Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 294 Perception +1
"Proficiency +1"

“【引力蚀刻】lv2（100/100）→【引力蚀刻】lv3（0/100）”

"Perception +1"

……

Xia Nan's gaze swept over the semi-transparent text floating in the air before him without leaving a trace.

His face showed no particular expression, but there was a subtle turmoil in his heart.

"Finally upgraded!"

"It really wasn't easy..."

【Gravity Etching】is arguably the most grueling of all the combat skills he currently possesses, requiring the most rigorous training.

It's not that it's particularly difficult, or that the training process requires enduring any pain.

It's purely because of its "3/3" charge limit.

Compared to before when I wasn't at the maximum level, although it required a lot of time each day, the effort I put in was reflected in my proficiency with [Fang Hunt];
Unlike [Gravity Control], which remains unmoved no matter how much you train, only occasionally experiencing a "sudden realization" or stumbling upon some "clever ideas," and then being given a pitying boost of one or two points of proficiency, [Gravity Control] is different.

[Gravity Etching] has a special property that it can be charged once every six hours and can be used up to three times consecutively. This means that if Xia Nan wants to improve this combat skill in the most efficient way, he must set a physiological alarm clock.

Precisely control its six-hour charging time. Whenever the number of uses jumps from "2/3" to "3/3", immediately use it for training, while ensuring that you always have two more uses on hand (if it is in the middle of a mission, the training mode should be changed accordingly).

At first, Xia Nan felt that [Gravity Etching] was too easy to practice. Unlike other combat skills, it did not require repeated training. You could just practice at specific times.

In a whole day, all twenty-four hours combined, the time spent on this combat skill is at most ten minutes.

However, their proficiency increased rapidly, making it incredibly effortless.

It wasn't until a few months ago, when Xia Nan's [Gravity Etching] proficiency was about to be upgraded from lv1 to lv2, that he gradually began to feel the torment involved.

The fixed charging time and limited number of uses mean that no matter how hard he tries and makes the most of his time, he can only practice a maximum of four times a day.

Even with the two backup uses, it's only six uses in total, and you'll need to wait for additional charging afterwards.

In this situation, while the acquisition of proficiency is regular and stable, it also loses its upper limit.

There's only so much each day, not too little, but not too much either.

It's hard to imagine that when Xia Nan watched his proficiency reach "99/100", just a little bit more, he could have completed the upgrade with just two or three more swings.

However, due to the limited number of uses, one has to wait for six hours, which is an indescribable torment.

In fact, long before this mission even began, his proficiency in Gravity Etching had already reached the critical level of "lv2 (99/100)".

He persevered with his unwavering willpower, waiting until now, and finally, taking advantage of the increased efficiency gained from mastering the skill in battle, he unleashed that agonizingly longed-for sword strike.

hum-

The residual ochre-red light of the force field energy gradually dissipated into the air, and viscous blood dripped from the sword.

Xia Nan stood still, feeling that everything around him was incredibly clear.

The gurgling sound of blood gushing from the severed neck of a corpse, the faint rustling of the legs of an unknown insect touching the mud, the inconspicuous dust stirred up by a gentle breeze, the veins revealed by a distant fallen leaf as it flutters...

The increase from "10" to "11" is only 1 point of improvement in perception attribute.

His impression was that it was even more exaggerated than going from "5" to "7".

Once the basic attributes reach a certain level, every improvement becomes a qualitative change.

As a core attribute of the [Meteor Blade Hunter] class, it is foreseeable that Xia Nan's precision and control over gravity will also be enhanced.

Including [Tidal Shaping] and [Mind-Guiding Vision], the scope of related specializations has been broadened, and their duration has been increased.

Of course, Xia Nan himself still needs to carefully experience and summarize in his daily life to find out the specifics.

Footsteps came from the side.

Xia Nan turned around, looked at Adeline who was walking towards him with a surprised expression, and blinked:

"You should have told me you'd come to me for help, right?"

Adeline didn't reply, but as she approached, she strained her eyes to look back and forth between Xia Nan and the petrified lizard corpse behind him.

Xia Nan had already realized that her strength far surpassed that of ordinary adventurers as early as last year's Hunting Day.

Whether it was that gnoll tribe or that red-maned bear goblin that had once been his nightmare, they all died at the hands of the other party.

This is something that ordinary adventurers are not capable of doing.

After the hunting day ended, Xia Nan, who had officially become a professional, suddenly distanced himself from her.

It's not that obtaining a professional rank makes you superior; in fact, after experiencing life-or-death battles, the relationship between you and the other party actually became closer after the mission ended.

However, the professional circle was too far removed from them. The so-called advancement missions and the second floor of the association only existed in rumors. In the past few months, all she knew was that Xia Nan had completed several commissions, changed his armor one set after another, and his temperament had become more profound and unfathomable.

Their strength should be improved.

But right now, when this young man with black hair, right in front of her, chopped off the head of a petrified lizard with a challenge level of "3" with a single sword stroke.

Adeline's eyes seemed somewhat dazed.

Seeing this scene, who would have thought that just a few months ago, the two were teammates at the same level, able to support and rely on each other?
"boom."

Adeline clenched her calloused right hand into a fist and gently touched the metal armor on the man's chest. She slowly opened her mouth, her expression complex.

"I owe you again."

"If there's anything I can help with in the future... you know what I mean."

"Of course." Understanding the meaning behind the other party's words, Xia Nan waved his hand, "But it's just that you delayed me by two extra seconds, otherwise I really wouldn't have had time."

Xia Nan, who had noticed the commotion from afar and came to investigate, initially thought the petrified lizard was chasing some prey. He planned to hide himself first, wait for the creature to catch something, and then deliver a fatal blow when it lowered its guard.

But to my surprise, a familiar figure appeared before me.

It's impossible for me to just stand by and watch one of my few friends in this world die.

Xia Nan acted decisively, taking advantage of the two seconds the opponent created in the rush to delay, and brought Adeline into the range of his [Gravity Control] release.

To reduce the gravity on her body, she instantly increased her speed to dodge the lizard's attack, while relying on [Fang Hunt] to move forward and deliberately put her body into the range of the lizard's "Petrifying Gaze".

Perfect resistance.

The silently effective "petrification resistance potion," combined with his now significantly stronger physique, allowed him to easily neutralize the most deadly ability of the petrifying lizard.

Next, the petrification ability stopped working, and the petrified lizard, whose challenge level instantly dropped by more than half, became a sitting duck for Xia Nan.

Its bulky, obese body appeared powerless and laughable under the exaggerated mobility granted by [Fang Hunt]. [Gravity Etching], a force field that ignores physical defenses, easily obliterated its hard scales and thick, tough fat muscles, blasting a huge hole in its body with a single explosion.

After a brief skirmish to ascertain the situation, the moment of decapitation will arrive.

The silver-white, specially crafted two-handed longsword, based on the body structure that had been studied before the trip, was inserted into the lizard's neck by Xia Nan in a way that minimized the loss of materials.

Using the momentum of its falling body, it easily sliced ​​off the head by following the muscle lines and bone gaps downwards.

A fatal blow.

"Is this the goal of your advancement mission?"

Xia Nan glanced at the enormous corpse lying on the ground like a small mountain of flesh, convulsing and spasming, and casually asked a question.

“How could this be…” Adeline looked helpless as she pointed to her disheveled appearance, covered in mud and grass clippings.

"The promotion tasks issued by the association are known for being simple. I have only just obtained a professional rank, how could they possibly assign me a goal of this level?"

"I just wanted to go into its nest to pick some mushrooms."

"Mushrooms?" As if he had heard a certain keyword, Xia Nan suddenly turned his head and looked straight at Adeline.

“Grey mantle,” the woman added with a strange expression, “an alchemical ingredient, not edible.”

The intense gaze instantly returned.

It is true.

For a level 1 professional like Adeline, who hasn't even fully mastered her professional skills, the association would never assign a petrified lizard as their mission target.

As for the gathering task, although the location is a bit dangerous, with a little patience and observation, you can find the petrified lizard's activity patterns and complete it without fighting.

With a touch of regret about the inedible mushrooms, Xia Nan shared her thoughts with the other party.

Adeline also seemed particularly puzzled:

“That’s exactly what we did. We even made all the necessary preparations, including petrification resistance potions, because we knew in advance about the potential dangers we might encounter during the mission.”

"But I don't know what's wrong with this petrified lizard. It should be resting after a hunt, but it suddenly rushed out of its nest and just happened to find our location."

"Damn it! Could it be that the scent masking spray sold in Kukunur is fake? That shouldn't be the case, I tested it before I came."

There were many doubts, and Adeline couldn't figure it out for a while.

But now that the petrified lizard is dead, the biggest threat to her advancement mission has been eliminated.

She breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Xia Nan and the petrified lizard corpse behind him.

"Is this your mission objective?"

"Ah."

She nodded slightly, knowing that Xia Nan was a decisive and efficient person. Since she had clearly expressed that she did not need the other party's help, she would never follow behind him with unease like a nice guy.

Given the current situation, it could only be a chance encounter during the mission.

"You don't need too many of those mushrooms, do you?"

"What's wrong? Just a few clusters will do."

"...I might need your help with something small."

“Of course!” Adeline answered without hesitation.

……

Xia Nan needs Adeline to help him carry some of the spoils of war back with him.

The amount of gold coins required to reforge the decapitation sword would obviously be an exorbitant figure.

Considering that the main materials were already provided, the arm shield cost a full 1000 gold coins.

As a type of longsword weapon that is more difficult to manufacture and has a more complex reforging process, its expenses will only be higher.

Xia Nan definitely doesn't have enough money right now.

Now that he has the opportunity, he naturally wants to earn more.

First, the glands located at the back of the petrified lizard's head are his primary target for this mission, and he certainly can't miss them—the petrifying mucus secreted there will play a crucial role in the weapon reforging process.

Secondly, there is the heart of the petrified lizard.

As a large and dangerous monster, its heart contains powerful life force and magical energy.

When used in small quantities in potions, it can create special potions that temporarily boost physical constitution or increase resistance to slashing/piercing attacks.

It is also used in some ceremonies.

A whole one can sell for a lot of money.

Then, there is its stomach.

The secretions, when extracted and synthesized by some highly skilled alchemists, can be made into a unique ointment that helps to remove the petrified state.

It is a material that the River Valley Town Association branch urgently needs, and it can be sold for a much higher price than the market price.

If Xia Nan knew an alchemist, he could even ask them to make an ointment to sell. If someone needed it urgently in the future, he could even sell it for an astonishing price.

However, he currently has neither such connections nor channels to convert them into cash, and even urgently needs gold coins to tide him over, so he doesn't consider it and will just hand it over to the association to handle.

Finally, there was the skeleton of the petrified lizard.

By constantly consuming petrified prey, even though the solutions in its stomach would restore those stones to the shape of flesh and blood, over the long term, the bodies of these strange monsters were gradually affected by the petrifying magic, undergoing subtle changes.

Compared to monsters of the same level and size, the petrified lizard's bones are significantly larger and harder, and their color is more like whitewashed rock than bone.

It is an excellent building material, and in some areas it has even been crudely made into weapons such as bone clubs and bone hammers, which are quite useful.

If you could bring the whole thing back, the total price might even be higher than its stomach pouch.

However, Xia Nan currently lacks any space storage items, so he can only ask Adeline to help him bring as many as possible.

It's just that the environment of the Misty Forest is complex; otherwise, Xia Nan would have really wanted to hire a convoy to transport the entire body back, leaving no toenail behind.

With a hint of regret, Xia Nan's gaze swept over the petrified lizard's rough surface and firm, tender flesh. With nimble movements, he removed the petrified glands from the back of the lizard's head, its heart from its chest cavity, and its stomach from its abdomen. He carefully placed them into wooden boxes that had been prepared in advance for storage and secured them in his backpack.

He was just about to tell Adeline to start dissecting the corpse and dig out the lizard bones.

A piercing scream suddenly came from the direction they had come from.

(End of this chapter)