[System Online: Quest Of Survival]
A sudden, sweet chime echoed in my ears, sharp and clear enough to pull me from my half-asleep daze. My body jerked upright before I even realized it, and my drowsy eyes blinked rapidly as a glowing panel floated before me, shining faintly in the dim light.
"What the—?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. But no, I wasn't dreaming. The thing was right there, floating like some kind of hologram.
[Quest: Quest of Survival]
[Task:] Increase your strength for the unknown. The new world holds something beyond your knowledge. You are recommended to become stronger, or your death awaits.
[Requirement:] Reach Level 20 within one month.
[Rewards:] Rewards will be given according to your performance in the upcoming weeks.
[Failure:] Grants Death.
I froze, staring blankly at the glowing words.
Increase strength…
Failure means death…
Level 20 in one month…
"Interesting," I muttered slowly, leaning closer as if reading it again would make it less threatening. "But… how the hell am I supposed to increase my strength? The system expects me to hit level twenty like it's some kind of tutorial quest."
Before I could rant any further, another crisp chime sounded in my ears.
[You are recommended to check your Status Screen.]
"My… status screen?" I blinked, still trying to wrap my head around everything. "So I have one of those now? Okay, let's see… 'Status'!"
I have tried saying status before but nothing happened, but now if the system says, then why not try again.
A bright flash filled my vision, and a new window replaced the old one, its text clean, simple, and strangely intimidating.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Arya
Age: 16
Race: Human
Level: 1
Experience: 91 / 100
Title: Grace of Blood
Strength: 11
Agility: 9
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 7
Quests Available:
Active: Quest of Survival
I stared at the information in silence for a moment, then let out a small laugh.
"Well, damn. I actually have stats."
But my grin faded as soon as my eyes reached the last line.
"Charisma… seven?" My mouth twitched. "Only seven? What's that supposed to mean? Am I not handsome enough for you, oh mighty system? Are you jealous of my beauty or something?"
Slap!
The sound of my own hand hitting my cheek echoed through the air.
"Alright, enough. Focus, you idiot. This isn't the time to argue with floating text."
Taking a deep breath, I started going over the information more carefully.
"Okay. So, I'm at Level 1, which means I need nine more experience points to reach Level 2. The system wants me to reach Level 20 in a month, which means I'll need to grind like crazy… great."
I crossed my arms. "And apparently, I'll be rewarded based on performance—whatever that means—but if I fail…" I paused, my lips tightening. "Death. Again with that. Why does the system keep blackmailing me? Am i that gullible?"
I looked down at my hands. They didn't look like the hands of a fighter. I wasn't strong, or fast, or experienced. But if the system wanted strength, then I'd just have to find a way to earn it.
And there was only one thing I knew for sure.
"The only method I know to increase experience… is through killing beasts."
My gaze drifted toward the forest surrounding the village. The trees stood tall and still, their shadows stretching long in the dim light. I could hear faint rustling in the distance — the movement of something I couldn't see.
A knot formed in my stomach. Fear? Maybe. But underneath it was something else — a small spark of excitement.
---
The forest grew thicker and darker the closer I got, the dense canopy blotting out most of the sunlight. Every step I took seemed heavier, as though the trees themselves were warning me not to enter.
Earlier, I had a long conversation with the inn owner, Mira, trying to gather some basic information about this place I now called home. It wasn't much, but it was something.
The village where my inn is located is called Willowmere, a small settlement nestled just beyond the edge of the forest. And the forest that surrounds it? Dúlach Forest, a place whispered about in old tales and warnings.
According to the villagers, this forest is shrouded in mysteries, and some even claimed that a strange horse rider roams its depths — a figure so terrifying that travelers avoid the area after nightfall.
But, honestly, that wasn't my concern. I wasn't here to get caught up in folklore or superstition. I was here to farm experience points, plain and simple.
Mira told me that in the western part of Dúlach Forest, a pack of wolves prowls.
They aren't ordinary wolves; they are Feral Wolves, and their rank is "Feral." Mira explained the ranking system to me carefully.
Beasts in this world are divided into different ranks — Feral being the lowest, and each rank increasing in danger and power from there.
"Each Feral-ranked wolf is strong enough to kill an average human," Mira had said to me in a very grumpy tone.
Humans, it turns out, are also ranked. The lowest is Novice, which, unsurprisingly, is exactly where I stand. That meant that if a Novice human like me were to cross paths with a single Feral wolf, it would quickly become a life-or-death battle. The odds were not in my favor.
The realization hit me like a punch. Mira had been staring at me the entire time e
When I was talking to her as if I were some kind of fool, and now I understood why.
My lack of knowledge, my ignorance of even the simplest survival rules, made me dangerously vulnerable.
"Ahh!" I muttered under my breath, slapping my forehead in frustration. The thought of walking straight into Dúlach Forest, armed with nothing but my fledgling skills and confidence, made my stomach churn. The chances of surviving a pack of Feral wolves as a Novice were practically zero.
But I had to start somewhere. I couldn't sit idly by and wait for death. My plan was simple — maybe dangerously so, but it was the only plan I had. I would begin by killing smaller, weaker beasts — slimes, wild boars, or anything I could handle safely — and gain experience points.
Each kill would give me the strength I needed to survive, and with each level I gained, my chances against stronger enemies would improve.
Once I reached Level 5, I planned to return to the western part of Dúlach Forest and face those Feral wolves. A pack of them would still be terrifying, but at least then I might have a fighting chance. Until then, it was kill, grind, and survive — over and over, day after day.
My plan for the entire month was brutally simple: kill everything I encountered, gain experience points, and climb the ranks. With every level I achieved, my powers would increase — gradually, but surely. And if I stuck to this path, maybe, just maybe, I could survive long enough to see the higher ranks, both among humans and beasts, and grow into something formidable.
The Dúlach Forest was dangerous, mysterious, and unforgiving, but it was also my arena, my challenge, and my only path forward. I squared my shoulders, tightened my grip on my weapon, and stepped forward. There was no turning back.