Fireball!
Leon summoned another fireball, but this time it was clearly different from the ones before.
The condensed flames burned brighter, denser, and carried far more heat as his improved skill poured extra power into it.
BOOM!
The fireball slammed directly into the mutated poison snake, erupting in a violent explosion of flame.
The monster screeched as its scales cracked and burned, its body thrown back several meters.
One of the regular poison snakes beside it wasn't nearly as lucky, it was caught in the blast and reduced to a charred corpse almost instantly.
'Amazing,' Leon thought, his eyes narrowing slightly.
This was the true difference that leveled skills made. The increase wasn't subtle. A single level turned something usable into something genuinely deadly.
HISSS!
The mutated poison snake let out a sharp, furious hiss, its yellow eyes locking onto Leon as it ordered the remaining snakes to attack.
The creatures lunged forward in unison, their bodies low and fast as they attempted to overwhelm him with numbers.
But after only a few seconds, it became clear that they stood no chance.
Slash!
Leon stepped forward and cut one down cleanly, his movements sharp and controlled.
Another snake tried to coil around his leg, but he twisted his body and drove his blade down, splitting its head open.
One by one, the poison snakes fell, their speed no longer enough to threaten him.
Soon, only the mutated monster remained.
Monsters' [Combat Power] wasn't just a flat number. It was calculated based on attributes, skills, and sometimes even equipment-like traits.
In the case of this mutated poison snake, the reason its combat power was so high was simple: its speed was absurd.
Before Leon could fully reposition himself, the snake suddenly vanished from where it stood, its body blurring as it shot forward.
In the next instant, its jaws were already clamped down on Leon's arm.
"…!"
Leon reacted immediately, but not fast enough to stop the bite outright.
Purple Jade! Fwoosh!
A violet glow burst to life around Leon's arm as the defensive skill from his [Purple Jade Necklace] activated.
A translucent layer of jade-like energy formed at the exact point of impact, blocking the snake's fangs before they could pierce his flesh.
"Hiss?"
The mutated poison snake recoiled slightly, clearly confused by the sudden resistance.
That hesitation was all Leon needed.
Slash!
Leon swung his weapon upward, carving a deep wound across the snake's neck. Before it could even scream, he followed up with a spell.
Fireball!
The flames detonated at point-blank range, engulfing the snake entirely.
Ding!
[You have killed x4 "Poison Snake" and gained 80 experience points.]
[You have killed "Poison Snake (Mutated)" and gained 50 experience points.]
[100% Drop Rate has triggered, items have been automatically placed in your storage space.]
Leon exhaled slowly and opened his storage space almost immediately.
But once again… there was no antidote.
He didn't dwell on it for long. Instead, he consumed the essences dropped by the snakes, feeling his body grow lighter and more responsive as his agility increased by another sixteen points.
Then another system message appeared.
Ding!
[You have consumed two identical equipments… enhancement successful!]
Leon's lips curled into a grin.
"Nice."
[Poison Fang Dagger +2 (Common): +30 Attack, +10 Strength. Applies "Poison" on target.]
The dagger's stats now rivaled his [Goblin Machete +3], and on top of that, it carried a poison effect. Against living enemies, that alone made it extremely dangerous.
Leon didn't hesitate.
Fwish!
He equipped the [Poison Fang Dagger +2], feeling its balance settle perfectly into his hand. Immediately after, he opened the [Trading House].
He listed his [Goblin Machete +3] for sale, this time pricing it at 50 Eternal Coins.
And almost instantly—
Ding!
[Your "Goblin Machete +3" has been sold.]
Leon raised an eyebrow, amused.
'I guess people are really watching me now.'
He didn't care much either way. If anything, it worked in his favor. As long as he kept moving forward and killing monsters, he could continuously supply powerful equipment to other players and profit from it.
To everyone else, the items he sold were absurdly strong. To Leon, they were just extras.
Among the other drops, one item stood out.
[Poison Potion (Uncommon): Drink to be poisoned.]
"…No thank you."
Leon shook his head and tossed it back into storage. He had no intention of using it now, though he made a mental note that it might be useful later.
'I'll only really be able to move forward after Level 10,' Leon thought as he pushed deeper into the cave. 'Only then does the real [Eternal Ascension] begin.'
Everything before that was little more than a brutal tutorial.
After reaching Level 10, players would be transported to the [Novice Divine Temple] for their first assessment. That was when things truly started to separate the strong from the weak.
But Leon wasn't there yet. So he focused on what was in front of him.
He continued slaughtering [Poison Snakes], cutting through [Poison Archers], and clearing chamber after chamber.
Time passed quickly as his movements grew smoother and more efficient.
By the time he reached the deepest part of the cave, his agility had increased even further, and he had collected enough [Poison Fang Daggers] to enhance his own weapon again.
Fwish!
[Poison Fang Dagger +3 (Common): +50 Attack, +25 Strength. Applies "Poison" on target.]
Leon examined the blade for a moment, satisfied.
Then he stepped forward. And finally… he saw it. At the very end of the cave stood the boss.
---
[Poisonous Mushroom Leader (Boss)]
[Level: 5]
[Combat Power: 650]
[Details: A mutated mushroom that releases toxic spores into the air.]
---
"Damn," Leon muttered.
The creature was massive, its body resembling a grotesque mushroom with thick roots anchoring it to the ground.
A gaping mouth split its stem, lined with jagged growths, while yellow, unblinking eyes stared directly at Leon.
Around it were several [Poison Snakes], one of them mutated, as well as multiple [Poison Archers] perched along the cave walls.
The moment Leon stepped into the chamber, the battle began.
Fireball!
Leon launched his spell without hesitation. The fireball struck the boss directly, flames spreading rapidly across its fungal body.
'I mean… it's a mushroom,' Leon thought with a faint grin. 'Of course it's weak to fire.'
Vision Enhancement!
He activated his skill immediately as the poison snakes lunged and the poison archers fired their arrows. The world slowed, every attack becoming easy to read.
Leon moved through the chaos, dodging arrows, cutting down snakes, and repositioning with ease.
But the boss wasn't idle.
Poisonous Spores!
The [Poisonous Mushroom Leader] shook violently, releasing a thick green haze that spread throughout the cave.
'Can't breathe that,' Leon thought sharply.
He closed his mouth and held his breath, but even then—
Ding!
[You have been afflicted with "Poison."]
"…Figures," Leon muttered.
Even standing near the thing was enough. He knew he had to finish the fight fast.
Within twenty seconds, most of the monsters were dead. Only the mutated poison snake and a few archers remained.
Fireball!
Leon incinerated the archers in one blast, then rushed forward and cut down the mutated snake.
And just like that, only the boss remained.
Fueled by his now monstrous agility, over one hundred, he dashed forward in a blur and stopped right in front of the [Poisonous Mushroom Leader].
"Give me that antidote," Leon said calmly.
Slash!
He drove his dagger deep into the boss's body. The poison effect didn't activate, as expected, but the damage was severe.
Leon leapt back and raised his arm.
Fireball!
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the boss, flames consuming it entirely. Its body blackened and collapsed, its life force fading rapidly.
Ding!
[You have killed "Poisonous Mushroom Leader" and gained 400 experience points.]
[You have killed "Poison Snake (Mutated)" and gained 50 experience points.]
[You have killed…]
[100% Drop Rate has triggered, items have been automatically placed in your storage space.]
"Perfect."
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 4!]
[You have gained 5 points in all attributes and 5 free points to distribute.]
Leon let out a slow breath.
Only then did he fully realize just how much he had done while still technically being a low-level player.
Without wasting time, he opened his storage space, eyes sharp as he searched for the one thing that mattered most.