<+10 HP, +5 MP, +1 Agility, +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence automatically added>
As a result of levelling up, Kyoma's HP and MP were fully replenished, providing a surge of vitality that eliminated the fatigue he accumulated from his previous battle with the field rabbits. Kyoma saw the levelling up as a stroke of luck, especially since he was planning to head back to town. He had nearly exhausted all of his MP after using Summon Undead nine times, which cost 2 MP per cast. The fact that he was able to use it nine times during the intense battle and that his undead rabbits died nine times highlighted the gruelling nature of the fight.
Kyoma ventured deeper into the field and returned to the spot where his journey in this reincarnated life began. Aside from a few trees and an empty lake, there was nothing notable about the location. While lost in thought, the ground suddenly trembled and the lake began to expand, swallowing Kyoma and his three undead rabbits. When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a dimly lit cave. The walls were embedded with fragments of stones imbued with the elemental power of light, which provided the cave with its only source of illumination. Above him, the water from the lake floated in mid-air, too high for Kyoma to reach. It seemed as though he had been sucked into the water and thrown into the cave.
Kyoma found himself facing a narrow tunnel that stretched out ahead of him, the only way out of his predicament. With no other options available, he instructed one of his undead rabbits to act as the vanguard and bait for any potential creatures in the tunnel. The other two rabbits flanked Kyoma for protection as he readied his dagger and cautiously made his way into the tunnel.
"Greeeek Gaaaaaaah Oooooooooekk"
Kyoma's spine was sent into shivers by the various noises coming from deeper in the tunnel. But with his fearless rabbits by his side and carrying the corpses of eight fresh rabbits, he felt reassured knowing he could summon more undead if needed. As he crouched down, Kyoma used his appraisal skill to examine the stone floor, hoping to gain some insight into his surroundings.
Item: Stone floor
Description: A stone floor of an instance dungeon
"Holy undead rabbits, an instance dungeon!" Kyoma exclaimed, his voice cracking with panic. The undead rabbits looked at him like he was losing his mind. "I mean, that means there's gonna be monsters, and a boss, and traps, and riddles, and...and..." Kyoma trailed off, lost in his own thoughts.
Suddenly, a goblin with tattered pants stepped out from the shadows, interrupting Kyoma's mental breakdown. The goblin looked up at Kyoma with beady eyes, grinning menacingly. "Grawk! Grawk!"
Without giving Kyoma a chance to catch his breath, the goblin charged toward Kyoma with his wooden club. The undead rabbits sprang into action, their eyes glowing red as they launched a vicious assault on the charging goblin. While the goblin was preoccupied with the rabbits, Kyoma took the opportunity to cast "Appraise" on the creature. To do so, he used one of the rabbits as a medium for physical contact.
The appraisal results were as follows:
Name: Goblin
Class: Monster
HP: 40/50
MP: 5/5
Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 0
Passive skills: Club Mastery (Level 1), Sleep (Level 1), Dance (Level 1)
Description: The goblin, a ferocious demon that feeds on living beings, is a common inhabitant of the instance dungeon in Greenridge's forest. Although a single goblin is weak and poses little threat, they often travel in packs, making them difficult to handle in larger numbers. Despite their small stature, goblins are known to be vicious and dangerous opponents.
Flaws: Low strength, Limited intelligence, Poor eyesight, Weak skin, Cowardice, Predictability. Common vital spots are the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Hitting or striking these areas with sufficient force or precision can potentially incapacitate or kill a goblin.
Kyoma quickly analysed the goblin using his Appraisal skill and realised its weaknesses. He gave instructions to his three undead rabbits to attack the goblin's vital spots, such as its eyes and neck, while he himself circled around the goblin to avoid its club.
The rabbits bit and scratched at the goblin's weak points, causing it to howl in pain and lose its balance. Kyoma took advantage of the goblin's confusion and landed a swift blow to its back, causing it to collapse on the ground. The rabbits continued to attack the goblin until it stopped moving.
<+20 experience points gained>
The battle with the goblin was both tedious and rewarding. Kyoma gained 20 experience points from the kill, an amount that would have taken him 4 field rabbits to catch up to. As expected, dungeons, despite their danger, are a treasure trove of experience points. After the fight, the goblin's body disintegrated into bubbles, leaving behind a wooden club and a short goblin horn. Curious, Kyoma cast an appraisal spell on the horn to check its value.
Item: Lesser Goblin Horn
Description: This horn is a remnant of a lesser goblin from an instance dungeon. It is a valuable tool for summoning undead goblins, making it a handy item for battles. The horn is also recognised by the adventurer's guild, and it can be traded for quest rewards or sold for a good price in the market.
Rarity: Rank G
Kyoma continued his exploration of the instance dungeon, with his three undead rabbits loyally following him. He kept his guard up, always prepared for the next encounter. As he walked, he found more signs of goblins: scuff marks on the walls, a few more goblin horns scattered about, and the occasional guttural cry echoing through the corridors.
Eventually, he came to a large room with a chest in the center. The chest was old and rusted, but it still appeared to be locked. Kyoma's heart raced with anticipation as he approached the chest. He couldn't help but wonder what sort of treasures could be inside.
Suddenly, a goblin appeared out of nowhere and charged straight towards Kyoma. The three undead rabbits leaped forward to defend their master. The goblin had a large mace that it swung wildly at Kyoma, but the rabbits nimbly dodged and attacked back with vicious bites and scratches. Kyoma stayed back, ready to jump in if necessary.
As the goblin was preoccupied with the rabbits, Kyoma took the opportunity to appraise the goblin. He found that this goblin was stronger than the last one he fought, but also that it had a weak spot at the base of its neck. He called out to his rabbits, pointing to the goblin's weak spot. The rabbits quickly attacked, biting and clawing at the goblin's neck. The goblin shrieked in pain and fell to the ground, defeated.
Kyoma took a deep breath, relieved that the fight was over. He then turned his attention back to the chest. He tried to open it, but it was still locked. He searched the surrounding area for a key or any other means of opening the chest. He looked for traps or other dangers, but found nothing of the sort.
After considering his options, Kyoma retrieved the goblin horn he had found and used it to cast a summoning spell. He chose to unsummon one of his undead rabbits and kept its corpse, then summoned an undead goblin to aid him. The process of summoning an undead goblin was unique in comparison to other resurrection rituals. Rather than bringing a lifeless body back to existence, the summoning involved using the goblin's horn as a catalyst. This horn was assimilated into a magic circle that was formed through the incantation of "summon undead," and from it emerged a newly resurrected undead goblin.
Name: Undead Goblin
Class: Monster (Pet)
HP: 100/100
MP: 10/10
Strength: 11
Agility: 9
Intelligence: 1
Passive Skills: Lesser Strength Boost (Level 1), Lesser Agility Boost (Level 1), Mace Mastery (Level 2), Intimidation (Level 1)
Description: This creature was resurrected by the necromancer Kyoma and is now fiercely loyal to its master. It will follow Kyoma's every command without hesitation.
With a command from Kyoma, the Undead Goblin raised its mace and smashed the lock on the chest. Kyoma eagerly opened the chest and was pleasantly surprised by its contents. Inside, he found a collection of treasures, including an ancient scroll, 100 bronze coins and 3 silver coins, a set of durable leather armour, and a uniquely crafted dagger that resembled a large fang.
After equipping his new set of leather armour and dagger, Kyoma cautiously checked his surroundings before unfurling the ancient scroll. As he read the contents, he felt a sense of excitement and trepidation.
Item: Torn page from the Secret Tombs of Necromancy
Description: A consumable item that, upon activation, will burn to ashes, transferring the secret skill contained within to the user.
Activation Cost: A drop of blood from a Necromancer.
Kyoma knew that the power he could obtain from this item could be dangerous, but he was willing to take the risk. With steady hands, he pricked his finger and let a drop of his own blood fall onto the page. The page immediately burst into flames and turned to ash, and Kyoma felt a rush of energy flow through him.
Assimilation is a skill that enables an undead creature under the control of a necromancer to assimilate and absorb the body of another creature of the same species. The power assimilated is shared with the host, and their stats improve proportionally to the user's level.
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End of chapter stats:
Name: Kyoma
Class: Necromancer
Level: 2
Experience points: 80/200
Hp: 110/110
Mp: 25/25
Strength: 8 (+2 from leather armour)
Agility: 6 (+2 from leather armour)
Intelligence: 13
Physical resistance: 2
Passive skills: Reincarnation's Blessing (Level 1), Necromancy Mastery (Level 1)
Active skills: Summon Undead (Level 1), Appraisal (Level 1), Assimilate (Level 1, Newly acquired)
Titles: Necromancer, Killer of Lesser Field Rabbit
Items: Serpent Fangs Dagger, Leather Armor, Lesser Goblin Horn, 100 Bronze Coins, 3 Silver Coins
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Serpent Fangs Dagger: Has the ability to inflict lethal poison on its target, dealing damage over time while reducing the reaction time of the inflicted target.
Damage: 35
Durability: 105/150
Poison over time: 10 Health Per Second, -5 Strength and -5 Agility of inflicted target for 5 seconds. The same type of poison cannot be stacked, but can be reapplied to extend the duration.