A new system notification materialized before Hyun Woo's eyes. The projection, usually calm and unremarkable, now glowed with an intensity that underscored the gravity of the moment.
System Notification:
System: New Quest.
Quest Objectives:
• Eliminate 50 creatures.
• Clear 5 Gates.
• Defeat the Boss entity.
Rewards:
• 15,000 experience points.
• 10 attribute points.
• 3x Recovery Potions.
Additional Rewards (Select One):
• 3,000 Souls.
• 2,500 Crystals.
Instant Recovery.
"Accept" - "Decline"
Hyun Woo's expression darkened as he read through the quest description. A storm of unease churned in his mind, the sheer scale of the task looming over him.
"Eliminate 50 creatures? Clear five Gates?" he muttered under his breath, his brow furrowing in disbelief. "This is clearly designed for an entire squad, not for a solitary Hunter... and certainly not for someone of E-rank. How could I possibly manage this when I can't even leave the medical ward?"
He exhaled heavily, the burden of an impossible mission pressing down on his shoulders like a tangible weight. The thought of the doctors and Gi Min Ji preventing him from attempting such a dangerous task only deepened his sense of helplessness.
"So, I have no real choice but to decline," he muttered to himself, resignation evident in his tone.
His finger hovered over and then pressed the "Decline" button, only for a new notification to immediately appear in front of him.
System: Quest declined. Debuff acquired.
• Fatigue Level 2.
• Weakness Level 2.
User's development will be impeded. 'Forced Punishment' protocol has been activated.
In an instant, the atmosphere around Hyun Woo began to warp, shimmering as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling. A low, resonant vibration echoed through the room, a noise that seemed to emanate from an invisible force splintering the space around him.
"What the...?" Hyun Woo exclaimed, instinctively stepping back.
Before his eyes, a massive black rift appeared, its jagged form resembling a fracture in the very essence of reality. An unnatural cold emanated from the fissure, and without warning, an unseen force pulled Hyun Woo towards it. The power of the rift engulfed him entirely, as if he had been caught at the heart of a raging storm, leaving him with no chance to resist.
As Hyun Woo felt himself being drawn into the rift, an overwhelming sense of powerlessness enveloped him. He struggled, his hands reaching out to grasp anything within reach, but the force was too strong. The medical ward, the walls, and everything familiar blurred around him until all that remained was darkness and the chilling pressure of the unknown.
His mind raced, the system's unforgiving demands and the unrelenting punishment forcing him to confront an inescapable reality. He had tried to refuse, to avoid the challenge, but the system had other plans. The notion of choice, it seemed, was nothing more than an illusion.
"Where... where is this taking me?" he thought, his voice barely a whisper against the overwhelming roar of the vortex.
Then, as suddenly as it began, everything went silent. The darkness thickened, swallowing him whole, leaving Hyun Woo with only his thoughts and the uncertain path that lay ahead.
In an instant, Hyun Woo found himself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Dense, oppressive jungle enveloped him from every direction. Towering trees with thick canopies obscured the sky, allowing only a few sporadic rays of sunlight to pierce through. The hot, humid air clung to him, and beads of sweat began to form and trickle down his face."What the hell?! Where am I?" Hyun Woo shouted, spinning around as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
He attempted to summon the system's projection, but every icon and tab was locked. Each time he tried to interact with the system, a single message appeared before him.
System: "Punishment. System usage restricted."
His breathing quickened, and his hands trembled slightly. He scanned his surroundings, trying to formulate a plan. Within seconds, a timer appeared in the upper-right corner of his vision, its digits steadily counting down.
Timer: "5:00:00 Objective: Survive until the timer runs out."
Cold sweat trickled down Hyun Woo's back. The forest seemed deceptively calm, but an underlying unease grew with each passing second. It felt as though something lurked behind every tree — something watching, ready to strike at any moment.
"Survive for five hours..." He wiped his brow, taking a shaky breath. "Wonderful. Just what I needed. As if everything else wasn't enough."
He looked down, assessing what had remained with him after the sudden transition. His clothes were still the same as those from the hospital: a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. No weapons, no armor. To make matters worse, there wasn't a single item from his inventory on his belt.
"Even the potions are locked away..." He gritted his teeth, fighting to suppress the rising tide of fear. "Fine, system. You want me dead, is that it?"
After taking a few deep breaths, Hyun Woo decided that standing still would only make him more vulnerable. He strained his ears, trying to catch any sound that might help orient him. The only noises were the rustling of leaves and the occasional distant call of birds.
"Alright, Hyun Woo, focus," he muttered, beginning to move forward along a narrow trail through the trees. "Five hours. Just five hours. Find shelter... and something to defend yourself with."
His heart pounded in his chest, but a spark of determination flickered in his eyes. He knew that succumbing to fear would only worsen his situation — action was his only option. The jungle was vast, and somewhere within its depths lay threats he could hardly begin to imagine.
Hyun Woo advanced cautiously along the path, his footsteps careful on the damp ground. The jungle remained eerily silent, but the quiet itself seemed to carry a hidden menace. Every rustle, every snap of a branch made him look over his shoulder. The branches above seemed almost watchful, and the dense foliage concealed whatever lay beyond.
His thoughts kept circling back to the system. The inventory, potions, even the most basic prompts — all inaccessible. The only feature that seemed functional was the ability to check his stats and skills.
"So, at least my skills and stats are still operational," he mumbled, clenching his fists. "That's better than nothing."
He paused for a moment, scanning his surroundings once more. The jungle stretched on endlessly, but he knew that remaining stationary would be the worst possible decision. Suddenly, a muffled sound reached his ears, like something — or someone — pushing through the thick underbrush. The rustling grew louder, and Hyun Woo tensed, every muscle readying for whatever might come next.
His senses sharpened, his gaze narrowing as he focused on the source of the noise. He crouched slightly, ready to react. The rustling moved closer, and his instincts screamed at him to prepare for anything. He could feel his pulse quickening, the adrenaline kicking in as he steeled himself against the unknown.
"Alright, whatever you are... bring it on," he whispered under his breath, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that surrounded him.
The beast crouched, its muscles coiling in preparation for a lethal leap. Hyun Woo quickly assessed his situation: no weapons, no armor, yet his skills and attributes remained functional. As the creature lunged, Hyun Woo instinctively activated his first skill.
Skill Activated: "Dash"
The world around him seemed to slow, and Hyun Woo felt his body sharply propel to the side. He narrowly evaded the creature's powerful attack, which landed with a heavy thud, its claws carving deep gouges into the earth beneath.
"It works!" Hyun Woo exhaled, adrenaline rushing through his veins.
The beast twisted its body, its gaze locking onto Hyun Woo again, its growl deepening into something even more menacing. Its eyes glowed with a ferocity that seemed almost otherworldly, and its jaws snapped aggressively. Hyun Woo understood that he couldn't rely on another chance to dodge. He had to take the offensive.
Drawing on his enhanced strength and agility, Hyun Woo snatched up a thick branch lying on the ground, gripping it firmly. The weight felt reassuring — improvised, but useful. As the beast lunged again, Hyun Woo sprang forward to meet it, swinging the branch with all his strength towards the creature's head.
A resounding thud echoed through the forest as the beast staggered, its growl turning into a shrill screech of pain. But it did not back down. It charged once more, and Hyun Woo quickly activated his "Evasion" skill, slipping out of the creature's line of attack to a safer distance.
Skill Activated: "Evasion"
The beast's claws raked only empty air, and Hyun Woo countered, bringing the branch down with a powerful strike aimed at its neck. The creature let out a rasping cry, its body shuddering violently before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.
Hyun Woo stood over the fallen beast, breathing heavily. His hands trembled with the aftermath of adrenaline, his heart still pounding in his chest. He stared at the creature, waiting for the system to provide a prompt — some kind of notification — but there was nothing.
"So, not even after a kill will the system help me... Perfect," he muttered, tossing the branch aside. "Looks like I'm on my own here."
Kneeling down, Hyun Woo examined the carcass. It appeared to be some sort of hybrid, an amalgamation of different animals, but its scales and claws seemed unnaturally resilient. He cautiously touched one of the scales; it was cold and rigid, almost like stone.
"You're definitely not from this world," he murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Which means there are probably more of you out there."
Realizing that this was likely just the beginning, Hyun Woo stood up, scanning his surroundings once more. His body still trembled from the adrenaline surge, but one thing was clear — his skills and attributes were the only tools he could rely on to survive this ordeal.
"Alright," he said, clenching his fists tightly. "If you want me to play by your rules, system, then I'll play. But don't think for a second that you've already won."
Hyun Woo wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes moving instinctively to the system's projection. The experience bar had shifted slightly to the right, confirming that he had earned experience for the kill.
"So, experience is still accumulating..." he muttered, glancing at the timer in the corner of his vision. "Four hours and forty-seven minutes left. Alright. Survive and find a way out."
He surveyed the area, trying to determine the best direction to move. The forest appeared endless, each potential path leading deeper into darkness, every shadow potentially concealing more threats. Staying still was simply not an option.
Hyun Woo's footsteps grew quieter as he moved forward, deliberately minimizing any noise he made. His hands instinctively gripped a new branch he'd found — longer and sturdier than the last one. He didn't know when it might be needed, but having it close at hand gave him a sense of readiness.
Every muscle in his body remained tense, his senses heightened. He was fully aware that the jungle held more dangers, and whatever lay ahead, he had to be ready for it. Survival wasn't just about brute strength; it required vigilance, calculated action, and staying one step ahead of whatever threat might come next.
"If this is how it's going to be," he whispered under his breath, his eyes narrowing with resolve, "then bring it on."
Suddenly, a deep, resonant growl emerged from the dense underbrush, forcing Hyun Woo to freeze in his tracks. The tall grasses and thick shrubs parted, and out of the shadows stepped a massive beast. Standing nearly two meters tall, it was covered in coarse black fur, with jagged, bony protrusions extending from its shoulders and head. Its eyes blazed a vivid red, and its maw, bristling with razor-sharp teeth, snapped at the air with an audible click.
"You must be one of the apex predators around here," Hyun Woo muttered, a shiver of fear involuntarily rippling through his body.
The beast advanced, its heavy paws sinking into the earth, leaving deep impressions in the soil. A cold, almost otherworldly chill radiated from it, causing Hyun Woo's breaths to become short and uneven, as though the atmosphere itself had grown heavier.
"No... no-no, I'm not ready for this," he whispered, taking a cautious step back. "I can't handle this one."
Without waiting for the beast to make its move, Hyun Woo spun on his heel and bolted, every muscle in his body straining as he pushed himself to the limit. His legs pounded against the forest floor, propelling him forward along the winding paths, his heart racing violently, and his breath coming in ragged gasps. Behind him, the monster let out an enraged roar, its heavy footsteps crashing through the underbrush as it gave chase.
Hyun Woo activated "Dash", a skill that amplified his speed exponentially, allowing him to put more distance between himself and the pursuing beast. For a fleeting moment, his surroundings blurred into streaks of green and brown, the forest a chaotic, indistinct mass. Hyun Woo moved on pure instinct, choosing unpredictable paths in an effort to confuse and outmaneuver his pursuer.
After several exhausting minutes, fatigue began to take its toll, and his legs felt as though they were about to give way. He spotted a particularly dense section of the forest where the trees grew so closely together that they formed a natural barricade. Squeezing his way through the narrow gaps between the trunks, he sought out any cover that might conceal him. Finally, he crouched behind one of the larger trees, trying to steady his breathing. Sweat poured down his face, but he kept his mouth shut, suppressing any sound that might give away his position.
The beast seemed to lose his trail. Hyun Woo listened intently, his ears straining to detect any sign of movement. Gradually, the sound of the creature's heavy footfalls began to fade into the distance. Only then did he allow himself to exhale, the tension in his body slowly dissipating.
"That was far too close," he whispered, leaning heavily against the rough bark of the tree. "I'm definitely not ready to take on something like that yet."
Hyun Woo's body still trembled with the adrenaline that had coursed through him, his muscles sore and fatigue settling in. The encounter served as a stark reminder of the dangerous reality of this hostile environment. He had barely escaped — relying solely on his skills and instincts — and the narrow margin for error made him painfully aware of his limitations.
"I need to get stronger," he muttered under his breath, a determined glint forming in his eyes. "The system threw me into this, and if I'm going to survive, I need to be ready for whatever comes next."
Staying put wasn't an option, not with predators like the one he had just faced roaming nearby. He needed to find proper shelter, perhaps a safer zone where he could rest and recover his strength. The forest, dense and full of mysteries, held countless unknowns, and Hyun Woo knew that he needed to remain vigilant, cautious, and, above all, proactive.
His fingers brushed against the rough bark, grounding himself before he cautiously emerged from his hiding spot. Every sense was on high alert, his ears straining to pick up even the faintest of sounds. He gripped a sturdy branch he had picked up during his escape—perhaps not an ideal weapon, but certainly better than being empty-handed.
"If this is the game I have to play," Hyun Woo thought, tightening his grip on the branch, "then I'd better make sure I learn the rules — and fast."
He stepped forward, determination building with each stride. The forest around him remained unpredictable, shadows shifting, and threats lurking just beyond his vision. But with every beat of his heart, he resolved to grow stronger — to adapt and survive. Because in this unforgiving place, there was no room for hesitation or weakness.