Aftermath

Thud

The sound of something hitting the ground shattered the eerie silence that had settled over the battlefield. Klaus glanced down at the head lying amidst the debris. Strangely, he felt nothing—no guilt, no disgust, no fear, no unease. He was as calm as a still pond as if the gruesome scene were merely a distant memory.

"Well, that takes care of it," Klaus muttered to himself, then turned his gaze towards Anna Ross. She stood there, hands covering her mouth, her face pale with shock. Despite her fear, Klaus felt no need to comfort her. He was done with the situation.

"You and I don't know each other. We've never met. Goodbye," Klaus said, preparing to walk away. Just as he was about to leave, Anna spoke up.

"Thank you for saving me. My name is Anna Ross," she said, extending a golden card toward him. "If you need anything in the future, just give me a call."

Klaus took a quick glance at the card, running some numbers through his head before accepting it. 

"Ah, maybe I was a bit rude earlier," Klaus said, forcing a sheepish smile. "I'm Klaus. I don't have a phone, so I can't give you my card. I'm really sorry about that."

Anna gave a faint smile, though she was still clearly shaken by what had just happened. Klaus didn't try to make her feel better—he had already done his part. The rest was up to her.

"Can I know where you stay and which city you're from?" she asked.

"I'm not from any city, but we're closer than you might think," Klaus replied, not bothering to soften his words. "Anyway, I'm heading out. You should probably do the same. Your friends might be... long dead by now."

Anna clenched her fists at his bluntness, but she knew he was right. They had ventured into the Inner section of the forest and stumbled upon the Nine Life Yin Flower. She and her team had fought off a pack of wolves to get it. Some of them were injured in the battle, but they had managed to secure the flower with no casualty.

Just as victory seemed within reach, the Guan family team, led by Matin—the very person Klaus had just killed, had ambushed them. Her team had bought her time to escape, knowing how valuable the flower was to her. However, they had underestimated Matin's cunning and ruthlessness, though. While they were buying time, the Guan team had moved in for the kill.

In the chaos, Anna had managed to flee with some of her people, each taking different routes to draw their pursuers away. But it seemed their efforts had been in vain. Anna had been pursued relentlessly by the Alpha Wolf and Martin himself. Without Klaus's intervention, she would have likely died.

Anna looked at Klaus with a mix of gratitude and sadness. "Thanks again for saving me. I really didn't think I'd make it out."

Klaus nodded. "No problem. Just stay safe out there. The forest can be unforgiving."

With that, Klaus turned and began walking away, leaving Anna to reflect on whether or not she would go back into the forest and look for her team or accept reality and leave. A few seconds later, she sighed and then also moved in Klaus's direction.

Klaus had already anticipated her reaction so he didn't say anything when he saw her following him. Instead, he looked at the message floating before him.

[You have killed a Tier 3 Alpha Monster called Light Claw Wolf. You have received 3000 Exp.]

[You have killed an Ascended Human called Matin Guan. You have received 2000 Exp.]

[Next Level up: 5,400/9,600]

Klaus couldn't help but think to himself, 'Seems there's a difference between humans and monsters. Killing humans pays a lot more.' A sinister smile crept across his face. 'Maybe I should rethink my strategy and go after some scum instead.' He glanced over at Anna Ross, who was lost in her thoughts, trailing behind him.

Just then, a monster lunged at Klaus from the shadows. He didn't flinch. Instead, he swung his sword with practiced ease, channeling a powerful cut through the air. The blade connected with the monster's head, slicing through it in a single, clean strike. The creature crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Without missing a beat, Klaus quickly stored the monster's body and continued on his way, his expression calm and composed. He kept his pace steady, ready for whatever else the forest might throw at him.

After moving forward for a while, another monster suddenly appeared, but it didn't stand a chance. Klaus's sword swung in a precise arc, and the monster was killed before it could even make a move. His swordplay had reached a new level of finesse, and his mastery of the ice element and Moon Slash skill was evident.

With his now vastly expanded pool of Spiritual Qi, Klaus had become several times stronger and faster at harnessing his elemental essence. Each swing of his sword was more fluid and powerful, and his control over the elements was becoming almost second nature. 

"You do know you can come near so we move out together, I don't bite" Klaus's sense was sharper than he had thought. From behind, he can feel Anna Ross staring at him all the way. At first, he didn't mind, but it started to get a little irritating.

"So sorry, I just didn't want to be a burden," Anna Ross said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. She was still recovering from the earlier ordeal, and she knew that jumping into the fight now would be unwise. For now, staying behind and letting Klaus handle the monsters was the best she could do.

Klaus glanced over his shoulder, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Foolish girl, who said anything about you being a burden? If anything, I should be the one paying you to walk beside me. Having the Fairy of Ross City by my side is quite the honor."

Anna blinked, momentarily taken aback by his comment. The smile on Klaus's face made her feel a bit lighter, easing the tension from their earlier encounter. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" she replied, managing a faint smile despite her fatigue.

Klaus shrugged, still grinning. "Just speaking the truth. Besides, I've had my share of encounters with monsters, but this is the first time I've been lucky enough to have someone like you around."

Anna shook her head, still blushing but feeling a bit more at ease. "Well, thank you. I guess I'll just try to stay out of your way and let you do what you do best."

Klaus only smiled and led the way through the forest. Soon, they appeared in the outer section after killing five more Tier 2 monsters. He needed only 700 more exp to level up to level 6.

"The monsters from here onwards are just Tier 1, you will be fine on your own from here. I still have some business to take care of before leaving. I will be sure to call you once I get a phone" Klaus said parting ways with Her. 

She thanked him once more and left. After making sure she had gone far enough, Klaus headed back into the forest and started looking for monsters. "Tsk, it seems the Sunlight Forest is just for the hype, next time, I will go to Everlasting Zombie Forest, perhaps, I can level up quickly there"

Klaus moved deeper and soon, he sensed a monster, without wasting much time, he attacked killing it before it could even make a sound. He stored the body and continued.

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[You have killed a Tier 2 Monster called Shadow Spider. You have received 500 Exp.]

[You have leveled up. Current Level: Level 6 Awakened. You have received 100 Stat points.]

[Next Level up: 400/19,200]

"Halfway there," Klaus said looking at his progress window. He then switches to his status window.

Name: Klaus Hanson

Age: 16

Talent: Celestial Elemental Overlord

Class: Weapons Overlord

Bloodline: Dormant

Physique: Nine Reincarnation Divine Body

Realm: Awakened - Lvl: 6/12

Strength: 110 | Agility: 210 |Stamina: 120 |Defense:100 | Intelligence: 100| Health: 1000

Spiritual Qi: 18,200

Stat Points: 100

Klaus glanced at his stats, a satisfied smile crossing his face. He stored away his weapon, saying, "100 points for urgent use. For now, let me head home." With that, he dashed forward, his speed now several times faster than before, and in an instant, he disappeared from sight.

Shortly after, Klaus arrived at the border of Ross City, where he paid the 100 gold coins to the two guards. To his surprise, they weren't there this time. He greeted the remaining guard politely and left, wanting to avoid making any negative impressions.

Moments later, Klaus found himself back in the slums of Ross City. As he surveyed the rundown area, a deep sigh escaped him. Clenching his fist, he murmured, "I'll get us out of this hellhole soon, Mother." His determination was unwavering as he stared at the grim surroundings, envisioning a better future for both himself and his mother. Shortly, he appeared in his beatdown home, "Mom I am back" Klaus shouted smelling the scent of something delicious.

"Klaus, you're back!" The door swung open further, its broken frame barely holding on, but Klaus's mother didn't notice. She rushed out and enveloped him in a tight, warm hug.

"I'm sorry I made you worry, Mom," Klaus said with a playful grin. "But I'm back now. Hehe, your son made quite a bit of money hunting today."

Her worried expression softened slightly as she pulled him inside. "Come in, food's almost ready," she insisted, dragging him into their modest home.

---

Bang!

In a lavish room, a man in his late 40s slammed his hand onto a table, shattering it into splinters. "The Guan Family! How dare they touch my daughter! I'll raze them to the ground!" His voice was icy, filled with cold, murderous intent.

Beside him stood three young men in their early 20s and two women. One of them was Anna Ross, who had safely returned and was now reporting the events. 

"Dad, please, calm down," Anna said softly, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at her father.