Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero

Chapter 9: A Hunter's Beginning

The moment the slimes merged, a system notification popped up beside the newly formed level 20 slime: Slime activated skill: Bash. Tyler's eyes widened. He remembered Grone's explanation of the Uncover skill – the ability to see enemy skills before activation. This could be a significant advantage. He rolled to his left as the level 20 slime launched itself forward, a blur of blue. The attack missed, the slime impacting the tree behind Tyler with a sickening thud. The force of the blow caused the tree to tremble violently, its branches swaying wildly as if on the verge of snapping, but it held firm. Tyler stared, momentarily stunned by the sheer power of the attack. He realized, with a jolt of understanding, just how impressive the Uncover skill truly was. He remained rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the level 20 slime, his mind racing to process the implications.

Three identical system notifications flashed simultaneously: Slime used skill: Bash. Tyler realized with a jolt that the level 8, level 16, and level 20 slimes had all activated the skill at once. He had nowhere to dodge. He stood for a moment, paralyzed by the converging threat, before crouching low, shielding his head. The three slimes launched themselves at him, but in a bizarre twist of fate, they collided mid-air. A small, almost comical thwump echoed as the slimes bumped into each other, recoiling in apparent pain and falling to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Tyler sprang to his feet, rushing towards the stunned level 8 slime and striking it with all his might.

He swung his sword, connecting with the level 8 slime. The purplish Venom Bloom juice splattered across the slime's surface. Then, something bizarre happened. The slime began to bubble ominously from within, its surface distorting and rippling. A small, almost comical KYUU sound escaped it before it exploded in a shower of blue goo. Grone, momentarily distracted, watched in surprise as the blue slime splashed across the ground. He quickly turned his attention back to the battle, only to find the level 27 slime charging at him once more.

Grone continued his relentless assault, his sword ringing against the resilient slime. " This thing must be so tough because it's absorbed a ton of other slimes, he thought, the rhythm of his swings a counterpoint to the pounding in his chest. "Absorbing slimes increases their durability… This slime must have started tiny to have this much durability after absorbing so many others." He grunted with exertion, each swing a testament to his determination. Then, he channeled his energy, activating the skill: Slash. The enhanced blow landed with a resounding thwamb, but the slime merely bounced back, its form rippling but unbroken.

Tyler's hand delved into his pocket, his fingers carefully extracting a familiar object. He knew the Venom Bloom juice coating it would cause an irritating itch if he wasn't careful. With deliberate slowness, he slipped the glove onto his hand, his movements precise and controlled. He retrieved his sword, the cold metal a comfort against his palm, and pointed it at the level 16 slime, a silent promise of retribution. The level 20 slime, a monstrous wave of blue, launched itself at him. This time, there was no telltale system notification; no skill activation. Tyler knew, instinctively, that this was his chance. He braced himself, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the oncoming mass. The impact slammed into his chest, a crushing force that sent him sprawling to the ground. He held on, his grip tenacious, as the slime landed atop him. Then, a strange thing happened. The slime began to bubble, its surface rippling like disturbed water, a low, guttural gurgle emanating from its depths. As the slime exploded in a shower of blue goo, a glowing blue slime core remained on his chest where the slime had been. Only then did the reason for his careful glove application become clear: the glove was coated with Venom Bloom juice. The core, still glowing faintly, was instantly added to his inventory.

A sudden thought struck Tyler: his inventory was nearly full, wasn't it? He quickly dismissed the concern; Grone needed help, and there was no time for inventory management. He pushed himself to his feet, bracing for the next attack. The system notification flashed: Slime used skill: Bash. This time, it was the level 16 slime, a smaller but still formidable opponent, launching itself at him with surprising speed. The air vibrated with the force of its approach. Instead of dodging, Tyler channeled his adrenaline, swinging his rusty sword with all his might. It connected with the slime's gelatinous body, a sickening thwamb echoing through the forest. But this time, the impact was different. The force of the blow, amplified by the desperate swing, was too much for the already weakened blade. It shattered, the rusty metal disintegrating into a shower of sparks and fragments, leaving only the broken hilt in Tyler's hand. The level 16 slime, momentarily stunned, began to bubble and convulse violently, its form writhing as if in agony. A strange sound, a high-pitched KYUU, escaped its quivering mass—a sound almost comical in its contrast to the slime's violent struggle.

The level 16 slime, convulsing violently after the KYUU sound, suddenly exploded into a shower of blue goo, spreading across the forest floor. Tyler scrambled to his feet, momentarily blinded by the splattering slime. Then he saw it—something astonishing. Grone stepped forward, his sword held straight, and with a precise, controlled movement, he touched the level 27 slime with the tip of his blade. The strike did not have that much in it; it was almost as if it was a mere poke. Yet, the effect was immediate and dramatic. The slime's surface rippled violently, as if reacting to an unseen force, its form distorting and bubbling in a manner eerily similar to the effect of the Venom Bloom juice. Then, with a final, shuddering burst, the slime exploded. As the blue goo rained down, a notification popped up above Grone's head: Level Up: James Grone - Level 49.

A notification shimmered into existence before Tyler's eyes: Level Up:Level 4.

All his stats increased by 2 points.

```

SPECIES: Human

NAME: Tyler Evans

RANK: G LVL: 4

CLASS: Craftsman

HP: 37/37 MP: 33/33

STR: 17 AGI: 15 DEF: 39

STATUS: Healthy

Skills: Armour Craft, Weapon Craft

```

He was surprised; it had been a while since his last level-up. Then, another notification, less welcome this time: Due to not having the Goddess's blessing, your XP will be cut by 25%. Tyler let out an annoyed sigh. This was the third or fourth time he'd seen this message. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, already heading towards Grone. As he walked, another notification appeared, this one far more pleasant: Achievement Unlocked: A Hunter's Beginning: You have slain up to 10 monsters! Strength +5.

```

SPECIES: Human

NAME: Tyler Evans

RANK: G LVL: 4

CLASS: Craftsman

HP: 37/37 MP: 33/33

STR: 22 AGI: 15 DEF: 39

STATUS: Healthy

Skills: Armour Craft, Weapon Craft

```

A flicker of a smile touched Tyler's lips at the achievement notification, quickly masked by the grim reality of the situation. He couldn't afford to celebrate; Grone needed his help. He reached Grone, who looked exhausted, his breathing ragged. "That was one tough slime," Grone said, wiping sweat from his brow. "It must have absorbed a lot of others to have that much durability."

Tyler nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Slimes can actually absorb each other?"

Grone nodded. "Only larger slimes can absorb smaller ones. A level 6 can absorb a level 4, and so on. It's how they get so powerful."

Grone turned to Tyler, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright? You looked pretty beat up back there, battling those slimes." He paused, his gaze lingering on Tyler. The wounds that had marred Tyler's body during the earlier fight had vanished. Tyler looked remarkably unscathed. *This kid… he really might be a mage-type hunter,* Grone thought, a wave of surprise washing over him.

Tyler simply nodded, his expression serious. "I'm fine," he said, his voice low and steady. "Actually, I leveled up. I'm level four now."

Grone's expression hardened. He shook his head, annoyance evident in his tone. "Level four? You can't be level four."

"I am—" Tyler began, but Grone cut him off, his annoyance growing. "Listen, kid. Babies are G-Rank. You should be past level 10 by now. Level four? That's practically a minor's level! You level up as you grow up, needless of training. But once you hit eighteen, the automatic leveling stops. Looking at how you handled those slimes—the way you moved, the way you fought—I'd expect you to be at least level 15 or 19, not four! It's impossible." Tyler stared at Grone, utterly bewildered.

Wait, every single person has a level?" Tyler asked, his voice barely a whisper, a tremor of disbelief shaking his words. The revelation hung heavy in the air between them, a cold weight settling on his chest. He had hoped, foolishly perhaps, to meet someone… *normal*. Someone untouched by this system of levels and skills, someone who could tell him to snap out of it, assure him that the grotesque things he'd seen weren't real, that this strange, unsettling world wasn't actually the way things were. The thought deflated him, leaving him feeling small and vulnerable. Grone sighed, the sound like the rustling of dry leaves, and sheathed his sword, the click of the scabbard a sharp sound in the sudden silence. "I forgot you got brain problems," Grone muttered, his voice rough as granite. The words hung between them, sharp and unkind. Tyler remained silent, lost in a swirling vortex of confusion and despair. "We have to move," Grone said, his voice low, the words carrying a sense of finality. Tyler followed, his steps hesitant at first, then quickening as he matched Grone's pace.

Tyler watched as Grone disappeared into a dense thicket of bushes, a tangled mass of green and brown that seemed to swallow him whole. The leaves, thick and interwoven, muffled the sound of his passage. Hesitantly, Tyler followed, pushing aside branches that scratched at his skin. The air grew cooler, damper, as he squeezed through the dense foliage. Then, abruptly, he emerged into a small clearing. The world opened up before him—a vast expanse of rolling grassland stretching to the horizon, bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. A gentle breeze stirred the tall grasses, carrying with it the scent of earth and wildflowers. Relief washed over him, a wave of calm in the midst of the turmoil he'd been experiencing. For a moment, the only sounds were the whisper of the wind and the beating of his own heart. Then, as if summoned by Grone's words, "We're here," Grone announced, the inn materialized before them—a quaint building of weathered wood and stone, seemingly rising from the very earth itself. It appeared as suddenly and unexpectedly as a mirage in the desert. As they approached, Tyler saw that thick, gnarled logs, ancient and impossibly large, encircled the inn. They were arranged in a rough circle, their surfaces worn smooth by time and weather.