The big ugly green

Player Name: Kaden Wright

Level: 7

Class: None

Race: Human

Attributes:

Strength: 17

Agility: 17

Intelligence: 17

Stamina: 17

Free Stat Points: 20

Free Skill Points: 5

Skills: None

Equipment: Troll Hide Chestpiece, Troll Hide Spaulders, White Fang Dagger

Quests: None

Kaden scrutinized his status screen, crouching and hiding in a nearby bush. Just ahead of him lay the legendary watering hole.

The game had barely begun, yet here he was, already at level 7. This was a godly leveling speed.

And to top it off, there were only two measly wolves in the vicinity of the watering hole. So far so good.

But what really caught Kaden's attention was the glimmering sparkle in the middle of the watering hole. That had to be the treasure he was after.

So it was in fact real and now all he had to do was take care of those two wolves?

Seemed a bit too easy. There was probably something else lurking in the water. Otherwise, the players from his past life wouldn't have encountered any difficulties.

Well, whatever it was, he was going to have to test the waters. His hands itched to open that treasure chest.

In his previous life, all he could do was hear stories and fantasize about opening a treasure chest.

But now, with one right in front of him, there was no way he was letting this opportunity slip through his fingers.

Preparing himself, he lunged toward the unsuspecting wolves.

The two wolves didn't stand a chance. With a couple of swift moves, they were down for the count before they even had time to blink.

[Ding! You have gained experience points]

[Ding! You have gained experience points]

Without missing a beat, Kaden turned his attention to the pond, waiting for whatever was there inside. Nothing popped out so he picked up a stone nearby and tossed it in.

Sure enough, the next second ripples disrupted the serene surface, and a green head emerged. A wave of unease washed over him as the creature revealed itself.

[Ding! Man-Eating Serpent, Level 25]

[Rank: Elite]

Kaden was utterly shocked. "Level 25 Elite?"

The massive serpent's emerald gaze fixed upon him with a predator's hunger. Its scales glinted ominously under the sunlight, radiating a sense of foreboding.

Kaden's heart raced. An elite level 25 beast! There was an 18-level gap between him and the serpent!

Even if there was a field boss in this region, it would have only been level 15 at max. What was a level 25 elite even doing here in the first place?

Kaden clicked his tongue.  Time was of the essence. If he didn't act fast, he'd be sent back to the village graveyard in the blink of an eye.

He quickly retreated as the serpent lunged towards him, its jaws gaping wide to reveal a row of gleaming teeth. A mere second of hesitation and Kaden would have been snake food.

At the place where the serpent hit the ground, a small crater was formed. Its strength was impressive. However, Kaden did not plan to back down.

The serpent was a formidable foe, but this only made the treasure it guarded all the more valuable. He was willing to take the risk, to face this beast head-on and seize the treasure, no matter what.

Sure, he could retreat and come back later, but who knew if the treasure would still be there?

While it took common players like him a whole week just to venture beyond the newbie village, not everyone shared the same fate.

There were seasoned gamers and renowned guilds from other games. Underestimating them would be foolish, even with his near-perfect start.

Licking his lips, Kaden tightened his grip on his weapon, preparing himself for the imminent battle. He knew he had to defeat the serpent right here, right now, to claim the treasure.

He also had his backup stats that he could use in the worst case, but first, he wanted to gauge the situation.

He had not thought of it before but seeing how the area around the watering hole was densely packed with trees, a certain strategy came to his mind. The first attack of the serpent reminded him of this strategy.

In the blink of an eye, the serpent lunged once again, its jaws snapping shut with a bone-chilling sound.

Kaden's reflexes kicked into high gear as he evaded the attack, narrowly avoiding a certain death. Speed-wise, he seemed to do okay and was able to barely match the serpent.

The adrenaline surged through his veins, and he observed the serpent's sinuous movements, searching for any patterns or weaknesses he could exploit.

The colossal creature coiled and swayed, its venomous gaze locked onto Kaden.  It kept coming at him, relentless and unyielding.

Thanks to the stat boost from the Troll Hide items, Kaden managed to dodge each attack by running around. His stamina was holding on. Without that extra edge, he'd be nothing more than a chew toy by now.

But playing defense alone wouldn't get him anywhere. He needed to go on the offensive.

So, when the serpent lunged at him again, Kaden attacked. He slashed his dagger at its scales while dodging the strike.

Screee! A god-awful metallic screech filled the air as the dagger barely made a dent.

-1

"Damn it!"

No wonder the players from his previous life had wiped countless times and dragged in reinforcements, even if it meant splitting the loot.

This damn snake was downright unbeatable at his current level.

Even with his trusty White Fang dagger, he couldn't land a single blow. The snake's scales were like freaking steel armor, offering it one heck of a defense.

Sure, he could dodge the snake's attacks all day long, but what good was it if he couldn't deal any damage? Continuing this pointless battle was a lost cause.

Or was it?

It was time to test his strategy.

Kaden's mind raced as he surveyed the small pond. Trees! Towering, sturdy trees surrounded him. He nearly crashed into a couple of them while evading that slimy snake.

And now he had to flip the table!

Since his dagger wasn't cutting it against this particular monster, he decided to turn its own power against it. Swiftly, Kaden positioned himself in front of a nearby tree just as the snake launched itself toward him.

And at the very last moment, he leaped to the side, leaving the green demon crashing headfirst into the unsuspecting tree.

Kaden did not even have to plan this, as his speed only allowed him to dodge at the last minute. All he had to do was stand in front of a tree.

The snake struggled to halt its attack and ended up smashing into the tree with a resounding thud.

Both the tree and the snake bore some scratches from the collision and, a larger damage number popped up.

-100

Finally, this fight was going somewhere.