Newfound Power

Noah glanced at his status screen, eyes scanning the glowing text in front of him with barely restrained excitement.

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Name: Noah Gallagher

Gender: Male

Level: 2

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Jobs:

First Job: Reincarnation of Thanatos

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Titles:

Loser: Definitely unlucky in games, let's hope he's not in love. To make things easier, all gained EXP will be doubled.

Second Time's Always Better: One who has already taken a shot knows the way. Information about the game world will be presented to the player. To activate, infuse mana into the eyes.

Second Time Ranker: The one who dominated a previous run. The last survivor. Skills consume half the MP.

First Kill: The first human to kill an invader. +4 to all stats.

One Against All: When you're the only player in a fight with multiple enemies, all stats receive a +2 boost.

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Stats:

Strength: 9 → +2 → 11 (+4)

Agility: 10 → +2 → 12 (+4)

Intelligence: 12 → +3+1 (class exclusive) → 16 (+4)

Stamina: 10 → +2 → 12 (+4)

Magic Power: 12 → +3+1 (class exclusive) → 16 (+4)

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Skills:

Corpse Resurrection LV. 1 – The power to bring the dead back to life and dominate them.

With each level, the number of slaves under your control increases.

Number of slaves: 1/1

Proficiency = 25%

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"Unreal…"

Noah muttered under his breath, his lips curling into a smirk. His heart raced as the reality of his stats set in. His strength, intelligence, agility—all of it was so much higher than a normal level two player's.

"This isn't just good... this is game-breaking."

He knew what the average player's stats should look like at this stage. Heck, he was one of those average players in his past life. A necromancer with stats so pitiful he barely survived the first few weeks. Now? He was something else entirely. This job—Reincarnation of Thanatos—was insane.

"Last time, my necromancer stats were abysmal. Strength barely a 5, intelligence an 8 at best. But now…"

He clenched his fists, feeling raw power surge through his veins.

"I'm on a whole different level."

This wasn't just a second chance. This was a shot at absolute dominance. A class like Reincarnation of Thanatos—whoever designed it clearly had no regard for balance. He was practically untouchable.

His gaze dropped to the list of titles, his grin deepening. The "Loser" title felt like a slap, a cruel reminder of his previous failures, but the perk? Double EXP gain. With that, he'd be leveling faster than anyone else, leaving them all in the dust.

But the real kicker? Second Time's Always Better. Knowledge. That's what would set him apart. He wasn't stumbling blindly through this game anymore. He knew the traps, the tricks, the hidden bosses, the loot—everything that could give him an edge.

His eyes glinted dangerously as he read the final title—First Kill. It wasn't just the extra stat boosts; it was a badge of honor, the moment he turned the tables on the system. And now, with his One Against All bonus, he could fight hordes and come out on top. A lone wolf among sheep.

Shutting the status screen with a flick of his wrist, Noah let the satisfaction of his newfound power wash over him. His stats weren't just impressive—they were terrifying. A level two player shouldn't be this strong. But then again, Noah was no ordinary player anymore.

Time to put this power to use.

His eyes flicked to the crowd of students gathered in the school's lobby, their faces pale, voices rising in panic. It was chaos. The kind of fear he recognized all too well from his previous life. Fear of the unknown, of the dungeon that had transformed their school into a deathtrap.

A boy slammed his fists against the door, his voice breaking as he screamed, "It's locked! We can't get out!"

His desperation was thick in the air, but Noah barely paid attention. He knew that door wasn't opening. Not unless they took down the boss.

"Someone, let me try!"

Another boy stepped forward, but his attempt to open the door ended the same way, with a glowing message flashing before them all:

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WARNING! YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE DUNGEON WITHOUT DEFEATING THE BOSS.

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The group fell silent. The hope in their eyes flickered and died. Noah watched them, his smirk never fading. They were scared, helpless, like lambs being led to the slaughter.

But not me.

He glanced down at his side, where the skeletal remains of a goblin stood at attention, its hollow eyes locked on him. The Corpse Resurrection skill had been a gamble in his last life, something he never fully mastered. But now? Now it was a tool. A weapon. And this goblin was just the beginning.

"Well…" Noah muttered under his breath, a dark glint in his eyes.

"Looks like it's time to make my entrance."

His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he made his way toward the crowd, his skeleton goblin trailing behind him. The rhythmic click of his boots hitting the floor filled the room, each step drawing the attention of the terrified students.

They froze, all eyes turning toward him. Their panic was palpable, but so was their curiosity. Who was this figure emerging from the shadows, drenched in blood, his expression unnervingly calm?

Noah's school uniform clung to him, soaked through with the blood of his enemies. His black hair, messy and wild, framed his sharp features, but it was his eyes that made them stop and stare. Cold, calculating, and filled with a confidence that none of them possessed.

"Hello, everyone, If you want to live, follow me."

Noah greeted them, his voice smooth, almost too calm given the situation. He surveyed the crowd, his lips curling into a faint smile. 

Whispers rippled through the group. He could hear their confusion, their disbelief.

"That's the guy who killed all those goblins, right?"

One student muttered.

"And look at all that blood! He's a monster!"

Good. Let them be afraid. Fear was a weapon he knew how to wield.

Noah's eyes settled on Kevin, the de facto leader of the group. The boy was frozen in place, his bravado crumbling in the face of Noah's presence.

"You're Kevin, right?"

Noah said, stepping closer, his tone casual but laced with authority.

"Here's the deal—if you want my help, you'll do exactly what I say."

Kevin swallowed, his voice faltering. "W-what do you mean?"

Noah's smile widened, but his eyes remained cold.

"Every word I say is law. Disobey me, and the boss's head won't be the only one rolling."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Noah could see the fear in Kevin's eyes, the realization that Noah wasn't bluffing. He wasn't just another scared student. He was something else. Something dangerous.

"F-Fine, we'll follow your lead."

Kevin muttered, his voice barely a whisper. 

"Smart choice."

Noah turned toward the staircase, his skeleton goblin following obediently behind him.

"Now, let's go kill that boss."

The group hesitated, exchanging nervous glances, but one by one, they followed him. They had no other option. Noah was their only shot at survival, and they knew it.

As they climbed the staircase, Noah's mind was already racing ahead. He knew what awaited them on the roof—a towering monstrosity, a boss that could wipe them all out in seconds. But Noah wasn't worried. He knew the boss's weaknesses, knew how to exploit them.

He glanced over his shoulder at the group trailing behind him. They were scared, fragile, and utterly unprepared for what was coming. But that didn't matter. To Noah, they were pawns in a game he was determined to win.

And if they couldn't keep up?

Noah smirked to himself.

Well, they're expendable.