A wave of excitement surged through Don. He hadn't even gone out of his way to look for a quest, and yet one had come directly to him. His luck today was clearly on point.
'Not Bad...'
For a brief moment he allowed himself to enjoy that thought, then turned his attention back to the man in front of him.
Viren studied him quietly, his gaze steady, as though weighing something unseen. After a short pause, a faint approving smile appeared on his lips.
"Recently," he began, his tone calm but purposeful, "I discovered a type of wild giant bee in the Lost Jungle, just north of Yiersa Village."
Don listened without interrupting.
"The stingers on their tails can be refined into specialized arrows. Highly effective, especially against moving targets." There was a subtle shift in his expression, slight, but meaningful. "Go there and collect some for me."
The familiar chime rang out, clear and crisp.
[Do you accept the quest [Obtain Bee Stingers]?]
[Y/N]
Don didn't hesitate. He confirmed immediately.
Another interface unfolded before him.
[Quest: Obtain Bee Stingers]
[Entrusted by Rogue Instructor Viren, head to the Lost Jungle and eliminate Jungle Bees. Collect 20 Bee Stingers and return to Viren.]
[Difficulty: Normal Level 6]
A challenge. But not impossible Normal Level 6, higher than his current level. A challenge, but not impossible. If anything, it was exactly what he needed. Don's lips curved slightly as he confirmed the quest without hesitation.
But instead of heading straight out of the village, he changed direction. Preparation mattered, and rushing blindly into a higher-level zone without it was how beginners died.
His footsteps carried him toward the general store. Inside, the environment shifted again. The smell of herbs and metal lingered faintly in the air, and shelves lined the walls stocked with various basic supplies, potions, tools, small trinkets. Behind the counter stood a Nimi Dwarf, barely over a meter tall but radiating an almost overwhelming level of energy. The moment his eyes landed on Don, his face lit up instantly.
"Young friend! Welcome, welcome!" His voice was loud, cheerful, almost theatrical. "You've come to the right place, my goods are cheap and affordable!"
Don raised an eyebrow. Cheap. That was probably the biggest lie any NPC could tell. Still, he didn't argue. There was no point.
After a brief exchange, the store interface opened before him. His gaze moved quickly, scanning the available items, and two caught his attention immediately, Basic Red Potions, which restored HP over time, and Basic Blue Potions, which restored MP. Simple and reliable.
He glanced at his remaining funds. Three silver coins. That was everything. His mind worked quickly. His current skill set didn't consume much mana, Backstab and Consecutive Slash were efficient, and if needed, he could simply sit and recover MP naturally. But HP was different. HP was survival. HP was the difference between walking away from a fight and losing everything.
Without hesitation, he made his decision. All three silver coins, gone. Thirty Red Potions. Just like that, his wallet was empty again, three copper coins remained. Back to square one.
Don exhaled lightly, not particularly bothered. Money could be earned again. But the momentum that came from staying alive? That was far more valuable.
As he was about to close the interface, something else caught his eye.
[Unsealing Stone , Price: 2 Gold Coins.]
His expression froze. Two gold for a single-use item, and it only unlocked one slot.
For a brief second, he genuinely considered the possibility that this was just legalized robbery. Then he shook his head. Not important. Not yet. He didn't even have equipment worth unsealing. He closed the interface and headed for the village exit.
As he stepped beyond the boundary, Don slowed slightly and glanced back. The village behind him remained relatively calm, but players were still flooding into the farmland, still competing, still stuck. Here at the edge, there was almost no one.
A faint smile formed on his lips. He was still ahead. That small advantage was still his.
Without wasting another second, he broke into a light jog, descending the slope from the southern entrance. The Lost Jungle wasn't far, just a few hundred meters ahead, dense greenery looming in the distance like a living wall. Along the way, the monsters remained unchanged.
Brugg Trainees wandered aimlessly, and Field Grasshoppers continued devouring crops without restraint. The land itself felt strained. The Saino Kingdom really was having a rough year.
After roughly three minutes of steady movement, Don crossed into the jungle, and the world changed.
The air grew cooler instantly. The light dimmed as towering trees blocked out much of the sun, and the ground beneath his feet softened, layered with fallen leaves and damp soil. It was quieter, but not empty. No, it was alive. A constant low hum filled the air, a vibration that was subtle and unsettling all at once.
Then he saw them. Jungle Bees.
They hovered among the trees on both sides of the path, their massive bodies suspended effortlessly in the air. Each one was nearly the size of a piglet, their segmented forms gleaming faintly beneath the filtered light. Their transparent wings beat at incredible speed, producing that constant buzzing sound like a swarm of spinning blades. Their compound eyes shifted constantly, watching, tracking, sensing.
Don stilled and focused.
[Jungle Bee]
[Grade: Normal Monster] [Level: 6]
[HP: 700]
[Physical Attack: 24–28]
[Physical Defense: 80]
[Magic Defense: 70]
[Skill: Bee Sting]
Stronger. Much stronger. He checked his own stats for comparison.
[Bane]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Rogue]
[Level: 5]
[HP: 150]
[Physical Attack: 282–307]
[Physical Defense: 10]
[Magic Defense: 10]
[Reputation: 5]
[Luck: 0]
His eyes narrowed slightly. His damage was more than enough, breaking their defense wouldn't be an issue. But their attack was another matter entirely. If they hit him cleanly, he would feel it. Badly. This wasn't like fighting Bruggs or even grasshoppers. One mistake could cost him everything.
But then a thought surfaced. Why had he bought those Red Potions? This. This was exactly why.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. Without hesitation, Don reached into his inventory and pulled out a Red Potion. The small vial shimmered faintly in his hand.
He lifted it and held it between his lips, keeping both hands free. Prepared. Calculated. Deliberate.
His gaze locked onto the nearest Jungle Bee. Its wings buzzed loudly as it hovered in place, unaware of the threat approaching. Don stepped forward, one step, then another.
His body lowered slightly, his grip tightened on the dagger, and in the next instant he moved. Fast, direct, and relentless, straight toward the Jungle Bee.