Revelations

The following week, Steven finally sat down and did something he should have done from the beginning.

He actually read the Player Handbook.

"...I'm an idiot."

He wasn't even halfway through the Skills section before he found something that made him slap his forehead.

System-Granted Skills

When the System offers to teach a skill directly, the listed Skill Point cost does not include the System's acquisition fee. Players should expect to spend one additional Skill Point beyond the displayed cost.

Steven stared at the paragraph.

"...Damnit."

He leaned back in his chair.

"That wasn't leaked online."

Apparently the first generation had kept that detail relatively quiet, or perhaps nobody outside official circles had bothered reading the handbook either.

"I should've read this sooner."

He mentally counted.

Identify.

Mapping.

Both had appeared to cost two points.

"So..."

"I've technically wasted four Skill Points."

He sighed.

Then paused.

"...Actually."

"Maybe not."

He'd only accepted two free System skills before learning the truth.

Compared to many first-generation Players...

He had probably gotten off lightly.

Some veterans had dozens of System-granted abilities.

If every one of those secretly cost an extra point...

"...Ouch."

He almost felt bad for them.

Almost.

His next few evenings were spent browsing the Player Marketplace.

Not to buy.

Just...

To dream.

There were dozens of martial skills listed.

Iron Fist

Whirlwind Kick

Flowing Counter

Crushing Palm

Stone Body

Most were far beyond his budget.

Then there were passive skills.

Acrobatics.

Footwork.

Enhanced Balance.

Athletic Recovery.

Movement-based abilities.

Exactly the sort of things a Monk should eventually possess.

Steven bookmarked several listings.

"Someday."

A few days later...

He found another Gate.

Recommended Level: 10–20

Steven himself had reached Level Nine.

Close enough.

"...What's the worst that could happen?"

He immediately regretted thinking that.

Twenty minutes later his Mirage rolled into a small gravel parking area.

Progressive house music blasted through the upgraded speakers while the Kicker subwoofer happily shook the little economy car.

Steven shut the engine off.

The sudden silence almost felt strange.

He climbed out.

Locked the car.

Then paused.

"My keys."

Without hesitation, he opened his Inventory.

The keys vanished into digital storage.

Steven grinned.

"Don't wanna lose my keys while fighting."

Much better.

The Gate before him looked completely different from the last one.

Its enormous doors had been carved from polished red marble streaked with veins of black and gold.

Across both doors sprawled an elaborate relief depicting countless twisting passageways spiraling toward a single tower at the center. Tiny armored figures wandered those carved corridors, some battling reptilian creatures while others appeared hopelessly lost. At the very top of the carving sat a single golden eye, watching over the entire maze.

"...That's not ominous at all."

He pushed.

The doors slowly opened.

Cold air greeted him.

Steven stepped through.

The entrance sealed behind him with a deep rumble.

He found himself standing inside an enormous stone labyrinth.

Towering walls nearly twenty feet high stretched endlessly in every direction. Every block had been carefully fitted together centuries ago, though moss and creeping vines now covered much of the ancient masonry.

Small shafts in the ceiling allowed thin beams of sunlight to illuminate portions of the maze, creating alternating patches of bright light and deep shadow.

Some corridors were barely shoulder-width.

Others opened into surprisingly spacious intersections.

Occasionally broken statues stood forgotten against the walls.

The entire place smelled faintly of damp earth and old stone.

Somewhere...

Metal clanged.

Tiny voices barked angrily in a language Steven couldn't understand.

"...Kobolds."

He smiled.

"Let's see what you've got."

Thanks to Mapping, he never worried about becoming lost.

Each new hallway neatly filled itself in on the translucent minimap floating in the corner of his vision.

It almost felt like playing an old dungeon crawler.

Until the first spear nearly hit him.

A three-foot-tall kobold burst around a corner wearing mismatched leather armor.

It screeched.

Charged.

Steven sidestepped.

One punch.

One kick.

The creature collapsed.

"...That answers that."

Hours passed.

Steven slowly carved a path through the maze.

The kobolds came armed with crude weapons.

Short swords.

Wooden spears.

Rusty axes.

Tiny shields.

Individually they weren't especially threatening.

But groups demanded caution.

Every battle sharpened Steven's movements.

Every victory expanded his map.

Then...

Voices echoed from somewhere nearby.

One sounded strangely familiar.

"...I fucking hate this gate!"

Steven blinked.

"No way."

He rounded a corner.

Standing there with an annoyed expression was the same young woman he'd met inside the Slime Beach Gate.

She immediately recognized him.

"Oh."

"It's you."

Steven smiled.

"Hey."

"Doing well?"

She groaned dramatically.

"Yeah..."

"I guess."

"I'm lost."

"...Again."

"I fucking hate this gate."

Steven chuckled.

"I actually have a Mapping skill."

"I could guide you back out."

Her eyes practically lit up.

"...Yes."

"Please."

"Get me the fuck outta here."

It wasn't much of a detour.

Thanks to Mapping, Steven simply retraced the route he'd already explored.

Fifteen minutes later...

The Gate entrance came into view.

The young woman let out an enormous sigh of relief.

"I could kiss you."

Steven awkwardly scratched his head.

"I think a thank you works too."

She laughed.

"Fair."

She rummaged through her Inventory before producing a small red glass bottle.

"Here."

"A Minor Health Potion."

"I've got extras."

Steven accepted it.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

She waved before disappearing through the Gate.

Steven looked down at the potion.

"Score."

He carefully stored it away.

Back into the maze he went.

The hours blurred together.

Fight.

Explore.

Map.

Repeat.

Kobolds gradually became stronger the deeper he ventured.

Some wore chainmail.

Others carried bows.

A few even fought together in disciplined formations.

Still...

Steven continued winning.

By the time he finally paused...

He'd gained three more levels.

Among the spoils...

A Kobold Sword.

A Kobold Shield.

Neither suited his fighting style.

Straight into Inventory they went.

"They'll probably sell."

He ignored his Skill Points entirely.

Those were becoming precious.

Instead...

He immediately spent all fifteen Status Points.

Five into Strength.

Five into Dexterity.

One into Charisma.

Four into Luck.

His Status updated.

Strength: 25

Dexterity: 25

Constitution: 15

Intelligence: 12

Wisdom: 14

Charisma: 10

Luck: 20

Steven smiled.

"Much better."

As soon as his Luck reached twenty...

Something unexpected happened.

A soft ding echoed inside his mind.

Not the normal System notification.

Different.

Warmer.

A golden window slowly materialized before him.

Congratulations.

A base attribute has reached 20.

Bonus Passive Available.

Luck Milestone Reward

Please choose one blessing.

Three options appeared.

Treasure Sense

Slightly increases the chance of noticing hidden objects, secret rooms, and valuable loot.

Fortune's Favor

Slightly increases item drop quality.

Second Chance

Once per day, survive a potentially fatal mistake with a sliver of health instead.

Steven's eyes became the size of dinner plates.

"...Hold..."

"...The..."

"...Fuck."

He looked back and forth between the choices.

"There are milestone rewards?"

"No one mentioned milestone rewards!"

Then realization struck him.

"They probably never reached twenty this early..."

Most Players spread their points across every attribute.

Steven had dumped almost everything into just a handful of stats.

He might have accidentally discovered something the Player community hadn't fully documented.

He stared especially hard at the final option.

Second Chance.

"...That's..."

"...insanely good."

For the first time since becoming a Player, Steven wasn't just progressing.

He was standing in front of a choice that could shape the rest of his life.