The result of Ryan's first upgrades was pretty impressive. However, he could have upgraded each weapon at least until level sixty. Still, Ryan didn't do it for the previous reason he mentioned… for in case he finds or thinks of a better weapon and needs to improve it.

Aquatic Crossbow (+ 30)

Effect: At the cost of one hundred points of mana, it temporarily increases your intelligence after using this weapon for ten seconds. The bonus in intelligence will be fifteen points per shot and can stack.

Dexterity + 300, Intelligence + 300

Durability: 220/220

Revenge Crossbow (+40)

Effect: at the cost of one hundred points of mana, it grants the user the power to fire bolts that cause extra damage based on your lost life. The extra damage caused will be equal to the percentage of your lost health and can reach a max of twenty-five percent.

Dexterity + 500, Intelligence + 250.

Durability: 300/300

"All right…" Ryan said with a frown of surprise on his face. "I guess I am ready to cause some damage to those fuckers… Still, didn't I become quite strong with those four weapons? No… this isn't my strength. This is an extension of my strength, something that I obtained when I didn't focus on improving my skills and tried to look for outside options to deal with Poseidon… I can't get carried away after looking for something like this."

It was time to do some serious hunting, and Ryan was determined to bring the Hydra's back to extinction. While that was probably impossible since magical powers were spawning them, Ryan had to at least show that much determination. In any case, Ryan decided to ask Femradiel if she was planning to go with him, so he returned to his domain. Still, he found Alissa there, so he quickly assumed his hunt would be delayed for a few hours, at least.

"You have a lot of time in your hands, Alissa…" Ryan said and then sighed.

"I heard that you went to do some interesting things and you didn't even call me, so I have come to give you my complaints," Alissa said. "Anyway, Femradiel told me that you are dead set in delaying Poseidon's return. Despite that, you didn't even try to ask for help."

At least she didn't waste too much time complaining. Regardless, Alissa came alone this time, so Ryan assumed that she didn't intend to stay for long. Ryan's guesses weren't too off the mark, and she quickly got in the business.

"Did something happen?" Ryan asked.

"No, things are as good as they can be in the base. Arthur and Zoe are as good as they can be, thank you very much," Alissa said. "I have come to talk about someone else. It is about Daniel."

"You took interest in someone unexpected this time," Ryan said.

"Well, to be honest, he has become quite interesting as of late," Alissa said. "His team and him are dead set in becoming as strong as they can be and it looks like they got in their hands some interesting special classes. I could read his status before, but now that is impossible since he learned about Mind Armor. Despite that, I can tell that they became insanely strong. He even had the nerve of asking to spar with me."

"You are not much better, since you also asked to spar with me," Ryan said.

"Anyway, while I didn't think that I underestimated his strength, he somehow managed to cause much more damage than expected," Alissa said. "Orgar explained to me that he probably used some dragon slaying skills."

"Interesting… I can't say that I have seen many dragons these days, so I am not sure if those skills are of any use right now."

"You sure are laid back, while there aren't many dragons out there, there are still us, people who can use their powers," Alissa said. "Considering your talent at getting on other people's nerves, I assumed that you might become Daniel's target pretty soon. Whenever you are mentioned and he hears it, he becomes quite pissed, after all."

"If you really want that, then you should tell him to come and visit me anytime," Ryan smiled. "I am crazy to have a single reason to kick his ass. A spar will be the perfect excuse and if he attacks my first without warning, it will be even better."

"Did you hit your head somewhere?" Alissa frowned. "Anyway, if that fight happens, don't underestimate him. You aren't exactly sturdy, so you might be split in half on the first strike."

"Don't worry, unlike I don't feel the need to let the enemies land any attack on me," Ryan shrugged. "I am smarter than that."

"Let's hope that your brain is bigger than your ego," Alissa said. "Anyway, I am leaving since I only came to warn you about that, I am a busy person after all."

Alissa quickly vanished after using Flash several times. While Ryan wasn't so sure of that, he was pretty sure that Alissa would come and waste a few hours of her time to warn about something useless.

"… I forgot to use Absolute Appraisal on her," Ryan said.

"It is kind of amazing that you can worry about that in a situation like this," Femradiel said.

"Anyway, I am going to hunt some Hydras, do you want to come?" Ryan asked.

"Do you think that is the right time?" Femradiel asked. "Things are changing around these parts and you are not paying attention to your country."

"I am trying to look in the big picture, someone like Daniel and his friends are the last of my worries," Ryan replied. "If there are no enemies behind, we can and should proceed onward and face the real enemies before they become too troublesome."

That also seemed logical from Femradiel's perspective. Still, she couldn't help but worry that Ryan was focusing too much on the big mountain ahead and not paying attention to the occasional holes and stones on his path.