《Level Up or Die Trying》 Chapter 1: Graveyard Shift Ethan stood at the edge of the freshly dug grave, the shovel heavy in his hands. His fingers trembled as he placed the last few shovelfuls of dirt on top of his dog¡¯s tiny, wooden casket. The sky was overcast, a dull gray that mirrored the emptiness inside him. His heart ached with a pain he couldn¡¯t quite name, but the reality of it was clear¡ªhis best friend was gone. Toby had been with him for almost as long as he could remember, and now, with one final scoop, Ethan said goodbye. "I¡¯ll never forget you, buddy." The words felt hollow as they left his lips, but there was no one else to say them to. The old cemetery was quiet, save for the soft rustling of trees swaying in the breeze. Ethan wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to push away the tears that threatened to spill. It was a dreary afternoon in late autumn, and the chill in the air made the task even harder. It was his fault, really. He¡¯d been out too late with friends when Toby had slipped out the back gate and into traffic. Ethan had barely made it home before the call came. By the time he got to the vet, it was too late. Now, he was alone. The wind picked up, carrying a faint whisper that seemed to come from the shadows. Ethan shook it off, trying to ignore the strange feeling creeping up his spine. It was probably just the cold, he told himself. Or maybe the exhaustion. He hadn¡¯t slept in over 24 hours, his eyes blurry and unfocused, but he had to finish this. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.The air around him shifted, as if the entire graveyard held its breath. Ethan straightened, looking around. He thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned, there was nothing there. His chest tightened, but he forced a breath. ''Get a grip, Ethan. You¡¯re just tired.'' The wind howled again, stronger this time, like it was alive. Ethan shivered, pulling his jacket tighter around him. He took one last look at the grave, his heart sinking as he knelt and placed a small stone marker over the mound of dirt. That¡¯s when it happened. A low rumble, almost like a distant thunderclap, shook the ground beneath his feet. The trees around the cemetery creaked in protest, their branches twisting unnaturally. Ethan stumbled back, his breath catching in his throat. Was it an earthquake? It didn¡¯t feel right. The ground beneath him was trembling, vibrating with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. And then¡ªeverything went black. Ethan gasped as the world around him collapsed into a blur. His knees buckled, and before he could even scream, the ground beneath him opened up, pulling him into the earth. He fell. For what felt like hours, Ethan plummeted through an endless tunnel of swirling darkness. His stomach churned with nausea as his body twisted and turned, weightless and disoriented. He tried to reach out, to grab anything, but there was nothing but blackness. Chapter 2: Dungeon of the undead ''This can¡¯t be happening. This isn¡¯t real. This is a dream, it has to be...'' The thought barely crossed his mind before a sudden jolt threw him forward, slamming him onto cold stone. Ethan gasped for air as his body hit the ground hard, his head spinning.When his vision cleared, he slowly pushed himself to his hands and knees. The air was thick, stale with the scent of decay. The silence was oppressive, suffocating. Ethan looked up to find himself in a dark, cavernous chamber. Stone walls, ancient and cracked, rose up around him, flickering torches casting an eerie glow on the surroundings.He was no longer in the cemetery. "What the hell?" Ethan muttered under his breath, panic creeping into his voice. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath quickening.He pushed himself up, looking around. ''Where am I?'' The dungeon-like room seemed to stretch forever in every direction. The ground was covered in thick dust, the faint outline of worn stone tiles leading into the shadows. But it wasn¡¯t just the silence that made Ethan¡¯s pulse race¡ªit was the oppressive sense of something watching him.Before he could make sense of it all, a low growl echoed through the darkness, chilling him to the bone.Ethan froze, his heart skipping a beat. From the shadows, figures began to emerge. Figures that should not have been walking. Twisted, decayed forms of men and women, their clothes tattered and skin hanging loosely from their bones. Eyes glowed a sickly yellow as they shambled toward him, dragging their feet with an unsettling slowness.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ''Undead. They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re undead'' Ethan¡¯s blood ran cold as the realization hit him like a punch to the gut. He stumbled backward, his hands fumbling for something¡ªanything¡ªto defend himself. There it was, his shovel, he reached out to it, as fast as he could.With a burst of adrenaline, he managed to grabbed it on time, his breath ragged as he pushed through the thick air. Behind him, the growls grew louder, their footsteps heavy on the stone. ''I need to find a way out of here. I need to¡ª'' A sharp pain exploded in his side, and he stumbled, an arrow grazed his side stomach. With a little further accuracy and he would have a critical injury. Steeling his resolved he turned around and faced the skeletons chasing him. "Come at me then boneyfuckers" One of the skeleton approach him, lunging with it''s rusted sword. He stepped to the side to dodge, and then counter attack with a blow to the side of it''s skull using his shovel. The thick skull of the skeleton cracked. Following it up with another blow, crushing the skull. Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points A translucent blue screen appeared in his field of vision. ''What the hell is this'' Chapter 3 Ethan stood, breath ragged and chest heaving, staring at the translucent blue screen in front of him. The faint hum of the dungeon¡¯s eerie atmosphere filled his ears, but it was drowned out by the pounding of his heart. He blinked rapidly, half expecting the message to disappear, but it didn¡¯t. It hovered there, like a glitch in reality itself. Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points The words seemed to pulse, as if mocking him. His mind raced. ''Experience points? What kind of twisted game is this?'' His eyes flicked back to the advancing undead, their hollow eyes locked onto him with an unnerving focus. The ones in the back moved slower, but the front ones were closing in, their steps deliberate and determined. They were slow but relentless, and now they were aware of him, like predators scenting prey. A deep growl rose from one of the shadowy figures, and it took a step forward, its fingers twitching as if eager to rip into him. Ethan gritted his teeth, trying to keep his nerves in check. He glanced down at the shovel, its worn handle slick in his grip, the rusted metal edge catching the flickering torchlight. Suddenly, another blue screen popped up in his vision, nearly startling him to the point of panic. New Quest: Survive the Dungeon Objective: Defeat the Undead Horde and find a way out. Rewards: Unknown "Great," Ethan muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. Like I needed more weirdness. The growls drew closer, pulling him from his thoughts. The first of the undead lunged at him, its twisted limbs jerking in unnatural movements. Ethan sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its boney claws, and swung the shovel upward with all his might. The force of the strike knocked the creature back, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop it. It staggered, but before it could regain its balance, Ethan was already on the move again. Another one appeared at his side, a grotesque, emaciated figure dragging its broken body toward him. Its jaw snapped open with a hungry hiss. Ethan barely had time to react before it lunged, but this time he was ready. With a battle cry, he swung the shovel down with all his weight behind it, the heavy metal head connecting with the thing¡¯s skull. There was a sickening crack as the creature crumpled to the floor, lifeless once again. Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points leveled up lvl 2: +3 unallocated status pointsUnlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The screen popped up again, but Ethan barely registered it. His mind was focused on survival, his body moving on instinct now. He swung again, the shovel connecting with another skull. Crack. It collapsed to the ground. His breath was labored, his muscles aching with each swing, but adrenaline kept him going. Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points Each time he defeated one of the undead, he could feel the pull of something deep inside of him¡ªthe sensation of power building, of something unlocking. It was like the experience points were doing more than just keeping track of kills. Something¡­ was changing. Another arrow whizzed past him, narrowly missing his head. He ducked instinctively, his eyes darting toward the source of the shot. A figure, shrouded in darkness, stood on a raised platform in the far corner of the room. A bow was trained on him, the archer''s glowing yellow eyes visible even in the dim light. ''Shit''. Ethan''s gaze locked onto the platform. The archer was no mere undead soldier. The way it moved, the precision of its aim¡ªit was something far more dangerous. And that meant he was nowhere near out of the woods. The growls and shuffles continued around him, but his focus remained on the archer. He couldn¡¯t let himself get distracted again. The shovel in his hands felt heavier now, its weight pressing down on him as if to remind him that he wasn''t just fighting for his life¡ªhe was being tested. Survive the Dungeon. The quest''s objective looped in his mind. But how? He needed a plan. Suddenly, the blue screen appeared again. New Skill Acquired: "Shovel Mastery" Passive: Increased damage with shovels. Active: "Ground Slam" - Perform a powerful ground-based attack that knocks back enemies within a 5-meter radius. Consume 15 mana upon activating. "Well, that''s... something," Ethan muttered. The screen disappeared, and he quickly assessed his situation. He wasn¡¯t just some random guy anymore. It seemed like the world¡ªor whatever this place was¡ªwas handing him the tools to survive. And survive he would. Without a second thought, he took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the shovel, and sprinted toward the nearest undead. He¡¯d dealt with a few of these things already, but this next part would require more than just brute force. It was time to test out his new skill. Ethan slammed the shovel down into the stone floor with all his strength. A shockwave rippled through the air, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. The undead nearest to him were knocked off their feet, some tumbling backward, others crumpling like ragdolls into the dust. Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points Skeleton Soldier lvl 3 - killed Rewarded 300 experience points leveled up to lvl 3: +3 unallocated status points The archer on the back staggered, momentarily thrown off balance by the quake. Ethan saw his chance. Without hesitating, he bolted toward the undead, his muscles burning with the effort. The air was thick with the sound of arrows whizzing past him, but he ducked and weaved, his focus laser-sharp. The archer nocked another arrow and drew it back, but before it could be released, Ethan reached the undead. He dove forward, the shovel raised high above his head, and with a roar, he swung it down onto the archer''s arm. The impact was brutal. The archer howled in pain, but Ethan didn¡¯t stop. The undead creature staggered backward, clutching its wounded arm, and in that moment, Ethan drove the shovel into its chest. The archer¡¯s eyes went wide, and it collapsed, crumbling into a pile of bones and dust. Skeleton Archer lvl 5 - killed Rewarded 500 experience points. leveled up to lvl 4: +3 unallocated status points The screen flashed in front of him again. Ethan grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had no idea what was going on, but for the first time since he¡¯d woken up in this nightmare, he felt like he had a fighting chance. And he would take every chance he could get. Chapter 4 Ethan stood over the crumpled remains of the skeleton archer, his breath coming in heavy gasps. His body felt like it was on fire¡ªhis muscles sore, his hands slick with sweat and blood. He¡¯d fought harder than he ever had in his life, and yet, the dungeon showed no signs of stopping. The eerie hum of the dungeon filled the air, vibrating in his bones as his eyes flicked toward the next wave of undead slowly advancing. The blue screens that had been popping up finally stopped. For a moment, the silence was deafening. Ethan wiped his brow again, the tension in his shoulders building as he surveyed the room. His notification screens still hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, but he was too focused on the undead to pay them much attention. He needed to think. ''The dungeon must have an exit. It had to.'' ''But where?'' His eyes narrowed as he noticed something: The stone walls of the room were slightly uneven, as though they''d been hastily constructed. There was a faint glimmer near the far corner, a sliver of light in the otherwise dark room. It almost looked like a crack in the wall. "Is that an exit?" he muttered to himself, cautiously taking a step in that direction. A growl broke through his thoughts. One of the undead had gotten too close¡ªtoo fast. It was a hulking brute of a skeleton, its broad shoulders and distorted frame easily three times the size of the others. Its skull was adorned with jagged metal spikes, and its hollow eyes gleamed with malice. Carrying a heavy sword that appeared to be used for a thousand years. Ethan¡¯s instincts kicked in. He didn¡¯t have time to wonder how a creature like this had even made it into the dungeon. The only thing that mattered now was surviving. The brute swung its heavy sword down towards him, and Ethan dove to the side just in time, the blow grazing past his ribs. The force of it sent a jolt of pain through his side, but he bit it back. He couldn''t afford to lose focus. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.His hands tightened around the shovel. The new skill he¡¯d acquired, Shovel Mastery, was useful, but it wasn¡¯t going to help him with a beast like this¡ªnot unless he figured out how to use it effectively. Ethan gritted his teeth, taking a steadying breath. The brute raised its arm again, its massive fingers curling into a fist. No more dodging. He planted his feet, positioning himself just beyond its range. The moment the brute¡¯s fist came down, he stepped forward, avoiding the blow and, with everything he had left, slammed the shovel into the creature''s side.The impact was thunderous. The brute let out a strange, gurgling hiss, its bones cracking under the force. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The thing barely staggered, its limbs seemingly unbreakable. "Okay, think, think, think!" Ethan muttered, his mind racing. The brute¡¯s wide swing came next, and he ducked again, narrowly avoiding it. He needed to take it down¡ªfast. Then he remembered the crack in the wall. He couldn''t keep fighting forever. He had to get out. He took a deep breath and scanned the room, his eyes landing on the scattered remains of fallen skeletons. The ground beneath his feet was still trembling from his Ground Slam, and for the first time, an idea sparked in his mind. Without another thought, he turned and ran straight at the brute, his legs screaming in protest. The thing roared and swung at him, but he was already in motion. At the last moment, just as the brute¡¯s fist came crashing down toward him, he dropped to the ground, skidding under its massive form. He didn¡¯t stop. He sprinted toward the crack in the wall, his heart pounding as the brute followed in hot pursuit. The blue screens flickered in his peripheral vision, showing messages he couldn¡¯t afford to read. It was all or nothing. The crack in the wall wasn¡¯t wide¡ªjust a narrow gap barely big enough for him to slip through. But if it was an exit, it would be his way out. With the brute right behind him, Ethan dove for the gap. He didn¡¯t make it cleanly. His shoulder scraped against the jagged stone, but he was through. For a moment, there was nothing but darkness. Then, his eyes adjusted. He was in a narrow stone passageway, the walls smooth and cold to the touch. His breath was ragged, and he could hear the brute¡¯s angry growls echoing through the passage, but it couldn¡¯t reach him. For now, he was safe. But he couldn¡¯t stop. Not yet. Chapter 5 Then he remembered the notifications earlier, thinking about what is it about granting him status points. "Open status screen" Ethan said quietly as possible. Appeared before him a translucent blue screen showing his status. Name: Ethan kade Level: 4 (2300/2500) mana: 13/50 Race: Human Class: none (available upon reaching level 10) Sub-Class: none (available upon finishing a sub-class quest granted by the main class) Strength: 9 Agility: 8 Dexterity: 7 Magic: 6 available status points: 9 Ethan stared at the translucent blue screen before him, his mind working quickly to process the information. Available status points: 9. He had to make a decision¡ªfast. The brute was still out there, and though the passageway was narrow, it wouldn''t take long for that thing to find a way through if he didn¡¯t keep moving. But the status points...they could be the key to surviving what was coming next.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He glanced at his attributes. Strength seemed like the obvious choice¡ªhe¡¯d need every bit of power he could get, especially if he was going to face more of those terrifying undead creatures. But Agility and Dexterity were also important. If he could move faster, dodge more easily, and strike with precision, it would give him the edge he needed. Magic was a tempting option, too. He had very little mana left, but maybe... just maybe, there would be some kind of spell or ability that could help him in the future. He¡¯d seen the way the system worked so far, and it was possible that magic could become a game-changer. But right now, it seemed like a risk. "Okay," he muttered to himself, thinking it through. "I need to be faster, stronger. And I need to make sure I can survive longer." He closed his eyes, pushing the thoughts of the undead and the brute out of his mind, focusing entirely on his decision. With a slow breath, he allocated the points. Strength: 9 +3 Agility: 8 +2 Dexterity: 7+1 Magic: 6 +3 As the points were locked in, he felt a subtle shift in his body. His muscles tensed with newfound power, his senses sharpened, and his reaction time seemed quicker. It wasn¡¯t a massive change, but it was enough. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time. Ethan closed the status screen, his focus returning to the passage ahead. The growls of the brute were distant but unmistakable. He wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet. He crept forward, trying to keep as quiet as possible. The walls of the narrow corridor seemed to close in on him, the air damp and cold, making every breath feel heavier. His footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor, and he clenched the hilt of his shovel tightly, ready for whatever came next. Ethan stumbled to his feet, glancing behind him. He didn¡¯t know how wide the dungeon is, or what waited around the corner. But there was no turning back now. The thought of being trapped in that room with the undead was unbearable. Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed from ahead¡ªan unnatural shuffle. His heart leaped into his throat. More undead. But this time, he wasn¡¯t running from them. He was coming toward them, the weight of the shovel in his hands a reminder that this was his fight. No more running. No more dodging. He was going to survive this dungeon. And if he had to tear it apart piece by piece to do it, he would. He tightened his grip on the shovel, taking a step forward.