Assassination

"You attempt to enter a meditative state..."

"Your focus reaches the minimum threshold for meditation, and your perception successfully contracts..."

"You have successfully entered a meditative state!"

"Based on your level of focus, you are currently in a shallow meditative state."

"..."

"Meditation ended."

"Based on your performance during meditation, your maximum Mana has increased by 6 points. Current Mana: 6/6."

"Shallow meditation yields no special feedback."

"You have obtained the Speed Achievement [Beginner]."

"[Beginner]: Successfully perform one meditation. Base reward: Spirit +2. When equipped, meditation effect increased by 10%."

After observing the system log, Rhode felt a surge of joy in his heart. In his past life, he had also obtained the achievement [Beginner], but he hadn't enjoyed the extra rewards that came with the Speed Achievement.

"I remember, the past life's Beginner achievement only gave Spirit +1, and there was no extra effect when equipped. Now, not only has the Spirit increase gone up, but equipping it also enhances meditation effects." Rhode recalled.

Comparing it with the achievement in his memory, Rhode once again realized how much higher the attributes granted by achievements were under the boost of the Speed Achievement. At the same time, Rhode deeply understood that with himself able to obtain so many Speed Achievements, just his base attributes alone would become incredibly powerful.

Shaking his head, Rhode forced himself to temporarily stop thinking about achievements and focused his attention on the group of Necromancer Apprentices not far away on the ground. With Eagle Eye active, Rhode looked toward the enemy.

At the front were a group of Skeleton Soldiers. Rhode didn't bother counting the exact number, but estimated there were about a dozen. In the middle of the group was a black-robed figure riding a horse, completely shrouded in a black magic robe—the standard attire of a Necromancer. This person was likely the controller of this undead group, a Necromancer Apprentice.

Flanking the apprentice on both sides and following behind were four fully armed Skeleton Warriors. At the rear of the group was a dense crowd of Walking Corpses. Since Walking Corpses were the slowest, they could only hobble along at the back. Rhode guessed that was exactly why the apprentice had placed this large group of Walking Corpses at the very end.

Rhode observed quietly from the tree. His position was very concealed; as long as the apprentice didn't specifically look up and scrutinize the tree, he wouldn't be discovered.

When the apprentice's group moved a little closer to the tomb, Rhode slowed his breathing to minimize any chance of revealing his position.

All the way back, Alot had been thinking about how he would spend all this gold once he returned to the Necromancy Magic Academy.

First, he would take all the courses he couldn't afford before—things like Mysticism and Deep Meditation—then learn some powerful spells. Once all that was done, he would become a top-tier Necromancer. Then, whether it was participating in wars across the continent or becoming a great lord of a region, the choice would be his...

As Alot drew closer to the tomb he had discovered, a sudden bad feeling arose in his heart. Alot didn't understand where this feeling came from; he only knew it made him extremely uncomfortable.

Before he even fully approached the tomb, Alot was both shocked and furious to find that the entrance he had sealed was now open again. Alot clearly remembered having his Undead Creatures seal the tomb's exit before he left.

Who... Alot's mind formed this thought.

Alot first suspected that someone had been here, but this tomb had existed for so long without being discovered. The chance of someone finding it by sheer luck was slim.

If no one else had been here, then the most likely possibility was that an Undead Creature sleeping inside the tomb had awakened. Alot reached this conclusion.

Alot sensed through his mind that the Undead Creatures he had originally stationed in the passage had all lost their Mental Marks. They must have been destroyed.

Without time to grieve over his lost Undead Creatures, Alot pondered on the spot. Reason told him that since he already had the gold he needed, the safest course was to leave immediately, convert the remaining Undead Creatures into gold, and hurry back to the academy.

But another voice in Alot's heart told him he couldn't bear to leave like this. The tomb contained a sleeping Undead Creature. In his view, the most likely scenario was that this Undead Creature had awakened, not that the tomb had been discovered by someone else.

Alot had already claimed this Undead Creature in the tomb for himself. He believed that with the help of this powerful Undead Creature, he would soon stand out at the academy.

The only way to know for sure was to go deep into the tomb and see for himself. With this thought, Alot dismounted and began redeploying his Undead Creatures.

Alot first ordered all the Skeleton Soldiers to stand guard around the perimeter, guarding against possible enemies. Then he had the Walking Corpses spread out to the outermost edges to observe. After arranging the Skeleton Soldiers and Walking Corpses, Alot prepared to enter the passage.

Another wave of unease washed over him. Alot was certain there was something inside the passage.

Not knowing the exact situation in the passage, Alot sent two Skeleton Warriors in first to check if any enemies were lurking inside.

Skeleton Warriors were low-tier Undead Creatures and couldn't convey detailed information. After confirming there was nothing unusual in the passage, Alot prepared to enter and inspect it himself.

Rhode watched from the tree as the Necromancer Apprentice below redeployed his Undead Creatures, silently thinking how close a call it had been.

Earlier, Rhode had considered hiding in the passage to assassinate him, but abandoned the idea because there were too many variables in the passage. The apprentice's cautious approach now confirmed that decision. Without this tree, Rhode couldn't think of any other suitable hiding spot.

Rhode saw the Necromancer Apprentice send two Skeleton Warriors down into the passage. This was undoubtedly good news for Rhode. What Rhode had to consider, besides how to deal with the Necromancer Apprentice, was how to handle the remaining group of Undead Creatures.

If he got surrounded by this group of Undead Creatures, their fearlessness would be maximized. Combined with the four Skeleton Warriors, he would probably have trouble escaping.

Fortunately, the apprentice had first sent two Skeleton Warriors into the tomb. The remaining Undead Creatures, though numerous, could be dealt with given enough time, as long as he wasn't surrounded.

Rhode watched the Necromancer Apprentice walk toward the passage. To increase his chances of a successful assassination, Rhode allocated his remaining Free Attribute Points to Speed, bringing his Speed attribute to 9.

Since he was leaping down from a height, the sharp blade combined with the impact of gravity would deal massive damage. The assassination didn't rely on Rhode's own strength, but on his accuracy.

Though it was almost impossible to miss, just in case, Rhode still allocated the remaining attribute points to Speed. Besides increasing attack and movement speed, the Speed attribute also improved his reaction time.

The Necromancer Apprentice reached the entrance of the passage. He first looked down, then extended one foot, preparing to step inside.

At that moment, while the apprentice's attention was entirely focused on the passage, Rhode moved.

Rhode leaped from the tree trunk, five or six meters above the ground, holding his sword with both hands, blade pointing downward. The target of his blade was the Necromancer Apprentice, who had one foot already in the tomb.

As if sensing something, the apprentice turned his head, looked at Rhode, and instinctively tried to dodge this sudden attack from above. But it was too late. In an instant, Rhode's sword had already arrived, and a trace of shock still lingered in the Necromancer Apprentice's eyes.

Rhode's sword easily pierced into the Necromancer Apprentice's back, entering at an angle from above the spine, slanting downward. With the aid of gravity, Rhode didn't even need to exert much force. He only had to grip the sword handle with both hands, and the blade sank completely into the apprentice's body from the back.

Blood spurted out with the sword's entry but quickly stopped due to muscle contraction. Hot blood splashed onto Rhode's face. Unlike the battles and slaughter in past games, and unlike the cold Undead Creatures he had killed in the tomb before, Rhode could feel a warmth from the blood.

A warmth... the warmth of life.