"How much do you think that club will sell for?"
Faced with Hazel's question, Kael couldn't give a definite answer. It was only the second day since Godpath's official launch, and the vast majority of players hadn't even logged in yet. His personal hope was that the Quillboar's Club would fetch around $300,000.
That would be enough to hire a top-tier surgeon for his father. If, by some chance, it sold for more, he could put some aside for his sister so she wouldn't have to work part-time jobs through college to make ends meet.
He didn't dwell on it. They'd know the answer by noon tomorrow.
Kael led Hazel out of the auction house. "Come on, let's head to the mine."
"Okay!"
Meanwhile, in the resurrection area of starting village #9999.
"You fucking snake, Dawnbreaker!" Cole roared, staring at the auction listing for the Quillboar's Club.
+31 Strength, +11 Constitution, +152 Attack!
The better the stats, the more it felt like a dagger twisting in his gut. That club was practically tailor-made for him.
Thirty minutes later, Kael and Hazel stood before the two guards at the entrance to the abandoned mine. Kael produced his pass and handed it to them.
"We're going into the mine. Here's our pass."
The guards inspected it, then stepped aside. "You may proceed. But be careful. A lot of people have gotten into trouble in there."
Kael nodded.
The moment they stepped inside, they were plunged into absolute darkness. Unlike the outside world, there were no ambient light sources within the mine. The glow from Hazel's torch seemed feeble and insignificant in the oppressive blackness.
Staring into the eerie, silent tunnel, a shiver ran down Hazel's spine. She pressed close to Kael, gripping his arm tightly. "It's so dark... Can't you light a torch, too?"
Kael patted her head reassuringly, then switched his Heart of the Ocean to its Tidal Glow setting.
In an instant, the mine was flooded with light, as bright as day.
"Whoa!" Hazel gasped. "That's amazing! What kind of treasure is that?"
"It's just a lighting tool," Kael replied casually. "Nothing special."
Hazel circled him, still marveling at the effect. Kael was used to this kind of reaction. "Let's go. We have a lot to do."
"Right!" Hazel's ponytails bounced as she hoisted her massive shield and took the lead. Kael followed, keeping about fifteen yards behind.
The air in the tunnel was heavy and stale, with the faint, sickening smell of decay. Suddenly, a low groan echoed from the darkness ahead.
Hazel froze, raising her shield defensively. All around them, the figures of more than a dozen zombies began to claw their way out of the dirt floor, shuffling slowly toward her.
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[Zombie Miner]: Level 9
HP: 1820
Phys. Attack: 163
Phys. Defense: 72
...
[Zombie Thrower]: Level 9
HP: 1410
Phys. Attack: 193
Phys. Defense: 32
...
[Zombie Overseer (Elite)]: Level 10
HP: 4030
Phys. Attack: 211
Phys. Defense: 92
Mag. Defense: 34
Ability - Lash: Reduces target's movement speed by 10% and physical defense by 20.
Hazel swallowed hard but held her ground at the front. Kael drew his bow, his first arrow aimed at a Zombie Thrower.
-647
The Thrower ignored Hazel, its only target being Kael, who was just within its 15-yard attack range. But with a movement speed that was painfully slow, it was no threat.
Kael didn't even have to move, firing two more arrows from a stationary position. The zombie collapsed into a heap of dust while still thirty yards away.
[System]: [Zombie Thrower] killed. +200 EXP.
Easy.
Up ahead, Hazel visibly relaxed. The zombies' attacks were barely scratching her shield. As long as they couldn't get around her, she could hold off any number of them.
Kael prioritized taking out the other two Throwers, then began picking off the Miners one by one. Though they had 400 more HP than the Throwers, they still went down in three arrows each.
The Zombie Overseer was a bit more trouble. His arrows were hitting for just under 590 damage. As his fourth arrow struck, the elite zombie roared, broke away from Hazel, and charged directly at Kael.
Hazel immediately slammed it with a Shield Bash, pulling its aggro back to her. Eight seconds later, the Zombie Overseer let out a final death rattle and fell.
[System]: [Zombie Overseer] killed. Killing a higher-level enemy grants a 20% experience bonus. +1200 EXP.
That one pull netted them over 4,000 experience points. He needed 25,600 to get from level 9 to 10. Seven or eight more pulls like this should do it.
[System]: Lucky Bonus triggered! Item drops: [Electrocute], [Double Shot].
Kael's eyes lit up. Two skill books from a single mob was incredibly rare.
[Electrocute]: Mage Skill
Blasts a target with lightning, dealing (Intelligence * 1.2 + 30) damage.
Cooldown: 2 seconds
Skill Point Cost: 1
.....
[Double Shot]: Archer Skill
Fire two consecutive shots at a target. The second shot deals 80% damage.
Cooldown: 5 seconds
Skill Point Cost: 1
Without hesitation, Kael crushed the Double Shot book in his hand, finally learning his first active skill in this new life. With it, his damage output became even more terrifying. He could now take down a Zombie Overseer in five or six seconds.
After grinding through another twenty-some waves of zombies, both he and Hazel dinged, hitting level 10. Along the way, they gathered a hoard of minerals and materials, and five more skill books dropped.
[Charge]: Warrior Skill. Rapidly close the distance to an enemy within 10 yards.
[Weaken]: Warlock Skill. Reduces target's attack and defense by 10%.
[Summon Pet]: Hunter Skill. Summons a wolf to fight by your side.
[Taunting Shout]: Warrior Skill. Increases armor by 150 for 3 seconds and forces all enemies within 5 yards to attack you.
[Empowered Light]: Priest Skill. Increases healing effectiveness by 50.
He gave the various materials and the Taunting Shout book to Hazel and kept the others for himself. They were common skills that wouldn't sell for much, but he had another use for them.
Half an hour later, they reached a large cavern at the deepest point of the mine. Hazel looked around, saw no other exits, and tilted her head in confusion.
"Dawnbreaker, is this the end? Is there no boss?"
Kael gave her a mysterious smile. "Just watch."
He produced a strangely shaped bell from his inventory and began to ring it gently.
Hazel watched, bewildered. She desperately wanted to ask what he was doing but forced herself to stay quiet.
Suddenly, a spectral wind howled through the cavern.
Kael kept ringing the bell relentlessly.
Ting-a-ling! The sound echoed off the cavern walls.
Drawn by the sound, the ghostly wind swirled violently. Slowly, it began to coalesce into a humanoid form.
Seizing the moment, Kael lunged forward and affixed the Sigil of Repose onto it.
"Aaaarrrggghhhh!"
A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the cavern, snapping the stunned Hazel out of her trance.
