The next morning, Aeryon woke to the sound of faint whispers drifting from the kitchen. He pretended to sleep, remembering the "surprise" the kids had spoken about. After a few minutes, he felt a gentle stir beside him, then slowly cracked one eye open — only to see Lyora and Kalin standing at his bedside, wide grins plastered on their small faces.
"Good morning, brother!" Kalin said excitedly.
"We have a surprise for you!" added Lyora, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Oh, a surprise?" Aeryon said, feigning astonishment. "What did you little mischief-makers do this time?" He almost cursed but bit his tongue just in time.
They led him to the kitchen. On the small wooden table sat a humble bowl of soup — but this time, tiny pieces of meat floated in the broth, garnished with wild herbs they had carefully gathered.
"We made breakfast for you!" Lyora said proudly. "And we added the meat you brought home!"
"And I helped pick the herbs!" Kalin shouted, bouncing on his toes with excitement.
Aeryon looked at the soup, then at their hopeful faces. A warmth spread through him — a strange mix of responsibility and quiet pride. This meal was proof that his efforts meant something. He had people now — people who cared.
"It's… wonderful," Aeryon said, taking a spoonful of the soup. The taste was simple, but it was full of love. "Thank you, my precious little ones."
After breakfast, while the children played outside, Aeryon sat alone, thinking about his next move. He had secured food for the day, but that wouldn't be enough for long. He needed a way to earn money — and maybe strengthen himself too.
"Now that the damned bleeding is behind me, I can focus on everything else." He opened his status window.
[Your Current Stats:]
Name: Aeryon
Age: 17 years
Race: Human
Level: 1 (Novice)
HP: 100 / 100
Strength: 3 (-2 due to severe injuries)
Intelligence: 8
Mana: 50 / 50
Innate Talents: None
Class: None
Skills:
Skill Forger (Rank F)
Seeker's Gaze (Rank B)
Faint Healing Whisper (Rank F)
Deceptive Pit Trap (Rank F)
Novice Monster Dissection (Rank F)
"Full HP! Much better. That wretched curse is gone!" Aeryon exhaled in relief.
"I caught two horned rabbits already — but relying on traps alone won't cut it. I need to get stronger."
Two main options came to mind:
Hunt monsters properly: Use traps wisely, but also face weaker beasts head-on with his new sword — earning both money and experience by selling monster parts.
Find steady work: Maybe there was a job in the village that paid better than the palace — helping traders, working farms.
But Aeryon, a seasoned player at heart, knew the truth: Strength comes from experience.
"Slaying monsters is the fastest way to grow. Money will follow."
"Hunting is my path," Aeryon decided. "That's how I'll earn, level up, and — most importantly — grow stronger." He knew it was risky, but he was ready. He was a gamer — this was his game.
"But first… some housekeeping," Aeryon thought. "Skill Forger, Seeker's Gaze… these are the only decent names — oh wait, they're the only ones the system named too, huh?" He muttered. "Time to clean up these ridiculous names."
He opened his skills window and began editing:
Faint Healing Whisper → Simple Heal
Deceptive Pit Trap → Pit Trap
Novice Monster Dissection → Dissection
Restricted Carry Pocket → Storage
"Much better. Practical and less stupid," Aeryon smirked. "Now — to the forest!"
With his stolen sword safely stored, and his body fully healed, Aeryon headed toward the forest. He knew monsters weren't just experience points — they were real threats.
Ding~
[Skill Forger – Creation Mode]
"I need something to sense danger," Aeryon thought. "I can't rely on sheer luck in this messed-up world."
[Analyzing Proposed Skill: Danger Sense]
Proposed Description: Grants the user a subtle awareness of imminent danger nearby, like strong monsters or hidden traps.
Expected Rank: F
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 5 minutes (per activation)
"Perfect. Simple but lifesaving." He pressed [Create].
Flicker-flicker
[Creation in progress...]
[...Success!]
Ding~
[Skill Created: Danger Sense]
Type: Sensory Skill
Rank: F
Description: Grants the user a sense of looming danger in the immediate area.
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 5 minutes
"Nice! An early warning system. Sometimes you're generous, you stingy system." Aeryon chuckled.
Aeryon moved through the forest cautiously, activating Danger Sense every so often. He scanned for weak monsters — something his still-recovering body could handle.
Before long, he felt a faint prickling at the back of his neck. Tch! — the signal from Danger Sense. He looked around, then spotted something hidden among the bushes: a massive hedgehog — far bigger than any normal one. Its quills were sharp and solid as nails.
Ding~
[Target Info: Forest Giant Hedgehog]
Type: Predator
Level: 3
HP: 120 / 120
Skills:
Quill Defense: Greatly increases defense when curled up.
Rush Attack: Charges at enemies with spiked quills.
Weak Points: Soft belly when curled, head.
"A giant hedgehog? A spiky ball — easy enough," Aeryon muttered, drawing his ornate short sword from Storage. "Alright then, show me what you've got, fancy blade!"
He crept closer, circling the hedgehog. Sensing danger, the creature immediately curled up tight — a perfect ball of spikes. "Quill Defense, huh? How adorable."
He remembered its weak spots — the belly and head. "You silly thing, that won't save you."
He waited until it loosened up slightly, then lunged, slashing hard at its head.
Crash!
[Inflicted 15 damage to Forest Giant Hedgehog!]
[HP: 105 / 120]
"Not bad," Aeryon murmured. "But I need to finish you fast."
He darted around it, exploiting his superior speed. Each time the hedgehog tried to curl up again, he struck quick blows to its head. After a flurry of strikes, the giant hedgehog collapsed.
Ding~
[You have slain a Forest Giant Hedgehog!]
[Gained 5 EXP!]
[Current Level: 1 (25 / 100)]
[HP: 100 / 100]
[Mana: 30 / 50]
"Perfect! XP — just what I need!" Aeryon grinned. "Now, time for some dissection."
He activated Dissection, pulled a small knife from Storage, and began separating meat from quills and hide, guided by the new knowledge flowing in his mind.
"This meat will feed us for two days. The hide and quills will fetch a decent price."
[Stored Item: Hedgehog Meat (4 kg / 10 kg) — Slot 2]
[Stored Item: Hedgehog Claws ×10 (1 kg / 10 kg) — Slot 4]
[Stored Item: Hedgehog Quills ×50 (1 kg / 10 kg) — Slot 5]
"Perfect!" Aeryon said. "This is exactly the progress I wanted."
Finished with the hedgehog, Aeryon roamed deeper, Danger Sense primed. He wasn't satisfied with hedgehogs alone — he craved bigger prey.
"I need more power — more resources," he thought, scanning the forest. "Hedgehogs are a start, but I need bigger challenges." He resolved to hunt new creatures — maybe forest wolves or crawling beasts.
Tch!
A soft sting at the back of his neck — Danger Sense again. He peered around cautiously, Seeker's Gaze at the ready.
Ding~
[Target Info: Shadow Wolf Pup]
Type: Beast
Level: 5
HP: 250 / 250
Skills:
Bite Attack: Basic offensive bite.
Shadow Speed: Temporary speed boost.
Terror Bark: Causes fear and confusion in weaker prey.
Weak Points: Bright light, rapid successive attacks.
"A Shadow Wolf Pup?" Aeryon muttered. "Level 5? That's a lot tougher than the hedgehog. But if I can take it down… jackpot."
He wasn't reckless. He knew even a young Shadow Wolf was far stronger than a hedgehog. But he wasn't afraid either — he was a gamer, trained to analyze and exploit weaknesses.
"Shadow Speed, Terror Bark… tricky mutt. But Seeker's Gaze gave me its soft spots: bright light and relentless strikes."
He smirked. "You're no big bad wolf — just a big kitten."
Instead of charging head-on, he set a trap — using the old rabbit pit as the base. He layered a new Pit Trap inside it, making it deeper and more lethal with leftover spikes. Then he climbed a tall tree to wait.
Before long, the Shadow Wolf appeared — sleek, menacing, its black fur blending into the forest's shade. It didn't see the trap — and crashed right in.
Thud!
It howled in rage, scrambling to escape. Aeryon dropped from the tree, sword ready.
"Time to end this."
He approached the pit. The wolf pup clawed desperately but couldn't climb out. Seeker's Gaze highlighted its weak spots. "Quick strikes. No mercy."
He lunged, slashing rapidly at its head and belly, again and again. The wolf thrashed and snarled — but trapped and exposed, it couldn't fight back for long. After a flurry of blows, it went limp.
Ding~
[You have slain a Shadow Wolf Pup!]
[Gained 25 EXP!]
[Current Level: 1 (50 / 100)]
[HP: 100 / 100]
[Mana: 10 / 50]
"Yes! I did it!" Aeryon exhaled, breathless with thrill. "I soloed a Shadow Wolf! I'm stronger than I thought."
Though young, the wolf's body was valuable. Aeryon dissected it swiftly, storing meat, hide, and sharp fangs. The fangs went straight into his pocket — his storage slots were full.
[Cooldown: 29:58]
"A true treasure," Aeryon said. "I can sell these parts, buy better gear — maybe even learn new skills."
But then a question nagged at him: "Why did monsters keep coming to me? Am I just lucky? I've heard Shadow Wolves only show up at night — so why now? It's not like I sprinkled monster bait or reek of prey—" He sniffed the air.
Sniff sniff.
"Ugh… that stench! That's me!"
He realized his clothes were filthy and torn, reeking of blood and sweat. "Disgusting!" He decided to fix that first — heading to the river to wash up. The water was cold but refreshing. He scrubbed himself and his rags clean.
Afterward, he returned home to gather the leftover rabbit parts he'd left behind. The kids were still outside playing. He grabbed the remaining meat, pelts, and horns, stuffing them all into a big sack.
"Time for the market!" Aeryon declared. "Time to make some coin — and get rid of these lousy rags!"