Alex didn't have any time to think. After all, 35 seconds wasn't a lot of time in the first place. In a hurry, he ran towards the dead toad and then placed his hand on its slimy head.

Absorbtion, absorbtion!

He worried that it wouldn't be so simple, but it really was. Just when he thought about absorbing whatever it is, a pleasant feeling passed through his whole body.

It felt as if he sucked away something from the corpse. Well, from the outsider's perspective, it can sound rather creepy. But as the one who experienced it firsthand, Alex felt invigorated.

Wow, this sure is refreshing.

It seems Alex was mistaken about himself. He didn't feel bad about killing this animal, not at all.

Congratulations! You absorbed Mana for the first time. You obtained 10 Achievement Points.

He didn't know what kind of benefits he could get from that Mana or how much 10 Achievement Points actually is. But Alex was satisfied nonetheless.

Interesting. It is like a video game. Could it be that there are status screens as well? And I can level-up?

Thinking like this, he shouted.

"Menu! Status!"

Well, there weren't any reasons to be so loud. It was a rather stupid mistake on his part. He could probably just to think about it like with the absorption.

The status screen actually appeared before him. Azure holographic boxes with words and numbers, he could see them, but not touch.

This is amazing! Doesn't it mean that I can become very strong, very powerful? Then no one will tell me what to do. No one will take away what is mine. Not anymore.

For reasons he couldn't clearly understand himself, Alex became agitated. He forgot about the irrational situation he was in. And it wasn't a good thing, because his troubles weren't over and he was far from being safe.

Before he could properly explore his status, he heard a loud sound. The disturbing noise that grew closer and closer with each second.

Alex turned his head to the sound's source. And all his enthusiasm disappeared in a second. There they were. The toads.

Now he understood that this strange noise actually was croaking of numerous toads. Though azure hologram somehow disturbed his sight, he still was able to see the group as large clearly. There were tens of them, probably more than thirty. It wasn't the time to idling around. They grew closer with each second.

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Holy fuck. It seems I offended a rather dangerous gang. Their boss looks imposing as well.

In the lead of the group, there was a giant toad the size of a truck. Fortunately, it, apparently, didn't move at its full speed, allowing smaller toads to catch up. Or else, Alex would be out of options.

It took him about one second from catching a glance on the group to sprinting out of there as fast as he can.

Close, exist, escape, disappear!

Before the status screen disappeared, Alex almost tripped himself because of his hindered view.

For a second, he turned his head back to check if the toads were chasing after him or not. They did. When he first caught sight of them, the gang was about two hundred meters away from him. Now, the distance almost shortened to just one hundred. Their enraged croaking and shining numbers above the heads didn't help Alex to calm down.

Fuck, I'm screwed if they catch me. I barely defeated just one of those things. Moreover, their levels are different.

Though it was far away, for some reason, numbers above the toads' heads were easily distinguishable. Most of them did have a green Lvl 2-4. Above some bigger ones, yellow Lvl 5 and 6 menacingly glowed. But the "boss" was the most dangerous out of them - as if its size wasn't proof enough. It was Lvl 9 - red and with a bright shining star above the number, whatever it means.

Alex was able to glance on his status screen, but even without it, the fact that he was only a Lvl 1 human was obvious. His previous encounter proved to him that he is at the bottom of the barrel in terms of personal strength. For now.

Luckily, running through the dense forest was advantageous to Alex and hindered his pursuers. Moreover, he felt that he is faster than he ever was, and his stamina was better than expected.

To pay his parent's debt, Alex was forced to work a lot in the past few years. Some of the jobs he took were of physical nature, involving manual labor. Still, he didn't specifically train his body. He just didn't have enough free time.

Maybe my body was somehow enhanced when I was brought here?

He contemplated while running.

It doesn't matter, for now, I just need to survive, and whatever could help me in it is more than welcomed.

In a few minutes, the distance between him and his pursuers increased. He almost lost sight of the group. But then the change occurred. Alex anticipated that it, but still hoped that it wouldn't happen. The biggest toad - the "boss", left its gang behind it and started to chase its prey by itself. And it was way too fast, almost unhindered by the complex terrain.

Even if Alex still ran at his full speed, as if his stamina was limitless, it still wasn't enough.

No way, I have no chance against this thing. Think, Alex, think... how can I escape it? A plan, I need a plan.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard he thought, nothing came to his mind. For the first time since he appeared in this strange world, Alex felt the true horror of his situation. The true madness of it. Just a few minutes ago, he was talking to a girl while sitting in a cafe and enjoying his tea. And now, his life was in danger for no reason. He faced death because of the unexplainable phenomenon. If it wasn't a nightmare, then what was it?

I don't want to die. I don't want to die! It is stupid, what the fuck? I just hoped to lose my V-card, and now the giant toad wants me dead?!

In less than a minute, the monster was less than fifty meters from Alex. It wouldn't take it another thirty seconds to catch up to him and finish its prey off.

But in the moment of despair, there was hope. Alex could see it - could hear it. The cloud of smoke rising in the sky. The light of a campfire. The voices of people. And so, he made his last attempt at survival...

"Please help! Help! Help me! I'm here!"

...he shouted for help as loud as he could.