The forest shook beneath the weight of three charging minotaurs, each one thundering forward like a runaway siege beast. Heads low, horns angled to kill, every pounding step sent vibrations rippling through the ground.

Luke stood in the center of the path, hood slightly raised. A faint smile tugged at his lips, barely there, but enough to betray the fact that the rhythm of this fight was already playing out in his head.

The first monster came in like a battering ram. Luke slid aside at the last moment, twisting his body so cleanly that the rush of air from its passing only clipped the ends of his hair.

The second was right behind, too fast for its size. Luke bent his knees, channeled stamina, and leapt. He spun midair, bringing his heel down like a hammer onto the creature's skull. The blow drove it into the dirt with a satisfying, bone-jarring crack.

He planted both hands toward the ground. Spiked roots burst up, coiling around the minotaur's limbs as it thrashed in panic.

The third roared, closing in. Luke landed lightly on the pinned monster's shoulders, using it as a launch point. His bow was already up. The arrow flew before his feet even left their perch, punching clean through the oncoming minotaur's eye.

The next shot carried Force Infusion, a dense, pulsing energy that exploded on impact, piercing the creature's chest straight through the heart.

[You have slain a Forest Minotaur – Lvl 55]

The body crumpled. The first minotaur returned, fists pounding the air like sledgehammers. Luke vanished in a flicker of Dark Dash, reappearing behind it.

Three arrows left the string in rapid succession, each one sinking deep into the creature's back with sharp, meaty cracks. It roared, staggering. Luke shifted aim lower, driving a shot into its leg and forcing it to its knees. His palm hit the dirt. Corrupted Plant Growth erupted from the ground, roots coiling around its limbs. He triggered Thorn Mutation, the bindings tightening with vicious barbs.

The second minotaur, already wounded, swung wildly and hit nothing but earth. Luke sprinted up its arm, summoned his kukri from inventory, and spun into a precise, fluid slash. Steel split flesh with a wet, tearing sound, followed by a hot spray of blood.

[You have slain a Forest Minotaur – Lvl 55]

The last survivor tore free of the roots and charged. Luke met it with a storm of arrows, not to kill, but to break its momentum. Shoulders. Arms. Thighs. Every shot landed in a joint or muscle, each loosed so quickly that the string's echo overlapped with the next.

When it finally staggered, Luke nocked his last arrow and poured stamina into it. It launched like a thunderbolt, slamming into the target with enough force to spin the beast in midair before it crashed to the forest floor.

He walked toward the downed monster, coaxing roots from the earth to bind it. Without haste, he drove his kukri into his own palm, letting the blood drip onto its forehead.

"So… how about becoming my new servant?"

[This living being has rejected becoming your servant. It is therefore unworthy.]

Luke sighed. The minotaur, still barely breathing, tried to lift a hand for one last strike. He didn't give it the chance, an arrow through the skull ended it without ceremony.

[You have slain a Forest Minotaur – Lvl 55]

**Your class [Demonic Predator] has reached Level 56!** Class bonus attributes gained: +10 Strength, +7 Perception, +6 Agility, +6 Vitality, +6 Intelligence, +5 Endurance, +8 Free Points.

When he'd hit Level 55, there had been no new class skill. That meant the gap between skills was growing.

Up ahead, the sounds of battle rang through the trees. Luke broke into a run. In a clearing, Charlie was squaring off against a massive boar. It charged, tusks lowered for the kill. She stepped forward, raised her fist, and met its rush head-on with a full-force punch.

[Princess Charlie has slain an Iron-Tusk Boar – Lvl 35]

*The [Pugilist] 2nd Class of Princess Charlie has reached Level 30! (+3 Strength, +2 Endurance, +2 Agility, +2 Vitality, +2 Perception, +2 Intelligence, +2 Free Points.)*

[Princess Charlie has unlocked new Second Class Skill]

**[Princess Charlie has reached Level 27! Skeleton (Rank F)] (+1 bonus point to all attributes, +1 free point)**

She looked over at him and gave a thumbs-up.

"Nice work," Luke said as he walked over.

Lunch was taken care of.

Luke was deep in the capital's surrounding forest now. After all this time exploring, he'd made a few discoveries. First, most of the horizon he'd been seeing was fake. The entire place was a massive, enclosed square. That was the end of the kingdom; there was nothing beyond it except a barrier projecting a false image of far-off mountains. The capital sat in the center, wrapped in forest, and if you went far enough toward the castle, you hit the other side of the square. The literal edge of the map.

Which meant this was it. The whole world, or rather, just this fragment of the first universe. And Luke had stumbled on a few intriguing details that had nothing to do with escaping. Odd little things. If this tutorial really was taking place in a piece of a dead universe, then there could be unique resources here, things that didn't exist anywhere else in the multiverse.

And that had been his latest… project. Stupid? Probably. But it was still something to do, and weirdly satisfying.

Whistling, Luke walked up to a massive apple tree, plucked a crimson apple from the ground, and held it up.

[Midnight Red Apple]: A rare, deep-scarlet apple with tender, juicy flesh. Its flavor is sweet with a faint acidic bite, and its fresh aroma sharpens the appetite with the very first bite.

"Found another one, Charlie," he said, sounding proud.

These apples existed only here. Nowhere else in the entire multiverse. He didn't need to be a genius to realize how valuable that made them. Dropping several into his storage item, he made a mental note to save the seeds; he could grow plenty more later.

"Can I eat a few?" Artemis asked.

"Don't touch anything on the right wing of the dimension," Luke replied. "Those are rare specimens I've barely been able to find here."

He was collecting every fruit, vegetable, root, herb, anything that was native to this fragment of the First Universe.

The list was already growing:

[Midnight Blue Berry]: Small and glistening, its dark-blue skin shines like wet sapphire under the light. The taste is refreshing, sweet with a faint minty finish that leaves a cool sensation in the mouth.

[Midnight Black Grape]: Clusters of grapes black as obsidian, with dense, sweet pulp that bursts into juice at the bite. The aroma is reminiscent of young wine, with a faint bitterness at the end to balance the flavor.

[Midnight Golden Peach]: Velvet-skinned and golden-hued, this fruit releases an intoxicatingly sweet perfume. Its soft flesh melts on the tongue, releasing warm, honeyed nectar.

[Midnight Crimson Citrus]: A thin-skinned, crimson-hued fruit whose juice is tart and faintly spicy, jolting the senses awake.

[Midnight Scarlet Root]: A fibrous root of vivid red, rich in nutrients and carrying a sweet, earthy flavor.

[Midnight Black Pumpkin]: Jet-black skin, golden flesh, with a faintly buttery taste.

[Midnight Pearl Onion]: Translucent white, impossibly sweet when caramelized.

[Midnight Amber Carrot]: Crisp, juicy, with a rich amber glow.

[Midnight Verdant Leaf]: Broad, vibrant greens with a faint sweetness, perfect for salads.

[Midnight Gray Herb]: Aromatic, with an earthy, grounding scent.

[Midnight Crimson Basil]: Red-leafed, intensely fragrant, with a spicy bite.

[Midnight Blue Mint]: Cool, sharp, with a hint of natural sweetness.

[Midnight Golden Wheat]: Plump golden grains with a mild honeyed aroma, ideal for fine bread.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

[Midnight Ruby Pepper]: Tiny, ruby-colored, and devastatingly hot.

[Midnight Sugar Blossom]: A delicate flower whose pollen is as sweet as refined sugar.

By now, Luke had collected so much that he'd lost track of the full list.

He bit into an apple.

"Damn, that's juicy," he murmured, exhaling through his nose.

It was, without question, the best apple he'd ever eaten in his life. The kind of ingredient that could flip the culinary world upside down. He didn't want to brag, but when it came to growing things, he was good. Stupidly good.

With these ingredients alone, he could make wine, juice, jam, pumpkin candy, cookies, bread, pasta, hot sauce, soup, salads, stews, exclusive recipes from the First Universe. The sort of thing worth a fortune. Sure, he didn't actually know how to make half of that, but he wouldn't mind dedicating years to learning.

"So this your retirement plan?" Artemis asked.

"Pretty much," Luke replied. "Once I'm out of this tutorial, I'm hanging up the kukris, putting the bow away, and opening a little shop."

The truth was, with the right pacing and his Plant Growth skill, he was basically a walking factory for mass-producing crops. It didn't work on magical plants because, while they would grow, they'd lose their magic, and for normal stuff, where he had zero interest in preserving any magic? He was an entire industry by himself. And if he used his own blood as fertilizer… well, that was another level. It was as if he had gold running through his veins.

"All I'd need is to buy a farm, and I'm set," he said.

"A shop?" she pressed.

"One physical shop to start," Luke explained. "Then we expand. I don't have to worry about food spoiling, I can store it all in my storage item. Steady money, plus profession XP. What's better than that? Pure profit. And Charlie gets a job out of it too. She can be my partner in… Dark Empire."

"Dark Empire?" Artemis blinked.

"Yeah. My company name. You like it?"

"No, man. It's awful," she deadpanned. "Who's going to buy groceries from a place with that name?"

Luke kept walking. "The products are amazing, juicy, flavorful, fresh. Of course they would."

"Luke, naming things is not your strength."

"Think about it," he countered. "It's brilliant marketing. Every new branch I open becomes another 'tentacle' of my empire. That's genius. Admit it."

"No, that's just dumb," Artemis said flatly. "You just want to make a reference to your Dark Lord title. You know the problem? Nobody's gonna get the joke but you."

"That's exactly what makes it brilliant," Luke grinned.

"Right… so tell me, Mr. Dark Empire, can you picture a mother of two leaving the house to shop there? It sounds like she's going out to buy drugs, or hire a hitman."

"See? It's perfect. The joke is amazing."

"No. It's terrible."

Luke sighed. "You just don't understand my genius."

"Of course," she muttered.

He kept walking. "Alright, we'll put the name debate on hold for now. Princess Charlie, you voting with me on this one?"

Charlie nodded, cheerful as ever.

"She doesn't count," Artemis cut in. "She'd agree to anything you say."

Luke ignored her and began scrolling through Charlie's system interface. She'd been making solid level gains, and at his request she'd swapped the sword for bare fists whenever possible, pushing her secondary class higher.

Since their fight against the stone angel, she'd picked up two new skills as a pugilist:

[Muscle Reading (Uncommon)]: The pugilist hones the ability to interpret micro-movements in an opponent's muscles, breathing, and posture, anticipating their combat intentions. This heightened perception greatly increases the accuracy of predicting the direction and type of the next attack before it even happens.

[Movement Echo (Uncommon)]: Upon dodging, the pugilist can leave behind a perfect illusory projection of themselves from the moment before the movement. The image lasts only a fraction of a second, but it's enough to trick an enemy's perception.

A new notification blinked on her interface. Luke tapped it.

Five skill options appeared, her reward for reaching level 30 as a pugilist. The first one was… odd.

[Flame (Common)]: The fire of love that burns brightly within you recognizes and answers your call. Through your hands, you can summon a small flame, modest and gentle, useful for lighting campfires, illuminating dark places, and perhaps one day… serving as a weapon against your enemies.

"What? Fire of love?" Luke read the description again, eyebrows pinching together.

When he glanced sideways, he noticed Charlie had suddenly gone stiff, unable to meet his eyes.

"It's this, isn't it, Charlie?" he said slowly, watching her. "It's exactly what I think it is?"

She froze, shaking her head so hard it looked painful.

"It was right in front of me the whole time," Luke murmured.

"Finally caught on," Artemis said dryly. "The fire of… love."

Luke reached out and took Charlie's hand.

She went still again, unsure what to do, gaze locked anywhere but on him. The space between them felt smaller than it was.

"This is it, isn't it?" he pressed.

If she'd had a throat, she might have swallowed hard at his words. Instead, she gave the smallest, most timid nod.

"The fire ring. That's why," Luke said, glancing at the simple band on her finger.

[Fire Ring (Uncommon) Description: A simple ring forged by flame-worshipping cultists. Enchantments:

[Cult Flame (Common)]: Despite its modest appearance, this ring grants the wearer the skill to summon a small flame, useful for lighting paths or starting fires. Requirement: Lvl 8+ in any class or race.]

"Who would've guessed the ring would trigger a skill after being worn so long," he mused. "Or… was it your rune skill?"

Charlie tilted her head, confused.

"Luke, you're an idiot," Artemis muttered.

Charlie snatched her hand back, somehow managing to give the impression of a sharp, annoyed exhale despite lacking lungs.

"What? Why? I'm just trying to figure out how she got the skill," he told Artemis. "Mastering the system is the point. When I figured out mana, I knew I could unlock Mana Infusion."

"Just… forget it," Artemis sighed. "I don't know why I ever had hope for you."

Luke frowned, still not catching whatever she meant, and turned his attention back to the remaining skill options.

[Duplicate Punch (Rare)]: When delivering a strike, an invisible replica is unleashed moments later, hitting the same spot with equal force. The second impact partially ignores defenses already weakened by the first blow, making it devastating against compromised guards.

It reminded him of something he'd seen before. Allison once cutting an enemy twice with her katana, only for a third phantom slash to appear. The effect was eerily similar, like a ghostly strike.

He scrolled to the third option.

[Pugilist's Rush (Uncommon)]: The fighter channels stamina into their legs for an explosive burst forward, closing distance in the blink of an eye. The movement amplifies the power and precision of the follow-up punch, making it far harder for the opponent to defend.

"You already have Basic Spectral Charge," he told Charlie. "Picking something so similar would be a waste of a skill slot."

She nodded in agreement.

Two skills left.

[Magnetic Punch (Rare)]: On impact, the pugilist leaves a temporary magnetic field on the target. With a mental command, the field activates, producing a repulsive force that hurls the enemy or object back with controlled power.

[Perception Ring (Rare)]: Expands the pugilist's sensory awareness to a full 360 degrees, forming a mental "ring" where nothing escapes detection. Enables instant reaction to blind-spot attacks and prediction of subtle movements from any direction, turning the surrounding space into the fighter's absolute domain.

"That's the end of the list," he said. "See anything you want?"

Normally she let him decide, but that was back when their choices were born of desperate circumstances. This time, they were strong enough to think long term.

Charlie hesitantly pointed to the first skill.

"That one? You sure?" he asked. "Not saying you shouldn't, just… making sure."

Magnetic Punch seemed solid to him, but she shyly pointed to the first option again.

"Guess you really want that one. Alright then."

[Princess Charlie has acquired Second Class Skill: Flame]

Luke pulled up her interface.

Name: Princess Charlie Level: 27 Race: Skeleton Rank: F Class: Death Knight (Lvl 33) 2nd Class: Pugilist (Lvl 30) Title: [Servant of the Dark Lord] Health Points (HP): 1940/1940 Mana Points (MP): 1480/1480 Stamina: 1810/1810 (2210)

Stats: Strength: 288 (358) Agility: 150 Endurance: 181 (221) Vitality: 194 Perception: 126 Intelligence: 148 Free Points: 3

Class Skills: [Basic Weapon Handling (Common)], Heavy Strike (Common), [Basic Spectral Charge (Rare)], [Crescent Slash (Uncommon)], [Whirlwind Strike (Uncommon)], [Spectral Chain (Rare)], [Spectral Barrier (Rare)], [Doomblade (Rare)], [Mark of Doom (Rare)]

Second Class Skills: [Advanced Hand-to-Hand (Uncommon)], [Steel Fist (Rare)], [Stunning Punch (Uncommon)], [Battle Roar (Uncommon)], [Concentrated Kick (Uncommon)], [Power Punch (Uncommon)], [Pugilist's Leap (Uncommon)], [Muscle Reading (Uncommon)], [Movement Echo (Uncommon)], [Flame (Common)]

Race Skills: [Demonic Servant Perception (Uncommon)], [Basic Bone Regeneration (Rare)], [Bone Endurance (Rare)], [Iron Bones (Ultra-Rare)]

Rune Skill: [Berserker Flames (Rare)]

He dropped all three free points into Strength.

Stats Updated (Princess Charlie): Strength: 288 (358) -> 291 (361) Free Points: 3 -> 0

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlie bouncing with excitement, palm open as a tiny flame flickered to life. She stared at it in wonder.

"Now that you've got your own fire skill, I can take the ring back. That way, we'll both be able to light campfires," he said.

She yanked her hand back and shielded the ring, shaking her head.

"No?" He scratched his head. "Alright… you can keep it."

They resumed their walk through the forest, angling toward the city. There was one last thing to do before heading back to the Wild Zone. Luke wanted another trip to the castle region, the final area of the tutorial.

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