As the sun slowly set, I continued my endless hunt. The gun and dagger seemed to have become part of my body. With each battle, I became more skilled and efficient, killing more kobolds with deadly accuracy. The forest was filled with the sound of gunfire and the dying howls of monsters. My skill [Sharp Eyes] allowed me to clearly perceive their movements and weaknesses, giving me the upper hand in every battle. Although the gun itself was not strong enough to penetrate the monsters' defenses, through the attachment of magic, each bullet could ignore their defenses. 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' More and more Kobolds fell in front of me, their bodies piled up like a mountain. I don't know when, I can no longer see any Kobolds in my sight, which can only mean one thing. “Phase one is coming to an end.” Most dungeons don't have clearly defined stages or levels, like in games, but a "stage" is usually an area of the dungeon where monsters are of similar strength. For example, the area where I had been hunting kobolds was called "Stage 1" or "First Area," while "Stage 2" was where the more powerful monsters resided. This is roughly the definition of the stage. At this moment, there are no Kobolds around, which indicates that the dungeon is about to enter the spawning phase and begin to regenerate more Kobolds. In the game, the reasons for this phenomenon are not explained in detail until later in the game, but for now, these reasons are not important. Regardless, each stage or area usually has a "boss" monster, and the Kobolds are no exception.
"Kobold leader." This is a peak second-level monster and the strongest being in this forest. "It shouldn't be difficult to deal with this monster in a one-on-one fight. But the problem lies in their numbers." No matter how stupid the monsters are, when danger appears, they have only one response: "Gather" and defend with the advantage of numbers. This is the survival of the weak, and every natural creature understands this. As night fell, the forest gradually darkened. I had been fighting the Kobolds for a long time and felt exhausted. Considering my low physical fitness, even if I used the kite-flying tactic to shoot down the Kobolds, it was still a very physically demanding task. "We need to set up a camp." When the moon was hanging in the night sky, I came down from the tree and found a suitable place to set up camp. I gathered some dry branches and lit a small campfire. The campfire not only provided warmth, but also a light source to drive away monsters. Taking my tent from the space bracelet, I quickly set it up next to the campfire, and at the same time, I lit some spices that would eliminate the smell of meat and smoke. Afterwards, I ate some of the dry food I brought with me. Unfortunately, although this is a forest, there are currently no edible monsters. The meat of a kobold tastes extremely bad and has no benefits after eating it, so it is listed as a "blacklist" ingredient by hunters. Inside the tent, I spread out my blanket and tried to make myself comfortable. My body was sore from the long battle, and I knew I had to rest well if I wanted to deal with the Kobold leader. After entering the tent, I drank a bottle of enhanced recovery potion. This potion is different from the physical potion. It acts as a supplement, allowing natural recovery to be faster without too much external interference. In contrast, enhanced recovery potions are more suitable for long-term use because they have fewer side effects. Closing my eyes, I began to focus on controlling the magic power in my body to speed up the recovery process. Slowly, the fatigue began to subside, and the magic power flowed through my body, relieving the soreness of my muscles and restoring some of my energy. I did not forget to maintain my gun. After all, a gun is a mechanical device. If it breaks down at a critical moment, it is like a sword that has not been sharpened for a long time and is completely useless. ...... As time went on, I felt my strength returning. I know that midnight is the best time to attack the Kobold leader's camp. During this time, the monsters will be at their weakest, and I can attack them by surprise. In addition, both of my characteristics are very suitable for night operations.
[月] is related to the moon, while [影] is related to shadow. I also got some sleep so I feel much clearer now. As midnight approached, I emerged from my tent, refreshed and ready for the next battle. The campfire was still burning, providing me with enough light to navigate the forest. I quietly approached the kobold camp, with the skill [Sharp Eyes] still activated, helping me detect any movement in the dark. The forest was eerily silent, and the monster seemed to sense the impending danger. Before setting up camp, I had scouted the entire area and discovered the specific location of the kobold leader and their camp. They set up a pretty nice camp deep in the forest and even built some primitive cabins. Most importantly, they have shown some signs of civilization and even have patrols. Therefore, the best approach is to use night tactics, sneak attacks, or continuous poisoning to deal with them. Unfortunately, I didn't bring any poison. I had no idea I would encounter such a monster, so I wasn't prepared. But I made a mental note to carry some with me next time. "I can't use a gun. It will alert them," I thought to myself and decided to use a bow and arrow instead. The advantage of the bow and arrow is that it is silent and, if used properly, can do more damage. The only disadvantage is the shooting speed... which needs to be improved at present. Activating the skill [Sharp Eyes], I began to detect monsters and mark their locations. There aren't many of them. "Twenty kobolds and a kobold leader." Two of them were guarding the chief's hut, ten were doing rubber training, and the remaining eight were on patrol. I remembered that the Kobolds would breed on full-moon nights, and the scene before me confirmed this. It seemed that I had good luck today. I took out the compound bow from the space bracelet, carefully put an arrow on it, and pulled the bowstring to its full length. I have been practicing with this bow at the academy for the past week and my form is already becoming more and more fluid and skilled. My body is truly gifted at archery. Taking a deep breath, I injected magic power into the arrow, giving it a powerful magical enchantment. The arrowhead emitted a faint green light, indicating that the magic power had been enhanced. Although I don't know what this color means. I took aim at a lone kobold patrolling the outskirts of camp, and when I was sure I had a good shot, I let go of the bowstring. 'Whoosh' The arrow flew silently through the air and hit the kobold's neck accurately. 'Coo' It made a low choking sound, but it was barely audible in the stillness of the night. The enchantment on the arrow allowed it to pierce its skin easily, causing the kobold to die quickly. As the Kobold fell, the forest returned to silence again. Only the gentle swaying of leaves and the cry of an owl in the distance broke the stillness of the night. My [Sharp Eyes] skill continued to guide me and help me locate my next target. Another kobold on patrol. This time there are two of them on patrol together. But it didn't matter. I nocked my arrow again.
'Whoosh' The arrow hit the throat of the first patrolling kobold accurately. It uttered a faint sob and fell to the ground and died. The other kobold turned to look at his fallen companion, his eyes full of confusion. "Well" Before it could react and warn its companions, I quickly fired another arrow, striking the second kobold in the throat. It fell to the ground, clutching its neck, but it was too late. The enchantment on the arrow took effect, and it shone with magic in the moonlight. With the immediate threat dealt with, I took a moment to scout the area again, making sure no other kobolds had been alerted. Once I was sure the area was clear, I continued in, using the cover of darkness to maneuver. First, I dealt with the remaining kobolds around the camp. It wasn't hard, and it only took a few arrows to kill them all. I didn't forget to pick up the arrows. Then, I quietly moved from tree to tree, slowly approaching the camp. My [Sharp Eyes] skill helped me confirm the kobolds' location. I slowly closed the distance, making sure not to make any noise that would give away my position. Once I reached the outskirts of the settlement, I crouched down to observe the kobolds' activities. They were immersed in their gelatin, not alert. This was a perfect opportunity. After all, I could hear the disgusting groans coming from these monsters, which made me want to vomit. Normally, when dealing with a situation like this, people would take out the smaller monsters first and then fight the remaining boss one-on-one, but this was not possible at this time because the monsters were too close to each other, and if one was disturbed, the others would be disturbed as well. Therefore, the only strategy that needs to be adopted now is. Kill the Kobold Leader first. And I did find a perfect opportunity. As I moved around, I scanned the area, looking for a good position to attack. It didn't take long for me to find a tall tree with dense leaves that gave me a clear view of the chief's residence. With great stealth I climbed the tree and settled myself on a thick branch. From this hidden position I had a clear view of the kobold leader, seated on a makeshift throne, surrounded by other kobolds. 'Sharp Eyes' I activated the skill again and looked at the monster's weak spot. Its heart was on the right side of its chest, but there was another spot marked. "That must be its core." In this world, monster cores do exist, but in most cases, they can only be found in rare monsters or boss monsters. "The core cannot be destroyed. It can be sold for a good price." Apart from this, it has several other weak points in its body. My heartbeat slowed, and I nocked an arrow, ready to shoot. The most important thing for a ranger is to stay calm no matter what the situation. I took a deep breath and poured magic into the arrow, giving it an additional enchantment to maximize the attack effect. Over the past week, I have been trying to improve my magic usage skills, and now I am more proficient. The arrow glowed bright green, and I could feel my magic flowing into it. This was one of the reasons why bows were used more often, to infuse more magic into the arrow. However, I have yet to figure out why my magic power keeps changing color. I don't understand the reason, so I decided to research it later. Time seemed to slow down. I held my breath, aimed, and waited for the best moment. The kobolds continued to revel, oblivious to the impending danger. This was my chance. 'Whoosh' As the kobold leader threw his head back and laughed a gruff laugh, I seized my opportunity and released my arrow without hesitation, watching it fly towards its target with deadly accuracy… This is where the battle begins...