Direction

"Different abilities can stack, but unfortunately, identical ones can't be exploited for bugs."

Tao Yu looked at his new [Stealth·Alien] skill with a touch of emotion.

Through the previous [Basic Combat·Modified] and [Basic Weapons·Modified], which allowed for stacking by doubling consumption, Tao Yu knew that some repeated parts of Deification skills could indeed be stacked.

The Wish Power tails and mouths from the dozen or so Aliens had provided Tao Yu with over three hundred units of Wish Power. Simultaneously, the information carried by the Alien tails had successfully coalesced into the [Stealth·Alien] skill.

After Tao Yu's Deification, he discovered that this ability was similar to the Giant Python's Stealth Deification effect, but it cost four hundred and fifty points of Wish Power and was superior in all aspects.

The most crucial point was that the various effects of the two Stealth abilities could stack!

After stacking the two skills, the degree of shadow transformation when he melded into shadows had increased significantly. Now, when he passed through grass after melding into shadows, there was no longer any 'collision.'

However, the price for stacking power was an increase in mental and physical exertion. Fortunately, the degree of stacking could be adjusted by regulating his own exertion based on consumption.

Having already experienced the benefits of [Stealth·Modified], Tao Yu was quite satisfied with this skill.

Relying on the reaction time from [Bullet Time], as long as his stamina was sufficient, he could even use this skill to evade some damage.

He had taken another step towards becoming an Assassin...

The only slight regret was that Tao Yu excitedly collected another Giant Python tooth, only to find that he couldn't reacquire the Giant Python's abilities. Exploiting bugs was difficult.

After absorbing another Alien's Wish Power Mouth, Tao Yu closed his eyes and sensed the new skill that had yet to fully form.

Unlike the Giant Python's two skills, whose information was contained within its teeth, the Alien's two skill informations were located in its tail and mouth, respectively. However, the probability of a Wish Power Mouth appearing after death was much lower than that of a Wish Power Tail, so Tao Yu hadn't yet completed the new skill.

But through the jumbled information fragments, he could roughly discern that it might be some kind of ambush ability, increasing the killing power of surprise attacks...

"Assassin it is, then. I seem to be quite adapting to this hellish environment, and the speed at which my physical condition is improving isn't bad either."

Tao Yu squeezed his biceps.

He used to be scrawny, but after arriving here and relying on the Breathing Technique's acceleration and sufficient blood food, he had already developed a powerful physique.

Especially after luxuriously consuming dozens of Blood Orchids to enhance his abilities, Tao Yu vaguely felt that his current body had already reached or even surpassed the limits of an ordinary person!

Not only that, but as Blood Essence surged within him, he also felt that his upper limit had increased slightly, allowing him to continue developing his remaining potential with [Basic Breathing Technique·Modified].

The stacking bonus of the Breathing Technique and Blood Orchids on increasing the upper limit was indeed stackable.

"Although it's a bit extravagant, it's also essential."

Tao Yu knew that if he sold the Blood Orchids, they would fetch a high price, but he didn't feel it was a loss to invest in his own strength!

If he tried to sell them, so many Blood Orchids might attract unforeseen trouble, so it was better to consume them himself.

Preserving his own life was the priority right now!

However, Tao Yu still kept five Blood Orchids as a backup.

These could be sold if the opportunity arose, or they could serve as high-energy food to quickly replenish stamina and mental energy at critical moments.

Besides that, his backpack was filled to the brim with the remaining snake fangs.

These snake fangs couldn't provide new skills anymore, and absorbing them for Wish Power wouldn't make up for the three to four hundred points, nor could they directly and intuitively improve him like the Blood Orchids.

If he were in urgent need, Tao Yu would naturally absorb them directly, but if the opportunity arose, he could also sell them. After all, they were part of a complete skill set, and a new skill from the New Frontier.

The fact that Winuo would specifically call for reinforcements indicated that this skill was quite valuable to some Pioneers. Once complete, it might be worth several times, or even more than ten times its current value.

His parents' annual income, without eating or drinking, was only three to four thousand. After deducting daily expenses and saving diligently, it would take at least several years!

"No wonder the Inner City disciples easily start with over a hundred thousand units of Wish Power. Their equipment and items are probably on that level. The income disparity is just too great."

Tao Yu tightened his backpack and, standing in the valley, looked towards the opposite bank.

"But Inner City disciples don't always get such harvests, otherwise Winuo wouldn't have called for reinforcements and waited."

"So, that three thousand Wish Power that Yosef lent him, he must also value it quite a bit?"

Thinking of this, Tao Yu's eyes began to deepen.

"The interest on 'nine out, thirteen back' is too high. I need to settle the debt as soon as possible."

Afterward, he didn't choose the path leading out of the valley along the shore. Instead, he crawled towards the opposite bank where Yosef had jumped off, in the direction the Alien Giant Python had pursued.

The Alien could climb up with its claws, making a clacking sound, but Tao Yu had to climb like rock climbing after arriving here.

Fortunately, his current physical condition was quite good. Even carrying a backpack weighing dozens of pounds, he could still climb smoothly.

He didn't have a systematic climbing skill, but his physical condition could compensate for this deficiency.

Moonlight poured down on him. Relying on the passive Dynamic Vision brought by [Bullet Time], Tao Yu's eyesight was not affected by the darkness at all.

After climbing the cliff on the opposite bank, the dark Rainforest before him appeared quite clear in his eyes. He could even discern the traces of the Giant Python Alien moving through the woods.

Glancing at his [Stealth·Modified] and [Stealth Two·Modified] skills, Tao Yu's courage immediately surged.

Before, one Stealth could fool an Alien. Now, with two stacked, there was no reason to be afraid!

Moreover, even without actively melding into shadows, the passive Stealth ability from the stacked skills could ensure he had good concealment, preventing him from being easily detected.

Passive Stealth wasn't as effective as melding into shadows, but it didn't consume any resources...

"Actually, my body is quite strong too. I climbed up this steep cliff easily carrying things without even panting."

Tao Yu looked back at the cliff face, which was much steeper than the way down, and felt a sense of accomplishment.

When I first arrived, even with the boost from my Breathing Technique, I'd be panting just climbing a tree. The difference now is quite stark.

It's a shame, though. Relying solely on the peak physical condition of an ordinary person isn't enough against monsters like Aliens and Giant Pythons.

Compared to my own skills, my body is still too underdeveloped, too specialized.

"The body, after all, is the foundation of everything," Tao Yu mused internally, clutching his gun and slinging his backpack over his shoulders as he entered the dim rainforest ahead.

I can't rest easy when I owe someone. I need to settle my debts.

It doesn't matter if others scatter, it's harmless, but I definitely need to find my old friend Yosef and repay him properly...

An Alien was perched on a tree, its mouthparts constantly sniffing the bark. Saliva dripped from its maw, a disgusting sight.

Its long, slender tail whipped back and forth, exuding a deadly sense of threat.

The next moment, it seemed to detect some movement below. It leaped onto the ground, thick with leaves, and moved towards the trunk of a giant tree, following the sound.

It suddenly lunged forward, its tail poised as if ready to strike at any moment.

But then, it found nothing behind the tree trunk.

It lowered its head and stared at a small stone that had just stopped rolling in front of it, slowly extending its mouthparts as if to sniff again.

A flash of bone-white cold light sliced through the air, and the entire Alien stiffened. Moments later, its head slowly slid down, separating from its body.

Splat~

As its head fell, its green acidic blood gushed out, dyeing the surroundings green and emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound.

Once the Alien's body stopped moving entirely, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows, accompanied by a swirl of black smoke. He looked at the Alien's tail, which was gathering Wish Power, and couldn't help but curl his lip.

"Another tail. What a nuisance."

He shook and folded the slightly damaged Boomerang in his hand, re-sheathing it behind him. Tao Yu then assessed the strain on his body.

Double Stealth charge, combined with Bullet Time, plus the Blood Essence from his Breathing Technique, and the stacked charges from Explosion: Modified and Basic Weapons: Modified.

Using Winuo's alloy Boomerang for the decapitation was as smooth as cutting butter, completing the kill in an instant.

However, this test also left Tao Yu with slight strains in the tendons and ligaments from his thighs to his waist and arms, along with nearly 40% Stamina depletion and about 20% Mental exhaustion.

"It's much better than when I dealt with the Three Snakes. At least it's just strains and not tears, so the repair cost is less. Another 10% Stamina will heal the injuries, and I still have plenty of Stamina left, but my endurance still isn't great."

Tao Yu popped a few plump tree grubs into his mouth.

With some divine assistance from his auxiliary abilities, he had become much bolder in his eating habits.

But looking at the 'poisonous' Alien corpse ahead, Tao Yu still couldn't bring himself to eat it.

He'd stick to eating bugs for now.

"That guy Yosef is quite good at hiding. The Aliens that came by clearly haven't found him yet. He must have some ability he hasn't revealed."

After storing the Alien's tail stinger, and finding that his backpack was too full, Tao Yu hesitated for a moment before completing the absorption.

Skills like these skyrocket in price when they form a set. Without a set, it's better to just absorb them as ordinary Wish Power units.

Ordinary people can't ignore the mental impact of chaotic information, and they need much larger quantities than I do. It would be difficult for Aliens to form another set that ordinary people could use and take out.

The absorbed Wish Power can also restore injuries when needed, so it's more reassuring