The Shop of Death
Jihwan exhaled sharply, gripping his dagger tightly. The fight was over, but his body still ached from the desperate struggle against the undead guard. His HP had dropped dangerously low, but he had survived.
Just as he caught his breath, a familiar screen flickered before his eyes.
---
[System Notification]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[You have reached Level 4!]
---
His body felt a sudden surge of energy. The fatigue weighing him down lightened, his wounds stinging slightly before stopping altogether. Leveling up had restored a portion of his strength, but it wasn't enough to fully recover. His HP was still dangerously low.
"Damn… If I get attacked again, I might die."
Jihwan opened his Status Window to check his updated stats.
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[Status]
[Name]: Yoo Jihwan
[Rank]: E ~ ???
[Class]: Hunter ~ ???
[Level]: 4 (0/300 XP)
[HP]: 45/100
[Death Points]: 12
[Dark Energy]: Low
[Strength]: 7 → 8
[Agility]: 10 → 11
[Endurance]: 6 → 7
[Perception]: 6 → 7
---
His strength had improved slightly, but it wouldn't matter if he died before he could use it.
Just then, a new system notification popped up.
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[Afterlife Exchange has been unlocked!]
[You may now exchange Death Points (DP) for items.]
---
A shop?! Jihwan's eyes widened. If he could buy healing items, then he still had a chance.
A dark, semi-transparent window appeared before him, displaying several items for sale.
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[Afterlife Exchange]
Minor Death Elixir (Restores 50 HP) – 4 DP
Cursed Rusted Shield – Quest Reward Claimed
Shadow Dagger (10 DP) – Locked
Unknown Item (??? DP) – Unavailable
---
"Perfect!" Without hesitation, Jihwan selected the Minor Death Elixir, and 4 Death Points were deducted. A small black vial materialized in his hand.
[You have purchased Minor Death Elixir.]
He quickly uncorked the bottle and downed the thick, bitter liquid. Almost instantly, warmth spread through his body, closing some of his wounds.
---
[HP Restored: +50]
[HP: 95/100]
---
Jihwan let out a relieved sigh.
"This shop might just save my life."
With his HP restored, he turned his attention to his Quest Reward.
---
[You have received: Cursed Rusted Shield]
A rusted, dented shield appeared in his inventory. When he pulled it out, its surface was rough, covered in dark spots of corrosion. It didn't look like much, but the system wouldn't give him something useless… hopefully.
---
[Cursed Rusted Shield]
[Durability]: 40/40
[Effect]: Increases durability by 20%, but decreases agility by 10%.
---
Jihwan frowned. "So, it's a trade-off. More defense, but I get slower."
He strapped the shield to his arm, feeling its weight. He wasn't used to wielding a shield, but in a place like this, a little extra protection could mean the difference between life and death.
As he stood in the dimly lit corridor of the mansion, the eerie silence pressed in around him. The fight had drawn attention. Something was watching him.
Jihwan took a deep breath and moved forward. The Death's Mansion was far from done with him.
---
End of Chapter .