MMORPG: Birth of the World's Luckiest Player-Chapter 119: The Wild Steed Leader

Finding Star Lake now was purely a matter of luck.

Marcus sighed quietly to himself as he folded away Silas the Wanderer’s map. There was no clear path forward anymore, only patience and persistence. He summoned his Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, drew his Skeleton Blade, and without hesitation charged straight into the herd of Level 30 Wild Steeds.

Since he was already here, he would continue circling the area, hoping that fortune might smile on him and allow him to stumble upon Star Lake. At the same time, he would search the herds of Level 30 Wild Steeds for a suitable mount, or perhaps even encounter the leader of the herd. After traveling all this way to catch a horse, returning empty-handed was not an option. At the very least, these monsters provided decent experience, allowing him to grow stronger while he searched.

Facing the trash-tier Level 30 Wild Steeds, Marcus vented all the frustration he had built up during his earlier encounters with the Zephyr Steeds. His rapid attack speed, crushing Critical Hits, and solid defensive stats made the fight completely one-sided. The Wild Steeds fell easily, turning into nothing more than walking bundles of experience points.

Previously, his Shadow-Stained Gryphon King had struggled to deal meaningful damage to the Level 45 Zephyr Steeds, the level gap being far too large. Against the Level 30 Wild Steeds, however, the difference was immediately apparent. The Gryphon’s area-of-effect magic tore through the herd with terrifying efficiency.

With a powerful flap of its wings, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King soared above the galloping herd. The moment its Small Storm skill activated, a piercing howl echoed through the air. Violent winds swept across the land like a raging hurricane, and under that relentless assault, the Wild Steeds collapsed one after another, dying in large numbers.

Watching this scene, Marcus felt a surge of confidence. He was certain that once the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King reached Level 30 and eliminated the level difference, it would have no trouble dealing with the Zephyr Steeds at all. As expected of a Level 9 pet, its innate potential was extraordinary, an ability that even Marcus could not help but envy.

A familiar system notification soon rang out.

"Ding! Congratulations, Stonehaven. Your pet, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, has leveled up. Current level, 20. Health increased by 100. Magic increased by 100. Attack increased by 80. Defense increased by 80."

Another notification followed immediately.

"Ding! Congratulations, Stonehaven. Your pet, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, has learned the skill Dark Thunder Flash and the skill Storm Absorption."

Dark Thunder Flash: Active attack skill, single target. Summons a dark celestial thunderbolt from the sky to strike the enemy, dealing 150 Dark-element damage and 150 Lightning-element damage, with a 20 percent chance to inflict Paralysis and a 20 percent chance to inflict Blindness.

Storm Absorption: Passive skill, basic. Absorbs 20 percent of Wind-element damage.

Hunting monsters above his level meant the experience gain was rapid. In just over five hours of steady grinding, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King had reached Level 20 and acquired two powerful new skills, greatly increasing its combat strength. When the Gryphon leveled up, Marcus noticed something unusual. Its body became wrapped in a layer of black radiance, and in the next moment, it visibly grew larger.

Now at Level 20, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King hovered calmly in the air, its black wings beating at a slow, confident rhythm. Its body had grown to nearly half the size of a bull, and its wingspan stretched over two meters wide, making it look both imposing and majestic. The presence of a true dark king was beginning to take shape.

Marcus could not help but feel pleased. Beyond the obvious boost in strength and appearance, he was especially happy about the Gryphon’s increased size. If this growth continued, it would certainly be large enough for him to ride by the time it reached Level 40.

Joy filled his chest.

Yet that happiness faded slightly when he checked his own experience bar. After five full hours of hard work, killing monsters higher than his level, his experience had increased by only ten percent.

Every ten levels marked a major hurdle. Level 9 to 10, 19 to 20, 29 to 30, each one demanded an enormous amount of experience. The earlier thresholds had not felt as punishing, but now that his level was higher, the gap was impossible to ignore.

Marcus let out a quiet sigh. Reaching Level 30 was clearly going to be a long and difficult process.

Still, there was nothing else to be done.

By the time Marcus logged out of the game, it was already past midnight.

Lily and his sister, Amber, both had classes the next day and were fast asleep. Marcus took a quick shower, dried himself, then quietly slipped into bed. Careful not to wake her, he gently wrapped his arms around Lily’s slender waist and pulled her closer into his chest.

"Marcus? You coming to sleep?"

Despite his caution, Lily still woke up.

Her eyes were half-open with sleep as she realized he was holding her. The familiar scent of the man she loved filled her senses, and without thinking, she leaned closer, seeking his breath. Her body instinctively arched as she pressed against his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin and the strength beneath it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself even closer.

"Yes, sweetheart," Marcus whispered softly. "Go back to sleep."

Looking at Lily’s delicate features and her gentle, almost angelic expression, Marcus felt a deep mix of love, pride, and a quiet possessiveness. Even so, he restrained himself. Seeing how sleepy she was, he did not want to disturb her rest. He settled for a soft kiss on her flawless cheek, savoring the feel of her against him and her subtle, captivating scent. It was its own kind of bliss.

"Mmm."

Lily mumbled in reply, giving him a sleepy, gentle kiss on the lips. She melted against him, comforted by the presence of the man she loved, and was asleep again in moments.

Marcus held her a little tighter, his hand resting on the curve of her waist, their legs tangled together. He let the peace of it pull him down into a deep, shared sleep.

---

The next morning, Lily and Marcus woke together. What followed was inevitable: a slow, quiet time of murmured words, soft kisses, and lazy, playful intimacy. Marcus took full advantage, stealing kisses and savoring the moment, until a sharp knock at the door broke the spell.

"Lily! We’re going to be late!" Amber’s voice was a dose of cold reality.

Only then did Lily manage to wriggle free from his embrace.

"You’re terrible," she whispered, though her smile betrayed her.

Amber knew exactly why Lily was running late. She shot Marcus a look that could curdle milk as Lily hurried to get ready.

"Don’t even start," Amber warned him.

He just held up his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. Arguing with Amber was a rookie move. She’d leap on him, wrestle him to the ground, and twist his ear until he apologized. And with Lily in the room, he couldn’t exactly roughhouse with his sister like they used to.

After breakfast, Marcus walked Lily and Amber to Crestwood University. Once they headed to their classes, he went for a short run to clear his head. Half an hour later, he returned home, logged back into the game, summoned his Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, and resumed hunting Wild Steeds, continuing the long grind toward his next level.

He and the Gryphon had not been killing for long when a sharp, high-pitched neigh suddenly echoed across the Atlan Plains. The sound was loud and piercing, carrying far through the morning air. The surrounding Level 30 Wild Steeds immediately became restless, jumping and stamping as if responding to a call. Moments later, the entire herd began to whinny, the noise rolling across the plains in waves.

’Something’s up.’

Marcus followed the direction of the first, powerful neigh. At the center of the herd stood a tall, red horse, calm and unhurried. Its posture was proud, its movements graceful. Its crimson coat gleamed brightly under the light, as though it carried a faint red glow, making it impossible to overlook among the other Wild Steeds.

"Is that the herd leader?" Marcus muttered to himself. "Or the king?"

Keeping his movements slow and deliberate, he began advancing toward the majestic red horse that stood like a sovereign among the herd.