NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: Level Up
{Sam's POV}
I was on my way to zombie hunting. It wasn't difficult to search for them either. The streets were practically filled with screams.
But I couldn't just take on any zombie I saw.
I had the exp for the skill for one time but it would be inefficient to use the skill on every zombie.
I needed to find some in a group. I searched around for a minute, and….. found them. Man, I'm really good at this .
There were 5 of them . They were attacking a car which had 2 people inside.
The car was crashed into a pole. so it wasn't moving. They were trying to break the window.
"Those windows are durable as hell". I commented and got ready to kill some.
The zombies were occupied so sneaking up on them was easy. I also used zombie blood on me so maybe that helped too?
I moved in quietly, raised the rod—and smashed the first zombie's skull clean into the car window. The impact even cracked it's skull.
The others turned, groaning, lunging at me.
Too slow.
I brought the rod down hard on the next one, cracking its jaw sideways.
Three left. They were practically on me. I needed to dodge.
Too close.
I couldn't react fast enough—
[Cellular Overdrive activated]
[-20 EXP]
[Enhancing: Strength, Agility, Perception, Vision]
A jolt of raw energy surged through me. My limbs lightened, movements sharper. I saw their attacks coming slow down.
One went for my face. I ducked low, pushed off the car with my right foot, and retreated.
Now it was my turn.
I twisted my arms, raised the rod and smashed the third one in the face. Skull shattered.
The fourth came charging. I drove the rod straight into its eye socket, impaling the brain. One left.
It reached for me—
I didn't give it a chance.
I swung the rod with everything I had. Skull crunched. Zombie dropped.
[You have defeated 5 Low-Tier Zombies!]
[+100 EXP]
[You have enough EXP to level up. Would you like to level up?]
Yes.
[Congratulations! You've reached Level 1]
[+4 Random Stat Points]
[First Level-Up Bonus: New Skill Unlocked — Minor Regeneration]
> (Skill: Minor Regeneration — Automatically sheds damaged tissue and regenerates new skin until the wound heals. EXP Cost: 5)
I pulled up my status.
---
[Status Screen]
Name: Sam
Level: 1
Ability: Conqueror's Genome
EXP: 20 / 150
HP: 200 / 200
Mana: None
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Endurance: 8
Intelligence: 10
Perception: 10
Vitality: 10
Unused Stat Points: 4
---
I dropped the four stat points across Strength, Agility, and Endurance to round them off.
---
[Updated Status]
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 9
(Others unchanged)
---
Double digits. A small milestone, but a good one.
I finally turned my attention back to the car.
Two people were inside—a man in his 40s and a teen probably around my age. Their eyes were wide, filled with disbelief.
I must've looked like some comic book superhero to them. The kind of guy who saved them at the last second.
"What abilities did you awaken?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
"We didn't," the older man said. "We were just... trying to get groceries. Store was packed. We were headed home, and... something jumped on the windshield. I swerved, crashed. Next thing we knew, they were all over us."
As expected.
The system said only a few would awaken. But just how few was that?
"You should get out of here," I said. "Quietly. If you can, smear some zombie blood on yourselves—it might mask your scent."
They nodded quickly and ran.
Would they survive?
...Maybe.
I turned away. Time to keep hunting.
---
Later
I crouched behind the rusted shell of a car, saw a four-story apartment building ahead. Each floor had undead roaming—at least fifteen zombies total, if my count was right.
Perfect.
The rod in my hand was dented. It wouldn't last much longer. I'd have to make it count.
The ground floor was empty. The doors had been busted in—i guess the zombies had done their work. The upper floors sti had them.
---
Floor One
I walked up the stairs, as silently as possible. Didn't wanted to alert them.The zombie blood still clung to my clothes. It was definitely doing it's work.
Peering around the corner, I saw six zombies clawing at apartment doors. One door was halfway open already.
One use of Cellular Overdrive. That was all I had.
I banged my rod against the floor. Not too loud—just enough to draw attention.
All six turned.
One came first. I smashed its skull before it fully rounded the corner.
The rest charged.
[Cellular Overdrive Activated]
The second zombie came too fast. I swung, crushed its head.
The third one was too close. I kicked it hard, sending it tumbling back into the others.
Fourth one lunged.
I was ready.
CRACK — skull shattered.
The one I'd kicked was climbing to its feet. I rushed it, smashed its head flat.
Two left.
The first rushed me. I kicked it hard into the wall. The second charged—I blocked it with the rod and shoved it back.
The first one lunged again. This time I was ready. I jabbed the rod straight through its eyes. It tumbled down the stairs.
The last one tried to bite me.
Wrong move.
I gritted my teeth and slammed the rod straight down. Bone cracked. Blood sprayed. Dead.
I didn't stop. I walked down the steps, found the fallen one writhing—and stabbed the rod through its head.
[You have defeated 6 Low-Tier Zombies!]
[+120 EXP]
I exhaled slowly.
That made eleven zombies today.
Stats.They had various sections. The strength, probably the literal.
The agility - I think it means speed and reaction time.
HP - health points,meaning how much damage i can tank.
Exp- points i need to level up.
Endurance - stamina,most likely. Perception - my awareness of surroundings and vision.
Vitality - durability of my body probably. I think it's related to my HP
Intelligence - I'm confused about this. Does this it mean IQ? Or in general.
Mana - no idea. Does this world even have mana? I never bothered to research about it.
That's all I knew currently. Maybe experiencing some more would give clue.
I should put my stats in other sections if I am to be sure if I'm right about this.
I needed to level up for that. Time to kill some more.
But I had a problem.
I looked down at the metal rod.
Cracked. Warped. Practically useless now.
Tch. I now need a new weapon.
And I still had two more floors to clear