Once back at camp, Ruby helps me clean and scrape the silk. Then together we start braiding it into rope. Several times I have to stop and untangle Ruby's hands as I laugh. But we have a lot of fun working together and we manage to make the silk into a 48-meter long rope.
⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩.
- Congratulations, the Tailoring skill has advanced to level 3!
√ Tailoring
√ Level 3
- Agility +3 Intelligence +3
Y-you can make items out of cloth.
Ruby says, "I didn't know working with your hands like this could be so much fun."
"It's fun mostly for the company, the rest of the time it's pretty boring."
Ruby says, "Well, I'm running out of energy, I'm not completely exhausted but I think I should rest in case you need me for anything."
"Okay, that's a good idea. I'll try to finish my crafting stuff and once I'm fully charged up we can work on exploring some more areas."
Ruby says "Okay!" and transforms into a cloud and goes back to the amulet.
I get up and go around cleaning up camp and getting everything organized. This is much easier now that all the extra weapons and armor have melted away. I then catch a couple of fish and roast them, taking them with me as I head back to the forge room.
Once back in the forge room, I quickly burn my mana and create more mana streaks on my body. I then sit on the stone bench and eat my fish while I start reading Magic Theory. It's not a big book and I finish it in a couple of hours.
This is a very basic book, not meant to teach about magic, but to identify the elements and types of magic. It is almost like a children's book. I quickly move on to read Basic Spellcasting, but again I was not very impressed with the book.
⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩⟩
- Congratulations, the Linguistic skill has advanced to level 7!
√ Linguistics
√ Level 7
- Intelligence. +14
- You are adept at deciphering other languages.
This book teaches spell casting, but it's of no use to me because I use skills instead of casting spells. I put the books aside and return to the inner world to create more mana veins. Once I run out of mana, I stand up and stretch.
"Hmm... What should I work on now? Come to think of it, I can't even remember all the skills I have. skills!"
- Skills:
- Combat Skills: (11)
- Beast Slayer Level: 1
- Dagger basics Level: 3
- Dual wielding Level: 3
- Blunt basics Level: 3
- Dodge Level: 3
- Spear basics Level: 3
- Shield basics Level: 3
- Charging Level: 2
- Sword basics Level: 5
- Sword and shield Level: 2
- Sword dancer Level: 2
- Magic skills: (6)
- Fire bolt Level: 3
- Elemental summoning level: 1
- Ignition level: 1
- Extinguishing level: 1
- Remote hand level: 1
- Lightning Level: 1
- Active: (5)
- Stealth Level: 5
- Stealth attack level: 3
- Dagger Throw Level: 5
- Shield strike Level: 2
- Dash Level: 1
- Passive: (10)
- Tenacity Level: 3
- Pain resistance level: 5
- Safe fall level: 1
⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩⟩
- Congratulations, the Cartography skill has advanced to level 3!
√ Cartography
√ Level 3
- Intelligence +3
- You can draw rudimentary maps.
There's the skill I was hoping for. Now, when Ruby wakes up, at least I can show her what I've explored so far and we can keep track as we explore more areas. I take my new map and poker and return to my camp, set them up near the fire pit and then walk over and look at the river. Ruby can't help with this part, so I should probably do it now.
Once I made up my mind, I undressed, took the rope we had made earlier and tied one end around my waist and the other to a rock on the river bank. Trying to prepare myself for the cold, I dove in and at first I didn't feel the cold, until the water soaked my fur and got to my skin. I grabbed onto the riverbank and began kicking my feet.
I knew how to swim in my old world, but I thought that since my legs were different, I would have to relearn.
⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩.
- Congratulations, you've acquired the passive skill Swim!
√ Swimming
√ Level 1
- Strength +1 Endurance +1 Resistance to cold +1 Hold your breath: Final stats x 1 minute.
- You can paddle and not drown.
'Hooray for Cold Resistance, and can I hold my breath for more than an hour!!!'
So I take a deep breath, let go of the bank and let the river carry me downstream to the end of the rope. I keep my eyes peeled for another cave or any sign of air pockets. Unfortunately, I find none when I reach the end of the rope. I turn around and try to swim upstream, but the current is too strong and I'm going nowhere.
⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩.
- Congratulations, the Swimming skill has advanced to level 2!
√ Swimming
√ Level 2
- Strength +2 Endurance +2 Endurance to cold +2 Hold your breath: stat end x 1 minute.
- You can paddle and not drown.
I grab the rope and start pulling myself back towards my camp. I quickly get out of the water and huddle by the fire. My fur is soaked and I can't stop shivering.
"Ruby! Help!"
Ruby quickly appears from the amulet and takes human form. After seeing me tremble, she kneels behind me and wraps her arms around me. Suddenly, the temperature rises so high that my fur begins to steam.
"Oh, that's hot, it's an incredible feeling!"
Ruby says "You idiot! What were you thinking?"
"I thought I should look for a way out across the river. I didn't know the cold would affect me so much and I knew it wasn't something I could do."
Ruby says, "Well, did you find anything?"
"There's nothing within rope reach, but it's not too far away either. I need to improve my swimming before I try to go any farther without the rope."
Ruby says "Wait, are you planning to do this again?"
"Yes, I have to. This may be the only way out of here. This river is likely to surface at some point. The question is whether I can hold my breath long enough to get there."
Ruby says, "How do you know it's going to surface somewhere?"
"The fish I've been catching, if they didn't come from an area with sunlight, they'd be albinos."
Ruby says "Oh."
"Okay, Ruby, I'm warm and dry now. Thank you very much."
Ruby regretfully releases me and lets the temperature return to normal. She's glad she's behind me so I can't see her blush when she realizes I'm sitting there naked. She can't help but sigh in disappointment when I start to dress, even with the fur I am very pleasing to the eye.
I'm about to put on my armor when I realize I haven't washed it in a long time. I take it to the river and start washing it piece by piece. As I clean it, I think about how little damage I've sustained while wearing it and then I look at Ruby.
"Ruby, put this on" I say as I hand her one of the bracelets.
Ruby says, "It doesn't really fit, but it's okay."
"I know it's too big, but I want to try something. Put it back in the charm and then come back, please."
Ruby does as I ask and disappears, then returns a minute later, when she reappears she still has the bracelet on.
"Good, it worked, the bracelet went with you. Now I can make you a suit of armor so you won't get hurt when we go exploring."
Ruby says, "Ah, okay. I was wondering what you were doing."
Ruby hands me back the bracelet, which I put back on. Then, to amuse herself, she picks up the rope and dries it as she coils it up.
Ruby says, "I'm going to have to go back to sleep soon, I used a lot of energy to warm you up so fast."
"Yeah, sorry, I underestimated how the cold would affect me. I'll prepare better next time. Go ahead and go to sleep, I'll work on your armor while you rest."
Ruby comes over and kisses me on the forehead and says, "Good night, and no more bullshit!".
Ruby disappears into the amulet before I can think of a reply. Then I go fishing after realizing how hungry I am all of a sudden. After eating, I gather the furry tools I made and all the spider shell and head to the forge room.
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From here on two chapters will be published per day.
I also want to say that I wrote this novel a long time ago so the writing is quite old.