Sun Essence Drop

Spring, Day 25, Thursday, Cloudy and Rainy, 6:00 AM.

Drip, drip...

Daeren's eyes fluttered open. A fine mist was falling outside.

"No need to water the plants today."

He got up, dressed, lit the fireplace as usual, and put a pot of water on to boil an egg.

"Woof woof woof~~"

A small dog, Doro, nudged closer, panting and wagging its tail playfully.

Daeren ruffled the dog's head and said softly, "This cabin is too simple. It doesn't even have a kitchen or stove. I'm just making do with cooking."

It wasn't a huge problem, just inconvenient.

Once the cabin was upgraded and had a kitchen and stove, he could truly cook the dishes he learned from the "Sauce Queen" show.

Some dishes even came with special buffs.

While the egg was boiling, he turned on the TV to check the program.

[Weather Forecast]: "Tomorrow will be a bright and sunny day."

[Fortune Telling]: "This is rare. The Sprites are indifferent today."

"..."

Daeren was surprised. "It's a special situation with 0 luck buff."

Most of the time, aside from lucky and unlucky days, it would be:

"The Sprites have no emotional inclination today, so today's luck is in your hands."

Luck buff is (≥0.02 and ≤0.02, but ≠0)

On a 0 luck day, luck buff = 0.

Daeren said cautiously, "Looks like I need to be careful when mining today."

After breakfast, he put on the Straw Hat he won during Easter and headed out into the rain.

The raindrops hit the Straw Hat but didn't splash onto his clothes.

Quite magical.

It was Spring, Day 25, and a batch of Strawberries had ripened.

Daeren straightened his back, humming a little tune about a bountiful Strawberry harvest, and began picking.

Ten minutes later.

29 Strawberries harvested.

One Gold Star quality Strawberry, four Silver Star quality Strawberries, and twenty-five regular quality Strawberries.

"Not bad luck."

Daeren smiled, wiped the water droplets off the Gold Star quality Strawberry, and took a bite.

The first Gold Star quality Strawberry was too memorable to eat. He saved it.

The second one was fair game.

Gold Star quality was rare, perfect for selling or gifting.

But Daeren was clear-headed and knew how to take care of himself.

"Mmm, delicious!"

The fist-sized, bright red Strawberry entered his mouth, its sweetness exploding on his taste buds, followed by a slight tartness, like the most delicious sugar-coated hawthorn.

But definitely tastier.

Then, Daeren closed his eyes, feeling a warm current surge through his lower abdomen, warming him from head to toe.

As expected of Gold Star quality, far more potent than Silver Star or regular quality crops.

After regaining his senses.

He put away the Silver Star quality Strawberries and sold all the regular quality ones.

There were still some farm chores.

Petting the chicks, adding dry straw to the Chicken Coop on a rainy day, collecting eggs...

"Time to go."

Daeren grabbed a pack of healing potions and his Neptune Greatsword, then set off.

Afternoon, 16:00.

Mine, Level 49.

Daeren, bundled in a thick cotton coat, braved the biting cold, hacking at the iron-grey Iron Ore.

The stone shell cracked open with a "bang," revealing several pieces of Iron Ore.

"So cold!"

Daeren put away his Pickaxe, pulled out a warm boiled egg, and devoured it.

From the 40th floor downwards, the mine had entered its frozen stratum.

He looked around. The stone walls were covered in frost, the ground was cold and hard, and patches were blanketed in snow. Everywhere, there was icy, hard Stone and brittle ice crystals.

The temperature was at least -28°.

Not particularly cold, but it significantly impacted Daeren's performance.

"Fortunately, I've mined enough Iron Ore to make basic sprinklers."

After eating the egg, Daeren's condition recovered, and he continued searching for the entrance to the next level.

There was an elevator on the 50th floor.

Bzzzzzz--

Suddenly, the temperature plummeted rapidly. Dark clouds seemed to gather, plunging the mine into gloom, and even the air began to solidify.

Daeren was startled, thinking, "Bad luck, bad luck."

Mines had a chance of spawning monster floors, and even normal floors could trigger a "fog" event.

Under the shroud of fog, flying monsters would appear in large numbers.

He couldn't delay. He quickly struck nearby Stone, searching for the next level's entrance.

Tap, tap, tap!

A flurry of flapping wings emerged from the eerie fog – three black bats.

He couldn't keep searching; he had to ensure his safety first.

Bats were easy to deal with!

Daeren waited for the bats to approach, swung his Neptune Greatsword, and in a few strikes, reduced them to fragments.

Splat!

The three bats died, dropping three pairs of Bat Wings.

Killing monsters yielded materials.

The Bat Wings from the bats could be used to craft Lightning Rods, Monster Perfumes, and also for sacrifices and item exchanges.

He collected them and continued to search for the next level's entrance.

His basic Pickaxe was worn and clumsy. Clang, clang, it struck the frozen Stone, taking two or three hits to break a single piece.

Tap, tap, tap!

Just as he broke two pieces of Stone, four or five more black bats flew in, surrounding him from all sides.

"I'm really impressed."

Monsters appeared too quickly in the fog.

Daeren had no way to dodge and retreated to a nearby rock wall, preparing to fight back.

"Woo woo woo~~"

As the bats charged, a strange, chilling whimper echoed through the fog, making one's hair stand on end.

Daeren's head snapped around.

At the ladder leading out, a spectral figure drifted, its body translucent, draped in tattered greyish-white rags, exuding an aura of decay.

"Ghost!"

Daeren braced himself as if facing a formidable enemy.

Among the many monsters in Stardew Valley, the most troublesome were Ghosts, Mummies, and Flying Serpents.

Ghosts had extremely high health, barely dying after several hits.

Each time they were attacked, they would retreat, preventing pursuit.

And once hit by a Ghost, not only would you take damage, but the Ghost would also teleport away, looking for another opportunity to attack.

"Then let's see what you've got."

Daeren lowered his breath, channeling the abundant Vitality within him to enhance his physical functions.

Reality wasn't a game where you could heal with food after taking damage.

Ghosts were genuine specters, and it was unclear if they dealt physical or magical damage.

If he got hit once, Maester Harvey's healing potions might not be effective.

"Caw! Caw!"

The four or five bats attacked first, their blood-red eyes wide, baring fangs as they lunged.

Daeren fought five enemies alone, swinging the Neptune Greatsword like a windmill, creating an impenetrable defense within a three-meter radius.

The bat monsters, lacking intelligence, couldn't dodge in time and were cut down into materials.

"Two-handed greatswords are so useful!"

Daeren panted slightly, his stamina rapidly depleting from continuous mining and fighting.

He realized he was lacking a weapon.

As a swordsman who wielded his sword with two hands, he could only temporarily use the Neptune Greatsword.

Ordinary, mundane weapons were no match for the monsters in the mine; they would chip after just a few swings.

"Fighting on enemy territory without a full arsenal, I'm just asking for trouble."

Daeren adjusted his breathing, his eyes fixed on the slowly drifting Ghost.

"Wooooo~~"

The Ghost was slow, floating up and down before humans, only to be repelled by a single strike from the azure greatsword.

It even let out a mournful whimper.

"Even if you beg me, I won't let you go."

Daeren was cold and ruthless.

Utilizing the terrain to his advantage, he repeatedly repelled the approaching Ghost. Finally, on the fourth strike against the gray-white tattered cloth, he cut it into a wisp of mist.

"Wuu!!"

The Ghost let out a final wail, its spectral body vanishing and dropping a golden item that radiated warm sunlight.

Daeren stepped forward to pick it up.

Sun Essence: Its luminous surface felt warm to the touch.

"It's this thing."

Daeren examined it closely.

It felt warm and hot in his hand, emitting a brilliant radiance.

The smooth surface wasn't as hard as he'd imagined; it had a bouncy, non-Newtonian fluid feel. It was likely some form of condensed energy.

Daeren held it for a while, only to feel the chill in his body being dispelled. The parts of him touched by the sunlight felt warm and comfortable, and his body cells sent signals of joy.

It was like... like...

Returning to his mother's embrace, the warmth of the evening fireplace, Natsuhi's sunbathing on the beach...

Daeren felt that holding the Sun Essence was more comfortable than enjoying the warmth of fire.

"I think I've discovered something incredible!"