Chapter 5- Excitement!

"Here, before we go take this" Razz starts to untie the knife he has wrapped around his waist.

The knife looks like a standard hunting knife used to gut and skin fresh game after being killed. Although it's clean, using the focus skill, Xavier can see remnants of blood that has stained the metal and handle after years of use.

"I know it doesn't look like much, but this knife has saved my life more times than the bow on my back has." Razz says while tenderly looking at the knife in his hands.

Xavier takes the knife and unsheathes it from it's old leather made scabbard that's seen it's fair shake of use as well and takes a closer look at it.

"Its about 8 cm long, fairly light, and seems to be able to cut easily enough." Xavier excitedly thought while he examines the blade a little closer and observes it's about perfect size for him to wield without feeling awkward.

"Seeing dad's face while he was talking about his knife makes me wonder what he's had to go through out in the woods alone." He silently ponders and tries to imagine all the possibilities of whay can go wrong during a deadly beast hunt.

Promising himself that he will get stronger, for not only himself, but above all his family. Xavier has always hated that he was too young and too weak to help his family. He's never cared about going to bed hungry, but when he sees little Annie or his parents do the same, he silently curses the world for its unfair treatment and his inability to help.

"This changes today though! Dad is finally willing to teach me how to hunt. I need to take this day seriously and learn new skills while also looking for ways to level up." Sighing, but also excited at the same time, Xavier ties the knife around his waste and prepares his mindset for the day he's about to start.

Razz, looking at his sons emotional roller coaster of a face after being handed the knife, looks at the sun in the sky. Mentally calculating how much daylight they have left, he looks at his son and says with enthusiasm, "The good news is that it's slightly after noon and we have quite a few hours left for me to teach you how to be the best hunter in the world."

Xavier, rolling his eyes at his dad's exaggeration, stays silent while waiting for the rest of the news.

"The bad news is that with winter coming the animals are starting to forage like crazy. Some are going into hibernation while some are preparing to horde food. This is the time of year that beasts will hunt the small animals out in the open without a care of being caught by human nor stronger beats alike."

Silently pondering the words of his father, Razz continues, "This will mean that while we are out in the woods, we have to be careful of our surroundings at all times. The last thing me or your mother wants is for you to be hurt or maimed in some way. So, if we see a beast of any kind we are coming back home and waiting another day." Razz explains the last part with a serious expression. Looking at his sons determined, yet also fearful face, he feels he has done his job properly in explaining the dangers.

Waiting for his son to digest everything that he has said, Razz makes sure that his equipment is in top shape before he even dares to set off towards the woods. He picks up his bow that he has resting on a tree and inspects the quality of it.

Xavier watches his dad pull the bow string back a few times to test the durability. Appearing satisfied, Razz then grabs the quiver that was next to bow. Counting 24 arrows in the quiver, he seems satisfied and finally utters the words Xavier has been longing for ever since he was told he can finally help.

"Let's go son, your dad here will teach you everything I possibly can today. It's okay if you don't completely understand everything or even if you don't gain the skills the first time around. Remember, it doesn't meant your a failure or even that your slow in learning. It just means I'm a bad teacher." He tenderly says whilst patting Xaviers head.

"Now, before we set off, do you have any questions?" Razz says while adjusting his mindset for the day he's about to have.

Xavier thinks about everything that his father has said and asks, "I'm a little confused about animals and beasts. Is a beast just an animal, but scarier and stronger?"

Razz looks at his son, mildly amused at the question, before answering. "No, I mean not really. I heard in town from the blacksmith that the Crown determines animals and beasts by their abilities. A regular animal might have a few skills, but a beast has abilities. That's why beasts are so terrifying." Razz explains with slight trepidation.

Xavier, looking at his dad's expression, finally starts to understand the difference between animals and beasts. He asks, "Dad, what's the difference between abilities and skills? I know skills can be learned from everyday activities and there are quite a few of them, but why do I only have 2 skills after 10 years and no abilities?"

Thinking to himself on how he should answer the question, after a couple of minutes, Razz begins by saying, "Skills are something picked up by focusing all of your attention on a certain task. Like your focus skill for instance. I've focused all of my life on tasks and I've never gotten that skill, while I've only cooked for you guys a handful of times, I've got a cooking skill of level 2. I'm not really sure of the answer, but it seems some people are more inclined to learn certain skills faster than others." After he explained skills, his face turns as serious as Xavier has ever seen it. "Now abilities, they are an entirely different world. Never repeat this to anybody. Ever. If the nobles ever hear these words from a peasant commoner they will string you up alive and then flog you in public until your death just to make a point." Razz sighs. He didn't want to tell his son anything about abilities, but he was secretly hoping that, one day, his son might accidently uncover the secret behind leveling and take advantage of the knowledge he's about to tell him.

"Abilities are different than skills in that, they can not be leveled up. They can only be, what the Crown calls, evolved. Abilities are evolutions of the body, let's take legs for example. If you evolve your legs, even just once, you can run, jump, and kick much harder and faster than before." Letting his son know the seriousness and gravity of the situation while also letting everything he has said sink in, he begins once more.

"I don't know the details of abilities like how they are chosen or if you can even choose what ability you get. I don't even know what kinds there are and how many you can have, but even so just saying the word ability can get you into trouble, so please son, never ever say anything about what I've told you here today to anyone. not even your mother or sister." Razz makes sure Xavier nods seriously at his remark.

Xavier, seriously pondering everything his father has said, starts to feel the gears in his head turn with such ferocity for the thirst of knowledge that his head begins hurting.

"Damn it! I need more information! We can't keep living in the dark forever. Whenever I increase my skills enough to kill beasts at a steady rate, I'll keep the meat so we can finally have a steady source of food, but sell the pelts for money. Maybe one of the guards in town will be able to be bribed. I need to know how to level!"

Regular guards at towns were normally low level, but still had increased levels nonetheless. Most guards were raised in the town or city they grew up in, the only difference is that when they sign up to be a guard and given the secret to leveling, they are bound by contract never to let the secret slip. Contracts aren't just papers anymore that are bound by words alone. Contracts are now bound by blood and when you break that contract, you will die. Abilities have progressed in these 10 years and that is just one example of how universal they can be. They're not all just offensive or defensive. in fact, most abilities are support type and what's called millisciousness abilities.

Secretly, whenever Xavier goes into town, he likes to stand near the marketplace and listen to the Nobles talk. After a couple of years standing at the market every time he visits, that's all he has ever heard about abilities and leveling.

Razz, studying his sons reaction from what he's just said, dismisses any more questions and says with enthusiasm and excitement once again, "Now, no more questions. I shouldn't have even told you that, but you are my pride and joy so I'm hoping one day you can turn our lives around with this knowledge. Anyway, let's get going. The longer we stand here, the less time he have to stay in the woods."

Upon hearing that, Xavier jumps out of his thoughts, and with renewed vigour starts following his father towards the tree line of the woods.