While resting something odd happened. The sun was gone and dark clouds had appeared.

This was the first time since coming here that the weather had been anything but perfect. I knew I should head out, but something felt off. The forest seemed darker now. Once bright and welcoming, now it seemed to have a sinister aura about it. The rustling of the leaves and the creaking of the branches sounded ominous, almost like a warning.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Even the birds had stopped singing.

I paced back and forth in my treehouse, my nerves on edge. I tried to reason with myself, telling myself that it was just the weather and that I was being paranoid. But the feeling persisted, and I couldn't bring myself to leave the safety of my shelter.

After a while, I decided that I couldn't ignore my instincts. I decided to wait until nightfall, when I could move around more stealthily and use my new ability to my advantage. I knew that darkness was my ally now, and that with my enhanced senses and newfound power, I could navigate the forest with ease.

Not long after having made that decision a window popped up in front of me.

Event Notice: Monster Wave

Attention, Contenders!

You have been dropped into the trial, and have had sufficient time to adapt to the new environment. Currently, there are only 4897 of you remaining, and the competition is about to get tougher. The first event has been launched.

For the next hour, a horde of monstrous creatures will be unleashed into the arena. You are expected to kill as many of these beasts as possible to earn points. These points will be valuable for you, as they can be exchanged at dedicated stations for essential resources such as food, equipment, and possibly other benefits.

May luck favor you.

Shit. I'd known something was up. But monsters?

I looked around. Would my tree be safe? Probably not eh. Climbing trees had always a felt a bit like a loophole, no way whoever was running this shit hadn't noticed.

As I stood there, my thoughts racing, the whole forest seemed to start shaking. At first, it was just a faint tremor, barely noticeable. But as the seconds passed, the rumbling grew louder and more intense. It felt as though the entire world was shaking around me.

Then, a deep, ominous sound filled the air, like the grinding of massive gears deep beneath the earth. It was a sound that sent shivers down my spine and made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It was a sound that spoke of power and danger.

My heart raced as I realized the danger I was in. I clutched my stolen dagger tightly, my palms sweaty with fear. I frantically scanned my surroundings for a safe place to defend myself. Some place easily defensible. The dense forest seemed to close in around me, making it difficult to discern the best course of action.

Just as I was about to make a move, I caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of my eye. I turned my head and saw a monstrous spider scaling the very tree that I was standing on. It was about the size of a shopping cart, with long, hairy legs that ended in sharp claws, which easily gripped onto the rough bark of the tree. The spider's body was covered in a thick layer of coarse hair, and its numerous eyes glinted in the dim light. Its mandibles were long and sharp, glistening with venom, and it had a pair of sickeningly large fangs protruding from its mouth.

I frantically searched for anything to defend myself with. The dagger felt puny and useless in my hand. I grabbed a long stick from my treehouse. Just ripped it right out. I knew it wasn't the best weapon, but probably more useful than the dagger.

I closed my eyes and focused, calling upon my newfound power. I felt the familiar surge of energy flow through my body. It was like a drug, addictive and exhilarating all at once. My body was obscured and my mind sharpened.

I tried to climb away but it was no use. The spider was locked onto me and seemingly saw through my cloaking. Panic set in, and I realized that climbing wouldn't save me. The spider was closing in, and I had to act fast.

I decided to use the stick as a spear. I held it in my right hand and readied myself for the spider's attack. As it jumped towards me, I used all my strength to intercept it with the stick. It was a risky move, but it worked. The spider's momentum carried it down the tree, and it started tumbling through the branches.

I didn't have much time to celebrate my victory as the spider quickly stopped its a fall, by hooking its claws into the nearby branches. It started to climb back up again. I knew I had to finish it off quickly. I called upon my new power again, feeling the energy flow through me. I decided to ignore the cloaking ability, and focused fully on the enhancement aspect of it. The world came into focus and the spider was back.

With a swift motion, I thrust the stick at the spider, aiming for its abdomen. The spider managed to dodge, but I quickly adjusted my aim and thrust again. This time, the stick pierced through the spider's body, and it tumbled down the tree once more.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Congratulations! You have killed a forest spider and earned 10 points.

I ignored the message, I knew this wasn't over.

As I glanced around, my fears were confirmed - more spiders were emerging from the other trees. I readied my stick, knowing that I had to fight them off if I was going to make it out of this alive. The spiders were coming from all directions, and I was quickly surrounded.

I swung my stick wildly, striking at the first spider that came too close. The blow was enough to send it tumbling. But more spiders kept coming, and I had to fight them off one by one. I swung my stick with all my might, striking at the spiders that came too close, trying to send them flying.

Despite my efforts, one of the spiders managed to get close. It jumped at me, its claws digging into my skin. I screamed out in pain, fighting back with all my strength. I managed to knock it off, and it fell down to the ground with a sickening thud.

But there was no time to rest. The spiders kept coming, their hairy bodies glistening.

I thrust my stick forward, aiming for their heads and abdomens.

Blue kill notifications popped up but I ignored them.

I battled the spiders tirelessly, striking them with my stick and knocking them off the tree. Each time I sent one tumbling down to the ground, another one would emerge from nearby trees, always coming closer and closer. They were persistent, but so was I. My ability seemed to feed me with endless energy. However, as the fight wore on, my movements became slower, and my arms grew heavy from the constant swinging. I could feel the spider bite from earlier starting to burn, indicating that there was indeed venom.

Despite the pain and fatigue, I refused to give up. I had to keep fighting. The spiders seemed to be coming from all directions, their hairy legs scuttling towards me. I tried to dodge them, but their movements were too quick for me to avoid every attack. A few times, they managed to sink their fangs into my skin, injecting me with their poisonous venom.

Despite all this, I pressed on, taking them down one by one. Eventually, the stream of spiders dwindled, and they stopped coming. It was as if their source had run out.

I leaned against the trunk of the tree, gasping for breath and feeling feverish. My muscles were sore and my body was weak from the constant fighting. My ability had run out midway in the fight, its energy flow stopping.

Event notice

Congratulations, you have survived.

4367 of you are left, although some might have sustained injuries. Please be aware that all your medicinal needs can be fulfilled by exchanging earned points. Checkpoints are being established all over the arena for this purpose.

Without adrenaline my body struggled to move. My muscles were weak and trembling with exhaustion, and every movement felt like a monumental effort. I dragged myself towards my bag, my limbs feeling heavy and unresponsive. My mouth was dry as a desert.

Finally, I reached the bag and frantically rummaged through it, searching for the flask. My fingers fumbled over the rough fabric, desperately trying to find a grip. After what felt like an eternity, I finally grasped it and pulled it out. I twisted off the cap and brought it to my lips, gulping down the cool, refreshing liquid.

Relief washed over me as the water soothed my parched throat, and I leaned back against athe trunk, closing my eyes. The sound of my ragged breathing filled the air, and I could feel my heart beating heavily in my chest.

I knew each of its beats was spreading the venom faster in my body. I needed medicine. And fast.

The checkpoints that the announcement had spoken off. My only hope. If I could exchange points for some medicine, I had a chance. It knew it was risky. Decent chance other contestants would be there too. But there was no other choice. I felt control slipping of my body the longer I went without treatment.

Each step felt like an immense effort. My head was pounding, and my vision was starting to blur. I needed to focus. I clutched the tree trunk tightly, steadying myself before attempting to climb down. My muscles screamed in protest as I lowered myself from the branches. Each movement was agony, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain.

When I finally reached the ground, I stumbled forward, my legs weak and unsteady. I stumbled around, my eyes scanning the area until I spotted a strange machine in the distance. It had to be a checkpoint, just like the announcement had promised. My heart leapt with hope.

With renewed determination, I forced my aching body forward. Every step was a struggle, but I pushed on, driven by the need to get medicine. Finally, I reached the checkpoint. It was a strange, futuristic machine with flashing lights and a digital display.

Would you like to spend your points? (160) Y/N

With shaking hands, I clicked yes.

Choose your reward 160 points Sustenance Equipment Medicine

I selected the medicine option.

Hundreds of options appeared, but one was highlighted.

Spider Venom Antidote (100 Points) All purpose antivenom for most types of venomous spiders. Works upon consumption.

I didn't have time to look for anything else. I bought it.

A small vial of clear liquid appeared in the dispenser. I snatched it up and downed it in one gulp. Almost instantly, I felt a surge of energy flood through my body. The pain in my head began to fade, and my vision cleared.

I collapsed against the machine, breathing heavily. I had made it. For now, at least.

Suddenly a voice broke through my delirium.

"It's dangerous being alone in this trial. Don't you know?"