As I made my way through The Hollow Pit, every nerve in my body was on high alert. My eyes darted left and right, my shoulders tense as I scanned every dark corner and alley. This place was like a hive of shady characters, and I was the only person there who hadn't embraced the dress code of "rugged criminal." I was just waiting for someone to jump out and try to rob me, or worse.
Then I remembered something: Multi-Eye Vision. One of the skills I'd picked up from that creature earlier. If there was ever a time to test it out, this was it.
"Alright, let's see if you're as useful as I hope," I muttered under my breath, activating the skill.
Immediately, a dizzying array of perspectives flooded my vision. It was like I was seeing in 360 degrees, my vision covering every possible angle all at once. The sensation was as disorienting as the first time I'd tried it, but this time I managed to keep my balance. Slowly, I got the hang of it, adjusting to the bizarre, panoramic view. Now I could see everything—the streets ahead, behind, and to my sides. No one was sneaking up on me with this skill active.
"Alright, this is actually kind of awesome," I said with a grin, feeling a bit more confident as I moved through the village. This skill was perfect for a place like The Hollow Pit. No matter where they were lurking, I'd see them coming.
Then, out of the corner of my… well, every corner of my vision, I spotted someone. A figure lurking in an alleyway, crouched low and clearly eyeing me like I was some sort of walking prize. They looked rough, with a tattered cloak and a face that hadn't seen soap in quite some time. I watched as they slowly, carefully, moved forward, ready to pounce.
"Not today," I muttered, turning to face them and raising a palm. My heart raced as I activated Eternis, hoping that the skill would work as intended.
The figure froze, eyes widening, and then—just like that—they dropped to the ground, lifeless.
The system chimed immediately.
[Congratulations! You have earned the title: Heart of Stone]
[Title Bonus: Dulls emotional responses in high-stress situations. Increases Resistance to Fear by 30%.]
I stared at the message, my heart pounding. Heart of Stone? That sounded intense. But the bonus effects were even more surprising. "Dulls emotional responses"? What did that mean?
As I processed what had happened, I realized I didn't feel quite as panicked as I should have. Sure, my heart had been racing when I used Eternis, but the immediate guilt, fear, even the adrenaline—they all felt muted, like I was watching the whole thing from a distance. I'd just taken someone's life, yet the horror I'd expected didn't come. Instead, I felt… calm. Not quite detached, but definitely not rattled. Almost like… well, like I'd simply swatted a fly.
That was both incredibly useful and, if I was honest, a little creepy.
The system chimed again, breaking my thoughts.
[New Skill Acquired: Veil of Silence]
Skill: Veil of Silence
Description: Silences movement and muffles all sounds within a small radius. Useful for ambushes or moving undetected.
"Whoa," I whispered, checking out the description. This skill was practically tailor-made for sneaking around and avoiding unwanted attention. Veil of Silence could help me slip by unnoticed, or even take out a target without a single sound. Useful? Absolutely. Terrifying? Also, yes.
I took a steadying breath, trying to adjust to the weird, almost eerie calm that had settled over me. It felt unnatural not to feel more shaken after killing someone, but I guess that was the title's effect. Maybe it wasn't the worst thing in the world. After all, I'd probably need a bit of bravery (or dull fear) to survive in a place like this.
Looking around, I noticed that some of the people in the nearby alleys and corners had witnessed the whole thing. They were eyeing me warily, keeping their distance. Good. If they wanted trouble, they'd think twice now.
With a half-smirk, I muttered, "That's right. Keep your distance, folks." As much as I was still figuring things out, I couldn't deny that it felt a little empowering to know I had the skills to protect myself, even here.
Then, right on cue, my stomach let out a loud, rumbling growl.
Great. I still hadn't found any food, and all this excitement had made me even hungrier. This crazy town had to have an inn, right? Or at least somewhere I could get something edible. I wasn't exactly picky at this point.
As I continued walking through the village, I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of food—or an inn that looked at least semi-reputable. My new Heart of Stone title dulled my fear, so the prospect of walking through the rough-looking streets didn't faze me as much as it might have before. The odd, muted calm was oddly reassuring, making me feel almost… brave? It was a strange sensation, but not entirely unwelcome.
With my Multi-Eye Vision skill still active, I scanned the area for anything resembling an inn. I spotted a few places that looked like makeshift taverns, but each one seemed sketchier than the last. They were the kind of places where the "food" might just be whatever they could scrape off the bottom of a boot.
Eventually, I came across a building that looked slightly more stable than the rest. It had a sign hanging over the door, swinging on rusted hinges, but at least it didn't look like it would collapse on top of me. I squinted up at the faded sign, barely able to make out the words: The Half-Broken Mug.
"Well, that's… promising," I muttered, weighing my options.
My stomach growled again, urging me forward. With a final glance around to make sure no one was planning to pounce on me, I stepped through the doorway and into the dimly lit tavern.
Inside, the place smelled like a combination of stale ale and something vaguely fishy. A few rough-looking patrons glanced up as I entered, their eyes lingering a bit too long on my clothes before they went back to their drinks. The interior was cramped, with tables scattered haphazardly and a bar at the far end, manned by a grizzled, one-eyed bartender who looked like he'd seen one too many brawls.
I approached the bar, doing my best to look like I belonged there. "Uh, got anything to eat?"
The bartender snorted, giving me a once-over. "Depends. You got anything to pay with?"
Oh. Right. Money. I hadn't exactly thought about that. My face must have shown my hesitation because the bartender let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.
"No coin, no food," he grunted, turning away to wipe down a mug that looked as broken as the tavern's name suggested.
"Wait," I said quickly, racking my brain for an idea. My skills had saved me before; maybe one of them could get me out of this mess.
I activated Veil of Silence, watching as the immediate area around me seemed to muffle slightly, like sound was being sucked out of the air. A faint grin crept onto my face as I realized I might be able to make something happen without anyone noticing.
Slowly, I moved my hand over the counter, inching toward a loaf of bread that was just within arm's reach. The bartender was still busy with his mug, muttering to himself, completely oblivious to my subtle act of thievery.
Quick as a flash, I snatched the bread, slipping it under my cloak and making my way to a corner table. The entire place remained oblivious, thanks to Veil of Silence. As soon as I sat down, I took a triumphant bite, savoring the taste of real food for the first time in what felt like ages.
Sure, it was stale and a little chewy, but right now, it was the best thing I'd ever eaten.
Leaning back, I watched the other patrons out of the corner of my eye, still marveling at how calm I felt. This place was dangerous, no doubt about it, but with my new skills, I actually had a fighting chance.
As I polished off the last of the bread, I glanced down at the system screen, my gaze landing on the Heart of Stone title. It was still eerie, knowing it was dampening my emotions, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. If this world was going to throw monsters, thugs, and gods-knows-what-else at me, a little emotional dulling could be exactly what I needed.
"All right, crazy town," I muttered to myself, "let's see what else you've got."