After he absorbed the crystals using fate points, Nikolai’s body was reborn overnight. From his sickly and thin appearance, he became full of vigor after being evolved using the crystals.

[Vitality: 13]

[Strength: 18]

[Agility: 14]

[Intelligence: 15]

[Mana: 2]

Three green crystals for Strength, two blue crystals for Agility, two red crystals for Vitality, two purple crystals for Intelligence, and the Mana crystal he used during the fight resulted in these stats. For him to gain such growth in a short time, he had to use 18 Fate Points in one go.

This concept was absurd, even to him. Getting 2 Points from one crystal would make someone cry in joy. After all, a 70% chance was the commonly obtained outcome. As for the 25% for the 2-Points, it was considered to be extremely lucky.

Yet, Nikolai was able to double his evolution speed by manipulating his luck. If such a notion came out to the world, he would be hunted down and used for assimilating power.

The Bloodline Crystal he had was still lying there with its 2% probability, waiting for Nikolai to gather the necessary points for it.

Even then, Nikolai was hesitant about abandoning his humanity. He had no attachment to the race itself nor did he hold a noble cause to remain a human, it was the unknown that scared him. What if it was a bloodline with limitations?

These questions went unanswered as Saturday morning arrived. It was time for Nikolai to hunt before the midterms arrived. He was thrilled by the concept of overtaking everyone who mocked him before.

He also needed to gather some materials that are used as an anti-magic agent. Before his one-week period ends, Nikolai wanted to either weaken the curse or eliminate it.

‘There was a potion that they taught me in the army that temporarily weakens Truth Curses, a way to infiltrate as spies. Maybe it can weaken this curse. If I can enchant it too, there’s a strong possibility of removing it.’

Nikolai thought to himself as he left the academy Saturday morning. Julian didn’t come after him just yet, he was probably waiting for the practical exam to strike.

That was probably what Valkyrie warned him about. If Nikolai remembered correctly, Julian trapped him inside a cave in this last practical exam. Nikolai starved for a day before he was found.

After one lifetime, Nikolai stopped wondering why this guy was after him. He had to accept that sometimes, people were simply evil.

He made sure that no one was following him before he left through the Ruins Gate. The Ruins, sitting directly opposite to the Alm Forest, was another hunting ground called The Ruins. Their name was forgotten long ago and they were called Rohan Ruins.

Torn apart ancient buildings where the undead roamed. It was believed that the undead were the inhibitors of this place before a calamity struck them.

Nikolai knew that there was a special kind of skeleton that can resist magic attacks. Thus, its bones could be grinned to be used as an anti-magic agent. This undead was a powerful foe for mages and wizards.

However, this monster was vulnerable to physical attacks. It usually led a group of undead that worked to protect it against physical attacks. It would then launch a series of ranged magical attacks, unique to each individual undead.

Nikolai gripped his gun tighter as he waited in line to leave the city. The weight made him reassured of his ability to pull this off. The undead was said to have a higher rate of dropping Mana Crystals, something he desperately needed.

As his turn arrived, Nikolai showed his Hunter’s ID, the one he got from Union, and he was allowed to exit. Beyond the gates wasn’t a camp like the Alm Forest, but a marketplace.

It might be weird to have a marketplace outside the city, but it was a necessity for hunting the undead. The undead bones and flesh would lose all magical properties unless turned into a potion or an artifact that would preserve its value.

As he walked through the marketplace, Nikolai took note of the places that would become a brand name later on. They were good spots for processing the items he’s going to be taking back.

Unlike the hunt of last week, Nikolai was almost twice as strong as he was. A 100% increase in his stats was like the difference between day and light. He was able to see farther, run faster, and strike stronger. Not to mention his Vitality and Mana, which were both crucial.

He took out his gun and went straight toward the Ancient Trail that linked the marketplace to Rohan Ruins. As soon as he stepped on it, the atmosphere changed and he was surrounded by deathly miasma.

The trail was long, but not that deadly. Many Hunters walked in parties, looking for their next treasure hidden in the Ruins.

Hunters glanced his way with disapproval. There were only two people that would hunt in the Ruins alone: suicidal ones and Scraps Hunters. This term referred to people who tried to look for Scraps rather than hunting the actual monsters, a class that was looked down upon by the rest of the kingdom.

The honor of protecting humanity ran deep in the heart of every hunter, making them feel good about themselves. Nikolai knew that this was only a delusional idea since most of these people would sacrifice others for survival or power.

The outlines of the Ruins started appeared after half an hour of walking. The miasma prevented other monsters from approaching the trail, making it a good resting point for Hunters.

Centuries-old decrepit buildings were now the playground for countless undead. The rest of the Ruins have been flatted either by humans or natural causes, leaving only a husk of this place’s former glory.

The Ancient Trail ends at the beginning of the ruins and each group chose a different path. These people were veterans, knowing the rank of each monster and where to find them. This would minimize the risk and maximize the rewards.

Nikolai took a separate path from the rest. He went directly to a low-ranking ground, a place that used to be the chapel grounds before it turned into an undead dwelling. Due to the properties of the ground they inhibited being filled with divinity, the undead here were weaker than the others.