Drake returned to Veridian Rise, turning in the Moonpetal Ferns to the grateful herbalist, Elara. << Quest Complete: [Lunar Botanicals]! Reward: 180 EXP, 25 Copper Coins! >>
Finding a quiet spot, he examined the [Weathered Alvari Artifact] again. Its faint hum seemed to resonate with something within him. Focusing his intent, the artifact glowed, and the hidden quest activated.
<< Ancient Resonance Detected! Hidden Quest Activated: [Echoes of the Past]! >>
<< Quest Objective: The artifact resonates with a place of corrupted memory within the Verdant Threshold. Seek out the source of this echo. >>
<< Reward: ???, EXP ??? >>
<< A marker has been added to your map indicating the area of resonance. >>
"Hidden Alvari quest in the tutorial zone... definitely worth investigating. Corrupted Grove, map marker says." He checked his status: Level 3, skills locked at [Basic Slash] 75% SCR, [Defend] 72% SCR. Reasonably high for the tutorial so far, he thought. He set off.
The journey led him deeper into the woods, the environment gradually darkening and twisting into the corrupted landscape he'd seen marked. Reaching the grove's edge, the air felt heavy. << You have entered the Corrupted Grove (Recommended Level: 4+) >>
He cautiously advanced. Two Level 4 Shadow Sprites emerged, faster and more aggressive than their normal counterparts. Drake met the first one's charge with [Basic Slash]. << Skill Success! SCR 75%! Damage Dealt: 15! >> The damage, while consistent thanks to his locked SCR, felt inadequate against the Level 4 mob's health pool. The sprite shrieked and attacked. Drake activated [Defend]. << Skill Success! SCR 72%! Damage Blocked: 25! >> The block connected, but the force of the blow was significant. << Damage Taken: 15! HP: 105/120 >>. "Took 15 damage through a 72% block?! These things hit hard!"
As he dealt with the first sprite, the second zipped around his flank. He reacted, trying to block again, but couldn't activate [Defend] quickly enough due to its short internal cooldown after the first block. The flanking attack struck true. << Damage Taken: 40! HP: 65/120 >> "Damn! Need better blocking and awareness!"
He quickly dispatched both sprites using several more 75% SCR [Basic Slash] attacks, but the fight left him at low health and acutely aware that his current 'best' execution wasn't nearly good enough for this area. He needed higher SCRs now.
Retreating slightly to the edge of the grove to recover HP, Drake began a new, more intense grind. He singled out respawning Lvl 4 Shadow Sprites near the boundary. This wasn't about EXP; it was about survival and pushing his limits. He focused entirely on achieving cleaner hits with [Basic Slash] and, more importantly, perfectly timed blocks with [Defend] against their faster patterns.
It was a struggle. Many attempts at improving only resulted in his locked 75%/72% executing automatically. Others resulted in failures as he pushed too hard or mistimed against the new speed. But slowly, through sheer repetition and analysis via [Perfect Recall] after near misses, he started landing slightly better executions.
<< Skill Success! SCR 78%! Damage Dealt: 18! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Basic Slash] SCR 78%! >>
<< Skill Success! SCR 76%! Damage Blocked: 30! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Defend] SCR 76%! >>
Each small, hard-won percentage point felt like a major victory, immediately locked in by his talent, making subsequent attempts slightly easier and more effective. The constant combat EXP finally pushed him over. Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 4! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
He assigned the points (STR/END). Now Level 4, with [Basic Slash] at 78% and [Defend] at 76%, he felt slightly more prepared, but knew the grind at the edge of the Corrupted Grove needed to continue before he could safely venture deeper.