Haruto stood silently among the bodies.
The smell of blood filled the cold forest air.
Then suddenly
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
The blue system notifications appeared one after another in front of Harutos eyes.
Before he could even react another message appeared.
[System Upgrade]
A light flickered across the screen of the system window.
[Miyukis Level Has Also Increased]
Haruto blinked once watching the words carefully as they appeared.
[New Skills Adapted]
More notifications quickly followed.
[Sword Master Skill. Level 1]
[Support Magic. Level 1]
Another notification appeared after.
[Level Up]
Then the system paused for a moment as if preparing to show something
[Congratulations. You Have Unlocked a New Skill]
Harutos eyes focused on the line.
[Shape Shifting]
A small note appeared beneath it.
[Shape Shifting. Level 1]
For a moment Haruto simply stared at the glowing words in silence.
Then he slowly lowered his gaze thinking about what the system had given him.
He had started to notice a pattern but now it felt clearer.
Whenever he killed someone… or defeated someone he sometimes gained their abilities.
Their skills.
Haruto frowned slightly as he thought about it.
"So when I kill someone… I can obtain their skills " he muttered quietly to himself.
His eyes returned to the system window.
"Sometimes even their special abilities."
His gaze stopped on the skill name again.
Shape Shifting.
Haruto thought about the meaning for a moment.
"A shape shifting skill…" he said slowly.
A faint realization crossed his face.
"That means…"
He paused briefly before finishing the thought.
"I can change my appearance into someone "
However his eyes shifted toward the line written beneath the skill.
Level 1.
Haruto exhaled softly.
"But the level is one " he said quietly.
Which meant the ability was still weak.
For now.
Haruto was about to open the system window to check his status.
Before he could do it Miyukis voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Haruto…"
He turned his head toward her.
Miyuki looked at him for a moment before speaking
"You are my master now. At first… I didn't believe you " she admitted honestly.
". Now I do."
She. Glanced around the forest.
The ground around them was still covered with bodies.
The smell of blood lingered heavily in the air.
Night had already begun to fall. The forest was slowly growing darker.
Miyuki frowned slightly.
"But we can't stay here " she continued.
Haruto looked at her curiously.
"If we stay here other monsters will come " Miyuki explained.
"They will smell the blood."
She pointed lightly toward the ground.
"There is much of it.
My scent is also mixed with the blood.
Monsters will notice it."
She then looked deeper into the forest.
"Before they arrive we should leave."
Haruto nodded quietly.
Miyuki then added,
"I know a place where we can stay tonight.
It's safe."
Without saying anything Haruto simply followed her.
The two of them walked through the forest for several hours.
The moon slowly rose higher in the sky casting light between the trees.
Eventually they reached the side of a river.
Near the river stood an old house.
The wood looked aged. The structure itself seemed stable.
Miyuki walked to the door and pushed it open.
The door creaked slightly as it swung inward.
They stepped inside.
Haruto looked around the room with surprise.
The house was old. It was not dusty or dirty.
Everything looked surprisingly clean.
It almost felt like someone still lived there.
Haruto slowly closed the door behind them.
"It looks like someone lives here " he said.
Miyuki shook her head.
"No " she replied calmly.
"I live here."
Haruto blinked.
"You… live here?"
Miyuki nodded.
"Sometimes when I come to this forest to hunt I stay here " she explained.
"So I clean it from time to time."
Haruto nodded slowly.
"That explains why it looks so clean."
The house itself was very small.
There was one room.
Inside the room stood a bed.
Miyuki looked at the bed then turned toward Haruto.
"You sleep there " she said.
She pointed to the bed.
"I'll sleep on the floor."
Haruto immediately shook his head.
"No.
You sleep on the bed.
I'll sleep on the floor."
Miyuki frowned slightly.
". You're my master now."
Haruto crossed his arms.
"That doesn't mean I steal your bed."
She opened her mouth to argue again.
"Masters are supposed to sleep on beds " Miyuki said seriously.
"And guests are supposed to let the owner sleep on the bed " Haruto replied as seriously.
For a moment the two of them simply stared at each other.
Finally Miyuki sighed.
Without saying anything she grabbed a blanket and spread it neatly across the floor.
"There " she said.
Haruto looked at the blanket.
Then he looked at the bed.
Then back at Miyuki.
"…You made the floor bed look too comfortable " he muttered.
Miyuki smiled slightly.
"Too late.
It's yours now."
Haruto. Didn't argue anymore.
After that they found some stored food in the house.
It was simple. It was enough for the night.
They ate quietly.
The long day of fighting and traveling had made both of them tired.
Not after the small house beside the river grew silent.
Miyuki lay down on the bed.
Haruto lay down on the blanket on the floor.
Within minutes both of them had fallen asleep.
Outside the quiet river continued to flow under the moonlight.
A week had passed since Haruto and Miyuki started staying in the house beside the river.
During that time they. Slowly recovered from their injuries.
The quiet place allowed them to relax something they both needed after everything that had happened in the forest.
Resting forever was not an option.
Sooner or later they would have to continue their journey.
That evening Haruto was sitting on the bed thinking about what they should do
The room was calm.
The only sound came from the flow of the river outside.
Then the wooden door opened.
Miyuki stepped inside.
She had been outside for some time. Now she walked into the room carrying something folded in her hand.
Haruto looked at her with curiosity.
Without saying anything at first Miyuki walked toward the bed. Sat beside him.
She left a gap, between them before turning slightly toward him.
Haruto noticed the paper in her hand.
"What's that?" he asked.
Of answering immediately Miyuki placed the folded paper between them on the bed.