Sweet Nerri

"The hunt begins!"

The sun finally came down and 2 bright moons rose up into the night sky. Gin at this time had already practiced the moves that came together with his new techniques. As such, he rested for a bit and then made his way to a certain tent just outside the plaza area 'Alex said it would be there.'.

He wanted to join the hunters and go out to 'hunt' when all he will actually do is to explore outside and maybe bring back some game from time to time. Yes, hunting would be putting exploration as the priority and hunting only comes second on the list. His hunt will involve hunting for new things that he could discover in this new world. Thinking back on it, Gin was overflowing with excitement. As such he arrived at the hunter's tent in no time. There was no time to lose. Except that it was no way near being a tent. "A cabin?"

It was almost on par with his brother's new residences! With the villager's tents as a standard, this hunter might be the most luxurious person of Hope Village.

He arrived at the Hunter's cabin lawn space with no apparent residents except for smoke and occasional thudding sounds from inside. So he called out as he peeked through the slightly open front door. "Hello? Anyone there? I came to apply to hunt." Gin said in a hurry. The bright moons together with some faint lamps illuminated the interior of the hunter's cabin and so, Gin saw well kept knives and the wooden walls that were decorated with trophy heads of their hunts. Seeing the trophy heads, Gin was even more excited to go out the village and venture deeper into the forest.

"Anyone there? I came to apply to hunt." Gin repeated and waited for an answer and soon a fit tanned lady came out.

This tanned lady was as tall as Clay at about 6'5" and had brown eyes and hair. Her muscles were so toned that she could threaten the superior muscle tone of dwarves. She had multiple scars throughout the exposed skin and who knows how many more scars are covered by her clothes and bloody apron. Furthermore, the way she held onto the butcher's knife while she stared down on Gin was enough for Gin to realize that this lady is very experienced. It seems that this lady is strong.

The tanned lady stared down on Gin for a few more seconds as if she was comprehending a book. This made Gin a bit anxious. 'Is there something wrong?' He thought but the tanned lady finally spoke. "Ah~ The useless guardian I hear?" She had a sweet voice despite how she looks.

Gin was slightly surprised by her sweet voice but let it slide. "AH! I'm here to apply for the hunting and gatheri…" Gin tried to reply as if he hadn't heard her remark but he was interrupted.

"Yes~. Yes~. You're accepted." She then chopped the butcher's knife onto a wooden chopping board. After that, she took out a red badge from her bloody apron's pouch and threw it to Gin.

"Just like that? Hahaha thank you lady…"

"Nerri~." She said in a sweet voice.

"Thank you lady Nerri! But what's this?" Gin asked about the red badge. It was an inch in diameter and was carved from treated hardwood. It was carved in a shape similar to the aimbots of games back on earth.

"The new Chief ordered for it to be given to all hunters of the village. All hunters are now required to wear this to prove their hunter's identity. Ah~ That reminds me." She then went back inside the hunter's tent and came back with a piece of paper that she immediately gave to Gins. "These are the new rules. It appears that the Chief this time is more competent than my son. Hehe~."

"?!" Gin was surprised by the sudden reveal. This pretty and tanned lady was actually Elder Adhi's mother?! "You're a grandma?!" Gin blurted out.

His statement was immediately followed by a punch in the head that he could not evade even if he summoned all his reaction speed right now.

Puchi

"Now that was a rude statement young man~. Hehe~" Nerri said as she raised her smoking fist that just hit Gin's head a moment ago.

"G-Grandma Nerri…"

Puchi

Another punch met Gin's youthful face. "What~. I did not hear you very well just now~."

"N-Nothing Lady Nerri! Hahaha- Guhack!" Gin shamelessly said as he choked on some blood. 'This old lady's punch did not touch my stomach but my internal organs felt a pressing force!' Gin was lost. Besides being Adhi's mother, what's her identity?

"It's Head huntress Nerri~." She said in a sweet voice and then retrieved the butcher's knife then shut the door on Gin. Soon, thudding sounds can be heard again.

Gin was now left outside like a suitor who got viciously dumped by a girl. He was holding the piece of paper. Having nothing else to do, he read its contents.

Because of Alex' influence, the paper's content was easy to understand for Gin. Take note that he and his brother's are yet to perfectly master this Village's dialect.

After reading, he got up and happily went back to his shabby house as if he had not suffered two strikes from Grandm-kuhum~ Head huntress Nerri. "Simple and efficient as ever, Alex." There are a few basic rules that even dumber people than Gin could grasp. Alex' intellect was really something else.

The most notable rules are that all hunters are to wear this red aimbot badge at all times. This is a part of the census that Alex wanted to implement even though the population of Hope Village was now only at 49 Villagers plus 4, which is 53 people. 1 was Alex the Chief, Adhi the 1st Elder, 10 were part of the Alpha squad, 5 people in Sel's circle, 3 people in Clay's circle and the rest were either guards, hunters, or gatherers which had little distinction in between them in terms of cultivation and strength.

Keeping tabs on what you are and what your purpose is in this village will be of help to the officials in organizing the Village and leading it.

Another rule is that hunter's catches are now their own possession but had to still contribute to the Village's food storage as a form of tax. This would encourage the hunter's to hunt more game for their own food reserves while also ensuring that the food storage will not run empty. This is one of the most urgent rules that had to be implemented by Alex. He was informed that, just like on Earth, Urtha has winters. Long, balls-freezing winters. Winters here are cold enough to make cultivators stay more at home and wait for the spring to come.

Another rule is that anyone can barter goods for anything they want as long as there is an agreement between the two parties. For example, a hunter could exchange his game for a beast core which was a valuable and rare cultivation resource. That is if the other party agrees. Although everyone here is peaceful due to their small numbers, that does not mean that there is zero competition for resources. Back then, Adhi had mentioned that previous villagers' deaths often came from an uncooperative atmosphere during missions. It was inevitable as every cultivator sought strength and enlightenment.

Having lost the rich lands of the Opus Empire hit this group so hard that they lost their knowledge through hardships brought by the harsh Land of the Beasts and other factors.

"So they were just like us. In a way that is." Gin realized that this Village had it hard. Venturing to the uncharted lands was indeed thrilling but not everyone was like Gin. Had he and his brothers not met Adhi and the Alpha squad, they would have been long gone. Maybe not even their bones will remain.

Gin's long thoughts made him lose track of time. He was now inside his shabby house. He directly went to the kitchen which will have his food that Clay's personal maid brought. This was now a normal routine for Gin. Clay's maid will always bring food to his shabby dining table and leave immediately as per Clay's instructions. "Heh. What a tsundere."

Gin then ate and went to the bath once again. His 2 huge bumps on his head hurt like 2nd degree burns and he figured that water could help him cool it down. After the nice bath, he laid on his single bed and thought again.

Gin had actually nothing to do right now. He would go out at first light but that was more than 30 earth hours from now. He also did not need to actively cultivate because his breathing technique was passive — always active. So, he just went to think of random things like 'interface.'

---

[SEED: IMBIBITION]

[Name: Genesis Barre (Human: 1000 years old)]

[Cultivation: Mortal Realm: Cleansing stage]

[CP: 112]

{Just a Worm}

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[Skills] : [CPS1] : [Inventory] : [???]...

[Passive]

[Primordial Alpha Technique]

[Active]

[Odin's 13th lost eye's appraisal]

[Expeditive steps]

[Arena's Sword Play]

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"The [Arena's Sword Play] has only 3 forms, namely, Bull Stab, Barbaric Hack, and Deflective Parry while the [Expeditive steps] has only one which was Dash and Charge that consumed great amounts of stamina." Gin had to take note that all Martial Skill of the Mortal rank consumes a certain amount of stamina and does not require Qi just yet. He had to wait until he reached the Qi Establishment realm until he could utilize Qi for techniques. Furthermore, knowing how to perform the moves of his skills was different from being able to perform them endlessly. Also, he could perform it but, with less strength and speed due to the natural lack in muscle mass and body flexibility.

So, he used yet another wave of CP to purchase things that would improve his physique and stamina. He did not fully understand his constitution but he just somehow felt that this was one good play.

"5 pills down the drain." [CP: 22]

Gin simultaneously dumped 5 pills inside his mouth and chewed them then swallowed them. "Urck. Taste is 1 star rated!" Gin cursed the medicinal taste of the pills but eventually let it slide as he felt the effects of the pills.

Gin felt a wave of freshness all around him. His bumps from Head huntress Nerri healed at a visible pace. He felt that his muscles were now beefed up and bones were now sturdier? He was not sure. After all, he was still ignorant in the world of cultivation.

If someone saw him stuffing himself with 5 pills like he was just eating grapes, they would probably think that he has a few loose screws. Everyone knew that you had to concentrate very hard in order to absorb the effects granted by pills. How can you manage taking 5 different pills and then proceed to absorb their benefits? It was simply impossible. Even 10 starred talents would have to abide by the rules. Fortunately, Gin had the Heavenly Body.

With that, Gin forced himself to sleep in order to get ready for hunting. At first light, he will go out and explore. "Ahhh! Too exciting HAHAHAHA!" As his brother's improve in their own fields, Gin would finally have the chance to improve by himself. After a few moments, his excitement finally subsided and he managed to sleep but his cultivation did not.

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[SEED: IMBIBITION]

[Name: Genesis Barre (Human: 1000 years old)]

[Cultivation: Mortal Realm: Muscle and Bone stage]

[CP: 22] + 100

{Worm}

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