Riz woke up with a pounding headache and a face full of dirt. He groaned, pushing himself up from the ground, spitting out grass. "Ugh, what the hell…" He blinked against the blinding sunlight, squinting as his surroundings came into view.
Tall trees loomed above him, their dense branches casting long shadows across the forest floor. The air smelled fresh, like damp earth after a rain, mixed with a strange sweetness he couldn't place. But something felt... off. The silence was eerie — no cars, no city noise, not even a distant hum of life. Just birds chirping, and the wind rustling through the leaves.
Panic gripped his chest as he scrambled to his feet, his heart thumping in his ears. "Where am I?" His voice cracked. Last he remembered, he'd been glued to his PC, lost in the endless grind of his favorite MMORPG. It was another weekend of gaming marathons — energy drinks, instant noodles, and refusing to acknowledge the outside world. But this… this wasn't a game.
Riz patted his body, realizing he was still in his lazy gamer uniform: sweatpants and an old, food-stained t-shirt. No armor. No sword. And definitely no keyboard to mash for an escape.
"Okay, okay, think." He muttered to himself, running a hand through his messy hair. "Did I die? Am I in a coma? Is this some freaky dream?"
A ding sound, familiar but jarring in the eerie quiet, echoed in his ears. His vision blurred for a second, then a glowing blue screen materialized before him, floating in the air.
"Welcome, Riz. System initialization complete."
Riz froze. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and stared at the screen in disbelief. "No way," he whispered. "A system?"
The text on the screen shifted:
"You have been granted access to the Ultimate System. Use it wisely, or don't. Your fate is in your hands. Good luck, player."
Player? The word sent chills down his spine. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He wasn't in his room, but this... was starting to feel eerily familiar. He reached out, his fingers brushing the floating text. It rippled but didn't disappear.
More text appeared in front of him.
"Character Stats: Riz"
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10
Luck: 5
Skills: None
Weapons: None
Armor: None
"No freaking way," Riz muttered, his pulse racing. "This is... like a game. My life is... a game?"
But before he could process any of it, a low, guttural growl echoed from the bushes behind him. His stomach lurched. Slowly, he turned his head, dread creeping up his spine.
A creature stepped out from the shadows. It looked like a twisted combination of a wolf and a bear, its fur matted and wet, eyes glowing a sickening red. Saliva dripped from its oversized jaws, and its sharp claws dug into the ground as it stalked forward, growling low and menacingly.
Riz's body locked up. His breath caught in his throat, his legs rooted in place. His brain screamed at him to move, to run, but his muscles wouldn't respond.
"Holy sh—" The creature lunged.
Riz dove to the side at the last second, hitting the ground hard, rolling through the dirt. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might explode. He gasped for air, his mind racing.
A new ding chimed in his ears.
"Skill Unlocked: Flee."
"Flee?!" Riz coughed, pushing himself up, scrambling backward. "That's my first skill?!"
The monster growled, baring its fangs, ready to pounce again. Without thinking, Riz activated the skill. His legs moved on their own, carrying him faster than he ever thought possible. He tore through the forest, branches slapping against his face, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
For what felt like an eternity, he sprinted blindly through the dense underbrush, dodging trees and jumping over roots. His heart raced, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he desperately tried to escape the monster that chased him.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the growling faded. Riz slowed down, stumbling to a halt in a small clearing. He doubled over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "Oh... my... God… I almost died..."
His legs felt like jelly, and his chest burned with every breath, but he was alive. Barely. He glanced around, still shaking, hoping the creature had given up the chase.
Another ding echoed in his head.
"Quest Unlocked: Survive the Day."
Objective: Find shelter before nightfall.
Reward: Basic Weapon.
Riz let out a humorless laugh, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Of course. A quest. Because why not?"
He looked up at the sky. The sun was already starting to dip behind the trees, casting long shadows across the forest. His body still buzzed with adrenaline, but now his mind was racing in a different direction. This world — whatever it was — wasn't just some hallucination. It wasn't a dream. It was real. And if he didn't find shelter, he had a feeling he wouldn't make it through the night.
"Alright. I can do this. I've played a million survival games. I've got this." Riz tried to pump himself up, but the truth was, fear still gnawed at the back of his mind. What if he couldn't survive? What if this wasn't like the games he'd mastered? What if dying here was the end?
Shaking off the thoughts, Riz started moving, keeping his eyes peeled for anything that looked like it could offer safety. The forest was thick and full of shadows, and every rustle of leaves made his heart skip a beat. But as he walked, he noticed something strange. There were odd markings on the trees, symbols he didn't recognize. They looked ancient, almost glowing faintly in the dimming light.
"What the hell is this place?" he muttered, touching one of the symbols. It felt warm to the touch, like it was pulsing with some kind of energy. Magic, maybe?
He shook his head and kept moving. There wasn't time to stop and figure out the world's mysteries. He needed shelter. Now.
As he stumbled through the forest, he spotted a small cave tucked into the side of a hill. It was barely more than a hole in the ground, but it was better than nothing. Riz approached cautiously, checking the entrance for any signs of creatures. Nothing. It seemed safe enough.
With a sigh of relief, he ducked inside, settling against the cool stone walls. "Alright. Shelter? Check."
Another ding echoed.
"Quest Completed: Survive the Day."
Reward Unlocked: Rusty Sword.
A small, rusty sword materialized in front of him, clattering to the cave floor. Riz picked it up, inspecting the dull blade. "Well, it's not exactly a legendary weapon, but it'll have to do."
As he leaned back against the wall, the reality of his situation began to sink in. He was in a new world, with a system that treated life like a game. He had no idea how or why he was here, but one thing was clear: he had to survive. And if he played his cards right, maybe, just maybe, he could turn this crazy situation to his advantage.
But for now? Surviving the night was enough of a victory.