Only after 10 minutes I stopped running. A mountain lion was the second worst to find in this forest. Well, third. An Eater is always the worst option but they are on a different scale of problem. Still, aside from a bear, there was nothing worse than a mountain lion to be chasing after me. Then again, it wasn’t chasing me, was it?
Glancing back, there was nothing to be seen, only the forest. However, I was far away from my cave now, and in order to get there, I would have to cross path with that monster again. To make matters worse, it was mutated, and what the hell was that name? Finding a tree that had branches high and thick enough to hold me, I climbed up and took a moment to breathe.
‘System, why did you say that the mountain lion was saturated? Was that the word you used?’ I asked in my mind, making sure not to speak up and make more noise than I already had.
[Correct. Once a being has been filled with SP, it will be marked as Saturated.]
‘So that means that mountain lion was at max level already? For tier 0 I mean.’
[Correct. However, that is only the case for beings on tier 0. Once they grow to Tier 1, being saturated does not equate to being at max level.]
I rubbed my eyes, ‘Ok, ok. Let’s not go there now. I need to focus on what is going on not in trying to understand you.’
[Inquiry: Does user have a plan to deal with the mutated mountain lion?]
‘Not in the slightest. But I don’t know if I can just run away from it. It should have my scent, and even if it doesn’t, It’s been a while since I took a shower. It shouldn’t be hard for it to find me.’
[What about hunting it?]
‘A mutated mountain lion?! Are you crazy? How the fuck am I supposed to kill something like that. It would take a dozen hunters to take one down and even then we were likely to lose people. Unless someone made a really good trap. I’m not strong enough to deal with that.’
[User hunted mutated boars before.]
‘So? I hunted others on my own before. That was nothing new.’
[User currently has System. With that, user is several times more powerful than before integration.]
‘Are you saying we could kill that thing?’
[With the help of System, user can perform tasks that were impossible before integration. Defeating an adversary that was unbeatable before is among such tasks. However, System is unable to calculate the odds of success. User will be required to make that decision without System assistance.]
‘Right… hang on. Let’s think for a moment. If I ignore it and leave, there is a decent chance that it will come after me later. It might happen later today, in the middle of the night, or tomorrow. Or it could just leave. If the boar and the deer were enough for its meal, then there is no reason why it would chase after me, right?’
[That may not be the case.]
I frowned, looking to the side as if there was someone there to talk to, ‘What do you mean? Are you going to do something to mess this up?’
[System will not do anything against user’s best interest. However, it is possible that the system particles present on mutated mountain lion are capable of replicating the effect of hunger but direct it to large agglomerations of SP.]
After hearing that, the only thing to do was take a deep breath before confirming, ‘Are you telling me that, because I have you, the System, and a large concentration of SP, mutated animals will come after me?’
[Correct. However, that should not happen with every creature that possess SP. Only those who already have a predisposition to hunt for sustenance. SP is unable to create a new instinct without the help of System.]
‘So predators? Animals that hunt, those are the ones that are now seeing me as a tasty snack full of SP?’
[That is an apt approximation. Although System is unaware if animals have a preference for taste to consider user a snack.]
‘Fuck me. Ok I guess we are hunting,’ looking around, I searched for something, anything that could give me an edge in that fight.
On the ground were bushes, small rocks, leaves, and that was it. Nothing that could be used to kill the mountain lion. There was one thing that caught my eye. A small hole in the ground. In this mountainous terrain, some places had openings that led to caves. It wasn’t a full network of underground tunnels, despite everything, I wasn’t in a place that was tall or large enough for that kind of thing. And if memory served me right, there was a considerably large hole nearby. One that the hunters used as a spike trap to capture prey.
Quickly coming down the tree, I continued running, trying to remember the location of what could save me. Unfortunately, it was closer to where the mountain lion was, but there was no other option. It was hard to tell how long that creature would take to finish its meal, and if it decided to hunt for a different kind of prey as it was done, I was fucked.
About 15 minutes later, the spike trap came into view. Some of the wooden stakes were broken, but the majority still stood strong and stained with the blood of their last kill. Quickly rummaging through the area, I grabbed as many long sticks and bushes I could to cover the hole. That took another 10 minutes, but by the end, an animal shouldn’t be able to recognize the trap, even if it was more or less obvious to a human.
The reason for not doing a better job was the same as the reason for the rush. Preparing a trap required focus, and right now, half of my attention was pointed at my surroundings. If the mountain lion arrived while I was distracted, there was no trap that could save me.
Once my preparation was over, I quickly climbed on top of a nearby tree and positioned myself in a branch. The main problem with this setup was the lack of bait, but hunting something else might be a problem. It would take too long to find an animal large enough and then bring it here. Not to mention having to hoist it up on top of the trap, since leaving it on the ground would make the camouflage collapse. Maybe my shirt could be enough to attract the mountain lion. And of course, there was still the chance that it wouldn’t even come after me.
The other issue was the environment. This was a deep part of the forest and the sun was hidden by the trees. The shadows that covered the space swallowed the scarce light shining from above. Even sounds couldn’t be trusted, as tiny cave systems were sprawled around the place. Any noise had the chance of entering those passages and being amplified through a unique geological structure that distorted it in unexpected ways.
Suddenly, a music played in my head. This time it wasn’t the same one the System used, but the battle victory theme from a famous rpg game.
[Congratulations user Cassandra for the level up. Current level 8. 1 attribute point available. 1 skill available.]
‘Add the attribute to Mind and show me the skill,’ I still wasn’t entirely sure if increasing Mind was doing anything. At no point during today, there was a moment when actually paying attention to what the skill was doing was an option. To be fair, I could’ve tested that out before leaving the cave, but I forgot. Still, going from 1 to 2 Mind was a 100% increase, and going for 2 to 3 was 50%. While increasing body from 6 to 7 would be around a 20% improvement. Mind sounded like the better option, one way or another.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
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Silent Step - Active - Unranked
Cost: 1 Energy
Duration: 10 minutes
Move quietly through the forest, making it easier to avoid detection by prey and predators.
Reduces the noise created by your movements.
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‘Show me my status and please tell me I have a new Memory slot.’
[Unfortunately, user’s Memory still is at 4.]
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Cassandra Ydorf - Level 8
Titles: Enduring Heart
Tier 0
Mind 3 - Body - 7
Memory - 4 Energy - 0/4 (1 Reserved)
Skills - 4/4
Quick Tier 1 Evolution - Passive
Energy Storage - Passive - 1 Energy
Body Regeneration - Active - 1 Energy/ 10 minutes
Compression - Active - 1 Energy/ 5 uses
Mind of Possibility - Available
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‘Shit. I want that skill but there is nothing worth changing. Also, {Compression} -‘ before I could finish my sentence, a noise caught my attention behind me.
Slowly turning around, the first thing that came into view was a pair of yellow eyes reflecting the low light of this dark area of the forest. Its mouth was slightly open, showing the large yellow fangs that confirmed this wasn’t a simple animal. If anything, it looked more like the saber-tooth tiger. It seemed like that thing had a skill similar to the one I almost got since its movements were barely making any sound as it climbed the tree by my side and perched over a branch. The mountain lion was staring at me, already salivating, even though it should have had a full meal recently. Its muscles tensioned, clearly ready to pounce.
‘{Mind of Possibility}‘
I called the skill as soon as I could. This was supposed to give me some time to make a decision, and that was what I needed now. Hopefully, the extra point in Mind would also increase its power.
The moment the SP started to work, the world changed. Everything became more real, more present. The rustling of the trees more pronounced, and the small light coming from the sun was able to reveal more of the surrounding area. Still, noticing all that took less than a second, my focus was on something else.
The mutated mountain lion was in front of me and was about to attack. Jumping back, I saw the monster watching me, its muscles relaxing. Not long after, the reason became clear. My back connected with some dried brushes and leaves, and crashed through the camouflaged hole, sending my body into the spike trap. Three of them caught my legs, two of my torso, one my arm, and the last pierced the back of my skull, killing me.
On top of the branch, I jumped back, this time using more strength to push away from the tree. The lion followed after, reaching the place I just left befog jumping after me. In the air, I watched the creature’s jaws open, its fangs seeming to grow even larger and the teeth looking sharper in the light. As soon as my feet hit the ground, the creature landed on top of me, its claws piercing my stomach and its fangs ripping my throat open.
Jumping to the left, the lion didn’t even waste time going to the branch I just left. Instead, it pivoted its body, and from its current location lunged towards me. Its massive frame slammed against me, and it pinned my body on a tree, using its two claws without even touching the ground. There, it started eating me while on top of the tree. In that position there was nothing I could do except scream.
Trying something different, I jumped towards the monster, trying to attack it. But the creature meets me in the air, having the same idea. We clashed between the two branches and fell to the ground. My attempt to hit it with the staff ended up not dealing with enough damage to it. As we landed, the lion was on top of me and its fangs sank into my neck before I could try anything else.
Waiting for it to jump me had the same result, I attempted to use {Compression} to make it fall on top of the staff, but the creature was too smart, and there was no place to prop the metal against and no way to move in order for a real strike, I fell to the ground, with the lion killing me as we landed.
A different attempt, jumping at a different angle to the left. Claws sink in my chest, dead.
Jumping over it, tail grabs my ankle and tosses me to the ground, my neck breaks with the fall, dead.
To the right, fangs rip my throat, dead.
Moving back, claw, dead.
Climbing up, Dead.
Jump- Dead.
Rig- Dead.
Att- Dead.
Nothing I could come up with was letting me win this. Screw win, I couldn’t even survive. The skill was running out, I could tell the amount of SP moving around my head was slowly getting smaller. But I had no idea what to do to kill this thing. It was the first time I faced a creature so much stronger than I. No, wait, that wasn’t true. When I killed the Eater, I didn’t even have the system. Maybe I could try the same thing again.
The best place for that would be on the ground, and only when I tried to go over the trap, my feet hit the dirt. By jumping far enough and triggering {Compression} to increase the size of the pole, the lion was struck on the side of its torso, opening a gash on its stomach. The impact also sent it tumbling to the side, landing away from me. However, the skill ended, stopping me from trying a different angle in hopes of killing the monster in one move.
I followed that last path, jumping far enough and getting ready to use {Compression}. That was the only alternative where I was still alive after the lion hit the ground. But instead of doing the same thing, the second cast of the skill was delayed. If the monster was closer, there was a chance that it would be killed in a single move.
Using all my strength, I jumped, the monster following right after. It had to take another step on the branch I just left, but it continued to come after me, taking the exact same path I saw while the skill was active. My feet hit the ground just before the trap, quickly shifting my back leg to stabilize myself, I pointed the staff at the Lion that was already in the air. It was possible for me to use {Compression} now, but it wouldn’t be the best moment. The later the skill was activated, the more likely the monster was to be killed by the blow.
Even without {Mind of Possibility}, time seemed to slow down as I watched that massive creature approaching. Its yellow eyes focused on me, fangs shining even through the low light around us. Just as it was falling, the Lion’s eyes widened. Not due to something happening to it, but because its fur started getting denser. If it wasn’t for the light of the sun on its teeth, I might have not noticed it. Each strand of hair wriggled as if they were made out of millions of tiny worms coming out of its body.
I had no idea what that was, but changing my plan now wasn’t an option. Holding the staff tighter, I triggered {Compression}, with the tip aimed at the lion’s center of mass. The metal grew quickly, but not quick enough. The monster noticed the incoming attack and twisted its body, using the front legs to jump on the metal staff. But it wasn’t as smart as it seemed. Even if the lion was able to change its trajectory mid air, it didn’t realize the staff was growing. With the extra momentum going forward, the end of the metal pipe crashed against its back left leg, crushing the bone before it tumbled to the ground in pain.
Thankfully, the monster landed far away from me, and I wasn’t about to let this chance escape. Pulling the staff back, I triggered {Compression} once more, changing it to a size that I could handle. But the Lion didn’t let me finish, it lunged at me. Since the pole was still big enough to be a shield, I stopped the skill and pushed it in front of me, making the monster scrape its claws along the side of the staff.
Taking a step back, I triggered {Compression} one more time to fix the size of my weapon but the skill didn’t work. I was out of charges for it and now the pole was too big to hold it with one hand. With a groan, I held the staff with both hands and swung it in a wide arc, hoping to hit the monster. The attack failed, as the creature jumped over it, but it yelped as it landed, clearly struggling to move one of its legs.
For some reason, my movement with the staff like this made me think of Draco. How dragons could swing their tails in wider arcs using their entire body for an attack. Continuing with the momentum, I spun around, raising the tip of the metal pole to avoid a tree and bringing it down directly on top of the mutated lion. A sickening crunch echoed through the forest along with a loud clang as the metal hit the ground.
I pulled the staff up to see the damage caused by the strike and the Lion jumped towards me, now both legs on its left side broken thanks to my weapon. Still, the creature had enough strength to push me down to the ground and try to bite me. Its fangs cut the side of my neck as I fell and the claws pierced my chest. Thankfully, the odd distribution of weight made the creature flop to the side instead of pressing down, otherwise the wound would be far more than just superficial.
Taking advantage of the confusion of the Lion due its strange position, I pushed it out of me, towards the spike trap. It wouldn’t be enough to kill it, but maybe, if I was lucky, the sharp sticks and stones would hinder it enough for me to finish the job. As the monster was flung to the side, it still managed to claw at my leg, breaking the already damaged wooden shinguard and ripping my skin open. But climbing out of the spike trap was a different story. As the lion struggled inside, the jagged edges slowly piercing its skin, I walked over to the staff, grabbed it and started to slam it on the monster’s head. Trying to push it against the spikes.
I hit it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again. I hit that monster until my arms couldn’t lift the staff. Even then, I still wanted to hit it. Not just out of fear of the creature still being alive, but anger. This beast killed me. It killed me countless times, over and over again, and now it was going to die for it.
After I don’t know how long, my body collapsed backwards, the large staff dropping to the side, and I took a deep breath. What remained from the mountain lion was just a mess of blood, bile, and meat smashed against the pit. I felt something washing over me, a slight tingly sensation comes to my feet and slowly climbs its way towards the rest of my body. A music played in my head, the battle victory theme from a famous rpg game.
[Congratulations user Cassandra for the level up. Current level 9. 1 attribute point available. No skills available.]