It's been a day since my fight against the lion. My injuries have mostly recovered. There are still scars and scabs everywhere but no bleeding or anything that could reduce my fighting power. About my fighting power, it seems like getting enough mana cores for Mai to wake up might be a bit easier now.
When I went hunting for food yesterday, I noticed something extremely strange. I could see the Ethereal Strings even without Mai's help, and I could actually see them better. Granted, I can not see them as clearly as when I went into a trance during the fight against the lion, and I'm nowhere near close to actually being able to feel them, but now the Ethereal Strings can help me in a fight, not sabotage me.
I would say my fighting power right now is about the same as when I was getting help from Mai, which should be enough to deal with some of the weaker monsters.
Although, I would much rather have Mai with me than these better Ethereal Strings...
Well, no use being sad about it in my cave. These cores aren't going to get themselves!
-----------------
As usual, I walked for 2 hours, heading toward the center of the forest where the monsters can be found. But, the more time passes, the more I start missing Mai. Usually, during these long walks, I and Mai would always bicker with each other. I was annoyed at the time but now that he isn't here to bicker with me, these walks just feel...boring and lonely.
That's why I'll make sure to work even harder so that I can bring him back faster! Even if he does annoy me sometimes.
-Analyze
[Species: Great Leopard]
[Rank 1]
[HP:16/16]
[MP:17/17]
I looked at the monster before me, which is actually the first time I've seen this kind of animal. For the last 2 monsters I fought, I had seen beasts that look like them, just smaller and weaker, but not for this one.
This could be dangerous. Monsters, at least the ones I've seen, act and fight kind of similarly to their beast counterparts. Well, the bear monster always fought on 2 legs as opposed to the bear beasts who were on 4 legs, but even they sometimes attacked and defended by going on 2 legs, so the fight wasn't that different, just the monster was stronger and bigger.
Another thing I see is that this Great Leopard has a strangely low amount of HP. Hell, even I have more. Is it because this one is just weaker than usual, or is it something else? Anyways, I won't let down my guard.
I got out of cover and ran at it, following the path that the Ethereal Strings show me. Let's see how the first fight with these new Ethereal Stri- FAST!
I barely dodged its attack and counterattacked it, sending it a few meters back. Fuck, this monster's speed coupled wi- AGAIN?
I couldn't dodge it completely so I got hurt. Without Mai's help, fighting is way more fast-paced!
No time for idle thoughts! I just have to think, fight, and follow the Ethereal Stri- FUCK!
------------
It's been about 5 minutes. It took me a bit of time to get used to fighting alone and to my new Ethereal Strings.
It would've been way more useful to have Mai's help here considering this monster's speed.
Still, its defenses aren't that great and now that I have tired it out, it should be an easy finish.
I ran at it again, following the Ethereal Strings. I am tired, sure, but the leopard looks even more tired. Looks like stamina isn't its forte. Now that it moves slower it's also easier to follow the Ethereal Strings.
Figuring out the situation it was in, it prepared itself and jumped at me with all its strength and speed.
Looks like this is the last clash.
We got closer, and, at the last moment, I dodged at a seemingly impossible angle. There is no way I could've dodged this had I simply followed my instincts, it was all thanks to the Ethereal Strings.
Then, following the path given to me by this ability, I brought my fist to its chest, where I could barely see a scar that hasn't quite healed. I would've never paid attention to it had the Strings not led me to it.
{Sqwelp!}
Quite a disgusting sound of penetration rang out as my hand pierced through its body. Then, I grabbed some kind of bone in it, held on, and brought the whole monster down. I then kicked its head as hard as possible.
The leopard flew out for a few meters, and, looking at my bloody hand, I could see that I still held a piece of the bone I had grabbed. Ew.
Well, the leopard at least is dead, that's for sure.
[Name:####]
[Age:####]
[Body Age:8 days]
[Rank 1]
[HP:10/19]
[MP:10/13]
[Left Eye(Mai####):Comatose,15%]
[Right Eye(####):Dormant,100%]
[???]
Well, this could've gone better, but it also could've gone a lot worse. At least I learned a new lesson. I should pick my enemies smarter, at least when I have the choice. Had I picked a bigger, slower monster, it could've gone a lot easier.
I went to the now-dead leopard. I should probably get the mana core now. Hmm, how though? Thinking about it, in my first fight, I fainted before I could extract it, so Mai had to do it for me, and in my second one, there was nothing left but the core.
Had Mai been here, he could've easily told me how to do it...
I need to pick the monsters I fight smarter and I need to get even stronger, that way, I can hasten the process!
But...how do I get stronger?
The only ways I know are by training with the Ethereal Strings and by absorbing mana cores. But I need the mana cores for Mai and I already train with the Ethereal Strings by fighting, plus, I for some reason feel like this ability won't be getting such a big boost as the one I got during the fight with the lion any time soon.
Well, I can think about this later, during my walk back and in the cave. Now, let's try to somehow get the mana core.
If I remember correctly, it should be in the heart, so, where exactly is the heart of this thing?
I put my hands on 2 sides of the hole I had created through the leopard and just...pulled apart.
The hole expanded, and soon, there was enough space to put both my hands through.
Yuck, this is gonna be disgusting.
So, I started searching. It took about a minute but my right hand finally caught something. I pulled, and out of the hole came out...yeah this is probably a heart. So the mana core is in here?
I guess I should cut through it until I find it. I need something sharp though. This thing's claws were super sharp, probably the second sharpest thing I've seen, second only to the fangs of that bear monster.
It took a bit of work but I finally got a claw out. I cut through the heart, and, sure enough, here it was. The first time I absorbed one, to me, it looked kind of underwhelming, but now, It's for sure the most beautiful thing I've seen in my life.
After all, with this, I can wake up my only friend.
--------------
I expected this to be yet another brutally long, lonely, and boring walk back. After all, since I can remember, nothing exciting has happened while walking between my cave and the zone where I can find monsters.
But it was different this time.
Only an hour after the fight against the leopard, I found something that I hadn't seen before. Well, I hadn't seen this situation before.
In front of me was a tiger, but it was way bigger than the ones I had seen so I guess this one is a monster.
The strange thing is though, that it's dead.
-Analyze
[Species: Great Tiger]
[Rank 1]
[HP:0/27]
[MP:0/20]
I wonder if its core is still here?
I went closer to it and found no obvious sign that its core had been taken out. I still kept the leopard claw with me. I decided I should have something sharp to make cutting through animals for food and mana cores easier.
I always took a tooth or a claw of the animal I had killed to cut through it and then just dropped the claw or tooth. I don't have anywhere to keep it after all. If I just tie it around my waist then in combat I'd for sure just stab myself in the leg with it.
But it got really annoying so I'll just figure out how to keep this claw with me and not stab myself later.
For now, let's get to cutting!
-------------
Back in the cave, yet again. Surprisingly, the core was indeed still in the tiger. So now I have 2 cores on me. Kind of annoying considering I have to hold one in each hand. While walking, I thought about it for a bit and came to a conclusion.
If I absorb a core, I'll need a few days of fighting to absorb it fully, while Mai absorbs it immediately. It was hard to decide if I want to get this core for myself or for Mai but now that I have 2, the decision is easier. I'll take one, and give one to Mai.
My main goal right now is to wake up Mai, but for that, I need more strength.
I took the core I got from the tiger and did the things I normally would do when I absorb mana cores. Right when I felt the core start leaking mana and that mana going toward me, I prepared.
Last time, I could've stopped Mai from absorbing the core but I got caught off guard.
I felt myself losing control of the mana, but I concentrated harder and tried to make it go toward my own core.
Took a bit of effort, but finally, it started going toward my core.
I waited for 10 minutes until the mana core dissipated.
Right after that, I picked up the other core, but this time, I let the mana go where it wanted.
It took only a few seconds for the core to dissipate this time.
-Status
[Name:####]
[Age:####]
[Body Age:8 days]
[Rank 1]
[HP:12/19]
[MP:13/13(->15)]
[Left Eye(Mai####):Comatose,32%]
[Right Eye(####):Dormant,100%]
[???]
I looked at the percentage and smiled.
Soon...