Chapter 2: First Aid and First Principles
The journey back to Oakhaven was a special kind of hell, each step a fresh wave of agony from Ren's mangled leg. The crude bandage helped, but the [Bleeding (Minor)] status effect stubbornly remained on his interface, a small, persistent red icon that mocked his efforts. His HP, a terrifyingly low 7/75 when he'd started, had only marginally improved to 9/75 thanks to his natural regeneration, which felt laughably slow at 0.1 HP per minute. His [Exhausted] status made every movement feel like he was dragging himself through thick mud.
He leaned heavily on a sturdy branch he'd snapped off a fallen tree, using it as a makeshift crutch. The blue screens of The World's Interface were a constant presence now. He found he could mentally 'minimize' them to small, unobtrusive icons in the corner of his vision, or 'focus' on a specific one. He kept his [Status] screen prominent, watching his HP with an eagle eye.
The forest, usually a place of cautious exploration, now felt oppressively hostile. Every rustle of leaves, every distant bird call, sent jolts of anxiety through him. He found himself constantly glancing at the [Map] tab. It was mostly blank, a featureless grey expanse with a small, slowly expanding circle of 'explored' territory around his current position. Oakhaven was marked as a tiny, green-lit dot – his only beacon of safety.
He tried to practice what the system had called [Stealth (Untrained) Lv. 0]. He moved slowly, deliberately, trying to minimize noise, acutely aware of his vulnerability. After about twenty minutes of this agonizingly slow progress, a small notification popped up:
[Stealth (Untrained) Lv. 0 (EXP: 15/50)]
Comment: You're still moving like a wounded boar, but at least you're a quiet wounded boar.
Ren almost laughed, a dry, humorless sound. The system had a personality, it seemed. A sarcastic, brutally honest one.
His focus sharpened when a new alert appeared:
[WIS Check (Perception) Passed! Potential Threat Detected - North-East Quadrant!]
He froze, his heart leaping. He strained his ears and eyes, peering into the dense foliage. After a tense minute, he spotted it – a pair of Razorbeaks, crow-sized birds with metallic feathers and beaks that looked capable of punching through leather. They weren't actively hunting him, just foraging, but they were a reminder that the Grootslang wasn't the only danger. He carefully, painstakingly, altered his route, adding precious minutes to his torturous trek.
It took what felt like an eternity, his Stamina Points (SP) hovering near zero, before the familiar scent of woodsmoke and the distant sounds of village life reached him. Oakhaven.
The village was a collection of about thirty sturdy, if somewhat weathered, wooden houses and a single, larger building that served as a communal hall and occasional merchant stop. It was encircled by a palisade of sharpened logs, more a deterrent to lesser magical beasts than a true defense against something like the Grootslang. Smoke curled lazily from a few chimneys. Children's laughter echoed faintly – a sound that felt worlds away from his recent brush with death.
No one paid much attention as Ren, looking like he'd wrestled a thorn bush and lost spectacularly, dragged himself through the creaking wooden gate. He was an orphan, a loner; his comings and goings were rarely marked. He headed straight for his hut, a small, one-room dwelling at the edge of the village, little more than four walls and a patched roof, but it was his.
Inside, he collapsed onto his straw-stuffed mattress, the [Exhausted] status effect flaring with a vengeance. Dust motes danced in the single beam of sunlight lancing through a crack in the wooden shutters.
Only then did the quest notification update with a cheerful little chime that felt utterly out of place.
[Quest Update: Trial by Fire!]
Objective 2: Stop the Bleeding status effect. (Partially Complete – Bleeding reduced to Minor)
Sub-Objective: Return to Oakhaven and properly treat your wounds OR use a Minor Healing Potion. (COMPLETED - Returned to Oakhaven!)
All Objectives for "Trial by Fire" COMPLETE!
Calculating Rewards…
+100 EXP Awarded!
Obtained Item: [Minor Healing Potion] x1
Obtained Skill: [Basic First Aid Lv. 1 (EXP: 0/100)]
[LEVEL UP!]
You have reached Level 2!
HP/SP/MP fully restored!
+5 Stat Points available!
+2 Skill Points available!
The wave of notifications was almost overwhelming. The first thing Ren registered was the blessed relief that washed over him. The [Exhausted] and [Injured] status effects vanished. His HP bar shot up to its new maximum: 85/85. His SP refilled to 70/70. The throbbing pain in his leg dulled to a faint ache, the deep gashes already looking less inflamed.
Leveling up was apparently a full heal. Good to know.
Then he saw it in his mental inventory: a small vial, corked and sealed, containing a gently glowing red liquid. The [Minor Healing Potion]. The sub-objective had offered an 'OR', but it seemed returning to the village itself, signifying access to better care, was enough to trigger the main reward.
He focused on the potion.
[Minor Healing Potion]
Quality: Common
Effect: Restores 50 HP upon consumption. Alleviates minor negative status effects (e.g., Minor Bleeding, Pain).
"Tastes vaguely of cherries and desperation."
Another bit of snark from the system. Despite the direness of his situation, Ren found a small smile playing on his lips.
His leg, while much better thanks to the level-up, still bore the marks of the Grootslang's attack. The [Bleeding (Minor)] icon, though faded, still lingered. He decided to use the potion anyway; no point risking infection or a lingering debuff.
He uncorked the vial. A faint, sweet scent, indeed like cherries, wafted out. He downed it in one gulp. The liquid was warm, slightly fizzy, and slid down his throat easily.
A pleasant warmth spread through his body, concentrating on his injured leg. The remaining ache vanished completely. The torn skin visibly knitted together, the angry red fading to a pale pink, then to a thin, silvery scar that looked days old rather than hours. The [Bleeding (Minor)] status icon disappeared with a soft pop.
HP: 85/85 (Potion Overheal: +41 HP wasted. Consider your current health before using consumables!)
"Right," Ren muttered, feeling a bit foolish but immensely relieved. "Lesson learned." He now had a new skill: [Basic First Aid]. He focused on it.
[Basic First Aid Lv. 1 (EXP: 0/100)]
Description: The ability to treat common injuries such as cuts, bruises, and minor burns using appropriate materials. Increases the effectiveness of bandages and poultices. Reduces the chance of infection.
Current Effectiveness: +10% to healing from mundane treatments. Can now craft [Crude Bandage].
It wasn't magic, but it was a start. And he had 2 Skill Points. He tentatively tried to allocate one to [Basic First Aid].
[Allocate 1 Skill Point to Basic First Aid Lv. 1? This will advance it to Lv. 2.]
[Y/N]
He selected 'Y'.
[Basic First Aid Lv. 1 -> Basic First Aid Lv. 2 (EXP: 0/200)]
Effectiveness: +15% to healing. Can now craft [Standard Bandage] (requires Clean Cloth). Chance of infection further reduced.
Interesting. Skill Points offered a direct level-up. He decided to save the other point for now.
Next, Stat Points. He had 5. He brought up his [Status] screen again.
STR: 6, VIT: 8, AGI: 8, INT: 15, WIS: 12, LCK: ?
(His VIT had increased by 1 due to the level up itself, before manual allocation).
His INT and WIS were already high due to his past life. STR, VIT, and AGI were clearly lacking. Given his recent near-death experience, survivability was paramount. He decided to put 3 points into VIT and 2 into AGI.
[VIT: 8 -> 11]
[AGI: 8 -> 10]
HP: 115/115
SP: 90/90
His HP and SP had increased significantly due to the VIT boost. He felt… stronger. More resilient. Not by a huge margin, but it was noticeable, a subtle thrum of increased vitality.
He sat there for a long moment, the adrenaline finally ebbing away, leaving behind a profound sense of awe and a heavy dose of reality. This system was real. It was powerful. And it was his only real hope.
His knowledge of HxH canon was a double-edged sword. He knew about Nen, the life energy that defined the truly powerful in this world. His system even had a placeholder for 'AP (Aura Points)'. That had to be his primary goal. But how did one awaken Nen? Wing had forcibly opened Gon and Killua's aura nodes, but that was a dangerous method. There had to be a safer way, a more systematic way, especially with The Interface.
He looked around his small, bare hut. This wasn't the life he'd had on Earth. But Earth was gone. This was his reality now, a reality of deadly beasts, incredible powers, and a future he desperately wanted to survive – and perhaps, if he dared to dream, to influence for the better.
A new quest notification appeared, much calmer this time.
[New Quest Generated: Foundations of Strength]
Objective 1: Perform 100 successful repetitions of a basic physical exercise (e.g., Push-ups, Sit-ups, Squats). (0/100)
Objective 2: Successfully craft 1 [Standard Bandage]. (Requires [Clean Cloth] x1)
Objective 3: Reach Level 3.
Rewards: +150 EXP, +1 Stat Point, [Skill Book: Basic Combat Stance Lv. 1].
"Every epic journey begins with a single… push-up. Or something like that."
Ren almost smiled. The system was clearly trying to guide him towards fundamental improvements. He was still weak, his body that of an untrained child. This quest was a clear directive: get stronger, get better.
He felt a flicker of something he hadn't felt since awakening in this world: hope, sharp and clear. It wouldn't be easy. The world of Hunter x Hunter was unforgiving. But he wasn't just Ren, the orphaned village boy, anymore. He was Ren, the Gamer. And he had a lot of grinding to do before Gon even thought about picking up a fishing rod to catch the Master of the Swamp.
First, though, he needed [Clean Cloth]. And probably some sleep. The Interface could wait a few hours for its next set of inputs. He was alive, his leg was healed, and he had a plan. That was more than he'd had this morning.