Saad had spent the better part of the day practicing his throwing skills and crafting slingshots. By now, he had amassed a collection of 102 slingshots, a proof of his dedication and hard work. He felt a sense of pride in his preparation; surely, this was more than enough to handle the fiery fly quest.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest, Saad decided to double-check the details of the quest. He had already forgotten the number of essences he needed. With anticipation and a tinge of anxiety, he opened his quest window, hoping that the collective number for three quests wouldn't be too high.
To his shock and dismay, he found the quest requirements displayed there. It stated that he had 0 bottles of moon water. Panic welled up within him. How could the water have disappeared? He'd filled the bottles earlier, but now the quest indicated that he had no moon water?
Saad swiftly retrieved the alchemical sachet from his inventory, hoping against hope that there might be a stray drop or two left. But as he carefully pulled out the ceramic bottle, it became evident that it was bone-dry. Not even a faint shimmer of moon water remained.
Despair crept over him, and he cursed his carelessness. In the midst of his training and crafting, the moon water he had collected had mysteriously vanished. It was a confounding situation, one that left him both frustrated and bewildered.
However, amidst his frustration and bewilderment, a spark of realization pierced through. He remembered Alf and Irene's advice about always visiting the ones who issue the quest. He remembered how Drusilla had given him the encyclopedia or else just where would he have gotten it? This time, he had ignorantly thought he could easily gather these material and didn't need to go see all three herbalists. It was a blunder he vowed not to repeat anymore but now he was indeed in trouble.
Taking a deep breath to calm his racing thoughts, Saad decided to stick to his original plan. He couldn't afford to waste any more time lamenting his mistake. The forest was now cloaked in darkness, and the eerie sounds of nocturnal creatures surrounded him.
He reviewed his calculations; he had previously determined the average damage he could inflict during his practice sessions with the tree. Using this average damage, he estimated the number of shots required to take down a single fiery fly. Then, with a quick mental calculation, he extrapolated this to determine the total number of shots he needed to collect 140 fiery fly essences, which was 339 shots if there were no external variable and if he added the variables, then it could be around 420 shots. Which meant that he had more than enough sling shots.
Saad had always been adept with numbers, and in this virtual world, that skill was proving invaluable. Instead of letting his mistake demoralize him, he felt a renewed sense of determination. His path forward was clear, and he would face the fiery flies with the same unwavering resolve that had brought him this far.
Saad had decided to approach his quest with a newfound resolve. To ensure that he was well-prepared, he spent some time gathering more than 500 stones from the forest floor. It was a tedious task, but it would ensure he had enough ammunition for the fiery flies.
As he collected stones, Saad noticed something peculiar happening. It seemed that his dedication to gathering stones had not gone unnoticed by the virtual world. A message window suddenly appeared.
[Congratulations! You have gained a new life skill: Foraging.]
Saad couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. Who would have thought that simply collecting stones would earn him a life skill? But he didn't complain; every advantage counted in this virtual fantasy world.
With his stones collected and his new skill in tow, Saad decided it was time for a change. He equipped the [Widow's Eye] necklace, its dark jewel glinting ominously. With this item equipped, he no longer needed the radiance globe to illuminate his surroundings, so he stashed it back into his inventory.
With slingshot in hand and the memory of his misjudgment fresh in his mind, Saad ventured further into the dark forest, ready to confront the fiery flies and complete at least one part of his quest.
Saad had returned to the eerie beauty of the Blue Lily Swamp. The small blue flowers illuminated the surroundings with an ethereal glow, casting a serene yet surreal ambiance. The swamp waters shimmered gently under the moonlight, and the fiery flies sparkled like distant stars.
Saad couldn't help but be enchanted by the scene before him. It was a breathtaking moment that tugged at his senses. He felt a strange sense of remorse, knowing that he was about to disrupt this perfect moment with his quest. But he reminded himself of the task at hand and drew strength from his determination.
Taking a deep breath, he took out his newly crafted basic slingshot and the stones he had gathered earlier. He knew that this was the moment of truth. With the [Widow's Eye] necklace equipped, he had the advantage of Night Vision, allowing him to see clearly in complete darkness.
Saad raised the slingshot, his focus unwavering. The pendant's inherent benefits further enhanced his abilities. He now had enhanced perception, night evasion and darkness shield which gave him extra 50 points in defense. He felt invincible!
As he aimed and released the stones, Saad felt a profound difference. His Throwing Mastery and Dexterity came into play with each shot. It was as if the stars themselves guided his aim. Every time he hit a fiery fly, it burst into a gentle shower of golden and blue dust. Saad swiftly collected the precious essence, all while keeping a count.
The combination of his newly acquired skills, the [Widow's Eye] necklace, and his relentless determination allowed him to gather all 140 fiery fly essences with remarkable efficiency. It took him only 480 well-aimed shots to complete his quest.
As he looked at the completed quest window, Saad couldn't help but smile. The enchanting beauty of the swamp had been disrupted, but it was a small price to pay for his progress in chimerical world. He had successfully collected the required essence and completed a part of the quest.
But by now, after hours of intense gameplay within the VR MMORPG, Saad decided it was time for a well-deserved short break. He carefully removed the virtual reality headset, feeling a rush of disorientation as he transitioned back to the real world. The sudden shift from the game's immersive environment to his own room left him feeling slightly lightheaded, and a dull headache throbbed in the background.
Saad glanced down at his VR suit, which was now slightly damp with sweat. The advanced technology in the suit had a unique self-cleaning feature that utilized bacteria, a concept he didn't fully understand but appreciated. It meant he didn't have to worry about laundering the suit himself.
Quickly changing back into his usual clothes, Saad decided to share his adventures with the wider world. He posted a short video showcasing the mesmerizing beauty of the Moon Water Cave and the enchanting Blue Lily Swamp in the game. To his relief, this time, there were no malicious comments or trolls trying to bring him down.
Feeling a small sense of victory over the online negativity, Saad left his gaming setup behind and ventured outside to get some much-needed fresh air. The real world awaited him, and he was determined to savor its simple pleasures before diving back into the virtual realm.
Saad's roommates were nowhere to be found, and he decided to indulge in a simple yet delicious meal. Saad left his place to purchase tandoori roti from a nearby tandoor. The enticing scent of the freshly baked roti filled the air as he picked up two warm and delicious pieces before returning home. After returning back to his apartment, He went to the kitchen and reheated some leftover okra to accompany it.
He returned to his room, setting them on a plate alongside some fresh green peppers he found in the fridge, which he intended to munch on while savoring his meal. The tandoori roti was soft and fragrant, and the okra added a burst of flavor to every bite. After finishing his meal and washing the dishes, Saad felt the wave of post-meal contentment and laziness washing over him. A strong desire for a quick nap took hold, and unable to resist the sweet embrace of sleepiness, he set an alarm on his phone, crawled into bed, and allowed himself to drift off into a well-deserved nap.
An hour and a half later, Saad was gradually awakened by the voices of his roommates outside his door. He stretched and yawned, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Instead of immediately joining his roommates outside, he decided to put his VR suit back on. He knew that he needed to return to his virtual quest, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time.
With a sense of determination, he welcomed the virtual reality once again. However, to his dismay, he found himself back at his virtual home, and the digital clock displayed 2:30 am. It was a frustrating setback caused by his forgetfulness in changing his default starting point and now he was back to his home, instead of the forest.
Saad sighed, realizing that he had lost some valuable in-game time. But he was determined to make the most of the hours left in the night. With a renewed sense of purpose, he stepped out of his virtual house and into the moonlit world of Seraphia, ready to continue his quest.