Stepping into the forest beside Vanessa, I felt a tingling sensation ripple through my fingertips as I was eager to scan the forest.
With a concentrated effort, I tapped into my wind magic. Suddenly, the air surrounding me took on a vibrant, almost sentient quality, weaving an invisible lattice of currents that extended like delicate tendrils.
These ethereal threads of wind carried my intentions deep into the heart of the forest, brushing against leaves and stirring branches in their path.
They returned with a wealth of forest secrets, revealing the most subtle nuances – from the distant melodies of chirping birds to the earthy aroma of moss on the forest floor.
In that moment, it was as though the very soul of the forest had awakened and shared its essence with me.
I gestured toward a nearby bush. "There are two peculiar tree monsters hiding behind that shrub."
Vanessa nodded knowingly. "Ah, those must be 'Groveguards,'" she remarked. My curiosity piqued, I asked her to share more about these creatures.
"They're considered Low D-Rank Monsters," Vanessa explained. "Groveguards excel at using trees as natural camouflage to surprise adventurers who lower their guard. But being made of wood, they're particularly vulnerable to fire."
"Think you can handle it alone?" Vanessa asked, grabbing her bow.
Aware of the concealed judge watching us, I hesitated. I didn't want to reveal my Tri-elemental mage abilities, but it seemed I couldn't keep them secret forever.
With determination, I pulled my sword from its scabbard. "Piece of cake," I confidently replied.
With a swift and decisive motion, I slashed the bush wide open. "Stop pretending to be living trees and be a deadwood already," I scolded them with a grin on my face.
As their camouflage failed, the creatures immediately abandoned their act and rushed towards me, no longer hiding their intentions.
I inhaled deeply, drawing mana into every fiber of my being. Simultaneously, I channeled the fiery essence of mana directly into my sword, feeling its power surge through the blade.
Gradually, my sword began to blaze with fiery energy, transforming into a weapon of flame and heat.
From the sidelines, Vanessa offered words of encouragement. "You've got this, kiddo!"
As one of the menacing monsters lunged toward me, its branch-like arm forming a claw-shaped menace swung at me, I remained keenly aware of its every move.
With graceful precision, I sidestepped its aggressive charge, my movements seemingly in tune with the dance of danger.
In a seamless, almost artistic motion, I swung my sword, cutting through the creature's body as though it were mere parchment, splitting it cleanly in halves.
At that exact moment, the fiery magic inherent in my blade burst forth in a spectacular display, engulfing the creature in an uncontrollable conflagration.
The air sizzled with the intensity of the blazing inferno, reducing the once-threatening monster to ash and smoke.
As the second tree monster attempted a sneak attack from behind, I had already registered its presence and swiftly pivoted my body, executing a precise cut. My sword's fiery magic flared to life once again, ensnaring the creature in its fiery embrace.
In a matter of mere seconds, the monster succumbed to the engulfing flames, disintegrating into nothing more than ash and swirling smoke. I couldn't help but be astonished by how effortlessly I dispatched these creatures.
"That was much simpler than I anticipated," I mused as I sheath my sword.
{ Team Points : 7 }
{ Points : 6 }
I fixated on the holographic screen before me, and I noticed Vanessa doing the same on her own display.
[ You have slained two D-Rank Monster ]
[ You have earned +8 Essence Points ]
"Way to go, kiddo," Vanessa chimed in, a hint of playful competitiveness in her tone. "It seems tonight won't be the night I'm opening my wallet." She approached me, with a proud smile on her face.
Then suddenly another blue screen materialised in front of me.
[ New Patch Had Been Completely Synchronised ! ]
[ New features are added ! ]
[ The ranking of reincarnation is now displayed in the status profile ! ]
[ Transcendence Shop is now available ! ]
[ System Rewards are fixed ! ]
[ Quest Systems are updated ! ]
[ T-Messenger is also available ! ]
'What the heck is this?'
'Hmm…I guess the First Conference has ended.' Garen said.
I followed Vanessa's lead as I was having a mind conversation with Garen.
'What did you mean by that?'
'It's a discussion among the Higher Astral and The Game Master on how to make the game more interesting. I recommend you to check the new features immediately.'
'Status Profile'
==============================
[ Player Status ]
Username: Raul Varon
Ranks: 11th / 354th
[ Player Stats ]
Strength: 7
Agility: 9
Defence: 6
Vitality: 7
Intelligence: 17
Perception: 13
Willpower: 4
Mana Capacity: 1000
[ Essence Points Accumulated: +1536 Pts ]
==============================
'Oh, so I'm the eleventh among the other reincarnations,' I remarked, somewhat surprised by the revelation.
'Try checking out the Transcendence Shop,' Garen encouraged, urging me to take action. Without hesitation, I followed his advice.
'Err…Transcendence Shop?'
==============================
[ Transcendence Shop ]
o Consumables Items Section
o Trade Section
o Weapon and Gear Section
o Astral Quest Section
o Information Center
==============================
"I think there's a monster over there... Hmm, Raul?" Vanessa suddenly noticed my subdued demeanour. My attention had been so engrossed in examining the new features that I had momentarily lost track of our primary objective.
I guess I have to check it after today's challenge ends.
"Sorry, I was lost in thoughts–"
Suddenly, a peculiar crimson window materialized before me, its arrival accompanied by eerie and unsettling music that played in the background.
[ A reincarnator had randomly tossed 'The Curse Box' from 'The Transcendence Shop' ! ]
[ 'The Curse Box' had landed directly into your hand ! ]
'What the actual fuck?'
'Raul, that doesn't bode well,' Garen expressed, his tone tinged with concern.
[ You have been fated with Misfortune ! ]
=========================
{Quest: Survive The Misfortune !}
•Description: A reincarnator had tossed 'The Curse Box' randomly and the box had landed onto your laps. You will face a misfortune today. You must survive from the misfortune by any means!
•Objective: Survive the Ruin that was given to you
•Difficulty: Either +A or S
•Penalty: Death
•Rewards:
+1500 Essence Points and a Mystery Lucky Box
=========================
"Raul, are you okay? You seemed rather pale just now," Vanessa asked, waving her hand in front of me to ensure I was still conscious.
"Haha... my bad, where were we?" I chuckled, trying to dispel the earlier concern.
But I quickly realized that in this unpredictable forest, I couldn't afford to let my guard down.
Vanessa was also with me. I can't let her get involved in this stupid curse event.
"There was another monster over there. I guess it was also the same class as before. Come on, it would be easy as a piece of cake!" Vanessa said it as she patted my back.
I braced myself, summoning a dual layer of mana that enhanced and formed an ethereal shield around my body.
The air around me crackled with magical energy as I unsheathed my sword, channeling the flowing mana into its very core.
"Whoa, it looks like you're not holding back against that monster. Alright, kid, it's slaughter time!" Vanessa cheered enthusiastically.
If that monster was indeed the embodiment of Misfortune, then my only chance lay in ending it quick with a calculated, sneak attack—one slice to put an end to it.
With swift grace, I executed a mid-air slash, directing my sword's edge toward the colossal boulder behind which the monster lurked. My focus intensified, channeling the very essence of my wind magic into that strike, birthing a potent wind slash that tore through the massive stone, rending it asunder, and inflicted substantial damage upon the hidden beast.
In response, the orc emitted a deafening, agonized cry that pierced the air. "That's an orc!" Vanessa exclaimed, her voice a mixture of shock and realization as the true identity of our relentless foe became undeniable.
The orc stood as a grotesque embodiment of terror itself. Its hulking frame was the same towering size of the tree in this forest, draped in mottled, sickly green skin.
Its eyes burned with a malevolent fire, casting an eerie, bloodshot glow in the darkness.
Tusks, jagged and yellowed, jutted from its lower jaw like serrated blades, ready to tear through flesh. Scars and battle-worn insignias marked its course.
With each labored breath, a foul stench of blood and decay hung in the air, a harbinger of the horrors it had wrought.
The orc's guttural snarls and savage roars reverberated through the air leaving behind a chilling reminder of the terrifying force it represented.
"That's an abnormal one. It seemed stronger than a normal one, Raul." Vanessa said a hint of seriousness in her voice.
"It's rank?" I asked.
"Maybe a High D–Rank Monster or Low C–Rank Monster. I don't think we should enga—"
In an instant, a colossal tree hurtled toward us with a terrifying velocity, its massive form blotting out the light from above. The ground trembled beneath its charge, sending shockwaves of fear through every fiber of my being.
With reflexes honed by countless training, I reached into the depths of my magical abilities. As the tree bore down upon us, I summoned the wind. It responded with a swift and exhilarating rush, creating an invisible cushion of air that enveloped Vanessa and me.
With all my might, I pulled Vanessa aside, our bodies almost seeming weightless as the gusts of wind carried us away from the impending catastrophe.
Time seemed to slow as we narrowly escaped the tree's thunderous path, our breaths ragged and our hearts pounding in the face of this perilous encounter.
Upon crashing into the ground with colossal force, the massive tree itself splintered and shattered. Enormous branches snapped like brittle bones, raining down around us in a chaotic display of arboreal destruction.
Amidst the cacophony of breaking wood, the tree's leaves and bark were sent flying in all directions.
"That's definitely a Low C–Rank! We must—"
Once more, the orc hurled another colossal tree in our direction. With no time to spare, I called the wind once again, my fingers crackling with energy.
The gusts of wind surged around us, lifting us from our precarious position just as the gargantuan tree crashed down where we had stood moments before.
"Fuck! let me finish my words you goddam orc!" Vanessa finally loses her cool.
"Spare the curse, we must get away from here first." I urgently. Once more, I harnessed the wind, lifting us away from the perilous vicinity.
We ran between the trees, our escape route uncertain, as the relentless orc doggedly pursued us, determined to keep pace with our every move.
In the midst of our frantic escape, an unexpected twist of fate brought us face to face with another party. Before us stood two girl ascendants and their female mentor.
'Fuck!'
"Get away from here, hurry!" Vanessa shouted.
God dammit, wouldn't this be the opportune moment for the concealed judge to step in and offer us assistance?
"What the hell—" The female mentor's complexion drained of color, and she readied herself, her gestures akin to as if she was harnessing the earth to shield her ascendants.
Dammit, if it comes to this then…
'What's the sudden reason that makes you want to confront the orc directly?' Garen inquired, his curiosity evident.
'My guts tell me to fight,' I declared.
I began to reduce our speed, creating a controlled descent as we pivoted to confront the relentless orc head-on.
"So, have you made up your mind?" Vanessa inquired, her gaze resolute.
With a heavy sigh, I replied, "There's no other path. We can't evade this orc and abandon them." I prepared to unleash my next attack.
"Cover me?" I requested, drawing my sword with a graceful flourish.
"Got it," Vanessa affirmed, her response swift and sure. She retrieved her bow, and as if by magic, two fiery arrows materialized in her grip, casting a fiery glow upon her steady face.