Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn awoke several hours later with a powerful lethargy settled within his body. It was similar to the times when he was very young and the Doctors had been a little too ambitious and had drawn too much blood from his body.&nbsp; "How long have I been asleep Sis?"&nbsp; (*It's been 14 hours Vahn. It is currently 8:21 AM.*)&nbsp; "Fourteen hours..." sighed Vahn as he made an effort to stand. It took several tries, but eventually, he had managed to upright himself, albeit with a lot of difficulties. He put his hand along the cavern wall and began to make his way towards the exit.&nbsp; *noises made by a stomach when you haven't eaten a single bit of food your entire current life*&nbsp; Vahn removed his hand from the wall, leaning his body against its cold surface. He uses his free hand to massage his stomach in an effort to soothe it's hunger pangs&nbsp; "Sis, what do you think I should do for food. With my injured arm, I don't think I'll be able to hunt easily. I need food to recover my strength or my arm won't heal easily."&nbsp; Mentioning his arm, Vahn took a better look at it. He noticed the blood hadn't spread nearly as much as he expected. Perhaps the waterproofing qualities of the tunic managed to stimy the flow of blood&nbsp; (*I would recommend picking various plants and berries. One moment...I've marked areas on your map that you had passed previously. Though I cannot say at present which are edible, 'The Path' is able to analyze and identify the properties of items placed within. It may take time for higher quality items, or items that possess magic, but it should be able to easily identify if something is edible.*)&nbsp; Vahn sighed, this time with a bit of relief in his voice. "That's great Sis. It makes sense that 'The Path' would be able to make up for my lack of survival skills and information. Though the fact my inventory can analyze items seems pretty incredible, the fact it shows descriptions of my equipment should have been an indicator of that capability."&nbsp; He makes his way out of the cave and looks towards the area where he had previously slain the goblin. The body seems to have vanished overnight, and the only evidence of his mortal struggle was the small knife, a dull crystal that emitted a small light, and his blood which had dried into the ground.&nbsp; Vahn walked over, once again drawn to the presence of his own blood. He noted that it had not turned to ash, even though it had been outside of his body for so long without being stored. Most importantly is the fact that the blood, like the stains on his makeshift bandage, was a deep crimson red.&nbsp; "Sis, when my body was reconstructed, was my blood changed as well?" he inquired after thinking of the best method to ask.&nbsp; (*That is not entirely correct Vahn. Though I can't go into the details of what exactly happened, your blood still possesses similar qualities to what you had in your previous life. The primary difference is the existence of 'source' energy within this world, whereas your previous world had nothing comparable. Eventually, your blood will dissolve into dust, but the process will take much longer since the 'source' energy maintains it's vitality for an extended duration.*)&nbsp; Vahn was somewhat disappointed with her response. He had hoped that the changes to his body would make him normal...&nbsp; Noticing his demeanor, Sis remarked: (*Vahn, the uniqueness of your blood isn't something to be ashamed of. It is the fault of those that tried to use you for their own convenience that has caused you to feel this way. Remember, your blood is something that only exists because your mother had been willing to birth you even knowing it would likely result in her death. You should see your blood as the embodiment of her love for you, and use it and all its benefits to assist you in your growth.*)&nbsp; Startled, Vahn raised his head and looked towards the sky. Gripping his hands, he cursed inside himself at his weakness even though he had sworn to become strong.&nbsp; "You're right Sis. They used my blood to do whatever they want, but now I have the opportunity to use it as I see fit! I will show them their foolishness, by living freely and saving even more people than their cruelty allowed!"&nbsp; *hyper-aggressive omega tier stomach rumbling sounds*&nbsp; With a blush on his face, Vahn began to move into the forest to investigate the areas marked on his map. After gathering several different types of herbs, nuts, and berries, the system had managed to identify those that were edible.&nbsp; Since he had no methods to create a fire, he was forced to use stones to crack the nuts so they could be digested. It turns out, eating with a single hand is quite difficult, but it's amazing what you're able to do when starving.&nbsp; Vahn spent until 5 pm solely gathering any interesting or unidentified items he could find. He even collected various types of rocks and minerals in hopes the system would be able to analyze them over time. His progress was halted periodically since he made an extra effort to investigate his surroundings before moving on. He knew that if he were to be attacked by a monster at this time, it would likely be the last fight before his death.&nbsp; Eventually, he made his way back to the cave before sunset and took note of the days' harvest&nbsp; 'Display Inventory'&nbsp; Small-sized rock x 3, Medium sized rock x 1, Acorns (3kgs), Apples x 49, mulberries x 103, tayberries x 98, Unkown Mineral x 1, Unknown Mineral x 1, etc...&nbsp; He was grateful that the inventory allowed him to store similar items within the same slot. It was only when the object had unique qualities that it seemed to separate them, such as in the case of the 'unknown minerals'. He was also informed by Sis that items within the inventory didn't spoil, which was his original motivation for collecting so many different things.&nbsp; He was also able to fashion a sling for his arm after cleaning and changing the bandages. To his surprise, when the bandage was removed he was able to clearly see that it had begun to heal. There was also a slight tingling sensation traveling through his wrist, and when he made an effort he was able to wiggle his fingers slightly. After inquiring with Sis, he learned that it was due to the secondary effects of his blood, combined with the skill 'Yggdrasil's Favor'. Even though he hadn't learned any healing skills, it was able to enhance the effects of his blood and accelerate his natural healing. After scanning his body, Sis even informed him that his blood had completely prevented any possibility of infection from occurring, something which he should have known from his previous experiences. It seemed like Sis had been a little flustered at the time when she had urged me to tend to the wound, and that thought made him a little happy.&nbsp; After 10 days Vahn was surprised to learn his left arm had completely recovered. Now there was just a light scar tissue as the only proof the wound ever existed, and even it had begun to fade.&nbsp; Confirming he had stored an adequate amount of food during the 10 days, Vahn started considering methods to become stronger.&nbsp; "Sis, is there any way I can improve my stats without fighting monsters? I don't want to have to sacrifice body parts just to be able to kill a single goblin."&nbsp; (*I would recommend converting the crystal you had obtained from the goblin, as well as the iron and copper ore you had found into 'Origin Points'.*)&nbsp; Before he could ask, Sis continued.&nbsp; (*'Origin Points', or OP for short, is the currency that can be used to exchange for items using the system function 'Shop'. Please note that not all items can be converted into points, and converting items that do not belong to you requires a great deal of time and will result in the accumulation of negative karma.*)&nbsp; Vahn nodded his head in response.&nbsp; "I don't want to rely on stealing from others to grow strong anyways. People that take advantage of others are the type I hate the most, so I want to avoid becoming a person like that."&nbsp; 'Display Shop'&nbsp; Similar to when he had used the 'Display Records' function, a seemingly infinite list of items and their cost began to appear within his mind. Without being prompted, Vahn quickly made a mental command to only display items suitable for his soul tier.&nbsp; He noticed in the top left of the screen a value called OP, which was currently displayed with a domineering 0 points. After sorting through his inventory a bit, he found the only items that could be converted through the shop were the crystal and ores previously mentioned by Sis. After asking, Vahn learned that the shop used the 'source' energy found within the objects to create the Origin Points. After using a mental command for the exchange, the items turned into a dust so fine that it seemed to vanish into the air itself.&nbsp; The crystal had been exchanged for a total of 17 points, while the ores both sold for 5 OP per kilogram respectively. Since he had accumulated a fair amount over the last ten days, he managed to have a total of 47 points after the exchange concluded.&nbsp; After setting a filter for items that could improve his strength that cost less than 50 points, Vahn was annoyed to see the list was still very large.&nbsp; "Sis, what should I exchange for using my points? I need something that can help me grow stronger in a short period of time to remove the risk to my life while living in this area."&nbsp; (*Many of the items in the current list can only increase your stats for a short period of time. Some of the stronger ones even have side effects that could damage your foundation, which would make it harder for you to grow stronger. I would recommend you exchange 30 OP for three vials of 'body-tempering liquid'. You should also exchange 15 OP for a 'Beginner Close Quarters Combat Techniques Manual'. The remaining two points can be saved for now, or you could exchange them for 'Simple Linen Mat' and 'cracked firestone' to make living in the cave more comfortable.*)&nbsp; "Okay Sis, I trust your judgment. Please purchase all of the recommended items, including the mat and 'cracked firestone'.&nbsp; (*Acknowledged...Purchase complete. Items have been automatically added to your inventory Vahn.*)&nbsp; Vahn looked into his inventory and read the description of each item, as he was unable to see any information prior to the purchase. This is also the reason he was unaware of the temporary, and even negative effects of some items.&nbsp; Body Tempering Liquid&nbsp; Rank: (D)&nbsp; Use: Can be mixed into bath water. Soaking in the water after strenuous training accelerates recovery speed and promotes the strengthing of bones and muscles. *Caution* Causes immense pain.&nbsp; He shuddered a little bit at the 'causes immense pain' description.&nbsp; Beginner's Close Quarters Combat Techniques Manual&nbsp; Rank: (E)&nbsp; Use: Gives the user knowledge about close quarters combat techniques and auxiliary body training methods.&nbsp; The mat and firestone were self-explanatory, but Vahn was confused by how to use the techniques manual. After inquiring about it from Sis, it seemed to be a consumable item that could be placed into his chest similar to 'The Path'.&nbsp; Upon using the manual, a rush of information flood Vahn's mind. Images of various people performing martial arts and training cycled through his vision for roughly two hours until he passed out. Unfortunately, he was unable to use the mat he had just purchased and ended up sleeping on the hard floor...&nbsp; After awakening the following day with a mild migraine, Vahn organized the information in his mind and decided to put it to use. He asked Sis to create a training regiment that would allow his body to improve unilaterally. After reviewing it for about half an hour, Vahn was satisfied as it had accounted for his rate of growth and became more difficult as time progressed.&nbsp; He spent the first week performing basic physical exercises and stretching routines. He would awaken in the morning at sunrise. After half an hour of stretching, he would begin running around the around the largest rock formation in the area for about an hour. Though he wasn't able to run quickly, he noticed that his stamina was increasing rapidly due to the effects of his blood on his recovery.&nbsp; After finishing his run, he would bathe in a pool he had dug from the main flow of the creek. He had filled the pool with various crystals he had dug out of the cave, so it always maintained a moderate temperature even in the mornings. Following his bath, he would begin foraging in the woods to increase his food store, since Sis had warned him about the dangers of winter.&nbsp; Around noon he would begin his real workout. He spent another thirty minutes stretching before lifting rocks of different weight and moving them between two circles he had drawn out on the ground. The circles were 20m apart, and the exercise didn't end until he managed to move all the rocks from one point to the other. After this, he would be completely exhausted, and all the muscles in his body would protest against each movement. Fortunately, with the 'Pain Tolerance' skill, he was able to work through the pains and finish the exercise.&nbsp; Using some of the points that he had obtained by trading in various ore found within the creek, Vahn had managed to buy a metal basin which he stationed outside the entrance of the cave. He had originally wanted to use the 'body tempering liquid' in the pool he had dug, but Sis informed him that the essence would drain through the rocks into the ground.&nbsp; After emptying one of the vials of body tempering liquid into the basin, the once transparent water became turbid and evil boiled slightly. Using his leather belt as a gag, Vahn would submerge himself into the basin.&nbsp; The moment his foot touched the liquid, it felt as if the blood within his body became thick, stagnant, and heavy as lead. Gritting his teeth, he continued to submerge his body as the feeling spread to each area the water came into contact with. By the time the liquid had reached up to his neck, his body had begun to convulse slightly as a result of the pain racking his body.&nbsp; It was at times like this that Vahn actually hated the 'Pain Tolerance' skill because even though it prevented the pain from 'distracting' him, it actually made the experience worse since he was able to easily focus on the pain as it spread. He would periodically submerge his head while holding his breath, repeating the process over and over until his body was able to absorb the full medicinal effects of the liquid.&nbsp; Vahn continued this process for the entire 10 days until Sis informed him that the body tempering liquid would no longer have an effect. He would have to buy higher quality medicines if he wanted to continue, but she advised against it since building a foundation using medicines could lead to problems in his growth later on.&nbsp; Vahn was fine with this, as no matter how much time he spent in the basin it never got any easier.&nbsp; 'Display Skill Pain Tolerance'&nbsp; Pain Tolerance&nbsp; Rank: (S)&nbsp; The more damage the wielder sustains, the greater the effect this skill has on the mind. Does not inhibit pain, but prevents the wielder from being distracted by it. Gives a slight increase to attack power based on pain threshold.&nbsp;

As the 'body tempering liquid' had lost its effect, Vahn was curious as to how much his body had grown within the ten days.&nbsp; 'Display Status'&nbsp; Name: Vahn Mason&nbsp; Age: 14&nbsp; Race: Human, *sealed*&nbsp; Parameters: Danmachi&nbsp; -Level:1(0)&nbsp; -Power: I-40(0) -&gt; H-146(0)&nbsp; -Endurance: I-70(0) -&gt; G-203(0)&nbsp; -Dexterity: I-23(0) -&gt; I-95(0)&nbsp; -Agility: I-38(0) -&gt; H-153(0)&nbsp; -Magic: H-120(0) -&gt; H-130(0)&nbsp; Soul Strength: Tier 1 (Mortal Soul)&nbsp; Karma:108&nbsp; Though it had only been twenty days since his arrival in this world, Vahn was happy to see many of his stats had increased by more than 100 points, with the exception of his Magic. His hard training was able to bring at the full effects of each use of 'body tempering liquid' which was able to increase each physical parameter by 10 points if used with maximum efficiency. His daily running and weight contributed to the remaining gain.&nbsp; Vahn was now ready to move on to the next phase of his training. He would replace his early morning regimen with hunting. It had already been several weeks since his arrival in this world, and surviving on nuts and fruits wasn't exactly satisfying. Since he now had a firestone, he was determined to hunt some small game to obtain meat. He also thought it would be a good method to make money before he entered the city since he would be able to clean the furs for barter.&nbsp; He had now saved up a total of 29 OP, which he had used 10 to exchange for a manual on basic trap making. Using 9 of the remaining points, Vahn bought several small traps and wires to set up in the various small trails that lined the forest. He then exchanged the last of his points for a new bow.&nbsp; 'Sun-kissed Yew Shortbow'&nbsp; Rank: (C)&nbsp; Slots: 1&nbsp; P.Atk: 60+150(x30)&nbsp; M.Atk: 0&nbsp; A small bow made of flexible yew wood. It had undergone a special ceremony during it's crafting which causes it to emit a gentle warmth a smell similar to sunlight.&nbsp; 'Twined Steel Arrow' x30&nbsp; Rank: (D)&nbsp; Slots: 0&nbsp; P.Atk: 150&nbsp; M.Atk: 0&nbsp; Arrows forged from steel that have been twined around a yew shaft giving them both flexibility and penetrative power.&nbsp; Vahn was grateful that purchasing the bow had given him arrows. Immediately after he had made the purchase, he thought of the possibility he would have to collect more ore before he would be able to make use of it. The best thing about the arrows was that he was able to assign them to the slot of the bow within his Equipment slots allowing him to immediately nock an arrow with a thought.&nbsp; Using his newly acquired skills and equipment, Vahn set out into the woods around his home. He tried making sure all of the traps were within 200 meters of his camp, so he would be able to check them periodically throughout the day.&nbsp; As it was still early in the morning, the sun had just begun to crest over the trees, casting long shadows through the misty forest. Vahn stalked patiently through the woods, looking for areas that seemed to have heavy animal foot traffic. He wasn't accustomed to hunting, but with the assistance of Sis he was able to quickly identify the best locations using the analytical ability of 'The Path'. The best part of it all was that he was able to clearly mark where he had lain the traps using his the marking function of his minimap.&nbsp; After another hour or so, as the early morning mist began to dispurse Vahn found his first target. About 30 meters from his position, near the edge of a clearing, sat a rabbit nibbling on a plant Vahn had previously identified as 'alfalfa'.&nbsp; He slowly crept towards the rabbit while holding his breath, trying to conceal his presence as best he could. As he closed in on the rabbits' position, it almost felt as if he had begun to blend into the environment around him, and even his thought process started to fade, becoming one with the forest.&nbsp; In this peculiar state of mind and being, Vahn was able to close to within 10 meters of the rabbit without startling it. Slowly...he got his bow into position and nocked an arrow with a simple thought. He took aim at the rabbit and held his breath, bringing his focus to its absolute limits. He pulled back the arrow and in a single smooth motion, let it loose at his prey.&nbsp; *sound of arrows whistling far off the intended course*&nbsp; The rabbit was startled by the sudden interruption to its meal and immediately bolted into the nearby bush-line.&nbsp; "Awww man, I got so close and still missed!" exclaimed Vahn as he fell onto his butt feeling defeated.&nbsp; (*Of course Vahn. Not only have you never fired a bow before, but you lack the training and skills to be able to hit small targets at a distance. You should set up targets near home to accumulate experience. There is also the option of trading in for a hunting techniques manual once you've accumulated more OP.*)&nbsp; Hearing her reminders, Vahn couldn't help but agree that he had been a little too hasty. After spending about twenty minutes looking for the arrow that had flown astray, Vahn returned to his camp and added archery training to his mid-day regimen.&nbsp; The same afternoon, Vahn had trekked back into the forest to check if any of his traps had been triggered. As he had previously marked them in the map, it was a relatively simple job to locate them. The first three traps had been empty, so Vahn had to reset them. It may have been that the creature was larger than the trap could hold, or something was able to move through the snare without getting caught in it.&nbsp; On his way to check the remaining tracks, Vahn was brought to a halt by a noise that seemed to come from the direction of one of his snares. He began to slowly stalk towards the trap in anticipation of his first catch. Once again he began to feel as if his body was blending into the surroundings, and he was able to easily approach his destination without drawing attention to himself. Finally, he was able to clearly see what was caught in the trap...&nbsp; Standing slightly under one meter, with its leg stuck in the snare was a goblin. The wire used in the trap had dug deeply into the flesh around its ankle, and the goblin seemed to lack the intelligence required to escape.&nbsp; Vahn could feel his pulse begin to accelerate, as thoughts of his previous encounter with the goblin emerged from the back of his mind. He knew the danger such a creature posed, even though it was one of the weakest in the entire continent. Fortunately, this goblin didn't possess a knife similar to the last one, or it would have cut the wire to aid in its escape.&nbsp; Releasing a sigh, Vahn moved even closer to the goblin which seemed to become aware of his presence as it looked towards his direction.&nbsp; The goblin began to lash out, completely ignoring it's still snared leg and tried to lunge at Vahn. The snare tightened, pulling the goblin directly into the ground once it had been stretch taut. The goblin began to struggle, repeating the process of standing and falling while continually trying to lunge at Vahn with it's characteristic viciousness.&nbsp; Vahn approached within a single meter of the goblin, just out of reach of the range of it's lunge. He slowly drew back his bow with an arrow already nocked, aiming directly at the head of the goblin.&nbsp; Perhaps realizing what was about to happen, the goblin ceased it's struggling and looked up at Vahn, an unforgiving hatred preset within the gleam of its eyes.&nbsp; Releasing the arrow, it penetrated directly between the still glaring eyes as the body of the goblin spontaneously turned to dust leaving behind a small crystal in its wake.&nbsp; Picking up the crystal, Vahn released a repressed sigh. This encounter with the goblin was far different than his previous struggle of life and death. He had been in control of the entire situation, and even though the goblin was trapped, Vahn was able to face it directly and overcome the fear that had settled in his mind.&nbsp; Looking into the now silent woods, as the sun began its decline towards the horizon, Vahn added a new goal within his training menu. Other than hunting game, he would begin subjugating the various monsters that could be found within the forest. He wanted to become strong enough that he was able to face them without having to rely on traps. Knowing that it was a necessary step if he ever wanted to successfully venture into the dungeon, Vahn began to walk towards the next set of traps...and towards the future that he had decided upon....&nbsp;

(*As for the reason characters may not yet be in Orario, that is because you are presently three years from the start of events in the story!*)&nbsp; Vahn kept repeating the words over and over within his mind, unable to comprehend the revelation Sis just gave him.&nbsp; "Sis, why is it three years? I understand it's my fault for not specifying a time, but what should I do now? I don't know anything about this world outside of what I had read in the manga!" he shouted.&nbsp; (*Relax Vahn. 'The Path' determined that your current strength was lacking for residents of this world. As it stands, a common thug would probably be able to take advantage of and even kill you. At best you would likely become an underling or supporter for disreputable adventurers. Without having increased your own strength, it would be difficult to join and survive within a Familia. You now have three years to train before the events of the story so you can be more impactful in your decision-making.*)&nbsp; Vahn took several deep breaths, ruminating over what Sis had said. He understood by looking at his stats, most of his parameters were far below the 'records' standards. There wasn't much he could do about that since he was never able to exercise or move freely in his previous life. And, since he didn't wish for any power from Klyscha, he would have to rely on his own efforts to become stronger.&nbsp; After thinking it over, he started to develop feelings of gratitude towards 'The Path'. It seemed to be making the best possible choices given his current lack of understanding. It also provided him with a companion he could talk to when he is feeling lonely.&nbsp; "I understand, Sis. 'The Path' was right to give me this window of opportunity to grow. Even I wouldn't want to accept someone into my Familia if they were to become a burden. At least until I become much much stronger..."&nbsp; He begins to look around the area once again. It's his first time seeing a real-life tree, much less being in a forest. After weighing his options, he is uncertain of the best course of action.&nbsp; "Sis, where do you think I should go? I don't have a map, and I've never been inside a forest. I don't know any edible plants, and the wildlife of this world is completely foreign to me."&nbsp; (*'The Path' has a basic mapping function which includes a compass. Though it can only map things within your line of sight, it will allow you to compile a map within the system of 'The Path'. I would suggest heading north. Note that when you first entered the world 'The Path' was able to make a basic map of the landmarks in your immediate vicinity for 50km. About 2km north, you should be able to find rock formations and water, which has a high probability of providing access to a cave which would be highly beneficial for your current situation. You can access the map by using the command 'Toggle Map' or 'Toggle Minimap'.*)&nbsp; After the explanation, Vahn tried using both commands. He noted that 'Toggle Map' showed a very large birds-eye view of the surrounding area. He could even see a large portion of the western section of Orario, though the buildings were presently unmarked. To the north, a distance that didn't seem that far, he was able to spot the 'rock formations' Sis had previously mentioned. Considering that much of the surrounding area was dense trees, he agreed it would be the best choice. He closed the map using a mental command, and then tried 'Toggle Minimap'. Within the peripheral of his sight, he could see a circular, somewhat transparent map, much smaller than the one he had used previously. It also showed his line of sight as a cone emitting from the arrow within the center of the map. He noted that, whenever he turned to look at objects they were immediately updated on the minimap, enabling him to see their presence even when turning away.&nbsp; "This is going to be a useful function. As long as I have this, any place I've been to I'll be able to return to without getting lost. But won't this be incredibly overpowered when I finally enter dungeons?" Though he didn't mind taking advantage of all the features provided by 'The Path', Vahn didn't like the ingenuous feeling lingering in his heart.&nbsp; (*You don't have to worry about that Vahn. Many of the Dungeons within this world are similar to living creatures. They are able to change their layout and alter their structure over time. Though you will definitely have an advantage in general mapping capabilities, it isn't to the extent where it will allow you to far exceed others. After all, anyone could draw up a map as they progress into the dungeon, it just takes more time compared to the map function of 'The Path'.*)&nbsp; Vahn was convinced by what Sis had said. He also understood that focusing on the map could distract him from things happening around him. Though he could mentally move the map around using his thoughts, it did take up a part of his vision.&nbsp; He began walking towards the northern direction. On his way, he made sure to look around his vicinity while trying to map everything he could see. Periodically he would use the 'Toggle Map' command to see the larger map. He noticed he was able to zoom in on the areas he had traversed, and the area of focus now had all the details he had mapped using his minimap.&nbsp; Though the area of the rock formation was only 2km away, Vahn noted that it was very physically demanding to move through the forest. His clothes would constantly get stuck on the various plants and shrubbery, and he began to develop rashes around the scrapes that began to accumulate on his arms and face. It took him an entire two hours to finally arrive at his destination, and he noticed that the sky was beginning to darken. On his minimap, he could see that the cone that depicted his line of sight had begun to shrink, and it became more difficult to map things as he progressed through the rock formations.&nbsp; After another half hour of searching, as the sun continued its descent, Vahn finally found a small cave near a creek. As he approached to investigate, he heard strange noises coming from the shrubbery to his left. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand, as a cold sickening chill crept down his spine.&nbsp; Turning towards the source of the noise, Vahn froze. Standing around 10m away, there stood a small emaciated green-skinned humanoid. The upper half of his body seemed to be covered in a leathery hide, while the bottom was entirely covered with dense fur. Its height was slightly under 1 meter, and its physique was similar to that of a small child. Vahn could see within its vicious red eyes a ferocity that shook him to the core.&nbsp; The monster, which Vahn recognized as a Goblin, looked directly into his eyes. It seemed to understand the terror he inspired as it slowly began to walk towards Vahn, waving a short serrated knife that seemed to be carved from stone.&nbsp; 10 meters...9 meters...8 meters...As the Goblin continued its approach Vahn stood absolutely still, unable to muster any thought of fighting or fleeing. Though he had spent his entire life in a lab having horrible experiments performed, he had never been in a combat situation. Though the eyes some of the researchers used to look at him were similar to the Goblin before him, it was nowhere near as vicious. Vahn knew, this Goblin genuinely wanted to kill him.&nbsp; 7 meters...6 meters...just as it began to reach the halfway point, Sis suddenly shouted out within his mind.&nbsp; (*Vahn, equip your weapons! The goblin has higher agility than you, so you have to fight back! You need to take the initiative or it will be too late!*)&nbsp; Vahn immediately snapped out due to the sudden exclamation from Sis. Just as he was about to equip his weapons, the Goblin seemed to have sensed his change and immediately lunged at him, aiming the small knife directly at his throat.&nbsp; Vahn twisted his neck back as quickly as he could, raising his arms to protect his face.&nbsp; The goblin continued it's lunge, impaling the small knife directly in Vahn's left arm before pulling it away, tearing away at his flesh due to the serrated qualities of the blade.&nbsp; Because of the sudden impact, Vahn was knocked off balance as a sharp pain coming from his left arm sent alarms ringing in his head.&nbsp; (*Vahn, you need to get up quickly. If you don't equip your weapons you won't be able to fight back!*)&nbsp; Vahn scrambled back, trying to right his footing as the goblin began to prepare another lunge. He crouched down, this time aiming towards Vahn's torso before jumping out at with murderous momentum.&nbsp; Catching the goblins movements in his eye, Vahn's mind felt a cooling sensation spread, seeming to dull the effects of the pain emitted from his left arm. He mentally tried to equip both of his weapons, causing the dagger to appear in his right hand while his left hand remained empty.&nbsp; Using the clarity brought about by the cooling sensation, Vahn shifted his weight and tried to use his now disabled left arm to absorb the oncoming lunge.&nbsp; Once again, the goblin's knife pierced into his already mangled flesh. It lifted its foot to try and kick off of Vahn's torso, using the leverage generated to rend the knife from the arm.&nbsp; Vahn used the brief window before the goblin is able to recover to throw all of his weight into the small-statured creature.&nbsp; Taken by surprise due to the young boy's movement, the goblin tried to back away and create a distance between it and the human standing before him. The moment it began to open the gap, it saw from the left side of its vision the shadow of a dagger aiming directly at its temple. Due to the previously generated momentum of its lunge, the goblin was unable to change directions in time and could only watch helplessly as the lethal strike approached.&nbsp; Completing his strike, Vahn fell powerlessly on the now dead goblin.&nbsp; The moment he touched the ground, he could feel a painful throb coming from his left arm, which he was now unable to move. He could feel the sickening flow of his blood as it left his body, reminding him of the thousands of similar times he felt it in his previous life. The cooling sensation in his mind began to become more powerful, and Vahn was able to notice his heart, which was previously beating rapidly due to the flooding of adrenaline, was now beginning to slow.&nbsp; As he lay on the ground atop the corpse of his first kill, he began to take deep an heavy breathes. He knew that Goblins were among the weakest creatures in this world, and had he failed to land the blow at the expense of his left arm he most likely would have died, bringing an end to his journey before it even started. He began to lament at his powerlessness, as a fierce desire to become stronger awakened deep within the core of his being.&nbsp; Mustering what strength remained in his body, Vahn stood up, hunched over. He began to hobble towards the entrance of the cave, praying that the interior might offer him safe haven through the coming night. He followed the entrance and continued onwards for about 20 meters before the cave suddenly opened up. Vahn noted quickly that the cavern was about 8 meters in diameter, and the walls were studded with small crystals that emitted a weak light which brought a mild illumination to the dark interior. Vahn cuddled up next to the brightest crystal in an effort to use its light to examine his wound.&nbsp; Suddenly, his thought process was once again brought to an immediate halt. As he looked at the blood dripping from the wound on his arm, Vahn couldn't help but feel a peculiar sensation, like butterflies within his stomach trying to bore their way out. The blood dripping from his arm was a deep crimson...a stark contrast from the pale golden colored blood that haunted him in his previous life.&nbsp; Inspecting the wound, he could see through the mangled flesh severed blood vessels and tendons, which helped explain why he was now unable to move it.&nbsp; "Luckily the knife was small and didn't break any bones..."&nbsp; (*Yes, but you need to wash the wound and apply pressure quickly. Goblin daggers are usually unclean, and the wound they cause, if left untreated could fester and even result in death!*)&nbsp; Vahn followed her instructions as he flushed the wound using the Decanter of Replenishment. He also made sure to drink several mouth-fulls himself to prevent passing out and developing a fever due to dehydration. As someone who was very experienced with dealing with blood loss, Vahn knew several of the important steps in treating wounds. It was just the fact that others typically dealt with any injuries he sustained that caused him to slightly overlook it.&nbsp; After cleaning and dressing the wound using a strip he had cut from his tunic, Vahn found a relatively flat area within the cavern to lay down. He noticed that the crystals within the cavern not only produced light, but they also emitted a very moderate amount of heat which kept the interior of the cave warm.&nbsp; As he lay back staring at the top of the cavern, he began to fantasize that each of the crystals was the various 'records' within 'The Path'. He imagined traversing through the worlds, becoming stronger, meeting both friends and enemies, and eventually even finding his mother...&nbsp; As he began to drift off into unconsciousness, one final thought came to Vahn's mind which he felt an urge to speak aloud.&nbsp; "I'm dying...blehh."&nbsp; (*RIP*)&nbsp; -THE END-&nbsp; (A/N: Just kidding~Next part is the real quote.)&nbsp; "I'm home..." he whispered into the cavern as sleep overtook him.

Chapter 9: Training Begins