Can we all agree that wolves are terrifying, especially when they’re moving in a pack? It’s hard to keep track of them, and they’re 4 feet high, looking like two of them combined could flip your car over. It didn’t help my nerves that their growls sounded as loud as diesel pickup trucks. Yeah probably not normal wolves.
Thinking fast—because I didn’t think I would win a fight at this point in my condition—I pulled out one of the invisibility runes I’d made. Then I jumped up on top of the big boulder the first bandit had been hiding behind, sat down to stay perfectly still, and activated the rune. It was only designed to last about a minute, and I knew the moment I saw the first wolf that it wasn’t going to be long enough.
Tweaking how the rune worked just a bit mid-use, I bypassed the battery aspect of the rune and started charging it directly from my own pool of mana.
The wolves sniffed around for 30 seconds, circling the boulder over and over again, trying to find any signs of what I assumed was food. I didn’t understand the behaviors of beasts in this world yet, as I hadn’t been exposed to the dungeon much, and the books I’d read gave me very little in terms of explaining the motivations of monsters and wild beasts.
Three minutes went by, and I was sweating bullets. I was starting to run out of energy. My hands were shaking, and I was breathing heavier, but it was only thanks to my regeneration technique that I was able to keep going. I just kept breathing in and out, hoping I wouldn’t lose focus.
Four minutes passed. Five minutes passed. Just before the six-minute mark, the last of the wolves finally left the clearing where the fight had taken place. As soon as I felt like I had to let go of pushing the rune longer than intended, I released the magic. The energy crumbled to dust in my hands.
I collapsed backward on top of the rock and lay there, waiting for my body to stop aching. I had been pushing myself really hard, mentally focusing on regeneration. It took about ten minutes to recover, and then I immediately started moving in the opposite direction of where the wolves had gone.
Another thirty minutes went by, and I was still traveling parallel to the road. I came across a sheer rock face against a mountainside I hadn’t seen earlier due to the trees. As I kept moving, I kept training my Inspect skill, trying to improve it slowly and incrementally.
About an hour later, I started thinking things were okay and was about to head back toward the road when I heard a growl behind me. Whipping my head around, I saw the first wolf slowly creeping up on me. I drew my bow, knocking an arrow from my storage space, and let loose. The arrow hit it right in the chest. And it died instantly.
The fact that I could aim with the bow gave me ideas. Right after releasing the first arrow, I mentally pulled another one from my storage space and knocked it into place, waiting for the next wolf to come into view. I didn’t have to wait long. Maybe two seconds after the first wolf dropped, another came sprinting toward me from the right, and I launched another arrow. This one hit it in the hindquarters. It yelped, but it didn’t seem like I had done much damage.
I decided I needed to create some distance and ran for everything I was worth. About thirty seconds later, I heard the wolves closing in behind me. I wasn’t quite in panic mode yet—I was still thinking about how I could take them all on—when I spotted a cave to the right, nestled against the sheer rock face. It was clearly not a natural cave, as there was canopy over the entrance and even a bench against the wall.
I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping I wasn’t walking into some den of thieves or another not-so-legal operation. There was no barrier at the entrance, but the cave narrowed down significantly until I had to walk sideways for a few steps.
After about 15 steps, it narrowed further until it was just wide enough for me to squeeze through. I saw when the wolves arrived and started squeezing through the tight space. These wolves were massive It would be hard to put down. To be certain, I launched arrow after arrow. The first wolf that charged through the narrow passage took three arrows to put down. The second took two. The third wolf, however, was truly massive. I fired no less than six arrows into it before it finally stopped crawling toward me.
There were still a lot of wolves left, and after the third one, I had an aha moment. I pulled out one of the same runes I had used against the five bandits earlier in the day. Charging it up, I tossed it as accurately as I could, praying it didn’t bounce off the cave wall and come back toward me.
I barely missed the edge of the cave wall, and the rune continued where no less than nine wolves were bunched together. I heard the unmistakable sound of shattering as the rune detonated. The confined space amplified the explosion, and eight of the nine wolves dropped dead, their bodies riddled with holes still smoking from the electricity that had burned through them.
I exhaled in relief, but also realized I was going to need to make a lot more of those runes.
The last wolf that hadn’t hit the ground was the smallest of them all, but it was fast. It charged at me and leaped from about six feet away. Expecting me to stay in the same spot, I dodged to its right just as it flew past.
The wolf tried to adjust mid-air, aiming for a bite, but its attempt only made the damage worse. It slammed into the wall behind me with incredible force, its full body weight crashing into the stone. It yelped in pain, and I took the opportunity to shoot it down with two more arrows.
I was mentally and physically exhausted. As the adrenaline wore off, I collapsed against the cave wall, leaning back for support. In less than ten seconds, I passed out.
I woke up to a subtle sniffing sound. It was dark outside, and whatever was making the noise was big. I could hear it chewing, the unmistakable sound of bones snapping. The noise made my heart race, and I froze, trying not to move a muscle. I controlled my breathing, staying as still as possible, listening intently for the source of the sound.
It was coming from deeper inside the cave. The last wolf I’d killed was being devoured by the largest bear-like creature I had ever seen. And this wasn’t a normal bear. It was massive, its size almost incomprehensible.
A bow and arrow wouldn’t do anything against it if I had to fight it.
I mentally chanted to myself, "Think, think, think."
I didn’t want to get close to this thing, but I had no idea if any of the runes I’d created would be strong enough to take it down. I only had one rune left, the area-of-effect chain lightning bomb, and if I could help it, I wasn’t going to waste it on one beast.
I had to think of something else, I didn't know if there was anything even more terrifying deeper in the cave or more importantly multiple somethings.
Mentally thinking it over, I decided the best course of action was to use the sword I had and another dose of Bob's wristband to get a few solid swings in that would hopefully take it down quickly. If not, I could at least disable it so it wouldn’t move and finish it off with my bow.
If I ever found myself in a situation like this again, I wanted to have something that could create a kind of paralysis, even if only for a limited amount of time. If I didn’t have to worry about the monster's extreme strength, I’d be a lot more comfortable fighting it in close quarters.
Getting off the ground and away from the wall as quietly as I could, I mentally focused. My sword started absorbing as much mana as I could to make sure it wouldn’t break against the Freightliner of a bear in front of me. I then began making my way toward it from behind, as it was still preoccupied with eating the other wolf.
I was only three feet away from it when it finally registered my movement. I immediately activated Bob’s wristband. As fast as I moved, the bear moved just as quickly.
The scariest part was that the first two swings I took at it, aiming for its upper body to land a quick kill, it dodged by leaning out of the way like Neo in The Matrix. And just like Neo, its downfall was its legs. I cleaved through its bottom-right leg with every ounce of strength I had. Then, with a swift motion, I made another swipe at its hips, still aiming at chest level for myself.
Dashing backwards, I mentally pulled out one of my flash runes and tossed it behind me. I stopped dead in my tracks, closing my eyes at the three-second mark.
A blindingly bright light flashed three times, even with my eyes closed and my hand covering my lids. If I couldn’t see, I knew the bear couldn’t either. Relying on the trick Fu had made me practice the night before I left the house, I mentally focused on sensing mana around me. I used it as a technique to see in the dark.
Turning toward the bear, I saw it rolling on the ground, tapping its head with a paw and moaning in pain from the blinding flash. I took out my bow, notched an arrow, and began letting loose. The bear was tough.
I must have put 30 or more arrows into it before I was confident it would actually die. I could still sense its mana through the technique, but its presence—and the amount of mana it had—had dimmed significantly since I started hitting it with arrows.
Finally, a stillness settled over the beast, and I knew it was dead.
And that's when I got a system message.
it was the first message I’d received since coming back to sky.
System Message:
Congratulations!
You have successfully overcome the wolves and bandits, demonstrating great resilience and quick thinking in the face of overwhelming odds. As a result, you have gained valuable experience in combat and mana manipulation.
Stat Upgrades:
- Strength +2
- Agility +3
- Endurance +2
- Mana Capacity +5
Skill Upgrades:
- Mana Manipulation (Level 2): Your control over mana has increased. You can now manipulate more concentrated sources of mana, and your spells last longer.
- Archery (Level 2): Your bow skills have improved, increasing the power and precision of your shots. Your focus in combat is sharper, and you can now perform critical shots with increased consistency.
- Invisibility Rune Mastery (Level 1): Your skill with runes has advanced. The invisibility rune now lasts longer and has a reduced mana cost.
You have reached Level 2!
- New abilities unlocked:
- Enhanced Reflexes: Increase reaction speed by 10%.
- Mana Regeneration: Passive mana recovery speed increased by 5%.
- Rune Master: Gain the ability to combine runes for more powerful effects.
Keep pushing forward, as each battle brings you closer to mastering your abilities. The road to Gauntlet awaits, and there is much more to discover.
I felt like this system message was different from the previous ones. It seemed to carry a tone, as if someone were influencing it, unlike the last message I received.
After going through the loot, I noticed that the drops were all different from what I had gotten in the dungeon. There wasn’t any equipment, but there were some pretty valuable items, at least according to the results when I used Identify on each one.
They included:
Dire Wolf Hide (x4)
- Description: Thick, durable hide with a faint magical resistance, perfect for crafting weather-resistant bags, cloaks, and armor. Vulnerable to lightning-based attacks.
- Value: Sought after for crafting high-quality protective gear against the elements.
Dire Wolf Teeth (x6)
- Description: Used in alchemy and herbalism for various potions and concoctions.
- Value: Sought after by apothecaries and alchemists for their multiple uses in potions and enhancing weapons.
Dire Wolf Claws (x8)
- Description: Rare, sharp claws valued for their use in high-level alchemy.
- Value: Sought after by herbalists and alchemists for multiple magical and alchemical purposes.
Bear Claw (x1, Large)
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
- Description: A rare and powerful claw, prized by alchemists for its magical properties.
- Value: Extremely valuable for alchemists and magic users due to its rarity and potential uses.
Bear Teeth (x2, Large)
- Description: Enormous, razor-sharp teeth that can be used in alchemy. These teeth are also highly sought after by herbalists, especially those working with specific, ahem, “endurance” remedies.
- Value: Used in alchemy to create potions that boost physical resilience and endurance. They're also highly sought after by herbalists and apothecaries, especially those who cater to certain professions—like, say, the gentlemen who work long shifts under the covers in a brothel setting. Their properties are rumored to help with stamina for those "late-night" engagements.
Dire Wolf Meat (x4, Medium-sized cuts)
- Description: Exceptionally tender and flavorful, boosted by mana, making it a high-priced delicacy.
- Value: Highly priced by chefs and nobles for its exceptional taste and tender texture.
Bear Meat (x1, Large)
- Description: Rich and tender meat, enhanced by mana, making it a sought-after delicacy.
- Value: Considered a luxury item, highly prized for its tenderness and flavor.
I had a feeling I’d make a pretty good return on the items I’d found.
After mentally organizing all the loot—strange as it was—I moved further into the cave and rounded a bend where the wolf had hit the wall. I made my way down into a spacious cavern, larger than I’d expected. Then again, it had probably been expanded by whoever had been staying here at some point. The whole chamber was about 50 yards across and 20 yards deep, with a really high ceiling. Light peeked through some substantial holes in the rock, casting a faint glow.
There was a stream coming from the rock at the back of the cave, probably a spring, and it continued into a little pond about 8 feet in diameter. It was about 4 feet deep, and the water was some of the clearest I’d ever seen. It seemed to go somewhere because it wasn’t overflowing, which made me think it had some sort of outlet.
I was stoked to have found a clean water source, especially since it meant I could replenish my stockpile. The mana-infused water, as refreshing and wonderful as it was, made me feel a bit wired—like drinking too much caffeine in one sitting. If that was the only water I drank, I knew it could mess with my focus. Still, for now, I was grateful to have it.
What stood out to me most about the cave was the almost déjà vu feeling it gave me. Not serious déjà vu, but more like I’d seen this exact thing in the game Skyrim. It was almost exactly like one of the bandit dens: wooden platforms with ramps up to a deck area, complete with a table that had a bag of silver and gold, and weapons hanging on racks. I mean, seriously, the vibes were spot on—I felt like I had just become the Dragonborn.
I couldn't help but chuckle a little.
The area was run down, complete with a massive pile of bones from every species that probably lived in the forest. And, of course, there were human bones too—or what was left of them. The bear apparently liked to chew on things.
Walking onto the platform and up to the table, I put all the gold, silver, and a few copper coins into my storage space, then started to look around for anything else of value. In the corner, fully garbed, was a skeleton in simple yet intricately stylized armor. It had a note in its right hand, and a dagger stuck in its abdomen. It felt like I was piecing together part of the story just from that. Looking around further, I found another skeleton that had been ripped into pieces, with some armor left and another dagger—this one lodged in the eye socket of the skull. Interesting, I thought at the grim sight.
I grabbed the different weapons and any other items from the two skeletons, including the armor, and put them into my storage space. Then I opened the note from the skeleton’s hand and read what it said:
"Kelly, if you found me, I'm sorry I wasn't able to return the pendant to you. Things went south from the moment I met Travis, and it was clear he had no intentions of selling. To anyone else, return these items to Kelly of the White Spire family in Gauntlet. You will be fairly rewarded for their return."
It was a brief, direct, and definitely intriguing letter. It sounded like I would have something to do once I finally got to the city.
I walked back over to the table and sat down on what looked like a semi-trustworthy stool. I decided to spend a little time here before moving on—might as well stay the night in the cave, since it would be a lot safer than being out in the open, now that I’d killed the bear I was 99% sure had been living here.
Deciding not to skimp, I got to work on making as many of those complex runes as I could, using a variety of materials to see how they would work. The question was, would I get a small spark, or would I actually get the result I wanted?
The thing was, carving one of these things took a lot of time, and I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that there had to be an easier way.
I followed my intuition and dug into the library in my head, searching for carving methods, copying techniques, duplication methods, and ways to achieve mass production. But I was getting nowhere until I finally stumbled upon something akin to a "copy and paste" spell. Well, calling it a spell might be a stretch, but the basic idea was to use a burning technique instead of a carving one. The result was roughly the same, depending on the type of rune you were crafting.
For this particular test, I grabbed a couple of the cheapest materials I had and used the "copy and paste" method to see the results. Now, it wasn't exactly called the "copy and paste" spell—it was something more convoluted and complex, deliberately written out in a way that made it hard to find. But it worked just the same.
I tested the cheapest material first—pinewood. It did some damage, but not much. And by no means was it an area-of-effect weapon. Next, I tried a denser piece of wood, and the results were better. While still limited to about a 3-foot area, it caused two lightning strikes—or maybe it was electric bolts. Either way, it was enough to show promise.
With cheap materials, I decided to use the copying technique to make nearly 30 of them, and I dubbed them “firecrackers from hell.”
Afterward, I dove into my memory and searched for an area-of-effect paralysis item I could create. But it was expensive! It seemed that the runes could only be made on pieces of silver for some reason. The silver didn’t need to be thick, and even a small amount went a long way. But I had to be specific about the area of effect, and I was aiming for a 20-foot radius. I needed to lay out a very precise pattern, so I decided to make 10 of these, despite the fact I was tempted to go all out.
Apparently, I had inherited a similar trait to my sister’s—being a penny pincher. I couldn’t bring myself to use that much silver bar stock. Then I had an idea. I remembered how many silver coins I had in my loot.
Problem solved. I used a coin, melted it down, reshaped it, and then etched the runes on one side, adding a few extra ones on the other for an additional trick. It was a precaution in case I ever needed to use it in extremely close quarters.
I then proceeded to copy it a good 20 more times. Why? Because I did the same thing with a bunch of other rune ideas I wanted to try out. The copy-and-paste spell was so convenient. I could have cried. What would have taken me hours turned into just a few minutes. I could almost hear Fu’s voice in my head, imagining him saying, "If you take the easy path, your growth will be stunted." But this moment wasn’t about growth for me. It was about making sure I was safe on my travels and that I’d eventually get where I needed to be. I felt like I had done enough growing for one afternoon.
Pouring out a cot, a pillow, and a blanket, I laid down and was out like a candle a moment later. I woke up gradually the next morning, feeling relaxed, though famished. I pulled out a suitably impressive amount of food and began to chow down.
Now that I was clear-headed after a good meal and feeling rested, I realized I had never taken the time to sort through and use Inspect on the items the bandits dropped before the wolves showed up. Pulling them out now, I also realized I hadn’t checked the drops from the adventurers either. There were a lot of items to go through.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: ITEM IDENTIFIED
Sword of Departure
- Type: Weapon
- Description: Crafted by a renowned swordmaster, this blade has a unique ability to negate its momentum during or after a swing, allowing for greater control. When properly wielded, it can explosively move away from its wielder to strike enemies. Ideal for precise, dynamic combat.
Belt of Endurance
- Type: Armor
- Description: A sturdy belt that enhances stamina and boosts the wearer’s strength by 50% when charged with mana. It provides a notable advantage in long battles or high-endurance tasks.
Pathfinder Ring
- Type: Accessory
- Description: This enchanted ring guides the wearer by pointing toward a goal actively meditated on. It acts as a compass for personal objectives, making it invaluable for long journeys or quests.
The first items seemed awesome, but I was less impressed by the other skeleton.
The other skeleton, which had the dagger in its head, had quite a few items on it, but the first three were the ones that stood out.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: ITEM IDENTIFIED
Skeleton Key Pendant
- Type: Accessory
- Description: An intricately designed pendant, rumored to have the ability to unlock ancient, magical doors or hidden spaces. The pendant bears faint markings that suggest it is tied to a long-forgotten lineage. Its full potential is yet to be discovered.
Dagger of the Forgotten Blade
- Type: Weapon
- Description: A finely crafted dagger with a dark, almost obsidian-like sheen. Its blade is etched with runes of power, making it particularly effective against supernatural creatures. Its weight is balanced for swift strikes, and it can be used to channel minor magical energy for enhanced cutting ability.
Torn Scroll of the White Spire
- Type: Miscellaneous
- Description: A fragile, aged scroll with the markings of the White Spire Family. The ink is fading, but the content hints at an important request. A significant piece of history that may be tied to an influential family. Further investigation may reveal its true significance.
Aside from the dagger, I wasn’t very interested in the items and thought it would be a good idea to just bring them back to the family mentioned in the note.
Now the items that the other bands dropped for what really got me excited.
Kitchen Knife of Gundar Hungry
- A kitchen knife with an uncanny ability to enhance the wielder’s dexterity by 500%. The knife can also shift into any cooking utensil at will, adapting instantly to the needs of its user. Cook like a ninja. (Not recommended for combat.)
Bracer of Force
- A sturdy bracer that allows the wearer to project a wave of force with up to three blasts/Pulses. Each use requires an hour to recharge, but when unleashed, it can send opponents flying. Not all objects are immovable, after all.
Belt of Composure
- A belt that helps the wearer maintain calm and concentration, significantly reducing stress. It also boosts the wearer’s ability to aim quickly, making it easier to land precise strikes or cast spells under pressure.
I was accumulating so much impressive gear that I'd have to decide which pieces were most useful for each situation.
A little over 20 minutes later, after some stretching, I was back in the woods, headed toward the road. I felt a lot more confident now, knowing I had a way to defend myself against a large number of creatures.
*****************************************
I'd been walking for a little over two and a half hours when I came across yet another group of bandits. This time, it looked like they had been raiding a campsite, and almost everyone appeared to have been killed. They must've caught them completely by surprise in the early morning hours.
Sneaking up on one who was still chuckling next to the body of a man in blue robes, I saw he was rummaging through one of the wagons with delight. I crept up behind him and stabbed him in the back several times with the my new Dagger of the Forgotten Blade. Or as I was calling it, my combat knife. After laying his body on the ground, I thought better of leaving it there and decided to store him away so no one would find him.
You only needed to watch one action movie to know that someone was bound to find the body and raise an alarm. I wasn’t about to be that guy.
Approaching the camp, I dispatched four more men, each as smelly and disgusting as the last, and repeated the process.
Finally, after checking the other tents, I moved toward the central, larger one. Hearing the distinct sound of stabbing, I rushed inside, only to freeze in my tracks when I saw the situation. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d expected. Two women, dressed in revealing night clothes, were in the process of restraining and stabbing the last bandit to death.
I focused on their faces, trying my best not to let my gaze wander. Despite the circumstances, I couldn’t help but notice a few key details. One of the women was blonde, the other a brunette. Both were strikingly attractive and dressed in risque nightwear. But what stood out the most was that they clearly weren’t there voluntarily. They were both chained—securely bound at their wrists and ankles—and those chains were attached to a heavy-duty metal wagon stationed next to the tent.
From that point, things got weird. The conversation was extremely stunted, and it wasn’t until I had left the camp and was about 15 minutes down the road that it all felt kind of like a dream.
I said, "Hi."
The brunette replied, "Hi."
"Who are you?"
They responded, "Who are you?"
"You all hungry?"
The blonde replied, "I could eat."
"Are y’all the good guys?"
The brunette answered, "Are you the bad guy?"
"Let me get those chains off you, and you can go find some clothes if you want."
I moved forward, about six feet away from the blonde girl. Using my air-cutting technique, like when I slice materials for making runes, I cut through the chains.
After that, I made my way to what I assumed was the cook tent and started preparing the epitome of all foods, according to George—epic sandwiches.
The two girls came into the tent, slightly cleaned up and wearing dresses that were more modest—or at least less revealing—and continued making sandwiches. The blonde scarfed hers down like it was the most natural thing in the world, tearing into it like a lion with a wildebeest. The brunette waited for her sandwich and, just like the blonde, immediately began tearing into it.
I continued making six additional sandwiches. The brunette raised an eyebrow at me in question but didn’t say anything. The blonde just looked on as if satisfied, her expression implying that I had the right idea and could be counted on to make sound judgments in the future.
“Well, I assume most of this stuff in camp is yours. You care if I snoop around and grab a couple of items?”
The brunette replied, “Yeah, that works.”
The blonde asked if I could leave the food for them, as well as one of the wagons.
I gave a two-word reply: "No problem."
Walking through the camp, I looted as much as I could. I came away with a sizable amount of gold, silver, and copper, and even two platinum coins—my first.
Going through the wagons, I found a bunch of metal and wood materials, which I stuffed into my storage space. I even went so far as to take two of the tents with everything inside. This was quickly becoming a habit. I roughly knew how to ride a horse, but these were unfamiliar animals, so I wasn’t going to assume they could easily be ridden. I was sure the girls could use them, though.
After taking rings, jewelry, and anything else I deemed valuable, I walked back to the tent where the girls were still scarfing down sandwiches. I stored a bunch of sandwiches in my personal storage, which gave them a bit of a shock when they saw everything disappear like that.
I then set the remaining loot on the table. “Y’all should take half,” I said, gesturing to the pile.
The brunette grabbed about 40 gold, which was far less than half. She also took half the copper, mostly for convenience, and about 12 silver coins after thinking for a moment.
The blonde spoke up. “We’ll be able to sell the rest of this for more than a reasonable profit. Maybe more than what you’re taking.”
I nodded in response.
Then, I asked a simple, one-word question, gesturing to the camp with a circular motion.
“Slavers?”
The girls nodded.
“Slavers.”
I dipped my head and said, “I’ll see you.” It was as if I somehow knew we’d run into each other again.
It wasn’t until about an hour down the road that I realized just how weird the entire encounter had been. I’d never exchanged names or any real information with them. It felt like both of us had been in a kind of shock, and I was just now coming out of it.
Muttering to myself, "That was so weird," I continued on my way.
I practiced little magical tricks with Mana, occasionally taking a 5-minute break to carve or etch a new rune as part of some new idea I had. I passed landmarks marked on the map Fu had given me and kept following the road, but it started getting dark earlier than I expected