Picking up the claw of the former bear skeleton, Heath used [Mystic Eye] again to appraise it.
[Skeletal Claw
Grade: E
Description: This claw of an undead bear skeleton took the lives of countless of low leveled adventures. Beware of its sharpness - you may accidentally injure yourself if you're not careful!]
"If I analyze each part of the skeletal bear individually, then I'll get a piece of different information from the appraisal. That's something to note."
"What's this?" After rummaging through the pile of bones, Heath picked up an object that caught his eye. Looking at it closely, he could see that the small irregular shaped object. It was shaded with a dark purple color and it resembles something like a crystal. Even though the interior was murky and clouded, it was translucent enough for Heath to see his hand through the crystal.
Using [Mystic Eye], Heath gain more information about the object in his hand.
[Dark Elemental Crystal
Grade: E
Description: The core of a dark elemental monster.]
"Not much of a description, isn't it?"
[Would you like more information on elemental crystals, individual?]
Heath let out a wry smile. "As much as I am tempted to, I can't rely on you all the time, right Guide?"
Guide, a person who advises and shows the way to others. Heath found that this definition perfectly matched the intelligence's job and so Heath began calling the intelligence "Guide." The intelligence in question didn't reject the name so far so Heath continued to use it.
He quickly placing the elemental crystal into his bloodstained jacket pocket before looking down at the pile of bones. According to the descriptions of the bones, they are potentially useful materials. Heath only had a wallet full of money from his own world; he didn't have any currency in this current world, making it pretty difficult to start a life here. By exchanging these materials form money, he could potentially solve this problem.
However, whether it's due to weight or size, Heath couldn't carry the entire bear skeleton every single step of the way to who knows where. That is especially with the fact that Heath only had a strength value of 1. Not to mention, carrying a bunch of bones is very inconvenient for Heath if he had to run away from another hostile monster.
"It's not like I have to carry every bone right? I'll just take a few with me..."
[Would individual like to access to the storage function of [Phoenix Eye]?]
Heath was startled by the sudden appearance of black text in front of him and dropped the bones that he was picking up. "Since when did I had a storage function?"
[The unique ability's sub-skill, [Mystic Eye], allows current storage of up to 1 cubic meter. Would the individual like to store the bear skeleton inside the storage space?]
[Mystic Eye] also had this sort of ability?
Heath's impression of the skill improved drastically. Since there was no reason to refuse, Heath accepted Guide's suggestion. The pile of bones in front of Heath vanished before his eyes. Not a single bone was left behind.
"Guide, where exactly is this storage space?"
[In the individual's eye.]
"...I'm sorry, did you typed a wrong key or something?"
[The previous statement was shown clearly. In the individual's eye. Please focus on your left eye to access the storage space.]
Heath began concentrating deeply. His surroundings faded away from his left eye, transforming into an area of darkness. In his view, it was more like Heath was observing the area from far away rather than "being" in the dark area. However, his two eyes both had different sights, the left with the dark area and the right with the area around his physical body. The split view gave Heath a massive headache but he gritted his teeth and endured the pain.
A dark flame flared in the darkness like a star shining in outer space. Sparks flew into the air as the flame flickered about. A pile of bones laid before the dark flame, confirming Guide's statement of the storage space being "in his eye."
Heath was more interested in the dark flame in the storage space than the storage space itself. Looking at it closely, it was almost like the soul flame from before but now it had a lighter color. It may just be his imagination but Heath felt the heat radiating from the fire now had a more welcoming, warm aura than its previous form.
(So this is the phoenix flame in my eye... what a mystifying sight.)
Curious, he reached out to touch the flame but before he could do so, a high pitch noise entered his ears. Heath's body jolted as his vision returned to normal.
"What was that?" Heath muttered. "A scream?"
Heath closed his eyes and attentively listened. After a few seconds, he snapped his eyes open.
"Another scream, coming from my left. Should I check it out?"
The one who screamed is most likely in some sort of trouble or it could be some monster that produced screams this way. Either of them would be bad for Heath, who only defeated the bear before with accurate throwing and a lot of luck. If he was faced with a monster of equal strength or higher, it would end with his death.
"However, it would be good to see some more monsters. Then I could gather some information about this place. But if it is someone in trouble, I'll be on my way."
Heath didn't want to be dragged into someone else's problem as he didn't have a heroic personality in the first place. Moreover, he was currently incapable of saving anyone with his abilities.
The location of the scream wasn't too far and Heath managed to arrive in a few minutes. A couple of meters away, two figures could be made out in the heavy fog.
Heath crouched down behind a small boulder as he continued to observe the situation from afar. Squinting his eyes, he could see a person wearing a grey robe frantically running while screaming with a hoarse voice. The second figure was wearing a robe, its face hidden by the robe's cowl. With a dagger high in the air, Heath stared in horror when he saw the figure sink its dagger into the man's back.
Heath wanted to look away but he found that he couldn't even. He felt a piercing coldness deep in his bones, immobilizing him.
"What if that was me? What if I was the one killed instead of him?" muttered Heath.
An unpleasant image surfaced, with him on the ground in a pool of blood and the undead bear hovering over his dead body staring with its two blazing eyes...
Taking deep breaths, his forcefully calmed himself down and the raging waves the plagued his mind calmed down. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things!
(I have to get away as fast as possible!)
He turned around... only to see the blurred view of a dagger slashing down.
Almost unconsciously, Heath sprung backward and stood up. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. Heath estimated that if he had attempted to evade the dagger one second later, it would have split his head apart diagonally.
The black robed figure didn't give him any more time to think. It viciously stabbed towards his chest, forcing Heath to turn his body sideways.
"It doesn't have an arm?" Before, Heath was too far away to make out any details, especially with the fog blocking his view. Seeing the figure up close, he could see a space between the hands holding the dagger and the sleeve of the robe. The hands were covered by a pair of black gloves that were stained with blood marks.
Seeing the empty space between the hand and the shoulder of the figure, Heath's face paled. "Not good! This is a monster!" realized Heath.
He attempted to appraise it using [Mystic Eye]. However, all he got was lines of question marks.
[The skill, [Mystic Eye], is only at Grade 1. Appraising monsters and other beings will only be available in Grade 2.]
"Got it! Now stop sending over those texts!" Heath ducked his head as a dagger swiped over his head. "You're distracting me!"
The intelligence immediately stopped communicating with Heath.
Heath immediately tried to appraise the robe, dagger, and the gloves of the monster. Instead, he got a line of question marks.
"I thought Guide said I could appraise all items. Is it because the dagger and the apparel a part of the monster and is not consider something separate? Or is the equipment itself the monster, like an animated item?" mused Heath. "Even though I can't appraise it for information, I can still see that its capable of fast and numerous attacks. If only I have a weapon-"
A weapon? Heath's eyes flickered to the staff laying by the dead man's side. It was a few feet away, flung away when the man collapsed.
Apparently anticipating Heath's next move, the figure flicked into nonexistence before reappearing right in front of the wooden staff. "It's capable of teleportation... no, that's not it." Heath corrected himself. "It's probably able to quickly reach short distances at high speeds, so fast that the human eye can't see it. This will troublesome."
The figure begun attacking at a much faster rate than before. Countless of small wounds formed on Heath's body as he barely evaded fatal strikes. Heath looked down at the blood dripping onto the ground. To his astonishment, the flesh and skin torn apart from these wounds regrew. The bloody gaps fully closed, leaving them fully healed. "Lesser regeneration is really amazing!" Heath praised in his mind. Without it, who knows what his body's condition would be by now.
The figure halted its attack and backed away, startled by the speed of its target's wounds healing. Nevertheless, the hand continued to clench the bloodstained dagger, poised to strike at any moment.
Heath raised his fists, his mind turning. He was not strong enough to kill the monster in front of him. Even if he does risk his all to try to kill the monster, there was always a chance that he would be instantly killed before his regeneration skill kicks in. However, if his actions were planned properly and executed properly, he would have a chance to escape if nothing unexpected happens. Yes, if nothing unexpected happens...
[New Mission: Getting Stronger Part 1
Mission Description: One must be strong to be able to stand against the dangers in this world. Killing monsters is the fastest way to level up. Kill the Assassin Specter and consume its spirit heart.
Mission Reward: 0.5% of unique ability unsealed
Failure Penalty: Permanent loss of unique ability]
"Didn't I say not to distract me?!" Heath was so frustrated that he accidentally raised his voice higher than he expected. The second figure halted its actions, wondering why the human before it was shouting for no reason. Is the human shouting in frustration? Is it because it could not kill me with its effort and is drowning in despair? The figure gloated at this thought and stopped its movement.
"Might as well savor this moment and enjoy my prey drowning in despair!" thought the monster.
Heath took advantage of these few precious seconds to catch his breath before glaring at the text.
"I have to kill... an Assassin Specter? This monster in front of me?" Heath glanced at the figure that was abnormally not moving an inch. "And if I don't, my unique ability is permanently loss? Why?!"
[The soul flame in your eye has not completely integrated with your body. Using the skill, [Lesser Regeneration], caused instability during the integration process. If you cannot gain the Assassin Specter's spirit heart, your spirit flame will dissipate.]
"..." Heath wanted to uproot his hair while screaming "Why didn't you tell me sooner!" but he decided otherwise. He couldn't afford to lose control of his emotions during the battle.
Heath exhaled deeply and glared at the Assassin Specter. He could not afford to give up his unique ability, especially at this stage where he is the weakest. He was going to give it his all to keep it!
The Assassin Specter was shaken to its core. What it saw with its own eyes was something that it would never forget. Gazing further into the human's eyes, the monster saw a dark, blazing flame, burning unbridled in the left eye...
"No, I must not be frightened!" thought the Specter. "I am the predator; this is my prey. I will kill this human without hesitation!"
Wasting no time, the Specter shot towards Heath, leaving behind a trail of dust. At the same time, Heath dove right under the Specter. The Specter didn't have any feet and instead drifted above the ground, which allowed Heath to skid under the Specter's body without any problems. Heath reached out his hand, trying to grab the wooden staff in front of him as he got closer and closer to it.
"Come on, come on!" prayed Heath in his heart. Straining his muscles, Heath extended his arm to the longest length possible, his palm wide open. Finally, he felt his hand clamping onto something. Success!
Right as the Specter turned around, Heath, with all his might, thrust the staff forward straight at the Specter's face. Before the monster could react, Heath struck at the same place with the staff. At rapid speed, he repetitively smashed the staff forward before retreating back.
"This should at least stun it. And now..." Heath raised his staff high above his head, getting ready to bring down the staff on the Specter's head with all its might.
Crack. A noise resounded in the area. Heath, startled, took several steps back, yet the Specter only stayed in its position. Heath managed to get a glimpse of the monster's face under the robe's hood. A white mask gleamed where the face should be, with a ghastly red smile at the bottom. Heath could imagine that it was once a beautiful yet horrifying mask that would send shivers down one's body. Now, however, cracks appeared on the mask, soon covering the mask with a web of numerous cracks. The mask, after what seems like forever, broke into countless pieces that dropped down to the ground.
The robe, which had previously arrogantly hovered in the air, fluttered to the ground. The dagger and the gloves of the Specter followed the laws of gravity as well with nothing to support them above the ground.
Heath's eyes glued onto the scene before as if he was not entirely convinced that what was before him was really true.
"Could it be a trap? A tactic to lower my guard?"
[No monsters detected. Congratulations, you have passed your first mission.]