After mumbling status in his head and a blue panel containing his status appears in front of Alex's eyes.
Experience Value (XP): 30/700
Magic Power: 1090 ? 1110 (+20 BP)
Intelligence: 150 ? 160
Gift: Two Guns * Semi-sealed*
Skills: [Normal Appraisal Level 1] [Language Comprehension] [Item box Level 1] [Swift Fingers Max] [Presence Detection Level 1] [Throwing knife Level 3]
Titles: [Otherworlder] [The one who can't use Magic] [The one whose fingers are faster than Flash] 』
Alex stared in disbelief at his status display, particularly the MP bar. It should have shown 600 MP - his base 590 plus the usual 10 per level up. Instead, it was completely restored.
"Master, there's no need for surprise," Silveria explained, dispelling his confusion. "Your MP recovered as a natural consequence of leveling up in battle. It's one of the perks."
"Ah, that explains it. Saves me wasting a mana potion then!" Alex muttered, rising to his feet and venturing deeper into the forest. He cast a hopeful glance at Silveria. "Perhaps you could guide me towards a goblin haven, my dear Sil?"
Silveria scoffed. "Shameless Master! My divine sense isn't meant for your convenience, especially at your current strength. Remember, don't become over-reliant on me for such tasks."
As Alex opened his mouth to plead, Silveria cut him off. "Speaking of gifts, I have one for you. Close your eyes, it might sting a bit."
Before Alex could question her cryptic words, a searing pain erupted in his head, threatening to split it open. He dropped to the ground, clutching his skull and writhing in agony. It felt like an eternity, the pain finally subsided leaving him sprawled and sweating.
"What was that? Did you try to assassinate me?!" Alex roared, anger rising alongside the throbbing in his head.
"My, how dramatic, Master," Silveria purred playfully. "Don't be so rough with a maiden."
"Enough games! Tell me what you did!" Alex snapped, his patience depleted.
"Fine, fine," she sighed. "Check your status. You'll understand without needing thanks."
Hesitantly, Alex followed her instructions.
[Alexander Kael Touch]
Experience Value (XP): 30/700
Gift: Two Guns * Semi-sealed*
Skills: [Normal Appraisal Level 1] [Language Comprehension] [Item box Level 1] [Swift Fingers Max] [Divine Sense Level 1] (New Skill) [Throwing knife Level 3]
Titles: [Otherworlder] [The one who can't use Magic] [The one whose fingers are faster than Flash] 』
Alex stared in disbelief as his Presence Detection skill vanished, replaced by a shimmering new entry: Divine Sense. He wasted no time activating his Appraisal skill, and what he saw left him speechless.
[Divine Sense: A divine ability surpassing mere Presence Detection. At Level 1, it grants precise awareness of everything within a 30-meter radius.
**MP Consumption:** 100 MP per minute.
**Passive Ability:** Auto-activates to alert you of imminent danger (within 2 meters).]
"Incredible!" Alex breathed, a grin splitting his face.
"Thank you, Sil. But I have a question."
As if reading his mind, Silveria chuckled.
"Wondering how much MP a quick scan would cost, aren't you?"
"Exactly. Just a few seconds to get a sense of my surroundings."
"Clever thinking, Master. Activating for a full minute optimizes your limited MP. Trust me."
Alex, recognizing the wisdom in her words, continued deeper into the woods. An odd prickling sensation crawled up his spine, an intuitive awareness heightened by his new skill. Silveria's gift was proving invaluable. His Appraisal level wasn't high enough to glean more details about Divine Sense, but he was eager to experiment.
Muttering "Divine Sense" under his breath, Alex was instantly bombarded with a mental map. It resembled an in-game minimap, with his location at the center. A quick scan revealed ten red dots pulsing 25 meters north - goblins!
Alex's curiosity burned. He focused his Divine Sense on the goblins again, willing the map to reveal more. With a flicker of clarity, the image sharpened. Indeed, there were ten goblins, divided into two distinct squads of five, separated by a few meters.
He deactivated the skill after a mere 55 seconds, a quick glance at his MP confirming his suspicion - 1000 left. That meant only sixteen gunshots before he drained dry.
Alex crouched low, moving with practiced silence as he neared the first squad.
"Eliminate them quietly," he murmured, a plan forming.
Reaching five meters away, he observed the goblins conversing in an unknown tongue, even his Language Comprehension skill failing to decipher it. Time for a distraction. He flung a stone in the opposite direction, the clattering sound drawing their attention.
Startled, the goblins whirled around, searching for the unseen attacker. Seizing the opportunity, Alex sprang forward, unleashing five Black Betties in a deadly arc.
Swish! Swish! Swish!!
Four Black Betties found their mark, burying themselves deep in the goblins' chests. They crumpled instantly, twitching briefly before falling still. Without wasting a moment, Alex charged forward, Razor glinting in his hand. His target: the lone survivor, shielded by a dented breastplate under its tattered robe.
Fate, however, intervened. A clang echoed as Razor met the goblin's crude longsword in a shower of sparks. The creature roared, a guttural "Gugiyah!" that pierced the air, alerting the second squad lurking nearby. The sound of pounding footsteps sent a shiver down Alex's spine.
He sighed, a sound lost in the rising din. With a snap of his fingers, Silveria materialized beside him. Without hesitation, he raised his gun and squeezed the trigger. A single, precise bullet found its mark, exploding the goblin's heart in a crimson bloom. Its eyes opened wide in surprise, hope extinguished.
But with its death cry, the trap was sprung. Before the approaching horde could arrive, Alex vanished, leaving only the sound of gunshot behind and the chilling silence of the fallen.