Chapter 5 - First Encounter

I stare blankly at the message, frozen in place. Combat? My new Skill is amazing, sure, but the thing I had failed to realize until now was that it was suited for combat. I still hadn't even begun to consider anything about fighting.

"What the fuck is with the face, too?!" I angrily cry out, jumping to my feet, albeit in a clumsy fashion. Realizing my voice had echoed out into the forest, I frantically search my left and right to see if anything had appeared. Frowning, the thought that maybe the tutorial had somehow played a trick on me crossed my mind, but was quickly nipped in the bud when I felt it.

'MOVE.'

A feeling I couldn't comprehend rises within me and rushes over my body right as the burnt tree behind me shatters to pieces. Unlike the end of my past life, however, I'm already diving out of the way.


[Klum's Reincarnation Autoskill activated.]
[DEX was increased 200%.]


I roll out of the way onto one knee. It was still awkward, and felt wrong, but it was something I never could've imagined doing this well in my past life. A smile begins to grow on my face, even after the rush from the DEX increase disappeared a second later. My eyes meet with a tall, angry reddish-orange beast catching its breath.


[Enemy in sight.]
[Critical Eye Skill activated.]


I can't see it, but I can feel my right eye's iris transforming, four wedges pushing from the circle in each cardinal direction. It caused it to look like a target symbol, and a purple hue soon takes over my vision and the color of my amber eye. This causes my vision to feel as if it was growing sharper subsequently, and to my surprise, an X appears on the beast's left shoulder in front of me.

A mixture of excitement, fear, and anxiety runs through my blood faster than a Formula One race car. I know instinctively that it really was life or death.

This is real.

'Ding!'

[*Congratulations! Strong-Armed Boar (Lv. 4) has been encountered! Due to user's first-time encounter, the Life Statscreen will show the average Strong-Armed Boar (Lv. 4) stats!*]

[Strong-Armed Boar]
[Estimate Age: 3]
[Lv: 4]
[Health: 35]
[Mana: 24]
[Stamina: 25]

STR: 11 MAG: 2
AGI: 4 DEX: 3
VIT: 5 INT: 4

ACC: 4
DEF: 8
POW: 3

[Skills: Anger Rush (Rare), Contest (Rare), Bash (Common), Screech (Common)]

"Congratulations?? This thing is way too strong for me!" I complain, swiping the screen away forcefully, only for it to be replaced by two more. I was about to swipe those away too, but something catches my eye.

[The user dodged an unseen fatal attack.
This achievement forcefully rose one or more stats.
+2 INT, +1 AGI ]

[The user pushed past their limits and recovered their posture.
This achievement forcefully rose one or more stats.
+1 DEX]

I let out a low whistle. "Fuck yea-"

The Strong-Armed Boar lets out a loud roar as it faces me. 'Did it really just interrupt me?' I think, my patience wavering for a moment. The thing is quite ugly, with snot and drool dripping from its crinkled snout as it looks at me with hate. It otherwise looks just like an oversized Boar, with even more oversized tusks.

The most oversized thing of all were its muscled arms. They look like a bodybuilder's, yet instead of hands, they were shoved down into tiny little hooves that didn't match the beast at all. One hoof is lifted, pawing at the ground, before it opens its disgusting mouth and lets out another scream.

I thought I was losing my mind, because I could see a slight tinge of a blue ring around its jagged teeth, but the tutorial and Statscreen informs me otherwise.

[Strong-Armed Boar has used Screech]

[*Tutorial will find information about the Skill Screech through the World Lines.*]

[*Found it!*]

[Screech (Common Active Skill): The user lets out a magic-infused screech that has a 30% chance to paralyze those of weaker or equal POW, and a 80% chance to paralyze those with weaker POW.
Duration: (30%) 3 seconds/(80%) 6 seconds — Cost: 8 mana — Cooldown: 3 minutes]

[You have been paralyzed for 3 seconds.]


The last message made my heart freeze. 'It was a 30% chance!' I want to scream, but even my mouth wouldn't move. I watch the Boar lower its head, repeating the pawing motion as a red glow begins to cover both of the tusks pointing ominously towards me.

[Boar is using Anger Rush.]

[*Tutorial will find information about the Skill Anger Rush through the World Lines.*]

The second message had barely popped up before I scream in my head, 'SHUT UP!' The messages instantly clear away as I count the agonizing seconds.

2 …1…

[Paralysis was lifted.]
[New stat points went into effect.]

As soon as I feel my body's movement return to me, the Boar shoots towards me like a bullet, even accompanied by a loud BANG. I fall backwards, reaching behind me, grasping desperately for something, anything, as the tusks close the distance between them and my chest rapidly. My fingers close on a cylindrical object, and slamming my eyes shut, I swing my arm with as much strength as I can muster.

BAP!

'Ding!'

[Critical Mark has been hit. Adjusting Dmg to 350%.]

My arm shudders with newfound force, and the creaking whistle of wood through the air is amplified with the reverberating sound of something slapping muscle

"Reeee!!"

My eyes stay shut for a couple more seconds, but finally curiosity gets the better of me. I open my eyes, and the first thing that greets me was the message about the Critical Mark.

The Boar stares hatefully at me, favoring its left side. Looking at my hand, the weapon I had used was… literally a stick. 'Did I really do that much damage with this?'

[*Please preface questions with 'Tutorial.'*]

A seething anger passes through me temporarily, seeing this message. "Hey Tutorial? Go fuck yourself."

[*. . .*]

[Due to the combat tutorial's abrupt termination, only basic information will be displayed through the Life Statscreen for the rest of this battle.]

' Wh-what… Wait!'

Although the Boar was clearly hurt, I had no idea how much more it would take to finish it.

And without the cryptic help of the tutorial, I had no idea what I was doing.