Pulkit's eyelids fluttered open, and he was greeted by the soothing rustling of leaves and the soft chirping of birds. A sense of unfamiliar serenity surrounded him. As his vision cleared, he saw Flappy perched beside him, the Skyhawk's golden eyes filled with relief and joy.
"You've been watching over me, haven't you?" Pulkit asked, his voice hoarse. Flappy nodded enthusiastically, letting out a gentle cry. Pulkit smiled faintly and pushed himself into a sitting position. As he looked around, his breath caught in his throat.
They were atop an enormous tree—a behemoth so vast and towering it seemed plucked straight out of a fantasy world. Its branches stretched into the horizon, thick enough to support entire ecosystems. Around them, Skyhawks of various sizes glided gracefully through the air, their feathers glistening in the dappled sunlight.
Pulkit turned to Flappy's nest, a massive structure built intricately on one of the gigantic branches. "Is this your nest?" he asked. Flappy nodded again, pride gleaming in his eyes.
Their moment of calm was interrupted when a nearby Skyhawk swooped low, inspecting the nest. Flappy reacted instantly, shielding Pulkit with his wings and glaring at the intruder. The other Skyhawk hesitated for a moment before flying away. Pulkit peeked out from under Flappy's protective embrace.
"So, you've been protecting me this whole time, even from your own kind?" he asked softly. Flappy nodded once more. Pulkit's heart swelled with gratitude. "Thank you, Flappy. I owe you my life."
Pulkit's mind churned with questions. "How did you even manage to bring me here? Didn't the monsters notice?" He scanned the area and saw scattered remains of other creatures. The realization struck him. "They probably thought I was just another corpse. But why is your nest the only one on this branch?"
Curiosity piqued, Pulkit activated his Appraisal skill. The information revealed a hierarchy among the Skyhawks. The ones below Flappy's nest were of lower levels, while those flying above were comparable in strength to Flappy.
Pulkit concluded, "It's a hierarchy. The weaker ones nest below the stronger ones. That's why none of them dared to approach me. They think I'm Flappy's prey."
He glanced upward. "I bet their leader is at the top of this tree," he murmured. "Probably no stronger than D-rank. At least, I hope so." A nervous chuckle escaped him.
Pulkit decided to check on Saber. He summoned the wolf from his summoning space, and Saber appeared in a burst of light, healthy and full of energy.
The black-furred Lesser hound immediately tackled Pulkit, licking his face in delight. Pulkit laughed and hugged his loyal companion. "I'm glad you're okay, buddy."
Opening his status panel, Pulkit muttered, "Last time, we couldn't evolve you because of that snake. But now, nothing's stopping us." He selected Saber's evolution options:
Path 1: Hound
Path 2: Venomous Hound [Mutant]
"It's obvious," Pulkit said, rolling his eyes. "I'm choosing the second path." He confirmed the selection. Saber's body began to glow intensely, his form shifting.
Flappy quickly shielded Saber with his wings, ensuring no prying eyes could witness the transformation. When the light dimmed, Pulkit saw the evolved Saber. The once-medium-sized wolf now resembled a black tiger, his fur gleaming like obsidian. Green veins pulsed visibly across his body, exuding an aura of poison. Saber's crimson eyes glowed with power.
Pulkit checked Saber's updated status:
Name : Saber
Race : Venomous Hound
Level : 20
Rank : D
Skills:
Venomous Fangs [E-rank] Venom Spit [D-rank]: Gather venom from the veins to spit at enemies.
"You look incredible, Saber," Pulkit said with admiration. Saber growled softly, his tail wagging. Flappy removed his wings, revealing Saber's new form to the world. However, the faint light from Saber's evolution had attracted the attention of nearby Skyhawks. One by one, they began circling above Flappy's nest.
Pulkit's heart raced. "Not good. Saber, back to the summoning space!" He dismissed the hound just as the Skyhawks drew closer. Pulkit hid beneath Flappy, who spread his wings menacingly to ward off the curious creatures. After a tense few minutes, the Skyhawks dispersed.
Relieved, Pulkit lay back and opened his status panel. A notification greeted him:
Congratulations! You maintained your sanity when facing a monster far above your level and survived. You have developed a new skill: Calm Mind [D-rank].
Skill Description: Helps maintain rationality in difficult situations.
Pulkit exhaled deeply. "Finally, something useful from that nightmare." He reflected on the fight with the snake. "I need resistance skills if I want to survive against monsters like that. Those status effects will be the death of me."
He searched through the system's skill shop but found only low-level poison and pain resistance skills. Frustration bubbled within him. "Ugh, useless! These won't help me at my current level." Giving up, he flopped onto the ground.
His stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. Pulkit chuckled. "Guess it's time to eat." He purchased food from the system shop and shared it with Flappy, Saber, and Bloody. The meal was simple but satisfying, a rare moment of peace.
After resting, Pulkit remembered his quest. He opened the system interface and reviewed the details:
Second Trial : Hunt 100 monsters.
Time Left : 18 days, 21 hours.
Current Progress: 82/100.
Pulkit's eyes widened. "I've almost completed it? And in just half the time? Not bad!" Excitement surged within him. "Let's finish this trial and move on to the next one."
Turning to Flappy, he said, "Take me somewhere safe to hunt. Away from that snake's territory." Flappy squawked in agreement, grasping Pulkit in his talons and taking flight.
They soared through the skies, the giant tree fading into the distance. Flappy descended into a dense forest, setting Pulkit gently on the ground.
Pulkit scanned the area and immediately spotted a green-skinned creature. "Goblin," he muttered. "Of course. What's a fantasy world without goblins?"
Using Appraisal, he examined the creature:
Name: None
Race: Goblin
Level: 5
Rank: F
Skills: None
The goblin noticed Flappy and bolted. Pulkit wasn't about to let it escape. He chased the creature at full speed, using his magic sword skill. With a swift strike, he stabbed the goblin's heart, silencing it instantly.
Before the goblin's body hit the ground, it let out a piercing scream. Pulkit groaned and finished it with another stab. "Shut the fuck up," he muttered.
The echo of the goblin's cry drew attention. Pulkit's gaze darted around as more goblins emerged from the shadows. A pack of 20-30 surrounded him, led by a towering figure in crude armor.
Pulkit used Appraisal on the leader:
Name: None
Race: Hobgoblin
Level: 21
Rank: D
Skills: War Cry [D-rank]: Increases all stats by 10%.
Intimidation gripped him briefly, but Calm Mind activated, steadying his nerves. A smirk spread across his face. "This is perfect."
Summoning Saber and Bloody, Pulkit unsheathed his weapon. "Let's hunt some monsters."