The rhythmic ticking of the clock echoed through the classroom. It was barely noon, but the dull drone of the teacher’s voice seemed to stretch time longer than usual. The students stared blankly at the whiteboard or down at their notes, but one sat at the back, head tilted lazily against the window.

Ethan Walker was, by every measure, brilliant. A genius, people called him—though he found the label tedious. He didn’t need to study, didn’t need to pay attention, and still aced every test. His A+ streak was an anomaly. Today, as usual, he’d tuned out the lecture, arms crossed, eyes closed, breathing softly as though he were napping.

"Mr. Walker?" The teacher’s voice cut through the hum of the classroom. Ethan didn’t move. “Mr. Walker!”

A sharp jab in the ribs. Ethan blinked awake, looking up at the teacher, who stood towering over him with a stern expression.

“If you’re going to sleep in my class, the least you could do is answer the question.” The teacher motioned to the equation on the board, complex and winding with variables scattered across every corner.

Ethan yawned. He didn’t even look at the board before muttering, “The answer is 213... rounded to two decimal places.”

The teacher’s eyes narrowed, but she couldn’t argue. He was right. Again.

“You should really pay more attention,” she huffed, walking back to the front of the room. Ethan settled back into his seat, half-listening to the teacher’s voice fade into the background.

“Same old, same old,” he whispered to himself. Eyes closing once more, the world around him started to blur as he drifted back to sleep. Or so he thought.

Suddenly, the hum of the classroom was replaced by something entirely different—a distant chirping. Birds?

Ethan’s eyes snapped open. Instead of the classroom ceiling, there were tall trees overhead, their leaves swaying gently in a breeze that brushed his skin. He blinked rapidly, his heart skipping a beat. The air was cool, earthy, and the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds surrounded him.

“What the—where am I?” He scrambled to his feet, scanning his surroundings. Trees, dense foliage, and the unmistakable scent of damp earth filled the air. No students, no desks, no teacher. The world had changed around him, and he had no idea how or why.

Before he could make sense of it, a low growl cut through the peaceful sounds of the forest. Ethan turned sharply, his pulse quickening.

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Behind him, emerging from the shadows between the trees, was a wolf—if you could even call it that. This creature was massive, towering above him, muscles rippling under its dark, matted fur. Its eyes glowed a menacing red, and a strange, dark aura seemed to seep from its form. Ethan’s breath caught in his throat.

“What the hell is that thing?” he muttered, his body frozen in place. Then something strange happened—something even more bizarre than waking up in a forest. A small window appeared before his eyes, hovering in the air like a hologram:

Species: Dire Wolf Evolution: Awakened Beast Stats:

* Strength: 40

* Agility: 35

* Intelligence: 4

* Abilities: Shadow Step, Berserk Bite

Ethan stared at the display, disbelief coursing through him. “Is this some kind of game?”

The Dire Wolf’s low growl deepened, its eyes locking onto him. It bared its fangs and lunged. Ethan barely had time to react. He threw himself to the side, but not fast enough. Claws raked across his arm, leaving a burning sensation in their wake. Pain shot through him, real and sharp.

Clutching his arm, he staggered back, his heart pounding. This was real. Too real. “I need a weapon... I need something!” His eyes darted around, and he spotted a stick—a thick branch jutting out from the underbrush. Nearby, a jagged rock lay half-buried in the dirt.

The wolf growled again, its massive body crouching low as it prepared to strike once more. Ethan’s mind raced. The stats window flashed in his thoughts—Intelligence: 4. Low intelligence. That meant it was predictable, right?

Clutching the stick in one hand and the rock in the other, Ethan planted his feet. The wolf charged again, its powerful limbs propelling it forward. At the last second, Ethan jammed the stick into the ground, right in its path. The beast didn’t stop, impaling itself on the sharp branch.

But it wasn’t enough.

With a furious snarl, the wolf sank its fangs into his arm, tearing at his flesh. Ethan screamed in pain, adrenaline flooding his body as he brought the rock down on the creature’s head. Once. Twice. The blows were wild, fueled by desperation.

Blood smeared across his hands, the wolf’s yelps filling the air. But it didn’t let go. Its jaws tightened, and Ethan’s vision blurred from the pain. “Come on!” he growled through gritted teeth, slamming the rock down one last time—right between the wolf’s glowing eyes.

With a final yelp, the wolf collapsed, its grip loosening as its body slumped to the ground. Ethan fell back, panting, his arm mangled and covered in blood.

He could feel the darkness closing in around him—the edges of his vision dimming. He had never felt pain like this before. He stared at the lifeless wolf, unsure of what just happened. But before he could pass out, a voice echoed in his mind:

Level Up. Wounds Regenerating.

Warmth spread through his body, and the pain in his arm slowly faded. His skin mended itself before his eyes, the blood drying as if nothing had happened.

He sat there for a long moment, staring at his hand in disbelief. “What... what is this place?”

The forest around him remained silent, the dire wolf’s body cooling at his feet. His mind buzzed with questions. Why was he here? What kind of world had he stepped into? And more importantly, how did he get back?

But one thing was clear—he had leveled up, and with it, the promise of power.