Balt sat cross-legged on a boulder, one hand resting on his knee, the other holding the gem to his right eye. There was no sound in the cave, just the occasional drip of water hitting stone.

  He’d been that way for several minutes. To the Outliers’ credit, Riven didn’t rush him; instead, he patiently stood watch.

  Balt drew a slow breath, his voice dropping into something less joking and more serious than usual. “The Guide class has done its job. It’s time.”

  He closed his hand around the gem; it shattered easily with a soft crack. The surrounding air shifted, faint motes of light gathering around him. Here we go…

  A deep, clear chime echoed in his head, crystal clear and resonant. Suddenly, he was staring at the bottom of a thin tree-his Talent Tree, he recognized.

  Its trunk was made of intertwined streams of pure energy, each small branch a pathway of possibilities. Every “leaf” was a glyph, floating in place, glowing faintly, some sharp and new, others worn and faded.

  Where unchosen paths waited, the light was dim in this space. The only light came from the small tree directly in front of him. The whole structure breathed faintly, as if the tree itself were alive, watching him. Waiting.

  Balt rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing. “A skirmisher, huh? Sounds like someone who’s in the thick of it. He chuckled, a rough sound that echoed in this realm.

  “Force magic, though? That’s what my shields are made of. Guess the System expects me to build on what I am familiar with. Well… not a bad start. It could be fun.”

  Balt’s eyes had a sharp glint to them this time. Now this one… I could do something with. To be always on the move, never sticking around too long.

  He nodded slowly but then shook his head. "On the other side of the coin. I would never get a chance to sit still and assess the combat situation.

  I was never good in a straight-up fight, honestly. Sounds like I would always be on the attack. Like a damn dance with death. He flexed his fingers. Magic and weapons, huh?

  Versatility is the name of the game. Could be a hell of a ride.”

  Balt’s face twisted into a scowl the moment he read it. “Screw option three, what the hell, System?

  You want me to just stand there like a damn statue, taking hits like some idiot while monsters try to kill me?

  He shook his head, voice dripping with sarcasm. Are you sure this is based on my deeds? Because if it is, I want a second opinion. He jabbed a finger at the air as if he were poking an invisible enemy. Hard pass.”

  Option 3 faded into nothing in his mind, like mist come dawn. ”Okay, what option do I choose?” Balt glanced again at the shimmering classes before him reflected in his Talent Tree. Both of them were solid choices.

  Pathfinder promised familiar power. Outrider offered speed and versatility.

  He weighed the choices carefully in his mind. In the end, he just went with his gut.

  He placed his palm on his small tree, feeling the energy below his fingertips, and clicked, yes.

  System energy barreled into him and his tree. He felt his Anchor begin to expand on his wrist.

  He snapped back to himself as the Anchor grew several inches with new runes flaring to life.

  Balt raised his fist up into the air, letting himself savor an achievement he’d nearly given up on.

  It was the first time he had felt truly good about himself in years.

  The last bit of System energy faded, leaving a faint light in Balt’s Anchor. The new runes’ glow was fading. For a long moment, he just stared at it, the proof that he hadn’t wasted all those years grinding.

  He would have been dead by now if he had just taken it easy. Like so many of his friends had.

  His shoulders eased, the corner of his mouth twitching into something that wasn’t quite a smile, but close. “Huh, he muttered, flexing his fingers. Feels… right.

  He looked up at Riven, eyes sharper now, voice carrying a quiet satisfaction. Alright, almighty Outlier, he said, lowering his arm. Your turn."

  I smiled at the old man. “Get everything done that you needed to?”

  “I think so.” Balt’s voice was quiet but certain. Balt stood from the boulder he was sitting on and started the short walk over to me so they could switch positions.

  I settled into the spot Balt had just vacated, the worn boulder grounding him in the quiet cave.

  Around me were flecks of gem dust.

  I lifted my wrist, eyes catching the faint glow of my Anchor. The runes glowed softly. Taking a steady breath, I placed my palm over the glowing runes.

  The surrounding cave faded away, replaced by that familiar but still strange void—the space where the Talent Tree awaited.

  Branches of shimmering light and bright leaves grew from a huge blue trunk, casting a soft glow that felt both unfamiliar and intimate.

  The leaves moved as if blown by an unseen wind, waiting for him to choose his path.

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  The first thing I did was go to his stat sheet to put in my free stat point and I knew exactly where it was going.

  The Crawler Greaves gives me +5 Intelligence and +3 Agility, boosting those stats. It looks like my battle power had risen a little. Hell yeah.

  I went ahead and used my spare stat point for more intelligence. The last fight made it very clear; my mana pool was shit.

  The powerful talent Limit Breaker Armor drained mana too rapidly, leaving me weak afterward. I need greater staying power in a fight If I am to survive this Dungeon and save Alice and Liz.

  Okay, now that that was done, it was time to use my 2 Talent Points. I re-focused on the huge tree looking at my options as they appeared. There are still options left over from the last time I was here.

  A great option for sure. If it would not have been for the Limit Breaker Armor option last time. I probably would have selected this talent.

  I thought back to the fight with the Spinecrawler.

  This Talent sounded like a defensive buffer that didn’t just soak damage, but pushed back, an active deterrent, not just a passive shield.

  No control. That was my current problem with that Mana Ball Talent. Being able to maneuver the sphere with precision and not having to be worried about it blowing up in my face is a win.

  If this upgrade lets me stay on my feet longer, keeps my mana from running too quickly, and makes enemies think twice about getting close... then it’s worth it.

  "Okay, don't get ahead of yourself. Let’s view the other options on offer."

  Now this… this was the one.

  I knew from experience that mobility kept you alive. Armor could crack, shields could shatter, but if you weren’t there when the hit landed, it didn’t matter. A clean step to the side at the right moment could be devastating.

  Hell, if had had this skill, I could have moved out of the Spinecrawlers’ incoming leg with just a step and a thought.

  Quick Step wasn’t just a skill; it was a game changer.

  I knew I was going to pick option 2, and my initial plan was to use one of the other points just to upgrade Ashbourne again.

  But this option had dropped into my lap. Making me sigh with frustration. I wanted to pick option 1 and 2 now.

  Limit Slash…

  The talent didn’t need mana; it had zero cooldown as well. It was almost as good as his ultimate Talent Limit Breaker Slash. It was just a pure melee heavy strike.

  But combined with quick step it would make a devastating combo.

  Just reading the description, I felt the move’s raw power. It wasn’t just hitting harder; it was hitting beyond what should be possible for your level.

  I was beginning to understand my class.

  A lot of overpowered moves, but the trade-off was a glass cannon.

  I could now put out massive damage for my level quickly. But if I didn’t add some stats or gear to my build. I could easily be overwhelmed in a prolonged battle.

  But hell, that’s the Ranger way, isn’t it? Live on the edge, burn hotter than the rest, and assault your enemy with superior firepower and tactics.

  Trust yourself that you can hold it together long enough to finish the fight.

  “Okay, sorry mana ball. Sorry Ashbourne. I’ll take care of you guys as soon as I can."

  I moved my palm to the tree. I choose option 2 and 3.” My talent points left me, and I felt the knowledge of the two new talents come into my mind and body.

  The world tilted for half a heartbeat, and I found myself back in the cave. System energy settled into me. My anchor was glowing bright with runes.

  My muscles tightened, tendons flexed, and something deep in my core thrummed with power. Quick Step settled into my body first, like it had always been there — a coiled spring just waiting for release.

  Limit Slash, though … that was different. It burned, a molten weight running from my shoulders down to my fingertips, hardening and flexing my bones and muscles at the same time.

  It hurt like hell. But I didn’t scream. I just held on and bore it. Soon the pain was gone, and all that was left was the power.

  My eyes flicked to Balt, who was watching the cave entrance. A faint shimmer passed over his vision, like heat rising off asphalt. I could almost see the path to him — the way to slip through the ether in a blink.

  The Anchor chimed twice, then went still. No applause. No congratulations. Just quiet and the soft rustle of wind through the cave.

  Alright. Flexing my hand and stretching my legs. Let’s put these to work.”

  Balt turned his direction. “You already done.”

  I activated Quick Step, and everything around me seemed to slow down as I sped forward. I felt myself move forward, and before I knew what had happened, I was sitting next to Balt.

  The old man cried out in panic and threw up a force-field between them. Falling over as he did so.

  “Got ya."

  Balt scrambled back to his feet, muttering under his breath as he brushed dust off his robe. The shield flickered and dropped, but his glare stayed locked on me.

  “By the Stone, boy, you ever pull that on me again and you will need a new guide because my heart will give out.”

  I just grinned back at him. “Quick Step works.”

  Balt snorted. “I would say so. Works damn well. One second you were over there on the boulder. The next you were beside me.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched as if he was fighting a smile. I changed my mind this quest might not be so bad after all.”

  Up the gorge, hidden from human eyes, two shapes slipped from the cracks. Their pale hides rippled over wiry muscles, stark against the trees and underbrush. Jagged ridges lined their spines, catching the fading light.

  They moved low and quiet. Only the soft click of razor-sharp talons betrayed their passage. The creatures’ eyes were burning with that unnatural hunger.

  They’d felt it, the surge of System energy earlier. There were players in their territory. They would eat well tonight.