Chapter 28: Acid Burst Potion! An Exhilarating EXP Farm
Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Acid Burst Potion! An Exhilarating EXP Farm
The terrifying commotion made Reya’s heart leap into her throat. Fear gripped her heart like an icy hand.
Forgetting Jon’s warning, she instinctively craned her neck toward the sound, her eyes wide as she tried to pierce the inky darkness and see what was happening.
The halo of the torch flame trembled, struggling to cast its light.
Then, she saw!
Jon’s figure was the first to burst from the darkness. He moved incredibly fast, a blur at the edge of the torchlight.
Though his steps were hurried, they showed no signs of panic; he even managed to turn deftly on the rugged, uneven ground.
But the sight that followed froze the blood in Reya’s veins!
Just a few steps behind Jon, the impenetrably thick darkness was drawn aside like a curtain.
A dense horde of massive, dark figures, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, poured out like a bursting dam!
They had flattened, circular bodies the size of millstones, covered in hard, glistening black carapaces that seemed to absorb all light.
Several pairs of long, curved, barbed legs extended from their sides, propelling their bodies as they scuttled rapidly across the uneven ground!
Thick tails, like massive Warhammers, were raised high behind their carapaces, thrashing wildly in the dim light and making a terrifying, air-slicing sound!
It was a pack of giant scorpion-like monsters! At least a dozen of them!
Like a school of sharks drawn by the scent of blood, they furiously pursued Jon, surging with unstoppable momentum toward the corner piled high with abandoned minecarts where she hid!
"Nngh—!"
Reya let out a whimper. Extreme fear made her body go rigid, her scalp prickle, and her stomach churn violently. She nearly screamed aloud!
’Did Mr. Jon make a mistake? Am I... Am I going to die here?’
The girl clamped her hands over her mouth, her body instinctively pressing against the cold, massive rock, wishing she could simply melt into it.
Jon, however, had no time to worry about her feelings.
Seizing the opportunity, he slipped sideways into a narrow gap, then raised his shield with his left hand, using his body to block the only opening. His right hand reached for his lower back.
He wouldn’t have dared to lure so many "Rock Scorpions" at once if he were just looking to die; he did it because he was more than prepared.
——
[Custom Acid Burst Potion (Ordinary): Explodes and splashes upon Impact, inflicting the "Corrosion" status on objects within its area of effect.]
[Custom Modification: High-concentration Sword-leaf Grass Poison. Explosion radius reduced by 20%, but additionally inflicts the "Poison" status.]
"Warning: The effects of this potion do not distinguish between friend and foe."
——
Medicine and poison have always been two sides of the same coin. Since Jon had mastered numerous potion recipes, how could he possibly pass up on such a valuable offensive potion in the early stages?
This was the ace up his sleeve he had prepared for this trip!
"Hah... Here they come!"
Just as the scorpion at the very front was about to touch his Shield Surface, Jon exhaled softly and made his move!
He threw a custom Acid Burst Potion, smashing it against the mine’s ceiling.
TINK—!
With a crisp shattering sound, a shower of bizarre, greenish-purple acid rained down from above, drenching all dozen or so Rock Scorpions!
The massive insects’ movements immediately became stiff and sluggish, as if they were paralyzed.
Peeking over Jon’s shoulder, Reya’s eyes widened in amazement.
"It’s... it’s amazing!"
"Heh... the amazing part is yet to come!"
The tactic was a resounding success, and Jon was in high spirits. He responded to the girl’s astonishment with a grin, then drew his cleaver and swung it down hard on the nearest Rock Scorpion’s head!
KRAK—!
The carapace, which gleamed like black iron and looked incredibly tough, cracked like a brittle cracker under the blade’s edge!
Foul-smelling ichor gushed out. The massive insect’s body convulsed unnaturally before collapsing limply.
[-262 (Weak Point! Fatal Blow!)]
The monster was in a vulnerable state; a single casual blow was enough for an instant kill!
And the system notification that followed left Jon completely and utterly satisfied!
[Killed a higher-level monster. Gained 150 (100 base experience × 1.5 reward multiplier) combat Experience Points.]
Experience Points for a single monster, and there were over a dozen of them right in front of him!
And that wasn’t all!
According to the standard progression of the Abandoned Mine Dungeon, there were two more such monster waves to come. He had prepared a total of four Custom Acid Burst Potions. Having used one, he had three left. Even accounting for the possibility of a missed throw, it was more than enough to handle the rest.
With the beautiful girl behind him watching with an expression of godlike reverence, the young Hunter stepped out of the crevice and finished off all the giant scorpions, one by one.
It was like reaping a harvest!
From this wave alone, he reaped a total of 2,400 Experience Points!
Adding that to the 1,000-odd Experience Points he’d gathered earlier, it was more than enough to raise his Warrior level to 3!
But Jon didn’t do it right away.
After all, he was only level 2. By killing these Rock Scorpions, which were generally level 3 or 4, he could still get a bonus experience reward. If he leveled up, that bonus would be gone.
It wouldn’t be too late to level up after clearing the entire Dungeon!
After making sure there were no stragglers, Jon returned to the crevice to replenish his arrows from Reya.
During this brief lull, Reya finally had a chance to speak with him.
The red-haired girl squatted beneath the massive rock, holding the torch and clutching a Quiver. She looked up at the tall young Warrior before her with a mixture of timidity and adoration.
"Mr. Jon... Are you... by any chance a powerful adventurer?"
"Hmm... Powerful?"
Jon mused for a moment, then smiled and shook his head, dismissing Reya’s idea.
"No, I’m still far from what you’d call powerful."
"But—!"
The girl glanced at the giant scorpion carcasses littering the narrow passage. As if startled by their hideous appearances and gruesome deaths, a shiver ran through her slender frame.
Then she looked back at Jon.
"Those monsters looked so terrifying..."
"Some enemies only look terrifying, Miss Reina."
The young Warrior pulled a few arrows from the Quiver cradled in the red-haired girl’s arms and tucked them into his own.
Finding Reya’s dazed expression as she squatted on the ground rather amusing, he reached out and poked her smooth forehead, causing her to look up in bewilderment.
"You saw for yourself, I used a potion specifically for them."
"It was only because I understood this monster’s characteristics and weaknesses that I could deal with them so easily."
"If you want me to give you a secret to defeating your enemies, I’d say this—"
Jon tapped his temple. His stern features seemed to soften in the dim torchlight as he spoke in a meaningful tone.
"Know your enemy, then use your wisdom and courage to take them out."
After speaking, he thought for a moment, then pulled a custom Acid Burst Potion from his belt and placed it in Reya’s lap.
"You should be safe here, but take this for protection, just in case."
He then turned and walked away, leaving the red-haired girl squatting under the massive rock, dazed and lost in thought.
The surrounding darkness pressed in once more, but Reya was no longer as panicked as before. She simply curled into a ball, listening to her racing heart as she muttered to herself.
"Mr. Jon... he figured it out, didn’t he... my situation..."
It wasn’t a pleasant feeling to have her predicament seen through so clearly; it brought a sense of shame, as if her weaknesses had been laid bare for all to see. Yet, Jon’s words made the girl stop and think.
"Know... the enemy, wisdom... courage..."
The cool touch of the potion bottle in her lap helped her chaotic thoughts slowly settle.
"Father... I think I may have just met someone incredible..."