Rain lashed down like nature's personal vendetta, soaking through my armor as we worked. We shoved wax satchels deep into crevices in the massive dam, carefully winding wick around each small igniter like we were defusing bombs instead of planting them. The slick wood made everything treacherous—one wrong step, and I became part of the waterfall crashing fifty feet below.

  By the time we finished, at least two dozen bombs lined the dam's center, connected by a web of thin wires that looked like deadly Christmas lights. I was absolutely covered in sticky sap that clung like tree blood, and sweat was definitely pooling inside my armor in places I didn't want to think about.

  I straightened, wiping rainwater from my face with a gauntleted hand. "Now what?" I asked Cass, peering over the edge for any sign of our furry dam-building friends.

  "We need to lure them back here," she shouted over the downpour, scanning the treeline like a predator. "But Arbortrux typically stay north of the mountain. I don't know much about their behavior."

  The treeline ahead was a dark wall in the driving rain, the creatures nowhere in sight. They were out there, though. Waiting.

  "They're basically beavers, right?" I asked. Cass frowned, clearly confused by the reference. "Castors?" I tried, hoping the Latin roots would bridge the gap.

  Her face lit up with recognition. "Yeah, that's them! You have those on Earth too?"

  "Sure do," I said with a grim smile that felt more confident than I actually was. "And the number one way to piss off a beaver is to fuck with its dam."

  Cass's expression shifted into a mischievous grin that showed way too many teeth. "Well, you're the one in armor," she said, voice laced with pure glee. "Start fucking!"

  I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smirk tugging at my lips. A perfect "that's what she said" joke danced on my tongue, but I knew it would fly right over her head. Mental note: if we survived this, I'd have to introduce her to Earth humor.

  The absurdity hit me like a brick wall: torrential rain, giant beaver monsters, a dam the size of a building, and Ferris throwing lightning like it was nothing. Bravery thrummed in the back of my mind, its steady burn feeling reassuring.

  Reaching into my earring, I pulled out the last of Ron's mana pearls. Could I absorb them directly without the usual energy cost?

  I tested it. The pearls dissolved in a rush of pure power, flowing from the earring straight into my pathways. They stretched under the influx like rubber bands, but it felt... controlled. Stable. Like my body had suddenly learned how to handle a lot more mana.

  "You good?" Cass asked, cocking her head.

  "Yeah." I flexed my fingers, feeling energy crackle beneath my skin. "Just absorbed all of Ron's pearls straight from the earring. Feels like I've got too much mana, but not like this morning. More... stable."

  "Might be a milestone," she said with a shrug. "Try to stay above that point as long as you can. Think of your mana pathways like a muscle—the more you stretch them, the stronger they get."

  Something had definitely shifted. I felt like a car that had just been upgraded from regular to premium fuel.

  "Alright, be ready," I said, watching Cass climb down the dam with spider-like grace.

  "Don't do anything stupid—just get them onto the dam!" she yelled back, her voice barely audible over the storm's roar.

  And then I was alone on top of a massive wooden fortress with nothing but rushing water and half a dozen giant beaver monsters.

  I sighed, pushing myself to my feet and glaring at the distant treeline. How the hell am I going to get them here?

  Reassembling my spear, I jammed the blade between two logs to test for leverage. The wood didn't budge, and the shaft bent alarmingly. Yeah, that wasn't happening.

  Switching tactics, I hacked at the log. The Orichalcum spearhead sliced deep into the wet wood like butter, though wrenching it free took serious effort. The weapon was sharp enough to shave with, apparently.

  Grinning despite myself, I targeted a lower section near the edge where water was already lapping at the surface. A few strategic swings later, a stream burst through, spilling down toward the valley below but taking quite a few logs with it.

  My victory lasted exactly three seconds.

  My aura flared—danger, close, very fucking close—and I threw myself backward just as a massive tree trunk hurled through the air. It skimmed over me like a wooden missile, slamming into the aqueduct with a bone-jarring crash that echoed across the valley.

  Shaking off the shock, I stood and gripped my spear tighter. I didn't get two steps before my aura screamed again. This time, I barely channeled mana into my back before impact. A smooth, soaked aspen log the size of a telephone pole slammed into me, the force sending me tumbling head-over-heels down the dam like a jagged slip-and-slide.

  The armor absorbed the brunt of the blow, but whiplash cracked my neck as I tumbled ten meters into the mud. My head rang like a church bell as I staggered to my knees, Red rushing to me with frantic snuffles and licks, his soaked fur smearing mud across my gauntlets.

  "They're coming!" I shouted, pushing myself upright on shaking legs.

  The rest of the party had retreated to the aqueduct, Edward standing with a wick in hand like a medieval demolitions expert. Before I could catch my breath, an ear-piercing roar cut through the rain—pure predatory fury that made my bones vibrate.

  I looked up just in time to see several sets of glowing red eyes glaring down from the dam's peak. Large, furry shapes loomed against the storm clouds, and they looked pissed.

  "Ben, run!" someone shouted.

  I didn't need to be told twice. Pumping my legs through the sucking mud, I sprinted for the aqueduct like my life depended on it—because it absolutely did. Behind me, Edward produced a small silver device, twisting it to spark the wick. It hissed and sparked furiously, racing through the muck toward the dam.

  A roar louder than a jet engine erupted as one of the Arbortrux leaped down, its massive form landing squarely on the sparking wick with concerning precision.

  The fuse fizzled out in the mud.

  Edward groaned beside me like his favorite sports team had just blown a twenty-point lead. Cass swore creatively as she drew her sword, the blade singing as it cleared the sheath. "We need to retreat," she said, though her voice betrayed her reluctance like a kid being told to leave the playground.

  Two more Arbortrux jumped down from the dam, their bulky forms landing heavily in the mud with wet thumps that shook the ground.

  "I have a really stupid idea," I said, getting to my feet. Lately, it seemed like that was my specialty.

  Cass grabbed my shoulder, trying to stop me, but her eyebrows shot up as I pulled a blazing lantern orb from my earring. The intense infrared heat radiated from the orb like a miniature sun, hissing as raindrops evaporated on contact. Even through my gauntlets, it was like holding concentrated fire.

  "Oh, that is a stupid idea," Cass said with a wicked grin that could have cut glass. She drew her second sword with a flourish. "I'll cover you."

  Spear in one hand, lantern orb in the other, I sprinted toward the dam with Cass right beside me like we were charging into hell itself. The Arbortrux reared onto their back legs, slapping the muddy ground with enormous flat tails that sounded like thunder.

  They really were giant beavers. Giant, pissed-off, intelligent beavers with glowing eyes and homicidal attitudes.

  Two others perched on top of the dam, clawing at the sides like they were trying to remove the explosives. Just how smart were these things? They were supposed to be animals—they were acting like engineers.

  Arrows suddenly pelted the two on top, Jake and Elizabeth providing covering fire that sent the creatures scrambling for cover.

  Cass struck first. One monster moved to intercept us, and she dove to her knees, sliding under its belly like she was stealing home base. Her swords carved twin arcs into its soft underside, thick yellow ooze spilling out like alien blood as she rolled clear.

  The creature let out an ear-splitting scream that could have shattered glass, but before she could regain her footing, its massive tail swung like a baseball bat on steroids. It caught her squarely in the ribs, launching her through the air. She hit the ground with a sickening "oof," tumbling to a stop in the mud like a broken doll.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Her sacrifice bought me just enough time. My danger sense flared, steering me clear of claws the size of kitchen knives, lining me up with one satchel lodged in the dam.

  I hurled the orb with everything I had, the searing heat leaving steam trails in the rain as it connected with the explosive.

  I tried to turn and run, but the larger monster slashed at me with claws like meat hooks. My mana-infused armor absorbed the blow, and to my surprise, it barely drained any energy—nothing close to what Cass's punch had done earlier.

  Standing my ground was a mistake.

  The satchel detonated with a shower of sparks, sending a constellation of wicks racing toward the other bombs like deadly fireflies.

  "Oh fu—" I didn't even get the words out before the world went white.

  The explosion hit like the wrath of gods, the shockwave slamming into me and hurling me backward like a rag doll. My ears rang with perfect silence as I felt myself go airborne, limbs flailing uselessly. A heartbeat later, I crashed hard into the stone aqueduct with a sound like a car accident.

  Before I could catch my breath, a wall of water thundered down the channel, slamming into me like a train made of liquid concrete. I was swept away, tumbling down the aqueduct as the torrent carried me toward certain doom.

  My head struck the side, snapping me out of the muffled haze. Pain lanced through my skull like lightning, and I groaned as I fought to regain control in the churning chaos.

  Stabilizing myself, I spotted Cass and Elizabeth struggling ahead, swimming against the rushing torrent as we careened out of control over the valley below. Twisting to look back, I caught sight of pure carnage. Jagged, broken logs churned in the rapids like wooden sharks, and at least two Arbortrux clung to the debris, roaring with fury as they were swept along.

  The aqueduct flood had overwhelmed everything, sending a deluge tumbling downhill toward Rainhaven. Before I could think, I was airborne again, crashing onto the muddy road we'd left hours ago and rolling hard into a tree that felt like hitting a brick wall.

  Water surged around me, dragging debris as I staggered upright on shaking legs.

  Two Arbortrux landed ahead of me with splashes that sent mud flying, completely unfazed by the flood as they hurled jagged pieces of wood like missiles. I dodged the makeshift projectiles, tightening my grip on my spear as I scanned desperately for the others.

  The Florans huddled around Cass near the road's edge, their bows raised as they loosed arrows at the advancing beasts. Cass lay on the ground, writhing in pain, a thick spear of wood impaling her thigh like some nightmare version of a bad day.

  My stomach turned to ice.

  The monsters roared again, their voices muted by my still-ringing ears. Ignoring the pain shooting through my limbs, I reached into my earring, retrieving two shock spikes and charging them with mana coins. Black runes flared yellow, crackling with electricity as I hurled them one after the other.

  The first missed, splashing into the water uselessly, while the second struck home—one of the Arbortrux tried to deflect with its tail, only to get hit with a loud pop of electricity. The jolt startled it but didn't slow it down much.

  I sprinted to the group as Elizabeth fired another bolt, her quiver almost empty. The monsters hesitated, their glowing eyes scanning the group warily like they were calculating odds.

  "How bad is it?" I asked, skidding to a stop beside them.

  "We need to get the wood out and stop the bleeding," Jake said, his voice grim as he loosed his last arrow. "Do you have a healing potion?"

  I shook my head; they were back at Doreen’s. "We weren't ready for this—we were going to a farm." My gaze shifted to the blood pooling beneath Cass's leg, and an idea struck like lightning. I had plenty of mana coursing through me, and I'd seen Compassion work before.

  Could I recreate that healing?

  Edward pulled thick canvas strips from his pack, handing one to Cass to bite down on while Elizabeth fired her last few bolts to buy us time. Thin strands of lightning shot out from the treeline as Ferris and Jorrah flanked the creatures, but relief was short-lived. Two more Arbortrux emerged, one pinning Jorrah to the ground in a vicious struggle that looked like it was going badly.

  The Compassion rune glimmered in my mind's eye, but it resisted me like trying to grab smoke. Every time I reached for it, it slipped away. Bravery and Compassion clashed, their energies unwilling to mix, and I had no idea how to recreate the rune from this morning.

  Edward gritted his teeth as he yanked the wood from Cass's leg. She screamed, blood pouring out before he wrapped the wound tightly with canvas. The rain only made everything worse, soaking the bandages and everyone else.

  "Get back to Rainhaven!" Cass yelled through gritted teeth, her face pale but determined. "Find healing potions, get help!"

  Edward didn't argue. He tied off the bandages and bolted toward the village without a word.

  "I'm out!" Elizabeth called, fumbling through an empty quiver. Jake's arrows were gone too, and the two Arbortrux ahead of us, riddled with bolts and matted in yellow ooze, just kept advancing. Their glowing red eyes gleamed with relentless intent, like death itself was walking toward us.

  I clenched my jaw, gripping my spear tighter. This wasn't over—not yet. These were my friends, and I'd made a choice to hunt monsters. If this was the job, then I had to see it through.

  Turning back to the monsters, I spotted Jorrah and Ferris outmaneuvering the remaining two Arbortrux. They sprinted toward us, their movements fluid despite exhaustion written in every step. I thought there were five of them?

  "We are nearly out of mana!" Jorrah shouted, his melodic voice strained as they reached us. "Retreat seems prudent—the blockage is cleared!"

  Ferris's gaze locked on Cass, and his expression darkened as he saw the makeshift bandages soaked with blood. "This humble scholar will hold them off while you retreat," he said, his tone calm yet unyielding. "It is my duty as the Adept."

  Anger bubbled in my chest, raw and unfamiliar. It wasn't fear—I could feel Bravery suppressing that—but it burned hotter, deeper. Cass was lying there bleeding, helpless. She shouldn't be the one on the ground. I was the one in armor. It should have been me.

  It should...

  Hell yeah!

  Together, they weren't just —they were something more. Something complete. Far more potent than simple bravery, something infinitely more powerful. It was the feeling of a firefighter running into a burning building, the feeling of stepping in front of those you care about to protect them.

  It was pure, undiluted heroism.

  Scream at the universe. Show it who is under your protection.

  The recognition ignited something within me. A surge of azure energy erupted from my body as the spell bound itself into my soul like molten metal cooling into perfect form. Mana poured into the rune like a river breaking through a dam, feeding it, amplifying it until it felt like I might burst.

  My aura exploded outward, the armor no longer suppressing it. Its range easily tripled, eclipsing anything I'd ever managed before.

  The world slowed.

  Rain hung in the air like suspended diamonds. The distant strings of the guzheng in Rainhaven rang clear as temple bells. The snarling monsters were before us. Cass's labored breaths. The tension in Ferris's stance and Jake shivering in the warm rain with Jorrah. All of it came into sharp, almost surreal focus, like someone had adjusted the contrast on reality itself.

  Where was Red?

  Elizabeth stared at me, frozen, her wide eyes fixed on me like I'd just caught fire. Her mouth moved, though the sound seemed to come from underwater. But I didn't need to hear her to understand the word she whispered:

  "V-Valor?"

  Blue energy surrounded me—was that my aura? It reminded me of the green glow Doreen had used, but brighter, fiercer. I knelt beside Cass, placing my hand over her wound.

  Cass's hand shot up, gripping my wrist with surprising strength. "Save your mana, Ben," she said through gritted teeth, a grin breaking through the pain like sunlight through storm clouds. "Kill the gods-damned monsters."

  I rose slowly, turning toward the remaining four Arbortrux. My aura flared, projecting something primal and undeniable—the promise of violence. The monsters hesitated, their hulking forms recoiling as if they'd just realized they were looking at an apex predator.

  For the first time, they seemed uncertain.

  My grip tightened on the spear, and I took a single step forward. My voice rang out, steady and deliberate:

  "Come on, then."

  I surged forward through the rain without giving them a second to react. My feet splashed through rushing water, each step deliberate and controlled. The wind whipped past my ears as I spun the spear, droplets flinging off in wide arcs. An Arbortrux reared back instinctively as the spray hit its face, flinching as if I'd landed a blow.

  I didn't hesitate.

  In one smooth motion, I lunged, driving the spear into its soft belly. The Orichalcum blade slid through like it was cutting paper, yellow ooze spilling onto the muddy ground as the creature tried and failed to recoil.

  I was too fast.

  Valor's warnings flared in my mind—claw from the left, tail from the right—but the attacks were slow, predictable, almost clumsy. My body moved on pure instinct, twisting with minimal effort to evade them. The spear sang through the air, bending slightly under the force of my swing. The flat of the blade slammed into another Arbortrux's face with a resounding crack like a home run. It stumbled backward, yellow ooze pouring from its now-broken snout.

  A grin tugged at my lips as I planted my feet. The remaining creatures hesitated, their hulking forms wavering as if they were reconsidering their life choices.

  For the first time, they seemed to understand: they weren't going to win.

  The first Arbortrux I'd attacked lay crumpled on the ground, yellow ooze pooling beneath its limp body. The Orichalcum spear had done its job, its impossibly keen edge cutting deep enough to matter.

  Sliding my back foot, I shifted into a balanced rooster stance, raising the spear high. The remaining three monsters circled warily, their glowing red eyes darting between me and their fallen companion. They weren't retreating yet, but their hesitation was written in every movement.

  I could feel the strain now—this last minute had drained nearly half my reserves. My breathing was heavy, focus razor-sharp. I couldn't keep this up much longer.

  A flicker of red caught my eye, so fast it seemed like a mirage. Even Valor hadn't warned me. My head snapped toward the motion just in time to see a fifth Arbortrux tumble from the treeline. It rolled limply to a stop, completely motionless. A huge log rolled from its tail, clearly meant for my skull.

  And there, perched on a rock like he owned the entire world, was Red.

  His goofy grin was unmistakable, tongue lolling as he panted lightly. For a moment, a blazing orange aura surrounded him—bright, raw, and wild like controlled fire. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, leaving Red looking like nothing had happened.

  The way he sat on that rock—calm, proud, like a king surveying his domain—felt eerily familiar.

  The sight of the second dead monster broke the will of the remaining three. Their hesitation turned to full retreat as they scrambled back toward the trees, slipping and stumbling in the mud like their lives depended on it.

  I straightened, lowering the spear as tension drained from my body. Red tilted his head, wagging his tail as if to say, what took you so long?

  Backing away from the retreating creatures, I could feel all eyes on me. Cass's pained groans snapped me back to the moment, and I knelt beside her, calling on Valor.

  Deep blue energy jumped from my hand to her leg, crackling like static electricity. She tensed up, gasping as my mana reserves drained like someone had dropped the bottom out. I could feel the wound knitting together, the flow of power pushing me closer and closer to empty.

  The strain hit me like a bus—my body locking up as if I'd been hit with a live wire. My vision blurred, and I felt the Valor rune shatter in my mind like glass, its resonance fading as I burned through the last of my reserves.

  I barely had time to register the healing complete before the illusion of badassery crumbled completely. My eyes rolled back, and the world tilted sideways.

  The warm, wet mud rose to meet me as I passed out, utterly spent but somehow satisfied.

  "Game-over before the tutorial even starts?" Ethan was ready to quit his soul-crushing job when a meteor did it for him - and for the rest of civilization.

  Now the world is a real-life RPG, complete with monsters, skills, and brutal survival rules.

  Too bad Ethan died before he could even open his Starter Pack.

  But a glitch in the system had other plans, and now he's back. As a talking skeleton.

  He's alive again. Well… sort of. Undead counts, right?

  Armed with a skeletal frame and the power to raise the dead, Ethan has to survive, grind levels, and maybe figure out how to evolve into something more than just a walking corpse.

  You will enjoy this book if you love:

  Comedy LitRPG, System Apocalypse, Undead MC, Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy, Skeleton Protagonist, Smart MC, Game Elements, RPG Mechanics, Level Up Progression, Monster World