Chapter 45: Act 1, Chapter 2: The Forest of Monsters 5 (Farming)
Bounding from one towering tree to another, I traversed the forest with my head held high, scanning the surroundings for the right location.
The surreal sensation of being in this virtual world felt both new and strangely familiar.
It mirrored the game perfectly, down to the smallest details, making it easy for me to navigate without consulting a map and saving precious time.
‘I know I only need her luck stat to boost my chances for this small arc…. But was I a bit too harsh just now?’
I pondered, stealing a glance behind me.
Was it the right decision to leave Princess Snow alone like that?
After a moment of reflection, I shook my head.
If my resolve could be swayed by guilt so easily, how could I expect to overcome the challenges ahead, especially against foes like Liyana?
Perhaps it was selfish, but to achieve my goal, I had to do whatever it took.
Besides, Snow was hardly in any real danger.
In the original game scenario, she possessed the skills and abilities to navigate the exam effortlessly.
Even facing formidable foes and hordes of monsters along the way and not even boss monsters like the infernal bear, affected her chances of success as they were in an impressive 80% even when she went alone.
With such formidable odds, her victory was practically assured.
‘If anything, my presence would only hinder her progress’.
She could handle any challenges that arose with ease. Intervening would only serve to complicate matters unnecessarily.
It was better to let her handle the exam on her own terms and focus on my own objectives.
I’m pretty sure she’s very mad at me right now, but it doesn’t matter we never had any sort of positive relationship to begin with.
With this in mind, I continued my journey through the forest, keeping a watchful eye out for any signs of danger.
My goal was clear: locate and defeat the key bosses while minimizing any distractions or disruptions.
[Party: x1]
[Status info:]
[Snow Luvenitia White Germonia Leven]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 84]
[Strength: E]
[Agility: C]
[Endurance: D]
[Luck: A]
[Power: A]
[Skills:]
[Ice elemental magic] [Proficiency: (95%)]
[Heart of the cold] [Proficiency: (70%)]
[Mana disruption] [Proficiency: (55%)]
[Frost Aura] [Proficiency: (40%)]
[Mana surge] [Proficiency: (30%)]
[Advance Archery] [Proficiency: (10%)]
…
….
…..
[Special abilities]
[True Ice]
[Description: All ice elemental attack will deal true damage]
[Overview: The one who hold’s a fated person’s happiness]
Observing Snow’s impressive stats once more, made me felt reassured about leaving her to navigate the exam alone.
Boom!!!
Kraaa!!!
Goggugug!!!
Gwaaaghh!!!
Amidst the cacophony of monstrous roars and explosions echoing through the forest, it was clear that the exam had begun in earnest.
Other students were already engaged in their hunts, adding to the chaos of the environment.
Feeling the urgency of the situation, I knew I had to act quickly. Before I could confront the key bosses, I needed to clear out the mobs infesting the area.
With a silent leap, I landed on a massive branch overlooking a group of Boulder Boars, formidable C-rank monsters that rivaled the size and weight of actual boulders.
Each one of these five-meter-tall beasts possessed enough strength to crush me effortlessly.
But….
Despite the danger they posed, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
To me, they were nothing more than opportunities for experience points.
I took out an item from my small pouch.
[Siren’s Tears (Rare)]
[Effects: Once consumed, Siren’s allure shall automatically be applied for 10 minutes (Charm +45)]
Boulder Boars had few weaknesses, but one of them was their susceptibility to charm effects.
‘Fighting these things head on would be a no go, even if my stats were all in the C rank chances of me dying would be around 50% still’
With their thick, metallic-like skin, they were highly resistant to physical attacks. Their tusks and charging speeds were deadly enough to crush or pierce through anything in their path.
Opening the small vial, I drank the contents in one gulp before tossing the empty container aside.
Honestly, a quarter of the vial would have sufficed to attract their attention, but I needed to ensure they all followed me.
I couldn’t afford any miscalculations.
The effects were almost immediate. The boars, sensitive to smells, looked up toward me perched on the tree branch.
Their eyes glowed bright red as they were ensnared by the allure.
Bam!
The Boulder Boars began ramming the tree with incredible force. I tensed my muscles, ready to act. As one particularly aggressive boar got closer, I leaped from the branch and landed on its back.
With my sword already drawn, I drove it deep into the boar’s skull, aiming for its brain. It squealed in agony, the sound reminiscent of a pig from my previous world.
GWEGHHHCCKKK!!!!
Ignoring its cries, I twisted my sword and channeled mana into the blade, allowing it to pierce even deeper.
With a swift horizontal motion, I extracted the sword, effectively cleaving through the boar’s skull and ensuring its swift demise.
The beast collapsed, lifeless.
Not pausing to catch my breath, I immediately jumped off the carcass and sprinted to my left, leading the remaining boars away from the clearing.
BROAAAHHH!!!
They all rorared at me with a wiling sound as all of them chased me for killin one of their members.
‘Good’
As I ran, I glanced back to see the rest of the herd following, their eyes still glowing with unnatural allure. Navigating through the dense forest, I skillfully used the terrain to my advantage, weaving through trees and leaping over obstacles to maintain a safe distance.
I knew my destination—a narrow ravine that would serve as a perfect trap for these massive creatures. As I approached the ravine, I slowed down, ensuring the boars were still on my trail.
Reaching the edge, I leaped across, landing nimbly on the other side.
The first few boars, unable to stop their momentum, tumbled into the ravine.
One after another, they fell, unable to climb back out due to their sheer size and the steep walls.
As all of the pig-like monsters fell, a wide smile spread across my lips. The system notifications were popping up like crazy.
[System Notifications]
[You have gained experience!]
[+500 Exp]
[+500 Exp]
[+500 Exp]
…
…
…
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have gained a new skill!]
[Skill: Dash] [Proficiency 1%]
[Effects: Movement speed increased by 30%]
[Mana consumption: 50 per second]
“Hahahaha!”
This was farming at its finest.
The thrill of seeing the notifications and feeling the surge of power from leveling up was exhilarating.
I took a moment to relish the new skill I had acquired.
Dash would be incredibly useful, especially in a place as dangerous as this forest.
Increased movement speed would allow me to evade attacks more effectively and reposition myself swiftly during battles.
Now then…
I needed to decide my next move.
The forest was filled with various types of monsters, each with its own challenges and rewards.
Clearing out the weaker mobs first would help me gather more experience and possibly gain additional skills before facing the stronger bosses.
From what I remember the area near the northern region will have a dungeon outbreak of goblins… should I go there?
No… as much as easy prey goblins would be, at the end of the day they were mere E rank monsters so I won’t gain much from them.
For now, I’ll proceed as planned and clear up the first area I’m in, before going after the boss.
Scanning the area, I spotted a group of Flame Wolves prowling nearby.
I licked my lips.
‘Prey found’
These D-rank monsters were known for their agility and fiery breath attacks.
They weren’t as tough as the Boulder Boars in terms of physical defense, but their speed and elemental attacks made them formidable opponents.
‘Let’s this new skill, shall we?’
With that in mind, I activated Dash, feeling a surge of energy as my speed increased.
I approached the pack of Flame Wolves with caution.
As soon as they noticed me, their eyes glowed a fiery red, and they started growling, flames flickering at the edges of their mouths.
The first wolf lunged at me; its jaws snapping shut just inches from my face.
With my enhanced speed, I sidestepped its attack and delivered a swift slash with my sword, aiming for its exposed flank.
The blade cut deep, and the wolf yelped in pain before collapsing.
‘In just a second no… in just half a second I killed a monster without it even having enough time to properly react….’
This skill…. ‘isn’t this a bit too op?’
I didn’t have enough time to ponder on it though.
GRAAA!!!
The other wolves circled me, their growls growing louder.
They attacked in unison, but my increased agility allowed me to dodge and counter their strikes.
I used Dash to maneuver around them, striking with precision and avoiding their fiery breath.
One by one, the Flame Wolves fell, each kill bringing another wave of experience points.
My movements became more fluid as I adjusted to the rhythm of the battle, my confidence growing with each successful strike.
[You have gained experience!]
[+300 Exp]
[+300 Exp]
….
….
….
[You have leveled up!]
As the day went on, I did nothing but just continue hunting down the mobs of monsters in my area.
From poison Spiders, to Rock trolls, to random orc camps, nothing was spared.
