As I stood there, shield of tree bark in hand, I heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. My heart hammered in my chest as the first creature emerged, lumbering into view. And let me tell you, this thing was a monstrosity of the highest order. It was like someone had taken a bunch of animal parts, smashed them together, and sprinkled on some nightmare fuel for good measure.
The creature had the body of a giant, furred lizard, though its fur was sparse and patchy, making it look like it'd gone a few rounds with a lawnmower. Its legs were long, bent backward like a bird's, with talons sharp enough to make a tiger jealous. It had three beady eyes, all blinking in different directions, and a mouth that stretched way too wide, lined with jagged teeth that looked like they hadn't seen a dentist in… well, ever.
And there was more than one of them. As I gawked in horror, two more creatures stepped out of the underbrush, each one as bizarre and horrifying as the first. They looked like something I'd seen before, but where? Maybe in an old RPG monster compendium or a creature-feature film? Either way, they were both new to me and disturbingly familiar.
I glanced up at the system interface, praying it might offer some information. And there it was—each monster had a little tag next to it showing its level and stats.
Monstrous Boggle-Beast
• Level: 15
• Strength: 23
• Dexterity: 20
• Endurance: 18
• Skill 1: Venomous Swipe - Delivers a poisonous strike that paralyzes prey.
• Skill 2: Shriek of Terror - Emits a high-pitched scream to stun opponents.
• Skill 3: Multi-Eye Vision - Allows the creature to track prey from multiple angles simultaneously.
Great. Just great. Each one of these nightmares had stats in the two-digit range, and I was barely hanging on with stats that were, shall we say, less than impressive. My level 1 self with a single-digit Luck stat had no business facing off against one of these monsters, let alone three.
So, naturally, I did the only sensible thing.
I threw my makeshift bark shield at one of the creatures with a defiant yell and turned to run for my life.
I didn't even look to see if my bark weapon made contact. I was too busy hightailing it through the forest, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me, dodging branches and leaping over fallen logs like some kind of desperate woodland parkour champion.
I glanced at the map as I ran, noting with horror that the red markers were keeping pace. In fact, they seemed to be gaining on me, and I could practically feel their hot, stinking breath on the back of my neck. I ran harder, pushing myself to the limit, but these things were fast, and I was not built for endurance.
"Of all the worlds to end up in, why this one?" I yelled over my shoulder, not bothering to check if the creatures understood me. "Did I really deserve this? A little peace and quiet, that's all I wanted!"
I activated the system's appraisal function as I ran, scanning each creature for more details. The information popped up, and I nearly tripped as I read through their skillsets.
Each creature had Venomous Swipe, which could paralyze its target, and Shriek of Terror, a scream that would stun me long enough for them to pounce. And let's not forget Multi-Eye Vision, meaning they could probably track me no matter where I tried to hide. These skills were absurd, and I cursed whatever cruel, twisted god had decided to let these creatures loose in the world.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" I shouted. "Venomous Swipe? Shriek of Terror? What's next, Instant Kill Hug?"
I didn't dare look back, but I raised my middle finger in the general direction of my pursuers. "Yeah, take that, you ugly freaks! Come on, try me!"
The creatures responded with a shriek that chilled me to my core, and I felt a fresh surge of terror-fueled adrenaline as I picked up the pace. My heart was pounding, my breath coming in ragged gasps, but I didn't stop. I leapt over a fallen tree, ducked under a low branch, and cursed every step of the way, throwing every insult I could think of at the monsters behind me.
"You call that running?" I yelled. "You couldn't catch a cold if you tried!"
My taunts seemed to have the opposite effect, though, because I could hear the creatures picking up speed, their footsteps thundering behind me. I kept running, my legs burning, my lungs aching, and I could almost feel their claws scraping against my heels.
Then, in the middle of my escape, my foot slipped on a patch of wet moss. My heart sank as I stumbled, my balance going haywire, and the next thing I knew, I was tumbling forward, crashing straight into a nearby tree. My shoulder took the brunt of the impact, and I let out a string of swear words that would've made my old high school gym teacher blush.
"Ow!" I groaned, clutching my shoulder as I tried to get back on my feet. "Stupid, cursed Luck stat! Why do you hate me?"
Before I could fully recover, I heard the telltale rustling of footsteps closing in around me. I looked up, my heart sinking as I realized the creatures had surrounded me, cutting off any possible route of escape. They circled around, their beady eyes gleaming with malice, their teeth bared in predatory grins.
Welp… this was it. The end of the line. I was about to become monster chow, half-naked, soaking wet, and probably very undercooked.
I looked up at the sky with a deadpan expression. "Thanks a lot, Celestial Nexus," I muttered. "This is exactly how I wanted to go out. Not even a sword to my name. Just…bark armor and boxers."
One of the creatures lunged, its jaw unhinging like a snake, revealing rows of fangs that glistened with some kind of oily venom. I didn't have time to think. Instinctively, I raised my hands, palms out, hoping to shield myself from the inevitable, gruesome pain.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard a chime in my head.
[Skill Eternis Activated.]
Before I could even process what that meant, the creature in front of me… well, it just died. Collapsed on the ground, lifeless, without me even touching it. One moment it was there, ready to tear me apart, and the next, it was just… gone. Like someone had flipped an off switch.
I stared at the fallen creature, then at my hands, and then back at the creature. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Did…did Eternis just save my life? I hadn't even done anything!
Another chime echoed in my mind.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[New Skill Acquired: Venomous Swipe]
There was a long, stunned silence as both I and the remaining monsters tried to process what had just happened. I glanced down at the system screen, reading the notifications with a mix of disbelief and giddy excitement. I'd leveled up. I'd acquired a skill. And apparently, I had a way to take these things down.
A grin crept across my face, growing wider and more unhinged by the second. I looked up at the remaining creatures, raising both palms toward them, and let out a laugh that was equal parts triumph and sheer insanity.
"Oh, you're in trouble now," I said, my voice dripping with mockery. "I figured out how to kill you, and guess what? It was all thanks to dumb luck."
The creatures seemed to hesitate, shifting uneasily as they sensed the change in my attitude. I took a step forward, relishing the way they flinched. "What's the matter?" I taunted, raising my hands like I was casting some ancient spell. "Come on, let's see how tough you really are!"
With a mixture of defiance and thrill, I unleashed a string of curses at the monsters, daring them to come at me. I'd survived a plane crash, climbed a mountain, faced a rainstorm, and outrun these ugly freaks. And now, thanks to a stroke of pure, dumb, glorious luck, I was the one with the power.
"Bring it on!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the forest. "Let's see what Eternis can really do!"