The next few days, I tested out ways to maximize the usage of my poisons and needles. I returned to the market stalls and purchased all the needles I could acquire. Those, combined with more glass vials, some leather strips, and a pre-made belt, allowed me to craft a belt to hold the needles and poisons without much trouble. I learned as I tested with various weapons, that the needles were actually a lucky find. With my low strength values, swinging around a hammer or sword would drain my stamina in a swing or two.
[Leatherworking Skill Unlocked!]
[Leatherworking Skill Mastered!]
Speaking of stamina, I asked Libra about stamina and got a confusing answer.
"36 seconds?" I asked, my head tilting to the side.
The demi-goddess nodded knowingly. "Yes. With no additional modifiers, a single point of stamina can sustain extreme battle conditions for about 36 seconds. Moderate work allows stamina to deplete at a slower rate, roughly 360 seconds per point. Low and extremely low level work can allow stamina to last even longer. It's partly why I don't think you can overcome your physical limitations. At maximum stamina values, you can fight hard for at most 360 seconds total, or 6 minutes. And every moment after your stamina depletes will put you at risk of further penalties." She shrugged and rolled around on my mattress playfully. She had become attached to that spot, and I often found her lounging around on it when I was brewing potions. I hadn't tried to kick her out, though I wondered if I even could.
"What skills do I have available that can regain or halt stamina depletion?" I asked her, trying to find an easy fix.
"Well..." Libra thought for a second, then shrugged. "Not many skills for that, really. There are meditative skills, but they require you to sit in place and focus on it. Even then the return is slow. Not worth it. Better to exchange Exp for stamina instead," she remarked, sounding tired of the conversation.
Right, I had read a bit about that in the guide the Bored God had given me. I could exchange Exp for stamina and mana, though the costs multiplied as I used them. I focused on the desire to trade Exp and a menu appeared in much the same fashion as an appraisal screen.
Exp. Exchange Shop: Version 1.0
1 Mana = 1 Exp
1 Stamina = 1 Exp
[Exp Infusion]
[Material Exchange]
The options seemed pretty normal. The [Exp Infusion] option was greyed out, most likely because I had nobody I could feed Exp to as a party member. I selected the [Material Exchange] option and a list of various raw materials appeared with prices listed in Exp points. The cheapest item was [Basic Iron Ore] with a cost of 2000 Exp per ounce.
I glanced at my current level of Exp and groaned. After almost a week, I had only gained 540 Experience points. Obviously the exchange shop should only be used as a last resort. Or maybe I should consider it end game content? I returned to the basic screen and chose to exchange 1 Exp for 1 stamina. The screen instantly updated to show a new cost for stamina.
1 Stamina = 2 Exp
I tapped the option again and the option updated once more.
1 Stamina = 4 Exp
The option turned grey and I investigated my stats. Sure enough, my stamina had been refilled to maximum. So I couldn't overload my current stamina? There goes another potential exploit.
I got tired of hunting the squirrels near town. Besides their limited number, I had already received all the skills I could gain from target practice. I wandered a little further out and found rabbits, birds, and a few other creatures that were wary of humans. It took quite a distance before something unusual hopped out of the foliage.
{Boxing Hare}
Level: 5
HP: 49/50
…
A white rabbit with a tuft of hair sticking out of its head appeared. Besides the bizarre tuft, its feet looked twice as large as a regular rabbit. It let out a curious growl as it leapt towards me, and I immediately tried to get out of the way.
[Evasion Skill Unlocked!]
[Bludgeoning Resistance Unlocked!]
[Evasion Skill Mastered!]
[Bludgeoning Resistance Mastered!]
I felt the impact on my arm, and my HP dropped by 4. I tried to keep focus on the rabbit, but it was hard not to flinch. With my new resistance skill I could probably endure a few more hits but that didn't mean I should let my guard down. That HP value would take time to whittle down. I threw two paralyzing needles, and both hit their target, but the rabbit only slowed down somewhat.
It hopped at me again, this time moving significantly slower. I felt my body fold and weave around the creature, my hands already reaching for another needle. I grabbed it and threw as the rabbit missed, soaring past me and onto a nearby tree.
The needle pierced into the rabbit, this time spreading an HP damaging poison. The creature's HP dropped to 37, and it squeaked in surprise. However, as it hit the tree it used the momentum to hop at me again. Again my body twisted out of the way.
I threw another pair of needles, one poison, the other paralyzing. Both found their target, and the rabbit finally seemed to feel the paralysis taking effect. It slowed to a crawl as its HP dropped to 26. It took a few more needles, but finally the boxing hare passed away as its HP hit 0. I started to chew on a verde straw to start healing as I approached the kill, wondering if the creature was common to the area.
A series of small squeaks made me pause, and I found a smaller boxing hare sniffing the one I had just killed. It must have rushed out of the nearby bushes, because I couldn't recall seeing it during the fight. Was this why the boxing hare had attacked?
{Baby Boxing Hare}
Level: 1
HP: 10/10
…
I thought about finishing it off with another needle, but then paused.
"Level one, huh?"
The creature was as weak as me, and I just killed its parent. It looked up at me, and I noticed that instead of the all-white pelt the parent had been covered with, it had a single black spot covering its nose. For some reason, I felt a cuteness overload go through my system.
"One black spot huh? Reminds me of some cartoon I saw a long time ago," I told the hare, pulling out another verde straw and offering it to the creature. It sniffed the herb, then started chewing hungrily. Well, at least it didn't eat meat like some horrible monster. "Tell you what, kiddo, I didn't realize I was fighting your mom, but I have to do what's right. I'm kind of on an impossible quest, and I have no idea what's coming up next. However, as long as you'll have me, I'll take care of you.
There was a long pause, and then an unfamiliar system message appeared.
[Baby Boxing Hare has accepted your taming request. Creature has been added to your party.]
[Taming Skill Unlocked!]
[Taming Skill Mastered!]
[Would you like to name this creature?]
I chuckled to myself as a name popped into my head. "I'll name you Kuro. It means black."
[Kuro has successfully been added to your party!]
Sighing, I picked up the now docile boxing hare and took it far away from the parent I had slain, back to my room in the inn. Back to a room full of herbs, poison needles, and a very annoyed demi-goddess.