Chapter 3 Beyond The Midgards

Siegfried, adorned in his majestic battle attire, strode toward the captivating source of sound that had been tantalizing his ears. As he moved forward, he pondered the events that had befallen him earlier.

Initially, a new adventurer would be escorted to their chosen location, not too far away. However, fate had led Siegfried to this fearsome wilderness.

A newcomer to the game, exploring an unfamiliar forest... would anyone believe his tale?

"There must be a bug. That's the only explanation. But does anyone believe that this virtual world contains bugs?"

After walking for a while, Siegfried finally stumbled upon a battle not far from his position. It was a clash between lifeless soldiers and the kingdom's forces.

Both sides attacked relentlessly, and the lifeless soldiers seemed ferocious and fearless. Despite their smaller numbers, they managed to hold their ground against hundreds of royal troops.

A commander of the kingdom was seen locked in combat with an undead creature who served as the leader of the lifeless soldiers. The undead creature wore complete armor and wielded a massive sword in both hands.

"Skull Knight... who would have thought I would encounter him so soon," Siegfried whispered, recognizing the figure of the undead creature. "Their battle is intriguing... let's observe it closely; there might be valuable treasure there."

Siegfried approached the battle slowly, leaving the two opposing forces behind. He occasionally picked up weapons dropped by the soldiers and stored them in his inventory.

Although unused for now, it's better to keep them... who knows, these items might be valuable.

Siegfried searched for the nearest spot to witness the battle and eventually found a location just five meters away from the fray.

A knight launched a powerful sword strike, but his attack was successfully defended by Skull Knight. Nevertheless, the attack was strong enough to push him back.

"So, you're resilient... I will fight you with all my strength," Skull Knight declared, brandishing his sword toward the knight.

"I will confront you with all the power I possess... I will eliminate every trace of this darkness until it vanishes."

"Only in your dreams..."

The knight channeled his energy into his sword, causing a mesmerizing white aura to envelop his weapon. Not only that, but he continued to channel it until his entire body and weapon were bathed in bright white light.

Skull Knight witnessed this with a raging fear, and he too channeled his magical power into his sword, transforming it into a pitch-black weapon. Both sides then launched their attacks against each other.

Siegfried, observing the battle from a distance, was captivated by the power they displayed. It was a clash between light and darkness unfolding before him. Their speed was so fast that Siegfried couldn't keep up with their movements.

"Your darkness won't withstand the power of the light I possess... I will end your life and transform this world," the knight declared.

"Don't be too proud... Your light will drown in the darkness I command... And your ambitions will remain mere illusions," Skull Knight retorted.

"I will kill you..."

The battle lasted quite a while, and the knight managed to inflict serious wounds on Skull Knight, but he also suffered equally severe injuries.

With a body full of wounds and almost depleted strength, he could only lean on his sword to stay standing.

Meanwhile, Skull Knight was in better condition, despite losing one of his arms; he still had plenty of strength left. Slowly, he approached the knight, firmly brandishing his sword.

"Observe... Your light's power cannot withstand me... I will crush you," Skull Knight declared, swinging his sword to decapitate the knight.

Siegfried, witnessing the murder unfolding right before his eyes, felt tremors in his heart. The death of a human resembling himself occurred, blood splattering and drenching Skull Knight along with his sword.

Faced with the reality of the killing, Siegfried, filled with fear, quickly distanced himself from the scene.

Crack!

Unfortunately, he stepped on a tree branch, immediately capturing Skull Knight's attention. The undead creature stumbled toward him, without any weapon in hand.

"Damn... Is this the end of my life... Just when I've embarked on this adventure in the game," murmured Siegfried, assessing Skull Knight's condition.

Skull Knight / Lv 92 HP: 102/12,500

He was startled to realize that Skull Knight had very little health left, in other words, on the verge of death. Siegfried tightly gripped his sword, preparing to attack the undead creature.

"I must kill him... I won't let this opportunity go to waste," Siegfried said, drawing several daggers from his inventory.

The undead creature drew closer, and Siegfried waited for the perfect moment to strike. He knew there was only one chance to attack, and if he failed, his life would be in danger.

As the undead creature pushed aside the foliage concealing Siegfried's body, he swiftly thrust his sword into its abdomen. He also stabbed several daggers into its face, forcing it to retreat.

"You must die," Siegfried shouted, relentlessly attacking the undead creature with another sword available in his inventory. The sword pierced the creature's neck, severing its head from its body.

A notification window appeared in front of Siegfried after successfully killing Skull Knight.

[Congratulations! You have defeated Skull Knight.]

[Congratulations! You have earned the Title: General Slayer.]

[You have met the requirements to unlock the Hidden Class: Shadow Swordsman.]

Various notifications appeared before Siegfried, astonishing him. He never imagined that his efforts would yield such remarkable results.

[Siegfried, with a pounding heart, gazed at his newly updated status screen after successfully defeating the Skull Knight. He could hardly believe what had just happened, yet he couldn't deny the overwhelming satisfaction filling him.

"Status Screen"

==========================

Name: Siegfried

Level: 20

Class: Shadow Swordsman

Title: Slayer of the General

Experience: 5894/10000

HP: 472/800

MP: 235/400

Statistics:

Strength: 70

Attack: 71

Defence: 62

Agility: 84

Intelligence: 58

Abilities:

Sword Mastery (Lv. 4)

Dual Wield (Lv. 2)

Stealth (Lv. 3)

Critical Strike (Lv. 2)

Shadow Step (Lv. 1)

=================

Siegfried carefully read every detail on his status screen, his heart brimming with pride. Seeing the amount of experience he had gained, he knew that his efforts in eradicating the darkness had not been in vain.

Not only that, but the title "Slayer of the General" intrigued his curiosity and ambition. He felt that new doors had opened for him in this game world. He couldn't wait to explore the newly acquired hidden occupation as a Shadow Swordsman.

With a smile on his face, Siegfried looked towards the remnants of the battle surrounding him. He contemplated the new tasks that awaited him, the captivating challenges, and the potential treasures hidden within the darkness.

This virtual world had given him the opportunity to test his limits, discover courage within himself, and grow into a fearless adventurer. Siegfried vowed to himself that he would explore every corner of this world, pursue justice, and eliminate the darkness that threatened peace.

With a heart full of enthusiasm, Siegfried took a step forward, ready for the next adventure that awaited him.