NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Snake-Tailed Pheasant
Black-Eyed Rui Ge, Chimera Wraith, Midnight Pig Slayer, and Street Slayer formed a small squad.
Although they did not yet know what the Contribution Points were used for, it did not dampen their passion and motivation to complete the task in the slightest!
The four of them had different classes.
They were not ordinary players either.
Street Slayer was a warrior, a hardcore action game enthusiast with over a thousand hours of experience in Souls-like action games.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge was a ranger, a well-known guide video creator and hardcore speedrun expert, with the best skills among the group.
Midnight Pig Slayer was a monk, his character appearance being that of a big fat man. He used to be a professional gamer and had rich gaming experience.
Chimera Wraith was a warlock.
Although her expertise was slightly inferior to the other three, she was a highly dedicated story-driven player who loved digging deep into the game’s lore and settings.
Moreover, the warlock was the only class in the early stages with ranged attack capability, making it a rare and valuable choice.
After leaving the territory village, the four of them admired the strange and magnificent scenery while exploring the environment near the territory.
Just as they were raving about the game's graphics and design, they suddenly noticed a strange animal appearing not far away.
"Is that... a chicken?"
"How did it grow like that!"
However, it did not quite look like any normal chicken.
First of all, this chicken was at least twice the size of an adult rooster, with a massive, tumor-like comb and a dagger-sharp beak, appearing full of aggression.
Its head and neck were still somewhat normal, but most of its feathers had fallen off, replaced by a layer of fine gray scales.
Its wings had mutated into bat-like structures, with hooked barbs lining the edges.
Additionally, it had a long tail resembling that of a gecko or lizard.
After their gaze lingered for more than five seconds, an information box popped up in their vision.
【Snake-Tailed Pheasant】, Level 1 Normal Monster, HP 50/50... Introduction: Originally an ordinary pheasant, it underwent slight mutation and demonization due to the influence of Abyssal energy.
"As expected, it’s a wild monster!"
"Damn, it’s like it mutated from nuclear radiation."
"And you’re telling me this is only a slight mutation and demonization?"
"I actually think the model of this little monster is pretty interesting. If even small monsters are crafted this meticulously, I’m really looking forward to seeing those demonized Famous Generals! It feels like the game development team really put in their heart and soul!"
At this moment, Black-Eyed Rui Ge took the initiative and said, "Although it’s just a Level 1 small monster, we still shouldn’t be careless. Let me go test the waters first. You guys be ready to support."
The other three had no objections.
In a world with a bizarre and soul-like horror style, such games were often filled with malice and traps at every turn.
Even the Level 1 monsters at the newbie village entrance had to be treated with caution.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge, being a top-tier member of the strategy community, had excellent experience and skills.
As a high-agility, high-reaction ranger, letting him go ahead to test was the safest choice.
Gale Step!
After activating the ranger’s skill, Black-Eyed Rui Ge felt a breeze enveloping his body, and his movement ability instantly increased by twenty to thirty percent.
So exhilarating!
The effect was truly powerful!
It even gave him a real, tangible sensation of being enhanced.
In ordinary virtual reality games, skills were just about stacking stats, and the player themselves would not feel any physical difference.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge quickly circled into the Snake-Tailed Pheasant’s blind spot, raised the ranger’s short sword, and charged out of the grass, stabbing swiftly, accurately, and ruthlessly into the pheasant’s back, instantly creating a blood-gushing wound.
-11!
A damage number popped up before his eyes!
"Screech!"
The Snake-Tailed Pheasant let out an enraged shriek.
Instead of being frightened into fleeing, it flapped its wings aggressively, assumed an attack posture, and then spat out a glob of green venom.
Who would have thought that a chicken could spit like that!
Black-Eyed Rui Ge was shocked but instinctively bent backward, making an evasive move that no ordinary person could perform, dodging the venom attack. He then quickly rolled sideways to avoid the pheasant’s pounce.
Getting up swiftly, he thrust his sword again!
The pheasant was once more wounded by the stab!
Even Black-Eyed Rui Ge was amazed at how smoothly he was operating.
This body was not only incredibly flexible but could also instinctively react, effortlessly executing all kinds of high-difficulty tactical maneuvers. What kind of black technology was this? It felt absolutely sensational!
“Holy shit!”
“Rui Ge, you’re awesome!”
“Go! Kill that chicken!”
Black-Eyed Rui Ge already had excellent awareness.
Combined with the muscle memory bonus from the ranger’s body, his movements became incredibly smooth.
In just a few quick moves, he had reduced the pheasant’s HP to near death.
Victory was in sight!
One more strike would finish it!
Black-Eyed Rui Ge was extremely excited, eagerly preparing to deliver the final blow. However, he accidentally kicked a hard stone, lost his balance, and fell flat on the ground like a dog eating dirt.
The Snake-Tailed Pheasant flapped its wings and leapt up, its sharp claws digging deep into his flesh, while its dagger-like beak pecked fiercely at the back of his neck.
-32!
-25!
Black-Eyed Rui Ge clearly felt the pain.
However, the pain had obviously been moderated by the system, just enough to be felt but still within a personally acceptable range.
"Not good!"
The reversal happened in an instant.
The Snake-Tailed Pheasant’s damage was quite high.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge was on the verge of being pecked to death.
Street Slayer and Midnight Pig Slayer wanted to help but were too late.
Fortunately, Chimera Wraith had been prepared.
A flame arrow, about twenty centimeters long, was summoned and shot out at a speed comparable to a crossbow bolt, striking the Snake-Tailed Pheasant right in the head.
-37!
With a bang,
the fire arrow exploded into sparks.
The Snake-Tailed Pheasant was blasted to the ground and lost all its life force.
"Rui Ge! Are you okay!"
Street Slayer quickly helped Black-Eyed Rui Ge up.
They saw that his neck and back wounds were still bleeding, and his HP was visibly decreasing at a rapid rate.
"Gonna die, gonna die, gonna die..."
Black-Eyed Rui Ge hurriedly cried for help, "Old Pig, heal me!"
"On it!" Midnight Pig Slayer used the monk’s skill, releasing a burst of light from his hands that enveloped Rui Ge’s wounds.
+10!
+10!
+10!
The wounds healed rapidly.
The bleeding stopped.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge finally escaped death and said with lingering fear, "Fuck, that was so damn close. Almost died in the gutter. Seriously, does this game really have to be this detailed?"
Everyone had seen it clearly.
Black-Eyed Rui Ge had the ability to kill the Snake-Tailed Pheasant.
It was purely because of his greed and recklessness that he tripped on a stone and almost lost his life to a chicken.
Whether it was the sense of impact
or the environmental interaction,
this game had achieved near perfection!
Just as Black-Eyed Rui Ge was about to express his thanks, he heard Chimera Wraith exclaim, "Look! It dropped something!"
The first Level 1 monster dropped loot?
Was the drop rate in this game really that high?
The four of them simultaneously looked at the Snake-Tailed Pheasant’s corpse.
After the pheasant fell, it visibly decomposed at an eye-catching speed, vaporizing into light.
A gray light orb appeared in front of them.
"Is this the loot?"
"Quick, check what dropped!"
Since Chimera Wraith had landed the final blow, the job of looting naturally went to her.
Chimera Wraith, full of excitement, reached out and touched the gray light orb.
The next second, the light orb turned into radiant light and merged into her body.
At the same time, she heard the game’s prompt sound.
【You have obtained 20 Abyssal Essence Points!】
【You have obtained “Snake-Tailed Pheasant Feather” ×3, “Snake-Tailed Pheasant Meat” ×2, “Abyssal Magic Stone Fragment” ×10.】
The drops were automatically stored into her inventory.
Chimera Wraith quickly checked the two pieces of loot.
【Snake-Tailed Pheasant Feather】, Tier 1 Material, Gray Low Grade. Introduction: Material dropped from the Snake-Tailed Pheasant, containing its energy, and possessing certain material value.
【Snake-Tailed Pheasant Meat】, Tier 1 Ingredient, Gray Low Grade. Introduction: Ingredient harvested from the Snake-Tailed Pheasant, tender and delicious, usable for cooking.
【Abyssal Magic Stone Fragment】, fragments of Abyssal Magic Stone, containing pure energy, a hard currency in the Abyss World.