John was picking up the equipment and materials dropped by the monsters.
When he looked up, he saw Seraphina watching him.
John raised an eyebrow and asked with a teasing smile, "How about it, Miss Winters? Are you satisfied with my service?"
John had only meant to tease Seraphina, but to his surprise, she actually nodded earnestly and said,
"Your strength is indeed formidable. Apart from the monsters within the major families of the Imperial City, you are the strongest of our age that I have encountered."
John's interest was piqued, and he asked, "The geniuses from the Imperial City's major families? Are they that impressive?"
After a moment of contemplation, seemingly comparing John to them, Seraphina replied, "Their strength is much greater than yours. In terms of talent, you might be on par, but in a battle of equal levels, they definitely wouldn't be able to defeat you."
Seraphina's assessment was fair.
Having witnessed John's almost magical combat abilities and skill control, she knew that at the same level, few could best him, but that was only at the same level.
John simply smiled, not saying much more.
He understood what Seraphina meant: at the same level, he might overcome those individuals through his combat experience.
However, those geniuses from major families had the backing of their clans, likely possessing higher levels and better equipment.
Even the most exceptional combat experience would be futile against absolute power.
Yet, John wasn't bothered by this.
He was well aware that his journey was just beginning.
With the Divine Favor Tome and the All-Class Magus to aid him, his power would only grow more formidable over time.
Eventually, neither the geniuses of the Imperial City nor the monsters of the Federation would hold any value in his eyes.
Seraphina, looking earnestly at John, said, "With your talent, you surely won't stay in Stellarburg forever. If the opportunity arises, I suggest you head to the Imperial City. The Federation's top awakeners, geniuses, and powers are mostly there. The resources and powerhouses there are beyond your imagination; it's a different world you should see."
It was rare for Seraphina to speak so much, showing she genuinely hoped John would go to the Imperial City.
John fell silent for a moment before responding, "I'll consider it if the opportunity comes."
Seraphina nodded, not adding anything more.
She could have used her connections to send John to some academies in the Imperial City, but she chose not to.
First, their relationship wasn't that deep, and second, she knew John wouldn't accept the offer.
Despite not showing it, Seraphina could sense that deep down, John was perhaps even more proud and arrogant than she was.
After the twelve gargoyles were defeated, the cathedral fell into a brief silence.
John picked up the materials and equipment, never letting his guard down, always alert to his surroundings.
He knew that the Boss might make its appearance next.
Sure enough, they didn't have to wait long before a low murmur began to echo through the cathedral.
John frowned; the sound seemed like a prayer, yet also like a confession, eerily odd to the ears.
As time passed, the murmuring in the cathedral grew louder and more numerous, gradually evolving from a single person's whisper to the shouts of countless individuals.
Deafening, heart-wrenching!
Listening to these sounds, John and Seraphina vaguely envisioned a scene: a Red Moon hung high in the sky, a monster with wings like a god or demon overlooking the world.
Crimson light spilled from its staff, turning countless people into monstrous beings in their agonizing struggles.
Some despised the monster for destroying their homes, while others began to worship it.
These people built temples and carved statues for it, praying daily until one day, twelve of the faithful received a response through their sacrifices, gaining its power.
Blinded by power, they began with human sacrifices and escalated to the madness of sacrificing entire cities until the monster turned the world into hell and then heartlessly abandoned them.
Yet, they still worshipped it, ignorant and pitiful, yet despicable.
The vision was fleeting, quickly fading away.
John and Seraphina snapped back to reality, only to find that the giant statue in the main hall had developed cracks at some unknown time.
Bits of stone fell from it, revealing a black robe underneath and the glimpse of a withered body and a faceless, horrifying visage within.
John looked at the robed monster, towering over ten meters tall, and immediately thought of the twelve monstrous disciples he had seen in the vision.
So, the Ghost Wizard was one of those disciples.
He wondered if the other eleven disciples and that monster had also become dungeon Bosses...
With these thoughts, John's staff lit up, attempting to throw a couple of skills at the Ghost Wizard before it fully emerged from the statue.
The skills didn't inflict any damage, neutralized by a dark shield surrounding the entity.
At the same time, the information about the Ghost Wizard appeared before him.
[Name: Ghost Wizard (Dungeon BOSS)]
[Level: Lv10]
[HP: 60,000]
[Spirit: 1059]
[Strength: 571]
[Defense: 257]
[Speed: 189]
[Skills: Soul Wail, Hellish Scythe, Silent Curse, Skeleton Puppet, Gargoyle Guard, Flail, Netherfire…]
…
The Ghost Wizard's HP was several times more than that of a regular elite monster.
Its Spirit attribute, exceeding a thousand, made it unsurprising to John that it could one-shot him.
No wonder Benjamin had solemnly warned them not to underestimate even the monsters in a beginner dungeon, as carelessness could lead to death.
It seemed it wasn't an exaggeration.
Compared to John's caution, Seraphina seemed less tense on the side, perhaps due to having a life-saving item or maybe due to her trust in John's strength.
Glancing at John, Seraphina suddenly asked, "Do you want me to lend you a life-saving item first?"
John was momentarily taken aback, then quickly nodded, "Thank you, Miss Winters. I really need it. And it would be even better if I don't have to use it!"
Seraphina fell silent for a moment, almost wishing to retract her offer.
She had now fully realized John's shamelessness; if you dare lend it to him, he dares to ask for it.
Nevertheless, Seraphina handed John an item, saying, "You don't need to return this one; consider it your commission for today." She wasn't short-changing John—a life-saving item could easily be worth tens of millions; he certainly wouldn't be at a loss.
John decisively shook his head: "Then I don't want it. Just add a bit more to my commission."
Seraphina's hand paused mid-air, her chest rising and falling slightly.
In the end, she collected the item back without expression, having fully experienced John's shamelessness and his preference for money over life.
While the two nonchalantly chatted, the Ghost Wizard finally emerged from the statue.
Suspended above the main hall, its black robe billowed, surrounded by wisps of black mist, making its towering figure quite daunting.
A black staff appeared in the Ghost Wizard's hand, flickering with dark light as it swung.
"＃@#^&…"
A strange murmur filled the cathedral's nave; it seemed to be chanting some sort of spell, and a black magic circle appeared in front of the Ghost Wizard.
John wasn't about to give it a chance to cast a spell.
With a thought, a thick, thorny green vine suddenly appeared at the Ghost Wizard's feet, lunging fiercely towards it.
But before the Vine Thorn could hit the Ghost Wizard, a wingless grey gargoyle, towering six to seven meters tall, materialized from the black magic circle, intercepting the Vine Thorn with its body.
"-4410!" Seeing this damage, John couldn't help but frown at the creature's high defense.
Simultaneously, the monster's information appeared before him.
[Name: Gargoyle Guard (Elite)]
[Level: Lv10]
[HP: 24,000]
[Strength: 126]
[Spirit: 75]
[Defense: 187]
[Speed: 75]
[Skills: Guard, Charge, Sweep…]
…
Seeing the attributes and HP of the Gargoyle Guard, John clicked his tongue and said, "No wonder it's so tough; it's a PLUS version."
With that, John's staff lit up with blue and icy-blue lights.
A gigantic ice sphere, ten meters in diameter, quickly formed in mid-air.
He smiled and said, "Big guy, try this on for size!"