I sat down for a moment, letting the cool grass press against my legs as I waited for my MP to recover. I needed a plan. A water source was priority number one, and a place to sleep for the night was number two.
I didn't know a single thing about this world or where the nearest town might be. I let out a long sigh. At least I had some rabbit meat, even if it was "mutated."
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Little one, I would recommend you head into the woods, but do not go too deep. You are far from ready for what lives in the heart of that forest. Just so you know, my name is Glacius. I am the Goddess of this world. The only reason I am talking to you right now is so you live for more than a couple of days; your system isn't actually designed to give you hints or talk back. Ta-ta for now, little one. I look forward to watching you grow!
"Well, that's good to know," I muttered, standing up. "Nice to meet you, Goddess Glacius. And thanks for taking pity on me."
I checked my mana—it was nearly full. Taking a deep breath, I gripped my wand and began the trek toward the deep, dark forest. I didn't know what was lurking behind those ancient trees, but I wasn't going to find out by sitting in a field.
No sooner had I crossed the threshold of the first towering tree than my next enemy appeared.
High up in a web about ten feet off the ground sat a spider. It looked exactly like a Black Widow, except it was the size of a golden retriever. All eight of its eyes were fixed squarely on me.
It didn't seem hostile yet, but I wasn't taking any chances. I raised my wand, aimed carefully at its face, and shouted, "Icicle Lance!"
The ice spear hit it square in the head, knocking the massive arachnid off its web. It hit the forest floor with a thud, let out a piercing screech, and charged.
"Crap!" I turned and bolted, casting another lance over my shoulder. It clipped one of its many legs, but it didn't even slow down. Within seconds, it was on me. One of its front legs lashed out, catching me right in the ass for 16 damage.
The force nearly sent me face-first into the dirt. "Damn! I'm not becoming spider-food today!"
I spun around and fired an Icicle Lance at point-blank range. The ice pierced one of its primary eyes. The spider recoiled, hissing in agony. I didn't give it a second chance; I fired two more rounds in rapid succession until the notification finally popped up.
[System Prompt]
Killed: Lvl 3 Shadow Spider (+36 Exp)
Gained: 12 Copper, 2x Spider Silk, 1 Liter Drinking Water.
Loot Drop: Apprentice Mage Robes (Uncommon).
I slumped against a tree, gasping for air as my rattled nerves slowly calmed. I pulled the new robes out of my inventory.
Apprentice Mage Robes (Uncommon)
+40 P-DEF, +75 M-DEF
+10 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom
The robes once belonged to a mage who died tragically.
"Tragically? That's encouraging," I whispered, but I put them on immediately. I felt the surge of power from the stats and the physical weight of the protection. I felt a lot safer now.
Goddess Glacius hadn't lied—this place was dangerous. I continued through the woods for another hour, moving with much more caution. After killing seven more spiders, I stumbled upon a small cave tucked into a rocky hillside, though the entrance was draped in thick, sticky webs.
Before deciding whether to enter, I checked my progress.
[Status Window]
Name: Silver Crowshadow
Level: 2 (Exp: 136/200)
HP: 110/165
MP: 250/250
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Constitution: 11 (+3 from boots)
Vitality: 11
Agility: 14
Spirit: 10 (+4 from ring)
Intelligence: 10 (+17 from gear)
Wisdom: 11 (+14 from gear)
Free Attribute Points: 4
It seemed leveling up gave me one point in every stat automatically, plus four free points to spend. Aside from the copper, I had also picked up a pair of Spider Silk Boots which gave me another +3 Constitution.
I stared at the dark, web-filled mouth of the cave. With my new gear and the stat boost, I might be able to clear it out and have a safe place to sleep... but was it worth the risk?
stared at the dark, web-filled mouth of the cave. With my new gear and the stat boost, I might be able to clear it out and have a safe place to sleep... but was it worth the risk?
I realized then that I had been neglecting a crucial part of my survival: my speed. If I was going to use martial arts and dodge giant predators, I couldn't just be smart; I had to be fast.
I pulled up my menu and dumped my 4 Free Attribute Points straight into my Agility. I felt a sudden lightness in my limbs, a spring in my step that wasn't there before.
[Status Window]
Name: Silver Crowshadow
Class: Mage
Level: 2 (Exp: 136/200)
HP: 134/165
MP: 250/250
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Constitution: 11 (+3 from boots)
Vitality: 11
Agility: 18 (14 Base + 4 Free Points)
Spirit: 10 (+4 from ring)
Intelligence: 10 (+17 from gear)
Wisdom: 11 (+14 from gear)
With my Agility boosted to 18, I felt much more confident. I gripped my wand, the new apprentice robes swishing around my ankles. The cave was covered in webs, which meant there was likely a "boss" or at least a large nest inside.
"Alright," I whispered to the shadows. "Let's see if this cave can be a home."
I didn't just barge in. Remembering my hobby back home, I dropped into a low stance, my center of gravity balanced. I was a mage, sure, but I was a fighter first.
I stepped into the darkness.
The air inside was thick and smelled of damp earth and something sweet—like rotting fruit. As my eyes adjusted, I saw movement. Not just one spider, but dozens of small, fist-sized hatchlings scurrying along the walls. And at the very back, a pair of glowing red eyes much larger than the ones from before.
The System didn't need to tell me. This was the nest.
The fight for my first home in Icevale had begun.