The fire flickered in front of me, casting dancing shadows on the thick tree trunks that surrounded my small clearing. The warm glow felt comforting, but the forest beyond was alive with sounds that made me glance over my shoulder more than once.

I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees, and stared into the flames. The Tutorial screen was gone, but the words lingered in my mind. Quests, perks, stats—it sounded ridiculous. Yet here I was, sitting in the middle of a forest I didn’t recognize, with a system straight out of a video game trying to help me survive.

“Survive the night,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “Easy enough, right?”

The forest didn’t answer. It only gave me more rustling leaves and the occasional distant hoot of an owl.

The Quest Unlocked message had mentioned a reward. A Beginner’s Survival Kit sounded promising, but how was it supposed to show up?

I sat back and stared at the night sky, the stars piercing through gaps in the canopy. The familiar constellations I’d grown up with were nowhere to be found. That simple realization brought the weight of everything crashing down on me.

This wasn’t a game. It wasn’t some elaborate dream. I was in another world, and I didn’t even know the first thing about it.

A cold breeze swept through the clearing, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth. I shivered and drew closer to the fire, letting its warmth seep into my skin.

“Alright, System,” I said aloud, my voice breaking the quiet. “If you’re gonna help me out, now’s the time.”

No response.

For a moment, I wondered if I’d imagined it all. The screens, the stats, the perks—maybe it had been my brain’s way of coping with the sheer insanity of my situation.

Just as I was about to give up, another chime rang out, softer this time, and a glowing window appeared before me.

Quest Progress: Survive your first night in the wild. Current Status: In Progress. Tips: Keep your fire burning and stay alert for potential threats.

“Potential threats,” I muttered, my eyes darting to the edge of the clearing. “Great. Just what I needed.”

The window faded, leaving me with a growing sense of unease. My instincts told me to keep moving, but my aching legs and the lure of the fire’s warmth kept me rooted in place.

I glanced at the pile of twigs and branches I’d gathered earlier. It wasn’t much, but it might keep the fire going until morning.

Picking up a few dry sticks, I fed them into the flames one by one, watching as the embers flared and crackled.

The forest beyond the clearing remained dark and still, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching.

“You’re just paranoid,” I told myself, trying to sound convincing.

But deep down, I wasn’t sure if I believed it.

I leaned back against the tree again, my hand absently running over the rough bark. The fire’s warmth was soothing, but my body was stiff and sore from walking all day.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

The System hadn’t explained everything, but one thing was clear—I wasn’t going to survive this world by sitting around and hoping for the best.

I needed to adapt. To learn. To fight, if it came to that.

For now, though, I just needed to make it through the night.

“Survive the night,” I repeated, my voice barely louder than a whisper. “One step at a time.”

The fire was down to embers now, casting the clearing in a dim, orange glow. The quiet wasn’t peaceful—it was oppressive. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig felt too loud, too deliberate.

I tightened my grip on the largest stick I could find, which wasn’t saying much. It was about as thick as my wrist, the kind of thing you’d use to poke a campfire. Against whatever was out there, it wouldn’t do much, but it made me feel a little less helpless.

The System hadn’t popped back up since its last cryptic message about threats, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was waiting for something.

“Alright,” I muttered to myself. “You’re the one with the tips. What am I supposed to do here?”

As if in response, a faint chime rang out again. The glowing screen appeared, hovering just in front of the fire.

Tutorial Update: Beasts of the forest may be drawn to fire or food. Remain vigilant. Rewards for surviving the night remain available.

“Well, that’s just fantastic,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the edge of the clearing.

The soft crunch of leaves snapped my attention to the left. My breath caught, and I squinted into the shadows. For a moment, I thought I saw movement—a glint of something in the moonlight. Eyes?

I couldn’t be sure.

The fire flickered, its glow fading further. I reached over to toss another handful of twigs onto the embers, my hands trembling slightly.

The fire flared up, sending shadows dancing across the trees, and that’s when I saw it.

A pair of yellow eyes, low to the ground, staring back at me from the darkness.

“Shit,” I hissed, scrambling to my feet.

The creature stepped into the light. It looked like a wolf, but something was off. Its fur was matted, its body larger than any wolf I’d ever seen, and its teeth glinted unnaturally sharp in the firelight.

A low growl rumbled from its throat, and the sound sent a chill down my spine.

I took a step back, the stick in my hand feeling laughably inadequate.

The System chimed again.

Threat Detected: Dire Wolf (Juvenile)

Recommendations: Utilize fire as a deterrent or engage carefully.

“Engage carefully?” I snapped. “With what? My charming personality?”

The wolf growled louder, stepping closer. Its muscles tensed, and I could tell it was sizing me up.

My heart pounded in my chest. My instincts screamed at me to run, but I knew better. Turning my back would only make me prey.

Instead, I grabbed a burning branch from the fire, holding it out in front of me like a torch.

The wolf hesitated, its eyes narrowing as the flames flickered.

“Yeah, that’s right,” I said, my voice shaking. “Not so tough now, huh?”

It didn’t back off completely, but it stopped advancing.

I took a step forward, waving the branch. The wolf snarled, snapping its jaws, but it retreated a few paces, its yellow eyes still locked on me.

The System chimed again.

First Combat Initiated

Objective: Survive the encounter. Reward: +25 EXP.

“Couldn’t have mentioned that earlier?” I muttered, sweat dripping down my brow.

The wolf circled, its movements slow and deliberate. It was testing me, waiting for an opening.

I held the branch tighter, the heat licking at my fingers. My mind raced, searching for a plan, but all I could think about was keeping that thing away from me.

The wolf lunged.

I swung the branch wildly, the flames catching it across the face. It yelped, pulling back with a sharp growl, but the fire had done its job.

I didn’t stop to think. I thrust the branch toward it again, forcing it to back up farther.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the wolf turned and bolted into the trees, its growls fading into the night.

I stood there, chest heaving, the burning branch still clutched in my hand. My arms trembled, and I dropped the branch back into the fire, letting it settle with a hiss.

The System chimed one more time.

Quest Completed: First Combat

Reward: +25 EXP.

Level Up!

The notification hovered in front of me, but I barely processed it. My legs gave out, and I sank to the ground, my back against the tree.

I was alive. Somehow.

The fire crackled softly, its light feeling a little less fragile now.

I stared at the glowing screen in front of me, my breath finally starting to steady.

“Alright,” I muttered. “Let’s see what you’ve got for me now.”