Despite all the other misgivings of the forest so far, I had still held hope of finding my way out of here soon enough. However, with the recent revelation that beasts can exert control on their domain’s boundaries and restrict movement, that glimmer of hope feels pretty close to being snuffed out. I mentally nudged the notification open again

Boundary of [Beastlord’s Domain] ruled by [Gnoll War Tyrant]

Entry Status: Open | Exit Status: Restricted

I doubt the Beastlord would have a change of heart and open its boundary for me, if I convey sincerely how I yearn for a good night’s rest in a comfy bed. With a name like [Gnoll War Tyrant], I highly doubt a peace meeting is on the table.

With the dusklight shining through the trees, I decided to retreat back and spend the night in familiar territory. Stopping by the dead gnoll scout, I inspected the white object it had in its hands when it perished. It had a rugged grip and was hollow in the center. As I held it closer to inspect, it hummed faintly from my breathing into it. Something like a conch then, to blow into and sound an alert to others.

While its allies would probably find out soon that their scout had gone missing, I’d rather not let my presence be known so quickly. Hopefully, I’d get a chance to do some recon work on what exactly I have to deal with, before the gnolls start hunting for me. I stowed my bow and lifted the Gnolls body, letting it hang from my shoulder. Grabbing the pearl white conch as well, I made my way to the riverbank.

Within a few minutes, I was wading knee-deep into the river. I dumped the body and tossed the conch in after it. After a quick rinse in the cool water, I trudged a bit farther upstream against the river's flow before firing a [Blink Shot of the Phantom Whisper] and teleported to the farthest tree I could. Just incase the Gnolls start to sniff onto my trail

I relaxed a bit as I resumed weaving through the shadows of the trees. Remaining exposed out in the river, even for a short while, felt like a knife held close to the heart - ready to pierce. Cloaking myself back with the [Phantom Shroud], I went back to the Crimson Ember Oak trees, their red leaves shining like beacons in the dull browns and grays around. It’s a minor relief that no new beasts had taken the place of the Emberbeak Specters in the short time I was gone. I gathered the bird carcasses from where I placed them, near their former hoard of fire nuts.

Choosing a big flat stone as the base, I grabbed an arrow and started slicing along the bird’s belly. I carefully skinned the bird-like creature, occasionally using fingers to nudge it off. Soon, its feathers lay on the ground, covering the area around me. I kept carving till I removed all undesirable parts and only a clean chunk of meat was left.

With an eye out for unwanted guests, I continued, doing the same process with the remaining four specters. The arrows lodged into their bodies had long since dissipated, leaving only the puncture marks behind. Placing the bird meat on a makeshift platter of leaves, I went on to gather twigs and sticks. A quick prayer to the god of stone—if he exists—and I managed to strike the stones together to spark a fire.

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The sun had sunk lower during the time, the last golden rays filtered through the dense canopy above, casting long shadows on the forest floor. Similar to my setup yesterday, I used my arrows to skewer the bird meat, placing two of them at a time over the crackling fire, adjusting the height of the supporting sticks to ensure it cooks evenly.

As the meat cooked, the sizzling sound of fat dripping onto the hot coals created a pleasant aroma that filled the air. Wary of any beasts, now more than ever, I stood farther from the campfire, blending into the shadows with my shroud as I kept watch on my dinner.

Upgrade: Cooking Lvl1 -> Lvl2

A sudden idea came to mind - something I want to try right away. I ventured deeper into the area of blazing red trees, further than I had ever gone before. Soon, I found my target - the [Fire Nut of Crimson Ember Oak], suspended high in one of the trees. I rummaged through the trees until I found a couple of nuts and made my way back.

As the meat sizzled over the open campfire, its surface began to turn a rich, golden brown, crisping at the edges. I held out one of the fire nuts and crushed it in my palm, letting a pinch fall over the meat. As it melted into the juices, I rotated the skewers over and spread the rest over, ensuring to cover it thoroughly.

Upgrade: Cooking Lvl2 -> Lvl4

As the final skewer roasted close to perfection, I let it cool with the rest of them as I put out the fire. Grabbing some large leaves, I removed the meat and wrapped each in multiple leaves before moving further away from the smoking remnants of the fire.

The air has grown cooler and more humid as the last of the dusklight faded away. Choosing a broad tree with large, dark green leaves shaped like serrated ovals, I perched on the highest branch that was sturdy enough to bear me comfortably. Unwrapping one of the roasted meats, I sliced it at the joints with an arrowhead, separating the leg and wing pieces from the body.

The aroma of the meat was pretty mouth-watering and I grabbed a leg piece and tore off a chunk. As I bit into it, the meat practically melted in my mouth, releasing a rush of rich, savory flavor and the smoky essence of the campfire infused into it. The seasoning of fire nuts worked pretty well, enhancing the taste and it didn’t overpower the flavor as much as I feared.

I had devoured through three of the big birds before finally reaching my limit. With each bite of the roasted meat, an almost immediate surge of warmth spread through me. I could feel the rich essence of the meat - not just easing my hunger but also, soothing the strain in my muscles and reviving my tired mind. I could feel my mana reserves gradually filling, like a gentle stream feeding into a river.

My body felt lighter, more resilient and with a glance at my notifications, I saw the lasting boosts of the meal

Upgrade: Constitution +2, Dexterity +1

I stashed the remaining two roasted birds high atop the tree, in a small hollowed out space of the tree bark. After the previous night’s encounter with the [Forest Troll], I decided to pick a higher perch on a tree further away. I’d rather avoid waking up surrounded by beasts drawn by the scent of my meal.

I woke up at early dawn, camouflage from the [Cover Of The Grixivyne] deactivating as I stretched a little and climbed down the Crimson Ember Oak tree. After a quick drink of chilled water from the river, I climbed the top of the tree where I stashed the rest of my dinner. Even though it had cooled, its taste was still delightful and the fire nut seasoning lingered pleasantly on my tongue.

Upgrade: Constitution +1, Dexterity +1

I dropped down from the tree branch, landing smoothly before stretching my muscles, ready for whatever lay ahead. It was finally time to leave the riverbanks and venture deeper into the territory of the Beastlord.