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Chapter 31: After the Battle
420 points of experience.
A golden light coalesced into a shimmering stream in midair, flowing into Brandon’s body. Surveying the battlefield littered with destruction, he couldn’t help but slump against a rock, his legs giving out beneath him. That was a Level 22 monster—far beyond his level, even accounting for his civilian level. To leap 14 levels and slay such a foe? Even in a game, he wouldn’t dare be so reckless.
But survival had left him no choice. His original plan was to lure the adult treant beneath the boulder, wait for Freya to strike, and then escape at the right moment. It was an opportunity fraught with peril, the kind few would dare attempt even in a game—after all, defeating it meant earning an entire level’s worth of experience.
At the time, making the decision hadn’t felt like much. Now, reflecting on it, a chill ran down his spine, leaving him cold with fear. Still, he managed to keep his composure when answering Freya and Roma’s questions, not wanting them to worry too much. But only Brandon himself knew the truth—he was running on borrowed courage, pushing himself far beyond what he thought possible. Yet, somehow, in these extreme circumstances, he was growing stronger.
It wasn’t just him. Freya had changed too. Just days ago, she’d been nothing more than a simple militiaman. Now, she carried herself with purpose, making decisions that reflected her newfound resolve.
Slowly, Brandon forced himself to calm down. The battle in the canyon had been a rare windfall for him. Those 420 points of experience were invaluable—a lifeline in this dire situation. His immediate priority was clear: increase his strength. Advancing from Mercenary Level 4 required 70 points, Level 5 another 130, and Level 6 yet another 220. Reaching Level 5 would unlock a second class skill, further enhancing his capabilities.
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Mercenary Stats Progression
- Level 4: +0.3 Strength, +0.2 Constitution, +0.2 Agility, +0.1 Perception
- Level 5: +0.3 Strength, +0.3 Constitution, +0.2 Agility, +0.1 Willpower
- Level 6: +0.4 Strength, +0.3 Constitution, +0.2 Agility, +0.2 Perception
As rows of data cascaded across the retinal display projected onto Brandon’s vision, his physical attributes steadily increased. At Mercenary Level 3, his base stats were already impressive: Strength 2.5 units, Agility 2.3 units, Constitution 2.4 units. By reaching Level 6, his growth pushed these numbers even higher: Strength 3.5 units, Agility 2.9 units, Constitution 3.2 units.
This meant his physical abilities now exceeded those of an ordinary person by over threefold. His Absolute Strength surpassed 25 times that of a normal human. Even without factoring in his combat experience, Brandon could easily defeat his former Buchi Militia squad single-handedly. With his skills and experience added to the mix, even a group of Guard Units equal in number would struggle to best him.
Such was the power of First-Level Strength.
Even Breyson, the Vice-Captain of Buchi’s garrison, could only barely achieve First-Level Strength while mounted on his warhorse. Yet, despite this, the veteran Marden still regarded Breyson as a prodigy. At just twenty years old, Breyson’s youth and talent hinted at a future where he might ascend to the ranks of the legendary Lily Knights—one of the kingdom’s pillars of strength.
And here stood Brandon, younger still by a year.
If the old Brandon were here, he wouldn’t have believed he could reach this point in just three days. Breaking through from ordinary human strength to First-Level Strength was a feat half of all people could never accomplish in their lifetimes. Among those who did, only one or two in ten achieved it before turning twenty.
Yet Brandon knew this wasn’t enough. Among the newborns baptized each year in the Temple of Flames, he was well aware that many were born already surpassing the First-Level Strength—these were the so-called Natural Nobility, the Enlightened Ones. Rarer still were those born with Second-Level Strength, the “Chosen Ones.”
And then there were individuals gifted with knightly talents—including players like himself. This was a world that revered strength above all else, and Brandon understood that to rise above, he needed to leverage his advantages. His edge came from the power bestowed upon him by another world.
At Mercenary Level 5, Brandon gained access to Strength Surge, a skill that allowed him to expend triple the stamina in his next action to gain a temporary +1 unit boost in Strength. This was the primary breakthrough skill for mercenaries early on, and Brandon spared no expense in mastering it. With 150 skill points at his disposal, leveling it up to Level 6 cost only 55 points—one-third of his total. At Level 6, the skill granted an instantaneous +4 unit Strength boost, allowing him to temporarily reach the mid-range of First-Level Strength during bursts.
The remaining skill points went toward improving his military swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat techniques. He also allocated 6 leftover class points to advance his Militiaman class to Level 3, granting him an additional +0.2 units in both Strength and Constitution.
This was why, back in the game, so many players risked experience penalties to dabble in multiple classes. The initial returns on experience were significantly higher than specializing in a single path—at least until later stages. Brandon agreed with this philosophy but recognized its limits. Those who went overboard with multi-classes eventually paid the price.
Once a player reached Third-Level Strength, elemental awakening rendered classes adjustments less impactful.
With a total character level of 10, Brandon closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. To him now, Withered Beasts were little more than walking sources of experience. If not for the urgent need to deliver a message to Ridenburg, he’d gladly spend another fortnight grinding in the outskirts of Xavier Mountain Pass, confident he could reach Level 15 within two weeks. Alas, time was not on his side.
Squinting into the distance, Brandon noticed shadows of Withered Beasts beginning to appear in the canyon. The shrub-like monsters watched from afar—not that they possessed eyes. The commotion earlier must have drawn their attention.
Quietly picking up his sword, Brandon felt no fear. However, getting entangled with them would delay their journey. Roma’s aunt awaited in the city, and both they and Madara’s forces were racing against time to reach Ridenburg. As he pondered this, he remembered the signet ring Marden had given him. Pulling out the black pine-leaf insignia, he examined it briefly before smirking bitterly.
Even the veteran Marden didn’t grasp the full picture. Buchi was the linchpin of Vimiel-Ridenburg’s defensive line—the most critical buffer zone in this direction. Since the Year of Thunder, the kingdom’s central authority had planned to establish a comprehensive defense network here. But policy implementation wasn’t always straightforward. Budget constraints and bureaucratic corruption meant repairing Vimiel Fortress and building Ridenburg had already stretched resources thin. As for early warning systems in buffer zones? The nobles hadn’t given them a second thought.
As long as Vimiel and Ridenburg remained secure, the elite could live comfortably. And besides, Madara didn’t invade every year, did they?
Despite patriots like Freya, Breyson, and Marden fighting for their nation, Eruin was undeniably aging. Corruption at the top was eroding the kingdom’s foundations. Buchi itself was somewhat of an anomaly; Brandon knew that elsewhere, signs of the kingdom’s decline were unmistakable.
He sighed, glancing eastward. Dark clouds blanketed the horizon, dimming the morning sun. Beyond lay a rising darkness—a shadowy empire stirring.
“Brandon, your ring,” Freya said suddenly, her gaze sharp and curious.
Brandon turned, meeting her eyes with a teasing grin. “Does it look good?”
“You—!” The ponytailed girl flushed crimson, averting her gaze. She caught sight of Roma sitting uphill, giggling mischievously.
“Roma, you idiot!”
“What did I do?” Roma asked innocently.
Brandon chuckled, knowing full well Freya was lashing out in embarrassment. Slipping on the Ring of the Wind Sovereign, he patted the fate card tucked inside his robes. Though unfamiliar with it, he understood it was his greatest asset now.
Even ten minutes of Second-Level Strength could accomplish much—like taking down the Golden Magic Tree. With the fate card in hand, Brandon revised his plans. The rewards for defeating the Golden Magic Tree were too tempting to ignore. Fortune favored the bold, and every bit of strength gained here would bolster their chances in Ridenburg. Besides, killing the Golden Magic Tree wouldn’t take nearly as long as grinding mobs—it could be done en route.
He estimated he had about eight hours, plenty of time. Securing another Soul Gem beforehand would make things even smoother, given the Earth Element cost of wielding the Holy Sword. He briefly considered unlocking his Elemental Pool but dismissed the idea. Pursuing classes like Elementalist or Spellblade purely for a 40 oz magical item seemed inefficient. Classes worked best when synergized, and neither Elementalist nor Spellblade complemented Warrior—or Mercenary, which Brandon treated interchangeably due to their similarities early on.
There was also the ‘Elemental Soul’ quest, which granted non-magical individuals an Elemental Pool. Whether such a quest existed in this world remained unknown.
Still, these thoughts were distant concerns. For now, focus was key. The Forbidden Orchard awaited, reachable in under two hours if they moved directly. Spending that time clearing monsters and hunting Elite Withered Beasts became Brandon’s goal.
Standing up, he patted Freya lightly on the shoulder, intending to reassure her. “Alright, rest’s over. Let’s get moving.”
Unfortunately, his gesture missed its mark entirely. Freya instinctively flinched backward, causing his hand to land somewhere… inappropriate. Even through her metal scale armor, the softness was unmistakable.
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Freya’s face flushed red, then pale, then darkened with fury. Before Brandon could explain, she swung her sword hilt at him with unbridled anger.
“Shameless scum!”
“Wait, it was an accident—I swear!” Brandon yelped, dodging desperately.
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