But just as he was thinking that, a series of deafening roars suddenly echoed across the entire area, shaking the carriage violently. The previously stiff and unresponsive people inside finally stirred, the chaos outside seeming to breathe life into their motionless bodies.
Another roar came, louder than before, and much closer. The carriage shook again—this time even more violently—just before something slammed into it.
BOOM!
A sharp, cracking sound tore through the air as the wooden frame split apart. The floor jerked under him, and everything flipped. Bodies slammed into each other, screams filled the air, and the shattered carriage was sent flying by the force of the impact.
THUD.
The wrecked carriage crashed back to the ground, breaking apart even further. Some of the passengers were thrown out entirely. For a moment, everything went still. Zach was stunned by how fast everything had happened—until pain exploded in his head like a hammer. He must've hit it hard during the impact.
His vision spun. He couldn't tell if the carriage had stopped moving or if his brain just stopped working.
Then—darkness.
He blacked out.
It only lasted seconds—maybe minutes. He wasn't sure. But when his eyes snapped open, he could still hear the sounds of battle not far from him. The clash between the Dark Order guards and the beast horde was still ongoing nearby, meaning not much time had passed.
Zach groaned, pain surging through his whole body. His head throbbed, something wet was dripping down the side of his face—most likely blood—and the pounding in his skull was unbearable. Every pulse felt like a drum banging behind his eyes. He could taste blood in his mouth. The air was thick with dust, smoke, and the scent of shattered wood.
Still groaning, he tried to push himself up, but something heavy was pinning one of his legs. Looking down, he saw the stiff body of one of the captives who had been with him in the carriage. Whether the person was dead or alive, he didn't know—and didn't care right now. He needed to move. Using his free leg, he kicked until the body rolled off him. Once the weight was gone, he pushed himself up and stood on shaky feet.
Then a loud explosion rang out. He turned toward the sound—it came from the ongoing battle between the guards and the beast horde. From where he stood, the area dipped slightly—not quite a slope, but just enough that he couldn't see the road clearly from here.
'This is good,' Zach thought. With the guards busy and the trees all around, he might be able to slip away unnoticed. He didn't know how long the battle would last, so the sooner he left, the better.
He turned to leave, already thinking of which direction to go, when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention—among the wreckage of the shattered carriage.
It was a beast.
A wolf-like creature lay there, its black fur soaked in blood. The side of its head was torn open, the injury deep and gruesome. Flesh and bone were exposed, but somehow it was still alive. Its mouth opened and closed weakly, letting out faint, pained whimpers.
Zach hesitated. He wanted to focus on escaping, but a greedy thought pushed its way into his mind.
Wait... he froze, eyes narrowing on the dying beast.
'I'm in Lucien's body… an NPC… but I also have a system—menus, stats… Features only players had.'
He frowned.
'Would I get EXP like a player? Could I level up?'
His gaze shifted to the gaping wound on the beast.
There was only one way to find out.
His eyes darted to the jagged plank of wood sticking out of the rubble near his hand—a shard from the carriage wall, just long enough to grip.
He hesitated.
His mind screamed at him to leave it and run, but his greed and curiosity said otherwise. He knew killing this beast would be useful. Given how weak this body was, if he could kill it—especially a beast with such a strong aura—even if it didn't level him up, the EXP would push him closer. That alone would increase his chances of survival. Right now, with a body this fragile, he didn't stand a chance out here. Leveling up could make all the difference.
And besides, the beast was already half-dead. A few hits would be enough to finish the job.
Without further hesitation, he grabbed the plank.
His hands trembled as he lifted it. He could barely hold the thing.
"Damn weak body," he cursed under his breath, struggling to raise the wood. Every muscle screamed, but he dragged the shard across the beast's flank and aimed it at the torn part of its skull. That was the only way he had any chance of killing it in his current state.
Without pause, he raised the plank and struck down with all the strength he had.
The beast jolted weakly, a low whimper leaving its mouth, but it couldn't move. Blood gushed from its broken head.
Zach didn't stop. His heart didn't falter. He struck again. And again. Blood splattered across the rubble.
Each blow drained him.
He had to pause after a few hits just to breathe and wipe blood from his eyes. But he didn't stop.
Finally, with one last twitch, the beast went completely still.
A soft chime echoed in his ears.
> [Ding!]
[You have killed a Level 10 Beast]
[You have gained EXP points!]
[Hidden Quest Completed ×2]
[Bonus EXP awarded]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level — 3]
[Bloodline Awakening Triggered...]
Zach's face lit up at the notifications. But that excitement vanished the moment he read the last part—Bloodline Awakening Triggered…
"No. No, not now."
If he remembered correctly from the webnovel Ashes of Valeria, the bloodline awakening was an extremely painful process. According to the author, people usually die from it if they weren't in the right condition. That's why most only attempted it when they were safe, healthy, and prepared.
And right now, Zach had none of that.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he muttered as he started feeling the pain. A slow, creeping heat began to rise inside him—like someone was boiling his blood.
The pain started low, like a fever, but quickly climbed higher. He could feel his blood growing hotter with every second.
But he had no time. He had to escape before the painful process reached its peak. Once it fully kicked in, there'd be no moving. Luckily for him, with the double level-up, his stats had increased. His endurance and speed were now slightly better, and that was his only advantage.
He ran.
He dashed forward, trying to put as much distance as he could between himself and the battle. He didn't know how long the awakening would take, but every second mattered.
The pain worsened. Now it felt like molten lava was flowing through his veins, burning under his skin. His entire body ached, the veins on his arms and legs bulging painfully.
But the worst pain came from his chest.
His heart felt like it had turned into a volcano, pumping magma through his body. Every beat sent fresh waves of pain radiating through his chest.
His legs began to wobble. His speed dropped.
From behind him, the sounds of the battle still echoed. He hadn't escaped far enough.
"Shit," he whispered, gritting his teeth.
He pushed on, staggering, one hand pressed tightly to his chest, the other reaching out to trees for support. The pain made his vision blur. His mind was slipping into confusion. Every step sent shocks of agony through him.
'No. I can't stop. Not yet. Just hold on... Just a little further...'
He forced himself to keep moving, deeper into the forest. His heart pounded. His breath came in short, ragged gasps. The pain clawed at him like fire under his skin. He leaned against a tree, barely staying upright.
His legs gave out.
But he didn't stop. He crawled forward, dragging himself across the forest floor. He couldn't afford to collapse in the open. He was still too exposed. The guards or beasts could find him if he stayed here.
Then he saw it.
A small space beneath a fallen tree, partly hidden behind a curtain of ferns. The thick roots formed a tight, concealed space.
Perfect.
With the last of his strength, he dragged himself into it and curled up inside, barely able to breathe.
Then the real pain started.
His whole body seized.
His fingers clawed into the dirt, his back arched, his body trembling uncontrollably.
His consciousness began to slip. It felt like his mind was drifting away. But he knew—he couldn't let go.
In Ashes of Valeria, the author had made it clear: losing consciousness during bloodline awakening meant death. No one woke up after that. Only those who endured the full pain would survive and awaken their bloodline fully.
He had to stay awake. No matter what.
Luckily, while this body had a below average stats, it had one strong trait—strong willpower. That was the only thing that could save him now.