Edited by: IAmACultivator; Author

Happy Valentine’s! I could not stop myself from writing this chap.

I have already prepared everything I needed for a hunt. But - it’s for tomorrow, ah and on the way back I found something amusing - I can appraise my status elements. It gives away the same data as what system guide has already told me …

BUT IT STILL GIVES EXP! Whole 1% per stat. 1%! Yet, a strange thing occurred. While I tried to appraise my title the notification appeared: [appraisal level is too low to acquire data]…

When I appraised my level a [1/50] mark appeared and while appraising my 12% the [12/100] appears too. And as a joke, I tried to appraise stars… It. Fucking. Worked. There was an [unknown star] or an [unknown constellation] yet still: exp is exp… it was low. Way lower than for a plants, but I had nothing better to do so… as a result :

[Appraisal] Level: 1 [99.21%]

I am proud of myself. Somebody back ok earth used to say :”work smarter not harder”… yet probably I would run out of stars before leveling the skill.

I lied on the ground which I covered with leaves - my new bed with resolve to regain my strength. In the end, I will have to be in top condition. There will be a rabbit stew for dinner, of course only if I won’t end only behaving like an idiot… or die impaled on rabbit’s horn.

I closed my eyes and wandered into deep, dreamless slumber.

The next day I have opened my eyes and got up. Just as I thought, sleeping on the ground was far from being a comfortable experience, my back hurts and my neck let out a strange, cracking noise. Yet I was refreshed. My mind was clear, focused like never before. Maybe it was my body and mind adopting to new sensations? New reality? New challenges?

And then I heard it, another sound followed by a blue box filling most of my vision field.

You have a voice call from [System guide] do you wish to listen now?

Oh boy. I hope she’s not mad for me finding that little bug with stars for leveling up appraisal? If it is so, then I am screwed… but… it asks me if I want to listen…. If I don’t… they can’t punish me without pointing out a reason?

No, they are gods, of course, they can…. whatever

“Yes please…” - in next moment I heard a familiar feminine voice, she sounded almost as if she was barely holding laugh. “Hello, user, and happy Valentine’s Day. We have prepared for you a special event. Every heart you acquire will be collected by us, and then, at the end of the day depending on the number of heart you collected, you shall be given a reward. This event will be going for the next 13 hours and 52 minutes. Good luck. Good hunt.” Valentine's Day Heart Hunt Quest has been triggered

What. Da...

Are they nuts?! Collecting hearts?! Not fucking chocolate? What a twisted sense of humor do they have?!

… But she said a reward, did she? I may get something useful, maybe a bow? A leather clothing… a skill?

I once again started wandering around my new home collecting my clothes and equipment. My heart was racing yet again.

Considering the last 2 days and comparing them to my previous life such amount of shock in such a short period of time could be bad for my health.

Jokes aside. Calm yourself, dear me. Hunter's most important tool is patience, or so I was told by some actor in one of the "shitties" survival movies I have ever watched.

Breath in, breath out. tried once again forcing my mind into that feeling of calmness, of inner peace, that I felt a few moments ago

Dagger? On the side. Bag pack? For now in the hand. Shade wolf fur? On my back.

I can already hear you asking: Why did this idiot put still smelling fur on his body?

You will see!… or if I would embarrass myself, I would just cut it off from my story.

I headed to my hunting ground and sat in my ambush-bush. And waited. Not even long. After something like half of an hour 3 brown horned rabbits appeared.

I sweep a glance on my surrounding, checking if everything is in the right place. After watching a rabbit yesterday I found out that they have a few ways of moving here - few main paths. The clearing -was an open space, but in the next ten meters, it slowly stats blending with deep, dark forest. It is filled with thick, thorny bushes which would halt my movements. If the rabbits would manage to outrun me and jump in those, I would have no way of chasing them.

Other paths were "accidentally" covered with sharp stones and sticks by me yesterday. I had boots on my feet, bunnies didn't. This little detail could give me the advantage in my struggle of filling my belly with delicious looking herbivores. But, because of intelligence that shined in their eyes, I was pretty sure they would try avoiding these paths. I was fine with that too. Preparation is the key.

I watched one of the rabbits leaving the group as he started jumping toward the group of flowers growing in the middle of the clearing. Closer toward me. Few lazy jumps, followed by few more. A drop of sweat started falling from my forehead. My heart was pounding. As I readied myself for the attack.

There were two possible options. The rabbit could start running - the desirable outcome or could face me and fight back with that huge horn of his.

... And I wasn't exactly ready for the second option. This is why I was wearing a wolf's body.

I grabbed the branches of the bush and shake it violently, then, I jumped out. This way I already manage to alert my prey before letting it see me. When I started emerging from the plants, the first thing it saw was fur of shade wolf. The little creature turned around and started running without paying more attention to my whole posture.

It worked! Oh, my sweet mother of god! It worked!

The plan was so stupid that it even worked! The saying is true! If you want to surprise your enemy try doing something that even you do not suspect you could do!

Rabbits fled to the forest using path looking more appealing, avoiding these that I "upgraded" with patterns of dangerous elements that could would their feet.

Yet, bastards did what I was afraid they would - they aimed for the thickest bushes, we started racing over the short clearing. The first that would reach the clearing would be allowed to see another day. Yet the bastards were fast - if I was to place a bet on either myself or the rabbit in the speed test, without thinking twice I would go All-in for the bunny. Unfortunately for a bunny, there was a twist.

Yesterday, after the dusk fall, I spent some time preparing a trap. Luckily for me, the soil was soft, I could dig in it with my bare hands. Little over twenty minutes took me digging a hole around 30 centimeters deep, sharpening few twigs and pushing it into the soil, before covering the pits with moss and leaves. I asked myself a question: If I was a chased bunny, which paths would I chose to escape. And then, I placed three more such traps on the routes that looked best.

It's speed was the reason of its doom. The trap themselves weren't very dangerous. In the end, the pits were shallow, bah, if you would be just walking across the clearing, you would feel the difference under your feet while making a step, thus you could stop yourself from landing on it. But not if you were running.

Bunny pretty much impaled itself on the stick, the sharpened end sprouted through its back. It died on spot. One of its siblings (or whoever they were for one another) didn't manage to slow down completely and also fell in the same pit, yet it didn't die, not on the spot. I had to help it.

A cripled bunny started already leaving the pit as I jumped at it from behind and dug my dagger in its back. It jerked its head, trying to hit me with the horn, unfortunately for it, his tool was supposed for a frontal assault, thus it was not in a position of hurting me.

Most of the group already managed to vanish in the forest, all of them, but one. Poor fool, just a meter or so away from the safety of bushes, fell in another or trap.

You have slain a [Brown Horned Rabbit] - 3exp You have slain a [Brown Horned Rabbit] [combo 2] - 6exp You have slain a [Brown Horned Rabbit] [combo 3] - 12exp

I felt bad. When I killed the wolf I didn't feel anything. Mostly because of adrenaline, or maybe because I was fighting for my own life? I knew that it was pretty much same situation, that if I wouldn't do so, I would starve. I knew that I had to kill because this way I could become stronger and protect myself from more dangerous creatures. I knew that I would eventually get used to it. But for now, I felt guilty.

I tried focusing on something different, just to occupy my mind. I started reading the bonuses I got from killing multiple creatures at the same time. Every next creature killed in an action chain doubles its experience? Maybe it just affects creatures of the same type, or maybe sharing the same name? I need more data from observation to be sure.

Right now I am 33% on the way to the next level.

I shook my head to the sides, picked bunnies from the holes, and "rearmed" my traps - replaced broken sticks, once again covered it with Leaves. And then I rolled little mammals on their bellies and brought up my dagger.

About 50 meters from the clearing I started opening their bellies. I didn't want the smell of blood to spread too close to my clearing. I hoped that in the future more rabbits would come there so I didn't want to scare them off, neither I wanted to bring in predators.

Sitting under the tree I started harvesting skin. It appeared to be a little easier, most likely thanks to the skill. It was like a guide with a VR headset on. On the corpse of animal colorful lines appeared - showing me how should I cut. Green Lines for a shallow one, red for the deep, the density of color and trickery of line would tell me which cut was supposed to be first. But, probably because the skill's level was low, those lines kept vanishing and reappearing every few seconds making me stop in the middle of a cut. Because of that cuts were not clean and the skin was "shattered" in few places/

O started removing the organs, as soon as I brought out the heart...

Ding

A heart has been obtained Number of hearts: 1

…this will save me some time and troubles. It took me less than half of the hour to gut them all, harvest meat, fur, and hearts.

Ding

[Lowest quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained Luck event triggered [A very low quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained

Oh, so this is how luck stat work! Improving the level of gained/crafted item with a small chance, huh? Gotta note it down on the back of my mind… I covered meat in harvested fur and put it in my bag. Then I moved back to my ambush spot.

And waited yet again.

It was already past noon. I start getting hungry and thirsty. I had no bottle nor goatskin to carry water, which meant that today I will suffer, later I will try to craft some… umm… rabitskin… to carry water with myself.

I could have returned to the lake, take a drink, refresh myself and so on, yet I didn't. Because of a quest. It has a time limit. Also, because I have no idea when (if) bunnies would return. If they would enter the clearing as I was away, I would lose the opportunity to hunt those, for there is no way I could enter my ambush-bush unnoticed.

The quest appeared to be based on events from my previous world - unless people here also celebrate valentines day. Which one would be next? Easter?... What do you do in easter?

Back where I come from, during Easter a nice kids would get a present from the bunny... How would bunny treat me if he would know that right now I am killing his kin to harvest their hearts? I bet he would not be amused

I could "waste" my time wondering about such silly things, in the end, I had time.

Another hour. I have no luck.

Yet, in the hour after that, the bushes moved slightly again. Four more rabbits.

If my previous calculations are correct and every killing spree doubles experience gained from victims, the last of the four of bastards was worth 24 experience points.

Once again, I hold my breath and tried finding my inner peace. Yet the vision of rabbit squirming on the stick made me shiver, just for a moment.

Away with those thoughts. Compassion is a privilege of those, who can afford to put food on their table, to have warm beds in the safe house. I was no longer in this privileged group.

And there was once again repeat from the past. Bush shake, jump out, chase. And notifications:

[You have slain a brown horned rabbit] You have obtained [3] exp [You have slain a brown horned rabbit] Combo effect 2 - you have obtained [6] exp [You have slain a brown horned rabbit] Combo effect 3 - you have obtained [12] exp [You have slain a brown horned rabbit] Combo effect 4 - you have obtained [24] exp [A very low quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained Luck event triggered [A very low quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained [A very low quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained [A very low quality brown horned rabbit's fur] gained New hearts has been obtained Hearts in total 7

With this, I was 78%. With all this excitement I forgot using appraisal from time to time. It’s skill exp was 99.87%, so close to level up, yet I was left with nothing to appraise in the vicinity! Damn this.

That's how the rest of my day looked like. I was sitting in the bush, ignoring my belly singing the song of his people. My stomach was used to have three main meals per day plus sweet snacks (I could barely live without my sweets). It was slowly getting dark, and unfortunately, I managed to end lives of three more rabbits. Unfortunately, because these creatures came to the clearing alone, which meant for me no exp-boost

Appraisal leveled up, and at last it is nice

[Appraisal level 2 0.12% exp

give access to additional information about the target]

That was the first time I leveled something up! With a racing heart and in high spirit I decided to see with my own eyes the differences in the form of the skill.

Yet, much to my disappointment, all I learned was a name of the plant. [Aurora herb]. For these past two days, I have been asking myself many questions regarding this plant. Was it poisonous? Was it a healing herb? Was it edible? If after I would burn it - would I receive some gas that would repel some kinds of monster... And from all these questions that I could possibly want an answer for... I learned it's name.

Thanks for nothing, I guess.

10 hearts for the quest. Was it the good score? Was it bad? I had no idea. I think I will have an answer for that as I would be given the reward. Yet, the pieces of fur and meat that would let me survive next day or two lift my spirit. I decided to move back to the cave I called homes, yet from behind my back I heard a mildly intimidating roar. Sounding something like . The only problem was that anything that let out that sound "Kachiaa"wed 10 meters behind my back

I quickly turned around dropping the bag that I carried over one of my shoulders reading the dagger in my healthy hand

There was a bunny. A dog sized one. A big-dog-sized one.

[Brown Horned Rabbit Champion] Level 11

I tried rising both hands in the air in a calming manner.

- "Good Champion, nice bunny. Mind turning around and walking your way?..." It looked toward the bad I dropped. It wiggled its nose sensing the air. It most likely smelled the blood and flesh of his kin.

Hope they were not related in any way.

But, guessing by the way it tensed and readied for a charge, they most likely were related.

The monster took one step back before starting it jump charge in my direction. It's horn was as long a shortsword, one stab was enough to pierce me all way through.

I waited till the very last moment before jumping aside - I didn't want to give him a chance to change his trajectory. I ended in the wet grass landing with my face full of dirt. I have supported my body with both hands on instinct, as I forgot about the damages. My left arm cried in agony.

The killer bunny slowed down his charge as he missed me, and just like a bull, he slowly circled to prepare for another assault.

I was telling myself that I was supposed to stay calm, that at the moment I would lose my cold-blooded state, I would lose my life, the problem is that I was screaming those words inside of my head.

Think, Zari, think. Think yourself out of this! Make a decision! Pick an idea! Even if stupid - the stupid idea is better than no idea at all!

Wait. He is moving like a bull. Reacting to movements? I don't really have a way to test it without putting my life on the line.

The bunny leaped at horrible speed. Normal man would have a problem to even focus gaze on this blurry mass that it became, yet I saw everything clearly.

Adrenaline?

I waited. As it was running toward my position, I marked a step to the right, the beast reacted right away by changing its trajectory. I used my step to the right and kick the ground, thanks to momentum I spun in place. We were passing each another as I was in the middle of my rotation, the creature was at my right side, the one I was holding dagger with.

Now - the hard part. I stabbed the fluffy killer and using the tempo I jumped on its back. The dagger that got stuck in its flesh turned into a handle I used to not fell down. I tightened the grip of my legs over its sides stabilizing my balance.

And then it started. A grotesque deadly rodeo with a bunny in a role of a wild mustang. The creature kept jumping in the sky, raising its rear and front legs in turns trying to shake me off, yet the more it moved, the deeper the dagger would sink in the ocean of meat and blood.

Eventually, the flesh on his side loosened after blade twisted and turned in his body several times, just enough so I could take it off the side, and dig it in its neck.

The bunny collapsed on its side, dragging me along. Once again I freed the blade and started repeatedly digging it in the body of the creature. The crimson fountain started picturing everything around red.

You have dealt [11] dmg You have dealt [14] dmg You have dealt [9] dmg

Finally, he fell.

Ding

You have slain [Brown Horned Rabbit Champion] You have gained [12] exp Achievement unlocked "Who is a champion now? Because of achievement "who is a champion now" you gained a title "Champion Slayer" Damage dealt to [champion] rank monsters + 5% Damage received from [champion] rank monsters - 10% Experience gained from [champion] rank monsters + 10% CHA + 5

I was laying on the ground breathing heavily. Once again my vision was getting blurry because of both: exhaustion and pain.

My body was screaming in pain. I was going to rest now, here, in the middle of the clearing. I didn't care if wolf, bear, or devil himself would come now. As for me, they could fuck themselves in turns.

I killed it. I have killed over sized bunny. I wanted to laugh in the skies.

This world is crazy. Mad. Sick. And I love it.

But the 99% exp mark near my level was somehow getting on my nerves.. I mean, really? You just couldn’t have given me that 1 point more, couldn't you?

After I recovered a bit, just enough to be able to move a little, I stood up. I had no more willingness to skin it.

Thought each time I skinned a bunny I was rewarded with 9% of skill progression, right now it meant I was on 90% of leveling that skill too.

Yet each time I performed the skill, part of my stamina vanished. Because of that, I would most likely abandon this fur here. There will be more bunnies to skin.

You have obtained a [heart] Hearts in totlat 11

I headed to the cave… I am too tired. I am not going to wash myself now. I am going to lie just like that, covered in blood, sweat and body parts.

Gross, you say? Guyz really? I have just slain 150 kg bunny. I ain’t thinking about bath now.

I have dropped myself on my provisory bed. And tried to fall into sleep. When I was about to enter the realm of Morpheus another ding dinged.

Quest has ended. You have found 11 hearts Calcualting rewards Exp gained - 10exp per heart You have obtained 110exp You have over 10 hearts - milestone reached Special gift [Tear of goddess] obtained Special gift Exp Booster - 1 month Special gift [Class bag] has been obtained Warning! Restriction detected. You may not get this gift until you pick a class. Gift will stay unavailable until then

[tear of the goddess

potion – removes all negative status effects from the target and fill hp bar, mana bar, and stamina bar completely. One time use only. The item shall perish in 58minutes 42 seconds if it will not be consumed]

[You have gained a level]

.

.

.

Someone really likes me there, huh?

I shake my head in disbelief. I gulp a potion in one go. In a moment I felt extremely sleepy… side effect huh? Okay good night guyz. See you tomorrow.

Name: Zariel

Level: 2 exp 43.6% [109/250]

Age: 16

Race: Human

Class: None

Job: None

Title: The one who forge his own fate

Champion slayer

Hp: 87/100 improving

Stamina: 48/110 improving

Mana: NA

Attributes:

Strength: 8 – 1

Vitality: 10

Endurance: 8

Construction: 11

Dexterity: 12 - 2

Reflex: 7

Intelligence: 19

Wisdom: 17

Spiritualism: 12

Luck: 4+10

Charisma: 4+5

Charm: 6

Unallocated points: 10

Skills:

Appraisal level 2 exp 0.71%

Skinning level 1 exp 90.00%

Resistances

State:

Broken limb – left forearm (strength and dexterity debuff) improving