Chapter 53 - Undead Soldier
The next day, Patrick and the others wake up normally and finally regain their composure or maybe they are trying to because right now, they could be found gathering in front of Zach after he told them that he got three items out of the monster yesterday.
"The monster was called Reaper and it's the only thing that I know as the Appraisal Skill couldn't discern all its information. I don't know what level it is but maybe what makes it stronger than the others aside from being a variant was probably due to the fact that it was not classified as an ordinary monster because only then did the appraisal skill wouldn't work." Zach said after seeing that it was now time to discuss knowing that they hadn't talked about it last night.
"I don't know what makes a monster become different from the ordinary class, but one thing is clear, they were completely stronger and probably smarter than the ordinary Undead. This information also meant that there might be other classes other than it that we still didn't know of so it's better to be careful from now on." Zach followed as he told them the facts that he had observed while fighting the Reaper.
"Now, I gathered you here because I have gotten three dropped items after killing it." Zach finally told them the reason for this discussion. After looking at them last night, he kind of felt like aside from one, the rest caught his interest so he kept them for himself while planning to give the other one to them and see if they wanted it.
"You're the one who killed it so don't you think it's perfectly normal for you to have it all for yourself?" Kazuya said while looking at Zach thinking what was running through his mind as to why he wanted to discuss this thing though he was curious as to what they were since from what he was saying, the dropped items must be good.
"You're right but one of the items that dropped wasn't to my taste so I will give them to whoever wants it." Zach said before taking out a scroll from his inventory but of course, it was already being duplicated since he might probably need it in the future.
Looking at the scroll on the ground, Patrick, Kazuya, Maria, and Eun Ae take a look at the description of the scroll but unlike Maria who has read all the details, the rest only have a little information about it but it was already enough to surprise them as they never thought that such a thing was one of the dropped items.
[Item: Soldier Job Class Scroll
Item Tier: 1
Item Rating: None
Item Classification: Ordinary
Item Function: A scroll that has been embedded with the experiences of a Soldier. Using the scroll will transition the user's class to a Soldier allowing the user to have the skills and fight like a Soldier. (Note: Once you transitioned, you can no longer change your class.
Item Evolution Requirement: Evolution is not applicable.]
Maria told everyone the full description of the item and they all felt surprised however, they were also skeptical about using it after knowing that it was a class classified as ordinary which meant that there would be other classes that might be stronger than it.
"Just like I thought. I respect that you're skeptical about having it, so I won't force you to use the item. We still have a long way to go who knows if there were unique and stronger classes out there." Zach said after seeing them all remain silent though they were surprised from the start. He clearly understood them so he would not blame them for wanting more.
"Yeah. Seeing this, what we are doing right now is really like becoming a game that I used to play the longer we uncover more secrets." Patrick said while scratching his head after hearing Zach's words since it was the truth. He would not risk getting such a class forever if he could get a much stronger class in the future.
Kazuya and the others then also supported. They knew that using the item would let them have a class and might become stronger than they were right now, but they all thought that they might regret it later on and would become a disadvantage instead when they couldn't keep up with the others.
"For the last two items, I have already used one for myself while the other one was something very important to the mission." Zach said. He then told them first about the thing that he used to himself which was a very precious skill that everyone was looking for. It was something that he felt too lucky to have since it was a very convenient and overpowered skill if used correctly.
[Skill: Stealth
Skill Tier: 1
Skill Type: Active
Skill Rating: 1 Star
Skill Description: Using the skill will make the user together with its equipped items become invisible.
Skill Cost: 10 Spirit per second
Skill Evolution Requirement: 1 Evolution Crystal (Tier 1)]
It had a simple description, but it was a useful skill to have as it would only make one more dangerous if it was used properly and at the same time easier to escape if faced with a difficult situation.
"T-That's a very nice skill to have." Kazuya exclaimed after hearing the description from Zach. It's a completely good skill that it was even making him jealous, but he knew that it was also right for Zach to have it for himself because aside from being the one who killed the Reaper, Zach having this skill would only make him stronger thus they would feel safer to be with him knowing that he was not a person who would leave them behind.
"Now take a look at this." Zach then just took the last thing he had gotten from the Reaper which looks like a bronze marble with the size of his hand. At first, he thought that it was an egg however, after seeing the description, he was surprised to see that it has something to do with the mission.
[Item: Bronze Core
Item Tier: 1
Item Rating: None
Item Classification: Ordinary
Item Function: An item that was created inside every ??? monster. This item will activate an occupied shelter and can also be used to upgrade a shelter.
Item Evolution Requirement: Evolution is not applicable]
"So even if we kill all those Undead, we still can't occupy it without this?" Eun Ae said after hearing its function. She felt very fortunate seeing that they managed or more like Zach managed to get one since what they were planning to do would all be for naught if they didn't have it.
"That might not be the case. Remember the unusual Undead that protected the weird totems? I feel like it was also the same class with the Reaper." Zach replied with great certainty. That Undead must also be another variant and probably a monster higher than the ordinary class since there would be no reason for it to guard the place like he was some kind of boss.
"Now that you said it, It's probably the case. Now we know that we were dealing with a monster with the same class as the Reaper and several normal Undead." Maria supported Zach's theory since it might really be the case.
"I know that we just lost Nikolai yesterday, but the time is pressing against us. We need to attack the shelter before the given time runs out." Zach then said as he held the Bronze Core in his hand tightly knowing that everything was already in place and that the only thing left was for them to level up.
Hearing Zach, Patrick, Kazuya, Maria, and Eun Ae then just nod at him so right after they ate breakfast, they immediately left the place so they could start hunting Undead again however, unlike before, each one of them was now moving with great caution as they don't want to repeat the accident that killed Nikolai.
One week later, everyone was finally ready seeing them all reaching over level 15 with Zach having achieved level 20 after a week of hunting. Though it was unfortunate that they hadn't gotten new items and skills, it was already enough for them to level up and get stronger even a bit.
After a week of preparation, they have already decided to attack the shelter seeing them now all in their designated position as Patrick could be found north of the shelter, Kazuya on the south, Maria on the west, and Eun Ae on the east. Each one of them could be found holding what seemed to be flares in their hands while looking at their watches as if they were waiting for something.
Meanwhile, Zach could be found hiding closer to the horde while controlling a drone by himself. They have only a simple plan and that is he wanted to lure the ordinary Undead out of the place by making Patrick and the others attract their attention to four different directions while he planned on heading to the center to take care of the bronze-class monster.
Looking at his watch, when the planned time arrived, four flares were shot into the sky, and right after that, the sound of heavy gunshots and explosions then started echoing in the direction of Patrick and the rest.
Meanwhile, Zach waited for a little longer, and only after seeing that the ordinary Undead had started heading in different directions did he start moving himself. Of course, some would astray and come block him but such a thing was already under his expectation and so he started killing his way.
Slowly moving towards the center, Zach finally caught on the remaining Undead around seeing only about 10 ordinary ones, 2 Gluttons, and lastly, the Undead that was protecting the totems whose appearance did not differ from the other Undead with only the difference it had is that it was wearing a steel armor while holding a sword.
[Monster: Undead Soldier
Monster Tier: 1
Monster Level: ???
Monster Classification: ???
Monster Skills: ???]
"It might really be the same class with the Reaper. Let's see if this would kill it instantly." Zach said before finally using his skill 'Stealth'. He doesn't have a clue if the Undead Soldier had a higher level than him but even then, if he could do it right, he might end this in one attack. As it would consume 10 Spirit every second, he immediately rushed forward passing all the other Undead as his target was only the Undead Soldier.
It took Zach only ten seconds consuming 100 Spirit to bypass all the Undead around before he jumped forward toward the Undead Soldier while holding something like a dagger in both hands. This is not an item that was dropped after killing an Undead but the claws of the Reaper which he took back taking advantage of its sharpness. He knew that it might not be a proper item but it's probably as good as a dangerous weapon.
Without the Undead Soldier knowing, Zach's stealth disappeared after all his Spirit was used but still, it was already enough seeing him already in front of it, and before it could react, he pierced the two Reaper Daggers into its head before the two of them fell to the ground attracting the remaining Undead in the area.
[Level Up.]
[1 Free Attributable Stat Point gained.]
"It really worked. Arrgh." Zach said upon seeing the lifeless body of the Undead Soldier however, he felt a sudden headache for no reason. Bearing the pain while still on the ground, he then took out a flare gun and took a shot upwards signaling the others that he had killed it so that their morale would rise.
"W-What just happened? Well, let's take care of the Undead around first." Zach said as he let the dropped items stay on the ground first as the Undead around were already getting close to him. Taking out an enhanced Steel Sword, he immediately killed all the remaining ones, and it took only a couple of seconds before they fell all to the ground.
Following that, Zach then picked up his spoils of war before heading straight in the direction of Eun Ae to help her and the rest take care of the horde that they had lured towards their direction since they might probably be running for their lives right now.
Time passed by and night came, however, Patrick, Kazuya, Maria, and Eun Ae were already gathered together seeing them all at the shelter and finally having a clear look at it. They were still surprised that they had really taken the horde though it was all thanks to Zach's fast reinforcement or else they would have died.
The place had three huts built with one of them being larger than the other two. There could also be found something like a well and lastly, the totems they saw from the drone which they all thought looked like it was originally one if they were being put together as they looked only like that probably because they were vertically cut in half.
On the other hand, Zach can be found inside the largest hut of the three huts in the shelter. He didn't know what they were for but after heading inside, he saw another two totems inside, however, unlike the two outside, it was shorter and whole and one of them had an empty circle-shaped space in the middle of it.
Taking out the Bronze Core, Zach felt like it fit into the empty space, so he placed it on thinking that the mission would finally finish. Right after doing that, successive notifications then sounded and appeared in front of him which greatly surprised him.
[Bronze Shelter Activated.]
[Shelter: Undead Enclave
Shelter Classification: Bronze
Shelter Evolution Requirement: Bronze Core (0/100)
Shelter Owner: Zach Anderson
Shelter Manager: None
Shelter Residents: 1
Shelter Store: Activated
Shelter Sanctuary Portal: Unavailable
Shelter Evolution Pool: Activated
Shelter Protective Shield: Activated
Shelter Income: None]
[Ding!!!]
[Mission: Connected Worlds has been completed.]
[Sanctuary Portal Totem gained.]
[Ding!!!]
[Side Mission: Become a Resident has been completed.
[5,000 Evolution Coins gained.]
Zach still had to process the sudden inflow of information as he couldn't believe that it was just as simple as that. As there were a lot of notifications, he then just set aside the reward of the mission first and focused on the shelter.