Cade slowly circled the pedestal displaying the hovering boots. As he had initially thought, something presented in such a flashy way surely had some form of guardian. Yet, he had not seen anything when he scanned the room. Regardless, he really liked his new skill, Dash, and to keep his feet from disintegrating every time he used the skill, he would need protection. Boots like these seemed perfect.

He completed two full circles before deciding to test his theory and see if there was indeed protection for the boots. He approached the pedestal and reached out to place his hand on the edge. As he did so, his hand phased though the golden glow surrounding the pedestal. Waiting for some form of reaction, all he received was several displays appearing.

[Showcase Item #14: Radiant Stride Boots]

[The Radiant Stride Boots grant the wearer the ability to perform swift and agile movements. When activated, they enhance speed and mobility, allowing for rapid bursts with incredible velocity and precision.]

[No specific requirements are needed to utilize the Radiant Stride Boots]

As Cade read the messages on the displays, his attention was drawn back to the boots when the golden glow vanished in a split second. The boots themselves landed on the pedestal surface with a THUMP, losing their magical floating function for some mysterious reason. Cade grabbed hold of the boots and lifted them off the now glow-barren pedestal. Having seen plenty of movies about treasure hunting, he expected the room to start shaking violently and traps to activate. After a few seconds of silence, Cade proceeded to slip the boots over his skeletal feet, wiggling his boney toes.

[Radiant Stride Boots equipped]

[Radiant Stride Boots are imbued with a skill similar to Dash]

[Would you like to combine the skills for a chance of an improved skill? Yes/No]

‘Well, this is surprising.’ Cade thought as he assessed the current situation. He couldn’t help but feel suspicious that things were going too well. Considering what he had experienced many times in the past, no matter how much luck was on his side, it was still a double-sided coin. He was sure that with enough flips, he was bound to catch the wrong side of the coin. But right now, he wanted to focus on gaining some power so he won’t be caught by surprise again. ‘Regardless, I’ll accept.’

[Combining Skills]

[Skills Synthesis Complete]

[New Skill: Flashstep acquired]

[When Flashstep is activated, the boots imbue you with incredible speed and agility, enabling you to cover great distances in an instant. Additionally, the boots provide a protective enchantment, shielding your feet from the adverse effects of rapid movements and maintaining your safety. However, Flashstep can only activate when in contact with solid and stable surfaces.]

As Cade examined the information provided, a single phrase stuck out among the display: ‘…cover great distances in an instant…’. No matter how many other things he thought of his mind landed on a single ability: teleportation.

Cade had one concept in mind, one that had captivated him since childhood after seeing it in a movie. It had somehow stayed with him throughout life, even appearing in his dreams. Eager to test his theory, he positioned himself in a low squat and leaned forward slightly, mentally calling out the skill ‘Flashstep’.

Instantly, his vision blurred, and he felt his entire body shift forward, accompanied by a slight dragging sensation on the soles of his boots. As his vision returned to focus, he surveyed his surroundings, attempting to locate his previous position. Spotting it, he examined the ground, but there were no signs of his presence or any streak marks leading to his current position. Cade then retracted his steps, carefully measuring the distance with each footfall. He stopped upon reaching the original spot, noting he traveled ten feet. He also wanted to confirm whether the ability was limited by distance or directed by his gaze.

Once again, he lowered himself and fixed his gaze on the last bookshelf, roughly twenty feet away. As Flashstep activated, his vision blurred once more, and his body shifted in the intended direction. Upon coming to a halt, he turned around to find the spot he had just occupied. Returning to his starting spot, he measured the same distance of ten feet.

Even though he felt a little disappointed that he couldn’t go any further, he couldn’t help containing his excitement that his biggest dream had become reality. Although it wasn’t the ‘traditional’ definition of teleportation, this version gave him enough an of advantage in a fight, and he was happy to have it.

Now that he knew Flashstep was limited to ten feet and controlled by gaze, he wanted to test if it had any other limits and simply get used to using the skill, and work on making it a form of an instinctive or reflexive trigger.

Cade began to perfect the skill, losing track of time as he became fully immersed. Through practice, he learned a few things that would make a significant difference when used in combat or disengaging from a powerful enemy.

Cade discovered that he could use Flashstep continuously as long as he had enough time to locate his next destination, which currently took him a second. Additionally, he also found he could use the skill to scale obstacles. He had dashed from one corner of the wall onto the of a bookcase and then against another wall before coming to halt on the ground.

As Cade landed after bouncing off the wall, he did notice one crucial detail. He had become slightly lightheaded, which he found curious since he didn’t have a brain. But perhaps it was mental, as using Flashstep did require concentration and focus.

While Cade went over his findings, all the displays that he had pushed aside while practicing floated into his vision.

[Agility 5 -> 7]

[Stamina 4 -> 5]

[Power 21 -> 24]

[Flashstep proficiency 1.3% -> 6.7%]

[Take caution of your mental state while using Flashstep, overloading your mind will result in slowed movements and less effective attacks.]

It seemed that a five percent increase in skill proficiency had slightly boosted his Agility and Stamina a bit, leading Cade to contemplate which skills he could acquire to raise the other stats accordingly. Every time he thought about skills, excitement filled him, as they represented the best way to gain power. Equipment ranked second, but acquiring rare gear seemed to be a challenge, unless luck played a role in obtaining good equipment.

It also appeared that Cade had a long way to go before advancing to the next power rank, and he was looking forward to discovering the perks, if any, that might come with that change.

The final display confirmed why Cade had become lightheaded. Even though he had evolved Dash into Flashstep, he would still need to use it sparingly. He had originally hoped that he could shorten his trip by utilizing the skill, but that was now out of the question. However, he was once again glad that all the power he possessed still had its limitations. It allowed him to grow on his own without relying too much on external methods.

Cade removed the displays and walked around the room one last time, inspecting the bookshelves for any hidden items and trinkets. Not finding anything else of use, he made his way to the door he initially noticed upon entering the room. He was slightly hopeful the next room was as fruitful as this or at least had something fun awaiting him.