The moon hung high above, pale and cold, casting its light across the endless rows of gravestones. Henry stood in the middle of the graveyard, his slingshot at his hands, the night air heavy around him.
He exhaled softly.
"Let's do this. I can't wait to evolve."
Three zombies shambled forward, drawn by his presence. Their groans cut through the silence as they broke into a clumsy charge.
Henry tightening his grip around his slingshot.
"My slingshot will handle this."
The first stone snapped through the air, drilling into a skull. The corpse crumpled without a sound. Another shot followed, then another. Within moments, the three were down, their bodies still on the cold ground. More undead appeared, swaying toward him. Henry tightened his grip and continued to fire, rock after rock.
Minutes later, the graveyard floor was littered with shattered corpses and scattered stones.
[You have killed an Undead +10 Experience Points]
[You have killed an Undead +10 Experience Points]
[You have killed an Undead +10 Experience Points]
The notifications chimed one after the other, a satisfying rhythm in his head. A grin broke across Henry's face.
"Rai, what's my current experience?" he asked between heavy breaths.
(Experience Points: 200/400)
His lungs burned, but the smile stayed. That was when he noticed something strange.
"The crystals…"
Henry's eyes widened. There were none. Not a single floating shard above the bodies. He scanned again, cautious, but still found nothing.
*Boom.*
The ground trembled beneath him. Dust shook loose from the old gravestones. The air grew colder, heavier, each breath harder to take.
Henry turned slowly. A shadow loomed, larger than any he had seen before. The creature stepped into the moonlight, its frame towering, nearly three meters tall. Wrapped in the same burial cloth as the others, but its body was bulkier, twisted with unnatural muscle.
"What the hell is that?" Henry whispered. His heart hammered. A thought struck him. 'Maybe I can escape If I run back to the dungeon'
But a notification cut through his hesitation.
[Ding]
[New Quest]
Quest: Defeat the Evolved Undead
Reward: New Skill Unlock, +100 Experience point
Henry's eyes lit up. "A new skill… could it be the transformation skill?"
He planted his feet firmly, raising his bow. The giant zombie lurched forward, its pace slow but relentless.
"Hmm. Unlike the others… this one's slower."
Henry drew, then angled his shot at a nearby tree. His arrow struck the bark, bounced off, and curved. The zombie had no time to react. The arrow buried itself into its neck.
[-10 HP]
Henry smirked. " Bouncing arrows."
He rushed in close, circling around the giant's legs. The monster swung its massive arm down, slamming the earth, but Henry was already gone, too fast for it to catch. He loosed another arrow, this time aiming for its head. The giant groaned, stumbling slightly, before it swept its arm wide, trying to crush him.
Henry leapt back, bowstring pulled to its limit. His single eye closed for focus.
"It's over."
The arrow flew true. It struck the back of the skull, piercing through and emerging out the front. The giant collapsed, the impact shaking the ground.
[Quest Completed]
Quest: You have killed an Evolved Undead
Reward: Night Vision Skill Unlocked, Experience Points Earned: +100
[Night Vision: Allows the user to see clearly at night]
Henry bent forward, panting. "Night vision? I was hoping for transformation…"
[Status]
[Name: Henry]
[Race: Goblin]
[Class: Marksman]
[SP: 0]
[Level: 4]
[EXP: 300/400]
[Evolution Crystals: 10/10]
[HP: 30/30]
[Strength: 15]
[Agility: 14]
[Stamina: 13]
[Vitality: 13]
[Skills: Inspect Lv.2, Bouncing Arrows, Night Vision]
He blinked and then the sun slowly began to rise, darkness melted away. The world sharpened. Every gravestone, every shadow became clear.
"Morning" he whispered with a smile.
The graveyard stretched out before him. Past its edge, he noticed the tree line of a forest.
Above the giant undead, a crystals hovered faintly. Henry grabbed and slipped it into his inventory.
"Rai, how many evolution crystals do have i stored now?"
(You have stored 2 evolution crystals in total.)
"Nice."
Farther away, beyond the forest, something massive caught his attention, a gate.
"The human settlement…"
He stepped forward, determination building in his chest. "Before I can get transformation skill I should approach them as a goblin. What do you think, Rai?"
(It's dangerous, Henry. You're a goblin.)
Henry shook his head. "If they hear me speak their language, they'll see I'm not like the others. I was once human, remember?"
(It's still risky.)
"Don't worry I can handle this"
He pushed through the last rows of graves. As he stepped into the forest.
Few minutes later he emerged from the forest and the human city gate properly came into view.
"Penta Village" Henry read what was written at the top of the gate.
(No, Henry… don't do this,) Rai's voice echoed urgently in his head.
A shout cut through the morning air.
"Kill the beast!"
Henry froze. An arrow landed in the dirt, only a few meters away.
He raised his head. Six figures charged from the gate. Two archers, four knights. Their armor gleamed in the dawn, spares and shields at the ready.
"I'm not here for trouble!" Henry shouted. "I can speak your language, I just want to sell my..."
Another arrow flew, faster this time. Henry barely rolled aside as it struck where he had stood.
"Oh no…" His chest tightened as he turned and bolted.
But the humans were fast. Their armor clanked as they closed the distance.
Henry gritted his teeth. "I didn't come to fight… but if they won't listen, then I'll defend myself. And maybe… level up in the process."
He spun, bow drawn, and released an arrow at the nearest knight.
The shot pierced straight into the man's head. He collapsed instantly.
[You have killed a Human Knight+10 Experience Points]
Henry dashed toward the forest edge, diving behind a tree as the remaining guards shouted, weapons drawn, and arrows nocked.
AN: Hello dear readers if you're enjoying the story so far and want to continue seeing more chapters then please help me out with some power stone, great comment/ review.