I had woken at the crack of dawn and started my journey after having a breakfast consisting of a single ration. I had 7 left, enough if I skipped either lunch or dinner. I chose the latter as I need the energy to walk, not sleep. So with that in mind, I departed on my journey. I briskly walked through the terrain which was littered with various obstacles ranging from small dips and crevices to low branches and even falling rocks down steep hills. After stopping under a tree at mid-afternoon for lunch and cover from the blazing sun, I decided to start running as it would take me even more time than I estimated if I went at my current pace. So with that in mind, I ran at a slow but still considerable speed. I rolled under semi fallen trees, jumped over large puddles and swung or wall jumped off of thick low branches and tree stumps to avoid large boulders between my path. After running for 5 miles without tiring Machina announced for the first time today.
Skill: [Sprint] acquired.
Skill: [Sprint] Increases the speed while reduces stamina consumption while running.
Skill: [Parkour] acquired
Skill: [Parkour] Improves mobility and control when manoeuvring through obstacles while running.
Skill [Sprint] and [Parkour] combined.
New Skill: [Weaving] acquired
Skill: [Weaving] Greatly increase speed mobility and control while reducing stamina consumption considerably when running through obstacles or manoeuvring through attacks without decreasing momentum.
I felt the increase in my speed and fluid movement when I vaulted or jumped over obstacles. Satisfied with the skill, I invested 5 more points into the point and kept on running.
I stopped for the day when I reached what seemed like hunting shed. The shed was empty and a bit of dirt littered the floor while cobwebs hung in the corner, suggesting the shed had not been used in a while. There were a spear lying in the corner and a few arrows resting on selves. I didn’t touch the spear as I had no basic training in using a spear and also the spear looked too old and fragile. While the arrows were practically useless as I didn’t have a bow.
Sweeping the floor of dirt with the rag of clothes I previously had, I sat in a corner of the room and leaned on the wall before shutting my eyes. Sleep took over in a few minutes.
The next morning I woke up early before starting my journey again. But while running and hopping through the forest I realized something else when Machina spoke.
Skill: [Weaving] levelled up.
As I jumped over a large rock I asked Machina, “Machina, what do you mean by level up?”
When once uses a skill over a set limit of time, you automatically grasp the skill better and level up. As skill levels up more and more, it becomes increasingly difficult to reach the next level.
“S-so I have been wasting most of my skill points?” I asked, shocked, as I stopped dead in my tracks.
I could’ve been training some of the skills to a certain degree before levelling them up. I could’ve used some of the skill points on skills that would’ve meant a life or death situation for me.
No. In the world of Idgis, the survival of the fittest is common. It is more so in the forest of Notlis, the place where you stand now. So it was wise of you to quickly increase your skill as to increase your odds of survival. You previous two victories were mostly due to luck and your quick thinking. You may not be so lucky in your next battle.
Reluctantly, I nodded and continued running. While running, I had an idea. Coming to an abrupt stop, I started focusing on the Magicite around me and tried to move the wind around me. I felt a shift in the air. Not much, like someone breathing on my skin, but enough.
I focused more and the shift in the air became more apparent. Like the spell I read in the book I got form Fallkirk, I tried making the air form a thin blade-like structure before propelling it forward like a bullet. A tree that was in my way seemed to cut in half suddenly out of nowhere. The tree creaked and groaned because of its own weight before falling on the ground. Before it even touched the ground, I concentrated on the Magicite coursing in the earth and tried making them move. The earth obliged though begrudgingly and shifted. Concentrating even harder, I made the earth burst out and created the structure wanted to make. Instantly, half a dozen of spikes made of rock, dirt and granite emerged from the ground and pierced the falling tree in multiple places.
Skill: [Wind Manipulation] acquired.
Let a person create and control the wind. [Active]
Spell: [Wind Blade] acquired.
Skill: [Earth Manipulation] acquired.
Let a person control the earth. [Active]
Spell: [Ground Spikes] acquired.
There was a lot of creaking and snapping which subsided after a minute. After marvelling at the destruction that I didn’t intend to cause, I vaulting over the broken tree and spikes and continued forward. Mentally noting to myself to cut only the branches, vines and fern to avoid too much damage to the forest, I continued on while experimenting along the way.
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I took shelter on top of a huge tree that was secluded from most trees to prevent any jungle cats from jumping from adjacent trees and attacking me in the middle of the night.
Are there even any jungle cats in this world? I thought to myself.
After making sure I was safe from any enemies did my shoulders finally droop and I checked my skill’s screen.
Skill: [Water Manipulation] acquired.
Lets a person create and control water. [Active]
Skill: [Shadow Manipulation] acquired.
Let a person create and control the shadows. [Active]
Skill: [Throwing] acquired.
Increases the speed, power and accuracy while propelling an object slightly. [Active]
Skill: [Knife Work] acquired.
Refines the uses of knives, daggers and short swords while in combat. [Active]
Skill: [Psychokinesis] acquired.
Allows the user to manipulate and control the physical world using surrounding Magicite. [Active]
Skill: [Cooking] acquired.
Increases the user’s culinary skills along with the flavours of the food. Also helps to memorize recipes.
Spell: [Blizzard] acquired.
Spell: [Vacuum Sphere] acquired.
Spell: [Earthquake] acquired.
Spell: [Land Slide] acquired.
Spell: [Earth Wall] acquired.
Spell: [Ice Needle] acquired.
Spell: [Shadow Merge] acquired.
Skill: [Weaving] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Fire Manipulation] levelled up.
Skill: [Wind Manipulation] levelled up 3 times.
Skill: [Water Manipulation] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Earth Manipulation] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Shadow Manipulation] levelled up 4 times.
Skill: [Knife Work] levelled up 5 times.
Skill: [Throwing] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Psychokinesis] levelled up 3 times.
Skill: [Reap] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Unyielding] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Stealth] levelled up.
Skill: [Hunter] levelled up 2 times.
Skill: [Magicite Sense] levelled up.
Skill: [Diamond Skin] levelled up.
Congratulations! You have levelled up to 33. 34 skill points gained.
Accomplishment achieved.
Hunt a wild animal [2 skill points gained]
Fight against a dozen opponents at once [5 skill points gained]
Fight 5 pack of monsters [10 skill points gained]
Gain the 4 basic elemental manipulation skill [5 skill points gained]
Gain the forbidden elemental manipulation skill [10 skill points gained]
Acquire more than 20 skills [10 skill points gained]
Total skill points: 104
I was astonished by the lists and achievements. It had taken me a whole lot of experimentation, practice and actual combat in getting all my new skills. And it seemed like stopping in my travels and taking my time in all this had actually paid off really good.
104 skill points? I asked myself, totally blown away.
I could increase all most all my skill level to 8 or maybe even 9. But that could be useless and even unnecessary. Closing my skill’s screen, I took out a ration pack and silently ate it. My bag had gotten heavier, although slightly but still noticeable. I had rolled up skins of two fat wild rabbits along with their still fresh half-eaten carcases. I had hunted them during the afternoon when the sun was at its highest and grilled parts of them after marinating them with a few wild herbs. I had to run after those rabbits relentlessly and throw my long dagger at them at regular intervals, which they effortlessly dodged. After what had to be my 73rd throw did I hit one and when I thought I had to let go off the other one, it stumbled into a small pit and was unable to get out.
I also had to fight over dozens or so goblins. They were short, about half my height, had disgusting green blistered skin, pointy ears and nose and yellow eyes. But they were unexpectedly fast. One would try to distract me while another would attack me from behind and try to cut me. Their strategy was mainly to wear down their enemies before striking the killing blow. But with [Regeneration] it was practically impossible for them. I ended up killing them one by one although it took about a whole hour as they kept dodging most of my melee attacks and I wanted to develop [Knife Work]. But [Reap] turned out to be useless as I got nothing from them even after using them on every single one of them, even the ones that tried to run away after I killed most of their friends. I faced off similar ambushes although smaller. The only things that I did get from the corpses were a pile of crude knives and hunting daggers, along with a few copper and silver coins
But among all the skills and achievements, the forbidden elemental manipulation, which I knew meant [Shadow Manipulation], intrigued me the most. While using [Shadow Walk], I sensed something with [Magicite Sense]. Something… off. Like an itch, you can’t seem to reach no matter how hard you try. Using [Magicite Manipulation], I tried reaching to whatever it was and when I did, I felt just for an instance, a cold chill running down my spine even though I had [Thermal Fluctuation Resistance] at level 6. Then right after that, I got [Shadow Manipulation].
Now I felt… different when I stood under dark shadows of the forest. Somewhat better. As if the sun had been irritating my skin and the shadow provided some cool relief. And besides that, I could also shape the shadows with my will. Like they were made of something malleable. I could enlarge, reduce and even mould the shape however I wished. But I couldn’t use it as a weapon. Not yet. I got the spell [Shadow Merge] by pure luck.
I was idling under a shade and got too carried away by the way it felt and out of nowhere, I got the spell. I didn’t know what it did until Machina said that it was a spell that camouflaged me when I was under a shadow.
I had almost finished my meal of dried meat and some type of bread when I heard movement on the branches atop of me. Dropping my leftovers, I sat up straight and looked up at the commotion with a dagger in hand. A woman wearing, what seemed like a dress made of extremely fine silk the way glittered, was sitting gracefully on top of a branch a foot above me. She had long blonde hair and was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I would have been entranced by her beauty if it wasn’t for the fact that she had sneaked up on me even though my perception was so high because of [Enhanced Senses]. Machina spoke out of nowhere, justifying my anxiousness.
Dryad: Tree spirits that are the caretakers of specific regions of a forest. They will remove any individual who may or have caused damage to their forest. Often through aggressive and violent means.
Oh shit.