Free Web NovelChapter 28: Level up
Arthur unsealed the secure locker and grabbed his new, lethal toys. The Whisperwind Longbow hummed with potential even when unstrung. He shoved his ruined gear into a duffel bag, dressed in a spare uniform he’d requested from a janitor, and slipped out of the infirmary through a back exit before Matron Cross could return with more scolding.
He returned to his dorm room, locking the door behind him. He wasn’t worried about missing classes; Beatrice had already sent a glowing, magically sealed note to the administration granting him a mandatory two-day rest period due to severe injury and "accidental poison exposure." He was officially on leave.
Tossing the duffel bag into a corner, Arthur collapsed onto his bed. Even with the healing, his soul was weary. Yet, beneath the exhaustion, he felt a profound, exhilarating difference. His body felt impossibly lighter, as if gravity had less of a hold on him. The ambient sounds of the dorm—the scratching of a pen three rooms over, the faint hum of mana in the hallway lights—were crystal clear. His perspective had shifted, becoming sharper, more predatory.
The system had processed the massive achievement of clearing a unique labyrinth solo while unawakened.
Ding.
[Due to extreme usage under duress, skills have leveled up.]
[Eagle Eye (Passive/Active) has reached Level 7.] [ fгeewebnovёl.com
Soundless Steps (Passive/Active) has reached Level 6.]
"Show me," Arthur muttered, summoning his blue screen.
Name: Arthur Vance Class: Phantom Sniper (Lv. 1 - Unique)
Title: Despicable Schemer Level: 14 (EXP: 120/1400)
HP: 320/320
MP: 250/250
Stats:
Strength: 35
Vitality: 32 (+5 from Troll Blood)
Dexterity: 105 (+20 Class Bonus)
Perception: 103 (+15 Class Bonus)
Intelligence: 25
Unassigned Stat Points: 0
Traits:
Troll Blood (Passive): High regenerative capabilities. +5 Vitality.
Eagle Eye (Lv. 7 - Passive/Active): Extreme visual acuity.
Soundless Steps (Lv. 6 - Passive/Active): Near-silent movement.
Ghost in the Woods (Passive - Class Trait): User’s presence naturally blends with the environment. Moving, breathing, and drawing a bow generate zero physical sound.
Skills:
Mana Quiver (Lv. 1 - Passive): User can convert MP to physical arrows. (Cost: 15 MP per arrow. Arrows dissipate 10 seconds after impact.)
Phantom Shots (Lv. 1 - Passive): Arrows fired have a 10% chance to become intangible, passing through armor or shields to strike the flesh beneath.
Mirage Shot (Lv. 1 - Active): Create auditory and visual illusions of arrows to deceive enemies. (Cost: 10 MP per use.)
Arthur stared at the triple-digit numbers in Dexterity and Perception. A slow, cold smirk spread across his face.
According to the game lore, average first-year students awakened with core stats in the high thirties or low forties. The elites, the "lead characters" like Leon or Alicia, could still beat him to a pulp due to their balanced stats, higher overall levels, and powerful awakened skills—and well, also because they were the leads.
But his specific stats were broken. While most of his attributes were merely average, his speed and senses were now superhuman.
He was the definition of an unbalanced build—a glass cannon that could see an enemy coming from kilometers away and put an arrow through their eye before they even registered his presence.
Strength was still low, but with the Phantom Sniper class, raw power was secondary to precision and speed. With Mana Quiver, he would never run out of ammo again, well atleast untill he has mana left. With Phantom Shots, heavy armor was no longer an absolute defense.
He closed the status window, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction. Life in this new world was indeed going to be fun.
Reaching his dorm’s attached bathroom, he took a long, hot bath, scrubbing the grime and dried blood off his skin. He changed into a clean, spare uniform, sighing as he looked at the duffel bag in the corner.
Ninety-nine percent of his net worth had been destroyed in just one expedition.
I will have to do something about my financial condition, he thought grimly.
Well, at least he had the monster materials he had acquired. His inventory was full of Shadow Wolf cores and hides. To his disappointment, however, the system inventory was not unlimited. It had only around two cubic meters of space, and it was currently packed tight.
Sigh.
Let’s think of work later. I earned a day of rest.
Next day at the academy...
Though officially still on medical leave, Arthur couldn’t stand being cooped up in his room. He needed information.
When he arrived on campus, he immediately noticed a different environment in the air. Groups of students were clustered together, excitedly chattering, their faces flushed with anticipation.
Arthur looked around, confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere. He stopped a passing student, a scrawny boy holding a stack of books.
"Hey, what’s going on? Why is everyone so hyped?" Arthur asked.
The boy blinked at him. "Oh, you were absent yesterday, weren’t you? Vance, right? The creepy one who sits in the back?"
Arthur stared at him flatly. "Just tell me the news."
The boy gulped. "Well, it’s about our first real dungeon expedition. Yesterday, Professor Elena announced the first mandatory group dungeon assignment. It’s an F-rank ruin in the eastern sector."
He adjusted his glasses, his excitement quickly overtaking his fear of Arthur. "We need to form groups of four and submit our rosters by the end of the week. There’s a mandatory briefing this afternoon, but since you were sick, you probably need to go to the administration building to get the info packet."
"F-rank dungeon, groups of four," Arthur repeated, nodding slowly.
Damn. That’s why everyone is excited.
For the main characters, this was the first step on their path to greatness. For Arthur, this was prime territory to exploit. Mandatory grouping meant he couldn’t solo it, which was a nuisance, but it also meant he could test his new abilities in a semi-controlled environment.
