The Value of Vision

Richard carefully pondered the new map function in his system, his mental gears turning as he deciphered each new element that appeared on the digital interface before his eyes. That's when he noticed the raven, which remained motionless, fixing him with a penetrating gaze. There was a kind of mutual recognition in the air. "Friend," Richard said, the word coming out more like a statement than a greeting. "You are indeed a friend." They exchanged a deep and meaningful look. "You see, my map has obstructed vision, buddy. Do you think you can help me unlock the view of the village's surroundings?"

The raven, with an intelligence that defied Richard's understanding, took to the sky with calculated wingbeats. It circled the village in concentric patterns, as if mapping every alley and roof with its keen eyes. As soon as the raven began its reconnaissance flight, a notification sound resonated inside Richard's head, almost like the clear and distinct ringing of a bell. He lowered his gaze to the map, and there it was, a newly added label: "Recognition: Raven 1x." Richard tilted his head, a smile forming on his lips as a realization hit him. "It seems the system is categorizing the raven as a recognition unit," he murmured, impressed by the system's adaptability and the unexpected help from his new feathered ally.

Quickly, every detail of the village was being displayed on the map, from the various simple wooden and mud houses to the stream that branched off from the silver serpent river, to the now well-tended fields. The accuracy of the rendering was such that Richard could see the rough texture of the mud walls and the orientation of the boards on the wooden roofs. Even the narrow trails used only by the village children for their games were there, mapped with a precision that the human eye would hardly capture.

Richard was curious to see if he could interact with his new map function. He saw the village entrance on the map and tapped his finger there; incredibly, a list of icons with a search bar appeared, floating above the surface of the map like an additional layer of information. "This is incredibly convenient," Richard thought as his eyes scanned the thousands of available icons. Each icon represented a function or feature of the village, from the merchants to the meeting points of the elders. It was interactivity that went beyond the visual; it was almost tangible, and Richard knew that it could change everything in how he navigated the world.

Richard selected an icon that grouped several houses and typed "Serenelar" to name the location on the map. With the entire village now mapped, he looked up at the sky in search of the raven, which stood out as a small black dot against the clear and cloudless blue.

The connection between Richard and the raven seemed to deepen with every shared glance, every mission accomplished. Now, as Richard showed interest, the raven seemed poised to perform an aerial maneuver. It spun in the air, its feathers gleaming in the sun as if they were pieces of polished obsidian, and then soared toward Richard in a spectacular dive. It was a breathtaking sight, the bird dominating the sky with a grace that belied its modest size, each wingbeat full of strength and precision. The majestic nature of the raven was undeniable, a master of the skies in its own aerial realm.

As the raven approached, Richard felt a tinge of anxiety. "Would he understand the more complex request?" Richard thought. "Buddy, can you fly a bit further from the village, explore beyond the boundaries we know?" He posed the question to the wind, half expecting it to be lost in the breeze, but the raven, with its surprising intelligence, emitted a low, hoarse sound, almost as if it were nodding. Then, with a powerful wingbeat, the raven ascended, gaining altitude before launching itself toward the unknown frontier, ready to expand Richard's world map as far as the eye could see. It was a moment of camaraderie and promise, as man and bird collaborated in the discovery of new horizons.

Richard watched, fascinated, as his map progressively expanded, each detail revealing itself as the raven advanced. Richard's excitement was palpable, a sense of discovery bubbling within him. However, his excitement turned to confusion when he noticed an abrupt halt in the map's update. The raven continued to move away, a tiny silhouette against the vastness of the sky, but the map remained static, as if an invisible barrier prevented it from keeping up with the raven's flight.

Driven by insatiable curiosity and a theory forming in his mind, Richard decided to follow the raven's trail. He passed through the wheat fields, which swayed gently in the morning breeze, forming golden waves that seemed to guide him on his journey. The distance to the point where the raven seemed to have breached the barrier of his map was not great, and Richard felt a firm determination in his steps. He knew that this exploration could be the key to understanding the true extent of his abilities and the limits of his map.

As Richard advanced, the map unfolded before him, revealing new areas with each step. "There seems to be a limit to how far the raven can uncover from my position," Richard reflected. "If I wish to explore the outskirts of the village in detail, I'll need to closely follow the raven's flight." He then observed that the raven could uncover up to a kilometer in each direction from where he was. "Perhaps this ability increases as I evolve," Richard conjectured, contemplating the possibility that his level influenced the effectiveness of his winged companion.