"Han! Did you find anything to eat?" Martha screamed as her stomach growled the song of hunger.
"No, nothing. Except the [Poisonous Ruthberry] and [Kirleaves]."
"It's good that we checked the manual before eating anything," Scarlet said, trying to look strong.
But then a loud, thunderous sound echoed—not a calamity this time. The noise had come from the belly of a white-haired girl trying to act composed. It was the sound of liberation... from Scarlet's hungry stomach.
"Oi! Jay, did you find anything?"
"No! There's nothing edible in the bushes!" Jay replied, frustrated.
Everyone was tired, hunger growing fiercer with each passing minute. Just then, comically, a lightbulb seemed to glow above Han's head.
"I got an idea! Let's go fishing."
"Fishing? But how? We don't even have a fishing rod—and the fishes look scary!" Scarlet replied, dumbfounded.
"Come here. Let me tell you."
Everyone gathered in a circle like a group of kids getting ready for a new game.
• • • • •
In the middle of the valley, surrounded by mountains that reached for the skies, a gentle stream flowed through the cracks of boulders. The water was as clear as crystal, home to thousands of colorful fishes, flowing downhill to converge into the great lake of [Zygros].
Among them swam a red, vibrant fish. Its fins shimmered with a yellowish-red hue and its eyes resembled tiny white marbles. It moved swiftly, cutting through the water like a knife through butter. But suddenly, the current shifted. The fish tried to turn left—just for a moment—and in that instant, a spear pierced through its body.
"GOT IT!" Jay shouted, triumphantly holding up the fish.
"Amazing! But how did you come up with this plan, Han?" Martha asked, curious.
"It's simple. According to the manual, fishes like this one—[Red Blob]—are strictly streamlined. They have the perfect body to swim across big rivers quickly. But they have a weakness—they can't change direction suddenly. They need a moment. That moment is enough for Jay to strike using the spear he made with his ability [Grand Blacksmith]."
Jay looked at Han with a strange expression. "So that's why you changed the water's surface using your power? By building a wall and shifting the flow, you trapped the fish."
"Exactly."
"You really are a textbook-smart nerd!"
"Do you not know how to compliment someone, you filthy rich bastard?"
As they began bickering again, a hand came from behind and slapped both of their heads.
"You idiots. Stop fighting and go gather more fish."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Using the same technique, they hunted many more [Red Blobs]. But then, the symbol on Han's wrist started glowing. His temple throbbed with pain, and he fell to his knees. Everyone rushed toward him.
"Ah... looks like I overused my power a bit," Han said weakly.
"We've already got enough fish. You can stop now."
"Yeah."
Nana and Scarlet began setting up the cooking area. They cut branches from nearby trees using knives made by Jay and arranged rocks in a circle to build a firepit. Martha brought some natural salt and a few other ingredients, like [Venti Leafs], which taste like black pepper. She identified them using her basic skill [Object Appraisal], which let her read information about simple items.
To light the fire, Scarlet used her extra skill [Small Fire]—a beginner skill from her [War Druid] class that created a small spark.
After finally reading the manual thoroughly, the group discovered they could see their skills and stats just by touching their symbols. They felt pretty dumb for realizing it so late.
The aroma of sizzling fish soon filled the air. Everyone looked like predators eyeing prey, with saliva dripping from their mouths. The fish tasted similar to fried cod, but without any bones, making it even more enjoyable.
Han sat down, checking his stats as he ate.
[Han's Stats]
Lvl – 2
Health – 148/150
Mana – 12/150
Class – Mage
Main Power – Core Manipulation
Skills – (Inspection), (Gintax Spike), (Ground Shift), (Quick Tackle)
"Hmm… (Inspection) uses 5 Mana to scan an area the size of a small house. Handy, but limited for now.
(Gintax Spike)—my only heavy, ranged skill—launches a chunk of ground like I did against Kogar. It costs 120 Mana though… I can only use it once per fight.
(Ground Shift)—lets me reshape terrain as I want. I wonder if it works on all ground-like surfaces? I should test it later.
And (Quick Tackle) free of mana? What am I—a Pokémon? How's that even useful in a fight?"
Across from him, Jay was also checking his stats.
[Jay's Stats]
Lvl – 3
Health – 200/200
Mana – 76/180
Class – Warrior
Main Power – Grand Blacksmith
Skills – (Material Appraisal), (Blacksmith Lagoon), (Absolute Perfection)
"I leveled up again. (Material Appraisal) is decent—lets me check any material's stats and details without using mana. Super helpful.
(Blacksmith Lagoon)—my main skill—lets me mold any usable element into any shape I want. I made those knives and the spear with it. But it eats a ton of mana depending on the project.
(Absolute Perfection)—this one's busted, but luck-based. If it activates on something I create, that item becomes unbreakable. But I don't know if it'll ever trigger."
Han glanced at Martha and Nana, both eating like it was their first meal in ten years, stuffing their faces joyfully.
"Hmm… Nana seems back to her usual self. But I still can't believe both of them got such broken skills. Their luck must be insane. Or maybe this damn game just favors girls like a pervert."
He peeked at their stats.
[Nana's Stats]
Lvl – 1
Health – 80/80
Mana – 400/400
Class – Holy Mage
Main Power – Saint
Skills – (Ability Boost), (Degrade), (Ascend)
[Martha's Stats]
Lvl – 1
Health – 120/120
Mana – 180/180
Class – Crafter
Main Power – Millennium Crafter
Skills – (High Appraisal), (Micro-Focus), (Material Sewing)
"I guess Holy Mages naturally have crazy high Mana.
(Ability Boost) raises all attributes of a person or object using only 10 Mana.
(Degrade) weakens the target's abilities.
And (Ascend)… that's the only resurrection skill in the world. It can bring someone back from death—once. Ridiculous."
"And Martha's skill set is just as busted.
(High Appraisal)—lets her inspect anything in range with zero Mana cost.
(Micro-Focus)—sounds like concentration, but no. It lets her understand matter at an atomic level. Also free of mana.
Then there's (Material Sewing)—literally sews together different materials with perfect precision. Mana cost depends on size and quantity. This is nuts."
Scarlet, curious, peeked at her own stats. A blue screen appeared midair, written in authentic Japanese. Its size adjusted at her will.
She turned to look, but her face changed when she saw the last skill.
[Scarlet's Stats]
Lvl – 1
Health – 100/100
Mana – 200/200
Class – Druid
Main Power – War Druid
Skills – (Healing), (Luck Cooking), (Mas—)
"I don't want that skill… (Healing) and (Luck Cooking) are fine, but I hope I never have to use that last one..."
The sky faded into dusk. The stars hung peacefully, and the sun dipped below the horizon like a bird diving into a river. A pure white moon rose, clean and round like a child's drawing. From the east, a second moon climbed into the sky—smaller and full of spots.
In the vast forest of poisonous plants, the group found a small cave—just big enough for five. Moss grew thick around the entrance. The floor, damp from rain, was cold. The rocks were held in place by a single stone near the base.
The girls collected large leaves and, using Martha's (Material Sewing), crafted warm blankets and padding to sleep on.
"Fuuuuh… the tiresome day is finally over," one of them sighed.
At the cave entrance, Jay rigged a spike trap he remembered from various games—just in case any strange creatures came lurking.
And just like that, their first day came to an end...