CHAPTER 7: THE TUTORIAL (1/3)

Benji’s focus was solely locked on the growling that echoed from behind. He ran frantically through the underbrush. In his mind, there existed only one option: escape.

“Run… just keep running,” he muttered to himself, under his labored breathing; his body moving on instinct alone. He didn’t remember when was the last time he had felt such fear. Maybe never. There was a sole memory of him running across the schoolyard to escape a menacing bully, but that was all there was to it. This time he ran for his very life. During such moments though, he forgot all about his parents and his own accident at the ruins.

His legs burned with the effort, and the world around him blurred into a whirl of green and brown. Somewhere behind him, the creature was gaining ground; its growls sending fresh waves of adrenaline down Benji’s spine. He suddenly remembered the map, and with a thought, the System responded.

[Basic Map Initialized]

A glowing map appeared in the corner of his vision, a rough outline of his surroundings. It wasn’t much, but it showed something important: a narrow creek not too far ahead.

Water! Maybe I can lose it there.

With a rough plan in mind, and with renewed urgency, Benji pushed forward, the sound of rushing water growing louder as he ran. His mind raced just as fast. This wasn’t some game. Every thorn that scratched his skin, every branch that slapped across his face, every heartbeat that hammered against his chest—it all grounded him in his new reality.

This is as real as it gets. Maybe, I should have picked a class after all.

The trees parted abruptly, and Benji stumbled out of the forest and onto a gravel-laden riverside. The creek rushed before him, its waters dark and swift, bubbling as it flowed over smooth stones. It wasn’t a wide creek or a river for what it mattered, but Benji’s legs were short even for a 14 year old. He didn’t have confidence in his ability to jump it over, but he also barely had time to think. His options were few, and the creature wasn’t far behind.

So, with a burst of effort, he leaped. He was already midair when he heard the growl, louder than ever, and immediately a shiver ran through his body. His legs screamed in protest as he landed awkwardly just at the edge of the opposite bank, slipping on the wet stones and falling to his knees; both feet into the water.

The water roared behind him, drowning out all other sound for a moment. He pushed his body up while trying to catch his breath. He could feel the cold seeping through his shoes and socks, but his mind was already calculating the next move. Is the water deep enough to slow the creature? Could it swim? Would it even try?

Benji tensed. The creature was close, too close. He scrambled backward; his legs shaky. His eyes darted to the opposite side of the riverbank, trying to spot the source of the growling.

A rustle.

Benji's breath caught in his throat as the foliage parted, revealing his pursuer. A wolf-like creature with sleek gray fur and glowing yellow eyes, smaller than he had expected. It wasn’t that small though, more like a medium-sized dog. Something about its posture and the low growl that rumbled from its throat made it clear that it was no ordinary animal. Benji focused his gaze.

[Strak’t Cub - Level 1]

[Description: A common canine creature inhabiting the Roaring Forest and the surrounding hills. They come in packs led by a leader.]

Benji frowned as he read the notification. So, this place has a name after all. His eyes darted back to the creature. A cub? How big a leader is then?

“I’m not sticking around to find out,” he muttered, taking another step back.

The [Strak’t Cub] howled loudly, and then, to Benji’s surprise, it backed away, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

[Tutorial Quest: Kill the Hostile Creature or Escape its [Awareness Zone]: Objective: Escape its [Awareness Zone] is Completed[1/3].]

Benji felt a sharp tingling sensation in his head, followed by a brief flash of pain. He winced but stood his ground. Then, out of nowhere, a small leather pouch materialized in his hand, dropping from the air as if summoned from the void.

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[Rewards: Basic Pouch]

Benji blinked down at the pouch, his thoughts racing to catch up with what had just happened.

The pouch felt real—its leather rough under his fingers, the simple cord tied around the top giving it an almost medieval look. Benji shook his head in disbelief.

“This can’t be happening…” he muttered, though the weight of the pouch in his hand said otherwise.

The leather item held a strange aura, which Benji immediately sensed. His curiosity quickly overpowered his confusion. He focused on the pouch, as if trying to bring forth more information. This could work. He thought, and the System complied almost immediately. A searing jolt of pain passed through his knees, but he held himself up.

[Basic Pouch. Description: A small dimensional container given to each [Initiate] who successfully completes the first tutorial quest.]

“Dimensional container?” Benji said aloud, his voice barely a whisper. Like something out of a video game.

Cautiously, he opened the pouch and peered inside. At first, it seemed empty, but then his vision shifted. He saw… space, a void, walled by shadows and divided into small compartments. It was as if the pouch led to another dimension entirely, one capable of storing items without taking up any physical space. He had seen this feature in many novels or games, but he never thought he would live to see a real one.

He blinked, then blinked again, trying to reconcile what he knew with what he was seeing.

Slowly, his mind began to adapt. “Let go of what you know,” he told himself. “This is a new world with new rules. Accept it. Learn it. Survive it.” After all he had to find a way back, and he had to find his mother.

Suddenly, his mind retraced the words on the System notification. “Wait… First Tutorial Quest? There’s more?”

With those words a System window named [Journal] appeared.

[Tutorial Quest. Progression 1/3]

[1: Escape the [Strak’t Cub]’s [Awareness Zone].]

[2: Choose a [Class].]

[3: Defeat the [Strak’t Leader].]

“Wait, what? This wasn’t there before,” he shouted out as he tightened his grip on the pouch; his thoughts still whirling. “Help! Why did the Quest change?”

[Tutorial Quest’s Assistance]

[Information: Each [Tutorial Quest] can be reshaped in order to match the [Initiate]’s progress. The [Initiate] [Benji Thorn] chose to postpone the [Class] selection, and partially completed the [Tutorial Quest].]

“Partially? So, I had to kill the cub afterall?,” he asked… the System, but no response came forth. Frustration gnawed at him. The realization that he had to fight to death made him shiver.

If this was real—if this was a world governed by the game-like System—then maybe there was more to it. One thing was becoming clearer now, he had to adapt— fast.

As he stood there, somewhat distraught, — his gaze lost in the water’s rush— a thought bubbled to the surface. What if I can use the System exactly like a video game?

Immediately he put his thoughts to the test. Exerting his will he commanded a character status screen to appear. As if in answer, the System responded once again, projecting a sheet of text into his vision. A [Status Screen] digitally unfurled before him, each line glowing faintly. He gasped.

[Status Screen]

Name: Benji Thorn [Level 1]

Rank: [Initiate] Bronze

Guild: None

Planet of Origin: Earth

Class: [Undefined]

Race: Human

Health: 95/100

Stamina: 60/100

Mana: 0/0

Skills: None

Benji’s eyes scanned the sheet, trying to absorb it all. His class was still unselected, which explained why he hadn’t gained any abilities or skills yet. He’d have to make a choice eventually, but for now, the knowledge that the System was tracking him, measuring him, was both fascinating and unsettling.

He closed the window with a mental command, the text disappearing from his sight as quickly as it had come. Benji exhaled slowly, trying to calm the whirlwind of thoughts that spun in his head.

This System governed world was starting to make some sense, even if in a strange way.