Tyler stared at the system screen displaying his rewards:

Quest Rewards:

+2 stat points to each stat.

Armor Recipe: 2 Medium Copper Ores, 15 Medium Silver Ores → Shine Armor

Weapon Recipe: 1 Medium Silver Ore, 12 Medium Iron Ores → 2-Handed Axe

Accessory Recipe: 500ml Holy Water, 1 Small Copper Ore, Level 30+ Slime Core → Necklace of Growth

Alchemy Recipe: 1 Venom Bloom, 200ml Slither Blood, 5 Brunish Tree Leaves → Poison Blend (For User)

"More recipes," Tyler muttered, "I'll look at them later." The system panel vanished, only to be replaced by another:

Quest Rewards:

+2 stat points to each stat.

Armor Recipe: 1 Hexhorn Hide → Leather Gloves

Weapon Recipe: 3 Adas Tree Branches, 1 Drain String → Wood Bow

Accessory Recipe: 7 Slime Cores, 2 Small Iron Ores → Necklace of Durability

Alchemy Recipe: 20 Vital Flowers, 500ml Water, 10 Sunleaf Plant Leafs → Light Healing Potion

"Another one, huh?" Tyler said, continuing his walk as the system panel disappeared. "This accessory crafting ability isn't bad. So I get to craft necklaces that boost my stats. At least, that's what I think they'll do."

Tyler looked ahead. "All right," he muttered, "looks like I have to cross the river to get to that place."

As he walked towards the river, he spotted a figure: a dark-skinned, bald man in leather armor, several hex-horn hides slung over his shoulder. The man was heading in the opposite direction. Tyler maintained his guard as they approached, exchanging only brief glances as they passed. The man's necklace caught Tyler's eye—a red pendant bearing the letter 'C'.

"So that man's a C-rank hunter,"Tyler thought. "I wonder why his necklace is colored like that. Why is it red?"

He continued walking, and then, between the trees, a crimson wolf appeared, growling menacingly. But Tyler felt no fear, no intimidation. He held out his hand, and his hammer materialized. A level indicator appeared above the wolf's head: Level 28. Tyler felt a slight pang of disappointment. "Do I even need to use a skill at this point?"

The crimson wolf lunged. Tyler swung his hammer with all his might. The hammerhead connected with the wolf's neck, a loud crack echoing through the trees, followed by a small, pained howl.

The crimson wolf tumbled across the ground, its body rolling several times before coming to a stop. Tyler approached the fallen beast. He spoke a single word: "Extract." The crimson wolf's red hide shimmered and vanished, leaving behind only its flesh, bones, and claws. Tyler turned and continued his journey.

"Is this why those people said E-ranks mostly hunt on this side?"he mused. "It's true, the monsters here are relatively weak. Anyways, because I'm a D-rank now, I can cross the river without anyone being surprised that an E-rank hunter is doing so."

He reached the riverbank, finding a convenient crossing point. As he stepped onto the stepping stones, the system message appeared: Lurker activated skill: Surge.

Before he could react, a creature resembling a giant eel, its scales shimmering blue, burst from the water. The creature's sudden attack sent Tyler sprawling into the river. He reacted instantly, grabbing the creature by the neck as it launched itself at him.

Underwater, Tyler struggled for breath. The force of the water, combined with the creature's strength, made it difficult to fight back effectively. He held on with every ounce of strength, knowing that releasing his grip would likely mean his death. The Lurker pulled him this way and that, spinning him wildly in the churning water.

The system panel appeared, momentarily clear amidst the chaos: Level 38.

Tyler activated his Rush skill, using the momentum of the spinning water to propel himself upwards. Holding onto the Lurker's neck with a death grip, he planted his feet on the riverbed and unleashed all his strength and speed, launching himself clear of the water. His head broke the surface with a gasp for air, and he landed heavily on the riverbank, the Lurker falling several feet away.

He coughed, sputtering water, and dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. He looked at the creature: eel-like, with blue, shimmering scales, fins along its sides, and another fin-like appendage atop its head. Its teeth were sharp and silver, and its black eyes were set on the sides of its head. It began to thrash, moving like a fish scrambling for water.

Instantly, Tyler rose, materializing his hammer. With Rush still active, he moved with blurring speed. His hammer connected with the Lurker's head, a devastating blow that crushed the skull. The creature flew back, striking a tree and falling lifelessly to the ground.

Water streamed from his hair and armor as Tyler breathed heavily, the hammer vanishing back into his inventory. He approached the dead Lurker, noting the bluish-black blood seeping from its wounds.

"That was close," Tyler muttered, looking down at the Lurker's remains. He sighed and said, "Extract."

The Lurker's blue scales shimmered and vanished, followed by the disappearance of its flesh and even its teeth. Only the bones remained. Tyler stared, surprised. "Wait, it took almost everything? Where's the flesh?"

He opened his inventory. Several slots displayed: Lurker Meat , Lurker Scales with a number beside it, and Lurker Steel Fangs. He was astonished. "Those silver teeth were actually steel?" Relief washed over him as the system panel faded.

"Okay," he said, looking around, "I have to get back there."

Tyler, already on the other side of the river, walked back to the crossing point—the distance surprisingly short. He then took the path he and Grone had once traveled, the path where he'd harvested vital flowers and faced the Hexhorns. He walked onward, surprised by the lack of monsters.

I'm probably not seeing many monsters because of other hunters," he thought, but something feels off. Why didn't I see any hunters the time I arrived here? That time when I was alone in the forest, I mean I met Grone, but—"

His thoughts were interrupted by a rumbling sound approaching from his left. He turned, his hammer materializing in his hand.

Tyler gripped his hammer with both hands, taking a step back and waiting. A shriek, almost pig-like, pierced the air. "A Hexhorn", he thought.

The Hexhorn emerged from the bushes, its body clearly injured, several arrows protruding from its back. Tyler activated Kinetic Overload. His eyes shimmered blue for a fraction of a second before he unleashed a powerful blow with his hammer, striking the Hexhorn squarely in the nose. The impact shattered the creature's skull, sending it sprawling through the air, landing upside down on its back. The arrows embedded in its back snapped. Its legs twitched once, then stilled.

Just as Tyler lowered his hammer, he heard a noise from the forest. A tall man with short blond hair, wearing leather armor and steel boots, stepped into view. A C -rank necklace hung around his neck.

"Damn it, kid," the man snarled, "you stole my kill!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tyler said quickly. "You can have all the materials. I was just surprised, that's all, so I had to act."

The man eyed Tyler's D-rank necklace and held his dagger. Tyler held his hammer firmly, bracing for an attack.

"Whoa, relax," the man said. "I'm taking the hide. Why would I suddenly want to fight you? Now step back and let me take my hide."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tyler mumbled, lowering his guard and stepping back.

"Why aren't you stepping back?" the man demanded. "Go all the way over there.

"In fact, get out of here. I'm not going to crouch down and extract the materials while a stranger is standing in front of me with a hammer, am I?"

"Oh, right, sorry," Tyler said. "I wasn't planning on staying here anyway."

Tyler, still holding his hammer, walked away, his guard remaining high. Past experiences had taught him to be wary of other hunters; he'd been attacked before when he'd let his guard down. He walked carefully, listening intently for any sounds behind him. The faint sounds of a dagger slicing through hide slowly faded behind him.

As he walked, uncertainty gnawed at him. Grone had told him to keep going straight, but he wasn't so sure anymore. He looked around. "I think I've gone far enough. I mean, from that point, I haven't run into a single monster."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

He decided to turn left. Spotting a tall tree, he thought, "Maybe I can see some monsters from up high and spot a Brolin. Now that I think about it, those people were looking for Brolins too, weren't they? Maybe I should go to that place, the place where I saw the Shadow Walker... but that wasn't really the place. It was the place where I got lost when I was trying to get away from that girl. I don't even know where that place is."

He sighed. "Oh, man."

The silence was shattered by a rustling sound. Before Tyler could react, something round and hard slammed into his shoulder, a searing pain exploding through his body. He hit the forest floor hard. Pushing himself up, he saw it: a glistening copper sphere, armor-like and catching the sunlight.

The creature began to shift, transforming from its spherical form. The copper armor flowed, moving to its back and arms, like a turtle shedding its shell. But this was no turtle. Its head was broad and flat, seemingly neckless, with large, oval, white eyes.

It crouched, then rolled towards Tyler with astonishing speed. Tyler rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding the copper sphere. As it stopped, the creature transformed again, legs extending as it turned to face him. It crouched low, becoming a spinning wheel, its silver armor etched with intricate patterns. The design was strangely familiar, reminding Tyler of a creature from his past world.

The system panel appeared: Brolin: Level 45

Tyler summoned his hammer, just as another system message flashed: Brolin has activated skill: Bash

The Brolin launched itself from the ground, much like the slimes he'd encountered before.

"They have the same skill," Tyler thought, a grim realization dawning as he dodged the Brolin's attack. The copper sphere whizzed past, missing him by a hair's breadth. He gripped his hammer, a surge of adrenaline coursing through him. "We have the same skill," he declared, his voice echoing in the sudden hush of the forest, "let's see if mine is better." He activated Kinetic Overload, his eyes blazing with a brief, intense blue light.

The Brolin launched itself, a blur of spinning copper. With a guttural roar, Tyler channeled every ounce of his strength into a devastating blow. His hammer slammed into the Brolin's shell, the impact generating a shockwave that rippled through the air. The hammerhead shattered, exploding into fragments, leaving only the haft in his hand. The force of the blow sent the Brolin hurtling through the trees; it smashed into one ancient trunk, splitting it cleanly in two, before crashing into another with a deafening thud.

Disappointment pricked at Tyler, a fleeting moment before he focused on the fallen creature. He ran towards the Brolin, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. The copper shell was cracked and dented, the Brolin's body still, its red blood trickling onto the forest floor. Relief washed over him in a tidal wave, erasing the adrenaline-fueled tension.

"I don't have a weapon now, he thought, the reality of his situation settling in. It seems I'm going to have to get back."

"Oh, yeah, right. I remember Brolin blood being an ingredient for my alchemy skill. Was it 100 milliliters? I forgot." Tyler mused. "Right, now how do I get this?" He reached into his inventory and pulled out a small glass vial, considering how to obtain the Brolin's blood.

He noticed a small puncture in the Brolin's underbelly, a piece of its own armor having pierced the flesh. Carefully, he pried the armor fragment away, positioning the vial over the wound.

"Man, he thought, a wry smile touching his lips, if anyone told me to do this back in my own world, I'd say they were crazy. But here I am, taking some weird creature's blood to make a potion." He paused, a sudden wave of self-doubt washing over him. "Wait, am I going to drink this? I hope I don't have to drink this one, because that would be weird. I don't even know what's going to happen if I drink it. My defense will probably rise, but I don't think I'm going to like the taste, and I hope there are no side effects. I think the side effects of that health potion was increased virility which is good, I guess. Anyway, I have to stop thinking too hard. The vial is about to fill up."

He removed the vial; it was full. "This vial fits about 500 milliliters of water," he thought." Yeah, this is way more than I need, which is good." The vial vanished back into his inventory.

Tyler looked down at the Brolin's remains and issued the command, "Extract." The system's response appeared instantly: Vial is too full for Brolin blood extraction. Continue with hide extraction?

A surprised expression crossed Tyler's face. He had assumed he would need to manually collect the blood, but it seemed the system would have automatically filled the vial while it was still in his inventory. He confirmed his choice with a curt, "Yes, continue with extraction."

The Brolin's distinctive copper armor shimmered, then dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the creature's lifeless form.

He began his trek back towards the base, a cautiousness settling over him. The absence of his hammer weighed heavily on his mind. *I don't want to encounter any monsters without a weapon,* he thought, a knot of apprehension tightening in his stomach. *I could probably handle lower-level creatures with my fists, but I don't want to risk it.*

With a decisive movement, he activated his Rush skill. The world transformed into a vibrant blur of greens and browns. Trees flashed past like streaks of paint, the speed disorienting yet exhilarating. The sensation was intense; it was as if he were riding a powerful, unseen current. He was both surprised and impressed by the sheer velocity. "Whoa,"he thought, "I can actually run this fast? I probably didn't notice before because I was always focused on fighting."

In what felt like only moments, he reached the riverbank. He focused his intent, pushing his speed to its limit, and launched himself into a powerful leap. The river receded beneath him, the ground rushing up to meet him in a dizzying display of speed and height. He landed with a controlled grace on the far bank, his breath catching in his throat. He turned to look back at the river, a mixture of awe and exhilaration in his eyes.

"Wow!" he breathed, a genuine expression of wonder on his face. "I didn't realize I could jump this high either. This leveling up really does pay off." He resumed his run, his pace unwavering.

Tyler, focused on his escape, didn't notice the person he'd just passed; a thick bush obscured their view of each other until after Tyler had leaped the river. Rebecca, on the other side, watched in astonishment as Tyler cleared the wide river in a single bound, a feat she knew even experienced E-rank hunters struggled with. She watched him run, his form quickly disappearing into the distance.

She activated her Perception skill, her vision zooming in on Tyler as he ran. Recognition dawned, widening her eyes. "It's him," she thought, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips. *Damn it. I thought he couldn't visit me at the restaurant because he left from here. Did he just decide not to? What a freaking asshole," she muttered under her breath. She turned to continue on her own path, a bitter taste in her mouth. "I can't even catch up to him at this point. I'm a C-rank hunter now, but somehow... it feels like he's still faster than me. Is it because he's an Assassin-type hunter?" she wondered. "Anyways, I don't think he'd agree even if I tried to talk to him about what I wanted. We got off on the wrong foot."

She continued her journey through the forest, her thoughts preoccupied with Tyler.

Meanwhile, Tyler's Rush skill wore off, his pace slowing considerably. However, he had already reached the Crossroads base, the familiar sight of tents and bustling hunters greeting him. He entered the base, his eyes scanning the crowd. He spotted Steve amidst the moving throng. Steve caught his eye, quickly looked away, and continued on his path.

Tyler paused, a question forming in his mind. "What's up with him?"

"Is he actually scared of me? I didn't think anyone would perceive me this way. But, well, I guess it happened," Tyler mused, continuing his walk towards the tent.

He reached the tent and saw Serena inside. "Oh, Serena, good morning," he greeted her.

Serena looked up, a surprised expression on her face. "Oh, it's you. I forgot your name. What was it again?"

"Tyler," he replied.

"Oh, right," Serena said, her gaze lingering on Tyler's armor. "So, you're a hunter now? And you're even a D-rank hunter?"

"Yes," Tyler confirmed.

"Did you work in the fields before you got here?" she asked.

"The fields? Oh, no," Tyler replied. "I didn't work anywhere before becoming a hunter. I just trained with Grone."

"Oh, that might explain it," Serena said. "But to think you're already a D-rank hunter.... Anyways, what brings you here? You want to take on a quest?"

"Oh, no," Tyler said. "There was someone here—I forgot his name—I took on a quest and I'm back with the materials."

"Oh, you mean Nathan? If you took on a quest, it should be around here," Serena said, ducking under the counter. The sounds of rustling papers followed. She emerged, holding a flyer. "Oh, I found it! And your name is written here; it seems you signed it. So, do you want—" She paused, then continued, "Oh, so if you just give me the materials, I'll give you the quest reward."

Tyler looked around the bustling tent, observing the exchange of materials and gold. Hunters, some D-rank and E-rank, were dropping off hides and plants at the counter, receiving payment in return.

"I'm sorry, but can you give me the…" Serena began, but Tyler interrupted.

"Oh, okay, I'm sorry. I'll just… Um, can you give me a sack?"

"Uh, a sack?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah," Tyler replied. "I'll give it back. Don't you have sacks under the counter? Nathan used to give them out."

Serena ducked under the counter and emerged with a sack. "Okay, but what are you going to do with it?" she asked, handing it to him.

Tyler paused. He looked into the empty sack. To Serena's astonishment, the sack visibly inflated, filling with something that caused it to bulge oddly.

"Oh," Serena said, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I think I know your ability. It actually surprised me the first time I saw it."

"Yeah," Tyler said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I was trying to hide it." He handed the sack back to her.

Serena took the sack and saw the Brolin's armor neatly contained within. "Oh, ah, thank you," she said, handing him two gold coins.

The gold vanished into Tyler's inventory. "Thanks," he said. "I'll see you again. I have to go to town."

"Ah," Serena said, "you must be tired. You've been hunting all night, haven't you?"

Tyler looked back at Serena. "Oh, no," he said, "I haven't been hunting all night. I have been hunting, but I'm not tired at all. I just need to go to town to do something first. I might even come back here today. Anyways, see you later," he said, waving as he headed around the tent.

"Okay, I'll see you then, Tyler," Serena called after him.

Tyler rounded the tent, only to find no wagon waiting. "Oh, man," he muttered, "I'm going to have to wait for one of those, aren't I?"

He sat down, his thoughts drifting to Emily. "Are they feeding her in that dungeon? I hope they are," he worried. "Man, to think I'm going to save some kind of thief… I don't even know her, and that's what's crazy. Should I just use up all this money, or should I save it?" He shook his head, a wave of self-doubt washing over him. "What the heck is wrong with me? Why would I even think that? She's going to get whipped and violated. I have to save her. But I can't believe I said I was going to… like… provide for her or something. I just said yes without even thinking. What the hell is wrong with me? I don't even know how to get her a job."

Then, a thought struck him, a spark of determination igniting within him. "Wait, I think I can actually get her a job."

As if summoned by his resolve, a wagon appeared in the distance, the rhythmic clip-clop of horses' hooves growing steadily louder.

The rhythmic clopping of hooves grew louder as the wagon approached. "Man," Tyler thought, the sound of these horses is so disorienting. I don't think I could even mimic it. I mean, these horses have six legs each, and people think it's normal? Does that mean they already had six legs before the story about the demon king and all that?"

The wagon drew closer, and Tyler's surprise was palpable as Grone emerged from the back.

"Oh, Tyler," Grone said, a warm smile on his face. "How have you been?"

"Grone!" Tyler exclaimed. "You're here. Man, it feels like it's been a long time since I've seen you, but I just got here yesterday."

Grone chuckled, lightly hitting Tyler on the back. "That's what hunting feels like," he said. His smile faltered, however, as his gaze fell upon Tyler's necklace. "Whoa, wait a moment," he said, his voice laced with surprise. "Are you already a D-rank hunter?"

Tyler scratched the back of his head. "Yes," he confirmed. "I actually got my hunter assessment today. I just completed a D-rank quest."

As soon as the words left his lips, a system panel materialized before him:

Quest Reward:

+2 stat points to each stat.

Armor Recipe:4 Hexhorn Hides → Hexhorn Armor

Weapon Recipe: Adas Branch, Iron Ores, Elin Feather → Arrows (number depends on materials)

Accessory Recipe: User's Blood, 1 Small Copper Ore, 3 Vital Flowers → Vital Ring

Alchemy Recipe: Crimson Wolf Fur, 300ml Water, 3 Sunleaf Leafs → Weak Agility Potion

Tyler dismissed the system panel almost as quickly as it appeared.

"Kid," Grone said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I don't know what to say. You might be the fastest leveling hunter I've ever met. I mean, I am speechless."

"In a way, I kind of am too," Tyler admitted. "I didn't think I would actually become a D-rank hunter after my first quest."

Grone asked, "What was your first quest?"

Tyler replied, "Oh, i had to go get a Brunish tree, but I ran into some monsters and kept fighting. Oh, and you forgot to tell me something."

"What?" Grone asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"You didn't tell me anything about boss monsters," Tyler stated.

Grone's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you actually fought a boss monster?"

"Yeah," Tyler confirmed. "I almost died, but luckily I survived. I didn't fight that thing alone, fortunately."

"Oh," Grone said, shaking his head. "I don't know how I forgot to tell you that important piece of information. I didn't think you would actually run into it. How far did you go into the forest?"

"I wanted to go to where I first met the Shadow Walkers," Tyler replied.

"I think I eventually went too far," Tyler said, "because when I spawned into this world, I was very far from the base. Maybe that's why I couldn't see anyone."

"What kind of boss monster did you fight?" Grone asked.

"It was a Shadow Walker," Tyler replied.

"A Shadow Walker?" Grone exclaimed. "Those things are known to be extremely fast. Fighting a Shadow Walker at night is practically a suicide mission. You said you fought it with someone, right? And you managed to defeat it, seeing as how you're alive? Or did you just get away?"

"No," Tyler said, a smile spreading across his face. "I was able to beat it, and I took the spoils. I actually have the hide and claws in my inventory right now."

"You're very lucky," Grone said, his eyes wide. "Do you know how much those things cost?"

"Yeah," Tyler said. "When I took my hunter assessment, they told me how much it was worth. And I don't think I'm planning on selling it right now."

Grone frowned. "Why?"

"I'm planning on making armor with it," Tyler explained. "Maybe I can get some of its skills, or maybe I'll just sell it later. Who knows?"

Grone sighed. "Hmm, when I get back, I want you to show me this ability of yours—you know, the one where you get a creature's skills when you craft armor from it. So, when I come back, we're going to go to where you trained that time, and I want you to show it to me. Understand?" Grone said, placing a hand on Tyler's shoulder.

Tyler nodded.

"Alright," Grone said. "I'm going to take on some quests."

"I'll see you later today. You can go ahead and rest," Grone said.

"All right, take care of yourself," Tyler replied.

Tyler climbed onto the wagon. The driver looked at him and asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Oh, I'm going to town," Tyler answered.

"You know how much that is worth, right?" the driver asked, indicating the fare.

"Right," Tyler said, handing over the coins.

The wagon started moving. Tyler leaned back, closing his eyes. Maybe I could use a little rest before we get to town," he thought.

Meanwhile, in her cell, Emily sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. She looked up at the ceiling, a mixture of hope and apprehension in her eyes. "Is that sir really going to come for me?" she wondered. "I tried to find a way to escape, but it seems I have to rely on him now… to rely on someone who doesn't even know me."