Two lights.
Not one. Two brilliant lights shimmered over the Hob Goblin's corpse—one blue, one purple.
Lucas froze, his dagger still in hand. Then his eyes widened.
"Two drops? One blue and one purple? Did I just… jackpot?"
His heart hammered. The last time he had seen a double drop, a "double-yolk egg" as players sometimes called it, felt like forever ago. He could barely remember the day. And yet, here it was again, shimmering in front of him like a blessing from the system itself.
Last time, the drops had been decent—one blue, one green. Good, but not spectacular. This time though? This time it was one blue and one purple. A direct upgrade. His personal record had been refreshed, and his grin widened.
He had just cleared the Level 30 Nightmare dungeon for the first time.
He blinked, his thoughts racing. Wait… last time, when I cleared the Level 20 Nightmare dungeon for the first time, didn't I also get a double drop?
Could this be more than coincidence? Could the system secretly guarantee better loot the first time you cleared a nightmare difficulty? Some hidden rule that rewarded bold players with rare treasures?
Lucas rubbed his chin, half-joking, half-serious. "Is there some metaphysical 'first-clear buff'? Like the system just hands out freebies?"
He hadn't heard anyone else mention such a thing. If it were common knowledge, the forums would be flooded with it. No, maybe it was just luck. Still, part of him wanted to test the theory. "Fine. Next time I tackle the Level 40 Nightmare dungeon, we'll see. If I get another jackpot, then maybe I'm onto something."
But speculation could wait. Right now, the real prize was in front of him.
He crouched down, excitement buzzing in his chest. First, the purple glow. Some players liked to save the best for last, savoring the suspense. Not Lucas. He always picked his favorite first.
He reached out and the system window flashed:
---
Name: Goblin Ring
Type: Jewelry
Grade: Rare (Purple)
Stars: ★★ (Two Stars)
Level Requirement: 30
Class Requirement: None
Attributes:
+120 Strength
+120 Agility
+120 Intelligence
Special Effect – Haste:
Reduces skill cooldown by 10%.
---
Lucas's jaw actually dropped. "A ring? A purple, rare-quality ring? Now I'm rich."
Jewelry was notoriously rare in drops. Compared to weapons and armor, rings, necklaces, and earrings had pitiful drop rates, which meant their value on the market soared. And this wasn't just any ring—it was a level 30, rare-quality purple ring with universal attributes and a cooldown reduction skill that every class drooled over.
He mentally calculated. A ring like this? Easily two to three hundred thousand credits. And since it had a universal effect, demand would be insane. He could probably even push the price higher.
"Do I… use it myself?" he muttered.
He checked his current loadout. Two rings provided by his guild: both agility-based, boosting his critical hit rate by 5%. Perfectly tuned for his assassin role.
He compared them. Critical chance versus cooldown reduction. For most players, that would be a tough call. But for Lucas, the choice was clear.
"No, I'll sell it."
Three reasons backed his decision:
1. His combat relied on basic attacks. Skills were more for finishing moves or boss fights. Against regular mobs, his blades and lifesteal kept him going endlessly. Cooldown reduction, while amazing, wouldn't actually change his flow.
2. His critical hit synergy was too good. The guild-provided rings boosted his agility and added 150 points to his main stat, slightly more than the Goblin Ring. For his build, those thirty extra points in agility meant higher burst potential.
3. Gold mattered. Unlike guild-issued gear, which was loaned and couldn't be sold, this Goblin Ring was his to keep. And to sell. With the money, he could save toward epic daggers. Everyone knew those cost millions—sometimes tens of millions. If he wanted his Pale Blade to evolve properly, he would need more materials, and that meant cash.
So yes, it was tempting, but in the long run, selling was smarter.
Lucas slipped the Goblin Ring into his backpack, carefully marking it for sale later.
"Alright, shiny. You'll fetch me a fortune."
Now, time for the blue drop.
---
Name: Goblin Long Sword
Type: Weapon
Grade: Excellent (Blue)
Stars: ★★ (Two Stars)
Level Requirement: 30
Class Requirement: Warrior / Swordsman
Equip Requirement: 320 Strength
Attributes:
+760 Attack
+150 Strength
+50 Constitution
+50 Stamina
Special Effects: None.
---
Lucas tilted his head. "Well, this one's… fine, I guess."
It was a decent blade. Strong, reliable, but nothing flashy. No special effects, no unique attributes. Just a solid weapon for warriors or swordsmen.
He estimated its market value. "Hmm… probably around 80,000 credits. Not bad, but not great. A Level 20 purple sword would still sell for 100,000, maybe more, since its usability range is broader. But for newer players hitting level 30 without access to rare gear, this will still sell like hotcakes."
The truth was that most career-changers weren't loaded with cash. Not everyone had rich backers or wealthy families funding their progression. For the majority, even blue-quality gear was expensive. Lucas understood that better than anyone.
He had been one of those broke players once. Without the guild's support and his awakened talent, he would still be scraping by, mixing and matching green and blue gear, barely surviving.
That memory grounded him. It reminded him to value this chance, to not squander it.
He tucked the long sword away in his inventory, also flagged for sale. "Alright, not life-changing, but every bit of gold adds up."
---
His loot secured, Lucas straightened, looking around the now-empty boss chamber. The Hob Goblin's corpse was already fading, dissolving into motes of digital dust. The dungeon timer ticked down in the corner of his vision.
"Time to keep moving. Double experience is still running."
That was the thing—his buff was precious, and it ticked down every minute. Each day, he could only activate and deactivate it a limited number of times. Efficiency was everything. The smart move was to clear all three Level 30 Nightmare runs in one go, then conserve the final activation for grinding in the wild.
He reviewed his usage:
First activation: farming wild mobs.
Second activation: this dungeon run.
Plan: clear two more runs, pause, then save the last activation for high-level grinding.
Good. Efficient. Clean.
Lucas gave one last glance at the loot in his pack, then turned to the glowing portal. His body blurred into light as he exited the dungeon, already preparing to dive back in for round two.
"Let's ride this streak while it lasts."
---
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