Jonash’s head felt like it was full of cotton, disoriented and heavy. He groaned, blinking slowly as his surroundings came into focus. The first thing he noticed was the air—thick, humid, and smelling faintly of damp earth and something else, something sharp. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to sit up, his body sluggish and uncooperative. Where was he?

His eyes darted around the dense jungle, taking in the towering trees and tangled vines. He squinted against the blinding sunlight streaming through the canopy above. The place was lush, almost unnaturally so. Every leaf seemed to shine with an otherworldly glow, every rustle in the underbrush sounded like it came from something much larger than an animal. He could hear the distant hum of insects and birds, but there was a strange silence in the air, like the jungle was holding its breath.

Jonash’s hand instinctively went to his chest. It was bare, but something was off—he was no longer wearing his usual hoodie and sweatpants. Instead, he was dressed in rough, utilitarian clothes—tunic, leather armor, and a dagger strapped to his side. What the hell was happening? He was just streaming, right? He remembered his mom storming out, the loan sharks—then... nothing. His mind was foggy, and the weight of it all felt like a bad dream.

He pushed himself to his feet, shaky and unsteady. His legs felt weak, as if they hadn’t borne weight in far too long. Jonash winced as he stood taller, his eyes adjusting to the bizarre setting around him. There were no skyscrapers, no apartment buildings—just trees, and far too many of them. He took a step, then another. Every muscle screamed in protest, but he pushed through it. Something told him he had to move.

As if on cue, a soft glow flickered in front of him. Startled, Jonash froze and took a step back. He wasn’t sure if his mind was playing tricks on him or if he was hallucinating. But there it was—a glowing, translucent interface hovering just in front of his face. It was a message. It had to be.

"Welcome to the Jungle," it read, the text flashing like something out of a video game.

Jonash’s stomach dropped. “What the hell?” he muttered, staring at the screen in disbelief.

The message continued:

"Game of Realms: - Mission: Survive the Night."

Jonash blinked, rubbing his eyes as if doing so would make the words disappear. Taming Trials? Survive the night? What was this, some kind of sick joke? There was no way this was real. This couldn’t be happening.

Before he could gather his thoughts, the message vanished, leaving him staring at the dense jungle again. The quiet was unsettling. His heart pounded in his chest. His mind raced. Survive the night. That was it. That was all the information he had. Nothing about where he was, how he got here, or who—or what—was even behind this.

Jonash swallowed, the heat of the jungle pressing down on him. The sweat that already beaded on his forehead wasn’t just from the humidity—it was fear. The strange, unfamiliar clothing he wore, the eerie stillness around him, and the odd feeling that he wasn’t alone made his chest tighten.

Think, Jonash. Focus.

Survival. That was what mattered right now. Whatever this was, he had to adapt. He needed shelter. Food. A plan. He’d been in sticky situations before, but this was different. This wasn’t some online game or a VR headset. No, this felt far too real.

Stolen novel; please report.

His feet moved instinctively as he began to navigate through the thick brush. The jungle was dense, with tangled vines and massive tree trunks that seemed to go on forever. The ground beneath him was soft, the earth spongy with moisture. Every step made him feel more vulnerable, more exposed. Get a grip, he told himself. But the more he walked, the more he realized how alive everything around him felt. The jungle didn’t just seem real—it was real.

Suddenly, a low growl pierced the silence. Jonash froze mid-step. His heart skipped, and his breath hitched in his chest. The sound came from behind him, the growl deep and guttural. It sounded... wrong. It wasn’t the growl of a regular animal. No, this was something far more sinister. Something that belonged in a nightmare.

He turned slowly, trying to make out where the noise was coming from. His eyes scanned the shadows in the underbrush, but it was too dark to see clearly. He stood still, his muscles tense, trying to listen, trying to focus. Another growl. Closer this time.

Jonash’s pulse quickened. There was no way he was alone out here. Something—or someone—was watching him. His instincts kicked in, and his fingers brushed against the hilt of the dagger at his side. He had no idea what was out there, but he wasn’t going down without a fight.

And then, as if on cue, a figure emerged from the shadows.

Jonash’s breath caught in his throat.

It was humanoid, but it wasn’t human. Its body was twisted—muscular, covered in rough, bark-like skin that looked like it belonged to a tree. Its long limbs moved with an unsettling grace, its eyes glowing a faint, unnatural yellow. Its face was a warped version of a human face—sharp features twisted into a grotesque snarl, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

The creature didn’t say anything—it didn’t need to. Its presence was enough. The air around it seemed to warp, the jungle itself growing darker as it stepped closer. Jonash’s heart hammered in his chest as the beast’s eyes locked on him, its movements predatory.

Before Jonash could react, a second creature appeared from the shadows, its form even larger, more menacing. It had the same glowing eyes, the same predatory air. They moved together like a coordinated hunting team, circling Jonash, their eyes never leaving him.

This was no animal. These were hunters. And he was the prey.

Jonash’s breath came out in shallow gasps as the growling creatures stepped closer. The stench of their breath was rancid, and the ground seemed to tremble beneath their weight. His grip tightened on the dagger, but even as he raised it defensively, he knew it wouldn’t be enough. He had no experience fighting creatures like these.

Suddenly, the glowing interface flashed in front of him again, its text now blaring, almost mocking him:

"Game of Realms: First Challenge - Defeat or Escape."

Jonash swallowed hard. Defeat or escape? He didn’t have time to think about it. There was no way he could defeat these creatures—he needed to get out. He needed to escape.

Without a second thought, he turned and bolted. His legs burned with the effort, his mind racing as he dashed through the thick undergrowth. Branches and vines slapped at his face, but he didn’t slow down. The creatures were close behind, their growls echoing through the jungle, getting louder with every step.

He didn’t know where he was going, but there was no turning back now. All he could do was run.

But then, just as he thought he’d lost them—a shadow blocked his path.

Jonash skidded to a halt, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. A figure stood ahead of him, tall and cloaked in darkness. It was another person—at least, Jonash hoped it was. The figure’s eyes glowed with an amber hue, fierce and predatory, just like the creatures behind him.

Jonash’s throat went dry. Was this another enemy, or was it a fellow player?

The figure spoke, its voice eerily calm in the face of the danger closing in on them.

“You’re not going to survive if you keep running. You need to tame a beast. Now.”