Liam chuckled. "I’ll pass."
With that, he stepped straight into the dungeon.
Dungeon Difficulty: Hell.
Having cleared it several times already, Liam moved through the instance with the practiced ease of a master. His primary goal was simple: boost his HP and farm Skill Tomes. Upgrading Verdant Rebirth required sacrificing those very tomes.
Though the rewards for subsequent clears paled in comparison to the first, it was still a dungeon with four bosses—plenty of loot to go around.
Five hours flashed by in a blur of combat.
Liam’s HP surged from a humble seventy thousand to over a hundred thousand. Gaining thirty thousand HP in just five hours—it was an absurd rate of growth.
Beyond the health boost, Verdant Rebirth climbed from 2-Star Rank to 3-Star Rank. However, reaching 4-Star Rank required a staggering sacrifice of a thousand Skill Tomes. Even with Liam's clearing speed, that was a daunting prospect.
Crossing the hundred-thousand HP threshold also triggered an evolution in his Resurgence skill, pushing it to 4-Star Rank. His passive recovery jumped from fifty HP per second to a massive five hundred. At this rate, ordinary players could whale on him while he stood still, and they wouldn't even see his health bar budge.
Back in the Novice Village, Miller the Smith still hadn't finished forging the Gold Grade longbow. Liam decided to log off and grab something to eat.
Once my sister's health improves a bit more, I’ll need to buy a Nutrient Pod, he mused. While logging off to eat didn't take long, it was still a disruption he could do without.
"Liam, I followed the guide you gave me and scored a Silver Grade greatsword! The stats are insane," Barney's voice crackled through his messages.
Liam smiled. Given Barney's three passive skills, obtaining Silver Grade gear was exactly what he'd expected.
"You’re ready for the Capital City now," Liam replied. "For a Warrior, Blackwind City is your best bet. But remember, Barney—once you get to the Capital, don't rush into a class change. Even if it's a Hidden Class, check with me first."
"Got it."
After a few quick instructions to Barney, Liam shoveled down his food. Once finished, he slipped back into his Gaming Pod.
Returning to the Novice Village, he headed straight for The Iron Anvil. Miller greeted him with a knowing, cryptic smile.
"Old Grog told me everything," Miller said.
The opening sentence sent a jolt through Liam.
"Since you already know, I won't hide it. I want the Elder Mayor dead. Are you with me?"
"I am," Liam replied with a smirk.
Miller nodded. "In that case, head south to The Desolate Precipice. Old Grog will meet you there and guide you to the Mayor's secret base. You'll need to help him take out the guards."
Miller the Smith has issued a quest.
Objective: Kill the guards at the Elder Mayor’s secret base.
Penalty: Unknown.
Reward: Unknown.
Liam frowned. An 'Unknown' penalty was a headache. Would Miller turn on him if he failed? It was a distinct possibility.
"Quest accepted."
After a brief hesitation, Liam committed. He had come too far in this storyline to back out now.
Miller smiled in satisfaction and pulled a shimmering golden longbow from the back of the shop. "Your Gold Grade bow. It's finished."
The Ninefold Longbow
Grade: Gold
Requirement: None
Effect 1: Attack Power +500
Effect 2: Attack Velocity +1
Effect 3: Critical Hit Rate +20%
Effect 4: Life-Steal +5%
Effect 5: Max HP +2,000
Effect 6: HP Recovery +100/sec
Durability: 100
Liam’s eyes widened. This wasn't just any bow; it was a custom masterpiece. The stats aligned perfectly with his build. While the flat Attack and HP boosts were decent, the other four attributes were absolute perfection.
"Thanks." Liam took the bow, feeling the weight of its power.
"Old Grog is waiting for you at The Desolate Precipice. Move fast."
Liam nodded. With this Gold Grade weapon in hand, his combat potential had reached a whole new level.
To the south of the Novice Village lay The Desolate Precipice—a yawning chasm that seemed to swallow the light. In his past life, players had speculated that treasures lay hidden at the bottom, leading some to leap into the abyss. They found only a quick trip back to the respawn point. After enough failed attempts, people had abandoned the suicide missions.
When Liam reached the edge of the cliff, a familiar figure stood waiting.
It wasn't Grog. It was... the Elder Mayor.
His heart skipped a beat.
"Frost Monarch?" The Mayor sounded genuinely surprised to see him.
Liam forced himself to remain composed. "Elder Mayor."
"I heard you had a run-in with Old Grog. He escaped?"
Liam nodded, looking suitably chagrined. "To my shame, yes. That Azure-Patterned Serpent he released threw off my rhythm."
The Mayor sighed. "That was my oversight. I assumed the poison would take effect before he could summon the beast."
"I see," Liam said, deciding to take the initiative. "What brings you out here? Is there anything I can do to help?"
The Mayor was momentarily caught off guard by the question. "A powerful monster is sealed beneath our village, and I am its guardian. Lately, I’ve sensed a faction stirring, trying to shatter those seals. I came to investigate."
Liam feigned shock. "Such a thing exists?"
"It is a tragedy. Countless Ascended Sages gave their lives to bind that creature, yet now there are those who would see it unleashed."
"That's monstrous," Liam agreed. "The people behind this must have zero conscience. They deserve to be hunted down."
The Mayor nodded solemnly. "Indeed. Frost Monarch, I have high hopes for you. If my suspicions are correct, those villains are searching for Frost-Flame Ore. If they find it, the consequences will be catastrophic. If you're willing to help, head to The Iron Grotto. You must stop Old Grog from finding that ore."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "I'll do my best."
He turned and made his way toward The Iron Grotto.
Grog was nowhere to be found. Why? Was he hiding because the Mayor was here? Or... was this a setup from the start? Had Miller never truly trusted him? Had he been sent here as a distraction to give Grog an opening to find the ore?
The more he thought about it, the more the cold realization settled in.
Liam could only hope he was overthinking things, or his situation was about to get very ugly. The Mayor clearly suspected something. He had thought sparing Grog would earn him Miller's trust—and their recent interactions had reinforced that belief—but now, everything was in question.
If meeting the Elder Mayor here today truly was a calculation by Miller the Smith...
That was a terrifying thought.
Before he even reached The Iron Grotto, Old Grog suddenly materialized.
"Frost Monarch."
Old Grog watched Liam. "I was originally waiting for you at The Desolate Precipice."
"But the Elder Mayor arrived so suddenly that I had no choice but to hide."
Liam let out a small breath of relief.
"So, what's our next move?"
"We search for Frost-Flame Ore."
Old Grog’s expression turned solemn. "There are three pieces of Frost-Flame Ore in total within Novice Village. The first piece has already gone missing."
"The remaining two should be somewhere in this vicinity."
Liam nodded. The Frost-Flame Ore was the key to a Platinum Grade necklace reward.
It was impossible for Liam not to be tempted by such a prize. However, he wasn't about to abandon the long-term plans he had meticulously laid out just for a single piece of Platinum gear.
Over the next few hours, Liam and Old Grog began their search.
Given the current circumstances, there was a high probability that a Hidden Instance existed within The Iron Grotto. The problem was that Liam’s memories didn't include the specific method to trigger it.
Still, there had to be a way.
For instance, he could try to find clues from the Stone Beetle King. After all, the standard mobs in The Iron Grotto were Stone Beetles.
With that thought in mind, Liam began farming the Stone Beetles.
As expected, his HP continued to climb, but he gained no experience points. Liam had long since grown accustomed to this. Leveling up was the easiest thing in the world for him; his priority was to squeeze every bit of value out of Novice Village while maximizing his HP pool.
System Prompt: Due to your mass slaughter of Stone Beetles, the Stone Beetle King lurking deep within The Iron Grotto has been disturbed. It will arrive on the battlefield in five minutes.
Liam felt a spark of anticipation.
The Frost-Flame Ore was almost certainly linked to the Stone Beetle King.
Five minutes later...
A massive Stone Beetle King with a dark red carapace lumbered toward him.
Stone Beetle King (Black Iron)
Level: 8
HP: 81,520 / 81,520
Attack: 215
Skills: Falling Rocks, Stone Shield, Terrifying Howl, Stone Boulder Cannon, Petrified Skin.
Liam gave the boss's attributes a cursory glance before launching a torrential assault.
Critical Hit!
-4,918!!
Liam’s very first feathered arrow landed a critical blow. The damage numbers were absurdly high.
With the buff from The Ninefold Longbow, Liam’s Attack Velocity had reached 4.63. He was pumping out over twenty thousand damage per second.
The Stone Beetle King, with its meager eighty-thousand HP, didn't even last five seconds before it collapsed.
System Prompt: You have slain the Stone Beetle King. Experience +859. (Note: Since you have not left Novice Village, experience points cannot be granted.)
Liam ignored the notification and went straight to looting the corpse.
System Prompt: You have obtained three pieces of equipment.
System Prompt: You have obtained one Skill Tome.
System Prompt: You have obtained Eye of the Stone Beetle King x1.
System Prompt: You have obtained Gold Sovereign x1.
Liam raised an eyebrow. Looking at the Eye of the Stone Beetle King, a specific location suddenly clicked in his mind—a place that perfectly matched the shape of this eyeball.
Deep within The Iron Grotto!
Liam reached a stone wall where an inconspicuous indentation was carved into a corner. Upon closer inspection, the socket was a perfect fit for the Eye of the Stone Beetle King.
Liam pressed the eye into the slot.
The stone wall immediately began to grind and rotate, eventually revealing a shimmering portal.
System Prompt: You have unlocked Hidden Instance: The Lost Princess.
System Prompt: You have unlocked a Hidden Instance. A Server-Wide Broadcast is about to commence. Would you like to hide your name?
"Hide it."
With things in Novice Village still in flux, Liam had to consider how the Elder Mayor and the others would react to his progress.
Server-Wide Broadcast: Congratulations to player [Anonymous] for unlocking the Hidden Instance: The Lost Princess. Reward: AP +5. May all players continue their hard work.
Server-Wide Broadcast: Congratulations to player [Anonymous] for unlocking the Hidden Instance: The Lost Princess...
Liam brushed it off and stepped through the portal.
The difficulty selection appeared before him.
"Hell Difficulty."
Without a moment's hesitation, Liam chose the highest tier. For the vast majority of players, this difficulty was an impossible death trap.
The world shifted. Liam found himself back inside a version of The Iron Grotto, but the atmosphere had changed.
The tunnels were dim and oppressive. Suddenly, a line of shambling figures appeared ahead. They were Lesser Zombies!
Holy sht!
There were Undead in Novice Village?
Typically, Undead mobs didn't appear in large numbers until the mid-game. Seeing them this early usually meant the instance was of an exceptionally high grade.
Lesser Zombie (Elite)
Level: 8
HP: 10,800 / 10,800
Attack: 95
Skills: Rampage, Iron Skin, Bite.
Their stats weren't weak, but Liam didn't hesitate.
The Lesser Zombie’s [Iron Skin] was a joke to Liam; his True Damage ignored such defenses entirely.
-2,250!
A massive damage number popped up. This was a standard hit, not even a critical. The output was nothing short of terrifying.
Combined with his high attack speed, the Lesser Zombies were gunned down before they could even get close.
As more and more zombies flooded in, Liam maintained his rhythm, kiting them effectively. As long as his damage remained this high, these elites were nothing more than target practice.
Liam cleared the first stage without breaking a sweat.
In the second stage, Green-Haired Zombies joined the fray alongside the Lesser Zombies. Their attributes were significantly higher, but they still couldn't slow Liam's momentum.
Finally, he reached the third stage. Just like in The Twisted Thicket, this area was guarded by four Black Iron Grade bosses.
Purple-Haired Zombie (Black Iron)
Level: 8
HP: 158,200 / 158,200
Attack: 512
Skills: Rampage, Iron Skin, Bite, Whirling Evisceration, Miasma Surge.
Liam frowned slightly. The HP of the Purple-Haired Zombies was decent, but their other stats and skills seemed average at first glance.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, all four bosses simultaneously activated [Miasma Surge].
A thick, roiling cloud of Corpse Miasma converged on Liam's position.
System Prompt: You are affected by Corpse Miasma. Your body begins to stiffen. Movement Speed decreased by 50%. Attack Velocity decreased by 50%.
At the same time, damage numbers began to tick rapidly above Liam's head.
-299.
-299.
The ticks were incredibly frequent—four times every second. This meant Liam was losing 1,196 HP per second. Even with his natural health regeneration, his HP bar was draining by several hundred points every second.
Whoosh!
Liam let fly. He wasn't the type to sit around and wait for death.
Thwack!
An arrow buried itself in a zombie's skull.
Critical Hit!!
-4,548.