"Level 22…" Karen murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Level 22 already?!
She wasn’t in denial, but the sheer rapidity felt surreal.
Just hours ago, she had entered the castle as a mere level 1 novice. Clearing wave after wave of skeleton soldiers had only nudged her to level 3, and defeating the Headless Knight had inched her up to level 5.
And now—she was level 22.
The jump was staggering, almost absurd. Her skill was still unlocking, yet the possibilities ahead filled her with anticipation.
She had been granted Mystic Eyes to see ghosts because she couldn’t perceive them before.
What would Kami bestow upon her next?
A skill to strike intangible monsters, perhaps?
“Ugh!!”
Layton jolted upright, groaning as if waking from a nightmare. His sudden motion startled the others as he sat up from the ground.
Nearby, Anyi and Ariana squatted low, casually munching on provisions.
“Ooh! Mr. Layton, you’re awake!” Ariana exclaimed, pausing mid-bite. “Are you feeling alright? Do you need more healing?”
Despite her cheerful tone, she shot him a concerned look.
Though her Holy Healing had removed most of Layton’s negative statuses, some ailments had stubbornly lingered. Holy Healing wasn’t a purification skill; it could only cleanse what had been touched by holy magic, purging some of the Prana residue left by the undead.
“This…” Layton glanced uneasily at the list of ailments still clogging his status bar:
【Sore Throat】 【Fever】 【Toothache】 【Shaking Hands】 【Leg Cramps】
“Uh… I think I’m fine,” he replied, pursing his lips.
These weren’t curses.
These were ailments.
And ailments, well…
You eat to recover from those!
With the perks of [Gluttony], the solution was clear: Eat everything in sight until you’re healed.
Miruku, seated nearby, remained alert. Though she allowed herself a moment to relax, her vigilance never wavered. Monsters could still emerge from below at any moment. Sitting, after all, offered her a better vantage to react quickly.
“Mr. Layton, what level are you now?” Ariana asked between bites.
“Let me check…” Layton muttered, his eyes scanning his interface.
“Level 23.”
He blinked.
“Wait… 23?!”
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Layton stared at the number in disbelief.
He had been level 14 just moments ago.
Nine levels, gained while unconscious!
He couldn’t help but entertain the thought: Should I go back to sleep?
“We killed 17 Class 3 monsters,” Anyi explained, his voice steady and practical. “Before level 20, each one gives two full levels’ worth of experience.
After level 20, the scaling kicks in: from 20 to 21, you need two monsters per level. From 21 to 22, it’s four. The increments keep rising.”
“Which is why everyone is now level 23.”
Layton nodded, still awestruck. “Seventeen monsters… I’m amazed.”
His tone softened.
What did I even do?
He recalled the moment of his Group Taunt—and little else. Everything after that was a blank.
Sure, the levels had soared, but did that really count as contributing?
Karen, breaking the silence, suddenly spoke. “Does this mean we’ll need to fight Class 4 monsters to level up again?”
“Yes, most likely,” Anyi confirmed with a nod.
And not just any Class 4 monsters. Repeatedly killing the same type would diminish the experience reward.
The system encouraged diversity—both in the prey they hunted and the Bestiary entries they unlocked.
In the late stages of his previous life, Anyi recalled, nearly every hero had become a living encyclopedia of monster lore. Those who endured to the endgame had cataloged almost every creature imaginable, save for the ancient beasts lurking in the Demon Lord’s castle.
“Oh!” Ariana suddenly cried, her excitement breaking through. “I got a new skill!”
Her grin widened—crumbs flying from her mouth as she spoke.
Anyi looked at her, unimpressed. “Swallow before you speak.”
Ariana quickly swallowed her food, flashing Anyi a mischievous grin. “Anyi, guess what my new skill is?”
Without looking up, Anyi quipped, “Purification. You’ve already dropped food crumbs on your clothes; seems fitting you’d need a skill to clean them.”
Ariana’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know it was Purification?!”
Shrugging, Anyi’s tone remained casual. “Just a hunch.”
Ariana shook her head with a playful pout. “Fine, but guess what my other new skill is!”
Before Anyi could reply, she clarified: Ariana had unlocked Barrier at level 10, Purification at level 15, and now, another skill at level 20.
Anyi pretended to think for a moment, his tone deliberately dry. “Mimic Escape Technique?”
Ariana huffed. “No! What’s the use of that kind of skill?!” She stomped her foot. “Guess again!”
Anyi smirked. “Fine. Then it must be Devour Technique, letting you eat ten times as much food at once.”
“Wrong! Twice in a row, too!” Ariana’s voice rose in mock indignation. “You’re terrible at this!”
She clapped her hands as she stood, picking up her staff with a flourish. “If you won’t guess correctly, then watch this—my new skill!”
With a word of power, a golden aura expanded outward, enveloping the entire group. Even Miruku, standing at a distance, was bathed in the radiant glow.
【Skill: Holy Light Embodiment
Skill Description: Grants [Holy Light Embodiment] effect to teammates within a certain range, allowing teammates’ attacks to deal additional holy-type magic damage.
Mana Cost to activate: 100
Mana cost per second: 1】
Karen’s gaze darted to her status bar, realization dawning. “Wait… does this mean we can actually hit the ghosts now?!”
“That’s right!” Ariana said confidently, nodding.
Anyi’s tone turned analytical. “Even if it doesn’t directly let us attack the undead, the added holy damage will still be effective in combat.”
“Exactly!” Ariana puffed out her chest with pride.
Her excitement was palpable. After experiencing the overwhelming utility of Encourage, she finally had a skill that empowered the entire team—a skill of her own.
Karen, meanwhile, was fixated on her skill bar. Her voice trembled with excitement as she exclaimed, “I got a new skill too!”
Ariana turned to her, curious. “Oh? What is it?”
Karen’s face lit up. “It’s called Death Pupil. It reveals the enemy’s weaknesses!”
【Skill: Death Pupil
Skill Description: Applies [Weakness Perception] to the target enemy, highlighting the enemy’s weakness in the vision.
Mana Cost: 50】
“Mr. Carl,” Karen asked, addressing Anyi earnestly, “do you think I should allocate some points to Prana? I feel like I’ll need it to use my skills more frequently.”
Anyi’s response was measured. “If that’s what you think is best, go ahead. I won’t always be around to guide you. You need to make choices that suit your own path.”
“Okay!” Karen nodded, determination shining in her eyes.
Layton sat on the side, looking at his skill panel with boredom.
Why haven’t I unlocked any new skills yet?
At this moment, Miruku, who was on guard, sent a message—
【Thorn Hero: Something is coming!
It’s…
A huge skeleton! As big as a Goblin Centurion!】