CLA.S.S NEUTRAL: Stranger Is Coming

Hidden paths. Unpleasant meeting. To fall through the ground.

I turned around and stared at the passage from which I had come. That's how it all began. I went backwards, but it wasn't my decision—my legs seemed to act by themselves.

But, of course! Why didn't I guess at once? Silvanus had gone backward, each time returning to the passage, using his own tracks, but not going through other passages. I embarked on the path where the chain of the trails continued.

Most likely, this track would lead me to the place where he had scared me. Consequently, there was a hidden path of the second level. I was right again, but this time it was extremely difficult to walk along this path.

About four hours later, and after a lot of backtracking, I ran after the salvin, then a new message appeared:

Skill 'Silvanus's Path' reaches level 10!

A new ability of this skill has appeared — the transition to hidden paths of the third level.

You have learned the new skill 'Silvanus's Step'.

Description: Long walking on the paths, hidden from many mortals' eyes, made you more skillful. As a result, you began to move much quieter and neater, and it's more difficult now to find your trail. Remember, the higher the level of this skill is, the less chance that you will be chased.

Class: epic

Level: 1

Well, so that was it. The salvin had not only the high level path, but he could make his traces visible only for those who he wanted to see them. That's not fair! If I were at the same level, the salvin wouldn't have gotten away from me!

"Who knows?" the salvin grinned.

I was so offended by such a blatant injustice—when a player of less than the tenth level had to compete against a salvin at a sky-high level—that I even didn't get scared.

I also didn't notice that I had kept walking along the third-level path and had come across the salvin, so this time it wasn't he who had found me, but I'd found him. "I can congratulate you on the first transition to the hidden path of the third level. However, this isn't the end of your training because you haven't caught me, and you have learned only one skill. I also remind you that the day is over, as well as the time to complete the task."

"Gotcha!" I grabbed the salvin.

"Ha-ha-ha," he laughed. "You were right, musing about my abilities. I'm just a double. You'll get a chance to find the Keeper when you learn at least two more skills." The fake salvin turned into a bunch of leaves, which were immediately picked up by the wind and carried away.

I didn't even manage to say anything. I sensed a trick, and my fists clenched with such injustice and at the sight of his grinning mug. Although I knew I wouldn't be able to hit him because then I would be no better than those bastards that I had thrown out of the game.

So, I had to go farther along this path. I had only walked for a short time when I reached the transition to an ordinary forest.

Damn! Why? I was very 'lucky'. It seemed to be a good place. The sun had already gone down over the horizon and covered itself with a blanket of darkness. In the sky, the day star had been replaced by the bright moon. Its rays illuminated some very curious creatures.

Old Bony Bear level 218

Bony Squealer level 221

Bony Something level ???

Screw it! Out of the frying pan into the fire. I was sick and tired of this salvin and these monsters, led by one of an undefined level. This bear was much 'cooler' than the one I'd met earlier.

It had two skulls—one inside the other; three necks, holding both heads and, possibly, allowing the inner one to move; six thick legs, consisting of a lot of bones, and a rather massive body, with the skulls of many animals inside.

Each skull's eyes burned with green light, but the bear's eyes burned with emerald flame. The inner skull was hidden in the darkness of the main 'head', and its eyes shone particularly impressively. Honestly, this monster made my hocks shake with fear.

The second creature—the squealer—resembled a ten-foot-long ostrich with one leg in the middle of the body and a huge skull, most of which was beak.

This beast's body, as well as its leg, was far too massive for a bird's skeleton. But there was one key feature: this monster had all its own bones. The dark dips of the skull shone with a poisonous green light.

The third being was even more incomprehensible and fully justified its name. From a distance, this monster looked like a mixture of a wolf and a lion, but on closer examination it looked a little different. It had an almost solid and slightly elongated strong skull. It looked like a fighter's deformed nose cone. The numerous rows of teeth were spinning like electric saws or a meat grinder inside.

Over the entire body of this creature, there were many jaws of various shapes and sizes. I could safely say that this something consisted almost entirely of jaws—they were even on its paws. On a long flexible tail, something like a small head hung, viciously snapping its teeth.

If these creatures rushed me, there would nothing left of me. I was sure that if criminals were shown such monsters and said that they would be given to them to be eaten, the number of crimes would decrease significantly.

Some criminals were put in the virtual reality. In my opinion, this was too humane if such creatures didn't eat them for the whole of their jail time—which was long for murderers, rapists and maniacs. In addition, they needed to have the same painful sensations as I had, or even more severe if this was possible.

The monsters turned toward me, and I felt sick. I doubted these beasts would talk to me, and I was right. The bear moved first. Why did they like me so much?

I tried to search for a sword handle. I really needed one, or a railgun, or just some kind of projector of singular points to try and kill these creatures.

I wonder who was stronger: the Lord of Demons or this Bony Something? I'd like to watch their fight. Meanwhile, the Bony creatures of the Gardens of Death were approaching me.

"I wish I could just fall through the ground!" I blurted out in anger, getting ready to either endure this hellish torment or quit the game, but everything suddenly turned dark, and I didn't feel any pain.

Did the game glitch because of the number of monsters attacking me today? No, the menus seemed to be active. A pop-up window answered my question.

Spell 'Fall through the Ground' is learned.

Description: To save you, the earth itself opened up under your feet, covering you with a spatial dome and hiding you in another dimension. No one can get you there, even the other elements. & * ^% # hidden *;% "you from *?:% & # ...

Direction of magic:;% "?:} {] [

Spell class: ???%;} {

Level: 1

Now, it was surely a glitch. I wonder what saved me—the earth or Rainea? It's very interesting. Should I write a bug report? No, I have to be grateful for my salvation and this new spell.

Now I could sneak away from any monster, but how could I get back? I found I had to concentrate for a long time before I could get to a place located a considerable distance away from these creatures.

I immediately embarked on the trail and went to the village. What else could I do if I had gotten off the path and couldn't approach the place where I had broken away?