Since Dimm agreed to follow Minxx to her village, the Elf Village, they had set off immediately. That was according to Minxx's suggestion, informing him that they needed to vacate the zone as soon as possible.
Dimm couldn't react more or less but to be confused with the whole situation. This little elfin girl knew a lot of things that she didn't want to let him know.
"Hmm," Dimm hummed as he followed Minxx behind while they delved deeper into the forest.
It was not too long they entered deep into the forest before Dimm heard a low growl ripple through the underbrush.
"Let it not be what I'm thinking," Dimm suddenly said, readying the sword in his hands.
"I don't expect it to—" Minxx was still in between words when a massive wolf with dark fur, blending with the color of the dimly lit forest lunged at them.
Since Minxx was in front, Dimm grabbed her by the shoulder and tossed her to the side.
Somehow, Dimm felt this sudden rush inside of him, as he, as quickly as he had shifted Minxx to safety sidestepped this flash attack. He flung his sword, and in an almost lazily manner, drove them into the wolf's skull.
The wolf cracked aloud in pain, before finally collapsing, dissolving into motes of light.
Minxx blinked. "You… that was an easy fit. I thought your powers should be limited due to your failure to awaken?"
"I don't know how this happened," Dimm said. "But I should be glad it did.
He flexed his hand, unharmed. "Did I need to?"
"Do you need to?" Minxx returned his question. "How am I supposed to know what you need to—?"
Dimm pointed at the glowing substance on the floor. "I meant this. Is there any use collecting them?"
"Oh, yes," Minxx replied immediately realizing what it was. "I almost forgot. That will help Brother Dimm to cultivate his abilities immensely."
"Cultivate? Please, get off it now. Can you explain all these terms you've been using on me all these why?" Dimm got a bit furious because he was not knowledgeable enough about the game.
"Uhn," Minxx snorted.
"I mean, it's not a crime to become a military man without knowing how to fight. If you happen to be in that shoe, you will surely get over it in due time. I mean, with the help of those around."
"It's not a crime that I found myself in this world, without knowing anything about it, but I should also get over it in due time. I can know more, with your help, you know," Dimm explained with sincerity in his tone.
"I will also keep my stand that I will only let you know of things you must know when we get to my village," Minxx was firm with her words.
Meanwhile, Dimm suddenly had a thought sneak into his mind. From the little he knew about games, there were those referred to as the Non-Player Characters (NPC) and if his retention was right, those characters tended not to know anything going on in the game.
'But her—?'
It had never occurred to him that he would meet anything like her. Sorry, any character like her. Then suddenly, 'How could this small girl have such audacity against me?'
On second thought, he let the thought go. After all, it was the same girl that saved him earlier. Plus, he has read in books where the physique of elves tends to deceive their capabilities, or even hide their age. For him though, he was still a very young teenager, or was he?
"Hey, at least you can answer this question if I throw it at you then," Dimm suddenly said.
"If I should, I will."
"I've heard of NPC's in a game. Possibly, are there some I will meet here?" His mind suddenly blamed him for using the word 'game'. What if this girl was an NPC, will she understand?
"Of course, there are. We are on our way to meet most of them, though. Only that dear Minxx is not one of them, I'm barely a reincarnation."
"Re—?" Dimm shocked, at the same time felt elated. He wished Minxx will fall for the trap.
"Yes," Minxx answered and paused for a while. Then, with her hands pointing at Dimm, she said, "You, are you indirectly trying to get things out from my mouth?"
That has been the plan for Dimm. If the girl began to tell him things about how she is a reincarnation, that would have hinted at earning him more knowledge.
'Gan!' Dimm tightened his wrist on his laps.
"Not really, I was just curious," Dimm said. "Are you angry just because of that?"
"I'm not."
"Besides, if we can get a handful of beasts on our way, it will be the best option to annihilate them so as to gain similar cores like you have already," Minxx contributed.
"What am I going to be using them for?" Dimm asked.
"The beasts' cores are used for cultivation," Minxx mentioned and stopped.
Dimm realized this was her method of telling him she didn't want to say more. But, from the way she has spoken, this cultivation of a thing seems highly essential. If that's so, he finally resolved that if he could get his hand on any beast, he wouldn't hesitate to get it down.
They just finished having the discussion as they made deeper and deeper into the forest. Dimm suddenly heard low hisses coming from behind him, so he looked. And at the same time, he heard the high queer of a bird.
A hawk, no, a flying creature that possessed the head of a Snake dove from the clouds. Its talons also crackled with energy.
"So to say, I've been meeting strange creatures here, but never the less."
As he said this, he readied his sword which he dragged alongside him as he traveled. With speed, he ran forward and leaped higher than any human should, into the air, appearing beside the incoming creature before swinging the sword with a diagonal slash downward.
When he did this, he slowly descended to the land, with the flying creature falling at the same time.
It twisted, tore and the storm from its impact died down, then with a last squawk, the bird quavered before it lost all life within.
'Compatibility. He's truly the chosen one,' Minxx thought within.
"Good job done. Looks like a show-off from you," Minxx said, her eyes lingering on the fading sparks on the floor as Dimm bent over to retrieve them.
"I guess, probably because they are no way near the same level with that goddamn monster. That Squiggon of a thing," Dimm complained.
"Lol," Minxx only muttered and they continued traveling in silence.
Walking through the Gabty Forest, down to the Elf Village was just less than half in a day's journey. Meanwhile, the fact that Dimm kept encountering beasts on their way, slowed their movement.
By now, Dimm already has six beast cores with him. He had just faced the seventh beast—a hulking stone golem that crumbled under a single kick from him. This added to the number of his beast cores.
At that stage, Minxx stopped commenting. She only looked at Dimm each time which such happiness in her.
Dimm wiped the dust from his sleeves. "These things… they're too weak. Is this really what the game throws at players?"
Minxx hesitated. "No. These are supposed to kill beginners. You're just…" She gestured vaguely at him.
"Broken?" Dimm smirked.
"Different," She turned away to avoid further questions before finally adding. "Beasts like these were what your fellow candidates encountered."
"..."
***
As they pressed further, Dimm couldn't help but imagine while he hadn't awakened yet. Probably, because the time given to him had elapsed.
But if it has, if really it had elapsed, he shouldn't still be alive by now, right?
He paused on his way, before asking. "Why haven't I awakened?"
"You should have," Minxx stated. "The game assigns abilities based on survival instincts, but you..."
"I—?" Dimm tried to get back her attention.
"You've actually gained abilities that will aid in your survival. While you are existent in this game, you have experienced a different awakening from the others."
Dimm crossed his arms. "And that's why the recruitment message mentioned Survivor 400 instead of me? Because I'm… an error?"
"You're not an error. You were simply chosen," Minxx corrected him.
Minxx was surely right. He had experienced a different awakening, so to speak. If his mind was telling him right, those systems he had unlocked should be proof of his awakening.
And like Minxx said, he did see the message "What are you? A chosen."
He giggled slightly at this realization.
Minxx stopped in her tracks. Looking down from where she stood with Dimm.
With the curiosity in him to find out what it was, Dimm rushed forward and looked down as well.
"My village," Minxx said, a smile spreading across her grin.
Dimmed grinned. "If that's so good a thing...lead the way."
Hearing what Dimm said, Minxx kicked him hard on his legs sending him to fall off his feet on the floor.
"Ouch, this wasn't the plan," Dimm said, clutching his right leg which got hurt from the kick. "Did I say anything wrong?"
"Shall we?" Minxx asked, turning to look at Dimm whose attention had been captured.
Ding!
«Error!»
«Error!»
«Host, at this point, must know of his system's description!»