Free Web NovelChapter 3: No pain, no gain
Vyral struggled to stand up while holding his throbbing abdomen. He almost wanted to vomit after receiving that terrifying kick from the skeleton. His guts twisted inside him as if they had all been crushed.
The pain felt real. He never thought the game could simulate pain so realistically... no, it had even reached a level of pain beyond the real world.
"Did this game set the pain level to the highest setting...? Or... is it because this is hell mode?"
He gazed at the available list of basic evolutions with dazed eyes. He could understand most of what he had just read, but his emotions were mixed, especially after it had become the reason for his current miserable state.
"I must hurry up."
There was no time to waste.
He shook his head several times to regain his focus before selecting the two basic evolutions he needed most right now.
[Muscle Enhancement Lv1] – 0.1 Mystic Energy
[Enhanced Regeneration Lv1] – 0.1 Mystic Energy
+4 Strength
+3 Dexterity
Immediately, a fresh sensation ran through his body. All of his skin radiated a bright green glow like illuminated emeralds in the darkness. Each muscle fiber wriggled beneath the skin like worms before subtly rearranging into intertwined strands. He was still thin, but at least better than before.
The swollen bruises that had just formed on his abdomen slowly faded away, like rust being stripped from an old car’s surface.
Vyral observed the changes in his body with pure joy. He even stammered in excitement.
"It’s not a scam... I really have a cheat."
He took a long breath to calm himself before quickly picking up the rusty sword nearby. Without showing any hesitation, he rushed toward the skeletons.
He decided to finish this group of skeletons before thinking further about his cheat. Moreover, only by extracting Mystic Energy from monsters could he truly verify it.
With his short height, he couldn’t properly fight against skeletons as tall as fully grown humans, so he targeted their legs instead.
He made them fall before swinging precise slashes at their necks. After killing two skeletons, he instantly upgraded [Muscle Enhancement Lv1] and [Enhanced Regeneration Lv1]. Growing stronger while fighting the remaining skeletons was his plan.
[+2xp]
[Muscle Enhancement Lv1] → [Muscle Enhancement Lv2] 0.2 Mystic Energy
[Enhanced Regeneration Lv1] → [Enhanced Regeneration Lv2] 0.2 Mystic Energy
+4 Strength
+3 Dexterity
Now he could feel a difference in his power as his stats had increased significantly. He moved quicker, and his attacks were stronger.
The rest of the skeletons were no longer on par with the goblin at this moment.
Vyral used an old shield he had just taken from a skeleton and charged into another skeleton like a rabid bull, launching it into the air before it crashed down.
The cracking sound of bones rang out, snapping apart with a sharp clatter.
The remaining three skeletons showed fear and confusion at a mere goblin suddenly growing stronger like that. They stepped back before even realizing it. A sense of pure humiliation roiled in their minds at that moment. Why could a mere, weakest race in the world frighten them?
Meanwhile, Vyral just felt puzzled by their emotions. They shouldn’t have felt like that.
"Even a monster can possess a tiny bit of emotion, I wonder what NPCs can be like?"
Soon enough, Vyral killed three skeletons.
He moved to a nearby rock and sat down, gasping for air. Confusion was written all over his face. A player could feel exhausted after a fight in a virtual reality game. It didn’t make sense since this was just a game. Indeed, the technology of this era kept surprising him one after another.
It felt exactly like the real world. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Don’t tell me... I also need to drink, eat, sleep...?"
Vyral smirked.
"Good. I bet that the food of this world is better than the rats I’ve eaten."
He mentally summoned the system screen. Right then, a bright panel appeared in front of him.
Name: Vyral Carlson
Race: Goblin (Mythical)
Class: Primordial Evolver (Mythical)
Level: 1
Experience: 6/100
Mystic Energy: 0,6
~Basic Evolutions~
1,Muscle Enhancement Lv3 – 0.5 Mystic Energy
Boost the body’s overall strength several times.
2,Steel Skeleton Lv1 – 0.1 Mystic Energy
The skeleton becomes tougher and more resilient.
3,Enhanced Regeneration Lv3 – 0.5 Mystic Energy
Greatly boosts the body’s regeneration.
4,Hair Growth Lv1 – 0.5 Mystic Energy
Increase the amount of hair.
5,Height Enhancement Lv1 – 1 Mystic Energy
Increase height.
...
Vyral scratched the back of his head while carefully watching each word on the virtual panel ahead.
"Understood, so that’s what evolution means."
He smiled, especially when his eyes landed on [Hair growth], [Height enhancement], and the evolutions that improved appearance. To him, they were even better than the rest of the basic evolutions.
The appearance was truly important, but the price was quite expensive.
"Nah, I’m not stupid enough to upgrade them in this circumstance. The appearance wouldn’t help me pass the dungeon."
Vyral glanced at the [Steel Skeleton] before speaking.
"I choose you."
[Steel Skeleton Lv1] – 0.1 Mystic Energy
He didn’t stop and instead upgraded it to Lv2.
[Steel Skeleton Lv1] → [Steel Skeleton Lv2] – 0.2 Mystic Energy
+ 6 Constitution
Vyral’s face twisted in pure pain. He slumped down, clenching his teeth. The veins in his skin started to pulse.
The pain – unlike anything he had ever experienced – reached his marrow and guts.
He could feel a wave of burning pain running through his bones.
"DAMN IT!"
He rolled around on the floor as if a wolverine was enduring adamantium being injected into his bones. But in reality, his bones were just undergoing a transformation into a steel-like material – there was no way to avoid the pain. Moreover, combined with the pain amplification from Hell Mode, Vyral had to endure something even worse.
His pupils widened as tears forced their way out. Finally, after 10 minutes, the pain subsided gradually.
And then, a new feeling came – the feeling of power.
Vyral gasped for breath as sweat poured from his body.
"Shit... Why did it hurt so much?"
He had no idea.
Vyral smiled bitterly while struggling to straight up, faint muscular lines running across his bare chest, still that of a slender build.
"No pain, no gain, I suppose."
