"Mechanical Ascension... does this mean I can continuously upgrade and modify my exoskeleton armor according to my own will?" Wang Chen thought, eyes fixed on the faint blue, virtual exoskeleton floating before him. It displayed Lv1 as its current level.
The exoskeleton rotated in front of him, before breaking apart into six different parts, each floating with the Lv1 label.
"Arms, thighs, chest, back, waist, and head... all of them are at level 1. I can modify and ascend them, granting them different traits. Once all parts reach level 2, the entire exoskeleton will upgrade to level 2 and I'll unlock even more abilities."
Wang Chen's gaze moved to his arms.
[Materials Required to Upgrade Arm to Lv2]: Copper Ore ×100Alloy Diamond ×100Iron Ore ×100Lv5 Monster Drops ×50
"Copper Ore and Iron Ore are easy enough to gather, but the Alloy Diamonds are rare, and I need a lot of monster drops too!" Wang Chen furrowed his brow. The Super Mech Armor was indeed powerful, but upgrading it came at a high price. Just the initial upgrade for one part required this many materials.
He glanced over the two upgrade paths for his arms.
[Arm Ascension Paths]:
Defensive Path: The arm can embed a whiteboard-level defensive weapon, granting different forms and skills.
Offensive Path: The arm can embed a whiteboard-level offensive weapon, granting different forms and skills.
Wang Chen understood immediately. By absorbing different types of weapons, he could change the form of his arm and unlock new abilities.
For example, if he absorbed a shield, he might gain Arm Shield capabilities. Absorbing a longsword might give him Arm Sword abilities. Absorbing a magic staff could grant him a Palm Cannon skill.
Additionally, depending on the weapon type, he could unlock new skill effects, such as physical or magical damage reduction from the shield, or freeze and poison effects from the palm cannon.
Wang Chen's excitement grew. He had six parts to upgrade, and each of them could be modified and enhanced at will. The idea of creating a custom exoskeleton, tailored to his needs, thrilled him.
After putting away the Super Mech Armor, Wang Chen turned his attention to his third skill, the one he was most eager to test.
He would never forget the awe-inspiring vision of the vast mechanical army from earlier. That was the moment he imagined himself single-handedly mowing down all obstacles. The ultimate battle every man dreamed of—commanding a powerful army of machines.
However, the skill was grayed out, not yet unlocked, with a note saying it would be available at level 10.
A sense of disappointment washed over him, but he quickly reassured himself. He had just begun. It was too early to wield an army of machines.
"I'll work hard to reach level 10," Wang Chen thought, suppressing his curiosity and impatience.
Suddenly, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Several mushrooms nearby shuddered and sprouted legs, charging toward him.
Wang Chen's gaze sharpened.
It wasn't just any ordinary mushroom—these were disguised monsters.
In most cases, new players would struggle to fight these creatures. If they were bitten even once, they'd lose a large chunk of health.
[Name]: Poisonous Mushroom Spider
[Level]: 3
[Strength]: 10
[Constitution]: 5
[Agility]: 10
[Mentality]: 8
[Health]: 300
[Skills]: Bite, Venomous Fangs, Camouflage
[Description]: A highly deceptive poisonous creature. Bites inflict poison, paralysis, and other effects.
Wang Chen didn't move. He was curious to test his new powers.
As the spiders bit at his foot, they seemed to do no damage at all.
"Interesting," Wang Chen thought, and with a swift motion, he lifted his foot and stomped down hard.
Boom!Boom!Boom!
With each powerful stomp, the Poisonous Mushroom Spiders were crushed into the ground.
[You have killed Lv3 Poisonous Mushroom Spider, gaining 60 Experience!]
[You have killed Lv3 Poisonous Mushroom Spider, gaining 60 Experience!]
[You have killed Lv3 Poisonous Mushroom Spider, gaining 60 Experience!]
Wang Chen's experience bar surged as the spiders collapsed, leaving behind a puddle of poisonous liquid that could have harmed most players. However, Wang Chen was unharmed, as his Super Mech Armor provided total protection.
The speed at which he killed these monsters was astonishing—swift, brutal, and efficient.
He quickly gathered the materials dropped by the spiders, storing them in his backpack.
"These materials will sell for a few hundred bucks. If I keep going, I should be able to gather enough to cover my parents' medical bills for the next few days!" Wang Chen thought, excitement bubbling within him as he ventured deeper into the forest.
In the dark, shadowy depths of the Poisonous Mushroom Forest, Wang Chen continued to massacre one spider after another.
The monsters that would send other players into a frenzy were no match for him. Even the poisonous venom couldn't touch him.
Five hours passed.
He now faced much larger, more terrifying spiders the Lv5 Poisonous Mushroom Spiders. These were monsters that would send most new players fleeing in terror, but Wang Chen crushed them effortlessly.
After taking the materials from the dead spiders, Wang Chen smiled as his level increased.
[You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now Lv5!]
His progress was staggering. For a commoner without any powerful family backing, leveling up at this speed was truly impressive.
In no time, he'd reach level 10 and unlock his third skill.
Just then, faint sounds reached Wang Chen's ears from a distance. His senses immediately heightened.
A beautiful girl, breathing heavily, came into view. She wore a tight-fitting outfit that left little to the imagination. Her pale face and the tattered clothing revealed her desperation. Her level was 10.
When she spotted Wang Chen, her eyes widened in surprise. She thought he was some sort of armored warrior.
"Help me!" she cried, throwing herself at him, rubbing her soft body against his arm.
Wang Chen raised an eyebrow, skeptical of her intentions. He was about to pull away when suddenly, two men appeared from behind her. They were both level 15.
The woman's face changed, and she yelled to Wang Chen, "I'll give you what you want! The money will be transferred to your account later! I have to leave now!"
Wang Chen narrowed his eyes. This mysterious woman was clearly hiding something, and he wasn't about to fall for it.