Now that Leon's combat power had climbed past 3,000, he wasn't particularly afraid of the monsters inside the [Wild Ruins] anymore, even on [Hard] difficulty.
As he walked through yet another long stone hallway, he casually glanced at the items in his storage space, his attention landing on the [Skill Stones x8].
"Let's see…"
Upgrading [Vision Enhancement] or [Appraisal] cost 3 skill stones each.
[Strong Fireball] required 5. And [Lightning Strike] needed a hefty 7.
Leon didn't hesitate for long.
If he wanted efficiency, he had to pick the option that gave him the most overall value.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have upgraded "Strong Fireball (Level 4)" to "Strong Fireball (Level 5)"]
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have upgraded "Vision Enhancement (Level 3)" to "Vision Enhancement (Level 4)"]
Leon immediately checked the updated descriptions.
[Vision Enhancement (Level 4): Consume a certain amount of Spirit to enhance one's dynamic vision for two minutes, 2-minutes cooldown.]
[Strong Fireball (Level 5): Focus your Spirit and condense it into a very strong fireball that strikes a target and may apply "Burn."]
"Nice."
Leon nodded in satisfaction.
These skill levels were already absurd for someone still inside the [Novice Village] phase.
Most players wouldn't even dream of having level 5 offensive skills at this stage. And yet, Leon wasn't satisfied.
He knew this wasn't even close to his limit.
After all, even level 10 monsters couldn't survive a single direct hit from his fireballs anymore. That alone was proof of how overwhelming his power had become.
With his upgraded skeleton staff in his left hand and the [Flame Tail Sword] in his right, Leon reached the end of the hallway where he had fought the skeleton magicians.
Holding two weapons at once still felt strange.
He was used to wielding a sword that boosted his magic, not splitting his focus between a blade and a staff.
Still, he knew this setup was temporary.
Once he acquired the items he truly wanted, this awkward fighting style would disappear.
Leon stepped forward, and froze.
"Huh?"
What appeared before him was completely different from what he expected.
In the [Easy] and [Normal] difficulties, the [Wild Ruins] remained indoors from start to finish: stone halls, chambers, bridges, and underground structures.
But now? Leon was outside.
Before him stretched a dense forest, thick with towering trees and tangled roots.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting broken shadows across the ground. The air felt alive, filled with faint spiritual energy.
"This isn't normal…" Leon muttered.
He scratched his chin lightly.
"Maybe… even the boss is different?"
The dungeon layout had already diverged heavily from what he remembered. The monsters were stronger, smarter, and more aggressive.
In [Easy] and [Normal], the final boss was always the [Ruins Guardian], with its strength adjusted to the chosen difficulty.
But in Leon's past life, many players speculated that the [Ruins Guardian] wasn't the true ruler of the [Wild Forest].
They believed something stronger existed, but was unreachable.
Most assumed it was hidden behind [Hard] difficulty. Leon's eyes gleamed.
"Looks like they were right."
He moved forward without hesitation, stepping into the forest beyond the ruins.
As he pushed through the trees, monsters quickly began to appear.
[Nature Foxes] darted between roots and bushes, their green-tinted fur blending perfectly with the surroundings.
A [Flower Fiend] emerged from the ground, its body made of twisting vines and thorn-covered petals.
None of them stood a chance. Leon raised his staff.
Strong Fireball!
BOOM!
One monster was erased instantly.
Lightning Strike!
Zap!
Another collapsed before it could even react.
If any survived or managed to dodge, Leon finished them with a single slash of his sword.
His raw strength alone was enough to crush level 10 monsters with ease.
Most of these enemies had combat power close to 2,000, far stronger than the monsters inside the ruins.
But against Leon, it didn't matter.
His talent activated again and again, ensuring that every kill dropped everything it could.
Still, Leon didn't stop to inspect every item. Right now, momentum mattered more than loot.
And eventually—
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 9!]
[You have gained 5 points in all attributes and 5 free points to distribute.]
"Phew."
Leon exhaled slowly. Only one more level.
Once he reached level 10, he would be forced to leave the [Novice Village] phase and enter the [Novice Divine Temple].
That was where the true [Eternal Ascension] began.
Compared to what came after, the novice phase really was just a playground.
Leon wasn't scared. Unlike his past life, he knew what awaited him. And because of that… he felt calm.
He opened his [Storage Space] and reviewed everything he had obtained so far.
---
[Eternal Coins x285]
[Nature Fox Essence x9: +5 Spirit, +3 Agility.]
[Flower Fiend Essence x7: +4 Strength, +4 Constitution.]
[Nature Boots x5: +100 Agility, +50 Constitution. Requirement: Level 9.]
[Flower Petals x6: Cosmetic accessory. May be sold.]
[Skill Stones x8]
[Enhancement Stones x6]
---
"This is a lot."
Leon immediately began using the items. He consumed every essence without hesitation. Warm energy flooded his body.
[+28 Strength, +28 Constitution, +45 Spirit, +27 Agility.]
His stats climbed even higher.
Next, he focused on the [Nature Boots]. He attempted to fuse them.
Unfortunately, only one of the enhancement attempts succeeded. Two shattered into fragments.
Still, Leon wasn't disappointed.
[Nature Boots +2 (Rare): +150 Agility, +75 Constitution.]
"Good enough."
He equipped them instantly.
As for the [Flower Petals], Leon shrugged and left them in storage. Cosmetic items sometimes gained value later on.
With his stats adjusted and equipment upgraded, Leon continued moving forward.
He was about to allocate his remaining stones when he stopped. Ahead was a small clearing. Three figures stood within it.
"Huh."
Leon scanned the surroundings first.
Trees formed a complete circle around the clearing, thick and impenetrable.
There was nothing beyond this place. Which meant only one thing.
"This is it."
The boss area.
Leon shifted his attention to the monsters. Two stood at the front.
The first was massive, a carnivorous flower over five meters tall.
Its blood-red petals looked like twisted tongues, constantly moving and releasing a heavy, suffocating fragrance into the air.
Sharp, jagged teeth lined the edges of its petals, glinting coldly.
The second figure was familiar: the [Ruins Guardian]. The same boss players fought on [Easy] and [Normal] difficulty.
---
[Ruins Guardian (Boss)]
[Level: 10]
[Combat Power: 2,500]
[Status: Controlled.]
[Details: The usual boss of the Wild Ruins. It seems to be controlled by something.]
---
And beside it—
---
[Flower Demon King (Boss)]
[Level: 10]
[Combat Power: 3,000]
[Details: A flower that spreads its fragrance to control others and use them to fight.]
---
"So that's how it is," Leon muttered.
The [Ruins Guardian] was being controlled by the [Flower Demon King].
That alone proved how dangerous the flower truly was.
And yet… Leon's expression didn't change.
The [Flower Demon King] looked powerful. Its combat power, abilities, and presence all screamed "final boss."
But Leon knew better.
"It's not the real one."
After all, it lacked the [Zone Boss] title. Leon shifted his gaze past the two bosses.
And there, sitting calmly on a throne woven entirely from living vines was the true ruler of the [Wild Forest]. The figure slowly leaned forward.
"A human has reached this place," it said calmly. "Very well."
Leon's eyes narrowed as he read the panel that appeared.
---
[Wild Forest King (Zone Boss)]
[Level: 10]
[Talent: Constitution Enhancement (F-Level), Strength Enhancement (F-Level)]
[Combat Power: 4,000]
[Details: The strongest monster in the Wild Forest, ruler over all others.]
---
"As expected," Leon nodded. "This boss only exists on [Hard] difficulty."
Instead of fear, a smile spread across his face.
Even though the [Wild Forest King] was the strongest monster in the zone… Leon's combat power was already higher than that.
Three bosses. Three massive loot drops. Leon tightened his grip on his sword and staff.
"I'm taking all of it."