The eastern horizon gradually turned pale, and the gentle glow of dawn spilled over Lin Yi.
He woke from his deep sleep, a faint, unguarded smile of warmth on his handsome face.
Though a night of exposure had left him looking somewhat disheveled, it did nothing to conceal his extraordinary presence and charm.
He had barely risen when he discovered that a pack of [Ruins Vicious Dogs] had surrounded him.
It was their territory, after all. Lin Yi had been rather brazen.
But the [Ruins Vicious Dogs] were tough guys too. They would not accept humiliating handouts!
Only the winner had the right to eat!
Lin Yi stood up and gently brushed the dust off himself.
The surrounding [Ruins Vicious Dogs] abruptly shuddered and backed away.
After a brief daze, they bared their teeth at the handsome bastard standing in their midst.
A sharp gleam flashed through Lin Yi's eyes. It was time to test his newly acquired area-of-effect skill.
He took a deep breath and instantly activated his new skill-[Frenzied Wolf's Wrath].
A savage force surged out of his body, sweeping across everything within a five-meter radius.
A hundred thousand combat power against these [Ruins Vicious Dogs] with 1,200 combat power...
The outcome needed no explanation!
Whoosh!
Within a five-meter radius, not a single dog remained!
[Killed [Ruins Vicious Dog]. Congratulations! Gained 5 minutes of lifespan and 15 EXP.] [Killed [Ruins Vicious Dog]. Congratulations! Gained 5 minutes of lifespan and 15 EXP.] [Killed [Ruins Vicious Dog]. Congratulations! Gained 5 minutes of lifespan and 15 EXP.]
Eyes wide!!!
The [Ruins Vicious Dogs] outside the five-meter radius stared in terror at the figure standing proudly at the very center.
At that very moment, in that very scene!
The sunlight was just right, and the breeze was warm~
Yet the vicious dogs felt a bone-chilling cold eating away at their fragile hearts.
"Whimper, whimper~"
"Awoo, awoo~"
"Never forget! Never forget!"
The [Ruins Vicious Dogs] panicked, cries of terror spilling endlessly from their mouths as they scattered in all directions.
Lin Yi watched the utterly routed pack in puzzlement, then shook his head and chuckled:
"Huh?"
"Did the battle-fear effect trigger?"
"But still..."
"Even a mosquito has meat!"
He nodded with a smile, then charged into the pack like a frenzied wolf.
His longsword whipped through the air, every slash carrying overwhelming force.
Lin Yi's movements were swift and precise, without a single unnecessary flourish.
Since neither his weapon nor his skills had the [Destruction] effect, the terrain of the ruins suffered no damage whatsoever.
Lin Yi put away his sword and stood calmly, as though the battle had been nothing more than a warm-up.
"Can't get caught up fighting. Business comes first!"
Muttering to himself, he continued his journey south.
Behind him, the vicious dogs that had surrounded him had been completely cleaned up.
Uh... perhaps not completely.
Puddles of dog blood lay scattered irregularly through the ruins like flower petals, looking a hundred million times more glaring in the sunlight.
Heading south, Lin Yi passed through another dense forest, crossed winding rivers, and climbed steep cliffs.
Along the way, he encountered many monsters. Some lurked in the shadows, while others openly blocked the road.
But before Lin Yi's hundred thousand combat power, they were all nothing more than small fry who could not withstand a single blow.
The [Shadowthorn Leopards] in the forest were known for their swift lunges and sharp claws and fangs.
With Lin Yi's talent, [Eye of Illusion Breaking], their stealth had nowhere to hide, and he cut them down one by one.
The [Water Demon Fish] in the rivers had enormous bodies and sharp fangs. They were practically invincible in the water.
But against Lin Yi's [Berserk Charge], their bodies became the perfect targets.
The [Rock Golems] on the cliffs were made of hard stone and possessed immense strength.
But under Lin Yi's nimble footwork and the area-of-effect attacks of [Frenzied Wolf's Wrath], they too could only crumble into piles of rubble.
These monsters were only somewhat stronger than the [Ruins Vicious Wolves], so they seemed rather immature before Lin Yi.
Although Lin Yi deliberately killed monsters to level up, he had not encountered any other powerful bosses.
As a result, his EXP bar had only risen by about seventy percent.
Of course, his journey had little to do with his hundred thousand combat power. It was all thanks to his astonishing combat awareness and skill.
Through these battles, Lin Yi not only tested his new skills but also constantly honed his combat techniques.
Without practice, some things would inevitably grow rusty.
Finally, after countless battles, Lin Yi arrived before a deep, dark cave as night approached.
This was the southern boundary of the beginner village-the South Pole.
In the deepest part of this cave stood a gate of opportunity that Lin Yi had never entered in his previous life.
As Lin Yi slowly approached, the outline of the cave grew clearer.
It resembled an ancient, enormous gate, five meters tall, its rounded arch remaining as sturdy as ever despite the erosion of time.
Moss and vines covered the area around the cave mouth, like decorations bestowed by nature, making the entrance seem even more mysterious.
A deep, shadowy aura seeped from within the cave, carrying an ancient, heavy pressure, as though even time slowed before it.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded from inside the cave, each step seeming to make the earth tremble.
Then an enormous monster slowly emerged from the darkness-it was an armored bear of immense size, nearly filling the entire cave mouth and making the surrounding space seem cramped.
[Ironclad Battle Bear] Category: beast boss Rank: S Level: 8 HP: 500000 Combat power: 22000 Description: This battle bear stands a full five meters tall. Its exceptionally massive body is covered in a thick layer of black iron armor, with cold metallic glints flashing between the plates. Although its combat power is not high, its defense seems astonishing. Skills: Ironclad Charge: Uses its heavy iron armor and powerful body to charge into an enemy, dealing 150% physical damage, with a 5% chance to stun the enemy. Berserk Bite: Opens its enormous, bloody maw and savagely bites the enemy, dealing high damage 3-10 times in succession. Earthquake Stomp: Stomps forcefully on the ground, generating a powerful shock wave that deals 50% physical damage to enemies within 10 meters, with a knockback effect.
Looking at the Ironclad Battle Bear before him, Lin Yi smacked his forehead.
"Look at my memory. I completely forgot about you!"
Then the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward. His voice grew somewhat hoarse with sheer excitement, and brilliant red light blazed from his eyes.
"Even if you're the weakest boss out of the ones in the east, west, south, and north..."
"You should still have a few..."
"Valuable items on you!"
[Check-in spot for those who stuck it out to the end of Chapter 10]