New Unlock: Uncommon spawns will now appear. Level up by neutralizing threats and completing quests.

I sat up in bed, my mind still heavy with the image of the notification. The System's takeover of Earth had just begun, and already the stakes were rising. The difficulty of the spawns had increased, and it was clear that the challenges ahead would be more formidable. I glanced out the window, observing the early morning light seeping through the cracks. It was a reminder that time was of the essence.

With a sigh, I decided to get up before Hanna could come knocking on my door. I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and made my way to the shower. The System's integration with the building had its perks, providing running water and a makeshift septic system. The small shower room at the end of the hall offered a brief respite, despite the frigid water that cascaded down.

After a quick shower, I dressed myself and caught a whiff of something enticing wafting from the tavern's kitchen. It reminded me of the pressing matter at hand—our dwindling food supplies. Despite pooling resources, our provisions were running low, with only a week's worth remaining. The System store offered food options, but the cost was steep, and the meager rewards from slaying goblins and kobolds didn't cover the expenses.

As I descended the stairs, the bustling tavern greeted me. The younger children huddled around a long table, eagerly indulging in bowls of cereal flavored with powdered milk. Their sugary delight stood in stark contrast to the grim reality we faced.

Wesley waved me over from a nearby table, where he and Sarah were already seated. Bowls of steaming oatmeal awaited each of us. I settled onto the bench, and Wesley set his spoon down, urging me to check my available quests.

I moment later, I found the quest.

Quest – Kill an uncommon spawn

Kill [1] uncommon spawn

XP Reward: 125XP

"I accept the quest," I replied, happy with the promised experience points.

Wesley nodded in agreement. "Good choice. Cade, what do you think about letting Steve Lowe gather a team to work with the excavator while we focus on our quest?"

I considered his suggestion for a moment. "Yeah, that could work. Steve witnessed how we operated it yesterday, so he should be able to handle it."

"I was also thinking," Wesley continued, "Maybe we should check the other houses in the neighborhood. Make sure they're all empty. It seems like some people might have taken the government order to shelter in place a bit too literally."

Sarah chimed in, her voice filled with agreement. "That's a brilliant idea! I swear, there are probably still people at the other end of the street, hiding behind locked doors, completely unaware of the progress we're making here."

We were a far place away from being truly safe. Even though we have a gatehouse, a couple of hundred feet of wall, eight houses and an inn, we were still too exposed. Even though I was eager to be about working on the quest, Wesley made a lot of sense.

Hanna joined us shortly after, followed by Jayden, who was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. But his drowsiness quickly vanished when he learned about the quest. "Let's go kick some goblin ass!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm shining through.

A little while later, we formed a single-file line and passed through the sturdy wooden gate, which would eventually become the entrance to our fortified village. Hanna took the lead, fully embracing her role. Jayden followed closely behind, ready to support his sister if needed. Wesley, being the oldest and most level-headed, took his place next. We all respected his leadership and looked to him for guidance. Sarah, with her arcane abilities, positioned herself after Wesley. She had the power to conjure fireballs, making her a formidable asset. I took up the rear, knowing that my sharpshooting skills provided valuable range to the group.

As we approached the first house that didn't belong to anyone in our village, it became clear that Wesley was determined to take the risks. He walked up to the front door with a determined stance, his war hammer slung over his shoulder. I couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. While his outfit, consisting of a vacation Bible school t-shirt and khaki pants, didn't exactly scream "intimidation," I knew he deserved better protection.

I let out a frustrated sigh as we waited in front of the first house, hoping for someone to answer. It was becoming increasingly clear that Wesley needed better armor. No self-respecting paladin should go around dressed like him.

When no one responded, we decided to move on to the next house. As we approached, we noticed movement behind the window curtains. Wesley called out with a reassuring voice, "It's safe in the village. It's just a few houses down. You can't miss it, I promise."

After a few moments of anticipation, the door slowly opened, revealing a girl a couple of years older than me. Jayden stepped forward, recognizing her. "Hey, Mel! It's me, Jay. Everyone has gathered in a new village, just like Wesley said."

Jayden then looked back at us, introducing Mel, "Mel is a junior at school."

Relief washed over Mel's face, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank God! My parents told me to wait here. They just needed to get some stuff from the grocery store."

I felt a sense of relief too, knowing that we had successfully found someone who was still waiting for their family. It was moments like these that reminded me of the importance of our mission, to bring as many people as possible to the safety of our village.

Wesley's face turned alarmed as he heard the news. "When did your parents leave?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Mel ran her fingers through her hair, a worried expression on her face. "It was about four days ago now, right after that strange thing appeared in my eye."

Wesley sighed, frustration and sympathy evident in his voice. "I'm sorry, Mel. I don't know what happened to them. But until they show up, in the village over there, we're all looking out for one another."

He gestured towards the gatehouse wall, which was visible from Mel's front door. "We've set up a safe place there. You should head over and join us. We'll make sure you're taken care of."

Mel nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. She promised she would make her way to the village, seeking aid from the rest of the neighbors already there. We continued our search, but the weight of the situation began to sink in. After just four days of this chaotic System, we had already encountered a dozen empty houses and witnessed families broken apart.

As we moved on, we knew that our mission to bring people together and create a sense of community was more important than ever. With each person we found, we aimed to mend the shattered bonds and provide a refuge amidst this bewildering new reality.

We left the decaying neighborhood behind, carefully skirting the edges of the woodlands. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but no matter how hard I searched, no enemies revealed themselves. Still, a sense of pride swelled within me as we passed by the sturdy stonework on the backside of the houses. The stonework on the back of the houses made a formidable wall.

Once we reached the southern edge of the village, we turned and continued our journey, staying alert for any signs of goblin presence. Though I could sense their eyes on us, they remained hidden, unwilling to show themselves. We crossed the farm-to-market road that ran parallel to our neighborhood, and on the other side stood an old Victorian house. Now, a mere four days after the corruption set in, it carried a slightly derelict look.

Jayden pointed towards the old Victorian house, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and caution. "If I were one of those rare spawns, I'd definitely hide out in a place like that."

Wesley chuckled at Jayden's observation, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "We're just missing a couple of corn fields, right?" With confidence in his stride, he strode across the road and nimbly climbed over the fence. "I remember this place. It used to have a herd of cattle. Maybe we can scout the ranch and see if we can claim some cattle for the village."

As we followed Wesley down the long and winding driveway, a sense of anticipation and unease gripped me. It felt as though invisible eyes were watching our every move. The sun beat down on my head, adding to the growing tension in the air. Finally, we arrived at a once-white picket fence, the paint now faded to a muted gray, a silent testament to the System’s decay.

Suddenly, a screeching cry pierced the still morning air, sending a chill running down my spine. From around the corner of the house, a group of half a dozen goblins emerged. I quickly assessed their levels and confirmed that they were all at level two.

In an instant, the battle began. Hanna's knife flew through the air, finding its mark in the throat of the lead goblin. Jayden swiftly drew his longsword, positioning himself beside Hanna in a defensive stance. Wesley confidently unlimbered his war hammer, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any further threats. Meanwhile, I knelt by the fence, shouldering my rifle. Thirty mana infused into the cartridge, and the range was ridiculously close. With a steady hand, I lined up my shot, activated my ranged attack, and fired.

The first goblin stumbled back, clutching at the knife in its neck as blood spilled through its fingers. A critical shot to the heart took down the second goblin, toppling it backward. The battle had begun, and with each of us playing our part, we fought like demons.

Jayden stepped forward, gripping the sword with both hands as he swung it at the closest goblin. But before he could make contact, a fiery bolt of flame crashed into the injured goblin, causing his hair to sizzle and his face to burst into flames.

In an impressive display of skill, Jayden's swing connected with another goblin, sending its head soaring through the air. As I swiftly reloaded my rifle and infused another round with mana, my analytical side couldn't help but ponder the mysterious multiplier for decapitation. It was clear that in real life, it's not just a mere flesh wound like in Monty Python.

With the battle in full swing, Hanna engaged in a dance of blades with a goblin, deftly evading its sword strikes each time. Jayden found himself facing two goblins, their relentless attacks aimed at his exposed arms.

Seeing the need for support, Wesley stepped up beside Jayden, expertly flanking one of the goblins and delivering a devastating blow with his war hammer, causing the creature's chest to cave in. Jayden, fueled by his earlier success, sent another goblin's head flying through the air. Hanna, displaying her agility, skillfully maneuvered around her opponent, swiftly slitting its throat from behind. The lifeblood of the fallen goblin stained the grass, turning it a dark shade of red.

And just like that, the battle was over. Jayden stood tall, a look of pride evident on his face. He’d taken down three of the goblins.

After looting the fallen goblins and watching their bodies dissolve into nothingness, an unsettling feeling lingered within me. This was no longer just a game. The unease in the air made it feel all too real, as if we were being watched from the shadows. I knew that where there were six goblins, there were likely many more lurking nearby.

My grip tightened on my weapons as I shifted my aim towards the front door. Wesley motioned for Jayden to join him, and together they approached the door. Instead of knocking, Wesley swung his war hammer with force, shattering the door into splinters that scattered inward.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

We held our breath, waiting for any sign of movement or a sudden attack from within the building. When nothing stirred, Wesley readied his war hammer and shield, stepping cautiously inside. Jayden followed closely behind. I quickly slung my rifle onto my back, drew my revolver, and sprinted across the front yard to join them.

As we entered the grand foyer, our eyes scanned the surroundings. A magnificent staircase led to a second-floor landing, while wide doors on either side hinted at other rooms, like a living room or something similar. But before we could take in any more details, the doors to our left slid open, revealing three goblins standing together, forming a shield wall. A chilling, high-pitched yell escaped their throats as they advanced towards us with measured steps. Suddenly, a flash of fiery heat erupted from over the shield wall.

Reacting swiftly, Wesley raised his shield, intercepting the incoming fireball and causing the burning mana to harmlessly splash against the metal embossing. "Aww, shit," Jayden exclaimed. "They've got a caster!"

We had never witnessed this level of coordination among the spawns before. Then again, we had never fought... inspecting target... level three goblins either. The situation had escalated, and we needed to adapt quickly.

Wesley positioned himself in the middle of the foyer, his voice steady yet urgent. "Keep them from flanking me!"

The goblins charged towards us with ferocity. Jayden lunged forward, using his shoulder to slam into the rightmost goblin. With a swift twist to his right, he swung his sword with all his might, the sound of metal clashing against a shield echoing through the air.

Hanna displayed her agility, deftly dodging a sword that emerged from above the shield wall. She swiftly maneuvered to her left and thrust her hand around the shield, making contact with the goblin. As the goblin stumbled back, momentarily exposing his head, I seized the opportunity. Raising my pistol, I activated my ranged attack ability and squeezed the trigger. Earlier, when we’d been scouting, I had infused each of the .44 caliber rounds with mana and when I fired, the revolver erupted with a muffled bang. Though less noisy than gunpowder-powered shots, the explosive release of mana still left my ears ringing. The impact was devastating for the goblin. A hole formed over one of his eyes, and a mist of crimson sprayed from the back of his head. He crumpled to the ground, defeated. The battle was intense, and the adrenaline rushed through my veins as we fought for our lives.

Hanna swiftly stepped over the fallen goblin and thrust her knives towards the middle one. As he crumpled to the ground, a jolt of terror shot through me when a fireball collided with Hanna’s side. She tumbled away, writhing in agony. The acrid smell of burnt flesh turned my stomach.

Jayden's fury blazed in his eyes. With a thunderous roar, he swung his sword with such force that the last goblin in the shield wall was sent sprawling, knocking the goblin mage off his feet.

I quickly fired a couple more rounds, disrupting the mage's attempt to cast spells from his fallen position. Meanwhile, Wesley swiftly dispatched the remaining warrior before turning his attention to Hanna. Kneeling beside her, he gently placed his hand on the burned area, channeling the soothing light of mana. I marveled at the healing power even as the charred skin gradually cleared. When Wesley withdrew his hand, Hanna's skin had regained its natural hue, although she still winced in pain.

With a slight quiver in her voice, Hanna bit her lower lip and sat up. "Damn, that hurt like a son of a bitch."

She looked up at Wesley, gratitude in her eyes. "Sorry. Thanks for the heal."

Wesley picked up his hammer and shield. "No problem."

As we looted the fallen goblins, I noticed that their spoils were more valuable than those from the lower-level mobs. Each goblin carried at least a silver's worth of coins, and their swords, while not extraordinary, were in better condition compared to the rusty blades we had encountered before. We made sure not to overlook the cheaply made armor either.

With our experience from the previous encounters, we swiftly cleared the remaining rooms on the ground floor, taking down the next group of four goblins without much trouble. The second floor presented a similar challenge, and we dispatched a couple more groups of goblins. However, we still hadn't completed the quest to defeat an uncommon spawn.

Resting in the kitchen, I switched to the last cylinder of my revolver, ensuring that each cartridge was infused with mana before snapping it closed. While the Remington wasn't as powerful as my rifle, it proved more practical in the confined spaces and hallways of the old Victorian house. Its base damage was lower, but I knew that a critical shot could still take down higher-level goblins in one hit.

With only a grimace at the healing spot on her side, Hanna twisted her knife into a wooden table, and groused, “I thought we’d find the uncommon spawn in the house. We’ve found plenty of higher level mobs.”

Jayden leaned over the sink, his frustration evident in his voice. "It's all bullshit. We're missing something important."

He slammed the door next to the backdoor shut, visibly irritated. As he turned away, his eyes caught another door on the side wall enclosing the stairwell. Curiosity roused, he opened it, revealing a set of stairs leading downward. "Huh. We haven't been down here."

I joined him, peering down the stairs with a sense of curiosity mixed with caution. "That's weird. My dad always said houses around here don't have basements because of the water table."

Wesley pushed past both of us, positioning himself at the landing of the staircase leading down. "That's true closer to the river, but did you notice the slope of this house? We're probably ten or twelve feet above the road. There could be plenty of room for a storm cellar or root cellar."

With his explanation, he descended the staircase, keeping his shield at the ready. As the angle of the stairs turned, a flickering light came into view. Wesley suddenly stumbled to a stop at the bottom, causing the rest of us to stumble into each other in surprise.

Uncharacteristically, he muttered, "Holy shit!"

Jayden, who was next in line, exclaimed, "Day-um!"

A moment later, I reached the cellar floor, my heart racing. Torches lined the earthen walls, casting an eerie flickering light that danced across the room. And then I saw him. The biggest freakin' goblin I'd ever laid eyes on. He stood over five feet tall, with a barrel chest and bulging muscles. His sword was only slightly smaller than Jayden's, its blade shimmering in the torchlight.

The goblin spoke, but his words were strange and unfamiliar to me. We all stood there, frozen, as none of us understood a single word he said. Then, with a menacing gesture, he extended his left hand, taunting us.

Jayden, always ready for action, charged forward, swinging his longsword with all his might. But the goblin effortlessly flicked his wrist, parrying the blade and sending Jayden tumbling into the wall, causing a shower of dirt to rain down upon him.

Wesley, undeterred by the display of power, cautiously stepped forward and swung his war hammer at the goblin. However, the goblin skillfully redirected the attack, forcing Wesley to stumble back as his shield took the brunt of the counterstrike.

Sarah, standing by my side against the furthest wall, summoned her mana and unleashed a fireball aimed at the goblin's head. The fiery blast struck the monster, but to our dismay, a bluish field shimmered around him. Sarah cursed, "He's got a mana shield!"

I could feel the tension rising in the room as we realized the magnitude of our opponent's power. I couldn't believe my eyes. This goblin was unlike anything I had encountered before, not even in the System help files. Spellcasting wasn't an area I had delved into much, so I turned to Sarah, hoping for some guidance. Leaning over to her, I whispered, "Will my shots even affect him?"

She shrugged, her focus on summoning another fireball. "Who knows? Just point and shoot. We'll find out soon enough."

Her advice was both reassuring and nerve-wracking. I steadied my aim at the monster's head and squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck the goblin, causing his blue barrier to flicker momentarily. Without hesitation, I fired again. This time, the goblin's head snapped back, and he let out a roar of pain.

I couldn't believe it. What kind of natural armor did he possess to withstand a direct headshot? Frustrated and determined, I infused my next round with mana, raising the count from ten to twenty. I took aim once more and fired.

As the goblin's head snapped back once again, a thin line of blood appeared on the side of his head. I let out my frustration by swearing. Was it just his skin that was armored? I was too flustered to ponder whether my bullet had merely grazed him or if his skull was incredibly thick, causing it to bounce off.

Despite the uncertainty, it seemed that the barrage of bullets had distracted the goblin. Seizing the opportunity, Jayden expertly slid his sword under the monster's parry, managing to strike his ribs and draw blood.

Wesley didn't miss a beat. He swung his war hammer, connecting solidly with the goblin's sword arm. The monster cried out in pain, dropping his weapon. But before anyone could react, he lunged forward, knocking Wesley off his feet. The impact sent them crashing to the ground, with the goblin relentlessly pounding on Wesley's shield, straining his defenses.

Amidst the chaos of Wesley's yell and the goblin's enraged roar, the room filled with a deafening clamor. Reacting swiftly, I rushed forward, pointing my pistol at the back of the monster's head. I infused my shot with another burst of mana, amplifying its power, and pulled the trigger.

The force of the bullet cracked the monster's skull, followed by another shot that pierced through. He collapsed heavily onto Wesley, twitching briefly before falling still.

Jayden hurried over, pulling the goblin off our paladin. "Dude, you okay?"

Wesley struggled to catch his breath as he rose to his feet, his balance wavering. "I guess we've learned that uncommon spawns are tougher opponents to take down."

Sliding my pistol back into its holster, I couldn't help but feel shaken. The realization hit me that my shooting prowess wasn't as overwhelmingly powerful as I had believed. It was the combined effort of our five-person team that allowed us to emerge victorious against a single uncommon monster.

Interrupting my thoughts, Hanna chimed in, "Check it out. This goblin had eighty-five silver on him. And look at this sword."

The stats of the sword materialized before my eyes, capturing my attention.

Mog's Sword of Sundering

Equipable at

Level 3

Qulity

Uncommon

Durability

100%

melee Attack

+2

Agility

+0

Defense (ranged)

+0

Defense (melee)

+0

Defense (spell)

+0

Jayden let out a low whistle, impressed. "Not bad. It’s almost as good as my sword.”

Hanna, in her usual nonchalant manner, stood up and scanned the room. Her voice lacked interest as she asked Wes, "Do you want it?"

Wesley, sitting up and regaining his composure, replied, "I'll stick with my war hammer. But maybe Steve Lowe can make good use of it. As our sergeant-at-arms, he's still using a basic System weapon. This would be a big upgrade for him."

The idea of selling the sword for a decent sum of gold crossed my mind, but the safety and prosperity of our village took precedence. Accumulating wealth was tempting, but ensuring the well-being of our community was our main goal.

As I pondered this, a blinking icon in my vision caught my attention. It beckoned me to investigate further.

Congratulations

As a party, you successfully killed uncommon spawn.

You are awarded 120XP

I dismissed the alert, only for it to be followed by another.

Combat successfully completed.

22 goblins killed

You are awarded prorated experience of 116XP

You have leveled up your firearms skill: +2 to your Firearms skill

Congratulations! You have leveled. You are now level [4]. You have received +1 to Constitution.

You have multiple classes that may be leveled. You may only pick one class to level.

As I considered whether to invest another point in hexslinging to bolster my mana pool, a desire to enhance my base stats tugged at me. After careful reflection, I decided to go with another level of the sharpshooter class. With my choice made, I eagerly accessed my character sheet to see the changes and improvements this new class had brought.

Name

Caden

Regeneration

Level

4

Health

100

1/minute

Experience

32/800

Mana

110

1/sec

spells

Mana Infusion

Action

130

4/sec

Age

14

Race

Human

Classes

Lvl 2 Sharpshooter

Lvl 1Hexslinger

Strength

8

Agility

12 (2)

Skills

Ranged Attack

Constitution

11

Firearms +2

Intellegence

8

Wisdom

8

Charisma

8

Glamour

8