Free Web NovelChapter 7: The frost bear
Without any warning, he hacked down the guy nearest to him, blood splattering everywhere.
Paul immediately turned to face Levon, clearly horrified by what was happening, his heart beating faster than a thousand miles as he threw his sword back and stepped backward.
[You have just killed a level two player (+10 exp).]
"You just killed him like that. Why? Why are you a demon?" Paul shouted, clearly even more terrified now as he spoke.
He kept moving back, too scared to take his eyes off Levon, like he was going to be killed next.
But Levon was not fazed; he gripped his sword tighter — not because he was after Paul, but because of the creature behind him.
It was a huge bear standing more than six feet tall, and Paul was not aware of the danger; his feet were still shaking from the fact that Levon had stiffened his grip on his sword, his eyes now bloodshot.
The others, spotting the danger, had already quietly run for their lives.
Paul still kept walking toward his death when all of a sudden Levon leaped from where he stood, his sword held high, and with one swipe he sliced deep into the bear’s body.
He had no intent to save Paul; that was far from it. The bear had already been zeroed in on Levon for a long time and clearly had no interest in Paul.
Given the situation, Levon had to strike first; it was the only way to survive.
[Ice Bear level 5; a guardian creature with an ice element]
This was exactly what made the beginning stages of this game so difficult for players — the fact that one had to fight elemental creatures without even having a skill yet.
And a guardian creature was nothing to joke with.
’Damn, I need to get these copper coins as soon as possible.’
Levon said that only to discover that the bear had already licked up its wound; it was still sizing Levon up as though the poison was not having much of an effect on it.
Levon had no time to doubt his sword; this was a matter of life or death. If the sword was not working, then all he could do was chop the bear down.
But the bear gave him no such leverage as it leaped forward, swinging its large hairy arms with full force, sending Levon crashing into a tree and then smacking face-first into the forest floor.
Levon groaned as he immediately rolled aside, dodging the bear’s fatal blow.
Standing up, Levon didn’t strategize or prepare; he just stuck to his first plan, lunging straight into the air and striking his sword aimed directly at the monster’s neck.
But the bear was smarter; it immediately blocked the strike with its large hands.
Even so, it did little good, as Levon sliced clean through its hands without thinking twice.
The force of the collision sent him back to the ground yet again.
But this time around, Levon was not in a hurry.
Staring at the bear, it was clear the poison from his first sword slash had not gone to waste, as the bear had already dropped to its knees in pain.
Levon stood up and walked straight to where it lay and drove his sword directly into its abdomen.
[Congratulations, you just killed a level 5 ice bear (+100).]
All items have been added to your storage space.
’But I saw no ice,’Levon whispered in confusion.
[Congratulations, you have killed a guardian creature; you have now gained its treasure chest.]
Without wasting any time, Levon opened up his storage space.
[Items Obtained]
Vision Stone ×3
Enhances vision briefly.
300 copper coins
100 system stones
Ice Essence ×1 (Locked)
Bloodline required.
Levon now understood exactly what they meant by ice bear; it carried an ice essence, which was genuinely valuable.
Some animals were named based on the elements they could yield.
Levon scrolled further down the storage space.
[Mutation Triggered]
Vision Stone → Predator Crystal
Extended vision
Ice Essence → Glacial Core (Locked)
Mutation Complete.
Inventory Updated.
Level 5 150/1800
Levon breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, system coins were showing up, and his copper coins were now sitting at 375. All he needed now was approximately 700 more.
[A player has successfully reached 100 system stones; the leaderboard has been activated.]
Levon used his mechanical stones on his pendant, taking it to level 5.
He wasn’t much interested in the leaderboard; for now he was at the top, and he knew it.
’Finally, more time,’Levon said as he tucked the last mechanical stones into the pendant. Surprisingly, the pendant was proving quite useful to him.
Once he was done, he stored away the treasure he had obtained and began heading deeper into the forest.
The bear hadn’t dropped any treasure chest or anything of that nature, which only meant he was the first guardian creature in the area.
Levon’s heart lifted; that could only mean it was a rare, if not divine, treasure chest. He could hardly wait — it would give him a natural boost and could also instantly provide all the coins he needed to awaken his bloodline.
Without wasting much time, Levon began sprinting through the path.
He kept going, the forest growing denser as he moved.
[Congratulations, you have made it to the witches’ coven — clear it to win the elite treasure chest.]
Levon halted just inches from the edge of a deep pit, its bottom lost in darkness.
So that was what the bear had been guarding all along.
Levon could hardly believe it; he might have been the first to find the witches’ coven. frёeωebɳovel.com
But he wasn’t quick to celebrate; he couldn’t use skills yet, and the coven was filled with NPCs desperate to grow stronger.
One misstep meant death; there was no thinking twice.
This coven had claimed the lives of many in his former life; it was the closest thing to a dungeon at this stage of the competition.
’I can’t do this; I could die on the spot.’
Levon thought strategically; he wasn’t just going to throw himself in like that.
But he couldn’t bear to see another player win the chest first.
[A new player has joined the leaderboard.]
[Levon — 100 system stones]
[Draven — 50 system stones]
That had to be his answer, Levon thought, glancing at the coven one last time.
