My Charity System made me too OP

The next morning, Leon woke up with Roselia nestled in his arms. Her soft breathing was steady, her face serene despite the faint streaks of dried tears on her cheeks. Yet, even with those tear marks, a satisfied and contented smile graced her lips, as if the events of the night had brought her a sense of peace and fulfillment.

Leon brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch gentle as he studied her features. She looked so vulnerable, a stark contrast to her usual confident and teasing demeanor. He wondered about the emotions that had spilled out the previous night, the tears she had shed even as she smiled.

He left quietly as he went to washroom.

Leon glanced back at the bed, seeing Roselia still sound asleep. Her peaceful expression tugged at his lips in a faint smile. "Guess I'm on my own today," he muttered, stepping out of the washroom. Seeing no sign of her waking up, he quickly scribbled a note and left it by her bedside before heading out.

"Alright," he mumbled to himself while walking through the streets, checking the quest details. "Which one should I tackle first? The Abomination King or the Death Puppet King?"

After briefly weighing his options, he decided. "Both are resistant to magic, but the Death Puppet King seems less troublesome to start with. Let's go with him," he reasoned, reviewing the information further.

"So, this guy fights by creating puppets... And these puppets are not only immune to magic but can reflect it back. Physical attacks it is, then," Leon concluded. With a smirk, he reached into his storage space and pulled out a hefty battle axe, its blade gleaming ominously.

"Time to put you to good use," he said, chuckling as he hefted the weapon over his shoulder. With his decision made, he began moving toward the dungeon of the Death Puppet King, his resolve firm and his anticipation high.

Leon exited the inn, his senses immediately picking up on the presence of people trailing him. He scowled inwardly, thinking, "It seems that bastard Hades is hell-bent on killing me."

A smirk formed on his lips as he muttered to himself, "Lord of Death, huh? I don't like causing unnecessary trouble, but let's see what happens when I turn him into an undead too."

His destination was the Tower shop—a bustling marketplace where anything and everything could be traded, from skill books to rare items, and even gold coins. Leon had chosen an expensive inn near key locations like the Quest Hall and Tower shop for convenience, and it proved to be a wise decision.

As he approached the shop, he noted the heavy foot traffic, with adventurers and locals alike moving in and out. The building loomed large, its entrance flanked by armed guards diligently checking IDs.

Leon walked up confidently, pulling out his Ascender card. One of the guards glanced at it before speaking in a detached, professional tone. "You can only roam the first half of the shop floor."

Leon nodded in understanding, pocketing his card. The restriction for Ascenders on lower floors was standard; only those with significant achievements or special permissions could access the upper tiers of such facilities.

With that, he stepped inside, ready to explore and possibly prepare for his encounter with the Death Puppet King—or deal with the shadowy figures still lurking behind him.

Inside the Tower shop, Leon was greeted by a bustling marketplace filled with the hum of voices, the clinking of coins, and the occasional flash of magic. Rows of stalls and counters lined the massive floor, each displaying a variety of wares. The shop was divided into sections—one for weapons, another for armor, a corner for consumables, and a large area for skill books and scrolls.

Leon's sharp gaze scanned the area as he moved toward the weapon section. His steps were deliberate, but his mind remained alert to the presence of his pursuers. He thought to himself, "They're keeping their distance for now. Probably waiting for an opportunity when I'm distracted."

Stopping at a counter showcasing axes and heavy weapons, Leon caught the attention of a merchant. The merchant, a portly man with a keen glint in his eye, greeted him warmly. "Ah, an Ascender! Welcome, welcome! Looking for something specific?"

Leon nodded, his hand brushing the hilt of his current axe. "I need an enhancement rune or an upgrade kit for this. Something that can boost its durability and effectiveness against constructs or undead."

The merchant's eyes gleamed with interest as he examined the axe. "Ah, a fine weapon! You're in luck; I have a rune set specifically designed for combating constructs and undead. It increases physical damage output by 20% and adds a disruption effect to prevent regeneration."

"Perfect," Leon said. "How much?"

"Eight hundred gold coins," the merchant replied, grinning.

Leon raised an eyebrow but didn't haggle. He had earned a good amount from his previous quests and still had surplus funds. Handing over the coins, he received the rune set, which he carefully applied to his axe under the merchant's guidance. The weapon glowed faintly as the runes fused with its surface, giving it an ominous, lethal aura.

With his weapon upgraded, Leon moved to the consumables section. He purchased a few healing potions and an anti-magic salve—useful against the Death Puppet King's magic-reflecting constructs.

As he left the counter, his sharp senses caught a flicker of movement. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of his pursuers whispering to a cloaked figure near the shop's exit. Leon smiled faintly to himself. "They're getting restless."

Deciding to bait them, Leon casually strolled toward the outskirts of the shop floor, pretending to be unaware. He stopped near a quieter corner, examining a rack of scrolls while keeping his senses primed. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire

Sure enough, the group of pursuers began closing in. He could feel their hostility radiating like a heatwave. One of them—a burly man armed with a spiked mace—stepped forward, his tone mocking.

"Hey, Ascender. Fancy weapon you've got there. Mind handing it over before someone gets hurt?"

Leon turned slowly, a calm smile on his face. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about me getting hurt. But if you're in a hurry to lose some limbs, I'm happy to oblige."

The tension in the air thickened as the other pursuers revealed themselves, forming a loose semicircle around Leon. There were five of them in total, each armed and radiating varying levels of power. The leader, a lean man with a cruel smirk, stepped forward.

"Hand over your valuables," the leader growled, his hand resting on the hilt of a dagger. "Or we'll take them after we carve you up."

Leon's smile didn't falter as he tightened his grip on his axe. "You know," he said lightly, "I was hoping for a little warm-up before my next quest. You're saving me some time."

Without another word, the leader lunged at him, dagger flashing. Leon sidestepped effortlessly, his axe swinging in a devastating arc that forced the man to retreat. The fight was on, and Leon was more than ready.

The quiet corner of the shop erupted into chaos as Leon's axe clashed with the leader's dagger. Sparks flew, and the resounding clang drew the attention of nearby shoppers and guards, who watched the unfolding fight with mixed curiosity and wariness.

One of the thugs, a man wielding dual swords, tried to flank Leon, but Leon spun fluidly, his axe slicing through the air in a deadly arc. The man barely managed to block, his swords vibrating under the force of the blow.

"Amateurs," Leon muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips.

The burly man with the spiked mace roared and charged, aiming to crush Leon in one swing. Leon shifted his weight, sidestepping at the last moment and bringing his axe down onto the man's weapon. The spiked mace cracked under the sheer force, and the man stumbled backward in shock.

Leon capitalized on the opening, kicking the man square in the chest and sending him crashing into a display rack.

The leader snarled. "Don't just stand there! Take him down!"

Two more of the pursuers rushed at Leon simultaneously—a lithe woman wielding daggers coated with poison and a towering man carrying a spear.

Leon's movements were a blur as he parried the spear with his axe, twisting his body to avoid the woman's slashes. One of her daggers grazed his shoulder, the poison sizzling against his armor but failing to penetrate.

"Nice try," Leon said, his voice calm despite the flurry of attacks.

He shoved the spear-wielder back with a powerful swing and then pivoted, catching the dagger-wielding woman off-guard with a well-aimed punch. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The spear-wielder hesitated, glancing at the downed woman and then at the others. The burly man was still groaning on the ground, and the dual-swordsman was barely holding his own.

Leon tilted his head, his smirk growing wider. "What's the matter? Not so confident anymore?"

The leader gritted his teeth, his dagger glowing faintly with enchanted energy. He dashed forward again, this time faster and more precise. Leon's axe intercepted the blow with ease, but the leader twisted, aiming a second strike at Leon's side.