Daisuke let out a deep breath as he rexed his shoulders, his dagger dissolving into nothingness as he casually approached the troll’s lifeless form. His gaze wandered over the massive corpse, eventually nding on the hulking club beside it. On impulse, driven by a flicker of curiosity, he crouched down and ed his fingers around the on’s hilt, feeling its weight in his grip.
DING!
[Sturdy Club has been acquired.]
[Sturdy Club +2]
[Rank: Rare
Type: Blunt on
Melee Attack Power: 78~92 | Durability: 20/67 | Attack Speed: -12%
The Exiled Hilitroll Chief’s trusty on, hewn from the limb of the millennia-old oak known as the Tree of Assion. Legend holds that every former chieftain’s on was cut and carved from this aree.
?? Strength +5
?? Knockback ce +85%
ditions of Use: Lvl 16+ | Strength 60+ | Stamina 25+]
Daisuke’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No way! This ’t be right! Are you seriously telli’s possible to take a mob’s on after killing it? Will this work every time—or is this just some kind of special case? Is there really no limit to what an NP do?”
“Kyuu?” Zephyr tilted his head.
Daisuke grinned widely as he stowed the on, reag down to ruffle the pup’s fur. “You did great, buddy—couldn’t have do without you.” Now I’ll be able to make use of the knockback debuff again. It’s saved my skin more times than I t.
After seg the troll in his iory, Daisuke plopped himself down against a nearby tree. “So I gained a single level, huh? A far cry from the ten I got st time. Let’s see… if I got 78k EXP and the split is forty-sixty between Zephyr ahat means the troll gives roughly… 130k EXP. Not bad for a level 17 Field Boss. I’ve also firmed that Field Bosses emit a green aura when viewed with the Eye of Verity. A third enter would solidify that for sure.”
While Zephyr gnawed on his favorite bone, Daisuke popped aherberry into his mouth and started browsing through the items he’d received before defeating Adrian and his puppets. I never did take a moment to check these out, did I?
[Aetherc +2]
[Rating: Legendary
Durability: 8/8 | Magical Defense: 8.3% | Magical & Physical Bance: 9.2%
Crafted by the mystics of the Crystal Vale, the Aetherc is a rare treasure, coveted by mages and sorcerers who seek greater depths of magic. Its steady hum of energy empowers spellcasters and is said to bind them to a near-endless well of are power.
?? HP & MP Regen Speed +12%
?? Str +5
?? Skill Cooldowion +10%
?? Casting Speed +15%
?? MP +250
?? MP +25%
ditions of Use: Lvl 29+]
“No way! You’re kidding!” Daisuke excimed, his eyes sparkling. “I ’t believe we scored anendary item! If I remember right, the st one came from that Demihuman Goblin.” He cupped his thoughtfully. “The chimera was a unique mob too… maybe unique monsters really do have a higher drop rate fendary items.”
Summoning his avatar menu, Daisuke eagerly proceeded to equip the new accessory. In the accessory se, there’s only slots for tws, two bracelets, a single neckce, and earrings are apparently seen as a pair. Like the Titan’s Mind Cuff, I’ll have to s something out. I guess I’ll chose this since I’m pretty much getting a better stat:
[Dunken’s Copper Ring]
[Rating: Normal
Durability: 5/5 | Magical Defense: +3.3% | Magical & Physical Bance: +4%
A ring polished shtly it resembles a gold .
?? Strength +3
ditions of Use: Lvl 16+]
The MP boost is definitely a wele bonus, Daisuke thought, feeling pleased. Man, legendary items are really something else—extra stats and all. He couldn’t help but grin, eager to see what else was there. Let’s see what’s …
[Celestial Cube (White)]
Celestial Cube… Daisuke mused, sav the sweet taste of the berry on his tongue. Now that I think about it, the first time I got one of these was from Casimir, but I ook the time to check it out. I think I got these other drops back then, too.
[Ruablet]
[Brothel Blueprints]
Anyway, let’s start with the cube.
[Celestial Cube (White)]
[Category: Alchemy Material
Quantity: White x4 | Blue x1 | e x0 | Gold x0
Rarity: Epic
While humans drew inspiration from Cedric’s groundbreaking work, which led to the creation of Reinfort Tablets, the Dwarves pursued their own path, ultimately developing the Celestial Cube. This rare and precious artifact is used in tandem with Reinfort Tablets to further enhahe process of equipment reinfort. Each Celestial Cube is crafted to fit seamlessly into the ter of a tablet, signifitly amplifying its effects.
The alchemists who viewed Cedric’s work as sacred were ed by the Dwarves’ audacious adaptation of their teology. They saw the Celestial Cube as a brazen act of exploitation, believing that their iion had been undermined and reduced to a mere stepping stone for the Dwarves’ innovations. The mere thought of any symbiotic retionship between their work and that of the Dwarves was enough to ignite disdain and bitterness.
However, this enmity did little to deter the masses. Despite the alchemists’ rese, people eagerly embraced the powerful bination of both artifacts, merging the Reinfort Tablets with the Celestial Cube to elevate their equipment’s strength.
Item Effects:
Celestial Cubes e in four distinct tiers and the rarity and value increases by eacrement. Each successive tier carries the effects of the previous:
?? White: Increases the ce of success
?? Blue: Prevents the decrease of maximum durability
?? e: Prevents the destru of the on
?? Gold: When the reinfort process of an item with a reinfort level of +4 reater fails, the reinfort level is maintai +4]
Daisuke arched one brow uhusiastically. “Okay then, that’s a bit much to process right now. So tell you what, I’ll e back to this when I’m actually ready to start reinf my gear. up is…”
[Ruablet]
[Category: A Rune Language
Quantity: 5
Rarity: Unique
[…]
The moment Daisuke’s eyes nded on the first plex sentence, his expression instantly dulled. Without a sed thought, he bypassed it entirely, moving on without a word.
[Anneliese’s Letter]
[Category: Mail
Quantity: 1
Rarity: Unique
A finely crafted part sealed with the distinctive wax insignia of a noble house. The letter is addressed to “Lue” and is magically bound to its recipient, ensuring that no o the intended break the seal or read its tents.]
Daisuke cupped his . Why would something like this drop from a mob? Was Annaliese maybe the mother who was transformed into the chimera? And who’s Lue? I don’t think I’ll be able to figure this out on my own, so I may as well put it aside for now.
[Serpent’s Tendon]
[Category: Monster Material
Quantity: 3
Rarity: Epic
A flexible yet powerful tendon from the chimera’s reptilian form. This material is ofteo craft high-quality bs htweight, high-durability ons.]
[Chimera’s Scales]
[Category: Monster Material
Quantity: 8
Rarity: Unique
Thick, iridest scales that are incredibly durable. Ideal for crafting armor or reinf shields, these scales carry traces of alchemical residue, making them resistant to elemental magic.]
Daisuke bed his fihrough his hair. After unlog the Perception stat, I found that I could now view additional information about monster materials, including their rarity. Perception seems like one of those versatile skills that offers a wide range of bes.
As fur pyers, I think it’s likely a case where a basic appraisal skill is learhrough a mandatory low-level quest at the beginning of the game—something straightforward like assisting a bcksmith or a mert with a simple task.
But more importantly, this item…
[Homunculus Serum (Residue)]
[Category: Alchemy Material
Quantity: 1
Rarity: Unique
A curious fluid that seeped from the homunculus’s corpse after its demise as a result of its highly immiscible properties. Now exhibiting a slightly coaguted sistency, this serum possesses mysterious qualities that make it a valuable po for skilled alchemists. However, its uling ins provoke ethical questions and caution in its use.]
Daisuke ced his fingers beh his ptively, his eyes half-lidded. It feels like the more I’m exposed to alchemy, the more fusing and terrifying it bees. I vividly remember that bastard shoving something down his ckey’s throat before he transformed into a monster. Reginald used a differehod on his mother, but the result was more or less the same. Those two are more alike than they realize.
But, seriously, aside from Reinfort Tablets aial Cubes, is there anything else positive that alchemy has to offer? Even mana crystals give me the creeps. Just like in the real world, I’m starting to think—
Before Daisuke could finish his train of thought, a familiar growl reached his ears. “Oh, e on,” he sighed, pushing himself to his feet with a zy stretch. “It was just a few of your pals. Why are you guys always so hung up on revenge?”
It was uaiher Kobolds could uand the human nguage, but the creatures s the boy’s patronizing remark, ing closer with their menag fangs and cws on dispy. Zephyr didn’t seem too disappointed about abandoning his bone. He fshed a wicked grin as he squared off against the dariiles, his cws digging into the ground.
Daisuke summohe Lipanthyer’s Fang in his hand, his expression indifferent as he threw himself into the fray alongside his partner, cleaving through their foes like wet cy. While Zephyr was having a field day obliterating the ehat were several levels below them, Daisuke was deep in thought.
I ventured farther east and have wiped out hordes of general-css mobs, way strohan the ones near Wonderelle, but the EXP gain is barely anything. This is ridiculous! All that hard work, and it feels like I’m getting the same lousy return as dealing with the cost of living ba the real world.
G!
A barbed tail, bristling with spikes like a pore’s quills, crashed violently against a barrier evoked by a perfectly timed parry. Daisuke’s eyes gleamed with enace, refleg the brilliant blue sparks that erupted from the hexagonal shield.
[ail Kobold | Lvl 24 | General | HP: 1108/1479]
The Lipanthyer’s Fang sliced through the air with deadly purpose, weaving a sharp, intricate web that rehe fiend into lifeless ks in the blink of an eye.
DING!
[129 Experience Points have been acquired.]
That’s insane! Daisuke fumed inwardly, clearly irritated. Between Zephyr ahat’s only 215 EXP—meaning we’d have to take down well over a thousand mobs just to level up once!
There’s something I’m curious about, Daisuke thought, ung a Kobold with a roundhouse kick. In other MMOs that I’ve pyed, there was this sweet spot—if a pyer was exactly 10 levels lower than the mob, it was the ideal level gap frinding optimal EXP.
But the mobs here arely tough. I’m level 34, and the stro mobs around are these level 24 Kobolds. Maybe I’ll run into something stronger on the way to Lunarel.
“In the meantime,” Daisuke muttered, springing onto a high tree branch for what felt like the thousandth time, “I’ll tinue sing for Field Bosses and Dungeons. One Hilitroll Chief is worth more than several hundred of these weaklings—so if I want to power up fast, I o start fog on the rarer game.”
Ign Zephyr who was clearly lost in a sea of euphoria while massag the Kobolds, Daisuke activated the Eye of Verity. Instantly, his vision expahe world around him sharpening with crystal crity. Squinting against the harsh sunbeams, he sed the surroundings, his senses heightened and alert—
DING!
[The proficy of the active skill ?Eye of Verity? has advao level 3! The affiliated active skills ?Bird’s-Eye View? and ?Eagle Eye? have been acquired.]
[Eye of Verity]
[Rank: Unique
Cssification: Active Skill
Lvl: 3
Proficy: 0.6%
Your i distrust of people and desire for transparency have culminated in this power bestowed through Alchemy.
Skill Effect:
?? Endows the wielder with the ability to dis truth from falsehood, analyze target stats, and glimpse beyond the boundaries of reality.
?? Unlocks the ?Sixth Sense? skill
?? Unlocks the ?Bird’s-Eye View? skill
?? Unlocks the ?Eagle Eye? skill
Stamina Cost: 0.7% ? Sed
Skill Cooldown: None]
[Bird’s-Eye View]
[Rank: Rare
Cssification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficy: 0%
Harnessing the ability to transd ground-level perspective, this skill allows the user to view the world from above as if s on wings. Eerrain, and traps bee visible from an aerial vantage point, tactical insight.
Skill Effect:
?? Temporarily shifts your perspective to a bird’s-eye view.
Mana Cost: 50
Skill Duration: 40 Seds
Skill Cooldown: 5 Minutes]
[Eagle Eye]
[Rank: Rare
Cssification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficy: 0%
This skill grants unparalleled vision, allowing the user to clearly see across vast distances up to 800 meters. Whether spotting distant enemies, hidden threats, or crucial details in the ndscape, nothing escapes your enhanced gaze.
Skill Effect:
?? Extends yht to 800 meters.
Mana Cost: 50
Skill Duration: 40 Seds
Skill Cooldown: 5 Minutes]
The world looked unfamiliar from an aerial point of view. sidering the fact that the Arium Kingdom experienced lighter winters, multicolored leaves still g to the trees as the season gradually shifted to winter. It was breathtaking.
Using both newly acquired skills in tandem, Daisuke began sg the forested ndscape. His eyes widened in surprise as his field of vision expanded dramatically. It was like his eyes were lio a drone—no, more like being fully immersed in the Google Earth application. The sensation disoriented him briefly, but his posure stat quickly settled the dizziness, grounding his senses.
“This is unbelievable!” he marveled, his gaze sweeping over the vast expanse of treetops. He had to remind himself to stay still, knowing one wrong step would send him plummeting from his lofty perd nding ft on his face.
All of a sudden, an e aura as rge as a mountain caught his eye, glowing brightly from the northwestern coastal region, and it left him utterly speechless. “Isn’t that near Dusthaven?” he muttered in disbelief. The source of the glow was over 800 meters away—well beyond the reach of his heightened gaze.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen an aura that big, and e, no less! What could it be?” He ched his fists, torn by curiosity. “Damn! I want to check it out, but I ’t turn baow. Guess it’ll have to wait for aime.”
As the final set of words faded from his lips, Daisuke’s attention was snagged by something else—less mysterious, yet equally intriguing. A faint green glow shimmered just beyond his range of sight, which he was almost certain marked the presence of Field Bosses.
He was about to call out to Zephyr, who had nearly finished exag his delicious vengean the reptilians, when he suddenly froze. His expression darkened, and his senses honed in on something far off in the distance, something uling… and possibly alive.
Without a sed thought, Daisuke willed a kunai into his hand and hurled it with lethal precision. His golden eyes glinted as the bde sliced effortlessly through the thick forest foliage.
G!
The on embedded itself deep into a tree trunk, and for a brief moment, the forest remaiill. Then, slowly, as if peeling away from the shadows themselves, a creature began to materialize around the kunai, its natural camoufge fading as its lifeless form was revealed.
Daisuke frowned. A chameleon?
Sinlog the Sixth Sense skill, he had grown aced to the uling feeling of being watched. It lingered like a nagging whisper in the back of his mind, never fully retreating, never allowing him to rex. For the loime, he chalked it up to paranoia, maybe even a touch of PTSD.
But now, with the bined power of Eagle Eye, the truth became undeniable. That eerie sensation wasn’t just a product of his imagination; he was being closely monitored all along. But the pressing question loomed rger than ever: by whom?
“Looks like the perfect didate for a familiar,” Daisuke murmured, leaning in for a closer iion of the motionless creature.
Zephyr cocked his head curiously, hanging off Daisuke’s shoulder.
“I have a feeling it was staying just beyond my line of sight, but I bet it never anticipated I’d acquire a skill that lets me see 800 meters away. But lingerio e up with wild theories isn’t going to help me. I serouble brewing on the horizon, and the best I dht now is get ready for whatever lies ahead.”
Daisuke’s eyes fshed as he turned in the dire of the green aura he’d seen earlier, an evil smile teasing his lips.
