Expanding knowledge (1)

Chapter 7: Expanding knowledge (1)

Jake's plans didn't go as planned.

He didn't have time to just hunt wolves, as he had asked Richard to teach him about survival skills. 

Since the newbie helper, who was now like a big brother to Jake, as Richard appeared to be at most in his late twenties while Jake was eighteen years old, had been eager to teach Jake a lot, he went into details of both survival skills and the game system which would significantly support Jake in his hunting endeavors.

It began with him learning how to use friction to start a fire on dry leaves, make incisions on carcasses to extract valuable parts, and get tanning solutions by mixing wood ashes with water to keep the hide and fur usable for crafting.

It was fun despite his failures and a few retching moments in the beginning—the smell of blood and raw flesh straight from the corpse of his prey was quite nauseating.

Jake also had to be careful with his movements to avoid infecting it.

"What would you like to learn now?" Richard asked.

It had been a week since Jake hunted for the first time. Although he couldn't have been called a professional matching Richard's experience, he could start a fire, open up carcasses and extract their parts, and make tanning solutions from nature quite easily with the help of the game system.

Which was because Jake had learned a unique skill under Richard's keen eye—Richard's Survival Three Kit(Unique).

It didn't have any level requirement. Also, it was just Survival Three Kit at first, but Richard had passed to Jake a book with his survival experiences, which had been integrated into the game system and now dwelled in the newest skill.

Meaning Jake had enough means to skin and butcher many more monsters than just wolves and extract lots of valuable parts from them. His game system would highlight perfect spots to make incisions, and Jake would have only to follow the guidance.

It was the power of being a player.

Jake thought aloud, "It's best to learn your armorer profession now. I want to learn how to make simple bows and arrows. You see, I already thought of making arrows myself with the bone arrowheads! I think I'll get much more damage with this kind of arrow… and if not, it's a valuable experience."

A flash of approval went across Richard's blue eyes.

He nodded, "Good choice. Let's get down to the forest."

"Yeah!" Jake clenched his hands, eager to learn more!

It was such a primitive experience that he'd never really think of picking up in real life. It'd never crossed his mind that it'd be so fun and enjoyable, either. Now that he had tasted it and had more chance to improve at it, Jake dug deeper into his class and subclasses that would complete his path and make him reach the top better.

Once at the forest's feet, Richard laughed, "The trees of this forest are a real menace. I reckon you'll increase your strength stat so well during your armorer studies! Gonna help you well with your archery later on. The more weight you draw into your bow, the stronger your arrows will be!"

Jake chuckled, "Does it mean I'll have to cut down those thick trees myself?"

"Yep! Scared?" Richard teased with a grin on his face.

"I take it you gonna show me an example first," Jake smiled back.

Richard grinned.

The first lesson began.

-

"Lukas? It's been a while," Jake said to his phone as he was on his way to meet with someone in real life.

The voice from the other side shouted at him, "Bruh! I've never heard of anyone staying in the tutorial for a month! The heck you doing over there?"

"You haven't searched enough," Jake grinned, "I had to show Mary that there are players studying in the tutorial for more than a month to have her shut up. Never heard of crazy players that want to clear the entire tutorial island?"

"Crazy players? Meh! Poor sis must feel so alienated by you 'cause we feel the same, bruh!" Lukas shouted again, "Even if we can't level up and quest together, we can so easily meet in the town and have a drink or two. Have you scanned your ID, by the way?"

"Yeah, I did," Jake replied.

Once a player scans and sends his ID to the gaming company, a few more privileges naturally open in the game. 

Jake's friends wanted to have a party with him in the game. If Jake didn't scan his ID, the beer wouldn't taste like a real beer and, instead, something like orange juice.

Many more options for adults opened with ID scanned. Grown-ups didn't have content censored, either.

It meant that young adults like Jake had much fun in the game world.

Jake, however, didn't think much of them as he enjoyed the game in his own way.

"You've been like that since when I remember… I still recall how hard it was to have you in normal games in MOBA and how you dumpstered everyone when we finally got you on our team," Lukas reminisced with a grin.

Jake added, "You were the one to always trash talk whenever I smashed someone."

"Can't shut up those lips when there's an occasion, ya know," Lukas grinned without guilt. "Anyway, where are ya going now? I didn't leave home at all when I got to play the game for the first time."

"I want to be the best archer, right? So I thought that I should also practice it in real life and become the best here, too," Jake replied, "so I'm on my way to the closest archery club."

Lukas stood frozen with his mouth agape.

Indeed, he couldn't shut his lips and often talked a lot, but Jake and his ideas always made Lukas freeze and have all his thoughts clogged up in his throat.

For that reason, Lukas was Jake's good friend.

Only one word left Lukas' mouth at the end, "Bruh…"