Lich Necromancer Uruzak.

It was the name of the boss in Norwall Cave. He summoned dozens of skeletons. Most of them were Skeleton Warriors. They were chasing me with click-clack sounds and sword on their hand. Despite they were weak, they were too many for me to deal with.

So, I ran and attacked when one of them was separated from the mass. I kept repeating it multiple times. Of course I did it to not get surrounded. ‘Hit and run’ was the only method I could think for the moment.

Till I noticed Uruzak casting some spells on me...

Weak Mind‘s effect can be felt.

You have resisted Fear of Darkness.

Surrender to Darkness‘s effect can be felt.

Night’s Grip‘s effect can be felt.

‘W-wha…?’

I startled and immediately checked my debuff window.

Debuff Weak Mind (-50% Debuff Resistance) 10 minutes

Surrender to Darkness (-50% Dark Resistance) 20 minutes

Night’s Grip (-50% sight range) 5 minutes

‘…!’

The darkness thickened and my view became short-sighted. Fortunately, I still could see dozens of skeletons chasing me nearby. However, I couldn’t see where Uruzak was. Suddenly, a loud howl could be heard.

Choir of Darkness‘s effect can be felt.

Curse Disease’s effect can be felt.

Undead Howl‘s effect can be felt.

Curse of Venom‘s effect can be felt.

Curse of Plague‘s effect can be felt.

Curse of Doom‘s effect can be felt.

Again, he casted spells on me. Multiple debuffs was rained upon me. I once again looked at my debuff window.

Debuff Weak Mind (-50% Debuff Resistance) 9 minutes

Surrender to Darkness (-50% Dark Resistance) 19 minutes

Night’s Grip (-50% sight range) 4 minutes

Choir of Darkness (-50% Defense) 10 minutes

Curse Disease (-50% Restored HP) 20 minutes

Undead Howl (-50% Damage) 10 minutes

Curse of Venom (-50% Poison Resistance) 20 minutes

Curse of Plague (Block HP & MP Regeneration) 10 minutes

Curse of Doom (Silenced) 5 minutes

‘W-wait a minute!! What kind of nonsense is this!?!’

I had never seen a Boss with a lot of skills. When I counted it, he casted 10 debuffs on me. Besides, he also had 1 summoning skill.

‘Developer must be losing some screws on his head.’

And Uruzak still had 100% HP, which meant that he still got something on his sleeves. Most Bosses used powerful skill when their HP was low or drop at certain percentage. So, I was sure that he didn’t use his trump card yet.

I ran aimlessly around an hour, trying to kill all the skeletons. I still couldn’t see where Uruzak was, though. Until I realized that I was literally trapped inside his cage.

Skeletons kept coming to me. And the 【Night’s Grip】 made me loss of direction. Even though all debuffs were lifted, Uruzak would cast them again.

I couldn’t get out of the loop. I couldn’t do anything. There was nothing within the room that would help me get out of that mess.

‘Should I die? Do I have to give up?’

I shook my head disagreeing with my thought. I might be given up my real life, but not in this game. It was my new life. Besides, I didn’t want get 【Unstable Soul】 debuff.

An idea came to my mind. I ran diagonally to the left. By doing that, I could find where the wall was. When I saw the wall, I kept running beside the wall. I kept running until I saw a chance that I was looking for.

A passage where I came from. I casted 【Wind Blessing】 and ran straight to it. But when I was about to retreat, a black cloud formed in front of the passage. Black humanoid form emerged from the passage. A window popped out.

Special Boss Appeared! The Pure Zeon of Melleth

‘Melleth!?!’

Two bosses versus one player. You could guess what happened next. They slaughtered me.

"It hurts… GAGH!!! Pant...pant... When did the last time I feel this? Hahahaha…… Arrrghhh!!!"

I let myself being hit by magic or sliced by swords. This cave boss difficulty was definitely a nightmare. My body fell to the ground. I almost fell unconscious, but I tried to stay awake. My HP eventually hit rock bottom. My sight blackened.

You died

Only black…or perhaps darkness was seen. It felt like sleeping but dreaming nothing. It felt déjà vu. A few moments later I saw a ceiling…

You have been resurrected in Eldan Temple.

Unstable Soul‘s effect can be felt.

It was the same ceiling when I logged in. I respawned back inside the temple of Eldan. I sighed…

‘What kind of quest did I just accept? Artifact of Melleth might be best to be forgotten.’

I sighed again as I stood and walking outside. I somehow looked at my buff window.

Buff First Visitor (5x EXP & Drop) 4 Days 20 hours 38 minutes Debuff Unstable Soul (-50% All stats & EXP) 23 hours 59 minutes

I smiled, no, more like I was grinning. I still had the 【First Visitor】 buff. I was glad that it was a buff which wasn’t gone even when you died.

‘Well, it’s time to think some plans.’

First of all, there were two bosses. And that was really ridiculous. Still, they weren’t impossible to defeat. There might be a way. The Special boss came in after around an hour, so I had to kill the Lich within that time.

‘It’s impossible for me to do it now. Should I get a job?’

I shook my head disagreeing my thought.

‘It’s risky to get a job without planning it beforehand. I think I will grind or train again.’

Indeed. The answer was simple. If I needed to be strong, then what I had to do was grinding and training to raise my stats and skills. Although 【Unstable Soul】 made me hard to get EXP for skills, training should be fine.

‘Yes, 【Unstable Soul】 only decreases stats by 50%, so it should be possible to raise my stats. And I will grind after the debuff is gone.’

Managing time to not wasting any second. That was what I always did in early game, in every game. If I fell then I had to get up. If I die, I could respawn again. I kept grinding until I could leisurely walk stomping enemies at ease. I laughed.

‘Strange… I do that with games, but not my real life…’

I sighed…

‘I can’t remember since when I gave up that thought.’

I inhaled and exhaled deeply.

‘Plan decided. Training, grinding after the 【Unstable Soul】 gone, then re-challenge those bosses.’

I moved my feet to east. Training ground was 5 blocks away from the temple. Then someone called me from behind. It was someone I know. Someone who did the same thing before.

“Hello, kid! Going to training ground again?”

・・・

“So, you want to get stronger enough to challenge two bosses?”

“Yes. I encountered them, but…”

“You died. And you just revived again huh…”

‘Wait what? NPC knows about respawn?’

“Hahaha… you look confused. Of course, we know about that gift. A gift that only Heroes have the privilege. Sometimes we really envious of that, you know.”

“How is that possible?”

“Since this town was built, the story is passed through generations. I can tell you if you don’t mind…”

“Sure, I think the story has to be known for a new hero like me.”

“Hahaha… You are really interesting, kid. As expected from Aphu with full of curiosity. Well, it’s a long story…”

It was actually a long story. I kept listening to him intently. And it was an interesting story. But when I thought about it, something was strange somehow.

Long story short, after the town was built all races fight back the dark force. However, the dark force armies were way too many. Countless warriors died.

When all hope seemed lost, a light appeared from the sky above the temple. Some fallen warriors suddenly revived. Some who still alive also chosen. Their morale raised to the extent where they don’t fear death anymore. The war lasted for years. And they finally won. But then another problem appeared…

Some of the chosen used the privilege to do what they want. They turned insane and became evil. Caste was born at that moment. They enslaved normal people. And normal people couldn’t fight back.

Then there was a man who still sane. The man also had the gift. He stood for the normal people. He defeated all the madness by himself. Shockingly, they didn’t revive anymore. That power was gone. Hundreds of years passed until it appeared again, the light descended a half and a year ago.

“But none of us was chosen. Instead heroes appeared within the light in the temple. Since then, the age of New Heroes has begun.”

‘I see, it seems it refers to the beta test which opened 3 months ago. That’s when the light descended for the second time.’

“And that’s the story.”

“That’s amazing…”

“Hahaha… Yeah. Anyway, you want to train and get stronger, right? Just keep training like you did before with the scarecrows.”

“Wait…I remember that the last time we met you said that I wasn't the only one who trained with those scarecrows.”

“Did I say that? I see…I think I remember now. That man does inherit his predecessor. Training day and night with those scarecrows. It’s been a long time… I feel nostalgic just thinking about it. Heheheh!”

“Who is he?”

“He is a human. Descendant of the man who stood for the normal people I told you before. He is the only heir of Dranite family.”

“I-I see. He must be the strongest person in this land now.”

“Hahahaha… You’re right, kid. He is…”

He patted my back multiple times while laughing joyfully. It wasn’t long until we arrived in front of the training ground.

“Well, kid. I’ll see you later. Good luck with your training!”

“Thank you, Sir Gordon!”

After seeing he left, I moved my feet to where the scarecrows were. When I was in front of the solo sign, I opened my stats window.

Zeroth Race Aphu Job (Class) None Hobby None Stats HP 750/750 MP 500/500 STR 27 VIT 10 DEX 10 AGI 12 INT 15 WIS 20

Seeing my stats was being halved, I instantly sighed. But then I realized something…

‘Wait a minute… It isn’t even halved. Ah… I see…’

I came to a conclusion that【Unstable Soul】 only halved base stats, but not skills or equipment’s effect. Still, the stats made me like when I just started the game again. With good equipment, of course.

I began to enter the Solo area.

‘I will try Stage and Party afterwards.’

With that thought in mind, I charged to the nearest Scarecrow and swung my sword.

・・・

Meanwhile…

A man was hanging on a wall. His arms were stretched and daggers were piercing both of his hands, nailed them on the wall. Another man was standing in front of him. He was wearing black clothes and a black hat.

“I know he’s been lying to me all this time. I know I was born for something. I can feel it.”

“No… Please don’t do this…”

“I have to… I live to do something special. Something… extraordinary.”

“You are delusional… Stop-”

“I AM NOT DELUSIONAL!!!”

The black man stabbed his dagger to the wall near the hanging man's side. Piercing deep inside the wall. He was shaking as he looked at the black man's sharp eyes with his wide eyes.

“S-Stop this and I’ll...I'll let you go…”

“I’m gonna prove you…”

The black man pulled his dagger from the wall and stabbed it on the hanging man's right knee. Then he spun it.

“Arrghhh… AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!”

The black man stopped and smiled.

“This is fun...”

“Pant...pant...pant...you...are… a monster….”

The black man pulled the dagger and began to slice the hanging man's skin... slowly.

“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”