Congratulations! Your「WALKING」skill has increased to Level 47

You arrive at the homestead in the nick of time. The skyline has just about engulfed the sun, plunging the world into familiar darkness. And a veil of gloom enfolds the lands as you nervously approach the farmhouse.

You stand by the porch, reluctant to move any closer. Manmade structures possess an air of mystique that unnerves you to no end. And you pace back and forth, debating on whether you should enter or not.

Your friend is privy to your uneasy state, and it stands by cautiously, awaiting your decision.

As the night breeze brushes against your skin though, you snap out of your cowardice. The cold is no laughing matter, as evidenced by your near transformation into a popsicle yesterday, and so your only choice is to take shelter in this humble abode.

You swallow your fears and walk up the steps. This'll be the first time you've ever had a roof over your head. The prospect sends your heart racing.

Subconsciously, you knock on the entrance. But no answer returns.

It is then you notice the door is unlocked, and you let yourself in, unaware of proper guest etiquette. You allow your friend to slip through before closing the door behind you. And you are greeted with a dreary interior.

Cobwebs infest every corner of the room, and the floorboards are covered in a thick layer of fuzzy gray. Your friend sneezes as some of this dust invades their nostrils. This house has seen better days.

Exploring the resident-less residence, you realize just how barren it is. The kitchen is devoid of any food, and a dusty bed is the only piece of furniture upstairs. There is a fireplace, but it hosts no flame. There are lanterns, but they harbor no light.

The sole saving grace of this abandoned hovel is the stretch of walls that offer you protection from the elements, but even they are riddled in holes and weathered.

You return to the living room and sit on a solitary stool sat in front of the fireplace.

In spite of its sordid condition, this house seems a preferable place of refuge over the freezing outdoors, even if not by much. You can't tell whether it's your clothes doing most of the work or your friend's body heat though. Either way, this is the farthest thing from home.

You figure that when morning rolls around, you'll head out and find a better place.

"This place... bad..." you mutter to yourself. Your friend, powdered in dust, joins you and lies down by your feet.

As you envision an ideal home for both of you, an intriguing set of shelves catch your eye.

Bookshelves containing... well, books. You slink over to the shelves and grab the first one you see.

"A... guide... to... farming..?" you barely make out the book's faded cover. As you aren't sleepy yet, you think to pass the time with some light reading. And you pry open this treasure trove of knowledge and absorb every word you read.

Congratulations! Your「READING」skill has increased to Level 13

However, you grind to a screeching halt once a peculiar notification pops up.

Congratulations! Your「FARMING」skill has increased to Level 1

By reading this book, you not only level up your reading, but you also level up the skills tied to said book. The revelation is a gamechanger, and you swiftly go through the whole book in one sitting.

You bring out your journal and check it to see how much you gain from that one reading session.

Unlocked Skills Progress Reading 20/100 Speaking 34/100 Listening 61/100 Observing 89/100 Smelling 6/100 Walking 53/100 Running 31/100 Short Blade 2/100 Blunt Resistance 10/100 Poison Resistance 1/100 Cold Resistance 55/100 Water Resistance 1/100 Foraging 12/100 Farming 15/100 Taming 8/100 Crafting 1/100

Fifteen points to farming. All from a single book. You turn to the other literary pieces on the shelves and carry them to your stool. You pile a stack of books beside your seat and plan to read through the night.

Your friend stares at you, confused as to why you bring dozens of meaningless binders with a glint in your eye.

But as you appear happy, the animal doesn't think any less of you and naps by the unlit fireplace with its tail curled to its head.

You pick up a book about seeds and begin your learning journey.

Congratulations! Your「FARMING」skill has increased to Level 30

And another about tilling soil.

Congratulations! Your「FARMING」skill has increased to Level 45

And another about crop cycles.

Congratulations! Your「FARMING」skill has increased to Level 60

When you think about it, it probably makes sense that most books in a farmhouse would be about farming.

And you read till sunrise. The chirping birds herald the crack of dawn, and a warm light shines through the cracked windows of this ramshackle farmhouse. You stretch your arms, having finished the entire bookshelf collection.

End of Day 2

Current Objective: Find a new home

You rub your eyes and review your journal once more.

Unlocked Skills Progress Reading 90/100 Speaking 51/100 Listening 61/100 Observing 99/100 Smelling 6/100 Walking 53/100 Running 31/100 Short Blade 2/100 Blunt Resistance 10/100 Poison Resistance 1/100 Cold Resistance 55/100 Water Resistance 1/100 Foraging 87/100 Farming 90/100 Taming 8/100 Crafting 16/100

You are flabbergasted by the effectiveness of leveling through books. Not only does it require less effort, but it's also relatively time-efficient.

You could have easily maxed out a skill if you had more books. Alas, the world is not so convenient.

Your friend wakes up and spots you packing up your journal. It has a feeling you have not slept all night, and worry for your health. You turn to it and smile assuringly. For some reason, you don't feel sleepy. It's as if you don't require sleep at all.

You think of putting your farming knowledge to practice and saunter out the front door to face the new day.

From this wooden porch, you look upon the meadow and all its green glory. The grass sways gently in the breeze, and from your understanding, the soil in this area is extremely fertile. You scrutinize the land from east to west, contemplating a proper layout.

And shortly after doing so, a series of text boxes appear, apprising you of a shocking result.

Congratulations! Your「OBSERVING」skill has increased to Level 100 Talent Unlocked:「God's Eye」 Updating User Interface...

You weren't paying attention to the observing skill. So the news comes to you as a surprise.

The two notifications following that are what really keep you on edge though. Your friend wraps itself around your leg in an attempt to comfort you. Your behavior grows erratic by the minute, and you are terrified as to what this talent could mean.

Suddenly, it becomes apparent.

User Interface successfully updated!

You look down at your friend and see strings of code attached to the animal.

???

Mystfox [♂]

Level: 15

HP: 2500/2500

"Mystfox..?" you say out loud, hardly processing what's going on.

You hastily reach for your belt bag to consult your journal, only to have the bag's contents spill out. Among them are the gems that dropped from the slimes.

When you bend over to pick them up though, you are also bombarded with information.

[Petrified Slime]

Quality: Normal

Weight: 0.1

You fall to your knees, utterly overwhelmed.

You pull yourself up using the windowsill and look at your reflection in what little remains of the glass. Your right iris has turned a vibrant pink. And you are startled by your otherworldly appearance.

By maxing out your observation skill, you've gained a new means of gaining insight into this realm.

But in doing so, you've undoubtedly morphed into something farther from your original self.

And you slowly rise to your feet, not understanding the true implications of this transformation. "What exactly am I leveling up to?" you wonder to yourself, transfixed by your mismatched eyes.