The treacherous terrain was filled with steep slopes and hidden pitfalls. Much to the occasional resistance from Noona, Roh had managed to convince his stubborn mount with more apples than he cared to say to travel through the treacherous terrain that was filled with steep slopes and hidden pitfalls. Roh often thought to himself the journey no doubt could have been a lot quicker but he was just grateful the bond between them was growing stronger with every step.

Finally, they reached the base of the mountain, and Roh could see for miles in every direction. The view was breathtaking, but there was no time to admire it. He knew that there would be many hungry beasts that would love to devour a large meaty auroch, especially a tame one. Noona wouldn’t stand a chance against some wild ferocious creature. The beasts out here are no doubt killing machines. Primal and feral they would slice through Noona like butter. Plus it will give her a chance to rest and replenish her stamina.

Pulling the small, silver whistle from his neck, Roh blew into it with all his might. The sound echoed across the mountains, and in a flash of light, his auroch mount disappeared, leaving him standing alone.

He knew that this was the only way to save his mount from the dangers of the wildlife, and he hoped that it would be safe wherever it had gone. He didn’t realize how loud the whistle would be and hoped that he had not alerted any predators. Not used to solo missions, he trekked onward, knowing that he would have to face the challenges ahead on his own.

***

As Roh traveled through the valley, the wind blew directly onto his face. The late morning air, still fresh against his skin. The primordial light exuded a soft, pure, sunny citrus yellow with a mustard-yellow undertone, also emphasizing morning.

Much to his relief, there was no longer the bitter bite of the cold and he was no longer encompassed by ice as he finally left the unforgiving, snowy landscape behind him.

With swift grace, he cast aside his heavy fur cloak, thick gloves, and furry hat and scarf, tucking them carefully away within his inventory. A rush of relief flooded him as he shed the oppressively warm layers, reveling in the newfound comfort of his simple linen tunic, trousers, and boots.

He was attempting to track any fauna in the region, as he had already drank all of the water from his waterskin and eaten all five rations during his long trek down the mountain, which had taken the better part of the morning. The rations had kept his hunger at the default value he initially started the game with, however, being that they were measly little pilchards, in addition to his hunger bane, the hunger was really starting to set in. So glad Tucks was kind enough to offer me a meal last night and that I had those rations from the starting kit otherwise I would have been at 100 Hunger by now and losing HP already.

The air was thick with the scent of pine and the earthy musk of behemoths as Roh made his way through the primal valley. Roh stood there, mesmerized by the beauty of the game. The world around him felt so real, so alive. Every blade of grass seemed to sway in the wind, each leaf rustled with an almost audible crispness. The colors of the landscape were so vibrant, so rich. The primordial light, shining down through the trees, cast a warm and inviting glow on the world below.

As he explored this virtual world, Roh was filled with excitement. The game was so immersive, so realistic. He could feel the weight of his axe in his hand, the tension in his muscles as he swung it through the air.

The immersion was complete, and Roh felt as though he were truly living in this game. He could almost feel the warmth of the primordial light on his skin, and the coolness of the breeze as it whispered through the trees. He could hear the distant calls of birds and the gentle babbling of a nearby stream.

He couldn't help but walk with the stride of a seasonal hunter taking him back to his memories from all the years he and his father would spend in the wild in the real world every hunting season. His eyes constantly scanned the dense foliage for any sign of the massive beasts that roamed these lands.

Roh thought himself a skilled tracker, able to follow the faintest of trails and read the subtle signs left behind by the behemoths. He knew that these creatures were formidable opponents, especially to a level one player without any party members, but he also knew that they were essential to his survival and speedy progression in the game. He could hunt the small critters of the land, however they would barely fill him up especially with his bane. Therefore, if he managed to track and hunt even a relatively small level one behemoth then not only would that fill him up completely, but it would probably also give him a buff and provide a large amount of highly fulfilling rations consisting of large portions. But regardless of just food, he would gain valuable research, a lot of XP, some valuable rewards and not to mention bragging rights. The behemoths provided food, shelter, and resources.

As he walked, Roh’s senses were heightened, alert for any sign of movement or danger. He listened for the rustle of leaves or the snapping of twigs, and he used his keen eyesight to search for any indication of the behemoths' presence.

The primal valley was a wondrous place, filled with hidden dangers at every turn. In addition to the behemoths, there were also all sorts of exotic flora and fauna that could pose a threat to him. There were vines that could strangle and suffocate, plants that exuded poisonous fumes, and all sorts of venomous creatures that lurked in the shadows.

But Roh was not too bothered. His character build was tanky. A fierce warrior, with large muscles and therefore great strength and constitution. He carried his axe at his side.

As he made his way deeper into the valley, Roh began to pick up the faint scent of the behemoths. It was a complex aroma, intertwining the earthy musk of damp soil after a rainstorm with the heavier, almost metallic tang of wild, primal fur. This scent was layered with subtle undertones of the surrounding vegetation, a hint of green freshness mingled with the richness of decaying leaves, suggesting the behemoths' path through dense foliage and overgrown trails.

He knew that he was getting close, and he quickened his pace, his heart racing with excitement and anticipation.

After carefully tracking, darting through the varied terrain, guided by the increasingly distinct tracks and scents, he at last glimpsed the behemoth. It loomed into view between the dense thicket of trees. It was a massive creature, standing nearly twenty feet tall and covered in thick, shaggy fur. Its eyes gleamed with intelligence, and its tusks were long and sharp.

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Roh knew that he had to be careful. The behemoth was an intimidating opponent, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. He slowly and quietly approached the beast, trying to stay downwind so as not to alert it to his presence.

He heard a ding sound and then a prompt appeared.

+50 Behemoth Research Points

New Skill Unlocked

Gained Skill: [Tracking Lv1]

New Passive Ability - [Scent Radius Reduction Lv1]: +5 Stealth - from now on your scent radius has reduced thereby increasing your stealth.

(Gained from tracking a monster correctly upwind with your scent hidden so that you do not alarm the local fauna.)

As he closed the prompt, he crept through the dense underbrush. He tried his best to keep his footsteps light and his breathing quiet. He had been tracking this behemoth for quite some time, and he knew that just one wrong move could alert the massive beast to his presence.

Roh was so focused on his pursuit that he didn't even notice the dry twig that snapped under his boot until it was too late. Suddenly, the behemoth let out a deafening bellow and charged off through the forest, crashing through the trees and bushes as it fled.

Roh cursed himself for his mistake as he watched the behemoth disappear into the distance. He had worked so hard to get this close to the creature, and now it was gone in an instant. He knew that he had lost his chance at a successful hunt, and he trudged onwards, disappointed and dejected.

As he walked, he noticed that warmth enveloped him and lush green fields extended in all directions with a variety of trees that dotted the land. Some of these trees bore a resemblance to trees he had seen in the real world such as Elm, Beech and Birch, however, others were unique looking trees that he had never seen before. One such tree that caught his attention, had a dark blue trunk with a metallic, almost oily sheen. Its scaled bark resembled that of a blue beetle’s carapace. It felt cool and smooth to the touch. Although, the most captivating thing about it was its shimmering, cobalt leaves. Roh couldn’t help but pick one in case he needed it for crafting.

Cobalt Leaf - Rare

This leaf originates from the Beetle Sycamore. A highly valued material with many uses: cooking, alchemy and dyes.

Nice one! Roh picked another four which filled up his limited inventory. The leaves replaced the rations he originally carried. For leaves, they were pretty heavy. Perhaps they didn’t simply appear metallic, but instead consisted of metal.

New Skill Unlocked

Gained Skill: [Foraging Lv1]

New Passive Ability – [Forager Experience Boost Lv1]: +25% XP bonus from foraging flora.

(Gained from searching and obtaining food or provisions.)

Sweet…every bit helps. Now to take a further look round. It was so tranquil save for the burbling and babbling of the wide, fast-flowing river snaking through the center of the trees like a water serpent moving swiftly past all obstacles. Having filled up his waterskin, he mostly followed the river to avoid getting lost through some of the denser area of trees.

DISCOVERED NEW LOCATION: CARAGARD VALLEY

Followed by a ding sound and another prompt.

Level Up! You are now level 2.

Title: Almost a hunter.

You still need to actually hunt a creature.

Max HP +10

Max Stamina +5

Two stat points gained.

Sassy AI with your sarcastic prompts. Guess I can’t be too bothered since I just leveled up and gained some points. I will add one point to my abilities and the other to my skills.

As Roh gazed at the ability point text for a few seconds, another prompt appeared with all of Roh’s initial starting stats for his secondary attributes.

Secondary Attributes:

Strength [9]

Endurance [4]

Agility [0]

Intellect [6]

Charisma [4]

I’ll add it to agility since that is currently my lowest attribute.

Roh closed the current prompt and focussed his attention on the previous one. With a fixed look at the skill point text, another prompt appeared with a skill tree displaying the three unique paths available to him.

Skill Tree:

[Passage of Pain] – A lingering pain from past wrongs, you are afflicted internally by your memories and find resolve by releasing your pent up fury during combat.

[Passage of Primal Spirit] – A virtue by nature, you are given the gift to commune with your surroundings.

[Passage of Passion] – A synergy of raw emotion and pervasive enchantment, you are shown the way of the Fey.

I could place skill points in two or even all three passages as I progress. That would give me versatility, but then I won’t be able to fully master a passage so I’m going to pick ‘Passage of Pain’ as it augments my background perfectly. I will put the skill point into the first available tier slot.

Reckless Assault

You disregard any semblance of focus and attack haphazardly, dealing 100% increased attack damage at a cost of 10 HP.

Woohoo, progress! Level 20 here I come! Speaking of which…. I’m not actually sure what the level cap is in the full game? Whatever it is, I hope to be there in no time. He closed the prompts and scouted his surroundings.

Behind him, which lay to the north, rose Na’rok Village with its white-tinged peaks in the distance and at the furthest reaches before him arose the sharp, reddish, stony peaks of Wyvern Heights.

I need to travel further southeast in order to reach Wyvern Heights as Tucks had mentioned. I’m going to need my mount to get there quicker. She has surely recovered her energy by now and having scouted the area, I don’t think it’s too dangerous, especially since it's midday when most beasts are resting and trying to avoid the heat. Plus I feel like I have put enough distance between myself and the behemoths.

He stopped, took a deep breath and blew into the small, silver whistle around his neck. This time making sure not to blow too hard like before. As safe as this area seems, I don’t want to take any chances. The shrill sound cut through the silence of the forest. He waited, listening for any sign that his mount had heard the call. After a few moments, he heard the sound of hooves pounding against the earth, and he grinned in relief as his auroch burst through the trees.

Noona came charging in, her head held high and her tail swishing back and forth. She was moving at such a fast pace that Roh could see nothing but a blur as she charged towards him.

He started to backpedal, but it was too late. Noona reached him and knocked him over, sending him sprawling on the ground. Roh lay there, dazed and confused, wondering if it was her way of getting back at him. He got up and brushed himself off, still hurting from being knocked over but more so from his ego.