I quit right that second. I activated the Hidden Mode and left the forest. I had no need to go back and flaunt the armor. Slap a few faces, the usual shenanigans because it would make people curious. Curiosity would lead people to the last place I was working, that mine.

Then it started turning my gears. If I found this in that 2% mine, who was to say this wasn't the only one. I went right back and started digging. The enthusiasm and fervor with which I attacked that wall was insane. Yet, after 36 grueling hours, I found nothing.

My fatigue level is at a 6. I worked too hard. I have a tiny pile of azulite gems on one side and a heap of stone on the other. I found no such gem again.

The workman who came to collect my quota was surprised at the giant pile of debris and rock. He tallied up the azulite and it came down to 4 grams. It was worth about 14 Silver Frags. With the 'new' rates it was worth about 9 Silver Frags. Part of the reason being I'd pissed off the money man.

I collected those 9 Silver Frags anyways. I needed them. I didn't log out at that moment. I was hovering around the 40-hour mark for playtime but this wasn't close to what I was capable of.

I needed to head to the nearest town. It was the City of Grem. Named after the Giant of Grem who'd been slaughtered at that very spot.

The city didn't do justice to its legacy. It was Mid-Low Rank but it had the one thing I need right now. Quests and Skill Books.

I need to do quests for money, money for skill books. Magical Frontier doesn't run on exp. Killing monsters doesn't provide exp, nor does completing quests(in most cases). Your strength is based on classes and the skills within them. Each player can have any combination of classes up to level 100.

Yes, it does mean you can have 100 different classes if you want. Not that most people do, that would be a very bad build.

This is where the Switch Build skill comes in, it allows you to start from 0 and have a separate class sheet. You can have 2 characters in one ID. Level 200. It's insane and game-breaking.

I walk into the city and the rush of people is off-putting. I don't know how long it's been since I've been around this many people. Their confident, cheerful faces heading off to grind this skill, get that class or hunt down some monster are off-putting and foreign.

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I didn't know I was missing this. This sense of optimism. I let it flow through me for a few seconds, then I realize I have bills to pay and no time to waste.

There is a quest lobby located somewhere around here. I want to ask for directions but I hesitate, more than a few times. Then, I just resolve to walk around until I stumble on it. My plan works- yes, wandering around for twenty minutes was a plan- and stumble onto a wide-open veranda. There's a series of giant billboards around it.

There are people in more than a few parties milling about there. I start going through the quests. I can just scroll through and search them through my screen.

I need single-player quests with minimal difficulty. I don't have a single class(other than miner), the only skill I can speak of is, [Sense Shockwave]. It takes me a full ten minutes before I stumble onto something. The recommended party size is 3. I ignore that.

It's a basic recon mission. The goblins have been more active in recent days. Spy on them for 3 days and report any findings. 3 days. That's a long time.

I still accept the quest. The reward is appropriate. I decide to log out first.

The familiar red blinking of my rig greets me. I flop around for a few minutes, get up and stumble into the shower, not before grabbing a protein bar. The hot water is uncomfortable but it washes off the sweat.

I look at myself in the mirror, I'm too thin. The hunger is ravenous. Gaming for hours on end is wreaking havoc on my body. I can't remember the last time I slept for as long as I wanted.

I grab another granola bar and start chomping down on it. There's a pile of letters on my front door. I sift through them. I know what they are, more bills. I'll take a nap for fours hours and get back at it.

...

..

.

4 Hours Later

I stalk through the woods without the golden armor on. It would be too eye-catching with its golden color. Hibernation Mode is activated. The goblins have a little cave as their base of operations. I searched it up on some forums and goblins revolve around their base.

If something is wrong with them then the root cause is at their cave. Some sort of shamanistic ritual is taking place here. I crouch down on the ground and hide.

This is hour 12 of my hunt for them. They're beating drums and moving around a large cauldron. Four goblins are standing on ladders and stirring giant ladles.

There are two other goblins on opposite sides. They have giant weaved baskets and they're throwing in random powders, herbs, and objects.

One of them throws in a leg. Judging from its green blood, it was a dryad. Oh my lord. Then they chuck in a head, followed by an entire dryad.

What follows is the most bizarre thing I've seen. A fully formed goblin steps out of the cauldron. She has the hair and eyes of a dryad with pale brown skin. Her ears are goblin-like and she's somewhat short.

It's a new goblin.