Chapter 7 - Central Lake 1 (1/2)

It was the area within the Primordial Forest where one could find the highest grade items, but simply arriving there was quite risky. One had to cross hordes of monsters, and despite Ghost mushrooms being quite effective at the lower levels, there was a limit to how many monsters it could evade detection.

‘I had a lot of trouble that time around as well.’

Regardless, the Central Lake was only the final destination, and he was in no hurry to get there right away.

‘We can fight our way there.’

They had to cull the overwhelming number of monsters, using the opportunity to grow in strength as well. It would take some preparation before the operation ran smoothly.

[Hunter’s Totem]

Type: Consumable

Effect: +20% Agility to allies within a 10m radius (2 hours)

[Hunter’s Flute]

Type: Musical Instrument

Rank: E

Durability: 700 (can’t be repaired)

Effect: Monsters are attracted to the sound of the flute.

[War Drum]

Type: Musical Instrument

Rank: E

Durability: 800 (can’t be repaired)

Effect: +20% Strength and Vitality to allies within a 12m radius

‘This should be fine.’

As of the third day one could choose their daily reward items based on contributions. Ten Hunter Totems, although they were mere consumables, their effects were more than worth it.

‘Unnecessary equipment would just be a burden.’

It was one thing to store it within the Sage’s Pouch, and another to use it freely in combat. Equipment that was stored in the Gladiator’s Belt could be accessed at a moment’s notice, but that wasn’t the case for the pouch.

Regardless, other than Hidden pieces, the utility of regular items wouldn’t be that high, so he was better off investing in items that could support his growth in the short term.

“Let’s begin here.”

Woohyuk gathered the party around him as he activated the totem. A blue aura spread out, raising everyone’s agility by 20%.

“Should I start?”

A woman, Song Anna, blinked innocently as she asked.

Woohyuk nodded back and she began to play her Hunter’s Flute.

A peaceful melody drifted through the trees, but it didn’t take long for it to take effect.

“Krururu”

A group of angry goblins came into view. They were equipped with various items that made them look like a hunting party.

As soon as the female high school student, Yoo Gayong saw them, she began to beat the drum with a branch she had picked up along the way. A red aura spread out, increasing everyone’s Strength and Vitality by 20%.

“If you follow the plan, no one will get hurt.”

To which Woohyuk’s party members nodded back.

‘Buffs are crucial in group battles.’

It was the main reason for bringing them along. If he were to be fighting alone, he would constantly need to be watching over them, but with the buff at least they could now take care of themselves.

‘It’s a bit annoying, but….’

Considering that it was still early, it was worth it to invest some effort in training them, rather than dragging around dead weights the whole time. The plan was to start off with the relatively easy Goblin area, and then work their way up to higher levels of difficulty.

Woohyuk walked up to the incoming goblins, wielding a machete in each hand.

* * *

“Hu Huu….”

Lee Jaesung sat on a goblin’s corpse as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down at the Longsword and Iron buckler in his hands, his body completely exhausted.

“Good job everyone.”

Song Anna said as she looked to her teammates. She still seemed to be surprised by what had just occurred.

It was an entire hill of goblin corpses. A ridiculous number, especially considering that only 2 hours had elapsed.

“Is there a secret to fighting so well?”

Huang Dongwhan asked Woohyuk as he casually tinkered with his Adventurer’s Watch.

It hadn’t been so much a battle, as a one-sided slaughter. It had been quite thrilling to watch Woohyuk single handedly dispatch so many goblins.

“Just raise your stats.”

A straightforward reply, but Woohyuk felt it was the most honest one.

‘If you are lacking experience, then you need to try just about anything.’

At the end of the day stats are just another resource to make use of. Later on, skill would become more important, but not nearly as much at these early stages where your stats played a much more significant role.

“Do your stats grow as you kill more monsters?”

“Yes, but they have to be at a similar level to you.”

This was a world based on a game system, so common sense didn’t necessarily apply. Woohuk then made use of their break time to teach his party the basics of stats.

“I see, so as Agility rises, your Perception improves….”

“Magic resistance is related to Spirit, thanks for sharing.”

While all the party members were nodding their heads, Song Anna handed Woohyuk something.

“Is this edible?”

[Clown mushroom]

“If ingested in small doses it acts as a hallucinogen, but can be lethal poison if one eats too much. It is used in alchemy, but it is dangerous for beginners to experiment with.”

Song Anna immediately dropped the Clown mushroom to ground, her face turning blue with worry. Woohyuk then proceeded to pick it up, and handed her a Ghost mushroom instead.

“If you find yourself in a tight spot, use it to lower your presence, it can save your life.”

“Oh, can I have one more? I have a sister ....”

“I’ll consider it if you have something useful to trade.”

[The Law of Equivalent Exchange]

He wasn’t planning on giving any handouts, preferring to be strict in order for them to learn this basic rule.

“Then what about this?”

She pulled out a scroll from her leather bag.

[Fire magic:: Fire Bolt]

Woohyuk stared at her in surprise.

“Where did you get that?”

“From a treasure chest I found in the forest.”

She had indeed been very lucky to find it while simply collecting firewood near the camp. Although it was a decent item, Woohyuk shook his head.

“You should use it.”

“But….”

“You are the only mage in the party, it makes sense for it to be with you.”

For the scrolls one obtained in the forest, the skills could be mastered immediately.

Woohyuk made sure she learned the Fire Bolt skill and then handed her another Ghost mushroom.

‘It isn’t yet time for me to focus on magic.’

Generally an adventurer could only have two classes. If we included the Elixir of Paradise that could be found in the Central Lake, then a maximum of four. Still, the mage class wasn’t something he considered as being absolutely necessary.

If he were to learn the Fire Bolt skill, there was a good chance that the Apprentice Mage class would be forced on him.

‘I’ll only settle for Hidden classes.’

Any other mundane classes would make his return meaningless.

Woohyuk then stood up as he exclaimed.