The silence in the Devouring Forest was not the absence of sound; it was predation lying in wait. Every crack of a branch beneath my bare feet sounded like a rifle shot. In the animal kingdom, the ground is the dining hall—and I had no intention of being the main course.
I stopped before a Sponge-Bark Tree. I touched its rough surface, using the knife to test its resistance. The system, driven by my Intelligence 9, processed the data with analytical coldness.
[Skill “Appraise” (Level 1) in use…]
- Target: Sponge-Bark Tree
- Rarity: Common
- Properties: High structural density wood. Dry bark (Flammable)
I began to climb. My muscles—limited by Strength 3 and Agility 2—trembled under the strain. There was no magic involved, only the precise calculation of where to place my weight to avoid falling. When I finally reached a branch thirty meters above the ground, the horizon revealed a stone fang to the north.
“Shelter,” I thought.
I looked at the knife in my hand. Too short. I remembered that in prehistoric times, one of humanity’s great revolutions was the invention of the spear. Using my capacity for technical improvisation, I began crafting a tool with greater reach.
I used my body weight to saw through a rigid branch.
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I applied viscous resin and tore strips of fabric to secure the blade.
I focused my intent on the Appraise skill.
[Item Created: Rudimentary Spear]
- Rarity: Poor (Scrap Quality)
- Bonus: Extended piercing reach
A wet thud echoed below. A vibrant red mass, the size of a basketball, pulsed against the gray forest floor. Time fractured the moment my Talent—Analytical Predilection—activated.
With Agility 2, my turn was heavy and slow. But I positioned the spear exactly where the calculation indicated the gaping mouth would be in less than a second.
PAF.
The tongue struck the shaft. With a sharp thrust, the blade slid through damp flesh. A shrill screech followed, and the creature remained impaled.
[Combat Ended: Blood Frog (Level 1)]
- Experience Gained: +45 XP
- Loot: Toxin Glands (Rarity: Common)
There was no waste. I dissected the toxin glands, and the influx of biological data about the local ecosystem expanded my mind. The system finally acknowledged my adaptation through pain.
[LEVEL 01 ? 02]
- Growth Bonus (03 Fixed Random Attributes): +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Agility
- Free Attribute Points Gained: 5
- Free Point Distribution: +2 Strength, +1 Endurance, +2 Agility
- Updated Attributes: Strength 6 | Agility 5 | Intelligence 9 | Endurance 5 | Mana 2
I felt my tendons tighten like steel cables. I dipped the spear’s tip into the harvested venom.
[Skill “Appraise” has advanced to Level 2]
[Item Modified: Rudimentary Spear (Poisoned)]
- New Status: Applies Negative Effect [Mild Paralysis]
Branches snapped below.
I used Appraise Level 2 to identify a camouflaged silhouette. With my newly enhanced Strength, the spear throw was no longer effort—it was ballistic discharge. I struck the base of the skull. The lizard, instantly paralyzed by the toxin, fell from the tree.
[Combat Ended: Gray-Bark Lizard (Level 2)]
- Experience Gained: +120 XP
- Loot: Rigid Scales, Lizard Claws (Rarity: Common)
I descended with fluid motion. On the ground, I finished the prey and extracted the materials. The exhaustion was real—but so were the resources in my hands.
I retreated to the fissure within the stone fang.
Inside, I used sponge bark to generate fire by friction. Following survival logic, I constructed a barrier of sharpened stakes dipped in toxin at the entrance. I cut branches and sealed the opening.
I rested my head against the cold rock.
Sleep came quickly.
But this time, it was not the sleep of the condemned.
It was the sleep of a survivor.