"It's a test of speed and survival?" Ethan mumbled, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
As Ethan reflected on RageHeart's words, he briefly shifted his gaze to his sword before redirecting it toward the temple atop the distant hill, bathed in the radiant glow of golden light.
"It's a test of speed and survival," Ethan repeated, a smile unconsciously forming on his face.
'Why am I getting excited about something like this?' Ethan wondered, momentarily chastising himself.
'This isn't a game, Ethan! Stay focused!'
Sensing that his mood was veering away from the current situation, Ethan shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of the potentially dangerous thoughts that were taking shape.
They were just thoughts, yet Ethan had already deemed them perilous.
Ethan had to remind himself that not everything in this world could be treated as a mere source of enjoyment like a game.
Ethan was well aware of this, but his deep-seated passion for games and the enjoyment they brought him was starting to influence his thinking.
The unrestrained love Ethan had nurtured for gaming-related pursuits over the years was proving difficult to control within his present circumstances.
While it was challenging not to feel excitement, such as in the prospect of growing stronger, Ethan was resolute in his understanding of his priorities.
Ethan's current list of priorities was rather short.
Ethan's first and most important priority was to accumulate enough Experience points to level up, consequently increasing his strength.
Ethan was thoroughly exhausted, and he wasn't the sole one feeling this way.
Even Mia, who didn't do much aside from staying close to Ethan and RageHeart and occasionally scanning their surroundings when they couldn't, appeared fatigued.
Despite their weariness, Ethan remained convinced that enhancing his strength took precedence.
If luck was on his side and he faced the same opponents he had been encountering since his arrival in this world, Ethan believed he could manage well.
This conviction was rooted in the observation that he found it easier to handle these familiar foes due to their relatively unchanging patterns in combat.
After taking a few minutes to catch their breath and ease their laboured breathing, RageHeart turned his gaze toward Ethan, who had already regained his normal breathing pattern.
Ethan's fatigue was apparent only in his slightly shallow breaths, his sweaty and dirt-covered appearance indicating his tiredness.
"Continue?" RageHeart asked simply.
RageHeart had recuperated to some extent, but expending energy to communicate more than necessary through words, when a single word sufficed, was something he wasn't willing to do.
Thankfully, and as anticipated, Ethan comprehended him effortlessly, offering a nod in response.
"Let's keep hunting undead," Ethan said with a faint smile.
*********
Ethan's body felt like a heavy lead weight, every movement an arduous endeavour.
Beads of sweat trickled down Ethan's forehead, mingling with the grime that clung to his skin.
Ethan breaths came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving as he faced off against the imposing figure of an undead knight.
The undead knight's eye sockets fixed on Ethan with an unnatural intensity.
The air was thick with tension, the only sounds the distant howling of the wind and the echoing clinks of Ethan's worn sword as he shifted his grip.
The blade, once gleaming, now bore the scars of a few battles.
With solemn expression on his face, Ethan raised the sword, his arms trembling slightly under its weight.
Ethan took a deep breath, drawing on the last reserves of his energy.
The undead knight lunged, its rusted sword slashing through the air with a bone-chilling screech.
Ethan's body moved on instinct, a dance of survival as he sidestepped the attack.
Ethan's sword met the knight's blade in a clash of metal, the impact jarring through his weary arms.
Using the momentum of the parry, Ethan pivoted and unleashed a swift roundhouse kick.
The kick landed with a satisfying thud against the knight's ribcage, causing bones to rattle.
The undead warrior staggered back, momentarily off balance.
Seizing the opportunity, Ethan pressed on.
Ethan flowed into a series of calculated strikes, his movements fueled by his martial prowess.
Ethan ducked under a clumsy swing of the knight's sword, his worn blade finding its mark as it sliced across the undead warrior's thigh.
The knight let out an unearthly howl, its bones seeming to reverberate with pain.
But the undead knight was relentless.
The undead knight retaliated with a swift backhand strike, its gauntleted hand connecting with Ethan's side.
Pain shot through Ethan's body, but he gritted his teeth and fought through it.
At least he was relieved that coming into direct contact with an undead knight was not going to give him some form of infection. It was something Ethan and RageHeart had been relieved to discover during one of their past battles in this place.
However, this wasn't what occupied Ethan's thoughts as he focused on his ongoing battle with the undead knight.
Ethan feinted left and then lunged right, slashing at the knight's exposed flank.
The worn sword bit into decaying flesh, sending bone splinters flying.
Ethan's fatigue was a constant weight, but he refused to give in.
Ethan continued to dance around the undead knight, his movements a blend of exhaustion and determination.
Each strike Ethan delivered was precise, aimed at exploiting the gaps in the knight's defences.
As the battle raged on, Ethan's senses became finely attuned to the knight's movements. He anticipated its attacks, dodging and countering with fluidity.
Ethan's muscles burned, his body protesting every movement, but he couldn't afford to slow down.
With one final burst of energy, Ethan unleashed a flurry of strikes, his worn sword a blur of steel in the fading light.
The undead knight's defences crumbled, its bones splintering and collapsing to the ground.
Ethan stood there, his chest heaving, his hands trembling as he held the worn sword.
Breathing heavily, he looked at the fallen undead knight, a mixture of relief and satisfaction flooding his exhausted body.
Before Ethan could turn to look at his surroundings, a series of bell-like sounds echoed in his head, and a blue panel appeared in front of him, displaying several notifications.
Among these notifications, one immediately caught Ethan's eye.
[You have levelled up to level 2]