Upon entering the hut, I saw the Elder's massive body stretched out.
He seemed to be snacking on some kind of caramelized insect. I chose to pretend I hadn't seen the scene and turned my gaze away.
"Elder, I completed the task. Here are the items," I announced, pulling out the boss's hide and the others I had collected. The mission required a total of 80 iron mongoose pelts, and I had acquired 89. While it wasn't significantly above average, it was still satisfactory.
"An excess of pelts, and you even fought the boss," he remarked, visibly surprised as he looked at me. "You defeated it without a party? Alone?"
"Yes," I replied casually, though it had been an incredibly challenging battle. It was only feasible due to the not-so-large level gap, the effects of my titles, my dual-elemental magic, and the bonuses from my racial lineages.
Still, I didn't let it get to my head. While not a rule, I was certain there were other players equally skilled.
"Well, excellent work. Here's the item," he said, pulling out an ancient wooden tablet that seemed to have been hidden under a scale. He handed it to me.
It was a small wooden token. At its center were carvings of vines, pools of water, and a naga limb alongside a massive serpent. There were also inscriptions in the naga language, which I was unable to understand.
< Token of Stay – Ophi Village >
Additionally, he said, "You seem to use a whip. Unfortunately, our tribe doesn't craft such weapons, but this might be useful to you."
He handed me a pair of boots.
The boots were made of slightly different blue and green scales than other nagas'. There was also a light use of leather along the sides, and a beautiful symbol etched into part of the design.
.....
Item: Token of Stay – Ophi Village
Rank: Normal
Type: Identification
Effect:
Grants permission to reside in Ophi Village. Increases reputation with the naga race, making initial interactions non-hostile.
Description: A wooden token crafted by the Elder of Ophi Village, infused with one of his scales and a trace of his mana to recognize the owner.
.....
Item: Naga Scale Boots
Rank: Unique
Type: Equipment
Effect:
Increases water element resistance and affinity by 5%. Increases poison resistance by 5%. Allows the wearer to walk on water at the cost of mana.
Description: Boots crafted by the artisans of Ophi Village using old naga scales and light magical enchantments. They are said to be one of the naga race's favored trade goods.
.....
Walking on water wasn't particularly interesting for me, given my water tribe beast-kind lineage. However, the increased resistance was appealing. I slipped the boots on, jumping a few times to adjust to them. Luckily, they fit well and had a unique coolness from the water element, which I found pleasant.
"Thank you for the support and hospitality, Elder," I said.
"Of course, child. I hope your time here is satisfying," he replied warmly. I smiled and bowed to him.
With that done, I needed to rent one of the vacant small houses, as it would serve as a base and resting spot.
…
In the end, Joey offered me a place to stay with him.
His house wasn't very large, but since he was single, there was enough space.
It consisted of a small living room with simple furniture, a modest kitchen with a bamboo-like counter, and two bedrooms—his and an extra one for me. My room had a small wardrobe and a simple mattress with a blue blanket.
"Well, it's not the best, but it should do. The mattress is stuffed with feathers from western wind birds, making it soft and comfortable to sleep on, and the sheet is crafted from a special leaf found here and carefully woven," Joey explained, somewhat embarrassed but still confident.
"Thank you. It's perfect! Are you sure I don't need to pay anything?" I asked.
Though the village primarily relied on bartering, they also used universal gold coins.
"No. I like you. Consider it an investment and a vote of confidence," he replied, his naga kindness evident in both his face and tone.
I thanked him again. After arranging my things in the room, I laid down to "sleep"—or rather, to log out of the game.
…
In the real world, I stretched lightly and took a warm shower. The water cascaded down my muscles, warming and soothing them. My slightly long hair fell to the sides as the droplets trickled down.
After the shower, I wrapped a red towel around my waist and grabbed a glass of orange juice I had prepared earlier.
At the same time, I received a call.
"Hi, Livia. How are you?"
"Friend!! How's the start of the game going?" Her excited voice filled the call.
I explained briefly, mentioning my half-breed Beast-kind lineage, my location in the southern continent, and the tribe I had encountered. I avoided going into detail about my class, only hinting that it was unique and allowed me to wield two elemental magics.
"And you?" I asked, smiling as I sat in a chair, letting the sun dry my skin.
"Well, I'm in the central continent. As you know, I'm a support class… a special one that will shine later on. But you'll only find out if you meet me!" she teased.
Ignoring her playful mystery, I noted that she was already with her guild—a well-known elite guild led by a slightly insane sibling duo famous for their combat prowess, particularly the vice leader, a notorious battle junkie.
"Are you planning to join the guild?" she asked, her voice eager.
"Not yet. Maybe if I reach the central continent. By the way, does your guild have any members in the southern continent?" I asked curiously.
"Unfortunately, no. As you know, we're a small guild. We prioritized the central continent, leaving just one or two in other regions. But the South is empty."
"I see," I replied indifferently, shrugging.
We chatted a bit more. Livia shared some tips and information, and after wrapping up, I checked various forums and networks.
One intriguing post featured silhouettes of Divine Turtle Dragons in the eastern continent's oceans, hidden in mist. The player who captured the images claimed they tried to get closer but were killed by sea monsters.
The vast oceans, along with the distant islands, were perilous.
Fascinated by the mysterious images yet far from exploring them, I shut down my computer and took a short nap.