Seichi reawakens in the Tower once more, gasping for air as if he hadn't breathed for over several hours. That last part was true, he wasn't breathing for some time now since he was dead.
{You have unassigned Stat Points}
{Opening Status Window}
[Please assign your Stat Points]
The boy's Status Window was updated, significantly so on the Statistic part.
[Level: 6 | EXP: 30/60]
{Statistic}
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 6
Agility: 6
Vitality: 6
Magic: 6
Intelligence: 6
Faith: 6
[Unassigned Stat Points: 5]
'What… should I do with this?'
The boy was unclear as to what to do, but soon he just did the most 'optimal' thing he could, which is to dump all of it into what was best in his mind.
Strength: 6 > 11
He dumped it all into Strength, the most useful in his opinion since it demonstrated its effects the most moments ago.
[You have broken through the limit of 10 in Strength]
[The Passive, Muscle Growth, has been unlocked]
'Huh?'
The boy scanned the window, and it opened a separate one containing information on the Passive.
{Muscle Growth}
[Passive Effect: As you train your body, preferably your upper body, Strength will be added]
It was a puzzling explanation for the boy, but he shrugs and closes it after reading. However, shortly after gaining the Strength, his body began to emit a large amount of steam. This process didn't freak the boy out, as he'd never really know what's normal and what's not with his own body, so he just curiously stared at his limbs as they expelled the steam.
"I feel… much stronger."
He said so out loud, not within his mind anymore. He noticed this difference immediately, and was getting weirded out by himself for some odd reason.
"Hmm…"
He looked back at the Status Window's Statistic section again. However, this time he's able to know some little information regarding his Stats and what they're adjusting his body to.
'Strength is basic power, Dexterity is limb speed, Agility is perception speed, Vitality is… health related? Magic is… too hard to understand, Intelligence is what's causing this, probably, and Faith is… devotion? What kind of…'
Seichi was getting perplexed for no reason. He was adjusting to his newfound Intelligence, but before he could, the same harrowing sound came back again.
"Hrraaaaa…"
'...Great.'
He wasn't really ready to deal with the first nightmare of this Tower again. But, since trouble came looking for him, he might as well solve it.
'My first weapon…'
He scanned the area before the sound approached him closer, and found his first weapon on the ground. He'd dropped it, a foolish move now that he thinks about it.
'Let's try this again.'
With his increased Intelligence, he assessed the situation better than before. He prepared mentally for the encounter, and sure enough it was the same corpse monster from before, standing on top of the mountain of broken items.
"Now… are you the same one that killed me?"
"Hrrraaaaa…. Graahhhhh!"
It leapt down, attempting to use its knife the same way it did last time.
'Not this time!'
With his Agility now at an acceptable value, he's able to dodge out of the way slightly easier than last time. The knife was lodged into the ground once more, and this provided Seichi ample time to move in for the finisher.
"Hrrukkkk…"
He cleanly decapitated the poor monster, its head making a thud sound as it landed.
[You have slain a Grave Corpse]
[You have gain 2 EXP]
'What the… so little?'
He was taken aback by the unusually low number. Seichi grumbled, but he couldn't do anything so he calmed down quickly.
'Anyways… let's go.'
The golden trail was once again visible to him. He follows the trail, observing from time to time the mountains of broken items.
'...'
He paused for a short moment, observing one mountain longer than the rest. His eyes moved up to the top, where an ominous feeling was coming from.
[Activating Dark Impulses]
'.....'
He went and scaled the mountain, sustaining scratches and cuts from the scattered metal pieces. Some of them stung, while some of them tore across his palm.
'.....'
And yet, he still remained oddly silent, not uttering even a wince or whimper as he hurt himself more.
''....my.....rev....enge.''
"...."
"Will...…you...…acce....pt.....me....?"
[Dark Impulses is resonating with the Item, Lost Sword]
"I will… we are technically the same."
Atop the mountain lay the weapon that reflected the challenger known as Seichi. Discarded, abandoned, and left to rust within this floor.
A sword that still has its blade, no hilt, bandages for its handle, and though rusted and had cracks, seemingly was going to crumble upon one swing, was released from its spot by the young challenger.
"Thank...…you."
Seichi smiles, since he was glad to finally have someone, or something in this case, as company.
......…
[Transporting Chosen Undead to the next floor]
[Procedure interference has changed your destination]
[Warping Chosen Undead to the First Floor, Green Plains]
A gray pillar descends from the sky. A small gray haired boy opened his eyes to the surroundings, a peaceful field of grass and hills.
[Floor Advancement Quest has been issued]
{Familiarize Killing}
[Quest Difficulty: B]
[Quest Goal: You have shown potential for killing, an Admin has decided to further your potential]
[Quest Objective: Kill 80 targets, they will be displayed in your field of view]
[Quest Reward: Burst Instinct's Effect increase, 1 Level]
'Burst Instinct… It was a Passive if I'm correct.'
{Burst Instinct}
Passive Effect: At certain moments, Burst Instinct will give out the following Effects:
+Increase Perception Speed
+Increase Running Speed
+Increase Judgement Capability
+Increase Pain Tolerance
'Hmm… An increase in the Passive Effect is good, certainly so with the options… but, what's this?'
A different window caught the boy's attention as he set his sword down like a stake.
[Activating Dark Impulses]
The boy suddenly has a strange feeling as he re-examine the Quest he's given. He was almost being repulsive, almost disgusted by the Quest. He was feeling weird, with a good value of Intelligence he knows that it shouldn't be normal to feel this way, but for some reason he seems to trust it, this Dark Impulses.
[Do you accept the Quest?]
''...No, I decline."
No window followed his reply, something he was expecting so he sighed, but it was too early.
[You have rejected the {Familiarize Killing} Quest]
[The Admin has received your disagreement with his Quest]
[The Admin shows interest to your refusal]
[The Admin wants to know the reason for your rejection]
"I… didn't like the rewards… I think?"
It took a while to reply, but another window appeared to his view again.
[The Admin has shown interest to your words]
[The Admin is checking your Status]
A long pause after, it resumes.
[The Admin is shocked!]
[The Admin expresses his apologies for the Chosen Undead]
[The Admin has changed his Quest to match your Status]
{Chosen Undead}
[Quest Difficulty: S]
[Quest Goal: You are the apotheosis of all Undead kind, and the Green Plains was once your kind's graveyard. Find and unearth one particular grave and challenge the dead residing there]
[Quest Objective: Defeat the dead residing at the destination, you will be given a point of interest within your field of vision]
[Quest Reward: ????]
[Quest Failure Condition: Giving up]
[Quest Failure Penalty: Forever become a Hollowed]
The Quest was suddenly remade, and it was the same rating as his first Quest, the Undead Rite.
"...I accept the Quest."
[You have accepted the {Chosen Undead} Quest]
[Determining your destination]
[Destination visualization complete]
[The Admin wish you luck on your journey through the Tower]
''....Now that that's dealt with, what is this Dark Impulses Skill? It keeps activating on seemingly random times."
[Unable to fully disclose the Skill, Dark Impulses]
[An Overview will be viewed instead]
{Dark Impulses}
[Skill Overview: Activates when the Chosen Undead is in need, whether he is aware or not]
"....What kind of Skill is this?"
His newfound Intelligence found this to be strange. However, since he can't dig around anymore, he decides to let it be like that.
'Well, let's go to our destination.'
Seichi locks on to his destination within his view, and begins making his way towards it.
[Activating Dark Impulses]
Suddenly, something else took his mind off of the destination within view.
'Guh… this Skill is really bothersome.'
Seichi doesn't like having no control, he's been living that life for so long that now, when he'd attained some form of higher intelligence, he despises that life, loathes it greatly.
'But… what is this?'
Soon, however, his feelings were replaced with curiosity as he lays eyes on a dark colored fog coming from the ground.
'What is this?'
To the regular person within the Tower, what he's seeing was nothing more than dirt and grass, but what they don't know is that, from the history buried somewhere still unknown in this Floor, this place was once a massive graveyard with nothing but stakes, gravestones, even tombs the size of mansions.
However, now, this place is known as the Green Plains, habitat to the most basic mob creature, Slimes. A construct made from dense Mana concentration, they appear mostly of the color blue, but may differ from habitat to habitat.
Seichi reaches his hand out, trying to touch it for some reason unknown to him. It could be a trap, it could kill him, but those kinds of threatening premonitions weren't making him nervous at all, almost like it was impossible.
[You have made contact with a Grave]
[The owner of the Grave is responding to your contact]
[Gerfrie the Strong has noticed your presence]
'Child…'
'W-Who?!'
'I am Gerfrie, son of Gerhman and Gertrude.'
"......"
An apparition appeared before the boy, who was on the defensive with his sword aimed at him.
'.....Well, what do you have to offer me?'
"Uhhh… what?"
"...Chosen Undead, the pinnacle of Undead, are you really… Well, it's only the first floor, so I guess it's to be expected. Chosen Undead, which I shall address you out of courtesy, I come with an offer. Strength, and a few pieces of advice. My companionship will cost more."
He gave two, maybe three choices for the young Chosen Undead.
Gerfrie is a man with a barbarian design, pelts and shoulder straps made from animal skin and fur, chest bared with no clothes, long braided hair, and the large amount of body hair on a toned muscular body made for a very convincing design.
His face was that of a man in his mid-thirties, and he grins as the Chosen Undead prepare to make his choice.