Grove Of Shadow Trees (1)
Atlas decided to return to the Grove of Shadow Trees to improve his skills and upgrade the mountain beast. This place was already familiar to him, and he knew that here one could not only face various dangers, but also spend time profitably, fighting with local creatures and improving one's abilities.
[System Notification]
[You have chosen: Return to the Grove of Shadow Trees for further training.]
Atlas took his time, enjoying a moment of calm before new challenges. He moved along the narrow paths, enjoying the shade of the dense trees. Soon he found himself at the place where he had recently fought with the shadow predator.
The air shark followed him, gracefully gliding through the air, ready to engage in battle at any moment. Atlas nodded encouragingly at his mountain beast, and it responded with a slight buzz, which was a sign of readiness for battle.
Soon, new enemies appeared in front of them: several shadow wolves that were leisurely walking along the path. They were slightly stronger than the ones Atlas had faced before, but now he felt more confident, having a high level and improved skills.
Atlas took his dagger in his hand, preparing for battle, and sent his shark towards the enemies. The two of them attacked in sync—Atlas used his "Tactical Evasion" skill to dodge several wolf attacks, and the aerial shark pierced one of them with its sharp explosive bite.
The fight was fast and successful — thanks to improved skills and teamwork with the mountain beast, Atlas defeated the wolves effortlessly. He felt his strength grow with each fight, and his self-confidence increased.
[System Notification]
[Your Tactical Evasion skill has been upgraded to level 3!]
[Your Dagger Fight skill has been upgraded to level 3!]
[Your Mountain Beast has been upgraded to level 8!]
Atlas looked back at his shark with a smile, which now seemed to be even stronger and faster. He felt that this path to improvement was not in vain. He rested for a few minutes, and then went deeper into the grove to find even stronger opponents.
Atlas decided to continue training, realizing that the stronger he gets now, the easier it will be for him in the future. He went deeper into the Grove of Shadow Trees, carefully listening to the surrounding sounds. There was always something new and dangerous to be found here.
The air shark hovered silently nearby, its eyes carefully scanning the area. Atlas knew that he was getting much stronger with his mountain beast, but it wasn't enough. He needed to master his new skills and understand their potential.
Soon, they came across a small group of shadow creatures–two shadow wolves and a strange creature that resembled a tangle of roots and ghostly fire. It moved slowly through the trees, as if it were part of the grove itself.
[System Notification]
[You have discovered a rare monster: Shadow Tree (level: 11).]
[Feature: High magical resistance, weakness to physical attacks.]
Atlas squinted, and that was something new. He understood that the shadow tree could be a difficult opponent. Wolves, though a threat, were familiar to him, but magical creatures could have unpredictable abilities.
He gripped the dagger and looked at his shark,
–Ready? – The beast replied with a short buzz, its body enveloped in subtle waves of energy.
The fight started suddenly – one of the shadow wolves rushed forward, but Atlas, using "Tactical evasion", abruptly left the side, and then delivered a precise blow to the neck of the beast. The wolf squealed and scattered into a dark haze.
Meanwhile, the air shark attacked the second wolf using a "Discharge Wave", weakening the opponent before tearing it apart with a powerful bite.
That left the shadow tree. It moved slowly, but suddenly threw out long roots towards Atlas, trying to catch him.
[System Notification]
[Attention! The monster uses the "Shackle of Darkness" technique!]
Atlas made a sharp jerk, but one of the tentacles still caught his leg, hampering his movement. He felt the power leaving his body, and the darkness seemed to be absorbed into his skin.
[System Notification]
[You have received the status: "Cursed Link" – stamina reduced by 30% for 10 minutes.]
–Damn it…
But that wasn't the end. Sin noticed his predicament and, soaring up, activated the "Whirlwind Wind", creating a powerful stream of air that threw the roots back.
Having freed himself, Atlas did not hesitate. He used the "Dagger Fight" and delivered a series of rapid blows to the base of the tree, gradually exhausting it.
The creature jerked, releasing faint flashes of fire, but its strength was already running out.
The last thrust of the dagger landed precisely in the center of the creature. The tree shook, letting out a long rumble, and settled to the ground, crumbling into dark dust.
[System Notification]
[You have defeated a rare monster: Shadow Tree!]
[Gained: +350 experience, "Shard of Shadow Essence" (rare material), 12 silver coins.]
Atlas exhaled wearily and sat down on the root, feeling his muscles tremble slightly from tension. The air shark landed nearby, its body glowing with a light bluish glow – it had also gained its share of experience.
[System Notification]
[Your Dagger Fight skill has been upgraded to level 4!]
[Your mount beast has been upgraded to level 9!]
Atlas chuckled. It was a good workout, but he felt it was time to take a break.
He felt tired after the battle, and the found "Shard of Shadow Essence" was definitely worthy of attention. Perhaps this item could be useful in the future.
Rising from the root, he nodded to the air shark, which was lazily hovering nearby, and headed towards the exit from the grove. Along the way, he pondered what to do next.
[System Notification]
[You're leaving "A Grove Of Shadow Trees." Research: 83%.]
–It looks like there's still something to see... – he muttered, taking one last look at the trees, which seemed to be watching him in return.
Atlas unhurriedly headed to the library, where he hoped to find information about the rare material he had found.
After going inside, he went to the desk of the head librarian, Levius.
–Are you here again, traveler? – he asked, without looking up from the parchment.
– I found something interesting. – Atlas placed the "Shard of Shadow Essence" on the table.
Levius finally looked up, and a faint surprise flashed across his face.
–Where did you find this?
– In The Grove Of Shadow Trees. From a strange monster.
The librarian frowned, carefully picked up the fragment with two fingers and held it up to the light.
– Hmm... it's a rare thing. Fragments of shadow essence are found only in places where the magic of darkness is especially strong. They are often used to create cursed artifacts or enhance the magic of illusions.
– So he's not particularly useful to me?
– Depends on your goals. Some craftsmen can melt it into more valuable materials. However... if you're interested in shadow artifacts, we have a study on the subject.
[System Notification]
[You have opened access to the research: "Cursed Artifacts of the Past."]
Atlas thought about it. The research could have given him new knowledge, but perhaps there were other options. He thought for a moment, then opened his inventory, looking through the items he had obtained.
Besides the "Shadow Essence Fragment", he also had a "Shadow Skin Fragment" left over from the battle with the Shadow Hunter.
He took it out and placed it next to the shard.
–I have this, too. Maybe they are somehow connected?
The librarian studied the find carefully again.
–Oh... that's more interesting. A fragment of Shadow Skin is a material used in the creation of special enchanted armor. It is able to absorb light, making the wearer less visible in the shadows. Combined with the shadow essence...– he paused, touching his chin thoughtfully with his fingers: –If you find a good craftsman, he will be able to produce something unique.
Atlas nodded, noting it in his mind.
[System Notification]
[You have received a new quest: "Shadow Cloth Master". Find a skilled craftsman who can create equipment from your materials.]
Atlas decided that the most important thing now was to deal with the artifacts. They were clearly not just random prey–they were too strange and valuable.
–I'll do the research. – He told the librarian.
– Good choice. Follow me.
Levius led him through the narrow corridors of the library, leading deep into the vaults. The smell of ancient paper and magical herbs grew stronger with every step. Finally, they stopped in front of a massive door with engraved symbols.
–There are old treatises on shadow magic and cursed artifacts here. But be careful – knowledge can be dangerous too.
Atlas entered.
[System Notification]
[You have started the research: "Cursed Artifacts of the Past." Find key information about shadow artifacts.]
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