After nearly an hour, Callum came upon a small fork in the river, where he spotted a brook nestled 15 feet from the main flow. The rocks were large and offered innumerable crevices, providing ample hiding spots for the creatures he sought. He heaved a sigh as he saw only a few slug creatures in the area, oddly not having seen any on his entire walk until now.
But based on the quest board notice, he had to assume this was where he needed to be. Two slugs were curled up in their shells, basking in the sun, while the third slowly moved across the large rocks. Callum decided to take them on one at a time, realizing his current skills did not allow for group battles. With only one damaging skill and the fact that he had to use it in melee, he would need to stick to one-on-one fights for now. He really wished he had some of his Ice-Enchanted gear.
Callum initiated combat by getting close enough to the slug to be noticed and then dancing backward to pull it farther from the others. Once ready to begin the fight, he decided he needed to see the difference in damage between his strikes, so he raised his bare fists and darted forward. As soon as the creature was within reach, Callum swung for its slimy and bulbous head, the impact making almost no noise as the shape seemed to absorb the blow with ease.
Without an [Analyze] skill, Callum was forced to estimate the damage done based on the opponent's current physical state. From what he could tell, he had done zero damage. It was frustrating, but he had to stay focused and keep trying. He was frustrated yet unsurprised and he knew he couldn't afford to waste any more time. With a swift movement, he lunged forward and activated [Mana Imbue], slamming his weaponized fists down toward the snail's head again.
To his surprise, the snail reacted entirely different this time. And it wasn't just the snail that changed. Callum's blue-glowing fist came to life. His swing quickened as soon as the skill activated, and his wrist turned to a slightly different angle. When it made contact, the slug seized up, exploding into a shower of bluish ichor.
Callum whooped with joy, raising his mana-steaming fist into the air. But his victory was short-lived as he checked his mana reserves. Seeing that there was only ten left in his mana-pool, he quickly dismissed the skill to conserve mana. He cursed his lowered Charisma and his pool interaction with the village blacksmith. Callum knew he needed to find a weapon to wield so he'd eliminate the constant drain from his mana pool.
Callum approached the splattered shell of the now-dead slug and activated [Scrap Collector], the ability he had been curious about the previous evening. A borderline maniacal grin appeared on his face as he received the system message awarding him loot.
Well, well, look what we have here, folks. Our dear Challenger has received a real treasure. Brace yourselves because it's a Mucus-covered Pebble! Yes, you heard that right. A pebble. Covered in mucus. Sounds like a real keeper, doesn't it?
Loot Received: - Mucus-covered Pebble x 1
Callum scoffed at the System's taunting. It was pretty clear that the pebble was a piece of trash loot. That did nothing to deter Callum's spirits, though.
While abilities like [Analyze] and [Scan] were uncommon yet easy enough to acquire, looting skills were rare. Very rare. The fact that his class came with it from the start was unheard of. With his looting ability providing him with a steady stream of money, Callum felt increasingly confident about his chances of succeeding in Arcadia. His mind slipped back to the amulet. He needed to figure out what it did. While it unlocked this class for him, he felt he was essentially only using it for its downsides at this point. If he could unlock the passive abilities and use its active ability to unlock this mysterious Cottage, he'd likely get an even bigger leg up on the competition.
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As Callum lay on the riverbank some hours later, his chest heaving like billows, he couldn't help but laugh with genuine amusement. He missed using his wands and midrange magic, but he had to admit that the thrill of being in the melee was extraordinary. The rush of adrenaline as he faced the low-level slugs, knowing that his life was on the line, was enough to make his heart race. Though truthfully, they didn't pose too much of an actual threat. With their slow speed, he could back out of a fight at any moment if needed, but it didn't do anything to lessen the thrill of the fight.
Despite the rush, Callum knew better than to be complacent, even at this low level. He only had ten hit-points, leaving almost no buffer if something were to go seriously wrong. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of the lush forest around him.
For Callum, something about this new immediacy of melee combat was intoxicating. It was as if everything else had fallen away, and all that mattered was the primal struggle for survival. He knew this was just the beginning of his journey and that the challenges ahead would only grow more intense. But for now, he was content to lie here, laughing and breathing in the rich scent of the alien forest, savoring the simple joy of being alive.
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Book's wings fluttered in the air above him as he lay there gasping for breath. The bird was circling in small patterns, a hint of impatience in her movements.
"You need to be more careful!" Callum scolded while pointing up at his friend. "I saw you flying around during the last two pulls. You've only got a few hit points in that form, definitely less than me! You could get killed."
Book dove down and flapped her wings furiously, sending the blades of grass into a frenzied dance around Callum. The wind whipped against his face, making it hard to keep his eyes open.
"Yeah, yeah!" Callum shouted after the bird. "I know you're fast, but what if we get ambushed by some of the different creatures in this forest? I know the slugs can't get you, but what if another beast could? Just be careful."
Book ignored him and soared higher into the sky, her sharp sight scanning the surrounding trees for any sign of danger.
He sighed, sitting up. Callum's mortality had been thrust in his face multiple times within the last day. Arrows had been loosed at him, guards had taunted him, and a hammer had even been hurled his way. The prospect of losing Book in a fight shook Callum, reminding him he wasn't the only one exposed on the new planet. But rather than fuel his fear, these experiences only served to fuel Callum's desire to grow stronger. Not just to impress his family but to protect Book as well.
Callum took stock of his loot gains from the day. In the end, finding the ring had been surprisingly easy, but it had taken him much longer to hunt down and kill 20 slugs. The ring had been nestled at the end of a water stream within a small pool only four feet deep. Callum had noticed the glint of metal resting atop the sediment within the pool, and he knew it must be the blacksmith's lost treasure.
The discovery only deepened Callum's understanding of the gravity of the situation for the smith's loss. If the ring was still resting on the dirt and sod in the pool, then it had been lost only recently.
Location: Ladrian Forest Name: Calumir Venor Class: Arcane Tinkerer Level: 1 (Experience 63/100) Titles: The Late, Unflinching Mana Gates: 0 Passives: N/A Racial Abilities: Dark Vision, Stealth and Shadows, Proficiency
Health: 9/10 Regeneration: 0.02 / second Mana: 30 Regeneration: 1.9 / second
Stat Points: Strength: 6 Dexterity: 11 Constitution: 12 Endurance: 9 Intelligence: 15 Wisdom: 9 Charisma: 7
Loot Received:
- Acidic Slime Residue x 10
- Mucus-covered Pebble x 4
- Sticky Slug Goo x 5
- Pulsating Slug Heart x 3
- Class Loot: Fractured Lesser Monster Core x 1
Most of the items he had acquired appeared to be mere trinkets, unworthy of the space they occupied in his spatial pouch. But he refused to be disheartened by this fact. He would offload them at the general store and see what coin he could secure. For Callum, any amount was better than none. His gaze lingered on the small window displaying his loot. He envisioned the riches he could amass as he ascended the ranks and tackled beasts that had a chance to drop natural treasures.
Among the haul, a particular piece caught his attention - a fractured lesser monster core, a class loot drop. Callum had never come across an item designated as Class-Specific before. But then again, he had yet to wield such a rare class. Instead, he had contented himself with mastering basic classes that were prerequisites to unlocking the coveted Enchanter. Then he'd focused all of his energy and efforts in improving his enchanting abilities.
He wondered what use the monster core held. Is it valuable? Could I even sell the thing? Determined to uncover its purpose, he made a mental note to try and research it later. Just another thing to add to the list of critical items to look into. He found his mind constantly wandering as to how he might find The Cottage. Unconsciously he touched the amulet.
Callum's excitement grew as his thoughts shifted again, and he realized that completing the bonus objective of slaying twenty slimes would earn him a discount at the blacksmith shop. Perhaps returning the ring would also improve his standing with the other man, making purchasing the wrench easier.
Before buying the wrench, Callum needed to sell his trash loot and pay Hamish, the innkeeper, for his room at the inn. If he was too short of the coin to purchase the wrench after that, he could use his [Mana Imbue] skill again tomorrow to earn enough money for the wrench.
Standing up, Callum felt slightly rejuvenated as his endurance caught up with his physical fatigue. "Let's go, Book. It will be dark soon," he said to his companion. But he couldn't help feeling a slight pang of disappointment that it had taken them so long to find all twenty slimes. He had assumed that the monsters would be more plentiful. If the other quests were anything like this, he knew he wouldn't be able to finish multiple in one day.
It was frustrating, but he knew that was the gamble of taking on multiple quests at once. He might even face a penalty for pulling the other two quests from the board and not finishing them. Had he not been so focused on obtaining the blacksmith's bonus quest reward and instead moved on to the next task, he might have been able to complete two quests in one day. However, the extra time spent tracking down and fighting the slimes had made it nearly impossible to accomplish more.