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I headed deeper into the forest. Guessing by the position of the sun (if sun acts the same way as the one from my world, that is) it was already after a noon, so I still have some time before it would get dark. As a kid, I used to watch all kind of survival shows, so I know what to do at the moment!...

More or less...

Three things need to be secured in order to ensure my survival: a shelter, a source of water, and lastly but not least - food. But in my situation, even some kind of cave would be suitable as a new home. If not, I would be forced to make some kind of basic hut made of branches and leafs. When it comes to the source of water - It’s problematic. It would be great if it was located relatively close to shelter, yet if it would be too close, the wild animals could find my resting place.

Back in the country where I was living, in the mountains, there were almost no dangerous animals at all. Some kind of foxes, maybe a boar from time to time, yet those were rare. Wolves and bears were almost extinct and were habituating only the National Parks. Somehow I doubt that the most dangerous animal in this forest would be Fox. The Guide even mentioned goblins and dragons. I don’t want to wake up with my throat sliced or the whole camp burned. Lastly, for the food, I am pretty confident in my skills. Damn it, If I only had my bow. I used to have one back in my former world. I wasn’t some kind of pro. But at least I could shoot a nonmoving target from 30-40 meters. If I could only sneak upon prey and shorten my distance I wouldn’t have to worry about food.

Okay, don’t get distracted, silly me.

I was heading east or I so I hoped. I mean. in the end, it’s a completely different world. There is even magic here. I prefer not to think about such things as directions or anything that could be dictated by common sense as something obvious until I would see it with my own eyes.

Every 100 or so meters I was using appraisal on everything that was in my eyesight. After I used if 1st time near the level mark a percentage progress of the skill appeared. It was leveling slowly. I mean really slowly. I was getting about 0.1% per appraisal, and every time there was a plant that I have already seen its speed was still decreasing.

There was a flowerbed filled with only one kind of flower. There was about... 12 of those? At that moment every time I used appraisal I was taking a look at progress. And so it was 5.2% then 5.29%, 5.37% and so on. Oh, and I didn’t get any info in the very moment I used the skill. I had to wait about 10-15 seconds for a response from the system. The only reassuring thing that I found in that situation was that the forest seemed to be full of different herbs, berries, mushrooms, and flowers that I didn't have to worry about running out of appraisal material.

However, there was no sign of animals for now. Oh, I expressed myself incorrectly. There were lots of all kinds of traits. I have just found no living animal. There were screaming of some fighting animals, sweet songs of birds. From time to time a roar that made me shiver.

I continue onward. Slowly. I started recalling all the time I spent in the mountains. Ah, good old camping days. I have never hunted an animal with a gun. But with cousins, we used to sneak as close as possible to wild deer. Of course only if deer didn’t spot us first. Because of the games that I played as a child, I have some general concept of how to move without making too much noise.

Something blinked in corner of my vision. Some small animal spotted me and fled.

Fine, remember the part about me moving sneakily? Well, forget about that. Apparently, my skills are far more inferior than I wanted to admit.

Whatever. It is not as bad as long as I am spotted by a bunny. Or rat. Or sloth. Still, I would be in troubles if instead of a bunny it will be a wolf.

Ahh, screw this. Nothing good comes from overthinking matters we do not control. There is job to be done! Onward-onward!

Aaaand... I am walking. Yep, nothing changes in this matter. Walk – rest – appraise – walk again. Yes, I know it does not sound like something exciting, but if you could only see what I am seeing right now. Mushrooms as high as buildings. Trees that were growing a few kinds of fruits. Eagle as big as a small plane.

...

...

Wait, an eagle as big as a plane? OH, HOLY FUCKING BALLS.

In an instant, I jumped under some tree with wide branches. My heart was racing. I rested there for about 30 minutes. Oh, no - I am not going to move from here.

Another 30 minutes or so passed. I was all sweaty. Oh boy.

I moved just a little. Then I took another step. I looked into the skies and then pulled my head back immediately. The eagle was a bit further from the place I saw him for the last time. While flying he was moving in the circles like falcon does, looking for prey. 

W-well, he gotten further enough for me to take a peak, did he?. 

I slowly started leaving my cover, yet in a manner that would allow me to jump right back in if I would feel like it. I started gazing toward a direction of the monster that was ruling on the skies.

Are those legs? Four of them? Each of them was not ended with eagle talons but some beast-like claws? You are bloody kidding me. A gryphon? It is a gryphon, is it? A motherfucking gryphon. Yes. It is a gryphon. No matter how long I look at him, it’s gryphon. FOR FUCK SAKE IT IS  A REAL GRYPHON!

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No, no, no, no, and no. In all the games, I played (so quite few of them), a gryphon was a boss monster. Even if he is some kind of common maggot here, what are are possibilities of lvl 1 me winning against a fucking 6 meters or so long beast?

Okay, east no longer seems so tempting as before. Umm north is good too?

Just as I made my 1st step to the north something roared from that direction. Something very big, and very angry.

So, to the west! As I came from the south this is the only direction left.

An hour of foot travel made my legs start aching. As I opened status I saw more than half of my stamina gone. This is strange. I am taking regular breaks so why is it decreasing so fast?

I have to better find something soon….

Really?!

If some of you can't understand why I became surprised out of blue... Let me just tell you, at the moment I thought about that, I noticed a place that I could call home.

No, honestly! There was a cave and a lake - this can’t be happening. Can it?

I mean, it is just too suspicious. It has a nice scenery. It would be strange if it wouldn’t be habituated.

I took my dagger in hand. It was heavy. Way heavier than I expected.

Step by step I started reducing the distance between and the entrance of the cave. I tried to calm myself down. I was breathing steadily.

As I reached the entrance I took a look inside. And then, immediately pulled my head back.

Just as I thought. This cave somehow no longer seem as good as a moment before. Let's just slowly leave this place, pretending there was nothing worthy of my attention. There was nothing. Nothing at all. Stop shaking. There was no 2 and a half meter long wolf with pitch-black fur sleeping inside. Yesss. So now take a step b…

Growling could be heard behind my back. I couldn’t move. The status displayed “fear” as status. The effect was a minor paralysis.

No shit Sherlock! Tell me something I didn’t know! Slowly, I turned back again, yet the wolf was still sleeping. Oh for all merciful angels. He growled in his sleep. I held the dagger unsteadily, as my hand was covered in sweat.

If… if he is sleeping… why don’t I just stab him? Could I do it? I can do it…

… step closer. THE HELL AM I DOING!?

He was still about 7 meters away. Another one. THERE IS NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO WORK!

Stop shaking, you stupid body! I keep getting closer. My heart was pounding so loud that I thought it could wake a dead man.

4 meters away. Dagger almost slipped away. When I was 2 meters away. I started making half-steps. 1 meter away.

His eyes were open.

Fuck.

His intelligent, dark brown eyes were looking at me with disbelief. As if he could not comprehend how could someone be retarded enough to come to his lair. I was standing. He was laying. 3 or so long seconds we just stare at each other. Then he raised. With heart in fear, I drop myself on it and stabbed trying to aim at his head. Somehow, the creature twisted its body and avoided my clumsy attack.

He moved aside. Dagger only scratched his cheek. Wait, does a wolf have a cheek? 

He jumped to my neck. Instinctively I guarded my throat with my left hand, in next moment I felt his razor sharp fangs sinking in my forearm. The scream could be heard. Was that my scream?  Most likely yes. A red [-11] appeared on the verge of my vision. I throw a stab at its head again. And again. His grip on my forearm only grew stronger. I tried ignoring notifications that kept informing me about new damages that I was receiving.  Stab after stab. Stab after stab. On head. On neck. In the eyes. Complete chaos. Madness.

I didn’t  realize when his grip loosened. I kept stabbing dead body for next 5 minutes up to the moment when my stamina bar was left almost completely empty. Then I fainted. I am not sure if it’s because of stamina, or shock or blood loss. I just fall into dreamless sleep.

...

The next day, as I awakened I felt my whole arm pulsating with dull pain. I cheeked status:

General Information Name Zariel Level 1 exp18% Age 16 Race Human Class None Job None Title The one who forge his own fate Health 62/100 Stamina 71/110 Mana NA Attributes Strength 8 - 1 Vitality 10 Endurance 8 Constitution 11 Dexterity 12 - 2 Reflex 7 Intelligence 19 Wisdom 17 Spiritualism 12 Hidden Attributes Luck 4 + 10 Charisma 4 Charm 6 Unallocated points 0

Skills Appraisal Level 1  exp 28.31%

State Broken limb [left forearm] STR/DEX debuff Body exhaustion Sp regeneration debuff

You must be bloody kidding me… I got only 18% for slaying damned wolf… I have to kill 5 more to level up… Also - after comparing my hp before and after i fell asleep... over a night I regenerated only 2hp? What is wrong with that sick difficulty?

No. Wait, dear me. It’s not a game. It’s a real life. Broken limbs will not get better just after having some sleep. Which means I better avoid getting hurt… or find a way to boost the speed of body regeneration. Maybe some  medicine or magic would help?

As I lost myself in consideration about my future development (like every respectful nerd) I head that sound- as if the sky was falling. Like the roar of the mightiest beast.

Or my empty stomach, for I just realized how hungry I was. In the end, I hadn’t eaten for almost 2 days. I looked at the body of a wolf. Gutting animals is not something that disturbs me. On every Christmas for past few years, I was the one responsible for killing, gutting and preparing fish for the main dish. Oh yes. There is a difference between fish and wolf, but I doubt I can be picky. I took a dagger with my healthy hand and came a bit closer to the wolf.