Zectas Volume I: Enigmatic Village of Nanahuatl (22 page)

 

 

“Six hours?! Are you serious? What am I suppose to do during that time? Just sit here in and do nothing?”

 

 

“Well as long as one of your hands is holding the book. The progress bar shouldn’t disappear. I find that it’s best to read books during long travels.”

 

 

“Yes! You’re right as always, Darius. All I have to do is hold this right, and the progress bar shouldn’t disappear?”

 

 

Smoke tried switching the book from his left hand to his right hand and the time on the progress bar stayed the same.

 

 

“Well I guess I’ll know about the other stones, that are capable of giving me lightning enchantment after 6 hours.”

 

 

“6 hours is a long time. Smoke, If you wouldn’t mind. I would like to tell you a story, about the blunders of practicing alchemy.”

 

 

“Alchemy huh? Sure, why not. Sounds interesting. Fire away, Darius.”

 

 

“Right. Some time ago, there was this novice alchemist practitioner. He had just learned the art of making golems. Of course to anyone who has learned something new, he immediately wanted to try it out. The instructions stated that he should first make a mud golem. So that in an event where the alchemist cannot gain control of his golem. The golem could easily be destroyed, as it was made out of mud.”

 

 

“And let me guess. The alchemist practitioner didn’t follow the instructions.”

 

 

“Correct. The proud alchemist practitioner thought that, making an iron golem would be much better than making a plain old mud golem. So he did some of his own modifications to the instructions. In the case of the mud golem. The alchemist would have only needed to put some of his mana into the specially treated mud. That was placed inside the transmutation circle. However, the protagonist of our story did a step above that. Instead of just using his mana. He used an ‘electro stone’. This ‘electro stone' is the most intermediate form of lightning enhancement.”

 

 

“Nice! So all I have to look for now is this ‘electro stone’ then. That’s perfect! I hope the ending of your story will be the location of a ‘electro stone’ or at least a clue to its location.”

 

 

“Are you gonna quietly listen to my story or are you gonna keep on interrupting me?”

 

 

“Ohh… Sorry, please go ahead. You won’t hear a sound from me.”

 

 

“Alright, where was I? Ahh… Yes, so the novice golem maker, used a electro stone imbued with his mana. The iron golem sprang to life. It moved slowly at first and looked so innocent. Its creator was so proud. Yet after a few seconds from when it started moving, it decided that it, preferred to trash the place. The iron golem became uncontrollable, it started breaking everything in the alchemist’s laboratory. Its creator had the ability to obliterate the iron golem, but he couldn’t find it in his heart to destroy it. Instead the foolish golem novice creator encased the iron golem. In a strong mana prison. The iron golem tried to smash his way out of the mana prison. But it wasn’t strong enough. It is said that the iron golem was placed inside the ‘Forest of Ignizoc’ where he is surrounded by the rare ‘ember sprites’. As it turns out, that iron golem is afraid of fire. So he just stays inside the middle of the forest.”

 

 

“Great! So can you please update my map with the location of Ignizoc Forest. I hope it’s near here.”

 

 

“It’s somewhere between here and Mandragora Forest. Just be careful of the ember sprites though. They usually stay away from intruders but if by some weird luck they decide to attack you, then you better get ready to be burned.”

 

 

“So Darius, when did this happen? Why in the world did you use an ‘electro stone’ to create an iron golem? Also, it’s common sense to follow the instructions especially if it’s your first time.”

 

 

“Well you see Smoke, I was really excited at the idea of making an iron maid. That’s why I tried out the… I mean. What? Who said it was me? I’m talking about one of the legends in Nanahuatl Village. It was the novice alchemist that made that iron golem. I’m pretty sure he, deeply regrets making that thing. Wherever he may be.”

 

 

“I’m sure ‘he’ does… So do you think the novice alchemist wouldn’t mind if I broke his iron golem?”

 

 

“He wanted to destroy it in the first place. He just couldn’t find it in his heart to do the physical deed. I don’t think he would mind it, you could also use the ‘electro stone’ inside its chest.”

 

 

 

 

 

Smoke called the hunters of his private army through his private army chat window. It was clear that Adder would need some time off before he could participate in battle.

 

 

“How are you guys progressing? I hope you guys didn’t encounter any sort of trouble there.”

 

 

“Hi, Smoke, this is Ichaival. All of us have gained the poison resistance attribute. We’re just making a path into the center of Mandragora Forest in order to gather some more Mandragora Flowers.”

 

 

“This is Vijaya. I have some great news. Since I’ve relied mostly on my twin falcons to do the attacking for me. Both of my falcons have gained the ability ‘poison beak’. They just kept on ingesting the poison pellets rather than give them to me. But don’t worry I still manage to collect a lot of poison pellets. I’m sure everyone still envies me since I’m the only who has two falcons and now they even have poison attack!”

 

 

“Sharanga here. Don’t pay any attention to her. She’s been doing nothing, just staying out of sight. If it wasn’t for her twin falcons she would have contributed nothing.”

 

 

“It’s me, Thyrsus. We should be heading back in a couple of hours.”

 

 

“Good. I was thinking of meeting you guys halfway to our first target. I want us to go hunt an iron golem in Ignizoc Forest. But I won’t be arriving in another couple of days. So just continue on collecting those items that I told you about.”

 

 

“Okay, Smoke, Copy that!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

After hunting the army of powersaw crickets and the failed murlocks’ quest. Smoke’s current level is at 61. Most of his abilities are still in the intermediate level.

 

 

Only his ‘Agility of the Horned Rabbit’ ability has reached advance level 4. Which gave him +420 Agility. He had gained quite a few levels but the sad fact that Adder lost an arm still remains.

 

 

Smoke tried out some cooking, while holding the book ‘Elemental Stone Enhancements’. He found that it was indeed doable. The timer on the progress bar for the completion of the book was now at 3 hours.

 

 

Then a brilliant idea came to him. If you only need to one hand touching the book to acquire its knowledge then wouldn’t holding two books at the same time work?

 

 

He chose the thinnest book from the collection of books that Darius gave him. It was a book entitled ‘An Introduction to Stats Part I’. He took the book in his left hand and hoped that his theory was right.

 

 

A progress bar appeared and it indicated that it would take 5 minutes to finish obtaining the knowledge from the book.

 

 

Smoke was overjoyed, This would mean that he could absorb the knowledge of two books at once. As he was heading towards Darius house to tell him about his idea on reading two books at once.

 

 

He stopped, as he faced his front door. He couldn’t get out, because both of his hands were holding a book. He tried clasping the knob with the two books,  he tried using his feet to open the door, then he tried to use his mouth. Until finally, somehow he managed to open the door, using his armpits.

 

 

It looks like there was a very good reason why Darius didn’t tell him about learning two books at once. You can barely get out of a simple room, when you ‘acquire’ the knowledge of two books at the same time.

 

 

By the time he got out of his house. The progress bar on the thin book was completed.

 

 

 

Smoke already knew the top portion of the book’s obtained knowledge. But the bottom part of the notification window was news to him.

 

 

He just wanted to try out his theory yet he had gained some wonderful information. He quickly searched for ‘An Introduction to Stats Part II’ unfortunately it wasn’t in the books that Darius gave him.

 

 

He dashed towards Darius’ house and asked for the book. Darius told him to search in the 3rd room on the right. Inside, he saw that the books covered all the walls. The books on the shelves were from the floor to the ceiling.

 

 

After a few minutes of searching he realized that there was no way he could find the book himself. He went out to ask for Darius’ help.

 

 

“Ohh. Sorry I forgot that you don’t have the ‘Search Book Ability’. This is an ability unique to librarian job.”

 

 

Darius used the ability and the book that Smoke was looking for emitted a low yellow light. He got the book and immediately the progress bar started and indicated that it would take 15 minutes to finish.

 

 

Smoke wondered about what Darius said. He thought that if this ability is unique to librarians then how come Darius could use it. After all this time did Darius finally slip up? Did Darius finally reveal his job? Does that mean that I’m going to be a librarian?

 

 

He thought that it wasn’t all that bad. If ever his theory turns out to be true. Since most of his theories were correct. He was certain that the hidden basic job of Nanahuatl was that of a librarian.

 

 

‘A librarian with a bow'. Sounds bad ass enough. The more Smoke thought about it. The more it made sense. Darius was very knowledgeable. How could he have gotten all of that knowledge?

 

 

Of course by reading a lot of books! From these books he must have gotten the different kinds of abilities that he uses.

 

 

Although it wasn’t the job that Smoke was expecting he was still happy, he has come to admire Darius. Even if he is just an NPC. Smoke has accepted his conclusion, that he would become a ‘fighting librarian’.

 

 

 

 

 

Just one more minute until 6 hours have passed, since Smoke started acquiring the knowledge from the book ‘Elemental Stone Enhancements’. He couldn’t wait to find out what the book had to offer.

 

 

 

“So that’s how elemental enhancement stones are made. Now I know what to look for, in finding better elemental enhancements. Elemental mares…”

 

 

 

A few days have passed and Smoke has finally arrived in Ignizoc Forest. Before leaving Nanahuatl Village, he made sure that Adder was well enough to stand and helped him get accustomed to his new life.

 

 

Smoke apologized to Adder once more. But no matter how many times he says sorry, Adder also repeats the same thing. Adder also felt that he was not strong enough, to be a shield for Smoke.

 

 

Smoke and the four Hunters of his private army, have united once more. He wanted them to display their new abilities since the last time they met.

 

 

They went to one of the nearby forests, and in this forest they saw a stone deer. He asked Vijaya to demonstrate the ability of her twin falcons.

 

 

With her hands Vijaya gave a signal to her falcons. Like a releasing an arrow, her twin falcons dove into the stone deer.

 

 

+ Attack hit. +POISON DMG. Falcon Vij damaged stone deer for 1528.

 

+ Attack hit. +POISON DMG. Falcon Aya damaged stone deer for 1539.