Kael's breath came in shallow bursts as he struggled to keep up with Erendil. The forest was alive with sound—the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of birds, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. Each step felt heavier than the last, but Kael refused to complain. His pride wouldn't allow it.
Erendil stopped abruptly, raising a hand to signal Kael to do the same. "Quiet," he whispered. He crouched low, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area.
Kael mimicked him, albeit clumsily. "What are we looking for?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Not what—who," Erendil replied. "There's a presence nearby. A hostile one."
Kael's heart pounded. He reached for the small dagger at his side, his only weapon since the previous day's fight had left his sword a mangled wreck. Erendil raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his gaze fixed on the dense underbrush ahead.
Suddenly, a low growl emanated from the shadows. A pair of glowing red eyes emerged, followed by the hulking form of a feral wolf. Its matted fur was streaked with blood, and its fangs dripped with saliva. It was no ordinary beast—it was corrupted by the System, its very essence twisted into something unnatural.
"Level 3," Kael muttered as a translucent System window appeared in the corner of his vision. The wolf's stats were displayed alongside a flashing red warning: High Threat.
"Focus," Erendil barked, snapping Kael out of his panic. "This is your first lesson: survival."
The wolf lunged, and Kael barely managed to dodge its snapping jaws. He stumbled back, his dagger held awkwardly in front of him. The beast circled, its growls reverberating through the forest.
"Stay on your feet!" Erendil called out. He didn't move to help; instead, he watched, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Kael gritted his teeth, adrenaline coursing through him. The wolf charged again, and this time Kael sidestepped, slashing out with his dagger. The blade grazed the creature's side, drawing a thin line of dark, corrupted blood. The wolf howled in pain but didn't falter.
"Not bad," Erendil said. "But not good enough."
The wolf lunged once more, its claws raking Kael's arm. He cried out, staggering but refusing to fall. The pain was sharp, but it grounded him. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the dagger.
"You need to predict its movements," Erendil instructed. "The System will give you hints if you learn to read it."
Kael glanced at the wolf, then at the translucent System window still hovering in his peripheral vision. The creature's health bar was just above half. He noticed subtle patterns in its movements—the way its muscles tensed before it attacked, the way its eyes flicked toward its target.
When the wolf lunged again, Kael was ready. He sidestepped smoothly, bringing the dagger down in a precise arc. The blade plunged into the wolf's neck, and it collapsed with a final, agonized growl. A chime echoed in Kael's mind as a new notification appeared:
[System Notification]
• Enemy Defeated: Corrupted Wolf (Level 3)
• Experience Gained: 50
Kael stood over the creature, his chest heaving. His arm throbbed where the wolf had clawed him, but he felt an unexpected rush of satisfaction.
Erendil clapped slowly. "Not bad for a novice," he said. "But don't get cocky. That was a low-level enemy. There's far worse out there."
Kael nodded, his expression serious. "What's next?"
Erendil's smile was faint but approving. "Next, we see if you can fight something that fights back intelligently. But first…" He handed Kael a small vial of shimmering blue liquid. "Drink this. It'll help with the wound."
Kael uncorked the vial and downed the contents, wincing at the bitter taste. Almost immediately, a soothing warmth spread through his body, and the pain in his arm subsided.
"Welcome to your new reality," Erendil said, turning to lead the way deeper into the forest. "The System won't wait for you to be ready, Kael. So don't waste any more time doubting yourself. We have work to do."
As Kael followed, the weight of his Path felt just a little lighter. For the first time, he wondered if there was more to his title than he'd first assumed—and whether he might just be able to defy the System after all.