Sai: phew~ man that was exhausting!
Sai slumps back down on a patch of grass while looking at the nicely dug hole in front of him.
This was his new home, for now atleast and he was content with this since it was the least dangerous place he will be sleeping since digitalization.
Sai: Hiup! *jumps into the small ditch* Now for the roof.
The roof was just a oversized bundle of grass he uprooted for the past few hours, with two stick placed horizontally against the walls acting as it's stabilizer.
Was it safe? Mostly no. Was it comfortable? Not in the slightest.
But it was for sure a place he wouldn't have to worry about getting ambushed in... At least that's what sai believed.
Sai: Anyway. Let's look at the status window!
Name: Sai]
[Age: 29]
[Race: Human]
[Class: None]
[Level: 7]
[Strength:12]
[Agility: 20]
[Cognition: 22]
[Energy: 12]
[Stat points available: 8]
[Skills: Barrier(Advanced mastery) ]
Sai: 1 point per level. It's worse than the normal 2 points other classless get. Also where is the title I got?
[Do you wish to inquire? Yes/No]
Sai: huh? What's this wierd prompt...? *thinks for a second* well nothing to lose I guess.
Sai slowly taps the Yes option.
[What is your inquiry?]
Sai: Where is my title? Why am I getting less stat points then most?
The panel changed to a loading bar for a second before new text appeared for Sai to see.
[The title section is shown only for those above level 20 and have acquired a class]
[Secondly, Your stat points are different from most thanks to effect of title (Last survivor) which is the cause for limiting your stats points. ]
Sai: hmmm. Can you tell me my title's effects?
[Daily enquiry has been used. Please wait until tomorrow to enquire again]
Sai: Huh!? The fu** you mean daily enquiry!? There is a limit?
The panel didn't answer, frustrating Sai further.
Sai: Tch! It's not worth babbling with a soulless panel anyway...Put all the stats into energy, maintaining my barrier is my first priority.
Remembering his own wise words, Better barrier=Better safety, And safety always comes first.
Sai drifted to sleep after he dumped all his stat points into energy before the pain could paralyze him.
[Energy: 12->20]
-the next morning-
Sai wakes up in his little ditch and yawns. Then he stretched his arms while slowly pushing away the grass above him.
His face was covered in dirt from all the rolling around in sleep. And his back felt awfully sore because he slept while bent knees and tucked neck.
But this was, by far, the most carefree sleep he had compared to how he mostly slept.
Sai: normally I would sleep while sitting, with my spear in hand on top of that. Atleast i dont have to worry about getting sleep killed here.
Grerrr!
Sai: huh? What's that so—
The moment Sai's head popped out of his ditch, he was covered in a dark shadow while a black furred creature looked down upon him.
It was like a giant wolf with two saber sized teeths, teeths in which Sai could see his own reflection as well as the red stains of fresh blood.
Sai: You really should brush your teeth. That face of yours looks absolutely disgusting.
Chomp
The wolf chomped down without mercy, wanting nothing more than to make a fresh meal out of Sai.
However before it could reach him, it's mouth was stuck in spot as a barrier formed within its mouth, stopping them closing.
Meanwhile Sai grabbed the spear and jumped out of the ditch, combat rolling under the beast while delivering a cut along it's belly.
The strike made the wolf yelp as it jumped away, making some distance for Sai to finally stand up to his own feet and let him get a good look at his opponent.
Sai: A giant wolf with black fur with many scars. And those fangs means it's a close combat type with most of it's stats in speed and offense * leansforward * I can kill it.
At the same time, the wolf began observing Sai from the distance, refusing to get close after being surprised.
The two of them glared at each other, neither moving forward or away from each other with a distance of a two buses between them.
Then suddenly, Sai spun his spear, reversing his grip and stabbed backwards while still looking forward.
Spurt!~
Sai: heh, You will need more than that to ambush me, You bastard!
The words were directed at the real wolf that was already behind Sai with a spear impaled in it's mouth.
The wolf in front was nothing more than a illusion the real wolf casted while it jumped away and it would have worked perfectly as well as a distraction.
Except for Sai, who had a lot of experience in fighting of stealth specialists back on earth.
Sai: you can hide your body... But you can't hide crushed grass you left behind. Now die! Ring barrier!
A ring shaped barrier formed around the wolf's abdomen.
Sai: shrink
The barrier shrunk on command crushing the wolf into two different halves as it's abdomen was crushed into nothing but a flesh paste.
[Level 12 Stealth wolf- Akara, killed]
[Exp+ 2000, Lvl+3]
[Lvl 10 has been reached, skill choice has been granted]
Sai: a named monster...? And more importantly, Skill options? What crap is that?
[Would you like to use enquiry? ]
Sai: Nope. *summon status panel* Is it this thing?
On the skills section of the panel, a new '(+)' was added which was most likely the new feature.
And when Sai tapped it, the panel turned to look awfully like a reward choice section.
In total he had three options: a new skill, an alternate skill or an enhancement.
[New skill: Gear craft]
[Alternate skill: movable barrier]
[Skill enhancement: Range increase]
[Please select 2 options]
Sai: this options... *slumps down* I don't understand anything!
[Would you li—]
Sai: Use it!
[... The 'gear craft' skill allows processing tips and guidance releated to resources to make items or gears]
Sai: pass! Sounds too tedious.
[Movable barrier: allows barrier to be made Elastic and movable to a certain level as per caster's will. A sub-skill to barrier skill that shares and adds proficiency to main skill when used]
Sai: Sounds enticing... Next~
[Range increase: increases the effective range as per skill grade]
Sai claps his hand without hesitation before selecting the elastic barrier and range increase.
Even so he had no sign of discontent on his face. Instead he was smiling as two great assets has fallen to pockets.
Sai: Let's see! Barrier!
A barrier forms about 20 meters away from Sai, widening his grin further.
But he didn't stop there as he then looked at own hands, and created another barrier in shape of his spear.
Then he swung it, hitting the already dead corpse of the wolf and decapitated it.
Sai: Now this is what I am talking about!!
The reason for Sai's happiness was the newfound flexibility of his barrier.
Until now, he had always used it as a stationary wall he could use it as. But now, it was moving, and quite easily as well.
Now he won't have to bother about finding or remaking his spear again, another plus is that all the things he could only imagine once were now possible.
Spears, swords, hammers, armor and what not were now available at his disposal and the only thing holding him back was his control, mastery and stats.
Two of which were something he could improve by training and other by leveling up.
Yet whatever it maybe, Sai was overjoyed at the fact he was finally getting stronger.
Sai: if only I wasn't a darned NPC for those 10 gruesome years, I would have showed all those invader bastards what true fear feels like!!
Growl.
A sudden noise broke Sai's joyful expression, making him immediately get into a stance.
However the same growling noise came again, finally making him realize the reason behind it.
It was coming from his stomach that was refusing to shut up due to hunger.
Sai: I forgot I had to eat now. *helooks at the wolf corpse* can I even eat this?
Near silently, Sai looked at his makeshift spear. The spear was just a broken broom he had strapped with a kitchen knife using bunch of nails.
However the knife was so chipped it and rusted that cutting meat with it will only make more poisonous. Meaning it was not an option to use for food.
So Sai made the best decision he could think of... And planted his spear in the ground and bowed before it.
Sai: I won't forget your sacrifice!! My Old friend!
Sai turns around with drool falling down his face.
Sai: Lick, I wonder what Wolf meat tastes like.
-5 minutes later-
The grassland were left as a burning mess of inferno with embers being guided by scorching winds.
And somewhere in the distance, Sai was standing with half his clothes crumbled to ashes, making his pair of elastic pants into a pair of shorts and his shirt and jacket into strips of fabric.
Sai: *speechless* Who knew that bastard had inflammable blood. I almost lost my life to him.
Apparently the wolf blood was like oil and the slightest of spark Sai made with Flintstone ignited it.
Luckily he had placed a barrier around his skin in time and avoided any burn but his clothes weren't as lucky as him.
Inevitably leaving him looking like a tribal on some secluded island.
But as disappointed and annoyed Sai was, He had to find some food first. He had fill his stomach and the best option that was available for him was trail and error.
From morning to afternoon, he walked around the grassland, heading in one direction aimlessly in hopes of getting away from the burning place.
In the way he found a forest and a small stream but no animals except some insects as small as his toe nail.
Eventually he began doubting whether something like a animal was even present in this place and the lack of nutrition was finally showing it's effects.
Then as he was walking between the trees, he heard something akin to whistle.
Soon after, sound resembling footsteps and loud thuds filled the surroundings as if a wild stampede was happening.
Sai: Foot...steps?
Without much thought behind his actions, Sai chased after the sound like a maniac. His weakness from before now vanishing as he became as feral as a monster with hunger leading his brain.
He ran through the woods, jumped over shrubs with no care of stamina and eventually found himself in a clearing and saw a sight he couldn't believe.
He was staring at a bunch of bipedal bulls, each over 2 meters tall and full of muscle with the body resembling a miniature minotaur.
They all held weapons in their hands, weapons made of metal or stone alongside armor made of chainmail and leather.
And they all were surrounding their a prey, a giant creature that appeared to be a mix of rat, a hamster and a rabbit with its size cranked up to an elephant's.
??? : Don't Let iT Escape! Kill it!
??? : You heard the boss , newbies!! CHARGE!!
The scene appeared awfully similar to Sai, a scene resembling the way humans hunted in the stone age he ofter saw in animated documentaries.
The mini minotaurs were carefully attacking it in turns, stopping it's escape path while those on the opposite side cornered and severed it's joints with their weapons.
Eventually he beast fell and the bulls began celebrating. Meanwhile Sai was only able to watch enviously from afar with a hungry stomach.
Sai: Man... If only I had a piece of that. *stomach growls* I guess I am supposed go hungry today as well.
...
But as he weak compared to the bulls, Sai couldn't risk staying there and be caught as an appetizer next.
However just as he turned, he was greeted with a shadow as a bull over 3 meters tall looked down upon him.
??? : Don't bother trying.
The bull leans forward until his breath was hitting Sai in the face.
??? : You will coming with us... Human.