After weeks of intense training, guzzling recovery potions, and eating hearty, strengthening meals, he finally felt him self a lot stronger. He stretched and sighed with satisfaction.
DING!
New Quest: The Lost Treasure – Find the Lost Treasure.
Travel to the coordinates [36.74, 54.21] and uncover the Lost Treasure.
The title piqued his interest. Pulling a map from his inventory, he traced the quest's coordinates. It pointed to a part of the sewers on the city's outskirts. Without wasting time, he made his way to the location. The sewers, tucked away on the edge of Noviak, were only accessible through a rusted grate hidden near the city's outskirts. Ryuichi grabbed a rope and swiftly descended through the grate, his thief's agility allowing him to slip between the bars.
"Here we go," he murmured, eyes scanning the magical waste flowing into the canal. The liquids shimmered in vibrant colors, remnants of discarded spells.
Ryuichi moved through the sewers with practiced grace, each step silent, his senses sharp. Like most rogues, he had mapped this labyrinth long ago. The damp, foul-smelling tunnels beneath the bustling marketplace were a second home, and every turn was burned into his memory. Now, the map's glowing coordinates pulled him forward, leading him to a part of the sewer he rarely visited.
When he arrived, he stopped in his tracks. His sharp eyes locked onto a jagged hole in the thick stone wall ahead.
"Well, that wasn't there before," he thought, narrowing his gaze as he crouched closer to inspect it.
The wall was no ordinary construction—reinforced with metal bars and protection runes, it was clearly designed to withstand both magic and brute force. Yet something had torn through its four-foot thickness, leaving raw edges and faint scorch marks. Slipping through the hole, he found himself in what looked like a vault. His eyes scanned the small, square room.
"This is one of the auction house's vault! but how did something break threw this wall?"
His gaze landed on a golden chest sitting at the center of the room, gleaming faintly in the dim light. The grin that spread across his face was instant.
"Here comes the money, baby!" he said under his breath, his voice laced with cocky excitement.
Approaching the chest, his steps were slow but deliberate. His rogue instincts told him to tread lightly—it was never this easy. This vault was any thief's dream, to rob such a place, it would require a miracle. The chest was there with its intricate carvings glimmering with faint magical energy. But as his fingers reached out to touch the cool, golden surface, a low, guttural growl froze him in place.
"Fuck," he thought, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes darted toward the dark corner of the room. As he looked at the beast what he seen in his mind what this was.
Mutant Orc – Elite
Level: 20
The creature let out a ferocious growl, its misshapen body dripping with toxic waste. Ryuichi's hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his dagger. The Orc's bloodshot eyes glistened with savage rage, a thirst for destruction. Standing over three meters tall, its hulking form was a grotesque mix of poorly healed wounds, oozing with dark green pus, and scales that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Its massive clawed hands gripped a monstrous iron mace, jagged with spikes and stained with dried blood. The beast dragged it menacingly, its every step resonating with a sickening thud as it inched toward Ryuichi.
Panic surged through Ryuichi's veins. His heart pounded like a war drum, and the weight of fear clouded his mind. He couldn't shake the aura of invincibility that clung to the creature, the crackling residue of corrupted magic swirling in the air, strengthening the troll's malevolent presence. He stared at the creature's bulging muscles, swollen with dark magic.
Ryuichi froze as the Mutant Orc lumbered into the dim light, its grotesque body oozing thick, toxic sludge. The crimson glow of its bloodshot eyes pierced the darkness, and its jagged mace dragged along the stone floor, carving deep grooves and sending shards of stone scattering. The rancid stench of its presence filled the air, turning Ryuichi's stomach.
"Stay calm," the spirit's voice hissed in his mind, sharp and mocking. "You've got one shot at this. Don't screw it up. Move!"
The orc's mace swung in a brutal arc, narrowly missing Ryuichi as he dove to the side, activating Spectral Walk just in time. His body dissolved into shadows, slipping soundlessly behind the beast.
"Good. Now, strike the heart. Go for Dark Strike!"
Ryuichi materialized from the void, his dagger flashing as it plunged deep into the orc's chest. The blade hit with a sickening crunch, dark, viscous blood erupting from the wound. The orc howled in pain, its bellow rattling the room like thunder. Spinning wildly, the creature's jagged claws raked across Ryuichi's side, slicing through his leather armor and drawing a deep, burning gash.
"Focus, idiot!" the spirit snapped as Ryuichi stumbled back, clutching his bleeding side. "Coat your blade—venom it. Slow this thing down before it rips you apart!"
Gritting his teeth, Ryuichi smeared Scorpion's Venom onto his blade, his movements shaky but determined. The orc charged, its mace swinging downward with bone-crushing force. Ryuichi barely rolled out of the way, the impact sending shards of stone slicing into his exposed arms.
With a feral yell, Ryuichi slashed at the orc's thigh, the venom sinking deep into its muscles. The beast roared again, its movements faltering as its legs stiffened. Toxic green blood oozed from the wound, hissing as it splattered onto the floor.
"Now, go for the knees. Weak spot. Hit it hard!"
Ryuichi darted in close, his dagger slicing across the back of the orc's knee with all his strength. The blade tore through sinew and cartilage, a sickening crack echoing as the orc's leg gave out. The creature collapsed, its mace slipping from its claws with a deafening clatter.
But even crippled, the orc lashed out in fury, swiping at Ryuichi with its claws. One caught his shoulder, tearing into flesh and sending pain searing through his body. Blood dripped down his arm as he stumbled, gasping for air.
"Get up!" the spirit barked. "It's almost over. You can't stop now. Shadow Stitch, finish it!"
Ignoring the pain, Ryuichi forced himself forward, his blade glinting in the faint light as he drove it into the orc's neck. The creature's body spasmed violently as the Shadow Stitch took hold, invisible threads of agony locking its muscles in place. Ryuichi gritted his teeth, slashing and stabbing repeatedly, blood spraying with every strike. The orc's blood poured out in thick, steaming rivers, painting the floor in a grotesque mosaic.
Finally, Ryuichi leaned over the trolls face and put his dagger to his throat to slice deep all around it, with a guttural choke, the orc's massive frame slumped forward, crashing lifelessly into the stone floor. Its blood pooled around Ryuichi's feet.
Ryuichi walk away from the orc and dropped to his knees, his chest heaving as he clutched his bleeding side materializing a healing potion to drink it. His arms trembled, his vision swimming from exhaustion and pain as smoke was fuming from his wounds healing them shut giving him a new skin as fresh as it was before.
"Barely," the spirit sneered, its voice dripping with amusement. "But you survived. Not bad for a rookie."
Then, a familiar sound chimed in his head.
You have gained 2,000 experience points.
Bonus "Solo": +500 experience points.
Bonus "Elite": +1,500 experience points.
Ding!
Level 21
As the notification cleared, Ryuichi headed for the chest leaping as the neurological pain had not yet left his mind. Inside, a set of armor gleamed, whispering of the shadows it had seen.
-----
Armor Set: Shadows of the Blade Master (Rare)
Required Level: 20
[Hood of the Shadow Master]
+30 Agility
+15 Endurance
Increases stealth by 5% when in shadows.
[Breastplate of the Dancing Shadows]
+40 Agility
+20 Endurance
Reduces ranged attack damage by 2%.
[Gloves of the Dark Weaver]
+25 Agility
+10 Endurance
Increases melee attack speed by 5%.
[Leggings of the Shadow Sculptor]
+35 Agility
+18 Endurance
Increases movement speed by 10% when in stealth.
[Boots of the Stealthy Shadow]
+25 Agility
+10 Endurance
Reduces footstep noise by 5%.
Set Bonuses
2/5: Shadow Venom: Your poisoned attacks deal an additional 15 damage over 8 seconds.
4/5: Embrace of Shadows: Each critical hit heals you for 2% of the damage dealt.
5/5: Veil of Shadows: When the set is complete, you become invisible for 3 seconds upon landing a fatal blow, and your next attack deals additional shadow damage.
-----
Ryuichi's eyes widened. "This... this is incredible," he whispered to himself, inspecting the rare gear. But beneath the armor, something else gleamed. A small, ornate box. With cautious fingers, Ryuichi pried it open, and his breath caught in his throat. Inside was a fortune—500 gleaming gold coins, each shining with an almost unnatural glow.
"That's... 500 gold coins!" he exclaimed, stunned. It seemed unreal, a fortune beyond his wildest dreams. "I could pay raid school fees..." he murmured, still in shock, staring at the mountain of wealth before him.