New Companion?

[You have gained 7 stat points]

Alex spends the first 5 stats on strength realising how weak he still is.

[Strength : 37.1] > [Strength : 42.1]

Uses 1 stat in Stamina and the other in Agility.

[Agility : 49.9] > [Agility : 50.9]

The moment he reaches 50 stat, he feels a sudden rush of tingling in his body. Alex starts running back and forth, his speed feeling extremely fast. 'So, are you saying 50 is like one step to gain an extra power-up?'

[Vitality : 769/800]

"Let's see." Alex takes out the map Kairo gave him earlier, trying to compare the place with the map.

"Oh, I forgot. You can leave now," Alex says, glancing at the maid who was casually watching him.

"But the Lord said to escor-"

"It's fine. I know the route now."

As the snake transformed back into a Naga, the wolf fell down far away.

"So, you followed us all the way?" Alex asked, looking perplexed upon seeing him.

"Woof."

"What do you want to do?"

"Woof."

"You wanna follow me?"

The wolf nods.

Alex scratches his head in distress. "Well, you did save my life after all."

"But listen, what I'm about to do is extremely dangerous. Are you sure you still wanna go?"

"Woof."

Both Alex and the wolf start walking together. Well, at least Alex doesn't feel alone anymore.

Alex remembers the vivid description of what Kairo explained to him earlier. "Listen, this is the heart of the Abyss, where all monsters flock together. You were extremely lucky to arrive here right after the Great War ended a few months ago. Most of the monsters left this area and scattered around."

Alex listens attentively to Kairo.

"There are 7 different stages in the heart of the Abyss. Stages 1 to 3 are where all the Demonic beasts reside, and they are far more dangerous than anything you've encountered so far. Their strength, intelligence, and bloodlust make them nearly unstoppable foes. They are at least ten times deadlier than the Lich you just fought, and even the most experienced warriors struggle to survive against them."

Alex remembers how the Lich's magic had almost killed him; the memory of its searing power still lingered. He could still feel the pain fresh in his body, as if the wounds had only just begun to heal.

"You are currently in stage 5, where most of the beasts have moved to stage 4 or lower after the Great War. The beasts that remain in stage 5 are almost as strong as me, but unlike lower-tier creatures, they have a consciousness of their own. They aren't mindless predators and typically won't approach people unless they are provoked. As long as you don't do anything aggressive or stupid, you should be fine. But be warned, if you step out of line, they won't hesitate to attack, and surviving their wrath is no easy task."

"Stage 6 and 7 are certain deaths. Don't even think about going there. The creatures in those stages are on an entirely different level, you will die in an instant, no matter how strong or prepared you think you are."

Alex could see genuine concern in Kairo's eyes.

'Wherever I go I would meet trouble. But if what he said later on was true I can't waste my time here.'

"Oh btw take this" Kairo gives Alex a ring.

"What's this?"

"Mana suppressing ring. With this, your magical presence will be reduced significantly, making it harder for strong predators to sense you. It's not a perfect solution, but it should keep most of the more dangerous monsters from tracking you anytime soon."

"I appreciate it but why are you helping me so much?"

Kairo smiles, "Think of it as an investment."

.....

After walking for the next 15 minutes, Alex and the wolf sees a huge mountain far away, with rugged slopes that were dotted with patches of barren rock and sparse vegetation. Alex soon heads forward.

While climbing the mountain, Alex sensed the presence of someone else other than them.

A group of wolves was approaching. At first, Alex drew his sword, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was just a group of wolves.

"Hey, I think your friends want to greet you."

To Alex's surprise, the wolf wasn't very happy.

'Did they have a family feud?'

Alex immediately sensed bloodlust from the wolves as they charged at full speed.

Both the wolf and Alex launched a team attack.

[Congratulations, you have slain a Red Wolf]

[You have gained 3 exp]

All 7 of them fell by Alex's hands, and the remaining 3 by the wolf.

"Now that I think about it, you're definitely larger than the other wolves."

[Level 3: (29/2,000) exp]

After reaching the top of the mountain, Alex could see nothing but barren land stretching out in every direction, with dead trees scattered across the landscape.

Every corner looked the same. The wolf was also watching it intently, his eyes scanning the empty expanse.

Alex's Sage Vision began to glow yellow. Through its enhanced sight, he spotted a tiny tree in the distance, its few green leaves standing out against the barren landscape. It was far, but looking at the map confirmed it was located straight to the north. The sight of the tree felt like a small beacon of hope in this never ending desolate place.

"Let's go." Both of them start moving.

"Woof woof."

"You want me to get on top of you?"

"Woof."

"You'll only slow me down." Alex smirks at the wolf.

"Woooof." The wolf accepts his challenge.

"Yeah, let's see who's faster."

In an instant, Alex took the wolf by storm. Alex was running at 68 kilometers per hour, while the wolf was running at 60 kilometers per hour.

Alex was insanely fast, especially after reaching 50 in his stats. Even without Quick Dash, he was taking the lead. But after 30 minutes, Alex began to slow down. Running at full speed had taken its toll, and his pace dropped drastically.

While Alex was now running at 30 km/h, the wolf hardly slowed down.

Alex was now lying on the ground, out of breath. The wolf had to make a detour to check on him. Leaning his head down toward Alex, who was still on the ground, the wolf smirked back.

"Fine, you win. I thought I could outrun you before my stamina wore out. I didn't know wolves were this fast."

Alex was now riding on the wolf's back. After running for the next 45 minutes, they finally reached the edge of the forest.

Alex could sense multiple presences of beasts nearby.

"Hey, let's walk slowly." The wolf nodded, sensing the presence of some extremely strong monsters as well.

After walking cautiously for the next few minutes, they had safely evaded the dangerous creatures.

Soon, they heard a cry, a desperate scream echoing through the air. It was unmistakably the sound of a human in pain. Alex's heart started beating fast, and without hesitation, he quickly dismounted from the wolf. His eyes searched the surroundings as he rushed toward the sound, his instincts pushing him forward, determined to find the source.

An old middle-aged man in a fully armored suit was lying on the ground, screaming in pain. His right leg was shattered, and blood was splattered everywhere, staining the earth around him.

Alex and the wolf quickly arrived at the scene. "Hey, are you okay?" Alex asked, his voice filled with concern. Upon seeing the man's crushed leg, Alex immediately frowned, his stomach turning at the sight.

"What just happened here?" Alex asked

I don't know why another human is here, but you should run," the injured man spoke, his eyes dull with despair, his once strong gaze now clouded by pain and fear.

"There is a terrifying monster here. I'm as good as dead. But if you value your life, you should run."

"Run! Run!" The words echoed in Alex's mind, and without thinking, he instinctively moved backward and started running. His quick reaction, fueled by the urgency in the man's voice, saved him from what would have been a certain disaster.

A huge spider, almost three times the size of a Black Spider, emerged from the shadows. Its ugly body was covered in thick, dark exoskeleton, and its eight legs moved with creepy speed.

Without hesitation, it charged at the injured man, its venomous fangs, ready to strike. In a swift, terrifying motion, the spider sank its fangs into the man's flesh and dragged him toward its waiting, gaping maw, intent on making him its next meal

Alex quickly backs down along with the wolf, he didn't stop even once. Terrified, he remembers what Kairo said. "In stage 4, the monsters are almost as strong as me. They don't attack you unless you are stupid or aggressive"

Soon, another monster appeared in front of Alex. It was a massive bear, its fur dark and thick, with glaring eyes that was eluding with hostility. Alex didn't have time to waste on such small threats.

With swift precision, he drew his sword and swung, delivering a clean cut in one motion. The bear crumpled the ground, defeated before it even had the chance to react.

[You have slain a Syr Brown Bear]

[You have gained 6 exp]