Mr. Gorhammer grunted. Moving to a rack full of various tools and weapons.
"Ranged weapons, eh?" He commented. "A wise choice for a speedy fellow like yourself. Keeps the nasties at a distance! Most of what I've got here are melee, but I do have a fine selection of basic ranged options."
He pulled down a thin, leather-bound manual. Its cover was depicting various ranged weapons. With a large title: Shapeshifting Ranged Weapons Manual for Noobs.
He laid it on a large wooden workbench. "These are all shapeshifting designs. You know what it meant. As usual, each has its own material requirements. The crafting price is still the same across the board: 50 coins."
Nightclown carefully opened the manual. The pages were filled with vibrant, hand-drawn illustrations. And crisp, clear text. He began to read through the options:
1. The Shepherd Sling: A simple and reliable ranged weapon with easy to acquire blunt projectiles. Perfect for harassing enemies or fending off smaller threats.
Materials: 3 Tough Leathers.
Projectiles: Stone.
2. The Flinger Slingshot: A sturdy and accurate ranged weapon with small, blunt projectiles. Ideal for targeting specific weaknesses.
Materials: 2 Ironwood Branches, 2 Rubber Tendon, 1 Tough Leather.
Projectiles: 1 Ore for 30 bullets.
3. The Ambusher Blowgun: A stealthy and precise weapon with dart-like projectiles. Excellent for silent takedowns and delivering status effects. Best used from a hidden position.
Materials: 1 Finger Bamboo, 1 Mystic Iron Ore.
Projectiles: 1 Ore/Bone/Tooth and 1 Effect Material for 10 status effect darts.
4. The Scout Short Bow: A compact and fast-drawing weapon with arrow projectiles. Sacrificing some range and power for speed and maneuverability.
Materials: 2 Dark Yew Branches, 1 Mystic Iron Ore, 1 Strong Vine.
Projectiles: 1 Ore/Bone/Tooth, 1 Wood, and 5 Feather Materials for 10 arrows.
5. The Hunter Recurve Bow: A stable and convenient weapon with arrow projectiles. Offering a good balance of range, accuracy, and rate of fire.
Materials: 3 Dark Yew Branches, 2 Mystic Iron Ore, 1 Strong Vine.
Projectiles: 1 Ore/Bone/Tooth, 1 Wood, and 5 Feather Materials for 10 arrows.
6. The Sentinel Longbow: A powerful and long-ranged weapon with arrow projectiles. Capable of pin-point accuracy at great distances. But, it requires strength and more training to master.
Materials: 1 Dark Yew Long Branch, 1 Mystic Iron Ore, 2 Strong Vines.
Projectiles: 1 Ore/Bone/Tooth, 1 Wood, and 5 Feather Materials for 10 arrows.
7. The Warden Crossbow: A mechanically complex weapon with bolt projectiles. Offering superior accuracy, stronger power, and with less hassle. Slower to reload though.
Materials: 4 Ironwood Branches, 3 Mystic Iron Ore, 2 Strong Vines
Projectiles: 1 Ore/Bone/Tooth, 1 Wood, and 5 Feather Materials for 10 bolts.
Nightclown carefully read through each description. Weighing the pros and cons. The ammunitions for slings and slingshots were easy to get. But they were blunt. Not exactly his first choice of damage for the ranged weapon.
Bows were standard long range weapons. The one he would choose if nothing else worked. Crossbows were easier to use. And more powerful. But it was slow on reload.
The [Ambusher Blowgun], however, immediately caught his attention. Stealth. Precision. Status effects. That was a Rogue's featured characteristics. Exactly what he needed.
It also felt very interesting with its simplicity. And potential for cartoonish huff and puff blow technique.
And the... poison darts. Toon version of poison. He imagined a dart flying through the air. Hitting a foe. And making them swell up like a balloon. Or flop down like a wet rags. Or turn colorful like a palette of paints. It was perfect.
Nightclown flipped the handbook shut. The choice was made. The bow was reliable. The crossbow was powerful. But the blowgun offered stealth, precision, and utility. The core pillars of the Rogue power class he chose.
"I'll take the [Ambusher Blowgun], Sir!" Nightclown stated. Handing the manual back to the huge gorilla blacksmith.
Mr. Gorhammer grunted. He put the book away gently.
"Good choice, Little Bunny." He said in his deep rumbling voice. "But you know my rules. You need to prepare your own materials."
Nightclown nodded. "Where can I find this [Finger Bamboo]?"
"It grows in the South Forest region. It's not common. But it's not rare either. You won't even have to go deep into the woods. Just go to the Southern Gate." The blacksmith pointed a gigantic finger toward the wall. "Once you exit, head west immediately. It grows thickest in the swampy ground near the edge of the forest belt."
"West from the Southern Gate. Got it." Nightclown nodded seriously.
"Bring me the materials, and I'll have this crafted for you in no time. Just be careful and take your time, Kid!"
Nightclown didn't argue. He gave a sharp salute and headed out of the Smithy.
Cammy, the flying camera, whirred into position just behind his head. Its single lens was fixed on his rear profile.
The journey through the Toon Forest Village was fast. Nightclown used [Sprint!] in short bursts between clusters of slow-moving villagers. He reached the Southern Gate quickly.
The gate was again guarded by a single anthropomorphic bulldog. The bulldog guard was sitting on a stool. Leaning to the wall. Sleeping.
One of his eyes snapped open when Nightclown moved passed the gate. But it was immediately closed again. Back to sleep. His snores sounded like a rusty saw cutting through concrete.
Nightclown went out of the open gate. He immediately turned west. Following the line where grassland met untamed wild trees.
He kept moving. The ground quickly became soft and slightly muddy. The air thickened with the scent of stagnant water. And decaying leaves.
This area was not often visited. The trees here were darker. And the colors were muted compared to the hyper-saturated environment of the village center.
After about ten minutes of fast marching, Nightclown spotted it. A thick grove of pale, thin bamboo stalks. They were easily five meters tall. But the stalks themselves were only about the size of a thick finger.
"[Finger Bamboo]." Nightclown muttered. Using the system appraisal to check. That was it. Material harvest target was confirmed. The question now was... how to harvest this?
He didn't have any blade or axe. Sighing, Nightclown was considering using his [Lightning Spear] to cut it.
As he was reaching his system inventory, a sound split the silence. It wasn't a chirp or a rustle. It was a heavy, wet thump.
The ground immediately to his left cracked. And a large, dark shape erupted from the soil.
It was a bear. But it was so unlike any bears he had previously seen. This one was entirely covered in integrated earth. Its fur seemed to fused with thick clumps of moss, small roots, and stubborn dark leaves. Its eyes were two glowing amber slits.
The bear stood up. Towering over the small hare. It let out a low, challenging growl. One that sounded like stones grinding together.
This one doesn't feel very cartoonish. Well, it did. In strange dark cartoon vibe way. Nightclown immediately pulled back and activated his system interface.
[Root Bear]
[Rarity: Extremely Rare]
[Description: A highly territorial variant of the Toon Bear species, specialized in ambush and resource protection. Its body is permanently integrated with the surrounding earth, granting immense durability and camouflage. ]
[Abilities: Scrambling Pounce! Root Whip! Recovery Nap!]
[Resources: 800 XP, 350 Coins, Sense Spinach]
Nightclown's eyes narrowed. Not at the threat, but at the prize.
Extremely Rare. The XP and Coin drop were solid. Good enough. But it was the item that mattered. [Sense Spinach].
He had encountered similar permanent consumables before. The [Vigor Eggplant], [Drive Tomato], and [Speed Radish]. They drastically increased his attributes. These items gave permanent, incremental boosts to his core stats. They were must have items for him.
A [Sense Spinach], if it followed the pattern, should boost his [Sense] attribute. One that measured perception, awareness, and perhaps sensibility toward glitch energy. This was a mandatory acquisition.
The bear was large and looked painfully hard to defeat. It was built like a moving boulder. Fighting it head-on would not be easy.
And it was [Extremely Rare] which meant I had a little chance to encounter such monster again. And if it didn't drop the spinach when it was defeated? It would be bad. He could not waste the [Sense Spinach].
He was a Rogue. He had another option. [Steal!] it.
...
The Root Bear shifted its weight. Its head was bobbing as it scanned the empty air where Nightclown had previously stood. It couldn't see the small hare.
Nightclown had used [Sprint!] to slipped away from its sight. And then, he immediately used [Hide!]. Crouching low behind a clump of tough ferns.
Nightclown stealthily drew his [Thunder Nunchaku]. The segmented metal weapon felt heavy and secure in his hands.
His strategy for the encounter was simple. Strike its head from stealth. Make it dizzy. Maximize the chance of [Steal!] success.
First, reduce the presence. In addition to [Hide!], Nightclown used [Shrink!] when the monster was looking at different direction.
His body was compressed instantly. The cartoon physics snapped him down to a seventh of his original size. His ninja gear shrunk along his miniaturized frame. Thankfully
Second, maximize speed and distance control...