Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Using The Key, Guardian of Poison and Core of Poison

A few minutes after finishing their food and taking a short rest, Leon and Emilia finally reached what could only be described as a threshold.

The moment they stepped closer, the change was immediate.

The air here was much heavier than anywhere else in the forest.

It pressed against their skin, thick and suffocating, and every breath carried an invisible weight.

The poison in the atmosphere was no longer subtle.

Ding!

[You are being affected by Poison.]

Still, neither of them slowed down.

Their sub-talents activated automatically, nullifying the effect before it could do anything.

The poison tried to seep in, failed, and vanished just as quickly.

In front of them stood a translucent barrier. It shimmered faintly with a green hue, like condensed poison given form.

No matter how far they looked, they couldn’t see what was on the other side.

To most players, this would have looked like the end of the [Poison Forest]. But thinking that way was foolish.

[Eternal Ascension] didn’t work like that. There were no true limits.

Whenever something blocked your path so openly, it wasn’t telling you to stop, it was telling you that something existed beyond it.

Leon already knew that.

Without hesitation, he pulled out the key he had obtained earlier: the [Core of Poison Key].

The moment it appeared in his hand, it reacted.

The key began to glow with a vivid green light, pulsing in rhythm with the barrier ahead.

Leon couldn’t help but grin.

’Knew it.’

He stepped forward and pressed the key against the barrier. The surface rippled, almost like liquid, as the key slowly sank into it. A soft clicking sound echoed through the area.

Ding!

[You have opened the "Core of Poison Clearing" for 60 seconds.]

The barrier shattered into countless particles of green light and vanished completely.

For the next sixty seconds, the path forward was open. Anyone could enter.

But that didn’t mean they should. This was the kind of place where a single mistake meant death.

"I’ve got a bad feeling about this," Emilia said quietly, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. "Something worse than the [Undead King] is in there."

Leon nodded. "Yeah. I feel it too."

Even so, he didn’t hesitate.

"But I still want to see it."

More than that, he wanted the rewards.

The [Core of Poison Clearing] was a level-restricted zone. Anyone above level 15 was automatically barred from entering. It was one of the ways [Universal Ascension] created true exclusivity.

You couldn’t come back later when you were stronger.

You either challenged it at your current level... or you missed your chance forever.

And zones like this, designed to test players at the peak of their level range, never disappointed when it came to rewards.

As Leon and Emilia stepped forward, crossing the invisible line where the barrier had once been, the poison in the air intensified even further.

Leon frowned slightly. "I’m immune to low and mid-level poison," he said, "but if it starts throwing something stronger... take these."

He handed Emilia two items: [Poison Antidote x2]

She accepted them and nodded. "Thanks. Though I still believe you when you say my constitution is high enough."

Leon didn’t argue. He knew she could survive it.

But survival wasn’t always clean.

A moment later—

Fwoosh!

The world opened up.

Leon and Emilia emerged into a massive clearing, far larger than anything they had seen in the forest so far.

The trees surrounding the area were twisted and deformed.

Their trunks were riddled with glowing green cracks, poison leaking out like sap.

The ground itself looked corroded, as if it had been slowly eaten away over countless years.

And at the center of the clearing stood ruins.

Broken stone pillars. Crumbling walls. Remnants of what might have once been a structure, now barely standing.

Emilia frowned as she took it all in. "Is this a dungeon? It feels different from the [Wild Ruins] back in the novice village."

Leon shook his head slowly. "No."

His eyes were fixed straight ahead.

"The boss is here."

As if responding to his words—

BOOM!

One of the ruined walls ahead exploded outward. Stone fragments flew in every direction as a massive figure stepped through the dust.

A powerful aura flooded the clearing, heavy and oppressive.

Leon tightened his grip on his weapon. "Get ready."

Both of them immediately activated [Appraisal].

---

[Guardian of Poison (Boss)]

[Level: 15]

[Exclusive Talent: Vessel of Poison (B-Level)]

[Combat Power: 19,000]

[Details: A guardian that serves its purpose as the vessel of the "Core of Poison".]

---

The guardian stood nearly two and a half meters tall. Its body was encased in thick armor colored in dull gray and sickly green, the metal itself pulsing faintly as if alive.

In its hands was a long spear, its blade constantly dripping with poison.

But the most unsettling part was its chest.

Embedded directly into the armor was a small orb, glowing with intense green light. Poison radiated from it endlessly, spreading throughout the clearing.

Leon narrowed his eyes, "It’s the orb. Appraise that too."

Emilia glanced at him, then nodded. She activated [Appraisal] again, focusing on the glowing core.

---

[Core of Poison (Zone Boss)]

[Level: 15]

[Exclusive Talent: Core of Poison (A-Level)]

[Combat Power: 24,000]

[Details: An orb that holds a powerful poison that constantly warps whatever is around it.]

---

"24,000?!" Emilia gasped, instinctively stepping back. "That thing?!"

Leon let out a low laugh. "Yeah."

He already knew it would be dangerous, but seeing the numbers directly still sent a chill through him.

The core was stronger than the guardian itself. The guardian wasn’t the real boss. It was just a vessel.

And then—

Pulse of Poison!

The [Core of Poison] released a violent wave of energy. A green shockwave rippled through the clearing, washing over both of them.

Ding!

[You are immune to "Poison".]

Leon exhaled in relief. But Emilia stiffened. She had been hit.

"It’s mid-level poison," Leon said calmly. "Your constitution can handle it."

She gritted her teeth, then nodded. "Yeah. I can feel it... but it’s fine."

Raising her scepter, she retaliated instantly.

Divine Beam!

BOOM!

A pillar of radiant light shot forward, slamming directly into the [Core of Poison]. The impact shook the entire clearing.

The damage was massive.

But when the light faded, the orb remained intact. Not even a crack appeared on its surface.

Instead, the guardian reacted.

Its aura surged violently, and it let out a distorted roar before charging straight at Emilia, spear aimed at her chest.

Storm of Lightning! Powerful Fireball!

Leon reacted instantly.

Lightning erupted around the guardian, followed by a massive fireball that slammed into its side.

BOOM! Zap!

The combined attack engulfed the guardian completely.

Dust and smoke filled the air. Even a monster like this shouldn’t survive that.

But when the dust settled... The guardian was still standing.

Leon’s eyes narrowed.

Its eyes, previously dull and lifeless, were now glowing bright green, pulsing in sync with the core in its chest.

’The core is forcing it to stay alive.’

The realization hit him instantly.

The guardian couldn’t die as long as the [Core of Poison] continued to supply it with energy.

Fwoosh! SLASH!

The guardian swung its spear, but Leon stepped in and met it head-on. Steel clashed as Leon blocked the attack with ease, forcing the guardian back.

Still, the situation was clear now. This wasn’t a normal boss fight.

The [Guardian of Poison] was effectively immortal.

Leon finally understood why so many players considered the [Core of Poison] unfair.

But for him, it didn’t matter. His combat power far surpassed both of them.

He took a deep breath and activated his defenses.

Darkness Barrier! Vision Enhancement!

Black energy wrapped around his body, sharpening his perception and hardening his defenses.

Without hesitation, Leon rushed forward.

Slash!

His sword came down hard, forcing the guardian on the defensive.

And the moment his blade collided with the boss—

Something changed. Just like before. Leon’s eyes turned silvery-white.

An overwhelming pressure burst outward, shaking the clearing and pressing down on both the guardian and the core simultaneously.

Ding!

[Celestial’s Might has activated.]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com