Chapter 22 – Dungeon.

Right now I'm farming in area where only Walking Trees rule. So far, I didn't encounter any other monsters beside Walking Tree in here or rare species either.

As I began going deeper and deeper into area, the more higher level version of the Walking Tree began to appear ranging from level 33 to level 39. The Walking Trees have bit higher difficulty that Frog-Mans but I manage to find the weakness of their skill.

[Nature Fang]. Their skill is way simpler to dodge then I though. Simple put if you see one them about to punch the ground and you just move a bit away from the spot the attack will end up missing, it can't hit you as long as you keep moving around. This skill is only very dangerous if you are not moving.

Well it's still skill that can hurt a lot, honestly, I was lucky the first time I got hit with it. It was able to pierce my shoulder even though I was wearing armor. If by any chance my hearth would get pierced it would be probably instant kill.

Anyway, this skill is very useful when dealing with enemies that fights from afar since you can pretty much attack them from afar. It can be deadly but only if enemy is not moving around, so against archers or mages type enemies, like for example Frog-Man apprentice mage or Frog-Man archer, this skill will probably will be extremely useful when dealing with them.

The Walking Trees themselves possess a weak spot and it's their torso. If you manage to destroy their torso completely, they will instant died. Well I don't really know if it can be called weak spot really, since if you destroy torso of any creature they instant died, either way it's only their weak spot(?) I manage to find.

[Mix] – [Level 41]

New skill [Axe Mastery – Rank F] – [Level 1 -> Level 2] (Skill level got quickly increased soon after acquiring it.)

[Min] – [Level 38]

[Ollie] – [Level 39]

[Rlr] – [Level 37]

[Lrl] – [Level 37]

As soon as Rlr and Lrl joined party, our farming efficient grown up a lot and we manage to level up 4 time even though they just were add to the party moments ago.

"Honestly I won't be surprised if we manage to level up to level 50 today or higher, considering how well we hunt right now."

(Anyway, where are boss monsters? So far, I didn't manage to encounter one yet even though we explored large area already. I've been going in directions where higher level version of the Walking Trees appear.)

(Please don't tell me that boss monster is pretending to be one of those giant trees and I ended up walking past him multiple times? Honestly, I won't be surprised if that is the case, since I swamp forest, it didn't took me that long to find a single boss monster. Don't tell I'm right now.)

"AT LEAST THE AREA LOOK DIFFERENT IN SOME WAY TO INDICATE WHERE BOSS MONSTER IS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" – shouted Mix in anger.

(Well good thing is that you can mark things on the map at least, I can this way mark the territory of Frog-Mans and Walking Trees and their average level. Maybe I should sell this information for some gold to earn a bit of cash? There are probably other players like me, trying to-)

While Mix was looking at her map, she didn't noticed that she walked over the edge of a cliff and ended up falling over. She then ended falling down and falling flat on the ground below her.

"I think I hate this bloody forest." – said Mix while getting up.

"This was at least solid 4 meters. F*ck the fall can do bit damage if you are not-"

As Mix looked behind her to see where she fall from, she noticed a hole in right behind her on the wall in the shape of the giant door frame.

"That's definity look suspicious."

Mix approached the suspicious hole in wall.

(There is some sort of staircase made out of plant roots that is leading down stairs. There are also those weird yellow mushrooms that light up the area below, are they some sort of torches?) – though Mix while peeking into the hole.

"Oh? When did you guys got here?" – said Mix after noticing Min and Ollie right next to her.

Min and Ollie turned her heads around towards the path where they came from while Rlr and Lrl were using it to get down.

"Oh, there was normal path to get down here."

(Anyway, what is that place?)

"Well, only way to find out is to go in. Let's check what the heck is this."

Mix entered the unknown space while caring her two handed crossbow while having Min and Ollie at front and Rlr as well as Lrl at back.

[[You have discovered: Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon!]]

[[You are first ever person to discover this dungeon! You will receive bonus 100% EXP gain as well as increased chance of item dropping! This lasts for 5 in games days. This effect only works inside the dungeon.]]

"Dungeon? You meant like in those novels or games, where monsters spawns and adventurers try to conquer it to receive rewards?!"

"Oh! Now that is interesting like hell! I love you stupid forest!"

(Anyway, in those scenarios the dungeons are normally filled with monsters, but I still don't see anything. Maybe the area near entrance is safe zone or something? It's worth noting if that is the case.)

Mix and party begined walking through the corridors of the dungeon.

"Oh? Something already appeared."

[Zombie Elf – Level 40] x 4

An humanoid monsters with sharp shaped ears wearing tattered and dirty clothes, appeared in front of Mix group.

"Zombies?! I was not expecting that at all. Kind out of the place."

(Can I tame a zombie in first place, that is interesting question.)

The group of zombies begined walking towards Mix group.

"They are quiet slow. Lrl, Rlr, skewer all of them with [Nature Fang] ."

[Lrl had used skill: [Nature Fang].]

[Rlr had used skill: [Nature Fang].]

Two plant root spears were launched from left and right side, piercing and skewering each enemy with both of the attacks and locking them in place as well.

"….They are still alive even though the attack pierced their torso and area where hearth is normally located, does attacking vital points don't work?"

"When you think about the zombies, normally in movies or in games the weak points are their heads."

Mix aimed her crossbow and shot it at the zombie, hitting it right in the head.

[You have slain: Zombie Elf – Level 40]

"Piercing it's hearth won't kill it but headshots will. What about decapitation."

Mix took out one handed axe from her inventory and approached the skewered zombie who could not move and decapitated it.

[You have slain: Zombie Elf – Level 40]

"Decapitation works as well huh? By the look of this only it's head is it weak point."

"What about taming? [Tame]."

[System notice: Undead creatures cannot be tamed.]

"So I can't huh. Well at least it's good to know."

Mix and her party disposed of the remaining monster and begined heading further into a dungeon, killing any monster they encounter.

Sometime later.

[Level Up! You became level 43!]

"Another level up already, Jesus."

(We are literally steam rolling though the entire dungeon like it's nothing.)

(The only monsters here are Zombie Elves. They are slow and stupid, but they do deal bit of damage when they manage to land a hit and if they bite you, you will end up with inflicted with curse that deals damage over time, the curse doesn't last long but it doesn't deal small amount of damage total. Ollie got bitten while tanking enemies attacks.)

"Anyway curse? Not poison or disses? Well this is fantasy world, so it won't much surprising if there is some sort of curse that turns people into undead or if there is something like necromancy here that allows you to control dead and stuff."

(Dealing with zombies was quiet easy for me, since they are slow and everything I can easily and quickly aim at their heads without any difficulty and instant kill them. And if anybody got too close, Rlr and Lrl could use [Nature Fang] to lock them in place.)

"By the way, what is the deal with this door." – said Mix while standing in front of giant steal door with giant monster face painting covering almost entire surface of it.

(Normally in those situation in novels and other stuff, on the other side would be boss monster that rules the dungeon. Dungeon boss.)

(Since this place is filled with zombies, does the boss monster is by any chance some sort of stronger zombie or like mutated zombie abomination?)

"Simple way to find out is to just go in."

Mix putted both of her hands on the door and pushed it open with easy.

Mix and her party entered the room and as soon as all of them entered, the door behind them closed shut.

[You have entered the final room of the Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon!]]

[Defeat The Dungeon Master: Corpse Eating Tree]

[WARINING! You cannot leave this room until either you/your party or boss monster is defeated!]

A monster that look similar to the Walking Tree appeared, however it looked different in many different ways.

Unlike the brown wood of the Walking Tree, the creature had pale surface, just like with the corpse.

The creature size was way bigger as well, it was at least 4 meters tall.

Each branch of the creature were shaped like a hook and on some of them, the skulls were hanging on them, like a trophy.

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master]

(Okay, I wasn't expecting right after having to deal with zombies, but its name suggest it has something to do with corpse. Is it something like zombie tree?)

(Anyway, what it's fighting style? Does it inflict curses like a zombies or does it uses similar attack to the Walking Tree or by any chance both?)

(Either way I can't let my guard down. The difficulty of the average monster increases not only because of their level but because of their own power as well. Since normal monsters are noticeable stronger, what about the boss monsters? How much their difficulty had changed?)

"Split up across the room but don't get too close to it or attack it yet until I attack it first."

The tamed monster fallowed order quickly and splitted up across the entire room, surrounding the monster and as soon as of them got the two positions, the boss monster roared and begined walking wards towards the opponent in its light of sight: Mix.

"It's slow as zombie huh. "

"Fire at will at it."

The gun barrel of the gun arm that belonged to Grey Chess Rock begined to spin and the Lesser Water Frog created. Moment later multiple projectiles were fired straight at the giant monster and hitting it in the process.

(…It barely did any damage. Is he a tank type? It didn't seems that he used a skill yet or anything. Is his stats focused on defense? Rock deal physical damage while Water Frog deals magical, he didn't took much damage from both of those attacks.)

"I guess it's time to go with numbers. [Summon: Grey Chess Pawn] times 6.]

[6 Grey Chess Pawns have been summoned.]

"Lrl, Rlr, [Nature Fang] that guy feet!"

Two plant roots were shoot from the ground at both creature legs, the attacks connected but both of them didn't manage to went too deep into creature legs.

The creatures looked at it legs and moment later it took a step, breaking one of the roots that pierced its leg then another step, destroying the other root.

"Tch. It won't work huh?" – (By the look of things it has high [Strength] stat as well. He is same as Ollie but obviously much stronger.)

"Everybody attack him at one! But watch out for its attacks."

All of the monster Mix command begined attacking the boss monster while she herself begined shooting monster in different areas, such as head and torso, trying to find the weak spot of the creature.

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 89%]

(No weak spots huh? Well overwhelming that guy with numbers seems to works. Even if we are not doing much damage to him, because of sheer amount of attack this bastard HP is dropping fast. I thought it would hell an long time to beat the bastard just like with the crocodile boss monster, it took ages to finally kill that guy.)

The monster tried raising its hand and Mix noticed that.

"Ollie! [Predator Challenge] [Bloodthirsty Roar]."

[Corpse Eating Tree has been inflicted with [Predator Challenge]. Corpse Eating Tree has been inflicted with TAUNT.]

[Corpse Eating Tree has been inflicted with [Bloodthirsty Roar]. Corpse Eating Tree stats have been reduced by 5%. Corpse Eating Tree movement speed and attack speed has been reduced by 25%.]

The boss monster attacked Ollie directly, but Ollie withstand attack while the boss monster itself was keep getting attacked by Mix party.

[Ollie [ Strength ], [ Physical Defense ] and [Magic Defense ] has been increased by 50% thanks to the [Predator Challenge].]

"Attack him nonstop!"

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 76%]

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 71%]

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 67%]

(Its HP is dropping very fast and battle only started 2 minutes ago.)

"But it's too easy, there is no way he will be defeated way easier that a mob."

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 50%]

[Corpse Eating Tree had used [Call Servants].]

Multiple magic circles appeared across the room and moment later, a Zombie Elves would reemerged from them.

[Zombie Elf – Level 40] x 5

"So he summons monster to aid him in-"

Before Mix could end her sentence, the boss monster grabbed the closes zombie and ate it.

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 50% -> 68%]

"Oh, so that's why you are called Corpse Eating Tree. You eat corpse. Honestly, I should have seen that coming."

"EVERYBODY IGNOR THE BOSS! KILL THE ZOMBIES FIRST! PAWNS STALL THE BOSS IN MEANTIME!" –(He recovered 18% of his HP by eating one guy. Focusing on dealing damage won't do sh*t if he just recovers instantly by eating few zombies and I don't know if he will summon more when he get his HP back to 50%.)

Entire Mix group changed their target complete, from boss monster to the zombie that just got summoned. Each summoned zombie was quickly dealt with, leaving the boss monster alone again.

"Now get that bastard again!"

[Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43 – Dungeon Master / Boss Monster] – [HP: 68% -> 50%]

[Corpse Eating Tree had used [Call Servants].]

"Kill the zombies first before it eats them!"

The process of killing zombies then attacking boss monster would be repeated once again.

Few minutes later.

[You have slain: Corpse Eating Tree – Level 43]

[[Congratulation! You have conquered Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon!]]

[[You are first person to have ever conquers Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon! Additional rewards shall be provided]]

[[The first discovery bonus effect has enchanted received rewards and earned EXP!]]

[[Level Up: Mix, Min, Ollie, Rlr and Lrl.]]

"Wow…It didn't took that long that I though?"

"It's now like this guy was weak or anything, he deal Ollie for the lot of damage and some of the Pawns were one shotted. On top of that the number of his summons would increase each time his HP would get lower and lower."

"Honestly speaking, it was definity stronger that any boss monster we fought so far, but we killed it way easier that any boss monster we encounter so far. It only took few minutes to kill it as well."

"…Heh."

(It worked!)

(With enough numbers we can just steamroll though bosses.)

"But it's still very bad."

I realized something after watching the group of players fighting those Frog-Mans. Numbers are not always answer.

They got out number by monster several times and were heavily injured, but in the end, they would have won if I didn't intervenient, why? Simple put their own quality was better.

Honestly speaking, I realized that I just got lucky so far. If any of the boss I encounter so far had:

AOE attack or skill that makes them stronger the more enemies they fight at the same time, those things often appears in games and novels about games, there is also possibility of me fighting the player who have either one of those and that would totally screw me over. I already saw that mage player who had skill that creates AOE explosion when the spell hit.

But sometimes numbers is better answer, like with this guy we just beat. One group was focused on stalling the boss while other one dealt with zombies. If I were to do it alone, it would make the difficulty of beating that boss would way much higher.

It all depends on circumstances, sometimes the quality is better, sometimes quantity is better.

Quantity won't be problem, since the numbers of the monsters I will control will increase as time passes, probably. The real problem is quality, I need to evolve my monsters ASAP or find a different way to make them stronger.

[[You have successfully conquered: Elven Shrine Dungeon! You will receive Reward Chest!]]

+ [Reward Chest]

[[First clear bonus have been activated. You will receive additional rewards chest. First clear bonus works on all players that conquered dungeon/ dungeon floor for their first time, individually.]]

+ [Reward Chest]

[[You are first person to ever conquer this dungeon! Additional chest Shall be given.]

+ [Reward Chest]

[[The first discovery bonus effect has increases the reward. You will receive additional chest.]]

+ [Reward Chest]

[[Received Item will be automatically put into your inventory.]]

[[You have manage to conquer this dungeon alone! Additional chest Shall be given.]

+ [Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon Treasure chest – Conquer - Solo]

[[You received: Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon Treasure chest – Conquer.]] x 4

[[You have earned Achievement!]]

[[Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon (1place)]]

[[Rarity Rank: Epic]]

[[You have successfully manage to conquer Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon!]]

[[You are first ever person to earn this achievement! Additional rewards shall be given The rank of the achievement have been increased (Common -> Epic).]]

[Effect]

-You have received +5 free stat points.

[Additional Reward]

-You have received additional +10 free stat points.

-You had received worldwide fame.

[[Dungeon Conqueror – Tier 1 (3 Place)]]

[[Rarity Rank: Rare]

[[You have successfully conquered your first ever dungeon!]]

[[You are 3th ever person to ever acquire this title! Additional rewards shall be given The rank of the achievement have been increased (Common -> Rare).]]

[Effect]

-You have received +5 free stat points.

[Additional Reward]

-You have received additional +5 free stat points.

-You had received worldwide fame.

[[Solo Dungeon Conqueror – Tier 1 (1 Place)]]

[[Rarity Rank: Epic]

[[You have successfully conquered your first ever dungeon alone!]]

[[You are 3th ever person to ever acquire this title! Additional rewards shall be given The rank of the achievement have been increased (Common -> Epic).]]

[Effect]

-You have received +5 free stat points.

[Additional Reward]

-You have received additional +10 free stat points.

-You had received worldwide fame.

"Huh, I got achievements about conquering dungeon, but I didn't received achievement for defeating the Corpse Eating Tree. It's probably the same case like with the first boss I slew, by the look of things only normal bosses can give you this type of achievement."

"Well, in the end I still got achievement so no use bickering around."

"Anyway, chests? I was expecting to just get more stuff when I just would loot its corpse."

Mix approached boss monster corpse and tried looting it, but her attempt was unsuccessful.

(So you can't loot it huh.)

"Anyway, let's see what we got. [Open Inventory]."

[Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon Treasure chest – Conquer]

[Item Type: Reward Chest]

[Rarity: Unknown]

[Using this item will open up this treasure box, rewarding the person who used it.]

[The moment you leave this dungeon the item will become [BOUND] to you. You can trade this item with other person who conquered this dungeon together with you. [BOUND] items will not drop when you die, can't be traded with others or sold.]

[Weight: 0.1]

"It's miniature chest huh? There is some sort of button where keyhole is supposed to be. I think I'm supposed to press it."

Mix pressed the big button on the miniature chest and moment later it open, releasing a faith light and multiple sphere like bubbles with something inside of them.

[You received:

-[Corpse Eating Tree Trunk]

-[45 Gold Coins]

-[40 Gold Coins]

"….Hey. Is this gacha by any chance?"

Mix opened another chest.

[You received:

-[Corpse Eating Tree Trunk]

-[Cursed Elf Skull]

-[60 Gold Coins]

"…"

Mix opened another chest.

-[Corpse Eating Tree Trunk]

-[Cursed Elf Skull]

-[35 Gold Coins]

"2 more chests….Maybe something will come out right? Gacha is always fair right? Right?"

[Mix is ex-gacha game addict. Well she was supposed to be. Nobody can really escape gacha addiction.]

[Remember kids, gambling is bad. Unless is gacha. Gacha is the truth.]

Mix opened another chest.

[You received:

-[Old Elven Ritual Dagger] – [Rare]

-[Cursed Elf Skull]

-[60 Gold Coins]

[Old Elven Ritual Dagger]

[Attack Power: 275-325]

[Item Type: Weapon]

[Weapon type: Dagger.]

[Rarity: Rare]

[Effect when worn:

-Increase your [Magic], [Intellect] and [Magic Defense] by 11.

-Dealing damage with this weapons will steal 0.5% of the target [Magic Defense] for 30 seconds. This effect can only be triggered only once on each target. This effect can be used against multiple targets and can stack from stealing multiple targets. This effect can work together while using the second [Old Elven Ritual Dagger].

[Item Restriction(s):

-User need to be at least level 35.

-User needs [Dagger Mastery – F] on at least level 1.

[Durability: 650/650]

[Weight: 150]

[An old dagger used in the past by the elves who prayed in the past to their old temple before the age of unknown end.]

"Oh, so you can get a weapon huh? So far, I only got crafting materials and gold. Well it kind of sucks that it's not axe or crossbow though."

"Last chest

[Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon Treasure chest – Conquer - Solo] – [Unknown]

[Using this item will open up this treasure box, rewarding the person who used it.]

[The moment you leave this dungeon the item will become [BOUND] to you. [BOUND] items will not drop when you die, can't be traded with others or sold.]

[This item is improved version of the original rewards chest and will provide 3 more additional rewards with higher chance of higher rarity ranking item dropping as well as higher amount of gold coins dropping as well.]

"Common give mama something good."

[You opened [Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon Treasure chest – Conquer - Solo] – [Unknown].]

[You received:

-[Corpse Eating Tree Trunk]

"F*ck."

-[80 Gold]

"Common."

-[75 Gold]

"Sh*t" – said Mix with sad voice.

-[Corpse Eating Tree Trunk]

"For the love of god."

-[Cursed Elf Skull]

"I beg you!"

-[Old Elven Shrine Medallion] – [Epic]

"Oh! Epic! The gacha is the truth!"

[Old Elven Shrine Medallion]

[Item Type: Artifact]

[Rarity: Epic]

[Effect when worn:

-Grants +5 to all basic stats.

-Increase regeneration rate of all HP, SP, MP and other energies by 1.0.

-Skill : [Old Restoration Art] will be granted to the user.]

[Old Restoration Art]

[Skill type: Active]

[Cooldown: 2 hours]

[Temporary grants the user bonus 3.5 regeneration rate to all HP, SP, MP and other energies. Also grants bonus 1.5 regeneration rate to all HP, SP, MP and other energies to all allies within range of 15 meters. This effect doesn't stacks. This effect lasts for 100 seconds.]

"Huh. It seems pretty nice. But how do I use it or wear it?" – said Mix while holding triangle object in her hand with dark blue gem in the middle of it.

"Maybe I have something to do with inventory? [Open Inventory]"

Mix begined looking her current equipment, looking if there for any hits.

(Oh? There are 4 circle spots on the bottom of equipment list. Am I supposed to put it in there?)

[You have equipped: [Old Elven Shrine Medallion].]

"Huh, it worked, but I don't see it anywhere on me? My stats did increases, meaning it is indeed on me."

"[Old Restoration Art]."

[[Old Restoration Art] have been activated. Your regeneration rate has been temporarily increased.]

(It works without the issue as well. Huh, this will prove very usefully. There are 3 spots remaining, so I can equip 3 more artifacts. I wonder if I can equip the copies of the same item. How would that work? Would I get multiple uses on the same skill it grants?)

"Well, the only way to test do is to get more chests!"

[[You have cleared Dungeon : Forgotten Elven Shrine Dungeon has been cleared. You will temporarily lose access to the dungeon for 3 hours.]]

[[Do you wish to leave the dungeon? You will be teleported to the dungeon entrance.]]

[[YES/NO]]

"Oh, well that sucks. I think the dew don't want people to hoarder dungeons for themselves. Well, I guess I have to leave the dungeon."

[[You will be teleported to the dungeon entrance.]]