Elder Snake's Despair and White Tiger's Fall
Ssshh?
The Elder Snake seemed utterly flustered as Carpe showed no reaction whatsoever.
But soon, it let out a tearing screech and massively inflated its throat.
“Kieeeek!”
With its maw gaping wide, green smoke began to billow out from within.
It was the infamous 7-star poison skill among poison-type abilities, Poison Mist.
Exposed to Poison Mist.
Afflicted with status ailment Mortal Poison.
Lose 1% of total HP per second.
The status ailment Mortal Poison.
It was a top-tier debuff that could fell any foe in just 100 seconds flat.
Unlock triggered.
Status ailment Mortal Poison removed.
But it meant nothing in the face of Unlock, which nullified all status ailments.
“Kiiit?!”
The Elder Snake was beyond flustered now, verging on panic as it flailed about in confusion.
Cheonma could somehow relate to how it felt.
—Yeah... Must be mind-blowing. Like, who the hell carries full status recovery? Game devs would have to be insane to even make a skill like that.
“Bro, whose side are you even on?”
—The side of justice and balance! You overpowered munchkin bastard! Aigoo. Look at it backpedaling in panic.
Realizing something had gone terribly wrong, the Elder Snake began slinking backward.
“Acting all aggressive with your hissing earlier? Where do you think you're going!”
Carpe shot forward like a bullet and smashed the giant serpent's head.
Clang-!
With a sound like metal clashing against metal, the Elder Snake began shrieking in agony.
Or rather, it sounded more like a wail of sorrow than pain.
“Kieeh...! Kieeeek!”
All its aces blocked, the Elder Snake went all-in, whipping its tail toward Carpe.
Wham!
Just before the tail connected, it bounced off with a burst of air.
“Nice. Working perfectly. Worth all the effort I put in.”
Carpe grinned, satisfied with the test. What had nullified the Elder Snake's attack was none other than the set bonus of his custom-crafted Wind Set.
◈ Equip Req: Lv. 40+
◈ Phys. Def: 70 | Mag. Def: 55
◈ Dex +6 | Dex +2
◈ Attack Speed +5%
◈ On hit: Low chance for +10% Atk/Move Speed (60s)
★ 5-Piece Set Bonus Active
◈ Dex +15
◈ Atk/Move/Cast Speed +15%
◈ On hit: 20% chance Wind Shield (Blocks one attack; 300s CD)
The attack had been repelled by the 5-piece set bonus, Wind Shield.
It wasn't in the original Wind Set, but Carpe had engraved runes while crafting, bumping the gear from Rare to Hero grade.
And Wind Shield was the new set bonus that came with it.
“Kii... Kiii...”
With everything denied to it, the Elder Snake let out pitiful whimpers.
It was a cutesy plea for mercy, realizing there was no hope left.
Thwack!
“Kieek?!”
“Think you can pull off cute with a snake face? Maybe if you were a cat.”
—...You didn't even spare cats.
“Turn into EXP and vanish!”
Carpe was a true equal-opportunity killer, no discrimination between cats and snakes.
To him, only items and EXP mattered! Looks were irrelevant.
Bam-bam-bam-bam!
As Cheonma had said, the Elder Snake's physical stats were abysmal.
All-in on poison and curses meant its body was pathetically frail.
Carpe relentlessly pummeled it with fists and feet.
Punch.
“Kiek?!”
Punch again.
“Ki... Kieeeeeek!”
The Elder Snake writhed in pain, spewing more Poison Mist, but it was all futile.
“My lord! Give it your all!”
“Kyukyukyu!”
“Snake... kinda pitiful.”
His retainers cheered from safely outside the poison radius.
And Carpe's hunt—or beating—continued unabated.
“Man, big body gives a nice thwack.”
—...Can't watch. Too pitiful.
“Great impact feel. Perfect.”
Unfortunately, for all its weak stats, the Elder Snake had massive HP, dragging out the suffering.
How much time passed like that?
“...Ki... Kiek.”
Black Plague – Elder Snake
Acquired Elder Snake Fang as proof of subjugation.
“Phew. Finally over. Tough bastard. Brutal.”
—You? You're the brutal one.
“What kinda talk is that? I tried my best to end it quick and painless. It was just too tanky.”
As if moved by Carpe's “efforts,” two items dropped where the snake vanished.
“Kuh. See? Good deeds pay off. What goes around comes around!”
—...
One was a dagger, the other a material item.
Carpe checked the gear first: a dagger with striking green blade.
◈ Equip Req: Lv. 50+, Dagger Mastery
◈ Phys. Atk: 380 ~ 420
◈ Str +3 | Dex +5 | Dex +4
◈ On hit: High chance Poison
◈ On hit: Low chance Mortal Poison
◈ +20% damage per enemy debuff
“Whoa! Unique!”
Carpe yelped in surprise.
The Great Tiger had meh drops, but this one delivered!
—Oho. Unique boss drop? First time I've seen it. Options are killer.
“Really? You said you hunted it last time.”
—Didn't drop for me. This luck-based trash game's like that. Argh, pisses me off thinking about it. Why was my item RNG so ass?
“Ah...”
After a brief moment of pity for Cheonma, he stowed the dagger.
“Great options, but can't use it. Can't drop my gauntlets.”
—Tradable, so sell it. Or swap in for poison situations if you want.
“Hmm. Gotta think on it.”
Nodding, Carpe checked the second item.
Surprisingly, it too was Unique grade.
◈ Consumable / Material
Condensed essence of the Elder Snake's ancient venom. Bears powerful Yin energy. Must neutralize Yin and poison to consume.
◈ On consume (neutralized): Poison Resist +50%, MP +10
◈ Raw consume: High chance of death
“...Venom Core? Like in wuxia novels?”
—Yup, that's the one. Nice drop.
Cheonma nodded approvingly. This core was the key to summoning the next foe, White Tiger.
—These two are natural predator-prey. See the 'powerful Yin energy'? White Tiger has powerful Yang energy instead.
The hidden bosses each harbored a core infused with Yang or Yin energy.
—Funny part: They can't fully digest their own energy. It slowly eats away at them.
They couldn't just discard their core, the foundation of their being, so they sought relief.
By neutralizing it with the opposite energy.
—Yang with Yin, Yin with Yang. Each other's cores are the perfect antidote, so they hunt each other to steal them.
“Ah, got the scenario.”
Simple from there: Stroll near White Tiger's turf with this core, and it'd sniff the Yin and come running.
“Like a chain quest. Perfect fit.”
One boss drop lures the next, and so on—a virtuous cycle!
Carpe's class quest was progressing flawlessly, almost suspiciously so.
“Where's White Tiger spawn?”
—Not far. 20-min walk?
“Kuh. Second job change today. White Tiger a pushover like Elder Snake?”
Carpe hoped for another easy win, but...
—Nah. Total opposite. Think evolved Great Tiger.
Pure physical monster, no debuffs or magic—just raw power.
—...Though it won't matter.
And Cheonma's confidence proved true soon enough.
“Krraaaargh!”
Thud!
With a roar of anguish, the massive White Tiger crashed to the ground.
White Nightmare – White Tiger
Acquired White Tiger Pelt as proof of subjugation.
Two second job change conditions fulfilled.
Debuff spam or physical focus—irrelevant to Carpe.
He was overwhelmingly strong, even pre-second job.
Compared to Ruana days, it just took a bit longer.
An old Korean Go legend's words came to mind.
'I have no confidence. Confidence in winning.'
'I fight when it's winnable. If I see an opening, my hand moves on its own—what can I do?'
“...Am I actually just stupid strong?”
—...Annoyingly true, and it sucks.
“Agh. This one was legit tough though.”
—Didn't even get hit once...
“Gillian's training paid off. Attacks are way clearer now.”
Not shown in stats, but spars with Gillian honed Carpe to mastery.
“Huh? Unique? Again?”
Like with Elder Snake, two items dropped.
A pure white Unique-grade bow named White Tiger Bow.
And the White Tiger's core.
The moment Carpe picked up the core:
Magic Engineering skill reacts to player's inventory.
Two synthesizable items detected.
“Huh?”
Opening his inventory, the Giant Serpent's Venom Core was blinking. And the White Tiger Core in his hand too.
“...Haven't seen this in ages.”
Just like when he'd synthesized attribute acorns to hatch Mukhyang.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw