Capítulo 43: Yes! We are a team.
Kit had made a mental note to collect the barrels he had ordered the previous day before searching for Mars at the inn. He made his way to the market, on his way, he couldn't resist stopping at a glass-making stall to purchase some additional bottles.
Upon reaching the woodworker's stall, Kit was greeted by Monroe. "I was worried you wouldn't show up this morning. I'm glad you came," Monroe exclaimed as he handed over five wooden barrels with taps attached.
Kit's eyes lit up at the sight of his new purchases; these barrels would make dispensing liquid much easier. "Thank you so much, Monroe. These are perfect."
As Kit thought about trying to create Moon juice using these new barrels, he wondered if Monroe could make a specialised juice barrel. He asked Monroe about it.
"I always have some in stock. You must have heard about the Moon juice," Monroe chuckled.
"Yes, I plan on giving it a try," Kit eagerly replied.
"Don't get your hopes up too high. Many have attempted, but no one has succeeded yet," Monroe warned him with a smile. Kit nodded, understanding that success wasn't guaranteed. But he was determined to try anyway; not attempting it would be admitting defeat without even trying.
"The barrels of juice are only 200 bronze crowns," Monroe stated.
Kit handed over the money without hesitation. He had made a good profit today, earning 3 silver and 850 bronze crowns from his stall. The pinch in his pocket when handing over the money was barely noticeable. Plus, he had also gained another level in his sub class - now a level 6 chef. Kit was pleased with his progress.
Monroe returned with another wooden barrel from a wooden chest at the back of his stall. Kit assumed it would be similar to the alcohol barrel but was surprised to see that this one also had a tap attached to the bottom. Excitedly, Kit put the barrel in his pouch.
"You've given me a lot of business today, so I'll give you some advice," Monroe said. "To enter the grove, you will need permission from the moon sphynx. The entrance can be found around some large boulders, but there is a barrier preventing entry controlled by the sphynx. I don't know how to persuade it, but that's all I can offer."
"Thank you, Monroe. That's more than enough help," Kit replied gratefully before hurrying off to the Inn. He couldn't wait to find the grove and continue his journey. Once he arrived at the Inn, he quickly made his way upstairs to his room.
Mars and Snowball were playing on the bed when he entered. "There you are, Kit! We went to the western gate looking for you earlier, but you had already left," Mars said excitedly.
"Sorry, I finished up at my stall early and had to pick something up," Kit explained as he sat down on the bed next to Snowball for some pats.
"Mars, while I was out, I got some information about a famous drink that used to be sold in town with great stats. I want to try making it."
Kit filled Mars in on all the details he had learned about the Moon Juice magic drink. "That's fantastic! We can go find the ingredients now if you want. I've finished all my chain quests," Mars replied, pulling out a familiar box - the one that Instructor Phi had given him.
Kit raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why do you have that?" he asked.
Mars' face lit up with a big grin. "There was an option for one more quest after I finished working for Hank. I didn't want to turn it down, so I went for it and got this as the reward."
It was clear that Mars already knew what was inside the box. Kit couldn't help but ask, "But why are you giving it to me?"
Mars explained, "I can't use it, and I didn't want to sell it since I knew you would probably need it."
He then handed the box over to Kit, who was surprised by how heavy it was. Curious, he opened it and found a plain white porcelain plate inside. They already had plates in their camping kitchen, so Kit couldn't understand why Mars would think he needed another one.
Using his identify ability, Kit checked to see if there was any special feature on the plate.
[Magic multiplier plate]
Every chef's dream is to own one. Multiple's meals by the level of the chef.
Kit's heart raced as he read the description. He couldn't believe that Mars had given him something so valuable. It would take him a long time to be able to afford such an important item on his own. Kit's fingers traced over the smooth porcelain, feeling the coldness of it against his skin.
He felt like he didn't deserve a friend like Mars, who could casually give away something so significant. If Mars were to sell this plate, he could have made a substantial amount of money. Kit was overwhelmed with emotion at receiving such a generous gift.
Kit didn't know how to properly thank Mars; a simple "thank you" seemed insufficient. He racked his brain for ways to repay such kindness. "Mars, this is too much. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
Mars shook his head and reminded Kit, "We're friends. If you had something I needed, I know you would give it to me without hesitation." Kit nodded, realizing that Mars was right. If the situation were reversed, he wouldn't think twice about giving something to Mars.
Hugging the plate close to his chest, Kit expressed his gratitude once again. "Thank you, Mars. This means a lot."
Mars brushed it off with a reminder of their partnership. "No problem, we're a team." Kit chuckled at his friend's reply.
"We sure are! So, have you thought of a name for us yet?" Kit teased playfully.
Mars scrunched up his face and quickly changed the subject. "Let's head out to the grove before it gets too dark."
Kit picked up Snowball from Mars and took the sling for himself. Together, they made their way out of the door and towards the western forest. As they approached, Kit placed Snowball on the ground.
"Have you been outside of town before, Mars? Do you know what we should be on the lookout for in this forest?" Kit asked.
"I haven't ventured into the forest yet, but the monsters I've encountered outside of town were easy to handle. It shouldn't be any harder than the grove full of Apelops," replied Mars confidently.
Kit let out a sigh. He wasn't looking forward to getting covered in blood again. That was one of the downsides of adventuring. He hoped to one day find a set of clothes that wouldn't stain with blood easily.
As they approached the trees in the forest, Kit's eyes scanned over them. They were tall and covered in dense green leaves, almost as big as a two-storey house. The ground beneath his feet was soft and grassy, with clovers scattered throughout. The air was filled with the scent of fresh wood.
In the distance, birds could be heard chirping happily. Despite not getting a bad feeling about entering the forest, Kit still unsheathed his sword before proceeding further. The memory of being killed by tiny blue birds was still a sore point for him. He wouldn't be caught off guard again.
Slowly and cautiously, he made his way through the forest while Mars chuckled at his actions beside him. Kit ignored him; after all, it wasn't Mars who had died before.
Kit turned to his trusty companion, Snowball. "Can you help me find a moon sphynx, Snowball?" The little dog barked eagerly and began sniffing the ground for any trace of the elusive creature. Kit watched as Snowball's nose twitched with excitement, hoping that his furry friend wouldn't lead them straight into danger.
The trio ventured deeper into the forest, the chirping of birds starting to fade away. Kit couldn't shake off the feeling that they were walking right into a trap. Mars seemed to have the same thought, as he unsheathed his sword in preparation for any potential enemies.
Suddenly, Mars held up a hand to signal for silence. Kit froze and listened intently, hearing the faint sound of something approaching. A small creature appeared from behind a nearby tree, resembling an echidna with its green spikes and long snout. It growled at them menacingly, revealing sharp teeth that could easily blend in with the forest floor if one wasn't paying attention.
More of these creatures emerged from hiding, totalling seven altogether. Thinking quickly, Kit used identify to gather information on one of them.
[Green forest spike]
Small forest dweller, level 20.
HP 2,300.
Kit couldn't believe the strength of the small monsters in front of him. He had underestimated them at first, but now he was reconsidering his strategy. There were seven level 20 creatures in total - a formidable force for someone who was only at level 10.
Kit suggested to Mars that they should run and try to evade the beasts, knowing that he wasn't strong enough to defeat them yet. But as expected, Mars couldn't resist the opportunity for a fight and charged towards the monsters with a laugh.
Kit groaned, hoping he wouldn't die a humiliating death once again. His heart raced with adrenaline as he lunged towards the nearest creature, aiming for its face instead of its heavily spiked body. He knew this would be the weakest spot. The impact of his blade against the monster's face sent a shock through his arm.
-85 damage
He quickly readied his sword for another strike, but realized that the surrounding green forest spikes made it difficult to fight one-on-one. They started attacking his legs, while his companion Snowball tried to help by nipping at their noses and then retreating out of reach. Kit's health dwindled as he struggled to defend himself.
-80 damage
-80 damage
Dodging an incoming attack, Kit took a step back and reached into his pouch for some water. As he observed the three remaining monsters in front of him, Snowball stood faithfully at his side, waiting for Kit to come up with a plan.
After studying their movements, Kit noticed that the creatures weren't very agile. He decided to attack and retreat, as engaging them directly would be too risky at this point. He knew he needed to work on his dodging abilities before he could confidently fight without constantly retreating.
Kit lunged forward and swiftly struck the green forest spikes, deftly manoeuvring his sword to take out the remaining two. With each successful strike, he quickly evaded any potential counterattacks.
Despite the intense battle, Kit felt a sense of accomplishment as he emerged unscathed. He continued this pattern of attack and evasion, relying on Snowball's assistance to avoid any damage while dealing significant blows to his enemies. The fight lasted until Kit had successfully defeated all three green forest spikes. Mars took care of the other four.
Ding!
[Green forest spikes killed]
Reward: 3,000 experience, 20 x green forest spike quills.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you are now Level 11]
Ding!
[Congratulations, you are now Level 12]
Kit's spirits soared when he saw the notification that he had gained two levels. He had been so focused on levelling up his cooking skills that he had forgotten to work on his swordsman class. When they defeated Swift Feet, he was already close to another level. That must be why he gained two this time.
Kit thanked Snowball for his assistance and excitedly told Mars about his improved levels. As he picked up the quills from their latest victory, they reminded him of the ones he used to write with. He wondered if these were made from the same material. Hopefully, they would fetch a good price back in town.
After giving Snowball some pats and asking him to continue searching for the moon sphinx, they came across a few more green forest spikes. Kit happily added them to his collection as they followed Snowball's trail. He noticed Snowball getting more and more excited as they went along, yipping and scurrying around.
Finally, they reached a large cluster of boulders that seemed out of place amongst the trees and grass. The dusty pink rocks looked like they had been haphazardly stacked by giants. Kit feared that one wrong move could cause them all to come tumbling down.
Snowball stood at a gap between two of the massive stones and dashed through once Kit caught up. Kit would have to crawl on his hands and knees to follow Snowball into the makeshift fortress.
"Snowball be careful." Cried Kit, they had no clue what would be inside.
Status de energia semanal
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