Chương 160

Rudra had to test the Skills. He stood up. He grabbed his heavy black staff, Extortion, and equipped it.

"Watch this," Rudra told the Elder. Rudra turned toward a massive, empty boulder sitting near the edge of the stream. He activated [Manifestation of Will]. He didn't swing the actual staff at the rock. He just pointed the weapon and visualized a strike. Instantly, the air warped. A massive, translucent blue staff—an exact replica of Extortion, but made entirely of pure, solid pressure—appeared in the air directly above the boulder. Rudra swung his physical staff.

The translucent will-staff copied the motion perfectly, crashing down onto the boulder with terrifying speed. BOOM. The massive rock completely exploded into dust. The pure damage of his Strength combined with his Willpower completely ignored the rock's physical defense. The loud noise woke Kratos up. The giant lion scrambled to his feet, looking around wildly.

"Who is attacking?!" Kratos barked, his fur standing on end.

"I'm ready! Let me bite them!" Rudra chuckled. He dropped his staff and decided to test just the raw pressure of his new stat, trying to mimic what Piaro had done in the forest. He stared at Kratos. He didn't use a skill. He just focused his mind, projecting his heavy physical presence and solid will directly at the lion. Kratos suddenly froze. The lion's paws slowly lifted off the soft grass. The raw pressure of Rudra's will was physically lifting the heavy beast into the air.

"Hey!" Kratos yelled, paddling his paws uselessly in the empty space.

"Gravity is broken! Put me down! This volcano is haunted!"

"Alright, alright," Rudra laughed, dropping his focus. The pressure vanished. Kratos flopped back onto the ground with a heavy thud. The lion glared at Rudra, bearing his teeth.

"Did you do that?" Kratos accused.

"I am a ground lion. I do not fly. Do not ever do that again."

"Sorry," Rudra smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.

"I just got a new stat. Had to make sure it worked." The Elder watched the entire scene with a soft, knowing smile.

"You learn quickly, Rudra," the Elder said.

"Willpower is the mark of a true absolute. Magic and swords can be broken, but a person's solid will cannot." Rudra nodded, closing his skill window. But another prompt immediately popped up right behind it. [Your Class Quest has updated!] [Class Quest: The Footsteps of the Pioneer] Difficulty: Class Quest. You have learned the truth of the world. You have grasped the true essence of production. You are beginning to walk the same path as the original Pioneer Staff Saint.

But a Saint is not just a scholar or a cook. A Saint is a force of nature that can defy the gods and the demons alike. The original Pioneer Staff Saint proved his absolute strength by hunting down the greatest evils in the world alone. To prove you are worthy of fully inheriting his ultimate techniques, you must do the same. Clear Conditions: - Locate a Great Demon. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

- Defeat the Great Demon entirely solo, without the help of any party members, summons, or pets. Reward: The ultimate Staff Saint exclusive combat skill.] Rudra let out a long breath.

"Solo a Great Demon," Rudra mumbled to himself.

"Sure. Just another fucking Day." It was an insane requirement. Great Demons were raid bosses that usually required entire guilds of top-tier players to beat. The system wanted him to just walk up to one and punch it to death by himself. But honestly? Rudra felt completely ready for it. With his stats, his new Willpower skills, and the absurd blunt damage of Extortion, he was confident he could bash a demon into ash.

"I have to go," Rudra said. He turned to the Elder and dusted off his black coat.

"You are leaving so soon?" the Elder asked, leaning heavily on his wooden cane.

"Yeah. I have a lot more ocean temples to clear," Rudra said.

"And apparently, I need to find a Great Demon to fight."

"You are a strange man, Rudra," the Elder smiled gently.

"Most people run away from demons."

"Most people don't get paid for it," Rudra joked. He reached out and shook the old man's hand firmly.

"Don't worry, Elder. I promise I will keep this island a total secret. Nobody will know you guys are here. You can stay safe in this crater as long as you need."

"Thank you, Saint," the Elder said softly.

"Perhaps one day, when the gods are no longer watching so closely, we will finally leave this valley."

"When that day comes, look for a city called Stormbreak on the mainland," Rudra said.

"I've got plenty of room for scholars." Rudra turned around.

"Come on, Kratos. Let's go climb a volcano again."

"I hate you so much," Kratos groaned, trudging after him. The hike back out of the crater was just as steep, but Rudra felt lighter. He had actual answers now. He understood the hidden lore of the game better than almost any other player in the world. They climbed over the rocky rim and hiked back down the jagged, sun-baked side of the mountain. They reached the quiet, sandy beach just as the sun fully dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of purple and dark blue.

Finn, the elite Siren scout, was sitting in the small wooden boat. The Siren was clutching his knees, looking completely terrified. When Finn saw Rudra and Kratos walking out of the jungle, he jumped up so fast he nearly fell into the ocean.

"My Lord!" Finn gasped, his eyes wide.

"You... you survived!"

"Of course we survived," Rudra said. He waded into the shallow water and hopped back onto the wooden deck. Kratos jumped in right behind him, instantly shaking seawater all over Finn's legs.

"I thought the cursed spirits of the Sleeping Giant had eaten you," Finn admitted, his voice shaking.

"I thought I was going to be stuck here forever."

"No spirits," Rudra said, tossing his black coat over a wooden barrel.

"Just some nice people and a lot of grass. Alright, pull up the anchor. Let's get out of here."

"Where to next, My Lord?" Finn asked. He quickly hauled the heavy metal anchor out of the water, eager to leave the cursed island behind.

"Head south," Rudra pointed.

"Let's Head to the next Temple."

"Understood," Finn said. The Siren spun the wooden steering wheel, turning the boat back toward the parted Storm Wall. The boat sailed smoothly through the magical barrier. As soon as they crossed back into the open ocean, the wall of black clouds and screaming wind seamlessly closed shut behind them. The violent purple lightning flashed again, hiding the Scribes' valley from the rest of the world. Rudra leaned back against the wooden railing. The sea breeze felt great against his face.

He opened his status window to check his current numbers.

[Name: Rudra] [Level: 249] [Class: Staff Saint] [Title: [Lord with a Magic Tower] + 20] [Health: 92, 900 / 92, 900 | Mana: 40, 050 / 40, 050] [Staff Energy: 3, 000 / 3, 000 | Divine Energy: 27, 150 / 27, 150] [Strength: 2, 310 | Stamina: 2, 340] [Agility: 2, 330 | Intelligence: 2, 150] [Persistence: 1, 998 | Dexterity: 2, 132] [Courage: 1, 613 | Charm: 3, 504] [Dignity: 2, 895 | Insight: 1, 704] [Divine Power: 2, 715 | Regeneration: 621] [Composure: 514 | Indomitable: 713] [Willpower: 350 | Political Power: 210] [Super Sensitivity: 8. 3] [Stat Points: 0] Rudra smiled. The new title and the Willpower stat were going to be incredibly useful. He didn't just have physical strength anymore; he could literally crush his enemies with the weight of his mind.

"Hey, Kratos," Rudra said, looking over at the lion resting on the deck. Kratos narrowed his yellow eyes suspiciously.

"What?"

"Do you want to fly again?"

"If you do that," Kratos growled, baring his sharp teeth, "I will bite your ankles while you sleep." Rudra laughed out loud. The small boat sailed smoothly into the dark night, heading south toward the next major milestone. He had ocean temples to smash, basic food to cook, and a Great Demon to hunt down. The grind never stopped, and Rudra wouldn't have it any other way.