Salamander Ring

Inspecting the Status Window of the monster, I cursed in my mind.

The Fire Salamander was an Elite monster!

An Elite monster is a stronger version of the usual monster but they are very rare.

For example, this fire Salamander has higher attributes and is a higher-level being.

It even has an extra Spell!

Of course, since these monsters hold power that exceeds that of regular monsters, they also tend to drop better loot and more experience points.

Grrr...

Anyway, while I was inspecting the monster's impressive Stats, the <Blindness> Status effect caused by my spell ran out, making the monster look at me with its fiery eyes.

Staring at me the monster suddenly opened its mouth and a flicker of gathering flames escaped its jaws.

Swish...

Within seconds of seeing the fiery spectacle unfold, I realized that my life was hanging by a thread.

Soon, a fire projectile was launched my way, hurling toward me at a quick speed.

Usually, mages don't have high agility and wouldn't be able to dodge most of the spells, however...

I'm a demon and since I didn't choose a subclass my Attributes are a bit more balanced.

My agility is a tad higher compared to other mages.

Swish...

Shifting my body, I managed to roll to the side, avoiding the fireball by mere inches.

As the projectile flew above my head, I could feel the scorching heat pass by.

All of the normal sensations are implemented into the game.

One can feel pain and pleasure, you can even taste food and smell flowers.

Most of the players complained about the pain part, but soon shut their mouths because the creators of the game didn't give them any attention.

Whoosh...

After I managed to successfully avoid the Salamander's attack, I took a dozen steps from the monster and casted another Darkness Blast.

- 37 Critical Damage!

~ Elite Fire Salamander suffered from Status Effect < Confusion >

~ Temporary Stun

~ Duration → 2 Sec

~~~~

Although Elite monsters are strong players can deal with them easily in the early game.

Since the species of monsters that are met at this level of the game are usually weaker, fighting such Elite monsters is easy.

They don't have any powerful skills or spells, which makes it more manageable for players to defeat them.

However, at the later stages of the game, Elite monsters are considered to be similar to mini-bosses that can only be taken care of by a group of people or a powerful player.

However, I shook my head and refocused my attention, knowing that the battle is not yet over.

While the monster was stunned, I couldn't cast another Darkness Blast since it was on cooldown.

Luckily, I had a weapon!

Quickly dashing towards the monster I swung my Darkling Staff with all my might and struck the Salamander right in his head.

- 4 Physical Damage!

< Elite Fire Salamander x1 Killed! >

< LOOT >

1️⃣ 60 EXP

2️⃣ Salamander scale x6

3️⃣ Fiery meat x4

4️⃣ Salamander Tooth x2

~~~~

< Congratulations on reaching Lv. 2! >

< Level 1 → Level 2 >

< +10 SP >

~~~~

< UPGRADES >

1️⃣ Darkness Blast <Lv. 1> → <Lv.2>

~ +5% Damage

~ +2% To inflict Status Effect

~~~~

Without wasting any time, I picked up all the loot dropped by the Elite and normal Fire Salamander and quickly climbed back into the tree before the bleed Status effect could kick in.

- 1 HP

~ Status Effect < Bleed > has stopped

Taking a Healing potion out of my inventory I quickly chucked it down regenerating my HP to full.

+ 1 HP

+ 3 HP

+ 4 HP

After the fight was over and I was no longer bleeding, I opened my Status screen as I had leveled up

I also split my 10 SP in half, placing 5 into Agility and the other 5 into MP

< STATUS >

Name: Leo

Level: 2 < 0/200 EXP >

Race: Demon

Class: Mage

Subclass: None

~~~~

< ATTRIBUTES >

HP: 11 [+1]

MP: 32 [+7]

STR: 5

AGL: 12

PDEF: 5

MDEF: 13 [+3]

INT: 32 [+2]

SP: 0

~~~~

Active Skills:

< None >

~~~~

Passive Skills:

< None >

~~~~

Spells:

1️⃣ Darkness Blast < Lv. 2 >

~ True Damage

~ AoE damage

~ Cost 5 MP

~ 5 sec. Cooldown

~ +5% Damage

~ +2% To inflict Status Effect

~~~~

Inventory:

1️⃣ < Darkling Staff > { Copper }

~ MP +5

~ INT +2

~~~~

2️⃣ < Darkling Robe > { Copper }

~ MP +2

~ MDEF +3

~ HP +1

~~~~

3️⃣ < Healing Potion > x4

4️⃣ < Mana Potion > x5

5️⃣ < 100 Gold Coins >

6️⃣ < Fiery meat > x11

7️⃣ < Salamander Scale > x10

8️⃣ < Salamander Tooth > x2

~~~~

< Map >

< Friend List >

< Guild >

~~~~

< CLOSE >

During the fight, I noticed that I had enough damage to rival even an Elite Monster.

Of course, it was by pure luck that I managed to kill it.

The critical hit saved me because if the hit was normal and no status effect would be applied to the monster it would have a time window to attack me.

Status Effect and Critical hit have around 10% to be triggered and me triggering both of them at the same time is very lucky.

"One more left..."

Waiting for another Salamander to spawn I saw a group of people entering the forest.

The group consisted of three male Devourers and two women who were either a Dark mage or a Priest.

I couldn't be 100% sure because there isn't a clear visual distinction between the two.

For some reason, the group was approaching the tree I was sitting on.

I was a bit annoyed, because they might steal my Salamander kills, but I was safe since the forest still counted as a village's territory, not allowing them to attack me.

"..."

Eyeing the group I noticed that they weren't aiming specifically at my location, they were just passing by.

Following them with my eyes I saw them disappear in the distance before changing my hunting location.

I don't know where they were heading but it surely wasn't toward the Salamander Nest.

After a few minutes of walking, I spotted a group of 3 Salamanders walking through the forest.

Tiptoeing my way behind them I conjured the Darkness Blast before launching it at the unsuspecting group.

- 21 Magical Damage!

- 23 Magical Damage!

- 22 Magical Damage!

< Fire Salamander x3 Killed! >

< LOOT >

1️⃣ 60 EXP

2️⃣ Salamander scale x8

3️⃣ Fiery meat x6

~~~~

The AoE property of the Darkness Blast allowed me to wipe the creatures in one spell, however, before I could even take another step a hologram appeared before my eyes.

< Mission { Eradicate the Lizards } Completed! >

< Return to the Old Demon John to receive a Reward! >

Reading through its contents, I smiled and opened the map, heading back to the village.

Along the way, I tried to be positive but I knew that after some time I would be tired of killing these monsters.

I would probably need to complete this quest a lot of times to finally get the item I want, after all.

Fortunately, all the loot I get from the Salamanders could be sold for Gold Coins to a Merchant in the middle of the spooky village.

Even though the Demon Merchant is very stingy with money and usually underpays for your items one could get on his good side.

This would come with the perk of selling or buying stuff for a reasonable price in his shops across the kingdom.

To get this a player has to complete a Hidden quest that involves finding a lost medallion of the merchant.

Luckily, I know that the medallion is located in one of the abandoned houses in the village.

It doesn't sound very bad but the house is haunted, overrun by ghosts.

Tap... Tap...

Leaving the forest area, I saw more and more people roaming within the village.

I didn't like the fact that I had to squeeze through the crowd but I only sighed to myself knowing that there would be no such problem in the future.

I was already waiting for the players to notice the cons of the Demon Race and change their accounts.

As I approached the outskirts of the village, I managed to make out a massive crowd gathered around John, who was still, leaning against the wall of his wooden house.

Squeezing through the people, I finally reached the Old Demon, interacting with him before other people could push me away.

"You've completed the quest very fast... Hmmm? Let's see.."

John started mumbling under his breath while inspecting me from head to toe.

"I see... You've defeated an Elite monster. Good job young one and thank you for your help!"

< QUEST REWARDS >

1️⃣ 50 EXP

2️⃣ Salamander Scale Boots x1

3️⃣ Salamander Ring x1

Looking toward the reward window hovering before my face, I felt my face morphing into an eerie smile.

It seems I'm blessed by Fortuna.

====

#Author's note

Fortuna - The goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion.