Chapter 2: The First blood
The howl still echoed in the distance when Arjun's knees almost gave out. His palms were sweaty, gripping the sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He turned his head from side to side, scanning the mountain platform. The sky burned with a crimson hue, but shadows were already creeping in from the edges of the cliffs. The air felt colder than before, and with every breath, his chest grew heavy.
"Calm down… calm down…" Arjun whispered to himself, even though fear shook every part of his body. He had read enough novels to know what this situation meant he was in the beginner's trial. And beginner's trials always meant danger.
The system's cold, mechanical voice chimed again inside his head:
[Survival Objective: 24 hours. Time remaining: 23 hours, 47 minutes.]
Arjun swallowed. "Only thirteen minutes gone? Damn it… this will feel like forever."
Another roar answered from the forest below, this time louder, closer. Birds if they could even be called that burst out from the treetops. Their wings were like shards of glass, sharp and glittering. The creatures scattered into the sky, shrieking. Something was forcing them out. Something big.
Arjun stepped back, his heel scraping against the stone platform. His instincts screamed at him to run, but where could he go? The platform stretched out like a wide altar, surrounded by sheer cliffs. Only one narrow pathway led down toward the forest, and whatever was down there… was coming up.
"Perfect," he muttered bitterly. "I get teleported to a fantasy world, given a rusty starter sword, and immediately something wants to eat me."
His thoughts went to the items he had just received. The healing elixirs clinked faintly in his pocket, and the golden Charm Boost card pulsed softly, waiting to be used. Arjun shook his head. "Charm isn't going to save me if some monster tears me in half."
He held the sword out awkwardly, trying to copy what he had seen in movies—two hands, feet apart, blade pointed forward. His heart pounded so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest.
Then, from the forest path, it appeared.
A wolf.
No calling it a wolf felt wrong. This beast was larger than a horse, its fur pitch-black with streaks of crimson glowing faintly like lava cracks. Its eyes gleamed a sickly yellow, and its teeth were long, curved like blades. Drool dripped from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the stone.
The system's voice echoed in his mind again:
[Beast Identified: Crimson Fang Wolf (Low-tier). Danger Level: Moderate. Recommendation: Engage cautiously.]
Arjun's jaw dropped. "Moderate? That thing looks like it could eat a car, and you're calling it moderate?!"
The wolf growled, low and deep, the sound vibrating in Arjun's bones. Then it lunged.
Instinct screamed louder than thought. Arjun rolled to the side, clumsy but just enough to avoid being crushed. The wolf's claws scraped across the stone floor, leaving long, smoking marks. Arjun scrambled to his feet, panting, and swung his sword wildly.
The blade sliced across the wolf's shoulder. To his shock, black blood sprayed out, sizzling where it hit the ground. The beast yelped but didn't slow down. Its glowing eyes locked on him, more furious now.
Arjun backed up, nearly stumbling again. "Okay… okay, so it bleeds! That means it can die, right? Right?!"
The wolf charged again, faster this time. Arjun barely managed to lift his sword in time. The beast's massive paw slammed into the blade, sending vibrations up his arms so strong his wrists almost snapped. He was thrown backward, his back slamming against the cold stone floor. The sword clattered beside him.
"Damn it!" he coughed, his lungs burning. The wolf advanced slowly this time, savoring his weakness, drool dripping from its fangs.
Arjun's eyes darted to his items. The sword was just out of reach, the healing elixirs useless unless he drank them first, and the charm card his eyes paused. Charm.
His mind raced. "It increases charm by 50% for 24 hours… does that even work on monsters?!"
The wolf crouched, ready to pounce.
"No choice!" Arjun shouted. He mentally commanded the system: "Activate Charm Boost!"
The golden card dissolved into shimmering dust, swirling around him before seeping into his skin. A strange warmth filled his chest, spreading outward. For a moment, his fear dulled. His posture straightened, his eyes sharpened. It felt like invisible light was radiating from him.
The wolf froze mid-step. Its glowing eyes narrowed, confused. Instead of lunging, it hesitated, sniffing the air.
Arjun blinked in disbelief. "No way… it worked?"
The system's voice confirmed:
[Charm Boost active. Effect duration: 23 hours, 41 minutes.]
The wolf tilted its head slightly, growling softer this time. Its movements became less aggressive, more cautious. It circled him, snarling, but not attacking immediately.
Arjun quickly grabbed his sword, feeling courage return. His voice was shaky, but he forced himself to speak. "Yeah… that's right. I'm not just prey, you overgrown dog."
He tightened his grip on the sword. This was his chance.
The beast lunged again, but slower, distracted by the charm effect. Arjun ducked under its leap, rolling forward. As the wolf landed behind him, Arjun spun around and slashed with all his strength.
The blade sank deep into the wolf's side. It howled in pain, thrashing wildly, but Arjun didn't let go this time. He pushed, twisted, and pulled the sword free, spraying black blood across the stone.
The beast staggered, its legs trembling. One more strike… one more!
Arjun screamed and charged, driving the sword straight into its throat. The wolf let out a final, strangled roar before collapsing with a thunderous crash. Its glowing eyes dimmed, and its body dissolved slowly into faint, sparkling mist.
Arjun dropped to his knees, panting so hard his chest ached. His arms shook violently, still buzzing from the fight. He stared at the empty space where the wolf's body had vanished.
"…I… I actually killed it." His voice cracked with disbelief.
The system's voice chimed:
[Enemy defeated. Reward granted: 50 System Points.]
[System Tip: Points can be used in the Shop to purchase skills, weapons, and upgrades.]
A glowing panel appeared in front of him, showing a faintly shimmering "Shop" option. Arjun stared at it, still gasping for air. His whole body trembled not just from fear, but from exhilaration.
For the first time in years, he felt alive.
He lay back on the stone, staring at the crimson sky. Sweat soaked his shirt, his arms felt like lead, and every bone in his body hurt. But a shaky smile spread across his lips.
"This is crazy… insane… but…" He laughed weakly. "I survived. I actually survived."
The timer appeared again in the corner of his vision:
[Time Remaining: 23 hours, 29 minutes.]
Arjun groaned. "Twenty-three more hours of this? You've got to be kidding me…"
But deep inside, beneath the exhaustion and fear, a small spark of determination burned.
If this was his new world, then he would fight. He would survive. And maybe just maybe he would become the hero of the kind of story he used to only read about.
Somewhere in the distance, another howl echoed. This time, more than one.
Arjun gritted his teeth, picking up his sword once again. "Alright then. Bring it on."
And so, the first night of Arjun's trial in the Azure Sky truly began.