He had survived. For now.
The system window floated in front of him, its glowing text an ever-present reminder that he wasn’t out of the woods yet.
[Trial Challenge #1 Complete]
- Reward: Phantom Cloak (Rank E)
- Level Up! (Lv. 3)
A dark, hooded cloak materialized before him, its fabric shimmering with a faint, smoky glow. Axel reached out, brushing his fingers against it. It felt… light. Almost like it wasn’t really there.
[Phantom Cloak (Rank E)]
- Effect: Reduces detection chance by 30%
- Effect: Slightly increases agility (+2 Agility)
A smirk tugged at Axel’s lips. “Now we’re talking.”
He threw the cloak over his shoulders, feeling an immediate difference. The weight on his movements seemed to lessen, like a subtle pressure had been lifted.
Good. He’d need every advantage he could get.
Axel pulled up his updated status screen.
Name: Axel Ravensworth
Level: 3
Class: Unassigned
Stats:
- Strength: 7 (+1)
- Agility: 7 (+2) (Phantom Cloak bonus applied)
- Intelligence: 9 (+1)
- Endurance: 8 (+1)
- Luck: 1
Skills:
- [Analyze] (Rank F)
- [Inventory] (Rank F)
Items:
- Hunting Knife (Rank E)
- Steel Pipe (Rank E)
- Phantom Cloak (Rank E)
His stats were improving, but he still had a long way to go.
More importantly—he still didn’t have a Class.
The system had promised that completing the trials would give him one. He’d cleared the first challenge, but nothing had changed.
Which meant the next trial was coming.
And it wouldn’t be any easier.
Axel exhaled, watching as the blue mist that had settled over the city shifted unnaturally in the distance. A low, guttural sound echoed from the shadows.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Then the system’s notification appeared.
[Trial Challenge #2: Infernal Hunt]
- Objective: Survive until dawn.
- Special Condition: You are marked as prey.
- Reward: 500 XP, New Skill (Rank E)
- Penalty: Immediate termination.
- Time Remaining: 8:59:59
Axel froze.
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Survive until dawn?
His blood ran cold as he reread the special condition.
"Marked as prey."
That meant…
A distant howl split the night air.
Not human. Not even close.
Axel gritted his teeth.
So that’s how it is.
The temperature dropped suddenly. Axel could see his breath in the air, the mist around him growing thicker, heavier.
Then—
A presence.
Axel didn’t know how, but he felt it before he saw it. A heavy, oppressive aura pressed down on his shoulders, setting off every alarm in his brain.
His pulse spiked.
Something huge stood at the end of the street, half-hidden by the mist.
Then it stepped forward.
Axel’s breath hitched.
The creature was taller than a truck, its skeletal frame wrapped in charred, black flesh. Its limbs were long and jagged, with razor-sharp talons that dripped molten embers onto the pavement.
Its head was skull-like, hollow sockets burning with deep, crimson fire.
And it was staring directly at him.
[Analyzing Target...]
Axel swore under his breath.
A Rank D creature? Already?
This wasn’t like the Shadow Stalkers.
If this thing caught him, he was dead.
Then, it moved.
And it was fast.
Axel barely had time to react before the Hellborn Stalker lunged, covering twenty meters in a single bound.
He threw himself to the side just as a clawed hand slammed into the pavement, carving deep gashes through the asphalt.
Move. Move. MOVE.
Axel sprinted down the street, dodging between abandoned cars. The Hellborn Stalker let out a low, guttural growl and gave chase.
His Phantom Cloak’s effect reduced his presence, but it wasn’t enough to shake it off. The creature was tracking him by scent, heat, or something else entirely.
Axel knew he couldn’t outrun it forever.
He needed a plan.
Axel skidded around a corner, nearly losing his footing. His mind raced. He had two weapons, but neither would be enough to bring down something this massive.
He needed an advantage.
Then he saw it.
An abandoned gas station.
A risky idea formed in his mind.
Axel sprinted toward the station, his pulse hammering. The Hellborn Stalker barreled after him, gaining ground fast.
Just before reaching the station, Axel grabbed a metal trash can lid from the sidewalk.
The creature leaped.
Axel spun and hurled the lid as hard as he could at the gas pump.
CRASH!
The lid slammed into the pump, rupturing the fragile metal casing. Gasoline spilled out, pooling onto the pavement.
The Hellborn Stalker didn’t stop. It lunged forward—
Axel ducked under its claws, pivoted, and swung the Steel Pipe with all his strength.
The pipe slammed against the ground, creating a shower of sparks.
The gas ignited.
BOOM.
The explosion ripped through the station, engulfing the creature in a fireball. Axel was blown backward, slamming into a streetlight with enough force to make his vision blur.
His ears rang. His lungs burned. His body ached all over.
But when the smoke cleared, the Hellborn Stalker was gone.
[Enemy Eliminated: Hellborn Stalker]
- XP Gained: 400
- Progress: Trial Survival in Progress
Axel wheezed out a laugh.
He was still alive.
And dawn was still hours away.
This was only the beginning.