Stranded [Pt 1]

[A Few Days Later]

"Huu…"

Noah Sherlock stood at the forefront of his previously small, now large, group. His grip was tight on the hilt of his katana, the Night Blade.

Around him, the air crackled with tension as the group navigated through the labyrinthine corridors of the Grand Calamity Class Dungeon.

The Mass Teleportation Incident had scattered them, separating friends and allies in a chaotic jumble of fate.

With each step, Noah could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down upon him.

As a Heroic Rank adventurer, it was his duty to lead his group through the perils of the dungeon and ensure their survival. But the odds were stacked against them, with weaker adventurers mixed in among their ranks and the ever-present threat of powerful undead monsters lurking in the shadows.

'With the constant threats everywhere, we've hardly slept. Everyone is exhausted…'

Even though the rest still managed to get some shuteye, he could not. He had to protect the hundred or so Adventurers with him, no matter the cost.

The only good news about all of this was that he managed to Level Up a lot. Still, with the constant stress weighing him down, he felt weaker rather than stronger.

Noah glanced over his shoulder at the exhausted faces of his companions. Their strength and morale were pretty much worn thin by constant battles and relentless danger.

But there was no time for rest or respite, not when the survival of every member of their group hung in the balance.

'I'm probably the youngest here, yet…'

Drawing upon his skills and three weeks experience, Noah steeled himself for the challenges that lay ahead.

With a silent command, he activated one of his Enchanted Items, allowing him to move with supernatural speed and agility.

~WHOOSH!~

Shadows danced around him as he led the charge, his blade flashing in the dim light of the dungeon.

After scouting ahead and returning, he led his group forward.

Their journey brought them to a vast chamber, its walls adorned with ancient runes and symbols of mysterious power.

But, this Zone they found themselves in was no sanctuary.

The air reeked of decay, and the ground was littered with bones of fallen comrades. Even with the forbidden beauty all around, it was still a house of death.

As, other than the dead bodies on the ground, lurking in the shadows were the undead horrors that would haunt anyone's nightmares.

Zombies… lots and lots of them.

Most of them were the average kind, but Noah could spot a couple of Greater Zombies in the mix.

'Looks like another round of battle…' He sighed.

Noah's hand tightened around the hilt of his katana, the [Night Blade]. Its gleaming edge held the promise of salvation for those who followed him.

His cloak billowed as he stepped forward, a lone figure determined to defy the chaos that threatened to consume them all.

"Listen up!" Noah's voice cut through the grim atmosphere. "We're in this together. No matter who you were before, we're a team now. Stick close, follow my lead, and we might just survive this hell."

The weary Adventurers nodded, drawing what strength they had left. Noah could see the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty of their fate etched on their faces.

'At the very least, discounting the ones I can handle by myself, our numbers are superior. If three or four charge at one each, we should be fine.'

He prepared his tired muscles and made sure to memorize the positions of the B-Tier Monsters in the crowd.

After only a few seconds of doing so, he was ready.

"Leave the Greater Zombies to me!"

Then, with a wordless battle cry, Noah charged into the fray, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision.

The Night Blade hummed with power as he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one imbued with the elemental attributes of his enchanted items.

Fire and lightning danced along the blade, granting greater damage to the enemies.

But even as Noah fought with all his skill and strength, he could feel the tide of battle turning against them. The undead were relentless, despite their numbers being considerably smaller.

The Adventurers were still having trouble dealing with them, even with their advantage.

'For real?!' He sighed to himself. 'Guess I have no choice now!'

Noah's [Shadow Magic] surged to life, tendrils of darkness coalescing around him as he summoned constructs from the depths of his own shadow.

With a flick of his wrist, Noah sent the constructs hurtling towards the troublesome horde.

The shadows twisted and contorted, taking the form of spectral warriors that clashed with the undead in a whirlwind of steel and darkness.

The Greater Zombies stumbled under the onslaught, their decayed flesh no match for the ethereal blades that cut through them like butter.

'Damn, my Mana…' He winced, slightly feeling lightheaded as a result.

Noah already knew that mere shadows would not be enough to completely stop the tide of undead that threatened to overwhelm everyone, but with that move, his allies could take on the rest.

'Now, to focus on my own task!' His eyes narrowed on the enemies he had to face.

With a swift motion, he hurled his Night Blade into the fray, the enchanted blade slicing through the air with deadly precision.

~WHOOSH!~

The blade found its mark, cleaving through the ranks of the undead with a satisfying thud.

As the Night Blade returned to his outstretched hand, Noah unleashed a barrage of slashes and thrusts, his movements a blur of speed and precision.

The Greater Zombies fell like wheat before the scythe, their rotting corpses no match for the skill of the Heroic Rank Adventurer.

But the battle was far from over. The undead horde suddenly seemed to increase, and Noah could already guess how.

'The corpses… they've become Undead!'

With a much greater number than before, the Zombies seemed to be even more threatening.

But, he couldn't stop.

~VWUUSH!~

Noah's heart raced as he fought on, his blade dancing with the fury of a man possessed.

~SWiISH!~

The shadows twisted and writhed around him, their dark tendrils snaring the undead and dragging them into the abyss.

~WUUUM!~

With each swing of his blade, Noah felt the weight of the enemies pressing down on him. But he refused to yield, refused to succumb to the despair that threatened to engulf him.

'I'm reaching my limit…'

He never imagined going down in the Dungeon. Even now, the idea of dying wasn't something he readily embraced.

But somehow… Noah felt good.

He felt happy, being able to fight and defeat so many enemies while everyone had no choice but to rely on him.

This version of himself… it was close, a lot closer, to the ideal he sought after.

And so, he didn't bother worrying about dying, or fearing for what would become of his life if he made a single misstep.

Noah just kept swinging his blade, living in the bliss of the moment.

*******

[Moments Later]

"Haa… haa…"

As the last of the Greater Zombies fell, Noah stood amidst the carnage, his breath ragged and his muscles aching.

But there was no time to rest, no time to savor his victory. For danger still lurked in the shadows, waiting to consume him, and everyone else, once more.

With a weary sigh, Noah tightened his grip on the Night Blade and pressed forward.

Once again, just like before, he was able to win.