Chapter 10

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The Mice, the Birds and the Hunters

“Ooh— there’s quite a lot of types of missions.”

“Kill missions, capture, fetch, reconnaissance— it looks like there are as many missions as there are playstyles.”

We had returned to the central control area and were looking at the available missions on a terminal. Even though the Reclamation hadn’t progressed yet, we were already being sent a tsunami of tasks from Command Ship Amaterasu.

Players could attempt up to ten missions at a time so taking quests related to each other’s would be a smart way to earn money rapidly.

“I’ll try to focus on elimination missions. I think that’s the best way to go about it for combat players.”

“I guess I’ll take some too but I’m not really interested in combat…”

“Yes, but if you struggle with the first few enemies how are you going to explore all the reclaimed lands?”

“I… I suppose you’re right.”

After listening to Letty’s most sound advice, I decided that I indeed needed to further my abilities for the time being.

We ended up accepting a few mice and birds kill missions, as well as the related materials collection ones. Before we left, I also accepted a documentation mission with a slightly unusual achievement condition.

“Well then, shall we go?”

“Yeah, let’s do this.”

As the morning sun rose, we exited Susanoo to enter the <Meadow of the Beginning>.

“Woah, almost didn’t recognize it. It’s literally day and night, huh.”

Once we were through the gigantic steel gate, the boundless grassland expanded all at once. Now that the night veil had completely lifted, we could admire the rich natural landscape that had revealed itself.

“The grass is pretty thick here. I hope we do not get entangled during a fight,” said Letty, already considering the difficulties.

“As players come and go, the grass will probably flatten, but for now we just have to deal with it.”

Except for the few small trees and rocks here and there, the meadow was as flat as flat earthers believed the Earth to be. If I blocked the sun with one hand and squinted my eyes, I could make out small shadows casted by the monsters in the distance.

“There’s too many people around the gate, let’s walk a bit further.”

We moved away from the constant flow of people around the gate and aimed for a less populated place. While there were a large number of players, the meadow was even larger so we didn’t struggle too much to get ourselves our first monster.

“I think that’s a mouse over there.” Letty, ears taut and searching for enemies’ signs, found our first target. “Is it not, like, super big?”

“It’s more like a huge rat, yeah.”

I looked in the direction she was pointing and spotted a brown shape sticking out from the grass. Its size was a surprise. The rat was still a good distance away but gave off a strong presence. If I had to say, it was probably about three soccer balls lined up.

“I suppose it’ll be easier to hit at least,” I offered.

While I was taking a few shots of the mouse with my brand-new camera, Letty commented with a disgusted voice, “Geh… I’m not sure I’m going to like that one.”

I’m not sure wild mice were supposed to be popular anyway.

“Well then, shall we hunt?” I put my camera away and grabbed my spear.

Time to have the [Fang Spear] Neva crafted me make its grand debut.

As I was getting ready, Letty brought out her own [Fang Hammer]. Taking a look at it again, the sharp fangs that sticked out of its head really screamed violence. I offered a small prayer to the unknowing mouse.

“Leave the first strike to me,” said Letty.

She suddenly broke into a sprint.

Letty closed in fast and loud, and it didn’t take long for the big mouse to notice the charging rabbit. Ears taut, it jerked its head up to Letty.

As the rat adroitly turned around to try and make a run for it, Letty let out a loud voice, “<Intimidate>!! Uryaaaah!”

On cue, a red wave spread fast around Letty and soon swallowed the mouse. The big rat let out a squeak and stopped dead in its tracks, a fighting glint in its eyes.

“Huh, impressive. So that’s the <Combat Capability> skill.”

The skill is made of various techniques that support combat-oriented players, and its most basic ability, <Intimidate>, attract the attention of the enemies around.

“Uryaah!” Letty raised her hammer high, aiming at the now charging mouse.

A split second later, the hammer crashed on the monster’s head, the numerous sharp fangs digging into its skull; the big rat was shaking hard.

“It’s stunned!”

“Nice!”

<Stun> was one of the numerous status that could affect enemies and players. Weapons that dealt blunt damages, like Letty’s hammer, had a chance to trigger a stun if they hit the head of the enemy.

Once stunned, the opponent’s vision turns dark and they become unable to do anything.

In other words, it opened a chance for an all-out attack.

“<Double Thrust>!!”

I had bought this new ability earlier at the shop and guessed it was a good time to try it.

The spear blurred in two quick consecutive thrust attacks, prompting two red corresponding damage effects on the rat.

“<Heavy Blow>!“

Letty followed up on her first attack and landed a mighty blow on the still dazed mouse. The move she just used was a basic but powerful ability from her <Joujutsu> skill. This single, hard-hitting blow smashed the rat’s bones to pieces.

“We did it!”

With Letty’s preemptive strike followed by her <Heavy Blow> and topped with my <Double Thrust>, the monster’s HP bar was blown sky high in an instant.

Though, we did level up quite a bit in the <Forest of the Beasts> so enemies in the first zone weren’t really a match for us now.

“Nice work.”

“Thanks!”

While Letty’s was sitting on the ground recovering her LP, I walked up to the dead mouse, switched my [Sword]’s mode from [Fang Spear] to a large and thick knife, and activated the ability.

“<Dissection>“

At once, multiple red lines appeared as a layer over the dead body of the mouse, and I slid my knife along the path they formed. Curious, Letty came and peeked over my shoulder. Though I couldn’t stop in the middle of my work so I didn’t pay her any attention.

As I continued to follow the red lines, items were sent one after the other in my inventory.

“Hmm. 70% success.”

Not too bad for a first, I suppose.

“What were you doing?” asked Letty, who had waited for me to finish the gruesome task.

I brought my inventory on display and explained, “it’s the <Dissection> skill. When I activate it, I can see red cut lines appearing over the body, and if I follow them properly, I can get bonus drop items.”

“Hmm, I see. How do I put it… That sounds like a broke man’s skill …?”

“What are you saying… I merely don’t want to let good materials go to waste.”

The mouse dropped a few <Herbivorous mouse’s furs> and <Herbivorous mouse’s thigh meat>, and thanks to the <Dissection> skill, I got some <Herbivorous mouse’s tails> as a bonus. Of course, I had no idea what that was used for, but more was obviously better than less.

By the way, like my <Camping> skill, the <Dissection> skill was also one of the skills that fell into the Life category.

“Alright, onto the next. Let’s knock that mission out. Oh and, please warn me before you attack. I’m also trying to level up my <Photography> skill.”

“Got it. Well then, let’s keep up the pace!”

I reverted my [Sword] to the [Fang Spear] and took out my camera. In the meantime, Letty was already scanning our surroundings in search of a new opponent.

“Found one! It’s birds this time!”

At the end of her pointing, I spotted what seemed to be three large chickens with brown feathers. They were huddled together and were casually picking at the grassroots. Quickly, I put them in the center of the viewfinder of my camera and released the shutter.

The moment I lowered the camera, Letty dropped low and broke into a dash.

“<Intimidate>! Yaaaaah!” She closed in with war cry, the flashy red effect radiating from her.

The chickens perked up and flapped their wings in defiance, aiming their shrewd beak at Letty.

I came up close behind her, targeted a different chicken, and thrusted fast.

“<Double Thrust>!”

Two red damage effects sprouted from the chicken and scraped its HP bar.

“Hehe~ A one shot for me!” Letty called from behind.

“Seriously? As expected, I guess…” I replied, while trying to finish off my own chicken with normal attacks.

After a few more stabs, its HP bar finally depleted and I turned to Letty in time to see her delivering the first and final blow to her second chicken.

“We good?”

“All dead, yes!”

I congratulated Letty and went on to dismember the poor birds. After having confirmed the acquired drops, we walked further into the meadow and resumed our search for Letty’s next playthings.

Tips

◇Grass Eater

A large rodent found in Susanoo’s surroundings. It has strong appetite and, although omnivorous, the Grass Eater prefers to feed on grass spouts.

Because the female can birth up to ten whelps at a time, they have a large population and can turn the grasslands into wastelands if not kept in check.

Its meat is tender and, because it doesn’t have a strong odor, it is also easy to eat.

Because they dig holes and live in a complex underground system, when their population is kept at a reasonable number, they actually help cultivate the land and create an environment where plants can easily take roots.

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