Memory

Kuma woke to the sound of wind rustling through the trees outside his shelter. The morning light filtered through the cracks in the wooden walls, casting long shadows across the room. He sat up, stretching his sore muscles, and took a deep breath. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, a reminder of the forest that surrounded him.

He reached for his makeshift water pouch and took a sip, the cool liquid soothing his dry throat. As he ate a handful of berries, his mind wandered to the challenges he'd faced so far. The bear hunt, the Shining Bees, the Thornback Boar—each encounter had pushed him to his limits. But he was still alive, and that counted for something.

Kuma pulled up his mission status, the glowing menu appearing before his eyes:

~ Mission Status:

Find a Water Source - ✔ Complete

Make a Shelter - ✔ Complete

Secure Food - ✔ Complete

Hunt an Animal - ✔ Complete

Find the Village - Ongoing ~

He sighed. "Still a long way to go," he muttered to himself. His eyes lingered on the Find the Village objective. He hadn't made much progress there, but then he remembered the small black bear he'd seen near the Shining Bee hive. It had been weakened, likely from its failed attempt to steal honey. Maybe it was still nearby.

"If I can track it down, it might lead me to the village," Kuma thought. He grabbed his spear and Flintstone knife, strapping them to his belt. Before leaving, he glanced at the bear pelt armor hanging on the wall. It had saved him more than once, and he felt a pang of gratitude for the beast he'd slain.

As he stepped outside, the forest greeted him with its usual symphony of sounds—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the distant murmur of the stream. The air was crisp, and the sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Kuma took a deep breath, savoring the moment of calm before heading toward the Shining Bee hive.

Journey to the Cave 

The trail to the hive was familiar now, but Kuma moved cautiously, his senses on high alert. The forest was beautiful but unpredictable, and he'd learned the hard way that danger could strike at any moment. As he walked, he used his Analyze skill to identify safe paths and potential threats.

He paused by a cluster of mushrooms growing at the base of a tree. They were small and pale, with delicate gills underneath. He crouched down and whispered, "Analyze."

~ Mushroom Cluster

~ Description: Edible mushrooms with a mild, earthy flavor. Safe to consume. ~

"Good to know," Kuma said, plucking a few and stuffing them into his pouch. He continued on, occasionally stopping to examine other plants and rocks. Near a small puddle, he found a patch of algae. It looked slimy and unappetizing, but he used Analyze anyway.

~ Algae

~ Description: Can be used as a temporary food source or to filter water. ~

Kuma shrugged and scooped some into his pouch. "Better safe than sorry," he muttered.

As he approached the Shining Bee hive, he noticed something unusual—tracks leading away from the area. They were large and clawed, unmistakably bear tracks. Kuma crouched down, examining them closely. The tracks were fresh, and they led deeper into the forest.

"This must be the small black bear," he thought. "It's wounded and weak. If I can find it, I might finally complete the Hunt an Animal mission."

He followed the tracks, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The forest grew denser, the trees towering overhead and blocking out much of the sunlight. The air felt heavier here, and the faint smell of decay lingered in the air.

After an hour of tracking, the trail led him to a cave. The entrance was jagged and dark, with a faint, eerie glow emanating from within. The air felt damp and cold, and the sound of dripping water echoed from inside. Kuma hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But the tracks led straight into the cave.

"No turning back now," he muttered, gripping his spear tightly. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a piece of flintstone and some bear fat. Using his knife, he fashioned a crude torch and lit it with a spark from the flintstone. The flame flickered to life, casting a warm glow around him.

Analyze Output:

~ Bear Fat Torch

~ Description: A torch made from flintstone and bear fat. Wards off small animals with keen senses due to its strong bear-like smell. ~

"Nice," Kuma said, holding the torch aloft. "This should keep the smaller critters away."

He stepped into the cave, the torchlight illuminating the damp, jagged walls. The air grew colder with each step, and the faint glow from within grew brighter. The sound of dripping water was joined by an occasional skittering noise, like something moving in the shadows.

Kuma's heart raced as he ventured deeper, his senses on high alert. The cave was unnaturally quiet, the silence broken only by the sound of his footsteps and the flickering of the torch. He was about to turn back when he heard a low, guttural growl.

He froze, his grip tightening on the spear. The growl grew louder, and a figure emerged from the shadows. It was the small black bear, but something was wrong. Its movements were slow and jerky, its eyes glowing a sickly red. Its body emitted a faint, pulsating light, as if it were being consumed from within.

"Something's wrong here," Kuma whispered, his voice trembling. He raised his spear, ready to defend himself.

The Infected Bear

The bear lumbered toward him, its movements unnatural and erratic. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and its fur seemed to shimmer with a faint, sickly glow. Kuma's heart pounded as he raised his spear, his mind racing.

"What the hell happened to you?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

He activated his Analyze skill, focusing on the bear. The information flooded his mind:

~ Small Black Bear

~ Status: Infected. Barely alive, infected by Memory Worms. ~

"Memory Worms?" Kuma said aloud, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What the hell are those?"

The bear let out a low, guttural growl and lunged at him. Kuma sidestepped, his spear slicing through the air. The blade struck the bear's side, but the creature barely seemed to notice. It turned and lunged again, its movements slow but relentless.

Kuma gritted his teeth and thrust his spear again, this time aiming for the bear's head. The blade struck true, piercing the creature's skull. The bear let out a final, pained roar before collapsing to the ground.

Kuma stood there, breathing heavily, his hands trembling. He watched as the bear's body twitched and convulsed, its glowing eyes dimming. Then, something began to emerge from its skin—small, wriggling creatures with translucent bodies that glowed faintly blue.

"What the hell?" Kuma muttered, taking a step back. The creatures were unlike anything he'd ever seen. They were leech-like, with elongated bodies and tiny, glowing eyes. They writhed on the ground, their movements slow and deliberate.

Kuma felt a wave of disgust wash over him. He crouched down and used his Analyze skill on one of the creatures:

~ Memory Worm

~ Description: A leech-like parasite that feeds on mana. Can retain abilities from its previous hosts. If eaten, it may grant a random skill or ability, though weaker than the original. Hates sunlight.

~ Warning: Prolonged contact leads to rapid mana depletion and death. May cause hosts to enter a zombie-like state before dying. ~

Kuma's stomach churned as he read the description. "This is disgusting," he muttered, standing up and backing away. "I need to get out of here."

But as he turned to leave, he noticed something—the cave seemed to go deeper, and the faint glow was coming from further inside. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to investigate. He gripped his spear tightly and ventured deeper into the cave.

The deeper Kuma went, the more the cave seemed to change. The walls were covered in a strange, glowing residue that pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat. The air grew colder and heavier, and the smell of decay became overwhelming. The floor was littered with bones and strange artifacts—remnants of the worms' previous hosts.

Kuma's torch flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. He could hear the faint sound of skittering and slithering, growing louder with each step. His heart raced as he realized he was walking into a nest.

Suddenly, the chamber opened up into a vast, cavernous space. The walls were covered in the glowing residue, and the floor was a writhing mass of Memory Worms. They were everywhere—crawling on the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. The air was filled with their faint, eerie hum.

Kuma froze, his breath catching in his throat. The worms sensed his presence and began to swarm toward him, their glowing bodies creating a surreal, otherworldly light. He realized he was in grave danger—if they overwhelmed him, he'd be drained in minutes.

"Oh no," Kuma whispered, his voice trembling. He raised his torch, the flame flickering in the damp air. The worms recoiled slightly, but they were relentless. They began to swarm toward him from all directions.

Kuma swung his torch, trying to keep the worms at bay. The flame hissed as it came into contact with their slick bodies, but more worms took their place. He backed away, his heart pounding, but the worms were everywhere.

As he turned to run, he felt a prickly pain on his cheek. He reached up and felt something cold and slimy—a Memory Worm had latched onto his face. Panic surged through him as he grabbed the worm and tore it off, but not before it drained a small amount of his energy.

The worm writhed in his hand, its glowing eyes staring up at him. Kuma felt a wave of disgust and desperation. Without thinking, he shoved the worm into his mouth and bit down. The taste was indescribable—like rancid meat and chemicals. He gagged, almost vomiting, but then a notification appeared:

Skill Acquired:

~ Weak Night Vision

~ Description: Allows Kuma to see in low-light conditions. Weaker than the original ability retained by the worm. (The worm's last prey was a Cave Bat.) ~

Kuma's vision adjusted, and he could see the cave more clearly. The worms were still swarming toward him, but now he had a chance to escape. He turned and ran, the worms hot on his heels.

As Kuma fought his way out of the cave, he noticed something—a large, ancient Memory Worm latched onto his left leg. It glowed brighter than the others, its body pulsating with an otherworldly light. The pain was excruciating, and Kuma could feel his strength fading.

He used his Analyze skill on the worm:

~ Ancient Memory Worm

~ Description: A powerful variant that has consumed the abilities of countless hosts. Eating it may grant a rare or powerful skill. Hates sunlight.

~ Warning: Extremely dangerous. ~

Kuma gritted his teeth and grabbed the worm, trying to pull it off. But it was too strong. The worm's jaws were embedded in his flesh, and he could feel it draining his energy. His vision blurred, and he stumbled, falling to the ground.

In a moment of desperation, he rolled down the slope, the cave entrance growing closer. The sunlight hit his face, warm and comforting after the cave's oppressive darkness. The Ancient Memory Worm let out a small squeak and began to retreat into the cave.

Kuma's anger surged. He grabbed the worm and smashed it into the ground repeatedly, his face seething with rage. The worm's body burst, green and reddish goo oozing out. Kuma didn't stop until the worm was nothing but a pulpy mess.

Reluctantly, he shoved the worm's head into his mouth and bit down. The taste was even worse than before—like human waste and rotting flesh. He vomited repeatedly, his body convulsing with disgust. But then, a notification appeared:

Skill Acquired!

Kuma collapsed on the ground, weakened and feeling sick. His leg was a mangled mess, the flesh torn and bleeding. He thought, "Fck this. I'm not doing this ever again."*

Despite his disgust, he felt a surge of energy and checked his new skill:

Skill Acquired:

~ Enhanced Regeneration

~ Description: Can regenerate missing limbs and heal deep wounds. Consumes a lot of stamina. Weaker than the original ability of the last prey (Two-Tailed Gecko) retained by the worm. ~

Skill Lost!

~ Weak Night Vision

~ Warning: You can only retain one skill from eating Memory Worms. ~

Kuma lay there, his body trembling as the Enhanced Regeneration skill began to work. The pain in his leg was excruciating, but he could feel the flesh knitting itself back together. It was a slow, agonizing process, but he knew he'd survive.

As he lay there, he reflected on the encounter. "Today, I got super lucky and super unlucky at the same time," he muttered. "I will no longer step in there."

But as the pain in his leg began to subside, he noticed something strange—a deep, sharp pain that seemed to come from within. It was as if the skill was working too fast, tearing his body apart even as it healed him.

Kuma's vision blurred, and he felt a wave of dizziness. He wondered if the skill had a hidden cost, something the system hadn't warned him about. As darkness crept into the edges of his vision, he thought, "What have I done?"