YM778.TV Chapter 20: Wet fur and rusted metal
After they rented the Zone the day before they had rested and prepared for today. Then, early this morning, they came to the zone; it\'s a forest called the crimson zone because the majority of the trees aree red.
They have been exploring since they came, and so far, the only monsters they saw are red slims that have little essence and no cores.
Temur crouched and picked up the dead slimy monster, storing it inside his ring. "We can still sell them. And you\'ll be surprised by their worth; slimes can be used for cooking. Texture is just right for making a special type of noodles but I\'ve not seen this color before."
"Probably because of the red environment." Jael supplied.
Litha looked at Temur and shook her head. "I\'m going burn that book of your "How to eat monsters" because there\'s no way I\'m eating any slims."
"It\'s a good book, and I spent a lot of money on it, but you are right; we should be seeing monsters now. Maybe we have to go deeper. We can also use the opportunity to look for a place to shelter. And train."
And so they set off again. Jael couldn\'t tell the difference between this and a normal forest, apart from the red trees. The smell here is earthly and leafy, the sounds of clicking insects and the sharp cries of small monsters surrounded them. The only difference he could say is that the air here is thick, like breathing in mist.
The trees are tall and the undergrowth thick but they still managed to make their way deeper in. Temur was the one leading. Apparently and unsurprising a hunter before he Awakened. Litha decided Jael\'s training had started as she began to teach him the theory.
"Do you know why we hunt monsters? Why do most Awakeners hunt reasons for hunting monsters?"
"To get the essence and monster cores." He replied.
"Yes. Essence is important for all Awakeners. It\'s like nutrients that make us grow. If we continue to take the essence, then we will grow and advance, our Codex will update abilities, skills and technique. But why do we fight monsters when we can buy essence and just take them? That is something a lot of people do by the way."
Jael grimaced. He had also tried to take essence to fully Awaken but it hadn\'t worked then. He kept that to himself. "Because facing danger is essential to our growth?" He answered.
"Yes. But every essence, either you kill, or you drink, will raise your Codex and abilities, including your rank. But only a little. It takes an enormous amount of essence to get to Silver rank and even more to get to Gold.
"But there\'s a risk to buying essence. You know the quality also matters, right? And the higher you rank up, the more it\'ll take to buy essence compared to hunting and those who are not used to hunting now...."
"They won\'t be able to when they reach higher rank." Jael said.
Temur snorted from the front. "Took much explanation! Jael just think of it this way. Essence is quality food and if you eat such food, then you get good healthy body but then if you train your healthy body? You gain a fit muscular healthy body, and the females like you. Training is painful, and not many people want to do it.
So is monster hunting because you can also end your life!"
Litha and Jael shared a look. "I...I think I get it now. Hunt enough monsters, and you\'ll rank up." He thumbs up.
"Quality monsters. The way the Tower is set up, the higher you climb the more power you can gain. What will set people apart from the same climbing set is the rank of their Codex– since it will provide unique, powerful abilities– and any magic artifacts they might find." Litha said.
Jael silently digested all that. He knew Essence was important but he never knew just how important. They followed behind Temur who said he was also following a trail of a large monster.
At last, Temur stopped them with a gesture. "I think I find the place we are looking for." And then he told them to be silent. They crept behind the tree line and peeked; in front of them was a clearing shaped around a cave.
They could tell a monster was inside the cave and no weak monster either. Jael could smell even sharper, thanks to Hermit; the monster inside smelled like wet fur and rusted metal.
"That might be our new home while we hunt this Zone, Jael," Temur grinned. "Why don\'t you take care of this unwanted guest of ours."
"Me?" His tone raised in surprise.
"Jael," Litha began flatly. "You are one of the reasons we are in this zone. You have to train for next week\'s test. Then we\'ll have fully repayed you."
Jael went into the clearing, his footsteps muted by the leaf-cushioned ground. He stood in front of the cave and..."Ahhhhhhhh!" He screamed.
The sound echoed inside the cave, shaking the walls. The monster roused and roared in return; it sounded like two metals rubbing against each other.
A monster erupted; it was big like a bear but shaped like a walking wolf. Its body is covered in reddish brown metal fur, its long teeth gleamed, and its red eyes focused on Jael. It leaped, clearing the distance between them with ease, it\'s snapped its mouth closed towards his face.
But Jael was faster than the monster; he was behind it in a flash and thrust his right hand out, a long sharp fang extending, but the monster\'s fur bristled, and then needle-long metal shot out.
His hand exploded into a shield to deflect the needles. And the monster already turned, teeth aiming for his neck. His right hand shifted again, turning into a fist half the size of the monster and he brought it down like a hammer, crushing the monster with one hit.
He wasn\'t even breathing hard; he turned to Litha and Temur, and his hand returned to normal but was covered in blood. "Home sweet home."