Chapter 177: The Cloud-Tusk Lion

Marcus gathered his spoils with a satisfied grin before pulling up his skill menu to review the abilities that had just leveled up. This trip into the Mist Veil Palace was turning out to be absurdly profitable. He had not even caught a glimpse of the Dragon’s Crest yet, and he already felt like he was drowning in rewards.

—

Insight (Advanced Skill): Level 2 (1,015/5,000). Active. Mana Cost: 100. Allows the user to detect traps and invisibility within a ten-meter radius. Can observe basic stats of monsters up to 20 levels higher and players up to 5 levels higher. 30% chance to discover an opponent’s weakness. Success rate drops significantly against targets 30 levels higher.

One-Handed Mastery: Level 2 (28/8,000). Passive. Basic Temple Guardian skill. Increases attack power by 20% when wielding a one-handed weapon.

Shield Mastery: Level 2 (28/8,000). Passive. Basic Temple Guardian skill. Increases defense by 20% when using a shield.

—

’Impressive,’ Marcus thought. As expected of a Temple Guardian class, the growth was outstanding. Just one level translated into a solid ten percent increase to both offense and defense, a return that would make most players jealous.

—

Swift Blade (Advanced Skill): Level 2 (1,115/5,000). Passive. Increases Agility by 30, Attack Speed by 3, and Movement Speed by 3.

—

The Swift Blade skill was just as potent. It was not merely a pile of raw stats, but a genuinely practical combat enhancement that would shine in fast-paced, high-risk encounters.

“Haha.”

Marcus hummed an aimless, cheerful tune as he strolled back toward the eight Headless Cavalrymen who had just respawned. It was time to collect another round of “rewards.”

The ensuing fight was swift and unremarkable. Steel flashed, blows landed, and the coordinated assault dismantled the riders with the same ruthless efficiency as before. Their drops did not disappoint. Four Gold-tier items, six Blue-tier items, and two skill books scattered across the ground. One was for an Archer, the other for an Assassin, both Level 30. Marcus estimated they would sell for a tidy sum on the market.

Unfortunately, his five daily identification attempts were already spent. The four Gold-tier items would have to remain mysterious until the next day.

With the cavalry cleared, Marcus lingered for nearly an hour, carefully watching for signs of another respawn. Once he was confident that the grunts and riders were finished for good, he finally shifted his attention to the palace gates, where the lion-like beast still lay motionless on the steps.

He advanced to within ten meters. The lion remained fast asleep, utterly unfazed by the battles that had taken place nearby. Even so, Marcus refused to let his guard down. He stopped and activated his newly upgraded Insight.

—

Cloud-Tusk Lion

Level: ???

Health: ???

Skills: ???

Description:

Originally a Grade 8 pet belonging to the Wyvern Saint Knight, Lyanna, known as the “Cloud-Flame Lion.” It was left to guard the gates of the Mist Veil Palace. Five hundred years ago, it consumed an Iron-Tusk Beast. Influenced by the pure Negative mists of the palace, it suffered from prolonged indigestion, eventually mutating into the Cloud-Tusk Lion. It is far more powerful and aggressive than its original form.

—

Level 2 Insight provided significantly more information, but the lion’s concrete stats remained concealed. Judging by the gaps, it was likely a Mythic-tier creature and easily more than twenty levels above him.

Marcus grinned. A sleeping Mythic beast was the ideal target for grinding Insight. Successfully casting it on a high-level enemy granted massive experience, and opportunities like this were exceedingly rare.

Ding! “Sorry, Stonehaven. Your Insight failed.”

Ding! “Sorry, Stonehaven. Your Insight failed.”

’Damn it.’

He spent nearly an hour repeatedly casting the skill, but the endless failure notifications began to grate on his nerves. At one point, the lion shifted slightly in its sleep, and Marcus’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest. For a terrifying moment, he thought it was waking up.

’Enough,’ he decided. The success rate against a Mythic-tier monster was simply too low. If it woke while he was still standing there, it would not be a failed skill check. It would be his death. It was better to act while the beast was still dreaming.

He had already prepared contingency plans. Marcus signaled Pebble, ordering the guardian to lead his Nightmare Dragon Steed forward. True to its Divine reputation, the mount moved without a sound, its hooves barely disturbing the stone as it crept toward the sleeping lion.

“Phantom!”

Pebble activated his stealth skill and vanished from sight. The plan was straightforward. If Pebble could slip past the lion unseen, Marcus would follow, unlock the palace gates with the key, and enter without ever having to fight the monster.

ROAR!

CRACK! CRACK!

The plan fell apart instantly.

The moment Pebble’s mount set hoof on the first step, the Cloud-Tusk Lion’s eyes flew open. It released a deafening roar, and its red, whip-like tail stretched outward, lengthening unnaturally in a flash.

CRACK! The tail sliced through the air and struck Marcus’s position with explosive force, instantly shattering his invisibility.

CRACK! The second strike landed squarely on Pebble. Flames erupted on impact, and the Temple Guardian was torn apart, killed outright in a single blow.

’Holy hell…’

Marcus did not wait to see anything else. Still shaken and moving on pure instinct, he urged his Nightmare Dragon Steed into a full retreat, terrified that the beast would pursue him and end his life just as effortlessly.

Thankfully, after obliterating the guardian, the lion retracted its tail and remained where it was. It scanned the surroundings briefly, found no further intruders, and then lowered itself back onto the steps, slipping once more into slumber.

’That thing didn’t even stand up,’ Marcus thought, his heart still pounding. It had erased his Temple Guardian without moving from its spot. Lyanna truly had no intention of making this easy. A monster like that guarding the gate ensured that no ordinary Level 30 player could ever get through.

Once the lion was fully asleep again, Marcus cautiously returned to the stairs. He summoned a new Temple Guardian and prepared to execute Plan B.

He and Pebble positioned themselves on opposite sides of the lion, each maintaining a ten-meter distance. Every available speed-enhancing skill was activated. At Marcus’s signal, Pebble hurled his weapon in a Desperate Strike.

-900.

THUD!

Despite the skill’s five-times damage multiplier, the attack only dealt nine hundred damage. Marcus nearly gagged. If he had tried to fight this thing head-on, he would already be dead.

ROAR!

The Cloud-Tusk Lion sprang awake, rising to its feet as it scanned its surroundings. Its gaze locked instantly onto Pebble, who was already spamming Taunt.

Furious at having its sleep interrupted, the beast let out a thunderous bellow and charged, its massive body surging forward with shocking speed.

Pebble fled without hesitation. Fortunately, he was not riding an ordinary mount. The Nightmare Dragon Steed granted a twenty percent speed bonus, and combined with Pebble’s high Agility and layered buffs, it was just enough. The lion was fast, but not fast enough. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the distance between them began to grow as the chase drew farther from the palace gates.

Perfect. Keep going.

The moment Marcus saw the lion fully commit, he acted. He pulled out the Key to the Mist Veil Palace, kicked his own steed into motion, and charged straight toward the now unguarded gates.

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