Drake left the small clearing where the Forest Sprites had dissolved, heading towards the simple wooden signpost marking the path back to the tutorial settlement, a place optimistically named "Veridian Rise." His mind wasn't on the negligible copper coins now weighing down his virtual pouch, but on the number echoing in his thoughts: 64%.
"Sixty-four percent SCR. It works, thanks to [Eidetic Execution]. No more outright failures on [Basic Slash]. But the damage... 7 points? Against sprites? That's pathetic. Anything tougher will take an eternity."
He understood the power of his unique skill – consistency was king in a game demanding precise execution. But consistency at such a low level was merely reliable mediocrity. He needed better execution locked in, not just any execution.
Reaching Veridian Rise, a small collection of log buildings populated by a handful of equally basic-looking NPCs, he quickly located the next quest giver – an aproned woman standing near some herb gardens. A simple exclamation mark hovered above her head.
"Ah, Adventurer! Welcome!" Her dialogue popped up in a clean text box. "The wilds encroach ever closer. Could you perhaps gather 5 Sunpetal Blooms for my poultices? They grow just beyond the western path." << Quest Received: [Gathering Ingredients] - Collect [Sunpetal Bloom] 0/5. Reward: 100 EXP, 15 Copper Coins. >>
Drake accepted with a nod, already heading west. "Simple fetch quest. Good chance to practice that slash timing."
Just beyond the village perimeter, he spotted more tutorial mobs – not just Sprites, but a few lumbering, gelatinous-looking Slow Slimes (Level 1). He ignored the Sunpetal Blooms for now, bright yellow flowers easily visible nearby, and targeted a Slime.
He initiated [Basic Slash]. His arm moved, automatically replicating the 64% SCR motion. Clink. << Skill Success! SCR 64%! Damage Dealt: 7! >>
The Slime wobbled, its minimal HP bar barely dented. Drake didn't follow up immediately. He waited for the skill cooldown (a couple of seconds), his eyes fixed on his own virtual hands, anticipating the phantom line's appearance. He initiated the skill again, but this time, he consciously tried to adjust his swing arc, aiming for a smoother, more complete trace. Whoosh. He overcompensated.
<< Skill Failed! SCR 58% >>
"Damn it. Too much adjustment." He tried again, focusing purely on replicating the feeling of the original 64% hit, then adding just a hair more follow-through. The phantom line guide appeared, and he matched it slightly better. Thwack.
<< Skill Success! SCR 67%! Damage Dealt: 9! >>
"Better!" His talent immediately locked in the 67%; his next swing would automatically replicate it. He spent the next few minutes deliberately not killing the Slime efficiently. He circled it, initiating [Basic Slash] repeatedly, sometimes failing as he experimented, always working from the new 67% baseline. He was using the mob purely as a timing practice tool.
<< Defeated Slow Slime! EXP +10 >>
He moved to another Slime, continuing the focused, inefficient grind. Parry, riposte – those complex skills from KoG felt worlds away. Here, mastery started with perfecting the absolute basics. He ignored the Sunpetal Blooms glittering nearby. After another ten minutes dedicated solely to practicing the timing and pathing of [Basic Slash] against the weak mobs, trying to internalize the rhythm needed for a cleaner execution, he felt a subtle click. One swing felt different – faster, cleaner, perfectly aligned with the fleeting phantom guide.
<< Skill Success! SCR 70%! Damage Dealt: 11! >>
A distinct chime, slightly different from the usual interface sounds, pinged softly. << [Peak Performance Replication] active. Best recorded SCR for [Basic Slash] updated: 70%. >>
"Yes! 70 percent!" A small grin touched Drake's lips. He immediately used [Basic Slash] again. His body moved automatically, replicating the new 70% motion flawlessly. Thwack. << Skill Success! SCR 70%! Damage Dealt: 11! >>
The difference was noticeable. Still not amazing, but significantly better. Killing the remaining Slimes felt marginally faster now, each hit landing with that reliable 70% efficiency.
He quickly gathered the 5 Sunpetal Blooms (<< Quest Item Acquired: [Sunpetal Bloom] 5/5 >>) and returned to the village, turning in the quest to the aproned woman. << Quest Complete: [Gathering Ingredients]! Reward: 100 EXP, 15 Copper Coins! >>
He accepted the next simple task – delivering a message to the Guard Captain at the village entrance (<< Quest Received: [Urgent Missive] >>). As he walked, the accumulated experience points finally tipped the scale.
Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 2! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
Drake briefly opened his character sheet, allocating the points immediately – likely 1 into STR and 1 into END for survivability as a Warrior. The power increase was tiny, almost imperceptible, but the process felt validated.
"Level 2. Good. Focusing on SCR works. Grind the execution first, lock it with the talent, then reap the benefits of consistency. Efficiency comes from quality, not just reliability."
His path forward was clear. Master the basics, push the SCR, let Eidetic Execution handle the consistency. The real grind had begun. He delivered the missive to the Guard Captain, ready for the next task, already thinking about improving his defensive [Defend] skill next.