The roar echoed again, low and guttural, reverberating through the dense jungle like a war drum. Ethan froze, his senses suddenly hyper-alert. Every shadow between the trees felt like a threat, and every rustling leaf sent a chill down his spine.
"Great," he muttered under his breath, staring at the glowing interface floating in front of him. "So I've been reborn, dumped in some kind of alien jungle, and now I get to play dinner for whatever's out there."
His eyes flicked back to the system screen.
Starting Quest: Survive the jungle environment and unlock system functions.Objective: Remain alive for 24 hours.Reward: Mana Detection Skill."Twenty-four hours? Piece of cake." He laughed bitterly. "Except for the part where I'm unarmed, clueless, and glowing like a freaking beacon in the dark."
The roar came again, louder this time. Ethan's muscles tensed instinctively, and his gaze darted toward the source of the sound. Somewhere in the dense foliage, something was moving—something large.
A faint hum pulsed in his head, and new text scrolled across the system interface.
[System Update: Mana Detected Nearby.]
Beneath the text, a faint outline of the jungle appeared, highlighting a glowing blue sphere just beyond his line of sight. It was surrounded by faint red outlines, flickering erratically.
"What does that mean?" Ethan murmured, his eyes narrowing.
The interface responded as if reading his thoughts.
Blue: Mana Source.Red: Hostile Entity."Of course," he muttered. "Because nothing says 'welcome to your new life' like throwing me between a predator and… whatever that mana source is."
The first step was survival. He needed to move—anywhere but here. His glowing appearance made it clear he wasn't blending in with the jungle, so stealth wasn't exactly an option. He crouched low, scanning his surroundings for anything useful.
The ground was littered with vines, moss-covered rocks, and scattered pieces of what looked like alien plants. One plant caught his eye—its thick, fibrous stem almost resembled rope. He grabbed a handful, tugging until he tore it free. It wasn't much, but at least it felt sturdy enough to serve as a makeshift tool—or a distraction.
Ethan moved cautiously, his steps silent on the mossy ground. The jungle was alive with sound: distant cries of alien birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the occasional snapping of twigs underfoot. Every noise made his heart race, but he pushed forward.
The system map in his vision updated with each step, the blue mana source growing closer. It pulsed faintly, almost beckoning him.
"Okay," Ethan whispered. "Let's hope whatever's there doesn't want to eat me."
The jungle opened into a small clearing, the sunlight filtering through the canopy above. At the center of the clearing was the source of the mana signature—a glowing crystalline structure embedded in the ground. The crystal shimmered with blue light, casting faint ripples of energy across the air around it.
Ethan's breath caught as he stepped closer, his instincts warning him to be cautious. The crystal pulsed, a steady rhythm like a heartbeat.
"This… is definitely not from Earth," he muttered, crouching down to examine it. The energy radiating from the crystal felt warm, almost comforting, and a faint hum resonated in his chest.
The system chimed again.
[Mana Signature Identified.]
Energy Node: A naturally occurring source of mana.Properties: Restorative, Energy Amplification.Ethan extended a hand toward the crystal, hesitating for a moment before his curiosity got the better of him. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a surge of energy coursed through him. His glowing veins pulsed brighter, and a sharp chime rang in his ears as a new notification appeared.
[Skill Unlocked: Mana Detection.]
Description: Allows the user to sense and track mana sources within a 50-meter radius.Before he could fully process the notification, a loud crash erupted from the trees behind him. The ground shook, and Ethan whipped around just in time to see a massive creature emerge from the undergrowth.
It stood on four legs, its muscular frame covered in thick, scaly hide that glimmered faintly in the sunlight. Its head was large and reptilian, with glowing yellow eyes and jagged teeth bared in a predatory snarl.
[Hostile Entity Detected.]
Classification: Jungle Predator (Mid-Tier).Threat Level: Moderate."Moderate?!" Ethan hissed, backing away. "This thing could eat me in one bite!"
The predator sniffed the air, its gaze locking onto him. It growled low, its body coiling as it prepared to lunge.
Ethan's heart pounded. His survival instincts screamed at him to run, but his rational mind knew he wouldn't make it far. He needed to fight—somehow.
The system's interface flickered, and a new prompt appeared.
[Combat Tutorial Activated.]
Tip 1: Channel mana to create offensive and defensive abilities.Tip 2: Use the environment to your advantage.Ethan's hands glowed brighter as he focused, the energy from the crystal still thrumming in his veins. "Channel mana? Sure, easy," he muttered sarcastically, raising his hands. "Let's see what happens."
The predator roared, leaping toward him with terrifying speed. Instinctively, Ethan thrust his hands forward, and a burst of blue energy shot out, striking the creature in the chest. It stumbled, snarling in pain, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
Ethan scrambled backward, his mind racing. "Come on, think! What else can I do?"
He glanced at the crystal, an idea forming. The energy it radiated wasn't just restorative—it amplified mana. If he could channel it, maybe he could create something stronger.
The predator lunged again, but this time, Ethan rolled to the side, landing near the crystal. He placed a hand on its surface, feeling the surge of energy flow through him again. The glow around his hands intensified, and he focused all his will into shaping the mana into something new.
The air crackled as a sphere of blue energy formed in his palm, humming with raw power.
"Let's see how you like this!" Ethan shouted, hurling the sphere at the predator.
The blast struck the creature's head, erupting in a burst of light and force. The predator roared one final time before collapsing to the ground, motionless.
Ethan stood there, panting, his hands trembling from the effort.
[Combat Complete.]
Reward: 1,000 EXP.System Upgrade Unlocked.The interface shifted, revealing new options: Abilities, Quests, Inventory, and Status.
Ethan smirked, the adrenaline fading as he stared at the glowing menus. "So this is how it works, huh? A little trial by fire, and now I get to level up."
He turned back to the crystal, his expression thoughtful. "If this is the game, I might as well figure out how to win."