บท 9: Reaching Swerling Town

August climbed inside and placed the helmet on his head, feeling the familiar rush of anticipation.

[ Welcome back, August Clementine. Initializing system... ]

The soft, mechanical voice greeted him as the pod powered up.

Lights flickered, and the room around him began to fade. A swirling vortex of colors enveloped him, pulling him into the immersive world of Enders Light.

[ Neural synchronization complete. Preparing to transport to Enders Light. Please remain calm and enjoy your journey. ]

The sensation of weightlessness gave him a rush of dopamine as the virtual world materialized around him.

He spawned at the point where he logged out previously.

[ Welcome back, Player Aleman ]

The notification floated in front of him as he took in a deep breath of fresh air.

It was time to continue the hidden quest to retrieve the purification stone.

He made his way to the transportation hub, a bustling area filled with various modes of travel.

He approached a large, covered cart, which was pushed by an impressive beast resembling a cross between an ox and a rhino. It was known as a Raxor.

The creature had thick, armored skin and massive horns, and it snorted impatiently as it waited for passengers.

August handed a few copper coins to the cart driver, a grizzled man with the head of a ram and a friendly smile. "One ticket to the Swerling town, please."

The driver nodded and gestured for August to climb aboard. "Hop in. We'll be leaving shortly."

August settled into the cart, which was already occupied by a few other travelers.

He observed his fellow passengers—a mix of humans, elves, and other half-beast, half-human hybrids.

The diversity of the game's inhabitants never ceased to amaze him.

The cart soon began to move and for the very first time... August took a trip outside of the Village of Unhidden Mist.

The journey was long and arduous, but the scenery was breathtaking. They traveled through dense forests with leaves and colors that August didn't even know existed and across rolling hills dotted with wildflowers.

Occasionally, they passed by streams and rivers with waters that sparkled like diamonds under the sunlight.

August struck up conversations with the other passengers, learning about their own quests and adventures.

An elven archer named Lira shared stories of her travels through enchanted forests, while a dwarf named Thrain recounted his time mining in the Dwarven Mountains.

August realized that certain NPCs could go on quests. He wondered if this was a challenge to players.

After about two hours of travel, the cart approached the outskirts of the next town.

August leaned forward, eager to take in the sights.

The town known as Swerling, was built along the banks of a wide river that shimmered with an almost magical glow.

The buildings were a mix of sturdy stone structures and elegant wooden houses, their architecture reflecting a blend of human, elven, and aquatic influences.

As they entered the town, Aleman marveled at the bustling marketplace. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from fresh produce and exotic spices to finely crafted weapons and magical artifacts. The air was filled with the aroma of cooking food, the chatter of merchants, and the laughter of children.

The town was populated by a diverse mix of species. There were humans and elves, of course, but also merfolk with shimmering scales and webbed hands, and amphibian-like creatures known as Nereids, who moved gracefully between land and water.

The town's inhabitants wore a variety of clothing styles, from simple tunics to elaborate robes adorned with shells and pearls.

This town was almost three times larger than Unhidden Mist.

August stepped off the cart and stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from the long journey. It was still insane that the game considered this aspect as well. Things were as realistic as they could ever be.

August thanked the driver and took a moment to take in his surroundings. The river flowed through the center of the town with clear waters, teeming with fish.

Bridges arched gracefully over the river, connecting different parts of the town.

His first stop was the local inn, where he rented a room and dropped off his belongings. The innkeeper, a cheerful woman with the head of a fish, welcomed him warmly and provided him with a map of the town.

"Welcome to Swerling Town," she said with a smile. "If you need anything, just let me know."

August thanked her and took a seat in the inn's common room, where he reviewed the details of his quest.

He needed to retrieve the purification stone from the river, but with the number of magical aqua beasts within, he knew it was going to be tough.

After being fully prepared, August stood up and made his way to one of the riverbanks.

---

August stood at the edge of a riverbank, taking in the sight of the shimmering waters.

The purification stone was somewhere beneath the surface. Originally, he would have a very long range to cover but the chief had handed him something that made it easier to locate the stone.

So long as he was close, he would be able to tell where its exact position was.

The river was clear, allowing him to see the creatures swimming below.

He could make out various forms moving gracefully through the water. Some were small and agile, while others were large and imposing.

Taking a deep breath, August dove into the water causing the coolness of the river to send a shiver up his spine.

As he moved deeper, he kept his eyes peeled for any signs of the stone. Despite being able to tell that he was drawing close he knew it wouldn't be easy to find, especially with the creatures patrolling their territory.

The first creature he encountered was a Serpentine Eel.

Its long, sinuous body was covered in colorful scales, and it moved with extra fluidity. The eel's eyes glowed with an eerie light, and it hissed as it approached, its sharp teeth bared.

<< Level 6 Serpentine Eel Approaching >>

August drew his dagger and prepared to defend himself.

The eel lunged at him, immediately coiling around his leg.

He slashed at it with his dagger, cutting through its scales. The eel screeched in pain and released him, but not before biting his leg.

[ - 10 HP ]

[Serpentine Eel: A fast and agile predator, known for its ability to constrict and bite its prey with venomous fangs.]

<< Venomous Effect Initiated >>

<[ Player Resistance Is Too High ]>

<< Venomous Effect Cancelled >>

Despite not leaving Unhidden Mist town for months, August was still way higher than the level of this aqua creature so it was no surprise that the effect was canceled.

< Player Has Activated Slash >

August slashed repeatedly at the eel, leaving deep gashes across its body and cleaving down its HP.

- 200 HP

- 170 HP

- 210 HP

The eel tried to retreat after its HP was reduced to around ten percent of its original state.

However, August wasn't going to let it.

He lunged forward with speed and grabbed the creature before stabbing his dagger into both its eyes.

- 250 HP

[ Level 6 Serpentine Eel Defeated ]

[ +400 EXP ]

August sighed in relief. For the first time in a long time, he finally got an amount of EXP higher than twenty.

He swam up to catch his breath since he was incapable of breathing underwater.

After a few seconds, he dove back in and pressed on.

August's eyes scanned the riverbed for any signs of the stone.

Suddenly, a second creature appeared—a Luminescent Piranha.

Its body was small but packed with muscle, and its scales glowed with a bright, bioluminescent light.

The piranha darted towards him with incredible speed. Its razor-sharp teeth were ready to tear into his flesh.

<< Level 7 Luminescent Piranha engaged >>

August barely had time to react before the piranha bit into his arm causing pain to sear through him.

[ - 40 HP ]

He struck back with his dagger, managing to wound the creature enough to drive it away.

- 150 HP

[Luminescent Piranha: Small but deadly, these fish are known for their rapid attacks and sharp teeth, which can cause severe damage in a matter of seconds.]

The creature spun back around and came for August again. He repeatedly swung out his dagger but missed due to the speed of the Luminescent Piranha.

[ - 45 HP ]

[ - 50 HP ]

[ - 40 HP ]

Each bite from the fish would take around forty to fifty HP from August, causing him to seethe in frustration.

< Player Has Activated Shadow Dance >

'I hope this still works underwater,' August prayed internally as he moved towards the side.

Almost immediately, lots of shadows that looked like afterimages appeared beside him.

This caused a disorientation in the fish, causing it to miss August after another lunge.

August rejoiced internally as he began to swim from side to side and in circles around the Luminescent Piranha.

The shadow dance amplified his speed and also made it seem as though August was an illusion of shadows. Every movement left after images of shadows dancing around and this really helped with confusing the creature.

The piranha was still faster than August but since it couldn't tell which one was him exactly, it continuously missed. Every missed lunge gave August the opportunity to land a strike on it.

- 200 HP

- 170 HP

August constantly landed hits, leaving injuries on the creature until he completely depleted its HP.

[ Level 7 Luminescent Piranha Defeated ]

[ + 600 EXP ]

August surfaced for air once more, not waiting to go for the little loot the creature dropped.

After gathering his breath, he dove back into the water, determined to find the stone.