Novel Full Chapter 189: The Pyroman Apes
Chapter 189: Chapter 189: The Pyroman Apes
Leon stepped deeper into the tropical forest of the [Hellish Beach], his grip steady on both his staff and sword as his eyes scanned everything around him with sharp focus.
Despite the ominous name of the realm and the fact that he had chosen the [Nightmare] difficulty without hesitation, the first impression the place gave him was surprisingly peaceful.
’If not for the fact I knew this was a [Realm], this could actually pass as some kind of vacation spot,’ Leon thought with a faint grin forming on his lips as he walked forward.
The trees around him were tall and lush, their leaves forming a thick canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft beams.
While the ground beneath his feet was covered in patches of grass and roots that seemed perfectly normal, almost too normal considering where he was.
Even the air felt clean at first, carrying a slight tropical warmth that would have been relaxing under different circumstances.
More importantly, Leon didn’t encounter a single monster.
He continued walking for several minutes, his senses constantly active, but nothing happened.
’Did we actually enter the [Nightmare] difficulty?’ he wondered silently, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The current situation didn’t match the expectations he had for the hardest difficulty of a realm that was supposedly feared by so many players.
But just as that thought settled in his mind, things began to change.
It wasn’t immediate, and it wasn’t obvious at first.
However, after around ten minutes of walking deeper into the forest, Leon finally noticed something that didn’t belong.
Some of the trees around him were scorched.
The bark was blackened, cracked, and in some places still faintly smoking, as if the damage had been done not long ago.
And the leaves on those trees were either completely burned away or hanging weakly, barely clinging to life.
Leon slowed down slightly as his gaze shifted from one tree to another.
And the further he walked, the more frequent they became.
Even the ground itself started to change, with patches of dirt turning darker, while small cracks appeared here and there, emitting faint traces of warmth.
’The volcano, I guess?’ Leon raised his eyebrows slightly.
But even then, something didn’t quite add up.
This didn’t feel like natural damage. It felt… intentional.
And only a few minutes later, Leon finally found the answer.
A faint crackling sound reached his ears.
At first, it blended with the ambient noise of the forest, but as he focused on it, the sound became clearer, sharper, unmistakable.
Something was burning.
Leon immediately shifted his direction, moving toward the source of the sound with controlled speed, his body low and ready in case he needed to react instantly.
And when he arrived…
“What the hell?”
The sight in front of him made him pause for a brief moment.
A group of monkeys, sturdy in build and standing upright, were scattered across a small clearing.
Each one holding a torch as they actively set fire to the surrounding trees, bushes, and even the ground itself, completely indifferent to the destruction they were causing.
Flames spread rapidly across the area, devouring everything in their path while thin streams of lava-like cracks snaked across the ground.
Leon immediately activated his skill.
Appraisal!
—
[Pyroman Ape]
[Level: 75]
[Talent: Flame Affinity (C-Level)]
[Combat Power: 450,000]
[Details: A group of monkeys tasked to burn down anything they see, they enjoy the sight of fire burning things.]
—
But among the group, one stood out.
Its entire body was covered in flames, and its presence alone felt more dangerous than the rest combined.
Its eyes were glowing with an aggressive intensity that made it clear it wasn’t just another member of the group.
—
[Mega Pyroman Ape (Mutated)]
[Level: 75]
[Talent: Deep Flame Affinity (B-Level)]
[Combat Power: 500,000]
[Details: A pyromane ape that mutated by being constantly exposed to fire.]
—
The moment Leon finished reading the panels, the group of pyroman apes turned toward him almost at the same time.
And then, they locked onto him.
The [Mega Pyroman Ape] reacted first, stepping forward aggressively as it raised its massive torch and brought it close to its mouth.
Flame Blow!
In a single motion, it exhaled forcefully, and the flames from the torch erupted outward, expanding instantly into a massive wave of fire that swallowed the entire area in front of it.
Leon didn’t move.
The flames hit him directly, engulfing his entire body in a blazing inferno that lasted for several seconds, burning everything in its path.
“Kakaka!”
“Kaka!”
The apes erupted into excited noises, clearly enjoying the sight as they watched the flames consume what they believed was another victim.
Their expressions were almost gleeful as they anticipated the aftermath.
But then… The flames faded.
And Leon was still standing there. Completely unharmed.
The reason was simple: [Master of Elements].
With his affinity toward fire, not only were his own fire-based attacks significantly stronger, but his resistance to fire itself had reached a level where attacks like these were practically meaningless against him.
And considering the difference in [Combat Power] between them… There was never any real threat.
Leon didn’t say anything. He simply raised his staff.
Powerful Fireball!
A condensed sphere of fire formed instantly at the tip of his staff before being launched forward at high speed.
BOOM!
The explosion that followed was violent and overwhelming, instantly consuming the group of pyroman apes and wiping them out without giving them any chance to react.
All of them. Except one: The [Mega Pyroman Ape].
It survived. Barely.
Its body was heavily damaged, flames flickering unevenly as it staggered backward, clearly realizing that the human in front of it was far beyond anything it could handle.
And in that moment… It made its decision.
Fwoosh!
Without even attempting to fight back, the mutated ape turned around and dashed into the forest at incredible speed, using its agility and knowledge of the terrain to escape as quickly as possible.
Leon blinked once, slightly surprised.
’Didn’t expect that.’
Most enemies would choose to fight until the end.
But this one… It knew when it was outmatched. And it chose survival.
But unfortunately for it, that wasn’t going to work.
’This is exactly why I like spells,’ Leon thought as he lifted his staff once more, his expression calm as he focused his energy.
The air around him began to buzz. The atmosphere shifted.
Even the sky above seemed to dim slightly as energy gathered, crackling with intensity.
Torrent of Lightning!
ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!
Multiple bolts of lightning descended from above, striking the ground in rapid succession as they chased the fleeing [Mega Pyroman Ape], forcing it to constantly change direction as it tried to avoid the attacks.
For a moment it worked.
The ape dodged several strikes, narrowly escaping death each time as the lightning hit the ground around it.
But it didn’t last as one bolt struck it.
ZAP!
It hit the ape directly, sending a surge of electricity through its body and stunning it instantly, freezing it in place as its muscles locked up.
That was enough to seal its fate.
Leon moved.
In a single swift motion, he closed the distance between them, his sword already raised as he reached the stunned creature.
And then—
SLASH!
The blade cut cleanly through its neck. The [Mega Pyroman Ape] didn’t even have time to react.
Its head separated from its body instantly, and it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Ding!
[You have killed x5 “Pyroman Ape” and gained 250,000 experience points.]
[You have killed “Mega Pyroman Ape (Mutated)” and gained 150,000 experience points.]
[100% Drop Rate has triggered…]
Leon didn’t even have time to process everything before another notification appeared.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 66!]
[Due to “Heaven’s Blessing”, you have gained 450 points in all attributes and 450 free points to distribute.]
A grin immediately spread across his face.
“Well, I guess the [Will of Nature]’s curse is working just fine,” Leon said as he looked at the notification with clear satisfaction.
If this had been before the curse, with his previous experience requirements, this fight alone would have easily pushed him up two, maybe even three levels without any difficulty.
But now it only gave him one. And yet, Leon didn’t mind.
If anything, he preferred it this way. More opportunities to grow stronger that way.
He quickly glanced at his updated status.
[Level: 66 (70,000/520,000)]
“Damn,” he muttered under his breath, noticing the increased requirement for the next level.
He didn’t care that much about it though, and so he opened his [Storage Space], his interest immediately shifting toward the items he had just obtained.