NOVPUB"Slimes?" Luka said aloud, incredulous, as he raised his long dagger.
The clearing before him was crawling with the slimes—hundreds of them in every direction.
They came in all colors and sizes, some no larger than his fist, others the size of a barrel.
Each one bounced and jiggled lazily across the ground, making wet squelching noises with every hop.
They didn't seem to notice anything at all. No snarls, no aggression, not even a single hostile glance.
'This is perfect,' Luka thought, a small smirk creeping across his face.
'These mindless blobs are practically walking experience points.'
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, slashing through the nearest slime.
His long dagger sliced clean through its jelly-like body, bursting it in an instant.
[Ding! You have killed a slime!]
[+5 XP Earned!]
[New Title Unlocked: (Slime Killer) — Grants 20% resistance to stickiness. You are less likely to get stuck in slime puddles, honey traps, or suspiciously squishy floors. Has no effect on actual damage taken.]
"Perfect." Luka spun and dashed to the next, blade flashing with each strike.
One by one, the slimes popped like overripe fruit, their liquid cores spraying around.
They didn't fight back.
They didn't run.
They didn't even react.
Luka grinned wider as the system's voice kept repeating in his head.
[Ding! You have killed a slime!]
[+5 XP Earned!]
[Ding! You have killed a slime!]
[+5 XP Earned!]
[Ding! You have killed a slime!]
[+5 XP Earned!]
It was then did Luka stop as heard what he had been waiting for.
[Ding! You have leveled up!]
[Level 3]
[+1 Skill Point — +1 Attribute Point]
Finally!" Luka didn't waste another moment. "Open Status!"
His system windows materialized before him in an instant.
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[User: Luka Rein Junker]
Race: Human
Class: Ranger
Level: 3 (XP: 0 / 300)
Hit Points: 14 / 14]
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[Attributes]
Attribute Points: 1
Mana (MP): 0
Strength (STR): 3
Agility (AGI): 10
Stamina (STA): 10
Vigor (VIG): 7
Dexterity (DEX): 10
Intelligence (INT): 0
Luck (LCK): 1
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Title: Goblin Slayer - Dragon's Blessed - Dualfang Bond - Assist King - Minotaur Slayer - Stone Breaker - Slime Killer
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[Skill Tree]
Skill Points: 1
𖣂
Skills Unlocked: Beast Whisperer - Hunter's Step - Survivalist - Phantom Step
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[Quests]
Daily Quest: (Sleep)
Time Remaining: 9 hours
Sleep for 8 hours: Incomplete (0 / 8)
Reward: Feeling refreshed
Warning: Penalty for not completing this daily quest is becoming a little sleepy for 8 minutes
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Luka ignored the irrelevant system windows for the moment, focusing instead on where to place his attribute point.
His finger hovered over Vigor, raising his health to 16 / 16.
With a swift swipe, he dismissed the window and turned his attention to the skill tree.
He knew he couldn't afford any of the skills just yet, but he still wanted to take a look.
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🔹 Viper's Strike – Launch a quick, venomous arrow that poisons the target and reduces their attack speed by 20%. (Applies poison for 5 seconds. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Aerial Camouflage – Blend into the environment, becoming invisible for 6 seconds or until you move or attack. (Perfect for ambushing. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Echoing Shot – Fires a projectile that bounces off walls, hitting up to 3 targets. (Ideal for tight spaces. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Guardian's Call – Summon a wolf companion that fights by your side for 15 seconds. (Deals 50% of your damage and distracts nearby enemies. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Piercing Rain – Fire a volley of arrows into the sky, which rain down and deal area damage to enemies below. (Hits all enemies within a 5m radius. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Quicksilver Reflexes - Instantly dodge in any direction, leaving behind a decoy that distracts enemies for 3 seconds. (Passive if off cooldown. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
🔹 Barrage of Shadows - Unleash a rapid barrage of arrows in a 180° arc in front of you, dealing reduced damage but hitting multiple enemies. (Good for crowd control. Active Skill: Consumes Stamina.)
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Sighing, Luka shook his head. 'It's a shame they all cost 2 skill points each…'
His brow furrowed as he swiped away the system windows cluttering his vision.
He knew what level 3 skill he wanted to get—but that was for later.
Right now, there were still slimes to kill, and the experience points were there for the taking.
"Give me more experience points!" Luka muttered under his breath,he plunged back into the sea of slimes.
His long dagger flashed in the air, cutting through slime after slime with ruthless efficiency.
He didn't even bother to look at the results of each strike anymore.
It was all automatic now, just a series of slashes and stabs.
Time blurred together.
The slimes came and went, their bodies popping and vanishing as Luka sliced through them.
His muscles ached with each swing, and his once-steady breaths grew more ragged.
The repetitive motions began to take their toll, but he didn't care.
Sweat dripped from his forehead, stinging his eyes.
Still, Luka couldn't stop.
The need for more XP had taken root in his mind, and it was all-consuming.
"More... more…" Luka gasped, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His voice was hoarse, desperate, as he continued the endless cycle.
His arms were beginning to feel like lead, but still, the slimes kept coming.
"I can't stop... not now... more XP..."
Nearby, Kira observed him quietly.
She had been watching for some time now; her gaze was distant.
This student of hers had certainly surprised her with his endurance.
Most humans, she knew, would have collapsed long ago, begging for water or rest.
But not him.
'This human is relentless, a grinder through and through,' Kira thought to herself.
She couldn't deny that.
She found it... interesting.
The way he kept going, his obsession with XP almost palpable.
It was as if everything else—hunger, thirst, fatigue—was secondary.
His sole focus was the next kill, the next sliver of experience points.
Unfortunately, Luka's body began to betray him.
The long dagger now felt heavier in his hand with each swing.
His movements slowed, the once-sharp strikes becoming increasingly sloppy and uncoordinated.
The slimes that had once popped so easily under his blade now barely splattered, their resistance growing as he faltered.
Luka's arms trembled.
"I'm beat…"
