Second Quest

Vivian ran and then leaped forward to deliver to flying kick.

Pa-Thud!

The Treebark crashed to the ground and slid a few feet away on the ground due to the momentum.

Braaak!

The monster tried to get up using its branch-like arms but was interrupted by another kick, causing its shell to crack open and send some of its broken shells along with the green fluids to fly away.

Vivian stared down at the lifeless monster.

So even with all that momentum from a flying kick I still can't break its shell with one hit…

She glanced at the metal cover around the tip of her boots.

At least I don't have to use any skills anymore when dealing with one…

She knelt down on one knee, put down her whip, pulled out her kitchen knife from her boot and untied the small sack on her waist before searching for the monster's heart.

When she touched the Memory Crystal to officially apply for the quest, details of the heart, including its appearance, were sent to her brain so she knew what exactly she was looking for.

"Found it!"

The gloves that she was wearing were the fingerless type and she also didn't have any tongs with her so she decided to just drag the heart into a sack using the blade of her knife after cutting its tendons.

After securing the heart inside the sack, she slid her knife back to her boot, picked up her whip and then got up before tying the sack back on her waist and then resumed searching for enemies.

I guess luck is on my side...

The first monster I encountered was that trunk monster…

She glanced at the whip on her hand and examined it.

I wonder if I'll get a [Whip Mastery] with this…

Or perhaps it will be added to my [Sword Mastery]…?

The whip on Vivian's hand was only about 2ft long, color black and as thick as an adult's finger. Because of that, in her eyes, it looked more like a whipping stick than a traditional whip.

I can't wait to try this out...

"Please! Give me enemies fast…!"

Vivian skipped and then began singing a song while playing with the whip on her hand.

"Come with me my love~~ 

"To the sea~~ 

"The sea of love ~~ 

"I want to tell you just how much I love you~~"

***

Vivian's lips curled up into a smile when she saw what was in front of her.

There was a group of tiny jumping mushrooms rushing toward her.

She glanced at the whip on her hand.

I just hope this won't snap into two…

She burst into a run.

Whaaack!

Thud.

One of the mushrooms that jumped to attack Vivian and was already in mid-air got struck by the whip.

However, instead of the whip cutting through the mushroom's body, it simply sent the monster flying to the side before crashing to the ground and getting up once again to rush back to Vivian.

Vivian's eyes turned to slits and a dark expression appeared on her face.

Boink!

Boink!

Two mushrooms managed to hit her with their jumping attacks but didn't land on any of her exposed skin so Vivian wasn't fazed. On top of that, their attacks were no different from getting hit with a softball-sized ball made of paper. 

Vivian took several steps backward to create some distance in order to regroup.

She glanced at the whip on her hand.

FUCKING USELESS…!!!

She dropped the whip and pulled out her kitchen knife.

"I really should've bought 2 of these…!"

She burst out running once again.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Boink!

Ba-Squish!

Boink!

Whoosh!

Ding!

'Unlocked [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 2!'

Vivian ignored the notification and continued slashing and stomping the mushrooms to death.

A few moments later…

Status Panel…

***

Name: Vivian

Class: Thief

Race: Human

Age: 24

Affinity:

• Poison - x1.4

• Fire - x1.2

• Dagger - x1.2

Stats:

• Str - 11 (+24)

• Vit - 9 (+17)

• Agi - 12 (+24)

• Int - 8 (+7)

Mana: 30/30

Skills:

• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 1 (x6.2) (Max/16) - Dagger Stab (10 mana points)

• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 2 (x6.2) (Max/81) - +2 Str, +1 Vit, +2 Agi, +1 Int

• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 3 (x6.2) (??/161)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (Max/50) - +2 Vit

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 3 (x5) (??/100)

• [Poison Mastery] - Level 1 (x6.4) (Max/16) - Poison Strike (20 mana points)

• [Poison Mastery] - Level 2 (x6.4) (Max/78) - +2 Agi, +2 Int

• [Poison Mastery] - Level 3 (x6.4) (Max/156) - +1 Str, +1 Vit

• [Poison Mastery] - Level 4 (x6.4) (??/781)

• [Leg Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Leg (10 mana points)

• [Leg Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (Max/100) - +2 Str, +2 Vit, +2 Agi

• [Leg Mastery] - Level 3 (x5) (Max/200) - +2 Str, +2 Vit, +2 Agi, +1 Int

• [Leg Mastery] - Level 4 (x5) (??/1,000)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (Max/50) - +2 Vit

• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 3 (x5) (Max/100) - +1 Vit, +1 Int

• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 4 (x5) (??/500)

• [Savage Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - +1 Str, +1 Vit, +1 Agi, +1 Int

• [Savage Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Savage Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Savage Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (??/50)

• [Throw Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Throw (10 mana points)

• [Throw Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (Max/100) - +2 Str, +1 Vit, +1 Agi, +1 Int

• [Throw Mastery] - Level 3 (x5) (??/200)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Throw Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Throw Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (Max/50) - +2 Vit

• [Body Art Mastery] (Throw Mastery) - Level 3 (x5) (??/100)

• [Sword Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Slash (10 mana points)

• [Sword Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Sword Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Sword Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (??/50)

• [Dual Swords Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Dual Power Slash (10 mana points)

• [Dual Swords Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dual Swords Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dual Swords Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (Max/50) - +2 Vit

• [Body Art Mastery] (Dual Swords Mastery) - Level 3 (x5) (??/100)

• [Fist Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Fist (10 mana points)

• [Fist Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)

• [Body Art Mastery] (Fist Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi

• [Body Art Mastery] (Fist Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (??/50)

Lore:

• Village Girl

• Adventurer

• Zhey/Zhem

• Otherworldly - Grants [Growth] - all affinity x5

• Nemesis of Beasts - Animals and beasts have a natural aversion to the bearer

***

Hmm…

I've just noticed it now…

The boost of the [Body Art Mastery] for my [Dagger Mastery] is only x5, not x6.4…

I have too many skills already and this is only the second day…

Anyhow...

So [Body Art Mastery] is a separate skill…?

Why is that though…?

And so the same logic will apply to the [Poison Mastery] and [Fire Mastery]…?

Well, whatever…

No point in stressing over that right now…

Like they say, if it ain't broken, don't fix it...

She closed the Status Panel and went to pick up her whip.

"And this one…"

She gritted her teeth because the urge to snap the whip into 2 welled up inside her but she suppressed it and just let out a sigh in the end.

"Well, that's life I guess…"

"You live and learn…"

Beak!

Beak!

Vivian quickly turned to where the sound was coming from and spotted the Bukaroo.

She got into a fighting position -- the whip on her right hand and the kitchen knife on her left -- as she waited for the bird to come to her.

Whaaack!

Beeeaaak!

Thud.

Vivian struck the bird with her whip and sent it flying to the side.

She immediately rushed to where it landed and then raised her boot.

Bam!

She raised her boot and saw that the bird was almost completely flattened that its eyes were about to burst out of its sockets, blood came out of its mouth, and feces came out of its rear end.

A smile appeared on Vivian's face.

"Well, at least these boots were worth it."

Her eyes then landed on the tail.

Do I get this…?

She recalled what the receptionist at the guild told her, specifically about overhunting and stocking up material quests before taking a quest which could lead to expulsion.

Well…

I guess it would be a waste to let this go...

An idea popped inside her head.

"Well, what else can I do?"

"They attacked me first."

"It's not like I'm SPECIFICALLY hunting them."

And plus, it would be a shame if someone else sees this and takes it...

And God knows how many quest materials I already wasted because I had no idea…

Furthermore, who in their right mind would believe that a Copper Rank like me with poor trash equipment can hunt this many monsters…?

I just have to make sure no one sees me carrying a bunch of tails..

And if I get another Bukaroo Tail Quest tomorrow, I'll wait for 2-3 hours before submitting them…

"Hehehehehe~"

Vivian knelt down and cut off the tail before placing it inside the sack along with the hearts of the Treebark.

She resumed searching for enemies.

"Come with me ~~-- Oh no, let's start at the beginning.

"Do you remember when we met?~~

"That was the day I knew you were my bet~~

"I want to tell you how much I love you~~"