Next morning, I woke up early—thanks to the sunlight stabbing through the branches and the birds chirping a little too loud. Seriously, they were basically screaming at me.
Grumbling, I untangled myself from the hammock and stretched, joints creaking like old wood. Then I wrapped everything up and shoved it into the satchel.
That's when I noticed something odd.
The satchel didn't feel heavy. At all. Even after I shoved in blankets, potions, the copper water flask, and yesterday's loot, it sat neatly on my shoulder as if it contained nothing more than air.
"…Wait. This is one of those magic bags, isn't it?" I tugged the strap, blinking. "You can stuff in way more than it looks like it can hold."
I had no idea how it actually worked, but I wasn't going to complain. Infinite storage was basically a cheat code for survival.
Once the firepit was cleaned and the ashes scattered, I sat down under the tree and pulled up my status screen.
I tapped my chin. Last night, I decided I should spend some of these points. Surviving out here won't be easy if I stay flimsy forever.
"Alright, let's see… I'll need more stamina. Agility it is."
I dragged two points over.
[AGL: 4 → 6]
"Good. Now a little more toughness."
[HP: 620 → 630]
"And I can't neglect MP either. Can't have myself drained after just a few fireballs."
[MP: 340 → 360]
The glowing numbers flickered, then locked into place.
Status Menu
Name: Lucian Vanheart
Age: 5
Level: 15 (180/2000 EXP)
Title: ???
Stats
HP: 630/630
MP: 360/360
STR: 4
AGL: 6
Mind: 6
Attribute: Fire.
Skills: Mana construct.
Spell:
Low Tier: Fireball [10 MP]
Intermediate Tier: Roaring Fury [40 MP]
Unallocated Points: 5.
"Perfect. The rest I'll save for later." I closed the screen with a satisfied nod.
Just then, my stomach growled.
"…Oh right. Breakfast."
I smacked my forehead. "I forgot to save any meat from last night. Rookie mistake."
Surviving was harder than I thought. At least water was still in the flask, so I took a careful sip. Gotta save some. Can't chug it all at once.
"Okay, mission for the day: Number one—find something to eat. Number two—find a water stream. Number three—keep moving toward the mansion. And most important… stay away from anything big and scary."
I dusted my hands and craned my neck up at the tree where I'd slept. With a grunt, I climbed again, branches creaking under my weight until I pulled myself high enough to peer out.
The distant silhouette of the mansion's spires still jutted faintly above the treetops.
"Good. Still on track."
Climbing down was, as always, much scarier. I clung to the bark like my life depended on it, muttering, "Slow… slow… don't fall… don't die…" before my feet touched the dirt.
Satchel slung across my shoulder, I started my food hunt.
After only a few minutes, I spotted a patch of shrubs with little red berries. They looked edible. Or at least, not immediately poisonous.
Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who thought so.
Two horned rabbits were already munching happily, their stubby bodies hopping around the bushes.
Why does it feel like they're guarding every spot I want to go to?!
I narrowed my eyes. "Not this time. I'm not letting you get the drop on me again."
Instead of charging straight in like yesterday, I climbed the nearest tree and crouched on a low branch. Fire sparked between my palms as I prepared two fireballs.
FWOOOSH—FWOOOSH.
Both fireballs streaked down and struck the rabbits almost simultaneously.
"Ha! Got you, stupid rabbits."
Congratulations! You defeated X2 [LVL 5] Horned Rabbit.
EXP Gained: +200
Total EXP: 380/2000 → Level 15.
The smell of burnt fur curled into the air, but I couldn't help grinning. "That's lunch sorted."
Climbing down, I grabbed the bodies, wrapped them in a bundle of leaves, and tucked them into the satchel. Then I plucked a handful of berries and popped one in my mouth.
"Sour… but edible."
If the rabbits were eating them, kneeling over, then they were probably safe. I stuffed a few more in my mouth. Breakfast solved, kind of.
Hours passed as I trudged forward. My legs ached, but I pushed on, crunching the berries when hunger nagged. Every so often, I rested in safe spots, leaning against tree trunks to catch my breath.
Each break, I sipped from the copper flask—tiny careful gulps. The cool water refreshed me, but the flask was getting lighter and lighter. By midday, only a small slosh remained at the bottom.
I frowned. "I'll run out soon. Got to find a stream before nightfall… or I'm done for."
As if on cue, my ears twitched.
"…Water?"
At first, it was faint—just a low gurgling beneath the rustling leaves. Then it grew clearer, a steady trickling sound. And mingled with it came the croaking of frogs, drifting from the left.
I grinned, relief bubbling up. "If frogs are hanging around, water can't be far."
Changing course, I pushed through the underbrush with renewed energy. Each step carried me closer until, parting a thick patch of bushes, I froze.
There it was—a river, wide and clean, its surface glittering as it curved lazily toward the left.
My shoulders slumped with relief. "Finally. Flowing water… that should be safe to drink. I think. Right?"
Still, I wasn't stupid. Before rushing in, I scanned the banks carefully, mana trickling into my senses the way Kael had shown me. My eyes darted across every shadow, every ripple. No monsters lurked nearby.
Only then did I allow myself to step forward, kneel at the edge, and breathe in the fresh, damp scent. My reflection shimmered back at me—mud-smeared face, messy hair, tired eyes.
For the first time since the trial began, I actually relaxed.