New World Day 3

As the system had kindly reminded me with that new title, it was foolish to continue, but I needed to complete this self-imposed duty. A cynical corner of my mind was telling me that yes this was the right thing to do except I was only doing it out of selfishness. I wasn’t really doing it because it was the right thing to do but because I would regret not doing it later on. Did that mean I wasn’t being a good person but rather a selfish person with just a bit of a conscience? That thought troubled me greatly, but the philosophical debate of intent versus deed would have to wait for now. I had graves to dig and likely a fight for my life afterwards to worry about. I began shoveling faster and faster ignoring my tightening muscles and growing exhaustion as best I could. I could hear the barking howls get closer and closer to me. There were two remaining graves to dig yet and four total to fill back in.

Even with my regeneration skill helping me push past my physical limits, it still took me 15 minutes to dig the last two graves. I had previously covered the bodies of my neighbors in some blankets, and now I slid them in each grave as carefully yet quickly as I could. Shovelful after shovelful of dirt flew through the air as I filled the graves back up with incredible speed. Covering the graves back up proved far easier than digging them as it only took 10 minutes to finish everything up, but everything came to pass just as I had feared! It was too late to avoid a fight with the forest coyotes. I had been able to tune out their sounds as I strived to finish my task, but I had taken too long. I could see a group of five charge out of the woods just down the hill to my left. All five of them were of a relatively small size, and unlike the previous ones I had fought, their fur was mangy and matted. It didn’t end there as their bodies were also extraordinarily thin and emaciated. Their ribs were so clear under their fur that I suspected I could play them like a xylophone, and I could see flies swarming all around them. Were they sick or diseased, or maybe they were just starving? Either way, I wasn’t that curious to find out the reason behind their poor appearances.

I had barely survived a fight with four forest coyotes on my own turf and now I would have to deal with five of them trapped out here in the open. Worse still, I could hear more of them deeper in the forest, and I feared that once the sound of the fighting, especially the gunfire, began to ring out that the rest of the pack would come running. Despite that fear, I knew that I had no choice but to use my guns in the coming fight. I had no chance of outrunning even as poor as specimens as these five stray curs. Their noses quivered sniffing the air for the scent of prey, and their ears twitched with each new sound that entered them. Within moments, their ears fell flat upon their heads, and all five looked up the hill right at me accompanied by a menacing growl. That handful of moments it took for them to find my location were all that I needed though. By the time they had looked up and growled at me, I had dropped the shovel and dove to the ground to grab the rifle in the grass next to me. Using the hard ground to steady myself and the rifle, I brought the middle forest coyote into my sights and squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

The first shot took the middle one right in the chest dropping it where it stood with a thunk. The loud noise of the shot caused the four to jump backwards out of fright, and they all cocked their heads sideways to stupidly stare at their fallen comrade. It was clear that they didn’t understand what had just happened, and that gave me the time to lineup a second shot.

Bang!

A second loud shot rippled across the ridge and the right most forest coyote dropped to the ground just as suddenly as its comrade. The final three jumped back again still not quite grasping how they were dying.

Bang!

The left most forest coyote passed to the next world, and the last two finally understood what was happening. One fell dead with each bang and the sound originated from me. Howling madly, they charged straight up the ridgeline towards me. Their legs pumped hard and their claws dug deep into the ground with each step causing large chunks of dirt to be thrown up into the air behind them. They didn’t divide to take me from two sides at once or attempt to circle behind me. Fury drove them into a suicidal frontal charge.

Bang!

The fourth shot struck the left forest coyote’s front right leg blasting it clean off. The loss of the leg sent it smashing into the ground snout first its momentum carrying it up the hill a few more yards more before it came to a dramatic stop where it dyed the grass red with the scarlet blood that poured out of the shattered remains of its lost leg. Before it reached the crown of the hill, the final beast gathered all of its legs together, its muscles bulged out unnaturally, and it launched itself into the air right at my still prone form. The beast’s aim was true. Its claws ripped into the ground and its muzzle snapped up a mouthful of dirt as it struck right where I had been laying just moments before. I had abandoned the rifle and rolled to the side avoiding the desperate pounce with ease. Swiftly and smoothly I drew the pistol from my holster. The forest coyote shook its head side to side and spit the dirt from its mouth, but before it could find me again three shots rang out.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The last of the forest coyotes fell to the ground with a whimper struck down by the bullets from my pistol. I glanced over the hill to check on the forest coyote that had lost its leg and found it struggling and failing to get to its feet. After all the terrible things these beasts had done, I had no real compassion for them, but I wasn’t going to lower myself to their level and let it die a slow painful death. Two final shots rang out as I put the poor beast out of its misery. The ringing in my ears that occurred with each shot no longer lasted more than a couple of seconds ever since my body become capable of magically regenerating itself. As such, I could hear more and more barking howls erupting from deep in the woods. The rest of the pack was on its way! I jumped to my feet grabbed the rifle, shotgun, and backpack that all lay nearby and sprinted for the road. I wasn’t optimistic that I could make it back to my place before the rest of the pack showed up, but I was damn sure going to give it a try.

You have reached level 2!

3 bonus stat points have been awarded!

Basic Gun Mastery (B) * has leveled up!

Name: Jason Silver

Job Name: N/A

LVL: 2 8%

Job LVL: N/A 0%

Job Points:

N/A

N/A

Titles:

Survivor (B) LVL 38%

Fool (B) LVL 1 40%

Pack Killer (B) LVL 1 0%

Beast Killer (B) LVL 1 0%

Risk Taker (B) LVL 1 84%

Repeated Risk Taker ( C ) LVL 1 17%

Compassionate Fool ( C ) LVL 1 0%

Title Points:

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

5

Stats:

HP:

MP:

Mana Regen:

Endurance:

Strength:

Speed:

Bonus Points:

105/105

10/10

2 per min (-1)

7

6

7

6

Status Effects:

Regen

Skills:

Basic Axe Mastery (B) LVL 4 17%

Basic Gun Mastery (B) LVL 4 11%

Basic Regen (Passive) (B) LVL 4 92%

*

*

*