Sweat dripped down Alex's forehead, threatening to sting his eyes, as he twisted his body to avoid getting struck by a long green tendril.
It was one thing to have to fight an overgrown plant two times his own size, it was another to also have to dodge thick appendages that regrew when you cut them off.
He was forced to tuck and roll under another of the plant's arms to avoid getting knocked on his ass. Alex couldn't help but feel the severity of this quest had been completely underplayed. It wasn't just three or four plants infesting the farmlands, it was a whole invasion.
Luckily, his roll brought him face to face with the oversized weed's main body. A quick stab of his sword into the core of its body had it writhing in pain, a loud screech resounding in the air.
Another twist of the blade and Alex was able to slash his sword through the rest of the plant's body, effectively cutting it into two. The top half of the plant crashed down around Alex, while the bottom half withered and died.
Lvl 3 Killer Plant slain, +88 EXP
[DING]
[Congratulations! You have advanced to level 3. 4 skill points awarded.]
This was the fourth plot of land Alex and Eliza had come through, cleaning out every single plant. Originally, Alex had gotten 100 exp per kill, but as he leveled up he had been getting less and less, and that was with the double exp bonus. He hadn't spent any of his skill points yet, wanting to save them until he felt they were necessary for a boost in his power.
He also realized that there was another reason nobody chose the human race for their characters. They gained less skill points per level than any other race. The only race that came close were gnomes, and they gained five per level.
He actually only found out about it when Eliza had shot down his enthusiasm about reaching level two on the second farm plot. Apparently her subrace got eight whole skill points, but elves in their base form only got six.
Most players thought it was a balancing issue that there were some very clear differences in races, but the developers hadn't announced anything about it or whether they intended to make things more balanced.
Still, another level gained was an improvement, and they weren't even done with the first quest. Alex wondered what level he would be when they completed everything, and whether or not his companions would notice his accelerated growth rate.
"Looks like we only have two more farms left to clear out," Eliza spoke out from his left, her beautiful features glistening with sweat too. Seems even elves aren't spared from natural bodily functions.
"Unfortunately, these trash mobs aren't even worth grinding out for me. You think you can handle the rest?" The look she gave him suggested there was more at play than just exp gains, but Alex didn't push back or ask any questions. Besides, it would be a good test of his own abilities.
He nodded his head and gave her a knowing smile, "Of course I can handle them. Don't you know? I'm the Hero of the Realm." His cocky remark elicited a low chuckle from his compatriot. "Sure, sure, just don't go and get yourself killed Mr. Hero." She slid both of her elegant blades into their sheaths on her back, the midday sun reflecting off of their silver edge as she did so.
She paused, as if wanting to say more, but shook her head and turned on her heels. "See you back in town, Hero." Her voice faded away as she began the small trek back to Tendrassil.
Alex cleared out the next farm easily enough, gaining about a fourth of his exp bar in the process. The plants had the same predictable moves and patterns, once he figured those out it was a cake walk. It was only when he came up to the final plot of land that he paused; there weren't any plants to be seen.
A quick check of his quest told him it wasn't ready to be turned in yet, which meant that either he and Eliza missed a plant, or they had suddenly gained the ability to camouflage themselves.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." He repeated a saying his father used to say all the time when he was younger, and walked onto the ruined farmland. After a few seconds of scanning around Alex was about to call it quits, but the ground beneath his feet started to tremble. Now, Alex was no scientist, but he was willing to bet that this wasn't a naturally caused trembling.
He instinctively threw his body to the left just as his fears were proven right. The ground he had been standing on exploded in a shower of packed earth, and a massive plant had erupted from a hole in the ground. This plant was definitely not like the others.
Alex rolled on the ground to get some further distance from the creature, and then stood up. He sighed and shook his head as he took in the size of this thing. If only he still had Eliza with him.
[Mutated Killer Plant, level 9 Elite]
The monster of a plant looked like it had merged with one of its brethren, easily two times the size of even the largest plants Alex had fought. It sprouted a multitude of thick tendrils that could crush Alex in one blow, but that wasn't even the worst part.
A gaping maw filled with razor sharp teeth sat just below where the core of the creature was, effectively ruining his plan of getting close and stabbing it repeatedly. He also couldn't be sure, but it felt like he was being watched.
There were no discernable parts of the monstrosity that could be considered eyes, he just couldn't shake the feeling that the plant had a level of intelligence to it that the others didn't have.
He whirled the sword in his hand and took his fighting stance, making sure he was ready to move in an instant. "Let's dance you ugly bastard."
His taunt worked, and the arms shot forward with blinding speed, intending to impale Alex on their ends. With a flourish of his sword, as well as some fancy footwork, he managed to evade or chop off the limbs as they came at him. This plant might be bigger, but it still followed the same moves of the smaller ones. The next attack would come from his-
A tendril shot up from the dirt to his right, leaving no time to react or dodge. The wind was knocked from him as the new limb slammed into his stomach. Alex was sent flying and landed rather painfully a mere twenty feet from where he had been previously standing.
He coughed up blood and stood shakily on his feet. The red bar that represented his health was dangerously low, and for the first time since being reborn, Alex questioned what would happen if he died again. Would that be the end of him forever? Would he waste his second chance and still be a failure?
He grit his teeth and gripped the sword in his hand tighter. He was not going to die to some stupid overgrown weed. If he was gonna die again, it would be on his own terms, not at the metaphorical hands of a plant.
Still, he wasn't necessarily in a state to keep on fighting. His legs were shaking, it hurt to breathe and he was pretty sure he had a concussion. One more hit and that would be the end.
Despite the pain rampaging through his body, he smiled at the plant that was slowly shifting its way towards him. Alex had a trump card. A stupidly broken skill that could turn the tide of any battle. He just had to make sure this fight ended in sixty seconds.
[Rage of the Hero skill activated]
Power coursed through Alex, invigorating him and filling him with a sense of purpose he had never felt before. In spite of his injuries, he felt like he could run a marathon. A gleam entered his eyes as he cracked his neck and adjusted his shoulders. This fight was over.
He dashed forward with a burst of speed that caught the plant off guard. It had dealt a killing blow and was letting the wound do the rest of the work for it, but its prey seemed somehow stronger now. It threw limb after limb after limb in an attempt to crush Alex, but he was too fast. His enhanced speed and perception made everything feel like the plant was moving in slow motion.
Alex dodged the next arm as it came at him and leapt on to it. The plant tried to shake him off, but his feet were steadfast and sure. He took a running leap off the arm and propelled himself into the air, using the momentum of the swinging limb to push him further.
In a matter of seconds, the gap between the two combatants had closed, and time seemed to freeze as Alex hung in the air just a few feet above the top of the creature.
He held his sword in both hands above his head, and as time resumed, gravity kicked in and pulled Alex back towards the earth. As he fell, Alex swung his blade in a downwards motion, connecting with the tough exterior of the plant.
Normally, the enhanced body armour of the plant would have deflected the blow, but with his improved strength from the skill the armor meant nothing.
Like a hot knife through butter, his sword cut clean through the plant until his feet touched solid ground. He had just fallen roughly twenty feet, but having used the plant as a way to slow his descent meant he took no damage. The plant, on the other hand, had been split down the middle and cleaved into two. It crashed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a small dust storm around Alex.
Lvl 9 Mutated Killer Plant slain, +250 EXP
[DING]
[Congratulations! You have advanced to level 4. 4 skill points awarded.]
[Congratulations! You have completed your quest Tending the Garden. Return to the nearest Adventurers Hall to obtain the rewards.]
[Item Received: Mutated Plant Core]
Alex heaved a sigh of relief as the flood of notifications came in, and then the effect of the Rage skill ended. Intense pain flowed through his body, no longer enhanced by the skill.
His head was pounding and his chest felt like it was on fire, but at least he was alive. This plant had been no joke, even together he and Eliza would have struggled slightly to take it down without sustaining injuries.
The Hero just took a moment to catch his breath. This battle wasn't going to be the hardest one he fought, but it was a defining moment in proving that he couldn't treat this like it was a game, no matter how much it felt like one. There were people counting on him to succeed and survive.
There were a few more notifications that required his attention, most important was the item he had received. This quest was his first taste of combat and while he wasn't expecting there to be random drops from slain enemies, he would've been a little upset if there weren't. Random loot drops were essential in all MMOs, especially one this grand in size and scale.
[Mutated Plant Core: (F-Rank material) This strengthened core of a Killer Plant can be used as a mixing material for certain potions, or as an ingredient for cooking special food dishes.]
The core wasn't big in size. If anything, it was actually pretty small. It fit snugly in the palm of Alex's hand, and was no heavier than a ball that could be thrown with relative ease. Its round shape was flawless and held no blemishes.
Without knowing it was an item, someone could mistake it for a slightly larger solid green marble. Alex didn't have any use for it currently, so he dismissed it and it vanished back into his inventory.
[Skills obtained]
[Know this! Skills can be obtained through various ways. Either by reading skill books and being taught the skill by a professional. Another way is through trial by combat. Skills obtained only use the Rank system to determine their overall power, but they are upgradable.]
[Leap: (F-Rank) (Active) Activating this skill allows the user to jump higher than naturally possible. Maximum of 20 ft.]
[Fatal Strike: (F-Rank) (Active) Increases the damage of one attack by 50%. If the attack is a critical hit, damage is increased by 300%.]
Two new skills meant that he was getting stronger, but it also explained the feats he achieved in the battle. It seemed as if the system would reward those who relied on their own prowess, but there were other non life threatening ways to obtain skills.
Alex ruefully shook his head, this world is harsh. There are no shortcuts, no cheats, no skips. If you wanted power, you had to work for it.
His blinking health bar was a grim reminder that he had almost lost it all again, and only furthered his drive to gain more power. Power was what would keep him safe. Power would make sure nobody ever hurt him, or anyone he cared about, ever again. He needed more.
This creature had been a test, one he almost failed. His hands tightened around the hilt of his sword to the point of stinging, and a fierce determination swept through Alex. Plants. Monsters. Gods. They were all just stepping stones in his path, and he would rise above them all.