Alter moved cautiously through the corridors. The damp air pressed against his skin, the scent of wet stone and decay lingering in his nose.
Every few steps, he stopped, listening. The growls in the distance were growing louder, closer. He was not alone.
A rustle. Then a snarl.
Another beast lunged from the shadows, red eyes locked onto him. Alter barely had time to react, twisting his body just enough to avoid the initial strike.
The beast's claws scraped against the stone where he had been standing moments before.
Unlike the last fight, this time, he was faster. More controlled.
Gritting his teeth, he pivoted and swung the wooden club with all his strength. The weapon connected with a sickening crunch against the creature's side.
The force sent it sprawling onto the ground, yelping in pain. It struggled to get up, its legs shaky, disoriented from the impact.
Alter didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, raising the club high, and brought it down with brutal force.
CRACK.
Again. THUD.
And again. THUD.
The beast let out a final whimper before falling limp.
[You have defeated a Rabid Fangbeast.]
[+10 XP Earned.]
[+5 Gold Acquired.]
Alter exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from his brow. But something was off. He expected another level-up, but the system remained silent.
"Huh? No level-up this time?" He frowned, but before he could dwell on it, more growls echoed through the halls. Now was not the time to think, he had to act.
He opened the shop tab, fingers moving quickly.
[Minor Health Potion – 5 Gold]
[Restores 20 HP.]
He bought one instantly, the red liquid materializing in his hand. Without hesitation, he drank it, feeling warmth spread through his body as the wounds on his arms and torso lessened.
[+20 HP Restored.]
His relief was short-lived. Another beast charged from the darkness, claws flashing. It moved fast, faster than the others.
SLASH.
Pain tore through his abdomen as the creature's claws raked across his side again. He grunted in pain, staggering back. The beast leaped at him for the kill, but this time, he was ready. Alter clenched his teeth, swung his club mid-air, and met it head-on.
The impact was devastating. The beast's skull cracked under the force, its body slamming into the stone floor.
[You have defeated a Rabid Fangbeast.]
[+10 XP Earned.]
[+5 Gold Acquired.]
[Level Up!]
A familiar surge of warmth rushed through his body. The wounds still stung, but he felt stronger. More capable.
He immediately purchased another health potion, drinking it down before opening his stats panel.
[Status Tab]
Name: Alter
Current Class: [Explorer]
Level: [4]
HP: [64/140]
MP: [10/10]
Stamina: [20/32]
Strength: 20
Resilience: 16
Speed: 14
Intelligence: 10
Luck: 0
XP Progress: [5 XP remaining to next level]
Currency: 0 Gold
Special Titles: None
With 10 SP available, he distributed his points carefully. Five into strength to ensure his attacks would hit harder, three into resilience so he could take more damage, and two into speed to improve his reaction time. The adjustments locked into place.
It was a well timed reaction, as more beasts came to him.
One after another, relentless and unending. Alter had no time to think, only react. His club met flesh and bone with each swing, each hit more refined, each movement faster. His resilience allowed him to withstand more blows, his speed keeping him one step ahead.
Blood, his and the beasts', painted the ground. Every strike, every dodge became part of a brutal dance. He fought, he endured, and he killed. The corridors of the ruins became his battleground, the air filled with growls, snarls, and the sickening crunch of bones breaking under his relentless assault.
At some point, amidst the chaos, a familiar chime rang in his ears.
[Quest Completed: Cull the Rabid Fangbeasts.]
[+10 XP Earned.]
[+5 Gold Acquired.]
[+5 SP Rewarded.]
Alter stood amidst the bodies of his fallen enemies, his breaths ragged, his grip on the club tightening. He had done it. He had completed his first quest.
Alter stood in the dim corridor, his breath heavy, his muscles aching from the relentless battles. His system screen flickered before him, revealing his current stats:
[Status Tab]
Name: Alter
Current Class: [Explorer]
Level: [5]
HP: [78/160]
MP: [10/10]
Stamina: [20/32]
Strength: 22
Resilience: 18
Speed: 20
Intelligence: 10
Luck: 0 XP
Progress: [8 XP remaining to next level]
Currency: 15 Gold
Special Titles: None
His wounds still stung, but his body felt sturdier than before. He could move faster, endure more hits, and most importantly, his attacks had become brutal. Yet, despite his rapid growth, the constant battles had taken their toll.
The faint sound of shuffling footsteps in the distance caught his attention. More beasts. He tightened his grip on his wooden club, but as he examined it, he frowned. The sturdy weapon was now splintered, the edges chipped from repeated use.
"Damn, this thing isn't gonna last much longer."
His eyes flicked back to his system menu. With 15 Gold in his possession, he knew he had enough to buy a better weapon. He quickly navigated to the [Weapon Store].
[Weapon Store]
[Iron-Edged Club] – 20 Gold Attack: +5 Durability: Moderate A reinforced club with a metal edge, more effective for smashing through armor and scale.
[Rusty Dagger] – 15 Gold Attack: +2 Speed: +1 A worn-out dagger with a dull edge. Better than nothing.
[Cracked Short Sword] – 15 Gold
Attack: +4
Durability: Low
A simple blade with cracks along the edge. Decent for close combat but unreliable.
The Iron-Edged Club was out of reach, but the Cracked Short Sword seemed like a viable option. He sighed, knowing he had no choice but to retreat for a moment to finalize his purchase.
As he turned and started moving, the distant echoes of voices made him freeze.
Not growls. Not monsters.
Human voices.
His eyes widened, and he ducked low, pressing himself against the damp stone wall. The voices grew louder, armor clinking, boots stepping carefully over the ground. Slowly, he peered around the corner.
A group of knights had entered the ruins.
Their faces were wary as they examined the battlefield, mangled beast corpses, crushed skulls, and splattered blood painting the surroundings. Some of them muttered in disbelief.
"This many at once? Could they have fought each other?" one knight questioned, crouching to inspect the wounds on a fallen beast.
"No," another knight interjected, his expression grim. "These injuries… That's not something fangs and claws would do. Something took them down."
"That means one might still be alive," a third knight added, gripping his sword hilt. "If it was one of the summons, then they must be somewhere nearby."
Alter stiffened. Summon? They were looking for someone?
Another voice, this time female, cut through the tension.
"I hope we're not too late. If this one is the one who killed them, it means they can fight. We need to find them before it's too late."
Her tone was urgent, almost desperate.
Alter blinked.
"Rescue?" he murmured under his breath.
Pieces of the puzzle started falling into place. The monsters, the ruined temple, the system, and now knights searching for a survivor, it all fit a pattern, something eerily familiar from the fragments of memories he had seen.
"This is just like a game scenario..." he realized.
His grip loosened slightly. If they were looking for a summon, then they were expecting someone to be alive. And if they were rescuing them, that meant they weren't enemies. Right?
It was a gamble. But so far, gambling had gotten him through worse.
Taking a slow, deliberate step, he let his boots scrape against the stone floor. The noise echoed through the cavern, instantly drawing the knights' attention.
Swords were drawn, shields raised.
Alter took a deep breath, then stepped forward into the light, hands slightly raised.
The moment their eyes landed on him, the tension shifted. The initial shock on their faces melted into something else, relief.
"There you are!" one knight breathed, his shoulders loosening.
"We found them!" another called out, turning to the rest of the group.
The female knight who had spoken earlier was the first to step forward, eyes scanning him for injuries.
"Are you hurt? Can you still walk?"
The others hurried over, their armor clanking as they surrounded him protectively. He felt like an exhausted player character stumbling into a safe zone after barely surviving a dungeon run.
Alter lowered his hands slightly, watching their reactions.
He had made the right call.
"Yeah," he exhaled, forcing a small, tired grin. "But I'd rather not walk now."