The forest floor was littered with broken twigs and faint paw prints. JP and Lyra moved cautiously, the smell of iron-blood clinging to the air where the last wolf had fallen.
JP bent low, running his fingers along the soil. The Appraisal shimmer appeared again:
Wolf Blood Residue – Fresh. Approx. 5 minutes old. Attracted to the scent of magic.
"More of them nearby," JP whispered, pointing toward the stream.
Lyra's ears twitched, though she remained hooded. "Sharp eyes."
If only she knew it's my cheat skill and not 'sharp eyes'… JP thought, stifling a grin.
Another rustle. This time, two wolves broke through the underbrush together. Lyra's bow twanged once, an arrow catching one in the throat, but the second barreled straight for JP.
"Not again!" JP cursed, fumbling with a small stone jar he'd prepared earlier. He smashed it at the wolf's paws—an improvised concoction of resin, oil, and spark-dust.
Fwoosh!
A crackling flare burst, startling the wolf backward. JP lunged, jabbing it with his sharpened stake. Lyra was there a moment later, finishing it with a clean strike.
Breathing hard, JP glanced at the remains. I didn't freeze this time.
Lyra studied him with a calm, measured gaze. "You adapt quickly."
JP gave a half-smile. "That's the only way I've ever survived."
They rested at the stream to clean up. JP, still buzzing from the fight, tapped open his Status Board.
[Status Board]Name: JPRace: Human (Otherworlder)Level: 4 → 5HP: 115/115MP: 75/75Skills:
Appraisal (Lv. 2)
Alchemy (Lv. 1)
Improvised Engineering (Lv. 1) – New
Perks Gained: Slight boost to Stamina recovery.
JP's heart hammered in excitement. Level 5… and a new skill.
His hands itched to test it. Grabbing a cracked jar, moss, and gravel, he quickly rigged a layered filter. Water dripped through, clear and cool.
Filtered Water – Safe for Drinking. Trace Minerals.
JP took a long drink, then burst out laughing. "It works! It actually works!"
Lyra tilted her head, amused. "Water? That's what excites you?"
"You don't understand," JP said between gulps. "Where I come from, water like this isn't always guaranteed. And now I can make it anywhere."
He grinned at her, boyish pride shining through soot and scratches. Lyra's lips twitched into the barest hint of a smile before she looked away.
He's strange… but resourceful, she thought, though she kept that to herself.
By sundown, they'd secured four pelts and enough meat to last days. JP tied the hides awkwardly, his electrician's hands clumsy with knots. Lyra wordlessly stepped in, fastening them tighter with hunter's precision.
He didn't say it aloud, but he was grateful.
For the first time since arriving in this world, JP felt not just like a survivor—but like an adventurer.