The night air was heavy.
Seo Joon stood in the middle of the road, the sharpened wolf fang in his hand. His legs trembled, but his eyes burned with fire.
From the trees, the Dire Wolf stepped out.
It was huge. Twice the size of the wolf he had killed. Its fur was dark, its muscles thick, and its eyes glowed a deep crimson. Each step shook the ground. Its breath misted in the air, carrying the smell of blood.
The villagers hid behind closed doors. Some peeked through cracks in the wood, whispering prayers. None dared step outside.
Seo Joon alone stood to face it.
The Dire Wolf growled, a low rumble that shook his chest.
> [Trial: Survive the Dire Wolf.]
[Failure: Death.]
Seo Joon tightened his grip on the fang. His shoulder still ached. His ribs burned. But he stepped forward.
"Come."
The beast answered with a roar and charged.
____
Seo Joon barely dodged the first strike. The Dire Wolf's claws ripped through the mud, tearing it apart. The shockwave alone knocked Seo Joon off balance.
He swung his fang at its side, but it bounced off the thick hide, leaving only a shallow cut.
The beast snapped its jaws, barely missing his head. Seo Joon rolled across the dirt, gasping.
Too strong. Too fast.
He coughed blood. His body was already at its limit.
But his eyes did not waver.
"This is perfect."
The Dire Wolf lunged again. Seo Joon braced himself and raised his arm. Its claws tore across his flesh, slicing deep. Blood poured.
He screamed, his voice tearing into the night.
> [You endured heavy slashing damage.]
[Reward: +2 Endurance.]
> [You endured near-fatal injury.]
[Reward: +1 Vitality.]
His knees buckled, but he grinned through the pain. Each wound made him stronger. Each cut was fuel.
The beast charged once more. Seo Joon dove to the side, stabbing the fang into its leg. The weapon sank in, shallow but enough to make the wolf howl.
It turned on him, eyes blazing.
Seo Joon panted, clutching the fang tighter. "Good… bleed with me."
____
The fight became a storm of blood and claws.
Seo Joon was thrown into the dirt again and again. His arms bled. His back tore open. His legs barely held him.
But the system fed on it all.
> [You endured blunt trauma.]
[Reward: +1 Strength.]
> [You endured bleeding.]
[Reward: +1 Endurance.]
> [You endured fatigue.]
[Reward: +1 Willpower.]
Each notification lit his eyes brighter. His body screamed, but his spirit refused to break.
The Dire Wolf growled, bleeding from its leg and muzzle. Seo Joon bled more, but he still stood.
Two starving beasts, locked in a trial of survival.
____
At last, the Dire Wolf lunged for his throat. Seo Joon had no time to dodge.
The jaws snapped shut—
And his arm went in instead.
Its teeth sank deep. His flesh tore. Blood sprayed across the road.
Seo Joon roared in agony.
> [You endured mortal injury.]
[Hidden Condition Met.]
[Skill Awakening: Pain Conversion Lv.1]
A new screen flashed.
Skill: Pain Conversion
Convert endured pain into temporary strength.
Ratio: 1 pain endured = +1 Strength (5 minutes).
Seo Joon's eyes widened. Then he laughed, blood bubbling from his lips.
"Perfect…"
The system glowed.
> [Pain Conversion activated.]
[Strength temporarily increased by +10.]
Power surged through his body. His muscles tightened. His blood boiled.
He grabbed the wolf fang with his free hand and slammed it into the Dire Wolf's eye.
The beast howled, thrashing, but Seo Joon did not let go. He stabbed again and again, each strike fueled by pain.
The Dire Wolf slammed him into the ground, but Seo Joon held on. His arm tore. His ribs cracked.
But his other hand drove the fang deeper into the beast's skull.
Crack.
The Dire Wolf convulsed. Its body shuddered. Then, with one last howl, it collapsed into the mud.
Seo Joon lay beneath it, drenched in blood. His chest rose and fell weakly.
The system voice echoed.
> [Trial Complete: Dire Wolf defeated.]
[Reward: +5 Free Stat Points.]
[Item Drop: Dire Wolf Core (Uncommon).]
The villagers gasped from their homes. Doors opened slowly. They saw the boy covered in blood, standing over the massive corpse of the Dire Wolf.
Whispers filled the air.
"He killed it…"
"That boy… he's not normal."
"Is he even human?"
Seo Joon staggered to his feet, clutching the glowing fang and the beast's core in his hand. His vision swam, but his smile was sharp.
The system screen appeared.
Name: Seo Joon
Race: Human
Level: 2
HP: 5/40
Stats:
Strength: 7 (+10 temporary)
Endurance: 9
Vitality: 8
Willpower: 6
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 3
Free Stat Points: 5
Skill: Pain Conversion Lv.1
Seo Joon laughed softly, his voice ragged. "So this is my path. Pain, suffering, and power…"
He looked at the villagers staring at him in fear. His bloody smile widened.
"…Then let them fear me."
The Dire Wolf's corpse lay at his feet. The night was silent except for the sound of his heavy breathing.
But deep inside, Seo Joon knew the truth—
This was only the beginning.
____
To be continued....