Chapter 2

The next morning Hiro woke up to the light outside the cave. The sun was already up and his stomach was growling which meant he would have to go out and do some exploring. "Before I go Hiro grabbed the spine of the rat he killed the day before and went outside the cave. He found some vines growing from a tree and ripped them down.

“This will make a good rope to attach the spine to a good stick”. Next, Hiro searched around for a suitable stick. He immediately found one. It was about 170 centimeters in length. It was a dark wood. It felt light but very strong. Hiro took the vine he found and tied the rat spine to the end of the stick making a point.

Ding! Weapon making skill learned. Skill Name: Skill Rank: Skill Level: Skill Experience: Weapon Making Beginner 1 0% User will be able to make weapons of various types form materials gathered. As user skill improves the weapons created will be of better quality and have better offensive capabilities.

He took a few practice swings to test how it would feel and then paused for a moment thinking of all of the moves he saw his father and other instructors make when he was younger. He began to thrust the make-shift spear at an imaginary opponent. Each thrust was awkward and his balance was horrible. His bodyweight shifted poorly and he looked like a complete and total novice. Undeterred, Hiro did this for a while getting used to the weight of the spear and its range.

Ding! You have learned the passive skill spear weapon proficiency. Skill Name: Skill Rank: Skill Level: Skill Experience: Spear Mastery Beginner 1 0% It allows the user to have improved skill, speed, and damage with spear-like weapons.

Instantly, he felt knowledge flow into his mind. He could sense that his stance was wrong and the way he was holding the spear with incorrect.

Is this the effect of having a skill? This has a lot of potential.

Hiro decided to practice for a while with the spear to get a little more used to it before he went exploring and hunting for his next meal. After an hour or so Hiro felt that his movements seemed to be getting better with the spear. He was no longer falling off balance with each thurst and when he moved the spear didn't feel as awkward. He was not at the place where the spear seemed to be easily able to handle the spear as if it was part of his own body but he wasn't going to do more harm to himself than an enemy at least.

His stomach let out a loud growl to remind him to go hunting as he hadn’t eaten anything up until this point. He grabbed 2 ringed apples from the tree outside his cave and ate them to quell his hunger for the moment. Next, he grabbed a few more pieces of the vines that were growing from the tree outside just in case he needed them for something. Lastly, he checked his improvised spear and then he went out to hunt.

The previous day he had been ambushed by a forest rat. The rat wasn't extremely dangerous but it had done some damage to Hiro. He decided that today he would be a bit more careful and try to be more cognizant of his surroundings and make less noise as he moved. He watched where he placed his feet trying not to break sticks that were on the ground. This would make him as quiet as possible. As he moved further into the forest he saw another forest rat. He waited quietly behind a tree as to not disturb the animal. The rat was eating something that Hiro couldn't make out but it was facing his direction. He did not want to disturb the creature and have a head-on clash so he patiently waited while the creature ate its meal.

Ding! Hide skill learned. Skill Name: Skill Rank: Skill Level: Skill Experience: Hide Beginner 1 0% User has the ability to erase his presence from others allowing him to move freely without being noticed. It does not make you invisible just harder to detect. As skill improves user will be able to move closer to enemies without detection.

I don't know how good of a skill that is but I won't complain. Anything that helps me avoid detection should help me with surviving in this forest. Now, it doesn't know I'm here. How I can I take it out without getting close. Melee seems good in a game but in real life those teeth and claws really hurt. I would like to avoid them if at all possible.

Hiro looked at his spear and an idea struck.

I can throw this like a javelin. Then I can avoid a brawl with the creature.

Hiro took aim and threw his spear at the rat. As expected of a complete novice, the spear throw missed its mark completely. The forest rat instantly ran away and Hiro had to keep searching for more prey. This went on 5 more times before he landed a direct hit. Having learned from his previous errors and making corrections to his aim, his latest throw hit the forest rat in its rear haunches pinning it to the ground. The creature let out a pained whine as Hiro walked up to it. The creature bared its larger incisors but Hiro knew it was all bluster. The young man ended the rodent's life with a powerful stomp on its head. Hiro was amazed his knew method was so much easier and safer.

Ding! Level up!

So each time I kill something I will gain experience points to increase my level just like in a game. This is great! It does mean I have to kill a lot more things in order to get stronger but I should be able to manage.

He grabbed the carcass of the rat and tied it using some of the leftover vines he found so that he could carry it with him. He decided to continue hunting to see more of his surroundings. As he continued exploration of the forest, he found four more rats. Each time he killed them with his new method of throwing his spear and then stomping their heads to finish them off. He was kind of surprised he did not get a throwing skill but it was nothing to worry about at this point. He was content with his haul for the day and headed towards the lake to clean the carcasses before heading back to his cave. As he neared the clearing where the waterfall was located he saw another rat.

With my spear, I could one-hit kill it from a distance but I won't always get that opportunity to attack from a distance. I need to be able to fight in melee as well as ranged combat. I don't want to be too dependent on one form of combat or another. I need to cover all of my bases.

He decided to fight the rat up close. He placed his other carcasses on the ground and slowly came out of hiding. The rat did not see him because it was facing the other direction. Hiro saw his opportunity and attacked the rat but his thrust missed as the rat jumped back. Somehow it had noticed his approach. The rat bared its teeth but unlike his first encounter, Hiro was ready this time. The rat jumped at him while he quickly swatted it down with the blunt end of his spear. The rat took considerable damage as the wooden handle of the spear cracked against the back of its head. Hiro then returned to his fighting stance with the spear ready to strike again.

"This is awesome! It's like my body is finally listening to me. I think and it reacts. It was never like this growing up. What is going on? I'm not even winded. Even my coordination is better. Did this place heal me or something?

The rat jumped to its feet and hissed loudly at its human opponent. Hiro smirked as the large rodent came at him with its claws once again. Hiro allowed the rat to scratch his side to test out a theory.

The pain isn't as bad as the bite I received yesterday. Just as I thought my increased endurance mitigates some of the pain I experience. The higher the value the less pain I feel from small injuries. I should take some damage so that I can improve my endurance.

The rat came down and circled back around. The rodent jumped at Hiro. He was able to determine the path of the rat's attack and allowed it to scratch him. The wound was not bad at all and he could see his opponent's movements more clearly. Hiro did the same thing a few more times until he felt like he had allowed himself to take enough punishment. This time Hiro waited for the moment the rat opened its mouth and shoved his spear straight through its mouth all the way through its belly, impaling the rat on his makeshift pike, killing the rat instantly. Hiro stared at the grisly scene of his latest battle. He shook his head as he looked at the blood all over the ground.

This world is kill or be killed. The strong rule the weak! I cannot hesitate. If I do that could be the end of me. I still don't know exactly what is going on here. I don't know whether this is real or not but what I do know is that I don't want to die so I will have to be careful and improve myself when I can without doing myself some significant harm.

Hiro quickly removed his spear from the creature's mouth and wrapped it in vines. Hiro continued on his journey he found 5 more rats. He killed each of them with his spear. Two of them he killed by attacking from a distance and the other 3 he killed up close using melee combat. Once his bounty of rodent carcasses was wrapped up he went to the lake where he found the waterfall to try and wash some of the blood off of the bodies. Once there he did his best to clean the kills before returning back to his cave.

Spear mastery reached level 2

Hmm... I think fighting with the spear is paying off. I don't know how much this is going to help me but I would assume having a higher level of a skill is better than not having it. Anyway, I think I've done enough hunting and exploring for the day so I should return to my cave.

He went to gather some twigs to create a fire back in his cave. As he moved back to the cave he heard a noise in the distance. It seemed to be moving towards him very fast. Hiro’s heart began to beat rapidly. His body tensed up. He ran to the open space near his cave so that he could get a glimpse of the enemy that was coming at him. Once he got to the clearing, the animal that came jumping out at him. The creature looked like a common house cat but it stood about 1 meter tall and was about 2 meters from its head to tail. The fur was so black that it seemed to melt into the failing light. The eyes were yellow and had black pupils. Its mouth showed dozens of long teeth and its aura was murderous. The fierce beast moved around in a circle around Hiro letting out a low growl indicating its intentions for the human before it. Before the creature attacked, Hiro used his inspection ability.

Forest Panther Type: Cat Beast Health ?? / ?? Mana: ??? Forest panther: power claws, powerful legs built for speed. It has razor sharp teeth and is built for hunting in the forest.

The smell of the blood from the rats must have brought him. Wait, maybe it was stalking me the whole time. It doesn't matter right now. It is here and I have to figure out a way to deal with it now.

Hiro had two options try to run or fight. His mind was racing. Dealing with those small rats was one thing but this creature that was nearly the size of an adult lion was something completely different. Everything in him told him that he could not defeat this creature. Dread crept into his mind and heart. His heart began to beat faster and faster. He felt a cold sweat running down the back of his neck.

I'm pretty sure that this thing is way too fast for me to run from some there is no way I can escape from this monster. I'm going to have to stand and fight but how can I do that? Will my spear even pierce that thing's fur?

He dropped the rats that he had killed and readied his spear. As the cat lunged at him, he used his spear to block the blow. The sheer force of the blow sent him flying backward. After a few feet in the air he smashed into the ground hard. Hiro quickly rolled over and regained his fighting stance. Hiro looked down as his weapon marveling over the hastily put together weapon. He pleasantly surprised that the spear did not break.

- 25 health points

This is bad. I can’t block these attacks. Even if I do manage to defend agains them, they will send me flying backward and I will lose health when I hit the ground. it’s too powerful. I've got to try something different. What would dad say? That's right the marines would say improvise, adapt, and overcome. What can't I control? The creature's physical specs are out of my control. What can I control? My reactions. That's it! My actions and reactions just have to be faster. I don't have to outrun it, I just have to move and avoid it attacks to wait for an opportunity to counter. That's what I will do.

He decided to try to dodge and observe the enemy’s movements. It jumped at Hiro and he rolled to the ground avoiding the attack. The big cat tried to strike Hiro with its powerful claws and he jumped backward to create more distance. The cat was wild but it was also predictable. It was an animal that attacked off of instinct. It didn't have a plan. That was its weakness. It could only attack with its front paws or bite. All of which were very close ranges attacks.

That's its weakness, its range. As long as use my spear's range I should be fine.

He quickly learned how the cat was moving and attacking. After a few moments, it was like he could see the attacks coming.

Ding! new skill learned, predict. Skill Name: Skill Rank: Skill Level: Skill Experience: Prediction Beginner 1 0% Due to heightened awareness the user is able to use this ability to see all possible attacks from enemies. With increased levels you can narrow down the attacks until you will be able to determine the the path and trajectory of the attack.

After gaining his prediction ability Hiro looked at the panther. Before the panther attacked Hiro could see 3 distinct lines coming from the beast, one from each of its front 2 paws and one from its head.

Those lines must be indicators of what where the attacks could be coming from.

Then it attacked. It followed the line that came from its mouth.

As long as I avoid the lines I should be ok.

Now it was time for his counterattack. Hiro began to attack the panther with his spear. He would dodge and strike then move to a safe distance. He was able to land numerous attacks on the panther but none of his attacks were lethal due to the weak blade made from the rat’s spine. It became a battle of attrition. The small wounds began to add up and the panther’s movements began to slow.

Soon Hiro was able to get closer and closer to the beast as it was covered in blood. Soon the beast was barely able to stand. It opened its mouth to let out a fierce growl. Hiro seized the opportunity and took his spear with all of his might and ran it through the panther’s mouth through its skull killing the beast.

Ding! Level increased to lvl 4! Ding! Level increased to lv 5! Ding! Level increased to lv 6!

Upon vanquishing his worthy foe, Hiro fell to his knees in exhaustion and ecstasy. He felt like he was truly becoming a warrior. After resting for some time Hiro grabbed the spoils of his day and went into his cave. He lit a fire and began skinning the rats. After they were all done he began to skin the panther. It seemed as though his skinning ability began to improve even though he was only using some sharp rocks he had found on his way back to the cave.

Ding! you gain 7 pieces of light leather and 1 piece of panther fur.

He decided if he would be in this world for a while he would have to improve his equipment. The clothes he had did not afford him any protection from his enemies. He decided to try and make some armor. He grabbed some of the vine he had and a piece of the leather to make some leather armor. Hiro failed several times ruining 4 pieces of weaker rat leather but in his failures,` he slowly began to figure out the way it should be done. Taking his errors in how the previous pieces came out with the openings in the wrong place he grabbed the panther leather and went to work. A short time later, he succeeded.

Ding! New skill created armor making. Skill Name: Skill Rank: Skill Level: Skill Experience: ArmorMaking Beginner 1 0% User will be able to make weapons of various types form materials gathered. As user skill improves the armor created will be of better quality and have better defensive capabilities as well as containing status bonuses and resistances. Ding! you created crude panther leather vest.

Hiro inspected the item.

Crude Panther vest Type: Leather Durability: 25 / 25 Quality: Low Defense:12 A makeshift piece of armor made by an absolute beginner. No aesthetic value but does grant some decent protection.

He put on the leather vest it didn’t feel good at all but it was much better than his original equipment. He decided to try his hand at making some pants. He removed his shorts and then laid the leather over the top of them. Next, he cut the pants into the same waist size and shape but made the legs longer so that they would protect him down to his feet. After that, he poked holes in both sides of each leg and then stitched them using some vines. Once the front and back pieces were stitched together his endeavor was complete.

Ding! you have created crude leather pants.

He inspected the pants.

Crude Leather Pants Type: Leather Durability: 20 / 20 Quality:Low Defense: 8 Barely functional pare of pants made by a complete rookie.

Now that he had a way to protect himself a little better, he cooked the meat and ate until he was stuffed. Hiro thought about what he should do next. He had no clue of what to do.

Since this seems like a game I should think about what I would do at this point in a game. In a game, you would continue to expand your search until you found a town where you could get information.

Ding! New Quest available. Find a town Reward: Experience 250 points

Accept. Yes/No

250 points of experience? Of course I accept. That seems like a lot since the other day I would level up if got 20 points. I should check my status.

Status:

Name: Hiro

Title:???

Level:l 6

Stats

Hp 250/250

Mana 0

Strength 15

Speed 12

Dexterity 12

Wisdom 8

Vitality 20

Equipment:

Chest: Panther Leather tunic

Legs: Rat leather pants

Weapon: Wooden Spear

Skills:

Observe: Beginner level 5 (49%)

Prediction: Beginner Level 1 (20%)

Weapon Making: Beginner Level 1 (5%)

Tailoring: Beginner level 2 (45%)

Martial arts: Beginner level 1 (20%)

Endurance: Beginner level 3 (79%)

Spear mastery: Beginner level 3 (25%)

Hide: Beginner level 2 (20%)

Wow: I advanced that much in only 2 days. Well tomorrow I guess I have to find a way to improve my weapon. That spear just won’t cut it against tougher enemies like that panther.

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