Zectas Book II: Heraldic City of Coatl (3 page)

 

 

 

 

 

After interrogating Mitleid, Smoke informed everyone of his decision. They would leave for the Knight City of Coatl.

 

 

As Smoke gave everyone their specific tasks, in preparation for their new adventure, he estimated that it would take them at least a day if not more to complete it.

 

 

He called for Laernea and told her that they had to make a quick trip to a hidden fox hole.

 

 

With Bilis' speed they arrived in the fox hole at no time.

 

 

 

 

Smoke stepped inside and remembered how difficult it was for him to face the dire foxes. He smiled as he saw the empty cave inside.

 

 

The dire foxes hid to the furthest corners of the foxhole. Smoke was now level 87 with a hidden basic job. He had satisfied the requirements for them to be wary of him.

 

 

Even if they did decide to attack him the monsters would be killed instantly. He started collecting the pelts of the dire foxes that he had killed long ago. Slowly, heading towards the spot where he was backed against the wall. There he found the loot that he had been looking for.

 

 

+ Acquired rare hand accessory: Wise Ring of the Dire Fox.

 

 

 

 

Whenever Smoke received rare items he couldn't help but give out an eerie smile that reached from ear to ear. Ecstasy was not enough to describe the elation that he felt during these events.

 

 

As he tried on the ring, he immediately felt the difference in his ability. The 'Cunning of the Dire Fox' increased to Advance Level 8, with a radius of 440 meters.

 

 

He easily felt the presence of the hidden dire foxes at the end of the cave. While continuing to admire his ring he realized that he had gotten a rare item from the horned rabbits and the dire fox but he didn't get one from the armored armadillos.

 

 

It wasn't logical that there would be no rare item drop for the armored armadillo. He asked Laernea to go ahead without him. He needed some time alone to think why this was so.

 

 

When he fought the horned rabbits he got the sense of how to become more agile. When he fought the dire foxes in the foxhole he gained the wisdom how to discern the attacks of the foxes. But with the armored armadillo just kept on killing them until he managed his 10,000th kill.

 

 

He did get the ability but he did not learn anything from the monster itself. Thinking that if he used the learned ability against the monster, it could result in the coveted rare item drop, Smoke started constructing an archer tower.

 

 

An earth tower stood at the exit of the foxhole. Smoke was about to take off and fly towards Nanahuatl when he sensed a group of armored armadillos some distance away.

 

 

With his enhanced 'Cunning of the Dire Fox' he could easily find them without having to strain his eyes and neck looking for them and if you include the vantage point from his earth tower he now had a clear sight of the plains.

 

 

On top of his tower he started shooting the armored armadillos with his arrows. He killed them in one shot but this time he used the 'Armor Break of the Armored Armadillo'. He moved turned the earth tower into a mobile archer tower by moving it towards the groups of armored armadillo.

 

 

Igniz wanted to kill some of the armored armadillos as well but was told not to. After all, he needed to kill them using the specific ability.

 

 

It took him two days to return to Nanahuatl but the delayed two days was worth it. Smoke got the rare item drop from the armored armadillo. The Armored Armadillo Shield.

 

 

As soon as the item dropped, he inspected it and found the attributes to be more than satisfactory.

 

 

 

 

After he got the rare item. Smoke raised the height of the earth tower and used his cape, 'Wings of Cologus'. He leapt off the tower and started gliding towards Nanahuatl.

 

 

 

 

Upon Smoke's return he saw Sierra waiting for him at the village entrance.

 

 

"Don't tell me you went to another mountain? I was only gone for a couple of hours and when I came back online you were out on some solo adventure again."

 

 

"Sorry for not telling you. I just needed to get a few item drops from my earlier time here in Zectas. If it's any consolation Igniz was bored the whole time as well. I had him do, absolutely nothing."

 

 

Igniz went flying around Sierra as if trying to tell her how boring the last two days were.

 

 

"Fine! I'm guessing you're finally ready to leave for Coatl City then?"

 

 

"As soon as I gather the things I've asked Darius to prepare, we will head to Coatl City."

 

 

Smoke went to Darius' home. After a few minutes he stepped out all dressed up as a swordsman. He was wearing a a swordsman's basic leather armor. He had his Armored Armadillo shield on his left hand and a small gladius sword on his right. He also wore the lucky bunny ears.

 

 

Because  he was still in the first stage of the Beggar job, Smoke looked shabby. Yet, the young man was very pleased with himself. Sierra couldn't help but ask why he was so happy.

 

 

"Why the smug look?"

 

 

"Now, I don't look like the 'Smoke' from videos that I posted, right?"

 

 

"Yeah, I guess, but why did you wear the bunny ears? I thought your Luck was already at 999?"

 

 

"I'm sure a lot of the players will ask me how I managed to make my critical attacks. When that happens, I'll just show them this lucky bunny ears. I can't very well tell them I have 999 Luck now can I?"

 

 

"Ahh, that makes sense. But why don't you want the other players to recognize you as Smoke? I thought you wanted to be famous and be the top player of Zectas?"

 

 

"I do. Sadly, I still don't have enough power to back that claim but once I do, I'll show the world my real intentions and stand on top of everyone. Especially that Tristan!"

 

 

"So, what do we call you now? Since you don't want to be recognized as Smoke?"

 

 

He made his voice louder in order for his entire private army to hear.

 

 

"Everyone, whenever we are on a convert mission such as this one. Please call me Ilad..."

 

 

With all their preparations completed they finally headed towards Coatl City.

 

 

 

 

 

The trip that would have taken them one hundred days by foot now only took them two days by stag moose. Laernea and Gandiva's chosen jobs couldn't be more perfect.

 

 

As Coatl City came into view. Smoke ordered his party to stop. He couldn't help but admire the vastness of the city. In his heart he knew that Nanahuatl was the best place in Zectas but he would be lying if he said that this sight wasn't amazing.

 

 

The city frankly was a metropolis. Using his 'TeleFax Vision' ability he scrutinized the city. It had four layers of walls. The first outer area had thirty two entrances all of which had heavy armored knights protecting them.

 

 

The second area had sixteen, and the third had eight, and the last inner wall had four. The number of guards protecting the entrances increased as the area moves inwards to the city's castle.

 

 

The first area had expansive farmlands and small villages scattered all over. The second area looked like the business district and some better looking houses.

 

 

The third area appeared to hold the homes of nobles and aristocrats of the city, while the fourth area contained the castle surrounded by a moat, encircled by lush green garden.

 

 

From here, Smoke's forces would split up. He would only take Laernea and Gandiva with him into the city. They were the only ones that were not included in his videos.

 

 

Sierra would take command of everyone else as they searched for the secret exit of the Labyrinth. Mitleid told them that it was in a village outside of the main city, south west of the outer city walls.

 

 

Igniz would have to hide under Smoke's hood the entire time. He knew that he had to stay there otherwise he would give away Smoke's disguise.

 

 

Smoke and the Lioumereans headed towards the city. He rode on the back of Gandiva as they left the carriages behind.

 

 

When they reached the entrance one of the Knight Guards stopped them.

 

 

"Halt! State your name and business in Coatl City."

 

 

Laernea and Gandiva both stared at each other. They've been here before. This was the place where all eight of them changed into the basic job of an Archer.

 

 

They didn't remember the guards being this strict. Especially, since they are still in the outer area. It would have been acceptable if it were in the third or the fourth area but not here.

 

 

Laernea tried speaking with the Guard Knight but was dismissed. The Guard Knight stared directly at Smoke.

 

 

"My name is Ilad, I'm a swordsman from Centza City. I came to seek the advance job of a Guard Knight."

 

 

"Hahahaha! You, become a Guard Knight like us? A hooded swordsman with bunny ears? Hahahaha! You may look like a swordsman but you stink like a beggar. If that is your purpose here then begone at once! We do not welcome a swordsman with your stench."

 

 

Smoke knew that his 'Beggary' ability would not work on this Guard Knight. He was about to leave when another player riding a black dirus wolf was about to enter the gate.

 

 

He heard the Guard Knight reject passage to the swordsman player. He approached Smoke and asked him what the issue was.

 

 

His black dirus wolf was only slightly shorter than the stag moose that Smoke and the Lioumereans were riding on. Smoke quickly took command of the conversation.

 

 

"Good day, sir Knight. My name is Ilad. I was about to enter the city when the Guard Knights stopped me because of my tattered appearance."

 

 

"Really? I've never heard of such a thing happening before. Of course, I've never returned with such a damaged appearance such as yourself. But I really doubt that it was merely your look that made them stop you."

 

 

"Nice! I've never met such a perceptive player like you. I actually came from Centza City. I was about to get my advance job as a Knight when a famous guild started gathering players for a quest. Unfortunately, we failed that quest and suffered high penalties in intimacies with NPCs, especially those guarding Centza City. I thought that if I came here to Coatl that it would be a different case. Sadly, it isn't."

 

 

The player on top of the dirus wolf looked upon Smoke and the Lioumereans. He looked at them from head to foot. He felt that they were hiding something and wanted to find out what it was.

 

 

"My name is Macher, and I'm a Cavalry Knight. I have close intimacies with most of the Guard Knights around the city. Let me see if I can help you out in entering Coatl."

 

 

Macher got off his black dirus wolf and went to the Guard Knight that questioned Smoke. It appeared that he slipped something to the Guard Knight. Smoke thought that it must have been a bribe. He would have done the same thing if he felt that the Guard Knight would have taken it.

 

 

"Good news! My friends, the guards have changed their opinions of you and will allow you passage into the  first area of the city."

 

 

"Thank you Macher. Can I pay you for the kindness that you've just shown?"

 

 

"Don't mention it, Ilad. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same. But since you did offer to repay me. I'd like to show you around Coatl City."

 

 

"Oh, but these Lioumereans are here on an urgent quest. I have to take them to their destination as soon as possible. If I miss the time limit, I might fail the quest."

 

 

"Then, all the more reason for me to show you around."

 

 

"Seriously, that won't be necessary. I only have to take them to the Archer academia and there's only one of that in the entire city right?"