"Up ahead lies the Misty Forest. Enjoy your time in the game!"
With the system announcement fading, Ares sets foot into the Misty Forest with an unwavering look in his eyes.
A sinister fog envelops the area, twisting trees line the path, and fallen leaves rustle underfoot. None of it fazes him in the slightest.
He doesn't get far before a goblin appears in his field of view—a foul-smelling creature clutching a battered dagger.
Ares scans its stats:
[Goblin]
[Level: 3]
[HP: 100]
[ATK: 3]
[DEF: 0]
A normal newbie warrior has to hack at this thing more than twenty times to kill it. But Ares knows his [Damage Multiplier] talent is completely on another level.
No hesitation—his gaze turns cold, and he raises his iron sword in a clean arc, slashing down at the goblin with full force.
"-1000!"
A massive red damage number flashes over the goblin's head. Before it can react, it collapses and vanishes in a swirl of white light.
"Holy shit, what was that?"
"One-hit kill? Is he hacking?"
Nearby rookies struggling to fend off goblins gape, jaws practically hitting the floor. Everyone's staring at Ares in utter disbelief.
In their minds, there's no way a Level 1 newbie could pull off that kind of attack. They're convinced he must be some high-level player coming back to show off in the newbie zone.
Ares ignores their incredulous whispers, turning away to press further into the thick fog. The deeper he goes, the creepier and more oppressive the atmosphere becomes.
Suddenly, a roaring flame lights up the distance, heat blasting toward him. As he approaches, a creature larger than he is appears, wreathed in fire.
[Flame Goblin] (Hidden Boss)
[Level: 10]
[HP: 5000]
[ATK: 200]
[DEF: 100]
[Skill: Flame Breath] – Deals high fire damage in a frontal cone, inflicting burn for 5 seconds.
[Passive: Frenzy] – When HP drops below 30%, ATK increases by 50%, and attack speed by 30%.
This Flame Goblin towers at nearly twice his height, engulfed in raging flames. Every swing of its blazing battleaxe sends waves of hot air rippling through the forest. The ground around it is cracked from the heat, a sharp smell of char lingers in the air.
Instead of backing down, Ares eyes the fiery monster with growing excitement. Letting out a slow breath, he grips his iron sword, surging with power.
Like a black streak of lightning, Ares rushes straight at the Flame Goblin, sword slicing down at its head.
A deafening crash follows—a dazzling burst of light.
"-900!"
A massive damage number materializes. The Flame Goblin seizes up on the spot, unable to move!
Ares frowns. As expected from a hidden boss, even with his hundredfold attack, he only took out less than a fifth of its HP.
"Guess I'd better level up fast and boost my MP…"
He's painfully aware that, despite having hundredfold damage, he can't use any skills right now. It's like having a billion dollars in the bank but being limited to tiny withdrawals.
After that initial 900-point smash, the Flame Goblin's muscles lock in place. Ares wastes no opportunity, his eyes sharpening as he ramps up his presence.
"Haaah!"
He pushes off with both legs, launching himself forward again like a panther stalking its prey. Swift and decisive, he swings the sword down over the Flame Goblin's shoulder.
"-900!"
Another chunk of HP goes missing. Even its flames seem to flicker under the impact.
Ares tunes out everything around him, focusing solely on his target. His next swing comes crashing in at the goblin's waist.
This time, it's faster and heavier. Iron sword meets the monster's flesh with a dull thud—like a sledgehammer hitting steel.
"-900!"
The Flame Goblin's HP drops yet again, its furnace-like flames flickering erratically.
Despite still being stunned, the hulking creature starts trembling, apparently gathering its strength to break free of this horrific lockdown.
Sensing this, Ares speeds up his barrage. His sword strikes again and again, unrelenting like a raging storm, each blow hitting a critical point and dealing 900 damage.
The Flame Goblin's once 5000 HP plummets, leaving only a sliver. Its gigantic form sways unsteadily, the blazing battleaxe dipping low in its hand.
Finally, with one last slash from Ares, the Flame Goblin lets out a roar of unwilling defeat before crashing to the ground, its flames extinguished. Only a hoard of loot and a giant sphere of experience remain.
Its downfall was so swift it never even activated its Frenzy passive.
"Ding! You have defeated the Flame Goblin (Hidden Boss)!"
[Congratulations—you have received 5000 EXP and 1000 gold!]
[Congratulations—your level has risen to 5, awarding 20 free attribute points!]
[Congratulations—you have obtained a random piece of A-grade gear!]
Flame Battle Armor: +50 DEF, +30 STR, with a passive 20% chance to reflect 20% damage upon being hit.
[Congratulations—you have acquired a magic scroll!]
Kindling Spark: Launches a spark dealing 20 damage.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
MP Cost: 5
Meanwhile, the entire game world explodes in chatter over a new system announcement:
"System Announcement: Player Ares has become the first ever to single-handedly defeat a hidden boss at Level 1. He is awarded the unique title 'Divine Favor' (all attributes +50%, +20 Luck, and the exclusive skill Divine Protection, which can block one lethal attack in a critical situation, 24-hour cooldown)."
Players everywhere stop whatever they're doing. One after another, they bring up the chat channels to discuss this shocking news.
"What? A Level 1 taking down a hidden boss? That's impossible!"
"Does this dude have some S-rank talent or something? Or is he cheating?"
"That 'Divine Favor' title is crazy strong! Who on earth is this Ares guy?"