I stretched, the early morning sun filtering through the gaps in the forest canopy, casting soft rays of light around the clearing. My muscles still ached from the events of the past few days—contracting Shadow, testing out our bond—but I couldn't rest yet. There was still so much to explore and discover about the world I had been thrust into, and today, I had a special plan.
First, though, I had one more gacha draw. I sat cross-legged on the floor of my hut, carefully holding the small, shimmering stone the system had provided. My fingers played across its smooth surface, my heart picking up speed. This was only my second draw, and I couldn't help but wonder what I'd get this time.
[You have 1 Gacha Draw available. Do you wish to proceed?]
I nodded, already feeling the familiar tingle of anticipation.
"Yes, proceed."
The stone began to glow, swirling with ethereal light before it slowly condensed into a small vial in my hand. I squinted at the pale blue liquid inside, noticing the faint shimmer as it caught the light. The system's familiar voice echoed in my mind.
[Appraisal: Windrush Elixir, Rank: Uncommon (Low)]
[Effect: Boosts agility by 10% for ten minutes.]
[Description: Best used by Iron and Silver ranks. The elixir loses its potency at higher ranks, but provides a short, significant boost in speed for lower-ranked users.]
I rolled the vial between my fingers, impressed by the description. A 10% boost in agility for ten minutes might seem like a small margin to some, but at my current rank, it could make all the difference in a fight or an escape. Of course, it wouldn't work as well as I advanced in power, but for now, this elixir would be incredibly useful.
"Well, this is definitely worth saving," I muttered, tucking the vial safely into my pouch.
Today, though, I didn't plan on using it. I wasn't about to run into any high-level beasts just yet. My goal was simple: test Shadow's capabilities. I needed to know what my contracted companion could do in real combat situations. That meant hunting, but I decided to keep things cautious and test Shadow against lower-ranked creatures first.
"Come on, Shadow," I called, and as expected, the sleek black bird materialized in a swirl of shadows. Its gleaming eyes met mine, and I could feel the connection between us, stronger with each passing day.
---
Rather than risk facing stronger beasts, I set my sights on familiar prey: horned rabbits. These creatures, ranked Iron-Low, were common in the forest and easy to trap. Before contracting Shadow, I had managed to catch a few on my own using snares and bait, but today, I wanted to see how well Shadow could handle them in direct combat.
I set my traps in the usual places, careful not to disturb the area too much. The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves and distant birdsong. Shadow perched on a low branch above me, its dark feathers blending into the shadowed leaves. Even I had to strain to see it sometimes—a perfect stealth hunter.
"Alright, let's see what you've got," I whispered, eyes trained on the clearing where I had set the bait.
It didn't take long for one of the horned rabbits to appear, its small, nimble body hopping cautiously toward the trap. My breath caught as I waited, expecting to signal Shadow once the rabbit was within reach. But before I could move or give the command, Shadow acted on its own.
In a flash, it darted from its perch, a dark blur of feathers slicing through the air with speed and precision. The rabbit barely had time to react before Shadow's claws struck, hitting it squarely on a vital point—the neck. The rabbit collapsed instantly, its death swift and clean.
I blinked, stunned. I hadn't expected Shadow to act so decisively. Not only had it taken down the rabbit single-handedly, but it had also done so with perfect accuracy, aiming directly for a weak spot. I had known the bird was strong, but this level of intelligence and precision in combat was far beyond what I had anticipated.
"Well… that was impressive," I said, walking over to inspect the prey.
The rabbit lay motionless, the swift kill leaving it almost untouched. I glanced up at Shadow, who was now perched on a nearby tree branch, its eyes gleaming with a sense of pride. I could feel the satisfaction radiating from our bond.
"You didn't even need my traps, did you?" I chuckled, reaching up to ruffle the bird's feathers.
Shadow let out a soft, almost smug chirp, and I couldn't help but laugh. It seemed my companion was far more capable than I had originally thought. The precision, the speed—this wasn't just the power of a Peak Iron-ranked beast. Shadow had something else, something that set it apart even from other creatures at the same rank. It made me wonder what heights we could reach together.
I skinned the rabbit, its tender meat a far cry from the simple roots and dried food I had been living on before. With Shadow by my side, my diet had improved significantly, and the quality of the kills meant I didn't have to worry about food nearly as much.
Over the next few days, Shadow and I continued hunting in a similar pattern. We worked together seamlessly—though, in truth, Shadow did most of the heavy lifting. My traps became almost unnecessary as the bird consistently took down prey with minimal effort. We mostly hunted low-ranked creatures, like more horned rabbits and small forest creatures, all ranked Iron-Low. The meals I prepared from our hunts were rich and satisfying, the quality of the meat far better than what I could have caught alone.
But more than the food, what stood out to me was the bond that was forming between us. With each successful hunt, our teamwork improved. Shadow understood my commands instinctively, and in many cases, it didn't even need my input. It was like we were reading each other's minds, working in perfect sync.
By the end of the week, I felt confident in Shadow's abilities, and more importantly, in our partnership. I knew we were ready to start facing stronger opponents, but I wasn't in any rush. For now, I wanted to take things step by step, to build up our strength and strategy before diving into more dangerous territory.
---
One evening, as I sat by the fire roasting yet another horned rabbit, I pulled up the system's map of the forest. I had explored most of the surrounding area, carefully marking spots where certain herbs grew and noting the locations of water sources and safe zones. But there was still so much of the forest that remained unexplored, and I knew that if I wanted to get stronger, I'd need to venture deeper.
"There are stronger beasts to the south," I murmured to myself, recalling the information I had gathered from the village. "But we'll take it slow. No rushing into danger."
I glanced at Shadow, who was perched on a branch above me, its eyes gleaming in the firelight. The bird let out a soft chirp in response, as if agreeing with my plan.
With a full stomach and Shadow by my side, I felt ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But for now, I would focus on honing our skills, testing our limits carefully. Soon enough, we'd be ready to face the more powerful creatures that roamed the depths of the forest.