“I'm back with the bark strips and branch,” I reported to Mangi. Collection quests weren’t too bad, even if they seemed menial. Exploring the icescape of this virtual mountain, plus the nostalgia this sort of task brought, made it enjoyable.

“That was quick, youngling!” Mangi said as he yanked out a wriggling redfish with crystal-like scales from the fishing hole. “I wish I was still your age, full of liveliness and energy.”

“You should've seen me collect these from a tree less than a minute from here,” I dryly replied, knowing that NPCs only answered within their intended scripts. So far, I’ve encountered only one NPC that could hold an actual conversation, even breaking the 'fourth wall' of the game—the golden Dalkanus who managed the entire planet.

“A good job! I knew you could do it.”

“Good? I'd call it spectacular. I’m pleased that you never doubted me, Herald Stone, to be able to collect bark from a tree."

[ Quest Completed: A Simple Fishing Rod! ]

[ Increased: Player Level to 14! ]

[ Increased: Molten Corium Level to 2 ]

"Level fourteen already?" I mused. The hundreds of Snowy Swinelings I killed for Chimi powered me through level thirteen, and this quest from Mangi pushed me to level up.

Lvl. 2 Molten Corium: Ancestral Flames thread through the skin of Aritu practitioners, granting them (+22% Fire Resistance) and (+6% Fire Resistance Cap). Being of such untold purity, the Ancestral Flames also warp (11% of all incoming non-Fire damage) and convert them to the Fire Element.

The skill from the second Rank of the [Aritu Ancestral Flame Form] Ocadule that I got from the hermit Mehubanarath had leveled up.

It wasn't that much of an improvement, but its small increments at each level would eventually result in enormous benefits. The part where it converted non-Fire damage into the Fire Element was especially powerful since it was a final reduction of the damage I'd receive, essentially using my massive Fire Resistance to partially protect me from other Elements.

Mangi taught me how to fashion a simple fishing rod from the items I had gathered—that was another quest with Experience and Gli as rewards. Then he set me off to find bait for the line, which was yet another quest.

“Glowing worms? How about a piece of Swineling?” I said, holding up a small slab of meat I took from my inventory. “I have plenty of these that we can hold a barbecue party for all the fish in this pond. We could tie this to the end of the line and see if they'll bite."

“The fish you seek only has a taste for the glowing worms," explained Mangi.

"The place where those worms live is near the tree I've been to," I said, examining the [Tattered Map].

"Excellent observation skills, youngling! Did you spot them while collecting the materials for your fishing rod? Off you go then."

"You could've told me to also collect them while I was there," I grumbled as I trotted away.

Thankfully, Mangi asked no more of me after I returned with the bait. Next, he taught me how to fish—I didn't know if this was also how it worked in real life, having no experience in fishing myself—and I finally completed my quest with a bunch of other kinds of fish to spare.

I had taken up the request of the head chef back at Kurghal Village to collect ingredients for him not only for Experience and Gli but also to establish a connection that he might cook food for me in the future. I needed to find a good use for the piles and piles of Swineling meat in my inventory.

Next, I looked for the [Crimson Rock Ore] required by one of the apprentice blacksmiths at the village forge. I hoped I didn't need a pickaxe or some other tool to gather it.

 

"I need a pickaxe to get the ores out of this rock?"

I was at a small quarry surrounded by boulders threaded with veins of shining red minerals. Several Mardukryon NPCs were laboring away, chipping at the rocks to collect the ores. They piled the materials they collected high on a cart which six-legged furry beast of burden pulled back to the village.

"That you do, youngling," said the NPC, leaning on his pickaxe. It was interesting to see that their tools had handles longer than in real life, compensating for a Mardukryon's height that far surpassed a human's. "How else can you extract the ore if you're not equipped for the job? This is an important lesson for you."

"Can I use my spear to get it out?" I tried stabbing at the red minerals with the weapon that Chief Nogras gifted to me.

[ Notice: Use the right equipment to complete this action ]

[ Notice: Use the right equipment to complete this action ]

"You don't need to repeat it," I said, waving away the pesky notifications.

"If you don't use the right tool for the job," the NPC lectured me, "you won't be able to finish your task."

"What do I need to make a pickaxe?" I asked with a sigh, already anticipating what he'd ask of me. Quests wasting my time at their finest. "Or can I buy one from the village?"

"Fret not, youngling, for I can lend you one of those." He pointed at a few pickaxes leaning against their cart.

"You will?" I said in surprise. "Bless your digital soul. Herald Stone will not forget your—"

"In return, I have a favor to ask of you—"

"Damn, I knew it."

"You see, youngling, I am looking for a gift for my daughter."

"What the hell? This isn't remotely connected to collecting ores." But then again, that was par for the course for RPG quests.

"She will come of age after the passing of a moon," he continued. "I require a fitting present for the occasion. Can you help me find an ornate necklace that she might fancy?"

"Back to the village it is," I said, reading the quest that popped up, telling me to ask around the merchant stalls.

This was starting to become tedious. I considered finding a place where I could AFK level while I read through my emails instead of continuing this nonsense. But I decided to stick with it. Herald Stone was not a quitter, and Herald Stone would choose a necklace that this guy’s daughter would absolutely adore!

And if I was going to return to the village anyway, might as well turn in my other quests.

 

[ Quest Completed: Fishing for Ingredients ]

"A job well done, youngling," said the NPC owner of a small restaurant a few houses down the Hunter-Warrior's Lodge. "These fishes are as fresh as can be."

"They'll be surely fresh because I keep them in my inventory," I said. "The Swineling meat never spoils in my inventory, so there might be sufficient refrigeration there," I added, pointing out an amusing observation more to myself as the NPC would certainly ignore it.

A sort of stasis storage was more plausible rather than refrigeration. Or it could be that everything placed in a player's inventory was in a time lock. I hadn't come across the in-universe lore explanation for my inventory. I bet it was the sci-fi technology of the Dalkanus. My mind wandered about the mechanics of an inventory as the chef told me he needed more ingredients he forgot to say to me earlier.

"Will you bring me those?" the NPC asked after enumerating the vegetables I needed to gather. "I need to have them ready before the Hunter-Warriors come for their midday meal."

"This is going to be so much faster," I said, "if you complete everything that you—"

“Herald Stone!” someone called out to me, followed by hooves trotting over. I couldn't quite put a face on the vaguely familiar voice, but the distinct clinking of beads immediately told me who it was.

I turned around to see SpartanDonkey approaching me. Strings of massive beads, each the size of a fist and adorned with glowing runes, wrapped around his bare-chested charcoal body. His signature giant scroll was attached to his back, and he carried many regular-sized ones secured with chains and locks by his flanks.

He raised his hand in greeting. "SpartanDonkey of the Expeditionary Legion, at your service," he said, the exact same opening line he used when we first met after Mehubanarath allowed me to enter Kurghal Village. He was the only Mardukryon member of the most powerful business-oriented guild in MCO. "I hope you haven't forgotten me yet, friend."

Friend? Well, I did add to him my friends list—reluctantly, at that. I was wondering when he'd come around to bother me.

"Of course not," I said. I didn't speak any further, waiting for him to explain what he needed. Was he going to entice me to become a Contractor for his guild? Or was he going to try to needle information out of me about my quest with Mehubanarath?

"I thought you might have because you haven't contacted me for help."

"I didn't want to bother you," I said. “I’m sure you’re busy with many other matters.”

"Busy at times, yes. But you know that I'm always happy to help others, especially new players like you," he said, patting my shoulder. "You know I want our small community to grow...or stop getting smaller." He mournfully shook his head as if the burden of Mardukryon players quitting was on him.

I noted his use of the phrase 'you know' as he asserted things about himself. It was a tactic I had seen others use but hadn't personally employed. People should already know about the Great Herald Stone, so it went without saying.

"I'll be sure to ask you if I encounter a difficult problem," I evasively responded.

“How are you finding the village so far?”

I found the village using the map, I wanted to answer sarcastically. Instead, I replied, "I'm enjoying my experience here. The people are friendly. I've joined Kezodilla's party, and they've been quite helpful to me so far." That indirectly answered why I didn't approach him for help.

"I've heard of that," he said. "I'm glad that you found a party, man. Kezo is very reliable and friendly to boot. Megan and Nitana too."

"They did give me a few million Artas and equipment to help me along," I said, subtly hinting at my price if SpartanDonkey wanted something from me. "My character's growing fast, thanks to them."

"For sure, for sure…" He paused for a moment, probably thinking that he should’ve offered more than a measly fifty thousand Artas when we first met. "Anyway, I've also heard that you guys are practicing for the Great Hunt. Rumors were that your party brought down the Living Statue. Quite an impressive accomplishment for four people with no tank."

He must've heard that from Luds, I thought. It was evident from his tone that he wanted me to confirm it. Then it clicked—I knew what SpartanDonkey wanted from me.

Kezo had told me that he had made up a lie about a tank player joining us to defeat Zoar Elab to get Luds off his back. My hunch was that Luds couldn't help himself from poking his nose in our party's business, so he searched for this mysterious player in the Mardukryon community.

Of course, he wouldn’t find this nonexistent player. Probably unsure if people were hiding that they helped our party or that no one actually did, he came to SpartanDonkey, information central of this mountain, for help.

"Yes, we beat Zoar Elab," I said. SpartanDonkey mentioned that we did it with four people. He could be fishing for information, but I felt he already knew that Kezo lied to Luds.

"If it's fine with you, can you share how you did it without a tank in your party? I can give compensation to make it worth your time."