NOVEL SIMPLE V1 Chapter 7: Deep Woods
- 1st Person POV (MC)
-Present Time-
“Okay let’s see what requests I have.”
Freshly out from the adventurer’s guild, I sat on the free benches on Frontera’s streets while my hands hovered over the Quest section of the system and went to the sub-tap ‘Adventurers Request’.
In it, there are 10 Requests listed as I re-checked what I took. To make sure I didn’t bite more than what I could chew. After all, it’s better to complete it than try too hard & still fail.
-System-
[Gather 10 Vitality Herbs, Stamina Herbs, or Mana Herbs]
[Gather 10 Wild berries]
[Slay 10 Goblins]
[Slay 10 Forest Wolves]
[Gather 10 Iron Ores]
[Gather 5 Flawed Jewels]
[Discover A ‘Field’]
[Gather 2 Goblin Ears]
[Gather 2 Forest Wolves Fangs]
[Slay 1 Boss]
-System-
90% of those quests, I can somewhat handle except the Boss. The reason I took it is because I don’t know if I can solo it. In other games, there are modes for solo bosses but maybe this particular game needs to be in a party of four.
I distinctly remember playing MMORPG which has dungeon diving, trials, and the like. Shrugging my shoulders, I decided to not think too deeply and chose to prepare for the worst scenario.
As such, I decided to quickly visit the magic item shop as I had heard the news that the magic item shop sells related stuff for Mage & Priest classes. While the blacksmithing shop sells the others.
With my current money, it is enough to purchase two things; one is equipment a robe to be exact that covers my chest piece and leggings slot. Then a staff for me to use.
-System-
[Beginner’s Mages Robe (Common)]
Description: A simple robe designed for utmost comfort during travelling. It offers no defence. When worn, slightly increase Passive MP Regeneration.
[Beginner’s Mages Staff (Common)]
Description: A sleek elegant staff, it seems to channel magical power from the tree it was made of. When worn, slightly increase INT.
-System-
Granted, the staff cost about 60% of the budget. I wouldn’t mind having those kinds of effects in my arsenal. Increasing my DPS and MP regen is always good for a mage class.
Armour slots in this game are pretty simple! You have headgear, chest pieces, leggings, and shoes. Then two accessories slots which can be bracelets, earrings, necklaces, or rings.
The robe replaces my tunic as I still wear the starter breeches and leather shoes.
Moving on, I used the map feature to locate where I was and quickly went to the nearest path towards Deep Woods. Once I discover them through the book, it is listed on my map, and also underneath the name of the Area, there’s a level range of 2-10, most likely the monsters there are around those levels.
“Hmm~ Hmmm~”
I hummed while walking in Frontera’s streets. The environment of this game is quite lively almost... ‘Real’ like in a real-life sort of way. Not uncannily creepy rather I feel like I can live in this sort of world.
(“Not a bad choice to be honest...”)
Oh! There it is... in front of me, I see a gateway towards the outside as per usual two guards are stationed on each side of the gate. Although hidden from the helmet they wore, I can feel intense stares coming from them.
Huh... Did.. did they nod at me? In a hurry, I nod back as I march toward the Deep Wood direction.
Once I left the city, what greeted me was a beaten road toward somewhere I didn’t know. On my right is a vast open field where farmers are, I can see windmills here and there.
On my left side, lies another beaten road towards a line of dark-looking trees. Comparing that to my map. The left path is leading towards the Deep Woods.
Following on, I noticed players all wearing different clothing and also wandering around. They seemed to be at a higher level but still marched toward the Deep Woods.
This gave me a hunch, that across the Deep Wood area. There will be other areas that are higher level.
--
It takes a good 10 minutes, which in real life the trek itself would’ve been half a day’s worth of time. Judging by how far it would be.
Looking up, I see the sun begin to tilt from afternoon peak. Which makes me wonder...
(“What is the cycle of night & day in this game?”)
Still, that question left unanswered, I began to steer off to the side of the road as what other players did.
As the name suggests, the entirety of the Deep Woods area is lush thick greenery. Unlike what I have experienced in that temple, the trees here are much shorter, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
“KIEEEEEEEE!” -Goblin-
What was that? It’s a loud high-pitched shriek coming from that direction...
My head whipped fast to the source of that sound as I saw nothing amidst the greenery of this place.
*FWOSH*
A quick glint of light and a blurry shadow emerged from one of the bushes which made me stand on high alert.
Already putting my staff in sideways ready to swing if ‘that’ gets too close plus I have my {Spell) ready & memorized.
*RUSTLE*
“[Shield]!!”
As if in instinct, I blurted that word once I heard another rustle closer to my ear. Some {Spell} have incredibly fast cast time perfect for emergencies. In a fraction of a second, the {Spell} takes effect.
Once I said the ‘Keyword’, a half-circular dome was erected all around me.
*BAM* *Crackle*
My eyes go wide as I see the tip of a spear at the other end of the barrier, wielded by a green-skinned creature.
“KIEEE!!!” -Goblin-
It appears to be struggling to push its spear through the barrier.
“Okay...”
[Shield] a good spell I would say for a quick defensive measure. With a deep breath and calming my mind, I spin my staff with a flair, inspired by the female magician.
“[Frost Diver]!!!”
The cast bar appeared as it evenly filled up.
*BAM*
The shield fades when I slam the ground with the blunt end of the staff. The glowing blue light came right from it and a cold mist began to emerge once the cast bar had filled up. It vanishes and in an instant, a line spouts made out of spiky icicles and snowflakes directly toward the goblin.
“KIE? KII-“ -Goblin-
Once it made contact, the goblin was immediately sealed in a block of ice unable to move or act.
“Now is my chance!”
Taking that time, I began to swish my staff and point it right at the frozen goblin. Simultaneously, that is enough eye contact & observation for the goblin’s HP to be displayed on the panel.
-System-
[Goblin Lancer LV 5] HP: 98/100%
-System-
“[Lightning Bolt]!!”
The tip of my staff crackles with lightning as it shoots straight toward the frozen goblin breaking it apart to pieces.
(“[Frozen] enemies take extra damage from Wind and Physical damage. Let’s see how much damage it took.”)
My eyes glance sideways while keeping watch on the goblin that’s lying down. Its HP has dropped to 0% and as per usual, its body vanishes leaving behind glowing white spheres.
Once I collected them, my inventory got new additions. It’s clean for now, as I store everything in the ‘Safe Storage’.
I noticed its existence upon checking my Inventory several times. At first, I thought it was a new addition to my inventory space but turns out the title is different as it is labelled Safe Storage.
Thankfully, the information about it can be easily got from the books in the Adventurer’s Guild as they are.... how should I say, similar to tutorials but you need to actively read them or discover them on your own. The ‘Help,’ section tells you what skills, spells, and statuses are. The basic thing that every player knew, the rest can be learned from those books or experiences.
Safe Storage is an unlimited inventory where you can store whatever things you have found & collected. In this game, if you die from a player attack. Your items will be dropped and the death penalty applies. My body shudders upon knowing this rule as PKers (Player Killers) would be overjoyed.
Fortunately, Items that are stored in Safe Storage cannot be dropped so it is a backup plan in case PK (Player Killing) happens to me. But! I couldn’t use it outside a ‘Safe Zone’. A safe zone is a place where players can log off prominent example is a City like Frontera
So, it’s imperative for me to quickly go to a safe zone whenever I get cool and rare items.
I checked on the item and I just got...
-System-
[Goblin Cloth Scrap (Common)]
Description: pieces of tattered leather
-System-
Ah! A miscellaneous item, like blue jelly and horned rabbit fur. Either for selling or crafting. I haven’t explored crafting yet so I decided to keep it.
Okay, my first hunt went well. As I check my request to kill goblin rises by 1. I decided to venture deeper.
Sometimes I heard shouts & sound effects in the forest knowing there were players around while walking deeper.
“Oh!!!! Found it.”
My lips curved upward in excitement & I wobbled forward to the object in sight. It is... a plant resembling parsley but its many leaves have rounded edges almost like a clover. Instead of the many tiny flowers at the top of its leaves, it bore small pink-coloured flowers that caught my attention in the first place.
I nodded to myself upon confirming that it was the very same kind as the compendium I had read. Crouching down, I stare at the plant for a few seconds or more until a *DING* can be heard.
-System-
[Vitality Herb (Common)]
Description: Bearing resemblance to parsley, it has clover-like leaves and pink flowers on the top of the plant. It grows everywhere but is mainly found in Deep Woods. When consumed slightly restore HP.
-System-
There we go, got the identification of it like that goblin. Now...
My eyes scan the surroundings as I notice more & more of these Vitality Herb. So, I begin collecting them, They are (common) after all so it is everywhere.
“Oh? What’s this?”
I have something new in my inventory besides the herb & goblin scraps.
-System-
[Vitality Herb Seed (Common)]
Description: A seed of Vitality Herb, maybe it can be grown.
-System-
I see... There is gardening in this game. Well, I’m going to keep it in my Safe after finishing all of the requests until I figure out how to do those.
*Rustle* *Rustle*
Heh... Just in the nick of time, I brandished my staff ready to attack where the source of the sounds are.
“[Icy Bolt]”
A spike made out of compacted ice formed in front of me and launched at the speed of a bullet right into the bush.
It hits something as a shadow emerges from it and runs straight at me. Thanks to my prior discovery of this, I knew what it was...
Another Goblin Lancer, as I extend my left hand quickly and cast.
“[Force]!!”
*BOOM*
A powerful kinetic energy came out from my hand and knocked the creature back to a tree before I began casting another spell.
Swinging my staff and pointing it towards the goblin I re-cast [Ice Bolt] and managed to finish it off.
--
“Huh... I finished slaying the goblin and Vitality Herb’s request. But where’s the rest like the forest wolves?”
I looked around the greeneries of this Deep Woods and my mind supplied the idea of thinking of going deeper. There might be tougher enemies but also other types of gathering goods.
So I marched on, paying special attention to any type of *Rustling* or flashes of a shadow amidst the trees. These goblins embodied the term ‘Ambushers’.
Slowly but surely, the noises made from other players died down or maybe it’s because I’m too far away from them?
Either way, this means I am indeed going deeper into the Deep Woods. My eyes go wide amidst the foliage of this forest & occasional beams of sunlight pierce through.
“There it is... looks like it but...”
It looks like Vitality Herb, which I gathered along the way even though I already have enough for the requests in hopes I get more seed.
This one is... similar to that herb but instead of having clover-like leaves it is rather, square-shaped. I mean... It is exactly like a green square which catches me off-guard. Its tiny flowers are bright yellow and I only see them growing underneath sunbeams that pierce through the foliage of this woods.
Doing the same action again, I stare at the item for some time until the notification hits me.
-System-
[Stamina Herb (Uncommon)]
Description: A variant version of Vitality Herb. It has square-shaped leaves and yellow flowers on the top of the plant. It only grows in Deep Wood and during the daytime. When consumed slightly restores energy.
-System-
Okay, might as well gather them till I get enough seed & item stack. I have discovered the maximum stack of an item is 99. Since I have 99 Vitality Herb in my inventory.
For the Stamina Herb though it’s a bit harder as I continue to gather them garnering some seeds for later if I discover a way to plant them.
-After travelling further-
“A boulder? How is it here?”
I tilt my head seeing a massive boulder amidst the trees. Until I take a closer look...
“Oh! This is a mining spot.”
Taking out my pickaxe from the inventory, I began hammering it to the boulder where the *Dings* and stones cracking could be heard. The pickaxe is free from my inventory and always accessible, I assume if I got PKed it won’t be dropped since I can’t even put that away into the Safe.
“Phew! It’s stamina draining...”
I sat down for a bit after hammering five times, the sensation of heaviness on my shoulder, stiffness, and soreness screamed at me to charge up before going again. It indicates my SP is in dire need to just rest.
In the meantime my inventory & request panel, I can see the Gather request for Iron Ores and Flawed Jewel increases.
(“This is where you get the jewels, I assume it’s a drop chance since out of five hits I only got 2 jewels.”)
Repeating the cycle five times, I see that the boulder’s shape changes as if a chunk is missing. Indicating I already dried out the iron veins. My requests for Iron Ores and Flawed Jewels are complete with one gathering spot. So that’s good.... plus extras for selling or crafting.
“Oh? It’s getting darker...”
I looked up noticing my vision grew dimmer. The golden light of the sun turns crimson from sunsets coupled with being inside a forest, it is shortens my field of view. Not much longer before I can’t see anything, so I decided to use something.
“[Light]!!”
One of the near-instant {Spell), I lightly tap my staff to the ground while saying the keyword of the {Spell} in doing so, the top part of its sleek design glowed in white light akin to a lamp.
“Now I can see better...”
With an approving hum, I decided to continue my move while taking extra care to not get ‘Ambushed’.
--
Huh... It appears Goblins didn’t come out during nighttime. As of now, darkness descends into this forest. Due to my illumination spell, it helps tremendously for me to watch over my surroundings.
I didn’t hear the all too familiar *Rustle* of the bush but rather... something else...
*AWOOOOOOO*
A howl made by a wolf echoes amidst the darkness. My skin tingles and I feel goosebumps all over.
Taking a deep breath, I let it all out in a single heave as I feel calmer & cautiously watch over my surroundings.
My staff-turned lamp provides adequate light to see further as I continue to trek.
“GRRRRR”
A growl? It’s behind me. Instantly, I turned back and saw a pack of wolves had already caught on in front of me.
Their mouth is covered by bubbling saliva & drools drop to the ground. Pointed fangs eager to taste me as their growls became louder.
(“There are 3 of them, each trying to flank my left & right while in the middle tries to corner me.”)
My brain turned to think of an escape, and I decided to use a spell to make that chance!
“[Flash]!!”
The tip of my staff suddenly dimmed while the cast bar was filling up in a split second and then glowed intensely as it finished filling up. I ducked my head to avoid blinding myself from the intense glow.
That moment of intense light, causes the wolves to whine as they are temporarily blinded. I dashed to the right side making sure I lined them up properly.
The light effect from my spell has disappeared, although vague I can still see where they are.
“[Flame Wave]!!”
(“If I remember correctly, Forest Wolves are weak against fire.”)
A cone of bright red hot flames ejected from my left hand and engulfed the three wolves in embers. This gives off light too as I can see what’s happening.
“KAIIINGGGG” -Wolves-
Blinded by the light and all of a sudden seared by intense heat. The wolves dropped down & rolled much more occupied in calming the fires down.
(“I see... so this is what they meant by weak to fire.”)
It has a special animation that stuns them when they receive fire damage. Realizing that I began casting several {Spell} in succession.
“[Fire Bolt]!!”
“[Fire Bolt]!!”
“[Fire Bolt]!!”
With a final whine, the wolves slumped on the ground & their body vanished revealing the very same white glowing spheres.
Upon gathering it, I got the item [Forest Wolf Fur (Common)]. Similar situation to the goblin too as I didn’t get their ears.
(“It must be a rare drop.”)
After the embers died down, this whole place only lightened up from the moon. Once the moon is shining bright above the skies.
Through the foliage, I see moonbeams where I continue to push forward or even walk in circles.
-An Hour has Passed-
“Am I walking in circles? I am sure I went this way...”
How odd... So far during traveling in the daytime I can see directions easily. Might be because of the night cycle of this game.
Nevertheless, besides the forest wolves & goblins.
This is quite... nice.
Chilly night winds sway the trees rustling their leaves. Moonbeams pierce through the foliage. Giving off the feeling of a tranquil night.
(“Hmm?”)
With a questioning hum, One particular intense moonbeam caught my attention. It shines toward a lonely plant.
“Wait... this is a Vitality Herb. Or?”
Extremely similar to the Vitality Herb, I came closer & began noticing small differences between the Stamina Herb.
Instead of clover leaves or square-shaped leaves. This one looks like a diamond and at the top of it lies the flowers. Rather than pink or yellow colour. The flowers are beautiful blue.
*Ding*
-System-
[Mana Herb (Rare)]
Description: A rarer variant version of Vitality Herb. It has diamond-shaped leaves and blue flowers on the top of the plant. It only grows in areas rich in Mana and during nighttime. When consumed slightly restores magical energy.
-System-
“Ah... I got awe-struck by the plant till the identification panel appeared.”
I began picking that one up, as it rested nicely in my inventory. Since I have identified that, it becomes easier to pick herbs apart from weeds.
(“Stamina Herbs don’t exist anymore in the night cycle but Vitality Herb still grows everywhere. Interesting...”)
This is only in the Deep Woods area. What about other areas? I wonder what kind of plants they’re growing or what kind of creature.
Granted this is an introduction to what players experience, but I suppose it’s already going in a good direction.
I sat to rest my SP and MP after making sure everything was safe for me to do so.
-Several Minutes Later-
“OY! ARE YOU LISTENING!!???” -Random Voice-
(“Huh?”)
It is a rough male voice, seemingly annoyed & angered by something or someone. My head tilts to the source of that sound and I deactivate my [Light] spell.
Hiding amidst the bushes, I poke my head out from one and check who’s screaming.
“Eh...?”