Suddenly, a deep growl sounded from deep in the woods- thick, terrifying, and chilling enough to send shivers down Sahan's spine. He jerked his head sharply, but the darkness was thick. He could see nothing… just enormous trees creaking under the pressure of the wind, and the air felt thick with the scent of unfamiliar, foreign soil.
He swallowed hard and whispered,
"Do I run? Do I hide? No… I don't have the luxury of choice. This is real, and this… is deadly."
He took a tentative step forward, and the screen came back:
> **[Warning: A predator is approaching]**
*Analysing…*
Something large moved between the trees. Red eyes and gleaming fangs in the moonlight. It looked like a wolf, but three times bigger, and had black spikes all over its body, with a tail writhing like a snake.
> **[Creature: Shadow Wolf – Level 3]**
Weakness: Right eye
Chances to survive: **16%**
"Sixteen percent?!" he squeaked in shock and fear, before looking down at his hands… Empty. No sword, no weapon, no shield. Only his bare fists and a heart beating like a war drum.
But the system wasn't patient enough to wait for him to decide. Another message appeared:
> **[Temporary Activation: Combat Analysis Ability - 60 Seconds]**
*Accept?*
(*Yes/No*)
"Yes! Of course, yes!" Sahan shouted without hesitation.
At once, he felt a surge of heat radiate through his body. Everything suddenly became sharper, clearer, and his muscles somehow knew precisely where to strike.
The wolf let out an ear-splitting roar, advancing toward him...
Sahan dodged; his body anticipated the movement before it occurred. It happened instinctively.
Then with all of the force he could muster, he grabbed a stone and leaped toward the creature's right eye.
A strike.
A scream.
Silence...
Then a heavy thump as the creature's body swiftly dropped onto the ground.
Sahan collapsed on his knees, panting, trembling from exhaustion and fear.
> *[Monster defeated]*
Reward: *+2 System Points | Ability Unlocked: "Danger Sense"*
"I... did it? On my own?" he said quietly, staring blankly at the corpse of the creature.
Only then did it start to sink in...
No one was coming to save him. No police, no friends, no rescue.
It was just him, the system, and the woods.
---
Time passed, hours.
The night was cold, and the darkness began to feel thicker. Sahan made a rudimentary shelter from fallen tree trunks. No fire, no sleep. Just eyes watching the woods, and thoughts racing through his mind.
He began to feel something settle in his heart, loneliness. But he started to understand something:
I am unique... this system is solely mine. If I do not figure out how to use it… I will die alone."_
Every time he spent away here made him stronger, but also took something back—his trust in people, his security, his connection to the old world.
He began to talk to the system as if it were his only friend.
_"How many points do I have now?"_
> *[Available Points: 3]*
_"Alright… activate 'Silent Survival.' I need to be invisible."_
> *[Activated]*
Silence.
The next morning, he awoke to the sound of strange birds, and his body felt lighter as if the forest was beginning to accept him as one of its own.
Sahan quietly smiled for the first time, and said,
_"If this is a survival game… then I will not lose."_