As Rain collected his saved funds and mid-tier space ring, he walked toward his room.
Before that, he instructed Mark to sell his old artifacts, as they held no further value to him.
Once inside his room, he started preparing for his upcoming outdoor training.
He aimed to collect at least three hidden pieces per day, as he needed to return before his birthday, which was only a few days away.
After thinking about this plan, Rain felt exhausted.
He informed Charles that he would be gone for three days for outdoor training, and began packing all the food, money, and equipment he needed for hunting.
He also took four 25-kg body weights to increase his stats and train his body.
Rain asked Mark to bring him some potions and passed him notes with the ingredients for elixirs he knew.
Some of them were common, while others were rare.
Maybe within four days, Mark would be able to get them all with the family's network.
***
After preparing everything, Rain came out of the mansion.
There are many ways of traveling in this world. Like the Hyper Cycle, which looks like a cycle, Galactic Glide (full-speed trains), Quantum Racer (racing car), and Neuron Cruiser (airship), there are also teleportation portals in the main cities.
Rain went to the parking area of the mansion where he saw many vehicles parked.
So, he took his Space Sprinter bike and thought about how he had to take it to save some time, as he didn't have much time left.
Although he wanted to travel by Quantum Racer car, it would attract too much attention. Rain grumbled inwardly at the thought.
At first glance, the Space Sprinter appeared to be a regular motorcycle, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was far more advanced than any traditional vehicle.
The body of the bike was sleek and aerodynamic, with smooth lines and a futuristic, almost metallic finish.
The tires were large and sturdy, capable of withstanding any terrain or environment. There were no visible exhaust pipes, as the bike was powered by a sophisticated, environmentally-friendly energy source.
In addition to its impressive appearance, the bike was equipped with various advanced features that allowed it to travel by road, sea, and air.
It was outfitted with retractable wings and powerful thrusters, allowing it to take to the skies like a high-tech aircraft.
It could also transform into a watercraft, with a waterproof hull and powerful jet propulsion system.
Although Rain had never driven anything like this before, and even in his current life he rarely drove it, with the driving skill that he got from the system, it was easy to drive, even if it was his first time driving it.
As Rain drove Space Sprinter, his thoughts turned to the location of the first hidden piece.
His first destination was the F-class Dungeon, where he hoped to retrieve an artifact.
It had belonged to a bully who had caused trouble at the academy.
"Although it's just some advanced artifact, the effect is good for me now," Rain thought.
After driving for a while, Rain arrived at the forest outside the city.
He landed near the entrance and set out to find the hidden cave that served as a dungeon according to the game's instructions.
"According to the storyline, It should be around here," Rain mumbled.
After a short search, he discovered the dungeon.
It was situated in a remote and desolate area, with a rugged and rocky landscape, cliffs, and dense vegetation.
The entrance to the cave was concealed behind a thick curtain of vines and foliage, making it difficult to spot from a distance.
However, since Rain knew about it beforehand, it was easy for him to find.
Rain observed the dungeon and muttered to himself, "So here I am, F-class dungeon Wolf's den. There is one hidden passage that leads to the artifact."
Rain pushed aside the overgrown grass and stepped into the cave, his heart pounding with excitement and trepidation.
"Alright, I have got this," he whispered to himself, his voice echoing off the cave walls.
As he entered the cave, darkness enveloped him, and he could feel the damp, musty air clinging to his skin, sending shivers down his spine.
"Gross. Smells like something died in here," he muttered under his breath, pulling a headband with a flashlight out of his space ring.
He secured it firmly on his head and turned on the light, illuminating the narrow passageway leading deeper into the cave.
The slick walls and loose rocks littering the ground made him cautious.
"Slow and steady, looks like I have to watch my steps," he reminded himself.
As he proceeded further into the cave, the passageway widened, revealing a larger chamber.
The dim light from a few flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the walls.
He took off the headband and stored it in his space ring, his eyes adjusting to the dim light.
The air was still stale, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the cavern, creating an eerie ambiance.
The chamber was cluttered with piles of stones and debris, and several rough-hewn passages led off into the darkness.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps. Rain unsheathed the sword he had received from his family and waited, heart, pounding.
A pack of wild wolves appeared before him. Rain braced himself and said, "Time for some adventuring, I guess."
He unsheathed the sword and leaped on the wolves to attack.
***
After an hour, Rain slumped down on the boulder, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. "I've hunted wolves before, but these were almost too easy," he said to himself, looking down at his clothes; soaked in wolves' blood, he hunted.
Till now he spent an hour clearing the way and eventually discovered a secret passage leading to a hidden piece.
As he reflected on the hunt, Rain couldn't help but feel that the wolves in this area were easier to take down than usual.
"Looks like proficiency for Swordsmanship will soon rise," He hoped, swordsmanship would soon break through.
In his hand, he held a necklace he had found earlier in the day.
[Appraise]
→[Solan's necklace: Advance low-tier artifact
This artifact confers numerous advantages on its wearer.
In addition to boosting physical strength, the necklace accelerates the growth of the wearer's abilities and aptitudes.
With its help, individuals can master new skills and learn at an accelerated pace, making them more effective and efficient in achieving their objectives.]
Seeing the information about the artifact with an appraisal skill, Rain slightly smiled.
"Yeah. This is what I wanted. It's because, with my hard worker trait and this artifact's effect, my power will restore quite fast." After that, Rain wore that necklace around his neck.
Excited to test out his newfound power, Rain stepped off the boulder he had been standing on and waited for his opponent. He wasn't waiting for a girl or even a human, but a monster.
The hidden artifact he sought was guarded by the monster.
As he waited, Rain thought about the extra character; who had also acquired the artifact when the monster was absent.
Unlike that extra character, Rain had different plans. He was determined to defeat the hidden monster.
"Grr..."
At that moment, Rain heard a voice and only turned to see a wolf with crimson-colored fur glaring at him.
Its bloodshot eyes suggested anger, perhaps because Rain had stolen an artifact or killed its kind cruelly.
→[Red Big Wolf: E rank]
Looking at its rank, Rain thought it was only slightly stronger than him.
Although he lacked combat experience, he knew a strategy to kill it. He unsheathed his sword and attacked.
SWOOSH
Despite attempting to strike vital points, the Red Big Wolf easily dodged Rain's attack and charged forward with bared teeth.
Its red fur bristled as it let out a deafening howl, sending shivers down Rain's spine. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to defeat it.
"Come on, you ugly mutt! Let's see what you've got!" Rain shouted, trying to goad the wolf into attacking.
As the wolf charged, Rain sidestepped and aimed a swift strike at its side, hoping to make it stumble.
However, the wolf was too quick and swiped its razor-sharp claws at him in retaliation.
BANG
Rain barely dodged the attack, but the force of the swipe sent him tumbling to the ground.
He realized he had to keep dodging and couldn't face the wolf's attack head-on.
"Hmm, he is fast," Rain thought as he got back on his feet.
Grimacing in pain, he quickly scrambled to his feet just as the wolf charged again.
"Come on, you overgrown furball, I've got a surprise for you!" Rain yelled as he readied his sword.
This time, Rain was ready.
As the wolf leaped towards him, he aimed a powerful blow at its chest, hoping to strike a vital organ.
PUCHI
The blow caused a deep wound, and blood started dripping from it.
With a snarl, the wolf landed and spun around, aiming for a vicious bite at Rain's neck.
With a quick sidestep, Rain managed to avoid the wolf's bite and aimed a swift strike at its hind leg, hoping to cause it to stumble.
As he struck, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the sound of the wolf's pained yelp.
The red wolf barely avoided his strike. It quickly recovered and launched itself at Rain once again, aiming a series of vicious swipes with its razor-sharp claws.
Rain barely managed to avoid the attacks, but he knew he couldn't keep this up for long.
With a deep breath, Rain gathered his strength and launched himself toward the wolf, aiming a powerful blow at its head.
He felt the impact reverberate through his arm as the wolf stumbled backward, dazed.
Seizing his chance, Rain quickly aimed a swift strike at the wolf's throat, hoping to deliver a fatal blow.
"Awoo..." However, the red wolf howled. "Damn," Rain grumbled as the howl of a wolf pierced through the air.
He knew that the wolf was calling its pack and it wouldn't be long before they arrived.
Rain barely managed to avoid the attacks, but he knew he couldn't keep this up for long. "I need to end this quickly before the other wolves arrive," he thought, feeling the weight of the situation.
With a fierce growl, a dozen wolves suddenly came running toward Rain.
Rain grunted as he dodged the wolves' attacks, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan.
"Dealing with wolves in a group is always a pain," he thought to himself.
"I've got to take them down one by one, or I'll be overwhelmed." He kept his eyes focused on the wolves, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He dodged their attacks and aimed at their vital organs.
One by one, many of the wolves fell to the ground, defeated.
Breathing heavily, Rain stood over fallen beasts, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
But he still got some injuries.
"Awoo.." The red wolf howled loudly, signaling its transformation into a berserk state.
"Just ten seconds, and then this Wolf's berserk phase will end and it will die." Rain decided to endure for ten more seconds.
10...
Its speed accelerated, and Rain had a hard time defending against its attacks, while the remaining 3-4 wolves were also attacking him at the same time.
9...
But as the berserk red wolf lost its sanity, it began to attack the other wolves.
8...
As the red wolf started fighting the other wolves, Rain found an opening and started attacking them.
PUCHI
7...
Just then, the red wolf attacked Rain. Caught off guard, he quickly pulled out the sword near him to defend himself.
BAM
6...
Rain was thrown back and collided with some boulders.
BOOM
5...
He took some quick breaths and turned his body in the air before landing, minimizing the impact. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.
4...
The red wolf left the herd of wolves and started running toward Rain.
3...
Rain stood up and jumped on a boulder, then started running between the boulders.
2...
The Red Wolf kept the following Rain.
1...
THUD
Now, the 10 seconds had ended, and the red wolf fell to the ground.
Rain breathed a sigh of relief. He saw more wolves coming towards him, so he escaped from there.
***
"Huff... Hah... huff..." Rain was short on breath after escaping.
'It was quite close.' He was quite tired after fighting. Some of his bones were slightly cracked and he got some injuries. His dirty clothes were torn in many places.
There were sweat drops on his forehead.
He took out a water bottle from his space ring and poured water on his head.
It helped him to catch some breath and calm himself.
He took out some potions and new clothes from his space ring.
He gulped down potions and while he was changing into new clothes, he heard some notifications.
→[Congratulations to the host for killing a hidden monster for the first time.]
→[Swordsmanship mastery upgraded to Elementary.]
→[Reward: Butcher & Gather skill acquired.]
After seeing this, only one line came into Rain's mind.
'Reward for the hard work is always sweet.'
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶