Chapter 43: To The Barbarians' Den.

Jasper woke the next day to find the timer had ended. With a satisfying stretch, he rose to his feet and went downstairs—only to conclude they were all dead asleep, as he couldn't hear a sound or see any sign of movement.

But suddenly, a voice cut through the silence behind him, "Good morning, Master Jasper." The voice was soft, sweet—undoubtedly Lina's.

A low chuckle rumbled from Jasper's chest. "Morning, Lina. At least one of you is responsible. The rest might as well be hibernating."

"Mm-mm." She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Big brother Breeze is up too. He's training outside."

Looking toward the outside, "Diligent as ever." Then he turned to see Lina "Have you eaten yet?" Jasper asked.

"Not yet." She hesitated. "Should I wake Mina?"

"Best not. She needs the rest." He waved a dismissive hand. "But go rouse Ivar. Even he can't sleep this late."

Creaaak!

The door swung open, and Breeze stepped inside, wiping sweat from his brow. His chest rising and falling with controlled breaths "Ivar's already up. Went out to train with the others. Seems he's serious about improving his swordwork."

Jasper pressed a hand to his chest in mock sentimentality. "How touching. Our big boy finally grew up. Sniff. Forgive me, Ivar—I misjudged you."

His fake drama was cut short by a cute voice.

"Should I make breakfast, Master?" Lina asked, cheeks faintly pink as her gaze flickered toward Breeze.

Jasper smirked. "By all means, Lina. Impress us. Who knows? Your cooking might just steal a heart or two."

The little girl huffed, tilting her chin up before marching off to the kitchen with determined steps.

The warmth of Lina's presence lingered in the air even after she disappeared into the kitchen, where the sounds of pottery clinking and the scrape of utensils against surfaces soon began to emanate. Jasper watched her go, his smile lingering like morning mist before evaporating as he turned to face Breeze. His expression grow serious as he took a seat on a bench, gesturing for the Predator who was standing to join him.

"Hey Breeze…" Jasper's voice dropped to barely above a whisper "I need to ask you something."

"Go ahead." Breeze sat, dragging a towel over his damp skin.

"Are you able to kill monsters?"

Breeze's eyes twitched. Last night's monstrous cry from Jasper and now the question about the ability to kill a monster made him unnecessarily doubtful. Then he shook his head,as if to physically dispel the doubts creeping in.

"What type of monsters?"

"Any type." Jasper leaned forward, voice dropping. "I'm planning to collect some cores in secret, so a few individuals will go with you and hunt, and others will dig a tunnel from here going under the city walls until a faraway point."

"A tunnel?" Breeze's brow furrowed deeply, creating lines of concentration across his forehead. "Why should we dig a tunnel?"

"Heh heh, even though the royal city isn't tightly guarded, do you believe that the kingdom will let us free if they find out that we have monster cores?" Jasper's laugh was dry.

"I don't buy this." wave a dismissive hand "I even doubt their lack of care about the guards."

"Smart, my guy. So we can't let them know that we're getting our hands on cores—that's why a tunnel is a must."

Breeze rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb, the slight rasp of stubble audible in the morning quiet. His eyes grew distant as he sank into deep thought, processing the implications of Jasper's words. "In that case, let's start as soon as we can."

"First, I want you to check on Ivar and the others' progress. I need to search for something before you start the operation. As for the tunnel, we will start the operation today. We only need a few loyal and tight-lipped members."

As they continued speaking, the savory aroma of cooking food began to waft through the air—the rich scent of eggs sizzling in a pan, the warm smell of toasted bread, and the earthy fragrance of brewing herbs. Lina returned, her arms carefully balancing plates of steaming food. The ceramic dishes clinked softly against each other, and wisps of steam rose from the hot meal like miniature clouds.

"Hope you like it," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the soft sizzle still emanating from the kitchen. Her eyes darted toward Breeze, quick and nervous, before skittering away to focus on the placement of the plates.

Jasper took a bite and grinned, "This is pretty good, Little Lina. You're going to steal Mina's spot as the best cook in no time. What do you think, Breeze?"

"I must agree." Breeze smiled softly, "My little sister's cooking is pretty good."

A melodious giggle bubbled up from Lina's throat as she quickly hid her face behind a plate—but not fast enough to mask the deep flush that spread across her cheeks. She settled beside them, and for a while, the three ate in comfortable silence.

After the satisfying breakfast, Jasper retreated to his office. The timer had ended, and Jasper went back to the game. He found himself being respawned at the village after that one sided fight.

"Well, I have to level up before facing that ogre again." he muttered, cracking his knuckles.

Jasper made his way toward the Hungry Apple Wood Forest. There, he found the last goblin before the appearance of their boss.

"Stay patiently there, I'll be back for revenge."

Ignoring his urge to fight them, he started moving away, and as usual, the screen started flickering, bringing the battle mode.

Fight after fight various types of monsters slaughtered by his sword; however, no core could be found. But that wasn't his sole purpose for hunting them. He kept hunting and resting without taking a break until he finally found what he was searching for as he defeated a silver wolf.

Battle Result:

Jasper Wins!

HP Remaining: 260/1000SP Remaining: 110/900EXP Gained: 80Loot: Silver fangs x4, Silver wolf fur x1Special Loot: You obtained: [Silver Wolf Hunting Strategy (Parchment)][Ace swordsmanship] Lv. 2 → Lv. 3

"Nice! I got another parchment. Now my theory is correct. If I keep fighting a monster, I will eventually find the proper way to hunt it."

Let me give you another tip, dear user. It will save you a lot of time, but there is a downside to it.

"Enlighten me, dear ArmBrace."

Ahem. If you face a monster, and when the battle command appears, select items, then select the monster's corresponding hunting strategy, and congratulations - you've hunted the monster successfully. No HP or SP is consumed...

Jasper's eyes widened upon hearing the tip. "You are really a lifesaver, my dear ArmBrace. But you didn't tell me about it when I got the Horned Rabbit Hunting Strategy."

I wasn't going to tell you, but your dedication moved my metallic heart.

Unconsciously, Jasper's chest puffed after being praised.

Anyway, there is a downside to this: The strategy doesn't apply to tier 9 monsters and above, so it's only applicable to tier 10 monsters. The Tier 9 realm is for the strong ones, whether monsters or predators.

"I can't see this as a downside. I think it will only pave the way for Predators to grow stronger faster."

I can't blame you, as you don't know how crucial it is. Relying on this strategy will hinder your progress and instinct. Tier 10 monsters are really weak compared to tier 9, so you have to hone your instincts by learning how to dodge, block, attack, and study the nature of those monsters.

Reaching tier 9 Predator while only relying on the strategy is like getting boosted by others, only to fall against high rankers later. So even if you use the strategy, make sure to have enough time to practice against those Tier 10 monsters in all stages.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Wow, this is high-tier advice, my dear ArmBrace. But I have something puzzling me: why can't I find any core even though I've fought against a lot of monsters?"

This... You have to find it yourself, dear user.

"Well, you already gave me a good tip. I can't be that greedy. Okay, now let's go back to the royal capital."

Making his journey back to Serenith, he fought the monsters there, but Ivar knocked on the door, disturbing his focus.

"Master, can I enter?"

"Wait for a second." After finishing a fight, he logged out of the game and gave him permission. "Come in."

The door creaked open to reveal Ivar, he stepped in with a request in his eyes. "Master, I heard from Breeze that you want us to hunt for cores."

"Yes, I did."

"Can't I consume the cores you have in possession right now?"

"No can do. We don't have the ingredients yet, and we can't buy them for now…" Jasper paused, his mind racing "Wait a second. Have Breeze, your group, and Lysandra gather those ingredients from the wilderness. After this, we will start digging the tunnel."

"Well, that would be the best choice for now, right?" Ivar asked. his voice tinged with hope.

I believe that."

After Ivar left, and before Jasper could log into the game again, the ArmBrace spoke.

Dear user, I think you are underestimating tunneling.

"How so?" Jasper's eyes narrowed.

Let's assume you are digging 4 meters underground and at least 500 meters long, while preparing the supports needed so it won't collapse. This will take you - depending on the type of ground - between 1.5 years to 7-15 years. By that time, even babies will become predators while you will be a mole. So think carefully.

"That long?!" Jasper's voice cracked with disbelief, the magnitude of the undertaking hitting him like a physical blow.

Yes, dear user.

An idea struck him like lightning. "How about getting help from barbarians? I think this will make it quicker."

This is a different story, if you could bring ten barbarians with you to help, this will reduce the time by leaps and bounds. My calculation says that the estimated time will be: about a week if the ground consists of soft soil; 2-3 weeks if it's a mix of soft soil and rock; and if it's hard rock, this will take about 3-5 months.

"Those barbarians are no joke."

It's good that you are on their good side.

Jasper took a deep breath, feeling the air fill his lungs before he bellowed at the top of his voice: "Ivaaaaaar!"

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The thunderous sound of Ivar's footsteps echoed through the building like a stampede, growing louder with each passing second. The door burst open with explosive force, rattling on its hinges.

"What's wrong, master?" Ivar's voice was thick with concern, his chest heaving from the sprint.

"Take it easy on the door! You nearly broke it."

"It's your fault, master. I thought something happened."

"Well, yeah, something happened - and it's a good one. Prepare yourself; we are going on a trip."

"Where to, all of a sudden?"

"To the Barbarian's den."

"When?"

"Now! I just need to ask Lysandra about something first. Go prepare the carriage—we are going."

"Only you and me?"

"But, of course."

"Don't you think it will be a bit dangerous?"

"Not in the slightest. I'm going to ask Lysandra about something that will make our trip smoother."

"Good, I'll prepare the carriage in no time."

Jasper made his way to the medical room, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The air grew cooler as he approached, carrying with it the sharp, clean scent of medicinal herbs and the faint metallic tang of surgical instruments. He knocked on the wooden door, the sound reverberating through the hallway.

"Come in!"

The air was thick with the aromatic blend of healing herbs and the antiseptic sharpness of alcohol-based tinctures.

"Hey, Lysandra, could you prepare the thing you and your parents were putting around your house's area to push away the monsters?"

Lysandra moved with practiced efficiency, her hands dancing between various containers and implements. The sound of grinding herbs filled the air, accompanied by the soft clink of glass against glass.

"Right away, Master. But why do you need it?" she asked while starting to prepare the monster-repelling mixture.

"I'm going with Ivar on a trip, and we can't afford to face some monsters. We also can't hire mercenaries—our trip should stay secret."

"Well, you have to take care of yourself, Master. Ivar alone can't protect you if anything happens."

"No worries, I'm more than capable of protecting myself."

Giving Jasper the powder he needed, she smiled softly. "Have a safe trip, Master."

Da-bum, da-bum, da-bum

He shook his head "Thank you."

Clip-clop, clip-clop

Jasper and Ivar quickly took the road toward the Phoenix Nest as their first destination. On their way, Jasper continued playing while Ivar focused on the road.

Days passed in this routine—the steady rhythm of travel punctuated by Jasper's gaming sessions. He ground through encounter after encounter, collecting six different types of parchments but still finding zero cores. The frustration built like pressure in a sealed container.

"I'm about to lose my mind here! How can't I find a single core after days of fighting?! Even [Ace Swordsmanship] reached level 5!" Jasper shouted in frustration.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"What's wrong, Master?" Ivar knocked on the front side of the carriage, asking.

"Nothing, I'm just speaking to myself."

"You're still sane, right?"

"If I were sane, I would have sold you long ago."

"Phew, thank God."

Jasper tried not only hunting monsters, hoping for a core to drop, but he also talked to nearly everyone in the royal capital about how to get a monster's core. Yet no one could answer that question.

Continuing the asking journey like a survey, knocking on every door, he entered a slaughterhouse and asked the butcher.

[Talk]

"Hello, sir. Could I ask you about the monster's core? Do you know how to get them? Is there any trick to it?"

Butcher:

"Do you mean those things?"

A small window appeared on the screen, revealing the corner of the butchery where a mountain of Blackheart cores were stacked like dark gemstones. The sight was breathtaking—dozens of cores gleaming with an inner darkness, all stage 1 but numerous enough to make Jasper's heart race.

"Oh my God, what are these?" Jasper's eyes shone like stars. "Sir—no, Good Sir—no, Master! Please, teach me how to get them!"

"Hmm… You need to pay the apprenticeship fee and help me with my work here."

"Say no more. Even if you ask me to slaughter anyone you hate, I'll do it."

"Hey, now, I'm not training serial killers here. Stop messing around and let's start the work."

"Aye, aye, master!"

After finally discovering the secret to obtaining cores, Jasper felt his muscles and brain relax as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The tension that had been building for days finally released, and drowsiness crept over him like a warm blanket. He logged out of the game and surrendered to the exhaustion, his head hitting the carriage cushions with a soft thud..

Hours later, Ivar called, waking him up. "Master! We finally reached the Phoenix Nest."

Yawning deeply, Jasper stretched his cramped limbs and climbed down from the carriage. The gatekeepers recognized him at once, their muscles tensing even as they offered curt greetings. The moment he asked them to open the gate, they complied without hesitation.

Stepping inside, Jasper spotted Franco standing atop a makeshift platform, elevated above a crowd of gathered bandits and criminals.

"...You can't be saved today! Even if the boss himself pleaded for you!"

"Huh?" The sound emerged from Jasper and Ivar at the same time.