[Basic Antitoxin] = Lifeberry (0.1-0.15kg) + Poisonberry (0.05-0.07kg) + Sugarcane (0.1-0.2kg) + Water (Fresh, 0.4-0.5L) + [Bowl] (Any, 1L) + [Campfire] (Any, 370-380°K)
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His enemy hissed.
Even broken and bleeding, the giant centipede clapped its mandibles as it went in for the kill. The razor-sharp talons slashed through the dust as Jay [Dashed] back to safety, gasping for air.
He should have known his poison grease would be powerless against an insect creature like this, but the centipede seemed so much weaker when he’d first confronted it. Though classified as level 9 in the Guide, who would have expected a monster the size of a dog to be this powerful?
His poison-tipped spear lurched forth with a [Thrust], but the centipede dodged with ease. Dozens of pincers slashed against the flint spear’s base. It cracked from the strain.
Need more range. Jay withdrew a few steps and drew some bone darts. A flurry launched into his enemy, and the centipede dodged one too few. It screeched as another part of its carapace ripped free.
But then it closed the gap in a fraction of a second, mandibles crashing down. Jay cried out in pain as the poison leaked into his veins, and he felt the “Poisoned” Affliction proc at once. With another reflexive kick, the centipede tumbled away.
Jay gasped for air, the poison already slowing him down. Even his well of skills seemed to deplete at once as his muscles tightened anew. Were he to have entered this engagement any less prepared, this would have spelled his immediate end.
Thankfully, Jay hadn’t entered this fight without preparation.
He reached into his backpack and pulled out the crude waterskin filled with basic antitoxin. As he downed the solution, the weakness subsided, and the agony disappeared. Only a slight throb remained where the wound continued to bleed out.
Jay grinned, his disadvantage lost. The giant centipede clicked its mandibles in outrage. It dove for him again.
Only to fail this time. Jay had already prepped the [Thrust], his spearhead cleaving through the monster’s chitinous scalp. Ichor exploded out as the dying monster thrashed about. It stopped moments later.
And Jay nearly fell flat, his limbs completely spent. Between the artificial fatigue boost from the cocoa tea, the sugar water that gave him a few minutes of bonus skill energy, and the antitoxin to counteract the poison he sustained, his body felt as though it was suspended by mere puppet strings, each snapping one at a time. How much more could he rely on these tools to keep himself from dropping mid-fight?
At least he’d gained a bonus in potency by raising his Medicine to another level before engaging in this fight. The creation of the antitoxin bumped his craft skill up to 1, which in turn let him create a more potent Aloe Vera cream than the weakest variant. Though this one required “Aloe Vera+1” to produce, and Jay had no idea how that could happen. To the best of his knowledge, all Aloe he came across was basic, and nothing could be done to infuse a monster core like he could with his weapons and armor.
For the first time yet, he’d uncovered a recipe that he could see, even if he hadn’t discovered the means to produce all the ingredients. What was he missing?
That discovery would have to wait. Precious daylight continued to burn, and he’d finally uncovered a second +2 core. He’d have to be strategic with how this became used, lest another irreplaceable night came and went while his life trickled slowly out.
He cut into the dead centipede’s heart, recovered his prized possession, and sliced the rest of the remains from there. The Guide buzzed with new additions to the Crafting tree, this one giving options for medium armor that used chitinous plates as the basis for its recipes as opposed to cured hide, and seemed to be on the tier directly above this introductory step.
Jay considered the possibility. Could he invest time in medium armor? He’d only leveled it once after making some crude hide, and learned that it gave a passive boost to skill energy recovery. But he still didn’t know where that could go. Even the buff alone would be good to experiment with, but then he’d be missing out on his light armor speed b–
A man stared down from the branches above. Metal spikes glinted from the shoulder pads of his brown gambeson, and the trim of the skirt fell past his knees. A bandoleer ran along the chest, stuffed with vials of different sizes and colors strapped along its length. Some clear, others yellow, others a mix of red and black.
But it was the face, more than anything, that caught Jay’s eyes. Dark eyes sunken beneath a tanned, scarred brow locked with his own, his lips formed a thin line beneath a well-trimmed goatee flecked with white. Black curls fell from his scalp, but he did not seem the least bit perturbed by the heat.
“Hello?” Jay called out, unsure what else to say.
“You are the new Expat, yes?” the man asked in accented English. There was something familiar about it that Jay couldn’t quite place.
He gulped. “I am.”
“So, you use a spear with light armor, but you do not think to build your well of [Dashes] before engaging faster enemies?” He scrunched his cheeks. “It is a strange combination. Your light armor is weak against direct hits, and yet, you used basic decoctions to compensate. How might you have tuned your core if you had one, I wonder.”
“I’m sorry. Do I know you?”
“You would have had you waited another moment before attacking. This hunt was to be mine.”
Jay clutched his spear tight. “Well, it’s not now.” If this guy was going to try something, he’d be ready.
His eyes glinted at Jay’s defensive stance, even as his arms remained crossed. “If I wanted to kill you, do you think that stick would get in my way?”
Jay squinted. He knew where he’d heard this voice before. “You’re one of Naomi’s friends, aren’t you? You’re one of the people on the radio?”
The man dropped. Even though his body fell more than thirty feet before hitting the ground, there was no painful grunt, nor heavy impact against the soft jungle floor. His silken shoes merely landed on the mud as though he’d stepped down some stairs.
He held out a gloved hand to shake.
“I am Sayid Shakir,” the E-Rank Expat said with a grin.
Jay stared at his open palm a moment before embracing. “Jay Reis.”
“Yes, I suspected as much. There are few people in this part of the island, and fewer still trapped with primal gear.”
His cheeks reddened. “Not my fault I didn’t get a tutorial.”
“But you do seem intent to hide under your rock.”
“What can I say? The Rules are clear, and your friend didn’t exactly give me a warm welcome.”
“No, she did not,” Sayid agreed. “And for that, she has been punished.”
“How?”
“By helping the others and assuming the Natura burden for herself.”
Jay gaped. “So I get screwed, but it’s all well and good so long as she helps everyone other than me? Some “peacekeepers” you guys are.”
“And you refuse,” he countered.
“What difference would that make? Way I hear it, things get harder anyway, so all you’d be doing is making my life more difficult.”
“That is one perspective. Another is that you choose to drown, even as a life preserver sits right above. No, we cannot give you food or shelter, but help comes in many forms, so long as you’re willing to reach out and take it.”
It was true. Jay had learned as much so far. Rule 5 seemed to account for every physical exchange, but became more nuanced with information and tactics. He’d inferred as much by eavesdropping on their radio conversations. If one side was aware of the ignorance of the other and shared world mechanics, the Rule was violated. Meanwhile, if information was shared, but no one was conscious about what was gained or lost, then nothing happened. Jay had learned as much as he had simply by never admitting he was on the line. If he did, the others went immediately quiet, knowing that they’d be screwing each other.
Other people therefore made the game more messy through Rule 5. Natura’s response didn’t just increase through his power gained or lost. The value gained and intention behind an any interaction with someone else affected how much harder the night could become.
Just another reason to avoid these conversations. “I don’t know what you want from me. I told you guys that I’m fine being alone.”
“And yet, your path is quite strange, regardless. Most would go further inland where the land is more bountiful, but you have hugged the coast in your migration down south.” His dark eyes glinted. “It would not be long before you hit your real destination.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Despite your words to the contrary, this path takes you right to our bases. Did you think we would not notice you following after Naomi’s steps?”
Jay went mum. Once again, he’d been outed. Though he had no desire to deal with these people like now, he also could not deny the value they created if he kept them at arm’s length. Just as Naomi left a pile of dead monsters strolling into his base, there was no telling what else could be gained.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
As long as he played it smart.
“I’m just going where it’s safer,” Jay lied.
Sayid scrunched his cheeks in silence a moment, then reached into his bag and tossed something free. Jay reflexively caught it before it could smack his face.
He blinked at the piece of fruit in hand. A mango. “What is th–”
Buzz.
His heart skipped a beat as he studied the Guide, right where it had buzzed to life.
Rule 5 violated. You will be punished.
It wasn’t the message that disturbed him half as much as the lack of informality. No “Congratulations!” No “Oh no!” The update simply stated the rule violation occurred without the slightest bit of flair.
Jay grit his teeth. “What the hell? I don’t even need this!”
Sayid grinned. “Consider this a lesson in your new life then. Other humans are impossible to avoid forever.”
“You didn’t have to make my night harder though!”
Jay threw the mango back, but Sayid merely sidestepped out of the way, letting it tumble through the reeds behind.
“Do you wish to make Natura rise even more?” he quipped.
The blood rose to his cheeks. “You’re the jackass who broke the Rule in the first place!”
“This violation is minor,” Sayid explained. “Neither of us will notice the change in Natura’s strength. The intention is mine alone, and the value gained for you is low. I am almost surprised the alert came in at all." He scrunched his cheeks. "However, it highlights the difficulty of the path you seem intent on taking. Without understanding this world and those who inhabit it, you will perish on your own.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Oh? Then here is some more unsolicited information. It is only a matter of time before you reach our camps at your current pace, but you will die if you attempt to do so without help.”
Jay grunted. “So much for being ‘peacekeepers,’ huh?”
“The death would be your own fault, not ours. The harbor where we are based is lined with traps. A necessity against our nightly foe, but one that could also kill anyone in your Age with ease, should you choose poorly and try to enter without guidance. If you wish to be in this land, then you will have to get over this aversion of yours.”
Jay could see the logic of it. Swim in the wake of his betters and collect the scraps left behind. There was added risk like the one Sayid just created, but perhaps that could be mitigated against those with more experience. They would know the best ways to navigate Annwyn’s threats and Rules.
But still… There was something about that prospect that screamed against his instincts. Working with others had never helped on Earth, and his first encounter here had gone so poorly. Now that he better understood the hard-coded Rules against collaboration, could he really expose himself to that risk?
Better yet, why did this feel like nothing more than an exercise of kissing the ring?
“Don’t worry about me,” Jay said instead. “I’ll make it work.”
He sighed. “If you insist.”
The wind rolled through their valley, rustling the reeds as the two stood in silence.
“What about you then?” Jay asked to change the subject.
“What about us?”
“You talk about working together to survive, but you also said you planned to kill this monster, despite it being so low-level. If you really care about helping the rest of us stay alive, then why would you be out here hunting a monster so weak.” He stared deep. “Or was that just a lie to spy on me?”
“There is no lie,” Sayid said.
“Then what’s the point?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really wish to know?”
Jay nodded.
“You are correct that the core gains me nothing,” Sayid explained with a grin, “but the materials themselves can always be upscaled. This is the process in which lower-Rank materials can be transformed into higher levels at a great sacrifice in quantity. For example, a liter of poison from that centipede’s sac can be upscaled into a hundred-fifty milliliters of the paralytic I use when hunting creatures on the E-Rank island…”
Buzz.
Jay paled. Another Rule violation. Seriously?
And Sayid stood triumphant. “See? You cannot avoid others forever.”
He did, and that pissed him off more. Why couldn’t this guy just leave him alone?
Though it wasn’t a total loss. He now understood what “upscaling” meant, even if he couldn’t perform the act himself.
“So that’s why your group can get away with hiding on an island a full Rank lower,” Jay deduced. “Even if that leviathan boss blocks the waterway for a week, you can stay here and upscale everything you need.”
He nodded. “Your theory is true. When the threats escalate too much, we are forced to travel to that E-Rank island down south to gather the mats we need for advancement and research. When this is not possible, however, we do what we can to keep Natura at bay. The process is slower but safer, and ensures that we will never be overwhelmed. Not just us either.” He took a step closer. “Tell me, Jay Reis. What kind of person were you before?”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that the Grand Bargain is not a choice given flippantly. If you are here, then there is a reason.”
“I’m just a guy,” Jay said. What else did he want him to say?
“But you are American, yes?” Sayid asked.
“Yeah.”
A shadow passed over his grizzled face. “Consider this truth then: were I to have found you in my home country on Earth, I would have executed you on the spot. That is why I was sent to this place.”
Jay recoiled a step. “What?”
“Annwyn is not a place where angels get sent, but it does not mean we should behave like demons either.” His eyes softened. “That is what you must learn if you wish to survive in this land.
“Do not think that your new life will be saved at the expense of someone else’s. What binds us Expatriates together more than anything else is that we are all foreigners in this strange land. It is this commonality that we must never forget, or we become no better than the creatures we once were. Do you understand?”
“If you think I’m only keeping to myself because I want to secretly hurt other people, you’ve got the wrong idea. I just like being alone.”
“I hope that this is true.” His dark eyes pierced deep. “Do not think that I won’t become this same man again, should the peace become disturbed and people like you choose violence over diplomacy. Not all monsters hide in the night. Never forget this.”
Jay gulped, suddenly feeling so much smaller than before. “I won’t.”
Sayid smiled again. “Good. Then I wish you the best of luck.”
He walked into the jungle, removed a vial tinted blue from his bandoleer, and downed the fluid in one swallow. His veins turned black and bulged.
Jay didn’t see him leave. Not really. The moment he stepped back into the forest, he vanished into thin air, replaced by the sound of branches snapping and bushes rustling. He rubbed his eyes, unsure if that came from the wind, or if his visitor could really move that fast.
Jay held his new monster core close, unsure what to do next. Even though he now had a better understanding of this world and his place in it, there was only so much he could do with this information. At least right now.
Other people were on this island of varying levels, but the ones on the top could crush him like a bug if they got the slightest inkling. From the way Sayid described things, they wouldn’t be leaving any time soon either. And though they’d shown no hostility after that opening moment, he’d be powerless if that ever changed. Naomi had been able to knock him out in a single punch, after all. What would’ve happened if she’d wanted to take more from him?
There was no choice. Sayid might insist that his group could keep watch, but that would be forcing Jay to put his fate in the hands of other people, and that was something he could not allow. Beating monsters alone would never be enough.
He’d have to learn to defeat stronger prey.
Name: Jay Reis (Primal Age)
Vitality – 30/30
Hunger – 20/72
Thirst – 18/24 (Sweltering)
Fatigue – 6/16 (Poorly Rested+3, Stimmed)
Sanity – 82/100
Main Crafts: Armor Crafting 1, Base Building 1, Cooking 0, Medicine 0, Tailoring 1, Tool Crafting 1, Weapon Crafting 1.
Weapon Crafts: Axes 0, Bows 1, Spears 3.
Armor Crafts: Heavy Armor 2, Light Armor 2, Medium Armor 0, Shields 2.
Armor Skills:
Heavy Armor: [Push]
Light Armor: [Dash]
Shield: [Brace]
Weapon Skills:
Spears: [Thrust]
Armor:
[Fur Helmet+1] (Reinforced)
[Fur Chestpiece+1]
[Fur Leggings]
[Fur Boots]
[Fur Gloves]
Weapons:
[Flint Spear+2] (Reinforced)
[Bone Dart Pouch+1]: Contains 11 [Bone Darts] (Poisoned)
[Wooden Bow]
[Crude Quiver]: Contains 20 [Flinthead Arrows]
Tools:
[Flint Knife]
[Stone Axe]
[Stone Hammer]