Aric limped into the mission checkpoint tent, boots caked, Three days in dried monster ichor, shirt torn at the shoulder, and a smell that could strip paint off a wall. And bags dropping with blood as they contain all his kills he had to cut down the fangmaw serpent into serval peaces so that he could bring the most important parts like scale.
The big wooden counter in the middle was manned by an older woman with a sharp bun and sharper eyes — Miss Garlith, Mission Handler Extraordinaire.
She didn't look up from her clipboard.
"Name," she said, in the tone of someone who had processed far too many sweaty teenagers today.
"Aric Ignovad" he replied, dropping his full bags of monster parts on the counter with a satisfying thump. "Mission F-3 complete. With… some extras."
Her eyebrow rose slightly. "Extras?"
"40+ small fry, one… very angry long-necked lizard-rabbit-thing, and… uh… a Fangmaw Serpent."
That got her attention. She looked up, her eyes scanning him like she was deciding whether to give him a medal or a psych evaluation.
"You're still breathing?"
"Mostly. The serpent didn't like me very much."
"I can't imagine why," she muttered, flipping through a worn monster identification chart. "Fangmaw Serpent is… F-tier upper class. Even some D-tier students don't tangle with those unless they've got backup."
"I had… awakend an agility realated skill," Aric said with a grin, leaving out the part where he had panic-dumped stat points mid-fight.,
Miss Garlith adjusted her glasses, and said
"A student with support skills awakens agility realated skill within 6 months of first awakening, their is very good hope for you young man"
scribbled something, then reached for the mana-stamp.
A warm glow passed over the bag of monster parts, tallying kills, types, and threat ratings. The crystal embedded in the counter flashed several colors before settling on a steady green.
"Kill count verified," she said flatly. "45 creatures, mission complete."
Creadit total: 900
Bonus reward granted for high-threat elimination.
Credit : 500.
Total Credit: 1400
Aric's grin grew wider. "That's… significantly better than measly credits for herb-picking."
She gave him a thin smile. "Yes, but I imagine herbs don't try to bite your legs off. And they smell better." She stamped his mission log and shoved it across the counter. "Don't make this a habit."
As Aric walked away, he opened his System Interface in the corner of his vision.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Aric Ignovad
Level: 4
Race : Human
Required XP to lv5: 0/2500
HP: 590
Stamina: 390
Luck: 6
Stats:
Strength: 16.9
Agility: 16.5
Vitality: 15.6
Focus: 11.5
Intelligence: 11.6
Unspent Points:
Stat Points: 3
Skill Points: 4
Skills:
Lesser Restoration (Awakening Skill)
Burst Step (Horned Rabbit – Passive Assimilation)
Keen Ears (Long-Eared Scavenger – Passive Assimilation)
Night Vision (Nocturnal Stalker – Passive Assimilation)
---
Aric blinked at the numbers.
"Oh. So I've been… getting stronger without actually spending points."
The realization hit him like a mana bolt — every assimilation gave him tiny boosts, and over time those boosts had stacked up.
It was like eating snacks all day without realizing you'd just downed a full feast.
"That explains why my legs feel like they're on speed," he muttered.
For a brief moment, he considered spending the remaining stat points right now. But then another thought hit him.
What if I need a sudden power boost in a fight?
He nodded to himself. "I'll save them for emergencies. Strategic hoarding. Totally not indecision."
Miss Garlith's voice called from behind the counter.
"Aric!"
He turned.
"You forgot this." She tossed him a small pouch that jingled. "Your credit tokens. Try not to spend them all on questionable gear or pastries."
Aric caught it, saluted, and left the tent grinning.
Mission complete. Bonus credits earned. Two luck points.
And best of all… he was going back to school not as the boy with the useless heal, but as the boy who had killed a Fangmaw Serpent.
Granted, it had almost killed him too — but hey, details...!