New quests and prey

-17th day of the AC, 17.04.1052-

-Time: About 19:30-

-Location: About 2km from Lodiz-

The path in the mountainous region was rough under their feet. Uneven rocks littered the place. Nevertheless, they pressed on, unbothered. The journey forward was not difficult. While Violet had to restrict the movements of her left side as much as possible, she didn't have to step in as Travis hunted more veherons on the way. The increase in power from Penalty Zone was apparent the man had more strength in his trek and his reflexes now seemed to match those of the lizards.

Travis blew a small sigh, focusing his eyes on the path. Finally, it seemed to have started transitioning into something that could be called an actual path again.

'Finally, we have reached it.' he thought, looking at the city's walls that appeared in the distance.

They were higher and sturdier than those erected around Silvana. Even though Lodiz was substantially smaller than the city they came from, its placement on the top of all nearby hills made it a fortress that could resist nearly any land-based onslaught (at least until magic was considered).

'Even from this distance, I can tell that its size is less than a quarter of Silvana's. Though... the surrounding areas are stronger than they seem. Without question, even the base Militia scouting the areas around will have levels reaching about 30 or 40.' this was what he thought.

But neither of those things mattered.

'I only managed to get a couple of cores before we were transported out.' he grimaced slightly at the thought. 'Telinars in the final wave didn't drop any, and clearing them up took too long. I barely managed to get to Violet...' Travis puffed lightly at the thought.

However dissatisfactory, he wasn't ungrateful for what he did manage to get. His original plan was to resupply in Lodiz before setting off. However, after obtaining Thunder Blade and Shard of Nihhelar, that was no longer necessary.

'I can now go full-out on searching new prey.' without thinking much, he quickly took out a small gemstone from his pocket. It was an amethyst, roughly 1 cm in diameter. Its reflective surface had barely seen any polishing, as evident by many stripes that likely happened during its processing.

[Shard of Nihhelar

Rating: Normal

Durability: 4/4

*4% increased magic damage

*1% increased resistance to elemental magic

*When attacked by elemental magic, there is a very low probability of reducing the damage by a further 4% and recovering 3 MP.

An amethyst enchanted with low-level elemental magic. It is a part of a greater whole.

Weight: 12 g]

The effects might've seemed low, but Travis was still satisfied with getting this item. It might've been a little unwieldy, but despite its 'Normal' rating, its damage increase was good. What piqued his interest the most, however, was the name.

'I'm pretty sure that 'Nihhelar' is an elven word... why am I getting elf-related rewards right now? Is it by chance? Or is Redion trying to tell me something?' he wondered for a long moment as his steps started to slow down. The closer he and Violet got to the city, the slower they moved. Eventually, no more than a kilometer from Lodiz, they decided to camp.

'It doesn't help that I got a whole new quest because of this item. It's like Redion is telling me to go meet elves.' he sighed at the thought, summoning a panel in front of himself.

[Quest: Traces of the forgotten]

[The magic of the old world is concealed deep within the new one. Artifacts crafted centuries ago litter the continent, some as dungeon loot, some as an aristocrat's treasure, and some buried in the ground. However, you may still recover them and use them as your own.

Objective: Obtain all Shards of Nihhelar. (1/4)

Optional: Do the quest within the first year of the Competition. [357:04:27:21]

Reward: 30 stat points. A clue to recreate 'Nihhelar'.

Optional reward: 30 stat points. Level up one skill of your choosing by 1 level.

Failure penalty: None]

'Those rewards are decent, sure. But... what the hell is a 'clue' to recreate that thing?' he asked himself the quiet question. Taking a look around, he confirmed that Violet was not around (she excused herself a few minutes before this moment, likely needing to go to the side for a few minutes). With a heavy sigh, Travis left his backpack under a tree before clearing a small circle nearby. As he ensured that it didn't require further inspection, his attention turned to the backpack.

'Maybe it's better to not think about it for now. Let's focus on a slightly shorter term than just a year. Beginning with today's piece.'

17. Growth-type items are valuable beyond your imagination

[You may still remember when I told you about item rating. Now it’s time you got introduced to part two: growth-type items.

What are they? They are no different from normal items. They look the same, and they operate the same. Except for one thing: their rating can change.

Is that important? Yes, very much so. An item that grows stronger over time is much better than one that is at its peak instantly. Let me explain.

Item growth is dependent on its use. The more frequent the use, the higher the increase. That much should be straightforward. Another thing, however, is the way of its use and severity of doing so. By using an item severely in a harsh environment, the item will grow accustomed to those circumstances. When its rating rises, it can embed its experience into the next one. This way, it can grow. You can see it as akin to you gaining skills as you get stronger.

Growth-type items are, however, extremely rare. Even for a very skilled blacksmith, the chances of creating a legendary item are usually below 0.1%. Now imagine that 1% of those legendary items are growth-type. That’s how rare they are.

Anyone would covet a growth-type item. Even a stupid kitchen knife is worth a mountain of gold. The only people who ever will have such an item are blacksmiths who made them or royalty of countries.

Always be on the lookout for growth-type items. Never let one pass you by easily.]

'...and here I thought at least this would be something simple and commonly known. All of this seems to be getting quite complicated.' he wheezed a little to his side with dismay. After a few seconds, another thought entered his mind. 'Hmm... since the rating of items is a concept that cannot be really felt as per the other entry, then how do only royalty have them? Is a 'vague' understanding of the concept enough to feel the difference? That would mean that those items would be radiating compared to normal ones.' he nodded to himself while hiding the box in his pack.

Quickly, he got up and started walking between some nearby trees. Picking up some thinner branches and pieces of bark, Travis didn't stop thinking about his situation. 'For now, I'll stay near Lodiz for a few days. I'll gauge the levels and how much I can grow here, and I'll try to ask for a dungeon nearby. If all goes well, maybe I'll find one right after its monsters have reappeared. Then, it'll be a good idea to ask for some stronger places around. The whole quest about Nihhelar will be pushed to the back until I can find someone who will be able to tell me what it means. If other Shards are as small as this one, finding them is impossible without some really good information.'

...

'...an information network, for example...' a thought appeared in his mind. Violet's words reverberated momentarily, almost as if cursed to float around and haunt him in his dreams.

An idea of cooperation had sparked in his head. Just a glint, a faint glimmer, of light that could come from joining hands with a group that oversaw even the supreme priest of Forna... it was tempting in its own right. Being able to learn everything he needed was something that he was going to need someday. But even that whole idea was thrown out the window.

Travis put down the pieces of wood, creating a small pile of whatever would be burning soon. He got hold of his magic matches and started the fire. In the quickly darkening atmosphere of the forest, a breeze of wind came by, carrying with itself a scent of dry bark. Taking a short breath, Travis unsheathed the Thunder Blade by his side and looked at the reflective surface for a long moment. A small smile appeared on his face as he watched the lightning start to dance on its surface the more mana he fed it.

'Hunting veherons elevates me much slower than I would expect. I've killed more than 30 today, and I've still not grown to level 55. I need to find something new to hunt tomorrow.' Travis conceded, looking at Violet slowly approach from between the trees. Immediately what came to his attention was how freely the woman was already using her left arm. It seemed that she was recovering even faster than anticipated.

...

-18th day of the AC, 18.04.1052-

-Time: About 10:00-

-Location: A mountain path near Lodiz-

Reaching the city was quick. The beasts became somewhat weaker the closer they got to the walls. This only made them speed up in their treks. The somewhat chilly atmosphere of the mountains blew through both him and the woman with whom he traveled, but as she did not object to the situation, he didn't bother stopping to take out anything thicker to wear. His jacket was thin, but did its job of protecting him from the cold, at least enough for him to not care.

After reaching the walls, they stepped around the city, not wanting to go inside. While this did give them a stinky eye from the guards patrolling the terrain, nobody questioned them about their intentions. Therefore, Travis and Violet were free to go onto a new path.

This one was leading toward a nearby peak of a mountain, which had a visibly flattened tip (likely a work of some monsters). It was only about 5 m wide, with somewhat steep falls to either side. The ground beneath their feet was mostly stone, but there were traces of dirt and plants nearby as well. On the way, they passed by a few people, but nothing much happened.

The clear skies gave way to small clouds as some time passed. Between the milk-colored forms of condensed water, griffons flew, slowly seeking out their prey on the ground. On the ground, veherons were lying in wait, accompanied by other species of monsters. Most of them were small avians that sought some insects and the like on the ground, but there was an occasion when a wild mountain goat came across the two of them.

It was... surprisingly, it was no different from a normal goat. Sure, it was bulkier and had longer horns. However, its white fur shone the same way as it would on a domesticated animal. The only real difference that Travis felt was the strength of its headbutt, which was enough to knock him over.

Getting up, the man watched the beast prepare to charge at him again. Unsheathing the Thunder Blade, he started charging it while regaining his footing. Violet, noticing that the monster ignored her entirely, skittered to the side, intent on neither helping nor running away. This was, however, not a gesture of cowardice or arrogance. Even with only one hand, she'd be able to kill the goat. Those beasts were tenacious and hardy but not agile and had no magic abilities. Their level could be nearly 60, but they weren't much tougher than a veheron of a level 40. To her, it was hardly worth the effort to step in. For the man, however, the story was slightly different.

As the goat charged, Travis cast a <Sprint> twice, quickly circling the monster and striking at it with the sword in his hand. As it let out a whine, he shot a dozen or so <Mana Bolts>.

[You have dealt 72 damage to the target.]

[You have dealt 127 damage to the target.]

And yet, the beast appeared to be only slightly hurt. Its fur was stained by an increasingly big red stain, but its vigor seemed no smaller than a few seconds ago.

'This bastard's HP is high.' he judged. Unknowingly to him, he smiled. 'I'll be staying in these mountains for a few days, it seems.'

Charging forward again, he slashed at one of the legs of the beast, aiming to cripple it. The goat took the hit head-on and bashed at him in return. But Travis wasn't going to let himself get hurt as easily anymore. A quick <Sprint> sent him to his side, out of the monster's path of attack...

...and straight down the side of the road. Its steep surface, made with rocks and loose gravel, was not something that would support walking on. Even climbing might've been challenging.

'SHIIIIIT!' Travis thought, feeling his mind race. For a brief moment, between his two heartbeats, he glanced across the nearby terrain, looking for anything to do to prevent his fall. He tried to cast another <Sprint>, but that only made him hug the steep surface tightly. Just barely holding his sword, he felt his heartbeat accelerate as he looked down. There were at least two, maybe even three dozen meters of fall, had he failed.

"Baaaaa!" he heard the goat's whine sound again. However, this time, it seemed... not mad anymore?

Suddenly, the man noticed a white figure move past him. The goat cried out again, its voice rapidly damping as it rolled down the rocky surface.

"Need help?" Violet asked, crouching by the ledge of the road.

Even without gauging the distance, the woman could tell that there were roughly two meters of distance between her and the man.

"I'm fine," he answered. Within a few seconds, he located a section of a wall that he could step on easily. A quick <Sprint> sent him right at it and, bouncing upward, he managed to get onto the path, even if only barely.

*Ting!*

[Skill 'Sprint' leveled up!]

He glanced to his side at the notification before looking at the woman crouching next to him. Though her differently-colored eyes had their typical expressionless nature, the man couldn't help but notice a little... surprise in them.

As he got up, Violet said, "You seem to have trouble keeping up your guard."

"...yeah," He nodded as the two of them resumed their walk. "Cecilia also said that a lot," 'I have to start paying attention to my surroundings more.'

"...while we are on our way still, I do wish to ask. Where exactly are we going?"

"I want to find a nest of Stormraptors. Their levels should be around 50, and given the size of the Quear Mountain Range, there will be a nest on every other mountain. That'd be a perfect step up from the veherons I'm hunting currently. If that doesn't work, there are always other monsters around. Shadow panthers, hill hounds, and maybe even a wyrm or a salamander could happen to be around."

"A wyrm...? Aren't those monsters field bosses?"

"Yeah... I hope we won't come across either option. Even if their levels are only in the 60's or 70's, we'd need a few extra heads to take them down."

"...that reminds me. That boss monster in Penalty Zone. I don't intend to annoy you, but how did you defeat it? It seemed to be quite strong," Violet asked, her eyes emanating a bit of curiosity from beneath their cold surface.

"Teleran was definitely powerful," Travis nodded. "He was fit to be a boss monster. However, there was a limitation to his strength. The orbs we've been collecting were buff items, but they also lowered stats when overused. Moreover, the attack that he used on you caused him to tire out. After forcing him to use it again, I managed to beat him. Still, it was a close fight," 'After using it twice he was barely fightable one-on-one. If he used it once again, he would be probably as strong as maybe ten or so Telinars that were with him.'

"...Teleran?" Violet's voice was tinted with surprise.

"That was his name. He was actually really talkative during the fight."

'...a boss monster with a big mouth? Then again, I've never seen a speaking boss monster before.' "What is that sword, too?" she pointed to the sheath by his side. "If I recall correctly, you received it in that place?"

"...yes... well, not precisely," 'It's probably better to not tell her that gaining her trust in me was a quest...' "It's a reward for one of my previous quests. I didn't accept it before because I knew it would be a sword, so I didn't want to clutter my inventory."

"...then why did you accept it? Before, you've only hunted using daggers and magic. You seemed to switch styles out of the blue."

"...I've been a Soldier for over a year, and in camp, we usually used swords or spears rather than daggers," 'There were a few times I wielded a battle ax, but that was rare. Besides, that type of brute-**** weapon is not for me.'

"..."

"Compared to being a Rogue for half a year, I feel more comfortable with using a single blade," 'It must've been the effect of <Possessor of Knowledge>. It brought back all the muscle memory from those times. That skill is more powerful than I gave it credit for.' "Besides, this one is actually stronger than both my daggers combined."

"...I understand."

And then, silence fell upon the duo. Still walking on the stone path, Travis quickly summoned the skill information for <Sprint>.

[Sprint lvl. 3

Increase acceleration by 17%, max movement speed by 10%, and reduce stamina consumption by 6%.

You can consume 19 MP to instantaneously reach sprinting speed.

Cost: 1 MP/second]

'It gave only a bit of acceleration compared to level 2, but stamina consumption is decreased, and the burst option is a little bit less expensive, too.' the man nodded to himself before dismissing the screen and focusing on the path ahead.

...

It was honestly pretty bland. Not a sign of snow yet was visible, and other than stone and trace amounts of dirt and gravel, there was naught a different thing that the two of them were stepping on. It did happen that there were a couple of bones on the side of the path once or twice but the fragments were usually so broken down that they looked like differently colored rocks more than former parts of a living being.

After roughly 15 minutes of a quick trek, the two travelers reached a crossroads. Travis immediately picked the road that led to the closest mountain. The faster they begin, the better, after all.

Chilly air was blowing around them in waves, but they were unfazed. The sun's warm embrace was enough to combat it for now. If the situation called for it, they could always find some spot to hide in (or even retreat to lower lands nearby, to a forest specifically).

Eventually, however, as time was nearing 14, Travis stopped in this step, Violet following suit.

"Well then, it would appear that we are reaching a nest," he said, pointing to the nearest mountain's side. There appeared to be a flat area somewhere beneath its peak, and a few bird-like creatures were sitting in there. "Can't tell exactly, but it looks like a nest of Stormraptors. Let's begin the hunt, shall we?"

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