Rise from Zero

Level Up

Gatot swallowed hard. The confidence that had surged through him the moment he gripped his new iron sword vanished in an instant. The two wolf-like monsters were far beyond the level of a beginner hunter. Without any signal, both lycans launched forward at the same time, charging with such terrifying speed that their forms blurred before Gatot's eyes.

"Damn it!" Gatot cursed.

He spun around and ran.

He sprinted as fast as he could through the deserted streets lined with abandoned buildings. With his Agility now raised to five, every stride felt lighter and more powerful, keeping the monsters from closing the gap immediately. Wind screamed past his ears as he cut sharply into a narrow alley, hoping to break their pursuit.

But lycans were born hunters.

The scraping of their claws against the pavement grew louder with every second, closing in directly behind him. He could already smell the rotten stench of their breath.

I can't... I can't keep running forever!

His thoughts screamed over the sound of his ragged breathing. This dimensional space was finite. Sooner or later, he would end up trapped in a dead end. If he died with his back turned to the enemy, it would be the most pathetic death imaginable.

Gatot stopped abruptly.

He spun one hundred eighty degrees, gripping the hilt of his iron sword with both hands until the veins in his arms bulged. His eyes locked onto the first lycan, which was already airborne, its claws raised to tear open his chest.

Believe in yourself, Gatot. You're stronger now. Fight! You can do this. You have to!

"You bastards!" he roared, unleashing every ounce of fear still left inside him.

He swung his sword upward with all his strength, cutting directly into the monster's attack.

Crash!

The razor-sharp blade severed the first lycan's front leg at the ankle. Thick black blood sprayed across Gatot's face.

But the small victory came at a steep price.

The second lycan, attacking from his blind side, raked its claws across his left shoulder.

Slash!

His black shirt ripped apart as five deep gashes split open across his flesh. Fresh blood poured from the wounds.

Gatot cried out in agony as the impact hurled him several meters backward into the brick wall of an abandoned building. Pain exploded across his back, and his vision turned white for a brief second.

Before he could recover, the wounded lycan lunged again on its remaining three legs and clamped its massive jaws around Gatot's right thigh.

Crunch!

Its enormous fangs pierced straight through the muscle.

Gatot screamed.

The pain was unbearable, shooting directly through every nerve in his body.

Yet that same agony ignited his instinct to survive.

Fighting through the searing pain, Gatot raised his sword high and drove it repeatedly into the lycan's back and neck as it continued biting into his leg.

"Die! Die, you bastard monster!" Gatot shouted, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury.

He stabbed again and again, letting the creature's blood drench his body, until its bite finally loosened and the first lycan collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

But the battle wasn't over.

The second lycan, enraged by its companion's death, let out a furious howl before charging at Gatot, who was still sitting on the ground with his right leg soaked in blood.

Gatot rolled clumsily across the pavement just as the monster's massive claws smashed into the spot where he had been a split second earlier.

A deafening crash echoed through the alley as the asphalt shattered into a deep crater.

He forced himself upright, balancing on his left leg alone.

His body swayed. His vision blurred from blood loss. Yet his hand still gripped the iron sword with absolute determination.

This was a battle to the death, a desperate struggle that drained every last ounce of strength and sanity he possessed.

The second lycan circled around, preparing for its final attack.

Gatot knew he no longer had the speed to dodge with his mangled leg.

So he made a reckless decision.

He lowered his sword, leaving his guard completely open and deliberately exposing a fatal opening, baiting the monster into striking his vital point.

The wolf monster took the bait.

It leaped straight for Gatot's throat.

At the exact instant its jaws came within inches of his face, Gatot ducked as low as he could and thrust his sword straight upward with every bit of strength he had left.

Thrust!

The iron blade drove through the underside of the lycan's jaw, pierced the roof of its mouth, and stabbed deep into its brain.

The enormous weight of the monster crashed onto Gatot, sending both of them sprawling onto the cold pavement.

The lycan's ragged breathing slowly faded until complete silence reclaimed the narrow alley.

Pinned beneath the massive corpse, Gatot lay gasping, desperately pulling as much air into his lungs as possible.

He felt as though every last drop of strength had been drained from his body.

Then, amid his overwhelming exhaustion, a brilliant burst of golden light exploded before his eyes.

[You have eliminated two Lycans (Rank D).]

[Level Up!]

[As an achievement bonus, all of the Player's physical injuries and fatigue have been completely restored.]

Instantly, a warm and soothing sensation spread throughout Gatot's body.

The deep claw wounds across his shoulder closed rapidly without leaving a single scar.

The torn muscles in his thigh, shredded by the monster's fangs, knit themselves back together as if by magic, erasing every trace of pain within seconds.

Gatot pushed the dead lycan off his body with ease and climbed to his feet.

He bounced lightly in place, staring at his hands in disbelief.

His body felt lighter, denser, and overflowing with far greater power than before.

The system screen flashed again, updating his status.

[Level: 2]

[All Status Attributes: 6]

"Amazing..." Gatot whispered, his eyes shining as he stared at the number six displayed across every attribute.

In such a short time, he had already surpassed the physical limitations of his former E-rank self.

Feeling that his business here was finished, Gatot turned around.

He retraced the path he had taken earlier, heading back toward the narrow alley that connected this dead dimension to the real world and his residential neighborhood.

He couldn't wait to get home, see his sister again, and figure out what to do next with his newfound strength.

But the moment he reached the end of the deserted street, his steps came to an abrupt halt.

The invisible dimensional gate that served as the exit remained tightly sealed.

The transparent barrier still stood firmly in place, shimmering with rippling waves of energy.

Gatot pressed both palms against it, but it was as solid as reinforced concrete.

He was still trapped inside this dead dimension.

His brow furrowed.

Confusion and anxiety crept back into his chest.

Why hasn't it opened? Weren't all the goblins and those two lycans already dead? he thought in growing panic.

SHRIEEEEK!

From behind the crumbling ruins and the thick clouds of dust, an unimaginably oppressive aura began to pour outward.

The crushing pressure weighed down on the atmosphere itself, making it difficult for Gatot to breathe once again.

Was there still another monster waiting for him, an entity far more terrifying than anything he had faced so far, one that had to be defeated before he could escape this place alive?