Elyno dropped to his knees. The rotten claws of the Zombie King hovered above his chest, ready to tear through him.
He felt a numb acceptance wash over his mind.
This was it.
He closed his eyes.
A sudden metallic whistle sliced the air.
The claws stopped.
He opened his eyes in confusion—just in time to see the Zombie King's head roll across the dirt, black ichor spraying from the stump of its neck.
And there she stood.
Golden hair rippled in the wind. A faint silver armor clung to her slender figure, shining like polished moonlight. An elegant sword glistened with foul blood.
Her eyes, cool and steady, met his.
Liora.
He knew that name.
He'd glimpsed it once on the regional rankings.
Region Rank #1… World Rank #150…
She must be at least Level 7 or 8, he thought, his face flushing.
His voice trembled.
"Th-thank you…"
Liora tilted her head, as if studying him. Her lips parted to speak—
—but then a piercing shriek tore through the northern treeline.
She glanced over her shoulder.
"…I have to go," she said softly.
In a heartbeat, she vanished into the shadows.
Elyno remained alone, shaking.
I have to get stronger…
Maybe I should start by killing some Level 1 zombies…
He stepped forward—
—and the blue system panel flashed open in front of his eyes.
A new icon pulsed in the corner.
[Special Quest]
His heart pounded.
Request of Kaos
Meet Jager, 10 kilometers north, within 20 minutes.
He felt his throat constrict.
"Twenty minutes?" he whispered.
Even before he accepted, the timer began counting down:
19:59… 19:58…
He panicked.
Who the hell is Jager?
With no time to think, he started running. Roots tore at his boots, branches scraped his arms. His lungs burned.
As the final seconds ticked down, he staggered into a clearing beneath an ancient oak.
A tall man in a gray cloak waited there, arms folded.
Jager's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Good thing you put all your stats into Agility. Otherwise, you never would have made it."
Elyno could only gasp for breath, doubled over.
Jager held out a small, metallic sphere.
"Here. +2 Agility."
The system chimed:
[+2 Agility Received]
Then Jager gestured deeper into the trees.
"There are some stray Level 3 wolves in this forest. Kill them for me."
Elyno straightened, heartbeat steadying.
This… could be my chance to surpass Liora someday.
He nodded.
"I'll do it."
The forest grew darker as he walked. The smell of blood led him to a patch of crushed grass—two large wolves, both badly wounded.
Only two? he wondered.
I expected more.
Looking closer, he saw their ribs rising and falling in ragged gasps. They wouldn't survive long.
If I wait, they'll die anyway…
He hesitated, then clenched his teeth.
But I won't gain any experience.
He stepped forward, drew his blades, and finished them both quickly.
The system didn't confirm the quest completion.
Frowning, he turned—and heard a tiny, broken whine.
A small pup, no older than a few weeks, glared at him from the bushes.
Its fur bristled. It tried to snarl, but its voice cracked with fear.
Elyno paused.
Slowly, he opened his inventory and pulled out a piece of dried meat.
He crouched, holding it out.
"…Here."
The pup hissed. Then, trembling, it inched forward and snatched the food.
He reached out, gently brushing his hand over its head.
A long moment passed. The pup stopped growling.
[Quest Complete]
Relief washed over him.
Maybe… I don't have to be alone here.
He turned back toward the clearing.
The little wolf followed.
When he reached Jager, the man was grinning.
"Looks like you have a companion now. Lucky you."
A warm light pulsed from Jager's palm into Elyno's system window.
[Rewards]
+950 EXP
+A sum of Yang
Level Up! (Level 3)
Elyno looked down.
The pup nudged his leg with a shy whimper.
He smiled faintly.
Someday… I'll stand beside Liora as an equal.