I woke up to the sun rudely intruding on my sleep
'Go awaay, let me sleeeep.... hm? Why do I feel... wet??'
I reluctantly opened my eyes then got up and inspected myself
'Wha- why am I drenched!? It didn't rain, since the ground and everything around me is dry, so why am I drenched? Wait, the water! The water I jumped into in that dream! It was so cold... and I'm cold right now too... but that means it wasn't a dream!'
[Your status menu has been updated]
'Huh? I didn't get frightened by system this time? Maybe I've just gotten used to it. Well anyway, let's check my stats, I haven't done that in a while anyway. Stats!'
Name: [none]
HP: 115/115
Str: 23
Mp: 109/109
Sp: 300/300
Species:Fox
Type: [Elemental Fox]
Titles: [Lucky fox] [Cute] [Akavier's interest]
Affinities: [Weak fire] «Unusable» [Weak phantasma fire] «Unusable»
Passive Skills: [Language understanding] [Danger sense] [Enhanced vision] [Poison resistance lvl 4]
'Huh? What's this new title? Wait I'll get back to that, because more importantly, I HAVE MAGIC!? Why can't I use it!? That's no fair!! Don't give it to me if I can't use it! System! Why can't I use my magic?'
[You are unable to use magic due to your age-]
'So I can't use magic because I'm still practically a child? I guess that makes sense...'
[-and you're not a magic prodigy]
'Ah-... okay, anyway I'm getting hungry, let's find some food! Hm? Oh! That's right! The thing I ran away from last time! What was it? And why was it there!? It was so scary! It didn't even attack, it just stood there... crouched? I'm not sure if it was crouched or not, but the point is, it just stared at me! Just those glowing, amber eyes, staring at me in the darkness, or was it in the shadows? Hm, ehh it's the same thing, kinda. Let's just, get away from there for now, and deal with the problem at hand, I'm hungry, and I'm in the middle of a huge open grass field! With lots of flowers I might add, pretty flowers- not to mention there's a forest with that thing in it behind me... it's not like I can eat grass! Wait... System, I have a question'
[Yes?]
'Can I eat grass?'
[...]
'Hey, system? Are you there?'
[Yes]
'So are you gonna answer the question?
[No]
'Why?'
[You did not ask a question]
'Yes I did!'
[Negative, you did not]
'What do you mean I didn't ask a question? I asked if I could eat grass!
[You have still not asked a valid question]
'Ahhhg! Why are you so mean today!? Hmph, I'll just walk around until I find something to eat I guess...thanks for nothing. Hm? Oh wait, that's right! I still wanted to ask, what was up with that title I saw earlier? Akavier's interest? Who is that and why do I have their interest? Did I say that right?'
[It is pronounced ah-kah-vi-heir or ah-kah-veer]
'So I did do it right! So why do I have their interest? And who are they?'
[Unknown]
'Well that's not helpful at all! But oh well, I suppose that's a problem for future me to solve! On to finding food! Again... and hopefully not having a stalker watching me this time... ooh a stalker! Was that creature a stalker? Hehehe'
Two hours of hopeless searching later
'*Whining* THERE'S NO FOOD IN THIS PLACE ANYWHERE!! I'm going to die!! AGAIN!! There's no food so I can't eat! And I'm hungry! I-'
[Warning, distress levels rising needlessly, resolve immediately]
'Huh!? What do you mea- oh y-your right... there's still time! Yes, yes! I have a day or two at least to find food before I starve to death. But it's impossible to find anything, this whole place is just... lifeless. Maybe I should just try and leave this place. I mean there's very little food, very big creatures trying to kill me and so many weird things have been happening'
[It is not lifeless. Only one out of three large creatures attempted to kill you]
'Well, it was actually two! That rabbit counts! Oh and also! This whole place was flooded for days! And then suddenly the water vanished overnight. How's that even possible!?'
[Unknown]
'I also keep falling asleep in one place, and waking up completely somewhere else! I really should leave this place, but how? Back on the mountain, I got a look at the valley and it's BIG, a way out could be days away! If I'm even going in the right direction... *Sigh*... hm? I've got it! Hey system, what direction is the exit?'
[Based on acquired geographical data, the exit should be northwest]
'Really!? So what is my current direction?'
[You have been heading east since your departure from the mountain]
'Heh?... Does that mean... Ugh, does that mean it's really far away now?'
[Correct, it is estimated to be approximately two to three days away. Note, the cave you woke up in originally is fifteen kilometers away from the exit]
'*Sound of silent internal suffering* I'm really going to die in this accursed hell...'
[Negative. You can survive for up to four days without food consumption by substituting mana for food. This process is done automatically, however once your mana supply runs dry you will starve within one day]
'What!? I can do that? So mana is useful for more than just magic?'
[Correct]
'Okay! Then let's head towards the exit! Fast!'
Without wasting any more time, I started going in the direction that system said-
[Attention! Wrong direction! The exit is to the northwest, not to the east!]
'Oh right, that's back through the... forest... heheheh... maybe if I just- just get through as fast as possible I'll avoid that creature... Hey system, where did you get that data? Are you sure it's accurate?'
[The data was acquired through cross-referencing visual data and geographical data acquired during your time on the mountain]
'What? I'll just pretend like that made sense, so is there maybe a way around the forest?'
[Yes however it will increase the estimated time from three days to five days]
'*Whining* I really am going to have to enter that forest again aren't I? Well, here we go I guess, let's just rush through as fast as I can'
Taking a deep breath, I set off, running through the forest while dodging trees, rocks, and vines as I ran, hoping I wouldn't just be avoiding the creature, but that I'd also find food
'Wait, vines? AHH!!'
Suddenly I tripped over something and started tumbling, hitting my side and head against a tree so hard it almost knocked the wind out of me
'AHH that hurts!! This is what I get for getting distracted... Ow my head hurts so bad, what did I trip on?'
Looking back I see a thick giant red pulsating vine
'H-huh? W-What the hell is that? Why is it pulsating!? SYSTEM!! WHAT IS IT!?'
[Unknown!]
'WHAT!? So unhelpful! W-Well regardless, I'm not gonna stick around, I don't like this one bit! If it's some evil monstrosity or worse, I don't care! It's not my problem! And even if it isn't, whatever that is, that's for someone else to deal with! Not me! So, time to RUN!!'
I jumped up and continued running even faster, ignoring the pain and the growing dizziness that was beginning to make my eyes blur
'System! Can you find out what that was?'
[Negative, appraisal is required]
'Really!? Damnit system! Your so useless! Oh forget it! It can't be helped, because I'm NOT going back there! Nope! Not a chance! That vine just screams evil monster! I think'
I then began to notice that as I ran, the vines just seemed to multiply and become more congregated the further I got
'Huh? That can't be right! They should be getting less not more!'
I decided to slow down and stop, and started carefully looking around, taking in everything I could see
'System, where am I now? Am I just going deeper toward those... these thing's origin?'
[Unknown, appraisal is required]
'Fine... appraisal!'
[Blood vine]
'Blood vine? BLOOD VINE!? NO!! System,what's the quickest escape route?!'
[The quickest route is forty degrees to the right]
'Speak english! I don't know my degrees!!'
[... Turn right half way]
'There we go! That I can understand!'
I took off without further delay in the direction I was told, again ignoring the pain and the sheer exhaustion that was making my legs feel numb
'*Pant pant* I... am... so not... not used to... to this! So tiring... need to make... make it out of here before... I collapse *pant pant*'
Not long after, I finally managed to make it out of the forest, thankfully without any more incidents
'*Pant* I-I escaped! I'm alive!' after saying that I immediately collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted
'I'm safe, I'm alive. System, where am I now?'
[You are now on the north side of the forest, you were on the east side]
'What? The north side? I made it through?'
[Correct]
'Huh? How big is the forest?'
[One hundred and thirty kilometers]
'WHAT!? How did I make it out so quickly!? It's so big! No wait, that's actually a normal size for a forest. Anyway, enough about that, it doesn't matter! I should get going. Not gonna reach the exit by simply laying here!'
As I tried to get up, I realized I couldn't, in fact I couldn't even move my body at all. Except for my ears and tail, and I could also move my head slightly, though it hurt really bad when ever I tried to
'I can't move at all! Why!? Why can't I move!? What's going on!?'
[Answer: You have overworked your body by running at an excessive speed for an extended period of time]
'Oh, right... so I'm just paralysed until I recover?'
[Correct]
'Great.. how long is that going to be affecting me? An hour maybe?'
[Approximately one to five days to fully recover]
'WHAT!? FIVE DAYS!? I can't survive that long just laying here!'
[In four to nine hours you should somewhat regain movement capabilities]
'What do you mean by that?'
[You should be able to walk, though slowly and unstable]
'So I will be able to continue on? But I suppose it will just be more of a struggle? Like back at that cave right?'
[Correct]
'And I'm vulnerable now right?'
[Correct]
'So I can't do anything if a predator comes, right?'
[Yes.....]
'So this is where I die then... right?'
[No]
'Are you sure?'
[Yes]
'What makes you so sure?'
[I do not detect any hostile lifeforms nearby]
'What?? You can do that?'
[That is one of my capabilities]
'WHAT!? That's so useful! Wish I'd known about that ability of yours earlier. I guess now is as good a time as any to finally ask you about you, what are your other abilities?'
[Are you sure? That will be a long list]
'Ya know, on second thought maybe I don't wanna know'
[Correct]
'*Sigh*'
A few minutes passed in silence, and I was starting to get really bored
'*Whining* So bored, I can't move! I can't do anything at all... ugh, I hate this... System! Help me please! I'm suffering!'
[Perhaps look through your status menu?]
'Hmm, yeah, maybe there's something I didn't see! Stats!'
Name: [none]
HP: 110/120
Str: 23
Mp: 100/109
Sp: -489/300
Species:Fox
Type: [Elemental Fox]
Titles: [Lucky fox] [Cute] [Akavier's interest] [Survivor of storms]
Affinities: [Weak fire] «Unusable» [Weak phantasmal fire] «Unusable»
[Passive Skills: [Language understanding] [Danger sense] [Enhanced vision] [Poison resistance lvl 4]
'I lost ten health? Hmm, maybe that's because of when I tripped and crashed into the tree? My mana went down too? Why?'
[Answer: You're beginning to starve]
'Ohhh right, I'm starving... wait, I'm starving already!?'
[No, you are just hungry]
'*Sigh* Right. Okay, next on the list, magic! System, once I escape this valley you must teach me magic!'
[Negative]
'What? Why won't you teach me?
[Answer: I am not capable of teaching magic]
'Huh, then how am I going to learn magic!? I wanna use magic! It's no fair! Can't you just teach me the basics? Like how to even attempt to use it?'
[Advice: Sleep to recover sooner, sleep amplifies the healing process]
'But... fiiine I'll sleep... maybe I'll know how to use magic when I wake up...'
I closed my eyes, and to my surprise within a minute I began drifting off until I fell asleep