Saplings
What the heck is this situation? Two dungeon mobs fighting each other? Or maybe the sapling isn't even a monster considering it can talk and has a status window more similar to people outside the dungeon rather than monsters… well, let's kill the attackers and find out, I suppose.
I fire off my Mana Bolt, aiming it, so the explosion hits both enemies simultaneously to get the most out of the First Strike perk while also shooting it far enough behind the monsters so that it wouldn't hit the hiding sapling.
The projectiles hit and explode between the two Shroom Spearmen, making them fly in opposite directions. Before they even hit the ground or figure out what just happened, I have already jumped down from my branch and am charging at one of their landing positions. Just as I get there, one of the two Spearsmen lands in front of me and has his big head separated from the rest of his body with a swift strike of my sword.
That's peculiar, he had 950 health left, and my sword strike should have only dealt around 500 damage at most, but he still insta died when his head was cut off. It looks like having your head cut off is fatal, who could have guessed.
With the first of the two enemies dead, I change direction and charge at the second one, who is already doing his best to get back on his feet. Just narrowly being able to stand up in time, he points his spear in my direction, but the unfortunate thing for him is that I just sidestep it and deal two quick slashes to kill him.
"You can come out now," I say, facing the hiding place of the sapling while pointing my sword down at the ground to seem less threatening.
"You won't kill me?" I hear its voice as its eyes peek out from under the root. It almost looks like Groot but with some leaves growing on him.
"If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have gotten rid of those two trying to poke, would I?" I say, and after a few seconds, the creature crawls out from its hiding place.
"Right you are, sorry about that. You know how it is, we've all been a bit on edge ever since the infection started, and the keeper forced everyone into hiding." After getting up to the surface, it looks me up and down with an astonished face. "What the heck are you? You don't look like one of my kind or one of the invaders. If not for the lack of horns on your head, I would have thought you are from the same race as the Keeper."
What is this guy babbling about? All I know is that my quest sensors are firing off at full power.
"Whoah, let's back up here. You were saying something about an infection?" I ask, trying to get a better explanation.
"You haven't noticed all the fungus literally growing legs and walking around?" It asks, looking at me as if I'm mentally challenged. "Like the ones you just killed?"
"Keep that attitude up, and I'll go back on my decision to save you."
"Sorry, sir, ask me anything you wish. I live to serve." Its attitude does a quick 180 as it bows.
"Just tell me about the infection and that Keeper of yours," I command, and it starts explaining.
"It all happened so quick, a few weeks ago, everything was normal, and we were living in peace, but it all changed when the fire nation atta- I mean, when the weird purple smog took over the heart of the forest and giant mushrooms started growing everywhere." It says, looking down sadly.
"The Keeper of Nature acted quickly and sent all of us saplings to safety, but she herself couldn't escape before a giant mushroom even bigger than the Keeper showed up and weakened her with its poison and put her in a prison cell."
Done with its explanation, the sapling stops speaking, giving me a chance to ask it more questions. "So if all the saplings were sent to safety, why were you here being attacked by these mushroom guys?"
It awkwardly scratches the back of its bark. "Well, we were planning a counter-attack to save the Keeper, so I and some others were sent out on a scouting mission. As you can see, it didn't go so well."
Suddenly its eyes light up like a Christmas tree. "Hey, you're pretty strong taking down these two all by yourself. Maybe you could go and save our Keeper, and if you run into them along the way, tell the other scouts to get their ass back to base?"
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[New Quest - Don't do shrooms]
[Description - Invaders have taken over the forest and imprisoned the Keeper of Nature. Save her and get rid of the invaders!]
[Objective - Save the Keeper of Nature]
[Bonus Objective - Save all the saplings which were sent out as scouts (1/9)]
[Reward - 3 levels, Golden Apple]
[Bonus Reward - ?, ?]
[ACCEPT?]
[YES / NO]
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Hell yeah, that's what I've been waiting for. "Of course, I accept your request, and I shall save your Keeper and the forest from the goodness of my heart. Now get back to your camp safely and leave everything to me."
That golden apple does sound pretty special… 3 levels worth of xp isn't bad either.
It bows once again, saying, "Thank you, sir, I will get back to base and let everyone hear the good news!"
With that, the little sapling takes off, running into the depths of the forest. Hopefully, it won't get caught again.
Seeing it run off, I am about to get back to exploring the floor myself, but just as I turn around, a glowing red door appears right where the sapling used to stand at.
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[Floor 12 - Fungal Forest]
[Condition: Kill 5 Shroom Watchmen]
[Current Progress: 1 / 5]
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Oh, so I had to find this guy to proceed to the next floor anyways… well, back to hunting, I go, I guess.
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Note: Out of curiosity, I want you all to tell me anything in terms of writing quality that you want to see improved. No matter how minor or major, just let me know anything that seems wrong, annoying, or bad, so I can focus on that in the future.
And don't say longer chapters or more upload frequency k?