Spider Queen Lv12 Killed, +1700 exp, +1500 divine points.

Joe sat on the ground with his sword in his lap and the spider's corpse only a few feet in front of him. Broken spikes, rocks, and blood littered the floor, evidence of how brutal the battle had been. The Spider's enormous size, partially hidden in the dark by its black carapace, gave off an intimidating aura, which was only visible thanks to the warm glow of light produced by the torches placed nearby. It was lucky the beast had been too big to travel through the tunnel, as the thought of facing the creature in pure darkness left Joe feeling a sense of dread.

"Status," Joe said, causing the transparent menu to pop into view.

Name: Joe Heraldson

Level: 12

Experience Points: 211/15,473

Race: Human (F)

Grade: Mortal

Blessings: Heaven's Chosen

Strength: 38

Vitality: 36

Agility: 36

Will: 31

Spirit: 15

Free Stats: 7

Overall, he had earned 1500 exp from the Queen Spider, a tidy sum. It was even more than what he received from the badger, confirming his suspicion that level wasn't everything when it came to experience gains. He glanced at his EXP progress bar, happy to see he was now level 12.

"I now need 15,000 exp to reach level 13". Joe sighed. The amount of Exp needed to level up was becoming prohibitive.

He turned his attention to his stats. He couldn't help but smile once he saw his Vitality had taken a solid leap forward, jumping a massive 16 points thanks to the berries. It gave his Vitality a much-needed boost. Finally, he would no longer need to worry about running out of Stamina during every fight. The only stat left falling behind was Spirit, though Joe still didn't have much use for the attribute since all his skills were passive, meaning they didn't require a large reserve of energy to activate. For now, Joe placed 1 point into strength and 2 points into Agility, leaving 4 free points left over. With his inspection done, Joe closed the status menu and turned his attention back to the Spider.

Joe stared wistfully at the Spider's corpse, imagining the vast sum of wealth he could have earned from selling it. It was too bad he couldn’t store it, or even sell it for that matter. The Spider's carapace alone would provide a solid upgrade to his armor, and the Spider's fangs would make great daggers. Joe pulled out his survival guide and turned to the section on skinning. The book contained a wealth of knowledge on harvesting all kinds of beasts, though the selection was somewhat limited. Eventually, he found a page with a drawing that looked similar to the Queen Spider.

[Devil Arachnida] is a poisonous spider that ambushes its prey using paralytic venom. Considered highly dangerous. It is known to live in caves high with spiritual energy. Is highly sought after for its carapace and venom sacks…

The description sounded surprisingly spot-on, though it was impossible to know if they were the same species. His notifications only gave the most basic of information, making it unreliable as an inspection tool. With no other option, Joe flipped a few more pages, turning to the step-by-step guide on harvesting the essential parts. Once he had a solid grasp of the process, He took out his knife, took a deep breath, and started to get to work.

The process was easily one of the most unpleasant tasks Joe had ever undertaken. It took several hours to complete, and left him covered in head to toe in mucus and viscera. The smell alone had forced Joe to stop every hour to prevent himself from gagging. In addition, his knife could barely cut through the carapace shell, forcing him to resort to using his sword to hack away at sections around the sternum. In the end, Joe managed to extract a few decent pieces. However, his amateur skill meant most of the carapace got ruined. He left the meat, having absolutely no desire to try it, given the foul stench that reeked from it. However, Joe did successfully manage to pull out the venom sack without breaking it. He carefully wrapped it in a bunch of protective wrapping and placed it in his bag.

The poison sac was easily the item he was most excited about. It offered a chance to even the playing field against stronger beasts. A small amount layered over his sword meant every cut would have a paralytic effect. He imagined cutting through swathes of enemies, using poison to leave countless beasts frozen in place. Joe couldn't stop from cackling out loud like an evil villain, thinking about the buffet of free Exp he would earn.

Once he finished harvesting the materials, Joe dragged all the valuable parts back to the cavern for safety. Without the spiders, the cavern had become a quiet oasis, free of threats. It would make a perfect place to rest while searching the rest of the forest.

After failing to find any other hidden treasures in the cavern, Joe turned his attention toward the crystal clear lake. Its clean waters called to him, offering him salvation from the pungent aroma of spider fluids covering his whole body. Joe hurried over with unbridled enthusiasm. After confirming no hidden beasts were lurking within, he jumped in, causing all the nearby fish to flee in panic. Joe hung under the water, allowing the gunk and sweat to wash away. He felt renewed.

A few hours later, Joe sat next to the lake with a small fire blazing in the background and a 20-pound fish slowly grilling on top. It had taken almost 30 minutes to capture the damn thing. The second they sensed danger, the fish would flash away with an incredible burst of speed. Only after a lucky shot with a spear did he finally catch one. Joe grabbed the cooked fish and sunk his teeth into its tender flesh, tearing off a large piece of meat. The flavor was rich and delicate. Joe took a moment to savor the moment, reveling in the forgotten sensation of how real food tasted. He was already reaching his limit of living on nutrition bars every day, even if they were cheap. After devouring the fish down to its bones, Joe lay down on the grass, finally enjoying a moment of respite. Soon, his eyes closed, and he drifted off into the first decent night's sleep he had gotten in weeks.

The next day, Joe awoke, feeling reinvigorated. The night's sleep had done wonders for his mind and body, making him feel ready for the day ahead. Joe put his dry clothes and armor back on, though he was saddened to see the holes where the Spider had sunk its fangs into him. Joe clicked his tongue. It was a shame his armor had already gotten damaged, but there wasn't much he could do. The spider carapace was still slimy and stunk to high heavens. He had soaked it in water and scraped off all the hair and mucins from the inside. All he could do now was wait and see if it dried into something useful. He strapped his sword to his waist and grabbed his pack. It was time to go.

Joe raced back through the tunnel until he reached the entrance, exiting the cave just as the sun was beginning its rise from the East, covering the forest in a warm, soft glow. The air was crisp, with drops of morning dew covering the grass. In the distance, the sound of chirping birds carrying out their morning rituals filled the air with a calm melody. How the heavens had created a world that mirrored Earth so well was both unimaginable and terrifying at the same time.

With the whole day ahead, Joe began his march through the forest. He crept through the woods at a brisk pace while leaving markings on certain trees to ensure he always knew the path back. It was insurance should he ever lose his [Heavens Compass]. Today, Joe was traveling light with most of his supplies left in the cave. He sped through the forest for the next few hours, dispatching any gray wolves that tried to ambush him. As his Agility improved, so too did his proficiency in traversing the forest. He no longer sounded like a bull in a China shop, constantly tripping on roots and vines. Yet the fact he hadn't encountered any more packs worried him. Was this the wrong direction?

Joe ran to the largest tree he could find, picking one that was over 200ft tall and looked like a large oak. Joe grabbed a vine and hoisted himself up, quickly making it to the top unhindered. At the top, the wind power was strong, forcing him to grip anything he could find to avoid getting blown off. Joe wasn't scared of heights, but when you stood 200ft tall without a safety harness, it was hard not to get a little nervous. Joe stood on the highest branch within the canopy and scanned his surroundings. Across the horizon, a sea of trees spread out for miles around without end. Joe winced. The forest was significantly larger than he had imagined. Any exit was days away, and without a better view, there was no way to know which way to go. However, he soon spotted another giant tree in the distance. It towered above the neighboring canopy like a giant among men. Joe smiled. Not only would he be able to find the exit from the top, but there was a good chance of finding additional treasure. Joe took out his compass and noted the direction before climbing down and making haste towards his next target.

***

The wolf growled and snapped its jaw while it tried to bite into Joe's vambrace. The pressure from the wolf's bite would have easily broken his arm if he hadn't improved his Vitality the day earlier. Yet now, the pressure was only enough to cause a trickle of blood and a slight bruise. With a swing of his sword, he slashed the wolf's neck open, releasing a torrent of blood. The wolf's jaw slackened, freeing his arm and allowing him to execute one final thrust, finishing it off for good.

"Ugh, I just cleaned these," Joe complained while looking down at his blood-soaked clothes.

The sun was beginning its descent to the west, and Joe had traveled nonstop through the forest. At first, he encountered individual wolves, which he dispatched with ease, but the closer he got, the more the numbers began to grow. It got to the point where he was facing off against two or more wolves at any given time. This wolf alone was the twelfth he had killed in six hours. Joe wiped his sword clean on the wolf's fur and continued his trek. After several hours of fighting, he was still going strong, making him more than satisfied with his improved Stamina.

Joe continued for another 10 minutes until he heard another growl in the distance. He slowed down and crept up behind a bush. In the distance, he saw three healthy-looking wolves chewing on a half-eaten animal that looked like a wild deer. They hadn't spotted him yet, allowing Joe to move back to decide his next move. It was an excellent chance to test the spider venom. Joe smiled expectantly. He looked forward to the results, especially the EXP rewards. He couldn't deny he was starting to become addicted to leveling up, or maybe his personality had been twisted by the system? In truth, it didn't matter. If he wanted to survive in this new world, he would need strength. He could afford to worry about ethical matters later.

Joe opened his sack and pulled out one of his water flasks. Inside was the spider venom he had looted. He carefully opened the flask and poured a small amount of yellow liquid over his blade. With his preparations made, Joe crept closer, making sure he approached downwind with each step selectively placed to avoid making a sound. Once he was around 10 feet away, he bent his knees and shot forwards, thrusting his sword at the closest wolf. The steel glistened as the venom reflected the light in the midday sun. The wolves, too distracted by their delicious meal, failed to notice the human approach until too late. Joe's sword pierced straight into the first wolf's side, injecting the venom straight into its body.

The wolf took a moment to realize what had happened before yelping out in pain. However, Joe didn't wait to observe the effects. He ripped his sword out and sprung towards the next wolf. The second wolf growled in rage before jumping at Joe with its jaw open wide. Joe ducked while slashing his sword upwards in a vertical arc. Blood sprayed out from underneath the wolf, causing its intestines to drop out from its open wound. It landed and began convulsing as it bled out.

The third wolf crept behind him, trying to launch a surprise attack on his blind spot. A smart move if Joe hadn't seen it twice before. He spun around and slashed down at the wolf, cutting it down the bridge of its nose while jumping to the side. However, this time he couldn’t entirely dodge the wolf's attack. It managed to catch onto his armor and drag him to the ground with its claws. However, relief quickly came. The wolf began to sway until it went slack and fell to the ground in paralysis. Joe jumped up and moved several steps back to observe the scene. All three wolves lay on the ground, frozen—each with purple veins spreading out from their wounds. Joe fist-bumped the air in celebration. The venom had worked perfectly.

A few seconds later, Joe finished off the wolves, putting them out of their misery. There was no reason to leave them suffering more than necessary. Besides, the fight had gone better than expected. With this new weapon in his arsenal, it was time for him to start grinding some EXP.