Chapter 5 - Damage

Even while he was nocking arrows, Ryan never took his eyes out of his target… that was another lesson that he learned from his father, and thanks to that lesson, Ryan moved his head to the side and managed to keep it in its rightful place. However, he had to pay the price for his assumptions. The Earth Arrow just scratched his right ear, but its power managed to destroy half of it.

"Ugh…" Ryan muttered in pain.

Despite the sharp pain and the fact that he almost lost his life, Ryan didn't lose his composure. Anger or fear would only make him lose focus, and that was the only thing someone with a bow couldn't do.

Much to his surprise, the pain only increased his concentration. Maybe it was a bit later for that, but his fourth arrow flew in a straight line toward the slime's core. Perhaps it had been his imagination, but Ryan felt like he heard the sound of that cracking.

You obtained one coin.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Accuracy.

Effect: Increases the chance of dealing a critical hit by one percent. Per level

You obtained 01 status point.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Pain Resistance.

Effect: Decreases the pain caused by all types of attacks by one percent per level.

You obtained 01 status point.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Earth Resistance.

Effect: Decreases the damage caused by all earth-type attacks by one point per level.

You obtained 01 status point.

Ryan sighed in relief because he survived again, even though he lost half of his right ear… it was a small price to pay, but he learned the lesson. Unfortunately, Ryan's father only taught him how to hunt rabbits and deer. Not slimes that could destroy cars.

"My aim definitely increased… just in case, I should increase my dexterity again," Ryan said. "Still… I'm learning skills way too fast, and they are all passive physical skills, but it looks like I can only learn them after battles."

It was hard to tell if his skill with the bow just increased fifty percent just by using those stats points, but hitting the core of the slimes two times out of six shots certainly was impressive considering the distance, the fact that Ryan never participated in Archery competitions and his lack of training in the last years.

Regardless, Ryan recognized the fact that he had to do certain things while fighting to learn new skills. Again, it wasn't a good way to assume things with so little information, but everything was pointing that that was true.

"Learn skills after fighting…" Ryan muttered. "I guess this is a sign that I have to accept some risks in order to learn more skills."

In any case, Ryan could test that theory later. For the time being, he picked the arrows he used and then headed toward his car. He couldn't carry many things, but he couldn't leave that place only carrying his bow, arrows, and the clothes he was wearing. Fortunately, he had a backpack, so he stored inside of it a change of clothes, the food he had brought for the trip that he never ate, a bottle of water, a flashlight, and a pair of kitchen knives. The knives would probably be useless against those slimes, but Ryan had no intention of relying on them to survive against the monsters.

"Seriously? The slimes are spawning near this place or something?" Ryan asked himself when he saw another slime approaching.

By the look of things, the slimes were probably coming from that cave. Again, it wasn't safe to assume things with so little information, but Ryan couldn't imagine those creatures appearing in the skies like the dragons, they were smaller, but it was possible to see them even from a distance. However, Ryan was unable to see a single slime falling.

"Why the slimes are coming from that cave while the dragons suddenly appeared?" Ryan asked himself. "Why that cave suddenly appeared? It was due to that earthquake?"

A certain world suddenly appeared in Ryan's head: the dungeon. A cave that could spawn monsters… it was weird and hard to explain, but considering that dragons appeared in the sky and he could see the status screen and use skills, Ryan concluded that everything was possible. Instead of worrying about why or how he decided just to accept those new facts and consider them before making any decision.

"The difference in power between slimes and dragons is absolute, so…" Ryan said and then looked around.

Ryan didn't want to see anything, but he looked for other monsters, and he quickly found some flying. The distance between them was quite big, but Ryan was certain that it wasn't a dragon, nor was it an ordinary bird… it was another species of monster.

"It looks like humanity won't have much peace from now on…" Ryan said, and then bit his lips. "It also looks like slimes won't be the only monsters that will occupy my thoughts for the time being."

In any case, Ryan readied his bow because his third target was already fifty meters away from him. He barely hit targets from that distance when he practiced before, but it was the perfect time to test if his dexterity really magically improved his skill.

Ryan took a deep breath while he was nocking the arrow. After relaxing his shoulders, he readied his bow and arrow… no wind, the target was moving slowly in a straight line, and it was forty-five meters away from him. Ryan had to consider the road's inclination in front of him, but after adjusting his position a little bit, everything was ready for him to hit the bull's eye. However, even though everything seemed perfect, Ryan's instincts were telling him to wait for a little bit, but when the slime was forty meters away from him, Ryan shot the arrow, also obeying his instincts.

You obtained one coin.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Power Shot.

Effect: Increases the dexterity temporarily by one point per second while you aim.

Cost: 01 Stamina per second

You obtained 01 status point.