The next morning, Mario stood at the edge of the Sage’s farm, stretching his shoulders as the cool breeze swept across the vegetable garden.
Luna wasn’t here yet.
The Sage’s diary hadn’t been found.
For now…
There was only one objective.
Grind.
He glanced toward the dark forest beyond the wooden fence.
The towering trees looked no different from yesterday, but he knew better.
Every step beyond the invisible barrier meant entering the territory of monsters hundreds of levels stronger than he had once been.
Fortunately…
He wasn’t the same Level 0 man who had walked through the World Gate for the first time.
He exhaled slowly.
“Let’s make some money.”
Mario stepped through the barrier.
The peaceful atmosphere of the farmhouse disappeared instantly.
The forest welcomed him with silence.
An oppressive silence.
Towering trees blocked most of the sunlight, leaving only scattered beams of light piercing through the dense canopy.
Strange plants glowed faintly beneath the shadows, while distant roars echoed from somewhere far deeper within the forest.
He tightened his grip around the Formless Bow.
No hesitation.
No unnecessary fear.
Only focus.
His first opponent appeared less than five minutes later.
A gigantic magical beast emerged from behind a cluster of ancient trees.
Without waiting for it to attack…
Mario calmly raised the bow.
The string drew back effortlessly.
A single arrow of condensed mana formed.
He released it.
Whoosh!
The arrow crossed the distance almost instantly.
The monster collapsed before it even realized it had been attacked.
A familiar notification appeared.
Level Up
Mario walked forward, storing the corpse and its drops inside the Item Box.
No celebration.
One down.
Nine to go.
That evening, back inside the farmhouse, Mario exchanged the monster materials.
Stacks of Philippine pesos appeared neatly on the dining table.
He counted them.
Three hundred eighty thousand pesos.
“…Consistent.”
He recorded the amount inside his notebook.
Then closed it.
“Nine more tomorrow.”
From that day onward…
Mario followed the same schedule with almost obsessive discipline.
Morning.
Breakfast.
Enter the farmhouse.
Hunt exactly ten monsters.
Return.
Exchange only enough materials to support his immediate goals.
Rest.
Repeat.
Not eleven.
Not twelve.
Ten.
He discovered something during the first week.
After roughly ten battles, his concentration noticeably declined.
His body wasn’t exhausted.
His mind was.
The Forest of Death didn’t forgive careless mistakes.
One lapse in judgment.
One underestimated monster.
That would be enough.
Mario had survived too much to throw his second life away because of greed.
Ten monsters.
Every day.
No exceptions.
Days quietly slipped by.
His routine became almost meditative.
Wake.
Hunt.
Collect.
Return.
Study his equipment.
Sleep.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The forest slowly transformed from an unfamiliar nightmare into terrain he could navigate with confidence.
He learned where monsters frequently wandered.
Which areas were worth avoiding.
Where magical herbs naturally grew.
Where dangerous cliffs forced creatures into narrow paths.
He wasn’t merely becoming stronger.
He was learning.
Every hunt sharpened his instincts.
By the third day…
His status had already changed noticeably.
Level 128.
The increase in attributes made every movement smoother.
His reactions became faster.
His eyesight sharper.
Even drawing the Formless Bow now felt almost effortless.
On the sixth day…
Luck smiled upon him.
After defeating his final monster, a silver ring rolled across the forest floor.
Mario bent down and picked it up.
“Appraisal.”
Ring of Mana Recovery (Rare)
Continuously restores the wearer’s mana over time.
The effect is constant while equipped.
Mario’s eyes brightened.
“…Useful.”
Very useful.
Unlike healing potions or mana potions, this required no effort.
Mana would simply replenish on its own.
He slipped the ring onto his finger.
A cool sensation spread throughout his body.
Although subtle…
He could already feel tiny amounts of mana naturally returning.
He smiled.
“This saves me quite a bit of trouble.”
A few days later…
Another rare item appeared.
This time…
A dark leather bracelet.
Bracelet of Vitality (Rare)
Gradually restores stamina.
Reduces accumulated physical fatigue.
Mario equipped it immediately.
The difference wasn’t dramatic.
But after several consecutive battles, he noticed something.
His breathing remained steady.
His muscles recovered more quickly.
It perfectly complemented his daily hunting routine.
During the second week…
A long black cloak dropped from one of the monsters.
Its appearance looked ordinary.
Until Appraisal activated.
Cloak of Concealment (Rare)
Makes detection significantly more difficult.
Mario folded it neatly before storing it inside the Item Box.
Not every useful item needed to be worn immediately.
Some were better saved for the future.
Near the end of the third week…
Another ring appeared.
Unlike the previous one, this ring contained a faint emerald glow.
Ring of Poison Resistance (Rare)
Greatly increases resistance against venom, toxins, and magical poisons.
Mario chuckled quietly.
“In this forest…”
“…that’s practically a life insurance policy.”
He equipped it without hesitation.
The weeks continued to pass.
Monster corpses accumulated inside the Item Box.
Bundles of cash quietly filled a locked cabinet back in his apartment.
His notebook became increasingly organized.
Income.
Expenses.
Future property estimates.
Vehicle budget.
Emergency reserve.
Everything had its place.
He never converted more monster materials than necessary.
The rest remained safely stored.
There was no need to attract unnecessary attention.
Money was a tool.
Not a trophy.
One evening, after returning from another successful hunt, Mario reviewed his status.
Level: 250
He stared at the number for several seconds.
Two hundred and fifty.
Just over three weeks ago…
He had entered this forest as a complete novice.
Now…
His body moved with confidence.
His aim had become second nature.
His mana reserves had increased dramatically.
The legendary equipment still carried him through battles…
But he no longer felt like dead weight wielding divine weapons.
He was finally beginning to grow into them.
Mario closed the status screen.
“…Not bad.”
He looked toward the endless forest stretching beyond the farmhouse.
There was still so much left unexplored.
The thought excited him more than it frightened him.
The following morning…
After defeating his tenth monster for the day, Mario prepared to return home.
Then something caught his eye.
Hidden behind layers of thick vines…
Barely visible beneath years of overgrowth…
Was the entrance to a cave.
Ancient.
Silent.
Forgotten.
Mario frowned.
He didn’t remember seeing it before.
Perhaps he had simply never come this far.
Or perhaps…
He had only now become strong enough to reach it safely.
His instincts told him this place wasn’t ordinary.
Without another word, he walked toward the dark entrance.
The cave seemed to swallow the surrounding light whole.
And somewhere deep inside…
Something awaited him.
End of Chapter 16