Kai couldn't shake the frustration bubbling in his chest as he made his way into the forest. This whole thing felt absurd. One moment he'd been sitting in his cramped apartment, half-asleep in front of his gaming console, and the next thing he knew, he was in a completely different world, shoved into a "role" he hadn't agreed to. He'd read enough fantasy to know that he should be the hero, decked out in some kind of legendary armor, wielding an ancient sword, and on a quest to defeat dark forces. But instead, here he was, with zero skills, no magical powers, and his grand task?
"Gather herbs," he muttered, kicking a small rock out of his way. "As if I'm some random NPC just waiting to hand over a healing potion."
The System had barely explained anything before throwing him into the deep end. If it weren't for the strange, translucent text that popped into his vision now and then, he wouldn't have even known where to start. But after an hour of wandering through the forest, he had a vague sense of what he was looking for, or at least he thought he did. The image that had flashed in his mind of broad green leaves with serrated edges was as good a clue as any.
The forest loomed around him, its shadows deep and sprawling under the late afternoon sun. The air was filled with the earthy scent of decaying leaves, mingling with the occasional gust of something fresh and green. The whole scene was almost peaceful—if he wasn't so irritated by his situation.
"Well, here we go," he said to himself, peering under a cluster of ferns. He found nothing that matched the description in his head. With a sigh, he moved on, pushing aside some hanging vines as he ventured deeper into the woods.
As he searched, he kept glancing over his shoulder, the feeling of being watched prickling at the back of his neck. He hadn't seen anyone or anything following him, but the forest had gone uncomfortably quiet, as though even the birds were wary of something lurking nearby.
He crouched down by a patch of moss, inspecting a few small plants growing in the shade. "Nope, nope, and definitely not," he muttered, tossing aside a handful of leaves that didn't resemble the herbs he needed in the slightest.
Just as he started to rise, a rustling noise caught his attention. Kai froze, his heart hammering as he looked up. From the bushes ahead, a pair of glistening eyes stared back at him. He squinted, trying to make out the shape, and then realized it was a deer, its ears twitching as it watched him curiously. He let out a breath, laughing at himself for being so on edge.
"Just a deer," he whispered, grinning at the animal. "You scared me there, buddy."
But the deer suddenly jerked its head, ears flattening as it darted away, crashing through the underbrush with a speed that sent Kai's nerves flaring again. He barely had time to wonder what had spooked it when he heard a low growl coming from somewhere to his right.
He turned slowly, catching sight of a boar emerging from the trees. It was massive, easily twice the size of any he'd seen before, with a coat of wiry bristles and tusks that looked sharp enough to gut him in one go. The creature's dark eyes were fixed on him, and it seemed more than a little annoyed to find him in its territory.
"Alright, uh, no sudden moves," Kai whispered, clutching the stick he'd picked up earlier. He wasn't sure what good a stick would do against a creature like that, but it was better than nothing.
The boar let out a deep, menacing snort, digging its hooves into the ground as it prepared to charge. Kai barely had time to brace himself before it launched forward, its tusks gleaming in the dappled sunlight. He threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding being skewered as the boar thundered past him, tearing up the forest floor in its wake.
"Okay, okay, maybe I should've taken up jogging," he muttered, scrambling to his feet as the boar turned to face him again. This time, he was ready—or as ready as he could be. He lifted his stick, trying to look intimidating, though he doubted the boar was impressed.
"Bring it on, big guy!" he shouted, though his voice shook slightly. The boar snorted, pawing at the ground, and Kai could see the intelligence in its eyes—this beast wasn't just angry, it was calculating, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The second charge came faster than he'd anticipated. Kai swung his stick, managing to land a glancing blow on the boar's side, but the impact barely fazed it. The creature barreled into him, sending him sprawling onto his back as pain exploded through his shoulder.
He gritted his teeth, rolling to his feet and backing away, clutching his shoulder. The boar seemed momentarily stunned from the impact but recovered quickly, its gaze locked onto him with renewed fury. Kai felt his heart pounding, adrenaline surging as he realized just how outmatched he was.
Desperate, he glanced around, looking for anything he could use. His eyes landed on a jagged rock, half-buried in the dirt a few feet away. He darted toward it, snatching it up and holding it like a makeshift weapon. It was heavy and awkward, but it was better than the broken stick lying at his feet.
The boar grunted, lowering its head for another charge. Kai took a deep breath, bracing himself as he aimed the rock, hoping he could at least slow the creature down. When it charged again, he waited until the last second, then threw the rock with all his strength, aiming for its head.
The rock hit its mark, striking the boar just above the snout with a loud crack. The creature stumbled, shaking its head as though dazed. Kai didn't waste a second—he dashed forward, landing a few quick kicks to the side of its head before leaping back, just in time to avoid its thrashing tusks.
But the boar wasn't done. With a furious roar, it regained its footing, its eyes blazing with rage as it charged yet again. Kai barely had time to dodge, rolling to the side as the creature tore past him. His breaths came in short, panicked gasps as he realized how close he'd come to being gored.
He was running out of options. His stick was broken, his makeshift rock weapon was lying useless somewhere behind the boar, and he was running low on energy. He could feel his strength draining, each movement becoming slower and more labored.
As if on cue, the System's chime sounded in his mind, cold and indifferent:
System Alert: Task Progress - Poor
Progress on mandatory task "Survive Encounter with Wild Boar": 0%
Effort: Inadequate
Penalty applied: -10 Stamina
A wave of exhaustion swept over him, leaving him feeling even weaker than before. His limbs felt like lead, his vision blurring as the System's penalty drained him. He was running out of options, and the boar wasn't about to give him a break.
The creature snorted, preparing for yet another charge, and Kai knew that this was it—if he didn't find a way to end this, he wouldn't survive. He clenched his fists, anger flaring in his chest as he glared at the System message still hovering in his vision.
"You want me to take this seriously?" he growled. "Fine. Let's do this."
With a last burst of energy, he sprinted toward a nearby tree, scrambling up its trunk just as the boar charged. The creature rammed into the base of the tree, shaking it so violently that Kai nearly lost his grip. But he held on, pulling himself up higher as the boar circled below, glaring up at him with a murderous glint in its eyes.
Kai took a moment to catch his breath, his heart still racing as he watched the boar pacing beneath him. He wasn't out of danger yet, but at least he'd bought himself some time.
As he clung to the tree, he couldn't help but feel a grudging sense of respect for the creature. It was fierce, determined, and far stronger than he'd anticipated. In a way, it reminded him of himself—stubborn and unwilling to back down, no matter the odds.
But as he looked down at the boar, he knew that he couldn't keep running from every challenge the System threw at him. If he wanted to survive, he'd have to learn how to fight, how to think strategically, and how to take these tasks seriously. The System wasn't going to give him a free pass, and he couldn't afford to keep failing.
With a sigh, he looked up at the forest around him, the sunlight filtering through the leaves in a way that almost felt comforting. Maybe, just maybe, he could make it through this world. But if he was going to survive, he'd need to be smarter, stronger, and far more prepared than he was now.
As he watched the boar eventually wander off, grumbling as it disappeared into the underbrush, Kai allowed himself a small, exhausted smile. He'd survived his first real encounter, even if it hadn't gone exactly as planned. And as he climbed down from the tree, wincing at the ache in his shoulder, he knew that this was only the beginning.
The System might have thought it had him figured out, but he was just getting started. He'd learn, adapt, and grow stronger, one way or another. Because if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that he wasn't going to let some glorified task manager dictate his fate.