Chapter 8
Everything was ready. After returning to my base, I logged out and had lunch, then immediately logged back in. I killed time reading research materials until night arrived, then set out at sunset. And now, I had arrived at the place leading outside.
"Yo, heave, hngh!"
I climbed upward, weaving between the rubble. The unfamiliar movements were as difficult as an obstacle course, but after struggling my way to the top, I secretly peeked outside.
"Is this outside the city?"
I had predicted that the exit would lead to the outskirts of Fars, the Starting City, but apparently I was wrong. According to the map, this was a rocky hill in the middle of the forest on the edge of town. Apparently, no particularly eccentric player had tried entering through a gap in the rocky hill. If anyone had, I would have seen them in the sewers.
The sewers were actually a pretty good hunting ground, as long as you could tolerate the smell and the appearance of the enemies. I hoped it would stay undiscovered like this.
But this is strange. This means the sewers are connected to the outside of the city. It would be hard to imagine the sewer and surface areas being misaligned in the Starting City, so perhaps the sewers have some secret. Personally, I suspect the southern area where the Ratmen gather, but I'll leave that for now.
"Oh, I can smell the fragrance of grass and trees...! Though I don't have a nose."
For about four in-game days since starting this game, I had smelled nothing but the sewers. Thinking about that made me sad... If I weren't a moving Skeleton, I might have shed tears of sweat from my eyes.
The night sky was beautiful too. A slightly oversized, bluish-white full moon and countless stars were scattered across it, making me want to gaze upward forever. However, I couldn't just keep looking up. The forest was waiting for me!
"Oh-ho, thanks to 【Darkvision】, I have no trouble seeing at all."
Although there was moonlight, it would normally have been pitch-black. But I had 【Darkvision】, which I gained when selecting Race, so there was no problem. In fact, having moonlight made this better than the sewers. I decided to make good progress.
I wonder if there are any prey around... Oh, there are some. Are those... wolves? There are three of them forming a pack. They don't seem to have noticed me. I'll use 【Appraisal】 while I have the chance.
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Race: Wolf Lv3
Job: None
Skill: 【Fang】
【Claws】
【Keen Smell】
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They're weak. Far weaker than the Lesser Ratman I fought in my first battle. Even if this is a beginner's field, aren't they a little too weak?
Ah, there's a reason the wolves haven't noticed me despite having 【Keen Smell】 and despite the smell of the sewers clinging to me. During the dawn of immersive VR, there was a game that implemented the body odor of characters and smells that clung to them from their surroundings. Some players vehemently protested that feature.
The details of those who protested are unknown, but apparently people with complexes about their body odor made up the majority. Human-rights groups and the like jumped on the bandwagon and blew the matter out of proportion, even calling for the exclusion of VR devices, which were beginning to spread throughout society.
After that, apparently the body odor in VR was only allowed to be either 'fragrant,' 'a smell produced by the environment,' or 'something that couldn't be described specifically but could only be called the smell of a living creature.' That's just what I heard from a news site.
So, due to the game's specifications, I don't smell like the sewers. If any scent is wafting from me, it would probably be the smell of dried-out bones. The wolves may have noticed my scent, but they must have decided that I was simply a skeleton. It's helpful that the game gets game-like in strange ways.
"Magic Circle, Dark Wave!"
"Yelp!?"
I attacked from behind with magic. As expected, the level difference was significant, and I was able to finish off all three wolves at once. I'll loot them right away.
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Wolf Hide Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
Raw wolf hide. It can be processed into high-quality clothing and cold-weather gear.
Wolf Fangs Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
Wolf fangs. Sharp enough to tear flesh, but not sturdy enough to make into weapons. Popular as a material for accessories.
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There was no real experience to be gained, but the dropped items seemed useful. Are beginners supposed to make armor from the hides and earn money from the fangs? New players who want to focus on crafting would probably be delighted.
As expected, it seemed to have all sorts of things beginners would want. In that case, there must be medicinal herbs like the ones I was looking for. Shall I go a little farther?
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Yaru Herb Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
A common medicinal herb. Its effects are the weakest, which is why it is inexpensive.
It has no effect as it is and must be compounded or processed through alchemy to reveal its true value.
Doru Herb Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
A poisonous weed that grows everywhere. Its toxicity is weak, but it is highly prolific.
One of the ingredients used to make hunting poison.
Mapi Herb Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
A poisonous weed that grows everywhere. Its toxicity is weak, but it is highly prolific.
One of the ingredients used to make hunting poison.
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I spent about twenty minutes moving forward while using 【Appraisal】. Fighting the wolves was merely bothersome, so I avoided them and concentrated on gathering herbs. This was enough for me to finally try my hand at 【Alchemy】.
Yaru Herb is an ingredient for healing potions, commonly called potions. I have no use for them, but they should be useful for gaining experience in 【Alchemy】.
The other two are practical. Combining these two poisonous herbs through 【Alchemy】 produces a fairly potent paralysis poison. I learned that from 'The Basics of Alchemy.' It also described the processing method in detail, so I'll try making some while checking the instructions.
Still, there aren't any players around. That's exactly what I wanted, though. Do they avoid hunting at night? It would certainly be dangerous without 【Darkvision】.
Oh? Something appears to be glowing. Could someone be there? I'll go take a look.
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Race: Wisp Lv5
Job: None
Skill: 【Physical Resistance】
【Non-Elemental Magic】
【Status Ailment Immunity】
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There was a time when I thought there might be a person here, too. It's a monster. And an Undead-type one at that. It looks exactly like a human soul.
No wonder night hunting isn't popular if things like this show up. I accidentally slipped into a fake Kansai dialect, but a human soul floating in the pitch darkness is startling. It has a different kind of fear from a mass of slugs.
And it has 【Physical Resistance】. That'll make the frontline classes cry. Its level is also a little higher than the wolves'. That might be another reason it's unpopular. Oh, it's coming this way. All right, I'll try out some magic I haven't used despite having it.
"Magic Circle activated, Magic Sword... Hah!"
Magic Sword is one of 【Non-Elemental Magic】's spells. When activated, a transparent blade made of magic appears from the tip of the staff. It is difficult for anyone other than the caster to see.
I brought the Magic Sword down on the Wisp, which was far slower than the Ratman. The magical blade sliced through the Wisp without any resistance and made it vanish on the spot.
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You won the battle.
Your 【Staff】 level has increased.
Your 【Magic Control】 level has increased.
Your 【Non-Elemental Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Magic Circle】 level has increased.
You learned Twin Magic Circle and Remote Placement.
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Oh, my Skill levels went up. I also need to test the new abilities of 【Magic Circle】 right away.
Twin Magic Circle lets me deploy two magic circles at the same time. The magic cost also increases accordingly, but the fact that it purely doubles my burst damage is appealing. It would be even better combined with 【Surprise Attack】.
Remote Placement lets me deploy a magic circle anywhere within my field of vision. Until now, there had been a limit to where I could place one, but that restriction seems to have been removed. Naturally, there are conditions. As the distance increases, the magic cost rises exponentially, and apparently it can even fail.
So the only way to mitigate the drawbacks is to raise the Skill's level? Fine by me. I use it regularly to increase my power anyway, so its level should naturally rise.
Also, the Wisp dropped a magic stone. It isn't a bad thing to have, so perhaps I should hunt it from time to time.
"GRAAAAAAA!"
"!?"
Just as I was feeling pleased with myself, I heard a beast's roar from deep within the forest. I instinctively braced myself, but apparently I hadn't been ambushed.
What should I do? Should I go? I might be able to take the best of it, like with Ratman VS Big Slug. No, no, don't get greedy. That will be the death of me.
However, I would be staying in this area for a while. If such a terrifying beast was here, I needed to find out what kind of opponent it was. If I looked capable of beating it, I would. If not, I would run. In an emergency, I could use a minion as a shield. All right, let's go with that.
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp...
There was a single bear where the roar had come from. No, let me correct that. It was a Brown Bear.
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Race: Brown Bear Lv9
Job: None
Skill: 【Fang】
【Claws】
【Great Strength】
【Tracking】
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It was huge. That was all I could think. It looked just like the one I had seen at the zoo as a child.
It was currently devouring what appeared to be a deer with single-minded focus. Oh, why do I say it appeared to be one? Because it had no head, so I couldn't tell! Was that roar a cry of joy at having succeeded in a hunt?
Now, what should I do? My opponent was higher level. One physical attack would send me straight to heaven, then on to the sewers. ...I just said 'heaven, then the sewers' myself, but that's quite a phrase.
However, I could definitely catch it by surprise while it was eating. I couldn't let this chance pass!
"Trap set, Twin Magic Circle deployed... Dark Lance!"
"GAAA!?"
The surprise attack worked! The two Dark Lances launched by the Twin Magic Circle I had just used pierced it simultaneously, dealing massive damage and taking away eighty percent of its health. That also seemed to be thanks to the 'Overthrow' Title.
"GRAAAAAAA!"
The enraged Brown Bear charged straight at me. As expected of a mere beast.
"GA...!"
"Stone Wall."
The Fire Lance activated when it stepped on the trap I had set slammed into it from directly below. Staggered by the unexpected attack from beneath it, the Brown Bear lost its momentum and slammed into the Stone Wall at reduced speed.
The Stone Wall collapsed too, but the bear's movement had stopped completely, and it was unconscious from the impact of hitting its head. I had no choice but to press the attack!
"Water Lance, Wind Lance, and now Magic Shield!"
While hammering the fallen Brown Bear with two spells in succession, I took no chances and activated Magic Shield above its head, using it to pin the head to the ground. I wonder if there isn't some kind of restraint magic somewhere.
It was only a makeshift restraint, but it seemed to work. The Brown Bear recovered from being unconscious, but it was struggling because it couldn't get up.
"Try to keep the pointless shouting down... There won't be a next time. Dark Lance."
"Gaa..."
I drove in one more Dark Lance, and the Brown Bear's health bar finally emptied. I had won.
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You won the battle.
Your Race level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.
Your Job level has increased. You acquired 1 SP.
Your 【Staff】 level has increased.
You learned a new weapon art: Meditation.
Your 【Magic Control】 level has increased.
Your 【Earth Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Water Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Fire Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Wind Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Dark Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Non-Elemental Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Summoning Magic】 level has increased.
Your 【Magic Circle】 level has increased.
Your 【Necromancy】 level has increased.
Your 【Trap Magic】 level has increased.
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Good, good. All my magic-related Skills went up except 【Enchanting】 and 【Curse Magic】, which I hadn't used.
And what's this about a weapon art? Let's see, according to the help... techniques defined for each weapon. And what exactly is Meditation?
Apparently, standing still while holding a staff increases the rate at which my magic recovers. It can be used both during and outside of battle, so isn't that convenient? I'll make active use of it. All right, time to harvest it.
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Brown Bear Hide Quality: Good Rarity: R (Rare)
Raw Brown Bear hide. If processed, it should make high-quality cold-weather gear and armor.
Brown Bear Gallbladder Quality: Good Rarity: R (Rare)
One of the bear's internal organs. It has medicinal properties and can be used as an ingredient for compounding and alchemy.
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So it dropped two items? Was it because of its large size? Or a reward for defeating an opponent above my level? Either way was fine.
The hide was fine, but the gallbladder was useful. There was a recipe using it in the book, so I'll try it as soon as I level up.
I wasn't sure how things would turn out at first, but this turned into a rewarding exploration in terms of both items and experience. Well then, shall we head home?