The fort had fallen.

Smoke from the ruined gate still drifted lazily into the afternoon sky as the group moved through the battlefield, collecting arrows and checking bodies before they dissolved into the usual system mist. Loot was gathered quickly and with practiced hands—nothing too elaborate, but useful all the same.

Every member now wore a +2 leather vest, tucked beneath their regular leather Bike armour. It wasn't glamorous, but the added protection felt like a silent comfort after the brutal fight they'd just pushed through.

Near the edge of the inner yard, Zane bent over a fallen kobold archer, holding something that had been wedged beneath its quiver. A bow—sleek, reinforced, and crafted from unfamiliar wood with metallic fittings.

He narrowed his eyes and activated his skill.

Very Basic Appraisal Activated Item: Recurve Short Bow – Minor Penetration Effect: +1 Penetration (Arrows ignore 1 point of enemy defense)

"Lily," Zane called, tossing the bow to her. "Catch."

She snagged it out of the air and looked it over.

"That one's better than what you're using now," he said. "Got a penetration bonus. It'll punch through tougher enemies better."

Lily's eyebrows rose. "Seriously?" "Yeah. Straight from the System. Might not seem like much, but that point could make a big difference."

"Thanks, Dad," she said, already swapping out her bow with a grin.

But the biggest surprise came when Tarni, digging through the wreckage near what looked like a commander's quarters, let out a low whistle.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Oi, check this out."

He held up a small cloth pouch and spilled its contents into his hand. Twelve copper coins gleamed in the sunlight—each stamped with a strange design. On one side: the unmistakable image of the dungeon entrance they'd passed through to get here—black stone cube with a half-white sphere in the middle of it. The other side was completely blank.

Everyone leaned in.

"What the hell do you think these are?" Kai asked, taking one and flipping it over in his fingers. "Currency?"

"System currency?" Lily offered. "Like... in-game money?"

Zane shook his head. "Could be a crafting resource. Or used to unlock something. We haven't seen coins like this outside yet."

Bell turned one over in her palm. "Or maybe they're just kobold poker chips."

"Could be a collectible." Tarni grinned. "Bet there's some nerd out there who'd give us a hover bike and a kidney for a full set."

The group chuckled, but their expressions remained thoughtful.

"You reckon they're worth holding onto?" Kai asked.

"Until we know more," Zane said. "Keep them. But don't spend them—even if the System offers."

The conversation shifted as they finished cleaning up, counting arrows, and checking gear. Only two arrows had been damaged beyond repair; the rest were carefully tucked away for reuse.

That's when Tarni, stretching with a groan and re-tightening the straps on his vest, spoke up.

"You know," Tarni said casually, "kinda glad we're not leveling up too fast in here."

That earned a few raised brows.

"I mean," he continued, "it's great and all—new stats, shiny skills—but we don't exactly have the food to support five people going through another growth spurt."

Zane snorted. "He's not wrong. If three of us passed out from hunger and mana burn, we'd be stuffed. Even with Kai's healing."

"Exactly," Tarni said, raising a finger. "Let's enjoy the slow burn and hope the System isn't a complete drongo, and gives us all our levels when we're back at the house with a full pantry—or better yet, after a Macca's run."

Both Zane and Kai chimed in at the same time:

"Yeah, mate, here's hoping."

"Could really go a double quarter pounder right about now."

Even Bell nodded in agreement with the sentiment—until Lily brought the mood crashing down.

"Until we meet something way above our level," she muttered.

That earned a round of groans.

Bell smirked and clapped her hands once. "Alright, jokes later. Let's check the inner building—see if this place has anything else worth looting before we decide what direction we're heading next."

The group moved as one, stepping over the scattered remains of their latest victory—coins in their pockets, tension in the air, and questions on their minds.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.