POTLS - Chapter 12: The Hunt for Resources

//

You leveled up!

<<Option 1: Blood Barrier>>

• Shield absorbing damage

<<Option 2: Crescent Moon Slash>>

• Slash that creates a damage zone.

<<Option 3: Shadow Dodge>>

• Brief invulnerability while dodging.

//

Paul chose [Blood Barrier] as his next active skill. First, he needed defensive support. [Healing Hand] was a good option he wanted to aim for, but there was no guarantee it would appear during this run. Furthermore, [Blood Barrier] wasn't affected by cooldown time as much as the other two choices. It only broke when it absorbed enough damage, which usually coincided perfectly with the next usage becoming available.

The drawback was that the skill required blood in the surroundings. This would be a deal-breaking weakness in maps other than Crimson Moon Estate, where blood was the most abundant resource.

[Blood Barrier] was therefore one of the top choices for Survivors, so Paul didn't hesitate to select it despite the other two skills having considerable strengths.

More importantly, he was leveling up much faster than when he was Rank F. From Level 1 to Level 5, each required the equivalent of 50 experience points, then increasing to 100, and then 200 for levels 10 to 15.

While the required experience hadn't changed, Paul had previously struggled more. The bonus stats to Strength and Constitution made his strikes more powerful, killing Shadow Hounds instantly rather than leaving them with enough energy to return and cause trouble.

The time saved was only about five minutes, but compounded until nightfall, he would see more significant results.

The challenge lay in the number of monsters and maintaining stamina. Unlike mana, which regenerated even during combat, stamina mostly went down without coming back up. "Mostly" because there was a regeneration rate, but it was quite small for early-stage Survivors. Constitution needed to exceed thirty before seeing noticeable changes in stamina regeneration rates.

The number of monsters wasn't due to too many survivors, but because powerful individuals wanted to take from others. The System distributed enough monsters for Survivors to level up, gain skills, and defeat creatures—a mechanic loop ensuring fairness. The unfairness entered the equation with humans.

This was a major reason for group action. On one hand, they could intimidate solo survivors. On the other, they could help each other farm experience shards faster, while ensuring mutual safety.

Initially, this situation was rare enough to be overlooked, but as the number of survivors increased, unavoidable consequences followed.

Now, more survivors explored different maps to find additional opportunities. As if anticipating this human trait, the System had prepared in advance.

Secret Hordes.

To be fair, they weren't so "Secret" anymore. Locations likely to spawn hidden hordes had been found and published in magazines and online for Survivors. The exact places shifted slightly within different radius ranges after each reset.

Thus, current Survivors had to choose whether to risk encountering Secret Hordes. Typically, few would attempt this on the first day.

Today, however, Paul would be among the minority, seeking to gain an upper hand for the time ahead.

He had planned to find Secret Hordes on the second or third day. However, this bold decision came from having [Blood Barrier]. He just needed to find the right location and the right type of monster for his challenge.

Now at Rank E, he had a foundation for risky decisions. He needed a good assessment if he survived through the seventh day, enough essence to rank up officially. Otherwise, given how relentlessly the Crouching Tiger pursued him, he doubted he could keep hiding.

At least with permanently added stats, he could exploit the information gap to give his pursuers a proper beating. Then, buy more time until the guild sent an equivalent Rank E to capture him.

Having decided, Paul relied on his memory to search for potential Secret Horde locations.

He had been randomly assigned to the Western area, where forests were abundant. He recalled that the north featured vast grasslands with rolling hills, a suitable area for anyone wanting experience and pushing their limits at noon. A horde of monsters including Shadow Hounds and Ghouls would surge like a tsunami. Alongside them came early-stage Elites. Dangerous with superior endurance and strength, they were much harder to kill. Typically, Survivors would eliminate the lesser creatures, then flee, saving the Elites for another time.

Paul would deviate slightly northwest, to a remote area full of mud and swamp. A place the vampire nobility apparently hadn't yet cleared or established "farms" to serve them.

His journey encountered more mandatory monster groups, enough for him to reach level 4. Besides raising [Silver Strike] to level 2, he took his first passive: [Blade Mastery].

Paul couldn't help smiling at his luck. His Luck of 9 truly made a difference, especially at this rank. This stat followed no patterns; its only rule was that higher meant better. He now had the setup for evolution into [Holy Strike], thanks to possessing both [Silver Strike] and [Blade Mastery].

Because he stopped to eat and drink, especially making containers from bark to hold water, it was nearly sunset before he reached his destination.

The humidity became more noticeable. Long activity combined with environmental conditions made his skin itch. Few monsters inhabited this area, so few people came. It would only get crowded when Survivors sought Secret Hordes to farm levels.

Paul felt around, tapping the ground with his foot, sometimes pressing his ear against it to listen.

After about half an hour of searching, his eyes lit up, and he exhaled with relief. This time investment hadn't been entirely fruitless. He had feared someone might have already cleared this spot.

Without hesitation, he used all his strength to stab and pound the ground where he stood. The brown earth trembled with each impact, emitting deep, hollow sounds indicating empty space below.

He used his sword to dig a hole. Then he reached in to ensure what lay beneath wasn't just more soil.

Confirming that air passed through his hand, he stood up and dug with greater effort. At each stage, he stomped down, hoping to be affected by the pull.

On the fifth attempt, when the hole was nearly large enough for a person to fit through, the event he'd been waiting for occurred. The surrounding earth trembled, cracks appeared, and a few thumps sounded as dirt and rocks hit the bottom below.

After several seconds, Paul felt himself sliding downward.

He flailed in the darkness for a moment until his feet painfully hit the floor. After tumbling several times, he sat up, rubbing his aching knee, his sword clattering beside him.

He tilted his head back, squinting at the hole he'd fallen through. Dirt and rocks were gradually returning, sealing the small entrance.

//

You have found a hidden area.

//

The system gave just this brief notification.

Then, light spots appeared in the dark, damp cellar. Stones of different colors in the walls seemed to receive an unnamed energy source and illuminated the space.

The cellar was quite spacious, allowing for maneuvers without obstacles like getting a sword stuck mid-swing. Sharp stone spikes protruded here and there, along with stalactites from above. Eerie dripping sounds echoed from various corners. A putrid smell permeated the cavern.

In the wall corners, small pitch-black holes could be seen. From these, Paul heard the scratching of claws against walls, groans of pain and hunger, and particularly the sloshing sounds of flesh pressing against flesh.

These sounds grew louder and louder until, emerging from the weak light emitted by the stones, a pale surface extended outward. A hairless head, a skeletal back, arms long as poles, and atrophied legs appeared. The pale monster fixed its sunken eyes from its deformed skull on the human. Its long tongue licked its cracked lips hungrily.

Other Ghouls crawled out of the tunnels, smelling the enticing scent.

Paul wasted not a second, charging forward with his sword raised high.