Elias Vale woke to pain.
His ribs burned with every breath. Dried blood clung to his shirt, sticky and stiff. Above him, faint strands of silk still clung across the hollow he had sealed before collapsing. Dawn light trickled through cracks in the roots, painting the soil silver.
The crystal shard pulsed in his hand, steady as a heartbeat. He groaned and sat up, every joint aching.
A cold chime rang in his skull.
System Alert[Path Selection – 23:02:17 Remaining]
Options:
Threadbearer's Path – Specialize in webs, traps, and agility.
Predator's Path – Specialize in strength, venom, and ambush.
Elias's lips twisted. "So it wasn't a dream."
The timer ticked down, numbers shifting. He remembered clearly: 24 hours remaining before he blacked out. Now more than an hour had gone. The countdown hadn't paused while he slept—it had kept moving.
"It's real," he muttered, chest tight. "I'm on a clock."
Status Check[Status Screen – Elias Vale]
Level: 1
Race: Human (??? – Synchronization 37%)
Condition: Injured / Hungry
Attributes:
Strength: 5 (+2)
Agility: 6 (+3)
Vitality: 3 (reduced from injury)
Intelligence: 7
Perception: 7
Skills:
Basic Thread Projection Lv. 2
Wall Adhesion Lv. 1
Thread Sense Lv. 1
Titles:
[Survivor of the First Hunt]
Pending Choice: Path Selection [23 Hours Remaining]
The glowing words faded, but their weight pressed heavy on his chest. Survival wasn't enough—time was against him too.
His stomach growled, sharp and hollow. Food first. Shelter later. Then training.
"One step at a time," he whispered.
The First HuntThe forest shimmered under dawn's light. Silver-veined leaves rustled, mushrooms glowed faintly, and insects darted with glassy wings. Elias's Thread Sense pulsed—small movements ahead.
He crept forward, each breath shallow. A rabbit-like creature hopped into view. Its fur was broken by black chitin plates, and antennae twitched from its head.
Food.
Elias snapped his wrist. A thread shot forward—too short. The creature darted, quick and jerky. He cursed under his breath and fired again. This time, the silk wrapped around its hind leg. The rabbit squealed, thrashing.
His stomach twisted. Its eyes were wide with fear.
But hunger cut sharper.
"Sorry," Elias whispered and dragged it close. His shard plunged into its throat.
Warmth spilled over his hands. The creature spasmed, then went still.
[First Hunt Successful]
Reward: +1 Vitality
Loot: Chitin Rabbit Carcass (Edible)
Elias gagged but forced himself through the motions—skinning it clumsily, scraping sparks to build a fire. The meat roasted over pale flames.
It tasted bitter, metallic, wrong. But warmth spread through him with each bite.
[Status Effect: Hunger – Cleared]
Vitality Restored to 4.
Elias leaned back, shaking, smoke curling around him. "Food. Shelter. One day at a time."
But Thread Sense jolted violently.
Something bigger was coming.
The Hunter ArrivesThe ground trembled. Branches cracked.
From the trees emerged a spider larger than the one from last night. Its jagged carapace was ridged with spines, its eight green eyes glowing. Venom streamed steadily from its fangs, searing holes in the soil.
A hunter.
Elias staggered up, clutching his shard. Fear churned in his gut. He wanted to run—but he knew it was pointless.
"If I run, I die," he whispered. "So I fight."
The BattleThe spider lunged. Elias fired a thread, snagging a leg. He yanked—but the silk snapped instantly.
The beast crashed down, mandibles snapping. Elias rolled aside, firing upward. His line caught a branch, pulling him into the tree. Venom splashed against the trunk, burning deep holes in the bark.
The spider began climbing, stabbing into the wood with terrifying speed. Elias fired three threads, weaving branches together. The beast tore through two, but the third slowed it just long enough for him to swing wide.
He dropped mid-swing, both feet slamming into its head. One glowing eye burst under the impact. The spider shrieked, flinging him aside.
He hit the ground hard. Pain jolted his ribs.
[Health -4]
Vitality: 4 → 3
Blood filled his mouth. His vision swam. The spider reared, venom dripping.
Thread Sense pulsed. Elias dove before it struck, sliding under its legs. His shard slashed across its softer underside. Green ichor splattered hot against his arm.
The beast shrieked, staggering.
But rage drove it harder.
It reared, slamming its forelegs into the earth. Elias fired threads to surrounding trees, pulling desperately. The silk stretched taut, a crude trap.
The spider thrashed, snapping one strand, then another.
"Come on, hold—!" Elias roared, sprinting forward. He leapt, driving his shard deep into its mouth.
The monster convulsed, ichor spraying. One leg smashed him across the clearing.
He slammed into a stone, agony flaring across his back.
[Health -6]
Vitality: 3 → 2
His vision darkened. His body screamed. If I fall now, I die.
Thread Sense pulsed—a final lunge.
Elias waited, trembling. At the last instant, he fired twin threads—one to its broken mandible, the other to the jagged stone behind him. He pulled with everything left in him.
The silk tightened. The spider's own weight carried it forward.
With a sickening crack, its last fang tore free. Venom sprayed wildly, sizzling across dirt. The beast collapsed, convulsing before falling still.
Silence.
Elias dropped to his knees, gasping. His arms shook, his chest burned, but he was alive.
System Rewards[Victory Achieved]
Level Up! → Level 2
+2 Strength, +2 Agility, +1 Vitality
Skill Upgrade: Basic Thread Projection Lv. 2 → Lv. 3
Threads stronger. Range extended.
Loot Acquired:
Venom Gland (Intact)
Jagged Carapace Fragment
Hunter's Arachnid Core
Elias collapsed onto his back, staring up at the twin moons. His breath came ragged, laughter bubbling weakly.
"Twice now… twice I should be dead."
The crystal shard pulsed warmly in his palm, steady as a heartbeat.
The System chimed again.
[Path Selection – 21:47:53 Remaining]
Threadbearer or Predator.
The numbers kept ticking down.
Elias clenched his shard. Survival had bought him time. But time was running out.
[Status Screen – Elias Vale]Level: 2
Race: Human (??? – Synchronization 37%)
Condition: Wounded / Exhausted
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Agility: 8
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 7
Perception: 7
Skills:
Basic Thread Projection Lv. 3
Wall Adhesion Lv. 1
Thread Sense Lv. 2
Titles:
[Survivor of the First Hunt]
Loot:
Venom Gland (Intact)
Jagged Carapace Fragment
Hunter's Arachnid Core
Pending Choice: Path Selection [21 Hours Remaining]