It took only a few hours on the following day to hunt down the last Kameleons and frogs. Then, I dismantled the wards on the shelter and we made our way back to the guild. I avoided most Kameleons hiding in the rocky jungle, with practice hunting their swamp brethren, it was much easier, but we were still faced with several highly territorial Barbcats and Rune Panthers.
Reached Level 178 (Rank 5, +1 level)
Gained: 5 ES
When we reached the guild, it was only a little past mid-day. We went directly to the headquarters after the guard checked our medals at the entrance. Since I had all the materials, I waited in the line to hand out our current missions while Vel checked the board for the next set.
"Welcome, how may I help you," the clerk asked. She was a short human woman with wine red hair.
"I have three missions to hand in," I said and placed the requests on the counter.
The clerk examined the papers. She checked my adventurer plate as well with her enchanted device. After looking through a thick ledger, she took the papers and handed me a small slip.
"You will need to visit storeroom five at the back to deposit the materials," she said. "They will verify everything and then you can visit the desk to receive your reward."
"Thank you," I gave her a warm smile. Through my sphere I noticed that her cheek had reddened slightly but I didn't pay it much mind. I took the slip and went to join Vel.
"I need to go to the back to drop the materials," leaned down to kiss her. "Be right back."
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I returned half an hour later. The clerk at the back had double checked everything before signing the slip. I found Vel waiting at one of the tables with a mug of tea in front of her. She was staring at a few mission requests in front of her.
"What's the matter, love?" I asked.
"There aren't many missions in the same place," she sighed, "last time was probably luck."
"We don't really need the gold that much," I reminded her. "We could just go out and hunt until we get to rank six."
"I know, I know. The best I have is two which are three days away. One is ingredient collection, Sundew Bulbs, and the other is clearing a small nest of Taratects."
"Just like the old days then," I chuckled.
I looked at the requests. The number of Sunder Bulbs was reasonable, it was at the center of the plant monster and difficult to damage so it wouldn't be as difficult as the frogs. The Taratect nest was too close to a trade route and their hunters had started attacking caravans, from the reports the spiders were not that high level.
"Here's the receipt," I handed her the signed slip, "it's your turn to queue. I'll get us some lunch then we can leave?"
"You don't want to stay for the night?" Vel asked.
"The faster we are back, the longer I have for …" I didn't mention the need to molt in public.
"You're right," Vel smiled. "We can take some time to relax after these."
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For our lunch, I bought a few skewers with some salad. There was a lot on offer but I felt like keeping things simple. While I waited for Vel, I took some time to spend the essence I had accumulated. I started with attributes where I wasn't at the maximum with the physical side of things quite yet.
Increased Strength from 250 to 300 for 17 ES (+50 points)
Increased Agility from 252 to 300 for 16 ES (+48 points)
Increased Vitality from 254 to 300 for 16 ES (+46 points)
Increased Endurance from 251 to 300 for 17 ES (+49 points)
Then, I continued with the general skills. I had managed to raise most to rank five but not to their maximum level yet.
Raised Skill Tracking to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Stealth to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Identify to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Meditation to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+98 levels)
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Raised Skill Medicine to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Herbalism to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Alchemy to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Survival to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
Raised Skill Investigation to rank 5, level 100 for 25 ES (+99 levels)
There were also my weapon skills, most of which hadn’t even broken rank two. It made sense since I had phased out the use of weapons in favor of spells quite a while ago.
Raised Skill Spear Mastery to rank 5, level 100 for 73 ES (+291 levels)
Raised Skill Dagger Mastery to rank 5, level 100 for 72 ES (+285 levels)
Raised Skill Light Bow Mastery to rank 5, level 100 for 69 ES (+274 levels)
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It took Vel almost half an hour to emerge from the guild hall. She had the look of someone who had spent too long stuck in a queue.
"Some of the adventurers, I swear …" She mumbled when she sat next to me. I pulled her into a side-hug.
"Endured the joys of bureaucracy?" I ruffled her hair.
"Bleh!" She grimaced. "Some idiot held up the entire line to complain about the guild fee. He said something about taxation being theft, I didn't really get everything."
"Sounds like a character," I sighed. "Let's forget about it," I handed her a skewer of meat which she took with a big smile. We enjoyed our lunch in peace.
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With three days of travel ahead of us, the schedule on site would be somewhat tight if we wanted to be back at the end of the week. I used the wind Mystic Enhancement to increase my speed and cover more distance each day. We still encountered the occasional monster on the way but half of them couldn't keep up. In the end, I managed to cut half a day from our travel time at the cost of some mana, of which I had plenty to spare.
When we reached the area where the Taratect nest was, we slowed down. Vel and I had plenty of experience handling small nests like the ones near Niu but the one in the temple had been another thing entirely. Though neither of us expected a nest of that size, the timing and reported information didn't fit.
I deployed my usual array of magical sensors to find out the limits of the nest's territory. If they had specialized hunters then they would likely have watchers as well. I summoned Alan in his spider form as well. With the heavy canopy in the area, it would be near impossible to spot the nest from the air so he was on infiltration duty instead.
It took only a few minutes to find the first hunters patrolling.
[Adult Taratect Hunter (Level 136, Rank 5)]
[Adult Taratect Hunter (Level 144, Rank 5)]
[Adult Taratect Hunter (Level 139, Rank 5)]
Were those on the stronger end or not? I searched for more groups both along the edge and near the center of where I thought the territory was.
[Adult Taratect Warrior (Level 125, Rank 5)]
[Adult Taratect Worker (Level 118, Rank 4)]
It seemed the queen had made her strongest members into hunters. Not the worst idea since they were the ones who brought back sustenance but it also made the nest vulnerable if she hadn't at least kept some of them back.
Vel and I quickly sketched out a strategy. The nest itself was usually the most vulnerable and, once attacked, most of the Taratects in the area would rush to defend it. So the plan was simple: make a beeline for the nest while remaining undetected, place traps around the area, start a ruckus, watch the fireworks, and deal with the queen.
With the amount of detection I had at my disposal, avoiding or ambushing the patrols proved incredibly easy. The stationary watchers were dealt with from a distance. They were especially vulnerable to counter-ambushes once we knew where they hid. Vel crushed them with the very branches they sat on while I sniped them with my bow.
Once we were near the nest, I had Alan walk around the perimeter out of sight. Through him, I placed catalysts with trap spells in the ground. Since I couldn't hide in the trees anymore with my large bulk, Vel and I simply stood some distance away from the nest. I fired a salvo of lava spells with the artillery catalyst I had developed to fight the Stalker-Hounds.
Your group has defeated [Taratect Larva (Level 5, Rank 1)]
Your group has defeated [Young Taratect Worker (Level 41, Rank 3)]
Your group has defeated [Adult Taratect Worker (Level 96, Rank 4)]
Your group has defeated …
Notifications flooded in as the liquid fire spread through the nest. A loud screeching sound pierced through the chaos and the queen burst out of the nest, covered in flames.
[Taratect Queen (Level 175, Rank 5)]
Her cry attracted the attention of the stronger Taratects that were away from the nest. Of course, by now, the culprits had been found. Several warriors and hunters charged our position but Vel wasn't just equipped with a bow this time. Our position became a defensive fortress with large stones supporting wooden barricades bristling with spikes. Flower blooms that released toxic spores that ate the large spiders from the inside.
The only one strong enough to threaten us was the queen. I didn't give her much of an opportunity. Three daggers of obsidian appeared and split the air with a deafening crack. The Crocolisk had thick armor to protect itself, this spider didn't. All three pierced through the queen's carapace and detonated. Ichor and carapace fragments rained on the jungle floor.
Your group has defeated …
Your group has defeated [Taratect Queen (Level 175, Rank 5)]
Experience gain reduced by 20% for fighting with a group
Essence Absorption collected 386 ES (5x3x9+4x2x16+3x1x41)
"Alright, let's go do some gardening," I clapped my hands together. That mission was much more therapeutic than I had expected.