Chapter 20: The Only Way
I wrack my brain. Suddenly, an idea comes to me. There is a way to find Yin, even if the rain washes away her footprints! Running full throttle through the path, I temporarily give up on following Yin's path and start searching for undead. See the thing is, once you hit Lvl. 5, you get a massive stat increase to all your base attributes and can choose where to allocate points afterwards. However, there's something else. You'll unlock the ability to learn System Skills. In my past life people were throwing anything from fireballs to straight up blasting enemies with lightning. However, those overpowered skills were something you had to gain through hard battles with zombie bosses. At Lvl. 5, I won't have access to anything like that. But there's one thing I will be able to gain. If you're sufficiently proficient at a real-life skill, there are many passive System Skills which can activate to boost your natural abilities to superhuman levels. In this case, I should be able to immediately gain the Advanced Tracking System Skill Passive. Rain or not, I should be able to easily track someone like Yin who has no idea how to hide her trail then.
"Wait…" As I'm running, looking for things to kill, a thought occurs to me. It didn't rain last time. I'm out a little bit earlier, maybe I just slept through it? But I don't remember it being wet when we went out. Is it possible that somehow this world is different than the last? This doesn't make sense. "Ugh, I don't have time to worry about this. Yin comes first!"
Suddenly I remember a way to instantly hit Lvl 5.
What if I challenge the Corrupted Bear? But I'm early, what if it isn't back at its cave yet. Though with this rain, I bet it is. Even still, it's tough, and then there's that wolfpack which might ambush me again. No…it's too dangerous. There's a lot of them, and even if I win, I'll be practically Lvl. 14. That's way too high! Ugh, I guess I have no choice!
Springing to the riverside, I grab the first decent stone I can find and send it spinning down the river with a throw that would make Hercules proud.
One.
Two.
...
Thirty.
Forty skips later, the stone drops a good way down the surging river.
*Plunk! *
When it drops in the dark waters, the raindrops tumbling all around make the splash seem like just one of many.
"Please…please let there be someone in there!" I wish for another Drowned Soul with a fervency that no one in history has probably shared. For a minute, the rain pours down on my head and I stand there dumbly, slowly losing hope. Cold drops splatter into my eyes and make my eyelids heavy. When I wipe them with the back of my hand, that's when they appear. I don't know if it's the sound a skipping stone makes, some special frequency, or just my luck, but even in the pouring rain they have noticed my throw. A dozen Drowned Souls rise out of the river like mishappen fish with legs. Their mouths gape with bloated purple lips, sucking greedily at the rain even as bits of their rotting flesh flutter in the rapid river. They stare at me with a horrid greed. These frog-like undead are hungry. I stare back with an equal hunger, impatient for them to land. "COME!"
"GIVE US WAAARRRRMMTTTH!" They scream as they leap straight out of the water. Black ribbons of brackish gunk fall from their bodies and I dodge out of the way as my cleaver comes out. Though they are Lvl. 6 or 7, I don't care. All of them must die here for Yin's sake. The first one lands on the shore-
"Die!" My cleaver flashes forward. I meet the undead even before it can regain its balance on the sand. There is a very good reason I was called the Black Butcher. Unlike the other four Death Gods of the strongest party, I often hunted alone. And my specialty was mass slaughter. I ground out every bit of my experience from the blood of a hundred-thousand monsters. Now, though there is no one to see, I intend to take that title back, if only for a day!
*Shing! *
My blood boils as a second Drowned Soul loses its head. The disgusting frog-like body slips back into the water and washes away as my level increases to three.
Just two more to go!
I whirl.
Slash behind me.
My cleaver sings
"Warm-"
Another head falls.
It is an endless dance, a gruesome battle beneath the cloudy sky and rainy river. At some point, I hit Lvl 4. But there is no time to celebrate. I've done my best to keep them from getting on the beach, but still six of them have survived the ascent and now lumber towards me. Eyeing their feet which leave no footprints, I back away and try to think of how to deal with so many. My muscles are sore, leveling gives you more stamina, but the true benefits won't be seen instantly. Without a period of rest, I'm growing weaker in the cold rain. Even still, I find myself licking my lips in anticipation of the fight.
"That's it! This feeling, it's been a long time! Come on! COME ON!" A familiar bloodthirst, one which frightened both friend and foe in the past takes over my body. I've been holding back for the sake of the world. Always thinking of Yin, and making sure I don't level too hard. But now I can finally let loose!
*Crack!*
I smash my cleaver down on the next one's head. The shock of hitting hard skull ripples through my white-knuckled grip but it feels good, solid, REAL!
*Splash*
My roundhouse kick catches another in the side of the head, and I spin, using my momentum to force its face into the river water. As it splutters, shouting and kicking its unnaturally long white legs, I stomp down on its neck.
*Snap*
Two down.
The third is already behind me. I spring forwards to avoid its hands and feel the wind of its claws passing over my neck. Swinging around, I don't have time to deal with this one as a fourth approaches from the right.
"Nice." I compliment them for surrounding me successfully. However, I'm not a Lvl. 1 Hunter anymore. All of my stats have been boosted massively by hitting Lvl 4. Crouching down, I unleash a roar as lightning surges in the dark skies and leap up.
*Kaboom*
I can just briefly see my shadow slipping over the disturbing white Drowned Souls as they turn their heads and see me fly several body-lengths into the air. Sticking out my hand in midair, I give them the finger, enjoying taunting the undead. When I land outside their encirclement, instantly I slash backwards.
*Gurgle*
"War-!" The Drowned Soul's last breath sounds surprised before I cut off its head. Thunder rumbles overhead as if to punctuate my landing and I let the deep vibrations roll through me. Clenching my fist, I grin at the last three Drowned Souls.
"You sure you still want to fight?" I call out though I know they will not understand. My confidence is not unfounded. In the corner of my vision, a special message from the system flashes gently.
Congratulations, you are now Lvl. 5.
All Stats Up!
Prior to Lvl.30, receive one stat point per level to be allocated as you wish!
Passive skill-Basic Tracking Unlocked
Passive skill-Basic Combat Unlocked
…
…
…
Passive skill-Basic Prescience Unlocked
Accept?
I frown because I was expecting to unlock Advanced Tracking but instead, I got Basic Tracking. However, it doesn't matter. For this fight I'm more interested in another message.
All Stats Up!
I mentally accept the level up. This is where being a Hunter truly begins. Last time, things happened too fast and by the time I gained my skills it was too late. This time it's different. Clenching my fist, I step into the three remaining Drowned Souls. I no longer need a strategy to deal with them. As they attack, I see the muscles rippling beneath their bloated skin, watching the little bumps of flesh stretch and contract. It's like I can predict where they're going to swing before it happens. With such a head start, as well as my already strong knowledge of their combat patterns, it's a simply thing to sway back under all three of their attacks.
*Swish*
*Swish*
*Swish*
After they pass overhead, I straighten and retaliate. The system has unlocked Basic Combat. My cleaver is now more than just a short butcher's knife. It sweeps around like the Reaper's scythe and takes the throats of each and every Drowned Soul in one blow. I can't get their heads off, even with Basic Combat unlocked, that's impossible with such a short blade. But I can bite into their spinal cords and sever them.
*Shing*
*Thump*
*Thump*
*Thump*
One slash. Three bodies fall, one after another. The black blood remaining in their rotten corpses spills out into the sand as rain trickles down and falls off my face like regretful tears. However, only a cold smile awaits on my face.
"God…it feels good to blow off some steam!" I cackle into the storm. Suddenly I hear something behind me from the forest. A branch breaks. Instantly, my Basic Prescience kicks in and time seems to slow slightly as I whip my head around. My gaze catches a flash of black in the trees. Rapid footsteps run away before I can react. Wait that's…
"YIN!" I cry out and give chase. She must have heard the battle and came to see the battle. "Wait! It's dangerous! Stop!" However, the damn girl isn't listening. Perhaps she witnessed my laughter and thought I'd gone insane. Maybe she thinks I'm a deranged killer who wantonly commits slaughter. To be honest, if she knew exactly what it took to earn the title of Death God and Black Butcher, she might be right. But I've never had anything but good intentions for her. Even now, as she runs from me and I hurtle through branches and bramble, I still remember what it felt like hold her in my arms. To wake up next to her smiling face. If I can just catch up and explain…
*Puchi*
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone