‘All right, this confirms that dexterity truly makes us more skilled. What about strength?’
The other guy used my body to do some handstands… he was able to do a bunch of them without losing his balance, so it looked like my body truly had gotten stronger. I wondered how that was possible when I didn’t notice any differences, maybe it was because my body now had mana and that affected the composition or at least how it behaved in the physical world.
‘All right, all done… time to fight some beasts. What is the plan?’
‘Train throwing knives and then hunt the four armed bears to stock up the honeycombs to reach the dungeon where the job is. The quest has no time limit, so we can take our time gathering resources. Getting some level ups while it is easy now is the best option.’
‘You can do the training then, call me when it is time to fight the beasts.’
As usual, this guy is as selfish as someone could get, but at least I could split the work with him to make things more efficient. There were some people around hunting the dire wolves, but there were plenty of monsters in the tall grass in which everyone was avoiding. I decided to throw a knife at them and keep another in my hand just in case. This would be a good reaction training as well.
When I got in the tall grass, I was surprised to see the movements of a beast coming so fast… the creature still leaped to attack me in the head or the neck, but I was able to throw the knife in my hand fast enough to stop the monster midway… maybe it was a fluke, but the knife pierced the forehead of the monster easily.
-20!
You received 01 EXP.
You received 01 Origin Coins.
‘Eh? What was that…’
It felt like I just saw the damage that I had caused… but why would that appear now? What had changed to make that appear? My class? How was that supposed to affect the whole system?
The monster fell on the ground and when I recovered my knife, it turned into dust leaving only the teeth behind. I let out a sigh and then soon raised my guard when more spots in the tall grass were moving toward me. This would be the real test…
Only now I realized it, but when the monsters jumped to attack me, the movements of my hands looked weirdly fluid. I don’t remember training to be able to do this, but my throw had been pretty good.
My arm was slightly bent, positioned behind my head as I prepared. My wrist was relaxed, and then, in one smooth motion, I extended my arm forward, releasing the knife. It felt like a fluid, whip-like action as the knife left my hand. My arm continued moving naturally after the release, and I watched as the knife spins through the air, its blade pointing straight toward the target.
As the knife spun , I paid close attention to its rotation. I was close enough that I know it only needs a half spin, about 180 degrees, to reach the target. The knife cuts through the air, and I see it rotate, almost in slow motion, as it gets closer. The blade hits the target with a satisfying thud, sticking firmly. I know I’ve hit the mark, the rotation just right, the force balanced perfectly.
-20!
You received 01 EXP.
You received 01 Origin Coins.
‘The distance was close and I guess my dexterity is helping here… at this distance, this shouldn’t be an issue, but I still need to understand my limits.’
Combining this with the potion of the alchemist would make quite the decent first strike, if I increase my strength and I hit the head of the four armed bears, perhaps it would be enough to kill them with a single hit as well. In any case, I finished off the remaining enemy normally instead of using a throw, but learning how to use that with both hands would be a good idea as well.
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After some experiments, I confirmed that I could hit the targets with relative ease when they were up to seven meters away… the hit rate was ninety percent, so it wasn't half bad. Still, the dire rats weren't that scary anymore. In that aspect, the danger that the four armed bears offered could drop my aim considerably.
I tested how far I could throw the knives as well and while the accuracy was terrible, at least they could reach fifty or so meters. Given my skills, I should focus on strength and dexterity, perhaps adaptability as well… I only had a small idea of what each parameter could do, but I had to confirm with Lain later. I also had to ask him how I can learn more skills…
In any case, while I said that I just wanted to practice, I hunted the dire rats until the class leveled up. There were plenty of them, after all.
You received 01 EXP.
You received 01 Origin Coins
Congratulations! You have leveled up!
Strength + 02, Wisdom + 02, Toughness 02, Dexterity + 02, Adaptability + 02, all other parameters + 01, + 02 free points.
‘Nothing is different… so I guess learning skills will remain a mystery for a while longer.’
‘Are you planning to not reach the dungeon today?’
‘The goal today is to learn how to fight the four armed bears effectively. Taking risks for now is a bad idea… it will be a different matter if someone becomes a healer and they decide to work with us.’
‘A female healer would be preferable, let me do the talk when she shows up.’
Fighting alone allowed me to get ahead quickly, honing my skills and gaining levels faster than I might have in a group. However, I realize now that this approach could have created problems in the future. Forming parties later on is often more challenging because most people build bonds with those they fought alongside from the very beginning. These early parties create trust, teamwork, and a shared understanding that are difficult to replicate when joining a group later.
By choosing to hunt alone, I’ve inadvertently missed out on these opportunities to form lasting connections and establish myself as a reliable team member. If I need to rely on a party in the future, I might face hesitation or distrust from those who have already built their parties and are unfamiliar with my ways.
‘Anyway, can you leave this to me? I will hear your calls and you can over analyze the fights after that.’
‘Over analyze… for now, let's test the limits of stealth. Try to look for a group of monsters while walking at normal speed. After the first fight, I will decide what to do next.’
‘Roger that.’
Having an alter ego in a situation like this was convenient… It felt like I had a bot that listened to all my commands and that could control my body as well. Wait, wasn't that kind of scary? Even more so when he was better at some things than me… mainly, getting into trouble.
Without any hesitation, the other guy began to cross the forest. He was mindful of the surroundings. While heading to the shadow of a tree, to the shadow of another tree, he also tried to avoid taking heavy steps or smashing anything along the way.
Thanks to all that, I could tell that Stealth was working… and the atmosphere didn't change. Eventually, we found the first target… Much to my surprise, we found a four armed bear walking around the area as if it was looking for something and there were no signs of their base being nearby. The honeycomb wasn't around and that was a bit annoying but I could live with that.
Before I could say anything, the other guy moved to the back of the monster and then slowly approached as well… he was truly good at that. He even began to mirror to movements of the monster and even bis breathing with the monster to approach without being noticed.
When he was five meters away, he suddenly jumped toward the monster and swung down the knives. The monster felt the presence of something approaching and then turned… just in time to have one of its eyes stabbed
-37!, -17
“Rrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh!”
The monster roared in pain and agony as the knives caused damage. It was impressive that it could still move despite having lost one of its eyes. The beast used two arms to counterattack, but soon the other guy twisted the knife on the eye of the monster and then stabbed the neck of the beast with the other.
-17!, -17!, -17
A lot of blood gushed from the wound, but at least the monster stopped moving and then it's body got limp before the creature fell on the ground.
You received 04 EXP.
You received 03 Origin Coins
‘Heh, too easy…’
Although the other guy said that, he was breathing roughly thanks to the tension. Putting his reckless attack, he didn't suffer any damage, so I couldn't say much about his stupidity.
‘... It seems that they have between 84 and 101 HP. A lot less than I had expected, but their highest parameter should be strength instead of vitality. Targeting the vital areas will cause critical damage...’
The monster disintegrated into sand, the particles scattering with the wind. Amid the dissolving mass, the claws of a single arm remained intact. Given that the creature had four arms, it wasn’t too surprising, statistically, there was a decent chance for at least one set of claws to be left behind.
The other guy took a moment to catch a breath, inspecting the claws thoughtfully. Still, the fight was over, and the immediate danger had passed. It was time to reflect.
Analyzing the encounter, I began to mentally replay every move, looking for areas of improvement. Were there moments where the monster had almost struck? Opportunities missed to exploit weaknesses? Each fight was a lesson, and with the next inevitable encounter, this one needed to provide every ounce of information possible.