Keeee!
Shrill screeches echoed through the dungeon halls—bones cracked, metal clashed, and tension clung to the air like a predator ready to pounce.
In one dim corner of the dungeon, Henry stood motionless, his attention locked onto the glowing interface hovering before him.
---
[Name: Henry]
[Level: 3 (0/120)]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Necromancer]
[HP: 110]
[MP: 160]
[Strength: 10]
[Speed: 11]
[Intelligence: 16]
[Perception: 9]
[Stamina: 10]
[Endurance: 12]
[Available Attribute Points: 4]
---
"Hmm… Four attribute points." Henry muttered, eyes scanning his stats. "If I raise Intelligence, I'll get more mana, and my undead will last longer."
He paused, rubbing his chin.
"But speed... You can't hit what you can't catch."
Without further hesitation, he shifted all four points into Speed.
---
[Speed: 11 → 15]
---
A sudden lightness spread through his limbs. The fatigue he'd carried vanished in seconds. He exhaled sharply and clenched his fists, a thrill running through him.
"Whoa… I've never felt this light before," he murmured. "No wonder people are so desperate to awaken."
He turned toward the scattered goblin corpses, walking to the center of the blood-soaked floor. His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Come forth."
A thick black smoke erupted from the bodies. They twitched violently as their flesh rotted away in an instant. Moments later, nine skeletal goblins emerged, clattering into formation behind their master.
---
[Undead Summons: 9 / 15]
---
Several corridors later, Henry stood before a towering obsidian gate embedded in the dungeon's deepest wall. Faint red runes pulsed across its surface.
"So this is the boss room," he said, eyes narrowing. "They told us at the academy—beat the boss to escape. Fail, and you're dead. No second chances."
He pushed the gate open with effort. It groaned as it parted.
Inside, on a crumbling stone throne, sat a hulking orc warrior radiating oppressive energy. A deep red aura bled from its form like steam, distorting the air.
"What the hell… That bloodlust—this isn't normal." Henry's stomach sank. "Shouldn't bosses in awakening dungeons be goblin lords? How is there an orc here?"
The orc slowly raised its head, crimson eyes gleaming.
"Puny human… You've come far. But this is where you die."
Henry flinched. "It can talk? An elite boss…"
---
[Boss Type: Elite]
Elite bosses possess limited sentience and improved combat abilities. Rarely found in awakening dungeons. Lethality: high.
---
The orc lifted one arm.
"Warriors! Kill him and bring me his head!"
From the shadows, a horde of orc warriors surged forward.
"Undead—engage!" Henry shouted.
The skeletal goblins charged in, but the orcs were faster and stronger. Bones shattered. Limbs flew.
---
[MP: 160 → 140 → 120]
---
"At this rate, I'll run out of mana," Henry cursed under his breath.
He drew a dagger, eyes locking onto two injured orcs still locked in combat with his remaining undead.
"Academy said the back of the head is the weakest spot for orcs, right?"
He sprinted around them, pivoted, and threw his dagger with all his strength.
Thunk!
The blade pierced one orc's skull from behind. It collapsed instantly. The blade ricocheted into the second orc's temple.
---
[You have slain a Level 7 Orc +60 EXP]
[You have slain a Level 7 Orc +60 EXP]
[Level Up: 4 (0/180)]
[HP and MP fully recovered]
[Attribute Points Gained: 2]
---
Henry exhaled. "It actually worked… But I can't slow down now."
Opening his stat window, he dumped both points into Strength.
---
[Strength: 10 → 12]
---
A pulse of raw energy flooded his body. He grinned.
"Let's turn the tide."
Henry faced the fallen orcs and raised his hand again.
"Come forth."
Their bodies twitched violently before black mist enveloped them. From it emerged two towering skeletal orcs, wielding massive bone axes.
---
[New Summons: Dread Ghoul Rank]
---
The elite orc boss staggered. "Impossible! You turned my warriors… into undead?!"
It snarled, raising its arm again.
"All of you! Kill that necromancer!"
Henry stepped forward, pulling out twin daggers.
"Bring it on."
He and his undead warriors rushed in.
An orc hurled an axe at him—Henry ducked and slid forward, slicing the orc's throat in one swift motion.
---
[You have slain an Orc +50 EXP]
---
Dodging another strike, Henry spun and slashed, decapitating another foe.
---
[You have slain an Orc +50 EXP]
[Level Up: 5 (0/300)] → 6 (0/550)]
[+4 Attribute Points]
---
[Undead Summons: 16 / 20]
---
"No matter how many I kill… they just keep coming." He gritted his teeth. "Wait. I feel it. Mana... Every time I kill one, the boss is feeding it back to summon more."
His eyes narrowed.
"To end this—I need to kill the source."
Henry surged forward and broke through the horde. He slashed at the elite orc, but the beast raised its sword, blocking and countering—launching Henry across the room.
---
CRASH!
[HP: 220 → 110]
---
He groaned, lifting himself from a cratered wall.
"One hit did that much damage… This is going to be hell."
Opening his interface, he added two points to Speed and Perception.
---
[Speed: 15 → 17]
[Perception: 9 → 11]
---
The world sharpened. Every sound, every footstep, every heartbeat around him became clear.
Henry twirled his daggers, smirking.
"Let's dance."
He and the boss rushed forward again. Their blades clashed, creating shockwaves. Dust swirled as metal rang through the chamber.
Henry ducked low, threw a feint kick—then drove his heel into the orc's jaw, sending it crashing into the wall.
"Didn't see that coming, huh?"
The orc roared and began to transform, muscles bulging, blood boiling—entering its berserk state.
Too late.
Henry flashed behind it and sliced clean through its neck.
Thud.
The body collapsed.
---
[You have slain an Elite Boss +700 EXP]
[Level Up: 7 (150/650)]
[+2 Attribute Points]
---
"Undead—clean up the rest!" Henry commanded.
The remaining skeletons surged, cutting through the remaining orcs like blades through paper.
---
[You have slain Orc +50 EXP]
[Level Up]
[Level: 8 ]
[Level up]
[Level: 9]
[Level up]
[Level:10 (120/1200)]
[HP and MP fully recovered]
[+6 Attribute Points]
---
When the last orc fell, the system chimed again.
---
[Level Reached: 10]
[System Upgrade: Inventory Unlocked]
Henry wiped the sweat from his brow and summoned the system interface once more. A crisp digital chime echoed in his mind as the translucent blue screen materialized before him.
---
[Name: Henry]
[Level: 10 (120/1200)]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Necromancer]
[HP: 500 / 500]
[MP: 700 / 700]
[Strength: 12]
[Speed: 17]
[Intelligence: 16]
[Perception: 11]
[Stamina: 10]
[Endurance: 12]
[Attribute Points: 8]
[Undead Summons: 18 / 20]
[New Feature Unlocked: Inventory]
[New Skill Acquired: Fireball]
---
"Level ten already…" Henry muttered under his breath, his tone a mix of disbelief and quiet satisfaction.
He rolled his shoulders, feeling the subtle strength coiled within every muscle fiber. His stamina was holding, his body responsive, and his mana reserves deep—this was no longer the body of a regular student.
His gaze drifted to the fallen orc boss. The once-imposing creature now lay in a heap of broken muscle and shattered pride at the base of its shattered throne. Henry approached with cautious steps, eyes flickering for traps or hidden enemies. None came.
Instead, something caught his eye beneath the corpse—a faint crimson glow pulsing steadily.
Henry crouched and carefully pried it free. It was warm, beating faintly like a living heart, carved of semi-translucent red crystal veined with black streaks.
---
[Item Acquired: Orc's Blood Core – Grade: Rare]
An organic crystal formed within the strongest orc warriors. Can be used to enhance undead summons or crafted into blood-bound equipment.
---
Henry stared at the core for a moment, its glow reflecting in his eyes like firelight in a storm. Then he slowly smiled.
"So even in death… you still have something to offer."
He tucked the core into his newly unlocked inventory, its icon flickering into place with a quiet ding.
Then he rose, turned his back on the corpse, and exhaled—steady, calm, cold.