Chapter 32: Playing hide and Seek with monsters!
Chapter 32: Playing hide and Seek with monsters!
Now that I think about it the inability to cook is only annoying at worst.
I can just eat wild plants.
But let me add finding a way to produce fire to my bucket list.
I start my day by petting Wolfie and the nightmarish deer.
So here are the known special creatures encountered so far:
- Rank 4 overwolf. Boss level. No need to fight it.
- Rank? Giant ant army. Individual power rank 2-3. Group power = strong as fuck.
- Rank 3 teleporting mantis. Mean.
- Rank 3 deer. Best pet ever.
Half of those are cleared! (Without a fight obviously.)
In a previous life I'm confident I used to be a legendary student.
Learning avidly by day and studying by night!
Only the day before the exam that is.
Otherwise I'd be gaming, but still.
Anyway, this let me master the legendary technique called skip it!
When encountering a difficult question on an exam you skip it.
So that's what I plan on doing right now.
I'm slowly going to explore the forest and figure out all the cool monsters inhabiting it.
Then I'll fight the weaker ones until I can level up enough to fight the mid-bosses.
****
Let me see. There is nothing?
For some reason there are no monster at all in this part of the forest.
No fodder at all.
It is eerily quiet. ( )
Let me concentrate.
There are not even bugs!
Something is definitely wrong with this place!
But the thing is no matter how much I focus I can't sense why that is.
Could it be some sort of magical restriction?
I can't manage to perceive ambient mana either way.
Me trying is as useful as a blind man reading a normal book.
[Wolfie, for some reason this area seems dangerous, what do you think?]
*Nod, wary look*
Hum what now?
I need some meat shield to do some testing.
Let's go back a bit and that's it!
I choose you!
I stumble upon a small frog. When I say small, I mean almost close to 1 m. Given that most monsters here are rank 2 and around 3 m long/tall this is actually on the smaller side.
It is really easy to locate this one for predators. It is extremely showy with rainbow skin.
Everything I know about it comes from the first elder of the unnamed god sect. Some of the tidbits he taught me back then.
Apparently, it's called an acid rainbow frog. Its skin releases acid and multiple poisons. The worst part being the nature of the toxin. It keeps changing. Eating this poisonous frog is nothing but a death sentence. Usual hunters would stay clear of it.
When I first saw it, I wanted to make myself a weapon and apply a layer of poison to it. Sadly, it seems to be a magical based poison that loses its effect after a while. So, while it can perfectly kill it is only useful for the frog itself most of the time.
There is apparently a way to transform it to be useable, but it involves an especially troublesome process and the skills of a talented alchemist.
But anyway. I'm the natural counter to such a creature.
You got poison? So what? I got divine energy!
Get wrecked! ( ^_^) v
For me it is nothing much but a big frog.
Since it has no natural predator it is actually quite lazy too and easy to catch.
I have a bit of a hard time carrying it back to the unnatural forest area, but nothing I can't handle with body enhancement.
[Alright go in!]
It really is lazy. Just sitting there.
*Push*
God it's so slow to get it to head in.
*Kick*
Finally! Yes, keep going like that!
I can detect some movements. Is that a green snake?
Seems to be really long. >)
Weird, why couldn't I detect it before?
There are many more now!
This place is weird.
The snakes are entangling the frog.
It tries to struggle, but it just makes it worst.
What is happening now?
.... FUCK!
I'm glad I didn't go in.
Those aren't snakes!
Those are vines!
Vines that can apparently suck a 1-meter frog dry in a second.
Why do I say suck?
THAT FUCKING THING IS A VAMPIRE!
A MOTHERFUCKER VAMPIRIC PLANT!
BLOODSUCKING FUCKING VINES!
Long. Green. Thorns all over. Able to transform a living creature into a lifeless husk.
Would I be able to defend against that? Maybe.
My defense stat is pretty high for my level. (Okay high as fuck for a rank 1)
But what if? I really don't want to try it.
What scares me the most is actually the ability is has to restrain.
So, what if I can somehow survive its attack but end up getting caught?
I don't want to become a fucking plant ornament! (><)
How about the fuck no!
Good thing I'm careful.
After getting my ass kicked by some giant bugs, I'd be an idiot not to be.
Well. guess what?
Skip!
Next!
****
So, I went away.
This is called a tactical retreat!
I'm in another part of the disaster zone.
There are proper mobs scattered all around the place now.
But then again as long as they are the usual ones, I can just evade them all.
I'm trying to find the special ones now.
Let me see. At first glance there is nothing significant here.
Hum.
Guess I'll walk some more then go back to camp.
I wonder how long I should . *Stumble*
Ouch!
Just when I thought I was getting used to walking in this environment I fall like an idiot.
I glance at Wolfie in the back. Acting like it didn't see anything. I'm proud of it! It's learning!
Anyway, time to *Stumble*
What?!
*wolf restraining its laugher in the back*
Ok fine I deserve that one. But seriously what is wrong with me?
I may not be proficient in many things, but walking should be one of my strong
*Fall*
WHAT HE ACTUAL FUCK!
Is it the ground?! No . Perfectly even.
Any root? Nope.
My feet? Nothing unusual.
That's weird.
If I just stand here nothing happens.
If I move . *Crash*
I FUCKING SAW IT!
My fucking shadow tripped me.
Yes, my own shadow.
Wait!
Something isn't right.
How can I even see my shadow right now?
This forest is obscure.
It should be barely discernable at best.
I can clearly see the outline.
Something doesn't add up.
I take another step while intently looking at it. Everything is fine.
Wait let me try this instead. I look away, but I focus my divine sense there.
I take a ste-p *Stumble*
That's how it is. Is it a curse? Is it a monster?
If it's a monster can I bluff it?
[You know I can see you right?]
....
[Yes, I'm talking to you.]
I'm glaring at this shadow of mine.
Guess it won't be that easy.
Fuck me.
Surprise quiz! How long does it take to crawl back home knowing it takes only 3 hours to walk here?
Answer is way too fucking long!
Every time I try to go make some progress; I get tripped.
I really end up crawling back.
As I pass trough the restriction I can see "my shadow" take the shape of a small 2 m fox that leaves chuckling.
It seems as fast as it is mischievous.
Dear diary today I played hide and seek with some monsters.
IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! o()o