After his intense battle with the red-eyed rabbits, Su Bai couldn't shake off the feeling of euphoria coursing through him. The astonishing damage he had dealt, especially that 467-point critical hit, had opened his eyes to the potential of his abilities. As he continued to hunt the red-eyed rabbits and gather their eyes, he pondered the mechanics behind his recent victories.
"Could it be a hidden mechanism for dealing lethal damage?" he mused. He couldn't wait to test this theory against other monsters.
Determined to press on, Su Bai navigated through the dense forest toward the habitat of the coral snakes. He was aware of the risks that lay ahead but felt prepared, especially after leveling up and honing his skills in the recent skirmish.
Not long after, he arrived at the edge of the coral snake's territory. The air was thick with tension as he cautiously peered through the tall grass. There it was—a sleek, over two-meter-long snake, its black body accented with a silver ring. Su Bai felt a twinge of apprehension.
"This will be a real test," he thought, focusing on the creature. He opened his character panel to assess the snake's stats, taking a deep breath as he did.
[Coral Snake]
Level: 3
HP: 800
Damage: Physical Attack 29
Skill: Poison Injection
"A fierce viper... and those fangs don't sound fun," Su Bai noted. The snake's Poison Injection skill could be a serious threat if he wasn't careful.
After ensuring the coral snake was alone, he stepped out, waving his hand to catch its attention. "Come here!" he called, taunting the snake.
The coral snake hissed, its cold eyes locking onto Su Bai. It lunged forward, moving far faster than the rabbits he had encountered. Su Bai barely managed to evade its initial strike, but it quickly wrapped its tail around his ankle.
With a swift motion, he drew his sword and struck at the snake's tail.
-193
The attack connected, but he sensed danger as the snake retaliated, sinking its fangs into his leg.
-21
Su Bai winced, feeling a wave of poison rush through him. Quickly, he consumed a health potion, shaking off the sting of pain as he prepared to strike again.
He swung his sword, aiming for the snake's vulnerable spots.
-153
Frustration set in when he failed to land a critical hit, but he remembered that to succeed, he had to be patient and wait for the right moment to attack its weak point.
When the coral snake lunged once more, he deftly dodged to the side. The snake's attack left it momentarily exposed, and Su Bai seized the opportunity.
-957 · Fatal!!!
A massive critical hit struck the coral snake's head, and it collapsed, lifeless.
"So it is possible to trigger fatal damage by hitting a weak point after the monster has lost some health," he concluded, catching his breath.
As he inspected the corpse, he noticed an unusual item among the drops—a small, ethereal ring that emitted a faint silver glow.
"Could this really be an equipment drop?" he wondered, excitement bubbling within him. He carefully picked it up, noting its beauty and the colorful lights swirling within.
[???]
Grade: ???
Quality: ???
Category: Rings/Accessories
Attributes: ???
Details: A mysterious ring left behind in the jungle, swallowed by a coral snake.
The ring's attributes were obscured by question marks, indicating it was beyond his current understanding. "A hidden quest must be behind this ring," he deduced. "I need to ask the village chief for more information."
After collecting several snake gall bladders, Su Bai felt a surge of energy as he leveled up once more. Confidently, he allocated his points to strength, excited at the thought of his growing power. After his new power boost, this is what his new status looked like:
ID: White Night
Level: LV3
Occupation: Apprentice Warrior
Health: 200 (100 + 100 for leveling up)
Energy: 50
Strength: 58 (20 base + 15 from the title + 23 from the sword + 5 attribute points assigned)
Physique: 10
Damage:Physical Attack: 120 (45 base + 75 from the sword)
Defense:Physical Defense: 10Magical Defense: 5
Skills:
Explore (Basic)
Steady Strike (Basic)
Free Attribute Points: 0
After allocating the free points, Su Bai felt a surge of energy as he leveled up again. It was worth mentioning that the Celestial Cloud sword, along with its level promotion, also reached LV3.
Celestial Cloud Sword
Grade: LV3
Quality: Silver
Category: Weapon
Attributes:Strength +23Intelligence +8
Damage:Physical Attack: +75Magic Attack: +18
Special Attribute:Water Attribute Enhancement: +16
Special Bonus:Water Attribute Attack
Special Damage:7% additional damage from Water Attribute on hit
Weapon Skills:Mystical frozen cloud, Endless Icy Cloud
Affix:It is rumored that this sword was once a cloud in the Divine Realm. It fell to the mortal world and was forged by a master smith.
[Note]: This weapon will grow with the player's level, up to level 10.
Feeling comfortable, Su Bai turned off the panel and prepared to return to Novice Village. After arriving in the wild, the information on the map opened. The tailor and bartender's task was to enter the level 5 area.
"I have to be cautious; it's better to go back and prepare more potions."
"By the way, I can also hand over the blacksmith's task and the village chief's task to explore the situation of the ring." Su Bai made his way back to Novice Village, the excitement of his newfound power making him almost forget the calm surroundings of the village. Despite the absence of other players, the NPCs moved about, maintaining the village's serene ambiance.
Su Bai headed to the village blacksmith to deliver the next order. The workshop bell rang softly as he opened the door, and the scent of warm metal and oil permeated the air. The blacksmith, a sturdy man with calloused hands and a shaggy beard, looked up as Su Bai entered.
"Ah, young warrior! Did you bring what I asked for?" the blacksmith asked, his voice booming like a hammer on an anvil.
"Yes, here you go," Su Bai replied, handing over the red-eyed rabbit eyes he had collected. The blacksmith examined them with interest, his own eyes shining with excitement.
"Excellent! These are worth their weight in gold," the blacksmith said, smiling. "Here's your reward."
Su Bai gained 300 experience points and 3 silver coins. His experience bar shot up, increasing by 30%. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he felt himself getting closer to leveling up.
"Do you need help with anything else?" Su Bai asked, always on the lookout for the next opportunity to grow.
The blacksmith shook his head. "No, nothing at the moment. But if something comes up, I'll let you know."
Su Bai walked out of the workshop, feeling the world around him move forward, every moment filled with potential. It was clear this game was different from others he had played. Each mission felt unique, without the repetitive grind he was used to.
With a light sigh, Su Bai headed to the village chief's house. However, before he could get close, he noticed the village chief's grandmother moving back and forth in a hurry. His heart raced as he saw that the village chief had recognized him and was running toward him.
"Warrior! Did you bring what I asked for?" The excitement in the village chief's voice was clear.
"Uh, yes, here you go," Su Bai replied, handing over the coral snake gall bladder. The village chief's face lit up when he received it.
"Fantastic! Here's your reward."
Su Bai gained 200 experience points, raising his progress bar to 50%. He felt one step closer to reaching his goal.
However, as the village chief turned around and hurriedly entered his house, Su Bai felt a surge of frustration. "Er… village chief!" he called out, trying to get his attention, but the chief was already gone.
Unwilling to leave, Su Bai stood by the door, convinced that there was more to discover. It was the perfect time to investigate the mysterious ring he had found.
Su Bai opened his inventory, his fingers trembling slightly as he retrieved the ring. As he held it, an unearthly glow surrounded him. The inside of the ring seemed to come to life, illuminated by a light that flickered like a flame in the wind.
"What is this?" Su Bai muttered, intrigued.