Dean quickly gathered his arrows and prepared for the new wave of zombies approaching. He chose the staircase as his best battleground—it was narrow, preventing the zombies from coming all at once.
"How many are coming this time? Will any more items drop? A piece of armor would be nice right now..."
Dean's mind was full of thoughts, but none of them were fear. Instead, he felt excitement, like a hardcore gamer ready to clear a dungeon and reap the rewards.
Beside him, the skeletal knight positioned himself on the stairs, as if sensing his master's excitement.
It didn't take long before the sound of chaotic footsteps and things breaking echoed from downstairs.
Some zombies tried to climb the stairs, but the bodies of the fallen blocked their way, making it even easier for Dean, who hit each shot with perfect precision.
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 1/40
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 2/40
...
He grew more excited with each notification. Every zombie he killed made him feel stronger.
While Dean was distracted, a few zombies managed to make it past the bodies and charged toward the skeleton, who slashed them down with his sword, decapitating any that got close.
Your skeletal knight defeated 4 zombies.
+2 EXP
EXP: 3/20
You gained:
+2 EXP
EXP: 6/40
The notifications snapped Dean back to reality. He decided to ignore them until the end of the battle—he knew losing focus, even for a second, could cost him his life.
He pulled back his bowstring and released another arrow, piercing the head of a zombie that had bitten the skeleton's leg.
Minutes passed in an intense battle, with the skeletal knight tanking the enemies while Dean provided ranged support.
---
Warning
Second horde cleared. Prepare for the next one.
2/3
Time until final horde: 1:30
Dean relaxed a bit, picked up his arrows, and searched the corpses for any drop cards.
Finally, he found a gray card tucked under a zombie's side. He quickly snatched it up to see what was inside.
Minor Healing Potion
Stops most bleeding, slowly recovers wounds.
(Item every beginner should carry.)
When Dean read what it was, he jumped with joy. It might've been a gray card, but it was even better than some uncommon weapons. This item could save his life.
He put the card in his pocket and opened the system to check his notifications:
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 7/40
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 8/40
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 9/40
You defeated 1 zombie.
+1 EXP
EXP: 10/40
Your skeletal knight defeated 6 zombies.
+3 EXP
EXP: 6/20
You gained:
+3 EXP
EXP: 13/40
...
"Looks like I still have a long way to level up. These zombies give little EXP, but the upside is that there are many of them—and they're not that hard to kill."
---
Warning
3/3 – Final Horde has begun
---
Dean took a deep breath and got ready for another round. He was excited to see what would come out of the mysterious box.
Zombies began climbing the stairs again, scaling the piles of bodies, but every arrow Dean fired meant one less enemy.
You defeated 1 zombie.
You defeated 1 zombie.
...
But something felt different. Some of them moved faster than normal, and among them was one with blade-like arms.
"Luckily, their weak point is still the same..." Dean sighed, continuing to shoot. But one of the zombies got through and attacked the skeleton, who defended himself.
Sparks flew as the zombie's blade collided with the skeleton's sword. With each clash, more sparks lit the narrow staircase.
Dean tried to land a shot, but this zombie seemed to have some intelligence. It kept its head hidden behind the skeleton's body.
"What the hell is this thing?"
The two exchanged blows without a clear winner, but the skeletal knight had the advantage in agility, blocking every strike with ease.
Yet somehow, one attack slipped through and sliced off the knight's arm. The skeleton didn't seem to care and took advantage of the opening to cut off one of the zombie's arms.
"Now's my chance!" Dean thought, firing a well-timed arrow.
It flew between the skeleton's ribs and hit the zombie's skull dead-on. The creature collapsed instantly.
You defeated 1 level 5 zombie.
+10 EXP
EXP: 28/40
"Damn, I need to find more of those guys!"
Dean's jaw dropped at the EXP. He quickly took out two more with arrows and ordered the skeleton to retrieve the spent arrows.
He waited, expecting the notification that he had completed the mission—but it didn't come.
"Is there still one more?"
The answer came fast.
A towering zombie nearly two meters tall stepped forward. Its physique was massive, and one of its arms was replaced by a blade—just like the earlier zombie.
---
Warning!
Mini Boss has appeared.
---
The moment the notification appeared, a loud crash echoed as a body slammed into the stairs—it was his skeletal knight, unable to withstand even a single blow.
"What the hell is this thing?!"
Before he could react, the mini boss rushed at him with incredible speed. Dean barely managed to dodge the attack by throwing himself back.
But the monster didn't stop. Despite its overwhelming strength, its speed wasn't as refined, giving Dean just enough time to dodge again. The zombie's blade cut deep into the wall.
Dean took the opportunity and fired an arrow at the zombie's head. But at the last moment, it raised its arm and blocked the shot.
The mini boss prepared another strike, but a skeletal hand grabbed its foot, throwing it off balance.
Dean knew this was his moment. No time for the bow—he gripped an arrow and lunged forward, stabbing it into the zombie's left eye.
Rotten blood splashed onto his hand as the zombie screamed. It wasn't dead yet.
It struck with its blade again, aiming directly at Dean's chest. Too close to dodge.
Desperate, Dean tried to use his Monster Taming skill—unsuccessfully. But it stalled the monster just enough.
Just enough for the skeleton to swing its sword and slice off the monster's head.
---
Warning!
Congratulations, you defeated the Mini Boss and completed your mission.
Tap to collect your rewards...
---
You defeated a Mini Boss.
+100 EXP
+100 EXP (Skeletal Knight)
You leveled up.
You leveled up.
Your monster leveled up.
Your monster leveled up.
---
Congratulations! You are the first player to reach level 5.
New Features Unlocked:
Global Chat
Trading System
Inventory
---
A flood of notifications appeared on Dean's screen, and he began to glow gold—so did the skeletal knight beside him. But it didn't stop there.
A message appeared in the sky:
---
Announcement!
Congratulations to player Dean Blackwood for being the first to reach Level 5.
As a reward, a new attribute has been unlocked.
---
The message was broadcast across the entire planet, surprising everyone.
Especially Dean, who quickly opened his status window.
---
Player Status
Name: Dean
Race: Human
Class: Monster Tamer
Level: 5
EXP: 8/160
Free Attribute Points: 2
Special Items:
Collector's Box – Allows you to store and summon monsters when needed.
---
Attributes
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Intelligence: 16 (+3 from Class)
Charisma: 13 (+3 from Class)
Luck: +1 (Unique Attribute)
---
Free Points: 4
---
Active Skills
Monster Tame
Allows you to attempt taming wild monsters.
Note: Success chance increases if the monster is unconscious, weakened, or bonded to the user.
---
Tamed Monsters
Skeletal Knight [Lv. 3]
Strength: 8 +2
Agility: 13 +2
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 1
Equipment:
Short Sword
Attack: +10
Durability: 100/100
Made of common material but forged by skilled hands. Great for beginners.
Passive Ability (Unique):
Until the Last Fragment
As long as a single fragment of bone remains, the skeletal knight cannot be destroyed.
Immune to instant death, exhaustion, and common wounds. Will fight until every bone is turned to dust.
---
"Luck? Haha, that's perfect! But why is it so low?" Dean asked himself, glancing at the ground near the mini boss, where two cards lay—one green, one blue.
His eyes sparkled like headlights cutting through the dark. He picked them up quickly, wiping them off to make sure no dust had settled.
The skeletal knight scratched his skull, as if wondering if his master was still sane.
"Let's take a look at these beauties, hehe..." Dean rubbed his hands together and read the descriptions.
---
Uncommon Item:
Viking Axe
Attack: 12
Description: A great Viking weapon built for battle. An uncommon quality weapon.
---
Rare Item:
Skill Book: Silent Heart Arrow
Type: Rare Active
Description: Focuses the user's energy into a single arrow imbued with pure killing intent. Ignores physical and magical defense, automatically targeting the target's vital spot (heart, head, etc).
If the target has less than 40% HP, critical chance increases by 50%, and critical damage gains +100%.
Additional Effects:
Silent: Does not reveal the shooter's position when fired.
If the shot is fatal, reduces skill cooldown by half.
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Cost: High (requires focus and energy)
---
As he finished reading, it was clear which one he liked more—the rare skill would make him much stronger, especially for fighting future bosses.
Dean tore the cards open, slung the axe onto his belt, and held the skill book in his hands.
Learn Skill?
Yes / No
Of course, he selected yes. A rush of knowledge surged into his mind, giving him a splitting headache.
But now his mind was filled with something powerful... and mysterious.
Finally, after checking his drops, it was time for the mission reward—something he had been waiting for eagerly.
---
Opening Mission Rewards...
A mysterious box appeared in front of him and opened, revealing its contents:
Uncommon Item:
Enhancement Stone
Description: Can be used to improve the grade of weapons (cannot exceed the rarity grade of the stone).
Common Item:
Minor Healing Potion
Uncommon Item:
Vitality Serum
Description: Increases user's vitality by 2 points.
---
Any of these items alone would've made someone extremely happy. Put together, they were priceless.
Dean's head nearly exploded with joy—but somehow, he managed to keep it together.