I woke up and I examined the terrain, I had never seen it before, I was a bookworm. Lack of strength is not a lack of sense I always told myself. With an IQ of 134-140. approx. I was referred to as 'the chaotic genius'. Already made several advancements in continental tech at age 18.

Before I get drowned in praising myself though I shall proceed : The mountains were about 3000m tall from my most esteemed calculations, the drainage was dendritic and there was a long river, it appeared shallow. Surprisingly I was not wounded, I mean I had positioned my body to negate approximately 80% damage but 0% damage was unprecedented. 'The fellow who had saved me must be a friend' I thought. I kept on walking to scout the area and returned after approximately 30 minutes then I looked into a tree and saw a detail I had ignored prior to scouting: Eyes, big red eyes, it was some kind of ferocious bird

Swoosh it dashed out, it was then I got the full view

Red eyes, maroon feathers, golden talons, and a cream beak, it was a vulture but really golden talons and maroon feathers were giving me fantasy-horror vibes I mean check out those eyes, it was definitely no normal vulture. It gently landed on my shoulder after a few minutes of flight

' You're already awake, quite impressive'

'Yeah I am.....HOLY COW!!!!' I screamed. It spoke, the vulture spoke I thrust it off my shoulder with great speed

'You speak, the hell?' definitely horror vibes

'It's rather rude young man to throw your savior off your shoulder'

' It wouldn't have been as offensive if the savior in question wasn't a bird that speaks'

'Ya never seen one around here? There's a whole tribe lad!'

'I can't believe I'm actually engaging in a discussion with a talking bird but never mind. I'm Erik, Erik Vlad Van rouge.... And you are?'

'Myself? Alas I am a vagabond of the wind and the sea .....'

This couldn't get worse

'A survivor of a tribe long forgotten, I am Valt Feathermost' he said with a bow

I couldn't hide my shock

'Oh, a vagabond, definitely sums it all up alright birdie catch you later' I was about to dash off

'Do you still seek vengeance?'

I turned, I had picked interest in the topic

'What's it to you Valt?'

'I can help you'

'As if, go eat some grains or something I'm quite busy y'know'

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'Too busy to seek revenge or too weak' he said landing gently on a rock, what a brutal taunt this was a talking bird

'I don't need to prove anything to some talking bird' I snapped ,'You probably can't even harm a fly'

'And is that pitiful attempt to be mean coming from the flowless chaotic genius of the continent??'

'Excuse me?'

Bro's a bird of course he could easily spy on you

'You have no power, you are weak, going back there will just send you back to this situation an infinite cycle till you die'

'Scram birdie I'll see you later!!'

And with that I walked down the mountains without a care in the world, to have the truth forced down your throat by a bird was simply nothing short of traumatizing I mean he didn't put a single word wrong, damn!

Roar

A claw jumped out of the forest with a strike leaving a crescent shaped path in the air, I just narrowly managed to dodge but fell to my butt consequently. The beast was ferocious, striking the ground on which I lay constantly(It was an unregistered level 3 Earthdigger) I was legit rolling down the mountain( jeez )

Roar roar

Then I started running (obviously bro wasn't playing around), consecutive narrow escapes were made till I reached a dead end nowhere to run I mean dying by the sword of a king was by far better than dying by the claws of an unregistered beast. It rose it's claws to strike with a wicked going in it's eyes and I closed mine awaiting death

Swish swoosh

Two strikes yet I was still alive I opened my eyes to see none other than feathermost standing on the carcass of the beast his talons were dripping with blood (bro was fast as hell)

'Bro! The hell?'

'You can't even deal with an earthdigger a level 3, to make things worse unregistered?!'

'Well, I'm not the fighting type'

'I won't save your ass again, this is Mount Rax, this place is crawling with level 10 rare beasts, even an earthdigger is prey in this mountain range'

With that he turned to leave

'Hey slow down!....I, I still want revenge'

'Your current skills won't cut it'

'Then teach me'

'So submissive?'

'Shut your birdhole and teach me!'

'Excuse me?'

'Ererm master Valt your student is every willing to learn' I said with a bow

'That's more like it, anyways we need to leave this place first it's too dangerous here'

'Hmmm said the talking bird'

'Funny, it's dangerous for you not me, now shut up and follow me!'

And so we walked

Walking

Walking

Still walking

And then......, fighting (ah the fun part)

It was a level 8 earthdigger(nasty!)

'First lesson, never ever underestimate your opponent, the coldest finish and the most brutal attack pattern'

'If you say so'

'Try and be less passive about everything!'

'Ey birdie focus!!!'

Swish

In a moment he was atop the digger he swooped down with his talons

Swish

Blood formed a beautiful arc in the air(I loved it)

ROAAAAAAAAAR!!!!

Voom, the digger tried to grab him but Valt was the faster he went for the beast again this time taking one eye out

ARRRRRGH

Eesh I mean even if it was an animal that was a really brutal moveset

Swoosh swoosh

It's two eyes and some limbs were already off at this point, damn Valt was savage!

Swish

Hisssss

Scream

In one final swoop valt had taken its life

(Now all beasts from level 4 till 11 had special crystals called ores in them. The uses were limitless from weaponry to medicine to even science. Wild beats were tracked from level 1 through to 11 with their strength increasing with their level - I mean obviously)

Bang

It fell to the ground(RIP)

A grey crystal came out it was a level 3 earth class ore (mid) Valt scooped it with his beak and swallowed it.

I just watched with my mouth open

'Close that stinkhole child!' I snapped it shut grudgingly

We walked away from mount Rax somewhere toward the 16th Krieger tribe after a short break

'I'll take you under my wing'

'So do you mean that literally or figuratively?'

'Both you fool! And they say you're smart'

'Pfft'

And so we walked. It was already evening. As far as I know (or as much as he told me) the war had concluded 6 days ago. I wondered what was happening in the 18th.