With a thought, Val took out a map from his pocket dimension. This map was one of the items given to him by Reignarld.
He unfurled the map and scrutinized it, looking for the location of the Verdant Deepwood. The detailed cartography showcased the diverse and challenging landscape that surrounded the Northern Frontier.
To the east, the Northern Frontier was hemmed in by rugged mountains, their peaks perpetually cloaked in snow. The formidable barriers of stone and ice posed a stark contrast to the western part of the Frontier.
To the west, the Frontier was bordered by the Verdant Deepwood Forest. This immense, uncharted forest was a haven for a myriad of flora and fauna, some of which were only found within its leafy confines. The forest was a marvel in its own right, yet it also held danger for those who ventured into it unprepared.
“Looks like we are heading west,” Val said, pointing to the marked area on the map that represented the Verdant Deepwood Forest.
Eliana looked at the map over Val’s shoulder, her eyes lighting up as she saw their designated destination. “To the west it is, then.”
Together, they set off toward the Verdant Deepwood Forest.
As they left the hustle and bustle of the Frontier behind, the world seemed to quieten around them, leaving only the sound of rustling leaves and the distant cries of unseen creatures to fill the silence.
The forest was divided into five different regions, each one representing a different level of danger.
The first region, also known as the level 1 area, was inhabited by creatures that were between levels 1 and 20.
These beasts were roughly equivalent in power to level 1 and 2 bloodline usera.
This region provided a good training ground for beginners, offering enough challenges to stimulate growth without posing a lethal threat.
The next four regions had even more powerful beasts.
The Grizzlehide Boar that Eliana was assigned to hunt was a level 18 beast. It should be located somewhere within the level 1 area. After a quarter of an hour’s travel, they arrived at the designated area.
The foliage in the level 1 area of the forest was dense, filled with a diverse collection of trees, shrubs, and grasses. It was a labyrinth of greenery, its depths shrouded in shadow and mystery. The thick undergrowth provided ample places to hide, making it an ideal hunting ground for the low-level beasts that called this area home.
Val and Eliana were walking through this region side by side. Val had been observing her carefree walk through the forest. He thought that her relaxed demeanor was not fitting with the dangerous environment they were in, and decided to correct her.
Val gently tugged on Eliana’s arm, prompting her to stop her carefree stride and turn to him.
“What?” she asked.
“Eliana, just because we’re in the first region of the forest, it doesn’t mean we should be this… relaxed.”
Hearing his words, Eliana tilted her head, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “But the beasts in this region are supposed to be the weakest ones in the forest, isn’t that the case?”
“Yes, that’s true,” he agreed, “But occasionally, stronger beasts from the higher sectors wander down here. It’s a rare occurrence, but it happens. It’s why we always need to stay alert when we are in the Verdant Deepwood.”
A flicker of realization lit up in Eliana’s eyes, followed by a moment of silent contemplation. Her carefree demeanor melted away, replaced by an air of caution as she acknowledged the truth in Val’s words. As a result, she earned a nod of approval from Val.
“Brother, you’re really knowledgeable. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me,” she said, a sweet smile blooming on her face.
Val chuckled, flashing Eliana a lopsided grin. “We’re friends, Eliana. It’s only natural that we share what we know. After all, it’s sharing such knowledge with each other that will increase our chances of staying alive in a place like this.”
“Understood.”
A few minutes after arriving at the level 1 area of the forest, Val noticed a pair of shiny eyes peering at them from a nearby shrub. The eyes flickered in the dappled sunlight, holding an eerie, watchful gaze that seemed to follow their every move.
Val locked gazes with the concealed creature and immediately activated his “Detect” Trait. His eyes flickered with intense focus as he patiently awaited the feedback from his trait. He was hoping to determine the identity of the beast hidden in the shrub without provoking it out of its hiding spot. If it turned out that the beast hiding in the shrub was not related to their trial, he saw no need to provoke it. After all, avoiding unnecessary conflict was essential to conserve their limited time and resources.
Immediately, a game-like screen appeared before his eyes.
Name: Grizzlehide Boar
Level: 18
Status: Healthy
Traits: Extremely Violent, Enhanced Strength
Warning: Known to be one of the strongest beasts in the level 1 area of the Verdant Deepwood Forest. 𝒩𝑂𝗏𝗅xt.𝓒𝓞𝑀
Val’s eyes widened as he identified the hidden creature in the shrub.
“It’s here, a level eighteen Grizzlehide Boar,” he whispered to Eliana whilst keeping his gaze locked onto the formidable beast.
“I will hunt it for you.”
Without another word, Val pulled his arm back, his fingers curling into a tight fist. A ripple of energy surged from his core to his fist. And then, in one swift motion, he punched forward, throwing his fist in the direction of the hiding boar.
His punch connected with nothing but air, and yet, from the force of his strike, a ball of gray fire erupted. The fireball leapt from his fist, traveling through the air in a perfect arc, heading straight for the shrub where the beast was hiding.
Bomb!
Upon impact with the shrub, the fireball exploded with a deafening roar, engulfing the shrub and its hidden occupant in a fiery blaze. Fire danced and crackled, hungrily consuming the greenery, turning the shrub into a blazing inferno.
GRRRAAAAGH!
From the depths of the flaming undergrowth, a gut-wrenching roar of pain and rage echoed through the forest. The next moment, the Grizzlehide Boar burst forth from the flames, its bulky body ablaze, patches of its once shaggy brown fur charred and smoking. The beast was a terrifying sight to behold, its massive tusks glinting dangerously, its beady eyes filled with fury.
Its fearsome appearance, however, was being rapidly distorted by the torment of the flames.
Val had no doubt that it would die soon. The beast could also tell that it didn’t have long to live as the fire couldn’t be extinguished. But it refused to die so easily. It at least wanted to take one of them down with it.
RRRAAAAGH!
Driven by pain and rage, the boar charged directly at them. Dust and debris were kicked up in its wake, its heavy hooves thundering against the forest floor. The beast was known for its aggression and formidable strength, and it was now exhibiting these traits in full force.
“Brother Val, I’ll provide you with support,” Eliana offered, her voice tinged with concern.
Val turned to her, a smirk on his face, “Eliana, just sit back and watch the show. A level eight beast is nothing to me.”
With that, Val charged towards the charging boar but not before summoning his sword from the pocket dimension contained within his cursed artifact, the Void Orb. The sword materialized into his grip, its hilt cool and reassuring against his palm.
As the boar bore down on him, Val’s eyes narrowed, his body moving to the right with a predator’s grace. With a swift sidestep, he deftly avoided the boar’s charge. The ground shook under the boar’s weight as it charged past him. With its initial target missed, it charged ahead to crush Eliana.
Val, however, had no intention of giving it the chance to harm her.
As the boar was moving past him, Val, without missing a beast, swung his sword in a wide, deadly arc.
Whoosh!
The sword was like a streak of silver in the sunlight as it cut through the air, humming with lethal intent. It met the boar’s thick hide and sunk deeper, penetrating its greatest defence with ease.
The impact was immediate and brutal. The sword, as sharp and unyielding as the coldest winter, sheared through the boar’s hide, muscle, and bone, cutting it in two halves from the middle. As its two halves separated, blood sprayed out in a grisly arc, staining the forest’s floor with the crimson essence of life.
Thud!
The severed halves of the boar thudded onto the forest floor, the once-mighty beast reduced to lifeless meat in mere seconds. The light in the boar’s eyes, faded away instantly, its life extinguished as swiftly as it had charged.
A notification popped up in front of Val.
[Ding! Congratulation, Host! You’ve defeated a level 18 Grizzlehide Board. You have obtained a few dozen Experience points for slaying the formidable enemy.]