Another World Gacha

[Risky Forest]

[Level Recommendation: 7–10]

[Party Size: 1]

[Scene: A forest littered with different monsters awaits you; the dungeon will provide a map of the forest for you to procure the material needed to clear the dungeon.]

[Clear Reward 0/1]

Nicholas: "Who wants to enter first? Or should we enter at the same time?"

Maria: "Master, I think we should enter at the same time. And as a bet, we should reward the fastest. Well, excluding you, of course."

Clarice: "Yeah, let's do that. The first one to finish will get a reward."

Nicholas: "*Sigh* Fine, do whatever you guys want."

Nicholas: "At 3 we enter the dungeon. 1.. 2.. 3!!!"

At Nicholas word, Maria and Clarice immediately went inside the dungeon. Their eyes were determined on winning and claiming a reward. He just sighed again and went in after a few seconds.

Nicholas: "These girls really get excited about competitions. I hope they don't get too hurt."

The Risky Forest is different from typical dungeons, like defeating the boss monsters. This time, the dungeon will provide the awakener with a map when he or she enters the portal. Their primary goal is to get the material indicated on the map.

The forest will be littered with different types of monsters to deal with; following the map will lead to more traps, but you will be able to anticipate the enemy types since they have been indicated on the map. While diverging on the map will help avoid the traps, the monsters you may encounter will either be harder or different than the ones indicated on the map.

Before they enter the dungeon, Nicholas reminded them about the dangers of the dungeon and gave them some additional protection accessories. After that, they were to start clearing the dungeon.

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Clarice POV

What I saw after entering the dungeon was a deep, lush forest. The rustling of the wind and creaks of different noises really emphasize that you are alone. Looking around to check if I had readied everything, I saw a scroll right below my feet.

[Dungeon Quest]

[Take the map and find the item indicated on it. You may follow the indicated road for a casual stroll or choose not to follow it for a surprise.]

This must be the scroll provided by the dungeon, so I picked it up from the ground.

After looking at the map, I contemplated the advice of my liege about the dungeon. I decide to clear it without following the map, since following the map leads to some traps, and I am really not versed in deactivating or finding some of them.

Steeling my resolve, with a stout shield on my back for protection and my gladius in my right hand, I proceed deeper into the to clear the dungeon with an excited pace since I have a bet with Maria.

After some time of walking on the outskirts of the indicated map, I finally saw a group of monsters. Three goblins are having a leisurely time walking and scouting the area. They haven't noticed me yet since they are overly aggressive when seeing an enemy. 

Preparing myself by taking my shield from my back, I dashed straight to my primary target. Caught by the surprise attack, I was able to bash the head of the first goblin, immobilizing it, then side-slash another to kill another one.

Leaving one goblin who was able to fight will be pretty easy. Since they have little strength and power, they only become a threat if you are surrounded by them.

After dispatching the last goblin, who was still stunned on the ground, I proceeded on my way.

I cleared some more monsters along the way until I stumbled upon a pair of hobgoblins; they are a lot stronger than regular ones. I can probably fight them head-on, but a proper plan is needed to deal with them to avoid unnecessary risk.

Using my skill [fire mimic] to create a duplicate of me, which can last a minute and has 10% of my strength, can be used as a decoy. I deploy it while I flank on the other side to wait for when the hobs notice and engage the mimic.

This will create some window for me to surprise attack with [Flame Slash], a skill that imbues a fire attack in my gladius to kill the hob and then deal with the other afterwards.

I executed my plan flawlessly, and I was able to defeat the hobs quite easily rather than taking some time and exhausting herself unnecessarily fighting it head-on.

After the hobgoblins, the opponents that appeared were either easier or had the same level of threat as the pair of hobgoblins. Not until the final destination of the map.

As I arrive at the clearing in the forest, which is the location of the material needed to clear the quest, I saw a camp of goblins—maybe 10-15, maybe even more depending on the number of goblins inside the huts.

Backing away to the forest again to avoid the goblins, I planned my approach to exterminating the goblins. After a few minutes of going around the perimeter to look for the quest material and planning to approach, I decide to go for it since my plans look quite solid.

The goblin camp has several entrances; the main has five goblins near, while the other two entryways only have two goblins nearby. I plan to use my mimic at the far-side entrance of the place I will be entering to draw the attention of most goblins before I proceed.

Clarice: "Ok, let's do this."

With a low, mumbled voice to invigorate myself.

Then after that, I deployed my [fire mimic] and waited for the goblins to notice and crowd it.

*WAAAH! * *creech* *CREAAAkc* *WAAAH! * *creech* *CREAAAkc*

Noticing that goblins noticed my mimic, I immediately made my move and entered the camp. I swiftly killed the goblins on my side without the other goblins noticing. After that, I hid in a nearby empty hut to wait for my mimic to cool down, then do another round or two until I could reduce the number of goblins by more than half.

*KREayyyK* *CRRUUUUUU* *KREayyyK* *CRRUUUUUU*

After a while, the goblins noticed their dead comrade and began tightening their defense. Good thing I immediately hid in one of the huts.

After successfully reducing the opponents to less than half, I began to earnestly do my main assault; blocking my way are five goblins, seeing most of them are armed. I chose to dash on the goblin, looking the weakest. I bashed my shield into its head while simultaneously activating my sword skill [blade dance] to slash my nearest opponent.

Right after my first slash, I threw my shield to the farthest opponent to distract it, then dashed to my next target. My next two targets are quite prepared for my attack, blocking most of it. However, due to the difference in strength, they still succumbed to my blade.

Right after dealing with the two goblins, the goblin launches its attack, slashing its small knife into my arm. But my quick reaction time parried the attack on the last second, launching its knife out of its hands.

After cleaning up the immobilized and parried goblin, I went to the location where the item is located.

However, near the item, four hobs are guarding it. 1 long-range archer and 3 melees. Approaching the battlefield. I summoned my mimic, and right after my mimic, I dashed forward to the enemies, taking on two while my mimic distracted the latter.

Buying time, I kept blocking the attack of the hobgoblin while parrying the other. I was doing this while simultaneously dodging the arrows of the long-range archer.

I was buying time to stack my parry count since I get increased strength and agility each time I successfully parry an attack.

After a minute of sensing that my mimic was about to disappear, I began my attack in earnest. I stacked about 10 parries, which increased my agility and strength by an additional 50%.

Throwing my shield at the face of the long-range hobgoblin, I began to channel my skill, the fire sword skill [Rose Garden of Death].

Consuming half of my mana bloomed a field of fiery rose gardens, and while the skill is in effect, my attack will be imbued with fire.

And as my skill activated, the shield landed on the face of the hobgoblin. It caught fire, turning it to ashes after a few seconds of struggling. Seeing it die of burning, a smile bloomed on my face.

Turning to face my opponents, I activated my sword skill [blade waltz] by doing a spin, creating a fiery tornado that burned the two opponents beside me.

Normally, without my [Rose Garden of Death], my attack will not be imbued with fire, and the attack will only create a gust of wind pushing away and damaging the opponent. After killing the two hobgoblins near me, I dashed to the last hob, fighting straightforwardly.

As I came close to the hob, it launched a vertical slash right at my shoulders. I anticipated it by parrying the slash, leaving the hob's torso wide open, leaving it vulnerable to kicks on the stomach. The hob dodged my kick, however, losing its balance in the process.

And me taking the opportunity to attack behead it with a swift horizontal slash as the hob falls to the ground. Looking at my marvelous performance, only taking a few scratches and wounds, I went to pick the material completing the dungeon.

Clarice: "Looks like I win this time, Maria. AHHAHA!" I said while raising my hands into the air.

Clarice: "Time to go back and get my reward." I said while I walk to the portal that appeared triumphantly.