Second World

”So, what can you tell me about the Cult of Phobos?” Jack asked.

”Are you from the Adventurers Association?” Amy replied with a question of her own.

”Yes,” Jack answered.

”I didnʼt expect them to post a quest for this,” Amy spoke to herself while fell in thought, she then realized she had mumbled and immediately said, ”Iʼm sorry, I was getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you everything from the beginning.”

”Originally, I went to the Adventurers Association in order to put up a request to look for my mother. She is the real owner of this bakery and is a skilled master bakery. My skill holds no candle compared to her. Anyway, she had been missing when she made a delivery to one of our customers in the slum. I went there looking for her and found out that she was last seen around an area in the slum which was a private property of a group. After I went asking around, I was informed of this group that had just recently settled in, they referred to themselves as Cult of Phobos. I tried poking further, but I think they caught my scent.”

”I felt that there had been people following me since when I went to the slum, and there had been two occasions where I had almost got into an accident. I have a feeling that those almost accidents werenʼt really accidents. I think they were a warning from the cult. I went to the guards, but they believe that my mother was just having a business trip as she often did. But she is not, she always told me if she does. But the guards just didnʼt take my words seriously. So I went to the Adventurers Association, hoping to put up a quest to look for my mom, but I donʼt have enough coins for their rate! I did tell them about the cult thought. I guess they are also interested in them if they had put on a quest themselves. I have a request, sir! Since you are going to investigate them, would you mind to also look for my mom? I donʼt have anything to repay you but an offer of our bread and cake, but she is really important to me. Will you help me?”

Jack heard a system notification after Amyʼs words.

”You are offered a quest: Finding Amyʼs mother. Do you accept the quest?”

The girl did say that there was not much reward in this, but how could he reject the plea of this sweet young girl? As what a fine gentleman would do, he accepted her request.

”Oh, thank you very much, mister… I havenʼt actually caught your name, Iʼm sorry,” she apologized with a red face.

”Storm Wind,” Jack said, then asked, ”where was this place you said your mother was last seen?”

”I will show you, open your map please.”

”My map?” Jack was confused.

”Your Map system window,” Peniel interjected. ”Natives can choose to interface with your Map system if they want to point you in a direction.”

Jack then opened up her map as requested. He saw most of the areas around still filled with grey fog. Amy stood up and used her hand to shift the map. It moved following her handʼs movement. She stopped after a while and pointed, ”this is the area,” she said. The place where she pointed suddenly had the grey fog cleared up and revealed the layout of several houses.

That was neat, Jack thought.

”Mr. Storm Wind, thank you very much, sir!” Amy then said in excitement. ”I have been confused as to what to do, you have been a heaven-sent, sir. Please make yourself at home. Please try this bread, I made this on my own, not as good as my momʼs though. I will be outside watching the store. If you need anything, just holler.”

She then went out with a lively tiptoe. Jack watched her went out, she would hate to disappoint this cheerful girl, he committed to himself that he should try his best to find the girlʼs mother despite low reward potential. He opened up his Quests window and took a look at this new quest.

Finding Amyʼs mother

Difficulty: C

Rewards: 2 silver coins, 3400 Experience points, 30% discount at Amyʼs shop

Go to the area in the slum indicated by Amy to find clues about Amyʼs motherʼs whereabout

Time limit: 2 days

It was the same time limit as the Cult quest, so he thought they really might be connected. Which should be good, he could kill two birds with one stone then. But why was the difficulty much higher?

ʼPeniel, what level usually required for difficulty C quest? It doesnʼt give a recommendation on how many people needed and what level.ʼ

”Only Associationʼs quests showed recommendation,” Peniel answered and materialized in front of her. It was actually a long time since he saw her in person. She had been hiding in her own separate dimension all this time.

”You are not afraid she will come back and saw you?” Jack asked using his voice.

”Iʼm not that strange to the native people. We seldom appeared in front of them of course, but itʼs also not a big deal if we do… About your question of C difficulty. It usually required you to be advanced class level 15 to 20.”

”Oh… thatʼs bad then,” Jack said.

”Yes, and if this link with that mystery quest you took from the Associations. It is safe to say that it is also a C difficulty quest in actual.”

Jack pondered about this revelation.

”Maybe you should just cancel the quest with the association and take another quest in exchange,” Peniel offered.

If it was just the associationʼs quest, he would have done so. But after Amyʼs hopeful gaze as Jack promised her to look for her mom, there was no way Jack would take back his words.

”No, we will proceed with both these quests,” Jack said with resolution.

”Are you sure? It might be more than you can handle,” Peniel warned.

”I had better prepare then,” he said and took out the Transformation Box. He placed it on the table and took out the three staff he had bought in the shop previously and the standard magic staff he had used since the beginning.

”So how do I use this thing?” He asked Peniel.

”Touch it, and activate it with your mind,” Peniel answered.

Jack proceeded as instructed. The Box flared with dark grey light and its five sides opened up into one flat platform. A holographic image appeared above this platform. There was a box shape image and a text message, indicated him to put in the items to be transformed inside this box.

He then took one of the magic staff on the table and inserted it inside the box. Another three boxes appeared and the text changed to asking him to insert another three normal staff into each of the boxes. Jack put the remaining staff into the available boxes. The text then changed again asking him if he was sure to proceed with the transformation. Jack clicked accept.

The text disappeared and the four boxes rotated at a rapid speed before colliding with one another, resulting in a bright flash from the impact. When the flash receded, he saw a lone staff floating above the platform. A text saying that the transformation was successful was floating above the staff. He used his hand to grab the new staff. When he took it out of the box image, the platform rearranged itself back into Box shape. He looked at his new magic staff.

Repeater Staff, level 5/25 (uncommon magic weapon)

Magical damage: 24

Range: 10 meter

Attack speed: 1

Energy: 50

Energy automatically refills when out of combat

The staff ability was quite good, Jack thought. This way he didnʼt have to worry about running out of ammo in between fights. He then stored the Transformation Box and took out his Storm Breaker and the rare sword he had won from the bet with Grimclaw. He proceeded to fed the rare sword to Storm Breaker, then chose the ability that increased damage when attacked.

Storm Breaker, level 12 (rare one-handed sword, bound weapon)

Physical damage: 64

Attack speed 3

cannot be destroyed

bound to Storm Wind

Overlimit: Release the weaponʼs hidden power that adds an additional 150% damage as chaos damage, increases weapon range by 2 feet, and decreases targetʼs defense by 65%. Duration 85 seconds. Cooldown 8 hours

Dexterity +2

When user receives damage, next attack on the enemy dealing the damage will be increased to 150%

Jack was surprised. Not only the upgrade to Rare grade increased the weaponʼs damage and add additional ability. It also increased the power of the already powerful Overlimit skill.

😉