Dark Berserker: Rise of the Forgotten Progenitor

BAM!

His knees collided with the zombie's bare, bloated stomach, and the flesh rippled, the impact quickly dispersed but he had spent 5 mana points to coat his kneecap with the dreaded decay.

However, the next scene caused his stomach to churn as bile rose up and his cheeks inflated. The sight of the zombie digging out the decaying flesh spun his entire world as the smell from its rotten insides filled his nostrils.

Wet sounds rang as blood gushed from the wound to the ground. 'I wish I could wield fire. I would have turned this disgusting bastard to ash,' Cristian hollered internally, and his knuckles popped.

His feet dug into the moist soil as he stomped and leaped into the air. The sound of his fist connecting with the thick cheek flesh of the zombie rang loudly, followed by its growl.

The zombie swung its thick hands, and he grabbed it; the impact pushed him back and his feet dug deeper into the brown soil.

"Ahh!" Cristian yelled and veins popped on both arms up to his neck, he lifted the large zombie and slammed it to the ground.

He could hear its neck crack but the undying monster found its way back to its feet and twisted its neck back to the normal position.

Cristian's eyes dilated, his breathing rough and unsteady for even with his enormous power up, it became a bit of a stretch to lift a monster of this size.

"What level is this thing?" he spoke in between his rough breath. A thought flashed through his mind and his eyes lit up.

"Inspect," he said, hoping there would be results.

[...]

[Race: undead {zombie}

Human name: Zuko

Level: 12

Innate skills: massive strength, impervious to pain, thick skin.]

"Zuko? Unusual name and thick skin! So I've been tickling this thing all this while." Cristian yelled and leaped backward as the zombie lunged toward him.

His blows should produce an attack reaching hundreds since both strength and speed stats produce the final result.

He made a curve and appeared behind the zombie, channeling the remaining ten mana points, a black ball of gas sped to the zombie's head and engulfed it.

In a matter of seconds, a loud thud echoed as the zombie's head had decayed and the black gas crept to its body and continued its feast.

[You have killed a level 12 zombie, strength+2 level + 2]

"It's even harder from level 5," he muttered, his chest undulating heavily and his mouth open as he gasped.

His path to level 10 had risen to another level, he had expected it to be like when he killed those level 3 runners, but once again. Reality proved him wrong.

Awoo! Awoo!

The loud howls of wolves rang in the distance, prompting Cristian to bolt. Though his energy ran low, his eyes blazed with the urge to survive.

Unknown to him, no earthling in the Sacrifice forest survived. Their corpse would forever remain here to be meals for the beasts and those who awakened as undead will forever roam.

The wind blasted his face, and his hair fluttered. The harsh howls of the wind quaked his eardrums, but it had no worth before the growls and howls of beasts in the distance.

The scent of blood had gone far, luring hidden beasts out of their caves and slumber. Such a thick smell of blood meant one thing; meat.

He knew that the zombies aren't the top predator anymore. With the beasts awakened, Zombies as well as him became prey.

He had emptied his mana pool in the battle with Zuko. Cristian quickly recalled he got two free stats points with each level up and he had leveled up eight times. This meant he had 16 free stat points.

A casual glance at his status told him his strongest point that would aid him in getting out of this place alive.

And his magic happened to be the best option since he had no weapon to channel his strength. Cristian threw ten points to intelligence.

Each point in intelligence added five points to his mana pool. From the six remaining points, he brought up his dexterity from 24 to 30.

He could feel tingles throughout his body and his speed had a minor upgrade as he could utilize parts he couldn't before.

Adding ten points to his intelligence did the trick for the mana pool now had a good amount of mana he could use should he encounter a beast.

However, the cool refreshing feeling that somehow made the world seem more colorful and the wriggling of his muscles made him rethink adding points recklessly.

Bam!

His face connected to the ground as his body felt foreign but after a split second, he suddenly gained control.

'So I don't need to train every time I increase my stats, nice.' Cristian couldn't feel more pleased as it seemed exhausting to always feel foreign in your own body after a good power-up.

And it made adding stats in battle a dangerous move.

Wiping the dirt off his face, he spat out the few that entered his mouth, his thoughts revolved around getting a good bath the moment he got to his said castle.

Cristian couldn't recall when last he got this dirty, he turned to check if he was being followed but to his relief, there wasn't any zombie or beast on his trail.

The light fog made the forest look mystical and coupled with the silvery light of the moon, it became a heavenly forest for those who did not know of the horrors within.

Unknown to Cristian, a snake coiled around a branch and made its way towards him. All this while, he forgot to look up when an attack could be launched from the trees.

He got up and took two steps when a fierce hiss quaked his eardrums and he shot into action. He dived forward narrowly escaping the venomous fangs of the huge snake.

~swoosh~ thwark~

The tail of the snake hit his back and the impact flung him towards a tree. He couldn't let out a cry of pain as he found himself on the ground.

His body trembled in pain and his eyes lit up in fury. Cristian had prepared to empty his mana to turn everything around him to dust.

But even after waiting for the snake to take the first move, nothing happened.

He raised his head and the snake had vanished, along with the howls and growls. The forest suddenly regained its peace. The abrupt change sent chills down his spine.

"It can't be that the boss is out," he muttered with trembling eyes. Only the entrance of a stronger being could make others go into hiding.

'But then, how can that snake be this fast?'

Cristian couldn't wrap his head around the question. He couldn't even sight a trail as it seemed like it vanished into thin air.

With the size, that snake should be closing twenties in level, he had no chance against such a beast except using magic.

He could feel the stinging pain coming from his back, the tail of the snake must have left a mark and it made him more furious.

Killing that snake might have taken him to level ten. Cristian could somehow tell not everyone had this opportunity to level up in such a blessed environment.

As several thoughts ran through Cristian's mind, he had no idea of the presence of a woman whose appearance had made the forest which had been set on the track for a bloody night turn peaceful.

Her every gesture drew the gazes of not only sentient but even plants bent to have a feel of her palm.

The part destroyed by Cristian's affinity gained vitality and in mere seconds the place became lush.

The trees that had fallen grew back, and every harm in the forest fixed itself, all this happened while the woman approached Christian.

Her foot couldn't touch the ground as she walked on air, and even then, the plants seemed to be fed boosters as they grew bigger and greener.

Her slender finger rested on the tree Cristian leaned on and she gazed at his long green hair that fell to his shoulders.

Unknown to Cristian, a woman who possessed a beauty beyond human imagination stood behind him, her beauty brought no indecent thoughts rather those who gazed at her would feel the urge to fall on their knees.

Her white gown stretched without end and its lustrous glow illuminated the surroundings and fireflies danced around the vicinity but Cristian couldn't see any of these changes.

He had no clue that the tree he leaned on grew. It grew taller and thicker but he felt nothing.

She sat next to him and turned to him, her peerless face merely inches away from his. He turned because he felt a deep gaze.

Cristian's movement caused their eyes to meet as only a mere inch separated their lips.