We soon found the first altar deep within the forest. Surprisingly, there were no monsters guarding the area. It appeared that the monsters likely didn’t patrol this one, or the scenario just made it easy for us to activate the first altar.
Either way, the altar stood at the center of a natural clearing, half-overgrown with moss and tangled roots with small cracks here and there, yet it felt as though it still contained traces of divine energy. It was shaped like an ancient stone basin, carved with faded runes and forest motifs—depictions of deer, trees, and star-shaped symbols, all weathered by ti. Despite the corruption surrounding the forest, this place retained a sense of sanctity.
“Doesn’t seem like a trap,” Boris muttered, casting a wary glance toward the treeline.
Michelle crouched and examined the ground closely. “No tracks or signs of monsters nearby… I think this place is safe. And judging by the wear on the stone… the altar’s definitely been here for centuries.”
Carefully, I stepped closer to the altar and took out the severed stag head from my inventory. As I laid it gently onto the altar, the runes flickered to life, glowing gold, then darkening into a deep violet. A faint pulse of energy rippled outward, washing over us.
You have activated Altar of the Grove (1/5).
Corrupted divine energy stirs… The guardian stag grows stronger.
Although the ssage on the blue screen was short, it confird that each offering empowered the boss. The more altars we lit, the greater the rewards… and the more dangerous the final battle would beco.
“Well, no turning back now,” I said quietly. If push cos to shove, I can always rely on my signature skills.
Michelle rose to her feet, her expression calm but focused. “Four more to go.”
Boris grinned and started walking ahead. “What’re we waiting for? Let’s get this over with.”
We left the clearing without delay, retracing our steps into the twisted underbrush. Ti was still ticking, and the deeper we went, the eerier the forest beca. The trees seed to lean closer, and the air grew heavier with every step. Thankfully, with Michelle’s Tracking and Forest Sense skills, it didn’t take long to locate another corrupted stag.
Like before, it was guarded by a group of monsters, but this ti, we dispatched them with relative ease. Michelle took down the shamans from afar, Boris faced the brutes, while I focused on killing the stag and other monsters that blocked my way.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Lv.30].
You have gained 400 EXP.
You have leveled up.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Lv.31].
You have gained 410 EXP.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Lv.31].
You have gained 410 EXP.
You have hunted [Corrupted Antler Stag Lv.57].
You have gained 670 EXP.
You have leveled up.
I was very close to reaching level forty. Just one more battle would propel to the limit of Bet-rank. And with that, the chance to uncover the prerequisites for class advancent.
The thought alone sent a current of anticipation through . Not because I wanted more power for its own sake, but because I needed it. Divine Will would never favor the weak; it would cull them. Only the strongest could rise above the rest and reach the peak. If I wanted to reclaim my throne—if I truly intended to defy the fate that had bound —then I had to put in multiple tis, or even dozens of tis, the effort of other people.
“There seems to be another altar ahead,” Michelle suddenly whispered, peering past the twisted trunk of a gnarled tree. “And it’s being guarded by sothing.” She gestured toward a thin veil of fog ahead.
Thanks to Mana Sense, I was able to detect several presences within the fog with imnse mana. “Three guards… I think they are all elites. One of them… might be a mini-boss.”
Boris grinned. “Good. I was starting to think this scenario had gone soft.”
“Let’s not get careless,” I muttered, tightening my grip on my sword. “Visibility is low, so long-range attacks won’t be reliable. This’ll be a close-quarters fight.”
“Offense is the best defense,” Boris said with a nod, clearly agreeing with my assessnt.
Quietly, we advanced, moving into position around the edge of the clearing. Once we were within twenty ters of the nearest enemy, I was able to see the enemy’s details.
[Grovedweller Shaman – Lv.50]
[Grovedweller Shaman – Lv.50]
[Dark Grovedweller Shaman – Lv.60]
Threat Level: High
It was the sa mini-boss that we fought in the previous scenario, and as far as I rembered, it had been a troubleso opponent, albeit not sothing that would be difficult to defeat now.
We exchanged quick glances and nodded. There was no need for words since each of us knew what to do. Then, without hesitation, we charged in with our weapons raised high. Or in Boris’s case, just his fists raised before him with the activation of Iron Body as he barreled ahead to take the lead.
The mist parted while we broke into the clearing. The two ordinary shamans turned just in ti to raise their staffs. But the dark shaman at the center remained still, simply turning its glowing eyes toward us, as though it had been expecting us.
Michelle’s arrow whistled past and struck one of the normal shamans in the shoulder, interrupting its casting. I dashed in and followed up with Heavy Slash, cleaving its staff in half before stabbing it through the chest.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Shaman Lv.50].
You have gained 600 EXP.
To my left, Boris collided with the second shaman like a wrecking ball. The earth shook beneath his charge as his iron-plated fists slamd into the creature’s skull with a sickening crunch. The impact alone was enough to kill it instantly.
Then ca the real threat.
The dark shaman raised both arms, chanting in a guttural, ancient tongue. In response, thick black roots erupted violently from the soil beneath us. I barely had ti to react as my passive movent skill activated, allowing to narrowly avoid being skewered.
“Michelle!” I shouted.
“Already on it!” she replied, loosing another arrow, this one tipped with fire.
The arrow struck the shaman’s chest and ignited, burning its wooden body, but that didn’t stop it. It didn’t even flinch, and instead, it continued chanting. Then, suddenly, a thick green mist poured from its mouth at us, spreading rapidly like a plague. Damn, it’s spewing poison. I have to sohow end this soon!
I instinctively backed away as the fus got closer. Even though I had Poison Resistance skill, it was at the lowest level, and a prolonged exposure would still kill .
But then I realized sothing and extended my arm, pointing directly at the shaman. “{Mana Bullet}, {Mana Bullet}, {Mana Bullet}, {Mana Bullet}!”
Each spell fired in rapid succession, purple bolts of compressed mana tearing through the air and slamming into the creature’s chest. The first two hits staggered it slightly. The third knocked it off balance. The fourth struck it square in the jaw, snapping its head back violently. But I didn’t stop with just four shots.
I kept casting {Mana Bullet} again and again, draining my reserves as each shot landed with force. It wasn't until I ran out of mana and until the shaman tumbled did I stop, and with it, the green poison mist began to thin. Boris didn’t miss the opportunity as he lunged from the side and tackled the creature to the ground. But even after all that, it wasn’t dead yet.
Switching my weapon to my spear, I leapt into the air. Power surged into my arms as I shouted, “Heavy Stab!” The spear plunged down with force, piercing through the shaman’s chest cavity and pinning it to the forest floor.
Only then did its body finally go still.
You have hunted [Dark Grovedweller Shaman Lv.60].
You have gained 700 EXP.
You have leveled up.
You have reached the level cap for your current rank (Bet [2]).
10% of all subsequent EXP will be stored and awarded upon advancent.
Basic Neutral Magic has leveled up.
Heavy Stab has leveled up.
Level forty.
I let out a long, steady breath as the System notifications faded from view. I’d finally reached the limit of Bet-rank. Now, the real test—fulfilling the prerequisites for the class advancent—would begin.
Without hesitation, I checked the class advancent prerequisites.
Class Advancent Prerequisites:
Defeat 3 Level 61 Monsters Gather a Total of 1,000 Accumulated EXPSuccessfully Complete at Least Three E or One D Rank Quest or ScenarioDefeat 1 Monster That Is at Least 40 Levels Above You
“What the hell?”
The first three conditions weren’t too difficult, but what the heck was the fourth condition?
A monster that was at least forty levels above would place it near the peak of Giml-rank—an opponent capable of killing with a single blow. It was the kind of enemy most Bet-rank divine warriors wouldn’t even dream of challenging. Thankfully, the condition didn’t explicitly say I had to defeat it alone, which ant I could enlist help from others.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how much more difficult the future class advancents would beco. If this were the standard for a legendary class like Paradox Incarnate, then the requirents would only escalate from here.
That was the nature of walking a path few could follow. Not everyone was ant to reach the top.
Aside from this, unlike the first class advancent, the second and those beyond required more than just fulfilling the prerequisites. From this point onward, a special trial would often appear and had to be completed within the Hall of Classes in normal cases. Most of the ti, this trial involved facing a powerful enemy—one that embodied the defining traits of the class you were about to ascend into. Other tis, the trial was embedded within the prerequisites themselves, demanding the completion of an extraordinary feat.
And in my case, it seed to be the latter.
With those thoughts still lingering in my mind, I pushed them aside and turned toward the altar. We had cleared the area, and the guardian was dead. There was no ti to waste.
I retrieved the second stag head from my inventory and stepped forward toward the altar. It was partially covered by thick vines and surrounded by roots that coiled like sleeping serpents. The stone basin was cracked along the edge, but the runes remained faintly visible beneath the moss and gri.
Carefully, I placed the severed head onto the altar.
Once again, the ancient runes flickered to life—first glowing gold, then turning violet, pulsing with corrupted energy. A wave of force rippled outward, rustling the trees and sweeping through the air like a silent chi.
You have activated Altar of the Grove (2/5).
Corrupted divine energy gathers… The guardian stag grows even stronger.
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