Catching a glimpse of the beast, Kadori's throat constricted with fear, his fingers trembling around the hilt of his sword.
'Darn it.'
The creature was the same one Kadori had faced before, the encounter that had cost him his life.
The only alteration was that now it stood solitary.
But even in its solitary state, Kadori knew that facing it was a nigh-impossible task.
The sheer enormity of the creature sent shivers cascading down Kadori's spine.
Then, a familiar chime resonated in Kadori's head, projecting a holographic screen.
[THREE HOURS LEFT TO COMPLETE THE QUEST]
As Kadori absorbed the message, a small sigh of relief escaped his lips.
His remaining challenge was to hold out against the beast for three more hours.
'How can I stall this creature and pass the time?' Kadori pondered.
The beast remained immobile, its blood-red eyes oozing malevolence, as it awaited the perfect moment to strike.
'Running away is suicide.'Kadori had already attempted to flee, but the creature's speed was threefold greater than his.'
I suppose now my only recourse is to hold my ground and defend myself for three h...'
Before Kadori could finish his thought, the thunderous footsteps were already thundering in his direction.
DUM! DUM! DUM!
Kadori adopted a defensive stance as the beast lunged, vicious claws poised for an attack.
Swiftly reacting, Kadori raised his blade, deflecting the blow with a resounding CLANG!
Although he managed to parry it, the force behind the attack sent him skidding several meters backward.
'Such incredible strength!'Kadori regained his balance, inspecting his blade for any damage.
Unlike his previous sword, which had shattered upon contact with the beast's claws, this one remained pristine.
Succinctly closing the distance, the creature slashed its claws once more.
Kadori sidestepped, narrowly evading the attack.
'My turn!'Seizing the opening, Kadori swung his blade towards the beast's right side.
Pah!
The blade connected cleanly, yet the result astonished Kadori.
It felt as though he had struck solid rock.
'Those scales are impervious!' Kadori lamented inwardly.
The creature's scales served as an impenetrable barrier.
'How, then, can I hope to survive?' Kadori wondered, leaping backward to widen the gap between himself and the beast, affording him a moment to assess the situation.
'Every inch of the beast's body is shielded by these scales. Every inch, except for its head,' Kadori mused, raising his blade to block another strike.
CLANG! SLASH!
Kadori successfully blocked the claws with his blade but wasn't quick enough to counter the creature's secondary assault.
The claws tore through Kadori's left arm, crimson pouring like rain.
'Ugh!' Kadori grunted in agony, pressing his hand against the wound to staunch the flow.
BAM!
While Kadori tended to his wound, the beast seized him and slammed him into a nearby tree.
BAM!
Kadori dropped to his knees, bruises forming, and blood staining his attire.
"Pant... pant... pant..."
His vision blurred from the impact. Peering ahead, he discerned a hazy figure, the beast advancing slowly.
'I've been given one more chance. I cannot squander it,' Kadori resolved inwardly, reaching for his blade on the ground.
Having retrieved his weapon, Kadori rose to his feet, his grip on the hilt unwavering.
The beast closed in, preparing to strike with its lethal claws.
Lifting his blade, Kadori drew his arm back and swung with all his might.
The blade hurtled through the air, racing towards the beast's head.
TI... RING
[TIME UP: QUEST COMPLETED]
Kadori's vision abruptly darkened, forcing him to crumple to the ground.
[YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE QUEST: QUEST FOR THE WORTHY]
[ALERT]
[WELCOME, PLAYER NUMBER 1]
***
JOLT!
Kadori jolted upright from his slumber, breathless.
Glancing around, he was taken aback by his surroundings.
"Where am I?"
His last recollection was of the forest, battling the beast, before darkness consumed him.
"How did I end up here? And where exactly is here?" Kadori mused, still bewildered by the unfamiliar environment.
This couldn't be his village, nor the island.
The room was neatly arranged, and he sat on a comfortable bed.
[WELCOME, PLAYER NUMBER 1]
As Kadori puzzled over his location, a familiar screen materialized.
'Hmm... If this is still here, it means I'm not dead,' Kadori concluded, examining the holographic interface before him.
[YOU COMPLETED THE QUEST]
[CLICK ON THE VISIBLE ICONS TO CHECK YOUR STATISTICS, REWARDS, QUESTS, AND SO ON.]
Kadori directed his attention to the screen, his expression a mix of curiosity and intrigue.
All of this was still foreign to him; he had no inkling of how he acquired this mysterious System or how it functioned.
After heeding the message, the display transformed into an entirely new interface.
°°°°°°°°°°°^°^^°°°°^^°°
[PLAYER NO 1]
[HOME]
[STATS]
[SKILLS]
[QUESTS]
[REWARDS]
[ARSENAL]
[SHOP]
°°°°°°^^°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°^^
Kadori scrutinized the screen, rubbing his chin in contemplation, endeavoring to comprehend its workings.
From what he gleaned, this whole setup seemed akin to the Moonlight Game he used to play with Uncle Duncan when he visited the city.
A game replete with missions, rewards, and a means to fortify one's avatar.
Kadori reached out to select the [Home] icon, yet it remained unresponsive.
'Open the home page,' Kadori instructed internally, uncertain of his next move.
Upon voicing these words, the screen metamorphosed once again.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
-NAME: KADORI KAKASHI
-LEVEL 1
-RANK: BRONZE |
-HP: 100 -SP: 10
-TIREDNESS: 0
[STATS]
-STRENGTH: 5
-STAMINA: 5
-AGILITY: 5
-INTELLIGENCE: 10
-PERCEPTION: 5
(AVAILABLE POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE: 5)
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Kadori inspected the display before him, his countenance a medley of astonishment and enthusiasm.
If this system paralleled the games of yore, then with each quest completed and level attained, he'd grow stronger.
"What in the world is SP?" Kadori pondered aloud, glancing toward the lower section of the status screen and noting the abbreviation.
KACHUM!
Whilst Kadori immersed himself in the interface, the entrance creaked open, redirecting his attention.
Two figures entered the room, approaching Kadori.
Surveying them, he sure they were not from his village.
"Who are you?" Kadori demanded, "And where in the world am I?"
The pair consisted of a man and a woman.
The man, likely in his late twenties, boasted long, snow-white hair tied in a ponytail and a formidable physique.
Two blades crisscrossed against his back.
The girl appeared to be Kadori's age, her brown hair ending at her neckline, her face delicately heart-shaped, and her frame athletic.
She wielded a bow and a quiver of arrows.
Seated beside the bed, the muscled man introduced himself, "I see you've finally awoken."
His deep voice identified him as Santino.
"What do you mean?" Kadori inquired, baffled.
"Let's just say you've been slumbering for more than a week," Santino responded. "And to address your earlier question, you find yourself in Khandar Town, situated on the planet Edom."
Hearing this, Kadori grappled with the concept of Planet Edom.
Did this imply they were no longer on Earth?
***
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