Chương 16: Getting Stronger

I moved on, intending to sell my excess equipment and other loot I had before continuing the grind to level ten. The marketplace still buzzed with activity, though the frantic energy of the day had given way to leisurely browsing. Near the Feast Pavilion, a group of villagers and players sat around a fire, sharing their stories about today. The sound of a bard's lute carried across the square, and to my surprise, it was a player. I wonder how hard playing a Bard is, I thought.

She looked like she was having fun, fitting into the world's theme naturally, and ultimately, that was the only thing that mattered. I quickly sold my goblin shield and goblin scout bow for 20 and 10 silver coins respectively; much more than I thought at first, so I couldn't complain. My excess flowers and miscellaneous loot netted me another 21 silver coins, so my wealth grew to over one gold. I kept all the materials for crafting.

The process was fun; it yielded experience, and getting better items was the point, after all. Although I was sure there were already people around with a much better knack for it, so looking around for dedicated crafters was an alternative worth exploring. I waited in line in front of the alchemist's stall to buy ten health potions. It cost me a hefty 50 silver, but with each only restoring twenty percent of my HP meant that I had to gulp quite a few down in dangerous situations..

My next stop was the Adventurer's Association. I wanted to check if there were any other quests posted; after all, I only needed 5 more adventurer's XP to advance to Iron rank. Sure enough, there were two new quests I could take. Beasts of the Lake Required rank: Copper A delicious meal Required rank: Copper I accepted both and checked their descriptions in my quest log. Much to my delight, I could cross them off my list by returning to Dusken Lake.

Quest Log Beasts of the Lake Required Rank: Copper The Adventurer's Association of Ravenloft kindly asks the adventurers of Tidemark county to maintain population control of lakeside animals such as boars, hounds and wolves around Dusken Lake, to keep the vicinity safe. Objectives: Hunt Lakeside Beasts 0/50 A Delicious Meal Required Rank: Copper A personal request has been posted by the innkeeper of Carpa, Chef Dadael.

For the next day of the Spring Festival, he and his crew wants to prepare one of their signature meals: the Dusk Carp Stew! He asks for the favor of Carpa's adventurers; bring him Dusken Carps so that the talented cooks of Carpa can make enough for all residents and adventurers to enjoy! Objectives: Catch Dusken Carps 0/10 Earlier I had visited the Fishing Derby and tried out fishing, and it was definitely a much smoother process compared to real life.

I had also gotten a fishing rod as a gift from the fishermen of Carpa, so I was set. After sorting through my inventory, I went back to Dusken Lake. The path was quiet, the festival's noise fading into the distance behind me, and the moon hung high above, its light casting long shadows across the forest trail. I adjusted my quiver as I walked, the familiar weight of my bow giving me a comforting presence.

Near the lake's edge, a group of Duskhounds prowled around a small herd of Lakeside Boars, their low growls blending with the occasional grunt of the hogs. The two groups seemed caught in a tense standoff. I nocked an arrow, aiming for the largest of the boars. The shot struck, and the beast squealed, charging toward me with surprising speed. Before it could close the distance, I lined up a perfect Piercing Shot, the arrow punching through both my initial target and its two companions.

Two more quick shots brought the whole sounder down. The hounds reacted instantly, turning their attention to me, not caring about the sudden free meal. Their snarls grew louder as they fanned out, their pack instincts kicking in. I sidestepped their lunges with ease, firing off a Burning Arrow that turned the clearing into a flickering battlefield. One by one, the hounds fell, their attacks predictable and their movements sluggish compared to the sharper reflexes I'd honed over the last few levels.

The last of them whined as it tried to flee, but a well-placed shot ended its retreat. Farther along the lake, I spotted a group of Duskwolves, their larger frames and darker coats setting them apart from their smaller cousins. They lingered near a rocky outcrop, their eyes glowing faintly as they watched me approach. I paused, taking a moment to survey the pack. The first wolf lunged, its claws swiping at the air where I'd been a moment before.

I rolled to the side, came up with my bow drawn to my ear, loosing a Burning Arrow. The flames illuminated the other wolves, who snarled and charged as a unit. I backed up to higher ground, using the terrain to funnel them into a narrow approach. Piercing Shot took out two at once, their health bars draining rapidly. The leader of the pack, a particularly large wolf with a scar over one eye, growled deeply as it circled me. However, it was no Alpha and therefore, it posed no threat to me.

Its leap was fast, but not fast enough. I fired point-blank, the arrow sinking into its chest and staggering it mid-air. A second shot ended its life, and the remaining wolves followed their leader soon after. I kept hunting the animals without hesitation. One by one, the wildlife of Dusken Lake became scarcer. I skinned my prey, getting more and more efficient at it with each successful try. My Skinning & Processing skill had soon increased to 6.

After about an hour of grinding, my EXP bar was nearly full, and I had completed the Beasts of the Lake quest for the Adventurer's Association. Fishing also yielded some experience, so I headed to the lake with my fishing rod to catch 10 Dusken Carps. The lake lay ahead, its surface still reflecting the colors of the night sky. The forest around it was quiet, save for the occasional chirp of birds. For once, the absence of snarling Duskhounds and rampaging Lakeside Boars was almost... peaceful.

I found a good spot at the edge of the lake, where a fallen tree had created a natural seat. With a sigh, I sat down, unpacked my bait, and cast my line into the water. The bobber floated lazily on the surface, swaying gently with the ripples of the lake. I leaned back, letting my thoughts drift as I waited for something to bite. Plop. The bobber dipped suddenly, and I snapped to attention. My hands tightened around the rod as I pulled back, feeling the resistance of something on the other end.

The fish fought hard, tugging against the line, but I reeled it in steadily. With a final pull, the shimmering form of a beautiful fish emerged from the water. Its silver scales glinted in the moonlight, faint traces of purple around its fins marking it as unique to this lake. You've caught a Dusken Carp!" One down, nine to go," I muttered. The next hour passed in a steady rhythm: cast, wait, reel, repeat. Each time the bobber dipped below the surface, I felt a small surge of excitement.

The carps weren't huge, but they fought fiercely, making every catch feel like an accomplishment. As I cast my line for the ninth time, something felt different. The bobber dipped almost immediately, but when I pulled, the resistance was far stronger than before. The rod bent sharply, and I dug my heels into the ground, gripping the handle with everything I had.

"Whoa, you're a fighter," I said, my heart pounding as the line jerked violently. The struggle went on longer than I expected. Whatever was on the other end was strong, darting back and forth beneath the surface. I adjusted my grip, letting it tire itself out before reeling it in. Finally, with one last tug, I pulled it free. The fish was massive; its silver scales gleamed like polished armor, and its fins were tipped with deep purple. You might be reading a pirated copy.

Look for the official release to support the author. You've caught a Dusken King Carp! A rare catch. I grinned, admiring the fish before placing it in my inventory. I should keep this and try cooking something once I have the time, I thought. Half an hour later, the quest was done. Ten Dusken Carps, plus the Dusken King Carp, made for a solid haul. I stood, stretching and feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. I had also reached level 10 and put the new attribute points into Strength.

I should start increasing my dexterity soon. I quietly gasped when I noticed how much experience I needed to level 11. It looked like level 10 was a threshold, as in order to advance to the next, I needed more than twice the amount.

ORION Level 10 | Ranger | Rank: Copper | Adventurer's XP: 5/10 | Kingdom: Ravenloft | Guild: none | Active Title: Archery Adept Status Meter Health 190/190HP Mana 145/145MP EXP 0/25, 000 Basic Attributes Strength: 51 Agility: 6 Dexterity: 23 Vitality: 5 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom: 5 Presence: 1 Luck: 2 Influence: 0 Combat Stats Attack Power: 132 Defense Value: 54 Movement Speed: 12 Attack Speed: 51 Titles Archery Adept (growth) Secret Attributes none Life Skills Skinning & Processing: 6 Leatherworking: 5 Armor crafting: 4 Passive Skills none Resistances none Next up, I looked at my newly acquired ability.

📖 Skill Book Leap Attack Level 10 Jump in any direction, firing a powered up shot while in the air, dealing more damage the less health you have. Cooldown: 24seconds Mana Cost: 20 Finally, a movement skill! My biggest challenge while fighting was continuously dodging enemies while keeping up the pressure on them with basic attacks. Leap Attack was the perfect engage/disengage skill that created more distance between me and my target, while threatening them as well.

Its cooldown was quite high, not to mention it took quite a chunk out of my mana as well, but I already knew it would save me from countless difficult scenarios. It was not the only skill I could unlock at level 10. I opened my inventory and picked up the rune I'd looted earlier. Upon using it, the system notified me about the new skill I had acquired as the stone crumbled to dust. 📖 Skill Book Nature's Howl Rare Grants the user 10% increased attack speed and 10% increased attack power.

Basic attacks will have the "Lifesteal" effect, healing for 20% of the damage dealt. Cooldown: Duration: 180 seconds 25 seconds With these two new skills under my belt, I made significant progress. The next thing I had to focus on was my equipment; they were level 3 to level 5 common items, and it was time for me to gear up a little more. My thought process was abruptly disturbed by the System. ⚠ Warning ⚠ You have been playing Godsrealm for 12 hours! It is advised to take a break! 12 hours had flown by.

I did so many things. Meeting both NPCs and players, learning new things and rediscovering the love and compassion I had for gaming; I barely noticed how long I had been online. Hitting level 10 was the perfect milestone to stop for a while, collect my thoughts, and have a good night's sleep.