Chapter Ten: Level up!

A group of three Earthlings moved cautiously through the dense forest, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.

The thick canopy above cast deep shadows over the moss-covered ground, while the occasional distant growl or rustling leaves reminded them they weren't alone.

Leading the group was Richard, a young man clad in standard leather armor, his iron sword strapped to his side. He walked with a swagger, occasionally glancing back at the two women following behind him.

One of them was Elena, an assassin with short black hair and a pair of daggers at her waist. She moved silently, her every step light and precise.

The other, Mira, was an archer dressed in light hunting gear, her bow slung across her back and an arrow already nocked, just in case.

Richard smirked, puffing out his chest.

"Relax, ladies. With me here, nothing's gonna happen to you. Any monster that dares show itself will taste my blade before it can even lay a finger on you."

Elena and Mira exchanged a glance but said nothing.

They had only agreed to come this deep into the forest because Richard had insisted that it would be an easy way to rack up kills and clear their trials faster.

But now, as the silence stretched around them, a sense of unease began to creep in.

Then—

A sudden rustling.

The sound of snapping branches.

And then—a horde of monsters burst through the trees.

Beasts of different shapes and sizes tore through the undergrowth, their eyes wide with what could only be described as pure terror.

Some were small, like horned wolves, while others were massive, their bodies covered in thick, scale-like armor.

Elena and Mira froze in panic, their grips tightening on their weapons.

"Richard, what do we do?!" Elena demanded, eyes darting to the so-called 'leader' of their group.

But Richard—was frozen.

His confident smirk was gone, and his eyes locked onto the approaching monsters. His breath hitched in his throat, and his hand trembled over the hilt of his sword.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't think.

He had talked big, but now that he was staring death in the face, all that bravado had shattered in an instant.

Elena and Mira felt a cold dread settle over them.

They had made a mistake.

They should have stuck to hunting closer to the village.

They had trusted Richard's words, believing he was strong enough to protect them.

But now, standing in the middle of the forest, watching him freeze up when it mattered most, they regretted everything.

Then, just as panic fully took hold—

The monsters ran right past them.

Not a single one stopped or even acknowledged their presence.

Instead, they bolted deeper into the forest, their movements frantic, like prey fleeing from an apex predator.

Elena and Mira barely had time to process it before they exhaled sharply, relief flooding their bodies.

Then, almost immediately, a new fear set in.

If these monsters—the very creatures they had feared—were running away in terror…

What were they running from?

A sickening realization crawled up their spines.

They didn't want to know.

Without a word, they turned on their heels and ran.

Richard barely had time to snap out of his frozen state before he saw them disappearing into the trees.

"Wait! Don't leave me behind!" he shouted, finally finding his footing as he sprinted after them.

******

The forest clearing was a graveyard of monsters.

The ground was littered with corpses, ranging from the shredded remains of Daggerfang Wolves to the crushed bodies of Goreback Boars.

Hollow Serpents lay lifeless, their elongated bodies coiled unnaturally, and Razorbeak Crows were scattered across the treetops, their blood dripping onto the leaves below.

A few Grasping Ghouls, creatures known for their tenacity, were sprawled across the ground, their undead limbs twitching in futile resistance.

And in the middle of all this carnage… stood Oliver, panting, blood-streaked, and looking completely unfazed.

He wiped his dagger clean against his tattered sleeve before glancing at the freshly killed Goreback Boar in front of him. The poor beast had barely put up a fight.

It had charged at him, tusks gleaming under the dappled moonlight, snorting like a beast possessed.

Oliver had simply stepped to the side and plunged his dagger into its neck.

One second it was alive.

The next, it was flopping onto the ground, gurgling out its last breath.

Truly a battle for the ages.

Then—DING!

A system message popped up in front of his eyes.

+5 Meta Essence

[140/100 monsters slain]

Oliver exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well… that was anticlimactic."

But he wasn't hunting for the thrill of battle—no, this was therapy.

A way to vent.

To unleash all the pent-up frustration from everything that had happened in the last few days.

Being summoned to another world? Check.

Being thrown into a survival trial? Check.

Getting incinerated by an undead sorcerer? Big check.

So, naturally, the best way to cope was mass monster genocide.

It was productive, cathartic, and—most importantly—gave him Meta Essence.

Suddenly, another system notification flashed before his eyes.

[You have accumulated enough Meta Essence.]

[Leveling up…]

Before Oliver could even process it, a wave of raw energy surged through his body.

It felt like every fiber of his being was being revitalized, his muscles strengthening, his reflexes sharpening—an overwhelming rush of power.

And, oddly enough… it felt kind of addicting.

When the sensation finally settled, he pulled up his status panel.

[STATUS PANEL]

Name: Oliver Lancaster

Level: 2 (Adept)

Meta Essence: 0/5000

Class: Abyssal Warlord (SSS)

Class Skills: Unyielding Rebirth – Upon death in battle, the user is resurrected, fully restoring their body. This ability can only be activated in combat.

Abyssal Dominion – The closer the user is to death, the stronger they become. Physical abilities, speed, and destructive power increase exponentially as health drops.

Acquired Skills: [No acquired skills]

Trial Availability: [Trial Available]

Inventory: [Access Inventory]

Team: Unlocked

Oliver's eyes gleamed as he read through the new addition.

Abyssal Dominion.

A skill that made him stronger the closer he was to dying.

It had Perfect synergy with Unyielding Rebirth.

A slow, wicked grin stretched across his face.

He knew exactly who to test it on.

As for the hidden trial, it seemed He could still tackle it even though he leveled up.

Which meant…

More time to grow stronger.

More time to prepare.

More time for payback.

Cracking his neck, Oliver glanced at the trail leading deeper into the forest.

The Lich was waiting.

And this time, Oliver wouldn't be the one dying.

End Of Chapter Ten