Gale stood before the glowing screen of options, his mind buzzing despite the chaos outside.
Archer. Tank. Warrior. Berserker. Mage. Healer. Contractor. Plunderer. Shadow.
He read each description carefully, eyes darting over the strange text:
Archer — Long-range precision with bows or guns; lightning-quick strikes.Mage — A master of logic and arcane forces; devastation wrapped in math and mana.Tank — A wall of flesh and steel; a shield for others, a battering ram for enemies.Warrior — The perfect blend of martial skill and magic.Berserker — Rage incarnate; agony turned into unstoppable strength.Healer — A walking miracle; life where there should be death.Contractor — Binder of fates; deadly deals no one escapes.Shadow — The unseen blade; silent death under the cover of darkness.Plunderer — Thief of the impossible; stealing skills from the void, from others, even from reality itself.
A crooked smile tugged at his lips. Plunderer…If he could steal skills from anyone… that was power no one could rival.
He clicked. Confirmed.
Then—CRASH!
Glass exploded behind him. Gale spun. A kobold, its claws glinting in the light, launched itself through the window.
Before fear even registered, it was airborne.
Gale caught it mid-leap, adrenaline surging, and hurled it against the wall. The creature yelped, crumpling—then sprang back with unnatural speed.
Its claws sank into his leg.
"AAAGHHH!" Gale's scream tore through the room as white-hot pain exploded through his calf. Flesh ripped as the kobold clung, shaking like a rabid dog.
In blind panic, he kicked wildly, tearing his own leg open just to get it off. The creature hit the nightstand, knocking over a vase that shattered across the floor.
Blood pooled. His blood.
Desperate, Gale stumbled toward the chest, shouting:"PLEASE—GIVE ME SOMETHING!"
The chest flickered open. He grabbed the first weapon his hands found—a jagged dagger—and hurled it. It missed by an inch.
The kobold caught it.And then—like some twisted mockery—it gripped the weapon in its tiny claws, rushing him with a feral screech.
Time slowed. Gale felt death racing toward him.
Instinct took over. He lunged, grabbed the creature's head mid-charge, and slammed it into the floor with a sickening crack.
Before it could move again, Gale ripped the dagger from its hands, spun the blade, and drove it straight through its skull.
The kobold went limp.
A glowing notification appeared before his eyes:[You have obtained 1 Point.]
He stood there, panting, his whole body trembling.
What… does a point do?
The menu flickered open—points for stats. He didn't touch them. His hands shook too hard.
Blood soaked the kobold's fur and his own torn clothes. His calf throbbed; warm crimson slicked his hands. The adrenaline bled away, leaving behind only raw pain and terror.
He collapsed, biting into a blanket to muffle the sobs he couldn't hold back. Tears blurred his vision. The agony was unbearable—but so was the memory of dying before.
And yet… somewhere in that haze of pain, a strange, broken smile curled his lips.
He looked down at the dagger."Worn and Torn Dagger. Rank: F–."
A bitter laugh escaped. "What the f—? Why is this useless f—ing trash what I get from these chests?"
He shoved it into his inventory with a scoff. I'll find something better. I have to.
Through the cracked window, screams echoed in the distance. His thoughts turned to the boy.
Is the kid okay?
He limped through the wreckage and down the street, ignoring the hot sting of torn flesh. A small house stood ahead.
Inside, a boy with bruises sat curled against the wall.
"Who did that to you?" Gale asked, voice low.
"My dad," the boy whispered. "He said I was bad."
Gale's jaw clenched. "Glad that worthless piece of shit's dead," he muttered under his breath.
"You're Ryan, right?"
"YEAH! THAT'S MY NAME!" the boy chirped, holding up six tiny fingers. "I'M ALSO THIS MANY!"
Despite the horror clawing at his chest, Gale managed a faint smile and patted his head. "Good. We have to stay quiet for now. Can you do that?"
Ryan nodded eagerly. "Yes!" he whispered.
They crept upstairs. Gale unrolled bandages, trying to patch his leg. Ryan waited in the hallway, still beaming, innocent in a world that wanted to devour him.
Then—CRASH.
The sound of shattering glass. A rumble of heavy paws.
Gale's head snapped up. His heart plummeted.
A massive dire wolf tore through the window. Its jaws opened wide—
Ryan didn't even scream.
The wolf clamped down, biting into his tiny chest. His body jerked violently, rag-dolled against the wall. Blood sprayed across the floorboards.
The boy's lifeless body hit the ground with a dull, final thud. Serrated teeth marks carved deep into his torso.
Gale stood frozen. His mind screamed, but his voice made no sound.
The wolf turned. Their eyes locked.
A growl shook the room. It lunged.
Gale tried to move, but his shredded leg betrayed him. The jaws closed around his head.
Pain. Darkness. Oblivion.
And then—
He woke up.
Back at the beginning.
Echo here, let me know your thoughts on this chapter.