Tutorial II (2)

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  Elaran Wilds.

  This vast Tutorial Zone is one of the most diverse and treacherous training grounds in the beginner stages, divided clearly into five distinct regions, each with its own ecosystem, monster types, elemental affinity, and regional boss.

  At the center of Elaran Wilds lies a wide open expanse—a grassy, sunlit meadow often referred to as the “Safe Zone.”

  This area is mostly peaceful, protected by ancient warding runes buried beneath the ground, which keep monsters at bay.

  Here, players can catch their breath, rest, trade, or interact with other players and guides.

  However, despite its name, it’s far from a complete sanctuary.

  Any shift in the regional balance can disrupt the safety, making the center vulnerable.

  Surrounding this central area are the four elemental domains, each positioned like corners of a compass.

  To the North are the Molten Caves, a region sweltering with intense heat and riddled with volcanic rock formations and underground lava channels.

  The air is thick with smoke and the terrain difficult to traverse, making it dangerous even without monsters.

  This region is home to fire-aligned beasts—from ember wolves to lava hounds, flame sprites, and magma slimes that ignite the ground as they move.

  Ruling this blazing territory is a powerful creature known as the Three-Tailed Flame Fox—a crimson, ember-coated beast with flickering tails of living fire.

  It is said to be in the early stages of evolving into a legendary Nine-Tailed Fox, its power growing with each cycle of the red moon.

  Its domain is unstable and chaotic, but its strength makes it one of the most respected bosses in the zone.

  To the South stretches a vast expanse of crystal-clear lakes, flowing rivers, and lush wetlands teeming with aquatic life.

  This Water Domain is home to slippery terrains and constant rainfall, with heavy fogs that make visibility a challenge.

  Monsters here include lake serpents, water leeches, amphibian beasts, and kelpie-like spirits that drag prey into the depths.

  The undisputed ruler of these waters is the massive Lake Bison—a hulking, ancient beast with a body like a small island and antlers shaped like river deltas.

  It is slow on land but terrifyingly swift in water, capable of conjuring waterstorms and tidal surges that swallow whole squads of hunters.

  It is a guardian of balance, deeply territorial, and revered as the soul of the southern waters.

  To the East are the Wind Hills, a series of rising green slopes and gusty cliffs where the wind never ceases to howl.

  This is the domain of the skies, and monsters here include aerial and agile foes—storm falcons, wind wisps, blade-beaked vultures, and leaping hill beasts that use terrain to their advantage.

  The skies are ruled by the majestic and unpredictable Rainbow Peacock, a dazzling avian boss with tail feathers that shimmer in all seven colors.

  It dances on wind currents and launches piercing sonic attacks.

  With mastery over sound and illusion, this boss confuses enemies before finishing them with razor-sharp feathers and wind bursts.

  It is as graceful as it is deadly—a symbol of eastern elegance and wrath.

  To the West lies a rough and jagged land of open rocky plains, battered cliffs, and stone ridges.

  This Earth Domain is harsh and barren, echoing with the sound of crumbling boulders and quaking steps.

  The monsters here are rock-armored beasts, earth elementals, burrowing worms, and stony golems that charge with crushing force.

  At the heart of this terrain slithers the ancient Earth Snake, a colossal serpent with obsidian-like scales and eyes like glowing topaz.

  It moves with deceptive silence, blending into rock before erupting with devastating ground-quake attacks.

  The Earth Snake is a cunning predator, capable of sensing vibrations and collapsing terrain to isolate and crush intruders.

  It is the embodiment of patience, strength, and deadly precision.

  Each of these bosses possesses unique specialties and elemental strengths, designed to balance one another in a delicate harmony.

  Because of this elemental balance, none of the bosses dares to encroach on the others' territory, and no faction has dominance over the center.

  This delicate equilibrium is what keeps the central region safe—or at least, it used to.

  Any disturbance in this elemental balance might just awaken chaos.

  That’s why no one—player or beast—dares to disturb the calm of the central zone carelessly.

  ---

  The sun rose into the sky, stretching golden light across the land and ushering in a new day.

  The blue sky above was vast and pristine, like a painting unmarred by smog or sorrow.

  Six more days…

  Only six more days remained until the Final Quest would begin.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Tension was building beneath the surface, but today?

  Today was still for grinding.

  “Hey, you aren’t tired, right?” a voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

  A man walked over, tall and armored, his shield still dripping with some kind of monster goo.

  “No, I’m fine. But you all are really good,” I replied, looking around the small battlefield littered with lifeless, half-charred corpses of rat boars—vile creatures with the worst traits of both animals.

  “You’re also good,” the man said with a friendly grin.

  I smiled back, trying to look sincere. Internally though—

  ‘Yes, I’m good. I know that.’

  I had learned a bit about them by now:

  The tank and apparent leader was Luke, the guy who just complimented me.

  The mage was Nina, sharp-eyed and quiet.

  She must have an Innate Trait—the kind that made your spells sparkly and overpowered.

  And she had also learned temporary skills from the shop.

  'Not bad way of using TP.'

  The swordsman, Boris, was the brooding type.

  Probably practiced in front of a mirror every morning.

  Swings a big sword, says little, thinks he’s edgy.

  The archer twins, Chris and Tris, were constantly bickering.

  One wore blue, the other red, and neither understood the concept of subtlety.

  They were decent—somewhat good, even.

  ‘Of course, not as good as me. That’s just facts.’

  They began to sit down and rest, wiping sweat and sipping water.

  I joined them, planting myself comfortably on the grass.

  Then I felt it.

  That awkward, lingering stare.

  ‘Tsk. So obvious. They’re plotting something.’

  Their eyes were shifting.

  Sneaking glances at me like a bunch of high schoolers trying to copy homework from a kid they planned to rob afterward.

  But then again—after watching me fight earlier?

  They were probably second-guessing any shady ideas.

  I ignored the tension and closed my eyes briefly, pretending to be deep in thought.

  ‘Hmm… north or south?’

  The northern caves were brutal but held fire.

  The southern lakes were calmer but tougher.

  After a brief moment of fake contemplation, I stood up dramatically.

  “Hey,” I said, brushing invisible dust off my shirt, “do you all want to become stronger?”

  That got their attention.

  Luke blinked. “Umm… yes. Of course?”

  He glanced toward the others.

  Chris raised a brow.

  Nina tilted her head slightly.

  Boris grunted.

  Tris whispered something under her breath that sounded like, “What’s the catch?”

  “Okay, listen up,” I said in a hushed, dramatic voice.

  “This is a secret, alright? We can get fire-based powers if we defeat the boss of the northern caves.”

  They all stared at me.

  “…What? fire powers?” Luke asked, eyes squinting in polite confusion.

  “Yes. Fire powers. Flames. Blazing skills. Burny things.” I nodded solemnly like I was sharing ancient scripture.

  “…But won’t defeating a boss be difficult?” he asked, voice cautious now.

  “Don’t worry. I know all of his skills and patterns,” I said with unwavering confidence.

  “Wait, how do you even know that?” he asked again, more directly this time.

  I slapped on my best fake surprised face.

  “Oh! That! Right, right. I, uh… got that info from the first tutorial zone. There was a hidden reward, you know? Super secret. Only the chosen ones find it.”

  ‘What even am I saying?’

  “Is… is that so?” Luke mumbled, still suspicious.

  In the back, Chris whispered, “No way that’s a real thing.”

  Tris elbowed him. “Shh. What if it is real? Fire arrows would be cool.”

  Nina, who hadn’t said a word, squinted and started mentally analyzing probabilities.

  Boris looked like he wanted to cut something either way.

  Still, they hesitated.

  ‘Come on, bite the bait already, you clowns!’

  I sighed dramatically and began to turn away.

  “Well, if you don’t believe me, I guess I’ll go find someone else. A shame, really. I thought we had something.”

  I added a touch of fake regret and made my steps heavy, as if burdened by disappointment.

  “No, wait!” Luke called out. “We trust you. Let’s go together.”

  I turned back slowly, plastering on a triumphant yet humble smile.

  “Yeah! That’s the spirit. Let’s go,” I said.

  ‘Hehe. Hook, line, and roasted marshmallow.’

  The five of them got to their feet, still unsure, but now too deep into the con to back out.

  After a long trek through scorched trails and sulfur-tainted winds, we finally arrived at the mouth of the cave.

  Our journey wasn’t uneventful—fiery lizards, ash wolves, and the occasional blazing horned toad had tried to halt our progress.

  But we cut through them with relative ease, even if Chris nearly singed off his eyebrows once and Boris had to put out a burning tail of a salamander with his sword hilt.

  Good times.

  The path was mostly linear, and the entrance to the boss’s lair was clearly marked on the system map—as if the developers wanted to make sure no one missed the grand fireworks show inside.

  We all stood at the edge of the ominous cave.

  Heat poured from within like a dragon's breath, thick and heavy, curling into the air and licking at our skin.

  “Is everyone ready?” I asked, puffing my chest like a confident party leader who definitely wasn't winging it all.

  “Yeah, but… you didn’t tell us any plan or information?” Luke said, folding his arms with a raised brow.

  His helmet was slightly crooked. I resisted the urge to laugh.

  “Oh! Is it so?” I replied with faux surprise, as if I totally hadn't forgotten.

  “Then listen carefully. This will blow your minds.”

  I bent down and grabbed six small stones and one large one, brushing aside a patch of dirt.

  I drew a thick line through the middle with a stick and began arranging the stones dramatically, like some ancient war tactician.

  “This side of the cave,” I said, pointing beyond the line, “will be filled with magma. Hot, bubbling, and deathly.”

  I tapped the large stone. “This here is our boss: the Three-Tailed Fox.”

  Luke blinked. “Three-Tailed Fox?”

  “Yep. You must’ve read about it in the player guide,” I said casually, pretending this was common knowledge.

  Luke nodded slowly.

  “Yeah, it’s a fox that’s midway through evolving into a higher form. A Nine-Tails or something.”

  “They have high magical output,” Nina added, finally speaking.

  “They shoot fireballs from their tails,” Tris chimed in.

  “Each tail has a separate attack cycle,” Chris noted, rubbing his chin.

  “Exactly,” I said, beaming like a proud teacher whose students actually did their homework.

  I brought their focus back to the stones.

  “Now, the Three-Tailed Fox has incredible magical firepower but terrible defense. That’s why it stays deep in the magma zone, leaping between magma-coated rock pillars to avoid close combat.”

  I drew little lines from the big rock to various invisible jumping points.

  Luke’s eyes narrowed.

  “So, you want the archers and mage to hit it from a distance while it’s jumping?”

  “Exactly! Good, Luke. Gold star for you.” I gave a thumbs up.

  He didn’t look amused.

  “But there’s a problem,” I continued, voice lowering for dramatic effect.

  “The magma pool is home to lesser salamanders and magma snakes. They’ll emerge to defend the fox the moment we step in.”

  That got a reaction.

  “Those snakes explode when killed, don’t they?” Boris asked, gripping his sword tighter.

  “Yes. And the salamanders spit lava globules that stick to armor,” I added helpfully. “So here’s the layout.”

  I pointed to the front three stones.

  “Luke, Boris, and I will hold the front lines. We deal with the magma monsters, keep them away from the squishies.”

  I pointed to the back three.

  “Nina, Tris, and Chris—you stay back and pepper the fox with magic and arrows. Aim for the eyes, the tails, and when it’s charging a spell.”

  “Got it,” Nina nodded.

  “One more thing,” I raised a finger. “The number of fire balls the fox can throw is limited—three max at a time. But while casting, it becomes momentarily immobile. That’s your window. But if even one fireball hits you? You’re cooked meat.”

  Everyone nodded with growing seriousness.

  “Do you all understand the plan?” I asked.

  “Yes!” they chorused.

  “Good. Let’s go then,” I said with a grin, adjusting my gear and hoping no one noticed how I was kind of making this all up as we went.

  We entered the cave in a swift formation.

  Immediately, the temperature spiked—as if we’d stepped into the mouth of a volcano.

  The ground was cracked and steaming, and just ahead, a massive magma pool dominated the landscape, casting a hellish red glow on the cave walls.

  From the lava rose dozens of rock pillars, some thick, others precariously narrow.

  And atop one of them sat the beast.

  The Three-Tailed Fox.

  It was majestic and terrifying.

  Its fur shimmered in hues of reddish orange, like living embers.

  Its eyes were piercing gold, narrowed with intelligence and hostility.

  Each of its three tails swayed behind it—long, elegant, and glowing at the tips with molten fire.

  It lifted its head, let out a low, reverberating growl, and then—

  “KRRRRRRRAHH!!!”

  The entire cavern trembled as the fox roared, a shockwave rippling across the magma.

  The pools bubbled and surged, and from the depths, monsters began to rise.

  Lesser Salamanders—dog-sized creatures with crusted rock scales and burning eyes—climbed onto nearby stones, their mouths already glowing with molten spit.

  Magma Snakes slithered along the edges, their bodies made of lava and obsidian, leaving sizzling trails wherever they moved.

  And so, the battle began.

  “Everyone—on your positions!” I shouted.

  The party split smoothly.

  I dashed to the left flank, feeling the heat press against my skin but pushing through.

  Behind me, Nina eyes locked onto the fox.

  To my left, Luke raised his shield, steady as a wall.

  Behind him was Tris, her bow already nocked, eyeing the fox’s tails.

  To my right, Boris twirled his greatsword and braced for the oncoming salamanders.

  Chris behind him adjusted his quiver, arrows set for flight.

  ----

  Note: After pondering a bit, I thought about changing the Ironblood Regeneration effect description.

  It will be more accurate and in numerical value.

  Previous description.

  [Ironblood Regeneration]

  - Type: Passive

  - Mana Consumption: None

  - Cooldown: None

  - Effect: Continuously heals minor to moderate wounds over time.

  Enhances the user’s natural regenerative ability, allowing survival through what would otherwise be fatal injuries.

  The more severe the injury, the more active the regeneration becomes, converting surrounding ambient mana and nutrients from the bloodstream to repair tissue.

  - Details: A rare ability possessed only by the mythical Ironhide Bears, massive beasts said to be unkillable in battle.

  These creatures developed this passive trait over centuries of evolution, as their iron-rich blood granted unnatural endurance and a near-immortal healing factor.

  Their bodies were like fortresses, and their blood acted like a living forge, melting down pain and rebuilding flesh like steel.

  Those who inherit this trait are fated to either become beasts—or conquer them.

  ---

  New description.

  [Ironblood Regeneration]

  - Type: Passive

  - Mana Consumption: None

  - Cooldown: None

  - Effect: Restores 2.5% of Max HP per second when in combat.

  Bonus: Gain minor resistance to bleed effects.

  Continuously heals minor to moderate wounds over time.

  Enhances the user’s natural regenerative ability, allowing survival through what would otherwise be fatal injuries.

  - Details: A rare ability possessed only by the mythical Ironhide Bears, massive beasts said to be unkillable in battle.

  These creatures developed this passive trait over centuries of evolution, as their iron-rich blood granted unnatural endurance and a near-immortal healing factor.

  Their bodies were like fortresses, and their blood acted like a living forge, melting down pain and rebuilding flesh like steel.

  ---