Chapter 35 – Defeat of the living tree ruler.
[You have defeated the: King Of The Living Trees Az– Level 86]
[You have level up!]
"F-fuck me…. In the ass! He is finally dead!" – said Avalanche while sitting down exhausted.
Everybody in the party finally let go and tried to took a breath or two after finally beating the boss monster.
"H-hey Forge. When you fought that kobold boss. Was he also that kind of pain in the ass powerful?" – asked Phiul.
"He fuking took my hammer straight in the face and he was still fuking fine. Of fuking course, he was pain the ass! I barely manage to beat him even though I pulled out the tricks and weapons I had!" – said Forge while lying on the ground.
"However, even though the fight was fuking hard and all, the hard worked paid off. So, let's see what the heck we got."
"Agree. It better be fuking worth it after all this bullshit we went through." – said Avalanche.
[Parasitic Wooden Axe]
[An axe that was once belonged the living tree ruler Az. The axe itself possess a special power of stealing the life energy from its victims and replenish the vitality of the user.]
[Attack Power: 450 – 555]
[Whenever the axe deal damage via normal attack, the user will be healed based on the damage deal. Scaling: 15% of the damage done to the target. If the user has less than 20% HP, the healing effect will increase by 7%]
[Item restriction: Level 82 / [Strength] 80]
[Item tier: 51]
[Crown Of The Living Trees Ruler Az]
[This crown was a simple of power and part of the Living Tree Ruller Az.]
[Physical Defense: 200]
[Magic Defense: 200]
[+30 Strength]
[Generate skill: [Root Arm] level 1/1. Upon activation, create a special roots that fuses themselves with your arm and the weapon, making them grow double in size and increasing the weapon affected by this skill to double its original attack power. However, in exchange the weapon weight will double. The skill possess cooldown of 30 minutes.]
[Item restriction: Level 82]
[Item tier: 51]
"Only two items, but damn. They are freaking good!" – said Avalanche.
"…. However, they only seem to be good for the warriors. Fuck me. It would be nice if something for mage dropped. Only you or Forge can benefit from this." – said Phiul.
"…. Avalanche, you take them." – said Forge.
"Eh? You sure?"
"Yea. I still have my stuff from the kobold boss and these thing seem way more useful for you. I'm also experimenting a lot and trying out different weapons, so there is another reason why you should take it."
"…Does anybody else have to say anything?" – asked Avalanche.
"Nope." – said Try.
"Don't care. It isn't an item we can use anyway." – replied Phiul.
"Well then, I guess I will take them."
After Avalanche got the item from the boss monster, he quickly changed his current equipment. He equipped the crown and replaced his one handed axe with the great axe that was made out of the wood.
"Hm… Its bit heavier than I though and its not one handed like when that guy used it." – said Avalanche while holding the axe.
"Will that be a problem?" – asked Forge.
"Yea. I don't have enough strength right now to hold both great axe and great shield together. I guess it's better if I use this axe for now, since I can use it to heal myself with it and the new skill increase the axe damage by times 2, so it would be much more worth it using the axe."
"And there is also problem with my shield."
"?"
"What?" – asked Forge.
"Well, it got roughed up too much and lost way too much durability. I literally can't use it because it would shatter in mid fight."
"…. What? But the shield is brand new!" – said Forge.
"Yea and I used it to take that bastards attacks with it nonstop. So, you can kind of see reason why it is in this kind of shape." – said Avalanche.
"…. Fuck me." – said Forge.
"A-anyway! Don't you think that something is off!?" – said Forge in panic.
"?"
"What do you- WAIT! Where is the device?!" – said Try.
"Yea! Where the fuck is it?! The boss was supposed to had it, but it didn't dropped!" – said Phiul.
"Check the spot where it died!" – said Try.
The party beginned looking around, trying to find the device they needed to complete the quest. They searched around the area where the monster died and areas nearby, but there was no results in the end.
"What the hell is going on?! Its nowhere! Literally there is nothing!" – said Phiul while kicking the random stones.
"Is it bugged?!"
"I doubt that. Nobody ever encounter any bug or anything while playing this game since it got officially released. If it was still beta, then maybe." – said Try.
"SO THEN WHERE THE FUCK IS IT?!" – shouted furious Phiul.
"…"
"Hey, em I've been wondering, but what is the deal with that?" – asked Forge while looking at the giant grey tree.
"What? Isn't that a throne thing that tree used?" – said Phiul.
"…. You know, now that you mentioned it, isn't this thing weird?" – said Try.
"Em…. I don't get it." – said Phiul.
"Well, based on the map we received, this place should be where the lake was, however the lake that was supposed to be here is literally nowhere to be seen and in it place there is this weird grey tree that was used as that guy throne." – said Try.
"However why the lake is missing and is it related to this thing? We didn't saw anything like this weird grey tree in the forest or heard anything about that from the commander Alex." – said Forge.
"No matter how you look at this, that tree isn't just a throne that guy used but something else."
"…."
"!"
"…. I just remember something." – said Phiul.
"When we were heading towards the forest, the two soldiers that went with us said that the living trees are draining mana and life from surrounding areas, turning them into wastelands in the process."
"Are you saying that the reason why the lake is gone was because it was drained as well? If so, then this thing is even more suspicious." – said Avalanche.
"By any chance, is the device hidden in that thing?"
"!"
"Yea! That would explain why we didn't manage to bloody find it in the first place! It got to be inside of it!" – said Phiul.
"So, we have to cut this thing down? Sounds good to me." – said Forge while taking out his great axe.
Avalanche and Forge approached the giant tree and beginned hitting the tree over and over.
"…. Wow. Its quiet tough. Em, guys. This may take a while." – said Avalanche.
[Half an hour later.]
"Just little bit more!"
"!"
"TIMBER!" – shouted Forge while running away with the Avalanche.
Forge and Avalanche quickly run away before the giant grey tree fallen on the ground, crashing it making lot of mess.
"FUKING FINALY!" – said Avalanche after the tree was finally cut down.
"Find that stupid artifact and let's be done with it!" – said annoyed Avalanche.
The party tried looking around for the device, however before they could do that, the grey tree suddenly withered away and disappeared, leaving behind a sphere like object.
"…. I found it."
[Hearth Of The Tree]
[A device created by the self-proclaiming genius Alvek. The device utilizes a special form of plant magic to create a monster called living tree that works under the maker control.]
[???]
[Part of the informations are hidden.]
[Activation: Turn the tree of the choosing into living tree. The mana consumption depends on the target and the designated living tree level.]
[???]
[Item tier: ???]
"This seem to be a thing we were looking for. What now? Should we bring it back as planned?" – said Try.
"…. No. It maybe good idea if we just destroy it right now. We don't know if we would survive going back. If we destroy it, we won't fail the quest even if we die." – said Avalanche.
"Hm…. I see. Well, you maybe have a point. Then let's do it." – said Try.
"…."
"Em…. Forge?" – said Try.
"…. I…. I think we shouldn't destroy it." – said Forge.
"?"
"Why?" – asked Avalanche.
"Well, don't you think that the situation is bit, weird?"
"The commander Alex told us that living tree went rouge and stole the device. The elf said this was because of the unknown mutation happening with the land unique soil and bronze trees."
"However I think that was a lie."
"What makes you think that?" – asked Phiul.
"The way that guy fought, it wasn't very smart. Its movements were predictable and it didn't use any tactics like focusing specific person. It was bit too stupid. It fought like a machine with a specific pattern."
"…Now that you mentioned it, that thing was fighting similar way like the living tree." – said Try.
"YEA! And that is the problem! How in the bloody hell the brain dead living tree could go rouge in the first place AND even use this device!"
"!"
"Wait, that doesn't really make sense. By any chance, the living trees never went rouge in the first place?" – said Avalanche.
"Yea! That what I mean. We saw how the living trees fought and how that guy fought, they just attacked without thinking. I saw monster knowing when to use skills in the right moment or when not to use, for example when I fought that kobold boss. If this guy really manage to went rouge and use the device, then shouldn't it had some intellect in the first place?"
"There is also that grey tree we just cut down. What was the deal with it?" – said Forge.
"Commander Alex didn't told us about it and it seem like the device and the tree were connected together, so then why we weren't informed about this? Simple answer, he didn't knew because the elf didn't told him about it!"
"…. I think we have evidence that this wasn't the accident but in reality, a sabotage done by the elves!" – said Forge.
"…. I see. Good deduction. What you just said maybe indeed be a truth. Now we have to bring this thing to the commander guy at all cost!" – said Avalanche.
"But how the heck we do that? The forest is still probably filled with living trees and we out of any potions, literally we have 0." – said Phiul
"There is also that wall of living trees blocking our way back. We can try using the strategy from before, but this time we may end up running into the huge group of living trees if we are unlucky while running away." – said Try.
"Then, should we wait for the others from the group to finish their quest and ask them for rescue?" – said Forge.
"Nope. We are still in middle of the enemy territory. We don't know if this area is really safe after we beat the boss monster or not. It is better if we don't wait and find out ourselves." – replied Avalanche.
"…"
"So, we are just straight up fucked?" – asked Phiul.
[You have received the message.]
"!"
"Maybe not. I think we just got lucky." – said Avalanche.
Sometime later.
"…."
"NOW!"
The group arrived at the spot where many living trees were located and blocked their path before and repeated the process of killing the living trees with the strategy from before and then making run for it.
"Just run for it! It doesn't matter if they attack you or you die! Just run!" – said Avalanche while running with the group.
The group continue running at their full speed through the forest while trying to get as far as possible, however before long Try was killed by the living trees, fallowed up by the death of Phiul.
"How far!?" – asked Forge.
"Just little bit longer!"
"?!"
"FUCK ME! SCREW THIS! I TRY TO SLOW THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! GO FOR IT!" – said Forge before stopping and trying to slow down the monsters.
Forge tried slowing down the monsters as much as possible, however without any support or potions, he ended up being killed by the army of the living trees.
[You have died. You will be forcefully logged off.]
(Fuck me! I'm almost out of stamina and these guys are right behind me!)
(Common, common! Just little bit further!)
"!"
"Catch!" – said Avalanche before throwing the Hearth Of The Tree device in the air.
After throwing the device, it was catched by somebody and the somebody in question was none other than dark elf May and the member of the group.
"Go for it!" – shouted Avalanche before fighting the living trees and shortly after dying.
[Meanwhile in reality.]
[You have died. You have been forcefully logged off.]
[You have received temporary death penalty. You are unable to log in until the penalty is lifted.]
"…Whew. Let's hope the plan worked." – said the Forge in real life after taking off the helmet.
(Avalanche manage to contact the May, she manage to finish the quest and replay to the Avalanche when he was asking for any help while we were still trying to find the boss monster. As of right now, she and Kitty have the highest agility in the entirely group, so she should be able to outrun the living trees and made it back to the fortress.)
"?"
[Avalanche: I manage to give May the thing before I died.]
The man read the text message on his phone.
"Huh. He manage to deliver it. Honestly it was risky strategy, but it worked. Now all it left is to see if she mange to give the device to the commander and wait until the death penalty time is over." – said Forge while holding the phone.
(But it still sucks that we died. Now we have to wait until the death penalty ban is lifted and come back to the outpost. It would also be good if I didn't manage to drop any useful items upon the death. Well, specifically the weapons, since those are quite important for my research.)
"Anyway, I guess I have to wait a bit huh?"
Sometimes later after the death penalty ban was lifted.
[Welcome back player Forge.]
"Okay. I'm back!"
(Did I lose anything?)
"…"
"My boots are gone."
(Well, they weren't that important or anything, I can make new ones. It could have been much worse.)
(Anyway, other seem to logged in as well, let's message them.)
The party reunited after dying and headed straight towards the outpost.
"Welcome back bastards! I was told what happened by your friend over there." – said commander Alex while looking at May.
"You weren't originally a part of the group that went to deal with the living trees, but you did manage to bring me back the device, so I will rewards you for it."
"Thank you very much." – replied May.
"Now then, your friend said that you had something to tell me and wanted to discuss it with me as soon as possible. What is it?"
"Well…You may or may not like it." – said Forge.
Forge and Avalanche beginned explaining what they saw and encounter in the forest, as well as their theory of the elven kingdom intentional sabotage.
"..."
"..."
"…. It all makes sense now. It all make sense! Why haven't I thought of that?!"
"Those fuckers. THOSE PIECES OF SHIT!" – shouted furious commander Alex before smashing his table with his fist.
"NO FUKING WONDER THAT SOMETHING SEEMED OFF ABOUT THOSE BASTARDS! IT WAS ALL PLANNED BY THEM FROM THE VERY START! FUKING TRASHES!"
"!"
"…. Em…."
"A-ah. Sorry! Look…. Please leave room for the moment. I really need a moment for myself." – said commander Alex while having his face slowly turn red from the anger.
The party left the room.
"…. So- "
"$!&(#!#!?!#!"
"….Em. Maybe let's go outside." – said Try while commander Alex continue swearing in his room, fallowed up by the sound of getting destroyed.
The group left the building and waited for some time until the sound of breaking stuff and commander swearing stopped.
"…." – commander Alex left the building and looked at the group.
"…Em. Sorry for just now. We can now resume where we left off."
The party returned back to the office that was kind of completely ruined state.
"Ekehm. Em. Please don't mind the mess in here."
"Now then, before we discuss your next task, let me thank you first for your effort of dealing the living tree leader that getting the device back that was used to create them."
[You have completed the quest: Unique Quest: Forest Problem – Living Trees.]
[You have defeated King Of The Living Trees Az.]
[You have retrieved and delivered the device safely to the commander Alex.]
[You have informed the commander Alex about the truth of the matter at hand.]
[Commander Alex is grateful for all you did and even more for shinning the light on the case at hand.]
[You have received EXP.]
[Level Up!]
[Favorability with Bronze Forest City Commander Alex has increases.]
"Now then, shall we talk about the other problem now?"
{{EXTRA}}
[Advance Blacksmith]
[Advance Blacksmith is an evolved version of the regular blacksmith. This class specialty is to improve the blacksmith work even further and unlock new knowledge they can use.]
Max level 20.
Grow per level:
[Strength] +1.5
[Agility] +1
[Intelligent] +1
[Physical Defense] +1.1
[Magic Defense] +1.1
[Health] + 1.5
[Mana] + 1.4
[Stamina] + 1.4
Skills:
[Advance Blacksmithing – Level 10/10] [Passive]
[Improve user blacksmithing art even further. Helps user while crafting items. Doesn't help while creating food or potion type items. This passive stacks with the [Basic Blacksmithing] skill.]
[Eye Of The Blacksmith - Skill Level 4/4] [Active]
[Using this skill allows you to peek into an item hidden details that can't be seen by the normal person.]
[At the skill level 1 – You are able to see item mana affinity value.]
[At the skill level 2 – You are able to see item element value.]
[At the skill level 3 – You are able to see item attribute value.]
[At the skill level 4 – You are able to see item hidden aspects.]
[Mana Painter – Level 3/3] [Passive]
[Decrees the mana usage when making mana carvings or writing down a spells by 4%/8%/(16%).]
[Heated Craft – Level 1/1] [Active]
[Can only be used when crafting. Allow you to see the temperature of the targeted item. Can only target 1 item at the time and item need to be in the line of sight.]
[Upgraded Repair – Level 2/2] [Passive]
[Increase the effectiveness of the [Equipment Repair] skill.]