Riva was inspecting herself in the reflection of her knife. The one she got from the adventurer gear.
She had bathed and was wearing a deep red blouse with wide sleeves which she fixed with black leather straps and black pants combined with dark-brown leather boots.
Her wet mint green hair reached her waist and rimed her face that featured her now deep black eyes. She would have been a beauty if her skin wasn't purplish-white.
"Finally I feel like a human being!" Riva exclaimed. "Time to look the part!"
She concentrated on the image of her human self. A Riva without fangs, without the skin tone of a drowned corpse, without the sharp nails, and also without black eyes that turned red whenever she felt emotional and glowed dangerously in the dark.
Something told her that she had had brown hair before. But she liked her current color more.
Riva stood there with shut eyes and reveled in the feeling spreading from her ring. It was warm and comfortable. It felt very similar to life energy. But this time it enveloped her in a membrane that integrated into her skin.
She inspected herself once everything was over. Even she could tell that not only her looks had changed but her aura had changed as well.
"I might have imagined myself a bit more beautiful than my past self." She rubbed her blemishless skin. It felt warm to her touch.
"Wow, everything is perfect up to the tiniest detail."
"Hey system, you could learn from this dungeon piece. That's what a useful skill should be like. It not only covers everything that I wished for. It even covered the issues I never considered, such as my body temperature."
[Does user want to write a suggestion?]
"No! No, please no suggestion, not before they're fixed!"
[Affirmative]
"Fixed what?"
Riva flinched.
"Wha! You scared me, are all dryads this good with sneaking?"
The dryad was smiling as usual and mustering Riva's appearance.
"I am one with the forest, there is no need for any sneaking. I am wherever the forest is."
"But aren't you bound to the dungeon and its forest?" Riva asked.
"Yes, and this is the dungeon's forest."
"You are aware of the phenomenon where a dungeon's volatile mana changes the nature of the things that are exposed to it for a prolonged period. This forest is my forest!"
Before Riva had the time to process the information, the dryad continued. "You're even cuter now that you're all cleaned up. That human disguise suits you. I have to say your hair is something many would envy! If I didn't know better I would have said you were a vampire based on your looks!" The dryad was playing with Riva's hair.
Riva blushed. Yes, the disguise supported blushing. It made her look human to the smallest detail.
"Thanks again. This disguise is far better than I could have imagined!"
"Then you will be heading off to the human settlement?" The dryad asked in return.
Riva could tell that it was more of a rhetoric question which she answered out of formality. "Yes, I will be heading off immediately. There is little sense in lingering here. I had hoped to strengthen myself through training. But there are almost no monsters after the sweep. The adventurers were incredibly thorough!"
Wait would the dryad be okay with me hunting monsters for sport? Riva recognized her mistake.
"Oh, uh, I didn't mean to…" Riva began stuttering.
"No worries, little one, fighting is a way of life. A necessary one. What I do not condone are those that fight because they do not know about peace. Those who hunt as they do not know the feeling of being satiated. Those who slaughter since they have neither restraint nor control. And you are none of these."
They chatted a bit more and after Riva said her goodbyes she left on her way towards the nearest human settlement, Marinon which was located a five-day trip towards the southeast.
She could have made the journey in only two days, after all, she needed neither rest nor sleep. In the end, she decided to hunt during the nights and fill her life energy stash. She might not get the chance to do so for some time once she entered the human settlement.
Her fight with the dryad had brought her down to 8 points. After two nights of hunting, and adding the few animals she encountered during the day she accumulated staggering 53 points of life energy.
I have become a lot more proficient with hunting. Before, I could have only hunted this much when under the influence of 'Craving for Life'. The dagger and 'tamed rocks help and I didn't need to use 'Haste' most of the time.
"Hey, system, why do I feel like I'm not using as much energy as I did before?"
[This is the effect provided by item]
"Item? Oh, you're talking about the ring! Please show me the ring's status… the item's status" Riva immediately corrected herself. Knowing the system, it wouldn't have data on a 'ring'.
[item
Grey, you're up.
That's something for the others.
They're busy, this is your task.
I'm busy too.
I'll help with the description.
Your discerning eye tells you this is the fragment of a dungeon. Legend has it that this piece grants great power to those who unlock its potential.
I thought we weren't doing the whole storytelling info box thing?
We're not? I really liked the idea, it's way cool.
No, did you sleep through the meeting again?
This isn't your chat.
Yes, Mr. party popper.]
…
Riva read through the description thrice.
"Interesting, I'm dealing with a group of system creators, there are at least three people involved. I've even got a name, Grey."
"Hey, system, can I contact any of them?" She tried.
[Does user want to write a suggestion?]
"Nope!" She immediately declined the offer.
"Time to go hunting."
Riva managed to get another 24 points that night bringing her to a total of 77.
She didn't dare to hunt on the fourth night. The human settlement was relatively close and she couldn't risk revealing herself.
She decided to practice mimicking human behavior instead. She set up camp and lit a bonfire, ate some rations - it was somewhat difficult to eat without being hungry - and went to bed.
The minutes passed, then an hour. Riva lay in her sleeping bag, her eyes closed. She was wide awake.
"System, I'm bored!"
[Is user suggesting to add the status ailment 'bored'?]
"Nah, I need a distraction. Don't you have any minigames or something?"
[Congratulations, user has triggered an Easter egg*!]