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Since there were no other available quests, they might as well explore the forbidden zone that the Alpha had mentioned. Worst case scenario, they’d just lose a level if things went south.

But first, they needed to prepare.

First, potions.

They hadn’t bothered buying any back in the Beginner Village since there hadn’t been much need. Now was the perfect time to stock up.

HP Potion (Basic): Instantly restores 50 HP. Cooldown: 10s. 1 copper coin per bottle.
HP Potion (Low-Grade): Instantly restores 100 HP. Cooldown: 10s. 2.5 copper coins per bottle.
HP Potion (Mid-Grade): Instantly restores 200 HP. Cooldown: 10s. 6 copper coins per bottle.
HP Potion (High-Grade): Instantly restores 400 HP. Cooldown: 10s. 1.5 silver coins per bottle.

The lower-tier potions were practically useless, while the high-grade ones were daylight robbery—1.5 silver per bottle! Who could afford that? Even if they pooled together every coin they had, Starry and Zane only had 5.6 gold in total. 1 gold = 10 silver, which meant that buying a few dozen high-grade potions would drain them completely.

After some thought, Zane settled on 20 bottles of high-grade HP potions and ignored the weaker ones.

As for MP… Zane hadn’t chosen a class yet, so he didn’t even have any skills. His Gray Wolf Form had some abilities, but they didn’t cost mana. Meanwhile, Starry’s Icy Moon Slash and Thousand Flash Steps barely consumed any MP at all.

Next, lighting.

To avoid fumbling around in the dark, Zane bought a Magic Lantern. Under normal conditions, it could provide three days of continuous illumination without external interference. A highly convenient tool, and at 1 silver coin per unit, it wasn’t expensive. He bought two, since Beginner Villages didn’t sell such high-end items.

The last and biggest issue—curses. Starry had mentioned that the area was filled with some kind of lingering resentment, and she wasn’t sure if approaching carelessly would trigger a curse.

Just as Zane was debating what to do, his gaze landed on a scroll tucked away in a corner.

“Boss! How much for this?” Zane called out.
“One gold each. No haggling.” The shopkeeper barely spared him a glance.
“Damn, that expensive?! You might as well be robbing me!”
“Hmph, these charms have been blessed by a Priest. Selling them for one gold is already a bargain.” The shopkeeper scoffed.
“Zane, this should work,” Starry nodded in confirmation.

“…Damn it. Fine, take my last two gold!” Zane gritted his teeth. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to invest his hard-earned gold before blowing it all in one go… But it was worth it. Early-game investments always paid off!

They each took a Talisman of Exorcism and immediately equipped them. A soothing warmth spread through their bodies. Not bad.

• Outside the City Gates.

“Alright, let’s move out!” Zane raised a hand and cried out dramatically.

Starry, however, just smirked at him. A knowing, mischievous look gleamed in her eyes.

“…I get it already,” Zane muttered, exasperated.

Complaints aside, he obediently activated Shapeshift, transforming back into his Gray Wolf Form. Starry adjusted her robes and casually side-saddled onto his back. “Be a good little wolf, and I’ll give you a bone when we get back~” she teased.

Hey! I’m a wolf, not a dog! Zane wanted to protest but had no choice but to sprint forward with Starry on his back, his fur bristling in silent indignation.

…

To be cautious, they took a longer route, avoiding the Gray Wolf Alpha and any elite wolves.

Visibility was extremely poor, and under the faint moonlight, they could barely make out the path’s outline. Starry took out the Magic Lantern, illuminating a small area in the darkness.

Most of the grass here was withered and sickly, as if it had been drained of all nutrients from the soil.

Some parts of the ground emitted a foul, rotting stench. There were no signs of travelers or wild beasts, not even insects—completely desolate. It was hard to believe that such a stark contrast could exist within the same map.

Faint shadows flickered past them. The Talisman of Exorcism released a gentle warmth, causing the shadows to scatter in panic.

Without a specific coordinate, Zane could only sweep the area methodically. Fortunately, Sprint had only a thirty-second cooldown, significantly speeding up his search.

Suddenly, he felt his foot step on something. He stumbled and nearly lost his balance, while Starry had already leaped off his back, drawing the Autumn Moon Sword and preparing for battle.

Under the lantern’s glow, they finally saw the enemy clearly—a skeleton, its empty eye sockets flickering with dim flames.

It had significantly higher stats than a regular gray wolf. Since the description mentioned it retained human combat instincts, it was likely to be more challenging than expected.

Zane felt his entire body lighten as he dashed forward, whipping up a gust of wind—he aimed a Venomous Claw straight at the skeleton’s face!

The Skeleton Warrior raised its iron sword horizontally, as if it had already anticipated Zane’s attack.

Clang!

A purple Armor Break debuff successfully landed on the Skeleton Warrior, reducing its defense to 20. However, the damage was much lower than expected. It barely penetrated its defenses—it was almost completely parried.

Using the recoil, Zane tried to retreat a few steps, but the Skeleton Warrior aggressively pressed forward, raising its sword high.

Crap! Judging by the stance, taking this hit would cost at least two or three hundred HP.

“Icy Moon Slash!” Starry seized the perfect moment, striking the instant the skeleton committed to its attack.

With Icy Moon Slash’s 1.8x damage multiplier and the hidden Interrupt Bonus, the attack instantly shaved off 76% of the skeleton’s HP!

The frost spread across the Skeleton Warrior’s body like venomous insects. However, in the next moment, it all shattered and fell away. The level difference was too high. The freezing effect had failed.

Starry’s attack briefly delayed Heavy Slash, but the Skeleton Warrior quickly resumed its motion, bringing down the sword with tremendous force.

Zane was sent flying from the impact—his HP dropped to half in an instant.

“!” Starry, now furious, swung the Autumn Moon Sword with precision, decapitating the Skeleton Warrior in one swift motion!

The Skeleton Warrior’s HP dropped to zero, and its arms hung limply at its sides.

Zane staggered back to his feet, shaking off the dirt from his body. This Skeleton Warrior’s attack power was insane—just one Heavy Slash had wiped out half of his HP, even with his tanky build.

Fortunately, Starry hadn’t been the one hit—otherwise, she would’ve been instantly killed. No wonder this place was called the Forbidden Zone—these mobs were ridiculously strong!

“You okay?” Starry asked anxiously.

It’s fine, I still have half HP left, and you already took care of— Zane’s words suddenly cut off.

The Skeleton Warrior’s body suddenly twitched—its hands reached for the severed head, realigned it with its neck, and reattached it! The dim flames in its eye sockets reignited. Its HP was fully restored!

What the hell?! This is basically hacking! It can revive?!

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