Sakeer's eyes lingered on his Attribute Panel, watching the numbers shift before him.
Finally... after days of relentless grinding, the Sword Master class had reached its maximum level.
"All that hard work finally paid off."
He let out a quiet sigh of relief, feeling a sense of accomplishment. But there was no time to relax — the next task was clear.
"Now I need to focus on leveling up the 'Genius' class..."
Sakeer's gaze flicked to the experience bar. The number stared back at him like a stubborn wall.
5000 XP required.
The experience points needed for each level were growing exponentially, and Sakeer knew things would only get tougher from here.
"The higher my level, the harder it's going to be to find enough monsters to keep progressing."
He chewed thoughtfully on a chunk of roasted boar meat, suppressing the frustration bubbling in his mind.
No point dwelling on it now.
Sakeer shook his head, pushing the concern aside.
His eyes drifted to another part of the panel — the Justice Value.
"Justice... has changed?"
The number had risen significantly — a direct result of all the goblins he'd slain.
"So... does that mean this 'Justice Value' is tied to my actions from a human perspective?"
Sakeer rubbed his chin, pondering the mechanics.
In YGGDRASIL, the Justice Value played a crucial role. It wasn't just a superficial morality gauge — it had tangible effects on skills, equipment, and class abilities.
For instance, the Eighth-Tier Magic spell Moral Distortion could corrupt individuals with high Justice Values, turning them into twisted beings of negative alignment. Conversely, the powerful Tenth-Tier Magic spell Divine Flame dealt devastating damage based on one's Justice Value. For those with negative values, it barely packed the punch of a low-tier fire spell.
Sakeer knew from experience that neither extreme — excessively positive nor deeply negative — was ideal.
"Better to keep it neutral..." he muttered.
Unless required for a specific class, race, or equipment, maintaining a Justice Value of zero was the safest route.
Gulp...
Sakeer took a long drink from his waterskin, his eyes falling on his battered iron sword. Deep nicks and jagged gaps lined its edge.
"Looks like this one's about done."
He sighed. Fortunately, he had prepared ten spare iron swords before venturing into the jungle. Weapons weren't exactly hard to come by, but keeping them in good condition was proving difficult.
"With the stats gained from my intermediate class, my attack power should now exceed that of a typical 'Gold-Level Adventurer' — probably somewhere around Level 17 or so."
Sakeer calculated his strength carefully.
"And if I combine my 'Quick Slash' skill with my passive bonuses... I should be dealing at least 120% of my normal attack power. That should boost my strength by another level."
He felt confident. Stronger monsters were inevitable, but with his recent growth, he was ready to face whatever came next.
Rustle... Rustle...
A faint noise broke the silence.
Sakeer's hand instinctively moved to his sword as his eyes flicked toward the source of the sound.
"Hmm?"
He stared blankly at the thick bushes in front of him.
Bang!
The leaves trembled, and heavy footsteps crunched against the forest floor.
A large, hulking figure emerged from the foliage — dark yellow skin stretched tightly over bulging muscles.
An ogre.
Sakeer's eyes narrowed.
"I knew it. A goblin community this large... no way they didn't have an ogre protecting them."
But instead of panic, Sakeer's lips curled into a confident smile.
Rustle... Rustle...
More movement.
Another ogre stepped out from behind the first one.
Sakeer's smile faltered.
"Two?"
Rustle... Rustle...
The sounds intensified — branches creaked, leaves rustled, and footsteps thudded from all directions.
One after another, ogres emerged from the dense undergrowth, their towering forms surrounding him.
The smile on Sakeer's face vanished.
He clenched his sword tightly, feeling the cold steel press against his palm.
"Hey, hey... six ogres? That's a bit much."
Sakeer muttered to himself, eyes narrowing at the imposing figures before him.
The sudden appearance of six ogres shifted the atmosphere, turning the air heavy with tension.
He rose slowly, his expression serious.
"One ogre? No problem. Two? Manageable. But six...?"
This wasn't just a tough fight — it was a death sentence.
Sakeer's gaze sharpened.
"With their limited intelligence, there's no way these ogres coordinated this on their own..."
He shifted his stance slightly, adjusting his position to keep as many of them in his line of sight as possible.
The goblin community he had just wiped out wasn't nearly enough to sustain six ogres. Yet here they were — appearing in formation, almost like a coordinated ambush.
"This... isn't normal."
But there was no time to think.
"Human!"
"Roar!"
"Die!"
The six ogres bellowed in unison, their hideous faces contorted with rage. Massive wooden clubs swung high as they charged forward, their pounding footsteps shaking the earth.
Each towering figure, over two meters tall, barreled toward Sakeer like living siege weapons, their combined momentum stirring an oppressive gust of wind.
I can't let them surround me!
That thought flashed through Sakeer's mind like lightning.
His eyes darted around — and locked onto an ogre positioned slightly farther from the rest.
"That's the gap!"
"Magic Arrow!"
Now wasn't the time to conserve mana.
Magic surged from within Sakeer's body, crackling with power.
In an instant, three glowing arrows of energy materialized in mid-air before launching toward the distant ogre.
Sou! Sou! Sou!
All three arrows struck true, each carving a fist-sized wound into the ogre's chest.
"Aargh!"
The creature bellowed in pain.
But Sakeer knew better than to celebrate.
"That's not nearly enough..."
His Magic Attack stat barely reached 13 — hardly enough to inflict serious damage on such a thick-skinned beast. Still, the spell served its purpose.
The wounded ogre staggered, slowing its charge and creating a crucial gap in their encirclement.
Sakeer didn't hesitate.
The moment his spell hit, Sakeer was already moving — dashing straight toward the opening.
"Raaagh!"
The injured ogre spotted him and swung its massive club in retaliation.
WHOOOSH!
Sakeer ducked low, feeling the wind of the club's swing rush past his head. The force alone stirred his hair and rustled the nearby foliage.
But he didn't stop. His momentum carried him forward, weaving past the ogre's strike and bursting free from the encirclement.
"I'll play with you next time."
He muttered under his breath before sprinting deeper into the forest.
But escape wouldn't come so easily.
"ROOOOAR!"
The ogres' furious bellows shook the air.
The ground trembled as their heavy footsteps thundered behind him, each impact reverberating through the earth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The massive creatures bulldozed through the dense forest, snapping branches and tearing through foliage as if they were nothing more than cobwebs.
For the ogres, this dense woodland was home turf — but for Sakeer, the twisting branches, tangled roots, and thick underbrush were obstacles that dragged at his pace.
"Damn it..."
Sweat dripped down his brow as he pushed himself to run faster — yet the sound of pounding footsteps only grew louder behind him.