Chapter 28: Hydra plant

Asher slowly turns his sight and watches his surroundings, suddenly, Persea taps Asher on the shoulder several times.

"Asher, there's the plant we're looking for." Persea's index finger pointing forward. "Come on, we have to hurry before the mystery creature attacks us again."

The two of them fasten their footsteps and go straight for the plant, however, when they go to take it out, the plant is deeply embedded.

"Damn! This plant is very difficult to pull." Asher pulled the plant continuously till a thin vein is visible along his arm. "Ah, Sh**!" Asher's gripped loosely from the plant.

'Ash, let's try one more time."

Asher takes a breath and pulls the plant again with all his strength until his face turns red. A few minutes later, the plant's roots slowly burst to the surface and Asher strongly pulls on it until he falls onto the ground.

"Oh my, finally." Asher wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"'You got the plant (3/3)'

"Alright, now we just need ...."

Suddenly, there is another strange movement from within the swamp and a white tentacle immediately appears and wraps around Asher's ankle.

"Laser light!" Asher immediately directed his spell toward the tentacles to make the coils fall off. "'Damn! What the hell is that thing?"

Persea tries to use her scan skill but can't determine the thing because its body doesn't fully appear on the surface.

"Never mind, we better leave that thing and return to Malana village."

The two of them quickly leave the fairy swamp and talk then hand it over to the doctor in Malana village.

"No, it's not. It's just a wild plant that grows near the swamp." The Malana village doctor shook his head. "This is not the plant I'm looking for."

The village doctor then explains the plant he wants is located in the fairy swamp and has a unique feature which is having tentacles.

"Oh, wait I forget to mention this plant can attack if they feel in danger." The fairy doctor scratches his head. "Sorry, I forget to tell you." The fairy doctor smiled and reveals his quite neat teeth.

"Wait, tentacles?" Persea furrows her brows and slowly shifts her sight towards Asher. "Asher, no way it can be ...."

"Yes, they called it Hydra and I need his root for my medicine."

" Dammit! It turns out that the plant we're looking for is the creature attacking us." Asher shook his head believing the fact and scratched his head. "Argh! Why is this quest so strange."

'Chronos enters the game'

"Asher, Chronos has entered the game." Persea pulled Asher's wrist hand. "Come on, let's go find him and inform him all about this.

Asher simply nods and they eventually find Chronos appearing in the village square then they quickly explain everything to Chronos about the quest they're on.

"So, we have to capture the plants inside the fairy swamp?" Asher furrowed his brow. "Are you nuts? How can we go inside the swamp and kill the creatures if the swamp is poisonous?"

They decide to see the fairy doctor and say the fairy river is poisonous, so it is impossible to get the plant easily.

"Hmm, I think there's a problem at the edge of the swamp." The fairy doctor stroked his chin. "Well, maybe it is because of the goblins."

"Goblins?" Asher lifted his eyeballs. "But, I think this is the darkness' doing?"

The fairy doctor shakes his head quickly. "No, I originally think so, but if this is the work of the darkness, all living things should have died, but the proof is these plants are still alive."

"Well, that makes sense." Persea nodded her head. "Wait, but why do you believe it's the work of goblins?"

The fairy doctors said he had heard rumors of goblins often going to the swamp's edge and bringing something up there.

'Quest 12: Source of trouble'

Recommended player level: lv 9-11

Reward: 600 Gold coins, 1x Elixir, 2x Potions.

The fairy doctor suspects goblins are doing something to pollute the swamp. Players must go there and wipe out the goblins that have polluted the swamp water.

Recommended Classes: Assassin, Sword Magic.

Asher accepts the quest and the fairy doctor tells them the path that is not too far from the fairy swamp. He also hands over a glass bottle containing a strange liquid.

"This bottle contains a special liquid that can neutralize the poison in the swamp."

"The doctor fairy Malana gave you 1 bottle of potion."

"Use this liquid if you manage to defeat the goblins."

Asher and Chronos nod at healer Malana's words, then they decide to return to the fairy swamp.

'Persea gave you 2x bombs'

"The doctor fairy is telling us that we just need to walk straight from the fairy swamp." Asher tries to recall all the fairy doctor's words. "Is that true?" He turns back his head looking at Chronos behind him.

"Yes, but we should at least be careful because I see the path there is quite steep and slippery, Ash."

They slowly step on the slippery rock surface, trying to keep their balance so as not to fall into the contaminated swamp. A few minutes later, a group of goblins are seemingly doing something. Asher narrows his eyes and tries to see clearly, but his foot accidentally slips and makes him lose his balance.

"Oh, my...."

Fortunately, Chronos who is behind him immediately pulls Asher's hand so that he doesn't fall into the swamp. However, a quarter of his leg makes it into the poisonous swamp and rapidly depletes Asher's blood.

'-5 health points'

'-8 health points'

'-10 health points'

"Esuna." Asher quickly chanted his skill and the poison running inside him finally disappears. "Cure!" Asher's blood returns to normal status.

"Ash, we have to be more careful." Chronos slowly looked around. "If we get into this swamp, it's game over for us."

"Yeah, that's right." Asher nodded hearing those words and continues on his way until they are only a few meters away from the goblins' position.

"Chronos, we have to find a hidden place first."

Asher moves his eyes and suddenly he sees fell on a two-meter-high mass of wild grass which seems to be their hiding place and decides to go there.

"Ash, why are we waiting here?" Chronos is put on battle mode and pulls a bit of the surface of his silver sword from its sheath. "We can easily finish off that thing, can't we?"

"Chronos, calm down I just want to make sure that what the rumor says is true.

Chronos sighs and puts his sword back in hoping that Asher's choice will not go to waste.

***