I blinked, slowly opening my eyes. A sharp, unfamiliar noise echoed in the distance, but I couldn't make sense of it. My head throbbed as I tried to focus. 

The first thing I saw was the ground beneath me, grass, green and soft. Above me, the sky stretched endlessly, a pale blue that seemed almost unreal.

Confusion hit me harder as I sat up. I looked around, and that's when I saw towering rock walls, stretching high into the sky, curving around me like the walls of some giant prison. The land I was on was not that big, no more than a patch of grass and trees. 

Where am I? 

What is this place? 

And who am i?

I tried to remember… but nothing came. No name. No past. Just blankness. I tried to calm my breathing, but panic set in. I was trapped. Trapped in a place with no way out.

The only thought that remained clear in my mind was to Survive. I must survive

I slowly stood up, taking a moment to check myself over. I am a skinny guy, with long black hair that fell messily around my face. My clothes were simple, black pants and a long sleeve shirt, nothing special. 

I walked a little, trying to get my bearings, when something moved in the bushes ahead. My heart skipped a beat. It was an animal, though I couldn't quite remember what it was called. It had white fur and two enormous ears. I knew it wasn't carnivorous, probably some kind of herbivore. 

My stomach growled loudly, reminder that I needed food. Without thinking, I dashed after it. The animal was fast, way faster than I expected, but I could see its movements clearly. 

In the last moment, I lunged and grabbed it, snapping its neck with one swift motion. It was strange, there was no exhaustion, no weariness in my body. I felt… fine. 

Then i quickly gathered some wood, setting up a small fire. As the flames crackled, I began skinning the rabbit, gutting it carefully. But then, something strange caught my eye. Inside the rabbit's body was a small, glowing green object. It was about the size of my eye. 

What is this?

I reached out and took it in my hand. The moment I did, a strange vision appeared before me:

[Animal: Rabbit - Core Green] 

[ Neba - 1% ] 

[Compatibility - 35%] 

[ Special Ability: rabbit legs: Enhances running speed by 5x. ]

[ weakness: your hands will become immobile the moment ability is activated ] 

I stared at the words, confused. *What is this?* It was a rabbit, but what was "Neba"? And what did compatibility mean? Before I could think much more about it, the vision shifted

[ Neba:] 

Neba is the power that flows through every living creature. It is an aura that enhances you. Normally, everyone has a green Neba, but you can increase and upgrade it by absorbing the cores of others with Neba, killing creatures and upgrading yourself. It starts as green and can evolve into yellow, orange, red, blue, and finally purple.

I barely had time to process this when more information appeared. 

[ Compatibility: ] 

You can only absorb a core if its color matches your own. You cannot absorb a yellow core if your Neba is green. The compatibility percentage shows how well the core fits with your own. The higher the percentage, the stronger the abilities you'll gain.

I blinked, trying to make sense of it all. This was just insane.

I stared at the glowing core in my hand, thinking over what I'd just learned. 

"So, if I understand this right… I also have to have a green Neba core to absorb this. And even if I did, the compatibility is low, and the weakness is… well, really bad." I frowned. "But how do I even use Neba?" 

There weren't any answers, just the quiet hum of the forest around me. With nothing but rock walls behind me, the forest was my only option. After eating rabbit's meat, I decided to put its core in my pocket. Then i stepped forward, crunching dried leaves underfoot as I went into a forest. 

Animals darted through the trees, some looking vaguely familiar, others completely foreign. Their strange shapes and movements made me uneasy. I didn't dare to chase anything yet. Not until I understood more about this place, and myself. 

After what felt like hours, I stumbled upon a small lake. Its surface was smooth and clear, reflecting the pale blue sky. I crouched by the edge and leaned over, curious to see my reflection. 

The face that stared back at me was young, though I couldn't guess my age. My features were plain, almost forgettable, which left me feeling… disappointed. The only thing that stood out was a scar running across my left eye. 

"What's this?" I muttered, raising a hand to touch it. My fingers brushed over the rough line of skin, and a strange sense of familiarity tickled at the back of my mind. 

*How did I get this scar?* 

Before I could think more about it, the water rippled. Suddenly, something burst out of the lake and clamped onto my hand. 

"Argh! What the hell!" 

Sharp teeth sank into my skin as the creature yanked me toward the water. Pain shot through my arm. My instincts kicked in, and my free hand scrabbled for something, anything. My fingers closed around a jagged rock nearby. 

With all my strength, I slammed the rock down on the creature. But when the blow landed, its glowing green body didn't even flinch. 

"What?" I gasped. 

I hit it again, harder this time, but it was no use. The rock barely left a scratch. 

"Damn it," I hissed through clenched teeth. "It must be its green Neba ability!"

The creature suddenly spun, twisting its body violently in the water. The force nearly wrenched my arm out of its socket. 

"Ah, damn it!" I yelled. I had no choice but to twist along with it, keeping my hand from being ripped apart. 

"Bastard," I growled through the pain, my feet slipping closer to the water. "That's a good trick you've got there." 

The creature's grip tightened, and with a powerful pull, it dragged me into the water. I thrashed, desperate to break free, but it wasn't letting go. My lungs burned as water splashed into my face, and panic surged through me.

Out of pure desperation, I leaned forward and bit down on the only part of it I could see, its mouth. Pain shot through my teeth like I'd bitten solid steel.

"Damn it!" I spat, my jaw throbbing. "Why is its skin so hard?"

The creature yanked again, trying to pull me deeper. My hand felt like it was about to be torn apart. Gritting my teeth, I shifted my grip and grabbed hold of its mouth.

"Maybe if I get you out of the water first…"

Planting my feet firmly in the mud, I strained against its pull, my muscles screaming. Come on, come on! 

Then, suddenly, my hand began to glow faintly green.

"Neba!" I gasped.

Power coursed through me, raw and unfamiliar. Fueled by it, I shoved my hand deep into the creature's mouth and grabbed hold of its tongue. With all the strength I could muster, I ripped it out.

The creature let out a high-pitched screech, and its grip loosened. I took my chance, dragging it out of the water.

"So this is what you look like," I muttered, gasping for air. "Ugly bastard."

The creature staggered onto the shore, its body trembling. It was walking on four legs, its long, narrow mouth now gaping and bloodied, a tail whipping angrily behind it.

It lunged at me, but I rolled to the side, dodging its charge. The moment it landed, I sprang to my feet and punched it hard in the side. The force made it stumble, its legs wobbling.

This was my chance.

I grabbed a nearby rock, but as soon as my fingers touched it, the stone glowed faintly green with Neba energy.

"I see," I muttered.

The creature's glowing green skin dimmed, its protective aura fading. Its body now looked vulnerable, almost dull.

Taking a deep breath, I swung the rock down with all my strength, smashing it into the creature's skull. The impact cracked its head open, blood spurting from the wound. I didn't stop.

I hit it again. And again. And again.

With a final blow, its head severed from its body. Blood pooled beneath it as I dropped the rock, my chest heaving.

I staggered back, looking at the mess I'd made. Then, at the top of my lungs, I screamed, "TAKE THAT!"

Exhausted but alive, I grabbed the lifeless creature and dragged it back to the fire. My hand was still bleeding, though not as badly as before.

"Damn it," I muttered, collapsing by the flames. "That was too close."

Exhausted, I sank to the ground, the creature's body lying limp beside me. My breath came in ragged gasps as I reached for the glowing green core embedded in its chest. It was palm-sized, warm to the touch, and as I held it, I felt a strange sensation, like my Neba was being drawn to it. 

Then, the text appeared in my vision again, clear and unmistakable: 

[Animal: Crocodile]

[ Neba Core: Green - 4%]

[Compatibility: 85%]

[Special Ability:Steel: You can harden your skin for 25 seconds. No green Neba can damage you during this time. Afterward, there is a 5-minute cooldown before you can activate the ability again.]

[Weakness: Your movements will be greatly slowed while the ability is active.] 

I stared at the words, my head pounding. 

"What… this is garbage! The compatibility is so good, but the ability… it's practically useless! What's the point of being tough if I can't move fast enough to fight back?" 

Frustration surged through me, and I dropped the core onto the grass. I lay back, staring at the sky, my chest rising and falling as I tried to catch my breath.

As my thoughts raced, new words appeared in my vision, as if in response to my doubts: 

[ When you absorb an animal's Neba Core, you will gain its abilities and weaknesses. Every additional green core you absorb afterward will strengthen your already existing abilities, but you will not gain new ones until you advance to a yellow core. ]

I frowned, sitting up slowly. 

"So… I have to make a smart choice for my first core," I said aloud. The realization settled on me like a weight. Choosing the wrong ability could make things harder down the line. 

But I didn't have much time to sit around and think about it. My arm needed treatment, and I needed better tools if I was going to survive this place.

I tore off a strip of my shirt and tightened it around my injured arm, wincing as I tied the makeshift bandage. Then I turned to the pile of wood I'd gathered earlier. I needed a weapon. 

Grabbing a sturdy stick, I stripped away the smaller branches until I had a long, sharp pole. I tied a rock to its tip using my belt, wrapping it tightly until it was secure. The weapon looked crude, but it would have to do. 

"I have no idea how i know all this but… Let's see if this works," 

Closing my eyes, I focused on the faint energy I'd felt before, the flow of my Neba. Slowly, I channeled it into the spear. The weapon began to glow faintly with a green aura, flickering like a dim flame. 

A grin spread across my face. 

"Hell yeah," I said, testing the weight of the spear in my hands. "Tomorrow we'll go for a hunt."