Leon didn't waste a second. The dragon's roar echoed through the burning forest, getting closer with each passing moment. He needed every advantage he could get.
"Equip white trench coat," he said quickly, his voice tight with urgency.
The coat materialized on his shoulders instantly. It felt surprisingly light but solid, like it could stop a blade. The white fabric seemed to glow faintly in the smoky air.
[You have equipped White Trench Coat (Rare)]
[Item: White Trench Coat]
[Grade: Rare]
[Type: Armor]
[Atk: +0]
[Def: +50]
[Spd: +20]
[Description: A white trench coat worn by many adventurers. Due to its continuous usage, it has become sturdy over time]
"Equip Sasuke's sword," Leon commanded.
The katana appeared in his right hand. The moment his fingers wrapped around the handle, electricity tingled through his palm. The blade hummed with power, and Leon could feel lightning energy flowing through the metal.
[You have equipped Sasuke's sword (Mythic)]
[Item: Kusanagi (Sasuke's sword)]
[Grade: Mythic]
[Type: Katana]
[Element: Lightning]
[Atk: +340]
[Def: +20]
[Spd: +120]
[Active effects: Lightning blade slash, Teleport slash, Lightning step]
Leon's eyes widened as he felt the change in his body. He was faster, stronger, more aware. His reflexes had sharpened to an almost supernatural level.
"Show me my stats," he said.
⟩Name: Leon Greaves
⟩Job: None
⟩Level: 1
⟩Exp: 0/150
⟩Title: None
⟩Strength: 345
⟩Agility: 145
⟩Endurance: 75
⟩Mana: 5
⟩Skill(s): Dash
⟩Affinity: Lightning, Darkness
Leon stared at the numbers in disbelief. His strength had jumped from 5 to 345. His agility had increased almost thirty times. This was beyond overpowered - this was game-breaking.
"This is way too strong for a beginner," he muttered, flexing his fingers around the sword's handle. "I feel like I could punch through a wall."
The ground beneath his feet trembled. Leon looked up to see a massive shadow falling over him. The dragon was diving straight down, its golden eyes locked onto him like he was its next meal.
Leon's heart hammered, but for the first time since arriving in this world, he felt ready for the fight.
The dragon's massive wings stretched wide as it dove toward Leon. Each wingbeat sent gusts of hot air across the burning forest. Its claws gleamed like black steel, and its roar shook the ground beneath Leon's feet.
Leon's new instincts kicked in. He bent his knees and crouched low, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring. The dragon's shadow grew larger as it approached, but Leon waited. Timing was everything.
The beast's claws reached for him, close enough that Leon could smell the sulfur on its breath. At the last possible second, he launched himself into the air.
His enhanced agility sent him flying higher than any normal human could jump. The dragon's eyes widened in surprise as Leon soared toward its head, sword raised high.
"Lightning blade slash!" Leon shouted.
The moment the words left his mouth, blue lightning exploded from the katana. Electric energy coursed through his entire body, making his hair stand on end. The power was incredible - raw, dangerous, and absolutely intoxicating.
The dragon tried to change course, but it was too late. Leon's blade, wrapped in crackling electricity, cut through the air like a bolt of lightning itself.
The sword sliced through the dragon's thick scales as if they were paper. The beast's roar was cut short as Leon's strike split it cleanly in half. Blood and sparks filled the air.
Leon found himself floating in mid-air, staring down at what he'd just accomplished. Two halves of a massive A-rank dragon crashed to the ground with earth-shaking thuds.
[Ding! You have slaughtered A-rank Red Dragon!]
[Your level has increased drastically!]
[Ding! You are now Level 60]
"What the hell?" Leon gasped, still suspended in the air. "Level 60 from one kill?"
That was when he realized he was twenty feet above the ground. And gravity was about to remind him of that fact.
"Oh, shit," he muttered as he began to fall.
Leon's mind raced as he fell toward the ground. The earth rushed up to meet him at an alarming speed. He flailed his arms, desperately trying to think of something - anything - that could save him.
'What can I do?' he thought frantically. 'I don't have any flying skills!'
Before he could come up with a solution, he crashed into the ground with tremendous force. The impact created a small crater around him, sending dust and debris flying in all directions.
Leon groaned and slowly pushed himself up, expecting to feel broken bones or worse. Instead, he felt... fine. Sore, but not seriously injured. His enhanced endurance had apparently saved him from what should have been a fatal fall.
"That was an excellent display."
Leon spun around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. A young woman stood at the edge of his crater, looking down at him with curious dark eyes. She was small and delicate, with long black hair that seemed to shimmer in the smoky air. Her gothic black dress looked completely out of place in this burning wasteland.
Leon scrambled to his feet, confused and wary. What was a girl doing here in the middle of all this chaos? And why wasn't she running for her life?
"I sense the lingering stench of death around you," she said, her voice carrying an ancient weight that didn't match her youthful appearance.
The words sent a chill down Leon's spine. The way she said it - so casual, so knowing - made his skin crawl. This wasn't some innocent girl caught in the crossfire.
"And I like it," she added with a smile that made Leon's stomach turn.
Leon felt his throat go dry. Everything about this girl screamed danger, but not in the obvious way the dragon had. This was something deeper, more unsettling.
"I'm Rory Mercury, a goddess and apostle to the God Emory," she said, giving him a small, polite bow. Her gothic dress fluttered in the hot wind.
Leon's mind reeled. A goddess? That explained the creepy atmosphere surrounding her. He needed to be very careful about what he said next.
"I'm Leon Greaves, a traveling merchant," he lied smoothly, forcing his voice to stay steady. "I lost my carriage when the dragon attacked, but I do have some combat experience."
Rory's eyes sparkled with amusement. She pointed at the dragon's massive corpse, split perfectly in half. "You call that 'some' combat experience?"
Leon scratched his head nervously, trying to look embarrassed rather than terrified. "Well, I might have downplayed it a little."
"You're interesting," Rory said, resting her finger on her chin as she studied him. "So where were you heading? If you're a traveling merchant with goods, you must have been going to town before everything got destroyed."
Leon's brain scrambled for another believable lie. "Yes, but all my money was destroyed with the carriage. I'm completely broke now."
Rory watched him with knowing eyes, then smiled softly. "No problem. We can do some adventurer missions and earn some coins to start again."
Leon's eye twitched at the word "we." It was clear she had no intention of letting him go his own way.
"The nearest town is pretty far from here," Rory continued, already turning to walk away. "Let's go to the elf settlement instead. It's closer, and it should have less damage than this village."
She started walking through the burning forest, leaving Leon with no choice but to follow.
"Lead the way," he muttered under his breath, wondering what he'd gotten himself into now.
As they walked deeper into the smoky wilderness, Leon couldn't shake the feeling that his real adventure was just beginning. And this time, he wasn't sure if he was the player or just another piece on someone else's game board.