Only after allocating his newly acquired stat points did Aiden step forward to collect his spoils.
The first item was a staff roughly half a person’s height, crafted from several twisted, dark-brown vines. At its tip rested a small gemstone that radiated a soft emerald glow.
[Vine Wood Staff]
[Quality: Uncommon]
[Equipment Requirement: Level 3, Intelligence 5]
[Attributes:
• Spell Power +3
• Spirit +1]
[Durability: 20/20]
Although Aiden specialized in close-quarters combat, the additional point of Spirit was still a meaningful boost. More importantly, the three points of Spell Power would directly enhance the skill he had just acquired.
On the very first day of the game invasion, an Uncommon-quality weapon was nothing short of a priceless treasure.
Aiden then turned his attention to the reward extracted from the slain plant beast’s soul essence.
[Soul Trait: Root Entanglement]
[Effect: Consumes 10 Mana to summon roots from the ground, binding a target for 1.5 seconds. Duration is affected by the target’s level and Constitution.]
[Cooldown: 15 seconds.]
A crowd-control ability.
Exactly what Aiden had been lacking.
Whether fighting monsters or battling other players, reliable crowd control could easily determine the outcome of a fight. A single well-timed restraint could create an opening, interrupt an enemy’s attack, or give him the opportunity to land a decisive blow.
And just like that, Aiden had obtained his first soul trait since the apocalypse began that afternoon.
More importantly, it was his first active control skill.
The final reward consisted of ten gleaming gold coins.
In the early days of the apocalypse, before the world’s economic system had adapted to the new reality, game gold was genuine hard currency.
Every coin was valuable.
After organizing his gains, Aiden Cross stood amidst the charred remains of the Thorn Flower Demon.
He could clearly feel the increase in his Strength and Agility.
His mind also felt noticeably sharper, thanks to the two points of Intelligence he had absorbed through [Sovereign of Souls].
An Uncommon-quality staff now occupied one of his equipment slots.
A brand-new control skill rested in his skill bar.
A profound sense of satisfaction welled up from the depths of his heart.
The world’s first elite kill had been a complete success.
The rewards had exceeded even his expectations.
This was the overwhelming advantage of possessing both knowledge of the future and a heaven-defying golden finger.
Aiden glanced at his status panel.
[Level 3.]
His attributes were already far ahead of players at the same stage, while his equipment and skill set had begun to take shape.
Compared to his previous life at this point in time, he had already surpassed his former self.
And compared to the vast majority of players...
The gap was even greater.
"Damien Bale..."
Aiden gazed toward the approximate direction of Dragon City Base, a cold, confident smile slowly curling across his lips.
"What are you doing right now? Gathering your first batch of followers? Or struggling through some beginner dungeon?"
His eyes narrowed, a chilling glint flashing within them.
"Enjoy these last moments of peace. It won’t be long before we meet again."
His smile deepened.
"And when that time comes... I hope you can still smile."
With a thought, Aiden stored the [Vine Wood Staff] in his inventory.
Although he had no intention of wielding it in battle, its attribute bonuses would remain active as long as it was equipped.
Feeling the wound on his left arm slowly closing beneath the restorative effects of the Salamander’s [Regenerative Reconstruction], Aiden didn’t waste another second.
He turned and swiftly left the area.
The death of an elite monster, especially the world’s first elite kill, could easily attract the attention of nearby players or even stronger monsters.
Remaining here any longer would only invite unnecessary trouble.
His next destination had already been decided.
The nearby Level 5 dungeon...
[Abandoned Subway Station].
It was time to claim the world’s first dungeon clear.
The battle deep within Jadewater Park had been brief but fierce.
Any traces it had left behind were quickly swallowed by the increasingly dense and eerie vitality permeating the park.
The wound on Aiden Cross’s left arm, carved open by the vine whip, had already stopped bleeding. Thanks to the self-healing properties of his digitized body and the recovery provided by leveling up, the torn flesh had already begun to close, leaving behind only a dark crimson welt that throbbed faintly beneath the skin.
It no longer affected his movements.
This trip had exceeded all his expectations.
Not only had he reached Level 3, with his attributes significantly strengthened through soul absorption and leveling up, but he had also obtained an Uncommon-quality weapon and an exceptionally practical control skill, [Root Entanglement].
Compared to the moment he had been reborn, his strength had undergone a complete transformation.
It was time to return to his temporary stronghold.
He needed time to familiarize himself with his newfound power, master his newly acquired skill, and prepare for his next objective, the Level 5 dungeon, [Abandoned Subway Station].
Choosing a relatively quiet route, Aiden made his way out of the park, deliberately avoiding large groups of monsters and survivor teams whenever possible.
In the early days of the apocalypse, human hearts were often far more unpredictable than monsters.
Unfortunately, some encounters seemed destined to happen.
Just as Aiden was about to leave the park and step onto what had once been a bustling commercial street, now littered with abandoned vehicles and wandering monsters, a burst of intense combat erupted in the distance.
Frantic shouts followed.
Aiden halted instinctively.
His expression remained calm, but his senses immediately sharpened.
Like a stalking predator, he slipped soundlessly behind a cluster of wildly overgrown mutated bushes, lowering his presence as he concealed his figure.
His sharp gaze locked onto the source of the commotion.
Four players stood back-to-back in the middle of the street beside an overturned bus, desperately holding the line against a siege of seven or eight monsters.
The players were clearly struggling.
Blood stained their clothes, their breathing was ragged, and their movements were becoming increasingly sluggish.
One of the monsters lunged forward with a savage roar.
"Watch out!"
A young man raised his weapon and barely managed to block the attack.
BOOM!
The impact sent him staggering backward, his feet scraping against the asphalt.
"Shit! We can’t keep this up!"
"Fall back!"
"We can’t! There’s nowhere to go!"
Another monster circled around the overturned bus, attempting to attack them from behind.
The four players immediately tightened their formation.
Aiden narrowed his eyes.
He didn’t move.
He simply watched.
There were seven... no, eight monsters.
And judging by their movements, none of them appeared to be ordinary Level 1 monsters.
Interesting.
Aiden’s gaze swept across the battlefield before settling on the four players.
He had originally intended to ignore the conflict and continue on his way.
But now...
His eyes briefly flickered toward the monsters.
Then toward the players. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Perhaps this unexpected encounter wasn’t entirely useless.
After all, the apocalypse had only just begun and opportunities were everywhere.