'Disgusting'
Ayaan crunched up his nose as he felt the pungent odor invade his senses. It felt like an attack on his olfactory nerves. The smell of rotten dead bodies and spoiled food… it is so bad, it felt like all the disgusting things are fermented together for a hundred years.
Ayaan opened his eyes and was greeted with a large expanse of Marsh. The land is covered in green. Not the good green of plans or fields, but rather the pungent and disgusting green similar to that of pus.
The visuals are much more disgusting compared to the smell.
He is still standing on the rooftop of the building. It is ruined, and even the stairway downstairs is destroyed, but it is there.
The sky is donned with the familiar blood moon. Only this time it is not as clear as before. The clouds of green are faintly obscuring it. In that large expanse of Marsh, Ayaan saw several ruined buildings and a bunch of trees that looked overgrown.
The trees are few and far away from each other. There is no patch of trees to create any woods in between.
Mostly it is an open field, with few places to hide. As he was observing, Ayaan felt a faint pull. Not to his body, but to his mind. He looked in a specific direction and his mind is instinctually telling him to go there.
He guessed that's the direction in which the said special item is located.
As he was looking around…
*RIBBIT* *RIBBIT*
He saw a figure of much darker green than the marsh standing a few meters away from the building. A humanoid figure. Dark green skin. Yellow eyes. A big head that made one squirm and of course it is frog-shaped.
The frogman held a rusted sword in his hand and wore leather armor. An armor that seemed to have been made from the skin of a scaly creature.
Level 1 Frogman [████████████████████] 100%
*RIBBIT* *RIBBIT*
That creature also looked at Ayaan who is standing on the building. After observing him for a moment…
*RIBBIT* *RIBBIT* *RIBBIT*
Its sound became intense as it ran towards him. It seemed like the resistance of the marsh had nothing on it.
After closing in on the building, the frogman crouched down a bit before jumping.
*SPLASH*
It jumped higher than the building and landed right in front of Ayaan.
Ayaan stepped back took out the combat knife and got ready to fight.
*RIBBIT*
The frogman lunged forward and slashed its sword. Ayaan's gaze became sharp. He observed every tiny movement of this creature.
The frogman swung its sword, but Ayaan dodged it easily.
'Fast'
'No Technique'
Those are the two things he noticed in that instance. The frogman is faster than he imagined, but its movements are predictable and its sword is barely there for show. It didn't have any technique.
*KEEN*
Ayaan blocked the sword with his knife, and deflected it to the side before stabbing it on the shoulder.
*RRRIIIII*
The frogman made a sound that could be the equivalent of its scream. The knife smoothly went into its shoulder making it drop the sword.
Ayaan kicked in on the knee making it fall.
[██████████████░░░░░░░░░] 70.0%
Before it could stand up, Ayaan went to its back and cut its throat.
[Exp +10]
[MP+1]
The frogman's body disappeared revealing the drops.
Obtained Rusty Sword*1
Obtained Slimy Gel*1
Obtained Crocodile leather armor(damaged)*1
He collected the three drops. At the same time, Ayaan took out his guns and magazines placing them in his holsters and pockets respectively. He decided to leave the inventory space empty.
He then checked the item details.
==============================
ITEM DETAILS
==============================
**Name:** Slimy Gel
**Type:** Raw Material/Consumable
**Grade:** Common
Upon processing, the gel can be used to make adhesive useful for making equipment. Can be applied to the body directly and increase the chance of blending in the Marsh.
The other two items are self-explanatory and they are unusable for him. But when Ayaan looked at the Slimy Gel details, he couldn't help but feel intrigued.
He was still wondering how he could take advantage of the Marsh terrain. The buildings are few and the same goes for the trees, he would have to fight everything head-on.
But the slimy gel gives him a chance here. This also helps him with the goal of leveling up.
He needs to gather more than 9000 Exp in this quest and level up to reach Level 3. He might have to spend a really long time here and he doesn't want to be defeated by the fatigue before he could achieve this goal.
For that, this slimy gel will come in handy with ambushes. He decisively applied the gel.
Ayaan walked to the edge and was about to climb down, when …
*RIBBIT* *RIBBIT*
Three more level 1 Frogmen jumped from below and came at him.
[Water Bullet]
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
Ayaan activated the skill and shot the three of them down.
Exp+30
MP+3
The level 1 frogmen are easy targets. Even in the hand-to-hand combat earlier, he didn't expend much effort. The water bullet is perfect to kill them. After all, one kill brings him One MP and it only takes the same amount to kill them.
He breaks even.
Ayaan got off the building and moved. The marsh is very dense. It didn't even feel like regular mud. But the serpent leather boots showed their effect here. The density of the marsh had little effect on him. He ran through it as if he is running on a plain road.
As he ran, he encountered more and more Level 1 Frogmen. They are not moving in groups and they are all scattered. They became easy targets for him. And with every passing second, that pull he had on his mind grew intense.
He knew that he was getting close to the first special item. Soon he saw it.
A large group of Frogmen surround a monster. A monster as big as a sedan car. Sam can see it.
Level 2 Swamp Crocodile [████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 20.0%
There are around twenty-five frogmen. Most of them are Level 1. But there is one monster among them that caught Ayaan's eye.
Level 2 Frogmen Captain [██████████████████████] 100.0%
The captain of the frogmen group. One of the quest requirements. The frogmen captain jumped high into the air with their sword.
He landed on top of the crocodile and impaled the sword in its crowd, killing it on the spot.
The crocodile's body hasn't disappeared in neon lights. Instead, it just lay there in the swamp. The frogmen started cutting up and soon dug out its heart. The captain took out a weird-looking cylindrical glass jar with some green liquid inside it.
He placed the heart inside.
Only after that did the crocodile's body disappear.
Ayaan's gaze is locked on that very heart. Because that heart the moment it was taken out is glowed brightly with a red hue. Almost as if the system is afraid he wouldn't notice it. It stood out like a sore thumb in the world of green he was standing in.
That is the special item of the quest.
Ayaan watched as the frogmen team got ready to move. At the same time, he also sensed that weird pull from other directions. It seemed like the other frogmen captains also acquired the items. He didn't have too much time.
He looked at the surroundings and took out the mutant sword.
*SWOOSH*
With a single swipe, the branch of a tree behind which he was hiding fell into the swamp.
*SPLASH*
The loud splash attracted the attention of the frogmen. However, when they turned around, they couldn't see anyone.
The frogmen captain looked in the direction.
*RIBBIT* *RIBBIT* *RIBBIT*
The frogs rambled with that weird sound almost like they were conversing. After a few seconds, a group of five frogmen came towards the tree to check out. They couldn't see anything.
They turned around and were about to leave.
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
Three water bullets shot out of the swamp and hit the frogmen from behind, piercing their heads.
At the same time, Ayaan who was lying in the swamp kicked the remaining two frogs. The frogmen fell forward.
*SWOOSH* *SPLASH*
Ayaan shot them both as they fell into the swamp.
Throughout the five kills, Ayaan didn't even come out. He stayed underneath. It seemed like the slimy gel indeed worked well with the marsh environment. The frogmen captain froze on the spot.
*RIIBIT* *RIIBIT* *RIIBIT*
It appeared furious as it ordered the group and all remaining twenty frogmen slowly approached the area Ayaan was in.
When the reached the spot, they hurriedly used their rusty swords and spears to stab in the swamp.
*SPLASH* *SPLASH* *SPLASH*
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
[Exp+30]
[MP+3]
Three frogmen fell. The group turned to see that Ayaan is standing behind them. They didn't know how he got there, nor did they have enough brains to think about it.
The frogmen captain got furious and charged at him with the group.
*SWOOSH*
Ayaan shot a bullet towards it, but the captain dodged it with ease, only for the bullet to hit its subordinate behind.
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*
Ayaan shot it again, this time aiming at the chest. Both bullets missed. They didn't even hit the subordinates this time. At this range, the frogmen captain appeared to be agile.
Ayaan kept his cool and ran toward the crocodile's corpse. He jumped over it… *SPLASH*
The Frogmen captain followed him and jumped over, only to see that there is no one there. He seemed to have remembered what happened before and got ready to stab on the ground.
*SWOOSH*
A bullet flew up and scratched against its chest. The frogmen captain fell back.
[█████████████████████░] 90.0%
Ayaan started running again.
*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* He shot down the minions that chased him along with the captain. While the captain had enough agility and speed to dodge his attacks, the minions were basically sitting ducks in Ayaan's hands.
He shot them down pretty quickly.
Soon, only the captain is left in front of him.
Ayaan looked around before running towards a broken house nearby.
*RIBBIT* *SPLASH*
The captain jumped high into the air, covering all the distance in one leap. It landed right in front of Ayaan and swung its sword.
*SWOOSH*
Ayaan took out the Mutant sword and blocked the coming blade. He deflected it to the side and slipped past the captain, at the same time…
[Water Bullet]
A bullet struck the captain's chest at close range.
*SPLASH*
The frogmen captain fell into the swamp. Ayaan ran into the house and disappeared from sight.
*RIIBBIIIIIIT*
The captain got up with its chest bleeding profusely. It ran into the house and looked around.
*SWOOSH*
Another bullet hit the captain from the side in its frog head. It fell into the swamp again.
[███████████░░░░░░░░░░] 60.0%
The headshot worked very well. The captain seemed to have lost its sense. It shook its head wildly as it stood up. Its movements became a bit trippy and clumsy.
*SWOOSH*
Another bullet, this time it is aimed at its arm. A big hole appeared in the arm, making the captain drop their sword.
*SWOOSH*
[████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 20.0%
*RIBBIIIII* *RIBBIT*
Its voice became weaker and it is unable to move properly.
*SWOOSH*
Another shot, this time on its head.
Exp+100
MP+10
The captain's body disappeared and the drops came in there.
Obtained Crocodile leather armor(Damaged)*1
Obtained Slimy Gel*5
Obtained Black Iron Sword*1
Obtained Swamp Crocodile Heart(Quest item)*1
==============================
ITEM DETAILS
==============================
**Name:** Black Iron Sword
**Grade:** Uncommon
**Type:** Weapon (Sword)
**Durability:** 40/60
**Level Requirement:** None
==============================
The black iron sword is a pretty good weapon. He put them all in the inventory and checked the Swamp Crocodile
==============================
ITEM DETAILS
==============================
**Name:** Swamp Crocodile heart
**Grade:** Uncommon
**Type:** Quest Item ( Needs to be destroyed)
**Quest Requirement:** Destroy the Swamp Crocodile heart to ensure the General cannot perform the summoning. If not destroyed, the crocodile heart will attract all the frogmen across the Marsh
==============================
Ayaan observed the Swamp Crocodile heart, he can destroy it with one move. But its description made him think otherwise.
He looked at his level and the experience progress.
Since he appeared here, he killed forty four level 1 monsters and one level 2 monster. That is 144 Exp points. If he goes at the same pace, he might reach a couple of thousand experience points before he finishes the quest.
Assuming that the general is level 3, he might get another thousand points extra.
But to reach level 3, he needs more than 8000 points. He really couldn't understand how the system even set up such an absurd level up process.
Level 2 creature only gives 100 Exp. But to get to Level 2 from Level 1, a player needs a 1000 Exp.
Unless someone goes above and beyond in the tutorial, achieving level 2 is almost impossible in the first quest. Same with the level 3 in the second quest.
To progress, he needs to get as many kills as possible and he decided to keep this heart with him. He tried to put it in the inventory, but he couldn't.
Ayaan carried the heart with him ran towards the next destination. He could sense that the next special item is not that far away from him.