Chapter: 24 New Quest
*Yawn*
Renko yawned, her eyes bleary from consuming too much caffeine and nicotine during the afternoon. Exhaustion weighed heavily on Renko as she plopped down on a grave, her eyes were stinging and she was pretty sure they were red now.
'So tired!'
The graveyard seemed much quieter now that she had taken out more than half the Fly Heads.
Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the sturdy grave marker, closed her eyes, and allowed the weariness to settle. The soft rustle of leaves and distant whispers formed a slight melancholy tune in the background.
'What's next?'
Renko considered her options, an elite would be too much of a problem and a pain in the ass as well. The sub-bosses and the boss were out of her league for now, so she might as well hunt down the rest of the Fly Heads. She was out of ammunition so she might as well use the new bayonet or her fist to take them down.
She took a moment to enjoy the quietude, letting the night's stillness seep into her bones. As she rested, she contemplated her next move, most of the remaining Curse Spirits were either moving around in duos or trios or groups of more.
Moments later, she took out a can of RED Bull and chugged it down her throat.
[HP Regen: 1HP/Per Min(+1HP/Per Min)]
[CP Regen: 1CP/Per Min(+1CP/Per Min)]
'Now I know my night's gonna be fucked up.'
She was already feeling the effect of extra caffeine from the afternoon and adding more to it only meant she ain't gonna be able to sleep tonight.
'Sigh'
Once she felt a bit more relaxed, she sighed, opened her eyes, and pushed herself off the grave. Renko's body protested as she stood up from her makeshift resting place. The caffeine added a jittery edge to her weariness.
She decided to move cautiously through the graves, making her way to the nearest group of curse spirits.
'Cursed Energy Reinforcement!'
[-10 CP/Per Min]
[+1 Strength]
[+1 Vitality]
[+1.1 Dexterity]
[Inferior Cursed Bayonet
Durability: 5/5
Damage: 12+1]
She crouched down behind a tombstone, a pair of Fly Heads just a couple of meters away from her. The dim moonlight glinted off of her bayonet.
With a sudden motion, she lunged forward, the bayonet aimed at the Fly Head closest to her,
*Stab*
[Damage: 13 + 1.95(15%) + 6.5(50%)]
[Fly Head: -21.45 HP]
The Fly Head was caught off guard and dissipated into a dark mist. The remaining one, however, turned towards Renko with a hiss.
The lone Fly Head, now alerted to Renko's presence, hovered menacingly in her direction. Its wings hummed with an eerie energy, and its grotesque, insect-like appearance made it look even more disgusting.
The flyhead darted toward Renko, who side-stepped before bringing down the bayonet on the back of the creature's neck.
*Stab*
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage: 12 + 1.95(15%) + 6.5(50%)]
[Fly Head: -21.45 HP]
The Fly Head recoiled, letting out a distorted hiss as its form flickered, and a moment later it dissipated into the same dark mist as the rest of them did. Renko took a moment to catch her breath, the cursed energy reinforcement still going on at full force.
With a single thought, she paused the active technique before looking around for another pair of Fly Heads.
Renko moved through the graveyard with a mix of weariness and fatigue, she was feeling burnt out as hell but one thing she was certain about. She gotta at least take out all the flyheads before returning home.
So, she spent two more hours cautiously moving from tombstone to tombstone, taking down one creature after the other. The cursed energy reinforcement granted her enhanced physical abilities, making her movements more agile and precise.
'Now, where are the next ones?'
[Notification]
['Yūrei Yama Cemetery']
[Curse Spirits: Semi-Fourth Grade (0/ 51), Fourth Grade (19/20), Semi-Third Grade (5/5), Third Grade (1/1)]
'Ah, so this place is out of flyheads, huh?'
With the Fly Heads eliminated, Renko found herself facing a different challenge – more powerful curse spirits, the Fourth Grade curse spirits. Their numbers weren't much, and not only that, they were also staying alone in their territory.
Renko took a moment to reassess her situation.
She wasn't too tired or sleepy, but that was probably because of the caffeine and nicotine. However, the toll on her mind was undeniable, and she felt quite unsteady.
'Should I continue or head back?'
Renko weighed her options. Going deeper into the cemetery meant facing stronger curse spirits, and with her current condition, it would be quite risky. Returning home, on the other hand, would allow her to rest and she also had school tomorrow.
She glanced at her system interface, evaluating the new notifications.
[23*Fly-Head: Exorcised]
[+230 EXP]
[Level: 5]
[Experience: 35/500]
[Free Stat Points: +10]
[Dropped Items:
- $115 or ¥13,800
- 46*Fly-head Wings]
[Cursed Energy Reinforcement: +23]
[Cursed Energy Reinforcement(1): 33/100]
[Knife Mastery: +115]
[Knife Mastery(2): 175/200]
[Basic Stealth: +115]
[Basic Stealth(2): 85/200
Description: The very basic skill of masking one's presence.
- Noise Suppression: 12%
- Odor Suppression: 12%
- Reduced Presence: 12%]
[Innate Technique: Malevolent Arsenal(1): +115]
[Innate Technique: Malevolent Arsenal(1): 405/1000]
[Inferior Cursed Bayonet
Durability: 0/5(-5)]
[Inferior Cursed Bayonet
Durability: 0/5(-5)]
[Inferior Cursed Bayonet
Durability: 3.5/5(-1.5)]
[2*Trash: Broken Bayonet]
Renko's gaze lingered on her Inferior Cursed Bayonet and considered her choices carefully.
'Perhaps it's time to head back and rest.'
She made her decision, her weariness winning over her determination for the moment. Renko retraced her steps through the graves, avoiding unnecessary confrontations and maintaining her vigilance.
As she approached the exit of the Yūrei Yama Cemetery, she couldn't shake the feeling that the distance between the cemetery and her apartment was a bit too much, and so was the distance to the school, and the distance to the supermarket.
Renko was feeling a bit tired of wasting so much time walking every day, maybe it was time to get herself some faster mode of transport?
She pondered the idea of acquiring a faster mode of transport. The thought of walking long distances every day was becoming increasingly tiresome. Renko decided it was time to consider her options.
'Maybe a bike would be a good investment. It could save me a lot of time, and I wouldn't be so drained from walking everywhere.'
[Notification]
[New Quest]
[Transportation
Describe: Acquire a faster mode of transportation, preferably a bike.
Objectives:
- Acquire a driving license.
- Acquire a Bike or a Car
Rewards:
- EXP +25 for acquiring the license.
- EXP +25 For acquiring a vehicle.
- Skill: Mechanic.
- Skill: Repairing.]
'Well, that settles it.'
With this decision in mind, Renko headed towards her apartment. The night air was cool, and the mountain path was empty. In fact, it would be a problem if it was busy. Sometimes later, she reached her apartment building, climbed the stairs, and entered her unit.
[02:25 AM]
'It's late as hell, huh?'
The fatigue was catching up to her and as she closed the apartment door behind her, she checked her living room for what to do next.
*Grumble*
'That answers it doesn't it.'
She headed straight to the small kitchen in her apartment, feeling a mix of weariness and satisfaction from the night's endeavors.
*Bubbling*
As Renko yawned again and again, she settled the pot of water over the stove to heat up. She opened one of the cupboards and took out a bucket of cup noodles, another sweet and spicy one.
Her movements were sluggish, and the weariness seemed to have settled into every fiber of her being. The prospect of a hot cup of noodles was a welcome one, promising a momentary respite before she could succumb to the sweet embrace of sleep.
The water in the pot began to bubble, and she mechanically tore open the packet of cup noodles. The aroma of spices and seasoning filled the air, a comforting scent. While waiting for the water to reach its boiling point, Renko slouched against the kitchen counter.
As she thought back to the quest she got while walking back from the cemetery, the quest was for her to acquire a faster mode of transport. Most likely a car or rather a bike would be nice, but she needed to obtain a driver's license first.
'Guess I need to start thinking about getting that license.'
Soon the water in the pot reached a rolling boil, and Renko mechanically poured it over the cup noodles. The sound of sizzling steam mingled with her tired sigh.
Renko took a seat at the small dining table, cradling the warm cup in her hands. The spicy aroma wafted up, momentarily invigorating her senses.
*Slurp*
The first taste of the noodles brought a hint of satisfaction to Renko's fatigued state. The combination of flavors, however simple, provided a much-needed source of comfort.
*Slurp*
Renko continued to eat, the rhythmic sound of slurping noodles filling the quiet apartment. The clock on the wall ticked away, marking the passage of time as she savored the warmth and sustenance.
[Notification]
[Status: Caffeine Overdose(-0.5 HP Regen), Fatigue, Nicotine Overconsumption]
As the cup noodles gradually disappeared, Renko felt the weariness seeping in more prominently. The consumption of caffeine and nicotine during the night had kept her alert, but now the crash was inevitable.
'Should probably get some sleep.'
With the cup noodles finished, Renko discarded the empty container and headed toward her bedroom. The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle illumination on her simple living space.
[03:00 AM]
Renko collapsed onto her bed, the exhaustion finally claiming her. The events of the night replayed in her mind, the encounters with curse spirits, the thrill of combat, and the weariness that followed.
The fatigue weighed heavily on her eyelids, and as Renko closed her eyes, the world around her dissolved into the realm of dreams... or so she thought.
'Can't fucking sleep!'