The Craggy Crabore had twelve small crystals on its back—that must be the limit to the times it could heal. I hoped the bigger crystals were only for decoration, but I knew they weren't. We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I pressed on with my strategy.

I'd run around to bait out its charge attack. It was nicely telegraphed whenever it anchored itself to the ground with both claws before pulling itself forward.

After evading the dangerous move that could probably one-hit-kill me—I didn't want to experiment with it—I'd use my sling to attack as I got close. Next, I'd make sure only one of the claws slamming on the ground would hit me, popping the [Greater Pyro Shell]. Then I'd flee again.

My prey had other moves—regular attacks with lower damage, such as claw swipes, claw snaps, and kicks from its legs. But I didn't want to tempt fate and test them. If my shell protection were not at a hundred percent, I'd die to just one claw slam. It was too inconsistent and dangerous to attempt popping my [Greater Pyro Shell] with its minor attacks.

Other than healing, the other special move the Craggy Crabore used was spitting out a sticky substance, almost like a spider's web. If I got hit, my Evasion, Armor, and Movement Speed were lowered. It was a negative status called [Incapacitating Stickiness]. There should be a joke there somewhere.

Evasion, I didn't care for. But the latter two attributes spelled life and death. The first time it hit me with its gooey attack, I was nearly caught by its deadly charge attack, if not for the wide stone table that blocked its path.

"It's not like only the Fulgurian Boarlet fight," I mused as I put on classical music to help me concentrate on the fight. "It also has parts from the Bashful Roridula."

I appreciated the well-thought-out progression of the three targets of the quest. The difficulty wasn't steep either. It was mostly because I was a tank build that I struggled with the task.

A player going the DPS route would be hampered by the debuffs but would have an infinitely easier time than me. My hunch was I received this quest because it was expected that the player who killed a pack of Mirdabons solo was a DPSer. How I wished I found the other ways to complete Mehubanarath's first quest.

But no matter! The task was already in front of me. I had to deal with it. Nothing couldn't be solved with some elbow grease.

It took a painstaking effort not to lose focus during the mind-numbingly repetitive fight. But this was nothing new.

I'd grind for hours back at Vanguard Gaming, killing the same monsters again and again with no complaints. At our family restaurant, I'd peel and chop hundreds of potatoes non-stop. As a convenience store clerk, I'd do whatever the irate customers wanted with half a brain zoning out.

"I'm going to a crab buffet after I kill you!" I shouted, stomping on the Craggy Crabore while it was eating another crystal for the fourth time. I cast [Healing Touch] to patch myself up as I attacked. Both of our health bars filled up. That was the sign to put some distance between us once again.

I carefully weaved through the patches of sticky webbing on the floor. Whenever it missed its spit attack, the ground where the goo landed would be covered with the substance. And if I stepped on it, I would be inflicted with [Incapacitating Stickiness] for about ten seconds as if it actually hit me. Given the length of our battle, about a fourth, no, nearly a third of the mini-boss area was covered with it.

It was a timer to this fight. Once enough of the floor was coated with the sticky substance, I could no longer evade the [Incapacitating Stickiness], and the Crabore would finish me with its charge attack.

A third of the arena...for four out of twelve crystals. Herald Stone, the Mathematician, calculated it would be close but possible to win.

WHAM! A thick pillar shook as the Craggy Crabore slammed into it. Dust rained from the ceiling.

I went around the back of the Craggy Crabore to attack it—I noticed it took some time to turn, and it could only make the double claw slam attack if it faced me. But as I reached its rocky behind, something made my heart fall.

One of the tiny golden crystals had regenerated. There were only three empty notches on its carapace. I didn't make a mistake counting, did I?

I continued our battle until I dealt enough damage, and it sat down to heal itself. I confirmed that the crystals were replenishing, seeing them with my own four eyes.

"Dammit!" I cursed the air. My damage was too puny to outstrip this healing mechanic. I closed my eyes in thought.

The skittering sounds told me it had finished healing and was standing back up. The ground quaked. Opening my eyes, I saw the giant crab rushing at me.

I didn't try to dodge.

I sighed as it sent me back to the cliffs.

"Your hugeness, sir," I said to Mehubanarath. "Is it not possible for me to go to the village?" I had asked him this question several times, rephrasing it in different ways, hoping I could wiggle a concession out of him.

And each time, his answer was the same, "Your Ancestral Flame will be tainted. I shall see you no more."

I took that to mean I get to keep the Aritu Ocadule, but I could no longer continue his questline. It would be highly peculiar if he could take back the Ocadule. That'd be the first time I'd see an NPC do that in any RPG.

For me, the Aritu Ocadule was already a fair reward for my efforts in killing the Mirdabon pack that a tiny part considered giving up on killing the Craggy Crabore.

If this was the olden days, the simple solution was to call DPS friends to help me. But this scenario was different. I couldn't even ask a favor from Nic to blast that bastard crab to pieces; I already knew what the Big M's reaction would be if I did that.

Nonetheless, the more significant part of me wanted to press forward no matter what. This was merely one setback. Greatness was measured by how a person overcame the challenges they faced—this sounds like a good quote to use in a speech.

Their accomplishments defined those called 'Great' throughout history, including passing hurdles: the more achievements, the greater their legacy. I couldn't give up because some crab had lost its way from the beach and ended up on top of a mountain!

If I finished this, the Great Herald Stone would become the Greater Herald Stone!

"Worth a try to ask," I mumbled with a shrug. "Even though I already knew the answer. Back to the drawing board.” Then an idea sidled into my awesome brain. "Mehubanarath, sir. Do you have any tips for me to become stronger?"

In the RPGs of old, we were constrained by the dialogue options provided by the game. So far, that was sort of how I played MCO, simply following the 'script' of the storyline of a quest.

I did punch Chaplain Cobbles out of the blue. And what did that lead to? A secret quest in prison.

Obviously, I wasn't going to punch Mehubanarath. Unlike the low-level priest of Amberkeld, this elder Mardukryon could kill me with one kick. But I should try inquiring about topics not confined to the current quest.

“Through constant practice and keeping your Ancestral Flame pure,” he answered.

"Is there any place I could find more items?" I pressed on. "The ruins where the cave with the Craggy Crabore is located...is there anything there that could aid me in my quest?"

"Ah, the Scholar's Lodge," said Mehubanarath. "My forerunners in reconstituting the lost knowledge of our ancestors…they had made good progress two hundred years ago. Alas, the Great Quake put an end to that, killing many scholars and burying dozens of scrolls in the bowels of the earth, unrecoverable perhaps for all of time. The caves that were supposed to safeguard the scholars and their scrolls became their end."

"The Great Quake?" Here we go, exposition dump.

"I was a mere stripling Hunter-Warrior at that time, barely acknowledged by my peers, for I had no feats of bravery to speak of. But that terrible day is still fresh in my mind. There are times when I wake up in my sleep, haunted by the horrors of what happened."

"That sounds awful.” And awfully important to know about. These bits and pieces of lore would probably come up again later. “So, what is this Great Quake? What happened back then?"

"The Great Quake...the day the Guardian of the Mountain awoke and shook our prison in its dreadful fury." The elder Mardukryon closed his eyes and shook his head in sadness. "The earth heaved and turned over. Colossal boulders fell from the heights.

"The heart of the mountain shook and trembled, entombing a great number of our people deep within. Raging rivers of snow enveloped many settlements, killing more. My heart aches for the hundreds and hundreds who died that fateful day."

"So that's what happened," I said. I wondered how this connected with the true story of Hierakon, the zoo planet. The Dalkanus mentioned they brought the Mardukryons from another world, as well as the other races.

The ruins of the Scholar's Lodge were here, which meant the Great Quake occurred when the Mardukryons had already been relocated to Hierakon. Did that also mean this Guardian of the Mountain was real?

Did the Dalkanus also capture this creature and transfer it here along with the Mardukryons for authenticity, the same way that zoos recreated the habitats of the animals they housed?

Mehubanarath continued his grim tale. "The Guardian only moved for several breaths, yet it caused horrific devastation. It has since returned to its slumber. I pray it does not stir again. Kurghal Village, a newly-built settlement, is what remains of our people."

"There could be other survivors,” I said, “Other Mardukryons on other parts of the mountains that also tried to rebuild with what they have?"

"Perhaps...perhaps..." Mehubanarath whispered wistfully, gazing up at the sky. The sun was setting. It was around lunchtime that I logged on to play. He looked down at me. "My heart wants to believe that others survived, but my mind tells me that after two hundred years with nary a strand of fur as a hint, it is fruitless to hope."

"If they are out there, I'll find them," I said. Then I returned to my original question. "Is it possible there are useful items for me at the Scholar's Lodge?"

"Our people salvaged what they could. Over the years, Sharulrath recovered all ancient scrolls not buried under rocks and earth. I doubt there is anything left of worth there."

I couldn't rely on a drastic strength increase by finding a powerful item. At least, the [Bramble Chest Plate] was useful enough. Mehubanarath may not consider that equipment 'of worth', but maybe I could complete a full set of basic gear pieces.

"Your hugeness, sir. Do you know where I could find a shield?"

Mehubanarath stroked his horn—an equivalent of scratching our head if we were puzzling over something—keeping silent for a few seconds. "A shield, you say? Manipulators of the Ancestral Flames hold scrolls. Regretfully, I don't have any appropriate for you. But a shield? If I'm not mistaken...there is a place..."