Mysterious Fog World: Eldritch Nexus

Myst Haven Territory

Owner: Maria Wildfang (Drake Stone)

Realm: Mortal Territory

Area: 1 square kilometer

Special Buildings: None

Available Products: Fog Compass, Territory Compass

Special Resources: None

Characteristics: None

Since Maria was Drake's follower, he also held a higher status as the territory’s ultimate owner. Drake had the authority to remove her as the territory owner and appoint someone else if necessary.

Typically, lords had to be constantly vigilant when assigning someone as the owner of their territory. If the appointed owner betrayed them, the lord would lose control over the territory. After such a betrayal, the owner no longer served their lord, severing any control the lord had over the territory.

These betrayals happened numerous times in the past. Non-players usually had no way to accurately determine the loyalty of their followers, making such betrayals common. Consequently, lords often preferred to manage a single territory themselves rather than risk delegating to multiple followers. The loss from even one betrayal could be catastrophic.

Ideally, a follower should be devout with a loyalty rating above 90 points before being assigned a territory. This would minimize the chances of betrayal. Assigning the territory to a fanatic follower was even better. However, Drake had no such concerns. Maria was a zealot with a full 100 points of loyalty and would never betray him, no matter what. This unwavering loyalty was one of the reasons he trusted her to be the territory owner.

All territories started at the Mortal realm with an area of one square kilometer. Initially, territories might have some basic products available. By default, all territories had the option to purchase a Fog Compass, which was used to find any nearby territory in the fog, and a Territory Compass, which was used to locate the territory it belonged to.

Maria checked the status of Myst Haven. It looked very bare-bones, but she knew that with hard work from all the territory’s residents, they could turn it into one of the strongest territories under her lord’s banner.

They decided to go hunting in the fog. They urgently needed as many Eldritch Points as possible because the World Event was approaching, and they wanted Drake to win it. Eldritch Points were crucial for strengthening their territory and preparing for the challenges ahead.

Since there was nothing immediate to protect in the territory, they left it to hunt, but first, they cleared all the monsters in the fog zone from which their territory was carved. This reduced the chances of a monster invasion while they were away.

With the territory established, the fog zone would no longer teleport, providing a stable base for their operations.

To ensure they wouldn't get lost in the dense fog, they took several Territory Compasses with them. Creating these compasses required Fog Coins, which was a significant expense but a necessary one. In case they got lost, only the territory owner could teleport back to the territory, and even that had limitations, as it was only possible once a day.

The twins had already identified many fog zones with high monster concentrations, including several with Extraordinary monsters. They hadn't hunted much in these zones previously, as it wasn't efficient with only two people. To streamline their efforts, they created various Zone Compasses for easy travel to these fog zones.

With the entire group now involved, they began a mad hunt for monsters. Their hunting efficiency was significantly higher compared to their previous encounters in the Poison Valley and the goblin tribe. The twins led the way, demonstrating their prowess and strategy.

During the daytime, they relentlessly hunted monsters, pushing their limits with every encounter. At night, they practiced intensely in the training room, honing their skills and preparing for even tougher battles.

Two days passed in this frenzied routine. In that short time, the group's efforts resulted in explosive growth. The fox-women, inspired by the twins' determination, fought bravely and efficiently. Their collective efforts paid off as they gathered a substantial amount of Eldritch Points.

By the end of the second day, the fox-women had collected enough Eldritch Points to purchase their rank 1 potions. These potions were crucial for their advancement, providing a significant boost to their abilities and solidifying their status as rank 1 warriors.

They decided to take the potions after welcoming the newcomers who were about to return from an eight-day trip to the training room. The fox-women returned exactly at the 48-hour mark, emerging from their training without issue.

The fear and naivety that once marked their faces had vanished. In their place, fierce determination and readiness for battle now shone. Each fox-woman looked like a warrior, prepared for any challenge.

Seventy-three fox-women had gone to the training room, and seventy-three returned. Of these, thirty-eight were subjugated from various fox tribes, twenty were rescued from noble beast tribes, and fifteen were freed from the royal castle.

If Drake had been present, he would have observed with satisfaction that all the fox-women now had loyalty points above 90. There were even a few fanatics among them. The most notable anomaly was Zara, the fox-woman with her eyes closed; she had a perfect 100 points of loyalty. Remarkably, Zara had reached this level even before being sent to the training room.

As Maria gave the fox women all the details and welcomed them since they had proved themselves, another group arrived.

Ayame went to meet this new group, consisting of human women rescued by Drake and his team during the raid on the goblin tribe. Out of the twenty-two women they had saved, three chose to return home, but nineteen decided to stay and follow Drake.

Ayame saw an opportunity in their decision and formed a personal assassin group for Drake. She greeted the group with a nod of appreciation. After their hellish training, these women looked like real assassins—silent but deadly.

Their loyalty was impressive. All of them were fanatics, completely devoted to Drake.

Maria added the fox-women and assassins as official residents of Myst Haven after giving them a basic explanation of their current circumstances. The addition of the assassins bolstered the territory’s strength and added a new dimension to their capabilities.

With the new members settled, Maria and her original tribe members prepared to take their rank 1 potion. As they took out the potions, the remaining fox-women watched with curiosity and excitement. This moment was a significant step in their collective journey, marking their transition to a higher level of power and responsibility.

Potion

Path: Fox (Racial Potion)

Sequence: 9, Elite Fox

Rank: 1

“Yes, this is a potion. Not only do we have a territory because of our lord's generous heart, but as long as we work hard to serve him, we can achieve anything. These potions are just the beginning,” Maria addressed the fox women, who looked at their potions intently.

“Moreover, this is not an ordinary potion. This is a racial potion, specific to us fox-women. It will not only grant us greater strength and abilities, but it will also enhance our bloodline,” Maria continued.

The potion was indeed special. With each sequence, they would grow a new tail. At sequence 9, they would have a single tail. They would gain a second tail at sequence 8, a third at sequence 7, and so on until they reached sequence 0, where they would have ten tails.

The fox-women's eyes widened with excitement at the prospect of becoming Extraordinary.

Amidst their excitement, Maria and the others drank their potions. The potion, a light red liquid, contained a faint silhouette of a fox inside, though no one present could see it.

As they took the potions, they immediately felt immense pain. It felt as if their bodies were being rearranged from the inside. Muscles tightened, bones shifted, and their senses sharpened. Despite the agony, they knew this transformation was crucial for their growth.

Aria gritted her teeth throughout the entire process but didn't scream. None of the fox women screamed. They had endured too much in the past, and the pain they felt now was nothing in comparison.

“Will they succeed?” Samantha asked Zara, worry evident in her voice.

“Normally, there would be no way that all of them succeed. But with the training room, their minds and willpower should be strong enough to resist the corruption. So, I think all of them will succeed,” Zara answered with a reassuring smile.

After some time, Aria no longer felt any pain. Instead, she felt another sensation—heat. The heat intensified until she felt as though her entire body was on fire. This wasn’t far from the truth, as Aria and the fox-women began to burn with translucent yellow flames.

These translucent yellow flames were the Fox Fire, a unique ability of the fox species. Fox Fire was a low-sequence fire corresponding to sequence 9, much stronger than normal Mortal flames. Typically, weapons, herbs, materials, and such were divided based on minor sequences from sequence 9 to sequence 0. However, certain treasures, like Fox Fire, were divided into major sequences: low, mid, high, demigod, and god.

Among the fox-women, two stood out. Ruby appeared to be encased in a blood cocoon, while Dawn was surrounded by swirling darkness.

“I thought the bloodline part was an exaggeration, but it looks like it was not,” Rachel said in disbelief.

Her disbelief was warranted because the potion had either mutated Ruby’s and Dawn’s bloodline or activated a hidden bloodline. Normally, no potion, not even racial potions, could achieve such a transformation.

“Not to mention them, even the rest are not ordinary. They are going through the awakening of authentic Fox Fire. Again, this is impossible with an ordinary racial potion, which typically provides only normal Mortal flame manipulation abilities,” Zara explained.

After more than half an hour, the transformation process was completed. The fire surrounding the fox-women was absorbed into their bodies. The blood cocoon around Ruby cracked and broke, its pieces assimilating into her. The darkness surrounding Dawn also absorbed into her body.

One by one, the fox-women opened their eyes and marveled at their changes. Their blonde hair had become long and shiny, and their skin was now clear and radiant. Their feminine features and curves had become more prominent. Physically, they felt a massive increase in strength and agility. But there was something more.

Aria willed it, and a translucent yellow flame appeared in her hands. She no longer felt any burning sensation from the flame; instead, it brought a soothing calmness. It felt like a part of her, something she could control at will.

Ruby and Dawn experienced similar changes, though their abilities were different. Ruby’s hair had turned crimson red, and instead of controlling Fox Fire, she found she could manipulate blood. Dawn’s hair had turned black, darker than night. Like Ruby, she did not have Fox Fire but instead gained the ability to manipulate darkness.

After experimenting with their new abilities, the fox women finally calmed down, their excitement still evident but controlled. They looked eager to test their new strength in battle against Extraordinary monsters.

Maria calmed them down and came towards her new tribe members.

“I am sure you have seen us become Extraordinary. Something our ancestors never dared to even think about. But now this power is at our fingertips, and this is only the beginning. We will go even further,” Maria said proudly. “I know you are all looking forward to becoming Extraordinary. Don’t worry, you will get a chance for that, but you need to earn it. You have ten minutes to get ready. We are going hunting,” she declared, ordering the rest to prepare for another expedition outside the territory.

After witnessing the fox-women transform into Extraordinary beings before their eyes, the remaining residents of Myst Haven, who were still Mortal, felt invigorated, as if injected with a burst of adrenaline. The fox-women, having tasted the power of their new abilities, were eager for more.

The group hunted monsters relentlessly for another two days. That time, they even targeted the monster settlements containing rank 2 and rank 3 Extraordinary monsters. They were confident in their strength and strategy, knowing that the number of Extraordinary monsters in even large settlements was limited. Most of the monsters were still Mortals.

The weakest member of their team was a Mortal Veteran with at least two masteries at the intermediate stage, ensuring they had the skills necessary to face the challenges ahead.

For the next two days, the territory residents either hunted monsters outside or trained like madmen inside the training room.

It was the last night before the World Event: Monster Tide would begin. Everyone was resting and eating to recharge their batteries for another round of hellish training in the training room.

Tents were scattered around the clearing, serving as temporary resting places. Massive pots and pans were placed over bonfires, cooking various types of monster meats. Not just Mortal monsters, but even Extraordinary monsters were being cooked over these flames.

In the center of the clearing stood a single log cabin, created first after the territory was established. It was built for Drake to stay in case he decided to visit. The girls could endure the tents, but they wouldn’t allow Drake to stay in such conditions. They had prioritized building the log cabin before going hunting.

The girls enjoyed a hearty dinner after a long day of hunting monsters. They talked quietly but excitedly, sharing stories and plans for the future. Even the usually stoic assassins cracked a smile or two in the lively atmosphere, though they would deny it if asked. None of them looked like their past selves; everyone was happy and eagerly looked forward to what lay ahead.

Suddenly, Maria stood up, her face serious. Everyone was surprised to see her like that.

“What happened, Maria? Did monsters invade the territory?” Darla asked, concerned by Maria's expression.

Maria shook her head. “No, it’s not that. Our lord is arriving shortly,” she said.