After crossing back through the Gate, Mark stood still for a long while, forcing his breath to steady until his racing heart finally calmed. Once composed, he began a clinical analysis of the day's events. Two battles. Two brushes with death. Each moment needed to be dissected.
On this excursion, he relied less on the System's appraisal skill. He primarily evaluated the things around him using his Blind Staff, which had become like an extension of his own body. He should have been able to evaluate anything whose sharp contours he identified through Blind Sense. However, he did not want to overtax his brain with excess information. Even though he used Blind Sense by constantly activating and deactivating it in intervals, it was not exactly easy.
"That wasn't the real mistake, though," he muttered to himself. The error in the first fight was far more glaring. Even though he had 'seen' the tree through Blind Sense before deactivating it, he had failed to integrate that data into his spatial awareness. He had moved too close to the trunk subconsciously. It was only through a stroke of pure luck and a desperate burst of speed that he was still breathing.
Even though Mark had reminded himself to stay alert after the first fight, the second encounter still caught him off guard. The fact that monsters can evolve is a simple reality, and this goblin archer was a manifestation of that evolution. It had struck from beyond his sensory field—more than 10 meters away. I should have accounted for such a possibility; here too, I realized I had survived only through luck and raw speed.
Two battles, two victories. But the element of luck was far too prominent. I decided to check the loot first. Looking through my inventory, I had one standard goblin carcass and one goblin archer carcass. Then, I remembered something—damn it! I had forgotten to retrieve the G-rank monster core after throwing it at the archer. Furthermore, I had also forgotten to take the archer's bow and arrows. At that moment, fear had been so overwhelming that it blocked any rational thought. Though I felt a sting of regret, I reminded myself not to cry over spilled milk.
Next, I decided to inspect the goblin archer's body. Grabbing my knife, I headed toward the bathroom. I dropped the archer's carcass and appraised it through the System:
[Target: F-Rank Goblin Archer Carcass]
Details: Internal organs and brain are toxic. Bones are durable enough for use.
Utility: Meat is edible.
Loot: Contains an F-Rank Monster Core.
F-rank... That made sense now. The mana core was more developed, and the archer goblin was significantly stronger than the previous ones. I butchered it and the other goblin just like before, separating the edible meat. After cleaning the bathroom and myself, I returned to analyzing the combat once more.
First, he read about Blind Sense and discovered a detail he had previously overlooked. Blind Sense was not originally a combat skill. It was primarily created to allow the blind to lead a normal life, and its mechanics remained rooted in that purpose. It could detect movement, but the faster the movement, the higher the degree of blurriness. Even if it detected fast-moving creatures or rapid projectiles, the mental image would always remain blurred.
If there were a pure combat skill capable of perceiving movement regardless of how fast or subtle it was, that would be Air Sense. However, it only catches motion; a stationary object feels as if it doesn't exist at all. For now, he began analyzing his methods of perception:
Mana Sense: Can be maintained indefinitely. It only detects objects or beings that possess mana.
Blind Sense: Can distinguish between solid environments and air within a certain radius. It detects movement to some extent, but even when it picks up fast-moving beings or projectiles, the image is always blurred. Its ability to sense motion and flying objects is quite low.
System Appraisal: Completely free. Detailed information can be obtained about everything. However, the user must first clearly perceive the target through other senses; he cannot appraise what he hasn't sensed yet.
There was one more thing. Twice now, he had distinctly felt death approaching and evaded it. The first time was on the First Floor when he turned his back on a goblin; he had sensed some kind of danger behind him. As a result, an attack aimed at his head only grazed his arm. Today, although he heard the sound of the arrow coming toward him, he didn't know exactly what it was. He was only able to dodge by feeling the danger directed at him. This was a completely different kind of sense.
First, he checked Baby Thaddy's memories and found similar recollections. However, there was no clear explanation—only the lingering impression of "I did this." Because of that, he questioned the System about the situation. With a "ding" sound, a panel appeared before him:
[This is called Aura Sense. However, it is difficult to describe it as a definitive skill; it is more accurate to call it experience. An experienced warrior can clearly sense someone who wishes them ill and can tell when an attack is coming and exactly where it is coming from. If a person is experienced in conversing with others, they can sense a speaker's lies or intentions, or at the very least, a feeling of unease arises. Thaddeus Von Lightborn can be considered a highly experienced warrior. He was able to sense incoming attacks. A part of this has been preserved within the body.]
After reading it through, Mark found it logical. After all, even in anime about everyday life, the concept of Aura existed. He thanked Baby Thaddy internally for developing this and praised him.
So: Mana Sense, Blind Sense, Appraisal, and now Aura Sense. And then there is Air Sense, which I plan to learn. Each has its own set of advantages and drawbacks. Mark felt a brief wave of dizziness. If it were possible, he would have traded all of these abilities just once for a pair of healthy, functioning eyes.
After some thought, he dove back into his tasks. First, he cooked all the meat from both goblins and stored it in his inventory; this would save significant effort later. Taking the F-rank goblin archer meat, he went to his usual eating spot and began consuming it with porridge. It wasn't tasty; in fact, it was even more flavorless than before. However, the effects of F-rank meat were bound to be more potent.
Once finished, he lay down and began to strategize. His upcoming plans included: physical conditioning, increasing the range of Mana Sense, and extending both the range and duration of Blind Sense. He also needed to master Air Sense. Meditation and the Inner World couldn't be neglected either—his meditative sessions had improved considerably of late. Furthermore, he aimed to continuously explore the First Floor to secure combat experience and meat, while also seeking out a defensive or offensive spell to learn. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Mark drifted off to sleep.