Richter carried the chest in hand, surprised by how light it felt. It looked like it should’ve weighed a ton—hardwood frame, reinforced with bands of dark iron, practically designed to scream 'important loot inside.'

  Over his shoulder hung the limp bodies of three scavengers, their weight a grim contrast to the chest’s deceptive lightness. His pouch, now puffed out with iridescent feathers plucked from the fallen Flockmaiden, rustled softly with each step—like a morbid souvenir shop he never meant to open.

  Somewhere along the way, Richter realized he’d become the scavenger now—carting corpses, collecting feathers, and preparing to dine on the fallen like it was the most natural thing in the world. And disturbingly? He didn’t mind. In fact, he was kind of looking forward to it.

  Richter sat in his cave, hunched beside the fire as fat from the grilling birds dripped into the flames with a satisfying hiss. The scent rose in warm, smoky waves—half dinner, half victory—and curled through the cave.

  "While that cooks, let’s get to the real priority here: loot or skills?" Richter mused aloud, poking the fire with a stick like it might weigh in on the decision. Talking to himself had become alarmingly routine—but hey, sanity was a flexible concept these days.

  Richter might’ve been slipping into full cave-dwelling lunacy, but he still had his priorities straight—options first, existential crisis later.

  The chest was tempting—after all, who didn’t like opening presents? Especially the kind you earned by turning a murderous flock of magical crows into roast dinner.

  Only problem was the description said it would be tailored to whoever opens it, so wouldn't it make sense to get the skill first.

  Richter exhaled and pulled up the glowing interface, finger hovering for just a second before accepting the skill choice. The treasure would have to wait.

  Skill available:

  [Scroll Savant – Common] – When using spell scrolls, there is a small chance the scroll will not be consumed upon use. This chance increases slightly with Wisdom.

  Richter felt a flicker of disappointment. He’d only ever crafted one scroll—and even that had ended up with unlimited uses on the first try. Chalk it up to dumb luck or divine trolling, but either way, this skill felt redundant. Why invest in scroll conservation when his scroll didn’t consume itself in the first place? Pass.

  [Mana Infused Throw – Common] – Infuse a held item with condensed mana before throwing. The object is propelled at high velocity with enhanced trajectory control, traveling faster, farther, and with greater precision than a standard throw. On impact, the stored mana releases in a minor kinetic burst. Power and speed scale with Intellect. Accuracy and flight stability scale with Perception.

  Now this had promise. Richter already had a soulbound blade—one he could summon back to his hand with a thought—and during the Duskbeak fights, he’d tried to capitalize on that synergy. The only issue? He wasn’t exactly a natural at throwing it.

  This skill changed everything. It bypassed the need for perfect form or a throwing-knife-friendly design. He wouldn’t have to waste hours trying to master a technique when he could let mana do the heavy lifting. And Richter wasn’t lazy—just ruthlessly efficient. If the System was offering a shortcut that doubled as a tactical upgrade, he wasn’t about to say no.

  Still, one option remained. He’d reserve judgment until he’d seen them all.

  [Sanguine Barrier – Uncommon] – By combining both health and mana, conjure a reinforced, translucent barrier that absorbs a significant amount of incoming damage. Skill durability scales with Wisdom, Intellect, and Vitality. (By choosing this skill you will lose [Mana Barrier- Common].)

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  The moment Richter read it, he almost tapped 'accept' on instinct. His last fight had proven just how valuable the Mana Barriers were—instant, reliable, and often the only thing between him and a painful death.

  The barriers formed in a blink and caught enemies off guard, buying him time to think, to heal, or to retaliate. He'd already begun brainstorming more creative ways to use them—traps, baits, even makeshift cover in a spell-heavy fight.

  So, when he saw a direct upgrade on offer, his interest spiked immediately. But then he read the cost: health and mana. A double drain.

  Tempting as it was, he knew his potions were running low, and the scroll already fed on his life force. Another health-based skill right now? Maybe not the smartest move. Later, perhaps. For now, his old barrier would have to do.

  Richter chickened out and chose the safe option [Mana Infused Throw – Common]

  He already felt a twinge of regret about passing on Sanguine Barrier. Turning down an uncommon upgrade for a common skill—it didn't sit well. But practicality had won out, and hopefully, the option would return at the next skill choice.

  "Alright, let’s see if this throw skill was worth the buyer’s remorse," Richter muttered as the blade dropped into his hand with familiar weight.

  As Richter activated the skill, a faint ribbon of mana unfurled from his palm, seeping into the worn leather of the hilt. It traced invisible channels through the metal, flowing with deliberate grace toward the blade's edge. As it reached the steel, the mana branched like veins of lightning, sketching every line and curve of the weapon. Within seconds, the entire blade shimmered with a cool blue glow—alive, responsive, and ready to fly.

  With a simple throw, the blade launched forward—faster and cleaner than it had any right to, given the minimal effort Richter had used. It soared in a perfect arc, no wobble, no drag. For the first time, it felt like the knife wanted to be thrown.

  As the blade sank into the bark of the tree, it detonated with a sharp crack of compressed mana. A blast of force tore through the trunk, carving out a massive, smouldering chunk as if nature itself had been sucker-punched by magic. Splinters rained down in slow motion, and the tree gave an almost offended groan as it listed to the side.

  The blast had launched the blade clear of the tree, but Richter summoned it back mid-air with a flick of thought. It snapped into his grip with satisfying precision—unmarked, undamaged, utterly loyal. Any lingering doubt about his skill choice evaporated the moment that cool metal met his hand. A grin broke across his face, wide and feral. Yeah. This one was a keeper.

  Richter sent the blade flying once more, striking the already-wounded tree with dramatic flair. As it groaned and toppled in slow motion, he turned away without watching the full collapse—like he was too cool to care, even though he absolutely did. The mental soundtrack in his head was already playing something heroic.

  Now it was time for the chest.

  Richter wasted no time. With the rush of a kid unwrapping a long-awaited gift, he pried open the common chest. A soft blue glow spilled out, washing over his face and flickering across the cave walls like the promise of something just useful enough to matter.

  Nestled atop a blue velvet inlay sat a small silver ring—simple, elegant, and humming with subtle magic. Its band was etched with nearly-forgotten runes, and a single red gem pulsed at its centre like a heartbeat.

  Item Acquired: [Band of the Battle Scribe – Common- Soulbound]

  While equipped, this ring can store up to 5 scrolls or grimoires, preserving their integrity regardless of environmental damage. Stored items can be summoned instantly to hand or hovered nearby using a minor telekinetic field, allowing for seamless access mid-combat or while casting.

  Richter blinked. "Okay... that’s actually cool."

  It wasn’t flashy—but it was exactly the kind of utility Richter needed. Ever since his first scroll-casting fight, juggling a staff, a soulbound dagger, and a magic-hungry scroll had been like trying to herd wild cats with one hand tied behind his back. This ring changed that. With it, he could keep his tools in orbit, literally, and summon what he needed without dropping anything or fumbling under pressure.

  Richter pulled out the Duskbeak scroll.

  "Now how will this work?" Richter muttered, turning the ring slowly between his fingers. As if on cue, the red gem pulsed with light—then flared. The scroll twitched in his hand before being drawn in by an invisible pull, vanishing into the gem with a soft hiss of magic. "Well... that answers that."

  Richter slid the ring onto his finger and summoned the scroll back with a thought. It appeared above his shoulder, hovering effortlessly in the air, gently rotating like a loyal satellite. Though he wasn’t touching it, he could feel the connection—his mana and health threaded through the parchment like veins of living script. With barely a flicker of intent, he cast. Another unfortunate tree exploded into splinters. The scroll hadn't even warmed up.

  Richter recalled the scroll with a flick of thought, then settled by the fire and tore into a well-roasted bird like a man who’d earned every bite. He needed rest—tomorrow, he’d be hunting down another one of those chests. His current outfit had seen better days, and now the System had handed him a way to upgrade it. Time to loot with purpose.