"And the power was just too terrifying!" Jeremy shuddered at the thought.
If it had exploded in his hand, he would likely have been obliterated by that monstrous force.
He could hardly imagine what could possibly absorb such energy.
Once he calmed himself, Jeremy continued his journey out of the Death Desert.
Along the way, he collected several more soul crystals.
Learning from his earlier mistake, he refrained from absorbing their power this time.
However, he still collected all these soul crystals. Even if he couldn't absorb them, using them as bombs wouldn't be a bad idea.
As Jeremy pressed forward, he noticed that the closer he got to the edge of the Death Desert, the stronger and more numerous the monsters became. The sky gradually brightened, mirroring his progress.
Jeremy could clearly feel that the soul essence around him had increased significantly compared to before, and the rate at which his attributes were growing had also accelerated. This confirmed that his earlier assumptions were correct.
With this rapid rate of leveling up, Jeremy's experience points soared.
Before long, he received a notification of his level-up.
[Your level has increased to 34. You have gained 40 free attribute points!]
[You have received class-specific attributes: Strength +50, Spirit +50, Stamina +25, Agility +25!]
Additionally, Jeremy encountered quite a few players along the way, and he even saved a few in passing.
Many of them were left utterly astonished by his overwhelming and aggressive tactics as he bulldozed through obstacles.
"Holy crap, did he just one-shot a level 30 elite monster? Did I see that right?" one stammered in disbelief.
Another, mouth agape, added, "Who is this guy? He's insane!"
The Death Desert was a map designated for levels 30-50. Many players in their twenties, even when grouped together, couldn't advance as quickly as Jeremy did. This led many players to start questioning their own abilities.
Soon, a sense of curiosity arose in their hearts.
Who exactly is this person?
Jeremy's identity was not hard to uncover; many had already investigated him.
Soon, word of his exploits in the Death Desert reached other players.
When Martita, Faas, Nancy, and others heard the news, they clenched their fists in excitement.
Although they mysteriously completed their second class change after entering the instance, this didn't mean the matter was simply forgotten.
Now, the fact that they were swindled out of their energy crystals by a con artist named Ritchie had become a hot topic among players, marking a stain in their lives.
While the loss of the energy crystals was trivial, the disgrace was not. They blamed Jeremy for their embarrassment, as it was his fault they were in that situation.
They even planned to team up and give Jeremy a good beating at the Exiled Tower to vent their frustration.
At this moment, Jeremy had no idea that he was already being targeted.
Across the ashen-grey Death Desert, a figure was speeding along with lightning speed.
Behind him, countless monsters were in mad pursuit, forming a dark, ominous mass. As they galloped, they kicked up clouds of dust, creating a terrifying spectacle.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!!!"
These monsters occasionally let out angry roars, and some of the faster, high-level ones could even keep up with Jeremy's speed.
Jeremy didn't show any mercy towards the monsters that came rushing towards him. He danced his spear tightly, and some of the prey who wanted to surround him were often pierced through the head by the tip of the spear before they had a chance to attack.
Jeremy navigated the chase with ease.
He was used to it.
While others preferred to fight monsters one by one, Jeremy always liked to tackle them in groups.
Glancing back at the relentless horde, Jeremy decided it was time.
He retrieved a soul crystal, replicating the earlier technique to make the energy inside it extremely volatile, then threw it into the midst of the monsters.
"Boom!!!"
The deafening explosion rang out once again in the Desert of Death. The desert was filled with towering sand, as if a bomb had been thrown into a calm lake.
Just in the blink of an eye, the dazzling white light devoured all the monsters, and the terrifying energy directly shattered a group of monsters.
[You have slain a Level 37 Desert Sand Wolf (Normal), gaining 15,771 experience points!]
[You have slain a Level 40 Red-Tailed Scorpion (Normal), gaining 22,735 experience points!]
[You have slain a Level 42 Desert Worm (Elite), gaining 93,000 experience points!]
...
A series of kill notifications appeared, and Jeremy's experience points skyrocketed at a terrifying rate.
Before long, a golden light signifying a level-up enveloped him, raising his level to 35.
[Your level has increased to 35. You have gained 40 free attribute points!]
[You have received class-specific attributes: Strength +50, Spirit +50, Stamina +25, Agility +25!]
Jeremy stopped, turned back, and began picking up the equipment dropped by the monsters with practiced ease.
It was clear he had used this tactic before.
The soul crystals had indeed saved him a lot of time.
After gathering all the loot, Jeremy looked up at the sky, noting that the horizon was already tinged with the pale light of dawn.
He was close to the edge of the Death Desert, just a bit more effort and he would be out.
At that moment, Jeremy's brows furrowed, and his eyes glowed with a silver light. His figure instantly vanished from where he stood.
"Teleport!"
As Jeremy's figure disappeared, the sand beneath him exploded!
"Boom!"
A massive, tooth-ridden maw burst from the ground, snapping at the spot where Jeremy had just been. Unfortunately for the creature, Jeremy had already teleported to another location.
Jeremy's eyes turned cold as he looked at the monster before him.
It was a desert worm towering over ten meters high. Its skin was covered in wrinkles, and it had a terrifying maw filled with rows upon rows of sharp, backward-facing barbs.
The creature was currently chewing on sand, its numerous barbs moving rhythmically, making one's scalp tingle just to watch.
[Desert Worm (Lord)
[Level]: lv41
[Attack]: 233,000 - 241,000
[Defense]: 35,891
[Skills]: Stealth, Devour, Acid, Sonic Wave...
[Note]: Extremely powerful, high defense, weak point in its internal organs. Killing it will guarantee 1 Tier-7 Energy Crystal.]
...
"Tier 7 Energy Crystal?" Jeremy squinted at the notification before him.
This was the second Tier 7 Energy Crystal he had encountered, he had been reluctant to use the other one.
A single Tier 7 Energy Crystal could elevate a super skill to level 5, an irresistible temptation for Jeremy.
"Screech—"
At this moment, the Desert Worm, after hours of burrowing, finally reacted.
It spat out the dirt from its mouth, glanced around, and then emitted a sharp, ear-piercing roar in Jeremy's direction.
"Soundwave!"
The deafening soundwave rippled through the Death Desert, distorting the very air.
Unfortunately for the Desert Worm, Jeremy's Soul Necklace shield was highly effective against such attacks.
The soundwave struck the shield, causing only minor ripples.
With an unwavering expression, Jeremy suddenly summoned a skeletal staff.
His eyes gleamed with a golden light.
"Sword of Judgment!"
Golden light coalesced into a magnificent giant sword, dozens of meters long, appearing above the Desert Worm's head.
The creature stiffened and slowly looked up.
The Sword of Judgment descended with unstoppable force!
"Boom!!"
The golden sword pierced the ground, green blood splattering everywhere!
The colossal body of the Desert Worm was cleaved in two by the Sword of Judgment.
Killing it instantly.
[You have slain a level 40 Desert Worm (Lord), gaining 373,000 experience points!]
Jeremy stepped forward, collecting the loot and energy crystal dropped by the monster.
[Item]: Desert Worm's Inner Lining
[Type]: Material
[Grade]: Diamond
[Quality]: Purple (Rare)
[Description]: Can be used to craft special anti-poison potions, granting players high immunity to toxins.
...
Jeremy glanced at the item before storing it away.
Extraordinary materials weren't of much use to him at the moment, especially without high-level alchemists or blacksmiths.
The Tyrant's Heart he had obtained was still sitting unused in his storage space.
Jeremy then turned his attention to the Tier 7 Energy Crystal and used it immediately.
This time, he didn't choose to upgrade "Unlawful Being" but decided to enhance "Gluttony" instead.
"Unlawful Being" was already at level 10, and upgrading it further would require exponentially more resources.
"Gluttony," on the other hand, was crucial for his current power enhancement and needed its level raised.
[Ding! You have used a Tier 7 Energy Crystal. The skill "Seven Sins – Gluttony" has been upgraded to level 10!]
Jeremy opened his status panel and noticed changes in the "Gluttony" skill.
[Skill]: Seven Sins – Gluttony
[Level]: lv10
[Tier]: Super
[Type]: Functional (Active)
[Description]: Upon slaying the monster, the player will consume its soul essence. This will randomly grant the player certain attributes. Additionally, the player can choose to actively devour a target, with a chance to acquire one of its traits. This ability has a cooldown period of 24 hours.