As Stark looked forward, the mist around him began to shift.

The air grew heavier, and faint metallic echoes rang through the haze.

Then, three armored figures slowly emerged from the fog, their forms solidifying into shape.

---

[Mist Sentinel Trio (Level 50)]

[Rank: Legendary (Special Boss)]

[HP: 1,500,000 HP]

---

At first glance, the HP seemed unusually low for a legendary-level 50 boss.

But Stark knew better.

It wasn't one enemy, it was three.

In [Eternal Soul], most bosses fought alone or with normal monsters supporting them.

But sometimes, rare boss types appeared, those that came in pairs, trios or even more.

Each one counted as part of the same encounter.

Which meant each of these three sentinels had 1.5 million HP.

To clear the boss, Stark had to kill all three.

He smirked. "That's fine."

Each of the sentinels looked identical.

Their armor shimmered like condensed mist, and in their hands, they carried long silver blades that glowed faintly in the fog.

Their movements were synchronized, precise, and unnervingly fluid, as if they shared one mind.

When they charged, they did it together.

The ground shook as their armored boots struck in unison.

Stark didn't move.

Bind of Silk!

White silk shot out from his hands, splitting into three threads aimed at each of the sentinels.

But before the threads could tighten, the sentinels swung their blades, slicing through the bindings cleanly.

The coordination between them was perfect, one covering the other's blind spot, every step calculated.

'Figures,' Stark thought. 'Trio bosses always have this kind of synergy.'

Still, it didn't matter. He only needed to break that flow once.

If he managed to kill even one, the other two would lose their rhythm.

The three sentinels lunged forward, blades cutting through the mist with blinding speed.

Stark raised his staff, activating his [Unbreakable Magic Barrier].

The impact hit like thunder.

CLANG!

Two slashes connected, one from his left and one from behind.

The barrier held, but Stark felt the recoil as his feet slid backward through the mist.

He couldn't dodge from three sides at once.

But he didn't need to.

He stepped back, planting his staff into the ground.

"Let's see how you handle this."

Blazing Meteor! Sharp Crystals of Death!

The sky above them ignited, and a burning meteor tore through the mist.

Teh crystals followed afterward, streaking like bright shards of destruction.

The sentinels looked up and tried to block the meteor with their blades, but the force behind the spell was overwhelming.

BOOM!

A fiery explosion tore the mist apart.

-1,578,720! -1,578,720! -1,578,720!

The ground trembled.

When the smoke cleared, all three sentinels were gone, erased in an instant.

"Damn…" Stark grinned, lowering his staff.

It was the first time he had seen [Blazing Meteor]'s full power since equipping the [Demonic Wyvern Scales Robe].

The increase in spirit from both the robe and his [Demon Horns] was insane.

The meteor had wiped out three level 50 legendary bosses in one cast.

The extra crystals he'd fired simply dispersed into nothing, their targets already dead.

Ding!

---

[You have killed "Mist Sentinel Trio (Level 50 Special Boss)"]

[You have gained 300,000 experience points.]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 50!]

[You have gained 5 points in all attributes and 5 free points to distribute.]

[You have gained 17 Evolution Points!]

[You have gained 219 Lives!]

---

Hand of Avarice!

[You have gained 32 Evolution Points!]

[You have gained 410 Lives!]

Stark's smile widened.

'Perfect.'

He had reached the cap, level 50, right after defeating a special boss.

He walked forward, gathering the loot left behind.

Three identical swords shimmered on the ground: [Mist Sentinel Sword (Legendary)].

He picked them up and tossed them into his inventory. It was almost full now.

'Guess I'll need a better backpack soon.'

Once he reached the next major city, he planned to trade or buy something stronger.

Dropping items from monsters was nice, but buying from specialized shops was faster once he had the lives.

As he was sorting through his inventory...

Ding!

A global announcement rang in the ears of every player.

---

[Congratulations to player "Oblivion" for being the first player in the world to reach Level 50!]

[You have gained 15 Prestige Points!]

---

"What the hell?"

"Already?!"

"Holy shit, but the second in the leaderboard is only at level 40!"

"Ten level difference, how?!"

Other players were confused and shocked, and it wasn't unexpected.

Even Stark was slightly surprised by his fast growth, even though he had done it all by himself.

Still, he moved on quickly as more panels appeared.

Ding!

---

[Congratulations, you have reached Level 50.]

[Your experience will now be locked until you complete your advancement task.]

[Depending on your task rating, your class may evolve in different ways.]

---

This was it, the Tier-3 Advancement Task.

Unlike the first two advancement missions, which were the same for everyone, starting from level 50, advancement tasks became personal.

They adapted to each player and where they were.

For some, it meant finding an item.

For others, clearing a zone or defeating a boss.

And for players at the top like Stark, it meant the hardest possible specialized challenges.

Ding!

[You will receive the hardest Tier-3 Advancement Task possible at your level.]

"Hah." Stark couldn't help but grin. "Of course."

[Eternal Soul] loved testing limits.

It always tried to crush those who climbed too high, to remind them that there was always something stronger waiting.

But that didn't scare him. He welcomed it.

Ding!

[Tier-3 Advancement Task: Clear the "Blood Mist" zone by defeating its boss, "Kaiser, The Spirit Devourer."]

The name froze him for a moment.

Then his eyes narrowed. The [Blood Mist] zone.

The most dangerous part of the [Land of Mist].

And the name of the boss, "Kaiser, The Spirit Devourer", confirmed it.

It was the same bloodline boss Stark had been planning to find.

So the system wanted him to face it now.

'Heh.' He smirked. 'I guess it wasn't lying about being the hardest.'

In his past life, nobody had ever managed to defeat Kaiser.

Countless players had tried, drawn by the promise of the [Spirit Devourer] bloodline, only to be wiped out again and again.

This task would have been a death sentence for anyone else.

But Stark wasn't anyone else. And he wasn't planning to die.

He dismissed the floating panels and exhaled, letting the mist settle around him once more.

Silence filled the area. The only sound was the faint whisper of the wind.

Then he smiled.

'Alright.'

[Level: 50 (Locked)]

His level bar had frozen, just like at level 25.

No matter how many monsters he killed, his experience wouldn't move.

Advancement tasks were designed that way, to force players to face new trials before progressing further.

Experience wouldn't even accumulate.

Every bit of progress was blocked until the task was complete.

So, most players rushed to clear it as quickly as possible.

But Stark wasn't "most players."

He wanted a perfect completion rating.

Because the higher the rating, the stronger the class evolution. It would be the same this time.

He adjusted his grip on the staff and opened his inventory once more.

Two items he'd been holding onto were now finally usable.

[Elemental Spears (Skill Book)] and [Mist Repellant Ring (Mythical)]

He'd kept both sealed in his inventory until he reached the required level.

"Finally."

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