I think, 'Skill Tree; Skill Trees', using my new skill to open the menu's silently, and a new window appears in front of me.

Skill Trees: Mage Warrior Ranger Thief General

'Hmm, I have a magic staff, so I'm a mage I guess. Well then I'll learn some mage skills; "Mage"', I think and a large and expansive skill tree opens in front of me with 7 skill trees with 6 types of magic. 'My magic staff has a buff when used with fire magic, so fire magic it is.' Looking at the fire magic tree, the only skill available to me currently in the fire magic section is fire creation. 'Well there is no other spell for me to get, so I guess I'll learn it. Now, how do I acquire this skill. "Buy", no. "Get", no. "Acquire", no. "Teach", no. "Learn"', and instantly after thinking learn a popup appears.

Would you like to learn the Fire Creation Skill. Upon the learning of a skill information on how to execute and use the skill will be presented to you for a short period of time. The more you comprehend the higher level the skill starts at; the lowest level is level 1. Be warned all skill acquisitions are final, there is no undoing a purchase. Yes/No

Upon answering 'Yes', in my head, a large quantity of information quickly starts flowing into my head. I stumble backwards while trying to comprehend all that is being brought into my mind; chants, mana flow, mana efficiency, spell manipulation, and more. I clutch my head in pain from the intense headache I get from trying to understand it all, but suddenly the flow stops and a window appears in front of me.

Congratulations on acquiring the skill Fire Creation, the starting level of the skill you gained is level 2.

'I'd rather not do this again any time soon. But I guess I have some talent as a mage given that the skill didn't start at level 1, like Stealth Interface did.', I think to myself while looking at the new window in front of me. Let's see what it does, "Identify."'

Fire Creation Skill Rank: F Skill Level: 2 A beginner fire magic skill that forms the base of all fire magic. Function is only limited by the user's imagination and mana capacity.

Can be used to make defensive or offensive spells with low efficiency. For every 2 mana used, 1.1 damage is inflicted in the case of offensive spells, and 1.1 damage is blocked in the case of defensive spells.

I soon glance towards the shining red gateway that both Casimir and Leon walked through, before walking towards it. 'It shouldn't be that hard right; especially for me someone who got a starting bonus.', and as I get closer and closer to the gateway I hear a voice call out to me, "Hey don't you want to join a party to be safer?" It was the unkempt man who wanted to look for a way out earlier calling to me. I shook my head in response, and continued walking to the gate. Standing before the ominous gate, I slap myself to get rid of the self-doubt filling my head, before I soon stepped forward, and while I was being surrounded by the light which would transport me to the first floor of the tower, I could hear the voice of that same unkempt man telling his new formed group members, "You shouldn't be like that guy, overconfident and arrogant, those are the ones who die first." "What does he know.", I mutter while being transported away.

***

A wide forested area appears before me, full of lush greenery, roaming animals, and a flowing river. Taking in the scenery and breathing in the fresh air that accompanied it, I began to think back on my times in prison, 'This place is so much better than that shithole of a prison. Living in that shithole, filled with the smell of sweat, blood, and shitty food; the only sights being the concrete walls, iron bars, piss poor room I stayed in, and experiencing whatever was slightly different from the day before in the daily routine. Just this scenery makes having to fight for my life worth it.' Glancing back at the scenery, I see the river and I realize that I haven't drank anything since the day before in the mess hall, and I soon begin to walk towards the river that lies in front of me. After getting to the bank, I notice the crystal clear waters flowing in it, I crouch down and cup my hands before dipping them into the water, scooping up some of the water, and bringing it before my mouth to take a drink. I then take a sip, before my eyes widen and I unconsciously mutter, "Delicious". I hurriedly drink some more of the water, and continue cupping some more into my hands until I satisfy my thirst.

Standing back up, I notice something that looks to be a building in the distance, where the river seems to be originating from. 'I might as well go there.', I think before I start walking deeper into the forest towards my new goal.

***

After walking what seemed to be around a mile and a half along the bank of the river, I encountered a creature that seemed straight out of a game; 'It's a slime.' Observing it, it seemed to be around 1 and a half feet tall and I noticed it seemed to roll aimlessly, I pull out my staff from my belt loop I put in earlier, and as I back away from it slowly, so as to prepare to cast my spell, but I step on a branch, "Shit." Looking back at the slime it's rolling around had stopped and it turned towards me. Somehow noticing me despite the seemingly apparent lack of sensory organs, it then started rolling towards me rather quickly. I quickly dashed back so as to have enough time to chant my spell and kill it. "Spirits of fire, flow into my body. Rise from my mana, and grant me control over you. Fire Creation." I then thrust out my hand holding my staff out as fire spurts from the end of it like a flamethrower, quickly evaporating whatever the slime that was previously in front of me was made of. I open up my personal profile and see that I spent 30 points of my MP, "It seems like the slime had around 30 HP." Looking down at the charred grass, where the slime previously stood, there is a slightly wriggling marble sized ball. I put my staff back into my belt loop, walk over, and pick it up. 'I wonder what this is. "Identify."', I inwardly mutter and a window appears before me.

Slime Core The core of a deceased slime that has a chance of dropping when it is killed. When consumed, it has an equal chance to have one of 3 effects: restoring 1 point of health, restoring 5 points of health, or dealing 1 point of damage

"This seems to be useful.", I mutter before stuffing the core in my right pocket, and continuing along the river bank.

***

Before long the light that was filling the forest previously started turning dim. 'I guess it's going to be night soon. Where should I sleep.' I soon start looking around for a safe area like a cave or a hollow tree where I should be safer from any monsters, but found nothing after looking around for a while. "Hmmm, what am I gonna do.", I say while looking through the canopy at the still fading light. "Ah.", I exclaim. 'I can sleep in the trees. Slimes can't climb; at least I don't think that they can.', I ponder. 'Alright let's get up there then.' I then start to climb the tree, but fall a couple of times before getting the hand of it reasoning it my head as, 'This is normal, I haven't climbed trees since I was a kid. Of course I'd fall a couple of times.' After getting onto a rather high branch, around 8 feet off of the ground. Getting situated on the branch, I tried falling asleep, but such a thing wasn't easy as I had to pay attention to fall asleep in a balanced position so as to not fall off in the middle of the night. Laying in such an uncomfortable position sleep eventually came to me after what seemed to be dozens of minutes.

***

A sudden shaking startled me awake. "Huh, what's going on.", I mumble, still half asleep. I look towards the ground and see a misshapen green slime standing around 4 feet tall, ramming into the tree I was sleeping in. Looking at where it appeared to have been ramming on the tree trunk, I see that that area is already half dissolved by it. I weakly mutter, "Well shit."