CHAPTER 8: THE GRIND

The shopkeeper chuckled, "Sounds like you’ve been in a scrap or two... hehe, let me show you some of our best items."

After a couple more minutes of bargaining, I was able to walk out of the shop with a durable sword that had an Arcane infused enchanted edge, a leather armor that was both lightweight and protective and a new pair of sturdy boots that allowed for speed.

I smiled with satisfaction as I walked out of the shop and back into the street, "Crazy what one stone from a D-Rank boss can get you, imagine what an S-Rank boss would be worth!"

On getting home, I collapsed on my bed in my room, glancing inquisitively at Naga’s egg. I don’t know what was intriguing me about it, but I desperately wished it would hatch right that instant.

Whatever was inside, I felt an unexplainable bond with it, as though we were already connected. I set it down carefully on the small table beside my bed, studying it as the intricate markings on it pulsed with Arcane energy.

I knew for sure that Shadow creatures are incapable of reproduction, they are created when Arcane energy divides itself into its negative form and then the concentration breeds the creatures.

Then, how on earth did a Shadow creature give rise to an egg that pulsed with pure Arcane energy?

"...This system keeps changing my perspective of reality..." I murmured to myself as I lay down to rest.

Just when I was about to fall into sleep, my room door swung open with great force, I sprang up to see Percy and Jackson standing at the entrance with their faces plastered with a wide grin.

"Levi! Youre back!" Percy exclaimed as he ran into the room.

His brother followed closely, his eyes catching the glint of my new equipment and the strange egg sitting atop the table beside my bed.

"Woah, Levi... what happened out there today?" Jackson asked innocently. "You have new combat gear..."

I sat up straight and pointed towards the egg, catching both their attention in suspense. The glowing surface of the egg seemed to pulse even more under the dim lighting. Both siblings gasped with awe, leaning closer to exermine it.

"Is that an... egg?" Percy asked, reaching out with caution.

"Yeah," I said with a breath of pride in my chest. "I got it after defeating a boss monster... but I have no idea what is inside."

My brothers were absolutely astonished, their pupils reflecting the glint of the mysterious egg.

"What is inside big brother, and why is so much more bigger than a regular egg?" Jackson asked turning to me.

"Like I said bro, I don’t know what is inside... I hope I find out soon" I answered honestly leaning into my bed.

"Amazing! You must have gone through hell defeating that S-Rank Gate boss. The egg is surely going to be a good reward!" Percy exclaimed as he caressed the side of the egg gently.

I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my head as my armpits started to itch.

"Hehe... yes, yes it was indeed an S-Rank gate, trust your elder brother to get through anything to protect you guys". I patted them on their head and ruffled their hairs roughly and they finally left the egg and sat on the bed.

Both of them breamed with excitement, already imagining what kind of creature might emerge from the mysterious egg.

It gave them something to look forward to and talk about, I on the other hand was just glad to watch them talk and enjoy their presence.

The next day, I resumed my activities with the Border Cleanup Group, venturing out into the nearby regions of the outside of the town.

With the confidence and skills I had gained from defeating Naga, I fought through packs of low tier monsters, further refining my techniques with every battle.

Not to mention the new equipments I got, I was like a new man fighting, the new gear made me faster, my strikes sharper and my defense stronger.

Each encounter was a test of my newfound enhancements and I relished the challenge.

Yet, despite the improvements, I still felt the gap between me and the rest of the Cleanup group members.

After hours of intense fighting, a familiar notification blinked before my eyes:

~Congratulations! You have leveled up!~

~Level 7~

~6 Stat Points have been awarded for allocation~

I took a moment to rest, reviewing my stats carefully. In less than a minute, I dished out the points accordingly and effectively.

~Strength 13~

~Agility 10~

Endurance 12~

~Intelligence 44~

~Memory 45~

Although I felt a surge of confidence after my recent progress that day, I knew the upcoming battles would be tougher and I needed to balance my physical and mental stats if I wanted to survive.

As I considered my options, I leaned against a tree, my mind racing with thoughts. "How can I level up faster?" I muttered to myself.

My current pace was way too slow, If I wanted to protect my siblings and uncover the truth behind the whereabouts of my parents, I needed a way that would skyrocket my growth faster than before.

The only conclusion I could come up with was to keep fighting Shadow creatures and surviving. So that’s what I did.

The next day was no different from the last, I woke up early, ready to push myself to another level. Chugging down my breakfast with my siblings and putting on my gear to set out toward the outskirts of the border.

The sunlight streamed through the trees, illuminating the path ahead as I made my way through the now familiar terrain, keeping my senses alert for any sign of stronger monsters.

I strayed away from the rest of the Border Cleanup Group members a couple times to catch Shadow creatures and face them on my own.

I moved stealthily through the underbushes until I found a prey, because I was now hunting with every intent to kill.

My first catch was a Goblin-Type Shadow creature who was to my very surprise wandering alone, goblin-types usually moved in groups of five and above.

The battle was intense but by using my new skill: Divine Thread. I was able to pinpoint strategic weak points in the creatures physiology and exploit them till I finished it off completely.

Although the skill used up all my Arcane when active, I made sure to use the magical stones gotten from the creatures I’ve killed to refill.

Subsequently, I reached level 8 and collected my stat points and Experience points. Slow and steady wins the race, that’s what they say right?

I didn’t stop there, I continued my hunt, venturing deeper into nearby forests without the back up of Dasheen and the rest of the squad, determind to defeat more monsters and earn enough experience to climb higher.

After another fruithful day of hunting, I returned home and was once again greeted by the eager face of my siblings.

They asked me about my ventures and I told them everything that happened, making sure to exaggerate the story so it seemed as though I faced stronger beast with stronger destructive abilities.

The following days was more or less the same, I went out with the cleanup group and slayed as much beast as I could and came back with stat points and experience points.

However, things started to get way more interesting when I woke up one morning to carry out my usual adventurers activities when the system’s notification showed a new mission.

A significant one.

I needed to clear another low-level gate, a task that promised new skills and a special item that would help me hatch Naga’s egg