The burly Bandit Chief lay defeated but outside, the sounds of alarm were growing louder – shouts, running feet, clanging metal. The Veterans outside the tent had clearly been discovered, and the camp was mobilizing.
"Time to go. But... Chiefs usually hoard the best loot. Quick search first."
Ignoring the rising commotion for a moment, Drake rapidly scanned the Chief's personal quarters. It was messy – piles of stolen goods, discarded food, crude maps pinned to a table, a large wooden chest secured with a heavy padlock. He also noticed a surprisingly well-made rug covering a section of the dirt floor near the Chief's sleeping furs.
He activated [Relic Hunter]. The skill's subtle highlights immediately drew his attention. While the locked chest pulsed with a faint generic 'container' energy, the area underneath the rug near the back wall glowed more intensely, indicating not just an object, but a mechanism or structural inconsistency. Faint lines suggested a hidden trapdoor or compartment beneath the floorboards there.
"Under the rug. Classic."
He kicked the surprisingly heavy rug aside. The packed earth floor looked normal, but where [Relic Hunter] indicated, Drake noticed the edges of some floorboards seemed slightly raised, not perfectly flush. Kneeling down, he found a small, almost invisible indentation along the edge of one board – a finger-hold or latch trigger. He pulled.
With a soft click, a square section of the floorboards lifted slightly. Drake pried it open, revealing a dark, recessed compartment hidden beneath – the Chief's personal vault.
"Nice find. Let's see the real prize."
He reached inside. The first thing his hand touched was the smooth, cool feel of stacked coins. Lots of them. << Acquired: Gold x 350! >> << Acquired: Silver Coins x 800! >> "Over 3 Gold, plus tons of Silver! Way more than the quest rewards combined. That funds the Silverhaven trip easily."
Beneath the coins were several small pouches containing uncut gems ([Rough Garnet] x3, [Cloudy Quartz] x5) and a few bars of refined ore ([Iron Ingot] x10), likely valuable trade goods or crafting materials. Tucked in a corner was also a weapon, significantly better crafted than the bandit thugs' gear.
<< Item Acquired: [Rare Bandit Chieftain's Blade]! >>
[Rare Bandit Chieftain's Blade]
Quality: Rare
Type: One-Handed Sword
Damage: 25-33
Durability: 100/100
Requirements: Level 13, Strength 20
Stats: +5 Strength +3 Endurance +3% Armor Penetration
"Rare sword! Huge damage increase over the Normal one, massive STR boost, some END, and Armor Pen... Excellent! Finally a real weapon upgrade." He immediately equipped it, feeling the satisfying weight and power difference. His character sheet reflected the significant jump in Attack Power.
Almost overlooked beneath the sword lay one final item: a dusty, leather-bound book with no title, its cover worn smooth. It radiated a faint instructional energy detectable even without [Relic Hunter]. Drake picked it up.
<< Item Acquired: [Skill Book: Ground Stomp]! >> << Use this item to learn the [Ground Stomp] skill? [Y/N] >>
"A skill book? Ground Stomp?" He knew his current skillset ([Basic Slash], [Defend]) was entirely single-target focused, which could be problematic against multiple opponents despite his high execution. An Area of Effect (AoE) skill would be incredibly valuable. He confirmed [Y] without hesitation.
The book dissolved into particles of light that flowed into Drake's hands and then his mind. Knowledge of the new technique integrated instantly. << Skill Learned: [Ground Stomp] (Rank 1)! >> His skill interface updated, showing the new active ability.
[Ground Stomp]
Type: Active AoE (Warrior)
Cost: 30 Stamina
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Description: Stomp the ground forcefully, sending out a shockwave in a small radius (3m) around you. Deals minor physical damage (scales with STR) to enemies hit and has a high chance (based on target level/resistance) to briefly Stagger or Interrupt them.
"Okay, Stamina cost, moderate cooldown. Small radius, minor damage... but the Stagger/Interrupt chance is key. Perfect for handling groups, stunning casters, or just creating breathing room. Addresses a major weakness in my kit. Need to practice the SCR for this one now."
The shouts outside the tent were definitely louder now, closer. He had lingered long enough. Vault looted, gold secured, significant weapon upgrade equipped, and a crucial new AoE skill learned. It was time to make his exit.
He quickly scanned the Chief's tent one last time with [Relic Hunter] – nothing else hidden. He moved swiftly and silently back towards the edge of the camp where the refuse heap concealed the smuggler's tunnel entrance. He could see torches moving, bandits organizing search parties, likely converging on the Chief's tent.
He slipped past a distracted group near the animal pens, melted into the shadows behind the large crate pile, and ducked back into the narrow, dark tunnel just as a heavily armed group of bandits rounded the corner near the Chief's tent. He didn't look back, moving quickly through the damp passage.
Minutes later, he emerged back onto the rocky western slope of the ravine, the sounds of the alerted camp faint behind him. He resealed the hidden entrance as best he could, pulling vines back over the opening.
Drake stood under the moonlight, taking stock. Level 13. Locket recovered. Significant wealth acquired. A Rare sword equipped. And a new AoE skill learned. The raid on the Bandit Camp had been a resounding success, achieved through careful planning, exploiting intel gathered via [Perfect Recall], discovering secrets with [Relic Hunter], and leveraging his perfected combat execution.