The air in the basement was thick with the stench of blood and decay. The dim glow of the remaining embers from torches flickered against the cold stone walls, casting eerie shadows over the mangled bodies strewn across the floor. It was a grotesque sight—a silent graveyard where only the dead bore witness to the massacre that had taken place.
Kael stood in the center, his brows furrowed, scanning the carnage with a deep frown. Emily and Ethan were at his sides, their expressions grim as they searched for any signs of survivors.
Then—
A faint, broken whisper.
"…H…help… me…"
Kael's eyes sharpened. He turned toward the source of the voice—a collapsed pile of debris near the far end of the basement. Without hesitation, he commanded his spirits, "Move the rubble. Be careful."
The blue-eyed zombies obeyed without question. With unnatural strength, they lifted the debris, tossing aside broken wood, shattered bricks, and slabs of concrete with ease. The scraping and crunching sounds of the shifting wreckage filled the silence.
As the last chunk of debris was removed, Kael finally saw her.
A young girl.
Her body was drenched in blood, her clothes torn beyond recognition. Her right leg was bent at an unnatural angle, and both of her arms were mangled, hanging limply at her sides. Her chest barely moved, her breath so shallow that it was a miracle she was still alive.
Ethan gasped in horror, stepping back in shock. Even Emily, who had seen her fair share of brutal deaths, clenched her fists at the gruesome sight.
Kael crouched beside the girl, his throat tightening as he gently tilted her head up. Her eyelids fluttered weakly, her pale lips barely parting.
"Drink," he whispered, tipping a small amount of water from his canteen into her mouth. She coughed, her throat too dry to even swallow properly.
Kael's mind raced.
How could he save her? Healing magic was extremely rare in the tutorial, and from what he knew, most healing abilities only worked on minor injuries.
Then—
A blinking notification in the corner of his vision.
[System Notification: Congratulations! You have reached Class Level 10 and Job Level 7.]
Kael raised an eyebrow. He hadn't even realized he had leveled up. But that wasn't all—another message followed immediately.
[System Notification: System Shop Unlocked!]
His heart skipped a beat.
Without wasting another second, he pulled up his status interface and accessed the shop.
A massive catalog of items unfolded before him, neatly divided into categories: Weapons, Armor, Potions, Scrolls, Miscellaneous Items, and Special Items.
Kael immediately selected Potions.
Rows of healing potions appeared on the screen.
Basic Healing Potion – 10 SP (Heals minor wounds and restores 20 HP.)
Intermediate Healing Potion – 50 SP (Heals deep injuries but does not regenerate missing limbs.)
Advanced Healing Potion – 100 SP (Fully restores all injuries, even fatal ones, as long as the target is still alive.)
Kael's eyes locked onto the Advanced Healing Potion.
100 SP.
For most new players, it would have been impossible to afford. But Kael had amassed a fortune in System Points thanks to his previous achievements. Without hesitation, he bought it.
A small vial materialized in his hand.
The liquid inside glowed crimson red, radiating warmth even through the glass.
Emily and Ethan stared in awe as Kael uncorked the bottle and carefully pressed it against the girl's trembling lips.
"If you want to live, drink this," he said softly.
The girl's barely conscious eyes flickered, trying to process his words. With a weak nod, she parted her lips, and Kael gently poured the potion into her mouth.
For a moment—nothing.
Then—
Her body began to glow.
The wounds covering her flesh sealed shut at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her twisted leg snapped back into place. The broken bones in her arms restructured themselves, and her skin regenerated as if time itself had reversed.
Emily and Ethan gasped in disbelief.
In less than a minute, the girl who had been at death's door was now completely healed.
She stared at her hands, her fingers trembling as if she couldn't believe she was alive.
Then, with a choked sob, she lunged forward—wrapping her arms around Kael's chest and bawling uncontrollably.
"Thank you… thank you… thank you…!" she cried over and over again, her small frame shaking as she clung to him.
Kael blinked in surprise, hesitating for a moment before gently patting her back. "You're safe now."
Emily and Ethan exchanged smiles, relieved to have saved at least one person.
After a few minutes, the girl finally calmed down. She pulled away from Kael, wiping her tear-streaked face with the back of her sleeve.
Kael knelt in front of her. "What's your name?"
She sniffled. "M-Mia."
Kael nodded. "Mia, was there anyone else who survived?"
Mia's expression darkened. She shook her head. "No… the monster… it killed everyone. I only survived because I was buried under the rubble and passed out."
A heavy silence filled the room.
They had been too late.
Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. Emily clenched her jaw in frustration, while Ethan looked away, his fists tightening.
Then, Mia stiffened—her wide eyes darting to the blue-eyed spirits standing behind Kael.
She shuddered.
Kael noticed her reaction and gently placed a hand on her head. "Don't worry. They're mine. They won't hurt you."
She looked up at him, then at the spirits again, before slowly nodding in understanding.
Ethan's curiosity got the better of him. "Mia, what class were you?"
Mia hesitated before answering. "I was a Beast Tamer. Level 7."
Emily and Ethan's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait—you were Level 7 already?" Ethan asked, stunned. "Even we're only at Level 8!"
That meant Mia was one of the stronger players in the tutorial.
Before they could discuss it further—
[System Notification: Level 9 of the Tutorial is Completed.]
[Break Time: 2 Hours before Level 10 begins.]
The message hovered in the air, signaling the brief moment of respite before their next challenge.
Kael exhaled slowly.
The worst wasn't over yet.
And something told him…
Level 10 was going to be the deadliest trial of them all.