[NEW SIDE QUEST]

[Find a cure for Ryu and Astoria]

[Time left: 47:25]

Bell opened the system to check how long he had left and sighed, not only did he have three days to finish the exam but he now has two days to out of it to complete a random side quest because of Astoria.

_but why is it written to be a side quest?_ Bell thought. _does that means I can skip it?_

No! That’s impossible! There is no way the system would want him to leave his sister in the forest for his own personal gain. He would rather fail the exam then abandon her, and Astoria has been useful to him, so he couldn’t just leave her there.

Bell was getting tired as he forced his way through the bushes, he had no idea what herb his was looking for or which direction he way going but since Astoria had pointed towards this way as she spoke he couldn’t risk missing the way just because he followed a more walkable path.

He decided to check his stats, he hadn’t leveled up while fighting that creature but he knew he had some attribute points left and he needed to distribute the skill points too.

[Name: Bell Ragna] [Level: 6]

[MP: 50/50] [SP: 6]

[Class: None] [Job: None]

[Exp: 95/120]

[AP: 4]

[Attributes]

[Strength: 8]

[Intelligence: 6]

[Agility: 8]

[Dexterity: 7]

[Perception: 2]

[Luck: 1]

[Title: None]

"Hmm..." Bell thought for a while before increasing his stats.

[Strength has risen to 10]

[Agility has risen to 10]

Bell was sure if it was normal but he could already feel his body getting stronger and he felt a lot lighter than before, he could now move through the bushes more easily. All that was left was the skill points.

[Dash(active) has risen to level three]

[Insufficient skill point left to upgrade skill]

Turned out unlike attributes, skill points required more that one to upgrade. In this case, it took three SP to upgrade his [dash] skill to level two and it requires five to upgrade [rage] so he just use it up to upgrade [dash] instead. Making his stats now look like this:

[Name: Bell Ragna] [Level: 6]

[MP: 50/50] [SP: 0]

[Class: None] [Job: None]

[Exp: 95/120]

[AP: 0]

[Attributes]

[Strength: 10] 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

[Intelligence: 6]

[Agility: 10]

[Dexterity: 7]

[Perception: 2]

[Luck: 1]

[Title: None]

[Skills]

[Dash(active): level 3]

[Rage(active): level 1]

Bell activated his dash skill and ran deeper into the forest. He stopped few seconds later at a spot where some strange plants grew. He checked his quest, only a few seconds past and didn’t feel too tired but he was sure that was because he didn’t run too far.

The plants stood around a little pond, it’s green stems seem to be coming from the pond and spreading to the soil around then growing it leaves on the ground.

He approached the pond and knelt down next to the strange plants, they looked like something that could cure paralysis. He was about to pick the plant when he heard some noise.

He quickly hid in a nearby bush and approached the direction of the noise. They were some candidates fighting a group of weirdly shaped flying monster.

The monsters was fully colour with different types of yellow with a golden stinger and a similar spinning blade above it’s head.

The candidates were a party of four, two male swordsmen, a male archer and a female healer.

The swordsmen fought in the front while the archer and the healer provided support to the fighters.

Bell watched them continue to fight, seeing no need to jump in since they seem to have everything under control. The monsters suddenly stopped attacking and ran away, it didn’t look like a victory but the party seemed happy as they celebrated the victory.

That was until a strong wind began to push the trees and the ground began to tremble, they quickly went back to their fighting positions.

A giant monster appeared. It was a ball with sharp blade around it which it use to hover in the air, unlike the first monsters, it was red and it had four eyes at each sides of it body.

The party seemed a little frightened but held their ground. The monster attacked by sending out sharp blades but the first swordsman blocked it with it’s shield.

.

.

.

They fought the monster till the monster got angry and spun faster than they could handle. All of them ran back except the healer who didn’t notice the monster until it was too close. It was about to cut her in half when Bell stepped in with his dash skill and moved her out of the way.

The monster change it direction and went for Bell, he threw the healer and jumped onto a tree and landed on top of the monster and stabbed it on it’s head but the monster didn’t flinch.

Bell jumped back to the rest candidates and they all attacked the monsters at once. The monster fell to the ground minutes later thanks to the bleeding enchantment on Bell’s dagger.

[Player gained 100 exp]

[Exp: 75/140]

[Player’s level has risen to 7]

"Thanks man, I don’t know how we could have defeated that monster without your help" the swordsman with a shield said, he seemed to be the leader of the party.

Bell nodded and began to walk back to the where the pond was but the healer held his arm.

"Umm..." She started, not knowing how to address Bell. "He said thanks for your help and saving my life"

"Yeah, I heard" Bell replied, without warning he pulled him arm away from her grip but the swordsman held him instead.

"Why don’t you stay for a while, you’re also a candidate right?" He asked as he pulled Bell back. "We’re about prepare breakfast before that monster attacked us, you can join us, think of it as our thanks"

"I didn’t do it for food, I’m kinda in a hurry"

"Then what do you want, it’s only fair if we give you something in exchange" the second swordsman asked.

Bell thought for a while, it was a great chance to ask for a potion for Astoria and Ryu.

"Well, there is one thing I’m looking for"

"What is that?" It was the archer.

"I need some herbs"

"Herbs?" The healer sounded surprised.

"I just gathering some herbs for my mother, she makes potions and sells to adventurers" for some reason, he found it necessary to explain.

"Really?" The healer said. "We just came back from herbs gathering but we can’t go back there"

"They are giant stingers there, they followed us all the way here before the hover showed up. It too dangerous to go back" The archer added.

Bell was not sure which plant was the herd that Astoria told him to pick so it was better to take them up on their offer. But he couldn’t wait any longer.

"I’ll risk it"