As the shimmering barrier faded and the challenge began, Ravindra looked ahead—and froze in shock.
The quiet forest began to shake.
Far off in the hills, deep drum beats echoed—slow, heavy, and full of dread. The ground trembled beneath his feet. Birds took off in panic. A cold wind swept through the trees, bringing with it the foul smell of death and old graves.
Then the earth cracked open.
From the torn-up ground, skeletons began to rise. First a few. Then dozens. Then hundreds.
In moments, they were everywhere.
An army of the dead—a thousand strong—had appeared. Their bones clattered as they moved, many wearing broken armor or carrying rusted swords. Some held shields with faded symbols from ancient, forgotten kingdoms. A strange light glowed inside their empty eye sockets, powered by dark magic.
At the front were skeletal soldiers, moving in perfect, eerie unison. Behind them rode skeletal knights on rotting horses, their armor fused to their bones. Torn battle flags waved behind them, showing signs of lost empires.
From the shadows, bone warlocks appeared. They were tall and hooded, holding staffs made of bones. Their eyes burned with cruel magic, and the air around them felt sharp and dangerous.
Then, the ground shook again.
A giant figure stepped forward—the Bone Colossus. Made from the bones of giants and monsters, its body was pieced together by dark spells. It roared, a terrible grinding sound, like a mountain crumbling into dust.
Ravindra felt his chest tighten. This wasn't a test run.
This was a real fight.
His thoughts raced—mana use, potion timing, spell rotation. The Preparation Guild didn't just want him to survive.
They expected him to win.
As Ravindra encountered these he immediately used a system to check details.
1. Skeleton Soldiers – (Basic Infantry)
Level 1
Type: Undead
Threat Level: Low to Moderate (High in numbers)
Combat Role: Swarm Melee
HP: 60
Armor: 10 (Old Chainmail)
Speed: Medium
Damage: 8–12 (rusty sword/spear)
Accuracy: 60%
Special: Cursed Coordination (+10% defense and speed when near Bone Warlocks)
Weaknesses: Fire (1.5×), Holy (2×), Blunt Weapons (20% limb shatter)
2. Skeletal Knights – (Elite Cavalry)
Level 2
Type: Undead
Threat Level: Moderate
Combat Role: Fast Attack / Disruption
HP: 180 (knight), 100 (undead mount)
Armor: 18 (Fused Plate)
Speed: Fast (mounted charge)
Damage: 20–28 (runed longsword or lance)
Charge Attack: 35 damage + knockback (1/round)
Special: Mounted Charge (ignores terrain penalties), Bone Fusion (takes half damage from limb dismemberment)
Weaknesses: Fire, Lightning (mounts become unstable when shocked)
3. Bone Warlocks – (Cursed Casters)
Level 3
Type: Undead (Magic-user )
Threat Level: High
Combat Role: Support / Crowd Control
HP: 140
Armor: 8 (Bone robes, magical shielding)
Speed: Slow
Damage: 25–35 (Necrotic Bolt), Area debuffs
Spells:
Soul Chain: Links 3 undead—damage shared among them.
Dark Fog: Reduces vision and healing in a 20 ft. radius.
Bone Spikes: Erupts bones from the ground (AoE bleed).
Aura: Undead near the Warlock gain +10% attack and defense.
Weaknesses: Interruptible casts, Vulnerable to Silence/Stun, 2× damage from Holy
4. Bone Colossus – (Boss-Class Undead Behemoth)
Level 5
Type: Undead Construct (Boss)
Threat Level: Very High
Combat Role: Siege Engine / Battlefield Control
HP: 3,000
Armor: 22 (Reinforced Bone Plates)
Speed: Slow (but has massive reach)
Damage:
Bone Fist Slam: 60–75 (AoE shockwave)
Grave Howl: Fear debuff in 40 ft. radius
Corpse Launch: Throws dead enemies at targets (high-impact AoE)
Special:
Corpse Reabsorption: Absorbs skeletons to heal 200 HP
Bonequake: Causes terrain disruption (1/3 chance to stagger Ravindra or allies)
Death Grip (Passive): Immune to crowd control effects
Weaknesses:
Vulnerable joints (called shots can disable limbs)
Lightning-based spells deal 1.5× damage to exposed bone cores
Holy Aura weakens regeneration
When Ravindra saw the stats flashing across his interface—a thousand skeleton soldiers,Skeletal Knights,Bone Colossus, Bone Warlockshe didn't curse out loud.
But in his heart, he scolded Martin a million times over.
"Trial difficulty scaling will be smooth," he said.
"It's designed to test your fundamentals," he said.
Liar. Absolute, flaming liar.
Without hesitation, Ravindra turned and bolted back into the forest, weaving between trees like his life depended on it—because now, it absolutely did.
But this wasn't a retreat.
This was strategy.
Let the undead army rush him. Let them swarm. In a tight space, their numbers would work against them. The trees would break their formation. The Bone Colossus would struggle to move. The mounted knights would lose momentum. And more importantly—he'd control the funnel point.
As his boots pounded across the forest floor,Ravindra's eyes scanned for the right spot—narrow, sloped, and flanked by thick roots. There. A perfect choke point. He skidded to a halt, spun on his heel, and stretched his hand out.
"Ignis Volare."
The air shimmered. A searing orb of flame launched from his palm and slammed into the forest path behind him, right where the first wave of skeletons emerged from the trees.
BOOM.
The fireball exploded with a thunderous roar, sending bones flying and igniting dried leaves and underbrush in a burst of flame. Screeches echoed through the woods as several skeletons crumbled, their brittle forms scorched beyond recognition.
A glowing message blinked into view in the corner of his screen
[Fireball Proficiency +3]
Effect activated : Lingering Burn (minor fire damage over 5s)
"Your fireball explodes in a blast of crimson flame, charring the Skeleton soldiers where they stand.
— Enemies Defeated: 3
— EXP Gained: +3
Ravindra stared at the message, a sinking feeling growing in his chest. No items dropped. Just experience and proficiency.
If I keep playing like this... I'll burn through all my mana for nothing, he thought bitterly. No loot, no gear — just numbers."
Ravindra's boots pounded against the cracked earth, breath ragged in his throat, when a flicker of movement caught his eye. He glanced over his shoulder — and froze for a heartbeat.
Only the Skeleton Soldiers and cavalry units were advancing. The rest of the enemy forces — dozens of them — stood perfectly still, like petrified statues under a dark spell. No noise. No breath. Just the soft hiss of wind rustling through their armor.
It didn't make sense. Why just those two groups? Why weren't the Bone Warlocks and Bone Colossus moving ?
His heart pounded harder. This isn't a random charge. This is controlled.
His gaze swept the treeline ahead — and then he saw it.
An old tree, brittle with age and disease, leaning precariously over the trail. The bark was blackened and split in places, hollow in the middle. Its thick, gnarled branches loomed like skeletal arms, waiting to fall.
It was perfect.
No time to think. No time to hesitate.
He skidded to a halt, turned, and thrust his hand toward the tree.
"Lightning Strike!"
The spell surged from his core like a pulled muscle. A brilliant arc of white-blue lightning shot from his palm, cracking through the air and striking the base of the tree.
BOOM.
A deafening snap rang out as the bolt blasted through the wood. The trunk buckled, then split. For a moment, the old giant swayed — then gravity took hold. The tree fell.
When the tree fell 10 unlucky skeleton soldiers died .
Then Ravindra got system message
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
You killed 10 skeleton soldiers
Exp gained +10
[ Lighting strike Proficiency +3]
With the tree falling the skeleton army slows down .
When Ravindra saw time how much time he must survive the time countdown showed
5 : 50 :14
When he saw only 10 minutes passed by escaping this army and destroying a few skeleton soldiers he was crying without tears .
Ravindra after a minute he settled down his emotions he saw skeleton soldiers struggling to climb trees. He used a fireball spell to take away 3 soldiers who were climbing trees.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
You killed 3 skeleton soldiers
Exp gained +3
[fireball Proficiency +3]
When Ravindra looked around, a wave of relief washed over him. The dense forest where he had taken refuge was more than just a hiding place—it was a natural fortress. Towering ancient trees, their thick trunks gnarled and wide, formed an almost impenetrable barrier between him and his enemies. The skeleton soldiers and armored knights were forced to navigate the uneven terrain, struggling to climb the rough bark and thick roots that twisted up the trunks.
The undead skeletons, brittle and fragile, lacked the agility needed to scale the trees easily. Their bony fingers slipped repeatedly, and many collapsed back to the ground in their futile attempts. The knights, clad in heavy armor, found themselves hemmed in, unable to maneuver through the narrow spaces between the towering trunks. Their heavy boots thudded on the forest floor, but the trees blocked direct paths, forcing them into slow, awkward detours.
Ravindra's heart lifted at this sight. The forest was more than just scenery—it was a strategic advantage. The old trees acted like natural barricades, bottlenecking the enemy's advance and buying him precious time to prepare his next move. Here, the skeleton soldiers and knights could not surround him, nor rush his position easily. Their struggles were visible proof that the environment itself was fighting alongside him.
With this advantage, Ravindra felt renewed confidence. The forest shielded him, slowed his foes, and gave him the upper hand. It was a good spot indeed—a rare moment of hope amid the chaos of battle.
Two hours passed under the shadow of the ancient trees. Despite the relentless skirmishes, Ravindra's body refused to yield to exhaustion. His heart pounded with excitement rather than fatigue, fueled by the adrenaline of survival and the growing power coursing through him. Each encounter sharpened his focus, every spell cast brought him closer to mastery.
With every fireball that scorched the skeleton soldiers and every crackling lightning strike that shattered their brittle bones, Ravindra felt himself growing stronger. His senses heightened, his reflexes quicker, and his command over magic more precise.
Finally, a shimmering light surrounded him—a sign he had been waiting for. His experience had accumulated enough to push him beyond his limits.
Level Up!
Ravindra reached Level 2.
Not only did his overall strength increase, but his proficiency with Fireball and Lightning Strike also advanced to Level 2. His fireballs burned hotter, exploding with greater force, while his lightning strikes now crackled with amplified intensity, able to paralyze even the toughest armored knights.
Then he opened his system interference
CHARACTER PANEL
Name: Ravindra
Origin: Dark Moon Kingdom – Gale Town
Level: 2 exp (10/2000)
Class : magician
Sub class : not taken
Attributes Available: 5
Titles: None
When he saw he had 5 attributes he placed in int without hesitation .each level gives 5 attributes
Now his new stats are
Vitality: 4 ( 1 vitality = 25 hp)
Agility: 11
Intellect: 3 +5 =8 (1 intellect = 10 mana )
Strength: 4
Skills
Fireball Lvl 2 Proficiency (70/300)
Type: Active Skill / Offensive Spell
Element: Fire
Mana Cost: 5 MP
Cooldown: 4 seconds to 3 seconds
Cast Time: 2 seconds
Range: 20 meters
Area of Effect: 5-meter radius explosion
Damage: 100 fire damage (scales with Magic Power) Note : increase 60 to 100 damage
Additional Effects:
7 % chance to inflict Burn status causing 10 damage per second for 5 seconds
Minor knockback to enemies hit
Description:
Conjure a blazing sphere of fire and hurl it at your enemies. Upon impact, it explodes in a fiery blast, dealing area damage and potentially burning foes caught in the flames.
Lightning Strike Lvl 2 Proficiency (40/300)
Type: Active Skill / Offensive Spell
Element: Lightning
Mana Cost: 7 MP
Cooldown: 3 seconds to 2 seconds
Cast Time: 1.5 seconds
Range: 25 meters (single target)
Damage: 140 lightning damage (scales with Magic Power) to 200 lightning damage (scales with Magic Power)
Additional Effects:
12 % chance to Stun the target for 2 seconds
Bypasses 7 % of the enemy's magic resistance
Description:
Summon a concentrated bolt of lightning and strike a single enemy. The spell delivers high damage and has a chance to stun the target briefly, disrupting their actions.
When Ravindra saw his skills he was happy cooldown time was reduced and damage was increased .
When Ravindra planned to attack the soldiers again . Then Ravindra was stunned; he did not expect it to happen now .