39: It Exploded, But Also, Not Really

The Wolf King Cloak was focused on boosting agility, which was a nice bonus for Tristan. Though it wasn't a game-changer, it was still better than having nothing. He quickly put it on.

The gray cloak settled over his shoulders, offering superb warmth. It also had a hidden effect: in snowy battle environments, it provided an extra layer of comfort.

With the cloak on, Tristan continued going through the loot.

[Wolfskin Leggings: Silver Grade]

Defense: +100 Health: +1000 Agility: +10 Required Level: 10

"Well, well, looks like I'm in luck," Tristan whistled, a grin forming on his face.

The two pieces of gear he equipped boosted his health significantly. Plus, his agility went up again. This was a good sign; he felt more confident about heading back to the village now.

He swapped out his worn-out newbie shorts and danced around a few times, satisfied with the new leggings. The fit was perfect. Unlike the tight newbie shorts, which restricted his movements, these wolfskin leggings gave him plenty of room to move.

The third item was a sword.

[Armor-Breaking Greatsword: Silver Grade]

Two-Handed Weapon Attack: +600 Strength: +15 Required Level: 10 Strength > 120

This was a warrior's weapon, so Tristan couldn't use it. He stashed it away in his inventory for later, figuring he'd deal with it when he had time.

The fourth loot wasn't an equipment piece, but an item.

[Wolf King Horn: Silver Grade]

When used, summons a level 10 Giant Wolf to fight for you for 20 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour.

This item was hit or miss for Tristan. While the giant wolf had slightly better stats than regular monsters of the same level, it wasn't something he could rely on to solo bosses.

However, for grinding low-level mobs, it could be a great asset. Especially for players struggling with leveling. If you had a collection of summoning items like this, it could speed up the grind significantly.

All in all, this item was something that could fetch a nice price, so he decided to hold onto it.

The last loot item from the Wolf King was another item.

[Wolf King's Blood: Silver Grade]

Permanently increases agility by 15.

This was the kind of item Tristan loved. He quickly used it, clapping his hands together to activate it.

The quality of the Wolf King's loot had definitely improved after being upgraded to Silver Grade by Ghibbobo Baron. If it had dropped from a Bronze Grade monster, it's unlikely he would've gotten such valuable items.

Of course, with high rewards came high risks. Without enough power, taking down the Silver Grade Wolf King would have been impossible.

After checking the Wolf King's loot, Tristan turned his attention to the few shining golden items in his inventory. These were the real treasures.

The first item made him widen his eyes in disbelief.

[Ghibbobo Family Crest: Gold Grade Ring]

Increases storage space by 100 slots. No level requirement.

[Special Effect: Items stored in this ring will not drop upon death.]

He had actually gotten a storage ring!

While it didn't boost any attributes, the extra inventory space was something many players would kill for. After ExoGenesis officially launched on Terra, this ring would be even more valuable, offering 100 cubic slots for storage.

What made it even better was that items stored in this ring wouldn't be lost, even if the player was killed. That meant if he were camped while out farming, he wouldn't have to worry about losing his rare gear.

While later stages of the game would introduce more storage equipment, this ring was pretty much the best option for the early and mid-game. Even as the game progressed, it would still be hard to replace.

Just the fact that he'd gotten it meant he had incredible luck. Tristan happily slipped the ring on, admiring it from every angle.

Ghibbobo Baron was a good guy after all—contributing family heirlooms for the greater good.

With excitement building, Tristan looked at the second piece of loot: an equipment item.

[Crimson Robe: Gold Grade]

Defense: +100 Health: +1500 Mana: +2000 Spirit: +50 Required Level: 15 Spirit > 150

[Special Effect: Increases casting speed by 15%.]

An absolute gem for magic users!

Not only did it increase spirit by a high amount, but it also boosted casting speed. In the right hands, this robe would be a must-have for any mage. However, there was one issue: it had a level requirement of 15, which would take a while to reach.

Even the top-tier players would need at least a week to hit that level. After level 10, monsters' stats increased, meaning leveling up became significantly more difficult.

Tristan quickly put the Crimson Robe into his storage ring. It was a great item for a mage, but not something he could use himself.

He estimated that even though he'd soloed the Nightmare Difficulty dungeon, earning all the experience, he still couldn't level up enough to hit the requirements right away.

From that, it was clear how much harder the future grind would be.

But Tristan didn't mind. The slow leveling for others had no bearing on him. As soon as he left the newbie village, he'd be grinding high-level monsters, rapidly gaining experience.

The next item in his loot was a skill book.

[Blood Tide (Gold Grade)]

Active Skill: After charging briefly, shoot blood arrows in all directions, causing (Magic Damage * 180% + 800) damage. Consumes 10% of max health. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Learning Requirement: Spirit > 300

It was good news that the skill book was Gold Grade, but bad news that it was a magic-type skill.

The 300 spirit requirement meant only magic-based classes could use it. Tristan could force the requirement with some stat manipulation, but it wouldn't really be worth it. The Blood Tide skill caused area-of-effect damage, but with limited range, making it incompatible with his sniping playstyle.

While he didn't care for the skill, it would definitely be a valuable asset for any high-level mage. If he sold it, he could make a nice profit.

Tristan sighed.

The earlier loot, combined with the Blood Tide skill book, was undoubtedly a great haul. But none of it was for him. He couldn't help but think, "It feels like I've just done all this for the benefit of mages."

But then again, the Baron was clearly a magic-oriented boss. It made sense for his loot to be tailored that way.

Tristan wasn't too concerned. He could always trade this skill book for something useful—like a physical ranged skill book. After all, ExoGenesis was a massive world, and new opportunities were always appearing.

The last loot item was another piece of gear.

[Blood-Soaked Boots: Gold Grade]

Defense: +100 Health: +1000 Mana: +1500 Spirit: +40 Required Level: 15 Spirit > 200

[Special Effect: Allows movement casting at 30% efficiency.]

Another gem for magic users.

This piece of equipment didn't just add basic stats—it also allowed the wearer to cast while moving at 30% efficiency, which significantly improved the mobility of magic users. It was a fantastic piece of gear.

Tristan's frustration grew.

Once again, it was an amazing item for magic users.

"Seriously? After all the effort I put in, my upgrade is all thanks to the Wolf King?"

Tristan couldn't help but feel a bit deflated.

At least there was one more piece of loot left to check. He silently prayed, hoping it would be something useful for him.

[Toxic Blood Plague (Gold Grade)]

Passive Skill: The poisonous blood corrodes enemy wounds, causing (Attack / Magic Damage * 40% + 100) damage per second for 5 seconds. If the target dies during this time, the Toxic Blood Plague spreads to enemies within a 10-meter radius.