” Huuuh... ”

’Inhale, exhale... Breathe in... And breathe out... and calm down!’

At least all the strange and unexpected things thus far made it easier to take in another one. I started to get accustomed to them just popping out of nowhere even though I didn't know if that was a good thing. Probably not. If I continued like that, something really unfortunate might happen. 

*sigh*

I let out another sigh and crunched on another berry. All distractions from the main issue lead me to bigger problems. 

’Maybe it's not too big of a deal... It's not like I can do anything to change it anymore and I have bigger concerns right now...’ I wasn't even sure how was I able to choose one in the first place let alone changing it.

After a short while and several more berry sacrifices, my belly stopped protesting. I had time to think about my actions and take in my surroundings while doing so. Unfortunately, the conclusion I managed to come to was not a pleasant one.

I pretty much confirmed that there were edible things in the forest, which was great, but after thinking it thought, the forest was still a forest. And a forest was bound to have wildlife living in it, even more so if it was a fantasy-like forest.

” This is a problem. ” I muttered to myself as my eyes slipped back to my status screen. More specifically to my skills. 

Unfortunately, I had no idea how these skills worked. It was stated there that I should have been good at magic, yet I didn't feel too much like a wizard at all... Or was it sorceress in my case? 

I would have to deal with possible dangerous things while all my combat experience could be summarized to light fights as a child and not much else...

As such, I made up my mind to at least try and prepare for such a situation. To engage with whatever was lurking there in the shadows unarmed was a stupid thing to do. 

I got down from the tree, making sure that nothing was stalking around while searching for a possible weapon. Well, I was well aware that I wasn't going to casually find some weapons lying around just like that. No sword embedded in stone waiting for me to pull it out either.

But that didn't mean I couldn't improvise something. After some search, trials, and errors, I was seated on a large boulder with a two-meter long and sharpened stick in my hands. 

I was looking at it with a complicated expression. I had to smash it with a rock and hope that the stick would end with an sharp end. Of course, it didn't and I had to find two more suitable ones to get it right. 

”I feel like a blacksmith. ” I said while chuckling at the sheer stupidity of my statement. 

” A woodsmith then? Or perhaps craftsman? I wonder if those guys exist... ”

I was speaking about the short ones with a talent for smithing. Dwarfs, to be more precise. Me and my race being a thing was a good enough reason to think that maybe the dwarves were a thing too. Though, they probably would burn me on a stake at the sight of my proud craftmanship. Better not to let them see that. 

” Actually... Now that I think about it... Appraisal! Ah... ”

’Appraisal’

[Crude wooden spear]

• [Spear type weapon of the lowest grade.]
• [Low-Amateur grade]

’Fuck yeah! I'm a freaking woodsmith!’  I didn't even care about the description that sounded more like an insult. I freaking crafted something! 

” Good... good... Another one. What to do next? Hehehe... ”

It was not bad having something else in stock. Though, making another spear was not that appealing.

’Maybe a club... Ugh, I fell like a caveman just by thinking about something like that... Well, whatever. Club it is!’

After some scrambling around, trying to break a large branch with no success, I finally found something close enough to a club.

[Wooden stick]

• [A common stick made from wood.]

Well, that was not how I expected it to be. Just a stick, but why? No grades or something? 

Was it because I just found it like that and did not craft it myself? It didn't count as a crafted weapon?

” Well... In that case... ”

After some more search, I managed to find some vines that fit my plan and another nicely-shaped rock. 

The end result:

[Crude rock club]

• [Club type weapon of the lowest grade.]
• [Medium-Amateur grade]

’Yep, my theory was correct. And Medium-Amateur grade on top of that. Maybe the rock helped here...’

I smiled a little while eyeing the new addition. I got even further and congratulated myself for a job well done, but for some reason, something seemed a little off. 

Looking around was enough to prove that my gut feeling was not without reason. The whole forest seemed to take on a subtle reddish color. 

And that... that was no good sign. Things turning red was never a good sign. Anything turning red was no good sign... 

I had a bad premonition, though, after several seconds of paranoia and frantically looking around for the cause I finally looked up as well...

” What the... what the hell... is... that? ” I blinked once, I blinked twice... I rubbed my eyes and looked at the sky again... but... nothing changed...

A bright red ball in the sky? 

” Excuse me but... What the fuck? Where is my beautiful blue moon? Ohh... there you are... ” 

I let out a sigh of relief. The blue moon was just about to fall past the horizon while the new... red sun? The new red sun was just rising.

” We have a red sun, huh? ”

But even so, my gut feeling that something bad was going to happen didn't leave me... It was still there even though the blue moon didn't morph into a red one and the newcomer was just the sun. Weird new sun but the moon wasn't any different, so...

’A red sun in the middle of the starry sky. Quote weird...’ But even so, the stars still being visible in the sky was—

*Krack*

’Hmmm!?’

 *Kikikki Kokok ki*

’What was that?’

 The first sound was likely a branch cracking but the second one was different. Instantly, my blood ran cold and I hid in the first bush while trying to control my ragged breath. 

Waiting for some time, that, to be honest, felt like an eternity, I saw them. 

’Oh Shit, Oh God, Oh Buddha, Oh my Great Tree... What in the world are those things?’

At that moment, I wished I actually didn't know what they were but sadly, I did.  

Short stature, no taller than a meter, green-muddy skin with rough texture, ugly faces with sharp and big teeth, and big yellow eyes. And even worse, there were four of them.

” Goblins. ”

I almost hit myself in the face for muttering that out loud but that would cause even more noise so I just bit my lips and hoped for the best. Fortunately, even with their big ears, they didn't hear my slip-up. 

’Those things are no good! Shit! Oh, shit... shit... shit! I'm a freaking woman now... Oh, shiiiiit... Wait, no! Maybe not... Appraisal!’

• Level: 6
• Race: Cave Goblin 
• Age: ?
• ----------
• Vitality:  ??
• Power:  ??
• Dexterity:  ??
• Spirit:  ??
• Mana: ??

 

 ’Oh, no... ohhh, no... No, no, no, no. I can't even see their stats... At least I can see their level... and... it's higher than mine... shit. Next one...’

• Level: 4
• Race: Cave Goblin 
• Age: ?
• ----------
• Vitality:  ??
• ..........

 

• Level: 13
• Race: Greater Cave Goblin 
• ..........

 

• Level: 7
• Race: Cave Goblin 
• ..........

 

That kokokiki or whatever was definitely not this continent's common language. Amissi or whatever. It was not. That was a full-fledged monster. 

 ’Nope...’ I fought the urge to just close my eyes and instead, looked directly at them from my bush while trying to think of what to do next. One of them was even level 13. 

Actually... There was nothing to think about. I didn't want to stay a second more in this place. 

’Let's slowly get the hell out of here right now.’

I was finished if these guys had some kind of smell senses or who knows... maybe smell skills? Girl detection skills? I definitely didn't want to find out.

So I carefully took my leave. Slowly and in the most silent way I could while keeping an eye on them. I was lucky that they did not pay much attention to their surroundings and seemed to be in a hurry. 

’Not a smart race at least.’

*Awwwww* 

’Ohh, no!’

What was going on there? The seemingly peaceful forest got wild all at once? 

’Okay, so not in that direction... if the goblins can't smell me, a wolf or whatever that was will be able for sure.’

After that horrible encounter, I wandered from one place to another while trying to stay away from basically anything and running away from even the most inconspicuous sound. 

And that exhausted me. On top of driving me almost crazy. There were a lot of them. Everywhere.

Goblins, wolves, some weird and scary wild boar, and a four-armed monkey. I didn't even know how I managed to escape from all of them thus far but I had an inkling that my enhanced senses had something to do with that. I was so grateful for being able to sense and hear them before they could do the same for me.

Even so, these damn monkeys were able to climb trees like it was nothing. I had to stay vigilant for the trees as well. I didn't want one of those to jump on my back out of nowhere. And I couldn't climb a tree for safety either with them around.

My train of thought was interrupted by a familiar sound.

* Kikiko koki* 

’Ohh, shit... Shit... these guys again... After the sun appeared all this stuff happens—

*kokoki kiko*

The sound came from behind the bushes several dozens meters to my left, but something was different this time. I didn't know why I had that feeling but after a period of consideration, I decided to take a peek. 

Maybe I really got crazy...?