“So, Elder, this scroll contains where the other villages you found are?” I asked. “You make this for all players or something?”

“Indeed,” the Elder managed to say, then he started wheezing.

“Do you have like a printer here to quickly make copies?" I said. "Not like you make these all the time for like a couple of hundred players considering your, uh, weak state," I mumbled.

I was inside the hut of the Elder. The annoying little punk was there as well. Little Pony was grinning from the sides. He had been bugging me since I reached level twenty to come to the Elder’s Hut. When a Mardukryon player reached level twenty, they could get the map from the Elder, the one for the directions to get to the other villages he has found.

Little Pony, as the general all-around got to person for main questlines, would look for you and persuade you to come with him to get the map. Maybe he did that to make sure that a player would not miss that very important item for our racial questline. Kinda dumb if you left the mountain without the map. I heard other players saying that you couldn't enter the Ice Tunnel without getting this quest item.

Very annoying, that piece of shit. I was focused with leveling down the mines because I wanted to become stronger for the Ice Tunnel quest yet he kept on bugging me whenever I passed by the village to harvest my fruits and plant more seeds in Zaido’s backyard or turn in quests for Sumuel.

Tomorrow, Saturday, all Mardukryon players who could go into the tunnel were encouraged to join the ‘expedition’ inside the Ice Tunnel.We were going to map the network of tunnels and try to find a way out. I planned to join, of course, which was why I passed by the Elder's Hut to get my map of the outside world.

The high-level players scheduled it on a weekend so that many people could go. They were also expecting the double loot event to start. Apparently, the players of the “outside world” still hasn’t unlocked a location in the new map they discovered to trigger the event. It was a storyline quest, a quest that could permanently change the Nornyr World.

Once that "something" players needed to accomplish was done and the new area opened up, a double loot event was promised by JYE for progressing the world storyline forward.

Technically, the Ice Tunnel quest was also something that could permanently affect the game setting of the Nornyr Online world.

“Take care youngling, or should I now say, young warrior,” the Elder said. “You will face many challenges along the way but never falter, never waver. Those who endureth to the end will find a way.”

“Yea. Well, I hope I don’t end up like you,” I said mockingly while I was trying to open the map. I alternated trying to physically open it or opening it inside my inventory, but it wouldn’t open. The contents couldn’t be examined. Annoying shitty item.

“Yes, yes. What you say is true. I did fail. I was strong. Very much so. I forged a path into the Ice Tunnel, avoided the slumbering titan of a Guardian that lies within and was able to get out yet I wasn’t strong enough to find all the other tribes.”

I paused to look at his level again. He was level sixty-seven. Alaparos, the most awesome Mardukryon NPC didn’t even reach sixty. Perhaps, when the Elder was at his prime, he could cut Alaparos into ribbons. Mardukryons levelled exponentially. A level twenty Mardukryon wasn’t simply twice strong as a level ten. Maybe if the Elder wasn't very old or sick, he could have killed even a Lord Mirdabon. He was like some sort of retired legendary hero.

“There are other powerful beasts inside the Tunnel of Ice," the Elder said. "Misshapen offspring of the Guardian. I was able to beat them most of them. Others, I had to run away from. And then I was able to find a tear in the magical barrier that surrounds the mountain.”

“And you got out,” I said, finishing his story. I really couldn’t open the map. Maybe we could only open this once we have gotten out this ass-shit mountain. Use a hyphen when there are three same letters in a row, even in curse words. This was the reason why no one could still figure out where our village was. Other players, from the outside, those interested in cracking the secrets in this game, have tried to find our village using the clues the Mardukryon players provided. Still, no one could find a mountain covered in ice protected by some strong monster.

Once we left this place, we would be able to know where the fuck we were on the Nornyr World map. On the off chance we end up in some unexplored location, we would still be gauge where we were based on the locations of the other hidden villages, which would surely show explored parts of the Nornyr World.

"Thanks for this," I told the Elder. "I will surely find those other villages."

[Quest Completed: Taking on the burden]

You have accepted to carry on the dream of the Mardukryons to be reunited and piece together the fragments of power of their Father Marduk.

Rewards:

1 Skill Point

[Social]

Reputation with Mardukryon Village +1,750

The Mardukryon Village is now relying on you.

"Oho! One skill point. And that's a lot of reputation. I don't want to fail your high expectations of me," I said, closing the prompt. "Not that I fail." Where was the quest to find the other villages? Will it start when I leave the mountain? I shrugged. "I just have to wait until I can open the map." I waved goodbye at the Elder and Little Pony. "Thanks for the map. I have to go to Zaido and Beltis."

I was already level twenty-two after a week of hardcore levelling. I chose the mines because of the population density and the spawn rate of the monsters there. If I had a party, it would have been a better choice to go after the large and powerful, but thinly spread out monsters roaming the mountainside, taking Hunt missions to boost experience. No matter. My speed at killing had grown especially after I bought an Integral Bit that I attached to my weapon.

Integral Bits: Ember Steel (4/4)

10-20 Fire Damage

10% Additional Fire Damage

Bonus for completion: 15% Chance to Ignite an enemy every time you attack with Fire Damage (Ignite is 7% of the Initial Damage per second for five seconds) Max stacks: 3

A really nifty item. My physical damage, which includes all the bonuses, was boosted in its entirety by the flat fire damage additional and the percentage fire damage bonus. This mechanic of compounding bonus could become more powerful with each x% Additional Fire Damage item I find. The Ignite chance was just icing on top. It was a bonus of thirty-five percent of the damage of the initial hit for each proc of ignite, up to three stacks of them at the same time. However, I couldn't Ignite all the time because the chance to ignite was just a measly fifteen percent every Fire attack and I can only do three Fire attacks every five seconds, which was the cooldown of [Ignition Blood Pact].

Actually, the added ten to twenty Fire Damage of Ember Steel could proc an Ignite even if I just used normal attacks, but the damage would be based on ten to twenty Fire Damage which was negligible.

In tandem with [Ignition Blood Pact] I used [Kickstart]. When I first tested it out, I thought [Kickstart] was going to double all the effects of [Ignition Blood Pact], but since the latter was actually made up of three attacks, only one of the three attacks was doubled in damage, including the bonus damage paid with my health. So I ended up using [Kickstart] before the last Ignition attack because the last one has the most bonus damage. The cool down was only five seconds because it was linked to an attack, not to a whole skill like [Charge]. I supposed that if I linked it to some other attack skill, its cooldown would be twice the cooldown of the linked skill as stated in its description.

My simple skill rotation was cast Ignition, attack twice, both of them would become fire attacks, and before my third attack, I Kickstart. My third attack would double in damage. Only Physical Damage would double, though. Then that would be subjected to the ten percent Additional Fire Damage since the damage turned to Fire-type Magic only at the moment it hit.

I would Charge the red monster crabs of the fifth level of the mine, pulling them along with me, building a sizeable mob as I navigated the tunnels. And when I reached a nice big cavern, I would stop, with the wall of the cavern to my back, and face them with my [Pyro Shell] on. My passive damage hurt a lot since I was stacking on tons of retribution damage. Then I just attack them one by one with my blood smeared fiery weapon. Kill the pack of monsters I pulled and go out to collect another pack.

Most players there were Miners focused on extracting resources who would only kill the crabs if they were attacked first.

Sometimes, I would wander into the sixth level, but I didn't linger for long since I could only kill the golden and black crabs there if it was alone. Plus, there were other crabs there that were too dangerous to face. During my stints in the mines, I planted a second garden in the connecting tunnel of the fifth and sixth level, growing my thorns armor whatever plant thing. I grew it to a respectable quality and would be using it in the Ice Tunnel.

All in all, I had good progress during this past week. There were not much troubles at work, both in my law firm and in JYE work. I just did my work, which consisted of documents, while I hang out at my mini garden down the mines.

I knocked on the door of Zaido's house. My next stop for the day was to get tons of Health Fruits and Herbs that restored my Solar Spirit; the latter was a new addition to my plants.

To my surprise, it was Zaido who opened the house. I rarely saw him. He hugged me when he saw me. Invasion of personal space, watch yourself NPC.

"There you are," he said. "I heard that you are preparing for the Ice Tunnel. I am so proud of you. I'm sure your parents will be proud of you."

I paused for a bit and then nodded. "Ah, right. They died because of that Lord Mirdabon. Funny because that Lord Mirdabon killed me as well." I planned to kill that specific Lord Mirdabon someday. Buvalu was its name, right? Someday that dick was gonna bite the dust. "I'm also proud of myself, Zaido. My parents and I have so much in common."

"Beltis, come here," Zaido said.

Beltis bounded in from another room, energetic and happy. I was letting her tend my garden. Sure that took away some experience from me if I let her harvest some fruits, but she really does get healthier when she levelled up. She was already level five now just from tending the garden. My plants were relatively high level, that might be the reason they gave so much experience from just tending them.

"Hello, Big Brother," she said.

"Hello. I'm just passing by to get supplies when I go inside the Ice Tunnel. I see that you're becoming well."

"Yes. I'm very thankful for Big Brother's help." She raised her front hoof. "Thank you for the new hoof boots you gave me."

"So that you don't crack your hooves again," I said. "Better make sure that you're strong and healthy before you try walking around without hoof boots."

"Don't forget to thank him for the ingredients of the medicine he collected for you," Zaido said.

Beltis nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Big Brother. You're very brave and strong."

"Heh, I know that," I said. Some of the important ingredients required by the medicine collection quest to cure Beltis were found down the mines. As for the other ingredients, I just traded with the players in the marketplace. I might have saved some money if I looked for them myself, but I was too busy leveling.

Beltis accompanied me to my garden and I gathered the consumables I needed. I would probably burn a lot of these fruits to survive the Ice Tunnel. Survivability was my mantra for the Ice Tunnel. I couldn't just rely on other players to save me. Presumably, many Mardukryon players were way more durable than me considering that they have a few months of gameplay ahead of me. Levels and gear were a great advantage.

Given my past experiences with huge monsters on this mountain, like the bigass worm during the Wraithpede invasion event, and the mammoths, I should watch out for being one shotted. A very real threat. To prepare for those possible problems, I picked two new skills.

Lvl 2 Inner Grit- When a Mardukryon receives plenty of injuries, a burst of inner strength forces their bodies to rapidly heal and take reduced damage for a short span of time while they flee to a safe place or fight back and finish their enemy.

Takes effect when Health drops below 30%

Effects:

500 Health instant heal

+80 Regeneration per second

+150 Armor

Duration: 10 seconds

Cooldown: 25 seconds

I really, really, really had a hard time leveling this skill. I couldn't easily bring my life below thirty percent on my own because of my own regeneration. Although [Ignition Blood Pact] cost life, my regeneration would fight back. I could stop casting my shell and maybe take off some armor parts and let monsters hit me to bring my life down quickly, but that was a hassle and an inconsistent method.

At first, I took off some armor and hit myself. Then I found the perfect way to keep my life down. Eat the roots of that decaying plant from Justalyne. I tried eating its leaves and branches but the roots damaged me the most. I ate those damned roots even while I was fighting and killing crab monsters. Which was why I was able to trigger the skill once it was off cooldown.

As part of my end-game build, I envisioned myself to have several phases, like a boss. You know, those type of bosses who get stronger when they reached a certain percentage of life.

[Inner Grit] could not save me from one shotted. I doubt if increased regeneration and armor could help if I instantly died. To help boost my defenses, I aimed for a passive that increased my health. Since Vitality gave percentage increases to health, I wanted to stack flat health points. But it required me several skill points. I needed a few more, including the skill point I received from the Elder. Along the way to that skill, I picked up this skill.

Lvl 3. Advanced Defense Training- Each generation of Mardukryons passed on their knowledge of defensive techniques to be improved by the next. One who has learned these techniques would surely increase their survivability in battle.

Effects:

+14 Regeneration per second

+5% Chance to block

50 Damage Absorption

+55 Armor

Another very awesome skill that helped my build. It was like another piece of minor armor. The damage absorption came before damage reduction but after block in the hierarchy of mechanics that gets triggered by an attack. If I wasn't able to block an attack, fifty damage would first be subtracted before armor reduces the damage further. In the late game, this would obviously be very useless, which was why I would rank this up when the time comes.

With four bonus nodes that gave extra life, armor and Vitality, plus these two new skills, I was confident that I could survive in the Ice Tunnel. I did not want to look pathetic and a burden to the other players. Some of them already saw during the Hunt that even though I was low level, I could hold my own and contribute to the team.

Zaido came out of the house. I thought he already left. "I have something for you," he said. "I've been meaning to give this to you but you weren't ready yet. But since the Elder allowed you to go in the Ice Tunnel, I think I can also trust you with this."

[Received Skill Scroll]

"Hmmm, needs level twenty-five to open," I said. "Thanks, Zaido. I'll put this to good use." He probably was set to give this to me by level twenty-five because I was sure that I already have a high relationship with him. Maybe, the increased reputation I got from accepting the map from the Elder influenced him.

I shrugged. Better finish up my harvesting.