Riku quickly assessed the situation. Taking on five rotten ghouls with his current strength was impossible.
"This is my fault. If I hadn't used [Manifest], I wouldn't be stuck like this," he muttered, frustration tightening his chest. He clicked his tongue, fully aware that the monsters could strike at any moment.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Heavy footsteps echoed from all directions. The ghouls were closing in. Riku's stomach churned. He needed at least sixteen more minutes before his mana pool would regenerate by one point.
[Vomit Tar]
The five rotten ghouls unleashed a coordinated assault. Dark flames shot from their jaws, waves of searing heat rolling toward him.
Swoosh!
Riku vaulted over the inferno, feeling the air shimmer with the monster's fire. He landed a few meters away, breathing hard. "I can't die here... it's only my first day in this world."
He knew he could handle a single enemy, but five coordinated attackers changed everything. His movements were clumsy under pressure, and the monsters quickly closed the distance from behind. One of the ghouls lagged slightly, giving him a fleeting advantage.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Branches and thorns scraped across his body as he darted through the undergrowth, leaving small scratches in their wake.
[HP: 89/100]
Riku's health was dropping steadily, a reminder of just how vulnerable he was. He felt the weight of helplessness pressing down on him—there was almost nothing he could do against a group of enemies this formidable.
"C-come on... how much longer until my mana pool recovers?" he stammered, glancing at the faint blue glow in his hand. His voice carried a mix of impatience and desperation as he addressed the system.
[Remaining time: 12 minutes and 34 seconds]
Riku knew he had likely attracted the attention of every monster nearby. To them, the scent of a human was like the aroma of roasted meat—irresistible and deadly.
Twelve minutes left. Twelve minutes that could mean survival... or death.
Swoosh!
He veered sharply, weaving through the trees to throw the ghouls off balance. Their [Vomit Tar] attack was useless on the move, giving him a narrow advantage.
He sprinted along a clear stretch, chest heaving. This... this works. If I keep my pace, nothing can slow me down.
Huff... huff... huff...
Five minutes passed, yet the ghouls kept up relentlessly. "How much longer are they going to chase me?!" Riku gritted his teeth, frustration mixing with fear.
Roar!
From the right, a pair of Tibber monsters burst through the undergrowth. The sight made his heart leap.
Swoosh!
Riku dropped low, sliding across the dry forest floor. The monsters' claws sliced just inches above him, and a sharp bite snapped where his head had been moments before.
Clang!
Riku's nimble evasions allowed him to dodge the monsters' attacks, slipping past their grasp with practiced precision. He landed on his feet and surged forward, sprinting down the seemingly endless straight path.
Eight monsters, two distinct species, were in relentless pursuit. In most worlds, rival monsters clashed over territory, but here, the rules were different. These eight were united, single-minded in their hunt to tear him apart.
Six minutes remained before he could activate the [Fly] skill. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, and his speed began to falter.
"I'm losing ground..." he panted, glancing back to see the monsters closing in to just fourteen meters.
Distance had always been his best survival tool, but now his own body betrayed him. Riku's usual composure cracked, replaced by a fleeting, lifeless dread.
Self-reproach gnawed at him. His forty-five-minute lapse into unconsciousness had allowed the monsters to close in unnoticed, and now he paid the price.
The sun glared fiercely overhead, blinding him to the dangers ahead.
Crack!
A sharp snap echoed in his ears, and his footing gave way. Riku stumbled off a raised platform, plunging into the void.
He had been running along the cliff's edge, and now he was falling—over one hundred feet into the unknown. Panic gripped him as the reality of the drop sank in.
Two minutes remained before he could use [Fly]. Doubt clawed at him. Even if I survive the fall, what if I lose consciousness mid-air? What if I land only to be swarmed by more monsters?
His thoughts raced as his body hurtled downward. This was a life-or-death moment, and he alone bore the responsibility for survival. There was no one here to save him, no one to judge his actions. Only his focus, his reflexes, and his will to live could carry him through.
[Fly!]
Riku let out a powerful shout as he invoked the [Fly] skill. His voice echoed through the forest, scattering birds into the cerulean sky.
Splash!
Pain surged through him with every fiber of his body.
"Ahhhhhh!"
-9
From his back, dark, iridescent wings sprouted—majestic yet grotesque, leaving a crimson stain where they tore free.
[HP: 80/100]
Every attempt to harness a new skill without a fully prepared body left him paying the price. The rare genes he had absorbed demanded time, patience, and total control. Mastery was anything but instant.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The eight monsters in pursuit tumbled off the cliff, blind to the dangers of the drop, their shrieks lost to the wind. Riku's field of vision blurred as he plummeted, wings flaring in desperate attempt to stabilize his fall.
"H-How do I even control these?" he muttered, voice trembling. He had never flown before, and the shimmering wings felt alien, unwieldy under his body's weight.
Fatigue, frustration, and fear pressed down on him, threatening to close his eyes—but then a calm, melodic voice rang in his mind.
"Riku, fly higher."
His eyes snapped open. "Mother?" The tone was unmistakable, familiar yet distant, like a memory etched into his very genes.
"Fly higher, Riku, until you find me."
The words anchored him. His wings extended fully, catching the wind as he adjusted mid-fall, guided toward safety through the labyrinthine forest below.
[Great! Your mana pool has increased by one!]
The system's notification chimed, punctuating his success. Riku maneuvered past twisting branches and jagged terrain, each flap of his wings more confident than the last. He was no longer falling—he was flying.