The sword cleaved through decayed flesh, its edge biting deep into the zombie's neck. Blackened blood splattered across Kael's chest, the stench of rot filling his nostrils. The undead let out a gurgled, rattling sound, its cloudy eyes rolling back as its body collapsed in a twitching heap.
Kael staggered back, his arms burning from the sheer force of the swing. His breathing came in ragged gasps, sweat rolling down his temple.
A notification flickered before his eyes.
[You have killed a Lesser Zombie. +20 XP]
[XP: 140/200]
He gritted his teeth, fingers tightening around the sword's hilt.
One zombie.
It had taken everything in him just to bring down one with a blade.
Kael had spent most of his fights casting spells, attacking from a distance. Now, without mana, he was forced to fight like a warrior—and he was paying the price for it. His body wasn't trained for heavy melee combat. His arms ached, his stance felt unsteady, and his grip on the sword was already slipping from sweat and exhaustion.
If he had to keep fighting like this, he wouldn't last.
The chamber was chaos incarnate.
Screams. Clashing metal. The wet, sickening crunch of flesh being torn apart.
All around him, players were locked in desperate battles against the undead.
To his right, the Warrior who had taken command earlier was still swinging his longsword, cutting through zombies with sheer force. His blade sliced through limbs and skulls, but Kael noticed the strain in his movements. His attacks weren't as sharp as before—his breathing had turned heavy, his strikes slower.
Emily, the rogue, moved like a shadow, weaving between the undead, her daggers flashing. She was quick, landing slashes to tendons, eyes, and throats before retreating into the darkness. But even she was beginning to slow, her movements just a little less sharp, her dodges a fraction less precise.
At the back of the battlefield, the Mage stood with her hands glowing, her lips moving in rapid incantations. Kael saw her launch a fireball at three clustered zombies—the explosion incinerated them instantly. But her face was ashen, her legs wobbling from mana exhaustion.
A Tamer snapped his whip into a zombie's throat, sending it thrashing to the ground. The Tamer looked relieved, but his movements were slower now, his whip cracks not as sharp.
But some players weren't holding their ground.
A warrior screamed as a zombie bit into his shoulder, blood pouring from the wound. He stumbled, fell, and four more undead swarmed him, dragging him beneath a mass of grasping hands and gnashing teeth.
Another rogue, a girl barely out of her teens, tripped as a zombie gripped her ankle. She kicked, thrashed, but the monster's rotting grip was like iron. It pulled her down, biting into her leg, and she shrieked in agony. More zombies fell upon her, and within seconds, her screams ended.
Kael forced himself to look away.
He couldn't afford to focus on the dying.
If he did—he'd be next.
Kael sucked in a sharp breath.
Stat points.
He only had a few seconds to decide, but his hands hovered hesitantly over his interface.
His instinct screamed at him to increase Intelligence or Wisdom, to boost his mana pool and regeneration. But his body—his aching, fatigued, sluggish body—was telling him a different story.
Magic wouldn't help him if he was too slow, too tired, too weak to even cast a spell.
Kael cursed under his breath, then allocated his points:
+1 Stamina (Increases endurance and resistance to fatigue)
+1 Agility (Increases movement speed and reaction time)
The moment he confirmed the choice, he felt the difference immediately.
A rush of relief flooded through his body.
His breath steadied. His arms still ached, but the burning lessened slightly. His legs, heavy from exhaustion, now felt lighter.
It wasn't a massive change—but it was enough.
A part of him hated it.
I should have boosted my magic. I'm a caster, not a damn melee fighter.
But another part of him knew the truth:
If I die here, it won't matter how much mana I have.
He shook the thoughts away. No time for regret.
Fighting alone was a death sentence.
Kael scanned the battlefield, searching for someone like him—another magic user, someone who needed help.
His gaze landed on Ethan—the Healer.
The boy was not fighting. He was dodging, scrambling away, barely keeping himself alive. His hands shook as he gripped his staff. His face was pure terror.
Kael's heart froze when he saw what Ethan didn't.
A zombie creeping toward him.
Emily, locked in battle, couldn't see it.
The zombie was moments away from grabbing him—a second from sinking its teeth into his throat.
Kael reacted on instinct.
"Ethan! Behind you!"
Ethan turned too late.
Kael sprinted forward.
His Agility boost kicked in—his legs moved faster than before. He reached Ethan just in time, swinging his sword with everything he had.
SCHK!
The blade severed the zombie's arm, sending it flying. The undead let out a guttural screech, but before it could react, Kael drove his sword into its chest, piercing straight through.
The creature twitched violently, then slumped lifeless.
[You have killed a Lesser Zombie. +20 XP]
[XP: 160/200]
Ethan staggered back, shaking violently.
"You—" he stammered, his hands trembling.
Kael gritted his teeth, pulling him up. "Stick close to me," he ordered.
Ethan nodded furiously, still gasping for breath. "I—I won't forget this."
"Good," Kael muttered. "Let's stay alive first."
Kael fought on, burning through mana and stamina alike.
BOOM! (+20 XP)
BOOM! (+20 XP)
Until finally—
[XP: 200/200]
[Level Up! You are now Level 3.]
+10 HP
+5 MP
+2 Free Stat Points
And then—silence.
The last zombie fell.
A system message appeared.
[Level 2 Complete.]
[Five-minute recovery period before Level 3 begins.]
Kael exhaled, his whole body screaming in exhaustion.
Then the casualty report scrolled in.
[Total Players Remaining: 173/273]
Kael clenched his fists.
Emily limped over. "You saved my idiot brother."
Kael smirked, wiping his sword clean. "Yeah, well. He's useful enough."
Ethan sighed. "I told you, I'm a Healer!"
Emily snorted. "Well… thanks."
Kael nodded.
Five minutes. Then it would begin again.
And Level 3 would be worse.