When I looked at Oliver, instead of surprise, what I found was a face frozen in utter shock. His legs were trembling uncontrollably, fear evident in every little movement. I couldn't blame him—his reaction was natural, given the circumstances. Oliver was the normal one here, while I, the odd one, simply stood there watching.
"It's okay, he hasn't seen us yet" I whispered to Oliver, my voice barely audible—so soft it was even quieter than last time. The words got lost in the gentle breeze, and I felt like any louder sound might give away our position.
Oliver heard me, and to my surprise, his breathing started to settle, little by little. Each breath seemed deeper and steadier than the last. He had been completely terrified and shaken, but now he looked more composed, though the tension still lingered in his eyes.
The raw panic had faded, but a slight tremor in his stance told me that, despite his efforts to stay calm, he was still deeply afraid. Still, it seemed like he had come to terms with the situation—as hard as that might be.
I gave Oliver a moment to collect himself, letting him process everything in silence. Meanwhile, my gaze returned to the creature standing in front of us.
It resembled a rat, but something about it clearly set it apart. It was larger than a grown man and stood upright on two legs, as if its body had adapted to move more efficiently that way.
Its front fangs were massive, so sharp they looked like they could crush bones as easily as paper. And yet, the real reason I kept staring at it was simple: I wanted to test my other ability.
With that thought in mind, I activated [Identify] and kept my eyes locked on the giant rat. Once again, I felt something being pulled from inside me—like a part of my energy was being drained.
This time, though, the sensation was much more subtle, almost unnoticeable, especially compared to the first time. I probably only picked up on it because I was actively looking for it. Either way, a new screen appeared in front of me, slightly smaller than the ones before.
[??? - Level 4]
Honestly, I couldn't really tell how dangerous this thing was just from that ability. I mean, other than the level, there wasn't much info on it.
I guess I should be glad there wasn't anything like "Venomous" or "Deadly" in its name—but still, it didn't change what I needed to do.
"Oliver, stay here. I'm going to try landing a killing blow on that thing. I've got an ability that might help" I said, my voice focused and calm.
But before I could take another step, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. When I turned, the only thing I could see was Oliver's face, wide-eyed and full of disbelief.
His lips moved slowly, trying to grasp what was going on as he spoke in a low, hesitant voice: "You... How are you not scared? That thing is a monster! How can you stay so calm?"
Hearing his words, I simply tilted my head. Not because his question was strange, but because it touched on something I had never experienced in my life—whether for better or worse. I paused briefly, reflecting on how to respond, and finally looked into his eyes and said the first honest thing that came to mind.
"I've had Urbach-Wiethe since I was born... To be honest, I don't even know what fear feels like. I've never experienced it" I said, my voice flat, my face expressionless.
Oliver's eyes widened slightly, like he was expecting something more heroic or dramatic. But the reality was much simpler: my brain literally didn't know how to feel fear.
Even when I was a kid, I remember a trip to the zoo with my class. We stopped in front of the lion enclosure, and one of them came right up to the bars with heavy steps.
Its sharp teeth glistened in the sunlight, and its gaze locked onto us with predatory intensity—like it saw easy prey. While the other kids screamed and cried, I just stared at the lion, completely confused about why everyone was panicking. I didn't feel scared—not even a little.
Instead, a strange curiosity welled up inside me. Why were they all running from it? What was so terrifying about this majestic creature? That question lingered in my mind for weeks, eating away at me, until I eventually gave up trying to understand it out of pure frustration.
In the end, Oliver let go of my arm, but his next reaction was far from what I expected. Still visibly shaken, he looked at me like he was trying to process what he had just learned.
After a brief silence, he said: "I guess... that explains a lot. When we first woke up, you and that girl seemed way calmer than anyone else—even with all this chaos going on"
I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he'd say next. To my surprise, Oliver gripped his bow tightly. His breathing was still a bit uneven, but slowly returning to normal.
He pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back with a practiced motion, his fingers moving with the ease of someone who had done this countless times.
With a confident, determined look, he met my eyes and said: "Sorry about earlier. That thing really spooked me. But you're right. We can't let it live—it might head toward the train, where the others are"
Well, the reason I wanted to kill the giant rat wasn't exactly what Oliver had in mind. Still, whatever worked for him was fine, I guess. I gave him a small nod, gripping my dagger tighter. The cold steel pressed into my palm, intensifying the tension running through my body. Oliver and I exchanged a loaded look, the silence between us thick with meaning.
I took a deep breath before explaining the plan: "I'm going to use two abilities to take that thing down" I began, my voice steady despite the looming danger.
"If everything goes the way I hope, one hit should be enough. But if it's not... I'll need your arrows backing me up"
Oliver nodded, and in the next moment, I briefly closed my eyes, focusing on steadying my breathing. I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs as my thoughts aligned into one clear goal. I was going to do this—I had to do this. If I didn't, death would come later. If I didn't force myself to adapt, survival wouldn't be an option. It was kill or be killed—and I had no intention of dying.