Brak!Alex’s body slammed hard onto the campus hallway floor, causing the books in his hands to scatter in every direction.“Oh, look who just bumped into me.”The deep voice instantly made Alex’s face turn deathly pale. He knew exactly who it belonged to—Ryan Carter, the man who had turned his life into hell ever since high school.Alex hurriedly got up while keeping his head lowered, avoiding eye contact. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.”However, his apology only triggered mocking laughter that echoed around them.“How pathetic.”“He doesn’t even dare to look.”“Coward.”Alex clenched his fists tightly at his sides. His chest was boiling, but he held himself back because he just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.But suddenly—Buk!A hard kick landed squarely on his stomach.“Ugh—!”Alex’s breath was instantly knocked out of him, and his body collapsed back onto the floor. Laughter immediately erupted and reverberated throughout the campus hallway.Ryan looked down at

Alex still stood frozen on the spot. His gaze was locked intently onto the small glass bottle now in the grip of his hand. The clear, bluish liquid inside it seemed to shimmer, reflecting the dim light that pierced the silence of the forest fog.[Healing Potion (No Side Effects).]The mechanical text still hovered faintly, floating right in front of him. Alex’s fingers trembled slightly."No side effects...?" he muttered softly.It sounded too good to be true. His pessimistic thoughts began to spark. What if it was actually poison? What if this strange system was just playing with his sanity before killing him slowly?However, when Alex tried to shift his seating position, an excruciatingly sharp pain instantly radiated from all the joints in his body. His hands were covered in gaping, torn wounds, his bones felt crushed, and his breath was still coming in heavy gasps from the remnants of the deadly fight against the monster earlier.His gaze slowly shifted toward the carcass of the g

Alex stood frozen. His body trembled out of control, but he forced his legs to keep supporting his weight. Cold sweat flowed from his temples, passing his tightly clenched jaw."Damn it, move," Alex cursed inwardly, trying to dispel the panic paralyzing his nerves.At the edge of the cave's darkness, the pair of red eyes moved. It wasn't one, but rather two pairs.Ding![Adult Shadow Dragon][Rank: Elite][Status: Extremely Critically Injured]"A dragon..." The whisper escaped through the gaps of Alex's lips.In his original world, this creature was merely a fairy tale. But now, that massive form was reality right in front of him.Slowly, the creature dragged its body out from the shadows. Its size was far larger than the black wolf that had almost claimed Alex's life the other day. The pitch-black scales coating its body appeared tattered. One of its wings was severely torn, drooping helplessly. Thick black blood kept dripping, wetting the cave floor.Amidst the gripping horror, ther

Alex still stood frozen inside the cave. Wild growl after wild growl echoed from outside, drawing closer, growing more thunderous. His heart beat rapidly, as though it were about to leap out of his chest."Just a few minutes ago I managed to survive, obtained Nero, and bound my first contract. Now, it is as if the entire Forbidden Forest is moving to tear everything away from me."Ding![Primary scent source detected.][Shadow Dragon Blood.][Warning. Surrounding monsters are approaching.]Alex turned to the adult dragon's body lying still, grand and terrifying all at once."System," he called out, his voice tense. "Can this dragon's corpse be hidden?"Ding![Confirmation.][Target can be stored inside the Inventory.]Alex's eyes widened. "Even something that big?"[Confirmation.]Without wasting time, he extended his hand. Instantly, the giant dragon's body vanished into thin air.Ding![High-Value Asset Successfully Secured.][Egoist Action Detected.][EXP +20]Alex frowned. "Why do

Alex froze where he stood. At the end of the pitch-black corridor, a pair of pure golden eyes pinned him in place from within absolute darkness.Alex’s fingers turned white as he gripped the hilt of his black sword, its blade still wet with the blood of monsters. His heart pounded wildly against a body that was beginning to rebel. A small voice of logic in the corner of his mind whispered the truth: if the creature before him decided to attack, the sword in his hand would be nothing more than useless scrap metal.Alex’s breathing came in ragged gasps, each one scraping through his throat, which felt as dry as a desert. Every inch of his body felt as heavy as lead. Beneath his torn robe, a burning heat pulsed constantly—fresh blood still dripped slowly from the gaping wound on his back. He was too exhausted to think about escape routes, and too weak to squeeze out any more strength to fight.For the first time since being thrown into this alien world, a cold sense of resignation crept