Chapter 82: Into the Depths of the Forest Part 2

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• Forest Beast Turtle Shell – Quality: Inferior; Rarity: C (Common)

The shell of the Forest Beast Turtle, an exceedingly tough and heavy creature.

It is highly valued as a material for shields and armor.

However, it bears multiple scars from repeated physical attacks, which have reduced the usable parts for crafting.

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Yeah, this dropped item had deteriorated, for sure. However, it didn’t seem like the cause was the lightning attacks, which represented the turtle’s elemental weakness. Rather, it looked like the cause was the physical attacks from Jigoro and the others that did the damage. Well, they kept hitting it until cracks appeared, so I guess that was to be expected.

But this gave rise to a new hypothesis. Maybe, in the case of the Forest Beast Turtle, using [Thunder Magic] to defeat it quickly doesn’t lead to material deterioration. There might be monsters that should be attacked with their weaknesses and those that shouldn’t. This also needed further verification.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, there were Forest Beast Turtles roaming around this riverbank quite often. Well then, I could try various things while defeating them.

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Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.

Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.

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 [Space-Time Magic] skill has increased.

Newly learned “Acceleration” spell.

The level of [Witchcraft] skill has increased.

Newly learned “starvation” spell.

The level of [Appraisal] skill has increased.

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Yes, verification is complete. Leveling up has been going smoothly as well. So let’s take a look at the new spells and such that I obtained during this process.

[Intelligence Enhancement], [Spirit Enhancement], [Health Recovery Rate Increase], and [Magic Power Recovery Rate Increase] reached level 15, and I received notifications for them. Let’s keep leveling up like this.

Moving on, I turned my attention to the “Acceleration” spell within the [Space-Time Magic] skill. Unlike spells that merely enhanced physical speed, this one accelerated the consciousness of the target. Essentially, it allowed you to witness your movements and those of your surroundings in slow motion, while your body maintained its original speed.

FSW was already accelerating the perceived time, but will accelerating it further put a strain on the human brain? Well, there seemed to be an adaptive system that allowed me to move arms I didn’t actually have in real life, so they would probably handle this aspect well. I didn’t have specialized knowledge about this, but I’d like to think that if it were dangerous, the spell wouldn’t be viable… or so I hope.

Another drawback of this spell was that it consumed a lot of magic power and could only be cast on oneself. However, my convenient skill, [Talismanry], should be able to solve this. If I inscribe the “Acceleration” spell onto a talisman, anyone should be able to use it.

Jigoro and Genjuro would really make use of this skill. It would become their trump card when the time came. I needed to level it up to level 20 as soon as possible.

Finally, there was the spell called “Starvation” of the [Witchcraft] skill. This spell accelerated the decrease in the target’s satiety level. In the world of FSW, except for races like mine who didn’t need to eat, everyone else had to consume food, and their satiety gauge increased when they ate.

The maximum value was 100, and when it reached 0, there were significant penalties imposed on their stats. When it dropped to -50, the player would starve to death.

This spell could forcibly reduce the satiety gauge. If it was cast during battle, it would undoubtedly induce panic and anxiety in the opponent.

Just try to imagine it. Suddenly, the enemies’ satiety level would start plummeting rapidly, and they would inevitably become conscious of the approaching penalties to their stats. Gradually, they would become aware of their impending death. If it was their first encounter with this spell, they would definitely panic and be in a state of inner turmoil.

By the way, the countermeasure against such a spell was simple: eat. Since the decrease in satiety was fixed at 100, one could manage it by munching on portable snacks while fighting. Nevertheless, there was no leisurely time to eat during battle, and I myself certainly wouldn’t allow my opponents such luxuries.

Now, let’s take a look at the main findings from the examination of the drops. For starters, here are the items other than the shell that could be obtained from the Forest Beast Turtle.

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• Forest Beast Turtle Meat – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)

Forest Beast Turtle meat, edible

It has a slight, distinct taste, and some people become quite fond of it.

It also has a nourishing and fortifying effect, making it in demand in that regard.

• Forest Beast Turtle Liver – Quality: Good, Rarity: R (Rare)

Forest Beast Turtle liver, edible

It has a rich flavor that is appreciated by gourmet connoisseurs from various regions.

It possesses a stronger nourishing and fortifying effect compared to Forest Beast Turtle meat and can even be used as a valuable ingredient in potions.

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“Nevertheless, it’s quite unexpected that the meat’s quality would deteriorate due to lightning…” Jigoro said.

“When you think about it, it’s only natural, I suppose,” Genjuro added.

So, the rare drop from the Forest Beast Turtle turned out to be its liver. When I attacked the meat with [Lightning Strike Magic], it deteriorated, and it seemed that even the liver didn’t drop anymore.

In other words, if you wanted the shell, you could just keep using [Lightning Magic] vigorously. But if you wanted the meat or liver, you had to defeat it using physical attacks or methods other than [Lightning Magic]. I already knew from my experience battling the skeletons in the cave that different materials required different ways of defeating the monsters, but this experience drove home the need to be even more conscious of it.

“There don’t seem to be any stronger monsters around here,” Jigoro said.

“Magic Echo… Hmm. At least, nothing registers on my detection spell.”

“Of course, after defeating so many of them…” Genjuro added.

For the sake of my research and item gathering, we relentlessly hunted down the Forest Beast Turtle. To avoid the battles, the Evil Fish fled far away, and we also defeated the Wind Wolves and Cyclopes who came to drink water. So, there really was nothing left.

“We might have gone a bit overboard, but let’s achieve our initial goal. For now, let’s head south.” Jigoro said.

“Indeed, there don’t seem to be any regular monsters around, so all that’s left is to take on the boss.” Genjuro agreed

“Today’s main dish, you could say? Looking forward to it!”

“KyuKyuu!”

The two of them and my little companion seemed to be having a great time. Well, I couldn’t deny that I was looking forward to it as well. Facing an unknown, formidable foe with your comrades is always a lot of fun. Now, will it be an ogre or a serpent that awaited us…?

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We had been relentlessly journeying southward along the river for a while. The river meandered, but it was certainly leading us in a southern direction. It seemed like we would reach our destination by simply following the river.

“By the way, doesn’t it seem like the terrain is getting rougher as we go?” I remarked.

“Do you think so too, brother?” Jigoro responded.

Just as Jigoro had mentioned, as we continued our southward trek, the vegetation gradually but noticeably changed. To be more precise, the trees became sparse, and apart from robust weeds, there was hardly any undergrowth.

Moreover, the water level of the river had significantly decreased, and the water itself was murky and very dirty. To put it in perspective, you couldn’t even see the large shadow of the Evil Fishes that used to inhabit these waters, highlighting the poor water clarity. Would the water, over time, become so uninhabitable that even monsters couldn’t survive in it?

“Could the boss be the cause of this?… No, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions,” Genjuro pondered.

“Yes, you’re right. However, I also believe there’s a high possibility that the boss is the cause,” Jigoro agreed.

Though the land was blatantly desolate, it would be dull to assume there was nothing beneath the surface. If the cause wasn’t the boss, then I believed it might be some sort of quest flag. Well, FSW was a game that could be considered a WSS-type virtual world, so there was also the possibility that the land was simply impoverished.

“I’m assuming it’s the boss causing this, but what kind of skill could be behind it?”

I raised this question since the environment had started changing. What kind of skill could wreak havoc on the environment? No matter how much I thought about the type of boss that would surface, it had a knack for defying my expectations, so this might be a fruitless endeavor. However, I couldn’t help but ask.

“Could it be sapping the land’s nutrients?” Jigoro asked.

“In that case, could the boss be a plant-based monster?”

“I think that’s a possibility.”

I see. Jigoro’s prediction seemed to make sense. I wasn’t a farmer, so I couldn’t be certain, but it made sense that if something was gathering nutrients from a wide area, there would be very few plants left. It seemed like only the species capable of surviving in depleted soil remained.

“That’s a possibility. But I also suspect it’s a monster with water-related skills,” Genjuro added.

“Oh? What’s your basis for that?”

While Genjuro was in agreement with Jigoro, he presented a different perspective. I was eager to hear his point of view.

“Isn’t it possible that the reason the vegetation is withering is because it’s absorbing a significant amount of water from the ground? As a result, the ordinary trees have dried up,” Genjuro explained.

“Indeed… or perhaps it could be both.”

A plant-based monster that absorbs nutrients and moisture from the land over a wide area. Considering that, it actually made sense when looking at the surrounding environment… or so it seemed. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we might be overlooking something.

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“We’ve finally reached a point where there’s nothing left,” Jigoro said.

“Yeah… but our destination is in sight.”

We continued our journey southward for about 10 minutes, treading upon a desolate wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew, only hardy weeds. Eventually, we arrived at the end of the river, which was, in essence, the southern edge of the Vetus Floating Island.

The floating island, being as vast as a continent, had never truly registered as an island in my mind until now. It hung in the sky, and its edge naturally formed sheer cliffs. The sight of cliffs as far as the eye could see made me, even someone unafraid of heights, feel a bit uneasy.

As we followed the river downstream, the river’s width steadily expanded, eventually reaching an estimated 200 meters or so at its widest point. It culminated in a massive waterfall cascading from the edge of the island. It was quite a majestic sight, reminiscent of the Niagara Falls I had seen in videos.

Regarding the river, its breadth had resulted in the formation of several sandbanks due to accumulated sediments. It appeared that these sandbanks were the boss area. To clarify, on the largest sandbank, we could see a huge shadow.

“…It’s a turtle, isn’t it?”

“It’s definitely a turtle. It’s too big though.”

“Indeed, it’s definitely a turtle.”

The true identity of the shadow looming in the middle of the sandbank became clear. It was a huge turtle, but not just any turtle; it was extraordinarily large.

The Forest Beast Turtle, whose size ranged between the size of a sedan and a compact car, now seemed dwarfed in comparison. To put it in perspective, this creature was on par with a three-ton truck in terms of size.

Its overall form appeared far more menacing than that of the Forest Beast Turtle. Its head and limbs were tucked within its shell, making it difficult to discern its exact appearance. However, the surface of its shell was covered in sharp, elongated spikes. Furthermore, from the base of these spikes, a constant stream of purple smoke-like substance billowed, indicating some sort of special effect.

Additionally, it was evident that this creature had an unusually high number of legs. A turtle typically possesses a head, four legs, and a tail, all stored within its shell. However, this one had an extra pair or two of legs. This alone made it clear that it was no ordinary monster.

“Alright, let’s start by using [Appraisal] on it. We can decide whether to engage in combat afterward.”

“Hey, hold on a second! We didn’t come all the way here to back down, brother!” Jigoro said.

“That’s right! Use [Appraisal] so we can determine our battle strategy!” Genjuro added.

Ughh… these battle-maniacs. They seem to assume that fighting is the only option. Despite the odds stacked against us, their enthusiasm didn’t diminish at all.

There’s no helping it; it seems like there’s no other way but to engage in battle. Well, I don’t want to die, and I certainly don’t want to see Karl meet his end either. So, in an effort to improve our chances even slightly, I decided to conduct an [Appraisal].

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Race: Tarrasque (Poison Flame Turtle Dragon in Japanese) Lv55

Job: Poison User Lv5

Skills:

• [Poisonous Fangs]
• [Robust Shell]
• [Tail Strike]
• [Water and Ice Magic]
• [Health Enhancement]
• [ Strength Enhancement]
• [Defense Enhancement]
• [Intelligence Enhancement]
• [Spirit Enhancement]
• [Ambush]
• [Sneak]
• [Aquatic]
• [Blaze]
• [Deadly Poison]
• [Emission]
• [Regenerative Feeding]
• [Physical Attack Resistance]
• [Poison Resistance]
• [Water Resistance]
• [Fire Resistance]
• [Lightning Weakness]
• [Dragon Force]

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Th-this is…! There were many things I wanted to say, but let me start with this: This monster, it possessed the [Dragon Force]! That alone makes it a confirmed formidable foe!

And it was called the Tarrasque (Poison Flame Turtle Dragon). It might not be a known name, but it’s no minor monster either. It appeared to be a monstrous variation of the Forest Beast Turtle, with additional skills related to poison and fire, as its name suggested.

“Whoa! It has the [Dragon Force]! We’re in for quite a challenge with this one!” Jigoro said.

“Even if it can use [Fire Magic], it won’t matter if it can’t hit us. Plus, we’ve been gradually overcoming our weaknesses.” Genjuro added.

These were the reactions to the [Appraisal] results. Instead of growing more cautious, it seemed to have ignited even more determination in the two battle maniacs.

I understand. I completely understand! Let’s do this! We’ll take down the Tarrasque, the four of us against it!