Tyler's eyes blinked rapidly, as if he needed to confirm the reality of his situation. "Am... alive?" he whispered, his hand instinctively going to his side where moments before a gaping wound had been. The skin was smooth, unbroken. There was no pain, no throbbing, only the slight tearing of his shirt where the crimson wolf's claws had ripped through his flesh. The healing was complete, his body restored as if the injuries had never existed.
Grone stared at Tyler, his surprise evident in his wide eyes. Without warning, he punched Tyler lightly on the head.
"Ow! Why did you do that?" Tyler groaned, rubbing the back of his head.
"Are you serious? You almost died a second ago! I thought you—I thought you were dead!" Grone exclaimed, his voice still laced with the lingering shock.
"I thought that too, but..." Tyler's voice trailed off, his gaze dropping to his system stats.
"I leveled up," Tyler said, his voice low, a mixture of surprise and disbelief coloring his tone. "Why didn't you tell me you have the ability to heal yourself? I got worried, I almost..." Grone cut himself off, unable to finish the sentence.
"I don't have a healing ability," Tyler explained, "I just heal whenever I level up."
"Whenever you level up, you heal?" Grone asked, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Yeah..." Tyler replied, pushing himself to his feet.
Suddenly, a rustling sound broke the silence. The bushes around them began to shake violently, the sound growing steadily louder.
"What's going on? It's like they're all around us," Tyler said, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees.
"I think you called them here when you missed that wolf," Grone said, moving towards the center of the small clearing, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Tyler remembered the loud echo of his hammer hitting the ground when he'd missed the fleeing crimson wolf.
He followed Grone to the open space. "You take my back," Grone instructed, his voice low and serious. "Once they come out, get ready to fight."
"Alright," Tyler said, the word a short, sharp exhale as he summoned his hammer. The familiar weight settled in his hands, a small comfort against the rising tide of apprehension. Four Gloomfangs exploded from the undergrowth, surrounding him. Their blue fur seemed to absorb the light, making them appear almost shadowy against the forest floor. "Grone," he called out, his voice tight with urgency, "I've got four of them!"
Grone, who had been momentarily facing away, spun around at the sound of Tyler's voice. The ferocity of the creatures was immediately apparent. "Switch!" he yelled, the command sharp and decisive. In a quick movement, they exchanged positions. Grone now stood between Tyler and the four Gloomfangs, his stance low and ready. Tyler, for a brief moment, found himself facing only trees, the sudden silence disorienting. The quiet was shattered by the sound of snapping branches as a fifth Gloomfang, a level 44, burst from the undergrowth directly in front of him. It was similar in size to the others, a compact, lethal predator. "Just my luck," Tyler muttered, his grip tightening on the hammer. The beast before him growled, a low rumble that vibrated through the forest floor.
The Gloomfang's attack was a blur of blue fur and bared teeth. Reflexively, Tyler activated his Bash skill. The hammer, a familiar weight in his grip, arced through the air in a powerful, controlled swing. The sound of the impact was sickening – a sickening crack followed by a wet thud as bone and flesh gave way. The Gloomfang's head exploded in a spray of ichor and shattered bone, its body collapsing in a heap near the base of the tree, disturbing the already disturbed earth where the crimson wolf had fallen earlier. The system notifications, Level Up! Level Up!, blinked briefly in his peripheral vision, a stark contrast to the grim reality of the scene.
He risked a glance at Grone. Three more Gloomfangs lay sprawled on the forest floor, their blue fur matted with blood. Next to each body, a stark blue box shimmered into existence, displaying the single word: Extract. The remaining Gloomfang, its eyes wide with a primal terror that mirrored the frantic beating of Tyler's own heart, turned tail and fled. As if summoned by an unseen force, Tyler's hammer vanished from his grasp. In its place, he held two copper daggers, cool and smooth against his skin. The system message, Weapon Mastery activated. +7% speed, appeared, a fleeting acknowledgment of the shift in his capabilities. With a motion that was less a throw and more an extension of his own will, he launched the daggers. They sliced through the air, leaving barely a whisper of their passage, finding their mark with deadly precision in the fleeing creature's back.
Then, a pained howl ripped through the air, echoing through the trees. A new notification appeared on Tyler's system display: Level Up! Tyler stared at the screen as his status updated:
```
SPECIES: Human
NAME: Tyler Evans
RANK: E LVL: 23
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 76/76 MP: 76/76
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
STR: 65 AGI: 58
DEF: 50 STM: 49
STATUS: Healthy
Skills: Armour Craft, Weapon Craft, Weapon Mastery
Equipped Skill: Bash
```
He blinked, rereading the information. "Am I an E-Rank?" he asked, more to himself than to Grone.
Grone, who had been examining the fallen Gloomfangs, looked up, a question in his eyes. "What? Did you say you're E-Rank?"
Tyler nodded, still slightly stunned. "Yeah."
Tyler looked at Grone and saw his level: 56. "You leveled up too? You're a level 56?"
"I know," Grone said. "Turns out when you're C-rank or higher, you can feel when you level up."
Right then, another notification appeared: New Skill unlocked: Alchemy.
"Alchemy?" Tyler said, the word hanging in the air, full of curiosity.
"Alchemy," Grone said, his voice a low question.
"Yeah," Tyler replied, "it seems I've got a new skill."
"A new skill?" Grone asked, a hint of surprise in his tone. "You actually got a new skill?"
"Yes," Tyler confirmed, looking at the notification again. "It says 'Alchemy'." He frowned, scratching his head. "What is alchemy, exactly?"
Grone shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never heard of such a skill."
Tyler pondered this, scratching his head. The mystery of the new skill was intriguing, but it was quickly overshadowed by other sounds. A low rumble started to build in the air, growing steadily louder. Then, a high-pitched ionking noise cut through the rumble – the unmistakable sound of a pig.
They exchanged a look. Both knew instantly what it meant. A HexHorn was coming.
Tyler saw a notification shimmer into existence from the edge of the bushes: a text box reading Hex Horn, Level 48. A wave of disappointment washed over him. They were here for level 50 and above HexHorn's horns; this one fell short of their target. Still, a level 48 HexHorn was far from harmless. Both he and Grone instantly raised their guard, their bodies tensing.
The Hex Horn burst from the bushes, charging directly at them – a blur of bristling fur and tusks, seemingly intent on running them down. With a desperate, instinctive movement, Tyler and Grone scrambled to the sides, narrowly avoiding the creature's brutal charge. The HexHorn, momentarily thwarted, skidded to a halt, its snorting breath a cloud in the air.
The HexHorn turned, its massive hoof already beginning to lift, preparing for another charge. But Tyler was faster. With a powerful spring from his legs, he launched himself into the air, his body a blur of motion. The hammer, a familiar extension of his own strength, whistled through the air, a deadly arc of steel against the bright sunlight. The system notification flashed: Bash skill activated. The impact echoed through the clearing – a bone-jarring CRACK as the hammer connected with the HexHorn's tusks.
The massive creature shrieked, a sound of pure, agonizing pain, as its massive weight crashed to the ground, its chin impacting the earth with a sickening thud. Seizing the opportunity, Grone activated his Piercing skill.
Grone launched himself forward, a blur of motion. His sword, a gleaming silver blade, found its mark with terrifying precision – the Hex Horn's eye. The moment the tip touched the creature's eye, a shriek of pure agony tore through the air. With incredible force, the sword pierced completely through the HexHorn's head, emerging from the other eye. A powerful explosive force erupted from the impact, a gust of wind blasting outwards from the point of contact.
Tyler watched, astonished as always by Grone's skill. The Hex Horn died instantly, its head intact, yet undeniably lifeless.
"Phew," Tyler breathed, "that was close."
Grone sheathed his sword, his face impassive. "I'm actually out of words," he admitted, a rare crack in his usual stoicism.
"What do you mean?" Tyler asked, genuinely curious.
Grone looked at him, a hint of something akin to pride in his usually stoic expression. "You've really grown," he said, the words seeming almost hesitant.
"I've grown?" Tyler echoed, surprised.
Grone nodded. "Yeah. You managed to move before I did. Which is a first, honestly. And... you have... you seem to be stronger and faster now. Which is honestly impressive." He paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Seeing as you are now... I'm still wondering how you were able to manage a whole night alone in the woods when it was your first time here."
Tyler scratched his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "I guess I was lucky," he admitted. "I mean, I spent the night sleeping in a tree. That's how I saw you from up there."
Grone nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "So that time I saw you, you saw me first, from up a tree?"
"Yes," Tyler confirmed. "I just saw a man walking in the woods and I ran to get some help. I actually thought I was the only person in the woods, and when I saw you I was really relieved."
. "Well, that decision was good and bad," he said, his voice serious again. "But we can't keep talking right now. We really have to find that C-rank HexHorn."
Tyler looked down at the fallen HexHorn. Beside it, a text box shimmered into existence: Extract. His eyes widened in sudden realization. He glanced around, noticing the scattered remains of the Gloomfangs. Each corpse had its own Extract prompt.
"Oh," he murmured, remembering the system's function. He said, "Extract." A flash of light erupted. The hides of the Gloomfangs vanished, leaving behind only bone and flesh, their fangs and teeth still intact. The Hex Horn's hide and horns also vanished, leaving only its bare skull and skeletal structure.
"Wow," Grone said, shaking his head slightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He started walking, Tyler falling into step beside him.
"We haven't crossed the river yet, did you realize that?" Grone remarked, his gaze sweeping the landscape.
Tyler stopped, surprised. Grone was right; they hadn't. A wave of apprehension washed over him. He knew what lay beyond the river – more monsters. He remembered the Shadowfangs, their terrifying attacks, and how close he had come to death during their last encounter.
They continued walking, the forest growing denser and darker. Then, Tyler heard a faint, almost imperceptible squelching sound behind him. He turned and saw a shimmering, translucent patch on the ground. A small notification appeared above it: Level 4 Slime.
A copper dagger materialized in his hand. With a dismissive flick of his wrist, he threw the dagger. It embedded itself easily in the slime, which let out a *cue* sound as it disintegrated, dying instantly. He continued walking.
They walked on, the forest seemingly endless. Then, in a clearing, they encountered a Level 14 Pixel, a peacock-like bird, a bizarre hybrid of ostrich and peacock. This was the second time Tyler had seen one.
Right as the Pixel spread its magnificent wings, a kaleidoscope of iridescent feathers, Tyler remembered Grone's warning from their last encounter. Before the bird could unleash its hypnotic display, Grone repeated the instruction, his voice urgent: "Cover your ears and close your eyes!"
They obeyed instantly, shielding themselves from the impending assault. The Pixel's wings began to shift through a dizzying array of colors – emerald, sapphire, ruby – a chaotic, mesmerizing spectacle designed to ensnare the minds of any who dared to watch. Then, it opened its beak, and a high-pitched shriek tore through the air. Even with his ears covered, Tyler felt the sound vibrate through his skull, a painful, piercing wave of noise.
When the shrieking finally ceased, a copper dagger materialized in Tyler's hand, ready for whatever came next.
Before Tyler could react, a system notification flashed before his eyes: James Grone has used skill: Slash. In a blur of motion, he saw Grone's blade arc through the air. The Pixel's head separated from its body with a clean, almost surgical precision, mirroring the swift execution of their previous encounter. The creature collapsed, lifeless.
Instantly, a text prompt appeared beside the fallen Pixel: Extract. Without hesitation, Tyler spoke the word aloud: "Extract." Another system notification followed: Extraction Successful.
Tyler instinctively opened his inventory screen. Rows of husks filled several slots, the remnants of previous encounters. Among them, he saw a stack of fifteen iridescent feathers, clearly marked as belonging to the Pixel. He closed the inventory, the weight of the successful extraction settling upon him.
They continued their trek, the forest gradually thinning as they approached the river. Finding a narrow point where the current seemed less treacherous, they carefully made their way across, the cool water rushing around their legs. The far bank offered a new vista, a continuation of their perilous journey.