Old Arthur's warning sent a shiver down Sebastian's spine.
Initially, he had thought it was just a flawed item, but seeing the other person's expression, he realized that its value far exceeded his imagination.
However, he still didn't know exactly what this [Remnant of the Magic Crystal Necklace] was.
Since it couldn't be appraised for the time being, Sebastian didn't press the matter.
"Thank you," Sebastian expressed his gratitude before walking out of the blacksmith shop with Breeze in his arms.
Inside a room in Darkstone, Sebastian set Breeze down on a blanket and squatted to scrutinize it meticulously.
Typically, pets could be directly stored in the inventory, to be summoned when needed.
But this little one was just too small and still in its infant stage, requiring careful nurturing.
Once properly raised, Breeze would become an incredibly powerful pet companion.
Woof, woof—
While he was contemplating, Breeze lay on the ground, calling out incessantly.
"Are you hungry?" Sebastian asked.
Breeze looked at him with its intelligent eyes and nodded.
Sebastian smiled softly, tenderly stroking its small head, "Wait here, I'll go buy you some food. Stay here and don't move, I'll be back soon."
After speaking, he stood up and left the room, setting the status to "Do Not Disturb."
The novice village was vast, with various players hurrying along the roads, all busy leveling up and completing quests.
It was said that in the over one month since [Original Realm] was launched, the number of online players had reached over a billion.
This number was quite terrifying, and it was continually increasing.
Even large corporations were recruiting players aggressively, trying to enhance their influence within the game.
Sebastian went to the eastern part of the village where he saw various shops lined up on both sides, and shopkeepers energetically hawking their wares.
He entered a pet store and spent a total of 20 silver coins to purchase the necessary food and nutrient treats before rushing back home.
Breeze was already famished and pounced excitedly upon seeing the bounty of food, eating earnestly, looking utterly adorable.
Sebastian lay on the sofa and activated the Ultimate Intelligence System.
After this continuous leveling up by 15 levels, he had a total of 15 chances to roll for intelligence, which had him quite exhilarated.
"Let's see what kind of intelligence I will get this time."
Full of anticipation, Sebastian began the intelligence roll.
[Concealed Materials (White)]: In the Darkstone Flea Market, at the stall located at the third row fifth column to the left, there lies an unidentified black stone, one of the rare materials that blacksmith Arthur is looking for. Sell it to him, and you will earn his favor.
[Roaming Little Ones (White)]: In the forest to the north of Darkstone, a lost child is wandering. Bring him to the village chief, and you will receive a reward.
[Shadows of the Midnight Jungle (Blue)]: Tomorrow night, a special event will be triggered when the moonlight illuminates the waterfall to the north of Wildlife-Filled Woodlands.
[Undead Whispers (Blue)]: Within the Valley of Death, there exists a special secret realm. The key to this realm can be found at a location marked with a "skull" on the left wall of the valley.
...
Drawing four pieces of intelligence consecutively, Sebastian found his luck to be fairly good with two white and two blue intelligences.
The white ones generally posed no danger and were relatively simple to complete.
However, the two blue ones garnered his attention, as both special events and secret realms usually brought grand opportunities.
According to the collective insights of the players on the game forum, the appearance rate for these special happenings was exceedingly rare.
So much so that, up until now, only one player had encountered one.
That player, due to the massive wealth and treasures acquired from that particular event, had ascended to become the highest level player in the game thus far.
This highlighted the immense value these events could offer.
Sebastian was growing excited about the two blue intelligences.
For now, he planned to find the lost child first and earn some rewards.
As for the remaining intelligences, there was no rush; he could draw more after completing these four.
With that in mind, he glanced at Breeze who was still eating, scooped him up in his arms, and said, "Let's go, little one."
Breeze shook its head and looked at him with a face full of resentment.
It wasn't until Sebastian took out a bottle of nutrient treats that it happily clung to it and ceased any movement. …
To the north of Darkstone lay a plain interspersed with dense jungles where the roars of wild beasts could frequently be heard, presenting a rather intimidating environment.
Woo woo woo…
In a certain part of the jungle, a child around seven or eight years old was sitting on the ground, crying hysterically.
This scene naturally caught the attention of players training in the wilderness.
They thought they had stumbled upon a special event and began attempting to communicate with the child.
Despite trying everything they could think of, they were unable to stop the child from crying, and there were no prompts or hints provided.
"Mia, I really think this isn't some special event," spoke up a young man standing at the forefront of a small group that had gathered around the child.
Dressed as a warrior player, with a longsword in his hand, he seemed somewhat helpless.
Beside him was Mia, a woman draped in a magus robe with a delicate oval face and fair complexion, embodying an enchanting beauty.
She countered with conviction, "Jason, we just haven't found the trigger for the event."
Another member chimed in, "I agree. Otherwise, why would there be a child here in the broad daylight?"
With a tinge of frustration, Jason replied, "But we've been trying for so long, and nothing's working…"
Mia stared intently at the gradually darkening sky, her eyes burning with resolve. "Once night falls and the beasts come out, this child will undoubtedly meet his end. If that happens, we might lose a chance to trigger a special event."
As the leader of this small group, Mia was not ready to relinquish this opportunity so easily.