"Now, this one is a doozy- you'll be fighting the environment as much as the inhabitants. A little preview of the particular flavour of hell you'll be heading to in the coming days. Good luck kid!"
The pair had gathered around the table, Zerasos pointing out the location of the next dungeon. It was a few hours travel through the woods, located in a valley to the east. Another river ran through the lowlands here, creating a wet and damp area in the otherwise dry forest.
The fridge god graciously provided another meatball laden roll, the second succulent sub of the day bringing Leon back to his peak condition. A final check of his equipment, making sure all his armour was secured and he was back out the door.
A small pack of ten raptors were snuffling through the remains of the campfire, striking Leon with a sense of déjà vu. This new raptor pack were not the same as the fresh faced dinosaurs that had attacked Leon hours prior, nor were they similar to the hundreds of raptors Leon had slain while running back and forth across the woods.
These raptors all bore injuries, long gashes ran across their scaled bodies, many had broken or chipped claws. Their snouts were covered in dried blood, giving these raptors a more brutal image than those who had come before.
[Swordsman's Eye] kicked in, as Leon focused on the pack's leader, a particularly fearsome looking velociraptor with a missing eye.
"Level 4 Velociraptor- A small lizard that primarily hunts in packs. Utilises leaping tactics against larger foes to strike at their vitals. Their weaknesses are manifold. Thin necks, weak defences and a reliance on their base instincts render them easy pickings for any skilled swordsman."
The upgraded skill was preaching to the choir, though Leon hoped it would keep this level of detail up- it would limit any new enemy's ability to surprise him.
"Alright, time to take out the trash."
The pack of higher levelled raptors failed to give Leon anything beyond a light workout and some experience, a single swing from Bladeless was still powerful enough to obliterate these weak foes. Swinging his ultra greatsword was getting easier with time, Leon's increased power Lessing the burden on his body,
His walk to the next dungeon was dreadfully boring. Raptors attacked, Leon beat them into paste. He was tempted to switch it up and use Wavecutter in tandem with either High or Low Tide but held himself back.
He had to believe the dungeon would provide him with a worthy challenge, he couldn't afford to injure his arm in a meaningless fight against fodder enemies.
His mood worsened as he neared his destination, the raptors this far out from where he'd been training were even weaker, falling back down to level 3. Trudging towards the valley batting away the occasional brave velociraptor, Leon fell into contemplation.
His bloodline- the lineage of the Swordfiends ran in his veins. Setting aside the shocking reveal that his grandfather had been some sort of super powered warrior in his youth, the timeline didn't add up.
The Swordfiends had been destroyed. Exterminated from the way Zerasos had talked about them. For his grandfather to have been one of them didn't line up chronologically if the Swordfiends had been wiped out eons ago. Perhaps he had used some extraordinary means to escape, or reached a level of power that lengthened his life? There were too many possibilities to consider.
Leon turned the majority of his attention inwards as he walked, still able to cut down any of the attacking raptors with only a minimal level of focus placed on his surroundings. He asked himself- what is it that he wanted in this new world? He'd gone with the flow, sought power to keep himself alive and he'd continue to do so, but what did he really want?
To prove himself. To find the toughest, scariest and most deadly monsters and men in the entire multiverse and best them in combat. To master the sword, utterly. To stand at the peak of power, recognised as the greatest swordsman to ever live, one of the strongest beings to have ever existed in the Myriad Worlds. This was a worthy goal for him, one he could happily die in pursuit of.
At his core he felt that same effervescent feeling he'd felt while fighting the carnotaurus. Stronger this time, yet still beyond his grasp. His trek continued as the false sun rose to it's zenith, beginning to lower towards the horizon once more as Leon approached his goal.
Climbing over a hill brought the valley into view, Leon pausing as he was struck by the natural beauty on display. The arrangement of the forest's trees against the distant mountain, the puffy white clouds that dotted the sky alongside the winding river below struck him at his soul. As he observed, the mountain in the distance began to smoulder, a plume of smoke emitting from what must have been a volcano rather than a mountain completing the image.
There was an intent here, a message this environment had been carefully constructed to relay. Leon felt he could gain something by observing this harmonious landscape, kneeling down and searching for a focal point.
Leon's focus fell to the river, the way the rushing current tore at the river bed and banks, slowly, inexorably breaking apart the land. What could stop a raging river's might? Nothing. Before the endless power of water all things were fragile.
He felt as though on the verge of something- a breakthrough of some kind. He needed to experience the power of the water for himself. Rushing down into the valley, Leon kept Bladeless in hand, wading into the river, his sword breaking apart the current he stood in. Only for it to reform as it passed him by, continuing on its mission of flowing towards the ocean.
Water's power could not be restrained, only redirected. His path towards the peak was like that of a river's to the ocean. Unstoppable and undeterrable- both he and this water would reach their goals or be destroyed whilst on their journey.
He felt himself resonate with the very concept of water, a vast amount of knowledge pouring into his head. He understood more about the power of water now than he had prior.
That was what Leon had gained- an insight of reality inferred form the world's similarity to the self, a profound and mysterious source of power. Such insight was rooted in his own comprehension of both the world and himself- it could not be passed on to others, he knew this instinctively.
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"Insight Gained- Water's Power-Early Shallow Level."
Examining this insight yielded more detailed information.
"Water's Power- Early Shallow. Raises water affinity, doubles the effect of the Power stat on all water attribute skills and spells."
Leon froze in place, still standing in the middle of the river, his mind rapidly doing the calculations. The Shifting Tides Style could double his Power with its mana circuit, it was also undoubtedly a water attribute technique; with this new insight doubling his Power again he could reach a staggering total Power of 93!
Plus, this was merely the lowest form of the insight- he could tell his knowledge was still greatly lacking, his understanding shallow/ Leon could scarcely imagine how terrifying it would become as he continued to develop his understanding.
"Man seeks to understand the world; so too does the world seek to understand man... I should write that one down, the arty chicks'll love that little bit of wit."
Jokes aside, it wasn't like he like he was desperate to use this new ace up his sleeve just yet. He still hadn't encountered a truly hopeless fight that pushed him to his limits, though it was better to have and not need. As much as he disliked having to further consult that demeaning book, it could wait no more- with the power to boost his stats that high, the looming threat of the Woods Tyrant's emergence on day five would be greatly reduced.
One last dungeon, then it was mana training time.
His destination lay further within the valley, a glade along the river bank that stuck out like a sore thumb once you knew what to look for. At the centre of the clearing, a hole in the ground, just wide enough to fit a man. It would have been easy to ignore, to pass over and miss. Those who looked closer would spot the incongruity- the sheen of plastic where one would expect exposed soil.
The entrance was a slide that would deliver Leon to the dungeon below. Shifting Bladeless on his back to ensure it wouldn't catch against the slide's walls Leon chuckled as he entered. The journey downwards was exhilarating, quicker than Leon would have liked, he was spat into an underground cavern, a cave entrance before him.
"Going back to old reliable then? I kinda like the portal entrances better to be honest."
Examining the entrance yielded the dungeon's information.
"The Blight Marsh- Level 10-20."
"Oh ho? I'm under levelled? Hell yeah! Let's do it!"
Charging into the dungeon, Leon once again experienced the disconcerting changes a murderhole enforced on its territory, dirt walls rapidly gave way to open air, the sky above one overcast and stormy, rain bucketing down into the murky marsh waters.
No trees dotted the landscape, only thick reeds broken into unnatural pathways that offered ways to walk unobstructed.
Leon immediately began analysing the dungeon's plan. The obvious paths were too obvious- traps more than likely. He was above the waterline currently, the dungeon having welcomed him in on a mound of dirt from which the tunnel he'd used to enter opened onto. No creatures appeared to accost him.
Tentatively placing his foot into the water, Leon wished he had a scouting skill or a minimap of some kind.
"I'd settle for spidey senses at this point..."
No beast made its move. Either the challenge was further in or it was more insidious- the dungeon's defenders were more intelligent, willing to wait for their prey to expose an exploitable weakness. Drawing Bladeless, Leon proceeded carefully.
The water rose to just below Leon's knees, soaking his shins and leaving his legs chilled. Trudging across the raised mud sections the reeds grew from proved to be a better navigation option, Leon leaping from one raised section to another.
"Power's putting in the work. I wouldn't have been able to move so easily in all this gear yesterday."
It was on the fifth jump that the hidden assailant made its move. A grey blur rose from the marsh, Leon barely pivoting Bladeless in the way of the speedy ambusher. A pair of jaws closed around the blade, attempting to bite through, yet failing, the creature only dulling its teeth on the hard iron of Bladeless. The momentum of the sudden tackle blasted Leon back into the murky water, his entire body drenched in the foul liquid. He'd barely kept his hold on his sword, his eyes flicking to locate his latest adversary.
The attacker too had been carried forward, over the top of Leon, crashing through mud and reed alike, an agitated roar rising into the sky as the beast bellowed. A baleful fury emanated from its yellow eyes as it turned to locate the tiny invader it had failed to kill, finding Leon on his feet, sword at the ready to face it down.
[Swordsman's Eye] supplied the creature's info.
"Level 20 Venomback Spinosaurus- A dinosaur that excels in both aquatic and terrestrial combat. This sub-species has adapted to wetland conditions, developing a slow acting paralytic venom that will incapacitate a target to allow the Spinosaurus to feast on still living prey. The novice swordsman best prepare for a tough battle."
The two stared each other down as Leon cursed his skill out.
"Yeah real fuckin useful- you tell me exactly how to kill the shitty raptors but when it comes time to earn your fucking pay you flake on me! [Inspect] is fucking with me from beyond the grave right now. 'The novice swordsman best prepare for a tough battle'- really? [Swordsman's Eye] best prepare for the day I figure out how to attack one of my own skills!"
"[Swordsman's Eye] has reached Level 3!"
"Fuck off, no I'm serious- fuck off. You too you overgrown crocodile, I don't even wanna fight you right now man."
The Spinosaurus didn't care for Leon's frustration, lunging at him again. This time Leon was prepared and met the lunge with a thrust of Bladeless, the large sword appearing to have met its match, the bladed tip glancing off the hardened scales of the beast's chest. Leon's dodge was poorly executed, narrowly avoiding the beast's maw only to place himself directly into an extended forearm.
The claws rent through his leather cuirass, the beast only failing to tear Leon's ribcage open thanks to his armour's sacrifice, the thick leather halting the momentum of the beast's strike. It still raked its claw tips through his flesh, the first opponent to claim the honour of inflicting a true injury on the arrogant swordsman. Luckily, the claws failed to gain any purchase, the beast's momentum keeping it moving past Leon.
The pain was hellish, Leon's scream one partly from the inflicted pain, partly from fury. He'd allowed his focus to waver, he'd underestimated this gecko and paid the price. It wouldn't happen again.
Panting, he plunged Bladeless into the muck, doing nothing to stop the flowing blood from his wound, as his hand went to Wavecutter.
"Not bad, not bad at all. You did well- as well as a mere gecko can be expected to do. When I'm done here they'll be calling you a regular 'ole saurus- I'm gonna take your spine as a trophy."
The beast's eyes narrowed, observing the tiny invader draw a blue blade, before placing it back into its scabbard, changing his stance as he did so.
"You can understand me a little can't you? Maybe not my words but the intent behind them at least. Understand this lizard- I'm going to cut your arm off next time you come for me"
The Spinosaurus charged for the third time, Leon successfully dodging this time, the weight of Bladeless no longer slowing him down as he leapt to the side whilst drawing his blade, a blue flash flickering twice in the in the overcast marsh. Blood gushed from the crocodilian dino's new stump, its right arm cut from its body, falling into the waters below.
Leon's arm meanwhile was fine, his execution of High Tide having been a cut above his previous attempt. His increased stats also helped him avoid blowing his arms muscles apart again.
"Don't say I didn't warn ya!"
The Spinosaurus roared in agony, the wound still pouring fresh blood, the lizard's eyes locked uncomprehendingly on the stump where its arm had been. Never would it have imagined that such a small creature was capable of inflicting such damage.
Leon knew he had the beast on the rocks now, only to feel something terrible. Not an emotion but a physical feeling, a loss of sensation in his chest. The beast's paralytic venom was kicking in- this fight was on a timer now.