Chapter 2: Cadaver

Left without a second to celebrate his first kill, Maverick focused on the emerged Ground Drillers. Three of them simultaneously came out from the ground. Seeing the threat, he clenched tightly onto his equipment and ducked before the monsters could almost punch holes in his body. As low as he could be, Maverick then rolled to lie on his back and witnessed the three Ground Drillers fly in different directions.

"They almost got me!" He said as he surged from the ground, not trying to waste a single second of his opportunity to strike back. However, the Ground Drillers might have failed to reach him but they didn't fail to properly land on the soil, thus burrowing underneath once again. "Damn it!"

Not only that, four more Ground Drillers had made their move and now Maverick felt overwhelmed by their increased size. Even if he could still see their exact location, keeping tabs on every single one of them became much harder as they began to move relentlessly.

"I should get away first, then come back when they have settled down once again!"

His safety was the second most important thing for him, for he prioritized the loot first, then sprinted for his life. He was staggering, almost tripping and falling on his way out of the monster's lair, but he persisted till the very last step before the monsters could eventually get to him.

"Haa! Haa..."

Huffing, his chest heaving for air, Maverick stopped next to a tree as he glanced at the Ground Drillers who were digging back into their lair. Their hostility has subsided but they will remain vigilant of those who want to disturb their peace.

"Phew! I escaped death, for now..."

Maverick was amazed. Every single detail about the game felt realistic. Him sweating, the tightening of his chest, everything. And he never felt so alive except when he was out in the ocean, diving underwater for fish to eat. In his province, fishing is the source of income and food to eat, and Maverick grew up in that kind of environment where he had to catch his own food.

"It was luck that allowed me to eliminate one of the Ground Drillers. I just know it won't happen a second time."

Maverick knew that the same tactic wouldn't work again. He was right. Luck was the factor that served as his passive skill, which helped him slightly overcome the adversary he put himself in.

"Experience and experience points. These are the two crucial factors I need to rack ETHEL."

As someone who had never played any game of the sort in his life but has always been fascinated by the idea, Maverick will have to gain more experience in the field to unlock the potential and knowledge he needs to make progress in the game.

"Moving around in this strict condition is bad. I need to find shelter first. Fighting monsters can come after that."

Otherwise, Maverick will freeze despite having the equipment and necessary clothes for the cold weather.

The standings between Maverick and the Ground Drillers will remain 1-1 for the time being. He ought to find somewhere safe and warm to avoid dying again, or he will lose the drop item he picked up from killing a Ground Driller.

[Thin Nail acquired.]

[Ground Driller's meat acquired.]

***

About half an hour had passed since Maverick decided to seek shelter. On his way, he encountered corpses of monsters that had been recently slain but showed no signs of the doer. Moreover, the snowfall continued to persist and the visibility became slightly foggy as Maverick's body gradually felt the strict cold.

"So much blood..."

A trail of what seems to be blood tainted the path red. Eeriness and discomfort suddenly enveloped the woods as Maverick suspected a possible encounter with a monster. A much more dangerous foe than the Ground Drillers.

"The smell of blood is nauseating!"

[Notice! The blood was mixed with cyanide from a monster's gut, causing hydrogen cyanide gas. This causes nausea and you might eventually pass out. Try not to inhale it!]

"Cyanide? I'm not sure what its purpose actually is but isn't that toxic? Out-of-this-world information and details really set this game apart from reality!"

All of a sudden, a wild roaring sound reverberated from a distance as the howling of what sounded to be wolves echoed across the woods. And no, it was not from a dying wolf but an entirely different monster perishing from an unknown attacker.

"Something is going on in this forest. I need to hurry up or else I might get caught up in a spider's web."

Little did Maverick know, that a terrible fate had already been stirred and he was slowly getting dragged into a mess he would suffer tremendously.

A small explosion occurred not far from where Maverick was standing as he was examining his surroundings. Startled by the commotion, he instantly hides behind a tree, checking the direction where he heard the explosion. Then, he sensed a creeping sensation behind him and flinched away from the spot.

"No one...? But I definitely felt someone was behind me."

Maverick thought that someone or something was playing a prank on him. Whoever that was could have easily killed him but did not.

"Dagger and shield up!"

With his left forearm, Maverick covered his nose to avoid the nauseating gas from the mixture of cyanide and blood smeared all over the woods. He distanced himself from the open area and was wary of his surroundings, for he did not know what he was about to deal with.

Another scream from an excruciating pain resounded across the woods. It was happening a lot and footprints of a big-footed monster were left alongside the blood-tainted path.

"The pressure is getting heavier! Am I actually approaching the center of what's happening here? But I thought I was running away from it?!"

One crucial piece of information from inhaling the fumes was that it attracts the mind. His mind was focused on getting away but it was actually controlling his body to follow the reason for the scent, thus deliberately and unknowingly catching up to the trail.

"I need to get a hold of myself!"

A loud smacking sound came from smiting his own face to release himself from the mind-controlling toxin he inhaled from the fumes.

His cheek reddened but his body stopped moving on its own and Maverick prevented himself from further straying on the safe path. It went well until he unknowingly bumped into something, thus falling onto his butt.

Standing tall in front of him was a menacingly heavy fur-coated bear in its hind legs with a grotesque expression on its bloody face while carrying a wolf's severed head that got tossed aside.

"Ah... AHHH!"

The wolf's open eyes stared blankly at him after it rolled up to his feet. As he was quivering in fear, for the monster in front of him was inexplicably disturbing, Maverick saw the monster put forth its harrowing hand and open its mouth protruding with a sharp set of fangs.

"A delicious prey."

The monster spoke and Maverick shivered down to his core with the condescending tone the monster released.

[You have inhaled a dangerous amount of fumes! Your consciousness is speedily fading! Soon you will pass out!]

[Dark Froozbear]

[Bearing the lost magic of the Dark Witch of Askebold, what was once a Froozbear had evolved into a terrifying magic-wielding Dark Froozbear. It carries the will and hatred of the Dark Witch, seeking revenge and forcing despair upon anyone it stumbles across.]

"I just know what kind of adventurer you are," continued the Froozbear with a maliciously wide grin on its blood-smeared face.

[Clawing hands of the cadavers, reaching for the life they wish to have, Undead's Chains.]

Hotness from fear and great shock overwhelmed the strict weather of the forest and yet he remained frozen in place. Maverick was unable to utter a single word or lift a single finger. The reaching hands of the Undead's Chains wrapped around Maverick, then tightening as it possibly could but no pain or sensation was induced.

"H-Huh? Nothing happened?"

Confused as to what had happened to him after Undead's Chains, Maverick's fear was drowned in cluelessness until the system's notification came in.

[You have been entangled by the cadaver's bitter fate: Undead's Chains. The Dark Froozbear forced you to save your spawn location exactly where you are standing.]

[Cooldown before you can save a spawn point to any location: 1 hour]

A wild growl where the Dark Froozbear's spit was spurting all over resounded as nearby monsters, such as wolves, appeared behind.

"It is retreating?"

Baffled by the monster's actions, Maverick thought that it would fight against the wolves. However, he was wrong. The Dark Froozbear motioned its arm and the pack of wolves ran towards Maverick with intense anger and bloodlust.

"Oh, no, no, no!"

His shaking legs staggered when he tried to rise from the snow, eventually losing balance and falling to prop with his hands.

"My weapons! I need to pick it up, quick!"

"Kukuku! And the fun begins!"

No, Maverick was not quick enough to pick up his dagger and shield to stand his ground against the pack of wolves. Instantly, two terrifying wolves bit both of his arms and two more targeted his legs until one of them grabbed him by his neck.

"AHHH! IT HURTS! IT FUCKING HURTS!"

He could barely make any words because the wolf's jaw locked on his neck. Afterward, all five began to pull away, thus ripping Maverick apart into pieces.

[You have died.]

[You will spawn after 3 minutes.]

Maverick was given that much time to process what just happened to him. To let his emotions subside so that he could jump back into the game once again.

[Three minutes is up. Do you wish to respawn? Yes or no.]

"My limbs and neck still ache from that experience... but I must strive and thrive in this impossible game!"

He honestly thought that the wolves and the Dark Froozbear would have been gone after 3 minutes since that's more than enough time until...

"Eat to your heart's content, my dear rascals."

[You are immune for 5 seconds.]

Waiting patiently where Maverick had been slaughtered, the Dark Froozbear and the wolves it was controlling stood with a grim smirk on their expressions as the Maverick's immunity slowly counted down.

~