As Tom approached the city gates, his first stop was Pech's shop. His mana battery had been completely drained during his last fight, and he needed it recharged before heading out again. The sight that greeted him was all too familiar. A mountain of crates stacked haphazardly, waiting to be moved.

  "Ah, Tom! Just the person I needed," Pech called out as he spotted him. "Help me move these crates outside the city again, will you?"

  Tom sighed but agreed, though not before handing over his mana battery for recharging. "Here, Pech. Get this charged while I'm busy."

  The task didn't take long. In a few minutes, he had dumped the crates' contents outside the city gates and returned to unload the emptied boxes into Pech's hidden storage room. When he came back, Pech handed him the recharged mana battery, and Tom was off again, a lingering question driving him forward.

  His next destination was Stahl's workshop. The place wasn't hard to find; nestled in a small courtyard, the sounds of clinking tools and the smell of molten metal made it unmistakable. As Tom entered the courtyard, he spotted Stahl outside, leaning back on a stool with a drink in hand, clearly taking a break.

  "Hey, Stahl," Tom greeted him.

  "Tom! How's it going, kid?" Stahl replied with a grin, setting his drink down.

  "Not bad, not bad," Tom said, stepping closer. "I came to ask you a question... and maybe a favor, depending on your answer."

  "Oh?" Stahl leaned forward, intrigued. "What's on your mind, kid?"

  Tom hesitated for a moment, then dove into his story. "While I was skinning a monster the other day, my knife broke. Turns out it wasn't made for handling Rank 2 beasts."

  Stahl chuckled knowingly. "Well, yeah. That should've been obvious. Didn't your teacher warn you?"

  Tom flushed slightly but deflected the question. "Not important. Anyway, I figured it out eventually. My real concern is about my weapon. It's a Rank 1 item, and I was wondering... can it break too if I push it too hard against stronger monsters?"

  Stahl studied Tom for a moment, rubbing his chin before answering. "You're not wrong to be concerned, but here's the thing. A rare weapon, even if it's only Rank 1, is a bit special. Think of it as a Rank 1.5. It's tougher than your standard Rank 1 gear but not quite up to Rank 2. It'll hold up for now, but once you start facing Rank 3 foes, you'll need an upgrade."

  Tom absorbed the information, nodding slowly. "Is it possible to upgrade weapons?"

  Stahl's eyes gleamed. "It's not impossible, but it's tricky. Harder than crafting a new one, for sure. You'd need materials compatible with your current weapon's composition. Most people find it easier to start fresh with a new weapon."

  Tom hesitated again, then confessed, "I've grown attached to my brass knuckles. They've been with me through a lot of fights, and they fit my build perfectly. I don't want to replace them if I don't have to. Could you help me upgrade them?"

  For a moment, Stahl was silent. Then, an unusual smile crept onto his face. "I like you, kid. Not many people treat their weapons with that kind of respect. For most, they're just tools. But you? You treat them like part of yourself. I can get behind that."

  He reached for a piece of paper and a pen, jotting down notes and calculations. After a few minutes, he handed Tom the list. "Here. These are the materials you'll need. You'll need them in decent quality too. No cheap scraps."

  Tom glanced at the paper. Most of the materials were unfamiliar to him, and he felt a pang of doubt. "Thanks, Stahl. I'll see what I can do."

  "Don't sweat it if you can't get them right away. You've got time before you really need an upgrade."

  Tom nodded, pocketing the list. He thanked Stahl again and left, thoughts racing. The first thing he did was check the forums for the materials Stahl had listed. The prices made his jaw drop—rare-grade materials started at 400,000 gold coins, and that was for the cheapest option. Worse still, the nearest viable gathering site was eight hours away on foot, guarded by Level 80 monsters.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Teleporting was an option, albeit an expensive one. Still, it was worth considering. Tom headed to the teleportation shop he'd used before. The familiar mage at the counter greeted him with the same stoic expression.

  "Teleportation services?" the mage asked.

  "Yes. I need to get to the Scarab Tunnels in the east. About eight hours from here."

  The mage's brow furrowed slightly. "Coordinates?"

  Tom handed over a slip of paper he'd prepared earlier. The mage examined it, then quoted the price. "13,000 gold coins."

  Tom handed over the payment but hesitated before asking, "And a return trip?"

  "10,000 gold. You'll need this crystal." The mage handed him a shimmering stone. "It's bound to this shop. Use it to return here. You can recharge it for 5,000 gold or exchange it for the same amount."

  With everything settled, the mage clasped his hands together, and in a blink, Tom was gone. Tom appeared in a rocky valley, the air thick with the sounds of distant monsters. Tom took a deep breath and looked around.

  In the shadows, he spotted the inhabitants of the area: massive black scarabs, each roughly a meter long, skittering across the ground. These were the lowest-ranked creatures in the valley, likely Level 70, clinging to the outskirts after losing their place deeper within the caves.

  Tom descended a narrow path winding down the rocky hillside, the crunch of loose gravel underfoot the only sound accompanying him. Within minutes, he reached the valley floor. He had read about these creatures before and knew they weren't particularly intelligent. This was the perfect opportunity to test a theory he'd been pondering since his last encounter with high-level monsters.

  He pulled his hood over his head, instantly feeling the shift in his aura. Since the rabbit ambush during his last fight, Tom had noticed something was different—something had changed in him. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but he had a hunch.

  Walking deeper into the valley, he kept his eyes peeled for an entrance to the tunnels below. Soon, he encountered his first scarab. The massive insect froze, antennae twitching as it focused on him. Tom held his ground, locking eyes with the creature. A second later, the scarab turned abruptly and scurried away as if its life depended on it.

  Tom couldn't help but smile. His theory was correct.

  Since his last fight, he had suspected that the passive effect of his Rare Bear Cape might be influencing monsters, deterring them from engaging him. Before reaching Level 60, he had worn the hood in fights before, but it had never produced this kind of reaction. Something about him—or his aura—must have changed to trigger this effect. Whether it was his recent level-up or something else entirely, he couldn't be sure, but the idea intrigued him. He filed the thought away to investigate further later.

  For now, Tom pressed on, moving deeper into the valley with newfound confidence. He soon spotted a narrow cave entrance partially hidden by jagged rocks. It wasn't very large, and Tom hesitated for a moment, picturing the tight, claustrophobic passages he might encounter inside. He'd seen videos of explorers squeezing through uncomfortably narrow spaces to reach uncharted areas, and the thought made his skin crawl.

  Taking a steadying breath, Tom ducked through the small opening. Almost immediately, the ground gave way beneath him, and he dropped three meters into a cavern below. His instincts kicked in mid-air, and he twisted his body to land on his feet. The impact echoed like a hammer striking an anvil, but thankfully, no scarabs were in sight.

  Tom exhaled in relief and retrieved his compass and a torch. According to the forums, all entrances to this valley's dungeons were located in the south, but the path forward always required moving north through hostile territory. He set his direction and began his journey.

  As he progressed, he encountered more scarabs. Some fled at the mere sight of him, their instincts seemingly overriding any urge to fight. Others, more aggressive or perhaps of higher quality, stood their ground. Tom paused to observe their behavior before deciding to engage.

  The first confrontation forced him to search for a weak spot, but he discovered one fairly quickly. Beneath the scarab's wings was a membrane that matched the rest of its armored exoskeleton in color, camouflaging it effectively. At first glance, it seemed as tough as the rest of the carapace, but a solid punch revealed otherwise. The armor buckled inward like dented metal, and massive damage numbers floated above the creature.

  Hot streaks of excitement coursed through Tom as he continued his battles. The scarabs' carapaces glowed faintly, indicating they were valuable. After defeating his first scarab, he examined the loot it dropped.

  [Uncommon Scarabeus Carapace]

  Used in alchemy or by blacksmiths.

  Nice, Tom thought, pocketing the prize.

  As he ventured further into the tunnels, the scarabs that faced him grew stronger, each fight more challenging than the last. The weaker ones seemed to vanish, leaving behind only creatures of at least uncommon quality. By the time Tom reached the heart of the caves, he had collected over ten carapaces, each glowing faintly in his inventory.

  Tom was about to move forward when a strange noise stopped him. From a side passage he had intended to ignore, he heard a peculiar rustling sound, as if something was writhing or rolling across the ground. His curiosity piqued, Tom approached cautiously, keeping his steps light and his fists ready for whatever might lie ahead.