Aeryon struggled to his feet with immense difficulty. Every muscle in his body screamed, and his ribs felt like they were tearing apart with every breath. "HP is still dangerously low... which means even a single hit could finish me." He looked around at the forest that had awakened him. "I need to find a safe place. Somewhere to recover and figure out this damned world."
Aeryon recalled the original body's memories. The old Aeryon had been a servant, familiar with the palace and the surrounding areas. "Seraphin Village... is the closest," he muttered, his mind already planning. "But with this battered body, I'll never make it."
Ding~
Suddenly, a new window appeared.
[Exploration Quest Activated!]
[Quest: Find a Safe Shelter]
Description: Search for a safe place to rest and recover.
Objective: Reach Seraphin Village.
Reward: 5 EXP, and a "nice gift for your kind."
Failure: Increased danger in the wilderness.
"For my kind? Damn you! Is this system trying to force me into doing what it wants?" Aeryon growled. "But fine... I need the village anyway. I'm not stupid enough to die here like a corpse in the woods."
Aeryon sensed imminent danger. His injuries were worse than he'd thought. He desperately needed something to heal himself.
"First, let's see what I can do with this wrecked body."
He focused on his panel and selected "Skill Forger."
Switch~
[Skill Forger – Creation Mode]
"Alright, you damn system, let's play by my rules."
Aeryon thought hard. His body was broken. He needed something to heal his wounds, but he didn't have any strong healing skills. "This pathetic body can barely stand. I need something simple but effective."
An idea from his RPG days flashed in his mind—items, weapons, even creatures could have hidden "properties" that could be exploited.
"Leaves, pebbles, animal bones... anything could be a component."
He focused on a basic idea: "Applying pressure to wounds to stop bleeding. But how do I turn that into a skill?"
Ding~
[Analyzing Proposed Skill: Emergency Wound Compression]
Proposed Description: Manually apply pressure to wounds using available materials (cloth, leaves) to slow bleeding and prevent worsening injuries.
Expected Rank: F
Mana Cost: 5
Cooldown: 1 minute
"That sounds reasonable," Aeryon muttered. "Nothing magical, just basics. But it's my life now."
He pressed "Create."
Flicker-flicker
[Creation in progress...]
[...Rejected.]
No reason. No explanation. Just "Rejected."
"This damn system isn't helping!!" Aeryon yelled, punching the ground weakly, sending sharp pain through his arm. "You shameless system! Rejecting my skill? This isn't a game! This is my fucking reality!"
For a moment, Aeryon thought, "Why couldn't I have reincarnated as some useless rich brat instead?"
He sighed deeply, trying to control his anger. "Whatever... Maybe it was too simple, or maybe there are restrictions I don't understand yet."
He checked the Skill Forger cooldown: 3 hours.
"Three hours, you pig?! I have to wait three hours to try again? This is a waste of time! This system is trying to choke me!"
But Aeryon didn't give up. He went back to thinking. "If it won't let me have something basic... what about something more complex? Something tied to the environment itself?"
"I still have 50 Mana. I can afford a few attempts. But my HP... damn it."
Aeryon exhaled deeply, pain stabbing every part of his battered body. "Damn it, this fragile body refuses to cooperate." He opened his status window again, the faint blue glow flickering before his eyes.
[Current Stats:]
Name: Aeryon
Age: 17 springs
Race: Human
Level: 1 (Beginner)
HP: 32 / 100 (-1 due to bleeding)
Strength: 3 (-2 due to severe injuries)
Intelligence: 8
Mana: 50 / 50
Innate Talents: None
Class: None
Skills:
- Skill Forger (Rank F)
- Insightful Gaze (Rank B)
"32 HP... and decreasing?" Aeryon muttered anxiously. "This damn bleeding will kill me before I get anywhere." Every two minutes, he lost 1 HP. "That means I'll be a cold corpse within an hour if I don't do something."
He refocused on Skill Forger. The system hadn't triggered the cooldown because the skill hadn't been successfully created. "So this grand system didn't punish me for failing? What a friendly system! Maybe you're not as filthy as I thought, huh? Maybe you're actually kind, oh great System?" Aeryon tried flattering the system in a mocking tone, masking his growing frustration. "Haa... whatever. I need to find a way. Time isn't on my side."
Aeryon sat back against a tree trunk, trying to gather his thoughts. "A healing skill... it has to be simple enough for this 'genius' system to accept." He remembered from RPGs that primitive skills often relied on natural elements or even just intent.
"What if the skill isn't direct healing? What if it's about 'closing' wounds? Or 'stimulating' the body?" His mind, the mind of an expert gamer, analyzed every possibility. "The system rejected direct 'wound compression.' Maybe because it considers that basic survival, not an acquired skill."
Ding~
[Analyzing Proposed Skill: Primitive Sip of Recovery]
Proposed Description: Focus a small amount of mana on an injured area, intending to slowly regenerate damaged cells. Doesn't rely on external elements, just internal energy and intent.
Expected Rank: F (or maybe E, if the generous system allows?)
Mana Cost: 5
Cooldown: 5 minutes
"Five Mana? Five-minute cooldown?" Aeryon muttered. "That means I can use it a lot... if I don't die first."
He pressed "Create."
Flicker-flicker
[Creation in progress...]
"Please accept it, please please..."
[...Rejected.]
"Damn you, you filthy—!" The flattery slipped from his tongue as anger took over again. "What's your problem with me, you whore of a system? Do you enjoy watching me suffer? Are you making things difficult on purpose? You damn pig!"
Aeryon bit his lip, the pain doubling with every movement. He was starting to feel dizzy.
"I need to think differently. The system won't accept instant healing. Not even basic first aid. What the hell does it want?"
After a moment of silence, an idea flashed in his mind.
"Maybe the skill has to be so weak it's almost laughable, just enough for the arrogant system to accept."
He returned to the Skill Forger window.
Ding~
[Analyzing Proposed Skill: Faint Whisper of Healing]
Proposed Description: Summon a faint touch of pure mana to soothe damaged tissues, stimulating extremely slow cell regeneration. The effect is nearly negligible, but it attempts to "alert" the body to self-heal.
Expected Rank: F (at the very least)
Mana Cost: 5
Cooldown: 5 minutes
"A whisper of healing? What a joke," Aeryon muttered weakly. "This is like selling illusions! Like slapping a bandage on a gaping wound. But if this is what pleases the wise and mighty System..."
He pressed **"Create"** again, this time with near-desperation.
Flicker-flicker
[Creation in progress...]
[...Success!]
Ding~
[Skill Created: Faint Whisper of Healing]
Type: Weak healing skill
Rank: F
Description: A faint touch of mana stimulates extremely slow natural healing.
Mana Cost: 5
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Effect: Restores 3% of total HP (3 HP per use).
"Three HP?" Aeryon muttered, unsure whether to laugh or cry. "Three HP out of a hundred? What a stingy system! This barely stops the bleeding." He remembered—every two minutes, he lost 1 HP. "So in ten minutes, I'd lose 5 HP, but if I use this twice in that time, I'd gain 6 HP. I'd be relatively safe."
"Well, at least it's not nothing. Better than dying slowly like a dog."
[HP: 31 / 100 (-1 due to bleeding)]
"Damn it!" The window didn't even give him a moment to celebrate his pathetic success. "So I lost another point while trying. What an annoying system!"
Aeryon wasted no time. He placed his trembling hand on his wounded chest.
Fwoosh~
[Skill Activated: Faint Whisper of Healing]
[5 Mana consumed]
[HP: 34 / 100]
[Mana: 50 → 45]
He felt a faint, barely noticeable tingle. It wasn't the healing sensation he knew from games, but it was enough to slow the bleeding, if only slightly. "Oh, what a wonderful feeling! Oh great System, you're truly generous!" He tried flattering it again, half-expecting punishment for his earlier insults. But nothing happened.
"Seems this system doesn't understand sarcasm," Aeryon thought. "Or maybe it just doesn't care about my babbling... bastard."
He looked around, scanning the forest. "I need to get to Seraphin Village. This miserable situation won't last." He recalled the original Aeryon's memories—their home was on the eastern edge of the village, near the river. "Lyra... kalin..." He muttered the names. "Those kids are my family now. I can't die here and leave them."
Aeryon took a deep breath and began moving slowly, step by step. His body ached, but his mind was working at full capacity.
"If Seraphin Village is the starting point, then what about the rest of this insane world?"