Livinius blocked the axes just a few fingers above his head with his sword, cursing a mouthful of profanities in his mind. It was clear he wouldn't be able to block the next attack—Dragonheart's raw strength vastly outclassed his own. He let out a helpless groan as the brute force behind the berserker's strikes crushed down on his arms and shoulders.
A glance at Loveroftie showed the elf already nocking another arrow onto his bowstring.
In that single heartbeat where death hovered inches away, Livinius poured every last drop of willpower into restoring his shattered control over the swords.
Dragonheart's axes, gleaming with a cold light, tore through the air as they came crashing down.
Thud.
Two swords struck the Berserker's studded leather armor, piercing his back and staggering him back.
A sharp buzz was followed by a chilling crack, and Dragonheart dropped to one knee with a howl. An arrow had pierced his knee, shattering his leather greaves.
Dragonheart's 1200 HP dropped to 804.
One blink! Just one unlucky moment and that arrow could've pierced my skull! Livinius gulped as cold sweat trickled down his spine.
Seizing the opportunity, he crawled across the ground and managed to put some distance between them. Gritting his teeth, he yanked the arrow from his abdomen and immediately downed the last Low-grade Healing Potion from his ring.
Livinius felt the wound rapidly closing, and at the same time, he noticed a healing potion materializing in Dragonheart's hand.
Three swords shot out simultaneously, leaving silver streaks behind them. The Berserker rolled to the side and dodged the swords. He swung his axes fiercely to push them back, but he was at a significant disadvantage due to his injured leg. He was quickly overwhelmed.
Livinius knew all too well how deadly injuries could be in combat. He needed to complete his task before the Berserker had a chance to heal.
His willpower had been severely drained, so he couldn't use the flying swords as effectively as he had at the start of the combat, but he still maintained a certain level of control over them.
The swords, obeying his will, slashed through every opening they could find in the Berserker's plate armor.
Meanwhile, Loveroftie had climbed onto a rock to get a better angle for aiming.
Livinius lunged forward and kicked Dragonheart's chest, who was still trying to resist with one knee on the ground against the swords, sending him sprawling backward.
Two swords drew sharp arcs, tearing through his gauntlets.
-240!
-215!
As Dragonheart raged, shouting curses, the third sword plunged into his throat, burying him in eternal silence.
-2780!
[You have slain Dragonheart!]
[You gained 75 EXP!]
[You earned an additional 20 EXP for slaying a player higher than your level!]
Livinius took a deep breath and stared at Loveroftie, who was aiming at him from atop the boulder. When he noticed his smug smile from the beginning had been replaced by surprise and disbelief, he smirked.
With slow, unhurried steps, he walked toward him.
Loveroftie, with his wildly trembling hands, took a shot, but the arrow flew off target. He jumped down from the boulder and began running as if he had lost his mind.
Thank God you're a total amateur, Livinius squinted and fired one of his swords at him from behind. Do you really think you can leave without paying for the arrow you stabbed into my gut?
Since he was the last remaining enemy, all his focus was on the Elf Hunter. That's why the sword he sent from behind decapitated him with razor-sharp precision.
[You have slain Loveroftie!]
[You gained 25 EXP!]
[You earned an additional 10 EXP for slaying a player higher than your level!]
As Livinius looked over the miserable bodies of the four, he rubbed his head, which throbbed like a giant construction nail had been driven into it. Death, for online players, meant saying goodbye to their characters. To re-enter the world of Rings of Alkhen, they would have to create a new one.
He sighed.
Even though he had won a harsh combat, he didn't feel much satisfaction. The four of them were rookies who had just started the game, lacking the wealth of combat experience he had.
If they had been even more experienced, winning this battle would've been nearly impossible for him. He believed that his Willpower points weren't high enough yet, causing him difficulty standing solid against counter-attacks. In the future, if he could obtain good items—preferably those with WIL points—he would likely be able to wield the weapons he had bonded with more effectively.
I gained a total of 375 EXP. If I had defeated regular mobs of the same level, I wouldn't have come close to this number. Still, leveling up isn't easy for me. The amount of EXP the game requires from me is more than double that of online players.
Livinius glanced indifferently at the body of Dragonheart, whose African-braided hair was spread out around a pool of blood. Once his rage state had ended, the redness in his skin had faded, leaving behind a pale white hue.
He approached him and checked the items on him:
<
Damage: 19-22
Grade: Common
Attributes: —
Effects:—
Requirement: STR 9+ or WIL 8+ for [Telekinetic Bond]
Durability: 67/100
Weight: 5.3 kg
Description: A well-sharpened and polished one-handed axe.
*****
<
Grade: Common
Armor: 15
Magic Resistance: 8
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 78/100
Requirement: STR 5+, END +7, VIT+3
Weight: 10.5 kg
Description: Armor made of hardened leather, typically crafted for the novices of the Grimbock Hunters.
[Ryben Silk x2] [White Cloth x3] [Low-grade Healing Potion(Lv.1)] [Wolf Teeth x4] [Dried Meat x5] [Silver Coin x23]
Livinius transferred the unruined equipment and items into his ring.
He could equip the [Nightstalker's Wrap] once he leveled up. The others, he would likely sell.
Without wasting any time, he moved toward Stain4u's body and checked the unbroken items:
<
Grade: Common
Armor: 20
Magic Resistance: 5
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 87/100
Requirement: STR 7+, END +6, VIT+8
Weight: 20.7 kg
Description: Durable armor crafted by blacksmith guilds for mercenaries fighting on the front lines.
***
<
Damage: 12-14
Grade: Common
Attributes: —
Effects:—
Requirement: STR 5+ or WIL 4+ for [Telekinetic Bond]
Durability: 80/100
Weight: 6.2 kg
Description: A one-handed solid steel mace with a textured stone head.
***
<
Grade: Common
Armor: 38
Magic Resistance: 15
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 52/100
Requirement: END 6+, VIT +7
Weight: 8.8 kg
Description: An oval iron shield with sloppy star engravings.
*****
<
Grade: Common
Armor: 10
Magic Resistance: 2
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 46/100
Requirement: END 3+, VIT +5
Weight: 1.8 kg
Description: Flexible gauntlets made of tough goat hair and tamped lizard hide.
[Empty Potion Bottles x3] [Lantern] [Wild Mint x5] [Metal Hooks x2] [Silver Coins x15]
Livinius tossed the loot into his Storage Ring and equipped the [Galathar Gaunlet] immediately.
"Not bad for now," Livinius muttered as he approached Yeriff's corpse.
*Let's see what you have...*
<
Grade: Common
HP: 200
Mana: 80
Attributes: —
Effects:—
Requirement: VIT 6+
Durability: 89/100
Weight: 0.2 kg
[Description: Delicately crafted silver earrings belonging to the mistress of the Roseriver Inn, adorned with rune engravings that shimmer with a ghostly blue hue.]
****
<
Grade: Common
Damage: 20-23
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 75/100
Requirement: CHA 8+, WIS +5
Weight: 1.7 kg
Description: Carved from the darkened wood of a whispering tree, this delicate harp resonates with ancient melodies. Each note carries subtle enchantments that weave charm and courage into allies—while haunting harmonies attack enemies' minds.
****
<
Grade: Common
Armor: 9
Magic Resistance: 3
Attributes: —
Effects: —
Durability: 54/100
Requirement: END 3+, VIT +5
Weight: 1.1 kg
[Description: Sturdy leather boots made for rough terrains.]
[Frostmint Leaves x5] [Brass Hinges x2] [Duskleaf Sprigs x4] [Cracked Glass Vials x2] [Silver Coins x25]
Livinius took all the loot and equipped the [Wilderness Boots], then cast a satisfied glance at [Lafetth's Earrings] before sending them to his ring. It was rare to find a piece of jewelry with both HP and Mana runes at early levels.
For jewelry, there were two rings, two earring slots, and one necklace slot. Acquiring and equipping jewelry with great attributes was a key condition for climbing in power.
He couldn't help but wonder how Yeriff had gotten his hands on such earrings.
He frowned as he examined the Hunter and realized that nearly all of its gear was junk—not even worth picking up.
Livinius shrugged his shoulders and cast a final glance around. Then, he left the area and continued his journey toward Terrera Woods.