Once back in camp I have Ruby help me clean and scrape the silk. Then together we start braiding it into rope, several times I have to stop and untangle Ruby's hands while laughing. But we have a lot of fun working together and are able to turn the silk into a one hundred and twenty foot length of rope.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Tailoring has progressed to level 3!

Tailoring

Level 3

Agi +3 Int +3

You can make items from cloth.

Ruby says "I didn't know working with your hands like this could be so much fun."

"It's mostly fun because of the company, the rest of the time it's fairly boring."

Ruby says "Well, I'm getting kinda low on energy, I'm not completely out but I think I should rest just in case you need me for something."

"Okay, that's a good idea, I will try to finish up my crafting stuff and once you are fully charged we can work on exploring some more areas."

Ruby says "Okay!" and turns into a puff and zips back into the amulet.

I get up and go around cleaning up the camp and organizing everything. This is much easier now that all the extra weapons and armor have been melted down. Then I catch a couple of fish and roast them, I take them with me as I head back to the forge room.

Once back in the forge room I quickly burn through my mana creating more mana veins in my body. Then I sit on the stone bench and eat my fish while I start reading Magic Theory. It's not a big book and I finish it in a couple of hours.

This is a really basic book, it isn't meant to teach about magic so much as identify the elements and types of magic. It's almost like a kids book. I quickly move on to reading Basic Spellcasting, but again I am not very impressed with the book.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Linguistics has progressed to level 7!

Linguistics

Level 7

Int +14

You are adept at deciphering other languages.

This book teaches spell casting alright, but it's useless to me since I use skills instead of casting spells. Putting the books aside I go back into the inner world to create more mana veins. Once I am out of mana again I get up and stretch.

'Hmm what should I work on next? Come to think of it, I can't even remember all the skills I have. Skills!'

Skills:

Combat Skills: (11)

Beast Slayer Level: 1

Dagger Basics Level: 3

Dual Wield Level: 3

Blunt Basics Level: 3

Dodge Level: 3

Spear Basics Level: 3

Shield Basics Level: 3

Charge Level: 2

Sword Basics Level: 5

Sword & Shield Level: 2

Sword Dancer Level: 2

Magic Skills: (6)

Fire Bolt Level: 3

Summon Elemental Level: 1

Ignite Level: 1

Extinguish Level: 1

Remote Hand Level: 1

Lightning Bolt Level: 1

Active: (5)

Stealth Level: 5

Sneak Attack Level: 3

Dagger Throw Level: 5

Shield Bash Level: 2

Dash Level: 1

Passive: (10)

Tenacity Level: 3

Pain Resist Level: 5

Safe Fall Level: 1

Fitness Level: 4

Observe Level: 4

Meditation Level: 10 MAX

Poison Resist Level: 4

Lockpicking Level: 3

Linguistics Level: 7

Danger Sense Level: 2

Crafts: (13)

Skinning Level: 4

Cooking Level: 6

Mining Level: 7

Masonry Level: 3

Repair Level: 4

Herb Gathering Level: 4

Scrimshaw Level: 7

Leatherworking Level: 2

Cartography Level: 2

Fishing Level: 5

Tailoring Level: 3

Blacksmithing Level: 6

Woodworking Level: 2

Abilities: (7)

Superior Strength

Superior Agility

Superior Intelligence

Fire Elemental Bond

Superior Endurance

Mana Regen Level: 1

Magic Body Level: 1

'Wow! I really did collect a bunch of skills didn't I. Oh yeah fitness!'

I completely forgot about my daily routine. I decide to level up the fitness skill since I have forgotten about it for so long, so I do an hour of exercise.

It doesn't really feel like I am doing much so I stop and forge some steel weights for my wrists and ankles then I try again. Another two hours of exercise go by before I finally get my message.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Fitness has progressed to level 5!

Fitness

Level 5

Str +5 End +5

I'm glad Ruby was asleep for that otherwise it would have been kinda embarrassing if she was watching. I then melt down the katana I made earlier and try to make it better. I try folding the steel a few times but it doesn't go well for me. However, I keep trying as folding steel is a major goal for me in making a proper katana.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Blacksmithing has progressed to level 7!

Blacksmithing

Level 7

Str +7 Fire Resist +7

You can turn metal ore into useful items.

I'm getting closer to being able to fold steel but I'm running out of ingots. I either need to give up or find more iron. Feeling a little discouraged I leave the forge and head back to camp, I sit down on one of the tops from the big mushrooms and notice my mana is full, I go into the inner world to add more mana veins.

While I am adding veins I have an idea so once I am out of mana I grab another of the mushroom tops and my hand saw. I cut the bottom off first so it is even then I cut it again about an inch higher. When I am done I have an inch thick circular board which I take back to the forge room. I sit down next to the forge and put a poker in it until it is red hot then I carefully burn a line on the board.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Woodworking has progressed to level 3!

Woodworking

Level 3

Agi +3

You can make tools or structures from wood.

'Not the skill I was planning to level up but I'll take it!'

I continue burning lines into the board, stopping every few lines to reheat the poker. As I add more and more lines it slowly starts to form a picture of the sewers that I have explored so far.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Cartography has progressed to level 3!

Cartography

Level 3

Int +3

You can draw crude maps.

There is the skill I was expecting. Now when Ruby wakes up I can at least show her what I have explored so far and we can keep track as we explore more areas. I take my new map and the poker and return to my camp, I set them near the fire pit then walk over and look at the river. Ruby can't help with this part so I should probably do it now.

Having made up my mind I strip down and take the rope we made earlier and tie one end around my waist and the other to a rock on the river bank. Trying to brace myself for the cold I jump in and at first I don't feel the cold, until the water soaks through my fur and reaches my skin. I hold on to the river bank and start kicking my feet, I knew how to swim in my old world but I figure with my legs being different I will have to relearn.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have acquired the passive skill Swimming!

Swimming

Level 1

Str +1 End +1 Cold Resist +1 Hold Breath: End Stat x 1 Minute.

You can paddle around and not drown.

'Yay Cold Resist! And I can hold my breath for over an hour?!'

So I take a deep breath and let go of the bank and let the river carry me downstream to the end of the rope. I keep a careful eye out looking for another cave or any sign of air pockets. Unfortunately, I don't find any by the time I hit the end of the rope. I turn and try swimming back upstream but the current is too strong and I don't go anywhere.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Swimming has progressed to level 2!

Swimming

Level 2

Str +2 End +2 Cold Resist +2 Hold Breath: End Stat x 1 Minute.

You can paddle around and not drown.

I grab the rope and start pulling myself back toward my camp and quickly climb out of the water and huddle next to the fire. My fur is soaked and I can't stop shivering.

"Ruby! Help!"

Ruby quickly appears from the amulet and takes human form. After one look at me shivering she kneels behind me and wraps her arms around me. Then suddenly the temperature shoots up so much that my fur starts steaming.

"Oh, so warm! That feels amazing!"

Ruby says "You idiot! What were you thinking!"

"I was thinking that I needed to check for a way out through the river. I didn't know the cold would affect me this much and I knew it wasn't something you could do."

Ruby says "Well, did you find anything?"

"Nothing within reach of the rope but that's not very far. I need to get stronger at swimming before I can try going further without the rope."

Ruby says "Wait, you plan to do this again??"

"Yeah, I have to, this may be the only way out of here. This river probably goes above ground at some point, the question is if I can hold my breath long enough to get there."

Ruby says "How do you know it goes above ground somewhere?"

"The fish I've been catching. If they didn't come from an area with sunlight they would be albino."

Ruby says "Oh."

"Okay, Ruby, I'm warm and dry. Thank you very much."

Ruby regretfully lets go of me and lets the temperature return to normal. She is glad she is behind me so I can't see her blush when she realizes I am sitting there naked. She can't quite stop from sighing in disappointment when I start getting dressed, even with the fur I am very pleasant to look at.

I am about to put my armor on when I realize it hasn't been washed in some time. I take it over to the river and start washing it piece by piece. As I am cleaning it I think about how little damage I took while wearing it and then look over at Ruby.

"Ruby, put this on." as I hand her one of the bracers.

Ruby says "It doesn't really fit but okay."

"I know it's too big but I want to try something. Go back into the amulet and then come back please."

Ruby does as I ask and disappears then comes back a minute later, when she reappears she still has the bracer on.

"Good, it worked, the bracer went with you. Now I can make you some armor so you won't get hurt when we go exploring."

Ruby says "Oh, okay! I was wondering what you were up to."

Ruby hands me back the bracer which I put back on. Then for something to do she picks up the rope and dries it as she coils it up.

Ruby says "I'm going to have to go back to sleep soon, I used a lot of energy to warm you up that fast."

"Yeah, sorry about that, I underestimated how the cold would affect me. I will prepare better next time. Go ahead and go to sleep, I will work on your armor while you rest."

Ruby walks over and kisses me on the forehead and says "Good night. And no more stupid stunts!"

Ruby disappears into the amulet before I can think of a reply. I then go fishing after realizing just how hungry I suddenly am. After eating I gather my leatherworking tools I made and all the spider carapace and head to the forge room.