Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The system’s notification buzzed and an indescribable source of energy began to grow within Jon’s body. He could feel blood and muscles forming but he couldn’t see any changes in his outer appearance.
Gradually, he began to look like a human while his body became firmer simultaneously. He could feel an explosive surge of power within his solid body. His half-elemental and half-flesh body which he would use in subsequent combats would provide better protection for his crystal core.
After his sudden improvement in defence capabilities, Jon felt certain that even the Elemental Sword would not be able to break through his defence in one strike. If he couldn’t be killed in one strike, his elemental power would be able to restore his body to its original state before the sword dealt him with a second blow.
Jon’s elemental crystal core was also changing together with his body, for its structure was strengthened after the magical source of power surged into it. Based on Jon’s current offense capabilities, one strike of the sword would only be able to crack his crystal core and a second strike was needed to destroy it.
“Ding! You have successfully advanced. Congratulations to the host for mastering the Double Sword Desire. Your Water Element Body talent has been upgraded to the Water Demon’s Husk. Your Elemental Sword skill has been upgraded to the Water Demon’s Bloodthirster.”
The system’s notification buzzed to indicate Jon’s successful transformation into a Water Demon.
Filled with exhilaration, Jon began to inspect the transformation that had taken place.
“Double Sword Desire: Able to double up the power of the next slash.”
“This was undoubtedly a powerful skill. If I could instantly double up my maximum offense capabilities, I might be able to break through defenses that were previously indestructible to me. From a long-term perspective, this is also the kind of skill that could put me ahead of the other top-notch creatures during a battle when I reach the highest level,” Jon reasoned.
“Water Demon’s Husk: 30% increase in physical damage inflicted.”
After the Elemental Sword had been upgraded to the Water Demon’s Bloodthirster, Jon’s damage stats had changed from that of spell damage to physical damage and the impact of his damage would increase dramatically if he paired it with the power of the Water Demon’s Husk. The Water Demon’s Husk and Water Demon’s Bloodthirster was undoubtedly a synergistic combination.
“Water Demon’s Bloodthirster: Would simultaneously injure and cause a loss in the opponent’s strength.”
This would be the quickest way to increase one’s advantage and make it easier for Jon to win the battle.
When Jon had read the information on his post-advancement panel, his heart surged with ambition and he yearned to seek out an opponent to spar with.
Tapping into the mission panel, he proceeded to skim through his new mission:
“Collect some Elemental Stones.”
As Jon had never seen Elemental Stones before and was clueless as to where he could find them, he could only search around aimlessly.
“Whoosh!”
An Arcane Water Arrow whizzed straight at him the moment he left his water element birthplace.
Jon flung his hands up to shield himself from the attack and though the Arcane Water Arrow pierced right into his forearm, it did not manage to penetrate his body.
After the attack, the Arcane Water Arrow transformed back into its initial seawater form and disintegrated in the surrounding environment.
As the Water Demon’s Husk had a high tolerance for pain, the pain caused by the stab on its forearm merely felt like the pain that one would experience when one was put on an IV drip.
Jon glanced towards the direction where the attack was launched and spotted a water element, whose level was flashed on the virtual screen:
“Level 4.”
The creature had probably wanted to defeat Jon who was of level 2 so that it could conveniently consume his crystal core and level up.
“Poof!”
Jon sliced through the resistance of the water current and swam towards the level 4 water element swiftly.
An average water element would only possess one skill and the one that attacked Jon was unlikely to be an exception. Judging from the way it attacked, it was likely a creature that was skilled in long-range offense. If it possessed the corresponding level of intelligence, it would put some distance between itself and Jon so that it could engage in a battle from afar and maintain a certain chance of winning.
Unfortunately, low-level water elements typically lacked the ability to think independently and fought solely on instinct. Thus, it had no idea how to dodge even when it saw Jon charging towards it and could only fire out one Arcane Water Arrow after another.
“Water Demon’s Bloodthirster!” Jon roared.
He managed to shield himself and the Arcane Water Arrows, which failed to inflict any damage on his Water Demon’s Bloodthirster, was instantly transformed back into seawater with a loud splash.
“Watch out for my sword!” Jon hollered.
He then entered the attack range and struck the water element with his sword to split it apart.
The sword attack would have cut up the creature’s elemental core in half had it not managed to dodge to the right quickly right when Jon dealt it with the blow. Its spontaneous reaction managed to save its life.
After the creature’s body was split apart, the half containing the elemental core began to repair itself rapidly by harnessing its elemental power.
If it had time on its hands, it would probably be able to recover in less than two minutes.
Unfortunately, Jon never gave the creature further chance and swiftly struck a second blow.
“Poof!”
Jon chopped up the level 4 water element’s crystal core in half.
“Ding! Mission accomplished. +20 level fragments. +3 advanced water type fragment obtained from the target’s elemental crystal core,” the system’s notification chimed.
This was the first time Jon had killed an enemy under normal conditions.
“Continue to move forward!” Jon declared.
His heart brimmed with joy as he stuck close to the bottom of the sea to continue with his search for the Elemental Stone mentioned in the mission.
All of a sudden, words flashed across the virtual screen to indicate that Jon had, in fact, discovered the said item in the mission.
The Elemental Stone emitted a strange glow as it laid nestled among a pile of rocks at the top of the highest rock in the sea.
A notification then popped up on the virtual screen.
“Elemental Stone.”
A look of elation flashed across Jon’s face but just when he was about to approach the rock to pick it up, his point of view changed.
A description about a rock beside the elemental stone suddenly popped up on his virtual screen.
“Level 6 Limestone Turtle.
“Ding! A new mission has been unlocked: Kill the Limestone Turtle.”
Jon was instantly taken aback. “What’s going on?” he thought.
“The creature undoubtedly resembled a rock to the naked eye be it in terms of its color or shape and it looked nothing like a living creature.
“Could the system be mistaken?” he wondered.
However, it was impossible for the system to be erroneous, for, unlike Jon, it does not merely rely on its vision to obtain information.
Jon couldn’t help but muse over the motives of the Limestone Turtle for camouflaging itself as a limestone.
“It certainly wouldn’t be guarding the Elemental Stone, for a level 6 creature like this couldn’t possibly be a Guardian Spirit Beast since it could barely protect anything.
“Since it isn’t guarding something, then there could only be one possibility.
“It’s fishing!” Jon concluded.
The creature had stumbled across the Elemental Stone and decided to use that as bait to lure weaker elements or life forms into its death trap.
Jon might have died here today had it not been for the system’s warning and he was aghast by the thought of his close shave. “For the sake of survival, one could come up with so many different ways to hunt for food,” he thought.
Jon was only at level 2 and although he had already undergone one round of advancement into an elite rank, his level was still too low. To be on the safe side, he decided to level up before he dealt with the Limestone Turtle.
“Level up!”
Jon conveyed his intentions to the system.
“Ding! 20 level fragments have been consumed. You have successfully advanced to level 3. Now that you’ve levelled up, you obtain a roll to draw a skill. Do you wish to draw it immediately?
“The roll expires within 24 hours. Please use it as soon as possible,” the system noted.
“I’ll draw my skill now.”
Jon chose to use the roll immediately.
The virtual screen then revealed an image of a common pachinko machine that could be found anywhere along the streets. However, the slots on the machine that represented the prizes were all blank. A yellow light dot darted across the screen erratically before it finally stopped on one of the slots.
The pachinko machine then disappeared from view.
Subsequently, a sentence popped up on the screen.
“You’ve used your roll. Congratulations, you obtained the Leap Wave Attack skill.”