Improvement (Part One)

The next morning, Xia Lun climbed out of his sleeping bag feeling refreshed.

He hadn't rushed to enter a dream and improve his Swordsmanship Specialization the night before. Instead, he had slept soundly to build up his strength. After a full night's rest, he was energetic and in peak condition.

He ate a simple breakfast, then left the Shelter with his backpack.

Before exchanging his Memory Points for the Specialization Memory "Cold Weapons—Swords (Mastery 70%)" and the skill memory "Curse-Reversal Strike," he had thought he had Memory Points to spare.

But after acquiring those two memories, he found himself with only 260 Memory Points left. With so few points, he would almost certainly be unable to obtain Manifestation Authority for the Evil Flesh Codex when the Scenario ended.

Fortunately, the Wild Men on Lonely Island respawned after each cycle.

"A beautiful day starts with clearing the dungeon!" he said, making a bad joke. "Memory Points, Specialties, here I come!"

With his Constitution of 19, Xia Lun sprinted all the way to the foot of Highest Point. Even running cross-country with a loaded pack, he wasn't tired.

He rested for a few minutes, then manifested the Short Sword Night Plume and slipped down the steep passage into the City of Isoville.

This time, he chose not to set the city ablaze and kill its inhabitants by force. He planned to practice stealth and assassination instead.

In his battles of wits and strength against Brigadier General and Tedilina, Words of Ambition, his Stealth Specialization at Proficiency 20% had proved invaluable. It had also given him the ability to try eliminating Salt Monsters through assassination.

Xia Lun flicked his wrist, flourished his sword, and shifted from a hammer grip to an ice-pick grip. Then he lowered his body and melted into the city's