I hate being Level 1. It's not just the weak stats; it's the lack of dignity. My [Agility] stat was so low I couldn't even manage a decent power-walk without risking a sprain. And my [Endurance]? Don't even ask. Sprinting from Thanatos had left me breathing like a chain-smoker who just ran a marathon.
I found a slightly less chaotic section of alleyway a few blocks from the Library, crouching behind a massive overflowing dumpster that smelled like three weeks of rotting hopes and dreams. Fitting.
My immediate problem was mana. It was zero. My [Fusion Synthesis] skill was sitting there, glowing that smug gold, effectively useless until I could refill my tank.
"Right. Priorities," I mumbled, pulling the [Stabilized Alchemical Catalyst] from my pocket. I still had the [Sentinel's Novice Blade]—my shiny Level 5 dagger—but what I really needed was a way to level up my brain, not my brawn.
In Arcadia, the first skill you got was always passive perception. A basic sense for danger. It was mandatory. Here, the System reset everything. I needed a skill that let me spot danger, hidden loot, or—most importantly—cheap fusion material.
The equation was simple: [Three Crap Skills] \rightarrow [One Useful Skill]
To make a decent utility skill, I needed to sacrifice skills that were low-cost and everywhere. The easiest way to get low-tier skills was to find where the System had dumped the Beginner Skill Books.
In the original lore, the books always spawned in places where people often learned something: schools, community centers, and specialized hobby shops.
I checked the System Map. A faint, low-mana signal was flickering nearby.
[Location: Old Town Community Center (High Concentration of Novice Skill Scrolls)]
"A community center," I groaned. "Great. I bet I'm going to find [Basic Origami] and [Intermediate Macrame]. This is going to be incredibly depressing."
I started running again, sticking to the alleys. The chaos had intensified. Looting was already underway, but it was pathetic. People were trying to fight monsters, but they had no idea what they were doing.
A guy in a ripped suit was trying to punch a [Level 1 Shadow Rat] in the middle of a pedestrian zone.
[-1 Damage!]
[-2 Damage!]
The rat, whose tiny HP bar was barely visible, looked utterly bored before biting the guy's foot, causing a small [Minor Poison] debuff.
"Why is nobody using the environment?" I muttered, shaking my head. "The rat is standing in a puddle! Hit the puddle with that live wire! Goddamn amateurs!"
My cynical commentary was honestly the only thing keeping me sane. Watching humanity try to play this game without the manual was like watching a chimp try to operate a microwave.
I finally reached the Community Center. It was intact, but its main lobby was now a messy, low-level spawn zone. There were four [Acolyte Ghouls] (Level 3) shuffling around, looking for brains or maybe just a comfy sofa to sit on. They were slow, easy to kite, and their [Ghoul Claw] attack only caused a Weak Decay debuff. Trash mobs.
I could kill them, but that would use up my pathetic remaining mana and attract more trouble. I needed to sneak.
I checked my personal System window.
[Current Skills:]
* [Fusion Synthesis] (Rank ???)
* [Sentinel's Novice Blade Proficiency] (Rank F)
* [Basic Stealth] (Rank F) — Acquired from avoiding Thanatos's sightlines.
Okay, [Basic Stealth] was new. I must have picked it up during the sprint. A decent foundation.
I activated it. The feeling was subtle—a slight mental shift that made me focus on my footfalls, my breathing, and the angle of the light. I slipped past the Ghouls, who didn't even twitch, their decaying eyes glazed over.
The Skill Books were in the arts and crafts room. Of course.
The room was filled with spilled paint and abandoned pottery wheels. On a long wooden table, half-covered in dried clay, were stacks of glowing paper scrolls. Jackpot.
I grabbed three random scrolls, hoping for the best.
[Skill Scroll Acquired: Novice Knitting (F-Rank)]
[Skill Scroll Acquired: Basic Clay Pot Throwing (F-Rank)]
[Skill Scroll Acquired: Basic Birdwatching (F-Rank)]
I felt my eye twitch. "Seriously? Birdwatching? What am I going to do, critique the flight patterns of the Harpies? This is insulting."
But these were perfect. Low rank, low mana cost to activate, and absolutely useless in a fight. Perfect sacrifice fodder.
I found a quiet janitor's closet and slammed the door shut. Time for the upgrade.
I opened the [Fusion Synthesis] interface.
[Skill Fusion Setup:]
* [Target Goal:] Utility/Perception
* [Sacrifices Available:]
* [Novice Knitting]
* [Basic Clay Pot Throwing
* [Basic Birdwatching]
I took a deep breath. This was the first intentional fusion. It had to work. I had no idea what combining these would yield, but Birdwatching required acute vision and silence. Knitting required patience and dexterity. Pot Throwing required an understanding of trajectory and force.
I mentally dragged the three skills onto the fusion interface.
[WARNING: Mana Cost Estimated: 75% of Current Maximum Mana Pool (CMM)]
[Fusion Synthesis] was going to wipe me out. But the [Stabilized Alchemical Catalyst]
(bless those lazy developers!) was active.
[Mana Cost Reduction Applied: 30%]
[Revised Mana Cost: 45% of CMM.]
Manageable. If I survived, I'd have 55% left to run.
"Alright, let's turn this hobby lobby into a cheat code," I muttered.
I hit the "Synthesize" button.
A flash of blinding white light filled the small closet. The mana drained from me instantly. It didn't hurt this time; it felt like pulling a massive plug from my stomach. The skills vanished, leaving behind a complex, glowing symbol on the screen.
[Fusion Complete!]
[New Skill Acquired: Tactical Foresight (Rank C)]
I immediately checked the description.
[Skill: Tactical Foresight (Rank C)]
[Description: The ability to instinctively calculate the most likely trajectory, path, or sequence of actions based on subtle environmental cues and muscle tension. Useful for avoiding traps and anticipating low-level enemy movements.]
[Passive Effect: +10% chance to spot hidden caches (requires concentration).]
A grin stretched across my face. "Boom."
[Knitting] gave me the patience. [Throwing] gave me the trajectory. [Birdwatching] gave me the observational focus. It wasn't clairvoyance, but it was better than clairvoyance for my current needs. It was pure strategy.
Now I had a Level C utility skill at Level 1. I could finally stop stumbling blindly.
My next target: I needed the Gold Key. A hidden Level 1 artifact I knew was still accessible. It wasn't worth much, but it was the key to an entire, massive hidden financial exploit.
I activated [Tactical Foresight]. The world didn't glow, but the shadows in the closet seemed to deepen in specific, strategic ways. My vision focused.
If I go left, the Ghoul patrol is coming back in 30 seconds. If I go right, there's a collapsed staircase, but the pressure points look stable.
I chose right. Time to leave the community center behind. The true grind was just beginning.