Endless Leveling Done Right!

Chapter 14 - The Fisherman [Part 1]

Alex stepped into the Adventurerʼs Guild with Dim Dim perched on top of his head as usual.

It was finally the day he had decided to register as an Adventurer and claim missions.

His main goal was naturally to earn as much as he could to fund his upcoming journey.

After going through a short registration process, he received his Guild Card and started as a Rank F Adventurer. Without wasting a second, he skimmed through the available missions.

”Are you sure you want to take two quests at once?” asked the pretty receptionist named Dahlia.

”Youʼll need to gather twenty Redcap Mushrooms and twenty Thornberries. If you bring in extras, we offer two bronze coins for every additional set of five of either item. Does that sound acceptable to you?”

”Yes,” Alex replied. ”Both of them can be found in the Floating Forest, so taking these two quests together will not be a problem.”

Dahlia nodded in agreement, knowing that the young man was right.

Her only concern was the fact that Alex had just registered in the Adventurerʼs Guild. She wasnʼt sure if he had what it took to finish the quests.

”Fine, just be careful out there,” Dahlia stated. ”Donʼt go too deep into the Forest. Rank 2 Monsters live there, so make sure you stay at the outskirts. Keep out of trouble. Do I make myself clear?”

”Yes.” Alex nodded. ”Donʼt worry, Miss. Dim Dim is with me. He can easily tell if a monster is coming.”

”Ahem!” Dim Dim raised its body, making Dahlia giggle.

She had seen many unique monster pets, but this was the first time she had seen something like Dim Dim.

Originally, she thought it was a baby slime with white pigmentation. But to her surprise, it looked more like a white steamed bun with an adorable face.

After leaving the Adventurerʼs Guild, Alex headed to the Floating Forest, which was located to the west, at least four miles away from the town of Thaloria.

The young man decided to run toward his destination as part of his training.

Since he had been running a lot for the past ten days, his body had gotten used to it.

Forty-minutes later, he arrived at his destination. However, he didnʼt enter the forest right away.

Instead, he took a fifteen-minute break to properly recover before heading inside.

”Dim Dim, do you sense any monsters nearby?” Alex asked.

The Dim Sum God shook its head. ”Dim.”

”Good. Please tell me if you sense any danger in the surroundings.”

”Dim!”

Alex was also looking at his map, which now had less black fog, specifically from the places he had traveled.

He intended to cover as much ground as possible while looking for Redcap Mushrooms and Thornberries.

The young man also had another plan in mind. Following the map, he moved northwest. The route he was taking led to the Fairy Lake, where the Rare Item, Silent Striders, could be acquired.

”Dim!”

”Understood!”

The young man immediately hid behind a tree and peered in the direction from which Dim Dim said the monster was coming.

About thirty seconds later, a Forest Boar emerged from the underbrush. It was still young and its frame smaller than a fully matured one, but its eyes already held a glint of aggression.

*****

< Forest Boar >

Monster Rank: Rank 1 Monster

Monster Grade: Common

Health: 50/50

Attack: 7 - 10

Note: A brute of the undergrowth, the Forest Boar is as stubborn as it is tough. Though lacking the cunning of greater beasts, its sheer tenacity makes it a challenge for the unprepared.

*****

The Forest Boars were quite aggressive monsters and would not hesitate to attack unless their opponent was many times stronger than they were.

Alex was confident he could kill one, but changed plans after Dim Dim said there was more than one monster in the surroundings.

Because of this, the young man decided to observe the situation first and take action later.

Perhaps waiting for the Forest Boar to lower its guard, three Forest Wolves lunged at it from behind.

*****

< Forest Wolf >

Monster Rank: Rank 1 Monster

Monster Grade: Common

Health: 60/60

Attack: 5 - 15

Note: Alone, a forest wolf is a dangerous foe. In a pack, it is a force of nature, swift as the wind and deadly as the storm.

*****

The Forest Boar let out a shrill squeal that echoed through the surroundings as one of the wolves lunged for its neck.

Caught off guard, the young boar scrambled to escape, but it was already too late. The wolves had it surrounded.

Moments later, the forest quieted, leaving only the sound of tearing flesh as the pack began feasting on their kill.

The sight made Alex feel relieved. Had he attacked the Forest Boar at the very beginning, he might have been forced to deal with three Forest Wolves, which were all Rank 1 Monsters.

Defeating them wasnʼt impossible, but if a stronger predator had taken advantage of the situation, Alex might have found himself in a dangerous situation.

After several minutes, the wolves had finally eaten their fill. They then dragged the carcass away, presumably taking it back to their den to feed the rest of their kind.

Even though the Forest Wolves could no longer be seen, Alex remained hidden behind the tree.

He was waiting for Dim Dim to say that the coast was clear before he made his move.

”Dim.” Dim Dim informed the young man that it could no longer sense any danger in the surroundings.

”Thanks, Dim Dim,” Alex replied before continuing his journey.

As he made his way to the lake, he was lucky enough to come across a few Redcap Mushrooms.

But just as he was about to reach his destination, the sound of roars and gibberish reached his ears.

The young man stealthily approached the source of these sounds and saw four Goblin Warriors and two Goblin Archers fighting against a Rank 2 Brown Bear, which stood at three meters tall.

*****

< Brown Bear >

Monster Rank: Rank 2 Monster

Monster Grade: Common

Health: 300/300

Attack: 30 - 60

Note: A formidable beast of the wilds, the Brown Bear is both a symbol of natureʼs fury and its unyielding endurance. Though it prefers solitude, when provoked, its rage shakes the earth itself.

****

A Goblin Warriorʼs cries echoed in the air as the bearʼs claws tore through its side. Without hesitation, its comrades rushed in, hacking at the beastʼs thick hide with their weapons.

From a safe distance, the Goblin Archers shot arrows at the bearʼs head, aiming for the eyes. Given the chaos, their shots missed their target, embedding into its back instead.

Roaring in pain and rage, the bear unleashed its primal fury, swiping at its foes with terrifying force.

Although the bear was stronger, the enemies were too many for it to fight alone. The two sides exchanged blows, fighting each other to the death.

Alex was already holding a sword in his hand, ready to take a chance if an opportunity presented itself.

They call this strategy fishing, and those who did it were called fishermen.

These were players who let monsters or players kill or injure each other before going for the killing blow.

There was also another term used for them—kill stealers.

They were probably the most hated people in the game, making player killers take second place.

Alex also hated kill stealers. But since he wasnʼt dealing with people but monsters, he felt no guilt in using the situation to his advantage.

Several minutes later, two of the Goblin Warriors were dead, while the other two were barely hanging on for dear life.

They were just waiting for the Goblin Archers to finish off the bear, whose body was now riddled with over a dozen arrows.

Although two of the Goblin Warriors were dead, and the two survivors were seriously injured, the bear was also on its last legs.

Just when one of the Goblin Archers was about to fire another arrow at the weakened bear, it suddenly felt a pain at the back of its neck.

It tried to scream, but only gurgling sounds escaped its lips as Alex struck it a second time, cutting off its head from its body.