The mont the slis rged, a system notification popped up beside the newly ford level 20 sli: Sli activated skill: Bash. Tyler's eyes widened. He rembered Grone's explanation of the Uncover skill – the ability to see enemy skills before activation. This could be a significant advantage. He rolled to his left as the level 20 sli launched itself forward, a blur of blue. The attack missed, the sli impacting the tree behind Tyler with a sickening thud. The force of the blow caused the tree to tremble violently, its branches swaying wildly as if on the verge of snapping, but it held firm. Tyler stared, montarily stunned by the sheer power of the attack. He realized, with a jolt of understanding, just how impressive the Uncover skill truly was. He remained rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the level 20 sli, his mind racing to process the implications.
Three identical system notifications flashed simultaneously: Sli used skill: Bash. Tyler realized with a jolt that the level 8, level 16, and level 20 slis had all activated the skill at once. He had nowhere to dodge. He stood for a mont, paralyzed by the converging threat, before crouching low, shielding his head. The three slis launched themselves at him, but in a bizarre twist of fate, they collided mid-air. A small, almost comical thwump echoed as the slis bumped into each other, recoiling in apparent pain and falling to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Tyler sprang to his feet, rushing towards the stunned level 8 sli and striking it with all his might.
He swung his sword, connecting with the level 8 sli. The purplish Venom Bloom juice splattered across the sli's surface. Then, sothing bizarre happened. The sli began to bubble ominously from within, its surface distorting and rippling. A small, almost comical KYUU sound escaped it before it exploded in a shower of blue goo. Grone, montarily distracted, watched in surprise as the blue sli splashed across the ground. He quickly turned his attention back to the battle, only to find the level 27 sli charging at him once more.
Grone continued his relentless assault, his sword ringing against the resilient sli. " This thing must be so tough because it's absorbed a ton of other slis, he thought, the rhythm of his swings a counterpoint to the pounding in his chest. "Absorbing slis increases their durability… This sli must have started tiny to have this much durability after absorbing so many others." He grunted with exertion, each swing a testant to his determination. Then, he channeled his energy, activating the skill: Slash. The enhanced blow landed with a resounding thwamb, but the sli rely bounced back, its form rippling but unbroken.
Tyler's hand delved into his pocket, his fingers carefully extracting a familiar object. He knew the Venom Bloom juice coating it would cause an irritating itch if he wasn't careful. With deliberate slowness, he slipped the glove onto his hand, his movents precise and controlled. He retrieved his sword, the cold tal a comfort against his palm, and pointed it at the level 16 sli, a silent promise of retribution. The level 20 sli, a monstrous wave of blue, launched itself at him. This ti, there was no telltale system notification; no skill activation. Tyler knew, instinctively, that this was his chance. He braced himself, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the oncoming mass. The impact slamd into his chest, a crushing force that sent him sprawling to the ground. He held on, his grip tenacious, as the sli landed atop him. Then, a strange thing happened. The sli began to bubble, its surface rippling like disturbed water, a low, guttural gurgle emanating from its depths. As the sli exploded in a shower of blue goo, a glowing blue sli core remained on his chest where the sli had been. Only then did the reason for his careful glove application beco clear: the glove was coated with Venom Bloom juice. The core, still glowing faintly, was instantly added to his inventory.
A sudden thought struck Tyler: his inventory was nearly full, wasn't it? He quickly dismissed the concern; Grone needed help, and there was no ti for inventory managent. He pushed himself to his feet, bracing for the next attack. The system notification flashed: Sli used skill: Bash. This ti, it was the level 16 sli, a smaller but still formidable opponent, launching itself at him with surprising speed. The air vibrated with the force of its approach. Instead of dodging, Tyler channeled his adrenaline, swinging his rusty sword with all his might. It connected with the sli's gelatinous body, a sickening thwamb echoing through the forest. But this ti, the impact was different. The force of the blow, amplified by the desperate swing, was too much for the already weakened blade. It shattered, the rusty tal disintegrating into a shower of sparks and fragnts, leaving only the broken hilt in Tyler's hand. The level 16 sli, montarily stunned, began to bubble and convulse violently, its form writhing as if in agony. A strange sound, a high-pitched KYUU, escaped its quivering mass—a sound almost comical in its contrast to the sli's violent struggle.
The level 16 sli, convulsing violently after the KYUU sound, suddenly exploded into a shower of blue goo, spreading across the forest floor. Tyler scrambled to his feet, montarily blinded by the splattering sli. Then he saw it—sothing astonishing. Grone stepped forward, his sword held straight, and with a precise, controlled movent, he touched the level 27 sli with the tip of his blade. The strike did not have that much in it; it was almost as if it was a re poke. Yet, the effect was imdiate and dramatic. The sli's surface rippled violently, as if reacting to an unseen force, its form distorting and bubbling in a manner eerily similar to the effect of the Venom Bloom juice. Then, with a final, shuddering burst, the sli exploded. As the blue goo rained down, a notification popped up above Grone's head: Level Up: Jas Grone - Level 49.
A notification shimred into existence before Tyler's eyes: Level Up:Level 4.
All his stats increased by 2 points.
SPECIES: Human
NA: Tyler Evans
RANK: G LVL: 4
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 37/37 MP: 33/33
STR: 17 AGI: 15 DEF: 39
STATUS: Healthy
Skills: Armour Craft, Weapon Craft
He was surprised; it had been a while since his last level-up. Then, another notification, less welco this ti: Due to not having the Goddess's blessing, your XP will be cut by 25%. Tyler let out an annoyed sigh. This was the third or fourth ti he'd seen this ssage. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, already heading towards Grone. As he walked, another notification appeared, this one far more pleasant: Achievent Unlocked: A Hunter's Beginning: You have slain up to 10 monsters! Strength 5.
SPECIES: Human
NA: Tyler Evans
RANK: G LVL: 4
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 37/37 MP: 33/33
STR: 22 AGI: 15 DEF: 39
STATUS: Healthy
Skills: Armour Craft, Weapon Craft
A flicker of a smile touched Tyler's lips at the achievent notification, quickly masked by the grim reality of the situation. He couldn't afford to celebrate; Grone needed his help. He reached Grone, who looked exhausted, his breathing ragged. "That was one tough sli," Grone said, wiping sweat from his brow. "It must have absorbed a lot of others to have that much durability."
Tyler nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Slis can actually absorb each other?"
Grone nodded. "Only larger slis can absorb smaller ones. A level 6 can absorb a level 4, and so on. It's how they get so powerful."
Grone turned to Tyler, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright? You looked pretty beat up back there, battling those slis." He paused, his gaze lingering on Tyler. The wounds that had marred Tyler's body during the earlier fight had vanished. Tyler looked remarkably unscathed. *This kid… he really might be a mage-type hunter,* Grone thought, a wave of surprise washing over him.
Tyler simply nodded, his expression serious. "I'm fine," he said, his voice low and steady. "Actually, I leveled up. I'm level four now."
Grone's expression hardened. He shook his head, annoyance evident in his tone. "Level four? You can't be level four."
"I am—" Tyler began, but Grone cut him off, his annoyance growing. "Listen, kid. Babies are G-Rank. You should be past level 10 by now. Level four? That's practically a minor's level! You level up as you grow up, needless of training. But once you hit eighteen, the automatic leveling stops. Looking at how you handled those slis—the way you moved, the way you fought—I'd expect you to be at least level 15 or 19, not four! It's impossible." Tyler stared at Grone, utterly bewildered.
Wait, every single person has a level?" Tyler asked, his voice barely a whisper, a tremor of disbelief shaking his words. The revelation hung heavy in the air between them, a cold weight settling on his chest. He had hoped, foolishly perhaps, to et soone… *normal*. Soone untouched by this system of levels and skills, soone who could tell him to snap out of it, assure him that the grotesque things he'd seen weren't real, that this strange, unsettling world wasn't actually the way things were. The thought deflated him, leaving him feeling small and vulnerable. Grone sighed, the sound like the rustling of dry leaves, and sheathed his sword, the click of the scabbard a sharp sound in the sudden silence. "I forgot you got brain problems," Grone muttered, his voice rough as granite. The words hung between them, sharp and unkind. Tyler remained silent, lost in a swirling vortex of confusion and despair. "We have to move," Grone said, his voice low, the words carrying a sense of finality. Tyler followed, his steps hesitant at first, then quickening as he matched Grone's pace.
Tyler watched as Grone disappeared into a dense thicket of bushes, a tangled mass of green and brown that seed to swallow him whole. The leaves, thick and interwoven, muffled the sound of his passage. Hesitantly, Tyler followed, pushing aside branches that scratched at his skin. The air grew cooler, damper, as he squeezed through the dense foliage. Then, abruptly, he erged into a small clearing. The world opened up before him—a vast expanse of rolling grassland stretching to the horizon, bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. A gentle breeze stirred the tall grasses, carrying with it the scent of earth and wildflowers. Relief washed over him, a wave of calm in the midst of the turmoil he'd been experiencing. For a mont, the only sounds were the whisper of the wind and the beating of his own heart. Then, as if summoned by Grone's words, "We're here," Grone announced, the inn materialized before them—a quaint building of weathered wood and stone, seemingly rising from the very earth itself. It appeared as suddenly and unexpectedly as a mirage in the desert. As they approached, Tyler saw that thick, gnarled logs, ancient and impossibly large, encircled the inn. They were arranged in a rough circle, their surfaces worn smooth by ti and weather.
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