On another moonlit night, Alan embarked on his relentless hunt, determined to make the most of the dwindling time left in the second round. However, after several hours of scouring the city, he only managed to come across two solitary Elite SS soldiers. The task of finding them had undeniably become more challenging, with most Elite SS members now part of larger patrols.
With just two days remaining until the second round's conclusion, Alan knew he had to go all out. His objective was twofold: not only did he need to locate the elusive third note, but he also aimed to accumulate as much XP as possible. His determination was further fueled by the acquisition of his latest uncommon item drop from an Elite SS soldier.
[Third Reich Sword]
[Type: Sword Weapon]
[Rarity: Uncommon]
[Attributes: Damage 36-44]
[Effects: Speed increase 15%]
[Equipment Rating: 25]
[Able to Bring Outside the Game: No]
[Remarks: The Empire's officer sword]
Finally, in possession of a decent sword, Alan had made up his mind about how to spend his remaining D-rank reward. Before taking any action, he opened his Gamelink to review his current stats.
[Alan D Angello, Male, 27 years]
[Level 27: 58750/60000]
[Health points: 280/280]
[Spirit points: 70]
[Stamina: 100%]
[Strength: E]
[Agility: C-]
[Endurance: D]
[Perception: E+]
[Intelligence: C]
[Spirit: E]
[Survival Points: 26550]
[You have one attribute point to distribute]
[You have 1x D rank reward 1x E rank reward. 4 x F rank reward]
With careful consideration, he navigated to his skill section, focusing on a particular skill.
[Choose a skill to upgrade]
[Sword weapon (Master)]
[Rarity: Common]
[Prerequisites: Agility C-, Strength E+]
[Cost: 3000 survival points and 1x Rank D reward]
Alan understood that achieving mastery in a common skill demanded requirements comparable to those for reaching the expert level in an uncommon skill.
In the case of light weapons like swords, the primary attribute was agility, and this happened to be Alan's highest attribute. To meet the prerequisites, he only needed to enhance a single attribute.
[Strength: E] +1 [E > E+]
As the adjustment settled in, Alan felt a subtle change within himself. The attributes shimmered, signifying their successful enhancement. With the requirements now met, he proceeded with the skill upgrade, dedicating the necessary survival points and the valuable Rank D reward.
A soothing chime echoed through his mind, indicating the completion of the upgrade process:
[You have spent 3000 survival points and 1x Rank D reward]
[You gained proficiency in [Sword weapon] - Expert to Master]
[Bonus attack damage: 50% > 75%]
[Bonus attack speed: 15%]
The truth was, Alan had been wrestling with a decision for the past few days, contemplating whether to use his D rank reward to elevate either his [Small Firearm] or [Sword Weapon] proficiency to the Master level. Both options offered an enticing 25% damage boost, but they diverged in their secondary bonuses.
For the firearm, the allure lay in an additional bonus: [20% accuracy]. These extra damage and accuracy perks would undoubtedly be valuable additions to his already potent shotguns. However, he had to consider the limitations of shotgun shell ammunition and the conspicuous noise they generated, restricting him to short hit-and-run tactics.
On the other hand, the sword offered a more silent and potentially more enduring approach. Given the right fights, Alan could engage in lengthier battles without prematurely summoning enemy reinforcements. Furthermore, his experience from three years of the game had taught him that, in the later stages of the game, the functionality of swords would exceed the firepower of guns. Consequently, Alan had been reserving his D rank reward for a sword upgrade, untill finally found a decent enough sword to justify the investment.
Now, armed with his newly upgraded skills, Alan sheathed his saber-like sword with a gold cross guard and stealthily advanced toward a group of small, trained soldier patrols. He positioned himself in the shadows, preparing for a sudden attack.
With his newly upgraded sword skills, Alan's attacks had gained a significant boost. The base damage of his sword stood at 52, and this was augmented by a bonus from his E+ strength attribute. On top of that, he enjoyed a 75% bonus damage from mastering the sword skill, a 50% bonus for executing a sneak attack, and a two-fold multiplier for a lethal attack bonus. All these factors combined to deliver a devastating blow to his target.
[Stabbing: Lethal Attack. Inflicts 136 damage],
[Critical hit inflicted from sneak attack, 68 damage, Target dies…]
Notably, these calculations didn't even factor in the added 30% attack speed from his weapon and skill bonuses.
In practical terms, this meant that Alan could now one-shot any trained soldier or dispatch them with just two slashes, even without any damage bonuses. His extreme agility and speed bonuses allowed him to eliminate two or three soldiers before one could react and draw their firearms.
As Alan continued his relentless assaults on enemy patrols, his average kill count consistently ranged from three to five soldiers with each encounter. This steady stream of eliminations translated into a reliable source of both XP and survival points. What was particularly advantageous about this new approach was that he no longer had to concern himself with ammunition reserves, freeing him from the logistical worries that often accompanied firearm use.
However, this extended and intense combat came with its own set of consequences. Alan was sustaining more injuries from the enemy soldiers in prolonged skirmishes. Fortunately, he had wisely stocked up on [Medicated gauze], which he used to tend to his wounds. Additionally, his mastery of the sneaking skill allowed him to swiftly retreat to the shadows when necessary, regaining the element of surprise and evading enemy reprisals.
By the time the first rays of dawn began to break over the horizon, Alan had successfully eliminated eight groups of soldiers. This feat resulted in a substantial boost to his resources, tallying up to [6400 XP] and [3200 Survival Points]. The XP gain was especially significant as it propelled him to the esteemed status of Level 28.
However, despite his impressive accomplishments, Alan couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. He could not come across any uncommon items, let alone the elusive third note he so desperately sought.
