Time to make my way back to a certain annoying cat. A lot of stuff has been found out, but more importantly, I've gained Aura! Now, I have absolutely no idea how to use it to its full potential, and since I have no one to teach me, it will take a long time to learn. But nonetheless, Aura is still Aura, and it will be a huge help.

"So, you got the meat?"

"Yep! Here's some wolf meat I got."

When I pass him the wolf meat, he gives me a weird stare, I wonder what he's thinking? It's almost like he's suspicious of something. Oh well.

We take turns sleeping and keeping watch as we camp out. There are dangerous monsters in this forest, and although we can take care of them normally, it would be bad if they snuck up while both of us were sleeping. There is repellant, but both of us are too poor to afford that stuff.

While I'm keeping watch, I'm just trying to find out how to utilize my Aura. So far, I've been trying to feel for energy in me, and I just don't understand how I'm supposed to control this stuff. Aura flows through me like blood, I can feel it, but I can't control it! It's too chaotic. 

I've even tried meditating! Nothing seems to work. Oh well, I'll find out how to use my Aura eventually, you know what they say, Rome wasn't built in a day.

---

Well, it has been a couple of days of nothing. Walk, kill monsters that come, sleep, repeat. Nothing less, nothing more. The good news is that I'm about to level up to level 6. It took long enough. If I kill a couple more mobs, I'm sure I'll level up. 

"Hey, do you see any traces of monsters around here?"

I told Leo that I have [Tracking] so he's been having me use it to keep a lookout for monsters. Stuff like territory markings or nests. I haven't seen much out here though.

So we've moved out of Vincetown. Next up is the City of Bel. It's the "closest" city, but as evidenced by the time it takes to get there, it isn't really that close. I mean sure, it would probably only be like a 2-3 hour drive, but I'm walking through a forest populated by monsters! It takes time to travel that distance.

Yeah... Vincetown is really far out the way.

The country we are currently in is called the Willow Republic. I know, it's crazy that there is a Republic in such an old-timey society, except not exactly. Democracy was invented by ancient Greece and lasted for 185 years, it's not such a stretch to say democracy could form in this world too. 

Funnily though, while racism isn't as prevalent in this part of the country, there is a huge problem with it up north. Almost reminds me of something. Well, the group suffering from racism in the game were the mixed-breeds, or as people call them there, "half-demons". Of course, they aren't related to demons at all, it's a stupid belief made up by morons who want to keep their bloodline "pure". Now, if I said that in the north, I would get hanged... so...

I just wish that people stopped judging each other on such trivial things such as this. Well, that will never happen, we're all human after all, or I guess I should say humanoid in my circumstance.

For that reason though, I'm definitely staying away from the North of this country for now. I don't want to deal with all that. There is a little bit of racism in this part of the country too, but it isn't nearly as prevalent. Aka, it's the better option.

"Hey Carrots, can you pass me my sword."

"Did you see something? I don't see any signs of monsters around here with [Tracking]."

"Something or someone is hiding their presence around here"

"How can you tell?"

"I just can now hand me my sword."

Well, I give him his sword and pull out my dagger. I don't know what's going on, but it's better to be armed.

"Who's there? You can come out!" Leo screams. Dude, keep quiet, please don't attract monsters.

"AUOGH!"

... that was not a human scream.

Suddenly, a creepy monkey jumps out of the tree. Its face is the weirdest example of uncanny valley, it looks human, but isn't quite there, creating a sense of horror that make Leo freeze. Its arms are lankey, and you can see its bones through its green skin and fur that has been torn up.

The thing seems like some sort of weird human-monkey hybrid that mutated! It is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen! 

"[Diserning Eye]"

Well... that's not good...

"Leo! That thing is zombified, we need to get out of here before we are hurt by it! One scratch is dangerous! Leo!"

Not good! He's frozen! I don't know what to do! I thought if anyone was gonna freeze it would be me! Come on think of something!

The zombie monkey jumps out at us and seems to go after Leo first. Does it have enough common sense to go after the most vulnerable one! I manage to intercept it just barely and redirect its hit,  but this is dangerous!

"[Quickstep]"

I pick up Leo and start running. I don't know if I can outrun this thing, but I need to get somewhere quickly!"

"[Tracking]"

Yes! Human footprints! That means that we are close to the city! If I can get there, the guards can protect him! 

The Monkey is right behind us still! I can't gain distance. It swipes, I dodge and run, then repeat. It goes for my legs to stop me, but I quickly use [Jumping] to get out of the way, and onto the trees. I jump from one branch to another to try to get the high ground and avoid the hits, but the thing just starts knocking the trees down! Aren't monkeys supposed to be in trees!

That thing is ridiculously strong! My [Diserning Eye] is not a high level so I can't see the Zombified Creeper-Monkey's level, but that thing is way over-leveled for this area! 

"Hello! Anyone! We need help! A zombie monkey thing is chasing after us! Anyone!"

Dang it! Is there no one around! I just need to keep following the footprints! Quickly! I can't even try to attack the thing because I'm carrying Leo!

Come on! I need to go faster!

At that moment, I feel something strange, my Aura starts flowing into my legs, saturating them and making them stronger. I start to go much faster. So this is what Aura feels like to use! Well, I'm going much faster now! I might be able to outrun that stupid monkey! Or not... It's still right behind us.

If I can replicate that feeling I felt in my legs, and strengthen it, cmon... focus! I cannot mess up or else I'm dead! Good! I'm speeding up!

"[Quickstep]"

Every time [Quickstep] is about to run out of energy, I need to recast it, and focus on keeping my Aura up at the same time! 

Finally! I can see the city! There are some soldiers standing guard around the walls!

"Help! There is a Zombified Creeper-Monkey chasing us!" Cmon, at least hear me this time!

"Did you hear someone?"

"Yeah! Look over there! There is someone running over here! What is that chasing her?" A soldier that looks like a rookie looks over to his senior.

"It's a Creeper-Monkey! But something seems off about it? Call reinforcements, I have a bad feeling about this." The senior soldier draws his sword.

"Mr. Guard! Please help! He's unconscious, but he's okay!"

"It's okay, hey rookie, bring this man with you!"

"Yes sir!"

Finally, I can do something! I draw my dagger and look back at the monkey. I heard that the only way to kill a zombified monster is to either destroy its core, or purify it. The problem is that I have no idea where its core is.

"Mr. Guard, do you know where its core would be?"

"If it's a Zombified Creeper-Monkey, it should be about 3cm above its right eye, but your not planning on killing that thing by yourself, are you?"

"I'll be fine, my micro-control is pretty good!"

"Huh? Wait!"

"[Quickstep]"

Unlike when I was running away before, I'll need to do damage to this thing, so I'll need to strengthen my arms and legs. Cmon, concentrate! Focus on what you felt earlier when you were running!

The monkey swipes at me and I block it with the dagger. I manage to redirect the blow, but my whole arm is numb! That thing is way too strong! 

I jump over its head and go for its neck, but the monkey just blocks me with ease. It attempts to attack me while I'm in the air and have nowhere to go, but I aim for the tendon on its hand so it can't use its hand and manage to prevent the monkey from hitting me. 

"[Backstab]"

Teleporting behind it, I aim for its neck because if I can cut off its head it will be easier for me to get above its right eye. However, my knife gets halfway through and gets stuck. The monkey takes this opportunity to try and attack me, its claws scratch my clothes and almost hit me in the arm, but I let go of my knife and jump away.

Great, my knife is stuck in its neck. The monkey starts attacking me like crazy, connecting one attack after the other. Not good, I'm fast enough with my enhanced speed, but my eyes can't keep up with all these attacks. I need to focus on the pattern in which it attacks me! Let my video game instincts kick in.

Okay, I think I know its patterns now. After it swipes at me, it will take a second to go in for the kick then I can jump back and counterattack.

As soon as it swipes at me, I jump back and throw a throwing knife right where its core should be, sensing the danger, the monkey tries to block the knife with its hand, but the knife punctures its hand and goes right through the skin into the core.

The downside of being a zombie, your rotting skin isn't that strong and is easily punctured. The monkey flops over and finally stops moving. I'm not hurt by the monkey, but all the scratches I got from running away from it, and the pure exhaustion from spamming skills and using Aura have left me dry.

I do manage to see one thing before I pass out, a message that says,

---

Who is that girl? Her speed is astounding, and it almost seems like her body is glowing purple. Is that Aura? I've never seen someone coat themself in Aura before, just who is she? Being able to fight a Creeper-Monkey, not just that but a zombified one on equal terms is an incredible feat, and she can do it. She doesn't look that old either, only around 17. She's incredible.