Max descended to the ground at the bottom of the mountain and immediately saw a monster running towards him.
One aura slash cleaved it in half. This monster seemed to be around level fifty.
He entered the damp cave after leaping over the river and sat down.
The player 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.
My stats are so high, thanks to my titles. It could be said that I'm as strong as a Level 180 player, Max thought with a grin.
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 yelled with happiness.
I wonder what drops those two received, he thought with clenched fists.
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, similar to Carsius' passive ability, Max thought.
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, would 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 felt like he was supreme now.
He mentally activated the ability after infusing his wings with aura before even leaving the cave.
And...
It was brutal. Too easy. The monsters were shredded. What was left of them looked like it was passed through a meat grinder.
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 splashed his face in the river to refresh himself from the heat and activated Flight.
It consumes 1% of aura every 5 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," Manuel said.
"I'm glad. Where's Thomas?"
"He's scavenging the temple, you should help him. Nice wings by the way."
"Thanks."
"Oh, and if you find anything, don't forget to leave something for me! I earned it!"
"Of course bro, you were crucial in that fight. Do you want to take the egg?"
"Nah, you can take that. You might get a pet monster." Manuel smiled.
"Alright, if Thomas hasn't taken it already, I will."
Max took the egg and put it in his Inventory. He then proceeded to walk through the ruins.
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 regeneration passive is better than the best potion in the world, Max thought happily.
He soon found Thomas.
"Good work there man."
"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?" Max said.
"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," Max laughed
"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.
The two players walked through the crumbling halls of the temple. Moss covered everything. The stone floor was cracked and uneven in places.
"Anything?" Max asked.
"Nothing yet," Thomas replied, running his hand along the wall. "These carvings are interesting though."
Max leaned in. Faded symbols and shapes were etched into the stone. Worn down by time and weather. Impossible to read.
"Mean anything to you?"
"No idea."
They kept moving. An empty room. Another. A collapsed section of wall that led nowhere. Whatever this place once held, it had been picked clean by time or something else entirely.
Thomas crouched near a broken altar.
"Nothing here either."
Max separated from Thomas looked around the roofless room where the monster had slept. He stared at the walls, the floor, the crooked trees growing through the cracks.
He looked at Manuel. The wounded spear knight asked: "Find anything yet?"
"No, but there has to be something here. I received a notification."
***
While Max explored the mountain temple, events on the fourth floor were already beginning to shift.
Two men were approaching a hill. It was no ordinary hill.
On it was a beautiful, but imposing white castle with red banners. It was built on the side of a cliff wall. On them, was the golden sigil of a sword decorated with a laurel wreath.
"The headquarters of the Valiant Liberators," said Alex.
"Heard this castle used to be an abandoned fortress. It was abandoned because a Transcendent boss monster made a nest nearby," Paul replied.
"Priam and his strongest subordinates took care of it and took the fortress for themselves," Alex added.
They entered through a large, open entrance into a newly built reception hall.
"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. Paul Veritas and Alex Herins."
Her face showed surprise. She nodded.
"Guards! Escort them."
The capable guards in the large reception hall moved with the duo.
A large, black door two times the players' size was in front of them after two minutes of navigating white halls and staircases.
The escorting guards told the others who the two were and they let one in.
"Guild Master. Tariq's killers request an audience with you," one said.
"Let them in," A deep voice said. Deep but not intimidating.
The two players entered the spacious office. The first thing they noticed was the large window overlooking the plains. A man sat with his elbows on the dark wood desk. There were two tall, spiraling blue plants in the corners.
"Good to see you again. I was just about to leave. You came at just the right time." said the man with brown hair and brown, beautiful eyes as he got up from his large chair. His face was masculine but pleasing to the eye. He looked peaceful and friendly.
His shoulders were broad, his jaw wide, his height was dominating and his face was completely shaven. Everything about him projected strength.
They had character customization but it was all invalidated when the Creator made the horrifying announcement that everyone was stuck and had one life. Right now, all of the players look like they do in real life.
This player wore pristine white armor with golden-like engravings with a red cape bearing the sigil of his guild.
The King of the Tower. The number one player on the level leaderboard.
"Good to see you too man," Paul said.
"Hey Priam." Alex smiled.
Priam smiled back. "How are you? What brings you here?"
Two Supreme Knights were by his side, who were as strong as the two guests. They were looking at papers until the guests came in.
"We're great. We came because we wish to join your guild," Alex said.
Priam raised his eyebrows a little bit for a second.
"I am happy that you would join me, I'll give you the Supreme Knight position immediately. Your help against Salvation on the third floor was immense."
"Great, thanks. We want to join you to use you for something," Paul answered.
Priam smiled.
"Brave thing of you to say. Go on."
Paul continued.
"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 genuine curiosity.
"The Epic boss slayer," Alex said.
"Despite slaying two main bosses, you never found or killed an Epic boss. He did," Paul said. "He's my brother."