Forest of Valor (3)

[Land Gremlin killed.]

Points: +30

Essence: +1

Essence: +2

Essence: +1

XP: +5

Total points: 120

Total Essence: 7

(Tip: Monsters bones make great weapons!)

I sighed and watched the last Gremlin die.

Unlike games, these monsters did not vanish and just left their loot. They had turned into corpses and I would need to search through that to collect the loot.

I steeled my heart to do this and looked around first to see if there weren't any monsters nearby.

These fellows had screeched loudly enough to alert the whole forest. I needed to be careful here.

I looked to my left, then right, and at all the places where something could hide, and made my way towards the dead Land Gremlins.

The four were half a meter's distance from each other and looked like badly mashed sweet potatoes with skin on.

The putrid stench stinged my nose despite wearing a mask.

I used my stick to move the corpses and searched for the loot.

I found the sharp claws of Gremlins intact. To harvest it, I would need a knife to cut it out. I did not have that.

I bent down and put my stick to the side, about to hold the claw and pluck it out.

Suddenly, I do not know why, but I felt a great chill down my spine.

Reflexively, I picked my stick, ducked and jumped ahead, right on the dead Gremlins' corpse.

*Fwwiiipppp*

Something struck the ground I was previously at.

"Kkkrrrreaaaahhhhhh!"

I heard multiple loud screeches. Without even turning back, I began running as fast as I could, there being no thought in my head as of now.

"Kkrraahhh!"

"Kkrreeahh!"

"Kkrreeah!"

In my peripheral vision I saw small cat-sized Land Gremlins running agilely on the ground.

I did not have the courage to look back and see exactly how many Gremlins were following me and I kept running, hurdle jumping over the Gremlins that came charging from the front and even using one as a stepping stone.

I did not know what I was doing. My head was blank, I was just running.

And running.

And running…

The adrenaline did not go down despite lactic acid forming on my legs and screaming at me to give them rest.

As I ran, at the side I could see the river again. But this time, instead of hearing the running water's sound, what I heard was a deep, guttural growl.

"Grrrrraaaaahhhhh!"

Something giant. Something twice my size came running from the river's side.

My heart sank and pupils dilated.

My numbing, aching legs were the least of my concerns now as I ran as fast as I could.

"Grrraaaaahhhhh!"

"Kkkrrrraaaahhhhh!"

Oh, I knew these screeches. They were painful sounding and similar to how it was when the Gremlins were helplessly dying.

I could not see the bear chasing me in my peripheral vision anymore and it probably meant that it was behind me and attacking the Gremlins on the way while chasing me.

This did give me some additional distance from them but my mind was blank and I had no clue what I could do to save myself.

In the midst of running, I suddenly saw smoke.

At this point, I genuinely didn't care if there was danger there. I just ran towards it.

The smoke was coming from behind a line of bushes and as I ran through it, my spine tingled and my stomach dropped with the view I saw for a split second.

In front of me was a pond of fire and I was at a height of roughly a story tall building.

I couldn't be more fucked because I dived right down in the pond of fire.

I was aware of some parkour I used to see on social media in my past life and instinctively, my first action was to roll when I landed, which is exactly what I did, but wasn't exactly what happened.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

I howled in pain as I rolled in a pond of fire.

It burnt. It hurt. It sizzled.

I got third degree burns immediately due to how it was here.

I did land on something soft so I didn't break my bones but the fire was too hot!

I ran as fast as I could even while bleeding and getting burnt.

[Fire Slime killed.]

.

[Fire Slime killed.]

Points: +25

.

Points: +25

Essence: +1

.

Essence: +1

XP: +4

.

XP: +4

Total points: 295

Total Essence: 14

I did not know what the system was shouting in my mind. I just kept running and running without thinking of the consequences.

Soon, I heard running water again and my first instinct was to jump into it, so I ran towards it.

"Grrraaaahhhhh!"

I heard a loud growl from the side and…

"Hnggggg…"

I tripped on something and fell face down.

"Hhnnnggg—!"

+

[Grunt Golem killed.]

Points: +20

Essence: +2

XP: +3

Total points: 315

Total Essence: 16

+

My eyes were closed and I did not see the system notifications in front of me.

My head felt numb and it stinged like a bitch every damn where on my body!

I heard the guttural growl again and knew I had to move or I'll be shredded into pieces and suffer a fate worse than the fucking Gremlins!

I held whatever I could that was in my hands and tried to get up. My eyes were still closed and suddenly, my hand slipped and I fell face down again.

*Splash*

*Creakkk*

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

My stomach dropped as I was freefalling somewhere. It only lasted for a split second before I fell face down again.

+

[Ding!]

[Hidden Quest triggered!]

[Hidden Quest — Finding Memo.]

[The ancient document "Memo of Valthor," crafted by the Tower's architects, was last seen in the Forgotten Library before vanishing along with its Keeper. Could this be the location where it remains hidden?]

[Find the Memo before the timer runs out.]

[Reward: Surrender the Memo to the Floor Guardian and get sent straight to Floor 30 or keep the Memo and lose 500 points.]

[Inability to complete the quest will result in no penalties.]

+

"Haaah… Haaah…"

I was dying here and this fucking system was giving me quests.

I was never more annoyed in my life.

Lying limp like the Gremlins I killed, I found myself in a dark place. It was literally and figuratively both.

It hurt everywhere on my body and I am sure I was bleeding from many and might also have pus oozing out from the burns.

Honestly… it was only now did I understand how fragile a human body was, and how easy it was to get oneself killed.

I was hot-blooded and a fucking idiot to have thought that this tutorial would actually be a tutorial like the games where you understand the controls and everything.

I was a colossal moron to have thought that I could do it.

I should've taken my time, adapted and learnt some martial arts before coming here.

But no, I was more embarrassed by that sweet lady and wanted to run away from her.

"Haaaa…"

Why do I keep calling her 'that lady'?

The goddess was right. I really whine and bitch too much. I should've accepted the lady as my mother.

In the morning, I was more worried about my pants and underwear being taken off and now…

I am half burnt to a crisp and have scratches everywhere.

When I am healed, I would look disfigured and have an appearance that even a mother would not want to look at.

Sigh…

Tears unknowingly leaked from the corner of my eyes.

I really am a whiny unbearable virgin porn addict, huh?

The pain is too much. I don't know whether I'll make it out from here or not.

It was the first time I cried in years. The last time I remember crying was when my past life's adoptive parents died in a car accident.

I never cried no matter how tough it got from there onwards, but now…

Now I had no idea why I was crying.

I was just hurt.

It was physical pain. There was no need to cry over it. Then why?

Why was I crying?

I failed to understand my emotions and my state of mind.

Everything felt depressing right now and with how badly it was hurting physically, I chose to not think about anything for a while and rest.

[05:35:12]

[05:35:09]

Only a little over half an hour has passed…

To think that in twenty-five minutes, I went through so much shit and almost died.

The man initially didn't lie. He did say that getting out unscathed was no guarantee.

"Sigh…"

I took a deep breath and decided to sleep for a while. I already had too much time on my hands and sleeping was like teleporting to the future time, so this was the best thing I could do.

It was really difficult to sleep with the unbearable pain, but after a period of time, I was able to wander off to the dream world.

Chapter 11: Forest of Valor (3)

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Chapter 11: Forest of Valor (3)

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