Chapter 5

The next day, Jennifer and Rachel set out to explore The Abyssal Bog. Jennifer wanted to gain magical items so she could stand a chance against the other players.

"I wonder if we can find powerful equipment like I've read in some stories," Jennifer mused, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. She turned to Rachel. "Rachel, you've been here a lot longer than me. Have you ever seen anything strange, like a huge building or a dungeon?"

Rachel hopped thoughtfully. "Well," she began, "I've heard rumors among the creatures of the swamp about mysterious ruins deep within these bogs, shrouded in mist and guarded by a giant monster. They say those who venture too close to those ruins never return." She shivered.

"Hmmm, that sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. It could be dangerous, but we should check it out, if its too dangerous we can always runaway." Jennifer replied. "Oh, that reminds me, what level are you?"

"Are you not familiar with the 'Examine' skill yet?" Rachel questioned, raising an ear. "It's an incredibly useful skill for navigating these swamps safely. I recommend learning it as soon as possible." She hopped.

"I see, this world has strange rules. It feels exactly like a life-like video game." Jennifer puzzled. "I wonder why the Elders made it like this."

Jennifer looked at Rachel and after a few seconds a message popped up. New skill unlocked, "Examine."

She looked at Rachel again and used the skill with her mind. Suddenly a small window popped up with a description.

Rachel

Species: Small Rabbit

Level: 12

Class: Unknown

HP: 150/150

MP: 20/20

"Woah, that is an extremely helpful skill." She figured this would make it easier to gauge when a enemy was close to being defeated.

"What can you tell me about magic and other skills?"

Rachel blinked. "I can't tell you much about magic," she admitted with a sheepish shrug. "I have been surviving in these swamps for a long time, but I never had the chance to learn about magic. But, I do know that you can unlock more skills as you level up and grow."

Jennifer processed the information. "I wonder how strong I can become as an Otter?"

As they kept traveling deeper into the swamps they began to move carefully, stoping and listening before they moved again. They did this for the quite a while.

As they ventured deeper into the swamp, they encountered the first of the unique monsters native to The Abyssal Bog: the Murkshroud Toads. These amphibious creatures where enormous, roughly about the size of a SUV. They could easily swallow a person whole. They had slimy, mottled skin that blended seamlessly with the swamp's dark waters. Their bulbous eyes glowed with an eerie green light, and their elongated tongues were capable of snatching prey from a considerable distance.

Jennifer examined the creature.

Murkshroud Toad

Species: Greater Toad

Level: 82

Class: Unknown

HP: 35,000

MP: 15,000

"Yikes! There's no way we can beat those." Her heart began to be filled with regret as she realized that she picked a high level area as her spawn point. "Let's keep moving before they see us." Rachel nodded and the two kept moving.

As they cautiously pressed forward through the swamp, the eerie ambiance of The Abyssal Bog weighed on them. The air was heavy with the murkshroud toad's croaking in the distance, a constant reminder of the formidable creatures lurking within these waters.

As Jennifer and Rachel maneuvered through the twisted trees and tangled vines, they suddenly spotted something truly unusual. Emerging from the murky waters was a massive creature, even bigger than the Murkshroud Toads – the Abyssal Mantis. It was a fearsome sight, its chitinous exoskeleton glistening with an iridescent, oily sheen that seemed to absorb the swamp's eerie glow.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Abyssal Mantis

Species: Greater Mantis

Level: 77

Class: Unknown

HP: 42,000

MP: 12,000

Jennifer gulped, realizing that even though it was a lower level than the colossal murkshroud toad, the Abyssal Mantis presented a unique and unpredictable threat.

"Jennifer," Rachel began, her voice hushed with a touch of unease, "that Abyssal Mantis we just saw, it's not like anything else in these swamps. I've seen it hunt other creatures, including rabbits like me. It's a master of ambushes."

Jennifer looked at Rachel with a mix of curiosity and concern. "What do you mean, Rachel? How does it hunt?"

Rachel's ears twitched nervously as she continued, "The Abyssal Mantis can control the swamp's vegetation, especially the vines and thick foliage. When it's ready to strike, it manipulates these plants to create a hidden snare, like an invisible web of death. Unsuspecting prey gets caught in it, and then... it strikes with lightning speed, its razor-sharp limbs slicing through the tangled mess to reach its victims."

Jennifer's eyes widened as she absorbed this grim description. It was a chillingly effective way to hunt, turning the very environment into a deadly trap.

"It's a predator we should avoid at all costs," Rachel cautioned. "We can't predict where its snares might be hidden, and if we stumble into one, it'll be too late. Let's stay alert."

Jennifer nodded, her newfound understanding of the Abyssal Mantis adding a layer of caution to their exploration.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that us animals, are just here to be food for the monsters in the swamps." Jennifer thought. "Leveling up here isn't going to be easy at all. But the potential for experience is huge if we can manage."

Their journey through The Abyssal Bog continued, the oppressive atmosphere of the swamp weighing heavily on their shoulders. Each step felt like a potential trap, a chance to encounter the deadly creatures that called this place home.

As they ventured deeper into the murky swamps, their path took them into an area shrouded in eerie mist. The air was thick with an unsettling silence, broken only by the occasional croak of a distant toad. It was in this ominous setting that they spotted another creature, one that sent a shiver down Jennifer's spine.

"What in the world is that?!" Jennifer whispered as she and Rachel hid behind a decaying tree.

Standing amidst the stagnant waters was a colossal figure, a massive creature far larger than anything she'd ever seen before.

It was a four legged monster ,it's bones gleamed a pale, sickly white and vines ran through its rib cage. The creature had antlers that spanned several meters, and its empty eye sockets seemed to emit a ghostly, bluish glow. Jennifer couldn't help but think of it as a twisted version of the mythical wendigo.

As she read the creature's attributes displayed before her, her anxiety intensified.

Abyssal Revenant

Species: Fallen Deity

Level: Unknown

Class: Unknown

HP: 95,000

MP: 25,000

Jennifer felt a surge of unease. This creature was on a level of power she couldn't comprehend. The thought of crossing paths with such a monstrous entity filled her with a deep sense of dread.

She whispered to Rachel, her voice barely audible, "Let's get out of here, Rachel. That thing... it's beyond anything we can possibly handle."

Rachel nodded and the pair began to slowly move away, careful not to make any sounds.

As Jennifer and Rachel carefully distanced themselves from the Abyssal Revenant, Jennifer's gaze fixated on what, at first glance, seemed like a massive driftwood log drifting slowly through the murky waters. However, her instincts screamed danger.

"Rachel, do you see that?" Jennifer whispered urgently, her eyes widening. "Is that a log, or... something else?"

Rachel squinted at the object in question before a realization of dread washed over her features. "It's not a log," she hissed back. "It's an alligator, and it's heading straight for us."

Panic surged through Jennifer as she watched the immense alligator, its titanic body gracefully gliding beneath the swamp's surface, drawing steadily closer. It moved slowly, but the sheer size and power it exuded were terrifyingly apparent.

Jennifer used her Examine skill.

Dreadscale Alligator

Species: Greater Alligator

Class: Unknown

Level: 85

HP: 47,000

MP: 27,000

"We have to go!" Jennifer exclaimed, her heart pounding. She and Rachel turned and sprinted away from the approaching alligator, their footfalls causing ripples in the water. But no matter how fast they ran, the Dreadscale Alligator pursued them relentlessly, its eyes locked on them.

"This is so lame!" She turned around and kept running. "I just wanted to find magical items!" Jennifer gasped as they pushed through the swamp's thick waters, their energy waning. "We have to keep moving, maybe we can shake it off."

With a sense of desperation, they forged ahead, every step taken with the hope of escaping their pursuer. Yet, no matter how they zigzagged and swam to throw off the Dreadgator, it persisted in its slow but unwavering chase.

They kept running for what seemed like an eternity, until in their frantic flight brought them to a large clearing.

Jennifer and Rachel entered the clearing, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. The relentless Dreadgator was still visible in the distance.

"What are we going to do Jennifer? I'm almost out of Stamina." Rachel with said panic in her voice.

"We have no other choice but to fight." Jennifer declared with a slight shake in her voice, her staff poised for battle.