This is not the way he imagined he'd be spending the day.

Wandering through some kind of woods. Ducking through bushes and trees. Fighting people with strange powers with his own weird abilities.

"Heyyyyy, Kichi!" A young adult is in front of him. A bow rests on his shoulder. Glasses. Dark hair covering one eye. A black t-shirt and trousers. The boy looks up at the adult's username.

[Taro]

"Yes...?"

"Look alive, man. We're getting close to the place marked on the map."

Kichi nods, trying his best to keep up. Twigs and leaves adorn his shoulder-length wavy hair like a crown. Unlike Taro, he looks prepared to be in bed. He is supposed to be in bed. Unless this is some really immersive dream he's having-

[NEW BOUNTY!]

"Huh-?"

[HUNT AND KILL HAV0C AND CATNIP FOR REWARDS AND XP!]

He stares at the notification in disbelief. HAV0C and Catnip are caught in this, too? And they have a bounty on their heads? How are they going to-?

"Ooooo, that's not a bad offer." Taro looks at the notification as he scratches his non-existent beard.

H-he isn't actually considering it, is he!?

"U-um, Taro. HAV0C and Catnip are our friends-"

"I know, Kichi. I know...." He doesn't stop looking at the notification though.

"............." Please be okay, guys.

________________________________________________________________________________

[You have acquired [Skill:Detect Bloodlust!] and [Skill:Survivor!]]

"New skills, huh...." All it took was me basically dying to get something decent.

HAV0C sits on the floor, staring at his new skills. Eclipse is leaning against the wall, while Catnip is practicing his knife swings. He's.....improving.

"How long do you think the bounty will last for?" Catnip pants, his arms already beginning to ache.

HAV0C shrugs. "How do we know for sure the bounty will even go? We could have this permanently."

"Permanently!?" Catnip stops and flings his knife to the ground. "That's just bullshit!" He quickly picks the knife up to assess any damage to the blade.

One rusty blade.

HAV0C glances at the blood-stained bat in Eclipse's grasp.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

And one wooden bat.

Two weapons. Three people. Two bounties.

This isn't great.

He looks at Eclipse, noting the exhaustion written all over her face. His hands subconsciously drift to the scar rippling across his abdomen. Eclipse had managed to bring him from near-death. And it looks like it's taken its toll on her.

She must be low on mana. Does that exist here?

She has the power to heal us if we get hurt. Keeping her safe should be our number one priority.

Catnip seems to be having the same thoughts as HAV0C, glancing back at Eclipse often with concern. HAV0C gets up and taps Eclipse on the shoulder.

"Hey."

She jumps, eyes refocusing on him. "Yeah?"

"Sit down for a bit. You need to rest."

"What? I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." She glances at his torn shirt. "What about you? You were wounded, you should sit down-"

"I'm fine, Mom. You healed me, remember? It doesn't even ache anymore." He takes her gently by the shoulders, momentarily surprised by her weight, and sets her down on the floor, supporting her back with the wall. "Rest, okay? You used up most of your strength."

A small smile appears on her face. "Heh..."

HAV0C raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"You called me Mom...."

He blinks, then laughs. "Well, I see you as one." He bends down and picks up the bat. "Just relax, okay? Me and Catnip will keep watch."

She nods, too tired to resist.

HAV0C straightens up and goes to the window. From here he can see what can only be described as an urban jungle. Houses slowly being overtaken by nature. Large green vines crawling up the sides of the walls. Grass sprouting from cracks in the road.

What the hell is this place?

Let's see if this works....open Menu.

The menu appears in front of him and he grins. I don't even have to say it out loud.

He glances back at his skills. [Detect Bloodlust], huh? How do I....?

"Use skill. [Detect Bloodlust]."

[Using skill! Detect Bloodlust!]

A shiver runs down his spine. Goosebumps cover his arms.

"HAV0C?"

He turns to look at Catnip, the sensation dimming. He glances at Eclipse, the feeling dimming even more.

Is this how it works?

He glances at the door. And he jumps, the goosebumps and shivers coming back in full force. His vision almost seems to ripple, the door releasing what can only be described as waves, crashing down on him. His hair stands on end.

What the fuck? Why am I freaking out over the door-?

Wait. OH SHIT-

He runs forward, slamming his body into it just as it begins to creak open. He hears curses from the other side, and grunts as the door shudders as something heavy thuds into it outside.

Someone is trying to get in. He focuses. No, maybe more than one. A group?

He glances over at Catnip, who's poised and clutching the knife handle till his knuckles turn white. They meet eyes and Catnip nods. He knows what to do.

Don't think. Just.....

He runs forward and slams the knife into the door.

Do it.

The wood hits the hilt and they hear a grunt, then the sound of dead weight falling to the ground. Blood begins to seep in from under the door.

[Congratulations! Catnip has leveled up! New Ability unlocked: Construct!]

Catnip and HAV0C stare at the notification, then at the floor as blood begins to pool around their shoes. Catnip gags, cold sweat running down his face. HAV0C rests a hand on his shoulder, he himself trembling.

"I just killed someone-"

"I-keep calm, okay? We did what we had to do-"

[Use Skill!]

There was more. SHIT-!

"MOVE-!"

[Heatblast!]

The door is blown off of its hinges and the two boys fly back, a wave of heat slamming into them. They hit the floor and the world spins. HAV0C groans, clutching his ears. His arms are still laced with goosebumps and he shakes, the invisible waves smothering him.

This bloodlust....!

"These are the guys, right? The ones with the bounty." Four people crowd into the room, wielding bats and bits of wood. The leader, a man with a burnt piece of wood for a mask, lowers his hand, which glows red with heat. "Rewards and xp....who can resist such an offer?"

HAV0C and Catnip lie on the floor, coughing to expel the ash from their lungs. Eclipse lies to the side, so still she might as well be dead.

"Ready up, boys."

"We have a bounty to complete."