Chapter 22: Perfect monster cards
Although it wasn't a small battleship, Leon felt like he was in one.
It wasn't the same boat he'd used at first, for he was swathed in a metal room, but a different and modified one to endure the blue crocodiles' wrath, ensuring Leon would be able to deal with them for a long time. He didn't need to paddle as it was one of the best boats with a magic system.
While it might be a complicated topic for many residents, Leon compared the magic system to machinery and simply used his system to turn the engine on and swim toward his destination.
Leon's swimming fortress was soon on the thick and dense water.
Looking from a small window, Leon sensed a few presences within the water. It wasn't comparable to the uncomfortable feeling he'd usually have when someone targeted him, but a much different concept he's just started developing.
It was related to his Predator's Camouflage and good eyesight of peak humanity's body.
"They've spotted me… Still not planning to attack?" Impressed by those monsters and their reaction to the unfamiliar object, Leon decided to trigger them first.
From his first observation, Leon inferred one thing and prepared a plan. "I can easily deal with their blue swamps. The crimson chain's fire will purify the water." And then, Leon took out the second monster card, the skeleton mage, Ronald, and put him in use.
Appearing in a flash and chilling aura, the skeleton in the riddled-with-holes cape spread his chilling aura. Without any consciousness, he stood like a loyal servant.
Leon had already read the skeleton's card, knowing about his stats and skills. He also learned about Ronald's story — a villager human whose magic talent gave him hopes and dreams of joining to most prominent mage guild — Al Magi X Guild. He perfected his skill, [Gravity Crush], and set on an adventure, only to realize he was below mediocre after expanding his horizons.
Without background and companions, Ronald soon died and became a skeleton with inexplicable jealousy of otherworlders and hatred toward them.
"Did he believe he'd be reborn with talents in another world?" Leon casually questioned, not dwelling too much on the skeleton's past as it was pointless. "Your Gravity Crush will come in handy."
Because the undead were enemies of everyone, Leon wouldn't use Ronald in a casual leveling up where someone could stumble upon them. But as the boat was heavily armored and protected from all directions, it was fine to summon the skeleton and leverage his skills.
He made things easier!
"Here we go," Leon chuckled, throwing his crimson chains out of the window.
He tightly clenched them while slowly sinking them deeper into the thick water. Of course, Leon's skill, Nine Fire Spirits Art, was within those chains, and Leon controlled them through this legendary ability. With the spirits dwelling in the chains, they were on fire, burning with the legendary flames.
And as the chains sank deeply, the water rippled and bubbled with immense hotness. Soon, water around the chains became more transparent, and that effect slowly stretched in all directions, notifying the blue crocodiles.
"They should take the bait soon…." Leon whispered, anticipating the monsters' attack. If he was right, the blue crocodiles would bite the chains with their sharp teeth and spit away bits of the crimson chains. They would even sacrifice some of their buddies to stop Leon!
He intensely waited for their move, though.
And when his chains yanked, Leon felt a heavy burden hauling him to the water. His struggle was akin to tug of war, but Leon was alone against many monsters below him.
It already sounded absurd and impossible, but Leon knew he was a different breed!
With his absurd stats and still awakening peak humanity's body, Leon pulled himself away from the water. His heavy steps rang out in the boat, punctured by splashing and bubbling water.
"If every blue crocodile is exactly the same size as that one before, I should be dealing with at least ten crocodiles, if not more!" Leon spoke through his clenched teeth, his face was as red as a tomato and scrunched, and he burned his stamina like never before.
However, he inflicted severe damage on all the blue crocodiles holding him down. His crimson chains skill, Ignition, kept taking effect and toil on those monsters, bleeding them from the inside as blue crocodiles had bitten Leon's weapon. They were stubborn, too, not letting him go.
"I know how to be stubborn!" Leon laughed at his past himself and clenched the chains tighter. "And I know how to leverage my cards."
Smirking, Leon confirmed his skeleton's skill in a different system window.
Ronald had been channeling his mana and skill ever since Leon had summoned him. Knowing how it hurt, as it was the second worst pain Leon had experienced in his life, Leon expected great results.
That skill had a flaw, of course. Ronald had to pinpoint a location first, channel his mana and skill, and then pray his enemies were in the same spot — he had many weaknesses.
But great damage covered those flaws!
"Gravity Crush!" Leon shouted decisively, his eyes trained on the small window.
Upon his call, Ronald conjured the perfect Gravity Crush of his existence, squeezing the water. A small hole appeared in the middle of the river, with many water droplets running away as the skill exploded like a small bomb, erasing all existence before Leon.
The boat shook and bobbed on the water.
Feeling no pressure on his hands, Leon dropped onto his butt and gawked at the system messages.
[You have two collars and chains for four-legged monsters.]
[You can perfectly enslave two blue crocodiles.]
[You can imperfectly enslave ten blue crocodiles.]
More monsters meant more development, so Leon quickly acted and accepted all those choices. Four items escaped from his inventory, rushing after the two blue crocodiles. In a few seconds, two blue crocodiles had collars and chains wrapped around their bodies — their minds enslaved, they turned into cards and appeared in Leon's inventory.
Ten more cards appeared in Leon's backpack, too.
But those cards were disappointing, for blue crocodiles lacked body parts and consciousness. They weren't useful for Leon, so he decided to kill them, get EXP, and turn them into a potential resource for more items.
If not, he'd sell them to get some money. He'd already just a little left because he'd bought another blueprint to make collars and regularly spent money on the inn and the usual stuff.
"It's good that I have Louise's chains. Otherwise, I'd be without any weapon," Leon commented inwardly, knowing it'd be an asinine choice to only rely on the skeleton and monsters.
He sat down and took out a bottle of water.
"Time to rest and kill more of them." Leon's eyes shone as he was eager to level up significantly today!
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