Floating Island - Triple S Talent

In the silence of the beach, Lein took a deep breath. The fresh air mixed with the strong sea breeze made him more alert. Something bad was approaching, and the feeling grew stronger. He closed his eyes for a moment, sensing the flow of energy around him.

Far off in the ocean, a giant creature slowly emerged from the water's surface. A ten-meter-tall turtle stared at him with eyes that seemed to hold a grudge from the past. On its snout, a white orb of light formed, growing larger with each passing second. The gleam of light vibrated the air around it.

(Hard-Shell Turtle)

- Rank: Soul C

- Soul Energy: 10,000

- Defense: 90

- Attack: 40

Lein calmly observed the large creature, then gave a faint smile. "Ah... so you're the one here," he muttered, as if he had just found the answer he was seeking.

Not far from the shoreline, Lein saw the giant turtle more clearly. Its shell was dark green, large, and sturdy. The sunlight reflecting off its shell made it look like an impenetrable steel shield. The turtle's head stretched out, preparing an attack with the ever-growing orb of light in its mouth.

The creature's eyes locked onto Lein, as if they were old enemies meeting again in a final battle. Lein, while staring back, raised an eyebrow, letting out a small sigh. "What's your problem? I didn't mean to end up here." His words were followed by a mocking grin that adorned his face.

As if understanding the taunt, the orb of light on the turtle's snout changed color to a deep blue. Streams of energy began to hiss, creating splashes of water around it.

Pow...

Lein watched the blue orb shoot out slowly, as if time had stopped. He merely shifted slightly to the side, letting the attack miss without much effort.

"This light orb is too slow," he muttered quietly. The shot continued onward until it hit a coconut tree not far from the beach.

Boom...

A small explosion occurred, sending sand flying into the air and creating a shallow crater in the ground. Lein stared at the result of the attack with a blank expression. A big question formed in his mind.

"Is this some kind of promotion test to Master level?" he murmured, frowning in confusion at why the attack was so weak. Even if he had taken it head-on, he was sure he wouldn't have been hurt, maybe not even after years.

"System... are you kidding me?" Lein grumbled, speaking to himself, or more accurately, to the system he usually relied on. However, there was no response, only the sound of the wind blowing in his ears.

WOSH...

But there was no answer, only the wind blowing in his ears.

In the distance, the giant-shelled turtle once again formed an orb of light in its snout, ready to shoot again. Lein just sighed, already used to the system's silence, not even expecting to get a response.

"Alright, let's finish this." His voice was calm, though there was a hint of annoyance in his tone.

Sing...

Lein drew his golden sword, setting his gaze on the turtle in the middle of the sea, then started running toward it without a second thought.

Splash...

The seawater splashed as he broke through the small waves, his legs now submerged up to his knees.

"Damn... why am I running into the sea?" Lein cursed at himself, only realizing his mistake now.

Not used to fighting in watery areas like the seaside, Lein approached the turtle with small steps. Feeling foolish, Lein stopped thinking about it for a moment and activated his long-range skill.

"Sky Sword Rain"

With a quick motion, golden blades began to appear in the air around him, floating like mosquitoes ready to strike.

"Kill it for me," Lein said lightly. Immediately afterward, the golden blades shot straight toward the green turtle in the middle of the sea.

[Successfully hit Hard Shell, dealing +120 damage]

[Successfully hit Hard Shell, dealing +112 damage]

"Only 120?" Lein was surprised. Even though his attack was strong, the turtle's HP bar, which reached 10,000, still had plenty left. At least 80 more attacks like that would be needed to finish it off.

Meanwhile, the turtle's shell glowed green. A protective layer formed around it, reducing the damage it took.

[Successfully hit Hard Shell, dealing +15 damage]

[Successfully hit Hard Shell, dealing +15 damage]

"Damn it..." Lein muttered in surprise. Far away, the turtle's shell emitted a green light, forming some kind of protective layer on its back. The light lasted for 5 seconds before finally disappearing.

Despite being protected by damage reduction, Lein could see the turtle's HP bar decreasing quickly. It made sense, considering his golden blades numbered in the thousands at this point.

[Successfully killed Hard Shell, dropping (Hard Shell - C)]

In an instant, Lein heard the notification of the kill. He was initially pleased, but after reading the reward he got, his face turned sour.

"Damn it... why is the system so different now?" Lein felt that since the race war event had ended, the system's behavior and functionality had changed somewhat.

"Not even any EXP? How stingy!" Lein cursed again, though he couldn't do anything about it. He quickly approached the spot where the Hard Shell turtle had died, where the hard shell item bubble awaited.

With a vortex plate, Lein reached the bubble in an instant. Bending down slightly, he then picked up the item bubble on the surface of the water.

[Obtained (Hard Shell - C)]

Lein stared at the shell, observing how it looked exactly like the turtle shell of the creature he had just slain. His eyes narrowed as he read the item's description, continuing to curse at the increasingly confusing system.

(Hard Shell - C)

When used, it provides strong defense to the user, offering protection that can save lives in critical situations.

- Ocean Fortress: Reduces damage taken by 90% for 5 seconds. During this crucial moment, enemies will feel the power of the sea protecting you, causing hesitation in their attacks.

- Cooldown: 5 minutes

*Note: Soul Items

"Pretty good," Lein said casually as he stared at the item in his hand. The hard shell had a defensive ability that could reduce damage by 90%. "This kind of defense is really useful," he muttered, imagining how impactful it would be in a battle against high-level creatures. It could be a crucial barrier to minimize the massive damage from strong enemy attacks.

Lein's gaze then shifted to the last note about the item, particularly the part mentioning "soul item." He frowned, trying to connect the dots. "Is this item only meant for building something related to the soul?" Lein guessed, feeling that the item might be more than just a regular defensive shield.

He recalled the glowing orb he had once seen in the middle of a green plain. That orb was called the "Soul Construction Orb," and it seemed that the item in his hand might be part of the process of forming soul-based power.

"Store it for now," he said while placing the turtle shell into his space ring. He took a deep breath, letting his mind relax for a moment as he enjoyed the beauty of the beach around him. The cool sea breeze blew gently, providing a brief calm after the battle.

Wosh...

However, after a few minutes passed, Lein realized a major problem. "How do I get out of here?" he shouted in panic. He turned around, but couldn't find a clear way out.

"Damn system, where are you?" he yelled, beginning to curse the system harshly.

As if hearing his complaints, the system finally responded.

[Successfully killed the soul (Hard-Shell Turtle), you will be teleported in 1 minute]

A countdown appeared before his eyes, and the seconds began ticking down one by one.

"Good, at least you understand now," Lein sighed in relief, though feeling a bit embarrassed by how he had begged like a child asking their mother to open the door so they could go play outside. The moment of anxiety he had just experienced made him laugh at himself.

One minute passed, and as promised, Lein was teleported back to his original location. Now, he was standing again on a vast plain filled with flowers of various colors and shapes. A cool breeze blew, carrying the fresh scent of flowers, and the giant five-meter-tall portals still stood where they had been before. Each portal had its own unique characteristics.

"Hmmm... let's continue," Lein said confidently. He now felt he understood more about how this trial worked. His task was clear: to enter the available portals and find items to form his soul power.

Without wasting any time, Lein set his sights on the nearest portal. The portal was red like hot lava, surrounded by glowing pebbles beneath it. Above the portal stood a statue of a short, human-shaped creature. Each limb was made of hard stone that emitted a menacing red glow.

"Golem," Lein thought to himself. He recognized the type of creature he would be facing. Without hesitation, Lein stepped forward, entering the portal that glowed like burning embers. His body was immediately pulled by the portal's power, and in an instant, he vanished from the vast plain, ready to face the next challenge.