The old individual that appeared behind the counter was a hunched-over old lady with wrinkly, liver-spotted skin. Her arms were so thin, not to mention her scraggly fingers and protruding cheekbones.
It was clear the lady suffered from malnutrition.
Despite her state, she still presented a smile. "It's been so long since I've had a visitor. It is nice to have some company, young man. Tell me, did you come here to purchase anything? If so, it hurts my heart to tell you that nothing here is of use anymore."
Small tears pooled in her clouded, aged eyes.
However, Kieran shook his head slightly. "I'm not interested in any of your items. I've come to deliver a service. It's not much, but perhaps I can make you more comfortable."
The lady's expression changed as she shook her head.
"No, no. Don't let this old woman here trouble you. You're a strapping young man, so use your time wisely and aspire to be a strong adventurer. Your pure heart will carry you a long way."
'Pure?' Kieran thought to himself silently.
Kieran knew better than anyone that his heart was far from being pure. The circumstances of his rebirth alone filled him with resentment. However, he was human enough to know when to set aside his resentment to do what was right.
Besides, he appeared in this place to claim an opportunity.
"I'll do that soon enough. For now, I only wish to help you," Kieran said.
Afterward, he walked around, examining the shop's condition before picking up the cleaning utensils off to the side. If any player saw his action, they'd label Kieran a fool.
What idiot entered a game to clean?!
Of course, Kieran would ignore such a comment. All his actions possessed a distinct outcome.
'Seeing as how the state of this shack matches the description mentioned in the past, this is definitely the way.'
After confirming the similarities, Kieran diligently cleaned up the shack.
The items were dusted, the floor was swept, and the shiny yet antique items were polished. Because of the shack's small interior, Kieran finished cleaning in just over an hour.
While far from stellar, the shop experienced a major improvement from its initial condition.
As a result, the old lady appeared extremely grateful for Kieran's actions.
"Young man… I don't know how I should repay you! Although I expressed that it wasn't needed, you did it anyway."
The old lady's eyes filled with indescribable emotion as she cupped her hand over her mouth. "If it's not too much of an issue, would you mind sharing a cup of tea with me? It isn't much, but I would love to repay your kind gesture."
Suddenly, a notification appeared before Kieran's eyes.
〈System: Your relationship with NPC, Grandma Agatha, has become «Hospitable».〉
Generating favorability with NPCs wasn't easy, much less reaching a Hospitable relationship in a single bound. However, Grandma Agatha's unique situation defied the struggle to acquire favorability.
One benevolent act opened the floodgates of favorability.
However, Hospitable wasn't the highest favor one could have with an NPC, and Kieran intended to max it. Since Altair had yet to contact him. It was clear no one had cleared the dungeon.
Considering the dungeon required mapping and several test runs, it was understandable. It wouldn't be unusual if it took several hours before the first Easy clear occurred.
"I'll happily join you," Kieran said with an amicable smile.
"Follow me, young man," Grandma Agatha instructed.
Her aged hand parted the makeshift curtain of beads and bamboo, revealing an area similar to that of a fortune teller's abode.
Furthermore, this part of the shack was pristine and devoid of the slightest speck of dust. A pleasant aroma consisting of herbs, spices, and fruits permeated the air.
Despite his keen senses and extensive knowledge of materials, the origin of these scents was lost upon Kieran. For that to happen, it'd require a Mythic or above material since he was familiar with most Legendary and below materials.
Kieran looked around, taking in the breathtaking sight and serene atmosphere. 'Although it's unfamiliar to me, this place carries such a pleasant scent.'
Grandma Agatha stood over two small pots, stirring their contents while glancing at Kieran's astonished expression. "Is the fragrance to your liking? If not, I'll find a more agreeable one for you, young man."
As she spoke, Grandma Agatha sprinkled a pouch of sparkling blue dust that made Kieran's nose flare.
Although he wasn't familiar with the scent, the potency of its smell was a testament to how amazing these herbs were.
'The forum revealed that this lady isn't simple, but it disclosed nothing of her background. How did she come to possess the incredible items?' Kieran wondered.
After pondering this question, Kieran answered Grandma Agatha. "No, it's fine. Don't inconvenience yourself trying to please me. I'm only here to accompany you."
Unbeknownst to Kieran, Grandma Agatha revealed a joyous smile with her back turned to him.
It wasn't long before Grandma Agatha turned around while holding two small teacups. After giving one to Kieran, she set the other cup on a small table located in front of Kieran.
"This recipe has been in my family for generations. Sip the one in your grasp before following up with the second cup. Let your body enjoy the pleasant warmth."
Kieran didn't realize that when Grandma Agatha sat across from him, another teacup magically appeared in her hands. He was too busy examining the mystical blue specks swirling in the tea.
As if enthralled by the cup, Kieran brought the cup to his lips and sipped it steadily.
However, once he picked up the second cup a few minutes later and sipped it, Kieran felt the world around him blurring as an ancient language spoken in a strange tone entered his ears.
'W-what… is Grandma Agatha rambling about?'
Eventually, Kieran fell into a trance where none of Grandma Agatha's utterances made sense. Yet, despite his strange state, Kieran continued sipping the tea like a malfunctioning doll stuck in one setting.
〈System: You have consumed «Enriched Mystic Tea».〉
〈System: Your mind is being washed by the mystical chant: «???».〉
〈System: Perception has risen by 1 point.〉
〈System: Perception has risen by 1 point.〉
〈System: Perception has risen by 1 point.〉
〈System: Perception….〉
…
Kieran wasn't sure how much time had passed, but when he awoke from his trance, he saw Grandma Agatha staring at him with a doting smile.
Aside from Grandma Agatha's smile, Kieran immediately noted the changes he felt. The most important one was his Perception had undergone an unusual change.
Not only did it increase from 30 to 50, but his mind and senses felt incomparably sharp like an unassuming veil was removed. Although he was still a Starter Character, Kieran felt he could utilize his instincts to a deeper extent.
'I don't know what rank that Enriched Mystic Tea was, but given its effects, it's something many Enchanters could only hope to brew,' Kieran thought to himself.
Sadly, Kieran couldn't stay much longer because he noticed Altair sent two messages during the period of his trance.
"Grandma Agatha, I hate to leave so abruptly, but I have others waiting on me," Kieran said.
Grandma Agatha waved her hand with a contented smile. "You're joking. I truly enjoyed your company. I hope the tea helps you on your journey."
"This is for you. Sell the fangs and keep a few pelts to make a nice coat or blanket for the harsh winter."
Kieran suddenly retrieved 5 Silver Coins and the wolf pelts and fangs he picked up.
"I can't accept this! This is your livelihood!"
"I insist; I won't take it back," Kieran said while shaking his head.
Seeing the adamant nature of the young man before her, Grandma Agatha finally accepted it with a heartwarming smile.
However, her acceptance of the items was not without a reciprocated act of kindness.
"I'm saddened that everything has lost function, but there is one thing left in my possession that should help you flourish as a young adventurer. I hope you'll be kind enough to accept it."
〈System: Your relationship with Grandma Agatha has increased to «Indebted».〉
Grandma Agatha placed an item in Kieran's palm and patted his shoulder. "Now go. If fate wills it, we will meet again once before I am to leave this enchanting world."
"It'd be my pleasure," Kieran answered before leaving the old shack and rushing towards the Forest of Beast dungeon.
Meanwhile, Grandma Agatha looked at the two cups. "Although I used basic ingredients sprinkled with hints of my dust, he was incredibly receptive to the mystic scripture. His soul is strong."
She then continued after a moment, "What a pleasant young boy. Though his heart leaks vengeance, it still displays kindness. It's unfortunate that he'll face his fair share of troubles along his path. At least it is like Ariadna said; his soul is excellent and extremely robust," Grandma Agatha muttered.
Once Kieran left, her image changed completely.
Her hunched back straightened, and her cheeks became flush and rosy while her wrinkled skin tightened, revealing bright eyes that contained a vivacious spirit.
This younger version of Grandma Agatha wore a tight black dress with a long slit down her thigh and indigo lipstick that complemented her plum-colored hair styled into a knotted bun and her sangria-colored eyes that gazed into the distance.
She seemed to become absentminded while touching a set of mystic jewelry.
However, what was stranger than the change in her appearance was her identity shift.
「NPC Lv. ??? Agatha, ??? (???)
Class: Mystic [Redacted]
Health: ???
Affiliations: ??? 」
Make sure to point out any spelling, grammar, or numbers/information errors.
I'll see to it that they are rectified in a timely manner.
Thank you for reading <3.
After leaving the old shack in a remote part of Gena Village, Kieran opened a video call with Altair.
Altair's flabbergasted expression filled Kieran's view as he flailed his arms. "How did one hour turn into over three?! I sent you more than one message, and in one of them, I explained a party has already entered the Difficult setting! It won't be long before they clear it."
Kieran was surprised by this piece of information. "That's fine. In fact, it's music to my ears. Someone else clearing that setting paves the way for an even better achievement…."
Altair frowned and felt Kieran was up to something. "What are you getting at? If they clear it, only one difficulty remains. Don't tell me you want to clear something like that…."
"Precisely," Kieran answered with an excited gleam in his eyes.
If not the highest difficulty setting for a Beginner Dungeon, what could give him the burst of adrenaline he sought?
Altair sighed and shook his head but relented.
A few seconds later, he grinned as well. "How ballsy of you, but I'd be lying if I said the rewards didn't interest me. Just hurry up over here!"
Kieran ended the call a few moments later after directing Altair to continue his search for party members.
Even after three hours, he had yet to find players that met Kieran's given requirements. But because of their earlier spar, Altair couldn't help but feel excited rather than taken advantage of.
'Let's see if my assumptions were correct. Is Aatrox someone of incredible skill? If so, temporarily losing my place as a frontrunner on the leveling scene may pale compared to what we accomplish in future dungeon runs.'
…
Less than two hours later, Kieran arrived at the Forest of Beasts' entrance area. Although it was located in the same general area as the Fanged Forest, one only needed to travel half the distance before coming across an entrance.
After stepping across the threshold, it was as if they were transported deep into a remote area located within the Fanged Forest. The strange environment only allowed players entry and not beasts.
It had something to do with the modified spatial laws that begot several questions—all of which had no answer.
Despite the questions raised in the past, no game developers stepped forth and took credit for the extraordinary feature.
However, while players were transported inside, returning was another story. They'd have to fend for themselves after exiting this specialized space.
A few players learned this the hard way, which was why many players recuperated in this type of lobby area before departing.
Nevertheless, the excessive crowd of players caught Kieran's attention after arriving here. 'Although I'm hours late, I don't regret my actions. Sure it gave players time to catch up, but I doubt they'll do so again. Not with this….'
Kieran looked at the item in his hand.
It was a palm-sized bronze medallion with liquid the color of blue-green tourmaline flowing through it. The liquid formed a character that gave off a weary yet mystical feeling Kieran couldn't overlook.
「 Medallion of Growth (Special)
Item Rank: Rare
Item Level: N/A
Description: A special medallion made by an Enchanter of exceptional skill. Although it is a time-worn item, the implanted «Rune of Growth» maintains some activity.
Effects: The implanted «Rune of Growth» applies a 100% EXP Bonus while in possession. (Limited to monster-hunting EXP.)
Restriction: Not usable beyond Lv.20
Durability: ∞
Duration: 28 days 」
Although it was an item with a finite duration, Kieran was delighted that the granted EXP Bonus was so high. One hundred percent?!
Kieran would receive double the EXP gained from killing monsters compared to other players. The item was a little different from the one in Kieran's memories, but he chopped it up to his increased contribution.
Unlike what the walkthrough described, Kieran supplied extra coins and pelts.
Perhaps Grandma Agatha's deeper gratitude increased the item's effects. But because he couldn't confirm his speculations, Kieran pushed the matter to the back of his mind.
For now, he focused on assisting Altair in finding proper teammates to tackle the Forest of Beasts' highest difficulty.
Aside from Altair and Kieran, several other parties were looking for additional members.
"Three looking for two! Must be a healer and a tank. Attempting Forest of Beasts' Easy' to finish mapping the layout. Will be attempting 'Difficult' after."
"Four looking for one! Seeking a tank or veteran DPS. Running Forest of Beasts' Difficult'. It's our second clear. If you have no experience, we'll guide you. Just don't fuck up."
"Party of two looking for three! Apply with the intent to reveal your stats. Attempting the 'Difficult' setting for the third time. Must be Lv.5+ with a completed 'Easy' run. Noobs will be rejected."
Kieran stood beside Altair and looked around while rubbing his chin. Not many people sought parties to clear the Easy setting. After attempting the dungeon several times, they were now more interested in conquering the Difficult setting.
And because the system revealed both Kieran and Altair held zero clearance merit, most players stayed away from them. By now, they could have at least attempted the dungeon once.
If it were a few hours before, Kieran and Altair being Lv.6 would clearly indicate their skill, allowing them to be welcomed into several parties with open arms.
But, given Kieran's recent arrival, they confused this tardiness with him only recently achieving this level. Therefore, they were considered noobs whom a party probably carried with the exceptional party mechanism.
It was a sore misunderstanding, but it was their loss, not his.
"Altair," Kieran called out, drawing Altair's attention. After a brief pause, he inquired about Altair's information. "How much Attack Power, Control, and Agility do you have?"
If it was sufficient, he could aim for the team composition in mind.
"After placing my Attribute Points… I have 77 Attack Power, 42 AGI, and 40 CTL. But, my DEF is absolute shit. So, as you can probably tell, I'm a pure DPS," Altair answered.
A tinge of shock flashed across Kieran's expression as he glanced at Altair. "Did you get a max roll for Unassigned Attribute Points in your Unique Package?"
"Bingo," Altair admitted while motioning as if firing a gun.
Kieran scoffed and shook his head. 'This lucky little shitter. Even I was a few points off from a max roll. Considering that he should have also begun with abnormal CTL, albeit lower than mine, I guess we can opt for a more flexible party composition.'
Before proposing his idea, Kieran also took into account Altair's low DEF. As a Thief that wore leather armor, his DEF was sorely lacking compared to heavy armor or plate armor-based classes.
Although most players preferred a tank, Kieran felt there was enough damage between the two of them to clear.
Not to mention, his armor placed him higher than some Knights of the same level unless they followed a strict build.
"What do you think about me setting a flexible party composition," Kieran asked.
Altair pondered the question. "It's difficult to say. What type of composition are you suggesting?"
"Two extra healers and a magical dealer," Kieran professed.
The party composition sounded odd to Altair, but two healers meant Kieran intended to split the healing and lighten the load to compensate for the lack of a tank.
Noticing Altair's silence, Kieran added a bit more information. "The magical dealer must possess high Magic Power for our plan to work. But… it seems that not many Mages have appeared. At least, not ones with a high enough level."
Although character information was generally sealed and limited, that changed inside this unique dungeon environment. Player levels were on display for all to see. Kieran wouldn't accept a Mage below Lv.7 due to the risk of low Magic Power.
"Whatever. You can start calling out," Altair shrugged.
However, Kieran didn't start right at that moment. No, he waited to see if any parties would appear from the dungeon entrance.
Seeing as clearing the highest setting was frankly impossible without the proper skills, Kieran wasn't concerned that someone would take the First Clear.
After waiting patiently for another 30 minutes, several parties began appearing from the dungeon entrance. Once the space became crowded enough, Kieran started a new round of recruitment.
"Two looking for three. Looking for two Priests and a Mage. Little to no experience is required. However, it is preferred if you have cleared the 'Easy' setting beforehand," Kieran exclaimed.
Kieran soon began losing his patience as he received an ungodly amount of irritating party requests until he stumbled across a decent one.
Variety amongst classes was sparse, so rather than focus on roles, Kieran focused on class types to achieve his desired composition. A Hunter, Knight, or Fighter didn't fulfill his requirements, so it left those two classes.
After hearing his exclamation, several people applied to join his party, which continued unabatedly for a few minutes. But, the outcome drove Kieran mad.
"Can't people read or hear?! I've specifically stated that I wanted Priests and a Mage. Why is a ridiculous number of Hunters and Fighters applying?!"
Kieran soon began losing his patience as he rejected an ungodly amount of party requests until he stumbled across a few decent ones.
Make sure to point out any spelling, grammar, or numbers/information errors.
I'll see to it that they are rectified in a timely manner.
Thank you for reading <3.
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