Chapter 58 | Monster Bounties
On each of these pieces of papers were rough drawings of some monsters with their name, level and rank, as well as a small description of their abilities and estimated location.
The first bounty depicted a terrifying creature with antlers and a gaunt, skeletal frame.
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[Wendigo Lv.21]
[Rank: Epic]
[Description: A monstrous creature that stalks the deep forests of the First Layer. It has killed dozens of awakeners who ventured too far into its territory. Its claws are razor-sharp, and its howl can paralyze the weak-willed.]
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The second bounty was familiar to Alicar, the goblin shaman he had seen in the clearing.
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[Goblin Shaman Lv.22]
[Rank: Epic]
[Description: A powerful spellcaster among the goblin ranks. It leads the goblin forces with dark magic and cunning intelligence. Responsible for coordinating the recent attacks on human bases.]
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And the third bounty depicted a massive, hulking creature that seemed to be made of stone and earth.
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[Ruins Golem Lv.24]
[Rank: Rare]
[Description: A massive construct of rock and earth that guards the ancient ruins scattered across the First Layer. It moves slowly but hits with devastating force, capable of crushing even well-armored awakeners.]
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"Does... it pay well?" Alicar asked as he gazed at the pictures, his mind already calculating the possibilities.
"Extremely," Marcus replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "I heard the reward can go up to 1 million depending on the monster and if you bring the corpse in good condition."
Hearing that, Alicar instantly knew what he needed to do, and so with a wide smile on his face, he spoke with conviction:
"Well, let’s go into the forest, then. We have monsters to hunt."
"Hold on now," Alice asked with a nervous expression, her hand instinctively gripping her bow tighter. "Me and David are Level 20 and Lena is Level 21, but that doesn’t mean we’re strong enough to take on these monsters by ourselves."
"I agree," Lena nodded, her fingers wrapped tightly around her staff, the wood cool against her palm. "I mean, even the Wendigo is a Level 21 Epic-Rank monster, no way in hell we can challenge it without proper preparation."
"Also," Marcus completed with a nervous laugh, his eyes darting between the bounty papers. "You’re Level 13, Alicar, we cannot be serious about attempting these hunts."
Only Leon understood Alicar’s true strength, the power that lay hidden beneath his unassuming exterior, but he didn’t say anything as to not make it too obvious.
’I’m not stronger than them currently,’ Alicar thought, his mind calculating the gap in levels. ’But if I level up a few more times, surely I’ll be able to match their power.’
And so with a faint sigh, Alicar simply nodded, accepting their hesitation.
"Don’t be discouraged," David smiled warmly, offering the papers to him. "You can keep the three pieces of paper if you want, I don’t need them anymore."
"Thanks!" Alicar replied, accepting them gratefully.
With that, Alicar found a much more efficient way to be able to afford the Storage Ring he wanted, a clear path forward.
Though based on the images and descriptions of the monsters, it would be more difficult than anyone could expect, requiring careful planning.
"Alright guys," David spoke, his voice carrying a note of finality. "Last chance to leave for the Awakener Association if you want to buy something, after that, we won’t be able to return!"
Nobody in the group even reacted though, their minds already set, and with a satisfied expression, they all exited the base to head into the dense forest.
As they walked through the shadowy trees, the group spoke about the First Layer, sharing information and experiences that Alicar found invaluable.
David mentioned that the deeper you went into the First Layer, the stronger the monsters became, with some areas rumored to house level 25 creatures that even experienced teams avoided.
Alice described the various human bases scattered across the layer, each one with its own unique culture and challenges, some friendly, others hostile.
Lena talked about the strange weather patterns, how some regions experienced perpetual storms while others were bathed in eternal twilight.
Alicar listened intently, absorbing every detail, and eventually asked the question that had been burning in his mind.
"What about the Second Layer?" he inquired, his voice filled with genuine curiosity. "Do any of you have any idea about what it’s like?"
The group simply shrugged, their expressions turning uncertain and hesitant.
David spoke up first, his voice carrying a hint of frustration. "My parents are Third Layer awakeners, and even though I asked them many times about what lies beyond the First Layer, they never said anything. They just told me I’d find out when I got there."
"That’s what all the higher-tier awakeners say," Alice added, shaking her head. "It’s like there’s some kind of unspoken rule about not revealing what comes next."
"All I know is that it becomes even more dangerous than this, especially with the presence of other races," David mumbled, his eyes growing distant. "Though pretty much anyone can guess that without being told."
The group continued forward, their conversation fading as they focused on the path ahead, and as they marched for around thirty minutes without finding anything...
Rustle!
They heard rustling from the surrounding bushes, and they immediately drew their weapons to battle, their bodies tensing for the inevitable attack.
After a few seconds, a pack of level 19 uncommon-rank wolf-like monsters emerged from the shadows, their yellow eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
[Shadowfang Wolf Lv.19]
[Rank: Uncommon]
The group immediately sprang into action, their formations tight and coordinated from countless battles together.
David charged forward with his greatsword, his swings wide and powerful, cleaving through the first wolf that dared to approach him.
Alice stayed back, her arrows flying with deadly precision, each one finding its mark in the soft flesh of the wolves.
Lena raised her staff, chanting a spell that sent a wave of healing energy across the group, keeping them fighting fit.
Alicar, not wanting to reveal Demonic Arts, relied solely on his elemental spells.
He launched fireballs, ice spikes, and lightning bolts with devastating efficiency, each one finding its mark.
Lena, the mage of the group, watched him with wide eyes, clearly shocked to see someone so underleveled wield such powerful magic.
"How...?" she muttered under her breath, her own spells pale in comparison to his explosive power.
Leon, meanwhile, was a force of nature. He activated Demonic Fist, Vorgath’s image flickering behind him, and smashed through several wolves with brutal efficiency.
His fists connected with their skulls, sending them flying backward, their bodies broken and lifeless.
In the span of a few seconds, he had killed four of them single-handedly.
Indeed, even though Leon and Alicar were underleveled compared to David, Alice and Lena, they still managed to do most of the work, their power far exceeding their levels would suggest.
Alicar gazed at the end of his staff, crackling with elemental energy, and he simply smiled, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.
Ding!
[You have leveled up to Level 14!]
...
A/N: Support this novel by giving some powerstones and/or golden tickets if you want to, its really motivating :D!