Noah travelled down into the cave, past the dead bodies of kobolds, and into a wide opening where he assumed it was the main hub.

In one corner of the room, a ray of light shone inside from a crack in the cave’s ceiling. It lit a small mound of weapons along with an assortment of brown, leathery bags that reminded him of the potion sacks.

Instead of rushing to the loot, he waited by the entrance to the room for a while. He wasn’t worried about Declan waltzing in here and attacking him. Thraz wouldn’t allow that. The man also wouldn't dare risk sending a few men behind Thraz’s back because, well, Noah would swiftly deal with them.

Naoh just liked to remain cautious.

Knowing that they weren’t coming, Noah activated Krall’s evolution with a thought in his mind. Krall looked at his arms, legs, then sat down on his behind as he scrunched his brows. A dull white hue surrounded his body. Then, the pain began.

Noah could feel Krall’s intense pain through their mental connection. Not only that, Noah had a front row seat to exactly how terrifying it was for a monster to break through its own bloodline limits. Perhaps Krall wasn’t destined to evolve? But through the System–it was forcing it. His emaciated state when they had first met would be a sign to that.

His scales cracked and split as a new set was trying to emerge from underneath. Krall’s bones snapped, then grew, and broke back together. It looked as if the new scales, or rather, armour was attempting to break through but it was stuck. Krall used his sharp claws and attempted to split the old scales open, but it was no use. They weren’t accurate enough.

Shit. Noah sprinted forward and took out the knife from his trousers. He sliced around the old scales. Krall winced at the pain, his groans filled the cave. He widened his mouth and slammed it shut around Noah’s bony arm.

Noah grit his teeth in pain. He directed the knife to Krall’s throat in reflex, but the thought to take his life lasted only a second before he endured the pain.

He shouted as blood dripped down his arm. “C’mon you scaly bastard!”

Noah reached back for a health potion and head butted Krall’s head back. Then, he poured the healing potion through the cracks in his sharp teeth as the rest seeped over his wounds.

After a few more agonising minutes for both Noah and Krall, his tamed monster let go of his death grip around his arm. Noah stumbled back and held his arm as he admired the completed evolution of Krall’s new form.

Krall has undergone an evolution.

Kobold -> Mounted Armoured Kobold.

His height had undergone a sharp increase. His previous scales were taken over by a hardened material that looked like it was a mix of bone and rock. But unlike the previous armoured kobold, Krall had a shield-like shape that bulged from his left arm, and his back was strangely shaped. Almost like a hunchback, but the hunch was around the lower back instead.

It must be for him. Noah thought and, instead of climbing on Krall’s shoulders, sat on the hump. His body was almost glued to Krall. His own shield slotted just behind Krall’s own, and using the spear would be a lot more comfortable.

But most importantly, Noah’s body was now safe and out of the way of harm. Now Krall would take the brunt of the damage.

Climbing off, Krall began flexing newfound strength as he picked up boulders that he had no right in picking up before and tossing them to the side. It wasn’t anything impressive, but for the malnourished kobold only a couple days ago, it was a colossal transformation.

He gazed at Noah in both respect, and admiration. Then his vision fell to his arm. Krall twitched his head back and forward before running to the loot pile.

What is he doing? Noah tilted his head, but kept half of his vision on the entrance. Not once did Noah step away from the centre. He only felt comfortable when he was able to have a clear vision down the main cave entrance.

Krall scoured through the pile, he poked his head into one of the bags, seemingly incapable of just peeking inside, then took out a red potion, and sprinted to his sight with urgent steps.

With both hands, Krall presented the potion. His eyes shone and a grin plastered his draconic mouth.

Stolen story; please report.

“Yeah, I deserve it,” Noah said with a slight smile before it vanished. “Now go keep an eye on the entrance.”

Krall nodded and rushed through the cave. Now it was Noah’s time to rummage through the loot.

First, he drank the potion as the wound on his arm healed at a visible rate. It was still difficult to bear the taste and the itchiness it brought with it, but he managed.

After his arm was healed, Noah wandered over to the mound of items. He sifted through multiple weapons and was disappointed to not find another System spear, he’d just have to make do with using [Thrust] with a regular make-shift one for the initial attack. Then use the mace for more direct battles. There was no reason not to use as many weapons as he could–depending on the situation.

Blunt weapons for skeletons, spears against monsters with poor reach to reduce damage, bows against flying beasts. Every monster had its weakness.

In total when it came to the System weapons there was; A sword, dagger that he quickly replaced with his seashell one, and a bow with a quiver of around twenty-odd arrows. The sword and dagger came with a sheath thankfully that allowed him to strap them to his waist. It was always handy to have extra weapons in case he lost one in a scrap.

Next up was the potions hidden within the little bags. Five health potions, two stamina potions, and one mana potion. Although he didn’t really have a use for the latter just yet, the stamina potions would be very useful.

They were essentially stimulants. The potion would restore his energy, allowing him to use his physical Skills more often without blacking out from exhaustion. It was a good find.

Grabbing all the bags that the potions were in, he hoisted them up and was about to leave when something shiny fell to the floor.

Picking it up, he used [Objectify] on it.

Uncommon - Ring of Might.

| Level 5

| +3 to Strength

| +2 to Constitution

Oh nice. Noah slipped it onto his finger. It wasn’t a lot, but plus five to stats was the equivalent to levelling up two to three times, depending on the grade of Pathways of course.

He was hoping for something to improve his head start even further, but the stamina potions, ring, and evolution for Krall would have to do. He doubted anyone was stronger than him currently, even if someone had a powerful Skill, at their current Constitution and Mana, it could only be used a certain amount of times. Powerful Skills also used more mana/energy as well–it was a double-edged sword.

Noah walked through the cave and made his way to the entrance. They were all gone, Thraz included. Well, he couldn’t be too angry. He expected it to a degree. Their personalities would forever clash and it would quickly piss him off having to act all righteous and noble-like.

He knew from his countless hours of watching the broadcast. That wasn’t how one survived. He was going to get manipulated into doing Declan’s bidding. He would use Thraz to be the meat shield and keep his more loyal soldiers fit and healthy.

Noah thought of it, because that’s what he would do. What he was already doing.

Shaking his head, he was left with two options. Head straight for the hub and rely on his pure level advantage, but risk getting surrounded. Or risk taking it slower and fighting all the monsters on the outskirts to focus on levelling first.

Was the World First Title even worth it?

Noah looked up at the sky, it was hot. Too damned hot. Anyway, first he had to return to the cave and pick up his other supplies that he had left there before thinking of anything else. He could feel the sunblock wearing off.

Leaving the cave, they wandered into the jungle. Noah glanced around the thick trees and foliage to make sure it was safe.

Shimmying his butt, Noah kept fidgeting in the rock saddle trying to find a comfortable spot, but it seemed he was doomed to a life of chafing and discomfort. He just wished for a defensive skin Skill to come to him sooner rather than later to ease it somewhat.

Noah also noticed the extra weight in Krall's steps and couldn’t help but think it would be more of a negative, rather than a positive. Noah’s whole plan was to try and stay silent, then charge into battle with a strengthened attack from his Skills and the extra momentum from a mount. It was sound in theory, but now he had a weighted down armoured kobold stomping around.

Activating [Shrouded Presence] the shadow seeped out from his body and spread out onto the floor like a smoke cloud. If anyone looked, it was obvious that they were there. Noah, or Krall’s body wasn’t hidden in the slightest because of the brightness of their surroundings.

But, Noah didn’t activate the Skill to be hidden.

Krall’s once stomping footsteps turned into a sound that was similar to a normal, larger than average kobold. It wasn’t perfect, but the fact that Krall was a tank meant that any reduced sound was great, and with increasing the Skill’s level, it would only increase as time went on.

Noah wanted their footsteps to be nothing but a whisper during a crowd. Inaudible.

The thought of charging with a silent tank through the jungle made his once bored, tormented mind, thrum with excitement.

This was a new world. Although dangerous, and had the ability to take his life at any moment. It was a new beginning. A fresh start. He would show everyone back home that although he was small and insignificant. He would rise to the top.

A twig broke just beyond the treeline. Noah prepared himself. In this world–Ruaturn, he would be the strongest.