After picking a few more herbs, the voice appeared again in my head.
⟪ You has obtained Forage skill ⟫
It was weird why only I got it and not earlier. Maybe there’s something like a quantity requirement but it’s all good now. I decided to take a look at my status again since the first time I checked it said it’s still evaluating my stats.
Name : Green
Race : Human
Attributes : Ice, fire, light
Special Attributes : ⟪ Locked ⟫
Resistance : Heat Resistance (weak), Cold Resistance (weak)
Condition : Normal
Stats :
Str : 38 Int : 68
Dex : 45 Con : 59
Agi : 47 Wis : 66
Cha : 32
My stats have been properly evaluated, at last. I glanced over the status window and noticed something new called skill window.
⌜ Weird … it wasn’t here last time i checked… Maybe I just unlocked it ? ⌟
⌜ Well… whatever i guess… ⌟
Skills: Climbing, Foraging
Magic: Ice magic lvl 10 , Fire Magic lvl 10 , Light Magic lvl 1
⌜ Nothing new hmm… ⌟
I ignored it and continued walking around the lake.
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***
After 15 minutes of walking, I was already on the other side of the lake where I was earlier. I took a short break to replenish my energy and enjoy the view.
While eating, I sighted some mysterious looking blob in the forest bouncing around.
⌜ Is it a slime monster !? Finally there’s something to fight.⌟
⌜ It was weird how i didn’t encounter any monster so far even though i’m in a forest.⌟
I shoved my food away and went after the slime I saw. I thought that it’s finally time to get in action and learn how this game combat system works.
Hidden in the bushes, I carefully make my way closer. When I have approached the necessary distance, I hold my hand out and try to use magic to kill it. I imagined a simple image of a needle made of ice while gathering my mana. Then it formed, 7 needle shaped ice out of my hand levitating.
I could feel that the spell was ready. Randomly, I chanted “ice needle !”, and it launched forward toward the target. While only a few of it hit because the slime was bouncing around, it was easily decimated by my magic. All that was left is a gooey mess. I killed my first prey.
I went around and found more slimes and used them as my target practice. Shortly, I was able to hit it accurately a bunch of times. I thought I would level up from the slimes but I didn't. Maybe I didn't gather enough experience.
I continued looking for more slime. This time, I tried to create a sword made of ice but just after hitting it once, it was smashed to pieces and disappeared. It seemed that I made them too fragile. I tried again a few more times while changing the shape and their body mass to make sure it’s weight is balanced.
I swing the sword multiple times to get a feel of it and see how it performs. With it, I tried slashing a slime bouncing toward me. The slime died but my sword survived this time, though there were a few cracks.
Slime was nowhere to be seen in the nearest vicinity so I swung my sword a bunch of time while also fixing it so it wouldn't break. The system voice appeared again.
⟪ Ice attribute has levelled up ⟫
⟪ You has obtained Basic Swordsmanship ⟫
⌜ It seems that I am now a swordsman… Well whatever, I have my magic anyway for a safer battle. Anyways, I'll just continue swinging this. Maybe i can raise its level ⌟
It didn’t… I swing and swing until it becomes dark but my swordsmanship didn’t level up not even once. Just slashing air doesn’t increase my proficiency it seems so I put it away and took out leftover redwood fruits from earlier I didn't finish.
I ate them all for my dinner, it wasn’t exactly full but it was just enough.
***
While resting, I heard a crackling noise from a distance. It sounded like a footstep. I didn’t know what it was so I thought for a bit before deciding to see what it was with my own eyes. Slowly and stealthily while covering my footstep
I followed it.
When I got closer, I realised it was a green skinned creature with a sharp nose and ear and ugly skin. It was a goblin, a stray goblin in tattered cloth carrying a small wooden club in its hand.