Rey sat cross-legged in his room, a small heap of arrows scattered around him.
His gaze was locked onto the system screen hovering before his eyes.
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A foundational skill that enhances the user's ability to repair damaged equipment. With experience, the chances of successful repair increase by 10%, along with a rare opportunity to strengthen the item during restoration by 5%.
======
A passive skill.
Earned, not gifted.
No activation, no mana drain, yet it quietly boosted every repair he attempted.
Rey stared at the numbers for a moment.
Then grinned.
"Ten percent is actually huge," he muttered.
Aiden laughed lightly inside his mind.
"You're celebrating an F-rank skill like it's some legendary inheritance."
Rey didn't bother arguing.
He already knew.
When he became stronger, he'd probably laugh at this version of himself too, just like the people Aiden often mentioned.
Still.
This was his.
"Alright, alright," Aiden said. "Enough daydreaming. Get back to work."
Rey clicked his tongue and picked up another arrow, silently cursing Aiden as he focused his mana again.
Time passed.
Quietly.
Relentlessly.
A few hours later
The sun had dipped below the horizon.
Orange light faded into deep blue, stars slowly claiming the sky while the moon rose above the city. Outside, the capital's nightlife had begun to stir, lights flickering to life, voices echoing faintly through distant streets.
Inside Rey's room, however, there was only focus.
And progress.
His hands moved faster now.
Cleaner.
What once took minutes now took mere seconds.
An arrow cracked along the shaft softened, its fibers shifting as if liquefied, before sealing perfectly back into place.
Another followed.
Then another.
Soon, Rey wasn't limited to arrows.
He began working on swords with minor fractures, the shallow cracks along their wooden blades closing under his growing control.
The passive skill worked silently, stacking experience with every successful repair.
His proficiency climbed.
F+.
Near its peak.
Standing on the edge of something more.
Rey held the fifteenth sword, this one bearing a long, ugly crack running across its blade.
He slowed his breathing.
Focused.
Mana flowed carefully.
The crack closed.
And then—
A faint light flashed across the blade.
Rey froze.
The second effect had triggered.
Again.
This was the third time.
Twice on arrows.
Now, once more on a sword.
The strengthening effect.
Rey lifted the blade.
It felt different.
Balanced.
Solid.
No longer brittle like the others.
It finally felt like a proper weapon, not disposable training junk.
Almost immediately, the system responded.
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<
An advanced repair skill that allows for the restoration of damaged equipment with improved efficiency. Repairs become significantly more reliable, with a chance to enhance durability or slightly improve overall quality. Repaired items retain 10% more of their original durability (!)
======
Rey exhaled slowly.
"Oh… a new effect," he said, eyes shining. "So now I can even restore durability."
This wasn't just a repair anymore.
This was refinement.
If he finished repairing everything he'd brought back, Rey was confident.
B-rank.
Maybe even A-rank.
The thought alone made his heart beat faster.
As he stood to stretch, reality caught up with him.
His legs buckled.
Numb.
Stiff.
"Tch…"
He winced, realising he'd been sitting in the same position for far too long.
Then he remembered.
He had a solution.
Blood manipulation.
Carefully, Rey guided the blood flow from his heart toward his legs, increasing circulation just enough to restore feeling.
At first, warmth returned.
Relief followed.
Then—
Pain exploded.
His control slipped.
Blood surged violently through his veins, pressure building uncontrollably. His legs turned red, swelling painfully, veins bulging as if they were about to burst.
His heart pounded like it was ready to explode.
Before disaster struck—
Snap.
The pressure vanished.
Rey collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air, his entire body flushed red.
"You fool."
Victor stood over him, arms crossed, eyes cold.
"What made you think you could use my ability with control that sloppily?"
"I… thought I could manage it," Rey said weakly, still gasping.
Victor clicked his tongue.
"Be thankful you didn't burst apart just now."
He scanned Rey briefly.
"You're not ready. Not even close."
Rey clenched his fists.
"I checked your limits," Victor continued. "You need at least A-rank Vitality and Endurance before you even qualify for my signature skill."
Rey's ears twitched instantly.
"Signature skill…?"
Victor straightened.
"Don't get excited. It's not time yet."
He paused.
"But keep improving. Be diligent. Maybe one day."
With that, Victor vanished, but with a mysterious smile on his face.
Rey lay there in silence for a moment.
Frustrated.
But determined.
Just as he moved to resume repairing—
Knock. Knock.
His body stiffened.
"Son?" Jasmine's voice came from outside. "Are you awake? What are you doing in there for so long?"
Panic surged.
"Yes, Mom! Just a second!"
Rey immediately summoned his inventory.
Weapons vanished one by one, sucked into storage in quick succession.
Another knock.
"Open the door."
"I'm just putting some stuff away!"
He scanned the room.
Clear.
Nothing visible.
He rushed to the door and opened it.
Jasmine stepped inside instantly, eyes sharp as she looked around the room.
Clean.
Too clean.
"What were you really doing just now?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
"Nothing," Rey replied quickly. "Just studying and cleaning."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Then why did you take so long to open the door?"
Rey hesitated, then forced a sheepish tone.
"I didn't want you to see the waste lying around, so I cleaned everything first."
"Hmmm…"
She turned to leave.
Then stopped.
Her gaze locked onto something.
"What is that over there?"
She pointed.
Rey followed her finger.
His heart dropped.
Because the one thing he forgot to put away—
Was still there.