Sam stared, dumbfounded, at the broken section of the barrier. He was certain his attack wasn't powerful enough to surpass human limits or achieve any superhuman feat. Yet, the evidence was undeniable, Sam thought for a second then he murmured "Unbound….".
Within moments, the barrier repaired itself, as though nothing had happened, the translucent surface returning to its pristine state in mere seconds.
Meanwhile, the people gathered in the northern section of the starting point heard the loud, distinct sound of glass shattering. Their curiosity piqued, they searched for the source, but the translucent nature of the barrier made it nearly impossible to detect any changes unless they were up close. The air grew tense, their unease amplifying as the countdown to the trial's start loomed closer.
Sam glanced around, relieved that no one seemed to have noticed what he'd done. His heart steadied as he realized how fortunate it was that the barrier's transparency hid the brief disturbance. Shifting his focus, he turned inward, contemplating what consequences—or perhaps rewards—might await him for his reckless experiment.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have earned a new title: Barrier Breaker]
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have earned a new title: Pathforger]
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have earned a new title: System Challenger]
Sam looked at the name of the title with a spark of excitement in his eyes. Curiosity driving him, he began examining each detail of the title carefully, savoring the achievement and wondering about its implications.
[Barrier breaker]: You shattered the defensive construct of a being far beyond your tier- Increase all stats by 25%
[Pathforger]: You are the one who creates a way where none existed- Increase all stats by 25%
[System Challenger]: Your action earned the system's expectations- You will receive additional quest rewards.
[SOUL RECORD]
Name: Samuel Barlow
Race: Human??
Class: Unassigned [Level 10 for available]
Title: Lucky Man 9, Early Access, The First of Skill Wleider, Barrier Breaker,…]
Level: 1 [Tier 0]
[STATUS]
Strength: 8 [+50%]
Agility: 8 [+50%]
Vitality:9 [+50%]
Endurance: 9 [+50%]
Intelligence: 9 [+50%]
Wisdom: 10 [+50%]
Luck: 100 [+50%]
[SKILLS]: Mental power manipulation
[COMMON SKILLS]: language, mathematics, cooking, exercises,….Etc.
[TRAITS]: the Eye of ???, Unbound
The surge of power coursing through my body felt overwhelming, almost intoxicating. I couldn't help but marvel at the transformation—it wasn't just a minor boost; I felt at least twice as strong as before, if not more.
After testing my newfound strength for a bit, I glanced at my watch. There's still time, I thought, a plan forming in my mind. I walked over to my group, who had just finished their training. Determined to share what I had discovered, I addressed them with purpose.
"I want to teach you guys something that might be useful," I said, recalling how I'd learned to channel mental focus to synchronize with my movements. "It's a way to make every action more efficient and precise—something that could mean the difference between surviving and failing out there."
While our group was engaged in mass meditation, I couldn't help but notice the shifting dynamics around us. Other survivors were starting to form larger groups, clustering together as if sheer numbers could guarantee safety. The trial rules didn't specify any limit on group size, so naturally, more than a thousand people had banded together in a massive congregation.
There wasn't anything inherently wrong with that approach, but it wasn't for us. Our group had already discussed the risks, and we agreed—taking care of that many people would be impossible. We decided to focus on ourselves, trusting in smaller numbers and coordination to survive.
As I mulled over this, a movement in the distance caught my attention. A familiar family was heading in our direction—the Johnsons. They were our neighbors, living just a block away back home, and it seemed their entire family had been pulled into the same trial as us.
There was Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson, neither particularly old, along with their twin sons, both 18 and on the verge of graduating high school. Seeing them here brought a strange sense of relief—a reminder that we weren't entirely alone in this chaos.
I leaned over to my father, nudging him lightly. "Dad, look who's coming our way—it's the Johnsons."
His eyes followed my gaze, lighting up with recognition. Mr. Johnson was his drinking buddy, and if anyone could ease the tension for him right now, it would be his old friend. "Go talk to him," I added. "You'll both feel better."
Following the Johnson family, more and more familiar faces began to approach our group. However, there were no kids or babies among them—just as the fairy had mentioned earlier, those two groups were placed in separate trials. As the crowd grew, I couldn't help but think to myself: People just want to be near something familiar, to cling to a sense of security in this madness.
It was my father who stepped forward to speak with the gathering crowd. Calm and composed as always, he explained our group's plan, laying out the basics of how we intended to survive. To my surprise, the others quickly decided they wanted him to lead them.
I saw him pause, considering the responsibility. He wasn't a fighter, but he was a doctor—someone who couldn't just turn his back on others in need. After a moment of thought, he nodded and accepted their request.
And just like that, our group swelled to over a hundred people. I didn't even have time to count the exact number before the timer hit zero.
My father jogged back to my side, the crowd trailing behind him. He stopped just short of me, his face serious as he addressed the group.
"From now on, follow the plan and listen to the orders we've agreed upon. It's the only way we'll make it through this."
His voice carried authority, and the crowd's murmurs settled into silence. The weight of what was coming hung heavy in the air, but at least now, we had direction.
Here's a refined version of the scene with added flow and atmosphere:
As the shimmering barrier around the clearing slowly faded, a tense silence fell over the crowd. The faint but chilling sounds of creatures stirring in the forest reached our ears—low growls, distant roars, and unearthly calls that sent shivers through even the bravest among us. People trembled, gripping their weapons tighter, fear etched on their faces.
When the barrier finally vanished, leaving nothing but open forest around us, I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I turned to my father, nodding to him, and he nodded back, silently signaling his trust. Without a word, the group fell into formation behind me.
I moved slowly, deliberately, into the northern forest. As the strongest among us, it was my responsibility to lead the way. My shield was raised, my sword steady in my hand, ready to face whatever dangers lurked ahead.
The forest was dense, the canopy above letting in only fragmented beams of light. Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of leaves beneath our feet, the rustle of unseen creatures in the underbrush.
It didn't take long before I spotted something, just twenty meters ahead. A group of five small, green creatures was gathered around a trembling rabbit. They were goblins, each wielding rusty knives that looked barely functional.
They laughed viciously, their toothy grins twisted with glee as they poked and prodded at the helpless animal, not even bothering to kill it. The poor rabbit struggled, its panicked movements only adding to their amusement. It wasn't just a hunt—it was pure cruelty.
I tightened my grip on my sword, my jaw clenching as I prepared to act.
Before I could act, a shout came from behind me.
"What is that? A monster!"
The voice was loud, panicked, and immediately followed by a woman's scream.
"Ahhhhhh!"
The goblins froze at the noise, their heads snapping toward us. Their vicious smiles widened, cruel delight gleaming in their eyes as if they had just found a new toy to torment. Abandoning the rabbit, they began sprinting toward us with unrestrained malice, their guttural roars echoing through the forest.
"Gaaaaaaa!!"
I was already prepared. My grip on my sword tightened as I quickly assessed their movements. Focusing on the three goblins in the middle of the group, I charged forward with all my strength. My shoulder slammed into the center goblin like a battering ram, sending it flying into the air. The impact caused a chain reaction, knocking over the two goblins directly behind it.
Without pausing, I rolled to the side and came up swinging. My blade cleaved through the neck of the goblin on my right in a single, decisive stroke. Its body crumpled to the ground as blood sprayed into the air.
From the corner of my mind, I sensed danger—a flicker in my mental awareness. The goblin on my left lunged, its rusty knife aiming for my back. Instinctively, I raised my shield, blocking the attack with a resounding clang. Before it could recover, I thrust my sword forward, the blade piercing its chest.
As I pulled my sword free, I turned my attention to the goblin I had tackled. It was struggling to stand, groaning in pain, but I didn't give it the chance. With a powerful leap, I drove my sword straight into its neck, pinning it to the ground.
The entire exchange lasted no more than five seconds, from the moment I tackled the first goblin to the moment the last one fell.
Turning back, I saw the remaining two goblins had already been dealt with. My family and Ann had formed a spear formation, skewering both creatures before they could even get close enough to pose a threat.
I exhaled deeply, lowering my shield as the tension in the air began to fade. We had handled the first threat, but this was only the beginning.
Ding!
You have slain an enemy [Goblin: level 1]
Ding!
You have slain an enemy [Goblin: level 1]
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have reached level 2]
Ding!
You have slain an enemy [Goblin: level 1]
As I lowered my guard, ready to celebrate our victory, something strange happened. My vision blurred, and for a moment, everything turned white.
Time seemed to slow, the world shifting into an otherworldly state. The forest dissolved into a swirling river of threads, each one glowing with vibrant colors. I had seen this before—many times throughout my life and among the countless threads, one stood out.
A black thread.
It pulsed ominously, a harbinger of death.
Before I could process the vision, my senses snapped back to reality. Adrenaline surged as I gripped my sword tighter, my eyes scanning the surroundings for the source of the danger. Everything seemed normal—until I turned toward my sister, Eve.
She stood a few meters away, crouched near the rabbit the goblins had been tormenting. Her face was full of kindness as she gently reached out to it.
"You're so cute!!" she cooed softly. "No one's going to hurt you now."
My blood ran cold.
The black thread flashed in my mind again, and a wave of dread washed over me. My face paled as I realized what was about to happen.
"NO!" I shouted, sprinting toward her with all my strength. "EVE, GET AWAY FROM IT NOW!"
But I was too late.
The rabbit's body twisted unnaturally, its small form swelling as a sharp 20-centimeter horn erupted from its head. Its eyes glowed a crimson red, and in one violent motion, it leaped toward Eve.
She barely had time to react as the creature's horned head struck her square in the stomach with brutal force.