Eternal Rest

Crouched behind the overgrown bush, Bones realized he didn't require a direct line of sight. Both Mana Vision and Mana Sense allowed him to perceive the ebb and flow of mana, giving him insight into the surroundings, including the movements of the kobolds. Patiently, he waited until the nearest kobold turned its back, then skillfully advanced through the bushes. The rustling leaves, stirred by the breeze, masked the sound of his footsteps.

Closing in, Bones leaped at his target, placing his left palm on the kobold's head from the left and pushing right. Simultaneously, he drove the index finger of his right arm into the kobold's skull, accompanied by a distinctive cracking sound. A twitch, followed by a few more, and the kobold succumbed moments later.

With precision, Bones prevented the lifeless body from falling to the ground, dragging it back through the bushes. There, he carefully laid it to avoid detection and turned to gauge if the others had been alerted. A notification sound interrupted the silence, prompting Bones to instinctively take a few steps back. Crouching down, he focused on the incoming notifications, discovering several awaiting his attention.

Combat experience gained

Additional experience gained for the first kill

Achievement unlocked: First Kill

Level up!

Congratulation, you are now level 2

+1 STR, +2 VIT, +2 INT

In a moment of metaphorical breath, Bones steadied himself, allowing a calmness to settle within. His mind shifted to the status, eager to unravel the information it held.

Status

Attributes

Name: Bones

Race: Undead Skeleton lvl 2

Class: ???

Profession: ???

Hp - 70

Mp - 70

Sta - ∞

STR: 6

AGI: 5

END: 5

VIT: 7

INT: 7

WIS: 5

Free points:

Bones raised a bony eyebrow at the unexpected turn of events. "Did I seriously just get rewarded for killing a Kobold?" he mused, a note of surprise in his voice. A newfound level heightened his awareness. "No perk from the achievement this time," he murmured, acknowledging the absence of additional benefits.

Physical attributes

Strength - a measure of physical power and carrying capacity and health points in small portions.

Agility - a measure of agility, balance, coordination and reflexes. Controls attacks, movement speed and accuracy.

Endurance - a measure of body threshold to endure, stamina capacity. Reduces fatigue.

Vitality - a measure of how sturdy the body is, increases resistance to poison and bleed damage. Increases lifespan and influences health points.

Mind attributes

Intelligence - a measure of a character's problem-solving ability, the ability to comprehend and improve memory. Increases mana points and increases effects and damage done with related skills.

Wisdom - A measure of the character's mental resistance. controls a character's ability to cast certain spells, communicate to mystical entities, or discern other characters' motives or feelings. Increases resistance against crowd control effects. Increases casting time and mana regen.

Bones pondered the intricacies of his newfound attributes, focusing on each to decipher their significance. "From what I can tell, everything seems bloody important!?" he exclaimed, noting the depth of each attribute's impact.

Then, a realization struck him. "Wait, I'm a skeleton now. How do attributes affect me? What did it say again... Not all attributes apply to the skeleton?" he questioned, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Am I supposed to guess which ones do?"

Assessing his skeletal form, he considered agility. "As a skeleton, I seem agile enough, and having no flesh makes me extremely flexible." Bones dismissed concerns about endurance and stamina. "Endurance? I’ve yet to feel pain or tiredness, and stamina? I don’t think that will be a problem either. Is that infinite stamina? That’s definitely a sign for infinite."

The concept of vitality puzzled him. "Vitality, I can’t imagine how that would work with a skeleton. Do I have any life force at all as an undead? No, no, it said health points?" he questioned, trying to make sense of the implications.

Hp - 70 (0.7 hp/s)

Bones redirected his focus to the status screen, particularly the numerical values representing health points and mana points. The essence of his undead existence seemed intricately tied to these figures, and he sought to comprehend their significance.

Mp - 70 (5.7)

Upon closer examination, he deciphered that 1 point in vitality equaled 10 health points, a concept mirrored in intelligence for mana points. The accompanying numbers seemed to denote regeneration rates, with health regeneration at 1% of max HP and mana regeneration being a bit elusive – either an odd 8% of maximum mana or calculated differently, signaling a potent regeneration mechanism.

Racial level-ups brought automatic distribution of five points per level – one in strength, two in vitality, and two in intelligence. Bones sensed the increase in mana and an unexplained surge in strength, prompting curiosity about the intricacies of these enhancements. Determined to unravel the mystery with further levels, he refocused on the Kobold camp.

Not even a minute had passed since dispatching the first Kobold, and Bones, now prowling for his second victim, encountered one searching for the missing member. Fortunately, the Kobold halted in a nearly identical spot to the first. Seizing the opportunity, Bones emerged silently, this time employing a different approach. He placed both palms around the Kobold's neck in a strangling motion, squeezing with his bony fingers that penetrated the throat, silencing any potential cries.

With the lifeless body in tow, Bones retreated through the bushes, laying the bleeding Kobold on the first one. As the second Kobold succumbed, a notification of the kill appeared, though without the accompanying level up this time.

Reflecting on the combat experience, Bones pondered the mechanics of gaining experience. "Is experience awarded per attack? Per my action?" he wondered, realizing there was more to learn about the intricacies of leveling up during future encounters.

Bones delved into his status screen, meticulously examining the race tab. There, he discovered that he had ascended to Undead Skeleton level 2. A small XP bar indicated his progress, and he deduced the dynamics of gaining experience. The initial level up after the first kill made sense; the experience granted reduced with the target being of the same level. The experience value wasn't fixed, a measure to prevent easy exploitation.

Calculating the required experience for the next level, Bones speculated, "One more Kobold to kill to level up and then five to the next level, I presume? Unless there are other factors to consider. I can see it requiring quite a bit later on."

Anticipating increased difficulty, Bones realized that the remaining two Kobolds had become vigilant, moving closer to each other, nullifying his stealth advantage. Contemplating the situation, he yearned for the ability to wield fire but soon dismissed the idea realizing it was nothing more than wishful thinking. Reflecting on his past life, where creating a spark was a challenge, let alone a fireball, he acknowledged his lack of talent for elemental manipulation.

Contemplating his potential strengths, he considered, "Seems here, my 'talent' lies somewhere else too. I could probably be a decent rogue. Master thief maybe?" The thought brought a wry smile to his skeletal visage.

Deciding to search the bodies for useful items, Bones approached the fallen Kobolds, however, the search yielded little of value – animal parts and trinkets made of wood and bone, only crude spears proving somewhat useful.

Disappointed with the quality of the weapons, Bones got an idea. Picking up bone trinkets from the fallen Kobolds, he took a few steps back until the camp was obscured by foliage and trees. Despite the visual obstruction, his connection with the mana within the Kobolds allowed him to roughly locate their positions, witnessing their growing panic.

Assured of his solitude, seated against a tree, far enough from the Kobold camp to avoid detection, Bones arranged the bone trinkets a meter away from him. Examining the macabre items, which seemed to be arm bones of a small creature, he dismissed unsettling thoughts about their origin, hoping they weren't children's bones.

Focusing on the task at hand, Bones began by sensing the mana surrounding the bones. Intensifying his concentration, he delved deeper, now sensing the mana from within the bones. With determination, he attempted to manipulate the bones, facing resistance but not enough to thwart his efforts. Drawing from his experience with telepathy, Bones set out to move the bone trinkets through mana manipulation.

Starting with a gentle nudge, he soon achieved success, levitating a trinket a few centimeters off the ground. The accomplishment triggered another notification, revealing the potential of expanding his abilities through mana manipulation.

ding

Skill: Bone Manipulation learned

Amused by his success in manipulating the bone trinkets, Bones grinned widely, and the distinctive clack clack of his skeletal laughter echoed. Without hesitation, he immersed himself in manipulating mana, bringing the second trinket to life. In no time, he had two bone trinkets levitating around him at his command. Noting a slight mana expenditure, he found reassurance in his regenerative capabilities. Now armed with makeshift projectiles, he envisioned using them against the remaining Kobolds.

Meanwhile, the two Kobolds in the camp, weapons at the ready, searched for the source of their comrades' disappearance. Panic lingered, and they prepared for the unexpected. Suddenly, a rushing skeleton emerged from the bushes, catching their attention.

The first Kobold, charging with a spear, faced a swift maneuver from Bones. As the Kobold thrust the spear, Bones sidestepped, seized the weapon, and yanked the Kobold forward, disrupting its balance. In the blink of an eye, the bone trinket found its mark, piercing Kobold's head from its blind side.

The second Kobold, incensed by its comrade's fate, charged recklessly. A well-aimed bone to the leg sent it sprawling to the ground. Staring up, it witnessed a skeletal figure two meters away, arm extended, a small bone levitating and pointing at it. In an instant, the world turned dark for the second Kobold as the bone projectile struck its mark. Bones stood victorious, his new bone manipulation proving to be a formidable asset in dispatching his adversaries.

Level up!

+1 STR, +2 VIt, +2 INT

Having moved further away from the camp to minimize the risk of another encounter, Bones stabbed his skeletal fingers into the tree's bark and climbed to a secure height, selecting a branch approximately twenty meters above the ground. The vantage point provided safety from accidental detection and offered comfort for contemplation.

Seated cross-legged, Bones relaxed his bony frame and embarked on a semblance of meditation. A wry chuckle escaped him. "This is pointless! I don't breathe..." he mused, acknowledging the futility of traditional meditation techniques for an undead being. Despite the lack of necessity for breathing, he mimicked the rhythmic inhale and exhale, a practice ingrained from his previous existence.

Deciding to explore an alternative approach, Bones delved into mana manipulation. Instead of focusing on breathing, he concentrated on drawing mana to himself, allowing it to merge with the energy within him. Sensing the fusion of the two flows coursing through him, he experienced a rush of power. Adjusting the flow, he entered a state of steady meditation, allowing the mana to flow naturally.

Bones anticipated the potential acquisition of a new skill, based on his previous experiences with the system. Meditation, as a skill, held particular significance for mages, aiding in mana recovery and mental clarity. However, the skill proved to be more profound. Through meditation, a person could gradually draw ambient mana, tempering their body, enhancing regeneration, calming the mind, and purifying the core by filtering impurities from absorbed mana.

Unbeknownst to Bones, the core within his body served as his primary power source, steadily providing mana and enabling him to move. In the world governed by the system, all living beings possessed a core, a gift from birth courtesy of the mysterious system. This core, starting as a seed and maturing over time, served as the essence of an individual's power. As a person ascended in levels and grew more potent, so did their core. The implications were profound – at higher levels, one could endure even fatal injuries as long as the core remained intact. The extraordinary possibility of regenerating body parts became a reality, a feature Bones wouldn't have issues with, considering his undead nature. Absorbed in these reflections, Bones marveled at the intricate workings of the system and the inherent magic that governed life and power in the fantastical world he found himself in.