A feeling of accomplishment fills me, which goes well beyond the divine whispers notifying me of my progress, as I lift the skewer with my meal away from the fire.


    It really isn''t much. The mushrooms could do with some butter, or oil. The same is true for the bread. And of course there is no meat on that skewer. There are no vegetables either. Yet even that is so much better than just a piece of plain bread with nothing else but some water to go along with it.


    I''m tempted, so very tempted to stuff my face with my first home cooked meal in this world, but I manage to refrain. Come to think of it, can you call a meal home cooked if you don''t exactly have a home? Nah, never mind silly details and technicalities like that. I still exercise some restraint though.


    On one hand, I take a moment to let the food cool just a little, since I don''t feel like burning my tongue or my mouth in general. On the other hand I want to check the result of my hard work with [Identify] before I tear into it.


    Well, I have no time to waste, thus I go ahead and focus my attention on the skewered food to activate the skill. Once more a little of my Mana reserves drains away.


    [Campfire Skewer (Food, Common) – A common campfire recipe. Edible mushrooms and pieces of bread roasted and toasted put on a skewer and roasted over an open fire. It might not sound complicated, but it is actually pretty hard to get everything just right. Of course it would be better with seasonings and the likes. Category: Consumable]


    I nod to myself. Of course it would be better with seasonings. I don''t have any though. Anyway, I have waited long enough. Time to eat!


    Before I actually tear into my first warm meal here, I take a moment to put my water bottle into the still hot coals. It won''t be tea, but I don''t feel like drinking cold water right now. I''ll just have to be careful not to burn my fingers.


    Then there is no more holding back. For a few blissful moments I forget just about everything else. I even have to force myself to chew properly. Sure, this isn''t exactly high cuisine, but I enjoy my food anyway. Very much so even.


    Of course that can''t last forever. After having some hot water for a change I take a moment to refill my bottle. Then I extinguish the fire and am off again after getting my bearings.


    It''s not that I''m afraid to get lost, anymore lost than I''m already anyway, as I only have to round this particular hill one way or another, but I better be careful anyway. And who knows, maybe I''ll earn a few more skill increases that way before long.


    I keep my eyes open for more edible plants too. After all I just completely depleted my meager reserves with my last meal. I''ll have to go hungry if I don''t find anything.


    I stop briefly to glance back towards the creek. I''m sure there are some fish to be caught in there. It is just too bad that I have no fishing tools. I don''t know how to gut fish either. Ha! Even if I knew how to do that, I doubt a sword would be the right blade to do it. No, I better not think about even just trying. I''d be more likely to take a few fingers off by accident, than to properly gut a fish.


    Never mind. I''m not sure I want to learn how to gut a fish. I''m already quite glad, that the first enemies I had to deal with only were piles of magically animated bones. The thought that I might have to cut someone up with my sword eventually doesn''t exactly thrill me. I''ll do it of course, if I have to. Doesn''t mean that I have to like it though.


    I''d like to distract myself a little from these thoughts, maybe with a little song, but I don''t dare to in the end. I''m still in the wilds after all and there might be dangerous beasts around. I have to remain on edge! I have to stay stealthy! I need to keep all my senses primed!


    For a while I make my way through the woods without anything happening. I only spot some small animals and birds for the better part. They all seem curiously unconcerned by my presence. Maybe there aren''t a lot of human or at least humanoid hunters to be encountered around here?


    I don''t feel the telltale tingle of an identification skill used on me either, which, to be honest, is quite a relief. The way I see it, most creatures wouldn''t give themselves away by using a skill like that, unless they already were moderately certain that they can take me.


    Then, all of a sudden I spot something that gives me pause. Towards my right, downhill from where I''m going and thankfully not where I intend to go, the woods lighten considerably.


    At first I can''t tell why, but as I take a better look I can spot fungi growing in abundance everywhere. To the point even, where they start to choke the very life out of everything else.


    I have a bad feeling about this. Maybe I should get away from here as fast as I possibly can. I decide to investigate anyway. Not knowing about a threat makes it no less threatening after all.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The change isn''t instantaneous. No, it is very much gradual and it gets worse, the further I follow the signs of the fungal apocalypse, as I investigate. Before long most of the trees around me are dead or at least close to succumbing to the infestation and dying.


    Just earlier I was worried about causing a forest fire. Now I almost wish for a nice blaze to burn out this sore. Except, it probably won''t be so easy. What I see is probably only the tip of the iceberg. In all likelihood most of the fungal infestation is hidden well below ground. Damn, it probably has already spread well beyond the easily visible signs too.


    This is bad. This is seriously bad. This bad and big, maybe even too big for me. At least it might be too big for me as I''m right now.


    I redouble my efforts to stay unnoticed and start to retrace my steps to get back out of the infested area. I''m not back out of the dying forest though when I can hear movement. Almost at the same time the hair at the back of my neck stand on end and as if that wasn''t bad enough already an ominous divine whisper makes me stop dead in my tracks.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Danger Sense has leveled up to level 3!]


    That isn''t a good sign. No, not at all. My heart is beating crazy fast and I gulp in apprehension, as I turn to face the direction of the approaching noise.


    I have no trouble spotting the source of the noise. Or rather I have no trouble spotting the sources. It is two mushrooms. Two humanoid mushrooms. Both are roughly my size and they are shambling my way, brandishing crude weapons, if one can call the thick, dead branches they carry weapons.


    The way they walk is weird. They move in a most curious shambling gait, never raising their feet too high. As a matter of fact at least one foot always stays firmly rooted to the ground in a most literal sense, as I come to realize quickly.


    One of the two raises its crude club.


    “Mulch!”


    Then the other follows suit.


    “Munch!”


    [*Ding!* You have unlocked the Shroom (Language) general skill at Level 1!]


    That divine whisper following their exclamations leaves me stumped for a moment. At the same time the new knowledge allows me to actually guess at their intent. Apparently they seem to think that I''ll make a nice addition to their kings compost heap?


    Are … are they even individuals? I''m not quite sure. I''m tempted to dismiss the question as pointless, except, it really isn''t. Am I about to fight several individual mushroom creatures? Or are these shambling things all part of the same creature?


    I have no clear evidence for one or the other. In the end I decide to assume the worst. I almost fumble once again as I draw my weapon. The shambling things are already entirely too close for comfort after all.


    I take a step back, now brandishing my sword, and decide to take a little risk. I focus on the front most of the two and activate my [Identify] skill. I need to know what I''m fighting after all. Or rather, I need to know if I should fight at all! Without much delay the skill delivers the desired information.


    [Myceloid Forager (Spore, Common, Level 5)]


    That is the same level as the decrepit skeletons in the tower, yet I can''t help shake the feeling, that these things are a little more sturdy than those ambulatory piles of bones.


    I make sure to keep my distance and repeat the process with the other one as the target for my skill.


    [Myceloid Forager (Spore, Common, Level 5)]


    That by itself is not terribly helpful. Something else is though. Despite the fact that there is no level up notification I felt like my [Identify] skill improved a little both times I used it just now. I take this to indicate that these two myceloids are in fact not the same but different creatures. Very curious.


    That is all the time I get to think about the fight ahead of me. Then the first of the two mushroom creatures reaches me and it is on. Thankfully its swing is clumsy and slow. It might as well have telegraphed it. I have no problem stepping aside, before the makeshift weapon it is wielding ever gets close. Apparently that counts for something.


    [*Ding!* You have unlocked the Dodge general skill at Level 1!]


    I don''t let the notification distract me and retaliate right away. My swing is a little clumsy too, but by far not as clumsy as the myceloid''s. It isn''t quite as clumsy as my swings were during the fight with the skeletons either. I''m making progress after all.


    [*Ding!* Hit! Myceloid Forager''s Health reduced by 27!]


    [*Ding!* Your skill Melee Weapons has leveled up to level 3!]


    My swing cleaves clean through the creature''s overextended arm, which lands on the ground as a result, together with its crude club. I suspect that most creatures would be out of the fight after suffering an injury like that. This myceloid though? Not so much.


    Sadly, the exchange of blows with the one monster makes me miss the attack from the other. I try to dodge at the last moment, but it is too little too late. The other creature''s crude club comes down on my shoulder.


    [*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 3!]


    I stumble back, but it is more due to surprise than anything else. That wasn''t all that bad. I certainly expected it to be worse. Most curious. This has to be my defensive skills and what little armor I wear at work.


    It is a good thing though, that I stumbled back, as the one I hit emits a piercing shriek together with a noxious cloud at that very moment. That would have caught me right in the face otherwise.


    Apparently that doesn''t count as a proper dodge though. At least the lack of a level up notification for my new skill suggests that much. Yep, just getting lucky apparently is not good enough.


    A cold trickle of sweat runs down the side of my face. I need to be careful. I really don''t want that, whatever that is, to hit me. What if it spores? Or poison? Yeah, neither would make for a pleasant experience.


    I reaffirm the grip on my sword and get ready for the next exchange of blows. This time around I keep an eye on both my opponents and I''m ready to back right off again, just in case one of them should try to vomit up another noxious cloud.