Seeing the destruction caused by his single attack, Klaus was stunned. Ever since his awakening, he had relied solely on the ice element with his Moon Slash skill. He hadn't experimented with the other elements and wasn't sure if they would work. But since ice had been effective, he was content to stick with it.
Now, however, he was speechless. The fire element had exceeded his expectations. The sight of over 200 trees cut down and engulfed in flames filled him with delight.
Curious, Klaus switched back to the ice element. The result was a stark contrast, like yin and yang. On one side, the earth was scorched, and all life was extinguished. On the other, it was an Ice Age—trees frozen solid with a subtle mist rising from them.
Klaus could hardly believe it. He had become far stronger than he ever imagined. This was exactly what he needed. He wanted the strength to protect his mother, and now it seemed he had gained that and more.
He still had 700 points to distribute, so he knew he wasn't at an absolute disadvantage. Even though the monsters and zombies in the forest weren't the strongest, the fact that he, as an Awakened, could slay them with ease meant a lot.
"Now that I have the strength, killing a few Tier 4 monsters is just what the heavens would want," Klaus chuckled to himself as he started moving deeper into the forest.
He had already secured enough money to buy a house and move his mother to the city, thanks to Asha and Nia. From here on, every kill would be about accumulating more wealth. He knew he still lacked skills and techniques, so getting more would be ideal. But for now, the hunt continued.
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Boom!
A powerful explosion rocked the forest, sending mist into the air. When the mist cleared, a large spider-like monster lay dead on the ground. A few meters away stood Klaus, a small smile on his lips.
"Metal Pincer Poison Spider," he murmured, pleased. "Just one leg will sell for a couple of thousand gold coins, and there are 16 of them, Hehe, the heavens are indeed looking favorable upon me"
Klaus walked closer, stored the body inside his space ring, and continued deeper into the forest.
Moments later, another Metal Pincer Poison Spider appeared, its body dripping with oily venom. "It seems I'm in the spider's territory," Klaus noted, a smile gracing his lips
Klaus narrowed his eyes as he faced the new Metal Pincer Poison Spider. Without hesitation, he activated his ice element again. He swung his sword, sending out a sharp, cold arc of ice. The attack sliced through the spider's legs like they were made of paper, freezing them solid before they shattered into pieces.
"Another one down, Fuck, that was a lot of gold coins" Klaus muttered, storing the spider's body in his space ring. "These spiders are worth a lot."
As Klaus continued deeper into the forest, more spiders emerged. Some were larger, with thicker pincers, while others had different colors, like a dark red variant that seemed to move faster.
"Red Fang Poison Spider," Klaus identified the new threat. "A bit quicker, but nothing my ice can't handle."
He swung his sword again, sending out another ice arc. The Red Fang Poison Spider tried to dodge, but the arc was too fast. It hit the spider, freezing it instantly before it crumbled to the ground in icy shards.
"Still not a challenge, I guess I am stronger than I thought," Klaus said, his voice calm.
He kept moving, encountering spider after spider. Each one was different in some way—some had glowing eyes, while others were covered in thick armor-like shells. But no matter their differences, they all fell to his ice arc with ease.
"Glowing Eyes Poison Spider," Klaus said as he took down one with bright, glowing eyes. "Looks dangerous, but it's just as weak. However, money doesn't distinguish weak and strong, so I can only kill you"
"Steel Shell Poison Spider," he noted, facing another spider with a tough, metallic shell. "Let's see if you're any tougher."
Klaus's ice arc struck the Steel Shell Poison Spider. The shell cracked, and the spider collapsed, frozen solid.
"Guess not," Klaus said with a grin, storing the body.
He continued his hunt, feeling more confident with each victory. The forest was thick with spider variants, but Klaus took them all down effortlessly, his ice arc leaving a trail of frozen bodies in his wake. He was shocked to see his ice arc has become several times tougher than before. As for the fire arc, Klaus hasn't used it just yet. It's too destructive and not good for preserving monster bodies for a good sale.
Finally, after what felt like hours of slaying spiders, Klaus paused. He looked around, noticing that the forest had grown quieter. The spiders had become less frequent, and the air was colder, filled with the remnants of his icy attacks.
"Seems like I've cleared out most of them," Klaus muttered to himself. "I guess it's time to head back home. There are no Tier 5 monsters here to test my strength," he said confidently, knowing his words were backed by the power he had gained.
With his space ring nearly full, there was no reason to stay in the forest any longer. He had killed hundreds of Tier 4 monsters, gaining over 300,000 experience points, drawing him closer to his goal of advancing to Level 2 Ascended.
BOOM!
Just as Klaus was basking in his success, an explosion shook the forest. The sound came from the east, about 4 kilometers away. Without hesitation, Klaus dashed toward the source of the noise. In a split second, he arrived at a small clearing.
There, he saw a woman dressed in white, engaged in a fierce battle with a massive spider. The spider's sixteen legs were engulfed in flames, and its grotesque face bore a twisted, human-like appearance.
"A Tier 5 Human-Face Spider Demon," Klaus immediately identified the monster. But then he frowned. "How did I know the name of this monster?"
The thought puzzled him. He had never seen or heard of this creature before, yet the name and its nature came to him instinctively.
Klaus quickly noticed that the woman, though holding her ground, had a small cut on her arm. Without a second thought, he began channeling fire essence into his sword, ready to unleash a fire arc using his Moon Slash skill.
'I can't just stand by and watch,' he thought, focusing his energy. The fire built up in his blade, glowing fiercely as he prepared to strike.
Suddenly, one of the spider's flaming legs shot forward, aiming directly at the woman's chest. She staggered backward, struggling to regain her balance. Panic flashed in her eyes as she realized she had no way to block the attack.
The spider's leg drew closer, and fear gripped her heart. But just as it was about to pierce her, a wave of terrifying heat swept past her. In an instant, the leg was severed, falling to the ground just a hair's breadth away from impaling her.
Before she could even process what had happened, another fiery slash cut through the air, striking the monster's grotesque face and splitting it in half. The woman's eyes widened in shock as the enormous creature collapsed.
Overwhelmed, she staggered backward and fell. But before she could hit the ground, a soft yet firm hand caught her from behind.
She looked up, still dazed, and saw Klaus standing over her, his sword still glowing with the remnants of his fiery attack. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp, focused on the now-dead spider.
"You're safe now," Klaus repeated, his voice steady as he held her securely. For a few seconds that felt like an eternity, their eyes locked. Klaus's golden eyes bore into the woman's silver-green gaze, filled with intensity and curiosity.
She didn't flinch, matching his stare with her own, a mix of relief and surprise evident in her expression. The world around them seemed to fade away as they stood there, frozen at that moment. Klaus's hands, still wrapped around her waist, kept her steady, a protective warmth emanating from his touch.
Neither of them spoke, but in that silence, a connection formed, unspoken yet undeniable. Finally, the woman blinked, breaking the gaze as she took a small step back, though Klaus's grip remained gentle, ensuring she didn't stumble.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft and sincere.
"Cough...Don't mention it" Klaus awkwardly coughs. He didn't know why, but staring into her eyes, he felt a good feeling from her. The kind that he only felt from his mother.
It was a feeling he only ever associated with his mother—a deep sense of care and connection. The realization caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily unsure of what to say or do next.
Suddenly, Klaus's eyes landed on her arm. "Your wounds," he said, his voice filled with concern. Without hesitation, he appeared beside her in an instant. With a quick, precise motion, he pinched some spots on her arm near the wound, and almost immediately, thick, black blood began to ooze out, purging the venom from her body.
"This is a Human-Face Spider Demon," Klaus explained, his tone serious. "Its venom is highly corrosive. If it isn't removed quickly, it can spread through your bloodstream, breaking down tissues and causing severe damage."
The lady didn't say anything, but her eyes held a myriad of emotions—gratitude, curiosity, and something else Klaus couldn't quite place. As Klaus continued the treatment, he suddenly froze, his eyes widening in shock.
'What is going on with me? How did I know all this?'