Fern shrugs, “The Snarltail in the end is just something to get some xp. Small groups of a challenging level 14 monster. The boss is another thing entirely. Mostly because if you are fighting a boss to breakthrough the System isolates you and messes with the monster. Take the ratking I mentioned. Newly born ratkings are 5 rats stuck together by their tails. I would rather fight one than 5 separate rats. The only leg up it has is the ability to control other rats. If a normal melee fighter was to fight that ratking the System would give it some magical ability to test them. A magic user? The ability to summon extra rats. Anyway, you get the picture. The boss you fight will get an ability that is hard for a person of your level and fighting style to beat. The System doesn’t even care if you game it with this fight. There are even some sects out there that because of their training and a boss farm have guides of what the boss will gain and how to counter it. For you however it might pose a bigger danger than normal. Purity combined with hand to hand combat? That is just asking for a ranged corruptor. Worse yet, you have your core already which gives the System more leeway. The corruption would damage your foundation and take a long time to fix. You Travellers don’t worry about the solo boss battle. Even if you lose and die, there is always next time. Corrupting your foundation though is a whole other matter. It won’t get fixed by dying. To counter that danger there is one option if you're willing to risk it. That of fighting something high enough in level that even with your core the System can’t justify corruption. I would go for a monster of at least level 20. To be certain, though one stuck at the next bottleneck would be best. In this area I can count the number of level 24 bosses on one hand including the two only I know about. Out of those one boss is protected by the town because it produces an ingredient that improves health potions. Another is in the Wasteland and part of a group with an even higher level boss. That leaves three bosses you could choose from. Jarr, a goblin warboss. Twig, an abandoned treant, and the remaining one that only I know about, a nameless wolf shifter. Pick your poison!”

Jason rolls his eyes, “Your just assuming I would choose the higher level bosses. You aren’t wrong mind you but you still assumed it. Anyway, I don’t want to fight the treant. That sort of monster is already a major weakness for me. I can cripple a limb or bleed an enemy out if given time. However none of that works on a tree. Also, I don’t care how much your trying to hype the wolf shifter that one is out as well. Seriously? ‘Ohh so mysterious! A boss only you know about and its nameless?’ Sure half the other Travellers would jump on that bait without a second thought. Not me though, it is a trap of some sort by you or just an attempt to get me to do a quest free. Now my next question is for more info on this Jarr.”

Fern pouts at him, “Ah come on! The shifter would have been so much fun and include literal poison. Most people would assume shifter means into a humanoid form and I so wanted to see your surprise when it shifted into a giant scorpion. I guess if you want the boring option I can give you the lowdown on Jarr. He is still a goblin despite his power. Part of why he is stuck at the bottleneck. Not that a goblin can’t go all the way but it takes heavenly talent. Jarr is very much not talented. In fact, he is a solitary type despite being a warboss. He’s the best option for you. The System will have to spend a lot on fixing his stupidity to throw on any abilities that are too disruptive. That idiot goes it alone despite being a warboss. The classic goblin hoard commander. Simple buffs and moral boosting abilities for days. Even just a simple battle-cry would cause other goblins to fight with ten percent more power. Meh, can’t help a two eyed goblins idiocy. You can find him tromping around the border between were the Snarltails live and the grasslands. No not the rabbit plains but another grassy field which is on the opposite side of the forest. I know, confusing. It doesn’t even have a name because it is so small. Though some of the adventurers call it Wasteland Edge’s backyard most just say the place with all the goblins.”

Once again Jason rolls his eyes, “As if a goblin would show up in the rabbit plains. I don’t know what is going on there but I know enough. Only thing you find in there is what it says on the tin. Rabbits and plains. Anyway, besides that nonsense I still have three more questions. First is how do I identify which one is Jarr. Second is are there any trainers in town with skills that would be useful for me and the last is for any general advice.”

Fern smirks, “You’re no fun! Though I promised seven questions so neither here nor there. Jarr himself is easy enough to tell as he is the only goblin with a full body tattoo going on. Be careful as some more advanced goblins will have a tattoo or two on them. As for skill trainers? Bad luck for you on that front. There are a few, but none you afford. This isn’t some beginner town after all. Everyone else that comes here for fighting is near or past the level 25 bottleneck. Finally you want some ‘advice’ from me in general. Not very specific there are we? I guess my biggest one is if you haven’t you should contact your teammates. You seem like the kind of kid who ends up going it alone and forgetting to update their friends. I know there are limits on even Traveller communications but my inn should be enough. Now we both need to get back to the dining room or you will miss lunch and my man will complain my ear off for leaving it unattended.”

Akhier

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