After slurping two more coconuts, Tsukasa unconvincingly muttered "Open Menu."

Menu

Status Skills Techniques (2) Spells Recipes Companions Stores

There were eight options on the menu. Though the spells, recipes, and stores were unavailable, and Tsukasa vaguely remembered what Status was, so when he opened Status, he only glanced at it for a few seconds before he continued on the others.

When he clicked on Skills, another blue pane appeared, though most of it was an empty pane with only 'Feat Points Left: 1',  'Swim Level 1 (7%)' and 'Throwing Combat Level 1(2%)' written on it. When he clicked Swim, the screen flickered for a second, turning it into the same screen when he first received Swim skill.

Clicking on '>>>' at the bottom right of the screen. It now showed him another empty pane written only with 'Throwing Technique (0/2).'

Sighing, even after exploring the menu for about ten minutes, Tsukasa still couldn't find any single information that he thought to be useful. Though, he did find out the screen would appear with one-second delay whenever he thought the word, and they would float for about one minute before disappeared or until he looked away. 

Still, by the time Tsukasa had done tinkering with the screen, he realized that the chill breeze had been slowly seeping into his bone and had become too unbearable. He was sure there were several other things he should be worried about, but now his biggest was how to stay warm.

Wounding his way on the seashore, Tsukasa began to search for a dried coconut husk along with some twigs. Though, he only needed to search them for a couple of minutes when he already had every material.

Not wasting any precious second, Tsukasa hastily dug a shallow pit using a big purplish shell that felt like something that came straight from a cartoon and covered them with leaves. He started to encircle the pit with several rocks in different size and then built a pyramid of woods and twigs at the centre.

Sitting down, Tsukasa was admiring the result of his craftmanship but quickly shook his head. The sky had slowly faded from maroon to a majestic purple, notifying that he didn't have much time left before he was sitting alone in the dark.

He immediately took a small shell and began to chip the husk, creating a small hole at the size of his pinky. Satisfied, he shoved the twig inside the newly created hole and then pushed his flat and smooth hand forward, and then the other. He continued to roll it back and forth, hoping a spark of ember would appear.

But, when the last light of the sun engulfed by the sea, simultaneously Tsukasa threw away his idea along with the coconut.

"This is stupid," Tsukasa muttered in frustration. He had the knowledge, and he remembered all the steps to create a bonfire, but he still couldn't make a single spark, instead, he only received blisters and scrapes on his palm.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Tsukasa saw green gleams permeated. He quickly turned his head.

Tsukasa's pupil dilated and his jaw dropped. A few seconds ago, he was sure the glow in the leaves were dim, but now, the jungle behind him was radiating galaxies of shimmering leaves as though they were inviting him to go inside.

Tsukasa hesitated. He could continue to stay at the seashore, trying his best to warm his body, or he could simply go into the jungle, which he supposed would be a lot warmer than here... Still, there was also the danger of wild beasts.

But while pondering, the sea level had abnormally increased until it reached his ankle. Tsukasa quickly yelped backwards and, without spending more time to think he immediately went to the jungle. 

Entering the jungle, Tsukasa wound his way slowly forward, thinking he should be fine as long he went in a straight path. He actually wondered whether he would be viewed as a source of food. There could be any number of animals stalking him from the moment he stepped his foot. But right now...

He was in awe. When he walked, his footprints would glow for two seconds before they faded. When he pressed the fern, one by one the leaflets would slowly fold inwards. When he moved closer, a knee-high spiral plant would suck down into a tube in the ground so quickly it seemed they simply vanish. 

He was not an outdoor person but the scenery was breathtaking. If only he had brought his phone with him, he would definitely have taken pictures until its memory full, heck, he didn’t even mind taking his first selfie in here.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Still, Tsukasa walked through the foliage while looking around like a tourist in Hell. He would always stop walking whenever he saw the ferns closed their leaflets, scanning the environment to make sure nothing would jump out from behind them. Sometimes, he could the occasional hoot or howl, though he wasn't sure whether it was real or just him being paranoid.

He supposed having some sort of weapon would ease his mind. He knew how to make one, though, after his failed attempt to produce fire, he figured he would fail and scrap his own work at the end.

Instead, he decided to make a camp as his priority. He was sure the ground wasn't the safest place when it came down for resting.

Tsukasa walked another five minutes before finding a warm and good spot, or should he say a good tree. A multi-trunk alien tree with the appearance of a chalice. Not terribly tall but had thick and long vines which he supposed, would make it easier for him to climb.

He climbed the vines, sticking to the thickest vines close to the centre trunk. He cringed a little when he felt the sharp pain in his palm but still continued climbing.

After climbing some more, Tsukasa found a gap, just big enough for him to enter. Inside, He guessed this was the place where all the trunks grew upward before they curved outward. The atmosphere was making him felt as if he was standing inside of a bowl. Perfect as a resting spot as he didn't need to worry about falling down.

He placed his foot through the gap and then slid in after it. It took some doing to clear all the leaves and the small twigs, but he arranged his sleeping spot in a relatively comfortable manner where he could lie down without bending his feet.

Now that he already nestled in this tree, he could only hope he had climbed high enough to be out of range of wild animals.

As night came, the air was cooling quickly. Thankfully, getting surrounded by this many branches and millions of leaves had protected him from the cold... Not too much, but it was still better than sleeping anywhere near the beach.

Now, his biggest concern was how he may actually be able to get a few hours of sleep. This way his first time spending the night on outdoor, but he supposed he could sleep just fine, considering he could easily fall asleep on the beach.

Slowly, Tsukasa allowed his muscles to relax. His eyes to close. The last thing he thought was it was unfortunate he didn't have a way to silence the rumbling from his stomach.

*****

*Snap!*

The sound of a breaking branch wake Tsukasa. How long have I been asleep? Four hours? Five? He thought as he stared at the blue screen in front of him.

Do you want to learn Hide Level 1? (Feat Points left: 1)

Yes No

Rubbing his eyes, Tsukasa knew, or at least, assumed a skill notification would appear whenever he had successfully done something. So, if he were to take this skill notification with that in mind, it seemed like while he was sleeping, he apparently was also hiding from.... something.

The thought of how careless he was making him shuddered and Tsukasa immediately spent his last feat point.

You have learned Hide Level 1!

You've become trained in hiding and camouflaging. If you have a cover or concealment, others creature with [Wisdom] lower than your [Presence + Skill level] can't detect you. You've unlocked a new Spell(Illusion) "Chameleon Skin" level 1 You've unlocked a new Technique(Stealth) "Hidden Presence" level 1 You've unlocked a new Recipe (Cloth) "Cloak of Camouflaging" level 1

Your Health regeneration has increased by 10.

Your Magicka regeneration has increased by 10.

Your Stamina regeneration has increased by 1.

Your Agility has increased by 1 Your Presence has increased by 1

You now have 40 status points! Your Feat Point has increased by 1!

The last bonus was unexpected and Tsukasa's lips curled up. Still, while he was wondering what kind of skills he had just received...

*Snap! Snap!*

The sound appeared again. It was not the sound of a branch under someone's foot, but the sharp crack of something thicker.

*Snap!*

Tsukasa judged it to be a few dozen meters to his right. Slowly, noiselessly, he turned himself in the same direction. For a few minutes, there was nothing but blackness and some scuffling.

*Snap! Snap! Snap!*

Through the branch. Tsukasa saw a... creature of some sort. A large humanoid with thick elongated arms and stunted legs. Its blood-covered knuckles each dragged a blue-scaled humanoid with webbed hands and feet, though, the one on the right was missing its lower part of its body.

The giant opened his mouth, showing flat black teeth that Tsukasa thought perfect for grinding bones to paste. 

 *Snap!*

The same sound echoed when the giant bit the blue-scaled humanoid's arm off. It ate so noisily, crunching the blue-scaled humanoid as though they were nothing but crackers. 

The excess of soupy drool and blood spilt over its bulbous lips. and with no signs of embarrassment, it wiped its mouth on its sleeve and burped.

And immediately snored right under the tree Tsukasa was in.