Arachnid Infestation

As Saad clicked on the silver exclamation mark over the dead spider, a message popped up.

[Target is lower level than you. You are able to check its full information.]

The message confused Saad a little, wondering if he wouldn't be able to check the states of someone stronger than him in full detail. He wondered what the limit was.

Monster Name: Shadowweb Arachnid

Level: 1

Type: Shadow

Description: A creature of darkness that loves to create cobwebs.

Attributes:

HP: 8/10

ATK: 4

VIT: 4

AGI: 7

INT: 2

Abilities:

Shadowstep: The Shadowweb Arachnid can meld with the shadows and move swiftly across the battlefield, making it hard to predict its next move.

Cobweb creation: The Shadowweb Arachnid is able to create cobwebs to make the surroundings filthy.

Weaknesses: Light based attacks

Saad took a moment to catch his breath and regain his stamina after defeating the Shadowweb Arachnid. It wasn't a tough opponent, but the surprise encounter had caught him off guard. He shook his head, glad that he had at least discovered the reason behind the never-ending cobwebs. With renewed determination, he decided to finish the rest of the Arachnids before they could multiply further.

Throughout the house, Saad hunted down ten more Shadowweb Arachnids. Each encounter was easier than the last, and he quickly got the hang of anticipating their shadowstep ability. He had thought about using the whip but then thought against it. He hadn't used it at all and so, he didn't want to destroy anything or let them escape and increase his work. The broom had 2 attack points, which was measly but it was still enough to deal with the weak monsters. As he eliminated the last one, a message popped up, indicating that he had completed the [The Shadowweb Arachnid] quest. It had surprisingly gone well. It was probably because the Arachnid had mostly tried to evade him instead of attacking.

[Quest Completed!]

The experience points added up, and Saad's level bar was now filled one third. Feeling satisfied with the quest result, he turned his attention back to the original quest - cleaning the cobwebs.

For the next two hours, Saad diligently cleaned the house, sweeping away cobwebs from every corner. As a result, he had soon completed the quest. But there was an unusual gain and Saad was left with a feeling of confusion. He had gained a strange passive skill. But it wasn't a skill that gave him any feeling of accomplishment.

[Household Chore Mastery: Novice]

Congratulations! Your understanding and efficiency in handling household chores have increased.

Skills:

Dusting: Novice (Proficiency: 0%)

Description: Your dusting speed increases by 5%.

Sweeping: Novice (Proficiency: 0%)

Description: Your sweeping speed increases by 5%.

*Due to being unawakened, the proficiency of skills is halved.

*The rate of experience points gained is halved

What benefit would this even give him? Saad was so close to just deleting it but then stopped himself. It's not like he was going to lose something. But that made him wonder, just why he hadn't yet gained the herbal mastery. He felt a little glum but then quickly remembered that he would probably be getting it soon since he was now Ashen witch's apprentice. After finishing the cleaning, Saad felt a sense of accomplishment.

The house was now spotless, and he had gained a strange new skill in the process. He decided to take a quick break and explore the alchemy room, his eyes lighting up with curiosity. He had no bad intentions but earlier when he had been cleaning up heaps of herbs. He knew he shouldn't be doing it and it was probably wrong but he tried to make excuses to himself. He was only going to take a little bit. It's not like he would be taking a lot. The old NPC probably won't even notice.

The alchemy room was filled with various glass bottles, mysterious herbs, and bubbling concoctions. The shelves were neatly organized, and Saad couldn't help but admire the setup. He knew it was best not to meddle with the Witch's belongings, but his desire to complete Drusilla's quest got the better of him.

Carefully and sneakily, Saad began examining the bottles and containers, trying to identify the herbs and their uses. He found several common herbs that he recognized from his earlier experiences in the forest. However, to his surprise, he also discovered some of the uncommon herbs that he needed for Drusilla's quest.

Excitement surged through him as he started to quickly start identifying the herbs under the light of oil lamp. He wasn't doing it clumsily though. He put the encyclopedia on the table and then he started to check the description of the herbs. Every time he was able to identify a common or uncommon herb in a box or container, he would take one of it and put it in the encyclopedia.

He continued to get the messages about his herbal mastery getting higher and then as he completed the encyclopedia quest, another message window popped up. Saad almost ignored it as he was going to swipe it away but then he stared at the message window. It was here! His herbal mastery skill was here!! Saad threw silent fists up in the air and after putting the encyclopedia in his inventory, and making sure to leave the alchemy room as tidy as he had found it.

As he was out, he sat down on the couch and with an excited heart, he quickly opened up the skills and pressed on [Herbal Mastery –Novice] to check the details.

[Herbal Mastery - Novice]

-Description: Your deepening understanding and practice of herbalism have granted you the title of a Herbalist. As a novice in this skill, you can identify and utilize various herbs with increased efficiency and accuracy. Your knowledge of herbs allows you to discern their properties, potential uses, and even their rarity with greater ease.

-Proficiency: 0%

-Abilities:

Herbal Identification: Novice (Proficiency: 0%)

Allows you to identify common and uncommon herbs with a 10% higher success rate. Your chances of discovering new and rare herbs during exploration are increased by 12%.

*Due to being unawakened, the proficiency of skills is halved.

*The rate of experience points gained is halved

As Saad examined his new skill, he couldn't contain his excitement. Herbal Mastery opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for him. He imagined all the potential recipes and discoveries he could make as he advanced in this skill. Being able to harness the power of herbs and alchemy would undoubtedly prove valuable in his adventures and quests ahead. It wasn't an attack skill but Saad was content. After all, his adventure had just started.

After regaining his composure, Saad left the Ashen Witch's hut and made his way to Drusilla's shop. The streets were now deserted as the night had set in. The weather was cold but thankfully his clothing set protected him. He was rather stressed about the mysterious fate suddenly making him fall but no such thing happened. The dim glow of street lamps and the moon's light guided his way. But soon he saw that the shop was closed and he sighed to himself. 'As expected of a hyper realistic game.'

Leaving Drusilla's shop, Saad made his way back home. However, as he approached his house, he noticed his mother looking worried near the doorway.

"Kael, where have you been? It's getting late, and I was getting worried," she said, relief washing over her face when she saw him.

"I apologize, Mother. I got caught up in some quests and exploration," Saad replied, feeling strangely guilty for making the NPC worry. The words had come out instinctively.

Lavinia sighed, "Well, I'm glad you're safe. But I've been noticing these cobwebs appearing all over the house rapidly. It's strange. The maid been trying to clean them, but they keep coming back. I hope it's not a sign of something sinister."

Saad's eyes widened at the mention of cobwebs. He knew all too well what could be causing them - the Shadowweb Arachnids. It seemed like the same issue he had encountered at the Ashen Witch's cottage.

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll take care of it," Saad assured her, not wanting to reveal the source of the problem just yet. Lavinia nodded and a Quest suddenly appeared.

[The Arachnid Infestation - 1]

Bizarre cobwebs that keep on multiplying are appearing all over the Seraphia. Investigate the problem.

- Quest Details -

Collect Hints: 0/7

Difficulty: D

Rewards:

Fame: +10

Experience points: +70

Saad read the quest and accepted it and with renewed determination, Saad ventured inside the house, seeking the Shadowweb Arachnids.

He hunted down twenty of them with broom, having become pretty skilled at it, throughout the house, making sure to clear every corner and crevice of cobwebs. And hunting them wasn't without any gains because after hunting 20 of them, he got the loot from one of them. It was a low level poison cobweb that could be thrown on something. Saad was truly confused about the strange nature of it but more importantly, he had gotten 100 experience points and the level up silver wings appeared on his head, leaving him feeling happy and fulfilled.