Chapter 08: Something Happened, Did I Die Or Not!

Arlo, having been brutally dispatched by the crocodile, found himself in a state of melancholy. Suddenly, he recalled the sight of a towering Sherman tree atop a sand pile. Intrigued by the solitary tree amidst a cluster of others, he decided to investigate.

'Lately, I'm dying way too much, I wish this would happen less, huh,'

Arlo mused, then added with a hint of indignation, 'Hold on, people are supposed to die once. But here I am, treating death like it's part of my daily routine. This is seriously twisted.'

As he rambled to himself, the Sherman tree gradually came into view. Its brown, uneven trunk stood in stark contrast to the lush green branches that sprouted from it. The branches seemed to be drawing sustenance from the trunk, their leaves as large as a baby's arms.

Upon reaching the tree, Arlo was taken aback by the resemblance of the tree's bark to the crocodile's jagged skin. He circled the tree, unsure of his next move.

Despite spending several hours in the Haven (Resting Area), he didn't feel the usual fatigue, hunger, or sleepiness that typically accompanied a break.

"I'm at a loss. What's my next move? Do I have to traverse the desert again? It's too hot. Why can't it be as humid as it is here?" Arlo grumbled, lying on his back under the Sherman tree.

Suddenly, Arlo spotted an arrow mark carved into the tree, indicating that he should climb. With no other options, he began his ascent. The tree's jagged bark provided ample grip. As he started climbing, a prompt appeared:

[Side Quest: Reach the top]

[500 feet of elevation

Elevation Gain: 0%]

[Reward: ?]

As he ascended, the completion percentage slowly increased. Although he didn't feel tired, the sharp scales of the tree constantly pricked his hands, causing his skin to turn red.

During his climb, he noticed the absence of any wildlife, except for the crocodile he had seen earlier feasting on fish in a nearby river.

After a while, he took a break on a sturdy branch.

[Tree Climbed: 17%]

After a grueling three-hour climb, he finally reached the top. The prompt updated:

[Side Quest: Reach the top]

[Completed: Took 3 hours

500 feet of elevation

Elevation Gain: 100%]

[Reward: Upon Dying, you will be revived here

Ability to scan the Dungeon at the top of the tree]

At the top, Arlo discovered a glowing red crystal. Upon touching it, a grid-like structure appeared, scanning the entire field and turning the dungeon into a blue-shaded field.

A red dot glowed a few meters to his east, and a few miles to his north, three blue dots glowed, along with a purple one. After a few seconds, everything returned to normal, and Arlo found himself at the base of the tree.

Arlo pondered, 'What do those dots represent? The red dot is probably the crocodile, but what about the blue and purple dots? Are they also monsters like the crocodile? I have no choice but to investigate.'

To arm himself, Arlo picked up some dried pine wood from the ground. He hadn't anticipated ending up in the dungeon and hadn't brought a knife, not that it would have been much help.

As he approached the blue dots, he left the Haven and reentered the Sand Desert. Whether he had acclimated to the heat or the sun had cooled down, he didn't sweat as much and didn't feel as tired.

Arlo cautiously arrived at the location of the blue dot. The area was littered with stone rubble and destroyed pillars. The place seemed desolate, with only the sound of the wind for company.

Finally, he reached the end—or perhaps the beginning—of the area. It was situated in the middle of the desert. He spotted some stone stairs leading upwards and began to climb.

A massive stone door blocked his path midway up the stairs. Despite his efforts, it wouldn't budge. He bypassed it and continued his ascent.

At the top, Arlo found four intact pillars standing parallel to each other. In the center was a small stone chest with a damaged brown lock.

As he approached the chest, a prompt appeared:

[Quest: The Den of Supreme Lion

Quest Location Identified]

[Updated Challenges: Open Three Chests to complete the Quest]

[Side Quests: ?]

[Dungeon Explored: 25%]

[Reward: ?]

"That's it? Just opening chests? I thought I'd have to hunt that damned crocodile. I worried for nothing."

As Arlo was about to open the chest, he paused, a bitter taste in his mouth.

Arlo slapped his face, admonishing himself, "This quest might have traps hidden within the chest. Be careful, Arlo. Don't let your guard down just because the mission involves opening chests."

He removed the lock and discarded it, then lifted the chest lid with surprising ease.

Inside, Arlo found a shield—a round golden plate with a red stone in the center and snake-like engravings.

As he touched the stone in the center, a prompt appeared:

[Protector of Yedlin Clan]

[Inscription: This shield was given to clan leaders as a symbol of rulership. It was passed down to their descendants until someone from their clan betrayed them and sold it for gold. The shield has the ability to create a protective field for 180 cm outward from its surface, guarding against outside attacks.]

[Activation: Clench wielder's fist when you need to activate.]

[Duration: Can last for half an hour, increasing based on player level.]

[Consume:

Endurance: 1 per use

Defense: 2 per use

Skill Point: 5 per use]

As Arlo examined the shield, the wind began to pick up, and the stone rubble around him started to coalesce.

Arlo couldn't understand what was happening, but he knew one thing—he had to escape.

As he started to run, the stone rubble solidified into the shape of lions. These lions, with their crack-filled bodies, glowing purple eyes, and sharp fangs and claws, were even more formidable than the crocodile. There were more than 50 of them, each nearly 100 cm tall.

Arlo found himself trapped, surrounded by stone lions.

[End of Chapter]