Final Preparations
The two new tenants return to bed after eating dinner and decided to take a rest since they are tired from the flight. Riko also introduced herself to the new tenants before taking her dinner and returning back to her room. Apparently, she will be playing Alternate World again so she would be busy.
I nodded in satisfaction. Seeing no one left in the living room, I quickly finished washing the dishes and returning back to my room and logging in to the game.
...
It was still 6:30 in the evening and though I can say that dinner was too early, I don't really have matters to do and the three tenants even requested to eat dinner early, the other two wanted to rest, and the other one wanted to also rest but that is just an alibi so that she can play Alternate World.
The dawn is still not occurring yet in the game so I still had a few time to prepare.
Jungle of Deceit has 4 bosses and if you include the mini bosses which amounts to three and the secret boss, the Trabungko Snake, there are 8 enemies to beat in the Abyss Mode of the Jungle of Deceit.
Since I can't freely use my abilities much on this time since I won't be working solo, I still consider this as only a mercenary job. Job only, no more no less, without further interactions after the job is done. I only do this for the reward and if not for that I won't be needing to party up with them. I can clear this dungeon by myself though that would take at least two to three days.
Since I can't fully flaunt my skills much, I have to make Magic Scrolls. Since I can't fight like how I used to and only fight with limitations, I decided to mass produce lots of Magic Scrolls. I made a Thunderbolt and good quality Fireball Magic Scroll this time, making me able to use them if I lacked the time of casting them or I lacked the mana.
Everything in the Abyss Mode is not easily described and cannot be easily guessed unless you kept on entering the same dungeon again and again while taking note of the strengths of the enemies.
Also, many might be asking why the Jungle of Deceit is not like the Lesser Purgatory that needed meticulous quests to open up. Although Lesser Purgatory is considered a low level dungeon even if you dive in Abyss Mode, it was still said that the Lesser Purgatory is connected to a storyline in Alternate World so naturally, anything that happened is for the fact that Lesser Purgatory was sealed and needed the Pole of Weakening to unseal the entrance.
Many already knew how to open the Lesser Purgatory but they can't survive easily in the normal mode of the dungeon which made many players grief due to the large difficulty that the game presented them. They even wondered how I, Bladeheart, gets to clear the Abyss Mode which could be considered worse than hell mode.
Jungle of Deceit is not that harder than Lesser Purgatory. In fact, it was much more confusing instead hence it was called Jungle of Deceit. Players would face deceit and illusions here which usually inflicts random confusion status in battles which is very hard to deal with once you were inflicted and enemies tend to usually do the ambush than do the frontal attacks. If you are not an expert, you would certainly die during the first encounter of the enemies in the Jungle of Deceit.
I already mastered making the Good Quality Fireball scrolls, allowing me to produce fifty pieces in a few minutes, allowing me to raise another level of my Scribe Level. I also made a few Thunderbolt Scrolls but since it is much more complicated to make than Fireball Scrolls, Only 10 pieces of Thunderbolt Scrolls in poor quality was made with the addition of the already made Thunderbolt Scrolls.
Also, I decided to wear a new set of Armor. Ever since my battle on the Lesser Purgatory, I tend to forgot changing my armor. My armor is still the same last time. Fortunately, I harvested lots of Rare tier armor and a few on Very Rare tier. I checked a few of my arsenal of armors first, the head armor first. There are a few decent armor for the head but they all look ridiculous. I scanned a few more times before stopping into a hood I picked up from the Lesser Purgatory after destroying lots of the Fire Imps.
"Blazing Hood"
Equippable at level 33
DEF: 70
+120 Flame Resistance
+ 100 Dark Resistance
Rarity: Very Rare
Restricted to: Assassin, Ninja and Versatile
Description: A hood made from high quality material that Humans made to survive the heat of the flames generated during the dragon invasion. Very common in the past but after a few decades, the hood became very hard to find now and only a few knew and on owned this one.
(A/N: I decided to remove the weight. It was too bothersome for me to think a proper weight that is non existent and to avoid criticisms, its better for me to remove them. Still, they still have weight and players can feel them if they are heavy or not but I won't bother putting them again)
The Blazing hood was quite good for flame attacks and dark attacks. Since Jungle of Deceit focus on dark attacks, the effects of Blazing hood will be very beneficial against the enemies in Jungle of Deceit.
After the hood, I also checked the other equipments and lay them on the bed as I checked them one by one. Many of them are for different classes but since I am a Versatile, I can equip them without any problems.
"Metal Bone Cuirass"
Equippable at Level 30
Def: 120
Dex: 73
Max HP +200
Rarity: Rare
Restricted to Druid, Fighter and Versatile
Description: Made from the bone that was said as hard as metal. It looks like a Cuirass but due to it being made from bones, it was classified that only Druid and Fighters can fully open its potential.
"Dark Bindless Pants"
Equippable at level 34
AGI: 150
+200 Magic Resistance
+300 Bind Resistance
Special: Auto Bind Break - automatically activates the spell whenever the wearer was inflicted with Special Debuff, Bind.
Equippable by all Classes
Rarity: Very Rare
Description: Pants made from the leather of the Bind Jammer Panther. Processed meticulously and was made by a Master of Magic. Only a hundred pieces exist in the world.
"Vanguard Vambraces"
Equippable at Level 31
ATK: 50
DEF: 100
Special:
1. Alternative Gauntlet - Can be used as a weapon by the wearer in case of disarmament process.
2.Vanguard Shield Illusion - summons the Vanguard Shield temporarily to block an attack once. Usable every 20 minutes.
Rarity: Rare
Restricted to Swordsman, Fighter and Versatile
Description: A pair of Vambraces modified with the structure similar to the Vanguard Shield and to act as a temporary gauntlet. Used by the famous fighter Zax when he goes into a fight against Beast man Rodol.
"Assassin's Greaves"
Equippable at level 37
AGI: 150
DEX: 120
Special: Terrain Adept - can walk to any terrain and can be used to silently walk around without any footsteps made.
Rarity: Rare
Restricted to Assassins, Ninja and Versatile
Description: Greaves specially tailored for Assassins. Favored by the silent killers that prefer doing an ambush as it allows them to hide the sounds of their footsteps.
Most of my equipments are on Very Rare or Rare tier. Though most normal players would not be able to acquire Rare tier easily, do not forget that I am a solo player. Rare tiers and Very Rare tiers are all easily coveted by me.
I have no worry of having difficulty in finding one Rare tier.
I looked at my Oni Mask and Cloak. The cape is battered and cannot be considered good. Coincidentally, I found a cloak as replacement.
"Shadow Cloak"
Equippable at Level 30
Special: Shadow Dwell - can blend to the shadows while wearing it. Can consume the surrounding shadow to increase the effect of the special.
Rarity: Very Rare
Description: Used by the Dark Magician Nercot to to move around the cities without walking around crowded places.
This cloak is much better and it gave off a vibe that felt so dark. Anyone who feel this will be reminded by the black aura to never mess the wearer.
On the other hand, I also found a mask that was much more peaceful and much better to have. If I may describe it, it really looks similar to the Maneki Neko. Well, it can't be helped since its name is also connected to the Maneki Neko.
"Mask of the Maneki Neko"
Equippable at level 35
Special:
1. Luck Booster - Drop rates increases and critical hit ratio increases.
2. Luck Controller - Controls the luck emitted. Cannot increase beyond 20%.
Description: A mask made by a professional mask maker to offer on the Maneki Neko. Due to the divine powers of the Maneki Neko, it was blessed and its luck was similar to getting the luck aura that the Maneki Neko has given.
Honestly, this mask is much more calming look. With the face of a cat with Black and white on both sides, you can even think that it was yin and yang symbol if not for the face of the cat on the mask.
I wore the equipment and my stats rose significantly. I nodded in delight before going to the bank vault to deposit the unnecessary items like excess armor and weapons and a few of the ingredients. I only left those consumables and and scrolls in my inventory before going back to the inn.
When I saw that it was almost time for the required time to meet Harmless Sparrow, I quickly summoned Leona and call Lina to accompany me. Lina was excited as she wants to use her abilities immediately which was already raised a lot during the last leveling training. I did not bother using Teleport. In case that it was hard to deal in the Jungle of Deceit, Teleport is the only process to escape the place.
Many players were stunned when they saw a huge Gryphon emerge in front of the inn. They thought that it was a monster but after seeing that there was a person behind the Gryphon, they immediately know that the person riding the Gryphon is its master and the Gryphon is the mount which made them jealous and filled with envy. They can't even afford to buy a donkey and horse, and now a person was flaunting that he has a Gryphon and he can ride the skies? Many started cursing me, but I am unaware of that. Even if I am aware, I wouldn't care too much.
Jungle of Deceit is not that far from the capital. Its around the Lizard men Tribe camp but since it was considered a restricted zone, only players are allowed to enter and a few NPCs that is accompanying their masters. I quickly maneuver Leona towards the main entrance where you are being scanned by the Lizard men if you are qualified to enter. According to the lore, the lizard men will use a Dragon Art passed by them from their ancestors called Dragon Clairvoyance which allowed to see the status of the person whatever items or things he or she drunk. Even the Earrings of Anonymity would be useless on the Dragon Clairvoyance. Fortunately, this skill is only available exclusively to Lizard men, unless you turn into a Lizard Man yourself.
I can already see that Harmless Sparrow and Flaming Cutie were already there waiting for my arrival. And I also noticed the companions that Harmless Sparrow have taken. All of them are fitting my criteria of their class and their levels. The only thing left is to confirm if they had those skills I had mentioned previously.
I reigned in Leona and landed slowly into the ground before Lina and I hopped off on Leona's back. I can see Harmless Sparrow's shock and even her other companions couldn't help but stare and mouths wide open. Of course, they have not seen Leona and Lina yet due to the fact that they were not yet my subordinates when I meet with Harmless Sparrow last time.
Seeing me, they were stunned. Did the gap of their strength is so far for them to even reach? They don't know now after seeing me personally again.