Zaid decided to search the first few floors for survivors. As he stepped into the third-floor hallway, he noticed two students wandering near the far end. He almost called out to them—but something felt off. Their movements were jerky and unnatural, as if their limbs weren't responding properly.
Getting closer, Zaid noticed their skin had a pallid, grayish hue. His gut twisted.
"…Zombies," he muttered.
Out of caution, Zaid extended his hand and activated his skill. Four bone-white skeletons erupted from the floor, dragging themselves up with eerie groans. The summoning drained half his mana instantly, leaving him light-headed.
Each skeleton was about six feet tall, humanoid but unnerving. They carried jagged bone swords, and as the summoning circle faded, the floor sealed behind them like it had never been disturbed.
The sound caught the attention of the zombie students, who immediately turned toward Zaid with hollow stares and low growls.
"You, stay close and guard me. The rest of you—attack!" Zaid commanded.
One skeleton stayed back while the other three sprinted forward, swords raised. The zombies lunged, but the undead warriors were faster, more precise. Bone blades flashed, and with a series of wet cracks and splashes of gore, the enemies were cut down.
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 3 Zombie. Strength +2, Stamina +2.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 4 Zombie. Strength +3, Stamina +1, Health +2.]
[You have reached Level 2. You have 2 free stat points to distribute.]
Zaid exhaled slowly, letting the tension leave his body as he approached the corpses. Though it felt wrong, he rifled through their belongings—survival came first. One of the zombies had a bag, which he emptied and began filling with any useful supplies. Inside one nearby room, he found a mini fridge and looted snacks and drinks to keep his strength up.
By the time he was done, his mana had replenished enough to summon four more skeletons. With eight undead warriors at his side, Zaid made his way out of the dorm building.
He figured most survivors would head toward the university gymnasium—it was large, sturdy, and stocked with first aid and water. On the way there, he encountered more zombies. They were easy prey for his skeletons, who steadily grew stronger with each battle.
Then came tougher enemies—two mutated insects with razor legs and a squirrel the size of a Labrador with teeth that could cleave a skull. The fights were brutal, but his undead army overwhelmed them through sheer numbers and coordination. Still, Zaid took a few scratches and nearly lost a second skeleton.
As they advanced, Zaid's group encountered a new threat: ten zombies in a tight circle around what looked like two struggling survivors.
Zaid narrowed his eyes. "Split into two groups and attack from the flanks—one stay with me!"
Four skeletons flanked from the left, three from the right. The zombies reacted too late. Blades clashed and howls echoed through the air as the two groups collided. These zombies were tougher—faster, stronger—but Zaid's skeletons had also grown more formidable. Though the battle was close and one skeleton fell, they emerged victorious.
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 9 Zombie. Strength +2, Health +1.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 9 Zombie. Stamina +3, Strength +1.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 12 Zombie. Health +5, Agility +2.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 11 Zombie. Health +2, Agility +2.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 10 Zombie. Strength +2, Mana+1.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 14 Zombie. Magic+5, Stamina+1.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 13 Zombie. Health +6, Agility +5.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 12 Zombie. Health +2, Strength+4.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 15 Zombie. Strength+5, Agility +5.]
[You have absorbed the soul power of a level 12 Zombie. Health +2, Agility +1.]
[You have reached Level 10. You have 2 free stat points to distribute.]
Among the scattered corpses, Zaid noticed three small, glowing red orbs.
'Cores?' he thought, picking them up and tucking them into his bag. He didn't know what they were yet, but something told him they were important.
At the center of the pile, two students lay slumped against the wall—barely alive.
"Th-th-thank you so much for saving us. I'm Ying Jue," the girl said shakily. She clutched a staff with a blue orb on top, and though she was clearly scared, her voice carried strength. She had short black hair, green eyes, and a curvy figure—cute, though not what Zaid would call stunning.
"I'm Wei Jun," the man said, standing a bit straighter. He held a blood-streaked dao in his hand. With a buzz cut and muscular frame, he looked like someone used to physical activity.
Both eyed the skeletons warily.
"Don't worry about them," Zaid reassured. "They follow my orders. It's a skill I got from one of those scroll drops. I'm Zaid El-Amin, by the way. Just call me Zaid."
"Oh! So you're the Egyptian transfer student," Ying Jue said, visibly relaxing. "And yeah—I know what you mean about the scrolls. I got a barrier spell from one. It's the only reason we're still alive. Wei Jun got a strength buff skill."
Zaid looked at his seven skeletons—one less than before. They stood in a rough perimeter, scanning for threats, he proceeded to summon another one to make it eight again. He turned back to the pair.
"Rest for now," he said. "We'll head to the gym once you've caught your breath. "
____________________________________________________________________________
[Zaid El-Amin -Level: 10Race: HumanJob: NoneTitle: NoneStrength: 55(10) / Agility: 60 (10) / Health: 72 (10) / Stamina: 62(10) / Mana: 220 (0) / Magic: 210 (10)
free stat points: 20Skills:Active: Skeleton SummoningPassive: (None)]