A boy lay sprawled beneath the shade of a tree, surrounded by an endless expanse of dense forest, sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting dappled patterns on his face, slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and his gaze met the unfamiliar world around him;
For a moment, he simply stared, his mind blank, there were no memories, no identity, no answers to the most basic questions, who was he? Where was he? The harder he tried to recall, the more painful the emptiness felt, frustrated and disoriented, he clutched his head, a single thought surfacing amidst the confusion:
"I need to move"
He sat up and surveyed his surroundings. The forest was alive with sounds—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the faint hum of insects, yet it felt eerily quiet, as if the entire world was holding its breath. His body was stiff, every muscle sore as if he hadn't moved in ages. Shaking off the numbness, he stood, unsteady but determined.
Then it happened.
Out of nowhere, a blue screen appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light of the forest.
"Congratulations! Achievement unlocked: System unlocked"
Reward: +1 intelligence
"What the...?" he muttered, stumbling back in surprise, the glowing text remained in front of him, impossible to ignore, instinctively, he reached out to touch it, and the screen shifted, a new interface appeared, filled with detailed information:
Name: Kael
Occupation: None
LVL: 1 EXP: 0/100
HP: 6/6 MP: 10/10
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 5
Luck: 0
Remaining Points: 10
Skills: None
Titles: None
Achievements: 1
He blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, the numbers and words felt oddly familiar, as if they belonged to a game—but this was no game, "System? Achievements?" he murmured, my name is also written there.
The interface listed his stats, skills, and achievements, but most fields were blank or marked with zeros, he focused on the Achievements section, which expanded to reveal:
System unlocked
Opened the Status Window for the first time.
Reward: +1 Intelligence
It was undeniable now—this "system" was real, and it was his, he didn't know why or how, but the possibilities it presented stirred something within him.
"I can use this," he thought. "If this system can make me stronger, then I have a chance... even if I don't know what I'm fighting for yet."
The screen listed 10 Remaining Points, and he realized they could be distributed among his stats, though he didn't remember much, he instinctively understood the importance of balancing his attributes.
"Strength, Vitality, and Agility first," he decided. "I'll need power to defend myself, endurance to survive, and speed to escape danger." He hesitated briefly, then allocated the points:
HP: 6/6 → 10/10
MP: 10/10
Strength: 5 → 8
Vitality: 3 → 5
Agility: 2 → 5
Intelligence: 5
Luck: 0 → 2
Remaining Points: 0
Satisfied with his choices, he dismissed the screen and looked around, the forest seemed less intimidating now that he felt stronger, but he knew he couldn't stay here forever, survival was his priority.
"I need food. And I need to get out of this forest."
Grabbing a sturdy branch as a makeshift weapon, he began walking in a random direction, the ground was uneven, and the dense foliage made progress slow, but he pressed on, the forest was alive with activity—small animals scurried through the underbrush, and birds darted between the trees.
Hours passed, and the boy's initial confidence began to waver, hunger gnawed at his stomach, and fatigue dragged at his limbs, he stumbled over roots and rocks, his vision blurring as the weight of exhaustion took hold.
Then, through the haze of hunger, he spotted movement, a small creature—a rabbit with silver fur—hopped into view, its fur shimmered faintly in the dappled sunlight, and the boy's mouth watered at the sight.
"A meal," he whispered, gripping his branch tightly.
He crept forward, careful not to make a sound, the rabbit twitched its nose, oblivious to the predator stalking it, when he was close enough, the boy lunged, swinging the branch with all his strength.
But the rabbit was faster, it darted to the side, and the boy's strike hit nothing but air, he chased after it, desperation clouding his judgment, the rabbit led him deeper into the forest, zigzagging between trees and bushes.
While he was chasing him, he tripped over a root and crashed to the ground, the rabbit vanished, leaving him alone and defeated.
Panting, he layed there, with hunger and exhaustion overwhelming him, his vision dimmed, and darkness crept at the edges of his mind.
"Am I... going to die here?" he thought, while his eyelids grew heavy, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the forest, instead, he found himself in a featureless, white void, the silence was absolute, and the air felt heavy with an otherworldly presence.
Before him, the blue screen reappeared, displaying a simple message:
"You have died."
"Do you wish to Rebirth?"
"Or do you wish to increase the Multiplier?"
Current Multiplier: x0.2
The boy stared at the words, his mind reeling, he had died—but he wasn't truly dead, the system had brought him here, offering him a choice.
"Rebirth... or increase the Multiplier?" he murmured, the second option intrigued him, but he didn't fully understand its implications.
"Multiplier... it probably affects how much I grow," he guessed, after a moment's hesitation, he chose to increase it, but he needed to sacrifice something, so he chose to sacrifice the only achievment he had.
Pain surged through his body, unlike anything he had ever felt, it was as if his very soul was being torn apart and reassembled, he screamed, clutching his chest as the system updated:
Multiplier increased to 0.4.
Rebirth initiated
When the pain subsided, he found himself back in the forest, lying beneath the same tree where he had first awakened, this time, however, he felt different, his body was weaker, his senses became more dull.
The system panel reappeared, displaying his updated stats:
HP: 4/4
MP: 6/6
Strength: 3.2
Vitality: 2
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 3
Luck: 0.8
Remaining Points: 0
Skills: None
Titles: 1 (New: System unlocked)
Multiplier (x): 0
"So the achievments are repeatable" though Kael.
The boy clenched his fists, determination burning in his chest. "So this is how it works. I can come back stronger, but i need be careful, this isn't the end—this is a second chance."
This time, he didn't rush, he moved carefully, scanning the forest for food and resources, he spotted edible plants that he had overlooked before.
Kael chewed on the bitter-tasting leaves of a plant he had cautiously identified as safe, it wasn't much, but it was enough to quell the gnawing hunger in his stomach, he had learned his lesson—charging forward blindly would only get him killed again, he needed a plan.
edible
eat something edible to satisfy your hunger
+1 Vitality
Sitting with his back against a tree, Kael reopened the system interface, his eyes drawn to the Achievements section, it was a revelation that achievements could be repeated; each successful hunt or task could bring more rewards, more power.
After some trial and error, Kael managed to gather sturdy sticks, stones, and vines, he bound them together into a crude spear, it wasn't elegant, but it was better than a random branch, testing its weight in his hand, he gave a satisfied nod.
New skill unlocked
Crafting lvl.1 (5%)
Skill Description: The ability to create basic tools and equipment, higher levels improves crafting efficiency.
Kael grinned. "Crafting, huh? That's going to come in handy."
He studied the spear again, while it wasn't perfect, it felt sturdy enough for hunting small prey or defending himself against weaker creatures, the knowledge that he could improve it later gave him hope.
"Alright," Kael muttered, gripping the spear. "Time to put this to the test."
Kael moved cautiously through the forest, his eyes scanning for movement, he noticed the forest wasn't as quiet as it had seemed before, now that he was paying attention, he could hear the rustle of leaves, the chirping of unseen creatures, and the faint hum of life all around him.
It didn't take long for him to spot his target—a rabbit-like creature grazing on some nearby shrubs.
Kael tightened his grip on the spear, he crouched low, stepping as quietly as he could, with each step, he closed the distance between himself and the rabbit, his heart pounded in his chest, he only had one chance to get this right.
When he was close enough, Kael steadied his breathing and threw the spear with all his strength, the weapon soared through the air, striking the rabbit squarely in its side, the creature let out a high-pitched squeal before collapsing.
The system reacted instantly.
"Achievement Unlocked: First Hunt!"
Reward: +2 Strength, +1 Agility.
"Not bad," he muttered, noticing how the faint shimmer of the rabbit's fur reflected the light. "But I can't eat it raw. I need to figure out how to cook this."
Kael dragged the rabbit back to a small clearing where he had gathered supplies earlier, the next step was to start a fire, he remembered something about using stones to create sparks, but the actual process was harder than he expected.
After what felt like hours of frustration, he finally managed to create a small flame, he quickly fed it with dry leaves and twigs, coaxing it into a proper campfire.
He skinned the rabbit with a sharp stone, then roasted the meat over the fire, the smell made his mouth water, and when it was finally cooked, he devoured it eagerly.
New skill unlocked
Cooking lvl.1 (5%) The ability to prepare meals from raw materials. Higher levels unlock advanced recipes, increase nutritional value, and provide temporary buffs.
As Kael rested, a strange noise caught his attention, it was faint at first, but it grew louder—a rhythmic thudding, like footsteps, he stood, gripping his spear tightly.
From the shadows of the forest, a large figure emerged, it was a pack of wolves, their eyes glowing a menacing yellow in the flickering firelight, their fur was matted and shaggy, their fangs bared in silent hunger, unlike the rabbit or the boar, these creatures exuded a dangerous aura, their movements were synchronized, a cold intelligence in their gaze, Kael's instincts screamed at him to run, but he couldn't—his feet were rooted to the ground.
Kael's heart raced as the wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming in the firelight, he instinctively took a step back, his grip tightening on the spear, the pack of wolves circled him, their movements eerily synchronized, the Alpha, larger and more imposing than the rest, stood at the center, its piercing yellow eyes fixed on Kael with unnerving focus.
A chill ran down Kael's spine, his instincts screamed at him to flee, but the dense forest around him offered no clear escape, the wolves' growls filled the air, low and guttural, as if they were testing him—measuring his strength, sizing him up as potential prey.
The fire crackled between them, the only sound breaking the tense silence, Kael's breath quickened, his pulse throbbing in his ears; despite the fear gnawing at his stomach, a part of him felt something else—something sharp and electrifying, the thrill of a challenge, the undeniable sense that this moment, this fight, would define him in ways he couldn't yet understand.
His eyes darted from one wolf to the next, calculating their movements, trying to find an opening, the Alpha was the biggest threat, but the others were no less dangerous, they moved with a quiet, predatory grace, their fur blending with the shadows as they slowly closed in on him.
He was outnumbered, but he had his spear—and his mind.
Kael swallowed, the weight of his situation sinking in. "I need to act fast," he thought, with his grip on the spear tightening.
For a brief moment, the pack stopped advancing, almost as if they were waiting for him to make the first move, the Alpha let out a low, rumbling growl, its ears flicking back in warning.
Kael steadied his breathing, his mind racing. "I can do this. I have to."
But just as he was about to make his move, the wolves froze, in the distance, a sound broke through the tension of the standoff—a loud cracking, like branches snapping underfoot, the wolves attention snapped to the source of the noise, their ears perked, their stance shifting from predatory to defensive.
Kael's eyes widened, he was not alone.
In the dim light of the forest, he couldn't yet see who—or what—was coming, but the sudden change in the wolves' behavior made it clear, the pack wasn't the only threat lurking in the dark. Something else was out there.