A week passed by in a flash as Leon familiarized himself with the constant flow of slaughtering the menacing creatures that roamed the confines of the town, all the while making sure to steer clear of the larger, stronger specimens. Ghost Millipedes and Ghost Centipedes alike fell to his blunt blade, painting the grass covered earth with their thick, purple blood.
“Status.”
[Status]
Name: Leon Cromwell
Race: Obsidian Skeleton Soldier
Level: 80
Health Points: 1470
Mana: 500
<Strength: 40>
<Agility: 37>
<Durability: 48>
<Intelligence: 42>
<Dexterity: 35>
Skills:
<Beginner Weapon Mastery level 42>
Titles: None.
—
A week of hard work and bathing in the blood of his foes had turned out well for Leon, and his stats were clearly screaming out his gains.
He was twenty levels away from level one hundred, and his strength had gained a huge leap. His stats had begun to slow their direct increase in respect to the actions he performed, but his Durability had never seemed to slow down if his bones were put under any form of stress.
“Time to head out.”
Tying the short piece of cloth that he had found buried under a few blocks from a collapsed house, he made his way out of the cathedral. His dark form glinted in the dim lighting that came from the sun through the thick clouds.
With firm steps, Leon didn’t bother trying to sneak around the town this time. He was finally prepared to take on one of the larger specimens of the millipedes, and he knew where to find them.
Leon made his way closer to the border that separated the territory of the millipedes and centipedes. That was the area where the larger specimens usually lingered, so that was where he would be able to find them in abundance.
During the past week, Leon had made his way between the territories of both creatures, so he was easily able to avoid the hotspots and make his way to an area where no more than two larger specimens patrolled at a time.
Leon soon came upon his first larger specimen. This time, instead of hiding and ambushing it like he used to do to the weaker specimens, he directly stepped out from behind his cover, making himself known to the vile creature.
Screee?!
Even the creature itself was momentarily confused by his sudden appearance, but its surprise lasted only a short few seconds before its mindset changed, and it angrily charged at him with the intention of crushing his bones between its thick mandibles.
Leon raised his sword up with both hands and waited for the creature to get within striking range.
Clang!
A shower of sparks flashed about as Leon brilliantly parried the attack that had come his way. Unlike his first clash where he had nearly lost his life a week ago, he was barely even pushed back that much this time!
“Yes, I can do this!” Leon cheered himself on as he drew an arc through the air with the sword. Together with the upward arc that his blade drew through the air, purple blood and several wriggling legs danced through the air.
Screeeeeech!
The millipede screeched in pain and anger as it felt and saw its legs been separated from its body. Several of its other legs bent and straightened themselves as they tried to stab out at Leon with vengeance and anger.
The Obsidian Skeleton Soldier in question easily dodged and sidestepped all the limbs that were heading his way, while severing even more legs to the point that the millipede had lost its proper sense of balance.
Thwack! Thwack!! Thwack!!!
Three resounding strikes struck the hardy exoskeleton that made up the millipede’s protective layer. The sword dug deep into the exoskeleton, but was not able to slice through it entirely.
“Of course, I already expected this. They wouldn’t be so strong if their shells were as weak as their weaker siblings’!”
A dark flame that was basically invisible lit up within the depths of Leon’s eye sockets as his excitement reached its peak.
“But…” He swung his blade down with even more force, “That won’t stop me!”
Shhhk!
The sharpened blade of Leon’s sword sliced through the deliberately arranged cracks that had been caused by Leon’s earlier strikes, cleaving of the head of the millipede in one swift motion.
[Level 8 Ghost Millipede Soldier killed. You have gained a level.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Skill: Weapon Mastery has gained a level.]
[Skill: Weapon Mastery has gained a level.]
[Durability +1]
[Dexterity +1]
“Ha~” Leon sighed deeply as he beheld the dead carcass of the Ghost Millipede Soldier. “Indeed, a soldier is a fitting name. It was much stronger than the average millipedes.” He nodded.
“Four levels in one go, and my Weapon Mastery skill also went up a couple of levels. Aside from that, I gained a single point in Durability and Dexterity each, so that brings up my total gains from this kill to a nice profit. I should do this more.” Leon’s bony face creaked as it strained to accommodate his desire to display a vicious grin.
After resting a bit, Leon set off to find another Ghost Millipede Soldier. He killed a few normal millipedes on the way, but the experience they provided him did not manage to give him another level.
[Level 45 Ghost Millipede killed.]
[Level 30 Ghost Millipede killed.]
…
Before long, Leon finally came upon another Ghost Millipede soldier, but this one was actively engaged in a battle for supremacy against its centipede counterpart. The millipede was on the losing end, and its exoskeleton was covered in bite marks and white lines, a sign of the heated battle it had been engaged in.
“Two of them! This might be a good catch!” Leon was ecstatic as he saw this. The injured millipede would be easy to put down, and while the centipede was not as badly injured, it sustained enough injuries for its battle effectiveness to have dropped.
Leon dashed forward and used a pile of rubble as a stepping stone to propel himself into the air. He came down with his sword’s tip pointed downward, and stabbed the injured millipede straight in its head.
The force of his fall had more than made up for the lack of penetrating power he usually possessed, so he was able to pierce the exoskeleton of the creature relatively more easier than the one he had handled earlier.
Screee?!
The centipede was shocked, but before it could properly react, Leon had already pulled out his sword and stabbed it forward, plunging it into the exposed and sensitive eye of the centipede, stabbing through its brain, and ending its life before it could even process the fact that its initial foe had been stolen from it.
[Level 2 Ghost Millipede Soldier killed.]
[Level 8 Ghost Centipede Soldier killed.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
…
The notification rang out eight more times before stopping, bringing Leon’s level up to level 92.
“Damn, that was nice!”