Skill Fragment

The shield guard slammed his shield into the dirt, his arm trembling violently with every impact from the swarm of rats.

The spearmen on either side mechanically thrust and withdrew their spears, their tips long since stained dark red. The leather armor of the spearman on the left had been torn open, and blood was seeping out.

The rats' squeals suddenly rose in pitch.

The shadows writhed as an enormous, bloated body slowly emerged, crushing the piles of rat corpses beneath it. Layers of fat lay beneath its oily fur, and murky yellow slime dripped from its sickle-like incisors. Its scarlet eyes locked onto the three of them.

The pressure mounted sharply. The shield guard's knees buckled, and the Spearman's movements grew frantic.

"Now..." Su Ran took a sudden step forward and raised a faintly glowing scroll high. The parchment unfurled on its own, and silver runes flared as though burning.

"Close your eyes!"

The shield guard and the Spearman squeezed their eyes shut at his warning.

"Light Spell!"

The scroll transformed into an expanding sun of incandescent white. Its light pierced every inch of space without distinction, like silver needles and sharp blades.

"Squeee!!!!"

Piercing screams erupted in an instant. The rats at the front came to an abrupt halt, then rolled and crashed about madly, clawing at their blinded eyes. The entire rat tide's assault fell apart.

The Rat King roared in pain, its massive body smashing into the rock wall. All that remained of its scarlet eyes were two indistinct, charred hollows, from which murky fluid flowed.

Su Ran tossed aside the scroll rod, now reduced to ash, and drew an oak cudgel with a reverse grip. He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with his teammates as they reopened their eyes.

The shield guard stared in astonishment at the chaotic swarm before him. The Spearman thrust his spear with greater steadiness and ferocity.

Gripping the cudgel in both hands, Su Ran picked out a large rat reeling in confusion, twisted, and swung.

"Smack!"

The blow struck its skull with precision. The large rat went limp.

"Hold formation!" Su Ran's voice was hoarse but clear. "Clear the small mobs first!"

The shield guard's spirits soared, and he roared as he drove his shield forward. The Spearman worked in unison to clear both flanks. The three advanced steadily, pushing back and crushing the disordered swarm.

The blinded Rat King was still in the distance, furiously crashing into the rock wall.

The last blinded rat died beneath the Oak Staff, and the blind Rat King also crashed to the ground after being stabbed repeatedly by the spears.

The foul air was thick with the smell of blood. The three stood back to back, panting heavily.

A stable gate of light appeared at the end of the passage, and four plain wooden treasure chests appeared at their feet.

"Treasure chest!" The shield guard's exhaustion vanished. He pounced on his chest and flipped open the lid. Inside were a silver coin and an ordinary pair of [Worn Cloth Gloves], which gave off a faint glow.

The two spearmen immediately opened their own chests as well: both received twenty copper coins and a [Crude Leather Vest].

Disappointment flashed across their faces, only to be replaced by the joy of having survived the ordeal. After putting the copper coins into their personal spaces, they showed one another their finds and talked about them.

Su Ran crouched down and brushed his fingers over the surface of his wooden chest. With a thought, he put it into his personal space.

Although his character level was Lv.1, the 0.5 cubic meters of space were enough for him.

"Su Ran, aren't you going to see what's inside?" the shield guard asked curiously as he equipped the bracers.

"I'll look when I get back." Su Ran stood up. "I'm tired. I'll go back and rest first."

"Fair enough." A spearman nodded and said earnestly to Su Ran, "Thanks for that back there, Scholar. Without that move of yours, I'm afraid we wouldn't have held out."

"Teamwork." Su Ran shook his head and looked toward the gate of light. "Let's go."

In the settlement pillar of light at the dungeon exit.

[Battle settlement in progress...]

[Dungeon: Dark Rat Nest (easy)]

[Contribution assessment: 36%]

[Base experience reward: 18 points]

[Settlement complete.]

After briefly saying goodbye to his teammates, Su Ran chose to leave.

Light and shadow shifted, and he returned to the dusty dungeon wilderness. The city shield glimmered in the distance.

Su Ran walked toward the battered bus marked with a bus stop sign, dropped in a copper coin, and found a window seat.

The bus rattled into motion and left the wilderness behind. The carriage was quiet. The passengers were all class holders, most of them weary and numb.

The city's outline gradually came into focus. The bus passed through the city gate and entered the noisy, chaotic Outer Ring District, finally stopping at a crowded street corner.

Su Ran got off, pulled the collar of his scholar's robe tight, and walked through several familiar alleys to an old apartment building with a mottled exterior.

He climbed to the fifth floor and unlocked the door.

"Click."

The door closed behind him.

It was a cramped studio apartment. A bed, a table, a chair, and a bathroom. The window let in very little light.

Su Ran sat down at the table and summoned it with a thought.

The wooden treasure chest appeared silently on the tabletop.

The city's remaining light fell indistinctly across the chest through the window. The room was quiet. He reached out, his fingertips touching the cold wooden lid.

Since purchasing the [Basic Class Scroll: Scholar], Su Ran had now cleared the dungeon [Dark Rat Nest (easy)] four times.

According to the guides on the class holder forums, aside from a certain amount of coins, the wooden treasure chests from [Dark Rat Nest (easy)].

The chance of ordinary equipment was 60%: crudely made standard items with only basic attributes.

[Crude Leather Vest]: physical defense +1.

[Worn Cloth Gloves]: slightly increases grip strength.

[Simple Apprentice Hat]: spirit +2.5%

Fine equipment, 4%: slightly better quality, possibly with one weak special effect or slightly higher attributes.

[Rat-Tooth Dagger]: attack +2–3. Special effect: [Weak Armor Break] has a very low chance of ignoring 1 point of the target's defense.

[Reinforced Roundwood Shield]: physical defense +2, block value +5.

The chance of consumables was 35%.

[Crude Bandage]: can be used outside combat, restoring 10 health over 10 seconds.

[Rat-Repelling Powder]: when used, causes ordinary rats to be repelled and stay away for 60 seconds. Ineffective against the Rat King.

The chance of special or other items was 1%.

[Old Skill Scroll Fragment]: records part of the Lesser Healing Spell. Gather three fragments to combine them into a complete single-use scroll.

Su Ran was in the cramped room, the city's background noise beyond the window muffled and distant, as though separated from him by a thick cloth.

His gaze fell on the wooden treasure chest on the table. The grain of its lid was clearly visible in the dim yellow light. He reached out, his fingertips touching the rough latch.

Su Ran took a deep breath.

"Click."

With a soft sound, the latch sprang open. There was no brilliant light, no system notification. The lid flipped back, revealing the contents.

A silver coin with a smooth, warm luster lay quietly on the lining. Beside it was a small, solidly constructed roundwood shield, its rim reinforced with wrought-iron strips.

[Reinforced Roundwood Shield]: physical defense +2, block value +5

Unmistakable delight flashed in Su Ran's eyes. These attributes far surpassed those of basic gear, and it was practical.

After he took out the silver coin and the [Reinforced Roundwood Shield].

The open lid silently closed itself.

"Tap."

A soft sound. The wooden chest was sealed tight, as though it had never been opened. The silver coin and shield on the table proved that what had just happened was no illusion.

But the treasure chest had not disappeared.

Su Ran reached out again, his movements steadier than before, yet carrying an almost ritual solemnity. His fingertips touched the rough iron latch once more.

"Click."

Another soft sound.

The lid opened again.

Inside were a silver coin and an [Old Skill Scroll Fragment]. A few seconds after he took out the silver coin and skill fragment, the empty chest began to emit a faint white light and gradually dissipated.