The forest was eerily silent as I stood there, half-naked in my boxers, still breathing heavily from my unexpected victory. I glanced around at the creatures now lying lifeless at my feet, trying to process the absurdity of what had just happened. Thanks to my skill Eternis, I'd somehow managed to kill these monsters—without even understanding how my power actually worked. But hey, a win's a win.
As I gazed down at my newest defeated foes, a familiar chime echoed in my head.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[New Skills Acquired: Shriek of Terror, Multi-Eye Vision]
I couldn't help but grin as I saw the notifications pop up. Not only had I leveled up, but I'd also snagged a couple of the creatures' skills. Talk about a good haul. I pulled up my status screen, eager to see how much I'd improved.
Status
• Name: Taurus
• Level: 2
• Health: 150/150
• Mana: 15/15
• Strength: 9
• Dexterity: 8
• Intelligence: 10
• Charisma: 4
• Luck: 1 (still cursed, apparently)
Skills:
• Eternis: [Description: A mysterious power with untold potential. Partial Detail Unlocked: Absorbs abilities from defeated foes.]
• Venomous Swipe: A poison-infused strike capable of paralyzing its target.
• Shriek of Terror: A high-pitched scream that stuns foes within range.
• Multi-Eye Vision: Enables awareness of multiple angles, improving sight and tracking.
My stats hadn't skyrocketed or anything; each one had only gone up by four points. But hey, it was still an improvement, and with three new skills in my arsenal, I wasn't going to complain. I'd take any advantage I could get, even if my Luck stat seemed determined to stay at a pathetic one.
I let out a half-crazed laugh, feeling a rush of satisfaction. I still didn't fully understand Eternis, but at least I had a vague idea of what it did now. It was something about absorbing abilities from creatures I defeated, which sounded both incredibly useful and wildly unpredictable. But I'd take what I could get.
After a minute of basking in my victory, I remembered my state of undress. Right. I was still in my boxers, half-naked in the middle of a forest. Not exactly the look of a heroic adventurer. Plus, it was starting to get chilly again.
I turned back toward the lake where I'd left my clothes to dry and opened the system map to check my location. A quick scan showed that I'd managed to sprint farther than I realized during my escape. Getting back to the lake was going to take a while, but at least the route was clear. I cursed my dumb Luck stat, knowing it was probably responsible for leading me so far off course.
As I walked, I couldn't help but marvel at my newfound skills. I was still buzzing with energy, and curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see what these abilities could do, now that I was safely alone in the forest (or so I hoped).
Spotting an old, gnarled tree, I decided it would make a perfect target for a test. I raised my hand, focusing on Venomous Swipe, and felt a strange, prickling sensation in my fingers. With a quick swipe, I lashed out at the tree, and to my surprise, a dark, greenish energy shot from my hand and slashed right through the trunk.
The tree cracked and then split cleanly, like it had been hit with a poison-infused buzzsaw. I stared, a little dumbfounded, as the top half of the tree toppled over and crashed to the ground.
"Okay… not bad," I muttered, feeling a mixture of excitement and unease. If one of those creatures had hit me with Venomous Swipe, I'd have been toast.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for another test. I glanced around, picked out a slightly smaller tree, and focused on Shriek of Terror. I let out a yell, and, to my surprise, the skill activated, unleashing a burst of sound that echoed through the forest.
The sound was so powerful that I actually saw the bark on the tree splinter and crack. The tree wobbled, and for a second, I thought it might fall over, but it managed to stay upright. Still, the shockwave from the skill was impressive, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
I grinned, giving a quick nod of approval. "Not too shabby, Taurus. You might actually survive this world."
Finally, I decided to try out Multi-Eye Vision. I picked out another tree, activating the skill, and watched as my perspective seemed to shift. It was like I could see from multiple angles at once, giving me a kind of panoramic view of my surroundings. It was disorienting at first, but as I adjusted, I realized how useful it could be. I could see the area behind me, to my sides, and everything around the tree all at once.
Feeling like I was getting the hang of things, I aimed at the tree for a final strike—only to unleash Venomous Swipe and Shriek of Terror at the same time by accident. The combined force blew the entire tree into splinters, sending chunks of wood flying in all directions. One particularly large branch shot straight toward me, and I barely managed to throw myself out of the way before it could impale me.
"Note to self," I gasped, brushing dirt off my tunic, "don't combine skills like they're toys. I could've ended up like that tree!"
I gave the obliterated stump one last look, making a mental note to be more careful next time. My skills were powerful, sure, but they were no joke. If I wasn't careful, I'd be more of a danger to myself than any monster could be.
Once I felt reasonably calm, I continued my trek back to the lake. After what felt like forever (and a good few more muttered curses at my Luck stat), I finally arrived and found my clothes where I'd left them. They were still a bit damp, but much better than before. I slipped them on, grateful to be fully dressed again. Even in this ridiculous outfit, it beat being half-naked in the woods.
As I buttoned up, I opened the system map to get my bearings. I noticed some faintly outlined areas marked as "unknown." But one spot in particular caught my eye—a vague outline on the map that looked suspiciously like a village. I squinted at the map, wondering if I was just seeing things, but no. It was there. A settlement, or something resembling one, just a few miles away.
I mulled over my options. I didn't exactly have a plan, but finding civilization seemed like the best move. If I could get to a village, maybe I could find some food, a bed, and possibly some answers about what kind of world I'd landed in.
"Alright, village it is," I muttered. But as soon as I'd made up my mind, a familiar rumble echoed through the sky.
I glanced up, watching as clouds began to gather overhead again. "Oh, come on!" I groaned, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "I just got dry!"
Another rumble of thunder rolled through the forest, louder this time. I looked from the sky to the map, weighing my options. Stay and get soaked again, or make a break for the village and hope I got there before the rain hit.
"Screw it," I said, setting off in the direction of the village. "I've survived worse than a little rain."
With my map as my guide and my new skills in my arsenal, I pushed forward, ready to take on whatever else this world decided to throw at me.