The moon climbed higher, pale and cold, casting its silver light over the broken school courtyard. The air reeked of blood and burning flesh. Dozens of goblin corpses lay scattered like broken toys, their green blood painting the ground a sickening black-green.
And yet, amidst the silence…
> [Warning: Next Wave Approaching]
Estimated Time: 00:10:00
Enemy Type: Goblin Horde – E Rank
Difficulty Increase: +300%
Boss Presence Detected
The chime of the world system echoed inside every survivor's head. Shivers ran through the students huddled behind makeshift barricades — desks, metal bars, and chunks of wall.
But for the five — Arin, Kael, Liora, Ayla, and Rhett — the sound wasn't fear.
It was preparation.
"Ten minutes," Kael said, cracking his knuckles. "Just enough time to level up."
"Finally," Rhett muttered. "I need more firepower."
The five stepped aside from the crowd, each pulling out glowing monster cores from the slain goblins earlier. One by one, they absorbed them. The crystal shards dissolved into pure light, surging into their bodies like wildfire.
> [Level Up!]
Current Level: 17
Rank: E
Bonus Reward: Trait Point +1 | Skill Point +1
Stat Growth Multiplier Increased
A rush of power flooded their veins — their auras flared brighter than before, making the nearby students instinctively step back.
Liora opened her hand and flexed her fingers. Her bone armor now gleamed with a faint silver hue. Ayla's icy breath crystallized the air around her. Rhett's flames burned hotter — less orange, more blue. Kael's shadowy form grew sharper, darker, heavier.
And Arin… Arin's purple aura crackled like living lightning.
---
📜 [STATUS WINDOW – ARIN NIGHTSHADE]
Level: 17 (E Rank)
Class: Shadow Reaver
Strength: 58
Agility: 74
Endurance: 61
Vitality: 64
Intelligence: 52
Luck: 15
Skills:
[Shadow Step Lv.2] – Instantly dash short distances through shadows.
[Dark Edge Lv.2] – Shadow-infused strike that ignores low-tier defenses.
[Void Sense Lv.1] – Detect movements within 20m radius through darkness.
[Shadow Mark Lv.1] (New) – Mark a target. Next 3 hits deal +30% damage.
Traits:
[Reincarnator] – Gains accelerated growth compared to the world's timeline.
[Tactical Mind] – Battle analysis and system hint bonus.
---
📜 [STATUS WINDOW – KAEL DRAVEN]
Level: 17 (E Rank)
Class: Crimson Brawler
Strength: 80
Agility: 60
Endurance: 72
Vitality: 66
Intelligence: 40
Luck: 12
Skills:
[Berserker Rush Lv.2] – Greatly boosts strength and speed for 20 seconds.
[Impact Fist Lv.2] – Generates a concussive shockwave with punches.
[Battle Instinct Lv.1] – Increases reaction speed in combat.
[Crimson Pulse Lv.1] (New) – Converts blood into energy for a temporary buff.
Traits:
[Reincarnator]
[Fury Amplification] – Grows stronger the longer the battle lasts.
---
📜 [STATUS WINDOW – LIORA VANCE]
Level: 17 (E Rank)
Class: Bone Warden
Strength: 63
Agility: 62
Endurance: 70
Vitality: 67
Intelligence: 55
Luck: 14
Skills:
[Bone Spike Lv.2] – Creates fast, piercing spikes.
[Bone Armor Lv.2] – Temporary defense boost and regeneration.
[Skeletal Guard Lv.1] – Summons 2 bone constructs to fight. (New)
[Rapid Recovery Lv.1]
Traits:
[Reincarnator]
[Battle Surgeon] – Improves combat adaptability and body control.
---
📜 [STATUS WINDOW – AYLA FROSTBORNE]
Level: 17 (E Rank)
Class: Ice Queen
Strength: 54
Agility: 60
Endurance: 63
Vitality: 58
Intelligence: 81
Luck: 18
Skills:
[Ice Spear Lv.2] – Creates high-speed ice projectiles.
[Frozen Domain Lv.1] – Creates a 15m area of freezing effect. (New)
[Frost Armor Lv.1]
[Shatter Wave Lv.1]
Traits:
[Awakened Genius] – Skills evolve faster than normal.
[Absolute Cold] – Increases power of ice skills by 25%.
---
📜 [STATUS WINDOW – RHETT INFERNO]
Level: 17 (E Rank)
Class: Fire Lord
Strength: 69
Agility: 64
Endurance: 65
Vitality: 60
Intelligence: 77
Luck: 17
Skills:
[Fireball Lv.2]
[Blaze Surge Lv.1] (New) – Launch a stream of controlled flame with explosive impact.
[Heat Wave Lv.1]
[Molten Burst Lv.1]
Traits:
[Awakened Genius]
[Infernal Core] – Fire skills consume less energy, burn hotter.
---
"Not bad," Kael said, admiring his stat window like a proud gamer. "I'm officially swole."
Rhett gave him a look. "You've been swole. You're just louder now."
Liora rolled her eyes. "Focus. It's coming."
---
The ground trembled. The school gate—already damaged from the first assault—was smashed apart.
Out of the darkness marched a more organized, larger horde. Unlike the F-ranks, these goblins wore crude armor and wielded metal weapons scavenged from who-knows-where. Their red eyes glowed with intelligence and hunger.
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Warrior
Rank: E
Level: 15
Strength: 42
Agility: 35
Endurance: 38
Vitality: 36
Special Ability: [Battle Fury] – Increases damage output when injured.
Skill: [Parry Lv.1] – Blocks frontal attacks.
Weakness: Slow turn speed, vulnerable at the back.
Note: Organized formation. Handle with caution.
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Shaman
Rank: E
Level: 17
Strength: 20
Agility: 22
Endurance: 30
Vitality: 30
Special Ability: [Dark Heal], [Corrupt Bolt]
Skill: [Weak Curse Lv.1]
Weakness: Low defense, weak to burst damage.
Note: Supports warrior units. Priority target.
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Chieftain
Rank: E+
Level: 20
Strength: 63
Agility: 41
Endurance: 70
Vitality: 60
Special Ability: [War Cry] – Buffs nearby goblins.
Skill: [Cleave Lv.2], [Intimidation Aura Lv.1]
Weakness: Eyes and underarms. Slow after big swings.
Note: Mini-boss detected.
"Oh hell no," Rhett whispered. "They've got a shaman."
Kael smirked. "And a big one too. Dibs."
Ayla's frosty breath chilled the air. "Not if I freeze it first."
---
The goblin horn blew.
Then came the wave.
Dozens of goblins rushed the courtyard. The five stood side by side — not as students anymore, but as hunters.
"Formation!" Arin commanded. "Kael and I front. Liora, mid-support. Ayla and Rhett — backline control. Focus fire on the shaman."
Kael cracked his neck. "Let's make some noise."
Liora's bone constructs rose from the ground, clattering like skeleton soldiers. Rhett's hands ignited, blue fire roaring. Ayla spread frost beneath her feet, freezing the floor to slow their advance.
> [Battle Mode Engaged]
Enemy Count: 78
Boss Unit: 1
Elite Units: 5
Duration Objective: Survive the Night.
The first wave of warriors collided with Kael and Arin like a steel wall. Kael roared, smashing through shields with brute strength, while Arin blinked through shadows, carving through necks and tendons with surgical precision.
"Two down!" Kael yelled.
"Three," Arin corrected.
"Show off."
Rhett unleashed a stream of blue fire, cutting down a line of goblins. Ayla froze three others in place, shattering them with a flick of her wrist.
Liora's constructs held the line, impaling goblins that got too close.
The Shaman raised its staff.
> [Goblin Shaman casting: Corrupt Bolt]
"NOPE." Rhett blasted it mid-cast, forcing it to retreat behind warriors.
"Coward," Kael barked.
The Chieftain entered the field like a storm, roaring as its [War Cry] buffed every goblin on the battlefield. Their eyes burned brighter, their speed increased.
"Big guy incoming!" Ayla warned.
Arin stepped forward, aura exploding outward. "I've got him."
He disappeared into the shadow. A second later, his blade pierced the Chieftain's leg, and Kael followed with a full-power punch to the chest.
The battlefield was chaos—steel, bone, fire, and ice colliding with roars and screeches.
But for the five, it was also a hunt.
---
> [Wave Cleared]
Total Enemies Eliminated: 78
EXP Gained: 8,400
Loot: 41 E-Rank Monster Cores, 1 E+ Core (Boss)
Bonus: Chieftain Slayer x1 (1,000 EXP)
The courtyard was smoking. The Chieftain's body slumped to the ground with a loud thud. Kael, panting heavily, dropped onto the steps.
"I punched it," Kael wheezed, "right in the face."
Rhett snorted. "And almost lost your arm."
"Worth it."
Ayla shot him a frosty glare, but a small smile tugged her lips. Liora silently dug out cores from the corpses, methodical as always.
Arin stood at the center of the field, purple aura flickering around him like a storm about to awaken.
The night wasn't over. But they survived.
> [Warning: Stronger Entities Detected in the City]
Wave 3 Approaches – Estimated Time: 5 Hours
Prepare accordingly.
And so, the first long night of the apocalypse was far from finished.