Chapter 9

Max descended to the ground at the bottom of the mountain and immediately a monster was running towards him

One aura slash cleaved it in half easily. These monsters are around level fifty.

I entered the damp cave after leaping over the river and sat down.

The warrior opened the Menu.

Level: 95

Strength: 104(+105)

Agility: 100(+125)

Constitution: 151(+75)

Aura: 125(+150)

Max put the new 25 stat points into aura.

'It's amazing how my stats are so high that it could be said that I'm as strong as a Level 180 player. But, of course, it's not as simple as that. It's certainly a gigantic plus, but that's it. For now.'

He checked the drops.

[Predatory Wings]

[Wings of a powerful sky monster. Can be equipped and used in crafting.]

[Passive Ability: Flight]

[Active Ability: Blue Barrage]

"WHAT! YES!"

He screamed in happiness. This was truly incredible for him.

'I wonder what drops my friends received.'

[A locked ability! It can be unlocked once you use this item in crafting a claw weapon!]

"Going to a great blacksmith is my second top priority now."

And finally...

[Passive Ability: Aura Sensing]

[You can sense the movement of aura from living beings! This can help you avoid and anticipate attacks related to aura. Limited to aura that is not inside the living being, but around it. This ability can be evolved.]

'This seems awfully familiar to Carsius' passive ability...'

A great reward. Max would've been happy with just receiving this or the wings.

He realized that his health was at 95% right now. His leg had a serious wound. He wasn't stabbed, but he was grazed. At the left side of his thigh. There was some bleeding. And it was enough to ruin the metal leggings. Incredible. To slay such a terror while only enduring a scratch.

The chestpiece barely endured the blow from the wing. Max did have a large bruise.

The armor the player was wearing would've been shattered and ruined if he sustained a few more attacks. But Max was skilled and powerful, too much so for a first floor player.

If he had fought this monster before he had slain the Titan, he would've died in the first 30 seconds. He probably wouldn't even have been able to dodge its melee attacks. Let alone the deadly barrage.

Max didn't bother to drink a potion or treat the wound. He wanted to see what Super Regeneration can do.

He ate some food and drank fruit juice. Not the fruit you'd see in real life, though.

Adrenaline probably prevented him from feeling the pain of the wound.

His high Constitution stat prevented heavy bleeding and it along with the new passive will ensure that he recovers as soon as possible.

Max left the cave feeling better and equipped the wings.

Two, dark blue, metallic wings were on his back. Which was surprising. It seemed their color adapted to your aura color.

He replaced his leggings with another, even older one. He had to find or buy new armor as soon as possible.

The new leggings were made out of a mini-boss Max had slain a month ago. They were dark green. The dark blue wings made him look pretty flashy and cool.

First, he wanted to test the barraging ability before flying back to the mountain.

"Any ugly monsters want A PIECE OF ME?!"

"HEYYY!"

"ANYONE?!"

Soon, he could see a dozen monsters larger than him pop out of the bushes and greenery.

There was no path of escape for an ordinary monster. However, Max was an extraordinary monster.

They leapt over the river somehow at the same time.

Three eyes, two slits on each, one horn, brown striped fur. Max never saw them before. Didn't matter. He doesn't need to know their capabilities.

Not now.

He mentally activated the ability after infusing his wings with aura before even leaving the cave.

And...

It was brutal. Too easy. The barrage could also be combined with aura slashes to create an incredibly powerful offensive force of pure destruction.

Max was becoming too strong. Which wasn't a bad thing at all!

He leapt into the river to refresh himself from the heat and activated Flight.

It consumes 1% of aura every 3 seconds. Not bad. The speed was great.

In a minute Max arrived back.

He descended where the egg was. Manuel was seen lying down. Bandaged up, without his armor and shield. His spear was next to him. Thomas wasn't visible.

"How are you?"

"Better. I'm at 70% health now. It was a serious blow."

"I'm glad. Where's Thomas?"

"He's scavenging the temple, you should help him. Nice wings by the way."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and don't forget to leave something for me! I earned it!"

"Of course."

As he was looking for the archer, he looked at his leg again.

His eyes widened.

The leg was completely fine!

There was no sign of a wound or a scar! No blood, nothing.

'This is better than the best potion in the world.'

Max soon found Thomas.

"Good work there."

"Thanks. What did you get?" Thomas asked.

"Wings, I can fly now."

"That's crazy, can you send projectiles?"

"Yep. I also got its Talons and an ability to sense aura. How much did you level up?"

"Seven times. I also got the wings."

"Shit, really? Fucking amazing. You'll be even more deadly now."

"I ALSO GOT THE WINGS!" Manuel yelled.

"Hahaha..."

"His hearing is crazy."

"Well this is fucking great. Well done. Find anything Thomas?"

"Nothing yet. Let's look together."

It was a bright and happy day today. This temple had to have something, considering that this monster was using it as its home. No one could really approach it.

***

Two men were approaching a hill. It was no ordinary hill

On it was a beautiful, but imposing white castle with red banners. On them, was the golden sigil of a sword decorated with a laurel wreath.

The headquarters of the Valiant Liberators. This castle used to be an abandoned fortress.

It was abandoned because a Transcendent boss monster made a nest nearby and wanted no humans near it.

Priam, the guild master and his strongest subordinates took care of it and took the fortress for themselves.

"Welcome! What brings you here today?"

"We request an audience with Priam. We know he's here right now."

"Who are you?" The female guild receptionist asked the duo. Her face showing that she didn't take the two seriously. After all, who is even important enough to be able to talk to the king directly?

"Tariq's killers."

Her face showed surprise.

"Guards! Escort them with me!"

The highly capable guards in the large reception hall came with the duo and the receptionist.

A large, black door five times the players' size was in front of them after two minutes of navigating halls and staircases.

The receptionist told the guards who the two were and they let her in.

"Guild Master. Tariq's killers request an audience with you."

"Let them in." A deep voice said. Deep but beautiful. Not super masculine.

"Good to see you again, friends. I was just about to leave." A man with brown hair and brown, beautiful eyes said. His eyebrows were neutrally tilted. His face was harmonic and beautiful, majestic even. It looked peaceful and friendly. His shoulders were broad, his height was dominating and his face was completely shaven. He silently screamed vitality and power.

He had no striking features. No colored eyes, no strong thick eyebrows or a robust jaw with a masculine chin that splits. But the combination of ordinary features resulted in something incredible in his case. He looked like a supermodel, a beauty to be remembered for generations.

He wore pristine white armor with golden-like engravings showing his own legendary feats with a red cape bearing the sigil of his guild. A small, white crown was on his head.

The King of the Tower.

The number one player on the level leaderboard. His level? 431. To Max, who sometimes checks the leaderboard, that number seems so unreachable and distant. Literally an otherworldly number, since players in the 400s were on the fourth floor, and even they were rare. Most fourth floor players were between 300 and 350.

Despite slaying two main bosses, he never found or killed an Epic boss.

"Good to see you too."

"What brings you here?"

Two Supreme Knights were by his throne, as strong as the two guests.

"We wish to join your guild."

He raised his eyebrows a little bit for a second.

"I am happy that you would join me, but can you give me a reason to accept you? Besides your capabilities, of course. You do have quite the negative reputation."

"I understand. We want to join you to use you."

Priam's face showed no signs of anger.

"Brave thing of you to say. Go on."

"We want someone to see us fighting main bosses with you. To attract his attention and get him to come to us. In return, we will be with you forever and will convince him to join you. I am his brother and he is his friend."

"And who might that be?" His face was now that of serious curiosity.

"The Epic boss slayer."