Somber Tree Region

 

 

*PING*... you've been teleported to 'Somber Tree region'. Its location is in an unknown nameless territory between all Regions.

*PING*... there has been sighting of the Demon Race in the entire region, participation of 'Journeyers' have been requested by the City Lords through all of Main Kingdom with the hopes of creating a good impression on the royalty of every their own respective Regions.

*PING*... to all 'Journeyers' entering this area; LV15 to 25 are specifically requested to take upon the seemingly endless number of 'Skeletal Minions' roaming through the entire outer and inner area; to LV26-LV30 players, the cleansing of Demonic Obelisks at the core area and search of the Demons hiding within the innermost center of the core area will be their responsibility. For each Demonic Obelisk taken down, different benefits will be granted according to the player's standing point.

'Hm? Standing point? It must... refer to the players relying on the 'Guiding Voices' and those who do not... those voices may have something to do with this place being open as well.' The first thing that came into Tongqiu's mind was not what kind of place he has been sent to, but rather, what the system's notification was implying.

It was after thinking so, where Tongqiu finally gave the new place he's just entered a scrutinizing look.

It was an incredibly large region, at least a few thousands of square kilometers big; the entire atmosphere in this region was that of a dark-grey ashen color. The dirt was such color, the stones was such color, the sand was such color and even the flora were either a withered dark color or a dismantling pale-grey color.

The whole landscape was tremendously beautiful, if it wasn't so dead-like and gloomy. Tongqiu could feel a strange sensation that this place used to be quite a simple yet beyond nature's beauty, before it was somehow brought to hell... like it now is. He didn't try to delve into this kind of sensation, merely having a weird 'peek' into its future was enough for him, he wasn't here for the lore or to hang out with friends, or on a date. He hear and read people talk about how there were so many Elite Stage mobs around here with no end of them and wanted to farm as many SP as he could.

After all, once he came back to the NPC to deliver the quest, he'd get a stunning +SP x2 of his actual amount, such a thing, he felt hopeless. If he were to have known of it, he wouldn't have used it in Unparalleled Angle, it was a 'trashy' -even if that can make all players puke, it was the truth for Tongqiu- skill and the use in his duel with Rosey was anything but useful. He had a better time learning how to make use of his almost-newly found pair of essences to avoid dying multiple times, and even his time in the Courtyard of the Heroic Souls... if Unparalleled Angle truly didn't evolve into something greater, he may as well throw it aside and upgrade it only when he's bored of having too many SP.

With a joyous heart and relishing thoughtful mind, Tongqiu didn't notice the various small groups of people yelling at him; first in a rather polite manner before becoming abstrusely intimidating:

"HEY! JOIN US- OR-FUCK-OFF!!"

"Come here little idiot! You'll get killed and won't give this grandpa of yours a little harvest, heh heh heh!"

"HEEEY~, IF YOU DON'T COME OVER HERE- THEY'LL BULLY YOOOUUU~!! IF YOU COME TO OUR SIDE, WE'LL EVEN LET YOU KILL A FEW MOBS!"

Tongqiu suddenly stopped in his tracks, and thought to himself without turning his head and merely rising a brow while frowning in response: 'What the fuck? Why am I always being yelled at? Do they wanna help me progress in my hidden class quest?'

When he stopped moving, the shouting all around him became strangely silent. Maybe it was because of the atmosphere and weirdness of this idiot! Or perhaps, the fact that the stoic-like player suddenly seemed to have a change- and an abrupt one at that, that made them all feel their hearts race up in forewarning, widely telling them to run away.

"Mmm, you guys, you... uh, what?"

However, when they heard his inconsistent response, they all regained face and a little bit of courage as one of the previously yelling players seemed to man up as he walked forwards.

He had an image of a typical butcher so bulky, bald, tattooed a little and a little fat that any young girl would feel naturally intimidated by him, while those with daddy issues would feel a tremor go down their spine instead. He spoke in a casual, blatant loud tone at Tongqiu: "Kiddo, join our Demon Hunt Guild, this way we can protect you and help you grow to LV25 at least! You'll have to give a little 'something' heh heh heh."

"Nah. Next?" Tongqiu's condescending voice responded not half a second after that bulky man spoke, which surprised him into a direct rage. Before he could move more than 3 steps forward, a lazy, effeminate male voice sounded out: "HAHA! Nice one little bro, ah, let me introduce my association. Hall of Demon Exterminators is recruiting people to prepare for the first competition for the first Castle available for players. We already have the req-"

Sadly, he was then cut off by an inquiring Tongqiu: "Oh, what requirements are those, could you tell me?"

"Er." Being cut off, he was about to lash out at him from embarrassment but when he heard him inquire about his Hall's matters he chose to endure it as he answered: "Mn. For an association to become more than a group-in-name only, one needs the Lordship Token. With the Lordship Token, any association will become official; well, that and a couple thousands of gold as well as 50,000 Fame. We already have all of this except for the Lordship Token. However, even if we do not have it and other do, nothing can be done with it since nobody can move to the Capital City of our Region. As such, all associations right now are completely in the same pot, and it is not only us waiting for a chance to gain fame around the players, the competition is very fierce, little bro. What say you?"

Tongqiu was kind enough to allow him to finish speaking in thanks to his info dump, but he wasn't going to join some humans in another human's activities, that'd be weird. He spoke in a casual tone: "Alright, alright, that is enough. Thanks for the info, 'biggy bro'."

Eliciting some idiotic chuckles, he turned around with the intention of walking off to the inner areas of the Somber Tree Region. He was stopped by an effeminate voice, this time that of a charming woman: "Wait! Ah, you, are you interested in joining my Demon Hunters League? We are a small group of people that accepts anyone! We are aspiring to get good between all small-sized associations in the future and, and... we accept Guided as well as Shepherdless players! We also have quite the number of beauties!"

'...Just what is with everyone 'flashing' me their associations' names, what kind of propaganda is this? Demon this, Demon that. Ugh, and that 'Guided' as well as 'Shepherdless' players? Don't fucking tell me is because of that post from be- no. I don't want to know...' Thinking up to here, Tongqiu decided to act in goodwill towards these ignorant, foolish players. After all he couldn't blame them for not having so many main quests like he does, and special ones too, at that.

"Listen, girly; the naming sense of Demon this and that isn't as good for the future as you think. You're all too rash, way too rash. Why not take it simple? I'm sure that if you don't have such horrendous naming sense, it'll go better since it'll show you at least are honest. Grow slowly but steady, slow but steady!"

His words were not wrong... nor entirely nice, but Tongqiu believed these little 'sheep' would at least hold a little bit of meaning even if they couldn't quite catch his wisdom.

However, truth was, humanity is still humanity.

"Bwahaaagh! Faggot! We came here to help a nice little bitch like you, and you speak in turn against us? What did we even did to you? You fucker, faggot!!!" An effeminate, male voice sounded out first. Before being thoroughly engulfed by the following screams in indignation, though some others were just to fuel up the flames of destruction.

"You miserable pig! We are here all day only to recruit players, what the fuck yu' sayin!?! Kneel before this daddy and let me pl-"

Fortunately, that one was cut off by another infuriated yell: "Maybe you're even into Demons, you scum, human waste!"

'What the-? Huh?!"

What could Tongqiu even do? If he knew they just wanted blood, he'd give it to them! No need for all this pretentious civilized behavior, right?! How impolite, the fuckers...

As such, Tongqiu didn't wanted to waste time as he simply materialized his essential weaponry. Right after, his entire left arm was 'transformed' into its familiar verdant, gloomy color with patterns which appeared to be between solid root-like engravings and several small, delicate-looking leaves into an armored skin all over his 'transformation'. His claw-like nails became incredibly elegant, while also looking like the finest of verdant, gloom colored wooden crafts.

His entire right arm became once again an always fluctuating and intertwining of metallic grey and pitch-black dark-like abyss colors; with wootz steel engravings along with some ferocious, scary marks of claws engraving moving along with the fluctuations. This time, however, there was a speck of soul-like ash of the same color every second on his 'transformed' arm. His claw-like nails were that of an even more aggressive and bloody-lusted shape as they became increasingly sharpened, serrated and honed with of a pure and perfect grey-silver color.

Though his 'transformative' effect was not extended, they seemed to have tremendously advanced an entire level since his duel with Rosey, which was a lot to say about his ever improving learning of his essences or the like.

The players witnessing such an astounding, eye opening and mind melting scene had all one sole kind of reaction; with their legs trembling and their movements all wobbly, each of them took out their weapons with the exception of the girl from the Demon Hunters League and her little group. Others may have stupidly not noticed, but she herself saw how annoyed Tongqiu became before actually changing his expression and giving his very own 'kind' advice instead.

She would obviously have no idea to what it meant, but with such a quick change in his behavior, her sixth sense allowed her to understand something really important: retreat or dismay!

With her head filled with the urgent thought and need for changing the name of her League, she ran away at least a couple dozen meters with her little group before stopping to spectate whatever was to come.

'Ah, a little smart.' Giving her a quick side-glance, Tongqiu aimed his essential weaponry to the instinctively shocked little 'sheep' before him.

You are reading story Bow and Arrow at novel35.com

Just as they players were about to do their very best to regain their entirely lost courage by raising up their chest, and emitting a thunderous roar... they were met with an out-of-this-world instantaneous explosion.

Combustion!

SHCK-BBPAM SHCK-BBPAM

-18,360, -39,474, -39, 476, -18,360, -18,360, -22,201, -18,360, -18,360...

With merely a couple of Combustion arrows, 'dozens upon dozens' of victims would remain as quite the short of an statement, those who were miraculously 'pardoned' yet their hearts were full of despondency: 'Is this a player or a hidden BOSS? How can anyone still want to keep playing when there's this kind of fucker here? He.Must.Be.Chea.Ting'.

In any case, their thoughts didn't last long as every single one of them, with the exception of the 'now' Demon Hunters League, a couple hundred annoying flies were instantly sent back to their respective Sub-Divisions and different Regions.

The entire area previously occupied by these small fries became eerily silent. Only one small group of people all the way to the side; in front of them were a couple of 30 meters radius areas devoid of the little bit of life it previously had and a churning yet unknown smell coming from those areas. It was perhaps unknown to them, but for Tongqiu, this was a smell he already assimilated and if he were to name it, it would be that of a smell which imitates a spatial, stellar combustion...

*PING*...[Players killed 1,000/1,000], reach the current milestone to receive an unique reward.

"System? My reward, hello? Ey, bastards!" Lifting a brow in contemplation, Tongqiu spoke towards the nothing as he was brutally ignored.

*PING*... after a thorough analysis on this anomaly, the host will be awarded the promised and already set benfits.

*PING*... you've received a reward from your unknown type of Quest: +10 Essence and x1 Portal Stone (modified).

*PING*... you've received yet another unknown type of quest, [Players Killed: 127,/10,000].

Tongqiu: ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

'I have no idea what the Portal Stone is, but it seems to be good enough.' Holding the weird, obsidian-like small stone in his hand, he read its information:

[Portal Stone]: Type: Special Item, Grade: ???, Effect: Specially made for the profession of the user's class; teleports the user to another dimension for a limited amount of time. For a better use, it is recommended to have already found your own essence!

Thinking up to here, Tongqiu resumed to his indifferent face before proceeding to trek towards the center of the Somber Tree Region

Meanwhile, the small group from the Demon Hunters League were left totally confused in the spot, before their gazes turned into admiration and worship, albeit nowhere in a crazy manner.

***

 

*PING*... you've reached the core area of the Somber Tree Region. Please take down every obelisk outside the innermost center of the core area to proceed in the search of the Demon Race, and annihilate them!

'It seems more like a general command to proceed... the system also doesn't seem to hurry the players into it. Hmm.'

As he was slightly lost in thoughts, Tongqiu was patted 'without him noticing' by a very well geared up player, a man in his late twenties looking towards him like an uncle would towards their favorite nephew. Tongqiu glanced at him for about three seconds before speaking up: "Can I... well, uh- what?"

Blinking in surprise to the uniqueness of this dude, the man then spoke in a casual and informative tone: "Friend, you are truly powerful, would you consider joining us?"

"Heh, at least you don't appear to be desperate. Nah, I don't do that, see you." After Tongqiu vaguely answered, he turned his head with the intention of, but he then heard the man speak again in a slightly imploring manner: "If you do not will it, then please, at least hear us out. We've been almost stuck in this stalemate of not being able to advance to the innermost center of the core area. We only require your strength, your overpowered AOE mostly, please."

Tongqiu obviously understood that his doings should have been uploaded to the forums long ago as he took 3-4 hours of walking just to get to the core area. He didn't know about what was going on around here though, there was no detailed information or mentions from the people at this precisely location, mostly were about only the most advanced players and some that are close to the Elite players in terms of capabilities were all congregated here.

Yet, what encountered him first was a despondent, desperate player telling him right away that they're all fucked up.

"Um... tell me more?"

Hearing Tongqiu inquire, with obvious signs of interest in helping, the man added: "Yes, just let me organize it all in my head, it's the first time I'm talking about this, haha."

Nodding, Tongqiu proceeded to take a step backwards before crossing his arms and taking a look towards the entire core area.

Anyone could see that this core area was most likely the location where the royalty or leader of the people's headquarters- from this region were settled at. It was easy to imagine that if there were Demons around here, it'll definitely be somewhere in the underground, as there was not a single building in sight. With Obelisks being the only structure visible in this entire core area.

"Ah, I got it, sorry about it. After all, I'm not young anymore, nowhere like you haish~."

Tongqiu went back to the man and before the man could start briefing him, Tongqiu spoke: "Tell me, are you poor? Like, hella poor. Because only that type of person wouldn't be able to afford the cheapest nutritious meals that the Crestfallen Industry produces, so..."

At first, the man thought he was about to be ridiculed once again from his obvious appearance of someone who can't even afford such an easy-to-buy kind of beverage for nutrition, but when he listened to the rest of Tongqiu's words he realized he was merely trying to figure out how come someone as 'poor' as him could have such a position and skill in a videogame where only the scions of New Earth or the very well-prepared players could barely achieve.

"Yes, yes I am... poor, ehem. As for what my position is in here, it is as you've guessed, I can more or less vote for a decision to be made though you can already imagine I can't do that much. Even then, sigh, I and my people do my best to never cower under anyone's feet. I, myself, am merely playing for the sake of a source of income for my family, nothing dramatic- it's just how it is." The man answered in a melancholic way while also speaking with a little of wisdom from himself, which made Tongqiu feel like, ever since having Natalia at his side he has become more and more understanding of others' lives.

 

... 

 

---

V1: #2 7/10

You can find story with these keywords: Bow and Arrow, Read Bow and Arrow, Bow and Arrow novel, Bow and Arrow book, Bow and Arrow story, Bow and Arrow full, Bow and Arrow Latest Chapter