“Let’s check out the local guilds, I need me some golds.”
A large two-stories building located close to the town’s entrance, and it is called the Adventurer’s Guild. It’s quite rowdy inside and I see all kind of people in here. Not just the different path of life they took, but rather, their race. A walking lizard, there’s the usual elves and dwarves, hell they even have some demon kin. One hooded lady was pretty shy when they met my eyes.
[Jondi]: “Ah, miss Kurira?”
The young lad from the mine.
[Kurira]: “Jondi? Heeey, what’re you doing here?”
[Jondi]: “Ahahah, when I’m not mining stones, I do a little job from the guild. It pays well.”
[Kurira]: “Oh, I could use some of that good pay right now.”
[Jondi]: “Really, you’re signing up? As an Adventurer? Right over here, let me guide you to the receptionist lady.”
Tilting my head with a light smile. I followed him to the counter where a beautiful lady with a curly bun joyfully humming a tune as she writes on a piece of parchment.
[Jondi]: “Miss Valysha, I need your help with something. My um… friend wants to sign up.”
[Valysha]: “Hm?”
Her bright beautiful eyes looking up at mine.
[Valysha]: “Oh! Welcome welcome, my goodness! We haven’t had a signup for quite a bit.”
[Valysha]: “Valysha.”
Shaking her hand as I nod, “Kurira.”
Taking a notice of my augmented exoskeleton, “Alright, miss Kurira, let me just get this piece of parchment right here. K-U-R-I-R-A, and your level and class?”
[Kurira]: “Two hundred and thirty. I’m Biomedical Engineer.”
[Jondi & Valysha]: “Eh?”
[Jondi]: “T-T-Two hundred?!”
[Jondi]: “Y-Y-You’re a l-l-level two hundred?”
[Kurira]: “From the sound of it, you sound shocked, but are you impressed by it?”
[Jondi]: “O-Of course, I am! That’s amazing, miss Kurira. You’re pretty much on Rank B adventurers or even Rank A, I can’t wait to tell this to the others.”
Chuckles.
[Valysha]: “True that. If I may, miss Kurira, although it is within the guild’s right to ask of new recruits to show their profile status, in Clearwater, we value privacy. However, we have other ways for one to show proof of their abilities in a different way, but first can you tell me more about your class? It’s something one rarely ever encounters if ever.”
[Kurira]: “Hm, well my class specialization is synthetic fabrication for augments and prosthetic. Alchemy as a secondary and smithing as tertiary, but my method of assault is down to… bombs.”
Raising her brows.
[Valysha]: “Um… bombs? As in that thing you throw at an enemy and it explodes?”
[Kurira]: “Yes.”
Her jaw slightly drops.
[Valysha]: “Okay, um, that can certainly be dangerous if one were to get caught in the radius, but um, can you show me anything that you have made so far?”
[Kurira]: “Hm, well I can’t show you everything. Well, you’ve seen this exoskeleton, but I have this bomb which has proven reliable.”
Taking a menacing oozy bomb slowly from the inventory, slightly hidden from others.
- Verdant Vortex Bomb / Epic / Creates a large vines and branches that rooted into the ground, spiked with large thorns that buildup toxin and 2.5% chance to cause Paralysis for 30 seconds. Upon impact, it releases a whirling gush of air that pulls anything in 30-meter radius. Lasts for 90 seconds / Requirement: 135 Vitality
Upon reading it, Valysha shudders immensely, “Hiii, p-p-please put that away.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
[Kurira]: “?”
Putting it back into my inventory.
[Valysha]: “I, I see, so that’s the kind of bomb you have. And you have a dimensional storage which also proves quite beneficial for storing that thing. I see… I see…”
[Kurira]: “Mhm, I’ve made other kinds that are incredibly useful as well.”
[Valysha]: “I’m sure they are, but unnecessary for me to see them, let me finish this form first.”
[Kurira]: “That looks strong, miss Kurira.”
[Kurira]: “Oh yeah, absolutely. A Terrasaur couldn’t even move its limb when it got caught by it.”
[Jondi]: “A Terrasaur? Wait, you beat a Terrasaur?”
[Kurira]: “First victim of this bomb. Well, this alone didn’t actually kill it, but wouldn’t have done it without this one for sure.”
[Jondi]: “Ohhhhh, that’s amazing, miss Kurira!”
Heheh, so easily excited. Maybe I ought to show him my legendary bomb. Though after glancing at the nervously awkward Valysha, maybe next time.
[Valysha]: “Oh, um, it’s finished. And like I said before, you can actually skip a few ranks if you can meet some criteria that we have. Doing a couple of quests for us, and if you come out on top at the end, you can start out as low as a D Rank.”
[Kurira]: “A D Rank at least?”
Nodding.
[Valysha]: “If you can already beat a Terrasaur, miss Kurira, that’ll put you straight in A Rank.”
[Kurira]: “A Rank sounds good.”
Valysha shudder.
[Kurira]: “But I understand that the qualification for such rank goes beyond a simple elimination of a creature. I’ll happily join and partake in that qualification, miss Valysha.”
[Valysha]: “Th-That’s good to hear, let me prepare some the quest papers for you. Just a moment.”
[Jondi]: “Oh, I have to get going too, miss Kurira. Will I be seeing you again soon?”
[Kurira]: “Heheh, I’ll frequent this place, don’t worry.”
[Jondi]: “Great! Seriously, you’re awesome, and thank you again for saving us earlier. I never got the chance to say it, but we probably wouldn’t have made it out alive without you.”
[Kurira]: “Don’t mention, and let’s hope Kell comes back with good news, huh.”
[Jondi]: “I sure hope so. Until then, miss Kurira.”
Nodding with a smile, he left the guild with his friends.
After a bit of waiting, Valysha comes back and in a different clothing. Stripes green, leather. She even has a bag and a staff with her.
[Valysha]: “Okay, so, I have these quests for you. They’re for C and B rank quests. Unfortunately, I’m not permitted to take an A rank quests because you are not in a party.”
[Valysha]: “Now, I will be observing you along the way, and we have three quests here that needs to be done in less than three days. So, would you be fine with that?”
[Kurira]: “Mm. Sure thing.”
She nods and goes around the counter but was stopped by another receptionist. I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but there seems to be a little argument with Valysha ended up reassuring her to let her pass.
We walk out of town as the sun is setting. Reading and discussing the quests with my new supervisor.
[Kurira]: “Subjugation and elimination quests, huh. That’s right up my alley, especially if you don’t need them alive… or rather, left intact.”
[Valysha]: “…”
First order of business is a rampaging giant snake, and the quest rank is B. Last sighting was that it’s on the other side of the hill, deeper into the forest.
It’ll be problematic if we are to try and find this thing at night.
{Horned Serpent Snake / Level 80}
Its body blending nicely with the bushes. A giant snake that can camouflage.
Glancing at Valysha, sweat drops on the side of forehead.
I grabbed her shoulder.
“!”
With a shush gesture, I told her to stay put.
I love face-to-face combat, but ever since I made these bombs, things have been very amusing to me. And I’m planning to keep it that way.
This tree, I climb it high. Stealthily yet swiftly.
‘Now.’
Considering the size of that thing, it would be wise for me to cover a lot of ground and make a sequence of attack. A foolproof one.
Waiting for it to curl a bit more, I grabbed this thing.
- Geotic Sylphid Bomb / Epic / Creates a 50-meter explosion that deals 1 damage and creates a tremor, staggering those that are caught within and has 10% chance to be stunned for the next 5 second. Earth surface will be cracked and leveled, creating living vines that entrap those in the explosion radius into the cracks. After 5 seconds, Toxin gas will be released from the cracks, dealing 10 damage per second and build up poison / Requirement: 140 Vitality
‘Heheh, I have a lot of it.’
Toxin is not going to do much against it, but that’s not what I’m going for.
Holding it carefully, wouldn’t want it to misfire. With my augmented hand I took a step on this tree branch and throw it as hard as I can, hitting the center of its body as it curls.
*BOOM *Brrrrrmmmm
It’s hissing but the tremor staggers it before the ground is cracked and shattered. Pieces of debris flying all over as it sunken the creature, entrapping it, but that thing is not stunned.
And that’s where my Verdant Vortex Bomb comes in, three of them in fact. Landing appropriately to cover the thing’s entire body with its effect. Although it is resisting the toxin, it’s repeatedly being stunned because of the effect of Paralysis.
I had to resort to a different way of dealing damage and that is by raw unfiltered damage that is the Arcane Powder Bomb. A barrage of them sent its way.
Lots of explosion, and it makes good music to my ears.
I descended back to the ground and there I see Valysha seemingly shell shocked a bit. Well, it was quite loud to begin with, and a barrage of them didn’t help.
Looking at me frantically as she pants. Went to check on the spoils and just as I expected, nothing but its body parts have dropped.
“Well, that’s one. Two more to go.”
Unfortunately for me. That’s when the night has settled. And we have no choice but to make camp, well, not my choice actually. Ever since that fight with the snake, the girl Valysha has been real quiet. She has been quiet, but not this quiet.
‘Well, she’s an NPC, maybe she’s hungry or something.’
I cast a Sign, “Modular Assembly Terminal.”
Placing it just by the rock. And so, I started cooking. Literally.
Something simple, something easy on the gut. My Alchemy station supports it. A little veggie, some meat, a little pepper and such. Putting them in a wooden bowl, and I served. Except Valysha is intensely staring at my workstation.
“Th-This is where you make those bombs?”
“Yep. It is called M.A.T, be it bombs, potions, or augments, I made it here.”
Tapping her shoulder with the bowl, she takes it albeit slightly awkwardly. She took a seat by a rock and starts eating. Nodding to its taste, I made another one for myself as we watch the moon rise. A beautiful sight to see, those stars in the sky.
Something you rarely see in real life.