Alex, with newfound confidence and a stronger sense of self-preservation, finally decides that hoarding points for a future stat boost was a fool''s errand. He strides purposefully toward the village store, determined to use his contribution points wisely this time.


    Looking carefully at the items in the store, Alex makes his selections, intent on surviving the coming battles:


    [Quality Hunting Bow]


    [Quality Arrow] x50


    [Quality Fur Armor]


    [Quality Fur Boots]


    [Quality Fur Gauntlets]


    With just 30 points remaining, Alex decides to round off his purchases with some food, like he bought the last few days from time to time:


    [Smoked Wolf Jerky]x3


    Now fully equipped, Alex takes a deep breath. His worn-out boots, stained with blood and dirt from the last battle, are tossed into a far corner of his inventory. He straps on his new fur armor, appreciating how much warmer it is. Though Navalia was located in the East Blue, the island''s proximity to the Grand Line and the near Calm Belt made it perpetually chilly. The new fur-lined gear not only made Alex feel secure but also protected him from the biting cold.


    Once he’s all geared up, Alex wonders what to do next. Should he spend time practicing with his new bow? He still has some leftover basic arrows.


    [Basic Arrow] x16


    Alex notices a small training area nearby, where a few villagers are practicing. After a brief conversation with one of the soldiers, he decides to take an hour to work on his aim. Despite his experience with the bow being years ago, the soldier’s tips prove helpful, and Alex feels his shooting technique improving, though he doesn’t receive any new skill notifications.


    As he suspected, a few minutes of practice isn’t enough to earn an actual skill. He figures that with years of practice, the system might recognize his efforts, but for now, all he’s got is muscle memory and a bit more confidence.


    His basic arrows, unsurprisingly, don’t last long. Nearly every shot used up a point of durability, and before long, they break. Still, it was worth it for the practice. He didn’t plan on using his newly purchased quality arrows for training—he needed to conserve those for when it truly mattered.


    After finishing up at the training ground, Alex returns to the village center. Roja approaches him, a serious expression on her face.


    "You got any plans?" she asks, her tone direct.


    Alex shrugs, "Not really. I just geared up and practiced a bit with the bow. What about you?"


    Roja smirks, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "I’ve been thinking. Where are all these Baroque Works agents coming from? The island''s surrounded by cliffs, right? The only harbor’s on the east, and it’s still under control, guarded by villagers. So how are they getting onto the island?"


    That thought had been nagging at Alex too. "Good point... So where the hell are they coming from?"


    Roja crosses her arms, slightly irritated. "That''s what I’m trying to figure out, genius."


    After a moment of thought, Alex recalls his exploration of the island. "I''ve been all around the western cliffs the last few days, gathering herbs and stuff. The forest is to the north, where Thato’s been logging. But the south… we haven’t really gone down there. I think they might be coming from there."


    Roja’s eyes narrow, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You’re smarter than you look, Kerber. The south makes sense. I talked to some of the guards. The attacks last night? They were heaviest on our side—the southern wall."


    Alex, ever the pessimist, can’t help but grumble. "Figures. That shitty village elder must’ve known and stuck us with the toughest job. Every quest leads us to the harbor, the north, or the west... but nothing leads us south."


    Roja nods. "Exactly. I’ve got a feeling we’ll find something there."


    Just as they make plans to check it out, the village elder walks over. His tone is as harsh as ever. "So, you figured it out too, huh? Maybe you''re not as useless as I thought."


    Alex mentally rolls his eyes. ‘Asshole,’ he thinks, biting back his frustration.


    "I don’t know what you two are planning, but if you go down there, don’t get yourselves killed. My men are focused on defending the village. If you want to play detective, you’re on your own. However, I’m not completely heartless…"


    A system notification pops up in front of them.


    Secret Side Quest Offered:


    Mission: Discover how the Baroque Works agents are infiltrating Navalia.


    Reward: 3000 contribution points


    Time Limit: Until nightfall


    Before they can react, the elder tosses them a small bag of supplies.


    You received: [Quality Medicine] x3


    Alex checks his status:


    His OCD almost compels him to use one of the medicines to heal his shoulder and restore that missing HP point, but he stops himself—wasting valuable resources would be foolish.


    With the village elder’s final words, "Don’t throw your lives away," pushing them forward, Alex and Roja make their way toward the southern cliffs, preparing to uncover whatever secret Baroque Works had hidden there.


    Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.