7 Thieving Cat
"Hide," Ned muttered his skill upon hearing an unknown group coming his way.
Using light from its surrounding, Hide skill mimics its environment through light refraction.
Unable to be seen, Ned hid into a rock nearby.
After a moment, a feline swiftly cut through the grass. It's bright white fur and bold blue eyes contradicted the deep green surroundings.
He saw that the feline seems to be flustered and exhausted at first. But it slowly approached the rock where Ned was hiding and it jumped at the surface and stared at him. Amused, it then grinned. The feline seems to know where Ned was hiding.
Meow?
After a while, the rumbling stopped. Suddenly two Butrikis's crashed in. Their green muddy scale fought the beam of the sun that enveloped their body. Their faces looked all the same and aside from their bulky build, one could not distinguish which lizard was which.
The feline then turned to look at the lizards. It then stands on its hind legs and started to dance.
Taunting the lizards!
You cat! Ned cried! This cat really knows I'm here. But still, it taunted them!
The lizards, who appeared insulted, thought that a while ago this feline was running for its ninth life. Now it started to taunt them.
The lizards felt insulted. One of them used its tail to smash the feline. But it swiftly avoided the hit. Instead, it broke the rock where Ned was hiding.
The rock was crushed to pieces. Now with only 3 seconds left on Ned's Hide skill. He had no other choice but to fight them. There's only two of them, I can manage that. Ned thought.
It was too late for the lizards to notice the dead Warg on the ground. And it was even too late to notice, that one of the lizards followed the dead Warg on the ground. With an arrow stuck on its eye. It fell to the ground—motionless. The other lizard was startled, obviously, the feline can't do it. Confusion could be seen all over its stinking face.
Growl?!
Ned, with the Hide skill, came to an end. Facing the lizard and putting the bow on his back, he then grasped the weighted club. Let's see how well my strength against this muscle head. I'll deal with that cat later.
Before Ned could ready himself. He was hit by the lizard's tail. Ned was fast enough to block the attack using the club. The hit was heavy, it throws Ned almost ten meters away from the lizard.
"Leap!"
Ned used Leap to regain the distance between him and the lizard. He could have killed the lizard a while ago using his arrow but he was determined to test his strength. Now with only a meter away. Ned jumped and struck the lizard on its head. It broke, the club broke rather than the lizard's head.
"You're quite tough for a mere grade E monster!" Ned cried, unsheathing his rusty knife. He closed in again. This time he moved swiftly to the back of the lizard. "But let's see how tough your joints are!"
Using the lightweight of the knife added with Ned's precise control, it only took him seconds to cut the soft part of the lizard.
Growl?!
Unable to endure the pain. The lizard fell on its knee. Ned then grabbed its head and inserted the knife straight to its yellow reptilian eye. The lizard then thudded to the ground. Lifeless.
After Ned killed the two Butrikis, the cat showed itself and meowed to satisfaction looking at Ned.
The cat then walked towards the dead Warg. Burrowing its head into its chest. Seemingly looking for something. Moments later, the cat pulled out the Core of the Warg.
"Hey! That's my Core!" Ned cried. "You thieving cat!"
Meow?
Soon after, the cat swiftly vanished into the forest along with the Core.
"That cat! It could have eaten the meat but why the Core?" Ned was confused. Eventually, he let it go cause he knew that they might not see each other again on this vast island. Ned then came to a realization. "This island is vast, then why is it that the Butrikis's came a long way to invade the Warg's territory to kill that cat? Kill? Maybe they're trying to capture it."
Ned without any idea continued its way going to Warg's den.
Ned saw that the island was never inhabited by humans. He could see fresh mushroom, flying creature unworriedly glides to the sky, not a single tree was cut and no encampments nearby. Totally a virgin island.
Halfway through the forest. Ned decided to organize his arsenal of sticks and stones.
A crude hunter clothes, this won't even guard me against the lizard tail. Ned sighed. He then checked his rusty knife which is almost half from its durability. A crude bow and 13 arrows.
For the past years, I never thought that my Master was so poor he couldn't afford to buy his apprentice some decent clothes and weapons. Ned thought. Well, after I'm done here I'll sure to gather some herbs and Cores to sell to the market. This could give us some profit. I even saw rare mushrooms on my way here.
"ICE, verify my skills," Ned muttered.
[Currently, you have 15 Leaps left, 3 Hides, and 1 Howl remaining.]
[Additionally, you're still able to use Overclocking. Your current energy level is at 70%. Eat more food to store energy. It will support Overclocking when used.]
ICE explained.
With almost a day remaining, Ned hurried to the Wargs den according to the map.
It's almost nighttime when Ned arrived at the den. There he saw hundreds of Wargs, resting, eating, or riding with one another encircling a hill that rose in the middle. At the top of the hill, there lies their pack leader.
Slightly bigger than the other Wargs, gray and blue colors were fighting behind its back to see who would win and reach the tail enveloped by white fur. The white tail was a sign that it reached its peak and ready to evolve. But due to the lack of magic on the surroundings, it remained a puppy.
Ned slowly nocked its bow. After it reached its limit he then released it straight to the pack leader.
Swooshing in mid-air, the pack leader noticed it and swiftly dodged the arrow. It then howled, causing the other Warg to tremble in fear.
Ned did it on reason. It was a message to challenge the leader. Ned then slowly revealed himself.
The other Warg growled when they saw Ned approaching the pack leader. Blocking his way Ned slowly unsheathed his knife. But when the leader growled they then let Ned pass.
From the top of the hill, the leader pounded going to the bottom. There the dust flew all over. But Ned didn't wait for the dust to settle. He made his first move. Using his rusty knife, body weight, and the skill Leap, he then lunged towards the pack leader.
But the leader was also agile. With its hunter's eyes, it saw right through Ned's plan. But with no time to evade, the leader stopped the attack using its teeth. The knife was then stuck in between its teeth. Completely stopping Ned's attack.
Surprised but calm. Ned's intuition hits the top. With years of experience fighting different enemies during his past life. And at different terrains and locations, Ned's muscle memory remembered all moves and counters he could think of.
With the knife stuck between the leader's teeth. Ned pulled out an arrow behind his back and stabbed the leader right through its left eye. Now blood flowed all over its canine face.
To think that a kid could do this to the leader. It felt humiliating. It then leaps backward and raised its head, then it howled. Signaling other Wargs to attack Ned.
Kill him at all costs! That's what the Howl meant.
With hundreds of Wargs rushing towards Ned. He had no other way but to pummel the leader and asked it politely later to be tamed. Problem was, other Wargs started to guard the leader.
Think! Think! I could escape and come back later. But later would be much more difficult.
If only I have magic, using skill Igneous Burst will incinerate them all. Skill. Skill! Yes, I have skills!
"Howl! Ned roared.
All of a sudden, Wargs trying to attack him stopped on their tracks when they heard a howl greater than their leader.
His crude hunter clothes burst open. His tops started to tear apart. Aside from his bottom part that didn't even grow big or grew slightly. All his clothes were torn apart.
Ned's muscles started to thread all over his body. His senses doubled. Now he could hear, see, and smell tripled his normal range. Not just that, his body hair has started to grow as well. Doubling its length. His medium gray hair now reached its waist. His entire body was now covered with gray and dark hair. His teeth started to grow and sharpen.
[Howl skill will last 60 seconds during nighttime.]
ICE prompted.
"I...Will never do this again."
