My level has increased. I didn't really try to think about anything, it was getting in the way. I was alone, all I had to do was act.
I didn't understand a lot about what was possible and what wasn't in this world. I just did what I knew. For example, I raised my level, did what was necessary.
"Hmm? I need more battles, I'm kinda weak..."
By eating insects two levels below, I realized that experience points, skills, and resources couldn't be obtained. They were several levels below.
And so, it would work the same with others. But they satisfied my hunger, which helped.
[Earthworm Level 2], [Earthworm Level 3], [Ladybug Level 2].
They didn't give me anything except level 3. After its death, I gained 2 attribute points, which I didn't spend, waiting for a round number.
I decided to do a small challenge to gather experience and then sort everything out. I was bored, to be honest.
Wandering the paths of this eerie forest wasn't scary, just tiring. Moreover, along the way, I collected resources, throwing whatever I found into my mouth.
[Iron Residues 2 pieces].
This material attracted me. They were small pieces of iron that could come in handy someday. Perhaps I could sell them to a merchant for a modest sum.
[Big Earthworm]
Level: 4
This location in the forest near the lake was simply a temporary haven for me. This worm dodged my beak several times. It was agile, considering how big and useful it was for the body.
"Oh, what's this? What is the white rune?"
Apparently, I received something interesting. Opening my inventory, I examined it more closely.
[White Rune]
[Achieve level 5!]
"Ah, I can't see what it is..." — I took out a pebble, inspected it from different angles, then returned it to my mouth.
I had a goal to reach level 5, although I didn't really feel like running off somewhere else.
I was comfortable here, but now it was time to change the scenery, to find places with monsters several levels stronger.
"Alright..."
My paws moved forward, I looked like an important worker of some company, a penguin going to catch fish, my wings raised upwards. I tried to speed up with my wings, not to walk so slowly.
Running was hard for me, all I could do was jump from place to place.
While I walked towards the next prey, let me describe this place to you. I was in a huge forest, it was horribly gloomy, literally capable of scaring people.
Gloomy mist, sounds of dreadful beasts everywhere, no sky visible because of the dark leaves of tall trees.
To see even a ray of sunshine, you had to climb to the level of the tallest tree. You would be under the clouds, only the small teeth of mountains would be visible through this view.
Descending here, you wouldn't understand where night and day were. To be here, you needed plenty of food, protection, and weapons; I still didn't know what lived here.
I stumbled upon a couple of poisonous berries; the system immediately told me it was better not to eat them.
"Why can't they be eaten? They look so appetizing, growing in abundance..."
I asked the Gorgon, scrutinizing these berries from different angles.
[Deadly berries — death from them occurs instantly, even from a small dose of juice, you can fall into a coma. There is an antidote, but the ingredients are very rare.]
"Oh, these berries will be useful to me..."
The raven's eyes darkened with a cunning smile in the darkness of the trees.
"Open the inventory."
I opened my beak and threw several berries into my spacious inventory. Then I closed my beak and looked around.
For the next few hours, I walked through the forest, stomping with my paws, killing only the weakest worms and insects along the way.
Reaching the huge boulders in front of the middle of the huge lake, creatures stronger than the others inhabited near the stones.
"At last! I got bored with these small creatures, it's time to move on to bigger game!"
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[Boar Leech]
Level: 6
HP: 28/28
Energy: 13/13
Strength: 10, Intelligence: 1, Agility: 6
Stamina: 5, Wisdom: 1
Development Path: Monster
Titles: [Bloodsucker, Level 2].
Skills: [Bite, Level 4], [Leap Strike, Level 3], [Pack Roar, Level 2].
Other Abilities: [Drain - weakens the opponent by 50%].
This leech looked like a dark spot with a red plate on its back. It turned towards me, while the other leeches were sleeping, but it instantly sensed me.
Its lunge towards me was very slow, and when it struck the ground with its body, it elicited a reaction from the awakened group of the other four leeches.
I'll tell you about the first battle so as not to repeat it four times. They were slow; the only thing I had to fear was their powerful strike.
"Some new skills? I need to read what they are..."
The leech's delayed strike reverberated with a loud cracking of stones. I dodged with a weak leap backward.
"Let me take a look at you! Don't attack! You wild creature..." — I pressed my wing to my forehead, annoyed by its scattered attacks. I felt a certain discomfort from its random attacks.
"Does the development path somehow depend on creatures?" I asked the Gorgon.
[No, the path is determined from birth; you chose your own path...]
"Ah, I thought I wasn't the only one like this..." I continued to study the leech's skills thoughtfully, trying to avoid attacks.
[Bloodsucker - a title given to blood-sucking creatures; after receiving this title, you cannot feed on regular food. +50% to constant thirst.]
"I sympathize with you; it's a kind of vampiric title. And in my previous life, I think I had a similar title, only with a higher percentage..."
I sighed heavily, continuing to study its skills.
[Leap Strike - deals 10 damage, increases with strength. Jumping onto the enemy, the attacker's damage increases nearby.]
[Pack Roar - calls other leeches, giving the buff
"Wow! I'll definitely knock back from two leap strikes..."
A maniacal smile appeared on my face. I liked that I could die at any moment. Extreme experience for me - it was this, battling strong opponents. I enjoyed reading their skills; I liked feeling my heart beating from such a wealth of information.
"Pack Roar..."
"Ah-AhAHAHA-HAHA-ha!!"
"More damage!!! More damage!!"
In my head, there was a mentally apathetic laughter from which I derived pleasure.
I already wanted to kill them, strangle them with my claws, tear them apart with my beak. I wanted to test them; I wanted to fight...
Ding!
[Received title: Sadism]
"Huh? What's this one now?.."
[Sadism - when the title activates, you restore 5 health every 10 minutes. During favorable conditions of the title, you become insatiable. +50% to violence, deriving pleasure from torturing and killing others. With each level, you restore +10 more health.]
"Pff! Well, why do you make me such a maniac.."
I pressed my wings against my beak, sniffing my own desire for murder, and rolled my eyes in blissful pleasure.
I leaped over the leech with a satisfied face. Striking it with my beak, I dodged the next attack with my body.
"Too bad, no weapons..."
I dodged the slow attacks, slipping between the leeches, and struck with my beak. The leech tried to attack with its mouth to suck onto me.
I flew upwards, striking the leech from below, using the skill [predatory bird's flight].
The leech nearly came out of its body after my strong strike from below — it was my favorite move. The leech fell to the ground, shriveling into a ball from the loss of all health.
[You killed a boar leech.]
[Received 3 experience points.]
[Received 2 white runes.]
"Excellent, time to deal with the rest..." — A long smile formed on my face.
"All right, now it's this gang's turn.."
I folded my wings together, turning them forward, stretching them out. I waited for the leeches to approach me at the preferred distance.
...
An hour later, two boar leeches lay like dried apples, I stood before the remaining two, exhaling heavily from the pleasure of it. I received more resources in the same amount twice after killing these monsters.
"Not so strong after all..."
I slowly closed my eyes, trying to take a deep breath. Then one of the leeches tried to crush me with its entire weight, jumping at me.
— Damn it!
I cringed at the turn of events. The boar leech flying over my head landed in the wrong place. It roared with rage, using its summoning skill. Now there were only two leeches left, I had taken care of the rest.
"Oh yes! Use that skill! Make the fight harder, I can see how scared you are.."
— Waaa!
The leech rushed towards me, fiercely releasing several sets of its teeth.
"Freeze..."
The gray rainbow irises of my eyes faintly lit up, stopping the leech in front of my face.
"All mana is gone..."
"Phew! What nasty teeth..."
I pierced the leech with my beak all the way through. I had no mana left to use any skills.
[Level increased!]
[+5 HP], [+5 Energy]
[Received 3 experience points.]
[Received 2 white runes.]
The second leech watching this tucked its head down, it shrunk, trying to escape.
"Woo-woo!"
"No...!" — I reluctantly rose into the air, flying after the leech, I just wanted more points.
"I'm not going to fly after you, stop it!"
The leech disappeared into the lake, it crawled so fast, fearing for its life. I stared at it, fixated on one point.
"Oh well..."
I scratched my temple with my wing, automatically opening my inventory.
**Inventory:**
- Small crystals: 8 pieces.
- Dumbbells: 3 pieces.
- Iron remnants: 2 pieces.
- Deadly berries: 10 pieces.
- White runes: 10 pieces.
[12 Experience points]
"Time to upgrade my stats.."
I didn't really think I needed to upgrade. Although with each level, I gained more and more characteristics.
Now an additional characteristic appeared [Defense: 1]. I didn't know if I needed defense, but I had to consider a few options.
[Defense: 8] [Intelligence: 5]
I increased the characteristics that were needed for survival in this world. Since they helped me. If you think about it, it was a good choice.
"Let it be so."
I made my choice, and the characteristics increased. Then I opened the inventory again.
"White runes, I'm at level five… it should be unlocked..."
[Runes available!]
[By obtaining enough runes, you can gain new skills!]
[Want to take a look?]
Initially, I found it strange, I could gain abilities by reading books, fighting monsters, and using random tactics. I also got titles based on my character and preferences or when fighting monsters.
"I'll try..."
Shaking off the system windows with my wings, I agreed, choosing the positive option.
[Magical shop opened]
[Choose a skill branch]
**Available skills:**
- [Fire branch]: Spit fire, fiery wings, fiery needles. (10 White runes)
- [Water branch]: [Stream], [Weak healing], [Water blade]. (10 White runes)
- [Earth branch]: [Sand control], [Slowing], [Tough skin]. (10 White runes)
- [Nature branch]: [Wind blade], [Hurricane], [Walking grass]. (10 White runes)
- [Light branch]: [Holy blade], [White sword], [Prayer]. (10 White runes)
- [Dark branch]: [Veil], [Black sphere], [Dark daggers]. (10 White runes)
The skills were locked, I needed to buy them to find out what they could do.
I had to choose at random, honestly, I didn't like the darkness. I didn't support light and nature skills either.
Fire was ordinary, uninteresting. I had already gotten used to all this, I sighed heavily. My wings tried to press on my choice.
"Oh! If only I knew what these skills could do! I wouldn't have thought about choosing at all.."
[Do you want to choose the earth branch?]
These skills looked interesting, I just pressed my wing on the sign so that finally, the white runes wouldn't clutter up my inventory.
[You received new skills]
[Received Sand control!]
[Received Slowing!]
[Received Tough skin!]
[Attention! Your skill [Soothing] may evolve!]