Vincent rolled his shoulders, earning a satisfying crunch in the process. He had been walking for nearly half an hour, hiding whenever his predatory instincts warned him of possible incoming danger. He wasn't exactly sure what the range or scope of his ability was, he estimated it was around 25 feet but he couldn't know. What he did know, was it was just enough that he usually had time to activate camouflage and hide. It seemed the stronger the enemy was, the more powerful his instincts and range so maybe it was more akin to a radar that amplified incoming signals from other creatures?
No matter the case, he certainly appreciated the ability and it had even grown a level on the journey here. The only thing he'd really seen on the way were some type of screaming monkeys and some sneaky, poisonous, green frogs. He couldn't help but wonder if monkeys and frogs were just a common theme in all fantasy based realities
He specifically recalled reading a LitRPG with those exact same creatures in it. What had that book been called? He wondered. He loved it dearly when he had read it but alas he had lost the name over the years.
He grumbled and kicked the ground "The legendary Randy Rabbit?" No that definitely wasn't it. But it was kind of similar to that. Vincent shook his head, wishing he could have met the man who wrote those particular stories so he could have told him what a joyous inspiration he was to the young man. He wondered if that man had somehow survived the coming of the system and what sort of hero he would be today if he had. Some kind of Godly being, probably.
Continuing on his journey Vincent had quickly snuck past the creatures as he was not a huge fan of deadly, aggressive monkeys and certainly no fan of acid spitting frogs.
Now, standing drenched in sweat, even deeper in the jungle than when he accidentally ran into the dragon he found what he was looking for. Well.. kind of. He hadn't found any extra food or materials but he had discovered something else he'd been hoping to see.
He found a symbol. Exactly like the ones found in the cave. There was only one and he was kind of hoping to find dozens but this did confirm at least one thing. People had been here before. It was entirely possible they still could be. Deciding not to press his luck for the day he did his best to take a mental picture of the symbol before turning back in the direction of the cave.
He had just taken his first step to make his way home when he noticed something he somehow missed before. He supposed he never thought about how his perception being so low, and predatory instincts being an organic based skill, he was likely missing out on tons of inanimate loot in the world. To be fair he wasn't sure such a thing existed before.. but now looking slightly above eye level on a low hanging branch he spotted a small golden object. The corner just barely poked out over the low branch's colossal width. He supposed based on the size of the branch there's no way he would have seen it on the way here, only coming back. A reward for adventuring this far, perhaps?
He regarded the tree cautiously. Sure he could pull himself up on that branch, it was low enough, and the bark was plenty gnarly to use as hand holds. Not to mention the systems improvements to his body meant he was working with a little extra strength. Even with the excess weight of this place, his strength stat was 5 times higher than when the nexus first integrated him into the system. That had to count for something.
His primary concern was whether or not the tree or even the chest was booby trapped. If not for how exposed and vulnerable he was he would have activated camouflage so that he could meditate on the matter. He had discovered he could use his Sneaking skill and camouflage perk in conjunction with meditation. The only real problem was he couldn't move much while in his meditation mode. Even the act of opening his eyes often broke his concentration. Patience was a quality he'd had no choice but to master in this last month in this hell hole. The days slid by like molasses on a cold sidewalk. Oftentimes he would find himself hunkered down hiding for hours on end from whole swaths of predators sensing the much weaker prey. Sometimes they would get bored and fight amongst one another but nearly always he would have to escape from at least one deadly creature a day.
He sighed and decided; screw it, he would risk it for the biscuit on this one. He had to place his tree trunk shield in his spatial storage due to the extra weight and the awkward bulk of the thing. It was as simple as thinking as much and the portal opened, the shield being swallowed up by the endless abyss that was his inventory. It was a simple climb up the large branch, being only a few feet above his head. He placed one hand and foot on the bark and hoisted himself up with one mighty thrust, clearing the whole branch and landing in a squat. He brushed himself off and took a step forward. 'Damn.. I am strong.' He thought with a grin. Upon reaching the chest, which measured about four feet by four feet, he observed its design.
It was clear that at one point it was a glorious white and gold. Unfortunately, years of exposure to the natural elements had eroded its edges slightly and caused significant discoloration so that it was closer to rusty brown. He wasn't sure how long it had been here but.. he was certain it was years if not decades. There was moss and vines growing over nearly all of the chest. He ripped them away as best he could and tried his damndest to open the chest but to no avail. It seemed it required a key.
He hoisted the chest which, by the way, was ridiculously heavy and slid it into his spacial storage. 'Thank god there seems to be no weight limit for the portal.' Vincent had thought while jumping down from the branch. His landing produced a solid thud, the force bending his knees slightly. As he rose from his crouched position he couldn't help but develop a tick on his forehead.
In his observations of the life around him, he had come to the conclusion that despite the system making everything far more deadly than before, nature hadn't really changed all that much. Monsters bred and created nests, they grew families and socialized with other creatures. The cycle of life continued as it always had, only this time much faster and more brutal than before. He noticed Monsters typically bred whole litters within weeks. The only reason populations didn't explode was that each and every creature in the jungle, save the birds, seemed to have their own natural nemeses.
Each creature seemed to have its own stats, though it was impossible to determine what those were as the most he ever garnered from his identify ability was the name of some creatures. Each creature also possessed its own personality and habits meaning that some creatures were excellent hunters and knew exactly when to ambush their distracted prey... The reason for his current dissatisfaction was his own short-sightedness.
In his haste to return to his cavern, he hadn't bothered looking around before jumping onto the jungle floor. Waiting there for him was a strange hybrid between a hyena and a wolf. The basic shape of the four legged monster was where the similarities between it and pre-system creatures end. It's height and mass were outlandish, standing at about 7 feet on all fours and almost equally as wide. The fur of the beast was crimson and black with spots of orange close to its snout. Its tail seemed extraordinarily bushy. It was pure instinct to cast identify on any creature he hadn't yet seen but the result was dreadfully predictable.
Identify failed. Skill level too low or enemy level too high.
Name: Fang of Flame.
Level: unknown.
Stats: unknown.
'Heh. Figures. Just a name.. but.. that's peculiar..' He thought, pulse pounding in his ears. Despite the rising fear in his stomach he couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. The name of this particular creature was red, whereas most creatures he'd found thus far were yellow.. though he had no idea what the colors meant. One thing was for sure.. he felt some sort of pressure coming off the beast that he hadn't felt since nearly being crushed by the dragon. Actually.. this thing may have been stronger than the dragon. It was hard to tell. If the dragon he'd run into had had a name he didn't see it.
Vincent was faintly aware his predatory instincts increased another six levels rapidly. Meanwhile both his skill; Sneak and his perk; Camouflage, activated automatically.
It was quickly made clear how useless this tactic was as the creature raked its paw across the ground and growled. It narrowed its eyes directly at him. He looked up at the impenetrable ceiling of trees, noting all the birds. They were half hidden, half watching the encounter, waiting to scavenge whatever remains were left. It seemed even the Hellspawn feared this magnificent creature.. this.. Fang. He could not rely on them to save his life.
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It appeared he would have no more time to contemplate his situation as an instant later the Fang lunged. It was fast. Faster than he could possibly understand. How did any creature that size move in such a manner? Thankfully his mind didn't need to understand what was happening as predatory instincts took over. He crouched, grabbing two handfuls of dirt. His mind had been overcome with fear so often at this point that he simply took it for what it was; his innate instincts to survive. He dove under the paw of the large beast which was every bit as large as his torso was, tossing the dirt directly in the eyes of the impossibly fast thing. He had to admit those radiant golden orbs were absolutely gorgeous… too bad they viewed him as lunch.
The beast was far swifter than Vincent could ever hope to be, adjusting its swipe mid-swing to allow it to still carve a huge chunk of flesh out of the man's ribs. He screamed in pain but followed through with his roll. he scrambled to his feet and continued running past the beast. The stats of the monster had to have been in the triple digits at least, though Vincent had no real concept of stats so maybe not. Either way, he had a gut wrenching feeling the beast was far from using its maximum effort. It was merely toying with him. If his endurance hadn't received such a massive boost from his perk; limit breaker, he had no doubt he would have already been dead. As it stood he barely had any health left.
A huge gash ran across his left rib cage. Blood spurted profusely from the wound and even his deep muscle had been exposed. Clutching his side to apply pressure, Vincent looked over his shoulder with a wince as he ran.
The Wolf-like creature roared in agony and hatred behind him, pouncing at random and tearing huge swaths in the ground. Seeing the creature's movements and the destruction wrought in its wake left no doubt in his mind.. it had barely even put any effort in that first lunge. If a single paw swipe connected directly he was dead. He had an idea of course but.. it was without a doubt the most moronic thought he'd ever had.
He had managed to run for nearly a full minute before the Fang of flame caught up once more. Traversing the strange terrain was a breeze for his body these days compared to when he'd first arrived in the system so he made decent time in that minute. Still it wasn't enough.
The creature burst through a massive tree trunk directly behind Vincent, catapulting him several feet through the air and into a thick knot of roots. He gasped in pain and rolled around for a few seconds before bounding to his feet. The creature watched him with murderous intent. It crouched low. It was clear it meant to show him how slow and painful this would be for how much of a nuisance it's meal was being.
Standing less than a bus length away from the thing that he was sure would bring him death, it occurred to Vincent that his legs had suddenly started to burn. An unnatural burn that didn't come from muscle fatigue. It wasn't too painful, more like an annoying itch. Despite himself he laughed, causing the beast to raise an eyebrow. The thing was sure the man was on the verge of becoming hysterical.
Congratulations! Skill: improved Dash (epic) achieved!
Skill: Improved dash (epic) Allows the user to move several times their max speed in any direction. Very rare evolved variation of the skill: Dash (uncommon) Due to the (Epic) rarity gains a moderate reduction bonus towards mana consumed and a large boost towards distance traveled per skill level. (Active skill) (consumes 250 mana)
Vincent smiled proudly, looking at the second epic skill he had achieved since the system had taken him into its folds. His smile gave way to a frown; However, once his eyes read the cost of the usage for the spell. He truly hoped the distance traveled was enough to get this monster off his trail. No more than three seconds later, he was forced to find out as the creature made to crush him between its jaws. He wasn't sure which direction he had even thought of when he activated the skill, he just had to get the hell out of dodge.
It was an indistinguishable feeling. One second his life was flashing before his eyes, massive jaws closing in around his throat.. The next he was weightless. His body became transparent and dark. The world fell away. Time slowed and his ethereal form moved through the dark tunnel of space all on it's own. It seemed much more like a teleport than a dash to him. His skill spit him out a few seconds after its activation nearly 30 yards from the monster hunting him.
Vincent thought for sure he could breathe a sigh of relief when suddenly the creature appeared in front of him, standing on hind legs paw reared back to end his life. The creature snarled angrily, determined that Vincent wouldn't get away this time.
The man's face became ashen, eyes wide in disbelief. This thing could move… even faster..? Or did it too have some sort of dash ability..? What happened next he wasn't quite certain. To put it simply, it was as if his predatory instincts had activated his improved Dash on its own accord and taken him in a direction if it's choosing. It saved his life certainly but he landed on unsteady feet having been caught completely off guard.
This was the first time Vincent had ever expended such large amounts of mana, let alone half his entire pool in ten seconds. It was as if his blood sugar had dropped, leaving him with a feeling of weakness and unsteadiness. He shook his head, hearing but no longer seeing the raging creature not far from where he was. The skill had easily shot him twice as far as before but where had it taken him and which way was the damn cave..!? He placed a hand on the closest tree to steady himself. His hand rested on what he thought was bark for less than a second before the slitted yellow eyes fluttered open.
He would have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all if he hadn't been about to shit himself. Just as the Fang of flame had redetermined Vincent's location, the dragon raised its massive head and roared. By some act of divine intervention his predatory instincts had acted upon the plan he'd formed back where he'd found the chest. The skill purposely dashed him towards the dragon's powerful aura. Vincent himself couldn't sense the beast or even really remember where its nest was but apparently his ability could, at least within this close proximity.
Vincent balled his fist and activated his ability once more, landing much more comfortably this time around now that he was prepared for the feeling of weakness that overcame him next. He shook his head and looked up in time to see the dragon try and swallow the Fang whole, only for the much smaller creature to dodge swiftly past, clipping the dragon's shoulder as it did so. The damage wasn't much and the dragon barely furrowed a brow. If he felt it he hadn't noticed.
Feeling as if this was his best chance Vincent dared use the very last of his mana and dashed one last time back toward the general direction of the cave. He briefly registered a system message mentioning his mana had reached 0 and that he may feel nausea and weakness until it returned to stable levels. Seemed like a harsh punishment for using up all your mana but for all he knew it may have been some sort of vital energy akin to blood but for your soul. In any case he didn't care. He began running as fast as his tired, cramping legs would carry him.
Once he'd returned to the cave he couldn't stop himself from breaking down into a shuddering cry. How was he ever supposed to survive here? How did the system ever expect him to get that strong? Or maybe it didn't.. maybe it wanted him dead. He tried to picture the kind of battle the two titans must have been having and he honestly couldn't. The Fang had been so fast and unlike anything he'd ever seen... And the dragon's raw power was unparalleled.
Eventually he gathered himself and ambled slowly over to his garden. His plants had grown an inch just since he'd been gone, but it was hardly a concern now. He drank from the stream marveling at how his skin stitched itself together as his health rose rapidly from 370 back to its full 2200. Ridiculous that he had taken so much damage from barely a passing glance. His makeshift clothing had been torn to pieces but it seemed all system made tools had a self repair function. They would be good as new in an hour or so. He rolled over, breathing deep, shuddering breaths. He hated feeling so helpless.. so weak.. his consciousness faded.
It was a few days later and he had no choice. He had to leave the cave. His stomach growled constantly, crippling hunger pains racked his gut. It felt like a black hole resided in his abdomen. He had to find food or he would die. That is, if he didn't lose his mind first. His garden grew fast, producing food every week, but eating once a week was not ideal in any way shape or form. Especially not with the amount of calories he burned on a daily basis.
He came upon the sight of the battle between the two apex predators which he had fled from a few days prior. He honestly wasn't even shocked by what he saw. Large, scorched gouges littered the earth in all directions. Multiple craters had formed across the ground. There were large pools of dried blood everywhere and innumerable felled trees. The path of destruction seemed about a hundred feet wide and went in the direction he had found the chest for as far as his eyes could see. He decided to go the opposite way instead.
He was walking cautiously in lieu of the situation he'd found himself in the last time he tried searching for sustenance. It had been about fifteen minutes when he came upon something he'd never seen before; large patches of red and blue crystal, each about the size of a beach ball. He found 3 of each. He assumed they probably weren't edible but figured they must have some general use, so he crafted a.. passable stone ax and harvested the materials. They were extremely hard and he had to hit each patch a dozen times to produce results. He chuckled and went about his way, storing his new tool and goods in his system inventory.
Not long after that he finally had a stroke of fortune.. with a catch. There were several freshly dead animals that looked similar to elk but much larger and coming in a variety of colors. Most of them had to have been at least three times the max size of a regular elk. Some still had blood oozing from their wounds and were twitching on the ground. The last of the of the seven dead animals currently had the jaws of the predator responsible for the massacre locked around it's throat.
It was a tiger-like creature with massive arms and legs. It's muscles were like a gorilla's, bulging and twitching underneath its fur. It was white, with green and black on one stretch of its back. Parts of its snout were dotted yellow. It quickly snapped the neck of its prey, wasting no time toying with it.
If Vincent thought the elk looking creature was big, the tiger would easily put it to shame. He dwarfed each of the elk by nearly seven times. It was every bit the size of a semi. Before he'd even realized he'd done it his camouflage and sneak had activated. The beast began to rip into its bounty almost immediately after killing the last of its victims. It's back was turned so Vincent slowly began to stalk towards the closest dead animal.
Vincent moved slowly, inching just a little at a time. Unfortunately, even while barely inching forward he couldn't keep camouflage active, which is what his predatory instincts was screaming for him to use. He had made it to within an arms reach of his goal when he froze, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. The creature stopped chewing, turning nearly fully around and looking towards Vincent's general vicinity. As soon as he had stopped moving his camouflage had activated. He just hoped it would be enough to keep the occupied beast from sensing him. He imagined it probably helped that he was so weak. These top tier beasts probably had trouble sensing his pathetic presence. Even still it seemed as if the creature looked right at him. It narrowed its eyes, slowly chewing what remained of its previous meal.
It tossed the remains, which were mostly bone at this point, and took a couple of huge lumbering steps towards Vincent's position. The man in question began to shake, hoping the act of doing so wouldn't deactivate his camouflage. He was sure the tiger had found him and was preparing to pounce at any moment. It reared back, raising one paw in the air. This was it.. he would have to use dash as soon as the attack came! He tensed his muscles, preparing for the creature to strike.
But it never did. Instead the massive tiger skewered another corpse and turned back around to resume his feast. Vincent pilfered the corpse closest to him and got the hell out of dodge before the tiger had any indication of him having ever been there at all. He dashed only twice so as to bring himself to more familiar territory, leaving him with nearly a hundred feet less of distance to travel. He grinned as he ran. "Thanks for the food. Nemean Lion." He chuckled out loud. It was the only other creature he had ever seen with a red name.
End of chapter 5