Chapter 8: Into the Assassin’s Mind

Luke frowned. It was the first time the system had ever given him a choice. Not random, not automatic—deliberate. A chill ran down his spine. Too many coincidences. He had reached level five exactly with the last monster on this floor, as if the entire place had been built to give him just enough experience. He chose not to dwell on it. Took a deep breath. The screen shifted. Five skills appeared in a clean vertical list. He began reading.

[Silent Step (Common)]: Drastically reduces the sound of your footsteps for one minute, allowing for undetected approach.

Luke raised an eyebrow. It was excellent. It aligned perfectly with the kind of mission he was about to undertake. Not offensive, but he didn’t need offensive right now. His only job was to enter… and leave. Without being seen. Still, it was easy to see how the skill reflected the core of what it meant to be an assassin: to approach in silence, to strike from the dark, to vanish.

[Sharp Eye (Common)]: The Assassin hones an acute sense of perception, able to identify vulnerable points on an enemy’s body. With brief focus, detects small weaknesses, like poor guard placement or muscular tension.

Very good. Useful in battle. No doubt.

Knowing an enemy’s weak points could mean survival in a real fight. But Luke doubted he’d ever get the chance to wound the boss. If that creature woke up… there’d be no fight. Just death. He set the second one aside. The first was still leading.

[Perfect Throw (Common)]: The Assassin channels focus before throwing a blade, adjusting angle and strength to maximize penetration. The blade flies with surgical precision, dealing bonus damage when striking vital areas.

Offensive. Clearly. The third skill was built for one thing: impact. Luke studied the first three and instinctively categorized them: Stealth, Analysis and Power.

He even theorized they might each scale with different stats: agility for the first, perception for the second, strength for the third. But he let those thoughts go. Time to read the fourth.

[Basic Chameleon Skin (Uncommon)]: Grants light camouflage while moving slowly or remaining still in shadows. Enemies will have difficulty detecting you.

Luke’s eyes widened. A camouflage skill?

He almost picked it immediately but as Luke reread the description something clicked. It wasn’t invisibility. It was a temporary light camouflage. He didn’t know exactly how it would work when activated, whether it would mask his clothes or just his skin. It sounded useful. Definitely. Especially for stealing the key. But the boss was asleep. If its eyes were closed then camouflage might not matter at all.

Analyzing the situation Luke realized that stealth wasn’t enough. He needed a contingency. If the demon woke up he had no doubt the camo would be worthless. That made him reconsider everything.

Even Silent Step. It had seemed like the safest choice but now with his assassin instincts sharpened and his body trained like a panther he could already move in near silence. Barefoot. Controlled. He didn’t need a skill to walk like a ghost anymore.

So he dismissed the first ability and then discarded the camo as well. Neither could help him if the creature opened its eyes. Which meant everything now depended on the final option. He hovered over it and read the description.

[Assassin’s Dash (Uncommon)]: The Assassin launches forward in a lightning-quick burst, covering a short distance in an instant. Can be used to close in on a target for a swift, lethal strike or to escape imminent danger.

Luke’s mind sharpened like a blade. This wasn’t just instinct—it was calculation.

If the boss wakes up, this is my escape.

He imagined it: smoke bomb, key in hand, dash, gone. He could even use it to reach the chest if the demon stirred. It would be a single window, a sliver of time. The other skills no longer mattered. This one could save his life—now and again in the future. His instincts agreed. His logic did too. He chose.

[You have acquired the Class Skill: Assassin’s Dash]

***

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