Kayl's breath caught in his throat as the rustling grew louder. Before he could fully react, a blur of fur and feathers shot out from the underbrush, heading straight for him.

Instinctively, he swung the axe, but the creature was too fast. It darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. Kayl stumbled back, barely getting a good look at it as it circled him. It was small but fierce, with the body of a lion cub and the head of an eagle, amber eyes glinting in the fading sunlight.

What the hell is that thing?!

Another ding chimed in his mind, followed by a detached, mechanical voice.

"Grifflet. Class: Beast. Weakness: Joint strikes."

Grifflet? Kayl had never heard of it, but the name hardly mattered. The creature let out a high-pitched screech, its wings flaring as it prepared to strike again. This time, it came from above, claws outstretched toward his face.

Kayl threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. His heart pounded in his chest as he raised the axe again, but the Grifflet was already in motion, darting to the other side. It was toying with him, too fast and agile for his untrained swings.

The Grifflet lunged again, its sharp talons slashing at his arm. Pain shot through him as its claws ripped through his cloth armor, drawing blood. Kayl cursed under his breath, gripping the axe tighter. He couldn't outrun it—he had to fight.

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The Grifflet circled again, its wings flapping to gain height. It hovered for a split second, then dove toward him, beak and claws aimed straight for his chest. Kayl acted on instinct, dropping low and swinging the axe upward.

The stone blade connected with the creature's wing joint, sending it tumbling to the ground with a screech of pain. Kayl didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, bringing the axe down again, this time with all his strength. The blade struck the Grifflet's neck, and the creature let out a final, pitiful screech before going still.

Kayl staggered back, breathing heavily, his arm throbbing from the fresh wounds. The Grifflet lay motionless at his feet, its body already beginning to shimmer and dissolve into faint particles of light.

Did I really just kill that thing?

Another ding echoed in his mind, followed by a system message:

"Hidden Quest Complete: First Blood, First Summons."

"You have defeated a creature far beyond your current strength. As a reward for your exceptional achievement, you are granted your first 5 summons and 50 gold."

The words floated in front of his eyes, almost mocking him. Hidden quest? First summons? Kayl tried to process what was happening as a new message appeared:

"You may now summon basic units: Peasants (5)."

Five small figures appeared before him, shimmering into existence. They were plain, simple peasants, each dressed in rough tunics, their faces blank but ready for orders. Kayl blinked, too exhausted and too shocked to fully comprehend what was happening.

So I'm not alone anymore, he thought, still trying to catch his breath.

His arm throbbed again, reminding him of the damage he had taken. But for now, he had survived. He had won.

And whatever this world was, he was determined to figure it out.