Early the next morning, Boris, Michelle, and I hurried toward the Rift of Scenarios. Though it had only been two days since we cleared the second scenario, the three of us felt confident, more than ready to take on the next challenge. We’d done our due diligence, stocked up on supplies, and even managed to grab a few low-grade healing potions, each priced at a hundred soul coins. My own pitiful stash had now dwindled to under two hundred soul coins, so it was imperative to replenish it as soon as possible.
Without wasting any ti, we headed to the queue of divine warriors waiting to enter the Rift of Scenarios. Ever since the god’s decree, this place had always been packed all day. Thankfully, the line wasn’t long, but it was still filled with nervous chatter, restless fidgeting, and the occasional clink of armor. It took us a couple of minutes before it was finally our turn.
As always, Elysia stood at the entrance and greeted us, asking the familiar question, “Do you wish to challenge the third scenario?”
“Yes,” I said firmly.
Since there were people lining up behind us, we didn’t dilly-dally to ask for detailed information. Once we confird our intention, we stepped forward to face the ancient mural embedded in the stone wall inside the alcove. Soon, a dark portal began to bloom before us. Without hesitation, the three of us crossed through.
The mont we did, a familiar wave of weightlessness overca before my feet landed softly on the grassy earth. A wave of fresh air quickly entered my nostrils along with the earthy scent of moss and pine. Before us stretched a vast forest, where the sunlight barely pierced through. Birds chirped in the distance, and sowhere farther off, I heard the faint growl of sothing that clearly wasn’t a bird.
We’d arrived.
Scenario #3 [The Forest of Beginning]
Enter the forest before you and hunt twenty forest-dwelling monsters that lurk inside within a ti limit.
Mission Type: Extermination
Difficulty: E
Main Objective: Kill 20 forest-dwelling monsters. (0/20)
Ti Limit: 1 day
Reward: 1,500 Soul Coins
Penalty for Failure: Death
Extra Conditions:
1. Recover a hidden key fragnt. (0/1)
Reward: Bet-Tier General Lootbox.
2. Kill 50 forest-dwelling monsters. (0/50)
Reward: A Random Uncommon-Grade Skill Book.
As soon as the blue screen appeared before my eyes, I realized sothing crucial. Different from the previous two scenarios, which had unfolded in a bleak, post-apocalyptic setting, this one transported us to a basic forest setting. Nonetheless, the sudden change in the struck as odd, if not outright suspicious…
While it was true that the first ten scenarios usually had a random the for each god, more often than not, our first two scenarios followed a consistent post-apocalypse, which already marked Istellia’s scenarios to be a huge anomaly. Most divine warriors of other divine kingdoms were subjected to more forgiving beginnings. It was no wonder Fantasia had such a low number of strong divine warriors. Those with raw potential often perished in the crucible before they had the chance to bloom.
Still, I doubted this forest was entirely unconnected to the first two scenarios. On the contrary, I believed they were deeply interwoven. My strongest theory was that the forest we now stood in represented the past rather than an entirely different world. Perhaps this was the world in its untouched age, long before it fell to ruin.
But, of course, it was only speculation with no proof.
“Hm, the third scenario seems simpler than the first two,” I comnted, eyes scanning the canopy as we stood at the forest’s edge. Not only was the atmosphere more peaceful, but the main objective was quite easy, the ti limit was also less strict, and there were only two extra conditions.
Boris grinned and cracked his knuckles. “Ha! I prefer this kind of straightforwardness.”
“But still,” Michelle added in worry, “we should be careful. Tranquil forests like these tend to have things hiding between the trees. Things with teeth and venom…”
Speaking of which, Michelle was the daughter of a lumberjack. She often followed her father into the woods to fell trees and hunt small ga. Out of the three of us, she was the most at ho in this kind of terrain, especially with a class and skill set that perfectly complented her upbringing.
Wasting no ti, we stepped deeper into the woods, each of us instinctively spreading out into a loose formation. My boots crunched over a carpet of dry leaves, each step releasing a soft rustle. The wind whispered through the trees above, causing the branches and underbrush to stir with a subtle but constant motion.
Suddenly, Michelle froze mid-step and raised a hand. “Wait… there’s sothing up ahead,” she whispered, narrowing her eyes.
Monts later, a howl rippled through the air. “Awooo!”
“Did you hear that?” I asked as my hand drifted to the hilt of my weapon.
Boris stood in front, ready to face off against what might co our way. Then sothing lunged from the shadows on our right. Then two more followed, then five. Erald eyes glead in the underbrush, and before long, we found ourselves surrounded.
[Gale Wolf – Lv.24]
A wind-aligned beast known for its incredible speed and coordinated pack tactics. Though not overwhelmingly strong alone, these wolves beco deadly threats when fighting in numbers.
“Gale Wolves,” Michelle said under her breath. “Fast, territorial, and they hunt in packs.”
Huh? She’s familiar with these wolves? I blinked in surprise. It seed these creatures might be native to the region where she lived in her original world. That familiarity would definitely work in our favor.
In any case, there were at least eight of them. Their fur shimred with a faint green sheen, and a soft wind kicked up around their paws. Among them, one with the largest posture stepped forward, with wind swirling more violently around its form.
[Alpha Gale Wolf – Lv.37]
A dominant variant of the Gale Wolf, the alpha serves as the core of the pack’s coordination. Its mastery over wind magic allows it to create localized gusts, increase pack movent speed, and disrupt enemy formations.
“Leader-type,” I muttered before rushing ahead and activating Wind Rush. In an instant, my body propelled ahead in a burst of speed, the surrounding trees blurring past as I closed in on one of the flankers. My blade sliced toward its side, only to et firm resistance. Its fur was dense, almost like it had been hardened by the wind itself. Still, I pressed through, carving a deep gash that spilled blood across the leaf-strewn earth.
The wolf yelped and recoiled, and that was all it took to trigger the others.
“Adamant Flesh: Obsidian Body!” Boris bellowed, his skin taking on a dark, stony sheen as he charged like a living battering ram. With arms raised high, he dove straight toward the alpha wolf, fists slamming into the creature’s side with a brutal crunch. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground and knocked the beast off balance.
As expected, Boris would always aim straight for the most dangerous one without hesitation.
anwhile, Michelle leapt onto a fallen log, and in one smooth motion, she drew and loosed an arrow. It whistled through the air before embedding itself cleanly into another wolf’s eye. Without pausing, she nocked another and continued firing, forcing the remaining wolves to fan out and scatter through the underbrush.
By now, our teamwork had grown noticeably sharper. Having fought more than a few battles together, we had developed an unspoken understanding that let us move in sync without needing to say a word.
Seizing the mont, I raised my sword high above my head and brought it down with all the force I could muster toward the nearest wolf. “Heavy Slash!” I called out. The blade connected with a satisfying crack, cleaving through the creature’s wind-hardened hide. It was split cleanly down the middle, blood spraying across the ground in a ssy splash.
You have hunted [Gale Wolf Lv.23].
You have gained 330 EXP.
By the way, unlike divine warriors, monsters didn’t have their levels reset to one upon advancing to a new rank. As a result, a level twenty-three Bet-rank monster like this one was roughly equivalent to a level three Bet-rank divine warrior. This was a chanic I had deliberately designed in my past life, though I couldn’t rember the reason because of my fragnted mories.
It didn’t take long for the three of us to bring down the entire pack of wolves. I handled every beast that dared to charge at or get close to Michelle, cutting them down one after another with Heavy Slash. anwhile, she covered our flanks, striking down any wolf that tried to circle around or sneak up on Boris with her arrows.
As for Boris, he was locked in a brutal lee with the alpha wolf, trading heavy, bone-crushing blows with the creature. Sparks flew as claws raked against his stone-hardened skin. Even without armor, Boris was like a fortress, turning every exchange into a losing battle for the beast—the outco was never in question.
As blood matted its fur and the wind swirling around it began to lose strength, the alpha wolf finally showed signs of fear. With a growl, it turned and bolted in desperation. Of course, Boris wouldn’t let it escape. In a flash, he wrapped one arm around the beast’s neck in a crushing chokehold. The alpha thrashed wildly, but it was already too late. With a sharp twist, a sickening crack echoed through the trees—and the struggle ceased.
“Whoa. You actually killed a magical wolf barehanded.” I raised my eyebrows at him. “If this isn’t soone built different, I don’t know what is.”
“Gahaha! This is still nothing. I once fought a bear in the forest with nothing but my hands,” he boasted proudly, thumping his chest. “Took a few bites and scratches, but I was able to knock it down and drag it back ho.”
“That’s insane…” I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. What was he, the main character of a wuxia novel?
“A bear? Sir Boris is amazing!” Michelle praised with awe in her voice.
While relishing the praise, Boris didn’t waste ti and began collecting the corpses of the slain wolves. We joined in, gathering the nearby carcasses and storing them in our inventories. Altogether, we had taken down nine wolves, five of which were killed by .
I quickly noticed that the kill count for this scenario was shared among us, aning we only needed to defeat eleven more monsters to complete the main objective. That alone made this scenario very straightforward and easy.
To begin with, it wasn’t like the second scenario was particularly hard or anything. As long as you were lucky enough to spawn above ground and moved carefully, it was easy to finish the exploration safely and efficiently. But would people who had almost no prior combat experience be able to survive a dangerous post-apocalyptic city? The question didn’t really need to be answered.
While I was at it, I checked my status screen.
Maximillian Anderson Lv. 7/40 (EXP 216/520)
Rank: Bet [2]
Patron God: Istellia (Goddess of Imagination)
Class: Paradox Incarnate
Title: Foul Play (2)
Status: Normal
Strength: 80 2 | Dexterity: 62 10 | Stamina: 56 2
Mind: 49 | Magic Power: 45 | Luck: 54
Plausibility: 109
Free Attributes: 85
Signature Skill(s): [@!$# Creation], [Fabled Vessel], [Grant Plausibility], [Scenario Manipulation]
Skill(s): [Basic Alchemy Lv.4], [Basic Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv.2], [Basic Spearmanship Lv.8], [Basic Swordsmanship Lv.9], [Desperate Willpower Lv.5], [Fast Reading Lv.2], [Heavy Slash Lv.2], [Inventory], [Mana Sense Lv.1], [ntal Tolerance Lv.4], [Negotiation Lv.4], [Pain Tolerance Lv.4], [Predator’s Step Lv.1], [Wind Rush Lv.1]
Out of the blue, a loud roar was heard from deep within the forest.
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