Chapter 2: The First Kill
Reiyan's scream tore through the suffocating air as he swung the jagged rock with all his strength. It struck the wolf squarely on its snout with a sickening crack, dark blood splattering across his hands. The beast howled, its glowing red eyes flaring as it recoiled, momentarily stunned.
The acrid stench of its blood filled Reiyan's nostrils, but the relief was fleeting. The wolf's growl deepened, low and guttural, vibrating through the ground. It crouched, muscles coiling, and its gaze locked on Reiyan with murderous intent.
The realization hit him like a hammer: all he'd done was anger it.
Paralyzed, he stumbled back. His body screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to obey. The wolf lunged, its jaws snapping open wide enough to crush his head in one bite.
A sharp cry shattered the moment. "Duck!"
Reiyan instinctively dropped to the ground just as a spear flashed over his head, striking the wolf's flank. The beast yelped, skidding to the side, and the girl from earlier dashed into view. Her dark eyes burned with focus, her weapon raised despite the blood dripping from her side.
"Get up, rookie!" she barked.
Reiyan scrambled to his feet, his hands still trembling. "I—what do we do?"
"We kill it!" she snapped. "Or it kills us. No middle ground."
The wolf didn't give them time to strategize. It charged again, faster this time, its claws tearing into the dirt as it leapt at the girl. She twisted out of the way, thrusting her spear toward its exposed throat.
The wolf jerked its head, avoiding the fatal blow, and swiped with a massive paw. Its claws raked across her arm, drawing fresh blood. She hissed in pain but didn't falter, gripping her weapon tighter.
Reiyan froze, watching the brutal exchange. His mind screamed at him to do something, but his body wouldn't move.
The girl noticed his hesitation and glared at him. "If you're not going to fight, at least stay out of my way!"
Her words stung, but before he could respond, the wolf shifted its attention back to him. Its glowing eyes narrowed, and it charged.
Time slowed as Reiyan's instincts flared. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, and a surge of heat spread through his chest. Without thinking, he bent down, grabbed the bloodied rock, and swung it upward as the wolf leapt.
The jagged edge struck the wolf's lower jaw with a crunch, shattering teeth. The beast howled in agony, its momentum broken as it crashed to the ground.
A notification blinked in front of Reiyan's eyes:
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Critical Hit!
[Beast] Staggered.
---
"Now!" the girl shouted.
She didn't wait for him to respond. With a burst of speed, she closed the gap between herself and the wolf, raising her spear high. The weapon plunged into the creature's neck, driving deep into its flesh.
The wolf choked, gurgling, its glowing eyes dimming as it collapsed to the ground with a final shudder.
Silence fell over the forest, heavy and oppressive.
---
Victory Achieved.
Experience Gained: 25 XP.
Level Up!
---
Reiyan stood motionless, his chest heaving. His hands trembled as he stared at the blood-soaked rock in his grip. The acrid stench of the wolf's corpse turned his stomach, and he dropped the makeshift weapon, bile rising in his throat.
"You're alive," the girl said, her voice flat.
Reiyan looked at her, still dazed. "I… I hit it."
"No kidding," she replied, yanking her spear free from the wolf's neck with a sickening squelch. Blood splattered the ground as she inspected the weapon, her expression cold. "Your first kill. Congratulations."
Her words hit him like a slap. My first kill. The reality of it sunk in, heavy and suffocating.
He looked down at his hands, still stained with dark blood. His stomach twisted, and he doubled over, retching onto the forest floor.
The girl watched him without sympathy. "If that's all it takes to break you, you won't last long here."
Reiyan wiped his mouth, glaring at her. "You don't understand. I didn't—"
"I understand perfectly," she interrupted, her tone sharp. "You killed it, or it would've killed you. That's the only rule that matters here."
He stared at her, trying to find the words to argue, but none came.
"What's your name?" he asked instead, his voice hoarse.
She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Akari."
"I'm Reiyan."
"I didn't ask," she said bluntly.
Reiyan frowned, frustration bubbling beneath his fear. "Why did you help me, then?"
Akari smirked faintly, but there was no humor in it. "Don't flatter yourself. If you'd died, the beast would've come for me next. You were bait."
Her words stung, but he couldn't deny their truth.
"Now that you're alive, you'll either learn to fight or die screaming," she added, turning away. "I'm not here to babysit you."
"Wait!" Reiyan called after her. "What do I do now?"
Akari glanced back, her eyes cold and unyielding. "Survive. That's all there is to it."
She disappeared into the shadows, leaving Reiyan alone with the corpse of the wolf and the oppressive silence of the forest.
---
Hours later, Reiyan wandered aimlessly, his nerves on edge. The bloodstains on his hands had dried, flaking off in patches, but the memory of the wolf's snarling face haunted him.
A sudden chill ran down his spine, and he froze. His instincts screamed at him, and he spun around just in time to catch movement in the shadows.
A humanoid figure emerged from the trees, its limbs too long, its joints bending at unnatural angles. Its pale skin glowed faintly in the dim light, and its head twitched erratically.
Reiyan's breath caught. It wasn't human.
A new notification appeared before his eyes:
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Warning: Hostile Player Detected.
---
His grip tightened around the jagged rock he'd picked up again. His heart pounded as the figure tilted its head, its empty gaze locking onto him.
The game wasn't over. It had only just begun.
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End of Chapter 2
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