NOVEL NEXT Chapter 131: Unique Quest
This quest, seemingly endless in its availability, demanded a peculiar component: Giant Insect Carapaces. Much like the Corrupted Cores sought by the Druidic Order in the Arid Plains, these carapaces had a chance to drop from any of the colossal insectoid creatures inhabiting the Dreadful Mire.
While the drop rate was notoriously low, and these carapaces were untradeable, every quest in the Mire, even those within its sprawling dungeons, promised a chance at these strange Giant Insect Carapaces.
A dedicated player, seeing a quest through from beginning to end, could realistically amass a thousand of these peculiar carapaces. Ryan, however, planned to conclude the main questline and depart, making a haul of around three hundred a far more achievable goal.
The Dreadful Mire, a sprawling expanse of gloom and danger, was segmented into seven distinct zones. Dominating the northern reaches was the Cleansing Grove. To its northwest lay the Level 30 Nyman Caverns, a labyrinthine network of tunnels where swamp creatures sought refuge from the relentless, omnipresent giant insects.
Beneath the Nyman Caverns stretched the Level 31 Corrupted Lands. This blighted expanse was a testament to the Twilight Cult's insidious influence; their discarded pollutants had twisted some of the giant insects into grotesque new forms. These mutated creatures waged an unending war against their uncorrupted brethren, a brutal struggle for dominance over the ravaged territory.
The Corrupted Lands were vast, and within their poisoned borders, a new neutral faction had established itself: the Yalta Expeditionary Force. This coalition, forged from races once brutalized by the Twilight Cult, had journeyed to the Mire upon learning of the cult's growing presence.
Yet, this fledgling neutral power offered little beyond a handful of quests within the Dreadful Mire. There were no avenues for earning additional reputation, nor could one acquire any reputation-bound items from their meager stores.
Northeast of the Corrupted Lands, nestled directly beneath the Cleansing Grove, lay the Giant Insect Nest, the very heart of the Mire. On the surface, players would behold nothing but an endless, desolate swamp, punctuated by a few scattered swamp creatures. Yet, beneath this desolate facade, the giant insects, true rulers of the Dreadful Mire, had carved out a colossal subterranean kingdom—a bewildering maze of interconnected tunnels and chambers.
Deep below the Giant Insect Nest, at the Mire's southernmost extreme, lay the infamous testing grounds of the Twilight Cult. It was here that players would first confront the cult's depravity and bear witness to their unhinged ambition.
In the Mire's northeast, the Battleground Zone seethed with terrifying monsters, perpetually poised to assault the Cleansing Grove. These were no ordinary giant insects; through dark rituals, their very essence had been twisted, transforming them into demonic entities.
Like clockwork, every three hours of in-game time, a vast demonic army would surge forth from the Battleground Zone. Their objective: to cleanse the area of all monsters and players before relentlessly advancing upon the Cleansing Grove, where they would unleash their destructive fury.
Players could also seize the opportunity to undertake a guardian quest, triggered precisely at the moment of the army's emergence. Each demonic giant insect slain within the Cleansing Grove would yield a small, but valuable, amount of reputation with the Willmag Research Society.
In the Mire's southeast, the final and most perilous zone, the Dreadful Zone, served as the Twilight Cult's proving ground for their ultimate war machines. These were not mere insects, but monstrous, engineered behemoths, each a Level 37 elite-grade terror. The Willmag Research Society's most challenging team quests were specifically designed to confront these horrors.
Ryan, with a clear objective, first ventured into the Level 30 Nyman Caverns. This region teemed with creatures ranging from Level 30 to 31. Among them were beings that, while vaguely humanoid, were more akin to cunning, unintelligent giant insects, capable of wielding crude tools like stone clubs or bamboo spears.
With his current level and formidable stats, the quests in this area were little more than a formality. He swiftly collected the required items, ready to depart.
But as he turned to leave, a flicker in his peripheral vision snagged his attention. He froze, his departure halted, a sudden intuition urging him to investigate. He trusted that fleeting glimpse, turning to scour the immediate area.
It didn't take long for Ryan to pinpoint a suspicious figure lurking within a small cave. A fleeting glimpse, a curious peek, and the creature had inadvertently betrayed its presence.
This Nyman was unlike the others. His garb, reminiscent of a Shaman, hinted at a profound intellect. Indeed, it was this unusual attire that had compelled Ryan to halt.
Ryan approached, and a quick scan confirmed the Nyman was a friendly NPC. In a neutral territory, this often signaled a hidden quest.
Curiously, Ryan couldn't recall any mention of a quest involving this particular NPC from his previous life.
After a brief internal debate, Ryan decided to engage the Nyman in conversation.
"Greetings, stranger," the Nyman began, his voice a low rumble. "A terrible disaster brews here. It would be wise for you to depart before it engulfs this place."
The moment the words left the Nyman's lips, Ryan felt the familiar pull of a narrative trigger. He was in a cutscene. Resigning himself to the unfolding drama, he settled in, giving his full attention to the dialogue.
"What calamity approaches? And you... you are clearly not like the others of your kind."
"Ah, stranger, it is not so strange," the Nyman replied, a hint of ancient wisdom in his tone. "Some lineages, even humble ones, occasionally birth individuals touched by destiny. As you perceive, I am now a Nyman Shaman. Though my ascension is recent, the insights granted to me are profound."
"Newly appointed Shaman?"
"Indeed, human. My sudden elevation, however, has stirred the ire of certain elemental entities. They now seek to reclaim the power that flows through me and, in their fury, lay waste to this very place."
"They are the coming disaster."
"Human, if you possess the courage, stand with me against their assault. Should we prevail, every Nyman will recognize your valor, and our eternal friendship shall be yours!"
"Of course, if fear grips your heart, you are free to depart. The foes that approach are indeed formidable, and your courage will remain untarnished; you will still be known as a formidable adventurer who chose discretion."
As the Nyman finished speaking, a system notification flashed before Ryan's eyes.
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Unique Quest: King of the Nyman. Do you accept?
—
By all accounts, Ryan had only ever known of one truly unique quest in his past life—the monumental undertaking that had torn open the Abyssal Gate, drawing in legions of players. Yet, here, before his very eyes, was another, equally singular quest.
This quest, however, was entirely new to him.
Unless, of course, someone in his past life had stumbled upon it and, with a miserly grip, kept its existence and every detail a closely guarded secret.
Ryan's hands trembled as he accepted the quest, a tremor of both excitement and trepidation. What consequences would failure bring? Would he be consumed by regret?
But the quest's prelude had already begun, leaving Ryan no time for such ponderings.
—
King of the Nyman - Step One: Repel the first wave of Punishers from the Elemental Plane!
—
As the system prompt vanished, a vibrant, small portal immediately appeared before Ryan's eyes, looking exceptionally beautiful in the dim cave.