Damn, I Awakened With A Horror System!

[ Tempering Stone (Low); A mysterious stone formed with the blood essence of countless high beings. It has the basic ability to temper the overall aspect of one's body and also could slightly strengthen one's foundation. ]

"Tempering stone?"

Seeing the new reward of the system, Leo didn't hesitate at all before putting all of his free attribute points toward his strength...

Instantly increasing it by 12 points, causing his physique to strengthen slightly and making the pressure pressing toward his being slightly bearable.

Although not much, it decreased by 5%!

After that, he directly sat toward the ground, calming his anticipation as he directly took out a rough glowing stone within his inventory.

Just grasping the rough stone in his hand, Leo could already feel the vast energy it contained, causing his anticipation to turn into excitement.

After admiring the tempering stone for a while, Leo finally couldn't control himself as he directly placed the stone toward his mouth... Swallowing it in the next second as the sensation of its rough edges brushing his esophagus couldn't help but appear on his mind.

Gulped-

In an instant, after the tempering stone entered his stomach, warm energy, containing a vast amount of life force, surged toward his hunched body—coursing throughout his physique before entering every fiver of his muscles, tempering it with a hastened speed!

The sensation of pain that was akin to being stabbed by countless needles within his innards, followed by the comfortable sensation of warmth, filled Leo's mind...

Making his face twist in agony, yet his lips couldn't help but release a groan of blissfulness.

If anyone could see Leo's current expression, they would surely deem him a crazy pervert... A somewhat handsome on top of that.

Soon, after it finished tempering Leo's muscles, the lingering energy then began to cleanse Leo's innards and bones, slightly turning them to crystallize, expelling a small amount of their impurities before its energy finally vanished.

Huff~

"Unfortunately, it finished too quickly... I wonder if the effects of the High Tempering Stone would be much more comfortable compared to the low one."

Ding!

+25 strength.

Lamenting on how the tempering time seemed too short, Leo glanced at the notification that suddenly appeared in front of him with a smile.

Although the increase in strength wasn't as exaggerated as he had initially thought, it was already comparable to the attribute points that he could gain upon advancing by a single level!
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Moreover, he could also sense that the durability of his physique seemed to increase by a small amount, almost reaching the durability of epic materials!

"I hope the durability of my body is enough to allow me to step inside that pavilion."

Taking a deep breath, standing as he couldn't help but glance toward his back, toward the still enraged beasts behind... Leo shot a provocative smile toward them before continuing forward.

Not aware that one of the beasts, which should be submerged toward the wet ground, was already gone without them noticing.

...

At the same time... when Leo was slowly moving forward under the heavy pressure of the rotting pavilion.

Within a place filled with dark congealed miasma, where rotting corpses of countless beasts could be seen scattered around the small area, a towering tree, filled with rules of decay and death, could be seen standing aloft under the threatening stalactites above.

Its thick yet old branches that were akin to withered skin and its countless dark leaves, which were highly similar to the skinless fist of a child, oozed with uncontrollable desire—ominously swaying within the atmosphere even though there was no wind.

Under their branches, several hanging eyes as big as a tennis ball, connected to the tree by a thin umbilical cord, could be seen eying the countless corpses on the ground with curiosity.

One of them even started at the unmoving skeleton nearby with pure confusion.

The skeleton's body, which glinted with silver light, really caught its attention...

Although the eyes had already seen a number of bone corpses in its time growing in the tree, this was its first time seeing a skeleton that lacked impurities, making it extremely curious about its origin.

Furthermore, it could sense a strange aura circulating within the skeleton's metallic bone, as if it were alive but at the same time not.

Unfortunately, the skeleton lacked flesh and blood, which are necessary for its growth, causing its interest toward the skeleton to drop drastically after a while.

Clank- (Just a single fruit... I need to find an opportunity to steal a single fruit!)

With ghastly fire burning within its eye socket, Skeleton #2 couldn't help but glance toward the countless eyes (spiritual fruits) above; his being breathed heavily as he forcefully tried to calm down his greed.

It could be said that days ago, after following the command of its master, Skeleton #2 tracked the suspected beasts that killed his master's mortal puppets toward the depths of the forbidden cave...

Only to be led toward this hellish place and be forced to enter this horrifying pavilion upon being ganged up by the core formation realm beasts outside.

If not for the pressure of the pavilion that only targeted the flesh of the beings near it, which he clearly lacked, Skeleton #2 wouldn't even survive upon approaching the pavilion.

Clank- (And this monstrous spiritual plant! If the master sees this one, he would probably drool in happiness. This should be enough to extinguish the sadness within his heart!)

Clank- (Unfortunately, I don't know if Master could subdue this tree beast.)

Gazing at the thin, countless wrinkled roots connecting to the rotting corpses around him. Sensing the corpse's thick death energy being slowly consumed by the roots before transporting it toward the towering tree in the center of the clearing...

Skeleton #2 couldn't help but sense a deep fear within his being, thankful that he was born without flesh and blood, or else he would be now lying on the wet ground motionlessly, eyes wide open while being pierced by countless roots—being used as a fertilizer before turning into thin bones that would eventually float within this place... forever.

Clank- (I wonder if Master was looking for me right now.)