"Bang!"
After an unknown number of shattering sounds, following the final Devourer Wyvern exploding into polygonal fragments, all the Devourer Wyverns in the canyon had been wiped out by the streaking figure that shot through like a meteor.
Even so, that figure did not stop. It flapped its wings and, like a rocket, shot forward, stirring up turbulent air as it charged deeper into the canyon.
In this situation, more and more monsters began to appear.
However, despite these troublesome monsters, Rozen never stopped. His speed didn't decrease as he continued his relentless charge. His transformed figure was like a lightning bolt; each time it touched a monster, a sword flash would immediately follow, killing the monster on the spot. Then he would swiftly turn in another direction, continuing the ruthless slaughter.
Leafa desperately followed behind Rozen, flying at her maximum speed, but even so, she couldn't catch up with Rozen, who was continuously cutting down monsters. All she could do was watch as Rozen, in his form of a radiant light, darted into the crowd of monsters, flashing wildly like lightning, eliminating them in under a minute, and then surging toward the next group.
As a result, countless monsters, which players saw as nightmares and required large organized teams to defeat, were slain one by one.
Fire Spirits.
Giant Fish.
Bicorns.
Evil Treants.
Scorpion-Tailed Sand Lizards.
Leafa could only watch in shock as Rozen slaughtered all these challenging monsters, unable to catch up with his figure. Her feelings evolved from shock to awe, then from awe to reverence, and finally to numbness.
As someone who had played in ALfheim Online for a year, from the game's early days until now, Leafa could confidently say that Rozen's current number of kills, if attempted by others, would require either a team of over a hundred players or a top-tier team of more than ten elite players working all day to achieve the same results.
But Rozen, alone, accomplished this volume of kills in about ten minutes. It was simply astonishing.
He...
"Is he really this strong?"
Leafa couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Although she already knew that, in that terrifying game, this man was not only at the top among all players but also had the ability to command the entire clearing group, making every top player follow his orders. So, of course, he was powerful. She had expected that, upon entering this world, he would easily surpass her strength, but she never imagined that his "strength" would reach this level.
Leafa even witnessed Rozen encountering the boss of this training area — a being that was banished for using evil magic and gaining immense power, known as the Fallen Fairy.
This training area boss, which spawns only once a week and requires a squad of twenty nearby territory fairies to defeat, lasted only three seconds against Rozen.
Leafa would never forget those three seconds when the Fallen Fairy, roaring and charging at Rozen, was dealt with in three strikes.
In the first second, Rozen slashed through the Fallen Fairy's heart from the front.
In the second second, Rozen spun around, darting to the Fallen Fairy's back, and struck the wound that pierced through the heart, hitting the same spot.
In the third second, Rozen ascended above the Fallen Fairy, and with a lightning-fast strike, he decapitated the monster just as it was about to retaliate in a berserk rage.
Three seconds, three strikes, three fatal weaknesses. Rozen accomplished this brilliance.
The training area boss, which reportedly takes at least four minutes to clear, was reduced to polygonal fragments in three mere seconds.
That was the strength Rozen displayed.
"No way..."
Leafa could only murmur in disbelief, as if in a dream, her expression dazed.
With this level of strength and speed, it wouldn't take even an hour for Rozen to clear the entire canyon, right?
Unfortunately, as if the game's GM couldn't bear to watch any longer, a "red card" finally descended to stop Rozen's actions.
"Hmm?"
Just as Rozen was preparing to charge deeper into the canyon with great enthusiasm, a surprised sound escaped his lips, and his speed involuntarily slowed down.
Behind him, the pair of glowing wings on his back began to dim, scattering fewer and fewer sparks until they completely darkened and folded up on their own.
Rozen was forced to land on the ground.
Feeling that his wings had completely lost function, Rozen frowned.
"What's going on?"
Rozen was perplexed.
In the next second...
"It's the flight limit."
Leafa, gasping for breath, finally caught up, her own wings equally dim as she landed in front of Rozen.
"Flight limit?"
Rozen looked at Leafa, confused.
"It's the limit to flying," Leafa explained, watching Rozen's bewildered face, as though she had a lot to say but ultimately gave up, sighing. "No matter what race, we can only fly continuously for about ten minutes. Only by reaching the floating city above the World Tree and meeting the Fairy King Oberon can one ascend to the legendary race — the Alf."
Only the Alf race has no flight limit, able to fly freely.
"If not, you'll have to land and let your wings rest for a while before continuing to fly."
Leafa explained this rule with some frustration.
Leafa had an inexplicable love for flying.
The feeling of being unbound, soaring freely in the sky, captivated Leafa from the bottom of her heart.
The reason she continued playing this game was because only this game allowed her to experience the miracle of flight.
Unfortunately, the flight limit was like a shackle of law, binding the hearts and bodies of all players, including Leafa.
Thus...
"Every race aims to reach the floating city above the World Tree. That's currently the main goal in ALfheim Online."
Leafa expressed this regretfully.
However, when Leafa thought Rozen would also show a look of regret...
"The World Tree and the Fairy King...?"
Rozen's eyes gleamed with intense light as he gazed at Leafa and spoke seriously.
"Can you tell me more about that?"
Rozen's tone took on a serious edge.
"A... Alright."
Leafa, somewhat caught off guard, nodded and began explaining the situation to Rozen.