Kaiden stepped into Hollowmere, the next town on his journey, and immediately noticed the shift in atmosphere. Unlike Sunveil’s bustling energy, Hollowmere was eerily quiet. The streets weren’t completely abandoned small shops remained open, and clusters of low-level Dayslayers loitered about, but there was a tension in the air.
He exhaled and turned toward the equipment shops, scanning the signs for something worthwhile. If he wanted to progress further, he needed to upgrade his gear. The weapon vendor caught his eye, displaying an array of blades, scythes, and daggers on the racks.
Kaiden ran his fingers along the handle of a mid-tier scythe, heavier and sharper than the one he currently wielded. He checked its stats in his HUD:
[Mid-Tier Scythe Stats]
ATK: +12
Critical Rate: +5%
Weight: Moderate
Durability: 80/80
Special Effect: Increased Root Damage by 10%
His gaze then flickered to the body armor section, where he spotted a reinforced chest plate with moderate defense stats. It wasn’t the best gear, but it was better than what he had.
[Reinforced Chestplate Stats]
DEF: +10
Weight: Medium
Durability: 90/90
Special Effect: Reduces incoming physical damage by 5%
“Good eye, Dayslayer,” the weapon vendor, a grizzled man with a scar running across his left cheek, remarked as Kaiden examined the chestplate. “That’ll hold up against most creatures in these parts. Planning to take on something big?”
Kaiden smirked, placing the chest plate on the counter along with the scythe. “Something like that. Could use all the protection I can get.”
The vendor chuckled, ringing up the purchase. “Ain’t that the truth. Hope you’ve got some healing potions stocked up. The monsters around here are getting nastier by the day.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed,” Kaiden muttered, watching as his Verdant Coins dwindled in his HUD. [Remaining Amount: 175]
He frowned. Not enough to buy new arm and leg gear.
With a sigh, he stepped away from the shop, muttering, “Guess I’ll have to manage without them for now.”
His mind flickered back to Naō. They were supposed to check out equipment together. He’d promised to reconnect with him, but the urgency of the main quest had pulled him forward. I’ll reach out to him soon.
Following the quest marker, Kaiden made his way through the streets until he reached a worn-down building with a faded town crest above the doorway. Inside, an NPC with weary eyes and a tattered coat stood hunched over a desk, hands buried in his hair. The moment he spotted Kaiden, the NPC straightened, relief flashing across his features.
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“A Dayslayer, finally,” the man exclaimed. “I am Mayor Lucian, and I fear my town’s days are numbered.”
Kaiden folded his arms. “What’s going on here?”
Lucian sighed, rubbing his temples. “Since the Omni Clan made Hollowmere their base for illicit trade, we’ve lost everything. Businesses have closed, travelers refuse to stay, and worst of all fewer Dayslayers are willing to take quests here. Without them, our town is at risk of being overrun by plant monsters.”
Kaiden raised a brow. “You’re saying there’s no one left to fight off the invasions?”
The mayor shook his head grimly. “Our defenders are stretched thin. If this continues, I fear we won’t see another sunrise before nature swallows us whole.”
A quest prompt appeared in Kaiden’s HUD:
[Main Quest Updated]
Objective: Deal with the Omni Clan members in Hollowmere.
Kaiden smirked, accepting the quest. “I’ll handle them.”
???°?°???
As soon as he confirmed, side quests unlocked around the town, lighting up his minimap with markers. Kaiden ignored them, focused solely on the Omni Clan’s hideout. His next destination was clear, the building in town where the dealers operated.
With a determined stride, he set off toward his next challenge.
Kaiden approached the Omni Clan’s hideout, a rundown brick building, its exterior worn by years of neglect. Vines and moss crawled up the sides, barely held back by a few weakly placed boards. The entrance was shadowed by a sagging wooden awning, making it feel even more uninviting. A faint, musty scent of damp earth and smoke filled the air.
A prompt flashed in his HUD:
[Optional Action: Enter by Stealth]
Kaiden selected the option without hesitation. Fighting too many enemies at once would only waste resources, and he needed to conserve his strength.
The moment he activated his stealth skill, his vision darkened slightly, the world around him muffled. His steps became silent as he slipped through a side entrance, maneuvering through the dimly lit hallways of the building.
Inside, a crowd of Omni Clan members gathered in the open space of what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long shadows over crates stacked high with illegal wares. At the center of the gathering, a cloaked figure held up an object shimmering with an eerie green glow.
“Dayslayers are a plague,” the figure declared, voice echoing through the chamber. “They prolong the destruction of the planet when they should be using their power to control it. Why waste time fighting nature when we can bend it to our will?”
The crowd erupted in agreement, fists raised. “Take back the land. Control the sun’s gift.”
Kaiden gritted his teeth. He wasn’t about to let this go any further. But before he could decide on a plan of action, a sharp notification flickered in his vision:
[Stealth Skill Expiring in 5 seconds]
Swearing under his breath, he wouldn’t have the element of surprise anymore. Kaiden moved fast. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward, drawing his scythe in a deadly arc. The blade sliced cleanly through the cloaked seller’s torso, landing a critical hit.
[Critical Strike: -95 LP]
The figure barely had time to react before crumpling to the ground, their LP dropping to zero instantly. The Omni Clan members gasped, some stepping back in shock, others reaching for their weapons.
Kaiden stood at the center of the room, surrounded, his stealth completely broken. The crowd of enemies closed in on him, weapons at the ready.
