45 - Gold Chest
After seeing what his Detect skill had picked up, Zack found himself at a loss for words. It wasn't a silver chest.
It was gold.
Zack was convinced that there were only a handful in existence throughout the entire game. He had come across many bronze chests before and even had a stroke of luck with a silver once, but this?
This was on a completely different level.
An opportunity like this would be enough to drive players crazy. If anyone else knew, they wouldn't hesitate to risk everything for it.
But the problem was obvious too.
How was he supposed to open it?
Trying to steal a chest guarded by a field boss? And not just any field boss, the strongest one currently present in the tutorial zone.
That idea alone belonged in the 'top ways to get flattened' list.
Zack rubbed his temples, thoughts racing. After a long moment, he reached the only conclusion… he couldn't do this alone.
He opened his friend list. Iris and Haze were offline. Point was offline as well. Obi was online.
His eyes passed briefly over BudgetSage and xProTraderx. He didn't know them well enough to involve them. Then his gaze settled on three other names he had added way earlier.
After a short pause, Zack made his decision and activated a Recall Stone.
***
Somewhere else, a group of five players were leveling in a dungeon. Their leader, a spear user, received a sudden ping.
He glanced at the notification but ignored it. His focus was on the dungeon boss; a hulking golem with unnatural shoulders and glowing blue eyes, who swung it's massive arm towards him.
The spear user activated a skill. His avatar glowed, light tracing the edges of his armor as he spun the spear with precise control.
Sparks flew as metal met metal.
Spear Fury II: Deals 150% physical damage per strike, hits 2 times in rapid succession, each hit ignoring 20% of enemy DEF.
He unleashed it with fluid grace, each strike tearing through the boss's armor.
Explosive Sting II: Deals 250% physical attack and blast the target that deals an additional weapon damage.
The assault struck with crushing force.
Thud!
The golem's stone joints shattered, gears grinding and sparks flying as it crashed against the dungeon floor. Chunks of rock and metal skittered across the cold stone,
A notification then appeared:
"Congratulations on clearing the hidden Level 8 dungeon — The Golath Labyrinth!"
Only then did the leader look at the message again.
When he opened it, his eyes lit up as a dangerous smile surfaced.
LootBandit: Boss we found a gold chest, but the situation is tricky and there are multiple eyes on it even though I am sure no one knows it yet so please hurry.
***
First things first, he needed to reach level seven.
He was short by about 7.5k experience. A few quests he had picked up would give him at least another two thousand. He wasn't about to risk losing experience like last time.
With that in mind, he submitted his hunting quests and gained a decent chunk of EXP.
He had already asked their trader friend in guild chat to prepare the monster cores. Heading to the Auction House, Zack sent him a private message letting him know he had arrived.
"Wait a moment," the trade friend replied.
A moment later, someone tapped Zack on the shoulder.
He turned and saw a short man staring back at him, his hair messy and black while around his eyes were various tattoos Zack paused.
Most players customized their avatars quite differently. This guy had clearly gone with… a specific preference.
xProTraderx: Here you go. Seven hundred monster cores.
Without wasting time he sent a trade request which Zack accepted.
Zack entered the amount 875 gold coins. According to that guy 1.25 gold coins per core would do. Zack didn't mind it.
"See you around. I'll call you when I get enough recipes," he told Zack.
Zack could only nod as he saw him disappearing into the crowd.
As soon as the trade was completed, his quest updated.
[Quest Complete]
Objective: Submit Monster Cores (1000 / 1000)
Reward: 3,000 EXP
Zack eyebrow's raised slightly. He had expected at least some stat rewards, but the system was too stingy and gave only experience.
Then another notification appeared.
[Quest Update]
Objective: Submit cores from any field bosses (3/3)
[Quest Complete]
Zack froze.
Before he could react, another notification appeared.
[Level Up]
He immediately opened his quest log and realized he had been rewarded with an epic pair of gauntlets, along with enough experience to push him to the next level.
He was stunned for a bit, those bosses cores were gone. He had saved them, thinking they would help in blacksmithing.
[Overseer Gauntlets] (Epic)
Level Requirement: 7
HP +100 | VIT +10 | DEF +25 | M.DEF +15 | AGI +5
Though it was good that he got something for it, and he could equip it already but that unsettled him more now. Every time luck favored him, something unpleasant usually followed.
He then noticed the quest was updated:
[Main Quest] Hunt of Frostpeak Lord
Objective: Kill Frostmaw Behemoth (0/1)
Reward: 1 Legendary Equipment + 15,000 EXP + Title
His eyes went to the rewards.. L- Legendary equipment? For a moment, he just stared. Then rubbed his eyes, and opened them again, just to make sure he wasn't imagining it.
Then he checked the Quest, it was a first for him; a Main quest. This one was probably something that could only be done once, he thought.
"Smoke that lord? I wish…" he muttered. Just the rewards were enough to tell him, this was the 'endgame' of the tutorial.
Seeing it made him remember the other bet he had made with Rin.
A smirk crossed his face then he shook his head wryly, his luck was giving him too much warning today.
Legendary equipment? Sure. He would keep an eye on it.
It wouldn't hurt to try when others went for it. For now, it was still too soon.
Once he put on the armor and gauntlets, a subtle purplish aura began to outline his figure. The onlookers at the auction quickly took notice and were curious about the gear.
"That glow… it's insane!" someone shouted.
Some even had the audacity to offer a mere copper for it.
"Only one copper? Hah! As if! I would at least give two copper!" another yelled, pointing at him.
Their voices rang out, teasing and mocking, but their eyes betrayed envy.
[Character Status – Zack | Priest | Level 7]
HP: 1885/ 1885
MP: 1210/ 1210
Magic Attack Power: 430-445 | INT: 140 | VIT: 62 | Physical Defense: 169 | M.DEF: 15 | AGI: 15
Zack pulled up his status panel, his durability had gone through the roof. He had already put all five level-up points into VIT.
The thought hitting him late... if only I had done this earlier.
After that, he went straight to the auction listings, buying every piece of equipment he could find that boosted HP or reduced ice damage.
Once that was done, he opened his message panel to sent a message.
***
Ryven had been deep in Frostpeak Ridge, grinding with his team. The monsters here were strong enough to keep them focused, and fire magic was especially effective against them.
Crescent Cleave carved a wide arc through the air, striking twice for 180% physical damage per hit. The second slash snapped the monster's spine mid-leap, sending it skidding across the ice.
Before it could fade, Liora was already casting. Fire Explosion detonated at another ice wolf, also damaging nearby wolves around it.
-1470
Keth stepped forward taunting nearby ice wolves instead of retreating. He lowered his shield and surged in. Snow burst outward from the impact.
Earlier, they had witnessed the field boss Leviathan being taken down. One of the players involved was the unconventional priest who had gone full INT and leaned heavily into mage-style skills.
Ryven and his team had sent their congratulations immediately, although there was no reply. Most likely, their messages had gotten buried in spam.
Now, while hacking through another pack of Frostpeak monsters, Ryven's screen pinged.
It was a message from Zack: "Interested in hunting together?"
Ryven replied immediately.
"Who would say no to a celebrity?"
Zack merely shook his head and told them to wait outside the edge of Frostpeak Ridge until he contacted them again.
He didn't mention the gold chest. That kind of info could change how people acted.
Now it was just a matter of waiting.
Zack kept an eye on his guild list, hoping the others would log in soon. He told Obi to bring Point along once she came online. He then visited the alchemy station and crafted several batches of Frostguard Elixir.
[Crafting: Frostguard Elixir]
[Success Rate: 50%]
Materials Consumed:
• Frost Shard ×7,820
• Ice Herb ×3,910
• Alchemy Catalyst ×40
[Result: 4,000 Success / 3,890 Failure]
The failed batches dissolved instantly while the successful elixirs stacked in neat rows. Even after all the preparation, Zack wasn't confident they would succeed.
An hour later, Iris and Haze logged back in. Zack gave them the same instructions he had given Ryven.
Ten minutes after that, Point finally came online.
Deciding it was time, Zack sent the ping to everyone and closed his interface.
Meet up. Now.