191 The Ascent
Leo grimaced as his muscles screamed in protest, his fingers trembling under the pressure as he slowly pulled himself up on the slippery rock that jutted out from the steep edge. He let out a muttered curse as his body quivered with the effort, struggling to find purchase on the slick surface.
“Shit...”
He muttered through gritted teeth, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. The drop below him was dizzying, and he knew that one false move could send him tumbling down to his death.
Thinking quickly, Leo summoned his Mana and swiftly built a barrier of Shadow Protection beneath his feet, giving himself a momentary break to catch his breath.
Leo cast a glance down the steep slope, feeling an unnatural fear claw its way into his heart. He gritted his teeth and bit down on his lip, trying to resist the onslaught of terror that threatened to overwhelm him.
Despite his strong mental fortitude and high resistance to fear-inducing factors, Leo knew that the barrier surrounding the Dragon Valley was absolute. Even the most skilled and experienced players with the highest fear resistance and mental strength couldn’t completely shake off the fear that permeated the area.
The game developers had designed it this way intentionally, as they didn’t want players to simply climb over the mountains and enter the valley without going through the proper trials. The path was intentionally made as difficult and treacherous as possible, to ensure that only the most dedicated and skilled players could reach the end.
“Bastards...”
Leo muttered under his breath, his frustration boiling over as he felt the Shadow Protection spell shatter beneath his feet. Reacting quickly, he managed to grab onto the ledge just in time, preventing himself from tumbling down the steep slope.
.....
He scanned the area for a foothold and quickly spied a small rock jutting out from the mountainside. Using it as a makeshift platform, he heaved himself up and continued to climb in this manner for more than thirty minutes, his fingers and muscles aching with the effort.
Finally, he reached a platform where the slope wasn’t quite as steep, and he let out a relieved sigh.
“Huff...”
He panted, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he took a moment to drink a Health Potion, feeling the cool liquid coursing through his body and reinvigorating his numb fingers.
Growl...
Leo’s momentary sense of relief was shattered as a sudden growl resounded behind him. Before he could even react, he was flung a good dozen meters to the side, barely avoiding the cliff’s edge by a hair’s breadth.
Heart pounding in his chest, he struggled to get his bearings, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
“What the hell!?” He exclaimed, his voice rising in frustration.
As he looked at his health bar, which now registered at only one third of full, Leo knew that he had narrowly escaped a potentially deadly attack. With a sense of trepidation, he snapped his head in the direction of the growl, trying to discern where the threat had come from.
His heart thumped as he saw a massive beast emerge from the shadows, its sharp claws glinting in the dim light.
“Fucking Yeti!”
Leo growled, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the monstrous creature before him. Its white fur and deep emerald eyes marked it as a powerful Yeti, a monster known for its exceptional strength and gorilla-like appearance.
Leo winced as he felt the gnashes left by the Yeti’s claws on his back, aching in pain.
Roar...
As the Yeti hit its chest with its hands in an attempt to intimidate Leo, he stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the monster. Without hesitation, he created a Lightning Bolt, the crackling energy rippling between his fingers.
Whoosh...
The projectile flew through the air, impaling the Yeti’s shoulder and eliciting a cry of pain from the beast, however, Leo’s gaze remained steady, his purple eyes betraying no hint of pity towards his enemy.
As the monster growled and leapt towards him, Leo calmly consumed another health potion, healing his back wounds. But the Yeti’s attack proved to be a fatal mistake, as a strange dark creature emerged from Leo’s shadow, extending its bony hand and catching the monster by the throat.
Before the Yeti could even react, Leo drove his blade into the beast’s jaw, pushing it until it reached its brain. The bone blade was enveloped in Demonic Flame, causing the monster to writhe in agony before finally dying on the spot.
Thud...
Dropping the Yeti’s body on the ground, Leo watched the Yeti’s remains turned into ashes before his eyes. He instantly noticed a strange shadow looming over them and, without thinking, he extended his hand to touch its cold surface.
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Strange mist began emanating from the ashes. The mist started to coalesce into a tangible form, slowly taking on the shape of the Yeti he had just defeated. However, the monster’s fur was shrouded in a strange, dancing darkness that gave it an eerie appearance.
The Yeti’s emerald eyes had also turned into a shade of grey, and it was now staring at Leo with an emotionless gaze that perfectly mirrored his own expression.
“Good!”
Looking at his new shadow creation, Leo exclaimed, seeing the bulging muscles beneath its shrouded fur. Despite its level being just 18, Leo knew that it was a valuable addition to his army, much stronger than the Skeleton.
In the worst-case scenario, the monster could serve as a meat shield.
Whoosh...
Leo ordered his two soldiers to slip into the shadow and watched as the Skeleton and the Yeti quickly disappeared behind his back with a swift whooshing sound.
“Wow...”
Leo couldn’t help but feel amazed at the game’s intricate details and uniqueness, even though he had already lived two lives. His class and skill were unique and could only be obtained by a single person, but the level of detail put into it was astounding.
As soon as his soldiers entered his Shadow, it slightly expanded, and small details of fur appeared on its side, indicating the creature that was now hidden within it.
Carefully stretching his arms, Leo twisted his torso, making sure his back had fully healed from the injuries.
Satisfied that he was no longer feeling any pain, he decided to continue his ascent.
He was well aware that the roars and cries of the Yeti could potentially attract other monsters in the area, and he didn’t want to linger in a place that could become a dangerous gathering spot.
As he picked up his pace and hurried towards the edge of the platform, Leo suddenly heard a powerful howl echoing in his mind.
“What happened?”
He asked, looking around warily and extending his bone blades from his elbows in preparation for a potential threat.
Fenrir’s scowl communicated a sense of urgency to Leo, who immediately crouched down, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. As he listened intently, he could hear the faint sound of wings flapping in the distance, drawing closer with every passing second.
“Shit!”
Leo muttered under his breath, his heart pounding in panic. He scanned the cave frantically, hoping to find some kind of cover to shield himself from the incoming monster. However, the landscape was barren, with no rocks or crevices to hide behind.
“...”
Leo’s mind raced as he desperately tried to come up with a plan. In a split second decision, he dashed towards the furthest corner of the cave, his heart racing. He quickly pulled up his hood, and put on his Shadow Gloves, slipping into the shadows and hoping to evade the monster’s detection. He held his breath and waited, praying that the creature wouldn’t find him.
Thud...
The sound of something heavy landing on the platform reverberated through the cave, sending shivers down Leo’s spine. He felt his legs tremble with fear as he realized that it was likely a dragon that had arrived.
As he peeked out from the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest, he caught sight of the creature. It was a magnificent beast, with shimmering scales of an azure hue that glinted in the dim light of the cave. Its body was massive, spanning over 20 meters in length, and every time it exhaled, particles of snow drifted out from its slightly parted jaws.
It was an Ice Affinity dragon, a creature feared for its deadly breath and fierce temperament.
“Shit...”
Leo cursed under his breath, his mind racing with memories of his previous encounters with ice-breathing lizards. He couldn’t help but think of the Ice Wyvern that he had sworn to kill, and the memories flooded back to him like a nightmare.
Unknowingly, he started gritting his teeth, the anger and frustration building up inside him. He thought of the time when the Ice Wyvern had caused him to fall down into the depths of hell, and the memory made his blood boil.
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