2025-04-08 18:39:10[System Update Complete.]
[New Feature: Punishment Protocol.]
For every hour that passes without accepting and progressing the first mission, host will suffer internal backlash. First symptom: coughing blood.]
Leo stopped in his tracks.
"Wait—what?! What kind of messed up RPG is this?!" he yelled.
His chest suddenly tightened. His vision blurred. Then—
SPLAT!
A spray of red splashed the forest floor.
Leo stared at his hand, covered in fresh blood from his mouth.
"Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me."
The clock was ticking. The system was serious. And Leo was now racing against time in a world that already seemed determined to chew him up.
He gritted his teeth. "Fine. You want me to complete a mission? Then tell me what it is!"
And the forest remained silent.
Until the system responded with a low hum.
[First Mission: Investigate the Rift in Darkvale Forest.]
Time Remaining: 4 days, 22 hours, 56 minutes.]
Leo groaned. "Darkvale? That doesn't sound ominous at all."
But with no better options—and a literal death countdown hanging over him—Leo took his first step deeper into the unknown.
He trudged through the dense underbrush, each step heavy with exhaustion. Darkvale Forest stretched endlessly before him, its trees towering like ancient sentinels beneath the orange hues of a dying sky. Shadows twisted across the ground, dancing in the mist that rolled low through the brush. It felt like the forest was alive, watching him.
His throat burned, and his limbs ached from walking aimlessly for hours without food or water. He stumbled against a mossy trunk, panting. "Damn, I'm thirsty."
As if summoned by his desperation, the system’s holographic interface flickered to life.
[Inventory Unlocked.]
[Note: Level 1 consumables (Water, Wheat Bread) available. Requirement: Complete sub-mission – Eliminate an F-Class Beast.]
Leo blinked. "You mean I’ve had an inventory all this time, and you didn’t bother to mention it?!"
The system chimed again with its usual mechanical calm.
[Sub-missions are essential for stat progression. Resources can be earned.]
He threw his hands up. "So now I’ve got to fight just to drink water? Fantastic."
As he groaned and leaned back, another window opened.
[Stat Display – Current Level: 1] Agility: 0 Speed: 0 Strength: 0 Stamina: 0 Vitality: 0 Intelligence: 1 Charisma: 0 Luck: -1
[Note: Daily Tasks will be assigned, including: Basic Physical Training, Mental Challenge, and Combat Simulations. Completion increases stat points.]
Leo exhaled deeply. His thoughts drifted back to Liora and her minions, the way they’d stared at him with disdain, calling him “barely existing.”
“Guess it’s time to prove I’m more than that.”
Another interface bloomed in front of him, this one glowing crimson.
[Sub-Mission: Initiate?] Objective: Defeat 1 F-Class Beast Accept: [YES] [NO]
Leo didn’t hesitate. He slapped the [YES] button.
[Target Identified: F-Class Beast – Spiketail Howler]
[Description: A low-tier predator that prowls Darkvale. Roughly the size of a large boar, with porcupine-like spikes on its back and a blood-curdling screech that can momentarily paralyze prey. Aggressive but predictable.]
[Reward: Access to Level 1 Consumables + Basic Skill – "Quick Strike"]
A sudden growl echoed through the trees. Leo’s head snapped up.
Branches rustled to his right. The creature stepped into view.
It was hideous—about three feet tall with dark matted fur, wicked yellow eyes, and jagged spikes protruding along its spine. Its front limbs were thick and clawed, dragging slightly as it walked, and its jaw twisted unnaturally to one side.
Leo’s heart pounded. He grabbed a sturdy branch from the forest floor, his only weapon.
The Spiketail Howler locked eyes with him. Its mouth curled back, revealing rows of sharp, uneven teeth. It screeched—a bone-rattling, guttural sound.
For a split second, Leo froze. His limbs trembled, muscles locking involuntarily from the beast’s screech.
"Shit—paralysis," he muttered.
The creature charged.
With effort, Leo forced his body to move, stumbling sideways just as claws slashed the air where he'd stood.
He swung the branch, striking the Howler’s side. It yelped, then spun and lunged again. Leo dodged, barely. The beast’s claws grazed his shirt, tearing fabric but missing skin.
He scrambled backward, panting, keeping the branch raised.
"Come on, come on... Think!"
The system interface blinked in again.
[Combat Tip: Aim for the soft belly. Avoid direct contact with the spikes. Use Quick Strike when prompted.]
"I don’t even have Quick Strike!"
[Quick Strike unlocked for emergency use – 1 time only. Trigger: Mental Command.]
The Howler lunged again.
Leo tightened his grip. “NOW!”
His body moved with unnatural speed. The branch whipped forward in a blur, striking the Howler’s midsection. The beast shrieked, stumbling back.
He didn’t let up. He rushed forward, swinging again and again, each hit faster, more precise. The creature tried to retaliate, but Leo ducked low, slamming the branch into its skull.
With one final blow to its neck, the Spiketail Howler collapsed.
Silence.
Leo stood, panting hard, sweat dripping from his brow. His arms trembled, and the branch was now splintered and bloody.
Then came the chime.
[Mission Complete.]
[Reward Unlocked: Level 1 Consumables Accessed. Weapons: Snarltwist dagger. Skill Obtained: Quick Strike (Cooldown: 4 hours).]
[Stat Update – Strength: +1, Stamina: +1.]
A new panel opened, showing a modest loaf of wheat bread and a clear bottle of water.
He didn’t hesitate—he downed the water in one go, gasping as the cool liquid soothed his parched throat. The bread was dry but edible.
[New Sub-Mission Available: Investigate the Echoing Shrine]
[Objective: Locate and activate the shrine’s core.] [Reward: +1 Intelligence, +1 Luck. Skill Unlock Opportunity: “Spirit Link” (Passive).]
Leo squinted at the map. A glowing pulse now blinked faintly on the interface, showing the shrine’s location just a kilometer north.
As he began the trek, something shifted in the air—like static before a lightning strike.
He emerged into a clearing. At its center stood a crumbling, moss-covered monument etched with glowing symbols. The shrine.
As Leo approached, whispers filled the air, curling like smoke into his ears.
“Who dares disturb the Echo?”
His pulse spiked. “The hell?!”
[Alert: Spirit Guardian Detected – “Mourning Wisp”]
[Warning: Mental Resistance check in progress...]
Leo’s vision flickered. The shrine erupted in ghostly blue light as a translucent figure took shape above it—skeletal, robed in vapor, hollow-eyed.
The wisp raised a clawed hand. Leo staggered as pressure mounted in his skull.
“Not... worthy...” it hissed.
“I’ll show you worthy!” Leo shouted, gripping his new dagger.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
INTO THE RIFT
The morning air hung heavy over Cinder Valley, thick with fog and the iron-scent of distant magic. The sun had barely crept over the jagged horizon, casting long shadows across the group of armed hunters that stood like sentinels on the rocky edge. Clad in a chaotic medley of armor, robes, and reinforced suits, they ranged in power from battle-hardened D-class to the almost mythical S-class. And amidst them, like a drop of ink in a vat of steel, stood Leo—the sole F-class hunter.Leo swallowed, adjusting the strap of his light pack and wondering, not for the first time, how the hell he’d been roped into this suicide mission. His hood shadowed his face, and his fingers flexed around the dagger at his side—a pitiful weapon compared to the arsenal carried by those around him.A man stepped forward from the group. Tall and broad-shouldered with a cruel scar coiling from wrist to bicep, the leader’s presence silenced murmurs before he even spoke. His voice, when it came, rolled like thunder
Task
Leo sat heavily on the now manageable bed. The now thick sci-fi walls of the cottage did little to block out the forest's ambient noise: crickets chirping in rhythm, the distant hoot of an owl, and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. With a sigh, he dismissed the creaking around him and focused his gaze forward. The moment of truth had arrived."System interface," he muttered.A familiar blue screen shimmered into existence in front of his eyes. Its glow softly illuminated his face as line after line of data scrolled past. He leaned in, eyes narrowing with anticipation. At the top of the interface, nestled between his basic info and the experience bar, was a glowing box labeled [Mission Rewards]. A grin began to tug at the corners of his mouth.He tapped it.A cascading list unfurled in the center of the window:+25 Stat PointsNew Passive Trait: EndureNew Skill: Level SenseTitle Earned: Unlikely SlayerItem: Skill Orb (Uncommon) His eyes caught the last item—Skill Orb. The
A mess
The air outside the Central Government Guild office was sharp with the scent of steel and city grime, the late afternoon sun bleeding orange across the concrete sidewalks. The hum of engines, chatter from passing hunters, and the distant whistle of automated transports painted a symphony of civilization's pulse. Amid the chaos, Leo tucked his hands into the pockets of his worn hoodie, shoulders slightly hunched, eyes fixed on the ground.His thoughts spun in quiet disarray. How did the system manage to block out its own traces from the memory extraction? The Rift data had been partially preserved, yet every moment the system had intervened was a complete void. Not even a flicker. It was as though the system had slipped through reality's fingers.Leo sighed, kicking a stray pebble. "Well, it’s not my headache," he muttered to himself. "As long as the system stays hidden, I should be fine."His eyes flickered with realization."Oh right!" he said out loud, snapping his fingers. "The mis
No complaints
"Sir, something’s jamming the signal!""Stabilize it!" Haruki barked."We can’t! It’s like... it’s like part of his memory is actively resisting extraction!"On the screen, Leo's figure blurred.The Rift twisted unnaturally, and the final moments of the fight were shrouded behind a veil of static and darkness.No matter what the technicians did, they couldn’t pierce through it.Leo, meanwhile, gritted his teeth against the pain pounding inside his skull.He could feel the System inside him — awake, furious, shielding him.{INTEGRITY MAINTAINED. SENSITIVE MEMORY SEALED.}Another surge of static rolled across the monitors.Haruki raised a hand calmly. "End the extraction."The machines powered down with a dying whine. The humming circlet unlocked itself from Leo's forehead with a click. The restraints loosened.For a moment, Leo sat there, gasping for air, drenched in cold sweat, his head swimming with nausea. Every nerve ending felt raw, exposed.A couple of technicians hurried forward
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: MEMORY LANE
Two heavily armored guards escorted Leo down a narrow, dimly lit hallway. The walls were a sterile white, but the flickering overhead lights cast long, eerie shadows along the floor, making every step feel like a march toward execution.At the end of the hall stood a thick, metallic door — massive, imposing, humming faintly with energy.One of the guards stepped forward, pressed his hand against a glowing blue panel.With a hydraulic hiss, the door slid open, revealing the Memory Analysis Chamber.Leo’s breath hitched.The room was like something out of a science fiction nightmare.Cold. Metallic. Inhuman.Banks of monitors lined the far walls, displaying static-ridden images and streams of unreadable data. The scent of disinfectant was so strong it stung his nostrils. At the center of the room was the chair.It wasn’t just any chair — it looked like a mechanical throne, dark steel with thick leather straps dangling ominously from the armrests and footrests.Above it, a spider-like ar
CHAPTER TWELVE: ECHOES OF TRUTH
Leo stared at the man in front of him, his mind whirling with disbelief.The resemblance was uncanny—broad-shouldered, only that this version of Chef Chu was quite muscular, but with the same sharp brown eyes, the same thin lips that quirked when amused."Chef Chu." The name slipped out before he could stop it, like a reflex from deep confusion.The man said nothing at first. His face remained an impassive mask, betraying no emotion. Then, in a slow, calculated gesture, he motioned for Leo to sit.Director Varnes stood rigidly at attention beside him, and to his right, Kale smirked with barely concealed disdain. The sterile office, illuminated by thin bands of light from the ceiling, felt colder with every second that passed.Without wasting time, the man straightened his stance, folding his arms neatly behind his back."My name," he began, voice low and authoritative, "is Haruki Chuu. Acting President of the Central Government Guild."Leo’s brows twitched. "Haruki Chuu? So Chef Chuu w
CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE GUILD'S GRASP
At exactly one hour past Kale’s departure, the silence outside the infirmary shattered with the synchronized thud of boots. Five men dressed in pitch-black uniforms approached Leo, each one towering over him like walking tanks. Their suits shimmered faintly in the sun, armored yet seamless. Black combat gloves, steel-toed boots, and dark shades that masked their expressions — the complete image of elite enforcement.Compared to Leo’s lean frame, they were gargantuan, with shoulders so broad they could cast shadows over him. The emblem of the Central Government Guild was etched in silver on their left shoulders. One of them motioned, and without a word, Leo fell into step, flanked on all sides as they guided him toward a waiting black van. The same emblem was displayed boldly across the doors — a silver eye encased in a circle, watching everything.Leo felt their aura — steady, cold, suffocating. These men were far above his level. He could sense the difference, even if he couldn’t quan
CHAPTER TEN: VISITOR
The first thing Leo felt was the stiffness in his limbs. Then the soft humming of fluorescent lights. The antiseptic scent of the hospital wafted into his nostrils, grounding him in the present. His body was oddly light, and his chest didn’t hurt as much as he expected. He blinked groggily, his vision sharpening just in time to catch sight of Captain Draegon and Vice-Captain Nyx standing at the foot of his bed.“You’re awake,” Draegon said, voice calm and composed.Leo opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a low groan. His throat was dry, and his head still felt like it had been through a war zone.Draegon stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Leo’s shoulder, keeping him from sitting up too quickly. “Easy. You’ve been out for two days.”Leo frowned. “Two days?”Nyx gave a curt nod. “We found you in the inner floor of a Rift in Darkvale Forest. Barely breathing. Your vitals were a mess, but… now?” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “It’s like your wounds vanished overni
CHAPTER NINE: Did He Take Them Down?
The air was thick with tension as the team of D-class hunters approached the source of the unstable energy. The team halted in front of a small opening, eyeing the swirling, unstable void that stretched open before them. It was a mysterious phenomenon, one that none of them had encountered before, and the air felt charged with danger.Captain Alexander Draegon stood at the front, his sharp green eyes scanning the Rift. At 6'2", he was a tall, imposing figure with short-cropped dark brown hair and a chiseled jawline that hinted at his no-nonsense attitude. His combat specialization was swordsmanship, and he wielded a long, sleek blade that hummed with an ancient aura."I don't like this," Captain Draegon muttered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, instinctively ready for a fight. "There's something off about this Rift."Beside him, Vice-Captain Nyx frowned, her piercing amber eyes flicking to the swirling Rift. Elara was young but capable—quick-
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