After Hendrix received his rewards, his body teleported onto a worn-out path in the middle of an expansive mountain range, their winding peaks seemingly curving and warping chaotically in many directions.
Meanwhile, a faint but thin layer of red metaphysical miasma covered the landscape, while a large white sun blazed in the sky above, illuminating the surroundings. And pale grey string-like clouds floated in the firmament, blown by wind gusts.
[Welcome to the Crown World, Hendrix.]
[You have been given a quest. Do you wish to see it?]
'Yes, I would. Please show me.' Hendrix thought before getting up off the ground and using his cane to stabilize himself.
[You have received an emergency common quest]
[Safety at Last? Or is it too Late?]
[Reach the Okrian portal before it closes]
[Quest completion Requirements]
1) Reach the Okrian portal alive
2) Reach the Okrian portal within one month.
3) Reach the Okrian portal with at least a third of your classmates alive.
[Optional Objectives]
1) Lead everyone in your class to safety
[Failure Penalties]
1) Failing the first or second requirements will result in your death since the restriction on the Crown Plane will cease, and horrors will return to the world. However, since you are immortal, you will be trapped here forever.
2) Failing the third requirement will result in banishment from the Earth you reincarnated into.
[Rewards]
1) A Crimson-Ranked Mystery Sarcophagus
[Optional Objective Rewards.]
1) An Additional Crimson Ranked Mystery Sarcophagus
[Will you accept?]
[Y/N?]
'I'll accept it, since the first failure penalty I'll suffer anyway if I don't accept. However, the second Isn't a problem for me. I will never return there. It's too dangerous for that option.' Hendrix thought before sighing and looking around at his surroundings.
[Acknowledged]
[Malador has been suppressed by Pvaxium In your class's quest area almost entirely for the duration of your quest.]
{Hendrix, are you alright?}
'I am Ackalon. Thank you for asking.' Hendrix inwardly thanked her while smiling momentarily before returning to a neutral expression and leaning on his cane.
{I'm glad}
'Guide, how do I reach the Okrian portal? Is there an arrow that'll appear, like in my tribulation?' Hendrix thought before furrowing his brows.
[No, however, if you follow the path, you'll reach a refuge camp. There you will find more information. And please keep in mind that you have the most accessible route there, while your classmates and rival classes have to traverse rugged and treacherous terrain. That was the gift Oculus gave you for impressing it.]
'Well, I'm grateful for this help. However, I doubt it's straightforward. I probably still will have challenges to overcome.' Hendrix thought before he began walking down the path.
{Why aren't you waiting for your classmates?}
'Because I'm not risking being trapped here by waiting in one spot. Besides, I'm slower than most people, so they'll probably catch up quickly.' Hendrix thought before profoundly sighing.
{I understand}
'Guide, how will my classmates find me anyway? Do arrows guide them?' Hendrix thought, awaiting a reply.
[No, they aren't. They are using the devices Syble gave you all.]
'Alright, I'm curious why my Tribulation Training Ground skill is blocked before I enter a city for the first time?'
[That is because of its power]
'How about my Cursed skill? It's also potent.'
[No one can block Cursed Skills. Besides, are you willing to pay the price at the moment to use it to its full potential?]
'No, I'm not and probably never will. I'm not a masochist.'
[Acknowledged]
Hendrix continued to walk for about an hour before a small varmint walked out on the road. However, it looked like a Jerboa, with grey fur covering it. Right after seeing it, he entered a defensive stance. However, strangely it didn't attack him but instead minded its own business.
'Ackalon, do you know why the Varmint isn't attacking me?'
{I do not, however, its good fortune, I believe}
'I think so too. However, I'm curious about its fighting skills. I want to learn the average skill of varmints here. Because if they are as terrifying as the ones I faced in my Tribulation and Combat Assessment. I doubt anyone, but I will survive, and by the time I reach my goal, I'll suffer from grievous mutilation and be an amputee.'
[The first Tribulations have the strongest level zero varmints ever typically. And your Combat Assessment is similar in difficulty to your tribulation.]
[The Crown Worlds level zero varmints are extremely weak compared to those]
'I see. So can I kill these with my bare hands?'
[Depends on the type of varmint]
'Hmm, I should create a varmint skin sack to carry stuff. And I need food for my consumption.' Hendrix thought before he held his cane and swung it at the varmint.
The Jerboa varmint turned its head. However, when it saw the wooden cane approach it, it screeched. Consequently, eight more Jerboa varmints jumped out of a bush and rushed toward Hendrix.
'Jackpot!' Hendrix thought before ceasing his attack and getting defensive while narrowing his eyes at the varmints approaching him.
The closest Jerboa varmint leaped at Hendrix with its feet aiming at his thigh. However, Hendrix didn't take any chances and blocked the attack, but to his surprise, it was easy.
'I should try the multiplier effect. These little guys seem to be perfect training partners for this.' Hendrix thought before blocking four more Jerboa varmint attacks in succession.
[Jaquchi effectiveness raised by 0.1]
After the notification, Hendrix felt a little lighter, tougher, and more robust. And this feeling was addictive to Hendrix, as he continued blocking more attacks while notifications kept appearing.
[Jaquchi effectiveness raised by 0.1]
[Jaquchi effectiveness raised by 0.1]
[Jaquchi effectiveness raised by 0.1]
[Jaquchi effectiveness...]
After about five minutes of fighting, Hendrix's blocks seemed to have afterimages.
'Guide, how much has the effectiveness of my techniques risen?'
[3 times its average effectiveness]
'I see, so this can be my fallback plan when I'm out of options in a fight.' Hendrix thought before he finally started to attack the Jerboa varmints.
Hendrix proceeded to crush all nine Jerboa varmints' heads in fifteen seconds due to the effectiveness boost. However, he swung accidentally once towards a tree and missed.
[Jaquchi effectiveness reset]
'Dang, the consequence for missing is just like in its description.'
{Indeed, however, you can now create varmint skin sacks for storage and cook the meat for sustenance.}
'Of course, however, I need a sharp rock to cut away the meat and skin from the bones.' Hendrix thought before smiling and placing the dead varmints in a pile. However, he quickly cut off a tiny chunk and ate it, so he could gain information about the thing he killed.
[Varmint info.
Species: Fur-Covered Jerboa Varmint.
Rarity: Crimson
Length: 1 foot
Height: 1 foot
Level: 0
Stage: N/A
Stats are not available.
Skills
Help Me My Kin!: This corrupted active normal skill lets the user call others of the same species to aid you.
This skill has a ten-minute cooldown.]
'This is an extremely weak varmint. I thought it would be stronger.'
[Most players fought weak monsters or normal humans in melee combat in their Tribulations when newly awoken. Hence the difficulty is meant for them. However, for you, it's a cakewalk.]
Hendrix nodded before searching for firewood to burn for cooking.