[14th Everdusk 2103], CGA Branch, Dyna Crest Country.
In the second stage of the Verdant Hollow Dungeon, a scene unfolded—wounded wolves fled in terror, their eyes wide with primal fear. Behind them, skeletons gave relentless chase. And behind the skeletons, I walked forward, blood dripping from my sword. Not mine, of course. The blade was soaked with the life of the monsters I'd just slain.
These wolves, already exhausted and riddled with wounds from earlier encounters, stood no chance. In contrast, my summoned skeletons remained as tireless and unfeeling as death itself.
After a short pursuit, I finished off the two wolves and signaled my summons to haul the corpses back to our previous battlefield.
We returned to the site of carnage. Two other skeletons had just finished collecting bodies—wolves and venomous snakes alike—into a small pile. The new additions were dropped on top of the heap.
"Alright, just give me something good already, system, since it's al–"
Before I could finish, a flurry of panels popped up before me.
{You've killed 16~ Lv.5, 7~ Lv.6 Forest wolves, 5~ Lv.7, 2~ Lv.8 Venomfang serpents. You've gained 505 EXP points.}[590/350 EXP]
{You've levelled up from Lv.6 --> 7} [240/400 EXP]
{You've gained 10 Unassigned points}
[You've gained 273 Evo-enchant points. T.P: 403 (273+130)]
{You've reached a sufficient number of hunts to alert the boss of the forest area, to know the presence of you in his forest area, please be cautious as the boss is roaming the forest to find the culprit of killing his pack wolves. You may confront him anytime.}
"Oh my god… that reckless plan actually worked," I muttered, finally unlocking the path to the forest boss.
My summons, having completed their role, began to crumble into ash. "You all can rest now," I whispered with a slight smile. Without their support, this ambush strategy would've been impossible.
"
[Talent has detected 23~Lv.5-6 Forest wolves, 7~ Lv.7-8 Venomfang serpents. Low-level serpents can't be plundered. What do you wish to do: Plunder, Dismantle, Store.]
[Plundering process of the Venomfang serpents is being processed.]
The screen starts loading as I choose to plunder the bodies.
[No talent, skills, abilities, and few degraded bloodline parts (not suitable) detected. Stats identified.]
[You've gained +3 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Vitality, +2 Endurance, +2 Intelligence. The degraded bloodline is ejected from the body.]
"Hey talent can't we store that bloodline I got from bodies." I said which the talent infact replied.
[It can be a possible host, but the bloodline should be in low amounts, and it might not cause the person to take it as a benefit as the low amount may not provide the necessary boost to the user. And to avoid that you've to kill a massive number of monsters to get a sufficient portion of the bloodline due to being degraded.]
"I see… So I need to gather high-quality bloodlines. And maybe make some quick coin on the side by selling rare ones," I thought aloud.
But let's get back to the story—
After completing the stat gain and managing my skills, I knew I needed to speed things up. My current hunting pace wouldn't be enough to clear the dungeon efficiently.
'So… what now?'
Then an idea struck me—a risky method, but potentially highly efficient.
"Yes… I'll draw a larger group of wolves all at once," I decided, though part of me hesitated. "If I can't thin them out quickly, it could get dangerous. But screw it—let's roll the dice."
I roamed the forest until I found a duo of wolves—small game for now, but perfect for my plan.
They charged toward me. I didn't flinch.
The battle wasn't much of a battle. My sword sliced clean through one wolf's neck before it could even react. The other wolf froze, trembling at the sight of its comrade's lifeless body.
Realizing I was too strong to face alone, it attempted to flee. I let it.
Feigning weakness, I staggered back dramatically, allowing it the illusion of hope and escape. In truth, I could've killed it easily—but I needed it to summon reinforcements.
It worked. Minutes later, over fifteen wolves appeared, several at level 7 or higher. Among them were a few Venomfang serpents, likely drawn by the noise.
But I was ready.
"
Four skeletal warriors materialized, positioning themselves to guard my rear. Wolves are cunning—they strike at vulnerable spots. I couldn't afford to leave my back open.
The battle began. Wolves came at me from every angle, fangs flashing, claws tearing. My HP bar started plummeting, but I held firm. My blade found its rhythm—faster, sharper, more precise.
Then—something shifted within me. I felt it, even before the system told me.
__
Weapon Proficiency (Passive) (Lv. 1)
Type: Passive
Cooldown: N/A
Mana Cost: N/A
Proficiency: 76%
Description:
A passive skill that increases the user's effectiveness with all weapons, providing enhanced accuracy, damage, and speed based on the weapon type currently equipped.
Effect:
Accuracy Boost: Increases hit chance by 5% with all weapon types.
Damage Boost: Increases weapon damage by 10%.
Attack Speed Boost: Increases attack speed by 5%.
Weapon Proficiency:
One-Handed sword: E (01%)
__
My eyes widened.
Every swing of my sword became smoother. I could feel the improvement—like the weapon was becoming a natural extension of my body.
"Yosh! I'm fired up now!" I shouted, slicing through the wolves one after another.
And well… you already know how the rest went.
-- To be continued --