The stench of blood and death clung to the air, suffocating in its intensity. My legs trembled beneath me, and my hands still shook from the battle.
I wanted to feel triumphant, but exhaustion weighed heavier. Instead, I forced myself to remain vigilant, reminding myself that one wrong move could mean the end.
[Task complete: Survive for one day.]
[Reward: Basic Survival Pack.]
The notification echoed in my mind again, bringing a flicker of relief.
With a soft hum, a box materialized in front of me, glowing faintly as it rested on the cracked ground.
At this point, I wasn't even surprised anymore. This system loved throwing things my way.
I knelt down and opened the pack, my body protesting every movement.
[You've received: Rations for three days, Water Canteen (full), Tent, and Basic Healing ointment.]
A tent? I had been hoping for more weapons or maybe some magical artifact to make this life a bit easier. But, given how my first day had gone, I'd take what I could get.
With three days' worth of rations and water, I could survive without hunting, at least for now.
I applied the healing salve to the gashes on my arm, feeling the cool, numbing sensation spread across the wound.
It wasn't much, but it would keep infection at bay.
Setting up the tent was the next task.
It was a simple shelter, barely more than a piece of cloth and some poles, but it would do.
I pitched it in the corner of the collapsed building, making sure I was hidden from the open street.
Once inside, I lay down on the thin mat, the weight of exhaustion finally winning out.
Sleep came instantly.
When I woke up, the world felt… different. Not safer, but a little less alien.
The sun had shifted in the sky, casting long shadows over the ruins.
My stomach growled, reminding me that survival here wouldn't be easy.
I ate a ration bar, washing it down with water from the canteen. The bar tasted like cardboard, but it was better than nothing.
I stretched out, wincing as my muscles protested.
[New system task: Kill three apprentice-level monsters.] [Reward: Combat Skill Scroll (Beginner Level).]
My groan echoed through the empty streets. Three apprentice-level monsters? The Boarhound I fought yesterday had nearly killed me, and that was just one. What did the system expect me to do? Walk into another death trap and pray I got lucky?
I shook my head, annoyed.
"No rest for the reincarnated, huh?" I muttered. The system remained silent, as always.
Reluctantly, I strapped my sword to my side and stepped out of the tent.
The ruined city loomed around me, a decayed reminder of whatever civilization had once thrived here.
The quiet was unsettling, broken only by the distant howls and growls of unseen creatures.
If I didn't finish the task, I had no doubt the system would throw something worse my way next time.
…
After hours of searching, I spotted a pack of creatures in the distance.
They looked like wolves, but with scales covering their bodies instead of fur, and their claws glinted in the sun like polished metal.
There were three of them, all gathered around what looked like a fresh kill.
My stomach churned.
I crouched behind a chunk of collapsed building, watching them carefully.
They moved like predators, all muscle and precision. Were they apprentice-level monsters? The system hadn't exactly given me a handbook on what to look for.
But I had a feeling that if I didn't deal with them, I wouldn't live long enough to find out.
Steeling myself, I grabbed a small piece of rubble and threw it across the street.
It clattered loudly, and one of the creatures lifted its head, ears twitching.
Slowly, it peeled away from the others, moving toward the noise. Perfect.
I crept out from my hiding spot, gripping my sword tightly. This was it.
My heart raced as I rushed forward, silent as I could be.
The wolf didn't notice until the last second.
It turned, but my sword was already in motion, slicing deep into its side.
Blood sprayed, and the creature let out a shrill yelp before collapsing.
[Kill confirmed: Apprentice-level monster defeated. 1/3.]
One down.
The other two wolves turned, snarling. Before I could react, they were charging at me.
I raised my sword just in time to block the first one's leap. Its jaws snapped dangerously close to my face, and the force of its attack knocked me off balance.
I stumbled, barely managing to stay on my feet.
The second wolf was faster.
It raked its claws across my arm, pain shooting through me like fire.
I screamed, but I held onto my sword. Desperation fueled my next move.
I swung wildly, the blade catching the creature in the neck. It fell, gurgling as blood pooled beneath it.
Two down.
The first wolf, the one that had knocked me over, was circling now, its bloodied snout twitching. Its eyes gleamed with a hunger that made my skin crawl.
It lunged again, but this time, I was ready.
I sidestepped, driving my sword into its chest as it passed by me.
The weight of its body dragged the sword from my hand, and the creature collapsed, twitching.
[Task complete: Three apprentice-level monsters killed. Reward: Combat Skill Scroll (Beginner Level).]
I fell to my knees, gasping for breath. My arm throbbed with pain, my entire body aching from the fight.
But I had done it.
Three monsters down.
The system rewarded me with another scroll, but I was too exhausted to care.
My vision blurred, and for a moment, I wondered if this was what my new life would always be like, fighting, bleeding, barely surviving
Still, I was alive.
For now.