The sun hung low in the sky as I stepped onto the dirt path that stretched toward the distant forest. The grass brushed against my legs, and the sounds of the city faded behind me, replaced by chirping insects and the occasional distant birdcall.
I tightened my grip on the rusty dagger. It was barely more than a sharpened piece of metal, but it was the only weapon I had.
A flicker of blue caught my eye.
There, not far off the road, something jiggled near a tree stump. A slime. Translucent and faintly glowing, it bounced lazily in place like it didn't have a care in the world.
Perfect.
I crept closer, heart pounding, the system interface already tracking the target.
[Enemy: Lesser Slime | Level: 1 | HP: 30]
I lunged forward and slashed. The dagger cut through the slime's body with a wet squelch. It shuddered, quivered, then popped like an overfilled balloon.
[+1 EXP Earned!]
A chime rang in my head. I blinked.
Then I grinned.
"Hell yeah."
[Time Skip]
Sweat dripped down my neck as I panted beneath the sun. My clothes were stained from grass, slime goo, and dirt. My dagger was chipped. My arm ached. But the system chimed again.
[+1 EXP Earned!]
[Level Up!]
[Status Update]
[Name: ??? | Class: Gamer | Level: 4 | HP: 140 | MP: 60 | STR: 12 | AGI: 14 | INT: 13 | LCK: ???]
Skills:
[Gamer's Mind (Passive)]
[Gamer's Body (Passive)]
[Dagger Proficiency I (Passive)]
Inventory:
1x Coin Pouch (Gold x41, Silver x17, Copper x9)
1x Rusted Dagger (Chipped)
1x Basic Clothes (Worn)
3x Slime Core (Common)
Quest Log:
[Slime Slayer I - Kill 10 Slimes (Complete)]
[Slime Slayer II - Kill 25 Slimes (9/25)]
I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead and looked toward the distant treeline.
The forest loomed.
I hadn't dared go near it at first. It was the kind of place that screamed "you'll die here," and I wasn't ready to test my luck against wolves or goblins.
But after some slime grinding in the outer plains, it was time to move.
The sun dipped below the horizon as I reached the edge of the forest. Shadows stretched long across the grass. The air was cooler here, thick with the scent of moss and bark. Insects buzzed lazily in the underbrush.
Night was falling fast.
No way I was walking into unknown territory in the dark.
I scanned the area for a sturdy tree. One with thick branches and a clear view of the surroundings.
Climbing it was a pain my hands were raw, and I nearly fell twice but I made it. Nestled in the crook of two thick branches, I pulled my tattered cloak tighter around me and tried to steady my breathing.
Below, the forest whispered. Something howled in the distance. Probably not a wolf. Definitely not friendly.
"Not going deep," I muttered to myself. "Just enough to find more mobs. Maybe rabbits. Not ogres. Not spiders. If they are real here."
I leaned back against the bark and stared up at the stars.
This was my life now.
But I was leveling. Slowly. Steadily.
And tomorrow, I'd go just a little bit deeper.
All for those glorious levels.