Online Game: I Have A 100\% Drop Rate - Chapter 300: Awakener Guardian Mathilde [2], Phoenix Death

The air around Mathilde felt heavy. Every movement she made carried pressure behind it, as though the space around her couldn’t properly contain her strength.

“The [Awakener Lord] has asked for you to come to the [Awakener Tower] tomorrow,” Mathilde repeated calmly while resting the giant shield beside her body. “You will receive your special test there.”

Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

“And if you refuse…”

SLAM!

She smashed the bottom of the shield against the ground. The instant it made contact, the stone street exploded apart.

Cracks spread through the entire area while nearby buildings shook violently, causing several players to scream as they hurried away in terror.

“…You shall die.”

The threat wasn’t exaggerated. Mathilde wasn’t trying to intimidate him for fun.

She meant every single word. Leon could feel it. For a brief moment, his mind immediately started calculating possibilities.

Could he fight her on equal standing? No chance.

But could he kill her? Possibly, if he used absolutely everything he had.

[Celestial’s Might] and [Berserk] would likely allow him to fight on equal strength as her, but only for three seconds.

’I’m realizing that perhaps [Berserk]’s three second limit isn’t that great,’ Leon sighed.

But even if Leon somehow managed to win… The problem was what came afterward.

Mathilde was only one of the [Awakener Lord]’s guardians. If he killed her, the entire district would likely turn against him instantly.

And judging from the aura she emitted alone, Leon could already tell that the [Awakener Lord] himself was on a completely different level.

He slowly loosened his stance before nodding once.

“Alright,” Leon answered calmly. “I’ll be there.”

There was no point creating problems now.

Mathilde’s lips slowly curled upward into a devilish smile, “Good.”

She tilted her head slightly while looking at him with visible amusement.

“It is rare for the [Awakener Lord] to take interest in someone,” she continued. “Though in your case… I believe that would be more of a curse than a blessing.”

Leon didn’t answer. Something about this entire situation felt wrong.

Ever since he arrived in the [Advanced District], the [Awakener Lord] had immediately noticed only him.

And Leon doubted it was simply because he cleared a B-Rank quest in the [Newbie District].

There had to be another reason. Mathilde suddenly raised one hand before pointing toward the distance.

“Go there tomorrow.”

Leon followed her finger and finally noticed it.

Far away, standing between the border of the [Advanced District] and the [Awakener District], was an enormous tower piercing high into the sky.

The structure was massive. Even from this distance, Leon could feel a faint pressure radiating from it.

The tower itself was black and silver, covered in ancient-looking patterns that glowed faintly with spiritual energy.

It almost resembled a spear piercing the heavens.

“That is the [Awakener Tower],” Mathilde explained. “Do not be late.”

Fwoosh!

Without waiting for a response, she suddenly bent her knees before leaping upward.

BOOM!

The sheer force behind the jump shattered the ground beneath her feet as her body shot onto the rooftop of a nearby building.

And then she disappeared. Leon couldn’t even follow her movement properly.

One second she was there. The next, she was gone.

“…Damn,” Leon muttered quietly.

The difference between them was ridiculous. And if Mathilde was merely a guardian… Then just how strong was the [Awakener Lord] himself?

Leon’s instincts screamed at him that this situation was dangerous. Very dangerous.

A part of him immediately considered leaving [Higher Domain #3] entirely.

There were dozens of other higher domains after all: [Higher Domain #1], [Higher Domain #2], even [Higher Domain #54], which Leon knew extremely well from his past life.

Exploring this place would definitely give him opportunities and rewards, but was it worth dealing with someone like the [Awakener Lord]?

The answer should have been obvious: no.

Leon immediately turned around and rushed toward Emilia.

“You alright?”

Emilia was still sitting on the ground while holding her head, though the pain from her talent seemed to be slowly fading.

“I’m okay…” she breathed shakily. “But Leon… that woman was terrifying.”

“I noticed.” Leon helped her stand before immediately turning toward the destroyed restaurant.

“Alright,” he sighed. “We just need Celeste and then we get the hell out of here.”

He stepped through the broken entrance. The entire interior of the restaurant had been devastated from Mathilde’s casual strike.

Tables were shattered. Food was scattered everywhere. Several walls had partially collapsed.

Yet despite all of that destruction… Leon froze.

“…Huh?”

He didn’t find Celeste’s body anywhere in here, the only thing he saw was a small crimson-and-gold flame flickering quietly on the ground.

Leon’s eyes widened instantly, “Oh…”

He immediately opened his [Friends List]. And the moment the panel appeared, his expression darkened completely.

Because beside Celeste’s ID, [UndyingPhoenix]… Was a skull icon.

Ding!

[“UndyingPhoenix” has been killed by “Awakener Guardian, Mathilde”]

For a few seconds, Leon simply stared at the notification silently.

A normal player who died would either disappear and revive if they possessed a [Resurrection Stone], or leave behind a corpse if they didn’t.

But Celeste was different. Because Celeste was a phoenix.

“…Phoenix flame,” Leon muttered quietly while crouching down.

The small flame flickered gently in front of him. Alive, yet incredibly fragile.

“I guess that’s what happens when a phoenix dies.”

Leon knew how phoenixes worked. When killed, their bodies disappeared and transformed into their core flame.

After a week, they would revive from it, though that was only three days for Celeste thanks to her [Rebirth Frenzy] title.

But during that period… They were extremely vulnerable.

Fwoosh!

Leon carefully grabbed the small flame with his hand. The heat immediately burned his skin slightly, but he ignored it completely.

“…Too dangerous.”

His expression turned colder. Anyone who killed a phoenix could capture their flame.

Seal it away. Hide it. Or worse, wait until they revived, then kill them again repeatedly.

And if someone attacked the flame itself with a soul-based attack… The phoenix would die permanently.

Leon carefully closed his hand slightly around the flame while making sure not to extinguish it, though he knew that wouldn’t do anything.

As long as no soul attack hit Celeste, she would eventually revive safely.

But now another problem appeared: teleportation.

Leon originally planned to leave immediately using the [World Map].

But now? He didn’t know if Celeste’s flame would teleport together with them.

And if he left her behind… The [Awakener Lord] would absolutely take her.

Leon was certain of it. The moment he returned to [Higher Domain #3], they would be waiting for him to come back.

Or worse, they might simply destroy Celeste permanently. Which meant there was now only one option left.

Leon slowly exhaled while tightening his grip around the small flame.

“…Alright.” A faint glint appeared in his eyes, “Who cares.”

His expression slowly sharpened as darkness gathered around him.

“I wanted to see what was inside the [Awakener District] anyway,” he continued calmly.

If he had to face overwhelming enemies, then so be it.

If he had to fight level 100 NPCs or even a god, then fine.

Even if the [Awakener Lord] himself stood in his way, Leon would still go. Because no matter what happened, he refused to let one of his companions die.

And as for Mathilde… Leon’s eyes darkened dangerously. He would make sure she regretted ever touching Celeste.