Dante heart raced, but he didn’t hesitate. Summoning his bone claws, he prepared to fight. The eerie sound of clashing bones echoed through the desolate campus as the battle began.
The skeletal creatures moved , their attacks relentless. Dante dodged and struck, with his agility helping him stay one step ahead. Even so, the fight wasn’t without its cost—sharp claws raked across his hand and stomach, leaving shallow wounds.
“Damn it!” he grunted, ignoring the sting as he drove his bone claws into the ribcage of one creature. It crumbled into a pile of bones.
The second creature lunged, but Dante countered with a powerful fist that shattered its skull. As it collapsed, the eerie glow in its eyes flickered out.
Dante stepped back, breathing heavily, his hands still trembling from the fight. A familiar system message appeared in his mind:
A rush of energy coursed through Dante body. Without hesitation, he allocated the two points to Agility, knowing it would further enhance his speed and reflexes.
Selene approached cautiously. “Are you okay?” she asked, concern etched across her face.
Dante nodded, though he winced as he touched the scratch on his stomach. “Just a couple of scratches,” he said. “But I’m fine.”
Still, he decided to check his status screen, focusing his mind to summon it.
Dante studied the screen and frowned slightly at the decrease in his health. “It’s from the fights,” he said, glancing at Selene. “One on my hand, the other on my stomach. They’re minor, but I’ll need to be careful.”
Selene nodded, her expression serious. “We don’t know how wounds work in this world yet. They might have long-term effects.”
Dante agreed and motioned for them to keep moving.
As they walked, Dante noticed something unusual beneath a pile of debris. A glint of bronze caught his eye. He knelt, brushing away the rubble, and uncovered a small chest.
“Selene, look at this,” he said, motioning to the chest.
Selene crouched beside him, her curiosity matching his. “What do you think is inside?”
Dante carefully opened the chest, its hinges creaking from age. Inside were two items:
- Eye of Appraisal Skill Book: A bronze-bound book with faded gold lettering. Its description read: "Can discern the information of monsters and items up to 5 levels higher."
- Fireball Skill Book: A worn tome with yellowed pages, containing a Basic Rank fireball spell.
Dante examined the items and considered their significance. “The ‘Eye of Appraisal’ skill could help us learn about threats before we face them,” he said aloud.
Without delay, he opened the Eye of Appraisal Skill Book, focusing on its cryptic symbols. As he concentrated, the knowledge seemed to flood into his mind. The book dissolved into shimmering dust in his hands.
“So, once we learn a skill, the book disappears,” Dante observed.
Selene nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. It prevents the same skill from being used by multiple people.”
As a nursing student, Selene skillfully bandaged Dante wounds, her gentle touch bringing both physical relief and a sense of comfort amidst the chaos.
Just as she finished dressing his injuries, a sudden scream pierced the air.
Dante instincts kicked in immediately. “Stay behind me!” he said, summoning his bone claws.
He activated Eye of Appraisal, focusing on the source of the scream.
Without hesitation, Dante charged toward the skeletal creature, he aim his claw on the neck of the creature and crush it bone
Before Dante could dismiss the notification, a sharp pain erupted across his back. He stumbled, nearly falling, as Selene screamed his name.
"Dante "