The final thing Tim had to do now was access that information scroll. As he did, he got 2 notifications from the system.

[ Rip the information scroll to access information ]

After ripping the information scroll, a mother lode of information bombarded his mind. It mostly had to do with local ecology, especially the various plants and herbs that were edible, those that could be used for cultivation, alchemy, treating wounds. However, there was nothing about what dangerous animals he might come across.

[ The system based assistance will now come to an end. ]

" There it goes. I guess it's really treating Earth with extra care, considering how weak we are, but even that has limits. "

[ The amnesty period has now ended. The trial by fire commences. ]

[ Mandatory Quest: Reach the marked destination alive. 

Location on mini-map

Time limit: 2 D 23 H 57 S ]

He found that a minimap marked his location suddenly decided to invade his field of view, directing him to move northwards. The trial had begun, so Tim went with the assumption that the things that could harm him were now free to do so. 

He tightly gripped his rapier, keeping it out of the sheath and facing forward so he could defend himself against any threat that sprang up. The dense foliage made him even more nervous, as this was terrain would be perfect for snakes to ambush unsuspecting prey. 

Nevertheless, Tim trudged on constantly alert to any threats. After 2 hours of walking on a empty stomach, he saw a batch of lotus root nearby. His taut muscles finally relaxed a little bit. If he harvested some lotus root it would take care of his sustenance for a while. It was a common herb, but it absorbed enough spiritual energy to act as a substitute for food.

He reached out for the lotus root, using his rapier to cleanly cut through the base. The rapier sliced through it with ease. Deciding to get a bunch in one go he moved towards the second lotus root. He was half way through when he heard a burrowing sound.

Before he could even react further, he felt a sharp, piercing pain from his left leg.

" AAAAAHHHHHHHH" he screamed involuntarily, unable to understand what was happening to him. He realized he had lost his balance, and was on his way to the ground. Due to his change in elevation, he got a glimpse of the creature that was tormenting him.

It was a rabbit, or at least resembled one. But the creatures mane was too hideous, a mix of dark red and brown, with dark red eyes and sharp teeth it used to tear into his leg, through the flesh... and he saw a bit of white debris that was most likely bone.

Tim realized that he was going to die. This was some sort of joke the system was playing on him, he thought it was being fair, how truly naive of him. The system didn't mind giving him those toys to play with, even if it gave him a skill that can summon hellhounds, his odds of survival were probably next to nothing.

As he was falling, time seemed to slow down. He had no particular attachments left apart from his parents, why not let the darkness consume him. Amanda was dead, and now he was going to meet her.

His inner voice was screamed at him, louder than anything he could vocally produce "no. NO. NO, I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS. I PROMISED HER, I WOULD NOT GIVE UP AGAIN. I MAY BEND, BUT I WILL NOT BREAK AGAIN. I REFUSE!!!!! His rapier, that he was clinging on to the entire time deftly switched to a reverse grip. With the elegance of a barbarian, he used his rapier as a spear and with the remaining strength he had he pushed. Pushed into the skull of the damned rodent, as he hit the ground.

It was like butter as it went through the creatures head, the sharpness of the Diamond Backed Hedgehog was truly worth praising. And then he his head hit the ground with a large thunk.

He lay in the ground as a flurry of notifications engulfed him. Battered and bloodied but not broken.