The road out of Bjornfell was little more than a winding dirt path, flanked by towering pines and patches of wildflowers. The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled light across the group as they made their way east. Thorin led the way, his axe resting on his shoulder, while Kaia walked beside John, her staff in hand.

John kicked at a stray rock, sending it skittering down the path. “Three years. Three whole years stuck in this world, hacking at monsters like a medieval exterminator. What a dream come true.”

Thorin grunted without turning. “You’ve mentioned this already.”

John ignored him. “And the leveling system? Absolute garbage. I’ve fought wolves, goblins, saved a kid, and I’m still level two. At this rate, I'll be a wise old master giving out herbal medicine and helping people in Chinatown before I can even compete in that tournament.”

Kaia offered a soft smile. “It’s not about rushing, John. Growth takes time. You’ll get there.”

John threw up his hands. “Easy for you to say. You don’t have to deal with this molasses-paced leveling system. How do you even know when you’ve leveled up? ‘Oh, I just feel stronger’? What does that even mean?”

Thorin stopped abruptly, turning to face John. “Enough. Complaining won’t make you stronger. Fight, train, survive. That’s how you grow.”

John met Thorin’s glare but said nothing.

***

The growl came again, low and rumbling, as three wolves emerged from the underbrush. Their lean, gray forms stalked forward, muscles rippling beneath their matted fur.

Thorin stepped forward, axe in hand. “Wolves. Keep your eyes on them and don’t get surrounded.”

Kaia raised her staff, its tip faintly glowing with a soft, golden light. “I’ll be ready to heal you.”

John clutched his knife tightly, his palms slick with sweat. “Just great. even more killer dogs. Why not throw in a bear while we’re at it?”

The wolves spread out, their yellow eyes locking on the trio. The largest—a scarred alpha—lunged first, aiming for Thorin. The fighter planted his feet and swung his axe in a brutal arc, forcing the wolf to veer away at the last second. Its claws raked Thorin’s arm as it passed, drawing blood.

John yelped as another wolf charged him, its jaws snapping inches from his leg. He stumbled backward, tripping over a root but managing to slash wildly with his dagger. The blade grazed the wolf’s side, and it let out a sharp yelp before retreating a few paces.

“Focus, John!” Thorin roared, driving his axe down on the alpha. The weapon bit into its shoulder, and the wolf snarled in pain, twisting to sink its teeth into Thorin’s thigh.

Kaia moved quickly, chanting under her breath. A golden aura enveloped Thorin as the bite wound began to close, the bleeding slowing to a trickle.

John scrambled to his feet, narrowly dodging the wolf circling him. This time, he steadied his grip on the would-be dagger. When the wolf leapt again, he sidestepped and drove the blade into its neck. The creature collapsed with a pained whimper.

Thorin roared as he wrenched his axe free from the alpha’s shoulder and swung again, this time cleaving its head clean off. The final wolf, seeing its packmates defeated, turned and fled into the forest.

John leaned against a tree, panting. “Okay. That wasn’t so bad. Just a little blood, some teeth, and a whole lot of terror.”

Thorin inspected his leg and grunted. “You’re too slow. Next time, keep moving, or you’ll be wolf chow.”

Kaia smiled, patting John on the shoulder. “You did well, John. But we’ll face worse than wolves soon.”

***

The forest opened into a small clearing, where a group of wild boars grazed, rooting around the undergrowth. Their tusks gleamed in the dappled sunlight, sharp and deadly.

“Boars,” Thorin muttered, narrowing his eyes. “They’re tougher than wolves. Hit them hard, hit them fast.”

“Right,” John said, eyeing the largest boar, a massive creature with a scar running down its flank. “They don’t look so bad. Just pigs with daggers on their faces.”

The scarred boar snorted loudly, its small, dark eyes locking onto John.

Kaia gave him a sidelong glance. “It heard you.”

The boar charged, its hooves thundering against the ground.

Thorin stepped into its path, raising his axe high. With a practiced motion, he sidestepped at the last moment, swinging downward and clipping the boar’s flank. The beast screeched in pain but didn’t slow, barreling past him and heading straight for John.

“I will make you bacon!?” John yelled, diving out of the way just in time.

The boar wheeled around, lowering its head for another charge. This time, John stood his ground. As the boar rushed him, he feinted to the left and thrust his knife into its side, twisting the blade before yanking it free. Blood sprayed, and the boar staggered, collapsing a few feet away.

Meanwhile, two smaller boars rushed Thorin. He growled, planting his feet as the first boar lunged. He swung his axe in a wide arc, catching it square in the chest and sending it crashing to the ground. The second boar leapt at him, its tusks aimed for his midsection, but he caught it with the flat of his axe, shoving it back before bringing the blade down on its neck.

Kaia stayed at the edge of the fight, her staff glowing as she cast a protective spell over John. “Another one, John, to your right!”

John spun just in time to see the last boar rushing him. He dodged to the side, slashing at its hind leg. The boar stumbled, and John seized the opportunity, plunging his dagger into its neck.

The clearing fell silent except for their ragged breaths.

Thorin wiped his axe clean on the grass. “Better. Still sloppy, but better.”

John collapsed onto a nearby log, shaking his head. “Two fights in one day, and I’m still stuck at level two. I mean this is starting to feel ridiculous"

Thorin rolled his eyes. “Stop whining, John. You’re alive, aren’t you? That’s what matters.”

Kaia sat beside John, her tone gentle. “You’re doing fine. These things take time.”

John sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, well, time isn’t exactly on my side.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

***

The forest stretched endlessly around them, sunlight barely filtering through the thick canopy. John’s boots scuffed against the dirt path as he pushed another low-hanging branch out of his way. His Hawaiian shirt clung uncomfortably to his back, and he let out an exasperated sigh for the tenth time that hour.

“This leveling system is absolute garbage,” John groaned, kicking a loose stone down the path. “I’ve been fighting for days, and I’m still stuck at level two. I should be gaining levels left and right. Instead, I’m out here barely scraping by like I’m a scrub.”

Thorin walked a few steps ahead, hammer slung over his shoulder. His jaw twitched, clearly at the end of his patience. “You’ve said that already. A lot.”

“I’m just saying, I’ve played games with better progression. Even Dark Souls hands out more XP. By the time I make it to the tournament ill be at the I've fallen and I can't get up age”

Kaia chuckled softly behind them. “It’s how things work here, John. Growth takes time. You can’t force it.”

John groaned louder. “That’s the problem! This whole world’s designed to waste my time. You’re all living in tutorial mode.”

Thorin came to a sudden stop, rounding on John with a glare. “It’s not a tutorial. This is how life is. You fight, you train, and eventually you get stronger. There are no shortcuts. No magic ‘XP boosts’ to make you better overnight.”

John rolled his eyes. “You’re all way too accepting of mediocrity.”

“Maybe because we don’t expect the world to hand us everything,” Thorin growled.

"I don’t want to be handed anything but I'll damn sure take everything I want, and no one will stand in my way," John shot back.

As if to punctuate the argument, a small figure stepped onto the path ahead.

“Halt! This is a toll road,” the goblin declared, holding a chipped spear like it was a royal scepter. The creature barely stood as tall as John’s waist, its patchy armor rattling as it squared up to them. “Hand over yer gold, or I’ll run ya through.”

John stopped, staring blankly at the goblin. “Really? Can't you see we're busy? Get lost.”

Kaia bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Thorin sighed. “See John, every bit of experience helps you grow and you are going to walk away from a chance to grow stronger.”

John stepped around the creature without breaking stride. “Not today, buddy. I’m too busy complaining.”

“Hey! I said—”

The goblin scurried after them, sputtering in disbelief. “I’m robbing you!”

“Not now,” John muttered.

Thorin shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at the confused goblin. “If you had any sense you'd have fled. Only because of this fool's laziness are you not already dead.”

John wasn’t done. “You mean to tell me you’re fine with this leveling nonsense? No wonder adventurers used to handle this stuff. Regular people are just out here slogging through low-level trash mobs for scraps.”

“Stop whining,” Thorin snapped. “You could be leveling much faster if you would shut your damn mouth for once.”

John smirked. “Maybe I'll shut your mouth, you big ugly Conan, no, not the Barbarian, ass-looking motherfucker.”

Thorin stopped walking. “Try it.”

Kaia’s eyes widened. “Wait, hold on—”

The goblin blinked. “I’m… still robbing you?”

“Shut up!” John and Thorin barked.

John shoved Thorin’s shoulder. The tall man responded in kind, sending John stumbling back a step.

“Oh, so we’re doing this?” John asked, straightening his shirt.

John flicked out his trusty pocket knife. “You asked for this.”

Thorin grinned. “Bring it on little man.”

Kaia sighed heavily. “Children, they are idiot children.”

John threw the next punch. Thorin blocked it with his forearm and returned the favor with a hammer strike. John evaded enough to keep from taking serious damage but knew it would leave a bruise.

John rolled under Thorin’s next blow, coming up behind him. He punched the back of Thorin’s knee, dropping him. John locked his fingers together and brought his fists down on Thorin's head. Thorin groaned but didn’t go down.

As John raised his fists for another strike, Thorin slammed his fist into John’s stomach. John doubled over. Thorin's punch square across his jaw sent him to the ground.

“I see the little man is done,” Thorin said, standing over John's unmoving form.

A boot slammed into Thorin’s crotch. Howling in pain and rage, he collapsed to his knees, hands instinctively covering his groin.

“Would you stop?” Kaia pleaded as she began to heal them both.

Thorin chuckled. “I'm just getting warmed up.”

A voice interrupted from behind. “You two are such weak bitches my nana would gut you both and make stew for the weakest of the tribe.”

They turned to find the goblin standing with arms crossed, tapping his spear. “Only the strongest foes become food for tribe leaders. You two would give them the shits.”

John stared. He glanced at Thorin, then at the goblin.

“You know what?” John said, wiping blood from his lip. “No one talks to my buddy like that.”

Thorin nodded. “For once I agree.”

They both turned, charging the goblin.

“Wait, I wasn’t serious—” the goblin screeched.

"Too late" John said.

John's backstab landed first, and the goblin exploded into light, leaving behind loot.

[Battle Complete!] [+2 Levels Gained]

John’s eyes widened. “Two levels?”

Thorin furrowed his brow. “I feel… stronger.”

Kaia looked between them. “So do I somehow?”

John grinned. “Oh yeah! And I just figured this world out.”

John picked up a shiny rock. A notification appeared.

[New Quest Unlocked: Give Shiny Rock to Grevina]

John reads the notification with utter confusion.

***

The dim light of the single lantern hanging on the wall cast flickering shadows across the room. John sat cross-legged on the bed, his Hawaiian shirt slightly wrinkled, his excitement palpable. Thorin leaned back in the lone chair, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. Kaia sat on the edge of a small stool, her staff resting against the wall.

John couldn’t stop grinning. “Okay, hear me out. What happened today—the leveling, the sudden stat boosts—it reminded me of Final Fantasy 2.”

Kaia tilted her head. “Final…what?”

“Right, right, you don’t have video games here.” John waved his hand. “It’s like...imagine a world where people live in these tiny moving pictures on a screen, and you control them.”

Thorin frowned. “You mean...magic?”

“No, no! Technology. A game. It’s not real.” John groaned, trying to simplify. “You play as characters in a fantasy world, fighting monsters and stuff. Like this world, but with fewer consequences when you screw up. Anyway, the point is, the leveling system in that game was…unique, some might say broken.”

Kaia rested her chin on her hand, her brow furrowed. “And this is relevant because…?”

“Because!” John pointed a finger upward like he’d just discovered fire. “The leveling system in Final Fantasy 2 was all about using your abilities to make them stronger. Swing your sword a lot? You get better at swinging swords. Take a lot of hits? Your health improves. It didn’t matter if you were hitting yourself or an enemy—use equals growth.”

Thorin blinked. “So…people beat themselves up in this game to get stronger?”

John nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! It was an exploit. Players figured out they could fight themselves to level up faster. And today, when we started smacking each other around and suddenly got stronger—tell me that’s not a bizarre coincidence!”

Kaia’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Are you suggesting that the gods designed this world like your…game?”

“I’m not suggesting anything.” John leaned forward, his voice brimming with excitement. “But it’s weirdly similar, isn’t it? And what if we can use it? What if we can exploit it like in the game? I mean, there’s gotta be a limit, right? I doubt we can just sit here and slap each other silly for infinite levels.”

Thorin rubbed his chin. “What exactly are you proposing?”

“A test.” John raised a hand dramatically. “We need to experiment. See what works. Maybe a tiny amount of self-inflicted damage is enough—like pricking your finger or something. We don’t need to go full-on cage match and risk Kaia running out of mana healing us.”

Kaia sighed but nodded. “It’s worth investigating. But we should be careful. If the gods are watching, they may not appreciate you…gaming their system.”

“Fair point,” John said, though his grin didn’t fade. “But think about it. If we can figure this out, it’s a game-changer. Today I gained two levels in a single fight. Two! At this rate, I’ll be ready for that dungeon in no time.”

He pulled up his stat screen again, his eyes gleaming as he scanned the numbers for Level 4. His health had jumped significantly, his agility was improving, and there was a slight boost to his strength.

“Look at this.” He waved his hand toward the interface, which of course only he could see. “My stats are actually starting to look respectable. I mean, I’m still not Thorin levels of beefy, but hey, progress.”

Thorin smirked. “You’re still a twig, but I’ll give you credit for not dying today.”

“Thanks, big guy.” John shot him finger guns before glancing back at Kaia. “Tomorrow, we test this. We’ll find a safe spot, see how much damage it takes to trigger growth, and figure out what’s too much. If we get it right, I won’t be stuck at Level 4 for long.”

Kaia stood, stretching slightly. “It’s risky, but I agree it’s worth trying. Just don’t go overboard, John.”

“No promises,” he said, still grinning.

Thorin chuckled as he headed for the door. “Let’s hope your crazy idea works. I’d rather not spend the next three years babysitting a grumpy level-two adventurer.”

“Hey, I’m level four now!” John called after him.

Kaia shook her head, offering John a small smile before leaving the room. Alone, John lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. For the first time in days, he felt like he had an edge—something that might give him the chance to survive this world and, maybe, find his way home.

“Momma I'm coming home!” he muttered, closing his eyes.