Michael stood at the edge of the rocky island, the treacherous green liquid still lurking below, a constant reminder of the peril that surrounded him. The newfound bond with Embora gave him a sense of assurance, but the immediate danger was far from over.
“First, we need to find a way across this pit of poison,” Michael muttered, scanning the cavern for any clues or tools that could aid their escape. The ambient glow of the crystals illuminated the cavern, casting eerie reflections on the liquid surface.
He took a deep breath and started to look around, hoping to find something useful. His eyes scanned the area meticulously. The rocky island was mostly barren, save for a few loose stones around the size of small melons and a single small plant growing in the middle.
Michael looked down at the withered Ambrosia plant, its once vibrant green and yellow leaves now wilting and browning. He couldn't help but feel a sense of loss seeing it in this state, especially after what they had gone through to obtain its fruit.
"Hey Embora," Michael began, his voice tinged with concern.
“Yes, Michael?” Embora replied calmly.
“What happened to this plant? Wasn't it healthy before?” he asked, gesturing to the now withered Ambrosia.
Embora's voice echoed softly in his mind, offering an explanation. "That is Ambrosia. It is completely normal for it to die after having its fruit picked."
Michael furrowed his brow, still puzzled. "Why does it do that?" he pressed on, wanting to understand more.
Embora paused briefly before answering, "Ambrosia is a miracle fruit; it can heal any ailment. However, it's quite stubborn. It grows only in extremely hostile environments. Perhaps to ward off anything that wants to eat its fruit."
Michael nodded, processing this new information. "The fruit themselves are stubborn as well," Embora continued, her tone thoughtful. "A person only has 10 seconds before it rots away. It's impossible to grow them since the fruit has no seeds. Honestly, no one knows where they came from."
“Huh... Well, it's not important right now. We need to figure out how to get out of here. Any ideas?” Michael asked, refocusing on their immediate predicament.
Embora chuckled softly in his mind, her presence a comforting reassurance amid the uncertainty. “Michael, I've been trying to figure that one out for many, many years,” she replied with a hint of wistfulness.
“Maybe you have a skill that can help us?” Embora suggested. “To see your skills is the same process that you see your stats, just say ‘Skills’.”
Michael considered her suggestion and nodded, intrigued by the idea. “Alright, let's give it a try,” he said aloud. Focusing his thoughts inward, he mentally uttered, “Skills.”
Immediately, a blue translucent menu appeared in his mind's eye, displaying a yellow exclamation mark.
[You have unread skill notifications.]
[Would you like to read notifications?]
>[Yes] [no]
“Um, Embora,” Michael began, his voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of apprehension, “it says I have notifications. Should I read them?”
“Yes, it’s possible to gain skills during a battle,” Embora explained. “The system sends them as notifications to avoid distracting the user during a fight. Go ahead and read them.”
Michael nodded, understanding Embora's explanation. With a sense of both curiosity and cautious excitement, he mentally selected “Yes” on the translucent menu.
As he did, the exclamation mark blinked and transformed into a list of notifications, revealing the skills he had acquired:
[You have bonded with ‘Embora’ 2 skills gained]
[Dragon’s Sight - Dragon's Sight grants the user the ability to see through the eyes of dragons. Granting you the ability to see any creature’s Name, Level, HP, and Race.]
[Wyrmguard - Wyrmguard allows the user to conjure scales akin to those of ancient dragons, covering a small part of the body for enhanced defense against physical and magical attacks. can conjure scales anywhere the user wishes. It costs 2 MP per second to use]
Michael's eyes widened as he read through the notifications, unsure of what to make of them. The idea of having skills as if he were in a video game felt weird—not bad, just weird. The concept of having dragon-like abilities was both exhilarating and disorienting. He wanted to test them.
Alright, let's give this a try," he muttered, focusing intently on Dragon's Sight. Instantly, he felt a peculiar sensation spreading from his temples down to the depths of his soul. In less than a second, his once unassuming brown eyes transformed into something decidedly otherworldly.
Michael blinked, expecting a grand revelation. However, the cavern around him remained disappointingly mundane—no magical sparkles, no sudden insights, just the same old rocky walls with the sparkling gems staring back at him. He frowned, puzzled.
Embora's voice chimed in his mind, "um, Michael, you need to use the skill on something living. We are alone here."
"Oh," Michael replied sheepishly, realizing his mistake. He scratched his head and looked around, searching for any sign of life in this barren cavern. After a moment of intense concentration, he spotted a tiny insect crawling nearby—a humble cavern beetle.
"Gotcha," Michael muttered triumphantly to himself. He directed his Dragon's Sight towards the beetle, hoping for a glimpse of its hidden secrets. Instantly, his vision shifted, revealing the beetle's essence in a glowy, magical way.
[Name: Cave Beetle]
[Race: Cave Beetle]
[Level 1]
[ HP 1]
Wow, riveting stuff," Michael deadpanned, his voice tinged with dry humor as if he'd stumbled upon the mysteries of the universe through observing a simple cave beetle. He chuckled softly, finding amusement in the surreal nature of the situation. Despite the humor, a sense of excitement tingled within him. The fact that he could see levels—even on a mundane creature like a cave beetle—confirmed that the skill was indeed functional.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Michael turned his attention inward, focusing on his newfound ability. "Alright, Embora," he thought, directing his thoughts to his bonded companion, “I don’t think this skill is going to help us here.”
"Unfortunate," Embora replied, her voice calm and matter-of-fact.
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Michael looked around, turning off his Dragon's Sight. He studied the toxic lake, then glanced at the rocks, and back at the lake again. An idea sparked in his mind.
"Embora! I think I've figured it out!" he exclaimed suddenly, excitement creeping into his voice.
Michael rushed to the edge of the toxic lake, mindful not to let even a drop touch his skin. With sword in hand, he gently prodded the surface, his movements careful and deliberate.
“Michael, please don’t tell me you’re trying to ‘kill’ the lake?” Embora’s voice echoed in his mind, a mix of concern and disappointment.
“What? No! Just bear with me for a moment,” he assured her, his attention fixed on the task at hand.
After several attempts, Michael finally located a shallow spot near a cluster of rocks. With determined effort, he hoisted the largest stones he could manage and carried them over, one by one, to the shallow area he had identified in the lake. Embora observed silently, her demeanor a blend of worry and cautious optimism.
As Michael arranged the last rock, he stepped back to survey his handiwork. “These should do the trick,” he muttered to himself, arranging the stones strategically to form a makeshift pathway across the toxic liquid.
Satisfied with his work, he tested the first rock cautiously, ensuring it was stable enough to support his weight. Convinced of its solidity, Michael stepped onto it, feeling a surge of relief as it held firm beneath him.
Encouraged, he moved carefully from one rock to the next, each step bringing him closer to the opposite shore. Embora watched intently, her presence a silent encouragement amidst the tense atmosphere.
Finally, with steady determination, Michael reached the far side of the lake, safely away from the hazardous liquid. He turned to Embora, a grin spreading across his face.
"We made it," Michael declared, his voice tinged with a mix of exhaustion and triumph. He then sank to the ground, the strain of their ordeal catching up to him.
As relief, happiness, and hope surged through him, Michael couldn't ignore the sense that these emotions were not his alone—they were intertwined with Embora's presence. While he rejoiced at their escape from the toxic lake, he couldn't shake the realization that his time here was fleeting compared to hers. How long had Embora endured this place? Michael could only imagine.
Turning inward, Michael sought Embora's presence. "Embora?" he called, but silence greeted him. Understanding, he decided to give her a moment, sensing the weight of her experiences in this cavernous realm.
Lying on the ground, Michael gazed up at the cavern ceiling, letting the ambient glow of the crystals wash over him. As he sat up, the reality of his situation sank in. "I'm really in another world? Huh," he thought to himself, marveling at the strangeness of it all.
He began to inspect himself, realizing he was still clad in his Bulbasaur pajama pants and an old, ripped gray tank top. "I wish I was at least given some armor or something. This is kinda embarrassing," he chuckled to himself wryly, noting the incongruity of his attire in this unfamiliar and perilous place.
“Good luck, huh?” Michael mused aloud, recalling the notification he received when he got here. “I wonder what all that's about?”
“Michael!” Embora suddenly shouted. “Look out!”
Startled, Michael snapped out of his train of thought and quickly turned around. Above him, a large green blob dripped from a stalactite, its glistening form threatening to descend upon him. As if on instinct Michael activated Dragon’s Sight.
[Name: Slime #1]
[Race: Large Green slime]
[Level: 3]
[HP: 50/50]
“Level 3!” Michael shouted just before the slime landed on him. As the Slime descended towards him, Michael's heart raced with adrenaline. Instinctively, he raised his wooden shield, attempting to block the slime. The slime landed on the shield, oozing over the edges of the shield, threatening to engulf Michael's arm. He grimaced as he felt the acidic slime burning through the wood, his shield starting to dissolve under the creature's corrosive touch.
“Embora, what do I do?” Michael shouted mentally, panic starting to set in as he struggled to keep the slime at bay.
Embora's voice resonated in his mind, calm yet urgent. “Michael, use your Wyrmguard! Channel the dragon scales to your hand!”
Michael did just that. Shiny red scales encased his entire right hand and forearm. The slime burned through the entire shield landing on Michals's scaled arm. Feeling no pain, Michael focused on removing the creature from him. With a firm grip on the slime-covered mass, he summoned his strength and hurled it away. The slime stretched unnaturally as it left his grasp, resembling a giant, quivering water balloon before it smacked against the cavern wall with a wet thud, leaving a slick trail as it slid down.
Breathing heavily, Michael watched the slime slide down the wall, momentarily stunned by the intensity of the encounter. The dragon scales on his arm gradually dissipated, leaving him feeling both relieved and exhilarated by this.
Breathing heavily, Michael stood rooted to the spot, momentarily stunned by the intensity of the encounter. The dragon scales on his arm gradually dissipated, leaving him feeling both relieved and exhilarated by his newfound abilities and the successful outcome of the confrontation.
[MP: 3/11]
“Oh right, 2 MP per second, but still, that was kinda badass,” Michael muttered to himself, a wry grin spreading across his face despite the lingering adrenaline. He couldn't help but marvel at the surreal turn his life had taken since arriving in this strange world.
Michael's jubilant moment was short-lived as he ran towards the slime, sword in hand, and thrust it at the green mass. To his dismay, the blade sank into the slime without resistance, as if he had struck into a pool of gelatin rather than a solid creature. Frustration and panic began to well up within him.
“Shit!” Michael cursed under his breath, withdrawing his sword hastily. He stumbled back a step, eyes wide with apprehension as the slime quivered and reshaped itself, seemingly unfazed by his attack.
“Michael! Back up!” Embora's voice echoed urgently in his mind. Heeding her warning, Michael retreated several more steps, his heart racing with a mix of fear and determination. He glanced around the cavern, searching for any signs of another way out or a new strategy to deal with the resilient creature.
Glancing back at the toxic lake, an idea sparked in Michael's mind. He continued to back away until the lake was at his back, putting some distance between himself and the relentless slime.
“Andale! Andale!” Michael taunted, his voice carrying a mix of bravado and nervous energy. He needed the slime to fall for his ruse, to commit fully to the charge.
As if sensing his challenge, the slime surged forward with surprising speed, launching itself at Michael. Heart pounding, Michael knew he had only a split second to act. He glanced at his MP gauge—just enough left for one more second of Wyrmguard.
The timing was everything. With a deep breath, Michael activated Wyrmguard on his right arm. Shiny red scales instantly enveloped his hand and forearm, preparing him for the imminent impact. As the slime closed in, Michael seized the opportunity. He grabbed the slime with his scaled arm, using its momentum to spin around forcefully. With a grunt of effort, he hurled the creature towards the toxic lake.
The slime sailed through the air, its form quivering as it flew. With a sickening splash, it landed in the toxic liquid, where it struggled to move, its movements becoming sluggish and feeble. Michael backed up cautiously, ready to defend himself in case the slime attempted another attack.
With a moment of respite, Michael focused inward and activated Dragon’s Sight once more.
[Name: Slime #1]
[Race: Large Green slime]
[Level: 3]
[HP: 25/50]
[Status: Toxic]
“Yes! It worked,” Michael exclaimed quietly, relief evident in his voice as he observed the slime's deteriorating condition in the toxic lake.
He maintained a safe distance, eyeing the slime warily to ensure it posed no further threat. The creature continued to struggle weakly in the toxic liquid, its HP steadily decreasing due to the lethal effects of the environment.
Michael glanced at Embora, a mixture of satisfaction and cautious optimism in his expression. “Do you think it’s done for?” he asked, seeking her insight as they monitored the slime’s struggle from afar.
“Yes, I believe you won, and you did it beautifully,” Embora replied, her voice resonating with pride and reassurance.
As soon as she finished speaking, golden sparkles of light unexpectedly sprinkled out from the lake, dancing through the air before settling into Michael’s chest. He felt a tingling sensation spread from where the sparkles had touched him, a warm energy coursing through his veins.
[You have reached level ‘2’]
[HP now at 31]
[MP now at 16]
[‘10’ stat points gained]
[You gained ‘Fire resistance 1’]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
>[Yes] [No]
“Umm…No, not yet” Michael said
The screen disappeared, Embora's voice echoed in his mind, a mixture of relief and encouragement. “Well done, Michael. You handled that encounter with remarkable skill.”
“Thank you,” Michael replied, his voice tinged with exhaustion. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so physically and mentally engaged.
Sitting down against a nearby rock, Michael closed his eyes briefly, trying to steady his breathing. The adrenaline rush was beginning to subside, leaving behind a deep sense of weariness that seeped into his bones. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, feeling the sticky residue of slime that clung to his fingers stinging his skill a little. He wiped it off on a nearby rock.
The cavern around them remained still, save for the faint echoes of dripping water. The ambient glow of crystals cast gentle shadows.
“I need to rest,” Michael muttered to himself, acknowledging the toll the battle had taken on him. He leaned back against the rock, allowing its cool surface to provide some relief against the warmth building within him.
Embora's presence felt comforting, but she remained silent.