Chapter 6 – Green

I did not hesitate anymore. I opened the door and stepped out. The sides of my lips lifted with the delight of seeing vibrant colors. I felt a tear run down my face in joy. The joy of having eyesight after 38 years of blindness! The most dominant color around was definitely green. Green grass covered the clearing around the shack. Pockets of small white flowers could be seen throughout the green field. I stared at the beautiful contrast. The sun glistened off the brilliant green surfaces. The blue sky gave me another gasp of amazement.

Beyond the clearing of grass, I could see a heavy crop of trees with pine needles. I focused on one of the trees so that my Analyze Vision could identify the tree as an Eastern White Pine. This did not tell me much, but my skill was still at Level 1. When I looked at the small white flowers, it identified them as Common Gypsophila (Baby's-Breath). I think I've heard of Baby's Breath being used in floral bouquets on Earth. I assume these flowers do not have much practical use aside from a husband's apology or a child's tool to brighten their mother's day. As I contemplated this, I noticed another system message was available.

Skill Acquired: Botany and Herbalism Lv. 1

That was quick! Was this the result of fast learning? With the acquired skill, I started to gain more familiarity with the plants with the more that I analyzed. This might be a useful skill down the road.

I began going through my mental checklist for survival in this new world. Shelter? Check! The shack seemed more than adequate. There were even a few logs stacked behind the shack and a small cooking pit outside. Clothing? Check! I took a moment to observe that my typical jeans and golf shirt had been replaced with a light wool tunic and leather pants. I had never worn leather before, but I was surprised by how well protected the material made me feel. My shoes did not have laces but seemed to also be made with leather that was made to fit my foot. The sole of the shoe seemed to be a more solid leather material. Analyze did not give me more info other than "wool shirt", "leather pants", and "leather shoes". But I kept using it, with the hope of leveling up the skill. Practice makes perfect, right?

Well, I had clothing and shelter. That still left a very important part of survival…food! I did not seem to have a source of food or water. Aware that I may need to protect myself, I picked up a sturdy stick on the ground and proceeded to sharpen the tip of it with a rock. I imagined this very scene many times in my mind's eye. This was the beginning of my own adventure!

Skill Acquired: Tool Creation Lv. 1

Opening myself to my supreme hearing with Sound Sensitivity, I listened carefully. When I focused, I could make out sounds over a vast distance. The more I used the skill, the more familiar it became. I was guessing that my skill would allow me to hear sounds over 6 miles in all directions. I could pinpoint sounds in any chosen direction, or I could absorb the noise of my immediate surroundings. If I tried taking in too much area, my head would start to ache. There was a limit to the number of simultaneous sounds I could handle all at once. After a few minutes of effort, I learned how to extend my hearing to specific sounds. I filtered my hearing to catch the flow of water. Thankfully, there seemed to be a flowing river of some kind approximately 2 kilometers towards the sun. If this was morning, then I would assume that to be East. Of course, I did not know if other planets could rotate around the sun in the other direction or even in a North and South pole rotation. Not being a scientist, I had no knowledge in the subject. Perhaps "The Basics of Vando" book will tell me what I need to know on that subject.

Before rushing into the woods, I decided to peruse the guidebook briefly. I just wanted to make sure I did not rush into any dangers that I was unfamiliar with. Briefly flipping through the pages, I was impressed by my mental capacity and reading speed. For a person that had never read anything in his life, I felt quite proud of myself – even if it was just the result of a couple skills! I finished the 75 pages in about 3 minutes, cataloguing the necessary items in my mind. I learned of dangerous animals and even monsters that may roam the woods. I discovered the existence of dungeons in this world.

There were multiple sentient races with their own recognized nations: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Lizardmen, and Beastkin. There were also some races that were not recognized as civilized but could also build their own villages and society. This included: Orcs, Trolls, Giants, Goblins, and gnomes. When approaching a village or city, it would be very important that I identify to what race it belonged to. The guide also informed me of the sheer size of Vando. The equator of Vando was over 76,000 miles. I believe that would be around three times the size of Earth! This world was going to be interesting.

Well then, I needed to find that river and I needed to find something to eat. It was time to go on the hunt!