Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Merwyn Forest West

[ Discovered: Merwyn Forest West. ]

Heading into the forest was a neat change of scenery. It wasn't too dense, so the sun still shone through in places, but it was covered enough that she could sneak around during the day without too much exposure. It was a much better hunting ground. The problem might be what to hunt. At the forest's edge there were some mobs below level 10, but you didn't have to go far in before everything was 10+. This was likely an area players weren't supposed to go to before they had classed up. Meaning Sara was both under-levelled, and under-classed.

Thankfully the biggest threat seemed to be wolves, and while they gave her some curious looks, they were kind enough to leave her alone. Aside from them she had also seen foxes, and some ominous-feeling deer on the ground, while higher up were squirrels, owls, and ravens. She wasn't sure how to reach the latter three. It was possible the squirrels came down to the ground sometimes, but she had only seen them up in the trees so far. Jump probably wouldn't cut it, even after levelling it up. Some sort of ranged attack would be nice, but she couldn't imagine what a wolf could do. The lack of opposable thumbs struck again. Magic was probably also out of the question with her stats.

She still felt grumpy about that player group that had ambushed her. There had been five of them, and in the heat of the moment she hadn't been able to identify all of them. She had only seen the one with the dagger that had leapt at her first, which had said [ Gnome (Rogue Lvl 11) ], and the woman with the sword and shield that had come in to stop her before she could kill said gnome, which had said [ Human (Fighter Lvl 10) ]. She had only gotten a brief look at the two in the back, but the third vanguard wielding a spear had looked kinda like a dwarf.

They had to have come specifically for me, otherwise why would classed up players be in a tutorial area? I had been worried I'd become too conspicuous, but that's overkill. Good riddance to that place.

First order of business was to avoid being sent back there, which meant she needed to find a new place to set as her respawn point. Aina's general attitude so far had been to let Sara discover things for herself, but she had offered (possibly out of pity) to guide Sara to a new cave that could serve as a respawn location. It was a little ways into the woods, but she made it there unmolested. A tad larger than her previous cave, but otherwise pretty much the same. It would make Jump practice a little easier. She had managed to get it up to level 3 before leaving the field area.

It was around noon (probably), but since it was easier to stay hidden regardless, she figured she might as well head out, do some scouting, and work on levelling. If she was going to hunt the creatures here, it would help to understand their habits. According to Aina the AI script for the forest creatures was more advanced than the one for the field creatures. As an example it was rare for wolves to be seen alone. They typically travelled in packs of at least three. Maybe Sara would be able to join them. Though probably not until after she had evolved.

And the creatures aside, she'd have to keep an eye out for players. She hadn't spotted any on her way to the cave, which struck her as a little odd, but that didn't mean they wouldn't show up.

She took it slow and steady with Stealth active as she moved in the direction of the forest's edge, and the lower-level mobs. On the way she kept an eye out for anything of interest. Even with all the vegetation Keen Eyes helped out a lot. All the wolves she saw were indeed moving in packs. Most of them three, but she spotted one with four as well. Some of them glanced in her direction. She guessed that either her Stealth level was too low for them, or maybe she was making enough noise for them to pick up. It was relatively safe to assume they all had Keen Eyes, and Keen Ears. They didn't show any interest in approaching her, though, so it was fine.

In the trees above it looked like all the owls were asleep. None of them were moving, at least. The ravens and squirrels were still flitting about. She was hoping to catch one of them coming down to the ground, but no luck so far. It hit her that they were all larger than their real-life counterparts. The squirrels were about twice as big as she'd seen on Earth, and the ravens looked like they were more like vulture-sized. It was entirely possible there were owl species that were as big as turkeys, but it still looked a little scary. Wolves and boars were already pretty big, so it didn't seem like the designers had felt any need to enlarge those, but the hares were certainly bigger. She hadn't gotten close enough to the sheep to say for sure. The starter wolves might actually be a tad on the small side. The forest wolves she had seen here were more actual wolf size.

She also spotted some mice scurrying about, but even if they were two or three times their original size, mice were so small to begin with that it barely mattered. That probably meant they were rat-sized, but Identify called them 'Forest Mice'. Unfortunately they all quickly scurried away from her whenever she got close, even with Stealth active, so they had to be very sensitive to something. Otherwise she would have liked to get some of them, since they had all been level 7 or 8. Maybe if she used Sprint... but she'd put off experimenting with that until later. There might be better prey options.

It probably took her close over an hour of slow sneaking to reach the edge of the forest where the foxes were. They showed no indication of being able to see through her Stealth as she watched them from the underbrush. She used Identify on the closest one.

[ Red Fox (Starter Lvl 8) ]

[ Identify Skill Level Up! ]

She blinked, and immediately used the skill again. There were now three bars over the mob's head. One red, one matte yellow, and one blue. Presumably for HP, SP, and MP. That seemed only conditionally useful. Most of the time she didn't need to see more than the HP bar, so she wondered if it was possible to disable seeing SP and MP. As she was thinking that, the two of them faded away, leaving only the red bar.

That made her pause for a moment, and then she began to experiment. Very quickly she found out that she could disable and enable any and all of the bars at will. She could actually wish away seeing anything but the species name, but apparently at a minimum that had to be shown when using the skill. Which made sense. Why use the skill if you didn't want to see anything at all?

She wasted several minutes playing around with that, but was it truly a waste when she actually learned something?

It seemed like Identify took longer to level than her other skills. Maybe she wasn't using it enough, or maybe it mattered what she used it on. She really wanted to get it to whatever level she needed to see the skills of her targets, so she could know in advance if they were worth going after. She had asked Aina, who had yet again taken the 'you should find out for yourself' stance. Fine. It wasn't like knowing would help her level faster. She just needed to be more diligent.

If she had access to the community forums, she was sure she could find a post about it there, but alas.

Regardless, it was time for her to level up. With higher level mobs on hand, depending on how quickly she could kill them, maybe she could even reach level 10 some time that day. The only creatures she could see were foxes, and mice, whom the foxes hunted. She made sure to use Identify on anything in range as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. There were also some sleeping owls up in the trees, but she didn't spot any of the ravens around. Maybe they preferred the deeper parts of the woods.

Considering the foxes and mice were the same level, she wondered whether they gave the same amount of experience. Without access to a combat log she couldn't see exactly how much experience each kill gave her, and the lack of an exp counter on the status page meant she couldn't try to puzzle it out that way either. That sounded like a giant pain anyway. All she could do was kill until she got what she wanted. Which sounded rather callous, but she had to remind herself she was inside a game, and it was her only way forwards. It was just how this world worked.

With that mindset settled, she used Jump to pounce on the nearest fox, which was level 7. She managed to land on top of it, and momentarily pin it down. While it was larger than the hares, it was still smaller than her. Maybe 2/3 the size? It was also nowhere near as beefy as the boars, as she could tell when she used Rake on it, but she wasn't able to finish it off before it wriggled out from underneath her, and attacked back. Unfortunately for it, Sara didn't have much trouble dodging its attacks, and finishing it off with a couple more of her own.

[ Red Fox (Starter Lvl 7) Defeated. ]

[ Level Up: Level 8 Reached! ]

While it was nice to immediately get a level up, she dismissed both messages. She could check everything after she reached level 10. She'd have to head back to the cave to evolve then anyway. Aina hadn't specifically said as much, but Sara had a feeling that evolution should only be done in a safe location. So instead she went right for her next target, dashing right for it rather than engaging Stealth to get close first.

The [ Red Fox (Starter Lvl 8) ] saw her coming, but wasn't able to react before she activated Body Slam, and barrelled into it. It got knocked over, and stunned, so she tore into it with Bite and Rake. Even attempted to do some regular 'auto-attack' bites. That was going to take some getting used to, but she might as well start training as soon as possible.

However her assault got disturbed as another fox came over to help the one she was attacking, and it managed to bite her before she could sense it coming. It even did a decent amount of damage, though nothing critical. She was able to finish off the first one, and dance around with the second one until both were defeated, but she felt slightly shaken afterwards as she retreated into a bush with Stealth.

Is that the first time I've taken damage that hasn't immediately led to my death afterwards? I think so.

It was something she would need to get used to. She wouldn't be able to dodge all attacks forever, especially if fighting more than one enemy. She had already died several times. It was the concept of taking damage yet not dying, that was new, and unfamiliar. Not dying was good. Taking damage was not, but it was going to happen.

She sat there pondering that concept as her HP slowly regenerated. Actually it regenerated fairly quickly, she just didn't notice because she was too lost in thought. It struck her again how different this was from old life. From what she used to do. And all the things she would no longer be able to do...

No. I can't. I can't think about that.

Sara had to shake those thoughts away, because she had a feeling that if she thought too deeply about it she might have a breakdown or something. Better to keep herself busy, and distracted. So she stood up, and jumped back into action.

[ Red Fox (Starter Lvl 7) Defeated. ]

[ Jump Skill Level Up! ]

[ Red Fox (Starter Lvl 9) Defeated. ]

[ Level Up: Level 9 Reached! ]

[ Bite Skill Level Up! ] [ Rake Skill Level Up! ]

[ Skill Gained: Dig. ]

That made her pause. She had momentarily forgotten about her Skill Gain ability. It seemed like her luck with the foxes had been worse than anything else so far. But why Dig?

[ Dig (Passive): Makes it easier to dig in the ground, or other suitable surfaces, whether you use nails, claws, tools, or something else. Effect increases with skill level. ]

That made a bit of sense. She had watched the foxes dig into the ground to try to get at mice that escaped into burrows, but hadn't expected they actually had a skill to help with that. If she thought about it, that might be the only new skill the foxes could offer. Without higher Identify level she couldn't be completely sure, but she had only seen them use Bite and Sprint, and while they sometimes leapt onto their prey, it didn't seem like they used Jump for it. It also made sense if they had something like Agility Up. So she might already have everything else they had to offer.

Regardless she intended to keep going until she hit level 10. Maybe something else would pop up, or maybe it wouldn't.

* * *

[ Level Up: Level 10 Reached! Skill Unlocked: Keen Nose. 1 skill point gained. Evolution Available. ]

[ Body Slam Skill Level Up! ]

She hadn't gotten anything else, but it didn't feel like there was a point to hunting any more of them. The popups were dismissed, and she started heading back to the cave with Stealth activated. It was slow, the shadows were getting longer, and no players had shown up while she was hunting, but she still didn't feel completely safe. Sure, dying would get her back faster, but that wasn't a method she wanted to rely on. Even if it wasn't permanent, dying was certainly unpleasant.

On the way back she spotted a squirrel that was actually on the ground. It looked like it was examining a nut. She got close enough to use Identify.

[ Forest Squirrel (Ranger Lvl 10) ]

That thing's a Ranger? How does that work? What does the ranger class even do? They use bows and arrows, right? What sort of equivalent to that would a squirrel have?

She briefly imagined a squirrel dressed like Robin Hood. Well, this was a golden opportunity, so she had to go for it. She got into position for a clear approach, and used Jump. The squirrel turned, and saw her coming, but before it could react she slammed down on top of it with her paws. Since it was even smaller than a hare, it was hard to keep it pinned, and attack it at the same time. Thankfully it didn't have much HP. Even the Jump had noticeably reduced the bar. So she timed a Rake at the same time as she lifted her other paw, and the resulting critical hit was enough to knock it out of commission. A single tick of Bleed later, and it perished.

[ Forest Squirrel (Ranger Lvl 10) Defeated! ]

[ Skill Gained: Climb. ]

[ Climb (Passive): Improves climbing prowess, and speed. Lets user find purchase more easily than before, even on surfaces previously considered impossible. Effect increases with skill level. Scales with Dexterity. ]

Oh? Now that's interesting. Wolves aren't typically known for climbing trees, but maybe I can be an exception. I feel like it's going to take some practice, but I have claws, and that's all that cats need, so...

Her luck had come through that time, but she really wanted to get the evolution out of the way before she experimented with it. So she said to hell with the Stealth, and instead activated Sprint before she legged it back to the cave. She did actually spot a couple of players on her way back, but she was going so fast that she wasn't sure whether they had time to spot her, since they were facing in a different direction. Either way, she made it back safely. She took a minute to catch her breath before she looked at her status tabs.

[ Character Status ]

[ Name: Sara ]

[ Species: Grey Wolf | Gender: Female ]

[ Genus: Wolf ]

[ Class: Starter ]

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[ Level: 7 -> 10 ]

[ HP: 33/33 -> 43/43 | SP: 38/38 -> 47/47 | MP: 11/11 -> 13/13 ]

[ VIT: 11 -> 15 | END: 13 -> 16 ]

[ STR: 9 -> 15 | DEF: 5 -> 6 ]

[ AGI: 17 -> 22 | DEX: 7 -> 9 ]

[ INT: 3 -> 4 | WIS: 3 -> 4 ]

[ LUK: 22 -> 28 ]

[ Bonus Attribute Points: 12 -> 18 ]

[ Evolution Available ]

[ Skill List ]

[ Active: ]

[ Bite Lvl 4 -> 6 | Rake Lvl 4 -> 6 | Charge (New) Lvl 1 | Body Slam (New) Lvl 1 -> 2 | Jump Lvl 1 -> 4 | Sprint Lvl 1 -> 3 |
Stealth Lvl 5 -> 9 ]

[ Passive: ]

[ Night Vision Lvl 6 -> 8 | Keen Eyes Lvl 5 -> 8 | Keen Ears (New) Lvl 1 -> 5 | Dig (New) Lvl 1 | Climb (New) Lvl 1 |
Agility Up (Small) Lvl 2 -> 3 | Vitality Up (Small) Lvl 1 -> 2 | Strength Up (Small) (New) Lvl 1 -> 2 |
Skill Gain Lvl Max (Hidden) ]

[ General: ]

[ Identify Lvl 2 -> 3 (Hidden) ]

[ Skill points: 12 -> 14 ]

That was a lot of updates. Again pretty much everything was glowing. Even Int and Wis had finally gone up by one. And the Character Status tab had a new button. But before she got to the main event, she decided to have a look at the Skill Store.

[ Available Skills ]

[ Howl: 2 sp ]
[ Keen Nose (New): 1 sp]
[ Endurance Up (Small): 1 sp ]

[ Skill points: 14 ]

Well... there was one new skill.

[ Keen Nose (Passive): Improves the sense of smell, giving the holder yet another way to perceive their surroundings. Hiding one's scent is harder than hiding from view. Able to isolate smells, and follow scent trails. Effect increases with skill level. Price: 1 skill point. ]

Another sense enhancing skill that made sense for a wolf. Were there ones for taste, touch, and temperature too? Everything smelling stronger could be overwhelming, but it still sounded like it was nice to have. She was about to buy it before Aina interrupted her.

"Sara. Whichever evolution you pick will give you Keen Nose anyway, so there is no reason to purchase it."

Sara jumped a little, since that was the first time Aina had talked to her without being asked something first.

Oh, okay. I guess I'll have a look, then.

She closed the skill tabs, and hit the Evolution button instead.

[ Evolution Available ]

[ Please Choose One: ]

[ Grey Timber Wolf (Fighter) ]

[ Grey Limber Wolf (Rogue) ]

She blinked, and then pawed at the names to get more information, but all that showed up was a 'Confirm Choice' prompt.

Aina? Could you tell me more about these choices?

"Oh, my apologies. Since the evolution system was never officially completed, the developers never wrote any tool tips for the choices. Norax and I basically assembled the entire process from bits and pieces they had completed, and left in the code. I will make sure to have some written descriptions for next time. I will give you the full explanation myself this time."

Thank you.

"The Timber Wolf is your typical wolf. Large, strong, agile, and fast, yet the most notable and dangerous feature is that they move, and hunt in packs. Outside of rare circumstances you will never face just one. Most of the wolves you've seen in this area have been Timber Wolves. In the context of the game they are given the Fighter class because they will fight their foes head on, relying on their strong physiques, and pack tactics to win. Nothing fancy, but tough opponents nonetheless. Attribute growth rates are evenly improved, with the exception of Strength being bumped up to the same rate as Agility and Endurance. Dexterity also gets a slightly bigger boost. You will automatically learn Howl, and Keen Nose if you choose this evolution. It would have also given you Body Slam, and the other Keen Senses if you didn't already have them."

That sounds like a solid upgrade. What about the other one?

"The Limber Wolf is a rarer variant that focuses more on stealth, and sneak attacks. If you hadn't bought, and used Stealth so much, it wouldn't have been available to you."

So I would have had just one option?

"Yes. While Limber Wolves can, and do also move in packs, they are more suited to going on their own as well, or acting as a scout for the pack. That is more common for larger packs that include a stronger pack leader. Status wise there is honestly not a huge difference between them. Limber Wolves do not get the Strength boost that the Timber variant does, but they get the same Dexterity boost, and instead get a bigger Agility boost. You will automatically learn Ambush, Sense Presence, and Keen Nose if you choose this evolution."

Ambush? Sense Presence?

"Ambush is an active skill that only be used from stealth, and gives a large increase in attack power. While it can be used from any angle so long as you're undetected, it is a guaranteed critical hit if you attack from behind, and +50% chance to critical hit from the flank.
Sense Presence is an active skill lets you detect nearby presences within a sphere around you. Similar to the idea of a radar, but constantly updates so long as it's active. It can be turned on and off like Stealth rather than needing to be used several times. While out in field there is little reason to not keep it on at all times, but it can be overwhelming if you leave it on while visiting settlements or cities. Though I suppose that will not be an issue for you for a while yet. It also synergises with the Keen Senses skills, giving it a larger range based on how many of those you have, and how levelled they are. As it levels up you will eventually be able to tell roughly what the presences are, and whether they are friendly, neutral, or hostile."

Wow, okay. Do you think Limber Wolf is the better choice for me, then?

"I believe so. I do have a question for you."

Yes?

"Have you given any thought to what you want your end evolution to be? Would you like to become some kind of ultimate monster? Perhaps end up as a world boss, or in a dungeon, or raid? Or would you prefer to aim for a humanoid route, and perhaps eventually become a Resident? If you let me know beforehand, I will make sure to point out if there are any evolutions that would lock you out of your goal."

That was something she had thought about ever since she came here. Ever since she had read the letter, at least.

I want to become a Resident.

"Understood. It does not matter for this choice, but I wanted to get that cleared up as soon as possible. You may choose whichever you'd like."

Sara was about to push the Limber Wolf button, when she suddenly thought of something.

Oh, I have a question too.

"About evolutions?"

No. I was wondering why there are so few players around here.

Not that she minded, she just found it curious.

"I see. There are a couple of reasons. First off most players will go to a meadow further east to finish reaching level 10, head into the city to choose their class, and then head back out. The natural path leads them into the east side of the forest. They'd have to return to the fields, or trek all the way through the woods to reach the west side where we are. On top of that it is a much harder area to solo because of all the wolf packs. Even a party of two would struggle against a single pack, and more so if they pulled more than one, since the packs like moving around. So they'd either need a larger party, get led here by their curiosity, or really enjoy the sense of danger."

That made sense. It was true that she had seen very few people go from the field, and into the woods. Some, but not many. She felt a sense of relief that it seemed like she would have an easier time while staying here.

With that matter settled she pushed 'Grey Limber Wolf', and then 'Yes' on 'Confirm Choice'.

[ Commencing Evolution Into: Grey Limber Wolf. ]

Suddenly she found it impossible to stay awake any longer, and her vision cut to black.

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