[User: Zeke Orland]
[Race: Human]
[Level 7 (16/105 EXP)]
[Strength: 102]
[Agility: 89]
[Aether: 96]
[Fortitude: 25]
[Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9)]
[Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 87%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(31%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(10%) - Surge of Pain (40%) - Body Damage(30%) - Self-Injection(20%)]
[Survival Skills: ‘Voltage Rune’ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstence (65%) - Call of Honor(0%)]
[Available PE: 46]
Excluding the two Regional Missions Zeke had received at the beginning of his sojourn in the Living Forest, he didn’t receive anything else. The hunt for the 50 Treants was smooth mainly because they were significantly weaker than Blight Toads and could be eliminated easily by Sulong’s flames.
Zeke didn’t miss any of the Daily Tasks, aiming for the Death-Walker Main Path. Even though the path required a whopping 50PE, Zeke kept his expectations moderate to avoid any disappointment later on. Admittedly, if he were to receive nothing special, it would have been a huge waste of PE, especially such a big amount. Still, he chose to believe that the rewards would have been worth the effort.
“Well…”
Jack disembarked from the vehicle and looked at the gloomy forest they had finally passed. It took them an arduous week to bee-line across the Living Forest and arrive at the northern sector of the Whitefrost Planes.
“We’re going to use the same route when we return… r-right?”
Jack tentatively looked at the rest only to see them grinning and laughing at his exaggerated reactions.
While they had faced their face of dangers, it was only when they cooperated with Venzo and Bran. After that, the rest of the trip, albeit tiresome, was relatively peaceful.
They didn’t approach any swamps and steered away from conspicuous ruins and places that obviously hid powerful beasts and priceless artifacts.
In fact, the strongest beast Zeke and Sulong had faced was an alligator that spat poisonous bubbles.
It took them a full 20-minutes to take it down, even pushing Zeke to use ‘Over-drive’. However, in return, they were able to clumsily extract a handful of precious materials that they could sell later.
After all, they were low on cash and they had to start planning from now on if they ever want to expand their business.
“Here… one for each of you.”
Despite his incessant whining, Jack was like the caretaker of the group. Not only was he efficient in repairing the van, but he had also prepared rations and suitable clothes for the blistering coldness dominating over the Whitefrost Planes.
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“If my calculations were correct, we should be able to reach our destination within two to three days. However, we lost our spare fuel during that… disastrous chain of events in the swamp. We need to stop by an outpost.”
“We’ll do that, then. I think all of us deserve a proper rest.”
Sulong agreed with Zeke as he grunted, “I’ve grown tired of sleeping on the ground. I’m not asking for luxury but a good sleep on a bed would definitely rejuvenate me, yes?”
He looked at Arbert, who had grown considerably. His recent exertions turned him into a fully-grown adolescent.
His height matched Zeke’s, but his hair was very long and eye-catching. He looked like an immaculate sculpture, equipped with extraordinarily beautiful facial features, and a fit yet not an overly muscular body.
“I don’t mind sleeping on the ground.” Commented the teenager as he softly smiled.
He had grown accustomed to talking and throwing remarks. Arbert became more vocal, either because he wanted to get close to his companions, or because he no longer saw a reason to keep to himself while his life was dwindling away.
Whatever the case, he actively joined conversations and inquired about anything unknown to his relatively young mentality. Still, whether it was physically or mentally, he was growing fast.
“By the way, we should be on the look-out.” Warned Jack as he wrapped a scarf around his neck and covered the windows with a light blanket to block the freezing wind from invading the vehicle.
Seeing them give him a confused look, he cursed under his breath, “Am I the only one who did proper research? Come on, guys. I’m becoming a babysitter.”
Eventually, he sighed and explained, “This particular sector of the Whitefrost Planes has a dangerous number of bandits or hostile tribes. Granted, if we stick to the main road, the probability of getting attacked is low.”
“You’re the driver, Jack. Just stick to the main road and that’s it. Why do you have to worry us with such claims?”
“So you can be damn prepared!”
“Alright alright. Let’s go.”
“Aw!” Jack rubbed his head and glared at his grinning friend, whose body was bigger than the passenger seat.
…
One day later
“Seriously, I don’t know how you’re doing it.”
Sulong stuck his head out of the van and looked to the side.
Zeke was slowly jogging, completing the daily quota offered by the System. Running in the thick snow was easier said than done, but it wasn’t without benefits.
With the help of ‘Fatigue Abstinence’ and the unfavorable environment, his physical stats (Strength, Agility) were rising.
In fact, just by completing the Daily Tasks, he would gain 2 Strength and 2 Agility excluding the usual rewards. Such an increase was always welcomed by the hard-working Zeke, who didn’t want to let go of this opportunity.
“If we weren’t in the middle of absolutely nowhere, I would have been motivated to join you. Really.” Commented Sulong as he grinned at the youth while motioning for him to run faster.
“One two, one two, one two. Come on, boy!”
“Will you shut up?!” Lashed back Zeke as he circled to the other side. Unfortunately, Jack was no different from his friend.
“At this rate, you won’t keep us with Stella.”
“...”
“What? Look at her. She’s been with us through thick and thin.”
Jack patted the door of the van, which was given a name for some reason.
“You can do it, Zeke.”
Arbert also peeked and raised his feast, enthusiastically encouraging the youth.
Just when Zeke was about to finish the running task, both he and Stella came to a sudden stop.
The thick snow before them rose into the air before dispersing, revealing a winged creature with a long beak and light blue skin. Its beady brown eyes squirmed then focused on what was in front of it.
It viewed the unknown machine and the humans as enemies, thus letting out an ear-piercing screech.
Zeke, who was outside, was the first to make a move as bolts of lightning struck the creature, causing it to stagger.
Its weirdly bent legs left deep imprints on the snow while its wings started flapping.
The shock from the voltage allowed Zeke to ready ‘Voltage Arrow’ and throw it at the creature.
“Jack! You sure this is the main road?!”
Zeke shouted at the frightened man as the spear of blue lightning pierced the target’s chest, grievously wounding it. However, it wasn’t enough to stop it as it took to the air and let out a chilling breath.
The van backed away as fast as it could while Sulong got out and performed a punch; A swirling pillar of fire clashed with the winged beast’s breath, blocking its attack.
Zeke used ‘Life Motus’ at the last second, dodging the incoming creature, which almost penetrated its long and sharp beak into his body.
Surprisingly, it managed to swiftly change the direction of its flight and come straight at him again.
Its speed was outrageous as it let out screeches, its thin and lengthy wings spread to both sides and increasing its velocity.
Seeing no time to concentrate on a spot and teleport again, Zeke was about to use ‘One-star Side-kick’ only to be left speech a fountain of blood splattered on the ground.
Someone had literally sliced the creature in half. It was a clean and deadly strike.
Zeke’s eyes landed on a man that was, at least, 2 meters in height. He wore thick white fur and leather clothes underneath and was holding an axe equal to his size.
The man was accompanied by two others, both equipped with domineering physiques, huge weapons, and muscular bodies hardened by years of battles.
The man who killed the winged beast had a grizzly face, a thick black beard, and what seemed to be tattoos across the left side of his face.