[Fire Lizard (Boss)]
[Level: 9]
[Talent: Constitution Enhancement (F-Level)]
[Combat Power: 1,500]
[Details: a lizard that really likes to burn things, it is its hobby to burn parts of the wild forest.]
---
As monsters and beasts grew stronger, their [Combat Power] would naturally rise alongside their levels.
This increase wasn't linear either. Lower-level creatures gained power slowly, but the higher their level became, the more noticeable the jump.
And among all of them, bosses were the most extreme cases.
Some bosses possessed combat power far beyond what their level alone suggested, making them infamous obstacles that wiped out careless players.
Still, Leon felt no pressure at all.
Right now, his own combat power sat at around 1,700.
That already put him comfortably above the [Fire Lizard].
The creature itself was massive, standing close to two meters tall. Its body was covered in thick crimson scales that glowed faintly, as if heat was constantly trapped beneath them.
Flames leaked from between the plates of its armor-like hide, scorching the ground wherever it stepped.
Around it, several trees were already burning, their trunks blackened and cracked as fire crawled upward.
But what truly caught Leon's attention wasn't its size or its destructive behavior. It was the talent.
Monsters could possess talents just like players.
Every being had a main talent, something fundamental to their existence. For players, this was the talent they awakened with, something irreplaceable. Monsters were the same in that regard.
However, in addition to their main talent, both players and monsters could sometimes possess something else entirely: [Sub-Talents].
These were secondary abilities that enhanced specific aspects of one's body or skills. Their effects varied wildly.
Some were weak and barely noticeable, while others were strong enough to rival, or even surpass, a main talent under the right circumstances.
There were even rumors of SS-Level Sub-Talents.
Leon had never seen one personally, but he knew they existed.
As for SSS-Level sub-talents… he had never heard of a single confirmed case.
Because of that, Leon was quite confident that no talent in [Eternal Ascension] could surpass his own.
Looking at the [Fire Lizard], Leon made a decision almost instantly.
There was no point in wasting mana on fire-based attacks.
A creature like this was almost certainly immune to flames, or at least highly resistant. Throwing a fireball at it would be nothing more than a flashy waste of time.
So instead—
Lightning Strike!
Zap!
A bolt of lightning exploded from Leon's hand, tearing through the air in a straight line. The moment the [Fire Lizard] turned its head toward him, the lightning struck it directly.
The impact was immediate.
Electricity surged across the creature's scales, its entire body stiffening as the lightning coursed through it. The [Fire Lizard] froze in place, muscles locked, unable to react.
Leon didn't hesitate. He rushed forward the instant the spell connected.
Slash!
His blade flashed as he swung toward the lizard's neck. The edge bit into its scales, carving a deep wound, but before Leon could finish the job—
Bam!
The [Fire Lizard] slammed one of its massive legs into the ground.
A violent shockwave spread outward, and with it came an eruption of fire. Flames burst in a wide circle, consuming the grass and turning the clearing into a sea of burning embers.
Leon immediately leaped backward, narrowly escaping the worst of the blast. Heat washed over him, and behind him, the grass was reduced to ash in seconds.
"Tch."
The boss wasn't going down that easily.
Vision Enhancement!
Leon activated his ability, and the world around him sharpened. Movements slowed in his perception, every detail becoming clearer and more defined.
The [Fire Lizard] inhaled sharply, flames gathering around its mouth as it prepared another attack.
Fwoosh!
Leon surged forward instead.
With his enhanced vision, the creature's movements were painfully obvious. Its tail tensed, muscles coiling in preparation for a swing.
The tail came sweeping toward him, trailing fire behind it like a blazing whip.
Leon sidestepped calmly.
Even though their combat power values were close, the difference between them was obvious. Leon's experience, control, and raw strength completely overwhelmed the boss.
Slash!
His blade came down on the tail.
The reinforced scales shattered under the force of the strike, and the tail was severed cleanly in half. The burning appendage crashed to the ground, flames sputtering as it twitched.
ROOAR!
The [Fire Lizard] let out a deafening roar filled with pain and rage. Its body twisted, trying to retaliate, but Leon was already moving.
SLASH!
In a single, fluid motion, Leon cut upward, slicing through the lizard's neck. He didn't even bother casting another spell. This was pure physical power.
The massive head fell from the body, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Flames flared briefly around it before fading away.
The body collapsed moments later, lifeless.
Ding!
[You have killed "Fire Lizard (Level 9 Boss)" and gained 1,000 experience points.]
[100% Drop Rate has triggered, items have been automatically placed in your storage space.]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 7!]
[You have gained 5 points in all attributes and 5 free points to distribute.]
"Nice."
Leon let out a satisfied breath.
Boss monsters always gave more experience than regular ones, and since this boss was higher-level than him, the reward was even greater.
With this level-up, every single one of Leon's attributes had finally surpassed 100.
That alone was a massive milestone.
Without wasting time, Leon opened his storage space and focused on the real prize: the drops.
'I wonder…' Leon thought, 'if that talent will drop as well.'
Bosses that possessed talents were rare. Even when they did, those talents were usually low-tier, like this F-Level one.
On top of that, the drop rate for talents was abysmally low. Most players were lucky to ever obtain even a single sub-talent in their entire time playing.
Yet as Leon looked at the items now resting in his storage space, a grin slowly spread across his face.
[Eternal Coins x50]
[Fire Lizard Essence: Consuming will increase spirit by 5 and strength by 4.]
[Flame Tail Sword (Rare): +100 Attack, +50 Strength. May apply "Burn" on a target. Requirement: At least one fire-related skill.]
[Sub-Talent Scroll: Constitution Enhancement (F-Level). Requirement: 150 Constitution.]
"Damn."
This was an incredible haul.
Leon immediately added the Eternal Coins to his balance and consumed the essence without hesitation. A warm sensation spread through his body as his spirit and strength increased.
Then his attention shifted to the final two items.
'A new weapon… and a sub-talent. Just as expected.'
Because Leon's talent allowed him to obtain everything a monster possessed, it meant that whenever he killed a boss with a talent, there was an extremely high chance he would get it.
With that in mind, Leon couldn't help but imagine his future.
Multiple sub-talents. Permanent enhancements stacking on top of each other.
The thought alone was enough to make his heart race.
Leon unequipped the [Poison Fang Dagger +3] and equipped the [Flame Tail Sword] instead. The blade felt heavier in his hand, but also far more powerful.
Thankfully, he had [Strong Fireball], which fulfilled the requirement.
Even at level 1, the sword's stats surpassed the dagger's. There was no reason to keep the old weapon anymore.
Leon immediately listed the dagger on the [Trading House] for 75 Eternal Coins.
It sold almost instantly. Satisfied, Leon turned his attention to the [Sub-Talent Scroll].
These scrolls were absurdly valuable. In the future, they would sell for tens of thousands of Eternal Coins, easily.
Even an F-Level talent was still a permanent bonus, and bonuses like that were priceless. The only real downside was the requirement, which could be absurdly high.
Luckily for Leon, his constitution was more than enough.
Without hesitation, he poured his mana into the scroll and tore it apart.
Fwoosh! Ding!
Golden particles burst from the scroll, swirling around him before engraving themselves into his body.
[Congratulations, you have learned the F-Level Sub-Talent: "Constitution Enhancement"]
[Constitution Enhancement (F-Level): Permanently increase constitution by 10%.]
"Nice."
This was exactly the kind of sub-talent Leon liked.
Simple. Practical. Always active.
A permanent 10% increase in constitution might not sound impressive at first, but as his base stats continued to rise, the value of this talent would grow alongside them.
And its evolutions? They were far stronger.
Satisfied with the results, Leon checked his status once more.
With the level-up, new equipment, and sub-talent, his combat power had officially surpassed 2,000.
That alone placed him far ahead of where he should be at this stage.
After finishing his preparations, Leon didn't stop.
He continued deeper into the forest.
He was already close to the deepest parts of the wild forest, and turning back now would be pointless.
With his current [Combat Power], level 10 monsters were well within his reach. There was nothing to fear.
After several minutes of steady movement, Leon slowed to a stop.
Something massive loomed ahead. A structure.
"Oh," Leon muttered as he looked up, "I guess I'm back here after so long."
Before him stood the [Wild Ruins]. The most dangerous zone in the entire [Wild Forest].