Sometimes, the simplest weapon is the optimal solution.
"What was that monster?" Pepper mutters, respawning on a bed in Fasteia's inn. They'd slashed at it with a self-defense knife, but the attack failed, and they were swallowed whole.
Their status screen shows a "Death Penalty," temporarily lowering all abilities.
"Calm down. Rushing back now will just get me eaten again. First, I'll grab the new weapon and gear from the smith."
Suppressing the urge for immediate revenge, Pepper heads to the weaponsmith to collect their order.
"Hey, old man!" Pepper calls, entering the Fasteia weaponsmith's shop.
"Yo, kid. Your stuff's ready," the smith replies, placing the gear into Pepper's inventory.
White Iron Tanto: Forged from white magnets and other minerals from Fasteia Mine. Its lightweight blade and durable body excel in handling, reducing durability loss from enemy attacks.
Requirements: Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Skill 10.
Chainmail Vest: Iron woven into a chainmail accessory for the torso slot. Protects against deadly strikes to the back or chest, with a chance to block critical hits.
Effect: +10 Durability.
"This is awesome! Boosts durability and suits me perfectly," Pepper exclaims.
"Glad you like it. But, kid, you look off. Something happen?" the smith asks, noticing Pepper's expression.
"Uh, yeah…" Startled, Pepper recounts the Fasteia Mine incident: striking a vein, encountering a massive centipede-like worm, and being swallowed after their slash failed.
"Got it. That's the Rock-Eating Worm," the smith says. "A rare beast in the mine's depths, camouflaged as a vein. It devours miners, its body coated in minerals it's eaten, making slashes nearly useless."
Pepper nods, understanding why their attack failed.
"If you're planning to take it on again, how about a job?" the smith asks.
"A job?" Before Pepper can inquire, a new screen appears:
Special Quest: [Rock-Breaking Strategy] – Accept?
YES or NO
"Special quest? What's this?" Pepper wonders. In Shangri-La Frontier, quests vary widely, from standard tasks to rare ones requiring NPC cooperation. The game's reputation as a masterpiece is marred only by its opaque quest triggers, often discovered by chance. Such quests are coveted by high-ranking players, their knowledge a strategic advantage.
I want to crush that worm, and this quest will eventually leak to others. But right now, it's mine to enjoy!
"Hell yeah, I'm in!" Pepper clicks YES.
The smith leans in. "Rumor has it, a Vorpal Bunny with a unique weapon's been spotted in the forest near Fasteia. As a smith, I'd love to see it."
"Vorpal Bunny?" Pepper asks.
"A bipedal rabbit monster that targets vital points," the smith explains. "Their weapons are rare, even for us smiths. If you bring it back, you can keep it. I've marked the spot on your map. Good luck, kid."
Checking the map, Pepper sees an X in the forest near Fasteia. With the Death Penalty lifted, they equip the Chainmail Vest and head out.
In the forest near Fasteia, Pepper searches, guided by the map. The Explorer's Child perk enhances their senses, replicating the forest's textures and sounds with uncanny realism.
Spotting an out-of-place boulder, Pepper hears a metallic clink and peers around it. There stands a bipedal rabbit, red scarf around its neck, wielding a small red-black hammer.
"That's the Vorpal Bunny? It's got a hammer?" Pepper observes from a distance, but the rabbit's eyes lock onto theirs. It leaps, swinging the hammer at Pepper's head.
"Whoa!" Pepper dodges sideways, the hammer shattering the boulder behind them. "One hit from that, and I'm done."
The worm's gaping maw flashes in Pepper's mind. "Fine. If one hit kills me, I'll take you down first, Vorpal Bunny!"
Equipping the White Iron Tanto, Pepper engages. The bunny's attacks are swift, but the Chainmail Vest's durability helps. Pepper notices it targets their head repeatedly. Aiming for criticals, huh?
The bunny feints, swinging its hammer at Pepper's jaw. "A feint?!" Pepper blocks with the tanto, stumbling to one knee. The bunny swings again, but Pepper parries, switches to a reverse grip, and slashes its torso.
The bunny staggers, polygons spilling, but doesn't fall. It's waiting for my next move to counter! Pepper suspects, recalling the smith's warning about its critical-hunting nature and its clever feint.
Testing a theory, Pepper unequips the tanto, grabs a nearly broken Goblin Axe, and mimics the bunny's hopping steps. As the bunny leaps, Pepper hurls the axe horizontally and re-equips the tanto. The bunny smashes the axe midair, but the move leaves it open.
"You know what's tricky about hammers, Vorpal Bunny? They're powerful but slow to recover!" Pepper sprints, plunging the tanto into the bunny's head and slicing downward, cleaving its face. The bunny dissolves into polygons, a level-up sound rings, and the hammer remains.
"Two levels at once and new skills? Nice. Vorpal Bunnies give juicy EXP," Pepper says, picking up the hammer.
Fatal Hammer (Vorpal Edge): Dropped by defeating the special Vorpal Bunny in the Rock-Breaking Strategy quest. Boosts damage on critical hits and increases critical success rate for headshots, a trait of blunt weapons.
Description: A hammer named for lethality. Strike true, and it fells even the mightiest foes.
"Guaranteed drop? Music to my ears," Pepper grins, recalling past grinding nightmares. A guaranteed reward feels like a balm to the soul.
With the hammer in hand, Pepper hurries back to Fasteia to complete the quest.
Special Quest: [Rock-Breaking Strategy] Progressed
Vorpal Bunnies wielding small hammers now appear in select Shangri-La Frontier fields.
Defeating them may drop the Fatal Hammer (Vorpal Edge).
Pepper's quest has altered the game's ecosystem, adding hammer-wielding Vorpal Bunnies and new diversity to the fields. The world stands still, yet the scenery shifts, and a new breeze blows…
If Slashes Fail, Smash It
Special quests, triggered by specific conditions, can reshape the game's ecosystem. Pepper's quest is uniquely impactful, with more chapters yet to unfold…