Avoiding confrontation

Elijah felt the pulse of his heartbeat echo in his ears as he held the silvery orb he had just retrieved from another Gobes—a grotesque rabbit-like monster, its body marred with tumors and twisted flesh. He watched the orb for a moment before placing it in his mouth, feeling the familiar rush of energy spread through his body. His Soul Level on the watch ticked upward.

Soul Level: 3.45%

It had been five hours of relentless hunting. Elijah's armor, once pristine, was now tarnished and spattered with the blood and grime of countless deformed creatures. The usually sturdy leather and reinforced metal were caked in the residue of the Gobes' disintegrating flesh, and his exhaustion was evident in the way he moved—each step a little heavier, his breath a bit more labored.

"Luckily, my armor and weapon are top-quality equipment, making them very resilient," he muttered to himself, trying to find solace in the fact that, despite his fatigue, his gear had held up against the onslaught. 

His journey back to the settlement was a slow one, his body aching from the strain. When he finally reached the settlement, the sun was already dipping low, casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets. Without hesitation, he made his way to a shop marked by a hanging emblem of a robot, its mechanical eyes gleaming in the evening light.

Elijah pushed open the door and approached a staff member, a young woman whose smile seemed more obligatory than genuine. "I want to sell a few Gobe cores," he said, his voice hoarse from hours of silence.

The staff member nodded and led him to the front desk, where Elijah placed five silver cores on the counter. She swiftly collected them, placing each into a secure box before sliding 100 Union Credits across the counter to him. Elijah pocketed the money and turned to leave, feeling a slight sense of accomplishment.

But a familiar voice cut through the air as he neared the door. "Look who it is," one of the three boys from the forest sneered, blocking his path. Their faces were the same—smug and condescending.

"The trash from before," another said, his tone dripping with mockery. "What did you come here for? To sell Gobe cores? Haha!"

"Instead of absorbing them, you'd rather sell some? Are you that poor?" the leader of the group added, his laughter grating on Elijah's nerves.

Elijah clenched his fists, but kept his voice calm. "You three keep trying me, why? I did sell some Gobe cores, so what of it?"

"Nah, what of it? It's pathetic!" one of them spat, their laughter filling the shop.

Elijah's patience snapped. "Alright, you three already locked on to me and will keep this bullshit, so how about I buy you some food and let this go?" Elijah smiled "No carbs, though—I don't want y'all to cramp up while jerking each other off later."

The joke hit its mark, and the shop erupted in laughter. Even some of the other customers snickered, further humiliating the trio. As they tried to retort, Elijah simply walked past them, ignoring their angry shouts.

"You're fucking dead, you hear?" one of them yelled after him, but Elijah didn't bother to look back.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered, pushing the door open and stepping outside.

As he walked away, Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. 'They were going to keep fucking with me, and I won't let that happen anymore,' he thought, his mind racing. Suddenly, an older man appeared in front of him, blocking his path. Elijah halted, looking up at the stranger.

"You look like a rookie, so here's some advice," the man said, his voice calm but stern. "Don't start shit with people, even if they provoke you. We're not on Earth anymore, and Earth's laws only apply to the settlement. Outside, it's survival of the fittest."

The man's words struck Elijah like a cold slap. He was right—this wasn't Earth, and he couldn't afford to let his emotions cloud his judgment. Elijah nodded, silently acknowledging the man's wisdom before he watched him walk away.

Shaking his head, Elijah sighed heavily. He was sick and tired of people bullying him, and his emotional scars from before had made him react without thinking. But now, he realized he needed to be smarter, and more careful.

He headed back to the inn, determined to rest and get himself together. Luckily, one day on Earth was equivalent to three days in this world, giving Elijah more than enough time before his sister noticed his disappearance. He needed to stay focused, to survive, and grow stronger. 

The next day, Elijah woke up early, feeling a little more refreshed. After cleaning up and gathering his gear, he set out once more. This time, he headed to a different hunting ground—the Jackle Den, a known rookie area where the monsters were tougher but still manageable.

The Jackles were a different breed altogether. Resembling rabid dogs, their eyes burned with madness, their bodies barely covered with patches of mangy fur. They looked like walking diseases, each one more terrifying than the last.

'I'm unfamiliar with their attack patterns and will need to get used to fighting them,' Elijah thought as he approached the den's entrance. 'Damn it, coming here to avoid a confrontation with those three idiots might have been a bad idea...' 

But there was no turning back now. Elijah steeled himself, gripping his weapon tighter. This was just another step in his journey—one more trial by fire. And he would face it, no matter what.