Dawn crept through the gaps in the leaves, waking An from a fitful, uneasy sleep. He was curled up in the rock hollow, his body still aching from the struggle with the wolves. Every movement was a painful reminder of this body's fragility. He opened the System interface, a habit that had become almost ingrained in his blood.
[Level: 3]
HP: 18/30
Energy: Nearly Depleted
He had survived another night, but the cost was wounds and a screaming hunger. He looked down at his own pale green hands. One still tightly gripped the two wolf fangs. They were cold and hard, tangible proof of his victory.
Tangible data, he thought. Not numbers on a screen, but something that could be touched, could be used. He needed a better weapon than rocks picked up from the roadside. He also needed a more sustainable plan than throwing himself into life-or-death battles every time his stomach growled. The analyst's mindset told him that repeating a high-risk strategy would only lead to one outcome: failure.
The immediate goal was water and food. He carefully left his shelter, his long ears constantly twitching, gathering every sound in the forest. His new Guerrilla Tactics skill also seemed to increase his acuity when moving alone, a side effect not listed in the description.
After about fifteen minutes of following a slope, he heard the trickling sound of water. A small, clear stream snaked its way through moss-covered rocks. An almost cried out in joy. He plunged his face into the cool water, drinking greedily until the thirst subsided.
When he was more alert, he began to observe his surroundings. And then, he saw it. On the other side of the stream was a type of bush he recognized immediately. It had dark green leaves with strange purple edges, and dangling from its branches were a few plump, black berries that looked suspiciously delicious. He recalled the first information screen the System had shown him when he had just woken up. He focused on the plant, and the interface appeared again.
[Purple-Edged Nightshade: A highly toxic plant.]
The description was as terrifying as the first time he saw it. But now, An was no longer the panicked goblin from that day. He had learned that this System was unreliable. It was wrong about the rabbit; it was wrong about his skills. Could it be wrong about this plant?
He cautiously waded across the stream. He didn't touch the plant right away. Instead, he observed. There were no animal carcasses around. Insects were still buzzing next to the berries. On Earth, these signs often indicated a safe plant.
This was another gamble, but not with strength, but with intellect. He used a small branch to gently poke a berry. Nothing happened. He plucked one, careful not to let the sap touch his skin. He gently rubbed it on the back of his hand. Waited. Still no reaction.
Finally, he summoned all his courage and tasted a tiny bit of the berry's juice with the tip of his tongue. A clean sweetness, followed by a slight tartness, spread. There was no numbness or burning sensation.
He was right. The System was wrong again.
But before eating, he had one more thing to do. He sat down by the stream, placing one wolf fang on a flat rock. He used the other one and began to clumsily tap and grind it. The "clack, clack" sound echoed in the quiet space. It was a tedious and difficult job. His hands weren't used to crafting, and he almost injured himself several times.
After nearly an hour, his result was a crude dagger. He used vines from a nearby tree to wrap around the base of the fang, creating a makeshift hilt. It was ugly, but it was sharp. Sharper than any rock he could find. Holding the first weapon he had made himself, An felt a new sense of confidence.
He returned to the bush, used the dagger to cut a few berries, and carefully ate them one by one. Energy slowly filled his body.
And then, a series of new notifications appeared, completely different from before.
[Logical analysis successfully applied.]
[You have met the requirements to form a new skill: Basic Analysis.]
Do you wish to form this skill?]
An froze, his eyes wide. This wasn't a power level. This was something completely different. A skill not based on combat, but on the very thing that had helped him survive until now: his ability to analyze and reason.
Without a moment's hesitation, he focused his thoughts on the answer.
"Yes."