Assassin of Ice (1)

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to hang out with Blank or avoid him. One part of me loved that someone didn't repulse me, the other part said to stay away because who knew where this could lead.

Thankfully the SnowLeopards seemed busy with something and Blank was kept occupied.

A little bit later the next game challenge was released.

[Find the Orb of Knowledge, Time limit: 3 days]

Of course the crazy AI not really AI would find one of the legends of NewLegacy and make it a challenge. The orb was an item that could give a player a ridiculously overpowered skill. It even picked the skill most beneficial to you. It had never actually been seen in game though just mentioned in the NPC chat.

I entered the game and looked around the town. If I was a random orb made by an AI thingy where would I be? Where would I be if my goal was to not be found by anyone?

All the players had the same goal. The LoneWolves had obviously split up as solo players. The other guilds seemed to be forming smaller teams within themselves to search.

I started toward my first guess of where it could be based on hidden aspects and the legend around the orb. I had thought of three main possibilities, the dark graveyard, the caves of opals, and the underside of the floating island.

I was currently closest to the underside of the floating island so I'd start there. It was also probably the safest of the areas since it was just an underground tunnel system left by roots of a tree that had died and rotten away with time. The only monsters in there were plant based. Well assuming nothing had changed anyway.

One NPC legend focused on the place where rotten roots lead to treasure. The underside was known for its famous treasure chest in the middle of the tunnel system. Most of the in game treasure hunters had started focusing on if 'roots' could mean family background, so I added this one to my list in case people forgot to check the most obvious one.

Ah shoot! I looked at the floating island above me. I currently don't have my wing items I use to have in game. One of my favorite equips were the summerset wings, a quest from the king. Which currently didn't exist in the AI's game.

I cursed under my breath. Stupid king needs to hurry up and have his son lead a revolt so I can end it and fly again.

I grumbled looking up at the sky. How had players been getting up to the floating islands so far? I paused, wait had they even?

What was the first way I got up their years ago? I remembered and hissed, I wasn't sure that would work out well in this reality. Hmm should I try it though? Not like I had anything better to do. At most I'd just kill have my HP and have to go to the nearby town.

I looked down at my new boots I spent the morning getting. Boots of the wind: speed and agility +100% jumping power + 300% height. Time to see if I could copy one of my favorite moves from when the game first came out. I smirked as I pulled out a bow and arrow from my inventory and tied a rope to the arrow. Then I put it on the string and drew it back.

Holding it steady I jumped as high as I could then launched the arrow at a low hanging root. It stuck into it and I was dangling from the air. Very fun, I really need my wings back. I pulled myself up the rope and onto the root. From there I climbed by archery all the way to the tunnel entrance.

The old rotted roots were slowly disappearing just like in game. They were half still alive and curled around at random. I leapt over one at the entrance and started walking down the tunnel. My ice glow, as I started to call the light skill, was so much more useful than a flashlight.

I froze a few random roots that got in my way and hopped down the path with ease.

[+300 exp] [+300 exp] [+300 exp] [+300 exp] [+300 exp]

Roots are useful for something at least!

I paused taking a few detours from the main treasure chest to check the bronze and silver ones on different paths. A list of random items appeared in my inventory. I sold them immediately, none of them were useful to me.

After checking all the side paths I went down the main one. A few larger roots lunged at me and I slashed them with my ice.

[+350 exp, large root]

"We gonna have an exp party, I don't need nobody" I hummed to myself as I made my way further toward the island's center.

I hissed angrily as one root managed to scrape my arm with a surprise attack. It died a painful death.

[Boss root +400 exp]

Wait that was the boss? I remember him being a lot harder. Oh well!

Shinning in the center of the chamber behind the dead root, was a golden chest covered in ornate designs.

I skipped over and opened it. More useless items. Sell all!

I wonder if anyone would bother buying some of these slightly higher grade ones on the player market? I took them and tossed them into the market at just slightly above the normal sell price.

Oh seems they would! They were taken almost immediately. Guess I'll stick more of the items I find there then.

[Gold: 1,348]

Decent but nothing truly good could be found in the markets. Only top level drops would do. But this would buy some very taste meals in my future!

I began to make my way out of the maze of undergrowth. So dark, no wonder these roots would die and become corrupt without a tree above them. I swatted away a few more of them as I backtracked my way out.

Some dust was kicked up as a rather overactive root died by my hands. I coughed a few times. Gross, gross, I hated making noises myself. So icky. I hurried away from the dust. The dust wasn't gross and the roots weren't gross, nope I was just grossed out by myself. Humans are gross. Even in this game I couldn't completely escape myself. Although it was a lot less, which was nice.

I emerged back into the sunlight. Nice and warm, time to move on to the second potential area. Hmm do I want to do the Opal Caves or the Dark Graveyard first?

Dark Graveyard sounds kind of terrible. I have to deal with zombies if I go there. Opal caves it is! These lovely caves were a favorite hangout of mine. People didn't often go there because there wasn't any treasures except to mine opals. But farming diamonds and rubies were more profitable. So people only did the basic quest then left.

One NPC mentioned a small line in another quest though about how the skill you truly needed was stuck to the wall like a gem. Which could be taken as the Orb of Knowledge looking like an opal.

The orb was suppose to reflect colors like a moonstone. The moonstones had long been searched for it. I had heard three guild groups I passed talking about the moonstone valley.

What people often forgot to consider though, was that opals and moonstones both reflected light. The orb was supposed to have a slightly damaged core, which would make it look more like an opal.

I took up a light jog as the scenery around me was beautiful. This area had perpetual autumn with leaves of gold, orange, red, and yellow. The Opal Caves weren't far. I enjoyed the warm afternoon air. I loved this game, and this dive feature was epic. Could I just live here permanently?

The entrance to the cave came into view and I slowed to a walk staring at another approaching figure.

Blank had actually thought of this as a possible place too?

"Hi" I said tentatively.

"Royal!" he smiled back. "Care to join me?"

No not particularly. I thought in my head. "We'd cover more ground separately." I replied.

"Nonsense, no other members of my guild thought of this as a possible place, so I'd like some company!" Blank grabbed my arm taking me with him.

Why are you dragging a solo player into your own self need for company! I wanted to whine. Whatever I'd just work with him for now. If I had to work with someone at least it wasn't someone gross.