Starting from Zero Chapter Book 2 - 11 – Swamp

Book 2, Chapter 11

Swamp

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After I got Phantom I started to grind in the monster forest. With the help of a "native", I found a crowd of Killer Trees soon enough. Identify reads that they're level 100 monsters, they attack their targets using mutated tree vines. Extrely high defense, cannot move, only weakpoint is fire.

They don't look much different from ordinary trees, the only problem is that they got several really long vines, and will imdiately attack if you get close. It's a good thing they can't move at all.

Sa practice. Lucky clears the way while Phantom gets inside and cause fire everywhere. Because of the Ring of Stars my Intelligence now is 13, so my Magic Attack is quite good now. The wild fire tactic is super effective. I just need a small ember to turn these rotten roots and branches into a ss forest fire. Then my exp bar began to fill up like a water ter running full speed!

Lucky's fire is way more powerful than mine, so I stopped and began to check my Gather skill from my Blacksmith class. I used Gather at a collapsed Killer Tree, and quickly got a pile of lumber. Why do I need lumber in this ga? Since every tree I Gathered on can give this lumber, it probably ans this thing doesn't have much value. So I kept 10 units of lumber on and discarded all the rest on the ground.

During my boring practice I acquired a block of black wood from a Killer Tree. It looks like burned charcoal. I checked the item, it's called "Darksteel Wood". That looks worth sothing, no idea what it does so I just put it away.

As I said I enjoy grinding. The clock reached 11:30 a.m before I noticed it. I checked my level. 78. Lucky is sa as . Phantom has already reached 66 now. Seems low leveled companion really goes up faster.

Through so more grinding, I noticed that those bigger Killer Trees with stronger attacks tend to give more of those Darksteel Wood. I don't know what it is, but rare drop ans valuable drop, so I put any piece I can find into my inventory. I got a total of 50 Darksteel Wood by 2 pm.

I felt a bit hungry, called Lucky and Phantom back, and logged off. I saw Wayne on the bed with a helm on. Looks like my buddy has started his ga! I went downstairs and bought a bunch of food, filled my belly, stored so in the fridge, and readied myself to play again.

Before I put on my helm Wayne called . "You got out?"

"I played through the whole morning, of course I need to eat. The problem is you. Just reach 20 as soon as possible so I can help you!"

"I just created my character and looked around. Then I'm here to eat too. I haven't had anything since I got up in the morning!"

"So you have your character now?"

"Yeah. Na is Soulless, Undead. Dark Mage, plus Mailman and Pharmacist." (The author used "Alchemist" here, mistake?)

"What is that na? Soulless? Terrible taste."

"You don't know the art of nas! It took quite so ti to co up with it!"

"Oh, So what's your level now?"

"Three! Now you ntioned it, the ga is so f**king hard to level! There are people everywhere. I can find a good number of monsters but even more players. Then I tried sowhere high-leveled, and those monsters one-shot twice. Thank god a rookie doesn't lose level when killed!"

"Really? Well I slaughtered myself a way just like that and I didn't have much trouble. And that Boar Cave! Haha! That cave is a heaven to grind."

"Boar Cave? A boar killed with one hit! Nevermind. You can't find anyway. I'll just try to reach 20 and you can drag out of this hell! Yeah right, find sothing to wear for ! I only got these initial gear which all look like beggar rags!"

"Forget it! I can help you grind all right, but not the equipnt. I haven't filled up my slots yet! Maybe I can give your so shoes and robes and such, but not the other ones."

"That will do!"

"Ok. I'll log out for food at 8 pm, try to get to 20 till then, I'll go find you sothing to wear. Now off I go!"

"Roger that!"

I entered the ga and called Lucky & Phantom. "Hey Phantom. Do you know any place around here where I find Dark Mage equipnt? The Killer Trees here got nothing other than money."

"Male or Female?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Of course there is! You haven't known? Apart from accessory, weapon and shield, all other equipnts are gender-specific. But you don't have to worry too much, the blacksmiths in the cities can change the gender of your gear. You will need to pay though, and the price is quite high if I rember correctly."

"I need male ones!"

"I see. I know sowhere not far that can give you those, not guaranteed though. The place drops male mage equipnt more but it's not 100%!"

"Ok!"

Phantom took over the control and started to move deeper into the forest, while Lucky stay guard in the air. We reached the edge of the forest not long after. There were so singled out monsters on the way but they were all picked out by Lucky's air-to-ground assaults

It's a giant swamp outside the forest, there are bubbling water pits everywhere, and I think I saw will-o'-the-wisp (ghost fire) burning on the water!

"We're here. This is the Death Swamp, populated by Poisonous Swamp Flies and Tailless Crocodiles. Watch out for those pits. If you fall in you die! Those crocs will drop the equipnt you asked for."

I saw a crocodile crawling out of a pit and used Identify. "Tailless Swamp Crocodile", level 125, slow movent, high Attack and Defense, poor Magic Resistance.

125! That's quite high. and Lucky are only 83 now. And Phantom is 80. This can be troubleso.

Lucky flew over and clawed at one of the crocodiles, 100 damage. It countered Lucky with a bite and caused 50 damage. Damn the high Defense part is no joke, a dragon claw didn't have much effect!

Phantom said: "Forget about physical attacks, they're too hard. Spam your magic!"

I cast a Dark Fla at the crocodile, then a series of "20"s began to erge above its head. Lucky also got into the air and started to drop lightning. We killed the ugly creature in several rounds and it dropped a pile of copper pieces here and there. Damn it can you at least put them all together? My back hurts after trying to pick up money all over the place!

After we finished this one, groups of crocodiles started to erge from the pits. I began to set fire while Blinking about, and the whole area is burning. It looks like the flas of dark magic can't be put out with water, actually those water pits are on fire now!

With the attacks from both and Lucky, crocodiles died in waves, leaving piles of equipnt on the ground.(*) I started picking stuff. All useless ones went down into the pits.

Ha, good haul! The money I got sumd up to around 17 Crystal pieces.

I found Wayne a staff, Attack 2-7, Magic attack 10%, all spell level 1. A robe, Dexterity 3, Luck 1, and a Rattan Mail with 13 Defense. Man this guy is lucky. My own armor only got 9 Defense!

But I got myself sothing too. I found a shoulder armor piece. Wyvern Shoulder Pad, Defense 5 Dexterity 1. And a bracelet which gives 1 Attack Speed. It's junk but I equipped it anyway. better than nothing.

The ti reads 5 pm. Not a very good place to train so I decided to move. After so walking I ca to another forest. This ti it's no ordinary forest. It's pitch dark in there, I can't see anything.

Phantom explained: "This is Death Forest, the boundary of Lost City. The whole city is surrounded by this forest. If you go through it you will reach the world of the living ones!"

"I'm checking it out then!" Then I entered the woods.

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(*) There's a badly made poem here and I'm not gonna try translating it. Sa in the future. Most of them are aningless anyway.

P.S. The novel will get TONs of various concepts and the author will begin to confuse himself up sotis. You will notice the errors if he managed to confuse as well, ha!