Today, I was prepared to reach my cap. So, I entered the [Zombie Dungeon] with my trusty pipe in hand. I would have preferred to use something else that had an edge for better damage, but there wasn't anything else readily available. A spear seemed like the best option—easy to use and, while it's technically a melee weapon, it offers better reach. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything like that, so I took the pipe, as it was the next best choice.
And don't be fooled into using kitchen knives; it's a trap. Just because they are bladed weapons, some noobs think they're the best option. But who wants to risk getting that close to a zombie?
As I entered, I encountered another zombie—this one at a higher level than the others I had faced. I positioned myself with my pipe, aided by my [Blunt Weapon Mastery] skill, which is at level 6. I prepared a [Mana Arrow], using 30 MP, and launched it. Usually, one arrow is enough to take down a zombie, but this one was faster than the others, and my arrow missed, merely grazing its side.
However, that was enough to leave it unprepared for my attack. I swung my pipe overhead and hit its head. The sound echoed strangely in my ears, sending goosebumps down my skin, but at least the zombie was dead.
For your information, there isn't an HP bar for my enemies like I have, so I can't see how much damage I do to them. This is a good thing. I have an HP bar because I'm a Gamer, and I can see the zombie levels due to them being monsters born in dungeons, and that seems fair. Having 200 points in INT gives me 2,000 mana, and my processing power is a certain quantity. However, someone else with that much processing power wouldn't have 2,000 mana.
The distinction is even more significant when I consider that my mana comes from the Hell Difficulty Tutorial world.
Anyway, as I contemplated these things after collecting the generous offering of 5 Shards from that zombie, I noticed a strange figure. I took cover behind a wall to observe the enemy.
[Modified Zombie Lv.10]
This zombie looked different from a normal one; it didn't have sickly green skin or grotesque tufts on its body. Instead, it had blue skin that appeared aged and was missing one eye. Its clothing was also unusual, as it wore jeans and a hoodie rather than the standard attire of salarymen and women.
MP: 256/330
Good, I hadn't spent too much mana during this run. I tried to kill other zombies using surprise attacks and aimed for their heads and throats. I waited for the Modified Zombie to move around for a bit, and after two minutes, it left its back unguarded.
I conjured another [Mana Arrow], this one larger, using a total of 63 mana, and went for the kill. The moment I launched the arrow, I dashed toward the mutated zombie, ready to finish it off if necessary. I made the right choice. The arrow hit its shoulder, causing significant damage, but it wasn't enough to kill it outright.
The zombie screamed, startling me and causing me to hesitate with my follow-up attack. Nevertheless, I struck it in the neck, and a sickening *crack* echoed between the empty streets. The zombie fell, its head barely hanging onto its body, still alive.
It attempted to get back up, but with its left arm ruined, it struggled futilely. I hit it in the head a second time, this time hard enough to separate it from its body. Finally, the torso collapsed and began to dissolve.
//
You have defeated a miniboss: Mutated Zombie Lv.10
+67 EXP
You've obtained 21 Shards
Level up! Lvl 9 -> Lvl 10
+5 free stat points
You've obtained 1x Gacha Ticket!
//
I caught my breath and decided to return home since the zombie's scream would likely attract nearby enemies, and I didn't want to deal with a zombie surge.
I sat down at my budget gaming station—essentially just a chair in front of my laptop—and took a moment for myself. I then opened up my [Gacha] function, which displayed [Owned Gacha Tickets: 1] right before showing a [Roll] screen. It was similar to other gacha games, displaying images of various items, all unfamiliar to me.
However, a notice caught my attention: "First roll bonus!" That probably meant my initial roll wouldn't yield anything useless! Since it was valid only for the first roll and there weren't any options for additional rolls or a pity system, I decided to go for it.
The rolling screen resembled Fate/Grand Order, filled with strange symbols, vibrant colors, and sparks, until everything faded to white.
//
Congratulations!
You've obtained: Chi You (Skill Book)
//
This was something I recognized.
"Isn't that the name of a Chinese general that in fiction is changed to a demon god?"
I quickly looked at the other screen that appeared.
//
Chi You (Record of Ragnarok)
A martial art style created by Qin Shi Huang, comprising five different stances. It is considered to be the ultimate martial art. Qin Shi Huang mastered these techniques during his battle with the Demon God Chiyou. After defeating him, Qin Shi Huang named his martial art style after him. Each of the five fighting styles is named after one of the five tools of war that Chiyou is believed to have created: Crossbow, Sword, Halberd, Spear, and Armor.
//
I didn't take the time to read it all, but it was true: the martial arts of someone powerful enough to fight against gods... and now it was in my hands. I took the book out of my inventory to glance at its contents.
"Huh? Is it empty?"
On the cover, there were Chinese characters I couldn't decipher, even with my [Chinese] skill at level 22. I mean, Qin Shi Huang lived even before Christ, so it's probably ancient Chinese. No wonder I can't read it, but the book is completely empty. Maybe that's just how it works—a skill book without any other utility other than being absorbed by me. But let me see if I can sell it.
The [Shop] functions like in the Hell Difficulty Tutorial, where you can sell items and skills for Shards, but you won't get the full price. Its selling price is... 750,000 Shards...
"Wow..."
That's a significant amount! I could buy some impressive skills for myself and easily start my journey toward mana dependence without a problem. However, since you can sell items for only 10% of their total price in the [Shop], this means the book is valued at 7,500,000 Shards.
On one hand, I could be enticed by mana, spells, and a straightforward path for my plans; on the other hand, I had the most badass martial art I'd ever seen. After five minutes of internal debate, I finally decided...
"I'm sorry, Nat, but the Rule of Cool..."
With sadness filling my heart, as if I were cheating on my desired mana path, I clicked 'yes' to absorb the skill.
//
You've unlocked: Skill Trees!
The Chi You Skill Tree is now available!
You've obtained the skill: Chi You
You've obtained the skill: Chi You – Armor Form
You've obtained the skill: Chi You - Spear Form
You've obtained the skill: Chi You - Crossbow Form
You've obtained the skill: Chi You - Halberd Form
You've obtained the skill: Chi You - Sword Form
//
An influx of information flooded my mind, but this time, the knowledge was denser than before. Three minutes later, I found myself staring at my new unlock. Since the Essence overwhelmed me with a growing list of skills, it probably created this setup just for me.
Before, I had three sections: Unique, Luxuriae, and Normal skills. But now, the screen had cleared itself. Unique and Luxuriae were still there, but an additional Hell Difficulty Tutorial and a Mundane Skill Tree had been added. The former contained all my mana-based skills, and the latter included the others.
And it wasn't just that. With my Mundane Skill Tree exceeding 70 skills, I wanted to reorganize it further. That's when something else was created: the [Fighting] sub-tree, the [Linguistic] sub-tree, and the [Music] sub-tree. Now it was much cleaner, but there could be further improvements...
Oh, and not all my sex-related skills were listed under my [Pleasure] sub-tree. The [Massage] skill appeared there too, probably because I used it all the time in those situations.
Anyway, I ignored those and focused on the [Chi You] skill tree, eager to test things out. I stood up, removed my shirt for extra coolness, and took a stance. My breathing fell into a rhythm; my feet were planted firmly, and I felt resilient, as if I could withstand the impact of a truck. This was the posture of my Armor Form, which should help me absorb blows and counter them if possible. Although my physical stats were low, the stance felt good.
But then it hit me.
"Great, now I have to learn how to fight hand-to-hand."
And just after I ranted about reach, spears, and the advantages of not being attacked by rabid monsters...