2026-05-29 21:01:26Alex 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 does storing a dragon's corpse actually give me EXP?"
There was no answer. The monsters' growls now sounded much closer.
Grrrr... Grrrr...
He turned to Nero. The small dragon hatchling stood trembling in its place, its tiny body appearing extremely fragile.
"System. Use Shadow Nest."
Ding!
[Shadow Nest Lv.1 Activated.]
Alex crouched down. "Nero."
The dragon hatchling stared at him.
"Get in."
Nero's small body slowly turned into a pitch-black shadow, then sank into Alex's own shadow.
Ding!
[Contract Beast Hidden.]
[Dragon Blood Traces Reduced by 93%.]
Alex exhaled a sigh of relief—only for a moment.
[Too late.]
[Monsters have entered the area.]
"Damn it."
He immediately took cover behind a large boulder in the inner section of the cave, then peeked out. His face instantly turned pale.
Dozens of monsters crowded the area in front of the cave. Bone Wolves, Forest Goblins, Rock Scorpions, even several large Iron Rats. They were all searching for something that was no longer there.
The dragon's corpse.
Alex narrowed his eyes. An idea sparked in his mind. He saw the puddle of dragon blood still remaining on the cave floor, then without hesitation took a portion of it and dragged it further into the cave. After that, he hid himself once more.
Not long after, the monsters caught the scent.
AWWRRR!
A Bone Wolf leaped first, followed by roaring goblins, and then stinging scorpions. They immediately fought over it savagely. Scratching one another, biting one another, killing one another without mercy.
Alex only observed from behind the darkness. "Kill each other," he murmured softly.
Ding!
[EXP +1]
Ding!
[EXP +2]
Ding!
[EXP +1]
Alex's eyes widened. The EXP kept increasing. The narrow cave left the monsters trapped together. A goblin stabbed a Bone Wolf. A scorpion stung a goblin. An Iron Rat gnawed on a carcass that had already fallen. Screams and growls filled the cramped space.
Alex waited patiently, letting them reduce their own numbers.
Until finally—
Ding!
[Level Up.]
[Level 2.]
A wave of warmth spread throughout his body. Alex felt the change—not dramatic, but real. His body felt slightly stronger, slightly lighter.
"So this is what it feels like to level up..."
The remaining monsters were now severely injured. Some had lost legs, some had lost eyes, and others were nearly dead.
Alex smiled thinly. "Time to hunt."
He stepped out from hiding. His sword moved rapidly.
Slash!
The neck of a goblin that had lost an arm was slashed. The monster immediately collapsed.
Ding!
[EXP +4]
Slash!
A severely injured Bone Wolf followed in death.
Ding!
[EXP +3]
However, not everything went smoothly. A Rock Scorpion that appeared to be dying suddenly attacked.
Slash!
"UGH!"
Alex retreated a few steps. The monster's stinger gouged deep into his shoulder. Blood flowed heavily. An intense pain radiated through him.
"Damn it..."
For a moment, fear gripped him again. "I'm still weak. I can still die at any moment." But Alex gritted his teeth. He had died once. He did not want to die again.
Slash!
His sword pierced the Rock Scorpion's head. The monster slumped down.
Ding!
[EXP +5]
The fight continued. Monster after monster fell. Alex did not look for a fair fight. He only killed the easiest ones, the most injured ones, the most profitable ones.
Ding!
[Level Up.]
[Level 3.]
His body felt lighter once more. His muscles strengthened. However, the system chimed again.
[Current EXP: 74/200]
[The next level requires greater EXP.]
Alex nodded slowly.
"The higher the level, the harder it is to rise. It makes sense."
His thoughts then drifted to one figure—King Theron. The man who hunted Aldric. The man capable of sending troops to kill a dragon.
He stared at the monster blood clinging to his sword. "If low-level monsters like this almost killed me... then how strong is that King, exactly?"
His breath felt heavy. Level 3 meant nothing. He was still too weak. Still very far from revenge. But at least, now he had a path. A path to strength.
After ensuring no small monsters remained, Alex left the cave. The sky was turning dark. He found a large tree and sat beneath it. His body was covered in wounds, his shoulder ached, and his legs trembled from exhaustion.
"System. Bring out a potion."
Ding!
[Healing Potion Dispatched.]
Alex immediately drank it. A warmth spread through his entire body. The wounds began to close. His breathing gradually calmed.
"Hah..."
However, that peace did not last long.
Ding!
[Warning.]
Alex instantly opened his eyes.
[Warning.]
[Warning.]
His body tensed. The monsters around the forest suddenly ran in fear. Goblins, Bone Wolves, even Iron Rats—all of them fled as fast as possible.
The ground began to vibrate.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
The trees in the distance collapsed one by one.
Alex's face turned pale. "What now...?"
Ding!
[High-Level Threat Detected.]
[Elite Rank Monster.]
[Second Elite Rank Monster Detected.]
[Third Elite Rank Monster Detected.]
Alex's body froze. "Three?"
Then the system provided the final piece of information.
[Targets entered the area because they detected the presence of the Dragon Core.]
Alex's hand reflexively touched his chest, the place where the dragon core now resided.
THUD!
A giant tree crashed down not far from there. From behind the darkness of the forest, six red eyes slowly opened, watching him hungrily.
At that moment, Alex understood.
"The monsters didn't come for the dragon's blood. They came for something far more valuable—the dragon core that is now mine."
And for the first time since arriving in the Forbidden Forest, Alex truly felt that he was nothing more than prey.
"Damn it, it turns out I was wrong, I am still the prey!"
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Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 11 — First Mana
Alex still stood frozen at the edge of the Holy River. His heart pounded rapidly as a transparent blue holographic screen slowly unfolded before him, emitting a radiant glow that contrasted against the thin mist surrounding the area.Ding.[Host Status Updated]Name : Alex / Aldric StormbladeRace : HumanLevel : 10EXP : 2,450 / 5,000HP : 370 / 370Mana : 125 / 125Status Points : 20Skill Points : 2Titles :Survivor of the Forbidden ForestContractor of the Shadow DragonStrength : 32Agility : 29Vitality : 37Intelligence : 31Skills :Egoist SystemInventoryShadow Nest Lv.1Pain Resistance Lv.1Mana Sense Lv.1Contract :Nero (Shadow Dragon)Status :Absorbing the Essence of the Holy RiverMana Pathways RestoredAlex froze in place."Level ten...?"He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, making sure he was not hallucinating in the middle of this forbidden forest. Yet when he opened them again, the numbers remained unchanged.The change was not merely a set of numbers displayed on a scr
CHAPTER 10 — The River That Chooses
Alex remained frozen at the edge of the river.The water was crystal clear, allowing his eyes to see straight through to the glistening stones at the bottom. A soft blue light radiated from deep within the water, spreading a magical glow that enveloped the entire area in serene tranquility. For the first time since being thrown into this cruel and foreign world, Alex felt a real sense of peace.He noticed something strange — the wounds that hadn't healed and were still bleeding slowly began to improve after he entered the sacred area. The pain gradually faded, replaced by a soothing warmth.“What kind of place is this…?” Alex muttered softly, his voice nearly swallowed by the silence.Ding.The familiar cold sound of the System suddenly rang in his mind.[Emergency Mission Completed.] [Host has successfully survived the threat of an Elite Monster.] [Reward Obtained.] [+500 EXP] [New Skill: Pain Resistance Lv.1]Alex froze for a moment. “Pain Resistance?”A confirmation window
CHAPTER 9 — Guardian of the Ruins
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
CHAPTER 8 — Hunted by the Elite Monsters
Alex froze in his tracks. His body was still aching from the previous fight, but that pain was nothing compared to the fear currently freezing his chest.Six red eyes glowed from behind the darkness of the forest. Not only that. Low growls, heavy footsteps, and the sound of breaking branches echoed from all directions, as if the forest itself were alive and hungry.Ding.[Warning.][High-Level Threat Detected.][Warning.]Alex swallowed hard with great difficulty. "System..." his voice was parched. "Are they really targeting the dragon core?"Ding.[Confirmation.]"Why?"[Answer: The dragon core is the highest source of energy belonging to a dragon.][Monsters that succeed in absorbing a dragon core have a chance to evolve.][The chance of rank promotion increases.][The chance of bloodline mutation increases.][The chance of extending lifespan increases.]Alex's face instantly turned grim. "Damn it...""So it isn't Nero. It's not the dragon's blood. They are targeting me." Or more pr
CHAPTER 7 — The Prey That Turned Into a Hunter
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
CHAPTER 6 — The First Contract
The shadow dragon lay weakly upon the cold cave floor. Its breath grew increasingly short, leaving disconnected puffs of thin vapor. Thick black blood still continued to flow, seeping from the massive, gaping wounds all over its massive body.Alex remained standing still in his place. His right hand gripped the hilt of the black sword tightly, while his eyes moved to observe the small dragon hatchling that was still continuously pushing its mother's body with its tiny head. The small creature let out a hoarse screech, as though refusing to accept the reality that its sole protector was on the brink of death.However, there was no change. Instead, the adult dragon's body grew increasingly rigid and barely moved anymore.Suddenly, the pair of large red eyes that had originally dimmed reopened slowly. The dragon turned its head slightly, locking its gaze directly onto Alex's own eyes.For a few seconds, the silence inside the cave felt incredibly oppressive. There was no sound, only the
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