Upon reaching Level 6, the siblings had mastered a suite of new powers. Leo learned Resist Fire (Aura) and Holy Bolt, while Majesty specialized in Claw Mastery, Shock Web, and Burst of Speed.
> Resist Fire: Reduces fire damage for the Paladin and allies. Radius: 10.6 yards. Fire Resist +52%. (Hidden effect: Every 2 levels increases max resistance cap by 1%).
> Shock Web: Throws a web of lightning that shocks enemies. 6 spikes, 3.6s duration. Lightning damage: 1-10 per second.
>
Continuing along their path from the previous day, they encountered a lone Zombie guarding a ruined shack. Within minutes, it was reduced to a pile of experience and 200 gold.
Leo noticed a wooden chest inside the shack. "Today's luck is holding. Majesty, you open it." As a self-proclaimed "African" (bad luck) gamer in his past life, Leo preferred to let his sister handle RNG (Random Number Generation).
As he stood guard with his shield raised and Resist Fire active, the chest creaked open. A golden glint blinded them.
An Unique item!
Leo scrambled to use an Identify Scroll.
> The Gnasher (Unique Hand Axe)
> One-Hand Damage: 5-10
> Required Level: 5
> +70% Enhanced Damage
> 20% Chance of Crushing Blow (Reduces % of current HP)
> 50% Chance of Open Wounds (Bleed/Prevent monster heal)
> +8 Strength
>
This was a god-tier find for their current level. Leo cheered, though he quickly regained his composure when he saw Majesty's judging look. He immediately placed the axe in his weapon-swap slot.
Searching for a victim to test his new "toy," they found another Zombie. Leo swapped to The Gnasher and delivered a Smite to its rotting face.
Splat.
The blow felt sticky and devastating. The zombie's head shattered; brains and ocular fluid sprayed the air. Its health plummeted by a quarter instantly—Crushing Blow and Open Wounds had both triggered. Leo retreated, letting the "Bleed" effect do the work while he threw spears from a distance. The zombie collapsed far faster than usual.
However, the celebratory mood evaporated when they stumbled upon a site of true horror. A 100-square-meter pit of bubbling, foul-smelling black sludge had dissolved the landscape. At the edge lay a corpse, being gnawed on by a blue-skinned Zombie Boss.
Leo's App chimed: [Boss: Zombie. Level 38. High Threat.]
Leo crept up. Despite the Boss's wider detection radius, Leo managed to land a Smite. The impact sent blood flying and triggered a Bleed. Majesty followed up with a barrage of Psychic Hammers and Shock Webs, keeping the sluggish Boss at bay. After ten minutes of intense "kiting," the Boss fell with a wet thud.
It dropped over 1,000 Gold and a Small Charm—a disk-shaped artifact that granted passive bonuses just by sitting in the inventory.
"Brother, clean up this mess. I can't look at it," Majesty said, her face pale.
Leo used a javelin to flip over the half-eaten remains of the victim. The body was nearly 2 meters tall, but the face was gone. Searching the Boss's remains, Leo reached into its stomach and pulled out a blood-soaked badge.
He washed it with a waterskin. His heart stopped.
The Shield-and-Sword emblem. Name: Reinhardt, Warrior of White.
It was his friend. Or what was left of him.
"Brother, don't be sad," Majesty whispered, fighting back her own nausea. "At least he died fighting. Let's cremate him so he can rest."
Leo built a pyre of firewood. He placed Reinhardt's remains upon it, and as a final tribute, he severed the Zombie Boss's head and placed it at the base of the pyre. Majesty ignited it with a Fire Blast.
Leo poured half a skin of ale onto the ground. "Rest easy, brother. I'll pay them back in blood."
He turned and walked away, his steps heavy with vengeance.
Shortly after they left, the fire died out with unnatural speed. The charred remains of the legs began to glow with a rhythmic, prismatic light, pulsing like a heartbeat.
The scorched flesh fell away like autumn leaves. From the remains, the body did not turn to ash. Instead, the matter reformed into the shape of a fifteen-year-old boy. He looked remarkably like a younger Reinhardt, though his expression was vacant and wooden.
The boy stood up. With a wave of his hand, his charred clothes were restored and transformed into a pale, flaxen cloak. He pulled the hood over his head and walked silently into the fog.
•
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