Chapter 18: Level Up!
A faint breeze rolled through the dense fog as Lei Feng stepped into Whispering Hollow. The muffled sounds of civilization faded behind him, swallowed by the eerie hush of the path ahead.
The air here was cooler—thicker, like breathing through damp cotton. His boots crunched softly against loose dirt, each step steady and deliberate. The thick canopy of trees began to thin, revealing a field blanketed in silver grass, swaying under the wind like moonlight rippling across a lake.
He adjusted the grip on the Nameless Sword.
Caution danced in his eyes as he scanned the terrain. Then he slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out his phone.
A quick tap brought up a glowing interface.
A pulsing green icon blinked in the corner.
> Zone: Tier 1 — Beginner Region
He exhaled. "Just as expected… the outer edge."
His thumb moved across the screen, swiping through the interface. A newly unlocked feature caught his eye—its icon shaped like a fang embedded in a compass rose.
> BeastCall Database
A scanning tool that tracks nearby magical beasts, ranks their danger level, and provides advice for engagement or escape.
"Huh… neat."
He tapped it.
Beep!
Scanning...
...Scanning complete.
> Zone: Outer Edge — Beginner Region
Detected Beasts:
— Crimson Mouse [Lv. 1]
— Jade Frog [Lv. 2]
— Ironback Lizard [Lv. 3]
— Cloud Bat [Lv. 3]
— Ember Mouse [Lv. 1]
...Loading complete.
The list continued to populate, but Lei Feng's eyes gleamed at the first entries.
"Perfect," he muttered.
He slipped the phone into his inventory space. A twitch of nervousness passed through him.
"If anything happens to that phone, I'm done for… I'd go back to being Ling Chen all over again."
He crouched low, his fingers brushing the swaying grass as he moved forward—slow, deliberate, like a panther stalking through moonlight.
Then—squeak.
Sharp. Subtle.
His eyes snapped toward a low bush.
There, crouched beneath the leaves, a small creature sniffed the air. No larger than a kitten, with orange fur that shimmered faintly like heated metal. Two ember-red eyes glowed from its pointed face. A flick of its tail sent out a spark, like a dying firework.
Lei Feng's lips curved into a grin.
"My first prey."
He lunged, sword slicing forward in a clean arc—
Swish!
The blade cut through empty air.
The Ember Mouse was gone, a blur of heat and color diving into deeper grass.
"What?!"
The bushes rustled again—then again.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
Dozens Ember Mice burst into view, zigzagging wildly through the field. Each movement was sharp, precise, coordinated.
Lei Feng spun, striking wildly—
Miss.
Miss.
Miss.
His breaths grew faster, arms swinging wider and more erratically. He was chasing shadows, not striking threats. The mice weren't attacking—they were outmaneuvering him.
Each failed strike sent another jolt of frustration through his chest.
"Why can't I hit them?!"
Then—Squeak.
A sound behind him.
He whirled around, heart racing.
There, just a few paces away, one of the Ember Mice sat alone in the dirt, munching carelessly on a charred root.
Its guard was down.
Lei Feng's eyes sharpened. "Now!"
He lunged forward, both hands gripping the sword. He brought the blade down in a clean arc.
Swash!
The Ember Mouse didn't flinch.
The blade cleaved straight through it. Blood spattered onto the grass. Its body fell in two clean halves.
For a moment, Lei Feng stood frozen, heart hammering.
"I… I did it?" he whispered, blinking in disbelief.
The others scattered, melting into the grass.
The silver field quieted again. Wind tugged gently at his clothes.
He furrowed his brow, mind replaying the sequence. All those failed strikes had been desperate, wild. But that last blow—he hadn't aimed where it was. He aimed where it would be. The moment of pause, the flick of the tail, the slight delay before a leap...
It was rhythm. Like steps in a dance.
He exhaled slowly.
Ding!
> Successful kill.
+5 Experience Points
EXP: 5/100
The soft chime echoed in his ears.
A grin broke across his face.
It's real.
It's all real.
"This is how I get stronger…"
Squeak!
Another Ember Mouse darted past him.
His grin widened. "No one else is here. The real hunters must be deeper in… That means—this whole field is mine!"
He took off running.
Ding!
> Successful kill.
+5 Experience Points
EXP: 10/100
And again.
And again.
The silver grass danced around him as he moved—faster, cleaner. His blade stopped flailing and started flowing.
Each swing felt lighter.
Each breath more precise.
He didn't attack like a gamer now. He moved like a martial artist. Like a predator. Watching his prey, waiting for the moment when instinct betrayed them.
One mouse jumped.
He pivoted mid-step—strike.
Ding!
> +5 EXP
Another paused to sniff the air.
He was already there.
Ding!
> +5 EXP
His vision blurred with motion. The Ember Mice became less like beasts and more like targets in a living drill.
Not too fast. Not too slow. Watch the rhythm.
Strike.
Ding!
> +5 EXP
Then—
Ding!
> Successful kill!
+5 Experience Points
EXP: 100/100
The world paused.
The grass seemed still. Even the breeze waited.
Then—
> Level 1 → Level 2
Level Up!
A golden pulse rippled outward from his chest.
It wasn't just light. It was warmth. A vibration that hummed in his body, as if something ancient stirred awake. His limbs tingled. Breath deepened.
Power. Real power.
He stood tall in the silver field, breath misting gently in the evening chill.
Then he laughed.
It started small. Then grew, echoing across the field.
"…I leveled up!"