Chapter 20: A G-Rank+
Tyler blinked, his vision swimming. The ceiling above him was a blur of shadows and rough timber slowly sharpening into focus.
The room was bathed in the heavy, bruised orange of a dying sunset. The light poured through the window, catching the dust motes dancing in the stagnant air.
He tried to push himself up, planting his palms against the mattress. His muscles seized instantly. A sharp, hot ache radiated through his pectorals and shoulders, locking him in place for a second. He hissed through his teeth, forcing his body to move through the stiffness until he was sitting upright.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, the movement feeling heavy and mechanical.
*I’m home,* he thought, rubbing the grit from his eyes. *What the hell happened? Did I pass out?*
The house was silent. There were no footsteps, no voices. Just the quiet settling of the evening.
"That exercise almost killed me," he rasped, his voice rough. "I can't believe I actually did that."
He placed his feet on the floor and stood up. He expected his legs to buckle under his weight, or for the fatigue to drag him back down. Instead, a strange sensation washed over him.
He felt light.
The gravity seemed to have lessened its grip. His limbs moved with a fluid ease that hadn't been there the day before.
*I actually feel lighter*, he thought, flexing his hands.* A lot lighter. I wonder if it actually worked.*
He focused his intent. The system panel materialized in the air before him, the blue text glowing against the darkening room.
SPECIES: Human
NAME: Tyler Evans
RANK: G+
LVL: 9
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 47/47 MP: 46/46
STR: 26 AGI: 30
DEF: 24 STM: 27
SKILLS: Weapon Craft-Lv1,
PASSIVE SKILLS: None
Extra Points: 4
Tyler stared at the numbers.
*Whoa*, he thought, a chuckle bubbling up in his chest.* I actually leveled up. Three times.*
He looked at the stats. His strength had jumped. His agility was touching thirty.
"It actually works. That torture paid off."
He curled his hand into a fist, feeling the tension in his forearm. *I even have extra points. I must have unlocked an achievement for the endurance training.*
A grin spread across his face. "I'm definitely growing stronger from this."
A second panel flared to life, overlaying the first:
CONGRATULATIONS.
USER HAS UNLOCKED SKILL: ARMOR CRAFT.
WOULD THE USER LIKE TO LAUNCH THE TUTORIAL?
His eyes widened.
*I unlocked another skill? Is this from leveling up?*
He read the text again. *Armor Craft. That means I can create my own defense.*
He chuckled, the possibilities racing through his mind.
*I won't just be on the offense anymore.*
"Launch tutorial."
The system panels vanished, replaced by a circular loading bar that rotated in the air. A moment later, it dissolved into a block of text:
SKILL: ARMOR CRAFT (LV 1)
DESCRIPTION: Allows the user to craft defensive gear from stored materials.
RESTRICTION: User can currently only craft Basic Armor.
NOTE: The System will automatically generate a design based on the materials provided. If the user does not submit a blueprint or drawing, the resulting appearance may not align with the user's aesthetic preferences.
Tyler rubbed his chin, studying the text.
*So it's just like Weapon Craft. The only difference is I'm making armor instead of blades.*
The text flickered and scrolled downward, revealing a new section:
CRAFTING FOR OTHERS:
If the user wishes to craft armor for another individual, a detailed blueprint is required. This must include specific measurements, limb length, and joint articulation to ensure a proper fit.
"Oh," Tyler muttered, placing his hands on his hips. "Well, that makes sense. If I want to craft armor for someone else, I can't just rely on the System’s auto-fit. I’d need to draft the size so it actually fits them."
The informational text faded, replaced by a list of available formulas based on his inventory:
RECIPE FOUND:
MATERIALS: [Shadow Claw Hide (Lv 10-15)] + [Hexhorn Hide (Lv 10)]
RESULT: Shadow Leather Boots
Tyler looked at the recipe. He had two Shadow Claw hides.
"Craft Leather Boots," he commanded.
The panel shifted again. A circular loading bar appeared, slowly filling with blue light: CRAFTING...
Tyler smiled, a small surge of satisfaction rising in his chest.
*I might as well allocate these stat points while it's still Crafting", he thought, calling up his status panel.
He rubbed his chin, studying the holographic numbers.
*Okay, so my lowest stat is Defense right now. But I don't think I really need to dump points there yet. With the training James is putting me through, I need endurance and power.*
He looked at his Agility. It was already his highest stat. *Agility is fine for now. I should increase my Strength and Stamina.*
He tapped the screen.
STRENGTH: 26 -> 28
STAMINA: 27 -> 29
The system panel vanished, replaced instantly by a flashing notification: CRAFTING SUCCESSFUL.
Tyler held out his hands. A shimmer of blue light coalesced in his palms, heavy and solid. The light faded, revealing a pair of black leather boots.
They were pristine, the leather dark and supple. He looked inside, noticing the lining, thick, black fur from the Shadow Claw hide. They looked warm. Comfortable.
*Sweet. I wonder if I can equip them directly from the inventory.*
He focused his intent. The boots vanished from his hands. A split second later, a comfortable weight settled around his ankles. He looked down. The battered sneakers were gone, replaced by the new leather boots.
A small item window hovered near his shin:
ITEM: SHADOW LEATHER BOOTS
RANK: BASIC
DEFENSE: +10
EFFECT: INCREASES USER AGILITY (+4)
*Wow. Unlike weapons, this actually increases my raw stats.*
He summoned his status panel again, watching the numbers.
TYLER EVANS:
SPECIES: Human
NAME: Tyler Evans
RANK: G+
LVL: 9
CLASS: Craftsman
HP: 47/47 MP: 46/46
STR: 28 AGI: 30 +[4]
DEF: 24 +[10] STM: 29
SKILLS: Weapon Craft-Lv1, Weapon Craft-Lv1
PASSIVE SKILLS: None
*I wonder if this Defense bonus applies to my whole body or just my feet,* he thought, flexing his toes against the soft fur lining. If I get punched in the face, does the +10 Defense save me? Or is it just for where the armor is? I'm not sure how the logic works yet.*
He bounced on his heels.
"My Agility has also increased. I feel a lot lighter with these. They fit perfectly."
He held out his hand again. A shimmer of light deposited his old, worn-out shoes into his palm.
*It actually swapped them. That’s convenient."
As he stored the old shoes in his Inventory, a new notification text scrolled across his vision:
TIP: EQUIPPING A FULL ARMOR SET MAY UNLOCK A SECONDARY CLASS AND GRANT THE USER A UNIQUE SET BONUS.
*A secondary class... so I can have two classes. Not just Crafting.*
The realization settled in. *That means I can actually become a combat Hunter. Like James.*
The system panel faded into the air.
"Speaking of James, where is he?"
Tyler walked out of his room, stepping into the quiet living room. "Hello? Is anybody here?"
Silence answered him. He walked to James's bedroom door and tried the handle. It was locked tight.
*Nobody's home.*
He went to the kitchen. On the wooden counter, he found a metal plate covered with a lid. A small scrap of parchment sat on top of it, written in neat, black ink:
"I prepared some food for you. James has gone hunting. He might return late or tomorrow. I'm also going to return later than usual. Eat up."
"Is this Lisa's handwriting?" he murmured.
He lifted the lid. The smell of savory rice and roasted chicken drifted up, making his mouth water instantly. He grabbed the plate and a spoon, carried it to the living room table, and sat down.
He ate in silence, the only sound the scrape of metal against metal. He drank a cup of water, staring at the empty chair across from him.
*Tomorrow is going to be hell again*, he thought, dreading the return to the tree. *Maybe the training will be different.*
He left the plate on the counter, returned to his room, and collapsed onto the bed. Sleep took him quickly.
Grey morning light spilled through the window, accompanied by the chirping of birds outside.
Tyler’s eyes fluttered open. He lay there for a moment, bracing himself. He expected the agony of the previous day, the stiffness in his legs, the fire in his shoulders.
He pushed himself up to sit.
He moved easily. There was no pain. No strain. His muscles felt loose and ready.
He blinked, surprised.
*It doesn't hurt. In fact, all my fatigue is gone.*
He frowned, looking down at his hands. *I wonder why it didn't happen immediately? Usually, my fatigue disappears the second I level up after killing a monster. It’s like a shot of adrenaline.*
He threw the blanket off his legs.
*Maybe leveling up through training is different*, he thought, swinging his feet to the floor. Maybe the recovery happens slower.*
The door creaked open. James stepped in.
He wasn't wearing his eyepatch. The jagged line of pale scar tissue ran down his face, cutting across an eye that remained permanently closed.
"Oh, you're awake," James said, pausing in the doorway. "I thought I was going to have to wake you. Come on. Prepare yourself. We're heading out."
"Alright. I'll be out in a sec."
James closed the door, the latch clicking shut.
Tyler stood up and stretched his arms above his head. He rose onto his toes, bending his back until he heard a satisfying pop ripple through his spine.
He looked down at his bare feet. He focused his intent. A faint blue shimmer coated his skin, and the solid weight of the Shadow Leather Boots materialized around his ankles. He rolled his neck, feeling the leather settle, then walked out of the room.
He sat in the living room chair, waiting.
Minutes later, James emerged. He was wearing his leather armor, the eyepatch back in place, concealing the scar. His sword hung heavy at his hip, and a travel bag was slung over his shoulder.
James nodded toward the door. "Let's go."
They left the house, their boots striking the cobblestones as they headed toward the street. The morning air was cool.
"Yesterday..." Tyler started, looking at the ground. "I passed out, didn't I?"
James nodded. "Yeah. You were out cold. I had to carry you all the way back."
Tyler flinched. "All the way back?"
"Yeah. But don't worry about it. You weren't heavy. I am a D-Rank, after all."
"Right... thank you."
"Don't worry about it." James glanced down, his eye catching the dark leather on Tyler's feet. He frowned. "Those boots. Where did you get them?"
"Oh, these," Tyler said, a small grin touching his lips. "I crafted them. What we did yesterday... it actually worked. I leveled up three times."
James stopped walking. He turned to look at Tyler, his single eye widening. "Three times?"
Tyler nodded. "Yeah."
James looked forward again, shaking his head slowly. "I know you did a lot of hard training, but three times is... absurd. Usually, you would have to train like that for an entire week to gain that much growth."
"Oh..." Tyler said, keeping his voice neutral.
James thought to himself, *He did train until he passed out. But still... three levels in one afternoon? That’s not something you see everyday.*
Tyler walked in silence, his mind racing.
*He's right. Even I was surprised.*
He thought back to the System notifications from the day he arrived.
*The System said that I will get 25% less experience from killing monsters. It was specific. 'Killing monsters.' It never said my XP would be cut off from training or manual exertion.*
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
*I found a loophole. I might actually level a lot faster this way than by fighting.*
"So you unlocked another skill?" James asked, breaking the silence.
Tyler nodded. "It's called Armor Craft. It allows me to craft basic defensive gear. That's how I made these boots."
"Wow," James said, impressed. "That is an incredible skill. Unlike most Hunters, you won't really run out of resources if you can just make your own gear."
He frowned slightly. "But where did you get the materials to craft that?"
"Oh," Tyler said. "From the Monster Zone where we met."
"The System has a mechanic that allows me to pull materials from the monsters instantly. I don't even have to touch them."
James stared at him. "You can do that?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Kid, just how many advantages do you have? Unlike ordinary Hunters, you don't even have to take the time to skin a Hexhorn. That alone saves hours of work."
"Yeah. It is a big advantage," Tyler nodded. "So, using those materials, I managed to craft these boots."
James looked thoughtful. "So what level are you now?"
"Level 9."
"That makes sense," James said. "People usually unlock new skills when they become a Plus."
"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.
"You can get two skills in the same Rank, though it is rare. It mostly happens when you cross the threshold," James explained, holding his hand flat in the air. "Rank G is Level 1 to 10. Once you cross the halfway point, Level 6, you aren't just a G-Rank anymore. You are a G-Rank Plus. That’s usually when the body adapts enough to handle a second skill."
*So that's why I got Armor Craft*, Tyler thought.* I hit Level 9, well past the threshold.*
He looked at James as the noise of the marketplace swelled around them. "That brings me to another question. Is there a library here? Or an archive I can access?"
James glanced at him sideways. "You want information on the world?"
Tyler nodded.
"There is a library," James said, his voice lowering. "But unfortunately, it's closed. The Keeper passed away some time ago, and the doors haven't opened since."
Tyler let out a sharp breath of disappointment.
"Don't worry about it," James said. "I'll keep teaching you the basics. Most of what’s in that library is old history that even the citizens don't need to know."
"Right," Tyler said, focusing on the road ahead.
They reached the transport station near the exit. George was waiting in his wagon, leaning back on the bench. They climbed in, James and they rumbled out of town.
When the wagon stopped miles later, James paid George and they walked through the tall grass to the solitary tree.
James took out the canvas sack and the ropes. Tyler knelt by the rock pile and began filling it. He packed it to the brim, grabbed the straps, and hauled it up.
He paused.
*It’s lighter.*
The weight was the same, but his body didn't buckle. His knees held firm. The rocks settled against his back, heavy but manageable. The increase in his Strength stat was undeniable.
James watched him adjust the straps. "Since you leveled up three times, walking isn't going to cut it anymore. I don't want you to walk there."
He pointed to the distant tree. "I want you to run."
"Run?" Tyler looked at the distance. "All the way over there? James, I don't think I could run that distance even without the sack."
James grinned. "Come on. You should learn to believe in yourself. I believe you can do it."
Tyler looked over to the horizon. The heat waves shimmered off the grass.
"Alright," he muttered. "I'll try."
He took a breath and pushed off.
He started at a jog, his boots pounding against the short grass. The sack bounced rhythmically against his spine, the straps digging in, but his legs pumped with a new power.
*Well, it's not as hard as I thought it would be*,he thought, the wind rushing past his ears.* But that's obviously because I haven't gotten tired yet.*
He ran. The distance closed faster than before. His lungs burned, but his legs kept moving, powered by the new stats. He reached the turnaround tree, slapped the bark, and pivoted without stopping.
He ran until he reached James once more. His chest heaved, sucking in the warm air, but the recovery was faster than before. The burning in his lungs subsided quickly.
*My Stamina really did improve*, he thought, wiping sweat from his brow. *Before, I would have been on the ground.*
"Alright," James said, crossing his arms. "Do it again."
Tyler turned without a word. He pushed off the balls of his feet and ran back toward the distant tree. He touched the bark and turned back.
"Again," James called out the moment Tyler returned.
Tyler turned. He ran. He touched the tree. But halfway back, the sprint died. His legs grew heavy, the fresh stats overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work. The run returned into a slow, rhythmic jog, his boots scuffing against the grass as he forced himself to return.
*He is going to kill me at this point,* Tyler thought, staring at the ground.
"Drop and give me two hundred," James ordered. "With the sack on."
Tyler dropped to the grass, the heavy sack pressing him down into the dirt. He started lifting.
"One. Two. Three..."
At one hundred and fifty, his triceps were screaming. His arms shook violently, the muscles spasming under the weight. He collapsed, his chest hitting the dirt with a dull thud.
"I can't do it anymore."
"You can," James said, his voice hard. "You've done a hundred and fifty. What's fifty more? You can do it."
Tyler gritted his teeth. He pushed through the tremors. "One fifty-one..."
He ground out twenty more reps. But at one hundred and seventy, his arms gave out completely. He fell, face-first into the grass.
"Yeah," he gasped, spitting out dirt. "This is definitely my limit. I can't reach two hundred."
James stepped forward and hauled the sack off Tyler’s back. Tyler let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief as the crushing weight vanished.
"Alright, stand up," James said. "I want to teach you something."
Tyler groaned, rolling over and pushing himself upright.
"Come here," James said. He walked to the shade of the tree and sat cross-legged, leaning his back against the trunk. "Sit like this."
Tyler sat across from him, mirroring the pose. "What are we doing?"
James rested his hands on his knees. "You remember what I told you about this world having Mana, right? I'm sure you have used it before, since you've used your skills."
Tyler rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "Yeah... about that. I haven't been using it."
"Huh?" James blinked.
"Neither Weapon Craft nor Armor Craft consumes my Mana," Tyler said, looking back at the knight. "I haven't used a single drop of MP since I got to this world."
James froze. The shock was evident on his face. He leaned forward slightly.
"So you're saying your skills don't use Mana?"