∼ DAY 4 ∼

Back to the glades we go!

Now, after the messy events of 15 minutes ago, I finally return to the glades and which I can probably see as my birthplace.

Now that I don't have to stalk the humans anymore I can freely fly straight to the glades, which only takes me the 15 minutes compared to the whole hour when stalking the humans.

Although I was flying freely, I still stayed somewhat close to the ground since I didn't know whether a giant monster bird could appear and spot me from up above if I flew too high, so I simply decided to play it safe by flying closer to the ground.

After experiencing all the events of the human village I know more than ever that I need and crave power.

If I don't get stronger fast, I could die and then I wouldn't even be able to be sorry that I lacked to drive to push forward.

So it's... grinding time!

Now the question is, how am I going to grind my levels?

The rabbit sare easy pickings but yield, not all that much gain, though they are a very safe and reliable source.

The swamps are a no-go, the single time seeing the creatures from just the outskirts of the place, where enough to warrant any kind of safety precautions.

In the glades are pretty much only the horned rabbits, some critters, and the occasional odd-animal like the shadow cat and the tengu.

Should I search the perimeter of the glades in search of a new place like the swamps?

Yeah, let's do that. It might give me another option in terms of reliable EXP, and the information about my surroundings will also greatly help.

Deciding my course of action I check my status.

-Status!-

Status

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 6 ⇒ 7 Skills 11 ⇒ 12 -Race- Sanguinite VIT 9 ⇒ 10 Traits 3 -Sex- Male AGI 13 ⇒ 14 Titles 0 -Rank- I- DEX 9 Skillpoints 7 ⇒ 2 -Level- 3/20 INT 14 ⇒ 15 Resistances

Health 44/44 CHR 0.73 ⇒ 0.84 Physical Resistance 0.899 ⇒ 0.972 Stamina 18/18 WILL 13 Magical Resistance 0.145 ⇒ 0.160 Mana 0/0 MAG 0.33 ⇒ 0.37 Mental Resistance 6

Almost 1 full point in physical resistance... whoop! It was about goddamn time.

Done I checking I dive into the glades and make a straight beeline to the left in search of where the glades might end and something else might start.

On the way, I kill all the rabbits who appear just to make sure I get all the EXP that I can, and besides, they're still a decent EXP source.

About a solid 5 hours and 12 whole horned rabbits later, I reach the end of the glades which has begun to slightly change in vegetation but the greatest change was in the terrain.

Everything had become a lot rockier and hills had been forming in the distance. Although there didn't seem to be any mountains in the distance, only tall hills, it became a bit of an odd area since it was very mountain-esque looking.

While it was still mostly like the glades on the outskirts of this area, once you began venturing in everything changed fast.

Before venturing any further I quickly bring up the prompt for the slain and drained rabbits and my way here.

[You have slain 12 Horned Rabbits!]

[You have been rewarded with 434 points of EXP]

[Congratulations! You've reached level 4]

[You've been rewarded with 1 skill point for reaching level 4]

[Siphon]

[You've consumed the blood of Horned Rabbits 12 times]

[301 points of EXP has been acquired and stats have been added]

[Muffled flying has reached LVL: 5 and can now be advanced!]

Yeah, they were still definitely a stable EXP source. While I increased both my level and stats, I noticed the decline in EXP gained from the rabbits.

If this new area doesn't work out I will return to the glades and hunt rabbits.

Before I went into the new area I spent a moment to advance my skill.

-Skill advancement - Muffled Flying!-

Skill advancement - Muffled Flying Choose one advancement -Silent flying- Greatly increased muted flying capabilities.

Huh...?

Um, this skill only has one advancement?

I thought every skill had four different advancement options.

But when I do think about it, muffled flying is kind of a specific skill. So it isn't crazy to think that it would only have the increased rank version of the skill available.

Well, it doesn't matter that much, less sound produced is just what I need.

- Silent flying!-

[Skill - Muffled Flying has been advanced to Silent Flying]

[For advancing a skill you receive 2 skill points!]

Nice, now that's done I can proceed.

Slowly moving into the rocky hills, which is what I've decided to call this area, I scout all around me with my senses peaked in hopes of finding any predators before they do me.

It takes about 20 minutes of slowly making my way through before I spot my first animal, other than small insignificant critters.

It was some kind of beetle that kind of looked like a mix between a cockroach and a rhinoceros beetle. But it was also about my size making it scarily large.

I could already see from its tough carapace that I wouldn't be able to make a scratch on it, and if it were the catch me between its big horn-like appendages it would just crush me to death, so no thanks!

Before leaving I use appraisal on it.

-Appraisal!-

Appraisal - Rock beetle

Information Attributes

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Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 15 Skills ??? -Race- Rock beetle VIT 18 Traits ??? -Sex- Female AGI ??? Titles ??? -Rank- G- DEX 5 Resistances

-Level- 12/20 INT ??? Health 122/122 CHR ??? Physical Resistance 12 Stamina 61/61 WILL ??? Magical Resistance ??? Mana 0/0 MAG ??? Mental Resistance ???

Seeing it stupidly crushing and then munching on some rocks, I simply think...

Very fitting name I suppose.

But damn that physical resistance! Looking at this, I realize one more quirk of the system, while it is listed as having a physical resistance of 12. That doesn't necessarily all of its body has that applied, and besides it can be worked around if you're using blunt force or navigating the carapace and hitting its vitals in places where it isn't covered by it.

Also, another thing that catches my attention is the ranking of the beetle. It has a power ranking of G-, which is only two minor ranks from the swamp stowler's rank of G+. But their power is obviously miles apart.

This would just go show that the power growth (or rather the power creep) for each rank increases the power level of previous ranks manyfold. This makes me just imagine what absolute monsters, creatures at the B, or A-ranks would be like.

Well anyway, it's about time I take my leave.

Searching farther into the rocky hills I become somewhat worried.

For the last half an hour I only spot more of these beetles.

(Sigh)

Sighing mentally to myself I begin to cut back to the glades.

These rocky hills are obviously not only out of my league, but also completely out of my skill set as a mosquito.

After a few minutes of flying, I'm suddenly hit with a very strong odor of blood and other bodily fluids from some unknown creatures.

Following the scent, I very carefully approach.

[Smell has reached LVL: 5 and can now be advanced!]

Arriving at the scene, my imaginary jaw almost hits the ground. Not only does that scene laid out before my eyes stun me, but what else surprises me is what creatures are causing the scene.

A-are those seriously... goblins?

Green, small, ugly, stinky, it can only be goblins.

But being very confused at the gory scene in front of me I inspect closer.

Down by a creak, laid out with rocks and gravel, were a rock beetle.

But this rock beetle was also surrounded by eight different goblins, one thing though... More than half of them lay on the ground gutted and dead.

Oh wait, nevermind, one seems to be alive. I realize that when seeing one on the ground whimpering and it's trying to use its broken arm to keep his insides from turning into being his outsides.

I use appraisal on it.

-Appraisal-

Appraisal - Goblin

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 5 Skills ??? -Race- Goblin VIT 4 Traits ??? -Sex- Male AGI 9 Titles ??? -Rank- H- DEX 5 Resistances

-Level- 3/10 INT 3 Health 3/28 CHR ??? Physical Resistance 3 Stamina 5/13 WILL 2 Magical Resistance ??? Mana 0/0 MAG ??? Mental Resistance ???

Hmm, weaker than the average human...

Looking over at the remaining three goblins, one who is now riding on top of the rock beetle.

What the fuck is with these small green bastards?

But taking a close look at their eyes, I notice they're in some kind of frenzied state.

Even though their will is pathetically low, their battle frenzy and low intelligence allow them to keep this suicide mission on its tracks.

While they had managed to dent and scratch the rock beetle's carapace with their wooden clubs and stones, the rock beetle seems just fine.

I use appraisal on it to check what damage they managed to cause.

-Appraisal!-

Appraisal - Rock beetle

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 12 Skills ??? -Race- Rock beetle VIT 16 Traits ??? -Sex- Male AGI ??? Titles ??? -Rank- G- DEX 5 Resistances

-Level- 8/20 INT 2 Health 71/98 CHR ??? Physical Resistance 11 Stamina 35/61 WILL ??? Magical Resistance ??? Mana 0/0 MAG ??? Mental Resistance ???

Yeah, these dumb fucking goblins... shouldn't really have expected anything else.