My first skill

When I finally arrived at the Strider camp, I noticed a new machine guarding the herd, a Watcher had joined the group. Perhaps because I had killed one of their own the day before, the Striders were more alert today.

"This is going to complicate things. Watchers attack, unlike Striders."

I took my time, scanning the area for any other surprises. I needed to come up with a plan to take down the Watcher as quickly as possible without getting hit by its attacks. The Striders would run away, so this would be a one-on-one battle, a deadly first for me.

I placed my bag and other non-essentials on a nearby tree, lightening my load so I could dodge faster if needed. Then, I made my way to the tall grass and waited.

With my bow ready, I aimed for the back of the Watcher. If I could destroy its power source before it turned away and then hit its eye, I had a good chance of killing it quickly.

I let the first arrow fly, striking the power source on its back. Without wasting a moment, I shot two more arrows, hitting the Watcher twice more before it turned its red eye toward me. Unfortunately, I hadn't destroyed the power source. I shot again, this time aiming for the eye, but missed the moving target. The Watcher was still alive and enraged. It charged at me with full fury, but I was ready. I dodged quickly and rolled back, taking aim again. This time, I hit it with two arrows in the eyes, and it finally stopped moving. I had done it—killed my second machine, and this one fought back.

"This is getting easier. All I need is patience and to tag them with my Focus."

The Striders heard the fight and ran off. I'd get them later. For now, I turned to scrap the Watcher, using my Focus to find the best way to do it. With the parts I gathered, I could craft a crude metal spear and gather shards for arrows and trade.

After a few minutes of well earned rest, I packed my spoils into my leather bag and set off in search of the Striders. They couldn't be far. Using my Focus, I tracked their movements, preparing for another fight.

After half an hour of tracking, I heard something. Someone else was hunting my prey. I saw two brave Nora warriors engaging the Striders with bow and spear.

"Damn it, I'm too late. As an outcast, it's better not to intervene, but I can still learn something."

I had recently discovered a new Focus app, video recording. I started recording the Nora's fight to observe how they worked as a team, hoping to improve my own skills. The fight was quick and efficient. They were good. Soon, the hunters began to scrap the Striders' bodies, but watching them was painful. They butchered the carcasses, damaging the best parts. Without a Focus, they were amateurs compared to me. I decided to wait in the tall grass until they left.

"It's not stealing if they're not using it. One man's trash is another man's treasure."

I waited for over an hour as they made a mess of the spoils. Finally, they left. I waited a few more minutes to ensure they wouldn't come back and accuse me of stealing.

I moved in and gathered the loot they had left behind, shards, wires, and other valuable materials. With this new haul, I could craft another spear. After an hour of collecting everything I needed, I left with a heavy bag of free spoils.

Now, it was time to hunt for food. I still had a few arrows and was feeling motivated after my recent victories. Catching my breath, I searched the woods for game. Using my Focus, I spotted a fox drinking from a nearby river. One shot, one kill. I picked up the fox and ventured deeper into the woods for more food. With Albedo now with me, I needed to hunt every day. After a few more miles, I spotted turkeys and a raccoon. I killed the turkeys, but the damn raccoon got away, and I was out of arrows. It was getting late, so I decided to head home. But then, something amazing happened. A notification popped up in the corner of my vision.

Level 1

"YES!" I screamed. Finally, level 1! Now was the time to truly get stronger, and I knew just the skill I needed to improve quickly.

The skills were impressive, and after days of deliberation, I chose the one I wanted for now:

Silent Strike

When close and unseen by small machines or humans, your hands and muscles know where to strike for maximum damage. This improves muscle memory, damage, and cognition.

"Now I can one-shot Watchers."

"What a great day."