Overgeared: Saharan Successor

Chapter 37: A Dragon's Lair?

Calming down the situation with the villagers, Odin returned to his tinkering, slowly adding stats toward his Primary Stats with an almost scientific approach. 

Why this caution? That was because he was exploring the 'fabled' Golden Ratio that only a couple of lunatics stumbled upon.

'One by one, no rush pressing the add-button. Since I'm using the Lycanthrope Set for another 10-15 levels, until I shift into my second set, I'll have to adjust them accordingly.'

'And…'

'Done. Strength and Agility have reached an equal level.'

'Hmm?'

[Status Window]

[Name: Odin / Class: Saharan Successor]

[Level: 92 (69,650/213,850) / Title: One who Became a Legend, Sovereign of Red Energy, Black Knight, Knight Slayer, Battle-Tested Soldier]

--

--

'Something should have been triggered according to the rumors. Have I messed up the allocation of stats by taking into consideration the Bonuses from Lycanthrope Set?'

'Bingo! This was the jackpot I was fishing for.'

[❗]

[ A Hidden Piece has been unlocked by the User. You have unlocked a Golden Ratio between your Primary Stats.]

'I should give thanks to Lucas for his extensive research into this Golden Ratio system. If it wasn't for the hard work he put in power leveling so many newbies to 50, this power would all be obscure to us plebs.'

'The bonuses are also great without a doubt. My critical chance if I activate my Buffs should have reached past 50%.' 

'Amazing, but knowing how garbage my luck could be at times, that 50% crit chance would be actually 10-15% at most. Let's finish sorting out the rest of the stats now that I figured out the formula for the Golden Ratio.

'Hehe, I'm sure Fibonacci would be proud of me and Lucas.'

~Huhu. From where he was standing, Purphoros could hear Odin chuckle in a twisted manner. Hearing him turn so deranged, he wanted to check if his Boss was okay. Did he need to take a smoke break or something?

"I'm creating a monster, " murmured Odin, who had Purphoros get all goosebumps around him instead.

Then, feeling that someone was watching him, Odin looked aside from the System Window Interface and saw the Guardian Knight. With his collected crimson eyes, he gazed deep at the hulk youngster.

"Wanna see something?" Odin asked, his voice calm yet with a weight that made it impossible to ignore.

Purphoros blinked in confusion, looking around before awkwardly pointing at himself. "Pardon? You're talking to me?"

Odin's crimson eyes locked onto him with a steady, collected gaze. "Yeah, come here."

There was no room for hesitation in Odin's tone, and Purphoros, though uncertain, obeyed. He wasn't sure what Odin wanted, and a thousand scenarios ran through his head, had he messed something up? Was Odin angry? Was this about his earlier mistakes when he wanted to show his admiration to him?

"Did I... fuck up anything, Guildmaster?" Purphoros asked cautiously, his large frame tensing up as he approached.

Odin's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Just come here, kid."

Purphoros got all nervous because he was unsure what Odin wanted from him. He took timid steps toward him, but when he got by the side of the tall man wearing his black leather armor with wolf characteristics, he flinched when Odin turned his hand in a twisting motion.

Before he knew it, Odin's Status Window was pulled up before his eyes. At first, Purphoros was puzzled. Why was Odin showing him such personal, sensitive information? No one shared their stats openly. 

But as his eyes began scanning the numbers, his confusion was quickly replaced with pure disbelief.

"What the...?" Purphoros muttered, leaning closer to the window. His mouth hung open as he struggled to process the insane figures.

"Seriously? What the fuck is this? Are we even playing the same game?"

[Name : Odin / Class :Saharan Successor]

[Level : 92 (69,650/213,850) / Title :One who Became a Legend, Sovereign of Red Energy, Black Knight, Knight Slayer, Battle-Tested Soldier]

---

[Health: 11,064/11,064 | Mana: 4,592/4,592]

-----------------------------------

[Strength: 990 | Stamina: 512 | Agility: 990 | Intelligence: 859

Composure: 110 | Charm: 125 | Dignity:155 | Insight: 200

Persistence: 155 | Indomitable: 186 | Diplomacy: 35 | Political Power: 35

Persuasion: 105 | Willpower: 12 | Red Energy: 5 ]

-----------------------------------

Available Stat Points: 1053 = 0

.

Weight: 12,540/21,940

* If the weight limit exceeds 200%, movement speed is reduced by 100%.

The body will be heavy and incapable of exerting any power properly.

The probability of receiving the 'weakened' state will become really high.

★ Stats with the golden ratio will give the User a greater boost to their power based on their synergy. While Strength and Agility are in a golden ratio, the user's physical damage will increase by 20%, attack speed will increase by 15%. critical chance hit will increase by 10%, and the evasion rate will increase by 5%.

--

He couldn't help but gawk at Odin's titles and monstrous stats, especially the final feature that appeared in Odin's window, the golden ratio. 

Purphoros glanced at Odin in awe. "Guildmaster... what... how?"

Odin smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Looking good, right?"

Purphoros nodded dumbly, still trying to wrap his head around it. "This is insane. How can someone even have these stats? You're a freaking monster. No wonder you can defeat Boss Monsters solo. You're one of them yourself."

Odin's eyes glinted with a hint of amusement. "Keep it between the two of us, okay?" he said with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Don't want the whole guild thinking they'll hit this level anytime soon."

Purphoros laughed nervously, nodding quickly. "O-Of course, Guildmaster. I won't tell a soul. This... this is something else."

Odin closed the Status Window with a flick of his hand, and the image of his stats faded, replaced by his face, calm and composed. "Good. Now, back to watching over the villagers."

Purphoros nodded, not daring to voice any frustration over this task, departing as he swallowed hard. While he walked toward the villagers and Elyse, he could only tighten his grip over his fists, feeling a new sense of awe and inspiration that he could become like Odin if he continued to work hard.

It was no mistake in his mind. Odin showed him his Status Window because he wanted to embolden him to work harder.

Elyse, leaning against her staff with casual grace, watched over the villagers in a bored fashion while on another window. She was watching the replay of Odin's fight against the Hobgoblin Champion. 

She couldn't help but notice the sudden shift in his behavior. She raised an eyebrow as Purphoros approached. 

Her usually tired expression was now filled with curiosity and amusement as she watched him practically radiate confidence.

"What's got you all hyped up, Purphoros?" Elyse asked, crossing her arms with a teasing grin. "Did Odin slip you some candy or something?"

Purphoros blinked, pulled from his thoughts by her comment. He quickly schooled his features, trying to act normal, though the adrenaline still coursed through him. He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.

"Ha, no. Just… well, you know," he said, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the excitement in his voice. "Maybe I'm just finally getting into the rhythm of things. Can't let the villagers see me looking all nervous, right?"

Elyse smirked, her amber eyes gleaming with amusement as she leaned forward slightly. "Uh-huh. Sure. You're all 'rhythm of things' now after a quick chat with Odin? Please. You look like you just saw a god."

'You're not wrong. I just saw a God.'

Purphoros' grin faltered slightly as he remembered the sheer scale of Odin's power. 

If anything, her teasing was closer to the truth than she realized. But he wasn't about to share that little secret. Odin had shown him his stats for a reason, and he wasn't about to betray that trust.

"Just focus on the villagers, will you?" he retorted, "Not everything needs to be about what Odin's doing."

Elyse laughed, clearly not buying his deflection, but she didn't press further. "Alright, alright. Keep your secrets."

"But don't think I didn't notice the way you're looking at him now. You're basically glowing, Purphoros. It's adorable."

Purphoros rolled his eyes, though he couldn't entirely shake the grin from his face. "I remember that someone wanted to be ravaged by a Werewolf… Maybe, you're just mad because Odin didn't give you a pep talk. Well, do well in the next Raid, and you'll get one next time."

Elyse scoffed playfully, then turned her attention back to the villagers. "I'll hold you to that. But seriously, stop freaking them out with that wild energy. We don't need them thinking we're all crazy."

As Purphoros walked past her, trying to suppress the bubbling excitement, he had no idea that his little secret wasn't as exclusive as he thought.

Meanwhile, Odin, proud of what he managed to cook, couldn't help himself. Regardless of how collected and calm he was, share a quick screenshot of his Status Window to the inner group chat.

It felt like a proud father showing off his child.

The inner circle of the Leviathan Guild, the Aesirs, were known for being Elites among Elites, la Crème de la crème, but also for having a very active and often chaotic sense of humor from the thousands of hours they usually spent inside Satisfy World, having their sense of time with the Real World warped for the worse. 

For these hardcore players who spent 16 hours daily inside Satisfy on average, this Fantasy World was their own reality, an escape from the monotonous life they had in the past.

As soon as the image dropped, the messages started flying.

⤷ Ellyssaria: Wow. Excuse my language, boys, but… God damn. Odin's on that "Saharan Successor" grind. Huh? What's that? 

⤷ Demacia: Yo, what even are those stats, man? You're practically a raid boss yourself at this point.

⤷ Rogue: Legend has it that if you fight Odin in his evolved form, you're actually fighting the entire skill tree of every boss he's ever killed.

⤷ LaunchBox : Bet his Agility is higher than most Rogues that have reached level 150 in stats. My main fear is that he'll even overtake me, Nathaly, and Malakai who main the Rogue Class. RIP to the rest of us mortals.

⤷ Ellyssaria: There's a Golden Ratio? 

⤷ Ellyssaria: So that fuck Lucas wasn't eating shit on the Forums and his SkyNet vids about the 'evolutionary' discovery that would break Satisfy World… Is this only for the melee who use STR and AGY?

⤷ Xoroth: Strength and Agility in a golden ratio? Man, I think I can pull it off. So, I have to align them perfectly to gain that buff?

⤷ Ara: Why even bother with the rest of us caster class scrubs?

⤷ Veradin: Let's just be real, Ara, there should also be an Golden Ratio for INT, maybe INT with STA or AGY. 

⤷ Ara: Hah? Are you hearing yourself Skellyboy? Investing in STA or AGY is just soiling your build. 

⤷ Veradin: I mean, as a Necromancer, I need some Stamina for survivability. Maybe for you as a Storm Mage Agility works for the Critical Hit Chance.

⤷ Kebab4Life: Move your bitchering to another chat Mana scrubs. This one is for celebrating a great discovery.

⤷ Ara: Shut the fuck up, Muhamad. You're also using INT for the Magic Spearman Class, you're not gaining much from STR and AGY.

⤷ Veradin: All for the Caster members should come up with theories about our Golden Ration. In rest, Odin's probably solo'd more raid bosses than we've ever seen in this game with his Legendary Class.

⤷ Baldur: Heh, you made great use of Soulrend. Make sure to send all the Enhancement Stones you farmed or I should charge you extra for those weapon repairs, Odin. Tsk, you're basically a one-man army now. I also want to get my hands on the fabled Pagma Successor Class.

⤷ Demacia: Keep dreaming, bud. Why not settle inside Talima? You wasted plenty of money on buying Rothschilds to tell you where Talima is located.

⤷ Baldur: Fuck them, they are so stingy with their techniques and skill acquisition. Even building up favorability with them is a pain. Pagmir is also suffering here like a bitch. He barely makes any Epic items. Oh, and worse? There's said to be a damned Fire Dragon at the basin of this Mountain.

⤷ Baldur: Pagma Successor is the Legendary Class for Blacksmiths. Of course, I want one, too, after seeing how broken Mathias became in only a couple of days.

⤷ LaunchBox: Odin leveled so fast because Eve gave him a bus ride. He also got full BiS out, and really, you can't expect much from the lower-level mobs. Their attack patterns and mechanics are mid at best.

⤷ Natasha: Leave it to Odin to flex like that while we're over here grinding like peasants.

⤷ Kebab4Life: Nerf incoming, I bet 1.000 gold that S.A Group puts a patch that nerfs Odin.

⤷ Demacia: Pff, wishful thinking, dude. They are sitting ducks and just watch as the game plays. Odin explained the process to me after he went to Seoul to chat with Lim Cheolho about our endeavors with gold-selling, gear selling, and the rest of the good services.

⤷ Kebab4Life: Is that so? I thought they would at least break this 'Policy' of not interfering with the game world.

⤷ Demacia: Nah, man, we can literally burn this place to ash, and they wouldn't act. 

⤷ Veradin: That would be dumb. You'll actually risk getting killed IRL by a mob of people for doing a Game Over inside an Open World Game.

The chat continued to fill with jokes and banter, some impressed, others mocking Odin's power's sheer absurdity.

⤷ Odin: Glad you're all amused, but don't get too comfy. I expect all of you to step it up since the Naga Raid wasn't postponed as far as I'm aware. It's scheduled on Saturday of 8th March. 

⤷ Natasha: Of course, we'll make sure to carry you, Odin, now that you're a low-level scrub.

⤷ Odin: Hoho, that's a good one, Natty. So you know, if you're performing like shit in the Raid, I got a backup prepared to take your spot in the future.

⤷ Natasha: Aha. You think I want to play Tank? That's a guy's job to Tank and eat blows, not for a pure and beautiful young lady like me.

⤷ Demacia: I can smell the misogynism in the air. BOOOO

⤷ HairyLegs: BOOO, get out from here! I also want to be treated like a Prince, so I'll make sure not to lift my spear in the fight. It's my Weak Guy Phase.

The guild chat for the Aesir was always filled with nonsensical talk of bored mid-20s to 30s adults. Odin just laughed inwardly, moving to respond to some DMs from the Aesirs who were following the Melee path, asking for his experience with the Golden Ratio.

As he explained his process of triggering this hidden piece, he received a message from Malfurion, who was exploring the cave's deeper crevices.

⤷ Malfurion: Boss, I managed to cleanse the spring. It took my 2nd objective to 50%. However… I also think I stumbled upon another hidden piece that might interest you.

⤷ Odin: What could that be?

⤷ Malfurion: Hard to explain, but I think it is a Labyrinth entrance.

Odin sat up straight, his focus sharpening when he heard about a possible hidden piece that any player didn't explore.

A labyrinth was no small discovery. It meant a vast, dangerous area filled with puzzles, traps, and possibly some of the most powerful monsters or bosses in the region. At the end of those Labyrinths, there were also great treasures to reward the sacrifices made to reach them.

He could now understand why Shunks the Explorer was so excited, like a pig sniffing out truffles about unexplored hidden pieces.

⤷ Odin: A labyrinth, huh? Any signs of what kind? Ruins, markings, anything?

He waited as Malfurion's typing indicator blinked. The Druid was meticulous and detail-oriented, which Odin appreciated. 

If Malfurion was taking his time, it meant he was being thorough, as always.

⤷ Malfurion: Yeah. I found some ancient stone carvings near the entrance. They look similar to the ones you and the Aesir found, the Temple of Rekam. Some of them are too worn to make out, but they give off the same magical aura, like something's sealed inside. 

⤷ Malfurion: I didn't go in too deep because I fear I might be wiped by a Boss monster. 

Odin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He could vividly remember what Malfurion was referring, it was one of the handful of Dungeons the Leviathan Guild couldn't raid because of the Boss being level 300, they could only postpone the idea of raiding it. 

Even now the image of that magically enhanced Golem with insane Earth and Lighting Magic had him reeling. 

Maybe in the near future, the Leviathan Guild would defeat that Boss monster, but for sure, it wasn't Odin's top priority. 

⤷ Odin: You made the right call. Don't risk going further until I'm there. I'll be on my way.

--

Back in time, with around 30-45 minutes since dispelling the last villager from the Hex Witch illusion spell that placed them into a continuous nightmare, he proceeded with his own quest that required him to cleanse the corruption over the Fullbaz Marquisate. 

Malfurion's leather boots crunched softly against the jagged rocks as he made his way deeper into the cavern. 

His staff, an ancient gnarled branch entwined with ivy and glowing faintly with natural energy, served as both a guiding light. 

The deeper he ventured, the stronger the pull of the corruption became. He could feel it, a dark, malevolent force of demonic power gnawing at the fabric of the natural order.

'I swear if there's another Boss monster in here, I'll go crazy.'

'I barely managed to survive the encounter with that Hobgoblin Boss. If I'm to fight some Black Mage right here, only death awaits me in that case.'

The cavern narrowed, the walls slick with moisture, and twisted vines long dead from the tainted atmosphere. 

'I'm onto something…'

Ahead, Malfurion heard the faint trickle of water. The spring. He quickened his pace, knowing this was the source of the blight and the invisible enemy he should defeat as a Druid tasked with protecting 'Mother Earth'. 

As he rounded the final bend, the air grew thick with the foul stench of decay, and the sight that met him was grim.

'By the gods…'

The once-pristine spring had become a vile pool of dark, murky liquid. The water bubbled occasionally, sending plumes of putrid steam into the air. Blackened tendrils of energy swirled within the pool, corrupting it further with every passing second. 

The remnants of Frika the Accursed's essence were clinging to the life force of the spring, slowly poisoning it.

Malfurion knelt beside the pool, placing a hand on the rocky ground near the edge of the spring. His fingers brushed the surface, and he recoiled slightly as he felt the corruption burn his skin. It was more powerful than he had anticipated. But he had come prepared.

'Damn it. Stronger than I thought.'

From his satchel, Malfurion retrieved a collection of items, each carefully chosen for their connection to the forces of life and renewal. 

Among them were rare herbs from Fullbaz City, vials of enchanted spring water from an ancient druidic grove, and a piece of crystallized moonstone that hummed with purifying energy. 

These materials were essential to the Druidic ritual he was about to perform, restoring the balance and purging the corruption.

'Thankfully, I came prepared.'

He placed the herbs in a circle around the spring, murmuring an incantation. The air around him began to shift, growing warmer and more vibrant as the natural energy responded to his call. 

Then, he uncorked the vials of enchanted water and poured them into the corrupted spring. As the water mixed with the tainted pool, it sizzled, sending up a cloud of acrid smoke. But the pure, shimmering liquid slowly began to counteract the corruption, diluting its potency.

Malfurion raised his staff high, the glowing ivy spiraling around the gnarled wood as he chanted in an ancient tongue. His voice resonated through the cavern, growing louder as the magic within him intensified.

"By the light of the Moon, by the breath of the Earth, by the strength of the Trees, let this blight be cleansed!" His words echoed, infused with the power of the natural world.

The crystallized moonstone in his hand began to glow brightly as he held it above the spring. Malfurion closed his eyes and focused, channeling the energy of the ley lines beneath him, drawing from the natural reservoirs of mana that flowed through the land. 

The moonstone pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, and as he pressed it to the surface of the corrupted spring, a shockwave of purifying energy rippled outward.

The dark tendrils writhed violently, fighting against the cleansing power, but Malfurion didn't falter. Sweat beaded on his brow as he poured every ounce of his strength into the ritual, his voice rising in intensity. 

The natural energy swirled around him, creating a vortex of life force that began to pull the corruption from the spring-like poison from a wound.

The water churned violently, turning from a sickly black to a dark grey and slowly to a clear, crystal blue. The purification was nearly complete.

"By the spirit of the forest, and the guardians of nature, be reborn!" 

The moonstone flared one final time, and with a resounding crack, the last of the corruption was shattered. The dark energy dissipated into the air, leaving nothing but the soft, pure glow of the now-cleansed spring.

Malfurion exhaled deeply, exhausted by the consumption of Mana for this cleansing, but at the same time, he was relieved that his quest progressed.

[❗]

[Quest Objectives: Purify the Tainted Water Source (50%)]

The water was clear once more, its surface calm and serene, reflecting the soft glow of the moonstone in his hand. The corruption was gone, and the balance was restored. He had succeeded.

'Huh? There's one more spring that needs to be cleansed? Fuck them goblins, why are they shitting on my hardwork?'

Malfurion stood, wiping the sweat from his brow, and since he had done his job, he thought it was about the right time to return to his Team, but something gnawed at him.

As a Magic Caster, his body was more attuned to the flow of mana, and now that the corruption was cleared, he felt something else. A faint, almost imperceptible pull beneath the earth, like the whisper of a forgotten song.

'Should I go check out what's up with this flow of mana? It might be some treasure?'

'... What if there's a Dragon in this Cavern?'

Looking around himself, Malfurion could only shake his head, the passage walls were too narrow for a gigantic lizard to pass. It couldn't even crawl out of its 'Lair' if this was in fact, a Dragon's Lair.

'Since I'm here, let's explore further. I'm not losing much EXP if I die anyway. I've gained far more from being part of Guildmaster's bus ride.'

After several minutes, the cavern opened into a vast, hollow chamber. 

'Not good, this might actually be a Dragon's Lair.'

An entrance was at the far end, half-covered by a landslide of rocks. It was ornate and carved with strange, ancient symbols. 

'Or… maybe not?'

Malfurion's eyes widened. This was no ordinary cave. The entrance was framed by two towering pillars, each etched with markings similar to those he'd seen in the Temple of Rekam, a ruin that he saw on SkyNet that his seniors in the Guild had managed to discover along with Odin in the lead.

The air around the entrance crackled faintly with mana as though it had been sealed away for centuries, only now beginning to awaken.

Malfurion stood before the entrance, his heart racing. This was an unexpected find for him, and it could be a hidden piece full of gold and treasures.

'This is the same as with the Temple of Rekam… So, if it's in the similar pattern, this one should be a Labyrinth, too.'

Without a second thought, he opened his map and marked the location. Then, with steady hands, he pulled up his chat interface and sent a direct message to Odin.

⤷ Malfurion: Boss, I managed to cleanse the spring. It took my 2nd objective to 50%. However… I also think I stumbled upon another hidden piece that might interest you.

…

⤷ Odin: You made the right call. Don't risk going further until I'm there. I'll be on my way.