Eddie POV
Eddie's heart raced as he opened his eyes to a scene that felt ripped straight out of a nightmare. Bodies sprawled across a grassy plain, thousands of people stirring and groaning in confusion. His first instinct was to reach for his phone, but of course, it wasn't there. Instead, a translucent screen hovered before his face.
[Welcome to the Tutorial.]
A tutorial for what? He didn't have to wait long to find out. The fairy appeared, her cheerful demeanor at odds with the gravity of her words. Rules, survival, monsters—it all came so fast. Eddie felt the knot in his stomach tighten as she casually disintegrated a man's head who dared to challenge her authority.
His first thought: Stay calm. Observe. Adapt.
Years of traveling to the most remote and dangerous places in the world had taught him that panic was a death sentence. Eddie watched as the crowd devolved into chaos. People screamed, cried, and clung to one another, but his eyes were already scanning the horizon. The dense forest surrounding them seems dangerous.
When the barrier fell we soon encountered the monsters. At first, it didn't seem as dramatic as he thought but then an incident happened, The rabbit attack was a harsh reminder of how unpredictable this world was. Eddie had seen women crouching next to the animal but hadn't thought much of it. When it suddenly transformed, stabbing her with its horn, his stomach dropped.
Eddie watched as someone leapt into action, dispatching the rabbit with brutal efficiency. His admiration for him deepened. But admiration didn't stop the knot in his stomach from tightening as he looked at Eve, pale and bleeding out.
This wasn't just a game. This was survival in its rawest, cruelest form.
After that Eddie didn't hesitate to step forward, volunteering for the scout team. It wasn't heroism—far from it. If he was going to survive, he needed to be in control of his surroundings. Scouting was his domain, his comfort zone.
Eddie noticed Sam almost immediately. There was something different about the guy—not just his preparedness but the way he carried himself. While everyone else was drowning in fear, Sam moved with purpose.
When Sam charged into the forest, Eddie followed from a distance, keeping his footsteps light and his breathing steady. The goblin ambush happened fast—too fast. Watching Sam dispatch the creatures with precision was like watching a trained soldier in action.
This guy's no amateur, Eddie thought, gripping his makeshift spear tighter.
As the fight ended and the group regrouped, Eddie introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Samuel. I've heard a lot about you. Please take care of me."
Sam shook his hand, his grip firm but not overbearing. "Nice to meet you too, Eddie. Let's make sure we all get through this."
It was a small moment, but it solidified Eddie's decision. He would stick with Sam's group. because Barlow's family had three doctors even if he made some mistakes he still had a chance to survive because, from my experience, small cuts can kill people if not taken care of properly.
Eddie took his role as scout seriously. As the group moved deeper into the forest, he stayed ahead, his senses honed to detect anything out of place. The forest was dense, its canopy filtering the light into fragmented patches on the ground. Every sound was amplified—the crunch of leaves, the distant cries of unknown creatures, and the occasional rustling that set his nerves on edge.
Eyes open. Ears sharp.
He marked trails with small cuts in tree bark and used the occasional pebble to create landmarks. The others followed behind, their trust in him growing with each step.
As the group moved deeper into the forest, Eddie's focus sharpened. The terrain was growing more treacherous, with thicker undergrowth and a rising number of tracks from unfamiliar creatures.
It was during one of his solo sweeps that he spotted something that made his blood run cold. A cluster of trees ahead bore deep, jagged marks, as though something massive had raked its claws through the bark.
Eddie crouched low, inspecting the marks. The cuts were fresh, the sap still oozing.
Turning back toward the group, he called quietly, "Sam, we've got something big nearby. Fresh tracks and claw marks up ahead."
Sam's expression darkened as he moved forward to see for himself. Eddie felt a chill run down his spine. This wasn't just any monster—it was something far beyond the goblins they had faced.
"Everyone, stay close," Sam ordered, his voice calm but firm. "No one wanders off, and we move together."
Eddie nodded, gripping his bushcraft knife tightly. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it as a team.
As the long day drew to a close, we still hadn't found the creature responsible for the claw marks. With the sky darkening, the group decided it was best to set up camp on a flat, grassy plain nestled within the forest. The spot seemed promising—open enough to spot any approaching threats but still surrounded by the cover of trees.
We worked quickly, securing the area with makeshift traps and alarm systems crafted from the survival kits. No one said it out loud, but the tension was palpable. None of us knew what might lurk in the night on this unfamiliar world. As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, the forest seemed to come alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, each noise setting us on edge.
The night ahead felt unpredictable, and everyone prepared for the worst.
Sam POV
Sam closed his eyes to rest, exhaustion from the day's events weighing heavily on him. His father and mother, accustomed to long nights, continued organizing the camp, directing people and ensuring everything was in order.
He couldn't help but admire their tireless dedication, their ability to keep going when everyone else needed to pause. But his role was different—his duty was to fight. Everyone knew tonight might not be a peaceful one, and for now, he needed to restore his energy and prepare for the threats that lay ahead.
As the last traces of sunlight disappeared, the camp was bathed in darkness. The tension among the night watch was palpable; no one dared to slack off. A single moment of carelessness could mean death. The harrowing image of the woman being stabbed by that goddamn rabbit was still fresh in everyone's mind, a stark reminder of the dangers they faced.
As time passed, the camp remained eerily quiet. Nothing seemed to approach, though the occasional rustling in the distance kept everyone on edge. A few stray goblins stumbled into the traps set around the perimeter. Each time, members of the combat team rushed to dispatch them swiftly, their movements tense and precise. They feared the noise might attract larger or more dangerous creatures, and the last thing anyone wanted was to face a horde in the dead of night.
But the relative calm didn't last long.
A sharp, metallic clang shattered the silence—the unmistakable sound of an alert trap being triggered. The entire camp jolted awake, weapons drawn, eyes wide with fear and adrenaline. The ringing of metal echoed ominously through the dark forest, sending a chill down everyone's spine. Something—or someone—had breached their defenses.
From the darkness emerged a towering figure—a four-meter-tall beast cloaked in thick black fur. Its massive claws gleamed in the faint light, and its head bore a crimson horn pulsating with an ominous red glow. It resembled a bear, yet its presence radiated something far more sinister. This was no ordinary creature; it was a nightmare given form.
The creature advanced toward the camp, crushing the carefully laid traps underfoot as if they were nothing. The oppressive aura it emitted paralyzed the night watch. Most of them, overwhelmed by fear, dropped their weapons, their trembling hands betraying the hope they'd clung to. They could do nothing but stare, despair already settling into their eyes, as though awaiting death to free them from the cruel grasp of this alien world.
Sam, drawn by the commotion, rushed to the edge of the camp. He froze momentarily, stunned by the sheer presence of the beast. Its terrifying aura pressed down on him, suffocating and primal, triggering every instinct to flee. His mental sense amplified the creature's aura, a suffocating wave of dread crashing over him.
But Sam was no stranger to danger. He was a reincarnator, armed with memories and knowledge of what this world could throw at him. He clenched his fists, forcing his fear into submission. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his racing heart.
In a voice that cut through the paralysis gripping the camp, he shouted, "Anyone still standing, anyone who can fight—get ready! We face it together!"
As Sam's shout echoed through the camp, it jolted most people back to their senses. They scrambled to their feet, fear still evident in their eyes but now tempered by determination. One by one, they fell in behind Sam, instinctively recognizing him as their anchor in the chaos.
Turning to Michael, Sam said firmly, "Command the rest. Keep your distance and form a line. I'll take the center."
Michael nodded sharply, his own fear masked by the sense of duty. He immediately began issuing orders, directing the others into a defensive formation.
Sam stepped forward, gripping his shield tightly and raising his sword. His heart pounded in his chest as the massive creature destroyed the final trap with a swipe of its claws. Only twenty meters now separated them and the monstrous bear-like creature.
When the beast's crimson eyes locked onto them, its lips curled upward in a grotesque snarl, its sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. It roared, the sound vibrating through the air like a physical force, then lowered its head and began to charge, each step shaking the ground beneath them.
Sam's eyes narrowed as he saw the beast building momentum. He knew they couldn't let it reach their formation unchallenged. Tightening his grip on his shield, he took a deep breath and roared back, charging forward to meet the monster head-on.
Shield raised, he braced himself, aiming to tackle the beast and halt its terrifying momentum. The impact was brutal. The force of the collision sent Sam hurtling backward through the air, his shield nearly ripped from his grasp. He hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his body, but he forced himself to hold on.
The beast, however, staggered, its charge disrupted and its balance momentarily lost.
Michael seized the opportunity, his voice cutting through the chaos like a whip. "Spears—STAB!"
The combat team didn't hesitate. With a unified cry, they surged forward, their spears striking toward the creature in a coordinated assault.