Next Morning…
I opened my eyes slowly, expecting silence.
But when I looked around, I saw Sarah already wide awake, sitting at the small dining table in the kitchen. She was fully dressed—tight brown boots, dark pants, and a purple shirt tucked in neatly. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and she looked like she had been waiting for hours.
"So," she said as soon as she saw me, "when are we leaving?"
Still half-asleep, I rubbed my eyes and looked at the old clock on the wall.
7:50 AM.
"9 AM," I replied, my voice groggy.
She made a face—clearly annoyed—but said nothing.
---
After that, we had breakfast. Simple as always—a slice of dry bread and a cup of warm milk, slightly sour. Not the best way to start a long day, but it was all we had.
By 9 sharp, we left the house we said goodbye to Darcy. I carried the axe and rope, while Sarah walked behind me with a small bag.
---
The Forest…
As we entered the jungle, the air changed.
It was cooler, and the sunlight barely touched the ground. Tall trees with thick trunks stood like ancient guards, their leaves rustling softly in the wind. The forest smelled like wet soil, dry leaves, and distant flowers. The floor was uneven—covered in rocks, fallen branches, and patches of grass.
Some trees had bright orange fruits, hanging low from the branches. Others had thick vines wrapped around their trunks like snakes. Insects buzzed now and then, and I could hear a distant bird call echo through the canopy.
But mostly—it was quiet. Too quiet.
Every few minutes, I activated my X-Ray Vision, scanning the nearby trees, underbrush, and even underground. Nothing dangerous showed up. Just squirrels, birds, and a few rabbits.
Still, I couldn't relax.
Sarah stayed close. Too close.
No matter where I moved—left, right, deeper into the forest—she followed. I couldn't even talk to Darcy before leaving, let alone touch her. This girl had become my new shadow.
I gripped my axe tighter and focused on the task ahead.
Today, I had to collect at least 50 logs, or we'd barely make enough to eat tomorrow. And now with Sarah here, the pressure was double. I had to act smart.
But deep in my mind, a thought stayed stuck like a splinter:
How long can I keep my secrets if she keeps following me everywhere?
As we went deeper into the forest, things started to feel... off.
Sarah wouldn't shut up—talking about how "ugly those trees are" or "how weird the birds sound"—until we suddenly realized something:
We were lost.
There was no sign of the path we took.
Around us stood tall, black trees with thick trunks and spiky leaves that looked like stingers. Some strange flowers were blooming at the base—wide, bright yellow ones with big centers.
I squinted and said, "That's a sunflower."
Sarah turned, blinking. "What?"
"That flower. It's called a sunflower," I said with a hint of pride.
She raised her brow, walked up to me, and placed a hand on my forehead. "Are you okay, Aric? We never went to school… remember?"
That hit me like a truck.
Suddenly, memories rushed in like a wave—this time the pain was softer, like someone whispering an old story in my ears.
I saw my mother dying when I was twelve.
Me leaving school.
My uncle teaching me how to cut wood, then dying when I was fifteen.
At sixteen, my father married Darcy, and then he died the same year too.
Since then, Darcy raised me and Sarah alone.
Sarah never even saw a school building. Darcy had worked as a hospital cleaner before marrying my father.
Damn… I forgot all this.
I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I mean… I read it in a book."
"Liar," Sarah said, crossing her arms. "You never read a book in your life."
I frowned. "Oh yeah? Unlike someone who doesn't even know what a sunflower is."
We both stared at each other like two angry kids—until suddenly…
GRRRRRRHHHHH.
The sound came from behind me.
I turned slowly—and froze.
It was a wolf.
Not just any wolf.
A red one.
Fur glowing like burning embers.
Eyes glowing crimson.
Two short horns curled from its head, and its teeth looked like daggers dipped in blood.
It growled, muscles tight, ready to jump.
I instinctively activated X-Ray Vision and Inspect.
A glowing blue screen appeared in front of my eyes:
---
Bolt Wolf
Type: Beast
Location: Deep Forest
Level: 5
Abilities: None
Danger Level: Moderate
Main prey: Rabbits
---
Moderate? That didn't make it feel less scary.
I had no powers. No weapons besides an axe.
I gulped. I might actually die today…
Suddenly, the wolf charged.
I barely pulled Sarah behind me as it lunged. I ducked low, swung my axe—but the wolf jumped over it.
It spun in the air and scratched my arm as it landed. A sharp sting of pain hit me. Blood dripped.
"Aric!" Sarah screamed behind me.
I stood up quickly, focusing hard. I used X-Ray to spot the weak points. My vision sharpened.
Its left shoulder… and under its belly—both were unprotected.
The wolf leaped again.
I dodged sideways and slashed toward its belly—but it twisted mid-air, kicking my chest.
I flew back and slammed into a tree, coughing. My whole body shook.
"Come on, come on," I muttered, gripping my axe.
The wolf charged again.
This time, I rolled under it and swung upward, aiming for its weak shoulder.
The blade hit—it howled in pain, stumbling back.
"YES!" I shouted.
But it wasn't over.
The beast growled louder. It was angry now, its eyes glowing brighter.
It lunged again, and this time I jumped to the side—but my foot slipped—
And I fell.
SPLASH!
I hit the cold water of the pond, sinking instantly.
Bubbles rose around me. I opened my eyes underwater, seeing the wolf pacing at the edge. It didn't jump in—it hated water.
I gasped as I swam up. I felt tired. My arm burned. But I was alive.
Barely.
The wolf, now limping and bleeding from its shoulder, let out a final growl. Its red eyes locked with mine for one last second.
Then it turned…
and ran back into the forest, disappearing between the black trees.
After the fight with the wolf… I remember falling.
Falling hard into the cold pond.
The world had gone dark—like someone had pulled a curtain over my eyes. I didn't even feel the water after a point. Just silence.
Heavy, endless silence.
Then, I heard something.
A voice.
Faint… familiar.
Was someone crying?
When I finally opened my eyes, blurry sunlight pierced through the canopy above. My head was resting on something warm and soft.
Laps. Sarah's laps.
She was leaning over me, eyes wide with relief, and the moment she saw me blink, she almost jumped.
"Oh thank God! You woke up!" she said, her voice trembling.
I blinked again, slowly trying to sit up, but my body still felt heavy, like soaked cloth. I looked up at her, confused.
"W-What happened…?" I muttered.
Before she could reply, something stranger happened.
Ding!
My vision blurred again—but this time with something digital. A blue screen floated in front of me.
[System Notification]
> "Sarah handshake successful — 10% Slave Will Effected."
I blinked. "What… the hell?"
Another message popped up:
[System Notification]
> "Kiss on lips: unsuccessful."
[Reward: 20U Tokens credited for handshake achievement.]
My brain froze. I sat up quickly, now completely awake and confused. "Wait, what?! What's going on?"
I looked at Sarah, my heart racing. She was just staring at me with her eyebrows raised, probably wondering why I looked like I'd seen a ghost. Which, to be fair, I kinda felt like I had.
"Did… something happen while I was unconscious?" I asked slowly.
She tilted her head, confused. "I just… pulled you out of the water and gave you CPR. Why are you acting weird?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Instead, I was staring at the system screen fading out in front of my eyes.
"Slave will effect...10%" activate[Y/N]