Fwish!

[Welcome to the Undead Cemetery.]

The moment Karl and Celeste stepped through the gate, there was no turning back.

Whatever lay ahead, they had to see it through to the end.

As soon as their feet hit the cemetery's stone path, their [Smartwatches] lit up with a familiar notification.

"Hm?" Karl glanced down.

[Starlight Academy - First Year Students]

[First task: Complete the Tower's Tutorial (1/5)]

At first, it didn't seem different from what they had seen before. But as Karl scrolled down, a new section appeared.

[Rewards]

[Complete Floor 2: 250 Credits]

[Complete Floor 3: 250 Credits]

[Complete Floor 4: 250 Credits]

[Complete Floor 5: 250 Credits]

"Oh damn," Karl muttered.

Celeste peered over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like they're trying to push people forward," She scratched the back of her head, "Even a top scorer like me would struggle to afford a dorm for more than a month or two without extra income."

"Makes sense," Karl replied.

The academy had an entire system in place, and they were being pushed straight into it.

"But I feel like they gave us too much time," Karl added as they followed the worn stone path deeper into the cemetery.

It wound through rows of ancient, crumbling tombstones, all leading toward the cathedral in the distance.

"One month for four floors? That seems… excessive."

Celeste smirked.

"That's probably because of the fifth floor," Her expression grew more serious, "I don't know much, but that's where things really start."

"Its one of the floors where the tower stops separating people, and all awakeners get thrown into the same area."

"Hm." Karl nodded.

That did make more sense.

"At some point, people are going to start buying [Luxury Tents]. They'll need them if they have to sleep in places like this."

Despite their conversation, neither of them let their guard down.

Their eyes swept the surroundings for anything unusual.

Karl's spirits moved in a defensive formation around them.

The only exception was the [Frenzied Rabbit], which was perched on Celeste's head, its tiny ears twitching.

But as they walked, Celeste's gaze shifted toward the largest of Karl's spirits, the towering [Sovereign Wolf].

Its powerful frame was covered in sleek fur, and a jagged, ethereal blade rested in its maw like an executioner's weapon.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Hold on... that spirit looks strong. Wait." She took a step closer, recognition flashing in her expression, "Is that the Frostfang Wolf from the Novice Trial?"

Karl smiled, "I told you my spirits come from the spirit orbs I take. They're a merge of the monsters we encounter."

Celeste blinked, "So that means..."

"This is the [Sovereign Wolf]. Its body is from the Frostfang Wolf, but it also has an SS-Talent."

Her head snapped toward him, "These things can have talents?!"

"Yeah," Karl's smile faded slightly, and his expression darkened. "When I killed Alexander in the Novice Trial... I realized I could take a human's spirit orb, too. And their talents."

Celeste stared at him, speechless.

"Wow..." she muttered before turning her attention back to the [Sovereign Wolf].

The spirit met her gaze with cold, intelligent eyes, but it didn't react aggressively.

Slowly, she reached out a hand.

"Careful," Karl warned. "The blade in its mouth hurts like hell."

"Yeah, yeah." She was careful as she touched its side, running her fingers through its fur, "Still... it's kind of cute."

Karl frowned.

He had no idea how she could look at that thing and think 'cute,' but what was even weirder was the way the wolf responded.

It leaned into her touch.

Karl's eyes widened.

The [Sovereign Wolf] was actually rubbing its head against her hand, clearly enjoying the attention.

'What the hell?'

And it wasn't just the wolf.

The other spirits started moving closer to Celeste as well, surrounding her in a way that seemed almost protective.

Karl had to force himself not to scowl.

Even he had to command them to follow orders, but they were acting strangely drawn to Celeste on their own.

Something about her... just seemed compatible with them.

But before he could dwell on it further—

Rattle! Rattle!

A sudden noise echoed through the cemetery.

Karl and Celeste froze.

Then—

Mana surged as Celeste summoned her [Mana Missiles].

The ten blue orbs flickered into existence around her, humming with raw energy as they floated in a protective orbit.

Karl's response was just as quick.

He extended his right hand, gathering five of his spirits into a single weapon.

His [Spectral Blade] took form, the ghostly energy pulsating in his grip.

The rattling grew louder.

From the rows of ancient tombstones around them, the ground started to shift.

Dirt crumbled, stone lids slid aside, and skeletal hands clawed their way out of the earth.

More than just skeletons.

An eerie energy pulsed through the air as spectral figures faded into existence.

And when it was all over... Dozens of monsters stood before them.

[Undead Skeletons - Level 18]

White bones, empty eye sockets, and rusted weapons in their bony hands.

Some wielded broken swords, others carried cracked shields.

[Infested Beings - Level 18]

Rotting, half-decayed bodies with green-tinged skin.

Their hollowed-out eyes gave them a vacant, mindless look, but their movements were eerily unnatural.

They carried no weapons, but the name 'infested' was enough of a warning.

A single touch might be dangerous.

[Ghouls - Level 19]

And then there were the ghouls, hovering above the others.

Their thin, corpse-like bodies twisted unnaturally, their elongated limbs dangling in the air.

Hollow cheeks, sharp fangs, and glowing blue eyes made them look like something straight out of a nightmare.

Every single monster turned toward Karl and Celeste.

Silence.

Then, the [Elite Lizard Soldier] moved first.

The spirit warrior remained calm, sliding its sword back into its scabbard before reaching for the bow strapped to its back.

It nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring, and let it fly.

Bam!

The arrow pierced straight through a skeleton's skull.

The monster collapsed instantly.

[Your Elite Lizard Soldier has slain an Undead Skeleton!]

"Wow!" Celeste's eyes widened.

Karl grinned, "Let's do this," he called out.

Celeste twirled her staff, sending her [Mana Missiles] soaring into the air.

The glowing blue projectiles honed in on the ghouls above, striking them with explosive force.

Two of them were caught directly in the blast, their bodies twisting in pain as they shrieked.

The explosion sent out a shockwave, damaging the others as well.

The battle had begun.

The skeletons rushed forward, their weapons raised.

Karl met them head-on, his [Spectral Blade] flashing as he cut through the first enemy.

The blade carved cleanly through bone, shattering the skeleton instantly.

The [Alpha Dire Wolf] leaped into action beside him.

It lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut around an infested being.

With a single powerful bite, it crushed the monster's head, throwing its lifeless body aside.

Celeste, meanwhile, continued her barrage.

More [Mana Missiles] and other spells streaked through the air, each one locking onto a target.

The explosions lit up the dark cemetery, sending ghouls tumbling to the ground.

But the undead didn't stop.

They kept coming.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.