The [Altar of Life] stood before Leon, quietly pulsing with a deep and steady aura as if it had a heartbeat of its own.
Each wave of energy spread outward in soft ripples that filled the empty space around it.
And as he remained there watching it, the faint blue cracks covering its surface began to glow brighter little by little, their light intensifying with each passing second until the entire structure seemed to awaken once more.
At first, the glow was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but it didnât stay that way for long.
The cracks shimmered, then brightened, then surged with energy until the entire altar radiated power.
And with that, Leon understood immediately what it meant.
âSo itâs back...â he thought calmly, his gaze steady as he looked at the altar in front of him, âwhich means I can die again... and come back without any consequences.â
In a place like the [Forsaken City], where danger existed at every corner and even the strongest players had been trapped for years without finding a way out, having something like this was very useful.
âIt could save me if something goes wrong,â Leon continued thinking, though his expression didnât change much, ânot that I plan on dying in the first place.â
Even with that safety net, Leon had no intention of relying on it.
If anything, he saw it as a last resort rather than something he would use casually.
Still, the presence of the [Altar of Life] opened up possibilities that werenât available before.
Because if what Violet had said was accurate, and the [Forsaken King] truly had around three million [Combat Power], then Leon knew he couldnât just rush in blindly and expect to win.
He would need to grow stronger. Much stronger.
At the very least, he needed enough power to deal with something around two million [Combat Power] reliably, because that was the level of the [Forsaken Minotaur], the first major obstacle standing between him and the castle.
âOr...â Leonâs eyes flickered slightly as another thought crossed his mind, one that carried a much darker edge to it, âI could just wipe everything out with [Oblivion Meteor].â
Now that his [Life Vessel] was active again, he had access to something that most players would never even consider using: a suicide attack.
A forbidden spell powerful enough to destroy everything in its range, including himself.
But unlike anyone else, Leon wouldnât stay dead.
If he used it against the [Forsaken King], and both of them were erased in the process, Leon would simply come back, while his enemy wouldnât.
In the end, he would be the only one left standing.
âThatâll be my second trump card,â Leon decided internally, his gaze sharpening slightly, âif [Celestialâs Might] isnât enough to bring them down.â
Still, even with that plan forming in his mind, there were things that didnât quite sit right with him.
What Violet had said earlier continued to echo in his thoughts.
"This is a trial meant for those who have the potential to become gods."
Leon frowned slightly as he recalled those words, because while they made sense on the surface, the implications behind them were far more complex.
âDoes that mean clearing this trial turns someone into a god?â he wondered.
No. That didnât make sense.
If becoming a god was that simple, then there would be far more of them.
This was only a step. An important one, sure, but not the final destination.
Which meant that even if he managed to clear this [God-Rank] assessment, there would still be something waiting for him afterward.
Most likely in the [Eternal Battlefield]. Or even deeper, in the [Eternal Domain].
And if that was the case, Leonâs expression darkened slightly.
âThereâs no way the existing gods would just sit back and let someone new rise to their level,â he thought, his mind already considering the possibilities, âtheyâd try to stop it... one way or another.â
The path ahead was dangerous, on a completely different level.
Still, Leon didnât hesitate.
âWhatever,â he thought simply, pushing those concerns aside for now, âIâll deal with that when I get there.â
A few seconds later, the space around him began to shift again, the altar fading from view as his surroundings returned to normal, bringing him back to the baseâs lobby as if nothing had happened at all.
Everything looked the same as before.
The polished floor. The quiet atmosphere. The faint hum of the barrier protecting the building.
But Leon himself wasnât the same.
Because unlike the others, who were likely resting or preparing for tomorrowâs expedition, Leon didnât feel tired at all.
If anything, he felt energized. He couldnât just sit around and wait.
His gaze slowly shifted toward the door leading outside, and almost instantly, a clear plan formed in his mind.
âIf I want to clear this assessment within the next few days... I need to absorb as many essences as possible,â he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he made his decision.
Fortunately, there was one advantage he already had.
He was at max level. Level 75.
Which meant he didnât need to worry about experience anymore.
He could focus entirely on grinding. Killing as many monsters as possible.
Gathering their essences. Increasing his stats. And adapting to the threats of this place at the same time.
With that in mind, Leon stood up. And headed toward the exit without hesitation.
The moment he stepped outsideâ
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed through the street as Oasisâs [Annihilation Turret] fired instantly, a powerful beam shooting out and obliterating a spider lurking near the edge of the road, killing it before it even had a chance to react.
Leonâs eyes flickered slightly as he watched the scene.
âThe spiders first,â he thought with a faint grin, âthey seem to be the most common enemies around here.â
According to what Godrick had said earlier, these creatures had around one point two million [Combat Power], which was already beyond Leonâs base level.
Still, Leon noticed something else.
Several more spiders lingered further away, keeping their distance from the turretâs range as if they had already learned what would happen if they got too close.
They werenât mindless. Smart enough to avoid certain death.
âAs long as I stay within the turretâs range, Iâm safe,â Leon realized quickly.
But that wasnât what he wanted. Because if the turret killed them, he wouldnât get anything.
âIâll have to do it myself.â
Fwoosh!
Without wasting another second, Leon jumped onto the rooftop of the building directly in front of the base, his body moving smoothly as he landed before immediately rushing forward.
In his hands, his weapons appeared: the [Power Sword] and the [Void Staff]. Both ready for battle.
As he reached the edge of the rooftop, he spotted a small group of spiders gathered below, and this time, he activated [Appraisal].
---
[Spider of Darkness]
[Level: 75]
[Exclusive Talent: Darkness Weaver (S-Level)]
[Combat Power: 1,250,000]
[Details: Follows the will of the "Mother", roaming the streets of the "Forsaken City" to bring food.]
---
They were massive.
Each one around three meters tall, with multiple legs supporting their heavy bodies, their crimson eyes glowing faintly in the darkness as shadows seemed to coil around them like living threads.
Their abdomens were large and protected by layers of thick silk, making them look even more durable than they already were.
There were four of them, so Leon took a slow breath. And then, he jumped.
âLetâs see what I can really do,â he thought as he descended toward them.