Dante led the way, his eyes constantly scanning for threats. They had faced goblins and lesser frogs, but something told him the worst was yet to come. His instincts were soon proven correct.

  Emerging from behind a cluster of overturned desks was a figure that made the entire group freeze in their tracks. Its decayed flesh hung loosely on its frame, and its lifeless, milky eyes stared blankly ahead. A guttural moan escaped its cracked lips as it shuffled forward, dragging one leg behind it.

  Dante activated Eye of Appraisal, the system responding instantly.

  The group encountered their first zombie. The creature's presence sent a shiver down their spines, and they instinctively prepared for a confrontation. Dante, always vigilant, took the lead and activated his skill, Eye of Appraisal, to gather information about this new threat.

  Dante wasted no time. He swiftly formed a Bone Claw and lunged at the zombie, aiming for its stomach with a precise strike. The zombie let out a guttural moan as Dante's bone claw pierced its decaying flesh.

  The creature groaned in response, its arms flailing wildly as it tried to grab Dante.

  Natalie stepped in next, her fencing sword flashing as she aimed for the zombie’s head. With precision born from her training and her Swordmaster’s Memory skill, she thrust her blade into the creature’s eye. The zombie let out a final grotesque moan before collapsing into a heap—and then, to everyone’s astonishment, it vanished into thin air.

  In its place lay a small vial filled with a glowing red liquid.

  Dante bent down to retrieve the vial and activated Eye of Appraisal once more.

  “A health potion,” Dante said, holding it up for the group to see.

  Before he could process the implications, another system message appeared in his mind.

  Dante's level-up brought a sense of accomplishment, but there was little time for celebration. The group gathered around to discuss what to do with the health potion they had found.

  After a brief debate, they decided to give it to the injured student who had been struck in the eye during the earlier encounter with the lesser frogs. The student, in considerable pain, accepted the potion with a trembling hand. He drank it with difficulty, and as the red liquid flowed down his throat, a warm, soothing sensation enveloped him.

  A red glow surrounded the student, and he gasped in surprise as the pain in his injured eye gradually faded away. The healing properties of the potion worked their magic, mending the damage inflicted by the frog's tongue.

  The group observed the partially healed student with a mixture of relief and curiosity. While the potion hadn't completely healed his wound, the fact that he could now walk and fight again was a significant improvement. It gave them hope that there might be other useful items and abilities hidden in this new world.

  “Like in those video games we used to play,” Jack said with a grin. “Sometimes, monsters drop useful stuff. Weapons, armor, potions—”

  “—And sometimes they drop nothing,” Selene interjected, her tone pragmatic.

  Dante nodded thoughtfully. “The drop rates must be low. I’ve killed at least ten monsters so far, but this is the first time I’ve found anything useful.”

  With their observations and theories shared, the group decided to allocate their newly acquired stat points. Dante took the lead once more and made his choices, increasing his Health and Mana. He knew that having a strong body and more Mana energy would be essential for the battles to come.

  Dante turned to the group and raised an important question, "What level is each of us at now?" He was curious to know how they were progressing in this new world and whether their levels could provide them with an advantage against the growing threats.

  Natalie was the first to respond, "I'm at Level 4. My skill, Swordmaster's Memory, has been quite handy in combat."

  Jack chimed in, "I'm also at Level 3. No unique skills for me, though. Just good old-fashioned brawn and the ability to swing a club."

  Sarah, who had recently joined them, hesitated for a moment. "I'm Level 2," she admitted, feeling slightly self-conscious about her lower level compared to the others.

  Selene, who had been diligently casting fireballs, revealed, "I've reached Level 4. The Fireball skill has been a real lifesaver."

  The others were close to leveling up