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Chapter 2: Level 0
The creature didn't fall.
Even after everything—I could feel it.
Still moving.
Still breathing.
A broken, wet sound came from its throat as its body twitched beneath me.
"…Why aren't you dead?"
My voice came out rough, barely holding together.
My arms felt heavy, like they didn't belong to me anymore. My grip tightened around the rock, even though my fingers were slipping.
The creature's leg jerked.
Its claws scraped weakly against the ground.
It was trying to get up.
"No."
I stepped forward.
Not fast.
Not clean.
But enough.
I raised the rock again—my vision slightly blurred, my breathing uneven—and brought it down one last time.
This time—
It didn't move.
At all.
Silence settled.
Not the calm kind.
The kind that makes your ears ring.
I stood there, staring at it, waiting for it to twitch again.
It didn't.
A few seconds passed.
Then more.
Only then did my shoulders drop, just a little.
"…It's dead."
The words didn't feel real.
My hand loosened.
The rock slipped from my fingers, hitting the ground with a dull sound.
My legs gave in next.
I dropped to my knees.
For a moment, I just stayed there—breathing hard, staring at nothing, trying to understand what just happened.
Then—
A sharp sound echoed inside my head.
[Target Eliminated]
I flinched.
Another message followed, clearer this time.
[Low-Level Beast Defeated]
[Experience Acquired]
[Processing…]
"…What?"
The air in front of me flickered.
Lines of light formed, like something invisible was building itself piece by piece.
A screen.
Floating right in front of my eyes.
I froze.
[Level Increased]
[Level 0 → Level 1]
My breath caught.
"Level…?"
More text appeared before I could react.
[Status Updated]
[Strength: 1 → 2]
[Agility: 1 → 2]
[Endurance: 1 → 2]
I stared at it.
"…This is insane."
But I could feel it.
Something in my body had changed.
It wasn't a huge difference.
But it was there.
My breathing steadied faster than it should have. The pain was still there—but it wasn't overwhelming anymore.
Like my body was… adjusting.
Another message appeared.
[Ability Unlocked]
[Name: Perception]
[Effect: Enhances awareness of movement, intent, and weak points]
"…Perception…"
That feeling from before.
When everything slowed down.
When I could see where to strike.
So it wasn't just instinct.
It was this.
A system.
A real one.
I let out a shaky breath, running a hand through my hair, smearing dirt and sweat across my face.
"This isn't a game…"
It felt real.
Too real.
A faint sound broke the silence.
A rustle.
My body tensed instantly.
I looked up.
The forest hadn't changed.
But it felt different now.
Heavier.
Like something was watching.
I slowly pushed myself to stand. My legs protested, but they held.
Barely.
I glanced once more at the creature on the ground.
Then away.
No time to think about it.
No time to process anything.
Because—
A low growl echoed from deeper within the trees.
Not close.
But not far either.
My grip tightened instinctively as I picked up the rock again.
"…Of course."
There was no break.
No safe moment.
The system didn't say "congratulations."
It didn't give me time.
It just moved on.
Just like this place.
I swallowed, forcing my breathing to stay steady as I took a step back from the body.
Then another.
The forest stretched endlessly ahead of me.
Dark.
Unfamiliar.
Dangerous.
And I was alone in it.
"…Fine."
My voice was quiet.
But this time—
It didn't sound as uncertain.
"If this is how it works…"
I tightened my grip, ignoring the ache in my arms.
"…then I'll keep going."
A branch snapped somewhere in the distance.
I turned toward the sound.
My body tensed—
Not frozen.
Ready.
Because now I understood something.
This wasn't about winning.
Or being strong.
Or being special.
It was simpler than that.
You fight.
You survive.
You move forward.
Or you don't.
And if I wanted to live—
I didn't have the option to stop.
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