Adventurers Guild Adventurer's Guild - Receptionist Desk

Delta Town - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 100 Rats [ 100 G ]

Spoiler: Rat Extermination

After I registered in receptionist's desk, I walked towards the quest board for my first debut as an adventurer.

Looking at the quest board that hanging high in the wall(for a cat), I don't know how to reach there, let alone to read it. I avoided the still full quest board even though no one come there. That must be a high ranked quests I thought, so I just followed the crowd that looking at the quest board, they just standing in front of every quests they see as they doubting what quest they should take.

I looked at their equipment, they are clearly a newbies just like me. I skimmed through at every quests I see, if I can't see the detail I'll just look at the quests picture.

I saw a rat picture in one of the quests I see, with excited mind, I just jumped towards it, the quest paper almost ripped by my claws, even a newbie standing beside me startled while cursing me. Oh well... leaving it aside, the quest said that I must slay 100 rats, what a perfect quest for me.

+++​

I equipped my Cat Gloves on my paws, even though I have a Flying Needle I can't use it because I'm still in the Mortal Realm... I hope the receptionist won't mad at me because I put Cultivator in the Job/Class...

Looking at the gloomy staircases to the basement in front of me, I can even hear the rats squeking under there. After I readied myself, I walked down there.

I stealthy sneaking as my paws stepped down towards the basement, I don't know why, but everytime I try to sneak in the past I always got caught by my father, did I really learned it now?

I cleared my mind as I got closer, and the rats squeking are become louds in my ears now. I readied myself to use the ｢Charge｣ skill, I'll just run towards the middle of the rats crowd so that I can easily exterminate them.

After I saw the rats crowd, I pounced myself towards them as I used the ｢Charge｣ skill.

Using my Cat Gloves, I slashed my paws towards them as they got shocked still got disoriented by my sudden appearance. I used this chance to use my ｢Paw Swipe｣ skill, the rats are really scared now as they saw their friends got thrown out by my swipes.

Heh... this mission are so easy.

Note: I learned ｢Sneaking｣ skill.

@brasca123

 

Delta Town - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 100 Rats [ 100 G ]
==================
Oh, you're back Kato-kun!

*pat pat* You worked hard didn't you? That's great! Beating all those evil rats by yourself was incredible! Good job!

Your reward will be of 100G,okay?

Take care now and good luck! ^^)/

 

The sight of the receptionist desk was a lovely thing to see. It had taken me so long to finish the 6 quests I had filed for. Thankfully, I managed to arrive in one piece. Approaching the desk, I rang the bell for a receptionist and gave my report.

• Great Plain - #GD2 - D-Ranked - Gather 10 Nectar [ 120 G | 1 x Butterfly Honey ]
• Gallant Mine - #GD2 - D-Ranked – Mine 3 Fire Crystals [ 100G | 1 x Refined Fire Crystal ]
• Gallant Mine - #GD3 - D-Ranked – Mine 3 Earth Crystals [ 100G | 1 x Refined Earth Crystal ]
• Gallant Mine - #GE1 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Ice Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Ice Crystal ]
• Gallant Mine - #GE2 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Wind Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Wind Crystal]
• Gallant Mine - #SE1 - E-Ranked – Slay 5 Snow Goblin [ 80G ]

Spoiler: Fourth Quest

Spoiler: Quest Report 01

I took the portal to Frontier Village and actually chanced on a group on its way to Gallant Pass. It was an entourage of four caravans with their own sets of bodyguards. I didn't know where they were headed and I had no plans to ask but they didn't seem to mind being tailed by adventurers. They travelled at a leisurely pace that I liked so I based my travel time with theirs.

In the end, it took me three days until I arrived at Gallant Mine. I could have gotten here quicker but I thought it would have been such a waste not to take advantage of such pleasant weather. Plus, I was acclimating myself with the ley of the land. I wasn't from this area so seeing as much as I could, could prove to be useful in the future.

Gallant Mine was manned by adventurers. Looking around, I could even see some who were partied together. It was an eclectic mix of people ranging from those who preferred solo missions and those who thrived in numbers. Even then, the mine was so huge and spacious it hardly felt like anybody was in it. The sounds of iron clashing with stone and random chatter gave away the location of some adventurers but I'm sure other areas were very quiet.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, I proceeded to do the necessary procedures before I went on my way. First on the agenda was the goblin slaying. I wanted to get that out of the way so that I could have more time mining.

Being an adventurer sure was tough. True we could choose our quests based on what we were good at but then some quests were too good to pass. Like this one. I had no real experience with mining but I really wanted those crystal rewards. To think I could actually get some pigments from them!

I haven't had the chance to do anything with my own hands in a long time so the idea of making my own paints was exciting. I used to do that at home but the fact that I can do it here was getting me more motivated than usual.

First, however, I wanted the slaying quest out of the way. I asked around from other adventurers if they knew where I could encounter any goblins and a few pointed me towards a general direction. I said my thanks and went on my way. Back in the tavern, I overheard talk of some people feeling claustrophobic here but I had no such problem. It was probably due to the fact that I felt such a rich deposit of ignis here. Maybe because it was technically 'underground.'

In some areas that I passed, the ignis was so thick that some spirits actually congregated there. Some corners even had ghosts. Meanwhile, as ignis flowed under the rocks, I sensed concentrated pools of mana scattered everywhere. It must have been the crystals. I was glad I was taught how to sense mana quite early in childhood. It was going to be very helpful in my mining quest.

Suddenly, I heard a strange sound that clearly was at odds to the atmosphere I was just getting used to. This far inside, the sounds of mining were quite muffled so whatever it was that I heard was cause for caution.

I paused to listen as I quietly unsheathed my long daggers. Clash of metal against metal. Rocks falling and a distinctly inhuman shout. I carefully walked towards the noise but hurried along when I heard the hassled voices of people.

I reached a long hallway where an opening on the right side could be seen. Carefully, I stopped just before the passageway and peeked inside. Three adventurers were surrounded by snow goblins. It seemed to be an ambush. A fighter, an archer, and a mage. The first one was down with an injury, second was giving him potion, while the mage had a barrier up. If this went on, it wouldn't last.

Thinking fast, I took out two talismans and threw them against the opposite sides of the entrance to the passageway. One stuck to the left wall, while one stuck to where I was leaning on just a little while ago. There were no letters on the talismans. Instead, a simple eye was drawn on each. These would warn me in case anybody approached the passageway from either side. It wouldn't be good to be ambushed after all.

I judged the distance from the nearest goblin and knew what to do. Being that the passageway where the scuffle was wasn't that wide and that even the ceiling was low, it wasn't an ideal place for me to use Soul Cleaver. Also, I might make a mistake and actually hit my fellow adventurers. Taking a deep breath, I dashed in.

Before they could notice me, I activated Tuoni's Shroud and the effect was instantaneous. My practice with the skill proved fruitful. My figure vanished into thin air and it allowed me to rush at the nearest goblin unnoticed. With a quick and heavy slice of Rend, one goblin was decapitated while a slash of Smite caused another goblin's arm to be cleanly cut off. At that point, the effect of Tuoni's Shroud was gone.

All of them inside the passageway, even the adventurers, were surprised by my sudden appearance. Even the snow goblin that I just cut the arm of hadn't really registered what had happened until it looked down at the useless limb on the floor. Before it could scream in pain, I stabbed it in the gut and I felt my dagger cut through meat and bone until it went through its spine to pierce to the other side.

Two goblins down in quick succession. Just as I drew out my dagger from the dead goblin, shouts of anger erupted from its brethren. Immediately, I used Ankle Biter and even casted Specter Guard for insurance. The former skill was to slow them down. The latter was so that I can rush in without having to worry about getting injured.

Specter Guard was a skill that could absorb any form of damage for a solid 5 seconds. Though I called it Specter Guard, no real spirit or ghost appeared but instead, the ignis stored inside my body was manipulated to be used as a 'shield' against attacks. It just so happened that the supposed shield seemed to look like specters that surrounded me.

I sprinted into the fray. The amount of goblins here were no joke. It was bad luck for these three adventurers to have encountered them. Seeing that I had the goblins' attention, the archer and mage finally took action as well. The fighter was still getting his bearings back but I could tell it wouldn't take him long until he would dive in to fight.

Meanwhile, I didn't have the luxury to lose focus. As it were, I was surrounded by four very angry goblins. Specter Guard worked magnificently. There was no need to get agitated.

Two goblins came at me at the same time. Ankle Biter allowed me breathing room with their steps staggering and causing them not to arrive where I was at the same time. I parried the makeshift axe swung my way and took advantage to swing Smite under the goblin's armpit. The slice was swift and cut through. The arm went flying.

With the gem Xolotl's Bark installed in my right dagger, it caused the severely injured goblin to be paralyzed. It couldn't even react from the pain. Not wanting to waste what precious time I had, I used the injured goblin as a shield against the other one that was supposed to attack me. I turned my back on the two and went to my left where my other enemy was closest.

Ignoring the projectiles I felt bouncing off Specter Guard, I used a double Smite against my target and finished it off with a final swing of Rend. The blade cut diagonally through the side of its neck, downwards until it stopped in its sternum. Feeling a charge behind me, I turned, goblin still stuck securely on my dagger, and kicked the body off my weapon towards the charging enemy. Surprised, the goblin stumbled as it caught its dead comrade.

Meanwhile, Specter Guard ended as I casted another Ankle Biter. Not waiting for the surprised goblin to recuperate, I stuck close and gambled a heavy slash of Soul Cleaver. The attack sliced through the corpse and cut the other goblin in half. Normally this attack wasn't that strong but I made sure that the ignis I manipulated was more potent than usual. That plus the close proximity of my enemy allowed for a more lethal attack.

There was no time for me to revel in my small victories. I turned back to my paralyzed enemy and it seemed like the goblin behind it was trying to push its frozen companion aside. There was no real room for it to maneuver itself being that its back was against the wall. Before it could really do anything, I stabbed through the paralyzed goblin and cursed when the one behind it shrunk back to avoid the tip of my blade.

I suppose it was too much to expect the same move to keep on succeeding. With my left dagger still stuck inside the goblin, I used Smite to slice through instead of simply pulling it out. With nothing between the other goblin and I, I made another concentrated slice of Soul Cleaver. The goblin screamed until the attack hit it squarely in the face and sliced it in half.

Before I could see it lifelessly slide down the wall, more goblins came. It had been years since I had been involved in this kind of fight. If I failed here, my comrades from my previous oni hunting team would ridicule me endlessly.

With renewed determination, I dodged any weapons swinging my way and I even had to use my arm guards to block any rocks they threw at me with their slingshots. From my peripheral, I could see the three ambushed adventurers were doing well. The fighter had recovered and looked as if he had the most number of kills so far. After him was the archer, the only female in the group. Her bow had blades on both ends and she was using that to take care of the goblins that made the mistake to approach her. The mage, meanwhile, was doing a good job of balancing between offense and defense. His comrades made sure he wasn't wasting his mana so he mostly finished off stragglers.

When a careless swing of a blade almost nicked me, I decided to ignore the adventurers for now. Earlier I thought that Soul Cleaver was something I couldn't use here. The passageway was rather narrow so it was dangerous to use it because it might hit the walls and cause a minor cave-in. Either that or I would accidentally injure the very people I was trying to save with a swing of my daggers. Thankfully, the goblins were so numerous that both problems were negated. As long as I stuck close to my target and attacked with my skill, the danger of damaging the walls or injuring the people were lessened considerably.

The number of goblins seemed to have lessened but there were still enough of them that they didn't think of retreating yet. I activated another round of Ankle Biter and attacked the nearest goblin. It managed to parry my attack twice but on my third swing of Rend, the blade of the small sword in its hands broke into pieces. I didn't give it the time to react about its broken weapon as I sliced two attacks of Smite directed at its chest and belly.

Curse effect from my left dagger would have slowed the goblin's movements further stacking the effects of Ankle Biter, but my lightning gem in my right dagger completely paralyzed it. These might be considered overkill but I wasn't going to complain. Being that the goblin I just attacked was most likely going to die of blood loss, I left it alone and targeted another one nearby. Before I could get a hit in, another goblin moved in to help. This time, the two made sure to come at me at the same time. This would have posed as a problem if I hadn't been trained to fight with dual weapons. I was ambidextrous both in and out of battle. It was a must at the temple. We were all trained as such.

The onslaught of attacks were tricky to dodge and parry because one wielded a hammer while the other one had a spear. It took me a few minutes to understand the timing of their assault and planned my next move. The spear had a rough wooden shaft that ended with a metal tip shaped like a big arrow head and it was that, that I was aiming for. I waited patiently for the right setting for what I had planned. In the midst of dodging their attacks, Ankle Biter vanished and the movements of the two goblins quickened immediately to its normal pace. The sudden change caused the two to stumble and it was what I was waiting for.

I acted as if the change of pace also surprised me and feinted forward. They took the bait. The goblin with the spear came at me first but the one with the hammer wasn't far behind. I could tell they were excited at the idea of finally finishing me off and, if possible, they wanted to do it together. Their impatience proved their demise.

The pointed end of the spear rushed at me and I dodged quickly. With my left dagger, I parried and slid the dull edge of the blade on the wooden shaft until it reached the bottom of the metal tip. I made sure my weapon was hooked to the edge where wood met metal and dragged the spear upwards against the oncoming attack of the hammer. The other goblin didn't have the time to pull back and his weapon followed-through with a heavy blow. The spear made a resounding crack as it broke in two.

The angle was just right. My right dagger slashed down quickly at my opponent's wrist without trouble. The goblin watched as its hand that was holding the hammer fell lifeless on the ground. I could hear it groan in pain but due to my lightning gem, it was completely paralyzed.

Still surprised at the fact that I managed to break its spear, the other goblin stood frozen in shock. I took a wide step towards the spear wielder with my left foot as I tucked my left arm into my stomach and sprung forward with an upward slash of Rend. Though it tried to dodge, the end result was that the goblin was decimated. I then turned back to the paralyzed goblin and quickly finished it off as well.

As I looked up towards the ambushed adventurers, they were also surrounded by heaps of enemy corpses. At this point, the snow goblins finally decided a hasty retreat was in order. They scampered away clumsily further inside the passageway. I had no plans of finding out where they were headed.

I sheathed my daggers after cleaning the blades of the blood from the snow goblins. I then made my way towards the three people who were the reason why I took part at an impromptu skirmish. They looked bedraggled and dirty and though they did win against overwhelming odds, the expression on their faces seemed to reflect defeat rather than victory.

"Thank you," said the mage with a deep, tired exhale. "Your arrival saved us."

I waved off his thanks. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude but leave the pleasantries for later," I said in a hurry. "We need to leave. It would do us no good if they decided to come back with reinforcements."

Their frowns deepened at hearing of such possibility. Nobody said anything more as we quickly left the area after taking our proofs of kill. I only took 5 even though I killed more than. Of course, I didn't forget to take back the two talismans from earlier as well. They didn't activate so they were still usable.

We went back to the more populated areas just to be sure that we would have no more encounters with snow goblins. The three all heaved a sigh of relief when we stopped near a group of adventurers who seemed to be planning their mining expedition. It was the archer who spoke first.

"Disgusting!" She looked down at her dirty appearance and was dismayed at the blood stains on her clothes. "Where did those snow goblins come from?"

The fighter was glaring down at his own blood encrusted armor. "I can't believe the number of goblins that ambushed us."

The mage ignored them and turned to me. "Thank you again. My name is Rhys. That musclehead over there is Knox. The archer is called Shea."

"My name is Levana. There's no need for thanks. I'm just glad I arrived when I did." As an afterthought, I added, "Were you able to count how many you killed?"

Rhys was the first to reply with, "Four."

"Same," came Shea's reply.

And finally, Knox. "I killed seven."

Added with my body count, that was a lot. "I took down nine. That's more than I thought we got rid of."

Realizing the number, the three didn't seem to know what to feel about our victory. Should they be happy to come out alive or disappointed that they encountered such bad luck on their first jaunt to Gallant Mine? It was a coin-toss between the two.

"I take it that the three of you are in a party?"

They all nodded but Rhys spoke out with a, "Yes."

"Do you at least have slaying snow goblins as a quest?"

This time it was Shea who answered. "Yes, we do. We were actually in that area looking for them. When we asked from other adventurers, they said that area was a good place to look for snow goblins."

"At least we know they weren't lying," replied Knox with a derisive smile.

"The snow goblins might have gotten fed up after being repeatedly hunted in that area," I reasoned out. "Since it sounds like the location is a well-known hub for hunting them down, they must have waited for adventurers this time around."

The three gave out a sigh of frustration. I continued, "We need to tell the others. I know you're tired but the faster this news spreads, the quicker it will be fixed."

None of them complained. We split up and started to spread the information to nearby adventurers. They were understandably angry at the snow goblins and the people I spoke to promised to convey the details to others they encountered. Gallant Mine was huge. I didn't know how far the warning would reach. For now, we did what we could by talking to anybody we saw along the way.

When we were nearing the main entrance of Gallant Mine, I approached the three of them and said my goodbyes. "I still have to do some mining so I'll have to excuse myself."

They explained that their quests were done and were quite eager to get out of this place. Before parting ways, Shea approached me in earnest. She took out something from a pouch attached to her belt and handed it to me. On her palm were three beautifully crafted arrowheads with small, intricate runes carved on its surface.

"These are exploding arrowheads. It's the only thing I have right now that I consider valuable. Please take it as thanks for helping us earlier."

Rhys came forward and also handed me something. It was a tightly wound up scroll with a wax seal keeping it secure. "This is an instant cast of a strong wind magic called Tempest. It only works in open areas and is highly useful against a large number of targets within a 10 yard radius. The spell lasts for 7 seconds."

"I can't take this," I said in protest. This seemed too valuable after all.

Rhys brushed off my words and said, "If it makes you feel any better, that's not my strongest scroll. In fact, it's an experimental one."

Shea looked horrified at hearing this and, to be honest, I also felt it was strange to give something to someone that sounded unreliable. As if reading our thoughts, Rhys quickly added, "Just because it's experimental doesn't mean it doesn't work. I can't really explain the process but the mages in my family are taught to write a whole scroll detailing a spell. This scroll is basically the skeleton of said spell. However, our high-class mages don't use scrolls.

"For me to be considered at their level, I have to minimize the characters of this spell until there's only one word left. I'm not there yet. That doesn't mean this scroll is problematic. If anything, it's just cumbersome."

I looked down at the scroll with renewed interest. Then, I glanced at Rhys in worry. "It really does sound valuable."

He sighed. "It really isn't. Didn't I say that I had to minimize the characters?"

"Yes."

"This one was my eighth try. The most recent one is my fourteenth. That one lasts a good 12 seconds. I removed the wrong character in the scroll in your hand making the duration shorter. That wasn't really my goal."

In the end, I decided to just accept his gift. Afterwards, Knox came up to me and also gave me something as a token of gratitude. At first I couldn't see what it was because Knox had it firmly in his grasp so I had to catch it when he dropped the item on my palm. When I saw what it was, I was actually quite surprised. It was an artfully made kumihimo charm. It was an intricately braided, long cord that was looped thrice and joined together by a turquoise glass bead. The charm was mostly black but was interspersed by the random appearance of colored thread the same shade as the bead.

Spoiler: Kumihimo Charm

The surprise of receiving this didn’t come from the fact that I never expected it. True, it was partly due to that reason but mostly, the thing that astonished me about this kumihimo charm was the simple fact that it was imbued with a strong spell. What spell was it?

As if to answer my question, Knox explained, "It's a charm that helps with restoring one's energy. To be precise, it's a mana channeller. It converts mana into stamina so you don't get tired easily. It's pretty useful during tiresome quests but I suggest putting it aside when you plan to relax. Sometimes it prevents you from sleeping.

"Do note, however, that the charm only focuses on physical related activities. Any depleted mana from magic invocation cannot be restored by the charm. Exhaustion through mana depletion is a different problem altogether so be careful."

Before I could even say anything, he added, "I have two more of that charm so please don't hesitate to take it."

In the end, I just accepted the gifts and said, "Thank you for these. I'll be sure to use them well."

They smiled at me and after a few more words, we finally parted ways. The three were leaving for Aeternus but I was heading deeper into the mines. After all, I still had those crystals to find.

Spoiler: Quest Report 02

Thankfully, mining for the crystals wasn't as eventful as my snow goblin encounter with those three adventurers. It was also easier in some aspects with my sensitivity to mana making it quicker for me to find areas rich with crystals but trickier because at first, I just couldn't tell what kind of crystals they were. The differences were there but they were subtle.

At first I couldn't tell that there were dissimilarities at all with what I was sensing. It wasn't until I neared a cluster of crystals that I could distinguish the difference. After carefully digging through rocks, I finally managed to take out one of thee precious stones I came for.

It was a tarnished clump of unrefined crystal the color of fresh mud that perfectly resembled the image from the guild's encyclopedia that labeled it as an earth crystal. While examining the precious stone, I could sense the flow of concentrated mana stored inside. There was a distinct heaviness in the energy it gave out that reminded me of a bass drum. A sort of weighty cadence that resonated.

Feeling the aura up close, I grew fascinated. Even more so when I realized that not all of the hidden pools of mana that I felt gave off the sensation this unrefined crystal in my hand was giving out. It was thanks to the subtle discrepancies that it became easier for me to pinpoint where certain crystals were.

Even when saying that, I still had to see the object with my own eyes to distinguish what crystal it was that I was sensing. This was the first time for me to do this kind of quest so some leeway had to be given in regards to my ignorance with which was which. In the future, if I chose to do this quest again, pinpointing specific crystals would be easier.

I took a good hour and a half to get all the earth crystals I needed. As soon as I securely hid the three earth crystals away, I followed the direction of where a different type of mana pool was located. Upon carefully reading the aura it gave out, I found a somewhat violent characteristic to it that made me a little wary.

Brushing my worry to the side for now, I readied the mining tools and started digging away at the location of where I could feel the crystals were. The rockface in this area seemed harder as compared to where I was earlier and it took me nearly forty minutes until I was able to dig out the first crystal.

The fact that I expected it to be a fire crystal was a given. The aura it gave out with its mana content was a tirbulent mess. It was a wild kind of energy that was quite energetic and tumultuous - for a lack of a better term. However, what greeted my eyes was a chunk of unrefined wind crystal. The unexpected result surprised me.

Nevertheless, I made sure it was of good quality until I put it aside. Brushing off the excess dirt covering it, I grew amazed at how vibrant this crystal's color was. The green shade of it was so alive. I could just imagine the colored pigments I could acquire from the refined version of this.

After studying it for a few minutes more, I finally put it aside so that I could dig for more crystals. The rockface really was harder here than the area where I found the earth crystals. It would have been tiring work if not for my kumihimo charm from Knox. It took me nearly three hours to finish.

Suddenly, I remembered that, since I was planning to make pigments for paint, I needed other important materials for it. I eyed the rockface before me and looked further at mysl surroundings. It took me half an hour to find what I was looking for. It was a flat slab of rock 1.5 feet by 1 foot. Next, I picked up piece of stone that was the size of my fist that was smooth and flat on the bottom. I set them aside in my item box/pouch and went on my way to find my next target.

Unlike the previous two, this next batch was really a dead giveaway. How could I have forgotten? These crystals were heavily reliant on their environment. To be frank, I actually didn't know how I managed to find the earth and wind crystals in the locations that I ended up in. This time around, there was no doubt as to which kind I was about to dig out soon.

Though I couldn't see it, I was sure there was an underground stream deep inside the surface of where I was walking. I knew it was there thanks to the flow of ignis I felt crisscrossing under the soil. It wasn't a normal kind of stream. It was deathly cold.

I followed the general direction of where it was going and discovered that the mana pool I felt was also somewhere in that area. Soon enough, I managed to squeeze into a small chamber enveloped by ice. The sudden drop in temperature was a shock to the system. Thankfully, I could use my body's own storage of mana or even my ignis to warm myself up. However, it wouldn't do well to prolong my stay here.

I hurried myself along and went straight for where the crystals were. Normally, this would probably have taken as long as my mining of the wind crystals but by using my dagger with the fire gem installed, the work became faster. I melted the ice by sticking my dagger on it and then dug through a few inches with my rented mining tools to get the precious stones. In less than an hour, I had at my disposal five ice crystals.

Though I wanted to study them carefully, I decided to leave the iced chamber first and walked a good distance before I looked at my new acquisitions. The coloring was dull but the mana was pure. When I tried to roughly brush at its surface, I could see a better shade of blue underneath which pleased me.

Leaving that matter aside, I concentrated on the crystal's aura and felt a fresh coolness that reminded me slightly of mint. However, before one could appreciate the chill, the mana inside gave a shock of jagged pinpricks akin to the pointed end of a dull needle. It was a very odd combination.

It was a good thing one needed to concentrate to feel the crystals' auras. If not, the sudden onslaught of these elemental energies could get rather overwhelming. I put the ice crytals aside and started to look for my last mining quest.

Interestingly enough, the faint aura of mana I was following was still where the underground stream was flowing to. The treck wasn't long until a thin curtain of steam greeted me on the way. I grew confused when I reached a dead end. Where was the steam coming from?

Putting my right hand on the wall of rock in front of me, I searched for a strand of ignis. The one l found was a thin string at best but it did lead me to a small opening to the side I could barely squeeze into. With my light armor on, it was a bit of a challenge to fit myself into the small gap but I managed it somehow by walking sideways all the way.

The opening slanted downwards and I did my best to try and calculate how far down I had gone. The further I went, the thicker the steam became. Nothing too bad that affected my breathing though. Without the kumihimo charm, I would have been exhausted by now. It was a good thing that it worked magnificently.

I was deep enough into the opening that I had every reason to feel claustraphobic what with the passage not getting any wider. Still, I continued. After an estimated 30 meters, the ground stopped its downwards slope and leveled out. Soon, even the passageway widened until I found myself freely walking out into an enormous underground cave.

It took me a few minutes to get my bearings back due to the sheer awe I felt at seeing the sight before me. The roof of the cave was something I couldn't see due to the steam engulfing the place. However, what I COULD behold were the stalactites made of fire crystals hanging down from the ceiling. They were hard to miss since it was due to those formations that the underground cave was illuminated with a nice, soft glow that was akin to the relaxing radiance of sunset. It was beautiful.

However, what was even more fascinating was the presence of so many assorted pools of water inside the cave. Some even had stalagmites of fire crystals rising from underneath the water. Other pools glowed red from the rich deposit of crystals resting in their depths while other bodies of water gave off so much steam I was frightened to venture near.

I walked towards a shallow pool close to where I was standing and actually saw loose fire crystals at the bottom. Carefully, I reached down and tested the temperature of the water and was surprised that it wasn't actually that hot. Bearable for the skin anyway.

Soon I had three fire crystals within my grasp. It was the quickest mining I had ever done and I didn't even need to dig through rock. The crystals were smooth probably from being under the water for so long. Its red color was so rich I couldn't stop the smile that came to my face. This shade of red would be lovely as pigments for paint. I was almost regretful that I had to take these precious stones aways from this lovely cave. Almost but not quite.

I looked around and again stared in wonder. This was a huge cave and I could only count about a dozen pools from where I stood and could tell there were more. However, the steam prevented me from seeing too far. I took a deep breath and grew curious when I couldn't detect the scent of sulfur that was usually present in naturally occurring hot springs. The heat of the water was probably from the numerous fire crystals surrounding the place. How fascinating.

Absentmindedly, I turned my focus on the crystals and their aura and sensed a constant flow of energy circulating inside. It was neither angry nor wild as I first thought it would be. What it was, was energetic and playful. It reminded me of a child high on sugar.

The imagery made me laugh. Looking around, I was so tempted to explore and even brave a dip in one of the pools but I had no idea if there were beasts in here. Better to report it first before I got ahead of myself. I was hesitant to leave but I had one more item in my quest list. I was taking too long as it was.

With a heavy sigh, I turned back to the small opening I came from and began my ascent. I wonder if I'll be able to come back here? Hopefully I could find the time to visit without having to worry about finishing quests. The last on my list was nectar gathering. I doubted anything exciting was going to happen there.

…

Who knew I would actually find myself facing another troublesome event on the way outside of Gallant Mine?

North Mountain's Ice Golem Raid
A Chance Meeting

Spoiler: Quest Report 03

Unbelievably, I finally found myself in the middle of a flower field with stems reaching well above my waist. This patch of flora was not a lucky find. It actually took me longer than I had liked to find the types of flowers that I was looking for. This batch was the eighth I managed to chance on.

Upon my arrival here, it would have made sense to immediately start gathering all the necessary nectar I needed for the quest but I stalled. This was the first time of quiet for myself. It was a moment I wanted to savor as much as possible.

Without even really thinking about it, I sat down where I was and grew immensely satisfied at the fact that I was completely hidden by the height of the flower stems around me. The weather was cool today and the breeze chilly. Probably remnants of the cold winds from the Northern Mountain that had its fair share of elementals going haywire from the recent raid.

With the memory of the recent battles still fresh in my mind, I couldn't help but let out an aggrieved sigh. I set off for my quest quite relaxed and was incredibly pleased with the pleasant weather. Not that it was any different now. Skies with enough clouds to dissuade the brightness of the sun, breezy winds that remained gentle and constant, and the lack of encounters with the beasts of the plain were all a welcome event to embrace.

However, it was marred by a bone-deep exhaustion. The kumihimo charm was still working its magic but for some reason, the fatigue was creeping up. It could have been due to the accumulated strain from all the physical activity but I doubted it. Especially since this feeling of debility started only after I started thinking of Kane. It was only then that the weariness truly crept in. Almost like the slow opening of floodgates that had been overworked to the brink.

Suddenly, I noticed that there was a scar on my left palm. It slanted from the knuckle bone of my index finger down to the middle of my wrist. The sight brought on a quick dose of alarm in my chest. I brought my hand up to my face and stared. A trace of anxiety crawled up my spine. Then came the confusion, a hint of unease, and a healthy dose of apprehension as I continued to stare dumbfounded.

It had to have been a deep gash judging by the look of the scar. Deep enough that it should have affected the nerves in my hand. However, it felt fine. As if to prove my point, I flexed my fingers repeatedly and even bent my wrist back and forth to test it out. Everything was fine.

Absentmindedly, I traced the scar with the fingers from my right hand. Without warning, I doubled over in pain with a gasp. Next thing I knew, I was hyperventilating. I tried to stay calm but it didn't work which was so unlike me that I started to get frightened.

What was going on?

I couldn't breathe. Tears were streaming down my face but it had nothing to do with my shortness of breath. My vision was getting dark but I just couldn't get the air inside my lungs. I was about to pass out when, suddenly, there was a moment of clarity as I pinpointed the reason for my tears.

Grief. Soul-wrenching grief. It felt so tangible that I put a hand against my chest trying to see if I could feel it. I cried harder. Just as I was about to pass out, I saw the scar on my left hand again amd everything went black.

…

…

…

I woke up to the sight of flowers and sky hovering above me. Where in the world was I? Dazedly, I sat up and looked around. It took a few minutes for me to remember that I was here for the nectar of these flowers. I actually fell asleep? Was I so tired that even with the kumihimo charm out, I actually fell asleep?

Sighing, I stood up and stretched. Strange. The position of the sun in the sky indicated it was early morning. Didn't I get here some time in the afternoon? Surely I didn't sleep that long.

As I was pondering this, I noticed the nagging feeling that I was forgetting something. I racked my brain trying to remember what it might have been but gave up after wasting a good ten minutes thinking about it. If it was important, I was sure I'd remember it one of these days.

That problem settled for now, I proceeded gathering some nectar for my quest. Finally, I get to report back to Aeternus. It felt like ages since I've been there. I needed a good meal from the Tavern. The thought of good food actually made me hurry along and soon I was finished gathering the nectar I needed.

Time to go back to Aeternus!

Additional acquired items:

+ Spell scroll
+ Three exploding arrow heads (1 used in the raid)
+ Kumihimo Charm
+ Stone Slab and rock for side project

@brasca123

[OOC]: Will edit this sometime. I just wanted to post it as soon as I could -_-

 

Great Plain - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 20 Slimes [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE2 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Goblins [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE3 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Orcs [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE4 - E-Ranked - Slay 5 Boar Warriors. [ 70 G ]
Great Plain - #SE5 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Kobolds [ 100 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]

Alone

@brasca123

Spoiler: Mini Heart attacks

"Hikari!!!!!"
*Puts 6 request papers on the desk*
"i plan on doing this desu!!!" - Kynn
"Then ill process them for you Kynn, be careful okay?" - Hikari
"Hai desu!!!"

After talking to hikari and the request procedures are finished, i quickly left the Guild. Then again runs towards the edge of aeternus, preparing to jump out again. But this time some people tried to stop me from jumping.

"KID Stop!!"
"Dont jump! Value your life!!"

I quickly ignored them with a simple step and fell

""!!!!""

The people from before shouts something but i couldnt hear it from the wind, i then cast a [Wind Cushion] and [Force] to stop me from hitting the ground full force.

"Landing Success~"

Successfully landing on my feet and spreading my arms like a Gymnast.

"Gen, Yuki. Please come and help me~"

"Gyun!" "Yes Master!" "Lets hunt some monsters!"

Quickly running away like a kid playing tag while riding on Gen, we encountered a goblin hunting party numbered 10, orcish skirmishers with spears and javelins around 15 and 5 boar warriors. In Just one place... They were having a bonfire and tents erect all around their mini camp. Wonder why they were here but that is none of my concern, but since they are here and they are on my list to be hunted i am grateful.

"Gen, call some firefoxes, we are going to cook them up~ Yuki, Call a Winterfox, i want ice cream~"

"Gyun..."
".... Master.... Why ice cream on the time like this?"
"Because its hot?"
"Then its fine~"

Gen then call upon 6 firefoxes which has orange fluffy fur and Yuki called upon a Silver White Winterfox which has Really Really Soft Fur which makes me want to sleep

"Nyuu~"
*Hugs summoned Foxes*
"Master!? What about the monsters?"
"Later~"
"They noticed us master..."
"Nyu!!! Cant be helped then... Ill snuggle everyone on the guild later"

A goblin scout must have seen us and returned back at their camp, alerting them all. A warcry and the cloud of dust getting nearer is really scary, thats why i called Gen , Yuki and their Minimes.

"Fireballs everyone! Cook them!!"

Fireballs are getting conjured one after another while me and the winterfox are sitting on the grassy plains while also making fireballs that now numbered 50... Hopefully the terrain will last when we launch them all...

"Fire desu!!"

On my signal, all fireballs are launched. Hitting the Enemy, The Ground, and their nearby stones/boulders. Exploding everywhere and killing most monsters

".... Atcha.... ..... Still valid... I guess?"

After the dust, fire and smoke subsides, we saw some boar warriors still able to move though not perfectly fine as they were losing some of their limbs like legs or arms. Squealing with anger and bloodshot eyes, they slowly start grabbing their weapons on the ground.

The Firefoxes were Quicker and moved to attack, biting them to death.
But then a attackgroup of 15 kobolds emerged from the bushes near us

"Waah!" *Tumbles*

Yuki, Gen and the Winterfox moved to intercept the kobold ambushers, burnibg and biting them

"That was Close!! Too Close desu!!"
"Thats right master... Thats why dont be careless."
"Hikari also told me that... Im tired... Lets go back?"
"*Sigh* yes master..."

Riding on back of Gen, we slowly returned below aeternus. Killing some wandering slimes and rabbits.

 

Great Plain - #SE2 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Goblins [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]
Great Plain - #GE1 - E-Ranked – Gather 10 Moonlight Flower & 10 Healing Plants [ 50G | 1 x Rejuvenation Potion ]
Great Plain - #GE2 - E-Ranked – Gather 3 Moonlight Water [ 50G | 1 x Bottled Purified Moonlight Water]

Spoiler

Moon decided to take other quests this time due to the success of the magic tests. He retook his first two quests and added two more quests. He went for the tavern to get packed lunch and passed by the smithy to sharpen his weapon before going for the portal to Frontier Village.

×××​

My face was plastered with a smile once I arrived at the Frontier Village. As I thought, I prefer this place more than Delta Town. I exchanged greetings with the residents I've spoken to when I first came here and inquired for any changes with the monsters. As I've said before, information gathering is important for quests.

Nothing much has changed from the last time I was here. I thought they would be somehow affected by the events near the Gallant Mine but it seems that it didn't reach here at all. Perhaps...there's a different being who's ruling in this area?

I noticed some rustling ahead and decided to hide myself from sight. There's a group of 5 Goblins, 2 have daggers and 2 have clubs. Where as the last one has a makeshift hammer of wood and stone. Based on their actions, the Goblin with the hammer is leading the group. Though I've heard some Goblin variations able to make some weapons, it's the first time I've seen in person.

I threw a stone to call their attention and prepared to ambush with my Iron Axe and my Steel Cutlass. I leapt forward once they got in my range and activated 「Pierce」 right away. The Goblins holding daggers and clubs were killed easily while the hammer Goblin is approaching to attack. I blocked the attack with my Iron Axe and stabbed him with my Cutlass. The Goblin screamed from the pain but I didn't mind it as it's what I wanted to happen in the first place. I killed him once I'm sure the call for help has been heard and went back to my hiding spot.

The next group appeared shortly after. From my position I could see 7 of them. 4 of them have the daggers while the others all have the makeshift hammers. I knew that it will be hard to ambush them so I decided to show myself while they were examining the corpses.

"「Overboost」", I said as I transmitted magic power to my weapons. I stood there as they charged onto me, waiting for the right moment to act. I dashed forward when they covered half the distance and casted 「Round Windmill」. All of them died instantly save for two of the hammer Goblins who died a bit later due to blood loss. Just like the last time, I collected the proofs as well as the daggers and the clubs.

×××​

The reason I took out the Goblins first is because they are a competition in hunting the rabbits. Not only that, their blood thirst also makes the rabbits wary that's why they are harder to find. As a result of my actions, I was able to find wandering rabbits easily and kill them by sneaking coupled with 「Presence Reduction」. Soon after I reached the kill count of 10 wandering rabbits. Of course I didn't forget to dismantle the rabbits, acquiring total of 10 Rabbit Skin and 10 Rabbit Meat.

With the information from the last time as well as the location of the Moonlight Lake that I didn't know before, I gathered 10 Moonlight Flowers and 10 Healing Plants in 3 hours.

As for the Moonlight Water, I forgot to purchase bottles to use so I just emptied my Water Bottle and filled it with Moonlight Water to the brim. The amount is equal to 3 bottles of Moonlight Water so I guess this should do. I head back to Frontier Village, used the portal and bought 3 bottles for 15 G before heading back to the guild.

Note:
> Job Up: Swashbuckler II
> 「Presence Reduction I」 → 「Presence Reduction II」
> 「Dual Wielding I」 → 「Dual Wielding II」
> acquired 6 Cheap Daggers
> acquired 2 Wooden Clubs

OOC: My water bottle is big because Moon don't want to be thirsty~~

@brasca123

 

Rainforest Vale - #SD1 - D-Ranked - Slay 5 Treants [ 100 G ]
Rainforest Vale - #SD2 - D-Ranked - Slay 25 Poisonous Snake [ 120 G ]
Rainforest Vale - #SD3 - D-Ranked - Slay 15 Poisonous Leeches [ 120 G ]

Spoiler: Report

Before hunting down the creatures for my list I knew I needed enough knowledge. With enough information of my hunt I wouldn't get surprised by some special ability and I'll be able to speed up my pursuit. I looked in the beastiary of the guild but they didn't seem to have any information on treants. They are a mysterious race, I could understand how it would be hard to obtain information on them. I finally had a large amount of money from my previous quests. With this I could buy at least one book that had details of the strengths and weakness of Treants. Whilst I browsed around one of the surprisingly many (compared to the rest of the world which was behind in its supply of written works) bookshops in Aeturnus I found a book about monsters. It was costly at 300 gold, though it was worth every coin for me as it would likely save my life on many occasions. This is what the book had to say about Treants:

• Generally larger than surrounding trees
  
• Capable of animating one to two other trees. The trees that the treant can animate are generally half its size or less.
  
• Capable of animate plants, using them to ensnare and trap intruders.
  
• Capable of calling upon the creatures of the forest for assistance. Ex: Telling a bird to send a message .
  
• While the Treant is motionless it is indistinguishable from a regular tree.
  
• Treants usually remain still until they sense a disturbance in the forest such as excessive amounts of trees getting cut down or hunting of animals.
  
• Resistant to piercing and bludgeoning, Weakness fire, High strength and vitality.
  
• Normally treants speak their own language but can sometimes speak in Common, Druidic, Elvish, and Sylvan. Usually knows how to say common phrases in all languages such as "leave the home of the trees."

Now I understood what I was going up against. I next looked into alchemy for a way to strengthen myself instantly when I'm in a pinch. The keeper of the alchemist shop oddly seemed around my age showed me his wares. Their were the normal potions that had little to know ill effect and the potions that were more potent, but also more dangerous causing toxicity, burred vision, and dizziness. I opted for the stronger potions, since I needed all the power I could get for those many future near death experiences. The alchemist told me I could only take 1 to 3 potions per day. He specified that if I took 1 I would be fine, if I took 2 I would become poisoned and drunk, and if I took 3 I would most likely die soon after the ingestion of the third potion. He said their are ways to build up my resistance artificially and that with repeated use my body would naturally build up a resistance. I bought 1 cure, 1 regen, 1 vitality 1 mana, and 1 strength potion for 10 gold each. I also opted to by one of his few books on alchemy which was 300 as well. Within the book were recipes for potions and oils (give blade applied to the ability to strengthen against a certain creature or weaken the creature struck) to coat my swords with.

With all my preparations finished I left for Rainforest Vale. The snakes and leeches were of little issue for me since my armor would defend against snake fangs and leech suckers. Simply sauntering through the forest I met many snakes and leeches. I cut off the head of the snakes and put the leeches I encountered into a jar. Finally after about a hour of traversing the forest I found one tree that seemed larger than the rest. I started a fire near the foot of the Treant. The tree almost immediately removes its root-feet out of the ground and stomps out the fire. A elderly visage now appeared from the trees grooves in his bark, it looked extremely irritated. I grinned at the Treant as if I was not the one that just started the fire. I said assuredly "I apologize protector of the forest, but I must take your parts for my guild." The Treant said back "Child, must your truly do such a thing. I harm none out of choice, I only defend and watch over my home." My scimitar careened toward the Treants many branches lopping its thinner variants off one by one. My swords only had a maximum of 30 feet, meaning I couldn't reach his higher arms. The Treant swept a large branch on the ground below me, quickly I jumped onto the branch. Once the Treant brought me up to his face I mocked him quickly before jumping to another tree and then to the ground. After some time of chasing, the Treant toppled from a rope I had tied to two trees I set up before the start of the fight. I came out of a nearby bush I was hiding in inching closer to the fallen behemoth. I commandeered some sap from the tree and cut off bits of the Treant. I heard that sap and branches from Treants had special magical properties. When I thought the battle was at an end two more nearby trees began to stomp in my direction. While one of the minor trees were kept busy from my scimitar slicing at it, I defended myself with my katanas scabbard. I ran away to a nearby river. The tree that was chasing after me stopped at the feet of the river looking right and left for me. I who was hiding in a above tree jumped down and kicked the tree with the extra weight i built up from falling. I waved goodbye to the tree that was failing to fight against the currents. I returned to my scimitar on the ground beside a tree without any branches. The branchless tree stood still as if thinking it couldn't do anything anyways. I left the scene of the crime with my bag of 25 snakes, jar of 15 leeches, and assortment of Treant sap and branches. I repeated a similar process for four more Treants.

That is how I was able to slay 5 treants, 25 poisonous snakes, and 15 leeches.

note: Bought two books

@brasca123

 

Great Plain - #GD2 - D-Ranked - Gather 10 Nectar [ 120 G | 1 x Butterfly Honey ]
Gallant Mine - #GD2 - D-Ranked – Mine 3 Fire Crystals [ 100G | 1 x Refined Fire Crystal ]
Gallant Mine - #GD3 - D-Ranked – Mine 3 Earth Crystals [ 100G | 1 x Refined Earth Crystal ]
Gallant Mine - #GE1 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Ice Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Ice Crystal ]
Gallant Mine - #GE2 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Wind Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Wind Crystal]
Gallant Mine - #SE1 - E-Ranked – Slay 5 Snow Goblin [ 80G ]
==================================================================
Welcome back Levana-chan!

Good job in helping out the adventurers you found in your hunting, it's a hard thing to deal with ambushes like that.

Oh, and a hot springs in the middle of the mines? That's quite amazing! You found a really nice place! Hopefully we can visit it in due time!

Your reward will be of 560G and all the listed stuff! Take care now!

 

Great Plain - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 20 Slimes [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE2 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Goblins [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE3 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Orcs [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE4 - E-Ranked - Slay 5 Boar Warriors. [ 70 G ]
Great Plain - #SE5 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Kobolds [ 100 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]
=====================================================
Welcome back Kynn-chan!

Seems like you can deal with those mobs with ease, good job!

Your reward will be of 400G!

Take care now!

(( I don't mind you putting one word or another on Hikari's mouth, but remember that she uses honorifics to refer to almost everyone, so please fix that for me, okay?

If you want this report to be set after you became a girl, then make her call you Kynn-chan, if it was before, then make it Kynn-kun. ))

 

Great Plain - #SE2 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Goblins [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]
Great Plain - #GE1 - E-Ranked – Gather 10 Moonlight Flower & 10 Healing Plants [ 50G | 1 x Rejuvenation Potion ]
Great Plain - #GE2 - E-Ranked – Gather 3 Moonlight Water [ 50G | 1 x Bottled Purified Moonlight Water]
================================================
Welcome back Moon-kun!

Nice to see your skills are improving, and good thing that you always inform yourself carefully before doing your quests!

Your reward will be of 230G, the Rejuvenation Potion and the Bottle of Purified Moonlight Water.

Take care now, keep up the good job!

 

Rainforest Vale - #SD1 - D-Ranked - Slay 5 Treants [ 100 G ]
Rainforest Vale - #SD2 - D-Ranked - Slay 25 Poisonous Snake [ 120 G ]
Rainforest Vale - #SD3 - D-Ranked - Slay 15 Poisonous Leeches [ 120 G ]
==========================================
Welcome back Pir-kun!

That's a smart way of dealing with the treants, making them trip to reach the high parts was nice!

Your reward will be of 340G!

Keep up the good job!

 

Great Plain - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 20 Slimes [ 50 G ]

Spoiler: Report

Downtime ​

It's quite sad that I don't dare to use what I'm best at, my curses. But it could result in my death if I were to cast one. So I'll have to do easy quests in the meantime.

Like this one, killing ten slimes. Even on my way out of the guild, I carefully only step of places that have the least amount of misfortune. Needless to say, I look hilarious and trip from time to time. But I gather some fortune with each of my steps. A miniscule amount that disperses once I stop doing that, but I gather fortune. Never thought it could be this easy.

I stumble my way through Aeternus and borrow a spade and a big pouch from the quartermaster, then take the Teleport Gate to the Frontier Village.

Noon. This time the sun doesn't bother me, but actually feels rather warm and comfortable. I go onwards with my strange gait, receiving dubious looks from the villagers and lokking incredibly stupid. Especially when tripping over my own feet.

But I'm slowly getting better, although lokking more and more stupid and strange. But it works, and as long as it works, I'll keep doing this. Even the smallest thing that could aid my recovery is welcome.

I leave the village while being observed by the guards shaking their head, and start searching the plains for slimes. It doesn't take long until I find one, and slowly move towards it with my unique gait. After putting the pouch down I take out the spade, then scoop the slime into the pouch. After I pour some water into the pouch, the slime stops struggling and just stays still, contend.

I continue searching the plains using my unique gait, and finally decide to name it. Fleeting Fortune. Not really creative, but I never was good at naming things.

Come to think of it, there was this cat I named Pouch. If she had understood what her name meant, I'm sure she would have hated me. No one except me would remember her anyways.

Fleeting Fortune really does bring fortune, as I soon have captured ten slimes, including the first one. It usually would have taken multiple hours, but this time, it only took half an hour!

I find a calm and secluded place somewhere on the plains, and take out my Reactor. I carefully scoop up a slime and drop it in the Reactor.

Time for my first real experimental session: Fusion of common slimes with negative energy! Ten (un)willing testsubjects.

I carefully begin the first fusion, making sure to not let my remaining captured slimes notice anything.

...

The results are sobering. Out of ten slimes, ten died within one minute. Makes me wonder how I could survive like this for more than twenty years.

Anyway, the first experiment is a failure. Time to gather ten more slimes. And slightly change the way of fusion. Instead of directly fusing it with their core, I should first attempt to fuse it with the rest of their body, or expose them to negative energy over a longer amount of time. I'll split it in two groups of five tests each. Time to scoop some slime.

...

Failure. Two times five slimes, died in vain. That totals twenty. But it doesn't seem like it was directly caused by the negative energy this time. Perhaps direct exposure to an active Refined Fire Crystal isn't healthy? I should get a glass ball to cover it or something.

Using Fleeting Fortune, I return to the guild after returning the pouch and shovel, and hand in my report. I think I will continue to walk around like this. It has a positive effect on my health, fortune, and mood. It even entertains those watching me!

@brasca123

 

Great Plain - #SE1 - E-Ranked - Slay 20 Slimes [ 50 G ]
=============================
Welcome back Tina-chan!

I'm sad to hear your experiments didn't go well... Keep on recovering okay? Be careful! >.<

Your reward will be of 50G, try to stay safe!!!

 

Desert Village - #GE1 - E-Ranked - Harvest 5 Baskets of Ice Cabbage [ 80 G | 1 x Ice Cabbage ]
Desert Village - #GE2 - E-Ranked - Harvest 5 Baskets of Desert Cereal [ 50 G | 1 x Bundle of Barley, Millet, and Wheat]
Desert Village - #GE3 - E-Ranked - Gather 5 Baskets of Desert Figs [ 60 G | 1 x Basket of Desert Figs ]
Desert Village - #GD1 - D-Ranked - Harvest 1 Basket of Magic Flower [ 75 G | 1 x Bundle of Magic Flower ]
Desert Village - #GD2 - D-Ranked - Gather 5 Baskets of Large Dates [ 100 G | 1 x basket of Large Dates ]

Spoiler: Report

My new assignment was a simple one, help the native farmers of oasis village harvest various crops. Large lizards habitually remained within reach of shaded shelters and large scarabs enjoyed living nearby grand reservoirs. The possible interlopers are large mice and perhaps one or two scorpions here or there. I readied my supplies of daggers, swords, katana, crossbow, rope with a hook, and a bag on my belt filled with a gallimaufry of new potions and oils. I also created some bombs and smoke pellets from mixtures of certain minerals I had found in the mines and other places. The alchemists book helped a lot in giving me the natural elements of certain materials, but I arranged the materials into some new ways that would seem counterproductive to those that could use magic. When I arrived in Oasis Village it looked quite busy, many people were making their way towards the farm I was instructed to gather from. At the farm many people were putting the finishing touches on a fence, it could probably hold off a herd of large mice for half a minute or so. Their harvest must be a integral part of this villages economy. I barely slept the night before since I was reading the monster manual and alchemists field guide thoroughly. I'll be alright since I had a short nap where Ell woke me up so I could be on time beforehand.

Practically half way through finishing the harvest they came. A swarm of large rodents numbering approximately in the fifties. I had to slay twenty for a mission not long ago. This is different, not only do I have to kill more than double but I also have to protect what remains of the unharvested yield. The rodents attempted to shatter the makeshift fence the villagers created, I hurled down three gas pellets. When the gas had spread enough I threw another pellet that contained flint including metal to ignite the gas creating a chained explosion. That took care of the front line of eight mice subsequently I sent my swords out to do their job. I tossed smoke pellets to the field surrounding the crops. As the mice were stampeding towards me I also lunged at them. For the first couple of rodents I gouged out one of their eyes with my knife and while they were writhing in pain I could slit their necks with little struggle. Once I finished with the rodents in front of me I jumped on the on their backs to you guessed it gouge their throats as well. Meanwhile I killed about ten with my dagger before more started to notice me within the smoke. Every time a mouse tried to jump on my back I flipped it over slamming it into the dirt as well as slicing its throat in one smooth motion. At least half were killed once I noticed they were nearing the yield. To some who were inches away from the crops I entwined by my rope with its hook at their legs for my flying swords to take care of. Those I couldn't reach in time I pitched my bombs at. Just as other rodents began to notice I was stopping them, they began to solely focus on me. Only ten were left at this point, but I was tired. I drank a potion that revitalized me and pumped up my adrenaline to bloodthirsty levels. With the boost I obtained from the potion I rushed one mouse to the next. When my knife finally broke from the constant abuse I called another one to my hands. One or two were dealt with from a simple kick to their heads. The last five or so mice ran away once they realized how many of them were no longer. Yet again I was bathed in a pool of blood. I thought I would feel melancholic or sorrowful , strangely I felt at peace on the battlefield. With a grin my knees fell to the ground, I asked Ell what his unfinished business was and soon after I sat unconscious.

This was how I was able to Harvest 5 Baskets of Ice Cabbage, Harvest 5 Baskets of Desert Cereal, Gather 5 Baskets of Desert Fig, Harvest 1 Basket of Magic Flower, and Gather 5 Baskets of Large Dates

Note: Became a alchemist

@brasca123

 

Desert Village - #GE1 - E-Ranked - Harvest 5 Baskets of Ice Cabbage [ 80 G | 1 x Ice Cabbage ]
Desert Village - #GE2 - E-Ranked - Harvest 5 Baskets of Desert Cereal [ 50 G | 1 x Bundle of Barley, Millet, and Wheat]
Desert Village - #GE3 - E-Ranked - Gather 5 Baskets of Desert Figs [ 60 G | 1 x Basket of Desert Figs ]
Desert Village - #GD1 - D-Ranked - Harvest 1 Basket of Magic Flower [ 75 G | 1 x Bundle of Magic Flower ]
Desert Village - #GD2 - D-Ranked - Gather 5 Baskets of Large Dates [ 100 G | 1 x basket of Large Dates ]
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Welcome back Pir-kun!

Seems like the rodents have been causing more trouble than expected at the village, good thing you were there to help them protect the crops though! Keep up the good job!

Your reward will be of 365G and all the listed stuff, take care now!

 

Great Plain - #SE2 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Goblins [ 50 G ]

Spoiler: Report

Exspir set out for the great plains. While he was walking in the planes he chances upon a cave. He entered the cave. He found goblins. He died to the goblins. Once he died mysteriously no one had any memory of his existence.

Note: RIP, could i keep his stuff?

@brasca123

 

Sure, keep them.

If you can make a small story with the next character finding it, it would be nicer, but not required.

The quests will go back to 0 though.

 

Oh, and since the report technically never reached the guild, there will be no appraisal for it.

 

Great Plain - #SE3 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Orcs [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE4 - E-Ranked - Slay 5 Boar Warriors. [ 70 G ]
Great Plain - #SE5 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Kobolds [ 100 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]
Great Plain - #SD2 - D-Ranked - Slay 8 Rampaging Rhinos [ 80 G ]

Spoiler: Report

Spoiler: Orcs

Day 1

It was morning when I arrived at Frontier village from a teleport in Aeternus the flying capital city created by the Adventurer's guild. I decided to patrol the north eastern part of the Great Plains seeking a small orc encampment, since their main forces were east from Great plains over the north mountains of the Orc Lands. When I found two Orcs guarding a bunch of tents I immediately crouched down into the grass . I utilized [sleep] on the Orc toward the right, the other Orc noticed his fellow watchmen falling unconscious, I loaded my [light crossbow] with a bolt and shot at the Orc's head on the left. It was a success, my bolt pierced through the Orcs brains creating a lifeless corpse. The remaining Orcs must have either been out hunting or resting in their tents. Before entering the camp I applied [Disguise Self] to take on the appearance of a Orc.

I searched the nine 2-man tents, I killed the sleeping Orcs and those that were awake were either sharpening their weapons or tending to their children. The ones that noticed me were asking questions but weren't hostile. The Orcs with children were of little difficulty considering they didn't have a weapon in reach, but one sharpening their weapon created a struggle. He noticed I wasn't one of them some how and attacked with a loud battle cry. Escaping from the tent I cast [Grease] on its entry way. The Orc chasing me slipped, I took my opportunity and slit his neck while he was still thinking about how he managed to lose his footing. Five Orcs were now out of their tents with battleaxes and javelins in hand. They all stared in my direction seeing that I was where the roar came from. I gave up trying to reason with Orcs to slash at the nearest Orc's neck. Four Orcs were now charging at me, I threw down three smoke pellets, and used [Sneak Attack] on two more Orcs. As the smoke was clearing I cast [Minor Illusion] to create a dead replica of the Orc I was disguised as and cast [Disguise Self] to take on the appearance of a Orc I recently killed. The two remaining Orcs realized I was a fake faster than I thought by reason of my illusion adding a fourth dead Orc with the three already on the ground. As they both simultaneously charged I used [Uncanny Dodge] to absorb and deflect most of the damage by swatting away their swings with my dual daggers. When my arms were stretched out ( like at the beginning of a hug) from the swat I dashed between the two and slashed at their necks with each of my daggers.

With twelve Orcs dead I lied in grass next beside the camp entrance waiting for the rest that would return from the hunt. Six Orcs came from a small forest with dead animals on their shoulders, their physique looked larger than the ones inside the camp. As they drew closer I would cast [Minor Illusion] to recreate the sound of a Orc's war cry about 8 meters away from me and originating from the direction they came. As they were discussing what to do I sneaked up behind them killing two with my daggers. The four noticed and lunged at me. Narrowly ducking and weaving past each of their attacks I stabbed the sides of each Orc after they attacked. The fight paused when all of them clutched their sides where the wounds were breathing rapidly. As I drew closer to a Orc it executed a weak and final attempt to strike. I easily dodged and slit its throat. I repeated a similar process to kill the remaining Orc forces.

I dealt with 18 Orcs in total.

Spoiler: Rhino, Boar, and Rabbits

Day 2

My spells were fueled by the natural mana of the environment. Meaning my only limit was my mind's ability to focus, whether or not my hands were free to create the signs or not, and if my surroundings had any mana or not. Though after five spells in quick succession my mind did become very tired and I would also sometimes get small headaches. Boar warriors were stronger than Orcs and had a rage mode where they became even stronger and faster, but traded that extra power for control. Unlike the Orcs, Boar warriors could be found roaming the plains alone. The Boars in rage mode were very much so like charging rhinos. Wandering the Great Plains I thought I could hunt Rhinos, Boars, and Rabbits all at the same time. The first Rhino I encountered was hard to kill since they have hard leather like skin, making slashing at it difficult and piercing was practically impossible when it hardly stayed still. When a Rhino was charging I chucked one of my bombs in its mouth stopping it in its tracks. The Boar warriors were stronger than Orcs, but if I could take out groups of them easily then I could slay a single Borrior with little difficulty as well. The first Borrior I encountered went berserk quickly, when the Borrior charged I walked a little bit to the side and hacked at its passing legs(which were thin compared to Rhino legs). Without the ability to walk the Borriors were slain easily. As for the rabbits I would simply shoot them with my light crossbow and recover my bolts (though I did miss a couple times).

It took me two day to hunt all the creatures needed.

Spoiler: Kobold

Day 4

I searched the northwest side of the great plains since the Kobold base village was at the western side of Great plains in the Verdant forest. Kobolds liked to work together and were far smarter than Orcs, but their bodies are physically weaker. In a forest I found a Kobold trap. I created a replication of the sound of a activated trap with [Lesser Illusion] and suddenly a bunch of Kobold heads popped out of bushes around the trap. Nine kobolds were on the ground with short swords and six were in the trees with slings. I took care of a tree Kobolds with a crossbow bolt and another with a [sleep] making the kobold fall to its death. The four left all shot rocks at me, two Kobolds on the ground launched lightning and water. I covered my head with my arm letting my armor take the brunt of the damage. The electricity dazed me for a moment. The Kobolds on the ground began to throw ropes with hooks at my legs. I leaped at another tree Kobold kicking him off into the air, dashing from one tree kobold to the next. I threw onto the ground one of my smoke pellets to disappear and used [Cunning action] to hide in a bush. Kobolds that passed my bush I let pass to search for the magic Kobolds. I cast [Minor Illusion] in a tree replicating myself. I saw the origin points of arcs of ethereal energy directing me towards the location of their mages. I cast [Ray of Frost] on the lightning mage, threw one of my daggers at his head killing him and retracted the dagger back to me with the near invisible string that connected my dual daggers. I hid back in the bushes using [Cunning Action], making my way behind the water mage I used [Sneak Attack] on him with my dagger. The seven remaining kobolds noticed their mages died and surrounded me. I tackled a Kobold into a bush, I slit his neck and before I came out I applied [Disguise Self] to turn into that Kobold. When another Kobold went to check the bush I went behind him to slit his throat as well. I danced with the last five blocking and deflecting their blows. Slicing and dicing at their ligaments when I had the opportunity.

This is how I defeated 15 Kobolds.

Note: Took 3 great axes and 4 javelins from the Orcs. Lightning stone recovered from Kobold mage.

@brasca123

 

Great Plain - #SE3 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Orcs [ 50 G ]
Great Plain - #SE4 - E-Ranked - Slay 5 Boar Warriors. [ 70 G ]
Great Plain - #SE5 - E-Ranked - Slay 15 Kobolds [ 100 G ]
Great Plain - #SE6 - E-Ranked - Slay 10 Wandering Rabbits [ 80 G ]
Great Plain - #SD2 - D-Ranked - Slay 8 Rampaging Rhinos [ 80 G ]
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Welcome back Pir-kun!

Seems like you're quite adept at illusions and fooling your opponents, good job! Keep it up!

Your reward will be of 380G! Take care now!

 

Gallant Mine - #GE1 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Ice Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Ice Crystal ]
Gallant Mine - #GE2 - E-Ranked – Mine 5 Wind Crystal [ 80G | 1 x Refined Wind Crystal]
Gallant Mine - #GD1 - D-Ranked – Mine 5 Mithril Ore [ 60G | 1 x Mithril Ingot]
Gallant Mine - #GD3 - D-Ranked – Mine 3 Earth Crystals [ 100G | 1 x Refined Earth Crystal ]
Gallant Mine - #GD4 - D-Ranked – Mine 25 Iron Ore [ 60G | 10 x Iron Ingot]

Spoiler: DIG!

Moon spent more than a week training at Great Plains during the day and magic training at night. It was to improve his skills to be on par with the quests that will be available to him once he ascends to D rank. After some discussion with the Guildmaster about his weapon, he took some quests from the Gallant Mine to acquire some raw materials that will help lower the costs.

Once the quests were assigned, Moon passed by the Tavern to pack some food and visited the weapon shop to buy another Iron Axe. After that, he went to the smithy to polish his weapons and left for the portal to Frontier Village.

×××​

The sun is up by the time I arrived at the Frontier Village. I bought an Iron Pickaxe for 150 G and headed towards the exit. I am a bit nervous as this is my first time at this part of the Great Plain but I believe with my improved skills I could now survive D rank monsters. It seems luck was on my side as I didn't have any encounters and arrived at the mines after 3 days.

I've continuously mined for 5 days until I got 5 Ice Crystals, 7 Wind Crystals, 5 Mithril Ore, 4 Earth Crystals and 25 Iron Ore. Tired but happy, I finally left the mines and traveled for another 3 days before I was able to return to the guild.

Notes:
> acquired Iron Axe for 20 G, 6 Cheap Daggers and 5 Wooden Clubs (3 were acquired during training period)
> acquired Iron Pickaxe
> acquired 2 Wind Crystals
> acquired 1 Earth Crystal

Spoiler: Training results

> 「Pierce I」 → 「Pierce II」
> 「Swordsmanship I」 → 「Swordsmanship IV」
> 「Dagger Wielding II」 → 「Dagger Wielding IV」
> 「Axe Wielding I」 → 「Axe Wielding II」
> 「Magic Operation III」 → 「Magic Operation V」

@brasca123

((OOC: a bit short... >.< ))