Their guild quickly became famous. Everyone wanted to join in. But they had such strict requirements and such an expensive admission fee of 10,000 zecs.
DracoRicco is considered to be the richest and most powerful guild. As such everyone talked about DracoRicco and of course its leader Tristan.
The second player who had caught everyone's attention and was opposing Tristan's popularity was none other than the mysterious super novice. Although he is called 'the mysterious super novice' because he wears the novice attire, everyone has assumed that he has a unique hidden job.
At first, he lured everyone's attention by being a clown, everybody found his videos to be hilarious. He offered something fresh in the world of ZECTAS.
However, lately he started uploading some informative videos that were not found in any of the forums. His fifth video of using poison arrows and catching a whole army of lizard people with a fire trap gained a lot of popularity.
But it was his fourth video, that was most controversial. It had broken the record for the highest number of views.
It was about 'how to gain poison resistance'. Before the only jobs that had access to poison resistance were enchantress and assassins. But his latest video proved that poison resistance can be gained outside of those two jobs.
That particular video also had the highest number of comments. Most of the comments from the video was about their failed attempts of gaining the much coveted poison resistance.
Nash loved his new life. He loved the attention that he got from the users. Especially when they tried to replicate his videos.
Nash's character is a total enigma to them. He would read their failed attempts and their lamentations as they try to imitate what he did.
If Nash would have given them the exact location of Mandragora Forest then they could have easily followed his procedure. Fortunately for him, in the entire known parts of ZECTAS there was no known location of the fabled poison slime.
Knowledge is power and he had every intention of exhausting this advantage to its last worth. Gaining views was his only way of earning money at the moment.
Nash found it relaxing to read the comments section of his fourth video.
ZeusXMachina:
I'm sure that it's been stated that his videos are authentic and
all but still can anyone confirm if they've gained the same poison
resistance?
ErcleX:
How many hours do you think you have to be in
a poisoned state in order to gain the resistance? I'm sure that he
didn't post the whole length of the video. He was sneaky enough to just
show his status window and then the next scene showed that he had gained
the poison resistance.
SupahNovice-Disciple#12312312:
Master
please. Tell us the location of this forest... I've tried receiving the
poison attack from an assassin and an enchantress but their poison
damage is too high. It would surely kill me if I don't use detox. Please
please please tell me where the poison slimes are?!
DetectiveRonan:
To my knowledge most poisonous monsters are located in the northern
Kingdom of Mictaztl. The forest there is also similar to the western
kingdom. I remember that someone pointed out that the 'super novice' was
located in the western kingdom so this could be a clue.
FastInFastOut:
I tried getting poisoned from the trap salamander, since their poison
is lesser than from the assassins but in order to counter the poison
damage I had to hire 4 priests. They were charging me 1,000 zecs per
hour. I spent a total of 250,000 zecs but even after all that I didn't
gain the poison resistance stat. I mean Who has that kind of money?
PentaKillar:
Well who needs poison resistance anyway? I mean we've managed just fine
when we use the detox ability from the priests and the detox pills. So
why all the fuss for the poison resistance?
AssInUrDead:
Well I
wouldn’t recommend gaining the poison resistance attribute. I’ll miss
the fun times when I see a person not carrying detox. Let’s all drop
this stupid attempt and go back to regular gaming.
Hunt4RedOctober:
As an assassin I bet you wouldn’t other players to gain the poison
resistance attribute. That’s like losing all the hard work you gave into
leveling up your poison strike.
Dark_AvEngER:
Still at least he
showed us that you could get the poison resistance. If I were in his
shoes I'd do the same. I would hog all that knowledge for myself. Well
maybe I could share to some of my close friends and other guild members.
PurrFex:
Meow!
TriTank:
I know of a guild who has gained the poison resistance. Of course I
would expect nothing less from such an amazing guild.
|
Nash knew that once he gave out his secrets, the users would drop him like yesterday's news. He needs to keep them guessing. That was the allure of his videos and he has no intention of losing that.
It's been three weeks since he broke the highest number of views and his manager still hasn't called him. He felt that it would be too forward to call him. After all their scheduled meeting wasn't for another 2 days.
He finally got the text telling him to go to the office for his check. He took a cab instead of a bus. He felt that with his new income he should indulge himself a little.
When he got to the game center he walked out calmly of the cab. He was trying to be cool, as to not reveal his anticipation in finding out his bonus. He knocked on the manager's door.
"Nash come in, come in. Please have a seat. I've given up on telling you to come to just enter immediately."
"Thank you sir. It's just a force of habit I guess."
"Well no matter anyway. How are things? How are Seth, Donny and your grandma Daphne?"
"They're great sir. Mima Daphne is regaining some of her strength back and my two brothers are both doing well in school."
"Good to hear that. So I bet you want to get down to business right? First let me tell you that I couldn't be prouder. I knew that you'd do great in ZECTAS. Are you thoroughly enjoying the game? Silly me, what am I saying? Of course you are."
"Yes sir! I haven't been this happy in such a long time. When my parents died and then mima got sick, I was afraid that I couldn't provide for my brothers. But now, I think that I can afford to send my brothers to any college that they want."
"Nash you truly deserve this. Just remember to keep your head on the ground and keep on doing the great things that you are doing."
"Of course sir. I plan to do just that."
The manager of the game center smiled and gladly gave him a check for $50,000.00. Nash was overwhelmed, that was more than double the amount that he got on his first video.
"Wow! This is so much. Thank you sir. Just thank you so much!"
On his way home. His head was filled with thoughts of paying all their loans, buying a car, buying a house. That check could serve as a down payment to a cozy house. They would no longer be cramped inside their one bedroom apartment.
Nash was currently living in a one bedroom apartment. He just converted it himself, into a three bedroom apartment. He only used some leftover materials from the construction site.
Seth and Donny would get their own room. Maybe they could even go on a vacation. Now that his mima was feeling better. On the way home Nash was smiling the whole time, he felt like he was walking on clouds.
Before going home, Nash took a detour to the supermarket. He had planned on making a luxurious dinner. He was in the seafood section picking out crabs when he saw a smiling face. It was the cook at the diner that he used to work in.
“Hey Nash. How are you? My uncle told me that you’re so busy, you don’t even come by the diner anymore. Well I guess since you’re some kind of celebrity now, with all those views from ZECTAS. That you no longer want to mingle with us commoners.”
“Hey, I’m really sorry that I haven’t visited you there lately. It’s just that I’ve been absorbed with playing ZECTAS. Don’t worry I’ll make sure to visit you there within this week.”
“Nah. Don’t bother. I also stopped working there myself. I told my uncle that I wanted to try something new.”
“Oh really? When did you stop working there and what are you up to now then?”
“Ahhh well, just about a week after you left. It kind of got boring with just my uncle and myself there. He also hired a proper cook this time. So maybe he will get some increased customers with the new flavor.”
“But your cooking is really delicious. I think he just might lose some customers now. So really what are you doing now, that you’ve left the diner?”
“Just hanging around the house most of the time. Tell me, you’re still in Chayotl Kingdom now right?”
“Yeah I’m somewhere in that Kingdom. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious, that’s all. Well I gotta run. See you around Nash.”
“Right. You take care then.”
Nash wasn’t sure of their conversation just now but decide to forget about it. He was still ‘high’ with his recent influx of cash.
Smoke opened his eyes to the entrance of Mandragora Forest. He loaned the Heart of ReenTe to Adder and told him to hunt for poison slimes. Adder's passive ability self heal plus the regen from the Heart of ReenTe compensated the poison damage from the poison slimes.
Smoke and Adder left Condortl Village, after they helped rebuild it from its ruins. On the way back they took a detour to Mandragora Forest. Everyone was trying to look for this place, Smoke enjoyed knowing that he was the only player that knew of its exact location.
He was also running out of poison pellets, so having Adder gain poison resistance and gather poison pellets was perfect. He estimated that Adder should gain the poison resistance within the next few minutes.
Adder is a very diligent NPC. He barely got any experience from the poison slimes but continued on his given mission. He had gathered 7,214 poison pellets and had gained the poison resistance attribute.
Once their self given side quest in Mandragora Forest was over. They headed immediately towards Nanahuatl Village.
The familiar borders of Nanahuatl came into view. As it so happened, Darius was near the village entrance and greeted them.
"Darius I'm back, and I'd like you to meet Adder. He is a noble warrior from Condortl."
"It is an honor to meet you Master Darius. The legendary tales of Master Darius 'Master of the Water Dragon' has been spoken in Condortl Village very often."
"Ohh Hoooo. I didn't expect you to know my old nickname. I haven't been called that in ages."
"What was that? 'Master of the Water Dragon'? Are you some kind of beastmaster or something?"
"Of course not. It's just a name given to me, due to one of my abilities. Well to be honest that is my strongest ability so I guess that’s why I got that name."
"Good. I was afraid you would've answered yes. I think that being a beastmaster wouldn't fit me. So what kind of ability is this Water Dragon?"
"It's a very useful ability. It can attack your enemies and heal your allies at the same time. It does consume an insane amount of mana but its after effects are more than worth it."
"Can you show it to me?"
"Hahaha, nice try. You just want me to show you the ability so you'd get some kind of clue on what kind of job I have. Patience Smoke, once you've completed the quest I'll show you that ability."
"Well I do only have to get one more family token, after I get the family tokens from James and Howard."
"Right so you better head on there."
Smoke and Adder headed towards the house with the door embedded with a needle and a string. Almost all the members of the clans, Jackal and Hide were gathered inside the house. Once they heard that news that Smoke had returned, they had been waiting for them.
"Howard, James, this is Abaven Adder he is like you two. He is a warrior from Condortl."
James and Howard had teary eyes. Seeing Adder confirmed their hopes to be true. Smoke has freed their village. It took more than 50 years but finally their people was free.
"Hello Adder, my name is James Jackal. I'm glad to see you here. How is everyone back in Condortl?"
"Everyone is doing great. With Smoke's help we've rebuilt the village. Also I have this is from the current village chief Eldmar. Please take this as a symbol of our gratitude for devising a thorough plan and sending Smoke to free us."
Adder gave James and Howard two leather armbands embroidered with a golden griffon. This was the symbol of a griffon commander in the Condortl army.
James and Howard clasped the leather armbands. Each of them couldn't believe what they were holding. When they were still children they had aspired to be Griffon Commanders of Condortl.
"Thank you Adder. This is amazing, we didn't expect any sort of reward. We just wanted our people to be free."
