"Shangri-La Frontier, Swamp Digger Maddeik…"
After enjoying Teak's Mad Frog Tongue Skewers and a small feast with Aitoil at the Rabbit Palace's dining hall, Pepper logged out to research the Swamp Digger on his smartphone.
"Nice, found some stuff… What's this? Shangri-La Frontier Monster Compendium?"
Azusa had stumbled upon a player-compiled database detailing the game's monsters, their behaviors, and strategies for tackling them.
"Whoa, this is detailed—spawn areas, attack patterns, effective combat methods…"
In any large-scale, open-world game, dedicated players analyze enemies' behaviors and share their findings, paving the way for others. Azusa loved diving into such community efforts.
"Here's the Swamp Digger… Got it. Wait, it's a shark-catfish hybrid?!"
The monster's design—a shark's head, dorsal fin, and tail fused with a catfish's body and axolotl-like legs—was a bizarre chimera that gave Azusa pause. Despite its oddity, the Swamp Digger's balanced, area-boss aesthetic radiated menace.
"Alright, shark-catfish, you're going down," Azusa declared. "I'll crush you and clear the path to Thirdrema…!"
He memorized the Swamp Digger's patterns and ecology. The swamp's terrain would complicate things, and his build wasn't ideal. Success hinged on exploiting his customization strategically.
"Ugh, come on, Rex-san, please give me an item that works against this thing…!"
Knowing the Swamp Digger's matchup, Azusa prayed to the NPC gods as he checked the time and logged back in, unease gnawing at him. His character build, combined with the swamp's terrain and the boss, was a nightmare.
In Shangri-La Frontier, field mechanics mirror real-world terrain and physics with uncanny fidelity. Grasslands, wastelands, and paved roads affect movement; steep slopes can cause tumbling damage; and falls from heights can kill. These rules apply equally to friend and foe alike.
For newbies, the first major hurdle is the swamp's mechanics and the Swamp Digger. The swamp imposes a Forced March status, slowing players as their feet sink into the muck until they hit solid ground. The Swamp Digger's unique action further torments players, stranding many in Secondil, unable to reach Thirdrema.
As a result, the Swamp Digger is a rite of passage for beginners, a brutal introduction to Shangri-La Frontier's unforgiving world.
"…Ugh, what do I do?"
Having researched the Swamp Digger, Pepper logged back into Shangri-La Frontier and woke on the Rabbit Palace's bed. Beside him was Aitoil, her alcohol haze mostly cleared, now only mildly tipsy. She was polishing her naginata's blade.
"Yoo, Pepper-han, what's with the long face?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Remember how Rex at the Enhance Trading Company asked me to test a new product against the Swamp Digger? I looked it up, and… it's gonna be tough on my own."
Aitoil's eyes narrowed, her voice steady. "Pepper-han, the Okashira tasked me with lookin' after ya. Even a wanderer like me can't let a guy with resolve like yours down. That'd make my Vorpal Soul weep. If it's tough, you can count on me."
Her words bolstered Pepper, who was teetering on the edge of doubt. He still didn't fully grasp what "Vorpal Soul" meant, but her encouragement was a lifeline.
Curious, he checked Aitoil's stats:
NPC: Aitoil
Level: 79
Main Job: Wanderer
Sub-Job: Vorpal Bunny Traveler
HP: 170
MP: 235
Stamina: 80
Strength: 58
Agility: 90
Dexterity: 73
Skill: 72
Endurance: 47
Luck: 40
Skills:
Drunken Breath
Crescent Slash
Peerless Flash Strike
Wanderer Blade: Yaksha Slash
Wanderer Strike: Lunar Might
Magic:
[Coordinate Shift]
[Coordinate Shift Gate]
[Coordinate Shift: Triumphal Arch]
[Random Encounter Level 1]
Equipment:
Weapon: Storm Naginata Tiger Roar
Head: Wanderer's Straw Hat
Body: Wanderer's Kimono
Waist: Wanderer's Hakama
Feet: None
Accessories: Wind-Calling Bell, Small Pouch, Enchanted Peach Lantern
Yeah, she's crazy strong, Pepper thought. Her gear was top-notch, and every stat outclassed his. She was likely a temporary ally NPC, a safety net for players like him, hampered by the Lycaon's curse and unable to level properly. A once-in-a-lifetime partner.
Still, right here, right now, he needed her strength to prove the Enhance Trading Company's prototype against the Swamp Digger.
"Aitoil, this'll be dangerous, but I'm counting on you," Pepper said, resolve firming.
"You got it, Pepper-han. Let's do this!"
Decision made, he'd borrow the rabbit's strength to get the job done. Until the blacksmith's deadline, Pepper and Aitoil strategized for the Swamp Digger battle.
Leaving the Rabbit Palace for Secondil, Pepper kept Aitoil hidden in his cloak and bolted to the weapon shop. The blacksmith spotted him as he burst through the door. "Been waitin' for ya, Pepper!"
"Hey, is everything ready?"
"Yup. Repaired your Vorpal Small Hammer, crafted the two new weapons you wanted, and beefed up your Lock-On Breaker. All done right."
The blacksmith transferred the repaired Vorpal Small Hammer to Pepper's inventory and set two new weapons on the counter. One was a dagger with a shimmering blue blade, etched with sunlight-on-water patterns. The other was a small hammer, its translucent blue head evoking light piercing a lake's depths.
Swamp Pepper Dagger: A dagger that glimmers through the mire, forged from the swamp's finest ores. A warrior's steadfast companion, its brilliance depends on its wielder.
On critical hit, reduces durability loss by half for a short time.
Swamp Pepper Small Hammer: A hammer that glimmers through the mire, forged from the swamp's finest ores. A warrior's steadfast companion, its brilliance depends on its wielder.
On critical hit, reduces durability loss by half for a short time.
The "steadfast companion" line suggested durability was their strength. What caught Pepper's eye, though, was the name—"Swamp Pepper" echoed his own, a nod to his spice-inspired alias.
"These are amazing…!"
"Thanks to the ores you brought, I went all out on the Lock-On Breaker, too," the blacksmith said proudly. "That weapon's got some history with my dumb apprentice, so I put extra heart into it. Oh, and here's something else—might come in handy."
As Pepper stored the new weapons, the blacksmith placed a small hammer on the counter, its blue and silver veins pulsing like blood, its black handle deeper than night, with spiked cones on both faces for devastating impact. Beside it lay a notebook.
Suddenly, the Lock-On Breaker Secret Manual from Fasteia appeared, absorbed the notebook, and vanished. Checking the new weapons and the updated manual, Pepper froze in shock.
Madness Breaker (Unique Weapon): An evolved form of the Lock-On Breaker, forged from the Quad-Eight Swamp's abundant ores. Its alloyed hardness is unmatched, yet its true potential lies far ahead.
Increases damage against the nearest monster or player.
Breaking mineral items with this weapon restores durability based on their rarity.
Lock-On Breaker Secret Manual+: A recipe for crafting and evolving the unique Lock-On Breaker. Show it to a blacksmith with the right materials to produce it.
Not stored in the inventory, cannot be stolen via PK, and cannot be discarded.
(Holy… The Lock-On Breaker's name changed, it's built for PvP now, and the manual evolved?! This is like a grandpa going overboard spoiling his grandkid!)
Cold sweat poured down Pepper's back. If this weapon were mass-produced, it could upend Shangri-La Frontier's balance. A line from another game echoed in his mind—a master swordsman's warning to his disciple after a fateful battle:
"A power so great it could change the world is a poison that destroys even its wielder. Never forget that."
(I won't forget… Not the weight of this weapon or the quest I've been given!)
Gripping the newly evolved Madness Breaker tightly, Pepper steeled himself. The battle with the Swamp Digger was imminent.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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