~~~
After a couple of hours, a loud shriek of pain echoed through the Cavern of Frost, a clear result that meant one thing...Shun was successful in subjugating all the monsters in that dungeon.
However, he didn't look too impressed by the results. "I could have cleared this less sloppily," Shun remarks, a look of disgust playing on his face as he stares at all the women in his harem, clearly on the ground and heavily injured.
8 of them were heavily injured, and 2 made it out with fewer injuries than the others...as for their status conditions, 2 were suffering from bleeding, 3 were chilled to become an ice cube, and another 3 were suffering from hysteria.
He looked at the state his harem was in and cringed. "Get up," He demanded, carrying the women in critical conditions while signaling to the others to follow his order. The two able women grabbed some of the leftover potions that they carried with them and poured them on the others who were suffering from countless status conditions.
In the end, only 8 were partially healed-- leaving the two women carried by Shun, still profusely bleeding.
There's nothing else he can do except grit his teeth. It's the price to pay when they already expedited all their health potions...and now, it's only a race against time for Shun. There was barely any time to celebrate his achievement.
Not when two of his epic-tier women could potentially die.
Yes, if NPCs aren't treated in time, they will die. There is no chance of resurrection.
~~~
...after hours of walking down the mountain and to another path, I finally saw a grand and gigantic pub that was noticeably taller than any other building in the vicinity. This was the guild hall...a scary place for noobs such as myself.
Thankfully, I didn't look like one...well, that's if we exclude the fact that I'm wearing the novice bag like a baby carrier.
It was slung in front of me, exactly as how one would when they're wearing a backpack...except, in the opposite position.
Well, that shouldn't be of much issue since I'm wearing such grand clothes and holding an egg in my chest. Not to mention that I'm also holding a spear in my hand.
What vibes do I give off right now?
That's easy to say! It's definitely going to be "experienced merchant whose known as a great warrior"!
...carrying their kid with them.
I sigh while entering the guild hall, not minding the ridiculously small egg in my bag. It won't deter me from going inside...even if I look like a fool. I've experienced that a couple of times in this game, so what would adding another experience like that matter?
I imitate the stature of those businessmen I see in their professional interviews, making sure to remember how they walk in a room...how they keep their heads up high...and how they keep their look of nonchalance.
I walk into the room rather elegantly...well, at least that's what I liked to believe.
However, it shouldn't be an issue since everyone else was preoccupied with their own business.
My eyes traversed the opulent walls of the guild hall...it was wooden, yes, but the items hung on them were nothing short of ordinary. These were...legendary and mythical tier items that served as nothing more than mere decoration.
It's shocking, yes...but given how no one knows who operates this guild hall, it could all just be some place the gods reside in. But in another sense, it's also the only way for players to interact with the gods.
Especially through the usage of quests.
I murmur to myself softly, as I move to the board that's bombarded with papers...all quests of different nature, but I can't access them.
It's convenient, I suppose...that no one has access to what type of quest you have on you.
Thus, as soon as I move a step closer...I see a particular piece of paper with visible words. This has to be the quest I got from receiving this slime egg...I wonder what it says?
~~~
Quest Difficulty: Easy???
Title: Cultivator Slime's Last Legacy
Description: Exterminated from the world for its capability to li&( with &0*)4 as *o($2^!@ creatures, cultivator slimes, amongst other &*#7^5*(2, has met its end after the encounter with *&*S3 &12...the last &^9~3*2 of Belunia, reckons the &6#1 to ?*?# the--
Quest Details: Successfully hatch the cultivator slime egg.
~~~
I look at the paper with much confusion...what the hell is a "li&( with &0*)4" anyways?! I may not know much about ancient languages like Latin, except for the fact that it's complicated, but that writing was downright incomprehensible!
You can't even do anything except look at it and get a headache!
...well, at least I know that my first step in completing this "easy" quest, is to hatch the egg.
I then nod to myself, as I try to leave the guild hall, believing that everyone else was too busy to notice me...however, a bulky man with two ladies in his side comes up to me and grips my shoulder.
And not in a good way.
"That's a nice egg you have," The bulky man chuckles, his expression darkening with a hint of malice. "It looks like a treasure that will sell for a hefty price..." He says, tightening his grip on me, but I must stand firm. I won't let him get the satisfaction of me wincing in pain.
"It is a treasure," I respond to his threats, looking at him dangerously...of course, another imitation trick. I had to look like a pro just to get in the guild hall without raising suspicions, so of course I had to act like one as well. "And it's not something you can just get by lazing around," I say, getting rid of his hold on me.
And damn was it painful to get it off me! It took me all the strength I could muster to look like I took it off effortlessly.
From another person's view, they would think that I'm also a pro player facing against someone else with ease...but this man in front of me knows the truth too well.
The scary smile on his face is a testament to that.
"Right," He laughs, as he grabs his dagger. "Why don't we play a little duel then, Mr. Pro Player? With all we have at stake?" He says as he looks at my clothes with a greedy look on his face. His expression screams "if I get those clothes, I can sell them and get rich"!
It's all over his face!
I panic a little, as I know very little of duels in this game...the tutorial forums I've read said that it's another nice feature that this game has. However, this has nothing to do with transporting the players into some sort of colosseum.
It just has something to do with "contractual magic" accessible to every player.
What's the good thing about this then?
Well, there were only two chances for a player to use this monthly. Only the one who initiates the duel loses own of their chances..thus, PKs were less likely to happen with this restriction.
What's the bad thing about this?...that once a player challenges you, there's no way for you to reject it. It's a fight for dominance and might.
I gulp inwardly and nod, grabbing my spear...and for some reason, the other people look at both me and the man in front of me with intrigue. Some of them even talk about placing their bets...
Perhaps this was a common occurrence in the guild hall? I'm definitely f*cked!
I panic inside, casting him a sly smile of deterrence. "Summon your women, wherever they're hiding," he chuckles, not falling prey to my imitations. He looks around for any sight of my "women", but what he doesn't know...is that she's not here at all.
Damnit, and just when Rosalina is far away from me! Who knows the strength level of this brute?!
"I don't need her, I'm enough to take you down," I say with fake arrogance, despite the turmoil I feel inside. The burly man only scowls, as he prepares his own stance. "Fine, then I'll withdraw my own women from this fight,"
A chill runs down my spine as I see what's in front of me...goodness...what did I do to deserve this?!