Several support professionals shook their heads in hesitation, most of them young girls.
When these girls saw Marsh's eerie skeleton warriors, their fear overwhelmed any thoughts of forming a team with him.
Marsh turned to David, his tone calm. "Mr. David, I also want to aim for Xiajing Academy."
The implication was clear: Marsh wanted to solo, focusing solely on leveling up efficiently.
David raised his eyebrows slightly. "Do you understand how difficult it is to get into Xiajing Academy?"
Marsh nodded, his voice steady. "I'm confident."
David studied him for a moment, seeing the determination in Marsh's eyes. Finally, he gave a slight nod. "I hope you succeed."
Getting into Xiajing Academy was no easy feat. The first hurdle was the level requirement: applicants needed to be at least level 12, though level 15 or higher was recommended for a better chance.
Last year, Marsh's older sister Lin Mohan had entered Xiajing Academy as a level 16 student.
For Marsh and the others, who had only just transitioned, reaching level 12 in a week was already a daunting challenge. Reaching level 15 was another matter entirely.
The monsters in the novice dungeon maxed out at level 8, meaning grinding to level 12 or higher within the dungeon alone was impossible. Going out into the wilderness was riskier, as it posed far greater dangers to inexperienced professionals.
Apart from meeting level requirements, other factors such as combat achievements and performance during exams would also play a role in Xiajing Academy's selection process.
---
At David's insistence, most of the main combat professions agreed to team up with support classes. Teams of two or three were the norm.
Kevin, for example, chose a prophet as his support. The prophet could cast buffs to strengthen him and provide healing when needed—a perfect complement for combat.
Once the registration process was completed, the school handed out basic weapons and equipment to the students, tailored to their professions.
Kevin, excitedly wielding an iron sword and shield, puffed out his chest. "I'm unstoppable! The sky has me, and everyone else comes second!"
Marsh, meanwhile, received a staff.
[Staff]
[Spiritual Power +1]
The staff was unimpressive—its bonus barely noticeable. Marsh couldn't help but think it made little difference whether he had it or not.
Jeny, on the other hand, had her own weapon: a spellbook. Marsh could feel the energy radiating from it, a sign of high-quality craftsmanship.
Before entering the dungeon, Jeny approached Marsh with a competitive gleam in her eyes. "Let's make this interesting—let's see who can level up faster."
Marsh didn't respond, his expression neutral.
Jeny tilted her chin up, exposing her slender neck as she added, "Not answering means you're accepting the challenge!"
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and confidently walked into the dungeon.
Marsh's lips twitched slightly. "So competitive," he muttered to himself before stepping into the dungeon.
---
The novice dungeon was a vast prairie, its lush grass growing over half a meter high. Small monsters hid in the tall grass, making them difficult to spot.
The sparse distribution of monsters ensured safety for beginners, but it also meant more time was spent searching for them than actually fighting.
The novice dungeon's design prioritized introducing new professionals to combat mechanics rather than overwhelming them with challenges.
Marsh summoned his four skeleton warriors.
"Go find and kill monsters," he commanded telepathically.
The skeleton warriors obeyed immediately, splitting off in different directions.
Their movement was swift, their skeletal limbs creaking as they dashed through the grass, leaving a trail of cold wind in their wake.
Marsh observed their speed with satisfaction. "So fast!"
With 150 points in agility, the skeleton warriors moved like the wind, covering tens of meters in mere moments.
Soon enough, the sound of combat reached his ears.
[Successfully killed Da Er Mian. Experience +10.]
The level 1 creature stood no chance against the skeleton warrior, falling instantly.
Marsh glanced at his experience bar: it had increased by 1%.
Each level 1 monster granted 1% experience, meaning 100 monsters would suffice to level up.
[Successfully killed Da Er Mian. Experience +10.]
[Successfully killed Da Er Mian. Experience +10.]
The notifications continued to flood in as the skeleton warriors efficiently dispatched the creatures.
In mere minutes, Marsh's experience bar rose by 10%.
At this rate, Marsh calculated he could easily reach level 8 within two days, after which he could leave the novice dungeon for more challenging areas.
Summoning another Black Iron Skeleton Warrior, Marsh sent it out to join the hunt.
With his mental energy nearly depleted, Marsh sat down and began meditating.
---
Half an hour later, Marsh opened his eyes to find he had leveled up for the first time.
[Name: Marsh]
[Profession: Necromancer (Unique)]
[Level: 2 (1.00%)]
[Strength: 20]
[Agility: 20]
[Spirit: 40]
[Equipment: None]
[Summon Space: 5/20 | Skeleton Warriors: 5]
[Talent: Comprehensive Amplification (Level 1, Unique)]
[Passive Skill: Damage Transfer]
[Active Skills: Soul Flame (Level 2), Summon Skeleton Warrior (Level 2)]
[Comprehensive Amplification (Level 1)]: All skill effects are amplified tenfold.
[Damage Transfer]: All damage suffered by the caster is transferred to summoned units.
[Soul Flame (Level 2)]: Burns the target's soul, causing damage. Power scales with Spirit and skill level.
[Summon Skeleton Warrior (Level 2)]: Summons a Black Iron Skeleton Warrior.
Reaching level 2 brought an increase in attributes. Additionally, the summoning space expanded from 10 slots to 20, allowing Marsh to summon up to 20 skeleton warriors simultaneously.
Marsh activated his summoning skill, bringing forth another Black Iron Skeleton Warrior.
This time, he noticed a change: the skill consumed more mental energy—15 points instead of the previous 10.
The newly summoned skeleton was also visibly different. Its previously dull, cracked appearance now gleamed faintly, with fewer fractures across its frame.
Marsh inspected its attributes.
[Black Iron Skeleton Warrior]
[Strength: 250]
[Agility: 250]
[Spirit: 250]
[Physique: 250]
The skeleton's stats had increased significantly with the skill's level.
Marsh leaned back, satisfied. With his skeleton warriors growing stronger and his leveling efficiency increasing, he felt more confident in his path forward.
Jeny's challenge echoed in his mind.
"Let's compare and see who can upgrade faster."
Marsh smirked. "Let's see, then."
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