"Must have been a Snjóúfr (Sno-juu-fr) then." I'm, as per usual, talking to myself to keep me entertained as I stretch in front of my shelter. Which had remained undisturbed throughout the night. Just like my sleep.
`Meaning that whatever it was I heard on the first night at the outskirts of the forest has moved away from here.` Which leads me back to assuming it must have been a Snjóúlfr (Sno-juu-fr).
Because out of the three wolf-like creatures that you tend to find around here in-game, it was the only one that wandered. The only one that wasn't territorial as hell.
Snjóúlfr (Sno-juu-fr) are massive, white-furred wolves with ice-related magical powers. Usually solitary and always nomadic. Following the herds of prey, they hunt.
`And thank god, or whoever is looking out for me, for that.` Of course, that didn't mean I wasn't still thankful that I didn't run into it. I would have gotten killed if I ran into a Snjóúlfr (Sno-juu-fr) right now. It's just it could have been something scarier.
"Like a pack of Snarhrafnúfr (Snar-hra-af-nufr)." Now those were something I didn't want to run into at all costs.
They are, after all, well known for never letting anything that has heard their howls escape. Chasing anything within their vast territory down with relentless determination, using their ability to teleport over short distances to catch up and entrap their prey.
I shudder at the possibility of getting torn apart by a pack of wolves. But quickly banish the thought to continue stretching. Not that my stretching was going well.
After everything I did yesterday, I was wiped. My body is complaining about every movement I make right now. But I knew from experience that once I get moving, the pain in my sore muscles will alleviate.
So I stretch while keeping a lookout. And trying to remember what other wildlife, or rather monsters, beyond wolves, I could potentially encounter here.
The distinction between what constitutes a monster and what constitutes normal wildlife is quite narrow. But I know it well since a big part of the game was fighting monsters and hunting wildlife for supplies and materials.
And if there was one thing I paid attention to, it was the combat in this game. So I know that the difference is simply the amount of mana flowing through the creature.
Of course, every creature has some amount of mana within its body. But the amount of it and how it expresses itself is the fine but important difference between what is an animal and what is a beast.
Monsters, or beasts, are all instinctively capable of using the mana within their bodies to attack, defend, or otherwise gain an advantage in combat. While normal animals can't.
`All that aside, thou. No matter if it's a beast or animal, if I can hunt one, it would be good for me.` Of course not, because there are such things as levels or skills you can gain from hunting or fighting animals.
I simply need the food. I know that with what I currently have in my backpack, I won't make it over the mountain in the distance. Much less to wherever I need to go after reaching the summit.
"Nah. Don't get ahead of yourself, bro. I won't even make it up the mountain with what I have right now." Is what I determine a few moments later. When I realize that I can now actually check how far away the mountain is and, more importantly, how tall it is.
Using the old thumb trick again, but knowing the actual size of the trees surrounding me. And the distance they, on average, have between each other, my calculations become a lot more precise.
"That's at least another two to three days to get there. And climbing it will take at least a week." Based on my guess, the mountain is somewhere between thirty and forty kilometers away. And about three kilometers high.
And while that doesn't sound very impressive for a mountain, I doubt there were any trails or gentle slopes I could just walk up. The mountain, from this distance at least, looked jagged and difficult to climb.
Sheer faces and steep angles do not allow much snow to cling to its side, revealing the dark rock beneath much of the snow. Only the summit seemed to slope off and let snow gather on it. But that didn't mean much.
`Especially considering how much I struggled climbing that tree yesterday.`
In my current state, with just six climbing spikes and not much mountain climbing experience beyond some theoretical knowledge and one time actually climbing a mountain with help as a tween, I was under no illusion that this would be the hardest thing I'll probably ever do.
But I was nothing if not determined and stubborn. At this point, I have already promised myself that I will conquer that mountain. Even to my own detriment and at risk of losing my life.
Because honestly. What point was there to clinging to life if my chance of ever meeting my family was basically zero?
"Huuuuuh." I sigh and shake my head to banish those thoughts. Knowing that getting depressed over things I can't change won't help. "Gotta stay focused. Come on, twin. Lock in."
To stop myself from spiraling into negative thoughts, I decide to head out right away. I already ate breakfast in the shelter anyway. So there was no reason to linger any longer. Even if my body hasn't warmed up quite yet.
So I grab my things quickly and set out. Almost forgetting to tear down my shelter and collect my tarps in the process. But luckily, as I was just about to walk away, I remembered.
"Oh shit. Almost forgor." Tearing down the shelter was easy, of course. But rolling up the tarps was kind of difficult. But after a minute or two of struggle, I manage to actually grab all of my things and set out.
Once again, stalking through the woods. Spear in hand. Head on a swivel. Looking out to see if I can see anything of interest.
And this time it doesn't take me long to actually find something of interest. Though it's not a hunting opportunity like I had hoped.
It was a few tall flowers sticking out of the snow in a clearing. But not just any flowers. It was a bunch of Mániþorn (Mani-born).
I pause my steps. Surprised that I remember the name of the plant myself. Sure, alchemy was a thing in the game. And I made use of it for many fights. However, I'm still surprised that I remember.
Remembering animal and monster names was one thing. But actually remembering the names of plants for a mechanic of the game, I only used with guides, is strange. Even to me.
`Especially considering that the ingredients you get out of them aren't useful for combat at all. Mániþorn (Mani-born) are only used to braid charms by certain northern clans that are believed to ward off illusions and reveal hidden paths.`
This time, I don't just pause. I scrunch my face up in thought. Because I shouldn't know this. Not at all.
"Why the fuck do I know this?" I cover my mouth and scratch my chin as I ponder this thought. Before I realize that this might not be my own knowledge.
I mean. It isn't. But then, how is it possible I have it? "Is it something he knew?" I look down at myself. Or rather, at the body I now inhabit. And suddenly, a few things that have happened become suspicious.
Making me wonder if maybe some kind of deep-seated memory of the boy had remained. It would certainly explain why I felt so sure that I was heading in the right direction. And why was I so confident about my translation of the language?
`Maybe it was because of this body. Or rather, this mind remembers some of the things. Though I can't be too sure. Nor does it really matter.` Of course, in the end, it doesn't change anything. Just something to keep in mind as I continue on my path.
Leaving the flowers alone because, despite the possibility of selling them, they probably wouldn't be worth all that much. At least not in the city. Where knowledge is preferred over superstitious, unproven beliefs and rumors.
`Even though they are certainly beautiful. Cute even. But not as cute as that bunny over there.`
"..."
I would like to claim I immediately threw my spear at the bunny and scored my first kill.
But the truth is that by the time my brain had finally caught up with my own thoughts and what I was seeing, the bunny had also noticed me.
My hasty spear throw missed by a wide margin. Even if it hadn't taken off running at a speed I couldn't possibly hope to match.
My first hunting opportunity ended in quite the embarrassing way, with me whiffing my shot and trying to chase the bunny for a couple of meters before I gave up when I realized just how pointless that was.
`Fucking hell. Good job, moron.` I pant with my hands on my hips. Catching my breath. Cursing the fitness of this body once more.
"You know. Even if this mf was brilliant and knew everything. I'd still curse him out if I ever met him. The dumbass never trained a day in his life. In a world like this." It's completely beyond me how someone could be lazy and fat in a world like this.
Where not only can you see your own stats, but also see how dangerous it is. Surely any smart person would know to stay physically fit. But apparently, whoever had inhabited this body before me was not smart.
`Or maybe because he was born with a stat window, it doesn't matter to him?` Of course, this was a much more reasonable assumption. I was just complaining for the sake of it anyway.
There was no point in cursing a kid I never knew for something that happened in the past. All I could do was collect my thrown spear. Shake off my disappointment. And keep moving. Like I always do.
The Mániþorn (Mani-born) is swaying in the wind behind me as I walk away from the clearing. Back into the woods. Towards the mountain in the distance.