Chương 77

Director Yoon Sangmin rubbed his tired eyes. He stared blankly at the massive monitor in the S. A. Group's operations room.

"The probability was less than two percent," Morpheus's indifferent voice echoed through the quiet room.

"The level gap, the freezing environment, and the Great Demon's natural health regeneration should have made a solo victory impossible for a Level 160 player."

"But he did it anyway," Yoon Nahee sighed, tapping her tablet.

"He just kept hitting the exact same weak point until the armor cracked." Sangmin ran a hand through his hair.

"I can handle him beating the demon. But the system gave him a Rune. The Rune of Analysis is not supposed to be an early game reward!"

"It gets worse, Director," Nahee pointed to the screen.

"Because he is the first player to obtain a Rune, the system upgraded it. The stat penalty is completely gone." Sangmin groaned, resting his forehead on the glass table.

"He is going to break the entire combat balance." Chairman Lim Cheolho sat at the head of the table. He was casually spinning a silver pen between his fingers, his eyes tracking the glowing data streams on the monitor. A deeply amused, boyish smile spread across his face.

"He already breaks our limits every single week," Lim Cheolho chuckled, tossing the pen onto the desk.

"If he wants to fight like a wildman, let him. What is his next class quest?"

"Phase Four of the Staff Saint quest," Morpheus answered instantly.

"He must reach the maximum level of Advanced Staff Mastery. Based on his current growth rate and combat style, I calculate it will take him at least two in-game years of non-stop fighting to achieve it." Sangmin finally relaxed a little.

"Two years. Okay. That gives the other top rankers time to catch up. He won't be a Saint anytime soon." Lim Cheolho simply swiped a holographic screen away, leaning back in his leather chair with a soft laugh. Deep inside the frozen cathedral, Rudra slowly opened his eyes. He groaned, sitting up on the cold floor. His body felt completely fine. The heavy exhaustion from the fight was gone, replaced by a massive, rushing feeling of energy.

"How long was I out?" Rudra muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't have to wait for an answer. A huge wall of golden system messages instantly flooded his vision. [You have defeated the 14th Great Demon, Morax (Borrowed Body)!] [Experience has been acquired.] [Your level has risen!] [Your level has risen...] The level-up notifications kept stacking. By the time they stopped, Rudra's eyes were wide. He had jumped ten full levels from a single boss fight. He was sitting securely at Level 170.

[Staff Saint Candidate Quest: Phase 3 has been completed!] This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [You have proven your unyielding light by crushing one of the prime evils.] [Quest: Staff Saint Candidate (Phase 4) has been generated.] [Staff Saint Candidate (Phase 4: The Weight of a Lifetime)] [Difficulty: SS] [A true Saint must understand their weapon as an extension of their own soul. Prove your absolute dedication.] [Clear Conditions: Reach Level 10 (MAX) in Advanced Staff Mastery.] Rudra sighed. He slumped back against the ice.

"Advanced Mastery Max?" Rudra complained to the empty room.

"I'm only Level 3 right now. Even with all my bonus experience titles, that is going to take well over a year of swinging this stick." He swiped the quest window away. It was a massive grind, but he was used to grinding. He turned his attention to the next flashing notification. [You are the first player to solo a Great Demon Raid!] [You have acquired the 'Rune of Analysis'.] [You are the first person to obtain a rune!] [The Insight stat penalty for using this Rune has been permanently removed.] [Rune of Analysis] [Bound Item] [It is permanently preserved in your inventory. Trading, dropping, or destroying it is impossible. - Usage Effect: Needs to permanently consume Insight stat to analyze a target. (Penalty Removed) - Normal attacks and skill attacks will deal an additional 20% damage. - Unique Lasting Effect: When dealing with Named NPCs, Boss Monsters, Angels, Half-Gods, Gods, named Demons, Great Demons and Dragons you can analyze their characteristics, combat arts, or magic and reinterpret them as your own ability.] Rudra grinned. A flat 20% damage boost to every swing was great. But the active effect was the real prize. If he fought a dragon or a god with a cool skill, he could literally copy it and adapt it into a staff technique.

"That is going to make fights a lot more fun," Rudra laughed. He finally looked down at the pile of grey ash near Morax's broken ice throne. Three items were sitting in the soot. [Ring of the Frozen Hell] [Rating: Legendary] [- All normal and skill attacks deal an additional 50% Ice Magic Damage. - Attacks have a low probability of inflicting 'Frostbite'. A treasure formed from the tears of the 14th Great Demon Morax. Conditions of Use: None. Weight: 0. 1] [Necklace of the Demon Prince] [Rating: Legendary] [- Intelligence +200. - Persistence +200. - Ice Resistance is increased by 20%. - Cooldown time of all active skills is reduced by 10%. A treasure created to honor the 14th Great Demon Morax. Conditions of Use: None. Weight: 0. 5] [Item Acquired: Morax's Demonic Ice-Core Meat] [Rating: Legendary (Ingredient)] [A highly condensed cut of meat from a Great Demon. It is so cold it will cause frostbite to bare skin. If a master chef cooks it perfectly, it will grant permanent stats and greatly increase Demonic Energy resistance.] Rudra immediately equipped the jewelry. He felt a sharp, freezing chill wrap around his fingers from the ring, while a deep pulse of persistence settled in his chest from the necklace. The extra stats and cooldown reduction were perfect for keeping up his momentum. He picked up the last item. It was a thick, dark blue slab of meat that radiated a freezing fog.

"Oh, Kratos is going to love this," Rudra smiled, carefully putting the freezing meat into his inventory. With his loot secured, Rudra picked up his Staff of the Fire Lord. He stretched his arms, feeling the surge of his new levels. He was stronger, faster, and ready for more. He jumped up, grabbing the edge of the hole he had blasted in the ice ceiling, and pulled himself back out into the snowy forest. The cold mountain air felt great.