Chapter 32: Fame Spreads!

“Damn it...”
Lu Kuan cursed in frustration. Although he had expected that fighting in this terrain would not be easy, he was so close—just a little more and he would have made it. Was he really doomed to just sit here, waiting for the Blackwing Demon to recover, only to be butchered at its whim?

Time ticked by, and the rate at which Lu Kuan regained his stamina was agonizingly slow. Meanwhile, the Blackwing Demon had already taken the opportunity to catch its breath.

In the darkness, Lu Kuan heard the grating sound of the demon’s massive hammer scraping across the ground.

No more hesitation!

Gritting his teeth, Lu Kuan forced himself up from the ground. He tried to draw his bow again, but his arms were so sore and heavy that even lifting them proved difficult, let alone pulling the string and firing an arrow.

Amidst the pitch-black gloom, a tall, hulking shadow slowly rose, its crimson eyes burning fiercely in the darkness, exuding a savage, bloodthirsty menace.

Anyone else, having traveled so far only to think they’d found a paradise, but then being battered and shot like a pincushion, would hardly be in a good mood~

Thud!

The Blackwing Demon hefted its hammer and took a heavy step toward Lu Kuan, the air thick with its oppressive presence.

With no other options, Lu Kuan tossed his hunting bow aside and drew his twin swords from his belt. If he couldn’t use his bow, he’d have to gamble everything on a close strike—if he could just land a blow on a vital spot, that would be his only chance.

That was the plan, but the thought of engaging the Blackwing Demon in close combat filled Lu Kuan with dread...

Thud!

This time, Lu Kuan could clearly see the demon’s scar-riddled body and smell the strange scent of sulfur wafting from it. Just as he steeled himself to act first, a line of text suddenly flashed across his vision.

“Blazing Mongoose has returned to your side.”

Lu Kuan froze for a moment, then was seized with wild joy. Sure enough, a green dot had appeared on the mini-map in the upper right corner—right behind the demon!

“Bite his crotch!” Lu Kuan shouted decisively.

The Blackwing Demon didn’t understand what Lu Kuan was saying, but it no longer mattered; soon, this pesky human would be smashed into pulp and left to rot forever in this cold, dark cavern.

With that thought, the demon grinned wickedly and raised its hammer once more. But, to its surprise, the human across from it suddenly burst into a delighted laugh, eyes fixed mockingly on the demon’s legs.

A chill ran down the Blackwing Demon’s spine. Instinctively, it looked down—and saw a furry creature with a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs baring at it.

“Awoo!”

“Raaaargh...”

With a vicious snap, the Blazing Mongoose bit down hard, making the demon howl in pain. It dropped its hammer and rolled on the ground, desperately trying to pry the mongoose off, its anguished roar rattling Lu Kuan’s eardrums.

Seeing the demon fall and wrestle with the Blazing Mongoose, Lu Kuan mustered the last of his strength and lunged forward, plunging both short swords deep into the back of the Blackwing Demon’s skull!

“System notification: Normal attack dealt damage: -12! -4! (Critical hit)”

“...Normal attack dealt damage: -5! -4!”

“System notification: You have slain Blackwing Demon (Level 13 Elite).”

“You have gained experience...”

Seeing the word “slain,” the tension that had gripped Lu Kuan finally melted away. Drained of all strength, his vision went black and he collapsed to the floor.

In the ensuing darkness, he had no sense of time. Eventually, he felt something nudging his head, accompanied by a faint whimpering sound. Reacting on instinct, Lu Kuan’s eyes snapped open—only to find himself still in pitch darkness.

“Stamina restored to 10%.”

“Please continue to rest to recover stamina...”

Two lines of text flashed in his vision. Gathering himself, Lu Kuan fished a torch from his pack and lit it. As the flame grew, the world before him slowly came into focus.

The Blackwing Demon lay motionless on the ground, utterly lifeless. The Blazing Mongoose nestled at Lu Kuan’s side, looking lively and unscathed.

Lu Kuan gave a wry smile and shook his head. He sent the mongoose to stand guard nearby and turned to examine the demon’s corpse.

“Did I really do it? Haha—I did it!” Lu Kuan couldn’t help but throw back his head and laugh, his heart soaring with exhilaration.

In his previous life, challenging elite demons above one’s level was something only a rare few could accomplish—those legendary players with great renown and immense wealth. Today, he had joined their ranks!

Now, Lu Kuan felt a newfound confidence. Before, he had relied on experience to stay ahead, but successfully slaying the demon made him truly recognize his own strength.

Composing himself, Lu Kuan began processing the demon’s body.

This was a treasure. Demons were currently rare on the continent, and many of their materials were nearly impossible to come by. He gathered everything he could—one never knew when it might be needed. The glass vials he’d brought earlier now proved their worth.

“Collection successful. You have obtained Low-Grade Demon Blood.”

“...Success. You have obtained Demon Tooth.”

“...Failed.”

“Collection successful. You have obtained Blackwing Demon’s Heart.”

After a flurry of activity, Lu Kuan’s pack was soon filled with various demon parts. At last, he retrieved the quest item—the “Demon Heart”—and the corpse of the Blackwing Demon began to turn transparent.

When the body finally vanished, the loot it had dropped was revealed, a pale blue glow standing out vividly in the darkness.

“Haha, a blue item dropped!”

Lu Kuan was overjoyed. He snatched up the equipment and examined it closely.

“Demon Guardian (Superior Shield)
Off-hand
Requirement: Strength 10
Weight: 15
Armor: +55
Strength: +1
Shadow Resistance: +5
Demon Hide: Defense Rating +10.”

“A tank’s shield, with bonuses to Constitution and Defense Rating—this is definitely a top-tier item! As expected of an elite monster, the drops are on a different level!” Lu Kuan couldn’t help but marvel.

Of course, aside from monster level, the quality of loot also depended on the difficulty of the challenge. If a five-player party had come to kill the Blackwing Demon, the loot would surely have been a tier lower.

There were also a few gems and some coins, which Lu Kuan swept directly into his pack without much inspection. After confirming that nothing had been left behind, he recalled the Blazing Mongoose and activated his town portal scroll.

As the magic of teleportation faded, a torrent of blazing sunlight bathed him. Lu Kuan quickly closed his eyes, but couldn’t help savoring the warmth. After that life-and-death struggle in the frigid cave, he had missed the sun dearly.

Once he’d adjusted to the light, Lu Kuan made his way straight to the Ranger’s Guild Hall.

Upon seeing him, Lore looked genuinely surprised. “Adventurer, could it be that you...?”

“Glad to have lived up to your expectations,” Lu Kuan replied with a smile, pulling the now-dried demon heart from his pack and placing it gently on the table.

At that moment, a hush fell over every player in the world. Then, accompanied by majestic, swelling music, a clear and melodious female voice rang in everyone’s ears.