At [Planet Earth] barracks, Alab was taking a rest inside his room. The soft mattress soothed his body as the black curtains danced mildly with the discreet permeating of air.
Alab had taken one room for himself while Anastasia took one as well since the 5th member was presumed dead. As for Girth and Han Seo Yeon who were sharing a room, Girth was plopping in his equally soft bed whilst wrapped in a choco-colored blanket.
His body was fully covered, concealing his facial expressions. But, the constant swelling out of his blanket betrayed his impression of sleeping, along with mild yet noticeable weeping...
Meanwhile, Han Seo Yeon sat in a chair in the lunge of their barracks. His back was facing the rooms as momentary weeping from one of the rooms pricked his ears.
Han Seo Yeon clenched his fist.
In the other room, it was deep in the night but Anastasia remained wide awake. Her eyes were swollen as she listened to the suppressed weeping of Girth, letting it sink into her emotions to further her devotion to get stronger.
The examination had ended and they all survived.
'But at what cost?'
'We are broken inside now.'
'But this would make us stronger. It must'
Subsequently, they vowed to take this matter as fuel to get stronger.
"I can't be a deadweight anymore, ke"
"I must get strong. Strong enough to be trusted"
"Faster, stronger, I must get into a higher rank"
They all vowed.
On the other hand, while they take their vows, Alab was half asleep in his bedroom, oblivious to the heightened vows of his teammates.
----
When daybreak hit, Alab stretched his arms. He pulled himself out of his bed lest he was bewitched by the alluring mattress and sleep for more.
*yawn*
He checked for eye boogers first thing before he pulled open the door.
"You are awake now, Good morning, Alab", exclaimed the excited Anastasia that was brimming with energy.
Han Seo Yeon who was still bandaged all over was also readying.
'It seems that they are going somewhere
"I heard that there is a newly opened fog in the east. It's a small town", Han Seo Yeon uttered, not sparing a glance at Alab.
Girth was also busy in preparation.
"Keke, you stink, reckless boy", Girth sneered to Alab. That - that was the usual him.
Looking at them, Alab somehow felt glad that they had finally come to terms and were now back to their usual selves.
Of course, Alab could feel the tension and dreary mood between the tree but he was not the type to stick his nose into other's business. That was why Alab kept his mouth shut the entire time.
Eventually, the depressing tension subsided.
Anastasia walked toward Alab as she muttered.
"We are going to the small town to check for items and also, buy new shirts and cleanse ourselves, are you coming with us?", Anastasia asked Alab though, she knew already his response.
"I won't"
"As I thought. Well, if you have something you want us to buy for you, just tell us", Anastasia presumed that Alab would head off to a dungeon and would outright train.
'He might not have time to visit the small town', Anastasia pledged to buy bathing water for Alab.
Anastasia shook a pouch full of about a hundred golds.
"I can buy you anything", Anastasia clang her gold coins more.
But, Alab shook his head.
"No need. I will visit the town later"
Anastasia nodded her head and then spoke with a soft smile.
"Okay then good luck with your hunts and stay safe!", Anastasia bid farewell to Alab and then urged the two to finally head off to the small town.
"If you need money, just tell me", Anastasia muttered before they leave.
Alab watched the three leave, teasing each other as if nothing had happened the day before.
Noticing that they had left the area, Alab feebly pulled his shirt up to his nose.
With a sniff, he nearly puked...
'It stinks!'
"I will have to visit the small town indeed"
After readying himself, Alab directly headed off back to the quadrangle where they first arrived into this world.
Alab felt nostalgia upon seeing the wide stretch of verdant soil as he sat in the back of Misery that was up in the air.
It felt like it was just yesterday but 10 days had already passed.
He shifted his head to the four directions, observing the scenic view.
"The fog has subsided"
As Han Seo Yeon stated, the towering fog resting in the east and west direction of the quadrangle had subsided, unveiling the small active town in the east and a gloomy stretch of dungeons in the west.
In the north remained the mesmerizing sight of the arch bridge connecting to the island where the majestic Academia was rooted.
The barracks were littered on the parched hill in the south, connected by the wobbling bamboo bridge.
Seeing that the small town was congested with species at the moment, Alab quickened Misery to head to the West.
'It seems that everyone first checks the small town.'
Unlike the active small town, the C-grade dungeons were desolated, devoid of human lives.
Hastily, Alab plunged into the depth of the area, scouring for the densely inhabited dungeon.
He came to a halt upon seeing a myriad of monsters in a far dungeon. The sweet scent wafting from trees adorned by honeycombs lured Alab. Signage rested atop the dungeon entrance.
[Red Hornet Dungeon (C)]
As soon as Alab plunged in, a herd of hornets the size of an adult human's skull, bathed in a red tinge and brimming with contempt greeted him.
Their purplish stingers hissed in the air, dripping a burning liquid onto the steaming soil.
"It's venomous", Alab muttered.
Red hornets were not significant individually, however, the herd of 20 hornets was nothing to scoff at.
"Locust, exterminate them"
As Alab's words fell, Locust swiftly emerged from the ground and engaged in a battle against hornets.
*buzz*
Another herd of hornets came...
"It seems that I will be staying here for a while", Alab muttered as he appeared to have found his hunting ground.
-----
Two days after, Alab glanced at a golden chest before him. It was the reward from the previous examination.
Alab once more recalled the system notice ereyesterday and skimmed through the item's detail.
[Ding! You have successfully completed the practical examination]
[You are 795th in the ranking! A corresponding reward will be given...]
[Mystery Chest (E) obtained! The item has been sent to your inventory]
[1 gold reward obtained!]
[Mystery Chest (E)
Description: A chest that holds a mystery item.
Effect:
- produce a random item with a limit of D rank
Note: The potential of the item will vary on the user's luck!]
Alab heard that Anastasia with a ranking of 25 had received boons that were far more prosperous than his. Aside from 100 gold coins, she also received a C-rank mystery chest and a B-rank Mana crystal along with a C-rank item.
'I wonder what rewards the 1st to 10th in the ranking received?', Alab pondered.
Still, regrets didn't loom in him, after all, he could take his time upgrading items and skills and then get in the 10 or even 1st in the ranking sooner. It was just a matter of time.
It was a good thing that Alab was patient. If it were others, they would probably rush things and make impulsive and risky decisions.
While others were thrilled and hurriedly opened their mystery chests, Alab didn't open it in a rush. A day had passed and the day he had been waiting for had finally dawned on him.
On his sight, a translucent system notice was flashing.
[Drop item obtained! Hornet Bees (C)]
[Red Hornet Bees (C) ×100]
[Your converted points have increased!]
[C-grade points +1]
[Available Converted Points:
- D (×3)
- C (×12)]
Alab gathered 100 C-rank items! Now it was all up to him to convert them. However, the limitations in his mana reserve and recovery rate constrained him. It would take him 8 days minimum to convert a hundred items.
On this thought, he set aside the [Mystery Chest (E)] to his inventory, loitering in wait until he upgrade his [Luck (D)] to at least C-rank.
Alab then recalled Locust who had retreated rather fast. Apparently, the tedious extermination of these small hornets no longer exhilarated him.
Locust was seeking a stronger opponent - something that would stimulate his hunger for battle.
But now, he had to bear with these little hornets.
Summoning Misery, Alab finally headed to the small town...
..
---
..
AN: For this week's milestone, we will have the following (Valid only until August 13, 2023)
11/20 Golden Tickets = 1 Chapter
1 Patreon Subscriber = 2 Chapters
Gift = n Chapters depending on the gift given
Also, I might open the next tier, SS-tier, on my Patreon tomorrow. That will be $3 for 5 advanced chapters and other benefits! You have my endless gratitude < 3