Morning came too soon for my liking.

I had one of those nights where you wanted to sleep but the universe wouldn't let you.

Also, fun fact, it turns out the farther you get from the mountain, the hotter the forest gets.

Not only that, I was seated up against the hard wood of a tree and balancing myself on what I thought was a thick branch. Spoiler, it wasn’t. I thought I would fall at any time by the way the branch bent and creeked under my body.

Oh. Any then there was my body. My bloodied clothing was sticking to me like glue and the humidity of the forest drenched my body in sweat the whole night. God I miss showers.

When I finally woke up from my drenched, sweat fueled nap, I felt so stiff in my joints that I could barely move. Not to mention, my body odor burned the inside of my nose with rank stenches of guts and blood that weren't even mine.

But the worst part about last night was the fact that I was sooooo thirsty. I couldnt keep my eyes closed long enough to rest due to my insane thirst.

I knew I would never take fresh water from a sink for granted again.

So ya. Last night sucked ass.

'I'm definitely dehydrated. I think humans can only last 2 days without water. I think its been a little over 2 days. Then there was that fight and the constant walking. I havent had a solid drink of water yet here.'

I'm in trouble. My throat was dry as a desert and I had lost the ability to produce saliva somewhere throughout the night. If I couldnt find something to drink soon I knew I would probably pass out and die.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, my foggy mind ordered my eyes to look from the tree to find water.

'water..must find water. There were animals nearby so there should be some form of water near me. I just have to find it.'

I look around the forest from my perch desperately; and almost cry when I cant find anything near me. I had hoped that the early morning sunlight would give me a better view of the area around me in the forest but sadly that was a no. I could see no water sources.

I closed my eyes again and began to listen to my surroundings. I knew from the survival shows I watched that if you cant see water, listening for it would be your next best option.

So I listened.

I strained myself in desperation. I tuned out everything else, my sense of smell, my sense of touch, my sight, everything.

I was desperate.

I kept listening until the sun began to pierce through the leaves of my tree and hit me in the face with its unwelcomed warmth.

'....nothing.....damn it. I cant hear anything.'

I was about to give up when, miraculously, I heard something. It was soft and light but I could barely make it out. It was the sound of a bush being hit by a body. Something was moving, and from the sounds I could hear, it was getting closer.

'hmmm....a predator maybe? Or a rabbit? Its coming from the same direction the others came from.'

I keep listening to it. Its slow pace towards me was almost maddening. It took the creature 30 min just to get within my identifying radius.

I then opened my eyes and looked at the direction it was coming from. It was behind a bush, just out of my sight and the identify skill couldnt identify it yet due to the bushes interference.

It had stopped just behind a bush 3 meters to the left of the tree I was on.

I waited for it to move. I didnt make a sound and kept myself hidden on my branch bed.

It took it a while but it finally moved and when it did I help my breath. What I saw was a massive viper like creature. The closest thing I could compare it to was a snake. It was the size, height wise of a medium size dog and a length of a small car. It was greenish brown in color to match the surroundings and blend in. It slithered out from the bush and looked around, sniffing the air with its tongue.

I was able to identify it once I saw it and after I did my blood ran cold.

[Forest Viper Lvl 26: ?????]

'shit. That thing is 20 levels over me and I cant identify its description. There is no way I can kill that thing. Lets just let it pass and hope I dont find another one.'

It slithered around a little in the forest within my range and then stopped, sniffed the air, and turned its head toward my tree.

I freaked out but did not make a move. I wasnt a huge fan of snakes to begin with and a snake this big and this powerful was not something I wanted to face right now.

It waited a while and then sniffed with its tongue again. This time though it moved towards my tree.

When it reached the base I covered myself with the cloak and hoped that snakes couldnt climb trees.

Sadly I was wrong. The snake looked directly at my branch and sniffed with its tongue again. When it did, I could have sworn I saw it smile. I dont know how a snake could smile but this one could and it did not look cool.

It began to make its way up the tree to a branch across from mine. I knew it could smell me and I knew it knew I knew. I had to make a choice, run or fight? If I ran it would probably catch up with me in no time, but if I fought it I would die for sure.

As I was deciding this it opened up its mouth and revealed two long deadly fangs the size of my arms. It poized itself to strike at me and I had to move or die. Its mouth looked like it could swallow me whole.

Then it struck out, I immediately leaned off the branch and fell to the ground. It missed me by a hair's breadth but some of the dripping venom hit my right arm surprising me and making me drop my horned weapon.

When I landed on the ground I jumped up and ran towards the dead rabbits, hopping that it would choose the dead meat over me, if there was any left.

I ran as fast as I could and then some, bobbing and weaving between trees and jumping over bushes. I refused to look back because I could hear its body crashing after me through the forest. My body was so tired and dehydrated so I knew if I stopped running then I would die.

The adrenaline was helping me cope with the situation but the venom on my arm was not. It burned through my clothing quickly and kept burning through my arm like it was water. After a few seconds I could see my bone on my arm and it was burning through even that before slowing then stopping. I started to scream in pain. It wasnt bad but it still hurt. Thankfully pain resistance was helping me stay sane through the pain.

This was bad. Now I really I couldnt stop. Melting was not the way I wanted to go. So I kept running as fast as I could.

Then I felt it. A wave of water crashing onto my back. However, it wasnt water, it was venom. It had shot its venom at me!

I could already feel my body burn from the acidic substance. I felt whole patches of skin fall off my back. I screamed out in agony but I refused to stop running. I could barely see through my tears.

Then the pain stopped being unbearable and started to become a dull numbness.

I realized that the acid must have burned off all of my nerve endings. It still hurt but it wasnt like the pain I felt before.

Then I could feel parts of my back muscle fall off of me as I continued to run.

I felt my right arm start to sag and I briefly glanced at it while I ran.

I tried moving it to look and see what happened, but I couldnt.

What I saw was acid eating through the muscles on my shoulder which had once allowed me to move my arm.

It dangled there helplessly by my side, flipping around as I kept running.

I was struck dumb by the feeling of losing an arm. I couldnt describe it.

Thankfully though my legs kept running and it was by some miracle I finally saw the small clearing where I fought the rabbits ahead of me. It was so close. I could feel it. I sped up hoping that, the rabbits bodys would end this chase and I could run from this monster and heal.

I bursed through the underbrush and entered the small clearing where I fought the rabbits. What I saw though sank my hopes.

There, standing over and eating the remains of the rabbits were 3 large silver looking wolves. Each one was almost as large as a motorcycle from back home.

I briefly identify them, then smiled. I finally had a plan!

[Silver Wolf Pack Leader Lvl 16: Deadly pack hunter. Intelligent commander of the pack.]

[Silver Wolf Lvl 14: Deadly pack hunter. If you see one, there are more nearby.]

[Silver Wolf Lvl 14: Deadly pack hunter. If you see one, there are more nearby.]

I ran towards them at top speed. I the dodged the first wolf to jump at me and jumped behind a bush. I turned around right as the snake broke through into the clearing.

For a moment nothing happened.

Everyone stared at each other and contemplated the options.

The snake was the first to act though, spitting acid onto the nearest wolf's face. The level 14 wolf's face started to melt and you could hear it howl in pain.

The other two decide that I wasnt a big threat due to me at the very edge of death and then focused on the snake.

I had found some freedom from death. It wasnt a lot but it was enough for me who had no hope before.

During the standoff and beginning of the battle with the wolves vs the snake I activated Iron skin and sat there at the base of a tree and waited for my body to heal. I hoped that focusing on healing would make my passive skill focus work.

I knew I was in bad shape when I almost lost consciousness from the pain and from how tired I was when I sat down. I forced myself to stay awake though. I knew if I passed out, I died.

While I healed, the wolfs coordinated themselves against the snake. The level 16 wolf dodged the snakes venom spit and managed to sink its teeth into the snakes neck drawing a loud screech from the snake. The second wolf tried to do the same but was thrown off due to the spasms of the snakes body. Instead it went for the body of the snake, biting at it and ripping the scales off of the snakes body causing gashes to form.

The final wolf was hobbling away from the fight, wounded and blinded from the venom. It was slowly starting to die and it, in its fright to get away from the sounds of battle, hobbled towards me.

I looked around and deactivated Iron skin and grabbed a rock with my left arm. I couldnt move that well but I didnt have to wait long for the disabled wolf to get within my range.

WIth all the strength I had I brought down the rock in my left hand on its head. I then hear a loud crack and the wolf fell dead at my side.

What happened next was what I was hoping.

I leveled up.

I opened up my notifications while the wolves and the snake was preoccupied.

[Congratulations! You have leveled up to level 7!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up to level 8!]

I quickly opened my status screen.

[ Name: John Scythe

Title(s): Revenge Seeker, Worldcrosser, Champion of Death, One Cursed by Death, Marked One

Race: Human

Level: 8

Health/Health Regen: 32/(13 per hr)(2.5/minute)

Stamina/Stamina Regen: 28/(7 per hr)(2.5/minute)

Mana/Mana Regen: 66/(4 per hr)

Ailment: Poisoned: -6 health a min until acid dilludes 3:46...3:45...3:44...

Ailment: Bleeding: -1.5 health regen every min

Unallocated Stat Points: 10

Unallocated Stolen Stat points: 12 Strength

Strength: 8(100)

Agility: 29

Vitality: 15

Constitution: 13(150)

Endurance: 4(150)

Dexterity: 7(150)

Perception: 10

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom: 4

Carisma: 6

Luck: -1

Passive Skills

Pain Resistance Lvl 5

Sneak Lvl 3

Focus Lvl 4

Dodge Lvl 1

Active Skills

Fallen Army Lvl 1

Brand of the Reaper Lvl 1

Self Poison Lvl 1

Iron Skin Lvl 1

Identify Lvl 1

Sense Aura Lvl 1]

I then immediately put 5 stat points into strength, 5 into vitality, and all of the stolen stat points to strength. It was a rash decision but I decided I would need strength and health to face the immediate danger.

I hit confirm and for a moment I felt no pain. There was only pleasure.

When I came back down from nervna, I immediately used iron skin and continued to focus on my healing. I needed the poisoned allment to end quickly before I did anything else. Who knew poisoning could be so powerful in a fight?

I was still upset with the bleeding allment but I would have to make due. Thankfully I had 50 extra health now. Thanks to it I was able to heal and move my right arm again after hitting confirm but I could only do little things. I still had no strength in it so I would have to rely on my left hand for a while.

Thankfully, the others didnt notice me kill their comrade so I was able to stay out of the fight for a few minutes.

When I looked at my health and stamina stats again I saw them regenerating thankfully after the poisoning allment ended.

I watched carefully on the fight while I healed. The wolves were fearless and were gaining a lot of ground on the snake.

It had cuts and scratches all over its body and it was bleeding profusely from a bad gash from its neck, but the wolves fared no better.

The level 16 wolf was missing an eye and an ear and was hesitant to use its left hind leg. The level 14 wolf was in worse shape, its right back hind leg was missing and it was bleeding from the stub. The level 14 wolf was melting from some of the venom splashes form the snake on multiple areas of its body too.

It was really interesting though. I realized from this fight that strategy and teamwork could overcome something far above your levels. I had no doubt that if the snake didnt damage the third wolf then the wolves would have killed the snake easily with there teamwork.

For now though it was almost a stalemate. The wolves were winning but barely.

Then an evil idea can into my mind.

'what if I killed them all and gain all of the experience and levels? This could be a huge boost to myself if I can play it right!......'

I smiled evilly and waited for a few more minutes to get my health up as much as possible.

Then I slowly got up and sneaked away from the fight. The others didnt notice me leave.

I hid in the bushes and treeline. The snake was losing badly now. The blood loss was affecting its judgement and accuracy with its venom, which the wolves noticed and took advantage of. Their coordinated attacks were deadly to the snake.

Every so often the snake would shoot venom in a horizontal line making the wolves jump back away from the snake giving it some room to breathe before the wolves came again.

The wolves didnt give the snake much time to rest though.

As this all was going on I had managed to make it to the edge of the fight in the clearing. I was near enough to the fight but behind a bush, concealed.

There I waited with the rock in my left hand looking for a chance.

When the snake shot its venom in a horizontal line again the wolves jumped back near the edge of the clearing.

Thats when I made my move.

I attacked the hurt level 14 wolf that jumped near me by bashing it upside the head with the rock repeatedly before jumping back to hide in the forest. I confirmed that I got the notification for killing it before jumping away.

When I turned around I could see the level 16 wolf staring at me and snarling, ready to pounce, but before it could the snake shot another spirit of its venom at the level 16 wolf in the side, taking advantage of the disturbance.

The venom just grazed the wolf but it was enough to get a howl of pain from the wolf. It then directed its attention back to the snake to finish the kill.

The fight began to change though after losing the second wolf. Now that there was only one enemy the snake had more of an advantage. This didnt even out the fight but I could see that things would be ending soon.

The blood coming from the wolf's side was making its actions slow and more susceptible to the snakes strikes.

Then the snake made a daring move. It leaped at the wolf and used its fangs to bite into the side of the wolf. The wolf started to howl in pain and claw at the snakes body to try to get the snake off of the wolf, but the snake wouldnt let go. It had caught its prey and it's venom was eating through the wolfs insides quickly.

It look less than a min for the wolf to fall over. It was still alive but it couldnt move due to the pain. This was when the snake released itself from the wolf and prepared to finish the kill.

But before it could I jumped behind it and bashed its head in with my rock until the rock broke. Then I used my anger and my wrath to fuel my fists to beat it to death.

Only when I thought that the snake was dead did I stop. I had gone a little crazy again and broke the skull and cracked the neck.

I could see the blood pouring out of the snakes body.

Then I looked over at the still living wolf, bloodlust and hatred in my eyes.

We locked eyes for a moment, studying each other; two wounded animals after a fierce fight giving our all. I saw the intelligence it had in its single eye and sensed its strength and its will.

The wolf then, satisfied with my gaze, closed its eye and leaned its neck out to me in submission, accepting its fate at my hands.

I understood its gesture and reached out for another rock to end its suffering and give the wolf a proper death, but before I could the tattoo on my right hand began to glow.

It started as a low glow and then grew brighter the longer I stared at it.

Knowledge then began entering my mind at a rapid pace overloading my senses. My body began to act on its own instinct while my mind was overwhelmed with knowledge.

My right hand then reached out and placed itself on the dying wolfs neck.

Pain. A lot of pain. It felt like my hand was back into the furnace from when I first got the tattoo. I could sense that the wolf was in more pain though. Its whole body was being covered in shadows and darkness and I could hear it howling and whimpering in pain. My hand was also covered by the darkness covering the wolf. I couldnt take my hand away from the darkness and I was forced to feel massive amounts of agony.

The pain to my body and my mind was overwhelming. My dehydration, blood loss, and this pain became too much for me and I lost consciousness.

Everything went black.