Within the cave.
You have gained - Common Antibiotics x8: Used to treat common bacterial infections in people or animals.
| 200 Grace Coins.
Noah had already consumed the pills a half hour ago and it had already taken full effect. The sickness was gone, and all the strength within his body had mostly returned back to normal. He was still exhausted, but that was from the lack of sleep, and the fight from before.
After that, someone must have sponsored me. They better give me some coins for my damned troubles. Noah thought as he moved onto the System messages.
You defeated a - Level 11 Dark Feline.
| You defeated a - Level 3 Kobold.
| …
| Experience is reduced for fighting within a group.
| Extra experience is rewarded for fighting an enemy above your level!
| Challenge Detected: Rewarded extra Grace Coins.
You are the World First to defeat a monster above level 10!
| World First Title gained - Path to Greatness: All stats +2.
You have Levelled up!
| Noah Level 5 -> Level 7
Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up!
| Krall level 5 -> Krall level 7
You are being watched.
| Akrum the Mounted Terror, has sponsored you.
| Grace Coins added.
| Ekralo the Beast Tamer, has sponsored you
| Grace Coins added.
The sight of another World First Title filled him with elation. It was a marker that he was currently in the lead, and it was something he would need to keep up.
Or it just means that I was lucky, or rather unlucky enough to run into a level ten so early. There may be others that are higher levelled… Noah hoped it wasn’t the case. He wanted the level ten World First Title.
Now even a mounted class is taking note, this is just getting better, and better. Noah rubbed his hands together. Ekralo has given me more Coins, he must be at an incredibly high level to afford that, one-hundred coins at that. He continued on with the other System messages as the newly gained small bag of potions dropped to his side.
Skill Level up!
| Animal Taming Level 3 -> Animal Taming Level 4
Great, some extra damage to Krall. Every little helps. Although I wonder when I’ll be able to receive an extra Taming slot? Noah thought.
Although the Otherworlders had never explicitly said when the Beast Tamers managed to get their next tamed slot, Noah believed it to be at level ten. He couldn't see their levels, but based on the strength of the monsters they faced and the ones here right now, he guessed they were about the same level. Of course, it would depend on what Classes he had the opportunity of obtaining.
Even before volunteering to come here, he didn't want to just survive in the Otherworld. No, he wanted more than that. He wanted the strength to be free, to roam where those haven't gone before. It filled him with a never ending excitement, but for that, he needed all the Titles he could get his hands on to propel himself into the lead. And the one he was currently aiming for was the Worlds First Level 10 Title.
They were impossible to gain back on Ubos, but this was a fresh start. They were ripe for the picking. However, he had competition. From the screwed up minds of the older generation, they had raised their children with the Otherworld in mind. From a young age, they were trained in combat–and survival techniques, and no doubt they had spent billions on sponsoring them some coins to start off with. But he also had an opponent right in front of him. Noah glanced at Thraz.
Noah wasn’t overly concerned, after all, humans only had so much capital. At most they would be given one-thousand grace coins in total. However, such an amount wasn’t to be scoffed at as one thousand coins still meant the difference between an early piece of equipment or two, and not. But the introduction of other races left a sour taste in his mouth. It was evident that some held more advantages than others as he gazed at Thraz's natural bounding strength.
No doubt Thraz must be around my level, but maybe with me effectively soloing that Dark Feline–has put me in the lead. And with that thought, Noah climbed back onto his feet. He had rested and the hot glow of the sun was already rising.
Without a lot of sleep, and without being fully rested, he had no option but to go back out into hell. The other Otherworlders would most likely be hiding in shelter throughout the day to avoid the apocalyptic sun, but he had other thoughts.
He would forego armour completely and rely on his quest rewards to gain it. Noah dipped his mind into the Grace Shop.
You have gained - Uncommon Sun Block Cream x1: Sunscreen SPF 100 provides immediate protection against sunburn and premature skin ageing so you can enjoy the sunshine safely. It has moisturising capabilities and is water resistant.
Oh anti-ageing, another benefit. Noah scoffed. He had spent extra on a water resistant variant, the last thing he wanted was to run out because the jungle’s hot and humid air made him sweat it off.
Next up, he bought another survival item from the Grace Coins he had received from the Sponsors and the Dark Feline.
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You have gained - Uncommon Antidote x1: Antidotes are agents that negate the effect of a poison or toxin. Antidotes mediate its effect either by preventing the absorption of the toxin, by binding and neutralising the poison, antagonising its end-organ effect, or by inhibition of conversion of the toxin to more toxic metabolites.
Combined with the water purification tablets and the antibiotics, at least I won’t die pathetically. Noah smirked. The fact that he had no Coins left didn’t bother him, more would always appear.
He had also made progress with his current missions. His Taming mission was currently twelve out of fifteen.
Krall was currently waving his arms around, attempting to catch a flying bug. Sometimes, Noah wondered if there was anything going on in that head at all. Maybe that’s why he was so good at following orders? Noah shrugged. As long as he follows orders, then his brain can be hollow for all I care.
“Sun’s up,” Thraz said. “I’m getting hungry.” He gazed at the limbs of the Dark Feline.
“Eat two, Krall have the other,” Noah said as he took his own leg of the Dark Feline and bit straight into it.
The meat was tough and the raw taste left a lot to be desired, but through his hunger–he didn’t care what it tasted like. The reason he was eating it raw was because for one, it would take too long to cook. He didn’t have the time. Two, he now had antibiotics, and they weren’t the usual kind from Earth, but heightened in every way to counteract this world. Speed was the focus.
“What level are you Thraz?” Noah said in between chewing. He doubted the dragonborn understood the importance of withholding such information, and he was right.
“Level 6,” He said, “why?”
“Just wondering, that’s all.” Noah shook his head.
I was right then. He was given low participation during the Dark Feline fight. “Let’s go,” Noah said and walked to the mouth of the cave. He lathered himself in the sun cream. Not a single inch of revealed skin was left uncovered.
“More fighting?” Thraz perked up at the information.
“That’s right, more fighting.” Noah chuckled. "But first, let's see this new Skill in action."
Noah thought of the Skill: [Shadowed Presence], and it activated. He felt his energy lessen by not so small amount. Must be mana. Noah thought, then willed the Skill to continue. From his feet, a black, trailing smoke emerged from underneath, then surged outward like a cloud. Although, it was no cloud, but it was the shadows themselves. It encased his figure in a shroud of black, and only the whites of his eyes peered out from the darkness of the cave.
Thraz swatted his hand against it, attempting to clear it like it was some ordinary smoke, but the mere power of his arm couldn't sway the Skill.
[Shadowed Presence] was a surprising gain. Noah expected having to skulk around the jungle to obtain a stealth Skill for a while longer, but with the Rare one he had just received, there was no need. And with it, the core of his Class was formed. He had Krall, the desired Pathstones, and for the Skills he had a mounted one, an offensive one, and one focused around stealth. All he needed now was to flesh out his Pathstones with other Skills, and he would be set to adventure into this new world.
He left the cool cave and climbed down the rock platforms until he was into the valley.
The sun practically blinded him as it flashed from behind the thick canopy up above. But the prickling pain of the searing sun was no more thanks to his UV protected skin. With the wall of safety of knowing he wouldn’t die to the elements and with a steady supply of water, he felt a lot more content on focusing on what he truly wanted to do. To become stronger.
Although he still had to save up for proper water containers, a backpack, fire starters, and other general survival equipment–it wasn’t urgent.
Noah mounted Krall and the trio trekked through the jungle towards the water source without any resistance. It was probably because they were still on the outskirts of the jungle and usually, the monsters became more dense further into the land and were rather scarce where Noah was at. Noah also had the thought of exploring the beach a bit more once he had reached level ten. If he was able to find some containers for water, or even some rope that had washed up from the mainland to save on some Coins–if there was one.
With the extra Strength and Constitution running through his body from the added levels, the speed in which it took them to reach the water source was greatly reduced. From a three hour journey, it had been reduced to two hours. The extra one hour that he saved was a huge boon to the impatient Noah.
Once he arrived, he noticed a few scuttling figures through one of the bushes. Four kobolds were chattering in their usual hissing language.
Noah was about to give the command to charge out when Krall grabbed hold of his shirt and pointed further into the tree line. There was a kobold archer hiding behind a tree, then Krall pointed to a tree at the other side to the left.
Noah followed Krall’s outstretched arm and saw that there was another archer kobold skulking up within the tree. The shadows had worked to its advantage. It was hard to tell how many kobolds were around them, but he was especially wary of the archers. It was relatively easy to deal with the melee kobolds if they didn’t overpower him in strength, as their tactics, and reach advantage was limited. However, it only took a single, lucky arrow to reap his life.
Thraz also followed and laid his vision on the archer up in the tree. Then he pointed to himself, then back to the hidden archer.
Noah nodded. He pointed to himself, then created a trail with his fingers as if to flank the other archer behind the tree.
Thraz assented, and slowly made his way to the tree where the archer was. Noah shook his head as the sound of his feet boomed on the floor.
Noah didn’t have faith in Thraz’s ability to remain in stealth for very long as the kobold had a clear line of sight of the area all around the water source. It was only a matter of time before he was caught with his elephant steps.
Noah made use of his Sneaking Skill, and with the passive ability from Shrouded Presence–he was able to quietly make his way around. Although he was sure something more perceptive would be able to detect him.
Slowly climbing onto Krall’s shoulders, he discovered a revelation as they walked. It seemed like Krall was somehow also making use of his Skills as they crept forward. Noah remembered the Mounted Combat Skill description with great revelation: You and your mount are considered as one. Then that meant that whatever Skills he had, also transferred to his mount.
They had reached their position when a hissing screech, followed closely by the twang of a bowstring that alerted all the other kobolds. The creatures instantly scampered to the direction of the sound.
Noah knew he couldn’t waste any time. The longer he took, the more risk Thraz was in dying, and although he didn’t care deeply for his life–he needed him. For now, at least.
His brown, calm eyes, peered at two kobold archers that were all the way at the back. They tried to look around at the front, where Thraz was, and each nocked back an arrow as they aimed at the oversized humanoid lizard.
Charg– Before Noah could even give the order, Krall bolted forward. Noah readied his spear.