The glowing screen hovered in front of me, its soft light almost soothing after the chaos of the fight. I was still slumped against the tree, my breath slowing, though my body refused to relax.
Level Up!
Congratulations, Adventurer!
You have reached Level 2.
Benefits Unlocked:
* Stat Distribution: Gain +3 points to distribute across your stats.
* Innate Race Perk Unlocked: Indomitable Human Spirit.
* Class Perk Unlocked: Natural Tracker.
* Perk Selection Available: Choose one additional perk.
* Basic Survival Kit: Now accessible in your Inventory.
I blinked, rereading the words. It sounded promising, but it also left me with a dozen questions. “Inventory?” I muttered. “Where the hell is that supposed to be?”
I sat up straighter, my muscles protesting as I glanced around the clearing. Nothing had appeared—not in my hands, not on the ground. The firelight cast flickering shadows on the trees, but there wasn’t a sign of anything new.
The screen shifted, displaying my stats.
Current Stats:
* Strength: 3
* Agility: 4
* Endurance: 3
* Intelligence: 2
* Charisma: 3
* Mana: 2
Stat Points Available: +3.
I stared at the list, weighing my options. Strength and Endurance both seemed like solid choices—after all, the last fight had left me feeling painfully outmatched. But Agility was already my highest stat, and boosting it further might give me an edge in speed and reflexes.
After a moment’s hesitation, I distributed the points: +2 to Endurance and +1 to Strength.
Updated Stats:
* Strength: 4
* Agility: 4
* Endurance: 5
* Intelligence: 2
* Charisma: 3
* Mana: 2
The faint warmth that followed felt almost like a reassuring pat on the back. I flexed my hands experimentally. I didn’t feel stronger exactly, but I also didn’t feel as drained as before.
The next notification appeared.
Innate Race Perk Unlocked:
Indomitable Human Spirit: When faced with overwhelming odds, Humans gain temporary boosts to Endurance and Willpower, allowing them to push through dire situations.
I read it twice, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Okay, I’ll take it,” I muttered.
The screen shifted again.
Class Perk Unlocked:
Natural Tracker: As a Ranger, your keen senses allow you to identify tracks, clues, and disturbances in the environment more effectively.
“That’ll come in handy,” I murmured, though the thought of tracking anything in these woods wasn’t exactly appealing right now.
Finally, the next notification appeared.
Perk Selection Available:
1. Quick Hands: Gain faster item usage and trap-setting speed.
2. Focused Aim: Increase accuracy with ranged weapons.
3. Survival Instinct: Detect nearby threats more easily.
I thought about the fight with the dire wolf. If I’d had even a few seconds of warning, it might’ve gone a lot smoother. “Survival Instinct,” I said, and the screen flickered in acknowledgment.
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The glow faded slightly, leaving one final message.
Basic Survival Kit: Now accessible in your Inventory.
The word Inventory blinked faintly, and I frowned. “How do I even…?”
I reached out tentatively, poking at the air where the word hovered. To my surprise, a new screen popped up, displaying a grid with a handful of icons.
There it was. A small, box-shaped icon labeled Basic Survival Kit.
“Alright,” I muttered, tapping the icon.
Nothing happened.
I tapped it again, harder this time, like it was a stubborn app on my phone. Still nothing.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grumbled, swiping at the screen in frustration.
Finally, a faint chime sounded, and the box materialized on the ground in front of me.
The kit was small, about the size of a lunchbox, made of sturdy leather with metal buckles. It looked well-worn, like something that had seen its fair share of use.
I reached for it eagerly, flipping open the buckles, only to find that they didn’t budge.
“Oh, come on,” I muttered, tugging at the straps.
The System chimed again, another screen appearing in front of me.
Tutorial: To open secured kits, apply light pressure to the center emblem.
I blinked at the instructions, glancing down at the small circular emblem stamped into the leather lid. “You couldn’t have just said that earlier?”
Pressing down on the emblem, I heard a soft click, and the buckles released with ease.
Inside, the kit was packed with an assortment of items:
* A flint and steel set for starting fires.
* A small, folded tarp.
* A coil of rope.
* A simple but sharp hunting knife.
* A water pouch, half-full.
* A pouch of dried meat and hard biscuits.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to survive.
The fire crackled softly behind me as I sat cross-legged on the forest floor, inspecting each item carefully.
“Guess I’ve got my work cut out for me,” I muttered.
Closing the kit, I placed it beside me and leaned back against the tree. For now, the night seemed quiet, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
Whatever this world had in store, I’d face it one step at a time.
And for the first time, I didn’t feel completely unprepared.
I leaned back against the tree, exhaustion settling over me like a heavy blanket. The fire crackled softly, its light casting long shadows across the clearing. I was just starting to feel the tension drain from my shoulders when another chime rang out.
“Now what?” I muttered, sitting up as a glowing notification appeared in front of me.
New Items Available in Inventory.
I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck. “Inventory again, huh? Great. That was so easy the first time.”
I stared at the faintly glowing word, willing it to respond. Nothing.
“Alright,” I said aloud. “Let’s try this again.”
I swiped at the air, tapped at it, even tried miming a pull gesture like opening a drawer. Still nothing.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered, frustration bubbling up. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. “Focus, Connor. It’s not rocket science. Just think.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, picturing the Inventory screen in my mind. When I opened them again, the grid reappeared, faintly shimmering in front of me.
“Well, would you look at that,” I said, half laughing. “Maybe I am getting the hang of this.”
Inside the grid, new icons had appeared. A bow, a quiver of arrows, and what looked like a bundle of clothing were neatly arranged next to the basic survival kit.
I tapped one of the icons—the bow—and a soft chime sounded. A moment later, the bow materialized in front of me, lying on the ground.
It was simple but well-crafted, the wood polished and sturdy, the string taut and ready.
“Not bad,” I muttered, picking it up and testing the tension of the string.
Next, I tapped the quiver. Thirty arrows appeared beside the bow, their shafts straight and their fletchings clean.
“Okay, this is actually kind of cool,” I said, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.
I moved on to the bundle of clothing. When it appeared, I saw it was a set of basic leather armor—worn but serviceable. A hunting knife and a small trapper kit were tucked neatly inside the bundle.
“This’ll do,” I said, running my fingers over the rough leather.
I inspected the trapper kit briefly—snares, tripwires, and a few small tools for setting traps. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
Placing everything carefully beside me, I leaned back against the tree once more. The night was still dark and full of unknowns, but now I wasn’t just a lost delivery driver. I was armed.
And I was ready.