Chapter 41: Third Stage of Body Tempering!
[Rapid Fire: Each level increases firing speed by 30%]
Chen Fan's eyes lit up as he read the description, exhilaration surging through him. This trait couldn't have arrived at a better moment.
In his understanding, archery speed hinged on two factors:
Agility: Higher agility directly increased firing speed.
Skill Proficiency: Efficient arrow nocking and release techniques.
These elements combined to determine overall performance. The Rapid Fire trait clearly enhanced the latter.
"With my upgraded Basic Archery and restored stamina, let's test the improved triple shot," Chen Fan muttered, anticipation bubbling within him.
Twang!
Twang!
Twang!
Three thunderous releases shattered the night's silence, their echoes rolling across the landscape.
"Three seconds... just over three seconds!" Chen Fan gasped between labored breaths. Previously, firing three arrows with a 100-pound bow took five seconds under ideal conditions—six on worse days. Now, with Rapid Fire, he’d shaved it down to 3.5 seconds.
What seemed like mere milliseconds mattered profoundly. In combat, even a hair's breadth of delay could mean missing a lethal strike. Faster volleys also meant overwhelming more enemies during assaults—a tactical game-changer.
"And this is only level one. At higher levels?" Chen Fan inhaled sharply. "Two or even three shots per second?" Such feats bordered on mythical, yet in a world where apocalyptic Awakened existed, nothing was impossible.
Fatigue finally caught up as his adrenaline faded. "Time to rest," he decided, yawning. The training grounds lay deserted—even Uncle Zhang had retired.
Before leaving, he checked his status panel and grinned. Factoring in the Basic Archery boost, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility now averaged exactly 30 points.
His recent enhancement had raised his body refinement to level 6. Though two potential points short for the next upgrade, a bowl of meat porridge tomorrow would suffice. He’d save this reserve for emergencies.
The glowing + beside his realm taunted him. It had appeared after his last enhancement, initially sparking hopes of dual breakthroughs in a single day—until he noticed the 98% success rate. Failure meant random stat penalties, so he’d waited until his attribute average crossed 30.
"30.18. Perfect timing."
He tapped the prompt.
CRACK!
A resonant snap echoed in his mind as revitalizing energy flooded his veins, banishing exhaustion. Power thrummed through every fiber.
"Two breakthroughs in one day..." He exhaled, marveling. With 46 Constitution, five-shot volleys were feasible. Thirty-two Strength put a 200-pound bow within reach—trivializing the 100-pound he’d struggled with before. Only Agility and Spirit lagged slightly.
"The path to Flesh Refinement won’t be easy," he mused, gazing at the moon. "But today’s gains will make the Song Family Fort trip safer." Tomorrow’s hunt needed to be bountiful.
Dawn barely tinged the sky when beastly roars pierced the mist. The village stirred—hunters prepped gear, women cooked with fretful eyes. By first light, the team stood ready on the drawbridge.
A crowd gathered at the gates, chanting farewells:
"Stay sharp out there!"
"Return safely!"
Zhang Ren watched Chen Fan discreetly. With caution, the youth’s odds were good—though in this world, humans often proved deadlier than beasts.
"Show ’em what you’ve got, Fan!" Wang Ping whooped, triggering a chorus of cheers. Zhao Feng edged away, cringing.
Chen Fan waved, painfully aware of all eyes on him—including the black-haired girl at the crowd’s edge. She ducked her head, cheeks flushed.
Was she watching me? He shook off the thought. Romance could wait. The Third Layer was respectable, but hardly invincible.
As the team departed, Meng Yu peeked after them, heart racing. Please let them return unharmed.
"Out with it, kid." Bald Liu elbowed Chen Fan mischievously once they’d cleared the village. "You’ve got your eye on someone, eh? That long-haired girl?"
"Wha—?" Chen Fan blinked, feigning ignorance.
"Don’t play dumb! I saw you glancing her way!" Liu crowed. "Admit it!"
