['Critical Spearmanship' has reached lv.10]

['Double-Arrow shot' has reached lv.3]

As I mostly used the spear as my main weapon during the hunt, I was able to max its active skill level at the beginner's stage. Though I had no clue on how to progress towards the intermediate level other than to unlock 'Lv.2' of 'Omni-Mastery'.

The double arrow skill also showed some progress as my secondary weapon's skill.

I rose from the small mattress I slept on as I thought of my next step.

This forest could be divided into 3 main parts. Firstly, there was the the peripheral part where most herbivorous animals like rabbits lived.

Secondly, there was the swamp sector where snakes, crocodiles, and amphibians resided.

Lastly there was the central part of the forest which was inhabited by vicious, carnivorous animals like wolves and actual monsters.

As for the peripheral part, I had 3 targets to achieve there.

One, to adapt to actual battles and develop the slightest sense of combat awareness. Two, to procure enough meat and rabbit fur for the several quests that required them. Three, to acquire the dismantling skill.

I had already finished the two first target,including storing the meat in special bags to preserve them from getting bad, which were made through special leather crafting.

The cave that I currently lived in was inside the swamp sector, which I had 3 targets to achieve in it as well.

One, to develop my combat awareness through battles with higher leveled monsters like crocodiles. Two, to get the herbs requested in quests which were mostly in this sector. Three, was still to acquire the dismantling skill.

After the recent change in 'Omni-Mastery', the skill acquisition list changed along with it.

Instead of certain actions to do in order to acquire skills, there was a bar beside every acquirable skill, which is filled by performing the skill repeatedly. This was actually a development of ability, which made it quite possible to acquire a skill through periodically training without much labor.

However, the main point was that performing simple acts of the skill didn't fill the bar by much.

Take for example the dismantling skill, even after dismantling a hundred rabbits, the skill acquisition bar was only filled by 35% and so I had to search for harder dismantling targets such as snakes and crocodiles which were harder to dismantle.

As for the reason I had to acquire this skill, it was that only by evolving it into a skill that I could adapt to more unimaginable dismantling targets that I might encounter in the future. Besides, it sounded like quite the handy skill to develop.

>>>>

I held a bone dagger which I crafted recently using the hard bones of my first crocodile victim.

The first battle with the crocodile was quite the tragedy as I acquired several heavy injuries. However, it was also less dramatic compared to my battle with the first rabbit, thanks to me starting to get hold of the basics of fighting.

In fact, I decided to train something else to start with after finishing the battle.

I have decided to train and acquire a simple footwork skill while adapting to the swamp sector's surrounding.

Going around to collect herbs, while training the footwork skill, and also to create a mental map of the whole swamp sector.

Even as a combat newbie, I knew that the battle was harder thanks to the crocodile's home ground advantage, alongside the defense that its scales brought.

If it weren't for the little herbs I collected at the very start of my journey in the swamp and the little medicinal knowledge I took up from the books I read, these injuries could cause me to change my plan and return to the village. Which meant I would have to suspend my combat training for the time being.

Thus, while finishing my side target of collecting herbs, I decided to take the advantage of the home ground for myself, before storming those crocodiles for some fair combat training!