Ethan sat motionless on the forest floor, his breath still catching from the battle. The massive Dire Wolf lay lifeless beside him, its fur matted with blood, both his and the beast’s. His arm, however, was now unscathed—a miracle that still sent ripples of disbelief through his mind.
"Level up," he muttered under his breath, the words echoing as if they belonged to a fantasy game he had once played. But this wasn’t a game. The smell of blood, the ache in his muscles, and the tangible terror he had felt—those were real.
He leaned back against a tree, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. He needed to think, to organize his thoughts. Wherever he was, it was far from any reality he knew. The forest around him was vast, alive with sounds of distant wildlife, but not entirely welcoming.
“Alright... first things first.” Ethan’s mind switched gears, and the genius part of him kicked in. He needed to prepare. He had survived the first encounter, but there was no telling what other dangers lurked in these woods.
He glanced at the wolf’s body. “I’ll need to use everything I can.” The wolf was huge, easily triple the size of any normal one. The meat alone could sustain him for a while. The fur—perhaps he could make something out of it, a covering or even some primitive armor.
With renewed focus, Ethan set to work. He needed tools. Scanning the area, he found a sturdy stone and a piece of wood. It was no survivalist’s kit, but it would do for now. After several minutes of awkward effort, he fashioned a crude knife. It was nothing more than a dull, jagged stone tied to a stick with plant fiber, but it was something.
Using the makeshift blade, he knelt beside the Dire Wolf, grimacing as he cut into its flesh. The blade struggled to pierce through the thick hide, but Ethan applied more pressure, eventually creating an opening. “I need this,” he whispered, trying to steel his nerves. He had never hunted, never cut into an animal before, but necessity made things simple.
The fur was difficult to remove, but he managed to strip enough of it to create something usable later. For now, it would serve as insulation—protection against the cold that was slowly creeping in as the sun dipped lower behind the trees.
Next, he turned his attention to the meat. His stomach growled, and though the idea of eating something from this world was unsettling, his hunger quickly overtook the discomfort. Using the knife, he carved out strips of the lean, red muscle, careful to avoid any parts that looked strange or diseased.
Once done, he gathered some dried twigs and leaves, arranging them into a small pile. Fire. He needed fire.
It took longer than he expected, but eventually, after rubbing sticks together furiously, a spark ignited. Flames flickered, casting warm, dancing shadows on the forest floor. Ethan exhaled in relief, placing the strips of wolf meat over the fire on a makeshift spit, watching as they sizzled and dripped fat into the flames.
The scent of roasting meat filled the air. Despite the grim situation, Ethan’s mouth watered. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until the smell hit him. After what felt like hours, the meat browned and charred in places, the outside crisp while the inside remained juicy. He tore off a piece, carefully testing it before biting in.
“Not bad,” he muttered. For wolf meat, it tasted surprisingly good, or maybe it was just the hunger talking. He devoured the rest of the meal, savoring every bite, then leaned back against the tree trunk, feeling more grounded now.
As the fire crackled softly beside him, Ethan’s mind returned to the earlier thought—the status window. That brief glimpse when the wolf attacked him. There had been numbers, names, abilities... information about the wolf he couldn’t possibly have known otherwise.
He stared into the flames, pondering. Could it show his own stats too?
“I need to know more,” he murmured. Closing his eyes, he focused, imagining a screen in front of him, like the ones he had seen in games. For a long moment, nothing happened.
Then suddenly—bing—a soft chime echoed in his mind. Ethan’s eyes snapped open, and before him floated a translucent panel of light, hovering just above his line of sight.
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Name: Ethan Walker
Species: Human
Class: None (Unassigned)
Level: 2
Stats:
* Strength: 7
* Agility: 9
* Intelligence: 15
* Stamina: 8
* Magic Affinity: 6
Skills:
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* Survival Instinct (Passive)
* Basic Weapon Mastery (Lv. 1)
New Skill Available: Choose for 5 skill points.
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Ethan blinked in disbelief. “This is... this is actually happening.”
His mind raced as he read through the list. Strength and agility—those seemed to align with his fitness level. He wasn’t the most athletic, but he wasn’t a slouch either. But his intelligence stat—it was higher than the others. That made sense. He had always excelled in academics, his mind sharp and quick to grasp even the most complex problems.
“Magic Affinity,” he whispered, staring at the number. He didn’t know what it meant yet, but the idea of having even a small connection to magic sent a shiver of excitement through him.
Then there was the last line—New Skill Available. He hadn’t noticed that before. It looked like he could choose new skills, but it required points. Five, to be exact. But how did he gain points? He shook his head, deciding to focus on that later.
Closing the screen with a thought, Ethan stood and surveyed his small camp. The fire was still crackling softly, and the wolf’s hide lay stretched out nearby, drying in the cool evening air.
For now, he had food, fire, and some sense of stability. But he couldn’t stay here forever. He needed to understand more about this world—about how he had arrived and what else might be lurking in the shadows.
As if on cue, a distant sound caught his attention. It was faint at first, but as he strained to listen, it grew louder. Voices. People? He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they sounded panicked.
Cautiously, Ethan crept through the underbrush, moving toward the noise. The closer he got, the more distinct the scene became. He reached a ridge overlooking a clearing, where a group of primitive-looking people, armed with crude spears and shields, were engaged in a desperate battle.
In the center of the chaos was a creature—a giant, boar-like beast, easily the size of a small car. Its tusks glistened as it charged through the group, sending men flying with every swipe of its massive head. Blood splattered across the ground as the tribal warriors fought valiantly, but they were clearly outmatched.
Instinctively, Ethan focused his thoughts, hoping to trigger the same stat window that had appeared during the wolf fight. And, as if by command, a new series of translucent panels popped up, revealing information about both the beast and the people fighting it.
TRIBESMEN:
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1. Name: Korak
Species: Human
Race: Forest Tribesman
Level: 5
Strength: 13
Stamina: 12
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 7
Skills:
* Spear Mastery (Lv. 2): Increased damage and precision with spears.
* Endurance (Passive): Can sustain longer battles without tiring easily.
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2. Name: Lira
Species: Human
Race: Forest Tribeswoman
Level: 4
Strength: 8
Stamina: 9
Agility: 13
Intelligence: 9
Skills:
* Quickstep (Lv. 1): Increased agility, allowing rapid movement to dodge attacks.
* Tactical Mind (Passive): Able to quickly analyze situations in battle for effective strategy.
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3. Name: Hurok
Species: Human
Race: Forest Tribesman
Level: 3
Strength: 11
Stamina: 10
Agility: 8
Intelligence: 6
Skills:
* Power Strike (Lv. 1): Delivers a heavy attack with a chance to break enemy defenses.
* Survival Instinct (Passive): Enhanced awareness of surrounding threats.
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4. Name: Rika
Species: Human
Race: Forest Tribeswoman
Level: 3
Strength: 9
Stamina: 8
Agility: 11
Intelligence: 10
Skills:
* Bow Mastery (Lv. 2): Expert with ranged weapons, increases accuracy and damage.
* Eagle Eye (Passive): Enhances vision, allowing long-distance precision shots.
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5. Name: Grak
Species: Human
Race: Forest Tribesman
Level: 4
Strength: 12
Stamina: 11
Agility: 9
Intelligence: 7
Skills:
* Battle Cry (Lv. 1): Increases the morale of nearby allies, boosting their stats temporarily.
* Berserker Rage (Passive): Gains increased strength and speed when in low health.
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GIANT BOAR CREATURE:
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Species: Dire Boar
Level: 6
Strength: 18
Stamina: 20
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 4
Skills:
* Charge (Lv. 2): Unleashes a devastating charge, knocking back enemies and dealing massive damage.
* Thick Hide (Passive): Provides natural armor, reducing the effectiveness of physical attacks.
* Rage (Lv. 1): When enraged, the boar gains increased speed and strength, making it more dangerous in battle.
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His eyes widened. These weren’t ordinary people, and whatever that boar was, it was far more dangerous than anything he had ever seen.
He crouched down, his mind racing. Should he intervene? Or should he stay hidden and wait for the battle to end? The decision weighed heavily on him, and as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Ethan realized that, for the first time in his life, he had no idea what to do next.