"Finally shook them off. Let me see where I ended up."
Glancing back and confirming that his pursuers hadn't followed, Naohara let out a relieved breath.
In the end, it was still just a game. Even a boss would abandon the chase once a Player moved beyond a certain range.
He found a secluded spot and hid, carefully scanning the surroundings. After confirming there were no monsters nearby, he took out his map to check his position.
"Not bad. Who would've thought I'd stumble right into my destination by accident? Guess I really am lucky."
Comparing the map's markers with his current location, Naohara realized he hadn't run in the wrong direction at all. In fact, he had ended up right near his target. The discovery lifted his spirits.
After making a few preparations, he set off again.
About ten minutes later, Naohara quietly arrived before a cluster of towering peaks. Several mountains, each over a hundred meters tall, rose from the heart of the Blood Maple Forest. Mist curled around their summits, lending the scene a striking, almost otherworldly beauty.
"This is the place. Hidden Class, here I come."
Naohara stared at the mountains, eyes burning with anticipation. He had no idea what Class he would obtain, but it had to be better than any standard one.
It was a map provided by the game operator, after all. There was no way it would lead to something worthless.
He surveyed the area and found no visible path leading up the mountain. Still, he wasn't concerned. Instead, he walked straight toward the cliff face.
In Yggdrasil, treasure chests were scattered across countless hidden corners, waiting for Players bold enough to find them. Their contents varied wildly—from a handful of copper coins to all sorts of strange and rare items.
Naohara was an avid treasure hunter. After realizing he had fairly good luck, he'd spent his time wandering all over the world in search of chests.
That obsession had earned him quite a collection of odd items—just what he needed for a situation like this.
At Level 20, Players couldn't learn flight magic. To reach high places, they had to rely on basic skills like rock climbing. If they possessed certain hidden skills, they could perform Wall-Running, but both methods drained the stamina bar. It was a real nuisance.
Although Naohara couldn't fly, he happened to own items that solved this problem perfectly.
"Good thing I prepared in advance."
He raised his hand and glanced at the five rings on his fingers, a faint smile curling at his lips. He never took action without confidence.
Ring: Light as a Swallow Agility
Description: Increases the character's Agility by 30%. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes.
Ring: Wall-Running
Description: Grants access to the hidden skill Wall-Running, allowing the user to traverse mountain faces and structures as if walking on flat ground. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour.
Ring: Alternative Supply
Description: Stores stamina to replenish the Player's internal energy consumption.
...
With all five rings activated, climbing became effortless. Naohara moved swiftly along the mountain face using Wall-Running, advancing at an average speed of three meters per second.
In just a few minutes, he reached the summit with ease. Relying on climbing alone, it would have taken at least half an hour—if he managed it at all.
"It's right there."
The mountaintop was bare, devoid of buildings or vegetation. Only a single cave stood there. According to the map's instructions, this was his destination.
After a brief pause to gather himself, Naohara stepped inside cautiously. Having come this far, there was no reason to hesitate.
The cave was completely dark, devoid of any light. Human Players would have to rely on items to make their way through. If monsters appeared in such conditions, they would be at a severe disadvantage.
For Naohara, however, the darkness posed no real problem. As a Dragonoid, he possessed the passive skill Night Vision, allowing him to clearly observe every movement around him.
He advanced carefully, unsure how long he would need to walk. The map only marked the cave's entrance; beyond that, he would have to rely on himself.
After an indeterminate stretch of time, a sudden roar echoed through the dim cavern. In the darkness, a figure rapidly approached.
Dragonoid
Level: LV25
As the system notification appeared, Naohara finally made out the creature's appearance. Its body was covered in jet-black scales, two small horns protruded from its head, and a low hiss rumbled from its throat.
"A Dragonoid? Didn't expect we'd be family. But you're a bit too enthusiastic for my liking."
Seeing that the other party was also a Dragonoid, Naohara chuckled. He didn't take it seriously at all.
Leisurely, he pulled a fruit from his backpack and hurled it at the Dragonoid's feet. The moment it hit the ground, it exploded, splashing orange-red juice everywhere and coating the creature from head to toe.
"Movement Speed Down."
"Physical Defense Down."
Two negative buffs flashed above the Dragonoid's head. Naohara nodded in satisfaction.
"This isn't the forest. I don't need to hold back here."
He took out another fruit and threw it again. With another explosion, pale blue juice splattered across the Dragonoid, mixing with the earlier orange-red liquid and completely soaking its body.
Back in the forest, Naohara had avoided fighting. There were too many monsters there, and combat would only draw more trouble. Although he had prepared plenty of items, he preferred to avoid unnecessary battles—at least until he secured the Hidden Class.
But here, it didn't matter. The final reward had to be inside this cave. He could finally go all out without worrying about attracting more enemies.
Two more debuffs flashed into view.
"Physical Attack Down."
"Magic Defense Down."
Naohara didn't know the Dragonoid's exact stats, but he understood the race well. High attack, thick HP, solid defense. After all, his own Dragonoid race was built the same way, known as a well-rounded powerhouse.
"Honestly, I think Rainbow Dragonoid suits you better right now."
Dodging effortlessly, Naohara kept tossing fruits of various colors. Explosions rang out one after another as multicolored juice splattered across the Dragonoid's once pitch-black scales. Bright patches of color now dotted its body, giving it a bizarre appearance.
The sight reminded Naohara of the Brightness Dragon Lord mentioned in the original New World lore. He didn't know what that being looked like, but judging by the name alone, it probably had quite the flashy style.
Drawing his weapon, Naohara glanced at the dense stack of negative buffs above the Dragonoid's head and felt reassured. He dashed forward and swung his blade.
[Draw Slash]
The Sword Saint's starting skill activated. A flash of blade-light struck the Dragonoid squarely in the head, and damage numbers popped up instantly.
-1145
Naohara didn't know the creature's exact HP, but he clearly saw its health bar drop by a full tenth. The damage was substantial.
"Roar!"
The Dragonoid tried to retaliate, but the accumulated debuffs had drastically reduced its speed. Its movements were sluggish and delayed, allowing Naohara to dodge with ease.
With a faint smile, Naohara denied it any chance to counterattack. He immediately threw another glass bottle.
[Paralysis Potion]
Description: Paralyzes monsters below Level 30 for 30 seconds.
Emerald-green liquid splashed over the Dragonoid's body. Its raised claws froze mid-swing, its movements turning stiff and jerky as paralysis took hold.
[Piercing Strike]
[Magic Enchant: Lightning]
[Rising Slash]
[Slash]
...
Seizing the opportunity, Naohara launched into a relentless assault. Under the combined pressure of heavy damage output and layered debuffs, the Dragonoid collapsed in less than twenty seconds.
"System: Defeated a Level 25 Dragonoid while 5 levels lower. Gained 240 EXP."
Naohara's experience bar surged forward, pushing him straight to Level 22.
"Level 22 already. I need to secure that Hidden Class as soon as possible."
He walked over to the Dragonoid's corpse. Several faintly glowing items lay scattered on the ground—his spoils from the battle.
"This bracelet's not bad."
There weren't many items, and only one was truly useful: a bracelet that granted double experience gain, effective up to Level 30. It was perfect for his current growth phase.
"Alright. Time to keep moving."
After organizing the loot, Naohara set off deeper into the cave once more.