Chapter 7

Before using the 'Portal Area' to go back to the Northern Forest, I decided to switch my skills. I removed the 'Mixing' skill, which is useless in battle, and set the 'Kick Attack' skill. This should make combat a bit better.

Huh?

When I looked at the reserve skills to set 'Kick Attack,' I saw that 'Sere's Wings' was now available to use. Did I reach level 4?

Anyway, I set 'Sere's Wings.' ...There doesn't seem to be any change...

I checked the skill description again, but it still says '???,' and I don't understand anything.

Does the description only appear when the effect is activated...? If so, do I have to keep it set all the time? It's tough to have a useless skill occupy a slot...

Honestly, I'd like someone else to test it, but if it's a unique skill as Wendy said, no one else has it, right? It would be a waste to sell it.

"Guess I have no choice. I'll keep it set for a while..."

With 'Sere's Wings' set, I entered the town's 'Portal Area.'

The moment I entered the 'Portal Area,' the scenery around me instantly changed to the entrance of the forest. Huh? I haven't even selected anything, and I'm already in the Northern Forest.

Oh, I can only go to the Northern Forest, so there's no need to select. ...But I did select the first time, right?

I don't understand, but I'll just head into the forest. Oh, right. Before the one-horned rabbits appear, I should gather the herbs that Torus at the market stall mentioned.

I started identifying the grass around me one by one.

Weed, weed, weed, weed, herb... Ah, there it is.

I pulled out the herb I found.

────────────

【Herb】 Rank F

■A herb with healing properties.

□Alchemy Item/Material

Quality: S (Standard Quality)

────────────

Pretty simple.

I kept an eye on my surroundings with 'Presence Detection' while gathering herbs one after another.

If I had the 'Gathering' skill, I could gather them more efficiently, right? I think it's an initial skill, so the skill shop in town should sell it. I might buy it when I have the time.

Huh?

────────────

【Spirit Herb】 Rank D

■Unknown

□Alchemy Item/Material

Quality: S (Standard Quality)

────────────

A D-rank alchemy item. Wow, it grows here? I can't identify the details with my current proficiency, but since it's D-rank, it should be useful for alchemy and can be sold.

I gathered as many herbs and spirit herbs as I could. About 70% herbs and 30% spirit herbs. This should be enough. It's getting late, so I'll head back.

...I've been thinking, something feels off. I've only been here twice, but was this forest always this quiet? And I haven't seen a single rabbit. It's as if...

Grrrraaaaaaahhhh!!!

Suddenly, a roar echoed through the forest. What!? A monster!?

The sound is definitely not from a gray wolf. I took out the kukri knife I just bought from my waist and slowly looked around, on guard.

From the depths of the forest, it appeared.

A bear. But not just any bear. It had black fur and was enveloped in something that looked like lightning.

At a glance, I could tell it was a much higher-level monster than the gray wolf. There's no way I can win. The words "Thunder Bear" appeared above the bear's head. Just as I thought!

I slowly averted my eyes, put away my knife, and slowly backed away. I doubt the method for dealing with real bears will work, but it's better than playing dead.

"Don't move... Yeah, that's it, that's it..."

*Grrrraaaaaaahhhh!*

"Guess that didn't work!"

I barely dodged the bear's attack. Phew, that was close! Thanks to the 'Insight' skill, maybe? Anyway, I can't win, so I have to run!

I realized as I started running that bears can run at 60 km/h, according to TV! So, is it useless to run? I don't know if that applies in the game!

While running, I looked back at the bear chasing me and suddenly my footing disappeared.

"No way..."

A river flowed below. The forest ended in a cliff. Wait, was there a river around here?

"Ah!"

I fell straight into the river. *Cough* Damn, the current isn't that fast, but I can't swim well!

I should have taken the 'Swimming' skill. It would have been useful!

If I keep this up, I'll drown. That's a bad way to die...

"Hey! Grab this!"

A voice came from somewhere, and a small wooden object that looked like a beer mug fell in front of me.

Without thinking, I reached for the floating mug. The wooden mug had a rope tied to the handle, and as I gripped it firmly, I was pulled towards the riverbank with incredible force.

I was quickly pulled out of the river and collapsed on my back, exhausted.

"Cough, cough...!"

"Hey, are you okay?"

When I opened my eyes to the voice, I saw three faces of two men and one woman, and the sky was getting dark.

"I'm okay... Thank you for saving me..."

Two men and one woman.

The men were of the same race as me, the Demons, and two towering figures over two meters tall with horns on their foreheads and copper-colored skin, the Oni. The one who pulled me with the rope must be one of the Oni.

The woman was probably a Succubus. She had bat wings on her back and a thin tail.

I calmed down and thanked them again.

"Well, it's no problem, but why were you floating in the river with such basic equipment?"

"I was gathering herbs when I encountered a bear. I ran and fell into the river."

After explaining, one of the Oni men chuckled and spoke.

"A bear, the 'Thunder Bear'? Were you trying to hunt it with basic equipment or something?"

"Restriction...? I don't really understand, but it's stronger than a gray wolf, right? I can't hunt it. That's why I ran. I died to a wolf, after all."

The Succubus woman, who was listening to my story, raised an eyebrow and tilted her head.

"Wait a minute. Something's off. Excuse me, but what level are you?"

"Level 4."

"4!?"

All three were surprised. What's wrong? Did I say something strange?

"Well, I'm still low level, but I just started the game today, so it's not that..."

"No, no, no, that's not it. Reaching level 4 on the first day is normal. Levels rise easily at first."

"What surprised us is why a level 4 player is here."

"Did someone of a higher level bring you here?"

"Huh? I can come to the Northern Forest alone, right?"

"Wha?"

What's going on? Our conversation isn't syncing!

"The Northern Forest... Could it be the Northern Forest of Freihalt?"

"Where else?"

"Hey, did you buy a map?"

A map... Oh, right. Wendy told me to buy one. I forgot.

I shook my head, and the young Demon sighed.

"I don't know what happened, but this isn't the Northern Forest of Freihalt. It's the Crane Forest, located south of the second area town, Blumen. It's a place you can only reach around level 20."

"Huh?"

Now it was my turn to be surprised.

To dry my wet clothes, I sat by the fire and drank the soup they gave me. It was completely dark, and the stars twinkled in the sky.

The young Demon was Allen. He had blond hair and wore plate armor, a shield on his back, and a longsword at his waist, looking like a knight.

The bearded Oni was Galdor. He wore custom shoulder and chest plates and gauntlets, and carried a large greatsword on his back, a powerful front-line fighter.

Finally, Jessica, the Succubus. She held a staff, suggesting she was a back-line magic user. She had long blue hair tied back, and her right eye was hidden by her bangs, but she was clearly beautiful. Well, in this game, you can customize your appearance, so it's full of beautiful people and handsome men.

"So, you tried to teleport to the Northern Forest from the Portal Area, but ended up here in the Crane Forest. Any idea why?"

"Any idea? ...Ah!"

Could it be? That?

I called up my status and opened the skill slot description.

────────────────

■Sere's Wings ★★★

① Unlock Conditions:

- Reach level 4.

- Die.

- Use the Portal Area without a map.

◉ While set, you can use the Portal Area five times a day to randomly teleport.

(4/5)

② Unlock Conditions:

???

③ Unlock Conditions:

???

────────────────

Sure enough, it's this...

(4/5) must mean it activated once.

Allen smiled at my puzzled expression.

"You seem to have an idea."

"Yes... It seems one of my skills activated..."

"Skill? ...Ah, do you have a Solomon Skill?"

"Solomon Skill?"

"A skill named after one of the 72 pillars of Solomon. Only a few have been discovered so far. Did you get it from the initial skill gift?"

"Yes."

I only answered "Yes" to Allen's question. I trust them since they saved me, but I'm unsure if I should tell them about this skill.

With Ren, we were acquaintances, and I knew Wendy's background.

Jessica spoke to me as I was thinking.

"Normally, it's impolite to pry into someone's personal skills, but could you at least tell me the name of the skill?"

Hmm, I'm hesitant to reveal the effect to someone I just met, but the name should be fine. Besides, the effect is already known.

I told her the skill name, and Jessica opened a window and started searching.

"Sere's Wings... Sere... Ah, here it is. 'Sere, also known as Seir or Seil, is one of the 72 pillars of Solomon's demons. It has the ability to move and transport objects, and can travel from one end of the world to the other in the blink of an eye... ' I see, it seems to be a literal skill."

Yes, it's a literal skill. There are additional abilities, but I'll keep that to myself.

"Sorry, but Jessica also has a Solomon Skill. She's very curious about other Solomon Skills."

"Really?"

I was surprised and looked at Jessica. I didn't expect someone else to have a similar skill.

"Mine is the 'Blessing of Naberius,' a slightly convenient skill. I got it from the first area boss."

"Blessing of Naberius"... Naberius is one of the 72 pillars of Solomon. Wendy didn't find it when she researched, so Jessica probably hasn't made it public.

"Can I get a Solomon Skill by defeating an area boss?"

"Probably not. I think it was a random drop from the first area boss. Jessica got it by chance. You might be able to get a skill orb, but the chance of getting a Solomon Skill is very low. We hunted the boss many times after that, but no Solomon Skills dropped."

"Boss drops do make skill orbs more likely, but usually just rare skills with one star."

"The Cup of Sagan drops in the field, in the Envy territory."

From their conversation, the 'Cup of Sagan' skill drops from field monsters. I remember getting the 'Kick Attack' skill orb from a field monster.

So, it was pure luck? Jessica is a Succubus with high luck, so that might be related.

Still, if it can drop, there's a low chance that anyone can get a Solomon Skill. It's disappointing that it's not a unique skill just for me.

Well, a unique skill would be unfair. But the chance of getting a skill orb is low, and the chance of getting one of the 72 Solomon Skills is even lower.

And the chance of getting 'Sere's Wings' out of those 72... It must be very difficult.

"Still, a teleportation skill is rare. It's like carrying a portal area with you."

Galdor crossed his arms and said, but it's not that great. It's a whimsical skill that randomly teleports you to unknown places. There might be additional abilities, but we don't know yet.

"By the way, I should warn you. It's best not to use that skill openly. Some people will pry into it. Of course, if someone else gets the same skill, it will eventually be known, but..."

"I understand. I'll be careful."

I just started, so I don't want any trouble. I think it's okay to tell Ren and Wendy, though.

【DWO Brief Explanation】

■About Levels

In DWO, the level refers to the racial level. When your level increases, your HP, MP, and ST gauges increase, but your strength or agility does not.

Levels increase with experience points, which can be gained not only from combat but also from technical experience points from activities like production. So, you can level up by being locked in a workshop and producing items.

Therefore, a high level does not necessarily mean you are strong, but it can be a reference.

Additionally, some skills increase your HP, MP, and ST gauges based on your proficiency.