Chapter 62: Safety First

The saying goes, "All beginnings are difficult," and it couldn't be truer. Once you cross that initial hurdle, all previous problems seem to resolve themselves in an instant. The same applies to leveling up. With previous experience under our belts, the six of us coordinated much more tightly: Xuanwu Titan and Crouching Talker were not only quicker at drawing the monsters' attention, but the pace of our attacks also picked up significantly. Then came Xiaomei's Wind Blade and Black Jasmine's Healing Waters, both delivered right on time to the Blackwind Demon Wolves and Xuanwu Titan, further accelerating the battle rhythm.

By contrast, things on my end seemed unhurried. Since I only had to deal with one Blackwind Demon Wolf, I adopted the safest fighting strategy: I lured the first one away, didn’t even bother using Swift Step, and simply circled around the nearest tree to play a game of cat and mouse with it. The Blackwind Demon Wolf, caught off guard at first, lunged at me, but its massive frame was a disadvantage while circling. I managed to stab its eyes twice in quick succession, reducing its HP by nearly half.

Having suffered such a loss, the Blackwind Demon Wolf grew smarter and backed off several meters, launching Wind Blades from a distance. Unfortunately for it, this tactic proved ineffective. In the meantime, I swapped in my hardwood longbow, and whenever its Wind Blade missed, I counterattacked repeatedly.

Power Strike! (Basic: Increases attack power by 20%, consumes 1 MP.)
"Hit! You dealt 14 damage to the Blackwind Demon Wolf!"

Piercing Arrow! (Basic: Increases normal attack power by 20%, double damage on vital hits, consumes 2 MP.)
"Hit! You dealt 21 damage to the Blackwind Demon Wolf!"

Wind Arrow! (A shot infused with the air, impossible for the enemy to dodge, increases attack by 15%, consumes 2 MP.)
"Hit! You dealt 17 damage to the Blackwind Demon Wolf!"

After several rounds, its HP dropped to less than a third. As I had expected, the Blackwind Demon Wolf, its eyes now blood-red with rage, ignored its previous lessons and charged at me with savage fury.

At that point, I didn't hesitate to switch to the Silver Beast Magic Dagger, swiftly and decisively ending the fight. I picked up the silver coins dropped by the Blackwind Demon Wolf's corpse and sat down to watch Xiaomei and the others deal with the last one.

When the battle was over, Crouching Talker and Xuanwu Titan glanced over at me, leaning against the tree, a hint of awe in their eyes. They knew that if they had to solo a Blackwind Demon Wolf, they couldn’t have done it half as perfectly, and any dismissiveness they had held toward bow warriors—or toward me—was finally put to rest.

After a few rounds, perhaps reassured by my steady performance, Xiaomei and her team no longer paid much attention to my side; by the time they finished their fights, I was already resting on the ground.

Even while resting, I didn’t forget to observe the team’s coordination. After all, I was still a newcomer to Magic Era, knowing very little about the game. The various schools of magic, their accompanying effects—all were immensely fascinating and stirred my curiosity.

For instance: wind magic for speed and sharpness; water for adaptability and cold; fire for heat and offense; earth for solidity. These could be used to attack, defend, or support, either for oneself or others, and their effects varied depending on when and where they were cast—endlessly versatile.

Right now, I needed not only to understand them but also to infer other potential uses, because monsters could use these magics too. More importantly, in Magic Era, player-versus-player combat was frequent.

It was essential to deepen my knowledge of other classes!

Due to financial constraints, Xiaomei and her friends used fairly basic magic, and their combat skills and strength were not on Tea Sister’s level. However, their seamless teamwork made this trip worthwhile.

As their combat skills grew, Xiaomei’s Wind Blade attacks became increasingly steady. Coordinating with the two warriors, she always managed to harass the Blackwind Demon Wolves at just the right moment, minimizing their threat while creating openings for the warriors.

In my view, for a girl to reach this level in such a short time was already quite impressive.

As for the other "girl" in the team—Black Jasmine—though she occasionally spoke before thinking and wasn’t particularly observant or analytical, she was absolutely essential in this fight. Her Healing Waters were timely and well-paced, allowing the two warriors to tank hits without ever needing to drink potions.

Then there was Meteorite, with his sharp observational skills. His mastery over magic was even greater than Tea Sister’s—the timing and calculation of his Sharpening Spell were precise to the second.

Finally, the two warriors, who appeared the most formidable and outstanding, but from my perspective—a stickler for combat technique—their single-minded focus on brute-force attacks was still the mark of a novice farmer. Without skills, even at Tier Four, they’d still be nothing but rookies.

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard a chime—I’d leveled up!

Delighted, I quickly focused and dumped all my attribute points into Intelligence.

This was the first time I’d invested in Intelligence. With only 8 MP at the start, I could barely use any skills, and only gained a point or two in proficiency each run—it was torture!

From talking with Xiaomei and the others, I’d learned that NPCs never gave players anything. I guessed that perhaps only players with a high enough compatibility rating received extra rewards.

If that was true, then the 5% attribute cap would be my greatest weapon!

If I didn’t make good use of it, how could I face Holtz’s guidance?

Besides, the level 15 silver gear in my pack had already alleviated many of my worries. Adding points to Intelligence could only benefit me.

Most importantly, in a place like Blackwind Forest, where danger could arise at any moment, extra MP would allow Swift Step to last longer, giving me a solid means of self-preservation. After all, I was already level 14—one more level and I could equip my full set of silver gear from my backpack.

At times like this, safety comes first!