"Alright then," Alan said quietly.
"I'll aim for level 300 first. Only after that will I come back and start crafting again."
He went to Khan once more, said his goodbyes, and left the smithy—his next goal now clear.
Alan had already searched for the best hunting spot for himself.
It was the Grey Forest, located near Bairan Village.
Taking a carriage, he soon reached the area. Many players were heading in the same direction, all drawn by the forest's reputation.
The Grey Forest was a high-level zone, home to monsters reaching level 260. It was the perfect place to grind levels. More importantly, the forest housed the Guardian of the Forest—a powerful golem-like monster that dropped Orichalcum, a rare crafting material Alan desperately needed. That alone was reason enough for him to come.
"Looking for party members to subjugate a Guardian of the Forest!!"
Just like in the Kobold Abode, players were shouting to form parties. Alan ignored them all and entered the forest alone—this time holding Dainsleif from the very start.
"Alright then," Alan muttered.
"Let's level up fast."
He rushed forward at full speed. Not long after, he encountered a horde of goblins.
Alan didn't slow down.
His blade flashed, slicing through them as easily as cutting weeds. Even without using a single skill, the goblins fell one after another, their bodies collapsing before they could even scream.
[ Goblin – Level 187 ]
[ Goblin – Level 192 ]
[ Goblin – Level 195 ]
They stood no chance.
Alan continued deeper into the Grey Forest.
Goblins turned into Hobgoblins, then Goblin Lords. Poisonous Bloom Flowers lurked between the trees, releasing toxic spores the moment he stepped close—but Alan cut them down before they could fully bloom.
[ Hobgoblin – Level 210 defeated ]
[ Goblin Lord – Level 232 defeated ]
[ Poison Bloom Flower – Level 225 defeated ]
His level climbed steadily.
[ Your level has risen ]
[ Your level has risen ]
Occasionally, drops appeared.
[ You have acquired Goblin Core (Uncommon) ]
[ You have acquired Poison Sac (Common) ]
[ You have acquired Hardened Bone Fragment ]
Alan swept everything into his inventory without stopping. His movements were clean, efficient, almost mechanical. Each swing of Dainsleif carried overwhelming force, and each kill only pushed him further ahead.
As the hours passed, the air of the forest grew heavier.
The deeper he went, the stronger the monsters became—and Alan's smile slowly widened.
"This place really is perfect," Alan muttered, watching his level continue to rise.
He moved deeper still—until the forest abruptly changed.
The trees thinned, the ground turned uneven, and massive stone pillars jutted out of the earth like broken teeth. The air grew dense, heavy with pressure.
Alan had reached the boss area.
The ground began to tremble.
Cracks spread across the forest floor as enormous boulders lifted themselves into the air, grinding and colliding with one another. Blue light flared between the stones, flowing like veins as ancient runic patterns etched themselves across the forming body.
A colossal golem rose from the earth.
Its eyes burned with cold blue light, runes pulsing across its rocky frame as it let out a thunderous roar that shook the forest.
[ Guardian of the Forest – Boss Monster ]
[ Level 260 ]
At the same time, the surrounding earth responded.
Two more massive shapes emerged beside it, forming from stone and soil.
[ Rock Golem – Level 245 ]
[ Rock Golem – Level 248 ]
The Guardian's roar echoed outward like a summons.
From every direction, monsters poured into the clearing—goblins, hobgoblins, forest beasts, corrupted plants—drawn by the boss's presence.
Alan didn't flinch.
Instead, he smiled.
The more monsters that appeared, the heavier Dainsleif felt in his hand—and the stronger it became.
Its cursed blade hummed softly, feeding on the sheer number of enemies surrounding him.
"Good," Alan said calmly.
"The more, the better."
He twisted his body, dodging a crashing stone fist as the Guardian slammed its arm into the ground. Shards of rock exploded outward, but Alan slipped through the gap with precise footwork, weaving between incoming attacks.
He evaded again.
And again.
Waiting.
Letting them gather.
Monsters closed in from all sides, tightening the encirclement—until Alan stood right at the center of the battlefield.
"That's good enough."
His eyes sharpened.
[ Spell Sword Activated ]
[ Your next attack will deal an additional 100% of your Magic Attack as damage ]
Mana surged through his body, flowing into Dainsleif as the blade began to glow.
Alan inhaled once—
—and roared.
"White Lion's Roar!"
A massive spectral white lion erupted behind Alan, roaring skyward as a crushing shockwave exploded outward.
The ground cracked.
Trees shattered.
Monsters froze mid-motion—then were torn apart.
The weaker enemies were annihilated instantly, their bodies erased by the overwhelming force. Even the Rock Golems staggered, their massive frames locking in place under the stun.
At the center of it all, Alan stood unmoved—Dainsleif blazing with power.
He didn't waste the opening.
Flames surged from his mana core and flowed into the blade.
"Flame Sword."
[ Fire Sword Activated ]
[ Your weapon is now engulfed in flames ]
[ Fire damage equal to 50% of Magic Attack will be applied ]
[ Burn Chance: 10% ]
Dainsleif ignited completely, White steel wrapped in violent crimson fire. The blade hummed, resonating with both magic and destruction.
Alan raised the sword.
"Let's finish this."
Mana poured into his arms as golden light gathered along the blade's edge.
"Golden Flash."
[ Golden Flash Activated ]
[ Deals damage equal to 1,000% of your current Magic Power to all enemies in sight ]
Alan swung.
A wide, white-golden arc tore through the battlefield, blazing forward like a divine cleaver. The stunned monsters were nothing more than weeds before the scythe.
The wave erased them.
Goblin Lords were sliced in half before they could even scream. Forest beasts vaporized on contact. The earth itself split open as the attack carved a straight path through the clearing.
The two Rock Golems fared no better.
Though their bodies were made of stone, their cores were saturated with mana—and magic was their greatest weakness.
The golden wave struck them head-on.
Crack—Crack—!
Their massive frames shattered, runes flickering violently before going dark as both golems collapsed into rubble.