I stood motionless in the grove for a moment, letting my eyes readjust to the daylight. The contrast with the gloom of the Goblin Cave was striking. The fresh campus air, carrying the distant scents of cut grass and cafeteria coffee, was a welcome relief after the confined, foul-smelling atmosphere of the dungeon.

  Level 3. A new wave of notifications had flooded my interface, and I took a moment to process them. One hundred XP at once for the quest was a nice reward. Combined with the 75 XP from the goblins, I had easily surpassed the threshold for the next level. My total XP was now 75/300 for Level 4. Progression seemed to be accelerating, at least for now.

  The five extra attribute points were welcome. After my last encounter, I felt the need to withstand hits a bit better. I decided to invest:

  Vitality (VIT): +2 (for more HP and better resilience)

  Agility (AGI): +2 (for dodging and attack speed, crucial with a dagger)

  Strength (STR): +1 (to slightly increase my base damage)

  My maximum HP was now 150 (VIT 15 x 10), and I already felt a bit sturdier. My current health bar was at 95/150 after the small natural regeneration post-combat and the end of the bandage effect (which had restored 20 HP). I was still far from being at full strength, but it was better.

  Next, the skill point. This was an important decision. I opened the skill tree, which was still very sparse. I had unlocked [Shadow Strike (Lvl. 1)] via the dagger. For now, my only options with this point were:

  Upgrade [Shadow Strike] to Level 2: Would increase shadow damage, chance of Blindness, or reduce MP cost.

  Unlock a basic passive skill: Like [Dagger Mastery (Basic)] (increases dagger damage by 5%) or [Enhanced Dodge (Basic)] (slight increase in dodge chance).

  Unlock [Shadow Camouflage (Basic)]: A skill I had seen listed in the dagger's capabilities, but which apparently required a skill point to be activated. Its description stated: "Allows you to blend into shadows, reducing enemy detection. Consumes MP over time."

  Camouflage tempted me greatly. Stealth could be a major advantage, especially if I was outnumbered or wanted to avoid a fight. But upgrading [Shadow Strike] or taking a passive damage skill was also appealing.

  Finally, I chose [Shadow Camouflage (Basic)]. The versatility it offered seemed more valuable at this stage. I could always upgrade my other skills later. A new icon appeared in my list of active skills.

  And finally, the material reward: the [Crude Leather Gloves (Uncommon)]. I opened my inventory and examined the item.

  NAME: Crude Leather Gloves (Uncommon)

  TYPE: Hands (Light Armor)

  DEFENSE: +3

  BONUS STATS: +1 Agility

  DURABILITY: 75/75

  DESCRIPTION: Simple but sturdy gloves, made from hastily tanned leather. Offer minimal protection and improved grip.

  Not bad at all! Extra defense, even if minimal, and a point of agility. This was my first real piece of armor equipment. I equipped them immediately. A feeling of soft, fitted leather enveloped my hands. They weren't particularly stylish, but they made me look a little more... prepared.

  I checked my status. My Agility was now 16 (11 base + 2 points + 2 points + 1 glove). Every little bonus counted.

  The last notification, "Your understanding of the Game Nexus has slightly increased," was intriguing. What did that mean concretely? I didn't see any immediate changes in my interface or abilities. Perhaps it would unlock new System features later, or give me access to more detailed information. It was one more mystery to add to the list.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  I glanced at the Gate. Its icon on my mini-map had turned gray and the inscription read [Low-Level Gate (Closed)]. The distortion in the air had completely disappeared. The portal to the Howling Goblin Cave no longer existed. It was a good thing to know they weren't permanent. This theoretically limited the risk of a continuous invasion from a single point.

  Now, what to do? I was tired, sore, and still needed to recover HP. Going back to my room to rest seemed the best option. I also needed to think about how to approach Seo-jin.

  As I left the grove, more confident this time, I crossed paths with a group of students heading towards the science building. One of them, a tall, thin guy with glasses, stopped abruptly and sniffed the air.

  "Do you smell that?" he said to his friends. "It smells weird... like wet dog and... rusty metal?"

  His friends shrugged, looking puzzled. "You're rambling, Jae-hyung. Did you spend the night in the lab again?"

  Jae-hyung shook his head, still sniffing. "No, seriously. There's a strange smell around here."

  My blood ran cold. The smell of goblins? Or of the Gate? Could some non-Awakened perceive subtle clues of these phenomena without understanding what they were? I quickened my pace, not wanting to attract attention. It was a reminder that even if the immediate danger of the Gate had passed, its traces could linger.

  Back in my room, I collapsed onto my bed, exhausted but with a sense of accomplishment. I had explored a dungeon, fought monsters, gained levels and loot. It was like living in one of my favorite games, but with very real stakes and very tangible pain.

  I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my body recover. My HP bar slowly crept up, thanks to the natural regeneration of low-level characters, no doubt. Every point of Vitality helped.

  After a few minutes of rest, I felt a little better. It was time to take stock.

  I now had:

  Level 3.

  Slightly improved stats.

  Two active skills: [Shadow Strike (Lvl. 1)] and [Shadow Camouflage (Basic)].

  An artifact dagger that evolved with me.

  A pair of gloves offering a little protection.

  Six Gate Crystals. A colossal fortune, I was sure. (No.)

  It was modest, but it was a start. The question was: what next? Look for other Gates? Wait for the System to give me another quest? Try to find other Awakened?

  The idea of finding others like me was becoming more and more urgent. Facing this new world alone was a terrifying prospect. Even if the title of this implicit novel was "Level no solo game", for now, I was pretty damn solo.

  I thought of Han Yoo-ra, the student I had seen in the cafeteria. Her name and title displayed by the System were an anomaly. Should I try to approach her? Talk to her? What if she wasn't an Awakened? I would look like a lunatic.

  And Seo-jin. He had seen my interface. He deserved an explanation. Maybe he could help me, in some way. Even if he wasn't a "Player", having someone who knew, someone to talk to, would be an immense relief.

  My phone vibrated again. Another message from Seo-jin.

  "So, about that explanation? I'm starting to get seriously worried. You're not joining a weird cult or dealing illegal stuff, are you?"

  I smiled weakly. His concern was touching, even if it was completely off the mark.

  "Nothing like that," I replied. "It's just... stranger than you can imagine. Can we meet after your classes? I really need to talk to someone."

  He replied almost instantly. "Sure, man. My last class ends at 4 PM. Meet at the cafe near the East Gate?"

  "Perfect."

  I had a meeting. And a few hours to prepare myself to tell him the most unbelievable story of his life.

  In the meantime, maybe I could test my new camouflage skill. And see if I could find information about those "Gate Crystals". The System must have some kind of database or help function, right?

  I closed my eyes and focused: "System Help."

  A new window opened on my interface, smaller and simpler.

  [GAME NEXUS SYSTEM HELP - Access Level: Basic]

  [Available Sections:]

  [Beginner's FAQ]

  [Glossary of Common Terms]

  [Basic Tutorials (Combat, Skills, Inventory)]

  It was a start. I had a lot of reading to do.