Free Web NovelChapter 43: Daily Quest (1)
Shinon awoke with a start as the sun’s first rays peeked through the treetops and filtered into his tent. He stretched and yawned, feeling the stiffness of a restless night in his bones.
The first thing he noticed was the soft rustling of leaves outside, followed by the gentle chirping of birds. The gentle morning breeze through the opening filled the room with a refreshing scent of flowers and earth.
"Kira already did something about that stench," Shinon smiled. "She must have hated it through her bones."
As he rubbed his eyes and blinked away the sleepiness, a system notification popped in front of him. He blinked in surprise, not expecting any notifications this early morning.
He tapped on the notification and read through it, his expression growing more serious with each passing moment.
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Level 20 Exclusive perk has been activated: New daily quests will be issued every 24 hours. All daily quests need to be completed solo unless stated otherwise. Good luck!
You have been assigned a new Daily Quest!
[Knowing your surroundings]
Head over to an undiscovered area and clear an Irregular Zombie Nest within 24 hours.
Condition for failure: Escaping the scenario or failing to clean the nest.
Punishment for failure: The user’s stats will be reduced by 1%. Repeat offenders will face heavier penalties.
Reward for success: One of the user’s skills will be upgraded.
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Shinon’s smile widened. An Irregular Zombie Nest was the easiest type to clear out, apart from a Feeding Nest. An Irregular nest was a nest that was in the early stages of development. Hence the nest had fewer zombies, and they were much easier to eliminate alone.
He could quickly finish the quest before the deadline and earn a reward. Plus, it was an excellent way to grind a level or two.
"I should get going. Once I’m done with this quest, we must also upgrade the defences around the base."
He quickly got out of bed, put on his clothes, and headed out of his tent. The sun was just starting to rise, and the morning air was cool and refreshing. Shinon took a deep breath and savoured the feeling.
As he walked through the camp, he saw Kira and Rico sitting by the fire, sipping on some freshly brewed berry tea.
"Morning," he greeted them with a nod.
"Morning, Shinon," Kira replied with a smile. "Come, join us! I’ve made some berry tea, perfect for refreshing your mind."
"I would love to, but I got some work to do," Shinon replied, keeping his tone light. "It’s nothing too important, just something I have to take care of alone."
"Are you sure? Is there anything we can do to help?" Kira’s brow furrowed in concern.
Shinon shook his head. "No, it’s okay. I just need some time to focus on this. I’ll join you guys for lunch."
Kira nodded, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. Shinon could tell she was still concerned, but he didn’t know how to put her fears to rest without revealing the truth about the system and the quests he was receiving.
He gave her a reassuring smile before turning towards the stream to freshen up a bit before heading out.
Shinon found a secluded spot by the stream, away from the campsite. He sat down on a large boulder, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. He took out his sword, inspecting the blade with a critical eye.
After what happened the last night, one thing was clear to him. He had been neglecting his training lately, focusing more on exploring and scavenging for items and depending on his new skills way more than he should have.
"Thankfully, this quest would be a good opportunity to improve my skills," Shinon mumbled before stripping and jumping into the water.
Once he was done skinny-dipping, he gathered his things and left for the forest. As he walked through the woods, Shinon couldn’t shake off the guilt that weighed on his shoulders.
He had grown close to Kira and Rico in the short time they had been travelling together, and he didn’t like keeping secrets from them. But he knew he had to keep the truth about the system to himself, at least for now.
"Maybe I should try explaining it to them," Shinon wondered. "I’m sure they’ll understand... who am I kidding? How will I make them understand something that even I don’t know much about?"
That said, he was intrigued by the concept of daily quests. It was an excellent way to get some neat rewards while levelling up and strengthening himself.
"Hm... where to now?"
Shinon stood at the edge of the forest, staring out into the unknown. He focused on the map imprinted in his eyes by the system, analysing the area for any undiscovered sections nearby.
As he studied the map, he noticed a section that had yet to be explored. It was a dense area with a thick tree cover and rocky terrain, making navigating through it difficult.
However, it was close enough for him to reach within the hour, and the location was close to the base, so it would do them good to get rid of a nearby nest while it was still in a weaker stage.
Shinon took a deep breath and began to approach the new section. He moved quickly, his steps light and nimble as he avoided any obstacles in his path. The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the rustling of leaves and twigs under his feet.
With each step, Shinon moved deeper into the unexplored section, his senses on high alert for any danger as he used his shadow abilities to increase his detection area. He knew that he was alone and that any mistake could mean failure or death.
The air grew thick with the scent of moss and dirt, the only light coming from the small gaps in the canopy overhead.
Shinon’s heart began to race as he neared the end of the unexplored section, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of the Irregular zombie nest he was tasked with clearing.
"Where the hell is that nest-" fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Just then, he heard a low growl coming from straight over his head. He turned sharply to discover dozens of zombies that had climbed onto the trees.
"Seriously? You fuckers are climbing trees now?"
