The Howling Beast.
It is known as the wild forest boss monster, it’s exact identity has yet to be revealed. There were many parties that challenged the howling beast, but most of them were wiped out or had retreated before reaching the boss. In the first place, Ajin already had an idea of catching the Howling Beast, so he had been investigating.
The howling beast is beyond the realm of the silver wolf, it’s at the end of the forest. The end of a forest, not the path leading to a forest of silence or to the Indigo cliff . In other words, there is no big problem with playing the game even if you don’t go over it. So the top rankers didn’t take the risk and turned their feet in the other direction. Of course, toppling the boss will reap considerable benefits, including honor, but they don’t want to risk their death during the short beta play. Or maybe they have decided that it’s better to grow a little bit more in other hunting grounds and deal with it in later days.
But Ajin can’t. He promised to kill the Howling Beast to Heuk Seolhyang. Apart from the promise, he must kill.
After leaving the house, Ajin opened his eyes thinly. It is about three weeks before the beta test is terminated. The game will reset when the service is finished. It’s a game that will reset anyway, so why should he take this kind of adventure?
There is. It is questionable whether the memory of the Heuk Seolhyang will reset or not, but killing the howling beast will benefit him greatly. Information about the Boss Monster makes a lot of money. And if he gets to kill it, Ajin can grow rapidly. The resulting growth will also be of use in Indigo Cliff and the Blue Volcano they are headed to.
‘Catch it in not longer than three days.’
Kill a wild beast within that timezone. If he spends more time than that, it wouldn’t pay off. He can’t stay in the forest forever. The current level of Ahjin is 20. Daisy’s party and hunting yesterday made his level rise up from 16 to 18 and raised his level by two more by playing solo until dawn. He also saved about 8,000 gold.
I need to find equipment.’
There is still considerable time left until 7:00, the time which Daisy promised. The remaining time is about six hours. Before the hunt, Ajin decided to go to the blacksmith’s shop. It’s his first time to access this game and look for equipment. Ajin headed for the blacksmith’s store.
“Oh, are you here to buy things?”
Riggs smirked when he recognized Ajin. Him and Ajin smiled at each other. Even if they don’t try to take advantage of each other, it won’t get any worse by getting close to NPC. No, not to get close, but to be hateful. In the old days, the butcher gave less meat to the nobleman who called him Butcher guy, and sold a lot of meat to the nobleman who called him Husband Kim.
“Yes. May I see your leather armor?”
Ajin asked with a smile. With that, Rick took Ajin inside the blacksmith’s. Most of the equipment was equipped with swords, axes, and bows, but there was also some armor.
“It would be better to protect yourself with chain mail or plate mail than leather armor.”
“It’s not good if it weighs too much or feels uncomfortable when I move my body.”
The weight of armor won’t make me feel much, given the physical parameters and the strength of my core that have risen through level-up. However, it should not be uncomfortable for him to move his body in, even if he weighs it. He had to twist or bend his upper body or bend one’s waist, and not just simply to move one’s arms and legs; to recline. The body should not be restricted from all possible movements.
“That would be better for the chest. How about this one?”
Rick has been recommending stuff as if he had been waiting. What he pointed to was a black leather armor that wrapped only in his chest. Ajin stared still at the glossy black armor.
“Armor made from smelting the skin of silver wolves. The skin of the silver wolf is tough. You know better about it since you hunted it yourself, don’t you? But the leather used in that armor adds special treatment, so it doesn’t cut easily with a knife, and it doesn’t get penetrated well with an arrow.”
“How much is it?”
Listening to Riggs’ explanation, Ajin asked about the price. It looked like Riggs hesitated for a bit, and he replied with a huff and a smile.
“The original price is 7,500 gold, but I’ll give it to you for 6,000 gold. What do you say?”
What he said is not very reliable. He may have said to everyone who comes, and no one knows whether the price of the bargain will be higher than its original price.
“Well, I don’t have enough money.”
Ajin replied with a bitter smile. That’s a lie. I have enough money to buy that armor. But to buy that armor, he must spend most of his money. But is that armor really worth it? Ajin killed countless wolves while building his current level, but never felt the need for armor.
The reason was simple. As long as he doesn’t get attacked. He restores his physical strength through the energy drain, even if the attack is inevitably allowed. In the end, life and death are determined by the figure of physical strength. He can reduce damage by wearing armor, but Ajin doesn’t need it right now.
‘I don’t know later though.’
If he challenges the Howling Beast right now and feels the need for armor, he will buy it without hesitation. But not yet. With his reply, Riggs shook his head as if he had no choice.
“Well, that’s too bad. If that’s expensive, how about a cheaper one?”
“No, I’ll save a little more money and then buy the armor.”
As he said so, Ajin looked at the equipment in the blacksmith’s shop. He bought a small dagger to be used in dismantling the monster’s body. Then he looked for a weapon that he could use.
First of all, what caught his eye was a knuckle glove for his fist. The joints were sharply protruding with metal, and even a simple punch seemed likely to produce a considerable amount of power. But Ajin didn’t buy it. His weapon is not just his fist. Heavenly Demon Arts : Heaven and Earth Splitting and the Heavenly Demon Arts : Thousand Star Bombardment it’s not just fist that moves, but the hand itself. The knuckle makes it uncomfortable to use for a long period. He doesn’t have to wear a knuckle just to amplify his strength.
Then what caught Ajin’s eye was the leather tosses that wrapped only around his forearm. As the forearm is often used to defend against attacks, Ajin bought it. It is made from smelting the skin similar to silver wolf, and was bought for 4,000 gold at 2,000 per unit.
‘…he didn’t give an explanation for the item.’
On the spot, he put a torch on his forearm, and Ajin frowned between her eyes. If it’s an ordinary game, it’s bound to follow the instructions for each item. For example, this item increases defense capacity a few times, that works. But that wasn’t even the case in the First. What kind of unkind games is this? Ajin left the blacksmith’s shop, grumbling.
It is inconvenient in many ways that there is no explanation for the item. It also means that the value of an item cannot be recognized at a glance, which means that there will be a considerable amount of inconvenience in future item transactions. This is a trading fraud. Ajin flicked his tongue slightly. But it’s none of his business. If it is possible to buy items, he could use him. In addition, although he is making money through games, his main focus is on attack and information.
‘This is a weird game.’
As he checked the time, Ajin frowned. There are still about four hours left before Daisy’s party and the time she promised. In the meantime, should he hunt, or log out? There’s nothing to worry about. He then headed for the forest.
This game was certainly strange in many ways. The biggest deal would be that everything except the Avatar is just too real. In fact, the Avatar itself is too fake-looking. The displayed stats are all about physical strength, mana, HP, and MP. There’s.no offensive and defensive status. There is no information and no name in the equipment. To catch a monster and get an item, one has to skin the monster and cut off the flesh. In party play, no party member’s information is visible and even no information can be found about monsters.
Why did they pursue reality so much? Games should be like games. They should pursue game ability thoroughly while having only a certain amount of reality. Entertainment, simplicity, and consideration for users. Did they get arrogant and confident with the fact that they got the title of the world’s first online virtual reality game? Ajin did not deny that this game is the best game on the market right now, but considering the convenience for the users, the previous solo play game is much better. If there is another online virtual reality, user-conscious game, the First will soon be abandoned.
‘Or are they thinking of revising it when beta services are over and officially open?’
He can’t tell either way. Ajin frowned his forehead, clenched his fist and then unfolded it. It was quite fun in this sense of reality, but will all users have the same fun as him? Do they really want to feel the same inconvenience as the reality even in the game?
..even if it’s the same, it’s not real.
After all, this place is virtual reality. There are monsters that don’t exist in reality, and users become warriors against monsters from ordinary people to magicians or become a psychic. After all, it is only deviation from reality. Such deviation does look addictive. No matter how important reality is, it is attractive to humans in real life as long as they are in the world of games.
“Well, right now this is the best.”
Ajin twisted his lips and laughed. Yeah. First is the best virtual reality game that came out as of the moment.
First is the first online game to throw a large amount of users into the same world, and the game quality is great, except that it is unfriendly to users. He doesn’t know if there will be more online virtual reality games starting with First.
For now, there is only one online virtual reality. If the virtual reality game that comes out afterwards catches more users, Ajin will also move to that game, but for now, it’s not time for that yet.
So he went hunting devotedly. The remaining time until 7:00, the appointment time, is 6 hours. Heavenly Demon Arts reached the second star except for Strong Ki Technique, and the Exploding Heart Attack Technique also got up to third star. I’d rather grow up a little bit, but…
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep an eye on it.’
What kind of monster is the Howling Beast? Can he get there? He thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check it out. If he died, and if he covered the death risk of four hours, he will be a little late for the promised time. The contemplative Ajin moved deep into the forest. There is a bridge that runs through the forest quickly.
‘With no reserve of history.’
The rushing wolf collapses with an uncontrolled attack. One by one, the blue wolf pack was so organized. It was not that long since he entered the silver wolf realm. As Ajin killed the wolf, he went deeper into the woods.
There wasn’t much trouble when he proceeded deeper in the forest. This forest is not unfamiliar to Ajin. At this time of year, there are quite a few parties of players who are in the forest. As the forest deepened, Ajin faced quite a few parties. Most of them looked at Ajin, who roamed the forest alone, with a curious look, but did not bother to talk to him. The same as him. Unnecessary communication is a waste of time.
Fortunately, the number of active parties has reduced the number of wolf encounters in the forest. It made him move faster. He checked the time from time to time. Avoided fighting as much as possible, and saved time, even when he is forced to fight the wolf, as much as he can.
He is constantly like that for an hour. He is not preoccupied with hunting by circling the forest, but is just purely digging into the forest. As a result, the surroundings have changed. The soft earthy floor turned into rocks and gravel, and the shape of the tree had changed. No more wolf cries, no more battle sounds. Only the creepy and heavy silence eluded in the darkness of the forest. All he can hear is his breathing, and his footsteps.