Liam's boots sank into the loamy soil as he pushed through the undergrowth, the forest's oppressive humidity clinging to his skin like a second layer. The air carried a metallic tang—blood from his recent kill, mingled with the earthy rot of decaying leaves and the sweet rot of overripe fruit dangling from twisted branches. Every shadow seemed to pulse with potential danger, every rustle a promise of violence. His knife, its edge nicked from hacking through vines, felt heavy in his grip, a crude extension of his will.
The system panel hovered at the edge of his vision, a constant reminder of his new reality. Casualties ticked up: 15 now. Fourteen others had joined him in this deadly game, and already three were gone. Weaklings, he thought, a sneer twisting his lips. In his old life, he'd been one of them—trapped in spreadsheets and regrets. No more.
A low grunt echoed ahead, pulling him from his reverie. He crouched, Identify skill activating instinctively. Through the foliage, a massive shape lumbered: a forest boar, tusks curved like scythes, hide matted with mud and bristling fur. Level 5, the panel confirmed. Aggressive, charges on sight. Weak to piercing attacks.
Liam's pulse quickened, mana stirring in his core like liquid fire. He circled, silent as a shadow, positioning himself against a thick trunk. The boar rooted at the ground, oblivious, its snout snuffling up tubers. Perfect.
"Light Bolt," he whispered, palm thrusting forward. A lance of brilliant energy erupted, slamming into the boar's flank. Flesh sizzled, the beast squealing in rage as it wheeled toward him, eyes red with fury. It charged, earth trembling under its bulk.
Liam dodged, rolling aside as tusks gouged the tree, bark exploding in splinters. Pain flared in his side—a shallow gash from a flying shard—but he ignored it, channeling again. "Bramble Wall!" Vines burst from the soil in a tangled mass, thorns as long as fingers wrapping the boar's legs. It thrashed, bellowing, but the barbs dug deep, drawing rivulets of dark blood that soaked the earth.
Seizing the opening, Liam lunged, knife plunging into the soft underbelly. Hot gore sprayed his arm as he twisted the blade, the boar collapsing in a heap of twitching muscle. Its final breath rattled out, and the system chimed.
[Kill Confirmed: Forest Boar (Lv. 5). EXP Gained: 50. Level Up! Class Level 3. +3 Stat Points. Loot: Boar Hide (Common), Tusk (Crafting Material).]
Ecstasy washed over him, stats surging. He dumped points into STR and DEX, feeling his frame harden, reflexes sharpening. Health ticked to 110/110, the gash on his side knitting closed with unnatural speed. Looting the corpse, he claimed the items, the hide folding into his inventory—a ethereal pouch at his belt.
Panting, Liam wiped sweat from his brow, the thrill coiling low in his gut. Power wasn't just survival; it was addiction. But the forest didn't care for his euphoria. A howl pierced the canopy—wolves, close. He needed better gear, allies perhaps. Someone to watch his back, to... serve.
Deeper in, the trees thinned, revealing a clearing ringed by glowing fungi that cast an eerie blue light. There, a woman fought for her life. Simone Hale, Identify revealed: Human Ranger, Level 4. She loosed arrows from a recurved bow, her lithe form clad in leather scraps that hugged her curves—breasts straining against the material, hips swaying with each draw. Dark hair whipped as she pivoted, but three thornback wolves circled her, level 8 each, spines quivering with venom.
One lunged, jaws snapping at her thigh. She twisted away, arrow embedding in its shoulder, but another raked claws across her arm, drawing blood. She staggered, cursing, mana flaring faintly—her own skills depleted.
Liam watched, calculating. She was skilled, attractive in a feral way, but cornered. Saving her could yield benefits: shared EXP, a scout, a body to warm his nights if he played it right. His darker impulses stirred—visions of her bound not just by contract, but by desire, kneeling in submission.
He stepped forward. "Bramble Wall!" Thorns exploded around the pack, ensnaring two wolves mid-prowl. They yelped, spines firing wildly, but the vines held, crushing ribs with barbed grips.
Simone's eyes widened, locking on him. "Who—"
"Light Bolt!" He cut her off, beam searing through the third wolf's skull, brains splattering the moss. The ensnared pair broke free, charging him in unison. He sidestepped one, vines from his earlier cast whipping out to trip it, then drove his knife into its throat. The last he blasted point-blank, light exploding from its chest in a spray of charred meat.
Silence fell, broken only by their heavy breaths. Simone lowered her bow, blood trickling down her arm, chest heaving. Up close, she was striking—sharp features, full lips parted in shock, body toned from survival, sweat glistening on exposed skin.
"You... saved me," she said, voice husky. "Why?"
Liam sheathed his knife, stepping closer, letting his gaze roam unapologetically. "Opportunist. You look useful. Name's Liam."
"Simone." She straightened, wincing. "Ranger class. Those things... they're getting bolder."
[Quest Update: Survive the Tutorial Dome. Allies Formed: 1. Bonus EXP: 20.]
He nodded, Identify pulling her stats: STR 12, DEX 16, low mana but high agility. Complementary. "We team up. I lead, you follow. Share kills, skills. Deal?"
She hesitated, eyes flicking to the corpses. Alone, she'd die. With him... power. "Deal. But equal shares."
Liam's smile was wolfish. Equal? Hardly. But contracts could bind deeper. As they looted—pelts, fangs, a vial of venom—he felt the system's pull. [Eternal Pact Available: Bind ally in servitude. Grants loyalty, shared EXP. Cost: 50 System Credits. Earn via deeds.]
Not yet. Build trust first, then chain her. They moved out, Simone scouting ahead, her ass flexing under tight leathers as she vanished into the brush. Liam followed, the forest's symphony of threats resuming—distant roars, the snap of twigs. His clan, however small, had begun.
By nightfall, they'd claimed two more kills: a pair of level 6 vine stalkers, their tendrils lashing like whips until Liam's bolts and Simone's arrows felled them. EXP flowed, leveling her to 5, him to 4. Around a small fire—sparked by a basic flint from loot—they shared boar meat roasted on a spit, juices dripping into the flames.
Simone's eyes lingered on him, curious, wary. "You're strong for a newcomer. Mage?"
"Triple affinity," he said, chewing slowly. "Nature's my edge here. You?"
"Ranger. Tracking, arrows. Wind affinity for speed." She flexed her wounded arm, the cut already scabbing. "This place... it's breaking people. Heard screams earlier. Groups forming, but brutal."
Liam leaned back, firelight dancing on his sharpening features. "Survival of the fittest. We'll carve our spot." His mind wandered to dominance—her on her knees, mouth around his cock as thanks, eyes worshipful. Soon.
She nodded, pulling her knees up, the fire's glow outlining her form. The night deepened, predators circling just beyond sight. But with her at his side, Liam felt invincible. The dome shrank subtly, forcing convergence. More blood, more power. His evolution had only just ignited.