1 Chapter 1 : I can't level up

"This magic crystal cost 20 bucks"

"Thank you, come again"

It's been 15 years when gates and monster emerged from all over the world. But just like the appearance of gates and monsters, humans who could fight them also emerged.

*

I'm Leo 20 years old and currently working as a monster hunter for the past 3 years, I started working as soon as I graduated high school, I'm helping my brother finish his studies and I'm also paying my mother's hospital bills.

*

As soon as Leo arrived at the designated place, murmurs filled my ears, saying how I can't level up and how I always ends up getting hospitalized everytime I participate a dungeon raid.I just shrugged it off, my 3 years experience as a hunter were not for naught, I'm used to people talking like that behind my back.

Leo was greeted by Annie, she's Leo's last party member. "Leo, you're here!" She's not beautiful but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm. "Yeah, so where is Neil?" Leo asked, Annie looked back and call Neil who's talking to another hunter. Neil saw Leo and headed towards to them. Neil tapped Leo's shoulder, "Leo, how're you? Are your injuries fully healed?" Neil asked. "Yeah, I rested well" answered Leo.

They finished their preparations and went inside the gate.

*

Neil leads them and started walking looking for monsters. But not too long of walk they encountered a bunch of undead knights.

"Hoho!? We're fighting zombies huh?" Neil leading the party unsheathed his sword. "I'll take care of this!, you guys just watch here!" Neil ran towards the undead knights, He activated his skill Rage, all nearby monsters will be taunted by this skill. The undead knights were encircling him, "Not yet done!" after casting 'Rage', Neil used his other skill Hell's Fire a skill creating a ring of fire, burning everything within its grasp. The undead knights started to get toasted one by one till there's nothing left out of them but ashes. Neil is a well-mannered man in his mid 40's

Neil wipe off his sweat on his forehead, "Hooo! That was a good warm up" Neil said. Leo watching from behind carrying all their luggage sighed, "He really likes to show off" Annie then chuckled upon hearing what Leo said, "Hahaha! It's not bad though, Neil's been always like that" Annie said.

Neil still boasting about how he took care of the undead knights didn't noticed that there's still one more left hiding on a rock waiting for the right moment to attack. The undead stopped hiding and rashed with its sword.

Leo caught a glimpse of the running undead, "Neil,behind you!" Leo shouted, "Ahh!" but it's too late for Neil to react and the undead will reach his back. *slash* But before the undead' sword could reach Neil, the undead splits into two.

"What happened?" Annie asked, confused as to what occurs. "I don't know" Leo who as well didn't exactly saw what happened, said.

"Ha..Hahahaha!!" Neil suddenly burst into laughter. "Hey, hey, Oriam don't go stealing someone's prey" Neil said, everyone then looked at Oriam. "What can I do ? You can't dodge that old geezer" Oriam swung his sword to get rid of the blood. "Hey, I'm not that old you know!" Neil said.

Annie leaned closer to Oriam, "How did you do that, Oriam?" Annie was eager to know, Oriam put distance between him and Annie, Oriam couldn't handle woman, he easily get flustered everytime a woman talks to him. "Uh... yeah, that's my new skill (Phantom Slash). I can leap for about 5 meters and release an attack" Oriam's face was reddened.

They continued walking and came across the Boss's room.