THE SKILL TREE

Rave stood in front of the huge sand wall, its rough surface rising high above him. At first glance, it seemed solid, but he knew its secret. This wall had built up for many years, layer by layer, as the sand covered the old and crumbling maze behind it. The fallen structure was buried under the weight of time, hidden behind this tricky wall.

"It's just sand," Rave said quietly, narrowing his eyes. "Packed tight, but still just sand." He understood that the wall was strong only because it had settled over ages, hardening under the pressure of so many layers. But it was still weak—one good hit could make it collapse.

He looked at the base of the wall. The sand there was looser, uneven, and crumbly. It seemed weak, like even a small disturbance could make it fall. An idea sparked in his mind, making his heart race. "If I dig right there... I might be able to bury them alive," he whispered, filled with determination.

His gaze turned to the maze behind the wall. The rats were living in the fallen ruins, swarming in the dark. Now, they were just decaying tunnels, choked with sand.

"If this wall falls, the whole maze might collapse on them," Rave thought, a wicked grin spreading on his face. It was risky, but he had no other choice. There was no way he could fight all those creatures head-on.

Without wasting time, he began digging at the lower corner of the wall, right above where the rats were packed the most. The sand was dry and loose, crumbling easily under his hands. He could almost feel the weight above shifting as he worked.

While digging his mind flashed back to the first time he saw those creatures. Fear had blinded him, but now he remembered something important—their stats. He quickly opened the status panel and there was the stat panel of those rats saved perfectly:

[Metal Claw Rats]

Level: Lesser Beast

Attack: 10

Defense: 5

Speed: 11

Skills:

Metal Shot: Using ther metal claws, they can shread any defences into pieces and killing the Lesser beasts.

Their attack and speed stats were super strong. Strong and fast. No wonder he had felt so helpless. Rave's expression hardened as he pulled up his own status panel:

[Name: Rave Arnet]

Age: 18

Level: Body Adapting Stage – Blood Purification [20%]

Attack: 9

Defense: 9

Speed: 13

[Skills:]

Swift Steps - Tier 1

Vital Surge - Tier 1

His stats were nowhere near enough to fight them head-on. But he didn't need to fight fair—he just needed to be smart. And this wall was the perfect weapon. If he could make it fall, the sand would crush the rats and the ancient labyrinth below.

A system prompt flashed before his eyes:

[New Quest Available]

Objective: Defeat the Metal Claw Rats and Claim the Treasure.

Rave's heart raced with excitement. "This might actually work... I could take them all out at once." His fingers moved quickly, scooping up sand and making the hole bigger. Each handful he removed made the wall above shake a little more.

The growls and screeches of the rats echoed from the maze, totally clueless about the trap being set for them. Rave's grin got bigger as he kept digging. "Just a few more holes... then you're done for."

Sand kept falling, the old wall shaking slightly as its base weakened. Rave's muscles ached, and he was breathing fast. But he couldn't stop now. Victory was so close.

Six hours passed—no food, no water. Rave was totally worn out. His muscles ached, and his hands were sore, but he kept digging.

Only his Vital Surge skill was keeping him from collapsing. He couldn't stop now. Just one more hole, and the ancient sand wall would come crashing down, burying the rats beneath it.

He felt a rush of excitement. Just a little more, and a few solid punches would break the wall. Those rats wouldn't know what hit them.

Then, he heard a cracking noise above. His heart raced. Sand started to trickle down from the ceiling. "No... not now..."

Panic surged through him. He turned and tried to climb out, but the sand beneath him gave way. Before he knew it, he was falling.

He splashed into cold, filthy water, the impact knocking the breath out of him. The smell was awful—rotten and sour. He felt like he might throw up. "Ugh... What is this?" he gasped, struggling to get out of the gross water. His clothes were drenched, and the stench clung to him.

Just as he managed to pull himself out, a deep growl echoed behind him. His heart stopped.

He slowly turned and saw a pair of glowing red eyes in the dark, glaring at him with rage. It was one of the giant rats, even bigger than the others. Its muscles were massive, and its sharp claws scraped against the stone floor as it moved closer.

Rave felt a chill run down his spine. "Ha haaa. Guys! I am just here for sight seeing. I think you don't mind me." but before he completed a rat lunged at him, it's claws ready to shred him.

Without thinking, Rave turned and sprinted as fast as he could, splashing through the filthy water. The sound of claws was right behind him, getting closer and closer.

His heart raced, and he gasped for air. "What did I do to you?!" he yelled, panic creeping into his voice. But the rat just growled louder, its fury echoing through the dark tunnels.

Rave didn't dare look back. He just ran, trying to stay ahead of the beast chasing him.