Marx had once again opted for the primitive way of lighting fire. Thanks for the system being so 'knowledgeable' it was able to describe the process.
The system explained how friction was especially required. It told him to find a dry piece of wood that was slightly wider. He was then told to find another thin stick. It took him around one hour and the sun had already set.
After finding enough dry wood and leaves to ignite the fire, he was told to sit infront of the wood and start rubbing the stick inside the wood using both hands after making a hole in the wood.
It took him around two minutes before he could see smoke. He was happy but the smoke disappeared. It took him around ten minutes before he saw the woold turn red.
He increased the speed and a small fire lit up in the hole. He wiped the sweat that had been forming on his forehead as he placed the dry leaves on the fire.
He continued by adding thin sticks and finally a campfire was lit. Marx did not arrogantly start burning the meat but he used the stone to cut off a small piece.
He followed the systems procedure but he ended up burning it. He was not discouraged and he did so for almost ten times before he got a 'slightly' burnt piece.
He was very happy with his progress and it did not take long before he had learnt how to cook the meat. He could feel his mouth watering knowing that he had been hungry for three days.
He bit the piece but he almost spat it. But he braced himself and munched the saltless meat. He soon got used to eating the saltless meat and he realized that cooking it over fire somehow brought a salty taste.
He kept increasing the size of the meat until he was able to cook the whole leg. He ate it and gave some to the monkey which reluctantly agreed but soon feasted on it.
The system told him about smoking as a method of preservation of meat and he cut the remaining meat into small pices and smoked them.
He did not care about the condition of the backpack and threw all the pieces there. He had earned himself a week's worth food. After he felt that he was good, he went to the base of a tree and took a nap.
It was certainly not a nap for by the time he was waking up it was already morning and the sun had already risen. The rays shone between the trees to his face and woke him up.
He woke up and stretched. He saw the monkey seated on the bike he had leaned on a tree. He saw its despiteful look when it saw him wake up this late but he was very gleeful after a long nights sleep.
He saw the countdown and he saw that he only had three hours. Since he could cycle and have it counted as running, he did the push-ups and sit-ups quickly and he strapped the backback.
He started cycling with the alpha on his shoulder. One could never have thought that these two had been in a life and death battle the past days.
Marx wanted to punish the alpha but he did not have the slightest hate towards it. He was angry at it but he felt companionship from it. The few hours he had been with it, he had forgotten about their grudge already.
***
Six months later.
If Marx knew where the system was leading him to, he would have thoughts of turning back. But from what the system was displaying on the map, they were very close to their destination.
Marx could not quite understand but the surrounding had been getting colder. He soon realized that they had been heading towards the icebergs.
He felt angry asking the system why it had brought them here. The problem was that he had carried no sweater or even a jacket. But the reply was enough to rile him up.
[Marx's stats;
Strength- 2.5
Speed- 2.9
Agility- 1.2
Reaction- 1.5
Stamina- 1.9
Coordination- 1.3
Intelligence- 5.1
Marx's stats prove that cold has no effect on him]
Marx cursed and the system sent him laughing emojis. They used to be funny but they now made him red with rage. The alpha had become close and they now had no problem interacting.
From afar, one could think that it was a small brother because the monkey was always wearing a red t-shirt. It was oftenly on his right shoulder carrying his backpack.
One could wonder the reasons for Marx's increase in stats but the answer was about to be revealed. With increasing his knowledge, his intelligence had slightly shot up!
[Countdown before Marx is transferred to a mission zone;
[00:00:03]
It had started three months ago. Marx had woken up only to find a change in Missions set. The rewards for these missions were usually great and with increase in stats, he had been able to access more features.
The first time, he had thought that the monkey would be left but it was transported with him. He had also decided to give it a name and he called it Jerry. It seemed to have liked the name and Marx was glad.
He had asked for hundreds of names from the system and the monkey had accepted only Jerry. He had attempted cute names but that little monkey did not like any.
The countdown clocked 0 and they were engulfed in a white light and they disappeared. Marx always wanted to increase his stats so that he could teleport at will.
For example the suit he drooled over for was few stats away from his reach but it was easier said than done. His speed and strength were able to gradually increase but the three of his weakest took time.
He was even amazed at himself for managing to get these stats that far. They finally appeared and the surroundings were all desert like. The same appeared golden under the sun.
Marx instantly felt the heat and he was thirsty. There were dunes in the distance but no creature was in the vicinity and this was to be expected. Not many wandered around on a sunny day.
Marx was waiting for the quest to appear. The quest usually appeared after he was transported.
[Today's quest, kill a sandworm]
The instructions were that simple. Marx loved these quests for a number of reasons. He could only attribute his agility, reaction and coordination stats to them.
Had the missions not been upgraded, he would still be in the 0. Also, the system did not disappear during missions like it used to. Also it did not help out. All it did was to describe the missions but something was different today.
It did not describe the mission. It was very straightforward. In many cases, the system used to describe the creatures he was about to hunt.
He had at one point asked the system why not transport him out of the planet like it usually teleported him to missions zones but he regretted. All that was sent to him were crying emojis.
Then the system had replied crushing down the rest of his self esteem.
[Marx, had the system wanted you dead, it would rather kill you than send you there. With a talent as weak as you have, you can't last a day without being executed]
Marx had felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured on him. He had thought that he was the strongest of his age group but the system had hit him with the bitter reality.
[Your talent may be peak of your age group but that is not enough to warrant your safety. Your stats are required to have reached at least 2 to prove your talent]
He had nodded and had decided to take the missions seriously.
After Marx learnt of his current mission, he started walking aimlessly. Just where was he suppsed to find an earthworm? The good thing with these missions was that they had no time limit.
The only problem was that he could lose all his boosts immediately he got into the mission ground. He felt the sun shine so bright that it felt that he was being cooked.
What shocked him was the fact that he was the only one moving on the sand. There were not even rodents or lizards. He just did not give up and kept searching.
He could not help but wonder. How was he supposed to find a sandworm? Start searching in the sand? But to his luck, he saw a lizard instantly hunt a fly.
He paused and watched to see the jungle's survival for the fittest. He looked behind him and saw his footsteps that stopped right behind him.
He was about to move when he caught some vibrations and he stopped.