As i walked casually into the entrance of the cave, i activated a skill.
...
[Skill {Appraisal (Level 1)} has been activated]
[{Appraisal (Level 1)} is being used]
...
A while ago, the {Inspect} skill maxed out at level 3 then eventually evolved into a whole new different skill entirely.
Though i said different, the principles with the new {Appraisal} skill were similar, only better.
Instantly, a variety of information and tabs appeared before my eyes, concerning the environment.
With this, all preparations are done. I thought inwardly and took my first step into the den.
And immediately, I felt a wave of bloodlust and danger wash over me like a flood in a storm. Various presences announced themselves to my spread awareness, each exuding a considerable amount of powerful pressure.
My smile grew strained, but I held wider regardless.
The cave was dark, but my {Appraisal} skill easily cut through the shadowy gloom as various shapes and sizes of outlines appeared before me.
'I was wondering what type of Monsters it'll be. '
I zoomed in on some of them and a few tabs appeared.
...
[Name: Midnight Foxes
Type: Beasts
Affinity: Shadows
Level: 11(+2)
Rank: D
Strength: 12(+1)
Speed: 13(+1)
Agility: 15(+1)
Defense: 10(+1)
..
>SUMMARY<
Midnight Foxes are Beasts type creatures which possess high affinity towards darkness and shadows. They experience a boost in power and twice the level increase when within their 'domian' and have considerable coordination with members of the same specie...]
...
Too many pluses...
One difference between the {Appraisal} skill and the {Inspect} skill was the degree of details and information provided.
With the {Inspect} skill, it was kind of like getting the bare minimum necessary details about what I cast the skill on, and this degree increased with each level.
On the other hand, the {Appraisal} skill, like its corresponding name, almost literally appraised into detail.
And this was currently only an example of what it could do at only Level one too.
As handy as the {Appraisal} skill maybe, it still doesn't change the fact that I may be royally fucked.
I was already dodging the swift attack of a sharp tail aimed for my head. I pivoted to the side, and slashed with my long spear.
The space before me...or rather...the 'darkness' Infront of me grazed and rippled like gas as my spear cut through it, where was supposed to be a Midnight Fox.
Immediately understanding the severity of the situation, I backed up, and backtracked for the entrance without turning my back.
Affinity to shadows and darkness... Midnight Fox is a truly fitting name.
The skill said they had a considerably high affinity to shadow and darkness and experience an improve and boost in strength and level when they were within their innate element. That meant they had territorial advantage in the darkness of the cave.
As I retreated further to the entrance, the attacks at me ceased.
As I thought. If darkness is their ability, then light would be their bane.
The light of day from the forest prevented the vicious creatures from approaching the entrance. But at the same time, that prevented me from going in carelessly too.
'To think I would already be at a disadvantage this quickly. Isn't that sad? ' I laughed self mockingly internally.
[It seems we lacked enough information in the end. It is also obvious the darkness suffusing from the cave is unnatural.] Meta made an analysis.
'You think so too? '
I didn't pay much attention to it at the beginning, but the darkness of the cave was a bit too thick. It was instantly dark and shrouded in gloom the moment I stepped foot through the entrance, and the strange sensation I felt when my spear cut through the air at that one point.
It was a bit muddled.
'The Midnight Foxes may have something to do with that. They really have turned this cave into their 'domain'. '
So the question is...
What do I do next?
I stared at the inside of the dark cave from the entrance. Even with {Appraisal} active, I could only barely see a few couple of steps into the cave. Everything beyond that was pitch black.
I kind of wish I had a stun grenade.
I stared at the dark entrance of the cave and mused silently. The longer I looked at it, the more convinced I became about all of that gloom undulating from it being unnatural.
I had no prior clue about what type of monsters would be occupying the Den, I didn't know much about all types of monsters anyway, but I seemed to have found myself in a rather tricky scenario.
Luckily I had my own walking encyclopedia of Aethoria buzzing in my head ~
'What do I need to know about these creatures?' I twirled my spear and turner around before walking back to the spot I placed my things at.
Meta's synthetic voice promptly responded.
[It is mostly as you have already experienced. As long as they are present within their elements, Midnight Foxes receive a passive boost to all of their stats. They have a deep and considerable influence over darkness and shadow, one of their most unique trait when together is the transformation of an area into their domain.]
My brows furrowed lightly.
'What? I'm not sure I got that.'
[In other words; the density of the unnatural darkness of the cave is caused as a result of all the numerous foxes residing inside. It has gone beyond simply being just a ridiculously dark cave, to something that more or less have become a living natural habitat.]
The darkness...was alive.
That sounded so bizarre and eerie, I had to stop and take a breath.
"Fuuuu..." I had already arrived before my stuff which I hid away in the forest and went down in one knee next to it. I rummaged silently through its content as Meta inquired.
[What are you doing?]
'I want to test out something.' with that said, I literally one of my arrowheads on fire, knocked it against the string of my bow and pointed it at the cave entrance from outside.
I pulled back the string, and the dancing tongue of fire on my arrow flickered slightly as I let it loose through the air.
-Xui!
The flaming arrow streaked across the distance and penetrated into the dark cave.
But as soon as it did...
'Just as I thought.'
All of the radiance from the vanished instantly, into oblivion.
At the same time, Meta and I shared the same thought.
[The light was devoured.]
Quite literally.
"Haa..." I sighed and lowered my bow.
It seems that, to penetrate such thick darkness, a simple single torch wouldn't even suffice.
'Midnight Foxes...are terrifying.' I chuckled internally.
The current situation was only as a result of a group of them living together. Wasn't this some degree of terra forming the environment then?
It just made me imagine what would happen if an even larger number of these monsters occupied an even larger region or area like an entire forest...
The scene of a gloom covered forest, wheerd even the outside radiance of the sun failed to penetrate flashed through my mind briefly...
Well, that didn't mean all hope is gone and I have no choice but to turn away.
'Meta, analysis.'
[To spread away the darkness, light of equal magnitude or higher is required. A small tongue of flame like that one will simply be devoured and erased in less than a second.]
'And what about a concentrated effort of light? Or something?' I was thinking of something along the lines of a short burst of bright light like a stun grenade.
Those things were rather bright but only shone for short moments and instances, yet their effects lasted longer after the radiance was gone.
[That may work, but only to a lesser degree. It would require a continuous release of light of the same degree to fend of the darkness, but only temporarily.]
Except I'd definitely go blind if I used a stun grenade like that over and over...
Well a stun grenade is only used as reference in this context, it's not like I actually had a few with me. Those things are really dangerous, you know...
"I see." I nodded in understanding
Now I've at least got a better understanding of my opponents.
It was also for this reason I was confident I could take them.
"If that's the case, the there's no reason for me to be discouraged or go back." I turned back to my backpack
I think I already had what I need for a situation like this.
It was true that I had no prior information to the type of monster occupying the cave as a Den, but after the small unexpected situation that happened to me a few years ago after breaking through to Mortal Rank, I've become more meticulous in planning each of my hunting trips.
I stared at the objects I pulled from my bag in my hands and smiled.
'Meta, how well do you think flares will work?'
[Not much. Compared to a simple tongue of fire like before, flares can provide you only a couple of seconds worth of light in a darkness like the one of the cave. I estimate, no more than five seconds for each stick. Give or take.]
The closest thing I had to a stun grenade was flares.
***
Late update. The chapter I had ready was suddenly wiped, and I didn't notice until it was too late, so I had to rewrite the entire thing!
Well, one more chapter incoming soon...