[Skill Unlocked!]
[Burning Armament] –Weapon Buff / Offensive / Melee / Active
The spear ignites with embers, boosting weapon damage from 50 → 80 and applying burn on hit. Flames trail along the spear, turning every thrust and slash into a fiery attack for the skill's duration. Using the skill for an extended duration will consume stamina.
Burn Effect: -5 HP per hit
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"AGHHH!" I jolted awake and shouted.
"What's happening? Is there a monster attack?" Claude woke up in his bed, swinging his fists and kicking around.
"No, silly," I said, rubbing my eyes. "I just remembered—Freya. She's the young lady I stared at in the company, the one whose room is in front of ours," I snapped my fingers.
"Ughh, I thought something was wrong," Claude complained, rubbing the back of his neck.
We booked two beds in a room at the inn, while Dahlia booked a single room.
It was an affordable inn, costing us 500 gold coins each for the night.
"Come on, let's get ready, take a bath, and then eat," I said, stretching my arms. "We're going all out today. We're going to slay a low-level boss so we can level up fast."
"Right. We got mocked yesterday by those arrogant fools. Let's show them what we've got," Claude replied, flexing his bicep and grinning.
After a quick bath, we were already downstairs in the inn's dining area, ordering food.
The smell of cooked meat and fresh bread filled the room.
As we settled at a table, Dahlia appeared, smiling.
"Hi guys, how's your sleep?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she took her seat.
"Good," I responded, giving a thumbs up. "Are you okay sticking with us? I mean, it's just that I didn't want you to feel forced to be part of us."
"Yeah, I didn't make friends the day we were at the Company. It's fine with me, if that's also okay with you both," she said, nodding and looking at me and Claude.
"Of course!" Claude exclaimed with excitement.
"Here's the plan: we go to the Adventurers Guild and find some low-level boss quests to complete," I said, pointing down the street.
"Cool!" Dahlia replied, smiling and leaning forward eagerly.
We enjoyed our breakfast at the inn and paid, then stepped outside.
The streets were already bustling with merchants, adventurers, and townsfolk.
On our way to the Adventurers Guild, we passed a small shop with a sign that read "Gear Workshop."
"Hey, look at that!" Claude said, pointing at the shop. "We should check it out. Maybe they have some cool stuff for us to wear."
As we stepped closer to the shop, a system notification popped up in front of it:
[Gear Workshop – Locked] – You must reach Level 20 to use this facility.
"Oh… guess we can't use it yet," I said, with a small sigh, crossing my arms.
"That's annoying," Claude complained, his face disappointed. "I wanted to try some new gear."
"Patience," Dahlia said with a small smile, tilting her head. "We'll get there eventually. For now, let's just keep heading to the Guild."
We finally arrived at the Adventurers Guild, its large wooden doors creaking as we pushed them open.
Inside, adventurers were talking loudly, checking boards, and preparing for quests.
"Looks like everyone's here for the same reason," Claude said, glancing at the crowd.
We headed upstairs to the second floor, where the quest boards were lined up neatly.
I walked over to the board and squinted at the notes.
I looked through some low-level boss quests.
Quest Board:
Goblin Chieftain
Reward: 15,000 Gold Coins
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 5–10
Companions: 3–5
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Cave Spider Queen
Reward: 13,000 Gold Coins
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 8–15
Companions: 3–5
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River Serpent
Reward: 16,000 Gold Coins
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 5–12
Companions: 3–5
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Hornet Hive Queen
Reward: 18,000 Gold Coins
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 8–15
Companions: 3–5
"Wow… so many choices," Dahlia murmured, tilting her head. "Which one do you think we should go for first?"
"I vote the Forest Goblin Chieftain," Claude said right away. "It's easy to find, easy to handle, and we get some solid rewards."
"True," I said, scratching my chin. "But the Hornet Hive Queen gives more gold. That could be helpful."
Claude frowned, thinking. "Gold's nice, but we also need to consider EXP. We can't just chase coins."
Dahlia tapped the board. "I agree—it looks like the Hornet Queen could give the most EXP and help us level faster since it's one of the hardest bosses here."
I nodded. "Exactly. Let's go with the Hornet Hive Queen. It's a good balance of challenge and reward."
Claude raised his hands with a grin. "Fine by me. I'll follow whatever you pick."
Dahlia chuckled softly. "Alright, let's accept the quest and get going."
We approached the counter to get it approved.
After finishing getting the quest approved, we stepped outside.
Glowing screens appeared in front of each of us, hovering in mid-air and displaying every detail of our quest.
[!] Boss Quest [!]
Hornet Hive Queen
» Slay the Hornet Hive Queen
EXP: 500
Gold: 18,000
Location: Vast Grassy Plains / Large Vine-Covered Trees
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 8–15
Party Size: 3–5
"I told you the Hornet one gives us a lot of EXP," I said, giving a confident nod. "I know exactly which Unforbidden Forest in the kingdom the boss is hiding in."
Claude scratched the back of his neck, frowning. "Yeah, right. But how are we supposed to find it without getting lost?"
I waved my hand dismissively. "Relax. We'll stick together and follow the map. It's not that complicated."
Claude pouted slightly, crossing his arms. "Still… I'd rather not wander around aimlessly. There could be plenty of insect monsters we encounter before we even find the boss."
Dahlia chuckled softly. "Claude, we'll be fine as long as we stay focused."
"Anyway, we should ride a wagon to get there faster," I said.
Claude perked up, rubbing his hands together. "Finally, something I like! Wagon ride means we won't get exhausted before the fight!"
We looked around for a wagon, and within seconds, we found one and hopped on for the ride.
We were heading to Verdant Forest once again.
After a few minutes of riding, we arrived at Verdant Forest. The wagon stopped at the edge of the dense trees.
[System Notice!]
(Current Location: Edge of Lumen Forest)
I pulled up the map icon on my Player Status screen, the glowing lines showing our exact position.
"According to this, we need to head deeper into the forest. Go straight, then turn right. Somewhere past these trees, there should be the Vast Grassy Plains with the Large Vine-Covered Trees where the hornets have their nest," I instructed, studying the holographic map in my hand.
Claude glanced around nervously. "Great… just what I thought, deep forest, unknown bugs, and giant hornets," he muttered.
"At least hornets are better than disgusting goblins," I added with a smirk, trying to ease the tension. "Stay alert. Even though it's a low-level boss, there might be smaller hornets patrolling the area."
Claude groaned, dragging his feet. "Of course there would be. Why is it never easy?"
We carefully made our way through the forest, stepping over roots and ducking under low-hanging branches. Claude kept jumping at every rustle in the leaves, while Dahlia whispered little quips to tease him.
After a short while, the trees thinned, revealing a wide expanse of grassy plains dotted with massive, vine-covered trees.
Dahlia paused and pointed. "Look! Those trees over there, see how thick the vines are? That has to be where the hornets' hive is."
I squinted at the giant trees, nodding. "Exactly. That's our target. Stay close and be ready."
Claude exhaled dramatically. "Alright, alright, I'm coming. But I swear, if one of those little hornets stings me, I'm blaming you two!"
Dahlia and I laughed softly.
As we stepped onto the plains, the buzzing of hornets grew louder, a constant reminder that the swarm was near.