Within the forest surrounding Luxen City.
Vivian was walking in a casual manner and held 2 sticks which were about 4ft long and as thick as 3 fingers on each hand.
Grrr…!
About 15ft away from her was a fox growling and baring its fangs.
She let out a smirk as she continued walking.
When she reached about 10ft away from the fox, it charged and then jumped at her with its mouth wide open, ready to plunge its fangs against her flesh.
Whaaack!
Arrrwww!
Thud!
Vivian swung one of her sticks, hitting the fox mid-air and causing it to cry out in pain.
Pah!
Crack!
Arrrwww!
Without letting the fox take a break, Vivian immediately rushed to where it landed and delivered a swift kick to its body, causing it to make a cracking sound and the fox crying out in pain as its body rolled a few feet away from where it landed.
The fox tried to get up but couldn't and was gasping for air. However, its eyes were glaring at Vivian.
Vivian stopped.
"Now how should I kill you?"
"Although you can't get up right now, I know that once I get closer you're going to bite my leg."
Her eyes glanced at the sticks on her hands.
"These aren't pointy enough to stab you…"
"And even if I use enough force, these will snap into 2…"
She dropped one of her sticks to the ground and took out a stone half as big as an adult's fist from her satchel.
Woooh!
Craaack!
Arrrwww!
She threw it against the fox's head with all her strength and a cracking sound was heard as it cried out in pain. However, it was still alive.
Tch!
Vivian made a clicking sound with her tongue and took out another stone which was a little bit smaller compared to the first one.
Woooh!
Craaack!
Arrrwww…
This time around, the fox's cry was lower and it sounded more like a whimper.
Vivian gritted her teeth and then swept her gaze around her surroundings.
There was a stone as huge as an adult's head nearby so she dropped the remaining stick on her hand and went over to it.
She picked up the stone and carried it with her.
When she got about 4ft away from the injured fox, she raised the stone above her head with two hands and then threw it.
Splat!
The fox finally died.
I don't have a proper finishing blow…
I can use my skills…
But they require mana…
I really need a proper weap--…
Beak!
Beak!
Vivian immediately turned her head to the direction of where the sound was coming from.
When she saw the Bukaroo coming her way, her eyes sparkled and her lips curled up into a smile before she burst out into a run to pick up one of her sticks.
The moment she picked up one of her sticks, she immediately turned to the bird and got into a batting position.
Beak!
"That's it. Come over here."
When the bird entered her attack range, she immediately swung her stick.
Whaaack!
Beeeaaak!
Thud.
Feathers burst out in the air as the bird got hit with the stick and was sent flying to the side before crashing to the ground.
Vivian immediately rushed to where the bird landed and raised her left boot.
Bam!
The bird's body was immediately flattened after one stomp but Vivian didn't stop and delivered another stomp just to make sure.
Bam!
She then took out her broken knife from her satchel and knelt down on one knee.
As she was about to extract the tail, her brows suddenly knitted together.
My quest is to collect 15 tails of this bird…
However, its tail is about 8 inches long…
Do I take all or an inch away from its butt or 80% of it…?
In Vivian's head, this was a wild animal and she had no interest in touching its butt because it might catch some disease or something and God knows that she couldn't afford to be sick.
"FUCKING HELL!!!"
After thinking about it for a minute, she finally decided.
"Fuck it."
She sliced the tail about an inch away from the bird's butt. She opened her satchel, took out the piece of cloth that used to wrap the spoiled food she found yesterday inside her satchel from and then wrapped the tail with it before putting it back inside.
"14 more to go."
She got up and picked up her sticks before resuming to wander around the forest.
***
Vivian had a bored look on her face as she strolled towards 2 sunflower monsters that were rushing towards her.
Whaaack!
She swung the stick on her right hand against the nearest sunflower monster and it landed on its head, causing leaves and pollen to burst out in the air and killing the monster immediately.
With her added attack range thanks to the sticks, she can hit the sunflower monster before it can even cough out its orange gas attack.
Whaaack!
She swung her other stick and also killed the second sunflower monster before it could even cough out its orange gas attack.
Ding!
'Unlocked [Sword Mastery] - Level 1!'
Vivian brows knitted together.
Huh...?
What…?
She immediately opened the Status Panel.
***
Name: Vivian
Class: Thief
Race: Human
Age: 24
Affinity:
• Poison - x1.4
• Fire - x1.2
• Dagger - x1.2
Stats:
• Str - 11 (+11)
• Vit - 9 (+7)
• Agi - 12 (+13)
• Int - 8 (+5)
Mana: 26/26
Skills:
• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 1 (x6.2) (Max/16) - Dagger Stab (10 mana points)
• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 2 (x6.2) (Max/81) - +2 Str, +1 Vit, +2 Agi, +1 Int
• [Dagger Mastery] - Level 3 (x6.2) (??/161)
• [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi
• [Body Art Mastery] (Dagger Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (??/50)
• [Poison Mastery] - Level 1 (x6.4) (Max/16) - Poison Strike (20 mana points)
• [Poison Mastery] - Level 2 (x6.4) (Max/78) - +2 Agi, +2 Int
• [Poison Mastery] - Level 3 (x6.4) (??/156)
• [Leg Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Leg (10 mana points)
• [Leg Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (Max/100) - +2 Str, +2 Vit, +2 Agi
• [Leg Mastery] - Level 3 (x5) (??/200)
• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi
• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (Max/50) - +2 Vit
• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 3 (x5) (Max/100) - +1 Vit, +1 Int
• [Body Art Mastery] (Leg Mastery) - Level 4 (x5) (??/500)
• [Savage Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - +1 Str, +1 Vit, +1 Agi, +1 Int
• [Savage Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)
• [Body Art Mastery] (Savage Mastery) - Level 1 (x5) (Max/10) - +2 Str, +2 Agi
• [Body Art Mastery] (Savage Mastery) - Level 2 (x5) (??/50)
• [Throw Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Throw (10mana points)
• [Throw Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)
• [Sword Mastery] - Level 1 (x5) (Max/20) - Power Slash (10 mana points)
• [Sword Mastery] - Level 2 (x5) (??/100)
Lore:
• Village Girl
• Adventurer
• Zhey/Zhem
• Otherworldly - Grants [Growth] - all affinity x5
• Nemesis of Beasts - Animals and beasts have a natural aversion to the bearer
***
[Power Slash], huh…
And it costs 10 mana points…
She closed the Status Panel and then stared at the sticks on her hands.
But why in God's name did I get [Sword Mastery], not [Club] or [Mace Mastery]…?
Is it because these sticks aren't thick enough…?
The sticks she was holding were about 3 fingers thick. And given that they were only sticks, she originally wanted something thicker so that it would last longer before it shatters. However, given that she was a woman and only around 5'4" by her estimate and also had women-sized hands, she wouldn't be able to properly hold and swing them if they were thicker unless she decided to hold one stick with both hands which she doesn't like because it will limit the things she could do.
If these sticks were thinner, like let's say, a finger thick, would I be able to learn [Whip Mastery]…?
She shook her head.
If a stick is that thin, I'd be lucky if it doesn't snap after 2-3 strikes against that bird...
And if I encounter that fox...?
I'll be lucky if it won't snap after 1 strike…
And that tree monster...?
Not even worth trying...
She let out a sigh.
I seriously, SERIOUSLY need to buy proper equipment…
She resumed wandering around the forest.