Yuri woke up early and did all of his morning essential things. He stretched before doing a couple of pushups, situps, and squats. After doing that he made sure he stretched again to relieve the tension in his body.
After the quick workout he ate some of the leftover food from last night.
Cleaning his mess up, he headed out making sure he avoided the traps he set the previous night.
Thinking about the day he had planned, Yuri's lips curled into a maniacal grin, the kind that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who caught a glimpse. It was not the smile of joy, but the smirk of a predator who was ready to hunt. His eyes gleamed with a ferocious light.
"The geezer sent me here for a reason," he whispered through clenched teeth. "I need to fight and survive, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." With every word, his presence seemed to grow darker, an aura of menace radiating from him as if he were the embodiment of the battlefield itself.
As he moved through the forest, he made sure he was as stealthy as possible and aware of his surroundings. Ready to take on anything that came his way
Seeing a potential target Yuri swiftly climbed a tree to get a better look at his surroundings. He wanted to make sure he could get the job done without anything interfering. Yuri didn't want to rush anything, so he followed and maintained distance eyeing his target.
'I wish I could see the status of beast and other people. It'd be so helpful.' Yuri thought as he focused back on the task at hand.
~ Host request granted!
~ Host can now see anyone's status panel
Yuri stood frozen in shock. 'No way?'
'Give me a stealth ability' Yuri said with a smile so big, it looked like he had won a lottery.
~ Host request denied
'Wow.' He said with a slight frown. 'Wait you could talk this whole time?'
~Yes, I just haven't felt a need to
'Ok, what are you? And what should I call you?'
~ Get stronger then maybe I'll tell you. You can just call me system.
'Alright system, does anyone else in this world have a system?'
~ No, just you.
'Okay, but why do I have you and what can you offer me?'
~ Can't answer that and Host can't unlock functions of the system until reaching the 'Initiates Threshold Realm.
'Well I guess I'll know in 4 months'
~ Ding! Host has 1 message.
'Huh?' Yuri thought. 'How the fuck did I get a message to my system? I'm so confused.'
'Open message?' Yuri thought.
~ Message opened, playing now.
[ Yuri, how have you been! Kidding I already know lmao, I've watched every minute of your life, it's so boring up here. ]
[ But enough of my jokes, I've come here with another gift. I'm going to give you the ability to upgrade your system a little faster as well as a nice skill. I need you to cause some mayhem, I need some entertainment! Anyway, I'll let the system explain the rest. See ya! ]
~ Message ended.
'How did I become a god's play toy? He/she is a god, right? I mean what other being could take someone and plop them into another world?' Getting lost in his thoughts, the system snapped him out.
~ System update available. Do you want to proceed?
'If that being wanted to hurt me, I'm pretty sure they could squash me in an instant.'
'Yes proceed.'
~ System Updating...
~ Approximately 10 minutes until updated.
'I guess I'll wait.' Yuri thought as he refocused his attention on the prey he was stalking.
Yuri jumped and swung from tree to tree, tailing his target while remaining quiet as possible.
~ Ding!
~ System update complete!
~ Check the status panel to see the changes.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
'Open status.'
|—----------------------------------------------|
[ System Lvl: 2 | 0 / 150]
‣ Name: Yuri Kaguno
‣ Class: ( Locked )
‣ Realm: Preliminary Realm
‣ Title: ( Locked )
‣ Passives: ( Locked )
‣ Attributes
- Strength: 25
- Dexterity: 28
- Agility: 25
- Stamina: 30
- Constitution: 5
- Int: 1
‣ Traits: ( Locked )
‣ Arts: ( Locked )
‣ Skills:
- Intermediate swordsmanship - 21%
- Intermediate parry - 5%
- Energy resonance - 0%
|—----------------------------------------------|
~ You can level up the system by killing different beasts. Depending on what you kill, the system takes the essence of that beast and uses it to upgrade the system. When the system upgrades, you'll get rewards and unlock more system functions. The realms of beasts go like this.
~ Primal, Awakening, Enhancement, Resonance, Domain, Transformation, Convergence, Purity, and Ascendancy Realm
~ The two beasts you saw on the first day you were teleported here, were both of the Enhancement Realm. I recommend you hunt beasts of the Primal Realm.
'Thank you and what's this new ability?'
Looking at the new skill, another panel replaced his status panel
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
( Energy Resonance ) : This ability allows the host to attune to natural energy frequencies.
- Detection: Host can sense the energy level of any beast within a certain radius.
- Stealth: ( Locked )
- Resource Location: ( Locked )
- Energy Disruption: ( Locked )
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
'Just what I need to hunt efficiently, I'll also be able to know what beasts are around me.' Yuri thought as his grin slowly widened.
When Yuri was looking at his new ability, he forgot all about the beast he was tailing. As he looked at where the beast was, he couldn't spot it. So, he decided to try out his new ability.
Yuri stood motionless, his eyes closed, as he focused on the subtle energies that flowed through the dense forest of Xerov.
The air was thick with the scent of moss and the distant roar of waterfalls, but beneath these natural sounds, there was a quieter, more profound rhythm. The pulse of life that thrummed from the creatures hidden within the foliage.
~Energy Resonance activated.
A wave of calm washed over him, and the chaotic energies of the forest began to align, revealing patterns and signatures only he could perceive. Yuri's senses sharpened, and he felt the distinct vibrations of a Primal Realm beast nearby. Its energy signature was weak, but it pulsed like a beacon.
As he opened his eyes, he suddenly felt a mind-splitting headache. His body felt like he had been hit by a mini truck-kun. It went on for a while, but he eventually recovered and was able to get himself back together.
'System what the fuck was that?'
~Since you haven't awakened yet, your body is not strong enough to handle elemental energy. I suggest you only use Energy Resonance one to two times a day max.
'Good to know.'
Focusing back on the task at hand, Yuri headed for his target.
Soon as the beast came into his vision, a panel showed before him.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Name: Aeolus Lynx
Realm: Primal Realm
Attributes:
- Strength: 24
- Agility: 22
- Vitality: 26
- Intelligence: 3
Skills:
- Slash: A swift attack that contains a miniscule amount of power from the wind.
- Stealth Prowl: Ability to move unseen and unheard in the forest.
- Primal Roar: A fearsome roar that can stun opponents.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
'Time to hunt.' Yuri's heart pounded in his chest, a silent drumbeat in the stillness of the forest.
The Aeolus Lynx, a creature of wind and fury, lay ahead, its fur a tempest of grays and whites. The beast was fairly strong and known for its swift reflexes and razor-sharp claws.
Yuri crouched low. He moved with silence, each step a calculated risk in the dance of predator and prey.
The Aeolus Lynx's ears twitched, and Yuri froze, a statue among the foliage.
The moment stretched, like a tensed string ready to snap.
With a burst of motion, the Aeolus Lynx turned, its eyes meeting Yuri's. The plan he had failed. It was now time to fight head on.
Ready to pounce, Yuri lunged. His sword was a flash of silver in the dappled sunlight. The Lynx countered, its own body a blur of movement.
They clashed, the sound of metal against claw ringing through the forest.
Yuri's training under his grandfather Ren was evident in his precise strikes, each one aimed with lethal intent.
The Lynx was no easy opponent though. It moved like the wind; its attacks were a force that threatened to overwhelm Yuri.
They traded blows, neither yielding an inch.
Yuri's sword found its mark time and again, but the creature's vitality was daunting. With each slash, Yuri's arms grew heavier, his breaths shorter.
The Lynx, sensing weakness, pressed its advantage, its claws raking across Yuri's flesh, leaving trails of red across his skin.
Pain flared, but Yuri didn't waver. Anticipating its movements, Yuri found an opening.
Slashing at the Lynx's front leg, it faltered.
Yuri continued his assault.
Seeing the Lynx's form stagger, Yuri fought harder and eventually sliced its neck.
Blood covered his blade, and his body was soaked in his opponents' blood.
The Lynx lay defeated, its breathing was in shallow gasps as life faded from its eyes.
Yuri stood victorious, though not unscathed. His body bore the wounds of their battle.
With a weary sigh, he sheathed his sword and took out a knife to cut the paws off of the Lynx. He figured once he got back home to the Kaguno estate, he could get something made out of them.
Finishing up he tore two pieces of cloth from his shirt and tied it to the bottom of his boots so he could mask his footsteps.
He had been fighting for too long. The mixture of his blood and the beast he had fought would definitely attract all kinds of trouble, so he bolted and made sure he didn't leave a physical trace.
The journey back to his cave was a blur, each step fueled by adrenaline.
When he got back, he sat down to rest. His injuries ached and his heart was still racing from the events that had taken place.
After he calmed down, he got himself together and tended to his wounds.
As he worked, a smile began to creep onto his face. It was not a smile of simple joy or relief, but one that held a hint of madness, a touch of feral.
His eyes gleamed with an unhinged light, reflecting the bloodthirsty side of him that only emerged in the heat of battle.
"I can't wait to fight again," he murmured to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper against the wind. His words held no fear, no hesitation. Only anticipation, a thirst for the thrill of combat that was as much a part of him as his own heartbeat.
As the sun set, Yuri's laughter echoed into the night, a chilling promise to any who dared cross his path.
The man who had been reborn into this world was not living to survive, he was living to thrive. And he couldn't wait to fight again.