[Dense Forest, Unknown]
Alex furrowed his brows as the translucent blue interface floated in front of him, displaying rows of small words.
'What... is this?' he thought, doubt flickering across his face.
The last thing Alex remembered was stepping outside to throw away the garbage. The streets had been eerily silent. People were collapsing one after another before he, too, blacked out.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by towering trees.
The forest felt surreal—ancient trees stretched tens of meters into the sky. Even the smaller plants, like shrubs, stood three or four meters tall. Weeds were as tall as his waist.
What struck him most were the massive footprints scattered on the ground, each spanning five or six meters.
'What kind of monster leaves prints this big? This doesn't make any sense...'
His gaze lingered on one particularly deep footprint.
"Alien Beast Survival Game?" he murmured, gripping the situation quickly.
Standing up, Alex scanned his surroundings. His instincts urged him to prepare for the worst. He plucked a dry weed from the nearby patch, testing its durability by swinging it through the air. It was lighter than he wanted, but surprisingly sturdy.
For now, it would serve as his weapon.
Clutching the makeshift stick tightly, Alex searched for a hiding spot. He stumbled upon a small depression, over two meters deep, concealed by roots and thick underbrush.
Carefully inspecting it with his stick to ensure nothing dangerous lurked inside, he climbed into the hollow space.
'This should keep me hidden for now.'
Settling in, Alex focused his thoughts and silently called for the "exclusive interface."
The translucent prompt transformed into a new screen displaying his stats.
[Player: Alex]
[Race: Human]
[Current Level: 0]
[Strength: 1]
[Speed: 1]
[Constitution: 1]
[Health: 10]
[Energy: 0]
[Experience: 0/10]
[Item: Stick made of wild grass]
[Skill: None]
Alex's eyes drifted to the description of his stick.
[Stick made of wild grass]
[Quality: Trash]
[Durability: 1]
[Evaluation: This is the favorite food of the beginner alien beast Crazy Rabbit. Holding it might attract its attention!]
"Seriously?" Alex muttered under his breath, gripping the stick tighter. He didn't discard it but made a mental note to stay alert for any strange rabbits.
Shifting his focus, he noticed a flashing hammer icon at the top of the screen.
Curious, Alex tapped it, revealing multiple new options: [World Channel], [Regional Channel], and [Auction House].
He clicked on [World Channel] first. The screen flooded with frantic messages:
[Help! I woke up in a desert! Someone give me water!]
[I'm trapped on an island! Weird creatures are everywhere! I have no food!]
[Please save me! I'm willing to do anything... I used to be a school beauty!]
[Hahaha! Humanity is done for! Time to rebuild society from scratch!]
[HELP! I'm surrounded by humanoid beasts several meters tall! What should I do?]
Most of the messages were desperate cries for help. Alex noticed a speaker icon labeled with [5].
[World Speaker: Players can only send five messages on the World Channel per day.]
'Limited messages? I'll save them for emergencies.'
Deciding the World Channel wasn't useful, Alex switched to the [Regional Channel].
Unlike the World Channel, this felt more personal. Player avatars and real names were displayed.
[Did anyone else wake up in a forest? There are giant footprints everywhere!]
[How do I get a weapon? I can't even open my inventory!]
[HELP! I was eaten by a massive python, and my whole body hurts!]
[I just ran into one-meter-tall purple rabbits. They're staring at me! HELP!]
The chaos confirmed Alex's suspicions—this forest was dangerous.
He read the chat logs carefully, hoping for clues about resources or safer locations. But most players either went silent after a while or shared nothing useful.
'They probably got eaten...' Alex thought grimly.
Sighing softly, Alex gripped his stick tightly and prepared to leave the hollow. He knew he couldn't hide forever.
Just as he climbed toward the ent
rance, a sudden message flashed in his mind.
[The binding of the God-Level Beast Taming System is complete...]
[System fusion binding successful!]
[Newbie gift package is being distributed...]
[Newbie gift package is distributed successfully and has been opened automatically!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the beast taming capsule × 1]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the fine steel long sword × 1]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the detailed map fragment of a radius of 100 miles × 1]
"This... God-level beast taming system?" Alex frowned slightly.
Alex stood motionless as the glow of the system's interface flickered before his eyes. His thoughts raced, but then everything clicked into place. This is it. My golden ticket.
The information flooded his mind, the details of the system becoming clear as day. With a calm focus, he accessed the system's features.
A quick glance at the system's interface revealed the core function—beast taming. Simple, straightforward. Nothing fancy, nothing unnecessary.
That's it? Alex thought, raising an eyebrow. But then he remembered where he was—alien beasts roamed the world. In a place like this, even a simple ability could mean the difference between life and death.
Discarding the stick he had been holding, Alex reached into his system backpack. The first item he pulled out was a fine steel long sword, gleaming in the light. He inspected it, fingers running over its polished surface.
[Steel Long Sword]
[Quality: Silver]
[Attack Power: 10]
[Durability: 15]
[Evaluation: A reliable weapon, perfect for dealing with low-level beasts.]
[Note: Quality tiers: Trash, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crystal, King.]
Alex swung the sword in a wide arc, testing its weight and balance. It was surprisingly light, and the sword felt comfortable in his grip. With a satisfied nod, he slid it back into his inventory and grabbed the next item—a beast taming capsule.
It was no bigger than his fist, but the shape and feel of it were unmistakable. A familiar sphere, reminiscent of something from an old childhood memory. A Pokémon Ball, perhaps, but far more mysterious.
[Beast Taming Capsule]
[Quality: Unknown]
[Attack Power: Unknown]
[Durability: Unknown]
[Evaluation: An enigmatic object, brimming with untapped potential. Handle with care.]
Alex studied the capsule. The evaluation was vague, but the lack of clarity didn't faze him. If anything, it added to the mystery—and perhaps the allure—of the system he had been gifted.
"Unknown power... mysterious..." Alex muttered under his breath, his fingers tracing the smooth surface. "Guess it's better not to know everything right away."
He tapped into the system interface once again, opening the detailed instructions for the capsule. His eyes widened slightly as the guidelines appeared.
[Beast Taming Capsule – Detailed Information]
[Level: Silver]
[How to Use: Throw the capsule at any part of an alien beast. Upon contact, it will be considered used successfully.]
[For standard alien beasts: Success rate is 100% as long as they are no more than 10 levels above your current level.]
[For mutant alien beasts: Success rate is 100% if they are no more than 5 levels above your current level.]
[Note: Capsule levels progress from Ordinary to King, with various intermediate stages.]
[Note: Upon successful use, the capsule disappears, and the beast becomes 100% loyal to the user.]
Alex's heart raced as he absorbed the information. This is my way forward. The key to my survival. He scanned the map next, pulling out the detailed 100-mile radius map that had come with the system.
The map was loaded with potential. Alex immediately noted the location of several beasts, including a nest of aggressive rabbits—level 7 blue rabbits. But the idea of dealing with them felt like overkill. He needed something stronger, something that could truly protect him in this wild world.
Focusing on the map, he located his target: a Thunder Pattern Python. This was no ordinary snake—it was the terror of its territory, a powerful creature at level 10, with the ability to unleash lightning from its tail. It was a challenge, but it was within the limits of the system's capsule.
This was the beast Alex needed.
He double-checked the map, confirming the python's location to be over 7,000 meters northwest. He needed to move quickly.
He pocketed the map, took a deep breath, and adjusted the sword on his side. The journey ahead wouldn't be easy, but with the beast taming capsule in his possession, the world felt a little less hostile.
The terrain around him shifted as he began his trek. No longer was he surrounded by the thick forests he'd come to know; instead, the land transformed into a swamp, the air heavy with the stench of rotting vegetation. He grimaced but pressed on. He'd come too far to turn back now.
His thoughts were fixed on the python as he carefully navigated the swamp. Every step brought him closer to the creature's territory. As he advanced, the sounds of wildlife faded, replaced by the eerie silence of the swamp.
Eventually, the traces of the python became more evident—the ground was heavily disturbed, a clear sign of the creature's massive presence. Alex slowed his pace, moving cautiously.
And then, just as he reached the center of the territory, a deafening sound ripped through the silence—a thunderous crackle of energy.
Alex's heart skipped a beat as he turned, his eyes locking onto the massive serpent slithering toward him. The Thunder Pattern Python was a force of nature, its body adorned with electric blue patterns that crackled with raw power. It was enormous—easily the size of a building—and the trees in its path were snapped in half like twigs.
This was it. The moment of truth.
Alex's pulse quickened. He had only one capsule. If this failed, he'd be left with nothing.
But he had no choice.
With a steady hand, he raised the beast taming capsule and aimed it at the oncoming python. His fingers trembled slightly, but his resolve remained firm.
The future of his survival depended on this one shot.