“The sound of hundreds upon hundreds of flying beasts taking flight, screaming their lungs of. They can sense the upcoming horror, they too can feel the tension that permeates the mountain fortress Keeo.”

“It’s hard to breathe! Leysa!”

‘Relax.’

“I can’t! Not with this wind pressure!

Damn, that’s pretty convenient. Is that a spell?”

‘It’s a simple spell.’

“The young woman is of course being modest. Although it may not take much of her mana to conjure the spell, it does however take near all of her concentration. But this is only due to her having to shield our pathetic protagonist.”

“I’m level six man. I can’t be faulted for a late start can I? This is my first time flying without a seatbelt and a cocktail.”

“Many would beg, plead, kill and yes, even die to be in our hero’s footsteps. Yet all he does is whinge and moan about his own inadequacies.”

“Even die? How would they replace me if they’re dead? Feeling alright there bud?”

‘Ji?’

“Sorry. I keep forgetting you can’t hear his endless nonsense. It’s usually alright but the defamation of my character is way too frequent and to be honest, pretty strange.”

‘Uhm. Alright then.’

“We now soar over the beautiful scenery that would leave most speechless. One might even second guess that this was still truly earth.”

“Hey. Don’t ruin my immersion.

Leysa, how long will we be flying?”

‘The journey will take a week if we are lucky.’

“A week!? How in the name of all that is sacred are we going to manage that?”

“A look of slight derision can be seen in young Leysa’s eyes before she exhales dramatically whilst turning to look off into the horizon”

‘I could have been fighting by now. Why did I leave?’

“And you would have died. What is this even about? How do you have this attitude towards life? My life is literally endless suffering and I don’t want to die.”

‘*Snork* As if you would understand.

Don’t say it!’

“I didn’t say anything!

By the way. I found a minor ability that looks like it could be useful. It’s called forced empathy. Wait let read it out for you.”

|Forced empathy|

Damage conversion: None

Expected damage

****

Initial hit: Generic mana

Secondary hit: Kinetic

Strength

🔛

1:0.1

Agility

🔛

1:0.05

Focus

🔛

1:1

Intelligence

🔛

1:0.5

[Mental] [Blunt][Melee][Psychological]

Ability description:

A often disregarded ability. Forced empathy requires certain mental fortitude to operate. The mental equivalent of a blunt strike, Forced empathy operates through brute force.

While requiring only a small amount of control, the ability, in its generic form relies on overwhelming Focus and Intelligence to generate its force.

While the required control is low, the requirement of Intelligence is paramount. Without it, the ability will be slow acting. Requiring prolonged physical contact. Putting the user at high risk.

Additional effects can be found. Forced empathy can be used to convey intent, mental imagery, feelings and physical sensation.

‘Why would you want that? You can take minor athleticism, minor martial arts or any of other minor combat arts! This is essential for a good basic foundation!´

“Hehe. You’ll see! It’s going to be great. Now I just need to find a way to level up faster, any ideas?

Oh, and what are those numbers down there?”

‘We’ll have to make one or two stops a day. So I can take you to hunt, the wilderness is filled with all sorts of creatures.

Those numbers shows you how much attributes increase your potential damage. While it is not the only factors, they are what most people brag about.’

“Ah. makes sense. And we’re going to hunt Non-undead right?”

‘Of course. There aren’t just undead roaming about, what would we eat?’

“Ah. Ye. Of course.”

‘It will be dangerous. It can even be dangerous for me.’

“Mmm.”

“It would appear our hero notices the little heiress of the Keeo fortress struggling to keep up the conversations and he lapses into thought. His blank face provoking irritation.”

…

…

...

“The day passes and our hero stumbles off the exhausted majestic avian creature. While Leysa and Ji flew in the front. The rest of the Keeo refugees follow shortly. Most downcast, and it would appear some members have gone missing.”

“I can’t feel my ass, I’m numb down to the bone. What about you?”

‘My ass is none of your concern.’

“We’ll see about that.”

‘What?!’

“A playful smirk appears on the young lady’s face as the, oh so stupid hero realizes his mistake.”

“Run! Help! Mmmphhh.”

“A tragic scene unfolds as our hero gets tied up and gagged and carried around like a bride on her wedding day. Will he ever learn? Taking bets now.”

“Mmmmpphm!”

“Tents rise in an orderly fashion as the camp splits up into small groups, some start putting up tents while others start roaming the nearby area, in the hopes to find prey.”

‘You going to behave?’

“Mmmhhh!”

‘Good!’

“Bah! You are going to feel so sorry once I get this forced empath thing up and running.

Go, go, go! We need to go hunt. Anything will do!”

‘*snicker* follow me’

“Our hero raises one eyebrow before following the young wilder beast, I mean young woman.”

“Ha!”

‘What?’

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Lead the way.

I was wondering, what will grant experience? You’re level one thousand thirty eight. Hey. When did you level?”

‘You can do a lot of things, sometimes generic quests just pop up when people ask you to do things. You can also exercise, kill pests, anything from tiny insects to large rodents.’

“Hmm. Exercise? So like lifting things, running around?”

‘Yes, and sparring, want to spar with me?’

“A near unnoticeable shiver runs through our hero’s body. What unfaltering strength of will.”

“I’ll pass for now.”

“His eyes flutter about, looking for unsuspecting victims. Have his predator instincts awoken? Let’s find out.”

“That was a thing right? Did I kill it?”

‘What are you doing? Why are you stomping the ground like that.’

“I’m hunting an insect, I’m pretty sure I saw something move.”

‘…’

“Sometimes silence can be louder than words and I believe this to be one of those cases.”

“I’m hunting!”

‘Okay. Don’t shout.’

“Are you two in colluding? You’ve got great back and forth.

How are we going to hunt anything? We’ve got no weapons.”

“With the wave of her hand, the beautiful young woman softly touches the inconspicuous bag strapped to her belt.”

‘With this! You don’t know this but I can be considered an above average archer!”

“Oohhh, can I see that?”

|Silverlight’s marksman’s bow of the true moon|

Adds an additional two hundred and eighteen piercing damage to arrows released.

Adds an additional one hundred and seventy-six to vision whilst under moonlight.

Increase accuracy by three hundred percent whilst in contact with moonlight.

“The shimmering moonlight seems to have been caught, Bound and strung to the beautiful but durable palewood.

“Let the darkest of days light up in ways, only you understand.””

Durability: 284/284

Charge: 100/100

Tier: 20

Item ability: ****

Strength

🔛

1:0.1

Agility

🔛

1:0.8

Focus

🔛

1:0.01

Intelligence

🔛

1:0.005

“Oh! Cool, where did you get this? What is tier twenty?”

‘This was a drop from a level six hundred something silver owl. Although it’s been modified a bit as well.

Tiers increase every thirty levels. So tier twenty requires you to be at least level six hundred to benefit from the items bonuses.’

“I see. We need to talk about levels and skills when I near level thirty as well! By the way, do you have rested bonus?”

‘Ye, seventeen percent, but that doesn’t mean much, it is just a flat amount of experience you get extra. It gets used up quickly, especially at higher levels.’

“Oh? Mine is pretty ridiculous then! It’s stuck on five hundred percent at the moment. It says an approximate can’t be calculated right now. Do you know what’s going on?”

‘That’s extraordinary, I’ve heard of some people that do not fight and have accumulated high rested bonuses, five hundred percent was proven to be the cap.

usually it gets used up a lot faster than it is gathered.’

“I see. I guess mine is a finite resource as well. I’ll check every once in awhile, see if the percent drops.

So back to the hunt, will I not be able to use that bow?”

‘You can, you just won’t get any of the stat increases.’

“Then will I be able to kill anything with it?”

‘Depends on what you are attacking, if it’s a low level animal in the sub hundreds, maybe you can pierce its hide.’

“That’s not very reassuring. I need more of those zombies to smash.”

Your level has increased to nine!

You have met the experience cap. You gain no further experience for this enemy.

You can distribute ten attribute points as you like.

All attribute points have been increased by one for killing a new type of enemy.

You have started a hidden mission

|Reclaim your blood|

Rid the campsite of Harlittis fiends. kill seventeen more Harlittis.

“Spilling your own blood, from the body of others.”

Location: Unnamed campgrounds

Difficulty: Irrelevant.

Reward: Survival ration including |Perfectly safe water| and |Very normal dried fruits|

“Oh! I got something! Harlittis, what are those?”

‘I have no idea.’

“Eh? I can’t find it anywhere.”

“Our hero appears to have accidentally killed a small bloodsucking tick. It being tiny makes it hard to notice. Its light and lithe body flitters about in the wind.”

“Oh come on! Wait. Does that mean I just need to walk around here and I’ll kill stuff?”

“An odd expression appears on our heroes travel companion as she watches him stomp his feet on the ground in a calculated manner.”

‘I feel like I’ve made a horrible mistake. My family is fighting for their lives and here I am, not only running away but also escorting this idiot.’

“Oh! I got another one!”

You have acquired thirty percent experience; seventy percent required to level up.

kill sixteen more Harlittis.

“Sweet! Is there a way to see proper numbers for experience Leysa?

‘Not that I know of, it is all in percentages. Some scholars take the time to calculate it.’

“I guess that’s fine.”

‘Are you going to follow me or keep stomping the ground like that?’

“What? What’s with the tone? I’ve already got one level and then thirty percent into the next one. This can be considered efficient!”

‘It’s also embarrassing!’

“Pffff. I don’t care if it’s laughable or strange, I’m gaining mad experience!”

“The forest echoed with the cries of numerous critters and beasts. The human refugees, like a plague swept through the vicinity and exterminated everything in sight.”

‘Ji’

“Why are we whispering?”

‘Over there. See?’

“Ohhhh. What is that? A pig? Wild boar? What is it standing on?”

‘That’s a stilted pig, they wear stilts from an early age, they are surprisingly fast so you’ll have to hit in the first hit or it’ll run away incredibly fast.’

“Are you being serious? You can’t be serious, stilted pig? But why?”

‘What is wrong with you? Aim your bow and shoot, before it goes away.’

“But. I mean. Okay, fine.”

“The poor stance, the trembling arms, our hero clearly has no potential when it comes to the art of the bow.”

“Go!”

“The arrow is released, it flies unstably. It will be a miracle if it hits its intended target.”

‘Great job Ji!’

Your level has increased to ten!

You have met the experience cap. You gain no further experience for this enemy.

You can distribute ten attribute points as you like.

All attribute points have been increased by one for killing a new type of enemy.

You have started a hidden mission

|The stilted menace|

The stilted pigs have grown unruly in these parts of the forest, thin the herd.

Kill or capture nine more stilted pigs.

Optional: capture four or more pigs alive

“Step, step, trip and fall. Little piggy run.”

Location: Unnamed campgrounds.

Difficulty: Easy.

Rewards: Tier one cooking materials.

Optional rewards: Proficiency in pig rearing and cooking.

“Ooooo. You think we can capture a few of these pigs Leysa?”

‘No.’

“Eh? But the bonus reward! I got a quest for it.”

‘Not happening, they are extremely quick.’

“Can we kill nine more then?”

‘No way, we’d have to be incredibly lucky to find a few different herds and then you would have to kill them before they ran away.’

“Okay. But we can still continue to hunt right?”

‘We should be heading back soon, it took us this long to just to find one stilted pig. It’s already late in the day, there will be no light soon.’

“Alright, alright.

Do you know how to cook a pig?

Oh! Loot!”

|Pig stilts|

Adds additional ten to damage when worn.

Adds additional ten to speed when worn.

“It is unknown why the stilted pigs are so fond of stilts.”

Durability: 28/31

Charge: 0/10

Tier: 1

Item ability: |Pig Leap|

Leap forward up to two additional meters.

*Unaffected by user attributes.

Strength

🔛

1:0

Agility

🔛

1:0

Focus

🔛

1:0

Intelligence

🔛

1:0

‘You are not wearing that.’

“Oh come on! Look! I’m now taller than you. And as the tallest, I think we should embrace the stilts.”

‘No. take them off or I’m taking them off.’

“Let’s not be dramatic here.

Oi! Hey! Nooo! You monster, beast! Villain!”

‘Don’t pout. You can get them back later.’

“If I didn’t have a goal before, I have one now. I will become stronger than you.”

‘Don’t you want to cure your curse?’

“Right. Curse. Well, it is a disease of sorts, not really a curse. But I do hope I’ll find something to cure me.

You think there is something out there that can heal me?”