The hidden stone door slid shut, sealing the entrance to the Decrepit Archive once more. Drake stood in the quiet Oakhaven Woods outskirts, the frustration of the encounter with the [Spectral Librarian] leaving a sour taste. His perfect execution, his 100% SCRs, his rapidly stacking [Relentless Assault]... all utterly useless against an enemy simply immune to his physical damage. It was a stark, unwelcome reminder that raw power and perfect technique weren't always the answer.
"Stonewalled completely. High Physical Damage Resistance... basically immune. Need magic damage, elemental damage, maybe some kind of true damage or armor/resistance penetration? Have none of that right now. Trying to whittle it down with 3 damage per hit while dodging spells is suicide."
He felt the familiar pull of mental fatigue setting in after the tense exploration and the ultimately fruitless mini-boss encounter. Pushing further on his journey towards Silverhaven immediately felt unproductive. He needed a proper break to decompress and analyze. He secured a safe logout location.
The transition hit – the sudden weightlessness of the VR immersion replaced by the familiar pressure points of his basic headset and chair in his modest real-world apartment. He peeled off the headset, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the natural light. He stretched limbs stiff from hours of sitting, the phantom aches of virtual exertion overlaid with real muscle tension.
First things first: sustenance. He went to his small kitchen area, finding slightly better ingredients than usual thanks to the gold influx from the tutorial completion reward. He cooked a simple but filling meal – actual pasta with some sauce, a welcome change from instant noodles. As he ate, sitting at his small table, the events of his last Legacy of Alvari session replayed in his mind, this time without the aid of [Perfect Recall], just natural memory colored by frustration and analysis.
"That Librarian... Level 14 Mini-Boss. Definitely beatable if I had the right damage type. Where do I even get magical damage as a Warrior? Maybe enchanted weapons later? Special consumables? Need to research that."
He thought about solutions. Could he find oils or throwing items with elemental damage? Possible, but likely expensive or requiring Alchemy, another profession he hadn't touched. Could certain weapon types have inherent magic damage or armor penetration? Maybe, but finding Rare or Epic weapon drops seemed entirely luck-based right now. Enchanting felt like the most promising long-term solution, allowing him to potentially add elemental damage or other effects to his own gear. But that brought back the memory of the gold sink and his current low CCR baseline for even Minor glyphs…
"So, dealing with high physical resistance is a definite long-term problem to solve. For now, avoidance seems the only option. Good thing I marked the Archive entrance."
He finished his meal login back in.
The frustration from the Librarian encounter started to fade slightly as he considered the successes of the session. He deliberately accessed [Perfect Recall] now, focusing not on the failed boss fight, but on the discovery of the Archive itself. He replayed the sequence: activating [Relic Hunter], noticing the subtle residue, the specific scratches, the acoustic anomaly. Then, accessing his memory archive, cross-referencing those clues instantly with Hemlock's comment about conduits, the illustration from the library tome showing the Alvari lock pattern, the stonemason's dialogue about hidden rooms... culminating in pressing the sequence and revealing the hidden dungeon.
"That synergy... Relic Hunter finds the 'what', Perfect Recall provides the 'why' and 'how'. It's incredibly powerful. Found a whole hidden dungeon near the starting city that most players probably walked right past. And the minor finds earlier – the whetstone, the Redbay Leaves... proof that listening to every NPC and observing everything works."
This was the counter-balance to the Librarian frustration. While his direct combat power had limits based on enemy defenses, his ability to gather and synthesize information seemed uniquely potent. This reaffirmed his decision to prioritize the journey to Silverhaven and the quest related to the Hilt and Elder Jian – quests that likely involved more exploration, lore, and uncovering secrets than straightforward combat.
Feeling more centered, the path forward remained clear: continue the journey towards Silverhaven. Dealing with physically resistant enemies was a problem for future Drake. Current Drake needed to travel, explore using his unique skills, gain levels, and find Elder Jian.
Drake decided to have a longer break, logging out again. He spent some time tidying his small apartment. He planned his next session: sleep, login, heading further north towards Silverhaven, keep [Relic Hunter] active constantly, engage mobs for EXP, but prioritize observation and information gathering along the route.
He settled down, preparing for sleep, anticipating the discoveries the road to Silverhaven might hold.