Pain. That was the first thing I felt.

  A sharp, unbearable pain that shot through my body like fire. My vision was blurred, my head spinning. I tried to breathe, but my lungs felt tight, like I was drowning in air itself.

  What… happened to me?

  One moment, I was just another corporate worker, pushing through another late-night shift, my mind half-numb from exhaustion. The next—darkness. A crash. The screech of tires, the shattering of glass… and then nothing.

  Now, I was lying on cold, hard ground. The scent of damp earth filled my nose. The distant sound of rustling leaves and chirping insects told me one thing—I wasn’t in the city anymore.

  Slowly, I pushed myself up, my muscles aching with every movement. My suit was torn, my hands scraped, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.

  The sky above me… wasn’t the sky I knew.

  Instead of the dull, polluted cityscape, I saw a vast expanse of deep blue, speckled with stars that felt too bright, too close. A moon—massive and golden—hung overhead, illuminating the strange forest around me.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  This wasn’t Earth.

  I took a shaky breath, trying to process the impossible. But before I could think any further—

  Ding!

  A sound echoed in my head, followed by a floating screen appearing before my eyes.

  ---

  [Welcome, Player.]

  [You have entered the System.]

  [Initializing Awakening…]

  ---

  “What the hell…?” My voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.

  A system? Like in those RPGs or fantasy novels? No, that’s ridiculous—this had to be a dream, right?

  But the pain in my body felt real. The cold air against my skin, the damp soil beneath my fingers—everything felt real.

  Then, before I could even attempt to understand, the bushes behind me rustled violently.

  A low, guttural growl sent a chill down my spine.

  Slowly, I turned.

  A massive wolf, its fur blackened like burnt charcoal, stepped into the moonlight. Its eyes—glowing crimson with a hunger that sent ice through my veins—locked onto me.

  I didn’t need a system to tell me what was about to happen.

  I was prey.

  My body screamed at me to run, but my legs refused to move. The beast lowered itself, muscles tensed, ready to pounce—

  Then, another figure darted between us.

  A young boy, no older than ten, holding a wooden training sword with shaking hands. His face was pale, his breaths ragged. He wasn’t trying to fight—he was just trying to protect himself.

  He’s going to die.

  Something in me snapped. Without thinking, I lunged forward and ripped the sword from his hands.

  Ding!

  ---

  [Weapon Equipped: Crude Wooden Sword]

  [New Action Unlocked: Weapon Combat Basics]

  [Do you wish to use the Element of Wind?]

  (Yes) / (No)

  ---

  Wind?

  I didn’t have time to question it. The direwolf charged, and my instincts made the decision for me.

  I selected Yes.

  A surge of energy flooded my veins.

  My body felt lighter. The air around me shifted, as if it was responding to my very movements.

  The direwolf lunged.

  And for the first time in my life—

  I moved faster than I ever thought possible.