Absolute Craft-Chapter 72: Level 15 (5)

Chapter 72: Level 15 (5)

How many times was Blake’s guild crushed during dungeon runs?

How many times did he die because of his teammates’ mistakes?

How many times did he slip up himself?

Despite reaction times on par with top beta testers and near-godlike calculation skills, Blake still made errors that led to his guild’s downfall. Back then, the weight of leadership forced him to keep everyone’s morale high while he quietly shouldered the sting of defeat.

That role shaped his fiercely competitive mindset, driving him forward as long as there was even a one-percent chance of victory. Yet it also taught him an essential dose of humility.

The current Blake drew plenty of inspiration from his past self but cared more about his companions, which helped him solve their challenges more effectively. Beatrix and Sol were ready to grow stronger, adapt to the Stone Troll General’s blizzard, and ultimately defeat it. Beatrix already knew the training she needed, while Sol—still just a little one—required guidance. His eyes shone with determination as he gazed up at Blake.

Blake nodded. "Very well, Sol. The problem is that your warmth triggered the chain reaction that destroyed my equipment and your dragon husk."

Reflecting on it, Blake knew part of the blame rested on him for crafting a flimsy husk that let Sol fail. But admitting that would only coddle Sol and hold him back from learning. Besides, if Kyria ever found out, he’d probably kick Blake to death.

Having learned not to spoil Sol, Blake smiled. "I’ll make you a new dragon husk. In the meantime, try to limit your sunshine—or better yet, learn how to stop it."

It sounded impossible. Sol was the sole Sun Elemental in existence, constantly radiating warmth, so Blake’s request seemed absurd. Yet Sol rolled around in the death room, whimpering, clearly determined to attempt the impossible.

Nevertheless, Blake believed it would serve as good training. He planned to craft a thicker dragon husk that would seal Sol’s heat inside. If Sol could merge with it and contain his warmth, he could counter the troll’s hidden mechanic and release damage when it least expected.

It was a solid plan.

While Blake guided Sol’s progress, he also had his own goals. First, he needed to roam the forest for stronger foes and reach level fifteen. Next, he would forge new gear tailored to dominating the 11th Lost King’s icy creation.

After that devastating defeat, his team briefly split up for solo training—a rarity for their tight-knit group. Usually, the three operated in sync, but this time they went their separate ways to strengthen themselves individually.

Sol received a new dragon husk. His eyes sparkled like stars, and a broad grin broke across his face at the sight of it. The thicker build made the husk bigger overall, with a wider, sharper jaw. It had no eye sockets, forcing Sol to connect with it the same way other stone creatures did—to keep out the cold and lock his flames inside.

He could still open his jaws to breathe fire, but doing so in the Stone Troll General’s chamber might be risky. Still, the little one was thrilled with his upgraded dragon form.

Meanwhile, Beatrix climbed alone to the mountain’s summit, where the winds blew faster and harsher, reducing visibility—or even basic awareness—to nearly zero, much like in the troll’s chamber. Her initial goal was to perceive any objects using only her heightened instincts, then shoot them down. The brutal winds, along with swirling snow and ice, made this a nearly impossible feat. Yet Beatrix vowed to reclaim her "sixth sense" as fast as she could.

She had once been a high-level existence before becoming Blake’s familiar. She needed to train to regain what was rightfully hers instead of waiting for her levels to rise in the tutorial zone. The level cap only complicated matters.

With fierce winds threatening to tear out her hair, Beatrix stood as unmovable as a boulder.

Her training began.

Far away, on the opposite side of the white forest, Blake sprinted onward. Even without Sol perched on his head, the snow posed no real obstacle. He forged ahead, swiftly decapitating any lynxes that crossed his path.

He was aiming for level fifteen. Soon enough, he encountered an epic lynx—the area’s boss—a level fifteen beast far bigger than any lynx he’d encountered before, flanked by ten companions only slightly weaker. In his damaged gear, Blake brandished his katana and dared them to attack.

His stats were significantly reduced by his shattered equipment, but his skill and experience compensated for that. In a flurry of lethal blows, he decimated the lynx boss and its pack, confident in each strike. Within minutes, their carcasses lay in the snow, blood spreading around them.

But that still wasn’t enough.

The One Horned Demon’s slaughter continued until nightfall, his katana dripping blood beneath the moonlight. It had been a long while since he’d fought driven purely by the thirst for battle, pressing on with minimal breaks—just enough to refill his stamina bar. That had once been common for him, but now his priorities and experiences were different. Still, after reverting to his old ways, Blake achieved his goal!

He paused, watching system messages flash before him:

<You have leveled up!>

<You have reached level fifteen!>

<You can allot five basic stats!>

<You have reached the level cap of the tutorial zones>

<You have obtained two new skills, each from The Spiritual Blacksmith and The Limitless Enchanter—The Lost Kingdom’s Blacksmithing Heritage (Legendary), The Enchanting Clock (Legendary)>

Under the full moon, Blake smiled.

Legendary titles were indeed the best, evolving with their wielders. If Ashen World Online had "classes," he’d typically rely on NPCs or special triggers upon reaching certain levels to gain new skills and bonuses.

That was exactly why Blake preferred this system over more restrictive ones.

Feeling triumphant after hours in the white forest, Blake opened the game system and his skill catalog to inspect his new rewards.

With each word in their description, his smile grew wider.