His chest still burned where the creature had nearly ripped him open, and his mind raced with questions he didn’t have the luxury to answer yet.
The system window floated in his vision, unbothered by the chaos.
[Enemy Eliminated: Feral Mutant]
- XP Gained: 100
- Progress: 1/3 Kills
- Time Remaining: 9:27:12
Two more.
Axel wiped his forehead, ignoring the tremor in his fingers. The encounter had lasted less than a minute, but every second had been a fight for his life.
This wasn’t like a game. There were no respawns, no retries. If he slipped up once, he was dead.
Still…
His eyes drifted to the rusted dagger in his grip. He could feel the adrenaline humming beneath his skin, something sharp and hungry stirring in the back of his mind.
Despite the danger, a part of him—a small, twisted part—wanted to keep going.
Axel shook his head. Not now.
Focus.
He forced his legs to move, stepping out of the alley and scanning the streets. The city was changing before his eyes.
The eerie blue mist thickened, distorting distant buildings. Faint howls echoed through the night, alien and unnatural. There were no streetlights anymore—only the pulsing glow of crystalline fragments embedded in the asphalt.
It was like reality itself was being rewritten.
And Axel was right in the middle of it.
Two more enemies to kill.
The first mutant had been fast but dumb—more of a wild beast than anything. The next fight might not be so forgiving.
He needed to be smarter.
Step one: Find a better weapon.
His Rusted Dagger had barely done the job, and if he ran into something stronger, he was screwed. He needed something bigger.
Axel scanned the street, eyes landing on a small hardware store up ahead. The windows were already shattered, the inside dark and abandoned.
“Bingo,” he muttered.
He stepped inside cautiously, keeping low as he weaved between overturned shelves and scattered tools.
Analyze.
[Objects Detected]
- Steel Pipe (Rank E) – Sturdy and reliable. Good for blunt force.
- Hunting Knife (Rank E) – Serrated edge, better than your current dagger.
- Nail Bat (Rank D) – Heavy, brutal, good against multiple enemies.
Axel whistled lowly. His first upgrade.
Stolen novel; please report.
He grabbed the Hunting Knife, testing the grip. It was sharper, heavier, and far more reliable than the garbage the system had given him.
For good measure, he also picked up the Steel Pipe—just in case he needed reach over precision.
New Weapons Acquired:
- Hunting Knife (Rank E)
- Steel Pipe (Rank E)
With his new weapons secured, Axel slipped back onto the streets.
The blue mist shifted unnaturally in the distance, like it was alive. The howling grew louder. Something was out there.
His grip on the knife tightened. He needed to strike first.
Then, he spotted it.
A silhouette moved near a collapsed taxi, its distorted limbs twitching as it sniffed the air. It was twice the size of the last mutant, hunched and sinewy, with long, razor-sharp claws that gleamed in the neon glow.
[Analyzing Target...]
Axel gritted his teeth. This one was smarter.
The Shadow Stalker moved in sharp, predatory motions, its glowing eyes scanning the area methodically. It wasn’t just attacking at random—it was searching.
And it was hunting him.
Axel took a slow step forward, his heart hammering. He needed to be quick. No mistakes.
Then, his Luck stat (1) decided to screw him over.
His foot nudged a loose soda can.
Clink.
The Shadow Stalker’s head snapped toward him instantly.
Then it charged.
Axel barely had time to react before the monster leaped, claws outstretched.
He threw himself backward as the creature slammed down where he had just been standing, cracking the pavement.
“Holy shit—!”
Axel rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another swipe. It was way faster than the last one. He needed to land a hit now or he wouldn’t get another chance.
The system pulsed in his vision.
[System Combat Boost Activated]
- Dodge Prediction: +15%
- Reaction Speed: +10%
Axel didn’t question it. He moved.
The Shadow Stalker lunged again, but this time, Axel anticipated it. He sidestepped at the last second, driving his Hunting Knife into the monster’s neck.
The creature let out a choked snarl, black ichor spraying as the blade cut deep.
Axel twisted the knife, then yanked it free.
The Shadow Stalker convulsed, then collapsed.
[Enemy Eliminated: Shadow Stalker]
- XP Gained: 150
- Progress: 2/3 Kills
Axel took a shaky breath, wiping the blood from his face.
One more.
A low, guttural snarl echoed from behind him.
Axel turned.
A second Shadow Stalker had appeared.
Only this one was bigger.
And it was already mid-air, leaping at him with murder in its eyes.
His body moved before his mind could catch up.
He brought up the Steel Pipe, twisting his body to absorb the impact. The monster slammed into him, sending him skidding backward, but the pipe connected—cracking against its ribs.
The beast howled in pain, stumbling back.
Axel didn’t let it recover.
He surged forward, gripping his Hunting Knife tight, and plunged it straight into the creature’s chest.
The Shadow Stalker convulsed violently.
Then it collapsed.
[Enemy Eliminated: Shadow Stalker]
- XP Gained: 150
- Progress: 3/3 Kills
- Trial Challenge #1 Complete
A soft ding rang in his mind.
[Level Up!]
- Level 2 → Level 3
A new reward notification appeared.
[Challenge Reward: Rank E Item]
- You have received: Phantom Cloak (Rank E)
Axel collapsed onto a nearby bench, letting out a slow, relieved breath.
He had done it.
The first trial was complete.
But deep in his gut, he knew—this was only the beginning.