A Breakthrough

One stone after another, Saad tirelessly practiced his throws. His determination was unwavering, and each stone he released consumed a point of stamina. He knew that this relentless effort was the key to honing his skills.

As the hours passed, Saad could feel himself learning to use the proper strength, and his aim became more accurate with each stone released. He felt his muscles adapting to the repetitive motion, and his mind was entirely focused on the task at hand. This was a battle of patience and perseverance. Every other thought had left his mind, even anger and frustration. He had accepted the fact that there was no other way to gain proficiency, and so he decided to go all out and see it through to the end. It was a blessing that he was able to see his proficiency increasing bit by bit. However, that's when an unexpected message window appeared.

[You have maintained extreme focus for 3 hours.]

[Congratulations! You have gained a new effective stat.]

[Focus]

Increased the chance of critical hits and perfect aim by 5% for every 1 focus point.

Saad was shocked. He didn't think that he would be able to gain focus like that. Strangely enough, as he gained focus, he felt like his movements were lighter, and it became slightly easier to aim.

Saad's efforts were not in vain. As he continued his throws and made more and more slingshots, his proficiency increased little by little. He noticed that after every three throws, a message would appear, indicating an increase in his throwing mastery.

[Your throwing mastery has increased.]

The small victories fueled his determination. Saad kept pushing himself, throwing, retrieving, and throwing again. His body fell into a rhythm, and he could feel himself improving with each throw.

His dexterity stat increased by 2, and he could sense his physical damage had increased by 3.6. But the most significant moment came when he least expected it, after four hours of relentless practice.

[Congratulations. You have gained a new skill, [Throwing Mastery – Apprentice].]

[Throwing Mastery - Apprentice]

Proficiency: 0/800

Rank: Common

Description: Throwing mastery grants a 35% increase in throwing accuracy and a 40% increase in throwing distance.

-Effects-

Throwing Accuracy: +35%

Throwing Distance: +40%

Quick Draw: Reduces preparation time for a throw by 35%

Precision Aim: +30% critical hit chance when throwing objects.

Aerial Precision: Reduces penalty for throwing at moving or airborne targets by 40%

Rapid Reload: Reduces reloading or retrieval time by 35%

Saad couldn't help but grin as he read the description. The skill had progressed from Novice to Apprentice, significantly improving his throwing capabilities. It was a testament to his determination and hard work.

With his newly acquired skill, Saad felt a surge of confidence. His throwing accuracy and distance had received a substantial boost, making him more effective in capturing the fiery flies. The bonuses such as Quick Draw and Precision Aim would undoubtedly prove invaluable in combat situations as well.

However, Saad's mind was still fixated on the fiery flies and the need for a more efficient method to capture them. He realized that relying solely on throwing stones, even with his improved skills, might not be the most effective approach. The slingshot he had created was still far from reliable, and he needed to increase his crafting mastery to at least the apprentice level. Since he had achieved his one goal, this time Saad only focused on making slingshots. As he continued making them, this time not stopping to practice throwing, he grew better at crafting them.

[Your dexterity has increased by 0.2]

[Your focus has increased by 0.3]

By this time, the sun was close to setting, and Saad felt a little glum. To think a whole day here had almost passed, and all he did was get the water. But there was no time to mope around, so he continued, and finally, his crafting mastery increased as well. Saad fell on his back, having been bored so much by the repetitive task.

[Congratulations. You have gained a new skill [Crafting Mastery – Apprentice].]

[Crafting Mastery - Apprentice]

Proficiency: 0/500

Rank: Common

Description: Crafting Mastery is a passive skill that enhances your crafting abilities, allowing you to create items with greater efficiency and quality.

Crafting Speed: Increases crafting speed by 40%.

Resource Efficiency: Reduces the amount of resources consumed during crafting by 30%.

Critical Success Chance: Increases the chance of achieving a critical success while crafting by 15%. Critical successes result in higher-quality items or additional bonuses.

Saad's newfound skills had invigorated him, and he was eager to apply them in crafting a more reliable slingshot for capturing the fiery flies. With a sense of purpose, he stood up and decided to explore the forest further in search of better materials. The trees around him rustled with the gentle breeze, and the chorus of birds provided a soothing backdrop. He had given up on trying to complete this quest immediately. He realized now that the quest looked easy but it was kind of like a hidden trap. At least he got the water easily.

As he ventured deeper into the woods, Saad's eyes scanned the surroundings for signs of branches that would be sturdier and more suitable for crafting. He remembered the branches that he had found earlier, but now he sought something even better.

It didn't take long for his diligent search to bear fruit. Among the towering trees, he stumbled upon one with branches that appeared notably sturdier and more promising. They were not only thick but also had a certain flexibility to them that hinted at their suitability for crafting.

Saad reached up and snapped off one of the branches. As he inspected it more closely, he noticed something intriguing. There were faintly glowing spots along the branch, as if the system itself was offering subtle hints on where and how to tie the elastic vines. A sense of excitement coursed through him; these glowing spots were like the best gift he could ask for right now, guiding him in his crafting endeavor. But it did make him think that perhaps this was a hidden effect of getting to second level of crafting mastery.

With the sturdier branch in hand and the knowledge he had gained from his previous attempts, Saad set to work on crafting a new slingshot. He meticulously tied the elastic vines to the glowing spots, following the hints provided by perhaps the higher mastery level. The process flowed smoothly, as if the 'nature' itself was assisting him.

When he finished, Saad couldn't help but admire his creation. It was a slingshot of superior quality compared to his earlier attempts. The vines were securely fastened, and the branch was resilient and balanced. He could feel the potential power coursing through it.

[Basic Slingshot]

Description: A well-crafted slingshot suitable for precise projectile attacks.

Durability: 40/40

Rank: Normal

Type: Ranged Weapon

-Effects-

Damage: 15-19

Distance: 35 meters

With a proud smile, Saad tested the slingshot by launching a stone at a nearby tree. The stone struck its target with satisfying force, confirming the effectiveness of his creation. It was a moment of accomplishment, and he felt a surge of happiness.

As if recognizing his achievement, a message window appeared before him.

[Achievement Unlocked: Novice Craftsman]

[Novice Craftsman]

Description: You've crafted your first functional weapon. This achievement highlights your budding craftsmanship skills.

Reward: 20 Experience Points

New Crafting Recipe Unlocked: Basic Bow

New Crafting Recipe Unlocked: Basic Slingshot

Saad's heart soared with happiness as he absorbed the achievement's reward. It was a moment of triumph, and the experience points were a welcomed bonus. However, what truly excited him was the new crafting recipe he had unlocked.

Eager to learn, he withdrew the radiance orb from his inventory since it was getting slightly darker because of being in the woods. It radiated a soft, ethereal light as he focused on it. The or Next he took out both of the construction manuals for the weapons and pressed learn on the bottom half, this part at least was exactly like games. There seemed to be an option for auto manufacturing too and Saad couldn't be happier and Saad quickly absorbed the learning method they contained.

[Method for making basic bow has been learned. It has been added to the knowledge of Crafting. Please open it to see the manual.]

What was surprising that, he could feel the familiar tingle and suddenly, his mind was flooded with information. Now He knew not only the exact materials required to craft a basic bow but also an auto-construction method. It was a revelation, and Saad marveled at how different having a recipe made the crafting process. It provided clarity and precision, ensuring he wouldn't waste resources on trial and error. Though he wasn't sure that even with automatic construction every weapon would be of same quality.

Next was the second manual—a recipe for making a sling shot. Saad quickly pressed learn and soon the earlier process repeated itself. And he could see the same message from earlier once again.

[Method for making basic bow has been learned. It has been added to the knowledge of Crafting. Please open it to see the manual.]

Saad couldn't have been happier. With his new slingshot and the knowledge of crafting a basic bow, he felt more prepared than ever to finally start working on gathering the big haul of Fiery fly essence.