Chương 208

[You have cleared the Fourth Trial.] [You have exceeded the limits of the trial by collapsing the vortex!] [As a reward, All Stats +50!] [Reward: Spell: [Spatial Anchor]] [The Champion's Rite] [Progress: 4 / 15 Temples Cleared] Rudra read the prompt. He smiled at the free stat points. His gamer instincts loved hitting those hidden criteria. He then looked at the list of skills that leveled up in the past few trials and couldn't help but be proud of himself [Complete Staff Mastery (Lv. 2)] -> [Complete Staff Mastery (Lv. 3)] [Typhoon (Lv. 2)] -> [Typhoon (Lv. 3)] [Avalanche (Lv. 2)] -> [Avalanche (Lv. 3)] [Comet (Lv. 1)] ->[Comet (Lv. 2)] [Mumud's Magic Mastery (Level 1)] -> [Mumud's Magic Mastery (Level 2)] [Elemental Convergence (Lv. 1)] -> [Elemental Convergence (Lv. 2)] [Mumud's Spell Drain (Lv. 1)] -> [Mumud's Spell Drain (Lv. 2)] [Mumud's Mana Shield (Lv. 1)] -> [Mumud's Mana Shield (Lv. 2)] [Mumud's Weapon Enchant (Lv. 1)] -> [Mumud's Weapon Enchant (Lv. 2)] [Pressure Zone (Lv. 1)] -> [Pressure Zone (Lv. 2)] [Abyssal Step (Lv. 8)] -> [Abyssal Step (Lv. 9)] [Mana Heart (Lv. 3)] -> [Mana Heart (Lv. 4)] [Atlas's Rebound (Lv. 2)] -> [Atlas's Rebound (Lv. 3)] [Sacred Force (Lv. 1)] -> [Sacred Force (Lv. 2)] [Spell Store (Lv. 1)] -> [Spell Store (Lv. 2)] He sat down on the rock next to Kratos and pulled up the list of skills and blueprints he got as a result of keeping [Legendary Sage's Eyes] active for the three days and scanning the predators throughout the fight.

[Skills Acquired] [Predator's Blood Frenzy (Lv. 1)] [Rare] [User enters a frenzied state when smelling fresh blood in the surrounding area. - Attack power increases by 10%. - Can only be activated in the presence of blood. - Resource Consumption: 150 Mana. - Skill Duration: 10 minutes If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Skill Cooldown: 1 hour.] [Venomous Fang Strike (Lv. 1)] [Epic / Passive] [Secretes paralyzing venom from the fangs when biting. - Inflicts Poison and Paralysis on hit. - Skill Usage Conditions: Have a Sea-Serpent Anatomy] [Whirlpool Navigation (Lv. 1)] [Rare] [A swimming technique learned by watching deep-sea predators ride the currents. -Swimming speed in whirlpools increases by 20%. - Skill Usage Conditions: Have a Shark or Sea-Serpent Anatomy] [Blueprints Acquired] [Deep-Sea Predator Scale Armor] [Rating: Rare ~ Epic] [Durability: 400/400 Defense: 400 ~ 450] [Strength +50] [20% reduction in damage from water spells.] [A heavy armor forged entirely from the natural steel-like plating harvested from elite oceanic sharks. Created using the specialized blacksmithing techniques of the aquatic races.] [User Restriction: Level 300 or higher, Aquatic Race.] [Weight: 250.] [Vortex Anchor Mechanism] [Rare] [The mechanical blueprint for the fourth trial's vortex generator. Uses deep-sea thermal vents and magic stones to create artificial whirlpools.]"Well, that's slightly better than last time," Rudra muttered to himself.

He closed the blue windows. The [Predator's Blood Frenzy] was actually usable, even if the trigger condition was a bit messy. The armor blueprint was useless for him since he wasn't an aquatic race, but he figured he could sell the schematic to a specialized blacksmith later. The Vortex blueprint, on the other hand, was going straight to Stormbreak's defense grid. He pulled up the description for the new spell he got from the main trial reward. [Spatial Anchor (Lv. 1)] [Rating: Epic] [A targeted lockdown spell derived from the crushing weight of the deep ocean. - Binds a single enemy to their exact spatial coordinates for 5 seconds. - During this time, the target is completely disabled from using teleportation, dash skills, or being affected by forced movement abilities. - Resource Consumption: 2, 000 Mana. - Skill Cooldown: 10 minutes.]"That's a really good trick," Rudra grinned. Locking down a highly mobile boss for five whole seconds was a massive tactical advantage.

He quickly learned the spellbook and stood up. He walked over and nudged the lion's massive paw with his boot.

"Wake up, buddy," Rudra said.

"Phase one is done. Let's go find a kitchen. I need a hot meal before we hit the rest of these islands." He turned his back on the calm water and walked off the cliff. The first four trials were tough, but he felt good. The grind was exactly what he needed. A blinking red light pulsed aggressively in the corner of his vision. [You have reached your maximum daily connection limit. Please log out to rest.] Rudra let out a long, heavy breath.

He had just spent three actual days fighting inside a giant underwater washing machine. His brain was half-asleep, and his muscles were screaming for a break.

"I'm done for today," Rudra told Thalassa and Neria as he stepped off the rocky cliff.

"I need sleep. I'll see you guys tomorrow." He hit the logout button. The salty ocean breeze vanished, instantly replaced by the quiet hum of his VR capsule. The glass lid slid open. Rudra climbed out and stretched his stiff back, listening to his joints pop. The Chennai afternoon heat was already creeping through the windows of his room. He didn't do anything special. He just walked into the kitchen, heated up some leftover sambar and rice, and ate in silence.

He took a hot shower, crashed onto his bed, and slept for a couple of hours. The mental fatigue of grinding for three straight game-days completely evaporated. When his daily connection timer finally reset, he grabbed a quick glass of water and climbed back into the capsule.

"Link start." He materialized right back on the rocky beach of the Orca Archipelago. The virtual sun was bright, and the crashing waves sounded exactly the same. Kratos was currently having a staredown with a small, bright red crab across the sand. Chief Thalassa and High Priestess Neria waited patiently by their armored mounts.

"I'm fully rested," Rudra said, cracking his knuckles.

"Let's hit the next one."

"The fifth temple is on the next island," Neria said softly, guiding her Divine Orca into the surf.

"It is a test of execution." They traveled a short distance to a large, dome-shaped island. The fifth temple was built entirely out of smooth, white limestone. It looked more like a giant bathhouse than a dungeon. They stopped on the beach right outside the heavy wooden doors.