Level Up!

*Status Screen!*

[Gerard Blythe - Level 1 Ghoul]

[HP: 8]

[MP: 0]

[Strength: 8]

[Dexterity: 7]

[Defense: 7]

[Resistance: 25]

[Mana Conductivity: 105]

[Skills: System Access, Evolutionary Tree, Mind's Eye, Decaying Bite]

[Resistances: None]

[Weaknesses: Fire, Holy Magic]

[Immunities: Hunger, Dehydration, Sleep, Exhaustion, Poison, Disease, Fear, Paralysis, Decay, Confusion, Blindness]

*So, most of my stats have increased with my evolution. I'm a little slower, and I still have no mana, but I can use a new skill. Decaying Bite?*

[Decaying Bite - A bite that damages a living creature with a fast-acting flesh-eating substance.]

*That's gross.*

Gerard rechecked his evolutionary paths. Besides the requirements, the number five was next to each evolution option.

*Sprite, what are those?* Gerard pointed to the numbers.

[For your next evolution, you are required to reach level 5. For your first evolution, the requirement was still level 1.]

*And I level up how?*

[Defeating monsters or killing humans. In this world, you absorb the life essence of those you kill.]

*So, I use the lives of others to increase my strength. Do the gods of this world find it amusing to force people to risk their lives to become stronger?*

[I do not have that information, but I would theorise that you are right.]

*Would that zombie from before work?*

[Yes, it would bring you closer to levelling up if you destroyed it.]

Gerard took his first steps as a ghoul. A little unsteady because of the rotten muscle structure of the body, but manageable. He grabbed the shovel and found that gripping it became much easier.

*Skin, even if decayed, makes life so much better.*

He scanned his surroundings as he stumbled along.

*There!*

The zombie stood just outside the cemetery gate. Gerard leapt forward and fell on his face.

*I guess this body isn't well-equipped to handle explosive movements.*

After picking himself back up, he walked over to the zombie. It paid him no attention as he reached it and raised the shovel into the air. He swung the shovel down on its head, caving it in and breaking the shovel simultaneously.

[100 Experience gained. 300 experience until your next level.]

*Do I have to do that three more times? How many would I have to kill to reach level five?*

[Sixty-five in total.]

*I don't even need to do math? Nice. If I'm going to level up quickly, though, I'll have to find a better way...*

---

Gerard stood over his twelfth defeated zombie. He held a metal spike in his hand, pulled from the iron fencing around the cemetery. Brain chunks clung to the tip.

[100 experience gained. You have reached level 3. Your base stats have increased. 1,800 experience until your next level.]

*Not feeling exhausted is really handy. Even in my youth, I'd at least be out of breath by now.*

Gerard checked his status screen. Only, like his last level up, only his stats changed. Compared to his first level, though, he saw a steady improvement.

[Gerard Blythe - Level 3 Ghoul]

HP: 8->30]

[MP: 0->0]

[Strength: 8->10]

[Dexterity: 7->8]

[Defense: 7->11]

[Resistance: 25->30]

[Mana Conductivity: 105->115]

*Time to find something that rewards me with more experience. I can't meet humans until I can at least speak on my behalf and explain myself.*

Gerard found that his body moved a little faster while leaving the cemetery grounds. Not far from the cemetery, ruined buildings came into view. The eerie fog enveloped the ruins more densely than the graveyard.

As meticulously as Gerard looked, he found no signs of life and cautiously continued his approach.

*A long-forgotten city, perhaps?*

Whatever time period Gerard was in, civilisation abandoned the area long before he arrived. A crow cawed in the distance, and Gerard turned to face it. As he did, he spotted movement in the ruins.

He saw several figures dart from building to building. Carefully, he approached, using the shadows cast by the ruined buildings.

Four humans in various styles of dress walked in a diamond formation, watching every direction. At the front, a man with heavy armour, an enormous sword, and an equally large shield gave quiet orders to the others.

*Not yet. They'd attack me on sight while I look like this; I've just got to get out-*

Gerard turned to escape. However, a dark figure stood before him, causing him to stumble backward in surprise.

A young girl wearing tight black garbs crouched down, blocking his path to safety. She gripped two knives tightly in her hands, ready for combat.

*A ninja?*

Before he could react, her knives sliced through his torso. He didn't feel pain, but the gaps left in his skin left an interesting feeling.

Instinctively, he put up his hands. In his adult years, he practised a few martial arts and medieval combat. Whether the ghoul's body could cope with the complicated movements, he didn't know.

"Hooh, a ghoul who knows combat arts?" The ninja jumped back and watched him.

*Combat arts? That's what they call martial arts in this world?*

With a quick dash, she closed the distance and swung a dagger at his throat.

Gerard turned to the side, and the dagger barely broke the skin.

*I can do this!*

She clicked her tongue and turned towards the direction the other humans were in.

"Hey, everyone! I might need-"

Gerard sunk his teeth into her neck and tightened his grip until he tore off half of her throat.  The blood blocking her airways and filling her lungs drowned her words out. He watched as the skin darkened around the bite area, and she helplessly held her wound while swaying.

*I don't feel remorse? Guilt? Do the undead feel no emotions?*

A life, hardly lived, was ending before him. Even as he noticed similarities between her and his granddaughter, he felt at peace with it.

An arrow appeared in his neck. It didn't simply appear, but without feeling the pain, he only noticed it after seeing the four humans looking on in horror at their dying comrade.

In the forefront, a heavily armoured blonde-haired man readied himself for combat. A dark-haired woman wearing priestly robes stood to his right and pulled out a three-headed flail. A woman with brown hair in metal armour layered with leather, holding a bow, looked down at the scene from the crumbling steps of a house. The last member, a bald-headed man, held no weapons and wore nothing but baggy pants.

*Well, this is shit.*