《Skillbound》 SB.01 - Exile

01 - Exile Theo moved his body with an easy precision. Having trained for a hefty part of his life, his blocks and punches could flow and torque naturally. Over time, dodging, which seemed like a good idea years ago, went to the back of his mind when he fought. He instead found solace in deflecting and using the enemy¡¯s momentum against them. Double punches came in towards his head from the opponent in front of him. He blocked the second fist to theside and returned with his own fist to the opponent¡¯s now-exposed ribs using all his hip tension. His hit landed with a slap, eliminating the opponent from the fight. Theo locked onto his other opponents. He blocked blows with his hands, elbows, forearms, knees, feet and sometimes even his shoulders. He had almost founded a new art with only his unorthodox blocking, where hostile blows would usually glance off and leave the opponents wide open to a counter-attack. Theo performed a front kick and a sidekick to an opponent in front of him in rapid succession. His hits were so fast and fluid, the man blocked the first to realize a second was coming in right under his guard. Theo¡¯s heel lightly touched his solar plexus. The third opponent was trying to sneak up on him and exploit his blind spots, but Theo was simply too agile, especially when his instincts kicked in overdrive. Although he had to block an incoming flurry of blows, he still managed some light footwork, allowing him to gain an advantageous position and tripping the opponent to the ground. As the opponent fell, Theo dropped a punch to his back and connected with barely a tap. His match of three against one was a daily occurrence. His opponents were the top students of the week, and sometimes there were more than three. Three was a general rule, however, since this style of martial arts was more of a toe-to-toe fighting style and anymore opponents would need to wait their turn for proper movement. The sparring at an end, the students of the dojo returned to a lined up grid for the sensei to dismiss. Theo casually strode to the changing room to change out of his gi, a thick white martial garment, and into regular clothes. He attached his familiar chain around his neck. He had removed it prior to the session as per the rules of the dojo; someone could get hurt. Stories of torn earlobes could really make you obedient. At least it did for Theo. Unlike his own odorless gym bag, the other bags in the room fostered a foul smell that pervaded every inch of pure air. More than ready to finish up changing when his nose started to cringe, Theo took his leave. A few minutes of walking lead him to his family¡¯s truck in the parking lot outside. It had a dark blue paint, bulky wheels with chrome rims and although it looked fairly new, it was quite the weathered vehicle. Theo lifted himself inside and put his bag on the passenger seat. His seat belt safely buckled, he stirred the engine and hit his way home.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The street lamps glowed along the road in the eerie darkness. The only sound was that of the truck¡¯s engine humming. A few minutes had passed since Theo left the dojo but his hands were still throbbing from the blood pumping adrenaline. Shadows danced on the nearby houses as he drove by at a decent speed. He wondered if his mother had left any supper for him. She might already be in bed so he should try and keep the noise down when he got home. He wouldn¡¯t want his mother to wake up for nothing. He passed in front of his old elementary school, and the church next to it. He went to a Christian school but he never cared for things like religion and God and whatnot. To him, technology and science made more sense but he did like the occasional moral the priest taught. When he ¡°graduated¡± from the school three years ago, he was elated to not have to go sit in the church with his class for the annual Easter lecture, though the music was nice sometimes. Suddenly, like a deer in the headlights, an old man was in the middle of the road and Theo was not able to stop the truck in time. The night diffused into bright colors as the vehicle came to a stop.
The branches of the trees swayed in the wind. A few rays of sunlight hit the forest floor. Exotic plants hung from the canopy of leaves and bark and wild mushrooms grew in abundance where the shadows and humidity dominated. From inside the stopped truck, Theo could only sit stock still as reality slowly hit him. The man had appeared out of nowhere. A moment he was driving on the highway to his house and the next he was mentally facing having murdered someone. What have I done¡­? I-I wasn¡¯t paying enough a-attention t-to the road... Theo slowly returned to himself as the initial shock began to wear off. He looked for the man he had ran over, but he couldn¡¯t see well from where he was. He eyed his surroundings before unlatching the truck door and exiting the vehicle. However much he looked, the man was nowhere to be found. He knew the dangers and the responsibilities of driving a car, but he never had any difficulty in driving or learning how to drive. To him, the rules and technicalities came off as simple logic so could it be he became too comfortable around risking his and other people¡¯s lives? As he was condemning himself, a small light blue glow appeared in his vision. To his disbelief, as he concentrated on it, he could make out an exclamation mark followed by a two in subscript. He could only stare at it, stunned. It clearly looks like a notification, he thought,squinting at it in confusion. After a few seconds, a gray popup window expanded into his field of view. Caught off guard, it nearly knocked him on his ass. What he saw next nearly made his heart stop:

You have killed a monster of unknown origin. Learn its skill [Rift]?

Yes

No
SB.02 - Killing

02 - Killing
SYSTEM

You have killed a monster of unknown origin. Learn its skill [Rift]?

Yes

No
Theo simply shook his head, sighing, before walking to a large tree root and sitting atop it. He really couldn¡¯t handle this. The screen was still floating in front of his face. His vision was not obstructed, however, as the notification moved away from his focus when he tried looking behind it. He also instinctively knew what it said, though he really couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the meaning at the moment. Since I can¡¯t really be here, I must be hallucinating. Maybe I¡¯m in a coma? Was the accident worse than I thought? He kept thinking about his dilemma while doing his best to stay calm. Theo had no real experience getting injured, and if he was in a coma¡­ His family was probably worried sick. He¡¯ll have to make it up to his parents. He¡¯s also going to have to catch up in school. Of course, that was taking into account that he would wake up. After a few minutes, he snapped back to reality to the soft growl coming from within the bush behind him. Ignoring standard procedures, he slowly lifted himself to his feet and turned around, trying to make out possible outlines of a hostile beast looking for food. The foliage shook slightly and out came a tiny furry white rabbit. All he could do was stare at it, taking in its cuteness. What an adorable creature, he thought. When the rabbit turned towards Theo, its simple black eyes became a glowering red that seemed to lock right onto his soul. The rabbit decided to rush in with its head down. It was gradually accelerating until it started making good speed; enough to maybe break your legs with the barreling momentum. All of this happened in the span of a few seconds. Unknowing what to do in this situation, Theo sidestepped it. It flew right past him and hit a tree fullforce, destroying a good portion of the trunk as bark pieces and wood shrapnel exploded from the massive impact. Theo had seen cars do less damage to trees. The cars usually broke first. What did that little bunny just do? The rabbit¡¯s head was stuck inside the trunk now. It shook its hind quarters as it tried to dislodge itself. After a while, it simply hung limp in the side of the tree. Theo could not help himself; wide-eyed, he touched it. Damn¡­ it''s so soft. What did this little guy do? He had never been considered a weak-minded individual. On the contrary, actually, but tests never had questions like what this world was asking of him right now. I''m supposed to believe all this? I should probably look at that window again¡­ It says here that I can learn this [Rift] skill. If somebody asked me, I was in a video game and bunnies have the [Charge] skill. It probably can¡¯t hurt to be better equipped. Who knows? Maybe this is happening for real. He accepted the message.
SYSTEM

Congratulations. You have learned the [Rift] skill.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
SYSTEM

I officially welcome you to the system, Theodore. The system is in place to grant the inhabitants of Hexia an opportunity to be greater than themselves by learning system skills. Your skills are yours to use but know that you must first learn to wield such power before unlocking it. Every five levels you unlock a skill slot.
SYSTEM - STATUS

You are currently at [Level 0] with [0%] progress to the next level.

Skill slots [1/1]: [Rift]
It knows my name? He shrugs, taking the rest of the messages in. They haven¡¯t told me how to learn the skills, or are they always "dropped" from monsters? Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter right now. I have five levels before I need to know. Theo was already planning his next objectives. Clearly, he couldn¡¯t be affording to worry about that old man who was most likely the reason why he was here. He might not even be dead... He realized thinking about it would not help his situation. He could just go with the flow, like he usually did. First, try to understand it logically. If you can''t, punch the nearest person. When all else fails, carry on your day like nothing ever happened. He followed this subconciously, of course, and naturally, Theo could not see anyone other than the bunny. *Whack* Just kidding. Take it as the hyperbole of him pulling it out of the trunk. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to decapitate it for food in cold blood so he figured if it charged again he could kill it without feeling remorse. At least it would be in self-defence. It charged like a freight train. With a sidestep, Theo managed a hit to the rabbit¡¯s neck and it derailed, tumbling to a stop. The frail animal died instantly from the blow, its body turning limp like a puppet. Theo deduced that the rabbit was not physically stronger than the normal versions. The system never showed me stats... That impossible power was probably because it used a [Charge] skill. That line of thinking left him with one thought: ishis own skill that powerful? [Rift] did not soundlike a simple [Charge] did and no training manual came with it. Even if one did, he assumed it was easier to learn how to use the skill than to find the instructions for it. Hell with those windows. He tried a few things, hoping they would work. ¡°Rift!¡± Rift! "Rift?" His efforts were fruitless even after a few minutes. Try all he might, nothing seemed to work. Theo tried imagining the skill manifesting but to no avail. He could not use it. Putting his new skill on the backburner, he decided to scout the area, tying the rabbit to his belt by the feet. He didn''t havesurvival training, but he did glean information from movies and books. According to the sun, it was mid-day. He had no idea how to figure out north from south without the sun, however, so he forgo the idea of directions. All around him were average-looking trees. They had their branches and leaves way up high. No way couldhe climb them for an advantageous position. The vegetation on the ground looked like it needed a lot of humidity; ferns, mushrooms and plants with weird colored fruit that he deemed unsafe to eat. Was he teleported to the heart of a forest? Forests could get big and it might take him a while to getout by walking. He looked at the family truck. That won''t work. Too bulky and too little maneuverability for bushwhacking. Even then, I''d be running out of gas soon enough. As he thought about the vehicle, Theo remembered something. He headed towards it and lifted himself back into his seat. He half-heartedly scavenged around a bit, but he knew that the truck was nearly emptybecause of the bi-annual vacuum clean. His family''s stuff was once stolen by garage employees so they took out almost everything before sending it in. Content that nothing was overlooked, he grabbed his gym bag and threw awayhis gi, though he kept his deodorant stick. He wouldn''t be needing this, since smells attract bugs and predators, but he kept it anyway. Staying there would be a wait of attrition. He needed water if he wanted to survive and there were no signs of nearby streams. He''d have to leave the truck behind. Inwardly cursing his situation,he started towalk. SB.03 - Storm

03 - Storm The rabbit flopped limply against his leg every time he took a step. The hind paws were inserted into his belt.It started to annoy him after the first half hour, but he was not hungry enough yet. Theo was not a cruel person in nature, he was simply logical. If an over-powered bunny tried to kill him, it gave him some rights as to what he did with the corpse after he defeated it. The last time he checked, bunnies were herbivores so it was possible it had been trying to defend it¡¯s territory. And territory meant more rabbits. With that said, he had no concrete knowledge about what was going on. When he tried thinking about the situation, the world stopped being dream-like for a few seconds, just enough for him to realize he was really there, before returning to the normal hazy feeling. All he knew was that more walking was ahead and thinking about random things distracted him. He carried his bag on his shoulder by the strap. It also had joining handles, but he never used those unless he was trying to hit someone. The bag was kind of sentimental to him so he couldn''t bring himself to putting the rabbit inside. He occasionally tried to activate his skill but it still wouldn¡¯t respond. He also tried to open the ¡°status¡± window, which, to his surprise, opened. The window also showed that he was now 38% into the next level. Figures. I suppose getting more diner would make me level up? Anyways, I¡¯m dead if one of these guys catches me off guard. So he eyed the surrounding forest as if the traitorous brush was hiding the bunnies. Midday slowly turned to mid afternoon and nothing exciting happened. The dead bunny was beginning to look more appetizing to Theo but he kept walking forward. The thought of not knowing how to skin, dress or cook a rabbit made him think twice. Please, let there be a town! But still nothing. At some point, he found a good-looking stick that he took with him. A solid six foot staff that he could whack at things instead of getting too close. It also doubled as a walking stick.
He finally arrived at a clearing. In the middle of it was another rabbit; alive and light brown, this time. It appeared to be sleeping, nesting in a kind of loaf shape. It took a while for Theo to think up a game plan. He could walk away from an encounter with the rabbit, but that wouldn¡¯t help him in the long run. Besides, the rabbit¡¯s charge was too slow to hit him even if it woke up. He could easily dodge it. Martial arts taught him two things aside from fighting: be prepared to get hurt and fight with as much honor as you can without dying. Of course, he did not plan on dying yet. He dropped his bag and started to sneak up on the critter with his knees bent to keep his centre of gravity low to the ground. He stepped carefully; making a sound could get him killed. Still a few feet away, he dared not get any closer for fear of being discovered. He held his staff at chest level behind him with his forward arm (like a dab) for maximum reach before swinging it at the creature. Its trajectory was true and in one blow the rabbit lay even more motionless on the ground with its head done in. It did not look good, but Theo wrung its neck to make sure it was very dead before tying it to his belt, satisfied. Checking his status, he saw his progress was at 93%. Why was the rate different for this rabbit? As he was trying to understand this, a cacophony of noises came from the forest. *Growl* Theo spun around towards the loudest spot of the treeline. To his horror, he witnessed dozens of bunnies spilling out of the woods and surrounding him. All of them had incandescent red eyes. I¡¯m so dead, he thought calmly. Adrenaline had never made him go into a frenzy. It instead made him think quickly and coldly.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. He kept his eyes on the rabbits. They growled in spurts, so it would be comedic if not for their deadliness. Out of nowhere, one rabbit jumped, or rather, launched itself towards Theo. It seemed to fly through the air to attack him. Theo, without hesitation, held his staff firmly and batted it back into the swarm. The other bunnies followed suit and he simply stayed still and fought back. He quickly understood that the rabbits were fat little bastards. They were easy to hit so he simply timed his swings and kept up a combo of movements. He could do this. A few stray bunnies caught him by surprise. He had not seen them coming at all. One collided into his back and another into his thigh. Surprisingly, they did little to no damage so Theo ignored them and kept hitting away. He counted around twenty rabbits in total, but their numbers diminished quickly as one hit from Theo killed them instantly. Soon, army turned to squadron as the little soldiers were snuffed out one by one. Theo decided inwardly that bunnies were evil and that unless they were domestic, he would kill them to avoid being stabbed in the back. You¡¯d think they¡¯d stop after seeing so many of their comrades killed, but I guess they¡¯re not that intelligent... The storm of white, gray and brown stopped after about a minute with many casualties lying in the grass. Granted, a few rabbits turned tail and ran near the end of the killing spree so Theo couldn¡¯t call all of them stupid. A few had enough instinct to keep them from approaching him. A thought kept nagging at him until he remembered something. That reminded me of my training! Sensei used to toss bean bags at me and I had to hit them with my bo staff... Long time, sensei, he added sadly. He shook his head in an attempt to physically straighten his thoughts. He noticed the weird flashing notification icon. Upon focus, it revealed a cascade of windows across his vision.
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You are now [Level 1]!
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You are now [Level 2]!
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You are now [Level 3]!
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You are now [Level 4]!
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You are now [Level 5]!
One thing he was sure of: he did not feel stronger after leveling up, though he did feel somewhat refreshed and nostalgic after fighting with the staff properly.
SYSTEM

Congratulations! You have unlocked a skill slot!
SYSTEM

You have defeated the monster Bunny Jumper. Learn its skill [Jump]?
Jumping rabbits were easy to deal with so long as you knew where to bat. If he¡¯d been against that many charging rabbits he¡¯d have been shredded to pieces in seconds. A shiver went down his spine at the thought. Wanting to fly as much as the next guy, jumping great heights was a close second to him. It might even have the ¡°no fall damage¡± effect if he was lucky. That charging bunny didn¡¯t get hurt from the tree collision, per say, now did it? Feeling slightly lost, Theo accepted the new skill.
SYSTEM

Congratulations. You have learned the [Jump] skill.
Thinking about it, he opened up his status once again and noticed his progress was at 26% already. He wanted to test out his new skill, but he decided to try that later. He wasn''t confident in using skills. His first skill still hadn''t worked so he began to doubt both their activation and their uses. Charging bunnies were plenty dangerous so he couldn¡¯t afford to also be worrying about falling back down and killing himself. Sighing, he looked around him and realized something important. Man... how will I carry all of these with me? SB.04 - Fire

04 - Fire After stuffing his pants and pockets with as many rabbits as he could without looking too much like a tribesman or being too heavy, Theo once again listed his objectives. First came staying alive. He¡¯d met a powerful foe back at the truck and he did not want to meet a creature larger than a fox. Next would be to figure out his immediate surroundings and head towards people. Preferably nice people. Then, I repeat until I find a way home to eat some pizza. Man, pizza¡¯d be good right about now¡­ ... Focus! He did not want to eat straight from a corpse. Without a knife, or a means of getting one, he could only abstain from eating them for a bit. He knew if he waited too long he¡¯d have a bunch of decaying rabbits on his hands. He could make a fire, but did roasting the exterior of a carcass even count as cooking? It could waste an hour or two of his time without him getting decent calories. Shaking his head again, he started searching around the perimeter of the clearing for his bag. He had no hope of remembering which way he had been headed without knowing from where he had come from so he had dropped his bag on purpose to act as a marker. It didn''t take long for him to find it even if it was a dark color. The sun beginning to dip, he started to walk towards the opposite end of the clearing, determined to find a town. A town that bought small game. He crossed streams where he would sometimes drink and traversed flat hills. At some point, he came across a special plant. It had grabbed his ankle using strange vine-like ropes as he was walking by. It looked very strange but at the same time it blended perfectly in the environment. He was about to dig it up to beat it a few times with his staff to see if it gave him a skill before he realized he had full slots. Bummer¡­ As he walked away, the vines dropped to the ground ready to snare a new prey. The encounter reminded him to learn how to use skills. Theo walked until the light from the sun could not reach his path. Adrenaline still pumped into him and he would not be able to sleep in such a state, so he kept going. He couldn¡¯t feel pain or tiredness at the moment and he wasn¡¯t sure if it was from the excitement or the fear. Either way, it worked for him. He just hoped he wouldn¡¯t find an animal that could see in the dark because he¡¯d be at a very big disadvantage. Whenever he stumbled, he would pick himself back up. He had his stick so it was fairly simple to navigate. He somewhat felt like a blind man holding his cane, if blind men could watch the starry skies at night. He took a moment of silence for all the blind people in the world, though he would have kept quiet regardless.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. He continued his trek, sometimes looking at the sky, sometimes touching the soft fur of his skirt of dead creatures. It saddened him to have killed so many rabbits, but then remembered it was more like a survival of the fittest kind of day so he simply shrugged it off. After the third hour of wandering, Theo came across a sight: fire. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing or not, but he decided to approach. The fire, in the middle of a tiny clearing, seemed to be surrounded by a few people and two tents. A camp? Am I closer to civilization than I expected? He did not go ask them for safe haven, however. He was very aware that he was in a half game-like world. He counted 2 individuals, both sitting around the campfire. They were telling each other stories as one was obviously acting a bad guy, with his face in a sneer and his hands up. He could safely assume from the people¡¯s attire that the world was a kind of RPG. One wore leather while the other, plate. The armor did not seem very expensive, however, which gave the impression of either newbies or bandits. Theo was safely hidden behind a thicket of trees and a bush maybe 25 feet from the fire. He could just about make out that the leather was worn by girl wielding a bow. The other looked like a guy from his build and hairstyle, but decided against stereotyping. ¡°Your kids should be like me,¡± he whispered to himself. He continued observing the group; a worthwhile action since before he knew it, a third person came out of one of the tents. He was leaner than the other individual but he was definitely male. Theo kept to his spot and watched the camp for another ten minutes before starting to circle the clearing. He looked a bit further away, trying to find a road that the group might have taken to get there while also scouting different angles of the camp. A few perimeter checks later, he confirmed that no road was nearby. They were alone in the deep of this forest. As for the camp, he spotted a sword on the ground next to the plate armored individual and a longsword hanging at the third person¡¯s waist. There was nothing to suggest a permanent or even semi-permanent encampment. A new camper had yet to come out. There could always be someone in one of the tents, but what¡¯s one more to fight off? If there is, they¡¯re probably asleep, he settled. He tried sneaking up from behind a tent. It was easy for him to remain undiscovered under the cover of the group¡¯s loud bantering. He lay low to listen to their conversations. ¡°I really wanted the sword, but my father wouldn¡¯t allow it,¡± the girl said. ¡°He really is strict! Anyways, now you¡¯ll be able to purchase it yourself, instead.¡± Someone comforted her, getting shyer by the word. Theo facepalmed himself when he heard their normal diction. Shouldn¡¯t they be speaking really strangely instead of generic english? I guess I should be happy they¡¯re not bandits or slave traders or something. Convinced, he sneaked back into the treeline and skirted towards an open side of the clearing, all while organising his speech. He needed to have the proper words for when he would address them. He couldn¡¯t very well sneak up on them and whisper, ¡°Hey, kids!¡± He smiled slightly, but quickly regained his composure. His diplomatic plan set in stone, he walked out of the woods calmly and with a respectable demeanor. He walked with his staff and had his bag slung across his back. As he got closer, they took notice of him. "May I rest alongside you?" He simply asked, courteous to the last. SB.05 - Butcherer

05 - Butcherer "May I rest alongside you?" He simply asked, courteous to the last. He directed his question towards the plate-armored man who looked to be no more than eighteen. He had a distinguishable and hairless baby face. He had shot to his feet when Theo had spoken, eyeing him warily and sizing him up. Theo couldn¡¯t help but notice the trace of egotism coming from the smaller fellow in armor who presumptuously stood maybe two inches shorter than himself. If one member of the party was a leader, it would be him. The second guy, maybe sixteen, had also grabbed his sword and was pointing it menacingly forwards while the girl kept low with her bow aimed right at him. She had hair in her face so Theo could not tell how she looked nor how old she was. In the face of three armed opponents, Theo held up his arms helplessly in the universal gesture of surrender. After a slight hesitation, the frowning man nodded alertly. Theo sat himself down across from him in a free spot around the campfire. The others kept their weapons close, but no more hostile actions were taken against him. To his right was the second guy, his elbow around one knee with his other leg stretched out. He had a thin nose and his aura was awkward. Theo knew instantly that the nervous male voice he had heard when he had snuck around the camp had come from him. To his left sat the girl, her arms holding her knees to her chest. She seemed to be his age. Yeah, she¡¯s definitely my age, he thought. Though his judgement may have come from his hormones. Either way, she had a slim frame with just the right amount of content at just the right places. In Theo¡¯s eyes, she was beautiful: brown, slightly curly hair and dark tan eyes that shone bright with life. Just like his mother. He could faintly see in her face his mother¡¯s features. Any romantic feelings he had held for her disappeared instantly. She looked more like a potential friend than a lover. He relaxed a bit. Silence reigned all around as an orange light glowed on their faces from the fire. ¡°Would you know where the nearest town is?¡± He asked openly. The man in the armor stared at him. Theo only wore the cotton clothes from his world underneath his belt of hanging game, so he didn''t look very intimidating. The man must not have thought very highly of him because the next moment he cried out indignantly: ¡°Of course! Did you think we were lost out here?¡± He paused, his figure calming down. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re headed.¡± The look in his eyes told Theo that he was keeping an eye on him. He was looking down on him and Theo realized for the first time that he was being intimidated. ¡°Mind if I tagged along?¡± Theo asked, unabashed and ignoring the armored man¡¯s endeavor. He needed to get out of this place, and this party was his only hope for an easy way out. He could tolerate not liking a guy if it got him quickly and safely out of the forest. He wanted a guide. Before the assumed leader could argue, the girl spoke out: ¡°You may. This is a dangerous forest to travel in alone.¡± He blinked at her; twice, before giving her a quick nod. Even as a temporary member, I wonder why she accepted me into their group so easily?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. They all stared at the fire, with the exception of the plate-armored man who was still scrutinizing Theo, suspicious. The wood was still burning fiercely, which struck to Theo as odd. Wouldn¡¯t the smoke or light attract plenty of animals? I suppose they¡¯d be too scared of the fire once they discovered it to attack us, but still... He mulled over the concept for a bit more before more immediate concerns clouded his mind. ¡°I¡¯ve got all of these rabbits, but I don¡¯t have a knife,¡± Theo said, breaking the silence, which mainly got the girl¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯ll get the skinning knife,¡± she said as she pulled herself up and headed towards her pack near a tent. In no time, she was back and handing Theo the knife. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the armor-plated man staring daggers at him. ¡°Thank you.¡± He took the knife gently before speaking across the fire: ¡°My name is Theodore.¡± The fire crackled awkwardly between them. The slender boy still hadn¡¯t uttered a word. He was also sitting quite still, though he would sometimes look between the other men as if watching a debate. When Theo realized Armor was not going to give his own name, he returned to his task of dressing his rabbits. Where should he start? He had carried five rabbits. He had them all hanging by their hind legs from his belt. They didn¡¯t fall out because he had shoved the feet up to their joints from under his belt; they hung on quite conveniently. He¡¯d also heard somewhere that draining the blood from carcasses made the meat taste better. Does that apply to white meat? Regardless, he was sure the blood was all in the rabbit heads, and he did not want to eat rabbit head. No worries. Taking one down from his makeshift rabbit harness and looking at it, he tried mentally skinning it. He had always thought that cutting along it¡¯s underbelly was the way to do it, but then he realized how bad that could go. He¡¯d need to also cut it¡¯s head off, and then its paws. He shivered at the thought of cutting through tough bits. ¡°My name is Sarah, and do you even know how to skin a rabbit?¡± She asked after watching him stare at one for a while. He slowly shook his head. She sighed and reached out a hand. He figured they were also all well kneaded if that was anything positive. He handed her the knife and his rabbit, which she took by the hilt and ears. Theo stared at her. She proceeded to show him how to dress rabbits. ¡°The skinning comes first,¡± she said to him. Sarah took one of the rabbits and cut its head off with the knife. Not bothering tying it upside down to let the blood drain, she cut off all four of its paws and sliced a line connecting both hind legs. After also removing the tail, she grabbed the hide from its rear end and brought it all the way up over its head and pulled it off. The rest of the rabbit looked more like a thinned out turkey to Theo. Theo wordlessly told himself he prefered self-stripping bunnies. ¡°Next, we remove the organs.¡± She pulled on the skin of the belly of the rabbit and carefully cut through it. She then opened up the gap with her fingers and cut a very thin membrane that was almost invisible near the top of the ribcage. Without warning, she grabbed the whole rabbit and turned it upside down. Using two fingers, she scooped all of its organs out. Theo almost vomited. He thought hitting them over the head with a stick was gruesome. She was a monster. The disembowelment made the decapitation seem like a tea party. He hoped he¡¯d never witness another girl butcher. He decided he¡¯d hire a male butcher when he became rich and owned a mansion. ¡°My dad showed me,¡± she said when she saw his face. ¡°Lastly, we prepare it.¡± This part was more humane, according to Theo. Sarah went over all of the rabbit, removing a thin film of pale skin that exposed the meaty color underneath. It looked a lot more like how he was used to seeing meat. ¡°How old are you?¡± He couldn¡¯t help himself. She was acting way too mature for this. ¡°What ever happened to the polite man?¡± She asked jokingly. ¡°And I¡¯m seventeen, if you must know.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°You look older,¡± she remarked. ¡°That¡¯s because I have facial hair.¡± Sorry, guy across the fire. Theo had never tried to grow a thick beard, but his face could get seriously brushy in just a day. His old girlfriend had made sure to tell him. After a slight silence, Sarah spoke: ¡°His name is Conway,¡± she nodded towards the plate-armored guy. ¡°And that¡¯s Chris.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Chris.¡± ¡°S-sure.¡± Theo¡¯s stomach growled so he asked Sarah how to cook rabbit. ¡°It depends. You can make stew or broth, but out in the bush you usually stick to the simplest methods.¡± She pulled out a stick and put a piece of meat on it. SB.06 - Hike

06 - Hike The tents and supplies were quickly and efficiently packed away inside canvas packs. Theo carried Sarah¡¯s so her quiver wasn¡¯t obstructed. He didn¡¯t find it heavy anyways, so he didn¡¯t worry about it. He had his gym bag in his left hand and his staff in his right. They were walking in a line, heading west through the thick forest. He looked over at Conway, who was at the head of the party with a spare sword, whacking away at plants and vines that were in their way. Apparently, they were following a trail, but it seemed rather unkempt according to Theo. He could tell that Conway was in good shape, since he''d walked for hours in his heavy armor. In fact, he noticed that none of the group had much fat to them. They were either muscular or slim. He had been walking at the back of the line, not saying a word. ¡°You good, back there?¡± Called out Sarah, who was right in front of him. Surprised by the goodwill, Theo replied: ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. How about you?¡± ¡°Bored out of my mind. Got anything good to talk about? These guys are rather dull so I have to squeeze them dry for any conversation.¡± Ignoring her last sentence, he pondered for a bit. ¡°Do you have any skills?¡± He asked her. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± She replied, slightly confused. She shrugged. ¡°Usually, information like this is confidential, but I think you''re trustworthy. We¡¯ve spent nearly two hours walking and I haven''t felt any menacing pressure coming from you. One of my skills is [Sixth Sense].¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± Theo got excited at the mention of such a powerful skill name. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of it? It¡¯s my best skill, but it¡¯s not very unique. It allows me to sense the space around me.¡± Isn''t that overpowered? ¡°I could tell that you hardly even looked at me,¡± she added, somewhat sadly. Theo got psychologically hit in the face. Attention seeker. ¡°I¡¯ve recently learned a skill,¡± he started. ¡°[Jump].¡± He trusted her too, to some degree, but she said that skills are something that should be hidden. He didn¡¯t particularly want to inform her of the skill he got in an unorthodox way. The old man looked human no matter how he recalled it. And it might be special, he hoped. [Rift] was the only lead he had for returning home. He hadn''t thought of anything else yet. Maybe the system would teleport him back? He would try, but he doubted it would happen. He had learned [Rift] after killing a "monster of unknown origin", so gaming logic told him that it was a powerful skill. She nodded, debating if he had just declared that randomly or if he would continue. ¡°But how do I use it?¡± He asked. Sarah was clearly shocked, but soon collected her thoughts. Theo figured she thought it was common knowledge. ¡°Skills are understood by instinct. If someone has the [Run] skill, they¡¯ll be able to amplify their leg power for running faster. You could also try to launch [Fireball] out of your hand, or use [Cleave] when you attack with a sword. You said you have the [Jump] skill? Try jumping, then.¡± Theo looked at her oddly before looking down. He bent his knees, feeling his muscles tighten, but unlike the normal burning sensation, he felt alive. The flexing turned his blood into liquid power as he started to push himself upwards. The dirt beneath his sneakers exploded out as he launched into the air.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. What the heck?! Theo had been in weird situations before, but none of them consisted of an uncontrolled flight path. The wind slapped his face energetically. He soared upwards, nearly reaching the top of the trees forty feet in the air before starting to fall back down. Thankfully, he landed a few feet away from Sarah when he dropped. His unnaturally powerful legs made it easy for him to land since they could negate the fall''s momentum. My spine didn''t break!? ¡°Oh yeah; every time you level up, you gain one Skill Point. You can use them to upgrade your system skills. Just concentrate on a skill in your status.¡± That¡¯s one thing I haven¡¯t tried. Stupid me. He opened his status.
SYSTEM - STATUS

You are currently at [Level 5] with [26%] progress to the next level.

Skill slots [2/2]: [Rift] [Jump]
He stared at [Jump]. It worked, because soon two other windows appeared next to the first one.
SYSTEM

Every level, you will gain a Skill Point. They can be used to buy Subskills, or upgrade characteristics of your current skills. Subskills do not use a skill slot.
SYSTEM - STATUS -JUMP

[Jump]

You currently have 5 Skill Points.

Traits:

?1SP: [Agility: 1]

?3SP: [Power: 1]

?6SP: [Extra Jumps: 0]

Subskills:

?3SP: [Slam]

?4SP: [Hover]
Woah, that¡¯s interesting. Adding more power to that jump? If I only have five points, I¡¯ll need another level up before getting an extra jump. What is with all of these possibilities? He closed bothwindows and opened up the one for [Rift].
SYSTEM - STATUS - RIFT

[Rift]

You currently have 5 Skill Points.

Traits: ???

Subskills: ???
That¡¯s just great. ¡°Hey, Sarah? Is there any way I can learn more about specific skills?¡± He asked. ¡°Yup. Well, there¡¯s a skill index, if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± she replied. ¡°A book; written by humans. The Bestiary is where we keep all the records of the known skills. As reports come in, it is updated. You get a lot of money if you report a new skill, but they¡¯ll know if you¡¯re trying to cheat them. Anyways, thousands of Bestiary Annexes are circulating around, all of which are copies of the original. The newer it is, the more it¡¯s worth. Churches and libraries tend to have one, so you can always ask there for information. I happen to have one, but I didn¡¯t pack it for this expedition and it¡¯s quite outdated.¡± Theo couldn¡¯t help but become excited. Maybe the Bestiary keeps information about [Rift]? It¡¯s the only lead I have... Sarah tried keeping the conversation going, but Theo wasn''t really listening anymore. There was a kind of fatigue plaguing his body. Was it perhaps from the skill use? ¡°Speaking of Bestiary: at some point, a large trade network for animals and monsters was active. Adventurers would go out in the wild, collecting animals with specific skills to sell to the nobles or craftsmen. For progress or for skills, the poor creatures would get killed after being weakened enough.¡± Like bullfighting, he half-mindedly thought. ¡°It worked very well for a few years, but the system shut it down. All over the world, the people had a message pop up, saying: The system is not for cheaters. The dealers and a few buyers disappeared that night so the market has been down ever since.¡± Well that''s a downer... They all returned to peaceful walking after that. SB.07 - Hunt

07 - Hunt Chris was walking behind Conway. From his stature and his movements, Theo could tell he was on guard. His head darted left and right and his shoulders were slightly tensed as if preparing to unsheath his sword and dice the nearest plant. The thick trees that touched the sky soon got replaced by humble oak trees with low-hanging boughs. The path eventually turned from orange brown to reddish black. The forest¡¯s ecosystem became duller and more generic, though Theo sighted a plant that looked like a red cactus tipped with yellow fluff. It was with great willpower that he abstained from touching it. From behind her, Theo noticed that Sarah¡¯s left arm had an archery bracer for protecting her forearm and the top of her bow hand when she shot. Her other hand was lingering close to the knife at her thigh. Everyone was ready for a fight. Or maybe itching for one? He decided to break from the bored state he was drowning in. ¡°Do you know how to scout?¡± he asked Sarah. Theo had the idea that scouts used bows, but he hadn¡¯t noticed her do any reconnaissance. Am I stereotyping because of her weapon...? She turned to look at him, agilely avoiding branches and roots albeit walking backwards, though she didn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°Nope. [Sixth Sense] is medium range at most without upgrades so it¡¯s useless for that. I also don¡¯t have any skills for scouting,¡± she explained before turning back towards the front. Are standards here always set by skills? ¡°But Conway has one,¡± she added, probably more to herself than to him. Don¡¯t tell me Clanking Armor has a [Scout] skill! ¡°What skill does he have?¡± She walked about five steps before answering. ¡°[Weakness Detection],¡± she answered with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s a sub-skill he got from his [Vision]. It only highlights where he can swipe his sword, but it has the side-effect of pointing out life forms altogether. Anyways, both are quite common skills. He learned [Vision] from a Kirdo, I think.¡± ¡°A Kirdo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tiny bird that lives pretty much everywhere. Tan or brown feathers, maybe 4 inches tall. All you have to do is catch one in a trap. If you¡¯re the one to set the trap, it doesn¡¯t count as cheating but as a ¡®strategic¡¯ kill.¡± The party carried on for a few minutes before Conway held his arm up to order a halt. ¡°Hold up,¡± he whispered. ¡°There¡¯s a trio of foxes up ahead.¡± Taking a better look, Theo spotted three orange foxes with black nuzzles that were lazing in the grass not fifty meters away. Conway looked behind him at the rest of his party, who all nodded, with the exception of Theo who stared rather blankly at the rest of them. ¡°Sarah, take one down before I aggro the other two. Stay back,¡± he added to Theo, before looking back at Sarah. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you.¡± She tipped her head down to show that she understood her role before grabbing her hunting bow from her back. She pulled two arrows from her quiver and bit on them for a quicker later access. To Theo, it didn¡¯t seem like it would make her draw speed any quicker, but he figured it must have been some sort of habit. The bow had light brown leather strips tied around the handle and a greenish string, while the pale body was probably made from a malleable and tight wood. She pulled another arrow from her quiver and nocked it. Sarah seemed to stretch the bow beyond it¡¯s normal limit when she drew it. Theo also thought it odd that she held it sideways, with her bow hand facing down and her other hand next to her chest. She aimed it at one of the foxes while Conway and Chris got into position. Her arrow cracked forwards as the string released, its trajectory trailing light. The arrow passed straight through the neck of a fox, probably the biggest of the three. The two vanguards rushed the foxes without hesitation as Sarah knocked another arrow, her bow now vertical, and lined her next shot. Caught off guard, the two remaining foxes shot up and spun towards the attackers. Conway ran towards them with his sword held up and his armor ringing. He drew their attention purposefully while Chris snuck up from the side. Chris wore basic leather attire underneath a few pieces of cast-iron plates and some buckles so his movements went unnoticed by the prey. Theo silently waited while the duo finished them off. However, he¡¯d become too comfortable in his role as a bystander. He hadn¡¯t been checking the surroundings. He quickly found out when he heard the bristling of leaves to his right and five foxes spewed out from the brush. They were hardly a dozen meters from him and Sarah and they were already running at him. He didn¡¯t have the time to check behind him and see if Sarah had noticed the ambush, so running was not an option.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He smiled. A sense of responsibility laid itself softly onto him. He had someone to protect; a feeling of devotion settled inside his stubborn mind. His morals flared happily in the sudden gallantry inside of him that reared its ugly head. ...weird. Somehow, he now felt older than seventeen. He felt whole years of knowledge, wisdom and decisiveness fall on his innocent shoulders. Conway and Chris were too busy with their attack to even notice the ambush, so he had to make a stand here. No use in calling for help, it might distract them and get them killed. Theo glared at the charging foxes, holding his ground. A cold feeling seeped into his brain, but his muscles were warm. Burning, even. The foxes didn¡¯t look all that strong, but Theo did not underestimate them. He held his staff with a light grip, ready to make good use of it. Two foxes ran ahead of the rest, their fur briefly catching fire in the tall bristling grass. Flames flickered between their clawed toes. The first to reach him bounded towards his head in an attempt to scratch his face. Theo realized very quickly that the fox was only a feint to let its buddy get under his guard, so he sidestepped it to give him the room he needed to slam down his staff on it¡¯s back. It¡¯s body arched, broken, as it landed on it¡¯s partner that had been coming at Theo from below. The staff broke both their frail spines in one blow. Meanwhile, the three other foxes were getting closer. Before the lead one could get within melee range, it got the end of a staff to the face, a well-placed lunge. The other two looked in surprise towards their fallen leader, oblivious to Theo¡¯s spinning sweep attack at their necks. They both tumbled to the right and received an additional blow to the back of the head, ¡®just to make sure¡¯. Theo scouted the forest around him, looking for any other potential threats, then looked at Sarah to make sure she was alright. She stared at him with wide eyes and an arrow nocked. ¡°So quick¡­ you just took out five Fire Claws on your own...¡± She said weakly. ¡°We had to gang three as a party, and I could tell you fought without even using your skills.¡± Theo mentally facepalmed. That¡¯s right: I have [Jump] now. But it would have probably dragged me down. Or up, I guess¡­ Whatever; I bet that skill could be amazing if I practiced it. Theo¡¯s thoughts returned to the field. Sarah still had a dozen arrows and her knife but Theo hadn¡¯t let her get a shot in before the foxes were all down, if she had even noticed the fight in time to begin with. Although Theo¡¯s sense of time dilated while fighting, he estimated it hadn¡¯t lasted three seconds. It only took him five consecutive hits, after all. He wasn¡¯t scared of close quarter fights. Close quarters meant a faster pace and sharper angles, which in turn meant more adrenaline. As such, it was in Theo¡¯s nature not to freak out over fighting; especially when he had a six foot staff to combat a squad of angry rodents. This calmness affected him in many of his activities, though not all of them. He also sometimes got a ¡®social high¡¯. This affected other parts of his life. For example: some days he¡¯d flirt with a brilliant demeanor and dialect, while other days he would sweat through his shirt, pathetically mumbling his words to answer a question posed in class. Awkward stuff. Both highs had one thing in common, though: he lost himself. He remembered what he did under the ¡®high¡¯, but his actions didn¡¯t feel like he was controlling them directly. It was more like his subconsciousness took over, doing things he would never have the guts to do normally because of overthinking complications. Gallantry? Screw that. But his subconscious had driven him. His gaze was starting to unsettle Sarah. Theo figured it was as good a time as any to ask. ¡°Why do you trust me?¡± Her face turned into an awkward smile. ¡°I see. I expected you to ask sooner, you know. Honestly...? I didn¡¯t really trust you before now. On the first night I sensed you around my tent but you retreated without attacking us so I thought you weren¡¯t truly hostile. I suppose I let my guard down, though¡­¡± Theo frowned for more and she looked at him even awkwarder. ¡°...because you remind me of my little brother.¡± He blinked. That¡¯s it? Wait... younger?! I¡¯m totally your age! A shout echoed out towards them, making them look over to the rest of their party joining them. ¡°Why did you stop firing, Sarah?¡± Conway asked, but his attention soon turned at the mass of orange on the ground and shock filled his face. He looked at Theo who was nearest to them and opened his mouth, but Chris was faster: ¡°What happened?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°A few foxes tried to ambush our support so I took them out,¡± Theo said, trying to fake a disturbed and ill tone. Sarah hadn¡¯t seemed willing to explain the situation, nor call him off for lying to the others. He was completely fine from the fight, but he tried to convey the message to Conway: What if I hadn¡¯t been there? Well, whatever. I''m hoping to leave these guys once we reach the town. Actually... I need a damn shower. Maybe even a bath so I can soak for a few hours. He offhandedly blew a bit of air from his mouth upwards to check his breath. He felt like barfing from the bad smell. And they say others smell you worse¡­ I¡¯m screwed. Conway was frowning at him with his sword drawn. "How do I know I can trust you?" He asked Theo. "Because I saved your girl from those fire foxes," he answered, shrugging, and started to pick up the foxes. ¡°Got any string or something to tie ¡®em up?¡± ¡°How are you unhurt? Did you fight against all five at once?¡± pressed Chris and Theo chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if I did,¡± Theo stated, before slinging a fox over his shoulder. The party soon returned to the trail. Chris, who appeared to be the group¡¯s map and compass using his [Navigation] skill, told them they¡¯d be arriving early the next day. Theo felt energized at the thought of seeing an average village in his new world. Indeed, he couldn¡¯t help his excitement: they would soon reach Rocholn, a town that apparently had a population of around two hundred. From what Theo could gather, the road that ran through the town was frequently used by travellers, hunters and merchants. The constant stream of visitors could support the three inns located in Rocholn and allow the town to offer some basic services, like a village shop, a clothier and a blacksmith. However, the income and lifestyle of the citizens there did not allow for any more luxury, like a jeweler, or even less essential services like tinsmiths and shoemakers. Most of the inhabitants were farmers or guards in the town watch instead of tradesmen and craftsmen. Sarah had told Theo that a particular caravan visited Rocholn twice a year to sell exotic goods for what the villagers could afford. This was a bigger event than the normal traders, it seemed. Night fell on the party without any more problems except for a few blisters on their feet. They had only kept two foxes out of the original eight. One was draped over Conway¡¯s shoulders and the other was strung across Chris¡¯ back. The latter ended up on the spit and the group turned down for the night. Theo slept outside again in his jacket, but at least he had a bedroll. He stayed close to the flaming logs so he could feel the warmth soothe his worries. I guess taverns don¡¯t need to see ID here, huh¡­ It¡¯ll be nice to sleep in a bed. SB.08 - Rocholn Chapter 8: Rocholn Dew stuck to his face, Theo got up as soon as he awoke to keep himself from falling back to sleep. It would be awkward to drag down a group of travellers he barely knew, so he did his best not to get left behind. Shaking his limbs and doing a few stretches, he got ready to leave. Looking around, this part of the forest was impossibly yellow. It was more like a wheat field in the shape of trees and foliage. They had camped under an alcove of dirt and vines and he hadn¡¯t realized until now. He couldn¡¯t help but be aggravated by how unsafe the camping spot was. If skills were the standard here, he knew how little it would take to make the overhang collapse on their heads in the middle of the night. Theo had no real survivability against offensive skills with the exception of jumping away. I need to be more aware of my surroundings. If I screw up, it can hurt big time. ¡°Ready to leave?¡± Chris asked Theo, to which he nodded in reply. The tents were down and packed so they all hit the trail. Over the course of five or so hours, by Theo¡¯s guess, they encountered three groups of animals. With Theo¡¯s participation, they easily dealt with them but they left most of the spoils behind, only really keeping the claws. No use in grabbing the rest, Chris had said. The price to weight ratio for pelts wasn¡¯t worth it. Along the way, Theo did his best to practice his skill. It seemed he could control its power fairly easily. The problem was when he was in mid-jump. His muscles tensed up and moving around was very jerky and awkward. Sarah said that a trait might help him. ¡°Traits like [Agility] or [Control] help when using a skill,¡± she''d said. ¡°But be careful, points can¡¯t be taken back once used.¡± I figured, but I didn¡¯t know if points were reversible so it was best to ask. I¡¯d love to put points in [Agility], but it just seems like an easy way to cut back on practice¡­ Besides, I remember reading somewhere that people who become complacent or too comfortable are more prone to making errors. I don¡¯t want to end up regretting my jumps so a handicap might be best. I bet I¡¯ll be happy that I didn¡¯t invest my points into something so superficial later anyway. The few hours until they reached Rocholn went by very quickly. Soon, they''d arrived at a tall gate where three guards were out on duty. Conway seemed to be friends with one, as he started talking with the man. ¡°Hey, Peter!¡± he called out. ¡°How¡¯d the hunt go?¡± Peter replied. He didn¡¯t seem to take his guard post very seriously, Theo remarked to himself. ¡°Oy, Conway. Who¡¯s the kid?¡± he interjected. ¡°His name¡¯s Theodore. We found him lost in the woods,¡± Conway replied smugly. I found you, you hypocrite¡­ Way to make me sound like a wild animal. But Theo couldn¡¯t be bothered enough to complain. ¡°That¡¯s right: your dad was asking for you, Sarah, and the man looked pissed,¡± Peter said. Her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s gonna take some time to explain, won¡¯t it?¡± As the conversation carried on and became less about him, Theo lost interest and looked around. The gate had a height of up to a dozen feet and was part the town wall. The base of the walls were made of cobblestone but the rest was sturdy timber. Given how it was built, Theo figured it had no ramparts. The builders even seemed to have positioned the wooden guard towers on the inside of the wall instead of integrated into it. Maybe they were mostly used for keeping watch. I can easily jump the wall... What¡¯s the point of even having one? The gate was a double door design reinforced with iron that could probably be barred from the inside. Through it, he could see small houses built similarly to the walls and keeps. Some had wooden roofs while others were only made of thatch. Many people moved about inside, some in armor or luxurious clothes and some in peasant gowns. Why are there so many finely-dressed people in such a small commoner town? They can¡¯t all be merchants and their escorts, can they? He didn¡¯t wonder for long, because the group had finished talking. As they passed through the gate, the guards didn¡¯t bat an eye at Theo and he had no complaints. ¡°We¡¯ll head to the hall to turn in our task. Theo, you should get yourself a room at one of the inns. Go visit George¡¯s shop to sell whatever items you got while hunting,¡± said Chris. He pointed to a building nearby with a green sign. ¡°We don¡¯t have much to share in the way of money or equipment, so good luck without us,¡± said Conway. ¡°Let¡¯s go get our rewards, guys.¡± ¡°See you later, Theo,¡± said Sarah as they went off into town. I wanted to be alone, but they left me way too easily. It almost makes me feel bad. Well, whatever¡­ I¡¯d better get moving. The sun won¡¯t stay up even if I want it to.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Theo shook his head and noticed a few peculiar things. The unusual amount of guards for one, but there also seemed to be a common crest among them too: a black soaring bird in the center of a half white, half orange background. The city guards all wore the crest and its colors on their capes, surcoats and shields. A few of them wore purple or green instead, but the majority wore orange. Theo assumed it to be the color of the lord here if this place worked with nobility and fiefs. I might as well sell off all this heavy junk. Off to the shop I go. The warped green door opened with a slight creaking as Theo entered George¡¯s small establishment. Animal skins and strings of claws hung from wooden poles around the shop. Not much else was present except for an old grey carpet and a lingering smell of lavender. ¡°Welcome to my shop, young man,¡± said the chubby behind the counter. ¡°I¡¯m George. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Yes, hi... I¡¯m... looking to sell some stuff. Mostly claws.¡± ¡°Alright. Show me what you¡¯ve got, then.¡± Taking his gym bag off his back, he put it on the counter and unzipped the main compartment. George counted as he took the claws out, one at a time. Theo had just decided to bunch them up in fours if he ever decided to claw hunt again before George announced the total to be 129 Fire Claw claws and 38 rabbit claws. ¡°Claws from the Fire Claws are one copper each because of the cinnabar inside them, but basic rabbitclaws are only worth half a copper. Most claws, such as these, are used by alchemists to make simple health potions. So... twenty copper to a silver... here¡¯s¡­7 silver and 8 copper? Yes, that¡¯s right. Anything else, young man?¡± 20 copper to a silver, huh? I think it¡¯s reasonable to assume that 20 silver is worth one gold, if gold coins exist too. Maybe it goes as far as platinum? I probably won¡¯t ever get to touch one of those if they exist. Oh, yeah. Remind me not to drink health potions; I think I¡¯m about to barf. ¡°I have a few pelts, but I doubt they¡¯d be worth your time,¡± Theo replied. ¡°Good day, sir.¡± Theo gathered the coins into a small pocket of his bag. He nodded politely and turned towards the door, but George spoke before he could leave. ¡°You¡¯re new around here, I take it?¡± Should I lie? Probably doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he replied. ¡°I figured, from your clothes,¡± George continued. Dark jeans, red shirt and a black jacket. A decent style if Theo said so himself, only accented by black and white sneakers. A lot of black, but the colour went with everything so most of his wardrobe that wasn¡¯t clothes was black. ¡°You¡¯ll want to go to the Blueboard Inn. One room for one night is a silver but add breakfast and it makes it two. Be careful how you spend your coin, because guards won¡¯t let you sleep in the streets.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t I find someone who would take me in?¡± Theo asked George, whose eyes widened slightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it. The town¡¯s on the lookout for a thief, see,¡± he replied, shaking his head. ¡°Oh,¡± Theo said. ¡°Thanks for telling me. Then I guess I¡¯ll take my leave now, sir.¡± He turned and exited the store without looking back, feeling George¡¯s stare behind his back even without [Sixth Sense]. The midday sun welcomed him a bit too brightly. Counting things had taken a fair bit of time and Theo¡¯s eyes had adapted to the dimmer indoors. Blinking one last time, he headed deeper into town. Quite a few buildings were two stories tall, most being shops and the like. Theo was walking down the main road that went through Rocholn so he had the chance to view most of the important establishments in very little time. He sat down on a patch of grass outside the tailor¡¯s shop to decide his next move. I have a bit of money, my gym bag with a few pelts, my staff, my clothes and my shoes. I figure I can camp outside in this clear weather even without overrated camping supplies, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to get some food. I bet my socks smell great right now, too. I¡¯d better find a way to clean up before being forced to take my shoes off. I guess I should get a room tonight, to at least get washed up for the next few days. He thought about what he should do. If I want to be able to sleep in a room, which is probably the best current objective I have right now, I have to make money. Conway said something about rewards; maybe I should find this ¡°hall¡±... Getting up lazily, Theo set off on the search for the building. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find the large administration complex. It was mainly built out of oak, but spruce was used to shingle the roof. The hall had a few surfaces painted blue to please the onlookers and Theo had to admit it worked. Theo entered the hall and looked around. Dozens of people were eyeballing papers on dozens of billboards. Most of them were dressed in armor, but a few had the exotic aristocratic attire he¡¯d seen earlier. Since there didn¡¯t seem to be any rules for queuing, he went to check out the nearest billboard. On closer inspection, the papers seemed to be requests, announcements and advertisements for the locality. The papers were currently being scanned by a short kid. As he looked around at the requests, Theo quickly found one that he liked.

[Extermination Request] (Open)

Rabbits are ravaging Gulliver¡¯s crops! Clear his farm of rodents and return with the evidence of their demise. You will be rewarded with one copper coin for every kill, and you may keep the spoils. Gulliver¡¯s farm is ten minutes south of town. Task: Return with the proof of your rabbit kills Rewards: 1 copper / rabbit, spoils
Theo was again assaulted by thoughts of why this place seemed so familiar. Why would the people here, in a very different world that was clearly taken out of a fantasy setting, have normal modern names? Measures and directions were also the same, using words like ¡°minute¡± and ¡°south¡±. He shrugged it off for the moment, having other things to worry about currently. He noticed the administration desk so he headed over. The old man sitting behind it was all smiles and efficiently got Theo organized. ¡°You want to participate in Gulliver¡¯s request, young man?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s at all possible,¡± Theo replied. No use being snotty with the higher-ups. ¡°Surely. The request is ¡°Open¡± so anyone can participate without even getting registered. In this case, bring proof here of how many rabbits you''ve exterminated and we¡¯ll reward you accordingly. Try to turn in your kills soon, though. No one knows how long until the request will be taken down. Looking at my log of events, it seems not many people are working on it so you¡¯re in luck. Anything else, young man?¡± he asked warmly. ¡°No. Thank you, sir,¡± said Theo. He left the building. No use in staying put when he had something concrete to do. The request said he could keep the rabbit spoils so that solved his immediate food problem. He could also collect all eighteen claws without having to split them up between four people. Besides, wouldn¡¯t the farm be a kind of fantasy-like dungeon? An experience farm? Theo headed south, feeling happy for the first time in a while. He smiled. Time to get some levels. SB.09 - Farming Chapter 9: Farming Standing on a ridge north of the farm, Theo had a smile as he looked upon what could only be described as a bunny fest. Dozens upon dozens of the critters littered the fields. He couldn¡¯t wait to get started, but being reckless could get him killed. He decided to study the rabbits first to see what skills they could produce. He''d already met one with [Charge] and a few groups with [Jump] so he was confident he could deal with them, but a new skill catching him off guard was always a possibility. He didn¡¯t want to get hurt from overlooking something¡¯s power. A few people were already fighting with the rabbits and some were using what Theo could only call magic. The hunters were launching big ice shards or had flames dancing around their fists when they attacked. Theo sat down on the ridge and made himself comfortable. From this spot he could see all of the action happening below him. I can look at all the skills these guys are using while I¡¯m at it. A small wooden cottage rested along the treeline of the nearby woods. It seemed to watch over the destroyed cabbage fields. A pathetic post fence was laid around the perimeter, truly useless in deterring the rabbits. It¡¯s the only farm on this side of town, so it makes sense if the rabbits are all here¡­ Theo turned his attention to the sporadic fighting. A boy dressed in bright red raised his glowing sword and brought it down in a flash of light. The sword beam seemed to extend a few inches further than the actual blade. Was that [Cleave] just now? His partner raised her hand and a ball of water the size of a baseball hit a rabbit in the forehead, killing it instantly. Woah... crazy velocity for such a simple-looking water spell¡­ For the next twenty minutes, Theo watched for any sign of foreign skills coming from the creatures or the people. He was about to stop after being confident the rabbits had nothing up their ears when he noticed one using a new skill. As a large man in armor swung down his sword, a rabbit ran under his guard and bit his metal boot. It¡¯s teeth had a faint light that even Theo could see from his spot, though the glow quickly faded when the rabbit was brutally beheaded. The only reason that skill could be dangerous is if I tripped and fell. Really, what was I expecting¡­? Satisfied that no bunny could kill him on this farm, he made his way down the ridge. He always had his staff in his hand and he wanted to fight with it again. Theo wanted to prove to himself he wasn¡¯t just carrying it around to look like an overgrown hobbit. None of the rabbits saw him coming, which conveniently gave him ample time to casually brain three of them without a squeak. The fourth rabbit noticed him though. It tried to [Charge] at him but Theo easily sidestepped and hit it on the head. He didn''t want to risk hitting it before it reached him, for fear of his staff breaking to pieces with the monstrous "momentum". The fifth rabbit was oblivious to his presence so he got another easy instant kill. The power of a rabbit was its skill and its greatest weakness was its frail body. One strong enough hit was enough to fracture all of its bones, which was exactly what Theo had been doing. Add in the location factor, like the head or spine, and it was game over. His only concern was confronting a rabbit that had a powerful skill that he couldn¡¯t deal with quickly enough. [Charge] was an attack that went straight at the enemy, so Theo could sidestep and kill the rabbit. [Jump] was a move that left the bunny exposed in mid-air, ready for whacking. Not to mention: [Bite] was a close range attack that really only worked if the rabbit sneaked up on him. None of these skills could touch him, especially when Theo was in the thrill of the fight like he was right now. In ten minutes, he had a catch of fifteen. His kill count could have been a lot higher, but Theo was in no hurry. Killing took him a sliver of the time it took him to process the rabbit into materials. He had to make two trips to the ledge to carry all of the rabbits. It was still early afternoon so he went to work.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. While Theo managed to declawed all fifteen rabbits, skinning one without a knife was impossible for him. He counted 270 claws in all, which summed up to 6 silver and 15 copper. He also chopped off their left ears and realized that the 15 copper coins from the request was just an incentive to start hunting. The spoils were the real gain. Wait... I know I¡¯m more efficient than most hunters here, but isn¡¯t seven silver a bit too much for an hours¡¯ work? He dismissed it as a worry for another time. The bodies of the rabbits that he didn¡¯t want all went onto a cart conveniently prepared by Gulliver so he didn¡¯t have to dig a hole like his party had been doing on its way here. Theo headed back to Rocholn with a nearly full bag and a single rabbit on his shoulder. He stopped by the hall first to turn in the ears because it seemed like the most urgent thing to take care of. The smiling man welcomed him cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m here to turn in rabbit ears for Gulliver¡¯s request,¡± said Theo. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the clerk said. ¡°Just take them out.¡± Theo took all fifteen ears out of his bag and put them on the administration desk. ¡°Fantastic! Good job hunting, young man. Here¡¯s 15 copper for your help,¡± said the clerk. Theo thanked the man and visited George next. His sense of direction in this town had gone up a bit so it didn¡¯t take very long to find his way. ¡°Are you still buying rabbit claws for half a copper?¡± asked Theo. ¡°Definitely. Claws are a good business nowadays,¡± replied George. ¡°Can I sell you 270 of them?¡± George quickly counted them in twos and confirmed the count. Theo walked out of the shop with 7 more silver coins in his bag. Once he had the time to think, Theo decided it was stupid not to get a room, if only for the bath. He didn¡¯t know of another way of properly cleaning himself and after making easy money with the claws, he felt a tad bit safer with spending a few coins. He made his way to the Blueboar Inn, taking his time to remember the layout of this part of town. The blue sign outside was indeed depicting a boar. The building was very old, with the gables the only part of it still in good condition. Theo entered through the simple oak door. The inside was full of tables and benches. A bar was tucked at the back and a staircase ran up the right side of the room. Behind the counter, a bartender and a few waitresses were cleaning cups in preparation for the evening drinking that hadn¡¯t started yet. Theo walked up to the man at the counter that looked in charge. ¡°Hello, sir. I¡¯d like to get a room?¡± he asked. ¡°Food and a bed are 1 silver each,¡± he replied, looking up but still cleaning his glass. ¡°I have the coins here.¡± Theo pulled out two silver coins and showed them to the man. ¡°Alright, young man. Give me one and get settled in room... ¡° he looked somewhere off to the side ¡°...13. You pay me for the food in the morning. Washroom and baths are on the second floor.¡± Theo nodded. He paid the man, who he made sure to recognize as the owner, took his key and went upstairs to his room. It was quite cozy but it lacked a lot of things Theo took for granted in a hotel room. Regardless, the smell and the crusty carpet were somewhat of an improvement considering he had slept on the cold wet ground the past few days. Theo sat down on the bed. It looked decent enough, but the blanket was a patchwork of bunny furs. Theo approved with a nod. The small table next to the bed held a thick candle. The room actually had a decent-sized window, which made Theo wonder if this world had an easy way of making glass. Oh, right... I smell like hell... Theo left the room without his bag and locked the door. He only had his room key and a few silver coins in his pocket, in case something came up. He looked around the second floor until he came across the baths. There was a door for the ladies and one for the men. Inside were a few benches and a large metal tub in the ground filled with steaming water. Towels were neatly folded on a table next to the door. There was no soap in sight so Theo wasn¡¯t sure how well he could clean himself, but he figured a warm bath was a better bet than a cold river anyways. He had the chance to finish his bath without anyone else coming in. He dried off and reluctantly put his clothes back on. I should have found another set of clothes before taking a bath¡­ The awful smell of the clothes would rub off on him. Still early afternoon, Theo had nothing better to do so he grabbed his bag and went to visit the town tailor. A woman in her forties was behind the counter and looked up at him when he entered the shop. Looking around at her wares, he approached her. ¡°What can I do for ya?¡± she asked him. ¡°I¡¯d like some daily clothes. I¡¯m travelling and I ended up with only this set.¡± Theo indicated himself. ¡°Well, look around for something or ask me and I¡¯ll find something your size,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Over there¡¯s the simple clothes, though.¡± Theo ended up grabbing two white shirts, a pair of brown pants, a pair of soft underwear and some dark leather boots so he wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention to himself in his sneakers. Why aren¡¯t people questioning my clothes¡­? He couldn¡¯t help but notice how most of the clothes in the shop were dull in color and rough in texture. It felt like he was browsing through secondhand goods. In the end, everything came up to four silver. I just hope I¡¯m the first to wear these boxers¡­ Theo thanked the woman and, bored, decided to go back to the farm. He had leveled up earlier that day, and he was excited to level up again.