Chapter 40: New Threat and New Skills

Lynn's brain was hurting a bit with the overwhelming amount of information he needed to process, but in the end, he could only let out a long sigh. The Nightmare Paradise system seemed incredibly complex and convoluted.

Scrolling down the post's comment section, Lynn saw nothing but thank-you messages left by other players. It didn't seem like anyone had added substantive information in the comments.

Just as he was about to continue examining the other changes in his panel, a sudden commotion erupted outside his house, capturing his attention.

The unexpected disturbance broke the tranquility of his environment, and Lynn's curiosity was piqued as he heard the source of the commotion drawing nearer to his door.

With his current perception, Lynn could perceive every alteration in his surroundings. As the footsteps closed in, Lynn's acute senses enabled him to discern the varying cadence and intensity of each footfall. The sound echoed through the air, carrying with it a sense of urgency.

Rising from his seat, Lynn positioned himself near the door and waited.

As anticipated, a firm knock resounded against the sturdy wooden surface. The loud and rhythmic pattern of the knock gave Lynn a clue about who it might be.

"Police! Please open the door." Said a loud voice on the other side of the door.

These words confirmed Lynn's suspicions. With the series of murders that were happening in the area recently, there was no doubt that it could only be the police.

Lynn waited a moment before opening the door.

True to his expectations, two uniformed police officers stood outside. "Good morning," one of the officers greeted him politely. " Apologies for the disturbance, but we're going around the neighborhood to alert residents about a dangerous criminal who is believed to be hiding in the area. Please don't go out at night for the next few days."

"Thank you for the warning, I'll be sure to stay inside at night," Lynn replied politely. The officers glanced past Lynn into his small rental house. "Do you live alone here sir?" the second officer inquired.

"Yes, it's just me," Lynn replied simply. The two officers exchanged a look. "Well, please call the station right away if you notice anything suspicious," the first officer said. "Especially any strangers lingering around the neighborhood."

Lynn nodded again. "Of course, I'll keep an eye out." After a few more parting words, the officers took their leave. Lynn closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh.

"A dangerous criminal hiding in the area, huh?" He muttered to himself.

Lynn's mind drifted back to the incident he had witnessed recently on the way to his rented house before the countdown timer ended. He had spotted a large pool of blood on the ground, surrounded by police cars.

When thinking about this incident, he couldn't help but remember the black shadow jumping across the rooftops.

"It seems that it was not only my imagination," Lynn murmured. That shadowy figure likely had something to do with the series of murders.

His brows furrowed as he delved into deep thought. "This world has really a hidden side to it," he continued muttering.

Lynn sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. He had hoped that after surviving the hospital dungeon, he could relax for a bit in the comfort of his home.

But this warning from the police about a dangerous criminal, combined with the blood and that strange shadowy figure he saw, indicated the threats were not limited to the otherworldly dungeon domain.

Lynn, who had hoped to finally find a moment of relaxation, was once again confronted with the looming threat of the unknown. Frustration welled up within him as he tightly clenched his fist.

"I need to prepare," he declared out loud, his expression hardening with determination. Lynn knew he couldn't just wait around helplessly for the next crisis to find him. He needed to take initiative.

Lynn's thoughts turned to the rest of the rewards he had obtained from clearing the dungeon trial. Specifically, the two [Skill Memory Crystals] he had received.

"According to the information from that forum post, there are only two types of skills," Lynn muttered to himself. "Class skills exclusive to a specific class, and general skills that can be learned by anyone."

There was only one way to acquire general skills - through rewards in the form of [Skill Memory Crystals]. Even if you learned a general skill manually, it would not be recognized by the system. Only by redeeming the crystals could Lynn allocate points to level up the skills.

"Let's see what these crystals contain," Lynn said. He reached into his inventory and extracted two faintly glowing crystals. About the size of a tennis ball, the crystals pulsed subtly with inner light.

Lynn held up the two crystals between his fingers. Two notifications appeared:

[Skill Memory Crystal - Spiritual Vision]

[Learn this skill?]

[Skill Memory Crystal – Quickstep]

[Learn this skill?]

Lynn hesitated only a moment before accepting. As he did so, he felt a sudden influx of information flooding his mind, imprinting knowledge in his body and mind.

He felt the skills being seamlessly integrated into his everything and could be executed flexibly with a simple thought.

Simultaneously, he sensed an invisible energy permeating his pores, nourishing his organs from the surface to the very depths, as if his entire body was enveloped in the warmth of water. Notably, his eyes and lower body underwent a transformative process.

As the torrent of information and energy gradually subsided, Lynn slowly opened his eyes, now adorned with a faint glow.

"I can't get enough of this sensation," he exclaimed, a satisfied smile forming on his face. "I might just be addicted."

Lynn checked his status panel to see the changes.

[Player: Wandering Doctor]

[Authority: F-Rank]

Class: [Doctor lv6] (32%)

Talent: [Gemini Soul]

Attributes:

[Strength 14] [Dexterity 16] [Constitution 15] [Intelligence 14] [Perception 14]

Class Skills: [Cell Proliferation] [String Threading]

General Skills: [Evaluation lv1] [Swordsmanship lv3] [Spiritual Vision lv1] [Quickstep lv1]

Equipment: none

[Attribute Points: 4] [Skill Points: 10]

As expected, his dexterity and perception had increased after learning the new skills. Lynn nodded in satisfaction.

He clicked on the two new skills to check their description.

[Spiritual Vision lv1: Ability to perceive spiritual energy, and perceive hidden or spiritual phenomena that are normally invisible to the naked eye.]

[Quickstep lv1: Enhanced agility and speed, ability to move with incredible swiftness.]