The growls grew in volume as he crept over to the source, the collection of Scorched Mutts spreading out to encircle something in the middle. He could barely see it, but it seemed like an emaciated, stick-like figure made of the same Ruinglass making up the environment. He triggered [Sight], and grimaced at the spark of malevolence burning in its chest.

The dogs made their move then, several of them feinting a lunge while snapping and snarling. The real attacker jumped on the figure's back, claws scrabbling against glass skin. The figure ran it through with one of its hands, a cruel barbed blade of obsidian that tore through the dog's coat. Lucas could hear its whimper of pain cut short as it perished. There were five left.

He silently paced toward the one furthest from the ongoing battle, toggling off [Sight] and trying the same thing with [Silence]. He could hear the results, the mutt making no noise even when its maw snapped shut in surprise.

His Razor dug into the spine, paralyzing it, and then the base of the skull. The figure jerked towards him, then, a mockery of a normal walk. The dogs were catching on that there was a third party in the equation, but couldn't turn for fear of being speared by the figure. Lucas leveled his Razor at it, trying [Judgement], praying the vague description actually helped him.

He could feel it settle on his Razor like an animal, all violent promise and destructive energy. He bolted towards the figure, swiping at it. His Razor cleaved through it like air, its chest split in twain. He turned to the wolves then, the suppressed fury coiling within him like a snake about to strike. His next steps cracked the landscape, sending a shimmering curtain of broken Ruinglass in his wake. His arm extending outwards, his Razor punched through the mutt in front of him.

The force sent it flying a foot backward, a gaping hole in its face. He heard the claws of another clicking against glass before silence. He batted it out of the air with a savage backhand, its neck snapping with a sickening crack. The remaining two came at him simultaneously, splitting off to attack his sides.

His Razor went flying towards the one on the left, and he turned to the right. He hoped his throwing skills were up to par. Judging by the thud shortly after, they were. The remaining one of the original six turned tail and fled, but he tackled it, wrenching the head upwards and jabbing at the neck until it stopped moving. He gasped for air, out of breath from the short battle, but idly wondered why there wasn't any kind of level-up notification. Was it so difficult after obtaining a class?

Stolen novel; please report.

The whistling of something sharp cutting through the air was his only warning. Lucas rolled to the side, landing on his back to face the figure. Even when it was only a shoulder and two legs, it was alive. [Judgement] was still rapidly draining the pool inside of him, but he triggered his [Sight] back on.

He saw the spark had moved to the figure's hip, instead of where it had been at the heart's place. The blade arm came down on his head, and he forced his hands between it, one landing on the connecting point and the other mangled as the sharp serrated thorns dug into it. His uninjured hand was coated in the controlled destruction of [Judgement], forcing the arm back and slamming into the thing's hip. He saw the spark giving it life fade then, the figure collapsing into shards of Ruinglass.

Congratulations! You have defeated 5 [F] Rank Scorched Mutts and 1 [F] Rank Ruinglass Elemental!

Level Up!

Lucas felt the invigorating energy fill him, boosting his stats as he achieved Level 3. But it wasn't the end.

Small Blades Level Up!, Sneak Level Up!, Silence Level Up!, Judgement Level Up., Sight Level Up!

He gained a level in each of the Skills he used in the battle. Lucas guessed it would probably slow when he gained enough levels in them.

His trek started again, slowly walking towards the horizon after extracting the gems of the five Mutts. There were no other drops and not even a crystal from the Ruinglass Elemental. Another day passed quickly, and he rested against a pillar again for the night. He wanted to explore [Judgement], but the feel of it steered him away from that course of action. He was supposed to be hungry, but that feeling was strangely divorced from him, along with thirst.

They were still somewhat there but muted. Pressed to the back of his mind and forgotten about. Sooner or later, though, he would need to find a source of both. Lucas was a little scared that he wouldn't be able to find them on this god-forsaken island.

His nightmares tormented him with images of him wandering for days before becoming an emaciated corpse, turning into one of the Ruinglass Elementals. Lucas woke up with a start, sweating profusely.

He could hear deafening whispers.