"What the... heck... was... that?!" Midnight lost his balance and slumped his back against the wall. His head was swirling, and his thoughts were abnormally fragmented. The backlash worked against the creepy mushrooms but made his brain a scrambled egg. And as if this was not enough, the pain and fear from before finally returned.
Need potions...
He shivered imperceptibly, and used his trembling hands, to reach inside the bag and pull an item. He brought it up and bit the handle.
Ptooey
He spat a mouthful of saliva and scrunched his nose. It was not what he expected, but a pickaxe.
Seriously...
He pushed the pickaxe back and rummaged through the bag again. This time, he concentrated and somehow visualized the inner space. The image was blurry and covered in a black-white noise, yet he found the bottles he was looking for. He pulled them out, unscrewed the lids, and poured the incipid liquids into his mouth. A few green or bluish droplets spilled from the corner of his lips and rolled his chin.
Phew
Instantly, the fog inside his head was sucked away and he felt crisp. His puzzled thoughts assembled, and his exposed and mangled flesh grew juvenile tissue. The blood vessels stitched together, the peripheral nerves relaxed, and the stinging pain returned to milder numbness. His shoulder bones creaked gently. Stimulated by the medicine, they slowly formed a callus that filled the puncture and the cracks.
He rubbed his temples but didn't dare to relax. Once burnt twice shy. While staring at the branching tunnel, he moved his arm to assess the wound's condition.
The flesh is healing nicely. The bone will need some time. The newly formed callus is about half-calcified at most. It's too fragile, and will definitely break upon an impact. Yes, probably five to ten more minutes... Heh, a lesser-grade health potion can't compare to the raw Enygma Root... To spend that thing was such-
His thoughts were interrupted and he gasped for breath. He was suffocating.
Pa
He snapped his fingers, jolting the invisible symbols dancing on his skin. With a sizzling sound, their blurry boundaries reformed, straightening the crumpled structure.
"Damn it..." He cussed, regaining his bearings.
In all the novels that I read adventuring seemed so cool and awe-inspiring. But what about reality? First, I was bitten by hordes of voracious mosquitos in the forest. Then, as I reached the cave, the ground turned out to be too slippery for walking. There are nasty monsters everywhere. And, I even have to worry about random suffocation cause the air sucks.
Fuck those writers for skipping on the details! I will sue them for deceit!
Sigh, next time, I gotta chug the potion sooner. If my pool dries out completely, the spell won't just malfunction but will fracture. I likely won't have the time to reform the structure as I black out...
He leaned on the rocks and grimaced with displeasure. His shirt was ruined from the battle with the Lord and the cold wet granite prodded at his skin. The sensation was uncomfortable and disgusting.
Dududu
Suddenly, he felt a tremor travel through his back. A rain of fragments hit his head and when he looked up, his face was covered in thick and smelly goo.
Oh my god... Benjamin's lover came to look for him! I knew it, he was a worm under a slipper! Wait, this may be her father. The village chief. All these bastards look the same!
A string of random thoughts flittered through his mind as a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth greeted his stupefied expression. Before he could evade, the worm wiggled out the hole and, oblivious of its inability to fly, fell and unceremoniously crushed him.
...
East from Weist, the City of White. In a swamp.
Raven crouched inside the mud and used his sword to crush the dying frog. This frog was a common monster in the area. It was about the size of a large dog breed, very fast, and just as ugly with its soft protruding warts.
When the creature breathed its last, he stood up and heaved a silent breath. He was not concerned about his clothes. Instead, he pulled a scrap of linen and diligently cleaned the blade, before he put it back inside the scabbard.
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These dudes are so annoying. Weak, yet persistently will come at me...
Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound and instinctually stepped aside.
Splash
A common-looking boar emerged behind a bush and crashed at his previous location. Its actions made the dirty water churn and splash, sending droplets on his face.
An animal?
Without much of an expression, he lodged his feet into the mud and turned his upper body, pulling out the sword. His motions were clean and fluid as if practiced countless times.
Swish
He took a step and the blade cut the boar in half. It couldn't even cry or understand what happened.
...I forgot that my Precog doesn't work on animals without malice. My prior fight might have spooked the poor thing...
Raven pursed his lips and used the backside of his free hand to wipe his cheeks and forehead.
Weist is not a bad city-state, but the surroundings are not that player-friendly. I should have done some more research. Who would have thought that the eastern parts of the continent are famous for their wetlands and Willow-Maple forests? When I chose this city, I only thought about being far from that King bastard and his guild... Fuck! I bet Renata knew but deliberately didn't say it. She likes to play such childish tricks to tease me...
He pulled his shirt and examined the bluish bruise on the left side of his abdomen.
It grazed me. That boar is not half-bad. If I was any slower, it could have knocked me down. Indeed, I shouldn't underestimate any creature in Euclex. Thankfully, I have these babies...
He couldn't help but flash a silly grin and seize his newest items. He had done so at least one hundred times, but he was still elated.
|Leather Shoes of Swift Movements
A pair of fine shoes made from cheetah skin. They brag splendid craftsmanship and trendy, new, unisex design.
Type: Equipment
Grade: Unique (B)
Note: Adjustable size and self-deodorising effect. Say no more to your athlete's feet!
Agility + 15%
Constitution + 10%
Strength + 5%
Fatigue Recovery x 1.5
Skills:
(1) Explosive First Step (Rare)
(2) Sensational (Rare)
Owner: Raven
Status: Bound|
|Tenacity Ring
Refined iron ring, with a sturdy, thick, and simplistic appearance.
Type: Accessory
Grade: Unique (C+)
Note: Ladies, step aside. This ring lacks the splendor to accentuate your beauty~
Constitution + 15%
Strength + 15%
Dexterity - 5%
Agility - 5%
Skill:
Unmovable (Rare)
Owner: Raven
Status: Bound|
|Bastard Slasher
A steel bastard sword forged by a passionate craftswoman. It was created the same night she broke up with her cheating ex-fiance after catching him in bed with her third cousin.
Type: Equipment
Grade: Unique (B+)
Note: The craftswoman's third cousin is a man~ Slay them, girl! All cheating bastards need to die!
Strength + 25%
Constitution + 10%
Dexterity + 10%
Heterosexual Love Luck - 55%
Skill:
Scumbag Crusher (Unique)
Owner: Raven
Status: Bound|
These stats are incomparable to the newbie garments! As expected of Uniques. However...
Although he was really happy, some of the effects were just a bit peculiar.
For example, what was even that Heterosexual Love Luck reduction? It was the same as the system saying: 'Go gay or stay single for eternity'...
Well, I can't be picky. What matters are the skills!
He looked around. One protruding root seemed relatively dry and clean.
This should do.
Without a better option, he chose the root and sat on it. Then he summarised the skill effects.
The system was kind enough to give them names, but it didn't elaborate on their usage. He could only test them and assess the details. For that reason, he had even dumped his guild work on Renata and ran to hunt alone.
Explosive First Steps seems to be a passive that accelerates my movement speed. However, it works only on actions that begin from a static state. The effects include drawing out my blade, or sprinting when evading or attacking. Thanks to this skill, I jumped in time even tho I didn't sense the boar.
Next is Sensational. Ergh, this one is probably a passive too... The effects are rather negative. Basically, I attract attention. It applies to all sentient races, monsters, and animals alike. It should be because of these damn shoes' design. It reminds me of a court jester...
Such a skill will be the bane for thieves or those with weaker constitutions. Hmm, but it is useful for a tank. When I have a better option, I will give the shoes to Leo. Heh, he was complaining about his stinking feet before...
Yes, I should gift him with the ring as well. The item is not too suitable for swordsmen. The Unmovable skill is an active ability that increases weight. It makes it harder for enemies to push and pull you.
About the Scumbag Crusher...
He looked toward the boar and twitched his lips. The whole torso was cleanly split in half. With his strength, this result was still impossible. The sole explanation was the skill.
It is a passive that works against surprise attacks. It doubles speed and strength against all scumbags... Damn, I feel this boar was just a victim of a grudge. May it rest in peace...
As the time was ticking, he didn't dare dally any more. If Renata somehow learned that he was slacking while she was finishing his work, he would have a splitting headache for a full week. Of course, even if he did his best, a pandemonium was imminent.
She is very narrow-minded... Sigh, I guess I should explore some more...
He rolled his sleeves and stood up, but his leg got caught in something hidden beneath the water's surface. With an exaggerated motion, he splashed into the mud.
Bang
His head slammed into the trunk of an old thick Willow and he saw bright starts in daytime.
"Fuck!"
He reached his hand and grasped the tree to stand up, but he froze in place. Right across his eyes was a deep hollow, barely visible above the water. The moment his eyes pierced through the darkness his ears rang with a familiar notification.
Ding
|Congratulations on discovering the hidden dungeon - Land of Lustrous.
Do you wish to see the details?
Do you wish to enter?|
For a moment, he was dazed and forgot to spit the mud inside his mouth. Fortune and misfortune were sometimes two sides of the same coin.