บท 7: The Choice of Quests
Seun-mi Ho crossed the central square of Naraheim, his steps light and his face glowing with evident satisfaction. The wolf quest had been tougher than he had anticipated, but he had emerged victorious. The villagers around him seemed busy with their tasks, some casting curious glances at the newly arrived adventurer, while others ignored him completely.
Seun-mi headed straight to the small wooden cabin where he had met the woman who had entrusted him with the mission to protect the herds. The door was ajar, and inside, he could see the lady talking with another villager. When she noticed Seun-mi, her attention immediately shifted to him, her eyes lighting up with recognition.
"Ah, there you are!" she exclaimed. "I've heard you managed to take care of the wolves. You've done an excellent job, young man."
Seun-mi nodded with a satisfied smile. "It wasn't easy, but the herds are safe now. I killed five wolves in the forest."
"Five wolves?" the other villager exclaimed, visibly impressed. "That's no small feat for an adventurer who's just arrived."
The woman nodded, clearly pleased. "Thank you for your help. Here's your reward, as promised."
She rummaged through a small wooden box on a table and pulled out a pouch filled with gold coins. She handed the pouch to Seun-mi with a warm smile.
[Reward received: 500 gold coins]
Seun-mi took the pouch with a joyful smile. He tilted it slightly in his hand, listening to the satisfying clink of the coins. "Thank you. This will definitely help with what's next." Seun-mi stored the pouch in his inventory.
"If you ever need anything else, don't hesitate to come see me," she added with a warm smile before returning to her conversation.
Seun-mi nodded and left the cabin, heading back towards the central square. His mind was already focused on what came next. Two quests remained, and he had no intention of wasting any time.
"Interface, show me the details of the remaining two quests," he requested.
The Interface appeared immediately in front of him, displaying information on the two available missions.
[Available Quests in Naraheim]
Quest 1: The blacksmith needs help gathering rare minerals from the nearby mountain.
Reward: 300 gold coins + Enhanced Weapon
Difficulty: Medium
Quest 2: Bandits have been spotted near the trade route. The village needs someone to neutralize them.
Reward: 400 gold coins + Armor Upgrade
Difficulty: Hard
Seun-mi frowned slightly as he examined the two options. "Both quests look interesting..." He thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of each.
"The bandits are probably riskier, given the difficulty level. But gathering rare minerals in the mountain seems like a good starting point to strengthen myself a bit before facing armed humans." He nodded slowly, having made his decision.
"I'll start with the blacksmith's quest. It'll give me a better weapon, which will surely be useful against the bandits later."
He selected the first quest on the Interface.
[Quest chosen: The blacksmith needs help gathering rare minerals from the nearby mountain.]
Reward: 300 gold coins + Enhanced Weapon
Difficulty: Medium
Mission: Retrieve 5 pieces of rare mineral from the mountain caverns.
"An enhanced weapon will be much more useful for what's ahead," Seun-mi murmured with a smile. "And 300 gold coins are always good to have."
[Route to Naraheim Mountain mapped]
Distance: 2 hours walk
Danger level: Low (moderate inside the caverns)
The small glowing arrow reappeared in his field of vision, indicating the path to the mountain. Seun-mi turned in the direction of the arrow and set off. The day was progressing, but he had enough time to reach the mountain before nightfall. He preferred to avoid venturing into the caverns at night when the creatures would likely be more active.
He walked quickly, feeling strangely more confident than during his first foray into the forest. He now had a better sense of his abilities, and he knew he could rely on his agility and Intimidation to get out of difficult situations. Moreover, the summoning of the wolf pack was no small asset.
"Interface, show me the details of the mountain and the caverns where I need to collect the minerals."
The Interface responded instantly, displaying a simplified map of the region.
[Naraheim Mountain]
Altitude: Moderate
Caverns: Medium-sized underground network, several known entrances
Danger level: Low outside, moderate inside
Reported creatures: Giant bats, cave spiders, and possibly rock golems in the deeper areas.
Seun-mi frowned. "Rock golems, huh? Hopefully, I won't need to go too deep into the caverns to find those minerals."
He continued following the Interface's arrow, crossing the fields and hills bordering Naraheim village. The landscape became progressively steeper as he approached the mountain. Trees became sparser, replaced by rocky formations and winding paths leading toward the peaks.
After about an hour of walking, he could already make out the entrances to several caverns scattered along the mountain's slopes. Some were small and easily accessible, while others seemed to plunge deep into darkness, promising treasure… or danger.
"This is where the real challenge begins," he murmured as he approached one of the nearby caverns. He knew the rare minerals wouldn't be near the surface. He would have to delve deep into the mountain to find them. But before venturing further, he checked his gear one last time.
"Dagger ready, cloak in place, wolf traps… Maybe not useful here, but you never know." He nodded, satisfied. "I'm ready."
He glanced one last time at the Interface. "Keep me informed if you detect anything unusual inside the cave."
[Auto-alert activated]
The surroundings will be scanned for any hostile presence or magical disturbance.
"Perfect." Seun-mi took a deep breath and entered the cave, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him inside.
The fresh mountain air quickly gave way to a heavy, humid atmosphere as Seun-mi Ho ventured deeper into the cave. The entrance was wide, but once inside, the rocky walls narrowed, forming a tight tunnel that sloped gently down into the heart of the mountain.
The Interface projected a faint glow ahead of him, just enough to light his path, but the shadows danced on the walls, creating strange and unsettling shapes. Seun-mi advanced cautiously, his senses on high alert.
"I don't like this," he muttered to himself. The cave was too quiet, and he had the unsettling feeling that something was watching him. He didn't know what it was yet, but an odd energy lingered in the air.
[Alert: Presence detected]
Analysis in progress…
"I knew it," Seun-mi thought as he tightened his grip on his dagger. He paused for a moment to listen, but no sound reached his ears. Yet the cold sensation on his skin, the shiver running down his spine, clearly indicated he wasn't alone in this cave.
"Interface, can you identify the presence?" he asked quietly.
[Analysis in progress…]
Unable to determine the exact nature of the threat.
"Great." Seun-mi sighed, slightly frustrated. "Alright, let's stay on guard."
He resumed walking, but after only a few more steps, he felt a slight sting on his left forearm. He stopped abruptly, frowning. Looking down at his arm, he didn't see anything at first. Then, slowly, a dull pain began to radiate from the spot where he had been stung.
"What's this?" he murmured as he inspected his arm more closely. That's when he spotted a small black shape, barely visible in the dim cave light. A spider, tiny but clearly dangerous, was moving swiftly across his arm, its thin, hairy legs sending shivers down his spine.
"Cave spider," he realized, recalling the Interface's description. "Damn, its venom must be…"
He didn't have time to finish the thought. A wave of intense heat spread from the sting, quickly coursing through his entire arm. The pain grew sharper, as though his blood was burning beneath his skin. His breathing quickened, and his heart pounded harder. He tried to shake the spider off, but the creature clung tightly before disappearing into the darkness.
[Alert: Poison detected]
Highly potent poison affecting all biological faculties
Effects: Progressive paralysis, sensory weakening, slowing of vital functions
Time before full effects: 5 minutes
"Five minutes?!" Seun-mi exclaimed, panic rising in him. He already felt his fingers going numb, the pain spreading rapidly up his left arm. His muscles twitched involuntarily, and his vision began to blur slightly.
"Interface, I need a solution!" He rummaged through his inventory in search of a healing potion, but he didn't have one capable of countering such a powerful poison. His breathing was becoming harder to control, and his heart raced at an alarming pace.
[Analysis in progress…]
Solution: Natural resistance to poison developing.
"What?!" Seun-mi wavered as the numbness reached his shoulder. "Natural resistance? What's that supposed to do exactly?"
[The user's body is adapting to the poison.]
Progressive immunity development in progress.
"I don't have time for this!" Seun-mi gritted his teeth, feeling his strength drain little by little. His legs went weak, and he dropped to his knees, his head spinning. "I'll… lose consciousness if this keeps up." But deep inside, he felt a growing resistance to the venom, as if his body was fighting fiercely to survive.
"Hang in there, Seun-mi, it's just a matter of time," he muttered to himself, trying to focus on his breathing despite the burning sensation spreading through his body.
Then, suddenly, a new notification appeared.
[New skill unlocked: Poison Resistance (Level 1)]
Description: The user's body develops resistance to poisons, reducing the effects and duration of exposure. Can evolve to total immunity over time.
"Poison resistance…" Seun-mi felt a surge of hope. "This might work."
As the skill activated, he felt the burning heat in his arm begin to subside. The numbness stabilized, and while the pain was still present, it seemed less overwhelming, as if his body was adjusting to the circulating poison. His breathing, though still irregular, became more controllable.
"I can… I can still fight." Seun-mi slowly got back to his feet, his left arm still heavy and painful, but functional. He squinted, searching for the small creature that had attacked him.
"I won't be taken down by a spider." He brushed his arm to shake off the lingering sting, but already, he could feel his muscles relaxing slightly.
The Interface reappeared in front of him, displaying another notification.
[New skill unlocked: Active Poison (Level 1)]
Description: The user can now use a small amount of poison in attacks, weakening enemies for a short duration.
"Active Poison?" Seun-mi raised an eyebrow. "I can use poison now? That's… unexpected."
He raised his dagger, spinning it between his fingers. Focusing on the new skill, he was surprised to see a faint green aura appear along the blade. It was only a faint glow, but he knew it was poison, identical to what had just affected him.
"Interesting…" he murmured with a smirk. "I guess this poison can work in my favor now."
He stood up fully, his muscles still a bit stiff, but his mind clearer. Thanks to his new resistance, he had survived what could have been a lethal attack.
"Alright, if this cave is full of cave spiders, I'd better be ready." Seun-mi turned again towards the darkness, his senses on high alert. He knew there could be more creatures waiting deeper within the caves, and now, he needed to be even more cautious.
[Alert: Multiple presences detected nearby]
Analysis in progress…
"Looks like I'm not out of danger yet," he murmured as he carefully moved further down the tunnel. His dagger, still coated with a faint layer of poison, glowed softly in the dark.
Every step he took seemed to bring him closer to a confrontation. And this time, he was ready, not just to defend himself, but to strike back with the very poison that had nearly killed him.
"Let's go collect those minerals," he said, gripping his dagger tightly, prepared to face whatever stood in his way.
End of chapter 7.
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