Hah... hah... hah...
I was panting heavily.
"Why is this happening to me?!" I screamed in frustration.
I was running for my life. The monstrous bear had somehow slipped past my senses and crept behind me without me noticing. Now, it was chasing me down.
"How the hell did it get so close without me realizing?!"
==============================
[Would Player Jay like to activate the [Appraisal] skill on the target?]
==============================
"Can't you see I'm a little busy right now?!" I yelled back at the System.
Just as I shouted, the monster swiped at me with a massive paw. Luckily, I managed to roll to the side, barely dodging the blow.
The wind from its swipe alone was strong enough to send me flying. The trees that took the brunt of the attack didn't fare much better—they were shredded.
"This is bad! This is really bad!! The only thing keeping me alive right now has to be my dexterity stat!"
==============================
[Activate [Appraisal] skill?]
[Yes/No]
==============================
"Urghh... Fine! Yes." I knew the System wouldn't stop nagging if I didn't comply.
==============================
[MONSTER STATUS]
────────────────────────────
Name: Vergrizzler
Type: Mana Aberration
Level: 7
Status Effect: None
────────────────────────────
Health (HP): 3,430 / 3,540
Celestra: 520 / 1,020
Size: 7 meters tall on all fours
────────────────────────────
[Attributes]:
Strength: 40 Dexterity: 28 Endurance: 39 Intelligence: 34
────────────────────────────
[Known Skills]:
[Nature's Veil] (Lv. 5): Becomes invisible and undetectable by scent, sound, or magical means. Lasts for up to 30 seconds or until it attacks.
[Savage Swipe] (Lv. 8): Delivers a massive slash to a single target, dealing significant physical damage.
[Terrabreath] (Lv. 4): A roar that causes the ground to tremble, disrupting footing and temporarily stunning those nearby.
────────────────────────────
[Weaknesses]:
[Fire Vulnerability]: Takes 100% more damage from fire.
────────────────────────────
Power Level: 20
Rank: E
────────────────────────────
[Drops]:
[Vergrizzler Fur] (Common): Nature-infused fur. Used for lightweight armor or clothing (81% drop rate).
[Vergrizzler Claws] (Common): Claws imbued with residual magic, useful for crafting powerful weapons or potions. (75% drop rate).
────────────────────────────
[Rewards]:
[Exp]: 9,260
────────────────────────────
[Description]:
The Vergrizzler, a seven-meter behemoth with dark green fur that resides within the forests of planet Verenthia, it's difficult to detect even for those with keen senses. It boasts glowing red eyes and formidable strength.
────────────────────────────
[System Note]: You better run!
==============================
As I tried to analyze the blue screen floating in front of me, the Vergrizzler immediately lunged at me. I slipped right under it.
I was under so much pressure that I was running on pure instinct.
"[Nature's Veil]? Is that how it was able to bypass my senses? Talk about a natural enemy. System, I need your help—what do I do?"
"…"
The System did not reply.
"System? System?!"
"…"
It still did not answer.
"So that's how you want to play huh? Sigh."
"I guess I'll just keep running until all hope is lost."
For now, even though the monster was keeping up with me, it didn't seem particularly fast or agile, so dodging was manageable.
Thirty minutes later…
I was starting to tire.
"What am I going to do? It's probably been over thirty minutes now—why isn't it giving up on me?!"
My stamina was already running low. I felt like I might pass out at any moment.
Suddenly, bright rays of light appeared before me; it seemed I was reaching the edge of the forest.
But just as I got close to the light, my senses began to ring. I immediately hit the brakes on my running, stopping short of the brightness.
The Vergrizzler was right behind me, and I started to panic. I didn't have time to think—I turned around and ran straight for the Vergrizzler.
Just as it was about to lunge at me, I rolled right under it once more and the Vergrizzler jumped into the light.
The Vergrizzler didn't seem to possess much intelligence, which was contrary to what was displayed on its status screen. That was probably related to its use of power and skills, rather than its actual intelligence.
Its swipes were easy to predict, and every time it lunged at me, it always took a huge leap.
It never learned from the exchanges we'd had over the past thirty minutes, which was how I'd been dodging it the entire time.
But then something surprising happened.
Just as the Vergrizzler missed me and jumped into the light, I didn't hear the thud of it landing on the ground to continue chasing me.
I waited for a moment, but nothing happened—it didn't come out of the light.
I was starting to get scared; I was actually wishing for it to come out and continue chasing me.
What happened? Is it the light?
I don't know if it was curiosity or foolishness, but I decided to move closer to check it out.
Hmm…Is this sunlight?
As I moved closer, I began to notice rays of sunlight, clouds, and what appeared to be a sky.
I crept even closer and put my head into the light to see what was going on.
It was bold of me to do that, but for some reason, I didn't think much of it. Curiosity got the better of me.
And I wasn't prepared for what I saw.
At the edge of the forest, the light revealed a cliff with no visible bottom—or rather, there was a bottom, but it was filled with water.
"Water?"
It looked like a large body of water that extended far into the distance. I couldn't see the end of it.
"What's so much water doing at the edge of a cliff?"
That's when I looked up, and what I saw blew my mind.
There were chunks of land floating in the air.
They had different shapes, some were spherical, some prism-shaped, and others looked tetrahedral.
Some had cave-like openings on their underside while others had formations that resembled crystals beneath them.
Some islands appeared layered on top of one another, each of their undersides resembling rocky mountains.
Yet every single one of them was floating.
Above all this were two moons in a bright blue, cloudy sky. Seeing as there was no sun, it seemed these two moons were what caused the sunlight—or rather, the moonlight.
Beneath all the floating islands was just water—lots of it. Each floating island varied in distance from the water's surface, but the lowest one I could spot looked to be about 800 meters above the water.
"What the heck?! Where the hell am I?!"
That's when another System screen popped up in front of me.
==============================
[PLANET STATUS]
────────────────────────────
Name: Verenthia
Type: Habitable
Environment: Floating islands above an ocean, connected by bridges of light. Mana powers the technology, and the two moons, Luminara and Obscura, influence magic.
Gravity: 0.86 G
Population: ~12 million (Humans, Elves, Beastkin, Aether Dragons, and other magical creatures)
Ruler: No central ruler; a fragile council governs while the Demon King looms as a threat.
────────────────────────────
[Affiliations]:
Galaxy Cluster: The Argent Cluster
Controlled by: The High Council; influence challenged by the Demon King.
────────────────────────────
[Resources]:
Mana Crystals: Essential for technology and magic, found in Crystal Caverns.
Elemental Stones: Rare stones used for crafting and spellcasting.
Aetherial Plants: Magical plants that enhance abilities.
────────────────────────────
[Threats]:
Demon King: A powerful force threatening the world's balance.
Mana Storms: Destructive magical storms affecting tech and life.
Sky Dragons: Territorial creatures guarding stormy regions.
────────────────────────────
[Current Status]:
Inhabited: Yes
Civilization Type: Type I (hybrid) - Blending advanced mana-powered technology with arcane magic, while managing planetary resources and facing existential threats like the Demon King.
Notable Features:
Floating Archipelago: Series of islands suspended in the sky.
Crystal Caverns: Rich in mana resources, vital to the planet's economy.
────────────────────────────
[Description]:
Verenthia is a magical world where floating islands thrive on mana-driven technology. Its dual moons, Luminara and Obscura, affect the flow of magic, and a looming Demon King threatens the fragile alliances of its inhabitants. The balance between arcane innovation and natural preservation defines Verenthia's identity, while legends of prophesied heroes give hope amidst the chaos.
==============================
"Verenthia?"
That's when I started hearing a noise getting closer to me. It was growing louder and louder, fast.
"Another monster?"
I was about to get ready to leave the area before I got spotted, but the noise didn't sound like it was coming from a beast; it sounded almost mechanical.
"No, could it be a machine?"
I decided to hide somewhere I wouldn't be seen to get a peek at what was approaching.
After about six seconds, a metallic contraption rolled forward on large, smooth discs that hovered just above the ground.
The construct thrummed with an eerie hum, glowing veins of light pulsing through its body like a living thing. Its shell was forged from a gleaming alloy, with strange symbols etched into its surface.
The front bore a crystalline orb, shimmering with something inside.
What the hell is that? I've never seen anything like it!
I wasn't much into technology back in Demo City but I did know the technology was quite limited and focused solely on whatever the government wanted.
That's why we had things such as guns and high-security tech within the City Hall but never things that could make us travel faster, communicate effectively over long distances, or improve our quality of life in general.
These ideas were suggested, but the government always shut them down immediately. A true dictatorship.
Since the higher-ups never maltreated the citizens, no one complained much; everyone just allowed them to have their way.
But all of this was part of what stunted the growth of the people in Demo City, even affecting our sense of fashion. No one ever tried to be innovative or experiment with something new.
We only had access to whatever the higher-ups wanted us to have.
That's why I was so shocked to see such a high-tech machine in front of me.
That's when another System pop-up appeared.
==============================
LEVEL UP!
==============================
Level up? I leveled up? How?
That's when I heard a voice from the contraption as it began to open.
"They should be around here; the mark hasn't moved on the detector yet."
"You sure? I don't see anyone here, Kaelar. Or are your detector-reading skills just as bad as your driving?" a feminine voice teased.
That's when I saw three people walking out of the machine.
"If you want another thrashing, just be clear about it. It's good for a woman to be direct about things sometimes." The one called Kaelar replied casually.
Two of them looked human, but the third looked so hairy he couldn't possibly be human.
Is that a monster too?
Just as I considered bailing out of there before they found me, another System message popped up.
Another one? What's the problem now?
==============================
[Due to Player Jay's impending contact with the inhabitants of this world, the System will go into hibernation]
[Only core System functionalities will be available]
[Best of luck, Player Jay!]
==============================
"What?!"
The message was so shocking I didn't even realize I reacted a little too loudly.
Oh! Oops…
"Just come out already; we're not gonna hurt you, we came to help." The female voice said after hearing my exclamation.
Sigh, what kind of past thief am I if I can't even hide my presence from three people right in front of me?
I decided there was no point in hiding anymore; they didn't seem to have any ill will, anyway. So, I stepped out from the bushes I had been hiding in.
"Oh, it's a human!" said a very handsome man wearing intriguing clothes.
"Tch! It's just some rando. Hey rando, why were you shouting earlier? We heard your voice from the other side of the forest. You've got incredible lungs, by the way." The female added.
I noticed her ears were longer and pointier than normal. I've seen people like her in picture books and stories back at the orphanage.
An elf?
Now that I looked at her properly, she was undeniably beautiful—almost too beautiful. Her long blonde hair shimmered as if it caught the light from the air, and her skin seemed flawless, glowing softly. The tunic with silver embroideries on it and the shorts she wore highlighted her figure, accentuating her graceful shape.
Her eyes were a striking emerald, deep and mesmerizing, and her face was perfectly balanced, from the gentle curve of her lips to the softness of her features. She was the kind of beauty that could leave anyone breathless, captivating without even trying...and I hated it.
Beautiful people reminded me of rich people, and I hated rich people.
"Hey kid, what's wrong? Speak up." The furry person said.
Will they understand me if I try to talk? There's only one way to find out.
"Ummm…Hi?" I said with an awkward smile.
I immediately saw the confusion on their faces.