Stepping deeper into the whispering forest, he hesitated. Should I really go further in? he thought, his eyes scanning the dense undergrowth.
Before he could decide, a Fint lunged from the shadows.
I know exactly how you fight, he sneered internally. Reacting instantly, he coated his body in a thin, deadly layer of his Corrosive Power. As the Fint launched a high-speed strike, he raised his sword, blocking the attack near his neck. The moment the Fint's claws made contact with the corrosive shield, its flesh sizzled and melted away. The creature shrieked as its hand was brutally destroyed. Without missing a beat, he swung his sword and finished it off.
[System Window: +20 Experience Points.]
[Total XP: 160/1000]
He quickly concealed himself within a thick bush, moving stealthily to hunt for his next target. Soon, he spotted a Goblin. But his eyes immediately locked onto the object in its hand—a Goblin Horn.
If that bastard sees me, he's going to blow that horn and summon a horde, he realized.
Moving with explosive speed, he aimed a precise strike directly at the Goblin's hand, knocking the horn away before it could be used. Startled and terrified by the sudden ambush, the Goblin abandoned the fight and sprinted deeper into the forest.
Driven by adrenaline, he chased after it, completely ignoring his surroundings. It was only after he crossed into the Second Layer and finally struck the Goblin down that he realized his mistake. He had run far too deep into the danger zone.
He immediately turned to retreat, but then—a sudden, blinding rush of wind hit him.
What the f—
SPLASH! Ice-cold water flooded his senses. He gasped, thrashing to the surface. "Why the hell am I in the water? And my hand... it's badly damaged!" System! What just happened? he demanded.
[System Window: I don't know. Why should I tell you?]
"Fuck you," he spat, dragging himself toward the muddy riverbank. He forced himself to calm down, squeezing his eyes shut as he strained his memory. Slowly, the blurry images returned. A massive shadow blotting out the sun... a Giant Eagle—no, a Griffin—far larger than anything he had ever seen, had swooped down and snatched him up. He must have slipped from its talons and plummeted into the river.
System, he asked, his voice strained. How many days have passed since I entered the forest?
[System Window: Why should I tell you?]
A dark, irritated smile crept onto his face. "Fine. Forget that. Just tell me... how many days are left to complete the academy mission?"
[System Window: Mission Penalty Added. Failure will result in resetting to Level Zero.]
[Time remaining: 3 Days, Master.]
He let out a dry, angry laugh. "Had to tell me eventually, didn't you? And what about the reward? You only mention the mission and the penalty, but never the reward."
[System Reward Window: A New Skill.]
He sighed heavily, glancing at his brutalized surroundings. He was in a completely bizarre situation. He had no idea where he was, which danger zone he had dropped into, or how he was supposed to make it back to the city in just three days. Both the location and the time limit were a massive problem.
Panic and desperation triggered a wild thought. "System, activate the mask and transform me into a Legendary Dragon!"
[System: You are not capable.]
"Do it NOW!" he roared, but the interface remained silent.
Gritting his teeth, he crawled completely out of the water and inspected his bleeding hand. Activating his 'Scan' ability, he swept the area. The system highlighted several medicinal herbs growing nearby. He hastily gathered them, crushing the leaves and applying the paste to his wounds. Seeing an abundance of herbs around, he kept picking them until he had stored roughly 5 kilograms in his system inventory.
How am I supposed to get out of here? he thought, frustrated. If I just walk forward, I don't even know which direction I'm heading.
"Can you at least give me a direction?" he asked the system, his tone laced with exhaustion.
[System: Why?]
"I swear... if I ever get my hands on your core, System, I will not spare you, you bastard."
He sat by the water, his mind racing. He needed to think. If that giant Griffin didn't eat me right away, it means it was taking me back as food for its hatchlings. Babies can't eat large, tough monsters, which is why it was hunting in the lower areas. This place... it feels incredibly dangerous. I must be at the end of the Third Area, or right in the middle of it. That Griffin definitely didn't belong to the First or Second layers.
He pieced the puzzle together. Regardless, it flew from the Third Area to the Second Area to find food. If the babies haven't fully grown yet, it will have to fly out again today to hunt. If I can just spot it flying, I'll know which direction leads to the Second Area—and eventually, the city.
Suddenly, a blue translucent screen popped up.
[System Updated: Side Mission Available.]
[Task: Touch the Griffin Egg.]
[Reward: A Godly Scythe.]
[Note: No penalty upon failure as this is a Side Mission.]
Touching a Griffin egg? he pondered. It doesn't sound too hard on paper. But Griffins always build their nests at the very peaks of mountains. Climbing a massive mountain and getting back to the city in three days? That seems impossible.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a massive shadow drifted across the sky. He looked up and saw the Griffin soaring above. He carefully tracked its trajectory. Two things were instantly confirmed: the direction the Griffin was flying toward was his city, and the direction it had come from was its nest.
I have to think this through, he warned himself. If I fail this side mission, there's no penalty. But if I fail the main mission, I'll be knocked down to Level Zero, which basically means death. However... if I just walk straight through the Third Area, these high-level beasts will chew me alive. I need a weapon to survive.
Guess I'm touching that egg.
Moving with extreme caution, he sneaked in the opposite direction, toward a towering mountain nearby. At the base, he tried to craft a climbing hook by tying strong roots to a cheap, roadside stone. As expected, the fragile stone shattered against the mountain wall. The plan failed.
But then, a crazy idea struck him.
He channeled his Corrosive Power exclusively into his hands. Every time he slammed his palm against the mountain face, the dark energy melted the solid rock, creating a perfect, custom-made handhold.
It was agonizingly slow and time-consuming. Whenever his power reserves depleted, he had to cling to the cliffside and wait for them to recharge. Slowly, painfully, he ascended.
Two days later, he finally hauled himself over the edge of the peak.
He hid behind a boulder, watching as the mother Griffin took to the skies, leaving the nest behind. Creeping into the massive nest, he saw two things: a freshly hatched Griffin chick, and one unhatched egg.
What now? he thought. He decided to secure his reward first before testing the newborn chick's strength. Sneaking past the sleeping hatchling, he reached out and placed his hand gently on the warm shell of the egg.
System, give me my reward.
[Reward Claimed: A Godly Scythe.]
[Description: A legendary weapon that will upgrade alongside your power. If broken, it will automatically repair and reassemble itself after one hour.]
A heavy, dark, and menacing Scythe materialized in his hands. He gripped the long handle, feeling the raw, deadly power radiating from the curved blade.
A wicked grin spread across his face. "Amazing... I didn't have a proper weapon anyway."