Chapter 27

The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light filtering through the dense canopy of the forest and casting an eerie glow over the village. Luke stood at the edge of the settlement, his iron breastplate gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Over it, he wore a crude hooded robe made from wolf pelts, hastily sewn together with leather straps. It wasn't pretty, but it would have to do. Hopefully, it'll make a difference, he thought, adjusting the hood to cover his face.

The village was silent, the goblins fast asleep in their huts. Luke took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. He was about to step into the forest when a voice called out behind him.

"Luke, where are you going?"

Luke nearly jumped out of his skin, spinning around to see Grut standing there, his sharp eyes glinting in the dark. "Grut! You scared me there for a second," Luke said, clutching his chest.

Grut smirked. "I've been trained by you, remember? It's not easy to sneak up on me now."

Luke chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair enough. What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same," Grut replied, crossing his arms. "Where are you going this late?"

Luke hesitated, then sighed. "Hunting. I need to level up, and there's something in the caves I need to deal with. I want you to protect the village while I'm gone. I may not be able to return, but I'll make sure I will."

Grut's expression shifted, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "Is it dangerous?"

"Very," Luke admitted. "But it's something I have to do. Can I count on you?"

Grut nodded, his usual grin replaced by a look of determination. "I'll protect the village. Just promise me you'll come back, Luke."

"I'll do my best," Luke said, clapping Grut on the shoulder. "Now, get some rest. You'll need it."

As Grut turned back toward the village, Luke slipped into the forest, his movements silent and deliberate. He activated his Night Vision skill, the darkness receding as his vision sharpened. The forest was alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their calls echoing through the trees. Luke moved quickly, his senses on high alert.

When he reached the cave, he paused at the entrance, his hand resting on the hilt of his machete. He pulled the weapon from his inventory, the blade materializing in his hand with a faint glow. The system chimed, its voice calm but insistent.

[ Host, I suggest you upgrade your Melee Proficiency and Archery Basics skills before proceeding. ]

Luke stopped in his tracks, frowning. "You're right. I can't go in half-prepared." He opened his status panel, scrolling to his skills.

[ Melee Proficiency (Level 1) - 30 Tech Points.

Upgrade Costs:

Level 2: 70 TP

Level 3: 120 TP

Level 4: 250 TP

Level 5: 500 TP

Archery Basics (Level 1) - 30 Tech Points.

Upgrade Costs:

Level 2: 70 TP

Level 3: 120 TP

Level 4: 250 TP

Level 5: 500 TP ]

So, level 2 costs 70 TP, level 3 costs 120 TP, and so on, Luke thought, doing the math in his head. Upgrading both to level 5 will cost… 1940 TP. Ouch.

He hesitated for a moment, then sighed. This is an investment. I can't afford to be cheap when my life's on the line. With a tap, he upgraded both skills to level 5, spending a total of 1940 Tech Points.

[ Melee Proficiency (Level 5) - Maximum potential reached for current evolution.

Intermediate Archery (Level 5) - Maximum potential reached for current evolution. ]

Luke felt a surge of energy as streams of data and information flooded his mind. His muscles twitched, his reflexes sharpening, and his understanding of combat deepened. He flexed his fingers, testing his grip on the machete. This feels… incredible.

He noticed the name of his archery skill had changed to Intermediate Archery. "Can I upgrade this to level 6?" he asked the system.

[ You have reached the maximum potential of these skills for your current evolution. Please evolve to Hobgoblin to increase skill capacity. ]

Luke frowned. Of course. Nothing's ever easy. He opened the Skills Shop, scrolling through the extensive list of new options. His eyes widened at the variety, but his excitement was tempered by the realization that he only had 506 Tech Points left.

[ Skills Shop

Survival Skills:

Foraging (10 TP)

Fire Starting (10 TP)

Shelter Building (10 TP)

Combat:

Melee Proficiency - Bought

Intermediate Archery - Bought

Dodge and Roll (15 TP)

Burst Sprint (30 TP)

Combat Sense (30 TP)

Parry (20 TP)

Stamina Efficiency (30 TP)

Mana Edge (40 TP)

Charged Strike (25 TP)

Snipe Mode (30 TP)

Crafting Skills:

Tool Crafting (Inferior Skill)

Weapon Crafting (Inferior Skill)

Repair (10 TP)

Stealth and Scouting:

Sneak - Bought

Hide - Bought

Pickpocket (15 TP)

Cloak (30 TP)

Threat Assessment (25 TP)

Leadership and Social Skills:

Inspire (10 TP)

Negotiate (10 TP)

Command (10 TP)

Magic:

Elemental Affinity - Bought

Healing Touch - Bought

Light (20 TP)

Spell Casting Visualization (50 TP)

Spell Casting Proficiency (30 TP)

Mana Efficiency (50 TP)

Spells:

Fire Arrow (30 TP)

Fire Storm (300 TP) - Requires 30 MAG and Elemental Affinity Level 10

Water Jet (30 TP)

Tsunami (300 TP) - Requires 30 MAG and Elemental Affinity Level 10

Earth Spike (30 TP)

Fracture Earth (300 TP) - Requires 30 MAG and Elemental Affinity Level 10

Wind Cutter (30 TP)

Tornado (300 TP) - Requires 30 MAG and Elemental Affinity Level 10

Light Beam (50 TP)

Light Morph (1000 TP) - Requires 50 MAG and 50 AGI

Dark Wave (50 TP)

Dark Dive (1000 TP) - Requires 50 MAG and 50 AGI

Utility Skills:

Fast Travel (10 TP)

Inventory Management - Bought

Night Vision - Bought

Scanning Skills:

Scan Person - Bought

Scan Enemy - Bought

Scan Environment (10 TP)

Appraisal Skills:

Appraise Item - Bought

Appraise Weapon - Bought

Appraise Armor (15 TP) ]

Luke groaned, running a hand through his hair. Am I gonna go poor again? He sighed, scrolling through the list. Let's just buy what's useful for now.

He purchased Cloak, Snipe Mode, Threat Assessment, Stamina Efficiency, Burst Sprint, Dodge and Roll, Charged Strike, and Mana Edge, spending the bulk of his remaining Tech Points. As the skills integrated into his system, he felt a strange sense of ownership. I don't think I'm gonna remember all these skills exist in me, but hey, it's better to have them in my pocket.

With his new abilities and a renewed sense of determination, Luke stepped into the cave, his machete gleaming in the dim light. Time to see what's waiting for me in the dark.

Luke crept deeper into the cavern, the glowing crystals casting faint, ethereal light across the jagged walls. The air was cool and damp, the silence broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing through the vast space. He activated his Cloak skill, his body blending seamlessly with the surroundings. Unlike the Hide skill, which required him to stay still, Cloak allowed him to move freely, making him nearly invisible to the untrained eye.

This is incredible, Luke thought, glancing down at his hands, which now mirrored the rocky texture of the cave walls. I'm practically a ghost.

He then activated Threat Assessment, a holographic wave spreading out in a 100-meter radius. The cavern lit up with red highlights, revealing the presence of multiple threats. His eyes widened as he saw the sheer number of enemies—some clinging to the ceiling, others skittering across the walls. The system displayed their names and numbers:

[ Dire Cave Hatchlings: 57

Dire Cave Young Spiders: 16

Dark Centipedes: 3 ]

Luke's heart skipped a beat. Oh shit, that many? He swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his machete. But then again, this is a blessing in disguise. More enemies mean more EXP. Let's get this thing going.

He switched to his bow, the weapon materializing in his hands with a faint glow. Activating Snipe Mode, his vision narrowed, focusing on a single point in the distance. His arms steadied, his breathing slowed, and the world seemed to fade away except for his target—a young spider clinging to the ceiling.

An idea sparked in his mind. What if I combine Charged Strike with the bow? He focused, channeling the skill into the bowstring. The tensile force built up, the wood creaking slightly under the strain. Luke aimed carefully, his eyes locked on the spider.

With a deep breath, he released the arrow.

The arrow shot forward, its tip glowing faintly as it cut through the air. It struck the spider with a sickening thud, piercing through its body and embedding itself into the ceiling. The spider let out a shrill screech before collapsing, its lifeless body falling to the cavern floor.

The notification panel lit up:

[ You have slain 1x Dire Cave Young Spider.

+40 EXP ]

Luke's eyes widened. Damn, that's strong! He stared at the arrow embedded in the ceiling, the force of the shot having driven it deep into the stone. The combination of Charged Strike and the bow's velocity… it's like a high-powered projectile. Even wood can punch through stone if it's fast enough.

He grinned, recalling a video he'd seen in his past life—a piece of paper used as a cutting saw, slicing through multiple objects with sheer speed and precision. I just created a damn new skill. Call it… Piercing Shot.

The thrill of discovery fueled his confidence. If I can take out one spider like that, I can take out more. He nocked another arrow, channeling Charged Strike once more. His eyes scanned the cavern, locking onto another spider. Let's see how many I can take down before they notice me.