The silence in the cave was strange. It wasn't the peace of nature, but the absolute void left after an energy storm had passed. An stood at the cave entrance, his body exhausted but his mind racing at a dizzying speed. The System's notifications were still clearly visible in his field of vision, especially the last line.
Rule Breaker.
The title sounded both ominous and... perfectly fitting.
After making sure there was no further danger, An cautiously stepped inside. The foul stench had vanished, replaced by a pure, slightly chilling smell of energy, like the air after a heavy rain. Where the Corpse-Flesh Demon Flower once stood, there was now only a shallow pit filled with black sludge that had stopped bubbling.
And scattered across the cave floor were his spoils of war.
Hundreds of black crystal fragments, ranging in size from a pea to a fingertip, sparkled in the faint light from outside. They no longer emitted the gloomy, corrosive aura. They looked pure and lethally beautiful.
An knelt, picking up a piece. He used his Deep Analysis skill, channeling the last bit of his spiritual power into it.
[Deep Analysis Complete]
[Item: Refined Demonic Energy Crystal (High Purity)]
[Effect: Contains a large amount of stable, Yin-attribute spiritual energy. Can be used for cultivation or crafting.]
[Value: High. A rare material for dark-attribute or energy-absorbing artifacts or pills.]
An almost laughed. "Refined." The resonant energy explosion hadn't just destroyed the core; it had purified it. He had inadvertently turned a pile of toxic waste into a mobile spirit stone mine.
He didn't waste a second. He took off his tattered cloak, used it as a makeshift bag, and began collecting all the fragments. This was the capital for his future, the resource that would allow him to truly begin his path of cultivation.
The journey back to town was completely different. The air was fresh, and the chirping of birds had returned. The forest seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief. An, though tired and dirty, walked with new confidence. He was no longer just a goblin trying to survive. He was a level 7 adventurer, a Rule Breaker.
When he walked into the Adventurer's Guild that afternoon, the boisterous noise suddenly died down. Several pairs of eyes turned towards him. His appearance was pathetic—clothes tattered, stained with dried blood and mud. But he was no longer a lurking shadow. He walked straight to Lina's counter.
Lina looked up, her green eyes widening for a moment. "You're... alive?" she blurted out, her surprise unconcealed.
An didn't answer. He just silently placed a vial of soil, a vial of water, and a single, refined Demonic Energy Crystal on the counter.
"Reporting quest completion," he said, his voice still hoarse but now steady.
Lina frowned, picking up the vial of soil. She was a veteran Guild staff member and had the basic knowledge to make an assessment. She opened the cork stopper and took a light sniff. The scowl on her face disappeared, replaced by bewilderment.
"The negative energy... is gone. Completely."
She quickly checked the vial of water, then stared at the sparkling crystal fragment. "This is... impossible. How did you do it?"
"There was... an incident," An replied curtly, using the prepared answer. "The source of the contamination self-destructed."
Lina stared at him, trying to find a lie in the shadows of his hood, but saw nothing. She knew he was hiding something, but the results were undeniable. A G-rank adventurer, alone, went into a dead zone and returned with proof that the threat had been neutralized. It was absurd, but it had happened.
She let out a long breath and stamped "Completed" on his quest paper. "You've done a great service to this town, An. The Guild will recognize this."
She pushed a heavy bag of coins toward him. "30 silver coins for the reward, and another 20 from the Guild for resolving an outstanding problem. 50 coins in total."
An took the coin pouch, nodded, and turned to leave. As he walked out of the Guild, he could hear whispers and murmurs rising behind him. His reputation, an intangible but incredibly important asset, had been established.
Back in the familiar inn room, An locked the door and poured all his spoils onto the bed. A pile of sparkling coins and a bag full of pure black crystal fragments. He no longer had to worry about rent or his next meal.
Finally, he opened the System interface, focusing on his new title.
[Title: Rule Breaker]
[Effect 1: When facing an enemy of a higher level, there is a small chance to bypass the opponent's conventional defense rules.]
[Effect 2: When analyzing systems or skills, there is a chance to discover hidden flaws or optimization paths.]
An read the two effect descriptions over and over, a slow smile forming on his face. The System hadn't just recorded his victory. It had understood how he had won.
He didn't need to be the strongest. He just needed to be the one who understood the rules best, so he could break them.
That was his path.