[14th Everdusk 2103], Verdant Hollow Dungeon — CGA Branch
A few minutes before Lucas and Lyre would finish off the mini-boss and step into the final stage, I had already made my way into the second stage, alone.
It all began with the screams.
The last of the forest monkeys I killed let out a cry so sharp, it pierced through the thick foliage. That sound… it was like an alarm. Before I could catch my breath, seven more of them descended like wrathful spirits.
Now, I'm not some invincible protagonist who can strike a pose and say, "Come at me, you dumb monkeys," with a smug smirk. I'm me — Evan. The kind who knows when to run, and more importantly, how.
So I ran, flinging my last surviving skeleton behind as bait. A dirty move? Maybe. But necessary.
It worked. And once I gained some distance, I took a breath and initiated a plan both simple and risky.
Five skeletons rose from the earth before me, all identical — blank-faced warriors dressed in the bone-white armor of death. They looked like echoes of each other. No personality. No soul.
But I tried to play the role anyway.
"Alright, soldiers. A swarm of angry monkeys is charging at us. You ready to fight to the death?"
Dead silence.
Yeah. I didn't expect a standing ovation, but still.
"Sigh… I guess even my undead don't respect me," I muttered. There was a brief beat of melancholy before I shook it off and retook command.
The forest rustled again. I heard the crunch of branches. They were coming.
Seven forest monkeys leapt down in front of us, their red eyes burning with vengeance. Their screams were louder this time — filled with hatred, filled with rage.
"Oh? Here to avenge your brothers?" I stepped forward, trying to maintain my calm. "Then come."
Maybe it was my tone. Maybe the calm in my eyes. But they hesitated — just for a moment. And that's when I turned and bolted toward the spot where my skeletal squad was hidden.
"Now! Attack!" I shouted.
The skeletons burst from the underbrush, a scene straight out of a horror movie. The monkeys halted mid-charge, trembling. And I didn't understand why — was it fear? Was it an instinctual rejection of death? Or was there some passive debuff my skeletons applied that I wasn't aware of?
I didn't know. I didn't care. All I knew was: it worked.
Sword in hand, I charged.
The first monkey tried to dodge. I was faster. My blade sliced across its chest — red blood painted the forest floor. It screeched and lunged in pain. I took a hit, lost some HP, but retaliated with precision. My blade ignited, flames licking the edge. With a single swing, I cleaved off its head.
No one saw the moment. But for me — it burned into memory.
The second monkey froze, eyes locked on its fallen comrade. Big mistake. I rammed my blade into its chest. It struggled… then went still.
One by one, my skeletons eliminated the rest.
I gathered the bodies into a pile. Their weight was lighter than before — like the soul or essence had already begun slipping away.
{You've killed 2~ Lv.3 Forest monkeys, 5~ Lv.4 Forest monkeys. You've gained 130 Exp points.} [210/200 Exp]
{You've levelled up, Lv.3 --> 4.} [10/250 Exp]
{You've gained 10 Unassigned stat points.}
[You've gained 19 Evo-enchant Point. Total Points: 32.]
{You've completed the stage, please proceed to next stage or exit the dungeon.}
"…Already?" I whispered.
I glanced at my sword. My gaze lingered. 32 points. Enough to upgrade. Enough to reach for something greater.
"Yosh.
[Talent has detected Seven bodies of Lv.3~4 Forest Monkeys. What do you wish to do: Plunder, dismantle, or store them in inventory?]
"Plunder, obviously. When else am I gonna use this?" I mumbled, half-laughing. Half-grinning.
The bodies dimmed, as if drained of color. Like something… something vital was pulled out from within them.
[You've gained +3 Stamina, +2 Intelligence, +1 Strength, +1 Agility.]
I blinked. "Wait, that's it?"
[You've reached the limit of stat plunder please use it on higher level monsters.]
"Ah… so it's like that." I scratched my head. "Would've been too good to be true, huh? Imagine becoming a god just by grinding rats."
My skeletons began to fade — their twenty-minute life cycle ending. One by one, they crumbled, vanishing like whispers.
I looked at their fading forms with a strange ache. They weren't real people… but they still followed me into battle. Still died for me. Again.
But I had no time to mourn them. I had work to do.
First: stat allocation.
{Stats}
Health Points (HP): 150 --> 170 (HP= 1:10 Vitality) (Regen: .85/minute = 17*.05)
Mana Points (MP): 180 --> 200 (MP = 1:10 Intelligence) (Regen: 1/minute = 20*.05)
Strength (STR): 14 --> 16
Agility (AGL): 17 --> 18
Vitality (VIT): 15 --> 17
Intelligence (INT): 18 --> 20
Endurance (END): 14 --> 16
Stamina (STA): 15 --> 16
Unassigned Stats: 00
Attack Power: 40/41+7 {Physical} [ATK: STR+AGL*1.2], 30 {Elemental} [MAG: 20*1.5]
Defense: 32+5 [DEF: END+STA*1]
(Plundered stats already included above)
__
I stared at the panel.
These weren't the stats of some fresh Lv.4 rookie. They were the stats of someone punching far above their weight.
"…This shouldn't be possible," I muttered, feeling the weight of it. "Even I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't the one doing it."
But this talent — this power to plunder — it couldn't be stopped. Not now. Not ever.
It was the path forward.
My eyes returned to my sword.
__
[Talent has detected the Basic Iron Sword (Enchanted), as the target to enchant or evolve.]
[Please choose the aspect you wish to enhance:
1. [Sharpness and Attack Power]: Not available
2. [Durability of the Sword]: Not available
3. [Grade of the Weapon]: 25 Evo-enchant points + Additional things.
4. [Add another effect.]: Not available]
"…Huh?" I frowned. "Where are the other enchant options?"
[To enchant the item again, you first need to evolve its grade and then its enchantment can be unlocked while also increasing the number of times of enchantment in particular grade.]
"So can you evolve its grade for me." I asked as talent said.
[Please add the additional things to increase its aspect. Talent have detected bodies of monsters, scanning in progress.... Monster parts are not eligible for the sword to evolve, please use higher-level monster body parts to continue the process.]
"…Tch. I need better loot, huh?" I smirked. "Alright. Let's hunt that mini-boss then."
My HP was already full. My MP was rising, one point per minute. Everything was falling into place.
And as I stepped toward the next portal, a soft ding echoed in my ears.
{....}
Something… was waiting.
—To be continued—