After completing a series of tasks that involved leveling up, selling items, acquiring a new skill, and upgrading my Arcana, in the midst of the moonlit night, I realized that only a few hours had passed since my previous activities. The darkened surroundings reminded me that it was still the middle of the night, and the idea of venturing back into slumber crossed my mind, I anticipated a restless night ahead, my body didn’t feel tired. I closed my eyes and nestled the floor of my tent, hoping that fatigue would overtake me and carry me into slumber.

To my surprise, as I lay there in the darkness, sleep swiftly embraced me. Within a matter of minutes, my mind surrendered to the soothing embrace of dreams.

…

As the golden hues of morning light spilled into my tent, my slumber gradually came to an end. The gentle warmth of the sun's embrace danced upon my face, coaxing me out of the realm of dreams and into the realm of wakefulness. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I stretched my limbs and embraced the new day that lay before me. I went up to the Safe Zone Stone and checked the time:

Safe Zone Stone>

< Duration 4 days, 19 hours, 44 min >

Seeing the time remaining filled me with a sense of urgency. I realized that I had no idea how I would survive out there, and I still didn't fully believe in my own abilities. While I had been lucky so far, I didn't want to rely solely on luck to keep me alive.

First things first, I made my way to the nearby stream of water, determined to clean myself up. With my injured arm in mind, I carefully washed and bandaged the wound again, ensuring it was properly cared for. But that was not all—I was still covered in the grimy remnants of the goblin encounter. Grabbing a rag, I set out to thoroughly cleanse myself, with practicality in mind, I decided against washing my clothes in the stream. The weather was far from warm, and wearing wet clothes would only make matters worse. Besides, I lacked the necessary essence to purchase a new set of clothes at the moment. Instead, I focused on cleaning myself as best as I could, ensuring that my body was free from the goblin's filth. While my attire remained soiled, I knew that survival took precedence over personal comfort. I resolved to make do with what I had.

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Having cleansed myself, I noticed a conveniently placed stone just a stone's throw away from my tent within the protective bounds of the safe zone. Seizing the opportunity, I settled onto its smooth surface, the remnants of my rations in hand. With a contemplative gaze, I began to trace the lines of a plan for the day, envisioning a strategy that would allow me to explore more of the forest and potentially gather additional essence along the way.

The main idea behind my plan was to utilize the synergy between my skills "Enhanced Focus" and "Hide Presence." I had chosen to acquire "Enhanced Focus" before investing in any combat-oriented skills for two reasons. Firstly, it aimed to eliminate any hesitations or panic that could hinder my ability to take decisive action, as a bonus, the skill "Enhanced Focus" would greatly assist me in combat by enhancing my ability to read and anticipate my enemies' movements. Secondly, it would synergise well with "Hide Presence," initially the skill served as a means of survival, allowing me to go undetected and avoid dangerous encounters. However, now it would serve an additional purpose - as a tool for ambushes.

I didn't become a killing machine out of the blue. I still had my doubts and uncertainties, but one thing was clear to me now: in order to survive in this hostile world and grow stronger, I would have to face the challenges head-on and confront the dangers that lay in my path. It was a harsh reality that I had to accept.

…

With my plan in mind, I would carefully navigate back to the location of the intense battle with the boar, relying on my level 5 "Hide Presence" skill to remain concealed from potential threats. While I had confidence in my ability to remain hidden, I acknowledged my lack of combat-specific skills and experience. Therefore, instead of engaging in direct confrontations, my primary objective was to search for the boar's pelts. If they were still available, I would retrieve them and secure a what I assumed would be a decent amount of free essence. However, if the pelts were no longer present, I would adjust my course and explore alternative hunting grounds.

By focusing on hunting beasts rather than engaging with more dangerous monsters, such as Goblins, who possessed intelligence and were canny, I aimed to accumulate essence while minimizing unnecessary risks. This approach would allow me to gradually build my strength and resources without compromising my safety. With "Enhanced Focus" and "Hide Presence" working in tandem, I felt confident in my ability to execute well-planned ambushes and propel myself into action when necessary, maintaining a strategic advantage.