Chapter 11: The Hunt for Power
The Ascent Begins
The morning sun had barely begun to rise, casting a soft amber glow over the Blackridge Mountains.
From where I stood at its base, the range stretched endlessly into the horizon—jagged peaks piercing the sky, dense forests sprawling across its lower slopes, and mist curling lazily over shadowed valleys.
This wasn't just a mountain. It was a natural fortress, filled with hidden dangers.
Among them?
Goblins, dire wolves, mountain boars—weak individually, but lethal if underestimated.
But those weren't my concern.
My real goal?
Find the hidden cave that held one of the best early-game cheats.
---
Navigating the Mountain
In the game, this place was a nightmare to explore.
There were no clear paths, only rugged terrain riddled with steep cliffs, dense vegetation, and ambush spots waiting to turn careless adventurers into corpses.
The only clue the game ever gave about the cave's location came from an old NPC:
> "The heart of the mountain beats where water runs cold and shadows linger."
After countless hours of searching back then, I had finally figured out the answer—
A hidden cave behind a waterfall.
Now, I had to find it in real life.
I tightened the straps on my bag and started moving.
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The First Encounter
Barely an hour into my hike, I ran into my first group of monsters.
Goblins.
Four of them, crouched near a rotting log, picking through the remains of some unfortunate beast.
Their green, wiry bodies were hunched, their jagged teeth gnashing as they chattered in their guttural language.
They were armed with crude weapons—rusted daggers, chipped swords—trash compared to what the academy trained against.
One of them turned and spotted me.
Its beady red eyes widened, and it screeched in alarm.
"[INTRUDER!]"
The others whipped around, eyes narrowing, lips curling into snarls.
They weren't going to let me walk away.
I smirked.
Let's see how much I've improved.
---
The Fight Begins
The first goblin lunged, swinging its rusted sword in a wide, reckless arc.
Too slow.
I sidestepped with ease.
Thanks to Eclipse Vision, its movements were as predictable as a scripted enemy AI.
In one clean motion—slash!—I severed its arm.
It shrieked, stumbling back, clutching the stump where its hand had been.
I didn't give it a chance to recover.
I stepped in and drove my dagger into its throat.
One down.
The next two goblins attacked together, their movements frantic but uncoordinated.
I ducked under their wild swings, pivoted, and slashed across one's chest.
Before the second could react, I spun around and stabbed it deep in the gut.
It coughed blood and collapsed.
Two down. Three down.
The last goblin froze, its small mind trying to process what had just happened.
It turned to run.
I wasn't about to let it.
I channeled mana into my legs and burst forward, closing the distance in an instant.
My sword pierced its back, pinning it to the ground before it could even scream.
Four down.
---
[Battle Results]
> Enemies Defeated: 4 Goblins
Phantom Edge Sword Style Proficiency: +0.4%
I exhaled, flicking the blood off my blade.
Easy.
Still, a good warm-up.
I searched their bodies, but—as expected—goblins had nothing worth taking.
Time to move.
---
The Mountain's Trials
The mountain was enormous, and every step was an uphill battle.
I pushed through thick forests, climbed rocky slopes, and encountered more monsters along the way.
A Dire Wolf tried to ambush me from the underbrush—I countered with a well-timed slash, severing its throat before it could pounce.
A group of Mountain Boars charged at me—I weaved between them, dodging their reckless attacks before striking at their weak points.
Each fight sharpened my reflexes, each kill refined my swordsmanship.
But the real challenge?
Finding the damn cave.
Even with my knowledge from the game, this world was different.
The terrain wasn't exactly the same, and what should have been a clear path was now completely overgrown with trees and boulders.
By midday, I was frustrated.
I clenched my fists, scanning the mountainside.
"A cave behind a waterfall, huh? Where the hell is it?"
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think.
I needed a better vantage point.
Spotting a tall tree nearby, I sheathed my weapons and climbed up.
Once I reached the top, I scanned the landscape.
Mountains. Valleys. Rivers.
And then—
I saw it.
A waterfall, tucked between two cliffs, almost completely hidden from view.
That had to be it.
---
The Hidden Entrance
I climbed down and made my way toward the waterfall.
The closer I got, the more the terrain grew treacherous.
The ground turned steep, the rocks slick with moss, and I had to take out another group of goblins along the way.
By the time I arrived, the sun was already setting.
The roar of rushing water filled my ears. Mist clung to the air, making the surroundings cold and eerie.
Now…
Where was the entrance?
I stepped closer, examining the rock face behind the waterfall.
Nothing visible.
But if the game was right, the cave wasn't meant to be obvious.
You had to—
Step through the waterfall itself.
I sighed. Here goes nothing.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the rushing water.
For a moment, everything was cold and deafening.
Then—
I emerged into darkness.
A cave.
And deep inside, something glowed faintly.
I had found it.