Matthew, over the last two weeks, came to enjoy living as a vagabond. The lawless life suited him well.
There were things he could never get used to, however. First off was sleeping in the Dark Forest. It had taken a few days for him to understand the creatures of the forest.
A few very sleep-deprived days.
The forest slept during these hours, but it didn't make it easier to fall asleep. Twigs cracking made his heart race. The eerie whisper of the wind felt like the voice of death.
He had started journaling to relax, recounting the day's activities and planning for tomorrow. It was strange how looking forward to the next day made it easier to close his eyes.
——
Day One. I appreciate Old Cat more and more. It's invaluable for a solo adventurer.
These first days proved I had no survival skills. I started near the lake, descending from the cliffs. The terrain had seven open fields, a high rocky hill with small caves, and a dark swamp I chose to ignore.
In the swamp: giant half-man, half-snake beasts—gray-green skin, four eyes, fangs.
So yeah... not going there. Not that the rest was any safer. Not that the plains were safer. Flying creatures hunted there. Even the herbivorous bison could fry me with magic lightning.
The jungle's no haven either. Man-eating plants, the invisible predator in the central cavern, massive lizards. I had to return to the terrace just to sleep.
——
Day two. Running on fumes here. Couldn't sleep with all the noise and, well… fear. Good news, however, is that I've secured a food source.
There are these strange monkeys with two tails that I've been following.
I watched them and the fruits they eat, they seem all right. My stomach keeps bothering me, but I'm hoping it's just me expecting food poisoning.
Getting the fruits, however, is not easy.
The man-eating plant and the Light Lurker (the invisible bloke) wait around the fruit trees to catch prey.
Although I've noticed they avoid each other.
You can also learn the names of monsters you've absorbed from the system.
——
Day three. I found a way to ward off the Lurkers. The scent from the Carrion Weed (the man-eating plant)—it has a potent paralytic poison. (Trust me, my hand is never going to be the same.)
The Lurkers and even hounds avoid them heavily.
However, I am an intelligent hunter… I used some pine resin to coat my body, then set the thing on fire. I was able to harvest the paralytic and it has been very useful… hehe.
——
Why do I sound so unhinged?
He shrugged, blaming the hunger and boredom.
——
Day four. The place is really horrible. I have spent the entire day being stalked. I call it the Yellow Dragon. I doubt I'll be learning its true name anytime soon.
A massive, slow yellow lizard with powerful jaws and a tail strong enough to topple a tree. It wasn't fast enough to chase me, but it relentlessly followed me.
Like bruh, get a job or something. How am I the only thing it has followed for the last FIVE HOURS?!
For five hours, it followed me—silent, patient. Every time I turned, it was closer. I RIGHTFULLY fell over screaming. It just watched. Bastard.
Anywayyy, avoid their territory at all cost. It's very energy efficient so it won't chase, but if it grabs you, well… no point in writing this.
Day five. I met some people—well, I saw and followed them at least. They were a brave sort. Not loud, but eager to prove they weren't scared. I was wondering if I should be more like them.
——
A group of four boys were quietly picking at the raw meat of a huge, furry bison. They did their best to peel away the white fur of the great beast, but they still, of course, had to pull hair out of their meal.
They tried their best to get a fire going, but the weak flame had barely cooked the red meat, leaving them to gag and scrunch up their faces in disgust.
A figure crossed through the dark shadows of the forest canopy, making them jump to their feet and raise their weapons, hands shaking as they glared at the obscured figure.
It was tall, dark-haired, and had a beard peeking from under a sleek black mask with blue accents. He was dressed in loose black trousers and a dark blue sweater.
Hal stood at the front, holding a red steel dagger with a wicked edge. His voice was deep, yet shaky and scared. "Who are you?"
"Matthew. Fellow survivor. Nice to meet you. Don't mind the mask, it's my armament," the dark figure answered, walking carefreely into their camp and looking around casually. Bright, blue eyes peeked from the holes in the mask.
"We would be a bit more willing to not kill you if you put it away," Jalen said. He was just behind Hal, his dark skin matted with sweat.
The mask disappeared in a somber flash of golden light. The face under it was dominated by a sprawling beard, but he looked very detached and unbothered by the request.
He walked a bit closer, asking, "What happened? Are people already at each other's necks in the temple?"
Hal frowned, brushing back his curly brown hair, and asked, "You don't know? Some psycho poisoned his entire group for spirits, came back level four, and tried to form a new one. Someone saw him and warned the others though. Have to be a bit careful, especially with people as strong as him."
Jalen had a dark look on his face as he allowed Hal to speak. "What about you? Been playing the game right? Is that why you haven't been back to the temple?"
The dark-haired young man felt a lot older than them despite his youthful voice. Hal thought at first it was the beard and his wild hair. Now he believed it was something in those eyes. It wasn't spiteful, but he didn't think much of them.
"Level four is that strong?" Matthew hummed to himself. "I came alone. Haven't levelled much, i'm waiting. You think I'm alone because I killed the others with me, right?."
Hal cringed at his straight forward tone, but Jalen sent him a dark look. Something he probably thought was wrong, but Hal simply found it was a testament to how careful this Matthew was.
He's a bit creepy though. And why is he here? He must have seen us long before we saw him. Is that what Jalen's worried about? That we're caught in a trap?
"Why reveal yourself if you work alone?" Hal asked, raising his dagger once again.
"Saw what happened with the bison. Lucky for you, I guess. I wanted to ask why that monster dropped the bull and what it picked up," Matthew said calmly, not even bothering to look at their raised weapons. "That monster—you're also a bit lucky it didn't kill you."
Hal wouldn't call them lucky. The others had been given pretty casual first armaments. His rare dagger, Blooddrinker, was a bit more useful though. For one, they could use it to remove blood from the body of the bison, and if properly fed, it would emit an aura that scared away most beasts.
They had been following the giant bison that had been isolated from the herd. Then a gust of wind and a slight flash of red passed over it, and it was gone.
They were ready to run away, then the wet crack shocked them. It was the bison, abandoned and broken against the forest roots, but barely alive.
What had killed the beast came back, swooping down. It was a harrowing thing that had left them scared to even move.
Jalen scowled. "He took a journal from us and left the bison."
"'He'?" Matthew asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The Red Seeker is what the system said when it appeared to us."
"The system opened to tell you its name? For—"
"All these questions?" Jalen interrupted. "We haven't been able to ask you any, like how do you survive alone? I also have some other worries about you."
Matthew smiled. "Simply asking some fellow survivors questions."
"Then you won't mind answering some of ours."
A tense second passed, Hal's eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them, not sure who was doing too much.
Dammit, it doesn't matter. Jalen wouldn't be so insistent if he was normal. Something not right about that guy. Could he be disguised as a human? Is that why Jalen looked at me like that?!
"I should take my leave then," Matthew said eerily.
"You haven't told us what we want to hear," Hal answered, a bit stronger than before, his eyes hardened.
"I don't want to answer. What will you do about it?" the creepy young man answered, laughing slightly.
Hal, feeling a bit irked, began to step forward. I stun him with Blooddrinker and stab him as quickly as possible. If I hesitate, we all die.
"Hal, leave him be," Jalen said tightly. His brow was wrinkled and he tightly gripped the heavy stick in his hand.
Hal frowned, then realized that Jalen's armament—which could warn him of danger—must have been going off right now.
Matthew seemed to know that too. He turned and walked back into the darkness, like he never existed.
Hal wondered quietly if they had just met a demon, whether the truth in their answers had saved their lives. In any sense, he was glad Matthew was gone and hoped to never see him again.
——
Day six. They weren't as lucky. I felt strangely sad watching them fall—bravery doesn't beat a good trap.
Even with their interesting armaments, they still fell into a trap. The strange sense of danger the dark-skinned boy's armament gave didn't tell him where the danger was. The same had happened that day I met them. I had traps set—if they chased me, that would have killed them all.
I've learned more about the beasts through their deaths, though. The Light Lurker wasn't the only beast that could become invisible. Huge lizards that could camouflage and move in bursts of red, ethereal light.
A strange flying piece of vine—it had a sleek black body so lanky I thought it was a vine flowing in the wind. It strikes like a spear. It stopped dancing through the air like a piece of ribbon and suddenly shot through the air into one of their chests.
It uses sight, I think, but I'm not sure how it chooses prey.
——
Matthew closed the book, tucking the brown leather-bound journal into his bag. He should sleep. He has much to do tomorrow.
The last five days were a horrific fever dream, but his target was clear. He needed to fight and grow stronger.
Death was the only way.