Back on track, Roh mounted Noona, noticing that this time she didn’t put up a fight as the previous times.

He made his way to Wyvern Heights with only the quest on his mind this time and continued to follow south, along the river, for five miles. He exhaled, feeling a sense of relief as the sharp, reddish, stony peaks of Wyvern Heights came into view. Finally made it.

As he knelt by the river to refill his waterskin, a creeping sensation of being watched washed over him. Despite his attempts to shake off the feeling, it persisted as he set off towards Wyvern Heights, each rustle of the leaves or snap of a twig sending his heart racing. He scanned the tree line, searching for any signs of movement, but all he saw were the usual suspects - birds and small animals going about their business. He shrugged off the feeling and continued on.

He spotted something in the distance - a faint glow emanating from a small opening in the side of a rocky hill. He approached cautiously, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.

As he drew closer, he realized that the opening was actually a cave entrance at the foot of the mountain. It felt ominous to Roh with several slender, rocky outcroppings enclosing it. He couldn’t help but feel that they resembled a behemoth’s teeth.

The entrance was partially hidden behind a thick curtain of vines. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should turn back, but he couldn’t give up his very first quest.

Before he dared enter the cave, he used his whistle to dismiss Noona. In a swirling, silver haze she disappeared out of sight. He then attempted to pull out his war axe from atop his back when the awful thought dawned on him. “Ah fuck!” I dropped it when that stupid Yawper almost made me deaf. Hate to admit it, but I could use some help. I’ll try to add the gang. It will be a lot easier and entertaining with them here.

As Roh thought it, the user interface appeared with a message.

I would like to remind you that you cannot add friends while you are still in an instance.

Following that, an image of the map displayed the encircled, instanced area. It only revealed areas that he already encountered like Na’rok Village and his path through Caragard to Wyvern Heights. The rest of the map was hidden by the fog of war. However, the closest edge of the circle was at the opposite end of the cave, by what he presumed would be the exit. Guess I’ll add them once I’m out of this zone…if I make it out alive.

I guess I have my pickax in a pinch, but it’s a tool and I don’t really want to use that for combat with its low DPS and I don’t want to lower its durability either as I may come across some valuable iron ores in this cave.

Suppose I can try crafting a weapon. Although, I don’t know any recipes…but I distinctly remember the developers saying in an announcement trailer that the game would have an in-depth crafting system. It would be cool to try it out. I wonder if I could try to make something with flint? Maybe I could try to use it to make a sharp blade of some sort. Now, where to get some flint? I could go into the cave and mine some with my pickax but I need the flint to create a torch too as it’s far too dark in the cave to see anything and I already used the torch I was given. Maybe I should have picked a race with the Shadowsight trait. Oh well, too late for that. I think I recall reading that flint is usually found near natural water sources. Hmm…guess I could make my way back to the river as it’s only about a mile away. Taking a further look around the cave entrance before setting back to the river, it then dawned on him that flint could also be found among all the large rock deposits scattered near the cave entrance. He bent down to have a closer look, sifted through the gravel, and found a glossy looking piece of flint. Score!

Flint (Very High Quality) - Common

Hard but brittle ore that is widely used to start fires or to make stone tools.

I don’t need to get plant fibers as I already have some rope that I can use from my Survival Pack… So all I need now is some wood which is easy to find. Roh picked up two branches. With the first one, he lit the branch with sparks that he created by hitting the flint against a rock. This happened to sharpen the flint at the same time while also successfully crafting a torch.

Torch - Common

A simple source of light (and some warmth). Can also be used to ignite things.

Increased durability due to very high quality raw resource

New Skill Unlocked

Gained Skill: [Crafting Lv1]

New Passive Ability – [Crafting Experience Boost Lv1]: +25% XP bonus from crafting

(Gained from creating tools, weapons, or items.)

Recipe learned:

Torch

1 x [ignition source] e.g. sparks

1 x [combustible material] e.g. wood

Nice. Those kinds of games that make you feel like you're actually in there, figuring things out and crafting stuff like in real life, they just suck you right in. It's all about that sweet spot between making things intuitive but not handing everything to you on a silver platter, you know? I'm just starting out in the game, but man, it's been a blast so far. The game systems are spot on, making you feel all rewarded without actually giving you physical loot. It's genius, really.

Learning the ropes is one thing, but mastering them? That's where the real fun begins. It's like, the game's challenging you to up your skills, and I'm all in for that. It's exactly this kind of design that keeps the die-hard fans coming back for more, chasing that mastery.

And hey, looks like I'm already getting the hang of it. Just crafted my first small axe. I even added some extra rope for support, because why not? Might not be necessary, but it feels like a smart move for durability

Rudimentary, one-handed, small axe – Common

Small, common flint axe. Better than nothing.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Increased critical strike chance due to very high quality raw resource

Recipe learned:

Rudimentary, one-handed, small axe

1 x [sharpened flint]

1 x [wood]

1 x [rope] (Optional)

Sweet another recipe. These could come handy when trading.

Holding the torch in his left hand and the axe in his right, Roh entered the forbidding cave. The air inside was cool and musty, and his footsteps echoed off the walls as he made his way deeper into the cave. He shone the light around, taking in the sights and sounds of the underground world. It was a peaceful place, and for a moment, he forgot about the dangers that could be lurking from the shadows.

But that peace was short-lived. As he turned a corner, he was confronted with a sight that stopped him dead in his tracks - the lair of a wyvern. The beast was curled up in a corner, its shimmering scales catching the light of the flashlight. Roh froze, his heart pounding and palms slick with sweat. A wave of panic crashed over him. What was I thinking, taking on a wyvern alone? This is insane, a guaranteed failure. I’m not prepared for this at all.

Roh's mind raced as he fought the urge to turn and flee. I can’t do this! Gah… but it's just a game. I can’t be like that player back at Tucks, the one who got froze or I may end up the same. I just got to focus on that hefty reward for this quest. Roh took a shaky breath, trying to steel his nerves. It's just a game. I have to see this through. I need to get that Wyvern Core.

Determined to take down the wyvern, Roh carefully considered his options. He knew that he couldn't take on the beast head-on, so he decided to try a different approach. Sneaking along the walls of the lair, he stumbled upon a narrow passage that seemed to lead deeper into the cave. He realized that this might be his chance to catch the wyvern by surprise. Without a second thought, he darted into the passage.

DISCOVERED NEW LOCATION: WYVERN HEIGHTS

As he squeezed through the narrow, winding passage, made even more difficult due to his large, bulky frame, he then made his way down a slippery slope, careful not to lose his footing.

The interior of the cave smelled of musty, pervasive ammonia. Roh recoiled at the stench. This place reeks of bat guano. I best be careful not to disturb them. He slowed down his pace so he wouldn’t alert anything with the sound of his footsteps.

The odor grew more intense, now mixed with the tang of a rotting corpse as he pushed forwards. Roh tightened his grip around his axe. That can’t be good. I must be ready to attack. The challenge of his quest only dawning on him now. Even if the wyvern is fast asleep, how am I going to take it down on my own? And with a crappy weapon too? He gulped.

Within the central chamber of the cavern, the entire interior was illuminated by shafts of light that seeped in through large cracks in the cave’s ceiling.

Roh felt disclosed out in the open and cast a hurried look about the area to check for any threats, but instead, he found the origin of the rotten reek. It was the wyvern. Where he initially thought it had been asleep, it was actually dead. The corpse of the fully grown wyvern lay sprawled out on the floor to one side. Whatever killed it did significant damage as from the front, it was barely recognisable. Roh could mostly make out its form and markings and with its diminutive proportions he gathered that it was a female wyvern. Usually wyverns, being the intelligent creatures that they are, would flee if they felt threatened so the slain wyvern must have been trying to protect something very dear to it.

It still had its color and its blood was fresh, and as he rummaged, the carcass still felt warm to the touch. It can’t have died long ago.The malodor must be because of the humidity and its innards being exposed. Perhaps my luck has turned around and it was attacked by another beast, ready to be looted.

As he inserted his hand into the wyvern’s open chest, he was immediately struck by the slimy wet feeling of the creature's insides. The organs were slippery and squishy beneath his fingers. The thick, sticky slime coated his hands and made it difficult to get a firm grip on anything. Despite the gross sensation, he knew that he needed to find the core and continued to delve deeper into the wyvern's innards. As he probed and prodded, he couldn't help but feel a sense of revulsion at the wet, slippery mess that surrounded him.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Roh realized that it was missing so he pulled his hand out and as he wiped his hands, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust at the slimy wet feeling of the wyvern's insides that lingered on his skin. Damn it, it has been looted already! Figures… just my rotten luck! Now I need to wait until it respawns and I will have to kill it by myself somehow.

With no real strategy or idea on how he was going to manage to kill the wyvern and complete the quest, Roh waited for it to respawn.

After waiting a significant amount of time, he grew frustrated,the corpse was not disappearing as they did in the Beta and all the other games he ever played but was instead rotting further. Hmm…I wonder if that’s one of the new changes that the developers were talking about that has been brought about by making use of Blockchain. That would make sense as each creature would be completely unique. But that means I need to find a different wyvern or I’ve failed my very first quest.

As he waited, his hunger intensified dramatically to 95%.

Whoa! That’s dangerously high. Roh felt vibrations in the real world across his midriff. This haptic feedback was a grave reminder that he needed to eat and fast before he perished from hunger. Things just keep getting better and better. I’m never going to be able to complete the damn quest! He slapped his forehead and rolled his eyes. What on earth am I going to find edible in here!? Maybe some mushrooms…or a nest?

As he looked around, Roh noticed a nest tucked away near the lifeless body. It was only partially visible from his vantage point, hidden by a cluster of large stalagmites. With his keen senses, he spotted an egg nestled inside.

Upon closer inspection, Roh realized that this egg was unlike any he had ever seen before, for it glimmered in the dim light, its surface a tapestry of greens and browns, resembling a patchwork quilt of leaves and bark. The air around the egg was infused with the scent of freshly cut grass and the soft rustling of leaves causing Roh to wrinkle his nose. I sure hope it tastes better than it smells.

As he reached out to touch it, he felt a curious warmth emanating from within. His senses were flooded with a rush of nature's energy, as though the egg held within it the secrets of the forest. Looks like eating this egg could give me some magical properties.

Roh was immediately drawn to the egg, but as he lifted it from its nest, he couldn't help but wonder what creature could possibly be inside. It seemed too small to be a wyvern's egg, yet too large to belong to any bird he knew. It seemed to pulse with a life of its own, and as Roh held it, he felt a sense of wonder.

The egg was heavier than Roh had anticipated. He wondered what magic lay inside, what creature would have emerged had it had a chance to incubate. Roh couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness that he was preventing the creature inside from hatching. He consoled himself with the thought that the creature would be of no use to him, whereas the egg would provide sustenance and possibly grant him special properties. This is going to be a bitch to open, but it’s probably going to be all the more worth it.

Roh grabbed the egg, ready to attempt to crack it open and consume it, when he heard the familiar sound of that bloody Yawper along with large echoing footsteps. Shit! They’re headed this way.

In a hurry, he stored the egg in his satchel for later.

Egg - Rarity Unknown

A mysterious egg.

Roh made his way out of the cavern into an empty clearing, the primordial light a hue of purple. I didn’t realize just how long I had been in there. I better come off the game for tonight as I can’t exactly return to Tucks empty-handed so I’ll sleep in my bedroll, logout, and figure out what to do on my return.

Alright, looks like I found a chill spot to park myself. No angry red edges on my screen, which is sweet 'cause it means no baddies are on my tail, and no annoying pop-ups telling me I can't log off here. I'm still in the safe zone on the map, so no worries about other players jumping me. That's the last thing I need, getting looted while I'm AFK. Next time, I've gotta hit up an Inn or Tavern for sure. Roh placed his bedroll on the cool, moist grass and as he lay in the bedroll, all his surroundings started to fade into blackness.