All the while, notifications kept coming from Esther’s side as she went through the loot of another wave.
Esther has collected [Ischyromys Meat].
+10XP in [Butchering].
Esther has collected [Ischyromys Meat].
+10XP in [Butchering].
Congratulations! You’ve reached level 6 in [Butchering]!
[Skinning] has been upgraded.
Skinning (Common)
Skill level: 2
Skill description: You can collect the bounty of carcasses that are most easily accessible.
Skill effects:
-
When harvesting a carcass, there’s a chance of gaining feathers and scales.
-
There’s a small chance of gaining pelts.
Synergy detected between [Butchering] and [Bushcraft].
You’ve learned a new skill: [Pelt Mantle].
Pelt Mantle (Uncommon)
Skill level: 1
Skill description: Draping a pelt over your shoulders not only showcases your triumphs but also grants you the strength of the creatures you've hunted.
Skill effects: Equipping a pelt as a cape provides minor bonuses.
The most basic [Butchering] skill, the very first he’d learned when plucking chicken at Jerry’s farm, had been upgraded, and now there was a small chance of gaining pelts. It was good timing. Now that furry beasts had started joining the waves, this would be a new source of income.
Moreover, he loved the new synergistic skill! The only item he could wear until now was [Moss Cape]. Being able to just grab a pelt and use it without any work was the perfect, lazy solution to increase stats without wasting a lot of time. As the waves grew stronger, he could immediately gain new items.
Next time that the guys all get items, at least I’ll have a consolation prize.
The only thing that bugged him was that the Slayer wore a pelt as his only piece of equipment. He wondered if there was some sort of berserker skill that gave players this ability, too, or if berserkers gained a bonus from going into battle with nothing but a pelt over their shoulders and their underwear, like the Slayer.
Jack grunted as another hard jolt sent him spinning slightly in the net, his shoulder slamming against a rock hidden beneath the snow. What he wouldn’t give to have a pelt already. It would protect him much more from the stones and the cold than his moss cape.
“Would it kill you to be a little more careful?” he complained, though the One-Eyes didn’t seem to care. Their strange, feline gazes swept the horizon, their single eyes swiveling as if they could pierce through the mist of blowing snow.
The farther they carried him from the ambush site, the more relaxed they seemed, though their vigilance never completely faded. Their erratic movements softened into a steady pace, their shoulders rising and falling as they chittered softly to one another. Occasionally, one would stop to scan their surroundings, its head tilting at an unnatural angle, and then motion for the group to continue.
Jack watched them through half-lidded eyes, trying to make sense of their behavior. Whatever they were looking for, they seemed nervous about being caught.
He bit into the coarse fibers of the net in frustration, but his teeth barely made a dent. Without his inventory, he had no knife, no rope-cutting tool—nothing but his wits and the hope that Amari would get to him in time. The thought of the ninja scaling the mountain at breakneck speed offered some small comfort. Still, Jack couldn’t shake the unease curling in his gut. The One-Eyes weren’t stopping, and the chittering between them was growing louder.
A dark, large shape loomed ahead as the One-Eyes trudged through the snow. Jack squinted, trying to make it out through the misty haze. It was a rock wall—massive, jagged, and imposing. One of the mountain’s final attempts to challenge the sky, Jack thought grimly. Whatever lay beyond that wall was hidden by swirling clouds and flurries of snow, though Jack couldn’t imagine the mountain growing much taller than this.
The One-Eyes marched directly toward a narrow crack in the wall, the jagged aperture barely wide enough for Jack to squeeze through. The creatures lined up single file, chittering softly as they disappeared one by one into the fissure.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Jack craned his neck, straining to see beyond them. His heart sank as the end of the crack came into view, seemingly blocked. He frowned, narrowing his eyes. It wasn’t rock blocking the passage—it was something else. Something soft. Hide?
The One-Eyes pushed through the material with ease, vanishing into whatever lay beyond. When Jack’s turn came, the net pressed against the hide, and the material stretched around him like taut fabric before snapping back into place. The texture was coarse and leathery, and the faint scent of musk clung to it. On the other side, the air felt thicker, warmer, and tinged with an earthy smell that made Jack’s nose crinkle.
His first thought as he emerged was how stifling it was compared to the crisp, biting cold outside. This place smelled like a crowded bus with broken AC in the summer. His second thought, as his eyes adjusted to the dim, filtered light, was disbelief.
It’s a village!
The One-Eye’s settlement was cramped and vertical, every inch of the jagged walls covered in ladders, ropes, and small, spherical structures that looked like hide-wrapped pods. The entire space was enveloped by an enormous membrane, creating a massive, tent-like roof.
The village buzzed with activity. One-Eyes peeked out from their hanging pods, their single eyes glinting as they observed Jack with a mixture of curiosity and caution. Others scurried along the lattice of ropes, their movements precise and practiced, like spiders in a web. They were surprisingly agile climbers even though they only had one hand.
Jack grunted as the net holding him was dragged unceremoniously through the hard ground. Pain shot through his side where the ropes pressed against his ribs.
Finally, they stopped.
The One-Eyes quickly climbed up the nearest ropes, forming a loose circle above him. Their single eyes all turned upward, and Jack followed their gaze.
Descending slowly from the heights of the village was a One-Eye unlike any Jack had seen. While the others had yellow fur with green polka dots, this one had green fur with yellow spots. Its movements were deliberate, its posture exuding an air of authority. Jack couldn’t tell if it was a leader or something else entirely, but the deference from the others was unmistakable.
The green-furred One-Eye reached the ground and approached Jack. Its massive eye studied him with unnerving focus, scanning him from head to toe. Jack felt like a bug under a magnifying glass.
The creature began chittering urgently, its voice sharp and rhythmic, like the rapid clicking of stones. The other One-Eyes above responded in a chorus, their tones rising and falling as though engaged in some kind of debate.
“What does that mean?” Jack asked, his voice cracking slightly.
One of the yellow-furred One-Eyes dropped down from the ropes, holding a sharp knife. Its single eye was fixed intently on Jack, unblinking.
“Wait! I won’t tell anyone you guys live here. I swear!” Jack’s voice rose in desperation. “Please don’t eat me. I taste terrible!”
The One-Eye ignored his pleas, stepping closer with the knife gleaming in the dim light. Jack’s heart pounded as he squeezed his eyes shut.
At least I’ll resurrect because of that [Lazarus Herb] Horace picked up, he thought bitterly. And then this nightmare can finally be over.
A harsh scraping sound pierced the tense air, and Jack flinched. When nothing happened, he cracked one eye open cautiously.
The One-Eye was cutting the net, not him.
Jack blinked in confusion as the ropes fell away, freeing him from the confines of the net. He stared at the creature, who stared back, its knife now lowered.
“What… you’re letting me go?” Jack asked hesitantly.
The One-Eye didn’t respond, climbing up the ladder again.
Jack stood up straight, brushing snow off his clothes as he did. Now that he was upright, the One-Eyes seemed smaller and less imposing, barely a third of his size. Their bright, unblinking eyes still unnerved him, though. The ones who had carried him remained on guard, their heads swiveling slightly to track his every move.
The green-furred village elder chirped a few sharp notes and turned its back to Jack, walking away with deliberate steps. Jack hesitated, unsure of what was expected of him. He glanced around, noting the way the other One-Eyes kept their distance, crouched on ropes or clinging to ladders like wary spectators.
When he failed to follow, one of the yellow-furred One-Eyes on the ropes above him kicked him in the head with its small, surprisingly tough foot.
“Ouch!” Jack yelped, rubbing his temple. “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”
The One-Eye chittered something that sounded like a mix of impatience and amusement before retreating.
Jack sighed and followed after the elder, ducking under a low-hanging rope as they wove through the cramped village. The narrow walkways and clustered pods gave way to a wider space, the crack in the rock gradually opening up into a chamber.
In a village so cramped, the chamber was prime real estate. It felt expansive in comparison, with its high ceilings and rough-hewn walls. A fire burned in the center of the room, its flickering light lighting the many drawings on the stone. The warmth was a welcome change from the frigid air outside, and Jack stepped closer to the flames, feeling his fingers tingle as the cold left them.
The walls of the chamber were covered in drawings etched into the rock with surprising precision. Despite the stone-age setting of the village, the illustrations had a hieroglyphic quality, reminiscent of the carvings Jack had seen in the pyramid.
The village elder gestured with one stubby hand toward the wall, chittering softly as it pointed to a sequence of images. Jack stepped closer, studying the story they told.
The first image showed a group of One-Eyes herding goats, the creatures’ distinctive horns and shaggy coats rendered in careful detail. In the background, smaller One-Eyes—children, Jack realized—played in the snow, their tiny bodies huddled together.
The next panel was darker. A massive bear loomed over the One-Eyes, its body disproportionately large and menacing. Its jaws were open, teeth bared as it charged the group. Dead One-Eyes lay scattered in the snow, their bodies tiny and defenseless against the beast.
Jack’s breath hitched as he stared at the bear. He recognized it immediately—the short-faced bear he’d driven out of its lair. Was this what the bear had been eating? The One-Eyes and their goats? Had he unknowingly saved them?
His thoughts raced as he moved to the next image, which depicted a battle. The One-Eyes were grouped together, wielding crude spears and rocks as they faced off against several bears. The struggle was chaotic, with more bodies strewn across the snow, but the One-Eyes stood their ground.
The final panel showed the One-Eyes retreating into the crack in the rock, the bears snarling outside but unable to follow. Inside, the One-Eyes appeared to regroup, their figures gathered closely as they built their strange, towering village.
Jack frowned, his eyes lingering on the final image. These creatures had been forced to retreat to this cramped, hidden space to escape the bears.
He glanced at the elder, whose large eye remained fixed on him. The One-Eye didn’t move, its gaze unblinking and unreadable. Was this some kind of test? A warning? Or a plea for help?
The drawings show more than one bear. Could there be more of them out here in the snow? Was that why they built that trap? Does he want my help in hunting the other ones?
As he finished studying the sequence, a soft chime interrupted his thoughts.
You’ve learned a new pottery recipe: [The One-Eyes and the Bears].