I took a deep breath.
It hurt.
The pain was real.
Danger was real.
This world was real.
I’d underestimated it until now. I thought this would be one of those relaxing survival-craft adventures.
Yeah...
I was wrong.
I was terribly wrong.
However, I was right to stay in the water, keeping my distance from the abomination, which patiently studied me from the riverbank.
Not attacking, just...
Waiting.
That somehow made it worse.
I glanced at my status.
“How bad is it…?”
═══════════════
HP: Don’t Die ?
═══════════════
“…Amazing.”
Completely useless.
Appraisal wasn't any better either:
═══════════════
Currently active debuffs:
- Bloodlust
- Bleed
═══════════════
"Geee, thanks for nothing guys!"
But even so, I still had a chance to survive—by going on the offensive. My mana was full, after all. If I wanted to live, I had to drive it away. It was time to test my magicombat potential… otherwise I’d bleed out before the spider could finish the job.
First, I floated my injured arm on the water’s surface, moving it slowly so it wouldn’t tear off entirely. After I confirmed its safety I raised the other hand and aimed.
“Fireball.”
Fireball Lv. 1
Mana Cost: 3
Mana: 50 → 47
Mana Regen: 5 / min
The flame shot forward and struck its body, but it ricocheted harmlessly into the air with a CLANG!
“…Armor?”
I fired again.
Mana: 47 → 44.
Same result, no damage.
Not even a reaction.
"Great..."
I frowned, thinking deeply.
One more shot, this time I aimed at the eyes.
Mana: 44 → 41.
It missed by a mere centimeter, but that was for the best, because I finally got a reaction!
The spider jerked sideways and dodged.
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“…Hm?”
I analyzed with care for a good minute.
Mana: 51 → 56.
Then it clicked.
"I see it now!"
The missed fireball had brushed some of the fine hairs covering its body.
“OBVIOUSLY!"
Dry fur.
Dry hair.
Highly flammable.
That was its weakness!
And since it was too large to swim and too heavy to risk entering water, it had a clear weakness against fire!
With confidence and careful movements, I raised my hand again, aiming deliberately at the creature’s body hair.
Its posture shifted immediately, legs pulling back as if reassessing the threat. It noticed that my fear washed away, and that I was preparing to actually deal damage this time!
In other words; the monster possessed intelligence.
It walked back, keeping uncomfortable eye contact and eventually withdrew into the forest, abandoning my surroundings.
I didn't win, but at least I'd get to see another day.
“…Good decision,” I muttered, unsure who I meant it for.
Now I could exit the river and heal myself up.
???????
I patched the wounds neatly, using Carpenter.
Some oak twigs from the ground became a rigid plank thanks to the skill. Some of the spider silk turned into adhesive bindings. Then I pressed my ruined arm against my torso and wrapped everything tightly, covering the hole in my abdomen as well.
The pressure nearly made me dizzy.
It was painfully tight!
I could feel what little blood flow remained struggling beneath the bandages, but keeping the arm attached was the highest priority!
I finally toggled Morph off, and the damaged rabbit ear vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened.
Good.
One less problem.
Using the leftover rabbit hide, I expanded my bag slightly, reinforcing it a little before stuffing everything inside: quiver, arrows, bone block, kunai, shuriken that became too uncomfortable to wear at my belt, and the remaining spider silk. I tied a rope to the bag and began dragging it behind me as I followed the river downstream, abandoning the old campfire without looking back.
I walked, and walked, and walked; each step heavier than the last.
The world fogged up from the blood loss, my knees gave in and I finally collapsed onto the ground with an ugly thud.
"Is this how I die?"
Breathing felt distant, shallow, unreal, but I forced my head up anyway, terrified of death, hoping to be saved by the DING I've heard.
? Notification!
NEW TAB UNLOCKED: LEXICA BOTANICA
My gaze had fallen onto a strange flower in the distance. A green rose, with shiny petals and pulsing golden veins.
My appraisal uncovered its name, 'Dreamrot', and a long wall of text. Within that mini-novel I noticed the words 'healing' and 'plant'. That was all I needed!
I dragged myself toward it, leaving a dark trail behind me, and tore the flower free with trembling hands.
I ate it.
No hesitation.
No preparation.
Just desperation.
The good news?
The pain faded, the world softened and I dreamed a beautiful dream.
Peaceful and perfect.
The bad news? It knocked me out-cold for three whole hours.
I'll let the description itself explain why:
Dreamrot
A plant of beauty and health.
When refined by alchemists, its leaves may be prepared into medicinal brews capable of gently restoring the body while calming the mind.
After careful processing, its effects heal steadily, leaving behind only mild euphoria.
When consumed in any other form, Dreamrot is nothing more than a powerful narcotic.
It floods the senses with overwhelming bliss while simultaneously applies it's healing properties to cleanse itself from the consumer.
This process robs the body of the ability to build tolerance against it, resulting in a strong psychological addiction.
“…Ah. I just drugged myself..."
Fortunately, even consumed improperly, the healing effect had worked—partially.
I carefully loosened the bindings around the plank, just enough to peek at my arm.
I almost wished I hadn’t.
Parts of it had regrown, but with an unsettling style.
Strands of flesh stretched across the wound like hurried stitches, pale muscle fibers knitting themselves together in uneven layers. Veins crawled back into place, reconnecting in thin red lines that pulsed weakly beneath the skin.
It was… a grotesque spectacle more than a recovery.
My stomach twisted, but at least the arm was attached again. I had to force my eyes open to not screw up the repatching. Carefully, I adjusted the plank and wrapped the bindings again—this time loosening the pressure slightly since the limb no longer threatened to fall off entirely.
That's... also progress.
Right?
? STATUS WINDOW ?
══════════════════
Name: Zephyr Diana*
Race: H?um??aN?
Sex: Female
Age: 17
══════════════════
Level: 5
XP: 7 / 16
══════════════════
System Points: 10 ??
Dice: 2 ??
══════════════════
? VITALS ?
══════════════════
HP: Don’t Die ?
MP: 50 / 50
MP?: 3 / Min
SPD: N / A
══════════════════
? TITLES & SKILLS ?
══════════════════
? Reincarnator ?≡
├ Status Window
├ Appraisal
└ Converse
══════════════════
? Extra Skills ?≡
├ Dice「D4」
└ Morph
══════════════════
? Unlocked Naturally ?≡
├ Carpenter
├ Blacksmithing
└ Accuracy Ⅰ
══════════════════
══════════════════
? KNOWLEDGE ?
══════════════════
? Arcana ?≡
├ Fireball Ⅰ 「3 MP / Cast」
├ Torch Ⅰ 「5 MP / Min」
├ Sleep ? 「6 MP / Cast」
└ Cleanse Ⅰ 「7% MP / Cast」
══════════════════
? Weaponry ?≡
├ Sword ? Swordsman
├ Spear ? Lancer
├ Knife ? Rogue
├ Scythe ? Executioner
├ Bow ? Archer
├ Claws ? Savage
├ Shield ? Tank
├ Guillotine ? Executioner
├ Kunai ? Rogue
├ Shuriken ? Archer
└ Trident ? Lancer
══════════════════
? Bestiary ?≡
├ Demonic Rabbit
├ Salmon
└ Dark Spider
══════════════════
? Culinary Grimoire ?≡
├ Roasted Demonic Rabbit
└ Roasted Salmon
══════════════════
? Lexica Botanica (Plants) ?≡
├ Dreamrot
└ Sapling*
══════════════════
? Lexica Botanica (Biomes) ?≡
├ Redwood Forest
├ Oakwood Forest
└ Flower Forest
══════════════════
?? MORPH ?≡
══════════════════
? Demonic Rabbit ?≡
├? Toggles
├ Rabbit ears
├ Rabbit feet
├ Rabbit tail
├ Demonic horns
├ Demonic fangs
├? Permanents
├ Jump boost +
├ Superior hearing +
├? Abilities
└ Paranoia Bite
══════════════════
? Salmon ?≡
├? Toggles
├ Slippery skin
├? Permanents
├ Water breathing
├? Abilities
└ None
══════════════════
