return to the ruins part 3

Even though horde bosses may not possess the same level of power as normal bosses, they still surpass regular enemies in the ruins by at least tenfold, often requiring a small group to defeat.

Alex, however, found himself without a group but armed with his wits.

The rain had finally ceased, but his sword was nowhere to be found. Alex would have to face the boss without it.

He still had his trusty axe as a backup, though he hoped it wouldn't come to that. Fortunately, the acidic rain had completely dissipated, posing no risk of starting a fire, even if he used his ring.

The sound of a door opening reverberated through the air, releasing the horde boss, followed by a resounding bang as it shut.

The boss appeared to be heading towards Alex, a towering blue creature roughly the size of a horse. Alex silently thanked his luck that it wasn't another unique boss, especially considering he lacked his sword.

As the boss closed in on him, Alex readied his shield, securing it on his left forearm, while wearing the ring on his left middle finger and gripping his axe in his right hand.

Utilizing the power of the ring, he unleashed a barrage of fiery fireballs, one after another, until he had only 10 mana left.

Each fireball hit its mark, causing the slime to shrink to roughly two-thirds of its original size.

In retaliation, the slime attempted to engulf Alex, but he swiftly reacted, firing a fireball towards its core. Although he missed the core, he managed to stun the slime, chipping away a small portion of its mass.

The slime reverted back to its original form, slightly smaller than before. Alex devised a plan to goad the slime into using the same attack once more. He stood still, pretending to be out of breath, enticing the boss to attempt another engulfing attack.

Thankfully, the slime took the bait and Alex deftly parried its assault, this time striking at the core with his axe, causing it to crack. The slime lost its solid form, turning into liquid before rapidly evaporating, leaving behind the cracked core.

Alex suspected there might be something inside, so he struck it once more, cracking it open. Instantly, the core lost its rigidity, spilling out two items—a ring and a necklace.

Alex first inspected the ring through the system, revealing its description: "Allows the wearer to determine the exact temperature of any item that touches the stone of the ring."

It was ranked E-, and Alex couldn't help but chuckle at the item's seemingly useless nature and the irony of finding it when his father had falsely claimed he would become a blacksmith.

Next, he examined the necklace, discovering its description: "Reduces the cooldown of all worn and equipped items by 20%." It held a rank of C+. Alex felt amazed at the discovery of this item, realizing its potential to enhance his loadout.

A 20% reduction in his sword's cooldown could be the difference between life and death, while the ring's improved effectiveness would allow him to cast fireballs every eight seconds.

Suddenly, a door materialized in front of him. Familiar with the routine, Alex effortlessly pushed it open, revealing a stone room with a chest.

The chest appeared rather plain in comparison to its predecessor, constructed from humble wood and iron.

With a sense of anticipation, Alex opened it, revealing a pair of steel-plated leather pants. According to the system, these pants would increase his movement speed by 15%, ranking them as d-.

Intrigued by the prospect of enhanced agility, Alex wasted no time donning the pants.

In the same box, he discovered a sword that, as per the system, possessed the ability to occasionally ignite opponents, earning it a rank of d.

Alex contemplated the sword's usefulness, weighing the advantages and disadvantages it presented. After careful consideration, he ultimately decided to sell it, preferring not to rely on chance when it came to his weapons. He sought reliability above all else.

Lastly, nestled within the chest, he found a ring that, when worn, would grant slightly enhanced strength to the wearer. Its rank was deemed F tier by the system.

Evaluating the ring's attributes, Alex concluded that selling it would yield greater value than using it. Its grade was simply not potent enough to provide consistent assistance in his endeavors.

after that the box disappeared leaving behind a green crystal as proof of his victory and allowing him to leave.