"This should make things much easier," Isaac said.
"It definitely will. Let’s head for the Mini Bosses before anything else slows us down," Catherine replied.
Isaac nodded, and the two immediately set off through the swamp.
As they advanced, Isaac noticed an Awakener party fighting monsters in the distance. Since they were here, they had already defeated the Boss Monster of the First Area and successfully entered the swamp.
Isaac slowed down for a brief moment to observe them. He watched how they coordinated their attacks and quickly judged that they were all fairly capable awakeners. None of them looked weak enough to get stuck in this Area for long.
"They’re stronger than I expected," Isaac said.
Catherine followed his gaze before nodding. "That girl is quite beautiful. Isn’t she?"
Isaac rolled his eyes, and increased his speed. Those awakeners were strong enough to reach the Mini Bosses, and he couldn’t allow that to happen. If someone defeated even one of them, Catherine’s solo clear of the Second Area would fail.
The two quickly arrived before the first Mini Boss, the Bone Hydra. The giant skeletal monster roared as its many heads lunged toward them from different directions.
The fight was much easier than one would expect. He used Catherine’s skill to prevent the Bone Hydra’s regeneration from functioning properly, removing the creature’s greatest advantage. Without its endless regeneration, defeating it became a straightforward task.
Isaac shattered one head after another before destroying the monster’s core. The enormous skeleton collapsed into a pile of bones, leaving behind the familiar shower of loot.
Isaac did not waste time examining the drops. His clones collected everything while the two hurried toward the second Mini Boss.
The Swamp Oracle stood quietly within a pool of murky water. Isaac had assumed this battle would be troublesome because the monster possessed an ability that allowed it to predict incoming attacks.
To his surprise, things unfolded very differently. As soon as the battle began, he found himself instinctively sensing the Oracle’s movements before they happened. The feeling was subtle, but it was unmistakable.
His newly acquired Solo Conqueror Title had finally started revealing its effects. Although his predictions weren’t as accurate as the Mini Boss’s own ability, they were more than enough to close the gap.
Isaac’s superior physical strength did the rest. Every exchange pushed the Swamp Oracle further into a disadvantage until it could no longer defend itself. A final strike ended the battle moments later.
"It’s still unbelievable to see you overpower Mini Bosses with pure strength," Catherine said as Isaac crouched down to gather the loot.
Isaac simply nodded while storing the rewards. His expression remained calm, but inwardly he had a faint smile. Being praised by his wife always made him happier than he admitted.
After finishing the looting, they headed toward the third Mini Boss. Before long, the Leviathan Spawn emerged from the swamp with a thunderous roar.
Unlike the previous two fights, this one proved more difficult. The Leviathan Spawn’s scales were incredibly tough, and every attack carried tremendous force. Isaac eventually defeated it without suffering any serious injuries, but it took considerably more effort.
As the monster collapsed, Isaac let out a quiet breath. Fighting it himself made him realize once again just how absurd Avery’s strength truly was.
"It really is ridiculous. I can’t believe Avery defeated this thing alone," Isaac said.
"Sometimes it’s easy to forget how exceptional she really is until you fight the same opponent yourself." Catherine smiled faintly.
After collecting the loot, the two continued toward the Boss Arena. A massive pillar of light marked its location, making it impossible to miss even from a great distance.
Isaac couldn’t help smiling during the journey. The rewards from the previous Area had been far better than he expected despite not being a First Clear. It finally made sense why Great Dungeons were considered priceless opportunities.
Soon, they stepped into the Boss Arena. The Necromancer, Drowned King, sat at the throne while countless undead creatures surrounded it from every direction.
Isaac activated Sovereign of Land the moment the battle began. Although using the skill in an area overflowing with mana like this was normally difficult, his enormous mana reserves and high-rank Mana Control allowed him to stabilize it without much trouble.
His senses spread throughout the battlefield almost instantly. Within moments, he located the Necromancer’s phylactery hidden beneath the ground.
The location had changed from last battle.
Before the Boss could even reach him, Isaac destroyed the phylactery with a single attack. The Necromancer’s body immediately collapsed into lifeless bones, ending the fight before it had truly begun.
Isaac summoned several clones to gather the loot before turning toward Catherine with obvious excitement. "What rewards did you get?"
"Why are you so excited? Did you forget to use your emotion-calming technique?" Catherine looked at him curiously before raising an eyebrow.
Isaac blinked before quickly shaking his head. "No, that’s not it."
"Are you sure? You seem to have become much more interested in treasures after obtaining your second Dragon Bloodline. Considering Silver Dragons naturally see themselves as rulers, it wouldn’t be strange if that instinct affected you." Catherine smiled wryly.
Isaac chuckled and waved his hand. "It’s not because of the bloodline this time. There are almost no records of solo clears anywhere, and I’m sure that’s because everyone who managed one kept the rewards secret. The reward must be so great that they wanted to hide them. So, of course, I’m excited to see what the System gives."
"Alright, alright," Catherine replied with a small smile. She checked her notifications before looking back at him. "The rewards are the same as last time."
Isaac thought for a moment before nodding. "Then it looks like solo clear rewards remain the same once an Area has already lost its First Clear."
Catherine accepted her reward without hesitation.
"My Solo Conqueror Title upgraded. It’s now Solo Conqueror Adept," she said.
A portal leading toward the Third Area appeared nearby. As they walked toward it, Isaac silently spoke inside his mind.
’System, share the upgraded Title and the its upgrade!’
A notification immediately appeared before him.
Solo Conqueror → Solo Conqueror Adept.
Solo Conqueror Adept → Solo Conqueror Expert.