Jin stepped into the gate without hesitation, and the familiar pressure settled over him like a thin layer of weight that his body had already begun to accept as normal, not something to resist but something to move with. The ruined landscape stretched ahead, broken stone structures leaning at uneven angles, shadows cutting across the ground in jagged shapes that hid more than they revealed. Nothing had changed in the environment itself, but the way he approached it had. Before, every fight ended with only one kind of gain. Now there were two, and that changed how each decision mattered, even if his movements stayed the same.
He didn't rush.
There was no need to.
His breathing stayed steady as he moved forward, eyes scanning without tension, taking in the spacing between structures, the angles where something could appear, the paths that allowed movement without getting trapped. It wasn't complicated. Just awareness.
A goblin emerged from the right, slipping out from behind a broken wall with a sharp, jerky movement. Jin stepped in immediately, closing the distance before it could build momentum, his sword moving in a clean arc that cut across its throat. The creature dropped without resistance.
[Kill Confirmed]
[Calculating Target Stats…]
Target Stats:
Strength: 8
Agility: 6
Vitality: 7
Mana: 2
Total: 23
[Inferior Extraction Activated]
→ +1 Free Stat Point
[EXP Gained: +5]
Jin didn't stop to look at the full panel. He already knew what it would show. The numbers mattered, but the rhythm mattered more.
Another goblin appeared almost immediately after, drawn by movement or sound. Jin adjusted his footing slightly, letting it commit first, then stepped inside its reach and ended it just as cleanly.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
Two.
His mind didn't linger on it.
Just moved.
The ruins narrowed ahead, forcing a tighter path between two collapsed walls. Jin chose it anyway. Narrow paths meant controlled engagements. Fewer angles to worry about.
Three goblins this time.
They didn't move together, but they were close enough to become a problem if handled poorly.
Jin didn't charge directly. He shifted slightly to the left, forcing the nearest one to approach first while the others adjusted their position.
The first lunged.
Jin stepped aside and cut it down in one motion.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
The second followed too quickly.
He stepped forward instead of back, reducing the space it had to swing, and drove his blade upward into its throat.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
The third hesitated.
Jin didn't.
He closed the distance and ended it before it could decide.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
Five kills total since entering.
Jin slowed for a moment and opened the system.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 2
EXP: 75 / 120
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 25
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Inferior Extraction (Inferior)
The numbers lined up.
That was what mattered.
Seventy-five.
Still a gap to close.
He closed the system and moved again.
The presence of EXP didn't change how he fought, but it changed what he aimed for. Goblins were efficient for stat gain, but not for leveling speed. If he wanted to move faster, he needed stronger enemies—but only to the point where risk stayed manageable.
He moved toward a slightly more open section of the ruins.
A hobgoblin stood there.
Larger.
Heavier.
Its posture slower, but its movements carried more force.
Jin didn't rush in.
He circled slightly, watching.
The first swing came wide and heavy.
Jin stepped back, letting it pass just in front of him instead of trying to block it. The second swing followed, less controlled, slightly off balance.
That was enough.
Jin stepped in, cutting across its side—not fatal, but enough to weaken its stance.
The hobgoblin turned, trying to track him.
Jin didn't stay where it expected.
He moved again, shifting behind its angle, then brought the blade across its neck in a clean, final strike.
[Kill Confirmed]
[Calculating Target Stats…]
Total: 40
[Inferior Extraction Activated]
→ +1 Free Stat Point
[EXP Gained: +12]
Jin registered the number.
Twelve.
More than double a goblin.
That confirmed it.
Stronger enemies were worth it—but only if handled cleanly.
He opened the system again.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 2
EXP: 87 / 120
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 26
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Inferior Extraction (Inferior)
Eighty-seven.
Closer.
Jin closed the panel and moved forward again.
This time he adjusted his path slightly, choosing routes where stronger enemies appeared more frequently but still keeping enough space to avoid being surrounded.
Two goblins appeared.
Quick.
Clean.
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+10 EXP]
Another hobgoblin followed shortly after.
The fight took a little longer, but not enough to matter.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+12 EXP]
Jin didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
He moved with the same steady rhythm, letting the fights come to him rather than chasing them blindly.
Then he opened the system again.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 2
EXP: 109 / 120
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 29
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Inferior Extraction (Inferior)
One hundred nine.
Almost there.
Jin closed the system.
A goblin appeared from behind a low wall, its movement quick but predictable.
Too easy.
He stepped in and ended it in a single strike.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
The system updated.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 2
EXP: 114 / 120
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 30
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Inferior Extraction (Inferior)
Not enough.
Still short.
Jin didn't feel frustrated.
Just aware.
Six more EXP.
One more goblin.
Maybe two.
He looked ahead.
The deeper area remained visible, the faint shift in atmosphere marking the boundary. The same heavier presence lingered somewhere beyond, something larger, slower, more dangerous.
Not worth it.
Not yet.
Jin adjusted his grip on the sword slightly.
Then moved forward again.
Another goblin appeared.
He stepped in.
Ended it.
[+1 Free Stat Point]
[+5 EXP]
The system shifted.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 2
EXP: 119 / 120
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 31
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Inferior Extraction (Inferior)
One point left.
Jin exhaled slowly.
Then moved.
One more.
That was all it would take.
And this time—
He didn't miss