Advancement Quest was simple.


    One just had to kill 10 Silver-ranked monsters.


    Almond, Lily, and Natalia left the Nest of Willowbee and arrived in the secondrge area of the Fairy Mountain, containing Silver-ranked from level 1 to 3.


    It was a huge cavern inside the mountain, with four entrances avable for people to go inside.


    The trio entered inside through the southwest entrance of the Cavern.


    Almond opened a map of the cavern. Such maps were avable in the market, and he used those maps to create his own on the magic map parchment, like the Nest of Willowbee area.


    Cavern of ssze Bears (Silver Level 1 to 3)


    —This shimmering cavern is home to the ssze Bears, enormous, crystalline bears that breathe fire and have molten cores. The cavern walls are lined with crystalline formations that reflect light, creating a mesmerizing but dangerousndscape.


    —Key Features: Jagged crystal walls and flickeringva pools.


    —Monsters: ssze Cubs, ssze Brute Bears, Elder ssze Bears.


    "Here’s the map. We are near area number 25. If we walk just ten meters and turn north, we’ll likely see a group of ssze Bears.


    Lily nodded. "These ssze Bears are both tough with their armored exteriors and powerful because of theirva and ss-based skills, but they are not as fast. This won’t be hard."


    "Sword is a bad weapon against them, right?" Natalia turned to Almond, "If you use this sword to deflect theirvatic attacks, its durability will decrease even though it’s rare grade."


    "I’ll just have to kill them by moving fast. One attack is enough," Almond’s eyes glinted as he took the lead, his sword ready to taste a new prey.


    As the trio approached, Almond’s keen eyes scanned the field ahead. The bears shimmered under the reflection of the crystalden cavern walls. Eight in total—an Elder ssze Bear stood in the middle, its fiery core pulsating with heat like a molten heart. Surrounding it, four massive Brute Bears paced slowly, their jagged crystal hides catching the ambient light, while three ssze Cubs skittered around, small but still dangerous.


    Almond nced at Natalia and nodded, who used her clone skill to attract the bears first so that they would have an easier time initiating the attacks.


    Seeing Natalia’s clone, the Bears roared. Elder ssze Bear was the first one to attack. Opening its mouth, it released a ssy orb containing fieryva that shot at Natalia’s clone and exploded, destroying it.


    Ash and sparks covered a small area, a perfect smokescreen.


    Almond and Lily both went out with Physical Enchantment activated.


    "I’ll kill the Elder one," Almond said as he jumped in an arc, going straight toward the Elder ssze Bear, his sword’s de gleaming sharply.


    *Swoosh!*


    The bear swiped its paw as if it wasn’t bad even though Almond attacked suddenly, but s, it wasn’t fast enough.


    *sh!*


    A head rolled down a secondter, and a notification entered his ears.


    [You have killed a Silver level 3 Elder ssze Bear.]


    Leveling was impossible while Advancement Quest was ongoing, but he got 28 gold coins for killing it.


    Lily threw two Willowbee Daggers at two ssze Brute Bears, paralyzing one. She attacked one that wasn’t paralyzed, her figure vanishing before a sharp shing sound of flesh-tearing rang out as the ssze Brute Bear’s head rolled down.


    She didn’t wait and attacked the one that was paralyzed, though it had freed itself already in half a second, but that was enough.


    ’Phantom sh.’


    With a wave of her dagger, a ck sh with a violet hue shot at the bear, tearing through its armor and shing its head off.


    Its whole body was armored, but the neck area was still weaker than other parts.


    As for Natalia, she copied Lily’s Phantom sh and shot it at the ssze Cubs.


    They didn’t have armored ting on their bodies yet, but they were small, nimble, and powerful.


    One of the Bear Cubs rolled away from the sh, but one got killed.


    Meanwhile, Almond had swiftly dispatched thest two agile ssze Cubs with his sword after slicing a ssze Brute Bear.


    These small Cubs, capable ofunchingva-infused w projectiles with a mere swipe of their paws, were responsible for most of the deaths among novice adventurers, who often underestimated them due to their size and armor-less exterior.


    A ssze Brute Bear remained, but Almond and Lily just watched as Natalia dealt with it.


    Releasing the Light Pebble skill on the surface near it, it exploded in light and blinded it, which was further enhanced by the cavern’s ssy style.


    Right after that, she used Action Mirage again, unleashing Almond’s shing attack as an ethereal sh projectile swiftly beheaded the monster.


    "Their items are going to be very good," Almond smiled as he captured all spirits. "But first, it’s time to get strong."


    He had told them about the Spirit Devour skill as well since there was no point in hiding just this given his increasing power that would be obvious.


    "Let’s take a break and eat something before continuing," Lily said.


    "True! I made sandwiches, so let’s eat those first," Natalia grinned. "Lily, take ’em out."


    The trio decided to rest for a bit and eat something since this area in the cave was closed on all sides except for the north, though at the north, two passages parted, one at the west and another at the east.


    Meanwhile, Almond began.


    He would only be able to get stats from nine to twelve spirits at a maximum of these three types of ssze Bears, so he wanted to do that first.


    [You have devoured an Elder ssze Bear Spirit. +2 Strength, +1 Perception, +1 Mana.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Brute Bear Spirit. +1 Health, +1 Stamina, +1 Strength.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Brute Bear Spirit. +1 Focus, +1 Health.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Brute Bear Spirit. +1 Stamina.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Brute Bear Spirit. +0.5 Strength.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Cub Spirit. +1 Mana, +1 Perception, +1 Stamina.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Cub Spirit. +1 Focus, +1 Strength.]


    [You have devoured a ssze Cub Spirit. +1 Mana.]


    [Almond]


    -Adventurer rank: Bronze.


    -Level: 10 [—]


    -ss: Spirit Dealer (SS)


    -[Vitality: 100%]


    -[Mana: 342/462]


    -Stats: 0 unassigned points


    —Physical:


    ?[Strength: 31 | Health: 17 | Stamina: 17.5]


    —Mental:


    ?[Mana: 18.5 (+27.75) | Focus: 22 | Perception: 20.5]


    …


    The trio had just finished eating and resting for ten minutes when they suddenly heard something and their faces fell.


    "I swear if that bitch is here, I am going to capture her! Henry, you better act fast this time."