GENSHIN MAD: CHAPTER 3 (Patreon)

Chapter 3: Level Up!

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Several thousand years ago, Gods roamed over this world, crushing and ruling over it as they wished with the transcendent power of their respective elements that each of them possessed.

They were the epitome of the world, just below Celestia.

However, from that same Celestia, when seven divine thrones opened up, promising the one to claim absolute control over their elements, bitter power struggles flared all around the world and marked the earth with scars that still remain to this day..

People call it the Archon War.

Two thousand years ago, the last divine throne was claimed, and the victorious gods became known as The Seven Archons.

Each of these Archons possessed a Gnosis, a higher form of power different from Vision, which let them draw powers directly from Celestia, allowing them not only absolute control over their element, but also unimaginable powers.

Together, these seven used their powers to form seven nations, which made up the continent of Teyvat.

...Now that I look over the basic history of this world in my head, it gives me a sense of familiarity in this unfamiliar wilderness.

Walking through the road surrounded by crowds of trees, a question popped up in my head.

Is this the same game world?

In the game, we got a 3rd Person view, so everything, the trees, the road, even the surroundings, seemed quite small and a bit cramped. But in the first-person view, everything is so spread out, so real and… so fantastic. The fluttering leaves, the sound of birds chirping, the vast trees on both sides of the road I am walking on, and finally, the wild monsters running around me. Everything was real, and everything felt real.

Speaking of wild monsters, guess what, there are deers, buffalo's, and more animals I never saw on Genshin. Whoa, Mihoyo hid things from me. Then again, this world was more than what I saw in Genshin. As a former AR 56, I have come to this place I have walked on a lot of times before, but I don't remember there being so many trees, nor do I remember there being a fountain nearby. This was, more or less, a different world than I am used to.

It's just based on Genshin.

"Oh, oh! Hey, Bastad, look at that t-thing!"

Mean suddenly yelled from behind me, pointing at the pink rabbit just meters in front of us.

Hearing the noise, the rabbit kicked off and vanished in the leaves. I motioned to Mean and followed suit, immediately regretting the idea as we pushed past the bushes.

[Large Anemo Slime - Level 30]

An oversized Anemo Slime, cuddling with smaller ones of the same race, was in front of us. It noticed us and turned back, and although it didn't have a face from where I could read it, I knew it was angry.

Oh shit-

A burst of wind flew at me from the slime's body, I was too caught off guard to block it with my shield just as it hit my chest and threw me to where I ran from.

[-30 HP!]

I knew I was fucked when a single attack took almost half of my Health. I yelled at Mean and made a run for the opposite side.

The sound of feet stomping on the ground, grass, and leaves were the only thing I heard for the next 2 minutes. By the time I realised the slimes weren't following us, both I and Mean had reached an open ground, a cliff.

Huffing, I slid down beside a tree.

That was a fucking slime.

What the hell. I almost died to a slime. Goddammit, such a shame, how would I show my face to anyone… Then again, I don't think I will remove this mask anytime soon.

A part of me didn't want to see my own reflection.

"Um… are you otay?"

Mean suddenly asked from beside me, also breathing heavily.

I was about to answer him, just when my ears twitched.

"Shh…"

I raised an arm to stop Mean from approaching forward, and took proper cover behind the tree, my eyes locking on my… prey.

We were facing the end of the cliff, and at the edge, something was eating grass.

A boar.

A brown-furred boar large enough to go face to face with me was eating grass just a few meters in front.

"Uh…" Mean's squeaky voice muttered. "Shouldn't we hunt something smaller? Like a, what do they call it, rabbit?"

That would be good too, but no, fuck that. I got first-hand experience of how swift and cheeky rabbits can be, already. So I have to at least try my luck on a boar, and even if we can't kill it, it will give me some experience.

"No, stay back. I have a plan." At my words, Mean nodded.

Hilichurls are only so smart, even if this world is different from the game, making him listen to my order isn't that hard.

I focused on the boar again. I realised as long as I avoid actual monsters, as in, the ones who had levels in the game, I would be fine. Slimes look weak, but they are more or less invincible for someone like me. Boars on the other hand…

I stopped. My eyes looked at the text hovering above the beast's head.

[Wild Boar - Level 12]

...Basic animals that the game never considered dangerous enough to give them a threat, also had levels in this world. Whoa.

...Now I am not sure though. Can I take on a level 12 opponent? Does it have health too? Or will it simply die if I push my sword down its heart? I have many things I need to test. Maybe I should really hunt a rabbit first-

The boar suddenly raised its head. Its red-eyed locked over the tree, at us, as it whimpered a roar and kicked towards us.

Oh, God.

"Mean, block it!" I yelled at Mean.

"Huh-"

"Do it!"

I don't want Mean to die, but if I don't make him block the attack first, we both will die. Though that doesn't mean I will just push him to his death either.

As Mean nodded and hesitantly jumped in front of the incoming boar, I flanked around. If this was any monster, any aggressive animal even, I would have been scared shitless. But this was a mere boar, something I ate in my previous life. I can't be scared of it.

"Ah!"

I saw the boar hit Mean on his stomach, even though he tried to block the attack with his shield. Mean groaned aloud as his swords flew out of his hand.

I rushed forward.

Mean saw me, and I could sense his relief even from under his mask realising that I didn't abandon him.

Mean held onto the boar's tusk, groaning out loud, as the animal slammed Mean's back on a tree, pressing down on him with great strength.

With Mean's coughing sound filling the woods, I reached behind the boar and plunged my sword down on its neck.

"Kraa!"

It released a groan, a yell, and snapped its head back at me.

I was about to attack again, but suddenly my eyes caught something. A red bar had appeared above the boar's head, which grew smaller and smaller as blood dripped down its neck.

A health bar!

I tried my best to ignore it and pulled back my word out of its chest, but it didn't come out, it was stuck. By then, the boar released Mean and turned to me instead.

I immediately released the sword and prepared to run, but the boar rushed at me, hit my chest, and I barely stopped myself from flying down the cliff by grabbing its tusk.

I wasn't expecting it to have this much strength…

It pushed me back but I clenched my feet on the ground. However, the only thing that achieved was leaving a trail behind.

"Krya!"

It groaned in pain and anger as blood trickled down from its chest. I knew if not for the wound, it would have pushed me down from the cliff by now.

But not like this is any better either.

I was pushed to the edge of the cliff. Half of my feet, my toes, were digging into the ground while the other half was in the air. I used all my strength to at least hold the boar back from pushing down further and killing both of us at once. Only seconds passed and I started to feel my arms go numb.

Of course. I am a 3-days-old Hilichurl. As big as an elementary school kid. How long can I hold this?

Things suddenly grew heated as realisation hit me. I was about to die again. My 2nd life was at the brink of its ending. Just when I was planning to...

My heartbeat pumped high, and my arms suddenly bulged up. The fright I was feeling toned down, and instead, anger brewed up in me. I wasn't the one angry though, instead, my body was.

A red cloak of mana whizzed out of my body, covering me like a tangible armour, just as I felt strength returning- no, strength bursting into my numb arms.

[Berserk Mode Activated!]

I didn't have to do anything to the boar, its red eyes shook as if scared by the red cloak, as it pulled back, automatically pulling me along with it, thus I got my foothold back.

Without wasting much time, I grabbed the boar's overgrown tusk with both my hands and raised the boar as big as my body in the air. Strength gushed through my muscles as I smashed it down on the ground.

With a thundering noise, the red health bar of the monster lowered down and vanished from existence. And just like in-game, the body shone golden and slowly withered into nothingness, leaving not even ashes behind.

The golden light then condensed into an orb of light, slowly entering my body, as I felt my wounds heal, my muscles growing tighter, and finally…

[You have levelled up!]

The level up message blinded my vision. My level went up from a single boar… hah.

The burning red cloak of mana dispersed into nothingness, and I fell onto my butt. I guess normally this skill will drain my stamina and strength dry after the cloak disappears, but now that I levelled up and my HP went full, I am back to normal.

"Bastad!" The other Hilichurl ran to me, his hands holding his weapons again. "Y-you killed it!" A voice of disbelief and cheer left him. "You actually killed a monster on your own!!!"

His impressed voice only made me laugh. I wouldn't have been able to kill it without his help, but if he believes I did it on my own then eh, let him be. Nobody hates a bit of extra attention.

Laughing softly, I stared where the boar died. There was no blood, and although I said it didn't even leave ashes behind, it did leave something. Meat, boar meat. I wonder if this is how animals die in this world, dropping loot after their death. Or if that's because of the Player skill...

There were 3 pieces of meat. I grabbed two, and hesitated before handing one to Mean as well. Without him listening to my order on the spot, we both would have probably died. He can be a good shoulder to rely upon in the future.

"A-are you sure? You hunted it all by yourself…"

I nodded. "Just take it. Pay me back later. A man should eat more anyway."

"O-otay." He nodded, before scratching his head. "I am not a man though."

"..."

Before I could react to his- her words, something stirred behind us.

Three boars, the same size as before, walked out of the bush. Their eyes first locked on the meat on our hands before all three of them rushed to us immediately.

This fight was… easier than before. I knew how my Berserk Mode felt, so I tried to immediately dip into it. It worked, luckily, and with two swords in my hand (which I didn't know how to properly use even), I chopped on the boars like a butcher. They struggled, hit me even, but with Mean distracting them and blocking their attacks with her shield, a few minutes later, only their meat remained on the ground.

I breathed heavily and threw Mean's sword at hi- her, her.

"You should have told me before you're a girl."

I told her as she caught the sword before she rubbed her neck. "I mean, you never asked. And not like it matters."

True.

[You have levelled up!]

[You have reached level 3]

This was a more or less fun day.

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