THE SKILL TREE

Before Rave stood a group of figures clad in full armor, their faces hidden behind metal masks. Each one held a spear tightly, the sharp tips gleaming under the flickering firelight. Despite their armored appearance, they couldn't fully hide their body nature—fox-like ears poked through gaps in their helmets, and long, bushy tails swayed behind them.

Demihumans.

They stood perfectly still, watching Rave with eyes that seemed to pierce right through him.

But to Rave, they were more than just onlookers. An intense energy radiated from them, an aura filled with murderous intent that sent chills down his spine. His legs trembled, struggling to support his weight.

"H-Hey… what the hell do you want?" Rave demanded, his voice wavering as he fought to stand upright.

From the center of the group, someone began to move. The soldiers parted, revealing an elderly woman who hobbled forward. Her face was lined with deep wrinkles, her back hunched with age, and she wore an ancient robe that dragged along the ground as she walked.

Her eyes were a piercing shade of grey, the same color as her fox-like ears and tail that moved subtly behind her. Unlike what Rave expected, this demihuman looked almost human, with only minor differences—like the faint fur on her eyebrows and a certain sharpness in her gaze that felt anything but ordinary.

"Are you the one who killed three of our wolves?" she asked, her voice commanding and cold.

Rave felt a wave of pressure wash over him. His heart pounded, and his mouth went dry. He could barely nod in response, his body frozen under her gaze. For a moment, her eyes widened in surprise.

But before she could say anything else, a male voice from within the group scoffed, "Madam Seji, you must be mistaken. How could a mere first-level of body-strengthening human can kill peak-level of lesser tier beasts? He's nothing but weak, dirty human."

Another voice chimed in, this one sharper, more aggressive, "Madam Seji, we should kill this human right here before he became a trouble for us." That persons eyes locked on Rave, filled with contempt.

The old woman, Seji, remained silent, her gaze never leaving Rave. After a pause, she spoke again, her tone unwavering, "You will come with us." Her words weren't a request but an order, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Rave's instincts screamed at him to run. "Why should I go with you? I didn't do anything wrong. Those beasts came after my food first!" He took a step back, his muscles tense and ready to bolt.

'Do they hate humans? If that's the case, I should escape from this place,' he thought, his eyes darting for any possible escape route.

The old woman's lips curled into a thin smile, but her eyes remained cold. "Do you not understand the law of the jungle? The hunter devours the prey, and the strong rule the weak." She took a step closer, her aura turning dark and menacing. "You will come with us. We won't harm you… unless you try something foolish."

Her warning hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Rave swallowed hard, his mind racing as he realized just how dangerous this situation truly was.

Immediately, Rave agreed, his shoulders slumping. 'Why am I always getting into trouble just when I think I've gained enough power?' he grumbled inwardly as they snapped heavy metal handcuffs onto his wrists. The weight was overwhelming, making his arms ache.

With the soldiers leading the way, they moved into the dense forest, the shadows of the trees stretching ominously around them. Rave followed at the back of the group, his eyes darting between them as he silently activated his status panel.

Name: Aruk

Species: Fox Kin

Progression: Body Strengthening – Third Level [True Strengthening – Bones and muscles toughen up, and energy paths start to open.]

Attributes:

Attack: 24

Defense: 21

Speed: 23

Skills:

Piercing Thrust [Spear Skill] – A powerful forward strike with the spear that penetrates any defenses.

Rave scanned each of them one by one, noticing similar stats and skills across the group. But when he focused on the old woman, the system responded with a single line:

[Cannot scan due to host's lower progression level]

Rave's heart sank. 'I knew she was powerful… but this…' He had suspected her strength from the way the soldiers treated her with unwavering respect. Now, with no idea of her abilities, escaping became even more daunting. Even though their individual stats were close to his, they outnumbered him, and the heavy cuffs made him feel like he was dragging boulders.

'I'll play along for now… and escape when the opportunity arises,' he planned, keeping his head low.

As his thoughts raced, the old fox woman's voice cut through the silence, "How did you kill those wolves?" Her tone was firm, her grey eyes locked on him.

Rave remained silent, his jaw clenched. One of the fox soldiers snapped, "Hey, answer her! If you don't tell us now, we'll find out eventually!" He shoved Rave forward, causing him to stumble. Rave glared at him but quickly turned his attention back to the old woman. "I used my skill to kill them," he answered, giving her only half the truth. He had actually used two—Swift Steps and Stone Body.

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh? And what tier is your skill?" she asked, her tone probing.

"It's…" Rave hesitated. 'Should I tell her?' After a brief pause, he answered, "It's Tier 2."

His words hit like a thunderclap. The group fell silent, their faces painted with shock. Even the old woman's eyes widened as she scanned him from head to toe, her expression shifting into one of intrigue. "Is that so? Then you might be more useful to us than I thought," she said, a wicked smile curling on her lips.

The others looked at him with disgust, their eyes burning with jealousy and suspicion. To them, he was either lying or a threat. Either way, his situation just became even more dangerous.