To the left of Julian, four zombies shambled around Nocta while the three facing Umbra were almost defeated.
He couldn't help but feel regretful for not taking caution when entering the item shop. 'After all, I should stop treating this world like a game, unlike the dream world… I get an eerie feeling when entering this world.'
"Grrr…"
A pair of zombies lunged at Nocta and clawed at her chest.
In retaliation, she stepped back and blocked their advance by raising her enormous kite shield and thrusting them back into the other zombies, dealing 3 damage to the entire group.
Thud
The moment she knocked them down, Her blunt sword swept across the air, a dull crunch sounding as it cleaved through their bodies, dealing an additional 2 damage.
Julian's eyes observed the battle.
His Mana churned while gradually regenerating.
Umbra's spear penetrated the first zombie's head for 5 damage and popped out the back of its skull. Then she tore the blade out and kicked it away with two remaining.
Julian stepped back, his right hand lifted, before flicking his wrist—Quick Cast activated.
Instantly, at the tip of his wand, his Shadow Bolt formed at twice the speed, blending into a sharp, twisting bolt of violet energy.
However, the rapid draw of Mana caused Julian's throat to become parched, burning faster as the drain tugged at him like a raging bull.
'Not enough.'
Umbra's spear deflected another zombie's attack, before slicing black and cutting off its head for 5 damage, causing the second enemy to collapse. Nocta's shield could deflect the undead villagers' attacks without taking damage.
Julian's eyes flickered with a purple hue as he activated Mana Enhancement.
A pulse of ferocious power surged through his body, the raw power crackling inside him. His next spell would be stronger, but the increased cost made his abdomen burn.
He flicked his wrist towards a zombie attacking Nocta.
Woosh!
The empowered Shadow Bolt grew twice its regular size, erupting from his wand like a bullet, its form crackling and unstable as it zipped through the air. Julian felt a release close to climax after it shot at the zombie and exploded for 80 damage. Which destroyed its head, leaving blackened flash and seared hide.
POP!
Julian exhaled after his spell, a sense of exhilaration filling his body, before he rolled his wrist, and let Mana flow into his wand, causing it to glow with a dark purple aura.
Flick
He snapped his wrist, sending a zap of magic from the tip of his wand, not a spell but using the runes inside the wand to attack. Julian swung his arm towards the zombie, causing it to explode for 9 damage.
Zip!
The weight of the wand felt comfortable as he spun the wand between his fingers, testing the balance, and letting his Mana seep into the runes. It felt almost too light in his hands as he reached inward, pulling his Mana. Instead of creating a Shadow Bolt, he twisted the flow into the wand.
The runes along the wand's length flickered to life, absorbing his magic like a dry wick drinking oil. The tip of the wand shuddered, then still, holding back the gathered energy with crackles of violet magic.
"Nocta, crush them!"
Nocta pulled back her shield and glowed slightly before she smashed the undead with a brutal Shield Slam for 16 damage. Julian's eyes narrowed, watching the zombie floating in the air as he pulled back his arm and flicked the wand at the zombie.
The moment his wrist snapped, the stored Mana discharged and with a sharp, whispering hiss impacted the zombie. A dark flash, creating a deep gouge in its face and charring its face.
The bolt of purple energy zapped the target for another 9 damage.
Vwoom
Julian exhaled, spinning the wand again as it smoked slightly. He smirked while recharging the runes with his Mana. His gaze shifted to Umbra, who dropped the last zombie she faced, while two remained in front of Nocta.
"Good work, Umbra."
The remaining zombies didn't stand a chance.
Because of their low levels, having two shades, Julian crushed the last two zombies, using his wand and Umbra's spear.
A fluttering black mist flowed from the battlefield as several items were sucked into Julian's inventory as the battle screen appeared in the corner of his eyes.
[◊ Reanimated Villager x 10 has been slain ◊]
• Gained: 300 Experience Points
• Gained: Bone Dust x 5
• Gained: Smooth Bone x 10
• Gained: 20 copper coins
◊ You have reached level 4
Julian Pendragon • Shadow Mancer (SSSR)
• Level: 3 → 4 (20/800)
• HP: 40 → 50
• MP: 80 → 100
• Attack: 2
• Defence: 4
• Speed: 3
• Magic: 8 → 10
• Total: 17 → 19 (+3)
• Command Points: 12
"Hrrk!"
Julian's throat burned the moment he levelled up.
All of his Mana rapidly regenerated, causing his chest and stomach to become tight, while he felt a sense of nausea and vertigo.
Umbra and Nocta rushed to his side and remained silent.
"So, where are the people who made this damn trap…"
Creak!
Julian's eyes snapped to the largest building still standing in the centre of the village. He believed it might have been the village head's house.
'Was there someone inside?'
A group of NPCs started to climb out of the barn. They looked gaunt, emaciated, and weakened. They looked filthy. Some were wounded and starving.
"Hm…"
"Saviour!" One of the older villagers called out to Julian, the very word causing his spine to tingle. Somehow, he doubted they were unrelated to the trap set in the item shop. But he couldn't accuse them, since they were the only living humans he saw in this world.
"He looks familiar." A woman whispered.
"Shh, what if you upset him?" The male beside her grunted.
"I am no saviour, but how did you manage to survive so long?" He noticed a few children who looked extremely malnourished and couldn't help but feel guilty.
"We…" The leader looked embarrassed, likely understanding that Julian knew they were behind this trap because those zombies were weak, level 2 zombies.
'A zombie takes after its corpse… reanimated villagers who haven't eaten and are the weakest of the group. This explains their weakness.'
"I take it you are starving—otherwise you wouldn't be hiding like beasts."
"…"
Umbra and Nocta naturally stepped ahead of Julian each time a villager came closer, causing them to step back and flinch.
"Though I cannot save you, I will at least give you some meat… You must learn to fend for yourselves, though."
Thanks to slaying beasts and monsters with meat, before logging in today, Julian amassed 15 chunks of meat, though it might not taste great, for these humans who hadn't eaten for a while it should last them a few days.
"Here"
• Julian gave 10 pieces of meat to the village head.
• Reputation with Ashvale has reached friendly!
'Hm? That was too easy.'
Maybe because he helped them in their darkest hour, but normally, it might take a few days of quests to get friendly with these early factions.
'Not to mention most would skip it.'
"T-Thank you very much, Saviour!" The old man's tears too dry to cry trembled, as he held the meat, and another human who seemed to be a butcher or farmer took them.
"Make sure you boil it thin and create a soup and stock, otherwise our stomachs and the children will vomit and waste it." One woman whispered before she vanished into the building.
"Phew…"
Julian's sense of time became strange when in the world of nightmares, he felt exhausted and like he spent hours in here. But only two hours passed so far, leaving him with just over six hours to grind in the forest, or to explore further.
'The issue is, I don't know what monsters and dangers exist around here… Oh!'
"Village head, is there any chance a member of your group knows what monsters exist around the village? I am willing to offer the meat I manage to gain from hunting."
Upon hearing Julian's calm suggestion, the Village head held no interest until he mentioned the meat. He then turned to a young woman wearing a tattered outfit and a dirty face. There was a scar across the cheek, likely from a beast.
But it didn't ruin the blonde woman's looks even so.
"This lady is Fran, someone who used to hunt before things became so dangerous, she is skilled with a bow and daggers."
"Hmm…" Julian gazed at the short woman, a crude shortbow over her shoulder and eyes without light. She seemed to have experienced something horrible. "Do you seek power?" He asked, causing the woman's eyes to tremble, a flicker of light showing for an instant. "I will ensure you eat well if you help me to hunt, scout and kill surrounding beasts."
[◊ You have offered a quest for Huntress Fran! ◊]
Strange… you are supposed to be the player, but you have issued a quest like an NPC!
[Rewards]
• Monster Meat
• Archery and Scouting Experience
• A Chance to Evolve
The moment he heard the goddess Solaria speaking, Julian's lips twitched, wondering why he didn't get a quest but the other way around.
However, the light in Fran's eyes increased as the petite female nodded, and stepped closer while watching Julian's face intently.
"May I come with you?"
He couldn't say no to her. To find a scout in this world would be difficult, and dying for 24 hours was something Julian didn't want to risk.
"Of course, pull your weight and I will never let you suffer."
"Mm!"
With the addition of Fran, Julian left the town temporarily, but he worried about their safety, not that he could save them.
He just knew the horrors that awaited them all. The moment they left the village, a beautiful yet haunting hymn echoed from the village.
It was a hymn that detailed the end of humanity and the lost lives.