Kaden’s body rolled across the rough ground, his limbs clattering against the jagged rocks like a broken doll.
No matter what he tried, the same thing kept happening, as if the universe itself were mocking him. Countless times he hurled himself at the barrier, and each time it threw him back in the same way. He had searched every part of the opening multiple times, checking to see if there was a tiny gap he could slip through.
But it was hopeless.
An invisible barrier filled the entire exit, leaving him no way out. No matter how hard he pushed, it refused to yield, blocking him from the freedom that lay just beyond.
After everything he had been through, giving up wasn’t an option, but what could he do?
Eyes narrowed with determination, he reached out once more, stubbornly hoping that it would be different this time. His fingers brushed the barrier and a surge of electricity jolted through him. And… for a brief second—a mere heartbeat—a vast, translucent shield shimmered into existence.
It was a blinding flash, there and gone before he could fully register it.
But he had seen it.
A perfect barrier, seamless from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, a prison crafted to keep him in.
But why? Why couldn’t he leave? Why just him?
The two humans he had followed through the dungeon’s winding corridors had passed through the exit without so much as a glance back. Yet when he tried, the barrier flared to life and flung him back.
“I finally made it here… and I can’t leave.” His voice was quiet and thick with despair as he sank to the ground. With vacant eyes he stared at the world beyond the barrier. It was so close, just a few steps away, and yet utterly unreachable. The hope that had driven him, the one goal that had kept him going, was slipping away like sand through his fingers.
A crack began to form in his mind, small at first, but growing with each passing second. Was this his fate? To be caged like an animal because he wasn’t human? Because he was a monster?
He needed someone to blame, and the image of the specter-like entity promptly appeared in his head.
Of course it was him…
In the distance, he saw movement. A group of humans were approaching, and a rather large one at that. About five or six strong, their weapons gleamed in the sunlight.
Kaden’s heart sank, and he had no intention of letting them see him. That never ended well.
With sluggish movements, he forced himself to his feet and retreated into the shadows. Each step felt like a betrayal, as if he were nothing more than a rat scurrying away to hide. It was humiliating to be forced to hide like that, to be seen as nothing more than an insignificant insect, a monster that needed to be eradicated.
He had always considered himself a decent person, not a saint or anything of the like, just a decent person who treated others well.
But now, everyone he encountered saw him as an incarnation of pure evil. They didn’t see the person he had been, the humanity that still flickered within him. To them he was an ant, something to be crushed underfoot without a second thought.
As Kaden retreated deeper into the cave, something shifted within him as he drew further into himself. Lonely and full of despair, his eyes hardened.
If they wanted to see a monster, then that’s what he would become.
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Deep within the dungeon, in a passage no different from countless others, Kaden stood over the bodies of two goblins, his skeletal form dripping with fresh blood. His eyes, glowing with a malevolent light, scanned the corridor, ensuring no other threats lurked nearby. The goblins lay at his feet, each with a gaping hole in their chest, their eyes staring lifelessly at the stone ceiling above.
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A series of notifications hovered before his eyes, filling him with a grim satisfaction.
─ Level 5 Goblin slain.
─ Reward: 251 Experience Points
─ Level 3 Goblin slain.
─ Reward: 129 Experience Points
─ Experience Criteria Met!
─ Level increased from 4 to 5.
─ Species Reward: 2 Stat Points
─ Class Selection Unlocked!
─ Select a class from the available options.
─ Class [ Fighter (Basic) ]
─ Simple, yet always effective, the fighter is renowned for their versatility, adapting to situations and melee weapons comes with ease.
─ Passive [ Minor Melee Weapon Proficiency (Common) ]
─ Minor boost to increasing melee weapon proficiency.
─ Stat Bonus Per Level: +1 Strength +1 Endurance +1 Vitality
─ Class [ Mage (Common) ]
─ With firm control over mana, the mage manipulates and shapes the energy of the world according to their will.
─ Passive [ Minor Mana Control Proficiency (Common) ]
─ Minor boost to increasing mana control proficiency.
─ Stat Bonus Per Level: +1 Mana Core +1 Mana Flow +1 Stat Point
─ Class [ Archer (Basic) ]
─ Blessed with nimble footwork, the archer relies on their speed to stay out of reach, almost always engaging from a distance.
─ Passive [ Minor Bow Proficiency (Common) ]
─ Minor boost to increasing bow proficiency.
─ Stat Bonus Per Level: +2 Agility +1 Endurance
─ Class [ Slayer (Rare) ]
─ With an unending thirst for blood, the slayer fights to the death, overpowering their opponents.
─ Passive [ Minimal Melee Weapon Proficiency (Basic) ]
─ Minimal boost to increasing melee weapon proficiency.
─ Stat Bonus Per Level: +2 Strength +1 Agility +1 Vitality
Kaden’s eyes shone with surprise. “Class selection, huh?” he muttered to himself, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice as he quickly skimmed through the options.
The first three classes—Fighter, Mage, Archer—were straightforward, each offering a balanced progression with three stats per level and passives of the same grade. Mage was admittedly a higher grade than the other two, but it didn’t provide any immediate benefit as far as he could tell.
What caught his interest was the Slayer class. It was weaker in melee weapon proficiency than Fighter, but gave an extra stat point per level. That was something he could see paying off rather quickly, and it lined up well with his focus on strength and agility.
The classification also deemed it as a rare class, and while Kaden was unsure of its exact meaning or level of rarity, it certainly sounded a lot better than basic or common.
The only hesitation he felt was because of the Slayer class’ lower weapon proficiency. He wasn’t skilled in combat by any means and barely knew how to swing a sword or fight. The class passives seemed geared toward increasing the users’ class relevant skills quickly, and it was tremendously useful to someone like him with no experience.
But the extra stat point was far too important for him to give it up. Especially for the sake of something like increasing his melee weapon skill faster.
His decision made, Kaden selected the Slayer class.
─ Class [ Slayer (Rare) ] Selected!
─ New Passive: [ Minimal Melee Weapon Proficiency (Basic) ]
─ Reward: +2 Strength +1 Agility +1 Vitality
The transformation was immediate and overwhelming. A surge of power flooded his being, filling him with a strength he had never known. It was intoxicating, and he almost staggered under its weight.
With a satisfied grin, he opened his status window and allocated his two remaining stat points to strength, eager to see the results.
─ Status
─ Kaden (Brittle Skeleton)
─ Level 5 Slayer (Rare)
─ Health: 14/19 ─ Stamina: 12/17 ─ Mana: 6/6
─ Experience: 63/2100
─ Stats
─ Strength: 13 ─ Agility: 7 ─ Vitality: 3 ─ Endurance: 2 ─ Mana Core: 2 ─ Mana Flow: 2
─ Free Stat Points: 0
─ Unique Abilities
─ Bone Essence Absorption
Kaden couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride as he reviewed his stats. His strength was building rapidly, and his agility wasn’t far behind. And he wasn’t stopping anytime soon, no he was just getting started. Choosing to focus on strength had been a brilliant decision.
In his earlier fight, he relied on it to overpower the goblins and settle the fight quickly. He first killed the bigger and stronger looking one with a single hit, piercing it all the way through before it could react. After that, it was no problem to take care of the smaller one. The poor thing only left a few surface level cuts on his bones before falling dead.
And now, he was even stronger, his body buzzing with potential.
He crouched down beside the fallen goblins, a ravenous hunger gnawing at him. He still needed more bone essence to fully regrow his left arm, and these corpses would provide just what he needed. Setting aside their crude weapons—a knobby wooden club and a chipped stone sword—Kaden bit into the goblin remains, the sound of crunching bones breaking the silence within the cavern.
As his left hand began to regenerate, Kaden sighed in satisfaction. He flexed his newly restored skeletal fingers, reveling in the sensation of wholeness before wiping the blood from his face with a twisted grin.
Picking up the stone sword, he discarded the crude spike that had served him until now. It had been useful, but this sword… it felt right in his hand. Familiar, almost.
For the next hour, Kaden practiced with the sword, his movements slowly becoming more fluid and confident with each slash. It was the most elementary level of competence, but a stark contrast to his previous skill.