Loot

Roan woke up and it was still dark, as always was. As he prepared to leave, he didn't forget to drink first on the brook and packed himself with edible mushrooms.

As he finished preparing for the journey, he felt like his tales in that forest of trials had to be told to anybody he met. Especially the foxhole that saved his life many times from the monsters roaming at night.

"Well, I hope to get home soon. More time here in this forest will only hasten my path to the grave. Though more crystals to harvest. Especially picking on the weak monsters. No use fighting a difficult enemy with your life on the line always."

His backpack was full of brown mushrooms and edible insects wriggling about inside. He can feel their movements inside his pouch which was made for holding coins in the past.

He faced north where the direction of the village was. He inhaled a mouthful of air before taking his first steps forward. Luckily, he bought a compass and a map beforehand.

Facing forward, he threads the undergrowth of many outgrown roots on the forest floor. Other roots were big enough that he needed to climb them up. A few leaps and little maneuvers on the forest floor made him feel comfortable doing it.

It seemed he felt like he was good at doing such things. Still, he was careful of what possible dangers were ahead.

He was carefully sneaking when he spotted several demon wolves gnawing the flesh of the deer. It was a horde of them. One wolf stared in his direction and Roan saw bits of flesh left hanging in its mouth.

With smooth and hasty movement, he slid behind the tree and then started to avoid them.

'Not gonna lie but I have to hurry towards the village. I have little time, though maybe I can reap some stat crystal on them. Though their number is too much for me. I can handle ten but more are something more than I can chew. Not even with my dual short swords, No!'

Encompassing them with careful steps on the leaves. Not wanting to step on a crisp branch of a tree.

It was then, that he averted a possible danger. While he traveled far for a mile, he was panting as his backpack was heavy. Following the placement of the mosses on the dead trees, the direction of the north was obvious in his eyes.

Upon seeing a welcoming fallen timber, he sat at it comfortably. He was mildly exhausted from all the walking and navigating in the forest. To think of it, he was feeling a sense of it being natural within him.

He knew but didn't know why or what was the reason. All he knew was his instinct and told him much information about what he would do.

While resting, he opened his coin pouch for his snack. And to tell the truth, he didn't like eating bugs as his regular diet. It felt like stolen food was better than it.

Stirring the contents inside, he picked a beetle's maggot. Nutritious and was best cooked on stir-fry with some salty and spicy seasonings.

He gulped a handful of saliva as he stared at it wriggling on his fingers. In just a second, he put it inside his mouth and chewed it. He wished he had spicy pepper with him at the moment. And salt was as pricey as gold so all he could do was eat it while daydreaming.

Just as he stared at the trees, he saw four claw marks on them. Other trees were chipped on their barks. Roan was watching them all the time but felt alerted after a late realization.

'Demon Bears!'

Roan then stared hastily left and right. Packing his food pouch and then carried his rucksack on his back. With hasty steps, he saw a silhouette of a man sitting, leaning his back on the tree in the corner of his eye.

With it being said, he jolted and nearly chuckled. He was about to talk to the person but he was not moving. He was in the attire of a Ranger. Leather armor with two scabbards on his back. Troan approached him but as he lifted his hood, it was a skull that he saw.

The man already has passed away. The time he passed away was so long ago that he was already a skeleton. As Troan watched his leather armor, it was torn with four claw marks and he also saw that his ribcage was shattered by the impact of the bear's claws. Plus, his foot was embedded in a bear trap.

"To my surprise, a full-grown Ranger can kill a Demon bear. But thanks to the bear trap, he perished a shameful death. A Ranger is an agility class the same as the Rogue and they boast of their nimbleness compared to other classes.

"The passed-away skeleton also has its femur snapped into two. Now the cause of death has been clearer and the one who killed it was just lucky. Thanks to his bad luck, he met a terrible death." Roan smiled sadly.

In his memories, a demon bear boss boasts of its Stat crystal especially the +3 Strength and +3 Endurance stats that it offers. Also, it gives Health crystal as a bonus that gives +10 health points. It will be a good reap if he kills one. Roan buried the passed-away skeleton. But for his belongings, well Roan looted.

"The dead don't need such things right? I'm gonna dig in and let it put to good use, mister skeleton or whoever you are kind sir. As repayment, I will let your body be buried and grant a decent rest."

Well, he has looted "Leather armor" and a "Short sword". A "Whetstone" for sharpening weapons and a "Flintstone" for starting fires.

The other pair of his "Sword" for dual-wielding was missing somewhere and can't be found. Plus his "Backpack" was bigger. It will be better for carrying items than his makeshift rucksack.

And his "Ranger uniform" was well suited to Roan. It fits perfectly. Just the minus of bow and arrow but he looks like a Ranger now.

Roan then saw he had an "Insignia of a balancing scale" that he saw on his neck. For Troan, it was a merchant's pendant.

"Oh! It will fetch a good price when sold!"

It was very valuable for merchants especially to the owner as they can't trade without those family insignia.

To Roan's surprise, the man he found was a little bit wealthy. A "Compass and map" with "12 gold coins" on the coin pouch. Thinking that he was wandering alone in such a place was confusing on Roan's part.

"Maybe he was fleeing from his pursuers to the point of being alone. He died a terrible death and his insignia or valuables were left as it was. It meant that his pursuers didn't find him till this moment."

Roan then thanked the dead for giving him such valuables. Especially when he found several skill books. It was a normal-looking book with just a thin layer of pages.

It states that it was a Ranger skill book and it says that it will be a good idea to sell it. They will fetch a high price, especially to the ones who wanted to be a Ranger.

But Troan felt sour at the thought of selling it. It was more valuable in his current situation than a measly profit. As he looked at their first pages, it was written for beginner Rangers.

"It was a Skillbook: Hide, Skillbook: Dual wield mastery, Skillbook: Power draw mastery, and Skillbook: Sidestep!"

Ranger job class detected

[Want to learn the said job class?]

[Yes] [No]

"Yes!"

[Assimilating Ranger job class to the soul]

[Assimilation finished]

[Want to learn the skill books?]

[Yes] [No]

"Damn yes!"

[Learning the skill books]

[Learning finished]

[4 skills are learned]

....

Skill name: Hide

Rank: 1

Description: Cover yourself with your cloak to hide from enemies

Effects: Has a 30% lower chance of being detected. 50% lower chance if in a forest.

Cooldown: 1 minute

Duration: 30 seconds

Skill type: Active

Mana cost: 30

....

Skill name: Dual wield mastery

Rank: 1

Description: Mastery of dual weapons have greater effectiveness

Effects: Has a 25% faster learning rate of mastery if weapons used were dual wield. Has 25% more attack speed and damage if weapons are dual wield.

Skill type: Passive growth

....

Skill name: Power draw mastery

Rank: 1

Description: Gives bow a faster drawing prowess

Effects: Has 50% faster draw of bows and crossbows.

Skill type: Passive growth

....

....

Skill name: Sidestep

Rank: 1

Description: Sidestep to evade the enemy attacks or to have a burst of movement.

Effects: Sidesteps in a burst of speed to the side.

Cooldown: 10 seconds

Duration: Instantaneously

Skill type: Active

Mana cost: 10

....

To his surprise, he has found a treasure in such a dangerous place like what he was currently in. And it was a mix of survival, dual wielder, and, bow and crossbow skills.

He went forth on his travels, and with the use of the map and the compass, his travel was easier than before. He felt like he was in a dream as he felt so happy at his loot. It felt like he found a treasure!

Moving on in his direction, it felt heavier with all the belongings he was carrying. He felt heavier than before and Roan felt like he needed to adjust himself to the weight.

Moving closer and closer to the village, he felt wearier and wearier as time went by. He rested for a bit while he leaned on a tree and ate as well.

In just several minutes, he felt alarmed. Monsters soon woke up from slumber and it was their hunting time. Their howls soon bathed the surroundings and were getting nearer, it was alarmingly fast! Watching the map he has, Roan knew that he was still halfway there till he arrived at the designated place.

He then stood up and then went on his way. This time he was hastier on his steps just hoping that he will arrive sooner than later.

"Monsters are on their way, I must hurry!"

Alas, night came and his troubled mind became more troubled. It was the time when the monsters hunted in the forest and he was just a mile away from the village. He can see the fires were burning from where he stood and felt like running for them.

Still, he was careful not to alert any more enemies. It was not what he wished for in this current state where his stamina has almost depleted.

Still, the fires burning reflected their radiance on his eyes, and he felt at ease. At last, he will come home.