Ping!
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Malik heard the system message as he pulled his left leg out of the monster's stomach. The Feral Crawler burst into particles, scattering like shattered glass, leaving behind a dozen pieces of loot.
Ping!
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[Kick Disciple]
Increases damage done by legs by 30%. Has a 15% chance of dealing a critical blow.
Absorbs spiritual energy from opponents (for user recovery).
A smile tugged at the corners of Malik's lips as he bent to gather the drops from the Mini Boss. But the moment he turned around, his team was already there—lined up before him like soldiers awaiting the command of a general.
And the way they looked at him—it was as if they were staring at a prodigy. A being far beyond their reach.
"Or is he cheating the game? How can any player move that fast? He's even faster than that level 17 monster! Just how high is his Agility stat?" Slicer screamed internally, staring at the silhouette before him.
"He's got a crazy level of defense... Even with this shield, I'm still not a match for him. If only I had such defense too... I'd be the best Tanker in the world," White Emperor found himself daydreaming, his gaze glued to Malik's chest.
Of course, the majority of them believed everything Malik had done was thanks to his equipment. They assumed he came from wealth—some rich background. Maybe even a young master from one of the superpowers of the world. Only Angel Michael knew Malik's true background. And even he couldn't help but muse to himself, 'Is this just a miraculous encounter?'
"How can someone fight with just fists and legs? He's not using any weapons, yet he's dishing out critical damage—damage that rivals my Greatsword. Is he even just a regular player?"
"Or probably a beta tester... or a cheater?" Kenny was confused. She couldn't even place Malik in a single category anymore. Everything he had done so far had defied logic. In the end, she could only return to her original thought—'It must be the equipment.'
"We gained a lot from this second floor. I'm glad we chose Hard Mode."
"Let's see, Party Leader."
"Yes, show us!" The team was elated. After all, they had all fought for the loot, so it was only natural they were eager. Malik nodded. He had no problem showing them—he was going to share everything anyway. There was nothing to lose.
He pulled the loot from his inventory and began sorting them, one by one.
"We have a total of 40 potions. 10 are Poison Resistance potions, 20 are Healing potions—which will be useful in future maps—and the last 10 are Feral Rage potions, which temporarily boost your strength. Everyone should take 4 potions each. If there's anything you don't need, just trade with the others."
The team began picking through the potions, and at the end of the shuffle, they'd taken all the Healing and Poison Resistance ones. The Feral Rage potions were the only ones left. Malik gave a wry smile and silently stored them away.
"We also have 16 legguards. Each of us will take two," Malik said, distributing them one by one. But when Young Star stepped forward, Malik shook his head.
"Except you."
Young Star simply nodded and returned to his place in line without a word. Malik had expected a frown or at least a hint of displeasure—but to his surprise, the level 4 Swordsman showed none. On the contrary, the guy looked... happy.
Once everyone strapped on the legguards, they immediately noticed their bodies felt lighter—agility slightly enhanced. The effect wasn't just visual. It was real.
"Team Leader, what's that item?" Tipa asked, pointing at the weapon beside Malik.
Malik picked it up and activated his Appraisal skill.
[Blue Carapace Shield]
Rank: Secret — Silver
Requirements: Lv10–Lv20
That was all the information the Appraisal revealed. Tipa, who was only level 8, couldn't help twitching his mouth. He had finally found a proper weapon, something leagues above his current Bronze-rank shield—but ironically, he couldn't use it yet.
"You don't need to worry, Tipa. I think the headgear can boost your level by one. And there's still another item here that might help."
Malik pulled out another piece of gear for the team to see.
[Piercing Thorn Pauldrons]
Rank: Secret — Silver
Requirements: Guardian Knight. Lv1–Lv20
He handed both items—one a weapon, the other an armor piece—to Tipa. Without a second of hesitation, Tipa grabbed them. His excitement was obvious as he quickly strapped on the Pauldrons and replaced his old shield with the Blue Carapace.
"Team Leader... this is unfair. I destroyed more hills than he did," White Emperor grumbled, watching as Tipa's aura underwent a subtle but significant transformation.
Malik let out a light chuckle.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure everyone's DPS gets raised before the end of this raid."
With that, he pulled out another item.
"This is for you, White Emperor," Malik said as he handed over a white armor piece to the Tanker.
[Carapace Chitinplate]
Rank: Secret Silver
His Appraisal skill wasn't strong enough to reveal its full description or effects, but the moment White Emperor wore the Chitinplate, his aura too underwent a qualitative shift—one that didn't lose out to Tipa's.
"I feel like I could solo a level 15 monster," White Emperor said with a grin.
"Don't get cocky," Tipa replied, clicking his tongue.
"Slicer... There's a saber here, made from the Mini Boss's fang. It's called the Steel Fanged Saber. Would you like to take it?" Malik asked, holding it out.
Slicer nodded immediately, and Malik handed it over. The moment Slicer appraised the weapon, his hands began to tremble.
Appraisal: Steel Fanged Saber (Secret Silver Rank)
Stats:
Attack Power: +50
Critical Hit Rate: +15%
Durability: 800/800
Skills:
Crawler's Fury: Deals an additional 20% damage to enemies with Poison or Venom effects
Fang's Bite: 10% chance to apply a Poison effect (dealing 10% of Attack Power as damage over time) to enemies on hit
"Boss... Are you sure you wanna give this to me?" Slicer asked, voice trembling as he stared at the saber in his grip.
Malik's eyes widened slightly.
"Heh.... Did he just call me Boss?"