I stepped closer and peered inside.
"Wow."
The word came out before I could stop it.
Because there, floating in the exact center of the room, was a book.
Just hanging there in midair. Rotating slowly, like it was caught in some kind of invisible orbit.
I had no idea what was keeping it suspended like that, but honestly, I didn't care. I was mesmerized.
So much so that my feet started moving on their own. I walked toward it almost instinctively, drawn to it without even thinking.
Within a few seconds, I was standing directly beneath it.
So this was it. The book that held the SSS rank skill.
I reached up slowly and wrapped my fingers around the spine. The moment I made contact, the book stopped spinning and dropped gently into my hands.
Then a system notification materialized in front of me.
[Host, it appears you have discovered the "Tome of the Last Seer." Do you wish to extract the final skill contained within?]
I didn't even hesitate. 'Yes.'
A loading bar immediately appeared in my mind, filling steadily.
---
17%... 43%... 75%... 98%... 99%... 100%
---
When it completed, a new notification replaced it.
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully extracted the SSS rank skill: Seer's Eye!]
[Your skill slot is full (1/1). Upgrade your rank to unlock an additional slot.]
The instant my eyes landed on that notification, I felt like I could've jumped straight out of my skin.
Like a rabbit that had just been handed the world's biggest carrot.
I got it. I actually got it.
Yes. Well, then...
I exhaled slowly. Alright, next step.
I should use the Skill Rank Upgrade Card to push it even higher.
But wait. How do I actually activate it?
Oh, right. I could just ask the system.
I focused my thoughts. 'System, use the Skill Rank Upgrade Card on Seer's Eye and upgrade it.'
A brief silence.
Then the system's voice returned.
[Host, I apologize, but that is not possible. There is no rank above SSS.]
I froze. 'Wait. Seriously?'
[Correct, Host. SSS is the highest rank available. However, sub-tiers do exist within SSS. If you wish, I can upgrade your skill to the next sub-tier.]
'No. Don't.'
Damn it.
I'd assumed there'd be something beyond SSS. Some secret tier or hidden level nobody talked about. But apparently not.
Still, I guess it wasn't the worst outcome. It just meant my skill was already maxed out at the highest possible rank from the start.
Which, honestly, was still incredible.
Either way.
I looked back down at the thick black book still resting in my hands.
What was I supposed to do with this now?
I couldn't just leave it here or toss it away. Who knew if it'd be useful down the line? Plus, the system had called it the "Tome of the Last Seer." That sounded significant. Like it was the only one left in existence.
Fine.
I'd keep it.
But where would I even keep it?
Wait.
The realization hit me all at once.
Right. I had that.
Why hadn't I thought of it sooner?
I focused inward. Inventory.
A small blue portal swirled into existence beside me, hovering in the air.
Interesting. It looked almost identical to how storage rings worked.
Hopefully, it functioned the same way.
I lifted the book and carefully slid it into the portal. The instant it passed through, the portal collapsed in on itself and vanished without a trace.
A new screen materialized in front of me, displaying a single square box labeled "Book."
I tapped on it.
Another screen opened, displaying Tome of the Last Seer inside a neatly outlined box.
So that's how it worked. Pretty straightforward.
Alright. I was done here. It was time to leave.
I turned around and headed back toward the hidden room's entrance. The moment I stepped out, I heard a low grinding sound behind me. The stone door was closing on its own, sliding smoothly back into place until the wall looked seamless again.
No trace left behind.
Thank God.
If that door hadn't closed automatically, I would've been scrambling to figure out how to shut it manually. The last thing I needed was for Allen to stumble across any of this.
That aside, I raised my wrist and glanced at my watch.
***
Name: Michael Frostburne
Total Rules Broken: 0
Time: 2:12 PM
Date: 4th February
Year: 2130
***
So about twenty minutes to get the skill.
Not bad.
Alright, time to—
I stopped mid-step.
Something on the ground caught my attention.
Scattered across the blood-soaked stone were small red crystals, glinting faintly in the cave's dim light. Square-shaped. Almost geometric.
Hold on.
I walked over to the nearest one and crouched down, picking it up carefully. I held it up to examine it more closely.
A monster core.
So that's what they looked like up close.
These were the same cores that powered everything in this world. Vehicles, buildings, weapons. The entire energy grid of humanity ran on them.
And honestly? It was beautiful.
The way the light refracted through the deep crimson surface, the sharp, clean edges. If something like this existed back in my old world, people would have been making high-end jewelry out of it in seconds.
After a moment of staring at the core, I dropped it back onto the ground. It clinked softly against the stone.
I stood up, dusted off my hands, and surveyed the cave around me.
As I looked around, a sense of unease crept in. Something was off.
The goblin corpses... they were disappearing. Not rotting. Not decaying in any natural way. They were crumbling. Turning to ash right before my eyes. Bits of grey dust floated upward and dissolved into nothing, leaving only their cores behind.
Ah. Right.
The dungeon was resetting.
I'd read about this. When everything inside a dungeon died, the dungeon itself would wipe the slate clean. Every trace of battle erased. Every monster brought back to life.
And not just once.
Every hour. Without fail. Like clockwork.
The only way to stop the cycle? Find the dungeon core and destroy it completely.
Insane system, really. But that was just how this world worked.
I made a mental note to call Allen back before the reset finished. Getting caught in here alone when—
Huh? Movement?
My thoughts scattered. My eyes snapped toward one of the huts.
A goblin stepped out from the shadows.
Already? The reset wasn't even complete yet.
The creature's yellow eyes found me immediately. For a split second, we just stared at each other across the cave.
Then it grabbed the crude stone blade at its hip and charged.
I sighed.
Of course.
No rest. No time to gather cores. Just another fight.
Fate really did hate me.
I tightened my grip on Allen's sword and dropped into a proper stance. If the goblin wanted a fight, fine. I'd give it one.
I launched myself forward.
We raced toward each other—two figures sprinting across blood-slicked stone. The goblin's face twisted with hunger as it closed in. It looked at me like prey. Like meat.
I kept my expression blank and my focus sharp.
Ten meters between us. Nine. Eight.
My foot passed over something solid. A core, half-buried in the grime.
Without slowing down, I snatched it up and whipped it straight at the goblin's skull.
The creature's reflexes were faster than I expected. Its stone sword came up in a blur, swatting the core out of the air with a harsh crack.
The second it batted the core away, I hurled my sword straight at its face.
The goblin reacted on instinct, swinging its blade and deflecting the sword to the side.
But that only bought it a second.
Because the moment its sword moved, my fist was already coming.
The goblin's eyes widened. We were too close now. There was nothing it could do but watch.
Got you, bitch!
I drove my fist into its face with everything I had left.
The force sent it stumbling backward, arms flailing as it lost its balance. Its stone sword slipped from its grip and clattered across the ground.
I didn't hesitate.
I spotted a dagger lying near one of the dead goblins and grabbed it without breaking stride. Before the fallen goblin could even think about getting up, I was already on top of it.
I drove the blade straight into its throat.
It died almost instantly, its body going limp beneath me.
But before it did, it coughed up a spray of blood that hit me square in the face.
God damn it.
I jerked back immediately, yanking my handkerchief out and scrubbing at my face like I was trying to erase the memory of it.
So disgusting.
I wiped harder, dragging the cloth across my skin until I was sure every drop was gone.
Then I stuffed the handkerchief back into my pocket and pushed myself to my feet.
The first thing I did was bring my boot down hard on the goblin's face.
Bastard.
You couldn't have aimed literally anywhere else?
I stomped again. And again. My frustration pouring out with every impact. I kept going until the goblin's face was nothing but a mangled, unrecognizable mess. Blood spread out in a thick pool around its head.
When I finally stopped, I was breathing hard, chest heaving.
Serves you right.
I stared down at the ruined corpse for another second, then turned away.
I needed to get out of here.
I started walking back toward the tunnel, the one that led to the entrance where Allen should still be waiting.
I didn't want to keep fighting like this. Not alone. Not right now.
As I walked, I glanced back one last time at the scattered goblin bodies slowly turning to ash across the cave floor.
Then I faced forward and kept moving.
I needed to find Allen.
Fast.
Because I still wanted to rank up again.
***