I Can Extract Game Items

August reached the top of the vine-laden climb, pulling himself onto a vast stone platform.

His breath caught as he took in the sight before him—Tavirah the lost, floating city, shrouded in an atmosphere of eerie darkness.

Heavy, dark clouds hung over the city, blocking any hint of sunlight and casting everything in an oppressive gloom. The air was thick with an unnatural chill, and the faint sound of echoing whispers drifted through the wind, carried like ghostly murmurs.

Ahead, phantom-like beings drifted aimlessly. Their bodies were translucent and shadowy, swirling in and out of form as if caught between existence and oblivion.

Abandoned buildings lined the streets—houses with shattered windows, crumbling statues of forgotten heroes, and towers that leaned precariously under the weight of time. In certain areas, swirling mists of ash formed ominous clouds that obscured the path forward. Their slow, swirling movements added to the city's haunted feel.

[Warning: You are in a highly hostile area. Proceed with caution.]

August ducked behind a broken stone wall, eyeing the ghostly figures that roamed nearby. Taking a deep breath, he reached into his inventory and pulled out the map of Tavirah that Sir Dumblore had provided.

He unfurled it carefully, glancing over the landmarks and markings that indicated the locations of the three rare minerals he needed to retrieve.

The first location was marked as the Treasury—formerly the household of the city's lord.

August memorized the route, tucked the map away, and began moving cautiously through the desolate streets, avoiding the wandering phantoms as he crept toward the treasury.

The treasury was a grand building, albeit in ruins, with towering columns that had partially collapsed, and a once-magnificent doorway now barely hanging by its hinges.

It seemed to be the least populated with these phantoms, making it his safest initial target.

August slipped inside with light footsteps as he moved through the sparsely lit hall.

Inside, he found rows of treasure chests stacked neatly against the walls, covered in dust and cobwebs. Their contents seemed to be untouched for centuries. Ancient gold coins, artifacts, and jewelry glinted faintly in the darkness. The lost city was no doubt one of past wealth.

[Quest Update: Retrieve Material 0/3]

August proceeded quietly, searching through the treasury. His eyes landed on a shimmering, dark crystal nestled within a chest—it was the first mineral on his list.

[Item Acquired: Dark Shard (Quest Item)]

[Current Objective: 1/3 materials retrieved]

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Satisfied, he carefully closed the chest. But as he glanced around, his gaze caught sight of other valuable items—a sapphire pendant, a finely wrought silver dagger, and a golden idol encrusted with gems... These were just a tiny lot in the pool of treasures stored here.

His fingers twitched in temptation. The urge to take something extra was almost overwhelming. He considered his options, reasoning that no other players had ever been able to enter Tavirah due to the protective barrier surrounding it.

Without the enchanted stone Sir Dumblore had given him, he wouldn't have been able to bypass the barrier either. This was definitely a rare opportunity.

Just as he reached for a small jeweled box, an intense chill swept over him, and he froze. The faint sound of footsteps—slow, deliberate, and heavy—echoed through the hall.

He quickly ducked behind a pile of broken stone, holding his breath as a towering figure entered the room.

The creature was massive and its form was darker than the phantoms he had seen outside. Its head was crowned with sharp pointy horns, and tendrils of shadow flickered around its hulking frame. Above its head, glowing red letters floated ominously:

[Dark Vulkan Beast - Level 45]

August's heart pounded. There was no way he could fight a creature of that level and survive so confrontation was out of the picture.

He gripped his dagger tightly, willing himself to stay perfectly still. The Dark Beast prowled the room with its piercing red eyes scanning the area, but it eventually turned and lumbered away, disappearing into the shadows.

Letting out a quiet breath of relief, August remained hidden for a few moments longer before carefully making his way back out of the treasury. Once outside, he took one last look at the building before hurrying toward his next target.

The second location, according to the map, was a pond nestled within an overgrown garden, choked with twisted trees and thick brambles.

The water was dark and murky, almost black, and ripples moved across its surface, though no wind disturbed it.

August crouched by the pond, scanning the area for the second mineral. His eyes landed on a faint glow emanating from beneath the water—a deep red crystal lodged in the pond's bed. He took a deep breath and reached into the water with his fingers closing around the crystal.

[Item Acquired: Bloodstone (Quest Item)]

[Current Objective: 2/3 materials retrieved]

Just as he pulled the crystal from the water, a strange, ghostly creature floated out from behind a tree. It was smaller than the Dark Beast but had a menacing aura.

Its shadowy form was vaguely humanoid, with long, sharp claws and hollow, glowing eyes that locked onto August.

[Dark Phantom - Level 22]

The creature hissed while lunging at August. He quickly drew his dagger, ready for a fight.

August activated Shadow Dance to blend with the surroundings and confuse the creature. As it flailed, looking for him, he darted to its side and struck with Hidden Strike.

[Critical Hit! -1750 HP]

The Dark Phantom shrieked as its HP bar dropped, but it retaliated swiftly, swiping at him with its claws.

[ -200 HP ]

August winced as the claws grazed him, but he steadied himself and activated Lightning Bolt, sending a crackling arc of electricity through the phantom.

[Lightning Bolt Activated. MP -250]

[ -2600 HP ]

The phantom let out a final shriek and dissolved into a wisp of smoke.

[Enemy Defeated: Dark Phantom +2500 EXP]

August straightened up after winning the fight fairly easily, but then, unexpectedly, a system notification appeared in front of him.

[1/100]

It seemed to be a progress bar of sorts since it appeared in the corner of his screen.

"One of a hundred? Is it counting my kills?" August wondered, not fully understanding what this was about since there was no further information.

Soft hissing sounds drew his attention. More Dark Phantoms materialized from the shadows as their eyes fixed on him with murderous intent.

[Dark Phantoms - Levels 20-23]

'One, two... Seven... Thirteen, twenty... Thirty-nine...' August counted with a look of disbelief.

Realizing he couldn't take them all on at once, August turned and fled, sprinting through the overgrown garden as the creatures pursued him.

Occasionally, he glanced over his shoulder, and whenever one got too close, he'd strike with a quick Slash or Fireball.

[ -2600 HP ]

[4/100]

[ -1750 HP ]

[7/100]

He continued battling and evading, watching as the progress bar slowly climbed.

At this point, he was sure the system was counting his kills but he had no idea why.

He didn't intend to stick around and battle a hundred of them to find out.

Eventually, after a grueling escape, he managed to lose the phantoms by slipping through a narrow passageway between two large boulders. The hissing faded as he put distance between himself and his pursuers, finally allowing him to catch his breath.

[10/100]

Satisfied for now, he checked his map once more. Only one location remained—the last mineral was hidden in an underground mining tunnel.

August cautiously made his way toward the final marked spot on the map. The tunnel entrance lay on the outskirts of Tavirah, concealed by dense growth of bush and fallen stone.

As he pushed through the vegetation and stepped inside, he felt the temperature drop even further. The scent of damp earth and decay drifted into his nostrils.

The walls of the tunnel were lined with ancient mining equipment, most of which were rusted and broken.

Faint glimmers of silver and iron veins sparkled in the walls, hinting at the city's former wealth.

[Quest Update: Locate the Third Material]

August scanned the area, searching for the telltale glow that would indicate the final mineral. He ventured deeper into the tunnel, careful not to make a sound, knowing that any noise could draw unwanted attention.

After several minutes, he spotted it—tucked away in a small alcove, surrounded by broken pickaxes and scattered stones, was the third mineral, a crystal that shone with a dark green hue.

[Item Acquired: Jade Shard (Quest Item)]

[Current Objective: 3/3 materials retrieved]

August let out a sigh of relief. He'd successfully retrieved all three items. But just as he turned to leave, the ground shook, and a deep, guttural growl echoed from the darkness further down the tunnel.

He froze in disbelief as another notification appeared:

[Warning: Boss Creature Approaching]

[Dark Golem - Level 34]