A frail-looking teenager, smudged with dirt and sporting dark circles under his eyes, sat on the ground across from the police station. He held a cup of coffee in his hands—not the cheap, synthetic stuff orphans like him usually settle for. Today, however, Alex had decided to treat himself.
He had made up his mind: after today, he would be done for.
As he savored the coffee he rarely got to enjoy, he lifted the cup to his nose, taking in the rich aroma. Then, with a hint of hesitation, he took a small sip, only to pull a face at the taste.
"Ugh, it's so hot."
"fuck this shit!"
With a frustrated shout, he flings his drink into the street. The sound grabs the attention of nearby police officers, who turn to look. Standing across from a police precinct, one of the officers approaches him, ready to talk.
"hey, brat, pick up that cup, or I'll put you in jail for the rest of the day."
"fuck off "
fuck these damn police officers who are only willing to stay in their nice neighborhood while he has to fight for scraps of food or just to get a drop of water.
He gazed off into the distance, his eyelids growing heavy. Giving himself a quick slap to shake off the drowsiness, he resumed his walk to the police precinct. "Hey, kid, stop and pick up that cup before I have to put you in cuffs."
"Go take a walk," I said. "I'm about to be teleported." At those words, the officer's face turned ashen. "We need to get you into a secure room," he shouted, pushing me forward while calling out a CODE RED.
***
A century ago, people began to teleport from their world. At that time, the planet was just starting to recover from the devastation of multiple world wars, which had led to natural disasters and significant shortages of resources.
Initially, the rise of mass teleportation prompted the new government to impose martial law in an effort to uncover the truth behind the phenomenon. For a year, they searched for answers until a blue portal suddenly appeared in Times Square, New York City, and the first teleporters emerged. They shared their experiences of how they arrived, their survival strategies, and the ways they discovered to gain extraordinary powers.
As the sky deepens into darkness, a dark red portal materializes alongside the blue one. From it, monstrous creatures burst forth, intent on wreaking havoc and destroying everything in their path. In the end, it's the hunters—what they call themselves—who rise to quell the chaos.
Yet, this is only the beginning of the disasters unleashed by the portals. For an ordinary person, being selected for teleportation to a desolate land teeming with monsters is akin to a death sentence. They must navigate wild territories and brave dungeons to prevent the chaos from spreading further. Meanwhile, the wealthy and powerful prepare their heirs, teaching them survival skills, combat techniques, and the crucial art of staying alive.
The wealthier your family was, the greater your chances of surviving and becoming a skilled hunter. For Alex, however, who had no family to rely on and spent most of his days scavenging for food instead of attending school, being teleported felt more like a death sentence than an opportunity. To him, it offered little hope for a better future.
***
A few minutes later, Alex found himself yawning as several policemen secured him in restraints. Before long, he was strapped into a bulky chair that was a strange cross between a hospital bed and a torture device. The room they were in was located in the basement of the police station, featuring thick, armored walls and a heavy vault door. Other officers stood against the walls, their automatic rifles at the ready, their faces set in grim expressions.
The serious atmosphere was fueled by the looming threat of red portals in the future. With both planets aligned, any teleportation in the vicinity would likely trigger the appearance of dark red portals. This meant that the space around them was about to become a dangerous hot zone.
Alex couldn't care less about their concerns; all he wanted was for it to be over. At last, the vault door creaked open, and a gray-haired policeman stepped inside. His face bore the marks of a seasoned veteran.
"What's your name, kid?" he asked.
Alex blinked a few times, trying to focus, and shifted uncomfortably.
"Alexander," he replied.
The old policeman raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't expect you to have a normal name, considering where you come from."
Alex felt a retort bubbling up inside him, but the old cop cut him off.
"We should have enough time to get you through the full procedure since the sensors aren't picking up any spatial interference."
Without waiting for a response, he continued.
"How much do you really know about being teleported to a different planet? Not the flashy scenes you see in dramas or the hype from propaganda broadcasts. I mean, how much do you genuinely understand?"
That was a tough question to tackle.
"Don't I just get whisked away to another planet, pick up a skill, take down a few monsters, and then zap back home?"
The old policeman shook his head slowly.
"Listen closely. Once you teleport, you'll find yourself in an entirely different world with nothing to protect you. You'll need to assess your surroundings first; once you've ensured it's safe, you can then check your starter skill."
"How do I check my starter skill?"
The policeman simply stared at him.
"I mean, you kind of suggested that TV dramas aren't exactly reliable."
The officer rubbed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Sure, some of the common elements in those shows are real, but don't take them at face value."
"Beep beep."
The old cop quickly added, "Listen, kid, when you get there, don't rush in to shoot. Use your head."
As he spoke, my scene shifted to a dense forest.
"Damn, what was he trying to say?"
Alex looked around and noticed there was nothing in sight.
"Well, at least I'm safe for now."
"Status?"
**Character Summary:**
- **Name:** Alexander
- **Title:** None
- **Level:** 1
- **Health:** Healthy
- **Mana:** 100/100
- **Strength:** 10
- **Dexterity:** 10
- **Constitution:** 10
- **Wisdom:** 10
- **Intelligence:** 10
- **Stat Points:** 0
**Skills:**
- **Summon Slime (Level 1)**
**Skill Details:**
- **Summon Slime**
- **Level:** 1
- **Cost:** 50
- **Description:** "In every TV drama, slimes are seen as the lowest of the low." Slimes are scavengers with minimal combat capability. Their only skill is "Mana Pebble," which launches a weak mana projectile.
As I pondered how to summon my slime, I recalled that in light novels, you can either say the name of the skill or simply will it into existence. Focusing on the skill, a slime suddenly appeared before me, gazing back at me curiously.
**Slime**
**Level:** 1
**Health:** Healthy (00%)
**Mana:** 10/10
**Strength:** 1
**Dexterity:** 1
**Constitution:** 1
**Intelligence:** 1
**Wisdom:** 1
**Charisma:** 1
**Skill:**
Mana Pebble Level 1
"I wonder just how powerful its attack really is…"
"Let's test it out by hitting the tree with the mana pebble."
In the blink of an eye, a sphere of blue mana surged forward, striking the trunk and leaving a noticeable dent behind.
"That's strong enough to seriously hurt someone. If this is the weakest creature around, I can only imagine what the strongest one must be like."
Alex summons another slime, placing it on his shoulder, and starts wandering around in search of a beast to hunt.
As if to echo his thoughts, heavy footsteps come thundering toward him.
"Grrrr…"
A massive wolf suddenly leaps into view, lunging straight at him.
Having lived on the streets for most of his life, Alex is no stranger to fighting.
Alex sidestepped the wolf, narrowly dodging its snapping jaws. With a swift kick, he sent the creature stumbling a good distance away from him.
"Shoot it with a mana pebble!" I urged, and as the words left my mouth, two glowing spheres of mana surged forward, striking the wolf and knocking it down. Without hesitation, I charged in to deliver a kick.
Gritting my teeth, I kept pounding away until the strength drained from my legs, and I finally collapsed to the ground.
[You have slain a grey wolf, level 4.]
[You have leveled up.]
**Alexander**
Title: None
Level: 2
20% Health: Healthy
Mana: 110/110
Mana Recovery: 1.1 every minute
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 11
Wisdom: 11
Intelligence: 11
Stat Points: 5
Skills:
Summon Slime, Level 1, 2%
Alex lay sprawled on the grass, trying to catch his breath. The subtle voice of the system resonated in his ears.
[You have leveled up.]
Immediately, he sensed changes within his body. He felt slightly better, and with the state points at his disposal, he figured he could recover most of his stamina. "It's probably wiser to save my points in case I need a specific stat boost," he thought.
He realized he needed to find more people if he wanted to thrive here. Whenever there was a mass teleportation, everyone congregated in one large area, but as long as he searched for them, he could track them down. "It seems that when you level up, your mana replenishes as well. I guess I'll take on a few more slimes," he mused.
With that in mind, he summoned two more slimes, knowing he couldn't carry any more without slowing himself down. Just as he was about to head out again, he noticed a shining object near a deceased body. He moved to pick it up, and it automatically entered his inventory.
He opened his status, where he found a new option added:
- Name: Alexander
- Title: None
- Level: 2
- Health: Healthy
- Mana: 110/110
- Mana Recovery: 1 every minute
- Strength: 11
- Dexterity: 11
- Constitution: 11
- Wisdom: 11
- Intelligence: 11
- Stat Points: 5
- Skills:
- Summon Slime Level 1 (4%)
In his inventory, he found a Crimson Blade. He noted it was a common-grade item with a skill: "Burning Strikes - every hit you land on the enemy will cause burn damage."
With the glowing sword gripped in his hand, he practiced a few swings before resting it on his shoulder. With a determined look, he stepped into the forest, ready to face his next challenge.