His distraction nearly killed him as the first zombie lunged at him, snapping its jaws hungrily and narrowly missing his shoulder.
He barely had time to react.
Instinct surged forth, and without thinking, Jace stumbled forward, narrowly dodging the bony fingers that reached for him from behind from the second zombie. His body moved on its own, driven by a primal urge to survive. He felt the power within him roil as he clenched tightly around the hilt of the rusted sword.
The second zombie advanced, its teeth gnashing. Jace didn’t hesitate. With a roar, he swung the sword.
The blade sliced into the bone of the zombie’s arm, and a sickening crunch echoed through the chamber. The force from the swing and the cut into the arm caused it to snap off. Yet, It didn't slow as it lunged again. He sidestepped it and bumped into the other zombie. That one took the opportunity to rake at his back. Slashing a few more deep gouges into his flesh.
Jace stumbled forward, almost knocked from his feet. He quickly staggered through an opening just as the two zombies were about to sandwich him.
Fear held him tightly, he needed to do something. He turned and dashed sideways of the two undead just as they collided. He said a quick prayer to anyone, thankful they were so stupid. The two zombies clashed and collided as they fell over each other. Dead limbs tangled around each other.
He held his sword up towards the two. “Dumbasses?!” He shouted in confusion and terror. He used the terror as fuel and he began smashing in the skull of the nearest zombie.
He kept going until finally the skull cracked in almost half the time it took him to kill the first one. He was about to target the other when a notification pinged in his vision.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 2/100
New Skill Acquired: [Soulrend] (Rank 1) – Draw a fragment of a soul upon striking a foe, dealing additional damage and restoring a portion of health and stamina. Soulrend increases in potency based on the soul's strength and your current corruption.
“What the…” before he could finish his sentence, much less read the notification, the ground zombie grabbed his leg and tried to bite deep into his leg. Luckily his work boot managed to get in the way.
He stumbled back trying to get the zombie to release its grip, but all he managed to do was fall backward on his ass. The zombie gripped tightly around his boot had ripped the laces causing the boot to slip off his foot as he fell.
Without any further thought he shouted out his new skill, not sure how to activate it. “Soulrend!”
The zombie seemed to slow down, bringing its clawed hands from the boot up to its face and letting loose a shrieking wail. It both lit up with a crimson haze as it wailed and thrashed.
Suddenly, he felt the wound on his back and face slowly close up. He realized he had just taken a fragment of its vitality, of its soul to heal himself and drain the zombie. And he still had some power left over. He pushed it through to his blade hoping it would work to increase his damage.
Surprisingly, the blade began to glow crimson. He quickly took the moment and severed the closest one's head as it tried to stand back up.
The creature’s head tumbled from its shoulders, rolling across the stone floor. It collapsed into a heap on top of the other zombie, twitching once before stilling.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 3/100
Jace stood, panting, staring down at the decapitated corpse. His heart hammered in his chest. He’d done it. He’d killed it.
Both zombies were dead, just as another zombie groaned and lurched from the shadows.
Jace darted towards it. He grabbed the arm as it swung at him. He planted his feet and pivoted up and under its shoulder flipping the zombie into the pile of the two dead zombies.
Quickly, he used his trusty curb stomping to crack the skull of the last zombie. This time it took considerably less effort for the skull to cave in. He chalked it up to his increased strength.
Before he could process his victory, mist began to rise from the fallen body. It swirled in the air before diving straight into him, filling him with a strange surge of energy, a warmth that made his skin prickle.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 4/100
Jace staggered back, eyes wide as the energy coursed through him. Suddenly his veins felt alive, as though the world around him was humming with power. He could feel his body growing stronger, faster. His senses heightened, and he could almost hear the beating of his own heart in time with the eerie hum of the dungeon.
Jace didn’t hesitate. He immediately opened his status and saw the free points waiting for him. His mind raced. Strength was important—he could always use more power—but Endurance… Endurance would help him shrug off more hits. Intelligence felt like it would be crucial as well, but for now, he focused on his physicality.
He allocated five points to Strength, and the other five he placed into Endurance. The moment the points were set, he felt his body hum with even more energy. His muscles were stronger, his resolve even firmer.
“Good. This will make me that much harder to kill.” Jace wiped the blood from his blade, ready for whatever came next. The presence watching him still lingered, but now he was more certain than ever: he was not just surviving—he was growing.
He willed his character sheet back up to see his increases.
Name: Jace Halloway
Race: Soulborne (Unique)
Class: Soulreaver (Unregistered)
Level: Error, current class unable to gain experience
Health: 296/296
Stamina: 143/143
Mana: 89/89
Strength: 26
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Dexterity: 8
Endurance: 27
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 8
Soulreaver Core: 4/100
Jace stood at the center of the corridor, his breath steady and controlled, but his heart hammering in his chest. His core progression was growing after every kill. So were his stats. A small smirk spread across his lips.
“Soulrend, huh?” He remembered the feeling of using it and regaining health and stamina, the crimson glow that radiated off the zombie and empowered him. “Now we're talking.”
The door at the far end of the tunnel groaned open, and one by one, six undead zombies shuffled through, their limbs stiff and their eyes vacant, each movement a grotesque parody of life. Fear tried to grab ahold, but something within him burned. They didn’t hesitate, and neither would he.
The ground beneath him creaked as the zombies moved, their shuffling gait dragging on the stone floor, scraping with each step. Their bodies were stiff, but their movements were purposeful, like predatory creatures drawn to their next meal. It wasn’t until they began to close in on him that Jace snapped to attention. His hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his rusty blade.
The air seemed to thicken with pressure building with every step they took closer. Six. Six of them. It was the most he had faced. Each of them were bigger than the previous ones, their decomposing forms towering over his slightly five foot eight frame. He gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the sword, his mind buzzing with adrenaline.
"Focus," he muttered under his breath. "You’re stronger now. You got this."
Soulreaver’s Touch surged within him, power that pulsed through his veins. Jace felt the unmistakable thrum of it; the souls of those he had already claimed—the undead he had fought before—whispered in his mind, feeding him energy, making him feel stronger, faster.
The first zombie reached him and lunged. Its decayed arm outstretched with unnaturally quick speed, its jaws snapping. Jace reacted instantly, swinging his sword.
The blade cut through the zombie’s ribs, the resistance of its bones nearly stopping the sword dead in its tracks. But with his new increase in strength, Jace pushed through, twisting the blade as he severed the creature’s spine separating the torso from its legs.
It collapsed to the floor with a wet, sickening thud. That didn't stop its grasping though. He kicked with all his might, shattering the skull and sending it flying off its body smacking into another charging zombie.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 5/100
“Damn notifications!” Jace didn’t pause to savor the kill. He spun, his foot digging into the stone as he brought the sword up to block the swipe of another zombie’s claws. The creature’s claws scraped across the blade, the impact reverberating through his arms, but he held firm, countering with a quick slash across its neck. The zombie’s head fell to the floor, rolling away with a dull thud.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 6/100
Jace’s heart pounded faster, but the dark presence he felt was growing stronger—he could feel it, lurking just beyond his vision, watching him.
"I'll deal with it when I get to it," he muttered again, pushing the unnerving sensation to the back of his mind. There were more zombies to deal with.
The third zombie came at him from his left. Jace barely managed to sidestep its attack, but its claws raked across his arm, tearing through the fabric of his shirt and sinking into his flesh, but not near as deep as before.
Pain flared, hot and sharp. Jace grunted, forcing himself to ignore it as the wound seared. His body was already reacting, the injury fading faster than it should have. He cast Soulrend at it and felt power drain from it and into him, healing his wound and strengthening his power.
He retaliated, driving the sword down into the zombie’s skull, the blade cutting through bone with a sickening crack. The creature crumpled, falling in a heap at his feet.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 7/100
Another wave of energy surged through him. His grip on the sword tightened, pulling the soul from his fallen enemy. He wasn’t sure if it was the Soulreaver’s Touch or the pain from his own wound, but something inside thrummed beneath his skin, feeding him.
“God, I really have to minimize these damn notifications during combat.” He shouted, but the fourth zombie lunged at him, and this time, Jace didn’t have time to dodge. The creature’s claws scraped across his side, raking him with vicious speed. Pain exploded in his side, but once again, he felt the warmth of his own power surge through him, counteracting the injury.
He gritted his teeth, feeling his body adapt to the wounds—something about this power, it was making him feel more resilient, more... alive. He wasn't sure that it was a good thing.
“Damn it,” he cursed under his breath, forcing the zombie off with a powerful shove. It stumbled back, but before it could recover, Jace swung his sword at its neck, severing its head from its body.
You have killed a Level 10 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength +4 to Endurance due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 8/100
Five down. One left. He felt his muscles grow tighter, heavier. His skin felt denser, and more resilient.
The final zombie was a beast of a creature, its rotting flesh bloated and hanging loosely from its frame. Its face was a grotesque mask of decay, with empty sockets and a mouth that was little more than a gaping hole. It charged at him, its hands reaching forward with claws that looked like they could tear through steel.
Jace’s muscles burned, but his resolve was stronger. With a guttural growl, he launched himself forward, closing the gap between them in a blur of motion. His sword arced through the air, slashing deep into the zombie’s chest. The creature staggered, but didn’t go down.
"Not yet," Jace growled, gripping his sword tighter as he swung again. The blade bit deep into the zombie’s decayed torso, slicing through flesh and bone. The creature staggered but didn’t fall.
With a guttural snarl, it lashed out with a massive, rotting fist. Jace barely ducked in time, feeling the rush of foul air as the blow missed by inches. He retaliated with an upward slash, aiming for its arm. The edge of his sword found purchase, severing the limb in one clean strike.
The zombie didn’t even react. It snarled at him spewing black ichor from its rotten mouth. With its remaining arm, it swung again—faster than Jace expected.
The blow caught him square in the side of his head. Stars exploded in his vision as he was sent sprawling onto the cold, stone floor. His ears rang. His stomach lurched.
His blurred vision cleared just in time to see the hulking corpse lifting its foot, preparing to return all the previous curb stomps.
Jace rolled, nausea spiking from the sudden motion, barely avoiding the bone-snapping stomp. He forced himself up and swung wildly at the zombie’s head. His angle was off—the blade veered downward, striking its shoulder instead.
The undead brute took the opportunity to slam another meaty fist into his face.
Pain exploded in Jace’s skull as he stumbled back. His grip faltered. His sword slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the stone.
"Son… of a bitch!" He spat blood and shook the dizziness away. The zombie, relentless, dragged itself forward, its dead eyes locked onto him.
Jace’s sword was still buried in its shoulder, wedged deep in bone.
"Fuck you, you big undead bastard," he muttered. Then, with a snarl, he lunged.
He ducked beneath a slow right hook and grabbed the hilt of his sword. With a mighty yank, he freed the blade in a spray of black ichor. The zombie swayed, momentarily off balance. Jace twisted his grip and hacked at its leg with everything he had left.
The sword sank deep, rotten flesh split and bone cracked. This time though Jace couldn't remove the sword before the lumbering creature finally collapsed forward. Jace barely had time to leap back as it crashed onto the stone floor. A sickening snap echoed through the chamber—his rusted sword, unable to handle the strain, shattered.
At the same time, the zombie’s left leg completely detached at the hip.
Jace blinked. Then exhaled sharply.
"Oh, on the ground now? Groovy." He smiled wickedly. “Time for a good ol fashion curbstomp.”
He lifted his boot and stomped down on its skull.
The zombie twitched under this strength, but it's skull didn’t break. Again! Cracks formed, but the thing still snarled at him, grasping at his legs.
"Why... won’t... you... fucking... die!?" Jace shouted, slamming his foot down with every word. Even with his enhanced Strength the zombie was going down.
The zombie's remaining arm lashed out and latched onto his ankle.
"Shit!” Jace lost balance and fell backward, again, scrambling away as the undead clung to him. His other boot came off in the process, trapped in the creature’s grip.
"Alright, fuck this." His anger boiling at having that same thing happen not once but twice. His eyes darted around, searching for a better weapon. That’s when he spotted it.
When the zombie had fallen, the rotting flesh on its severed leg had been torn away, exposing a thick, sturdy femur.
Jace grinned, his rising anger somewhat cooled.
He bent down, and with his strength ripped the femur free. With a clenhednfist around the bone he quickly stripped the remaining scraps of flesh. He watched the downed beast of an undead struggle to pull itself towards him. Jace chuckled as he ripped free the sleeve of his t-shirt and wrapped the piece of cloth around one end. He lifted it up onto his shoulder testing the weight.
New Skill Acquired: [Makeshift Bone Weapons] (Rank 1) – Use nearby bone material to forge temporary melee weapons. Blades, clubs, and spears can be formed in seconds.
He smirked at the notification.
Turning back to the downed zombie, he strode toward it confidently, rolling his shoulders. This time though he felt it.
"Sorry, big guy. You fought well. Almost had me a few times, but I am way past tired of this place."
Jace lifted the makeshift club high. The zombie snarled, its dead fingers still reaching.
He brought the club down with all his might. The zombie’s skull buckled under the force. Dark gore exploded outward, splattering across Jace’s already ruined clothes. A chunk landed in his mouth.
He gagged. "Ugh! Oh, come on! That’s gotta be how the virus spreads, right?" He spat furiously. "God, I hope I don’t turn into one of you ugly bastards."
The zombie twitched once. Then, finally, it crumbled into dust.
Jace staggered back, panting. His chest heaved. His body burned from exertion, his heart pounded, and his skin stung from bruises and cuts.
Then, suddenly, something shifted inside him.
A pull.
The last soul was pulled from the zombie and was drawn into his core. He was fit by a flood of text in his vision.
You have killed a Level 15 Undead Zombie.
Massive XP Earned!
ERROR…
Class unable to gain XP…
Massive XP forfeited…
Reaper’s Touch Skill activated.
+1 Soul Fragment Reaped.
You have gained +4 to Strength, +4 to Endurance, +4 to Dexterity due to level discrepancy.
Soulreaver Core Progression Activated.
Soulreaver Core: 9/100
Jace couldn’t help but laugh under his breath. He was so upset about not getting XP before but now, this just felt right. He was still gaining stats at a quick rate. At least he thought so.
He looked down at the pile of zombie corpses, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He could feel the effects of the souls he had reaped filling him up, empowering him.
Jace couldn’t suppress the grin spreading across his face. His first real fight in this world, not against just one or two zombies, but six. And it felt… good. Too good. But he didn’t linger on that thought for long.
He could feel the power flowing through him, the raw energy of his Soulreaver abilities, but he needed to be tougher. He needed to survive longer in battles like these.
Jace let out a breath, rolling his shoulders. Then, something unexpected happened.
A voice—soft, melodic, and strangely comforting—whispered into his mind. "Your progress is remarkable. Faster than I anticipated. You truly are my Paragon."
Jace’s eyes widened. He instinctively turned, scanning the darkness around him.
"Wait—who the hell are you? Paragon of what?"
He waited for the voice to return, but was met with nothing but the still silence of the room. The presence—the one that had been watching him this entire time—was suddenly gone. The weight of its gaze had vanished, leaving behind only an eerie stillness.
Jace took a slow breath, his grip tightening on the makeshift club. "...Well, that's not creepy at all."
He turned to scan the empty hallway. This was the first chance he felt he'd had since coming here. The corridor remained silent as the grave. Only the slight sound of water dripping, and the flickering of the eerie green torches.
He turned his thoughts inward and it all hit him at once as his adrenaline began to slow. His life from before. He was no longer in his own world. He was somewhere new and terrifying. His old life was gone. His wife and kids, his family, his friends. Even though he knew he was technically dead in his old world. He was alive here to remember it.
His thoughts spiraled from there into a deep pit of sadness from his old life and terror from this one. He felt the dam in his mind finally break.
