Chapter: Experience

Erik and Rugrat woke up early, packing their gear away quickly. They cleared out the area around their camp.

It was hard to see any signs of where they had been as they checked their maps, Erik had used his as well by this time. They pulled their rucksacks on and checked their weapons before they moved off on their plotted route.

As they were walking Erik started to feel tired, he took a leaf from a forest fennel and chewed on it.

Even if it had a bad reaction then he could heal himself.

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Stamina Regeneration increased by 0.50/s for 2s

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A faint power entered Erik's body, revitalizing his body.

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125/300 EXP till you reach level 2

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"Rugrat, eat this," Erik said, passing the other man a leaf.

He chewed on it, again another screen appeared.

"We're not in Kansas anymore," Rugrat said seriously, removing any serious atmosphere.

Erik sighed and walked ahead of Rugrat.

They continued on their path as they heard different monsters in the forest roaring and making noise at one another.

"High right!" Rugrat yelled, his silenced personal rifle fired as a snake with wings dropped from a tree onto the ground. A faint grey tombstone appeared above the snake. Erik and Rugrat didn't have time to look at it closer before a coughing war cry rose up from the surrounding area.

"Contact!" Erik yelled, pulling on his quick detach straps, He and Rugrat put their rucksacks in front of them as they were back to back.

A hiss noise came from the trees above as a flying snake shot out from a tree, it was mottled greens and browns making it hard to see before it launched its attack.

Erik fired in it's general direction, one of his rounds hitting the snake. As a tombstone appeared above it, a faint golden energy came from the snake and entered Erik's body, the same powerful feeling that had come from eating the forest fennel appeared in his body, it seemed to pause for a second as if reaching a bottle neck before exploding forth. Screens tried to pop up, but Erik dismissed them before they formed as he grabbed the Mossberg on the side of his rucksack, pulling it out of it's holster.

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Mossberg 500

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Damage: Unknown

Weight: 3.4 kg

Health: 100/100

Base Value: Unknown

Range: Short range

Requires: 12-gauge Ammunition

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While Erik had taken nearly twenty rounds to put down the one snake, Rugrat had only take five, after all Rugrat, had another identity, Marine Crops scout sniper Jimmy 'Rugrat' Rodriguez.

More of the flying snakes came out of the trees, Erik fired and turned sending clouds of buckshot at the snakes, turning them to mangled corpses.

"Reloading!" Rugrat yelled, changing out magazines as Erik continued to fire.

Rugrat started firing again.

"Back in!”

"Reloading," Erik said a few moments later, the flying snakes were coming from everywhere, he quickly started stuffing shells into the shotgun, he didn't even get to fully load before he fired on a nearby snake.

They weren't strong but there were many of them.

Erik felt a pain in his left leg, he looked down to see a flying snake buried in his leg.

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You have been affected by the Winged Forest Snake's poison. -1.0/s stamina for 5s. With chance of paralysis

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Erik called up a healing spell, looking at the snake that was glaring at him. He grabbed the snake and his combat knife, stabbing the snake until a faint tombstone appeared above it. The snake was buried deep in Erik's leg he didn't have time to get rid of it as he dropped his knife at his feet and pumped his shotgun, taking down three of the Winged Forest snakes in one blast.

There were tombstones all around Erik and Rugrat as a faint bloody smell started to rise from the ground.

A deep roar came from within the forest.

The snakes let out angered cries as they started to turn around and run.

Erik and Rugrat were quickly reloading.

Once he was done with his weapon, Erik pulled the snake out of his leg and sheathed his blade again.

"Contact!" Rugrat yelled, shooting at whatever he had seen. Erik checked his arcs before looking over where Rugrat's tracers were going.

A massive ape ran across the forest ground, dust being picked up in it's wake as it jumped up into the trees, moving through the forest with ease.

Rugrat's rounds cracked around it, before three hit the ape's chest.

It was rocked back by the rounds, dropping to the ground as the forest went quiet.

Erik looked around, other than the tombstones above the dead winged forest snakes and the ape there was nothing to be found in the area.

"let’s get moving quick," Erik said.

"Check the tombstone on that snake next to you," Rugrat said.

Erik reached out with his hand, touching the tombstone a menu descended

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Winged Forest Snake Loot

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Winged Forest Snake Scales Damaged

Winged Forest Snake venom pouch (Empty)

Winged Forest snake meat

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Take all?

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Erik hit the take all part of the screen.

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No storage device detected, will drop in real world.

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The snake's corpse turned white, being replaced by the three piles of items.

Erik was interested by the materials but he didn't have the space or time to collect them.

He quickly got his rucksack on and holstered his shotgun on it's side again as he grabbed his personal rifle.

"Cover me," Rugrat said, moving to the ape, the tombstone flashed for a few seconds before the ape's chest seemed to open, a brown orb appeared, moving to Rugrat's hand, he stuffed the one-inch brown marble into his pocket.

Erik didn't ask as they set off at a jog, checking their surroundings for any other sneak attacks.

It was sometime later that they slowed down. They dropped their packs, scanning the area, the regular noises had come back to the forest, the great fight before seemed as if it was nothing to the beasts here.

Erik and Rugrat listened, for anything that might be following them for a few minutes before they relaxed.

"Fuck me," Erik sighed.

"No thanks," Rugrat said, pulling out the marble from his pocket and tossing it to Erik as he leaned against his rucksack on the ground.

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Monster Core

Rank: Earth, Low grade

Weight: 0.2 kg

Base Value: 1 silver 50 coppers

Characteristics: Unknown

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Do you wish to absorb this Monster Core?

Yes/No

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Erik tossed it back to Rugrat, there was an undeniable power held within it.

"Well I hope that one silver and fifty coppers is worth something," Erik said.

"I wonder what would happen if we absorbed it," Rugrat looked at the marble before tucking it back into his pocket.

Ever since the battle had started a '!' mark in the top right of his vision had appeared, after the first couple of notifications came in and he dismissed them before the screens could totally form, none had appeared.

He thought of the exclamation mark in his vision and was bombarded with screens.

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You have learned the skill: Marksman

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Ranged Weaponry is familiar to you. You have far to go before gaining the title of a Master but with practice, you will get there.

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Skill: Marksman

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Level: 6 (Novice)

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No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.

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You have learned the skill Blade

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You're handy with sharpened steel but the path of master is not one can get to by just repeatedly stabbing their target.

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Skill: Blade

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Level: 1 (Novice)

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No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.

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You have reached Level 3

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When you sleep next, you will be able to increase your attributes by: 10 points.

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2,075/2,700 EXP till you reach level 4

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That golden energy that had entered his body from the snakes he killed must have been a visual aid for experience. Erik didn't fully understand just what that meant right now.

"Let’s find somewhere to set up camp, we've still got a long way to go," Erik said.

They gathered their gear and moved on, it wasn't long until they found a place to camp. Erik took first watch.

He used organic scan to look inside his body, he wanted to check on the snake poison, it had been tearing up his body internally, trying to knock him out and send him into a state of paralysis. Erik had fought back with magic, but he hadn't had time to see if there were hidden injuries.

When he looked through his leg, he was surprised, instead of showing weakness it appeared to be stronger.

Erik checked over his body, not only was his leg in better condition, it seemed like these changes were spreading slowly throughout his body.

Seeing as it wasn't anything bad Erik could only shake his head not knowing what to do. Four hours later he woke Rugrat, he knew with the increase in stats it wasn't easy to wake someone.

Rugrat took his place and he got into his sleeping bag, when he closed his eyes he was greeted with a familiar sight.

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You have 10 attribute points to use.

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Erik thought on his character sheet and what he wanted to do moving forward. With strength he could hit harder, agility his reactions were faster, his control greater. Stamina and mana didn't need to be explained.

Erik placed two points into strength and agility, the remaining six he split between mana and stamina regeneration. They would allow him to cast spells or fight for longer. With their guns it only mattered how long and far they could run, or their reaction speeds.

He looked at the final character sheet.

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Character Sheet

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Name: Erik West

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Level: 3

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Race: Human

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Titles: From the Grave

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Strength: (Base 7) +2

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90

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Agility: (Base 6) +3

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45

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Stamina: (Base 10) +0

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150

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Mana: (Base 2) +0

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20

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Mana Regeneration (Base 1) +5

1.95/s

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Stamina Regeneration: (Base 7) +5

3.15/s

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