Aamon narrowed his eyes. His hand rose and touched the skill panel to read the description in more detail.
[Upgrade Skill Effect 10x: Increases the effects and power of a skill by 10x. Skill Effect 10x can be used once per day. The usage limit will increase as your level rises. Skill activation requires chanting the word "10x" before the skill is used.]
Oh, so that's how it works.
With such a detailed explanation, Aamon could understand more about the 10x skill effect he had obtained.
He had already guessed that the skill was meant to increase the effects and power of the abilities he used.
He looked down at the blade of his Bone Sword. The blade looked like an ordinary sword, but it was white and made from bone.
The Bone Sword could be categorized as one of the lowest-tier weapons in Trial Planet.
Even so, it was far better than the iron rod from earlier, since a sword provided higher Attack Power stats than a simple iron stick.
Aamon stepped forward, passing the spilled ammonia on the floor. His steps stopped in front of the metal cabinet.
He knocked three times and opened the cabinet door. Silvie was still inside, sitting curled up while hugging her knees.
The girl turned her head, her eyes swollen—clear evidence she had spent the entire time crying.
It was natural for her to cry and be terrified like that. The world had fallen into chaos. A war against monsters had begun, and every human life was at risk.
"A… Aamon?"
Silvie's attention shifted to the white-bladed sword in Aamon's hand. She wiped away her tears and asked about it.
"Where did you get that sword?"
"When we kill monsters, we get loot or some kind of reward," Aamon replied. "This sword is the reward I got for killing that monster."
"You succeeded? What was the monster like? Was it disgusting? Was it dangerous? Are you hurt?" Silvie asked in panic while touching parts of Aamon's body as if checking for injuries.
Aamon moved his arm and brushed her hand away. He explained that he was completely fine.
"Thank goodness."
"What are we going to do now?" Silvie asked.
The young man stepped forward and pulled aside the curtain covering the small window inside the science lab.
The window opened, and both Aamon and Silvie stared outside toward the large sports field.
Chaos had broken out everywhere.
It wasn't just mosquito monsters attacking. Fly monsters, caterpillars, snakes, and even centipedes were rampaging as well.
Level 1 monsters.
It seemed that most of the monsters invading Earth during the first phase of Trial Planet were level 1 creatures.
Aamon focused on observing the monsters' movements, while Silvie stood frozen in shock as she watched countless humans injured, dying, or already dead in horrifying conditions.
The ground of the sports field had turned red. Pools of blood were everywhere, and monsters were devouring human flesh.
"I can't look at this!"
Aamon pulled the curtain closed, blocking the horrifying sight of the monster invasion.
He was slightly shocked seeing Silvie like this—fearful, anxious, and trembling.
Yet 15 years from now, she would become the noble leader of the Sky Light Sword Faction.
Clearly, Aamon did not want to get involved with Silvie any further.
He did not want to suffer heartbreak.
He did not want to be betrayed.
Aamon could not trust women.
"We'll die like them if we stay here," Aamon said.
"Then what should we do?"
Aamon peeked through the curtain again, narrowing his eyes slightly. Many vehicles were parked in front of the school.
"We're going to the city's military center," Aamon said.
"Right! The police and soldiers can protect us."
The young man nodded, closed the curtain, and signaled Silvie to move.
Aamon walked while holding his sword, while Silvie relied only on an iron rod.
He opened the door and glanced to the side. Seven mosquito and fly monsters were flying in the same corridor.
Silvie panicked immediately, her face turning pale.
"M-Monsters?!"
"Block the rooftop stairway door. I'll fight them!"
"You? Fight all of them at once?!"
Aamon gripped his sword with both hands. Purple light appeared around his body like an aura. The blade of his sword also changed from white to purple.
Silvie stood frozen in shock as she stared at Aamon's back.
She never knew that Aamon understood sword techniques. His behavior today felt very strange to her.
[Sword Skill: First Thrust 10x]
[Skill Effect 10x Activated]
After chanting the skill and the word "10x," Aamon pointed his sword forward in a thrusting motion.
As Aamon remembered, First Thrust was a skill that attacked a target with a single stab.
But thanks to the 10x ability, its effects and power had increased tremendously.
Inside the corridor, thousands of purple sword shadows shot forward. The power was so immense it triggered an explosion and destroyed the corridor walls.
The purple blade beams could even be seen from outside the school building like flashes of lightning.
The seven monsters died instantly. Their bodies were destroyed, leaving behind disgusting green fluids.
Drop items appeared and all flew toward Aamon as the one who landed the last hit.
[Congratulations! You obtained drop items:]
[+175 EXP || +70 Contribution Points || +70 Coins || 7x Monster Core || 2x Mosquito Wings]
There were no weapons or valuable items. Aamon did not mind. Level 1 monsters rarely dropped anything valuable.
Behind Aamon, Silvie could only stare in disbelief.
The corridor floor was destroyed. Purple flames she had never seen before were burning the monster corpses.
The wall at the end of the corridor had collapsed, leaving behind a large circular hole.
It was a terrifying power.
Silvie had never known Aamon was capable of something like that.
COUGH!
Great power came with great risk.
Aamon coughed and vomited blood. His head spun and his body grew weak.
What… is happening?
Aamon fell backward. Silvie panicked and quickly tried to catch him. She checked his condition—his pulse was normal, but blood was clearly visible on his lips.
Not long after, Aamon lost consciousness completely.
Silvie became even more worried. She tried to carry Aamon back to the small room in the science laboratory.
But her steps stopped when soldiers carrying rifles arrived at the location.
"There are survivors here. We'll take them," one of the soldiers said.
Silvie turned around, stood up, and waved her hands, asking the soldiers for help.
A total of five soldiers arrived on the third floor and found Silvie and Aamon.
Seeing their condition, the soldiers' attention immediately focused on Aamon.
"So that purple laser came from him?" one man asked while pointing at Aamon.
Silvie nodded. "Yes. He killed seven monsters in the corridor."
"That's terrifying. A high school kid killing monsters with a broken sword like that. He's terrifying," another man said.
"Take them with us. Report this to the commander."
"Yes, Captain."
***
The next day.
Aamon opened his eyes and saw himself lying on a bed. The ceiling above him was the cloth of a tent.
His body felt stronger now. The dizziness in his head had disappeared.
He looked around and saw many medical soldiers busy treating wounded people inside the emergency medical tents.
I didn't realize… there would be this many casualties.
Aamon noticed the IV needle still inserted into his left hand. With one strong pull, he removed it.
A female medical soldier noticed what he did and hurried over.
"Wait! You're still injured."
"I'm fine," Aamon said. "I don't need this. Use it for someone else."
Aamon stepped out of the tent curtain. His eyes widened in shock as he looked around.
The entire large field had been filled with medical tents. Each large tent held about twenty patients.
Only those with light and moderate injuries were treated here. The rest had been sent to hospitals.
This… is calamity.
His body had recovered strength, but he had not expected the effect of Skill 10x would push his body beyond its limits.
Aamon suspected it was because his CON attribute was still too low.
He walked away from the field and headed toward the front lines.
Many soldiers were firing their weapons at swarms of monsters.
But something was different.
The number of monsters kept increasing. They flew rapidly through the sky, making them difficult for ordinary soldiers to deal with.
"Even if some bullets can kill some of them, the growing number of monsters will make it harder for the soldiers to fight," Aamon muttered.
He reached toward his waist, realizing his sword was gone.
He turned and approached a soldier, asking about it.
"Move aside, you stupid kid!"
Aamon felt annoyed, but he remained realistic.
He returned to the field and entered his medical tent again.
There, he asked the medical soldier about his sword.
"Oh, you're the one who came in with that sword?"
"Yes."
The medical soldier put away her tools and stepped outside, telling Aamon to follow her.
They entered the military emergency headquarters building, climbed to the third floor, and knocked on a door.
The door opened.
A man sat behind a desk, speaking to eleven people wearing civilian clothes.
"He's the last one."
"Good. You may leave," said the middle-aged commander.
"Understood, Captain."
The medical soldier left, leaving Aamon with the eleven others—seven high school students and four adults.
They all held weapons: swords, spears, bows, magic staffs, and maces.
"You're the last one to arrive. I assume you just woke up. This must be your sword, right?" the man said, handing Aamon a new sword.
It wasn't his Bone Sword.
Aamon tapped the blade twice, causing a status panel to appear.
The others looked surprised. None of them had known that an item's status could be checked like that.
[Weapon Status]
[Basic Combat Sword]
[Type: Weapon – Sword]
[Grade: Low || Lv. Requirement: 1]
[Durability: 40/40]
[Stats:]
[Attack Power: +8 || Strength: +5]
Aamon never had the chance to check the Bone Sword's stats before. But since both were low-grade weapons, the difference was not significant.
"Impressive, Aamon."
The others began checking their own weapons as well.
All of them were low-grade weapons without dominant stats.
"Since you've all gathered, I'll explain the combat procedures," the commander said while leaning against his desk.
"According to my soldiers, it takes at least three to five bullets to penetrate their skin. The higher the caliber, the fewer bullets are needed."
"But bullets are expensive and valuable. That's where you come in—with your skills and magic."
Aamon narrowed his eyes and glanced sideways. The eleven people beside him were listening obediently.
For Aamon, however, the man's true intention was obvious.
He planned to send the twelve of them as sacrifices to the front lines.
Besides me, I'm sure none of them know how to properly use their weapons.
"My adjutant will give you uniforms. Your job is to clear monsters at the front lines," the commander said firmly.
"You will receive money, food, clothing, and shelter. Those things are extremely valuable in a chaotic world like this."
"Is that clear?"
They answered together.
The commander called his adjutant and ordered him to prepare twelve elite soldiers.
Aamon received a black uniform, different from the regular soldiers.
Soon, all twelve members of the elite unit had changed clothes and were ready to be deployed.
The commander's adjutant explained the plan.
"The team will be divided into three small squads, each with four members."
Aamon joined squad three, assigned to attack from the north with two men and one woman.
Aamon was appointed as squad leader, responsible for the mission's success.
"You will be deployed at twelve noon. You have three hours to prepare. Use that time wisely."
"Understood."
Each squad member left the military building, including Aamon.
A woman suddenly stepped in front of him.
"Wait, Aamon. We need to talk about strategy," she said.
Aamon stopped walking and turned around. The two other men behind her nodded in agreement.
"I don't plan on becoming their pawn."
"What?" the woman asked in confusion.
"Don't you realize?" Aamon said. "He's sending you, us, and me to the front lines when there are plenty of adults who could do it."
"What are they thinking?"
The girl and the two young men fell silent. When they thought about it, Aamon was right.
They hadn't considered it before because they were too excited about fighting like knights in a game.
"This isn't a game. There's no respawn here."