It's been a week since I've come to this world. To survive, I've been eating fish and sleeping in the cave I found. With a crevice so small, only weak monsters enter the cave which enables me to kill them easily if they were hostile.
'I should probably find some civilisation.'
*ROAR!*
My thoughts are interrupted by a loud roar. Deciding to check out its source, I grab my spear and rush to the cave opening. Outside is a small, injured fox being surrounded by large wolves with weird plates on their skin. Reaching out, I pull the fox into the cave. A wolf dashes forwards, causing its head to get stuck. Lifting my spear, I stab into it.
*GROAR!*
It growls it pain and begins shooting magic blasts from its mouth but doesn't die. I continue stabbing it, only stopping when it takes its last breath. The other wolves growl in anger, but with the corpse blocking the exit, they are unable to enter the cave. Retreating deeper into the cave, I inspect the fox's injuries. It has a gash in its side and a broken leg. Moving over to my stash of materials, I pick up a few sticks and leaves before moving back to the fox.
| Using [Oversimplification LVL1] to craft a bandage and splint. |
I place the materials beside the fox before moving back to the cave's entrance. Putting my ear against the rocks, I focus on the sounds outside and hear nothing. Pulling out my knife from my pocket, I behead the wolf's corpse and pull it in while pushing its body out before crawling out. I look around, searching for any wolves and find none. Turning my gaze back to the corpse, I bring my knife to its skin.
| Using [Oversimplification LVL1] to skin Scalewolf's corpse. |
'What's a Scalewolf?
| Answer: A Scalewolf are a species of wolves that mutated due to a Dragon's mana. They are capable of shooting magic blasts from their mouths and are twice as strong as a normal wolf. When tamed, they are commonly used as hunting or tracking due to their enhanced senses. |
'Oh wow. That sounds dangerous.'
I crawl back into the cave, approaching the fox. It seems to be awake, but still unmoving. Oversimplification seems to have done its job, as the fox has a bandage made of leaves and a splint made of sticks. The fox turns to me, and...
| Gaze detected. Granting user a 'Alternate Form' |
'...What?'
My clothes burst into swaths of fabric and morph into a black robe. A dark veil lowers itself onto my face and looking at my hands, I find they are a pitch black and have gained sharp claws.
'What's going on?'
| Answer: The Praise System is a System formed with the goal of bringing its user as much praise as possible. Currently, it has come to the conclusion that posing its user as a divine being is the most efficient method. To achieve this, it has granted you a more divine seeming form by using the delirium of the fox you have rescued. |
'Do I have to get praise?'
| Answer: Praise is not required, but gaining it will allow the System to give you more benefits. Currently, as you are still weak, the System is allowed to benefit you more than usual. |
'Ah. No harm, I suppose.'
I creep up to the fox, making sure to make no noise. Through the crystal's dim lighting, I see the fox tracking me as I approach. It whimpers, shrinking away as I walk past it. I grab the spear that I left beside the fox before approach the cave's stream, throwing it into the water. The spear pierces a fish, the fishing skill I harnessed from the past week coming into play. I pick up the spear and fish from the water before returning to the fox. I kneel down, pushing the fish towards it.
"Eat up, little fox!"
I speak as friendly as I can, my voice echoing through the cave. The fox stares at the food warily, before turning its gaze to me. If it were human, I'd even say it was glaring. After a moment, it begins eating. As it eats, I exit the cave, where the wolf corpse lay disassembled. I pick up its pelt and meat before returning to the cave, where I place them into a pile. A hiss emanates from behind me the moment the items hit the ground and turning around, I see the fox flinched back.
| Sub-Skill [Shadow Sink LVL1] obtained! |
'What? How does this System work?'
| Answer: The Praise System works on the beliefs of others. Because the fox believes you can move in the shadows, the System is able to grant you a similar ability. |
'Isn't that kind of overpowered?'
Recieving no answer, I decide to test out [Shadow Sink]. Following its activation, my body melds into the darkness and my senses disappear. Instead, my vision is replaced by information of all nearby shadows that I can appear from. Choosing one, I appear behind the fox, startling it. I pick up the fish's bones and bring them to my trash pile before turning back to the fox and kneeling beside it. I reach for the disassembled parts of wolf, grabbing its pelt and draping it over the fox.
"There. Go to sleep now, you need rest to heal."
The fox stares at me again, seemingly trying to stay awake, but eventually falls asleep.
*ROAR!*
A roar comes from outside. Peeking out the crevice, I am greeted with the sight of the three Scalewolves from earlier. It seems the blood from the corpse earlier had scared them away and with it now gone, they're back. I pick up my spear and crawl out of the hole ready to battle the Scalewolves.
I dodge to the side as two wolves lunge at me while the third spits out magic blasts. Their attacks are relentless, giving me no opening to attack. I dodge away again and again, eventually entering the shade of the forest's trees, where I use [Shadow Sink] to hide. The wolves lunge at where I stood, biting onto nothing before looking around confused. As the animals begin searching for me, I appear behind them and stab into one of their heads before returning to the shadows.
| Sub-Skill [Dark Tendril LVL1] obtained! |
'...What?'
I peek my head out of the shadows, turning to look at the cave's entrance where I spot the fox's head peeking out from the darkness. The third wolf sniffs the air before turning around, having smelled the fox, and opening its mouth, shooting out a magic blast.
'Shit!'
I sink back into the shadows, reappearing in the shade of the cave's entrance and blocking the blast with my arms.
'Ow! That burns!'
I look at my arms and despite the burning sensation, my robes don't seem to be harmed. I shake myself from my thoughts, focusing on the wolf in front of me.
'[Dark Tendril]!'
A dark tentacle shoots out from the wolf's shadow and wraps around its torso. I clench my hand and the tentacle follows, crushing the wolf to death. Within the trees, the two remaining wolves turn back at the sound of cracking bones. I use [Dark Tendril] again, killing off the less injured wolf while at the same time using [Shadow Sink] to appear behind the last wolf and stab into its head, finishing it off.