You only have 6 days until the mission.
Jess closed her book, checking how much time is left before the start of the quest, and turned her attention to her minions as they continued to build her a Nether Portal.
[Bones] Skeleton, Level 75
[Legs] Spider, Level 72
[Hulk] Zombie, Level 63
They are nearly her level, and they will steadily improve, growing stronger and stronger. But it will take more than three mobs for what she has planned in the far, far future.
It also has to do with a little surprise of information that Conquest provided for her, and started a new quest.
Quest: Evolution
Make your minions reach level 100
Reward:
All Party members will receive 30 levels.
[Creature Tamer] upgrades will be unlocked.
That's why she's building this Nether Portal. She needs stronger monsters to fight. Even though Ivor left her Party, the Experience gained will still be divided four ways.
She and her minions are wearing a full set of diamond armor as Jess put on her wither skull on her head, then wearing her black cloak over her armor. Ivor provided a Potion Flask filled with a Potion of Fire Resistance. He calls it a Flask of Fire Resistance... not really creative, is it?
Not only that, two out of the three horses came back yesterday. Jess didn't care about what happened to the third one. She now knows that the two horses that survived the trip back are strong. That is why Jess spent a whole day yesterday, doing quests for Notch to get a crafting recipe for diamond horse armor.
It cost her 500 Divine Points but it was worth it. She gave her steeds the armor as she grabbed food, water, diamond tools, weapons, cobblestone, a lot of buckets, and other stuff. She put it all in a chest, then put the chest inside her Inventory, saving room for all of the goods she's going to get.
She does the same with the other supplies. Like Ivor told her, "There is no such thing as being over prepared, only preparing for everything."
It was after a few more minutes that the Nether Portal was complete. It is 10 blocks tall as it is 15 blocks wide, hollow square structure with a swirling, purple filling.
She hopped on her spider, Legs, as Hulk and Bones each took their own horse. Jess could have taken a horse, but a horse cannot climb walls. She then passed around the Flask of Fire Resistance as they applied it to themselves, the horses included.
That left her with 4 out of 10 uses left for the Flask of Fire Resistance. But Ivor's skill [Alchemy] is maxed out at this point, so the effects of the potion will last for hours. He is even starting to learn how to apply [Alchemy] to solid objects, not just liquids anymore.
Jess and her minions edged their way to the Nether Portal. "Remember, stick together. You might be immune to fire, but you can still die." She told her minions as they nodded.
Then they stepped into the portal, and after a feeling of cold that smoothly passed over their bodies, she and her minions emerged in the Nether.
It was a nightmare, fire and lava and other horrible creatures roaming around. Lakes and waterfalls of lava was what she mostly see's, and then looks at the soul sand that is under her spider's legs. Silently frozen in agony.
She pulled out a diamond shovel and used her new skill [Vein-Mining]. When she broke the block of soul sand, instantly five adjacent blocks of souls sand was mined as well.
But as she checked that a chunk of its durability of the diamond shovel was lost in that one go. Now, she is using a diamond shovel, so it wouldn't break anytime soon, and she is leveling up [Mining] and [Vein-Mining] to reduce the negative effects. So after filling a chest with soul sand, her shovel broke.
Then out of nowhere a magma cube that is level 70, dropped on top of Hulk, wounding him. After spending some time to kill the new enemy, her Party gained two levels.
She could have used [Creature Tamer] on it, but that could mean that she would have to make them reach level 100 too. For now, she was exploring the Nether on her spider as her other two minions follow her on their horses.
It was then after mining a ton of nether quartz, glowstone, and netherrack, was when Jess was over a cliff. She stared down at the large lava lake, which contained a nether fortress. A large, dangerous structure, filled with the things she needs: lethal enemies and nether wart.
She still built a bridge out of cobblestone to the structure in the lava lake. While they are immune to fire, they can just swim through the lava, but her other minions cannot climb the steep walls and pillars.
When she was done making a wide bridge, they finally reached the nether fortress. It reminded Jess of the castle she raided recently; it was full of evil and profit.
As she explored with minions, finding chests, nether wart, and it was then she found a blaze spawner. It didn't matter if the blazes are level 85, with she and her minions being immune to fire, the blaze's fireballs were useless.
So Jess had her zombie and skeleton stay behind to farm more levels for the Party as she continued to ride her spider as they continued to explore the nether fortress.
After killing some zombie pigman, gaining a few levels, she stumbled upon a few patches of nether wart. Then as her minion carried her across a nether brick pathway, over the lava, a charred skeleton blocked her path.
[Wither Skeleton] Level 99
It is one of the most dangerous monsters in the Nether. It is taller than a skeleton, stronger than a zombie, and lethal as a creeper. Its most noticeable feature is that it siphons health and inflicts 'Wither' when its physical attacks make contact.
Like any mob in the Nether, it is naturally immune to fire and an undead. So fire or Potions of Harming won't work. Best to fight at a distance, have healing items, and weapons with the 'Knockback' enchantment.
'Well... this is going to be difficult.' She thought to herself.
She can't fight with a bow because she only has one arm. She only has two Potions of Healing because she mostly brought them for herself and Legs. It wouldn't work on her undead minions. She doesn't have a weapon of any enchantment either.
Not only that, her only space is in front of her and behind her. On her left and right sides is a massive drop straight into the lake of lava. While she is immune, the impact when she lands in the lava will still hurt. Plus, she doesn't want to know if she can drown in lava. Will it fill her lungs and burn her from the inside out? Or will she be fine? She'll ask Ivor, she has an enemy to fight.
It was then the charred skeleton charged at her, with its stone sword raised. Jess ordered her spider charge at the skeleton. When they were about 10 feet apart, she mentally ordered her spider to jump high into the air.
She pulled out her diamond longsword, jumped off her spider, and struck downwards. Of course, the wither skeleton blocked it. But with its focus on her, it couldn't block the spider that tacked it onto the ground. Her spider quickly jumped to the side, moving out of the way for Jess to swing downwards again.
Only for the wither skeleton to parry the blade, kick her in the stomach with both of its legs, knocking her back as she bounced off the ground. While injured, she got up to see that her spider was hit with the stone sword, nearly being knocked off the edge into the lava as its health drains into the wither skeleton.
She quickly ran up to the wither skeleton, swinging her longsword for an overhead strike, the mob preparing to block with its stone sword. Right when the blades were about to make contact, she dropped it, spun to the right, and tackled it to the ground as she ripped the stone sword out of its grasp, throwing it over the edge into the lava.
She pulled out a diamond axe, and chopped of its legs and arms, and hitting it until its health was below 10%. Then she used [Creature Tamer] on it, making it loyal to her and her alone.
She placed its limbs back together, reattaching them, and waiting for its health to fill as she looked over its stats.
[Wither Skeleton]
Level 99
Exp: 4500/9900
Title: N/A.
HP: 122/169
STR: 99
DEX: 86
VIT: 70
INT: 100
WIS: 36
LUK: 22
Points: 198
It is a really strong monster. On a good note, it's near level 100, so she just has to wait for her minions to catch up. She could invite her newest minion to the Party, but she doesn't need the Experience to be divided in five ways instead of four.
"Lets see... I'll name you... Smoke." Jess said with a smirk. She gave Smoke diamond armor, and gave him two diamonds swords. "Hope this makes up for me throwing your stone sword into the lava." She said as she hopped back on her spider as they walked back to join the others.
When she got back to her minions, she saw nothing but blaze rods all over the ground. Hulk grabbed the head of the blaze with both hands, and started to squeeze it until a large crack echoed as the blaze died.
Jess looked over her minions to see that their levels are in the 90's. So after grinding for a few more hours, and collecting a lot of blaze rods, they finally reached level 100.
Jess and her minions in tow found a safe spot to rest. She took off her with skull, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and opened her book and looked at the quest.
Quest: Evolution is completed. All Party members will receive 30 levels and [Creature Tamer] upgrades is now unlocked.
Jess open to the skills section to see that there are bold texts under her skill [Creature tamer].
At the cost of 100 levels and reducing your stats by 20, you may purchase the following sub-skills to enhance [Creature Tamer]: [Evolution], [Armored], [Armed], [Biochemistry], [Forced Cannibalization], [Hive Link].
Curiously, she tapped [Evolution] to look at the description of the skill.
You have purchased the skill [Evolution]! You are now level 30.
"WHAT?!" she shouted. "I just wanted to look at the description of the skill!" she shouted at the book.
"...PLEASE CALM DOWN MASTER... IT IS NOT SO BAD..." Conquest said, but Jess ignored him, and continued to vent out her frustration on a poor zombie pigman as she punched it to death. After she calmed down, she stopped, and looked at her stats.
[Jesse]
Level 39
Exp: 600/3,900
Title: N/A.
HP: 59/59
STR: 2
DEX: 37
VIT: 20
INT: 1
WIS: 8
LUK: 20
Points: 263
Divine Points: 0
So not only is her health is below 100, but she lost 20 points in all of her stats! All of that training and studying, gone in an instant! She at least kept the stat points she has been saving up.
"Well that is just great." She said sarcastically. "I might as well look at the stupid skill I bought." She grumbled.
[Evolution] (Active) level 1
This skill will automatically evolve your minions into more powerful forms at the cost of 100 levels.
"Hold on, automatically?!" she asked, shocked and surprised as she turned to her minions, all of them changed.
The first was Hulk, who has grown up to 4 blocks tall and some major muscle mass, slightly hunchback, looking like he can eat a cow in one bite.
[Hulk] Evolved Zombie, Level 30
With a bigger body comes with greater strength. Hulk now gains fire immunity, strength, and higher leaps.
Next was Bones, who is also 4 blocks tall with bulkier, thicker bones, and big bow fused into his right arm. With a gigantic ribcage, and has an under-bite.
[Bones] Evolved Skeleton, Level 30
With more enhanced skills, Bones now has fire immunity, can shoot multiple arrows, and faster movement and fire speed.
Then there was Legs, who is now 3 blocks wide and 3 blocks long, big enough to carry 3 people at once, with fangs, and a few more eyes.
[Legs] Evolved Spider, Level 30
Now a creature of the night, Legs has a bigger size to transport bigger loads, shoot spider webs, and poisonous bits.
Finally there was Smoke, her latest minion. He has grown up to 3 blocks tall, has a gigantic ribcage like Bones, and has a total of 4 arms. But what really caught her attention was that he had two faces on his skull, one on the front and one on the back; the front frowning and the back smiling creepily.
[Smoke] Evolved Wither Skeleton, Level 30
Smoke now has two faces to see in front and behind him. With the addition of four arms, and with his attacks inflicting 'Wither', he now is more dangerous in combat.
She looked over each of their stats to sigh in relief when she saw that their stats didn't decrease like hers, and they kept the stat points they saved when they leveled up. What she also noticed was that the diamond armor they wore has now grown to fit their bodies.
It was then something clicked inside her head, a realization. She and her monsters are level 30, in a fiery dimension of lava and pain, where the monsters are a minimum of level 70 that travel in large groups... she can kill so many things, the challenge alone will be worth it!
"This is going to be so much fun..." Jess thought to herself, smiling darkly as she put her wither skull back on her head.
After inviting Smoke to the Party, she had Bones ride on top of Legs. Then had Smoke ride on one horse as Hulk walked beside her as she was riding the other horse. So after clearing out the nether fortress, they crossed back across the cobblestone bridge and continued to explore.
It was after a few more hours of mining and exploring is when Jess stumbled upon another nether fortress. She didn't bother destroying the blaze spawners, she had her minions stay behind to kill the blazes, to gain Experience as she continued to explore the nether fortress alone.
After a few minutes she turned a corner and spotted a chest. She got off her horse as she walked up to it, opening it revealed its contents; not one, but two nether stars! "It must be my LUK stat." she said happily to herself as she held both items in her left hand.
It was then she saw four people appear around the corner, facing her with surprise and arrogance. Three of them are boys and one of them is a girl, but they all wore a black jacket that has an ocelot on the back.