Anna understood the potential advantages of such an arrangement. By working together, they could create a network of safe havens, bolstering their defenses against the ever-present threat of monster attacks. It was a pragmatic solution that benefited everyone involved.
Zack probably had the money to buy the best house in the city, but instead of that, he decided to buy things that would be helpful with his current skill set.
His first idea was to buy potions, mana potions, to be precise, but those were sold in other provinces, not in that one. Speaking of which, his old province made them in the past, but now it was in the hands of the drakes.
"It is a bit far away, so I should focus on that later," Zack thought. "Their boss should be a fire dragon too, and no one ever killed one until now."
Before going home, Zack bought things like binoculars, night vision goggles, and gas masks. He didn't know when they would be useful, but it was better to have them stored just in case.
When he got to his apartment, Zack went to check the options on the map. The territories belonged respectively to giant fire slimes, golems, and poisonous mushrooms.
Giant fire slimes are massive in size and engulfed in flames. Their gelatinous bodies can smother and burn anything they come into contact with, making them a formidable threat. When they move, they leave fire trails in their wake, turning the terrain into a dangerous inferno. Getting too close to a giant fire slime risks being burnt alive, and their attacks can quickly overwhelm even experienced hunters. Also, they explode upon death…
Golems are constructs made of rock animated by magic. Their immense strength and durability make them formidable opponents in battle. Golems possess powerful physical attacks, capable of crushing anything in their path with their massive fists. Additionally, golems had special abilities, such as launching projectiles or creating shockwaves, further increasing their danger. They are relentless in their pursuit of their targets, and once provoked, they won't stop until their enemy is destroyed. Their toughness is their most powerful weapon.
Despite their seemingly innocuous appearance, poisonous mushrooms can be deadly adversaries. These fungi release toxic spores into the air, creating poisonous clouds that can incapacitate and kill those who breathe them in. Their attacks are insidious and difficult to detect, as the spores may be concealed within their caps. Furthermore, some species of poisonous mushrooms have additional abilities, such as releasing corrosive fluids or emitting hallucinogenic gases, making them even more dangerous to face. They also release a lot of toxin when they die.
"Either target would be good for me; the question is which one would give me more experience now," Zack thought. This would make the other enemies more boring to deal with, but I am fine with that. Eliminating as many monsters as possible should be my main focus only."
In the end, the best option seemed to be the giant fire slimes since Zack had some cores of the frozen witches. The annoying part of the giant fire slimes was the fact that they could self-destruct upon death, but that wouldn't be a problem if they were frozen to death.
Gaining another elemental weapon or skill would be very useful as well. Still, Zack wondered what would happen if the boss of those monsters ended up exploding. Even with his sword enchanted with a core of the frozen witches, he probably wouldn't be able to freeze them fast enough. Maybe it would be possible with Speed Hack, but if he fails… a giant fire slime can destroy an entire house, so their boss should be able to destroy an entire block.
With those thoughts in mind, Zack went to sleep not feeling particularly worried or anything like that. If they cause more trouble than he expects, he just needs to adjust his strategy a bit, and that would be enough.
When morning arrived, Zack decided to take it easy and eat without being in a hurry. After all, he was going to stay in the enemy's territory until he defeated them all, so he might as well take it while he was there.
Once he was done with that, Zack used Invisibility followed by Instantaneous Movement to leave the city in the blink of an eye, and once he jumped over the southern wall, he began to move further nonstop.
That territory was the one furthest in the south, so Zack had to move in that direction for a while. Still, he had to stop when he noticed that the temperature was rising and his jacket was causing more harm than good.
"I forgot about this, but they should also affect the weather," Zack thought.
Just as ice monsters could create snow and freeze their surroundings, fire monsters had unique effects. As Zack ventured closer to the giant fire slimes' territory, he realized their influence's true power.
The air around the fire slimes' territory seemed to shake with intense heat, causing the temperature to rise dramatically. The vegetation nearby was dry and withered, parched by the scorching heat radiating from the territory. Even from a distance, Zack could feel the oppressive heat pressing down on him, making him sweat a lot.
It was clear that the giant fire slimes' presence had a profound impact on their surroundings. Their fiery nature heated the environment, desiccating the land and making it inhospitable for most life forms. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the intensity of the flames, creating an atmosphere of danger and menace.
"It is time to check if I can get a tan," Zack thought.