Alex dives into the giant maw leading him deep underground, as one of the earliest candidates to enter. To his surprise, after only a few minutes of climbing down, he spots several lights. It appears that Gel and her fellow examiners have prepared the underground area for the examinees. Alex sees several large floodlights illuminating the very bottom of the cavernous space, providing a broad field of vision in the open area. The light makes Alex feel safe, knowing that any beasts, animals, or whatever might lurk down here would be immediately exposed if it tried to enter this zone, creating a safe area for all candidates. He scans his surroundings for cameras and believes he spots one. I guess her warning was at least partially true! he thinks. I shouldn't attack other players… at least not in an area like this.
Alex quickly notices several side passages where the spacious underground area narrows, leading into a dense network of dark tunnels. The light from the floodlights doesn't reach that far; the further away from the starting point, the darker it gets, until eventually, visibility fades completely.
To his further surprise, despite the desolate island above, numerous underground plants thrive in this cave. The area feels less like a barren, rocky cave and more like a dense jungle. He checks his [Destiny Watch] and notes the extreme heat of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and the high humidity. Is there an underground volcano nearby? he wonders. No wonder there are so many plants around; it feels like a tropical island down here.
Upon reaching the cavern floor, he spots a few crates stocked with simple flashlights, clearly intended for candidates to take.
Well-prepared, Alex already has multiple light sources in his inventory, so he isn't scared by the darkness. In fact, he finds it almost routine. This is the second damn cave I'm exploring, he thinks. At least I have some experience now!
He attaches the same lamp he used in the cave near Tribaio Village in the Sinerva Forest to his belt and heads north, assuming the cave entrance is positioned slightly south of the island's center and that the area to the north might be more expansive.
As he switches on his lamp and strides away from the underground entrance, he imagines the scenario: if hundreds of candidates enter this same area, they'll likely drive away any nearby beasts. With no targets to hunt, I won't be able to obtain any rare poison. I need to get away fast and set up a trap ahead! I may never get an opportunity like this again!
Despite the darkness and unfamiliar terrain, Alex decides to take a bold risk. He sprints through the shadows, raising his [Shield of Pluto] to protect himself from potential impacts. Ignoring the finer details of his surroundings, he prioritizes speed over caution, focused on seizing his chance to prepare in the subterranean depths.
After twenty minutes, Alex finds an ideal spot for his trap. Ahead lies a medium-sized area where multiple tunnels converge, filled with giant stalagmites and stalactites. The steady sound of water dripping from the ceiling echoes, amplifying the eeriness of the place. Moving quickly, Alex sets up a tripwire system with small bells attached—a method he's used before, though it didn't yield results last time. But here, he counts six tunnels leading into the clearing. So many entrances mean a high likelihood that other examinees will wander into this spot. He thinks, With the speed I moved, it'll probably take any cautious candidates hours to reach this point. I'll set up the bells, scout the surroundings, and be ready to execute my plan!
Once he finishes setting the bell traps, Alex moves further into the underground, now progressing at a brisk but vigilant pace, not wanting to be caught off guard. He pushes deeper into this newly discovered zone, confident that the entrances he just trapped are well guarded.
As he navigates around a massive stalagmite—a towering structure that, thanks to the abundance of strange underground plants, almost resembles a huge tree—he senses movement just ahead. He quickly retreats as three enormous yellow toads leap out from behind the dense foliage, each one towering over him. Their yellow bodies ripple with wave-like patterns that help them blend seamlessly with the surrounding plants and similarly colored terrain. Alex instantly senses that these creatures are poisonous. Naturally, they're poisonous, he thinks, catching a faint, poisonous smell in the air. Perfect. Let's give them a fitting introduction!
Acting on instinct, Alex casts a large-area "Thunder" spell, reasoning that these amphibious creatures, accustomed to watery environments, won't handle electricity well.
You have dealt 41 damage to Giant Yellow Wave Frog
You have dealt 44 damage to Giant Yellow Wave Frog
You have dealt 42 damage to Giant Yellow Wave Frog
You have stunned Giant Yellow Wave Frog
The spell hits all three frogs, the electrical surge stunning one of them momentarily. With a quick, practiced motion, Alex conjures Mustrano's Malice Mauler lvl 3 and immediately lunges at the frog to his left, which is still completely stunned from the spell.
Drawing his fingers close together, he forms a deadly, sharp weapon resembling Killua's transformed hand, capable of piercing flesh and bone. With one decisive strike, he drives his dark, clawed hand deep into the toad's head, feeling his claws cut through tissue and bone, sinking halfway into the creature's brain. A shudder passes through the frog as its life slips away.
You have dealt 51 x 3 = 153 damage to Giant Yellow Wave Frog
You have killed Giant Yellow Wave Frog
The other two frogs, seemingly aware of their comrade's demise, seize the opportunity to leap high into the air. They land on the side of a nearby stalagmite, then use their powerful legs to propel themselves toward a thick bush. Moments later, Alex hears a loud splash, signaling some kind of small lake or body of water behind the foliage.
Without delay, Alex pulls out an empty vial and a knife, swiftly cutting open the fallen frog. He remembers that poison dart frogs secrete their toxins through their skin, but this frog has dry, rough skin instead. Though his instincts told him it was poisonous, he needs to confirm it. Carefully, he cuts into the frog, focusing around its mouth, where he finds several glands that look like they could hold venom. Gently pressing one, he squeezes a few drops of poison into the vial. After doing the same with the other glands, the vial is filled with a bright yellow liquid tinged with green. The system even registers the poison.
[Giant Yellow Wave Frog Poison]
World: Hunter x Hunter
Quality: Deep Green
Effect: Contains the toxin of a Giant Yellow Wave Frog. The frog uses its barbed tongue, connected to numerous poison glands, to infect its victims with a potent venom. This poison not only paralyzes but also causes the victim's organs to shut down if not treated within a few hours.
Alex, pleased with this early success, thinks, One out of five poisons covered! Not bad at all!
He continues scouting the area, his attention drawn to the murky water, where he spots the shapes of various fish and other creatures, though he can't make out details through the cloudy water.
Extra cautious now, aware of the dangerous creatures that could be lurking, he walks along the edge of the plant-covered pond. Suddenly, he spots a long, dark shape slithering under the water's surface. Snake! he immediately guesses.
Using the elements to his advantage again, he casts another "Thunder" spell, this time a more focused version aimed directly at the dark figure.
You have dealt 66 damage to 2 Headed Black Eel
You have killed 2 Headed Black Eel
What the—an eel? It's huge! That thing looks disgusting… Alex mutters to himself, realizing that in murky water, eels can look a lot like snakes. Might be useful, though. Aren't eels sometimes poisonous? I think it's in their blood…
Deciding to take advantage of this find, he retrieves the dead eel and moves to a safer spot where he won't be caught off guard. Carefully, he slices off one of the eel's heads, letting its dark blood flow into another vial.
[Two Headed Black Eel Poisonous Blood]
World: Hunter x Hunter
Quality: Light Green
Effect: Contains the poisonous blood of a Two Headed Black Eel. This poison can be easily neutralized once it's heated to a certain point. Although not lethal, it's still very dangerous, attacking the victim's nerves and causing involuntary twitching if exposed to a high concentration.
Alex, well-equipped with more than the five vials they were initially allowed to take, decides to fill an additional ten small vials with blood, figuring the item will likely be valuable back in the Realm. I still need to acquire resources to bring back to the Realm to earn FC, he reasons. It would be foolish to ignore this Light Green item right in front of me.
Satisfied with his bounty, Alex moves forward, but then he hears a faint, unmistakable bell sound in the distance. He immediately realizes, Someone's entered one of the areas where I set up my traps!
Without hesitation, Alex backtracks toward the exit, employing the same tactics as the frogs by using the towering stalagmites and thick plants as cover. Soon he spots multiple lights moving through the cavern. A smirk spreads across his face as he recognizes them. Hehe, I can't wait to see how this plays out!
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