chapter 33 upgrading skills

As Lady Lara disappeared into the darkness, Kaelith took a deep breath, letting the silence settle.

The weight of the system message still lingered in his mind.

Three days.

The Phantom Flower.

A chance to escape being a Third-Class Citizen.

He exhaled and opened his inventory, a semi-transparent blue window appearing before him. His gaze immediately went to his coin pouch and skill stones.

[Inventory]

Silver Coins: 80

Skill Stones: 6

Rare Bow (Equipped)

30 Arrows (Basic)

Common Cloak (Tattered)

Dried Rations (3 days' worth)

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[Rare Bow]

Item Type: Weapon (Bow)

Stats:

Attack Power: 40

Durability: 100/100

Special Effect: +15% Critical Hit Chance

Bonus: +10% Damage to Golems

Requirement: Level 1 or higher

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Kaelith's smirk widened slightly as he looked at the Rare Bow in his inventory.

It was far better than the cheap, worn-out bows most Third-Class Citizens used.

Higher attack power.

Increased critical hit rate.

Extra damage against golems.

Not bad.

He adjusted the bow slung across his back, feeling its smooth grip. With this, he had a better chance of surviving the Bandit-Occupied Territory.

But even with a good weapon, he still needed information, supplies, and a plan.

He exhaled, fingers brushing against the bowstring.

"Well," he muttered, "time to get to work."

Kaelith glanced at the six Skill Stones in his inventory.

.

His Poison Arrow skill was only Level 1—barely effective. If he wanted to cripple enemies and weaken their defenses, it had to be stronger.

Without hesitation, he gripped two Skill Stones and activated them.

A faint green glow surrounded his hands as the energy from the stones surged into his body. His vision blurred for a moment before a system notification appeared.

---

[System Message]

You have used 2 Skill Stones.

Poison Arrow has leveled up!

Poison Arrow (Lv. 1 → Lv. 3)

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[Poison Arrow – Level 3]

Inflicts poison on hit (Lasts 10 seconds)

Poison deals 8% of enemy HP as damage over time

Slows enemy movement by 15%

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Kaelith clenched his fist, feeling the power settle into his body.

Now, each arrow he fired could weaken and slow enemies, making it easier to take them down.

With his Rare Bow and an upgraded Poison Arrow, his chances of surviving the Bandit-Occupied Territory had just increased dramatically.

Still, he had four Skill Stones left.

.

Kaelith stared at the four remaining Skill Stones in his inventory.

His Poison Arrow was now Level 3, but that alone wouldn't be enough. He needed to improve his precision and speed in combat.

Without hesitation, he grabbed two more Skill Stones and activated them.

A blue glow spread across his hands as the system absorbed the energy. His body tensed for a moment before two system notifications popped up.

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[System Message]

You have used 1 Skill Stone.

Focus Shot has leveled up!

Focus Shot (Lv. 2 → Lv. 3)

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[Focus Shot – Level 3]

Increases arrow speed and accuracy by 25%

+10% damage to weak points (head, heart, joints, etc.)

Now ignores 5% of enemy defense

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Kaelith exhaled slowly.

This would make his long-range attacks deadlier, especially against armored enemies. A well-placed shot could cripple or kill in one hit.

But he wasn't done.

He grabbed another Skill Stone and activated it.

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[System Message]

You have used 1 Skill Stone.

Rapid Arrow has leveled up!

Rapid Arrow (Lv. 2 → Lv. 3)

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[Rapid Arrow – Level 3]

Fires 3 arrows in rapid succession

Each arrow deals 80% of normal attack power

+5% chance to stagger the enemy

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Kaelith's lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

With Focus Shot (Lv. 3), Rapid Arrow (Lv. 3), and Poison Arrow (Lv. 3), his combat effectiveness had skyrocketed.

Now, he had:

✔ Precise long-range attacks (Focus Shot)

✔ High-speed multi-shot capability (Rapid Arrow)

✔ Poisoned, crippling arrows (Poison Arrow)

Two Skill Stones remained.

Should he save them or push another skill to the next level?

For now, he closed his inventory and adjusted his Rare Bow.

Kaelith glanced at his two remaining Skill Stones.

His Poison Arrow was already at Level 3, but it still had room to grow. He needed every advantage he could get before stepping into Bandit-Occupied Territory.

He clenched the two Skill Stones in his hands, activating them at once.

A deep green glow pulsed around him, the energy surging into his body. His fingertips tingled as the system absorbed the power.

Then, the system notification appeared.

---

[System Message]

You have used 2 Skill Stones.

Poison Arrow has leveled up!

Poison Arrow (Lv. 3 → Lv. 4)

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[Poison Arrow – Level 4]

Inflicts poison on hit (Lasts 15 seconds)

Poison deals 10% of enemy HP as damage over time

Slows enemy movement by 20%

Now has a 5% chance to paralyze the target for 2 seconds

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Kaelith's eyes narrowed as he read through the changes.

Not only did the poison last longer, but it also dealt more damage and had a chance to paralyze enemies. This could be a game-changer, especially in dangerous encounters.

But something else caught his attention.

It took 2 Skill Stones to upgrade from Level 3 to Level 4.

That meant:

Level 1 → Level 2: 1 Skill Stone

Level 2 → Level 3: 1 Skill Stone

Level 3 → Level 4: 2 Skill Stones

Level 4 → Level 5: Likely 2 or more

So, the higher the level, the more Skill Stones I need…

Kaelith frowned. Skill Stones weren't easy to obtain—most Third-Class Citizens wouldn't even see one in their lifetime. Yet, he had burned through six in a single night.

If he wanted to keep growing, he needed a steady source of Skill Stones.

But first, he had a mission to complete.

He exhaled, closing his inventory.

His Poison Arrow (Lv. 4), Rapid Arrow (Lv. 3), and Focus Shot (Lv. 3) were ready.

Now, it was time to get that Phantom Flower.

Kaelith leaned against the cold stone wall, staring at his now empty inventory, where his six Skill Stones once sat.

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips.

"In my previous life, Skill Stones were treasures…"

Back then, he had been a member of Pink Solution, a mid-sized guild that claimed to support its members—but in reality, it only cared about its high-ranking elites.

And he had been too naive.

The memory burned in his mind.

He had been overjoyed when he found 10 Skill Stones—a fortune for someone at his level. Excited, he had made the biggest mistake of his life:

He told his stepsister.

He had trusted her, believing she would be happy for him.

But instead of keeping it a secret, she had gone straight to Manager Lark, one of the guild's enforcers.

It didn't take long before Lark and his men found him.

They didn't even give him a chance to explain.

Fists slammed into his gut. A boot crushed his ribs. His HP bar plummeted, but they didn't kill him—no, they just beat him into submission.

"Guild rules, Kaelith."

"All Skill Stones belong to the guild."

"You signed the contract, didn't you?"

By the end of it, the 10 Skill Stones were gone, taken by the higher-ups—used to strengthen themselves while leaving him behind.

And his stepsister?

She just watched.

Not a word. Not a single shred of guilt.

She had betrayed him.

Back then, he had been too naive. He had trusted the wrong people.

But now?

Now, things were different.

He wasn't part of a guild.

There was no one to steal from him.

Every Skill Stone he found was his alone to use.

And yet…

His grip tightened.

Would he be able to find more?

Skill Stones were rare drops from elite monsters and dungeons—places that Third-Class Citizens like him had no access to.

If he wanted more, he had two options:

1. Steal from nobles or guilds. (A dangerous gamble)

2. Find hidden sources before others did.

Kaelith exhaled, shaking his head.

No point regretting it now.

His Poison Arrow (Lv. 4), Focus Shot (Lv. 3), and Rapid Arrow (Lv. 3) were already far beyond what most archers at his level had.

And he had three days to complete Lara's quest.

If he survived this mission, he would worry about Skill Stones later.

For now, it was time to move.