(TN: The strategy group is the one that posts about bosses, strategies, and gameplay hints and methods on the bulletin board. I believe I didn’t stay consistent with its name until now, but I will call it Strategy Group from now on. Sorry for the mistake. It can be called a walkthrough, capture, or strategy group. I found strategy to be the best choice.)
We all decided to depart as soon as everyone had logged in. Yes, it was for our original purpose of climbing the mountain.
Upon seeing my evolved form, Genjuro and Ruby were slightly taken aback, but Iris still praised me. Thank you, Iris!
“Esteemed Dragon Bones, that dwelling now belongs to you. Feel free to use it whenever.”
“Thank you. We’ll definitely come by again.”
Or rather, since this is the respawn point, if we die, we’ll come back here. But mentioning that would be rude.
“Well then.”
“Make sure to come back!”
“Goodbye!”
“See you later!”
“Stay well!”
With the encouraging voices of the lizardmen behind us, we set out on our adventure.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
You have won the battle.
You have defeated the field boss, “Big Poison Frog”.
As a reward, you have received 3 SP.
From now on, you can choose whether to engage in battle with this Field Boss or not.
――――――――――
Well, I was already tired of fighting frogs. Besides, the boss’s level was 22, lower than any of us. It was no match at all. Isn’t this the first time I’ve encountered a boss battle where my skill levels didn’t increase?
However, the boss materials we received as a reward were useful. After all, the boss had a poison that could be potent with some modification through [Alchemy].
During our journey, we occasionally came across Toadmen. The moment they saw us, their expressions turned terrified, and they fled. It’s understandable given that we had not only slain so many of their kind but also taken down their prince. Their reaction makes sense.
However, seeing that, Jigoro muttered, “Don’t tell me there ain’t anyone gutsy enough to avenge their kind?” He looked disappointed. If they were to come at us, we’d eagerly counterattack, so I think it was a wise choice for them to flee, right?
Anyway, this marked the end of the lake area. We started to climb the mountain path that led from the boss’s territory up into the mountains.
“Isam, what kind of monsters should we expect around here?”
Shortly after beginning our mountain ascent, Ruby turned to me with a question. Knowing what kind of enemies we would face would help us prepare mentally. It was certainly a point of interest. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the answer she was seeking.
“Sorry, but I don’t have any information. The strategy thread group should be actively posting to the strategy board, but that’s apparently after they’ve completed their attack.”
The players couldn’t afford to expose everything, as that might lead to others stealing their first-hand information about boss strategies and such. It was only natural to keep some things hidden.
“Furthermore, the second batch of players is about to arrive. The strategy group seems to be starting their recruitment in Firth. No one’s going to bother coming to a place as troublesome to get to and leave from.”
“Hmm…Oh, speaking of the second batch, one of my friends from my club is joining the game! She’s not a bad kid, so I want her to join us. Would that be okay?”
Oh, so Ruby’s real-life friend is joining. That’s something I’d welcome. However…
“She mentioned she’s going for a monster-type race!”
Our party’s name is “Night Parade”. It doesn’t suit anything other than monster players. Conversely, as long as that requirement is met and the members assure us of their personalities, there shouldn’t be a problem.
“Well then, there shouldn’t be an issue. Right?”
“Yeah,” Jigoro said.
“A new member, I see!” Iris said.
“Hmm, isn’t she that lively girl? She’s a good one.”
Genjuro seems to know his granddaughter’s friend. If he also gave his approval, then there really shouldn’t be a problem.
“So, what kind of race does your friend want to be?”
“Well…! Watch out, enemies! From above!”
Alright, let’s move on from the chit-chat. Following Ruby’s warning, I glanced upward. There was a large bird hurtling down towards us at incredible speed! [Appraisal]!
――――――――――
Race: Aerial Eagle Lv21
Job: None
Skills:
- [Sharp Claw]
- [Sharp Beak]
- [Charge]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Flight]
- [Capture]
- [Ambush]
――――――――――
“Kiiiii!”
Whoa, it’s big and fast! The enemy is an Aerial Eagle, huh? At first glance, its skill set seems rather limited, which might make it appear weak. Yet, I can’t afford to let my guard down. It’s likely that this is a finely tuned skill combination, honed for executing [Ambush] from the skies.
We managed to dodge the initial [Charge] from its steep dive, but it quickly soared back into the sky and launched another [Charge].
“Iris! Genjuro!”
“Yes!”
“Yes… Raaagh!”
“Eek!?”
However, that wasn’t a wise move against us. On our side, Iris has the [Capture] skill using her tentacles, and surprisingly, Genjuro could still spit silk from his mouth, just like when he was a Larva. The enemy should have given up on the [Ambush] tactic as soon as it failed.
“Take this!”
With its left wing restrained by Iris’s tentacle and its right wing bound by Genjuro’s silk, the Aerial Eagle fell down, and Ruby sliced it apart. Its health must not have been that high, as it turned into a lifeless body.
“I didn’t even get a chance…” Jigor mumbled
“Me neither. Well, we can take on the next one ourselves.”
I consoled Jigoro, who was feeling down, with those words. And once again, Ruby took a vigilant stance. It seemed the next challenge was already upon us. The enemy was none other than the Aerial Eagle, the same creature that had attacked us earlier.
“I’ll handle the restraining part, you just focus on stopping it,” I said.
“Got it!” Jigoro replied.
“Great. Well then, shall we give this a test run?”
I untied the knot of the new book holder hanging from my left hip and reached out to the book nestled within, the “Dark Grimoire”. As I touched it with my left hand, the “Dark Grimoire” floated up to my left side, around chest level. Oh, what a dramatic effect!
“Twin Magic Circle, remote activation: Black Thread!”
“Kiii!?”
From the two magic circles that had materialized in mid-air, black threads extended out, entangling the Aerial Eagle. The threads seemed to entwine effectively, causing the Aerial Eagle to plummet while scattering its feathers.
“Here I go!”
In response, Jigoro unexpectedly delivered a soccer ball kick! And astonishingly, his force was enough to tear through my Black Thread spell as well! Wasn’t that just outrageously fierce?
The Aerial Eagle, struck by Jigoro’s kick, swerved in a spinning motion and collided with a nearby tree. Although it looked unmistakably dead, I had a feeling it had met its demise before hitting the tree, given my earlier expectations. So scary!
“Isarm, look at what I managed to strip off from this thing.”
――――――――――
- Aerial Eagle’s Feather – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)
A feather from the Aerial Eagle.
Used for decorations and arrow fletching.
- Aerial Eagle’s Claw – Quality: Good, Rarity: R (Rare)
A claw from the Aerial Eagle. It’s sharp and possesses the firmness to withstand the impact of rapid descents.
Used for decorations and arrowheads.
(TN: for those who forgot, Good is better than Fair)
――――――――――
Feathers and claws, huh? A similar combination was present in the Cave Bats, right? Is it safe to assume that flying-type creatures almost always drop their feathers? Well, it might be too early to draw a conclusion.
“Materials for arrows… Seems like these could end up just being stored away, unused, for Iris’s skill enhancement.”
“True, there’s no one here who uses a bow.”
Creating arrows was apparently ideal for leveling up [woodworking] and [crafting] skills. Despite no one using them, Iris had managed to produce numerous arrows and had them stored. This new loot might share the same fate.
“Oh, wait!”
The one who halted the conversation was Ruby. Huh? Could it be that she’s about to say she wants to use a bow herself?
“That friend from earlier… she’s actually interested in using a bow. So, if we encounter more Aerial Eagles, I’d like to hunt them down!”
Oh, really? Ruby’s friend aims to become an archer?
“Now that I think of it, I forgot to ask, but what race is your friend planning to play as?”
“Well, she’s going for the Birdian race!”
The Birdian race… If I remember correctly, its silhouette is that of a winged human, with a head, hands, and feet resembling those of a bird, and covered entirely in feathers. I knew this from looking through the list of playable races on the official website.
However, it still felt like a solid choice to pair a Birdian with the role of an archer. Being a Birdian, she should be able to fly, allowing for precise aerial attacks on enemies.
“She’s a huge fan of VRS and is a pro-level kid, so she’s bound to be strong!”
“I-Is that so?”
VRS… It used to be called FPS before the advent of immersive VR gaming. Since immersive VR naturally puts you in a first-person perspective while shooting, the terminology shifted.
Its popularity remains strong worldwide even to this day, and it’s become one of the most prominent player bases in the realm of esports, which has now turned mainstream. There are plenty of professional teams, and I’ve heard their earnings are high enough to overshadow movie stars.
Would that girl, a pro-level player, become a relentless shooter from the skies with her bow…? It would be a nightmare for the enemies, no doubt.
“As far as we’re concerned now, they’re not a formidable enemy. If that’s the case, then I don’t mind, but let’s make sure to scout thoroughly, alright?”
“Leave it to me!”
Alright then, let’s proceed with the momentum of hunting them down. As long as we don’t fall victim to an [Ambush], they’re not that intimidating. That’s precisely why we need to carry out effective scouting. From now on, I’ll make sure to use the Magic Echo spell of [Void Magic] frequently to detect magic power.
――――――――――
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The level of [Staff Mastery] skill has increased.
Acquired the [Staff Mastery] martial technique, “Magic Array”.
The level of [Scythe Mastery] skill has increased.
Acquired the [Scythe Mastery] martial technique, “Great Slash”.
The level of [Intelligence Enhancement] skill has increased.
The level of [Spirit Enhancement] skill has increased.
The level of [Health Recovery Rate Increase] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Power Recovery Rate Increase] skill has increased.
The level of [Holy Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Black Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Space-Time Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Void Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Circle] skill has increased.
The level of [Curse] skill has increased.
The level of [Witchcraft] skill has increased.
――――――――――
Yeah, this seems to be a bird territory. Besides the Aerial Eagles that conducted aerial charges, all the other enemies were birds. These were their status.
――――――――――
Race: Forest Owl Lv20～23
Job: None
Skills:
- [Sharp Claw]
- [Sharp Beak]
- [Sleep]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Flight]
- [Night Vision]
- [Stealth]
- [Ambush]
Race: Iron Woodpecker Lv22～25
Job: None
Skills:
- [Sharp Beak]
- [Excavation]
- [Thrust]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Flight]
- [Ambush]
――――――――――
Both of them posed quite a challenge in a different way than the Aerial Eagles. The Forest Owl, due to its [Stealth], was particularly difficult to spot, even for Ruby. There was a time when I couldn’t locate it at all, and I ended up losing half of my health to an [Ambush].
At that moment, I braced myself for my first death. Well, I was fortunate to be saved by the swift support of Iris and Jigoro, though.
The Iron Woodpecker, on the other hand, had a beak as hard as iron, making its attacks incredibly powerful. Just a scrape was enough to shatter Genjuro’s exoskeleton.
It was an onslaught of surprise attacks—ambushes from the sky, sneak attacks with [Stealth], and assaults so challenging to defend against that they felt almost impossible to avoid. It was a barrage of unexpected attacks. Thanks to this, Ruby’s [Presence Detection] skill apparently skyrocketed to a tremendous level. I wonder if this could be considered a valuable experience…?
By the way, after various trials, it became clear that the [Curse] skill was the most effective against bird-type monsters. Hindering them with a curse that reduced agility would cause them to lose their speed and crash down, and if I cast a [Slow] curse to dull their senses, they became unable to fly, resulting in their falling down as well. Quite convenient and efficient.
In second place was [Witchcraft]. It was easier if “Instant Death” succeeded on the first try, and even if not, casting illusions would still make them waver.
And from these two types of birds, aside from the usual feathers, something interesting dropped. It was these peculiar items.
――――――――――
- Forest Owl’s Eyeball – Quality: Fair, Rarity: R (Rare)
The eyeball of a Forest Owl, possessing the power to induce sleep.
With proper processing, it could potentially be used to create equipment related to sleep.
- Iron Woodpecker’s Beak – Quality: Good, Rarity: R (Rare)
The beak of an Iron Woodpecker, with strength comparable to steel.
It’s known as excellent material for crafting piercing weapons.
――――――――――
No items are to be used for arrows, that’s for sure. The “Forest Owl’s Eyeball” could be used in [Alchemy] to create an item that induces sleep in enemies, and if used in accessories, it seems to confer resistance against sleep.
As for the “Iron Woodpecker’s Beak”, it’s best suited for crafting spear tips or daggers designed for thrusting. By the way, Genjuro apparently acquired the [Spear Mastery] skill using the leftover SP from the event, so one of these will likely become a spear.
I gathered these materials by hunting until my level increased, resulting in piles of resources. However, our exertions were equally strenuous. We estimated we had climbed up to around the eighth station, but it was probably time to take a break.
This is a good opportunity to use the tent Iris made for us. We’ll take turns resting once again this time.
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