Chapter 2

Sneak level up! x1

Sneak level up! x1

The air inside the tunnels was moist and smelled of a swamp. Solar had travelled with quiet steps the various tunnels for hours already. He had encountered a few groups of fairies and Ent, which he had avoided. He was careful even though it was easy to hide from the Ents. He wasn't naive enough to think that there couldn't be more enemies. His only plan was to slowly explore the area and gain more information.

Solar tried to use Inspect as much as possible. If he could identify living things, it could probably detect anything that edible as well. Unluckily, he hadn't noticed anything this far. The only thing that could be considered food was the glowing pulps growing from the living vines. They were something called blood fruit, and it stated that they were poisonous, so that was a no-no if it wasn't the last-way out.

Solar had gained a skill called sneak, which had also level up twice. It somehow made him know where to place his foot to minimize sound.

Creak... Creak...Creak...

The sound that had become quite familiar now echoed from behind him. Solar took cover and held his breath. Minutes he saw an Ent walking all alone through the tunnel.

"Should I ambush it? If it's like a game, it would probably drop loot or make me stronger right?" Solar thought about the idea. He felt a rush of energy as he became wide awake from the adrenalin that rushed through his body.

The thought was good in practice, but as he looked at the monster fear bubbled up inside of him. It looked strong, even alone. It was big and unknown. Fuckk...Seconds past and seconds became minutes. The monster had walked past him he stood frozen and hidden in the shadows. His fear had won. Goddammit...

"Second time I back down from a fight..." Solar muttered in disappointment in himself, "And it's from some freaking stick guy as well"

After a while of sneaking, he got another level. Finally, he found something to eat. It was a rat twice the size of normal rats with eyes the colour of blood.

Mutated rat

level: 5

A rat that has evolved from the normal rat through eating blood fruits.

Just as he was eyeing the rat, the rat became aware of him. It screeched and jumped at him. Solar flinched but was prepared. He punched the mid-air rat, smashing it into the wall.

"Heavy..." Solar thought as he became more focused. It was no normal rat. The rat shrugged and got on its feet. It shrieked from the pain. It changed tactic and tried to bite him in the leg.

Solar kicked hard and heard a crunch. It didn't take long before the winner emerged with a dead rat on the ground. The rat would probably be dangerous to the normal human, but Solar had his fair bit of fighting experience and esper powers, not very strong esper powers, but powers nonetheless.

Level 1x

T0 - Sneak level up! x1

T0 - Unarmed combat (level 7) acquired

Finding himself with 2 attribute points he added them to strength. He didn't know what the other attributes meant exactly, so strength felt like the best choice. Never wrong with more strength right?

Solar's assumption was right as he felt a wave of cold energy washing over him, like jumping in a pool of cold water without being wet. It took a few seconds, and afterwards, he felt slightly stronger than before.

Looking at the corpse of the rat, he felt nauseous just thinking about eating it. Solar picked up the rat and found a small cave room further down the tunnel. He looked around trying to find something he could skin the rat with. After a few minutes of searching, he found a suitable rock.

The skin was though and he had to use a lot of strength. He had never skinned something before despite exploring various fairly unknown parts of the world. He had always relied on dried rations.

It took more than half an hour. It wasn't only because it was his first time. The rat had a filthy stench that made it almost unbearable. He sliced off pieces of the meat.

"Can't believe I'm doing this.." Solar took a piece of meat and put it between his hands. He activated his fire manipulation, which was at the moment only able to summon heat. After a few minutes, he could hear a sizzling sound from between his hands.

The piece of meat looked unappetizing, but Solar steeled himself and took a bite. It was very chewy and had a very very strong taste of blood. He couldn't hold his stomach and threw up.

Fuck my life...Solar repeated the process. The second bite was almost as bad as the last one, but he managed not to puke. Disgusted, but forced out of hunger, he managed to eat five more pieces until he was somewhat full. He wiped his hands and mouth with his shirt, which was already dirty.

"What should I do..." Solar once again felt helplessness. He didn't know where he was, but there was no other choice the keep doing what he was doing. If sneaking around hiding from monster and killing rats for food was the only choice he had for survival, he had to take it.

Going out in the tunnels he continued to go right. He had moved further away from the place he was teleported into, hoping there would be salvation.

Minutes later he found once more rat that lurked in the shadows. He made quick work of it, the extra two attribute points in strength made it a lot easier. He continued to travel through the corridors. He found more rats and made quick work of them.

He levels up twice and put 2 points both vitality and endurance. His guess was correct. The cold energy wave that washed over-energized him and it made him stronger. Not in the strength way, but he was almost certain that he could take more punches than before. He wasn't quite certain about vitality. Does it have something to do with his recovery?

After walking for while without finding any rats, he saw a big monstrous rat, twice the size of the other rats. It was the size of a dog. It chewed on one of its kin, crushing bones and splattering blood on the ground.

Mutated rat

level: 14

A rat that has evolved from the normal rat through eating blood fruits. Through cannibalism, it has grown slightly smarter and far stronger than it's peers

When the rat saw Solar it continued to chew the rat while looking at him. Shit... There was no doubt, he saw something that resembled slight intelligence in its bloody eyes. Or maybe it was how it acted, just observing him.

"Kill!" The young man slowly moved closer to the rat. He had become more proficient with fighting the rats. They often started with a leap trying to go for the throat. He would become stronger. He would survive this.

Shrieeeeeeeek!

As anticipated the rap leaped, he threw a counter right hook. It connected. He continued with a flurry of kicks, trying to do as much damage as possible. The rat quickly recovered and circled him. Solar was to slow to react.

"ARGHHHH!" He screamed of pain as the rat bit down, ripping a huge chunch of flesh from his calf. Fuck. Fuuck..FUUCK!! He had overestimated himself and underestimated the rat. It was strong. Why didn't I find a weapon?

"Goddammit!!" The pain made him dizzy, and he fell to the ground. The rat lunged at him, but he managed to keep it away with his arms.

Just as Solar found a rock, the rat had managed to bite down on his left arm. Fortunately, it couldn't break his bones due to his higher than average endurance. A mix of unimaginable pain, fear, adrenalin and rage gave Solar powers he thought he didn't have.

Skill gained, Last Charge Lvl 1.

Gripping a rock twice the size of a fist he hit the rat. He didn't let the opportunity go to waste so he hit it again, and again and again. The fourth time did the charm as its skull cracked open.

Thud...Thud...Thud...

The young man finally stopped hitting the rat. It was long dead, half its body was a mash of blood, bones and brain matter. Solar was on the verge of death. He had lost to much blood. Too fast. Both his arm and leg were mangled. He would hardly be able to walk even if he had the energy to do it.

Level up! x3

Unarmed combat level up! 1x

Achievement gained.

Everything was blurry. Solar ignored the string of messages that popped up and put all his remaining 6 points into vitality hoping that it might make survive. Please god.. I want to live.. His conscious was beginning to fade away. Please...

Creeak... Creaak...Creeaak...

Creeaaak... Creeak...Creaaak...

Creeak... Creeeaak...Creeaaaak...

Solar heard the dreadful sounds but was too tired. He tried to rise up. To move. To escape. But his body didn't listen. There was nothing he could do. It didn't take long before everything became dark, and Solar passed out as the sounds got closer and closer, louder and louder...