After we left the caravaraveled for half an hour and found a nice secluded clearing. I set up camp, and we went to sleep.

  In the m, after breakfast, I opehe Archive to figure out this awakening business.

  THE ARCHIVE WAS A MESS!

  When I first learned about it, everything was new aing, so I read everything. If something was irrelevant, I skipped it. Now, searg for specififo was a nightmare.

  There was no table of tents, no index, no search fun, and definitely no help fun.

  The first page of the Archive had two options:

  World Informatieneral Information

  When you clicked World Information, you got all the entries, oer the other, with the on top. This erfect for World Information—who wants to read an at about a pce from 100 years ago?

  The General Informatioion was the same—entry after entry, with the on top. The only sembnce anization was a small green circle oop left, and when you zoomed in on it, you saw "Tips & Tricks." During my initial reading of the Archive, I noticed it by ce. When you scrolled down the main page, the circle moved up and disappeared from view. The situation was the same iips & Tricks" se—entry after entry, with the on top except one.

  The entries were a jumbled mess. They covered every subjeder the sun with no rhyme or reason. I also cluded that Travelers get bored sometimes, and when that happens, they spend time in the Archive.

  Some straries tained a string of two to seven words with as betweehat made no sense—and thehat seemed like personal messages. Example: "Fe, Cat-lover, Whistling, Excavation". And the message: Got you the helfermiton you wanted.

  ?!?!

  There were general thoughts on life aence, griping about people or events; some Travelers used the Archive as a social media feed and posted ents on other Travelers' posts—just a mess.

  I tried to create folders to distribute the tent acc to relevance so I could find it iure and got a message:

  You do not possess the required css, skills, knowledge, or mana levels to affect the Archive.

  I suspect the person who posted the tip about ability points created the "Tips & Tricks" sub-se. That specific tip remained on top after I saw it, even after three more entries were added.

  The rest was just an information dump:

  Oraveler posted a well-thought-out list of reeems to take with you. More Travelers added their suggestions. Other Travelers argued about the need for this or that item and had suggestions for different items. And one bored Traveler posted a long ent—two pages long!—about why it's best to go traveling "like a baby just born, without the burdens of the material world."Some Traveler posted to always stock up on water before entering a desert; five Travelers ented on his entry with "no shit, Sherlock" in various alien variations. Araveler ehat it's better to buy the [deer] spell and deer from the humidity in the air. Two Travelers called him stupid and said there was no humidity in the desert to dense.Someone else wrote to wear good shoes on low mana worlds. Many Travelers ughed at him foing barefoot in high mana worlds. He got upset and answered all of them, with a lot of cursing, that what he meant was that low-mana worlds don't have teleportation, so you have to walk a lot. All the previous ones wrote that he should have said so, and ohreateo wash his mouth with "Parsiumik" to up his nguage.Somebody posted that he got the Willpower Trait and postuted that there are other unknown Traits. A lot of Travelers asked him how, but he never answered. Someone else wrote that he got the Luck Trait after getting the [Treasure Hunter] sub-css—over 50 Travelers called him a liar—they have the css, but not the Trait. Somebody else ehat he got the Luck Trait after getting the [Path Finder] sub-css—another 37 called him a liar for the same reason. I added my two ts and wrote that I got it with the Mert Profession; one day, if I'm bored, I'll cheany called me a liar.Oable Traveler wrote that the world Ziondra has "N Biometrionites" with five excmation marks. He got a lot of grief, and one ent was hirious; it took me five mio decipher it: "Thou art a total chop-logic m'ron. If 't be true any of us kh what "n biometrionites" w're, haply we wouldst has't bee'd with thee, but sihee didn't both'r to crifyeth, thee simply stuff'd the archive with m're hilding garbage" (You're a total dunce moron. If any of us knew what "N Biometrionites" are, maybe we would have beeed with you, but since you didn't bother to crify, you stuffed the archive with more useless garbage.)I learned quite a few iing things between the lines—optional spells, teleportation, buying and selling on various worlds, etc., but it's not what I was looking for.

  Finally, after two days, I found something. It was an artiamed "My Thoughts on the Differeween Awakened Beasts and Monsters." It was a LOOOONG article by a pretentious, long-winded, and pompous writer who was in love with himself. I'm sure that he opened a thesaurus for every word, looked at the options, and chose the lo word. He also wrote in long, involved sentehat, after 3-5 lines, veyed some small piece of information or a thought fragment. The whole thing was five Archive pages long! But si was the first thing I found about awakened animals, I slowly slogged through it and deciphered it. Bottom line, he had four clusions:

  Awakened beasts and monsters are more intelligent and strohan unawakened ones.Awakened monsters are bad because they retain their aggression toward everybody and everything.Awakened beasts are usually not much better because they remember past slights from before awakening and sometimes ayback.Awakened beasts who were friendly before awakening are usually good awakened beasts.That's it. That was the total tent of the five-page article.

  Spoiler

  <<<<>>My Thoughts on the Differeween Awakened Beasts and MonstersIn the byrinthine plexities that stitute the enigmatic phenomena of awakened fauna, a diy emerges, ating a meticulous disquisition to elucidate the profound distins betweeegories colloquially designated as 'awakened beasts' and 'awakened monsters.' One must, however, preface this exegesis with an aowledgment of the i intricacies that apany the explication of such are subject matter. As a purveyor of perspicacious insights, I am pelled to proffer a prehensive analysis, albeit through a prolix and sesquipedalian narrative that, I surmise, will serve as a testament to the profundity of my erudition.

  To enust delihe quintessence of awakening, an appeltion that otes the transmutation of a previously mundane creature into a se entity, imbued with enhanced itive faculties and augmented corporeal prowess. This metamorphosis, ostensibly spontaneous, is oftentimes precipitated by prolonged exposure to mana-riviros or the iion of mana-infused sustehe resultaies, herein referred to as 'awakened,' exhibit a panoply of attributes that rehem categorically distinct from their unawakened terparts.

  Ergo, we arrive at the paramount bifurcation within this cssification: the diy of 'beast' versus 'monster.' It is imperative that this bifurcation is not merely semantic but is underpinned by substaological differences. Awakened beasts, herein defined as creatures that, prior to their awakening, exhibited non-hostile, docile, or symbiotideowards human and non-humaies alike, undergo an amplification of their iraits post-awakening. sequently, these creatures, now endowed with sapiend formidable strength, retain their erstwhile propensities, albeit with an enhanced capacity for introspe and, occasionally, magnanimity.

  versely, the appeltion 'awakened monsters' is ascribed to those entities whose pre-awakening dispositions were characterized by aggression, hostility, and a proclivity for wantoru. The advent of awakening in such creatures does not ameliorate their malevolent tendencies; rather, it exacerbates them. The augmentation of their intellectual and physical capabilities only serves to rehem more efficacious in their endeavors to wreak havod sow discord. Thus, an awakened monster, far from being a misnomer, is a creature whose essence is intrinsically malevolent and whose awakening augments its capacity for devastation.

  It is, therefore, incumbent upon the dising schor to apprehend that the process of awakening engenders a spectrum of behavioral outes ti upon the pre-existing nature of the creature iion. Awakened beasts, while not devoid of potential for retribution against perceived injustices endured prior to their awakening, are predominantly ined towards behaviors that are gruent with their pre-awakening dispositions. This ination is particurly salient in those beasts that maintained amicable retions with other entities before their transformation. Such creatures, upon awakening, are predisposed to exhibit loyalty, protectiveness, and even altruism towards their erstwhile panions.

  The corolry of this phenomenon is that awakened monsters, by virtue of their i aggression, are invariably inimical in their iions post-awakening. The retention of their antagonistidencies, coupled with their newfound intelligence, rehem pernicious adversaries, ating vigind preemptive a by those who enter them. It is a mentable truth that the magnification of their aggressive propensities through the awakening process underscores the i peril they pose to all life forms with which they e into tact.

  In summation, the distin between awakened beasts and awakened monsters is predicated upon the amplification of pre-existing behavioral traits. One must, however, delve deeper into the nuances of this differentiation to fully appreciate the implications of awakening on various species.

  The genesis of awakening is a subject of siderable debate among schors. Some postute that it is a natural evolution driven by prolonged exposure to mana, while others theorize that it is an artificial strustigated by are rituals or alchemical processes. Regardless of its in, the phenomenon of awakening engenders a transformative effe the physiology and psychology of the affected creature.

  From a physiological standpoint, awakened creatures exhibit a marked increase in physical capabilities. This enha is not merely superficial but extends to the cellur and molecur levels, resulting in increased strength, agility, and endurahe integumentary system of awakened beasts, for instance, often bees more resilient, providing enhanced prote against physical and magical assaults. Simirly, their sensory ans beore acute, enabling them to perceive their surroundings with greater crity and precision.

  The psychological impact of awakening is equally profound. Awakened creatures exhibit heightened itive faculties, including advanced problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and, in some cases, the capacity for abstract thought. This itive enha is particurly evident in awakened beasts, who often develop plex social structures and exhibit behaviors indicative of higher intelligence, such as tool use and cooperative hunting.

  Awakened monsters, oher hand, exhibit a different psychological profile. While their itive abilities are simirly enhaheir aggressive tendencies are often exacerbated, resulting in a more strategid calcuted approach to their predatory behaviors. This increased intelligence, coupled with their i hostility, rehem formidable adversaries capable of orchestrating eborate schemes to ensheir prey.

  In terms of social dynamics, awakened beasts often form intricate social hierarchies, with individuals assuming specific roles within the group based on their abilities and attributes. These social structures are characterized by cooperation and mutual support, with members of the group w together to achieve on goals. This cooperative behavior is particurly pronounced in species that exhibit strong familial bonds, such as wolves and elephants.

  Awakened monsters, in trast, are typically solitary creatures, driven by a relentless pursuit of power and dominance. While some may form temporary alliao achieve specific objectives, these alliances are often fraught with tension and are proo dissolution ohe mutual objective has been achieved. The ily antagonistiature of awakened monsters precludes the formation of stable social structures, resulting in a more chaotid uable social dynamic.

  The implications of awakeniend beyond the individual to enpass broader ecological and societal impacts. The presence of awakened beasts within an ecosystem have a stabilizing effect, as their enhanced itive abilities ehem to fulfill ecological roles with greater efficy. For instance, awakened predators may exhibit more strategiting behaviors, thereby maintaining the bance of prey poputions and tributing to the overall health of the ecosystem.

  versely, the presence of awakened monsters have a destabilizing effect, as their aggressive behaviors and enhanced capabilities ofte in widespread destru and disruption. The predatory behaviors of awakened monsters lead to the decimation of prey poputions, resulting in ecological imbances and, ireme cases, the colpse of entire ecosystems. Moreover, the threat posed by awakened moo human and non-human unities ates the allocation of signifit resources towards their tai and eradication.

  From a societal perspective, the phenomenon of awakening has far-reag implications. The presence of awakened beasts within human unities engender a symbiotic retionship, with the enhanced abilities of the beasts being harnessed for various purposes, such as agriculture, transportation, and defehe itive enhas of awakened beasts also facilitate unication and cooperation with humans, f a mutually beneficial retionship.

  Awakened monsters, however, pose a signifit threat to societal stability. Their enhanced intelligend aggressive tendencies rehem formidable adversaries capable of inflig siderable harm on human uhe tai and eradication of awakened monsters ate the development of specialized strategies and the allocation of signifit resources, imposing a siderable burden on societal infrastructure.

  In clusion, the distin between awakened beasts and awakened monsters is a multifaceted and plex phenomenon that enpasses a range of physiological, psychological, ecological, and societal dimensions. The process of awakening engenders a transformative effe the affected creatures, resulting in a marked enha of their physical and itive capabilities. However, the impact of this transformation is ti upon the pre-existing nature of the creature, with awakened beasts exhibiting predominantly positive traits and awakened monsters exhibiting predominantly ive traits.

  The phenomenon of awakening underscores the intricate interpy between mana and the natural world, highlighting the profound impact of are forces on the fabric of existence. As schors tio explore the intricacies of awakening, it is imperative to develop a nuanced uanding of the distins between awakened beasts and awakened monsters, as well as the broader implications of this phenomenon for the natural world and human society.

  [colpse]At least I learned some things in the Archive and kretch would be more intelligent and stronger. I didn't think he would turn on me as revenge for "past slights." Looking back, I cluded he was always smart, but his reas became more on point after he started eating mana-rich meat.

  In order to uand the mage's excitement, I cooked myself some bison hamburgers. After each hamburger, my mana jumped by 120 points. Hmm, maybe I could uand the excitement.

  I experimented: Stretch was less enthusiastic about the goat meat, probably because of the low mana levels. So I summohe cooler with the goat meat, opehe lid as little as possible, ied my hand, and began slowly eling mana into it with no iion of doing anything with it. I simply eled into it. After a while, there , and I had minced goat meat.

  I k!

  I wasn't really "looting"; I was "exploding." That's why the pelt kept flying away, and I got minced meat or ks. The only thing that kept the ks from being minced meat was my iion. I o create airely different loot spell, and I had an idea.

  When I was healing the people in the caravan, the first thing I did was diaghem. Why did I never "diaghe animal during the looting attempt? I should be able to see what happens and adjust accly.

  But before trying the new version of looting, I still o go to a town and talk with a butcher and a tanner or hunter. I needed knowledge about the process to do it right.

  My attempt will be epic!