"You got to be kidding!"

Why say stealth is optional if you'll spawn a second wave once the flower's in my hands?

No this is something else, and it's a mechanic well known for a while.

Of course, what's the worst possible moment to forget about it?

Well, who would have thought it works with quest enemies too?

It's midnight. Every monster respawns at once, which happens every hour on this server.

It was already a pyrrhic victory with the zombies scattered or organized into a single file.

The character almost died regardless.

Now they're all over the place, and the avatar is in the open, vulnerable, with a shield on its last legs.

Picking up those crystals was a fatal mistake.

Going straight for the lily and running like hell, this horde would have spawned too late.

After that first hard-fought battle, stealth seems much more desirable.

There are three slight issues with it. One's that these mobs spawned so close, surrounding from every direction.

They don't seem to be scattering soon either.

Two, since the goal of this mission is already in the inventory, they move way faster than usual.

They run around like crazed animals and act nothing like how they behaved earlier. It's only a matter of minutes until they bump me by accident.

Three, which must be the worst problem, two zombies spawned with weapons in hand.

One of them even has a helmet and a guard and looks straight this way. He made no moves though, confirming how blind and stupid these monsters are.

It's like that skeleton warrior who spawned in full armor and acted smarter than the rest.

If these guys have a strategist now, there's no way the character can survive that.

So what are they waiting for? They won't get a better opportunity than this.

What if they can't see? I stand on top of this tiny hill, under the direct moonlight, and he even looks this way without reacting.

Are they like those reptiles from that dinosaur movie? Stay still, and they won't spot you, huh?

It's too bad the mission is to return the flower, not to keep it here forever.

Would making a run for it work? Or what about that hole in the ground? Jump in and leave through that? Where does it even lead?

Even if it hides the avatar until they scatter that'd be great.

So when is the right moment to decide? Run or jump? It must have already passed because as a zombie finally bumps into me, instincts win over logic, and he's cut down.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

It's a beautiful, clean swing that slices him in half, while it's also a huge mistake.

[You killed a Zombie +30 Exp.]

Now they all look this way, and won't idle around anymore.

The one with the helmet is the first to dash towards me, but there are more of them between us who get here sooner.

Shit, try to keep some distance, and find a gap in their formation, as if there were any.

They tighten the circle around the hill, leaving no room to escape.

When the rusty sword cuts one, two more take over, and they look hellbent on keeping the avatar here.

No, the truth is, they want to kill it like the first time. And they are in a much better position to do that.

[You killed a Zombie +30 Exp.]

"Don't think that I'll go down without a fight!"

Taunting won't do much to them, but it's worth a shot.

"Back off if you don't want your rotting skin peeled away. Ask your buddies how I treated them. That's right, you can't because they all turned into pixels already."

It would be much more convincing if the next thing to evaporate weren't the shield.

Oh fuck, in the worst possible moment, as usual. You served well. If only you lasted a little longer.

Shit, what are the options? The undead is everywhere. There's no need to aim, wherever the sword lands, it cuts off limbs or heads.

It doesn't matter, there are more than thirty of them, and no obstacle to lean against.

They surround me in the worst place possible, without a shield, and their circle tightens.

Why are they so meticulous though? They moved much faster before and now don't even claw this way.

Don't say this is some intimidation tactic from the armored one. Okay, change of plans.

The guard's gone and the bow is useless. Put the remaining healing potion on the quick-access menu with the dagger, and grab a bite from the food while at it.

This will help heal those initial wounds faster, and if things look grim, drink the potion.

The dagger works better in tight places, and that hole looked pretty tight.

It's still within their shrinking circle, so let's dash for it. They don't even try to attack.

[Congratulations, you discovered the entrance of a Dungeon! +1000 Exp.]

Holy shit, what? So this hole leads to a dungeon?

It's like trying to escape a forest fire into an active volcano.

They soon pile into the hole that's not wide enough to use their swarm tactics.

They can't even land a hit with the blade keeping them at an arm's length.

[Welcome to the Cursed Dungeon of Origin.]

Okay, no, no, let's not go any deeper than this, anything inside will be much worse than a few undead.

They mentioned the Cursed Dungeon on Wroddit, recommending a party of four to eight, level ten or more. Moderators deleted every map that showed the entrance.

Who would have thought, that the zombie lair in the mission would be right over it?

Well, other errands were near spawn points too.

What they called it was 'One big adventure' before setting out to the other cities.

According to them, you won't find enemies this tough for a while.

The cave should be clear until deeper inside.

While the spear remains in the stash, the rusty blade will act like a pike to keep the zombies at bay.

Switching it to the right allows the dagger into the left hand as planned.

One stumbles closer for a well-aimed stab, then the blade keeps the rest away.

This place is rather claustrophobic, but God bless the developers for it.

Without shields, or space to maneuver, only a place like this could guarantee survival.

The zombies can't figure out why they can't surround the avatar anymore.

They keep coming in a single file, running straight into the blades until they turn into pixels.

They only push the character back half a step at a time, and it's not even as tiring as fighting them before.

The real problem is the complete darkness.

The moonlight helped on the small hill. Down here, without a torch and while they obscure the entrance, this is no more than poking the dark.

The dark moans and glows up now and then, and system messages show the progress.

[You killed a Zombie +30 Exp.]

This is until the dagger hits something solid. The armed undead is next, and his counter-strike comes immediately.

Shit, this is a setup that could keep the avatar alive forever. Being on the other side of it isn't fun.