[ *Excerpt from the book 'Savior of the World'
Daniel Bran was stacking bullets on each cartridge while peeking outside the barn through some gaps in the wooden wall from time to time, being vigilant at any movement in the outside surroundings. When he finished, he loaded his 40-round box magazine with the bullets he prepared before jacking it up to his rifle again.
Click.
The sound it created made the mother and son jolted awake. The child scrunched his face, ready to cry but the mother hushed him and threatened that monsters would come if he cried.
His gaze then shifted to the wounded man lying on his stomach, bathing in sweat and dried blood and appearing like someone who hadn't slept for a while, yet his wife and child didn't seem to care for his situation.
Perhaps the man was busy plowing the field day and night for his family, but the monsters invaded and they fell in danger.
He frowned when he glanced at the woman again, still trembling and hugging her son on her seat far away from them, and not even throwing them a single glance at all.
Couldn't she tend to him or wipe his husband's body at least? – Daniel Bran thought. He felt a bit of pity for the husband who sacrificed himself but did not receive any sympathy from his family at all.
He wanted to leave already, but his conscience gnawed him for daring to leave a knock-out wounded man, a woman, and a child alone. Though the monsters in the vicinity weren't present anymore, he could not be sure whether that would remain the same when the night came.
So, he decided to stay, at least after the man regained consciousness. He leaned on the stack of chopped wood, his bottom seated on the dusty floor of the barn, and his arms wrapped around the rifle on his lap.
He was wearing a tattered combat uniform, and his combat shoes were dyed in blood.
It was from the area where he came from, the entire field was flooded by red liquids falling from the tall trees of the forest where enormous beaked monsters were dangling dead, their stomachs were ripped open as if a more horrendous beast fought with them.
The sight was beyond horrifying that he almost doubted if he was still on Earth. In his ten years in the military, he had never seen a battlefield like that. It appeared like the sky rained blood, and the ground was flooded. He immediately ran away from that place, scared to bump into the thing that annihilated those monsters.
Daniel Bran was in the middle of his guard duty when the news that an unidentified object appeared in the city. Guarding the perimeter of the boundary line of their country, he chanced upon a horde of arachnids the size of a toddler nesting in the forest, weaving traps and homes for thousands of them.
Luckily, he was in complete combat form, and he managed to escape out of the perimeter, but his walkie-talkie was lost and the path back to the camp was covered by thick webs. He had no other choice but to follow along the path to the open fields.
He felt frustrated that he couldn't contact his team. By now, they were probably receiving orders to be dispatched nationwide, saving and protecting the people.
It could be seen that he was performing his duty, however, disappearance without notice faced serious charges. What's more, desertion during a war receives the death penalty, and the current situation may well be compared to one.
Daniel Bran couldn't help but rub his aching temple. He remained on his spot until the daylight faded and dawn broke without sleeping at all.]
* * * * *
"…argh…"
My head hurts. My body, too. I felt like dying. This feeling is the worst. I've never known how hard it is to open your eyes when you're hurting all over. Every time the jolt of pain would rush, my eyelids would close back.
It'd be nice to close them for a little longer, but the situation couldn't let me afford a good sleep. If I knew this would happen, I would have prioritized my sleep over those commissions. Now even if I finished those damned paintings, I won't be getting paid anyway.
The old hag might have been dead.
I lifted my head and glanced around. Narrowing my eyes, the blurred figure of the man in front of me became clear. He looked like a soldier. A defector?
He was looking at me. When I tried to sit up, he came and helped me, giving me a pitiful look. What was that for? Do I really look so pitiful with my back sliced open?
"W-Who are you?"
I asked in a raspy voice. I bowed my head and tried to clear my eyes which seemed plagued by the morning stars. My hands moved at the edge of my lips, wiping them for any dried saliva. I need water. My throat seemed parched and I felt dehydrated.
The soldier answered, "Daniel Bran. Private 1st Class of the 6th Infantry Division."
I furrowed my brows, recalling the events that happened after hearing the man reply. When a series of past images flashed in my mind, I finally nodded my head and acknowledged the kind soldier. I coughed several times before responding.
"D-Do you have water?"
Daniel Bran searched inside the military bag and handed him an aluminum canteen afterward.
I was in the middle of satiating my thirst when I noticed a green arrow moving up and down above the man's head.
"What's that?"
"What is?"
"The thing above your head."
Daniel Bran looked up, "…roof?"
"No. The green arrow."
He looked up again, eyes confused. He even touched the top of his head and rubbed the air.
"I don't see what you mean."
I blinked my eyes twice. Am I seeing things now? But the arrow did not vanish. It seemed that the arrow meant something. I remembered those arrows that move along your chosen characters in a role-playing game. What do you call that?
"C-Can I also have w-water?"
I shifted my head to the far corner of the barn where the mother and son were. I sighed in relief. They seemed fine.
It was the mother who asked, holding out her hand to them.
But I couldn't; answer fast because of the same thing above them. I was surprised to see the same arrow above their heads.
"M-My son…is thirsty…"
I turned to Daniel Bran, asking for his permission. He sighed and simply took the canteen before walking to the mother. He waited until both of them had taken a drink. What a kind man.
I followed his movement, with my eyes occasionally moving above his head. If I touch and click on it, will his character's description be shown to me? Or maybe, do I just have to think to activate it?
I stared at the soldier's head and tried clicking the arrow in my head.
It didn't work. I recalled the system screen that appeared before I lost consciousness. It said the reward had been credited.
Is it the reward? The ability to see green arrows? Am I going to be like the green lantern now? How do I check it?
After a while of contemplating, I opened my mouth and spoke the only words I could think of.
"System…open!" I whispered with conviction. But nothing happened. I tried again, "System…appear before me!"
This time, I shouted the last words unconsciously, making the other three look back at me. I gave them an awkward smile, though the tip of my eyebrow was twitching in annoyance after two failed attempts. It would have been nice if it had appeared as soon as I wished.
Ting!
"Yes!... Don't mind me…haha," I simply avoided their gaze and immediately checked the golden screen that appeared in my front. And judging by the silence behind me, it doesn't seem like they can see the screen.
[System User Profile
User: Atlas Sterne Rank: ?
Health: 63 % Mana: 4 %
>>>>Stats
>>>>Abilities
>>>>Inventory
>>>>Bank]
My brows furrowed in confusion.
I was expecting that the system that would appear was like the red one. But it wasn't just a different color, its content was also different. I lifted my hand and pressed the 'Stats'. Its contents are displayed under the pressed word.
[System User Profile
User: Atlas Sterne Rank: ?
Health: 64 % Mana: 4 %
>>>>Stats
>>>Strength: 22 %
>>>Stamina: 15 %
>>>Speed: 63 %
>>>Skill: 31 %
>>>Intellect: 27 %
>>>Luck: 87 %
>>>>Abilities
>>>>Inventory
>>>>Bank]
"What are these? It's like a game!"
I suddenly felt excited. During my teen days, I never had the chance to play games because I was always busy trying to survive. I envied my peers jovially talking about their feats and adventures in a virtual world, and I always felt out of place whenever they would gather and chat about those.
I was delighted. I ignored the weird looks that I had been receiving. Then, I clicked on the word 'Abilities' next.
[System User Profile
User: Atlas Sterne Rank: ?
Health: 64 % Mana: 4 %
>>>>Stats
>>>>Abilities
>>>Escape Route Lvl. 1
>>Default Route >Teleportation Lvl. 1
>>>Caster's Eyes Lvl. 1
>>Default Vision > Character's Role
>>>>Inventory
>>>>Bank]
My eyes zoomed in on the unfamiliar ability. I clicked on the 'Character's Role' and it displayed a short description.
[*User will be able to know the assigned role of the target.]
"Assigned role?" As in the role of the characters in a book or play? Then, I can know who will be the villain and who will be the NPCs. This is great! I can befriend those characters who will be beneficial to me.
I cackled. I couldn't wait to find out how this ability works.
"Is there something wrong? Do you feel anything strange?"
My train of thought was cut off when the soldier came back. Worry was etched on his face, and I couldn't help but think that the private was truly kind. I wondered why he chose to be a soldier.
I flashed my pearly white teeth to him while shaking my head in response. He looked at me as if I was someone who escaped from a mental hospital. However, I'm too excited to be bothered whether he sees me like a mentally disordered pennywise or a happy mad hatter.
This world is like a game. At least, what I know is that the novel…I forgot the title – I'm living in, is like a system genre. Which means I can level up and become stronger.
I returned my gaze to the screen, thinking about how to press the remaining list without the soldier painting me as an asylum runaway. Now, I'm bothered. I shouldn't scare him. I still need some help to escape this place.