Chapter 9: Grilling up Monster [3]
The Fire Ferrous Bird hovered above the hillside, wings beating with bursts of heat.
Adrian gripped his spear and struck again.
This creature was a rare low-level elite, and its weakness was still a mystery. All he could do was attack relentlessly.
Within three seconds, his body shot forward like a dragon diving through the clouds.
His attack speed was far from perfect, yet his technique carried a sharp precision. Five thrusts landed in succession, each driving the bird further back.
As its body began to fall,
Adrian suddenly pulled away. He pivoted, swung his spear upward, and struck just as the Fire Ferrous Bird dropped into his reach.
Bang!
The weapon smashed directly into the skull of this stupid bird monster and the bird was sent flying over ten meters and crashed into the dirt. Its health bar dropped to a quarter, and a two-second stun icon flickered above its head.
The moment it recovered, the bird shrieked in rage. Flames burst from its wings as its eyes burned with fury.
It charged.
His roar echoed like a curse: "There is a game that makes you angrier the more you play it…"
Then it lunged at Adrian with reckless madness.
But Adrian was calm.
Then he rushed towards Adrian like crazy.
Adrian was waiting for the opportunity to strike , so he had already started counting silently in his mind, and his skill time was only four seconds left for the cooldown.
As the saying goes, an inch longer is an inch stronger.
He brandished with his spear, seeking not to achieve any merit but to avoid any fault.
He blocked the Fire Ferrous Bird attack with his spear.
Then—he suddenly stilled his weapon.
The bird's eyes gleamed with bloodlust. Thinking its chance had come, it swooped in for the kill.
Adrian's lips curved upward.
"The dragon raises its head."
His spear surged upward with brutal precision, lifting the Fire Ferrous Bird into the air once more.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Adrian pressed the button three times in a row again, and the Fire Ferrous Bird 's health bar was instantly cleared
Three rapid thrusts pierced through its body and, its health bar emptied in an instant.
---
[Congratulations! You have slain the Level 7 Elite: Fire Ferrous Bird.]
[Rewards: +30 EXP, 200 copper coins and Fireball skill (Beginner)]
[Level Up! You have reached Level 3.]
[Rewards: +5 Attribute Points to all four stats, +1 Skill Point.]
---
Adrian caught his breath, retrieving the item that was dropped under at his feet.
[Fireball skill book (Beginner)]
[Level : C Grade]
[Class Requirement: Fire Mage]
[Effect: Releases a fireball, dealing with 100 attack based magic damage + 30% also area damage within a 5-meter radius]
[Range: 30 meters]
[Mana Cost: 30]
[Cooldown: 20 seconds]
[Requirement met. Learn skill?]
"Learn."
[Skill learned. Fireball acquired.]
Adrian smiled faintly. "Perfect."
Placing his spear stand otherside, he pulled open the system map. His eyes locked on a distant zone named Man-Eating Baboon Valley, a level 10 monster area.
It would take at least an hour to get there at his pace. Time enough to gain two more levels.
But reaching that valley first was crucial because of a hidden bug only he knew. The first player to clear it would reap rewards beyond imagination.
He change his route; Adrian sprinted down towards the hillside.
As he passed by if he encountered any monster he started killing it.
As he passed by the hill, he was noticed by Jason Yates and his party.
So they went to look but when he saw the fight of Adrian's ,their faces and the expression were as they were froze, awe written across their faces.
"Oh my god… what is this?"
"What did you see that?" one whispered.
"That thing took down a level 7 elite monsters on his own already?"
Jason clenched his fist, eyes burning. "I was wrong. The spear is king. Forget swords. Once I hit level 5, I'm switching weapons. That man… he's my idol."
---
An hour later, chaos swept across the novice zone.
A battle video appeared on the public feed: a man with middle-parted hair slaying a level 7 elite monster in under thirty seconds.
The clip spread like wildfire.
"Who is he? That's insane!"
"He's already a legend."
Dozens of players went to the wilderness, desperate to find blue-grade monsters for themselves. Yet no matter how far they searched, not one could be found a single high grade monsters with better EXP.
Meanwhile, the party of Claire Summers' and Kevin's mage squad party had already reached level 4 by hunting the Capybaras and the slimes but now they no longer provided enough experience for them to reach next level.
After a brief discussion, Claire decided on their next target. "We're heading to Lantern Valley. The level 6 Blood Wolf should be a suitable challenge."
Kevin overheard and immediately steered his team the same way.
But just as both groups entered the Blood Wolf zone, a sudden notification appeared.
---
[Congratulations to Player Ron Xender for reaching Level 5 first! The Ranking List of Novice Zone 10010 has been unlocked.]
[The top 100 players will now be displayed.]
[Tip: The first player to reach Level 10 will earn a special system reward.]
---
The square erupted in shock. Everyone opened the rankings at once.
1st: Ron Xender – Ranger – Level 5 (0.4%)
2nd: Claire Summers – Gunner – Level 4 (88.3%)
3rd: Kevin – Mage – Level 4 (66.6%)
4th: Zhang Yixiu – Swordsman – Level 4 (3.4%)
The rest of the top ten were also level 4, except for Ron Xender, the only one at level 5.
"Ron Xender? Where did he come from?" Kevin's face tightened.
"Could he be the mystery master who killed the blue monster?" someone asked.
"No, I remember now—he's the Ranger with that 'Double Experience' talent."
People nodded. Rangers were independent fighters, able to use their own skills while also borrowing the beginner skills of three others class. His combat power might not be supreme, but with Double Experience, it was no wonder he ranked first.
Even so, the difficulty curve of the game would only rise. He might lead early, but he would burn out later.
Kevin smirked coldly as he scanned the list.
"Hmph. Where's Adrian Cross? Not even in the top thirty?" He let out sneered in her face.
Claire's brows eyes furrowed as she flipped page after page. At the same time almost players in this novice village or outside the top ten player , everyone else's were still at level 3 and also their rankings shifting constantly time to time.
Finally, on the third page, she saw it:
63rd: Adrian Cross – Hexagonal Warrior – Level 3 (4.5%)
Kevin burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Look at that. So much for his arrogance. He's fallen back to the rest of us nobodies.
Forget him let's follow the real experts."
But before his mockery could finish, several figures rushed down the hillside. Jason Yates and his companions appeared, eyes alight.
Kevin frowned. "Jason? Did you see the top-ranked player?"
Jason's face flushed with excitement. "I did and even I with own eyes .The master with the middle-part hair he single-handedly killed a level 7 elite. I even posted the video to the feed didn't you watch it?"
Kevin blinked, then forced a grin. "I also saw It at that I was there, it was really impressive how can this Master be very powerful "
Jason's gaze grew distant. Just remembering that battle left his heart pounding. "He was… unstoppable."
What Kevin never imagined was that the man they all admired, the so-called mystery expert, was none other than Adrian Cross himself.
And while they argued, Adrian was already on his way to a destination none of them could yet reach.