Chương 55

Rudra stretched his sore arms. The thirty-day training camp was finally over. He sat on a lumpy wooden cot inside the quiet barracks. He let out a long, happy sigh and swiped his hand in the air.

"Let's see the final numbers," Rudra mumbled. [Name]: Rudra [Level]: 113 [Class]: Black Staff Expert [Title]: Staff Saint Candidate (Stage 1) (+7 others) [Health]: 11, 635 / 11, 635 | [Mana]: 3, 640 / 3, 640 [Strength]: 626 | [Stamina]: 617 [Agility]: 638 | [Intelligence]: 491 [Persistence]: 429 | [Dexterity]: 325 [Courage]: 338 | [Charisma]: 422 [Dignity]: 422 | [Divine Power]: 104 [Stat Points]: 20 [Advanced Staff Mastery (Lv. 1)] [Passive] [When equipped with a staff, attack power and attack speed will increase by 45%. The probability of a critical hit will increase in proportion to the user's Agility.] [Minor Tidal Push (Lv. 9)] [Active] [A foundational spell created by the Temple of Asterion. It channels a sudden, highly pressurized burst of water from the tip of the user's weapon. - It deals water magic damage equivalent to Intelligence x 1. 4. - It applies a [Stagger] effect to the target, forcefully pushing them backward by 2 meters. Resource Consumption: 15 Mana. Skill Cooldown Time: 2 seconds.] [Intermediate Cooking (Lv. 8)] [Passive] [You can prepare edible meals from raw ingredients. - All effects of the produced dish will increase by 7%. There is a rare probability of creating rare rated dishes There is a very rare probability of creating epic rated dishes. When rare rated dishes are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +2. - Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +30 When epic rated dishes are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +4. - Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +80] [Crushing Strike (MAX)] [Active] [Channels heavy momentum to the tip of your staff for a devastating overhead or horizontal swing. - Deals 240% of your physical attack power. Resource Consumption: 30 Stamina. Skill Cooldown: 12 seconds.] [Iron Guard (MAX)] [Active] [Brace your staff with both hands to absorb a heavy impact. - Reduces incoming physical damage by 99% for a single strike. Resource Consumption: 20 Stamina. Skill Cooldown: 6 seconds.] [Abyssal Step (Lv. 3)] [Rating: Unique] This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. [By forcibly compressing ambient mana and moisture, the user can create temporary, invisible footholds in empty space. - Stamina cost increases by an additional 100% for every 20 steps. Resource Consumption: 15 Mana and 10 Stamina per step Skill Cooldown: None] [Asterion's Blessing (Minor)] [Passive] [The ocean embraces you as one of its own. - You can breathe indefinitely in any body of water. - All physical movement and attack speed penalties caused by water resistance are permanently removed.] [Beginner Alchemy (Lv. 7)] [Passive] [Produce alchemical items that you know how to make. There is a rare probability of creating Rare rated items. -When Rare rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +2. -Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +30.] [Beginner Medicine Making (Lv. 7)] [Passive] [Produce medicinal poultices, bandages, and treatments you know how to make.. There is a rare probability of creating Rare rated medicinal items or executing a Rare rated treatment. -When Rare rated items or treatments are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +2. -Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +30.] [Blunt Force (Lv. 2)] [Passive] [Your strikes carry a heavy, deep impact. - 12% of your physical damage bypasses standard armor. - Hitting a target repeatedly in the exact same spot has a low probability of inflicting a 1-second [Stun] effect.] [Sweeping Gale (Lv. 2)] [Active] [A rapid, low-angle horizontal swing using the full length of the staff to clear a crowd. - Deals 140% physical damage in a wide arc and violently knocks lightweight targets off their feet. Resource Consumption: 35 Stamina. Skill Cooldown: 2 Minutes.] [Super Sensitivity (Lv. 1)] [Active] [All senses will become transcended. - Telepathy: You can predict 100% of all your target's behavior within 10 meters. - This effect will last for 6 seconds and will continue for 2 seconds after the effect has ended. - Resource Consumption: All of your current mana. - Skill Cooldown Time: 1 hour.] He swiped the window away. He looked down at his boots. The leather was frayed and covered in dried mud. He checked his hands.

His gloves were basically falling apart. He didn't have any rings, necklaces, or earrings equipped at all. He had his Epic staff and his Epic vest. But the rest of his gear was just cheap beginner stuff. Whenever he got decent loot from a boss, he usually just sold it. He needed the gold to buy rare spices, salt, and alchemy recipes. Plus, wearing weak armor actually made the game harder, which helped him grind his defensive skills faster. Nothing he found ever really caught his eye anyway.

"I should probably get some real accessories now," Rudra told his cloak.

"A good ring wouldn't hurt." Kratos poked his head out of Rudra's collar and squeaked in agreement. Heavy boots thumped on the wooden floorboards. Commander Vane walked into the room. He was holding a tin cup of hot tea.

"You look way too happy for a guy who just got beat up for a month," Vane grunted.

"I feel great," Rudra smiled, standing up.

"And full. Seriously, thanks for all the ingredients. I wouldn't have hit Cooking Level 8 if you and your knights didn't keep buying me those epic-rated swamp boar ribs." Vane snorted.

"My men were tired of eating plain salted cabbage. You basically turned my training camp into a tavern." Vane took a sip of his tea. He leaned against the doorframe.

"I have an offer for you," Vane said casually.

"The First Princess's faction needs capable retainers. I want you to officially join her camp." Rudra groaned. He flopped backward onto his cot.

"Politics? No thanks," Rudra complained.

"I hate royal drama. Backstabbing, poison in my soup, endless boring meetings... that sounds awful."

"It's not a dirty war," Vane shook his head.

"The King is sick, yes. But the First Prince and the First Princess actually respect each other. The succession is an honorable competition. It's just martial trials and strategy. No assassins in the night."

"Still," Rudra sat back up.

"I have my own quests. I need to hunt ten boss monsters for this new Saint title. And like I said, I really need to find some rings and a decent pair of boots."

"Think about it," Vane said, pushing off the doorframe.

"The Princess rewards her people well. The Royal Vault has items you can't buy in any store. The invitation is always open."

"I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the training, Commander." Rudra grabbed his Abyssal Ironwood Staff. He slung it over his shoulder, pulled his dark leather mask up over his nose, and walked out of the military district. He navigated the snowy streets of Juden, moving away from the wealthy upper city. He headed straight for the lower slums. The buildings here were cramped and drafty, but it was the perfect place to lay low. He knocked three times on a battered wooden door at the back of a quiet alley.

The door opened. Elysia stood there, wearing a simple wool tunic instead of her flashy silver armor.

"You're late," she said, letting him inside.

"I had to pack," Rudra smiled. He walked over to a small wooden table and pulled out a steaming, foil-wrapped package from his inventory. He set it down in front of her.

"Lunch." Elysia didn't hesitate. Over the last thirty days, Rudra had visited her hideout every single night. He used the high-tier ingredients bought by Vane's knights to cook her incredible, vitality-recovering meals. She unwrapped the package. It was a massive slab of spice-rubbed drake meat, paired with perfectly roasted root vegetables. She took a bite, and a bright golden aura flared around her body, pushing back the lingering Imperial poison in her veins. [Quest 'The Red Knight's Recovery' has been updated.] [Current Progress: 7 / 10 Epic Meals Served.]"Seven down, three to go," Rudra said, leaning against the wall.

"You're looking a lot better."

"I feel much stronger," Elysia nodded, eating the meat quickly.

"My mana flow is almost entirely stable. Are you finished playing in the mud with the militia?"

"Yep. I graduated," Rudra said.

"It's time to get back to work. We need to find a boss monster. Something higher than Level 113. I need the kills for my class quest, and honestly, I really want some new gear." Elysia finished her meal and grabbed her sword belt.

"The snowy mountains outside the capital are crawling with high-level beast tribes. We shouldn't have to look far."

"Perfect," Rudra grinned. Ten minutes later, they walked out of the capital gates. The freezing mountain wind howled around them as they trekked deeper into the jagged, snowy peaks, actively hunting for trouble.