Although I’ve said that I need only 30minutes of sleep, I’ve slept for almost 2 hours. I could have had the A.I. chip wake me up earlier, but I’ve felt that I need a bit more to recuperate from the events that have taken place. Now that I’ve calmed down, I can make a cold analysis on what happened during the day.

I’ve made a lot of stupid decisions, and that is unlike me. I can say that I’ve acted reasonably well until I’ve made the obvious mistake of attacking the wolf. Even after I’ve heard the other howls, I continued with my plan. I’ve moved based on two assumptions, the pack would be like 8-9wolves and there shouldn’t be more than 2or 3 dire ones.

Of course, both of them proved to be wrong and I almost lost my life there. Then after I was already in a desperate situation, I’ve gambled a lot by using the System, but I really didn’t had much choice there. Then we come to the second glaring mistake, I should have just left the wolves’ corpses there. Sure, I’ve gained quite some progression for my path, but I exposed myself to a lot of danger and I’ve lost a lot of time. I got lucky that I’ve found water and food so fast, but those 40minutes could have meant the difference between life and death.

After analyzing my actions, I feel very strange as there’s no way I would make such questionable decisions. And the biggest problem is that I can’t pinpoint the reason for it. Was I too affected by the fact that I lost my base, even thou I’m presented with an even bigger opportunity? Do I subconsciously believe myself as being in a video game and acted as such?

Whatever the reason is, I need to be more careful. There’s absolutely no need to rush. I can bid my time and understand the situation. My current lifespan exceeds 500years and I’m sure I’ll find ways to improve it even further on this planet. It’s just a guess, but I think that this VIT base stat is referring to the lifespan and it can be increased through some paths.

In a way it feels like I’m playing a realistic VR survival RPG on hardcore mode, this world really makes me feel like that. I want to ‘level up’ and gain stats and skills as fast as possible, but dying would mean end game, literally. I can just take it slowly and enjoy myself, like I’m in a well-deserved holiday.

For now, I should finish my current paths and start new ones, gather stat points and gain a better understanding of how magic works in this world. This fire magic got me very excited, but no matter how much I use it I don’t seem to level it up, which adds points to my theory that I need to gain proficiency and understanding to level up a skill instead of just spamming it.

Two hours passed after the sun downed, so there’s very little light, but that isn’t a problem for me. As long as there’s even a bit of light, I’m able to see like during the day. The temperature also dropped by a significant amount, but it’s nowhere near close to affecting me. According to the A.I. chip the temperature is still barely above 10°C.

I can use the night to my advantage and hunt animals that are sleeping or those aren’t used to fighting in these conditions. As the night is still young, I can also use this time and train in martial arts. I don’t have a weapon, so I can only rely on my body for now and I can use the A.I. to simulate the most optimal moves for me to use.

For now, I would like to experiment a bit to see if I can level the [Basic Martial Arts] skill even outside of combat or if I can at least increase my base stats this way. In the worst case scenario, I don’t get anything from the System, but my moves will improve and I’ll be able to use them more fluidly in an actual fight.

Finding a place where I have about 4meters radius for maneuvering, I start my training. I start by doing some warm-up, followed by different moves simulating dodging and counterattacking in combat situations.

Your skill [Basic Martial Arts] has leveled up!

Close to the end of my training I receive the message I’ve been waiting for. This once again verifies my theory about how the skill system works. Also my [Apprentice Martial Artist] path is just a bit above 95%. From what I’ve seen 80% comes from leveling [Basic Martial Arts] 4 times, about 10% comes from fighting and the rest from physically and mentally training.

I head to the stream once again. This time I only drink a bit of fresh water to refresh myself, then I throw some water on me to get the sweat off. I really dread to think what would have happened if I had clothes from before the self-cleaning fiber was created. Well it’s not literary self-cleaning, but the dirt and any other unwanted element can’t stick to it.

I can spend the rest of the night training, but I want to do a bit of hunting and exploration. After I’ve refreshed myself, I start heading towards the mountain. I had the idea of leaving marks to find my way back to the stream if I need it, but my A.I. chip can create the perfect map of the places I’ve been to, so I don’t have to worry.

Warning! Unknown organism is stalking the host from behind. Caution advised!

When I’ve almost reached the steeper part of the mountain, an unexpected message came, putting me on guard. I’ve been careful and made almost no sound, but not only was this ‘stalker’ able to detect me, I wouldn’t have detected it without help. I focus all my senses, but I can only estimate its position. I continue to walk until I hear the some leaves’ rustle, helping me pinpoint its location. I instantly charge towards in an attempt to make my enemy reveal itself.

When I get close, I’m forced to stop my charge as a huge black monster leaps towards me. I barely manage to dodge its claws by jumping back, but an electric attack still strikes me. Fortunately, it’s not very strong and I’m able to endure it without losing focus or receiving any real damage. Still I dread to think what would have happened if I took that claw head-on, I would have probably been struck by an aftereffect close to the ‘Alpha’ wolf’s thunderbolt attack.

I take a moment and examine my opponent. Its body resembles that of a panther, but it has 6 huge sharp bones coming out of it, a pair on each side and the last two sprouting out of its back. The bones give a metallic feeling, and combined with their form, they resemble curved swords pointing backwards. Even with the bones almost doubling its width and increasing its height, the panther still has an aerodynamic form.

The bones as well as its claws and fangs have electric sparks coming out of them, reminding me of the first wolf I’ve fought, but on a completely different scale. The bones give it a natural defense similar to that of a hedgehog, completely protecting its body. There’s no point where I can strike without entering the range of its fangs, its claws or its bones.

The beast doesn’t give me time to even think of a plan as it already attacks again, this time charging to bite me. I roll sideways, as a simple sidestep would have left me in the bones range. Even being at half a meter away from them, I’m still affected by the electricity discharged by the bones. Considering its speed and defense, I once again feel like I’m in a fight with no chance of winning.

Recognizing this, I jump in a tree and start climbing, but shortly after I hear a sound behind me. When I look back, the panther is also claiming by sticking its claws inside the tree bark. As it’s faster than me, I forced to jump backwards as I have no way of defending up here.

While thinking how to reduce the falling damage as much as possible, I see the creature jumping after me aiming to strike me midair. I realize that I have no way of dodging this time so I cross my arms to guard the rest of my body.

Its claws strike me, leaving deep marks into my forearms and propelling me even further. The attack leaves a strong electric current making me unable to land properly. I land on my left arm, breaking it to the point where I’m not sure if I can use it for the rest of the fight. I can’t even waste a moment to the pain, as I’m already forced to roll again in order to evade the monster’s next charge in time.

Before it gets to charge at me again, I manage get back on my feet. As I see it charging at me again, I realize that my speed and power are once again increased after being hit with electricity, probably due to the effect of the [Lightning Conversion] skill. This gives me an idea. At last I have a plan that gives me a chance in this fight. A very risky one indeed, but considering the alternative is death, I’ll gladly roll the dice.

When the panther nearly reaches me, I simply sidestep a bit, allowing its bone to enter into my left shoulder. I endure the powerful electricity going through me and attempt to channel it into increasing my power. After half a second of charging, I knee and jab its neck with all the power I’ve got.

For the first time in this fight, the panther takes some real damage and falls on the ground. I don’t waste the opportunity and use the wolf fang to pierce its eye. The beast roars in pain and tries to attack me, forcing me to leave the wolf fang stuck in its now empty socket. After I dodge its desperate attack, I manage to kick it on the face, forging the wolf fang to penetrate further.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t reach the brain and before I can give a second push, I’m forced to retreat in order to avoid the next attack. Immediately after, I hear the sound of electricity greatly intensifying reminding me of how the leader wolf charged his attack. Remembering that attack, I try to attack it in order to interrupt its charging attack.

But instead of the predicted attack, the panther charges at me with an unbelievable speed, I’m not even able to block this time, so I take a clean hit from its claw. This time it leaves two huge claw wounds into my chest and launches 8 meters backwards. The electric aftereffect completely paralyses me and I crash into the ground.

I open my eyes, which I involuntarily closed during the impact, and panic as I’m not able to move and the monster is walking here to finish the kill. No, it’s not walking, its speed considerably decreased and there’s no electricity coming out of it anymore, probably a side-effect of using that attack. But I’m unable to take advantage of its state as my body is lying on the ground, paralyzed by the electric current still flowing through it.

I activate the [Cognitive Overpower], as the System called it, and watch as the panther speed slows to that of a snail. I ignore it and close my eyes once again, focusing my entire on controlling the electricity going through my body. I concentrate on its flow and try to redirect it outside of my body.

The electricity is a wild unstoppable force, but as humans have proven, it can be controlled like any other force of nature. It’s so called ‘unpredictability’ was only due to our inability to understand atoms in the past. As I remember everything I know about electricity and how to control its flow, I feel the strange energy coming out of my brain and rearranging my cells in a way that allows me to control the electric flow in my body.

Seconds, which felt like hours, pass, and I open my eyes once again. Instead of discharging the electricity, I’m fully able to use it to my advantage. The panther fangs are already less than a few centimeters away from my neck. While it still moves in slow-motion, I raise my right hand and use it to strike the panther’s head with such a force that I penetrate its skull and destroy its brain. Then time starts flowing normally again.

Your [Basic Martial Arts] skill has leveled up!

You have completed the [Apprentice Martial Artist] path! AGI, DEX and VIT base stats increased by 3 permanently. You have earned 10 path points!

Your ‘Human’ path has reached the 10% milestone! You have earned 5 path points!

Your ‘Otherworlder 1’ path has reached the 50% milestone! You have obtained the [Automatic Translation] rare skill. You have earned 5 skill points!

You have withstood a powerful lightning attack! Your lightning resistance increased by 1%.

Your [Lightning Conversion] skill has leveled up!

Your [Basic Martial Arts] skill has leveled up!

Your ‘Otherworlder 1’ path has reached the 75% milestone! TLN base stat increased by 10 permanently.

Your [Lightning Conversion] skill has leveled up!

You have killed a Mutated Lightning Padrenth! You have earned 16.1 stat points! You have earned a skill point!

Your [Cognitive Overpower] skill has leveled up!

Your [Lightning Conversion] skill has achieved a breakthrough! You have obtained the [Basic Lightning Magic Manipulation Lv1] rare skill. Your lightning affinity increased by 50%. Your lightning resistance increased by 50%.

You have completed the ‘Otherworlder 1’ path. Your [Otherworlder] title has been upgraded. You have earned 20 path points!

Your ‘Human’ path has reached the 25% milestone! All base stats increased by 2 permanently. You have earned 5 path points!

Spoiler: Status

Identity

Stats

Active Paths

Name

Avitus Volten

STR

233

[256.3]

VIT

153

[168.3]

Human

33.2%

Race

Human

AGI

292

[321.2]

PER

369

[405.9]

Beast Dismantler

58%

Sex

Male

DEX

321

[353.1]

INT

351

[386.1]

Age

47

CON

192

[211.2]

WIS

97

[106.7]

Title

Outsider

END

103

[113.3]

TLN

30

[48.4]

Affinities

Resistances

Titles Earned

Perks

Lightning

98%

Lightning

95%

Otherworlder

Lightningborn

A.I. Chip

Mental

82%

Pain

72%

Outsider

Shadow

53%

Mental

55%

Fire

38%

Poison

52%

Spatial

8%

Spatial

25%

Temporal

2%

Skills

Common

Rare

Personal

Basic Self-Regeneration Lv8

Fake Status Lv1

Quantum A.I. Processor Lv27

Basic Martial Arts Lv6

Basic Long-range Appraisal Lv1

Dismantle Lv3

Lightning Conversion MAX

Meditation Lv1

Cognitive Overpower Lv4

Basic Fire Magic Lv1

Automatic Translation MAX

Basic Lightning Magic Manipulation Lv1

You have 19.9 unspent stat points, 7 unspent skill point and 42 unspent path points.