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The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Fusion” and “Separation” spells.
The level of [Light Weakness] skill has decreased.
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Yes, all the preparations had been completed. The real time date had changed, and it was Sunday afternoon, which meant it was late at night in the game.
By continuously and silently crafting healing potions and poison potions, my [Alchemy] level had increased by two. It had been quite a challenging task, constantly creating and combining to enhance the effects.
As for the new spells, fusion and separation, they were quite fascinating. First, fusion allows mixing different items together, enabling the enhancement of quality through synthesis, which was different from simply combining identical items.
On the other hand, the separation spell presented a unique power to revert fused materials back to their original components or to disassemble multiple components that had been unified within a single material. It was faster than extraction, but if the [Alchemy] level was low, it might result in impurities. Perhaps this meant that if I wanted the spell to work smoothly, I should diligently raise my level.
Finally, the weakening of the [Light Weakness] had come to pass. It had been a long and arduous journey. However, the next level seemed much farther away. I couldn’t help but wonder when I would be able to wield [Light Magic].
That was the personal transformation I underwent. In addition to that, Iris had managed to equip everyone with the necessary gear. Perhaps, this was even more significant. As for my own equipment, it looked something like this.
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Brown Bear Shirt – Quality: Superior, Rarity: R (Rare Class)
A shirt crafted from high-quality brown bear leather. It has been dyed black and offers a decent level of defense.
When equipped, it provides a slight boost to intelligence.
Brown Bear Leather Gloves – Quality: Superior, Rarity: R (Rare Class)
Gloves crafted from high-quality brown bear leather. They are dyed black and offer a decent level of defense.
When equipped, they provide a slight boost to intelligence.
Brown Bear Leather Belt – Quality: Superior, Rarity: R (Rare Class)
A belt crafted from high-quality brown bear leather. It is dyed black and offers a decent level of defense.
It features a small pouch, allowing for quick access and storage. Capacity: 3.
Brown Bear Leather Pants – Quality: Superior, Rarity: R (Rare Class)
Pants crafted from high-quality brown bear leather. They are dyed black and offer a decent level of defense.
When equipped, they provide a slight boost to intelligence.
Brown Bear Leather Boots – Quality: Superior, Rarity: R (Rare Class)
Boots crafted from high-quality brown bear leather. They are dyed black and offer a decent level of defense.
The soles are equipped with spikes, making them slip-resistant. They also slightly increase damage when stepping on foes.
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Impressive indeed. These equipment, created from materials found in the first hunting area, was undoubtedly the closest thing to a high-quality gear. The truly high-quality gear, on the other hand, could only be obtained as drops from powerful bosses. That couldn’t be helped, of course.
Nevertheless, I was finally able to wear culturally appropriate clothes. With my current state, it’s possible that I could blend into a city using my [Disguise] skill, equipped with the skull mask, and go unnoticed. However, I wouldn’t attempt it unless absolutely necessary, as the consequences of failure would be severe.
Incidentally, the “Capacity: 3” mentioned on the belt indicated the number of items it could hold without using up inventory space. It would certainly come in handy during critical moments when quick access was essential.
The other members also had the finest weapons and armor available. Genjuro’s larva leather armor, in particular, was an exceptional masterpiece. It seemed that Iris took inspiration from traditional Japanese armor, perfectly fitting the rounded form of the larva race’s body. Truly, a testament to her prodigious crafting abilities.
Furthermore, Jigoro, who boasted unreasonable strength even in a “without equipment” state, had been given a pair of metal gauntlets forged from the accumulated equipment obtained through slaughtering players. These gauntlets were not only incredibly sturdy, but they also featured a clever mechanism where sharp spikes protruded when clenched, exposing razor-sharp claws at the fingertips.
He was thrilled with the fact that he could now slice through enemies’ necks with his own claws and that his punches inflicted piercing damage. Talk about having an ace up one’s sleeve.
If the players were to discover that the “Nightmare of the Northern Mountains” had evolved and acquired new skills and deadly weapons, they would surely tremble in fear. Frankly speaking, they might even find themselves praying to a god they don’t believe in, desperately hoping not to encounter such a threat.
In addition, Ruby had started using a dagger crafted from a brown bear’s claw. Of course, it had been modified to allow for the incorporation of my poison potions. It seemed like she was fully embracing her role as an assassin.
A silent slime assassin capable of effortlessly moving through walls, gaps, and ceilings. It sent shivers down my spine! And to top it off, now she has even acquired a poisonous weapon thanks to my help. She was truly a menacing presence.
Looking at it this way, Jigoro, Ruby, and, even though I hate to admit it, myself, would undoubtedly be subjects of terror for the human players. Jigoro possessed pure and formidable combat prowess; Ruby had a near-guaranteed success rate with her ambushes; and I was capable of setting traps and launching various magical and mental attacks. If I were them, I would absolutely avoid engaging in a battle.
But enough of that, it’s time to set off. First, we need to conquer the boss of the Western Forest, the Black Bear!
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You have won the battle.
You have defeated the field boss, “Black Bear”.
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.
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The level of [Staff Mastery] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Control] skill has increased.
The level of [Earthen Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Water and Ice Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Flame Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Storm Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Forest Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Lava Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Sand Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Mist Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Lightning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Explosion Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Black Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Void Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Summoning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Enchantment] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Circle] skill has increased.
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Curse] skill has increased.
The level of [Trap Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Spirit Channeling] skill has increased.
The level of [Witchcraft] skill has increased.
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Yes, we have defeated the Field Boss. Hmm? You’re wondering why there’s no battle description? Well, imagine a party where the majority can easily slaughter Brown Bears. There’s no way a boss slightly stronger than a Brown Bear would pose a real challenge!
The boss had a considerable amount of health and seemed to pack a punch. However, Jigoro, our frontline warrior, effortlessly dodged its attacks. Moreover, with the combined efforts of Genjuro and Iris, who restrained the boss, we defeated it without much effort.
“Is that all?” Jigoro muttered in disappointment.
It was a battle that didn’t really require any exceptional effort or highlight-worthy moments. I’m sure the other party members felt the same way.
Now that I think about it, do monster-type players have inherently high base skills? During character creation, there were several fixed skills determined by the chosen race, limiting our freedom to customize. Moreover, among those inherent skills, there were weaknesses like my [Light Weakness]. The other four members also had their own weaknesses and drawbacks, according to their chosen race.
However, on the other hand, it is true that we can hold our own against monsters of higher race levels. Honestly, if it were just me or Jigoro, we could have easily defeated the field boss solo.
When I think about it, perhaps the greatest advantage of monster-type players, who find it difficult to interact even with human players and are unable to enter NPC cities, was their sheer strength. It was something that went beyond expectations, and at present, i was difficult to verify, so let’s put it aside for now.
“Alright, we’ve defeated the boss. Let’s head to the western cave from here. But be careful not to be seen by players. Although they shouldn’t be in the cave, there might be some people leveling up in the forest until just before the tournament,” I said.
“Gugya (Understood),”
“Shurru (Yes)!”
“Kachikachi (Sure thing)!”
“Pururupuru (I’ll handle enemy scouting)!” Ruby said.
Nodding in agreement with the varied responses, I continued walking in the western direction. According to the strategy thread, the monsters that appeared in the forest were not much different from those before the boss battle. Moreover, the forest seemed to stretch on endlessly with no visible end. It looked like exploring the west would be quite challenging.
And the cave, our destination, was located slightly northwest of the boss area. It was a distance that could be covered from Firth City, where we set off at dawn and just barely make it back before sunset. So, in a way, it could be considered a hunting ground.
However, not only did people have limited time for exploration, but the cave was pitch black, making it impossible to see ahead. The drops from the monsters weren’t significantly different from those in other secondary fields, so the effort didn’t seem worth the rewards. As a result, while reports of its discovery had been made, nobody thoroughly explored it.
But that worked to our advantage. In fact, monster-type players either had the skill of [Night Vision] in character creation or it only cost them 1 SP to acquire it, so visibility was not an issue at all. Considering the difficulty of the forest and the presence of the cave, the western direction seemed to be more suited for monster-type players.
It seems that being a monster-type player might not be as disadvantageous as I thought. Well, maybe it’s because I’ve been fortunate in my circumstances. Or rather, in this game, despite having balanced gameplay, there’s just too much hidden information and too many instances of unfairness. Isn’t that right?
We arrived at the cave, kicking aside monsters along the way, just as the sun began to rise and I started taking damage. Following that, I hurriedly stumbled into the cave. Phew, that was close.
“Well then, shall we embark on our cave exploration adventure?”
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The cave’s interior exuded a dampness that sent a chilling sensation through me, akin to being inside a natural refrigerator. Moreover, every sound seemed to reverberate, making it strictly prohibited to employ any magic that emitted loud noises—a troublesome limitation considering the immense power such spells usually possessed.
“Purru (Enemies!)! Pururupuru (There are five of them!)!”
“Prepare for battle. There are five of them.”
It seemed that enemies had entered Ruby’s scouting range. As the sole individual capable of communicating with diverse races, I relayed her report, albeit through an additional step that proved rather inefficient. I really hoped for an improvement in their [Linguistics] proficiency in the near future.
Whoa, here comes the enemy. They appear to be… bats? Let us swiftly employ [Appraisal] to ascertain their details.
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Race: Poison Bat Lv11
Job: None
Skills:
- [Poison Fangs]
- [Bloodsucking]
- [Flight]
- [Evasion]
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Hohoho! What formidable foes we have here. Nevertheless, their strength should be on par with the Ratman or even lower. They’re not opponents to be taken lightly, but there’s no need to get overly worked up.
However, their name is Poison Bats, it seems. They even have the courtesy to possess the skill [Poison Fangs]. If they manage to bite me, there’s a high chance I’ll be afflicted with poison. My mistake. I had been neglecting preparations for status ailments because I had [Status Resistance]. Iris has prepared a supply of antidotes through her [Pharmacology], but since I could create them myself, I should start making them from now on.
“I’ll immobilize them. If any slip away, Genjuro and Iris will restrain them. Jigoro and Ruby, go ahead and deliver the finishing blows whenever possible.”
As soon as I issued the instructions, I immediately began casting magic. I had a spell in mind that I intended to use as soon as agile and small enemies like these appeared.
“Activate Crescent Magic Circle! Thorn Whip!”
From the three magic circles that appeared before my eyes, countless thorns sprouted, extending into vines. Each vine entwined around one Poison Bat, slamming them onto the ground.
“Kachii (Hmph)!”
“Shurru (Take this)!”
Genjuro and Iris, using threads and tendrils, respectively, captured the remaining bats. Impressive.
“Gyaaa (Oraa)!”
“Purupuru (This is easy)!”
The Poison Bats, trapped and immobilized, were crushed by Jigoro and had their throats ripped out by Ruby. It was an incredibly swift victory. However, it’s hard to gauge the strength of our opponents with such ease.
However, I couldn’t leave the risk of poison unattended. This way of battle might be unsatisfying for Jigoro, but he’ll have to bear with it until we encounter monsters that have didn’t possess status ailments skills.
“Shurushuru~ (I’ve skinned them~)”
While I was inwardly exasperated with my own mistake, Iris happily showed me the drop items from the Poison Bats. I was also curious, so I decided to use [Appraisal] them. Here are the results:
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Poison Bat Fang – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common Class)
A fang from a poison bat, possessing a moderate poison effect.
It can be used as the tip of an arrow, but due to its fragility, reusability is difficult.
Poison Bat Wing – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common Class)
A type of wing membrane from a bat, known for its moist and smooth texture.
Not suitable for armor, but serves as a raw material for high-quality leather items.
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Oh, interesting. Since no one here uses bows and arrows, the fangs will make great materials for my [Alchemy]. The wing membrane, in particular, was worth noting. It could be used as a raw material for making high-quality leather items, which was perfect for Iris. And if we sold them in town, we could still get some funds in hand.
However, at the moment, we weren’t particularly drawn to money. We had enough supplies through hunting, gathering, and production, and we didn’t even need to worry about accommodation. Everything was self-contained within our group.
However, the facilities at our base were a different story. The previous owner had equipped the area with top-of-the-line tools for [Alchemy] and [Pharmacology]. Unfortunately, Iris also dabbled in leatherworking and blacksmithing, and the facilities she had were only the beginner’s set provided during character creation.
There would come a time when we would need to upgrade. To do that, we would require purchases from the outside world, and for such transactions, money was essential. It couldn’t be done immediately, but eventually, I would have to use [Disguise] and infiltrate the town.
Now, let’s focus on the present rather than the future. We had only just entered the cave, and who knew what other enemies awaited us. It was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time!
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