Chapter 12: Breakthrough

Leon Peak had two main interests: alcohol and women. When he first arrived in this world, he wasted half an hour capturing one unfortunate woman. That woman had a three-year-old son on her island. He killed the child, tossed the body into the sea, and watched the blood spread before knocking the mother unconscious and carrying her off. At the time, he had no proper weapon, so he couldn't break the stone pillar on that island and left it behind.

Similar cruelty befell the other two women he seized, where he killed their brother or grandmother. His violent detours cost him valuable time, but in the end, Leon snatched a man as well—someone he needed to do grunt work for him.

In seven days, whenever someone dies, their personal storage drops the initial supplies they had. Leon Peak had accumulated eight fishing nets from these victims. With each net usable three times daily, he could fish for twenty-four supply crates every day.

He was no longer short on basic food; in fact, he had some high-quality items on hand as well. As a strong individual who had broken through to F-rank constitution, Leon's life was simple: sort through supply crates each day, abuse his three female captives at night, and force the young man to brave the dangerous waters for him. Watching the poor guy tremble as he fished for crates gave Leon perverse pleasure.

He took out his frustrations over Logan Lane's refusal to trade by punishing his captives more severely. Naturally, Logan Lane knew nothing of this. At that moment, Logan was counting the supplies he had just acquired from some successful trades, while using a bit of scrap wood to roast meat over an open flame.

The total haul from the trade read as follows:

[Refined Iron x184]

[Feather x6]

[Breeze Stone x2]

[Enchantment Stone x1]

[Vajra Essence x1]

Logan did not hesitate to begin crafting. Soon, an upright longsword took shape beside him. Its tip dug into the ground, and cracks spread slowly from the point of impact, growing larger every second. Alarmed by how sharp it was, Logan gingerly laid the sword flat, feeling a bit depressed that there was no scabbard to keep it safely sheathed. If he messed up and brushed against the blade, he was pretty sure he'd lose an arm or a leg.

He also noted the sword's weight. "Over fifty pounds at least," he muttered. He was strong enough to lift it, but wielding it effectively in battle was another story.

The scent of roasting meat soon filled the air, making Logan's mouth water. He swore he could feel his strength increasing just by taking a deep breath of the aroma. Confused but excited, he consumed a chunk of the barbecued meat. Warm energy coursed through his veins, gently boosting his body from within.

He opened his status screen to watch his attributes rise over time:

Basic Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 8 (adult male max before enhancement is ~10)

Constitution: Normal (G-rank)

Those numbers climbed with each bite. Eventually, Logan finished eating and washed it down with 50 ml of F-rank drinking water. By the end of the meal, his basic attributes had stabilized at:

Basic Attributes: Strength 72, Agility 61 (adult male max before enhancement is ~10)

Constitution: Normal (G-rank)

The sudden spike made his body purge sticky, foul-smelling black grime through his pores. Disgusted, Logan stripped off his clothes, hastily washed himself in the Arcane Ice Sea, and scrubbed his clothes as best he could. Since he had no spare outfit, he wandered the island naked for a while, thankful there was nobody else around.

Around 1:00 PM, an enormous turtle hauled itself out of the water. Logan guessed it weighed five or six hundred pounds, sporting an intricate pattern on its shell. A raised bump suggested an old wound. His "vision" indicated this was an F-rank creature drawn by the island's expansion.

The turtle's eyes shone a reddish-green, like bloodstained emeralds. It scanned its surroundings as though searching for something. Oddly, when it passed right by Logan, it acted as if he wasn't there, leaving him puzzled and on guard. He knew only that this sea beast was F-rank and had come due to his island's growth. He had no real intel on its real name, special abilities, or any hidden dangers.

Hoping to test a theory, Logan tossed a piece of Frost Serpent Meat near the turtle, wondering if it would entice the creature. The turtle glanced at it and ignored it completely. Next, Logan noticed steam rising from its shell as the sun warmed it. He worried the turtle might be on the verge of evolving into a stronger rank. If it succeeded, a one-rank-higher longsword might not cut through an enhanced shell.

Deciding he couldn't let that happen, Logan charged in naked, brandishing the newly forged Breeze Sword. The weapon hummed with energy. He hadn't learned how to tap its full power yet—no wind vortex formed—but it was still lethal. He slashed down with a clean, decisive move.

Sensing danger, the turtle withdrew its limbs and head into its shell. Logan's sword struck, leaving a shallow cut along the shell's surface. He realized the blade could penetrate the shell, but his own strength wasn't enough to cleave it in two with a single blow.

A sudden flicker of movement alerted him to an incoming attack—a jet of water as thick as his arm exploded from beneath the turtle. Logan sidestepped a meter to the left, the watery projectile kicking up a cloud of dust where he'd been. Instead of retreating, he stabbed the Breeze Sword into the ground three inches deep, bracing himself as debris showered his newly made "earth-colored" skin.

A system prompt flashed in his mind:

[Congratulations! You have slain a Dragon Armor Beast. Decompose? (Yes – No)]

He quickly replied: "Decompose."

A new message followed:

[F-rank DragonCarapace x1, E-rank DragonShell x1, E-rank DragonShell Meat (500g) x165, E-rank DragonShell Essence Blood x1, E-rank DragonShell Eyes x2, E-rank DragonShell Blood x21, E-rank DragonShell Devoured Yellow Shell x1 (Note: Damaged).]

Logan breathed a sigh of relief. Judging by the dropped items, the turtle had mostly evolved to E-rank except for its shell, which was still F-rank. "If it had fully evolved," he thought, "I would've stood no chance."

He studied the broken "Devoured Yellow Shell" with curiosity. At least it wouldn't require extra materials or energy to open it, and there was no risk of a monster jumping out. Maybe it contained something of value.