"We're almost there!" Lance announced.
They walked for half a day until they reached the forest. In the middle of the tall trees, a large hollow rock resides. There was a large opening in the rock that leads down the ground.
"Is this the entrance?" Connor asked. "To the dungeon."
Lance nodded, "Yes. The Fire Salamander is inside. Is everyone ready?"
Everyone else except for Ed responded. Lance knit his brow, "Ed? Are you okay?"
Ed awoke from his thoughts. Flinching in surprise.
"Y-Yeah," Ed said, putting on a forced smile. "I'm fine. Let's go!"
The team went inside the rock, down the ground, and into the dark cave.
"The Den of the Fire Salamander lies ahead," Lance said. "It seems like they haven't repopulated enough to create some– oh."
Lance was cut off by a flaming ball darting towards him. He raised his boots and kicked the orb that was made of yellow fire away.
'Multiple beasts detected.'
<< Fire Gecko >>
Level 23
<< Fire Gecko >>
Level 21
<< Fire Gecko >>
Level 24
…
"It seems like I'm wrong. They are enough beasts here," Lance chuckled. "Everyone, let's go!"
Elliot was the first one to attack. He blasted himself towards the large flaming lizard beasts. After surpassing Level 50, his physical attributes were improved drastically. He could now run double the time he previously could.
His strength increased significantly too. He could kill a bug-type beast with a single slash now. Of course, given that the beasts were not defense-specialized. Elliot thought reaching Level 75 would make him cut a Silver Mantis in half with a single strike.
These Fire Gecko were the size of a large crocodile. Not your average gecko. Their skin was yellow with red spots. Their eyes were orbs of flaming red.
"They're ugly," Elliot said and hacked his sword into one of the lizards. "And weak."
"That's because they're the outermost guards!" Lance yelled from behind. They had already planned for him to stay on the sidelines while the others farm their XP.
"Ghostly Flame!"
The lizard opened its mouth and ate Connor's attack. His eyes widened and he deadpanned.
"I can't harm them, I can only support," Connor said. "Luminous Dexterity!"
Hope inhaled, feeling the buff Connor gave. "Thank you, Mr. Godfather!"
<< Hope >>
Level 12
Class: Knight
Subclass: None
Occupation: None
"He grew up too fast," Elliot smirked. "Wait, what about Ed though?"
<< Edward >>
Level 22
Class: Knight
Subclass: None
Occupation: None
He's still at Level 22? Lance thought and shook his head.
"Elliot, stand down for now," Lance said. "Let everyone farm this one. The beasts aren't that threatening."
Elliot nodded and went to Lance. "I think we need to raise their levels."
"Yeah," Lance said. "Ed is one of the first ones to be admitted in the guild, yet I didn't realize his level was too low. I'm so stupid. I don't deserve the title of vice guild master."
"Hey, don't say that," Elliot said. "Besides, Frederick was even clueless about Ed's state, and Midnight, Sun and I guess Luck too. No one expected that behind those awkwardness lies a man that's held in a mental prison just because of the way he is."
"Yeah," Lance sighed. "It's no one's fault that the accident happened to his previous party. I just don't get why the Tattered Gates still blamed him for it."
"But sooner or later, he needs to tell us what happened," Elliot said. "Oh wait, I know how to raise their levels."
Elliot figured if the others need to level up more, he could just brew awful tasting potions for them to enjoy.
"That's a dangerous smirk you got there," Lance remarked after seeing Elliot doing things in his Console.
"Yeah," Elliot replied. "I think I can solve the level problem."
"How?" Lance knit his eyebrows.
Elliot grinned, "Watch me."
The area was cleared not long after. The lizards only brought them 750 XP. Not a very big amount considering the level of the beasts.
"I have gifts for everyone," Elliot announced. "The three of you will receive gifts since I'm cool and awesome."
Elliot handed the three with different potions he recently Brewed.
"Oh, it's one of those potions," Ed said. He sniffed the container and his face contorted from the awful smell. "Weren't they in flavors?"
"You're demanding too much," Elliot deadpanned. "Just drink!"
"Whatever Mr. Moon says!" Hope grinned and drunk the whole container. His body glowed with a dim gray light and the container disappeared. "Woah."
'Greenbell Potion taken. +5,000XP.'
"I leveled up," Hope said. "I leveled up! Thank you Mr. Moon!"
Connor and Ed looked at each other before gulping their own potions.
'Goblin Liver Tonic taken. +7,500XP'
'Blueheart Salmon Potion taken. + 5,000XP'
"Elliot, can we have more?" Connor asked. "Ed, Hope, come on let's ask for more."
"Mr. Moon, can you please give us more?" Hope asked with puppy eyes.
A few days prior, when he was still child-looking, this would melt Elliot's heart. But Hope looks like a grown-up man now. For some reason his aging process was rapid.
Lance was worried that in a few days, Hope would become even older, but so far, it has never happened.
Ed was hesitant to ask for more. After all, he thought he was only in the party since he owed them the money.
Connor nudged his shoulder, "Come on, Ed. Ask for more."
Ed looked down and scratched his nape, "I-It wouldn't be too bad if we can have more."
Elliot shook his head. "Well, if you're nice to me, plus bring me the materials, I can brew it for you."
"Brew?" Ed asked and Elliot nodded.
"I– err, I learned to brew potions and tonics from a friend's friend," Elliot said.
Ed did not ask for more questions and only nodded.
"Now that that's done, let's go!" Lance said, leading the way.
From time to time, Elliot would glance at Ed. The guy wasn't panicking like he thought he would do. Apart from the occasional spacing out, Ed was still Ed.
The two stood behind the other three while they fight the beasts that were the size of a wagon. Two wagons to be exact.
<< Fire Alligator >>
Level 28
<< Fire Crocodile >>
Level 29
<< Fire Alligator >>
Level 31
…
"So, how big is the Fire Salamander is exactly?" Connor couldn't help but wonder.
"The size of a dragon!" Hope said.
Ed was silent, shakily fighting beside Hope.
"It's good that you followed my advice about not taking too much XP potions," Lance said to which Elliot nodded.
"Yeah," Elliot said. "But now that there's a lot of us, we could just say we're taking a lot of quests. I could even give them the extra potions I have."
"Why? You could hoard all those XP," Lance said, challenging Elliot.
"I could, couldn't I?" Elliot smirked. "But what would that make me? For the first time in my life, I have a group of people I can relate to. People that I consider my family. I would do everything to help and protect my family."
"Cheesy," Lance snorted.
"Whatever," Elliot chuckled and elbowed his taller friend. "By the way, are we close to the main den, yet?"
Lance pursed his lips. "Judging by the level of these beasts, I could say that we are. If the Fire Lizard is indeed the previous one, it would be at Level 75, max. But it it's a new gen, then it's about Level 50-60."
"Do you think they can handle that?" Elliot asked, looking at their teammates that are busy fighting the beasts.
"I think the way they are now, they can handle even the previous boss," Lance chuckled. "You gave them too much."
Elliot gasped, "Did I?"
Lance nodded. "Definitely."
<< Connor >>
Level 50
<< Hope >>
Level 38
<< Edward >>
Level 44
"I did gave them too much," Elliot chuckled and shook his head. "Now my supplies are short."
"But they gave you the materials you needed," Lance wondered.
"Yeah, but those aren't the only materials I needed," Elliot pouted. "Wait, I have to test something."
Elliot took the Tonic of Sonova from his Inventory. He stared at it and narrowed his eyes. "If this will work, I'll get even stronger."
He gulped the contents of the container and felt its effects.
'Tonic of Sonova taken. All stats are increased by permanently.'
'You have a new Quest.'
"Quest?" Elliot whispered and opened his quest tab.
< Quests >
1. [ Fire Salamander ]
2. [ The Creator's Heart ]
Elliot's eyes widened and his lips formed a toothy smirk that reached up to his ears.
[ The Creator's Heart
Creator Reward: Creator's Heart 1
// In the dungeon lies an ancient creature trapped in dark blue stone. Find the creature and place it in the Inventory. The Manual will do the rest. ]
Elliot remembered the Ember Heart that Connor absorbed. It boosts his stats and it's also upgradeable. If he could get this heart, he'll become even stronger.
Then, a realization hit Elliot. He stared at the space for a couple of seconds, trying to comprehend what the quest meant.
Why did the Manual knew Elliot was going to the dungeon in the first place?