Chapter 125 Ghost Town
The icy wind howled through the Hundred Spirits Forest Dungeon, a place eternally cloaked in darkness.
Within the ruins of a dilapidated cabin situated on an abandoned farmstead, Eric, his features obscured, meticulously searched for items of value.
"There you are," he muttered, pulling an ancient bronze key from a wooden barrel. "The intel was accurate."
This was the key to the secret passage leading to Ghost Town, a hidden entrance bypassing the heavily guarded main gate. With an Assassin potentially on his trail, Eric couldn't risk being intercepted at a crucial moment. The secret passage, though treacherous, was now his only option.
Legend had it that the entire Hundred Spirits Forest Dungeon was cursed by a malevolent Sorcerer of immense power. Overnight, every living creature within its borders was twisted into a vengeful ghost, condemned to an eternity of suffering and confusion. These tormented souls harbored an intense hatred for the living, attacking and devouring anyone foolish enough to venture near Ghost Town.
The clandestine passage extended directly to the core of the Ghost Town. Even the formidable Celestial Paragon would not dare to venture into that accursed locale. Moreover, Eric's alter ego would effect an alteration so profound as to render him unidentifiable, should he chance upon any of the inhabitants.
Approximately a short distance from the farmhouse, Eric discovered a clandestine cellar – the entrance to the covert passage. It appeared that the proprietor of the farmstead doubled as its protector.
The cellar was pitch black, impossible to navigate without a light source. Eric retrieved a magic lamp from his pack and followed the passage deeper underground until he reached a heavy iron gate, securely locked.
If Eric possessed a strength attribute over one hundred, he could have easily smashed through the gate. However, his current strength was far from that level. Resigned, he used the key.
He'd barely taken a few steps inside when he noticed scattered white bones littering the passage floor, the walls scarred with signs of past battles.
A shiver ran down Eric's spine. The curse transformed the living into ghosts, which meant...
As if on cue, a horde of shadowy figures surged from the depths of the passage, their blood-red eyes fixated on Eric. With guttural roars, they charged, fangs bared and claws outstretched.
Cursed Specters, level 15, 700 HP.
Far more dangerous than their mindless, shambling counterparts, Cursed Specters possessed a degree of intelligence. They were agile, driven by a primal hunger for flesh and an uncanny awareness of living prey.
At level 7, Eric was hopelessly outmatched. The eight-level difference meant facing even a single Specter was suicide, let alone over thirty. Their 60% physical immunity and 20% evasion chance only compounded the danger. A group this size could easily wipe out an entire party of level 15 adventurers.
As the Specters closed in, Eric reacted instantly. He pulled a Frostbite Grenade from his backpack and hurled it into the heart of the oncoming horde.
The grenade detonated with a flash of light and a rush of icy air, instantly freezing a thirty-foot radius and inflicting 400 ice damage.
The 100% damage bonus against ghost-type enemies was devastating.
Eric specifically selected the Hundred Spirits Forest Dungeon to delve into, owing to the Frostbite Grenades he had procured from the Shadowwing Citadel.
A single basic grenade was more than enough to deal with these Specters. 200 base damage was nothing to scoff at, and with the bonus against ghosts, it became a force to be reckoned with.
The Frostbite Grenade was a powerful tool against monsters. Its ninety-foot throwing range and one-second cooldown made it incredibly versatile. However, its effectiveness was halved against players.
Eric had been hesitant to use the grenades against CelestialParagon earlier. Not only was he unsure if he had enough, but revealing such a potent weapon could have unintended consequences. Besides, even if it killed CelestialParagon, it wouldn't be worth alerting others to its existence.
He preferred to save his trump cards for maximum impact. Wasting a Frostbite Grenade on a single target, even someone like CelestialParagon, wasn't part of the plan. He had bigger targets in mind, like disrupting the Martial Alliance's operations.
"That's right! Ghosts are dark creatures!" Eric suddenly exclaimed, remembering his Demonbane title. He quickly switched to it.
The Cursed Specters' attributes immediately decreased by 10%, while the damage they received increased by the same amount.
Eric threw another Frostbite Grenade. It exploded among the remaining Specters, dealing a devastating 440 damage and wiping out the entire group.
System: [Killed Cursed Specter 8 levels higher, experience increased by 800%, gained 4800 experience points.]
System: [Killed Cursed Specter 8 levels higher, experience increased by 800%, gained 4800 experience points.]
System: [Killed Cursed Specter 8 levels higher, experience increased by 800%, gained 4800 experience points.]
Over thirty notifications flooded his vision. Although ghost-type monsters offered meager experience rewards, the bonus for killing enemies above his level was substantial. Despite being only level 7, Eric's experience bar surged forward, reaching 23% with the speed of a rocket.
As the Specters dissipated, they left behind a scattering of copper coins and small Essence of Spirits. Ten small Essences could be combined into a single Essence of Spirits, a valuable material used in forging and enchanting.
Gathering the loot, Eric realized that the thirty-plus Specters had netted him nearly one silver coin, along with more than ten small Essences. A single Essence of Spirits was worth another silver coin, making this a surprisingly lucrative venture.
Nevertheless, the procurement of two basic Frostbite Grenades necessitated an expenditure of three silver coins, resulting in a marginal financial deficit for him. He was compelled to entice larger contingents, amounting to at least fifty individuals each time, in order to achieve profitability.
"Hopefully, there are more where those came from," Eric muttered, hefting another Frostbite Grenade with anticipation.
Half an hour later, Eric finally reached the end of the secret passage.
The path had been long, and he'd encountered five more waves of Specters, each dealt with swiftly and efficiently using his Frostbite Grenades. Unfortunately, each group only numbered around twenty, preventing him from making a significant profit.
On the plus side, his level was skyrocketing. At this rate, he'd level up again soon, which brought a satisfied smile to his face.
The passage opened up into Ghost Town, and even before he fully emerged, Eric could hear the cacophony of roars and howls echoing from the cursed town.
He found himself in the inn's cellar, which explained the high concentration of ghosts. However, the confined space made using Frostbite Grenades risky.
With no other choice, Eric activated Spectral Knight.
Unlike invisibility, Nihility Rift shifted him into a different dimension, rendering him undetectable even to ghosts.
The ability had a limited duration, so Eric sprinted out of the inn and towards a nearby house. He knew that wandering the streets of Ghost Town in his current state was suicide. Ghosts were everywhere, and the one-second cooldown on his grenades wouldn't be enough to protect him from all directions.
3 seconds...
2 seconds...
1 second...
Just thirty feet from the house, Eric reappeared.
Instantly, every ghost on the street turned towards him, their expressions turning feral.
Among them were elite Fierce Spirits, their eyes burning with malice as they charged towards Eric.
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