Facing the aftermath of my victorious yet less-than-graceful encounter with the tree, I confirmed the unfortunate consequence—a nasal fracture. It seemed that, in my peculiar pattern, injuries chose to manifest only after the immediate threat had been vanquished.

My head swirled with a sharp pain around my nose, and a swipe of my hand revealed the telltale sign—I was bleeding from the nose. Breathing became a challenge with both nostrils seemingly out of commission, leaving me to heave heavily.

A slight ache resonated in my head from the trauma, and my nose felt a tad misshapen and tender to touch.

Without hesitation, I succumbed to the persistent whispers of [Adaptation], activating it with nearly one fourth of my mana remaining.

As details emerged, the initial injury response unfolded: a broken nose and ruptured blood vessels around the injury, explaining the bleeding.

[Adaptation] took the reins, orchestrating a symphony of biological responses within my body.

Inflammation unfolded, guided by the skill, as immune cells and growth factors hurried to the site of injury. Following [Adaptation]'s lead, fibroblasts were immediately commanded to generate soft callus, swiftly stabilizing the fractured nasal bones and the adjacent structures.

It continued with endochondral ossification, a process under the unwavering direction of [Adaptation]. The soft callus transitioned seamlessly into hard callus, providing a foundation of stronger, more organized bone tissue. The final act of bone remodeling ensued, as [Adaptation] methodically removed excess bone tissue and reshaped the bone to its original form.

Satisfied with its handiwork, [Adaptation] gracefully receded, and the entire restorative process unfolded in the blink of an eye.

The headache was gone. My hands moved toward my nose, feeling the still-wet blood there, but the pain had vanished.

I once again marvelled at the magic within me, the inexplicable force that mended my injuries in the blink of an eye. Another day, another miraculous recovery; it was becoming routine.

A shadow caught my attention, but it was just another goblin, likely hoping to exploit my moment of vulnerability. My dagger lay on the ground where I had dropped it after my collision with the tree.

Impatient, little goblin?

My hand stealthily reached for my belt where I kept three more daggers. I grabbed the Misericorde silently. As the goblin approached, oblivious to my awareness, my arms lashed out with predatory precision.

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The Misericorde found its mark—plunged into the goblin's ear, twisted savagely, and then ripped out before slamming into the base of its skull. The creature slumped lifeless, never even given a chance to properly register my presence.

No need for [Lethal Precision]; the goblin met its end before it could react.

I shoved the goblin's lifeless body aside and pulled out the Misericorde, examining its now-mangled face.

Once again, the feeling of rejuvenation coursed through me. My velvet robe was already stained with blood, so I nonchalantly wiped my daggers clean on it. Gotta make the most of everything.

I quickly accessed the system screen once again.

Blessing Tier 1: [The Crimson Larva]

* Enlightenment Rate: 24%

* Metamorphosis Conditions: [Locked]

It had increased by ten percent. The thought crossed my mind: did hunting the same monster decrease the enlightenment gained, or was it that hunting weaker monsters inherently had a low enlightenment increment?

Perhaps it was both – hunting the same monsters again and again would diminish enlightenment gain, and hunting weaker monsters offered little to nothing in terms of enlightenment.

Making a mental note to document these observations, I moved away, finding a safe tree to climb onto and recover my mana.

Munching on some dried meat, I pondered my future scenarios. Adaptation consumed little mana, but it still converted me into a certified snack enthusiast. Leaning against a tree, the thrill of the hunt still coursing through my veins, I replayed the flashes of battle in my head.

A strange sense of belonging settled within me.

A part of me hesitated to return, as if I had stumbled upon a realm where endless hunting was not just a pastime but a way of life.

A place where remorse was a foreign concept, and the thrill of the chase was a melody that never dulled.

***

I had no exact numbers for my mana. Peeking inside me gave me a vague sense of how much I had left. Recovering from about one-sixth after the previous fight and using [Adaptation] took roughly three hours. I could have run the numbers to calculate the recovery rate precisely, but time was a luxury I couldn't afford at the moment.

A mental note marked the first task upon returning—to dissect the mana consumption and recovery time of each skill.

As the evening approached, I closed in on the area of conflict. Flashes of light in the distance grew more prominent—big and small, and small and big. While understanding the gravity of the situation, I resisted the urge to charge recklessly. Patience was my ally, even if my instincts screamed for immediate action.

A single blow from those apes could have easily claimed my life. The gravity of the thought should have been paralyzing, but [Fearlessness] played its tricks on my mind.

It was a double-edged sword, both a shield and a provocateur. The analytical part of me fought against recklessness, seeking balance in the face of danger. I wasn't ready to let hubris overshadow my better judgment.

Approaching the conflict zone, my eyes caught another hint of white, but this time it was in motion.

Reacting swiftly, I activated [Umbral Concealment] to stay hidden and climbed a nearby tree for a better vantage point.

With [Visionary Mastery] still active, my eyes widened as the scene unfolded before me.