Following the disturbing encounter with the goblin, Lanek made his way back to his camp. On the way, he couldn’t help but regard Sanguineus with no small amount of trepidation. Just how dangerous is this thing?
As soon as the thought passed through his mind, he felt a tug on his mind from the weapon. It wasn’t very strong, but it was new and very disturbing in light of his inability to remove the weapon from the goblin’s body until it was sucked dry. Had that been the whip itself or had it controlled him somehow?
At least he wasn’t stuck with just the whip at this point, although it was in better condition by far than the knife and axe he had looted. On closer inspection, he noticed that both items were more suited as tools rather than weapons. Maybe I killed a laborer?
While the two weapons weren’t crafted especially well or well maintained, they were at least very sharp and the blades were crafted from metal. Lanek had half expected them to be crafted from stone when he saw the goblins. Apparently, goblins in this world were a bit more sophisticated and capable than those from the books and games he had enjoyed.
The trip back to camp concluded without incident, for which Lanek was thankful. He wanted to spend some time with the axe improving his camp for a few hours. Settling down near the expired campfire, he dug through the branches he had collected, specifically looking for a longer piece that he could turn into a digging stick.
It wasn’t ideal, but breaking up the ground with a pointed stick would be much easier than attempting to do everything by hand. Luckily, the majority of the wood he had collected thus far was hardwood, which should make for a sturdy digging utensil. While he was at it, he decided to make a spear as well.
At least he knew the basics of how to use a spear even if he wouldn’t bet on being able to hold his own against an intelligent foe with it. He could even use it to attempt to fish in the nearby river. He smiled wryly at that thought, he had never speared fish before and knew it was very likely much more difficult than it looked.
“Ah well, I can learn. It’s not like I have a lot of choice when it comes to keeping busy. Right, Kazuma?” The cat tilted his head to the side before deciding that taking a nap was a far better use of his time than listening to Lanek.
Cats will be cats. Lanek laughed as he looked on in envy at the sheer ease with which the cat became comfortable and fell asleep. On a whim, Lanek used [Identify] on his furry friend.
Kazuma
Mist Cat
lvl 2
Mist cats are shy creatures that reside deep in the mountains where they reign as one of several species of apex predators. The mist cat’s signature trait is its ability to take on a mist form for short periods of time. This has greatly aided in making them a feared predator as their preferred ranges are commonly covered in fog making the cats almost impossible to detect until they strike.
Highly intelligent, these creatures are capable of understanding speech. As a result, mist cats are highly sought after by tamers or mages seeking familiars.
“Well now, that is interesting. I wonder if that woman from your memories was a tamer?” Predictably, Kazuma did not rouse himself from his nap to provide an answer.
Lanek returned his attention to his tools, finishing both the spear and digging stick before digging out some berries from his pack. Looking over the camp, he realized he had overlooked a pretty major issue. Even if he did cut some wood to build up his camp, he didn’t have any cordage to bind everything together.
He considered harvesting fibers from tree bark, but weaving them into a useful form would take a long time and no small amount of patience. Maybe a quick trip into the city? If I can snag some blankets or old clothing, I can turn them into makeshift rope. I’m going to need more clothing anyway, I don’t think what I have is going to be enough for the winter. It’s too late to go now, though.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Lanek hefted his axe and walked away from the camp in search of small trees. Yes, he was surrounded by a massive forest, but the goblin’s axe was not really suitable for felling large trees. It would leave him exhausted as it would take far too long. In terms of energy expenditure versus benefit, it just wasn’t worth it.
Finding several saplings, Lanek set to work. After a while, he felt himself falling into a rhythm as he chopped. That’s not to say that he was enjoying himself, he was simply getting more comfortable with the act. As the pile of felled saplings grew, Lanek could feel himself becoming more efficient just as the System chimed.
You have learned [Woodcutting] [General].
He focused on the new skill.
[Woodcutting] [General] (lvl 1) Woodcutting is a general skill that governs the efficiency with which you can harvest wood. Your felling, splitting, and refining speed have increased.
Why does this skill have a level and my others don’t? Dammit, I really need to find a book to help me figure this stuff out.
As much as he didn’t like it, Lanek knew he would have to go back into the city the next day. There was just too much he needed that the wilderness could not provide him with, such as better clothing and tools. Most important of all, a trip into the city could give him some much needed reference material if he could find a bookshop.
Shaking his head in frustration at the lack of information, he returned to chopping down the small saplings. [Woodcutting] immediately made itself useful. He could now feel his instincts guiding him, angling the axe a bit here and adjusting his grip there.
His swings were also being adjusted, causing him to aim at different spots on the tree than he would have before. As a result, he was taking the saplings down in a fraction of the time that it was taking him before.
Back at his camp, Lanek saw that Kazuma had been busy during his absence. The cat was tearing into a rabbit and had left another one for Lanek near the campfire. Not willing to risk losing the meal, he field dressed it before starting the fire. While the rabbit was cooking, yet another chime from the System sounded.
Aren’t we being noisy today. Lanek grumbled to himself as he turned his attention to his new notifications.
You have learned [Bushcraft] [General] (lvl 1).
[Bushcraft] [General] (lvl 1) Bushcraft is a general skill that makes basic survival tasks more efficient. This skill affects acquiring food, sourcing water, building a fire, field dressing your kills, and building basic shelters.
Another general skill with a level? Do only general skills have levels? What makes them different? I’m not going to complain, though. This one looks like it is going to make my life a bit easier. The more efficient I am, the more shit I can get done.
Picking his rabbit off the fire, Lanek ate his fill and went to bed. He was going to need all the sleep he could get, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
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The morning found Lanek approaching the gates of Caelis with a very agitated Kazuma. He could tell that the cat didn’t want to be back here, but came along to protect him. Lanek couldn’t blame him, this place was horrible and he wasn’t the one who had been trapped here for centuries.
The memories of his last battle before exiting the city ran through his mind. It was almost enough to make him turn back and find another source for supplies, like the goblins. Unfortunately, the city would likely be the better option.
At least in Caelis he could be stealthy and possibly avoid the monsters now that he wasn’t carrying around the light orb. With the goblins, he doubted he could reach anything useful in their territory without being detected. Not to mention that he did not want the goblins becoming aware of his presence in the forest. The last thing he needed was to have enemies hunting him outside of the city.
Lanek stood before the gates, listening for any shrieks or howls that would give away the presence of another gaunt, crypt stalker, or something worse. There was nothing, just the silence of a city long dead.
Come on. Stop procrastinating. You’re just going in for a quick look through the buildings just inside the gate. No more. Plus, you have Kazuma to watch your back. You’ll be fine.
Lanek took a deep breath, adjusted his pack, hefted his spear, and walked through the gates. Even if I do get attacked, at least it will give me experience and let me get stronger. If I survive.
You have entered the Ashen Depths.