some creatures..." Ava seconded. She didn''t particrly dislike the snakes, she even thought of them as cute, but she also thought that Fragmental gave them something that shouldn''t be given to a reptile. "So... are we going?" Eli finally spoke while clenching her Scythe. Even though there might be snakes and other dangerous undead within the forest, she knew it''d be a fun adventure nevertheless. Ava heard the slight change in Eli''s voice and sighed. Her friend was really an action maniac. "Yes we can, but we''ll have to be careful..." As soon as she said that Eli nodded her head and using her slightly trembling hands gripped the grey vine tightly. She was not a big fan of heights. Ava followed right after her and after a few minutes of slow climbing they both had hard surfaces underneath their feet. [ The First Trial of the Fallen Angel will soonmence... A system message informed Ava and Eli that something was about to happen. "Any information?" Eli spoke while reading her weapon. "Nope..." Ava answered while preparing to cast a spell. [ I am not alive, but I grow...] [ I don''t have lungs, but I need ai.r.. ] [ I don''t have a mouth, but water kills m... ] [What am I?] A few rows of text appeared on their screens. It was some kind of riddle... Beneath it there was an empty line left to write an answer. ... Both Eli and Ava wrote the answer at the same time. [ Fire is a correct answer...] Both got it right and smirked. [ In the beginning, there was only fire. It raged across the empty void, consuming all in its path. It was the source of all light and heat, the spark that ignited the world into being. As the fire burned, it gave birth to the first sparks of life. These sparks coalesced and grew, forming the first sparks of life. The fire danced and flickered, driving the birth of new life and the evolution of the world. It was the driving force behind all change, the catalyst for all growth and progress. As the fire burned, it gave rise to the first nts, animals, and eventually, humans. It was the fire that sustained them, providing the warmth and light they needed to thrive. But the fire also brought destruction. It could rage out of control, consuming everything in its path. It was a double-edged sword, both creator and destroyer ] A robotic voice spoke inside their heads making both jump in surprise. [ It is said that ashese after the fire...] [ Prove it wrong...¡¹ The system message appeared and soon Eli and Ava felt their bodies turning into light particles. They were transported above the grey forest and noticed a wall of me approaching the forest at rapid speed. Ava saw many skeletal beings trying to escape from the mes, but they were consumed by the fire and turned into ashes. Everything was devoured by the cruel mes not leaving a single being or a nt behind. In a few minutes or so the previously grey forest was now a wastnd of ashes and burnt trees. Eli and Ava were transported where they previously stood, but now, whether they looked, they could see nothing, but ashes. "Damn..." Carefully cing her feet Eli spoke. Walking on the ashes was like walking on the sand, but the ashes still had some heat making her slightly ufortable. "What now?" Turning her eyes to Ava Eli spoke kind of annoyed about their situation, even the vine that they''ve used to descend was burnt down. While Eli was grumbling Ava was reading through the text given by the system. She couldn''t quite put her finger around it, but she felt that they would have to somehow bring the forest back to life. Turning her body to face Eli, she spoke about her thoughts and received a look that''d make one look stupid. "Really..." The muscr female orc sighed and essed her system. "I give up... Time for Leo!" Creating a quick text she sent it to Leo while Ava was looking at her with eyes devoid of hope. "I''m not paying for the information..." The beautiful elf said and sat on the burnt rock that was yet to copse. She could already see Eli''s money disappearing out of her purse. ''Maybe I should buy shares for his information?'' Eli felt that Leo knew a lot about the game. No matter what question she''d ask, he''d answer, Now, it was just a matter of price. *** Somewhere in the vicinity... A forest that has been turned into ashes was a devastating and tragic sight. The trees and nts that once made up the forest are now reduced to charred remains, and the ground was fully covered in thin ashes and debris. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and the atmosphere was heavy with sorrow and loss. Growl... Two green eyes were burning with hatred while staring in the distance. Who dared to touch the forest of the guardian? Chapter 113 The Guardian At the corner of the burnt forest, there was a fearsome creature moving at a fast pace. It was a massive beast with a body made of bones and a pair of glowing green eyes that seemed to burn with an inner fire. The Forest Guardian was the protector of the forest, and it took its duty very seriously. It was a formidable foe, with sharp ws and teeth that could tear through even the toughest of materials. But on this day, the skeletal forest guardian was infuriated. Something had disturbed the bnce of the forest, and the guardian could sense it. It sniffed the air, trying to catch the scent of the intruders. Unfortunately all the ashes had blocked its sense of smell... As it prowled through the forest, the guardian''s green eyes narrowed with anger. It could sense the mana of the intruders within the area, and it felt the need to crush them. The skeletal being wasn''t sure as to why the forest was decimated, but only two souls apart from him were left alive. The skeletal forest guardian let out a fierce roar, its bones shaking with the force of the sound. It charged towards the intruders, its ws ready to strike. "Shit!" Eli, who had already noticed the guardian beforehand, didn''t expect the monster to be so agile and was almost caught off guard. As the two shed, Ava watched from the sidelines, her hands crackling with Lightning. She knew that she had to be ready to jump in and lend her support to Eli who was currently having a hard time holding up against the forest guardian. Eli swung her scythe with all of his might, trying to strike at the guardian''s vulnerable, green eyes. But the guardian was too quick and agile, dodging and weaving as it tried to get in close enough to strike with its ws. Ava''s body tensed as the skeletal guardian got closer, lightning dancing beneath her feet. She knew that her lightning spells would be most effective at close range, but she also knew that she had to be careful not to hit Eli with her spells. As the battle raged on, Ava saw her chance. The guardian had managed to get in close to Eli, and the orc was struggling to defend herself. Ava summoned all of her strength and dashing towards the guardian. Spurt... An orb of lightning left her hands and crashed against the monster''s head. It struck the guardian forehead, making it slightly stumble backwards. Even though lightning did no damage to an undead, Eli saw this as an opportunity and swung her scythe with all of her might, striking the guardian and making its whole body shift to the side. Roar... A fear enticing roar echoed through the vicinity covered with ashes. While Ava was far away, not be unaffected by the skill, Eli was not. "Damn!" Her legs were wobbly and she couldn''t quite control her body the way she wanted. Whoosh... She heard something tearing through the air and knew it was the ws of the beast. Spurt... Luckily Ava was prepared and used her Lightning Step to grab Eli out of the monster''s range. "Thanks!" pping her cheeks to calm down Eli spoke while Ava just nodded her head. Even though they spoke in a calm manner the battle was far from over. The guardian let out a fierce roar and shifted its body towards the yers, its bones rattling in the quiet vicinity. It charged at Eli again, its ws and teeth bared. Eli stood her ground and swung his scythe, trying to fend off the guardian''s attack. But the guardian was relentless, and it seemed to have an endless supply of energy. "Little help!?" Eli hysterically screamed, blocking the ws from almost piercing her abdomen. Whoosh... A fireball flew through the air hitting the chest of the guardian. The monster took some damage, but it was miniscule. Turning its skeletal head towards Ava it growled. Previously it hadn''t thought of her as a threat, because lightning couldn''t damage it. Boom... While the monster was distracted Eli sneaked upon it and struck it with all her might. Unfortunately the beast was like a moving fortress and only stumbled. Its skull showed no signs of cracking, while its green eyes shone with anger and calmness. "Divert its attention..." Ava spoke and prepared to cast multiple spells at the same time. The Skeletal Forest Guardian lunged towards the orc, its arms outstretched. Eli swung her scythe with all her might, but the Guardian was quick to react and blocked the attack with its own bony hands. Ava used her Lightning Steps to appear behind the Guardian and unleashed a fireball, hitting the creature in the back and causing it to growl in pain. The Skeletal Forest Guardian was momentarily stunned, and Eli took advantage of the opportunity to deliver the crushing blow. With a mighty swing of her scythe, she sliced through the Guardian''s spine, causing it to crumble to the ground in a heap of bones. Panting and covered in sweat, Ava and Eli stood victorious over the defeated Skeletal Forest Guardian. They were truly a formidable team. "Well done" Ava said, pping Eli on the back. "Now let''s keep moving. The riddl...." -Rattle! -Rattle! She didn''t have time to finish her sentence, because the forest guardian''s bones started levitating and soon the monster was back to its previous shape. Roar... Another roar sent chills down the spine, but Eli and Ava were far away not be affected by the skill. "I should''ve gone for the head..." Eli spoke looking at two green orbs shining in the eye lockets. The Skeletal Forest Guardian let out a deafening roar as it charged towards the two women once again. Eli swung her scythe with all her might, but the creature''s bones were too hard and the scythe barely made a dent in the creature''s hand. Ava, seeing an opportunity, focused all her Mana on a single fireball andunched it towards the creature''s green eyes, the only vulnerable spot on its body. The fireball hit its mark and the Skeletal Forest Guardian let out a shriek of pain. Eli saw her chance and swung her scythe with renewed strength, finally managing to cut through the creature''s bones and destroy one of its eyes. Ava shot another fireball at the other eye, but the Skeletal Forest Guardian managed to block it by shifting its whole body to the side. Growl.... Panting and covered in sweat, Ava and Eli heard a vicious growl leave the monster''s throat. "How can it even growl..." Elimented, but soon had to take a dozen steps back, because a pair of ws were aiming to cut her in half. One of the creature''s eyes was destroyed, but the other one was perfectly fine. The monster wouldn''t crumble until both of its vulnerable points were destroyed. Spurt... Suddenly a girl with white hair appeared above the creature with a fireball levitating above her head. "Finish it!" Eli screamed as Ava thrusted her hand with the fireball held within it through the hole at the back of its skull. Boom... The explosion echoed and the beast copsed into a pile of bones. This time it wouldn''t be able to reassemble itself making both Eli and Ava fall on their knees. "Finally..." Both were exhausted and deprived of Mana. While Ava used most of it using Lightning Step, Eli had to cast a fire skill she bought before fighting grim reaper every time she wanted to damage the undead forest guardian. Rattle... A sound of something moving within the bone pile made Eli''s and Ava''s heads snap towards the direction of the bones. "What Now!" Eli was frustrated, she didn''t want this kind of fun! "Keep calm..." Slightly shifting her head towards her friend Ava spoke, trying to remain open-minded. They didn''t even know what was hidden within the pile of bones, it might not be a monster. Sprout... In a matter of minutes, a small sapling emerged from the pile of bones, its tiny leaves unfurling towards the sky. Despite its diminutive size, the tree seemed to possess an otherworldly strength, its roots delving deep into the earth and drawing sustenance from the bones thaty beneath it. As the minutes ticked by, the sapling grew at an rming rate, its trunk thickening and its branches reaching towards the sky. Despite the harsh conditions of the wastnd, the tree seemed to thrive, its leaves a vibrant shade of green that stood out in stark contrast to the dull, monochromatdscape. "What the hell..." Eli spoke seeing a small sprout grown into a giant tree that was piercing through the clouds like a skyscraper. ''The game''s creators do have some crazy imagination...'' She thought while approaching the trunk of the giant tree. Different from the trees from before, this one had vibrant colors. It looked almost like a normal tree if not for its massive size that could top the biggest man made structures. Chapter 114 The Tree Chapter 114 The Tree Looking at the massive tree that just grew from a pile of bones Ava frowned. [ ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ~??????????~ ] Inspecting the massive trunk Ava noticed some branches simr to a staircase circling around the tree, leading to its top. "Eli..." Ava spoke garnering Eli''s attention and pointing towards the staircase made out of wood. She knew that her friend was not keen with heights and was a bit hesitant to force her to do something against her will. "Ahhhhh.... Let''s just go..." Looking at the staircase made out of thick branches Eli sighed in defeat and slightly paled, not being able to see the true height of the tree. "You sure?" Ava gave her ast warning, but seeing Eli nodding her head smiled. Her friend decided to ovee her fear, although temporarily. Taking the first step on one of the branches Ava tested her strength and even tried to break the forcefully. Surprisingly the branch didn''t even bend. It stood, it felt more like a metal pole more than a wooden branch. "They''ll easily support your weight..." Ava gave Eli a thumbs up while her friend frowned. "Are you saying I''m fat?" Ava felt the corner of her eye twitch and ignored the orc who was rambling around random stuff that would probably make one lose IQ. ''She really did go well with Eric...'' Recalling the guy with whom they''ve raided the Corrupted King Ava thought about his whereabouts. As far as she could recall, Eric said that he''ll go farm alone and level up as much as he can, so Leo wouldn''t catch up to him. ''We should do the same...'' As soon as the mission with Leo had ended, Eli and Ava spent their timepleting quests and making sure to stay efficient. She was confident that as of right now her level was above Leo''s, but Ava didn''t know how long it''dst. Thinking about the unknown guy she felt something annoying rising up within her mind. If the guy in her school was the real Leo, then he has a female alchemist who''s going to provide her with potions. ''I wonder if he''s treating her the same cold way as he does with us...'' Ava absentmindedly took a step on the next stair and almost fell off the branches. "You okay?" Eli, who was now desperately hugging the huge trunk of the tree spoke with slight tremors heard within her voice. "Yes and calm down..." Seeing that Eli was close to crying Ava tried tofort her by reminding her that the game isn''t real, unfortunately it backfired. "Yeah! But the pain is very Real!" Ava couldn''t disagree, she also thought of the Fragmental developers as some kind of sadists, but she didn''t n to stop ying the game. It was bing like a part of her life and pain only made it more realistic. Shaking her head she offered Eli a hand and carefully ced her foot on the wooden branch, taking another step forward. *** "Huff... Huff..." Eli was panting while hugging the hard surface of the ground. She and Ava had already reached the clouds, but there was no sight of the treetop. The only thing they found upon reaching the clouds was a wooden tform, presumably made for adventurers to rest before continuing their journey upwards. Ava had noticed that the wooden branches left behind them had withered away as soon as their feet touched the tform, indicating that they had no choice, but to go upwards. Laying on her back the Lightning mage sighed trying to get the gears in her mind moving. She had yet toplete the riddle... [ ???? ???? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ????????... ] [ ?????????? ???? ??????????... ] Ava had already epted the idea that they have to bring the forest back to life. Killing a guardian was probably the correct choice, but now she had no clue what to do next. Upon seeing a giant tree bing to grow out of the beast''s pile of bones Ava thought that they''ve proved the im wrong, but there was no change within the system. Right now Ava was hoping that the answer to the riddle would be found at the top of this massive sapling. "Do you need more time?" Looking at her friend who was rolling on the ground she spoke with a small smile. Click... She took a photo and saved it in her gallery. It''ll be a good memory to remember and a powerful ckmail material. "Did... you just take a photo?" Eli spoke while ring at Ava with cold eyes. "No?" Feigning ignorance the elf started hopping around the tform, like a bunny, trying to escape from the muscr arms of the orc that was chasing after her. "Delete it!" Eli was half screamed half pleaded while Ava giggled avoiding her by jumping to the side. Even though she was inferior in Defense and Strength, her agility was a tad higher than Eli''s. In the end Eli didn''t manage to catch up to her and gave up while grumbling in between her breaths. ''Just you wait...'' Ava giggled hearing her friends harmless threats, but bit her bottom, recalling that Eli would be able to take her revenge by tackling her in real life. Eli''s father is a karate teacher and taught her daughter to defend herself. Unfortunately Eli had used the martial art to mainly abuse Ava. ''Maybe I should lock my doors?'' Approaching the staircase both friends were about to begin to ascend the tree once again when a weird sound echoed within the vicinity. Whoosh... Whoosh... Two massive stingrays pierced through the thickyer of clouds, their wings beating steadily as they soared above the white sea. The first stingray, a sleek and agile creature with shimmering blue-ck scales, circles around its opponent, a hulking brute with a rough, mottled hide. The blue-ck stingrayshed out with its long, venomous tail, trying to catch its opponent off guard. But the mottled stingray was ready, dodging and weaving through the air as it returned the attack with a powerful swing of its own tail. The two stingrays continued to fight, their wings pping furiously as they twist and turn in the air. The blue-ck stingray was faster and more agile, but the mottled stingray wasrger and stronger, and its powerful blows were starting to take their toll. Despite its size disadvantage, the blue-ck stingray refused to back down. Itshed out with its tail again and again, trying to catch its opponent off bnce. But the mottled stingray was relentless, and it continued to hammer away at the smaller stingray with its powerful tail. Finally, with a mighty roar, the mottled stingraynded a devastating blow, sending the blue-ck stingray tumbling to the ground. The battle was over, and the victor circled triumphantly in the air before disappearing back into the depths of the clouds. ... ... ... Ava and Eli kept silent while ncing at the thickyer of clouds where the mottled stingray had just disappeared. They both were in shock, because they didn''t expect to see an aquatic creature casually flying through the air. "I wonder what else can fly..." Eli pondered making Ava shudder. She had quite a good imagination and it backfired, creating some monsters that shouldn''t be spoken about. "L..et''s m..ove" Struggling to spell the words Ava stumbled towards the wooden staircase. She had lost her cold demeanor and was no longer the Ice Queen the world knew. ''Focus...'' Massaging her temtes she tried to gather her attention in one ce, but failed due to Eli''s nudging. "You really don''t like cats do you?" Looking towards her friend Eli spoke with an expression that spelled doom for Ava. Eli knew her perfectly and was aware of her dislikes and fears. Ava was really not a cat person and her unnatural fearbined with her imagination was... horrifying? With a slightly sad expression Eli turned off her chat window and followed after her 13:38 friend. She couldn''t proceed to deliver her threat, her friend was too precious. "Delete my picture~" With a chilling smile Eli spoke while pointing at her system window, more specifically, a chat window with a certain someone''s name. "You sure are petty..." Ava spoke while a small smile stered across her face. "Write it if you want, he won''t care" Tucking her white hair behind her ear Ava shifted her body and started climbing up the tree. ''She knows I won''t do it...'' With a slightly sad expression Eli turned off her chat window and followed after her friend. She couldn''t proceed to deliver her threat, her friend was too precious. *** Somewhere deep under the ground... Leo was holding his bleeding chest wound while his eyes glistened with unusual hatred within them. ''Fucking spider!'' ring towards the creature that has made its way inside the hall being unnoticed he snorted. While inspecting the strange altar he was suddenly ambushed and only by creating a Shadow Soldier to block most of the strike was left alive, although barely. He had no time to cast Shadow Protection and was forced to use one of his summons as a sacrifice. ''Fenrir'' Calling out his pet he saw light particles gathering to his right and smirked hearing hispanion let out a deep dissatisfied growl. ''It''s nice to see you too'' Chapter 115 Creatures Of Hell Chapter 115 Creatures of Hell An ugly, demonic spider stood in the middle of the hall. Its eight legs were long and spindly, covered in ck, bristly hairs that seemed to writhe and wriggle of their own ord. Its bulbous body was a sickly green color, mottled with dark spots that seemed to pulsate with malevolent energy. Its beady, glowing red eyes stared out from a face contorted with malice, and its razor-sharp fangs dripped with venom that could kill a man with just a single bite. ''Fenrir'' Calling out hispanion Leo noticed a giant, ck wolf appearing out of thin air and smirked. ''Nice to see you too...'' Leo knew he had toe up with a n quickly. The demonic spider was clearly much stronger than both him and his pet Fenrir, and he knew that they wouldn''t be able to defeat it on their own. He racked his brain, trying to think of a way to get the creature onto the altar. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He remembered that the chains of the altar could drastically extend if blood was sshed onto them. He knew that if he could lure the spider close enough to the altar, he might be able to use the chains'' unexpected range to his advantage. He turned to Fenrir and whispered his n in the wolf''s ear. Fenrir nodded, understanding his instructions. Together, they began to circle around the spider, trying to get closer to the altar without drawing the spider''s attention. As they inched closer to the altar, Leo could feel the spider''s eyes following their movements. It seemed to sense that something was amiss, and it began to move closer to them as well. Leo knew this was his chance. He gestured to Fenrir, and the wolf lunged forward, barking loudly and snapping at the spider''s legs. The spider hissed in anger and swung its leg at Fenrir, trying to strike the wolf down. Leo saw his opportunity and seized it. He raised his hand, summoning a Shadow st which incited fear in the spider. The st hit the spider square in the chest, causing it to hesitate for a moment. Taking advantage of the spider''s moment of hesitation, Leo gestured to the altar and shouted to Fenrir. "Now! Get it to the altar!" Fenrir understood, and together they began to circle around the spider once more, trying to drive it towards the altar. The spider hissed and snapped at them, trying to fend them off, but Leo and Fenrir were determined. Finally, they managed to get the spider close enough to the altar. Leo grabbed a small vial of blood hidden within his sleeve and sshed it onto the metal chains surrounding the altar. nk... As soon as the blood touched the chains, they came to life, writhing and wriggling like snakes. They lunged forward, wrapping themselves around the spider and pulling it towards the altar. Shriek... The spider thrashed and struggled, trying to break free, but the chains were too strong. They held the spider in ce, constricting it until it waspletely immobilized. [ ?????????? ???? ???; ????/?????? ?????????? ] Slowly, but surely Leo was feeding the altar with souls of various creatures from hell. Absorbing Fenrir back into the tattoo Leo tilted his head and looked at therge hole in the ceiling. Boom... Leo felt the entire temple shake and paled, the orange clouds at the peak of the tower exploded and another wave of fog was iing. Running into the room he upied during his stay in the temple Leo closed the door behind him and hid beneath the expensive sofa. Hisp... Hisp... Hisp... ''The voices are back...'' Curling up into a ball Leo sighed and covered his ears in an attempt to lower the effectiveness of the voices within the shroud. Whoosh... The red fog crept inside the room, filling every corner and crevice with its ominous presence. Leo squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the terror that surrounded him. He could feel the heavy fabric of the sofa pressing against his skin, but he didn''t dare move a muscle. He knew that the red fog was not to be trifled with. It was a force unlike any other, capable of taking control of the minds and bodies of those it encountered. As the fog swirled around him, Leo prayed for the strength to stay hidden and avoid its grasp. He didn''t know how long hey there, trembling and holding his breath, but it felt like an eternity. Finally, after what seemed like an age, the fog began to dissipate. Leo slowly opened his eyes, peering out from beneath the sofa to see if it was safe to emerge. The room was empty, and the red fog had vanished as quickly as it had arrived. Breathing a sigh of relief, Leo crawled out from his hiding ce and stood up, shaking off the remnants of fear that still lingered in his mind. ''I hate this shit!'' Dusting off his cloak Leo moved towards the hall with the altar only to see the damaged walls and the ceiling fixed as if nothing had ever happened. Sssss... Leo''s hand instinctively went to the hilt of his staff he summoned instantly, as he heard the sound of sand being moved. He knew that this could only mean one thing - there was something lurking underground, something dangerous and deadly. He scanned the area, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever wasing. And then, with a roar, a massive, writhing creature burst out of the ground, its long, slender body covered in hard, armor-like scales. It was a death worm, a creature feared by all who knew of it. Its powerful jaws were lined with razor-sharp teeth, and its glowing red eyes seemed to radiate pure malice. Leo didn''t hesitate. He summoned a Lightning Bolt, focusing all of his Mana into the attack. The bolt struck the death worm with a crackling sound, causing it to let out a pained cry and thrash about wildly. But the death worm was tough, and it quickly recovered. It didn''t do much damage, but being electrocuted was painful. Lunging at Leo with its jaws wide open, the monster shrieked trying to paralyze its prey. Leo barely managed to dodge out of the way, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that he couldn''t keep this up for long. The death worm was too powerful, and he needed to find a way to take it to the altar. Taking a deep breath, Leo focused and gathered his Shadow Energy into a powerful Shadow st, unleashing a wave of darkness that enveloped the death worm. The creature let out a howl of pain as the shadows seeped into its body, blinding and inducing fear into it. Shriek... Leo knew that this was his chance. He summoned a protective shield of shadow magic around himself and charged at the death worm, his staff glowing with white me. Thud... Blinded, the death worm tried to defend itself, but it was not that resistant to fire and quickly suffered from the heat. Unfortunately it did miniscule damage and Leo was forced to retreat, because of the acidic spit that left the monster''s mouth. Even though it was blind, it could somehow feel the weight of Leo allowing it to urately pinpoint his location. Dashing the other way from the worm Leo escaped into the temple. Fortunately or not the monster didn''t give up and gave chase destroying the floor of the old temple. ''Shit!'' Turning around the corner Leo could see the ground behind him being uplifted and barely managed to hold himself from falling. Shriek... The disgusting face of a creature with razor sharp teeth was almost breathing at his back... ''Shadow Protection'' Leo casted a shield beneath the ground making the monster crash against it and momentarily confuse it. That move bought Leo a few seconds and he managed to reach the hall with the altar. Using a w he gained from killing one of the monsters above the ground, Leo injured his hand, sshing the blood on the motionless chains. nk... nk... The metal serpents woke up searching for prey and Leo barely managed to make it out of their reach. nk... One of the snakes almost grabbed him... Boom... Shriek... Leo''s chaser finally appeared in the hall giving the chains a target. Pluck... Pluck... The beast writhed and thrashed, trying to break free of the chains that held it captive, but it was no match for the strength of the metal. With a heave, the chains dragged the death worm from under the ground, bringing it on top of the altar. Knowing what''ll happen next Leo sighed and left the room hearing the screams of paining from the worm. ''138 Left...'' *** Ava and Eli were slowly, but surely approaching the top of the tree. They could already see its green leaves. "How... m..uch left?" Eli struggled to speak while Ava was climbing without a slightest hint of emotion visible on her face. "A few more steps..." "You said that an hour ago!" "A few more steps..." "You said that an hour ago!" Ava was also hoping that the stairs would end soon, the journey was taking a toll on her mental health... Chapter 116 The Turtle "Finally!" Eli tried to take deep breaths and focus on the task at hand. She clutched onto the branches tightly, her knuckles turning white with the effort. Finally, they reached the top. The tform was made out of ck wood, smooth and shiny in the morning sun. Ava and Eli copsed onto it, panting and sweating from the exertion of the climb. Eli was still shaking, her fear of heights causing her heart to race. Ava put her arm on her shoulder and whispered. "We''ve reached it!" Eli smiled at her friend, feeling proud of herself for oveing her fear. She looked out at the view from the top of the tree, the brunt forest stretching out before her in every direction. "Damn! That fire was strong! How much time did we spend climbing?" The two girls sat on the tform for a while, enjoying the view and each other''spany. Eventually, they packed up their things and began to look around, searching for any clues for what to do next. Rummaging through the area Eli and Ava had spent an hour and a half searching for clues on top of the huge tform made out of ck wood. As they rummaged through the leaves and branches that covered the tform, Ava couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement. She had always loved puzzles and mysteries, and this was the perfect opportunity for her to put her skills to the test. Eli, on the other hand, was feeling a little anxious and annoyed. She wasn''t asfortable with heights as Ava, and the thought of being so high up in the tree made her a little dizzy. But she knew that the reward forpleting the quest would be major, so she pushed her fears aside and focused on the task at hand. As they searched, the girls noticed weird, purple color leaves seemed to be leading them in a specific direction. It was as if they were following a trail of breadcrumbs, each one bringing them closer to their goal. Following the weird leaves, they reached the end of the trail. There, hidden behind a pile of branches, was a small wooden box. Ava''s eyes lit up with excitement and suspicion as she reached for the box. She carefully lifted the lid, revealing a small, intricately carved key inside. "It''s a key..." She eximed, holding the key up for her friend to see. "We don''t know where to use it though?" Eli massaged her temtes while ring at the silver key held within her friend''s fingers. Eli and Ava were confused, due to not knowing what to do next and decided to inspect the other tform they came across along the way. Roar... They turned around to see a huge aquatic turtle flying through the sky, positioning itself so that it couldnd on the tform right before them. The turtle let out another mighty roar and began to attack, its powerful wings pping as it charged towards them. Eli and Ava felt that the creature was of a higher caliber and paled. Ava tried to damage the being with her Lightning Spears, but the turtle was too strong. It almost knocked them off their feet, Ava would''ve fallen off the tform if not for Eli''s help. As the girls clutched onto each other tightly, trying to withstand the impact of the aquatic creature''snding. Boom... The turtle groaned, sending its stinky breath towards Ava and Eli. While Eli covered her nose Ava frowned. "We have to get out of here! We can''t fight this thing on our own." Ava said, struggling to stand on her wobbly feet. Eli nodded, her face pale with fear. "Where do we even go?" Ava looked around, trying toe up with a n. They were surrounded by the leaves and branches, with no sign of cover in sight. They were high in the sky and the only way was done, but would they be able to reach the stairs before the monster caught up to them. The turtle moved its study body closer, its sharp beak glinting in the sunlight, Ava knew they had to do something. She grabbed Eli''s hand and pulled her friend towards the edge, determined to escape from the aquatic beast. "We''ll have to use our brains... We can''t outmuscle this thing or even scratch him with our spells, but maybe we can outsmart it." Ava said, her voice slightly shaking. Even though she was known for being cold-minded, she was also a human and had limits. Eli nodded, her eyes scanning the tform for any signs of it cracking or being broken by the weight of the turtle. She spotted a nearby branch, and without hesitation, she picked it up and threw it at the turtle. Grrr.... The branch hit the turtle''s shell with a loud crack, breaking into splinters. The turtle wasn''t even damaged, but a low growl left its throat indicating that it was irritated. It swung its head back and forth, its beak snapping at the girls as it tried to tear them in half. "Jump!" Ava screamed, while dragging Eli behind herself. They were lucky to dodge the turtle''s beak, but now were falling off a massive tree. "WHYYYY DIDN''T YOU WARN ME!" Eli was screaming out of fear while Ava could only tightly hold her hand hoping that she wouldn''t push her away. Narrowing her eyes Ava noticed that they were nearing the tform they came across some time ago. Taking in a deep breath she started guiding her Mana throughout her body and soon the surface of her skin started sparkling with lightning particles. Whoosh... Just when they were about to reach the clouds, Eli and Ava suddenly disappeared, appearing on the tform. "Huff... Huff..." Ava could hear her friend''s quiet sobs and deep breaths and rxed. They were still alive. "Warn me next... time!" She heard Eli whisper angrily and nodded her head while standing up. Looking above she noticed a huge silhouette of a turtle quickly approaching them and frowned. "We have to move... Quickly!" The girls stood up and were about to use the stairs to descend when suddenly a group of stingrays emerged from the sea of clouds. At the front of the group was a mottled stingray, its wings pping fiercely as it charged towards the turtle. This particr stingray wasrger and more powerful than the others, and Ava and Eli could see the scars and wounds on its body, evidence of its previous battles. The mottled stingray had defeated another stingray just some time ago, earning its ce as the leader of the group. It was known for its size and massive strength. Ava and Eli had seen the stingray''s power and knew that it''d easily kill them if it wanted, but luckily this time its target was the massive turtle chasing after them. As the group of stingrays closed in on the turtle, theyunched a coordinated attack, their sharp stingers glinting in the sunlight. The turtle roared and thrashed, trying to fend off the smaller creatures. Even though its agility was inferior, its massive size was more than enough to send some of the stingrays flying. Roar... The mottled stingray flew towards the turtle''s head, its wings a blur as it darted in and out, dodging the turtle''s attempts to bite or swat it away. With a powerful strike, the mottled stingray delivered a direct hit to the turtle''s eye, causing it to roar in pain and tuck its head inside the shell. Despite their best efforts, the group of stingrays were unable to break through the turtle''s thick shell. The turtle continued to thrash and roar, causing the stingrays to scatter and retreat. Despite the setback, the mottled stingray was not ready to give up. It flew back towards the turtle, its wings beating fiercely as it searched for a weakness in the turtle''s armor. As the turtle swung its limbs back and forth, the mottled stingray noticed a small crack in one of its back tes. Without hesitation, it flew towards the crack and delivered a powerful strike with its stinger. The turtle let out a mighty roar as the stinger broke through the crack and punctured its flesh. It thrashed and writhed, trying to shake off the mottled stingray, but it was toote. The mottled stingray had already inflicted a mortal wound, and the turtle''s strength began to fade. With one final, desperate thrash, the turtle copsed, falling through the soft clouds, its mighty wings stilling as it drew itsst breath. Ava and Eli watched in shock as the group of stingrays flew away, chasing after the fallen turtle. Few minutes passed, Ava and Eli knew that they had witnessed something truly incredible. They had survived an encounter with a powerful aquatic turtle thanks to the fortunate encounter with the mottled stingray and its group. "I hate this tomb!" Elimented and Ava nodded her head. They''ve had way too much close to death experiences during their adventure within the tomb. Chapter 117 Full Chapter 117 The Lock of the Tree... A few days passed and Ava and Eli were still unable to find any use for the silver key they had found in the box. They searched everywhere, including the tforms and stairs, and even had Ava climb the thin branches of a tree, but all she found were endless leaves. During the day, they attended university and at night they yed Fragmental. There wasn''t much excitement during lectures, except for a few exchanges between Leonard and Theo. Theo would threaten Leonard, but Leonard remained indifferent and kept his emotions hidden behind an expressionless face. This made him even more mysterious, causing many at school to specte about him. ''I heard he worked as an assassin...'' ''He was born without a part of the brain responsible for emotions...'' Ava heard many rumors, but all of them were from an unknown source and were unreliable. Ava also knew that Leonard was cold, but she knew how to read expressions and he was far from being emotionless. Every day she sat nearby him, from time to time she could see emotions swirling within his eyes. It was mostly annoyance, but it was still an emotion! Ava wasn''t sure if Leonard was the same Leo she knew from the game, but thinking about it made her head hurt. She remembered the conversation they held within the car when she asked Leonard to bring her home and how he wasn''t eager to share any information about Fragmental. ''I shouldn''t have pressured him...'' She regretted pressuring him to answer and even decided to apologize, but she never got the chance because he always left the university as soon as his lectures ended. He was a difficult man to get a hold of. Ava heard that Leonard had even received secret confessions, but as far as she knew, he turned them all down. His answer was usually the same: "You shouldn''t be involved with someone who''s targeted by Theo." If the girl insisted that she didn''t care, Leonard had a second line that no girl had ever beaten yet: "I''m not looking for a girlfriend." Despite the obstacle created by Theo''s dislike of Leonard, he was still quite popr, which only made Theo more angry. Yesterday, Theo even tried to start a fight, but Leonard was smart and avoided it by ignoring Theo''s verbal abuse. He knew that Theo could threaten him all he wanted, but if he did something without a reason, he couldn''t escape thew. Ava couldn''t help, but apud the reign Leo had over his emotions and actions. It was even scary... She, who''s usually referred to as an Ice Queen, could only bow her head to Leonard''s ability to control his emotions so well. ''Maybe he''s secretly the heir of a billionaire and has been trained to be an emotionless leader?'' During one of the lectures Ava caught herself thinking that Leonard wasn''t actually a guy who got rich while ying the game. It was a good hypothesis, but she couldn''t be 100% certain that it was the truth. "..Ello?" Huh? Ava shook her head and woke up from her reverie. "Earth to Ava! Oh, you''re finally awake!" A huge female orc with arge scythe in her muscr arms was waving in front of her face, trying to get her attention. "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts..." Ava said, scratching her cheek as she pushed unnecessary thoughts to the back of her mind. They were currently inspecting the trunk of the massive tree, searching for any secret passage or a keyhole that might fit the silver key. As Ava touched the rough surface of the wood, she frowned as splinters poked into her palm. "Were you thinking about Leo?" Eli suddenly asked, and Ava nodded her head without even thinking. It wasn''t until a few secondster that she fully understood the question and made a pout. "Are you his fan girl? Why am I getting the same question for the third time today?" Ava had already be immune to feeling embarrassed when talking about Leo. Eli talked about him way too often. Ignoring Ava''s usations, Eli touched her cheeks while her eyes widened. "You admitted it!" She said with a grin, while the female elf grimaced and continued searching for a keyhole on the rough surface of the trunk. Mumbling something about the ice melting Eli also joined her soon after and both went around the giant trunk, trying to find something amiss. "I think I found something!" Eli suddenly spoke and Ava quickly ran towards her. Looking at where she was pointing, the elf noticed a small hole partially hidden beneath the thick bark of the tree. Eli used her Strength attribute wisely and peeled it off revealing a keyhole. Beneath it there was a painting of a silver key engraved into the wood. Taking out the key they found at the highest tform Ava slowly extended her arm and put it in the keyhole. Click... A subtle sound of something clicking was heard and the world came to a halt. [ ?????????? ?????????? ??????????????????! ] [ ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ????????????????... ] Swish... Suddenly the giant leaves, which have been a vibrant green, begin to turn yellow, orange, or red. The tree starts to send less water and nutrients to its leaves, causing them to wither and eventually fall off. The leaves gently drift down from the branches, twirling and dancing through the air as they make their way towards the ground below. Some of the leavesnd softly on the ashes of the previous forest fire, while othersnd on patches of bare soil. The fallen leaves started dposing in seconds. Despite the destruction of the previous forest, life continues to thrive and regenerate. Various trees begin to sprout from the ashes slowly covering the ashes and hiding the destruction that happened beforehand. Crack... As the forest around the massive tree began toe back to life, a giant patch of bark was suddenly ripped off by an unknown force, revealing a passage inside the tree''s trunk. Exchanging nces, Ava and Eli entered the dark passage, and as soon as they did, their bodies turned into light particles. *** Both friends were transported into a giant building on the ind floating above the dark abyss. It was a huge, ruined coliseum. Its towering marble walls and grand arches testament to a time of grandeur and spectacle. Looking around the coliseum, the first thing that Eli noticed was the thick smell of blood that hung in the air. Since both of them stood in the middle of it, they could see the sand in the center of the arena stained with deep red color, as if something terrible had happened there. Strange echoes reverberate off the walls of the empty halls, adding to the eerie atmosphere. It was as if its past was etched into every crack and crevice. Despite its ruined state, the structure still exuded a sense of power and majesty. Looking around Ava pinched her nose bridge, it was painfully obvious that they''ll have to fight. Inspecting the blood staining the sand, she noticed some strange engravings visible beneath the sand. It was like a corner of a circle, a summoning circle she saw in many sci-fi movies. Frowning, she uncovered more of the engraving using her foot, but the letters below were written in thenguage not known to her or Eli. "So where''s our opponent?" Eli also came to a conclusion that they have to fight something. Equipping her scythe, she absentmindedly looked around the area, searching for any clues on what to do next. Ssh... Suddenly the sound of running water filled the huge, ruined coliseum. Ava and Eli were struck by the eerie mysteriousness of the scene. The water seems to being from everywhere and nowhere at once, a ghostly presence that invades the arena, soaking the sand and bringing its level up to their knees. The sound of the water was intimidating and strangely enticing, simr to the violence and brutality that once filled this ce. As the water continued to rise, Ava 13:41 was filled with a sense of dread and while Eli was enjoying the cold water touching her feet, she still held the scythe tightly clenched within her grip. They stood frozen in the middle of the arena, letting the water wash over them, not knowing where to run. The once-bloodstained sand was now a tranquil pool, and the weird echoes of the coliseum seem to fade away, because of the sound of the flowing water. As the water continued to rise, Eli and Ava felt a sense of danger and started slowly retreating to the corner of the arena. After a few minutes the water started subsiding once again reaching the height of their ankles. Both sighed in relief and while Ava was warily ring at the environment surrounding them Eli was trying to familiarize herself with moving in the water. Tap... Ssh... Tap... Ssh... Suddenly the sound of someone walking through the water echoed through the coliseum. The water started vibrating, while the waves were lifted every time the being took a step. Eli and Ava knew something strong was entering the arena and that being had high affinity with water. ==== AN: Who could it be? ?? Chapter 118 The Second Trial Chapter 118 The Second Trial Tap... Ssh... Tap... Ssh... Someone was walking towards the arena and the water started vibrating, while the waves were lifted every time the unknown being took a step. "Get ready!" Feeling that the enemy was nearby Ava spoke and fire started dancing on her palm. Whoosh... Suddenly a huge wave came from the north side of the arena and crashed in the middle of it. From the sshes of the wave a figure of a humanoid creature appeared. [ ???????????? ???????????????? ] Eli and Ava watched with a mixture of fear and awe as the Undead Poseidon made his grand entrance into the arena. The water seemed to vibrate with each step he took, and the waves rose and fell in time with his movements. They could sense the immense power and affinity for water that radiated off of the humanoid creature, and they knew that they were facing a formidable opponent. As Poseidon approached, Eli noticed that his once mighty trident was now twisted and ruined, a shadow of its former glory. Despite this, he stillmanded respect and fear as he held the trident aloft, the eerie light glinting off of its twisted metal. The two women could see that the creature''s Status screen only disyed its name. "Undead Poseidon," and they had no idea of its Level or its Attributes and Skills. They could only assume that it was a monstrous being, given the power they could feel emanating from it. Roar... As Poseidon let out a haunting cry that caused the ground to shake and the walls of the arena to tremble, Ava wrapped her arm around Eli to steady her. The orc tried to keep her footing as the empty stands seemed to vibrate with the force of the creature''s voice, as if the very air itself was trembling in fear. It was clear that they were facing a formidable opponent, and they knew they would have to be at their best if they hoped to emerge victorious. They both knew that Poseidon was the God of the sea and expected him to be strong. [ ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????? ????????????????... ] [ ?????????? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ??????! ] Reading the system messages Ava felt the corner of her eye twitch. Why would the game make the fight against an opponent that would even be hard to injure? Eli and Ava looked at each other with a mixture of determination and nervousness as they prepared to face off against the undead Poseidon. They knew that this would be no easy battle, but they were determined to do everything in their power to emerge victorious. Ava summoned a ball of fire in her palm, the mes dancing and flickering as she readied herself to attack. Eli, meanwhile, tried to familiarize herself with moving in the water, trying to find her footing and get a feel for how it would affect her movements. As the undead Poseidon approached, Ava waved her hand andunched a small fireball. She sent an orb of mes towards the creature, hoping to catch it off guard and immediately end the fight. But the undead Poseidon was too quick for her. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a wave of water that extinguished the mes and sent Ava tumbling backwards. Eli managed to catch her before she hit the ground, and the two women red at their opponent with determination in their eyes. Roar... The undead Poseidon let out another haunting cry, causing the ground to shake and the walls of the arena to tremble. He swung his ruined trident towards Eli and Ava, the twisted metal glinting in the eerie light. Eli and Ava knew that they had to think fast if they wanted to stand a chance against their powerful opponent. Ava summoned another ball of fire and sent it towards the undead Poseidon, while Eli called upon her orcish strength and charged at the creature with her scythe drawn. The battle raged on, the water of the arena churning as the three opponents shed. Eli and Ava fought with all their might, but they were no match for the undead Poseidon and his fearsome ability to control water. Despite their best efforts, they were being quickly pushed back. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Ava had an idea. She grabbed Eli''s hand and pulled her towards the wall of the arena. "We can use the wall to our advantage!" She shouted over the din of the battle. Eli nodded, understanding what Ava was trying to do. Together, they made their way to the wall and began climbing. The undead Poseidon followed them, swinging his ruined trident wildly as he tried to knock them off. But Eli and Ava were too quick for him. They reached the top of the wall and used their momentum tounch themselves off of it, leaping towards the undead Poseidon with their weapons drawn. The unexpected attack caught the undead Poseidon off guard. Eli and Ava were about tond a few blows, but the creature growled in anger, summoning another wave of water knocking both of them off bnce. "Shit!" Eli let out a scream before falling into the water. As the battle raged on, Eli and Ava fought with all their might against the fearsome god. Ava summoned fireballs and sent them towards the creature, trying to find a weakness, while Eli used her muscr legs and her scythe to attack the creature with fierce blows. Despite their best efforts, the undead God seemed almost impervious to their attacks. Its water affinity allowed it to easily deflect Ava''s fireballs and its immense strength made it impossible for Eli tond a single blow. As the battle wore on, the two women began to tire, their movements bing slower and less precise. They knew that they had to find a way to defeat the undead Poseidon before they were ovee by fatigue. Then, Eli had an idea. She remembered that the undead Poseidon was once the God of the sea, and that it had a strong affinity for water. She blindly charged at the creature with her scythe drawn, leaping into the air and swinging the de towards its head. At the same time, Ava summoned a massive ball of fire and sent it soaring towards the undead Poseidon. The two attacks collided in a burst of light and heat, and for a moment, it seemed as if the battle might be won. But the undead Poseidon was not defeated so easily. With a roar of rage, it summoned a massive wave that crashed over Eli and Ava, washing them away and extinguishing the mes of Ava''s fireball. Eli and Ava struggled to keep their heads above water, their energy and strength sapped by the intensity of the battle. They knew that they couldn''t keep this up much longer, and that they had to find a way to somehow wound the undead Poseidon once and for all. Just as they were about to give up hope, they heard a faint rumbling sound in the distance. It grew louder and louder, and suddenly a massive tidal wave appeared on the horizon, moving towards the coliseum with incredible force. The undead Poseidon turned towards the wave, its eyes filled with confidence as it saw its creation approaching the arena. The god even summoned a smaller wave on top of the giant one to boost the iing tidal wave. "Hold onto me!" Ava shouted while hugging Eli and using her Lighting Step 3 times repetitively, appeared above the tidal wave. Whoosh... The massive wave crashed over the structure, sweeping everything away and engulfing it in a frothy whirlpool of water. "Are you okay?" Seeing that Ava''s face was slightly pale Eli asked. She knew that her friend may have ran out of Mana and was now lightheaded. "I can cast Lightning Step once before my Mana ispletely dried..." Ava spoke while ring daggers at the undead god. No matter how many times they''ve tried to get close, he was always protected by the water waves and barriers that seemed to appear in a second. Ssh... Suddenly something huge rose from the water. The creature was made out of the water and reminded Ava of a massive serpent. It was a goddamn Eastern Dragon! The Dragon was a majestic sight to behold, with shimmering scales that glinted in the golden light of the sun levitating above the abyss. The creature seemed to be made entirely out of water, with tendrils of liquid streaming off its body as it moved. Its eyes were piercing and bright, seeming to look right through the very soul of those who gazed upon it. Its eyes locked onto Ava and Eli. Ssh... The sound of water swirling was heard and it was awfully simr to a growl. "How are we supposed to harm a God in the first ce? And now he''s creating water dragons! We aren''t even Lv. 20 yet!" Ava heard Eli whisper and couldn''t help, but nod her head. Wasn''t the game a bit too unfair? ==== Merry Christmas! Chapter 119 The Might Of A God Chapter 119 The Might of a God Tip... Tip... Eli felt the blood flowing down her face and falling into the water that was currently slightly above their knees. The huge water dragon was currently blindly thrashing around the arena, trying to catch Ava, who consumed the second Mana potion in a row and teleported away using ''Lightning Step''. ''This is impossible!'' Eli whispered with a frown while Ava created another fireball and threw it towards the Undead Poseidon who was inside a transparent water sphere, waiting for his creation to finish the job. Swish... The lonely fireball flew through the arena and its weak mes were extinguished by the sphere surrounding the God. Ava could''ve sworn, she saw the creature smirk, but couldn''t take another look, because a water monster emerged beneath her feet. Zziingg... Lighting particles were dancing on her body as she appeared a dozen feet away from where she previously stood. While Ava was soaking the pressure of the dragon, Eli decided to attack the Poseidon with her scythe. Unfortunately, before she could even reach the water sphere surrounding him, she was pushed away by a wave created by the Poseidon. ''If only the water wasn''t here...'' Using her scythe to sh the iing wave Eli thought. Whoosh.. Stab... Suddenly a projectile flew through the air and hit Eli directly in her abdomen. -1423 Physical Damage! Looking at the weapon stuck in her body Eli paled, it was the same trident of the Poseidon. ''He has intelligence!'' Seeing her body turning into particles Eli sighed and looked towards Ava, who was doing her hardest to avoid the huge water serpent. Pluck... The trident magically flew back to the god''s hands and he shifted his body towards Ava. ''We were unfortunate to meet a God...'' [ ??????''???? ???????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ????????????????! ] Eli''s body dissolved into nothingness, leaving Ava alone in the arena with the rampaging water dragon and the seemingly invulnerable Undead Poseidon. While seeing Eli die Ava knew she couldn''t defeat the Poseidon on her own, but she refused to give up. She summoned all her strength and focused on the water dragon, dodging and weaving as she tried to find a way to defeat it. Every time it lunged at her, she narrowly avoided its snapping jaws, but she could feel her energy starting to g. She knew she couldn''t keep this up for much longer. She had to find a way to bring the water dragon down, and fast. As she darted around the arena, an idea began to form in her mind. She needed to create a distraction, something to draw the water dragon''s attention away from her. And she knew just the thing. With a burst of energy, Ava summoned a massive fireball and threw it at the water dragon''s tail. The beast roared as the projectile exploded, thrashing wildly as it waited for its lost body part to regenerate in the water. Ava seized the opportunity and dashed towards the water sphere surrounding the Undead Poseidon. She knew it was a risky move, but she had to try. As she approached the sphere, she could see the god inside, watching her with a smug smile on his face. She could feel his power emanating from within the sphere, but she bit her lip, proceeding to approach it. She gathered all her Mana and focused on the sphere, trying to find a way to break through it. She knew it wouldn''t be easy, but she was determined to seed. With a mighty effort, Ava conjured a spear of lightning andunched it at the sphere. The spear struck the surface of the barrier and sent a shockwave through the water, causing it to ripple and shake. For a moment, Ava thought she had seeded. But then the sphere stabilized and the Undead Poseidon''s smug smile returned. Even though the lightning couldn''t harm undead, it could somewhat interfere with the water protection the god possessed. Ava knew she had to try something else. She summoned another spear of lightning and directed it at the trident that was sticking out of the sphere. If she could destroy the trident, maybe she could weaken the god''s power. Whoosh... The spear struck the ruined trident with a brilliant sh of light, causing it to shatter into pieces. But to Ava''s dismay, the sphere remained intact and the Undead Poseidon''s power seemed undiminished. She knew she had to keep fighting. She summoned another spear of lightning and directed it at the sphere, hoping that the second projectile would break through it. But before she could attack again, the water dragon roared and lunged at her, its jaws open wide. Ava knew she didn''t have enough mana to dodge, and braced herself for the impact. Ssh... -78 Physical Damage! Ava was thrown against the wall and vomited blood. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts as she tried toe up with a new n. She knew she couldn''t keep dodging the water dragon and the Undead Poseidon''s attacks forever. She needed to find a way to defeat them and get out of the arena alive. She nced at the shattered pieces of the trident, an idea beginning to form in her mind. If she could disturb the water sphere long enough, maybe she could have a chance of throwing a fireball inside it and harming the god. She summoned another spear of lightning and directed it at the sphere, trying to find a weakness or a way to disrupt its protective properties. But just like before, the sphere absorbed the spear and remained unchanged. Ava gritted her teeth, frustration and desperation starting to set in. She couldn''t keep this up for much longer. She needed to find a way to defeat the god, and fast. Just as she was about to try another attack, she heard a loud roar from the water dragon. She turned to see the beast thrashing around wildly, its body writhing and contorting as it struggled to regenerate its lost tail. Ava took the opportunity to attack the Undead Poseidon again, summoning another spear of lightning and directing it at the water sphere. This time, she put all her remaining Mana into the attack, pouring all her hopes into it. The spear struck the sphere with a brilliant sh of light, causing it to ripple and shake violently. Ava could see the god inside, his smug smile disappearing as he realized what was happening. For a moment, it seemed like the sphere was about to break. But then, just as suddenly as it had started, the shaking stopped and the sphere stabilized. Ava could see the god''s smug smile returning as he raised his hand, a spear of water forming in his palm. ''I have to dodge it...'' Ava knew she had to act fast. She summoned another fireball and threw it at the water dragon, trying to further damage it while she tried to find a way to defeat the god. But as she was turning to attack the Undead Poseidon again, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. Pluck... She looked down to see the spear of water that the god had summoned, stuck in her chest. She gasped in pain, feeling her strength and energy draining away as the spear sapped her life force. She fell to her knees, her vision blurring as she struggled to stay conscious. She knew she couldn''t give up, not now, not when she was so close to victory. She summoned all her remaining strength and focused on the water sphere, trying to find a way to break through it. She summoned another spear of lightning and directed it at the sphere, while consuming a Mana and a health potion she took out of her inventory. She could feel the god''s power and the water sphere resisting her attack, but she didn''t let that stop her. She kept attacking, pouring all her Mana and Power into it. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the water sphere started to crack. Ava could see the god inside, his smug smile disappearing as he realized what was happening. With a final burst of energy, Ava summoned onest spear of lightning and directed it at the sphere. The spear struck the sphere with a brilliant sh of light, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. The Undead Poseidon roared in anger and frustration as he was finally exposed, his power and protective water sphere no longer able to shield him. Ava could see the god''s true form, a rotting, undead creature with glowing eyes and a crown of seaweed on its head. Despite her weakened state, Ava summoned all her remaining strength andunched herself at the god, her hands lit with a bright, eerie fire. She struck the god with all her might, her fireball managing to scratch its undead flesh with high difficulty. The god roared in frustration and rage as it was finally wounded, its body disintegrating into a pile of seaweed and bones. Ava copsed to the ground, her energy and strength depleted, but a sense of triumph and victory filling her heart. She had done it. Ava had defeated the Undead Poseidon and saved the arena from his wrath. The dragon roared in pain and rage, its body dissipating into a cloud of mist. Ava copsed to the ground, her energy and strength finally depleted, but a sense of satisfaction and aplishment filling her heart. She had done it. She had defeated the undead god! Chapter 120 Leos Investment Chapter 120 Leo''s Investment Lying on the ground, Ava felt a mix of emotions - fatigue, joy, and sadness. She knew thatpleting the trials ahead would be twice as difficult without Eli by her side. The loss of her friend would make the journey much harder. ''Maybe I should call it a day?'' Ava looked at the time and realized she had been ying the game for over 4 hours. It was Friday, and she knew that she wouldn''t have to go to university the next day, but she was slowly losing concentration. "I''m not yet adapted to y for long periods of time..." Murmuring under her nose Ava nced at her Friend List and saw that all of her friends except Eric were offline. She frowned seeing that Eric was currently Lv. 21, even though she has just barely managed to achieve Level 19! The guy wasn''t very keen on letting Leo pass him in levels was he? Pressing the big red button and logging off the game Ava removed her headgear and immediately went to feed her dog, Pifa. "Wanna go for a walk?" As Ava patted the soft, brown fur of the animal, a sense of calm washed over her. After Pifa ate Ava was about to leave the house when her phone rang. "Did you defeat it!?" A feminine voice shouted from the other end of the line, causing Ava to flinch from the loudness. "Yes, and please don''t shout into the phone..." Ava replied with a frown as she left the house while talking on the phone. She nced to the other side of the street, where a house, simr to hers, was standing. Most of the time she left her house, Ava would see Leonard as if it was a rule, but this time he was absent. Even the car he drove was not in the driveway. Shifting her attention to the road Ava started walking wherever Pifa led her. *** Coming back home from university Leo was determined to make the most of his day. He had a lot on his te, but the most important task was driving to the city to buy some property. He quickly got dressed and headed down to the kitchen to make himself a quick sandwich before hitting the road. As he ate, he went over his n for the day in his head. He needed to make sure he had all the necessary documents and information for the property purchase, and he also wanted to leave enough time to explore the area and get a feel for the neighborhood. After finishing his meal, Leo packed a bag with everything he would need for the day and headed out to his car. He hopped in, started the engine, and set off on the long drive to the city. The drive was a smooth one, with little traffic on the highway. Leo enjoyed the peacefulness of the journey, taking in the changing autumn leaves and listening to his favorite tunes on the radio. He made a few stops along the way to stretch his legs and grab some coffee, and before he knew it, he was approaching the city limits. As Leo entered the city, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. He had always dreamed of owning property in the city, and today was the day he would finally make that dream a reality. He navigated through the bustling streets, following the GPS on his phone to the address of the property he was interested in. As he pulled up to the building, he was impressed by its modern design and well-maintained exterior. He parked his car and headed inside, where he was greeted by a friendly real estate agent. After introducing himself, Leo exined that he was interested in purchasing a property and asked if the agent could show him around. The agent led Leo through the building, showing him a variety of different apartments and highlighting the features of each one. Leo was impressed by the spaciousyouts and high-end finishes of the units, and he couldn''t wait to see more. After spending some time touring the building with the real estate agent, Leo decided that he really liked one of the units in particr. It was a spacious two bedroom apartment with a modern kitchen and plenty of natural light. He asked the agent if they could discuss the price and terms of the sale. The agent pulled out a folder with all the necessary information and went over the details with Leo. After some negotiation, they were able toe to an agreement on a price that both parties were happy with. Leo signed the paperwork and made a down payment on the property, thrilled that he had finally invested and had bought his first property within the city. With the first property under his belt, Leo was even more determined to continue his search for more properties to invest in. He knew that an important event wasing up in the near future that would cause property prices in the city to skyrocket, and he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to buy as many properties as he could before that happened. The real estate agent was more than happy to continue showing Leo around and introducing him to other properties that might be of interest. They spent the rest of the day touring various apartments and buildings, and Leo was impressed by the variety of options avable to him. He ended up putting offers on several more properties, and by the end of the day he had secured a total of fifteen different units in the city. Leo headed back home that evening, feeling tired but satisfied. He had a lot of work to do in theing weeks to get all of his new properties ready for renters, but he was eager to get started. He knew that owning property in the city was a big responsibility, but he was more than ready for the challenge, because his money coul be easily tripled. ''I should just go to bed...'' Feeling how heavy his eyelids are Leo managed to park his car in the driveway and was almost pushed over by Ricky. "How was the day?" He heard his father''s voiceing from the kitchen followed by an appealing smell of chicken. "Tiring..." Even though the food was probably top ss, Leo had no appetite, all he wanted was sleep. He could y Fragmental and eat tomorrow. As Leo was about to fall into the bed, his phone rang. He sighed and picked it up, not even bothering to look at the caller ID. "Hello?" He said, his voice sounding rough and tired, he was about to doze off. "Leo? It''s Ava." Leo perked up at the sound of Ava''s voice. It wasn''t usual for her to contact him in game, especially in real life. Could she be trying to reveal his identity? "Hey Ava, what''s up?" He asked, trying to sound more awake. "Do you know anything concerning The Fallen Angel''s Tomb?" Ava said, her voiceced with slight excitement and nervousness. "I and Eli have found it while searching for the merchant you''ve told us about. We''ve alsopleted two trials before stopping..." Leo''s facial muscles twitched and his eyes widened. "How did you defeat the Undead Poseidon?" He asked absentmindedly and cursed silently afterwards. Now Ava knew that he was knowledgeable about the ce. "Disturb his water sphere with the Lightning Spear and hurt him with the fireball? So... you know about the trials then, I''m willing to buy information about the third one!" Ava spoke, her tone a bit more happy than usual, while Leo couldn''t stop himself from frowning. ''If she gets the reward...'' Leo''s mind raced as he tried to think of a way to evade the situation. He knew that if Ava were toplete the third trial and im the reward, it would be difficult for him and all the males around the world. He had to think of a way to stop her from continuing on this path, but he couldn''t think of a way to avoid it. Silence engulfed the call and while Leo was thinking Ava whispered. "Leo? You here?" Leo wanted to act absent, but he couldn''t. Pressing his nose bridge he decided to go with the only n he thought of, huge price! "Just so you know, the information is very costly. This is thest trial and the reward will be huge!" Leo kept silent and thought that he scared Ava off, but froze upon hearing her next words. "I''m fine with whatever price you dictate, just give me correct information as you did previously" Leo frowned, but had to answer. "Deal... I''ll send you information tomorrow..." Leo hoped that he wouldn''t regret this decision, but he knew that he would. He just condemned most of the males that saw Ava. ''Maybe she''ll fail?'' Leo thought, but shook his head. ''Impossible...'' Chapter 121 The Third Trial 121 The Third Trial Ring... The following day, Ava eagerly opened the file that Leo had sent to her. She quickly scanned through the document, taking in all the important information that was written within it. As she read, she made sure to pay close attention to the details, making sure she understood everything fully. ''He really does know how to sort out information...'' Looking at the way Leo prepared the document, Ava couldn''t help, but praise his diligence and skill. Within the document it was written that the third trial will ur underground or rather in hell, on a huge tower. Ava will have to defeat a Lv. 115 Fallen Angel, who was banished from heaven, due to the sins hemitted. Ava instantly became aware that there were other realms like Hell and Heaven. Leo had also written a rough description of the angel''s skills and spells. The creature would be stronger than the Undead Poseidon, but Ava could use her Lightning to damage it. At the end of the document Leo wrote the way for Ava to cheese the boss and kill it without even taking damage, but it required high agility and a movement skill. Luckily Ava had both and was more than prepared for the battle, the only thing concerning her was the low quantity of Mana potions she possessed. If the information was correct, the second phase of the monster would require her to use ''Lightning Step'' continuously. ''I''m a few short... " Looking at the rmended amount of mana potions Leo had written Ava sighed. In the battles beforehand she and Eli had drunk the consumables without a care, but now she would suffer, because of this. ''I should be more resourceful'' Massaging her temtes Ava jumped into her VR pod and logged into Fragmental. [ ?????????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????! ] A robotic voice greeted her and Ava''s body materialized in the middle of the ruined coliseum. Warily looking around she noticed that the water was still present and a pile of bones and seaweed was stillying on the floor. Ssh... Slowly approaching the corpse of the Undead Poseidon Ava nudged it with her feet and not seeing any movement started going through the bones searching for a key. Within Leo''s document there was a mention that to enter thest trial she''ll have to retrieve the key from the God''s carcass and stick it in the middle of the summoning circle, hidden under the sand. "Found It!" Clenching a golden key Ava smiled reading its description. 1?? ???????????? ?????? { ?????????????? } -- ?? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ~~~~ Turning her head towards the middle of the arena Ava started slowly uncovering the whole circle. She had to do it or else it wouldn''t work. Finally after finishing her work Ava took a few steps back and sighed looking towards the engraving. It was a huge circle with countlessyers and unknown symbols decorating its inside. Right in the middle there was a keyhole with golden symbols surrounding it. Approaching the hole with a golden key tightly held in her grip Ava quickly went through everything she knew about the uing trial and sighed, feeling nervous. ''I''ve paid a lot, let''s not waste the money!'' Putting the key in the keyhole Ava heard a clicking sound echo across the arena. Click... One by one,yers of the circle started shining with strange blue light and Mana surrounding the huge engraving started swirling. Ava felt her body turning into particles and closed her eyes. Swish... A few momentster her long hair was ruffled by a hot breeze and she opened her eyes. As Ava looked around, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the sight before her. The tower stretched up towards the sky, its red stone walls seeming to go on forever. Ava could feel the heat emanating from the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. She had a feeling as if she was not in the same world anymore. Taking a deep breath, Ava steadied herself and began to make her way towards the tower. She knew that she had a difficult battle ahead of her, and she needed to be as prepared as possible. She checked her inventory, making sure that she had enough Mana potions and other supplies. As she approached the tower, she saw that there was arge, ornate door blocking her way. Ava hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should try to find another way in. But she knew that time was of the essence, and she couldn''t afford to waste any more of it. Gathering her courage, Ava stepped forward and pushed open the door. It creaked loudly as it swung open, revealing a long, dark hallway leading deeper into the tower. Ava hesitated for a moment, trying to gather her bearings. She could feel a sense of dread and foreboding emanating from the shadows, but she knew that she had to push on. Taking a deep breath, Ava stepped forward into the darkness ''There shouldn''t be any monsters inside...'' Looking around Ava soon spotted a staircase which led to the top of the tower. Gathering Mana she suddenly used her Lightning step to appear on the fourth stair evading the first three. Just to make sure Eli took out an empty potion bottle and threw it on the first stair. Whoosh... Purple mes suddenly engulfed the ss object, turning it into ashes in a second. ''The information is correct...'' Ava''s curiosity was once again piqued. How did Leo know everything? Sometimes it seemed as if he was the creator of the game. ''Focus...'' Shaking her head with pointy ears, Ava pushed these thoughts at the back of her mind slowly ascending the staircase, skipping every 39th stair, because they were traps. The tower was pretty much a huge mine field filled with various traps scattered around it. Leo wrote that there is no shortcut to its top and Ava had to manually climb the stairs minding various traps, tripwires and even disappearing stairs. Reaching halfway through the tower Ava climbed onto the huge tform with a dozen stone statues built on top of it. ... On the tform there stood a dozen of motionless stone statues. As Ava walked around the tform, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer size and intricacy of the stone statues. Each one was carved with such attention to detail, from the individual strands of hair on their heads to the intricate patterns on their clothing. As she approached the first statue, she noticed that it was holding a bow and arrow in its hands. Ava couldn''t help but feel drawn to it, and she reached out to touch the statue''s hand. As she did, she felt a strange energy flow through her body, and she felt her muscles tense and rx in rapid session. Ava smiled to herself as she realized that this statue must be the one that granted agility. She couldn''t wait to see what the other statues had in store for her. The next statue she approached held a sword in its hand, and as she touched it, she felt a sudden surge of strength flow through her body. She flexed her muscles, feeling a newfound power coursing through her veins. As Ava continued to inspect the statues, she found ones that granted her increased endurance, uracy, and even magical abilities. She was amazed by the range of blessings that these statues offered, and she couldn''t wait to see what else was in store for her as she continued her journey through the tower. Eventually, Ava found herself standing in front of thest statue on the tform. It held a staff in its hand, and as she touched it, she felt a sudden surge of energy flow through her body. She closed her eyes and focused on the energy, feeling it course through her veins and fill her with a sense of inner peace and rity. Leo had written about the blessing of statues, but warned to shatter all of them after collecting the boosts. These stone statues are actually ancient parasites that give temporary boosts and devour the yer''s life force until he dies. There''s no way to escape from the HP drain, even if you try to re-log the effect would still be present. Frowning Ava casted a Lightning Spear and raised it above her head, throwing it at the closest statue. Screech... A sound of a living creature screaming resounded across the tform as the projectile impaled the statue''s chest. Its stone legs came to life bending and tensing under the immense pressure of the monster''s weight. Ava recalled that the statues didn''t have much agility and started running around the moving statue, kiting it from a distance. Crack... Finally the first parasite fell, crumbling into bits of rocks. After killing the first statue Ava leaned against the wall, waiting for her Mana to regenerate. Scanning the tform with her blue eyes, she chose the other target and casted ''Lightning Spear'', aiming to hit its head. Whoosh... The projectile flew through the air and hit the parasite''s head. Screech... "This will be a long day..." Ava thought whilst moving backwards. Chapter 122 The Fallen One 122 The Fallen One Crack... Thest statue crumbled to bits and Ava copsed to the ground. Her body was slightly trembling, due tock of Mana, but she didn''t n to use Mana potions. Looking at the broken statues covering the tform Ava sighed. Leo was correct, she wouldn''t have been able to defeat them before receiving the blessings. If normally she was a Lv. 19 Lightning Mage, now she had attributes that''d easily surpass those of Lv. 40. The most important part was that they would stay even after the mission which made Ava believe she was currently the strongest yer. ''...'' Shaking her head, she focused. It was not time topare herself to Leo, he had too many mysteries and unknown cards to ount for. Touching the cold stair railing she started ascending the tower. Puff... Suddenly a stair beneath her foot disappeared and she was about to fall, but luckily kept her mind calm and used Lightning Step to teleport herself back on the staircase. ''That was close...'' Looking at the empty space where the stair previously was, Ava sighed. Leo had warned her that traps after the tform would be ced at random with no pattern. Within the document it was written that she just had to keep her mind calm and use her improved Attributes to ascend. Dusting off her purple robe Ava took out a bunch of small fangs. It was an item dropped by small green creatures called goblins. They were inhabiting the forest surrounding the Elven starting point and most of the quest had to do something with their extermination. Thud... Throwing the first tooth on the stair Ava didn''t notice anything abnormal and took a step forward. Thud... Thud... Thud... In such a manner she avoided all the mes, disappearing stairs and even poisonous needles that would shoot out from the wall, aiming exactly where the tooth fell. "Why was nothing mentioned about the needles..." Ava thought that Leo knew everything, but it didn''t seem to be the case, he didn''t know about the needles! ... ... ... "Is he trying to get me killed?" With a frown Ava spoke while throwing another tooth. Whoosh... Purple mes engulfed the fallen item, but Ava simply jumped over the stair, continuing her journey. ''I''ll make sure to count that off his pay...'' Making herself a mental note Ava shook her head and nced upwards. There was only a single staircase left! Looking at the stairs covered with red carpet Ava squinted her eyes and lit the thing on fire. Crackle... Right before her eyes the beautiful ornaments of the carpet started turning into ashes and revealing the stairs. ''At least this much is true...'' Looking at the various Magic Circles drawn on the stairs'' surface Ava channeled Mana and Lightning started dancing on her feet. Swish... Avoiding all the stairs she found herself before a golden door with visible blood marks on its handle. Puff... Exhaling she put her hands on the handle and pushed the doors open. Swish... Orange clouds were surrounding the tower''s summit, covering the world surrounding it. Strange voices could be heard within them, but Ava didn''t mind them, she had no time to. A creature, at least 2 meters tall, stood further away from the door. [ ???????????? ?????????? ] -- ?? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ?????????????????? ?????????? -- ?????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????? -- ???????????????????? ?????? ??????????????, ???????? ?? ?????????????? ???? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????? [ ?????????? ?????????????????????? ] -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ?? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? ?????? ?? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ??????????????????????. ???? ???? ?? ?????????? ???? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ??????????????, ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????? ??????. ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ????, ?????? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ??????????. ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????????? ?????? ??????????, ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ?? ???????????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ??????????. ????: ??,?????? || ??????: ??,?????? 11:43 ??????: ????,?????? || ??????: ??,?????? [ ????. ?????? ] ????: ????,?????? || ??????: ??,?????? ????: ??,?????? || ??????: ??,?????? ??????: ????,?????? || ??????: ??,?????? ??????: ??,?????? || ??????: ?????? < ???????????? > 1?? ???????????????? ?????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?? ?????????? ???? ????????????????, ?? ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????? 2?? ???????? ?????????? < ??????. ????. > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ??????????????, ?????????????? ?????????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????? 3?? ?????????? ???? ?????????????? < ??????. ????. > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ????????????????????????, ?????????????????? ?????????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????? 4?? ???????????? ???????? < ??????. ????. > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???? ????????, ???????????????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???????????????????????? < ???????????? ???????????? > 1?? ?????????? ?????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???????????????? ?????????? ??????????, ?? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? 2?? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? ?? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? 3?? ?????????? ???? ?????????????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??????????????????, ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????? < ?????????????? ???????????? > 1?? ???????????????????? ???????? < ??????. ???? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????????? ???? 2?? ???????????????? ???????????????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????????? ???? ????????????, ???????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???????????????? ?????????????? 3?? ???????????? ?????????????????? < ??????. ????. > -- ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????????? ???????????? ????, ?????????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ~~~~ Ava ran around the tower, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to escape the Fallen Angel. Despite her best efforts, the towering celestial being was too fast for her, and it quickly closed the distance between them. Ava felt a sharp pain as the Fallen Angel''s ws raked across her back, sending her sprawling to the ground. But Ava was not one to give up easily. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she focused her energy and activated her ''Lightning Step'' ability. In a sh, she vanished from the ground and reappeared on one of the orange clouds that surrounded the tower''s summit. From her new vantage point, Ava could see the Fallen Angel below, its wings of darkness spread wide as it searched for her. Determined to fight back, Ava began to cast her ''Lightning Spear'' spell, Her body was hit, but luckily the burning status effect was not applied. ''I should''ve teleported...'' She thought that with the blessings she could easily kill the creature, but it was not the case. Even though the angel was powerful, it was yet to reach its most powerful state. The being hasn''t used its wings and will not sue them, until half of its HP is left. ''It should''ve been an easy sail...'' Drinking a Health potion Ava had to teleport on another tangible, orange cloud and make an angel search for her. Usually clouds are like fog, they are not tangible, but these ones are different. Starting from the color to weird whispering soundsing from them. Crackle... A Lightning Orb appeared in Ava''s hand and sheunched it towards the being. - 125 Magical Damage! It did minimal damage making Ava sigh. ''Just avoid its spells...'' Lowering her head, she barely avoided the blue fireball flying above her head. Swish... Suddenly Ava felt a nauseous feeling wash over her and copsed to her knees. - 1 HP Her HP bar was slowly depleting and making her frown. The fallen angel was using ''Soul Drain''! Since her hair was barely visible from the cloud, the angel could see her and use its spell that was like poison. Swish... Ava was forced to teleport onto another cloud and consume her first MP potion. The Fallen Angel let out a roar andunched its Hellfire st. Ava quickly used Lightning Step to teleport out of the way, narrowly avoiding the st of mes. The Fallen Angel was infuriated by Ava''s evasive tactics, and it let out another roar as it induced a fear into the elf attacking him. Ava felt her legs tremble and she almost fell off the cloud if not for grabbing onto its soft surface. There was no escaping the fear, she couldn''t teleport out of it. She had to endure it and continue the fight. The Fallen Angel let out another roar of anger as Ava hid herself behind the cloud, not giving him a chance to attack. "Where is it!?" She finally shouted while looking in all directions, as if expecting something to happen. Boom! ~~~~ Leo wasfortably sitting in his room, drinking water and cooking meat of some beasts he hunted roaming in the red forest, just a few minutes walk away from the temple. [ ?????????? ???? ???; ????/?????? ?????????? ] Looking at the system window hovering above his eyes he smirked feeling that he got closer to his goal. For the past few days in Fragmental he did nothing, but lure demons inside the temple, sacrificing them to the altar. Leo had everything he needed: A Temple? Check! A Sacrificial Altar? Check! A Goofy Robe covering his face? Check! Leo was aplete cult member! Looking at the time he stood up from hisfortable chair and left the temple, summoning Fenrir and mounting him. Swish... Moving through the desert they neared the huge tower, until Leo could somewhat see its top. Climbing down Fenrir, he gave his pet cooked meat and gazed towards the orange clouds surrounding the summit of the spire. ''Shadow Realm!'' All the light surrounding him disappeared as if the night descended. Whilst everything was dark, only two objects shone in the colorless abyss, Leo''s dark eyes. Shadows were rippling all around him and a Shadow st appeared within his palm. Its size was abnormal, because of the Shadow Realm. Swish... The dark, grey projectile shone in his palm, only illuminating half of Leo''s face or rather hood, making him look like a serial killer. Whoosh... Extending his hand forward he threw the swirling orb towards the orange clouds, aiming at the closest one. As soon as he did, Leo pped his hands and canceled the Shadow Realm. His job here was done. He himself had written that he''ll assist Ava to defeat the angel, but he could help her bring it to half HP. His n was simple: use the substance within the clouds and the Shadow st he threw to cause a massive explosion that would throw anybody on the tower''s summit to the ground. ''Maybe she''ll be able to teleport in time..,'' Even though Ava was knowledgeable of this and had no objections, it was the matter of timing. She had to teleport before the explosion hit her. "She''ll either get the item or die" Leo thought out loud while moving through the red desert. The chances of Ava surviving were below 10%, but Leo knew that she''d probably survive. She was Ava after all! Chapter 123 The Fallen One (2) Boom... Suddenly, the summit of the tower shook, Ava was startled by a sudden explosion in the clouds surrounding her. Soon, more explosions followed, engulfing the area in orange clouds of smoke and debris. Quickly, Ava managed to teleport above the clouds, narrowly avoiding the danger as she soared through the air. Ava grimaced, the heat of the explosions was palpable, even in the already sweltering environment. She couldn''t help but frown at the realization that if she had been just a few meters closer, she would have been cooked alive. Roar... As the explosions raged on, Ava heard the deafening roar of the Fallen Angel. ncing down, she caught sight of a burnt silhouette with ck wings plummeting through the clouds, heading towards the ground below. ... Soon, the explosions finally subsided, allowing Ava to stop teleporting herself higher into the sky. She took a moment to catch her breath and survey the damage before deciding on her next move. The tform at the summit of the tower was in shambles. The ground was scarred with crevices and pits, and debris was scattered everywhere. The barrier that had previously kept beings from falling off the edge was alsopletely destroyed. Despite the widespread destruction, the clouds surrounding the tower seemed unchanged, their appearance unchanged by the chaos surrounding them. Drinking a Mana potion Ava quickly familiarized herself with the new terrain, memorizing the locations of every crevice and pit on the battered tform. She knew that this information could be crucial in the uing fight, and she couldn''t afford any missteps. Swish... Ava heard the sound of pping wings and instinctively bit her lip. The angel was fast! A ck silhouette with two majestic wings adorned with ck feathers emerged from within the orange clouds,nding on the ruined tform below. The fallen creature''s face was obscured by a in white mask with no openings for its eyes. Itsrge frame was obscured by a ck, baggy robe, but Ava could tell that its body was that of a Greek God. [ Weak elf.... ] As the Fallen Angel spoke in anguage that Ava understood, she hesitated. She had read a document written by Leo that warned her not to engage in conversation with the creature, as its ''Unholy Influence'' passive skill could be strengthened through conversation. Swish... The creature''s massive wings had a wingspan of 8 meters, adding to its imposing presence. It pped its massive wings, as if preparing to dash forward. However, it seemed that the Angel was more interested in talking than attacking, continuing to try and engage Ava in conversation despite her refusal to listen. [ Why is there a weak elf in my tower? ] Seeing that Ava wasn''t willing to answer, the Fallen Angel let out a low growl and a sword appeared within his right hand. A Sword with a broad, double-edged de made of dark, obsidian-like material, with a hilt wrapped in ck leather and adorned with intricate silver etchings. The de seems to absorb light, making it appear almost invisible in certain lighting conditions. [ If you don''t want to talk, then you are no different from insects! ] In the blink of an eye, the angel''s figure disappeared, reappearing behind Ava, in the shadow of her own body. It was clear that the creature was using one of its more powerful skills, ''Shadow Step'' in an attempt to catch Ava off guard. Swish... The Demon de it had summoned tore through the air with deadly precision, aiming to sever Ava''s head from her body. However, the quick-thinking elf managed to teleport out of harm''s way just in time, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack. Landing on one of the clouds she looked at the angel with massive wings decorating its back and sighed, the hard part was upon her. The Angel''s newfound ability to fly and teleport made it difficult for Ava to stay on the clouds, where she had previously held an advantage. She''ll be forced to continuously teleport out of its way, hoping not to get hit and trying to strike back. The clouds, which had once given her an advantage, now seemed to work against her. The shadow they dropped on the tower, would give the angel more possibilities to teleport. Whoosh... A Lightning Spear flew through the air and hit one of the creature''s wings. - 356 Critical Damage! The damage was higher than previously, the wings of the creature were its weakness! [ You Dare! ] Ava felt someone draining her strength and knew that the Angel used its ''Soul Drain'' to sap away her vitality. Swish... Lightning Particles started dancing around her feet and she teleported to another orange cloud, hiding herself from the angel''s sight and disrupting its ''Soul Drain'' spell in the process. Ava relied heavily on her ''Lightning Step'' spell to evade the angel''s attacks, but she knew it came at a cost. With a 10 second cooldown and high Mana consumption, it could be considered one of the most efficient movement skills in the game. However, its slow activation time of 1 second could be a liability in high stakes battles. Whoosh... - 421 Critical Damage! Another Lightning projectile hit the fallen being''s wings making it scream in rage. [ Scoundrel! ] The Angel''s wings started pulsating Mana and Ava''s vision momentarily went dark. She knew that the being was using its skill ''Wings of Darkness'', but momentarily panicked and almost got herself killed. Swish... She heard a sword tearing through the air and barely managed to evade it by rolling to the side. If not for the Blessing that gave her agility, Ava would''ve been split in half. [ So you''ve gotten the blessings? Hahahaha! ] As the angel continued to speak, Ava guessed that it was talking about the statues she destroyed. She couldn''t help but smirk at the creature''s assumption that the ancient parasites would soon try to drain her life force. "You should fight rather than talk..." Ava summoned a Lightning Orb and threw it at the angel, striking its back and causing ck feathers to fall from its wings. Ava''s body suddenly started trembling in fear. Without a second thought, she immediately cast her ''Lightning Step'' spell, narrowly avoiding an impending attack. Swish... The angel appeared in Ava''s shadow and swung Demon de through the air, aiming for the spot where Ava had just been standing. However, the elf had already teleported to another orange cloud, where she was taking a quick sip from a Mana Potion to replenish her energy. [ Are you really an elf, a member of a race widely known for their magical prowess? You seem more like a cockroach to me! ] Ava raised her eyebrows in surprise. The creature was a surprisingly skilled trash talker, and she couldn''t help but wonder if its words would be able to cause some yers to lose their cool and make poor decisions in battle. Ava was at least 30% sure that her friend Eric would be intimidated by the angel''s insults. ''Iing!'' A Hellfire st came flying directly towards Ava, forcing her to fall on the ground to avoid the blue mes. Swish... Without a moment''s notice the being appeared right before the Elf and caught her by the throat. [ Finally I''ve caught you... ] The angel''s grip tightened around her neck. Her ''Lightning Step'' spell was still on cooldown, so she had no way to escape. She tried to struggle, using all her strength to tear free from the creature''s grasp, but it was no use. The angel''s strength was far too strong for her to overpower. Even with all the blessings Ava could do nothing, but look at the in white mask covering the angel''s face and wait until ''Lightning Step'' spell was off cooldown. [ I''ll send you to hell... Oh, wait! You''re already in hell! Hahahaha! In that case, I''ll just send you straight to the afterlife! ] The psychoticugh of the fallen angel made Ava frown, but she kept quiet. She should be able to escape in a few seconds. [ Goodbye, Cockroach! ] Suddenly the angel''s hand started turning blue and Ava knew that it was getting ready to use its skill ''Grasp of Damnation''! ''Come on, Come on!'' Looking at her Status Screen she could see the ''Lightning Step'' cooldown and there was only a second left. Swish... Lightning Sparks started dancing around her legs that were lifted in the air. She suddenly had an idea and ced her feet on the creature''s wide chest, using it as a makeshift surface as she prepared to teleport. Crackle... With a burst of energy, Ava managed to escape the angel''s grasp, teleporting to one of the orange clouds and coughing as she tried to catch her breath. Bruises were visible on her neck, a testament to the creature''s strength. [ Can you just die? ] Ava turned her head towards the angel, noticing that it was shaking its hand, which had turned a sickly shade of blue. She watched as the color slowly returned to normal, a sign that the creature had canceled his Skill activation. ''...'' Sighing, Ava quickly took a sip from another Mana potion, preparing herself for the angel''s next attack. She knew she had to stay on her toes if she wanted to emerge victorious in this grueling battle. Chapter 124 The Fallen One (3) Chapter 124 The Fallen One (3) The fight raged on with the angel always having the upper hand. At some point he managed to get a hold of Ava for the second time, but she managed to teleport away, although barely. Mana Potions were beginning to run low, Ava had to rely on her agility to dodge attacks and minimize the damage she took. Despite getting injured a few times, the Health Potions kept her alive. Ava had to be cautious to avoid being struck by lethal attacks and tried to minimize the damage she sustained. [ Weak belf! ] The Fallen angel continued to mock and insult Ava, even going so far as to coin a new term, ''belf'', abination of bug and elf. The Fallen angel''s insults and mockeries didn''t phase Ava, but rather impressed her with his tenacity. At one point, the creature even started speaking in othernguages, which Ava assumed were more insults. ''Can he just shut up?'' As she narrowly avoided another attack from the Angel, Ava teleported back to the tform and sprinted towards the open door. [ Where are you going, weak one? ] Suddenly, Ava''s vision went ck, and she was unable to see anything. However, she was fortunate to have the ''Sense'' attribute, which she had gained upon reaching level 15, enchanted by a blessing. This allowed her to feel the angel''s presence, even though she couldn''t see him. Swish... The Fallen angel''s double-edged sword was rapidly descending towards Ava, aiming to behead her. She only had a few seconds to avoid it and suddenly stopped her movements, freezing the ce. Whoosh... The Demon de narrowly missed Ava''s face, passing right before her face. If she had taken one more step forward, she would have her head separated from the body. Dashing forward, Ava narrowly avoided the angel''s grasp and teleported down the first staircase, making sure to avoid stepping on any of the stairs. [ Running will not help you! ] The creature chased after her and its feet touched the Magic Circles engraved on the stairs. Whoosh... A burst of purple me shot up from below, enveloping the angel and causing him significant damage. [ Aghhh! ] Ignoring the angel''s cries of pain, Ava casted ''Lightning Spear'' andunched it at the burning creature. Checking the Angel''s status, she noticed that he still had around 28,000 HP remaining and smiled. ording to Leo''s instructions, Ava would need to lead the angel down the tower and into the traps in order to defeat him. The most crucial part of the n would be to damage the angel''s wings, so he couldn''t fly over the traps. Upon examining the state of the angel''s wings, Ava realized that he would not be able to fly. However, what worried her was the fact that he had the ''Shadow Step'' spell, which was at its maximum level and had almost no cooldown. Couldn''t the Angel just appear in her shadow every time she teleported? Although Leo had assured Ava that the Angel''s ''Shadow Step'' spell won''t be a problem, she couldn''t shake off her nerves. She remained vignt, just in case, but as they descended the tower, the angel had not used the spell even once. As Ava looked around, she noticed that the shadows in the room were behaving strangely. They seemed to be both absent and present at the same time, as if they were half-living beings. Ava couldn''t understand why, but it seemed as if the shadows were now moving of their own ord, slightly shifting towards the south. ''The first cloud exploded in the south...'' Ava was slowly connecting the dots, but had to push the thoughts at the back of her mind, because the angel threw his Demon de, aiming to impale her. [ Is the only thing you can do run!? ] Swish... The sword flew past Ava''s face, narrowly missing her and slightly grazing her pointy ear. A small stream of blood flowed down her neck, but Ava ignored the injury and focused on the Angel. She felt something seeping away her strength and teleported behind a staircase, to avoid being directly seen by the angel. [ Aghhh! ] Ava heard the angel''s cries of pain echoing through the staircase, she couldn''t help but smirk. Despite the significant damage he had sustained, the monster seemed to be blindly following her, disregarding his own well-being. Ava couldn''t understand why the angel, who seemed to have a high level of intelligence, was acting so recklessly, but she didn''t mind it. [ 21,651/60,000 HP ] As the Angel''s health slowly decreased, Ava''s confidence grew. However, she didn''t let her guard down, bing even more vignt against the dying creature. She knew that the angel would be even more ferocious as he approached its death. Boom... The tower itself suffered from the angel''s frenzied rampage, but Ava was always just out of his reach. No matter how much damage he took or how many stairs he climbed, Ava would teleport away at thest second, frustrating and enraging the angel further. At some point, the Fallen angel began to spit out blue mes like a dragon. His mask fell off, revealing a handsome yet twisted face contorted with malice and anger. Despite the angel''s ''Infernal Resilience'', the purple mes still inflicted significant damage. These traps dealt true damage, which bypassed both physical and magical defenses. If the angel had wanted to reduce the damage from the purple mes, he should have had Fire Resistance. The angel even encountered some disappearing stairs, but managed to grab onto the edge and pull himself back onto the staircase. While the creature was struggling Ava just continued to consume potions and teleport to safety,unching Lightning Spears whenever she had the chance to try and inflict as much damage as possible. After a grueling half-hour, Ava and the angel reached the tform in the middle of the tower. [ These bastards! Giving blessings to an enemy and then dying! ] The Fallen angel cursed as he looked at the debris of statues scattered across the floor. His cold eyes locked onto Ava, who was slowly backing towards the other staircase. For some reason, the angel was unable to use his ''Shadow Step'' spell. If he had been able to, the fight would have ended much sooner. As he felt his ck blood running down his face, the being frowned and licked it off with his tongue. [ Bitter... ] Growling in frustration, the angel charged towards Ava, summoning another Demon de in his hand. Swish... The weapon met no resistance, indicating that Ava had sessfully dodged his attack. The monster had no intention to let his target go and tensed his wings, casting ''Wings of Darkness'', momentarily blinding Ava. Whoosh... Unfortunately for the fallen angel, Ava was already out of his sight, a dozen feet away from him. Sheunched a Lightning Orb directly at his face. As the projectile hit the angel''s face, something within his head snapped. His eyes turned blood red, and all of his remaining reasoning left his body, unleashing a ferocious beast that only cared about killing Ava. Growl... An unintelligent growl escaped the angel''s throat as heunched himself at Ava. She barely had any time to dodge and ran towards the staircase, teleporting through all of the traps as she went. Without hesitation, the angel sprang after Ava, ignoring the purple mes burning his skin and the poisonous needles stuck in his forearm. His red eyes, full of malice, were fixed on Ava as he chased after her. Ava took a deep breath and focused on the iing creature. She knew that she couldn''t let her guard down for even a second, as the angel was now a frenzied beast. She tensed her muscles awaiting for the iing monster, preparing to cast another ''Lightning Step''. As she gathered her energy, she noticed that the shadows in the room were bing even more agitated. They seemed to be writhing and pulsing, as if they were alive. Ava couldn''t understand what was causing this strange phenomenon, but she knew that it couldn''t be good. Just as she was about tounch her attack, the angel appeared behind her, his demon de at the ready. Ava gasped and quickly teleported out of the way, narrowly avoiding being skewered. Growl... The angel sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. Even though its intelligence had degraded, its battle instincts were still present, allowing it to sh his sword at Ava with deadly precision. As the angel approached, Ava summoned a bolt of lightning andunched it towards him, hoping to inflict as much damage as possible. She knew that the creature would reach her before her teleportation spell''s cooldown was up, so she had to be ready to defend herself. [ Aghhh! ] The bolt struck the angel with full force, causing him to cry out in pain. His burnt wings, which had already been damaged from the traps, now looked even more battered and torn. Ava knew that the angel was weakened, but it was nowhere close to dying. The monster had over 8,000 HP left! Chapter 125 The Fallen One (4) Chapter 125 The Fallen One (4) Thud... The fallen angel has regained its ability to teleport in Ava''s shadow. Bothbatants were nearing the bottom of the tower, but the creature still had 3,000 HP remaining, indicating that the fight was far from over. Ava kept using her Mana potions that were already scarce, but her strength was slowly seeping away. The constant use of the ''Lightning Step'' and Angel spells was taking a mental toll on her. The creature had been reduced to a mere shell of its former self. Although it possessed intelligence, its primal instincts seemed to have taken over, causing it to be even more ferocious and seemingly immune to pain as it ignored most of the damage inflicted upon it. Looking at the Health Bar hovering above its head Ava gave her best, trying to kill the monster. Thud... The creature suddenly teleported behind Ava and swung its ws, which were dripping with her blood. Health and Mana potions were the only things keeping Ava alive. Although the potions were of low quality and had been purchased from NPCs, they were serving their purpose splendidly. Zziinngg... Ava summoned another Lightning Spear and threw it at the approaching creature, but it simply caught it out of the air and tossed it back at her. Usually, a yer could not be harmed by their own spells or skills, but the Angel''s abilities seemed to have altered the Spear, causing it to be enveloped in blue mes as it flew back towards Ava. Ava barely managed to teleport away from the iing ws. She was used to the creature''s attack patterns and had learned to dodge them without relying on teleportation, but Leo had warned her not to let her guard down. He reminded her that it didn''t matter what type of creature she was fighting, she should always be vignt and not let her guard down. As the yer and the angel continued to exchange blows, the Fallen Being suddenly froze in ce. [ 1,000/60,000 HP ] The creature''s health was dangerously low, but its blood-red eyes seemed to be returning to their normal color. [ I can''t believe that a bug could bring me to such a state! ] The monster sneered at Ava, its eyes filled with malice as it red at her. It was a proud being, and it couldn''t believe that it was about to be defeated by a simple elf. It cursed the statues that had bestowed blessings upon the girl before it. [ I guess you are worthy... ] Ava felt goosebumps as she sensed the Mana gathering around the Fallen Angel. Despite its low health, it was still a level 115 monster that could easily kill her with a single hit. And now that it had regained its intelligence, Ava was both nervous and excited at the unknown oue of the battle. Crack... The sound of something breaking came from the angel, causing Ava made of burning blue-med feathers. These new limbs were even 22:20 rger than the ck ones, with a wingspan of 20 meters, and their to frown in concern. Swish... Swish... A second pair of wings emerged from the angel''s back, these wings made of burning blue-med feathers. These new limbs were evenrger than the ck ones, with a wingspan of 20 meters, and their presence caused the temperature of the surroundings to rise drastically. [ You are worthy to behold the wings I have gained for defiling that bastard! Consider yourself lucky, weak one! ] As Ava prepared to use the ''Lightning Step'', she realized that the sight of the location she intended to teleport to was blocked by a huge wing. It appeared that the monster had figured out that Ava needed to see the location in order to teleport, and was using its wings to prevent her from doing so. ''...'' Leo had mentioned that there was a 10% chance for an Angel to recover from its enraged state and a 5% chance for it to summon a second pair of wings. Ava had not expected to be so unlucky as to have both of these things happen in her battle. ''Maybe the reward will be better...'' Grumbling, Ava barely managed to avoid a wave of hellfire that was quickly approaching her position. She utilized the blessings she received from the statues to jump high into the air, weaving and dodging the mes that would have surely spelled her death. Whoosh... Ava also managed tounch a Lightning Spear at the monster, but it easily blocked the attack with its wing made of burning feathers. The Angel didn''t even receive a single digit of damage! ''Move...'' With one of the monster''s wings upied by blocking Ava''s attack, she was able to teleport away and avoid another set of traps on the stairs. She let out a sigh of relief as she watched the angel, its eyes gleaming as it quickly approached the stairs. Since the angel''s extended wings were toorge to fit in the narrow stairway, Ava hoped that it would have to temporarily fold them behind its back, giving her an opportunity to impale it with Lightning Spears. [ Pathetic! ] Suddenly, the creature''s wings shrunk in size and it instantly teleported behind Ava, attempting to burn her alive by enclosing her in its ming wings. Ava barely had time to evade, but she managed to do so due to sensing a strange swirling of Mana behind her just before the monster stepped out of her shadow. Her sense attribute was proving to be incredibly useful in this battle! The Demon de missed Ava by a hair''s breadth and she immediately summoned a Lightning Spear, impaling it into the angel''s abdomen. - 578 Critical Damage! The angel spewed some blood, but its Demon de soon descended for a second time, creating sonic booms along its path and forcing Ava to teleport away to avoid it. [ I have descended into hell, not to be defeated by the likes of you! ] Ava was surprised to hear the creature whine, as it was unexpected given its previous boasts and trash talk. However, she steeled her resolve and cast a Lightning Orb spell. Zziinngg... The Angel''s condition was dire, with half of its body burnt by purple mes, its ck clothes in tatters, and only its dimming blue wings still possessed some hints of its previous majesty. - 334 Magical Damage! The orb hit the creature''s chest, reducing its health to zero. Screech... The Fallen Angel let out its final breath and fell to the ground, turning to ashes and only leaving its burnt wings behind. Ava also fell to the ground, her legs trembling from the strain, she was utterly fatigued, but also happy to have dealt with such a powerful enemy. Consuming a Health and a Mana potion she slowly stood up and approached two ck wings that had magically healed to their perfect condition. [ ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ????????????... ] [ ???? ?????? ???????????? ????? ] *** Leo paced back and forth in his room in the temple, biting his nails in anxiety. Fenrir, who wasfortably lounging on the couch, watched him with curious eyes, but made no move to intervene in his owner''s actions. ''Maybe I shouldn''t have used the Shadow Realm?'' Leo was concerned about his use of his Ultimate Spell. He had disturbed the shadows everywhere in the area, including in the tower, preventing the Angel from using its offensive ''Shadow Step'' spell. If Ava followed his instructions, Leo was confident that she would seed in defeating the Fallen Angel and earn the Legacy of the Fallen, a hidden race that would grant her some massive perks. Leo estimated that Ava was already as strong as a level 40 yer due to the blessings she had received, but the charm she would receive from the Legacy of the Fallen would make her even more dangerous. It could potentially even be used against monsters with intelligence. Shaking his head, Leo tried to calm himself down, but his mind kept drifting back to the images of Ava when she had obtained her new race. In her past life, she could have been considered a goddess, rivaled in strength only by a select few other female yers. ''Focus!'' Humbling himself by pping his own cheeks, Leo forcefully pulled himself out of his fantasies and saw Fenrir looking at him with harmless eyes. Letting out a sigh Leo copsed on the couch nearby him. "How do I achieve charm resistance..." Leo knew that Ava was curious about his identity and had her suspicions. They also had some kind of ongoingpetition between them, with the current score at 1:1. He felt that revealing his identity would cause him to lose, but now he also trusted Ava to some extent and was sure that she wouldn''t reveal his identity. ''Well she is on my friend list...'' Leo wasn''t sure how to describe his rtionship with Ava. Were they friends? Maybe... He wanted to call them business partners, but would a business partner give you a ride on a wolf, help youplete a quest, or even kill a Grim Reaper for you? Maybe... Shaking his head, Leo pushed the matter to the back of his mind and patted the ck fur of his wolf. [ Congrattions to yer Ava for obtaining a hidden race! ] Chapter 126 The Fallen One (5) Chapter 126 The Fallen One (5) Ava red at the two wings made ofpletely dark feathers thaty in the dust of the defeated enemy. She didn''t even care about the huge amount of EXP she received, which had caused her to level up twice. [ ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ????????????... ] [ ???? ?????? ???????????? ????? ] [ ?????? / ???? ] Massaging her temtes, Ava sighed, but the corners of her lips were curled up in a small smile. "So that''s what Leo meant when he said that the reward would be huge!" Ava crouched and touched the soft feathers of the wings before lifting them. She knew that receiving a legacy was one of the rarest things that could happen in Fragmental. It could grant a yer a hidden ss, subss, or even a new race. Ava didn''t know what The Legacy of the Fallen would give her, but she was certain it would be powerful. Without hesitation, she pressed the ''Yes'' button. Swish... Suddenly, the wings came to life and began pping, causing Ava to drop them in surprise. The two ck objects flew behind her and attached themselves to her back. A wave of pain washed over Ava and she copsed to the ground. It felt as if her back was being stung by needles covered in acidic liquid. The pain was intense and agonizing. Tears streamed from Ava''s eyes as she quietly trembled, but she kept her mouth tightly shut, not releasing a single sound. [ ??????????????????????????????, ?????? ???????? ???????????????? ?? ???????????? ????????: ???????????? ??????????! ] [ ???? ?? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???? ??????????, ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ??????????????... ] [ ???????? ???????????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ????-???????? ????????! ] As she read through the messages, Ava''s face contorted and she immediately logged off the game, removing the headgear from her sweaty face. Thud... Thud... She made her way towards the bathroom, running through the house and freezing in ce when she saw her reflection in the mirror. ... She stood in silence, touching her face which was now even more delicate than before. Her hair, which was supposed to bepletely white, was now slightly gray. Her icy blue eyes glistened in the light, and her lips werepletely red, as if she had applied lipstick. Absentmindedly moving towards her room, she buried herself in the nket of the bed and grumbled. ''How can a game even change your appearance?'' She wondered if the changes in her appearance had something to do with the headgear, but quickly dismissed that thought. If that was the case, how had her hair turned gray? She took out her phone from her pocket and looked at the list of people she had saved, sighing. There was only one person who could answer her questions. Ring... Ring... Unfortunately, Leo didn''t pick up, maybe he was ying Fragmental? Ava rolled around in her bed sheets, panicking as she thought about the trouble her new appearance would cause. If she had previously been considered beautiful, she was now the epitome of beauty. Her glistening eyes, plump lips, and new hair color made her look like a goddess. ''I wonder...'' Ava''s thoughts shifted to the man who hadn''t been affected by her previous appearance. Could he still keep his calm in front of her? Ava''s lips unknowingly curved up into a bewitching smile that would give a normal man a heart attack. *** Leo felt a shiver run down his back and immediately nced around. No one besides him and Fenrir was in the room, but it felt as if a huge monster was aiming to devour him. ''You never know...'' Leo exited the room and went around the temple, searching for any signs of unwanted guests. When he didn''t find any, he decided to go hunt another demon. Leo called for Fenrir and gave him some cooked pork before mounting him. Patting the wolf''s giant head, he instructed him to just move around the desert, not going too far away from the temple. As they moved through the red wastnd, Leo noticed some yellow scorpions walking through the sand and instructed Fenrir to avoid them. He was aware that one sting from such an insect could paralyze even a level 100 monster resistant to poison. Screech... Soon, they heard the cry of a powerful demon and a towering figure with two horns decorating its head emerged from the forest that was nearby the temple. Leo nced at the demon and sighed. It was an elite one. He had already figured out the safest way to lure these creatures to the altar and learned their attack patterns, but an elite monster''s superior attributes were a bit too much for him to handle. ''Run!'' Gesturing Fenrir to use his movement skill ''Windy Steps'' Leo felt the wind ruffling his hair. He knew that the elite demon was chasing after him, but didn''t dare turn back. Screech... Absorbing Fenrir into his tattoo, Leo dashed through the narrow corridors of the abandoned temple. As he moved among the vines that had grown from the ceiling, he heard the demon''s cry echo in the tunnel and felt a chill, despite the high temperature. Leo barged into the hall with the altar, removing a vial full of his blood from his alcove and throwing it on the rusty chains. nk... Leo hid behind one of the stone pirs and heard the metal snakes awaken from their slumber, searching for prey they could catch. Screech... Soon the Elite demon barged into the hall and froze in ce upon seeing the altar. Unfortunately for the monster, it was already within range of the chains and soon found itself being strangled by the metal serpents. Leo silently left the hall, tightly covering his ears so he wouldn''t hear the screams of the creature being devoured. ''Maybe I should bring them in a group?'' Leo immediately thought about the small animals that lived inside hell and the first thing that came to his mind was insects. There were various bugs, but most of them were poisonous, and Leo didn''t even consider catching them. ... Leo''s face curled up into a wide smile. He recalled a certain species of ants living inside Hell. ''Demonic Ants'' was a species of ants that lived in hell, had red shells and were territorial insects. They lived underground and were herbivores,cking sturdy shells and poison. Leo wasn''t sure if the altar would count a Demonic Ant as a soul, but he didn''t mind trying. The only problem was finding their hive. "Should I ask Ava for help?" Ava''s Sense attribute was probably in the dozens, because of the blessings she received, so sensing such weak creatures shouldn''t be a problem. Leo scratched his neck and looked towards the tower. "How should I greet her?" *** Thud... Thud... The sound of fists pounding against flesh echoed through the air as the human, d in an orange robe, fought against the group of masked monsters. These creatures were formidable foes, with grey fur, burly bodies, and ws that glinted ominously in the dim light. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the human didn''t seem to fear the monsters. In fact, a slight smile yed across his lips as he readied himself for battle. "Bring it on!" With a fierce battle cry, Eric charged at the monsters, his fists armed with knuckles. He moved with lightning speed, throwing punch after punch at the creatures. One by one, they fell to the ground, their masks shattered by the force of his blows. The final beast fell with a mighty crack, as if its heart had been pierced by an invisible de. Eric stood victorious, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of his enemies. But his triumph was short-lived. As he fell to the ground, his butt hitting the icy earth with a thud, Eric realized that he was exhausted and injured. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red potion, which he quickly consumed in the hopes that it would give him the strength he needed to continue. As he lifted his head, Eric saw that it was snowing. Flurries of white kes swirled around him, carried on the biting wind that blew through the mountains. He was high in the peaks, and he could see the huge ice pce that loomed atop the highest mountain in the distance. For days, the monk had dreamed of reaching that pce. He had climbed tirelessly and fought countless battles to ascend the mountain and enter it, and he wasn''t about to let a little thing like his exhaustion stand in his way. With a renewed sense of determination, Eric pushed himself to his feet and set off once again, trudging through the deep snow as he made his way towards the pce. The going was tough, and the human had to use all of his strength and skill to navigate the treacherous slopes. More than once, he slipped and fell, but each time he picked himself back up and pressed on. As he drew closer to the pce, the monk could see that it was even more magnificent than he had imagined. Jagged spires of ice reached towards the sky, and frozen arches and columns adorned its walls. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight, and Eric''s heart pounded with excitement and anticipation. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Eric reached the gates of the pce. ''I wonder if Leo knows about this one?!'' Chapter 127 Erics Journey 127 Eric''s Journey The interior of the pce was even more magnificent than the exterior. The walls were made of pure ice, with frozen arches and columns rising towards the ceiling. The floor was a mosaic of shimmering tiles, depicting scenes from ancient myths and legends. Eric could hardly believe his eyes as he gazed around the hall. He had never seen anything like it before, and he knew that he would remember this moment for the rest of his life. But there was no time to marvel at the beauty of the pce. He could sense the presence of danger lurking in the shadows, and he knew that he had to be on his guard. He drew his knuckles and moved cautiously through the halls, his senses heightened as he searched for any sign of danger. But everything was eerily quiet, and he began to wonder if he had been mistaken about the presence of creatures in the pce. Just as he was beginning to rx, he heard a faint rustling sound behind him. He spun around, his The rustling sound grew louder, and Eric could feel the presence of something approaching. He tightened his grip on his knuckles, preparing to defend himself. Suddenly, the yetis emerged from the shadows, their grey fur blending in with the darkness. There were at least a dozen of them, each onerger and more formidable than thest. Eric''s heart pounded in his chest as he faced off against the yetis. He knew that he was outnumbered and outmatched, but he was not about to give up without a fight. With a fierce battle cry, he charged at the yetis, his fists flying as he pummeled them with all his might. The yetis roared and swung their ws, but Eric was too fast for them. He dodged and weaved between them, striking blow after blow as he fought for his life. The battle raged on for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually, the yetis began to fall one by one. Eric was panting and covered in sweat, but he refused to give up. He knew that he had to keep going, no matter how difficult it seemed. The Yetis continued to fall, their numbers dwindling as Eric''s strength and skill proved too much for them to handle. But just when it seemed that the battle was won, a massive yeti,rger and more powerful than the rest, emerged from the shadows. Eric''s heart sank as he saw the massive yeti emerge from the shadows. He had never faced an opponent like this before, and he knew that it was going to be a tough fight. The yeti let out a deafening roar as it charged towards Eric, its ws extended. Eric braced himself for the impact, but at thest second, he sidestepped and delivered a powerful punch to the yeti''s stomach. The yeti staggered back, surprised by the force of Eric''s attack. But it quickly recovered and swung its ws at Eric, who barely managed to duck under the attack. "Not so tough bastard!" The two continued to circle each other, neither one gaining an advantage. Eric knew that he had to find a way to take down the yeti, but he was running out of ideas. He had fought countless battles within thest week, but this one was different. The yeti was bigger, stronger, and more relentless than any opponent he had faced before. As they exchanged blows, Eric could feel his energy beginning to wane. He had been fighting for what seemed like hours, and he knew that he couldn''t keep this up for much longer. Eric knew that he had to find a way to get the upper hand. He remembered what his experiences taught him about finding an opponent''s weakness. He just had to figure out what the yeti''s was. As the yeti swung its ws at him again, Eric noticed that it was slightly off bnce. It was leaning too far forward, leaving its midsection vulnerable. Eric seized the opportunity and delivered a powerful punch to the yeti''s stomach. It let out a roar of pain as it stumbled backwards, and Eric knew that he had found its weakness. He quickly followed up with another punch to the yeti''s head, and then another to its chest. The yeti swung its ws wildly, trying to fend off Eric''s attacks, but its sharp nails couldn''t reach Eric. Eric jolted forward and gave a powerful punch to the yeti''s chest. The monster let out a whimper of pain as it stumbled, trying not to fall. Eric continued to hammer away at the yeti, his fists moving with lightning speed as he sought to finish the fight. The yeti roared and swung its ws, but it was no match for Eric''s relentless assault. Finally, with a final blow to the head, Eric sent the yeti crashing to the ground. Ity there motionless, its body bruised and battered from the intense battle. Eric stood over the yeti, panting and covered in sweat. He had never fought an opponent so tough before, and he knew that he had been lucky toe out on top. But he had no time to rest. He could sense that there were more yetis lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to attack. Eric drew his knuckles and ran through the halls, using his sixth sense skill as he searched for any sign of danger. Moving through the pce, he could feel the presence of danger lurking in the shadows. He knew that he was not alone, and he could sense the presence of creatures watching him from the darkness. But he did not let his fear show. He had higher goals and wouldn''t let these imaginary creatures sway his decisions. He moved through the halls, his fists at the ready, his senses heightened as he searched for any sign of danger. But everything was eerily quiet, and he began to wonder if he had been mistaken about the presence of creatures in the pce. Just as he was beginning to rx, he heard a faint rustling sound behind him. He spun around, his fists at the ready, but there was nothing there. The rustling sound grew louder, and Eric could feel the presence of something approaching. He tightened his grip on his knuckles, preparing to attack the attacker. Growl... A head of a fluffy snow-white wolf emerged from the darkness baring its teeth towards Eric. Eric''s heart raced as he nced over the beast. It was arge wolf, with piercing blue eyes and fur that seemed to glow in the dim light of the pce. The monster seemed menacing and its eyes, without a glimpse of intelligence, even made it look more ferocious. Despite his fear, Eric stood his ground. He knew that he could not back down now. He had to stand strong and face the wolf head on. The wolf snarled and lunged at Eric, its sharp teeth glinting in the light. But Eric was ready for it. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the wolf''s attack. As the wolf turned to face him again, Eric struck out with his knuckles,nding a solid punch on the side of the beast''s head. The wolf yelped in pain and stumbled backwards, giving Eric an opening to attack. He took full advantage of the opportunity,unching himself at the wolf with all his might. The two shed in a fierce battle, each determined toe out on top. Eric fought with all his strength,nding blow after blow on the wolf. But the beast was strong, and it seemed to be barely affected by Eric''s attacks. As the battle raged on, Eric began to tire. His arms ached and his breaths came in short gasps. He knew that he couldn''t keep this up much longer. Just when he thought he couldn''t go on any longer, the wolf let out a final howl of pain and copsed to the ground. Huff... Huff... Kneeling before the monster''s corpse turning into Light particles Eric sighed in relief. ''I wonder if Leo would kill it...'' He frowned thinking about the hooded individual who seemed able fend off against everything that came after him. He even managed to kill a group of 15 people and kill the boss by himself! Eric couldn''t help, but agree it was cool, but demoralizing. Looking at his Status screen Eric knew he had made some good progress, but would that be enough topete against Leo? He didn''t know... Dusting off his orange robe he stood up and drank a HP potion. Eric had traveled to the mountains, because of the Forum thread he came across a week ago. It was about the higher EXP drops the creature''s on the mountain give. He also tried to invite Eli and Ava, but both of them refused, saying that they have some prior things to do. Eric was all by himself... It wasn''t lonely! not at all... Chapter 128 Beauty is a Weapon 128 Beauty is a Weapon Leo carefully read over the message he hadposed in the chat window. He wanted to make sure that it conveyed his thoughts clearly and urately before sending it off to Ava. As he read through the words, he considered whether or not any changes or edits needed to be made, paying close attention to the tone andnguage he had used. He felt troubled, asking for help from Ava, especially now, when she had gotten a new race. ''Maybe I should search for the ant hive alone?'' Scratching his chin Leo thought, but soon shook his head. The Demonic Ants are one of the rarest insects in hell and finding them without the Sense attribute would take him ages. Leo could also keep luring demons inside the temple, but that would also require time and he wanted to escape from hell as fast as possible. Having no heat or fire resistance was taking a toll on his mind. Click... As Leo hit the send button on the message he had written, he couldn''t help but look towards the towering structure in the horizon. He had seen pictures of Ava before, but seeing her from a distance and seeing her up close were twopletely different things. If from afar, she looked like a goddess, how stunning would she look up close? ''Control yourself...'' Growling at himself Leo summoned Fenrir and patted his fur. He knew that the wolf wasn''t a fan of high temperatures. However, Leo couldn''t afford to move slowly through the wastnd and risk being caught by the demons. "I''ll prepare you something special, when we get out of this hell..." As Leo scratched Fenrir''s ck fur, he noticed the wolf''s eyes glisten with excitement at the mention of food. As Leo jumped onto Fenrir''s back, he received a message from Ava. Upon reading it, he saw that she had agreed to meet him near the base of the towering spire. Leo let out a sigh, unsure of whether he was relieved or nervous about her response. While he had requested the meeting, a part of him had been unsure if he really wanted to go through with it. ''This is for the shortcut...'' Consoling himself, Leo instructed Fenrir to run towards the towering spire in the distance. The sun was currently hovering above the peak of the structure, giving it an eerie and otherworldly appearance. *** As they journeyed on Fenrir''s back, Leo couldn''t shake the feeling of nervousness that consumed him. The only thing that kept him from worrying too much about the uing meeting was the harsh and dangerous environment of the hellish wastnd they were traveling through. He had to remain vignt, constantly on the lookout for roaming creatures and venomous yellow scorpions that threatened to sting his wolfpanion. After a few grueling hours of travel, the red sun was high in the sky and Leo was finally approaching the towering spire. As they drew closer, he could make out the silhouette of a person standing at the open door of the structure. His nerves heightened at the sight and he couldn''t help but gulp in nervousness. The person near the tower also shifted his head towards the approaching Leo and waved. ''Just don''t look at her face'' As Leo dismounted from Fenrir and began walking towards Ava on his own two feet, he couldn''t help but take in all of the details of her appearance. The closer he got, the more he was struck by her beauty. Ava''s grey hair flowed in the wind, and her height seemed slightly increased, perhaps due to the ck wings that were visible behind her back. Her lips were red as blood, and her blue eyes glistened in the dimly lit desert, giving her a mysterious and bewitching look. As she greeted Leo with a smile, he couldn''t help but momentarily stumble, his heart stopping at the sight of her delicate, yet captivating face. ''Fuck...'' Leo was happy, since his face was hidden beneath the hood and Ava couldn''t see his face. "Hi!" Ava sheepishly greeted him while moving closer, bringing her beautiful face right in front of Leo. ... Feeling his blood pressure rising Leo closed his eyes. "Hello. Sorry I''m a bitte... We should really get going. The desert is crawling with demons and it''s not safe to stay in one ce for too long" Despite his eyes being closed, Leo couldn''t help but speak at an abnormally fast pace, his nerves than behind him as she had done before. getting the best of him. Without even waiting for Ava''s reply, he summoned Fenrir and climbed onto the wolf''s back, gesturing for Ava to follow him. Ava looked at Leo with slightly narrowed eyes, but the smile on her face remained unchanged. Despite the changes she noticed in his actions, she was happy to see a more human side to this usually ice cold demon. Like a nimble bunny, Ava gracefully jumped onto Fenrir''s back and took a seat in front of Leo, rather than behind him as she had done before. ... The silence engulfed the pair and Leo quietly patted Fenrir, gesturing him to run towards the temple. Even though his heart was beating as if he was running a marathon, he didn''t want to be killed by the demons roaming around the desert. As Ava sat in front of him, Leo couldn''t help but notice a pleasant fragrance emanating from her, a smell of rain that shouldn''t have been possible in the hellish wastnd they were in, where only acidic liquid fell from the clouds. Right now, he couldn''t help, but curse his senses enchanted by the Bond he had with Fenrir. He could notice, smell and see more things that a normal human could, which made Ava even more attractive. "Why couldn''t the Angel use its Shadow Step?" Ava suddenly spoke with a curious tone, causing Leo to slightly shudder in response. Even her voice seemed more appealing up close, and Leo found it difficult to collect his thoughts with her so near. He frowned, trying to focus on her words, but the proximity of Ava made it difficult for him to concentrate. Despite his inner turmoil, Leo knew that he had to remain focused and do his best to keep his emotions in check. "I''ve momentarily disabled it." Leo curtly replied, trying to keep his responses short and to the point. His dry throat threatened to stutter with every word, and he didn''t trust himself to speak in long sentence Ava nodded, understanding that Leo would not borate further on the matter. Despite his curt responses, her smile remained unchanged, Leo was showing signs that he was more at ease with her than during their first encounter. Since Ava didn''t quite like the silent atmosphere she was about to ask another question when the Fenrir suddenly stopped in his tracks and growled. In a split second, Ava was suddenly pulled off of the wolf''s back and Leo quickly reached out to catch her in the midst of her fall. Even though Ava could teleport into a safe location Leo didn''t want her to use Mana, when he could help her to regain her footing. Screech... With a loud, earth-shattering roar, the death worm emerged from the red sand, its massive body uncoiling and writhing as it made its way to the surface. Its long, segmented body was covered in sharp, ck spines, and its huge, gaping maw was filled with rows of jagged teeth. Its beady eyes glinted with malice as it scanned the area, ring at the wolf, right beneath its insect-like legs. Leo couldn''t help, but curse seeing its outer appearance. It was an elite monster, with size and power to devour a small vehicle. Making sure that he and Ava were far enough, so the worm couldn''t reach them, he quickly released Ava from his hands and called Fenrir to his side. "Be careful, it''s an elite monster!" Leo tried to warn Ava, but she suddenly disappeared and teleported above the worm''s head. Her wings made out of ck feathers were extended, allowing her to levitate in the air. Swish... Her Lightning Spear struck the worm''s head, making it screech in pain. Even though the creature was Lv. 75, Ava could still wound it. Leo momentarily froze seeing a beautiful girl with wings of an angel, hovering above the creature that was supposed to be avoided rather than fought. ''Snap out of it...'' Pinching his own cheek, Leo sighed before summoning some of his Shadow Soldiers and sending them to assist Ava, while he prepared to cast Shadow Protection to shield Ava. He didn''t forget to use his other hand tounch Shadow sts at the worm''s legs andmand Fenrir to attack its soft abdomen which was not covered with scales. Leo quickly ordered his soldiers to climb the beast''s body and transform their limbs into small sickles, which they would use to tear away at the monster''s tough scales and expose its soft underskin. He knew that this was their best chance at defeating the deadly death worm. ''He shouldn''t have attacked us...'' Chapter 129 Avas strength 129 Ava''s strength Swish... Ava was currentlybating a huge elite death worm, but her mind was not in the fight. The blood rushing to her face made it difficult for her to concentrate, and she felt distracted and disoriented. Just a few seconds ago, when Leo was holding her in his arms Ava felt her heartbeat fasten for a second. The close proximity to him made her feel a bit nervous, but also excited and curious. She couldn''t help, but wonder about the face hidden beneath the hood, was it really her ssmate? While it was already known that Leo attended Preklin University, Ava wasn''t certain that the Leonard sitting near her was the same Leo. Just because he was able to resist her charm and remainposed in her presence didn''t necessarily mean he was the same person as Leo. ''Can''t he just tell me?'' Ava pouted while teleporting away from the death worm''s approaching maw. She could feel her wings trembling under the strain of the fight, but she also knew that they were getting stronger with every p. Ava was surprised to discover that her ck-feathered wings had their own separate experience bar, and they were currently at level 1. Using her new limbs to propel herself out of the insect''s attacks, Ava took a nce at Leo who was openly looking towards her. Even though he had his hood pulled up, Ava felt like their eyes briefly met. However, Leo quickly turned his head back towards the worm, focusing onmanding the shadow soldiers to attack it. ... Ava''s face lit up as she continued to damage the worm. She was now sure, Leo was, indeed, attracted to her beauty, but had very good self control. She didn''t know why this information brought her joy, but Ava buried this feeling deep within her heart, where it should stay, at least for the duration of the fight. Screech... The death worm violently collided with Leo''s protective spell, taking significant damage and 22:51 breaking some of its razor-sharp teeth. The shockwaves from the impact rippled through the area, The giant creature let out a piercing screech as it felt its scales being torn by small, ck silhouettes that were climbing onto its body. It thrashed around, trying to shake them off, but the Shadow Soldiers held on firmly and did not fall. Realizing that its attempts to shake off the Shadows were futile, the Death worm dove into the ground, causing the Soldiers to release their grip on its scaly body. Since Ava was still hovering above the ground, she was rtively safe. Leo, however, was not in a secure position. The worm could have emerged from the ground beneath him and devoured him. Ava was about to teleport to him and lift him into the air, but Leo signaled for her not to. Leo was aware that Ava''s wings were fragile, as she had just recently grown them. He did not require any assistance, and in fact, he wanted the giant worm to bury into the ground. Leo closed his eyes and focused on his senses, feeling slight vibrations beneath the ground. He heard Fenrir growling and felt the sand beneath his feet quaking. In an instant, Leo jumped into the air and casted Shadow Protection beneath his feet. Thud... The death worm violently collided with Leo''s protective spell, taking significant damage and breaking some of its razor-sharp teeth. The shockwaves from the impact rippled through the area, raising a red sand cloud. The Shadow Protection also shattered, but Leo escaped from the exchange unharmed. A few secondster Avanded right beside him, handing him a Health potion, but he just shook his head. The Shadow Soldiers were about to attach themselves to the worm again, but the creature used its massive body to crush them as soon as they were within reach. After a few seconds, all of the Shadow Soldiers were dead, while the monster shifted its gaze towards Fenrir, who was wing at its abdomen. Swish... Leo quickly threw a Shadow st at its face and ordered Fenrir to back up. Ava also teleported to the worm''s face, thrusting the Lightning Spear that she had conjured into one of its eyes. Screech... Screaming in pain, the monster started spitting acid, but Ava managed to avoid it by using her wings to propel herself to the side. Leo knew that the creature was blinded and full of fear due to the Status Effects induced by his Shadow st. He quickly lit his hands in white mes and rushed in close range. Swish... Swish... Leo moved his hands in patterns that he had ingrained from his past life when he wielded a sword. He struck every weak point on the worm''s outer scales, causing it to copse from the pain. Unfortunately, the creature was not yet dead. Leo and Ava did not have the firepower to finish the worm in one hit, and it had a chance to escape into the red sand. Leo''s Protection spell was on cooldown, but the worm did not know that. Since Ava was still in the air, the most logical target for the worm would be Fenrir. Leo quickly ran towards his wolf and stood beside him, acting as if he could protect him with his Shadow Protection, which was still on cooldown. He felt the sand quaking beneath his feet, but it was due to the worm''s enraged screech. It seemed that the monster had no intention to attack them further. "I think it''s over!" Gesturing for Ava tond, Leo closed his eyes and tried to feel any sort of vibrations beneath his feet. Quake... While still being mindful of the worm''s presence, Leo transmitted a message to Fenrir to be aware of his surroundings. He mounted the wolf, and Ava followed suit, taking a seat just in front of Leo. Even though the chance of the monster''s attack was very high, Leo couldn''t concentrate. Growl... ''Charm resistance...'' Leo needed to increase his charm resistance or obtain an item that would grant him that. If this continued, he would soon start falling for Ava. It wasn''t as if the girl wasn''t attractive, Leo just didn''t want to get involved in a romantic rtionship right now. He had other priorities and didn''t want to get distracted. p... Leo pped his cheeks, waking himself from his fantasy. Ava didn''t even like him, how could they have a romantic rtionship? "What are you... doing?" Hearing Leo p himself Ava shifted her head to ''meet his eyes''. "Humbling myself." Knowing full well, that he won''t be able to speak normally whilst looking at her face, Leo closed his eyes and replied. He felt sweat gathering on his forehead. Should he skip university on Monday? Growl... Leo felt Fenrir''s warning and quickly reacted, grabbing Ava and kicking off the wolf while also casting a protection spell beneath hispanion. He knew that they were in danger and he had to act fast to protect them both. Unfortunately, this time the worm was smarter and did not rush in blindly. It stopped just short of Leo''s spell and crushed it with its teeth rather than its face. ''So the bastard can learn...'' As Leo ced Ava on the ground, he kept his eyes on the worm and did not notice Ava''s gaze, which was fixed on his face. Ava was jolted out of her stupor a few secondster when she was forced to move due to the acidic spitunched at them by the death worm. The creature also roared in rage, which made Ava''s legs slightly tremble. However, after bing a Fallen Angel, she had gained supremacy over some creatures, which reduced the fear factoring from species inferior to hers. Leo also had some Fear resistance and was not strongly impacted by the worm''s roar, which was full of malice and killing intent. Leo looked at Fenrir, who was sneaking up behind the monster, and smirked. None of his teammates were affected by fear. Perhaps they could escape hell faster than he had expected! Lightning particles began to dance on Leo''s arm, and soon a lightning bolt appeared in his grip. It was different from Ava''s Lightning Spear, which was still below Level 5. The spell Leo held in his hand held a little more power, but that was only because it was Level 5. As a Shadow Mage, Leo naturally dealt less damage with Lightning spells than a Lightning mage would. Swish... The projectile tore through the air, piercing the area where the scales of the worm had been torn off by the Shadow soldiers. Green blood started flowing out of the monster''s wound, causing it to freeze in ce. Shriek... The shockwaves from its roar spread across the area, causing the Mana surrounding it to swirl. Rumble... Rumble... The ground in the vicinity shook, causing Leo and Ava to lose their footing. Ava managed to stabilize herself with her wings, while Leo leaned on Fenrir, who quickly came to his side at Leo''smand. Suddenly another creature, simr to the first one emerged from the red sand, letting out a shriek of rage. "It''s the worm''s partner" Leo whispered into Ava''s ear, causing her to jolt away. Leo gave her a questioning look before focusing on the second threat that had appeared before them. "I''ll finish the first one, try to distract the other!" Chapter 130 Avas strength (2) Chapter 130 Ava''s strength (2) Thud... Leo sighed as the giant death worm fell before him, its body battered and broken. Wounds covered its once fearsome form, and patches of scales were ripped off, revealing raw, exposed flesh. Acidic liquid that burnt sand was dripping from its mouth, but soon the monstrous being disappeared into particles. [ ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ????????????! ] < ???????? > 1?? ????,?????? ?????? { ???????????? } 2?? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? 3?? ?????????? ???????????????? ?? ~~~~ Leo nced at the Loot dropped by the Elite worm and frowned upon seeing the Active Skill book. 1?? ?????????? ???????????????? < ????. ?? > -- ?????????????????? ???????????? ?????? ??????????... ~~~~ The skill wasn''t attractive to a mage, who had low health, hence Leo threw it deep into his inventory. Screech... Shifting his eyes towards the second worm, which was engaged in battle with Ava. Leo noticed that two of its dozen eyes had been punctured. On the other hand, Ava seemed to be in good shape, but upon closer inspection, Leo noticed scratches on her clothing. It was clear that she had sustained some injuries during the fight, but the use of health potions had obviously aided in her quick recovery. With a swift movement, Leo summoned a Shadow st andunched it at the death worm''s jaw, taking care to absorb Fenrir into his tattoo as he did so. The wolf was clearly struggling to keep up, panting heavily as he fought in the oppressive heat. Leo and Ava were the only ones left standing in the vicinity, hence the death worm had the upper hand. Unlike the previous monster, it did not bury itself underground, leaving it free to attack at will. Ava fought valiantly, narrowly avoiding the creature''s attempts to devour her as she deftly moved out of range with a single p of her wings. To an outsider, it might have appeared that Ava was effortlessly holding her own against the death worm. However, Leo could see the sweat dripping down her face and her wings trembling with the effort of keeping her aloft for extended periods of time. Boom... Leo''s thrown st hit the worm, making it slightly stumble and Ava had a chance to take a small break. She quickly nced towards the direction of Leo and not seeing the second worm smiled. ''It''s like a drug...'' Leo had to bite his tongue to force himself to look away from Ava. He quickly noticed the red eyes of the monster ring towards him and barely managed to avoid its iing tail. ''Focus!'' Letting the white me dance on his palms, Leo, allowed it to engulf his entire body. He quickly closed in the distance and threw a few punches, leaving scorch marks on the monster''s weak abdomen. Splurt... Leo heard the worm spitting something and quickly cast Shadow Protection over his head to protect himself from the acid the monster spat. He saw a drop of acid hit his cloak, leaving a burn mark on the surface. Swish... While the worm was preupied with attacking Leo, Ava took advantage of the opportunity to strike it with another Lightning Spear, which pierced through one of its eyes and made it screech in pain. She flew closer to the creature''s face, using her wings, and threw the spear at its remaining eyes, hoping to cause further injury. The worm thrashed in pain, but being in agony didn''t even notice Ava casting another spell. Swish... Swish.... Soon the monster copsed on the ground, its body turning into light particles. Ava also copsed and fell from the sky, but Leo caught her. "Good job" He tried to avoid looking at her face as he spoke, unable to tear his eyes away from her despite the recent deadly battle. He found her even more attractive now, if that was possible. As he lifted a Mana potion to her red lips, Leo couldn''t help but feel his heart racing faster than it had during the fight with the worms. ''...'' Leo made a mental promise to himself that as soon as he logged out of the game, he would go for a run of at least 10 kilometers, no matter what time it was. He desperately needed some fresh air to clear his head. "Thank you..." Soon Ava recovered and could stand on her own two feet. Since Fenrir was temporarily out ofmission Leo and Ava had to travel to the temple on foot. It wasn''t very far, but dangerous, Leo even noticed some demons fighting in the distance. Using Ava''s Sense attribute they avoided most of the trouble, but met a demon right before the temple''s entrance. "He looks like your race..." Ava spoke, but Leo didn''t stop, pulling her inside the temple and rushing towards the hall with the altar. As they ran, he quickly exined the situation to her and why he needed her help. Ava frowned when she heard about the deeds Leo had done previously. "Are you religious?" "No" "But you are in the religious cult..." "..." Leo didn''t want toment further and picked up his pace, dragging Ava into the hall and throwing a vial of his blood on the chains. nk... Whilst Ava''s faces shifted into a one full of surprise, Leo prepared to cast Shadow Protection, just in case any chains decided toe after them. Soon, the demon was caught by the metal serpents and Leo led Ava out of the hall. She looked slightly curious, but followed Leo without a question. *** "What on earth are you doing, Leo?" His mother asked, watching her son jump into the pool with his clothes on. She couldn''t help but wonder if the game was affecting his mental health. "Humbling myself..." Leo murmured, retreating to his room and changing his clothes intofortable ones so he could run for long periods of time. Quietly closing the doors behind himself, he nced at the moon high in the sky and let out a small giggle. "cold..." Leo cast a quick nce at the house on the other side of the street and saw that the lights were on. He made a conscious effort to be extra quiet as he snuck out of his backyard. Broom... As a car drove past him and pulled into Ava''s driveway, Leo immediately recognized it as Eli''s and quickly disappeared into the darkness. Leo''s mother watched as her son disappeared into the darkness, wondering what he was up to. She had always been a little worried about Leo''s obsession with the game, but she had never imagined that it would lead to him sneaking out in the middle of the night. She made a mental note to have a talk with him about it in the morning and headed to bed, hoping that he would be back soon and safe. *** Click... Click... Eli was clicking her phone''s screen for the hundredth time, taking pictures of Ava from every angle possible. "Are you done?" Ava asked, slightly irritated by her friend''s enthusiasm. She was happy that her appearance was appealing, but it seemed that Eli was happier about the change than she herself was. "No!" Eli replied without hesitation. "How did your hair color change, anyway? Are you aging? I don''t see any wrinkles..." Eli rambled on as Ava sighed, feeling a headacheing on. She kind of regretted sending a picture of her new look to Eli. Ava didn''t think her friend would show up at her doorstep a few hourster. "I''m jealous, your skin became even smoother~" Eli said, pinching Ava''s cheek before quickly retreating to a safe distance. Even though she knew martial arts, she didn''t want to anger the ice queen. "So... What happened after my death?" Eli asked, getting slightly more serious. Happy that her friend stopped acting childish, Ava retold the whole story of her fight against the angel, its abilities, the environment in hell, and the tower full of deadly traps. "So, you''ve met Leo!" Eli eximed. Ava froze, having intentionally not mentioned anything concerning the guy. How did Eli even find out? "What?" Ava tried to feign ignorance, but her facade crumbled after Eli''s next sentence. "He wrote that he can go meet you and asked if you needed help..." For a few minutes,plete silence prevailed in the room. "Really?" Ava whispered quietly, her eyes hidden behind her long silver-grey hair. "No?" Eli giggled, escaping into the other room. "See! You care, you care!" Ava''s world shattered and her eyes becamepletely devoid of any light. Slowly shifting her head towards Eli, she lifted her body and started following the sounds of her giggle. "Hihihi... Ava.. hihihi... There''s a dark shadow looming over you... Ava?" Eli tried to suppress herughter as she didn''t even notice what demon she had unknowingly brought to life. "Ava?" Feeling a chill run down her body, Eli turned her head towards the approaching friend, but all she saw was danger. "Hey... Not funny?!" The silver-haired monster lunged at Eli with a growl escaping from her throat. "Give back my expectations!" They kept rolling around on the floor, Ava winning until Eli lifted her hands up in the air. "I give up..." Not feeling any resistance, Ava hummed and went to the sofa, where Pifay. "Don''t do it again..." she added while scratching the dog''s soft fur. Chapter 131 Avas Senses Chapter 131 Ava''s Senses Leo returned to his homete at night, when the moon was already high in the sky, casting a bright glow over the entire street. The lunar light illuminated the pavement and the surrounding buildings, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere. As Leo walked down the street, he could see his own shadow stretching out before him, cast by the bright moon above. It felt as if the shadow was staring back at him, but Leo just shook his head, it was only a shadow. Leo carefully and quietly unlocked the door to his house, taking care not to make any noise as he entered. Once inside, he removed his shoes and tiptoed across the floor, trying to avoid any creaky boards that might wake his parents up. Feeling hot and sticky from the heat and sweat, Leo headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He turned on the water, letting it run until it reached the perfect temperature before stepping into the stream of warm water. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, Leo saw his usual deep ck eyes framed by a handsome face. He traced his finger over his chiseled abs, which were more defined and visible after his run. His body was toned and fit. As Leo climbed into bed, he tried to clear his mind and rx, hoping to fall into a peaceful sleep. However, just as he was drifting off, his phone vibrated, indicating that he had received a message. He reached over to grab his phone, wondering who could be contacting him at such ate hour. [ The order for Health Potions has beenpleted! (-???) ] The sender of the message was Tia, a colleague of Leo''s. In her message, Tia informed Leo that she had finished preparing the first batch of Ava''s Intermediate Health potions, which had been purchased in advance. Tia mentioned that the potions were ready for pickup and asked Leo if he coulde by the shop to collect them at his earliest convenience. Thud... After reading Tia''s notification, Leo ced his phone back on the nightstand with a sense of annoyance. He couldn''t understand why Tia would choose to work through the night, especially since it meant that he would have to pick up the potions. However, he knew that there was no point in worrying about it now and decided to try to get some rest instead. He also knew that the requestmissioner, Ava, would not be able to retrieve the potions anyway, so there was no need to rush. With a sigh, Leo settled back into bed and tried to clear his mind, determined to get as much rest as possible before the busy day ahead. "I''ll just reply tomorrow..." *** Leo suddenly jolted awake, his body covered in a cold sweat and his muscles slightly trembling. He had been dreaming of a terrifying nightmare in which a silver jaguar was chasing after him, intent on devouring him. Every time Leo turned to look at the creature, it seemed to be getting closer and closer, as if it was moving faster than he could run. Just as the jaguar was about to pounce on him, Leo woke up in his bed, relieved to find that it had all been a dream. He sat up and took a few deep take a shower. As he washed away the sweat and grime of the night, he nced at the clock and realized that it was already past 10 AM. Since it was Sunday, Leo had no sses at university, which breaths, trying to calm his racing heart and shake off the remnants of the nightmare. "Weird..." Leo shook off the feeling of unease that lingered after his nightmare and quickly got out of bed to take a shower. As he washed away the sweat and grime of the night, he nced at the clock and realized that it was already past 10 AM. Since it was Sunday, Leo had no sses at university, which meant that he had time to y the video game Fragmental. He and Ava had nned to meet up at 10 AM. Realizing that he was runningte, Leo quickly finished his shower and got dressed. He didn''t even have time to grab a quick breakfast and quickly logged into Fragmental. ... "You''rete..." As soon as his body materialized inside the ruined temple, Leo heard a voice with a hint of annoyance. Leo turned his head to the side and saw that Ava was staring at him with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. Her bright blue eyes were fixed on his hood, as if she was trying to catch a glimpse of his face beneath it. Leo found himself biting his tongue to keep his thoughts straight. Despite her stern expression, Leo couldn''t help but think that Ava looked cute, even when she was pouting. He quickly looked away, trying to hide the hint of a smile that threatened to break out on his face. "I overslept, sorry." Leo slightly shook his head, trying to convey his apologetic attitude towards Ava. He could see that she was still visibly pouting, despite his gesture of remorse. However, after a moment, Ava slowly nodded her head, epting his apology. Leo gestured for Ava to follow him as he walked out of the ruined temple, continuing their discussion about the Demonic Ants and their unique Mana Signature. "Can you sense the mana?" Leo asked Ava, his eyes fixed on her face as he waited for her response. When Ava nodded her head, indicating that she could indeed sense the flow of mana around them, Leo continued his exnation. "If you close your eyes and concentrate, you should be able to feel the flow of mana surrounding us. The Demonic Ants are small creatures, so their mana flow is a bit harder to detect. But fortunately, your sense attribute is very high, so you should be able to pick up on it. As we walk through the desert, try to search for a flow of mana under the ground that reminds you of an infinity sign. That will be the signature of a Demonic Ant!" Seeing a visible question mark hovering above Ava''s head, Leo summoned Fenrir. "Try to close your eyes and feel his presence" As Leo pointed at the ck wolf and offered it a piece of cooked pork, Ava closed her eyes, focusing on the mana surrounding them. While Leo tended to his pet, Ava stood still, her senses attuned to the subtle movements of the mana in the air. "I can see it!" After a few minutes of intense concentration, Ava suddenly eximed with excitement. Leo couldn''t help but smile at her enthusiasm, even as he felt a twinge of bitterness at the fact that Ava had been able to master a trick that had taken him a whole month to learn in his past life. "Fenrir''s mana flows in a circle..." Ava trailed off and Leo nodded his head, her answer was correct. "Why can''t I sense yours?" Ava''s audible whisper made Leo break out in a cold sweat. He was certain that it had something to do with the Shadow Energy that seemed to be overshadowing the mana, but he couldn''t bring himself to tell Ava about it. He knew that if he mentioned Shadow Energy, he would have to exin how he hade to learn about it, and that was a conversation that he wasn''t ready to have. "Personal Secret..." Brushing it off Leo felt Ava''s gaze linger on the back of his head, but pretended not to notice and focused on the path ahead. If you ignore it long enough, it''ll disappear! Approaching the forest, full of various nts decorated in red leaves, the pair stopped. Even though the forest looked exotic and beautiful, it was full of high level monsters. "Be careful..." Leo noticed the look of worry in Ava''s eyes as he warned her about the dangers of the forest, and he couldn''t help but sigh. "Trust me, Ava, just close your eyes and try to sense the flow of mana around us. I''ll make sure that we''re not attacked while you concentrate." Nodding her head Ava closed lowered her eyelids, which made Leo notice how long her eyshes were. ''Focus...'' Creating Shadow Soldiers Leo spread them in all directions, making sure that they would notify him if any monsters were nearby. He quietly took Ava by her hand and slowly led her forward, whilst the girl was focused on sensing Mana. He recalled the first time they met and Leo could tell that her hand skin was even smoother. ''This game is too realistic...'' Leo found himself ming the creators of the game for his own weird thoughts and feelings. He kept pulling Ava along by the hand, hoping that the physical movement would help to clear his mind. However, the sensation of her hand did the opposite. Stop... Suddenly he felt Ava''s hand tense in his grip and froze in ce. Shifting his eyes towards the girl he noticed her looking at their hands sped together. ... Silence engulfed the pair and Leo felt that he had to break it. "Sorry, I had to lead you through the forest, since you couldn''t move while sensing Mana..." He tried freeing his hand and felt Ava''s grip tighten around his fingers. "Ava?" Ava''s eyes had been unfocused, but upon hearing her own name, they suddenly snapped back to normal. She lifted her head to meet Leo''s gaze and let out a sound that was more like a question. ''What?'' she asked, confusion etched on her face. "My hand... Can I get my hand back?" Leo couldn''t help the slightly sweet tone that crept into his voice as he spoke. Ava''s expressions and reactions had unknowingly brought a bit of brightness into his day. Chapter 132 The Demonic Ants Chapter 132 The Demonic Ants "My hand... Can I get it back?" Looking at Ava''s face Leo had a sudden and unexpected urge to pinch her cheek. It was a strange impulse, one that he couldn''t fully exin. ... Leo felt the grip around his fingers loosen, and he couldn''t help but wonder what Ava was thinking. He wanted to see her expression, but her long silver hair covered her eyes, obscuring her face from view. "...Have you found the Demonic Ants?" Not wanting to waste any more time standing in one ce, Leo broke the momentary silence. There''s no telling what kind of monsters they might encounter if we stay here for too long. "Yes..." Upon seeing Ava nod her head in agreement, Leo followed closely behind her as she led the way through the red forest. He opened the world map and saw that the surrounding area was covered in grey, indicating that it had yet to be explored by other yers. Leo saw the nametag [ The Temple of ??? ] hovering above the ruined structure that he had used as a shelter during his time in Hell. He also saw the huge tower, with orange clouds surrounding its icon on the map. "We are here..." Leo was forced to lift his eyes from the map window as Ava pointed at a huge stump of a tree that had been cut in half by what appeared to be very sharp ws. ''What monster would be able to cut that...'' Leo heard Ava whispering to herself as she inspected the width of the stump. He knew that she was trying to figure out what could have caused such damage to the tree. Leo himself had a good idea of what might have caused the damage, but sometimes it was best to keep the disturbing information to himself. Calling two of his Shadow Soldiers back to him, Leo ordered them to remove the stump so that they would have a better reach to the hive of the Demonic Ants. The Shadow Soldiers instantly set to work, their shadowy limbs transforming into various tools that''d help them remove the stump out of the ground. Ava watched in fascination. She had seen the Shadow Soldiers transform their arms into sickles, but she thought that it''d be the only weapon they could make. The shadowy limbs of the soldiers elongated and twisted, bing shovels, picks making Ava nce at Leo. "Is this normal?" Ava watched as Leo slightly nodded his head and sighed. Even with her own immense attribute boost, she couldn''t help but feel frustrated by the spell Leo had used. How was it fair for him to have an extra dozen soldiers at hismand? Could the game possibly be broken? Ava yed with her silver hair, her blue eyes fixed on the Shadowy figures as they worked to remove the stump from the ground. As the stump was lifted, a horde of small creatures came into view, crawling around underneath it. Ava red at Leo, demanding to know what she was supposed to do. But Leo simply shook his head, his gaze fixed on the peaceful colony before them. "We need to wait for the queen..." Leo needed to bring around a hundred ants to the altar, and there were only a few dozen ants above ground. Leo knew he would have to wait for more ants toe out of the hive before he got the required amount. Leo had a n to bait the queen out of the hive and wound her, hoping that the ants would emerge from underground in order to protect her. To do this, he decided to use his own blood as bait. Biting his thumb, he allowed a small drop of blood to fall onto the ground, where many ants were gathered. The ants immediately swarmed around the drop of blood, their antennae quivering as they detected the scent. Leo watched as the ants carried the blood back into the hive, hoping that his n would work. Sure enough, after a few minutes, the queen ant emerged from the hive. The demonic ants queen was a small, red creature with a grotesque, mutated appearance. She was only a few centimeters in size, but her tiny body was armed with sharp mandibles that could cut through steel. She had glowing red eyes that seemed to be able to pierce through the darkness, and her skin was covered in a thick, chitinous exoskeleton. She could control other ants through a telepathic link. She was also able tomunicate with her minions and direct their movements with incredible precision, using them to aplish tasks and defend her colony with ruthless efficiency. Unfortunately for this small creature, it had met Leo and Ava. Shriek... Leo quickly poked the queen''s weak abdomen, making a small wound. Seeing the green liquid that flowed out of it, he quickly grabbed some empty potion bottles and began catching the small red creatures that emerged from the ground. He worked quickly, determined to gather the needed amount of ants as fast as possible. As he worked, Leo could feel the queen''s life force slowly slipping away. He knew that he had to hurry if he wanted toplete the altar quest. He worked tirelessly, his fingers moving with precision as he caught ant after ant in the bottles. Finally, after collecting around 120 ants, Leo sealed the bottles and stood up, a sense of satisfaction and disgust washing over him. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of revulsion at the thought of having touched so many bugs. Shaking his head, he tried to push the thought to the back of his mind as he rubbed his hands against the red grass that grew in the forest, trying to rid them of the stickiness that had umted from handling the ants. Beside him, Ava watched with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. She could see the disgust visible in Leo''s actions and couldn''t help but smile at his reaction. It was rare to see him so could kill us with just one attack." Ava snapped out of her thoughts, nodded in understanding, falling in step with Leo as they made expressive, and it reminded her that despite his robotic-like demeanor, he was still very much human. "Let''s go..." Leo finished washing his hands and noticed that Ava seemed lost in thought. He gently shook her shoulder, trying to bring her back to the present. "Hey, Ava. We''re still in Hell, remember? We need to stay alert and focused. A lot of creatures here could kill us with just one attack." Ava snapped out of her thoughts, nodded in understanding, falling in step with Leo as they made their way back to the ruined temple. The journey back to the ruined temple was uneventful, for which Leo was grateful. He couldn''t shake the feeling that Ava was constantly watching him, and it made it difficult for him to focus on their surroundings. He tried to remind himself that they were in a dangerous ce and needed to stay alert, but it was hard to concentrate when he was so aware of Ava''s re. ... Feeling the invisible pressure stacking up on his head, Leo couldn''t hold it in any longer and turned to Ava. "Is there something on your mind? You''ve been staring at me a lot today" Hearing his voice Ava''s eyes twinkled in the light as she smiled. "Nothing... Just thinking about the Corrupted King" Leo shrugged his shoulders. If Ava was just curious about the raid, then why did she keep staring at him? He summoned Fenrir, since he himself couldn''t focus on the surroundings. The wolf was, of course, reluctant to return to Hell and Leo had to offer him a bribe. "I''ll double the amount of special food you''ll get as soon as we leave this ce!" Fortunately, the wolf''s stomach won out over his mind, and he grudgingly followed Leo and Ava back to the portal that would take them out of Hell. As they stepped through the portal, Leo couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. He was d to be leaving the dangerous world behind and returning to the safety of reality. Leo mounted Fenrir, and Ava followed suit, positioning herself before him. ''Rain'' Leo couldn''t help but inhale deeply as the fresh fragrance filled his nostrils. He had to turn his head slightly to the side to avoid having his nose pressed against the back of Ava''s head. Thud... Thud... As they approached the temple, Leo''s thoughts turned towards their next course of action. They had collected the ants for the altar, but he knew that there was still much work to be done before they could leave this ce. He made a mental note to speak with Ava about their ns, but now he had to goplete the quest. Climbing down the wolf Leo reached out to pat Fenrir''s head, feeling the soft fur beneath his fingertips. He noticed Ava also scratching the wolf''s side. Whoosh... Soon Fenrir disappeared into the beast Tattoo, leaving Ava and Leo before the ruined temple''s entrance. Leo turned his head slightly towards Ava, a hint of excitement in his voice as he spoke: "Let''s go finish this!" Chapter 133 133 The Clown Mask As Leo made his way through the winding corridors, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling up within him. Leo fought the urge to hum a tune, knowing that Ava was walking a few feet behind him. The walls were thick with tangled red vines, their tendrils reaching out as if to grasp at him as he passed. Leo was already used to the environment of the temple and didn¡¯t mind the nts, inspecting the ants contained within the empty potion bottles. As he peered into the bottles, Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel as though the ants inside were ring at him with their red eyes, filled with malice. It was as if they were aware of his presence and were seeking revenge for being trapped. Entering the hall, Leo¡¯s demeanor changed. The smile on his face vanished as he cautiously approached the altar that stood at the center of the room with old, metal chains attached to its foundation. Tap... Leo carefully ced the two bottles full of ants onto the surface of the altar before taking a step back. He withdrew a small tooth from his inventory and pricked his finger, allowing a few drops of his blood to fall onto the nearby chain. As soon as he had finished, he quickly retreated to the other side of the room, keeping a safe distance from the altar and the metal creatures that were chained to it. nk... Leo and Ava stood in silence as they watched the chainse to life, writhing and wrangling around the room as if searching for prey. After a few minutes, one of the chains made its way towards the altar and the bottles that were ced atop it. With a sharp crack, the chain shattered the bottles, causing the ants to scatter in all directions. Leo and Ava watched as the writhing mass of chains swarmed over the altar and the ants scattered atop of it. ..... [ ?????????? ???? ???; ??????/?????? ?????????? ] Leo breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed the number of souls being devoured by the altar increasing. For a moment, he had been worried that the ants wouldn¡¯t be counted, but it seemed his worries were unfounded. ¡°My end of the deal isplete...¡± Ava whispered to Leo, who nodded in response. A few days ago, Leo had reached out to Ava with a proposition. He needed her help in finding some creatures and offered to help her in return by bringing them out of hell. Leo couldn¡¯t help but think that this deal had turned out to be a huge sess. Even if Ava had declined his offer, he had been nning to escape from hell on his own. He could¡¯ve kept hunting demons until the altar was full of souls. But with Ava¡¯s help, he had been able to speed up the process. Rumble... Suddenly, the room shook violently, causing both Leo and Ava to stumble. Leo leaned against a nearby pir to steady himself, while Ava spread her wings in an effort to maintain her bnce. The shaking continued for a few more moments before finally subsiding. Leo noticed a massive shadow hovering above the altar. The shadow seemed to have no particr form, constantly shifting and morphing into various creatures and shapes that Ava had never seen before. It was as if the shadow was alive and constantly changing, almost as if it were trying to attract their gaze. ¡°Close your eyes!¡± As he watched the shadow hovering above the altar, Leo finally realized whose altar it was. It belonged to one of the high-tier corrupted ones. Even making eye contact with its phantom form could be deadly. ¡®Kikikiki...¡¯ Leo could hear the faint sound of giggling, as if the phantom shadow were amused by their presence. However, theughter soon faded away, as if the shadow had disappeared into the distance. [ ?????????? ?????????? ??????????????????... ] [ ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ??????????????! ] [ ?????? ???????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ????????????????... ] As soon as Leo and Ava opened their eyes, they were greeted with the sight of a system window hovering in front of them. While Ava¡¯s lips curved up into a smile at the sight, Leo¡¯s eye twitched in annoyance. ¡®Too early...¡¯ Leo let out a sigh of resignation. At least now the phantom wouldn¡¯t be able to leave hell and wreak havoc on the new yers who were barely above level 20. If that had happened, the servers would have likely gone down for an entire day, if not longer, as the developers worked to fix the issue. Leo himself had never even entertained the thought of going after a world boss. He knew that there was no easy way to kill one of these powerful beings. It would take a huge group, or even an army, of powerful yers to bring even the weakest world boss down. The thought of facing off against one of these behemoths was daunting, to say the least, and Leo had no desire to put himself in such a dangerous situation. Leo was grateful that avoiding world bosses was rtively easy, mainly because they were like beacons of disasters. He remembered his past life and the time he had fought the Kraken. Wherever the creature went, tsunamis followed, destroying cities located near the shores and shattering ships that yers used to approach it. If a yer saw massive waves in the distance, they knew to turn their ship and run away as fast as they could. Unless, of course, the world boss had targeted them specifically. In that case, the yer could consider themselves as good as dead. Click... The sound of a faint clicking echoed through the room, causing Leo and Ava to turn their attention back to the altar. The altar suddenly split in half, revealing something glowing within it. Exchanging nces with Ava, Leo cautiously approached the altar. He peered inside, trying to get a better look at the glowing object thaty within. 1?? ?????????? ???????? { ?????????????? } ¡ª ?? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????????????????? ??????????????????... ¡ª ?????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ??????¡¯?? ???????????? ???????????????? ¡ª ?? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ~~~~ To Leo¡¯s surprise, the object inside the altar was not what he had expected at all. Instead of a mask clowns wear in the circus, he found a mask lying on the stone tform within the broken altar. The mask waspletely ck, with two holes left for the eyes. On top of it were two horns that curved backwards, giving the mask an ominous appearance. As Leo read through the description of the mask, his face contorted a few times as he took in the information. Deciding to take a closer look, he equipped his ¡®Shadow Gloves¡¯ that he had removed earlier due to the heat in hell. He carefully touched the surface of the mask, and soon, it was absorbed into his inventory. Even though the ability to permanently enhance his racial features was tempting, Leo knew that he couldn¡¯t let himself be swayed by such a temptation. He had no desire to lose his mind, especially not with Ava nearby. After retrieving the mask, Leo made his way back to Ava. As he felt her re aimed at his face, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. ¡°It was a mask I needed to get...¡± Ava¡¯s curiosity was momentarily quenched, but her eyes still shone brightly in the dim lighting of the room. The pair soon left the temple, with Leo taking the lead as they made their way through the red sand. Ava spread her senses, keeping a vignt lookout for any lurking monsters that might pose a threat. They moved slowly, each step cautious as they made their way through the deadndscape. Leo decided against summoning Fenrir, knowing that he¡¯ll need the fast wolf further down the road. He wanted to keep his options open and have the ability to call upon Fenrir¡¯s strength when they were ready to make their final push to escape from hell. To leave hell, Leo and Ava needed to find a portal or teleportation station. These structures were typically shaped like huge pyramids, with arge tform at the top. A powerful guardian monster guarded the tform, and the only way to activate the huge engraving that would allow them to escape was to defeat the guardian and take control of the tform Leo knew that summoning Fenrir in the high temperatures of hell would be a risky move. The beast would likely overheat, rendering it unable to fight at its full strength. Leo scratched his neck absently as he nced over at Ava, who was following closely behind him. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her cheeks were slightly red from the heat. Even though they were in the midst of a grueling journey through hell, Ava¡¯s appearance remained unchanged. Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had some kind of passive skill that kept her looking fresh, even in these harsh conditions. He was tempted to ask her about it, but he hesitated, knowing that it mighte off as if he had been paying too much attention to her Leo and Ava continued their journey in peaceful silence, only interrupted by the asional distant roar from creatures that called hell home. Chapter 134 134 The Red Tornado Leo was desperately longing to remove his hood. The heat in hell was unbearable, and he felt like he was suffocating under the weight of the cloak. He made a mental note to visit Kilgros as soon as he made it out of hell and request that climate control be added to the Shadow Cloak. He could try to obtain the Fire resistance, but it would take a lot of time and effort, especially since his level wasn¡¯t high enough yet. It would be more efficient to spend his time acquiring overpowered gear and other equipment that would make him more powerful instantly. Leo and Ava had been walking for what felt like an eternity, but in reality, it had only been an hour. Despite their efforts, they had been unable to locate a Portal. All they hade across were the ruins of ancient structures, long since abandoned and left to crumble. They also came across a few forests with tall, reddish trees, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. Ava and Leo scoured the horizon, their eyes focused on the distantndscape as they searched for any sign of a pyramid-like structure. Leo¡¯s confidence was starting to waver as they trudged through the unfamiliarndscape. He had thought he knew the general direction of one of the pyramids, but now he wasn¡¯t so sure. ¡®Maybe we should have gone a little more north...¡¯ He muttered to himself, his brow furrowed in frustration. He threw a nce at Ava, who just kept quiet, focusing on the surroundings rather than panicking like Leo. As Leo looked at her, he was struck by her calm and collected appearance. Despite the situation they were in, she seemed to bepletely in control of her emotions. He couldn¡¯t help but be drawn in by her beauty, and found himself struggling to untangle his thoughts as he gazed at her. ¡®I wish I had such mental strength¡¯ ..... Leo quietly clicked his tongue, making Ava nce at him. She had already be bored of the silent journey. Her ck wings could somewhat protect her from the sunlight and the heat wasn¡¯t unbearable, because she was a fallen angel. The only thing that was bothering her was the silence. Under normal circumstances, Ava would have enjoyed the peaceful silence that surrounded them. However, with Leo, an enigmatic stranger whose peculiar personality had piqued her curiosity, she found herself wanting to break the silence and get to know him better. She was drawn to him, and her desire to understand more about him was overwhelming. During theirte night talk yesterday, Ava and Eli uncovered some of her feelings and one was particrly prominent: Ava¡¯s curiosity was piqued by Leo. Unfortunately, Ava struggled to find the words to start a conversation. She would open her mouth to speak, but then hesitate and swallow her words before they could escape her throat. She had no specific subject in mind and felt at a loss for what to say. Swish... The hot wind blew in their faces, Leo had to squint his eyes tightly against the harsh gusts. The wind was scorching, as if it had been blowing across a desert for miles before reaching them. It carried with it the scent of dry, parched earth and the distant promise of a storm. Leo suddenly felt a faint, metallic scent in the air that he realized what it was. Blood. Leo had read about the Corrupted Phantom in his past life and knew enough about the Corrupted Phantom¡¯s habits to know that they needed to get out of there, fast. ¡°Ava, Can you look around!¡± Ava gave him a curious look, but hearing Leo¡¯s serious voice, she knew that this was no time for questions. She extended her wings and rose into the sky, trying to scout the horizon for any signs of danger. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± She called down to Leo, her eyes scanning thendscape below. ¡°Anything red and abnormal!¡± Leo replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. Even if he died, he wouldn¡¯t suffer that much. His level was low, so retrieving it wouldn¡¯t be hard, but it¡¯d be time costly. Leo replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. Even if he died, it won¡¯t be too much of a loss. His level is rtively low, so it wouldn¡¯t take too long to recover his levels. The only problem was the durability of his Shadow Robe, which was already showing signs of wear and tear. If he took any excessive damage, it would likely break and disintegrate, forcing him to go search for another Dark Sapphire to craft a new one. He could also remove it before his death, but that would mean revealing his true appearance to Ava. Leo sighed and nced down at the tattered fabric of his robe. He had a feeling that this was going to be a tough journey, and he wasn¡¯t sure if his gear was up to the task. He nced at his inventory where the Clown Mask was stored and sighed. He can¡¯t use it, not until he is alone. Grimly, Leo squared his shoulders and nced at Ava, who was still hovering in the sky. ¡°Is everything alright...?¡± Leo squinted his eyes as the bright sun shone directly into them, obstructing his vision. Despite this, he could still see the pale expression on Ava¡¯s face, a look of worry and concern etched into her features. It was clear that something was wrong, and Leo could only imagine the worst. He tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing away his own concerns as he scanned the horizon for any sign of danger. Swish... In the far horizon of the red, deste wastnd, a huge tornado was emerging from the sandy dunes. The swirling mass of wind and dust was a fierce shade of red, as if it were a living, breathing entity made entirely of red sand and destruction. The tornado seemed to stretch up into the sky, reaching for the very clouds above. It was an intimidating sight, one that struck fear into the hearts of all who saw it. As the tornado drew closer, it became clear that it was not natural. The red color seemed to pulse and swirl within the funnel, almost as if it were alive. And as it approached, the ground began to shake and tremble beneath their feet. It was as if the very earth itself were afraid of the destructive force that wasing for it. ¡°Ava, quickly! Fold your wings!¡± Leo shouted over the roar of the wind, his voice barely audible over the noise. He summoned Fenrir, his wolfpanion, as he nced over at the red tornado that was quickly approaching them. The tornado was a fearsome sight, its red color swirling and pulsing within the funnel as it tore across the desertndscape. It was getting closer and closer with every passing moment, and Leo knew they had to act fast if they wanted to survive. Ava quickly obeyed, folding her wings tightly against her body andnding on the trembling ground. She jumped on Fenrir¡¯s back and Leo followed soon after. ¡°Run as fast as you can!¡± The ck wolf darted through the sand with lightning speed, leaving a huge cloud of red dust in its wake. The creature was a blur of movement, its powerful legs propelling it forward at an incredible speed. Its fur was ruffled by the wind, but it didn¡¯t seem to notice, its focus solely on outrunning the massive tornado that was fast approaching. Roar... Leo could hear the roaring winds blowing behind him, but it sounded more like the scream of a beast than the wind itself. He nced over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the monster that was chasing them, but all he saw was a swirling mass of red. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before, and it filled him with fear. He turned his attention back to the horizon, searching for any sign of salvation. They had been running for what felt like hours, but the tornado showed no sign of slowing down. It was as if it was determined to catch them, to consume them in its fiery vortex. ¡°Leo, there¡¯s a strange building ahead!¡± Leo¡¯s attention was grabbed by Ava, who was pointing at the horizon with a look of desperation on her face. He followed her gaze and saw a dark silhouette on the horizon, stretching out as far as he could see. It was a wall, a massive structure that seemed to rise up from the ground like a mountain. ¡°The wall!¡± Ava shouted, her voice barely audible over the howling winds. ¡°We can take shelter there!¡± Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he saw the glimmer of hope on the horizon. The wall was their only chance, their only hope of escaping the red tornado. ¡°The great wall of hell...¡± Leo muttered under his breath as he patted Fenrir on the head, his eyes fixed on the wall in the distance. It seemed so far away, yet it was their only hope of escape. Chapter 135 135 The Great Wall Whoosh... A ck wolf sprinted across the sandy terrain, the massive tornado behind them raged on, its deafening roar filling the air. Ava and Leo clung tightly to the wolf¡¯s fur, their hearts racing as they tried to outrun the destructive storm. The scorching desert wind whipped around them, stinging their skin and threatening to tear their clothes. Ava couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the raw strength and endurance of the magnificent creature beneath her. She had known that Fenrir was a formidable wolf, because she was no stranger to its power, but the wolf¡¯s endurance and speed amazed her. Leo on the other hand was cursing himself for not allowing his pet to kill more monsters. He knew that if they had taken the time to gain more EXP, they might have been able to outrun the disastering after them. Leo knew that it was toote to dwell on his regrets. The important thing now was to focus on reaching the wall and finding shelter. Leo felt Ava nudge his arm and, upon looking in the direction she was pointing, squinted his eyes as he tried to make out what she was trying to show him. He could see a faint outline of something on the wall, but he couldn¡¯t quite make out what it was. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he realized that Ava was pointing at a small crack in the wall, barely noticeable to the untrained eye. ¡°We can use it to get inside!¡± He heard Ava¡¯s faint voice and gave a subtle nod indicating that he had understood. ..... As he looked at his pet Fenrir, he noticed that the wolf¡¯s tongue was hanging out of its mouth and its movements were bing increasingly sluggish. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to do this...¡¯ Leo quickly pulled out a Mana potion and handed it to Ava, gesturing for her to give it to Fenrir. As the wolf caught a whiff of the potion¡¯s aroma, Fenrir¡¯s head turned sharply to the side, but fortunately it did not affect his speed. Leo couldn¡¯t help but grumble as he watched his pet drink the contents of the Mana potion. He knew all too well the dangers of feeding Mana potions to pets ¨C they were highly addictive. That was exactly why he had been hesitant to give one to Fenrir. Fortunately, the effects of the Mana potion were almost immediate. As soon as it was consumed, Fenrir¡¯s speed increased, allowing the wolf to once again use his ¡®Windy Steps¡¯. Whoosh... Leo could feel the tornado rapidly gaining on them. Despite being just a few kilometers away from the wall, they would not be able to outrun the tornado and reach safety before it caught up to them. Shifting his head to the side Leo conjured a Shadow st and threw it at the Tornado. Swish... His projectile was drawn into the Red Disaster, causing it to explode, but the explosion did not even slow down the Tornado. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Leo cursed as he felt himself slowly being pulled towards the massive tornado that loomed behind. Its deafening roar grew louder with each passing moment and the winds whipped fiercely against his skin. Just as he felt despair creeping in, he saw lightning particles dancing on Ava¡¯s body, rippling in between her wings¡¯ ck feathers. ¡°Hold tight!¡± Ava shouted over the howling wind. Without hesitation, Leo quickly reached out and grasped her hand tightly. In an instant, the world around them seemed to warp and twist, and they were suddenly teleported a dozen meters forward, away from the dangerous tornado. Fenrir, who had been running at his full speed, managed to stay on his feet during the sudden teleportation and continued running without missing a beat. But Ava copsed onto his back, her Manapletely depleted from the spell. Leo could see the exhaustion etched clearly on Ava¡¯s face as she took deep, ragged breaths. He knew that teleporting by herself wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but doing so while also transporting a massive ck wolf and another person would have consumed a significant amount of her mana. He scooped her delicate frame into his arms and urged Fenrir to run faster. The giant wolf responded to hismand, increasing its pace, but the blood-red tornado that was chasing after them seemed to be right behind them. As he held Ava close, Leo couldn¡¯t help but notice the sweet fragrance of rain that emanated from her hair. He tried to control his emotions, luckily it was easy, as the tornado¡¯s deafening roar and the sight of the swirling, destructive mass of red made it hard to focus on Ava. Swish... The massive stone wall loomed in the distance, only a kilometer away, but Leo knew that they wouldn¡¯t make it in time. His heart sank as he cursed under his breath. As he looked ahead, his gaze shifted to the ck wolf, Fenrir, who was running at full speed ahead. He reached out and patted his pet¡¯s huge head affectionately, feeling a sense of gratitude for the animal¡¯s loyalty and strength. With a steady hand, he carefully ced Ava, who was still unable to move on her own, onto Fenrir¡¯s back, making sure that she was secure and wouldn¡¯t fall off the wolf. ¡°Transport Ava through that wall and then run as fast as you can. Don¡¯te until I tell you to. Don¡¯t even dare to approach me! Keep Ava from me as well...¡± He shouted, as he leapt off the wolf¡¯s back, his eyes focused on the approaching mass of red. The tornado was closing in fast and he knew that every second counted. He could only hope that his n would work and that they would make it to safety before it was toote. ¡°Tenacious bastard...¡± As the blood-red tornado bore down on him, Leo removed his hood, revealing his face to the outside world. In his right hand, he held a ck mask with curved horns that pointed backwards. The mask was adorned with intricate designs that seemed to glow in the light of the storm. Leo¡¯s hand trembled as he reached for the mask, his heart pounding with slight fear and excitement. He knew that this was a desperate gamble, that the odds of survival were slim. But he was determined to do whatever it takes to survive even if it meant losing his sanity temporarily. As he ced the mask over his face, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a shaky breath. His whole body trembled with anticipation and fear as he felt the cool, smooth surface of the mask press against his skin. He knew that there was no turning back now. With a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was toe. He would not let his fears control him, and he would not regret his decision. ¡°If I die I swear I¡¯lle back to kill you!¡± Crack! *** Ava¡¯s heart raced as she cast the teleportation spell, her eyes locked on the path ahead. She could feel huge amounts of mana seeping from her body, and for a moment, she felt a glimmer of hope. But as soon as the spell was finished, her strength gave out, and she copsed. Leo was there in an instant, catching her before she fell to the ground. She felt his strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close and holding her steady. His embrace wasforting, and she felt a sense of security and protection in his arms. The moment between Ava and Leo could have been romantic, if not for the looming threat of the massive red tornado that loomed behind them. Ava¡¯s heart pounded in her chest, but she thought that it was just from the fear of the massive tornado. Ava tried to move her body, but she found that she was only able to lift one finger. Her limbs felt heavy, and her body was partially paralyzed. She knew that this was the result of mana depletion, a serious side effect of casting spells. She knew that her MP were severely depleted and she wouldn¡¯t be able to move or cast spells until at least 10% of her MP was recovered. Suddenly, Ava noticed that Leo was leaning in close to Fenrir¡¯s ear, whispering something that only the wolf could hear. She couldn¡¯t make out the words, but she could tell that Leo wasmunicating with Fenrir in a calm and reassuring tone. As she watched, she saw a look of understanding pass between Leo and Fenrir, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was wrong. A few momentster, she felt Leo¡¯s hands carefully unwrapping from around her body, and she realized that he was cing her on Fenrir¡¯s wide back. She looked up at Leo with a questioning gaze, wondering what he was nning. Whoosh... Suddenly Leo jumped off the wolf, disappearing out of her view. ¡®What!¡¯ ==== AN: What a cliffhanger... Chapter 136 136 [Bonus chapter]Insanity... Leo felt as though his consciousness was being ripped away from its anchor and cast adrift in a sea of confusion. He struggled to regain his bearings, but the sensation was overwhelming. One thing he didn¡¯t like about this ¡®game¡¯ was its ability to mess with the yers¡¯ brains. The surroundings were hazy and indistinct, as if viewed through a thick fog. He tried to focus on something, anything, but it was no use. His mind felt like it was being pulled in a dozen different directions at once. He could feel the cold sweat beading on his forehead and the rapid thudding of his heart in his chest. He wanted to let out a cry of frustration, but knew that it would be more beneficial to ept the power of the item and move on. Tap... The darkness enveloped Leo as he was plunged into an abyssal void. Suddenly he noticed a silhouette looming in the distance. The figure was massive, towering over Leo like a colossus. As it came closer, Leo could see that it was a corrupted being, its body twisted and deformed by some unknown mdy. The monster had huge ws that glinted in the faint light, a thickly muscled body, and a face that was obscured by a grotesque clown mask Leo equipped as well. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine as he gazed upon the corrupted monster. It radiated a palpable aura of evil, as if it were a physical manifestation of some ancient and malevolent force. ... Two purple eyes, like smoldering embers, red at Leo through the holes in the monster¡¯s clown mask. The gaze was cold and calcting, and it made Leo feel as though he were nothing more than a small insect, caught in the gaze of a predator. ..... Just when Leo thought the monster was about to strike, it spoke in a deep, guttural voice that echoed through the abyss. [??~?????? ?~?????????G????????¡§??????o???????o????^??????????_d???^?????????.?????¡ã¡ã?????.?????????.???? ?¡§¡±??????????????G????_??o?????????????o?~?????~?????????_?d??`??¡¥¡ã??????????.??????¡ä????.?????¡§`?????.?????~???¡±?? ??¡¥????????]???`? Leo felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, as his eyelids grew increasingly heavy. He tried to fight it, to keep his focus, but it was no use. His vision started to blur, and his mind grew hazy and disoriented. He felt as though he were being pulled under the surface of a dark, swirling sea. He could feel his senses slipping away, one by one. He could no longer feel the ground beneath his feet, or the air against his skin. He could no longer hear the sound of the monster¡¯s voice, or see the purple eyes staring at him through the holes in the clown mask. *** Leo stood tall, his figure silhouetted against the approaching tornado. The massive storm loomed closer, its fury seeming to bear down on him with every passing moment. Despite the danger, Leo¡¯s stance was firm, his head slightly lowered, and his eyes tightly closed. Crack... Suddenly, a sound pierced through the roar of the tornado. It was a loud, sharp sound, like something breaking. Leo¡¯s elbows suddenly twisted and contorted, as jagged bones began to protrude from his skin. The bones grew backwards, elongating and sharpening as they extended out from his arms. His Majestic Crown of Horns, a symbol of his power and authority, fused with the horns of his mask, creating a menacing set of thick, curved horns that seemed to gleam in the light. His shoulders began to shift and change as well, as razor-sharp bone spikes emerged from his shoulder des, adding to his already intimidating appearance. His spine elongated, causing a line of sharp bone spines to run down his back, each one harder and deadlier than thest. Huff... His rattling bones could be heard even through the sound of the swirling tornado. Even houses would¡¯ve been ripped off their foundations and pulled into the vortex, but Leo¡¯s unconscious body just stood in one ce. [ ?????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????... ] [ ???????????????? ???????? ??????????????????... ] [ ???????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ????????????... ] [ ???????????? ?????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ????????????????... ] [ ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????? ???? ????????... ] [ ????????????????????... ] [ ???????????? ???????? ????????????????! ] The tornado¡¯s winds suddenly died down,ing to aplete stop as if it was hanging in the air, suspended. It seemed to be studying Leo intently, as if waiting for him to make his next move. Crack... Crack... The sound of Leo¡¯s bones shifting and settling into his new form echoed through the air. He slowly lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the tornado that loomed before him. Inside the mask, two purple eyes glinted eerily in the darkness, their glow intensifying as they locked onto the red tornado. The eyes seemed to hold within them a sense of otherworldly intelligence, as if they were aware of the true nature of the destructive force before him. Without warning, Leo¡¯s eyes transformed, turning into thin crescent moons, as if he was smiling. His body rxed, and a low growl that was almost a chuckle emanated from within the mask. It was as if the fierce psychopath had found some kind of twisted amusement in the face of the powerful tornado. With lightning-fast reflexes, Leo¡¯s arm shot forward, slicing through the air with a speed that broke the sound barrier. The motion sent a massive shockwave hurtling into the swirling tornado. As his hand made contact with the storm, the ground beneath him trembled and shook, as if in response to the raw power he had just unleashed. Despite the fact that there was no direct contact with the ground, the very earth seemed to quiver and writhe in response to the ferocity of his attack. It was as if the very fabric of reality was being torn apart by the sheer force of his blow. The air around him grew thick with the static charge of the unleashed energy, and for a moment, it seemed as if time itself hade to a standstill. Leo stood tall, his body radiating an aura of raw power and deadly intent. With a mighty roar, the shockwave generated by Leo¡¯s single strike collided with the tornado, the force of the impact causing the swirling vortex to disintegrate. The upper half of the storm was blown away, vaporized by the sheer force of Leo¡¯s attack, leaving behind nothing but a trail of destruction. The ground shook violently as the winds of the tornado were scattered in every direction, leaving a trail of red sand in its wake. But just as quickly as it seemed to be defeated, the storm regained its strength. As if it had a mind of its own, it began to swirl even more furiously, regenerating the upper half that had been destroyed by Leo¡¯s attack and forming several new tornadoes. The air was filled with the deafening roar of the winds as the storm seemed to take on a life of its own, relentlessly pushing forward to destroy anything in its path. With a quick movement, Leo plunged the bones that had emerged from his elbows into the ground, using them as anchors to keep himself from being thrown off bnce. The ground shook beneath him, and the winds howled, but Leo stood his ground, his body tense as he prepared to face the tornadoes head-on. He could feel the bones in his elbows digging deep into the earth, providing him with the stability he needed to withstand the powerful winds. He knew that if he was knocked off his feet, he would be at the mercy of the storm. Kikiki... Despite the danger he was in, Leo couldn¡¯t let out a low chuckle as he red at one of the tornados. It was the first one he had seen upon opening his eyes, and it had dared to challenge him. It seemed almost as if he was relishing the opportunity to test his strength against this powerful force. The sound of hisughter was eerie and strange, filled with a twisted sense of amusement. His eyes seemed to be filled with a manic joy as he stared down the tornado. It was as if he waspletely unaware of the danger he was in, or perhaps he simply didn¡¯t care. The wind was rapidly battering Leo¡¯s body, whipping his Shadow Robe around him, making it difficult for him to see. At one point, the Robe got caught in the wind, blowing wildly in front of his face, obstructing his vision. Leo was about to rip it to shreds, but his arms were preupied with holding onto the ground, anchoring him in ce as the storm raged around him. Growl... Leo¡¯s throat began to rumble, emitting a low, guttural vibration that echoed through the area. The sound was fierce and intimidating, like a lion¡¯s roar, and it seemed to be directed at the tornadoes themselves. As the tornadoes closed in, Leo¡¯s gaze shifted towards the red sun, which was slowly sinking below the horizon. A look of amused curiosity crossed his face, his purple eyes seemed to gleam with a sense of interest as he gazed at the setting sun. It was as if the impending battle with the natural disaster was of secondary importance to him. As the sun disappeared below the horizon, and the world was plunged into darkness, a sound of ecstaticughter could be heard amidst the howling winds of the tornadoes. ==== AN: Thank you, Darted_Table, for the Magic Castle... P.S: I like coconuts more Chapter 137 137 Insanity... (2) As the final vestiges of daylight were swallowed by the horizon, the only sounds that could be heard were the deafening roar of swirling tornadoes and the eerie, piercing cackle that seemed to echo through the desert. The wind whipped wildly, kicking up plumes of red sand and debris as the massive funnel clouds danced and spun across the barren desertndscape. The ground shook underfoot, adding to the sense of otherworldly, apocalyptic destruction. And yet, amidst all the noise and destruction, that eerieughter persisted, sending shivers down the spine and raising the hair on the back of the neck. It was as if some malevolent force was enjoying the chaos and destruction, relishing in the power it held over the natural world. [?????? ?????????G?~?????????o?~????????????o????¡¥~~????d?¡§??????_???????.????^??????.??¡¥??????????.?¡ã¡§???????????? ?`???¡§?????_???G?¡±??¡ã??¡¥????_????o??¡¥?o????????????d??¡¥?¡¥¡ä¡ã??.????¡§???????????.??????_?.?¡ä???_? ??¡ä~???????????]????????? As the chaoticughter filled the air, a few words stumbled out of Leo¡¯s throat and were carried away by the wind. The tornadoes, as if in response, intensified, spinning faster and growing more violent. Crack... Leo¡¯s body suddenly jolted forward as he pulled one arm free from the ground. He quickly moved his arm in a swift, jab-like motion, his gaze locked onto the looming tornado in front of him. The wind and sand flew as the tornado was hit, and with a puff, it copsed, the winds and debris dissipating as the funnel cloud was punched out of existence. Leo¡¯s purple eyes, aglow with a visible hint of amusement, fixed onto the remaining red whirlwinds. [?????¡¥? ??????????M??~????~?o????????`??????r??¡±?¡¥?¡ã???¡±???e???????¡ã?`¡¥???????.?¡ä????????????.????????¡¥?????????_?.?????¡§?¡ã???? ?¡¥????¡¥¡ä?????????M??¡¥`???????o?????_r????????????_????????e????^????_?.??????¡¥????.??????¡ä???^???????.????????¡¥???? ?¡¥????F?????????_????i??????????????g??^????h????????t?????????? ??¡¥?¡¥?????¡§???M?~????o??¡¥??????????r?????`??e??????????¡±????.????????¡ã?.???¡ã??¡¥??¡¥?????????.???¡§????????? ???????????????]?¡ã???? *** ..... Ava¡¯s body was slowlying back to her control. She could feel her previously depleted mana reserves start to replenish and with it, the ability to move her arms returned to her. In a swift move, Ava reached for her inventory and chugged down an MP potion and a HP potion, which helped her regain her strength and vitality. Her body was now back to being in top shape. She quickly tried to halt Fenrir, who was frantically running away from the wall, but the wolf refused to listen to hermands. Ava quickly realized that her attempts to stop the beast were futile. With every attempt she made to dismount from the wolf¡¯s back, it skillfully circled around her, preventing her from getting closer to the wall. Ava¡¯s eyes were drawn to the top of the red tornadoes, which were swirling furiously above the wall. She could hear the distinct sound of air being torn apart, as if something was moving at an incredible speed and breaking the sound barrier. The noise was distant, but the destruction it was causing was clearly visible. ¡®...¡¯ Ava¡¯s gaze fixed on the wolf, and in a sudden burst of Mana, her body began to sparkle with bright lighting particles. Without hesitation, she used her ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ to quickly appear behind Fenrir, attempting to reach the wall. But unfortunately, the wolf had quickly caught on to her n and was able to catch up to her. It positioned its giant paw on her abdomen, pinning her to the ground, preventing her from moving any further. Ava struggled against the beast¡¯s grip, but it held her firmly in ce, making it impossible for her to reach the wall. Boom... Ava¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked into the wolf¡¯s eyes and saw its reluctance to release her. She understood that its actions were intentional and likelymanded by Leo. Though she wasn¡¯t certain of the reason why he didn¡¯t want her to be near the wall, she trusted that Leo¡¯s judgment and knowledge was superior to her own. Avaplied with his wishes, even though she was reluctant to do so, and decided to give up on trying to reach the wall. Ava reached out and gently patted the wolf¡¯s fur, and as if in understanding, it released her from underneath his paw. The wolf nuzzled her with its wet nose, indicating for her to move away from the wall. ¡°Alright, alright...¡± Ava said, with a small smile, as she began to move away. But as she started to walk, a blood-curdling scream shattered the silence. The sound was clearly not that of a human, but of a beast, something wild and terrifying. ¡®What the hell was that?¡¯ *** Leo stood before the four colossal tornadoes, each towering above him with immense power and ferocity. His purple eyes scanned the chaotic storm, scanning the swirling vortexes of wind and debris for any sign of his target. The roar of the tornadoes was deafening, but Leo didn¡¯t even flinch, his eyes smiling as he searched for his prey. [??? ????F?????¡ä???????_o???¡¥??¡±????u?¡§?`?¡±????n?¡¥?¡¥?^¡¥???d??????????????_? ?~?^???????????????y?~????????????o????¡ã¡§??????_???????u???????¡ã????????????.??¡ä?????????????.?¡¥??????.??¡ä??¡±?????? ???`?????????]??~¡¥?????????? Suddenly, Leo lifted his head and unleashed a deafening roar that shook the very air around him. The sound was like a thunderp, echoing across the vast, red desert and piercing through the howling winds of the tornadoes. His voice was powerful, infused with raw energy. ¡°Ughrrr...¡± Another voice joined him in between the winds and Leo¡¯s head immediately snapped in its direction. He started walking forward, his hands, adorned with sharp bones that extended from his elbows, swung with deadly precision. The bones acted as des, cutting through the air and creating powerful gusts of wind that disrupted the tornadoes¡¯ deadly vortexes. The tornadoes whirled wildly, their winds disoriented and their power diminished by the wind disturbances caused by Leo¡¯s bone des. With each step he took, Leo¡¯s hands swung in deadly arcs, slicing through the air and weakening the tornadoes further. Thump... Finally, the winds died down, bing calmer and calmer, until finally, the storm subsided entirely. In the aftermath of the tempest, a figure stood revealed, standing leisurely in the center of the once-chaotdscape. It was a towering silhouette, with two glowing green eyes that seemed to pierce the darkness. Its body was like a shifting shadow, constantly changing and adapting, taking on different forms and shapes. One moment, it was a lizard, with scales and razor-sharp ws, the next it was a giant spider, with multiple legs and venomous fangs. It seemed to have no consistent shape or form, constantly shifting its appearance into various creatures and monsters. As Leo¡¯s gaze fell upon the creature, it suddenly shifted its form once again. This time, it took on the shape of Leo himself, bing a perfect clone of him down to thest detail. The only thing that remained of the creature¡¯s true form were its piercing green eyes, which seemed to hold an intelligence and awareness far beyond that of any mere animal. Their gazes collided and Leo¡¯s smiling eyes, frowned upon feeling slight fear creeping up his stomach. [????????? ??????^?????T???h?????_??????i???????????s????????? ????¡¥¡¥?¡ã~??????v???¡ä???`?????????e??????????s?????_???_??s????????e???`??????l??¡¥?¡±????_????????? ????????????????_?i???¡§??¡¥???????????s???^??¡§¡ä?? ??????p???????_?a?`_??????t?????????h??????`?e?????_??????t?¡§??`??`????????????i??¡ã??????c?????????.????????_?.?~?????_??.?????^??? ????????]????^??`¡§???? A loud, grinding sound suddenly resounded behind the mask of Leo, making the creature before him frown. The sound was that of teeth being sharpened, and it was clear that Leo wasn¡¯t happy. His eyes, previously filled with amusement, now filled with malice and disgust. Crack... The bones that extended from his elbows grew even longer, bing elongated des that glinted menacingly in the dim light. His horns, previously lying t against his head, now extended backwards, growing longer and more pronounced. The tips of the horns began to glow with a soft, white light. The Phantom tried to replicate Leo¡¯s appearance and capabilities, but for some reason, it was not sessful. As it grew its bones, they extended longer like Leo¡¯s but they became dull, andcked the deadly gleam that Leo¡¯s des possessed. Its horns grew to a simr size as Leo¡¯s, but instead of shining with a white light like Leo¡¯s, they glowed with an eerie green color. This further set the creature apart from Leo, making it clear that it was not a true replica, but a twisted imitation. [?????????? ???`???C?^^?¡ã???????l??????¡ä?¡¥?????????o????¡±????????????w???????`???????_????n??????????!????????¡¥??_???? ???????????]????^??????? A low growl escaped from Leo¡¯s throat as he initiated his attack. Without warning, his body disappeared, blending into the environment and leaving behind nothing but a trail of debris lifted by his sudden movement. He dashed with lightning speed, bolting towards the Phantom. Leo¡¯s body reappeared in a blink of an eye, materializing right in front of his clone. With a fluid motion, he swung his bone des in a wide arc, aiming to pierce through the Phantom¡¯s defenses. nk... Unfortunately, the monster was well-prepared and effortlessly deflected Leo¡¯s des with a quick movement of its arm, extending its own des menacingly in counterattack. Leo¡¯s body jolted backwards barely avoiding the attack, his purple eyes looking at his hands. [??¡ä?? ???¡§??¡ä?_?_?????T?¡¥???????????h??????????i?¡ã¡ã??????????s??¡§??????????????? ?¡§??????¡ã????K???¡ã????????????i????????????d?¡¥?????????? ????¡ã¡§????i???????_s????? ??¡¥???????????????a?????`????? ???????????f?????????u???????~????_?????c??????????_?k??¡ã`????¡°?????i???~???¡ã?????n?`?¡±??¡§???_???g???¡±???? ?¡¥?????m?¡§_????a?????`??????g??~?¡¥??¡ä??^?e????~??¡ã??????????!????????¡ã¡ã???? ??¡ã??????????_???]??¡¥???????¡ã??????? Leo had gone into the fight with confidence, expecting that his des would easily break through the Phantom¡¯s and bring an end to the battle in one swift exchange. However, it quickly became clear that he himself was not as strong as he had initially believed. He discovered that his body was that of a worthless mage. It wasn¡¯t even able to conjure powerful spells or enhance his powers. Leo quickly realized that the only weapon he had at his disposal was a weak, white me. This realization irritated him, as he wanted to fight with powerful weapons and abilities. [??¡§???????????????? ???????T????¡§?_?????_?h?~?????i????¡±¡ã¡ã¡¥??`??????s?¡¥???¡¥????¡±??? ?¡¥????????????i?`???????s?????¡§????????? ?¡±¡ä^???¡ä??`???????p?¡¥??¡±¡§¡ã????????a????????????t??¡ã??_???????h?^????_e??????¡§¡±???????t??????????????i???????????c??¡±???¡±¡ã???????.???¡ã~????.????~????_???.?`??¡¥????????????? ????]???¡±¡ä¡§??????_??? Chapter 138 138 Insanity... (3) Leo¡¯s body shook with realization as he came to the bitter understanding of just how weak he truly was. His bone des, which extended from his elbows, were unable to even pierce through the fake ones of his opponent, almost making him suffer immediate defeat. Clenching his fists, which were covered in ck gloves, Leo gritted his teeth in frustration. His previously uplifted mood was now destroyed, his face twisted with anger and disappointment. With a look of disgust, Leo turned his gaze towards the imposing grey wall in the distance. [???????¡ã???? ???~?????I??????^?????????f?¡±???? ???`??__???o???????????????????n?????????????_l???^?^¡ä??????????????y???????????? ???¡¥???????t??~????????h?¡±¡¥???~??i????`??_??????s??~?¡ä???~??????????? ?~???_?b?~????_?o??????????????d???????????y??^????????? ?????????????w?~??????????????a??????¡±???s??`?¡¥???~?????n??¡ä??`?¡ä??¡¯?¡ä¡¥?t??????¡§??????? ??¡¥?¡ä?¡§????????????t??¡ã^?¡±¡§??????????h?????????????a??????_??t??????¡§¡¥?`????? ????¡ã??¡¥?`???o??¡¥?¡¥~^???????f??? ???`?????_????a???????_???? ????`????????m???^?~?????a????????¡ä???g??¡§????¡¥????????e?^^?¡¥?????_??.?????????.???????.????????? ?????????]????????? A low growl escaped from beneath Leo¡¯s mask as he charged towards the fake Leo, who was staring at him with a pair of eerie green eyes. nk... The bone des loudly collided, sending shockwaves rippling through the area. Leo¡¯s purple eyes shone with a manic intensity as he engulfed his des in white mes and swung them in a wide arc, aiming for the creature¡¯s shoulder. Pluck... Leo¡¯s strike was sessful, but his de encountered a bone protruding from the Phantom¡¯s shoulder, causing his hand to recoil and leaving him vulnerable to a counterattack from the fake Leo. ..... Swish... The blunt tip of the Phantom¡¯s bone de struck Leo¡¯s mask, causing his head to snap to the side before the Phantom delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing into the sand a dozen feet away. The Phantom¡¯s green eyes glinted dangerously as Leo was sent flying through the air, and despite his roughnding, he narrowly avoided impaling himself on his own extended bones. Leo quickly retracted his huge bones back into his elbows, allowing him tond safely without receiving any wounds. Swish... The Phantom did not give Leo a chance to catch his breath, instead quickly closing in on him, as Leo¡¯s des were now temporarily sheathed inside his arms. Leo quickly raised his hand, casting a spell of Shadow Protection in front of the iing bone de. [??~???????? ??¡¥??¡§????????A??~?~?¡ä????t???????????? ?????`?¡±??????????l??????e?¡¥?????¡§??????????a????¡¥^??????_s???¡¥¡¥?¡±???¡§????t??????????? ??~???~?¡¥??_??????t????¡¥??????????h??????????????i?????????????s???????`¡ä????? ????????????????i?¡±??????s????????????????_? ??`???u?????`?????????????_s????????e?¡ä?????????__??f?????????????????u?~???¡¥????~??????_??l??¡±????????.??????¡¥??????.???????¡§?¡ã????_.?¡¥????????? ??????????????_?]?¡¥??????????????? As the Phantom¡¯s attack was deflected by the shield, Leo¡¯s eyes shone with triumph as he once again extended his des from his elbows and lunged towards the creature¡¯s body. Pluck... Leo¡¯s bone des pierced through the abdomen of the monster, causing it to stumble. ¡°Ughh...¡± Leo heard the sound of pain escape from the monster¡¯s throat and a psychopathic glint of amusement and joy appeared in his eyes, as he took pleasure in the creature¡¯s suffering. The Phantom swung his hand, forcing Leo to retreat and withdraw his de from the creature¡¯s abdomen. Tip... Tip... Blue blood gushed from the creature¡¯s wound, staining the red sand and turning it a light green color. [??????????? ?~????~¡ã???????M?¡¥??^????_??o?????????????????????r?????????e?????????¡ã???????_??.?????????.?¡¥?????.??`????????????__ ?~????B?????l????????¡±????e?¡¥¡ã_????????e??¡¥??¡§??????????d????¡ä¡¥??? ??~???¡±¡¥_?????M???????¡§¡ã?^???????o????????????r????e?¡ä??????????.??????`¡ä??????.????????_.??¡¥??¡§¡§???? ?????~????????????]??????????_???????? Leo¡¯s eyes shone with madness as he charged towards the wounded Phantom, his body engulfed in white mes. Whoosh... Suddenly, a strong gust of wind knocked him off bnce, forcing him to lower his body in order to withstand it. [?????????? ?????????????_?F?¡§???¡±??~¡§?u??????_c?????????k??¡±??¡§¡ã?_?i??????¡±??¡¥?????n????????????????g???¡§???~`??????_?? ?¡ã??????B??~?????a???????????????s?^?¡§¡ã¡±???????_?????t????????????????a?????r???????????d????¡ã?????????????.???¡§???????????.?????????.?????????????? ??????¡§^?????_???]????????_ Leo¡¯s purple eyes scanned the area, searching for the Phantom, but unfortunately the creature was nowhere to be found. It was as if it disappeared into thin air... Leo felt anger rising in his throat and he punched the ground in frustration, causing the earth around him to shake and arge amount of sand to be disced. His body was trembling from pure anger, his eyes closed as he scanned the area, trying to detect if the monster was still hiding nearby. Tap... Tap... Tap... He heard the distant sound of footsteps and his head snapped towards the massive grey wall. Kikikiki... *** David was walking through a forest, Within his grasp he held the Vampiric Sword. His cheek was stained with blood, but thankfully, it was not his own. His eyes were constantly scanning the greenery around him, searching for any potential threats. His posture was lowered, ready to defend against an unexpected attack at any moment. Swish... Suddenly, a figure emerged from the bushes, extending its hand andunching an ice spike towards David. -39 Magical Damage! Even though David had been able to block the ice spike with his sword, some damage had still been transferred to his body. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and frowned. ¡°Just die, you thief!¡± With lightning-fast reflexes, David closed the distance between himself and the mage with ease. As the mage began to cast his next spell, David quickly closed in, using his powerful leg muscles to propel himself forward. As he reached the mage, he expertly executed a swift and precise kick to the elf¡¯s legs, causing him to lose his bnce and stumble backwards. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, David raised his sword, and with all the strength he could muster, thrusted it forward, plunging it deep into the mage¡¯s abdomen. The elf¡¯s eyes widened in shock and pain as he crumpled to the ground, his life force quickly draining away. David allowed his sword to drink as much blood as it possibly could before the elf¡¯s body turned into light particles. ¡°I didn¡¯t even steal it...¡± He muttered to himself in a low voice, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. He quickly picked up his pace, trying to avoid the people searching for him. ... Unfortunately, as if it was meant to be, he encountered another enemy shortly after. The man was tall and muscr, his tight clothing showcasing his impressive physique. A scabbard hung at his side, a clear indication that he was also a swordsman or at least wielded a weapon simr to a sword. ¡°Just give the sword and we¡¯ll allow you to leave...¡± As he spoke, he smoothly unsheathed a gleaming, transparent katana from its sheath. The weapon seemed to be made of ss, and it looked as if it would slip through his fingers at any moment. But as he held it with a confident grip, it was clear that he possessed a mastery over the sword that made it feel weightless in his hands. The de glinted in the sunlight, sending a brilliant re into David¡¯s eyes. ¡°It was mine from the beginning, you bastard!¡± David cursed under his breath, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and frustration. He clutched his Vampiric Sword tightly, the weapon slick with the blood of his enemies. The blood flowed down the de, creating a gruesome, macabre image that made him look like a ruthless killer. The red liquid dripped from the tip of the sword, sttering onto the ground with a sickening sound. Well... He had already killed at least 4 people. But he still had a conscience and had not taken any items from his victims. ¡°A liar and a killer at the same time, huh!¡± The swordsman sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. He held his katana with expert precision, the de glinting in the sunlight as he charged towards David with lightning speed. nk... As the swordsman lunged forward, David expertly parried the attack with his Vampiric Sword. The sh of metal echoed through the air as their weapons locked together, both fighters straining against each other with all their might. But in a sudden and unexpected move, David used his opponent¡¯s momentum against him, neutralizing the attack andunching a counterstrike of his own. It was clear from the exchange that David was a stronger yer, his skill and strength evident in every movement. However, his opponent¡¯s reinforcements were on the way, and David knew that he was pressed for time. With each passing moment, the chances of himing out victorious were diminishing. He would have to defeat his opponent quickly or risk being overwhelmed by the iing forces. ¡®I guess I have to use it...¡¯ Upon reaching level 15, David had acquired an item ability that only he, the wielder of the Vampiric Sword, could use. With a swift movement, he swung his sword and a blood-red arc of energy shot forth from the weapon, hurtling towards the swordsman wielding the transparent katana. The swordsman frantically tried to deflect the projectile with his own sword, but it passed through the de as if it were not tangible, leaving a deep, bloody gash on his chest. The man stumbled back in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. ¨C 472 Magical Damage! The swordsman fell to the ground with a thud, his body disintegrating into a shower of light particles. Amongst the dissipating light, some items dropped on the ground, including the transparent Katana he had wielded. David didn¡¯t want to take the weapon, knowing that it would only add to his guilt, but his eyes couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the weapon lying there in the mud. The sword¡¯s transparent de seemed to reflect the sunlight, its colors changing with each angle it was viewed from, creating a mesmerizing effect. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t...¡± David said to himself, shaking his head in an attempt to break the spell the Katana seemed to have on him. But the temptation to possess such a beautiful weapon was too great, and he knew that he couldn¡¯t resist for much longer. ¡®...¡¯ David reached down and picked up the Katana, the weapon disappearing into his inventory. He quickly turned and began to make his escape, his mind consumed with thoughts of his guilt. Though the man hade after him, David couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he had wronged him by taking his possessions. ¡°There...Items...!¡± ¡°Are...Vice-capt...¡± David heard distant voices and knew that he needed to quicken his steps if he wanted to avoid being caught. He pushed his legs to move faster, his breathsing in short gasps as he ran. David found himself in this predicament because he had attempted to raid a dungeon with a guild. Being a skilled and powerful solo yer, he had quickly drawn the attention of the guild leader. The leader had demanded that David sell him his Vampiric Sword, but David had respectfully declined the offer and left the cave on his own ord. ..... Unfortunately, the guild leader was not one to take rejection lightly and had decided to take the sword by force. This led to David being hunted down by an entire guild, who were determined to capture him and take the sword by any means necessary. David had masterfully avoidedrger groups of the guild members, using his knowledge of the forest to his advantage. He had strategically engaged in battles with only one enemy at a time, using his superior skills and the power of his Vampiric Sword to defeat them. David was relieved to have leveled up as his friend Leo had told him, as he now had the power to take down even the elite members of the guild who were financially supported by the entire organization. Even though he had been forced to use his sword abilities, which required him to sacrifice some of his own health points, David felt more powerful than ever before. He even entertained the thought that he could possibly match Leo in strength, though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure since he had not seen Leo in a while. David couldn¡¯t help but feel apetitive spirit burning within him, despite the fact that Leo and he were considered friends. Leo had even invited him to his house before, but David still felt a slight sense of inferiority looming in his heart. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be my boss if he wasn¡¯t strong!¡± Chapter 139 139 Insanity... (4) Thump... Thump... Ava¡¯s heart was pounding wildly in her chest, her pulse racing at breakneck speeds. Desperate forfort, she buried her face into the soft, ck fur of Fenrir. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, clinging to him as if he were her only anchor in a turbulent sea. She felt the warmth of his body against hers, and the steady beat of his heart, and she closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. Tap... Tap... Ava¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard the soft, steady sound of footsteps from outside. The sound of someone walking on the stone pavement sent shivers down her spine. The only thing that kept her calm was the unwavering gaze of therge wolf by her side. She believed that the wolf would inform her if ¡®he¡¯ was nearby. Ava desperately wanted to log off and escape the situation, but she knew that doing so would mean losing her levels and valuable items, because she was inbat. Ava shook her head as she remembered the terrifying sight of the figure standing on top of the wall, his purple eyes locked onto hers. She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head at the memory, feeling a sense of unease and fear wash over her. Although she was almost certain it was Leo, the person she knew from the game, the aura surrounding him was vastly different. It was full of malice and a twisted sense of amusement, sending shivers down her spine. She also noticed a strange mask that was adhered to his face, and deduced that it was the effect of an unusual in-game item. Ava was lost in her thoughts when she felt Fenrir nudge her urgently, signaling her to run. ..... On this side of the wall, there was a vast ruined city filled with countless buildings and other structures that could provide them with ample cover and hiding spots. Ava quickly grabbed Fenrir¡¯s fur and followed him as he led her through the winding streets and alleys of the ruined city. She thought they were safe, but her relief was short-lived as she saw the figure, now identified as Leo, start destroying the surrounding houses with just a flick of his hand. She watched in horror as the buildings crumbled to dust. Ava knew that if she were to be caught in the destructive path of the figure¡¯s attack, she would die instantly, regardless of her attributes being close to that of a level 40 yer. She realized that Leo¡¯s power was beyond anything she had ever encountered before, and the mere thought of being scratched by one of his attacks sent shivers down her spine. Ava noticed that the figure, Leo, had strange bones protruding out of his body. These bones were sharp and jagged, and looked deadly. The des that emerged out of his elbows, in particr, looked particrly eerie and menacing. ¡®When will he go back to normal?¡¯ Seeing that she was still inbat mode, and the sense of urgency and fear intensified. Ava started biting her bottom lip nervously, as she hoped that this ¡®Leo¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be able to find her and Fenrir before he regained control of his body. Ava peered through a small gap in a stone wall, her eyes locked onto Leo. Boom... She saw another house being demolished by his powerful attack, and her frown deepened as she realized that he was getting closer and closer. She could see his silhouette scanning the debris of the destroyed house, searching for any sign of her and Fenrir. [?????????????????? ?¡§¡§¡ã¡¥¡±??`??????????N????¡ã¡ã??¡¥????o????¡¥??????????t?¡¥?? ??????¡ã¡±????h?¡ã???¡ä??????_??e???????????????_r??¡¥?¡¥?????e??????????? ???¡ä???????????a??¡ä??????~¡¥????s?¡§?^???????? ??????¡ä?_??w??¡§??????????__?e???????????l??????????l???????????????.?????????????.???.??~?~????_???? ????????]???`¡±??¡ã¡ã???? Ava¡¯s eyes shifted to Fenrir, who was ncing towards the broken door that led to the backyard. She understood his intention and nodded her head in agreement. She started slowly approaching the exit, her heart pounding in her chest. [???????????? ????~??¡§??Y??^?¡ã????o?`??_???u??¡¥???¡¥?????????r??????¡ã?????????? ?¡¥??¡ã??¡ä¡¥`???????????f??¡ã??????????o???????_????o????????????t???????s???¡§???t?????????`???e????¡¥??????p?????s??????????_.??¡ä?????.??`¡¥??????????????.????~`????? ??¡ã?????^????????I?????????? ??????????__?????c??¡¥?????a??????????n?????¡ä?????? ??¡ä?????^???????_??h????????e?????????^`?a???????r???????????????? ???¡ä?????_t???????¡ä???h?????`???¡±?????e????m?¡¥???????????!????????????????? ????????¡ä???????]????????_? Suddenly, the roof of the house waspletely ripped off by a powerful shockwave of an attack. The wall was cut open by one of Leo¡¯s bone des. Ava¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she realized that they had been discovered. Ava¡¯s heart was pounding as she tried to make a run for it, but her path was abruptly cut off by a Shadow Protection spell that had been cast on the broken door. She could feel the magic barrier blocking her way, preventing her from leaving the house. ¡®...¡¯ Ava slowly turned her body to face Leo, her heart pounding in her chest as she met his gaze. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she saw his eyes filled with malice and sadistic pleasure, reveling in her fear and desperation. The sight of him paralyzed her with fear, as if she was facing an ancient predator. She felt two main emotions circling within her mind: despair and anger. ¡®I¡¯ll so, cut your payment...¡¯ Ava thought to herself, her determination and anger slowly overtaking her fear. [??¡ä?????????? ??¡ä???T???????????????r??`??????????y?????????????? ?¡±????_????_?y?~~?????`???_o????????????u??¡±??¡±???r?????????? ???????b?¡ã??????e?¡¥????s??????¡¥¡±?????_???t????^???????.????.??`?????.?¡¥¡¥????????? ????¡ä??_]??¡±¡¥???????? ¡®Leo¡¯ murmured something under his breath before disappearing from his position and reappearing in front of Ava in the blink of an eye. Swish... With a swift movement, his bone des shed towards Ava¡¯s neck, intending to end her in one swift hit. Ava¡¯s eyes widened as she realized the danger she was in, but she quickly reacted and managed to cast ¡®Lightning step¡¯ and dodge the attack just in time. The house trembled with the pure pressure of the strike, causing the floor where Ava previously stood to split and crack, making the already ruined house even more damaged. Ava could feel the force of the attack, and she knew that if she hadn¡¯t managed to dodge it, it would have ended her life in an instant. Ava¡¯s eyes locked with ¡®Leo¡¯s¡¯ and she could see that he was staring at her with a slight hint of curiosity. Growl... Before Leo couldunch his second attack Fenrir leapt at him, his eyes glinting in the room dimly lit by the run sun. [???????? ???????S?¡ä???¡±??????t??¡ä????u?¡¥??^????_??p?????????i??????????d??~??_ ???????_????d?¡¥?¡¥??_?o??????¡¥¡±?????g?????????????????.?????^????.???????????.???¡ä??¡¥?¡¥??? ??????¡§???????????]??????_????? Leo met Fenrir with his des, while his eyes were still fixed on Ava. He seemed to have already written off the ck wolf as dead and was now fully focused on Ava. Leo was about to dash towards Ava when he suddenly sensed something amiss. He realized that he should be feeling the weight of the wolf impaled on his bone des by now, but he didn¡¯t. Thud... Suddenly, a heavy weight forced Leo to the ground,pletely immobilizing him. His eyes filled with surprise, shifted towards the ck wolf, who was pressing him against the ground with his heavy body. He realized that this wolf was not just an ordinary animal, but the original owner¡¯s pet and it couldn¡¯t be damaged by Leo. [?????? ??~?????????_??C?~¡¥??????????u??????¡ä???¡ã????r????¡¥¡¥?????s?????^??¡±???????e??????????? ?¡ã????????????y????^?????????_?o????^???`???u??????????.?¡ã????.????_???????.???????¡±?????_ ?¡¥??????????????_??]??^`¡¥???^??? Leo tried to lift Fenrir off of him, but his hands were crushed under the weight of the beast, preventing him from moving them. ¡®...¡¯ Ava stood there, her eyes wide open as she watched the events unfold. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing, as she never thought that Leo, with all his power and abilities, could be subdued by the weight of Fenrir. Ava walked up to Leo, who was desperately trying to throw Fenrir off his body, but to no avail. She could see the anger and frustration in his eyes as he struggled against the fat wolf. Bonk... Bonk... She reached out and knocked on the mask that covered his face, as if it were a door, with a smile on her face. ¡°Leo, are you there?¡± The purple eyes that met hers were filled with anger and hatred, but Ava didn¡¯t let it intimidate her. She continued to knock on the mask, annoying the purple eyed-Leo. Soon, a growl escaped from his throat as he couldn¡¯t handle this level of shame. [????? ?????¡¥?????????D????????????o????~???n??¡¥`????????¡¯?~??¡¥???????t????`??????? ?????_t??¡§¡¥¡ä????e???~???_???_????m?¡ä?????p????????t??¡ä???`¡ä`??? ????¡ã????????????m?????????????????e?¡§??????????????? ???????¡ä?w???~???^??????????o????????_?m???????a?~???`???¡¥???n?`¡¥¡ã???????????????.????????.???????.??????????? ?~¡ã???????????????I???????????_?? ?¡ä?????c??????¡§??????a???????¡§??^?????????n?¡ã¡ã`????? ????????`???t???¡ä????w?¡±?????¡¥????i?????¡¥??????????s?¡±?????t?????????????? ???¡§?^???????????y?`¡ä??¡±???????????o??¡§????????u???????????_????????r?????????????? ?????????n???~????????e?????`?????????c??????k?????????? ??`??????????w?¡§???¡±?h?????????????????e????????¡¥??n?????????e??¡¥~~?_v??`???_???????e?`???????????r?~?¡§¡¥?¡ã????????_? ?????????????I?^???? ??????????w?~????¡¥????a??¡§??n???????¡ä^?^????????t????.??¡±????????????????.???¡ä??????????.????? ????????????]????¡§???????????????? Ava ignored Leo¡¯s threat and kept messing with his mask, poking it, covering his eyes or knocking. Her eyes moved upwards and she noticed his smooth horns sprouting backwards. Their surface looked polished and smooth, almost as if they were made of ss. ¡®I wonder how they feel...¡¯ Ava reached her hands towards Leo¡¯s horns, and as her fingers touched them, his body froze. She could see the surprise and confusion in his eyes as he realized what she was doing. [???????^???????_?? ?¡¥??¡±??L???????`?¡±?????????i?????¡¥?????????????f?^?????¡ä`??????_t??????????????? ???y????¡¥???¡±?_????_??o??????u??????¡§????r?^?¡±??? ???????¡±??_?????h?`??a???_?????n?¡ä???????d?^??¡±????????s????_??... ??????????_?w?¡¥¡ä?????¡¥?????????o??¡ä???m???¡±¡ä???¡±????a???¡¥????¡¥??n????~???????.???.????????????.??¡±¡±????????? ??????????????]??????? Ava could hear him stuttering, which made her even more interested in the demon¡¯s horns. She looked at Leo¡¯s eyes trying to see any of his emotions, but all she saw was anger, embarrassment and... a hint of pleasure? Ava suddenly became curious and started poking Leo¡¯s head to determine if his horns were the only sensitive area on his body. Leo squirmed trying to escape from Ava¡¯s nimble hands, but was unable to due to the wolfying on top of him. The only thing he could do was to re at Ava with intense anger and curse her under his breath. Chapter 140 140 It¡¯s my Ego... Leo wandered through the thick fog, feeling as though it was following him wherever he went. Despite his efforts to clear the fog from his eyes, it remained stubbornly in ce, obscuring his vision. Through the haze, he could make out vague images of the outside world, and he could feel his body engaged in a fierce battle against a Corrupted Phantom. His eyes were wide open as he watched, mesmerized, as bone des erupted from his elbows. Although he was unable to ess the System window, he was certain that his race had been changed. He knew that his racial-limiter was temporarily off, and this exined the immense power he was currently experiencing. The sensation was both exhrating and breath-taking, leaving him both awestruck and a little afraid of the potential consequences of his newfound strength. Leo could sense a creeping madness and a twisted sense of amusement every time his body weapons with the phantom¡¯s. He felt his own ego narrowing, focusing solely on the task of fighting and ughtering his opponent. The thought patterns of his mind became increasingly simr to that of the corrupted being. Despite the danger of losing himself to the bloodlust, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of excitement with each strike and parry. Leo¡¯s expression turned to a frown as he considered the amount of time it would take for him to regain control over his body. The battle had alreadysted for more than half an hour and there seemed to be no end in sight. He couldn¡¯t log off, hence he was forced to watch as his body fought against the Phantom. As the sun set, his mouth gaped open in shock as his bone des grew evenrger. He even managed to wound the Phantom in the abdomen, causing it to writhe in pain. In the end the Boss managed to escape. Leo could feel his ego¡¯s mind being consumed by rage, he even started hitting the red sand, causing the ground to quake. Tap... Tap... Tap... His ears suddenly picked up the faint sound of footsteps and Leo felt a shiver run down his back as he heard his body maniacally giggling. ..... ¡®Shit!¡¯ Leo thought to himself, knowing full well that besides himself and Ava, there were no other yers in hell. His ego had detected Ava¡¯s presence! In a few moments, Leo found himself standing atop a massive grey wall, gazing out at the ruined city below. His purple eyes scanned every part of the devastated civilization, searching for the source of the footsteps he had heard earlier. Soon, his eerie purple eyes met with the ocean-blue ones of Ava. Leo saw Fenrir nudge Ava, urging her to run and felt his body shake with excitement. [???????? ????¡¥????^¡ä??????????I????¡±??`???¡¯??¡§??????????????l???~??^??????????l????????? ??????????????g??????????????i?????¡§???????????????v?¡§^?e?¡¥???? ?¡±????????t????????h???~???????e????????????m?????????????????? ????????¡ä????1?????¡¥¡¥??0??_???????_ ???????_s????`?????????e???????????????c?????????????o?????¡ä??n????¡§?????d???????_?????s?¡ä??????.??_????????.???¡§????.???¡ã???????? ???????_]??????? Leo¡¯s body leapt down from the wall,nding heavily on the pavement below and causing it to crack and break beneath his feet. Without hesitation, he bolted towards Ava and Fenrir, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. He could feel the exhration of the chase and the thrill of the hunt. Within minutes, Leo reached the location where he hadst seen Ava and Fenrir. He immediately began scanning the area, searching for any sign of them. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning the debris and ruins for any indication of where they might have gone. Swish... Leo swung his bone des with precision, creating a powerful gust of wind that demolished one of the ruined houses nearby. He searched through the debris carefully, but he couldn¡¯t find any sign of Ava or Fenrir¡¯s bodies. He started to destroy the next building, his des slicing through the walls and foundations with ease. He, once again, searched through the rubble, his heart pounding in his chest from excitement. ¡®...¡¯ Leo, who watched as his body acted on its own ord, was already thinking of how to make amends to Ava. He was fully aware that he wouldn¡¯t regain control over his body until his ego had found Ava. He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of guilt as he had already written her off as dead in his mind. Tap... Tap... Tap... His ears picked up the sound of running footsteps and he immediately appeared before the doorstep of a house. Without hesitation, Leo¡¯s des shed through its front, instantly decimating it. He noticed a girl with two ck wings running towards the backdoor and quickly casted ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ to block off the exit. The silence in the room was palpable as Ava slowly turned her face towards Leo. He could see the fear and anger bubbling within her eyes. ... Leo felt a sudden surge of excitement as he caught the scent of fearing from Ava. He muttered something under his breath before his des swung at her neck. But as his des were about to make contact, Ava disappeared from her position, appearing a dozen feet away. Leo could feel his ego¡¯s curious gaze fixated on Ava, but despite this, he felt a determination to kill her. He was about to dash towards her when a ck wolf leaped towards him. Leo¡¯s ego didn¡¯t even consider him a threat, as it extended his bone de towards the wolf, his eyes still locked on Ava. But in the next few seconds, Leo¡¯s body was pressed against the ground, as Fenrir crushed him under its weight. Leo could feel the crushing weight of the creature bearing down on him. The real Leo, who was watching the situation from outside of his consciousness, could only feel a sense of relief wash over him. He was overjoyed to see that he hadn¡¯t harmed Ava and that she was safe. He made a mental note to double the portion of food that Fenrir would receive when they leave this ce. Now all he needed to do was wait until he regained control of his body... Tap... Tap... Whilst the real Leo was rejoicing, Ava approached his body with a smile that seemed both friendly and mischievous. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of strange fear as he watched her, unsure of what her intentions were. *** Leo watched as his body was poked for the next few minutes. At this point, he was relieved that it was not him, but his ego, who was in his body. He didn¡¯t have to deal with the embarrassment and difort of being subjected to Ava¡¯s yful torture. He watched with a sense of detachment as his ego squirmed and squealed under Ava¡¯s touch. He knew that he had to make amends for his actions, but for now, he was content to let his ego take the fall for his mistake of equipping the clown mask. Leo¡¯s eyebrows knitted together in concern as Ava reached out to touch his horns. He could see his body stiffen instantly and Ava¡¯s bewitching smile widen as she discovered something interesting. He watched as she examined his horns, her fingers running over the smooth surface. Leo heard his ego threaten Ava, but it was stuttering, uncertain. Freeze... The real Leo froze upon feeling a third emotion resurface between the embarrassment and anger. It was... Lust! He couldn¡¯t believe what he was feeling, and he knew that he had to suppress it immediately. He knew that he had to regain control over his body and his mind, to make sure that his corrupted mind-set didn¡¯t take over again. Leo could only hope that his Ego wouldn¡¯t say anything that would make him have to change his name, address, and phone number. He knew that if it did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to control the embarrassment that woulde with it. The fog that had previously been covering Leo¡¯s eyes had now thinned, but it still remained. He tried to rip it off, but since it was intangible, he couldn¡¯t touch it. He attempted to run away, but it followed him no matter where he went. He tried to blow it away, but it stubbornly refused to move. Leo knew that this fog represented the time until he regained full control over his body. He estimated that there was around five minutes left until he could take back his full control. He felt a sense of urgency to clear the fog away and regain control as soon as possible. ... [??????? ????????^^???????G??????¡¥?????e??¡¥???????t??????? ??¡ä????????y??¡ä????¡ã?????_??????o????????????u?~????¡¥??¡±????r???????????? ??¡§????????h?~?????????a?????????n?????¡§_??d???????~?`??????s???¡¥?__?? ??????~?????????o????????¡¥??????????f?~???????f?????????????? ??`??~?~_m??????_?e???`?`???? ???¡¥???¡§????_?_????w????¡§?¡§??o??????~??????????????m?`??????????a??????n?????.????.?????????.??????????? ????????????]?¡¥?????_??? Leo¡¯s ego growled and the true Leo could only shake his head in frustration, hoping that Ava would listen to him. ¡°No?¡± Ava shifted her head to the side, her bewitching smile making the lust of Leo¡¯s ego intensify. *** The corrupted ego that had been in control of Leo¡¯s body started to dissipate, clearing the fog from Leo¡¯s eyes. He could once again feel his body, his limbs, and the bones that extended from his arms. He felt the weight of Fenrir on top of him... and the touch of Ava¡¯s fingers on his horns. ¡°It¡¯s me... I¡¯ve regained control of my body...¡± Feeling the massive weight pressing him to the ground, Leo managed to blurt out. Chapter 141 141 A Fallen Angel and a Bone Dragon Leo struggled to breathe as the massive weight of the wolf bore down on him. Realizing that the beast had no intention of moving, he was forced to absorb him into his beast tattoo. Taking in a deep breath Leo let out a deep sigh of relief, grateful to have avoided any serious injury. He quickly checked over his limbs, flexing and moving each one, making sure they were still intact. Leo shot a nce at Ava, who was peeking at him through her thick eyshes. ¡°Is the demon¡¯s horn its weakness?¡± She whispered, her lips curling slightly at the corners. Despite the flutter in his heart at the sight of her smile, Leo felt trapped in the grasp of a monster. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s simr to the ears of elves or wings of angels...¡± Clicking his tongue, Leo shifted his gaze from Ava to the sharp bone des protruding from his elbows. ¡®How do I control this?¡¯ Leo focused on willing the des to retract, and to his surprise, they began to shrink in size, although they didn¡¯tpletely retract back into his arms. At least, he wouldn¡¯t identally hurt anyone by simply walking around. ..... He noticed Ava surreptitiously ncing at him, or more specifically at his mask, and frowned. ¡®Does she have a fetish with horns like Tia does?¡¯ He felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered the contract he had made with Tia and realized that the next month was fast approaching. ¡°Avoid touching the demon¡¯s horns... they are quite sensitive.¡± Leo hoped that Ava wouldn¡¯t turn out to be like Tia. He had already resigned himself to the fact that Eli was a character of her own. Which girl would choose to be an Orc? Leo wanted to get confirmation from Ava that she wouldn¡¯t repeat her actions, but she simply kept ncing at him, remaining silent. ¡°Hello?¡± Leo called out, gesturing with his hand adorned with sharp bones. As he angled his hand in a certain way, his des suddenly slid out and pierced the nearby wall, but did not destroy it. ¡°!!!¡± Ava jumped back and Leo gazed at his sharp bones, now embedded in the sturdy surface of the wall. He gestured for Ava to keep her distance, so he wouldn¡¯t identally hurt her before quickly opening his Status. ???????: ?????? ?????????: ???? ???????: ?????????? ~ ?????????????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????: ???????? ???????????????: ???????????? ???????? ???: ?????? || ??????: ?????? ???: ?????? || ????????: ???? ?????: ???? || ????????: ?????? ?????: ?????? || ????: ?????? [ ?? ???? ] 1?? ???????????? ?????????? ¡ª ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????????? ?? ?????????????? ???????????? ?????? ?? ???????????? ???? ?????????? ~~~~ 1?? ???????? ?????????? ¡ª ???????????? ???????? ?????????????????? 2?? ???????????? ???????????? ¡ª ?? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ????????; ???????????? ???????????? ?????? ???? ???????????????? ???? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? 3?? ???????? ???????? ?????????????? ¡ª ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????? ~~~~ 1?? ???????????? ?????????? ¡ª ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ????????¡¯???? ?????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? 2?? ?????????????????? ???????? ¡ª ?? ?????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? 3?? ?????????????? ?????????? ¡ª ?? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???? ????????????... 4?? ???????????? ???????????????????? ¡ª ???????? ?? ???????????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ???????????? 5?? ???????????? ???????????? ¡ª ???????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ~~~~ 1?? [ ?????????????? ] 2?? [ ???????????? ] 3?? [ ???????????????? ] 4?? [ ???????????????? ] 5?? [ ???????? ] 6?? [ ???????????????? ] 7?? [ ?????????????? ] ~~~~ 1?? +??% ?????????????? ???????????? 2?? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? 3?? ?????????????? ???? ?????????? 4?? ???????????? ???????????? ~~~~ 1?? ???????? ????????????????????: [ ???? ] 1?? ???????? ????????????????????: [ ???? ] ~~~~ 1?? ???????????? ~~~~ Leo¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to his new Race. He felt a smile spreading on his face, but since his expressions were obscured by the mask, Ava couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± She queried with a concerned look, her gaze fixed on Leo. She had deduced that Leo had grown stronger but she was uncertain if he would lose control again. Leo heard her soft voice and focused on retracting his des, aware that she was still watching him closely. ¡°I won¡¯t lose control again, it was a one-time urrence¡± Leo attempted to reassure her, but his attention was drawn to her face, which was slightly flushed. ¡°Ughmm...¡± She muttered, pointing towards his abdomen before covering her eyes and quickly leaving the house. Leo could see her slightly pointed elven ears, nowpletely dyed red, and ck wings, which were trembling slightly. ¡®???¡¯ Leo looked where Ava was pointing and momentarily froze as he realized that his Shadow Robe and clothes were almost shredded, revealing his chiseled abs and chest. If his des had been a centimeter longer, he would have lost his pants as well. Leaning his head against the wall, he cursed, swallowing the embarrassment and letting it fuel his curses. He was already nning to visit Kilgros to repair his Eerie Staff and Shadow Robe, but now the cost would be significantly higher due to the condition one of his items was in. ¡®Stupid bone control, I can¡¯t even save my clothes from my own ability...¡¯ ..... Cursing under his breath, Leo quickly logged out and back in, restoring his clothes to their previous state. Leo was about to leave the house when he noticed a broken mirror. Approaching the piece of furniture, he looked at one of the shattered piecesying on the ground. He picked it up and dusted off its surface wanting to look at his reflection. Two purple eyes met his gaze, they were glowing in the dark, giving off an eerie and mysterious aura. They were the eyes of a monster, and an intelligent one at that. Leo imagined spreading his Shadow Realm and emerging from the darkness, his eyes the only thing shining in theplete cover of the shadows. He shook his head to clear the thoughts. ¡®Tomorrow you have to wake up early...¡¯ He reminded himself. Scratching his mask, Leo ced the shard on a table untouched by his rampage and left the house, knowing he would probably never see it again. He immediately spotted Ava, who was stretching her wings, her back turned towards him. Every ck feather glistening in the red sunlight gave her an otherworldly appearance, almost causing Leo to stumble. He wanted to sneak up on her and whisper something into her ear, making her jump in surprise. Unfortunately, he had to abandon his n since she could sense him due to her high Sense stat, and hecked any skills for concealment. Making loud footsteps to alert Ava of his presence, he walked towards her, causing her ocean-blue eyes to turn towards him. Leo noticed her slightly pink cheeks as she surreptitiously nced at his clothes, but shrugged it off. ¡®Maybe she likes the brand¡¯ Gesturing towards the wall that separated them from the desert, Leo quickly exined to Ava that the portal leading them back could only be found in the desert. Leo didn¡¯t say anything else, but since they found ¡®The Great Wall of Hell¡¯ he could already pinpoint the location of a Portal. It wouldn¡¯t even take an hour to reach it at the speed they are walking. ... They traveled in silence, but Leo felt it was for the best. He could feel Ava gazing at his back, but chose to ignore it. He had to survive another half an hour and a Guardian fight before he could escape from her alluring beauty. He could already make out the shape of a pyramid in the distance, his heart rate increasing with every step he took forward. ¡°Get ready, the guardian will show up soon...¡± As they climbed to the top of the structure, they saw that the tform was empty. Suddenly, the red sand was lifted as something materialized in front of them. The monster had long limbs, a muscr body covered in red fur, was in the shape of a dog and had purple eyes, simr to Leo¡¯s. Leo could feel Ava ncing at him and the dog, trying to hold back the giggle that was threatening to escape from her mouth which she covered with her hands. He felt his mood deteriorating and slid out one of his des and covered it with white mes, whilst his other hand held a Shadow st. To fight a high-level monster, Leo was nning to use his only spell that bypassed MDEF and PDEF. As Avaughed, Leo fought the guardian, but soon his annoyance turned into fuel for his strikes, allowing him to chase the agile dog around the tform and cut off its escape paths as it tried to run away from the fight. The portal guardians are known for their diversity, from being very strong to agile. Luckily, this one was just very fast and couldn¡¯t do a lot of damage, allowing Leo to abuse the yer¡¯s right to drink MP potions and win the battle of attrition against the monster. Taking in a deep breath, he looked towards Ava, who was just staring at him with a small smile. She could¡¯ve helped him, but Leo asked her not to intervene, he wanted to kill the dog-like monster by himself. Even though the experience gain was enough to level him up, Leo didn¡¯t even bat an eye or celebrate, instead he immediately put all his SP into the INT attribute. Today had been a frustrating day, and except for gaining a new race and an ability to tear his clothes, he had gained nothing of value. The embarrassment of Ava seeing him almost naked, the extra cost he would have to pay to repair his items, and the fact that his body was controlled by his ego, all added to his disappointment. He felt like all the progress he had made today was overshadowed by these negative experiences. Leoid on the ground, looking at the engraving shining on the tform. ¡°Just a few more minutes and we can escape...¡± He spoke aloud, so Ava could hear him. His mind was already drifting to thoughts of hisfortable pillow and warm nket, when he suddenly caught the scent of rain in the air. ¡°Huhh?¡± He turned his head to see Avafortablyying beside him. Chapter 142 142 The Change Huff... Leo let out a contented sigh as a fresh gust of wind swept through his horns. He had spent far too long in the fiery pits of hell, where the temperature was always well above normal. The cold wind was an indicator that he was back above the ground, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. He had been fighting demons and navigating treacherous terrain for what felt like an entire month, and the thought of finally being free from that hellishndscape was almost too good to be true. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. Thendscape was barren and rocky, but it was still a wee change from the endless desert. He scanned the area for any sign of Ava. He felt a twinge of disappointment when he didn¡¯t see her, but he knew the portal they had used waspletely random. He had already said goodbye to her, knowing that they might not end up in the same location. Despite this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that they had grown closer through this adventure. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts and refocus, Leo pushed away any lingering fantasies to the side. He quickly essed the map icon in his system window, and arge, grey map appeared before his eyes. Since the area was yet to be explored, everything was shrouded in thick fog, preventing yers from seeing anything outside of their immediate vicinity. Leo knew that this was amon feature in new and unexplored areas within the game, but it was still frustrating. He quickly marked Kilgros workshop on the map, his destination. With a quickmand, he summoned Fenrir. The mighty wolf materialized beside him, and Leo mounted him. He noticed his pet ncing around the area, happy that they are not in hell. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Kilgros...¡± ..... Leo spoke, and he could see Fenrir¡¯s ears perk up at the mention of the dwarf cksmith. Leo knew that the wolf didn¡¯t have much love for the gruff old dwarf, and he couldn¡¯t me him. After all, Kilgros almost strangled Fenrir on their first meeting. But despite this, Leo knew that the dwarf was one of the best cksmiths in the game, and he needed his help to repair his equipment. With a reassuring pat on Fenrir¡¯s head, they set off towards the workshop. *** Leo climbed out of his VR pod, feeling a sense of disorientation as he adjusted to the real world. He massaged his sore leg muscles before stretching his body, trying to shake off the stiffness that came from hours of immobility. The sun was peeking through the half-closed blinds, casting a warm glow into the room. Leo squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him. ¡®Let¡¯s get ready...¡¯ Packing all his things inside his bag, Leo quickly descended down the stairs and entered the kitchen. Since his parents were still asleep, the kitchen was empty and he quickly made himself a sandwich, being mindful not to make too much noise. He didn¡¯t want to wake them up and preferred to eat breakfast on the go. Once he finished his sandwich, he quietly left the house through the front door, closing it behind him with a gentle click. As Leo walked towards his car, he caught a glimpse of his reflection on the window. He noticed that ck bags were visible underneath his eyes and he felt slight annoyance. He knew that he had been ying Fragmental through the entire night and the evidence of it was clear to see. He couldn¡¯t help but think that ¡®Maybe I should sleep more...¡¯ Leo couldn¡¯t help but think that. He didn¡¯t want to sacrifice his health for the sake of the game. Unfortunately, money was involved, and Leo quickly shook off the thought of lowering his gaming time for more sleep. He knew that the more he yed, the more he could earn in-game currency, which could be exchanged for real money. Leo was determined to earn as much as he could and the thought of not sleeping crossed his mind as he knew he could spend more time ying if he didn¡¯t sleep. Starting up his car¡¯s engine, Leo suddenly recalled an important detail he had forgotten: Ava¡¯s recent appearance change. He had seen her in the game and she had changed her appearance to a more alluring one. He thought that he had developed a slight resistance to her beauty, but he knew that it was only slight. The thought of her made the muscles of his face twitch. He could already imagine himself bing one of the boys that were openly ncing at her during the lectures, not caring about the lecture itself. He knew that it would be hard to control himself, but he didn¡¯t want toe off as a creep or make her ufortable. He knew he had to act normal and not stare at her during the lectures. ¡°Just act normal... and don¡¯t stare.¡± Leo mmed his hand against the steering wheel as he pulled out of the driveway and spotted Ava exiting her house. She looked stunning in her tight ck skirt and form-fitting t-shirt, entuating her curves. ¡®Fuck...¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath as he thought about how he wished he had skipped ss today. Despite his regret, he knew he couldn¡¯t avoid attending university forever. After all, he had paid for his education. Ava noticed Leo¡¯s car, but he didn¡¯t dare look towards her, as he knew that if he did, he would probably make a traffic ident. He kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, trying to steady his breathing and keep his focus on driving safely. The journey to the university was surprisingly short. It felt as if time had flown by, and before he knew it, he was driving his car in the parking lot. As he walked towards his ssroom, he felt as if his legs were a few times heavier than usual. Leo had arrived early, so there were only a few people in the ssroom. He could see Ava¡¯s empty seat, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxiety. He knew that he had to see her eventually, but he had hoped to have more time to prepare himself for it. He took a deep breath and walked into the ssroom, determined to make it through the day. Since everyone was already aware that ¡®Leonard¡¯ was a cold person with no interest in socializing, nobody even tried to speak to him. This allowed him to peacefully take his seat and rx, giving him a moment to prepare himself for what was toe. Scrumble... Suddenly, he felt something within the pocket of his jacket and took out a small paper note. He hadn¡¯t used this jacket in a while and had forgotten to check the pockets before leaving home. Curiously, he unfolded the paper and saw a few lines scribbled in ck marker. [ Meet me on the roof at the lunch break... ] Leo frowned before crumpling the note and putting it underneath the table. He had no idea when the note was slipped into his pocket but it was way past the date and he had no ns to receive any kind of confession. He had deduced that the writer was a female, based on the writing, but he found the way the note was written a bit suspicious. It was too sweet... It even had a print of red lips and a heart painted onto its surface. Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was a prank or a joke. He didn¡¯t want to get involved in any kind of situation that would make him ufortable. Burying his head in his hands, Leo tried to doze off, as he had been feeling increasingly tired and wanted to catch some sleep. He closed his eyes and let himself drift off, letting the monotony of the ss lull him into a peaceful state. ... The ss went silent, and Leo felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him as he felt his mind moving towards the dreand. Unfortunately, his nose picked up a familiar fragrance of rain, which made his heart race. Half-opening one of his eyes, Leo looked towards the girl who was walking towards her seat. Their eyes met, which made Leo momentarily stiffen, though his expression remained unbroken. He heard Ava greet him, but only a secondter he understood what she said. ¡°Morning...¡± Leo felt all the eyes in the ss fixated on him and Ava. He only nodded his head in response, before burying his face back inside his arms. Leo was fast approaching his limit. Ava¡¯s beauty was already making him nervous, but the extra effort she had put into her makeup was really testing his limits. ¡°You look tired¡± He heard Ava speak and he could only nod his head in response. He didn¡¯t dare speak, because his throat felt dry, as if he were in the middle of the desert. ==== Hello... This is me ¡®the author¡¯. I have read through thements from readers and have decided to re-edit and rewrite some of the early chapters. L to those reading this book on pirated websites, as they may not receive the updated chapters. After this chapter is released, I will also be creating an auxiliary chapter where readers can provide feedback on mistakes, plot holes, and any issues they may have with the story. I n to re-edit 1-5 chapters a day, depending on my avability. However, please note that I will not be adding any new content but instead focusing on polishing the existing material to improve the reading experience. The daily release schedule will not be affected by this editing process, but don¡¯t expect any major changes to the story, such as Leo bing a dragon god or the game merging with reality. No foreshadowing intended... Chapter 143 143 The Change (2) Leo was aware of many eyes that were fixated on Ava, who was seated close to him. Some of the nces were directed at him as well, but he simply disregarded them. Despite the ongoing lecture and the lector writing on the board, the majority of the ss remained focused on his desk. ¡®...¡¯ As Leo scribbled in his notebook, he couldn¡¯t help but feel someone¡¯s gaze upon him. ncing up, he noticed a girl with ck hair and sses staring in his direction. Since Leo didn¡¯t care to socialize with his ssmates, he didn¡¯t know her name and gave her a questioning look. The girl, noticing that Leo had caught her gaze, gestured towards the clock that hung at the front of the ssroom. With only 5 minutes remaining until the end of the lecture, Leo surmised that the girl wanted to speak with him during the break. Leo inwardly sighed, hoping that the girl¡¯s intentions were not to confess her feelings for him. He wished that it would be something about school or even ¡®Fragmental¡¯. He even missed the usual threats from Theo, that kept others away from him. Unfortunately, Theo was not present today. Ring... Ring... Ring... ..... The bell soon rang signaling the end of ss. Leo stood up from his seat and gestured for the girl with ck hair to follow him. He made his way towards one of the school¡¯s football fields and took a seat in one of the many benches. The girl with ck hair sat down next to him, remaining silent and keeping her lips pressed together. ¡°I¡¯ll leave if you¡¯re just wasting my time...¡± Leo said, ncing at his watch. He had no intention of sitting idly and staring into the distance. Leo was already on edge, due to his proximity he sat to Ava, and he needed to release some of his stress by exercising. He observed the girl fidgeting shyly with her long ck hair and was momentarily taken aback by the look on her face. She appeared to be a shy girl, with her eyes trembling from excitement. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Leo thought to himself, he wanted to grab his things and leave immediately but the girl¡¯s hand stopped him by holding his fingers. ¡°Have you read my letter?¡± She asked, her grip on his hand tightening. Leo frowned, noticing her slightly flushed cheeks and eyes that seemed to be spinning in circles, as if she was hypnotized. Leo cursed himself for not noticing that the girl was crazy and dejectedly shook his head. ¡°Yes.¡± Giving her a curt reply, Leo tried to free his hand, but the girl drew closer, causing Leo to feel increasingly irritated. ¡°Let go of my hand...¡± Leo spoke in a low voice, which caused the girl¡¯s grip to soften as rationality returned to her eyes. He didn¡¯t want to sound threatening, but the situation required him to act ordingly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± Leo met the girl¡¯s gaze with his ck eyes and saw that she was momentarily taken aback by the effect of his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me any more notes, because I¡¯m not able to respond to your feelings¡± Turning away from the girl, whose name he did not know, Leo started walking towards the school¡¯s stadium where he could go for a light jog. As he left the football field, Leo noticed a guy passing by him, hurrying in the direction of the girl he had just rejected. The guy¡¯s hair and eye color were very simr to the girl¡¯s, and Leo guessed that they were siblings. He assumed that this guy had helped the girl write the note. ... Leo felt sweat running down his back, but all thoughts and distractions faded away as he entered a trance-like state while running. That was until he heard the sound of someone taking a photo. Click... His head snapped to the side and he caught sight of a silhouette disappearing behind the corner of the university building. Though Leo couldn¡¯t make out the features of the stalker, he could tell it was a girl by the glimpse of her hands he saw before she disappeared. ncing at his watch, he noticed that the next lecture was about to start and quickly made his way to the ss. As he entered the ssroom, he received a few strange looks due to the fact that he was almost drenched in sweat. Leo took a seat near Ava, who was engrossed in a book, but Leo knew it was just a cover-up and she simply didn¡¯t want to talk. She threw him a nce before her eyes returned to her book. Soon the lecturer entered and began the ss. While Ava diligently took notes, Leo fiddled with the crumpled paper he received from the girl with ck hair. ncing to his right, he noticed that she was not present and let out a sigh. Opening his notebook, Leo tossed the paper note onto his desk and immersed himself in the book lying before him. *** Ring... Ring... Ring... The bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and Leo slowly gathered his things before leaving the ssroom, with a barely perceptible smile ying on his lips. He had managed to survive the first day while sitting near the ¡®angel¡¯. As he approached his car, Leo tossed his bag inside and was about to enter the vehicle when he felt someone nudge his side. Leo heard faint whispers surrounding him and the corner of his eye twitched with anticipation as he wondered who was standing behind him. As he turned around, he noticed Ava standing a meter away, a pout visible on her face. The faint scent of rain seemed to linger around her. She had her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes were focused on him, as if she had something important to say. Leo felt a knot in his stomach trying to keep his facial expressions in check. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about our deal, did you?¡± Ava asked, her voice breaking the silence. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t, my assistant will contact you in the game for more information.¡± Leo was relieved when Ava nodded her head in response, and he bid her a good day before getting into his car. However, he missed the subtle hint on her face that suggested she had something else to say. Her lips were slightly parted, as if she wanted to add something more to their conversation. Ava couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of annoyance as she observed Leonard¡¯s usual demeanor. Despite her best efforts to talk with him, his expression remained impassive. As she looked into his eyes, she could see that they were actively studying her face, but she was unable to discern any hint of emotion that would suggest he felt attracted towards her. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that Leonard and Leo were almost identical in their behavior. The possibility that Leonard was actually Leo, in disguise, was growing inside her mind. Ava¡¯s gaze fixated on Leonard¡¯s grey car as it pulled away from the university, leaving behind a trail of exhaust fumes. Waking up from her stupor, she pushed her way through the crowd of people who were staring at her, some with admiring nces while others with envious eyes. Despite being surrounded by dozens of males vying for her attention and females ring at her with jealousy, Ava navigated the crowd with ease and reached her car without any incident. *** Leo stumbled into his house, mental exhaustion weighing him down to the ground. He copsed onto the sofa, reaching for his phone. He quickly typed out a message to Tia, instructing her to contact Ava and deliver the potions he had promised her in the game. He sent Tia Ava¡¯s in-game information and trusted her to handle the task efficiently. As heid there, resting, Leo¡¯s gaze swept around the room. He realized that his parents were not home and noticed a note on the table. It was from his mother, exining that they had gone for a walk. As Leo walked towards his room, his attention was drawn to the stocks disyed on his phone screen. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he took in the numbers on his ount, the amount of zeroes making his head spin. ¡®Should I buy more property?¡¯ Leo scratched his chin in thought, he considered the uing event that was about to drastically raise property prices within the city. He had already invested in several apartments, but the potential for even more profit tempted him. He knew that buying more property would be a smart move, but his eyes were suddenly drawn towards the girl on the other side of the street. Leo¡¯s eyes locked onto Ava as she climbed out of her car and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. He knew that he was bing increasingly drawn to her beauty, and it made him uneasy. He was aware that his attraction to her could potentially cloud his judgment and make it difficult for him to make rational decisions ¡®This is difficult...¡¯ Chapter 144 144 Feelings Leo stumbled into his bedroom, his eyes drooping with fatigue. He carelessly kicked off his shoes and copsed onto his bed, pulling the soft, warm nket over his body. Despite his exhaustion, his mind was still active and racing with thoughts, refusing to let him slip into a peaceful slumber just yet. Hey there, wide-awake, lost in his own thoughts. Leo was now fully aware that he was attracted to Ava and he couldn¡¯t deny it. He could clearly see the difference between how he reacted towards her and other girls. He couldn¡¯t shake off the flutter of emotions in his chest every time he thought of her, it made him uneasy and uncertain. He knew that he needed to address these feelings as they could potentially have a significant impact on his life. He closed his eyes, trying to find a way to deal with his emotions and find a solution to his inner turmoil. Leo was torn about his attraction to Ava. On one hand, he couldn¡¯t deny the strong physical attraction he felt towards her, but on the other hand, he knew that pursuing a rtionship with her could bring a lot of problems andplications. He was aware that his attraction was based primarily on her physical appearance, and that he had not yet developed deeper feelings of love or affection for her as a person. He had spent some time with her in hell, and while he knew her character, he had not yet fallen in love with her or begun to appreciate her as a woman. Leo couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to her beauty, which was undeniable and could make any man¡¯s heart flutter with desire. ¡°Forget about it...¡± He just shrugged his shoulders. He knew that Ava was just out of his league, he felt that the ¡®Ice Queen¡¯ could not be taken by a random passerby like him, who just happens to be reincarnated and gets all the loot due to having prior knowledge about the game. Leo tried to convince himself that he was not good enough for her, and that his interactions with her were a result of him exploiting his advantage of being reincarnated. He felt guilty for wanting to pursue her in this way. ..... He believed that it was unfair to her and to others who were not in his position... ¡°Like I care about others¡¯ opinions!¡± Leo cursed, catching himself lying through the teeth and frowned. He felt his eyelids slowly closing, covering his sight in darkness. ¡®Emotions areplicated...¡¯ *** Ava made her way through the dense forest, her eyes fixed on the map disyed on the transparent screen of her system window. Her ck wings were tightly folded against her back to prevent them from getting caught in the thick branches. The forest was alive with the calls of birds and the random screeches from monsters. Despite the beauty and dangers around her, Ava¡¯s mind was preupied with something important. Biting her bottom lip in thought, her eyes took on a distant look as she considered her options. She had acquired a certain item, but was now questioning whether or not she wanted to keep it. ¡®Should I delete it?¡¯ She whispered to herself, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty. The item held great value, but it also came with a great shame. She knew that keeping it would mean having to make a difficult decision. But if she deleted it, she would probably regret thister on. Ava weighed the pros and cons, her mind racing as she tried to make the best decision. Ava shook her head, attempting to push the thoughts at the back of her mind. She decided that she would keep the item safely protected within her phone¡¯s storage. Click... Suddenly she received a new message in her inbox. Ava quickly checked the sender¡¯s ID and saw that it was from Tia. She opened the mail interested to see what it contained. As far as she knew nobody except Leo, Eli, Eric and... ¡®Leonard¡¯ knew how to contact her in game. As she read the contents, her eyes slightly widened and her expression turned serious. Without hesitation, she essed her map and quickly changed her target. She was now making her way to retrieve the potions she had bought previously. Ava extended her massive ck wings, the muscles in her back rippling with the effort. With a powerful thrust, she lifted off the ground, her wings beating with a steady rhythm as she soared into the sky. The speed at which she moved was iparable to walking, and she felt a sense of freedom and exhration wash over her. The ground below her became a blur as she flew, her wings slicing through the air with effortless grace. She knew that some yers might see her, but she didn¡¯t care. Her massive angel wings were something that she couldn¡¯t hide, no matter how hard she tried. Flying through the clouds, Ava felt a sense of pride and freedom... As Ava reached her destination, shended gracefully, her wings folding against her back as she looked around. She found herself in a city, as there were many yers openly gaping towards her, their eyes drawn to her massive ck wings and her beautiful face. Many of them had horns, and Ava couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were as sensitive as Leo¡¯s. The thought was fleeting, however, as her attention was soon drawn to a girl with ck hair who emerged from a massive mansion and waved towards her. ¡°You are probably Ava!¡± Ava¡¯s eyes slightly squinted as she examined the woman in front of her. She had transparent wings sprouting from her back, and Ava could tell by her appearance that she was a fairy. Though Ava was already aware of this, she couldn¡¯t help but be slightly taken aback by the woman¡¯s beauty. She had expected fairies to be more cute and delicate, but this woman was stunning. For some reason, Ava felt something gripping at her stomach, but she chose to ignore it. She approached Tia and greeted her warmly. Tia, in turn, smiled and led her inside the massive structure. The interior was just as grand and opulent as the exterior, and Ava couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe as she looked around. She was soon led into the kitchen, where a warm and inviting aroma of tea greeted her. On the table, there was a cup of tea, the smoke from the liquid rising gracefully into the air. Tia gestured for Ava to take a seat, and Ava obliged, taking a moment to savor the scent of the tea. Tia then took out a paper document and ced it on the table in front of Ava. The document was filled with small print and had a signature mark at the bottom. ¡°This is a contract and upon signing it you¡¯ll receive the Intermediate Health potions.¡± Ava nodded, her attention fully focused on the document as she carefully read through the fine print. The contract was very detailed and professionally written, outlining the most important points. She was handed a pen, and with a steady hand, she signed her name on the designated line at the bottom of the page. She then handed the contract back to Tia, who gave her a satisfied smile. A dozen potion bottles with red liquid materialized on the table in front of Ava. Without hesitation, Ava quickly grabbed them and ced them in her inventory. She counted them carefully, making sure the number matched the quantity that she had ordered. Once satisfied that all the bottles were ounted for, she nodded her head in approval. As they sipped the hot tea, Tia and Ava exchanged a few friendly words. They talked about Ava¡¯s journey and the things they had been doing in the game. But soon, the conversation took a more interesting turn. Tia twirled a strand of her long ck hair around her finger as she gazed out the window, her brown eyes seeming distant and troubled. ¡°You¡¯re familiar with my boss in real life?¡± She asked, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. Ava, noticing Tia¡¯s expression, nodded her head in confirmation and took a sip of her drink. She was intrigued by Tia¡¯s question and the emotions it seemed to have stirred up in her. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a bit cold... He al...¡± Tia opened up to Ava, sharing herints about Leonard. As she spoke, Ava listened attentively, nodding her head from time to time in understanding. She could rte to Tia¡¯sints, as she too had been treated by Leonard in the same way. Hearing Tia¡¯s experiences with Leonard, Ava realized that she was not alone in her feelings of annoyance and frustration towards him. Even though she and Leonard had onlymunicated through work-rted matters, the way he carried himself, his speaking habits, and his seemingly robotic character all reminded her of Leo. Ava couldn¡¯t help, but sigh feeling her brain overheating from theplex thoughts. ¡®Emotions areplicated...¡¯ Chapter 145 145 Grinding Leo was jolted awake by a gentle nudge on his side. As he rubbed his sleepy eyes, he saw the silhouette of his father standing beside him. ¡°Come downstairs, dinner is ready...¡± His father said, before turning and leaving the room. To ensure Leo would not fall back asleep, his father flipped on the light, causing Leo to let out a sharp cry as he shielded his eyes, like a vampire caught in the sun. ¡°Hisss...¡± A raspy groan escaped Leo¡¯s throat as he pulled his nket over his head, hoping to fall back asleep. However, his ns were foiled by Ricky, who came over and mped down on the nket, dragging it away from Leo. ¡®Why is the world against me?¡¯ Feeling the soft touch of a furry ball against his face as it licked him, Leo rolled out of bed and headed to the washroom to freshen up. Leo then made his way downstairs to join his family for dinner, where they enjoyed steak together. Ricky sat beside his chair, gazing up at him with pleading eyes, but Leo still held a grudge against him for stealing his nket. Leo nced at the clock and noticed that it was nearing 7 P.M. He decided to skip his usual evening jog and instead spend some time ying Fragmental. Despite his high attributes for his level, he felt that his overall level was still only slightly above that of the average yer. ..... Although Leo¡¯s battle power wasparable to that of yers at Level 30, he was aware that there were others who could defeat him at this stage, one of them being Ava. With this in mind, Leo decided to spend his time grinding, specifically targeting monsters that should be too difficult for someone at his level to defeat, utilizing his extensive knowledge to minimize the time he spent leveling up. Stretching his back, he entered his room and putting on the head gear, logged into [ Fragmental ]. [ ?????????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????! ] A robotic voice greeted him and he found himself standing near the city where Kilgros lived. His Shadow Robe and Eerie Staff, which had been damaged, were fully repaired. It cost him a lot of gold, but it was worth considering how useful the items were. The [ Clown Mask ] was still on Leo¡¯s face, his purple eyes fixed on the map disyed in his status window. Leo scanned the map, searching for a location where he could put his knowledge to optimal use. He soon came across a small water bodybeled ¡®The Lake of Sirens¡¯. He marked the location with a waypoint and quickly made his way to the city to purchase some earplugs and some bread. Then he ventured into the thick foliage, where he could summon Fenrir without drawing attention. Leo offered Fenrir some of the high-quality meat he had purchased while his items were being repaired by Kilgros. He then mounted the wolf and set off towards theke. Thanks to Fenrir¡¯s powerful legs, it did not take long for them to reach theke, and Leo absorbed the wolf into his tattoo. He had not purchased earplugs for Fenrir, as such an item did not exist for wolves. Leo inserted the earplugs, ensuring that no sound could prate them, and nodded his head. He then did a few simple movements to make sure the earplugs wouldn¡¯t fall out and headed towards the surface of the water. Ssh... Leo threw a loaf of bread as far as he could, watching as it arced through the air before sshing into the water, disturbing its previously still surface. He watched as the bread remained afloat on water, until something unseen dragged it beneath the surface. Leo took a few steps back as the water within theke began to ripple, as if something was vibrating or singing beneath its surface. The noise was so loud that Leo could feel the vibrations passing through the ground beneath his feet, but he didn¡¯t hear a single sound, thanks to the earplugs. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk, as theke was exactly as he remembered it from his past life. Leo prepared another loaf of bread, while keeping a keen eye on the surface of the water, looking out for any signs of something emerging from it. Ssh... Leo threw the food into the water, this time closer to the shore, as if he was intentionally luring the creature to the shoreline. The bread was quickly taken beneath the surface of theke, and Leo repeated the process, throwing one piece of bread after the other, until one finallynded on the shore. Ssh... In an instant, a monster emerged from the water, lunging at the loaf of bread and rolling onto the sandy beach. ¡®Damn...¡¯ He murmured to himself, recognizing the monster as a Siren ¨C a creature with the upper body of a human female and the lower body of a fish, covered in silver scales that sparkled in the sunlight. Leo observed the creature as it pped defensively on the ground, attempting to move using its fish-like tail. Though the Siren had a beautiful face, the sight of sharp teeth visible through her parted lips gave her a monstrous appearance. Leo could see her trying to sing a song that would have a powerful effect on lower-level yers, but since he had earplugs, he didn¡¯t hear a single sound. Leo shook his head as he saw the Siren greedily eyeing the loaf of bread, whichy just a dozen feet away from its body. He couldn¡¯t understand why the developers had programmed Sirens to have an addiction to bread, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. Leo guided the Shadow Energy into his palm and cast a Shadow st, which swirled through the air as if it were alive. Boom... The projectile struck the Siren¡¯s tail, causing it to lose some of its scales and letting out a hiss of pain. Seeing that he had inflicted some damage, Leo retreated a safe distance away from the creature before tossing another loaf of bread into theke. Leo knew that Sirens could not stay out of the water for extended periods, so he decided to allow it to die naturally. Killing it manually would have consumed too much of his Mana and Shadow Energy. By luring the creatures one by one, he had already sessfully baited six of them to the shore, when the first one finally died. [ ?? ?????????? ???? ????????????! ] 1?? ??,?????? ?????? 2?? ??????????¡¯?? ?????????? ???? ~~~~ Leo surveyed the loot and, satisfied with the amount of experience points, prepared to continue luring the creatures. However, his attention was drawn to a group of yers emerging from the dense foliage nearby. He noticed that they wore armor with multiple red crosses engraved onto them and immediately recognized the group to be a ¡®The Cross¡¯ guild. Leo was well-acquainted with the reputation of ¡°The Cross¡± guild, having known from his past life that they were one of the most powerful in the game, capable of taking on a world-boss on their own. Though, right now, the guild was weak, under the leadership of the yer leading them currently they were fated to reach the top. The Cross guild was widely respected among yers for their peaceful approach towards conflicts, preferring negotiations over unnecessary wars, and for their vastwork of connections within the game. Since Leo held no grudge against the group, he waved towards them, gesturing for them to cover their ears. His gaze met with the leader of the group, a male yer dressed in gleaming metal armor and wielding a goldennce. As the leader of the guild noticed the Siren bodies scattered on the shore, Leo saw the man¡¯s eyes widen momentarily before he quickly whispered instructions to hispanions, all of whom promptly covered their ears. Leo nodded in approval, impressed by the man¡¯s intelligence and level-headedness, as he remembered him from his past life. The leader¡¯s willingness to take advice from a stranger, if it was beneficial to his guild, was a stark contrast to someone Leo knew all too well... a certain someone who constantly threatened him. Leo approached the Sirens and killed them by manual means, using a series of Shadow sts before walking up to a group of The Cross guild members who were still covering their ears. He then removed his own earplugs and gestured for them to stop covering their ears, indicating that it was safe to uncover their ears. The leader of the group was the first to lower his hands, and his guild members soon followed suit. He looked at Leo, whose identity was obscured by the mask he was wearing. ¡°Hello, my name is Robin and I am the leader of the guild ¡®Cross¡¯. I would like to hire you as our guide through this area for a fair price...¡± Robin slightly bowed his head in respect towards Leo, which prompted Leo to nod in agreement, although he couldn¡¯t help but frown at the contents of Robin¡¯s statement. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d be up for the job?¡± Leo was confused as to why Robin would assume he wanted to share information with him. In his mind, he saw himself as just a random passerby, and not someone who would be seeking to share information. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Leo, the unknown yer? The one whose help can be bought with money?¡± Chapter 146 146 Grinding (2) ... Leo¡¯s body tensed, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously as he quickly scanned the faces of the other guild members, noticing their confusion as well. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m him?¡± Leo spoke to the leader, with a bone de extending from his elbow. By now, he had some control over his bones, but it was far from perfect. Each time his bone des grewrger, he felt pain, but it did not cost him any HP. Leo was rtively resistant to pain, and he didn¡¯t flinch as his de came into view of the guild members of ¡®Cross¡¯. He noticed some of the yers flinching while others summoned their weapons. Leo could see some orcs and elves among the group, but it was mostlyposed of demons and humans. He assumed that there were also some dwarfs in the group, but they were likely cksmiths working on equipment back at their guild headquarters. ¡°The spell you used to kill the Sirens, I¡¯ve only seen one yer use it before.¡± Before the situation could escte into a fight, Robin¡¯s authoritative voice echoed through the area, as he gestured for his guild members to conceal their weapons. ¡®...¡¯ ..... Leo also retracted his bone des, cursing himself for using his Shadow st to kill the Sirens. He cast a quick nce towards Robin and gave a small nod. ¡°You are right, I am that ¡®Unknown yer¡¯. I¡¯m sure you are aware that my servicese at a high cost... Do you still want my assistance?¡± As soon as his identity was revealed, Leo noticed a subtle shift in the way the yers were looking at him. They were still aware of his presence, but the caution and wariness they previously held towards him seemed to have dissipated. Even though their weapons were sheathed, Leo was aware that they could be drawn and equipped at a moment¡¯s notice, should the yers wish to do so. Leo was confident in his ability to defend himself against the group of 30 yers, but he was uncertain about the true battle power of the guild leader, Robin. He sensed that if he were to engage in a fight with the entire guild, he may have to reveal some of his secret spells that had not yet been seen by the public. Leo was bothered by the fact that his new appearance was now known to the entire ¡®Cross¡¯ guild, and he couldn¡¯t help but curse the bone des that protruded from his elbows. ¡®I wish I couldpletely retract them...¡¯ Leo was a mage and even though his race was suited for closebat, at his current level, his bone des were of little use to him. Leo looked at Robin, who was deep in thought, scratching his chin and his guild members who were staring at him with suspicion. He let out a sigh. ¡®Come out...¡¯ Suddenly, a ck wolf materialized before the group, its lower jaw slightly dropped, revealing its razor-sharp teeth designed to tear through the flesh of any creature alive. Fenrir, the giant ck wolf, has be a symbol of the Unknown yer, and Leo was well aware of this fact. He had read all the information about himself on the forums, including the tips on how to recognize him, one of which was hispanion, the ck wolf. Leo patted the giant head of Fenrir, causing the wolf to lower its head as if asking for more. He was well aware that by summoning the wolf, he had confirmed his identity, and knew that negotiations would soon be concluded. ¡°...Yes, I¡¯d like to hire you after all.¡± After a few minutes of contemting, Robin nodded in agreement, eliciting a smirk from Leo. He quickly handed Robin a nk sheet of paper, requesting that he put down his conditions for the cooperation. To those watching, Leo¡¯s eyes remained unblinking as he spoke, while Robin kept frowning and scratching his chin in deep thought. The members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild were surprised to see their leader being led in the conversation, especially when it came to the sensitive topic of the guild¡¯s funds, which he was known to be very sensitive about. In the end, the two men shook hands, with Leo taking care not to identally detach Robin¡¯s wrist with his des, and signed the papers. Leo felt the amount of gold coins in his possession increase and a smile spread across his face. He was getting closer to his goal of bing a billionaire. He knew that in the future, money would be especially important, especially after the ¡®assimtion¡¯. Leo took out a loaf of bread and gestured for Robin and the members of ¡®Cross¡¯ to follow him, leading them closer to theke. Ssh... He threw the first bread into the water and waited until it disappeared beneath the surface. ¡°What I was hunting here were Sirens. They are creatures with the upper body of a human female and a fish tail, covered in glistening scales. These monsters are typically beyond the capabilities of yers of our level to defeat, but luckily, they have a few weaknesses that can be exploited...¡± Leo spoke, and although he felt somewhat ufortable with everyone gathered around him in a circle, he continued to speak nheless. ¡°First of all, their bodies are highly resilient, and won¡¯t take much damage, but that can be bypassed by using true damage skills or spells, which I doubt any of you have ess to. Sirens also cannot survive outside of water, so luring them out and dealing damage onnd would count as a kill if they die without water. Additionally, these monsters are addicted to bread, for some inexplicable reason. So, like I did, you can throw loaves of bread closer and closer to the shore until the creature emerges from theke¡± As he scanned the group, Leo noticed understanding in their eyes and nodded in approval. ¡°I rmend purchasing earplugs! The Sirens can use their songs to mind control you¡± Deciding to show them how to do it, Leo took another loaf of bread out of his inventory. He tossed it into the water, before turning to Robin. ¡°Tell everyone to cover their ears...¡± Soon, Leo felt vibrations passing through the ground, signaling that the Siren¡¯s song had begun. Thankfully, none of the yers around him were affected and he could continue throwing bread until a fish-like monster lunged out of theke. Thud... With a loud sound, itnded on the sandy shore, but its movements were impaired, making it nothing more than an easy target for Leo and ¡®Cross¡¯ guild. [ ?? ?????????? ???? ????????????! ] 1?? ??,?????? ?????? 2?? ??????????¡¯?? ?????????? ???? ~~~~ Leo turned his masked face towards the yers, gesturing for them to remove their hands covering their ears. ¡°Any questions?¡± Leo asked and at that moment, Leo felt a Fenrir, who was inside his tattoo, asking him about the ¡®special dish¡¯ he promised to give him when they returned from hell. Leo chose to ignore his pet¡¯s request for the moment, as he wanted to ensure that there were no misunderstandings and that the members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild wouldn¡¯t try to do something stupid, like dive into theke. Leo noticed a few hands being raised in the group and gestured for the girl at the front to speak. She had light green hair and pointy ears, indicating that she was an elf. He saw a quiver on her back and guessed that she was an archer. Judging by her equipment, he could see that she was well-prepared. ¡°Aside from their song that could control one¡¯s mind, do the Sirens possess any other skills or spells?¡± The elf¡¯s calm andposed demeanor made Leo suspect that she was one of the core members or at least someone of importance within the Cross guild. Her question was logical and it caught Leo¡¯s interest, as he could see her yellow eyes gleaming with curiosity. Leo quickly scanned his memories, trying to recall any information about an archer within the Cross guild. Despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t remember anything about a green-haired archer being within the guild. ¡®Wait...¡¯ Leo¡¯s eyes narrowed as he focused on the quiver hanging from her back. The tips of her arrows looked sharp, as if they had never been used before or bought just recently. Leo noticed that her hands were smooth, with no calluses or signs of her releasing an arrow, and he couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡®Interesting...¡¯ Leo did indeed know someone within the Cross guild who had green hair, but she was not an archer... She was an earth mage who had buried an entire city full of yers and NPCs, because a single yer within the territory had killed her guild member! Chapter 147 147 Grinding (3) Leo couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows as he looked at the quiver hanging from her back, wondering why she would hide her ss. Leo didn¡¯t mind if the yers didn¡¯t fully trust him, but he had to stay cautious in case the mage had any hidden motives. Even though a contract had been signed, it didn¡¯t mean that all members of the guild were satisfied with his assistance. Leo wasn¡¯t sure if Robin deemed it unnecessary to inform him about the green-haired girl, but he decided to be on guard. ¡°No, they don¡¯t have any other abilities...¡± Leo answered some additional questions that were rted to the situation and distanced himself from the group, satisfied with the money he had earned. He observed as half of the guild split off from the rest, Robin leading them in the direction of the city, while the others remained behind, trying to pass the time by talking and secretly ncing towards him. He could see some of them had intentions to approach him, and with a sigh, he decided to head towards theke. Ssh... Leo made sure to keep a safe distance from the yers so they wouldn¡¯t be affected by the Siren¡¯s song and sessfully lured a creature to the shore. To avoid using his Shadow st again, he damaged the monster using a Lightning Bolt spell before preparing to lure a second one. ..... The contract he had signed with Robin stated that they would share this farming spot and keep the method of luring Sirens a secret from the public. Both Leo and the Cross guild also agreed to respect each other¡¯s space and not interfere with each other¡¯s actions. Leo was paid a substantial amount of Gold coins that could easily purchase the most extravagant mansions in the real world. Leo was currently considering if it would be worth it to exchange the gold coins into real-world money and invest it. Another option would be to go to an auction house and buy various items, which he knew would increase in value in the future. Ssh... Another fish-like monster, lunged out of the water, nearly reaching Leo with its weak hands, adorned with sharp nails. Even though the Sirens were addicted to bread, they were notpletely mindless and could attack an enemy if they were in close proximity. Leo, who had anticipated this, was at a safe distance and simply took a step backwards, allowing the monster to crash against the ground, with its hands grasping at nothing but air. Leo could sense the yers¡¯ gaze on him from the other side of theke, but his attention was focused on the creature iling helplessly beneath his feet. Swish... ¨C 51 Magical Damage! Leo dealt minimal damage to the Siren and frowned, leaving the monster to die on its own, while throwing another loaf of bread into the water. He was about to throw another bread into the water when he noticed a metallic glint reflecting off the sun,ing from within the bushes in the corner of his eye. Leo pretended not to notice the glint, but he summoned Fenrir and gestured towards the forest, indicating for his pet to take a walk and explore the area. ¡°Go take a fewps around, get some exercise!¡± He spoke loudly, so even the person hiding in the lush bushes would hear him. Through their bond, he instructed Fenrir to sneak up to the person and bring them to him, alive if possible... Leo watched as hispanion¡¯s ck tail disappeared among the foliage, and he continued to eliminate the Sirens. Meanwhile, the members of the Cross guild observed him from a distance, capturing images and uploading them to the inte. The only individuals who appeared to be unfazed by Leo¡¯s presence were the archer with green hair and an elderly monk with a grey beard that reached his hips. Despite this, both of them asionally stole nces at him, indicating to Leo that they were cautious of him and ready to defend themselves and the guild members if he chose to attack. Roar... Suddenly, Leo heard Fenrir¡¯s roar from within the forest and shifted his gaze towards the sound. He observed as the green-haired elf took out her bow, but from the way she was holding it, he could tell she was not proficient with the weapon. Soon, a man wearing iron armor was thrown out of the foliage, his chest te adorned with marks of Fenrir¡¯s ws. ¡°Cough... Cough...¡± Leo saw the man vomiting blood, but felt no sympathy for the stalker. He noticed that the yer was an Orc, his forearms adorned with tattoos that indicated he was a Berserker. ¡°What is your intention?¡± Feeling the bone de slide out of his elbow, Leo pressed it against the green-skinned neck of the Orc, causing him to freeze in ce. ... He felt the gazes of the Cross guild yers judging him, but he paid them no attention, as he saw drops of blood trickling down the Orc¡¯s armor. If the Orc chose to remain silent, Leo would not hesitate to kill him. Even though his de was pressed against the Orc¡¯s neck, he would still need to cast a spell, as his bone des would not inflict significant damage to an Orc. Leo watched as small particles of light gathered around the fingers of the kneeling Orc. In a split-second, Leo cast a Lightning Bolt, impaling the Orc with a projectile made of crackling electricity. The Orc let out a final cry of pain as the Lightning coursed through its body, causing its muscles to convulse before it fell motionless to the ground. Leo observed as some of the yer¡¯s items fell to the ground, and he shrugged his shoulders, not finding anything of value to him. He was not certain if the yer belonged to the Cross guild, but from the expressions of the yers in the distance, Leo could tell that the orc was an outsider. This slightly troubled Leo, as now another yer was aware of thiske¡¯s location. He noticed the monk typing into his System window and guessed that he was contacting Robin, another yer finding theke was a huge deal after all... Sighing, Leo knelt down, picking up the gold coins the Orc had dropped, before moving away from the corpse. He couldn¡¯t help but frown, as he couldn¡¯t use his Demonic me to consume the Orc in front of so many people. Tap... Tap... Hearing someone approaching, Leo turned his masked face towards the sound and saw the monk with a long beard walking towards him. As he studied the monk¡¯s face, Leo saw no hidden motives and retracted his bone des that were still extended from the fight with the Orc. He knew that his new weapons looked intimidating, and he didn¡¯t want to make an enemy of one of the core members of the Cross guild. ¡°Hello young yer...¡± Lowering his head as if paying respect, the elder continued to speak in a tone that was respectful yet assertive. ¡°May the members of our guild take the items of the yer you killed?¡± Leo was taken aback for a moment. He didn¡¯t anticipate the elder to ask him something so straightforward. ¡°Of course, you may¡± Since the items wouldn¡¯t fetch a substantial amount of gold coins in the auction house, Leo had no use for them, so it made no difference to him if the Cross guild took them or not. As he watched the yers divide the equipment, Leo suddenly felt someone nudge his side. ¡°Did you really defeat a Hidden Boss by yourself?¡± He noticed the elf with green hair standing beside him, as if she had appeared out of thin air. In reality, Leo had sensed her approaching, and he had even started preparing to cast Shadow Protection, in case she tried anything funny. ¡°No?¡± Leo replied, before moving further away from the archer, intending to lure another Siren to the shore. He saw no reason to reveal information if the elf herself was hiding her ss. Leo wasn¡¯t petty, not at all... Ssh... Another Siren emerged from theke and as it died, Robin and the other half of the guild returned with arge amount of bread and earplugs purchased from the city. Robin¡¯s face was frowning as he spoke with the green-haired archer and the elderly monk. He then directed his gaze towards Leo, indicating that he wanted to speak with him. ¡®Why does everyone want to interrupt my grinding?¡¯ Leo felt a wave of annoyance rise within him, but quickly suppressed it. He could have kept the information to himself, but he didn¡¯t. It was his own fault for being addicted to money. Dejectedly shaking his head, he watched as Robin approached him with fast steps. ¡°Do you know something about the Orc? Did he talk or tell you his name...¡± Leo was bombarded with questions, which increased his annoyance. He already regretted epting the money... That¡¯s a lie, he didn¡¯t. Chapter 148 148 Another Guild? Leo felt his eyes twitch with annoyance as he looked at Robin, who was jumping in his face, asking about the Orc¡¯s identity. How was he supposed to know anything else, except for the yer¡¯s name? The Orc didn¡¯t speak, and the only information Leo had was the yer¡¯s name, Martin. ¡°His name was Martin, he was a berserker Orc...¡± Leo took a step back to avoid being run into by Robin, who froze upon hearing the Orc¡¯s name. ¡°Shit!¡± Leo was surprised to hear Robin curse, as he had always thought of him as a refined and cold-blooded leader who doesn¡¯t let his emotions get the better of him. Leo observed Robin¡¯s face, which was adorned with blond hair and red eyes, and noticed his lips curling up into a scary smile. ¡°Say... Leo, would you help your coworker?¡± Leo noticed a dangerous glint shining in Robin¡¯s red eyes and smirked, he had a feeling that his purse would soon contain more gold coins. ..... ¡°If the pay is appropriate...¡± Waving his hand nonchntly, Leo acted as if he had no concern whether the Cross guild would hire him or not. But in reality, he was almost pleading for them to do so, he wouldn¡¯t mind earning easy money. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the price depending on the number of yers you kill!¡± Leo¡¯s ears perked up upon hearing Robin¡¯s statement. What yers? Weren¡¯t they the only ones in the vicinity? Feeling Leo¡¯s questioning gaze, Robin sighed and gestured for the elf archer and the old monk to approach, before starting to speak in a solemn tone. ¡°Since our guild was only recently created and is rtively new, we are facing pressure from other guilds. One of them is a guild called ¡®Vikings¡¯. They are mostly Orc berserkers, and they want to disband our guild, as our growth is so rapid that we are a threat to overtake them. The Orc berserker you found in the bushes, whose name is Martin, is already familiar with us, as he delivered some messages from the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild leader...¡± Observing Leo¡¯s eyes fixated on him and seeing that he was listening attentively, Robin nodded slightly before continuing to speak. ¡°The only thing that prevented them from attacking us was the public¡¯s reaction, as they would be buried under a wave of hate if they began killing us without reason. But now, we have directly or indirectly killed one of their members... I think this will be a good excuse for them to attack us¡± Listening to Robin, Leo couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath. If he had known that the Orc was just a messenger, he would have only restrained him and not killed him. Well... it was the Orc¡¯s own fault for attempting to summon a weapon from his inventory. Leo wanted to refuse to take part in the fight between the guilds, as they are usually highly violent and deadly, but a strange feeling of guilt washed over him as he thought that the Cross guild had to fight because of his own actions. ¡®Why do I even have a conscience...¡¯ Feeling the gaze of the green-haired elf ring at him, Leo lifted his head and met her gaze, before turning to Robin. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, but I have a few questions¡± Leo said whilst raising three fingers into the air. ¡°What is the average level of your guild members?¡± ¡°Do you have any fairies that can cast healing spells?¡± ¡°Why is this elf hiding her ss?¡± Looking at the three people standing before him, Leo saw a variety of expressions. Robin¡¯s face was that of surprise, the monk looked like he was lost in thought, and the elf was trying topose herself, her cheeks slightly flushed. ¡®Was the question about the average level too sensitive?¡¯ Leo thought, and was about to apologize for delving into sensitive information, when his expectations were shattered. ¡°What do you mean, she¡¯s hiding her ss?¡± The elderly monk was the first to collect himself and looked at Leo with a troubled expression, leaving Leo even more confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t she an earth mage?¡± Leo asked another question examining the expression of the people sitting nearby. ¡°La, is he telling the truth?¡± Robin spoke, while looking at the green-haired girl, who was covering her face, her eyes peeking through her fingers and looking at Leo. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡®...¡¯ Leo quietly watched this awkward exchange and offered to temporarily leave until they talked to each other. He walked away from the trio and sat under the shade of a tree, absorbing Shadow Energy. A few minutester, he felt someone approaching and opened his eyes to see Robin and the elderly monk nearing his location. ¡°We¡¯ve decided to temporarily restrain La¡¯s actions... We¡¯ll continue the conversation without her presence.¡± They took a seat nearby and continued to exin the situation with the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild. Essentially, they were an enemy that needed to be eliminated if the Cross Guild wanted to exist. Leo was at least 80% sure that Robin and his guild would win even without his help, as he didn¡¯t recall hearing anything about the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild in the future. But he didn¡¯t say anything, as it could cost him a well-paid job. In the end, the three men shook hands, sealing the deal and making Leo smirk in response. Robin immediately began preparations, sending scouts throughout the forest to ensure they couldn¡¯t be ambushed. The Elderly monk, whose name was Alfred, led Leo through the guild members, introducing him to some fairies that could cast Heal and some stronger yers who would be a strong asset in the fight. Since Leo was known as one of the best yers in the game, Robin didn¡¯t mind swallowing his pride and allowing Leo to prepare a strategy for defeating the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild. Robin¡¯s decision made Leo admire the man even more. Robin was one of a kind, truly a leader born to lead one of the best guilds in the entire Fragmental. Who could swallow his pride that easily? Leo sent Robin a friend request, which he quickly epted. Leo had already met many yers who would be formidable forces in the future. Was he now proficient in the most difficult skill munication¡¯? Shrugging his shoulders, Leo quickly instructed the yers to split into fiveyers: Humans, Demons, Elves, Fairies, and Orcs. He strategically positioned the Orcs to be in an outer circle, with humans and demons following closely behind. The elves and fairies were ced in the middle, so they could provide support to the outeryers with powerful spells, buffs, and healing. This formation would maximize the strengths of each group while minimizing their weaknesses. From the information he had received, the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild wasposed entirely of Orcs, which was a strategic mistake as theycked ranged damage dealers. Leo could even mount Fenrir to evade their attacks and rain them with spells from a distance, gradually wiping out the entire guild on his own. Leo discussed his n with Robin and Alfred, proposing that he hide in the tree tops and ambush the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild from behind. Robin instantly offered Leo to take some yers with him, but Leo declined, as he intended to eradicate an entire guild and believed that having extra people by his side would only impede his task. Upon hearing Leo¡¯s goal, Robin¡¯s eyes widened slightly and he began scratching his chin. ¡°Say, are you truly a demon and not... a money goblin?¡± Leo lifted his gaze from the System window disying a map and turned to Robin. ¡°There is no such race as the money goblin?¡± Leo returned his focus to the map and lost himself in thought, not noticing as Robin sighed and left him alone. ¡°Can¡¯t we just bribe him to join our guild?¡± Robin heard a gruff voice and turned to see Alfred, who was tightly gripping his iron knuckles that glinted in the sunlight. ¡°We both watched the interview, he¡¯s not nning to join any guild...¡± Even though Robin said that, he felt that if the required amount of Gold Coins was brought into equation nothing was impossible. Robin gazed at the lush forest and sighed, sensing the tense atmosphere. Even the yers who were usually lively, were now whispering quietly among themselves, as if trying to hasten the passage of time. Ring... He suddenly received a system message from one of the scouts he ced within the forest and quickly warned Leo. ¡°A huge crown of around 200 Orcs is marching towards us from the north!¡± Leo dismissed the azure-colored System window with a wave of his hand and surveyed the members of the Cross guild, who were looking at him with nervous expressions. ¡°Try to survive, kill as many as you can, don¡¯t leave your position, and don¡¯t hesitate to use potions.¡± Said Leo before dashing towards the north and disappearing into the dense forest, leaving Robin and Alfred standing in surprise. ¡°Why was I even expecting something more motivating from him...¡± Chapter 149 149 The ¡®Vikings¡¯ Leo quickly ran into the forest without pausing to nce back at the members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild. He had conveyed all he wanted to say and was now focused on finding a secure hiding spot. He knew that the enemy would soon be upon them and that made him slightly nervous, but excited at the same time. Leo had already nned out how to wipe out all of them, if the fight really broke out. Robin had requested Leo to refrain from attacking the ¡®Vikings¡¯ unless they initiated the fight, instead opting for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Leo shook his head in dismay as he observed Robin anxiously surveying the north. If what he had heard was urate, there would be no chance for peace and the guilds would inevitably sh. Even if the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild offered topensate for identally killing Martin with gold coins, they would still be met with attack. As he looked ahead, Leo spotted a tall tree standing out among the others. It would be an ideal vantage point for him to survey the battlefield, as he would be able to see theke from the top. Quickly climbing the tree, he made himselffortable at its top, before revising his n. As soon as he¡¯ll notice that the situation is getting out of hand, Leo will cast the Shadow Realm that will cover the whole vicinity, obstructing the vision of all the living beings nearby. Leo had already discussed this with Robin and instructed him to retreat his guild as soon as the Shadow Realm was cast. Leo had nned to use all of his spells and tactics while hidden in the shadows, as no one would be able to spot him. He was even intending to summon his Shadow Soldiers to hasten the killing process and lower the possibility of being wounded. Killing an entire guild is not typically easy, but as the opposing force wasposed mostly of low-level Orcs, with no mages who could dispel his realm, Leo felt confident in his ability to defeat the blind yers. ..... Looking towards the North, Leo noticed several fast-moving silhouettes, likely scouts sent by the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild to check for any ambushes set up by the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild. He frowned observing how stupidly clumsy their movements were, indicating that they¡¯ve started ying the game only recently and were yet to get used to their bulky orc bodies. ¡®Should I just eliminate them?¡¯ Even though Robin asked him to keep his weapon sheathed if there was a chance for peace, Leo couldn¡¯t shake off a suspicion that the leader didn¡¯t truly believe in his own words. Leo considered using his Lightning Bolt spell to strike down the scouts, but he didn¡¯t want to risk allowing the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild to retreat. If he killed one of their members, they would likely inform their leader. Leo pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched the Orcs pass by his tree, heading towards theke. He soon noticed arger group marching towards him. Leading the group was a muscr Orc, with a broad chest and horns engraved into his forearms¡¯ skin. He held a massive Battle Axe, which was slightly bloodied, suggesting that he had recently fought some monster or encountered a scout from the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild. Leo couldn¡¯t help but let out a whistle as he examined the Orc¡¯s equipment, which was on par with Robin¡¯s, who already had gear above the average yer. Fortunately, Leo¡¯s own equipment was much superior, being among the best in the early game. As the yers in the group were above level 15, they had already unlocked the Sense Attribute, which enhanced their senses beyond normal. Leo was aware of this and remained still as they passed by his hiding spot. As the fight approached, Leo felt his emotions growing numb. His purple eyes fixed on theke where the guilds would soon engage. ¡°Let¡¯s make a fortune...¡± *** The muscr Orc gazed into the forest, his Axe tightly gripped in his hand. He felt a mix of annoyance and twisted pleasure as he recalled the events of the day. He had sent one of his henchmen to spy on a guild that had be an annoyance, as it was constantly growing and posed a potential threat to their dominance in the long run. The henchman, of course, had been killed, but that was his mission from the beginning: to get killed without raising a weapon, making it seem as if the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild had initiated the fight. Previously, the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild had to hold back from attacking the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild openly, due to their sponsors who didn¡¯t want to damage their public image. But now, they had a justification for attacking- revenge. A savage smile spread across the Orc¡¯s face, which he quickly concealed with his green arm. After controlling his expression, he gestured for a few of the Orcs standing behind him to go scout ahead. As he waited for their report, he heard someone speaking behind him. ¡°Uzul, I don¡¯t question your decision to attack the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild, but since Martin was killed by an unknown mage, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to strike them as they exit the forest, to prevent any ambushes from being prenned?¡± Uzul shifted his head slightly to the side and saw a male orc with a sharp jawline and arge broadsword hanging from his hip. Despite being one of his most trusted allies, Uzul felt annoyed as if the orc was belittling his n. ¡°Zarfu, I¡¯m the leader... The sponsors had also agreed to do this, we will not change the n!¡± Uzul attempted to speak in a more calm andposed manner, but his words were infused with visible annoyance and anger. Zarfu, who was on the receiving end of Uzul¡¯s frustration, could only look at him for a moment before shaking his head and backing away, his own mood now visibly worsened. Uzul let out a derisive snort as he watched the orc walk away from him. He despised cowards, and Zarfu was always the first one to express doubts about his ns and take extra precautions to avoid fighting whenever possible. If it weren¡¯t for the sponsors keeping a close eye on the progress of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild, Uzul would have removed Zarfu from the group a long time ago. However, Zarfu¡¯sbat abilities were formidable and his personality, although cowardly, was barely eptable for the goals Uzul had in mind. Ring... Upon receiving a message from the scouts that the path ahead was clear, Uzul let out a battle cry signaling for the entire guild to move forward. The sight of 200 orcs marching in unison was intimidating, their synchronized steps causing the ground to tremble. Uzul had brought nearly all of his forces to engage in battle against the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild and even if they offered thousands of gold coins, he was determined to annihte them all. As he entered the forest, Uzul heightened his senses, preparing for any unexpected events that could ur while moving through the unknown terrain. He could hear his guild members whispering amongst themselves, but a stern nce from Uzul silenced them immediately. ¡®Idiots...¡¯ Uzul muttered under his breath, deliberately making it loud enough for the orcs nearby to hear. He didn¡¯t care about the opinions his guild members held of him, all he needed was absolute obedience, which he could gain through fear or respect. Hearing the unending whispers behind him, he felt blood rushing towards his head. Swish... With little effort, Uzul swung his massive axe, striking a nearby orc and leaving a deep cut wound in his abdomen. ¡°DON¡¯T SPEAK YOU FUCKERS! HOW CAN I SENSE ANYTHING IF YOU KEEP MAKING NOISE!!!¡± Uzul had shown mercy by leaving the wounded orc alive, who was now lying on the ground, trying to consume a potion to heal his wounds. Kneeling before his wounded guild member, Uzul whispered something into his ear which made the orc pale in fear. After his wound was healed, he quickly rejoined the ranks of the guild, sweat running down his forehead. Feeling multiple gazes filled with fear directed at him, Uzul let out a snort before moving forward. He didn¡¯t even bother cleaning his axe which was now stained with blood. ... The atmosphere became heavy and silent as they moved through the forest, which only served to increase Uzul¡¯s irritation. ¡®How long do we have to walk?!¡¯ Fortunately for his guild members, they noticed something reflecting light ahead. It was the water from ake. Upon seeing the water source, Uzul froze in ce, the entire group following suit. A few silhouettes emerged from the bushes, revealing themselves to be orcs as they removed their hoods. ¡°We couldn¡¯t estimate the number of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild members, but it¡¯s not more than 100...¡± One of the scouts reported to Uzul who nodded his head in response, before turning to his guild members, all of whom were holding heavy weapons that seemed to be weighing an abnormal amount. ¡°Get ready... We attack only on mymand!¡± Chapter 150 150 A Fight between the leaders Uzul emerged from the thick foliage, approaching the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild who stood in formation, ready to defend themselves against his impending attack. He felt annoyed as he sensed Zarfu¡¯s gaze fixed upon his back. Uzul knew that the orc craved for a peaceful resolution, but he himself had no intention of negotiating. Eliminating the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild was an absolute necessity. ¡°You¡¯ve killed one of my men!¡± He shouted and pointed his bloodied Axe towards Robin, who stood among the front lines of the formation. Uzul gritted his teeth as he noticed that his equipment was not superior to Robin¡¯s. ¡®Even with all the money, I can¡¯t surpass him!¡¯ He felt rage burning within his chest and smirked, knowing that one of his passive skills, which granted him additional attributes based on the intensity of his anger towards the enemy, was now functioning at maximum capacity. Flexing his massive muscles, he stared at the members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild, but was momentarily confused. Their faces were devoid of fear, as if the presence of a group of 200 members wasn¡¯t a threat to them. He had already encountered this guild before, and on each asion, they had shown fear as he threatened them with his power and the prospect of all-out war. However, when the situation came and it was time to act, they disyed no visible fear of him or his ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild. ¡®...¡¯ ..... As he looked at them, Uzul felt a smile spread across his face. At least the members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild weren¡¯t cowards; he might even have considered recruiting some of them after the battle. Unfortunately, only a few of them were orcs and would fit the criteria for joining his group. ¡°It was an ident, can¡¯t we just talk it out?¡± Finally, Robin spoke, his voice cutting through the murmurs from both sides. His face was devoid of emotion, as if he was unfazed by the presence of Uzul¡¯s full forces, which irritated the Orc even more. ¡°There will be no negotiations between us, you bastard... Prepare to face the consequences!¡± Uzul spoke as he swung his massive axe in a wide arc. The weapon glowed with a red aura, as he activated one of his most powerful skills. Swish... A bright red arc of mana shot forth from the axe, hurtling towards Robin and his guild members. The powerful spell collided with hisnce, creating a blinding explosion of mana. Uzul¡¯s skill was incredibly powerful, causing Robin to take a dozen steps back before the inertia waspletely neutralized. Uzul smirked, seeing that his spell had nearly sent Robin crashing into his guild members, but his expression froze as he noticed that the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild had yet to be affected by fear, even giving him mocking looks. ¡°Hghrhhh...¡± He let out a low growl, Uzul pointed his axe towards Robin and roared so loudly that even the water in theke vibrated from his tone. ¡°You and me, we¡¯ll settle this in a duel. If I win, I¡¯ll massacre your entire guild, but if you win, I¡¯ll leave!¡± Robin¡¯s eyes met Uzul¡¯s bloodthirsty gaze and smirked, as if he had been hoping for such an oue. He confidently gripped hisnce and stepped forward, leaving his guild¡¯s formation and standing just a few dozen meters away from the towering orc, who was taking deep breaths, not even trying to hide the twisted joy in his eyes. ¡°Make sure to keep your promise...¡± Robin spoke calmly, his voice filled with confidence. Uzul sneered, his anger boiling within him as he prepared to unleash his full power against Robin. The two warriors stood facing each other, ready for the final showdown. The fate of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild hung in the bnce as the two powerful fighters prepared to duel to the death. Uzul was the first to strike, swinging his massive axe with all his might. The weapon glowed with a red aura as he activated one of his most powerful skills. Robin was quick to react, parrying the blow with hisnce. The impact of the two weapons caused a deafening sound to echo through the battlefield, and a bright red arc of mana shot forth from the axe, hurtling towards Robin. Robin was able to block the attack with hisnce, but the force of the spell sent him flying back several feet. Uzul took advantage of the moment and charged towards Robin, who was still recovering from the initial blow. The orc swung his axe with a powerful downwards strike, but Robin was able to dodge it by rolling to the side. Robin quickly got back to his feet and countered with a swift thrust of hisnce. Uzul was able to block it with his axe, but the force of the attack sent him stumbling backwards. The two warriors then began a fierce exchange of blows, each one trying to gain the upper hand. Uzul was a formidable opponent, his strength and power were unmatched. His axe was a weapon of mass destruction, capable of dealing massive damage to his foes. But Robin was no slouch either, hisnce was a powerful weapon in its own right and he was a skilled warrior. He was able to parry and dodge most of Uzul¡¯s attacks, butnding an attack on his own was hard. It was obvious that Uzul was stronger and he pressed his advantage, raining blow after blow upon Robin with his massive axe. Despite the best efforts of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild leader, he was unable tond a single hit upon the orc. Uzul¡¯s rage fueled his strength, and his skills granted him an upper hand in the duel. Robin was on the defensive, barely able to keep up with Uzul¡¯s relentless assault. His guild members watched in slight worry as their leader was pushed back, step by step. They knew that if Robin fell, their entire guild wouldn¡¯t be massacred, because of Leo, but they still didn¡¯t want to see their leader dying. Just as it seemed that all hope was lost, Robin¡¯s expression changed. A determined look crossed his face as he stepped forward, hisnce glowing with a bright blue aura. He unleashed a powerful skill, a beam of light that surged towards Uzul. The orc was caught off guard by the sudden attack, and the beam hit him square in the chest. Uzul let out a roar of pain as he was thrown back several meters, his axe flying from his grasp. ¡°Using underhanded methods... Bastard!¡± The members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild let out a cheer, but their relief was short-lived. Uzul rose to his feet, his eyes now zing with even fiercer red light. He let out a deafening roar as he activated a skill that was only essible to berserkers which granted him immense strength and durability. With renewed vigor, Uzul charged towards Robin. Unfortunately, the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild leader was caught off guard, and Uzul¡¯s powerful fist connected with his face, sending him crashing to the ground. The members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild were in shock, as they watched their leader lying on the ground, unconscious. Uzul let out a victorious roar, his anger finally sated. He had won the duel, and he thought that the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild was at his mercy. Uzul walked over to Robin and knelt down beside him. He ced a hand on the unconscious leader¡¯s shoulder, and gripped it tightly, hearing some Robin¡¯s bones creak in his grip. ¡°You were foolish to offend me... If only you had epted our offer to merge with my guild and be under my leadership. It¡¯s a shame to lose such a worthy opponent... Just kidding!¡± As Uzul raised his fist high in the air, he saw the members of the opposing ¡®Cross¡¯ guild react with a mixture of emotions. Some panicked, feeling slight fear, while others appeared to be on edge, unsure of what to do. But before Uzul could process what was happening, everything around him was plunged into darkness. He wasn¡¯t unconscious, but the shadows seemed to be all-epassing, obscuring his vision and muffling all sound. Uzul tried to shout out to his guild members, but his words were lost in the darkness. Suddenly, something unseen and powerful ripped Robin from his grasp, causing Uzul to stumble forward. Despite the disorientation and confusion, Uzul managed to find his axe, and he quickly regained his footing, positioning himself in a defensive stance. He couldn¡¯t see or hear anything, but his other senses weren¡¯t affected. Uzul¡¯s heightened sense attribute allowed him to perceive things that others couldn¡¯t, and it was this ability that alerted him to the fact that his guild members were standing a short distance away from him, grouped together and visibly panicked by the overwhelming darkness that surrounded them. He knew that he needed to retreat and join them, but before he could take a step, a pair of glowing purple eyes emerged from the darkness, fixing him in ce with their intense gaze. The eyes seemed to radiate an aura of power and authority, making Uzul feel small and insignificant inparison. He felt rooted to the spot, unable to move or even look away from the mysterious eyes. The darkness seemed to close in around him, suffocating and oppressive, and Uzul knew that he was in grave danger. Chapter 151 151 Massacre Leo¡¯s eyes were glued to the intense battle unfolding before him. Robin was locked in a fiercebat against the leader of the Vikings guild. The Orc swung his massive battle-axe with deadly uracy, while Robin, agile and quick, darted in and out, delivering swift strikes with hisnce. However, none of Robin¡¯s attacksnded their mark. As the fight raged on, Leo could feel his muscles tensing up, ready to spring into action at a moment¡¯s notice. He knew that the battle was reaching its climax and that Robin was on the brink of defeat. The Orc hadnded several devastating blows and Robin¡¯s armor was dented and slightly bloodied. Leo¡¯s emotionless eyes stared at the battlefield, waiting for the perfect time to engage. Leo¡¯s expression slightly hardened as he watched Robin knock the axe out of the Viking guild leader¡¯s hand. For a moment, it seemed as though he wouldn¡¯t get paid. But just as he was about to reveal his presence, the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild leader let out a deafening roar and unleashed his berserker skill. The Orc leading the guild transformed into a raging powerhouse, his muscles bulging and veins popping as he charged towards Robin with incredible speed and ferocity. Robin, caught off guard, tried to defend himself, but it was no use. The guild leader¡¯s massive fist connected with Robin¡¯s face, sending him crashing to the ground with a sickening thud. Leo¡¯s body tensed as he watched Robin lying motionless on the ground. He couldn¡¯t believe that things had taken such a turn for the better. After knocking away the Orc¡¯s weapon Leo was sure that Robin woulde out on top, but it seemed that the ¡®Vikings¡¯ leader¡¯s berserker skill had been too much to handle. Leo descended from the tree, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of danger. As he approached the scene, his heart slightly sank seeing Orc approaching Robin¡¯s motionless body. The Orc had a look of triumph and madness on his face, as if he relished the thought of capturing Robin. Leo knew that he had to act fast. He waited until the Orc had Robin within his grasp, and then he unleashed his Spell. He closed his eyes and focused, calling upon casting the Shadow Realm. Suddenly, the world around him shifted, and he found himself in a dark, like in an alternate dimension. ..... Leo could feel the shadows wrapping around his body, as if they were old friends. He felt the familiar feeling of the shadow energy swirling in the air, but found himself unable to move, waiting for the shadows to calm down. But just as he thought that there¡¯s something wrong with the spell, there was a sudden ¡®click¡¯ in his mind, and everything fell into ce. Leo, suddenly, felt a surge of power coursing through his body, and he was filled with a sense of invincibility. He dashed towards the Orc, who was still holding onto Robin, with a speed and agility he had not possessed before. With a powerful movement, Leo ripped Robin out of the Orc¡¯s grasp and pulled him to safety. The Orc let out a roar of frustration, but it was inaudible due to the Shadow Realm. Leo threw Robin¡¯s body towards his guild members, who were slowly but surely retreating from the battlefield. He watched as they caught Robin and quickly retreated to safety, leaving him alone to face the Orc leader of the Viking guild. As Leo stood there, facing the Orc leader, he could see the fear and uncertainty etched on the Orc¡¯s face. The once-confident and fierce leader was now slightly trembling under the weight of unknown. Leo was aware that the Orc was scanning the area, searching for any enemies. As the Orc¡¯s gaze swept across the dark battlefield, their eyes met. Leo¡¯s purple eyes locked onto the Orc¡¯s red ones, and he could see the fear in the Orc¡¯s expression. Leo noticed the orc swallowing hard, trying topose himself in front of Leo¡¯s steady gaze. ¡®So much for being a fearless maniac...¡¯ Leo, with a wave of his hand, summoned a dozen of his Shadow Soldiers, dark figures formed from the shadows themselves. He gave the order for them to move forward and attack the members of the Vikings guild. Leo could feel the itching of his bone des, as if they were eagerly waiting for the uing fight. He observed as the Shadow Soldiers moved forward, and how the Vikings guild members¡¯ faces twisted with fear and horror as their allies fell from unseen horror. Leo watched as the Shadow Soldiers relentlessly attacked the Viking guild members, their sharp limbs piercing through armor and flesh with ease. The Vikings tried to fight back, but they couldn¡¯t fight back due to having to sight of the enemy. Leo, now sure that his Shadow Soldiers were enough to handle the members of the Vikings guild, turned his full attention to the Orc leader who was responsible for this entire raid. He took a step forward, his gaze never leaving the Orc¡¯s face. Approaching the yer, he felt his bone des extending from his elbows, their tips shining with a bright white light, even in the darkness of the battlefield. Swish... The guild leader was now slowly but surely retreating from the battlefield, but Leo summoned a Shadow st within his palm and with a flick of his wrist, he threw it towards the retreating coward. As the Shadow st hurtled towards the Orc leader, it grew in size and intensity, until it was a massive ball of darkness and energy. The Orc leader, realizing the danger, tried to dodge the spell but it was toote. Boom... The Shadow st hit the Orc leader with devastating force, throwing him across the battlefield. Leo could see the Orc¡¯s body tumbling through the air, his armor shattered. The Orc finally came to a stop several feet away, lying motionless on the ground. Leo felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him as he looked at the defeated Orc leader, knowing that he had repeated the scene of the previous fight between this Orc and Robin. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a Lightning st, a powerful spell that would deliver a fatal strike to the Orc leader. The lightning crackled and danced around his hand, growing in intensity with each passing moment. The Orc leader, still unconscious, was unable to defend himself from the spell. Leo released the spell, and it struck the Orc leader with deadly force, engulfing him in a fiery explosion. *** Alfred gazed at the enormous dark dome that seemed to enclose the entireke and a portion of the forest surrounding it. Despite his efforts to sense something within, the dome appeared to be blocking out all external sensations. He turned his attention to Robin, who had regained consciousness and was now drinking a health potion. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have engaged in a fight, instead, you should have allowed them to attack first. That way, Leo could have helped us without you being wounded.¡± Alfred let out a sigh as he shook his head, his grey hair rustling in the breeze. The old monk couldn¡¯t quite understand the thought process of Robin and how he could be so reckless in battle. He knew that Robin had potential to be a great leader, but sometimes he acted without considering the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see any regret or shame in Robin¡¯s eyes. ¡°If it means that none of our guild members die, I¡¯d repeat it again!¡± Robin spoke, and Alfred could only massage his temples, feeling more exhausted than before the fight against the Vikings guild. Robin¡¯s words made him realize how young the man truly was. ¡°You are the leader, you know... The first one inmand... Your death is... you know, more harmful to the guild?¡± As Robin and Alfred continued to argue, they suddenly noticed a woman with green hair and pointy ears materialize before them. She surveyed the scene before her, before speaking in a slightly lower voice, avoiding direct eye contact. ¡°Is it over?¡± Both Robin and Alfred looked at each other, before shaking their heads. Alfred spoke. ¡°Leo is currently engaged with the entire Viking guild. Prepare to defend, because even he shouldn¡¯t be able to win against the whole guild...¡± The woman¡¯s expression grew a little bit more serious as she realized the gravity of the situation. She knew that after lying about her ss, her position as one of the guild elders was temporarily restricted and she wouldn¡¯t be getting any more information. Biting her nails, she looked towards the dome, trying to see something within it, but to no avail. Even her elven ears, known for their sharpness, couldn¡¯t pick up any sound. It was as if there was no sound within the dark dome. She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of unease as she gazed at the dome. She sensed something inherently wrong about it, as if it defied thews of nature. ¡®Weird¡¯ Chapter 152 152 Massacre (2) Leo was dashing through the battlefield, his bone des giving off a white glow. With precision and agility, he weaved in and out of their ranks, leaving a trail of fallen warriors in his wake. The warriors of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild were caught off guard by Leo¡¯s sudden attacks and were unable to defend themselves against his powerful spells. They could somewhat block the des, but the spells were too fast and unexpected to block. Leo felt something wet and sticky drenching his clothes, but in the heat of battle, he couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it. He expertly dodged a strike from an Orc that was attempting tond a lucky hit by tracking the illuminating white glow of his bone des. With a quick twist of his body, he avoided the Orc¡¯s weapon and countered with a swift strike of his bone de. The Orc stumbled, feeling something impaling his chest, but before he could react a Lightning Bolt pierced through his green abdomen. Swish... Leo casted Demonic me that engulfed the Orc in front of him. The Orc¡¯s body was consumed in the inferno, the white mes illuminating Leo¡¯s figure for the first time in the battle. As the light of the fire danced across his face, it revealed a man with cold, ruthless eyes. He stood tall and proud, his body drenched in blood, his mask and robe smeared with the evidence of the violence that had just urred. Despite the carnage around him, his des remained untouched by the red liquid of his enemies, as if untouched by death and violence. The mes continued to ze, casting an ethereal glow over the battlefield, highlighting the true brutality of the fight. Leo noticed some of the Orcs had been recording the entire exchange, but he had already ordered his Shadow Soldiers to disperse, so none of them would be captured on video. ..... He briefly hoped that his new appearance would hide identity, but then realized it was a foolish hope... Even as he surveyed the battlefield, he could see the Orcs murmuring his name, despite only being able to see their lips moving. Leo calmly rubbed his des together, extinguishing the white mes and plunging the area into darkness. The sudden loss of light caused the Orcs¡¯ faces to pale in fear, as they were now enveloped in the darkness with a ¡®monster in disguise¡¯. Out of the crowd of over a hundred Orcs, one suddenly stepped forward, calmly walking towards the ethereal glow of Leo¡¯s des. He dropped to one knee before Leo, as if surrendering. The sudden action was unseen by the other members of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild, and Leo raised his eyebrows in surprise. He couldn¡¯t believe that one of his enemies would willingly submit to him, especially in the middle of a battle. He looked at the Orc with suspicion, unsure of what to make of this sudden turn of events. Leo walked past the kneeling enemy, his set on the enemies before him. He summoned Fenrir, and issued amand to prevent the Orc from moving until the battle had ended. Even though killing the Orc would have given him extra money, Leo was curious about what he had to say. The Orc was standing closest to the leader of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild and yet had a frown on his face every time he looked towards him. Maybe he¡¯d even receive a bonus for capturing one of the leaders... Leo summoned a single Shadow Soldier to follow him, using it as an extension of his own body. The Shadow Soldier acted as his third and fourth hands, allowing Leo to attack the Orcs with his glowing white des, while the Shadow Soldier used its limbs, which had been transformed into sharp daggers, to pierce through the Orcs¡¯ tough skin. With the Shadow Soldier by his side, Leo was able to fight with greater precision and efficiency. The Orcs, who were already struggling to defend themselves against Leo¡¯s powerful strikes, were now also being attacked from a different angle by the Shadow Soldier. Even though the Orcs tried to surround Leo and overpower him, he was always one step ahead of them. He expertly retracted his bone des, extinguishing their eerie glow and disappearing from view. The Orcs were left confused and disoriented, unable to locate their target. Leo used this opportunity to strike from behind, catching the Orcs off guard. He would reappear out of nowhere, his des shing as he struck at his enemies. The Orcs were caught in a constant state of confusion, never knowing from where the next attack woulde. They were unable to defend themselves against Leo¡¯s sudden and precise strikes. Leo¡¯s ability to cast spell after spell and strike with his des seemed almost endless, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of mana. However, the truth was that he was consuming potions one after another, taking short breaks only when he had to retract his des. The Orcs, who were above Lv. 15, had learned to sense his presence, making it even more difficult to deal with therge group of people. Leo knew that his enemies were bing more aware of his movements and tactics, making it harder for him to catch them off guard. Even though the fight was heavily in his favor, Leo knew that his reserves were running low. His Shadow Energy was close to depletion, and he was quickly running out of potions. He knew that he had to end the battle soon or risk being overwhelmed by the Orcs. There were still dozens of enemies standing, but they had lost their will to fight. They could barely lift their weapons as the Demon approached them. Leo, who could go invisible and reappear at will, was more like a phantom than a real person. He was a menace to the Orcs, and they feared him more than any in-game horror they had ever encountered. He was the embodiment of a monster hiding in human skin. With the Orcs offering little resistance, Leo was able to defeat them with ease, killing them all without sustaining any serious injuries. He emerged from the battle with only a few scratches and sore muscles. ¡®Phew...¡¯ Exhausted from the battle, Leo took a deep breath and struggled to stand. He took a seat on the grassy ground, which was now covered with the blood and dropped items of the defeated yers. As Leo scanned the loot scattered around him, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a dismissive snort. None of the items seemed worth a lot of gold, they were either too low-leveled or weren¡¯t in high demand. [ ???????????????? ] 1?? ???????????? ?????????? ? 2?? ???????????? ???????????? ? 3?? ???????????? ???????????? ? ~~~~ A system window suddenly appeared on Leo¡¯s screen and he smirked knowing that the power of his spells had grown considerably. A system window suddenly appeared on Leo¡¯s screen, catching his attention. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk as he read the notification ¨C his spells had grown in power. [ ??????¡¯???? ?????????????? ????! ] [ ?????????? ???? ? ?????????? ???? ] Another system notification popped up on his screen. Without hesitation, Leo put all of the SP into his Intelligence attribute. He felt that the damage his Shadow st spell should have done wascking, taking into ount that it was true damage, which bypassed armor and magic defense. As Leo surveyed the bloody scene around him, he knew it was time to clean up. He nned to use his Demonic me spell to ignite the bodies and hide any traces of the massacre. However, as he prepared to cast the spell, he realized that his Mana was depleted, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to use his spell. Crack... Suddenly, Leo felt something give way, and his Shadow Realm began to unravel. The darkness that had concealed him, the shadows that had hidden him, all retreated back into his shadow, leaving him exposed under the daylight. He felt a sense of disappointment as he realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide the evidence of the battle. As soon as the Shadow Realm dissipated, Leo felt dozens of eyes upon him, and he slowly turned his head to face them. The sight that greeted them was a man covered in blood, his mask and robe stained with the red liquid. His eyes, a fierce purple, seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, and they were filled with a sense of fear and power. ¡°The ¡®Vikings¡¯ have been eliminated...¡± The members of the Cross guild stood rooted to the spot, staring in disbelief at the scene before them. Leo stood at the center of a literal war zone, surrounded by the bodies of orcs, their limbs detached and their faces twisted in fear. Some of the corpses were even covered in a strange, electrical energy, as if they had been struck by lightning. Some of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild members were visibly pale, while others simply gaped at the bloody scene, unable to utter a single word. Even the normally calm and collected Robin was speechless, his eyes locked on the battlefield. The sight was overwhelming and gruesome, leaving the guild members to wonder what had transpired inside the Dark dome. ¡®I better pay him...¡¯ Chapter 153 153 Massacre (3) Leo surveyed the scene before him with a slight frown. The yers stood motionless, their eyes wide with shock and horror as they gaped at the gruesome spectacle before them. Blood sttered the ground, staining the once green field a dark red. With a sigh, he began to make his way towards Robin, who was standing a short distance away. As he walked, the weight of the yers¡¯ gazes seemed to press down on him, making each step feel heavier than thest. Even though the air was thick with the smell of blood and death, Leo could simply ignore it. As he approached Robin, he could see the other man¡¯s face was etched with disbelief and shock. The members of the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild quickly moved out of Leo¡¯s way, avoiding any contact with his bloodied clothing. Robin stood in silence for a moment, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom what had urred within the dark dome, that brought an entire guild, full of powerful Berserker orcs, to its knees. His mind raced with questions, trying to piece together the events that had led to this gruesome oue. What had Leo done to cause so much harm? Was he truly capable of taking on an entire guild alone? As he looked at Leo¡¯s bloodied and battered appearance, he realized that the other man must have single-handedly massacred the entire guild. The thought sent shivers down his spine as he considered the level of skill, strength, and ferocity it must have taken to aplish such a feat. ¡°More than 200 yers dead, all killed by me...¡± ..... Leo spoke in a slightly uplifted tone, indicating that he had aplished a great feat and expected to be rewarded for it. His purple eyes, which had previously been ruthless and emotionless, now held a hint of a glint, indicating his satisfaction with his actions. The members of the guild looked at him in shock, as they tried to understand Leo¡¯s thought process. He had massacred an entire guild for money? Was he a maniac? They couldn¡¯t possibly know that Leo¡¯s true intent was to strengthen the Cross guild for future battles, since he believed that befriending them would be a strategic move. They will be one of the strongest guilds in the future. Even La, who had wanted to ask Leo how he had managed to tell that she wasn¡¯t an archer, was frozen in her spot, staring at the des of grass covered in red liquid. The sight before her was one of utter devastation, the words got stuck in her throat as she looked at Leo who stood beside her, his dark robe stained with blood, being slightly swayed by the gentle breeze, transferring the pungent smell of blood directly to her nose. The Elf had to cover her nose with her hand or else, she might¡¯ve thrown up. ¡°You can take all the items... I¡¯ve also captured one of the higher-ups of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild. My pet is guarding him, so you can question him whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± Leo spoke, breaking the silence and waking Robin up from his stupor. The ¡®Cross¡¯ guild leader had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn¡¯t even noticed Leo standing before him and slightly flinched seeing his bloody mask just a few feet away from his face. Seeing Leo¡¯s shining eyes, Robin quickly regained hisposure and gave Leo a small nod. ¡°Thank you, Leo, I¡¯ll send you the Gold in a moment as promised. However, would you mind cleaning your robe? Our friend La over here seems to be feeling quite ill and I wouldn¡¯t want her to throw up...¡± Leo shifted his gaze towards the green-haired elf, La, who immediately froze as she met his purple eyes staring directly at hers. After a few moments of intense eye contact, Leo nodded his head in understanding and began to take action. He unequipped and re-equipped his Shadow Cloak making all the blood within the cloth disappear. Since he couldn¡¯t remove his mask, as he wanted to keep his identity hidden, Leo walked up to the nearbyke and used the water to clean the remaining blood stains. He made sure to be thorough, not leaving a single stain. As he finished cleaning, he returned to the group and gestured Alfred and Robin to follow him. Leo led the two towards the kneeling Orc, who was staring at Fenrir with shiny eyes, as if it had just found something of great interest. ¡°Zarfu...¡± Leo heard Alfred exhale, making the Orc¡¯s head snap to the side. ¡°Alfred?¡± Leo watched as Alfred and Zarfu embraced each other, feeling a small sense of satisfaction and confusion. He had known that the Orc would be someone of importance to the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be acquainted with Alfred. As they pulled away from each other, Zarfu turned to Leo with a look of gratitude in his eyes. ¡°Thank you, I never thought I would be able to leave the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild, but you have given me the opportunity to do so¡± Leo could only slowly nod in response, he was still trying to cope with everything that had happened. He had been in a simr situation before, trapped in a guild that didn¡¯t align with his goals and ideals... Alfred ced a hand on Zarfu¡¯s shoulder, a smile on his face. ¡°Since I¡¯m not the leader of this guild, you¡¯ll have to ask Robin for permission, but I doubt that with your skills there will be any troubles...¡± Zarfu turned his head towards Robin, who gave a sideway nce to Alfred and then nodded his head in agreement. ¡°I trust Alfred... Wee to the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild!¡± As the four of them began to walk back towards the rest of the guild, Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel left out. They were talking to each other, discussing guild matters and ns, but they didn¡¯t include him in the conversation. He didn¡¯t mind it, but it did feel a bit strange. *** Eli¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she stared at her friend Ava, who stood before her with massive wings adorned with ck feathers growing behind her back. She felt her words get stuck in her throat as she tried to speak, her mind racing with questions. ¡°H...how?¡± She murmured barely, her voice barely above a whisper. Ava shrugged her shoulders, a slight hint of embarrassment on her face as she scratched her cheek. ¡°It was a reward I¡¯ve gotten from the Fallen Angel Tomb...¡± Suddenly, without warning, Eli leapt at Ava, her hand outstretched, trying to touch the surface of Ava¡¯s wings. Ava flinched, letting out a sharp yelp as she quickly covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± she eximed, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. Eli¡¯s mischievous smile widened as she saw redness spread on Ava¡¯s face. She stepped back, her hands raised in apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to tickle you!~¡± Ava folded her wings behind her back, trying to hide them from Eli¡¯s touch. She could feel the danger emanating from her friend¡¯s actions, and she didn¡¯t want to take any chances. Eli could see the tension in her friend¡¯s face and smirked, a hint of amusement in her voice as she spoke. ¡°Who could¡¯ve thought angel¡¯s wings could be so sensitive...¡± Ava red at her, pouting. ¡°Every race has a weak spot! Elves have ears, Angels have wings, and Demons ¨C horns!¡± Ava¡¯s eyes widened in realization as she blurted out something Leo had said. She saw the expression on Eli¡¯s face shift into one of a wide smile. ¡°So... Leo¡¯s weakness is his horns? Am I right? I wonder how they feel... Say, have you touched them?¡± She asked with a hint of teasing in her voice. Ava rolled her eyes at Eli¡¯s questioning, and replied curtly, trying to keep her voice from stuttering. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t touched them, and I don¡¯t n to...¡± Eli couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Ava¡¯s reaction, finding it amusing how easily she could get under her friend¡¯s skin. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just have to ask Leo myself then, won¡¯t I?¡± Ava rolled her eyes again and shook her head, trying to ignore Eli¡¯s teasing. ¡°Can we please change the subject now? I don¡¯t want to talk about Leo¡¯s horns anymore...¡± She said, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction, she felt cold sweat run down her back. Eli couldn¡¯t help but tease Ava more, a mischievous glint in her eye as she spoke. ¡°Ohe on, Ava. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not just a little curious about Leo¡¯s horns.¡± Ava crossed her arms over her chest, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Can you please drop it?¡± Eli shrugged, pretending to be nonchnt. ¡°Fine, fine. But you can¡¯t me me for being curious. I mean, have you ever touched a demon¡¯s horns before? I bet they¡¯re hard and fluffy...¡± (AN: The line above was written with my own blood, I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m doing here.) Ava¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. ¡°Eli, stop it. That¡¯s not appropriate to talk about.¡± Eli couldn¡¯t help butugh at Ava¡¯s reaction, finding it amusing how easily she could get under her friend¡¯s skin. ¡°Oh,e on. I¡¯m just joking. But if you ever do want to touch Leo¡¯s horns, just let me know. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind if it was you, a top ss beauty!¡± Ava let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. ¡°Eli, I¡¯m serious. Can we please talk about something else now?¡± Eli grinned, realizing she had pushed Ava far enough for one day. ¡°Sure, sure. What do you want to talk about?¡± Chapter 154 154 Slight Annoyance... Theo stood motionless, his gaze fixed upon the nk expanse of the wall before him. His fists were tightly clenched around his phone, the stic casing creaking under the pressure of his grip. The screen had already begun to crack, spider web-like lines spreading out from the center. His face was a mottled shade of red, the anger and fury that boiled within him clearly visible. His breath came in short, ragged gasps as he struggled to contain the tempest of emotions that raged within him. ¡°What is this? Sparta? How can defeat be possible when our forces outnumber the enemy fourfold?¡± The man¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief and rage, his words cutting through the tense silence like a knife. His eyes were alight with fury, the veins in his neck and forehead bulging with anger. Theo stood by the window, his gaze drawn out to the vast expanse of beach and sea that stretched out before him. The sun was shining, casting a golden glow over the sand and water. The waves crashed against the shore in a soothing rhythm, the sound of the sea a constant background noise. He had already been absent from the university for an entire week, important business had called him across the sea, but even in this idyllic setting, he couldn¡¯t escape from the financial loss brought by a certain man. Theo had invested a significant amount of his capital into the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild. He had believed in their potential, had seen the potential for them to rival even the most powerful guilds and take on the toughest of World Bosses. But all his hopes and dreams hade crashing down around him, brought to their knees by a single yer, an unknown entity in the gamingmunity, who had decimated the Vikings with ease. Theo couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, his mind struggling to process the reality of the situation. The guild he had put so much faith in, had invested so much in, had been reduced to nothing by this mysterious yer. ¡°You Bastard... 1 Million bounty wasn¡¯t enough?!¡± ..... The Phone let out itsst breath, its screen going ck as Theo strengthened his grip. The Device that had a lifespan, no longer than a month, had met its end and could finally rest in peace. ¡°Cheap shit!¡± As Theo looked down at the unresponsive device, a string of curses escaped his lips as he violently tossed it into a nearby bin. With a sense of finality, he pulled out a cigar from his pocket, lighting it up and taking a deep drag. The familiar taste of tobo filled his mouth, the smoke curling around his face as he let out a sigh of relief. He knew that smoking was detrimental to his health, that it would slowly deteriorate his body in the long run, but in that moment, it was the only thing that brought him any sense of calm. It was his escape, a way for him to rx and forget about the constant stress and pressure that surrounded him. The cigar glowed orange in the dim light, the smoke swirling around him as he leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes, letting out another puff of smoke and took a moment to clear his mind, letting go of the anger and frustration that had been building up inside him. Theo leaned back against the wall, his mind racing as he thought about the situation with Leo. Even his own sister, Monica, seemed to be shielding this mysterious yer, refusing to share any information about him. This was unlike Monica, who had always been content with sharing information for money, and it only added to Theo¡¯s suspicions about the true identity of this Unknown yer. He thought about raising the yer¡¯s bounty higher and hiring professionals to investigate, but something held him back. He didn¡¯t want to do anything impulsively that might get him in deeper trouble. He needed to y this smart, to gather all the information he could before making a move. Could Leo be a bigshot? The thought of this Unknown yer possibly being someone he knew, someone who had gone to the same university as him, only added to his confusion. Was it true or just another lie to conceal Leo¡¯s true identity? Theo didn¡¯t know, and that uncertainty only made him more determined to find out the truth and make the guy suffer for living inside his head 24/7. Puff... As Theo exhaled a plume of smoke from his cigar, his gaze was drawn to a pair of shiny ck shoes that had appeared within his line of vision. As he looked up, he saw a man simr height to his own, standing before him, dressed in a tight-fitting brown shirt and stylish pants. The man was nervously rubbing his palms together, his eyes flitting about as if he were searching for the right words to say. Theo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the man¡¯s sudden appearance. He took a long drag from his cigar, studying the man with a critical eye. ¡°How much time do you fucking need to deliver a message!?¡± Theo could feel his anger rising once again, like a tide that threatened to engulf him. His fists clenched as he took another drag from his cigar, trying to calm himself. He couldn¡¯t understand why he was constantly surrounded by ipetent losers, people who seemed unable to even speak! He felt his frustration mounting as he thought about the recent defeat of his guild, the Vikings, by Leo. Today was a shit day! ¡°Sir, your father has requested that you reconsider your involvement in this game and allow professional gamers to handle it. He believes that your talents and skills would be better utilized in the real world...¡± Cough... Cough... Theo let out a dry cough, trying to mask his surprise. So, the stranger was sent by his father. Rising to his feet, Theo dusted off his clothes and shifted his gaze towards the messenger. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you leave now...¡± Theo growled, gesturing for the messenger to leave his sight. He also extinguished the cigar and left his room, deciding to take a walk on the beach. Theo used to live near the shore and was used to finding sce in the rhythmic crashing of the waves and the salty sea air, but now it seemed like just another habit he couldn¡¯t shake. As he walked, Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disappointment and frustration at his father¡¯sck of understanding of the significance the game had on the real world. Despite his progress being slower than others, the money he invested would greatly enhance his power. He believed that he was the most capable of achieving sess in the game and did not want to relinquish that opportunity to so-called ¡®professional gamers¡¯. The thought of Leo, a backstabbing lowlife, being so strong and skilled only added fuel to the fire of his anger and frustration. Theo began to kick the golden sand, making him look like a madman. Fortunately, the beach was owned by him, and there were no people present to witness his outburst. As he walked, the crashing of the waves against the shore and the salty sea air did little to calm his tumultuous emotions. ¡®Just wait until I catch you...¡¯ He felt his nails piercing into his palms, but no blood was drawn. ... Theo kept walking across the beach for an entire hour, the salty sea breeze and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore providing some sce to his troubled mind. Eventually, he decided to end his walk ande back to his expensive mansion, which stood tall on a small cliff, just a few dozen meters away from the shore. As he sat down at therge, round wooden table in the spacious room, Theo opened hisptop and quickly logged into his ount to check thetest news about Fragmental. He nced through the patch notes and yer feedback, his eyes scanning over the new events and other things that had happened whilst he was away. His hand holding the mouse suddenly froze upon seeing a forum post made by a yer called ¡®Kum¡¯. The thumbnail was a striking image of a hooded figure holding a white me within his palm, which dimly lit the ground, scattered with the corpses of orcs and blood thickly covering the grass. Everything else in the image was shrouded in darkness or shadows, drawing the viewer¡¯s gaze towards the center of the image. Theo shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest as he stared at the hooded figure in the thumbnail. But try as he might, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of intimidation that had washed over him upon seeing the man¡¯s bloody mask and piercing purple eyes staring directly at him through the screen. ¡°Why the hell am I feeling so intimidated by just a picture?¡± Chapter 155 155 Leveling up... [ ??????¡¯???? ?????????????? ????! ] [ ?????????? ???? ? ?????????? ???? ] Leo¡¯s gaze shifted to another System window that materialized in front of him, his eyes quickly scanning the information disyed there. As he did, another Siren, lying beneath his feet, turned to dust, disintegrating into particles of light that dissipated into the air. He had already lost count of how many monsters he had in within theke, but he knew one thing for certain ¨C his supply of bread was quickly dwindling. He reached into his pockets, feeling the crumbs that remained, and sighed. Surveying his surroundings, Leo¡¯s eyes swept across the barren shoreline. Not a single soul could be seen, only a few dark splotches that stained the grass, remnants of a fierce battle that had taken ce here not long ago. The ¡®Cross¡¯ guild was nowhere to be seen, because they were trying to take advantage of the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild¡¯s weakened state, attacking their headquarters while they were still recovering from a recent defeat that had cost them both levels and gear. With their sights set on the ¡®Vikings¡¯ headquarters, the ¡®Cross¡¯ guild didn¡¯t require Leo¡¯s assistance, so he had decided to remain near theke, continuing to y the Sirens that inhabited its depths. Although the process of killing the beasts was highly efficient, the amount of experience points Leo was earning was starting to be meager inparison to the bar of experience needed to level up. He knew that he had overstayed his wee in this farming spot, and that it was time to move on and find a new location to grind for experience. ..... With a flick of his wrist, Leo hurled the final loaf of bread onto the sand. He then took a step back, observing the still waters of theke. Suddenly, a Siren burst forth from the surface, its gaze fixed upon the bread as it charged forward. Whish... The lightning bolt that Leo unleashed was a swift strike, scratching the creature¡¯s tail with a crackling sound. Even though the damage inflicted was minimal, it was enough for Leo to receive the EXP for the monster¡¯s death. With a smirk, he spun on his heel and walked away, leaving the Siren to suffer and eventually sumb tock of water. Its desperate singing filled the air, a pitiful melody that would have been enough to control the mind of a normal man. But Leo was unfazed, the earplugs he wore muffled the sound and allowed him to remain unaffected by the song. Leo opened his map, his eyes scanning its surface covered with a multitude of names, directions, and other information. He moved quickly, dragging his waypoint towards the nearest city, the icons of cksmiths, alchemists, and other non-yer characters loomingrge on the screen. With a thought, he summoned his familiar, a massive ck wolf. The wolf¡¯s eyes gleamed with slight annoyance and anger. Growl... Leo could somewhat understand what hispanion wanted to say and frowned. The wolf was reminding Leo of a promise he had made, a special meal that he had promised to provide as a reward for their journey through hell. Despite his attempts to dy the fulfillment of this promise, it seemed that Fenrir was no longer willing to be put off. The wolf had grown impatient, its refusal to move making it clear that the time for the promised meal had finallye. ¡°Listen... I¡¯m 100% sure there is some kind of magical kitchen within the city!? Yes... Yes... I swear on my name! You just have to bring me there... Please?¡± Leo rubbed his hands together, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips beneath his mask. He offered the gesture to Fenrir in an attempt to appease the ck wolf¡¯s growing impatience. But the wolf was not so easily fooled. With a snort of disapproval, Fenrir raised one of its massive paws into the air, its wed digits tracing an outline of shimmering gold coins. The message was clear, Fenrir was demanding Leo to swear on his purse. ¡®???¡¯ Leo¡¯s smile faded as he warily nced at his familiar, Fenrir. He was taken aback by the sudden demand. The wolf¡¯s intelligent eyes seemed to hold a deeper meaning, and Leo felt a sense of unease as he considered the significance of its request. With a heavy sigh, Leo raised one hand to his face, as if in surrender. ¡°I swear to you, my faithfulpanion, I¡¯ll get you the ¡®special dish¡¯ that I promised. But I need your help to get me to the nearest city. I don¡¯t want to spend all of my ytime traveling on foot.¡± At the sound of Leo¡¯s promise, Fenrir let out a contented growl and slightly lowered its massive body. Leo seized the opportunity, quickly climbing onto the wolf¡¯s back and settling himselffortably in ce. With a flick of its tail, Fenrir set off at a steady pace, effortlessly navigating the dense forest that surrounded them. The duo was surrounded by a sea of danger, with various monsters lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. But Leo and Fenrir were not deterred. The wolf¡¯s keen senses allowed them to continue traveling without any problems. *** Amidst the vast, sprawling ins, a bustling metropolis rose like a beacon of civilization. The city was a melting pot of races and cultures, a hub ofmerce and trade, and a home to countless individuals, each with their own unique story and aspirations. Its gleaming towers and bustling streets bustled with activity as merchants hawked their wares, children yed in the parks, and adventurers sought out new challenges. The city had been built with a purpose, its strategic location and design providing ample warning in the event of an attack. The t, open terrain offered no concealment for would-be attackers, and the city¡¯s vignt guards stood watch at all hours, their keen eyes trained to spot any signs of danger from a distance. The city was built in a square, with four broad roads stretching out towards the north, east, south, and west. These roads served as the city¡¯s lifelines, connecting it to the world beyond, and bringing new yers, ideas, and opportunities to the city¡¯s doors. At the center of the city stood a magnificent castle, its towers reaching skyward, symbolizing the power and majesty of the city¡¯s rulers. Yet, despite its many strengths, the city was far from invulnerable. It was full of secrets, hidden underground dungeons and dark alleys where the nefarious could hide, and where the daring could seek adventure. From the shadows, sinister plots and schemes were hatched, and rumors of assassins and thieves whispered through the streets. As the sun began to set over the grassy fields, a strange, dark cloud appeared on the horizon. At first, it seemed like any other ordinary storm cloud, but as it got closer, the people in the city noticed that it was muchrger and darker than any cloud they had ever seen before. The NPCs, who were always going about their daily routines, stopped in their tracks as they looked up at the ominous mass that was moving towards them. The yers, who were used to facing the danger of Fragmental, also felt a sense of unease as they watched the cloud approach. The mages were the first to take action. They raised their staffs and began casting spells at the cloud, hoping to dispel it or drive it away. The first few spells had no effect, but when they cast more powerful spells, the cloud seemed to pause for a moment, as if it were considering its next move. The mages were momentarily relieved, but their relief was short-lived as the cloud resumed its steady progression towards the city. As the cloud grew closer, the people of the city could see that it was not just a simple storm cloud. It was a massive, swirling mass of darkness that seemed to be alive with an unspeakable malevolence. The wind began to pick up and the sky grew darker, as if the cloud was consuming all the light. People started to panic and run for cover, some of the yers even tried logging off, but it wasn¡¯t possible. As the dark cloud approached, the yers felt a sense of excitement mixed with fear. They knew that a major quest or a powerful boss was about to present itself, and they were ready for the challenge. They raced to the huge walls that surrounded the city, eager to get a glimpse of what was happening. Meanwhile, the NPCs were in a state of genuine panic. They had never seen such a massive and ominous cloud before, and they feared for their lives. They started rushing towards the underground bunkers that had been installed throughout the city, seeking safety from the impending danger. As the yers reached the walls, they saw that the cloud had suddenly dispersed, falling onto the fields surrounding the city. The yers were stunned. They had expected to see some sort of monster or a horde of enemies, but there was nothing there. The fields were silent and still, with not even a breeze to disturb the grass. The yers looked at each other, trying to figure out what was going on. They were all aware that they couldn¡¯t log off and return to the real world, so they had to find out what was happening. Some of them decided to venture into the fields, cautiously making their way towards the spot where the cloud had fallen. Rattle... Chapter 156 156 Siege of the city Rattle... The sudden appearance of the bony hand caused the yers to jump back in rm. The hand was thin and skeletal, its bones jutting out at unnatural angles, and as it began to emerge from the soil, the yers could see the unmistakable form of a skeleton emerging. It was as if the earth itself was giving birth to the creature, and as the skeleton stood up, it reached out with its bony arms, its empty eye sockets fixated on the yers surrounding it. They could see its rib cage expanding and contracting with each movement, and the sound of its ttering bones filled the air. The yers had faced countless challenges and monsters in their adventures, but they had never encountered anything like this. It was as if the skeleton was not just a monster, but an embodiment of death itself. One of the yers tried to run, but the skeleton lunged at him with incredible speed. Its bony fingers raked the air, seeking to grasp its prey, and its jaw hung open, revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Crack... ¡°Shit...¡± As the elf was consumed by the skeleton, hispanions were left stunned and horrified. The dwarf, holding his shield tightly, cursed under his breath, his eyes darting between the menacing figure and his allies. The other yers were huddled together, their weapons at the ready, as they tried to make sense of what was happening. The skeleton was a grotesque creature, its bones worn and yellowed with age, its eye sockets dark and empty. Yet, despite its appearance, the skeleton was imbued with an unnatural strength and ferocity,shing out at the yers with savage abandon. ..... The dwarf stepped forward, his shield held out in front of him as he braced himself for the skeleton¡¯s attack. The other yers followed suit, forming a defensive line as they prepared to defend themselves from the undead monster. The monster itself wasn¡¯t powerful, but the yers were wary just in case. Even though the skeleton had no skills or spells, they wanted to be sure that it was killed as fast as possible and they could retreat and take cover behind the city¡¯s walls. Rattle... But just when they thought things couldn¡¯t get any worse, another skeletal figure emerged from the earth, joining itspanion in a menacing stand-off against the yers. The second skeleton wasrger, with a more fearsome appearance, its bony hand outstretched as if beckoning them toe closer. The yers could see the yellowed teeth gleaming in the monster¡¯s open mouth, a silent threat of the impending danger they were in. But despite the fear, they stood their ground, weapons at the ready, determined to take down these skeletal terrors. It was clear to everyone present that these creatures were not to be underestimated. The yers knew they had to act fast, before any more skeletons could rise from the ground and join the fight. Swish... The sudden appearance of the arrow caught the group off guard, but as it mmed into the first skeleton, destroying itpletely, a glimmer of hope sparkled in their eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t receive any EXP, but they can be killed!¡± As they watched in awe, the sound of a triumphant shout echoed across the battlefield, originating from the city¡¯s walls. It was a beacon of hope, a reminder that they were not alone in this fight. The group let out a collective sigh of relief, the tension draining from their bodies as they realized that they were not facing an unbeatable foe. The group charged towards the remaining skeleton, weapons drawn and adrenaline pumping through their veins. They moved with the precision and coordination of a well-oiled machine. The skeleton, caught off guard by the sudden attack, struggled to defend itself as the group closed in, weapons shing in the sunlight. They surrounded the monster, hacking and shing at its bony frame, the sound of metal meeting bone ringing out across the in fields. And then, in an instant, it was over. The skeleton¡¯s heady shattered on the ground, defeated by thebined might of the group. But the group was not content to simply bask in their victory. They quickly retreated back to the safety of the city, their minds racing with the thought of making it out alive. As the group stepped through the city gates, they were greeted by a chorus of cheers and apuse from the gathered yers. They looked around, taking in the joyous celebration and the beaming faces of the virtual crowd, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride and embarrassment wash over them. The crowd of yers and NPCs had just settled down from the celebration when a loud, booming voice filled the air, announcing an unexpected event. Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately snapped to their screens, reading the lines of text that appeared before them with rapt attention. [ ???? ???????????????????? ?????????? ?????? ????????????????... ] [ ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ??????????????????! ] [ ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ¨C ????????! ] As they read, their expressions changed from shock to amazement to excitement. The siege of the city had beenpleted, and the highest contributor was none other than Rose, the archer, who shot the first skeleton. [ ?????????????? ???????? ???????? ??????????????... ] But their excitement was far from over, as they read on and learned that rewards had been granted to the highest contributor. The yers¡¯ eyes widened in disbelief, their minds racing with the possibilities of what their newfound wealth could bring. And just as they were starting to bask in their victory, a new message appeared, announcing that the second wave of the siege was about tomence. The crowd went silent, the reality of the situation settling in. They had just been granted a moment of respite, a chance to catch their breath, but now it was back to the grind. [ ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????????????... ] *** Leo and Fenrir emerged from the thick forest, the wolf¡¯s paws pounding the dirt path as they moved forward, towards the setting sun that lingered on the horizon. The sun cast a golden glow over thendscape, casting long shadows and illuminating their way forward. As they moved, Leo¡¯s eyes never left the system window that hovered in front of him. His mask obscured his face, but behind it, his purple eyes glimmered with a brilliant light. Leo was buried deep in his thoughts as he sifted through the countless messages and requests he had received from the yers of Fragmental. As one of the most prominent figures in the game, he was no stranger to the outpouring of requests, buttely, his inbox had been flooded with spam, trivial matters, and the like. It was a never-ending task, but he was determined to sift through each message, offering his assistance where they pay was good. However, half of the messages he received were concerning his recent performance in the game. Since he had decimated the entire Vikings guild by himself, his lightning-fast reflexes and deadly spells leaving no room for survivors, the yers were in awe of his abilities, and many of them sought his guidance and support. There were also numerous inquiries about his loyalties, as yers were wondering if he was supporting the Cross guild. Leo simply ignored these questions, as he was not one to involve himself in the politics of the game. Leo¡¯s rtionship with the Cross guild was aplex one, built upon a foundation of mutual benefit and friendship. While they could have referred to each other as partners or allies, Leo refused tobel himself as a supporter, since it wouldn¡¯t grant him any wealth. Leo was a seasoned professional, well-ustomed to the rigors of his job. Despite the seemingly endless columns of text and the deluge of spam that he was tasked with sorting through, he remained focused and determined, reading every line with unwavering attention. His eyes never once strayed from the page, not even for a moment, as he plowed through letters that were thousands of words long. In his past life, Leo had faced far worse conditions, and so he didn¡¯t even flinch as he was jostled about in his seat. Fenrir was running at full speed, its paws pounding against the uneven terrain, causing Leo to be thrown about in his seat. It was during one such moment of turbulence that Leo was suddenly reminded of a particrly trying day from his past. On that day, he had been tasked with sorting through a massive amount of information about a yer, all while grappling with the news of his parents¡¯ sudden death. Despite the overwhelming grief that he felt, Leo had been forced to push it aside and focus on his work. With a grimace, Leo deftly manipted his hand, closing the system window with a flick of his wrist. He then reached out, patting hispanion, the great wolf Fenrir, on the shoulder. The beast obediently slowed to a stop, and Leo gazed out at the city that was now visible on the horizon. ¡°Thank you... Rest for a while¡± Leo spoke allowing the wolf to jump into his beast tattoo and even if the pet wanted to get ¡®the special meal¡¯ he could see the seriousness etched in Leo¡¯s eyes and decided to momentarily forget about it, obediently disappeared into a shower of light particles, merging with the beast tattoo on Leo¡¯s sr plexus. ¡°Let¡¯s go beat some spooky, scary skeletons!¡± Leo dered, cracking his knuckles... Chapter 157 - 157 The Second Wave 157 The Second Wave Rattle... The army of skeletons was crawling out of the earth, the sound of their bones scraping against the ground sending shivers down the spines of those within the city walls. The skeletons used their bony arms and legs to propel themselves forward, their empty eye sockets trained on the yers standing onto the walls. The city was a fortress, its walls towering over the surrounding countryside, offering protection to its inhabitants. The yers within had changed their roles, swordsmen and other melee damage dealers stood at the front line, their weapons at the ready. Behind them, archers and mages lined on the walls, their arrows and spells at the ready to rain down upon the enemy. The air was thick with tension, each yer waiting for the skeletons to make the first move. Rattle... Suddenly a skeletal horse emerged from the earth, its bony legs churning up the soil beneath it, and its empty eye sockets were now alight with two fiery red orbs that seemed to smolder with an unquenchable hatred. Crack... As the yers looked on in stunned horror, one of the skeletons stepped forward and grabbed the spine of its standingrade, pulling it out with ease, making the other skeleton die instantly. In a shocking disy of strength and cunning, the skeleton then shaped the spine into a deadly sword and mounted the skeletal horse. The yers knew instantly that this was no ordinary enemy, but the boss of the second wave, and they steeled themselves for the battle toe. With weapons at the ready, they prepared to fight their way through the swarm of enemies and bring an end to the skeletal horseman, since it¡¯d probably give them a lot of contribution points. Rattle... ..... A chorus of rattling bones echoed across the battlefield as the Horseman led his horde of skeletons forward. The tter of bony feet against the hard earth, the nging of weapons and armor, created a chorus of death that filled the air. The sun was slowly setting, casting long shadows and bathing thendscape in a warm, golden light. The red mes in the Horseman¡¯s eye sockets burned brighter, his bony grip tightening on his spine-sword as he looked at his army marching towards the city. Swish... Boom... The archers stood atop the city¡¯s walls, raining arrows down upon the approaching army of skeletons. With practiced ease, they aimed and released each shot, striking down skeleton after skeleton. The mages beside them also worked tirelessly, casting spell after spell, each one exploding with devastating force and wiping out entire ranks of the undead army. Despite the barrage of magic and arrows, the skeletons marched on, undeterred. Their ranks were thinned, but they still pressed forward, driven by some unseen force. As the two forces drew closer, the yers on the ground prepared themselves for the inevitable sh. They brandished their weapons and took up their defensive positions, bracing themselves for the impact. The collision was brutal and immediate. Skeletons swung their weapons with bone-crunching force, while the yers countered with their own skills, parrying and evading with surprising agility. The sounds of nging metal and shattering bone filled the air as the two sides shed in a brutal dance of death. Some yers were caught off guard by the strength of the skeletons, their weapons knocked aside as they stumbled backwards. Others, however, were more than ready, unleashing devastatingbos that caught the skeletons off guard and sent them crashing to the ground. Despite the yers¡¯ valiant efforts, the skeletons continued to press forward, their relentless assault taking its toll on the yers¡¯ lines. Amidst the chaos of the battle, three figures emerged from the crowd. The first was a demon, his confident smile belying the immense power he wielded. With his glowing great-sword, he shattered the bones of his enemies with ease, his strength far surpassing that of even the strongest skeletons. It was clear to all who saw him that he was a high-level devourer sub-ss demon, a fearsome warrior to be reckoned with. The second figure was a female Orc, wielding a massive scythe that she used to cleave through the ranks of skeletons with brutal efficiency. Her movements were graceful and deadly, her weapon tearing through her enemies as if they were made of mere stic. But even these two powerful warriors paled inparison to thest figure. Standing atop the wall, a ck-winged elfmanded the attention of all whoid eyes upon her. Lightning particles coiled around her body, making her look like a star in the gathering dusk. Her wings were extended to their full length, disying their massive size and delicate beauty. Despite the hood that obscured her face, those who dared to peer inside were momentarily taken aback by her stunning appearance, their cheeks flushing with embarrassment. These three warriors stood out among the many yers battling the skeleton army, their strength and skill earning them the respect and awe of all who witnessed their feats. Ava and Eli had long since given up on finding the elusive traveling merchant within the elven forest. Their only hope now was to buy some sort of identity-concealing item within the city, but their ns were abruptly interrupted by the frenzied cries and shouts ringing out from the massive city walls. As they approached, they saw throngs of NPCs rushing towards the staircases that led to the bunkers, and they quickly followed suit, eager to see what was causing all themotion. By the time they arrived at the walls, the first wave of the mysterious event was already over. As they nced at the system messages, Ava and Eli exchanged knowing nces, small smiles ying on their lips. Despite not havinge to the city specifically to participate in the event, they were more than happy to reap any extra rewards that mighte their way. As Eli made her way towards the battlefield, Ava took to the air, her wings carrying her effortlessly to the top of the city walls. Her sudden appearance almost caused a few yers to lose their bnce, but Ava paid them no heed. Despite the res aimed her way, she knew that their attention would soon be directed towards the approaching skeleton army. She watched as the archersunched their arrows, raining death upon the horde below. Then, it was time for the mages to work their magic. Ava felt the familiar rush of Mana coursing through her veins, gathering in the palms of her hands. With a flick of her wrist, a brilliant lightning spear appeared, crackling with energy. Swish... With a graceful arc, she hurled the spear towards the enemy, and the results were devastating. One unfortunate skeleton was impaled, and the lightning spread through the horde like a chain reaction, destroying a dozen more in its wake. Ava¡¯s disy of power earned her a chorus of gasps from the other yers. From her vantage point atop the city walls, Ava watched as Eli made her way through the battlefield, cutting down endless skeletons with ease. Determined to protect her friend, Ava focused her magic, sending bolts of energy flying towards the enemy to cover Eli¡¯s back. Although there were other yers on the field, they were not so kind as to offer their aid. Ava could see their greed in their eyes, their fear of being overtaken by a stranger in the contribution points rankings. Yet, Eli pressed on, undeterred by the selfishness of those around her. As Eli approached the skeleton boss, a small group of yers followed in her wake, eager to im the glory for themselves. Ava wanted to shake them off, to clear a path for her friend, but she couldn¡¯t. The rules of the event disallowed friendly fire, and she was powerless to intervene. In the heat of the moment, one yer lunged forward, overtaking Eli and swinging his sword in a massive arc. His aim was clear: to shatter the horseman¡¯s skull and im the contributions points for himself. Swish... In the span of a heartbeat, everything changed. The yer¡¯s head rolled off his shoulders, his lifeless body copsing to the ground with a thud. None of the yers had even seen the skeleton¡¯s de move, but the blood that now coated its surface told the tale of the yer¡¯s fate. Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on the red-eyed monster. The other yers, sensing the danger, squeezed behind her, trying to avoid the gaze of the skeleton boss. The tension was palpable, each yer holding their breath as they waited to see what would happen next. Rattle... Suddenly, the skeletal horse flexed its limbs and began to advance towards Eli. Despite her best efforts to intimidate the creature, it seemed unperturbed, continuing its steady march forward. Eli swung her scythe wildly, hoping to deter the monster. But it was to no avail. The skeletal horse remained unfazed, its glowing red eyes fixed on its target. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Chapter 158 - 158 The Highest Contributor 158 The Highest Contributor Rose gazed into the distance, her eyes fixed upon the sprawling battlefield before her. The ground was littered with the yellow bones of the undead skeletons, their bony fingers clutching at the earth as they advanced towards the yers. The yers themselves were a kaleidoscope of color, their armor and weapons reflecting the light of the sun. Spells of every hue flew through the air, striking the skeletons and sending them tumbling to the ground. Despite the ferocity of the yers¡¯ attacks, the skeletons seemed relentless, their bony fingers always reaching for their next prey. Rose¡¯s grip was tight around the massive longbow that she held. The bow was half her size, made from a dark, rich wood that grew only in the elven forest. To a simple onlooker, it appeared to be nothing more than a simple Silver Tier equipment, but the bow was far from ordinary. She did not carry a quiver of arrows, for the projectiles materialized as she strained the bowstring. With each pull of the string, an arrow of pure mana appeared, ready to be loosed at her enemies. The bow hummed with a low energy, the mana within it waiting to be unleashed. Swish... Another skeleton fell, its head exploding into a shower of brittle bones as Rose¡¯s arrow found its mark. The force of the impact was enough to send the rest of the skeleton¡¯s body tumbling to the ground. Rose took a moment to spare a nce at the band on her right wrist, a small smile ying at the corners of her lips. The band was made from a soft, ck leather, molded to fit her wrist perfectly. 1?? ?????????????? ???????? { ???????????????? } ¡ª ?? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????????? ???? ?? ????????-?????????????????? ???????????????????? ¡ª ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???? ??% ..... ~~~~ The band on Rose¡¯s wrist was a tinum Tier equipment awarded to her for being the biggest contributor in the first wave of the battle. And yet, even as she took aim and loosed another arrow at the enemy, she felt a twinge of doubt. She had reacted faster than the others, her arrow had reached the skeleton before anyone else¡¯s. But still, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her achievement was not worthy of such a high-tier equipment. She only killed a single skeleton and got such overpowered loot! Rose¡¯s eyes were drawn to the figure of a woman standing a dozen feet away from her, her arms raised as she unleashed a barrage of lightning spells onto the battlefield. The sight was awe-inspiring, the spears of lightning striking the skeletons with deadly precision. And yet, as Rose watched, she felt a sense of confusion wash over her. Wasn¡¯t the undead immune to lightning? Rose¡¯s thoughts turned to the many discussions and debates she had read on the forums regarding the undead. It was well known that they were only affected by a select few affinities, and yet, here on the battlefield, these skeletons seemed to have a weakness for everything. She couldn¡¯t help but question if they were truly undead. Rose¡¯s gaze lingered on the skeletal figures before her, and she couldn¡¯t help but frown at their strange appearance. The teeth were sharp, unlike anything she had ever seen in her research on the undead. The bones were a sickly shade of yellow, a far cry from the bleached white skeletons she had seen in the images on the inte. She tried to ess their status window, as she did with all her enemies, but to her surprise, it was unavable. This was a first for Rose, she had never encountered creatures in the game that were unreadable. What kind of creatures were these? Rose¡¯s fingers moved with fluid precision as she sent another arrow flying towards the enemy. In a momentary break from the intense battle, she took another look at the female yer standing nearby. She was struck by the breathtaking sight of the yer¡¯s massive wings, feathers as ck as the night sky and so delicate they appeared to be made of gossamer. The yer looked like a celestial being, a real-life angel with her wings spread wide, casting powerful spells with grace and ease. As she peered inside the angel¡¯s hood, her eyes were met with a breathtaking sight ¨C an otherworldly beauty, like nothing she had ever seen before. The angel was so captivatingly gorgeous, that even the most famous models in the world would have paled inparison. A flicker of envy danced through Rose¡¯s mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of self-doubt. She couldn¡¯t help but question her own worth in the face of such stunning perfection. However, Rose quickly reminded herself that true beautyy in character, not just physical appearance. With a newfound determination, Rose clenched her fists, letting the fire of ambition ignite within her. She had a goal to strive for, a challenge to conquer ¨C to surpass the mysterious beauty hiding within the hood. Rose let the mana flow into her, allowing it to build and grow within her. With a focused mind, she summoned forth two arrows at once, and though the task seemed daunting, she was determined to seed. She had practiced archery outside of the game, honing her skills and precision, and now was the time to put it all to the test. Swish... Swish... Rose took aim and released the arrows, one by one, with deadly uracy. They found their targets and took them down in an instant, leaving the angel watching the field with a slight look of surprise. Releasing another set of arrows, Rose heard a strange creaking sound, and she watched in confusion as one of her arrows dissipated mid-air, turning into light particles. She quickly checked her Status window and realized that she had run out of mana. Panic set in as Rose frantically searched for a solution. She remembered the MP pot she had bought from a guard NPC, and quickly reached for it. She uncorked the bottle and drank its contents, but the next moment, she felt a wave of nausea wash over her. Rose had to drop to one knee, steadying herself so that she wouldn¡¯t fall from the wall. ¡®What the hell...¡¯ Rose looked around in a frantic search for the source of her headache, but the pain was too intense, spreading through her body with each passing moment. She tried to keep her thoughts focused and calm, but the searing pain was too much to bear. As Rose writhed in pain, the nearby yers took notice and quickly stepped back, observing her with curious and confused gazes. They had never seen such a reaction to a potion before, and they didn¡¯t know how to help. Puff... With a loud puff, Rose felt sweat pouring down her forehead as she struggled to bring herself back to her feet. She leaned against the cold stone wall, taking deep breaths to try and steady herself. ncing around, Rose noticed another yer, a demon, in a simr state, writhing on the ground, clearly in a lot of pain. In his hand was an MP potion, simr to the one that Rose had bought from the guard NPC. ¡®We¡¯ve been poisoned!¡¯ Rose muttered a curse as she strained her neck to lift her head. ¡°Don¡¯t drink the potions you¡¯ve bought from the guard NPC, they are poison!¡± One of Rose¡¯s teammates quickly reacted to the situation and handed her a potion. She took it gratefully, nodding her thanks before quickly consuming it. The potion was like a ray of hope, immediately dulling the pain. Rose¡¯s attention was drawn to the demon, a seemingly lone yer who was still lying on the ground. His HP was in the dozens, and Rose knew that he was in dire need of help. Despite her own struggles, Rose couldn¡¯t ignore the plight of others. She guessed that the waves of enemies would continue until either the city was overrun or they reached the final boss. With a determined look, Rose ran over to the demon and knelt beside him. She carefully lifted a potion to his lips, and watched as the life-giving liquid flowed into his body. She saw his eyes slowly regain rity, and his body twitched as he started toe back to consciousness. The demon was alive, and Rose felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her. ¡°Thank you...¡± The demon murmured, whilst looking at Rose with a shy look and used his half-numb legs to carry himself, further from the wall, where he could recover. Rose, seeing this, nodded and ran back to the wall, taking a position, near the Lightning throwing angel. Rose nced at the woman, who¡¯s eyes were unblinking, staring at the battlefield and her arms, which were continuously in sync to either bring a potion to her lips or cast a spell. Rose observed a frown forming on the angel¡¯s face as she looked towards a female orc, who was effortlessly making her way through the skeleton army with a deadly scythe. The orc was taking the lives of a few enemies at a time with each swing of her weapon. Behind the orc, there was a group of less skilled yers following her lead, avoiding conflict with the skeletons and merely following the path cleared by the orc¡¯s scythe swings. Rose could see the greed in their eyes, which didn¡¯te as a surprise to her, given her prior experience with treacherous humans. Suddenly, one of the greedy yers overtook the orc and made a reckless move by jumping at the skeleton leader, swinging his sword with the intention of destroying its skull. Swish... The entire battlefield fell silent as the yer¡¯s head was cleanly severed from his shoulders. Rose noticed the angel beside her preparing a massive lightning orb, while nervously eyeing the orc. She surmised that the angel must be a friend of the orc. ¡®It¡¯s never toote to make connections...¡¯ Rose thought as she aimed her bow towards the dark sky, releasing an arrow crafted from her own mana. The arrow arced gracefully towards its target. ¡®It¡¯ll be a 100% hit!¡¯ Chapter 159 - 159 The Second Wave Boss 159 The Second Wave Boss Eli stood frozen as a skeletal horse galloped towards her, its bony hooves striking the ground with a haunting echo. The yers behind her murmured in panicked gibberish, their footsteps rapidly fading into the distance as they fled from the approaching monster. But Eli refused to join their cowardice. With a shrug of her shoulders, she felt a sense of liberation, as if the leeches had fallen off her skin. Instead, she braced herself to face the skeleton leader alone. The orc¡¯s heart raced as she watched the beast approach, its empty eye sockets burning with red mes. Swish... Suddenly, a glint of light caught Eli¡¯s eye. A single arrow had descended from the sky, piercing the horse¡¯s skull and shattering it into a million pieces. The force of the impact caused the horseman to tumble off the beast¡¯s back,nding in a heap on the ground. Eli stood in stunned silence as she watched the arrow¡¯s trajectory, tracing it back to its source. In the distance, on the city¡¯s wall, she saw a figure, a female archer with a dark bow in hand. Eli¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as she noticed that the skeleton was still clutching its bone-sword, its empty sockets now burning with two red mes of malice and pain. This was a surprising revtion for Eli, as she had always believed that the undead were devoid of emotions and sensations. She cautiously approached the skeleton, her weapon at the ready. The red mes in its eye sockets seemed to be growing stronger, pulsing with an inner rage. The orc felt a shiver run down her spine. *** ..... Leo continued to walk towards the city, his mind lost in thought. He was humming a familiar tune, trying to distract himself from the monotony of the journey. As he approached the city, he took in its grand silhouette, towering majestically in the horizon. But something was off, he could sense it. Leo looked around, his eyes scanning the sky for any signs of trouble. Suddenly, the wind changed direction and carried a sound to his ears. It was the sound of battle, shing swords and shouting voices. Leo¡¯s expression consorted. He couldn¡¯t believe it, the siege of the city had already begun. It was supposed to start in a few days, but it seemed like events were unfolding faster than he had anticipated. He frowned, feeling a sense of unease wash over him. ¡®Did the feature change once again?¡¯ Trying to bite his nails, Leo was chewing onto his Shadow glove, but soon understood his actions and moved the hand away from his mouth. ¡®I can still make it to the ending of the second wave...¡¯ Leo gazed upon the battlefield, scanning the chaos for any sign of the most formidable foes. Despite the relentless barrage of spells and curses being traded between the two armies, he noticed something was missing. The unmistakable crackle of Mana that apanied the casting of powerful spells was absent. Leo concluded that it was still the early waves of the battle, and the most dangerous enemies had not yet made their appearance. He knew that the Skeleton Mages, and the Lich, a powerful undead wizard, were yet to join the battle. As Leo approached the city, the yers on the battlefield came into view. The intense focus etched on their faces was palpable, and he could make out the details of their expressions from where he stood. It was then that he made his move. With a flick of his wrist, he released a dozen of his Shadow Soldiers into the fray. Leo was wary of revealing his spells to the public, but the reward offered was too tempting to ignore. The shadows flowed through the crowds, their movements graceful and silent. They slithered past the yers, merging seamlessly into the chaos of the battle. Suddenly, they began to change, their limbs elongating and contorting, transforming into deadly weapons. The yers on the battlefield were momentarily taken aback by this sudden development, but they soon realized what was happening. They understood that the shadows were a summon of another yer, and they weren¡¯t a threat. The shadows attacked with relentless stamina, their weapons cutting through the skeletons like a hot knife through butter. Crackle... Leo watched as his small band of soldiers cut a path through the throngs of undead, their weapons shing in the pale light of the moon. As he surveyed the battlefield, his gaze was drawn to a figure atop the city wall, a vision of ethereal beauty that took his breath away. She stood tall and proud, with two massive wings of ck feathers spreading out from her back, their tips brushing against the stone ramparts. The feathers seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, as if they were dusted with a coating of diamond dust. But it was the lightning particles that truly set her apart, coiling around her body like an aura of raw power. The bright bolts of electricity seemed to dance and crackle, as if they were alive, and Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was witnessing something truly miraculous. Even though Leo had the ability to see in the dark, due to having an unique sub-ss. He was certain that the woman on the wall was aware of his presence. Despite the distance between them, he felt a strange tingle in his chest. Her eyes, however, were focused on something else, something far in the distance that was beyond Leo¡¯s line of sight. For some reason this made him somewhat annoyed... Following Ava¡¯s gaze, Leo¡¯s eyes were drawn to a figure standing in the distance. It was Eli, and she was facing off against another skeleton. The undead before her was imposing, with a bony sword clenched tightly in its hand. Its eyes burned with a malevolent red light, and Leo immediately knew that this was the second wave boss, a monster that could sh his sword at the speed not visible to an eye. ¡®Shit...¡¯ Leo let out a string of curses under his breath as he saw the orc clutching her abdomen, blood seeping through her fingers. Despite her tough exterior, she was in pain, and Leo knew that she was in trouble. Leo¡¯s first thought was of her HP potions, which would heal her wounds and restore her strength. He was not worried about her dying to the boss. But the skeletons that surrounded her were a different matter entirely. They were endless, and Eli would suffer, due to not having enough stamina to kill all of them. As Leo watched, he felt a sense of urgency building within him. He knew that he had to act, that he had to save the orc before it was toote. Leo felt a burning desire to draw his bone des, to let them taste the bone of his enemies. He could feel the des itching to fight, pulsing with an unquenchable thirst for battle. But despite his eagerness, he kept them sheathed, he knew that his strength stat was not enough to shatter a skeleton¡¯s skull with a single strike of his de. Swish... Leo¡¯s hand shot out, a projectile of electricity arcing from his fingertips. With a deafening crack, the lightning bolt hit its target, illuminating the area with a blinding light. The yers nearby turned towards him, their eyes wide with wonder and awe. A wave of murmurs washed over the battlefield, drowning out the sound of battle for a moment. ¡°Is that him?¡± ¡°The reward must be huge for him to be here...¡± ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s into long hair girls.¡± Leo felt a twitch in his eye as he heard the whispers of the yers around him. He couldn¡¯t believe how foolish they were, how they seemed to have forgotten why they were here. He had just seen one of their own beheaded by a skeleton, because the yer had been foolish enough to try and take a picture of him. How could they be so stupid? He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew that he couldn¡¯t let these yers distract him. Swish... He felt his des extending to half of their size and lowered his body. Swish... Leo moved with wind speed, his agility unmatched by most of the warriors on the field. He weaved through the yers, leaving them in his wake as he plunged deep into the heart of the undead army. His bones des shone in the moonlight, casting a brilliant white glow as he cut through the hordes of skeletons. With each step, Leo felt his muscles tense and rx, his body responding to the movements of the battle. He was a blur of motion, a master of agility, darting past the bony arms that reached for him, slicing through the rib cages of the undead with ease. The skeletons tried to close in around him, to surround him and bring him down, but Leo was too fast. He spun and dodged, his des a whirlwind of destruction, carving a path through the army of the dead. Even though most of his hits were sessful, none of the skeletons died... ¡®This is getting annoying...¡¯ Chapter 160 - 160 The Unknown Player 160 The Unknown yer The battlefield was a chaotic scene, with skeletons falling left and right as the yers fought trying to gain as many contribution points as possible. Out of the corners of their eyes, the yers caught glimpses of shifting shadows, darting and striking with deadly precision. As they turned to face the strange beings, they were taken aback by what they saw. Creatures unlike any they had encountered before were moving through the shadows. Their limbs were elongated, twisted and contorted into various weapons. They moved with fluid grace, their attacks so fast that the skeletons barely had time to react. With each strike, another undead warrior was sent tumbling to the ground, its bones scattered across the battlefield. The yers stood in awe, watching as these mysterious creatures took down their foes with ease. As the mysterious creatures continued their relentless attack on the skeletons, one of the yers decided to test their strength. He raised his weapon, ready to strike, but his blow met with no resistance. To his surprise, his weapon passed right through the creature¡¯s form as if it were nothing more than a shadow. Realization dawned on the yer as they understood the truth ¨C these creatures were conjured by someone on the battlefield, hence couldn¡¯t be hurt by ally yers. Slightly nervous by the possibility of a newpetitor, the yers frantically searched for the summoner. Their eyes scanned the chaos of the battlefield, searching for any sign of a new arrival. Gasp... In the distance, they saw a figure standing in the shadows. The figure was draped in a dark cloak, the hood pulled high, so its face would be visible. But it was the mask that caught the yers¡¯ attention. It was a gleaming, dark creation that covered their entire face, with only a pair of purple eyes shining through the slits. As more and more yers noticed the figure, the whispers grew louder, turning into gasps of excitement and disbelief. The yer¡¯s purple eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight, casting an otherworldly aura around the masked figure. It was as if he was not one of the yers, but rather a monster. ..... The yers stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the figure that had just appeared before them. The encounter was so shocking that even the most greed-driven yers, who wanted to gain as many contribution points as possible, seemed to have forgotten about their enemies. The yers were lost in the presence of the mysterious figure, their thoughts a jumbled mess as they tried to process what they had just seen. And then, suddenly, one voice broke through the stunned silence. ¡°That¡¯s him!¡± Others joined in, their voices growing in volume as they recognized the figure before them. ¡°He¡¯s wearing the mask like in the video!¡± ¡°Is that his summons?¡± The yers were beside themselves with excitement, their minds racing with questions. This figure was a legend, rumored to be one of the most mysterious yers and one of the strongest at that. Just a day prior to the encounter with the mysterious figure, the yers had witnessed another appearance from the unknown yer. And what a show it was! With ease, he had decimated an entire guild, wiping out over 200 orc berserkers, all on his own. Now, as they stood before him in real life, the yers were struck by the change in the summoner¡¯s appearance. Even though they¡¯ve seen the changes in the video, the video recording quality wasn¡¯t that good... Strange bone des extended from his elbows, and random bone spikes jutted out from his shoulder and back, lending him an even more fearsome appearance. The yer also wore a mask, his hood not equipped, two imposing horns now visible to the world. The new mask made Leo seem even more menacing, as if he had abandoned his humanity and turned into a monster. Some of the yers were ovee with a desire to approach the unknown yer, but before they could even take a step, the figure had already dashed through the crowd with remarkable agility, avoiding all attempts to stop him. Leo¡¯s eyes were fixed on a specific target, the skeleton boss engaged in a fierce battle with a female orc. The other yers, seeing Leo¡¯s sudden movements, shook their heads, snapping out of the trance that had fallen upon them. They realized that they were still in the middle of a battle, and refocused their attention on the task at hand. For the yers, Leo was a figure of both excitement and dread. He was like a being beyond the understanding, a monster that could literally be called a dream-shattering demon. The mere appearance of Leo on the battlefield was enough to shatter the hopes of most yers, who hade seeking rewards for gaining enough contribution points. The yers reluctantly gave up their hopes of obtaining the reward, realizing that no matter what they did, it would likely be Leo who would im the prize in the end. After all, he had already defeated multiple bosses and brought an entire guild to its knees, all by himself. And to top it all off, he had somehow be friends with the already world known beauty, Ava. The thought ofpeting against someone with such incredible skills and aplishments was overwhelming, and many of the yers chose to resign themselves to their fate. They would simply focus on surviving the battle and hope for the best. Crack... As the yers watched, a bolt of lightning shot through the sky, and their gaze was drawn to the figure of the woman with ck wings. She was staring intently at Leo, who was moving quickly through the crowd, heading towards the boss of the second wave. And as they looked upon the angel¡¯s face, many of them felt as though they saw a smile flicker across her features. The sight was enough to make the yers freeze in their tracks, as they struggled to process what they were seeing. Was it really possible? Was the angel¡¯s face eerily simr to that of Ava? The thought was almost too incredible to contemte. ¡®Why is every well-known figure gathering here?¡¯ The yers stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the unfolding scene. It was as if they were mere extras in a story that revolved around Ava and Leo. *** Atst, Leo broke through the throngs of skeletons, his eyes fixed on his target. He stood behind Eli, who was engaged in a fierce battle with a skeletal foe, its bony hand gripping a sword with deadly intent. The tension was palpable as the twobatants shed, their weapons ringing out in the still night air. Eli suddenly sensed someone nearby, and with a slight tilt of her head, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Leo!¡± Despite his best efforts to maintain hisposed demeanor, Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of emotions at the sound of Eli¡¯s voice calling his name. Slight embarrassment washed over him hearing her joyous tone, however, he was determined to not let his facade slip, and kept his expression unchanging, his eyes emotionless. ¡°Hello to you too...¡± As Leo greeted Eli with a slight nod of his head, his gaze remained fixed on the skeleton, who was now ring at him with a venomous hatred. The boss had undoubtedly recognized him as a threat. ¡°Hello there...¡± Leo said coolly, the sound of his voice like a quiet whisper in the wind. He raised his hand, and a Shadow st materialized in his palm. ¡°Do you mind if I take care of this one?¡± He asked, his eyes never leaving the skeleton¡¯s menacing re. Seeing Eli slowly nodding her head in agreement, he saw as she retreated in a safe distance. ¡°You look good!¡± Leo couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the orc¡¯spliment, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement. The bone des and the mask, though fearsome in appearance, had cost him a little bit of his sanity. But, as he looked at the orc admiringly gazing at him, he couldn¡¯t deny the feeling of satisfaction that surged within him. Leo watched as the Shadow Orb he had summoned,unched from his palm and streaked towards the yellow skeleton. It collided with the sharp edge of the undead¡¯s sword, and the explosion that followed sent the skeleton flying through the air for a good few dozen meters. Leo observed the skeleton¡¯s movements with a hint of surprise and unease. Despite the severe damage inflicted upon its frame, its grip on the sword remained steadfast and unwavering. Even as it tumbled through the air, the skeleton held on tightly to the weapon, as if it were a precious treasure. The sight of this unyielding determination caused Leo¡¯s brow to furrow, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the monster before him was more cunning and resilient than he had initially suspected. The simple act of clutching onto a weapon so tightly spoke volumes about the creature¡¯s tenacity and intelligence. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter...¡¯ Chapter 161 - 161 Ah shit... 161 Ah shit... The yers watched in awe as the skeleton leader was subjected to a brutal onught. Despite his prowess with a sword, surpassing any other warrior on the battlefield, he was unable to get close enough to Leo to strike. Leo, with his huge supply of mana, kept the skeleton leader at bay, unleashing a barrage of Lightning Bolts and Shadow sts with ease. The skeleton leader¡¯s sword swings were lightning fast, unseen to the yers. Yet, still, the monster couldn¡¯t get in range to strike Leo. The being¡¯s red eyes burned with hatred as it gazed at Leo. The yers could have sworn they heard a sound simr to a roar, as if the very bones of the skeleton were creaking in rage. The skeleton¡¯s anger towards Leo was palpable, and the yers could sense its unbridled fury. Despite the overwhelming presence of the skeleton leader, Leo stood his ground, unmoved. His dark gloves glimmered as he summoned forth his mana, unleashing spell after spell without hesitation. The other yers would have been intimidated by the skeleton¡¯s rage, but Leo remained calm and collected, never once flinching in the face of the monster. As soon as each spell¡¯s cooldown ended, he immediately cast another, not minding the skeleton, who was ring towards him. Rattle... Finally, the skeleton leader could no longer withstand the barrage of spells that Leo had thrown its way. With a final swing of his sword, its bones crumbled to the ground and turned to dust, marking the end of the battle. Leo stood still, watching as the remains of the skeleton dissipated into nothingness. Satisfied with his victory, he slowly turned and took a step towards the city walls. Despite the defeat of the skeleton leader, the battle was far from over. The city was still being swarmed with hundreds of skeletons, eager to destroy everything in their way. However, Leo paid them no mind. He knew that the rewards for being the second-wave¡¯s highest contributor would not be worth the cost of his mana and shadow energy. Leo made his way through the throngs of yers who were still engaged in battle with the undead monsters. As he walked, he could feel the weight of hundreds of gazes upon him, but he remained unfazed. He approached the city walls with purpose and with a graceful leap, he activated his Shadow Protection spell, using it as a makeshift tform to propel himself higher into the air. With a powerful jump, he cleared the wall andnded nimbly on its edge. As Leo raised his head, his gaze fell upon an elf. She stood with a dark longbow clutched tightly to her chest, as if she were shielding it from him. Leo¡¯s eyes narrowed, as he studied the elf¡¯s stance and demeanor. She was clearly wary of him, her grip on her weapon tight and her eyes flicking back and forth between him and the bow. Her expression was guarded, and Leo could sense the unease radiating from her. He wondered what could have caused this reaction, and why she was so protective of her weapon. He took a step closer, his gaze never leaving her, trying to gauge her intentions and determine if she was a threat. It was a tense moment, as the two stood facing each other, each sizing up the other. In the end, it was the elf who broke the silence. ..... ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, her voice low and wary. ?? Leo nearly stumbled on the wall as the elf¡¯s words washed over him. Was he truly so unknown that people didn¡¯t recognize him? Wasn¡¯t his name the ¡°unknown yer¡±? He felt a headache starting to pulse at his temples, and he brought a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to soothe the ache. He didn¡¯t know what to say to the elf, so he hesitated for a moment before finally answering. ¡°I¡¯m a passerby¡± He turned away from her, feeling a sudden urge to escape the situation. He called his Shadow Soldiers back from the battlefield, and as he felt their presence return to his shadow, he felt a small measure of calm wash over him. Leo cast one final nce at the bow-wielding elf before turning away and walking towards Eli. As he walked, he saw that the elf had already drawn her bow and was once again focusing on the skeletal monsters that were still trying to break through the yers¡¯ lines. Leo saw as a group of yers, who he assumed to be the elf¡¯s friends, had gathered around her. One of them pointed in his direction, and Leo realized that they were probably discussing him. But he quickly pushed the thought from his mind as he caught sight of Eli waving frantically at him. As Leo approached Eli, his attention was immediately drawn to Ava. She was standing just a few dozen meters away, her back turned towards him, but he knew that she was aware of his presence. The sight of her casting spells and throwing them towards the skeletons with deadly precision filled him with a mix of awe and... slight fear. ¡®Did I do something to anger her?¡¯ Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had caused Ava¡¯s apparent anger, why was she ignoring him? He frantically tried to recall theirst meeting, searching his memories for any indication of what might have caused her wrath. Thest time they saw each other was right before they teleported, as theyy on the hard surface of the tform. But, try as he might, Leo couldn¡¯t recall anything that would have caused Ava to hold a grudge against him. As Eli caught sight of Leo¡¯s approach, she nonchntly ced her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow in his direction. The battle may have still been raging on around them, but she appeared unconcerned, as if she had already made the decision not to participate in this wave ofbat. ¡°What brings a Legend to our humble and unexpected event?¡± As Eli approached Leo, her eyes were drawn to the bone des that had emerged from his elbows. With a hint of sarcasm, she spoke in a clear voice. ¡°Damn, they¡¯re sharp!¡± The statement was apanied by a low whistle of appreciation, as if she was in awe of the lethal weapons. Curious, Eli reached out to touch one of the des, unable to resist testing its sharpness for herself. Before Leo could react, her thumb was in her mouth, her eyes widening as a trickle of blood flowed from the small cut on her finger. ¡°Ouch...¡± She muttered, bringing her finger to her lips. *** Ava was a sight to behold, standing on the edge of the wall, casting spell after spell with relentless determination. Her wings, dappled with lightning, beat gently, allowing her to maintain her bnce and avoid falling off the structure. Her enchanted senses were always on high alert, and she could feel a familiar presence within the battlefield. However, she chose to ignore it for the time being, focusing instead on the task at hand. The fight against the relentless skeletons was far from over, and she was not about to let up for even a moment. It was then that a strange conversation she had with a fairy not too long ago came to mind. ... ¡°He¡¯s acting so cold... Not even a single message...¡± Ava sat at the small wooden table, cradling a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She was listening to Tia¡¯s never-ending monologue, only half-paying attention to the words that were being spoken. At first, when Tia had started talking about Leo, Ava was intrigued. But after listening to Tia¡¯sints for thest half an hour, Ava was starting to lose interest. All she heard was Tia mumbling under her breath about how cold Leo was, and how she didn¡¯t receive any bonuses for working overtime. Ava took a sip of her tea, trying to stifle a yawn. She was tired, and Tia¡¯sints were not helping her stay awake. She tried to tune out Tia¡¯s voice, focusing instead on the soothing warmth of the tea. She closed her eyes, letting herself sink into a calm and peaceful state. However, Tia¡¯s voice was persistent, and Ava couldn¡¯t escape the never-ending stream of words. Ava took another sip of her drink, still listening to Tia, her gaze momentarily shifting towards the woman. Tia was giggling in a teasing manner, her voice light and yful. ¡°Even though his attitude is that of a rock, it¡¯s so easy to break... kiki...¡± Tia said, a mischievous glint in her eye. Ava raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°Really?¡± She asked, her voice tinged with skepticism. She had heard many things about Leo before, but she had spent enough time with him and had never seen his character break down even once. Tia nodded, a wicked smile ying on her lips. ¡°Oh yes, he may seem like an ice cube and unyielding, but beneath that tough exterior, he¡¯s still a human, a very shy one at that!¡± Ava leaned forward, intrigued. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tia chuckled, a mischievous gleam in her eye. ¡°Do you know the demon¡¯s biggest weakness?¡± Chapter 162 - 162 Complicated... 162 Complicated... The yers had finally defeated the second wave of skeletons attacking the city and were given a half an hour break. However, the peace was short-lived as rumors began to spread about a guard NPC selling poisoned potions. The yers quickly sprang into action, buying potions from every NPC in an effort to uncover the culprit. Their efforts paid off when they discovered the guard responsible for the poisoned potions. The NPC, realizing he had been caught, took his own life by biting down on his tongue before the other guards could even question him. Although the yers had caught the culprit, the damage had been done. The yers were now on edge, warily eyeing the other guards and some even opting to buy potions from the merchant NPCs hiding in the bunkers instead. Amidst the chaos, a reward was delivered to the highest contributor of the second wave. Ava, who had single-handedly killed hundreds if not thousands of skeletons, was unsurprisingly the recipient. Although Leo had defeated the boss and his shadow soldiers had massacred several dozens of skeletons, Ava¡¯s contribution to the battle could not be ignored. Whilst Leo retreated back to the safety of the city, Ava refused to cease her tireless efforts, relentlessly casting spells and decimating the skeleton army. Her unrelenting determination paid off as her contribution points rose rapidly, overtaking Leo¡¯s by a significant margin. Although Leo wasn¡¯t the one who got the reward, he wasn¡¯t bothered by it. At least, since he had no use for the item. He couldn¡¯t auction it, the game disallowed it... 1?? ?? ???????? ???????????? { ???????????????? } ..... ¡ª ?? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ?????????????? ???? ???? ?????????????? ??????????... ¡ª ??????¡¯?? ???? ????????... ~ ?????????????????? ?????? ?????????? ????????????????????... ~ +???? ?????? ~~~~ Despite its alluring appearance, Leo was well aware that the +50 Intelligence bonus offered by the ribbon was not suited for him, or rather all the male members of the game. He knew the effects of this item and was aware that if a man attempted to equip such an item it would result in a drastic reduction of the Intelligence bonus, down to a mere +10. Leo couldn¡¯t help but notice the way Ava¡¯s fingers trembled as she rolled the ribbon between them. Despite not having exchanged a word with her yet, he couldn¡¯t ignore the energy pulsating from her, an energy that was all too familiar. It reminded him of a nightmare he had had long ago, where a silver jaguar relentlessly chased after him. ¡®Should I quietly escape?¡¯ As he gazed at Ava, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were somehow connected, like they were the same being. The thought of it made him wonder if he should make a run for it, but before he could even act on the thought, Ava¡¯s gaze met his, and he knew that there was no escaping the conversation toe. Leo stood frozen as Ava approached, with Eli suddenly taking a dozen steps back, sensing something was amiss. He longed to give her a betrayed look, but was too intimidated to shift his gaze away from the approaching silver predator. Despite his face being concealed behind a mask, Leo felt as if every muscle in his face had stiffened in response to Ava¡¯s piercing gaze. Her long silver hair swayed with each step she took, her delicate facial features entuated by the moonlight. Leo found himself captured by her ocean-blue eyes, which studied him intently. For a moment, he felt the urge to look away, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to break the spell of her mesmerizing gaze. I thought my eyes were mesmerizing...¡¯ As Ava approached, Leo was struck by a sense of coldness and a strange calm emanating from her, yet beneath it all he could sense an intense anger simmering. She was like a boss monster, releasing an oppressive pressure simply by her existence. He was unable to speak, his mind grappling with the conflicting emotions that Ava seemed to embody. ¡°Hello~¡± Ava¡¯s voice pierced through Leo¡¯s thoughts, bringing him out of his momentary stupor. He felt as if his throat had gone dry, but somehow managed to force his voice to respond. ¡°H..ello¡± He managed to croak, his eyes fixed on Ava¡¯s as she stood before him, the literal embodiment of silent anger. To Leo¡¯s surprise, Ava didn¡¯t say another word. Instead, she held his gaze for a few seconds longer than he wasfortable with, her piercing blue eyes drilling into him. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he waited for her to speak, but she seemed content to simply stare. Finally, Ava turned her gaze towards Eli, who was looking at her friend with a confused yet mischievous smile. Leo let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going through Ava¡¯s mind. Eli, who was still holding her thumb in her mouth, was using her eyes to transfer a message. ¡®You look like a jealous woman!¡¯ Ava fixed Eli with a re that made the orc shrink back, still chewing on her thumb. Despite knowing Ava for many years, these res were a rarity, and only a select few had ever been on the receiving end of one. The mere sight of such a gaze would render most people speechless, but Leo had somehow managed to speak, though Eli could hear the difficulty in his voice. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t tease her for a while...¡¯ Eli thought to herself as she watched Ava walk away from Leo, heading towards one of the bunkers where the non-yer characters were located. It was clear to Eli that Ava was not in the mood for conversation, and she didn¡¯t want to risk incurring her friend¡¯s wrath. Eli trailed after Ava, observing as she approached the bunker. She deduced that Ava was probably there to purchase some potions. Turning to Leo, who was still standing frozen and gazing at Ava¡¯s back with a look of confusion, Eli shrugged her shoulders. ¡®I have no clue either...¡¯ She murmured before waving to Leo and following Ava into the bunker. *** Leo remained still, lost in thought as he gazed at the grass fields bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. yers bustled around him, drinking potions and engaging in lively conversations as they prepared for the impending battle. He, on the other hand, was utilizing the power of his Shadow Robe to blend into the shadows, remaining unseen and avoiding any unwanted attention from the other yers. Leo was deep in thought, unable to shake the feeling that Ava¡¯s behavior was reminiscent of their first encounter. Despite his attempts to understand her actions, the reason behind her demeanor remained elusive. He felt more drained than after a battle with the now-defunct ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild, who was destroyed by a surprise attack from the Cross guild when they were at their most vulnerable. The memory of that fierce battle weighed heavily on him, but now, the enigma of Ava¡¯s behavior was sapping his energy more than any physical exertion ever could. ¡®...¡¯ Leo pressed his lips tightly as he gazed upon the yer, who was unting his skills in front of a group of admiring girls. The yer¡¯s sword was moving so fast, creating an illusion of dual-wielding. To the onlookers, it was a cool disy, but Leo was not impressed. He snorted, finding the human¡¯s movements to be crude and random. As a swordsman ss human, Leo expected this yer to have a basic understanding of parrying, shing, and thrusting. However, the yer¡¯s movements were overexaggerated, using up too much time and energy. The man¡¯s posture was also incorrect, causing Leo to shake his head in disbelief. Do people even do research before choosing a ss? Did they not observe the movements of NPCs to improve their skills? Leo was aware that the human race had ess to NPC trainers that could help improve their proficiency in swordsmanship. Yet, it seemed that this yer had skipped this important step, focusing only on visual effects and not efficiency. Leo watched as the man stumbled, almost losing his bnce while swinging his sword. A smile appeared on Leo¡¯s face, and he felt as if he were watching aical performance. It was a wee distraction that helped him take his mind off Ava for a moment. Initially, Leo found the man¡¯s antics amusing, but soon it turned into a source of irritation. It was like watching someone unevenly fold a piece of paper, causing an uneasy and unsatisfying feeling. The man¡¯s awkward movements were grating on Leo¡¯s nerves. Leo struggled to look away from the man, fearing that he might lose his temper. With nothing left to do but wait, his thoughts turned to Ava and the reason for her anger. ¡®Damn it¡¯ He tried to steer his thoughts away from the girl with wings, but a strange difort settled in the pit of his stomach as he wondered if he was the cause of her anger. The thought of causing Ava any distress was unsettling, and Leo couldn¡¯t shake the feeling. ¡®Perhaps a plunge into the coldest waters on Earth would be a fitting way to punish myself...¡¯ Chapter 163 - 163 Complicated... (2) 163 Complicated... (2) Ava and Eli were venturing through the serpentine passages, they cautiously sidestepped the overgrown vines that hung perilously from the vaulted ceiling. The tunnel, which was a path to an underground bunker, now appeared to have been abandoned for years, with only the clutches of nature reiming its forgotten corners. The musty air was heavy with the scent of decay, and the echoing sound of their footsteps was the only indication that they were notpletely alone in the stillness. Ava and Eli tiptoed through the dark corridors of the bunker, listening intently for the sound of the NPC¡¯s footsteps. They hoped to make a quick purchase of the all-important mana potions and flee the dungeon before the third wave of the city siege began. The echoing footsteps grew louder, and the two adventurers picked up their pace, darting around corners and dodging obstacles as they pursued the source of the sound. Unfortunately, Ava and Eli¡¯s pursuit came to a sudden halt as they found themselves facing a dead end. The tunnels of the bunker were likebyrinths, designed to confuse and disorient any outsiders who dared to venture within. Only the residents of the city had a thorough understanding of the twisting pathways, and the only way for a yer like Ava and Eli to navigate them was to fully explore the map. Eli cast a sidelong nce at her friend, whose face was set in a stony mask, illuminated by the bright blue gleam of her eyes in the dimly lit tunnel. She cleared her throat and made a suggestion, her voice very low, almost like a whisper. ¡°Should we just ask Leo for directions?¡± Eli spoke with a touch of hesitance, his gaze fixed on Ava¡¯s face. The suggestion had barely escaped his lips before he saw the transformation that came over his friend. Ava¡¯s expression crumbled, and she bit down hard on her bottom lip, her eyes zing with a fierce light that hinted at a fierce inner struggle. ¡°I... We don¡¯t need his help, it will cost too much money...¡± Ava hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke. Her face was set in a determined frown, and her eyes burned with a fierce inner struggle. Eli studied Ava intently, sensing that there was more to her reluctance than just the cost. She knew her well enough to understand the tell-tale signs of her difort. Despite her brave facade, her ck wings twitched involuntarily, as if they were being forcibly restrained. Eli was certain that Ava was lying to herself and that the real reason she didn¡¯t want to ask Leo for help was far deeper and more personal. ..... ¡°Ava... Can you tell me a lie?¡± Eli¡¯s voice was tinged with curiosity, as she watched her intently. An idea had suddenly urred to her. Was the action of her twitching wings just a one-time urrence, or was it another strange thing implemented in the game? Ava stared at her, as if she had been struck by a sudden realization. Her eyes widened, and her expression was one of disbelief. ¡°...¡± She said nothing, but the look on her face was enough tomunicate her confusion and surprise. ¡°I¡¯m a princess...¡± Ava muttered the first lie that came to her mind, whilst studying her friend¡¯s reaction. Eli¡¯s expression immediately brightened into a smile, and she began to giggle, trying to stifle it with her hands, but to no avail. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to be your friend! It¡¯s like reading one of those romance manga!¡± Eli eximed, wiping away the tears of joy that had formed in the corners of her eyes. Ava watched as Eli attempted to suppress herughter, and she sighed heavily, her mood growing even more sour. ¡°What was the point of even asking the question?¡± She muttered to herself. Seeing her friend¡¯s expression, Eli decided not to leave her in the dark, her tone light and yful. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing! Not like your wings twitch every time you lie!¡± A giggle escaped her fingers, causing Ava¡¯s muscles to stiffen. She met Eli¡¯s gaze, searching for any signs of dishonesty, but her friend seemed genuinely sincere. ¡°...¡± Ava took a kneeling position, covering her face with her hands, so the world wouldn¡¯t witness her face that was the color of a tomato. ¡®Why me?¡¯ Ava¡¯s thoughts swirled with confusion and frustration. She simply couldn¡¯tprehend why her lies had toe with a physical manifestation, a betraying twitch of her wings. Why was the universe conspiring against her in this way? Just then, she felt a tap on her back, and she turned to see Eli, a look offort on her face. However, just as Ava was starting to feel a sliver of relief, a giggle escaped from Eli¡¯s lips, causing Ava to shoot her a stern look. Ava proceeded to do a few experiments, trying with all her might to control her twitching wings, but to no avail. The muscles seemed to have a mind of their own, betraying her every time she told a lie. ¡°I wonder if Leo knows about this...¡± Eli mused, her words striking a chord of fear in Ava¡¯s heart. Of course he knew, Ava thought to herself. There was no doubt in her mind that Leo, as knowledgeable as he was about almost everything in the game, was aware of this weakness of hers. Ava grumbled, feeling betrayed by her own wings. The thought that everyone could easily tell when she was lying simply by looking at her appearance was a constant source of distress. Lost in her thoughts, Ava was torn between the option of seeking Leo¡¯s help and the fear of speaking to him. She felt aplex array of emotions that she couldn¡¯t quite identify, but what she did know was that she didn¡¯t want to confront them. She was reluctant to approach Leo and confront the truth, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t ignore her mounting frustration with her distrustful wings. Ava surrendered her attempts to control her wings and gestured for Eli to follow her. Despite discovering a new weakness, her countenance was brighter and more rxed, her mood reflected in her expression. Eli observed the change in Ava¡¯s demeanor and silently remarked to herself. ¡®At least she¡¯s troubled, not angry...¡¯ She hummed the intro tune to one of her favorite love serials, filling the air with its melodic notes. The serial was her favorite, a tale of love and adventure. Luckily Ava had no knowledge from where the tune originated or else she might¡¯ve used one of her bolts to punish Eli. *** Rattle... Countless human skeletons emerged from the ground, nketing the once lush green fields with their bony remains. Even Leo, was taken aback by the sheer number of skeletons that had appeared during the third wave. He remembered from his previous life that the enemy count should have been far lower. Could it be that the game developers had adjusted the numbers to match the increasing strength of the yers? Leo¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as the first skeleton lunged towards the yers, reminding him of the task at hand. He raised his hand, dark silhouettes swirling in his shadow. ¡®Kill every skeleton in sight, except for the one wearing a robe... leave that to me¡¯ Leo issued a fewmands and watched as the soldiers sprang into action with military precision. The sounds of shing swords and crunching bones filled the air as they charged forward, striking down every skeleton in their path with swift, decisive blows. The yers surveyed their surroundings, trying to locate Leo, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was concealed in the shadows, his Shadow Cloak and Gloves providing him with an excellent cover in the dim moonlight. He was being cautious, choosing to hold back and wait for the main boss to make its entrance before engaging inbat. In the meantime, he focused on umting contribution points by deploying his disposable soldiers. The use of these soldiers came at a significant cost in terms of Shadow Energy, but Leo was unwavering in his belief that they would not fall. He was confident in their abilities and knew that they would be able to hold their own, at least until the appearance of the boss. Leo¡¯s gaze swept over the battlefield, taking in the various yer figures battling against the skeleton horde. Suddenly, his attention was drawn to a figure, a demon, brandishing a massive mace. The demon¡¯s eyes also locked onto Leo, and he knew that he had been discovered. ¡®...¡¯ For a fleeting moment, Leo was taken aback by the realization that someone had discovered his hiding ce. But he quickly regained hisposure, a flicker of understanding passing through his mind. The demon likely had invested most of his Skill Points into the Sense attribute, allowing him to detect Leo¡¯s presence even in the shadows. Leo had expected the demon to simply ignore him and continue the battle against the skeletons. But as he watched, the demon shifted his attention from the horde, turning his gaze towards Leo. The demon started walking towards him. ¡®What now?¡¯ Chapter 164 - 164 The Challenger 164 The Challenger Leo sighed as he watched the demon, with its horns signifying a level and power above average, was making its way towards him. For a moment, Leo was tempted to simply log off, to escape the situation and avoid any potential headache. But he quickly regained control, reminding himself toplete the city siege event and collect the rewards. ¡®Maybe I should change my position...¡¯ Just as Leo was about to dart into the safety of another shadow, the demon appeared in front of him, blocking his path. The demon¡¯s eyes, one green and one blue, gleamed in the moonlight, lending an otherworldly air to the already unsettling figure. ¡°...¡± Leo stumbled briefly as he gazed into the demon¡¯s piercing eyes. Despite the show of power, Leo couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel anything else except amusement, he wasn¡¯t intimidated by the fast movements of the guy. Casting a nce at the demon¡¯s face Leo felt a growing sense of familiarity. As he took in the features, he realized that the demon bore a striking resemnce to someone from his past life. ¡®Simr Eyes...¡¯ Leo¡¯s expression remained neutral, yet inside he felt as if a jackpot had fallen into hisp. The possibility of a new and strong v... mhmm... Partner! A member of his group had suddenly presented itself. Despite his stoic demeanor, excitement simmered beneath the surface. Leo observed as the figure before him studied his face, or more specifically, his eyes, the only feature visible through his mask. The two stood at a simr height, with Leo being slightly taller, owing to hisrger horns. ¡°You look like a weak assassin...¡± ..... The demon broke the silence with ament, his hand gripping the handle of his mace and showcasing the muscr definition and scarred wounds. The words, which should have been an insult, failed to faze Leo as he continued to gaze steadily at the demon. On the other hand, the demon¡¯s expression shifted slowly from seriousness to a small smile. ¡°I really thought you¡¯d snap... They usually have the pride of a lion...¡± The demon muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on Leo¡¯s purple eyes that revealed nothing about his thoughts or emotions. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ve decided! Let¡¯s have a duel!¡± The demon pped his hands, attracting the attention of yers nearby. They nced at him quizzically, seeing him talking to himself, but quickly noticed the presence of another figure, seamlessly blending into the shadows. ¡°I¡¯ll try to defeat you in the least humiliating way, since you don¡¯t seem like a bad guy...¡± The demon¡¯s whisper reached Leo¡¯s ears, making Leo¡¯s smile grow uncontrobly. He quickly pulled up his hood, hiding his face from view and concealing his eyes that were now aze with excitement. ¡®Let¡¯s see just how far I¡¯vee!¡¯ Leo observed as people overheard their conversation and gasped in shock, some even calling the demon foolish for challenging what appeared to be death itself. They were unaware of the sheer power and might that the demon before Leo possessed. He had yet to even reveal half of his strength during the fight against the skeletons, and Leo was intrigued to see just how powerful his opponent truly was. The yers around them murmured amongst themselves, unsure of what to expect from this unexpected showdown. ¡°I ept!¡± Leo spoke, his voice carrying a hint of excitement that he tried to contain. He met the demon¡¯s gaze, which brightened as Leo epted the challenge. The eyes of the demon glimmered with excitement, and Leo felt a thrill of adrenaline surge through him as he prepared for the duel. Swish... Suddenly, a dome materialized, epassing the small area where Leo and the demon stood and forcing any nearby yers to retreat. Within the dome, a massive countdown appeared, counting down from three. The yers outside the dome craned their necks, trying to get a glimpse of the action inside, while Leo and the demon prepared themselves for the impending showdown Leo cast a nce at the city that was still being attacked by relentless skeletons, and yet, the yers seemed more interested in witnessing the fight between him and the mysterious demon. He could see countless yers, crowded outside the dome, filming the epic showdown with their in-game cameras. Leo sighed, feeling a twinge of frustration. He couldn¡¯t understand why the yers wouldn¡¯t prioritize defending the city instead of spectating the duel. ¡°It¡¯s good for my poprity, I guess...¡± Leo forced aside all thoughts that threatened to distract him as he faced his opponent. This was the first fight in which he had to fully focus, the chance of him losing was also possible in this duel. The thrill of battle coursed through his veins, urging him to concentrate. Whoosh... As soon as the battle began, Leo barely had a moment to react. A massive mace came swinging toward him, aimed straight for his head. The weapon sliced through the air, the sound of its trajectory tearing through the silence like a raging storm. Leo ducked just in time, the mace barely missing him as it passed over his head. He could feel the wind from the weapon¡¯s passing rush past him, and he knew he had been inches from disaster. Leo sprang back to his feet, heart pounding in his chest. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Leo mumbled under his breath as he watched the surprise flicker across his opponent¡¯s face. The demon had clearly underestimated Leo¡¯s mobility, assuming that a single attack would be enough to take him down. Leo took several steps back, watching the demon as he gazed in disbelief at his mace. The confusion on the demon¡¯s face was palpable, and Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over him. ¡°First time someone dodged ¡®Time Freeze¡¯?¡± Leo¡¯s voice carried on the wind, reaching the demon¡¯s ear with ease. The demon¡¯s head snapped in Leo¡¯s direction, his face transforming into a frown as he realized what Leo was referring to. But before he could ask how Leo knew the name of the attack, he seemed to reconsider, dismissing the thought with a shake of his head. ¡°Nevermind!¡± The demon growled, lifting his mace above the head. Whoosh... As a powerful spell, ¡®Time Freeze¡¯ had a massive cooldown, and the demon was forced to resort to other means to attack Leo. Suddenly, the demon¡¯s speed increased dramatically, as if he had elerated the flow of time for himself. Leo watched in amazement as the demon¡¯s movements became a blur. Although Leo could see the attacksing, they were very fast for someone who was barely at level 20. ¡°Haste... increases the time for oneself...¡± Leo muttered as he expertly blocked the demon¡¯s mace with Shadow Protection, causing the demon¡¯s face to twist in annoyance. ¡°Who are you? A developer? How do you know my skill names?¡± The Demon growled, whilst weaving his hands in a strange manner. ¡®Hmmm?¡¯ Leu hummed feeling as if something was impeding his movements. Moving his fingers he noticed that they were moving slower than they should¡¯ve and smirked. ¡°¡®Time Suspension¡¯, not bad!¡± Leo swiftly brought his bone de, which had slid out from his elbow, to block the oing attack. The force of the impact sent him reeling back, creating some much-needed distance between him and his opponent. Despite taking a hit, Leo¡¯s agility and mastery of his des allowed him to mitigate the damage, keeping it to a minimum. ¡°...¡± The audience held their breath as they watched Leo effortlessly deflect each strike that would have proved fatal to anyone else. They had expected a swift victory for Leo, but the opponent¡¯s powers came as a surprise ¨C time control. This ability was not listed in the game, and it caught the attention of every yer within the dome, their eyes shining with excitement. The appearance of this new power added a thrilling twist to the already nail-biting match. Whoosh... The two warriors shed in a whirlwind of movement, with Leo relying on his physical prowess rather than spells, while the demon struggled to buy time until the cooldown of his ¡®Time Freeze¡¯ ended. Despite Leo¡¯s promise to take the fight seriously, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to have a bit of fun. It was not every day that he got to duel a fellow yer with such strength and skill. He had a thought to fight Ava, however, the thought of facing her in the arena filled Leo with a strange sense of unease. He felt as though stepping into a dome with her would be a death sentence. Despite this, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she would be more willing to engage inbat with him. Something about the way she carried herself exuded a dangerous aura that made him nervous. ¡®I should focus on the fight, not her...¡¯ Leo muttered under his breath as he dodged another strike from the mace, his body gracefully shifting to the side. The mace, which was aimed to shatter his spine, merely grazed his cloak, avoiding a potentially fatal blow. ¡°So... When will I be defeated?¡± Chapter 165 - 165 The Challenger (2) 165 The Challenger (2) Leo felt the time around him warp and contract, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he took a dozen steps back, giving himself space to react to any iing attack even though he was was affected with ¡®Time Suspension¡¯. His eyes darted back and forth as he scanned for any signs of movement. Whoosh... Suddenly the demon lunged forward, mace raised high above his head. It was obvious that he was also using ¡®Haste¡¯, because Leo was forced to use ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ or else, he¡¯d be smashed by the heavy weapon. The demon¡¯s weapon was abruptly repelled, causing him to drop it with a tter. With swift movements, the demon extended his open palm forward, a calcting gleam in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never used this move, I wonder if you know about it...¡± As the demon sped his fingers together, a smug smirk spread across his face. Suddenly, a crack appeared in the air, or rather, in the fabric of the dimension itself. The crack widened, bing a ck maw that seemed to lead to the depths of an unknown abyss. The strong pull from the crack was irresistible, and before Leo knew it, he was pulled inside, along with the demon. They found themselves in a realm ofplete darkness, as if they were located above the abyss. The darkness was oppressive, pressing in on them from all sides. Leo felt disoriented, and he could hear the demon¡¯s breath, echoing in the void. Despite the darkness that surrounded them, Leo could clearly see the silhouette of the demon, standing still and rigid. The demon¡¯s gaze was fixed on his status window. The demon¡¯s eyes gleamed in the faint light from the window, and Leo felt amusement, seeing the guy read the description of his skill, in the middle of the fight. ..... ¡®Maybe I should get serious too?¡¯ Leo wondered, his mind racing as he weighed his options. The thought of casting his own realm crossed his mind, but he soon dismissed it. There were too many eyes watching, and he couldn¡¯t risk exposing all of his kit. Although Leo and the demon had been transported to a different realm, the dome¡¯s advanced programming ensured that their movements were still visible to those outside. No matter where the fighters were, their positions were disyed in real-time, providing a window into their battles for the spectators. Swish... Since Leo reached Level 15, he had unlocked a new attribute ¨C Sense. Due to that, he felt a chill run down his spine as danger knocked against his skull. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he cast ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯, his instincts that were enchanted by Fenrir¡¯s bond screaming at him to evade. Crack... Leo frowned as he saw the demon¡¯s mace suddenly materialize before his face, tearing through his dark shield as if it were made of fragile ss. The shield shattered into a shower of fine particles that sparkled in the dim light, much like Leo¡¯s heart felt every time he was forced to spend his money. Leo was caught in the grip of ¡®Time Suspension¡¯, his movements slowed to a crawl, but he was still able to summon thest remnants of his agility and dodge the iing attack. With a lot of effort, he pushed himself to move, his body breaking free from the stasis just in time to evade the deadly strike. ¡°Your spells have grown stronger...¡± Leomented, his gaze fixed upon the demon as he moved with preternatural speed, his movements thrice as fast as they had been moments before. Leo knew that holding back was no longer an option, it was clear that the demon was also starting to treat the battle with the seriousness it deserved. Zziinngg... Leo could feel the mana coursing through his veins, a pulsing, electric energy that was gathering at the palms of his hands. It coalesced into fine particles of mana, swirling and shing with light, before it coalesced into a shape that was an unmistakable form of a bolt. Leo watched as the demon¡¯s face contorted in a frown upon noticing the lightning bolt that was held within his arm. Despite its slightly wary expression, the demon quickly moved towards Leo, its movements hastened by a spell of ¡®Haste¡¯ that it had cast upon itself. Leo could see the hesitation in the demon¡¯s eyes, as it red towards the Bolt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry... I know that Lightning can shatter ¡®Time Suspension¡¯!¡± Leo could see that his words had taken the demon by surprise. As if reading its thoughts, he had answered the very question that was guing the demon at its core. The guy stumbled, momentarily thrown off bnce, as it realized that Leo was indeed aware of the weakness of its ¡®Time Suspension¡¯ spell. The realization hit it like a ton of bricks, leaving the demon wondering why Leo had not used lightning spells from the start of the battle. Despite the undeniable power of his time-rted spells, the demon also knew that they carried some crucial weaknesses. One of these weaknesses was lightning. In that moment, the realization struck the demon with the force of a hammer blow. Its eyes widened in surprise and disbelief as he processed the truth of the situation. ¡°Were you... holding back the entire fight?¡± The demon¡¯s voice was a mixture of shock and anger, its tone filled with disbelief at the notion that Leo had been toying with it all along. The demon¡¯s gaze was fixed upon Leo¡¯s hooded figure, seeing his features hidden from view by the deep cowl that obscured his face, his eyes invisible in the shadows. ¡°Perhaps?¡± Leo¡¯s answer was cryptic, leaving the demon to wonder what he truly meant. The demon was struggling to catch its breath, grappling with the notion that someone several levels below it could fight so evenly against it, and not use a single spell, except for the Lightning Bolt that was now crackling in Leo¡¯s hand. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s how far I¡¯vee...¡± The demon spoke and dropped its mace to the ground, its handsing together as if it were molding an hourss between its fingers. The demon looked up at Leo, its eyes shining with a mixture of respect and regret. ¡°It was a good fight... Since none of us died, it¡¯s not my loss, just a tactical retreat!¡± The demon looked at Leo onest time, then vanished in a swirl of white energy, its voice echoing through the chamber as it disappeared from view. Leo was left alone, victorious, but also filled with a slight sense of annoyance, since he didn¡¯t get the chance to invite the demon to be friends. ¡°Time reverse!¡± *** As Leo and the demon fought, the third wave of the event had already reached midpoint. Despite the spectacle of their battle, some yers had taken advantage of the distraction to gather more contribution points and gain an advantage. Since Ava and the female orc were nowhere to be found, and the unknown yer was locked inbat with a formidable opponent. The yers thought they had a chance to take the lead. But they soon realized their mistake. A dozen shadow-like figures still prowled the field, effortlessly cutting down the skeleton army. The yers watched in horror as the shadows moved with an almost preternatural grace, slicing through the bones with ease. ¡°This is ridiculous! How can he fight against someone who controls time and still reap rewards?¡± One yer cried out in disbelief. His teammates quickly intervened, pulling him out of harm¡¯s way as the skeletons closed in. The yer was so consumed by his anger that he failed to notice the danger until it was almost upon him. Rumble... Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed throughout the battlefield. The yers were thrown off bnce, struggling to maintain their footing as the earth trembled beneath their feet. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± one yer cried out. ¡°An earthquake!¡± another shouted. The yers were filled with a sense of dread as the ground continued to shake beneath them. They clung to each other, trying to steady themselves as the rumbling grew louder and more intense. The world around them seemed to be falling apart, and they couldn¡¯t help but fear for their lives. Crack... The ground split open, revealing deep ravines that swallowed everything in their path. The skeletons that roamed the field were pulled into the chasms, disappearing from sight. But the yers were not so lucky. Some were caught off guard and fell into the yawning gaps, lost forever. ¡°We need to get to the city walls!¡± One yer shouted, seeing that the ground near the city was somehow unaffected by the earthquake. The yers rushed towards the safety of the walls, dodging the growing number of chasms that appeared before them. Zung... Suddenly, The orange orb appeared in the sky, its pulsating rhythm growing stronger with each beat. The orb seemed to have a maic pull, drawing a stream of bones from the ravines below towards it. As the bones converged upon the orb, they began to mold and form together, creating a massive skeleton towering over the battlefield. The yers watched in awe and fear as the bone giant took shape, its presencemanding the attention of all those whoid their eyes upon it. The orb continued to beat, its rhythm guiding the construction of the behemoth as it rose higher into the sky, its towering form casting a long shadow upon the ground below. ¡°It¡¯s bing a fucking bone giant!¡± Chapter 166 - 166 A Bone Golem 166 A Bone Golem A massive figure towered above the city, blocking the moonlight and casting a shadow upon the walls below. The figure was made out of bones, constructed from the skeletons that once filled the field. The emptiness of the field only served to highlight the size and grandeur of the undead monster. Its sheer size was both awe-inspiring and intimidating. The city and the yers were left in wonder and fear, watching the giant¡¯s massive figure slowly turning its human-like head towards them. Crack... A loud crack echoed through the quiet field as the giant¡¯s jaw waspleted. The giant stirred and shook its head, opening its mouth wide. The mouth was full of sharp teeth made from the bones of the skeletons that once filled the field. Rattle... A roar filled the battlefield, sending shivers down the spines of all those present. The sound was like a rattling of bones and echoed across the field. It had a profound effect on the yers, causing most of them to drop to their knees in fear. Despite their best efforts, the yers found themselves unable to move. It was as if they were shackled to the ground by an unseen force. The roar seemed to permeate their very souls, leaving them paralyzed with terror. The giant stood tall and mighty, its roar echoing in the yers¡¯ minds, overpowering and dominating their thoughts. Some were struggling to even breathe. However, the more experienced yers had a n to ovee it. They knew that inflicting pain could help break free from the grip of fear. So, with determination, they bit their lips hard until they started bleeding. The sharp pain acted as a jolt to their system, cutting through the fear that had consumed them. Rose was one of the yers that managed to recover from being frozen in fear. She felt a warm liquid flow down her chin but ignored it, focusing on the massive giant. With steady hands, she raised her bow and pulled the bowstring tight. A mana arrow materialized, ready to beunched at the giant. ..... Rose was uncertain where to direct her arrow. Her knowledge of simr monsters from books and movies taught her that they often had concealed vulnerabilities. Recalling the events before the giant appeared, she searched for any useful information. Then, she remembered an orange pulsation in the sky that had been attracting the bones. She made an educated guess that it was the golem¡¯s core and aimed her arrow at the suspected location. With a deep breath, Rose released her arrow, hoping for the best. Swish... The arrow traveled through the air with grace and elegance, tracing a beautiful arc against the moonlit sky. As it neared its target, the arrow appeared to lose momentum and slow down. But then, something miraculous urred. The arrow burst into life, with the shaft igniting with zing fire. The mes danced along its surface, spitting and crackling with energy. The arrow¡¯s destination was the golem¡¯s massive chest. The moon watched on, casting an eerie light over the scene below. Boom... With a fierce gleam, the zing arrow of mana struck the chest of the golem, causing the towering monstrosity to falter. Despite its immense size and formidable strength, the creature was surprised by the power of the ming arrow. As the arrow prated its body, the golem stumbled, reaching out with its massive skeletal hand to keep itself from copsing to the ground. The hand, crafted from the yellow bones of countless skeletons, shook with the effort of supporting the creature¡¯s weight. As the golem¡¯s body shook with the force of the blow, its massive head shifted, sweeping the battlefield in search of the source of its injury. With a sudden stillness, the monster locked onto a lone figure, holding a dark bow in her grasp. The woman¡¯s face was pale, and dark circles hung beneath her tired eyes. ¡°So that wasn¡¯t enough...¡± She murmured, her words carried away on the winds of battle. Despite the ferocity of her attack, the golem still stood, its massive form visibly unaffected by the attack. And as her control over the body began to falter, Rose felt herself falling backwards, copsing onto the cold, hard ground. Since some time passed following the golem¡¯s fear-inducing roar, the yers who had been frozen in terror began to stir. Slowly, they lifted their heads, fearfully ncing at one another, as if checking to see if they were the only ones affected. The spell of terror that had held them captive was broken, and they stumbled to their feet, shakily regaining theirposure. ¡°That¡¯s a Lv. 80 Bone Golem!¡± A cry echoed through the bustling crowd as someone shouted. The yer could only nod their head as they gazed upon the massive figure lumbering towards them. Despite the majority of them being mere Lv. 20 yers, the sight of a single enemy was somewhat rxing. As the yers gazed upon the bone golem, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of relief. Though the giant was a formidable opponent, it was but a single entity, one that could be faced and defeated. The thought of facing an entire army of the skeletons was a far greater stress, one they were grateful to have avoided. Another archer shot an arrow, and many more followed, raining the bone monster with arrows. Though the arrows caused little damage, they enraged the monster. Luckily, before the bone golem could unleash another deafening roar, a zing fireball collided with its face, causing it to snap its jaws shut with a resounding ng. The mages, who had regained theirposure, also began to incant spells with deliberate pace. Their mana took form, striking the bone monster and causing some of its bones to tumble to the earth below. Though the damage was minimal, it was still a promising sign for the yers. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too easy?¡± *** Leo was frustrated. He had just been freed from the Duel Dome and was filled with restless energy. He kicked the ground and muttered curses under his breath. As he looked around, he saw a massive creature towering over the city. He instantly recognized it as the Bone Golem, a boss of the third wave. Leo frowned when he realized that his Shadow soldiers, who were sent to eliminate as many undead as possible, were also dead. The thought made him angry and slightly excited about the fight ahead. ¡®Why am I so excited about fighting?¡¯ Leo paused for a moment in contemtion. He struggled to understand why he felt so eager for battle. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and as he did, he felt his bone des slide out from his elbows until they reached their full length. The des felt itchy, as if they were eager to engage inbat. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement building within him as he gazed upon the massive Bone Golem. ¡°I¡¯m just excited to get the reward...¡± Leo thought, trying to rationalize his feelings. He pushed aside his thoughts and focused on the task at hand. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a few Shadow Soldiers, using the remnants of his Shadow Energy. They materialized beside him, eager to carry out his orders. ¡°Try to slip past its bony surface and find the core¡± Leo watched as the shadows dashed towards the Bone Golem, shifting their forms to be small enough to fit through the gaps between the bones that made up the golem¡¯s body. Leo¡¯s eyes followed the shadows as they entered the body of the golem, searching for the core. He felt a thrill run through him as he anticipated the oue of the battle. [ +?? ???????????? ???????????? ] The message appeared before Leo, announcing the death of one of his Shadow Soldiers, but since he had anticipated this oue, he didn¡¯t even flinch at the news of its demise. [ +?? ???????????? ???????????? ] Another message appeared, informing him of the loss of another Shadow Soldier. Even so, Leo remained unfazed, his attention focused solely on the task at hand. He watched intently as the remaining Shadow Soldiers continued their search for the core, disregarding the fallen Shadows and pushing forward in their search for the core. ¡°It¡¯s near the neck...¡± At thest moment, one of Leo¡¯s Shadows caught a glimpse of something glowing within the golem¡¯s neck. An orange orb was shining brightly, giving Leo the information he needed to defeat the monster. The Shadow quickly retreated from the creature¡¯s grasp, just narrowly avoiding being squished by the bones that made up its body, dashing back into Leo¡¯s shadow. Leo¡¯s gaze shifted to the wall that was crowded with yers. He watched as spell after spell wasunched towards the Bone Golem, each one mming into the creature with incredible force. The sheer number of spells being cast was staggering, and it seemed as if the Bone Golem was struggling to withstand the barrage. ¡°Maybe I should wait until they are tired...¡± Leo thought to himself, as he took a step back and watched the battle unfold. Even though the yers couldn¡¯t hurt each other, being hit by a spell wasn¡¯t a very pleasurable experience. Chapter 167 - 167 A Bone Golem (2) 167 A Bone Golem (2) Leo stood still, his eyes locked onto the massive bone golem. The monster was being bombarded with spells and arrows, but it barely seemed to flinch. Despite Leo being a mage himself, he knew that his spells would be of little use against this formidable opponent. Leo chose to hold back and watch, instead of joining the attack. He was aware that the bone golem¡¯s defenses would be significantly weaker after it entered its second phase, and this would only happen when its health was reduced to half. That was Leo¡¯s only opportunity to strike, use his magic to shatter the orb located in the golem¡¯s neck and defeat it. Swish... Boom... The battle raged on around Leo, but he remained steadfast, a statue amidst the chaos. Spells and arrows flew through the air, striking the bone golem with deafening impacts. Yet, Leo stood still, his eyes fixed on the formidable creature. The sounds of battle echoed in his ears, but his mind was clear and focused. Zziinngg... A spear of lightning struck close to Leo, making him jump in shock. He quickly regained hisposure and looked around for the source of the attack. His masked face, hidden under the hood of his cloak, scanned the area, but he couldn¡¯t see anyone who looked suspicious. The battle was raging on around him, and it was difficult to tell where the attack hade from. ¡®Maybe it was just an ident...¡¯ Leo shrugged off the surprise caused by the lightning strike and quickly moved into the shadows. He felt that he might have been targeted, so he wanted to take no chances. The thought of being electrocuted was not appealing, so he sought refuge in the shadows Leo¡¯s gaze shifted towards the bone golem, and he checked its health. He saw that it still had over a couple hundred thousand health points, and he sighed. He watched as some of the melee yers bravely approached the massive boss, eager to deal some damage. ..... ¡®Dumbasses...¡¯ Leo murmured under his breath as he watched the melee damage dealers approach the bone golem¡¯s feet and begin their attack. They swung their weapons with fierce determination, trying to damage the monster¡¯s vulnerable feet. However, their efforts were short-lived. Suddenly, the bone golem began stomping the ground, crushing all of the yers underneath its massive weight. Leo snorted as he watched the yers fall, their bodies crushed and lifeless. He knew that they had taken a risk by getting too close to the beast, but it was still ufortable seeing a fellow human being crushed to death. Leo¡¯s gaze flicked to his Status window and he saw that his shadow energy was slowly replenishing. A sly smirk crossed his masked face as he realized that he would soon be able to summon five of his Shadow Soldiers. He watched as the soldiers materialized before him, their heads hung low as they awaited his instructions. With a sharp gesture, he ordered them to dive into his shadow, before emerging from his hiding spot. Leo moved stealthily around the bone golem, trying to get a better view of its back. Leo crept through the darkness, using the cover of night to his advantage as he moved silently through the fields. No one could see the shadows shifting and merging as he made his way around the bone golem. He remained undetected, his stealth allowing him to get within a couple of hundred feet of the creature¡¯s wide open back without attracting its attention. He stood there, taking in the sight of the massive beast, its towering form illuminated by the light of the spells being cast at it. He didn¡¯t want to get any closer, knowing that even the slightest noise or movement might alert the creature andpromise his position. ¡®I wonder if a single spell is enough...¡¯ He knew that the window to strike was small, that the moment to take advantage of its weakened state woulde and go quickly. He was currently weighing his options, calcting the risks and benefits of waiting for the transformation to ur and strike when the golem was at its most vulnerable. Leo wondered if a single spell was enough to do the job... *** A lone figure leaned against the crumbling brick wall of a dpidated alleyway in the city. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest betrayed hisbored breathing, and droplets of sweat rolled down his face, reflecting the dim light from the moon above. The figure¡¯s eyes nervously darted around the empty alley, scanning for any signs of life. ¡°I warned that bastard to use a mask!¡± The figure, with a male voice, punched the wall, gasping for breath. His body was covered in metal armor, with only his flushed face visible. The emblem on his armor identified him as a guard tasked with maintaining peace within the city, but his behavior was causing suspicion. ¡°If only, he listened to me, we could¡¯ve...¡± As the man tore away at the metal equipment with his bare hands, it seemed as though the metal were nothing more than thin sheets of paper. With each wrenching of his powerful grip, a dull, creaking noise echoed through the air. Criek... Finally, with a mighty heave, the metal split apart, revealing a bright red garment underneath. The man¡¯s armor fell in shards at his feet, exposing the man¡¯s muscr frame that made him look like a Greek god. ¡°I¡¯ve never liked to hide my appearance...¡± The man¡¯s gaze shifted as he audibly ruminated, his head adorned with a halo of blood that loomed ominously overhead. His eyes, dark and filled with a twisted malevolence, betrayed the corruption that had taken hold of his humanity. He was no longer a mere mortal, but a being consumed by darkness and imbued with an otherworldly power. Though his powers had been granted to him by a corrupted, the guard possessed absolute control over his own body. He was inplete control, even though he had to do the bidding of the corrupted. ¡°I just need to distract the ranged fighters...¡± The corrupted human began to move stealthily, his steps taking him deeper into the shadows of the alley. He was avoiding the direct light of the moon, the ethereal glow that shone down from above. With each step, he became increasingly concealed in the darkness, a haunting figure skulking in the shadows. Tap... Tap... The guard was on high alert, his senses ever attuned to the dangers that lurked around him. Suddenly, his keen ears picked up the sound of footsteps, the telltale crunch of boots on gravel. Instantly, his head snapped towards one of the staircases, which led down into one of the bunkers that had been built in preparation for an event of this magnitude. ¡°...¡± The corrupted human came to a halt, his movements stilled as he listened for the source of the footsteps. He didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, two figures emerged into view. The first was a muscr orc, her powerful frame almost bursting out of her clothing. In her grasp, she held a massive scythe, its curved de glinting in the moonlight. The second was a woman, her delicate form seemingly at odds with the huge ck wings that grew from her back. Initially, the corrupted human had intended to pay no heed to the two figures and continue on his approach to the wall. But uponying eyes on the woman with the ck wings, something within him stirred. It was as if a switch had been flipped, a dormant part of his mind suddenly awakened. [ ????? ?????... ????.. ???... ] A thought suddenly entered the corrupted human¡¯s mind, causing his brow to furrow in confusion. It was highly unusual for his master to issue an order in the middle of another quest, but he could sense the urgency behind themand. He knew that for his master to act in such a way, the matter at hand must be of utmost importance. The corrupted human hesitated for a moment, torn between his loyalty to his master and his own instincts. But eventually, he yielded to the will of his master, his thoughts shifting as he prepared to carry out the new directive. ¡°Your wish is my order...¡± With no hesitation, the corrupted human¡¯s body moved, propelled by some unseen force. In an instant, he was standing just a few feet away from the girl with wings. The sight of her ck wings obscured her back, providing the corrupted human with the illusion of an easy kill. Zziinngg... However, just as the corrupted human was about to make his move, the girl suddenly vanished in a sh of lightning particles, reappearing a dozen feet away from her previous location. The female orc was also quick to react, jumping back and readying her scythe for battle. For a moment, the corrupted human was caught off guard. He stared at his empty hand in disbelief, confused by the sudden disappearance of his intended target. He had anticipated a swift victory. But now, it seemed that he had underestimated his opponents. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Chapter 168 - 168 Ava’s struggle 168 Ava¡¯s struggle ¡°Who are you?!¡± Eli shouted, brandishing her scythe with ferocity, its de gleaming in the dim moonlight. She hoped to intimidate the stranger, who had appeared so suddenly and swiftly. She knew just how powerful he was, this man in red garb, whose speed was almost fast enough to catch Ava, who could teleport. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver run down her spine, imagining how destructive he could be with a weapon in hand. Ava also stood by Eli¡¯s side, her petite frame appearing even smaller next to her friend¡¯s formidable stature. She clutched at the folds of her purple robes, the fabric bunched tightly in her fists. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth, as she nervously nibbled at the soft flesh. ¡°We should first assess his power...¡± Ava whispered softly, her voice barely audible above the silence, her eyes never leaving the man in red garb. With practiced ease, Ava summoned her mana, her fingers dancing in the air as she began to cast a spell. She conjured a lightning spear, the crackling energy illuminating the surrounding darkness. Ava knew all too well the dangers of underestimating an opponent, and she was not about to make that mistake here. She had witnessed the man¡¯s speed firsthand and knew that without her ability to teleport, she would have been dead. However, she also understood that speed did not always equate to strength in battle. Eli couldn¡¯t help but shake her head as she gazed at Ava, a familiar feeling of admiration and amusement washing over her. She was struck by just how serious Ava was about the game, her unwavering focus surprising her once again. As Ava began to cast her spell, Eli felt her own senses sharpen, the excitement of the impending fight surging through her veins. ..... ¡®I guess I should also give it my all!¡¯ With a burst of speed, Eli lunged forward, her scythe held high. She felt Ava¡¯s presence behind her, a constant reminder that her friend was there to support her with lightning if necessary. Eli¡¯s scythe descended with lightning speed, a deadly arc of silver aimed straight for the heart of the mysterious stranger. She was determined to end this fight quickly and decisively. The stranger¡¯s eyes flicked from Ava to Eli as she charged forward, her scythe held high. With lightning-fast reflexes, he lifted a single hand, attempting to deflect the full force of Eli¡¯s attack. Boom... The two forces collided with a thunderous boom, the shockwave rocking the ground beneath their feet. But to Eli¡¯s surprise, the stranger¡¯s palm was unaffected by her strike enchanted with ¡®Fiery Strike¡¯. The force of the impact was so great that it sent her staggering backwards, her scythe nging against the ground. Eli¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she struggled to regain her footing. She had never faced an opponent with such immense durability before. Even the skeletons in the Fallen Angel Tomb were less durable. Zziinngg... A dazzling spear of lightning snaked through the air, crackling with electricity as it raced towards its target. The spear of energy pulsed with a brilliant light, cutting through the darkness and illuminating the alley as it traveled towards the stranger¡¯s chest. With deadly precision, the lightning spear homed in on its target, closing the gap between Ava and the stranger in an instant. The air hummed with the raw power of the spell, and for a moment, it seemed as though the battle was about to reach its climax. But then, in a sh of red and ck, the stranger moved. His hand shot out, snatching the lightning spear from the air and absorbing its power into his body. Ava watched in disbelief as the stranger absorbed the full force of her spell, his form radiating with a strange energy that defied exnation. ... Eli and Ava locked gazes, exchanging a look of determination. Without a word, Ava raised her hand and summoned a ball of fire into existence, the orb crackling and snapping with intense heat. With a fluid motion, Ava hurled the zing sphere towards the stranger, the air rippling in the wake of her attack. But this time, the stranger didn¡¯t make any attempt to intercept the spell. Instead, he simply dodged the attack with ease, his movements as graceful as they were deadly. The fireball hurtled past the stranger, exploding against the ground in a shower of sparks and embers. ¡®It seems he can be hurt by fire...¡¯ Ava leaned in close to Eli and whispered urgently in her ear. Hearing her friend¡¯s voice Eli nodded in agreement, her eyes never leaving the stranger. With a quick incantation, she cast ¡®Fiery Strike¡¯ onto her weapon, imbuing it with the fire. The scythe glowed with a fierce, zing light as she lifted it high. Eli wondered if the stranger¡¯s resistance was limited to just his palms, or if his entire body was immune to the elements. Regardless, she was determined to find out. With a fierce roar, she lunged forward, ready to unleash the full fury of her ¡®Fiery Strike¡¯ upon the mysterious stranger. Boom... Eli and the stranger collided for the second time, the sound of metal shing against skin ringing out across the battlefield. But this time, Eli had changed her approach. She waited a split-second longer before swinging her scythe, disrupting the stranger¡¯s timing and allowing the sharp de to make contact with his wrist. In an instant, the stranger vanished into a red fog, reappearing a distance away from Eli. He gazed down at his arm, which was now starting to turn a deep shade of purple where the tip of Eli¡¯s scythe had made contact. The man looked up, his eyes meeting Eli¡¯s as his face turned into a creepy smile. Eli took a step back, a chill running down her spine. A momentter, the pavement beneath her feet shattered, as a strange red tentacle emerged from the ground, reaching out towards her. The sight of it filled her with dread, and she stumbled back further, trying to put some distance between herself and the dangerous appendage. Eli gritted her teeth and swung her scythe towards the red tentacle, but the weapon merely bounced off its surface as if it were made of metal. Undeterred, she imbued her weapon with fire and swung it again, this time managing to sessfully cut one of its limbs. The red abomination writhed in pain as the tentacle slithered towards her. Whilst Eli engaged in battle with the writhing red tendril, Ava focused her attention on the corrupted human. She cast her spells one after another. The red orbs descended upon the stranger, raining down a storm of mes. Despite his impressive agility, the man could not evade each and every one of Ava¡¯s attacks, and some of the fireballs were purposely caught by his healthy hand. But the man showed no signs of pain, even as one of his hands hung lifelessly by his side, its skin now an eerie shade of purple. Ava would¡¯ve continued her assault, if not for a sudden scream. Aghhh¡­. Ava¡¯s gaze shifted from the man to her friend, witnessing the horror of Eli being caught by the tentacle, pulsing with strange energy. Eli¡¯s face was turning pale, and her scythe movements were slowing down. Ava could feel a surge of fear and panic race through her body, as she realized that her friend was in serious trouble. Ava used her ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ spell to appear before Eli in the blink of an eye. She threw a fireball at the tentacle, forcing it to retreat and reached for a health potion, bringing it to her friend¡¯s lips. With each sip, the color began to return to Eli¡¯s face, her breathing growing stronger and steadier. Ava casted another ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ to teleport them both a safe distance away from the stranger and his dangerous red tentacle. Sighing in relief, Ava watched as her friend¡¯s eyes fluttered open, filled with vitality once again. ¡°Eli, look at that thing. It¡¯s turning purple, just like the man¡¯s arm...¡± Ava said, her eyes fixated on the writhing red creature, its surface turning slightly purple where the fireball hit. Following her friend¡¯s gaze Eli nodded her head, massaging her leg, which was previously caught by the tentacle. ¡°The tentacle can drain your mana and health, don¡¯t let it touch you...¡± Eli gazed at the strange man and the red creature as they slowly approached them. The creature¡¯s form was like a giant slug, and two ck dots marked its body. Despite its strange appearance, the creature moved with a fluidity that was reminiscent of a normal animal. Eli shuddered at the thought of encountering such a being in the midst of a dark, in the lush forest during a moonless night. ¡°We better kill it...¡± Ava nodded in agreement with her friend¡¯s muttered words. Even though she wanted to y the creature for experience points, her goals aligned with Eli¡¯s. Swish... A burst of fiery light illuminated the darkness as another fireball materialized in the palm of Ava¡¯s hand. This caused both the man and the creature to halt in their approach, as they eyed the mes dancing on Ava¡¯s hand. Chapter 169 - 169 Ava’s struggle (2) 169 Ava¡¯s struggle (2) Shriek... With a deafening roar, a zing ball of fire hurtled towards the massive red creature. The tentacle let out a blood-curdling screech as the fireball made contact with its skin, causing it to blister and smoke. The creature recoiled in pain, its body twisting and contorting as it sought to escape the source of its torment. Just as it managed to steady itself, another fiery projectile came hurtling towards it. With lightning-fast reflexes, the creature bolted to the side, dodging the attack by mere inches. It let out a guttural growl, its skin touched by fire turning purple. But Ava was not done yet. Another fireball shot through the air, followed by another, and another. The creature was bombarded from all sides, each hit eliciting a pained howl. Despite its immense size and strength, it was no match for the relentless barrage of fire. Ava was in her element, her body moving with grace and precision as she battled the massive red creature. Her spells were swift and merciless, each one striking its mark with deadly uracy. It was clear that she was inplete control of the situation, and for a moment, it seemed as though she might emerge victorious with ease. But Ava was well aware that time was not on her side. Her thoughts kept straying to Eli, who was locked in a desperate struggle against a mysterious figure draped in red. She could sense that Eli was struggling, her attacks not being able to wound the man with a red halo. Ava knew that she had to end this battle as quickly as possible, before Eli was overwhelmed and defeated. She redoubled her efforts, each strike more powerful than thest as she sought to take down the red creature once and for all. Unfortunately for Ava, her opponent proved to be far more formidable than she had anticipated. Despite her best efforts, the being seemed to shrug off the majority of the damage she inflicted upon it, its endurance and resilience truly remarkable. And worse still, the being was quick to counterattack, its strikesing fast and furious as it sought to take Ava down. In an effort to gain an advantage, Ava took to the sky, using her ck wings to carry her aloft and away from the reach of her opponent. From her vantage point, she had a clear view of the battlefield below, and she could see that Eli was still holding her own against the stranger in red. ..... But even as Ava kept her distance, she could sense that her opponent was closing in. Its tentacles seemed to possess some kind of flight or levitation ability. They were steadily reaching for her despite the fact that she was in the air. Ava found herself in a desperate struggle as she sought to evade the red creature¡¯s attacks while simultaneously raining down fireballs upon it. The battle had be a dizzying dance of motion, with Ava darting in and out between the iling red limbs, her movements graceful and precise as she sought to avoid the creature¡¯s deadly grasp. The challenge of maneuvering in the air at high speeds while shooting fireballs was not a simple one. It required a delicate bnce of speed, agility, and precision, and Ava was pushed to the limit as she sought to stay one step ahead of her opponent. Ava was feeling the pressure mount with each passing moment as she fought against the red creature. She could feel the weight bearing down upon her wings, threatening to crush her and bring her down from the sky. But she refused to give in to tiredness. With a fierce determination, Ava gritted her teeth and dodged another of the creature¡¯s tentacles, her body moving with a fluid grace as she evaded its grasp. And even as she did so, she summoned another fireball. Swish... The fireball struck the creature¡¯s limb, and Ava saw it turn an unsettling shade of purple as the fire began to spread on the skin. Using this opportunity she unleashed another barrage of fireballs, raining them down upon the creature and driving it back. As Ava continued her relentless barrage of spells, the creature began to show weakness. Its entire body was now covered in awork of purple wounds, strange ck liquid gushing forth from its skin in a never-ending stream. Ava could only guess that this was its blood, and the sight of it only served to further fuel her determination. With renewed vigor, Ava picked up the pace, casting even more fireballs at the red creature. Each one struck its mark, leaving purple wounds onto the creature¡¯s flesh and sapping its strength. Slowly but surely, the creature¡¯s movements grew slower and slower, its tentacles falling from the sky one by one. And then, finally, with a final roar of pain and frustration, the red creature sumbed to its injuries. Ava watched in awe as it fell to the ground, its massive bulk mming into the earth with a thunderous crash. She hovered there for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest as she gazed upon the defeated form of her opponent. Boom... Ava¡¯s head snapped to the side as she heard a loud explosion echo through the alley. Her heart raced as she watched Eli being pushed back by the stranger in the red garment. She knew that her friend was a skilled yer, but now it seemed that even her impressive strength and agility were not enough to defeat this fearsome opponent. The man¡¯s eyes glinted a dangerous shade of red in the dim moonlight, and his twisted, manic smile only served to heighten Ava¡¯s sense of dread. Despite the odds stacked against her, Eli was still fighting with all her might, her scythe shing and glinting as she swung it with deadly precision. But Ava could see that her friend was struggling, that the stranger¡¯s relentless attacks were starting to take their toll. She knew that she had to act fast, that she had to lend her support before it was toote. Ava summoned all her courage as she raised her hand and unleashed a zing spear of lightning. She knew that the lightning spear wouldn¡¯t cause any damage to the stranger, but she hoped that its speed would be enough to catch the man off guard and force him to halt his relentless attacks on Eli. Zzinngg... The spear shot towards the stranger like a streak of lightning, its bright, electric energy illuminating the dark alleyway. The man¡¯s eyes widened as he felt something moving towards him, and quickly turned his attention towards Ava, catching the bolt with his healthy hand. For a moment, the stranger looked confused, his eyes darting around the alleyway as if searching for an exnation. His eyes locked onto the strange purpleying some distance away and then, as he finally registered what had happened, a look of disbelief crossed his face, and he frowned. It was clear that he had not expected Ava to be able to defeat the red tentacle so quickly, and he appeared to be struggling toe to terms with what had just urred. His eyes were shadowed and his expression was guarded, as he took in the scene around him and tried to make sense of what had happened. ¡°?¡¯?? ?????????????? ???...¡± A strange, guttural sound escaped from the stranger¡¯s lips as he suddenly raised his hands up to his halo and took it off his head. With a soft click, he broke it into two parts, his body trembling from the impact. ck blood flowed down from his slightly parted lips, and his eyes rolled back in his head, as if he were in pain. For a moment, Ava watched in disbelief as the man convulsed, his body writhing as the ck blood flowed freely from his lips. But then, with a sudden surge of energy, he stood tall, his eyes locking onto Ava¡¯s with an intensity that made her heart race. The smile that had once been so terrifying was now gone, reced by an emotionless face. ¡°...¡± Ava and the stranger locked eyes, the air around them charged with tension. Meanwhile, Eli took a swig from a mana potion and joined them, her scythe at the ready. She was momentarily confused by the man¡¯s clothes, which were now stained with ck blood, and the disappearance of the red halo from his head. However, as she caught sight of the red sparks scattered at the man¡¯s feet, she began to understand. Rumble... Suddenly, the ground beneath Ava¡¯s feet began to shake, causing her to sway and take a step back. Her heart sank as she realized what was happening, and she prepared herself for the worst. Boom... With a deafening boom, another creature emerged from the ground, its tentacles reaching out hungrily towards Ava. She frowned, feeling frustration bubbling within her. The fight seemed to never end, and just when she thought she had caught a break, another monster appeared. ¡°How many monsters can he summon?!¡± Chapter 170 - 170 Ava’s struggle (3) 170 Ava¡¯s struggle (3) Boom... Sweat ran down Ava¡¯s forehead as she defeated another monster with red tentacles. The monster¡¯s skin was purple and ck blood was seeping out of its wounds. She felt her wings, screaming under the pressure as she had been flying for the past half an hour. The numbness in her wings was spreading to her back, causing difort. However, Ava didn¡¯t have time toin and forced her ck wings to move towards two figures fighting in the distance. As Ava approached the battle, she saw blood flowing from Eli¡¯s shoulder and felt guilty for not defeating the monster sooner. She quickly cast a fireball and threw it towards the stranger, who¡¯s hand was back to its normal color, but ck blood kept gushing out from his lips. Swish... This time, the stranger was prepared for Ava¡¯s attack, but his reaction was slightly dyed. Ava¡¯s fireball found its mark, striking the stranger¡¯s back and eliciting a shriek of pain. His blood-red eyes turned towards Ava and she noticed a hint of disparity within them. For a moment, Ava thought they had won, but in the next instant, she was forced to use her ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ to dodge the stranger¡¯s sharp ws, which had extended from his nails. Ava¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she witnessed this new aspect of the stranger and Eli bitterly nodded her head. ¡°He¡¯s a crafty bastard... As soon as you left to battle the tentacle thing, he even used his blood to momentarily blind me!¡± ..... Upon hearing Eli¡¯sints, Ava immediately understood the full extent of the stranger¡¯s abilities. Not only was he strong, but he also possessed the cunningness of a fox. Ava clenched her jaw as she watched the man raise his nails to his lips, coating them with his blood. Since Eli had already been in contact with the stranger¡¯s blood, Ava was somewhat confident that it held no corrosive or poisonous properties. The only reason for the stranger to coat his sharp ws in his blood, was to intimidate them. She conjured a zing fireball, waiting for the man to make his move, but the stranger stood motionless, his piercing gaze fixed upon the ground beneath Ava and Eli¡¯s feet. ¡®Please... Not another one!¡¯ Ava inwardly groaned, biting her lower lip in frustration. If another monster were to emerge from the ground, she silently vowed to immediately teleport herself and Eli to safety, even if it meant using a great deal of mana and wasting some MP potions. Fortunately, the ground remained still and no new monsters emerged, causing both Eli and Ava to let out a sigh of relief. The stranger, on the other hand, grimaced as more blood flowed from his lips. The stranger¡¯s body suddenly transformed into a red fog that approached Eli and Ava. Ava tried to stop the fog with a fireball, but it was ineffective. She was ready to teleport them both away when the fog suddenly solidified, revealing the man and his blood-covered ws reaching towards them. nk... Eli¡¯s scythe shed with the stranger¡¯s ws, and Ava seized the opportunity to strike with a fireball. The fire hit the man¡¯s face, turning half of it a deep purple and depriving him of the use of one of his eyes. The stranger was unable to utter a scream as Eli spun her scythe, enchanting its silver de with ¡®Fiery Strike¡¯ and sliced it into his abdomen. The man¡¯s eye widened as he stumbled backwards, falling to his knees. Blood flowed freely from his abdominal wound, staining the purple skin and darkening it with his ck blood. Ava and Eli cautiously observed the wounded stranger, his head hanging low and chest rising and falling with shallow breaths, indicating that he was still alive. The pair was aware that the man could have been acting and Ava summoned a fireball, throwing it at the stranger, expecting the man to suddenly dodge or transform into the red fog. Surprisingly, the spell hit its mark, sending the man crashing down to the ground and creating a spreading pool of ck blood. [ ?? ?????????????????? ?????????? ???? ????????????! ] < ???????? > 1?? ????,?????? ?????? 2?? ???????????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???? ~~~~ Ava and Eli looked at each other with a sense of relief mixed with exhaustion and fell to the ground, feeling tiredness spreading through their body. ¡°I don¡¯t ever want to face an enemy like that again!¡± Eli let out a weary sigh as she reached for the Intermediate-grade health potion that Ava had given her earlier. She drank it down eagerly, feeling her tired muscles begin to rx and her body slowly return to its pre-fight state. ¡°Seriously, where did you get this potion?¡± Eli asked as she raised the empty potion bottle, only to see Ava simply shook her head, signaling her unwillingness to reveal the information. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to tell me, I¡¯ll just assume you¡¯ve gotten them from Leo...¡± Eli tried to provoke Ava, but it didn¡¯t happen, since Ava¡¯s face remained as cold as an ice, no change in emotions visible. Rumble... The ground suddenly rumbled, causing Ava and Eli to fall to their butts with the force of the quake. Their eyes widened as they noticed a massive figure illuminated by the moonlight in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s probably the third wave boss!¡± Eli dered, whilst Ava grabbed her hand and teleported the two of them onto the roof of a nearby house for a better view. From their high vantage point, they were able to see the full form of the monster, and they were left in awe by its sheer size. The giant¡¯s body was made entirely of bones and was easily withstanding the barrage of spells being thrown its way, showing no signs of weakness. Its health bar was alsorger than any monster Ava and Eli had ever encountered. ... Both went silent for a minute, before Ava turned towards Eli. ¡°Let¡¯s go kill it!¡± *** As Eli and Ava approached the wall, they noticed that nearly a fourth of the golem¡¯s health had already been depleted by thebined efforts of their fellow yers. Ava was quick to react, summoning a crackling Lightning Spear with a flick of her wrist. With practiced precision, she hurled the spell towards the monster, confident in its ability to deliver a significant blow. However, just as the Lightning Spear was about to make contact, another mage¡¯s projectile collided with it, causing the spell to veer off course and head towards the corner of the battlefield. Ava didn¡¯t let this setback discourage her. She was well aware that she couldn¡¯t harm any of the yers. So, she pushed aside any concerns and continued to unleash her spells, not worrying about identally killing an ally. Eli also wanted to join the fight, but she noticed a group of melee fighters approaching the golem. She observed as the group tried to use their weapons to damage the monster¡¯s legs, but soon met their demise, because the golem stomped them. Eli, was also eager to join the battle and do her part. Casting her gaze towards the melee fighters who were approaching the Bone Golem she watched with a mixture of admiration and trepidation as they fearlessly swung their weapons at the monster¡¯s legs, determined to bring it down. However, their bravery was soon met with a brutal reality. The Bone Golem, with a single stomp of its massive feet, obliterated the group of fighters, leaving behind only scattered pieces of armor and weapons. Eli was momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events on the battlefield. She stood frozen, watching as the melee fighters met their demise at the feet of the Bone Golem. However, just as she was about toe to terms with what had just happened, her eyes caught a fleeting silhouette, a shadow moving at an incredible speed, darting across the battlefield. She couldn¡¯t quite make out what it was, but she could tell that it was moving with purpose and speed, darting in and out of the shadows, unnoticed by both the massive monster and the yers standing on the wall. Eli¡¯s heart began to race as she realized the potential danger of this unknown entity. She quickly scanned the battlefield, searching for any signs of the shadow, but it had vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Just as she was about to dismiss it as a trick of the light, the shadow reappeared, this time further away, running behind the massive golem. Since Ava was an angel and her eyesight was better Eli nudged her gently and pointed towards thest location where the shadow had disappeared. ¡°Do you see anyone moving?¡± Ava, focused her attention on the spot where Eli had pointed. Her eyes were sharp, her vision far superior to that of a normal orc, but even with her enhanced abilities, she couldn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary. ¡°It¡¯s just the shadows from the clouds, don¡¯t worry¡± She spoke, redirecting her attention back to the Golem¡¯s who¡¯s health bar was fast approaching the half. Chapter 171 - 171 The Strength 171 The Strength Leo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the towering golem, its massive bone body standing like a mountain before him. He felt his Shadow Soldiers, standing beside him, ready for action. But for now, he watched as other yersunched their attacks, each one chipping away at the golem¡¯s health. Arrows flew through the air, thudding into the golem¡¯s bony skin, leaving small cracks in their wake. Spells rained down, exploding against the golem¡¯s surface, sending chunks of bone flying. Leo could feel the golem¡¯s rage building, its movements bing more erratic as its health dwindled. Roar... As Leo surveyed the massive form of the Golem, he realized that its health was already almost halfway depleted. He knew that he had to act quickly if they were going to have any chance of defeating this formidable foe. ¡°Climb up the Golem¡¯s body and wait for me!¡± With a nod, his Shadows sprang into action, using their incredible agility and speed to run towards the Golem¡¯s towering form. Leo followed closely behind, his eyes fixed on the creature¡¯s massive frame as he prepared to strike. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, causing his heart to pound in his chest. The golem was surrounded by a haze of magic, a maelstrom of spells that crackled in the air like electricity. Leo knew that he had to act fast if he was going to kill the monster. The bone golem was impervious to most attacks, and even a single spell could have devastating effects on him. If Leo didn¡¯t act quickly, he would miss his chance to reap all the rewards. He had to make it to the monster¡¯s neck before it entered the second stage. ..... He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He sprinted forward, his feet pounding against the hard ground. The monster was getting closer, its massive form looming over him like a mountain. Leo gritted his teeth and pushed himself harder, his heart racing as he neared the monster¡¯s body. He could feel the heat emanating from the creature, an aftereffect of many spells hitting it. Leo could see dark silhouettes standing on the creature¡¯s massive shoulders and immediately knew that they were his Shadows. Picking up his pace, he ran towards the Golem, his eyes fixed on his Shadows. He could see the golem¡¯s massive body looming over him, but he was determined to reach its neck. As he drew closer, he could see the golem¡¯s massive feet mming into the ground, the shockwaves rippling outwards. But somehow, Leo managed to slip past the creature¡¯s radar, avoiding its deadly strikes. With a burst of energy, he leapt onto the creature¡¯s back, using his incredible agility to scale its massive frame. He could feel the bones creaking beneath him as he climbed higher, the wind whipping past his face. But he didn¡¯t let that slow him down. He was focused on his goal ¨C reaching his Shadows and shattering the orange orb that was hidden within the golem¡¯s neck. Boom... As Leo climbed up the golem¡¯s massive back, he could feel the spells and arrows hitting against its surface. Vibrations passed through the creature¡¯s body, almost making Leo lose his bnce and fall off its back. He gritted his teeth and held on tight, determined not to let anything stop him. The air around him was filled with the sounds of battle, the shouts of his yers, and the deep rumble of the golem¡¯s movements. Spells and arrows rained down from all sides, some of theming perilously close to hitting him. Leo dodged and weaved, using his agility and quick reflexes to avoid the deadly projectiles. But even with his skill, he knew that it was only a matter of time before he was hit. And then it happened. A spell came hurtling towards him, its mes crackling with malevolent power. Leo had no time to react, he could only deploy his ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ in an attempt to avoid being hit. Boom... The spell struck the barrier with a resounding impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Leo felt the force of the blow, but he managed to hold on, his eyes fixed on the golem¡¯s nape that was getting closer and closer. This happened a few more times, and each time Leo was forced to deploy his ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ to avoid being hit. But he refused to be deterred. ¡®It¡¯s getting annoying...¡¯ Leo gritted his teeth as he narrowly avoided yet another explosive arrow thatnded just a few feet beneath him. He could feel the heat of the st on his face, and he stumbled for a moment before regaining his bnce. ¡°Might need to invest in some better armor after this...¡± He muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the creature¡¯s massive back for any sign of danger. Leo could already make his Shadow Soldiers¡¯ features, their dark forms standing out against the yellow bones of the golem. Making a final push to reach the top, Leo felt his strength failing him. His arms burned with exhaustion, and he struggled to keep his grip on the golem¡¯s back. Thankfully, his Shadows were there to help him. They reached down, grabbing hold of his arms and pulling him over the edge. Leo copsed onto the golem¡¯s shoulders, panting heavily. He knew that his strength attribute was terrible, and this adventure had certainly proven it. ¡®Ok... Let¡¯s end this!¡¯ Regaining hisposure, he looked over to the shadow that had pulled him over the edge, giving a nod of gratitude. The shadow nodded back, silently acknowledging their sess in getting him to the top. But there was no time to waste. The golem was still under attack, and Leo knew that they needed to act quickly if they wanted to have any chance of defeating it. He quickly moved to the side of the golem¡¯s neck, taking cover behind the massive bones. From this position, he could see the projectilesing their way, but they werergely blocked by the creature¡¯s body. With the mages and archers taken care of, Leo turned his attention to the task at hand. He moved his hand to the massive bones of the golem¡¯s neck, feeling the rough surface beneath his fingers. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Then, he spoke in a low,manding voice. ¡°Go and check the orange orb. Let me know if it¡¯s still there.¡± One of his Shadows immediately stepped forward, moving with a graceful and fluid motion. It approached the golem¡¯s neck and disappeared from view, slipping between the bones with ease. Leo waited anxiously, his eyes fixed on the spot where the shadow had disappeared. He knew that the orange orb was the key to their victory, and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose it now. After what felt like an eternity, the shadow reappeared, nodding to Leo. ¡®All we need to do now is wait...¡¯ As Leo and his Shadows continued to scan the weak spots in Golem¡¯s neck, he began to feel the wind picking up. The hood of his cloak was suddenly buffeting his face, obstructing his eyes and making it difficult to focus on his movements. With a quick motion, Leo reached up and pulled the hood down, revealing his masked face to the world. His striking purple eyes shone in the darkness, glinting like two orbs of fire. There was a wild, feral look in Leo¡¯s eyes, as if he was a predator waiting to pounce on its prey. He waspletely focused on the task at hand. Since Leo¡¯s purple eyes were really glowing brightly in the darkness, they started to attract attention. Some of the other yers had stopped their attacks, pointing in his direction and whispering among themselves. ¡°Is that another monster?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the two orbs shining on the golem¡¯s nape?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that unknown yer¡¯s eyes?¡± The crowd quickly caught up to the fact that it was in fact Leo standing on the giant and their demeanor instantly shifted. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll make it to the news... As side characters though...¡± Leo noticed that the sudden barrage of the projectiles halved. He cast a look towards the wall and saw many people pointing towards him. ¡°Ah... Shit!¡± Leo frowned as he realized that he had been spotted by the crowd. He had been trying to remain inconspicuous, blending into the shadows like a phantom, but it seemed that his efforts had been in vain. With a resigned sigh, Leo decided to abandon his hiding spot, since no projectiles seemed toe his way. As he did so, a rush of energy surged through him, causing his body to glow with an intense, otherworldly me. ¡°It¡¯s really the Unknown yer!¡± The yers whispered among themselves as they noticed white mes gathering near Leo¡¯s feet. The mes grew brighter and hotter, slowly spreading onto the golem¡¯s bones that seemed to be highly resistant to heat. The onlookers gasped in amazement as the golem¡¯s bones became engulfed in the zing white fire. But Leo remained calm and focused, his eyes fixed on the health bar hovering above the golem¡¯s head. Crack... Chapter 172 - 172 The Strength (2) 172 The Strength (2) Crack... The whole body of the colossal bone golem quivered violently as an explosive arrow collided with its jaw, causing its health to drop below half. The White mes that had been engulfing the massive golem were abruptly extinguished, as if the bones themselves had developed an immunity to heat and fire. However, this did not faze Leo, as he just stared at the behemoth¡¯s neck, waiting until its body began to reshape, revealing the vulnerable orange orb encircled by an armor of yellow bones. Thud... Suddenly, the golem fell to his knees, raising a vast cloud of dust that filled the air and causing the ground to tremble with the force of the impact. A few courageous yers who had been standing too close to the edge of the city¡¯s walls even lost their footing and tumbled to their deaths, disappearing into light particles as they hit the ground. The battlefield turned into a tense stalemate, nobody daring to make a move or cast a spell at the kneeling golem, which remained ominously motionless. A palpable sense of unease settled over the yers as they warily watched and waited for the next development. Crack... ..... In a sudden motion, the golem raised his fist high into the air before violently mming it down onto its own knee, shattering the bones and splitting its leg in half with a sickening crunch. The ground shook even more, sending tremors that made some cracks appear on the city¡¯s walls. The yers paled as they watched the monstrous golem repeat the self-muttion on its other leg, observing in stunned silence as it continued to inflict grievous wounds upon itself for no discernible reason. After savagely tearing away both its legs, the golem once again fell into an eerie stillness, leaving the yers even more bewildered and confused. Was the golem losing its mind? Thebatants exchanged anxious nces with one another, but no one had any answers to this unsettling turn of events. Crack... Abruptly, the severed limbs of the golem began to disassemble into their constituent bones, slowly creeping their way back towards the main body of the creature. This unexpected turn of events caused Leo and hispanions to scramble to safety behind the golem¡¯s neck, lest they be struck by the reconstituting bones. The individual bones of the severed limbs were gradually finding their way towards the golem¡¯s back, piecing themselves together in a slow and methodical manner to form four distinct appendages. yers were also beginning to take notice of the unusual and unsettling behavior of the bones and started pointing their weapons at the kneeling monster. ¡°Is he creating tentacles?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s probably a second head!¡± ¡°It looks like wings...¡± A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd as they watched the astonishing spectacle of the golem reassembling itself and creating additional limbs. Some of the yers, who had onlye to film the battle, now began to retreat from the wall, making their way towards a clock tower that stood further away, in search of a safer vantage point from which they could capture the incredible scene. The mages sprang into action, deploying their most powerful defensive shields, archers swiftly nocked their arrows and drew their bows, ready to strike at the golem if necessary and the melee fighters... were at a loss, standing paralyzed with uncertainty and helplessness, unable to take any effective action against the monstrous creature. Right from the outset, the melee fighters had been aware of the golem¡¯s immense strength and ability to easily crush any opponents that came too close. Even now, as the golem knelt on the ground, the yers were too terrified to make a move, knowing that its powerful hands could easily crush them in an instant. The yers could finally discern the shape of the newly-formed limbs and realized with horror what the golem was building. If the massive creature was capable of flight, then the city would be doomed. Just as the tension was reaching its peak, a sudden cry went up from the crowd. ¡°He has wings!¡± Swish... Without warning, a single arrow tore through the silence and hurtled towards the golem, which was still kneeling as its massive wings nearedpletion. But the golem was too quick for the archer, and in one swift motion, it raised its head and brought its newly-formed wing forward to block the iing arrow, shattering it into wooden fragments. The crowd gasped in shock and fear as they realized the full extent of the golem¡¯s incredible power and resilience. ¡°Attack!¡± With renewed determination, the yers unleashed another wave of spells and arrows, hoping to finally bring the monster down. But the golem was not so easily defeated. With two of its newly-formed limbs, it deftly blocked the projectiles while simultaneously raising its other two wings high into the sky, revealing its majestic figure. Rattle... The golem¡¯s bones rattled as it pped its wings, slowly lifting itself into the sky. Those who hade to film the battle licked their lips in excitement, hoping to capture every moment on tape and sell it for a high price. Meanwhile, those on the wall struggled to prepare themselves for an attack from above, knowing that the golem¡¯s power and resilience would make it a formidable foe no matter where it struck from. As the golem rose higher and higher, its face suddenly began to morph into an eerie mask made of yellow bones. The bones flew from every direction, assembling themselves into aplex and unsettling design. As the mask took shape, the golem¡¯s defenses weakened, leaving its back vulnerable to attack. The once well-organized defense turned into chaos, as yers scrambled to flee from the area. The golem, now high in the sky, loomed over the city, its massive shadow covering everything below. The remaining defenders continued to fire spells and arrows, but their attacks seemed to have no effect. ¡°Crumble!¡± A loud shout pierced through the air, causing yers to look towards the source of the noise. The golem also spun around, his newly-formed wings creating gusts of wind that knocked some yers off their feet. But as the golem turned, it felt a sudden resistance in its neck, as if something was holding it back. It tried to shake it off, but the resistance only grew stronger. With a sudden realization, the golem noticed the shadows sitting on its shoulders, their dark silhouettes, undeterred by his maneuvers. The golem tried to use its hand to crush the creatures, but they were too nimble, slipping through the gaps in-between its fingers. In frustration, the golem swung its arm towards its own shoulder, hoping to dislodge the creatures, but instead it struck its own arm, causing it to crumble apart. The golem roared in frustration as its arm began to disintegrate, the yellow bones that formed its giant limb falling out of ce and scattering on the ground below. Rattle... The whole body of the giant quivered and shook violently, making the yers stare in awe as they noticed a figure standing on the golem¡¯s nape. The figure held an orange orb, which glowed with an eerie light in the night sky, casting strange shadows across the battlefield. The masked man¡¯s eyes glinted behind the dark surface of his mask as he held the glowing orb in his hand, radiating with a powerful energy that seemed to keep the golem at bay. The yers held their breath, watching in anticipation as the golem trembled and shuddered, unable to move or attack. Slowly, the man with the orange orb lowered himself off the golem¡¯s nape andnded on the ground, the golem¡¯s core still pulsing with a fiery energy in his hand. The golem¡¯s body started to disintegrate further, its yellow bones cracking and falling apart as the orb furthered from its body. Clench... Leo exerted more pressure on the orange orb, causing the cracks on its surface to spread wider and wider. The golem¡¯s body trembled violently as the yellow bones rattled and creaked in agony. With a final twist of his hand, Leo clenched the orb and shattered it into light particles. The golem tried to react, but it was toote, as Leo had already shattered the core, causing the once mighty creature to crumble into a massive pile of yellow bones. Boom... The yers stood in stunned silence, marveling at the sight of the defeated golem, while the shadow soldiers dissolved back into Leo¡¯s shadow. Leo stood atop the pile of yellow bones, the jagged peaks of his makeshift throne jutting out like knives. As his shadow stretched out behind him, Leo¡¯s imposing figure cast an aura of mystery and danger, it felt like another massive beast was hiding within his shadow. The other yers watched in awe, a palpable silence settling over the crowd as they took in the sight before them. But just as the silence began to feel heavy, a single shout pierced through the air, breaking the tension. ¡°Good job, Leo!¡± Chapter 173 - 173 The Strength (3) 173 The Strength (3) ¡°Good job, Leo!¡± Leo¡¯s mind churned with a strange and unsettling mix of emotions, causing his heart to race and his muscles to tense. He felt a sudden surge of aggression and an eerie desire to fight, as if his very being had been hijacked by an unknown force. As he heard somebody call out his name, a disturbing image shed through his mind: he saw himself using his razor-sharp bone des, slicing the person in half with a sickeningly effortless motion. Leo¡¯s head snapped to the side, his eyes scanning the faces of the yers in the crowd, trying to identify the owner of the voice. His breathing became shallow and ragged, and his heart pounded in his chest as if trying to break free. As Leo¡¯s gaze swept over the faces in the crowd, the yers themselves began to notice a change in his appearance. His shadow seemed to stretch out unnaturally, flickering and twisting like a living thing. His previously calm purple eyes began to shift, turning into narrow slits like those of a predatory animal, giving him an eerie and otherworldly appearance. Leo¡¯s own senses seemed to be numb to the strange changes urring within him. He felt nothing different within his body, but he was growing increasingly agitated by the unwanted attention and the judgmental gazes that seemed to bore into him from all directions. The pressure was building up inside him, fueling an uncontainable annoyance that threatened to erupt at any moment. Suddenly, Leo felt a sharp twinge in his elbow, and he nced down in confusion. To his surprise, he saw that one of his bone des had slid out of his arm, its white tip glinting menacingly in the night sky. He tried to push it back into ce, but it refused to budge. ¡®Annoy????????????????i??????????????n???????????g???????...¡¯ The yers in the crowd, who had been murmuring and whispering in fear, fell silent as they caught sight of the bone de. Their eyes widened with terror and disbelief, and some of them began to back away slowly, as if afraid that Leo wouldsh out at any moment. The yers in the crowd knew that, technically, they couldn¡¯t harm each other, but the sight of Leo¡¯s bone de made them question whether that was still true. Leo was notorious for pushing the limits of the game¡¯s logic, and breaking them. ..... Despite knowing that they were all safe, the yers couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease and apprehension. They had never seen Leo like this before, and they knew that he was capable of doing the impossible, within the confines of the game. As Leo, once again, tried to push the bone de back into ce, the yers backed away even further, their eyes fixed on him with a mixture of fear and fascination. They were both horrified and intrigued by the strange and unsettling changes that were urring within him. The yers in the crowd averted their eyes, not daring to meet the gaze of Leo¡¯s slit irises. They could feel the weight of his stare upon them, and they knew that drawing his attention would be a grave mistake. As they lowered their eyes, the yers began to shift nervously, trying to distance themselves further from the situation. They knew that Leo was not to be trifled with, and they were afraid that they would be the target of his anger if they were too close. Some of the yers even began to nce around at each other, searching for the one who had called out Leo¡¯s name. They were all too aware that one foolish mistake could have dire consequences, and they didn¡¯t want to be the one to make it. ¡°G????????????????????r??????r????????????????r?r????????.????????????.????????????.?????????????¡± The tension in the air was palpable, a thick and heavy nket that seemed to suffocate everyone in its grasp. The yers halted as they heard a strange sound leave Leo¡¯s throat, nobody spoke or moved, each yer frozen in ce as they waited for the next move. Leo¡¯s eyes continued to flicker and shift, and the bone de in his elbow remained stubbornly out of ce. Shriek... A deafening screech echoed through the sky, causing the yers to instinctively lift their heads. As they did, they saw a massive bird with bat-like wings and a wingspan of at least five meters hurtling towards Leo with rming speed. The bird¡¯s long, sharp beak glinted in the moonlight, and its gleaming red eyes seemed to bore into Leo with an otherworldly intensity. The yers could feel their hearts racing as they watched in horror, knowing that the monster was at least a couple times their strength. As the bird descended upon Leo, its wings pping furiously, the yers could see the calmness in his eyes. He didn¡¯t even try to evade, his bone des not moving an inch, leaving himpletely vulnerable to the bird¡¯s attack. For a moment, the yers held their breath, watching in horror as the massive bird descended upon Leo with its sharp beak gleaming in the moonlight. But just as it seemed that the bird would strike Leo and end his life, it suddenly veered off to the side, rising high into the night sky. As the bird disappeared from view, the yers were left staring in shock, unsure of what had just happened. They noticed that the bird¡¯s red eyes were full of a strange fear as it nced back at Leo¡¯s shadow, which seemed to be stretching out further and further beyond him, as if trying to catch the flying monster. The yers were now even more unnerved as they saw Leo¡¯s shadow, which was now visibly moving, although Leo himself remained motionless. They could feel the hairs on the back of their necks rising as they watched in horror, wondering what kind of skill was at work. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of the yers¡¯ breathing and the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. They didn¡¯t know what to do, or even what to say, and so they simply stood there, frozen in ce, waiting for something else to happen. Rustle... The silence was finally broken as Leo took a slow, deliberate step towards the crowd. Even though his purple eyes were now those of a monster, the yers could still see some kind of reasoning within them. However, despite the faint glimmer of humanity still visible in Leo¡¯s eyes, all of their instincts were screaming at them to run. ¡°Leo!¡± As Leo took another step forward, his eyes fixed on the terrified yers before him, another voice suddenly echoed from somewhere within the crowd. The sound made him hesitate, and he turned his head towards the speaker, his slit pupils narrowing as he tried to identify the source of the voice. The yers held their breath, watching in silence as Leo scanned the crowd, searching for the person who had spoken. They knew that if they made a wrong move, or if they said the wrong thing, he couldsh out at them at any moment, his bone des slicing through the air like a pair of deadly scythes. Leo¡¯s head whipped around as he noticed someone jump down from the wall and immediately he was in hot pursuit. He didn¡¯t even know why he was chasing the speaker, but he felt an unexinable need to catch them. Strange voices were echoing in his head, causing him to struggle to see through the grey veil that seemed to cover his eyes. The yers watched in shock as Leo darted after the fleeing figure, his bone des glinting menacingly in the moonlight. They knew that they had to do something to stop him before he hurt someone, but they were frozen in ce, unsure of what to do. They were also kind of happy that they were not the target. As Leo closed in on the speaker, his mind clouded by the strange voices in his head, he became more and more determined to catch them. He didn¡¯t care who they were, or what they had said, all he knew was that he had to catch them. The people watched in terror as Leo and the other yer disappeared into the vast city, their footsteps echoing in the darkness. The sound of their footsteps grew fainter and fainter until it finally faded away, leaving the yers alone in the silence. ¡°I wonder who was stupid enough to irritate Leo...¡± Eli spoke, her gaze fixed on the disappearing figures. She scratched her neck absentmindedly and put her scythe back in her inventory. Since they had a whole hour to rest before the fourth wave, she and Ava were nning to just rx. ¡°Ava, can you give me an MP potion?¡± Eli called out, stretching her hand towards the shadow where Ava was standing, but received no response. ¡°Hello?¡± She called out again, but there was still no sign of Ava, as if she had disappeared into thin air. ¡°Really!?¡± Eli eximed in frustration, wondering where Ava could have gone. She had been standing there just moments ago, and Eli had not heard her move. Eli¡¯s unease grew as she looked around, trying to find any trace of Ava. ¡°The Ice Queen is bing suspiciously emotional...¡± Chapter 174 - 174 [Bonus chapter]The Strength (4) 174 [Bonus chapter]The Strength (4) Ava¡¯s heart raced as she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps drawing closer behind her. She knew without looking that Leo was gaining on her, but she forced herself to remain calm. Her goal was not to outrun Leo, but to lead him away from the crowded streets, so he wouldn¡¯t do anything that he might regretter. As she ran, memories flooded back to her of thest time she had seen him like this ¨C crazed and determined to catch her at all costs. It had been in the depths of hell, where he had destroyed everything in his path to get to her. Finally, she saw an opportunity to lure Leo away from the main street and into a more secluded area. She darted into an alleyway, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and adrenaline. She knew that Leo was right behind her, but she had to keep going. As she emerged on the other side of the alley, she nced back and saw Leo disappearing down a different path. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had sessfully led him away from the crowd. Now, all she had to do was wait and hope that Leo would calm down and return to his senses. Crash... Ava¡¯s heart raced as she heard a sudden noise behind her, and before she could turn around, something broke with a loud crash. Her instincts kicked in, and she whirled around just in time to see Leo emerging from around the corner, his purple eyes zing in the darkness. Ava¡¯s breath caught in her throat as she realized that Leo was really not himself, his eyes no longer housed any human emotions. Instead, he was radiating wild and bestial energy that could make one believe he was a monster and not a yer. ¡°Leo?¡± Ava¡¯s heart was pounding as she called out to Leo, her wings slowly extending to their full length, ready for a quick escape if necessary. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of fear deep within her as she looked into his eyes ¨C they were no longer the eyes of a human, but rather the cold, empty eyes of a monster. ..... She knew, of course, that the yers were not capable of harming each other, but something about Leo¡¯s demeanor made her worry that he might be able to break the rules. Ava couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was no longer the same person she had known, but instead was now a dangerous, unpredictable creature. ¡°???????????????????N???????????????o???????????????w???????????????? ?????????t???????????????h???????????????e???r?????????????????????e??????????¡¯????s???????????????? ????????n????????????o???????????????? ??????????????????w???????????o??????l????????????????????f??????? ????????????????t????????????????????o?????????????????? ????????h??????????e??????????????l??????????????p????????????? ??????y??????????????o????????u?????????? ???????????????????w???????????o???????m????????????????a??????n?????????.???????????.??????????????.?????¡±?????????????? Ava heard guttural, iprehensible noises emanating from Leo¡¯s throat, and her brow furrowed in concern. Although she couldn¡¯t understand thenguage he was speaking, she could sense that he was in a deep state of madness ¨C a feeling that was all too familiar to her. As she listened to Leo¡¯s strange, otherworldly speech, Ava felt a chill run down her spine. It was like nothing she had ever heard before, yet somehow it was eerily simr to the sounds she had heard in the hell. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to have the same strength as he had in hell...¡¯ Ava quickly assessed the situation, taking in the fact that Leo didn¡¯t seem to possess the same strength he had when they werest in hell. If he had, she knew she would have had no chance to outrun him, let alone try to reason with him. But now, she sensed a vulnerability in him ¨C a crack in his otherwise imprable exterior. As she looked into his eyes, Ava¡¯s own ocean blue eyes seemed to twinkle like two deep oceans. She couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the slits of his irises, which bore into her own with a fierce intensity. It was as though he were enjoying the moment, looking forward to taking his revenge for being humiliated in hell. Despite her fear, Ava remained calm andposed. She knew that she needed to be strong for both herself and for Leo, who was clearly struggling with his inner demons. Ava¡¯s fingers crackled with the unmistakable blue energy of lightning as she summoned a spear made of pure electricity. The weapon crackled and sizzled with a fierce intensity, drawing Leo¡¯s gaze to it. For a moment, he seemed intrigued, almost mesmerized by the power of the spear. But then, to Ava¡¯s surprise, he started to giggle, a strange and unsettling sound that sent shivers down her spine. It was clear that Leo was not okay, and that his grip on reality was tenuous at best. ¡°??????????Y????o????????????????????u???????? ???????????s??????????????h???????????????o?????????????u????????l????d????????¡¯????????????v????????????????e?????????????? ??????t?????????r?????????i???????e???????????????d???????????? ?????????t??????????????????o????????? ??????????e????s????????????c????????a???????????????p??????e???????????.????.????????.???????? ????????????????????I?????????t??????????????? ??????????????????w????????????????o????????????????????u??????????l??????????d??????¡¯??????v????????e????????? ????????b??????????????????e????????????????e????????????????n???????? ??????????????????m??????????o???????r???????????e????????? ???????????f???u???????????????????n???????????!?????????????¡±???????????? Ava felt a surge of fear and uncertainty, but she refused to show it. She stood her ground, her eyes fixed on Leo¡¯s, and tried to remain calm and focused. She knew that this was a critical moment ¨C one that could determine the oue of their encounter. Ava¡¯s heart raced as Leo suddenly dashed towards her, his bone des grazing the pavement as he rushed towards her with increasing speed. For a moment, she was frozen, unsure of what to do. But then, as he drew closer, she regained herposure and braced herself for impact. The joy in Leo¡¯s eyes grew as he approached, and Ava could see visible excitement in his every movement. It was clear that he was lost in some sort of twisted fantasy, and that he was relishing the chance to act out his delusions. As he reached her, Ava leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding his bone des as they sliced through the air where she had been standing. Shended with a roll, and sprang back to her feet, throwing the Lightning Spear that grazed Leo¡¯s side, making him hiss. -14 Magical Damage! Ava¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed a damage graph appear before her, indicating that the game no longer recognized Leo as a yer. Her heart sank as she realized that something was seriously wrong. Leo was a monster! ¡®I¡¯ll just have to subdue him... Yeah, nothing serious!¡¯ Ava took a deep breath and tried to reassure herself that she could subdue Leo without causing any serious harm. However, she knew that this was easier said than done. Leo was known as the strongest yer in the game for a reason, and even with her impressive stats, Ava knew that she couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate him. She watched as Leo charged towards her, his eyes wild and frenzied. His bone des glinted in the moonlight as he shed at her with a ferocity that left her breathless. Ava dodged and weaved, using her agility and ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ to stay one step ahead of him. As she danced around him, Ava tried to find an opening, some weakness that she could exploit to subdue him. But Leo was too quick, too strong, too unpredictable. Every time she thought she had an advantage, he would slip away, his movements fluid and graceful. Despite being a mage, Leo fought with an unusual style, relying solely on his bone des to attack Ava. His moves were quick and precise, making it difficult for Ava tond any hits on him. As she dodged and weaved, Ava couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. Leo was much better at closebat than she had anticipated. Ava tried to use her spells to subdue Leo, but he was too quick, too agile, dodging her attacks with ease. The fight continued on, with neither of them gaining a clear advantage. Crash... Luckily, Leo stumbled over a small rock protruding from the pavement, giving Ava an opening. Without hesitation, Ava summoned a lightning spear and used her wings to propel herself towards Leo. With a fierce determination in her eyes, Ava thrust the spear forward, channeling mana into the attack. The spear crackled with electricity as it hit Leo, sending shockwaves through his body. For a moment, he stood frozen, his purple eyes wide with shock. Then he fell to the ground, his body convulsing as the lightning coursed through him. ¡°????????????????A??????????????n??????????????????n???????????????o???????????????y???????????????i????????????n??????????g???????.?????????????.?????????????????.???????????¡±???????????? Ava heard Leo mutter something under his breath as he quickly jolted from the ground. She watched as his bone des were suddenly coated in a sinister white me. Her heart raced as she realized that Leo wasn¡¯t finished yet. She had hoped to put some distance between them, but he had caught up to her in no time at all. She barely had a moment to react before he swung both of his des horizontally, aiming to cleave her in two. Ava paled, realizing that she had no time to react. She knew she couldn¡¯t cast her ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ in time or duck the attack. However, she saw an opening as Leo swung his des towards her. In a split second decision, Ava folded her wings and threw herself forward into Leo¡¯s hug, burying her head in his chest to evade the dangerous weapons. nk... The collision of the des echoed through the air as they shed together, sparks flying in all directions. The impact knocked Leo off bnce, and Ava took advantage of the moment to wrap her arms around him and bring him down to the pavement with her. Leo grunted as he hit the ground, and Ava could feel his body tense beneath her. ¡®Got him!¡¯ ==== AN: Oh... A cliffhanger! What a shame! Chapter 175 - 175 The Strength (6) 175 The Strength (6) As they tumbled down to the ground, Ava heard a grunt escape from Leo¡¯s lips. Reacting quickly, she grabbed his arms and held them firmly against the earth, ensuring that he couldn¡¯t strike her with his des. ¡®Got him!¡¯ Ava sensed Leo beginning to resist, his hands attempting to free themselves from her grip. Since Leo and Ava were mages their strength attribute wasn¡¯t the best. Even though Leo was an Ancient Bone Dragon, Ava had the strength of a Lv. 40 yer, which allowed her to pin Leo to the ground. G??????????r??????????????????r??????????????????r??????????r?????????????.????????????.???????????????????.????????????.?????????????????? Since Ava was on top of Leo, she could feel the rise and fall of Leo¡¯s chest beneath her as he let out a low growl. His muscles tensed under her grasp, but she held firm, not wanting to give him any opportunity to break free. ¡°Did you just growl?!¡± Ava attempted to tease the subdued beast, but all she received in response were a series of iprehensible growls and mumbled words. She couldn¡¯t quite make out what Leo was saying, but she could sense the frustration and annoyance in his tone. ¡°??????W????????????????o???????????m????????????????a??????n????????.????????????.??????????????.?????????????????? ??????????I??????????f??????????????? ?????????????????m?????????????????????y??????????????????? ?????????????M????????????????a???????n?????????????a???????????????? ???????????????w?????????????????????a??????????????s??????n????????????????¡¯??????????????t??????????? ?????????????????d??????????e????????p????????l????????????e?????????????????t??????e?????????????d????????? ???????y????????o?????????????????u??????????¡¯????????????d???????? ?????????????b??????????u????????r????????n????!????????????!?????????????!?????????????????? Leo continued to struggle, his piercing purple eyes ring at Ava with an intensity that could have killed if looks could truly do so. However, Ava remained unperturbed, a small smile ying on her lips as she looked into his narrow, slit-like eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but examine his emotions, searching for any hint of shyness or human emotions, all while maintaining her hold over him. Her own bright blue eyes shimmered like ocean pools, reflecting the confidence she felt in that moment. ..... Her silver hair, decorated with a delicate ¡®Bony Ribbon¡¯, fell down onto Leo¡¯s neck, the strands tickling his skin and releasing the subtle scent of fresh rain. Despite their physical struggle, the fragrant aroma served as some kind of drug for Leo, which made him trash around even harder. Ava tried to think of a way to calm him down, but he seemed to be getting more and more agitated with every passing second. His purple eyes darted around the dark alley, avoiding direct contact with her gaze, and his entire body tensed up in resistance. Ava could feel the powerful muscles of his abdomen tensing and flexing beneath her, which made her feel slightly shy and self-conscious. ¡®Just don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it!¡¯ Ava couldn¡¯t help but feel a newfound confidence within her. The delicate ¡®Bony Ribbon¡¯ really seemed to be imbuing her with a sense of strength and power she had never felt before. It was a feeling that both exhrated and unnerved her, as it made her more daring than usual. Although she couldn¡¯t say she preferred this new version of herself, there was no denying that it was exciting and invigorating in its own way. Previously, she would never have dreamt of teasing Leo while he was in such a maddened state before, but now it seemed like a fun and strangely addicting activity. She observed as his eyes darted around, trying to avoid locking gazes with her. ¡®I wonder if he understands what I¡¯m saying...¡¯ Ava suddenly felt an idea form in her mind, causing her cheeks to flush with a rosy hue. She couldn¡¯t help but lick her lips, her bright blue eyes sparkling with mischievousness as she contemted her next move. As she locked eyes with Leo, she could see slight uncertainty growing within his eyes. ¡°?????????????????G????????????e???t?????????????????? ????????????o?????????f????????????????f???? ?????????m??????????????e??????????????,?????????? ????????w??????o????????m???????????????a???????n??????????!????¡±??????????? Ava lowered her head towards Leo¡¯s masked face, he let out a muffled groan, his purple eyes growing wide with strange wariness. Despite the heat of the moment, Ava¡¯s cheeks grew even brighter, making even the beast pale underneath the mask. As she got closer, Leo could feel her hot breath on his neck, his muffled growl barely audible in the cramped alley. Ava could sense that Leo¡¯s resistance was weakening, and she was enjoying every moment of it. With a sly grin, she continued to lean towards him, putting her lips close to his ear. ¡°Be a good boy and rx or else I might continue where we left ofst time in hell~¡± Ava felt the tension in Leo¡¯s muscles peak and then suddenly rx, as if he had cked out for a moment. She could sense the exhaustion in his body, and she herself was feeling the strain from the continuous struggle for power. But as she had hoped, her words seemed to have a calming effect on him, bringing him back to the present moment and making him more self-aware of the situation. Ava¡¯s arms were sore, but she was determined to keep holding him down until she was sure that he had regained hisposure. She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and she didn¡¯t want to show her face to Leo in such a state. Instead, she chose to stay leaning close to his face, her silver hair covering her expression. She knew that her face was as red as a tomato, and the thought of Leo seeing her like this made her feel even more self-conscious. ¡°?????????W????????????????o???????????m??????????????a?????????????n?????????????.????????????????.??????????????????.???????????¡±?????????? Leo¡¯s chest vibrated as he let out another growl, bringing Ava back to reality and causing her to distance her face from his neck. She peered into his bestial eyes and noticed another emotion swirling within them ¨C greed. It made her uneasy, knowing that Leo could turn on her at any moment if he felt that she was withholding something from him. She tried to keep her cool, meeting his gaze with a calm expression, but she couldn¡¯t help the feeling of unease that was growing inside her. Leo¡¯s eyes were locked onto hers, and she knew that he was searching for something, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was. Without warning, Leo exploded in power, his legs kicking the ground and causing them to exchange positions in a split second. Suddenly, Leo was hovering above her, while Ava found herself pressed against the ground. She could feel his hot breath on her face and the intensity of his gaze as he looked down at her. ¡°?????????W????????????????o???????????m??????????????a?????????????n?????????????.????????????????.??????????????????.???????????¡±?????????? Leo let out a fierce growl, and his eyes seemed to shine in the darkness, making him look even more intimidating and wild. Ava could see the predatory glint in his eyes, and she knew that she was in serious trouble. Zziinngg... Ava¡¯s instincts kicked in, and she summoned a lightning bolt in her palm. Leo¡¯s purple eyes widened in surprise for a second before the lightning bolt struck his side, electrocuting him and stunning him. She quickly took advantage of the situation and pushed him away, gaining some distance from the dangerous beast. She could see that he was struggling to get up, and she knew that she had to act fast before he could recover. With lightning-fast reflexes, Ava cast ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ and appeared right before Leo¡¯s face, catching him off-guard. She used one of her wings to smash him against the wall with great force, breaking one of his bone des in the process. The impact made the entire alley shake, and Leo let out a roar of pain. Ava¡¯s heart raced with fear and concern as she saw Leo¡¯s body crumple against the wall. She didn¡¯t want to hurt him, even in self-defense, but the adrenaline and shock of the situation had taken over her body. As she stood there, catching her breath, she noticed that Leo was beginning to stir. His breathing was shallow and uneven. Ava tensed as she approached Leo, her steps cautious yet deliberate. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of excitement as she remembered the feel of his body pinning hers to the ground. The realization made her blush, but she shook it off and focused on the task at hand. As she got closer, Leo¡¯s eyes seemed to flicker with a hint of recognition. Maybe he remembered the jolt of electricity that she had sent his way just moments before. But now, as she stood before him, he seemed to be more rxed, and Ava took that as a good sign. Her mischievous smile returned to her face as she leaned in closer, whispering in his ear. ¡°You know, Leo, you might have a better time if you just let me win...¡± She could feel the vibrations of his growl as he tensed up again, but she didn¡¯t back away. Instead, she continued. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯d prefer it if we continued where we left off earlier?¡± Ava felt her cheeks redden as she spoke the words, but she wrote it off as an attempt to help Leo wake up from his state. *** Leo stared into the darkness with a nk expression, trying to quell the rage boiling inside him. ¡°...¡± He kept quiet, ignoring the sounds and the sight of what was happening outside his consciousness. He didn¡¯t know how he managed to enter the maddened state once again and how did the ego that was supposed to be an only one time thing took over, but it was very worrisome and unexpected. ¡°I¡¯m so fucked...¡± Leo buried his face in his palms, trying to ignore Ava teasing his Ego that was quite literally lusting after her. He watched as his Ego suddenly pinned her to the ground and bit his lips till they started bleeding. ¡°Please! Allow me to regain control over my body!¡± ==== Chapter 176 - 176 The Strength (7) 176 The Strength (7) Leo¡¯s senses gradually returned, and he became aware of his body once again. He blinked his eyes and attempted to sit up, but something was hindering his movements. As the fragrance of rain wafted towards him, Leo hesitated to lift his gaze, feeling uneasy. The scent was overpowering, invading his nostrils and clouding his thoughts. A sense of trouble swept over Leo, a feeling he hadn¡¯t experienced in quite some time. It was so intense that it felt like even the mask covering his face couldn¡¯t hide the strange smile that formed on his lips. Leo¡¯s immediate thought was to avoid any conversation with Ava, but he quickly realized that this would be impossible. After all, the person in question was literally holding him down to the ground. Although Leo wished to log off, the Event made it impossible. It was as if everything had been orchestrated precisely to prevent him from avoiding the confrontation. ¡®Shit...¡¯ Leo kept his eyes shut, racking his brain for a solution, while Ava peered down at him, confused by his suddenck of resistance. ¡°Leo?¡± Observing that Leo had closed his eyes, Ava began to speak, but Leo remained silent, refusing to utter a single word. His mind felt like it was overheating. ..... ¡®I believe my ego is still in charge of my emotions...¡¯ Leo wasn¡¯t particrly sociable, but he had never been so perturbed by the prospect ofmunicating with another person. Sure, he had never been pinned to the ground by a gorgeous angel before, but that wasn¡¯t enough to rattle him. He had already lived a full life, and his mental fortitude was stronger than this. At least, that¡¯s what he had believed... ¡°Are you back to normal?¡± Ava poked Leo¡¯s neck, causing him to fight the urge to shudder. He decided to feign unconsciousness, as though he had either fallen asleep or fainted. Ava grew concerned for a moment, thinking something might be wrong, and checked Leo¡¯s pulse, which the game had the capability to simte perfectly. She could sense his heart beating faster than usual and couldn¡¯t resist a smirk. ¡°Leo~¡± As Leo heard her voice, he felt goosebumps travel across his skin. There was something mischievous and dangerous in her tone that made him uneasy. ¡°You know... a sleeping person wouldn¡¯t flinch, and their heartbeat wouldn¡¯t skyrocket if someone were to touch their neck~¡± She spoke while prodding Leo¡¯s neck with her fingers, causing sweat to break out on Leo¡¯s forehead. Leo was at a loss. When had this girl gained so much confidence and be so daring? Suddenly, it all clicked. ¡®The Ribbon!¡¯ He realized, feeling her finger, still poking his neck. Ava had received a reward, ¡®The Bony Ribbon¡¯ for being the top contributor in the second wave. The reward must have given her a significant confidence boost that transferred over to her character. ¡®Just act normal...¡¯ Leo tried to mentally prepare himself, telling himself to act normal as he was about to open his eyes, but his thoughts were cut short. ¡°I remember someone mentioning that demons have a weakness...¡± Ava¡¯s voice carried a lot of meaning, causing Leo to recall what had urred in hell. Leo¡¯s entire body tensed up, causing Ava to giggle. ¡°Leo, wake up!¡± Leo¡¯s eyes reluctantly opened and were met with Ava¡¯s stunning face adorned with a bewitching smile that was aimed towards him. Leo¡¯s mind went nk as he stared at Ava¡¯s mesmerizing beauty. He couldn¡¯t help but get lost in her delicate features and the depth of her ocean-blue eyes. His mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. Ava¡¯s smile widened, and she leaned in closer, her face now just inches from his mask. ¡°Are you back to normal?¡± Ava¡¯s whisper made Leo feel both stunned and ufortable, especially with her close proximity. He couldn¡¯t help but squirm a little, feeling troubled by the situation. ¡°Y..es¡± Leo managed to croak out, trying to sound as normal as possible, but his voice betrayed him with a tremble. He focused his gaze on Ava¡¯s eyes, hoping that it would help him maintain hisposure. ... After several seconds of tension, Ava finally gave up and spoke, breaking the silence. ¡°It seems you¡¯re back...¡± Leo let out a sigh of relief as Ava got up from his chest, breaking the intense eye contact. He tried to calm his racing heart, taking deep breaths as he sat up. ¡®That shitty Ribbon!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but curse the new item Ava had received, the Ribbon, for the whole exchange. Although it had helped Ava subdue him and prevented him from killing an entire crowd of yers, he would rather tarnish his image than go through such an embarrassing event again. Leo heard a voice inside him whispering that he somehow enjoyed the whole exchange, but he quickly shut it down. He nced at Ava and saw that she had aposed expression, which helped him to calm down. However, looking at her made his heart beat strangely fast. ¡®She was just helping me... nothing else¡¯ Leo took a deep breath and tried to push away the confusing feelings. He convinced himself that Ava was just helping him, and nothing more. With a mental effort, he locked away the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him and put the metaphorical key in a safe ce in his mind. Leo knew that those emotions were something he was not yet ready to confront... Rustle... Ava suddenly appeared before Leo, her figure illuminated by the moonlight. She gazed into his eyes, and her bright blue eyes shimmered in the darkness. ¡°Won¡¯t you thank me?¡± Ava¡¯s smile sent Leo¡¯s thoughts spinning, causing him to hesitate before responding. ¡®Shit...¡¯ Whether he wanted it or not, the emotions Leo had locked up were freed once again, swirling around in his mind. He couldn¡¯t believe that the lock he thought was secure had a second key, and that key was Ava. Her smile had an unexinable effect on him, making it difficult to keep his emotions in check. ¡°Thank you...¡± Leo replied, his voice firm and resolute. Ava was momentarily taken aback, as she had assumed Leo was still flustered and overwhelmed by their earlier exchange. Ava took an extra second to examine his eyes, but found them just as emotionless as before. However, there was a subtle difference now, they seemed to radiate a hint of warmth, though it could¡¯ve just been her imagination. ... As they walked back to the wall, Ava remained silent, lost in her thoughts. It wasn¡¯t until they were halfway there that she realized how her actions might have looked. Despite managing to hide her emotions, her cheeks turned as red as tomatoes. ¡®What did I do?!¡¯ Ava covered her face with her hands, feeling the heat rising to her cheeks. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had just done, and yet a part of her was d she did it. Despite the embarrassment she felt, she knew deep down that she would do it all over again if given the chance. ¡°It felt nice...¡± Ava whispered to herself, her hands still covering her reddened cheeks. Her mind was protesting against the admission, but she couldn¡¯t deny the warmth that had spread through her when she and Leo were wrestling. She cast a quick nce at Leo¡¯s back and noticed that his usual aloof and cold aura seemed to have wavered, making him appear more approachable and vulnerable. Ava couldn¡¯t quite decide whether it was a positive or negative development, but she couldn¡¯t deny that Leo seemed more human than ever before. It was as if his usual persona, which was known for tackling challenging feats, had vanished, and he was just an average yer. ... While Ava was analyzing Leo¡¯s behavior, he was preupied with organizing his thoughts in a way that would help him focus. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, aware of Ava¡¯s gaze on his back, which inexplicably made him break out in a nervous sweat. ¡®At least her anger seems to have subsided...¡¯ Leo thought as he recalled the cold shoulder he received from Ava when they met near the wall. He let out a sigh of relief, d that at least that problem had disappeared. He had given up on trying to suppress his feelings and was examining them closely, trying to make sense of them. He was aware that he had never felt this way before about anyone. ¡°Do I... admire her?¡± he questioned himself, but quickly dismissed the thought. Despite her current situation, she was still his idol in her past life as the strongest yer, of course he couldn¡¯t help but admire her. ¡®What is this...¡¯ As he continued to reflect, he couldn¡¯t shake the troubled feeling he had when Ava was hovering over him, and the lust his ego felt. ... ¡°No way!¡± Leo eximed aloud, catching Ava¡¯s attention, who turned to look at him with a questioning expression. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± She asked, her blue eyes showing a hint of concern. ..... Chapter 177 - 177 An Ice Dragon... 177 An Ice Dragon... Meanwhile... Eric trudged up the icy slope of the mountain, his breath visible in the frigid air. He was on a mission. The path ahead was treacherous, but he was determined to reach his destination, the basement of the ice pce atop the mountain. As he descended down a narrow stairway, a low growl reached his ears. He stopped in his tracks, his hands clenching the metal knuckles he wore. Out of the shadows, a pack of white wolves appeared, their eyes gleaming with malice. The wolves circled him, their teeth bared, their breath forming puffs of steam in the frigid air. With a fierce battle cry, Eric lunged at the pack leader, his fists slicing through the air. The wolves were quick, darting in and out of his range, their jaws snapping at his heels. Eric fought with all his might, dodging and parrying their attacks, his muscles burning with exertion. But the wolves were relentless, their numbers overwhelming. Eric felt his strength waning, his arms growing heavy. He knew he couldn¡¯t hold out much longer. Just when all seemed lost, a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the battlefield. The wolves hesitated, their eyes darting up to the sky. In that moment of distraction, Eric seized his opportunity. With a mighty swing of his fist, he struck the pack leader a fatal blow. The other wolves, sensing their defeat, retreated into the shadows. Eric breathed a sigh of relief, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that he had narrowly escaped death, and that the wolves woulde backter. ¡°What the hell happened...¡± ..... Eric lifted his eyes to the sky and noticed a lizard or rather a dragon flying towards the castle. His heart raced as he sprinted down the narrow staircase, the sound of his own footsteps echoing through the frigid air. He knew he had to hide from the dragon, or risk being burned to an ice statue by its icy breath. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, Eric darted into a nearby alcove and ttened himself against the icy wall. He held his breath, praying that the dragon wouldn¡¯t notice him. The dragon¡¯s massive wings beat against the air, creating gusts of wind that threatened to throw Eric off bnce. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that the beast would pass him by. After what seemed like an eternity, the sound of the dragon¡¯s wings receded into the distance. Eric breathed a sigh of relief and peeked out of his hiding ce. The dragon was nowhere in sight. Eric had spent countless hours within the ice pce, ying every monster in his path. He knew that once all the monsters within an area were killed, they wouldn¡¯t respawn until the yer left the area. It was his only chance to make a run for it. With a deep breath, Eric sprinted through the icy hallways, his boots crunching on the snow. He had to reach the basement, the only ce which he had yet to visit. The ice pce was a maze of twisting corridors and hidden passageways, but Eric knew his way around like the back of his hand. He dodged traps and fought off the asional stray monster. ¡°Finally...¡± Eric stood in front of the intricately engraved door that led to the basement of the ice pce. He knew that whatevery beyond it could be the key to his sess. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, revealing a dark, frozen chamber. As he stepped inside, he felt a chill run down his spine. The air was colder here, and the ice seemed to glow with an eerie blue light. Eric knew he had to be careful ¨C there could be any number of traps or monsters lurking in the shadows. He cautiously made his way through the icy chamber, his footsteps echoing on the frozen floor. Suddenly, he heard a noise ¨C a faint clicking sound, like the grinding of ice against stone. Eric drew his weapons and crept forward, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. That¡¯s when he saw it ¨C a giant ice golem, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. The golem was massive, towering over Eric like a frozen colossus. Its arms were made of ice, each one the size of a tree trunk. Eric knew he was in for a tough fight, but he was determined to prevail. He charged forward, his weapons shing in the dim light. The golem swung its icy arms, but Eric dodged the blow and struck back with all his might. Both kept fighting for some time, but finally the HP bar of the golem reached zero and it fell to the floor, shattering into a million pieces, its ice shards glittering in the dim light. Eric stood over the defeated golem, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His body ached from the relentless battle, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of pride and aplishment. As he looked around the chamber, he noticed something glittering in the shadows. Moving closer, he saw that it was a small object, nestled among the shards of ice. He picked it up and examined it closely. It was a key, made of the same ice as the golem. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Looking at its transparent material, Eric shrugged his shoulders, moving forward through the huge ice room, seeing some kind of trapdoor. Eric cautiously made his way towards the trapdoor, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The cold air of the icy chamber was now biting at his skin, but he knew he had to keep going. He approached the lock, examining it closely. It was like nothing he had ever seen before ¨C intricate patterns of ice crystals adorned its surface. He tried to pick the lock, but his knuckles were useless against the ice. With trembling hands, he inserted the ice key into the lock, turning it slowly. The lock clicked open, and the trapdoor creaked as it swung open. As Eric descended down thedder, his eyes widened in amazement. The basement was like nothing he had ever seen before ¨C a vast cavern filled with glittering stctites and stgmites, and frozen waterfalls that sparkled like diamonds. In the center of the caverny a massive block of ice, easily twice the size of the ice golem he had just defeated. Eric approached it, his breath forming clouds of mist in the frigid air. ¡°What is this...¡± Eric¡¯s heart raced as the sound of cracking ice echoed through the otherwise silent room. He scanned his surroundings, looking for any signs of danger, his hand instinctively moving forwards. Crack... The ice cube began to crack, making Eric¡¯s curiosity grow. He cautiously approached the block of ice, watching as small fractures raced across the surface like spider webs. Suddenly, arger crack split the block in half, revealing a stunning azure-colored egg within. Eric¡¯s eyes widened in awe as he took in the sight before him. The egg was the size of a basketball, and its brilliant blue color seemed to glow in the dim light of the icy cavern. He carefully stepped forward and reached out to touch the smooth surface of the egg. It was surprisingly warm to the touch, and he felt a strange energy coursing through his fingers. As he looked more closely at the egg, he noticed intricate patterns etched into its surface, like delicate snowkes. Eric wondered how such a thing could exist in this frozen wastnd. He decided that he needed to investigate further and carefully lifted the egg from the broken pieces of ice. [ +?? ?????? ???? ??? ] [ ???????????????????? ????????: ?? ????????... ] Eric carefully ced the egg into his inventory and couldn¡¯t help but notice something strange about the message that appeared. There was an incubation time listed beneath the usual notification, indicating that something was going to happen to the egg soon. For a moment, Eric froze, unsure of what to do. But as he looked back at the egg, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement building inside him. ¡°Will I also get a pet like Leo?¡± Eric¡¯s smile widened as he realized that he might have just stumbled upon something truly special. He knew that taking care of an animal would be a big responsibility, but he was up for the challenge. Besides, having a strongpanion like Fenrir would increase his power by a lot. Roar... Suddenly, the entire pce shook and trembled under the force of the deafening roar. ¡°I think someone¡¯s angry...¡± Eric stood frozen in fear, he realized the magnitude of his mistake. He was now aware whose egg he had stolen. A dragon, one of the most powerful creatures in fantasy tales, with a reputation for being fiercely protective of its young. ¡°...¡± He tried to remove the egg from his inventory, but for some reason the game disallowed from dropping it. ¡°Damn...¡± Eric knew that the dragon would stop at nothing to get its egg back. Chapter 178 - 178 Escaping 178 Escaping Eric cautiously navigated through the silent passageways of the ice castle, his heart pounding with fear and adrenaline. He stole quick nces through the icy windows, scanning the destendscape outside for any sign of the Ice Dragon that was probably pursuing him. Each step he took echoed through the empty halls, magnifying his unease as Eric searched for a ce to hide. The windows were covered in a thickyer of frost, obscuring his view of the outside world. Eric wiped away the frost with his sleeve and peered out into the snowy expanse. The frozen wastnd was an otherworldly sight, with jagged mountains in the distance and the icy tundra stretching out as far as the eye could see. Despite the bitter cold, sweat began to bead on Eric¡¯s forehead. His breaths came in short, sharp gasps as he tried to keep his anxiety in check. With a final nce outside, Eric turned and hurried down the hall, his footsteps echoing like thunder as he desperately sought a ce to hide from the fearsome Ice Dragon that was closing in on him. Roar... Eric¡¯s heart skipped a beat as a deafening crash shook the castle to its core. Instinctively, he froze in ce, his breathsing in panicked gasps. He cautiously peered around the corner and was met with a heart-stopping sight: the Ice Dragon had demolished an entire wall to enter the building. The gargantuan creature had crashed into the castle, its massive form shattering the icy walls and causing the ground to tremble. The dragon¡¯s two azure-colored, bat-like wings extended high into the air, casting a sinister shadow on the snow-covered ground. Its scales were a deep, glossy blue that reflected the sunlight, adding to the imposing aura it exuded. Eric stood transfixed, his eyes fixed on the dragon¡¯s fierce, glowing eyes that seemed to burn with an otherworldly fire. The beast¡¯s reptilian snout curled back to reveal razor-sharp teeth, and its deep, rumbling growl reverberated through the corridors. ..... As fear threatened to paralyze him, Eric took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was toe. Tap... Tap... Panic surged through Eric¡¯s veins as he turned to flee from the Ice Dragon. With every step he took, he could hear the creature¡¯s massive wings beating furiously, sending gusts of freezing wind whipping through the castle corridors. He knew that the dragon was hot on his heels and that he had to keep running if he wanted to survive. Behind him, the dragon smashed everything in its path, sending ice and rubble flying in all directions. The walls of the castle shook and trembled with each impact, threatening to copse at any moment. Eric gritted his teeth and pushed himself to run even faster, his heart pounding in his chest. The dragon¡¯s icy breath was on the back of Eric¡¯s neck, and he could feel the intense cold freezing his hair. Eric knew that he couldn¡¯t outrun the beast forever, but he was determined to try. With a sudden burst of energy, he leaped over a pile of debris and sprinted down a narrow passage, hoping to lose the dragon in thebyrinthine corridors. But the dragon was relentless. It followed him closely, its massive body causing the very foundations of the castle to tremble. ¡°Just get out of my inventory!¡± Eric¡¯s was still struggling to remove the egg from his inventory. But no matter how hard he tried, it remained stubbornly fixed in ce. Frustration mingled with fear as he realized that he was trapped, with the Ice Dragon closing in fast. ¡°I can¡¯t log off!?¡± Eric only now noticed that the log off button wasn¡¯t working. He slightly turned his head to the side to see massive jaws closing in on him. ¡®Shit...¡± BOoM! As the dragonunched itself at Eric once again, the ground beneath it gave way, and the entire floor of the castle copsed. The dragon let out a terrible roar as it tumbled down into the darkness below, the sound of its massive body crashing against stone echoing throughout the castle. Eric was momentarily stunned, staring down at the smoking pit where the dragon had fallen. He could hear the sound of its wings thrashing wildly, but he knew that the beast was too injured to fly. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Without a second thought, Eric turned and sprinted away from the dragon, his feet pounding against the castle floor. He could hear the beast¡¯s furious roar growing fainter as he put more distance between himself and the monster. Whoosh... Just as Eric caught his breath, he felt the ground underneath him rumbling. He quickly spun around, just in time to see the Ice Dragon rising up from the copsed floor, its massive form silhouetted against the yellow glow of the sun. Eric¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he watched the beast gather itself for another attack. But he was ready this time. He dodged to the side with lightning speed, narrowly avoiding the dragon¡¯s deadly ice breath. The floor shook as the st of frozen air prated through the stone, creating a deep crevice in the ground. Eric felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he realized just how close he hade to being turned into an ice cube. Eric didn¡¯t waste another moment. He quickly regained hisposure and turned to flee, disappearing around the corner and running towards the huge gates that led out of the castle. The gates loomed ahead of him, massive and imposing, but he didn¡¯t falter. He could see the light of day on the other side, and he knew that he had to reach it if he wanted to survive. As he approached the gates, he could hear the sound of his pursuer getting closer. The Ice Dragon was still on his heels, its massive wings beating the air as it tried to catch up to him. Eric gritted his teeth and ran even faster. He could feel the dragon¡¯s icy breath on the back of his neck, but he refused to let fear overtake him. He was determined to make it out of the castle alive, no matter what. Atst, he burst through the gates and into the open air. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the barrenndscape. Huff... Eric ran as fast as he could down the mountain, his heart pounding with fear and adrenaline. The roars of the Ice Dragon echoed behind him, and he knew that he had to put as much distance between himself and the beast as possible. But after a few minutes of running, Eric¡¯s legs began to tire. He had been running for what felt like hours, and the steep, rocky terrain was taking its toll on him. Just as he was about to copse, he caught sight of a steep slope leading down the mountain. Without hesitation, he threw himself onto the ground and began to slide. The icy wind whipped at his face, and he could feel the sharp rocks cutting into his skin as he hurtled down the slope. But he was determined to escape the dragon, no matter what it took. The slope was long and treacherous, and Eric felt his body tumbling and twisting as he slid down. At times, he felt as if he was going to crash into a boulder or be thrown off a cliff, but he managed to keep himself going. At one point Eric thought he had escaped, but the dragon followed his path, rolling down the mountain as well. ¡°Just Give up!¡± As he reached the bottom, he spun around to check if the dragon was still following him. To his horror, he saw the creature rolling down the slope after him, its massive wings pping frantically. Cursing under his breath, Eric darted into the nearby forest, seeking cover under the canopy of the towering trees. He could feel the dragon¡¯s icy breath on his back as he ran, and he knew he had to act fast if he wanted to survive. As he sprinted through the dense foliage, Eric¡¯s mind raced with possible escape ns. He needed to put as much distance as possible between himself and the dragon, but he couldn¡¯t outrun it forever. He considered trying to climb a tree, but he knew the dragon could easily knock it down with a swipe of its powerful tail. Finally, he spotted a small cave hidden behind a thicket of bushes. It was a risky move, but he had no other choice. He darted towards the cave and slipped inside, his heart pounding in his chest. The cave was dark and musty, but he could see the dim light filtering in from the entrance. Eric crouched in the shadows, trying to control his breathing as he waited for the dragon to pass. He could hear the creature¡¯s heavy footsteps and the sound of its wings pping as it searched for him, but he remained hidden and silent, hoping that he had managed to outsmart the beast. Chapter 179 - 179 Escaping (2) 179 Escaping (2) Eric¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as the ground trembled with each thunderous step of the dragon. He pressed himself deeper into the shadows, his body tense with fear. His breaths came in shallow gasps as he tried to quiet his racing mind and listen for any clues to the dragon¡¯s location. The darkness of the shadow offered a smallfort, but Eric knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough to protect him if the dragon found him. He desperately wished he had some sort of weapon or protection, but he was woefully unprepared for this encounter. As the dragon drew closer, Eric could feel the cold of its breath and the weight of its presence bearing down on him. He closed his eyes and held his breath, hoping beyond hope that it would pass him by without noticing him. But as the dragon¡¯s snout sniffed at the air, Eric knew his fate was sealed. He opened his eyes to the icy gaze of the beast, its scales glinting in the sunlight. He could feel the panic rising in his throat as the dragon leaned in closer, its jaws gaping wide. As Eric peeked from behind the boulder, he saw the dragon¡¯s chest expand as it drew in a deep breath. In a split second, a chilling wind swept across thendscape as the dragon unleashed its icy breath. Eric shuddered as the frigid air brushed past him, causing his hair to stand on end. He knew that he had to act fast before the dragon couldunch another attack. As the dragon reared its head back to take another breath, Eric dashed out from behind the boulder and sprinted towards the cover of a nearby tree. The dragon¡¯s ice breath continued to wreak havoc on the environment, causing icicles to form on trees and turning the grass into a slippery sheet of ice. Eric could feel the cold creeping up his legs, threatening to immobilize him. But he kept running, ducking and weaving to avoid the shards of ice that rained down from seemingly every direction. Just as he thought he was safe, he heard a deafening roar behind him, and a gust of wind sent him flying towards the dragon. With lightning-fast reflexes, Eric rolled to the side and narrowly avoided the dragon¡¯s icy breath. He scrambled to his feet and looked around for an escape route, but the dragon had him cornered. ..... ¡°It feels like he¡¯s ying with me...¡± Eric¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he slowly retreated from the towering dragon, his every move measured and cautious. His eyes locked onto the creature¡¯s predatory gaze, filled with primal strength and an intense desire to devour the prey before him. Roar... Of course, the monster didn¡¯t stand still and lunged at Eric, its massive jaws closing in on him. Eric tried to run, but his legs felt heavy as if they were rooted to the ground. The sound of the beast¡¯s heavy breathing and the pping of its wings filled the air. Eric knew he had to act fast if he wanted to survive. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Eric dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the dragon¡¯s jaws. He could feel the wind from the beast¡¯s wings brushing against his face, sending shivers down his spine. As he stumbled, he noticed the creature¡¯s wings were shredded and torn, but it didn¡¯t seem to slow it down. Eric¡¯s mind raced as he tried toe up with a n. He spotted a massive nearby tree with low hanging branches and made a dash towards it. With lightning-fast reflexes, he scrambled up the tree, pulling himself up onto the thick branches. He looked down and saw the dragon staring up at him with icy eyes, its massive wings beating the air furiously. Eric knew he couldn¡¯t stay there for long, as the dragon was already wing at the tree trunk, trying to knock him down. ¡°At least I have time to recover Mana...¡± He frantically searched through his inventory, his face slightly pale. With trembling hands, he pulled out a small, blue vial and quickly uncorked it, downing the contents in one gulp. Crack... Somehow the dragon managed to jump high in the air, getting into the same height level as Eric. The dragon¡¯s jaws snapped shut, just inches away from Eric¡¯s face, but he was able to dodge the attack, stumbling backwards. He leapt to the side, instantly bolting away as hended on the ground. He suddenly spotted a city in the distance and his hope was rekindled. Eric sprinted towards the city, his eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of help. As he drew closer, he could see the walls of the city rising up ahead of him, offering some measure of protection from the dragon. As he entered the city gates, he could see the panicked faces of the citizens as they scattered in all directions, trying to avoid the monster¡¯s wrath. He could hear the screams and cries of the NPCs, and he knew that he had to act fast if he wanted to save any of them or himself. He quickly made his way towards the center of the city, hoping to find some sort of powerful NPC or a group of them who could help him take down the dragon. As he searched, he could hear the sound of the monster getting closer with each passing moment. Finally, he spotted a group of NPCs gathered in the town square, all of them armed to the teeth and ready for battle. Eric quickly made his way towards them, hoping that they would be willing to help him. ¡°Hey, we need to take down that dragon!¡± Eric yelled, gesturing towards the monster as it swooped down towards them. The group of yers turned to face Eric, sizing him up quickly before slowly nodding in agreement. One of them then stepped forward and ced his sword near Eric¡¯s neck making him flinch in surprise. ¡°The dragon doesn¡¯t get infuriated for no reason. You wille with me and we¡¯ll talk once the fight is over...¡± Eric¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as the cold steel of the sword pressed against his skin. He knew better than to resist these guards; they were heavily armored and armed, and he was at their mercy. With a defeated sigh, he allowed them to ce the handcuffs on his wrists, feeling the weight of his impending doom settling heavily upon him. As they led him through the city, Eric couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe at the chaos that had befallen it. The screams and cries of those running in the middle of the streets filled the air, and Eric couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of guilt for his part in causing this chaos. As they approached and descended into the underground prison, Eric¡¯s mind raced with questions. Who were these guards NPCs? What did they want with him? And most importantly, what was going to happen to him now? Whoosh... As Eric walked deeper into the underground prison, the sounds of the battle above grew louder. The tremors caused by the dragon¡¯s wrath could be felt even down here, but Eric knew that he was safer here than out in the open. The guards led him through winding tunnels and past rows of cells, each containing prisoners of different races and levels. As they walked, Eric couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many of these people were innocent, wrongfully used and imprisoned in this dark, damp ce. Boom... Suddenly, the sound of an explosion echoed through the tunnel and the ground shook violently. The guards looked at each other with concern, but Eric remained calm. As they approached arge metal door, the guards stopped and one of them spoke. ¡°This is where we¡¯ll leave you. Wait here until the battle is over. If you try to escape, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± The guards unlocked the door and pushed Eric inside before quickly mming it shut behind him. Eric heard the sound of the locks clicking into ce and was plunged into darkness. He fumbled around until he found a small torch and lit it, illuminating the small cell he had been ced in. The walls were damp and covered in moss, and the air was musty and smelled of decay. Eric took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. ¡°Should I just kill myself and respawn in myst checkpoint?¡± Eric¡¯s mind raced as he weighed his options. Suicide was always a quick way out, but it came with a cost. Respawning at hisst checkpoint meant losing two of his levels. All the time and effort he had put into leveling up and grinding would be for naught. He couldn¡¯t afford to start from Lv. 24 again. He looked around the dimly lit cell he was in, searching for a way out. But it seemed that the system had locked all his equipment and weapons, leaving him defenseless. Chapter 180 - 180 Allegations 180 Allegations As the pebbles continued to fall, Eric couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much longer he would be stuck in this cold, damp cell. The battle above seemed to have been raging on for hours now, and the noise was bing almost unbearable. He tried to distract himself by reading through his status, hoping that perhaps he had missed something that would help him escape, but he quickly realized that there was nothing new to be found. He stood up and paced back and forth, his boots echoing off the stone walls. He had already tried every possible position in which he could sit or lie down, but none of them provided any relief from the unrelenting boredom. He began to practice his footwork, imagining himself in a grand tournament with a crowd cheering him on. But as he continued to move around the small cell, he realized that his movements were bing sluggish and he was growing tired. He let out a long sigh and leaned against the cold stone wall, closing his eyes and trying to block out the sounds of the battle above. He could feel himself slipping into a state of despair, wondering when he would be freed. ¡°I wonder what Eli is doing?¡± His thoughts turned to the orc girl, whose character seemed to match his own in so many ways. She was strong and confident, with a fierce determination that Eric found both inspiring and alluring. As Eric scratched his cheek, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it would be like to meet this orc girl in real life. Click... Suddenly, the lock of the cell was unlocked and a person wearing full metal armor came into the dimly lit room. ¡°Follow me!¡± ..... Eric was led through the prison and as he entered another room, the heavy metallic door nged shut behind him, echoing ominously in the dimly lit space. The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a in wooden table and two metal chairs. A single, flickering light bulb hung overhead, casting harsh shadows across the angr features of the armored figure who had led him here. ¡°Sit¡± The figuremanded, gesturing to one of the chairs with a gloved hand. Eric hesitated for a moment, studying the figure¡¯s imposing form. The armor was matte ck, with no identifying marks or symbols, and covered the figure from head to toe, leaving only their face obscured by a visored helmet. Sensing Eric¡¯s reluctance, the figure spoke again, their voice muffled slightly by the helmet¡¯s filter. ¡°Sit, please. We have much to discuss.¡± Eric nodded slowly and took a seat, eyeing the figure warily. The armored figure took the seat opposite Eric, their movements precise and deliberate. For a few moments, there was only the sound of their breathing, amplified by the helmet¡¯s filter. Finally, the figure spoke again. ¡°Tell me... Howe the dragon that was usually passive, suddenly attacked the city?¡± Eric snapped out from scanning the stranger¡¯s armor and leaned back in his chair, trying to think of a believable excuse that¡¯d allow him to avoid mentioning the egg he had stolen from the castle. He already stole it goddamn it, there was no way he would give it back! Eric cleared his throat, his mind racing as he tried toe up with a usible exnation. ¡°Well, you see, as far as I know dragons have always been known to be quite temperamental. It¡¯s possible that something may have set it off, like an unexpected noise or disturbance. Or perhaps someone else had provoked it before I arrived.¡± The NPCs exchanged a look, clearly not fully convinced by Eric¡¯s exnation. ¡°But we saw you running away from the dragon, are you sure there¡¯s nothing you¡¯re not telling us?¡± Eric felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead as he tried to maintain hisposure. ¡°I swear, I had nothing to do with it. I was just trying to stay alive like everyone else.¡± The NPCs continued to eye him suspiciously, but after a moment, they seemed to ept his answer. ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll continue our investigation to try and determine what caused the dragon to be aggressive. But if you hear or see anything that might be rted to this, please let us know.¡± Eric nodded, relieved that he had managed to dodge their questions. As he was escorted out of the prison, he made a mental note to be more careful in the future. Eric gazed out at the destruction wrought by the dragon¡¯s attack, a cold shiver running down his spine. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of guilt, even though he knew he had nothing to do with the dragon¡¯s sudden aggression. The sight before him was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The once-bustling city was now nothing but a frozen wastnd, with buildings and homes turned into icy tombs. As he walked down the deserted streets, he noticed that the destruction was not limited to just the buildings. The ground was covered in a thickyer of snow, with icy stctites jutting out from the ground at odd angles. The few remaining NPCs were huddled together in small groups, trying to keep warm in the frigid air. Despite the devastation, there was a strange beauty to the scene before him. The snow and ice sparkled in the weak sunlight, casting an otherworldly glow on the ruined buildings. ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve ran somewhere else...¡± Eric couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of remorse as he walked through the snow-covered streets of the devastated city. The destruction was even worse than he had anticipated, and the sight of the injured and dying NPCs made his heart sink. He had hoped that he could find a way to help, but as he looked around, he realized that he was out of his depth. He had no medical training or supplies, and he felt powerless in the face of such devastation. As he walked past a group of guard NPCs huddled together, he overheard them discussing the dragon¡¯s attack. They spoke in hushed tones, their voices filled with fear and uncertainty. ¡°I heard the dragon was after something specific...¡± One of them said, her voice trembling. ¡°Something valuable that was stolen from the castle.¡± Eric¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He knew that the stolen egg was the likely target of the dragon¡¯s attack, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit his involvement to these NPCs. He felt a pang of guilt, knowing that his actions had caused so much pain and suffering. As he walked on, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake. Maybe he should have stayed hidden, or ignored the city and ran past it. Suddenly, Eric noticed a strange azure liquid staining the ground. ¡°Dragon Blood?¡± He followed the trail of azure liquid, his curiosity piqued. As he walked, the trail grew wider and more pronounced, until he came across the carcass of the Ice Dragon. The creaturey sprawled on the ground, its body twisted in an unnatural position. Eric approached cautiously, wary of the danger thaty before him. As he drew closer, he saw that the dragon was covered in the same azure liquid that he had been following. The liquid glowed softly in the dim light, illuminating the dragon¡¯s frozen scales. He circled the dragon, examining its body for any clues about what had caused its death. As he did so, he noticed a glint of lighting from the dragon¡¯s mouth. Curious, he approached the creature¡¯s head and peered inside. As he got closer, he could see that the spear was made of an unfamiliar metal, and the golden halfbred was adorned with intricate etchings and symbols. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe and reverence in the presence of such a powerful weapon. Carefully, Eric reached out and grasped the golden halfbred. It was surprisingly lightweight in his hand, and he could feel a strange energy pulsing through it. He wondered what kind of person could wield such a weapon, and what kind of power it possessed. Suddenly, Eric was startled by a voice behind him. ¡°Put that down, thief!¡± Eric whirled around, the golden halfbred still clutched in his hand, to see a group of NPCs standing a few feet away, their weapons drawn and pointed at him. ¡®Shit... I got in trouble, because of my curiosity once again...¡± Eric sighed, knowing that his curiosity had once again gotten him into trouble. He knew that he needed to be more cautious in the future and think about the potential consequences of his actions before he acted on his impulses. ¡°I¡¯m not a thief, just a curious adventurer!¡± Seeing a crossbow being pointed towards him, Eric quickly put the halberd on the ground and took a dozen steps back, raising his hands in the air. ¡°I apologize if I gave the wrong impression. I¡¯m not a thief, just a curious adventurer!¡± Eric said in a calm and sincere tone. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. ¡°I understand your concern and I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble. I¡¯ll leave right away and won¡¯t cause any more problems...¡± Eric added, hoping to diffuse the tense situation. He waited for the person with the crossbow to respond, ready toply with any demands they might have. Chapter 181 - 181 Leo’s Heart 181 Leo¡¯s Heart ¡°No way!¡± Leo eximed loudly, catching Ava¡¯s attention, who turned to look at him with a questioning expression. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± As she approached him, a hint of concern flickered in her piercing blue eyes. Her gaze shifted towards Leo, whose usually steady purple eyes were now quivering with an unsteady tremble, as if he was deeply unsettled. Leo¡¯s body gave way, and he leaned heavily against the wall, his trembling hand covering his face. He appeared on the brink of copse, as if he could crumble to the ground at any moment. ¡°Leo!?¡± Ava tentatively reached out and ced her hand on Leo¡¯s shoulder, her fingers lightly brushing against his cloak. She wanted to ensure that he wasn¡¯t about to rpse into his frenzied state, but as soon as she made contact, Leo flinched, and his piercing purple eyes snapped to meet hers. Previously, Leo¡¯s eyes had resembled nothing more than cold, empty mirrors, reflecting back no emotion. But now, as Ava looked into them, she saw a kaleidoscope of feelings swirling within. Glimmers of confusion, embarrassment, and confusion mixed together, creating a tumultuous storm within Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t move, I need to try something...¡± ..... Suddenly, Leo leaned in close to Ava, his face only inches away from hers. She didn¡¯t have a chance to react before he was hovering before her, his intense gaze scanning her stunning blue eyes, framed by long, delicate eyshes and an angelic face. The air between them crackled with tension, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Ava¡¯s face flushed with heat as she felt her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She tried to avert her gaze from Leo¡¯s intense stare, but it was as though her eyes were glued to his. She felt vulnerable and exposed under his prating gaze, and felt as if she was beginning to slowly melt. ¡°L...eo?¡± Ava found herself stuttering in response, her words catching in her throat. This seemed to snap Leo out of his trance, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to sort through the emotions that had overtaken him. Though he didn¡¯t move his head, Ava could sense the tension in his body. Though intangible, Ava could sense that something within Leo was shifting, transforming into something she had never seen before. She had always known him as a chameleon, able to adapt to any situation and be whatever he needed to be ¨C a cold-blooded yer or a money-obsessed child. But now, he was revealing a side of himself that she had never witnessed before, and it was both exciting and interesting. It was ironic because Ava had never acted this way before, not even when she was with Eli. Now, she found herself behaving like apletely different person ¨C teasing a beast and sharing ¡®intimate¡¯ physical contact with a male, something she had sworn to herself she would never do. ¡®Get yourself together!¡¯ Just as Ava was about to slip away from Leo¡¯s grasp, he suddenly caught her hand, his ck-gloved fingers wrapping around hers in a surprisingly gentle hold. Though she could have easily pulled away from him, something about his touch made her hesitate. ¡°Wait, I have to do another test...¡± Leo continued to hold Ava¡¯s hand, his fingers tracing slow, gentle circles over the palm of her hand. As he did so, Ava felt her face grow increasingly warm, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. Despite herself, she found herself enjoying the sensation of his touch. Ava suddenly flinched, realizing the direction her thoughts had taken, and she quickly pulled her hand out of Leo¡¯s grasp. Looking up at him, she gave him a reproachful look, as if ming him for the way he was making her feel. ¡°W..hy did you do it?¡± Ava whispered softly, her face turned away from Leo¡¯s gaze in an attempt to hide the blush on her cheeks and the swirling emotions in her eyes. She didn¡¯t want him to see how much he was affecting her. ¡°Felt like it.¡± Leo¡¯s calm voice cut through the air, causing Ava to freeze in her tracks. The shyness and embarrassment she had been feeling just moments before melted away as she turned to face him, curious about the seriousness and mischief she could see in his eyes. It was as if he was taking revenge on her... ¡°You!...¡± She wanted to scream out, but didn¡¯t find anything to say as she was once again reminded of her actions and closed her mouth, feeling the heat returning to her face. While Ava was fighting her shyness Leo was practically fighting his demons. As soon as Ava redirected her eyes from his, he instantly let go of his act, feeling the strange heat rising to his cheeks. In reality, Leo¡¯s motives for teasing Ava and holding her hand were not solely driven by revenge. He was also struggling with identifying and understanding his own emotions and feelings, and he saw this as an opportunity to test and explore them. Leo had been feeling increasingly frustrated by his inability to make sense of his emotions. He knew that he was attracted to Ava, but he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what he was feeling or why. He decided that the only way to solve this confusion was to get closer to Ava and try to identify his feelings through his interactions with her. ¡®How did this happen...¡¯ Leo felt his heart pounding in his chest, and he knew exactly what that meant. Despite his usual denseness when it came to matters of the heart, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he was feeling something strong for Ava. As he cursed himself for hisck of awareness, Leo realized that his feelings went beyond just simple attraction or curiosity. He was genuinely drawn to Ava, and he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he wanted to spend more time with her. Leo couldn¡¯t ignore the intense thumping in his chest, and he grabbed at it as if trying to still its rapid beating. A series of curses escaped his lips, directed at no one and nothing in particr. Leo couldn¡¯t help but nce over at Ava, taking in the delicate features of her face and the shimmering silver strands of her hair. As he watched her, a deep longing welled up inside him, and he felt an almost overpowering urge to reach out and touch her, to breathe in the sweet fragrance of her skin, and to feel the warmth of her hand in his once again. ¡®Fuck off!¡¯ Leo let out a frustrated groan, feeling overwhelmed by the strange thoughts that had suddenly taken hold of his mind. He tried to push them away, to ignore the persistent voice that whispered to him, urging him to take a chance on Ava and see where their connection could lead. Leo clenched his gloved hands tightly, feeling his knuckles crack in the deafening silence of the dark. He knew he needed to regain hisposure and stay focused, even though he was now painfully aware of his feelings for Ava. As much as he wanted to show her how he felt, Leo knew he couldn¡¯t risk scaring her off or making things awkward between them. Leo couldn¡¯t deny that one of the things he treasured most about his rtionship with Ava was its neutrality. He had always been careful to keep their interactions professional and respectful, not wanting to risk ruining the delicate bnce they had achieved. ¡®This will be difficult...¡¯ Leo could already feel the changes of his eptance of his feelings. It was as if Ava¡¯s features were made 10 times more attractive, her nces made him feeling nervous, butterflies rising from his stomach. Leo could feel a shift within himself as he finally came to ept his feelings for Ava. Suddenly, everything about her seemed to be magnified tenfold, from the delicate curve of her lips to the sparkling glint in her eyes. Her mere presence had the power to make him feel nervous, his heart beating erratically in his chest at even the slightest touch or nce. The butterflies in his stomach seemed to have taken up permanent residence, their wings fluttering with a new intensity that left him feeling dizzy and disoriented. ¡®Is this is how others see her?¡¯ Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the other boys saw Ava in the same light that he did now. As he struggled toe to terms with his newfound feelings for her, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like a newborn thrown into an ocean full of the unknown. Leo felt uneasy with the unknown, it was not something he liked at all. He preferred when everything was predictable and he could prepare himself ordingly. However, this new and intense feeling that had taken hold of him waspletely unexpected, and it had engulfed him quickly and without warning. After taking a moment to sort out his jumbled thoughts and regain hisposure, Leo turned towards Ava, putting on the same stoic mask he had worn throughout the game. ¡°Let¡¯s go, the fourth wave is about to start.¡± Chapter 182 - 182 The Forth Wave 182 The Forth Wave 1?? ?????? ???????????? ???????????? { ???????????????? } ¡ª ?? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ??????????... ¡ª ??????¡¯?? ???? ????????... ¡ª ?????? ???? ???????? ??????????... ~~~~ Leo gazed at the brilliant, golden emblem glimmering in his palm, his deep purple eyes caressing its unyielding surface. ¡®I¡¯ve gotten it!¡¯ A sly grin spread across Leo¡¯s face, knowing that he had attained exactly what he had set out to acquire. Leo didn¡¯t seek for items like ¡®The Bony Ribbon¡¯, he had his sights set on the emblem ¨C a key of sorts. With great care, Leo put the emblem away in his inventory, sensing someone ring at his side. He turned his head slightly, catching sight of Ava¡¯s piercing blue eyes studying his masked face. Her lips were downturned in a pout, indicating that she was still harboring a grudge against him for his teasing. ..... ¡°...¡± Their eyes met briefly, but neither of them spoke. It was an unusual instance for Leo to feel uneasy in the silence. He longed to converse with Ava, yet at the same time, he dreaded it. What if she noticed the change in his demeanor? Worrying thoughts flooded Leo¡¯s mind, causing him to shake his head in an attempt to dispel them. He could already see the wall looming in the distance, and a crowd of yers surrounding it. Leo observed as Ava drew up her hood, partially concealing her delicate features. He found himself nodding in agreement, inexplicably reassured by her actions. As Leo came into view, several yers turned to point in his direction, alerting others to his return. The news spread like wildfire, and soon everyone was aware that the Unknown yer hade back. Some of them shuddered at the thought of his previous unpredictable behavior, while others hastily drew their weapons, ready to defend themselves in case he turned violent once again. Observing the yers¡¯ reactions, Leo frowned in disapproval, but he also shook his head in disappointment. He couldn¡¯t me them for being wary of him after his uncontrolled outburst. He himself was uncertain about what had transpired and why he had suddenly lost control of his body. The whole ordeal was genuinely concerning to him. ¡®This is likely the effect of the mask...¡¯ Leo murmured to himself, recalling that the first time he had encountered his Ego was when he put on the mask. Leo and Ava pushed their way through the crowd, making their way onto the wall where an Orc girl was perched on the edge, scrutinizing them with a slightly apprehensive expression. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Eli inquired, her gaze studying Ava¡¯s dirty robe. The Orc girl studied their faces, but when neither of them responded, she scratched her cheek in confusion. ¡°Did you two get into a brawl in the mud or something? Why are you both muddy?¡± Eli guessed, eyeing them curiously, making Ava avert her gaze, trying to conceal her flushed cheeks, but Eli picked up on her embarrassment. She turned to Leo, silently imploring him for an exnation, but he remained unresponsive, his inscrutable eyes revealing nothing. Eli hissed in annoyance, feeling left in the dark, and vowed to get an exnation from Avater. She couldn¡¯t stand being kept in suspense, especially when the situation had made Ava blush. ¡°Any Information about the fourth wave?¡± With no hope of prying any information from them, Eli redirected her attention to Leo, mentally preparing herself to pay whatever price he asked for the intel. ¡°There will be skeleton mages and the boss will be a lich, melee fighters will also be able to participate in the fight, whilst mages will have a hard time prating through the Mana Shields the mages will deploy...¡± Leo spoke without pause, providing valuable information on the uing battle. His sudden disy of generosity caught Eli and Ava off guard, as they had expected him to demand a steep price for the information. ¡°Thank you...¡± Eli said, surprised at the unexpected gift. Ava nodded in agreement, a small smile spreading across her lips. She couldn¡¯t help but feel happy that Leo was slowly bing closer and closer. ¡®Whatever you¡¯ve done with Leo...good job!¡¯ Eli leaned in towards Ava, nudging her shoulder with a grin. Eli¡¯sment made Ava blush furiously, but before anyone could notice, the ground shook beneath their feet and a system message shed across their vision, announcing the start of the fourth wave. Rattle... As the ground shook and the sound of bones grinding against the earth grew louder, the undead began to emerge from the ground. Skeletons of all shapes and sizes wed their way up from beneath the fields, their empty eye sockets fixed on the city in the distance. Some of the skeletons held strange staffs made of dark wood, adorned with glowing blue runes. Leo recognized them as the staff weapons of skeleton mages, allowing them to control a little bit of Mana. Leo watched as the battle unfolded before him, the sh of steel against bone and the thud of bodies hitting the ground. Eli and Ava, had each chosen their own approach to the fight. Eli, being an orc, had charged headfirst into the fray, her powerful frame plowing through the first lines of skeletons with ease. Ava, on the other hand, had taken to the sky, her wings beating furiously as she ascended higher and higher, until she was directly above the battlefield. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of concern for Ava. Though her aerial assault was impressive, it left her vulnerable to attack from the skeleton mages, who were pretty urate. He wondered if it might be better for her to join Eli on the ground, where she could still use her magic without putting herself in harm¡¯s way. ¡°Go and kill every skeleton mage...¡± Leo¡¯s heart raced as he watched Ava rain down the skeleton army from above. He knew he had to act fast to protect her from the skeleton mages who could shoot her down. ¡°Go and kill every skeleton mage you find...¡± He ordered his shadows, as he summoned them using his Shadow Energy, his voiceced with urgency. The shadows obeyed hismand without hesitation, darting into the fray and targeting the mages with deadly precision. Leo watched as the mages fell one by one, their attacks on Ava thwarted by his soldiers. Seeing that Ava was not in immediate danger, Leo decided to also involve himself in the fight, jumping down the wall and approaching the skeletons with a steady pace. Even though he was a mage, the mages in this wave were as useful as melee fighters in thest one. Seeing Leo approaching most of the yers threw themselves to the side, trying to avoid him, but some were too involved in the fight not to notice him or simply didn¡¯t care. Whoosh... The Demonic me flickered and roared in Leo¡¯s palms, its intense heat radiated outwards, causing the air around him to shimmer with waves of heat distortion. The mes seemed to dance and writhe in Leo¡¯s grip, as if they were alive and hungry for destruction. Leo¡¯s robe quickly caught fire, and soon the mes engulfed himpletely, wreathing him in an aura of fire. The bright white mes contrasted sharply against the darkness of the night, casting a warm, eerie glow over the entire area. As Leo strode forward, his fiery aura left a trail of scorched earth in his wake, and the skeletons hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to proceed. Some of them began to back away, their bones rattling with malice, while others stood their ground, brandishing their weapons and preparing to face Leo head-on. Swish... The sound of Leo¡¯s bone des slicing through the air echoed through the battlefield as he moved with deadly precision. The skeletons tried to surround him, but he moved too quickly, dodging and weaving around their attacks with ease. His Demonic me consumed the undead in a fiery inferno, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. Leo¡¯s face was twisted in a fierce snarl as he fought, his eyes glinting with a fierce determination. Click... Suddenly all the mages in the field pointed their staffs in the middle of the sky and shot out a blue st, which served as some sort of signal. Leo¡¯s heart raced as he watched the mages gather mana. He knew that the Lich was a powerful boss, one that would require a lot of effort and energy to defeat. As he gulped down the Mana potion, he mentally prepared himself for the uing battle. Looking around, he saw that many of the other yers were also retreating, preparing themselves for the arrival of the boss. Some were drinking potions, while others were quickly strategizing with their party members. As the blue light in the sky began to pulsate, Leo took a deep breath and focused his attention on the task at hand. He had faced many tough opponents in the game before, but the Lich was different. It was a being of pure magic, with the ability to control and manipte Mana itself. Suddenly, a dark portal appeared in the center of the field, and out stepped the Lich. It was a towering figure, with skeletal hands and a glowing green aura that surrounded its body. As it raised its staff, Leo could feel a surge of magical energy emanating from it. Chapter 183 - 183 Fighting a Lich 183 Fighting a Lich As Leo peered through the portal, a shiver ran down his spine as a figure emerged. It was a skeleton, much like the others he had seen before, but something about this one was different. Its bony hands were tightly wrapped around a long, dark staff that seemed to pulse with an eerie energy. At the top of the staff was a menacing skull, staring out at Leo with empty eye sockets. The skeleton¡¯s hands glowed with an unearthly green aura, casting an eerie light on the dark robe that draped over its body. The fabric was thick and heavy, covering the skeleton from head to toe and leaving only its skull exposed. As the figure stepped forward, Leo could see that its movements were slow and deliberate, as if it were considering its next move carefully. As the Lich raised its staff, Leo could feel the mana in the air pulsing and shifting, drawn towards the normal skeletons that had risen from the ground. The air around them seemed to hum with energy, and Leo braced himself for what was toe. Rattle... Suddenly, the undead creatures affected by the Lich¡¯s magic began to tremble and shake. Their bones rattled together as they grew and twisted, their forms contorting into new and more intimidating shapes. Leo watched in awe as wings sprouted from their backs, extra limbs and hands emerged from their torsos, and tails and horns erupted from their skulls. The skeletons now looked more like demons than mere undead creatures. It was as if the Lich¡¯s magic had unlocked some dormant power within the skeletons, granting them a newfound strength and malice. Leo knew that the real battle was about to begin. These creatures were no longer mindless undead, but something far more dangerous. Even Leo had to adjust his fighting style as he realized the strength of the monsters had doubled, making it much harder to finish them off with a single hit. Every move he made required more effort and precision, as the skeletons swung their new appendages and wings at him with deadly uracy. The white me that had engulfed his body grew brighter, fueled by the increasing amount of mana required to sustain it. It now burned with a more intense heat, and its corrosive properties were even more potent, causing major damage to every skeleton that came in contact. ¡®Deal with the winged undead!¡¯ ..... Leo was bing increasingly frustrated with the undead creatures that had grown wings. The appendages acted as extra shields, allowing the skeletons to evade death time and time again. Leo had lost count of how many times he had struck a fatal blow, only to have the creature sacrifice its wings to stay alive. Half of the Shadow soldiers sprang into action, using their deadly bodies to stab the skeletons from behind and shatter their skulls with hammer-like limbs. He was grateful for the backup, but Leo knew that he couldn¡¯t rely on the soldiers alone. He had to find a way to defeat the Lich and put an end to his relentless onught of undead. Even as the Shadow soldiers fought endlessly, the Lich continued to hover above the battlefield, his staff still raised high in the sky. With each passing moment, he created more and more empowered skeletons, adding to the growing army that was slowly pushing the yers back towards the city. The death rate among the yers doubled within minutes, and nobody could have predicted just how powerful the Lich¡¯s upgrades would be. It was a terrifying sight to see, the Lich acting like a perfect general, controlling and upgrading his army with ease. Zziinngg... Suddenly, a projectile tore through the air, aimed at the Lich. The undead mage reacted quickly, creating a green shield that blocked the iing spell. As he looked up to see where the attack hade from, his empty eye sockets caught sight of Ava pping her ck feather wings. She had cast another Lightning Spear and was heading towards him. The Lich knew that there was little chance that she could defeat him, but he also knew that she was a distraction. He had to focus on her, which meant that the skeleton army would be left vulnerable. The army was considerably smaller than in thest wave, and if the yers managed to defeat them all, they could assist Ava in defeating the Lich. Rattle... Pointing his staff to the sky, the Lich moved his bony jaw and began casting a spell. Dark portals appeared above Ava, and grey chains radiating with a sickly green aura began writhing towards her at a frightening speed. Ava had barely any time to react, but she quickly cast ¡®Lightning Step¡¯ and managed to evade the chains at thest second. With a flicker of lightning, she appeared a dozen meters away from the attack, her silver hair blowing in the wind. The Lich let out a guttural growl, frustrated that his attack had missed. He knew that he had to focus on the yers, but he also couldn¡¯t ignore Ava. She was a thorn in his side, and he had to get rid of her. Summoning more mana, the Lich began casting another spell, this one much more powerful than before. The air crackled with mana as he pointed his staff at Ava, ready to strike. Crackle... Crackling energy surged around the Lich, causing the ground to tremble and Ava to frown in concern. She could sense that he was preparing a powerful spell, one that could mean trouble for her and the other yers. Suddenly, the Lich¡¯s skull began to morph, growing a massive bone crown that gave him an even more demonic appearance. His back sprouted a pair of enormous wings, and a tail grew from his skeletal form. The upgrade seemed to transform him from a lich to a terrifying demon lord. As the transformationpleted, a sphere of pulsing green energy enveloped the entire battlefield, causing Ava and the other yers to feel immense pressure. Their attributes were lowered by twenty points, making it even harder for them to fight. Ava gritted her teeth and began to focus her mana to cast another spell, determined to find a way to defeat the Lich. But as she reached out to gather the necessary energy, she felt a strange disruption in the flow of mana. Her concentration faltered, and she stumbled, the spell failing to take shape. Frowning in frustration, she tried again, but the same thing happened. It was as if the Lich was somehow blocking her magic, preventing her from summoning the Lightning Spear. She red at the undead creature, its skull face seemingly smiling at her failed attempts. ¡®Shadow Realm...¡¯ Suddenly, a massive shadow descended over the entire battlefield, engulfing everything in darkness and shadows. Even the lich, who was hovering high in the air, was absorbed into the all-consuming darkness. The undead scouring the area looked around, trying to discern anything in the shadows, but there was nothing but darkness. Confusion gripped the yers, but soon they grasped the gravity of the situation and began to retreat from the ominous Shadow. They had already witnessed what had happened to the ¡®Vikings¡¯ guild when they had unknowingly stepped into the Dome, and the yers did not wish to inadvertently incur Leo¡¯s wrath. They may have been after contribution points, but they considered it more prudent to withdraw from the area than to risk venturing into the unknown darkness and suffering a fatal consequence. Ava quickly made up her mind and opted to follow the other yers, promptly flying back to the wall where Eli was already waiting for her. ¡°Come down...¡± The lich heard a voice and searched for the source in bewilderment. Suddenly, a Shadow materialized above the undead, striking it with a massive, hammer-like limb that sent the skeleton tumbling to the ground. The undead tried to speak, but no sound escaped from its lips, as if the Shadow had muffled all the sounds within its realm. ¡°Surround him...¡± A male voice resonated across the battlefield, prompting the lich to erect multiple green barriers around its body in a desperate bid to defend itself. However, it soon became apparent that the Shadow had cut off any chance of escape, and the lich¡¯s attempts to teleport out of the Shadow Dome were met with failure as its spells refused to work. nk... Suddenly, a dark silhouette materialized out of the shadows, hurtling towards the green shield that the Lich had deployed, causing it to crack under the impact. The undead swiftly reacted, using its staff to cast a grey chain towards the silhouette, hoping to ensnare it and gain the upper hand. However, the silhouette evaded the attack by retreating back into the shadows, causing the chain to miss its target. nk... nk... The shadows emerged from multiple directions, converging on the green barriers deployed by the Lich and the cracks began to spread across them, threatening to shatter thempletely. ¡°Come on, just enter your second phase!¡± Chapter 184 - 184 Fighting a Lich (2) 184 Fighting a Lich (2) Leo observed as his soldiers pounded away at the imprable green barriers that the Lich had erected. He knew that the undead was intelligent and could understand him, so he decided to try a different tactic. With a sly smile, Leo began to taunt the Lich, hoping to provoke a reaction. ¡°Come on, just enter your second phase!¡± As Leo continued to taunt the Lich, he noticed a change in the air around them. The green barriers began to crack and crumble, and a powerful energy began to emanate from the undead creature. Leo knew that his n was working. The Lich was being pushed to the edge, and he was about to reveal his true form. With a wicked grin, Leo continued to taunt the Lich. ¡°Being pushed back by puny shadows?¡± As Leo spoke, the Lich let out a inaudible roar and began to transform. Its body grew in size, and its bones protruded from its flesh. Its eyes glowed with a fiery red light, and its magic became even more powerful. Leo and his Shadows froze as they watched the Lich¡¯s transformation. The undead creature¡¯s body tripled in size, and new appendages and limbs sprouted from its grotesque form. The green aura surrounding it was reced by a menacing crimson red, and intricate circuits began to be engraved on its bones. Whoosh... Leo threw the Shadow st through the air towards the Lich, he watched in amazement as the undead being suddenly reached out and grabbed it. Leo had never seen anything like it before; the Lich had literally consumed the spell that had been thrown at him. ..... The Lich let out another roar, and a shockwave of energy erupted from its body, shaking the Shadow Dome to its very core. The green barriers that had surrounded the Lich began to crack and fall, but Leo knew that this was not the time to attack. He called out to his soldiers, ordering them to stand back and observe the Lich¡¯s movements. Leo watched from within the Shadow Realm as the Lich turned around, searching for him. Leo was wearing his Shadow Robe, which made him practically invisible in the shadows, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. He summoned a lightning projectile andunched it at the Lich¡¯s back, causing the undead to stagger forward. But before Leo could make another move, the Lich cast red chains in the direction where the projectile came from. The chains missed Leo by a few feet, but the red glow illuminated him, making him visible to the Lich¡¯s eyes. Leo quickly retreated further into the shadows, hoping to avoid detection. As the Lich continued to search for him, Leo began to formte a new n. He knew that he needed to strike the Lich when it least expected it, and that meant being patient and waiting for the right moment. Carefully, Leo waited in the shadows, watching as the Lich moved about the area, searching for him. But he refused to give up; he knew that his persistence would pay off in the end. Whoosh... Finally, Leo saw his opportunity and seized it. He summoned a lightning projectile andunched it at the Lich with all his might, aiming for a vulnerable spot. The projectile struck the undead mage, causing it to stumble as one of its ribs broke apart. The Lich let out an inaudible roar, and its crimson aura intensified. But Leo wasn¡¯t finished yet. He summoned another projectile andunched it at the Lich once again, this time aiming for its head. The undead tried to dodge the attack, but it was too slow. The lightning struck the Lich¡¯s skull with a loud crack, and the monster let out another roar before copsing to the ground. ¡°Shit...¡± Leo muttered to himself, knowing that the Lich was not dead, but in the process of transcending into something even more powerful. Leo knew that this meant trouble and he needed to act fast. He quickly moved to the corner of his Shadow Realm, taking a moment to think and n his next move. Leo knew that the Lich was in half-dead mode, where it could not be damaged, and would return even stronger in a few minutes. He remembered that this was the furthest any yer had gotten in thest timeline, so he had no information about what was toe. Leo quickly essed his memory to see if he had any knowledge or strategy that could help him defeat the Lich¡¯s new form. He had already realized that he needed to use abination of his Shadow Realm and Shadow Soldiers to hide and attack the Lich from the Shadows. ¡®This will be hard...¡¯ Even Leo was doubting if he was able to defeat the Lich. It was probably the first time, since he had reincarnated that his odds of winning were lower than half. Rattle... Leo¡¯s heart was pounding in his chest as he drew closer to the Lich. He could feel the energy emanating from the undead creature, and he knew that he was in for a tough fight. As he approached, he could see Lich¡¯s body slowly rising in the air, its eyes searching for him with a fiery gaze. Leo took a deep breath, focusing his mind and body for the battle ahead. He felt his des slowly extending from his elbows, the metal gleaming in the dim light of the Shadow Realm. His Shadow Soldiers spread out around him, blending into the darkness, biding their time to strike. With a flick of his wrist, a Shadow st appeared on one of his palms, crackling with dark energy. Leo took another step forward, his eyes never leaving the Lich. The Lich let out a low growl, its body pulsing with magic. It raised a skeletal hand and pointed in the direction of Leo, unleashing a st of dark energy. Leo moved quickly, dodging to the side as the st struck the ground where he had been standing. He retaliated with a quick throw of his Shadow st, but the Lich easily deflected it with a wave of its hand. ¡°A being that can use all magic, huh...¡± Leo knew that this fight wasn¡¯t going to be an easy one. The Lich was the epitome of a mage, and it could shape and use mana however it pleased. It wasn¡¯t bound by the constraints of spells like other mages, it could create whatever it wanted. Leo had to be careful; he knew that he was outmatched in raw magical power. He relied heavily on his Shadow Realm and the Shadow Soldiers to even the ying field. He moved slowly towards the levitating undead, keeping his senses on high alert. As he approached, the Lich seemed to sense him and turned to face him. Leo could feel the magic emanating from the Lich, making his hair stand on end. He knew that he had to act fast before the Lich had a chance to attack. Leounched his Shadow st at the Lich, hoping to distract it for a moment. The spell hit the Lich, causing it to flinch for a second. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Leounched himself at the Lich, his des extending from his elbows. The Lich retaliated quickly, casting a spell that caused multiple bone spikes to shoot out of the ground beneath Leo¡¯s feet. The Shadow Soldiers sprang into action, blocking the spikes with their own bodies, sacrificing themselves for their summoner. Leo used the distraction tounch a lightning projectile at the Lich. The Lich countered by creating a shield of mana that deflected the projectile harmlessly away. Leo realized that he needed to change his tactics. He couldn¡¯t rely solely on his Shadow st and lightning projectiles; he needed to be more creative. He called out to his Shadow Soldiers, directing them to attack the Lich from all sides. The Shadow Soldiers sprang into action, surrounding the Lich and attacking from all sides. The Lich fought back with powerful magic, sting the Shadow Soldiers with bolts of energy. The Shadow Soldiers fell one by one, but their sacrifice allowed Leo to get closer to the Lich. Leo used the cover of the Shadow Soldiers to get close to the Lich, his des at the ready. Heunched himself at the Lich, his des extended, hoping to catch the undead mage off-guard. But the Lich was too fast; it dodged the attack and retaliated with a powerful st of magic. Leo was thrown back by the st, his body mming into the wall of the Shadow Realm. He groaned in pain as he tried to get back up. Leo knew that he couldn¡¯t keep up this fight for much longer. He needed to find a weakness in the Lich¡¯s defenses, something he could exploit to defeat the undead mage once and for all. Rattle... As he stood up, Leo noticed something strange. The Lich¡¯s mana was fluctuating; it seemed to be losing control over its magic. ¡°Found it...¡± Chapter 185 - 185 Fighting a Lich (3) 185 Fighting a Lich (3) The Lich, with his unparalleled mastery over mana, was an almost invincible opponent. However, whenever he cast a spell, a momentary disturbance in his mana gave the yers a precious opportunity to strike. This peculiar vulnerability of the Lich was umon for a creature with such extraordinary control over mana, but it was likely included in the game design to give yers a fighting chance against this formidable foe. ¡°Found it...¡± A small smile crept up Leo¡¯s face as he blocked the red chains with ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ and instantlyunched a spell towards the Lich, while his mana was going rampant. Leo¡¯s face lit up with a small smile as he swiftly raised his hand, casting ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ to block the iing red chains. Without missing a beat, he seized the opportunity presented by the Lich¡¯s momentarily disrupted mana and unleashed a Shadow st towards its chest, making it stumble backwards. ¡®Shado-...¡¯ Leo wanted to order his Shadow soldiers to attack, but noticed that all of them were already dead. It seemed that he was the only one left to fight the Lich. Rattle... Leo¡¯s senses heightened as a feeling of dread gripped him, causing him to instinctively dive to the right. With lightning-fast reflexes, he narrowly avoided the deadly red projectile that had just sailed past him, detonating the ground with a deafening explosion. Leo cursed under his breath, his annoyance mounting as he realized that the Lich seemed to have a sense of his location. He retreated a good distance away from the Lich and the undead seemed to have no idea where Leo had gone. It seemed that its senses could only pick up Leo¡¯s location if he was nearby. ..... Swish... Leo continued to dart around, unleashing Shadow sts at the Lich and creating Shadows with his shadow energy to throw the undead mage off his trail. The Lich¡¯s frustration grew as Leo evaded his attacks, and the undead mage began to shoot spells in random directions, causing chaos outside the Shadow Dome. Meanwhile, other yers who had been watching the fight from a distance started to retreat, wary of the deadly crimson projectiles that the Lich was firing. Ava remained in her observation spot, unable to see the fight but sensing the vibrations through the ground. Suddenly, a massive explosion of mana erupted from the Lich, sending a shockwave through the Shadow Dome. Leo quickly cast Shadow Protection to shield himself from the st. Although the shockwave was not as powerful as Basilisk¡¯s Magma Shockwave, it was still dangerous and could have seriously injured him had he not been prepared. Despite the Lich¡¯s mastery over mana, there were certain limitations to his abilities. For instance, while the undead mage could use a variety of spells, hisck of specialization in any particr type of magic made him less effective than a mage who had focused their training on a specific type of magic. Additionally, the Lich¡¯s power was limited by his level, and he could only unleash around 65% of a spell¡¯s true power depending on his level. There were rumors of other undead creatures in the world of Fragmental who could replicate spells perfectly without any drawbacks, but such stories were often dismissed as myths. Leo was beginning to really worry about the fight. The lich¡¯s health was not even close to being low and his Shadow Realm could onlyst for another dozen minutes. He knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to let the Lich out of the Shadow Dome, as the consequences could be catastrophic. The Lich¡¯s mastery of necromancy was one of the most powerful aspects of its powers. Leo remembered watching a clip of a Lich who stumbled upon a battlefield where two powerful guilds were fighting. The Lich was able to turn the corpses of the fallen yers into an army of over 50,000 Undead, causing chaos and destruction until the game developers had to temporarily close the game servers to kill the creature. This Lich was known as the Supreme Lich and was one of the most powerful undead ever recorded on camera, serving as a symbol of the potential danger posed by the Lichs. Leo took a deep breath, pushing aside the thought of the Supreme Lich and focusing on the task at hand. He needed to defeat this Lich, or at the very least, keep it contained within the Shadow Dome until help arrived. Leo¡¯s mind raced as he considered his options. He could continue to evade the Lich¡¯s attacks, but he knew that the undead mage would eventually catch on to his tricks. He could try to overpower the Lich with brute force, but he knew that the Lich¡¯s mana shield was too strong for that. ¡°What to do...¡± Leo quickly analyzed the situation, considering every possible strategy he could use against the Lich. He knew that he needed to act fast, as time was running out, and the Shadow Dome would copse soon. As he pondered, he noticed that the Lich was focusing most of its attacks on Leo¡¯s current location, even though he was no longer there. That¡¯s when a n started to form in his mind. He realized that the Lich¡¯s mastery over mana also made it a predictable opponent. The undead mage was relying too much on its spells andcked physicalbat skills. Leo knew that he needed to exploit this weakness to his advantage. Leo took a deep breath and extended his bone des from his elbows. He knew that it was a risky move, as the Lich¡¯s spells could easily slice through his body before he could reach him, but he also knew that he needed to take a chance. Leo darted towards the Lich, dodging its spells and closing the distance between them. The Lich, caught off guard by Leo¡¯s sudden change in tactics, attempted to cast a spell, but Leo was already upon it. With lightning-fast reflexes, Leo shed his bone des at the Lich,nding a direct hit on its mana shield. The shield crackled and flickered, but held strong, blocking Leo¡¯s attack. It was to be expected, but Leo still felt kind of desperate, if he wasn¡¯t able to kill the Lich within the uing minutes, this wave will be thest one. As the Shadow Soldiers hid within his shadow, he dashed forward towards the Lich. The Lich noticed Leo¡¯s movement and turned around, raising its bony hand to cast a spell. However, Leo was too fast for the Lich to react and he leaped forward,nding on the ground in front of the Lich. Leo immediately attacked with his des, but the Lich blocked the attack with ease using its skeletal arm. The Lich then counterattacked with a st of dark magic, which Leo barely managed to dodge. He realized that he needed to take out the Lich quickly before it could cast any more spells. He decided to use his Shadow Soldiers to his advantage. With a quick mentalmand, the Shadow Soldiers emerged from his shadow and attacked the Lich from all sides. The Lich was caught off guard and tried to defend itself, but it was overwhelmed by thebined attacks of the Shadow Soldiers. Whoosh... As the Mana Shockwave hit the Shadow Soldiers, they were sted away from the Lich¡¯s body, dissipating into the air. The Lich let out an inaudibleugh as it turned its attention back to Leo. Unfortunately for the Lich, Leo was already long gone from hisst position. Leo quickly circled around the Lich, keeping a safe distance while analyzing its movements. He noticed that the Lich seemed to be weaker on its left side, likely due to the earlier attacks from the Shadow Soldiers. Leo quickly formted a n in his mind. He summoned a Lightning Bolt and directed it towards the Lich¡¯s left side, hoping to destabilize it further. As the Lich stumbled, Leo dashed towards its back, avoiding its iling attacks. With his de, Leo jumped onto the Lich¡¯s back and aimed his des at its skull. He channeled his Demonic mes into the des, creating a bright aura around it. With a swift strike, he pierced the skull, causing a bright explosion. Boom... As Leo tumbled away from the Lich, he could feel the force of the shockwave battering his body. He gritted his teeth, determined to somehow endure. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he came to a stop, rolling to a halt in the dirt and dust. For a moment, hey there, gasping for breath, his body aching and battered. But then he forced himself to push up onto his hands and knees, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of the Lich. To his relief, he saw that the undead sorcerer was some distance away, lying on the floor, his body turning into light particles. But Leo knew he couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down. He scrambled to his feet, wincing as his bruised and battered body protested the movement. ¡°Is he really, really dead?¡± ++++ AN: I¡¯m going on a one month hiatus; Gonna n out the story, spice up the story and review the opinion of the readers. I¡¯ll see you on the April 1st P.S: ManEatingTurtle, I saw yourment.... And this will not be harem. None of my books will ever be harem. Chapter 186 - 186 Leaving 186 Leaving Leo observed the skeleton lying on the ground, its skull shattered by his Bone des. He scrambled to his feet, warily scanning the area for any Mana Fluctuations, but the Shadow Dome remained silent, and nothing moved within it. ¡°Did it really die?¡± Leo muttered to himself, struggling to ept that the Lich was truly gone. Just then, a system notification calmed his nerves. [ ???????? ???????? ??????????????????! ] [ ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ¨C ??????! ] Leo¡¯s eyes darted through the messages congratting him, searching for the rewards. He hoped it would be the same as in his past life. [ ?????????????? ] 1?? ???????????? ?????????????????? ???? 2?? ????????????¡¯?? ???????????????? [ ???????? ] ..... ~~~ Since the Shadow Realm was still active, no one could see inside it. Leo wasted no time and retrieved the new items he had just obtained. 1?? ????????????¡¯?? ???????????????? [ ???????? ] ¡ª ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ????????????, ???????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???? ????????... ~ +???? ???????? ???????????????????? ~~~~ Leo quickly put on the ring, aware that it wouldn¡¯t grant him any extra Attributes, but was still incredibly useful for its high pain resistance. As he equipped the item, he felt the pain in his sore muscles gradually fade away, reced by a mild difort that he could easily bear. ¡°This is amazing...¡± Leo muttered, still in disbelief. In his previous life, he could only dream of acquiring such incredible items. Turning his attention to the Unique Spellbook, Leo inserted a portion of his Mana into the ancient tome, causing it to dissolve into a shower of Light Particles. A notification appeared before him. [ ?????? ?????????? ????????????! ] 1?? ???????????????????? ¡ª ?????? ?????? ?????????????????? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ¡ª ?????? ???????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ????% ???? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ¡ª ?????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ~~~~ Leo stared at the azure window in disbelief. Wasn¡¯t this simr to his other spell, ¡®Shadow Friend¡¯? [ ?????????????? ???????????? ????????????????... ] [ ????????- ??????????! ????????- ???????? ] [ ???????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ????????????? ] [ ?????? / ???? ] Seeing the options, Leo¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. He couldn¡¯t believe his luck! First, he gained the ability to summon shadows, and now he had the power to create undead soldiers. And now, he had the opportunity tobine them! Without hesitation, Leo pressed the green button tobine his spells. [ ?????????????????? ????????????... ] [ ?????????????????????? ????????????????????! ] [ ?????? ?????????? ????????????! ] 1?? ?????????????????????? ¡ª ?????? ?????? ?????????????????? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????? ¡ª ?????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ???????? ???? ????% ???? ?????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ¡ª ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ~~~~ As Leo read through the spell information, he gasped in amazement, feeling as though his power had just doubled in size. If his Shadow soldiers¡¯ strength was previously tied to his Level, he now had the ability to attempt to reanimate even the most powerful bosses. Leo¡¯s eyes drifted towards the Lich¡¯s skeleton, lying in the distance. As he approached it, he noticed a dark shadow looming above the remains. Curiously, he extended his hand and touched its strangely cold surface. [ ?????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ????????????... ] [ ?????? ??????¡¯?? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????????... ] Although Leo¡¯s MP was already full thanks to a potion, it still wasn¡¯t enough to reanimate the Lich. He had expected as much, since the Lich was essentially a mini-boss, but the realization still left him feeling dejected. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad... I can just create Shadows from the regr skeletons!¡± Surveying the various skeletal remains scattered around him, Leo selected the nearest one with wings and reached out to touch the cold shadow hovering above it. [ ???????????????? ?? ????????????... ] [ ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????! ] Strange mist began to emanate from the skeleton¡¯s remains, quickly coalescing into a tangible form. The dark mist gradually took on the shape of a skeleton, identical in appearance to any other. But its bones were shrouded in a strange, dancing darkness that gave the impression it was made entirely of Shadow. Studying the shadow from up close, Leo motioned for it to drift into his own shadow. The shadow did it instantly, and a smile spread across Leo¡¯s face. ¡°I wonder how many shadows I can gain...¡± Since he could store them within his shadow, Leo expected there to be some kind of limit on how many allies he could umte. After all, he could simply use his Shadowmancy on a target, store it, regenerate mana, and repeat the process with another being. As Leo pondered on the possibility of a limit to his Shadowmancy spell, a notification popped up in front of him. [ ???????????? ??????????: ???? ] Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It seemed that he was limited to having fifty Shadows at a time. However, fifty powerful undead allies was not a small number, and Leo was already excited at the thought of having a strong army of Shadows at hismand. Looking at the Shadow Realm, Leo noticed that he still had five minutes before it dissipated and he would once again be visible to the yers. He could have left, but his feelings kept nagging him, making him sigh. ¡°I have to do it in person, don¡¯t I?¡± He muttered to himself. Leo wanted to message Ava and Eli, but his heart told him to go and speak to them in person. Pulling up his hood, Leo walked into the cold night outside his Shadow Dome. He instantly noticed NPCs and yers celebrating on the walls and moved through the shadows where the light couldn¡¯t reach him towards two figures that stood further away from the rest. ¡°And herees the main character!¡± Eli waved her hand, seeing Leo step out of the shadows. She wouldn¡¯t have sensed him, but Ava had informed her that Leo wasing. ¡°I came here to offer you two a deal...¡± Leo spoke, as the two girls stared towards him. ¡°I want you two to join my group.¡± Leo spoke, expecting to hear Eli¡¯s and Ava¡¯s harsh conditions, since both of them were pretty strong and would surely require a lot of payment to recruit. ¡°Sure!¡± Surprisingly, both replied in unison, which made Leo flinch. He really, really didn¡¯t expect it to be that easy! ¡°Well... Since now you¡¯ve joined my group, I have a few things to say...¡± Leo scratched his neck, feeling slightly disturbed by how easily he acquired strong allies. ¡°You need to get as strong as possible within the uing year! I will also be leaving this continent, so I came to say goodbye...¡± His words echoed in the area, and since he was uninterrupted, Leo continued. ¡°In one year¡¯s time, we will once again meet up near the castle where we purified the corrupted king... Make sure that you are strong enough to be able tobat the Ice Wyvern living on the mountains near Culg!¡± Looking at their reactions, Leo noticed that Eli was slowly nodding her head, while Ava¡¯s azure-blue eyes were a few degrees colder than usual. ¡°Goodbye!¡± Eli waved her hand, and Leo nodded his head. Turning his head towards Ava, he bowed his head slightly, stepping back into the shadows. ¡°Thank you for saving me... and see you next year!¡± Leo said, as he disappeared into the darkness. ..... At thest second, Ava¡¯s lips parted, but Leo had already jumped down the wall, traveling through the shadows thrown by the city¡¯s houses. Leo suppressed the sudden feeling of loneliness that gripped his heart and quickly rushed towards the north side of the city. ¡°I know, buddy, you cane out...¡± Leo said as a majestic ck wolf materialized in front of him, its dark fur glimmering in the dimly lit alleyway. The wolf growled, parting its massive jaws as if trying to intimidate Leo, but he just stared at it. ¡°Wait outside!¡± Leomanded the wolf. Since the NPCs had already returned from the bunkers, the facilities within the city were already open. Leo entered a cozy restaurant with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. He went straight to the counter and was offered a menu by the old man sitting behind the bar. ¡°I¡¯d like 20 of this¡± Leo said, pointing to the cooked Pterodactyl meat. He quickly ordered twenty tes, knowing that Fenrir¡¯s size was disproportionate to the size of a single te. The owner gave him a side nce butplied with his order, quickly preparing the tes and giving them to Leo. ¡°Here you go...¡± Leo carefully ced the tes in front of Fenrir and watched as the wolf eyed him suspiciously before lowering his nose to sniff the food. Leo observed as Fenrir took a cautious bite of the meat, which had cost him two gold coins per te. After the first bite, however, everything went smoothly. Fenrir devoured the rest of the meals without hesitation. Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the wolf was more interested in filling his stomach than savoring the taste of the food. Leo approached the metal gates to the north and quickly blended into the darkness, walking further away from civilization with each step. As he climbed up the mountain, he cast a final nce at the warm lights of the city and let out a heavy sigh. He knew he wouldn¡¯t see another city for a long time, possibly a year or more. ¡°Goodbye...¡± He whispered to the city as it faded from view. *** Eli nced over at Ava, whose lips were tightly pressed together in a straight line. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad...¡± She spoke, trying to cheer up her friend. But Ava seemed immune to her attempts to lift her mood. Her eyes were cold and her expression was emotionless. She hadn¡¯t said a word since Leo left. The silence between them was tense and ufortable, and eventually, Eli gave up on trying to soften Ava¡¯s mood. ¡°You could just message him, you know?¡± Despite Eli¡¯s words, Ava remained silent, lost in her own thoughts. ¡®I need to get stronger...¡¯ ==== AN: The break is over! Chapter 187 - 187 Ruined City 187 Ruined City Leo nced up at the System Window hovering before his eyes. The disy showed a map with grey shading surrounding him on all sides, with only four cardinal directions and the names of the territories he was passing through visible. He was currently traveling through a ruined vige, where many buildings were overgrown with vines and the pathways were broken. The treacherous terrain almost caused him to twist his ankles several times, but Leo persevered through the obstacles. He kept a keen eye on his surroundings, aware that monsters could be lurking in the shadows of the buildings. Leo was especially cautious of the dark alleyways, shrouded inplete darkness and impossible to see into. It was ironic that he was a Shadow Mage and yet was afraid of the dangers lurking within the shadows. A part of him even whispered that he could conquer anything within the shadows, since it was his element. However, Leo refused to let his power get to his head. He had seen too many people fall from their own arrogance, and he knew that even a Fire Mage could be burned by the mes. Moving further, he came across a massive za that stretched out before him. The bright red trinkets that adorned the area seemed to be painted in blood, catching his attention immediately. In the center of the za, there was a fountain with a single pir rising up from it. Perched atop the pir was a huge, lonely figure of what appeared to be an angel,plete with wings. The being wore a cloak, its face perfectly hidden beneath it. ¡°Weird...¡± ..... Muttering to himself, Leo used his Shadowmancy to summon a Dark Skeleton from the depths of his shadow. ¡®Search the area...¡¯ Giving it orders, Leo watched as the being melted into the shadows cast by the surrounding buildings and turned his attention back to the fountain. As he surveyed the strange structure and the angelic statue on top of it, a faint memory stirred within Leo¡¯s mind. He vaguely recalleding across a forum post that described a simr fountain, but the details were hazy and difficult to recall. In the end, all that came to Leo were unimportant tidbits, which had no use to him. His Shadow had also returned from its search, reporting that it had found nothing in the vicinity. This made Leo feel slightly uneasy, but he knew that running away would only make him an easier target. He resolved to stay put and investigate further. Pointing towards the angel statue atop the pir, Leomanded his Shadow to inspect it. He watched as the dark silhouette leapt towards the statue andnded a few millimeters away from it, almost crashing into it. The Shadow reached out to touch the statue¡¯s marble surface, rubbing its eyes and ears, trying to make something happen. It even tried to push the statue away, but it didn¡¯t move. ¡°Try touching its wings!¡± Leo suddenly had a faint recollection of the forum post he had read. He couldn¡¯t quite recall the details, but he remembered something written in bold letters about the statue¡¯s wings. Leo watched intently as his Shadow¡¯s fingers extended towards the angel statue¡¯s wings, making contact with their surface. He held his breath, waiting for something to happen. ¡°Nothing happened...¡± After a few seconds¡¯ wait he muttered to himself, feeling slightly let down by the anticlimactic oue. He had expected the statue toe alive and attack him or reveal some hidden secret, but it remained motionless and unresponsive. Leo absorbed the Dark Skeleton back into his Shadow and turned to continue his journey north. However, as soon as he took a step forward, he felt his senses screaming danger. A chill ran down his spine, and he instinctively jerked his head backwards. To his surprise, the angel statue on the fountain was missing. His heart raced as he frantically scanned the area, searching for any sign of the statue. His eyes finally settled on its frame standing just outside the fountain, its face turned towards him. ¡°What...¡± He couldn¡¯t recall hearing the marble structure moving, and he couldn¡¯t fathom how it had vanished from the fountain and reappeared outside of it so quickly. Leo turned to his Shadow and ordered it to scan the statue again. But to his dismay, the inspection yielded no results. The Shadow even tried to damage the statue, but it remained unscathed, as if it were invincible. ¡°Wait, it can¡¯t be...¡± He closed his eyes tightly, trying to test out his theory and when he opened them again, his pupils shrank as he realized that the statue had gotten even closer! Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he instantly recognized the being standing before him. He knew all too well the trouble he had gotten himself into. It was a monster called ¡®The Sculpture¡¯ ¨C a creature that could only move when out of direct line of sight. Even blinking could allow the Sculpture to approach its prey. ¡°Fenrir!¡± He shouted, calling forth a wolf with abyssal ck fur that emerged from his chest. The wolf¡¯s eyes locked onto The Sculpture, and without any need for instructions. Leo ordered his Shadow to approach the being and try to punch it a few times, but once again, it failed to leave even a scratch on its surface. ¡®As I thought, it can only be damaged while moving...¡¯ Leo muttered to himself. as he instructed Fenrir to close his eyes and then gave his Shadow themand to attack the statue. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as nned... Crash... Leo opened his eyes just in time to see the Angel Statue hurtling toward him, having closed the distance between them in an instant. His Shadow had been sent flying by the creature¡¯s sudden movement. ¡®Shit...¡¯ Leo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in concern. He didn¡¯t like this at all. He had hoped that his Shadow would at least be able to damage the statue. However, the fact that it had been flung away before it could even react spoke volumes about the statue¡¯s strength. ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t go as nned...¡± Leo dared not break eye contact with the statue as he slowly retreated backwards. He and Fenrir blinked at different times, ensuring that the statue wouldn¡¯t have a window of opportunity to move. As they reached the corner, Leo left Fenrir to continue staring at the statue as long as possible before blinking. He then quickly ran towards the exit of the vige, knowing that the statue wouldn¡¯t chase after them once they left its territory. Soon enough he was informed that Fenrir had blinked and that the statue had disappeared from his sight. Swish... Leo¡¯s head snapped backwards, his eyes widening as the face of the statue was right behind me. If he was even a millisecondte, it¡¯d be his death or rather he¡¯d lose two levels and respawn in hisst visited ¡®inhabitable¡¯ city, which was miles away. Soon he felt that Fenrir had blinked, causing the statue to disappear from his sight. Leo knew he had to act fast. One false move and he would lose two levels and respawn miles away in thest ¡®inhabitable¡¯ city he had visited. Swish... Suddenly, Leo heard a swishing sound and his head snapped back to see the face of the statue looming behind him. His eyes widened in terror. ¡°This is getting ridiculous...¡± He muttered under his breath. He stared at the hooded figure, its marble eyes following his every move. Desperate to escape, Leo called upon Fenrir once again and began to inch his way towards the exit. As he made his way through the city, he repeated the process, each time feeling the tension and pressure mounting. Finally, he reached the rusty metal gates to the north of the city. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the statue¡¯s hand suddenly emerged from around the corner, sending shivers down his spine. ¡®...¡¯ Leo held his breath as he watched the hooded figure emerge from around the corner, its marble eyes fixed on him. Despite the shadow cast by the hood, he could see the angelic beauty of the statue¡¯s face. But there was something unsettling about the way its lips twisted into a sinister smile. The statue¡¯s expression remained fixed, only changing when Leo blinked. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was like facing his own Ego ¨C twisted, inhuman, and powerful. The difort lingered even after he backed away from the city and watched as the head of the Angel Statue disappeared. Leo reassured himself with a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s gone...¡± But warily scanned the forest surrounding the path he walked. Towering trees and lush greenery cast giant shadows, enveloping Leo in a dark and eerie atmosphere. He knew this would not be afortable journey. As he trudged deeper into the woods, Leo¡¯s thoughts raced. Why did the statue unsettle him so? Its presence seemed to follow him, and the shadows of the trees danced making him feel intimidated. ¡®This will not be afortable journey...¡¯ Chapter 188 - 188 Ambush! 188 Ambush! No matter how far he traveled, Leo couldn¡¯t escape the nagging thoughts about the Angel Statue. Every shadow seemed to smile at him, while each gust of wind sent shivers down his spine. ¡°...¡± As he walked, the silence surrounding him was so deafening that it almost felt suffocating. The absence of any sound made him want to hum just to break the deafening stillness. [ ??? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ??????... ] A system message appeared, and like a second sun suddenly rising, the previously dark and foreboding forest brightened up. Although the dangers that lurked within still remained, the forest didn¡¯t seem as daunting as it had a moment ago. However, Leo¡¯s frown deepened. He wasn¡¯t a fan of the unknown, and the question marks that appeared on the screen only served to irritate him. He had no clue if the unknown creature was associated with the Angel Statue or some kind of monster that roamed outside the ruined city, in the forest. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t attack me,¡± Leo muttered under his breath. No matter how much he disliked being in a situation he couldn¡¯t control, Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that the being had left him alone. ..... The fact that even the System recognized the creature¡¯s presence and informed Leo of its movements was an indication of its power. Leo racked his brain, trying to recall any monsters that could be living nearby and would warrant the System¡¯s notification. But nothing came to mind. Crack... The sudden sound of a breaking branch shattered the silence, and Leo jumped in rm. His reflexes kicked in, and he quickly summoned his Shadow. In a sh, the Dark Skeleton emerged from Leo¡¯s shadow and positioned itself in front of him like a shield. Rustle... The bushes on the other side of the road rustled, catching Leo¡¯s attention, and making him turn his head just in time to see a massive club hurtling towards him. ¡°Shadow Protection!¡± Leo shouted, using his Mana to create a barrier to protect himself from the attack. The dark shield shattered on impact with the wooden weapon, but it absorbed enough of the force to protect him from harm. Growl? The monster before Leo was a Forest Troll, with pale grey skin and an imposing stature. It growled in confusion, wondering why its attack hadn¡¯t been sessful. The Forest Troll is a formidable enemy, usually around Lv. 40, and known for dropping a variety of useful items, including Troll Teeth that could be used to create powerful Items. Trolls are also known for their long, muscr limbs and superior strength, often attacking in groups rather than alone. Rustle... Rustle... The rustling sound from the nearby bushes signaled the arrival of two more Trolls, each with bald heads and grotesque, disfigured faces. Their green eyes locked onto Leo, and they barred their yellow teeth. ¡°...¡± Leo summoned a Shadow st into his palm, crafting it purely out of Mana. He opted not to use his Shadow Energy just yet, saving it for when he might need it more. Growl... A low growl signaled the start of the battle as one of the Forest Trolls charged towards Leo, not bothering to raise its hands to defend itself. To Leo, it was like an easy target. He was used tounching his Shadow sts urately from great distances and at creatures that moved at almost lightning speed. This lumbering monster was no match for his precision. Crash... Leo¡¯s Shadow st hit the Forest Troll with great force, causing it to cry out in pain and fall to the ground. The troll wasn¡¯t dead, but it was temporarily blinded and inflicted with a fear Status effect. Leo was about to finish it off, but the creature¡¯spanions arrived just in time, preventing him from delivering the final blow. Growl... Thud... The sound of growling filled the air as the other two Trolls rushed to their fallenrade¡¯s aid. They swung their massive clubs at Leo, one strike aimed at him and the other at his Shadow Skeleton. Leo¡¯s Shadow Skeleton expertly blocked one of the strikes, while Leo himself skillfully dodged the other, narrowly avoiding being hit by the powerful weapon. Leo was impressed that his Shadow Skeleton was able to block a Forest Troll¡¯s attack, but he could see the skeleton¡¯s arms bending under the immense pressure. Crackle... Thinking quickly, Leo summoned a bolt of lightning and directed it towards the Troll currently engaged with his Shadow Skeleton. The lightning bolt struck the Troll, impaling it and causing it to fall to the ground, but not die. Growl... Meanwhile, Leo summoned hispanion Fenrir to deal with the other Troll. As Fenrir charged towards its target, the third Troll, the one that had initially lunged at Leo, hesitated upon seeing the Mana gathering in Leo¡¯s hands. Creak... Sensing an opportunity, Leo extended his bone des from his elbows, using his ¡®Weak Bone Control¡¯ to amplify and erge them. The des were now almost a meter in length, and Leo realized that if he rxed his hands, the tips of the des would touch the ground. Growl... This time it was Leo, who growled at the troll, taunting it to attack. He started circting Shadow Energy towards his hands, feeling a spell, in the shape of a grey sphere, forming on his palm. However, since it wasn¡¯t the Mana, the Troll could only see the visual appearance and bolted towards Leo swinging his club, aiming to crush the human before it. Boom... Unfortunately for the monster, in the next second a projectile hit its chest, creating a deafening explosion that momentarily seemed to extract all the light from the surroundings and making it explode. Half of the troll¡¯s chest was just gone like that, sending him crashing into the ground dozens feet away. Growl... However, trolls were some of the most resilient creatures in the game. Even with half of its chest gone, the tendons connecting to each other and the tissue reconstructing itself, the troll slowly stood up. Its health, which had been close to death, rapidly began to regenerate until it was fully restored. ¡°...¡± Leo had expected this, but it still irked him. He somehow had to damage these monsters consecutively and the only way to do it was with melee attacks, because his spells had cooldowns. Leo quickly charged towards the troll, hoping tond a few quick and consecutive hits to damage it before it could heal itself again. The troll, seeing the human charging at it, roared and swung its club at Leo with all its might. But Leo was quick to dodge the attack and slide under the troll¡¯s legs, before jumping up and shing at its back with his bone des. The troll roared in pain as the des cut through its flesh, but it quickly turned around and swung its arm at Leo, hitting him and sending him flying a few feet away. Leo quickly got up, feeling the pain from the troll¡¯s attack, but he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to stop now. He charged towards the troll again, dodging its attacks and shing at its legs and arms, trying to damage it as much as possible. Despite Leo¡¯s best efforts, the troll¡¯s health bar barely moved. Its high regeneration made it almost immune to Leo¡¯s attacks, and as a non-melee damage dealer, Leo struggled to make a dent in the creature¡¯s health bar. Leo tried cutting the troll¡¯s joints, tendons, and arteries, but it kept regenerating. Fenrir was also showing signs of exhaustion, and the fight seemed to be going nowhere. Crackle... Leo¡¯s hands ignited with white mes, which slowly spread onto his bone des, creating an eerie glow that illuminated the surrounding forest. Even the troll fighting him paused for a moment to gaze at the des in wonder. After all, fire was one of the greatest enemies of trolls. Although trolls had impressive regenerative abilities, they couldn¡¯t withstand mes without consequences. Swish... With a swift movement, Leo lowered his body and dashed towards the troll. He ced his foot on the ground and catapulted himself to the side as soon as the troll¡¯s hand muscles twitched, avoiding the iing attack with ease. As he moved, Leo swung his des towards the troll¡¯s legs, aiming to immobilize it. The white mes left trails behind the des, scorching the troll¡¯s skin and leaving it vulnerable to Leo¡¯s attacks. The troll roared in pain and fury, trying to strike Leo with its massive club. But Leo was too quick, dodging and weaving between the troll¡¯s attacks with impressive agility. Crash... The White mes spread slowly across the troll¡¯s skin, causing it to cry out in agony. It thrashed and iled, desperately trying to extinguish the mes, but to no avail. In a moment of desperation, the troll abandoned the fight, dropping its club and wing at its skin in an attempt to rid itself of the fire. Seizing the opportunity, Leo lunged forward and used his bone des to slice its throat, ending its suffering. ¡°Two left...¡± Leo muttered to himself, his purple eyes glinting with determination as he turned to face the two trolls still fighting against his shadow and Fenrir. Chapter 189 - ADD ADD 189 Ambush! (2) Crash... The body of the Forest Troll hit the ground with white mes licking its once-pale, grey skin and illuminating the dark forest floor. The troll¡¯s emerald eyes, which had previously glimmered with vitality, now appeared as lifeless as dusty mirrors, reflecting nothing but the surrounding trees and rocks. [ ???????????? ?????????? ???? ????????????! ] < ???????? > 1?? ??,?????? ?????? 2?? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ~~~~ With a swift movement, Leo scooped up the loot that the fallen monster had dropped, not being bothered by the Demonic me that engulfed the troll¡¯s corpse, as it couldn¡¯t damage him after all. ..... ¡°Two left...¡± He muttered under his breath, his purple eyes aze with anticipation as he turned to face the other Trolls still fighting Fenrir and his Shadow. While Fenrir deftly dodged most of the troll¡¯s attacks the Shadow Skeleton wasn¡¯t as lucky. Despite his best efforts, he wasn¡¯t as agile as the wolf and the troll¡¯s massive club came crashing down on him, shattering one of his hands made of dark, bone-like material. Well, it was to be expected, these creatures were much stronger than the Shadow Skeleton, with their levels hovering around 40. Inparison, his Shadow was barely at level 10. However, Leo didn¡¯t n to let his Shadow die. As the Troll raised its club high in the air, he took a deep breath and focused his mind. Summoning his Mana, Leo raised his hand and watched as lightning particles crackled around his fingertips. With a flick of his wrist, he cast the spell ¡®Lightning Bolt¡¯, sending a bolt of electricity straight towards the Trolls. Swish... The spell hit its target, piercing through the chest of the Troll and narrowly missing its heart. The Forest Troll roared in pain as it stumbled back, giving Leo¡¯s Shadow Skeleton a chance to retreat to safety. ¡®Retreat...¡¯ Leo watched as the ck Skeleton dived back into his Shadow, leaving the Forest Troll behind. As the Skeleton disappeared, Leo felt a slight drain on his Shadow Energy, since healing a Shadow Soldier cost SE. Growl... The Forest Troll growled in frustration as it looked around for the Shadow Skeleton that it had just been fighting. It couldn¡¯t see the Skeleton anywhere, and instead, its eyes fell upon Leo, the human who had killed its brother. The Troll¡¯s instincts kicked in, warning it of the danger that the human posed. Although the creature wasn¡¯t particrly intelligent, it could sense that this human was not to be trifled with. It bared its teeth and snarled, advancing towards Leo with the club tightly clenched within its grip. Swish... As soon as Troll got in the range of a few dozen feet, Leo circted his Mana, casting ¡®Demonic me¡¯ and using it to cover his Bone des and make the monster halt. Troll¡¯s reaction was the same as thest Forest Troll, its green eyes widening in fear and wariness as it caught sight of the white mes dancing and flickering, casting eerie shadows on the trees around them. The Troll snarled, baring its teeth, but it did not advance any further. ¡°Come on...¡± Leo rubbed his des together trying to intimidate the Troll, but it didn¡¯t react, just standing there and ring at him with eyes full of malice. Click... With a quick click of his tongue, Leo lunged forward, lowering his body and bolting towards the Troll. He swung his Bone des in a swift arc, aiming to cut the monster¡¯s legs out from under it. Whoosh... However, the Forest Troll was quick to react. It strained its powerful legs and leapt into the air, casting a massive shadow over Leo as it soared above him. ¡°Shit...¡± Leo cursed under his breath, realizing toote that he was in trouble. He tried to stop himself in his tracks, but it was toote. The Troll was right above him, its massive weight threatening to crush him in the next few seconds. Thinking fast, Leo cast ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ above his head, summoning a Dark Shield to cushion the blow. The Troll¡¯s massive body mmed into the shield, and Leo heard the shield cracking under the weight, but the spell held, giving him an extra second to regain his footing before the creature could crush him. Swish... At thest second, Leo also managed to swing his Bone de in a swift motion, aiming for the creature¡¯s leg. The de connected with a satisfying sound, leaving a deep sh wound on the Troll¡¯s calf. Leo watched as the Troll roared in pain, its thick grey blood spilling onto the forest floor. Some of the Demonic mes on his de also managed to get onto the wound, preventing the creature¡¯s body from regenerating. Roar... The Forest Troll snarled in pain and frustration as it felt the Demonic mes dancing on its leg. It tried to extinguish the fire, but Leo didn¡¯t give it a chance, quickly creating a Shadow st andunching it directly at the creature¡¯s face. The Troll swung its massive club in an attempt to deflect the iing projectile, but it was a fatal mistake. Boom... The Shadow st collided with the club, sending wood splinters flying in every direction. The force of the st was so strong that itpletely destroyed the club, leaving the Troll weaponless and vulnerable. Leo took advantage of the creature¡¯s momentary disorientation, bolting forward and swiping his Bone des in a swift motion. The des connected with the Troll¡¯s thick skin, leaving deep gashes in their wake. Roar... The creature roared in pain, its eyes zing with fury. It swung its massive fists in a wild rage, but Leo was too quick. He dodged and weaved between the creature¡¯s attacks,unching his own counterattacks whenever he saw an opening. At one point, Leo saw an opportunity and lunged forward, aiming his Bone de straight for the creature¡¯s neck. But to his dismay, the de barely scratched the thick skin of the Troll¡¯s neck, failing to do any significant damage. The creature roared in anger, swinging its massive fists in retaliation. Leo quickly retreated, narrowly avoiding the creature¡¯s attacks. He knew he had toe up with a new strategy if he was going to defeat the Troll. Whoosh... With a swift motion, Leo created a ¡®Shadow st¡¯ and hurled it towards the ground, causing a massive explosion that sent a cloud of smoke and debris into the air. The Troll was caught off guard, its vision obscured by the thick cloud of dust and mud. Taking advantage of the situation, Leo quickly moved to a new position, positioning himself behind the Troll. With his Bone des at the ready, he prepared to strike. As the dust began to settle, the Troll let out a roar of anger and confusion, searching frantically for its opponent. But it was toote. With a powerful swipe of his Bone des, Leonded a devastating blow on the creature¡¯s back, slicing through its grey skin and leaving a deep, bleeding wound. Roar... Fire started spreading onto the Forest Troll¡¯s back, but it was quickly extinguished, because the beast fell on its back, quickly rubbing it against the mud on the ground. Leo tried to finish the lying monster, but the troll used his legs to kick him away. Leo was caught off guard by the sudden attack, and he stumbled back a few steps before regaining his bnce. He quickly noticed that the Troll was struggling to get back on its feet, and he decided to use this to his advantage. With a swift motion, Leo charged towards the monster, dodging its iling arms and legs. He jumped up onto the Troll¡¯s chest and raised his Bone des high above his head, ready to strike the killing blow. But just as he was about to bring down his des, the Troll managed to grab hold of Leo¡¯s ankle, pulling him down with incredible force. Thud... The impact sent shockwaves through Leo¡¯s body, making him groan in pain. The Troll used this opportunity to roll over, pinning Leo underneath its massive body. Leo struggled to free himself, but the weight of the monster was too much for him to handle. He gasped for air as the Troll¡¯s crushing grip slowly began to cut off his cirction. With no other options left, Leo focused all his Mana into his Demonic me covering Bone des, charging them with as much Mana as he could muster. With a primal scream, he thrust the des upwards, piercing through the Troll¡¯s chin and into its brain. The monster¡¯s grip immediately loosened, and Leo scrambled out from underneath its body. He panted heavily, staring at the lifeless creature before him. He wiped away the sticky, grey blood that coated his face and grimaced as the pungent odor of death and decay wafted into his nostrils. ¡°It fucking stinks...¡± He muttered, shaking his head to clear his senses. As he slowly rose to his feet, Leo¡¯s gaze flickered to Fenrir, who was crouched over the lifeless body of the Troll, its massive jaws still mped around its neck. ¡°...¡± Their eyes met and Leo sensed danger. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Leo quickly got to his feet and started running away from a wolf, whose tongue was suspiciously out of his mouth, as if he was nning to lick Leo¡¯s face. Chapter 190 - 190 The Mountain Range 190 The Mountain Range Leo¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to keep his breath steady. He could feel his legs burning with exertion as he sprinted through the dense forest. His only hope was to use hismanding voice to stop the ferocious wolf that was hot on his heels. ¡°Sit!¡± He shouted, his voice ringing out through the trees. However, Fenrir didn¡¯t even stumble, let alone slow down, as he continued to run with the same effortless grace that he had before. His owner¡¯s hopeless shout only seemed to fuel the wolf¡¯s determination as he pushed himself even harder. ¡°This fucker...¡± Cursing hispanion under his breath, Leo quickly leaped onto the tree, his agile body moving swiftly as he ascended towards the top. He felt the rough bark of the tree against his palms and the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he climbed higher and higher. ¡°...¡± When he finally reached the top, Leo paused for a moment to catch his breath. As he turned to face Fenrir, the ck wolf stared back at him with a knowing look in his eyes. Leo could see the hint of mischief in the dog¡¯s expression, and he knew that Fenrir was up to something. The tension between the two of them was palpable, and for a few moments, they just stared at each other in silence. ..... Whoosh... Finally, with a defeated look in his eyes, Fenrir wiggled his tail as if giving up. In an instant, he disappeared into a shower of light particles and was absorbed into Leo¡¯s chest. ¡°Shitty bastard, why do you even try to sabotage me like this?¡± As Leo jumped down from the tree, he felt his bones creak slightly upon impact. However with the racial transformation he had undergone, his body had be stronger and more resilient than ever before. His body was now like metal, tough and unbreakable, able to withstand even the harshest of impacts without so much as a scratch. Excitement surged through Leo as he opened his map and saw the words ¡°?????? ?????????????? ??????????????????¡± written in bold letters. It had been his goal for days to reach this ce, and now he was finally here. ¡°Finally!¡± He breathed, a sense of relief and aplishment washing over him. Leo picked up his pace, channeling his Mana into his legs and enchanting his speed. He moved through the forest with a swiftness that was almost unheard of, his body almost like a blur as he darted between the trees. As he burst through the finalyer of greenery, Leo was greeted with a breathtaking sight. The Dragoon Mountains stretched out before him, their snow-capped peaks reaching towards the sky. The beauty of the mountains was almost overwhelming, and for a moment, Leo was struck speechless. Leo couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the beauty of the mountains, even though it wasn¡¯t his first time seeing the view. He was always amazed at how the game developers had managed to create such a stunningndscape. It was hard to believe that this was all just a virtual world, as the attention to detail was incredible. He wondered how much time must have been spent designing this world, from the smallest details to the grandest vistas. It was a testament to the dedication and passion of the developers who had poured their hearts and souls into creating this game. Whoosh... Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat as, suddenly, a massive figure appeared from above the clouds. It was a dragon, a creature that was the stuff of legends and fairy tales. But this was no ordinary dragon, not like the ones he had read about in books or seen in movies. This dragon was massive, with a wingspan that stretched over 50 meters. Its scales were a deep shade of red, and as it flew through the sky, its muscles rippled beneath its skin. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe and fear as he gazed up at the creature. But this was no ordinary dragon, and it was not something to be taken lightly. The dragons in Fragmental were not the same as the ones in the fairy tales. These creatures were much more powerful, with massive ws and jaws that could crush anything in their path. And they had a strange shield of Mana that could hurt anyone who came too close. Leo knew that the dragons were not to be trifled with. They were not like the wyverns, who were strong but had limited abilities. The dragons were different, possessing powers and abilities that were unmatched by any other creature in Fragmental. Leo stood frozen in awe as he watched the massive lizard soar overhead. Its wings were like a force of nature, able to create tornadoes with just a single p and a surge of Mana. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine at the thought of facing such a fearsome creature in battle. ¡°...¡± As he watched, the lizard¡¯s wings moved twice and it effortlessly crossed multiple rivers before reaching the imposing mountain range in the distance. He observed the dragon until it disappeared behind the mountains, a ce that was known as the Valley of Dragons. It was a territory that only those with the emblem of the dragon could enter and Leo had obtained the emblem after defeating the third wave¡¯s boss. Even Fenrir seemed to sense the power of the dragon. He fell silent as soon as the dragon came into view. Leo could sense Fenrir¡¯s unease ¨C as a predator himself, Fenrir was no stranger to the hunt, but he could clearly feel the difference between himself and the alpha predator that ruled the food chain of this whole territory. The dragon¡¯s presence wasmanding and intimidating, and even Leo felt a twinge of fear deep within him. However, Leo¡¯s previous encounters with these monsters had hardened him, and the fear that had briefly gripped him in the dragon¡¯s presence soon dissipated. He had killed his fair share of creatures in his past life, including weaker dragons, which had allowed him to numb the fear that usually apanied such encounters. Killing the dragon was like a way to build even greater resistance against the natural fear that these monsters carried with them. However, Leo wasn¡¯t foolish enough to attempt to kill or even harm the massive dragon before him. He knew that he would stand no chance against a creature of such power and magnitude. The Dragon Valley was not only home to dragons, but also other races such as Drakes and Wyrms, and Leo would rather hunt them than even the weakest dragon. ¡°...¡± Leo quickly lifted his eyes into the sky and summoned his Shadow Skeleton, which had fully healed from its previous battle. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the skeleton off to scout the path ahead. While the dragons were undoubtedly a serious threat, Leo was also keenly aware of the other monsters that inhabited the forest. In fact, there was a higher chance of being killed by one of these creatures than by a dragon. He had to keep his guard up at all times, staying alert for any signs of danger. Despite the presence of thousands of flying monsters in the Valley, Leo knew that they were mostly dormant and rarely ventured outside their territory. These creatures spent most of their time sleeping, their massive wings folded in a state of repose. It was said that seeing a dragon outside of its home was rarer than watching a falling star. As the Shadow Skeleton scouted ahead, Leo followed cautiously, Core hands slowly circting Mana to his palms . By some stroke of luck, Leo managed to avoid any encounters with the monsters that lurked in the forest, and he soon reached the bottom of the nearest mountain that formed a massive wall around the Dragon Valley. The wall had kept the ecosystem untouched by the outside world for hundreds of years, preserving it in all its wild and untamed glory. As he looked up towards the sky, Leo noticed something glinting in the distance. Pressing his lips together, he squinted his eyes and realized that he was looking at dozens of ice dragons, sleeping on the mountain slope just below the level of the clouds. Huff... Leo took a deep breath, the cold mountain air filling his lungs as he approached the towering wall that surrounded the Dragon Valley. His gloved hand grasped the slippery edge of the wall, and he began pulling himself upwards, his muscles straining with the effort. ¡°Don¡¯t look down...¡± Despite having the key to enter the Valley, he knew that there was no easy way in. There was a secret tunnel that led into the heart of the Valley, but it was guarded by a powerful dragon that even Leo knew he had no chance of defeating. So, he had to settle for climbing the treacherous mountain instead. ¡°Don¡¯t look down...¡± However, climbing the mountains wasn¡¯t an easy task, especially when there was a special barrier surrounding it that made every yer have a fear of heights. ¡°Don¡¯t look down...¡± Chapter 191 - 191 The Ascent 191 The Ascent Leo grimaced as his muscles screamed in protest, his fingers trembling under the pressure as he slowly pulled himself up on the slippery rock that jutted out from the steep edge. He let out a muttered curse as his body quivered with the effort, struggling to find purchase on the slick surface. ¡°Shit...¡± He muttered through gritted teeth, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. The drop below him was dizzying, and he knew that one false move could send him tumbling down to his death. Thinking quickly, Leo summoned his Mana and swiftly built a barrier of Shadow Protection beneath his feet, giving himself a momentary break to catch his breath. Leo cast a nce down the steep slope, feeling an unnatural fear w its way into his heart. He gritted his teeth and bit down on his lip, trying to resist the onught of terror that threatened to overwhelm him. Despite his strong mental fortitude and high resistance to fear-inducing factors, Leo knew that the barrier surrounding the Dragon Valley was absolute. Even the most skilled and experienced yers with the highest fear resistance and mental strength couldn¡¯tpletely shake off the fear that permeated the area. The game developers had designed it this way intentionally, as they didn¡¯t want yers to simply climb over the mountains and enter the valley without going through the proper trials. The path was intentionally made as difficult and treacherous as possible, to ensure that only the most dedicated and skilled yers could reach the end. ¡°Bastards...¡± Leo muttered under his breath, his frustration boiling over as he felt the Shadow Protection spell shatter beneath his feet. Reacting quickly, he managed to grab onto the ledge just in time, preventing himself from tumbling down the steep slope. ..... He scanned the area for a foothold and quickly spied a small rock jutting out from the mountainside. Using it as a makeshift tform, he heaved himself up and continued to climb in this manner for more than thirty minutes, his fingers and muscles aching with the effort. Finally, he reached a tform where the slope wasn¡¯t quite as steep, and he let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Huff...¡± He panted, his breathsing in ragged gasps. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he took a moment to drink a Health Potion, feeling the cool liquid coursing through his body and reinvigorating his numb fingers. Growl... Leo¡¯s momentary sense of relief was shattered as a sudden growl resounded behind him. Before he could even react, he was flung a good dozen meters to the side, barely avoiding the cliff¡¯s edge by a hair¡¯s breadth. Heart pounding in his chest, he struggled to get his bearings, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. ¡°What the hell!?¡± He eximed, his voice rising in frustration. As he looked at his health bar, which now registered at only one third of full, Leo knew that he had narrowly escaped a potentially deadly attack. With a sense of trepidation, he snapped his head in the direction of the growl, trying to discern where the threat hade from. His heart thumped as he saw a massive beast emerge from the shadows, its sharp ws glinting in the dim light. ¡°Fucking Yeti!¡± Leo growled, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the monstrous creature before him. Its white fur and deep emerald eyes marked it as a powerful Yeti, a monster known for its exceptional strength and gori-like appearance. Leo winced as he felt the gnashes left by the Yeti¡¯s ws on his back, aching in pain. Roar... As the Yeti hit its chest with its hands in an attempt to intimidate Leo, he stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the monster. Without hesitation, he created a Lightning Bolt, the crackling energy rippling between his fingers. Whoosh... The projectile flew through the air, impaling the Yeti¡¯s shoulder and eliciting a cry of pain from the beast, however, Leo¡¯s gaze remained steady, his purple eyes betraying no hint of pity towards his enemy. As the monster growled and leapt towards him, Leo calmly consumed another health potion, healing his back wounds. But the Yeti¡¯s attack proved to be a fatal mistake, as a strange dark creature emerged from Leo¡¯s shadow, extending its bony hand and catching the monster by the throat. Before the Yeti could even react, Leo drove his de into the beast¡¯s jaw, pushing it until it reached its brain. The bone de was enveloped in Demonic me, causing the monster to writhe in agony before finally dying on the spot. Thud... Dropping the Yeti¡¯s body on the ground, Leo watched the Yeti¡¯s remains turned into ashes before his eyes. He instantly noticed a strange shadow looming over them and, without thinking, he extended his hand to touch its cold surface. [ ???????????????? ?? ????????????... ] [ ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????! ] Strange mist began emanating from the ashes. The mist started to coalesce into a tangible form, slowly taking on the shape of the Yeti he had just defeated. However, the monster¡¯s fur was shrouded in a strange, dancing darkness that gave it an eerie appearance. The Yeti¡¯s emerald eyes had also turned into a shade of grey, and it was now staring at Leo with an emotionless gaze that perfectly mirrored his own expression. ¡°Good!¡± Looking at his new shadow creation, Leo eximed, seeing the bulging muscles beneath its shrouded fur. Despite its level being just 18, Leo knew that it was a valuable addition to his army, much stronger than the Skeleton. In the worst-case scenario, the monster could serve as a meat shield. Whoosh... Leo ordered his two soldiers to slip into the shadow and watched as the Skeleton and the Yeti quickly disappeared behind his back with a swift whooshing sound. ¡°Wow...¡± Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed at the game¡¯s intricate details and uniqueness, even though he had already lived two lives. His ss and skill were unique and could only be obtained by a single person, but the level of detail put into it was astounding. As soon as his soldiers entered his Shadow, it slightly expanded, and small details of fur appeared on its side, indicating the creature that was now hidden within it. Carefully stretching his arms, Leo twisted his torso, making sure his back had fully healed from the injuries. Satisfied that he was no longer feeling any pain, he decided to continue his ascent. He was well aware that the roars and cries of the Yeti could potentially attract other monsters in the area, and he didn¡¯t want to linger in a ce that could be a dangerous gathering spot. As he picked up his pace and hurried towards the edge of the tform, Leo suddenly heard a powerful howl echoing in his mind. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, looking around warily and extending his bone des from his elbows in preparation for a potential threat. Fenrir¡¯s scowlmunicated a sense of urgency to Leo, who immediately crouched down, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. As he listened intently, he could hear the faint sound of wings pping in the distance, drawing closer with every passing second. ¡°Shit!¡± Leo muttered under his breath, his heart pounding in panic. He scanned the cave frantically, hoping to find some kind of cover to shield himself from the iing monster. However, thendscape was barren, with no rocks or crevices to hide behind. ¡°...¡± Leo¡¯s mind raced as he desperately tried toe up with a n. In a split second decision, he dashed towards the furthest corner of the cave, his heart racing. He quickly pulled up his hood, and put on his Shadow Gloves, slipping into the shadows and hoping to evade the monster¡¯s detection. He held his breath and waited, praying that the creature wouldn¡¯t find him. Thud... The sound of something heavynding on the tform reverberated through the cave, sending shivers down Leo¡¯s spine. He felt his legs tremble with fear as he realized that it was likely a dragon that had arrived. As he peeked out from the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest, he caught sight of the creature. It was a magnificent beast, with shimmering scales of an azure hue that glinted in the dim light of the cave. Its body was massive, spanning over 20 meters in length, and every time it exhaled, particles of snow drifted out from its slightly parted jaws. It was an Ice Affinity dragon, a creature feared for its deadly breath and fierce temperament. ¡°Shit...¡± Leo cursed under his breath, his mind racing with memories of his previous encounters with ice-breathing lizards. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the Ice Wyvern that he had sworn to kill, and the memories flooded back to him like a nightmare. Unknowingly, he started gritting his teeth, the anger and frustration building up inside him. He thought of the time when the Ice Wyvern had caused him to fall down into the depths of hell, and the memory made his blood boil. Chapter 192 - 192 Ice Dragon 192 Ice Dragon No matter what had happened in the past, the real dragon was now before Leo. It wasn¡¯t a wyvern that he could easily escape from, but a literal dragon that could easily destroy viges and towns with a single p of its wings. ¡°...¡± Leo¡¯s legs trembled as he stood in the shadows, hoping the dragon wouldn¡¯t notice him even though he was wearing a cloak that should have camouged him. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the monster¡¯s bright blue eyes, which reminded him of someone... Ava? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts of the beautiful girl, Leo hunched even lower as the dragon rubbed its side against the wall. Rumble... The whole ce shook with the intensity of its size and movements, causing a few ice stctites to fall from the ceiling, some dangerously close to Leo. He red at the massive stctites and swallowed, knowing that even one of them could seriously wound him. His skull might be sturdy enough to withstand a blow, but the problem was the blood. Dragons, like sharks, could smell blood from miles away. ..... ¡°...¡± Looking at the scaly monster as it scratched its itchy side, Leo almost wanted tough as its eyes narrowed in pleasure. Despite being a majestic being, not everyone could see the king of the skies andnd scratching itself against a wall. These monsters had a certain level of intelligence, and their pride was as enormous as their size. Leo knew firsthand how petty and vengeful dragons could be. One of his fellow information gatherers had once been too hasty andunched a spell at a female dragon while roaming too close to its den. ... The dragon had chased the man across towns and viges, ignoring everything else except its attacker and repeatedly shouting the same message ¡°How dare you wound me?!¡± It wasn¡¯t only their pride, but also pettiness. Growl... Suddenly, the monster growled and turned its massive body around to look towards the sky. Roar... A deafening roar shook the sky, making Leo¡¯s heart skip a beat. He looked up and saw a blurry silhouette approaching the tform at a high speed. ¡°Shit...¡± He cursed, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Boom... As the two massive creatures collided, Leo felt the entire mountain shake violently, causing all the stctites to fall down at once. He quickly cast his Shadow Protection spell above his head to shield himself from the deadly stctites, then turned his attention to the two monsters wrestling on the tform. The dragon that had just arrived was fully covered in dark, almost ck scales. It was roughly the same size as the Ice dragon, but its wings were muchrger. Roar... Its roar echoed across the tform as the ck-scaled dragon opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and unleashed a beam of darkness simr to the one that the Dark Prince had used. Leo watched as the beam of darkness cut through the air, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. However, he knew that the Darkness Dragon wasn¡¯t the only one with such a powerful attack. Roar... With another roar, the Ice Dragon also opened its massive jaws and unleashed an azure-colored beam that froze everything in its path The two Dragon Breaths collided in the middle, canceling each other out. As the debris settled, Leo looked around and saw that the Darkness Dragon had disappeared. The Ice Dragon also noticed the disappearance of the Darkness Dragon and warily nced around, its eyes scanning the tform for any sign of movement. Whoosh... Suddenly, the Darkness Dragon appeared out of thin air, seemingly stepping out of a small particle that was left after its breath attack. It wasted no time in sinking its razor-sharp teeth into the Ice Dragon¡¯s tail, causing the creature to roar in pain. The Ice Dragon desperately tried to shake off the Darkness Dragon, but the monster refused to let go. Swish... Suddenly, thin ice needles appeared in the air, piercing into the Darkness Dragon¡¯s body and forcing it to release its jaws from the Ice Dragon¡¯s tail. Before it could even retreat, another set of needles pierced through its thick, dark scales, causing it to thrash in pain. Leo knew that dragon scales were an incredibly powerful material, and making an armor out of them would make a person practically invincible until reaching level 200. Growl... The Ice Dragon let out a guttural growl, its blue eyes flickering with pain as it inspected its injured tail. Despite its impressive size and probably age of over 200 years, the dragon had never experienced such agony before. It was strange, considering that it had lived for so long without any major wounds or scars. On the other hand, the Darkness Dragon bore numerous battle scars across its scales. Leo could see deep scratches and deformities that spoke of a lifetime of fighting and surviving in the harsh world of dragons. The two dragons red at each other, the Ice Dragon seething with pain and the Darkness Dragon radiating an air of battle-hardened resilience. Despite being the same age, it was clear to Leo that the Darkness Dragon had a wealth of experience inbat, evident in its battered scales and battle scars. The Ice Dragon, on the other hand, seemed to be rtively unscathed until now. Grrrr... As the Darkness Dragon snorted and shifted its body, Leo noticed the needles embedded in its flesh. Before he could say anything, the dragon unleashed a shockwave of Darkness Mana in all directions, causing the very air to tremble with its power. Leo braced himself, expecting the worst, but then something incredible happened. The Ice Dragon had positioned itself directly in the path of the shockwave, as if guided by some divine intervention. ¡°Thank fuck!¡± Leo knew that his ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ skill was still on cooldown, leaving him vulnerable to a direct attack from the dragons. He was aware that the a single attacking from a Dragon could kill him instantly. Leo could already imagine himself respawning back in the city, his adventure cut short by his shitty luck. ¡°I need to leave...¡± Leo¡¯s heart raced as he realized that he needed to leave the area immediately. The staredown between the two massive dragons was intense, and he knew that even an idental aftereffect of their sh could kill him in an instant. As he scanned the area for a means of escape, Leo¡¯s mind raced with possibilities. He needed to find a time window to slip away unnoticed, or he would surely perish in this dangerous game. The ledge of the tform was so close, yet so far. Leo almost wanted another Yeti to appear behind his back andunch him towards it. Swish... Just as he was about to make a desperate lunge towards safety, a sudden swishing sound caught his attention. He turned to see the Ice Dragon summoning vast amounts of mana, creating a new set of ice wings below its original ones. Leo realized that these new limbs were almost a perfect replica of the original wings, but with one stark difference: their size. The new wings were massive, dwarfing the Ice Dragon¡¯s original wings and making it appear even more majestic than before. Leo felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine as he watched the creature flex its new appendages. Whoosh... With a powerful twist of its massive ice wings, the Ice Dragon sent a swirling sea of ice particles towards the Darkness Dragon, enveloping its scales with frost. Even the ground beneath the massive creature¡¯s feet was frozen, making it almost slip. Roar... The Darkness Dragon responded with a fierce roar, unleashing a beam of dark energy from its mouth towards the Ice Dragon. But the Ice Dragon barely raised its icy wings, allowing the beam to collide with them. Boom... A deafening boom echoed across the tform as the beam pierced through the air, but to Leo¡¯s amazement, it didn¡¯t even leave a dent on the Ice Dragon¡¯s new appendages. In fact, some of the beam was reflected back at the Darkness Dragon, causing some of its scales to corrode under the direct impact of the Darkness Breath. Despite the Darkness Dragon¡¯s immunity to its own element, its scales still melted under the attack. Roar... Suddenly, a dark ball, or rather a tentacle, emerged from the Dragon¡¯s mouth, falling onto the tform¡¯s floor. It looked like a vomit or the carcass of a dead animal at first, but then it began writhing on the ground in agony. ¡°...¡± Leo watched in awe as the strange object slowly expanded, growingrger until it became the size of the Darkness Dragon itself. The dark mass continued to morph, slowly taking on the shape of a massive lizard. Splurt... Soon enough, it grew wings and began to resemble the dragons. However, its body was made out of a strange, glittery substance that Leo couldn¡¯t quite identify. ¡°...¡± Upon seeing the weird scene, Leo¡¯s face morphed into a frown. He knew exactly what the thing the Darkness Dragon spit out was... ..... Chapter 193 - 193 Dragon Fight 193 Dragon Fight Roar... The dragon, resembling a slimy blob, released a deafening roar that reverberated throughout the tform. It was astounding that a creature made entirely of goo could produce such a thunderous sound from its throat, but in Fragmental, a world of fantasy, anything was possible. The Ice Dragon snarled as it confronted the two Darkness Dragons, looming before it. Its deep blue eyes scanned the peculiar creature, fixating on it with an icy cold re, as though attempting to freeze it in ce. ¡°...¡± Leo scowled as he gazed at the two Darkness Dragons, his eyes fixated on the blob that was a clone of the original creature. ¡°He¡¯s a prince...¡± He muttered under his breath, his toneced with a hint of disdain. In the world of dragons, a prince was a creature with the potential to be a king, provided it lived long enough. The king, also known as an Ancient Dragon, possessed the longevity tost for tens of thousands of years. Princes possessed several rare abilities, such as the power to create clones of themselves or to warp between different realities and appear in various locations. Leo cautiously pressed his body against the cavern¡¯s wall, moving steadily toward the ledge. This fight had already spiraled out of control, and he knew that he would be doomed if he remained too close to a battling Dragon Prince. ..... Huff... Leo could feel his heart beating slightly faster than usual, but he forced himself to remain calm. Carefully cing his feet, he made his way to the edge of the tform without incident and began climbing once more. Roar... Suddenly, a deafening roar reverberated through the mountain, causing the slippery rocks beneath Leo¡¯s grasp to tremble violently. He struggled to maintain his grip, barely managing to hold on. ¡°Shit!¡± he cursed under his breath. The Ice Dragon seemed to hold on against the Prince, and quite a well, Leo noticed both of the Suddenly, the two creatures burst out of the cavern and took their fight to the sky. Leo felt a twinge of regret ¨C he could have stayed safely on the tform. But it was toote now. Descending the mountain was far moreplex and dangerous than climbing it. Thud... As he ascended, Leo tried to ignore the aerial battle raging behind him. However, his senses suddenly screamed a warning, and he quickly casted ¡®Shadow Protection¡¯ above his head. Just in time, too ¨C a rain of debris pelted the shield, causing Leo¡¯s heart to race with fear. He knew that the shield could only block one projectile. Suddenly, a Yeti stepped out of his Shadow. The creature used its muscr limbs to climb higher than Leo, and then gnashed at the cliff face to create a protective shield of meat. ¡°...¡± Leo watched as the falling debris struck his Shadow, tearing at its flesh and wounding its body. Fortunately, the Yeti remained unmoved, blocking most of the projectiles and shielding Leo from harm.. Roar... Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the mountain as the Ice Dragon rammed the Darkness Dragon¡¯s clone into the cliff just a few dozen feet away from Leo. The impact was so great that Leo lost his grip and fell several meters before managing to grab onto a ledge. ¡°Fuck!¡± Leo cursed through gritted teeth, feeling intense pain shoot through his arm. He quickly used his other hand to grab onto the cliff, his right hand now numb and several bones likely broken. He was even unable to drink a potion to heal his injury, as he now only had one arm left to use. ¡°...¡± Leo took a moment to steady himself and dull the pain before beginning his search for a ce to rest. He spotted a small rock jutting out of the cliff just above him ¨C if he could reach it, he could sit and catch his breath. However, the rock was a dozen feet away, and with only one arm, it seemed impossible to reach. Gritting his teeth, Leo slowly raised his leg and ced it on the slippery edge of the cliff, pushing himself a few inches upwards. He repeated this process, almost losing his bnce several times, until he finally reached the protruding rock. From his vantage point, Leo could see the three massive figures locked in battle in the sky. The Ice Dragon had lost a significant portion of its azure scales on its side and had a deep w mark on its right wing. Meanwhile, the Darkness Dragon had a bleeding crevice in its chest, as if it had been punched. Even its clone was not as detailed as it had been at the beginning of the fight. The Dragons continued to stare each other down with unhidden malice and shed once more, but Leo barely registered the fight anymore. He quickly consumed a healing potion and resumed his climb. As he ascended, Leo found that his bone des were more of a hindrance than a help. He had initially thought to use them to grip onto the mountain, but it soon became apparent that the sturdy cliff was impervious to his strength attribute, making it impossible to stab the des into the rock. The des were now more of an annoyance than anything. ¡°...¡± As he climbed higher, he could see the glint of white and azure scales reflecting light and realized he was nearing the top of the mountain. He slowed his pace considerably and focused on moving quietly. The Dragons that awaited him at the top had been designed by the game developers to guard the entrance to the mountain from the summit, but they could be outsmarted. It was surprising that the Dragons had slept through the battle between their kin, but were known to be easily awakened by the slightest crunch of snow. Roar... Leo stole a final nce at the battling dragons and quickly snapped a picture of the Darkness Dragon. He knew that once the game progressed and the yer base reached this point, he could brag about having encountered a Prince Dragon. ¡°Fuck this day!¡± *** As soon as Leo vanished from sight, the Darkness Dragon growled lowly, fixating its murderous gaze on the Ice Dragon. [ DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU¡¯VE DONE, HE WAS A CANDIDATE, I NEEDED TO KILL HIM!!! ] its screeching voice echoed in the Ice Dragon¡¯s head. However, the Ice Dragon merely shook its head, snarling at the Dragon Prince. [ YOU ARE A WEAKLING, WHO DOESN¡¯T DESERVE THE ABILITIES OF A PRINCE. WHERE¡¯S YOUR PRIDE!?] The Darkness Dragon bared its teeth, its dark scales glimmering in the sunlight. [ I HAVE MORE PRIDE THAN YOU EVER WILL! YOU ARE A COWARD WHO RELIES ON TRICKERY TO WIN YOUR BATTLES! ] The Ice Dragon roared in fury, its eyes glowing with a sickly green light. [ I WILL SHOW YOU WHO THE REAL COWARD IS. ] The two dragons circled each other in the sky, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Suddenly, the Darkness Dragonunched itself at the Ice Dragon, its clone following close behind. The Ice Dragon was ready, though, and it dodged the attack, swerving to the side and unleashing a st of freezing cold air that sent the Darkness Dragon and its clone tumbling away. The Darkness Dragon quickly recovered, however, andunched another attack. This time, the clone flew in from the left while the Darkness Dragon came from the right. The Ice Dragon was momentarily caught off-guard, but it quickly regained itsposure, using its extra wings to dodge the clone and then turning to face the Darkness Dragon head-on. The two dragons shed in mid-air, their bodies mming into each other with a force that shook the very clouds. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s ws raked across the Ice Dragon¡¯s scales, leaving deep gouges, while the Ice Dragon¡¯s icicle ws scraped against the Darkness Dragon¡¯s armored back. The two dragons roared in fury as they battled, their breath weapons ¨C the Darkness Dragon¡¯s ck mes and the Ice Dragon¡¯s icy sts ¨C colliding in a shower of sparks and steam. [ CALLING ME A COWARD WHILE GANGING UP ON ME! ] The Darkness Dragon¡¯s clone was proving to be a formidable opponent, constantly harrying the Ice Dragon and distracting it from the Darkness Dragon¡¯s true attacks. But the Ice Dragon was clever, and it quickly figured out a way to deal with the clone. Using its extra wings to maneuver behind the clone, the Ice Dragon unleashed a burst of icy wind that froze the clone solid. The Ice Dragon then shattered the frozen clone with a single blow from its mighty tail. With the clone dispatched, the Ice Dragon was now free to focus on the Darkness Dragon. The two dragons continued their fierce battle in the sky, their powerful wings beating furiously as they circled each other, searching for an opening. The Darkness Dragon lunged forward, its jaws snapping dangerously close to the Ice Dragon¡¯s face. But the Ice Dragon was too quick, darting to the side and retaliating with a st of icy breath that engulfed the Darkness Dragon¡¯s head and neck in a thickyer of frost. The Darkness Dragon roared in pain as the ice began to crackle and shatter, and it pped its wings frantically, trying to shake off the freezing cold. ROARRRRRRRRRR!!! Chapter 194 - 194 Dragon Fight (2) 194 Dragon Fight (2) The battle between the two dragons continued, with both of them refusing to back down. The Darkness Dragon managed to break free from the ice, and itunched itself at the Ice Dragon once again. The Ice Dragon, however, was prepared, however, and it met the attack head-on, their jaws shing in mid-air. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s teeth scraped against the Ice Dragon¡¯s icy scales, but the Ice Dragon managed to sink its own teeth into the Darkness Dragon¡¯s neck, causing it to roar in pain once again. The two dragons continued to grapple, their wings beating furiously as they tried to gain the upper hand. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s strength was undeniable, but the Ice Dragon¡¯s agility and cunning allowed it to hold its own against the Prince¡¯s powerful attacks. Roar... With each passing moment, the battle grew more intense, the dragons¡¯ roars echoing across the sky as they shed. The Ice Dragon¡¯s icy breath and the Darkness Dragon¡¯s ck mes continued to collide in a shower of sparks and steam, each attack canceling the other out in a dazzling disy of power. The Darkness Dragon was relentless in its pursuit of victory, its ws and teeth tearing into the Ice Dragon¡¯s scales with ferocity. But the Ice Dragon was equally determined, retaliating with its own attacks and refusing to back down. As the battle raged on, the dragons¡¯ movements became more frenzied, their wings beating furiously as they circled each other in the sky. Suddenly, the Darkness Dragonunched itself at the Ice Dragon, its jaws open wide in a vicious attack. But the Ice Dragon was ready, and it dodged the attack with ease, spinning around to deliver a powerful blow to the Darkness Dragon¡¯s nk. The Darkness Dragon roared in pain as the Ice Dragon¡¯s wed feet dug into its scales, leaving deep gouges. But the Prince refused to give in,shing out with its own attacks and determined to emerge victorious. As the battle continued, it became clear that neither dragon was willing to back down. The Ice Dragon¡¯s determination and cunning were matched by the Darkness Dragon¡¯s sheer brute force and power, and the two continued to sh in mid-air with loud booms. ..... Their battle was so intense that the air rippled and the ground below them quivered from the massive battle. Roar... The Ice Dragon suddenly reared up, spreading its wings wide and letting out a deafening roar. The Darkness Dragon was taken aback for a moment, but it quickly regained its focus andunched itself at the Ice Dragon once again. The Ice Dragon was ready for the attack, however, and it dodged the Darkness Dragon¡¯s attack, spinning around to deliver a swift kick to the Prince¡¯s head. The Darkness Dragon stumbled back, its eyes clouded with rage as itunched itself at the Ice Dragon again. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s attacks were bing more desperate, and it was clear that it was beginning to tire. The Ice Dragon, on the other hand, seemed to be gaining strength with each passing moment. Its movements were fluid and precise, and its attacks were bing more powerful by the second. Suddenly, the Ice Dragonunched itself at the Darkness Dragon, its jaws open wide in a vicious attack. The Darkness Dragon tried to dodge, but it was too slow, and the Ice Dragon¡¯s jaws closed around its neck with a sickening crunch. The Darkness Dragon let out a deafening roar of pain, its body convulsing as it tried to break free. But the Ice Dragon held on, its teeth sinking deeper into the Prince¡¯s flesh with each passing moment. [ BASTARD! ] The Darkness Dragon¡¯s voice was filled with rage as it struggled to free itself from the Ice Dragon¡¯s grip. But the Ice Dragon held on, its eyes gleaming with triumph as it tightened its hold on the Prince¡¯s neck. For a moment, everything was still as the two dragons locked eyes. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s eyes burned with anger and hatred, while the Ice Dragon¡¯s were cold and calcting. ROOOOAAARRR... Suddenly, the Darkness Dragon let out a deafening roar, summoning all its strength as itunched his darkness beam at the Ice Dragon once again. This time, however, the Ice Dragon was ready, and it twisted its head at thest moment, releasing the Darkness Dragon¡¯s neck and sending it tumbling to the cliff. Boom... The Darkness Dragon hit the slope with a sickening thud, its body bruised and battered from the crash. For a moment, it stayed there, stunned, its mind reeling from the attack it had just suffered. Crack... However the Prince was not defeated yet. With a snarl, it pushed itself to its feet, its eyes zing with anger as itunched itself at the Ice Dragon once again. [ YOU¡¯VE FORCED ME TO USE IT... ] The Darkness Dragon¡¯s voice was strained as it spoke, and the Ice Dragon could see the determination in its opponent¡¯s eyes. He could guess what the Prince was nning and it was clear that it was ast-ditch effort to win the battle. The Ice Dragon prepared itself for the attack, ready to defend itself with all the strength it had left. Suddenly, the Darkness Dragon¡¯s body began to glow with a dark, ominous energy. The air around it crackled with power, and the Ice Dragon could feel the scales on the back of its neck stand on end. ROARRRRRRR... As the Mana intensified, the Darkness Dragon let out another deafening roar, its voice echoing across the sky. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, the Darkness Dragon transformed, its body growing in size and strength as its wings stretched out wide. The Ice Dragon watched in with a frown as the Darkness Dragon transformed into a massive ck dragon, its scales gleaming in the light of the sun. The transformed dragon let out a deafening roar, its voice echoing across the sky as it beat its wings and rose into the air. The Ice Dragon watched in awe as the Darkness Dragon circled above him, its massive wings casting a dark shadow over the ground below. The transformed Prince looked down at the Ice Dragon with a sneer, its eyes burning with malice and hatred. [ NOW YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR ARROGANCE! ] The Darkness Dragon¡¯s voice was deep and menacing, its words echoing through the air. The Ice Dragon wasn¡¯t caught off guard by the transformation, as it expected it, but it still struggled to defend itself against the Prince¡¯s new attacks. The two dragons shed once again, their attacks sending shockwaves through the air. But this time, the Darkness Dragon was clearly gaining the upper hand. Its attacks were more powerful than ever, and the Ice Dragon found itself struggling to keep up. The Darkness Dragon¡¯s ck mes engulfed the Ice Dragon, searing its scales and causing it to roar in pain. The Ice Dragon fought back with all its might, but it was clear that it was losing the battle. As the Darkness Dragon continued to attack, the Ice Dragon began to feel its strength waning. Its movements became sluggish, and it found it increasingly difficult to defend itself against the Prince¡¯s relentless attacks. Just when it seemed that all was lost, however, the Ice Dragon¡¯s eyes began to glow with a bright, icy light. Whoosh... A radiant crown of ice materialized atop the Ice Dragon¡¯s head, illuminating the surroundings in every direction. The Dragon Prince was momentarily blinded by the sudden burst of light, causing him to retreat. With an air of triumph, the Ice Dragon adjusted to the weight of the newly acquired crown while the Darkness Dragon observed him intently. [ YOU FINALLY ACCEPTED IT, YOU BASTARD... ] The Darkness Dragon growled. The Ice Dragon turned to face his opponent, his neck swaying as he took in the weight and power of his newfound crown. [ IF BECOMING A SHITTY PRINCE IS WHAT IT TAKES TO DEFEAT YOU, THEN SO BE IT! ] The Darkness Dragon was not taken aback by the sudden transformation of his opponent. He had always known the Ice Dragon to be powerful, and he expected him to be a prince. As the Ice Dragon stood tall with his new crown, the Darkness Dragon couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fear. He had never faced a prince before even though he himself was one. The Ice Dragon, now Prince of the Dragon Race, took a deep breath and let out a roar that shook the entire battlefield. ROARRRRRRR... The Darkness Dragon was forced to retaliate, since the new power of the Ice Dragon made all the weaker dragons give in. [ LET¡¯S GO FOR A SECOND ROUND... ] The battle raged on for hours, with the two dragons locked inbat. But with each passing moment, it became clearer that the Ice Dragon was gaining the upper hand. His new crown had given him an unprecedented level of strength and he was using it to his advantage. The Darkness Dragon was now on the defensive, trying to dodge the powerful attacks of the Ice Dragon. His own strength was fading, and he knew he had to act fast if he wanted to stand a chance. Chapter 195 - 195 Between the monsters 195 Between the monsters Leo exhaled, watching as his breath formed a frosty mist in front of him. The mountaintop was bitterly cold and the thin air made it difficult to breathe, but Leo kept his lips tightly sealed. He didn¡¯t dare risk speaking. Snore... Only a few hundred feet away from Leo, massive monstersy sprawled across the mountaintop. The dragons, guardians of the entrance to the Valley of Dragons, were all sound asleep. Their bodies were enormous, and their scales shimmered in various colors, like a dense forest of armor. The challenge of passing through them without waking any of them up seemed nearly impossible. ¡°...¡± With slow, cautious steps, Leo approached the first monster. He made a wide circle around it, carefully treading on the snow to avoid making any crunching noises. The slightest sound could awaken the dragons and spell certain death for Leo. He also knew he couldn¡¯t rely on his Mana, as the dragons were highly sensitive creatures that would detect his presence immediately. Slowly, Leo began to feel the strain on his legs and cursed himself for not investing SP into his Strength attribute. Gritting his teeth, he managed to pass the first few dragons without incident. But as he looked ahead, he saw thousands upon thousands of dragons still lying in his path. ..... His resolve began to falter. Maybe fighting a guardian would have been the better option after all? However, Leo knew it was toote to turn back. He hadmitted to entering the valley from the top, and he had to see it through. Roar... Leo heard the distant sound of a dragon¡¯s roar and flinched, his heart racing with fear. Luckily, none of the guardians stirred at the sound of their kin. They were probably programmed to only awaken under certain conditions. ¡®I should find a better path...¡¯ Leo thought to himself, eyeing the literal wall of dragons before him. It seemed impossible to pass through without touching any of them or making a sound. As he searched for an alternate route, suddenly he heard a loud sound. A scaly tail came out of nowhere, mming into him and throwing him several dozen feet back. Leo couldn¡¯t even raise his hands in defense and was hit hard in the chest, spitting blood as he flew away. Crash... ¡®What the hell!¡¯ He cursed inside as he struggled to regain his sight. As his vision cleared, he saw a snoring dragon wiggling its tail as if it was dreaming. It was a close call ¨C a snoring dragon almost killed him. Leo bit his lip to stifle an angryugh. He knew that dragons were powerful creatures, but almost being killed by a sleeping one was a blow to his pride. He took a deep breath and gathered his wits, knowing that he had to be more careful in this treacherous terrain. He pressed on, taking each step with utmost care. But the dragons seemed never-ending. They spat fire breaths through their slumber, swung their tails randomly, and some even pped their wings in their sleep. The path was literally riddled with massive traps that could end his life in a single hit. Leo knew that he had to be even more vignt. The fact that he couldn¡¯t even use his Shadow Protection made things worse, as he was exposed to the full force of their attacks. Tap... Tap... Step by step, Leo advanced until he finally reached thest dragon. He walked past it without rming the creature, amazed at how easy it had been to pass by. ¡°That was... surprisingly easy?¡± Leo muttered, scratching his cheek in disbelief. He had expected at least one dragon to awaken and attack him, but it seemed like luck was on his side. As Leo walked past the clouds, he ascended higher and higher until he finally reached the actual peak of the mountains. ¡°Wow...¡± He breathed, amazed by the sight that greeted him. Before himy a vast valley that stretched beyond the horizon. Leo could see numerous floating inds, some of which were even bound to the ground by vines. And of course, he saw many scaly creatures flying through the air, swarming around those inds and even a massive sea in the distance. It was a breathtaking view that he knew he would never forget. Even though Leo had seen this view hundreds of times before, it never ceased to amaze him. The valley was simply stunning. ¡°I should descend through there...¡± However, he didn¡¯t have any time to enjoy the scenery. Leo knew he needed toe up with a n quickly. The monsters in this territory had keen senses, and staying in one ce for too long could attract predators. He looked towards a narrow path that led down into the valley. He started making his way towards it, careful not to make any sudden movements or noises that could alert any of the creatures below. Leo surveyed the slippery slope, taking note of its gentle incline. The idea of sliding down the ledge briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it and regained hisposure. ¡°...¡± As he stood there, he heard a distinct clicking sound emanating from within his inventory. Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he realized that the Dragon Emblem had been activated. He had officially entered the Dragon Valley. Without it, he would have been a prime target for a pack of dragons, who would have quickly descended upon him and decimated him. Leo descended down the mountain and approached the forest with caution, noting that it was unlike any other he had seen before. The trees were colossal, rising hundreds of meters into the sky and dwarfing most of the dragons. As he pondered the sheer size of the trees, Leo couldn¡¯t help but think about the Ancient Dragons ¨C monstrous creatures that were the size of the trees themselves. The thought of facing such beasts was enough to send shivers down his spine. Leo knew that taking down an Ancient Dragon required thebined effort of an entire top ranking guild and numerous sacrifices. The creatures spanned over hundreds of meters and some were even a mile long ¨C truly a force to be reckoned with. Thankfully, the Ancient Dragons were currently dormant and buried deep beneath the ground. If one were to awaken, it could easily decimate an entire continent. Leo was also almost certain that the game developers would allow such an event to happen ¨C after all, it would make the game more interesting. Perhaps they would even add a new set of quests that would all lead towards the destruction of the beast ¨C an epic storyline that would draw even more attention from the public. However, he knew that there were limits to what the game developers would allow. There was an AI that was responsible for monitoring the game¡¯s bnce, and if it deemed the dragon to be too strong for the current timeline, it could simply remove it from the game. Alternatively, the developers could create an epic quest line involving a powerful sage sacrificing their life to bind the dragon until the yers were ready to face it themselves. Either way, the game would remain challenging yet fair, with the AI ensuring that no creature became too overpowering for the yers to handle. ¡°What about me then...¡± Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his own fate. While the AI was responsible for monitoring the game¡¯s bnce, it seemed that this did not always extend to the yers themselves. While there were bug fixes in ce to prevent yers from exploiting the game¡¯s economy or discovering ways to clear high-level dungeons at a low level, there was no safeguard against yers who had be too powerful in their own right. Leo himself was an Ancient Bone Dragon! ¡°...¡± He knew that most Dragon Race yers were unable to shift into their dragon form until reaching an advanced level in the game, usually around level 1000 or higher. This was because the game¡¯s designers intended for yers to explore other realms beyond the starting area, which were far more challenging. For example, the Asura realm was known to have an incredibly high Mana density that was lethal to all but the most powerful yers. Even a yer at level 500 would likely explode into pieces upon entering this realm, their body unable to withstand the immense pressure. ¡°I wonder...¡± Leo¡¯s thoughts drifted to his own potential as an Ancient Dragon. As he pondered his dragon form, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how massive and powerful it would be. He knew that as an Ancient Dragon, his dragon side had to be incredibly formidable, but without any reference point, he had no way of knowing for sure. Leo realized that he was the only yer who had be an Ancient Dragon, and that his true potential remainedrgely unknown. ¡°...¡± Leo closed his eyes and allowed his imagination to run wild. He tried to visualize how his dragon form might appear ¨C would his body be made entirely of bones, or would he possess a powerful bone exoskeleton? Chapter 196 - 196 Drakes 196 Drakes After some time, Leo pushed away the thoughts about him being an Ancient Dragon, since it was still years away from happening. It would be better if he focused on his surroundings instead of his far-fetched dreams. ¡°...¡± He looked ahead and quickly opened his map, examining the various objects highlighted on it. Since he had seen a lot of the valley from the mountaintop, the once grey map now had some color in it. Leo¡¯s purple eyes instantly locked onto a small crevice or rather a ravine that spanned a few hundred meters. Whilst looking at the map, he started walking towards the ravine. Leo also made sure that his Shadows were beside him, ready to attack if something leaped out of the greenery. Well... they acted more like meat shields, since every creature in the valley was three times Leo¡¯s strength. In this manner, the group moved for a few kilometers, Leo flinching at every roar and sound he heard along the way. ..... Swish... He carefully pushed aside the leaves blocking his vision and frowned. If he took another step, he would fall into a deep ravine. Looking at its endless depths, Leo saw some kind of purple liquid bubbling below and smirked. He knew that whoever fell into this hole was dead, unless they could fly. ¡°Found it...¡± He muttered to himself. Rubbing his hands, he instructed his Shadows to clear some of the greenery and cut some small trees so that the path to the ravine could be easily essible. He watched as the Shadow Yeti and Skeleton, careful not to make any sound, quickly got to work. He, then, turned around and looked at the small hill in the distance. ¡°I should wait until nightfall...¡± Pulling up his hood, Leo slowly made his way to one of the trees. He found a branch about halfway up and made himselffortable. Now all he needed to do was wait until the Shadows ruled the Valley. *** A beautiful moon hung in the sky, illuminating the world below with its light. The moon shone so brightly that the scales of the massive monsters roaming in the valley reflected its light, making Leo aware of their presence. He had chosen to wait until nightfall before starting his n for two reasons. One, he could see where the dragons and other scaly monsters were. Two, at this point in time, his prey was sleeping. ¡°You can stop.¡± Looking at his Shadows, who were still relentlessly clearing the path to the ravine, Leo watched as they slowly retreated to his Shadow before rising from his sitting position. Massaging his numb legs, Leo quickly descended from the tree and summoned Fenrir. The wolf¡¯s ck fur was a perfect camouge in the night. Growl... Fenrir showed his worries about the n because he shared a bond with Leo and knew what he was thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can outrun them... Probably?¡± Leo tapped the wolf¡¯s massive head before climbing onto his back. They started running towards the hill in the distance that Leo had seen previously. As they neared the mountain, Fenrir slowed his pace and finally halted as the clear view of the hill entered their sight. ¡°...¡± Leo and Fenrir watched as a literal light show was happening before them. Countless lights were glimmering in the area, making it seem like a disco party. There were hundreds of monsters, each the size of a bike,ying all across the mountain, sleeping without a care. The monsters were called Drakes, Lizard-Dogs without any wings. They came in various colors, and most had sharp ws and tails, a testament to their dragon bloodline. Growl... Fenrir tried to persuade Leo not to do what he was nning, but Leo only tapped his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry...¡± Shadow Energy began to flow through his capiries, making its way towards his hands. Leo quickly cast his Shadow st and held the orb close to his body so its grey color wouldn¡¯t reveal his presence if anybody saw him. ¡°Get ready...¡± He told Fenrir beforeunching the orb towards the countless lying Drakes and urging Fenrir to dash towards the Ravine. They didn¡¯t even manage to turn aroundpletely when Leo¡¯s attack reached the Drakes, making some of the injured ones cry out in pain. Roar... A number of others joined the cry, jolting awake from their slumber and taking in their surroundings, trying to understand what was happening. Kleek... Suddenly, a single Drake, whose scales were covered in all white, stepped out of the group, raising its head, which had something simr to a crown or antennas. Crackle... It started vibrating with Mana, making the air in the vicinity ripple. The creature¡¯s red eyes burned with bloodlust as it sensed Leo¡¯s presence and began to move towards him. Kleek... The White Drake let out a sound, causing half of the Drakes to split from the group and chase after Leo. Leo cursed under his breath as he urged Fenrir to run faster towards the ravine. The pursuing Drakes were gaining on them, and Leo could feel their hot breath on his back. He could see the purple liquid bubbling at the bottom of the ravine, and he knew that he had to time his jump perfectly if he wanted to survive. ¡°Almost there!¡± Leo shouted to Fenrir, who was panting heavily from the exertion of the run. As they approached the edge of the ravine, Leo urged Fenrir not to stop running and, at thest second, instructed him to jump. Whoosh... Since Fenrir trusted Leo very highly, he didn¡¯t even hesitate, even though it was fairly obvious that they wouldn¡¯t make the jump. ¡°Shadow Protection!¡± Leo pumped his Mana into his hands, quickly creating a barrier where they couldnd, which allowed Fenrir to have a second jump. Swish... The wolf quickly used the tform to leap over the edge andnded on the other side of the ravine. He then threw Leo off his back and gave him a big lick with his tongue. At this point, it was his way of punishing his owner for doing something foolish. ¡°Bastard...¡± Pushing the massive wolf away, Leo turned his face, riddled with saliva, towards the other side of the Ravine, watching as the massive group of drakes approached them. Drakes didn¡¯t have very good vision, so Leo decided to throw in another lure. Crackle... He summoned his Demonic me, allowing the white fire to dance on his body and making sure the Drakes saw him. Roar... Hearing their enraged roars, Leo smirked, watching as they got closer and closer to the edge. Kleek... He felt rather than heard some kind of strange vibration pass through the air, and a smile disappeared from his face. Although he saw that the Drakes in front were already falling into the abyss, he focused on the strange mana vibrations that reverberated through the air. [????????????? ???????????Y??????????o??????????????????u???????? ??????w?????????i?????l????l??????????????????? ??????????????d???????i????????????e?????????????.???????.????????????????.???????????? ???D??????????????e?????m????????????o??????????n?????~????????????!??????????????? ????????????] Somehow, Leo could understand what it meant and shuddered. He only knew one thing that was able tomunicate with him in this vicinity: the Alpha Female of the Drakes. She was a monster twice the size of a normal Drake, with the ability to control all the Drakes in her pack, which numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands. If a Female Alpha is left to live long enough, there¡¯s a high chance that she might even evolve into a higher being, sometimes even bing a dragon. These Alphas also held grudges, and Leo didn¡¯t want one of such creatures to remember him after its evolution. ¡°I have to kill her...¡± Speaking to himself, he watched as the Drakes finally understood what was happening and tried to stop in their tracks, but the monster behind them pushed them, making them fall into the ravine. Leo got closer to the edge, watching as the Drakes plummeted into the strange purple liquid and quickly resurfaced, trying to get some air. He knew that they were capable of swimming. One by one, they started to resurface out of the liquid and gathered on the small inds that were protruding from theke of purple liquid. At first, it seemed as if nothing had happened, the Drakes staring at Leo with murderous eyes, before one of them suddenly leapt at another. Roar... The Drake bit its brother¡¯s neck without any hesitation, ripping away the scales and tearing away its flesh without any resistance. Other monsters couldn¡¯t even react before the attacked Drake was dead. Their small brains couldn¡¯t quiteprehend their kin attacking each other. They were all under one queen, and it didn¡¯t quite click within their brains that refusing her was an option. ..... Roar... Suddenly, another monster went on a rampage, followed by another one. Soon, every single Drake was fighting each other without any remorse. They ripped each other¡¯s throats, sliced limbs, and bit into each other¡¯s bodies. It was a bloodbath. Meanwhile, Leo watched everything from afar, looking at his status window that was rapidly gaining EXP. Although he couldn¡¯t pick up the items dropped by the creatures, EXP was a good enough reward. Chapter 197 - 197 Drakes (2) 197 Drakes (2) [ ?????????? ?????? ????????????! ] < ???????? > 1?? ??????,?????? ?????? ~~~~ Leo red at the azure system window hovering before his eyes. He had expected to gain a lot of experience, but he didn¡¯t anticipate gaining half a million with just a single run. [ ?????????????????????????????? ???? ???????????????? ????. ????... ????. ????! ] [ ?????????? ???? ¡ú ?????????? ???? ] [ +???? ???? ] Leo had managed to gain two entire levels with just 50 Drakes. He licked his lips, thinking about how much he could achieve before he had to leave. ..... Maybe he could even be strong enough to stand on equal ground against the Wyvern? However Leo knew he was deluding himself. Wyverns were simr to dragons, and killing one solo was incredibly difficult. Even if he spent an entire year brainlessly farming Drakes, he wouldn¡¯te close to being able to kill a Wyvern solo. Shaking his head, Leo nced at some of the Drakes that had managed to stop before falling into the ravine. ¡°Lightning Bolt...¡± Leo chanted, snapping his fingers and summoning a lightning projectile in his palm. He yanked it towards the Drakes standing near the edge, throwing it deliberately behind them to cause amotion and make a few more fall into the ravine. Kleek... Another wave of mana vibrations passed through the air, and the surviving Drakes growled, slowly turning back towards the hill. ¡°If I somehow kill the Alpha...¡± Leo¡¯s thoughts were now focused on killing the Alpha Female Drake. If he managed to do that, the creatures would have no leadership and would be like fish out of the water. He could easily lure them to their deaths! Tapping Fenrir¡¯s fur, Leo made sure his hood was pulled up and started moving slowly towards the hill. The Drakes probably wouldn¡¯t expect an attack right after the first one. The Alpha Female Drake would likely take some time to assess the damage and only then create things like night shifts and guards. If Leo could make his move before this happened, he would have a good chance at assassinating the creature. ¡°...¡± Moving through the shadows, Leo slowly made his way into one of the giant trees. He carefully leapt from branch to branch, acting like an assassin. However, it was necessary because he could see that some of the Drakes were deliberately staying in the area, trying to see if he would follow. The creatures didn¡¯t even notice as a Lightning Bolt fell on their head, killing them instantly. By the time Leo could see the whole hill, he had already killed four Drakes. Kleek... Another Mana Vibration reverberated throughout the vicinity, making Leo stare in the direction of a massive Drake with white scales and strange antennas on its head. The antennas vibrated, sending out a weird Mana signal that made the Drakes obediently follow whatever was ordered. Leo stared at the Drake¡¯s Status window and frowned. It was only Lv. 40, nothing unbeatable, but it had a strange ability. 1?? ?????????????? ?????????? < ????. ?? > ¡ª ?????? ?????????? ??????¡¯?? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ¡ª ??????????¡¯?? ???????????? ???? ???????????????????? ???? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ~~~~ Leo clicked his tongue and leaned against the rough bark of a tree, rethinking his n. Since he now knew he couldn¡¯t kill the Alpha, he needed toe up with a new strategy. His gaze fell upon the massive White Drake, and an idea suddenly urred to him. Fenrir was slightlyrger than the monster, and if Leo could immobilize it, Fenrir could likely carry it without much difficulty. A scary smirk crept across Leo¡¯s face, but he made no effort to conceal it. If he could somehow bring the queen to her deathbed, the Drakes would go berserk. They would follow him wherever he went. ¡°...¡± The n slowly began to form in Leo¡¯s head as he sat beneath the tree, deep in thought. After a few minutes, he rose from his sitting position and slowly began descending the tree, careful not to make any noise that might alert the Drakes. Once he reached the ground, he pressed himself warily to the ground and began moving through the shadows cast by the massive trees. Leo moved with stealth, his movements silent and deliberate. He knew that one wrong move could mean the end of his n, and possibly even his life. He made his way closer and closer to the hill, his eyes darting back and forth, searching for any signs of danger. Roar... As he approached the hill, Leo could see the entire Drake colony in its entirety. There were hundreds of monsters, their scales glinting in the dim light. In the center of the colony, there were eggs the size of a normal dog lying on the ground. Leo¡¯s heart raced as he gazed upon the eggs. ¡°...¡± Carefully, Leo summoned his shadows and ordered them to slip into the shadows of the eggs. He watched with bated breath as Yeti and Skeleton hid themselves near the eggs, blending in with the darkness. He was aware that the game probably assigned the eggs to the Drake¡¯s family, and his shadows would smash them upon hismand. Leo¡¯s eyes flicked towards the White Alpha. He watched as the creature stood on the hill, its massive body silhouetted against the night sky. The Alpha Drake stood watch over its horde, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger. A group of more muscr Drakes had formed a defensive circle around the Alpha, their scales glinting in the dim light. Leo knew that these were the Alpha¡¯s most loyal and powerful minions, the ones who would die to protect their leader. ¡°...¡± However, Leo didn¡¯t mind the defensive circle; he was determined to get close to the Alpha and take it down, no matter what. He darted from shadow to shadow, his movements slow and cautious. He avoided being seen by any of the Drakes, keeping his eyes fixed on the Alpha as he moved up the mountain, getting closer and closer to his target. Kleek... Suddenly, another Mana wave radiated from the Alpha¡¯s antennas, and it turned towards the direction of the forest. Leo watched as the Alpha bared its rows of teeth, as if showcasing them towards the greenery. He knew that something had caught the Alpha¡¯s attention, but he couldn¡¯t see anything from his vantage point. ¡®What...¡¯ Leo scanned the forest, trying to see what had caught the Alpha¡¯s attention. He saw nothing but the darkness and the dense foliage that surrounded him. But he knew that he couldn¡¯t let his guard down; he needed to be ready for anything. The Alpha Drake let out a low growl, and Leo felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that the creature was dangerous, and he had to be careful not to alert it to his presence. He pressed himself against the ground, his breathing in short gasps. Leo watched as the Alpha Drake turned away from the forest and began to move towards the edge of the hill. He wondered if the creature was going to leave the area, and if this was his chance to get closer to it. But he knew that he couldn¡¯t take any chances; he needed to stay hidden and wait for the right moment to strike. As the Alpha Drake moved away, Leo took a deep breath and began to move up the mountain once again. He knew that he had to be quick; the creature could turn back at any moment. Leo darted from shadow to shadow, his movements silent and graceful. He felt like a ghost, invisible to the world around him. He was so focused on his mission that he didn¡¯t notice the group of Drakes that had gathered near the top of the mountain. Leo froze when he saw them, his heart racing with fear. He knew that he was dangerously close to the Alpha¡¯s minions, and that any sudden movement could mean the end of him. He pressed himself against a nearby rock, his breathing in short gasps. Kleek... The Alpha let out some kind of threatening scream towards the forest, which made Leo freeze in ce. Roar... Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard something roar back. It was deep and powerful, and he knew that it belonged to a creature muchrger than the Drakes he had encountered before. He wondered what kind of monster could produce such a sound. The Alpha Drake turned towards the forest, its nostrils ring as it sniffed the air. It was clear that the creature was agitated and on high alert. Leo knew that he needed to act fast if he was going toplete his mission. He looked around, trying to find a way to get past the group of Drakes without being detected. He noticed a narrow gap between two boulders that led towards the top of the hill. It was risky, but it was his best chance. Leo took a deep breath and made a run for it. He darted between the boulders, hoping that the Drakes wouldn¡¯t notice him. He could feel their hot breath on his back as he squeezed through the narrow gap. Finally, he emerged on the other side, panting and sweating. He looked up and saw the Alpha Drake staring right at him, its eyes glowing in the dark. For a moment, Leo froze. He had never been this close to the Alpha before, and he could feel its power emanating from its body. But he knew that he couldn¡¯t back down now. He had toplete his mission, no matter the cost. ¡°I have no time!¡± Chapter 198 - 198 Fighting an Alpha Drake 198 Fighting an Alpha Drake Leo faced the Alpha female drake, who was twice his size and possessed great strength. He knew he had to use all his skills to defeat her. He drew out his bone des, knowing they may not be strong enough to inflict significant damage but still hoping to use them to his advantage. As the Alpha female drake charged at him, Leo quickly raised his hands, activating his Shadow Protection. The drake¡¯s sharp ws collided with Leo¡¯s shield, causing a loud ng. As the drake recoiled, Leo seized the opportunity to strike her with his Shadow st. The st caught the drake off-guard, momentarily blinding her and giving Leo a chance to n his next move. He quickly recharged his Mana and cast his Lightning Bolt at the drake. The lightning bolt hit the drake square in the chest, causing her to stumble back in pain. But she recovered quickly, lunging at Leo again. This time, Leo waited for the drake to get closer before unleashing another Shadow st. The st hit the drake in the face, causing her to roar in pain and confusion. With the drake temporarily incapacitated, Leo charged forward, thrusting his bone des into her exposed underbelly. nk... Unfortunately, the de wasn¡¯t able to prate through the thick scales of the Drake and merely bounced back. Leo¡¯s heart sank as he realized his bone des were ineffective against the Alpha female drake¡¯s tough exterior. He quickly retreated, dodging the drake¡¯s attacks while he tried to think of another strategy. He remembered his Lightning Bolt had caused the drake pain earlier, and he decided to try that again. He charged up his energy, and as the drake lunged at him, he released another Lightning Bolt, aiming for her head. ..... The drake was momentarily stunned by the bolt, and Leo seized the opportunity to charge forward, using his bone des to distract the drake while he aimed a powerful Shadow st at her. The st hit the drake in the chest, sending her flying back and crashing to the ground. Kleek... The monster tried to call for help, but the Drakes couldn¡¯t quite get to the mountaintop at fast speed. There was also some strange roarsing from the forest, the entire horde was in chaos. As Leo approached the downed drake, he saw that she was still breathing heavily, but her eyes were filled with fury. He knew he had to be careful and keep his guard up. Suddenly, the drake sprang up, surprising Leo. Sheunched herself at him, her ws and teeth bared. Leo tried to dodge, but she caught him with a swipe of her w, sending him tumbling backward. Leo struggled to get up, but he felt a sharp pain in his side where the drake¡¯s w had cut him. He knew he was injured, but he couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down. The drake circled him, watching for any opening. Leo raised his hands, preparing to cast another spell, but before he could, the drake lunged forward, knocking him to the ground. Leo struggled to push her off, but she was too strong. He felt her teeth sink into his shoulder, and he cried out in pain. He knew he had to act fast, or he would be killed. Summoning all his strength, Leo managed to break free from the drake¡¯s grip, using his Shadow st to create a burst of energy that sent her flying backward. He quickly got up, wincing in pain as he felt the wound on his shoulder. He saw that the drake was getting back on her feet, preparing to charge at him again. ¡°Shitty bastard...¡± Murmuring under his breath, Leo quickly drank a health potion, seeing that his health bar was halved. Leo knew that he had to end the fight quickly before the other Drakes came to Alpha¡¯s rescue. He charged at the drake, hoping to catch her off-guard. But the drake was ready this time, and she met his charge head-on. Leo¡¯s bone des shed with the drake¡¯s sharp ws, causing sparks to fly. nk... Leo felt a surge of pain as one of the drake¡¯s ws cut through his arm, leaving a deep gash. But he didn¡¯t let it slow him down. He continued to fight, using all his skills to keep the drake at bay. Heunched another Lightning Bolt at the drake, but this time she was ready for it. She dodged the bolt and lunged at Leo, trying to bite him. Leo narrowly dodged the drake¡¯s attack, but he felt a sharp pain in his leg as her teeth grazed him. He knew he couldn¡¯t afford to make any more mistakes. Leo quickly repositioned himself, keeping a safe distance from the drake. He cast his Shadow Protection once again, knowing that he needed to defend himself against her powerful attacks. As the drake charged towards him, Leo quickly cast a Shadow st, aiming for her legs. The st hit its target, causing the drake to stumble and giving Leo an opening to cast another Lightning Bolt. The bolt hit the drake in the chest, and Leo seized the opportunity to charge forward, using his bone des to deliver a powerful strike to her weakened scales. nk... The des still didn¡¯t prate the drake¡¯s tough exterior, but Leo noticed that his attacks were starting to wear her down. He continued to dodge the drake¡¯s attacks and deliver powerful spells, hoping tond a decisive blow. He cast another Shadow st, aiming for the drake¡¯s head. The st hit its mark, causing the drake to roar in pain and confusion. Leo could see that the Alpha female drake was starting to weaken. He had to act fast before she regained her strength. He quickly cast his Shadow Protection once again, preparing himself for the drake¡¯s next attack. As she charged towards him, Leo unleashed a barrage of Shadow sts, hitting her with everything he had. The drake stumbled, but she still managed to get close enough to w at Leo. He quickly dodged and retaliated with a Lightning Bolt, hitting her in the chest once again. As the drake staggered backward, Leo seized the opportunity to charge at her, using his bone des to strike at her weak spots. The des still bounced off her scales, but the force of the blows was enough to knock her off bnce. The drake lunged at him once again, but Leo was ready. He cast his Shadow st, hitting her in the face and temporarily blinding her. He followed up with another Lightning Bolt, hitting her in the chest and causing her to stumble back. With the drake weakened, Leo charged at her once again, using his bone des to strike at her weak spots. He aimed for her eyes and hit them with his des, blinding herpletely. The drake tried to counterattack, but Leo was too quick for her. He dodged her ws and teeth, delivering powerful blows with his bone des and Shadow sts. The blind drake thrashed around, disoriented and unable to see. She roared in anger and frustration, swinging her ws and tail wildly in an attempt to hit Leo. Leo remained cautious, using his acute hearing and instincts to evade the drake¡¯s attacks. He knew that the blind drake was dangerous and could still inflict serious damage if he let his guard down. As the drake lunged at him, Leo leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding her ws. He quickly responded with a Shadow st, aiming for her side. The st hit its mark, causing the drake to stagger backward. But despite her blindness, she was still determined to fight. She roared again, her senses heightened as she tried to locate her opponent. Roar... Leo watched her carefully, waiting for an opening. He knew that he needed to end the fight quickly before the drake healed her vision. The drake charged forward, her ws and teeth bared. But as she got closer, Leo sidestepped her attack and struck her with his bone des. nk... The des bounced off her scales once again, but Leo was undeterred. He continued to deliver powerful blows with his des and spells, aiming for the drake¡¯s weak spots. The drake tried to counterattack, but her blindness made it difficult for her to hit Leo. She swung her ws and tail blindly, hoping to catch him off-guard. Leo remained elusive, darting in and out of range and using his Shadow sts to keep the drake at bay. He knew that he couldn¡¯t let his guard down, as one wrong move could prove fatal. ¡°...¡± Looking at Drake¡¯s slowing movements, Leo suddenly threw himself under the massive monster, gathering the Shadow Energy into his Palm. ¡°I hope there is ake nearby...¡± Boom... Leo¡¯s Shadow st hit the drake¡¯s underbelly with a thunderous explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force of the st was so strong that it knocked Leo back, sending him tumbling across the ground. As he struggled to regain his footing, Leo could see the drake copsing to the ground. Although it wasn¡¯t dead, due to its Passive Skill, it was immobilized. Chapter 198 - 198 Fighting an Alpha Drake Chapter 198 - 198 Fighting an Alpha Drake Leo faced the Alpha female drake, who was twice his size and possessed great strength. He knew he had to use all his skills to defeat her. He drew out his bone des, knowing they may not be strong enough to inflict significant damage but still hoping to use them to his advantage. As the Alpha female drake charged at him, Leo quickly raised his hands, activating his Shadow Protection. The drake''s sharp ws collided with Leo''s shield, causing a loud ng. As the drake recoiled, Leo seized the opportunity to strike her with his Shadow st. The st caught the drake off-guard, momentarily blinding her and giving Leo a chance to n his next move. He quickly recharged his Mana and cast his Lightning Bolt at the drake. The lightning bolt hit the drake square in the chest, causing her to stumble back in pain. But she recovered quickly, lunging at Leo again. This time, Leo waited for the drake to get closer before unleashing another Shadow st. The st hit the drake in the face, causing her to roar in pain and confusion. With the drake temporarily incapacitated, Leo charged forward, thrusting his bone des into her exposed underbelly. nk... Unfortunately, the de wasn''t able to prate through the thick scales of the Drake and merely bounced back. Leo''s heart sank as he realized his bone des were ineffective against the Alpha female drake''s tough exterior. He quickly retreated, dodging the drake''s attacks while he tried to think of another strategy. He remembered his Lightning Bolt had caused the drake pain earlier, and he decided to try that again. He charged up his energy, and as the drake lunged at him, he released another Lightning Bolt, aiming for her head. The drake was momentarily stunned by the bolt, and Leo seized the opportunity to charge forward, using his bone des to distract the drake while he aimed a powerful Shadow st at her. The st hit the drake in the chest, sending her flying back and crashing to the ground. Kleek... The monster tried to call for help, but the Drakes couldn''t quite get to the mountaintop at fast speed. There was also some strange roarsing from the forest, the entire horde was in chaos. As Leo approached the downed drake, he saw that she was still breathing heavily, but her eyes were filled with fury. He knew he had to be careful and keep his guard up. Suddenly, the drake sprang up, surprising Leo. Sheunched herself at him, her ws and teeth bared. Leo tried to dodge, but she caught him with a swipe of her w, sending him tumbling backward. Leo struggled to get up, but he felt a sharp pain in his side where the drake''s w had cut him. He knew he was injured, but he couldn''t afford to let his guard down. The drake circled him, watching for any opening. Leo raised his hands, preparing to cast another spell, but before he could, the drake lunged forward, knocking him to the ground. Leo struggled to push her off, but she was too strong. He felt her teeth sink into his shoulder, and he cried out in pain. He knew he had to act fast, or he would be killed. Summoning all his strength, Leo managed to break free from the drake''s grip, using his Shadow st to create a burst of energy that sent her flying backward. He quickly got up, wincing in pain as he felt the wound on his shoulder. He saw that the drake was getting back on her feet, preparing to charge at him again. "Shitty bastard..." Murmuring under his breath, Leo quickly drank a health potion, seeing that his health bar was halved. Leo knew that he had to end the fight quickly before the other Drakes came to Alpha''s rescue. He charged at the drake, hoping to catch her off-guard. But the drake was ready this time, and she met his charge head-on. Leo''s bone des shed with the drake''s sharp ws, causing sparks to fly. nk... Leo felt a surge of pain as one of the drake''s ws cut through his arm, leaving a deep gash. But he didn''t let it slow him down. He continued to fight, using all his skills to keep the drake at bay. Heunched another Lightning Bolt at the drake, but this time she was ready for it. She dodged the bolt and lunged at Leo, trying to bite him. his leg as her teeth grazed him. He knew he couldn''t afford to make any more mistakes. Leo narrowly dodged the drake''s attack, but he felt a sharp pain in his leg as her teeth grazed him. He knew he couldn''t afford to make any more mistakes. Leo quickly repositioned himself, keeping a safe distance from the drake. He cast his Shadow Protection once again, knowing that he needed to defend himself against her powerful attacks. As the drake charged towards him, Leo quickly cast a Shadow st, aiming for her legs. The st hit its target, causing the drake to stumble and giving Leo an opening to cast another Lightning Bolt. The bolt hit the drake in the chest, and Leo seized the opportunity to charge forward, using his bone des to deliver a powerful strike to her weakened scales. nk... The des still didn''t prate the drake''s tough exterior, but Leo noticed that his attacks were starting to wear her down. He continued to dodge the drake''s attacks and deliver powerful spells, hoping tond a decisive blow. He cast another Shadow st, aiming for the drake''s head. The st hit its mark, causing the drake to roar in pain and confusion. Leo could see that the Alpha female drake was starting to weaken. He had to act fast before she regained her strength. He quickly cast his Shadow Protection once again, preparing himself for the drake''s next attack. As she charged towards him, Leo unleashed a barrage of Shadow sts, hitting her with everything he had. The drake stumbled, but she still managed to get close enough to w at Leo. He quickly dodged and retaliated with a Lightning Bolt, hitting her in the chest once again. As the drake staggered backward, Leo seized the opportunity to charge at her, using his bone des to strike at her weak spots. The des still bounced off her scales, but the force of the blows was enough to knock her off bnce. The drake lunged at him once again, but Leo was ready. He cast his Shadow st, hitting her in the face and temporarily blinding her. He followed up with another Lightning Bolt, hitting her in the chest and causing her to stumble back. With the drake weakened, Leo charged at her once again, using his bone des to strike at her weak spots. He aimed for her eyes and hit them with his des, blinding herpletely. The drake tried to counterattack, but Leo was too quick for her. He dodged her ws and teeth, delivering powerful blows with his bone des and Shadow sts. The blind drake thrashed around, disoriented and unable to see. She roared in anger and frustration, swinging her ws and tail wildly in an attempt to hit Leo. Leo remained cautious, using his acute hearing and instincts to evade the drake''s attacks. He knew that the blind drake was dangerous and could still inflict serious damage if he let his guard down. As the drake lunged at him, Leo leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding her ws. He quickly responded with a Shadow st, aiming for her side. The st hit its mark, causing the drake to stagger backward. But despite her blindness, she was still determined to fight. She roared again, her senses heightened as she tried to locate her opponent. Roar... Leo watched her carefully, waiting for an opening. He knew that he needed to end the fight quickly before the drake healed her vision. The drake charged forward, her ws and teeth bared. But as she got closer, Leo sidestepped her attack and struck her with his bone des. nk... The des bounced off her scales once again, but Leo was undeterred. He continued to deliver powerful blows with his des and spells, aiming for the drake''s weak spots. The drake tried to counterattack, but her blindness made it difficult for her to hit Leo. She swung her ws and tail blindly, hoping to catch him off-guard. Leo remained elusive, darting in and out of range and using his Shadow sts to keep the drake at bay. He knew that he couldn''t let his guard down, as one wrong move could prove fatal. "..." Looking at Drake''s slowing movements, Leo suddenly threw himself under the massive monster, gathering the Shadow Energy into his Palm. "I hope there is ake nearby..." Boom... Leo''s Shadow st hit the drake''s underbelly with a thunderous explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force of the st was so strong that it knocked Leo back, sending him tumbling across the ground. As he struggled to regain his footing, Leo could see the drake copsing to the ground. Although it wasn''t dead, due to its Passive Skill, it was immobilized. 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