Chapter 5: Dawn

The night already passed, and I emerged from the most dangerous spot of the forest reaching level 5 in my first… no second day here, gaining 15 stat points in total and reaching a total of 67 overall stats.

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[Name: Azrael]

[Level: 5]

[Experience: 0/250]

[Health: 100/100]

[Mana: 39/39]

[Class: Apostle of Death]

[Status: Strength: 12 Agility: 15 Dexterity: 15 Stamina: 10 Intelligence: 4 Mana: 7 Charisma: 4]

[Overall Stats: 67]

[Stat Points: 0]

[Skills: Dual Wielding Mastery (I), Accursed One (Max), Touch of Death (I), Shadow Step (I), Death Mark (I).]

[Achievements: Hero loved by death (Legendary)]

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Although I would like to go back into the Town of Genesis and rest, now that I'm an undead I don't feel such needs, sleep, hunger, thirst, or fatigue, I don't feel any of it, the only reason why I would feel such when I was fighting was because my mind thinks that it's getting tired from such actions and is still not used to an undead body. I could go for days in-game just fighting against monsters and focusing on leveling up.

"I guess I should do that. Despite the racial debuff I get whenever I'm under the sun, it shouldn't matter as much if I'm in the shade, much more if I'm inside a cave."

One in-game day is equivalent to 6 hours in real-time and I spent 2 days and 1 night already. I'll log off on my third day and I'll focus on hunting down kobolds for now.

I walked through the ancient forest while I stay cautious of the traps that lay everywhere, but since this part of the forest is the less dangerous spot I progressed much further than before, reaching a cave entrance much faster than anyone else, but the number of people there are staggering, players looking to form a party. I tried backing away…

"Excuse me, do you want to form a party?"

Obviously, someone already spotted me, I look to my side and saw a man of a similar height to mine, he has a muscular build and a weird kind smile, as he sports heavy plate armor and a great shield paired with a morning star of sorts.

"S-sure."

Looking above his head I could see his level and name: Zolan, level 8. From the looks of his equipment, he seems like someone who'd spend his money on the game or someone who's sponsored by a guild, although his level is low, the quality of his armor and weapons are on another level, but it's strange, why doesn't he have any party members assuming that he was here first before me.

"I sent you an invitation."

A screen popped up in front of me and I clicked accept. What's weirder is that he can see my equipment and my level as well, suspicious.

"Hmm, alright! I think the two of us will be enough for this dungeon, Azrael!"

His joyous nature irks me so.

"R-right, but are you sure, I'm only level 5, and there's only the two of us."

"Don't worry about it, my role is a tank and I'm a warrior so it should be fine, looking at your equipment, you must be a thief!"

Well, his guess is half-right, this character I made was originally a thief bolstering in its high dexterity and agility build making it hard for monsters to hit me, but alas I died because of my stupid luck.

"Oh yeah, as a formal introduction, I am Zolan."

He reached out and grabbed my hand shaking it vigorously.

"Yeah, I'm Azrael as you've said before… let go of my hand."

"Haha, alright, come on let's go."

He let go of my hand and lead the way to the entrance of the cave. Unlike most dungeons where there's a beginning point where you spawn inside the dungeon, this one places you in a random place within the dungeon aside from the boss room.

The two of us entered the dungeon and received a system message as our bodies were transported somewhere inside the cave.

[You've entered 'Kobold Hero's Fortress'!]

[Recommended Level 8-10!]

The entire room is dark, but for some reason, I could see things clearly while Zolan who was right next to me, pulled out a torch lighting it up enabling him to see at such distances.

The cave and pathway that connects it have a lot of space making it easier for players that use huge weapons to maneuver easily.

"Hmm, come on."

Zolan leads the way with his torch and the sound of his plate armor clanking made it kind of annoying, but I should get used to this as from what I've researched this is one of the biggest dungeons in the beginning phase of the game.

As we forged on further we entered a section of a cave that is well-lit with a lot of space and in the middle of this cave were kobolds with their spears on the ground as they lounge about, a small reptilian humanoid creature. They possess scaly skin, typically ranging in color from various shades of brown or green to a rusty reddish hue. Their reptilian features include a snout-like nose, sharp teeth, and yellow, beady eyes that glimmer with cunning and mischief.

"There's 5 of them, I'll take care of 3 of them and attract their attention, you deal with the 2 of them."

I nodded along with Zolan's plan and without hesitation, he threw the torch at the kobolds as he wield his morning star in one hand and a round shield in the other while he charged in like there was no tomorrow shouting at them.

"RAAAGH!!"

The kobolds took notice and picked up their spears startled by Zolan's warcry, he engaged with the kobolds tanking all of their attacks, while I use [Shadow Step] to get behind them and finally use one of the skills I received for this class.

[Your speed increases by 25%]

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Death Mark (I) grants you the ability to place a mark of impending death upon a target for an hour. Once marked, a luminous trail of light will guide you to the location where the target's demise is destined to occur, revealing the method of their demise. Striking the mark guarantees a critical hit, delivering devastating damage. Moreover, any critical strikes directed at marked targets unleash an additional 50% critical damage. This costs 50% of your mana to cast, but if you kill the marked creature within the time frame. You can freely switch it to a different creature with no mana cost.

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I placed a mark on a kobold and a trail of light emerged from its body in numerous places it guided both of my swords into their place, and with my agility and dexterity, I managed to attack it multiple times.

[You deal a critical hit!]

[41 Damage Dealt!]

[You deal a critical hit!]

[41 Damage Dealt!]

I quickly switched it to the next kobold and onto the next my sword gliding through the air dealing critical hits on all these kobolds, in the end, I killed 4 of them and Zolan only killed 1,

[You gained 80 Exp!]

"Hold on, are you sure you're only level 5?"

"Yes, I'm level 5. Although thanks to your load warcry, I think you attracted a huge wave of kobolds."

The ground shook and he looked at me with sorry eyes as the other entrances and exits began filling up with kobolds as far as the eye could see.

"Shit."