SEVENTY-FOUR; SKYE'S FIRST ARTIFACT

As it left my hold I could feel all its gifts leaving as my energy waned to normal. This normal seemed low after being exposed to the immense ability-boosting dagger. I could then realize how weak I was.

That was the best moment in the Cold Lands. I felt as if the place it had been hovering in my inventory would be empty. Heck, my heart felt like it had an emptiness that only the Ice Gladius could fill.

"Thanks," I said to him, hoping he hadn't noticed that I was peeking through his item information.

"You're welcome"

"Did you guys receive a new quest as a reward? Or is it just me?" Sky asked her voice raggedy but calming down with each passing moment.

This made me remember the notification that had appeared after I cleared the quest. I didn't have time to glimpse at it.

"What? That's crazy!" I yelled as I went to check my messages. The messages had increased to 1300 which was indicated in the tiny number that hung over the message box.

'It must be the strange group chat that I'm forbidden to talk about ' I thought as I clicked on the messages to view it.

' This is not what I want to see now '

I sped through the messages; they seemed interesting but I was more curious about the strange quest that we got as a reward.

If it was only Sky who got the quest as a reward it would not still matter because we all worked as a group so we would have to help her clear the quest.

There was no need to keep on scrolling through the messages since I knew the group chat held nothing about my notifications and other messages.

"I got it too," Hassan said 

"Was that the only reward? " I asked looking at both of them.

Sky's reward was ;

Congratulations

You have cleared your quest

Rewards;

Three serpents fangs

Serpent Scale Armor

A new quest; unlocking in 119:44:59

Hassan's reward was; 

Congratulations

You have cleared your quest

Rewards;

Ten serpents fangs

Immunity to venoms and poisons

A new quest; unlocking in 119:44:40

So, it was definite that our rewards were based on our role in each quest. This time it seemed as if the rewards were more related to the creature that we defeated, as opposed to when we defeated the mad king of ice bears and the Loucura virus.

They were given really awesome rewards; that's if you exclude the quest.

Even Hassan had the quest as a reward. So the remaining was me.

"What about you? What did you get?" Hassan asked. We were finding our way out from the top of the massive pile of dead serpents.

" Let me check my messages. I missed the notification earlier" I said as I delved back into my player's info.

I could tell him that there was something wrong with my messages and I couldn't see my messages but that would make me explain that I had a strange group chat going on that they apparently didn't have.

And then we'll go through the weird situation where I start saying weird words that even I don't understand.

On reaching the message box the number on it was ten.

' So the group chat was strangely quiet. Maybe we were no longer entertaining them ' I thought as I went ahead to check it even when I was so sure what I would be met with.

But to my surprise, I was met with my normal messages. It wasn't the group chat but old and new notifications. The new notification includes messages about defeating the two creatures and...

You have acquired a new dagger; The Ice Gladius.

Exclusive Skills

Mind transfer (Level 3)

Telepathic warrior (Level 2)

[New] Telekinesis (Level 1)

Congratulations

You have cleared your quest

Rewards;

A serpents fang

A new quest; unlocking in 119:40:57

There were others that were new messages but the messages that grabbed my attention were these ones.

I didn't know whether to marvel at the new exclusive skills or to be irritated because of the new quest.

"I have the same reward but that's not the only one. I also got a serpent fang " I said to them.

It didn't matter though since my reward was minuscule... So it didn't take away from the horrid rewards.

The general outlook of my reward appeared horrible; you could even call it punishment instead of rewards.

"I can give you one or two of my serpent's fangs," He said trying to make me feel better about my horrible rewards.

"What would I even use it to do?"

"Well, you can check the info on the item. It should amount to something" Hassan said trying to sound hopeful.

But that wasn't necessary. No matter what he said the reward still wouldn't change to something better.

Sky made an item materialize out of her inventory when we got to the floor of the forest. It looked like an armor. I guessed that it was the serpent-scale armor that she got as her reward.

It looked so lightweight, a sharp contrast against what I had thought that armors were.

Its design incorporated sinuous patterns and a dark green hue, making it look visually striking. Its distinctive feature was the iridescent, snake-like scales that covered its surface. That was evident that the armor was obtained from one of the scales.

It looked distant from the traditional metal armor that I was used to seeing. It looked more traditional than the metal armor and had an earthy vibe to it. It also looked like she was going to have limited movement if she wore it.

" Is that the serpent scale armor? " I asked her and she nodded in response.

It looked magnificent but also looked like it would be a little bit oversized if she wore but instead of pointing that fact out, I watched her as she made her winter cloak and her gloves disappear, probably into her inventory. Hassan was watching her too, with awe.

He had gotten armor earlier but couldn't wear it because he didn't have as much will as the armor demanded.

She then proceeded to wear the armor. Each part that was properly worn slowly shrank to her size. As she fit her arm into the arm part of the armor it shrank and fit into her upper limb.

This happened to the rest of her body. Then she looked like the armor had been made specifically for her.

"Wow! That looks so good!" I said to her.

She looked like she was going to witness some restrictions in movement but when she bent down the armor was fluid-like at the waist it looked like it was made out of a soft fabric that gave an illusion of snake scales.

But when I touched the armor it felt as rigid as it had looked. With each movement at her joints, the armor turned fluid. It was entirely magnificent to watch.

"That's so cool" I repeated as she moved at various joints.

I then asked her for the information on the item. When I did that I felt Hassan glance in my direction, from the periphery of my eyes. He must have felt uncomfortable with that question even when it wasn't directed at him. But then it didn't matter since Sky was okay with it.

Name: Serpent Scale Armor

Function: This armor is used primarily for protection in combat. It weighs the strength and size of its owner and adapts its size and weight accordingly. Its adaptability offers excellent mobility while providing substantial defense against physical attacks. Additionally, the scales offer resistance to various forms of elemental damage, making them particularly effective against venomous creatures and magical foes.

Properties:

Venom Resistance: The serpent scales grant the wearer resistance to poison and venomous attacks.

Elemental Resilience: The armor provides moderate protection against elemental damage such as fire, ice, and lightning.

Enhanced Agility: Due to its easy adaptability to various sizes and strengths, the armor allows for agile movements, making it suitable for agile combat styles.

Camouflage: In natural settings, the dark green scales blend with the environment, offering a degree of stealth.

Durability: Serpent Scale Armor is exceptionally durable and can withstand extended use in combat. The scales are resistant to wear and tear, and the enchantments on the armor help maintain its integrity.

Origin: From the serpents of snow 

"wow !" I marveled once again when I listened to the detailed information about the item. it was not just an ordinary item but an artifact.