**Chapter 2: The Outlier's Edge**
Daniel's legs burned as he crashed through the undergrowth, branches whipping at his arms. Behind him, the armored woman—*Kaela*—moved with terrifying precision, her footfalls barely making a sound.
**"Stop running, Outlier!"** Her voice cut through the trees like a blade. **"You don't understand what you are!"**
*Yeah, no thanks.* He wasn't about to let a Level 41 stranger with a sword explain things *after* she'd looked at him like he was a monster.
A fallen log loomed ahead. He vaulted over it—and skidded to a halt.
The ground dropped away into a ravine, a sheer cliff plunging into mist-shrouded depths. No way across.
**"Damn it!"** He spun, just as Kaela emerged from the trees, her violet-and-brown eyes locked onto him.
She hadn't drawn her sword. Yet.
**"Listen to me,"** she said, her voice low. **"Your leveling isn't natural. The System *hates* anomalies like you."**
Daniel's breath came in ragged gasps. **"What the hell does that even mean?"**
Instead of answering, she flicked her wrist. A translucent screen materialized between them—a stat sheet. But not hers.
*His.*
---
### **[Daniel Mercer – Level 2]**
**Class:** Unassigned
**Title:** Outlier (EXP Gain: 300% Normal Rate)
**HP:** 120/120
**Stamina:** 85/100
**Mana:** 50/50
### **Attributes:**
- **Strength:** 12 *(Avg. Lvl 2: 8)*
- **Agility:** 14 *(Avg. Lvl 2: 9)*
- **Vitality:** 10 *(Avg. Lvl 2: 7)*
- **Intelligence:** 8 *(Avg. Lvl 2: 6)*
- **Perception:** 11 *(Avg. Lvl 2: 5)*
### **Skills:**
- **<
- **<
### **Next Level:** 100 EXP *(Avg. Lvl 2 Requirement: 500 EXP)*
---
Daniel stared. **"I'm… stronger than I should be."**
**"Worse,"** Kaela corrected. **"You *grow* faster than you should. Look."** She swiped the screen, pulling up another stat sheet—hers.
### **[Kaela Voss – Level 41]**
**Class:** Blade Dancer
**Title:** Voidscarred
**Next Level:** 1,240,000 EXP
### **Attributes:**
- **Strength:** 210 *(Avg. Lvl 41: 190)*
- **Agility:** 290 *(Avg. Lvl 41: 220)*
- **Vitality:** 180 *(Avg. Lvl 41: 170)*
### **Skills:** 23 (Including <
**"See the difference?"** Kaela said. **"At Level 41, I need over a *million* EXP to level once. You? A hundred. And it'll stay that way."**
Daniel's stomach dropped. **"That's… broken."**
**"It's *dangerous,*"** she snapped. **"The System balances power. Those who rise too fast… don't last."**
A distant roar echoed through the trees. Kaela's head snapped up.
**"Voidspawn pack,"** she muttered. **"They're drawn to System anomalies."**
Daniel's golden veins pulsed. **"So what now? You kill me before they can?"**
Kaela's jaw tightened. Then, to his shock, she tossed him a dagger.
**"No,"** she said, drawing her sword, **"Try to live long enough to learn why the hell you're different."**
>> **[New Quest: Trial by Fire.]**
>> **[Objective: Survive the Voidspawn Ambush.]**
>> **[Reward: Answers.]**
Daniel gripped the blade. Somewhere in the shadows, eyes began to glow.
---
### **Key Details:**
- **Stat Sheets:** Clearly show Daniel's absurd growth vs. others (300% EXP, lower requirements).
- **System's Ire:** Fast leveling = big target.
- **Kaela's Shift:** She's not hunting him—she's *testing* him.
- **Voidspawn:** Monsters that hunt System glitches.