DING! [You've received a special ability: CHARACTER BIND]
[CHARACTER BIND: Bind your character with gods, devils, monsters, mythical creatures, favored sons of heaven, etc.
➟ Ability current rank is Tier-1
➟ Only works on living targets. When a bound target dies, the bind is deactivated.]
DING! [Due to your special ability, you have unlocked the following features:]
[Reader's Viewpoint (Passive skill): Allows you to view the status of every entity.]
[Copycat (Active skill): After binding with any character, you can copy their special aspect—skills, abilities, talent, bloodline, etc. COOLDOWN (7 DAYS).]
[Extraction (Active skill): After binding, you can extract 20% of their total exp. COOLDOWN (For each character, there is a 7-day cooldown).]
[Index of Myth (Special Tab): Access a list of powerful mythical beings you can unlock and bind with.]
-More will be added as your ability evolves-
-Cooldown time decreases as your ability evolves-
---
Dorian's eyes widened gradually as the details of his special ability appeared before him. He couldn't believe such an ability existed. Even in 'Ethereal Descent,' there was no mention of anything this strange and powerful.
'Could this be because I read the novel? There's even a skill called Reader's Viewpoint. This can't be a simple coincidence!' he thought.
He overheard the other students discussing their packages, but none were unique. All the classes and weapons were the typical ones that appear in novels—nothing new. However, considering this was a normal world without magic, those packages could be considered special.
Unfortunately, Dorian didn't have enough time to fully understand his special ability before the same terrifying, robotic voice thundered across the area, announcing the final descent into chaos!
---
[TIME UP!]
[The first trial has begun]
[FIRST TRIAL]
[Survive the zombie challenge for 7 days (Difficulty - E)]
---
"Zombies? Did that voice just say zombies?" a student cried out in terror, his body trembling with fear.
"God, please help us! What have we done to deserve this? My parents are devoted worshipers who donate millions for good causes, so why would you let this evil befall me?" another wailed.
Everyone reacted similarly, the mention of zombies was too much to bear after witnessing how the world had suddenly changed.
While everyone else freaked out, Dorian mentally braced himself for what was about to unfold.
A few seconds after the announcement, the dark sky grew even darker, lightning struck at different angles, and thunder roared! The Towers of Reality had already landed, asserting their dominance over numerous landmarks across the earth, their heights nearly touching the sky.
From the windows, Dorian could still see the towers due to their towering, unrealistic heights.
The cafeteria was filled with screams of terror as this phenomenon unfolded in the sky. Those near the windows, watching the storm, began to shiver. Some students ran and hid under tables, crying for help.
Suddenly, an eerie silence fell, as though time had stopped. Everyone seemed frozen in place, like statues made of stone.
BANG! BANG!! BANG!!!
Three explosive noises, as if something fast was hitting a stationary surface, reverberated across the cafeteria, shattering the previous silence.
The noise came from the entrance of the cafeteria, which was opposite the see-through windows.
Following the noise, everyone turned their heads towards the entrance, and their eyes widened in horror at what they saw.
The creatures before them were horrifying—they had the same body structure as humans, but with rotting flesh clinging to their bones, and their eyes were dull and lifeless. They moved with a slow, jerky motion, dragging their decayed limbs across the ground. Their mouths hung open, revealing broken, jagged teeth, ready to tear into anything they could.
BANG! BANG!
Some of the zombies were already at the door, their rotting hands slamming against it, trying to force their way in.
The quality of the glass door was decent, otherwise, the zombies would have broken in on the first try. However, even with that level of durability, the zombies would eventually break through after a few more attempts.
"Oh no! We're done for! They'll break in soon, and we have nowhere to escape!" a boy cried out, his voice trembling.
"What should we do?" Brandon asked, his voice quivering, something unexpected for someone of his stature. But his reaction wasn't unnatural.
Every student in the hall stared at the door, consumed by fear—none of them had ever imagined being in a situation like this. It was even impressive that none of them had fainted yet.
While everyone panicked, Dorian observed the zombies with a frown—They were exactly like the zombies in the first round in terms of appearance.
'But what about their strength? Are they as strong as in the novels or weaker?' he wondered.
He looked around and observed the others' reactions. They were all right to be scared, but that wouldn't help in a time like this.
'Should I help them?' he asked himself.
These people had been nothing but hateful to him since his first day at Starmap Academy. They bullied and humiliated him, making his school days miserable.
Naturally, Dorian would be happy to escape alone and watch them all get eaten by zombies. Then, after they turned, he would take great pleasure in killing their undead selves to gain experience.
Simply imagining this scene made his heart beat faster with joy.
But...
'I can make use of them in the future. They can become my livestock. I'll help them grow stronger and then slowly extract their experience to make myself even stronger. If they possess any good skills or abilities, I can take them,' Dorian thought, changing his mind.
Unfortunately, he couldn't make use of them if they died now.
'I have to save them,' he decided.
Letting out a sigh, Dorian moved from his previous position and walked casually to a new spot where all the students could see him clearly.
The noise of zombies banging on the door still echoed through the cafeteria, and the students remained terrified.
Dorian slowly observed each of them with [Reader's Viewpoint], and just as the skill predicted, he was able to see their status.
---
Brandon - Lv 0
Ethereal Order - Tier-1
Aspect - Class: Martial Artist (Tier-1)
➟BIND?
---
Muller - Lv 0
Ethereal Order - Tier-1
Aspect - Relic: Pyro Sword
➟BIND?
---
Looking at their stats, Dorian couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. With their current levels, surviving the zombie hordes outside would take an extraordinary amount of luck.
'Who knows? Maybe I'm one of the protagonists now,' he mused.
Clearing his throat, Dorian began, "Everyone, listen to me..."
"Shut the hell up!" someone interrupted before he could finish.