Getting Stronger, Part Two

Leaving the dungeon, because of course Zenith wasn't going to even think of trying that boss, ended up being far harder than killing those two enemies. 

But, per Tamira's instruction, Zenith took down one more kobold and left. 

Level 22

MP: 30/30

EXP: 100/220

AP: 0

WST: 7000

---

Endurance: 20

Speed: 15

Precision: 10

Strength: 20

Arcane: 3

[So,] Zenith reached out to Tamira in her thoughts, [how strong am I right now?] 

"At level 22, you are now in the top 10% of players worldwide! Congratulations~" Again, the confetti popped up in her ears. 

[But,] Zenith quickly interjected, [my equipment is lagging pretty far behind, isn't it?] 

"Indeed it is. I mean, you are quite literally running a starter equipment build right now. You could have the highest stats in the world and it likely wouldn't mean much." 

[Thought so.] 

That meant that the next phase of Zenith's plan would see her try to get a better, bigger stick to hit people over the head with. 

[Bosses are probably the way to go,] Zenith suggested to herself. 

With a determined gleam in her eyes, Zenith pulled up her map. 

She studied the map spread out before her, the colorful dots representing potential targets for her next challenge. Blue, green, and red dots littered the landscape, each one signifying a different level of difficulty.

"Alright, let's see what we've got," Zenith murmured to herself, her gaze scanning over the array of markers with focused intensity.

As she examined the map, Tamira's voice echoed in her mind.

Blue dots, she explained, represented bosses that were approximately Zenith's own level. Formidable adversaries, but ones that she stood a fighting chance against.

Red dots, on the other hand, indicated bosses that were stronger than her, posing a significantly greater challenge but also better rewards.

And then there were the green dots, bosses that were significantly weaker than Zenith, basically regular enemies at this point that would give some decent loot. 

Taking in this information, Zenith weighed her options carefully.

While part of her was tempted to seek out the strongest opponents in order to push her limits and test her newfound strength, she knew that such a reckless approach could prove fatal.

[No shame in starting with stuff that's on my own level. Besides, after that stunt I pulled in the blood river, it might be better to pull back a little. I don't want to get careless after all.] 

With a decisive nod, Zenith set her sights on one of the blue dots, her mind made up.

If Zenith was reading the map right, the dot was located just a few streets away, at one of the nearby train stations. 

"Alright, let's do this," Zenith said, her voice brimming with determination as she set off toward her chosen target.

As Zenith approached the train station, the atmosphere grew increasingly eerie.

Skeletons lay scattered across the ground with tattered clothing that served as grim reminders of the station's former occupants.

The air was thick with a sense of foreboding. The distant growls and snarls that Zenith had grown accustomed to were silent here. 

And yet Zenith pressed on, her determination unwavering.

Her footsteps echoed against the concrete platform as she scanned her surroundings, alert for any signs of danger.

Suddenly, movement caught her eye.

Two goblins emerged from the shadows.

Level 2

MP: 20/20

Level 3

MP: 10/10

Zenith just stared at them. 

[Pathetic.] 

Reacting swiftly, Zenith drew her greatsword, its blade gleaming in the dim light of the station.

They ran forward. She'd assumed it up until now, but that moment was clear confirmation that monsters could not see her level.

Unless of course these two goblins had been leading particularly hard lives up until now and craved death's sweet embrace. 

With a powerful swing, she cleaved through the air, the blade slicing cleanly through both goblins in a single fluid motion.

"BWEH!" One of the cried out. The other didn't even make a sound. 

The creatures fell to the ground, their forms crumpling in a heap as Zenith stood victorious.

However, her triumph was tempered by the meager reward of:

EXP Gained: 1

EXP Gained: 1

EXP: 102/220

WST Gained: 20

WST Gained: 20

WST: 7040

[Ahh... I see.] 

Tamira's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of the increasing difficulty of leveling up as her strength grew.

[Interestingly, however, the amount of tokens I got per kill didn't change. I guess it's so that you can always go and kill a low-level monster or something if you need food.] 

Shaking off the brief moment of reflection, Zenith continued forward. 

Her senses were on high alert. The eerie silence of the abandoned station filled her with a sense of unease as she scanned her surroundings for any sign of the boss she was here to fight.

[Hm. Where the hell...?]

Her keen eyes darted across the platform, searching every nook and cranny for any indication of the looming threat. She checked rooms and walked up nearby stairs, but there was no trace of the boss anywhere.

Suddenly, a distant rumbling caught her attention, the sound of an approaching train echoing through the stillness of the station.

For a brief moment, Zenith felt a bit of panic. 

[People are still working the trains!? What if they're hostile?] 

However, as the train screeched to a halt before her, Zenith's fears were quickly dispelled.

The train stood silent and empty, devoid of any passengers or crew.

With a perplexed frown, Zenith watched as the train departed once more, leaving her alone on the platform.

The strange occurrence left Zenith puzzled, but her intuition urged her to remain patient.

Minutes passed, and the sound of the approaching train filled the air once more.

This time, as the train pulled into the station, the gears in Zenith's mind began to turn. 

[Am I supposed to get on it? Will this thing take me to the boss fight?] 

Steeling herself for the challenge ahead, Zenith stepped onto the train, her hand resting on the hilt of her greatsword.

But as the doors slid open, she was met with a sight that took her by surprise.

Zenith found herself face to face with a lifeless orc lying sprawled across the train's floor.

Her initial confusion quickly turned to alarm as the orc's eyes snapped open, glowing with malevolent, emerald energy as it rose to its feet.

Level 20

MP: 100/100

[An undead orc,] Zenith blinked. [This is the boss?] 

The orc stood tall and imposing, its once-muscular frame now withered and decayed from the grip of undeath. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, mottled with patches of decaying flesh that hung loosely from its bones. Jagged scars crisscrossed its body, remnants of battles long past, now preserved in a twisted mockery of life.

The orc's eyes bore into her with a feral intensity, gleaming with an insatiable hunger for bloodshed.

Clad in tattered remnants of heavy-looking armor and wielding a rusted, blood-stained axe, the enemy exuded an aura of primal savagery. 

[Alright, here it is,] Zenith thought, putting her greatsword in front of her. [I can't afford to let my guard down. This thing is just as strong as I am and that axe is probably a lot better than my greatsword too. I might have two levels up on it, but in the equipment department I'm completely outmatched.] 

With a snarl, the orc lunged forward, its movements quick and aggressive.

[Shit!] 

Zenith's heart raced as she dodged the blow, nearly bashing her head against a grab bar. 

Their weapons clashed. Zenith's sword bounced off the middle of the orc's axe before it then nearly took Zenith's head off, swinging it wildly at her neck. Then, Zenith quickly retaliated. 

The cramped quarters of the train car made it difficult to maneuver, each swing of her greatsword feeling more awkward than the last. 

[Agh, couldn't have picked a better place to put this guy in!?] Zenith thought with gritted teeth. 

The orc's relentless assault rattled the bones in Zenith's arms. 

But the orc was not without its own tricks. 

It howled, a screech that made Zenith's muscles freeze. 

Status Effect Gained!

Paralyzed

[WHAT!?] 

It was at this moment that Zenith's newfound Endurance was tested for the first time. 

At a diagonal angle, the orc slammed the blade of its axe into Zenith's neck, the way it had tried to do before. 

It did not fully go through Zenith's body, however. Some damage was done, of course. Zenith felt fire flare up at the spot the axe hit. 

She let out a soundless cry, the injury shaking her to her core. The world flashed white. 

But then, Zenith regained her focus as the paralyzing effect went away. 

The orc's axe was still in her. 

Zenith grabbed it, keeping the opponent where he stood. Then, she drove her greatsword into his gut. 

There was some resistance. The armor the orc wore, and the position Zenith was in, did not make it easy. But, it went in all the same. 

With a panicked roar, the orc pulled his weapon out, just so he could back away. 

Zenith backed off as well, the train car rumbling along the tracks as she quickly downed a Minor Healing Potion. 

"Ah...." She hissed as she looked down at herself. A deep valley of flesh was running all the way from her neck to her chest, but she could still breathe, and she could still fight. 

Immediately, the fight resumed, with both parties partially wounded now. 

Zenith struggled to keep up, the tight confines of the train car limiting her range of motion.

She ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding each blow and trying to ignore the pain of doing so as she searched for an opening.

Desperation gnawed at Zenith's resolve as the orc continued to press its advantage.

With her strength waning, she knew she needed to act fast. Drawing upon her Death's Kiss spell, she reached out with trembling hands, the cold, dark energy enveloping her fingers as she made contact with the orc's chest.

Naturally, the ability had no effect. This was a battle between two undead, after all.

[Fine. Let's finish this the old-fashioned way, then.] 

She waited a little while longer. The orc's movements began to feel slow, almost predictable. 

Then, it finally made a mistake. A fatal one at that. 

It swung its axe too wide. Zenith didn't block it but dodged by leaning back. Her intuition told her the orc wouldn't be able to raise its weapon again quickly. 

"AAAAAH!" 

With a final, determined roar, she raised her greatsword high and brought it crashing down upon the orc's skull, splitting it apart, ending its unholy existence once and for all.

Boss Multiplier: x2

Servant of the Purifying Flames Multiplier: x1.5

EXP Gained: 50

EXP: 152/220

WST Gained: 500

WST: 7540

As the creature's lifeless form slumped to the ground, Zenith collapsed to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. 

[Agh... Yeah, I need some better equipment ASAP.] 

Thankfully, this was a boss enemy though, and Zenith knew it would have some good loot to gather. 

Before she could search it, however, the world went black. 

Suddenly, she was back in Helmyr's golden palace. 

[Huh?] 

"Hm..." The goddess's eyes burned brightly as they peered back at Zenith. "You... You did not deceive me," she said, curiosity lacing her words. "I was skeptical of whether or not you would hold to your word. Whether you actually meant to rid the world of your own detestable kind. But... You meant it." 

[Is that what this is about?] 

"Yes," Zenith replied with a nod. "I meant every word I said to you." 

Maintaining that curious glint in her eyes, Helmyr walked up to her. 

"Very well. Here," she snapped her fingers. "A token of my appreciation." 

Spell Gained!

Servant's Flame - 20 MP

{Launch a sphere of divine, white flame. Deals x2 damage against undead enemies.} 

Armor Received!

The Death Knight's Redemption Set (Helm, Chestplate, Greaves, Gauntlets, Boots)

{Armor made for Zenith, the Death Knight that formed a pact that would see her end her own kind.} 

{Effect: While wearing this armor, Strength and Endurance are increased by 5. Every time you make Helmyr happy, this effect will be strengthened, and or evolve.} 

Zenith's eyes widened. 

"Holy..." 

"Yes, holy equipment, so that you may toss away those ill-fitting rags," Helmyr nodded. "Making a weapon for you, a proper one, will take time and effort. Go and prove to me that you deserve it."