Mark stuck to the forest path, preferring stealth over potential roadside encounters:
As he walked, the trees grew denser, and shadows deepened –
Suddenly, twigs snapped behind him.
Mark drew back into the foliage, single eye scanning the darkness:
* A pack of giant spiders emerged
* Followed by two large goblins
Mark charged into battle, his arm swinging fiercely:
He defeated the monsters one by one, his combat skills honed.
After the fight, Mark carefully extracted:
* The spiders' cores from their bodies
* The goblins' hearts from their chests
He consumed these organs, hoping to trigger his "Carnivore's Insight" skill.
But as night fell, Mark felt no strange energy, no new abilities gained. And he also discovered that everytime he uses a skill to check the enemy status the target also able to locate him.
Disappointed again, Mark climbed atop a sturdy tree:
He settled into a crook of branches, wrapping his arm around the trunk:
The forest canopy swayed gently above him as Mark watched the starry sky unfold.
His single eye grew heavy with fatigue, yet his mind remained slightly alert:
Wondering if he had missed something about triggering his "Carnivore's Insight" skill.
Mark thought back to the creatures he had defeated and consumed:
* The slime (gained Mimicry Skill)
* The spiders and goblins (gained nothing)
He pondered the difference between these creatures...
As sleep slowly claimed him, Mark's last thought was:
"Is there a pattern to which creatures grant skills?"
Mark drifted off to sleep, hoping tomorrow would bring answers
Days blended together as he continued his journey to Elyria's King Castle:
* He walked through forests
* Crossed raging rivers
* Climbed treacherous mountains
His routine remained consistent:
* Hunt monsters
* Defeat them in battle
* Consume their hearts, brains, or cores
And slowly but surely, Mark's "Carnivore's Insight" skill yielded results:
His skill list grew:
* **Inferno Flames skill: Level 7**
* **Mimicry Skill: Level 4** (gained from the slime he defeated earlier)
+ Ability to mimic objects/creatures with increased detail and speed
* **Far Sight: Level 4** (gained from a pack of wolves)
+ Ability to see up to a certain distance in daylight, and at night
* **Sprint Dash: Level 5** (gained from a horned rabbit)
+ Ability to dash straight a certain distance with incredible speed
Mark's powers were increasing, making his journey less perilous.
Mark consulted his map, estimating he was only a few days away from Elyria's Castle.
folding the map back into his tattered cloak and continue into he's destination.
**Hours later**
As Mark travels through the dense woods, avoiding the main road.
He stops abruptly behind a thick cluster of bushes, hearing a faint scream.
His head peers out slightly from the foliage, gaze locking onto the chaos:
* A luxurious carriage overturned near the road edge
* A group of bandits attacking the carriage guards
* A young girl screaming and struggling against two bandits near the carriage door
The bandits' cruel laughter and the girl's terrified cries fill the air.
Mark remains hidden, observing the scene intensely from his concealment.
Mark continues to observe from behind the bushes, his mind racing:
He counts the bandits - 8 of them, all armed to the teeth.
He notes the 3 girls desperate struggles and the guards' lifeless bodies.
Mark's fist tightens, his wooden right arm twitching slightly.
The bandit leader, a burly man with a scar above his eyebrow, sneers at the girl:
"Enough struggling, little noble"
Then the bandit leader rips one noble girl's gown, exposing her skin, as she screams
* The other bandits move closer, cruel intentions clear in their eyes
The girls' desperate cries and pleas fill the air:
"NOOO! PLEASE!"
The maid bravely tries to shield the two noble girls, pleading with the bandits for mercy. Her voice cracks with desperation as she begs them to spare the innocent women. But her courage is met with brutality - the bandits overpower her, ripping off her simple dress, leaving her as vulnerable as the noble girls.
All three women are now terrified, their faces etched with fear and humiliation.
The bandits close in, their menacing shadows looming over the terrified girls.
The girls' desperate screams and pleas for mercy hang in the air, unanswered.
One of the bandits takes a menacing step forward, his intention clear in his cruel gaze.
Another bandit blocks the escape route, trapping the girls with no way out.
The girls cling to each other, frozen in terror, as the bandits' circle tightens.
Suddenly, the forest silence is about to be shattered...
The bandits' twisted bodies loom over the terrified girls, their faces inches away...
The girls' screams are muffled by the bandits' cruel hands as they pin them down.
Suddenly, a chained hand shoots out from the darkness behind the trees!
It wraps around one bandit's neck, pulling him backward into the woods with brutal force.
The remaining bandits freeze, stunned, as their companion disappears into the shadows.
Silence hangs like a death sentence... for 2 heart-stopping seconds.
Then, earth shatters:
A wooden spike, resembling a tree branch, erupts from the ground!
It pierces the chest of the bandit leader, pinning him to the earth like a macabre insect specimen.
Another spike bursts forth, claiming a second bandit, sending the others fleeing in panic.
The girls lie frozen, shocked, as their would-be attackers collapse around them...
The remaining bandits frantically scan their surroundings, desperate to locate their attacker...
But there's only darkness, trees, and terror.
One bandit tries to flee – vines burst from the earth, wrapping around his ankles!
He crashes to the ground, screaming as he's pulled into the shadows.
Another bandit spins around – more vines erupt from the ground behind him!
They snare his arms and torso, holding him in place as a wooden spike rises from the earth...
It impales his chest, silencing his cries.
The last bandit staggers backward – vines grab his legs and waist!
He's dragged screaming into the darkness beneath the trees.
An eerie silence falls over the carnage-filled clearing...
The only sounds are:
* Girls' ragged breathing
* Vines slowly releasing lifeless bandit bodies to the ground
Nothing moves for a long moment, except the girls' fearful glances darting around the clearing.
Then, slowly, they rise to their feet, trembling and clinging to each other.
As they stand, a faint rustling echoes through the woods...
The girls' eyes widen as a dark shadowy figure is glimpsed disappearing into the trees.
They turn towards their overturned carriage and gasp in surprise:
* The carriage is now upright, wheels intact.
* Even the damaged wood is somehow repaired.
On the ground near them, scratched into the dirt with a wooden branch:
"RETURN HOME. YOU ARE SAFE NOW."
The girls stare at the message, then back at the woods where the figure vanished.
They exchange nervous glances, seeming to wonder:
* Who saved them?
* Why remain anonymous?
Suddenly, fear gives way to urgency – they grasp each other's hands and start towards the carriage...
The girls stand near their repaired carriage, still shaken but alive.
One noble girl's dress is ripped almost entirely off, her sister and maid trying to comfort her.
With a deep breath, she turns back towards the forest, her eyes locking onto the trees.
"THANK YOU..." she calls out softly, her voice barely audible yet full of emotion.
Her sister and maid exchange gentle glances, understanding implied – they know who she's thanking.
No words are spoken among them, only silent acknowledgement of the mysterious rescuer.
With quiet nods, they help the shaken girls onboard the carriage.
The doors close softly, blankets wrapping around their trembling bodies.
The carriage begins its gentle roll towards home, wheels creaking on the quiet road.
Inside, the girls sit together, hands clasped – grateful to be alive, thoughts with their secret hero...