Solo Hunt

Chapter 8: Demonic Sword

1000 years ago, the legendary Dragon began to wreak havoc in different kingdoms causing calamity to its path.

The houses, buildings, and castles where destroyed, millions of innocent people died as a result of its wrath.

As despair had been placed to all of the hearts of the survivors, 5 heroes appear right in front of their eyes giving them hope.

These 5 heroes fought off against the legendary dragon. Fighting with their lives, they made the dragon return back to its slumber but the price to pay was high, it cost them their life.

The remnants of the battle was horrifying, one of the heroes had managed to remove one of the dragon's fangs which the legendary blacksmith, Gred use to forge 8 swords.

Each sword had the power to demolish anything in its path. One of the sword was given to a certain man that eventually became a legend. After the kingdoms learn of the powerful swords, they began to pursuit down Gred so they could get their hands of it but Gred had already hidden all of it.

"Those who are worthy will receive my sword."

The last testament given by Gred before he passed away. One man had able to receive one of the swords but he couldn't control its power corrupting his soul that caused him to die in a miserable death.

Many people tried to find his sword but it had mysteriously disappeared. Until now, no one had the slightest knowledge of where the sword's location had gone to so it had only remained as a story narrated by wandering bards.

That sword was nonother than, Dainsleif.

••••••••

Ting!

Dainsleif

Rank: Rare

Type: One-handed Sword

Durability: 700/700

Element: <none>

+1200 DMG

+10% Cooldown Reduction

+70 Attack Speed

Unique: 

Black flames will appear on the blade that deals 300 splash damage on the target continuously when the target's health drops by 40%. There is a 5% chance that a random curse will be placed on the target.

Item Skill:

Black Roar (AOE): The user will generate a black wave on the next attack that deals 700 damage (+20% STR) to the targets in the area. Fear effect will also activate if the target is in the nearest attack distance that will lower their defense by 30% and slows them down by 20% for 15 seconds.

Mana Cost: 60

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Devour (DMG, BUFF): After hitting a target up to 5 times, Dainsleif can devour a chosen monster in an instant. After devouring completely, you will receive double the experience and regenerates 10% of mana. The devouring process will end depending on the level of the monster.

Not applicable to bosses and hunters.

Mana Cost: None

Cooldown: 2 minutes

(TO UPGRADE THE ITEM, DAINSLEIF MUST CONSUME 10 D-RANKED ITEMS)

Class Restrictions: Swordsman, Warrior, Assassin, Swashbuckler, Knight

"It is Dainsleif! One of the 8 magical swords!"

The sword was unlike anything Jin know of. The design of the sword looked pretty detailed and devilish that gave off demonic vibe. 

When Jin gripped the handle of the sword, he could feel tremendous power coursing through his veins. It was dark power that could corrupt one's soul if not handled well.

It was clear why the man, who was the first wielder of the sword had been cursed, its simply due to that he didn't meet the conditions of the sword's restrictions.

"Now that I have a new weapon, let's check for other items."

Jin searched items which he could use in his current state from his inventory. 20 minutes in searching, Jin had able to choose the items he needed.

Ting!

Wanderer's Gloves

Rank: C+

Type: Gloves

Durability: 130/130

+40 Attack Speed

+10 dexterity

+5% Cooldown Reduction

Robe of the Outcast

Rank: C

Type: Robe

Durability: 150/150

+20 Evasion

+50 phys/magi defense

Unique:

Movement Speed will increase by up to 20% if the altitude of wind is strong.

Magic Necklace

Rank: E++

Type: Necklace

Durability: 40/40

+3 mana regeneration

Greed Ring

Rank: B

Type: Inventory

Durability: 200/200

+10% Exp gain

Storage slot: 0/1000

"This is all the items I could use. Most of the good items where for different classes which is quite a bummer. I'll just throw off the items ranked below D. Oh, I should place all the mana crystals in my storage ring so I wouldn't have my own inventory stocked with useless stuffs."

First, Jin removed the items ranked below D. He just threw them off in the ground since they where no use at all and no one would try and get since he was the only person here. Next, all of the mana crystals were placed in his storage ring which stocked up to 160/1000. Lastly, he had to save up the other non-usable items which ranked D and above for another purpose.

"I need 10 D-ranked equipment so I can upgrade Dainsleif. Fortunately, I have 11 of them so is it possible to upgrade it?"

He was sure of it since it was what the system says. The only problem is how to let the dainsleif consume the item.

"Let's see..."

Jin picked up one D-ranked equipment from his spatial inventory and equipped the Dainsleif. He held the item in his left hand and wondered what to do next.

"The word "consume" means to eat, so do I have to serve it to Dainsleif? It doesn't have a mouth though so do I have to destroy the equipment using Dainsleif?"

He didn't know what to do. He thought of something else, as he slowly moved his left hand nearer to his right hand where the Dainsleif was equipped, a violet aura began to emit from the blade.

The aura began to move towards the item forcibly pulling it towards Dainsleif like a magnet. As the aura began to coat on the item, the item slowly turned into ash as if the item's lifeform was being absorbed.

10 seconds passed, the item disappeared into ashes along with the violet aura that had also fainted. The system interface then popped up in Jin's vision.

Ting!

ITEM SUCCESSFULLY CONSUMED! (1/10)

"So that's how it consumes it!"

Jin had now found out how it is consumed. He repeated the process again up to nine more times until Dainsleif would be upgraded.

Ting!

Ting!

Ting!

Ting!

.

.

••••••••••

As the notification bell resounded on his ear, the Dainsleif was now upgraded to the next level.

Ting!

Congratulations! Dainsleif has been upgraded to rank Ultra-rare!

Ting!

Dainsleif

Rank: Ultra-rare

Type: One-handed Sword

Durability: 850/850

Element: <none>

+1400 DMG

+15% Cooldown Reduction

+80 Attack Speed

Unique: 

Black flames will appear on the blade that deals 400 splash damage on the target continuously when the target's health drops by 40%. There is a 7% chance that a random curse will be placed on the target.

Item Skill:

Black Roar (AOE): The user will generate a black wave on the next attack that deals 800 damage (+25% STR) to the targets in the area. Fear effect will also activate if the target is in the nearest attack distance that will lower their defense by 30% and slows them down by 25% for 15 seconds.

Mana Cost: 55

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Devour (DMG, BUFF): After hitting a target up to 5 times, Dainsleif can devour a chosen monster in an instant. After devouring completely, you will receive double the experience and regenerates 15% of mana. The devouring process will end depending on the level of the monster.

Not applicable to bosses and hunters.

Mana Cost: None

Cooldown: 90 seconds

(TO UPGRADE THE ITEM, DAINSLEIF MUST CONSUME 10 C-RANKED ITEMS)

Class Restrictions: Swordsman, Warrior, Assassin, Swashbuckler, Knight

"Looks like, the effects are enhanced! Now I need C-ranked items! I do have 7 C-ranked items so I need 3 more and where can I find them? Aha! I should return back in the first hunting grounds, the hidden boss might drop it!"

Jin immediately used the 7 C-ranks to let the Dainsleif consume it. After this process, Jin went back to Dulahorn Lands to complete the things he needed to do.

••••••••••

Arriving at the hunting grounds, Jin began to repeat the procedure he did back in Gaia's Canyon, he called it "Speedrun".

Reaching the first corner of the hunting grounds, Jins started on doing "Speedrun". He moved back and forth and every monster he encountered would be slashed by Dainsleif leaving black wounds killing it instantly.

It didn't give him much experience but he wasn't here for the monsters. He was here for the hidden boss as he wondered what type of boss would it be. 

His speed after getting new pieces of equipment and enhancing his status had now been quintupled. It didn't take him 10 minutes before he had exterminated all the monsters and opened the pathway for the map to show where the hidden boss resides.

Ting!

For discovering the entirety of Dulahorn Lands, you have been rewarded.

Hidden reward:

+10% experience

Location of Poison Salamander

"Poison salamander? I thought it was another type of drake? Well, it's still a hidden boss."

He was disappointed by this but still put off an optimistic face. He checked his system map and there he saw the location of the Poison Salamander. It was located in a swampy marsh which was in the middle of the map.

He sprinted towards the marsh and as he expected. A hidden passage had appeared from the swamp.

It was below the ground that caused the swamp water to move downstream. He entered the passage and after arriving at the actual path, there he saw a green, gooey and transparent monster that had the features of a salamander laying down on the dirty water.

"So this is the poison salamander? It looks more of a shape-shifting slime to me."

Ting!

Poison Salamander

Rank: Hidden Boss

Level: 30

HP: 50,000/50,000

"It's not a Guardian Ranked boss but a hidden boss? And it's even weaker than the Mountain Drake, no very weak!"

He was baffled by the poison salamander. Unlike the mountain drake that shows off a very mighty presence, this salamander looked like a cakewalk for Jin and not just that, it didn't even give off any aura.

"Hehehe, I'm pretty confident in killing you with one blow!"

He gripped Dainsleif tightly and began to 

"[Ambush]!"

In an instant, Jin arrived at the salamander's behind. Dainsleif was now glowing in crimson red light as if it was saying to kill this pest now! 

"[Thunder Clap]!

Kurrururg!

As lightning strike his body, Dainsleif was now glowing in purple and very sinister aura. As both the effects had mixed together this was the result: red electricity crackled on the blade that made the dim place show off a bright dazzling light.

He waved Dainsleif to his rear to gather strength and momentum. After that, he strike Dainsleif with all his might slashing the back of the Poison Salamander.

"Shi Ne!"

Kururururg!

Crackle!

Fwoosh!

Red lightning and black flames spread out all over the salamander's gooey body. Countless damage indicators began to pop above its head that eventually decrease its health to a minimum.

-27,000!

-890

-1650*

-1009

-970

.

.

.

.

(Note: Critical Effect will now have an exclamation point and True damage will have this sign (*) so you wouldn't be confused with the damage indicators)

Shortly, the HP of the salamander went down to 10%. The red lightning had stopped its duration leaving only the black flames that continued to roast the salamander alive.

It began to change form. The squishy and gooey texture turned into actual scales and overall all, it turned to an actual Salamander.

But even it got stronger, the black flames began to inflict a horrific curse to the salamander.

Ting!

Target has been inflicted with Decomposition! HP will drop by 2% every second!

The green body had now quickly turned rotten resulting to its impulsive death. Unlike the other monsters that turn into ashes when killed, the salamander had been left as a rotten corpse like it was left in this place to die a week ago.

Ting!

You have slain Poison Salamander!

+15,000,000 XP

Rewards:

+2 to all status 

Poison Stone (B+)

"Bummer! It didn't even gave a hidden key and loot drops! What type of boss is this?"

The poison salamander was supposed to drop loot drops at least 5+ pieces of it. The reason it didn't was that it was still in the effect of the curse.

Curse was one of the most terrifying effects that one could inflict. Not only does it deal handful amounts of damage, unlike basic poison or debuffs, it can last weeks, months, even years.

The only way to dispel a curse was by the help of The holy church as they have the power to dispel any type of debuff but getting one to dispel cost very high so hunters had been careful if they don't want to be inflicted by any type of curse.

"Fucking curse!"

Though the chances of Dainsleif to inflict a curse to a target was only 7%, it was inconceivably high.

Jin removes his disappointments. Now he was focus on a certain reward that had just been given to him.

Ting!

Poison Stone

Rank: B+

Type: Element

+40% poison resistance

Effects:

Increases the item's poison effect by 70%. 50% chance to inflict poison effect that deals 1%-30% of the targets remaining healthy.

Unique:

There's a slight chance that Greater Poison can inflict the target's body that decreases his magic and physical defense by 30% and reduces his health by 2% every second. This will also slow the target's movement by 80% and attack speed will decrease by 60%. It lasts up to 10 seconds.

Item Skill:

Viral Infection (DMG, DEBUFF)

Your weapon will be coated in Poison, every attack made will inflict poison effect that deals 800 magical damage (+30% INT) lasting up to 2 seconds. If the same target is hit consecutive times, the damage will increase from 1.2x to 2.5x and slows the target down by 10% that will stack by each strike.

Stacks up to 15 times.

Mana Cost: 10/per attack

"...!!"