3: Learning and Growing
Myst decided to select the 100 Sensory Level setting. He knew that it added a sense of realism, but that was what he wanted in a game. This was a way for him to get away from real life, and also to allow him to satisfy his adrenaline junky side without being in any real danger. 'What is a game without a little excitement anyway,' he thought, selecting it. A warning on his screen told him to temporarily turn off his headset to allow the game to update his character. He turned it off, gave it 5 minutes and logged back in. He reappeared in the same position as before, and could immediately feel the difference. Before, the cold wet grass had felt like it was coming through a jumper or thin gloves. Now, he could feel everything as if it was real. 'Just as advertised I suppose' Myst thought to himself.
He decided to take stock of his location, and figure out what he wanted to do. He got up and glanced around, taking in the scenery around him, and checking for any dangers. He saw a lush, lively forest, full of life. The wind sweeping through the leaves, and making the trees dance. He heard the songs of birds and cicadas. The rustling of bushes and small animals. He smelt the earthy smell of the wilderness, and of life. He closed his eyes and smiled. 'A new world to explore.' His eyes snapped open, full of purpose. He picked a random direction, and started walking.
Myst had only walked for about 15 minutes, when his stomach rumbled. He decided it might be a good idea to figure something out for hunting. He looked at some trees ahead of him, and snapped off a few thin yet strong branches. He then found a rock on the ground and started sharpening them. An hour later {a/n don't know how long this would take in real life or even if it's possible. If anyone knows, comment below and I can update it if you want me to} he had two slightly sharp sticks. 'Definitely not enough for a real fight, but I should be able to stab a rabbit or something.'
Following his… ingenuity?.. he set off once more, this time much slower and more careful, looking for some prey. He soon came across two white rabbits sitting on the ground, nibbling on some grass. Myst slowly creeped up, very slowly in fact, so as not to scare them away. As he got closer, he readied his pseudo spear. He aimed it carefully, took a breath and held it, and stabbed out. His attack missed what he was aiming for, the head/neck, but hit it in the leg, effectively hindering it. The unharmed rabbit immediately sprung away, followed by an attempt to do the same from the injured one. However, it's now hindered leg failed it, and it ended up only moving around a meter, and falling on its face. The rabbit started furiously scrabbling around in the dirt, attempting to run away, but Myst quickly stepped forward after it, readied his other spear, and stabbed forward once more. This time, his strike was on point {heh} and immediately went through its head, killing it instantly.
Myst held his spear just behind the head, and started gutting and skinning the rabbit, using it as a sort of dagger, albeit with a lot less effectiveness due to the lack of real sharpness. He then set up a small fire and cooked the rabbit. He quickly ate around half of the rabbit before chucking the rest of it in his inventory, which he had found after wondering where he should put his second spear after making it earlier. He then had an idea, and grabbed the load of bones he had put aside earlier, and started walking in the same direction as before. He started carefully cutting at the bones, shaping them into small daggers as he had before with the sticks. These were going to be much smaller, but also sharper, stronger, and all around more effective as weapons and tools.
After he finished his first one, a screen appeared before him:
—— Weapon Crafted ——
Name: Bone Knife (common, low)
Damage: 1-3
Durability: 34/50
Description: A shabby bone weapon created by a novice hunter, with the intent of having a sharp, if resource savvy, weapon and tool.
Exp granted: 5 Crafting Exp (weapon crafted), 25 Crafting Exp (new weapon crafted), 50 Crafting Exp (new craft discovered)
{a/n I'm introducing a system of discovery in crafting classes like how you get exp in other games when you explore a new location for the first time. I'm also doing a thing where, when something is crafted for the first time in Phantasie Online (yes, I'm making it so a bone knife has never been crafted before in this, bite me) the crafter gets extra 'discovery' exp. I might also make it so if you make a certain number of new recipes or reach a milestone with a number of overall crafts (maybe like crafting 100 bone knives or something) might get you a new recipe of the same level. Lmk what you guys think}
—— Weapon Crafted ——
'Well,' Myst thought, 'not sure how bone knives haven't been created in this world before but I'll take it.'
{a/n I skimmed over it post-writing and it feel too jumbled together to me. Let me know what you guys think. For the next one, when I get to it, I'll try adding proper paragraph spacing and stuff. You can also compare it to the previous chapters if you want. Also, I'm not 100% on where I want the story to go (more like 10% right now) so I'd really appreciate it if you guys throw your ideas and stuff at me. Next chapter is a first look at towns and civilisation in this new world. If you like jokes that make you look at the person yelling the joke, your look telling them they will regret that, you'll likely enjoy the name of it :). That or you'll look at me and ask how crazy am I to think that. Either way, enjoy!}