Day 20
The sun was already up, shining through the gaps in the trees as Ethan made his way through the jungle. The morning was hot and sticky, but he was used to it by now. He'd spent most of the morning catching fish—some he ate right away, some he stored for later, and a few went into his small pouch just in case.
Once he was full, he didn't waste time. He headed straight out to train.
His eyes were sharp, always watching, always ready. A lot had happened over the last few days—good and bad—but one thing was clear: he was getting stronger. And not because of the system. He'd done this on his own.
He fought eight D-rank beasts today. Step by step, he was fighting better, moving smarter with more efficiency, and knew how to handle dangerous situation.
Now, he sat at the base of a big tree, leaning back against the rough bark to get some rest before moving again. He let out a tired breath, finally letting his muscles relax a bit. That did not mean he let his guard down though.
As he rested, he pulled up his system window. The familiar screen popped up in front of him, showing his stats and progress.
Status Screen Name Ethan Title None Stats Strength 18>32 Speed 23>30 Stamina 25>32 Vitality 20>29 Intelligence 48 Dexterity 18>28 Status Effects None Ability
Innate Ability
Blaze Rank C Proficiency 5%>62% – Generates and controls fire at will. Heat intensity and range depend on proficiency.
Acquired Ability Resilience Rank C | Passive Proficiency 100% Increases Stamina and focus.
Night vision Rank C | Passive Proficiency 66% Improves eyesight in the dark
Beast Tracking Rank D | Passive Proficiency 80%
Increases the ability to track animals by recognizing signs, tracks, and scents in the environment.
Acquired Ability Camouflage Rank C | Passive Proficiency 40%
Allows the user to blend seamlessly into natural environments, becoming nearly invisible to both animals and enemies.
Acquired Ability Rapid Healing Rank C | Passive Proficiency 100%
Increases natural regeneration rates, allowing for quicker recovery from physical wounds or exhaustion.
Acquired Ability Survival Instinct Rank C | Passive Proficiency 100%
Heightens awareness of the surroundings, increasing the ability to detect hidden dangers and foresee natural events like weather changes.
Acquired Ability Stealth Movement Rank C | Passive Proficiency 100% Increases the ability to move silently through the forest, evading detection by both animals and enemies. Stolen Ability X X X
Ethan was feeling pretty good about how far he'd come. Sure, his stats hadn't skyrocketed, but that didn't bother him much. What really mattered was that he finally felt like someone who had trained for real. He was sharper, faster, and his body actually listened to him now. Plus, some of the abilities he used in his past life started coming back to him. Not the flashy ones, but the passive stuff that made everything smoother.
His innate skill proficiency had passed 50%, which honestly surprised even him. That kind of progress in such a short time was no joke. And with the mission still going, he knew the system rewards at the end would give him an extra boost, even though he was a bit skeptical since the direct statistic was not mentioned in the quest.
He stretched his arms with a small grin. "Not bad, huh?" he muttered to himself.
But of course, the peace didn't last.
"So, who was that girl?" Mary asked—again. Ethan groaned quietly. She had asked the same question a gazillion times since last night. And instead of going back to her world, she just kept floating around, waiting for an answer.
That's right. She did not go back yesterday because she wanted to know about the girl's identity.
"Just someone I knew in my past life," he said, standing up and brushing off his pants. His tone was clipped, clearly done with the topic.
Mary, on the other hand, wasn't. She floated lazily above him, arms crossed, grinning like a cat with a secret. "Mmhmm, and I guess you kissed every girl you knew in your past life, huh? Or is kissing just a new way of saying hello in the future?"
Ethan rolled his eyes. "You have no idea how much time can change someone."
"Oh yeah? You changed into a full-blown player. Should I start worrying about every girl we meet now?"
He picked up the pace, hoping she'd drop it. She didn't.
"I thought you'd be all over that voice who talked about the invasion," Ethan said. "You know, the important stuff? Not the stuff about who I kissed."
"Oh, I'll get to that," Mary said with a mischievous shrug. "But this? This is way more fun right now."
"Why the hell do you care so much?" he asked, clearly annoyed.
"Because you make a weird face every time I mention her. It's hilarious, especially considering that you normally are not like this. Can't miss out on that kind of entertainment."
"How mature," he muttered, trying to walk faster.
"Just answer one thing. She was your girlfriend, wasn't she?" Mary asked, floating right up to his face.
Ethan stopped, gave her a cold stare, and replied, "None of your damn business."
He stormed off and climbed the nearest tree to get a better look at the area. The wind was a little cooler up there, and he could see a good stretch of jungle ahead.
But of course, Mary floated up after him, still smiling.
"You know, for someone who says it's not a big deal, you sure act like it is," she teased.
Ethan didn't answer. He just sighed and kept scanning the horizon.
"Come on, just tell me. I promise I'll keep it a secret. Pinky promise," Mary said, holding up her pinky like it meant something.
Ethan gave her a flat look. "Why do you even care so much about my business? It's none of your concern who she is or if she was my girlfriend. You ain't my wife."
"Well, I could be... You just have to tell me who that girl is," Mary shot back, her voice dipping into a teasing tone that tried to sound flirty and seductive but just ended up hilariously awkward.
Ethan blinked, visibly disturbed. "Nice try, grandma," He said coldly. "And don't ever do that again. That was cursed enough to make me forget my whole revenge plan and just go home."
He stepped onto a nearby tree branch, walking across it with ease. Mary floated beside him, clearly offended.
"What was that supposed to mean?" she pouted. "For your information, I was considered very attractive back in school. People used to line up to just have the chance to talk to me! Don't you see these amazing features?"
She spun midair like she was on a fashion runway.
(Okay, seriously, if anyone's reading this, delete that part from your mind. I already censored it and even then that's a public safety hazard.)
Mary stopped spinning and jabbed a finger at Ethan's chest. "And another thing—never call me grandma again. Got it?"
"Why?" Ethan asked, completely smug.
"What do you mean 'what'?" She said, hands on her waist as she floated above him. "In which way do I seem like a grandma?"
"Well, you are a higher being, right?" Ethan replied, not missing a beat. "So from all my experience that I got from watching anime, you've gotta be older than my grandma by human years. Probably older than everyone's grandma."
"I—No—I mean—wait a minute," Mary stammered, trying to do the math in her head. "That can't be right..."
Ethan smirked. "Well?"
Her face turned bright red. "Even if it's true, I forbid you from calling me that. Got it? Strictly forbidden."
Ethan was grinning, completely proud of his words, when he suddenly stopped. His body went still, eyes narrowing.
Mary noticed the shift instantly. "What is it?"
He didn't answer right away. His gaze was locked onto something up ahead. Following his line of sight, Mary spotted it too.
A beast was crouched by a patch of snow-dusted grass, its sleek, pale blue fur almost glowing in the shade. It looked like a wolf, but larger and more elegant. Icy mist curled around its paws as it chewed on a Frostflare Orchid—a rare, high-grade herb known for its cold properties.
"What are those beasts? They look more elegant than Cinderella during the dance." Mary remarked.
"I was right," Ethan whispered. "There really is a Frostgore Wolf here."
"Are they rare or something?" Mary asked, floating beside him with a curious look.
"Yeah, they're rare as hell," Ethan said, eyes locked on the wolf. "Even though it's officially a C-rank beast, its demand is much higher than a normal A-rank one."
"Really?" Mary blinked. "Why's that?"
"See that blue fur? It's stupidly expensive. The rich go crazy for dresses made from it, like, auction-house level crazy. And its blood? A top-tier delicacy. Just two of these beasts could wipe out my debt."
"Even your kinda scary mountain of debt?" Mary asked, surprised.
"Yep. That's how valuable they are."
Mary's eyes sparkled. "Then what are you waiting for? Just throw an explosive vial at it or something! Let's get rich and have some more of those Crystalvine jerky."
Ethan raised a hand and lightly bonked her on the head. "Are you stupid? If I blow it up, who's buying a fur that looks like it lost a fight with a grenade?"
"Ow! Rude! Don't you know you're not supposed to hit a lady?" Mary whined, rubbing her head.
"I believe in gender equality," Ethan said with a smug grin.
Mary rolled her eyes but backed off. Ethan was clearly in a good mood now—way better than earlier. The idea of paying off his debt and living a slightly less miserable life definitely helped.
"So what's the plan? Gonna rush in and slice it up, or are we still in the 'staring from a tree' phase?" Mary asked.
"Staring phase," Ethan muttered as he crouched lower. "These wolves usually hunt solo, but sometimes they move in pairs or even small groups. If this one's not alone, that's an even bigger jackpot. But I gotta be sure first."
"Right... wait and watch. Got it." Mary nodded and, for once, kept quiet. She floated above him silently, eyes scanning the forest with him.
The Frostgore Wolf raised its head for a moment, sniffed the air, then went back to eating the orchid. Ethan's eyes narrowed further.
"Come on... show me if you've got a buddy hiding around here..." he whispered, gripping his sword a little tighter.
Mary leaned closer and whispered, "If this works out, you're buying me something expensive."
"Sure. I'll get you a new gag charm so you can stop talking," Ethan said.
"Wow. Rude. You better hope that wolf doesn't hear your sarcasm and decide to run."
Ethan smirked but didn't reply. He was focused now.
The hunt officially begins.