"I am so dead."
The system name popped up right above its head.
[The Metal Prowler]
The prowlers lunged at Varun at near-sonic speed, their claws tearing through his chest as if it were made of clay.
"GAH!...."
He flew backward and crashed into the wall of a house, creating a cracked crater. Blood dripped from his mask as the fabric became soaked.
"Damn... Never got hurt like this before... This surely hurts.... But... Why the hell do I like it, heh~"
A twisted smirk formed beneath his mask as he stood up, his eyes faintly glinting blue.
He looked at the prowlers and then around him.
The trees.
The slides.
The children's rides.
And a ruined wall nearby.
Iron rods poked out from several places.
Varun ran toward the prowlers, and they charged toward him.
Only for him to slide aside at the last moment and leap over the ruined wall.
He grabbed the most suitable iron rod and pulled hard.
It didn't come out.
The prowlers were already closing in.
He pulled again.
Still nothing.
The prowlers leaped at him.
Finally, the rod came loose along with chunks of concrete.
He swung it directly into one of the prowlers' faces, sending it flying away.
The concrete shattered into dust from the impact.
"HELL YEAH!"
"Now stay on the ground, you idiot cat!"
The other four prowlers looked at one another and growled before splitting up and surrounding Varun from all four sides.
"Well damn..... You all really do want to kill me.... GAH!"
A prowler from behind slashed into his back while the other three leaped at him.
Time seemed to slow down.
He clenched the rod tightly.
He only had a few seconds to react.
[Failure of the quest will result in the player's heart stopping.]
That snapped him out of his trance.
He thrust the rod upward into the throat of the prowler charging from the front.
Purple blood burst out as the prowler collapsed.
The other three jumped back.
The first prowler he had knocked away earlier got back up and shook itself awake.
There were four again.
But he had definitely killed one.
[Level Up +1]
[You have been rewarded 500 coins for defeating a Prowler.]
"Shop Window."
He reached into the screen and pulled out a sword.
Its edges glowed blue, and a crystal sat within the hilt.
The blade was about a meter long.
He flexed his arm and tested its weight.
[Congratulations, you've purchased the "Predator Slayer" for 300 coins.]
[Sword Skill "Battle Dancer" has been acquired.]
"Now it's my turn to hunt... You bloody cats."
He didn't sound angry.
He sounded calm.
Not because he wanted to look cool.
But because he knew he had to fight.
Or die.
He lunged forward and sidestepped mere millimeters away from a prowler before cutting it clean open.
[Level Up +1. Status Window has been unlocked.]
「Strength: 20
Agility: 10
Stamina: 20
Intelligence: 32
Precision: 20」
[You have gained 10 points. Would you like to assign them to any stats?]
"Add 2 points to each stat."
「Strength: 24 (+2)
Stamina: 24 (+2)
Agility: 14 (+2)
Intelligence: 36 (+2)
Precision: 24 (+2)」
[1 point increases 2 stat levels. Level up more for further stat increases.]
He didn't even bother exerting force this time.
He simply stood there.
Then gestured at the remaining prowlers the way someone would call a cat.
Within a minute, he cut the first one in half, cut off the second one's head, and severed all four limbs of the third before piercing its skull with his sword.
"That's faster than I expected."
He walked out of the area and headed down the road leading to his school.
Along the way, he killed a few more monsters.
Some goblins.
More prowlers.
Wolf-like monsters called Blood Fangs.
And finally, he reached his school.
A warning appeared above the gate.
[Boss Room]
[Level 7 — Wolf Slayer, Prowler Slayer, Goblin Slayer]
「Strength: 46
Stamina: 46
Agility: 36
Intelligence: 58
Precision: 46」
"That's a bit too many 'Slayer' titles."
"Well... Let's see who this boss is.... Full Recovery."
The cuts on his chest and back healed instantly.
As he stepped inside, the atmosphere became heavy.
A deep growl echoed through the area.
Similar to a lion's.
He tightened his grip on his sword and continued walking.
He eventually reached the center of the school grounds, still holding his sword.
"Something doesn't feel right here... Feels like I'm being watched... But from where?"
He looked around with a calculating gaze, considering every possibility of what the boss could be.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him started to shake.
The school exploded apart.
A gigantic lion-like monster burst out from beneath the earth.
It was completely covered in metallic scales.
Its eyes glowed red.
A thick mane of black fur surrounded its head.
And it stood nearly twenty meters tall.
"I don't remember asking for a freaking lion."
[Dungeon Boss: "Lionheart Metalfang"]
"If you're the one naming them, your naming sense sucks... That's such a cringe name, bruh... Just call it 'The Predator King' or something. That's still cringe, but at least it's better than this bullshit."
[...]
[Dungeon Boss: "The Atrox Lord"]
The monster suddenly grew even larger and more ferocious.
"Damn... I guess I pissed you off or something."
The Atrox Lord's claws came crashing down.
Varun barely managed to sidestep.
Even then, a chunk of flying concrete struck his head and blood began running down his face.
He slid back several meters before stopping.
"Kitty is pissed, eh~"
He lunged forward.
A reckless move.
He didn't have a plan yet.
He simply closed the distance and swung his sword at the Atrox Lord.
The blade struck its scales.
Not even a scratch.
"Seems like I should've used my points on Strength instead.... Well... That's what a normal player would think.... But increasing all stats equally makes a difference.... It creates balance between body and mind."
He attacked again.
Still no damage.
Then he got behind the monster and launched himself upward.
Rotating his body to generate momentum, he slashed across its back.
This time he managed to cut through.
But the sword shattered from the strain of striking the scales.
The Atrox Lord let out a guttural roar and violently shook its body.
Varun was thrown away.
He crashed into the staircase seating area.
The concrete beneath him shattered.
His clothes were torn.
Blood dripped from his head, right arm, and left leg.
His eyes looked dull and lifeless.
"Why am I fighting?... To avoid dying?... But I'll die even if I run away.... So why should I live anyway?... I'm utterly useless."
"I'm not good at studies.... Maybe I used to be, but I find them too boring.... I don't even like studying."
"Mom and Dad never say it to my face, but they probably hate me for it."
"I don't even earn anything.... Heh.... Thinking about useless things while lying in front of death.... I really am shameless."
"An idiot."
"There's no way I'm intelligent."
"Why do they keep saying I have potential?"
"I'm useless.... I should be dead."
[HP: 12/230]
"System?... Why the hell did I even get this?... I always dreamed of getting a system for limitless growth.... But what's the use?... Here I am.... Still dealing with death even though I have the system...."
Suddenly, visions appeared before him.
His parents.
His brother.
Sudhanshu.
Even his past self.
The useless and selfish version of himself.
"No.... No, no, no.... I can't stay useless."
"I was a jerk.... I can't stay a jerk."
"And what's the point of this strength if I can't even survive?"
He forced himself out of the crater while gripping the broken sword.
His eyes faintly glowed blue.
"I was have always been called an immature, weak-minded, and selfish."
"I was a burden to everyone."
"I had luxuries my dad provided.... Friends.... Yet only one person ever stayed truly loyal."
"No."
"I won't let it stay that way."
"Now I'll fight."
"For myself."
"For the me who doesn't need anyone."
"For the me that I truly am."
"What I need now is true strength."
"My true self."
"And I won't give up until I find it."
He lunged forward again.
This time, there was purpose in his eyes.
He finally had a plan.
He ran directly in front of the Atrox Lord.
Then sidestepped and started running away.
The monster immediately chased him.
Straight toward the remaining wall of the school.
Varun used the wall as a springboard and launched himself upward.
Flipping through the air, he aimed directly for the monster's head.
The Atrox Lord slammed into the ruined wall.
At that exact moment, Varun rotated his body and drove every ounce of strength into a single thrust.
The broken blade pierced deep into the side of its neck.
Right into a weak point.
He threw all of his body weight behind the attack.
Twisting the blade deeper.
"EAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The Atrox Lord let out a final roar.
Its legs gave out.
Its neck scales shattered.
Black blood poured from the wound.
The giant monster collapsed.
Varun fell as well.
Barely conscious.
Using the corpse as support, he slowly sat down.
[Congratulations, you have defeated the Atrox Lord.]
[Rewards: "Full Recovery" and "Atrox's Black Dagger"]
A black dagger appeared before him.
Its blade curved inward like a tusk.
"Full Recovery."
A wave of static surged through his body.
Every injury disappeared instantly.
The Atrox Lord vanished.
The dungeon vanished.
Even the destruction around the school disappeared.
Everything returned to normal as though the battle had never happened.
Varun walked out of the school grounds wearing torn clothes.
The ripped fabric exposed parts of his newly developed muscles.
For the first time since receiving the system, he felt it.
A small sense of accomplishment.
He had survived.
And he had won.