Getting down from the cave that have become a home of sort to me the last 10 days of my new life was difficult in more than one way. For starters it was much harder to climb down than it was before the storm. As I said before getting up to the highest caves here is no easy task as one only has two option. Taking a path that looks less then inviting thanks to time and weather have made it more than a little difficult to use. To put it nicely.

The other is to climb a very high wall that can and will make you fall to you death if you take that one wrong step or grip while climbing. However there it was at least small stone 'shelves' that you could hold on to and use as steps of sorts to help you get up there. At least if your no more than 5 feet tall. Any taller or being very heavy and you could kiss goodbye to life if your tried to climb it.

The latter is was what I used to come down and up to my cave for the first five days of my stay here. And thanks to how difficult and dangerous the climb is, I gained the [Climbing] skill a lot quicker than any of the other skills I've gotten so far. And it's also the highest level too as climbing this wall gives a ton of exp to the skill.

I'm not kidding. Most of my skills are between level 1 to 3, with a handful being level 4. [Climbing] on the other hand is almost level 9. I don't really blame Roro for being shocked on hearing how far along I was on [Climbing] when asked. But the two of use both guessed that it's thanks to not only how difficult to climb up here but since my skill is still very much at the beginner rank and is of the Common rarity too, the needed exp to level up is not that high to begin with.

And if Roro is right theres a chance that my skill will earn a perk if I manage to reach level 10, the current max level on the skill, before it's even been a month. I don't know whats so importent to gain a perk in a skill and Roro can't tell me until I've gained one.

I could not help myself eye rolling at that. These laws my guide has to follow have turned out to be a bit of an annoyance when I have asked things that I'm not allowed to know. Yet. I need to either wait a while to know it. Or in this case, gain something thats related or is the thing I'm asking about.

Regadless, I'm greatful that [Climbing] is at a high level already. I'm also greatful that all my stats are, from what Roro's told me, above the average of a Orc child my age. Especially so for my Dexterity as it's almost unheard of that a child having one of their stats already near the 50 mark. Which might give me trouble later on if people of the bad kind finds out about it.

Among a few other things that will make me a jucy traget for said bad guys.

So why am I greatful for all this? Because to come down from the cave one last time, I had to take a somewhat unconventional way of getting down as the wall had become a new death trap thanks to that blasted magical storm have made a large and deep looking pool of acid where I usually try to climb down or up from.

Not to mention that more than a few of the stone shelves are gone, replaced by holes that looks less then safe. And I swear I saw some of the stone on the wall fall when just a slight breeze touched it. So yeah, clearly the wall has been weakend too.

And by unconventional, I mean I had to take the path that I've been avoiding ever since I got here, because somehow it had survived the storm better than the wall though not by much. And it was not easy. Thanks to the storm, parts of the path had become one of those you had sprint and jump, while mentally praying you did not mess it up, to cross. Some I had to climb sideways to reach or hug the wall to walk across, and others felt like one wrong step would make the entire thing collapse under my feet and send me off to the afterlife again.

I also had to climb in odd places too. The only good thing is that I wasn't carrying the newly build reed basket on my back. That would had made things harder.

It took two whole days to make it too, so I was not gonna risk loosing it either when I was working my way down. It mainly took that long because I wanted to make it as big and sturdy as I could with my meger skills, and I had to change the design a bit so that I would be able to carry it on my back wiht as little problems as possible.

It's already has a few of my tools and three stone bowls inside it, one of which has a grass lid to help contain the ointment I have put in it and my small cauldron. With my new tent and bedroll packed on top to act as a lid and secured with the last of my dried Creeper's Vine. I still got some space left down in the basket, but I'm not willing to put anymore unless I have too. Theres only so much a reed basket can take after all, especially when the creator is still a novice with weaving. And using materials I have no idea is ideal for basket making.

I actually managed to make another three more, and a little smaller, baskets with the reeds I had before I needed the rest for something else. All of said baskets are know filled with my veggies, and I made a few small grass baskets to fill them with some of my herbs and berries. I don't dare to put my rocks in any of the baskets though, as I fear the wight might be a bit too much.

"Finally!" I yell as I cross the last bit of the path before I'm on solid ground that won't suddenly break apart, relief making me almost drop on my butt after going through that hell of a parkour. The games and moives makes this stuff look so easy when it is everything but!

(You okay little one?)

"Yeah, just let me catch my breath for minute."

(Alright. I'll scout ahead to see if theres any danger. Or if theres still something useful left after the storm. See you in a bit.)

I wave as my guide go's flying somewhere, feel a small bit of envy that Roro had not needed to do any of that parkour thanks to being a butterfly and could just fly down. Though while I'm catching my breath, I take out a few things from my [Storage].

Which not only includes my basket and spear, but also what looks like a odd cross between night sllippers and shoes made out of reeds and grass. And a big grass cloak with a hood on it.

This two things here is my newest equipment and armor. A pair of what [Appraisal] calls Weaved Wildling Shoes and one Hooded Grasscloak, these two things aren't the best equipment out there. But both items will do well enough for the things I need them for. Protecting me from the sun and the poisoned earth.

As I've said before, thanks to having albinism I'm not as protected against the sun as someone without albinism. Which can lead to a bounch of problems I'd rather avoid as best as I can. Never mind that thanks to magic some of these problems can become permanent. So thats were the cloak comes in. I've made it big enough that it will cover me and my loaded basket with little problems. As well as added three sturdy bones as pins to help keep the cloak closed enough that most of my front will also be protected too.

Without hampering my movments or make things difficult for me to flee. At least to the best of my ability.

Though according to Roro, I look like something called a Svamp Thing when I put it on. Especially so when the basket with both the tent and bedroll on is hidden underneath as it adds a weird hump/lump to my back. And when I put my hood up. It might also be thanks to all the leafs and moss I've managed to weave into my cloak too. Which adds a good bit of natural camouflage that will make it harder for both animals and people to see me when I'm in the woods. Or around a lot of plants and I stay very still.

It's a bit heavy though, but thanks to having 27 points in Strength I can handle it with little problems. It'll keep me pretty dry too when it rains so thats good. I made one more cloak incase something happens to the one I currently wear.

Now the shoes are to protect me from the soil. As well as make my walks a lot easier to handle. Why? Well for starters, that blasted storm have posioned everything its touched. The earth is black and looks dead. Plants are either melted goop or trun brown and dying. Trees are visibly weaken and sick, along with being so damaged that it looks like a slight breeze can make them snap.

And the water? Let's just say I'd rather drink water from the sewer than be anywhere near the places I used to get my clean drinking water from. Those pools and streams looks like they have become the type that mutant water stuff where all kinds of nasty things lives and just waiting for something to come near enough they can both grab and eat.

So yeah, going barefoot is not a good idea with how bad things are. So I made these shoes that Roro showed me by using Illusion Magic to make a step by step pictures for me to follow. Sometime even making them move, for lack of better words, when I struggle with a part of the process thats more difficult then expected.

Honestly, thats how Roro have been teaching most of my skills that involves crafting or combat related skills. You can't just swing or thrust a stick around in hope that you'll earn the [Sword] or [Spear] skill. Though swinging it wildly might earn you the [Bash] skill that gives a good knockback if you time it and hit the right place on your targed.

Anyhow. As for making it easier to walk? The main way to get to place A to place B is by walking. Or taking a horse, wagon or carriage ride. Theres no cars, bus, airplanes, bikes, bicycles or anything else that modern Earth has to offer in this world. And a lot of places, especially the cities and towns, are far from each other. So these three options are the only thing available to get anywhere if you want to travle.

At least if your poor or middleclass. Or some Merchant or Trader.

The rich, elites, nobles, royals and other powerful groups or people can have things like a flying carpet or something of the like to get them for one place to another with little time wasted. Or even ride Wyverns, Dragons and other legendary or mystical creatures if they have the means. Or mana to wast by using a flying spell. Or something else entirely.

So yeah, theres going to be a lot of walking in the near future for me. At least it will help keep me in shape. And yes, the shoes are the type Wildling use themself. Roro says that due to my lack of both money and high ranked skills, this will be some of the best things I'll be able to make for a while.

And like the cloak, I have extra in [Storage]. I'll have to dispose the pair I'm going to wear now when am finally out of the damage zone. This is to avoid poisoning the new soil I'll be walking on after leaving this place. My best bet is to burn them later at night as I can't bury them in the earth or throw them in the water or woods without less then pleasent damage being done later.

But not for long. These last few days where I have crafted a lot and trained with some of my homemade weapons, and Roro has been using their magic to repair things I've found in the ruined homes and caves so I can use them for my own, we have planed our next step.

See, I have two options for what to do now. Either find a Orc Tribe/Clan thats willing to take me in. Or join the Demon Lord's Army by getting to the nearest town and sign up.

Let me start with joining the army first.

See the country that I live in is called the Demon Country. Here you can find all sorts of deamons, monsters, dragons, beast-folk, demi-humans and more living in relative peace. This is all thanks to the current Demon Lord who rules the entire place by great might and greater wisdom.

Her name is Astenta Mistress of Flame and Queen of Pain. Or at least thats the titles most people of this world knows best. Miss Demon Lord here have a dozen or so titles in her name so theres plenty to pick from. She's been ruling for quite some time, well over 3000 years from what Roro can remember. And despite her titles, she's been a fair and good ruler.

At least when one compares her to her predecessors. They weren't bad per-say, they just had a bad habbit of making too much war and some of them didn't exactly have good talent in money making or spending. Theres also the fact from what Roro told me about that one previous Demon Lord that enslaved more than half of the different races that lives here and almost ended the world to boot.

Which have lead to all kinds of problems both here and around the world thats still felt today.

Safe to say, Miss Demon Lord Astenta has been great for the country if one take all that into account. Sure she has dealt with a fair share uprisings, rebels, betrayal, wars on both fronts and all the other nasty stuff that comes with being a ruler. However she's done a lot of good for this place.

Like making peace with most of our naboring countries and established trade routes with them. Been working on restoring as much land as possible thats been ravaged by war and other darker stuff, fixed the work force and made new jobs that help keep things stable, taken down and made new laws that makes things a lot fairer for a lot of people and much more. Though the nobles are less then pleased by those new laws.

And she even made new types of work to get people out of poverty. Which is where me joining the army comes in. Orphans from age 10 and up, wheather they be from the street or a orphanage, can join in this special program that will guarantee me work for a good while. As well as good housing and a basic education so I know how to read and write, among other stuff. I'll also get trained in weapons and other combat related things too if I show some talent in it.

And all I need to do is serve the army for the next 20 years or so. This program is quite popular believe it or not. As it allows many of us less fortunate to gain valuable work experience and skills that will help us even when we leave. And many becomes loyal to Astenta as she provieds a good deal of perks for joining in this program and a good deal of good generals and other powerful warriors have come out of it too.

A few nobels have tried to shut the program down. But it hasn't worked whatsoever as it brings so many good things by taking in us orphans oof the street and turn us into something better. And a nice side benefit is that theres less muggings and the like as we kids don't need to steal to survive the street. Or do far worst and turn into bandits and the like.

It's not the only program around either. Theres a few others that orphans like me can join and gain some sort of profession out of it after working our butts off for a good few years. But the army one is arguably my best bet due to my unusual circumstances.

Then theres the other option, finding a Orc clan/tribe that will take me in. Now Roro has informed me that Orc's in this world work a bit differently than what I've read or heard about on Earth.

For starters, Orcs here aren't blood thirsty warmonger looking for the next big battle or like those found in the Tolkien books. Ready to kill anyone they meet and all that. For the most part. Roro did not suger coat it, some Orc clans/tribes do belong to this kind of lines. While not many, there are groups out there that is willing to kill, rape and all that nasty stuff on any non-Orc they meet.

Theres even a handful of these that are part Blood Cults and other dark aligned groups or religions. Roro says that for now I don't need to worry about those as most of them have been driven off to the great Wastlands that acts as a border between the Demon Country and the Elven Nation. And the forest we are in isn't even close to the wastes anyways.

However that kind of stuff is a dying trend among Orcs. Most Orcs in this era are tribla and some even nomadic, but we then to keep to ourself and respect the borders and common laws everyones follows. We are also decently fair with our own laws, despite being a race know to be quite physical and mentally strong, with a bad temper at times and have access to a type of magic not seen since the ancient times.

It's called Wild Magic and it's know to be one of the first types of magic to ever exsist in this world. Only our shamens have access to this magic and you have to pretty good one at that to even be able to use the weakest of spells. As this ancient magic can be dangerous to use for the unprepared and disrespectful.

And recently our craftmanship and ways of healing have been become well know and sought after. Sure we are no Dwarf or Dryad, both whom have respectfully skills and abilities to craft works of wonder and healing even the most dire of wounds and disease that few can equal. But ours is a lot more affordable and easier to get.

Dwarfs lives underground or inside mountains, with few being willing to live on the surface world. This can make it hard to get materials that aren't found underground to make whatever you've requested from them. Wood, leather, bones, plants, powders and special liquids made form said plants, potions, elixirs and many more has to be imported. And that can increase the price many many times.

That dose not mean that all Dwarfs are greedy, though some are. It's just how things works in this era and if what Roro has said is true, the prices for dwarven work has decreased a good bit as more materials have become easier to gather and cheaper to buy without the quality suffering too much. Which makes everyone happy in the long run.

Dryads, at least the younger ones, can't leave their home forest and their healing powers can be affected by the seasons or even the weather if they have yet to master their craft. Also, most Dryads are not easy to find. They live deep in old magical and powerful forests that are quite dangerous in their own right. And depending on your race they might kill you on sight as Dryads has a natural hatrad to some of the inhabitants of this world that have done less then pleasent thing to them and their kin.

Us Orcs however have a solid hold on crafting good weapons, armors, tools and other stuff that many travelers and adventurers needs. As well as get them done for a decent price if your willing to go gather some of the stuff yourself. Us Orcs likes people who pulls their wight and is more than willing to get themself dirty to get stuff done. Which irks most nobles to no end. We are this good at crafting thanks to the fact we then to live in places that are more dangerous and wilder than what most others prefer.

And thuse we have to be a bit creative with what we have access to.

This has also lead to more advance ways of healing the sick and injured. Both magical and non-magical wise. Infact, Roro says at the Orcs here are the closest to modern Earths ways of healthcare. Sure theres no penicillin or other modern meds, mostly because there have been no need to descover them yet. And they have a lot of medicinal magical plants that work just as good.

However Orcs have some of the cleanest healing rooms and effective medicine that few can compare. They are for the most part aware what cause infection, most sicknesses and some diseases, meaning that magical healing is more reserved for those they have no idea what to do with. And thanks to living in enviorments that most others won't, we have access to certain types of magical herbs used for highend healing and are hard to find.

Theres also the fact that we make these meds, potions, ointments and other stuff in such a way that theres very little side effects or allergic reactions. And once again can be bought for a decent price.

A lot of different healers from all types of classes and the like travels far to come and learn our ways thanks to this. However few are taught our ways fully, as our healers knows that some can't be trusted with the knowledge and some of it is essential for our suvival so it's all well guarded and only taught the most trusted of people.

Now all this alone is a surprise for me but Roro wasn't done yet. Far from it. See a few decades back some sort of terrible disease ran rampant in this country and many others. Anyone who caught it had only one in a hundred chance to survive. However what seperate this one from other diseases is that this one target only newborns and children. This have lead to a very sharp drop in children and it was only a few years ago that a cure was finally found.

And thanks to the fact that Orcs has a low birth rate, theres hardly any Orc children left anymore. This have lead to them being very protective any children that is born among their race. Unless they are born very sick and will most surely die, then they mercy kill the poor things to end their suffering. So I have good odds that they are willing to take even a little Orc girl from nowhere that looks a little odd. As long as they don't see me suddenly start bleeding by being too long in the sun as something abnormal.

Theres only one problem for both options. I have to either find a pretty decent sized town to join the army or find a Orc clan. And as it turns out, I'm in a forest thats weeks if not months away from both. The reason for this is that the forest we are in is know as the Forbidden Darkwoods, for good reasons as there used be a lot of dark magic and occult stuff going on here for a very long time.

Which have made these woods a little weird and more dangerous then needed.

Roro only knows this because as soon as the storm ended they used some sort of spell to see where we really were. Why Roro had not done it when they first meet me or when we arrived here for shelter was mainly because of that blasted storm. Truns out it makes most spells useless in it's present. So there was no use in even trying to cast and waste mana.

Oh and the closes settelments are small rural villages thats a good week away from the forest. Theres also the fact that Roro has no idea how deep we are inside this place either, as the woods own mana is so wonky thanks to all the dark magic done that getting anything clear inside this place is difficult, so they don't know how long it will take to get out of here. The good thing is that it's more than likely we aren't too deep, as we've yet to meet any magical beasts that would no doubt have killed me with little problems. Magical beast prefer to live in the much deeper parts of forests as thats where the mana is usually stronger than on the parts that makes the edge of the forest.

As well as there being more prey to hunt and what not. The Monsters then to live in the deeper parts as well for the same reasons, though they do wander around the edge from time to time when either lost or looking for weaker prey. So I still got to be careful as a small group of Goblins can easily kill even a Orc kid with similare stats as mine.

So for now the main goal is to get out of here as soon as we can and then we will see from there. I'll be gathering more materials and hunt anything I can on the way as well. This way I can craft, eat and have things to sell when I get out of here. Even a rural village is willing to pay a few coppers for some rabbit meat or pelt.

I finish checking the shoes ones I've gotten them on and do a quick check on the basket before getting it secured on my back. I put my cloak back into [Storage] as the sun is still hidden behind clouds and thuse won't need for a while yet. Beside I don't want to risk it that my cloak comes in contact with the soil around here.

And it was just in time as I hear Roro calling for me, saying they've found something thats survived and still of use. As I start to walk I start to make a mental list about a few questions that I need Roro to answer. After all, they've yet to explain how my stats effects my skills and why my blessing is going to give me trouble later down the road.