Hunger was not an unfamiliar sensation to An. He had been through those end-of-the-month days eating nothing but instant noodles, or those all-nighters working on projects where he forgot about dinner entirely. But this hunger was different. It didn't gnaw from his stomach; it screamed from every cell of this tiny goblin body. It was a primal command, overwhelming both fear and bewilderment.
Eat.
Or you will die.
The System's warning echoed in his head, simple but cruel.
An swallowed dryly, trying to suppress a wave of nausea as he looked at his own pale green hands. He once used these hands to write complex code, to analyze dense data charts. Now, they had to be used for hunting.
He forced himself to move. The forest was strangely beautiful and deadly terrifying at the same time. The dappled light, the damp air, and the myriad of strange sounds formed a symphony of life and death. He activated the only skill that seemed useful.
[Peeking]
His vision seemed to magnify slightly, distant details becoming clearer. He hid behind a massive tree root, carefully observing his surroundings. The analyst's mindset began to take over, trying to find patterns in the chaos. Every system has rules, whether it's the stock market or some damn forest.
And then he saw it.
A rabbit. But it was unlike any rabbit he had ever seen on Earth. It was slightly larger, its brown fur mottled with patches that looked like rock moss, and its ears twitched constantly, on high alert. An info window popped up again, just as buggy as before.
[Moss-Pelted Rabbit]
[Level: 1]
[Description: A mobile meal. [span_20](start_span)Be careful, it bites pretty hard.]
"A mobile meal," An muttered. This System, despite its flaws, sometimes had a cruel sense of humor.
Hunger urged him to act. He picked up a sharp-edged rock, trying to use his other skill.
[Rock Throw]
The rock flew... and embedded itself in a tree trunk a full meter away from the rabbit. The rabbit flinched, looked around confusedly, and then went back to nibbling on grass.
An sighed, feeling a familiar sense of helplessness. It was just like when he tried to explain a complex data model to a boss who knew nothing about technology.
He couldn't rely on strength or skills. This body was too weak, and the skills were too terrible. He only had one thing: his brain.
He stepped back behind the tree, forcing himself to calm down and analyze.
Variable 1: The prey. Fast, alert, but seemingly not aggressive. Its movement path was a small circle around a patch of berry bushes.
Variable 2: Himself. Weak, slow, throws rocks like a child. But small, easy to hide.
Variable 3: The environment. Lots of bushes, uneven ground, a narrow rock crevice about twenty meters away.
A plan began to form. It wasn't elegant, but it might work.
He circled around behind the rabbit, intentionally making a small noise. As expected, the rabbit panicked and started running. It didn't run randomly but instinctively headed toward the area that seemed safer—where there was less noise. An continued to chase, not fast, but just enough to keep the rabbit in a state of panic, herding it toward the rock crevice.
The rabbit darted into the narrow crevice. Trapped.
Now!
An lunged, but the rabbit turned, its eyes red with fear. It charged at him, using its sharp incisors to bite into An's skinny arm.
A sharp pain shot through him.
[-2 HP]
The pain yanked An out of a human's mindset and threw him into the instincts of a beast. He let out a hoarse roar, using his whole body to press down on the rabbit, his right hand grabbing a nearby sharp rock and... bringing it down.
Once. Twice.
Hot blood splattered on his face. The cracking of bone. The rabbit's struggles weakened, then stopped completely.
An collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. His hands were shaking. The thick, coppery smell of blood filled his nostrils. He had killed. With his own hands. A feeling of disgust churned in his throat.
But then, a sweet "ping" sound pulled him out of his horror.
[You have gained 10 EXP]
[LEVEL UP!]
A warm surge of energy suddenly spread through his body. The bite on his arm tingled and then slowly closed. The feeling of exhaustion vanished, replaced by a new, albeit small, vitality.
[Level: 2]
Strength: 3 -> 4
Agility: 5 -> 6
Stamina: 4 -> 5
Spirit: 2 -> 3
An stared at the notification, then at the rabbit's corpse. The disgust was still there, but it was now overshadowed by another feeling. A brutal satisfaction. A glimmer of hope.
This was the law of this world. Kill or be killed. Evolve or be culled.
The hunger returned, even more intense this time. He looked at the bloody carcass. He knew what he had to do.
Closing his eyes, he brought the body to his mouth and took a bite.
Blood and raw flesh filled his mouth. It was the most horrible thing he had ever tasted. But it was also what was keeping him alive.
When he opened his eyes, the bewilderment of a data analyst was gone. In its place was the cold, determined gaze of a creature fighting to exist.
He had learned his first lesson. And he wouldn't let it be his last.