The forest was unnaturally quiet.

Ethan sprinted through the dense underbrush, heart pounding in his chest. His feet barely touched the ground as he darted between trees, dodging branches that clawed at him like skeletal hands. Something was chasing him—something fast, something deadly. He could feel it closing in, its presence a heavy weight on the back of his neck.

He didn't know how much farther he could run. His lungs burned, and his legs felt like lead. Panic surged through him, but there was nowhere to hide. Only moments ago, he had been exploring the outskirts of town, searching for something new to break the monotony of his small life. Instead, he found this—the hunt, the predator, the strange object now clamped around his wrist like a vice.

The wristband. It had been buried deep in the dirt, glowing faintly as if calling out to him. Curiosity got the best of him, and he had reached for it, not realizing what he was about to trigger. The moment he touched it, the forest had shifted, as though the world itself had recoiled, and now he was being hunted by a force he couldn't comprehend.

A blur of motion appeared to his left. Instinctively, Ethan veered to the right, narrowly avoiding whatever it was. He wasn't sure how he had dodged it—his body just seemed to know what to do, reacting faster than his mind could process.

Suddenly, a glowing text appeared before his eyes, floating in midair.

[Initiating Level-Up System...]

Ethan skidded to a halt, nearly stumbling as the words shimmered in front of him. What the hell was this? His brain struggled to make sense of it, but there was no time to question. Another burst of motion flashed from the corner of his vision—a sleek, dark shape leaping toward him. Without thinking, he threw himself to the ground, rolling to the side just as claws raked the air where he had been standing.

[Syncing with host... complete.]

[Starting stats initialized:]

He had no idea what it meant, but something was happening—something strange. He could feel it inside him, a shift in his body, like gears clicking into place.

[Level: 1]

[Strength: 5]

[Agility: 4]

[Intelligence: 6]

[Endurance: 5]

[Mana: 0]

The stats flashed before his eyes, but Ethan had no time to process them. He scrambled to his feet just as the creature lunged again. This time, he sidestepped it with more ease, his body moving with surprising agility. His mind raced. He had never been this quick before, never moved with such precision. Something was enhancing his abilities.

The wristband—it was doing something to him.

[New quest: Survive the next 5 minutes.]

"Survive? Are you serious?" Ethan shouted into the void, but there was no answer—only the cold, glowing text hanging in the air. He didn't know who or what had triggered this "quest," but it was real, and his life was on the line.

He heard the creature growl behind him and bolted forward. His legs didn't feel as heavy as before, and he realized his **agility** had increased. He was moving faster, reacting quicker, and despite the fear coursing through him, a small thrill crept into his chest. This was crazy—but maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.

Another flash of text appeared.

[Agility increased: +1]

Ethan's eyes widened. "I'm getting faster?"

There was no time to dwell on it. The next five minutes felt like an eternity as he dodged, ducked, and sprinted through the woods. Each time the creature lunged at him, he narrowly escaped, his instincts sharpened and his body growing more responsive. The wristband's system was doing something—boosting his stats, adapting to the danger he faced.

As the timer on his quest dwindled to its final seconds, Ethan spotted a clearing ahead. With the last of his strength, he sprinted toward it, breaking through the trees just as the creature pounced one final time.

[Quest completed: Survive the next 5 minutes.]

The words flashed before his eyes, but this time, he felt a rush of energy flood through him. His body tingled, his mind sharpened, and the wristband's glow intensified.

[Level up: Level 2]

[New ability unlocked: Quick Dash – Temporarily increases speed for short bursts.]

Ethan collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air as the creature retreated into the shadows of the forest. For now, he was safe—but his world had just changed forever. The wristband... the stats... the abilities... none of it made sense, but one thing was clear: he was no longer the same ordinary boy he had been that morning.

The wristband had awakened something inside him, and whatever this system was, it had only just begun.