The wolf leapt.
Seo Joon barely rolled to the side. His thin body hit the dirt, mud smearing across his face. He gasped as sharp claws tore the ground where he had just been.
The beast growled. Its eyes glowed with hunger. Its ribs stuck out, but its muscles still rippled with power.
"Damn it…" Seo Joon muttered, forcing himself up. His legs shook. His stomach screamed. But his eyes did not waver.
The wolf circled him, low and ready. Saliva dripped from its jaws.
> [Trial: Survive the wolf encounter.]
[Failure: Death.]
Seo Joon clenched his fists. He had no weapon, no armor, no strength. Only pain. Only hunger.
And the cursed system that fed on it.
The wolf lunged again. Seo Joon tried to dodge, but he was too slow. The beast's shoulder slammed into him, and he crashed against the tree.
Crack.
Pain exploded in his ribs. His vision blurred. His breath caught in his throat.
> [You endured blunt damage.]
[Reward: +1 Endurance.]
Seo Joon coughed, blood spraying from his lips. But he smiled. "Good… give me more."
The wolf turned, ready for another strike. Seo Joon stumbled forward, fists raised. He threw a punch.
It hit the wolf's snout—but it was weak. The beast only flinched, then snapped its jaws.
Teeth sank into his arm.
Seo Joon screamed. Flesh tore. Blood ran.
> [You endured piercing damage.]
[Reward: +1 Vitality.]
His body shook from the agony, but his eyes burned brighter. He raised his free fist and smashed it into the wolf's eye.
The beast howled, releasing his arm. Seo Joon fell back, clutching the wound, his blood dripping into the dirt.
He could barely breathe. But inside, he felt it—the system's power weaving into him. His body was changing, adapting.
He forced himself to stand. "If suffering makes me strong… then hurt me more. I won't die here."
____
The wolf snarled, circling again. Seo Joon's arm trembled with blood loss, but he lifted it anyway. His breath was shallow. His chest screamed. But he didn't stop.
The wolf leapt again. Seo Joon ducked, but the claws raked across his back. His shirt ripped. His skin burned.
> [You endured slashing damage.]
[Reward: +1 Strength.]
Seo Joon gritted his teeth. His vision shook. But his fists felt heavier now. Stronger.
He turned and punched with all his might. His fist smashed against the wolf's jaw. This time, the beast yelped, stumbling back.
Seo Joon's lips curved into a bloody smile. "Yes… this is it."
____
The fight dragged on. The wolf attacked again and again. Each bite, each claw, each strike tore Seo Joon apart. His body was a canvas of blood. His breath rattled. His vision dimmed.
But each pain became power.
> [You endured bleeding.]
[Reward: +1 Endurance.]
> [You endured shock.]
[Reward: +1 Willpower.]
> [You endured fatigue.]
[Reward: +1 Vitality.]
Step by step, punch by punch, Seo Joon grew. His body trembled, but it no longer collapsed. His fists bled, but they struck harder.
The wolf was panting now. Its ribs rose and fell. Blood dripped from its nose and mouth.
Seo Joon wiped blood from his eyes. His whole body screamed at him to fall. But he stood tall, shaking, smiling.
"You're tired too, aren't you?" he whispered. "But I can't stop. I refuse to stop."
____
The wolf lunged one final time, desperate and wild.
Seo Joon didn't dodge. He stepped forward.
The beast's teeth sank into his shoulder. His vision went white from pain.
But at the same time, Seo Joon raised both fists and smashed them down on the wolf's skull.
Crack.
Once. Twice. Three times. Blood splattered. Bone cracked.
The wolf whimpered. Its jaws loosened. Seo Joon roared, slamming his fists again and again until the beast collapsed.
Its body twitched once. Then it stilled.
> [Trial Complete: Wolf defeated.]
[Reward: +2 Free Stat Points.]
[Item Drop: Wolf Fang (Common).]
Seo Joon fell to his knees, gasping. His body was a mess. His shoulder was shredded. His arm hung useless. His ribs stabbed with every breath.
But his heart pounded with victory.
He laughed weakly, his voice broken. "I… I won."
The system screen appeared.
Name: Seo Joon
Race: Human
Level: 1
HP: 8/30
Stats:
Strength: 4
Endurance: 6
Vitality: 6
Willpower: 4
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 3
Free Stat Points: 2
Seo Joon's bloodstained lips curved upward. "So this is how it works… I suffer, I bleed, and I rise."
He clenched his fist, shaking but filled with fire.
The wolf's body lay at his feet, still bleeding. Beside it, a sharp white fang glowed faintly. He reached out with trembling fingers and picked it up.
> [Wolf Fang: Can be used as a crude weapon.]
Seo Joon stared at it. His reflection shone faintly on the sharp edge.
"…My first weapon."
He staggered to his feet, clutching the fang. His body was broken, but his spirit was unyielding.
"I will suffer. I will bleed. I will crawl through hell if I must… but I will never be weak again."
The wind blew cold, carrying the smell of blood. Seo Joon stood under the rising sun, a starving boy no longer.
He had killed his first beast.
And his journey had truly begun.
___
To be continued....