William stared at the glowing game prompt, feeling a mix of excitement and determination.
[Battle Tips: You have encountered a guard zombie.]
Without hesitation, William made his move. A few tense moments passed, and then the notification appeared:
[You killed the guard zombie, experience +15! ]
[Experience: 33/80]
A smirk tugged at William's lips. He could tell this guard knight zombie was no ordinary enemy. It had to be at least one level higher than him, probably a level 7 unit. And for good reason; it rewarded him with 15 experience points. This wasn't just some run-of-the-mill foe; it was an elite monster.
"Not bad," William thought, feeling a rush of satisfaction.
---
[Your talent, Killing to Prove Your Truth, takes effect.]
[Physical attribute +0.13, Spirit attribute +0.05, Energy attribute +0.06!]
[Your talent draws on two points of demonic characteristics and increases your weapon skill proficiency.]
[Demonic Characteristics: 9/200]
---
William paused for a moment, absorbing the details. His talent was evolving in ways he hadn't expected. He hadn't just gained experience; his body itself was growing stronger, more in tune with something dark and mysterious. Even more surprising was his newfound weapon proficiency.
"Weapon proficiency? From killing a guard zombie?" William muttered under his breath, eyebrows raised in surprise. He wasn't complaining though. After all, this was a good thing. The skill bar that had once been empty now displayed a new icon: [Basic Gun Skills].
And then, something subtle but undeniable happened within him, a physical sensation, like a dormant energy beginning to stir. It was as if his body craved action, hungered for combat. He needed a weapon in his hands.
William quickly turned his attention back to the fallen guard knight. Without a second thought, he began stripping the leather armor from the zombie's decaying body. It was stained and filthy, but to William, this was a treasure. He gave it a firm shake to rid it of dust and debris before slipping it on. The armor was clearly of better quality than the cheap one he had purchased earlier, but it hung loosely on his frame. With a bit of improvisation, he found a rope and tied it securely around his waist.
As he rummaged through the guard's belongings, he uncovered something unexpected, a silver coin and several copper coins, clearly remnants from the guard's life before he had become a mindless husk.
"Looks like even the dead can't escape taxes," William joked, pocketing the coins.
His eyes then fell on the metal spear lying beside the body. It was massive, nearly two meters long and heavy, easily weighing fifty or sixty kilograms. Yet when William grasped it, the weapon felt solid, well-balanced, and durable.
---
[Name: Fine Iron Spear]
[Quality: Ordinary]
[Note: The young man believed he would become a knight one day, fighting on the front lines. He practiced spearmanship day and night, honing his skills to perfection. But one day, something strange happened in the iron mine. The young man took the spear he had never parted with and volunteered to guard the mine.]
---
William twirled the spear experimentally, cutting through the air with a powerful whoosh. There was something strangely familiar about the weapon in his hands, as if the previous owner's mastery had transferred to him. He couldn't help but wonder if his newfound ease with the spear had something to do with the fallen knight's lingering energy, absorbed into him through his talent.
The spear was elegantly crafted, with a diamond-shaped head, a sharp tip, and an exceptionally rigid shaft. Its blade was thin but deadly, capable of slicing through armor if used correctly. However, despite its excellent craftsmanship, William noticed a small flaw, it lacked flexibility, making certain advanced spear techniques difficult to perform.
Still, this spear was a significant upgrade from his previous weapon. The dagger he had bought from a blacksmith for two silver coins now seemed like a toy in comparison. This spear was worth at least ten silver coins, and William knew its quality would serve him well in future battles.
He gripped the spear tightly, feeling its weight and the promise of the fights to come.
"Well then," William whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's see what else this world has in store for me."
William's body still hadn't fully recovered. His left hand felt weak, and he knew he couldn't push it too hard just yet. But when his fingers wrapped around the cool metal shaft of the spear, a sudden surge of energy rushed through him. For a moment, he felt like a warrior ready to sweep through the entire abandoned mine, taking on whatever evil lurked within.
He let out a slow breath, steadying himself. He wasn't ready to fight yet, so he rested for another half an hour. His mind wandered as he prepared for what lay ahead. Eventually, the time felt right.
Gripping the spear, he took a step forward and entered another dimly lit mine tunnel. The air was thick with dust and the smell of decay. It didn't take long before the demonic zombies that infested the tunnel sensed him. With a guttural roar, they charged toward him, their decayed limbs flailing wildly.
William's body reacted instinctively. His spear lunged forward, striking with precision. He twisted his wrist, yanked the weapon free, and in one swift motion, smashed the blunt end into the zombie's chest. The impact sent the creature crashing to the ground, lifeless.
"Ah, with better equipment, this is so much easier!" William muttered, a grin spreading across his face. He wasn't fully in control yet; his moves were clumsy, his form a little awkward. But it didn't matter.
He chuckled, glancing at the zombie writhing on the ground. "Sure, it might be a bit messy now, and it might hurt a little, but don't worry," he said, mockingly addressing the fallen enemy. "Let me practice on you a few more times, and I'll get the hang of it."
Instead of finishing the zombie off quickly, William used the moment to sharpen his weapon skills. Each strike was deliberate, each movement designed to familiarize himself with the spear's weight and balance. The zombies, with their tough bodies and slow reactions, were perfect practice dummies. They took his hits, their thick health bars ticking down slowly, giving William all the time he needed to adjust his form and technique.
"If it breaks, no problem. I'll just grab another one," he thought with a smirk, swinging the spear once more.
---
[You killed the demonized zombie, experience +5!]
[Experience: 38/80]
---
[Your talent, Killing to Prove Your Truth, takes effect.]
---
Time passed in a blur of combat and game prompts. While his injury still slowed him down, William's combat efficiency had noticeably improved. His movements became fiercer, his strikes more decisive. Little by little, he began to fully absorb the experience he was gaining, his understanding of the spear growing with each kill.
By the time he emerged from the third tunnel, William felt a sense of accomplishment. His body ached, but it was a good ache; one that came with progress.
That's when something caught his eye. A glint of light in a dark corner of the tunnel. Curious, William made his way toward it, his footsteps soft against the stone floor. As he approached, his suspicions were confirmed; this was another hint of the demonic influence in the mine.
He crouched down, brushing aside some debris, and unearthed an old lantern. Its protective brass grid gleamed faintly, and inside was a glass casing shaped like a gourd with a thin waist and a wide belly. At the top, the brass frame formed a toad with its mouth wide open.
The moment William lifted the lantern, a game prompt flashed before his eyes.
---
[Name: Development Lantern]
[Quality: Excellent]
[Additional Note: In the early days of mining, the local priest warned of lurking evil in the depths. The villagers, unwilling to give up their work, sought the church's help. They were given these lanterns, hoping they would light the way and banish the darkness.]
---
[Spiritual Fire: This lantern can illuminate the deepest shadows and reveal what is hidden from the ordinary eye. The spiritual fire it holds protects against evil, dispels fear, and wards off malevolent spirits. However, it consumes spiritual oil.]
---
"Elite equipment?!" William exclaimed, staring at the lantern in disbelief. He couldn't help but smile at his good fortune.
Sure, it wasn't a weapon and wouldn't directly aid him in combat, but he knew better than to underestimate its value. The ability to see through darkness, to uncover hidden dangers, could be a game-changer. And though it had no offensive or defensive abilities, William knew elite equipment was always something to be excited about.
He held the lantern up, watching as the faint glow of spiritual fire flickered to life inside. "Well, this will definitely come in handy," he said with a grin.
With a sense of renewed purpose, William stepped back into the tunnel, ready for whatever awaited him in the darkness.
William examined the Development Lantern in his hands, studying its description with growing curiosity. There was no doubt in his mind, this was no ordinary item. The lantern was precious, a relic that had been lost and forgotten in the abandoned mine for who knows how long. Now, it lay in his hands, covered in a thick layer of dust, the brass frame dulled by years of neglect.
He cast a glance back at the secluded corner where he had found it, hidden away from the world. "There really is treasure in this old mine," William mused, "but I doubt many would be able to get this far."
The mine was a labyrinth of tunnels, twisting and turning in every direction, and he had ventured deep into its heart. Most people wouldn't dare to venture this far, and if they did, they'd have to deal with the horde of zombies guarding the paths. Even getting through two or three of those creatures was no easy task.
William chuckled as he thought about how different this lantern was compared to his Little Red Riding Hood's Slingshot, an item he had used earlier. The slingshot was simple, straightforward, requiring no special fuel or preparation. The lantern, on the other hand, demanded something rare, spiritual oil; to function.
Curious, he carefully opened the lantern. Unsurprisingly, the fuel had long since burned out, leaving it empty. "Spiritual oil, huh? What about corpse oil?" William joked to himself, the absurdity of the idea making him laugh.
With a shrug, he tucked the lantern safely into his backpack. It wasn't immediately useful, but he wasn't about to leave such a rare piece of equipment behind. There was more to be done here, and William had other things on his mind. Beyond just hunting down monsters, he was committed to fully exploring this dark, winding mine. There had to be more relics hidden in its depths; secrets that could turn the tide in his favor.
---
Spearmanship, William knew, could be mastered in two ways.
The first method was through basic training, honing his skill slowly through repetition. Day by day, the spear would become an extension of his body, with progress steady but slow. It was safe, reliable, but not the most exciting way to learn.
The second method, and the one William preferred, was learning through combat. Nothing made the body remember like the heat of battle. The chaos of a fight forces instinct to take over; teaching the mind to strike fast, fierce, and with deadly precision.
William figured he needed a mix of both approaches. He already had a basic grasp of how to wield the spear, but this mine, crawling with zombies, was the perfect training ground. His opponents were relentless and durable, making them ideal for sharpening his skills.
The mine's oppressive darkness pressed in around him, but William's movements were sure and precise. His spear pierced the air with deadly accuracy, over and over, as he fought off waves of zombies. Each thrust of the weapon was a lesson, each kill a step toward mastery.
With every battle, his strikes became smoother, his aim truer. The zombies fell one by one, their decaying bodies unable to withstand his growing strength. Along the way, he even encountered a demonized rat, its glowing eyes betraying its monstrous nature. It met the same fate as the zombies; slain by the tip of William's spear.
By the time the dust settled, William had killed four more zombies and the demonized rat, earning him a total of 23 experience points. At this rate, he was sure to reach level 7 by tomorrow. A surge of excitement ran through him at the thought of leveling up. Each victory brought him closer to becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Just as he was about to move on, something unexpected caught his attention. Near the spot where the demonized rat had fallen, he discovered its nest. Among the twisted roots and decaying leaves were dozens of scattered copper coins, their dull surfaces barely reflecting the light. But that wasn't all.
Nestled in the middle of the pile was something far more valuable; a raw ruby, shimmering with a faint, magical glow.
---
[Ruby: A precious gemstone with magical power. Perhaps it is connected to a mineral deposit in this vein? But that's not important. What matters is the brilliant, dazzling light it emits before you.]
---
William's eyes widened as he picked up the ruby, turning it over in his hands. The gem pulsed faintly with power, its deep red hue casting a soft glow in the darkness of the cave. "Now, this is something special," he whispered to himself, tucking the ruby away for safekeeping.
With renewed determination, William continued his exploration, knowing that the deeper he went, the greater the rewards would be. The mine still held many secrets, and William was determined to uncover every last one.