Chapter 79_ Easy Clears (2)

Looking at the boss monster at the ninth island, Lexus snorted at the boss monster's characteristics. It was the intrinsic or inherent ability to possess absurd defense and health that was incomparable to field monsters.

Lexus is a legend that could exert the ultimate attack power. Not to mention that he was equipped with the best items so those advantages of the boss monster doesn't mean much to him. Intellectual King Solomon has perfectly analyzed and predicted every move of the boss monster for Lexus and outcome of this island's misson.

'No, I shouldn't be too elated.'

Lexus shook his head. He should remain polite when he meets with opponents that are weaker than him. He thinks that it would be very cool of him and would be really frightening if he has the attitude to never underestimate anyone.

Even if the boss monster in front of him doesn't realize the difference in their ability, he should do his best as always. With such thoughts, Lexus smiled, clad with a legend's dignity. He exhibited the aura of a Sword Saint and the Undefeated King.

Mortality Sword!

The haze of black flames with intense magical energy of Lexus appears around Virulent. These black flames that were powered by the magic power from the Dragon Heart and attributes of darkness, it possessed unparalleled power which cannot be resisted by normal means.

With the first step of his approach towards the boss monster, a large crack ran through the island's grounds. The depth of the crack testifying to his step's power.

[You have dealt 5,000,000 damage to the target!]

['Hydra's Venom' is encroaching the affected targets in the vicinity!]

[...]

[You have dealt 5,000,000 damage to the target!]

[Critical!]

[You have dealt 8,000,000 damage to the target!]

For a second, a clicking sound rang out. Lexus pressed his sword against the monster's neck for letting its guard down for a single moment. It was a sure-kill strike that brought him decisive victory before his enemy could gauge his strength. The first form of the swordsmanship of Lexus has a total of five strikes that deals 8,000% attack damage in each strike but, all it took to decapitate the boss monster of the ninth island was just until the third strike.

[You have cleared the ninth island.]

[You have acquired 24 challenger points for the mission success.]

Lexus was startled for a moment. He didn't expected that a boss monster over level 300 would be done in by three blows. He didn't even have the opportunity to land all five attacks, to activate the blockade effect in the fifth strike and he wasn't able to summon the Wave of Fire in the final slash.

'Should I be disappointed that my swordsmanship is too strong?'

Lexus pondered as he sheathed his legendary sword. The boss monster is a higher level than he was but it suffered an overwhelming defeat from his might.

'Well... level 300 creatures are no longer my match. What a shame.'

Lexus sighed. He was looking forward for a fight that could satisfy him but didn't expect that he would have grown too strong in just a year. He was already stronger than the players that has started a year earlier than him. Lexus reached the ninth island at a fast pace and was still okay. There were no signs of exhaustion at all. It was natural. He didn't get tired because it wasn't hard for him.

The endless monsters on the first island, the hidden keys on the second island, capturing the escaped fox mice on the third island, swallowing the raging fire on the fourth island, surviving the blizzard on the fifth island, passing through the poisonous sixth island, the seventh and eighth islands where the strong boss monsters appeared...

And the ninth island that he just cleared...

From a general point of view, they weren't easy. Lexus was currently the only person who felt like the hell islands were easy.

[Do you want to enter the 10th island?]

"Yes."

Lexus was sucked into the gate.

•~×~•

"The Sword Saint didn't submit?"

The imperial capital of the Saharan Empire, Titan. The emperor's voice resonated in the imperial palace, one of the most magnificent and beautiful palaces on the continent.

"I apologize for my incompetence, your majesty."

A female knight with long blue hair kneeled in front of the emperor. It was no other than 1st Knight Mercedes who has just returned from her journey from another kingdom.

"It's fine. You're still 18 years old so he might not think highly of you."

Juander was a powerful person who could claim to be the master of the continent. He wasn't stupid. Although he heard of the excellent reputation about the youngest king in the continent's history, he doubts that he has the experience to be on par with him or any veteran kings that are incompetent against him.

"We can ignore that kid and his kingdom for the meantime but if he showed my empire any hostility, declare war and trample them."

Juander stated. He was not in a hurry to subdue the young Sword Saint to make the teenage king serve him nor he has the intentions of being hostile to him yet when his strength is still unknown to him. It was because of Sword Saint Muller who was hailed as the strongest human being, as the strongest legend, not just in the past generation of legends but also the current generation.

He was aware that a Sword Saint cannot be looked down upon since his once trusted knight, Piaro wasn't able to become one when he was still working for the empire.

"I understand, your highness. I'll prepare the red knights if a war is needed."

The bowing Mercedes replied firmly but inwardly, Mercedes was nervous and she felt anxious. She was afraid of the young Sword Saint. It was because her inborn insight at understanding the talent and potential of the target couldn't measure the white-haired teenager correctly.

"You're dismissed. Don't let me down when that time comes. You should be aware that the Red Knights these days are really trivial but this wasn't the case when Piaro was here."

Juander spoke indifferently. The Red Knights were tired from years of continuous warfare. The reason why they could fight without a break was because they were eager to jump forward. No matter how hard they tried, they weren't acknowledged like the Red Knights of the previous generation.

On the other hand, there was someone watching the conversation between the emperor and Mercedes.

'What scheme should I use to make that teenage Sword Saint join my summoner's faction?'

It was someone who wanted to fulfill his contract, the summoner's wish to be the next emperor.

•~×~•

[You have entered the tenth island.]

It was a room rather than an island. The floor, walls, and ceiling were painted white, and the size of the empty room couldn't be measured. It was hard to get a sense of the distance.

There were white pointed pillars rising from the ground. They were thin metal poles around 5cm wide and 2m long.

While looking at the thousands of metal pole pillars, anotification window popped up in front of Lexus.

[A mission will be created.]

[Tenth Island]

Avoid the lightning that will pour down like rain!

The lightning can't be defended against by any means. You can only evade.

Mission Success Conditions: Reach the gate for the eleventh island.

First Clear Reward: 30 Challenger Points.

* You will instantly die if hit by a lightning strike.

[The mission will start 30 minutes from now.]

[The ceiling is opened.]

Kurururung.

Then a roar was heard from above. He looked up and saw the sky that was revealed by the opened ceiling. It was a sky full of dark clouds.

'A lightning storm that can't be defended against, huh.'

The lightning storm that would cause instant death would come pouring down. Considering the speed of the lightning, it was a mission that couldn't be cleared. Only people with excellent control abilities could.

['Absolute Defense' is activated. 50,000 mana is consumed per second.]

[You have become immune to the damage due to the effect of 'Absolute Defense.']

Lightning that could cause instant death? Well, it couldn't threaten him at all.

•~×~•

The number of players who had challenged the Behen Archipelago was exactly 990 so far. More than half of them were high rankers who dropped out at the first and second islands. Only 392 people reached the tenth island. Of those 392 people, only 65 passed the tenth island. The degree of difficulty of the tenth island was incomparable.

"Heok... Heok..."

Sweat flowed down Sticks' jaw as he sat on the ground. The burden on his heart was very painful. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze towards the magic ball again.

"He really won't pass here."

This person stimulated his bad heart, so Sticks couldn't help giving him a bad evaluation. Sticks could clearly see that the white haired man had a strange ability, but the tenth island was a place where only people with divine control skills could pass.

'It means he can no longer depend on artifacts and brute force.'

Could that man move 2,000 meters while avoiding lightning that fell three or four times per second? Sticks believed it would be hard. Although he saw that the white haired man seemed to be able to perfectly control his excellent body.

"Ordinary movements will never... Huh?"

Sticks murmured with confusion. In the middle of the magic space, the man just nonchalantly stared at the incoming lightning storm?

"What is it this time?...Eh?"

Sticks had a large amount of knowledge as a sage. So he was forced to feel astonished.

"A legend?"

The white haired man exerted something that completely destroyed the method of how to clear the 10th island that existed in Sticks' knowledge.

"The title 'Legend' is given only to those that reached the peak...! Even though I'm an elf that survived for more than a hundred years... I'm still not a legend..."

He seemed like a warrior wielding the sword, a person with a lot of artifacts, and a thief who could easily open solid locks. But now, he didn't even move despite the lightning that could kill him by just approaching him.

"What? He's completely fine?"

A question mark appeared over Sticks' head.

"..."

Sticks was no longer surprised. No, he tried not to be surprised. He was afraid that his heart pain would occur again.

Kururung!Kurururung.

Suddenly, a heavy rain of lightning started. The white haired man was safe. He didn't evade the lightning at all. The man ignored the rain of lightning as he simply walked and casually moved through the island.

"Uh... Urghh..."

In the end, Sticks was surprised and he grabbed his chest as he collapsed.

"Dr-...a..gons....Absolute Defense! ?"

Sticks became deathly pale in realization. Thinking that could he be a polymorphed dragon? Fear drastically overwhelmed his reasoning as he became reminded of his trauma.

•~×~•

As Lexus moved forward while not minding the lightning strikes, Lexus opened the reputation store that he had neglected. The Reputation Store is a store available only to those who have achieved over 30,000 reputations. The currency used in it is Reputation. It features two modes of purchasing: direct buying and a random draw.

The direct buying varies in price dependent on the item, while the random draw is fixed at 999 per roll. The random draw has potential for high reward, but there is also the risk of unwanted items or getting nothing.

[Draw! Draw! Draw everything!]

A random drawing machine.

At the price of 999 reputation, you can get a variety of items randomly.

* Limited edition items aren't included.

* There is a certain chance of gaining an experience buff potion.

Price: 999 reputation.

He had 1,500,000 reputation. One try consumed 999 reputation, so he had more than thousands of attempts.

'Hmmm, should I draw something?'

Holding his chin, Lexus wonders if he should try to get something. Although he was already satisfied in his legendary items, he might obtain some items that would be beneficial later on so he proceeded in his first try.