Equipment Quality, Gale Mantis!

Arriving at the edge of the Breeze Jungle.

Chen Ming did not hesitate in the slightest as he stepped into the Exotic Beast Forest.

He raised his hand, and a long blade appeared in his grasp.

[Strength +10]!

Combined with the four Strength Rune Stone pieces he had purchased yesterday.

This Tier 1 common strength equipment had already reached its maximum attribute bonus.

If he wanted to continue imbuing it with rune stones, he would need to upgrade the quality of the equipment.

For instance, the fine-quality equipment obtained as a reward from the Grand Exam could hold 20 rune stones.

Epic-tier equipment could hold 30.

As for higher qualities, there were also Legendary and Mythical tiers.

However, those were not things an ordinary person could obtain.

The equipment generally sold on the market was either common or fine quality.

To acquire Epic-tier equipment, one needed special channels.

Or, one had to pay a high price to have a high-level 'Blacksmith' personally forge and upgrade the equipment's quality.

Chen Ming glanced at his current attributes.

[Class]: Shield Guard

[Level]: 3

[Strength]: 40

[Constitution]: 2550/2550 (20%)

[Recovery]: 169 (13%)

[Agility]: 45

[Spirit]: 360 (20%)

[Skills]:

[C-Rank-Hardened (lv.3)]

[SSS-Rank Defense (Max Level)]

With the bonuses from the Shadowless Armor and Feather Boots.

Chen Ming's attribute values were finally presentable.

Especially the Shadowless Armor; the bonus from 15 Constitution Rune Stone pieces directly increased his Constitution by 750 points.

For Chen Ming, who possessed a health-locking mechanism, this was a massive improvement.

With these stats, taking on level 5 or 6 exotic beasts shouldn't be a problem.

Chen Ming wove through the trees.

In the dim environment, his figure seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist.

The enchantment of the Shadowless Armor: Lurk!

Concealing his tracks.

For the environment of the Exotic Beast Forest, this ability was perfectly suited.

This was the reason Chen Ming had chosen this enchantment.

Right now, the area I most urgently need to improve is my attack.

Attack was currently the only shortcoming limiting his ability to challenge higher-level foes.

Otherwise, let alone killing exotic beasts 3 levels above him, he could fight even if they were 10 levels higher.

One spirit skill that can be awakened, and two class skills that awaken after level 10.

With three skills, surely at least one of them would be an active attack ability.

While lost in thought, Chen Ming suddenly paused his steps.

He then leaped, ducking behind a tree to his front right.

A few seconds later, a dark shadow emerged from the bushes ahead.

It was a mantis nearly one and a half meters tall.

Its entire body was covered in a blue-black hard shell, and its folded forelimbs resembled butterfly knives.

The dense, sharp spikes upon them reflected a dark, eerie arc of light.

It scanned its surroundings vigilantly, failing to detect any trace of Chen Ming.

Behind the tree.

Chen Ming observed the mantis.

[Gale Mantis]

[Level: lv.5]

[Ability: Blade Flash Strike]

[Description: A ferocious beast raised in a cannibalistic environment, it prefers to wait for the perfect moment to strike and kill in one blow.]

With his mental energy reaching 20%, Chen Ming's ability to perceive danger had changed.

Previously, it was always the exotic beasts ambushing him.

Now, he could finally strike first.

Although he wasn't afraid of being ambushed, the feeling of being suddenly attacked was certainly unpleasant.

Chen Ming did not rush out directly.

He stepped onto the tree trunk for leverage, his body lunging forward as he leaped into mid-air without making a sound.

A flash of white light!

The long blade in his hand slashed precisely down toward the creature's massive, blue-black eyes.

The blade pierced into the eye, carving a shallow yet distinct line.

[-76!]

Did he hit a weak point directly?

Chen Ming felt a surge of joy.

A great start.

It seemed his luck was good today.

"Hiss!!"

Stung by the hit to its weak point, the Gale Mantis let out a shrill screech.

It instinctively brandished its sharp forelimbs, swinging them toward the enemy that had attacked it.

However, it missed.

Chen Ming flashed aside, dodging the move entirely.

Under normal circumstances, Chen Ming's agility attribute, even with equipment bonuses, reached only 45, which was far inferior to a level 5 Gale Mantis.

It was mainly because he had used his mental detection ability.

The movements of the Gale Mantis seemed to slow down within his 'vision'.

Since he couldn't compete in speed, he would rely on reaction.

After successfully dodging the strike, Chen Ming seized the opportunity to land another slash.

[-76!]

The Gale Mantis was shocked, thinking it had encountered some powerful exotic beast.

It immediately put some distance between them.

But when it steadied itself and saw its opponent, it was stunned.

A human?

The Gale Mantis made a strange sound.

It could tell that this human was only a level 3 job-changer.

How preposterous!

It, a level 5 exotic beast, had actually been ambushed by a lowly level 3 human.

Combined with the hit to its weak point, the Gale Mantis became even more enraged.

[Blade Flash Strike]!

It activated its ability.

The forewings on its back began to vibrate, and its entire body hovered in mid-air, emitting a buzzing sound.

The next second.

The Gale Mantis turned into an afterimage almost instantaneously, lunging toward Chen Ming.

The speed was terrifying.

Whoosh—

Before it even reached him, Chen Ming felt a gust of wind hit his face.

Even when the Gale Mantis activated its ability, he could clearly 'see' its movements and make predictions in his mind.

It was just that...

His speed was still too slow.

His brain could keep up, but his body could not.

However, since he truly couldn't dodge, Chen Ming had no need to worry.

[-1!]

A pair of sharp forelimbs glinting with cold light struck Chen Ming directly in the neck.

With a screech, it sounded like metal clashing against metal.

The Gale Mantis was stunned.

Its large eyes stared fixedly at this scene, revealing bewilderment.

What was going on with this human?

[-76!]

Before it could react, its eye area was struck by a blade once more.

The Gale Mantis flew into a rage, refusing to believe it and launching another attack.

In an instant, it had swung its arms frantically several times.

The resulting gale even severed the surrounding leaves and branches.

[-1!][-1!]

It didn't hurt or itch.

Chen Ming held his blade with both hands, no longer attempting to dodge the Gale Mantis's attacks.

He began to transform into a battle maniac!

[-76!][-76!]

Chen Ming attacked incessantly.

Blade rising and falling, he struck only at the weak points.

"Hiss--"

The Gale Mantis let out a miserable shriek.

Its massive eyes were nearly severed, and finally unable to hold on, it wanted to flee.

"Still want to run? Eat my blade."

Chen Ming had insight into the opponent's intentions beforehand and immediately accelerated his offensive.

[-76!]

Squelch!

Blood flashed.

The giant mantis's entire head was severed!

[Killed Gale Mantis (lv.5), EXP+71!]

[Obtained: Gale Mantis-Beast Core (lv.5)]

[Obtained: Constitution Rune Stone*1]