Zalia awoke to a message in her mind,
Congratulations! Survivalist and associated skills have reached Tin 3.
Congratulations! Hunter class has reached Tin 3.
She felt a very slight increase to her strength and dexterity as it happened. All it was, was a slight feeling of increased strength and how fast her body could react. While not much to speak about she felt it would definitely have an impact over time. Now that she thought about it, Glemp, who was bronze rank, moved quite fluidly. She hadn’t thought about it at the time but she put it down to the attributes being much higher. She would bet that the little fella was also a lot stronger then they showed as well.
Zalia felt good about where she was at this point. When she had left her original home, the town she grew up in, to move far into the north and live in the snow and ice by herself it was a much different story. The first few weeks had been one big icy hell on earth, each shortcoming or problem that happened snowballing into the next. It had taken her a while to come out even and stabilise in the cold north. Now however, she had a new friend, magical powers and a head start on all the vital skills that she very much didn't have last time around. While her situation still held an edge of improbability or insanity to it, she was actually quite happy with how her life was going.
Zalia decided to leave her sleeping bag in the small home she had made, opting to have more room for herbs and berries she found. Heading back out into the cold, frozen landscape, she started looking for tracks. She wanted to start off with something small and much less dangerous than a giant six legged bear from icy hell.
A few minutes of looking later, Zalia found the tracks of a small creature that her abilities told her was probably something like a rabbit. She followed its tracks to a burrow down into the snow and set up nearby, bow strung and nocked. It wasn't long before a small head popped up above the burrow, before the rest of the body followed. The animal looked like a rabbit with big floppy ears except its fur had an almost metallic sheen to it. Following her fluid motion born of years of hunting she stood, exhaled and drew at the same moment before shooting off an arrow at the thing. As the arrow flew, she noticed one additional detail,
? - Bronze rank
Which meant that the creature was on a level similar to Glemp.
The arrow practically bounced off the creature, leaving only a small cut. The two looked at each other for a single moment before both burst into movement. Zalia dropped the bow and drew her small dagger, using preparation to refine and apply some poison to it as she stepped backwards a few steps. The bunny however, flew at her like a tiny, fluffy missile. It hit with much more force than it should have been able to output with such a small body, bowling her over. It hit just a moment after the poison applied and she stabbed down at the creature as they fell down backwards. The knife glanced off its fur just as the arrow had, leaving only a small gash,
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? (Poisoned) - Bronze rank
Much to her relief, the poison was at least being applied. The bunny-like creature started smashing its head down into her chest as she kept stabbing. Zalia felt a rib break as she threw the creature off of her, standing up. She then applied her Hunter's mark and used both her Nature’s wrath and Protection of the Wilds abilities in tandem. She watched as spiked, icy roots and vines sprang from the ground, wrapping around the creature and constricting. At the same time, a cocoon of ice formed around her and she felt a warmth much stronger than her healing presence flow through her.
Zalia watched as the creature struggled and pushed against the ice holding it still, cracks slowly forming in the magical vines and roots. She felt her rib crack back into place, letting out a pained scream as it did. She could visibly see the creature weaken as it struggled but not enough before it broke out of the vines and came flying at her once more. Within her cocoon, she quickly put away the knife before pulling out her hand-axe, activating kill shot and waiting.
The bunny hit the icy cocoon with a loud slam, cracks forming in its surface. Further cracks appeared in the ice as it slammed its head a few more times into the surface. After a few moments, its head smashed through the ice and Zalia swung down with as much force as she could muster, slamming the axe into the bunnies head and finally killing it.
Congratulations! You have killed ? (Poisoned) - Bronze rank. You have received extra experience for killing a creature two ranks above your own.
Congratulations! Kill shot has gained two levels reaching Tin 9.
Congratulations! Hunter’s mark has gained three levels reaching Tin 8.
Congratulations! Escape has reached Tin 4.
Congratulations! Hunter’s sight has reached Tin 4.
Congratulations! Survivalist and associated skills have gained two levels reaching Tin 5.
Congratulations! Hunter has reached Tin 4.
Congratulations! Preparation has reached Tin 3.
Congratulations! Herbal magic has reached Tin 2.
Congratulations! Nature’s wrath has gained three levels reaching Tin 4.
Congratulations! Protection of the wilds has gained three levels reaching Tin 4.
Congratulations! Healing presence has gained two levels reaching Tin 3.
Congratulations! Druid class has gained two levels reaching Tin 3.
“Holy fucking sh-” Zalia started, before coughing up a little bit of blood.
“I really need to check my assumptions about small prey being weak or vulnerable or prey at all,” she thought.
“Just almost got my ass put six feet under by a fucking bunny,” she said.
“Check rank before you attack, check rank before you attack, check rank before you attack,” she repeated over and over in her head a few times.
She really hadn't expected the bunny to be at such a high level. She had no doubts in her mind that if it were a bigger creature at that level she would have been dead in moments. Luckily, it seemed that what you’re born as seemed to give at least a starting level of power depending. One rank higher and that bunny would have been her end, it didn't even have magic, just pure, raw bun strength.
Zalia cleaned off her knife and axe, retrieved her arrow, slung the bunny over her shoulder and started her walk back.