Chapter 49: Ch 49: Leo’s Blazing Ambition
After an hour waiting just as Raidan was about to give up, finally a silhouette of a little boy coild seen on the streets.
To Raidan’s reluef the little boy was Leo.
Leo sprinted through the bustling street, his small legs carrying him as fast as they could. His face was flushed, and his clothes were covered in dirt and grime, but a bright, triumphant smile formed his face.
"Master Grimblade! I finally found you!" Leo shouted, skidding to a halt right in front of the stall.
He bent over, placing his hands on his knees as he gasped for air.
Raidan maintained his stoic, imposing posture. He leaned slightly on the hilt of his Mythril Blade and looked down at the panting boy with a stern but approving gaze.
"Catch your breath, boy. Have you brought what I asked for?"
"Um yes yes. " Leo nodded vigorously.
He then quickly unslung a battered leather satchel from his back and opened it.
With trembling hands, he pulled out the 20 chunks of Refined Iron Ore and 10 bundles of Silverleaf Herb
"I got all of them, Master! Just like you commanded. The monsters in outskirts were tricky, but I remembered your advice about striking their weak points," Leo explained proudly, holding the materials up for inspection.
Raidan took the items, pretending to examine their quality carefully. In reality, he was just waiting for the System to acknowledge the physical transaction.
As soon as the materials were securely in his grasp, the familiar glowing blue screens materialized in his vision.
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Leo’ has submitted the required materials. ]
[ Quest Completion Rate has reached 100%. ]
Without breaking character, Raidan reached into his coat and pulled out a small leather pouch.
It jingled with the heavy, satisfying sound of metal.
He tossed it to the boy, who caught it clumsily with both hands.
"Here’s your 20 silver coins, exactly as promised. You did well, Leo. You showed bravery and persistence. Those are the true marks of a warrior."
Leo smiled happily and opened the pouch.
Upon seeing the shining silver coins inside, he bowed.
"Thank you, Master Grimblade! I will not disappoint you! I will keep training every single day!"
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Leo’ has successfully completed your assigned quest! ]
[ Calculating Originator Returns... ]
[ Seeker’s Received Rewards: +300 EXP, +1 ATK, 20 Silver Coins. ]
[ Rolling SSS+ Multiplier... ]
[ ... ]
[ Ding! A 100X Multiplier has been achieved! ]
[ Applying Returns: ]
[ EXP: 300 x 100 = 30,000 EXP ]
[ Attributes: 1 ATK x 100 = 100 ATK ]
[ Silver Coins: 20 x 100 = 2,000 (20 Gold Coins) ]
--
As the glowing blue text faded from his vision, Raidan felt a rush of physical power through his veins.
With this influx of points, his total Attack attribute officially rose to 784.
He was now approximately 70 times stronger than a regular human. If he punched a solid brick wall right now, he could likely shatter the entire structure into dust without feeling a single sting of pain.
However, he kept his outer appearance completely composed.
On the other handz Leo carefully tucked the leather pouch of silver coins deep inside his jacket.
Instead of running off to spend his newfound wealth, the little boy looked back up at Raidan. His youthful eyes brightened with blazing determination.
"Master Grimblade, Please give me another task. I am ready. I can gather more materials, or hunt bigger beasts. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it. I just need to get stronger."
Raidan raised an eyebrow under his disguise. The desperation in the boy’s voice was impossible to ignore. Most children his age would have been completely satisfied with twenty silver coins.
They would have bought sweets or new clothes. But Leo was entirely different. His hunger for power was very much a live.
"You have already done well for a beginner. But rushing your training will only lead to an early grave. Tell me, boy. Why are you in such a desperate hurry to grow strong?"
Leo flinched. He looked down at his worn-out boots, and his small shoulders began to tremble slightly.
"It’s my dad...He died trying to protect me. It happened very recently. We were surrounded, and there were too many of them. He told me to run and never look back. He gave his life just so I could escape."
Leo wept.
"I was completely useless. I could only watch him get torn apart because I was weak. I promised myself I would never be helpless again. I will become the strongest player, and I will make sure nobody else I care about ever gets hurt."
The boy did not clarify exactly where this horrific event took place. He did not specify the location or the exact nature of the enemies that killed his father. But Raidan did not need to ask for details. He already knew the truth.
Raidan was certain that Leo’s father must have died in the Apocalypse.
The brutal rifts had claimed countless innocent lives, tearing families apart in the blink of an eye.
The boy standing in front of him was just another victim of that merciless world.
Raidan saw a reflection of himself in those determined eyes. They were both survivors fighting to protect what little they had left.
Raidan showed the kindest smile he could muster.
"I understand now, Leo. Your father would be incredibly proud of your courage. After all, strength born from a desire to protect is the strongest form of power."
He then extended his hand, creating a new Quest with his mind.
"I am giving you a new quest. But this one will test your endurance like never before. Are you prepared to face the true cruelty of the battlefield?"
Leo wiped his eyes.
"Yes, Master Grimblade! I am ready!"
Immediately a notification rang in his mind.
[ You have received a new quest ]
[ Quest Title: The Survivor’s Trial ]
[ Objective 1: Travel to the Eastern Woods and hunt five Iron-Hide Boars entirely on your own. ]
[ Objective 2: Run a distance of ten kilometers carrying a heavy load before sunset tomorrow. ]
[ Difficulty: Hard ]
[ Time Limit: 48 hours ]
[ Rewards: +1,500 EXP, +5 ATK, Skill: Fireball (F), 1 Rare Healing Potion. ]
[ Penalty for Failure: Quest chain terminated. ]
[ Accept Quest? (Y/N) ]
Almost instantly Leo clicked, "Yes"
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