Author’s corner: HELLO HELLO! DELAYED CHAPTER! SORRY! *DOGEZAS*
ANYWAY, finished this chapter 1:15 of the morning, and didn’t have the conditions to upload it, so I left to do it after waking up. Forgot that I had a morning class yesterday, and ended up messing my writing plans. Still, here we are. BTW, upload time is 10:30 in the morning here.
ALSO, FINALLY, we left the dungeon. And before anyone asks worried/excited, no, the next two runs will be only mentioned briefly on the next chapter. No more dungeon describing for me for a good time now!
ALSO(2), If anyone is wondering, no. The exp thingy isn’t stopping gon of making Aura a battle pet, ok?
ALSO(3), Already working on the next chapter, should be up today still.
Have a good read!
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“How come I never heard of this?” I whispered angrily at the fox in my hand as we walked our way back from the dungeon while the others hummed happily. I swear to god that if it weren’t for the fact that her and Aura’s body were shared, I would be strangling her right now!
“But a warning does appear whenever you get a battle pet!” Cyg whispered back to me nervously. “But you probably skipped it back when you got Lieutenant!”
I wanted to really punch something right now. Not that I would have nulled the fact that Lieutenant is my pet, but the fact that I didn’t notice up to now does annoy me a lot! And worse of all, what Cyg said is something very likely that I might have done, so it wouldn’t surprise me if that was true. Sadly, memory for important stuff isn’t exactly my selling point.
Sighing downheartedly as we walked back to the entrance of the dungeon, I noticed I wasn’t the only one with a sour mood, as the others also had a bitter smile on their faces. Well, not that I blame them, after all, even if the gear was down-right awesome, it wasn’t exactly something useful for us.
Mantle of the Crystal-bearer (Chest) (Heavy leather)
(requires level 20)Def:20M. Res:18Quality:ExcellentDurability:30/30Description
This is the skin of the one who bore the duty of protecting the mines from all enemies. Stone-like leather capable of stopping even the strongest blows form this armor.
TGH +10 VIT +5 MND +10
Crystalline Claw (Dagger)
(requires level 20)Attack:14-18Extra:(None)Quality:ExcellentDurability:20/20Description
The claw taken from a peculiar wolf, whose body had become a nest controlled by the very crystal he once tried to protect. It’s piercing power is compared to no other.
STR +15 AGI+15 TGH -5 VIT -5
Ten seconds to discover what is wrong with these equipment.
…
Done?
Yeah, nobody here uses daggers. That, and as attractive as the leather chest piece sounds, it’s clearly for a tanking class. And although we do have a tank with us, his equipment are plate-centered, so I don’t think this would work.
Of course, there is also myself, but if I equip it, I will lose my set bonus, which is pretty amazing, so I don’t think the pants would work all that well for me. In the end, the others rolled for the chest so they could sell. Yuu showed a clear interest on trying the dagger for a new type of strategy, even if it made her even squishier.
We let her have it because she started making the puppy eyes without noticing, and this dealt a heavy blow on everyone else, who still didn’t developed any resistance towards it. Not that Hanbei nor me had any to begin with. I have the feeling that it might ignore resistances. Such scary skill…
Well, at least I didn’t leave without earning something. My cloak got a bonus four agility and four toughness from the boss, so I do feel satisfied if I do say so myself.
Well, leaving that aside, we took a couple of minutes of walk to leave the dungeon and as soon as we got out, I turned towards Yagver and said.
“So, does the dungeon resets automatically, we need to wait a few hours, or something of the like?” I asked him.
“Well… From what I know, we could just up and go on the dungeon right now for another run if we felt like it.” He said with a shrug. “But we did spend around five or six hours in there, so if you want to give it a time, I wouldn’t mind.”
“Well, I don’t mind going in right now…” I turned to the girls. Han-chan looked a bit tired, but didn’t seem to be all that bothered. Yuu… I think the only way to make her tired would be by having her solo the whole dungeon by herself, but I don’t think that would happen… Right? You know what? Let us leave that unanswered. “I think they are in for another ride too…” They both nodded. “But before that, I’ll deliver the quest… And have Aura make us lunch. I’m starving here!”
The others suddenly widened their eyes before smiling awkwardly. Seems like they were the same. I left the freezing-tail on the cook-job while I took some distance from the group. Not that I needed, really, mostly because I felt like it.
“Hey, Arkhoss. I got your crystal here!” I said out loud.
“That was… Relatively fast.” He said popping out of nowhere with a raised eyebrow. This time I didn’t even need to wait before he had my armor fixed with that neat spell of his. Having the god of Chaos as your acquaintance saves a good sum on repair fees! Ka-ching!
“Well, I did want to get over with it quickly…” I said as I pulled the crystal out of my inventory and gave it a quick look.
Chaos-bound Crystalized mana (Qualityless) (Quest item)A piece of crystallized Chaotic mana. It’s pre-crystallization nature makes it so that it didn’t form as a perfectly as the remaining crystals, thus making it much more volatile than the usual.
“Just let me take a guess, but this is your work, right?” I asked while passing him the crystal. He simply smiled mysteriously while using his spell on the crystal, making it shine cleanly before floating. “So… why didn’t you go get it yourself?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“There is only so much we are allowed to interfere directly in this world.” He said with a shrug as he poofed a box and stored the crystal within it. “If things started to get bad, I would have done it myself.” He looked towards me. “But since they aren’t all THAT bad, it was a better shot to have a chosen like yourself do it for me. Have less of an impact on this world’s mana.” He said with a shrug.
Well, who am I to talk about magic stuff?
“So… Should be worried about what you are going to do with that?” I asked as I watched him poof the box into oblivion. He looked at me inquisitively, so I elaborated further. “I mean, if people find out I will that I was the one to get that to you, would they think of me of a villain, or a hero?” I asked him.
“Didn’t you say that you didn’t care about what I was going to use it for?” He asked me curious.
“Didn’t care, yes. But it’s good to have an idea on what to expect.” I said shrugging. I looked to him awaiting my answer, but he wasn’t the one to answer.
“Ha! If the words get out, then you’ll probably be known as one of the worst villains in the story of Insania!” Came a loud voice from the air behind him, surprising me. However, for such grim words, they had a strangely cheerful tone to them.
“… Sir, I didn’t expect for you to come down here!” Arkhoss said while looking backwards. And Sir? Is that someone with even higher standing than him?
“Well, Little chaos. After hearing so much of this golem, I had to come and have a look for myself.” Said the booming voice from behind him. “Heck, he is under my protection, so I guess I have the right to look at him whenever I want to!” The deep voice said with a laugh. “Hi there, little golem! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you!”
“Hi there mister strange voice coming from midair! It’s nice to meet you too!” I said while copying his cheerful tone.
“Huh? Strange voice?” The booming voice said surprise, before grumbling angrily. “Cygnasdammit. Magic! I never was any good with it…”
As he said that, the air behind Arkhoss shimmered and the owner of the voice appeared behind him. And cygnasdammit, was the guy huge! He left even the barbarians to shame, while still looking more human-ish than the giants! He should be around two or so meters, probably higher, had a long white hair and a short beard on his scarred face. He his only clothing his chain-mail pants and a bandolier-like thing crossing his chest. Not that I found it strange, since I doubted that anything at all would fit a guy with muscles that big! Heck, his arms was almost as thick as me! I guess he bench-press siege weapons to have them that big! And just how many scars can someone have? I’m pretty sure that I should call the guys from the Guinness book to have a look at him. He should have broken a world record or two here.
On his back, probably held by the bandolier-thingy, laid a huge axe that was as wide as a freaking door. It had a simple design of a two headed axe, but the size alone was enough to make me fear it.
With all that, I didn’t need any introduction to know who was this guy.
“Let’s try that again.” He said while coughing. “Hello there, little golem! I’m the patron god of your class! You may know me as…”
“Bul-kathos?”
“No?” He said while slightly confused. I clicked my tongue, I’m sure that I was close. “But that is one strong-sounding name! I like it!” He said with a loud laughter. “I’m Orfeon, the great god of war!” He said with a proud look.
“So you are the one giving me the skills? Neat!” I said cheerfully before extending my hand. “Name is Gondorrer Doggybane…” DAMMIT! When will I get this right? “I mean… Gondorrer Gravelheart. Pleasure to meet you.” He raised his eyebrow amused for a moment, before smiling and grabbing my hand, shaking it, and through it, me, up and down cheerfully. “So… What you said earlier… Does that mean that I’m doing some kind of evil-job here?” I said curious now, but he shook his head.
“Nope. This might probably save a lot of lives. But the world will probably won’t see it that way.” He said with a shrug. “At least if the little chaos here is right on his calculations. Not that I ever seen him make a mistake, to tell the truth.” He said in a slightly impressed tone.
“You praise me too much, sir.” Chaos said with his deadpan face, which made the war-god laugh heartily and put his arm around the lesser god’s shoulders, which left Arkhoss notably fidgety, as his suit started to wrinkle.
“So… I’m some kind of misunderstood hero?” I said while watching the scene amused.
“Something like that…” Bul-kat… Orfeon said with a nod.
“… Wait, did I just save the world or something doing that?” I asked as it started to click on me, but the lesser god simply shook his head.
“I wouldn’t call it saving the world.” He said with a slight frown while resisting the urge to fix his clothes. “But you did make it a lot easier for us with this, since it’s one less thing to worry about.” He while making some calculations on his mind. “I guess I can greatly speed up the plan with this now.” He said, making the larger god smile joyfully.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Oh? How soon?” He asked, looking like a kid who was just promised a new toy.
“Couple of months, I guess…” Arkhoss said while thinking. “Still have to make some last calculations just to be sure.”
“And that thing that will happen… It involves war, somehow?” I said curious, and the gods smiled satisfied.
“I like how you always catch things quickly.” Said Arkhoss with a nod. I frowned slightly for a moment. Suddenly I feel that doing this quest wasn’t exactly my best idea ever, but it’s too late now. “Anyway, it’s time for your rewards.” He said with a trickster smile.
He snapped his fingers, and above his right hand popped a sword. A simple sword, with a long dark-purplish blade and a thorny hand-guard. It’s simplicity not diminishing the extremely overwhelming feeling that leaked from it. I immediately knew that this wasn’t a simple sword.
“This here, is a sword made with my and Orfeon’s powers. It will grow as strong as you, while granting you unmatchable cutting power, as well as making your enemy more likely to show you openings, thanks to its special effects. Right now, this could easily be considered the strongest weapon available to all the chosen at this moment. I Can’t guarantee about later on, though.” He turned towards the muscle wall besides him and grinned slightly. “On the other hand, I could teach you how to process those crystals with great efficiency, making your weapons and armor even better. But they still wouldn’t be on par with this sword.” He extended another hand, where I faintly blue sphere floated. “Now, choose one.”
When he made that statement, I took a long time thinking on what my pick would be, since both of them were incredibly useful on their own right. On one hand, I would get an incredible sword that could easily make me one of the strongest players. On the other hand, I had a crafting method that I probably wouldn’t find anywhere else, but this still wouldn’t…
BAH! WHO AM I KIDDING!
I picked the faintly shimmering sphere, and with that, a new warning window popped up, warning me that I had just unlocked the tutorial to processing the crystals I mined at the dungeon. Not quite what I had expected, but still, it works.
I smiled happily as I opened the window and saw that it had both a text and a video part to it, for whichever one I felt easier to use. There was even a specific part for the pink crystal! And man, this thing is nifty! I might just have solved a problem with this!
HEROIC QUEST COMPLETE:
Chaos’ CrystalYou have delivered the crystal to the God of Chaos, and discovered that his plans relates to the Great god of war. Although you still don’t know their plans, you do know that it’s something big. Now, you have been rewarded in kind.
For completing the quest, Yksar’s Mana-infested mine have been opened to other players with the Hard and normal mode available.Rewards:
Crafting techniques for the exotic material found on the mines.
Chronicles of the Frozen Battlefield have received a +3 STR +3 INT bonus.
“Now, if you excuse-me, I have some plans to finish preparing.” Arkhoss said with a courteous bow, before poofing out of existence.
However, the other bigger guy was still here, and he looked at me with some amusement.
“You really did pick the crafting method.” He said with some surprise and slight interest. “I heard from little chaos that you plan on using the hide, scales and claws from your enemies as equipment, but I never thought you would go as far as refuse that sword…” He said before grinning widely. “I must say that I like your style!” He said with an amused grin while taking his hand to the axe behind him. “So… Mind giving me the pleasure of a duel? It’s been a long time since I have been this pumped!”
“Nope, no, thanks.” I said in a straight face, which made him freeze for a moment before making a silly sound. “I mean… I don’t really have much motivation when it comes to fighting non-beasts enemies.” I said while scratching my head. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you could beat me, even if you had both hands, feet and head tied behind your back.”
“Well… You…” He suddenly looked lost as he tried to form his words. “You could use this as a chance to… You know… Fight someone stronger? And learn their tactics…” He said trying to convince me.
“Well… I’m not a martial artist to want something like that…” I said with a shrug. “I’m more of a hunter, than a fighter, and…” I stopped when the smell of food reached my nose and I felt my mouth salivate. “Damn, suddenly my hunger is back…” I said getting off track.
“That does smell nice. For a mortal.” Orfeon said while sniffing around. “Mind if I join you?” He asked, completely forgetting his will to fight earlier.
Well, one more, one less isn’t much of a difference, I guess? So I let the god of war join us in our little late lunch. When I introduced him to the others, there wasn’t much of a reaction, and instead I received a strange weary look from them, almost as if they were saying: Well, it IS Wargon, after all. Well, not like I can say much, I do seem to attract weird things, I guess…
The lunch was lively, as Orfeon summoned a cask of mead, which he started to drink heavily before telling us stories about battles and wars he either participated directly or possessed a mortal before wrecking havoc on the field. There were quite the interesting stories there, as this one battle where he fought two greater dragons bare-handed. In another one, he possessed a siege-master and had him conquer three castles using nothing but ladders and three hundred men. Then, there was one about a battle from one or two thousand years ago, when armies from the infernal and the heavenly realm, that had nothing to do with the gods, mind you, wrecked havoc on Insania, trying to conquer it, but he went and possessed a berseker before completely decimating the machinery and beasts brought by both armies.
Well, as ridiculous as his stories may sound, he did have the muscles and power to back them up, so we mostly heard them in wonder. Some of us did drink a bit of the mead when he offered, but we mostly kept it light since we were about to dungeon dive again, so we might as well be in our top condition.
The highlight was when Yuu asked for a duel with him.
I wasn’t all that surprised, as I kind of got sight of how competitive Yuu can be when it comes to fighting prowess.
Well, to cut it short, it was a one sided battle.
Yuu kept attacking non-stop while Orfeon simply dodged her spear attacks while laughing merrily, his mug of mead still in his hands as he drank it little by little during the fight. As soon as he finished his mead, though, he threw the mug away and took his axe from his back, holding the mighty cleaver with one hand, before… Doing something.
What? I couldn’t see what happened at all! How the hell do you want me to describe that? One second Yuu’s life is topped and she is attacking, the other she is on the ground, with a confused face and only one HP left from death!
And it’s not like there were those blurry scenes happening where you could see something happening, but couldn’t understand. It was downright instantaneous!
But Orfeon looked incredibly pleased with the kitsune, as he extended his huge hand towards her, helping her up and casting a curing spell that brought her back up to full health in the blink of an eye.
“Damn, Lass. For a level twenty, you sure are good!” he said with clear interest. “I am almost considering making you my protégée or something, you know?” He said cheerfully, making Yuu blink surprised before looking briefly my way.
I was somewhat surprised, to be honest. To have the god of WAR, the one usually responsible for being the one on the front lines, battles and all that to praise you like that? It’s no easy feat, I imagine. But then, it IS Yuu, so I’m not that surprised. It’s kind of a conflicting feeling, to tell the truth.
“Forgive-me, but I will have to decline your offer.” Yuu said, surprising us even more. “But I already have a Shishou whom I follow.” She said while bowing deeply. I smiled awkwardly at the scene, feeling a tingly sensation on my chest.
And of course, I felt a bit of guilty, with the whole Shishou thingy and all, after all, it started as a joke. I didn’t expect it to last like that.
Right after saying that, Yuu suddenly glanced over to the air, as a window popped up in front of her. I saw as he face brightened a lot, while Orfeon started shrugging with a wry smile. It seemed that he didn’t have much hope of convincing her since the beginning, so he didn’t delve too deep into it. Finally, he suddenly sighed before coming back to us.
“Well, that was fun!” He said while putting his axe behind his back again. “I had a good food cooked by a fox, cute little thingy, she is, told my tales to someone who actually didn’t know them, saw a new blossoming fighter, all in a day worth!” He said while smiling and looking at us. “Well, I can’t leave little chaos all by himself, and I think there isn’t anything else to do here, so I guess it’s a bye bye for now?”
“Well, actually…” I said while moving my eyes towards one member of our team. “You could probably play a bit of cards with the cat, but I guess this is out of the case, right?” I said, remembering Lieutenants new addiction. This made the god blink for a moment before smirking.
“Hey, hey, hey! Wars also have strategies! Don’t go thinking that I don’t know how to play a mean game, ok?” He said as Lieutenant’s eyes suddenly sparked with fire. The two stared at each other for a moment before a poker table popped into the air, as well as a full deck.
As I watched the two of them playing furiously against each other, I heard as Yagver approached me.
“So, I guess we are going after that card game, and this time we are going for the material run, right?” He asked, and I nodded. It seemed that he came more for the confirmation than anything else, so he stopped there.
“By the way, what do you want me to make for you, guys?” I asked him after some thought. He blinked surprised and looked at his companions, who also came with him.
“I’m not sure… What can you do?” he asked me back, and I stopped to think for a moment.
“Well, with the amount of material we’ll get in a run…” I stopped to make some calculations in my head. “I would guess that I would have enough material for making something for each one of you, or make a single armor set. Those bosses were big, so that is how much I am estimating right now. The smaller mobs I’ll probably use for money-making, since the material is a bit worse off.” I said as I turned to him. I noticed that he was thinking deeply over which one to choose, so I said. “You have until we get back to choose, so no need to hurry.”
He nodded, before leaving to discuss with his team. Meanwhile I turned to look at Yuu, who had come back to sit besides me while I was talking with the jötunn, not failing to notice the wide smile on her face. I looked a bit confused at her, but when Hanbei noticed this, she simply smiled while pointing towards Yuu’s head.
I looked up and saw, right beneath the Kitsune’s nickname, in smaller letters, the first title she actually received.
Wargon’s disciple.
As I looked at it in shock, I heard the cries of a frustrated god.