The Holy Land

by Tristan H Brown

  But, another string of notifications allowed Wilhelm to forget his regret of choosing the undertaker class, temporarily.

  [Congratulations, you have received 22 burial points]

  [100 burial points has been achieved]

  [Class advancement has been initiated]

  [Congratulation, you are now a Mortician]

  After reading the last word, Wilhelm felt his eye close, and his body cease to operate according to his own will. He entered into a deep, unwilling slumber. While he was unconscious, the last bit of his blonde hair fell out and was replaced by raven, black strands. His already pale skin became even whiter, and his facial structure continued to change from where it left off. His appearance once again regressed and seemed to stop at a late-20-year-old or an early thirties man.

  Wilhelms bones and joints creaked and rotated ever so slightly, forming his current appearance of what appeared to be inspired by a noble European of some sort. Of course, his black hair and pale skin weren't included in that assessment.

  ...

  A dozen hours passed, and the fluorescence of the dark moon soon replaced the morning sunlight. It took about an entire day of rest before Wilhelm's eyes finally fluttered open. As he woke, he could feel an intense amount of pain course through every single vein in his body… as if he had been slashed in a million different places.

  A deep groan involuntarily left his lips as he sat up. His former energetic state was nowhere to be seen and was replaced by an extremely creased frown. Not only was the pain quite aggravating, but the lack of clothes and food was just as equally vexatious. He could feel the cold wind brush by his pale cheek and flitter his long, black hair.

  Slightly perturbed by the cold, Wilhelm stretched out his sore shoulders and stood up from the ground. As he raised his body, he could immediately feel the difference. It was lighter, slenderer, and most discernable of all, a tad bit taller.

  "One inch? No, two inches taller?" Wilhelm whispered to himself, "does every secret class change the user's physical body? Or is mine special?" he continued to ask himself in an incredulous tone.

  He sighed, "oh well, I definitely won't be receiving any concrete answers until I get out of here anyway," he thought to himself and sauntered toward the lake. He didn't even care about the pain anymore; he directly gulped down a few mouthfuls of the ferocious flame-water and cleaned off his filthy body. The dried-up blood, innards, and muck dripped from his chest and tainted the clear lake.

  Not to mention his scraggly beard and greasy hair, which were both also filled with dirt and other undesirable things. Once he finished cleaning himself, he made his way back toward the big, red alligator. Disregarding his previous attitude, Wilhelm felt like most of his playful energy was sucked out of his body. The only thing he could even manage to think about right now was food, and the only thing that he could eat was the disfigured reptile in front of him.

  "I should've used a lighter hand, big red," He commented while petting its cracked skull, "now you just look so damned unappetizing."

  Nonetheless, Wilhelm used his dagger to cut open its abdomen and gut the creature, leaving only the meat and skin. After which, he cut off its head and drained it of any remaining blood the poor thing still possessed.

  Once the grueling task was completed, and the food could be considered "prepped," Wilhelm went to go and fetch his other dagger. He used both of them to slice up the meat and generate some sparks, to ignite the rather depressing fire. A small, but effective flame was all that was necessary, or so some poor men would implore.

  Wilhelm impaled a few chunks of meat and hovered them over the flame, rotating them until the middle was cooked. He preferred medium-rare steak, so it didn't take too long for the meat to finish. It didn't exactly smell delicious, but it was undoubtedly much better smelling than the Grottenburgs, spiders, and other creatures he had come across.

  Wilhelm gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he slowly bit into the piece of meat, swallowing it soon after. "Not bad!" he praised, and promptly bit off another chunk. Unaware if either his taste buds had finally committed honorable suicide, or if the food was actually decent, Wilhelm managed to finish the entire alligator.

  With a quiet burp, Wilhelm once again stood up from the ground and stroked his mighty beard. From the reflection in the water earlier, he was aware of his current appearance — which was satisfactory. His prime appearance had returned; rather, it had improved. His chin was pointy, jawline was defined, and his face was peerlessly handsome. But his beard masked most of his charming features.

  Thinking to here, Wilhelm clicked his tongue and deliberated about his future. There were many floors to the dungeon, which meant a multitude of bosses, monsters, and other dangers. He had already felt death creep onto him a few times, not even considering the fact that he had only cleared one floor thus far.

  However, with a bitter smile and a dangerous light igniting in his eyes, Wilhelm was no longer worried about escaping the dungeon. He now understood skills, class advancements, and other perks. Training and killing were the most efficient ways to gain strength — both of which were things that he had mastered.

  With this in mind, he decided to open up his status and view the changes that the class advancement had made.

  ---------------

  [Character Information]

  Name: Wilhelm Siegfried

  Race: Human

  Gender: Male

  Level: 12, [4,500/20,000 EXP]

  Class: Mortician (2) [4/250]

  Strength: 15

  Agility: 21

  Intelligence: 16

  Stamina: 13

  Magic Power: 1

  HP: 150/150

  MP: 10/10

  Skills: Krav Maga (level 10), indomitable will (level 1), superior intellect (level 2), Gun proficiency (level 10), Night-eye (class-skill), masterful hands (level 5), Spectral Dagger (level 3).

  Items: None

  Allocatable stat points: 2

  Evolution points: 1

  Title: Insect Marauder

  Coins: 4

  "Oh? Not bad," Wilhelm muttered under his breath. His strength had increased by two points, and his agility increased by four. Furthermore, his stagnant health moved up to 150 instead of 100.

  Content, Wilhelm decided to conserve his allocatable stat points and evolution point for a rainy day. For now, he needed to improve his strength through intensive training. After a few moments of contemplation, Wilhelm determined that his growth needed to be put on hold until he fully utilized his current power, which meant forming the skills that he had possessed during his warring days.

  Dagger mastery, kickboxing, Judo, Maneuvering, Acrobatics, sleight of hand, etcetera. all of which were things that Wilhelm used to be rather skillful at.

  "Well, let's get busy… shall we?"

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  After resolving himself to temper his body, Wilhelm didn't waste a single minute. His old training techniques were out-of-date and useless for his current prowess, so he developed an entirely new training regimen. He practiced his dagger skills in the morning, his hand-to-hand combat in the afternoon, and exercised in the evening. It was a simple, yet effective routine.

  He would exercise in the mana-filled water, practice his daggers on the nearby monsters, and shadow box to strengthen his hand-to-hand combat. In his downtime, before bed, he attempted to improve his sleight of hand and acrobatic expertise further. All of this was so that he could become well-versed in his fundamentally new body.

  Like this, days slowly turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Wilhelm enjoyed his harmonious days of only training, eating, and sleeping on repeat.

  Unlike before, when he was steadfastly attempting to escape the dungeon, Wilhelm was progressing at a much slower pace. His stats had only gone up a few times in the past few months, but his expertise had grown astronomically. The streamlined muscles that decorated his body was a testament to this fact.

  However, not only was his proc
ess different, but the way he viewed things changed a little as well, albeit slightly. Perhaps it was due to his class advancement, but Wilhelm was much more relaxed than before. No, it couldn't even be considered relaxed. It was both refinement and sophistication. He completed most tasks in an elegant manner, except when burying bodies.

  Nevertheless, all good things must come to an end. "I suppose it's about time… the monsters on the second floor have grown scarce."

  Wilhelm extended his shoulders and tied his long hair into a ponytail, using a piece of torn string. His green eye glimmered within the dark as he made his way out of the enclave. It had been somewhat of a home to him, but he felt no emotional attachment to it; he always knew that leaving had been inevitable.

  Strong confidence exuded from Wilhelm as he made his way through the narrow caverns, up to the next floor. Over the last few months, he had mapped out not only the entire second floor, but also became increasingly more used to the dark atmosphere. Of course, his 'Night-Eye' ability made this objective much easier than it should have been for just any ordinary traveler.

  Like this, Wilhelm gradually made his way up the spiral staircase crafted out of weathered limestone. Vines intertwined with each other and intersected around each step, revealing an almost beautiful passage. Wilhelm couldn't help but admire the small flowers which were flourishing on every additional step.

  It was a stark contrast in comparison to the rest of the lower floors; it was mesmerizing. Yet, the steady footsteps didn't falter in the slightest.

  'I suppose not everything inside of this dungeon is repulsive.'

  Wilhelm thought.

  He didn't squander much more time on the staircase and soon arrived in front of a thick, wooden door. It was relatively dull and didn't appear to possess any out-of-the-ordinary characteristics. In fact, it was so casual that Wilhelm couldn't help but squint his eye and grasp the dagger at his waist.

  Wilhelm lightly pushed on the door as he held his daggers close. Although he had mapped the entire second floor, he never passed the staircase. Everything behind the door could be considered unseen and new territory to explore. As such, Wilhelm strained his eye to see what was inside of the darkroom.

  'Nothing?'

  As he thought to here, a sconce suddenly lit up on the eastern side of the spherical chamber. It didn't stop there, a few more flames were lit, and the entire room began to vibrate with life. It wasn't enormous, but the flickering flames emanated a slightly eerie atmosphere.

  Wilhelms muscles tensed up as he observed the dark figure in the middle of the room. It wasn't nearly as grotesque or excessive in size as the rest of the monsters in the dungeon. No, it was normal… as if it were the silhouette of a human. White hair cascaded down the unknown figure's shoulders and drooped down to the ground.

  "Welcome to my lair, human," a deep voice reverberated throughout the lit halls.

  Wilhelm raised his daggers and waited for the strange being to finish its speech. Of course, dallying wasn't his primary intention, so he scanned for any weaknesses and possible escape routes while the thing continued to talk. If he had learned anything in the dungeon, it was to use the overflowing arrogance of these creatures against them.

  "My name is Althan'aral, the lord of disharmony and displacement, " he paused, "a mere shadow of my former self… Sentenced to serve here for the rest of my miserable life."

  Wilhelm didn't immediately reply as Althan'aral slowly turned his body toward him. He looked similar to humans, disregarding the ash-like skin and violet eyes. Long, pointy ears decorated the side of the elf-like creature's head, alongside intricate tattoos that covered its face and shirtless body. It was clearly not human, but it was the closest thing to a man that Wilhelm had seen in months.

  "You… are you an enemy, or an ally?" Wilhelm inquired with a suspicious voice. He was not one to deny information or help, but he was also not easily fooled. Judging by the man's words, not only was he imprisoned, but he referred to himself as some lord.

  The elf sighed, "If I were still alive, I would have certainly assisted you on the path that you are currently walking on," he replied, "alas, my soul has been chained to dozens of regulations and rules. I cannot control my body, nor my magic."

  Hearing this, Wilhelm took a step back and prepared for battle. There was not a single trace of sympathy inside his green eye.

  "Fret not human; this low-level dungeon would never face you against someone like me," the elf quickly explained, "I am a guide so-to-speak, one that will give you a few trials."

  After his words ended, Wilhelm could feel his mind shake. The walls inside of the chamber disappeared one by one, followed by the delicately placed tile. That was just the beginning. Soon, the entire roof vanished into thin air as well, following the rest of the halls.

  "Enthralling…" Wilhelm muttered.

  It was replaced by a cloudless blue sky, full of vitality and life. A cool breeze swept across the lands and fluttered the blades of grass, carrying a few packs of birds within the wind. Pine blanketed the grounds and wafted up a pleasing aroma, teasing Wilhelm's nose. If you included the sound of chittering squirrels and singing birds, it was possibly one of the most relaxing places he had ever borne witness to.

  "Now human, it is time for you to start my first trial," The elf interrupted Wilhelm's train of thought, "depending on how well you do during my three trials, varying set of rewards will be granted to you."

  Wilhelm glanced at the elf and edged him to continue — he was quite aware of the massive difference in power between them.

  "There are many different grades you can achieve during each trial; some will bestow you much better trophies than others," he paused, "of course, if you happen to achieve the highest grade, S, successfully, then you will be given a gift by me, personally."

  Then, with a clap of the elf's hands, the scenery once again began to change. "I wish you luck, human. The first trial is relatively simple; survive!"

  Wilhelm wasn't even given a chance to question the elf before he disappeared, leaving Wilhelm alone in what appeared to be a forest. Many questions irked the man, but he cooled down his thought as he focused on the task at hand.

  "This damned world is full of pompous idiots…" he whispered, dejectedly, "all of them speak in some sort of code and fluff up their words. None of them explain a single thing correctly; they just make up more and more mysteries," he continued with an exasperated sigh.

  Suddenly, while Wilhelm was busy cursing the damnable elf, a dozen green eyes appeared within the darkness; hungry beasts.

  Wilhelm did not miss such a sight. He positioned his back against a robust tree and raised his daggers. A bitter smile formed on his lips, "Ah, well, here we go again…"

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Wilhelm peered through the nearby trees and shrubs with his keen eyes. Although it was pitch black outside, he was still capable of perceiving the bloodthirsty orbs gazing upon him. He couldn't make out their exact figures, but their size was surely not small. Judging by their eye-level, they were at the same height a large wolf stood at.

  Scanning both left and right, Wilhelm observed the sturdy trees and tall blades of grass with caution. He debated on whether or not escaping to the trees, but he didn't know if the pack of wolves were his only enemy. Not to mention the possibility of them possessing some form of long-range attacks; like magic or another supernatural ability.

  A dozen or so different scenarios played out inside of Wilhelm’s head as time slowly ticked by. The howls were growing increasingly louder and more dangerous the longer he idled by — they were getting closer.

  Wilhelm was irritated by the incredulous amount of sounds in the forest, he had not prepared for a battle of attrition. Killing one or two wolves was not a problem, but fending off hundreds was an entirely different story. His body would begin to tire after a dozen kills and then his wounds would start to pile up after thirty. It was not a good outlook for him.

  "How annoying," Wilhelm grumbled.
/>
  Then, suddenly, right as his voice faded, a large wolf-like creature pounced toward him. A conspicuous horn could be seen on the blue and white patterned wolf. It rested on its forehead as if it were a spear.

  Wilhelm was surprised by the strange horn, but not overwhelmed by it in the slightest. He quickly maneuvered his body toward the ground and struck the wolf in the abdomen with a palm-strike. Its body arched in the air and flew out to where the rest of the pack laid in wait, hitting one of the thick trees and breaking a few bones in the process.

  Afterward, the wolves regained their vigilance and Wilhelm dusted off his hands. Fighting one at a time was an easy task. However, although they were mere animals, they were not dumb. They traveled in a pack for a reason and slowly started to encircle Wilhelm, like trained warriors on the battlefield. The bigger wolves stood in front while the more agile ones crouched behind them, preparing to assault.