Jin didn't slow down after stepping into the gate this time, nor did he follow the same outer paths he had already cleared before, because there was no benefit in repeating the same fights when the result would remain the same, and now that his extraction had reached five percent, the difference between weak and strong enemies had finally become large enough to matter, making it pointless to stay where the returns were low when better targets existed deeper inside. The decision was already made before he even entered, so he moved forward without hesitation, passing through the outer ruins where scattered goblins still wandered, ignoring them unless they stepped directly into his path, because stopping for them would only waste time.
The change became noticeable gradually, not through a sudden shift but through absence, the usual scattered movement of weak goblins thinning out as he advanced, replaced by a quieter environment where fewer enemies roamed freely, and that alone was enough to confirm he had crossed into a different section of the gate, one where creatures were fewer but stronger, organized rather than scattered. Jin slowed slightly, not out of fear but to adjust, because deeper zones required awareness more than speed, and the first sign of that difference appeared not in front of him, but to the side.
A faint whistle.
Jin moved immediately.
The arrow passed through the space where his head had been a moment earlier and embedded itself into the stone behind him, and he turned toward the direction it came from without wasting time searching aimlessly, because ranged attacks meant one thing.
"Archer."
He moved toward it.
The goblin archer was positioned higher than the ground level, standing on a broken section of wall, already pulling another arrow back, its posture steady compared to the erratic movement of normal goblins, and Jin didn't give it time to release, closing the distance quickly despite the uneven terrain, using the structure itself to break its line of sight before stepping into range and cutting it down in a single clean motion.
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+17 EXP]
Jin didn't stop to look at the body.
He looked forward.
Because something else was moving.
Two goblins rushed him from the front, weaker than the archer but still faster than those in the outer zone, and Jin stepped into them without hesitation, ending both quickly before they could surround him, but this time he didn't continue forward immediately after, because something felt off.
Too quiet.
Too controlled.
That was when he noticed it.
A low chant.
Not loud.
But steady.
Jin's gaze shifted to the side, spotting the source partially hidden behind a cluster of broken stone.
"Shaman."
The goblin shaman stood behind the others, its staff glowing faintly as it continued its chant, the goblins near it moving more aggressively than before, their speed slightly increased, their coordination tighter, and that alone made the priority clear.
"Kill support first."
Jin moved immediately, ignoring the two goblins closing in on him and instead cutting through their path just enough to slip past, taking a shallow hit on his arm rather than stopping completely, because slowing down here would cost more than the damage itself, and once he reached the shaman, the fight ended instantly, the blade cutting across before the chant could complete.
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+18 EXP]
The remaining goblins faltered immediately after, their movement losing that unnatural sharpness, and Jin turned back toward them, finishing them without difficulty now that their support was gone.
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+12 EXP]
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+13 EXP]
Jin stood still for a second after that, not thinking deeply, just confirming what had already become obvious.
"Roles."
That was the difference.
These weren't random enemies anymore.
They worked together.
That meant—
Fights would get worse the deeper he went.
Jin moved forward again.
More carefully now.
Not slower.
Just—
More aware.
The next encounter confirmed it further, because this time the enemy that appeared wasn't hiding or supporting, it stepped directly into his path without hesitation, larger than the others, its body more developed, its movements heavier but more controlled.
"Champion."
The goblin champion didn't rush blindly like the others, it waited half a second, measuring him the same way he measured it, then moved with a force that carried more weight than anything he had faced so far, its weapon swinging in a wide arc that forced Jin to step back instead of forward this time, the impact cracking against the stone where he had been standing, and that alone told him enough.
"Stronger."
Jin adjusted immediately.
No unnecessary risks.
He circled slightly, forcing the champion to turn with him instead of letting it build momentum, then stepped in at the right moment, striking at its side where its guard dropped during the swing, the resistance higher than before, the cut not clean, but enough to weaken it, and the fight continued like that for several exchanges, not long, but not instant either, until Jin found the opening he needed and ended it with a final strike.
[+3 Free Stat Points]
[+24 EXP]
Jin exhaled once.
Not tired.
Just—
Confirming.
"This is better."
The return was higher.
The risk was higher.
That was the balance.
He moved deeper.
Further in.
The environment shifted again, the ruins giving way to something closer to a central area, the ground more open in some places, more broken in others, the signs of movement clearer now, not scattered, but concentrated, and Jin stopped when he felt it.
Presence.
Not like before.
Heavier.
More stable.
Not moving.
Staying.
"Ahead."
That was enough.
He didn't move forward immediately.
Didn't rush into it.
Instead, he turned slightly, circling the area again, choosing to clear the surroundings first instead of heading straight toward what was waiting, because walking into a boss fight without preparation was the same as throwing away everything he had built so far.
"Prepare first."
That was the only decision that mattered.
The enemies around this zone were consistent, stronger than before but manageable, and Jin moved through them steadily, prioritizing targets properly now, eliminating archers first, cutting down shamans before they could strengthen others, dealing with champions carefully instead of rushing them, each fight building into the next without unnecessary delay, his movement refining further as he adapted to the structure of these encounters instead of treating them like isolated fights.
The system responded continuously in the background.
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+18 EXP]
[+2 Free Stat Points]
[+19 EXP]
[+3 Free Stat Points]
[+23 EXP]
The numbers rose faster now.
Noticeably faster.
That was enough to confirm he had made the right decision.
By the time he slowed again, it wasn't because the enemies had disappeared, but because his body signaled the limit of continuous fighting at this intensity, and pushing beyond that would only reduce efficiency instead of increasing it.
Jin opened the system.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Jin Vale
Level: 3
EXP: 206 / 210
Strength: 9
Agility: 14
Vitality: 16
Mana: 1
Free Stat Points: 52
Job: Rogue
Skills:
Uncommon Extraction (Uncommon)
Close.
Very close.
Jin closed the panel.
Looked toward the deeper section.
Toward where the presence remained.
Then turned away.
"Next time."
The boss wasn't going anywhere.
And when he returned—
He wouldn't just be ready.
He would be stronger.