SKILLS. TRACE. ATTACK WITH THE MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON.

I woke up. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw a lot of windows and couldn’t ignore them because they were blocking my view.

Improvement of Observation skill

Current level: 2

Description: Now you’re able to be more attentive than before

You may be able to notice the Bony Bear earlier

Note: Though, you aren’t likely to do it

I don’t like the last note. I’d better delete it as well as the message reporting about my lack of HP.

Achievement unlocked: ‘Tom and Jerry Ι’

Description: Like the ancient Immortals, you’ve managed to survive after a fight with an opponent whose level is ten times higher than yours

Your health condition was poor, but you recovered without using potions

Reward: ability to become invincible for one second

Class: epic

Achievement unlocked: ‘Marathon runner Ι’

Description: Running at full capacity could harm you.

However, sometimes it’s necessary to run for a long time

Reward:

+ 5% to the duration of running; -1 HP per second while running at full capacity for more than ten seconds

Class: Normal

New property of the Panther Fly Agaric is revealed: ‘Death Corrosion’

You’ve used your learning capability

Description: Using a random item in unexpected circumstances might cause many new discoveries, but it’s much better to use an inquisitive mind and observation to reveal new properties of things and phenomena

Note: People like you aren’t able to understand this

Class: unusual

Skill level: 1

I think the game overestimated me a bit. I had better turn off the notes. I wish I knew how to do it. I haven’t even noticed this property…

You dealt damage to the Bony Bear equal to 1 damage point, health 898/1000!

You dealt damage to the Bony Bear equal to 1 damage point, health 1/1000!

Bony Bear ignores damage

Wow! This mushroom was dealing damage all night long! I wonder if this Fly Agaric causes the same effect to any downworlder. I had better figure it out.

You’ve obtained the skill ‘Athletics’

Description: Running, jumping, and rolling allowed you to strengthen your own body

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Skill Class: normal

Skill level: 1

I got dizzy from what I’d seen! I was particularly interested in invulnerability for one second. Some short-sighted player would have decided that this was a useless bonus, but not me. This opportunity allowed me to block one enemy’s attack, regardless of his strength!

Now I can survive one divine slap. I wish I had two or three such achievements. Being a marathon runner is also cool, but I don’t want my HP to reduce after running for a long time.

Athletics would allow me to move better in this world and become stronger. I’m so glad to have the Fly Agaric. This is incredible luck! I better get up and gain experience for the fifth level.

Crunch! I heard a familiar sound. I touched something sharp and cold with my hand. I was scared to see what it was, but I was too curious.

Elk-tahr of the Bony Bear

Description: The Bony Bear is a very creepy creature, collecting bones in any available places to strengthen its body

This is the reason why you’ll never find two identical beasts. However, they have one thing in common—after obtaining certain levels, long spines appear on these monsters’ backs

Their skulls can be very different, depending on the bear’s size and the eaten prey

Note: This Elk-Tahr has a human skull, which is highly unusual

It might keep its mind partially; therefore, inexperienced necromancers should be very careful in dealing with it

Item class: very rare

Class restrictions: necromancer

How lucky am I! I was so happy with this course of events and began to imagine how I’d beat every monster with this skull, earning experience points. However, my expectations weren’t met.

Elk-tahr deals you damage equal to 12 damage points; your health is 18/30!

“Oh, screw it!” I screamed in pain and pulled my hand away from the skull. It hurts, damned thing! What a nasty skull! I had better put it in the bag, where I keep all my loot! I hope that the crazy game developers have invented this thing for something useful. I’ll have to figure it out later.

Now I can relax and finish off the bear. I hope I’ve dealt it some damage, even though I didn’t attack the beast head-on. I wonder if I still get experience points.

When I left the cabin, I wondered where I should look for the bear. Screw it! I didn’t think of that before. It’s so stupid of me!

I imagined how I would read the message:

Achievement unlocked ‘Fool’: your thoughts are like ravioli in boiling water, they randomly move back and forth; your actions are devoid of logic.

If such an achievement existed, I would have unlocked it before the character was created. I quickly found the place where I first met the bear. It was problematic to find this giant’s traces as there were deep furrows everywhere—in the trees, on the ground, and even on a few rocks. Therefore it was unclear where to go.

You’ve revealed the hidden!

There was a lilac drop of some liquid on the ground. It seemed to be the remnants of the Fly Agaric poison. Perhaps I’ll be able to find a similar drop nearby. Yes, here it is!

You’ve revealed the hidden!

Wow, I’m going to level up my Observation and find the trace. Well, that was just what happened next. I followed the trail for almost an hour. This Bear’s very strong. It managed to go so far!

Some trees were turned into a pile of splinters on the road. I noticed deep scratches from the giant claws and dug ground everywhere. The poison didn’t seem to reduce its life points greatly, but it must have caused it really terrible pain. How can a pile of bones feel pain? A bit later, a message emerged.

You’ve learned the skill ‘Pathfinder’

Description: Having used your Observation skill and your excellent vision, you were able to find the trace and managed to successfully walk it for a long time

This path was quite difficult; next time you’ll find a trace much faster

Skill Class: unusual

Skill level: 1

What wonderful news! This skill is very useful—not only in the forest but anywhere else. I will be able to safely pass in a dungeon, find lost allies in a large city, or detect a thief in a crowd. I have to level up this skill. It’ll be very useful in the next levels.

Suddenly, I heard a strong roar and the sound of tremendous strikes. The bony monster hit against the stone with its carcass, then tried to split its skull against the tree. However, its health points didn’t reduce.

I wonder what’s up. Last time its health indicator showed five percent damage after a similar strike. Now, there was nothing like that. Perhaps, something prevented the beast’s final death. I wonder why the poison affects the downworlders in this game.

So, how can I kill this bear? Should I hit it with the skull in my bag? I think it’ll be useless, and the beast will just bite me. I don’t have any other weapons. Screw it! I should have taken a stick!

I should be more careful next time and not fight with just anything! I looked around and saw driftwood similar to a paw with sharp claws. Without thinking, I broke off that branch from the tree and examined my new weapon.

Rotten oak stick

Description: An ordinary stick, broken off by some unreasonable creature from an oak fallen many years ago

It’s very fragile because it’s old and rotten; it’s completely useless in fights with monsters

Some downworlders can use it as a toothpick

The class of the subject: normal

Force: 4/10

Damage: 2-3

I hate this system! Okay, I shouldn’t be mad. I need to calm down. I don’t care about that description; this stick will be enough for one attack. I’ll hit the bear with it, and everything will be fine.

I pulled myself together and approached the beast. When the monster was about twenty steps away, I ran towards it.

The bear turned, and I hit its teeth so hard that the oak stick cracked. My fly agaric flew out of the monster’s mouth. I’ll have to take it back if the bear does not kill me now.