BXBX NOVEL Chapter 25: Second Cycle
[ Upon reaching level twelve, your passive ability Eldren Cycle becomes two cycles.
[ You can now choose two things to level up within the Devil Horned Tribe that would be recycled back every twenty-four hours and use another two cycles again in the next day or cycle! ]
Lyerin's eyes widened in surprise, but soon a smile tugged at his lips. He could level up anything.
The possibilities seemed endless.
His mind began to swirl like a wind typhoon through the myriad skills and abilities he could enhance.
"What should I level up?" he mumbled to himself. "Strength? No, I'm already strong enough to handle the Goblin Shrews. Speed? Maybe, but I'm fast enough to outrun them already. Stealth could be useful, but it's situational.
Maybe something that has practical use in both this world and the real one..."
He paced back and forth, his mind swirling with possibilities. "Cooking skills? No, too mundane. Leadership abilities? Important, but not immediately useful in a fight. Tracking?
Could be good, but it's still too specific."
Unsatisfied with his options, he continued to think. His instincts screamed for something more versatile, something that could provide an edge in a wide array of situations. "Healing abilities? No, it takes too much time to be effective in the heat of battle. Defensive skills? Important, but not offensive enough."
As he deliberated, Lyerin's gaze drifted back to the circular wooden wall protecting the people he had gathered.
A sudden commotion caught his attention—several Goblin Shrews were scaling the wall.
One was nearly over the top, its grotesque form silhouetted against the fading light.
Acting on instinct, Lyerin snatched a stone from the muddy ground and hurled it at the creature.
The stone struck the Goblin Shrew, momentarily distracting it, but it wasn't enough to knock it off the wall. Fortunately, it was pushed back by the people he gathered inside and it didn't go inside.
However, a notification another appeared before Lyerin:
[ Would you like to level up your shooting accuracy? ]
Lyerin's smile widened. "Shooting accuracy," he mumbled to himself, considering the implications. "Of course. It's versatile. I can use it to hunt, to fight, even to protect those around me. And in the real world, it translates to proficiency with firearms, archery, anything that involves aiming."
He recalled the importance of marksmanship in his previous life.
How many times had he seen the difference a well-placed shot could make in a battle?
How often had he wished he could rely on his aim to save lives?
The thought of being able to throw anything with pinpoint accuracy, to turn even the simplest object into a weapon, thrilled him.
"This is perfect," he continued, his excitement growing. "In this world, I can use it to fend off enemies from a distance, to protect the camp without always resorting to close combat. And in the real world, it means proficiency with any ranged weapon. Guns, bows, crossbows—it doesn't matter. It's a skill that's universally useful."
His earlier musings seemed trivial now.
This ability to shoot accurately would provide a significant advantage in both worlds. "It's far better than anything else I could think of. It's a skill that has saved lives and will save more if I leveled it up."
His eyes returned to the Goblin Shrew, still struggling to climb over the wall.
With renewed determination, Lyerin looked at the system screen and spoke clearly, "Yes, I want to level up my shooting accuracy!"
As soon as he confirmed his choice, he felt his chest became full of warm heat like a surge of comfortable energy within him erupted through it all.
Suddenly, a new notification flashed before Lyerin's eyes:
[ Mission: Hit the target one time!
[ Not hitting it will make the mission incomplete and done. ]
Lyerin's gaze shifted to a Goblin Shrew scaling the wooden wall. His mind sharpened, focusing on the target as his muscles coiled with precision.
With a swift motion, he picked up another stone and hurled it.
The projectile flew true, striking the creature in the butt and sending it tumbling back to the ground.
The mission notification updated:
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level two.
[ You can now hit anything within two meters successfully. ]
Before he could fully relish his success, another message appeared:
[ Would you like to level up your level two accuracy? ]
Without hesitation, Lyerin accepted. Another mission popped up:
[ Mission: Hit the target three times!
[ Not hitting it continuously will make the mission incomplete and done. ]
Lyerin nodded to himself, feeling the pressure mount. He scanned the area, locating two more Goblin Shrews attempting to breach the wall. He launched three stones in quick succession.
The first struck one Goblin Shrew squarely on the nose, while the second hit another in the knee, and third it hit the ribs, sending them both scrambling back down from the sharpened wooden circular wall.
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level three.
[ You can now hit anything within three meters successfully. ]
Again, Lyerin saw the prompt:
[ Would you like to level up your level three accuracy? ]
He accepted, feeling the challenge intensify.
[ Mission: Hit the target six times!
[ Not hitting it continuously will make the mission incomplete and done. ]
Lyerin's eyes narrowed, and he quickly assessed the situation.
Four Goblin Shrews were now making their way up the wall. He grabbed more stones and began his assault.
The first stone struck a Shrew's ear, the second hit another in the stomach, the third hit one in the hand, the fourth connected with the last Shrew's jaw, the fifth hit the back again, and sixth hit the ear!
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level four.
[ You can now hit anything within four meters successfully. ]
As he progressed, the missions became more demanding.
At level five, the task was to hit the target twenty-four times. He successfully completed it on his first attempt, hitting the Shrews in the right shoulder, chest, left shoulder, left leg, right again, left foot, back, back again, head and so on.
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level five.
[ You can now hit anything within five meters successfully. ]
Lyerin continued to accept the level-up challenges, each time increasing the difficulty.
The next mission required forty-eaght consecutive hits. He prepared himself mentally and physically, knowing this was a crucial step. However, during his first attempt at level six, his third stone missed, skimming past the Shrew's ear.
"Mission failed. Repeat level."
He gritted his teeth, determined to succeed. He attempted the mission again, this time missing on the fifth throw.
"Mission failed. Repeat level."
Lyerin's frustration mounted, but he steeled himself, knowing that persistence was key he just moved a little closer so he won't missed. He failed the distance as he didn't have a ruler so he attempted level six three more times before finally succeeding, hitting the Goblin Shrews with pinpoint accuracy in various parts: the shoulder, knee, ankle, ribcage, forehead, thigh, elbow, and neck.
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level six.
[ You can now hit anything within six meters successfully. ]
The following levels proved even more challenging.
At level seven, he needed to hit the target ninety six times, this time, he came even more closer.
Lyerin's first few attempts were met with failure because he is stood far away so he missed again and again and again, each missed throw a stark reminder of the precision required. He repeated level seven five times, coming closer and closer, likebhis determination cannot be disturbed.
Finally, he succeeded, hitting the Shrews in a flurry of precise strikes: the ear, nose, arm, toe, heel, hip, cheek, finger, wrist, eye and so on and forth.
[ Mission complete.
[ Accuracy level up to level seven.
[ You can now hit anything within seven meters successfully. ]
Lyerin could feel the strain of the continuous challenges, but he pushed on, knowing that each success brought him closer to unparalleled mastery. He accepted the next mission, ready to push his limits further.
However, as he prepared for the next round of accuracy challenges, final message appeared:
[ Oh oh!
[ Not enough Mana!]
Lyerin sighed, he suddenly felt so tired like his body demanding rest. His accuracy had improved significantly, but the relentless pursuit of leveling up seemed to have taken its toll. He knew he needed to recharge,to rest.
With a determined look, he vowed to continue his journey, confident that he would reach new heights in his quest for power.
But then, after he thought of resting, his vision suddenly blackened.