Kai dashed forward with his feet scraping against the damp ground.
The magical beast roared and pounced at him. Its massive claws slicing through the fog like scythes.
The air trembled from the impact as Kai twisted his body sideways, dodging the swipe.
The claws ripped through the earth where he had stood, spraying dirt into the mist.
His heart thundered, but his mind sharpened. His body feels like he had been doing this since so long ago even though he knew that he had never learned any martial arts at all.
He slashed downward with the chipped sword. The blade connected and carved another shallow wound across the beast's flank.
Hot and dark blood splattered across the ground.
The magical tiger roared in fury. Its blue flames suddenly flaring brighter.
The heat licked across Kai's skin.
"Ughh."
The aura pressed against him like a heavy wave, forcing his knees to tremble.
But he bit down on his fear and rushed in closer before the beast could lunge again.
The tiger lowered its head and then launched at him and snapped its jaws. Its fangs closing in on his torso.
At the last second Kai managed to dodge, rolling beneath its massive body.
His palms stung against the dirt.
He gritted his teeth and drove the chipped sword upward with all his strength.
The blade pierced its flesh.
A wet crunch filled his ears as steel sank into the beast's belly.
The tiger let out a loud roar full of pain, its body thrashing violently on the ground.
Kai held on to the hilt with both hands, feeling the vibrations rattle his arms.
The beast twisted its body to escape but the chipped sword tore deeper inside through its weak underbelly, ripping through its organs.
Blood gushed out in a hot spray, soaking Kai's arms and robe.
With one final heave he shoved the sword into the hilt.
The tiger convulsed. The dark blue flames sputter along its spine before fading.
Its glowing eyes dimmed and with a shudder the big body collapsed into the misty dirt with a heavy thud.
Kai panted hard, his chest heaving.
His whole body trembled not just from exhaustion but also from the realization.
He had killed a magical beast. With a strength that he didn't have before!
Before he could even wipe the blood from his face a chime echoed in his head.
A glowing blue panel appeared in front of him:
[You have slain: Mistflame Tiger (Magical Beast – Rank 1)]
+120 EXP
[Level up: 2]
[+2 stats point]
Kai's eyes widened at the text.
He had done it. Not only survived but earned his first kill.
His chest lifted with a breathless laugh, half from relief and half from disbelief.
"…I really… did it."
He wiped the sweat and blood from his brow, gripping the chipped sword tighter.
But then his happiness dimmed instantly. The surge of triumph in his chest was quickly replaced by a sadness pressing down on his heart.
He had slain a magical beast and this world was like the fantasy novels he used to read.
But deep down it felt like he was running away from his old life, from his responsibilities, and most painfully, from his grandparents.
Kai lowered his gaze, gripping the chipped sword until his knuckles turned white.
"I can't just forget them and be happy staying here."
Even if this new world granted him strength and adventures, a large part of him still wanted to go back.
The thought stung his chest.
At least, with this system, he wouldn't be completely helpless here.
He let out a shaky exhale, forcing himself to stand straight.
"I… need to thank that woman," he muttered.
The mysterious figure who gave him this system could have thrown him into a nightmare, into some hardcore survival world with no hope.
Instead, she gave him this system.
Kai glanced back at the floating panel.
[Level: 2]
[Stat Points Available: 2]
Level two. It was such a small thing, but enough to remind him this was real.
He decided to keep the two stat points for now.
His body already felt strong for now. He would save them until he truly needed it.
His eyes then turned toward the massive corpse of the Mistflame Tiger. A faint glow pulsed beside its collapsed body.
Curiosity tugged at him and he walked closer and crouched near the beast's cooling flesh.
There, half-buried in the dirt, was a dark blue stone that shimmered with an inner light.
Kai reached out and picked it up.
The stone was warm.
Instantly, another notification appeared before his eyes:
[Rank 1 Beast Core (Mistflame Tiger)]
Kai blinked.
A core?
He turned it over in his palm before slipping it carefully into his robe pocket.
"This must be useful later."
Straightening himself, he wiped the blood from his hands onto the grass.
The mist still clung to the forest.
Tightening his grip on the chipped sword, he began walking along the riverbank.
—
The further he went, the more glowing eyes pierced through the fog.
Mistflame Tigers emerged from the mist with burning blue flames licking along their fur.
He fought them with a mix of worry but he now started to be more relaxed because he knows he can fight them.
By the time he cut down his third beast, his breath came ragged, his limbs heavy, and his clothes soaked in blood.
He raised the chipped sword one more time but the weapon shuddered in his grip.
A sharp crack echoing in the mist and he saw the blade snapped in half.
Kai sighed, staring at the broken blade flat manner.
The once dependable weapon was nothing but a jagged stub now. But he had expected this.
At least now he had leveled up three more times, reaching level 5.
Kai tightened the broken hilt at his side, unwilling to throw it away just yet.
He pushed forward through the misty forest until the ground slanted upward.
His boots dug into the damp earth as he climbed the hill. His breath steamed in the cold air.
When he finally arrived at the top, his eyes widened.
Lights. Dozen of them, glowing like stars.
"A town?" Kai whispered, his throat dry.
After hours of wandering through dark misty plains and fighting beasts in the mist, the sight filled his chest with relief. Without wasting another second Kai sprinted down the hill.
—