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
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Chapter 26: Expensive Taste, Cheap Patience
The grand spire of the Central Guild disappeared behind Leo as he strolled into the bustling commercial sector of Rosa City. Sunlight gleamed off metallic rooftops and floating ad-panels, and the scent of roasted skewers and mana-infused sweets danced in the air.Leo’s thoughts, however, were far from food.“A house,” he muttered, walking with a purposeful gait. “Top of the list: a house. Maybe a small castle… pool out back… gargoyle guards…”He grinned to himself, already mentally spending the 40% from the last raid.Just then—ding!A blue screen popped up.[New Sub-Mission Unlocked]Mission: Renovate your Forest Shack into a Livable Home.Penalty for Abandoning the Forest: Immediate Death.Leo stopped in his tracks.“…What?”He blinked at the screen, rereading the words.“You can’t be serious,” he muttered. “You want me to stay in that moldy wooden box in the middle of nowhere!?”Another prompt appeared.Yes.Leo gritted his teeth, fists clenched. “This system is cursed.”He sighed
Chapter 25: The Girl and the Key
Leo staggered slightly, blood crusted on his chin and knuckles aching from the last strike he’d delivered to the Gargoyle Lord. The massive stone den around him now felt eerily silent, save for the low rumble of wind through jagged pillars.He still held the shimmering orange core, its heat pulsing faintly in his hand.And yet, the system’s timer reminded him:[Time Remaining: 09:37]Objective Incomplete: Obsidian Key of Dominion Not Acquired.Leo groaned, “Of course it’s not over. Why would it be?” Turning to face the gargoyles, he asked, "Which one of you knows where the key is?"Without warning, one of the gargoyles—larger than the rest, wings like scythes and stone horns curled back—swooped down from the shadows and crouched in front of him. Leo tensed… until the beast knelt.Then it gestured with a talon, as if beckoning.Leo blinked. “…You want me to ride you?”The creature only bowed its head lower in response.“Not gonna lie, this is creepy,” Leo muttered, but climbed on anywa
Chapter 24: The Rise of the Gargoyle Overlord
Leo stared at the massive stone door ahead as it creaked open with a low, ominous hiss. The smell of sulphur and rotting flesh struck his nose like a slap. Flames oozed from the cracks at the base, casting twisted shadows on the floor.With his Snarl Twist dagger materializing in his right hand, he stepped cautiously into the chamber.The room was massive, the ceiling stretching high above like the hollow of a volcano. Tall pillars lined the center of the chamber, and atop each one sat motionless gargoyles—at least twenty of them. Their wings were folded, claws gripping the stone, expressions frozen in a permanent snarl.Leo slowed to a halt and scanned the room suspiciously. “Why aren’t they attacking?” he muttered.As if in response, the blue system interface blinked to life.[Notice: The Gargoyle sentries are currently in dormant stasis. Time until reactivation: 5:00 minutes.]Leo’s eyes widened. “Five minutes?” he hissed. “I have to find and eliminate the Gargoyle Lord in five dam
Chapter 23: Echoes of the Forgotten Shrine
The battleground was painted in shadows and flame.Leo twisted and ducked beneath the slashing claws of a demonic gargoyle, its obsidian wings slicing through the stale, sulfur-laced air. With fluid movement, he spun on his heel, jamming his blade upward into the creature’s chin. The blade sparked and sliced through, disintegrating the demon into dark smoke. Behind him, the rest of the team fought in tandem, fending off the relentless swarm.“Formation Delta! Fall back behind the tanks! Mages, fire in intervals! Don’t waste mana!” Leo’s voice rang out over the chaos.Sammy and two other assassins moved like blurs, carving through wings and claws. The mages launched bursts of lightning and fire that lit the tunnels in strobing flashes of hellish brilliance. The warriors held the front line with grit, sweat, and sheer force.Leo’s commands kept the team alive. Casualties were minimal. One minor injury here, a scratch there—but nothing fatal. Not like Darius.With each gargoyle that fell
Chapter 22: I’m going to be rich!
The eerie silence that stretched across the corridor was shattered by the rhythmic echoes of their boots slapping against the moist stone floor. Gareth walked ahead, his hand never leaving the hilt of his broadsword. His body was stiff with purpose, his back impossibly straight. Though he said nothing, his posture screamed readiness. The team followed in an inverted triangle formation: mages conjuring balls of flame to light their path from the middle, warriors guarding the flanks, and assassins trailing silently behind.Leo lagged just a step from the rear, eyes not on the path ahead, but locked onto the glowing blue interface hovering before him.[SYSTEM UPDATE]Item: Abyss Wyrm Core (Mutated Variant)Options:Sell to Market (Value: 320 Crystals)Sell to System (Value: 400 Crystals)SynthesizeExtract Essence[Achievement Unlocked: Wyrm Slayer]Reward:+2 Stat Points1 Random Passive Skill1 Advanced Equipment Box+10 Hunter Reputation"Hunter reputation? Oh right I saw something li
Chapter 21: Threat
Just as Leo was mumbling to himself and scrolling through the synthesis options the system had presented after claiming the Abyss Wyrm Core, the hum of the system’s blue interface illuminating his face, a heavy shadow loomed over him.One of the mages from the team—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a severe face and trimmed obsidian beard—approached him with a glint of suspicion in his pale gray eyes. His aura was sharp, cut from years of magical discipline, yet his energy wavered slightly—either from fear or barely masked insecurity. His name was Darius, a C-Class Fire Mage, and while he’d said little during the earlier chaos, his pride was loud enough to fill the chamber now.“Hey,” Darius said, standing before Leo with a puffed chest and crossed arms. “You disappeared back there. Without a spell. Without a portal. What sort of sorcery are you using? You know sorcery is banned within the Rift.”Leo didn’t even look up at first. His finger swiped lazily across the interface.“I’m not
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