novelraw Chapter 36: Key Fragment
Chapter 36: Key Fragment
“Haa. Huff. Huff…” I fell to one knee as soon as I was sure the bear was dead. That final strike had taken nearly everything out of me.
“Phew. This was our toughest enemy yet,” Boris said, scratching the back of his head. “Definitely much stronger than that bear I fought years ago.”
“Maxim, are you hurt?” Michelle approached with concern in her eyes and handed me a clean cloth.
“Thanks.” I took the cloth and wiped the blood from my face. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”
If I’d been alone, I would have been forced to assign all my unspent attribute points just to take it down. Even then, I probably would’ve come out injured. It sure was one tough monster to crack. Sure, the level difference was a factor, but it also served as a harsh reminder—if I wanted to stand against monsters that far outranked me, I’d need to get stronger, and quickly. That meant securing more plausibility as soon as I had the chance.
By the way, the one who landed the final blow always got the full EXP. Since I’d delivered the killing strike, all the experience from the bear had gone to me. Neither Boris nor Michelle seemed to care, though—Boris was still brushing dirt off his arms, and Michelle was more focused on checking my condition, so I didn’t mention it.
Once I had regained my strength and composure, I stood up and said, “I think there’s something hidden in the cave.”
“Makes sense.” Boris agreed with a nod. “That thing was guarding something, no doubt.”
“Right. A monster that powerful wouldn’t be lairing here without reason,” Michelle said.
Inside the cave was most likely the place where the key fragment was hidden. The clue hadn’t spelled it out outright, but given the scenario’s simplicity, it was a safe assumption. Most ordinary divine warriors would have avoided the bear entirely, either circling the area or hunting smaller monsters elsewhere to complete the main objective. That meant they would’ve missed out on the extra condition, and with it, the reward that came with full scenario completion.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s head in.” Boris grinned and took the lead—this man truly feared nothing.
We then slowly made our way into the cave. Boris still had his iron-like skin skill active, just in case something else was lurking inside. Michelle followed close behind, having already switched to her axe. I trailed them with my spear in hand, ready to swap weapons if the situation demanded it.
The air grew noticeably cooler the deeper we went. The stench of blood clung to the cave walls, heavy and putrid, mingling with a faint metallic tang and the earthy scent of damp stone. The cave wasn’t deep; after a short, narrow bend, it opened into a small, rounded chamber. At its center stood a stone altar, partially covered in moss and old, dried blood. Resting atop it was a faintly glowing shard—smooth, translucent like polished crystal, and pulsing softly with light.
As soon as I was about ten steps away from it, a familiar chime echoed in my mind. A holographic screen blinked into view before my eyes.
You have uncovered the key fragment.
“So this is it,” I muttered, walking forward to claim it. “The hidden objective.”
The shard was warm to the touch, vibrating through my palm as I tucked it away safely into my inventory. Now all that was left was to get out of here and complete the main objective as well as the last extra condition.
“All right.” I turned around and said, “Time to finish the main objective and the final extra one.”
Boris and Michelle nodded before leading the way toward the exit.
“Fifty forest-dwelling monsters. We’ve already taken down nine, so forty-one to go,” Michelle commented with a focused tone.
“Mhm. Please help scout out a good hunting path, Michelle,” I replied, trusting her instincts and experience in this kind of terrain.
“Leave it to me.” She nodded with a smile.
Outside, the sunlight momentarily stung our eyes after the dimness within. The scent of blood still lingered faintly in the air, but the forest felt calmer now, likely due to the death of the alpha predator that once ruled these woods.
“Let’s move north,” Michelle suggested, pointing ahead. “I spotted a few beast trails there earlier—tracks of boars and some wild cats. Should be good hunting grounds.”
With that, we moved out. True to Michelle’s words, the deeper parts of the forest were teeming with life. We encountered a group of seven boars with sharp tusks not long after, grazing near a stream. Thick hides, tusks like blades—nothing quite threatening as we took them down with coordinated efficiency.
Michelle struck first, her arrows landing with pinpoint precision in their flanks to cripple their movement. Boris charged headlong into the group, barreling one over with sheer momentum, fists swinging like warhammers. I darted between them, lunging and stabbing with my spear, targeting exposed joints and throats.
You have hunted [Razor Tusk Boar Lv.18].
You have gained 180 EXP.
You have hunted [Razor Tusk Boar Lv.17].
You have gained 170 EXP.
You have leveled up.
You have hunted [Razor Tusk Boar Lv.18].
You have gained 180 EXP.
Working in tandem, we brought them down one by one. There was no dissonance in our movements as we moved with practiced efficiency. We were no longer just three strangers fighting to survive; we had become a unit.
Next came a small pack of lynxes deeper in the forest—quick, agile predators that tried to ambush us from the trees. Unfortunately for them, Michelle noticed their presence before they could pounce. Her heightened perception, aided by her class and skills, allowed her to detect subtle movements in the foliage.
“Watch out, there are three from the left!” she warned.
I nodded, activating Wind Rush and darting toward their position. The moment one leapt from the branch, I was already there to intercept it, driving my spear through its side midair.
You have hunted [Wild Lynx Lv.15].
You have gained 150 EXP.
Another tried to flank Boris, but he caught it with one hand and slammed it to the ground, cracking its skull and the earth beneath. Michelle shot down the last one cleanly, the arrow embedding into its chest as it tried to escape into the brush.
With the three lynxes killed, our kill count reached twenty, and the System notified us that we had met the minimum requirement to clear the scenario. The message hovered at the corner of my vision.
You may now exit the scenario.
Would you like to proceed?
[Yes/No]
Of course, we dismissed the prompt since our target was to reach the fifty-kill mark. So, we continued on our relentless hunt.
From there, we carved our way deeper into the forest, encountering more hostile wildlife along the way. Giant hornets the size of dogs buzzed through the air with terrifying speed. Slithering vines emerged from the underbrush, trying to coil around our legs and drag us into the damp earth. At one point, we nearly stepped over a moss-covered giant tortoise, mistaking it for a boulder until it suddenly moved. But thanks to our coordination and growing expertise, nothing stood a chance for long.
If it hadn’t been for the memories from my past life, I couldn’t have imagined myself doing something like this—roaming the wilderness and hunting monsters like some sort of murder hobo.
Eventually, after what felt like two hours of nonstop combat, we fulfilled the second extra condition.
You have fulfilled the main quota of extermination.
Congratulations.
You have cleared Scenario #3 [The Forest of Beginning].
You have fulfilled the first extra condition of the scenario — Recover a hidden key fragment. (1/1)
You have fulfilled the second extra condition of the scenario — Kill 50 forest-dwelling monsters. (50/50)
Basic Rewards: 1,500 Soul Coins
Additional Rewards: Bet-Tier General Lootbox & A Random Uncommon-Grade Skill Book
You have acquired the Night Vision Skill Book.
Your Stamina has increased by 1.
Basic Spearmanship has leveled up.
Normally, you would only receive a reward from the highest completed extra condition. However, since the objectives of the two extra conditions this time were fundamentally different, the System awarded rewards separately for both, and each of us received them. This naturally meant that parties with more members had a clear advantage since it would be easier to fulfill more difficult objectives and reap greater rewards.
That said, most scenarios imposed a party limit of five divine warriors. Every multiple-of-ten scenario, however, was typically designed as a raid, allowing more than ten people to enter together. Of course, nothing stopped you from attempting it with a smaller group—or even solo—but the scenario’s difficulty would remain the same. In that sense, larger numbers were generally more beneficial.
Generally, but not always. The old saying that “a fearsome enemy is preferable to a pig-headed ally” rang especially true in this world. One foolish move by a single member could bring ruin to the entire team. Moreover, the experience points would be spread too thinly with more people. That was why, in the end, quality still trumped quantity.
Still, it was surprising to see that my proficiency with the spear had reached level ten faster than with the sword. Maybe I had a bit more natural talent with it, though I wasn’t entirely sure. However, to be completely honest, it wasn’t a weapon I personally favored.
Once a proficiency skill reached level ten, the only way to advance it further was through evolution. In the case of Basic Swordsmanship, it had to evolve into Intermediate Swordsmanship. To achieve that, one needed a moment of enlightenment, either through comprehension gained by a class advancement or sheer persistence in honing their technique. Naturally, the higher the rank, the harder it became to trigger that evolution.
Realistically speaking, my best bet to improve my swordsmanship would be to possess Alric the Sword Saint again. But spending my precious plausibility just to evolve a proficiency skill would be a terrible waste.
“Hmm, I could also consider combining it with another proficiency skill… But swordsmanship and spearmanship are too fundamentally different.”
It might have worked if I were using a shield instead. Now that I thought about it, learning how to wield a shield properly didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. All this time, I had been using the tome as a makeshift shield, and while it was effective, it was too small and uncomfortable to use.
As I thought of that, a radiant light enveloped us, and we were transported back before the Rift of Scenarios. All the accumulated physical fatigue and mild injuries vanished in an instant, as if they had never been there to begin with.
But to my surprise, rather than being greeted by Elysia with her usual polite congratulations for clearing the scenario, we were instead met with a different sight entirely.
A group of individuals stood in front of us, blocking the path. At the front was a tall man with a muscular build and a jagged scar that ran from his brow down to his jaw—Graham, the notorious leader of the mercenary group that ruled most of Fantasia through fear and intimidation. On his back was a greatsword made from an unknown dark metal, too huge to be used by normal people.
“Well, well…” Graham sneered with amusement. He looked slightly surprised, as if he hadn’t expected this exact moment but welcomed it all the same. “So, you’re the ones who’ve been roughing up my men.”
Behind him stood several rough-looking individuals, each radiating danger. Their presence was far more imposing than Ryan’s, and they were equipped with a mixture of enchanted armor and weapons. From the way they carried themselves, they weren’t just some random thugs. These were his elites.
It appeared that confrontation was inevitable.