Free Web NovelChapter 6: How to kill a level 10 monster at level 1
–Chapter 6–
Crack!
Another sound reached Xavier’s ears. But this time it wasn’t from behind him. Instead, it came from his left.
His eyes darted toward the sound and widened, but even that was useless. Straining them further served no purpose here.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t hope to see beyond five metres due to the thick fog.
Even if he stood a chance of getting decent visibility in this swamp, it wouldn’t be at Level 1 and definitely not without a vision-enhancing skill.
That was what a novice would think though... and rightfully so.
But Xavier was no novice.
Even though the restrictive feeling of mud clinging to his feet and the wet, musky air of the swamp in real time were sensations completely new to him, the thrill of playing this game remained the same.
Even without the familiar experience of a controller, mouse, or keyboard, there was still something pushing him forward alongside his primary goal.
Sure, he had to find Grace, but first he needed to survive what most new and old players alike considered one of the most annoying locations in the early stages of Arillion Online.
After taking a deep breath, Xavier broke into a seemingly blind sprint. His boots dug into the wet earth as he pushed deeper through the reeds and fog.
Right now, the trick was to do everything except remain stationary.
In a place like this, standing still meant death by a Bog Strider or something worse.
And that would be quite disgraceful for someone like him.
Even though he was still only Level 1, and a Bog Strider, assuming it wasn’t a mutated variant, should be around Level 10 or so...
A thought flashed through Xavier’s mind as he stabbed the dagger in his hand into a tree trunk, using it as leverage to climb. The higher he went, the shallower the fog became.
’If this was one of my old videos, the title would probably have been:
Beginners Guide: How to Kill a Bog Strider at Level One.’
Something like that would have given Marco and most of his fans a small aneurysm.
After all, step one of this impossible task was the very thing the gaming community knew him for.
"Don’t panic. Never panic."
Because in the end, that was exactly what the swamp wanted.
The real monster out here wasn’t the Bog Strider following his trail by scent.
It was the swamp itself.
Finally reaching a branch, Xavier climbed up and landed with a silent thud.
The next step wasn’t to look for where the Bog Strider was coming from.
No.
That was a dangerous mistake, especially for a Level 1 player who would probably get one-shotted if the creature attacked before he could put his plan into motion.
Cautiously, Xavier looked around, trying to determine where the Bog Strider was herding him.
Before he could identify the destination the creature was likely pushing him toward, his eyes caught a silhouette moving through the fog.
A large dark shape burst through the reeds.
Xavier caught only a glimpse before it receded back into the mist.
The creature’s forelimbs were long, with most of its body covered in dark moss that formed across green plates.
With front legs longer than its rear legs, the Bog Strider looked like someone had stretched wet leather over a skeleton designed purely for leaping.
Its head was broad and flat, almost frog-like, except for the thin needle-like teeth protruding from the sides of its mouth.
Amidst all of that, two pale yellow eyes hovered within the fog.
Watching....Tracking.... Seemingly determined to put the fear of God into Xavier.
But Xavier didn’t flinch. Instead, a despicable smile curled onto his lips.
He was happy to confirm it was a Bog Strider because unlike most predators in the swamp, the Bog Strider had no tail.
And that satisfied one of the conditions for his plan.
A plan that fully crystallized the moment he spotted a cluster of bright crimson flowers ahead.
Blood Lilies.
Wherever Blood Lilies grew, a mud pit wasn’t far away.
One of the swamp’s natural traps.
Xavier didn’t slow down.
He kept sprinting, leaping from one branch to another with surprising balance and precision.
As he passed an old tree, he reached out and grabbed one of the thick climbing vines wrapped around its trunk.
The vine resisted the pull, but Xavier pulled harder until it tore free with a loud snap.
With the vine in hand, Xavier knotted one end around the dagger and tightened it.
And just then, the Bog Strider revealed itself fully.
Its yellow eyes pierced through the fog.
Its name and health bar appeared above its head.
[Bog Strider Lv 10]
[HP: 1000/1000]
These creatures were ridiculously fast, tough, and Xavier knew it.
He had to be smart about his next move because he couldn’t hope to dodge if it attacked directly.
With that in mind, Xavier moved closer to the edge of the branch he was standing on.
Twirling the dagger tied to the vine, he tossed it upward.
Stab!
The dagger spun through the air and buried itself into a tree on the opposite side.
His left hand tightened around the vine that now acted as a rope.
But to his surprise, the Bog Strider didn’t attack immediately.
Instead, it began circling.
’That’s odd.’
Xavier frowned.
It should have charged already.
That’s what it always did whenever a mud pit was close enough.
Unless...
’Did they patch it?’
The absurdity of the thought almost made him laugh.
To think he was trapped inside a death game and still thinking like a streamer.
The Bog Strider’s powerful jaws clicked dangerously as it slowly crouched on its hind limbs.
’There it is.’
Moving back and staring down at the mud pit behind him, Xavier loosened his body just enough to stumble.
The kind of movement that could easily be mistaken for fear.
And as expected, the Bog Strider reacted. Exactly as Xavier wanted. It wasn’t a creature capable of patience or caution.
It only knew one response whenever its prey appeared frightened.
Attack.
And so it did...
Exploding forward, the Bog Strider crossed the distance between them before Xavier could even blink.
It shoved into him and sent both of them over the edge of the branch and toward the waiting mud pit below.
Splash!
The Bog Strider plunged nose-first into the pit, its jaws snapping at empty air as Xavier dangled above it. He’d used the dagger and vine that was shrunk upwards earlier to anchor himself from falling while the Bog strider did.
[-50 HP]
Holding on for dear life through the pinned dagger and vine, Xavier grunted as his health bar was cut in half. He pushed his body upwards, the vine pinching into his skin.
But below him, the Bog Strider sank deeper.
The swamp swallowed it quickly, exactly as Xavier remembered.
Anything alive and breathing was devoured by the mud pit unless...
It had a tail.
A tail could provide enough leverage to escape.
Something the Bog Strider lacked.
The first condition of its downfall.
With that in mind, Xavier watched with satisfaction as the pit twisted and mangled the creature’s body.
[HP: 700/1000]
[HP: 500/1000]
[HP: 300/1000]
The health bar of the creature continued to fall as the swamp prepared to consume the creature completely.
Then, in the final moment, Xavier dispelled the dagger.
Losing his suspension point, he dropped straight toward the trapped monster.
Just before landing on its head, Xavier reopened his inventory, summoned the dagger back into his hand, and drove it straight through the Bog Strider’s skull.
[You have slain a Bog Strider Lv 10]
[2000 Experience points gained]
[Absolute Drop Authority Activated]
[...]
[Calculating Most Valuable Rewards...]
–End of Chapter–
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