Chapter 101: The Rhinoceros King
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When I woke up, it was already two in the afternoon. On the bedside table lay a note from Xuehan: “I went ahead to play games. Your meal is in the microwave; just heat it up and you can eat.”
To be honest, Xuehan was indeed very considerate—one of those who would leave notes like “The meal’s in the pot, I’m in bed.” I just wondered when she’d start writing me notes like this...
After a brief daydream, I ate and then logged into the game.
I skirted around next to the Silver Pine Forest, trying to avoid monsters inside. I locked my target on the mineral deposits behind the forest, as well as that legendary rhinoceros beast!
After nearly half an hour, the dense trees began to thin, and ahead was a wide-open meadow with scattered trees and some stray stones, signaling the nearby mountain range rich in ore. Thick mist obscured the view beyond, and the forest itself was shrouded in fog as night began to fall over this mysterious woodland.
Wait—what’s that? Some flickering light up ahead!
I hurried over and found a group of adventurers around a campfire. They looked utterly worn down. Five of them: three swordsmen, a mage, and a cleric. The swordsmen wielded greatswords, hacking at nearby trees. Their armor was tossed aside, torn beyond repair. The mage, eyes closed, wore a deep blue robe, faded and patched so many times it probably no longer enhanced magic—now it only served to keep warm. The cleric was even worse off—no proper robes, just a wolf pelt wrapped around as a makeshift cover. If not for the half-healing staff in his hand, I wouldn’t have known he was a cleric at all.
“Who’s there?!”
The mage was sharply alert as I approached within a dozen meters, revealing my presence. Since I was already exposed, I stepped forward and said, “I’m a swordsman sent by the kingdom to rescue you. Are you the adventurer team that set out on a mission half a month ago?”
One swordsman eagerly stood up, “Yes! The guild sent someone to rescue us. Are you alone?”
“Of course. Tell me your situation. What about that rhinoceros beast?”
The swordsman’s face flickered with disappointment, then settled. “That beast is unbelievably powerful. We were over thirty, but now only five remain. If it weren’t for the creature’s fear of fire, we’d be wiped out by now. It rests in the cave ahead. Recently, a pack of fiery red wolves invaded the forest behind us, and we lost six more comrades there. We’re running out of food nearby. Young man, can you help us eliminate the Flame Terror Wolves in the forest?”
I immediately accepted. The swordsman continued, “Good. Kill the terror wolves in the forest and bring back fifty of their pelts. You’ll receive the appropriate reward.”
Hearing this, I grinned. So all those Flame Terror Wolves I slaughtered last night weren’t for nothing. Fifty pelts matched perfectly with this current quest item. I quickly handed over the pelts to the swordsman.
“Ding~!”
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System notification: You have completed the quest [Eliminate the Flame Terror Wolves]. Experience +800, Gold +60, Reputation +1500. Quest reward: Flame Battle Armor!
[Flame Battle Armor] (Armor—Blue Quality)
Defense: 110
Vitality: +32
Strength: +36
Agility: +28
Required Level: 36
This was far better than my previous Guard’s Armor. Thanks to the higher equipment level, its defense rivaled Murong Shanshan’s purple armor, though it lacked many additional attributes.
Putting on the new armor, my health finally surpassed 3000! My attack ceiling reached 700! This quest was truly worth it. If I were to spar with Murong Shanshan now, I wouldn’t need to rely on bug-like stealth enhancements all the time...
With those concerns cleared, our next target was the rhinoceros beast in the cave ahead. The five adventurers looked so defeated they weren’t much help—and in truth, they had no intention of aiding me. The swordsman saluted me respectfully, then apologized, “Brave warrior, my friends are gravely injured. We must return to the guild for treatment. The rhinoceros beast is in the cave ahead. When you hunt it, be sure to bring a torch, or you’ll get lost in the darkness.”
Watching the five walk away without a glance back, I cursed bitterly, “These NPCs have no loyalty nowadays. Damn it, I’ll kill it myself!”
A pile of campfire embers still burned on the ground. I grabbed a spare torch. With plenty left, I stepped through the grass toward the cave. The closer I got, the stronger the stench became—something foul and rank. Hmm, the game’s logic was off; rhinoceroses are herbivores, so why the smell of rot?
Turning a corner, I realized the game designers weren’t foolish—just twisted. Beneath a large rock lay a chaotic heap of bodies, most badly decayed. Bones and tattered clothes scattered across the open meadow. The stench was overwhelming, nearly making me vomit.
Torch in one hand, nose covered with the other, I ventured deeper. Not far in, a gust of wind nearly knocked me off balance. Looking up, I nearly fainted in shock...
God! Why didn’t anyone tell me it was called the Rhinoceros King, not just a rhinoceros beast? This creature was enormous—just one snort nearly blasted me out of the cave. Its head alone was the size of a massive shipping container. Standing upright, it would be like a small mountain.
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As expected, the Rhinoceros King did not disappoint. It rose up, truly as massive as a mountain!
It moved. It charged. I had no choice but to flee...
I sprinted out of the cave, and under the moonlight, I finally saw the full form of the Rhinoceros King—
[Rhinoceros King] (Boss)
Level: ???
Attack: ???
Defense: ???
...The field of vision opened up, and I didn’t hesitate to slash at it. The Rhinoceros King charged right back!
System notification: You received damage from Rhinoceros King’s charge, losing 185 health points and stunned for 3 seconds!
Its attack wasn’t very high, but what shocked me more was that my attack only dealt 324 damage. How high must its defense be? With my 700 attack, only 324 health was taken. If my attack was below 300, would I even manage double digits?
The 3-second stun ended, and the fight resumed!