"Wow, that's Lily, one of the top 10 strongest hunters in Elysium Placement, right?" a guy said as he spotted Lily.
"What do you mean top 10? I heard she leveled up to 50. There's talk that she's already surpassed the 50s. She must be at least in the top 3," a girl said enthusiastically, clearly a big fan of Lily.
"What are they doing here? Looks like they came from the Data Nexus Center building. Are they searching for someone?" a bystander wondered aloud.
Lily paid no attention to the conversations happening around her. She continued walking until her silhouette could no longer be seen in the distance. However, unbeknownst to them, someone in the crowd was observing them with a different intention, far from simply talking about them.
"Data Nexus Center, let's see what your intention is..." the observer said before disappearing into the crowd, never to be seen again.
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Feywild Grove Dimension...
Sun had been in this Dimension for a day, making progress and utilizing the Cloak skill to move unnoticed. As night approached, he would return to the Dimensional Room to rest. Hunger and thirst were not significant concerns in this room, allowing him to focus on training, practicing his Auraforge, and making plans.
Through consistent training, Sun had successfully increased the proficiency of his Auraforge, although the improvement was not substantial compared to using it in battle. Nevertheless, even a small increase in proficiency was important.
He had gained the ability to enhance the speed of aura flow around his body and move it freely without delay. Most importantly, he had developed better control over manipulating the mana needed for his abilities, giving him an advantage in prolonged fights.
At the side, Sun experimented with his Aura, attempting to extend it beyond his body and shape it into a sword. However, his Aura remained stubbornly confined within his body. He concluded that the lack of proficiency and the skill's rank were likely the reasons for this limitation.
Sun also decided to test his Aura on his eyes and made an intriguing discovery. By using 250 MP, he could activate an enhancement he called "Far Sight." Although the Aura's proficiency only allowed him to extend his vision by approximately 30 meters, within that range, he could see everything with remarkable clarity.
Details as small as ants, roots, and worms were clearly visible as if his face were right next to them despite being 30 meters away. He also noticed a slight improvement in his overall vision, enabling him to see through smoke and darkness to some extent.
Excited by his findings, Sun attempted to increase the mana usage for the Aura in his eyes and discovered another enhancement. Despite the downside of consuming double the mana, he didn't mind it.
This new enhancement, which he named "Nighvision," consumed an additional 500 MP. Sun was thrilled to have this additional capability, especially since "Far Sight" could still be used alongside it.
Another discovery was that the mana he used for his enhancements didn't recover. Sun understood that these enhancements were not considered skills, but rather auxiliary abilities that he could freely activate using Auraforge.
However, the mana he used for these enhancements was permanently consumed until he deactivated them. He experimented with deactivating the enhancements and observed that his mana slowly started to recover.
During his experiments, Sun recalled the transparent lines he had seen when fighting the Veilmist creatures. He attempted to find them again, but they didn't appear. He speculated that they might only be visible when facing an enemy or being attacked.
To familiarize himself with the "Nightvision" enhancement, Sun repeatedly activated and deactivated the skill. After a while, he had another idea, but he soon realized it might not be a wise choice.
"Should I increase the mana again for my vision? I should be safe since I'm in the Dimensional Room. I'm just curious," Sun contemplated. He considered the possible consequences of his action, knowing that he didn't have enough mana to sustain the enhancement.
Sun's curiosity pushed him to proceed, despite knowing that insufficient mana would trigger a prompt from the system. While forceful skill usage was allowed, he anticipated facing some backlash depending on the skill and the amount of mana used.
He was curious but didn't have time to deal with any potential setbacks that could slow down his progress. After resting for a while, he checked the other side of the door and saw that it was morning. Preparing himself, he stepped out.
"Yesterday, I scouted some areas and made progress. Since it's the second day, I'll focus on leveling up. With the cloak's skill, if I can land another sneak attack with a 'Vital Strike,' I could take someone out in one hit," Sun said as he activated the cloak's skill, turning invisible within seconds.
With each agile movement, Sun raced towards the west side of the forest, effortlessly maneuvering through obstacles despite the challenges presented by his current agility points.
As Sun continued to run, a rush of memories from his past life surged within him. Each step he took, each obstacle he swiftly navigated, brought forth a flood of vivid recollections. He could feel the weight of his experiences, the battles he fought, and the challenges overcome, imprinted deep within his being. It reminds him of the strength and resilience that had brought him this far.
Even if he couldn't recall every detail, his body instinctively remembered, allowing him to execute his movements flawlessly. This intrinsic knowledge, coupled with his tenacity and stamina, had been instrumental in his survival, surpassing the significance of his armor, weapon, or skills.
Breathing played a crucial role in his stamina management. Sun had honed the meticulous skill of proper breathing control, reducing the stamina needed for every action. This skill couldn't be inherited by just anyone; it required sheer will and effort.
Thanks to his mastery of breathing, Sun could continue swinging his sword tirelessly in battle, even for a year without rest, as he had done in a previous encounter before his time regressed.
As Sun ran, he encountered various monsters, but he passed by them before they could react. They could only look around curiously, searching for the source of the noise they had heard, and eventually gave up, thinking it was of no importance.
After reaching his destination, Sun noticed a few monsters in the distance. He swiftly climbed up a tree to gain a better vantage point. "I've finally found you. I'll gain a few levels by defeating all of you," Sun declared, enhancing his vision to clearly see a group of monsters, including a towering giant.
He planned to level up by killing the monsters one by one, taking his time since he could enter and leave the area as he pleased.
He remembered the name of the monster in the distance, the 'Mossheart'. They typically lived in groups of 5 or 6 and were known for their durability. However, Sun was undeterred. He knew that every enemy had weak points, and as long as he targeted those, he could either defeat them in one blow or inflict significant damage. "Let's see, system, scan the enemy," Sun requested.
...
Name: Mossheart
HP: 18,000/18,000
Level: 55
Threat Level: HIGH
Description: Standing tall at a formidable height of 8-9 meters, Mosshearts embody the ancient guardians of the forest. Their stony exteriors are adorned with lush moss, and intricate cracks filled with entwined roots create a harmonious blend with the surrounding trees. The ethereal glow of their singular green eye reflects their timeless wisdom and deep connection to the essence of the forest. These majestic creatures live in groups and typically do not pose a threat to others. However, should they be provoked or angered, their terrifying power can be unleashed, making them formidable opponents.
...
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:IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
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• Vital Strike: A weak point (similar to a Critical Strike) that is randomly located within the body of different types of monsters. For humanoid beings, the weak points are the 'Heart', 'Brain', 'Neck', and 'Eyes'. Hitting these weak points can result in various outcomes, depending on the attacker and the monster being targeted.
- Heart: One of the most difficult weak points to hit, especially if the enemy is wearing armor or has enhanced their body. (You know the result of stabbing a heart right? Well, some monsters may have multiple hearts.)
- Brain: Also a challenging weak point to hit, and piercing the skull may be difficult depending on the monster. Similar to the 'Heart' weak point, the outcome can vary.
- Neck: Slightly easier to hit compared to the 'Heart' and 'Brain' weak points, it has a chance of instantly killing a monster with a well-placed strike. Separating the head from the body can be fatal for most creatures unless they are a Dullahan or possess some other unique trait. (Would you live if your head separated from your body?)
- Eyes: Similar difficulty to the 'Neck' weak point due to the small target area. However, successfully striking the eyes can permanently blind the enemy, providing significant advantages. (Stab the enemy in the eyes, make them blind then throw some rocks on them. Make them suffer :D)
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•Auxiliary skill: Additional skill/Branch skill.
Requirements: Master over skill (No matter the proficiency, creativity also plays a role.)
Every skill has additional utility beyond its primary function, and it's up to the user to explore and discover these uses. However, these additional functionalities cannot be immediately accessed as a skill.
They require consistent and continuous usage, eventually leading to a process called 'Skill Creation'. This involves the user crafting a unique skill based on their imagination and dedication. Triggering this event is not easy, as the skill must be exceptional or rare enough for the system to acknowledge its existence.