Chapter Twenty two: First Fight in the Forest
The woods stretched endlessly, each tree standing tall like watchful elders. The sunlight filtered down through thick branches, Lux's rays painting gold patches over the earthy floor. Birds chirped overhead—soft melodies in the otherwise still silence.
Oliver, alone and determined, adjusted the straps of his small supply bag and looked down at his latest creation—a rough yet solid stone sword, chipped and gray, its edge jagged but usable. Along with it, a shorter stone dagger tucked against his belt.
> [🔔 SYSTEMATIC ALERT]
📜 Achievement Unlocked
🪨 Stone Age Entrance
— Weapons Crafted: 2
— Level: 0
— "Every journey starts with stone and willpower."
Oliver allowed himself a small grin. "Not bad."
He continued his path through the forest, stepping over roots and ducking under hanging moss. His boots made little noise over the leaves. The Systematic Guide hovered beside him in subtle transparency, always ready with updates and alerts.
The deeper he ventured, the more alive the forest became—not just birds now, but squirrels leaping branch to branch, and a flash of a fox tail in the distance.
Just then—
> [⚠️ WARNING: Proximity Alert]
— Enemy Type Detected: Forest Imps
— Class: Low
— Count: 4
Oliver immediately crouched, sliding behind a thick fallen log. His hand gripped his wooden plank shield, crudely made but reinforced with vine knots.
He narrowed his eyes ahead.
From the brush shuffled out four small wooden imps, each one barely two feet tall, carved almost entirely from bark and twisted branches. Their glowing yellow eyes and gnarled fingers made them unsettling, despite their size.
Oliver froze for a breath.
Then, he struck.
He charged with silent swiftness, blade slicing through the first imp before it could react. The creature shattered with a crunch of splinters. The second lunged, but Oliver caught it with his plank shield and bashed it aside, following with a dagger strike to its chest.
Two more remained. One screeched, but before it could leap, Oliver extended his hand—
A pulse of water Vita surged from his palm, catching the imp in a burst of high-pressure mist, enough to knock it backward. His plant Vita tugged a hanging vine down, ensnaring the last one. It struggled just long enough for Oliver to dispatch both.
Wooden shards now littered the dirt like discarded firewood.
The Systematic chimed again:
> [✅ Battle Complete]
Enemies defeated: 4
Damage Taken: Minimal
Efficiency: B
Loot: 🌱 1x Tree Sapling [Type: Oak]
— "A humble start from fallen foes."
Oliver raised an eyebrow, flipping the small sapling in his hand. "Really? That's it?"
But despite the underwhelming reward, the rush of victory filled him. He wasn't just surviving—he was adapting. Learning. Fighting back.
As the wind rustled overhead and birds returned to their trees, Oliver tucked the sapling into his pouch.
It wasn't much. But maybe… it was a beginning.
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In the shadowy depths of the forest, woodland demon imps lurk—small, sinister creatures with twisted wooden bodies, like gnarled branches come to life. Their glowing yellow eyes pierce the darkness, ever-watchful for unsuspecting travelers. These imps emerge from the underbrush, tree hollows, and high branches, often surrounding their prey in eerie silence before unleashing high-pitched, otherworldly screeches that chill the spine.
Though small in stature, their numbers and agility make them dangerous. Fueled by malice and forest-born dark magic, they are the hunters of the woods, blending into the natural environment until it's too late. Their attacks are swift and chaotic, aiming to overwhelm rather than outmatch. These imps are not mere beasts—they are cursed spirits bound to the forest, drawn to fear, blood, and the scent of wandering individuals rejected from society.