Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero

Tyler stood facing the slime, but the slime's attention was suddenly diverted. Behind Tyler, Rebecca's light-based arrow attack still blazed, a beacon in the darkening forest. The slime attempted to circumvent Tyler, but Tyler reacted instantly, blocking its path with a swift, powerful movement. The slime, caught off guard, leaped backward, letting out a confused *kyuu*. It seemed disoriented, unsure why Tyler was blocking its path to the light.

*So that's the skill the Shinebow grants,* Tyler mused, *It's almost identical to the Shine Armor's effect, except for their names.*

The slime, regaining its composure, launched a powerful punch, its slimy arm stretching an impossible distance. Tyler met the blow with a counterpunch of his own. The slime retracted its arm and launched another attack; Tyler countered with his left fist. The exchange continued, blow for blow, until the slime unleashed its Rapid Bashing Punches again. Tyler met each attack with a precise counter, his movements a blur of motion.

Meanwhile, Rebecca muttered to herself, a plan forming in her mind, "I have to target the Pixels first." Before she could apply a skill to her arrow, however, a level 40 Gloomfang launched itself at her from the direction of the still-blazing light, its jaws snapping. Rebecca reacted instinctively, firing her arrow without hesitation.

Rebecca's arrow struck the Gloomfang in the abdomen. Before the creature could reach her, Rebecca leaped aside, dodging the impact. The Gloomfang howled in pain as it crashed to the ground, the arrow protruding from its gut.

The light from Rebecca's previous arrow attack faded, and she instantly nocked two arrows. At that moment, all three Pixels spread their wings, their feathers shifting and shimmering as they activated their Hypnosis skill. Rebecca, anticipating this, instantly activated her Perception skill. The Pixels' feathers cycled through a dazzling array of colors—red, blue, purple, yellow—a vibrant, rapidly shifting kaleidoscope.

Rebecca smiled faintly, a touch of amusement playing on her lips. "That won't work on me," she murmured.

The tips of Rebecca's arrows ignited with flame. She loosed them, unleashing two fiery projectiles. Just as the Pixels opened their beaks, preparing to unleash their Sonic Pulse skill, the arrows struck, exploding in a burst of searing flame, instantly killing two of the creatures.

Rebecca moved to nock more arrows, but the Gloomfangs, still recovering from the earlier Daylight Arrow attack, shook their heads. Their eyes, bloodshot and blurry from the lingering effects of the blinding light, stung with pain. They let out pained howls, but their impaired vision didn't stop their charge.

The Gloomfangs charged. Rebecca withdrew her dagger, her heart pounding. *I'm not really good at close combat,* she thought, *but there's a move my father taught me.*

The lead Gloomfang lunged. Rebecca reacted instantly, her right leg sliding forward in a swift, practiced movement. She grabbed the Gloomfang by the throat with both hands, spun, and hurled it over her shoulder. The dagger, already plunged into the creature's throat, remained embedded as it flew.

The remaining Gloomfangs attacked, but Rebecca had anticipated this. She threw her dagger into the ground. A burst of thick, white mist erupted from the point of impact, the dagger remaining firmly planted. The mist didn't shatter the dagger, but it spread rapidly, momentarily halting the Gloomfangs' advance. They began sniffing the air, clearly disoriented by the mist.

Rebecca attempted a stealth attack on one of the Gloomfangs, but it sensed her movement. She leaped, stabbing the creature in the neck. As she withdrew her dagger, preparing to strike the next, a shriek ripped through the mist. The sound was so intense that Rebecca instinctively covered her ears.

*Damn it,* she thought, the initial advantage fading into a growing sense of danger. *I made a really dumb mistake.* The shriek's intensity made her head spin, and she felt her balance falter.

Rebecca saw a Gloomfang about to attack, its body tense, its eyes squeezed shut, its head shaking from the lingering effects of the shriek. Then, a Pixel emerged from the mist.

Meanwhile, Tyler, still locked in a furious exchange of blows with the slime, heard the shriek. Distracted, he glanced back to see a thick patch of mist behind him.

*Mist in the middle of the day? And what was that shriek just now?* he thought, surprised.

The slime seized the opportunity, extending both arms to attack. Tyler reacted instantly, trapping both arms in his armpits, locking them in place. "That won't work," he said, pulling the slime closer. The slime let out a startled *kyuu*.

Just as Tyler was about to unleash a powerful punch, a leg-like appendage suddenly extended from the slime's abdomen, striking Tyler in the stomach. He skidded across the forest floor, clutching his abdomen in pain, groaning and coughing. "Come on," he gasped, "that's just cheating!"

He quickly rose to his feet. *I have to finish this fast and help Rebecca,* he thought. *But if I kill this monster, I'll be the one to level up, not her. But I would reach B-rank, and that's what I wanted, wasn't it? I wanted to see what kind of skill I'll get.*

Tyler charged at the slime, launching a powerful punch. The slime dodged to the right, Tyler's fist whistling past its head. Tyler followed up with a left hook, but the slime dodged again. He continued his assault, a flurry of blows, each one met with the slime's evasive maneuvers. Then, another limb extended from its abdomen, aiming for Tyler. This time, however, Tyler anticipated the attack. He grabbed the limb, his grip firm. "That trick won't work on me again," he said.

He spun, using the slime's own limb as leverage, his grip tightening. The slime let out a pained *kyuu* as it was pulled around in a dizzying circle. Tyler roared, putting all his strength into the maneuver, swinging the slime around and around. Then, with a mighty heave, he released his grip. The slime's body hurtled towards the mist where Rebecca stood, her hands still clamped over her ears.

The Pixel before Rebecca, having apparently abandoned its sonic pulse attack, charged. The shriek had ceased.

*Damn it, I need to regain my balance,* Rebecca thought, her ears ringing. *If I don't stand up, I'm screwed.* She struggled to her feet, but it was too late. The Pixel launched itself, its claws extended, aiming for her face. She raised her dagger to block, but before the claws could connect, a gelatinous blue mass slammed into the Pixel, sending both creatures sprawling to the forest floor.

The mist dissipated, revealing the source of the unexpected attack. Rebecca stared, utterly surprised. "Huh?" she muttered.

Tyler immediately ran to Rebecca's side. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rebecca replied, crouching to retrieve her bow. The silver Shinebow gleamed in her hands as she nocked an arrow, aiming it at the Gloomfang that lay seemingly unconscious on the forest floor—though it was clearly still alive.

"Oh shit!" Tyler muttered. "Do you see that?"

Rebecca loosed the arrow. It struck the Gloomfang in the head, killing it instantly. A small, final howl escaped its lips before it fell still.

Rebecca turned her attention to where Tyler was staring. To their astonishment, the slime was entangled with the Pixel. Slimy, root-like tendrils bound the creature, but the slime quickly engulfed the Pixel entirely. The Pixel struggled, attempting a shriek, but its cries were cut short as it was completely absorbed. In a rapid process, the Pixel's body dissolved within the slime, vanishing without a trace.

The slime then contorted itself into a spring-like form, launching upward before snapping back into its humanoid shape. Tyler's eyes widened. A system message appeared, revealing the slime's new level: `Level 84`.

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"That thing just leveled up," Tyler exclaimed.

Rebecca's arrowhead frosted over. She fired, but the slime effortlessly sidestepped the attack, the arrow passing harmlessly by its chest. With terrifying speed, it charged, its fist already launched.

Tyler charged at the slime, a fierce grin spreading across his face. *I really want to test my strength,* he thought, *I want to see what my level 77, 300+ strength is like without holding back. I'm going to use everything I have.* His eyes glowed a faint blue. A system message appeared: `Level 84 Mr. Slime has activated skill: Ultimate Bash.`

Tyler roared, activating his Charge skill, and launched his fist. Rebecca shouted, "What are you doing?!" as their fists collided. A powerful shockwave erupted from the impact, causing Rebecca's silver hair to whip backward. She had to shield her eyes. "This is crazy," she exclaimed, "So much strength!"

The slime's body visibly wobbled from the force of the blow, the shockwave traveling through its entire form. Tyler's punch had overpowered it. The slime was sent skidding backward.

*That kind of hurt,* Tyler muttered, already moving in for another attack. His speed was incredible, his eyes blazing with a piercing blue light. He launched a devastating blow directly into the slime's face. A thunderous boom echoed through the forest as the impact sent the slime sprawling. Without pausing, Tyler pursued his advantage, kicking the slime in the abdomen as it lay on the ground, sending it flying through the air.

Rebecca watched in disbelief. *What is he doing? He's going to kill it,* she thought. Tyler, his speed a blur, pursued the airborne slime, his fist cocked and ready. The slime crashed into a thicket of trees, the impact muffled by the dense foliage.

The slime quickly regained its footing, but Tyler was already there, his fist a blur of motion. The slime dodged, but Tyler's punch connected with a nearby tree instead. With a thunderous boom, the tree splintered and broke in half, crashing to the ground.

*He has so much strength,* Rebecca thought, *If he had hit that slime again, he might have killed it.*

Suddenly, the slime lost its humanoid form, collapsing into a long, snake-like shape. It slithered towards Rebecca with incredible speed. Before she could react, it coiled around her legs, then her body, its slimy form constricting her arms.

*Shit,* Rebecca thought, *So fast! I have to do something. If I don't, it's going to absorb me.*

Just as the slime began to tighten its grip, Tyler charged. Rebecca muttered, "Wait, what are you doing?"

Tyler launched a powerful punch, striking the head-like form the slime had created beside Rebecca's shoulder. The slime recoiled, its grip loosening, and it tumbled to the forest floor.

Rebecca shook herself, brushing off the slime. "Ah," she shuddered, "that was disgusting." She quickly retrieved her bow and arrow, firing a shot at the slime. The slime, however, flipped and avoided the arrow, which struck the ground, instantly freezing a patch of grass. The slime, now clearly agitated, began to reform, its gelatinous body shifting and reforming, preparing for another attack.

Tyler sighed, standing beside Rebecca. "All right," he said, "You can end this."

Rebecca looked at him, confused. "What? What do you mean?"

"I'm telling you to kill it," Tyler explained. "I just wanted to test if this thing could overpower me or not, but it seems it can't. I thought since it leveled up, its strength would be on par with mine, but it wasn't."

"So that time before it leveled up, you were holding back?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah," Tyler admitted. "I just wanted to see how it fights. I mean, weren't you curious as well? This is the first time I'm seeing a slime like this."

"I was, but... curiosity can get us killed, you know. You should kill something as long as you have the chance."

"Yeah, right," Tyler agreed.

The slime, now back in its stable humanoid form, let out a *kyuu* and charged. Rebecca raised her bow, but Tyler stopped her. "Don't waste your arrows," he said. He opened his palm. "Here, I want you to do something."

Rebecca looked at Tyler's outstretched hand. Something was materializing there—a Venom Bloom Fruit. Purple and oval, about the size of a mango, it shimmered into existence.

"A Venom Bloom Fruit?" Rebecca said, bewildered.

Tyler carefully handed her the fruit, being mindful of the potent liquid within. "Use this," he instructed, already charging towards the slime.

Rebecca repeated, "Use this?" She yelled at Tyler, "What do you want me to use it for? This thing is just poisonous. Do you want me to poison the slime?"

Tyler, without pausing, arrived before the slime and launched a powerful roundhouse kick, striking the slime directly in the jaw. The slime tumbled backward, effortlessly landing on its knees. "Come on," Tyler shouted, "Throw it at that thing!"

Rebecca hesitated. *Throw it at the slime? But why? Is it really going to affect it?*

The slime charged. Tyler met the attack head-on. The slime unleashed its Rapid Bashing Punches. Tyler dodged the first punch, then the second. He grabbed the third fist as it came, then caught the fourth. With a mighty heave, he smashed the slime's two captured fists together, forcing the palms to fuse. Then, with tremendous force, he threw the slime toward Rebecca.

Rebecca let out a sharp cry as she threw the Venom Bloom Fruit. The projectile struck the slime mid-air, embedding itself deep within its body. The slime, unable to react further, hurtled past Rebecca's head and crashed to the ground.

Tyler walked toward Rebecca, noticing the text box floating above her head: `Rebecca Sharp, Level 59`.

*Huh,* Tyler thought, *She must have leveled up after killing all those monsters. Level 59 now? That was fast. How many monsters did she kill exactly?*

Rebecca and Tyler exchanged surprised glances as the slime rose on all fours, its color now a pure, vibrant purple. It took a step forward, and Tyler's surprise deepened. Rebecca stepped back, drawing an arrow.

Before she could fire, the slime began to bubble. A purple gas, thick and pungent, emanated from its gelatinous surface. The odor was overpowering, forcing both Rebecca and Tyler to cover their noses.

"Oh man, that stinks," Tyler said, wrinkling his nose.

"What's happening to it?" Rebecca asked.

"While I was hunting one time," Tyler explained, "I figured out that these slimes have a huge weakness to the Venom Bloom Fruit. They react badly to it."

As the purple gas continued to emanate, the slime let out a long, pained *kyuu*, clutching its head with both hands. Its body began to distort, shifting into shapeless forms as if bound by invisible chains. Then, with a final, explosive burst, the slime disintegrated, its purple mass spreading across the ground—but far enough away from Rebecca and Tyler to avoid contact.

"Oh," Tyler said, "it died."

Tyler looked at Rebecca. She felt something she'd never experienced before—a strange stillness, a momentary cessation of her heartbeat, followed by a sharp pain in her chest. Then, an overwhelming sensation flooded her—not exactly energy, but something akin to it, yet far more intense. She looked up at the sky, her eyes glowing faintly white. A subtle aura, emanating from her feet, enveloped her completely, causing her hair to flow upwards.

Tyler took a step back, muttering, "Whoa... What's happening to her? Is she leveling up?"

Rebecca thought, *This feeling... it feels so familiar, yet so different. It feels... incredible. I can feel myself growing stronger. I can feel power growing inside of me.*

The glow in her eyes faded, her hair returning to its normal position. She clenched and unclenched her fist, a small smile playing on her lips. "I feel so much stronger," she said, "and slightly lighter for some reason."

Tyler was amazed. The text box above her head read: `Rebecca Sharp, Level 69`.

*Whoa,* he thought, *She's level 69? That means she leveled up ten times from killing that boss.* "Wow," he said aloud, "You've grown a lot stronger. You've leveled up ten times!"

Rebecca looked at Tyler, surprised. "Yeah, I've leveled up a lot. But how can you tell I've leveled up ten times?"

Tyler said. "Oh, I have something similar to the Uncover skill."

"You have a lot of skills," Rebecca commented. "Oh, and speaking of skills, I've gained some." She looked at her bow. "Actually, I've gained two. I gained another skill just now, and I gained one earlier when you gave me the bow. I don't even know how it happened. It just randomly happened, but that doesn't usually happen. It happens when you level up into another rank or when you become a rank plus."

Tyler scratched his cheek. "Well, it's kind of complicated, but it's because of me."

Rebecca tilted her head, confused. "Because of you?"

"Yeah," Tyler said, starting to walk away.

"I don't understand," Rebecca called after him.

"I'll explain," Tyler replied, reaching the spot where the slime had exploded. His eyes sparkled as he spotted a silver orb. A system message appeared above it: `Extract`.

*It's a Mr. Slime Core,* Tyler thought. *I could actually craft more materials with this. I wonder when it's going to pop up on the recipes.*

He turned back to Rebecca. "Okay, listen," he said, picking up the core (roughly the size of a tennis ball) and storing it in his inventory. "Some of my weapons can grant skills, just like the skill you have—Daylight Arrow."

Rebecca frowned. "So you even know the skill's name? But how is that possible? Weapons can't have skills, I mean, they can have effects, right? And those are high-level weapons taken from very high-grade monsters."

Tyler sighed. "Would you believe me if I told you that I'm actually just a craftsman? Well, not just, but my class is actually Crafting."

Rebecca shook her head immediately. "No, I wouldn't."

"Well, okay then," Tyler said. "Anyways, you got that skill because of that bow you have there. If you want me to prove it, then let me." He muttered under his breath, "Okay, System, I revoke permission for the non-user to use the skill."

A system panel appeared: `Permission revoked.`

Rebecca stared, dumbfounded. The information about the Daylight Arrow skill vanished from her mind. She'd never used a light-based attack before, yet the ability was gone. *This is impossible,* she thought. "This is impossible," she muttered aloud. "How can you even do that?"

Tyler shrugged. "As I told you, I'm kind of a craftsman. Or at least, outside of hunting, I am. I actually created that bow myself."

Rebecca was silent, lost in thought. *This person... why do I feel like there's no lie in his words? Now that I think about it, I don't even know about his background at all, and he knows about mine. I don't know where he comes from, what he does outside of hunting. Is he really a craftsman? Because if he created this, then...* She looked at her bow.

Tyler interrupted her thoughts. "Alright, now let's go to where you killed those monsters. After all, we need the materials."

As Tyler passed Rebecca, she quickly spun, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Wait a minute," she said, "You haven't told me exactly how you took away my skill just now."

Tyler stopped. "As I told you before, it's not *your* skill. I gave you permission to use it. Listen, if I craft something, it can have skills, and I can use those skills. Or, if I give someone that weapon, they can use the skill as well. But *I* decide whether they can use it or not." He paused, then said, "Grant permission."

Instantly, Rebecca's mind flooded with information, the ability to use the Daylight Arrow skill restored. She was speechless, awestruck yet deeply unsettled. It felt incredible, yet somehow wrong. "How are you able to do that?" she finally managed to ask.

Tyler sighed. "I thought I already explained it," he said, continuing to walk away. Rebecca removed her hand from his shoulder.

Tyler reached the spot where Rebecca had slain the Gloomfangs and Pixels. He said, "Extract," and the monsters' materials—Gloomfang Hides and Pixel Feathers—vanished into his inventory.

"Where did you kill the Hexhorns?" he asked.

Rebecca thought, *Right, he also has that skill where he can easily get materials without spending time removing them.* "Let's just go back to where we were," she said. "I'm sure we'll find them there."

Ian stood amidst four dead Hexhorns. All appeared to have been killed by arrows, with one showing signs of a frost-based attack. He looked around thoughtfully. *So an archer-type hunter killed them,* he mused. *I wonder why they didn't take the materials.*

He muttered to himself, *The monsters must have just charged in when they saw the hunter. A hunter wouldn't naturally carry materials from monsters they weren't assigned to kill in a quest—that would be a burden, and they might not even be that high level.*

As Ian observed the scene, his Fighter's Instinct skill activated. He sensed an approaching presence. Looking up sharply, he muttered, "People are coming." He quickly moved from the clearing, concealing himself in the nearby bushes.

*This aura feels extremely familiar,* he thought. *When I met that Assassin Hunter earlier, I activated my skill and savored his aura so I could remember it. It's definitely him. But there's another one... another one that feels kind of familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.*