My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 473: Corrupted Beasts

Ethan accepted the document.

He scanned it once, then read it over again.

That was the extent of it—just a small scrap of paper containing a few handwritten lines.

It detailed the assignment, the location, and the promised rewards.

He looked upward.

"Is that everything?"

"That is everything."

Sera leaned back against the wooden counter, crossing her arms loosely. Her eyes remained locked on him, as if she were calculating his worth.

"I realize it seems quite simple," she remarked. "However, keep one vital detail in mind."

She rhythmically tapped the counter with a finger.

"You are within Elysium now."

The words seemed to hang heavy in the air.

"Nothing here functions as it did in your past. That Level 1 beast noted on your paper? In your former world, people would likely categorize that as an annihilation-grade threat."

She tilted her head slightly. "Here, it is merely a savage animal."

Ethan remained calm. He folded the parchment carefully and tucked it into his jacket.

Sera’s gaze turned sharp. "Do not underestimate it simply because the rank is minor. The true danger is the corruption itself."

"I understand."

Ethan turned toward the exit, only to halt when a thought struck him.

He pivoted back.

"I have one more inquiry."

Sera arched a brow. "What is it?"

"What is the method for gaining strength here?"

"You fulfill missions," she stated. "You eliminate monsters and provide aid to the populace."

She tapped the counter once more.

"Every meaningful action you undertake is registered by the world system. Upon such recognition, it grants you system points."

Ethan listened intently.

"Amassing enough points will increase your level."

"Is that all?"

Sera offered a shrug. "That is the basic framework."

She leaned closer.

"There are alternate paths, of course. Rarities like lost treasures, ancient relics, momentous achievements, or even blessings from higher entities."

She paused.

"But for someone just beginning?"

"Missions and monster hunting are the most reliable, if not the only, practical options."

Ethan nodded in approval. "My thanks."

With that, he departed.

Outside the Adventurer Hall, the sky spanned endlessly across the town.

Yet, it carried no blue hue.

It was a shimmering, metallic silver.

A strange, radiant luster filled the horizon like an immense mirror reflecting light from some unknown realm. Clouds drifted through the expanse like spectral phantoms.

The entire atmosphere felt subtly distorted.

Ethan paused, gathering his thoughts as he pulled out the mission details once more.

[Corrupted Beasts. Level 1 Threat. Southern Farmstead.]

He turned his gaze toward the southern road. A long, unpaved trail stretched from the town gates, winding away toward distant hills.

Ethan refolded the paper.

"Corrupted beasts," he muttered. "Level 1."

He began to walk.

"Yumiko."

[Yes, Master?]

"Do you happen to know what exactly these corrupted beasts are?"

She hesitated briefly before replying.

[To an extent.]

Ethan continued through the town streets while focusing on her voice.

[The world of Elysium is plagued by a phenomenon known as the Gray Mist. It manifests in various regions, though its origin remains unknown.]

Ethan’s expression tightened.

[When any creature enters the mist—be it man, beast, or anything else—and the mist manages to infiltrate their consciousness, they succumb to corruption.]

[These creatures eventually abandon all reason, transforming into monsters.]

Ethan slowed his pace.

"And slaying them provides evolution points?"

[Indeed. That is a primary method utilized by the world system to incentivize hunters and adventurers to purge these corrupted entities.]

Ethan eyed the distant hills.

"This place is rife with danger."

He resumed his walk.

"And it appears that individuals from foreign worlds arrive here quite often."

His voice dropped to a murmur.

"We are in dire need of more intelligence regarding this world."

[I concur.]

He exited the town a short while later.

The southern path cut through rolling, grassy plains. The silver sky blanketed the landscape in a pale glow.

The wind rippled through the grass like waves on an ocean.

Ethan walked with steady composure, his senses radiating outward. Even while suppressed, his perception remained terrifyingly acute.

Eventually, he arrived at a humble village.

The dwellings were rudimentary, constructed of wood with thatched roofing, surrounded by small plots of farmland.

The villagers watched him pass with wary eyes.

They recognized an adventurer when they saw one.

After asking several questions, locating the farm owner proved simple.

An elderly man with weathered features and weary eyes stood beside a small dwelling on the outskirts.

Seeing Ethan approach with the mission document, the man’s face brimmed with relief.

"My thanks, adventurer!"

He bowed his head.

"I am grateful you accepted this request."

His voice carried a tremor.

"Would you care to rest before heading out?"

Ethan shook his head. "That is unnecessary."

He handed the paper to the old man.

"Simply lead me to the farm and brief me on the situation."

The old man nodded vigorously. "Yes, certainly, right this way."

They began their trek.

The farm was situated near the village.

As they traveled, the man explained.

"Three days ago... a corrupted wolf breached my property."

Ethan listened in silence.

"I managed to fend it off, against all odds."

A note of bitterness colored his tone.

"But during the struggle... it inflicted a bite upon one of my cattle."

He heaved a heavy sigh.

"I failed to notice."

His posture sagged with despair.

"Not long after... that ox succumbed to the corruption."

Ethan frowned.

"And the taint proceeded to spread."

The man’s voice quivered.

"All ten of my cattle are now corrupted beasts. They refuse to disperse, and they have decimated my barn."

He gestured vaguely toward the distant fields with hollow eyes.

"I only wish to reclaim my land. It is the only livelihood I possess."

Ethan nodded once.

He then asked quietly, "If a corrupted creature bites a target, do they invariably transform?"

[Affirmative.]

Yumiko replied instantly.

[Once the corruption migrates through the victim’s body to the mind, the transformation is inevitable. That is precisely why such monsters are so lethal.]

They soon reached the farmstead.

At first glance, the site appeared tranquil enough, with a modest house and barn surrounded by fenced pastures.

Yet, the barn doors hung in ruins, and the fences had been smashed.

A haystack smoldered near the house, sending wisps of smoke into the metallic sky.

And within the tall grass beyond the fields...

Something stirred.

Ethan ceased his approach.

His eyes narrowed.

Three creatures loomed in the tall, unkempt grass.

They were massive, roughly equivalent to cattle in size.

However, they were no longer mere livestock.

Their forms were warped, their skin dark and fissured. Jagged, obsidian-like crystals protruded from their flesh, forming a natural, impenetrable armor.

Their eyes burned with a malevolent red glow.

One lowered its head, gouging the earth with long, crystalline horns. The soil parted as if it were parchment.

Ethan observed the display in silence.

[Corrupted beasts identified.]

Yumiko confirmed.

Ethan raised his right hand.

A flash of light coalesced.

The Sword of Infinity took shape.

The blade hummed with a quiet, celestial energy.

One of the beasts lifted its head.

Its crimson gaze locked onto his.

For a heartbeat, the world fell deathly silent.

Then, the beast launched its charge.

The ground shuddered.

The creature moved with unnatural velocity, far outstripping any natural animal.

It felt as though space distorted around the monster, collapsing the distance instantly.

It materialized directly before him.

Ethan sidestepped.

Barely.

A horn carved through the air exactly where his chest had been just an instant before. The sheer wind pressure hit him like falling debris.

"Even my reflexes are hampered," he noted.

He realized the situation fully.

This realm was restricting his capabilities to their very foundation.

"Compared to my usual state, I am wading through sludge."

Yet, even with his abilities stifled...

He remained vastly swifter than the monster.

As the beast rushed past him, Ethan moved.

The Sword of Infinity descended.

A single, flawless arc.

The blade cleaved through the creature with zero resistance.

The monster was bisected.

Two heavy, corrupted carcasses tumbled into the dirt.

It was finished.