Ethan Cross sat hunched over his desk, the pale glow of his computer monitor reflecting off his glasses. Numbers swam before his eyes—endless columns, deadlines, and reports. The office was silent except for the dull hum of air conditioning and the frantic tapping of his keyboard.
He rubbed his temples and checked the clock.
11:23 p.m.
Another sixteen-hour shift.
"Goddammit," he muttered. His eyes were bloodshot, his stomach empty, and his back stiff from sitting so long.
Ding!
A message appeared on his work phone.
[URGENT: Report must be completed by midnight.]
Ethan laughed bitterly. "Midnight? They want this in thirty minutes? I swear they're trying to kill me."
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. What am I even doing with my life?
No matter how hard he worked, no matter how many nights he sacrificed, it was never enough. He was just a disposable cog in a machine.
His chest felt heavy, suffocated by years of resentment and exhaustion.
"…If I died right now, I wonder if anyone would even notice," he whispered.
The office door swung open. A colleague poked his head in.
"Hey Ethan, you leaving? It's late."
"Yeah," Ethan forced a smile. "Just heading home."
He packed his laptop into his bag and staggered toward the street. The city lights blurred, neon signs flickering against the wet pavement. A cold drizzle fell, soaking through his jacket.
His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since morning. He sighed, stepped off the curb—
SCREEEEEECH!
Headlights blinded him. Tires screamed across the slick asphalt.
He barely had time to turn his head before a massive truck slammed into him.
The world exploded into pain—bones shattering, flesh tearing. The sound of breaking glass filled his ears. His body was thrown like a ragdoll, then darkness swallowed everything.
Silence.
When Ethan opened his eyes, he was lying on soft ground. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of grass and wildflowers. Above him stretched a brilliant blue sky with drifting white clouds.
"…Where… am I?" he muttered.
He sat up. His wounds were gone. His body felt… younger. Stronger. His hands no longer trembled with fatigue, and the constant ache in his back had vanished.
Before panic could set in, a crisp, mechanical voice echoed in his head.
[Ding! Welcome, User. Infinite Level-Up System has been bound.]
Ethan froze. "…What?"
[Initialization complete. Binding successful.]
A transparent blue screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Name: Ethan Cross
Race: Human
Class: None
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Skills: None
EXP: 0/10
Ethan's mouth went dry. "This is… a status screen? Like in a video game?"
Rustling came from the nearby forest.
He whipped his head around. From between the trees padded a creature—a wolf, its fur matted with dirt, its yellow eyes glowing with hunger.
[Wild Gray Wolf – Level 3]
The beast snarled, lips peeling back to reveal sharp fangs.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ethan scrambled backward. "I don't even have a weapon—"
[Newbie Weapon issued: Rusty Dagger]
A dull dagger materialized in his hand, its blade chipped and brown with rust.
The wolf lunged.
Instinct took over. Ethan thrust the dagger forward. The blade pierced the wolf's neck. Hot blood sprayed, splattering across his hands.
The beast let out a choked whine before collapsing at his feet.
Ethan stared at the corpse, chest heaving. "I… I killed it?"
[Ding! You have slain Gray Wolf (Lv.3). +30 EXP.]
[Level Up!]
The status screen flashed.
Level: 2
HP: 120/120
MP: 60/60
New Skill Acquired: Basic Slash
Ethan's eyes widened. "…I just… leveled up?"
Another notification appeared.
[Hidden Perk Activated: Infinite Level-Up]
Other beings are capped at Level 100.
User has no level limit.
Skills evolve infinitely with use.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat.
"No… no level cap?" His voice trembled. "You mean… as long as I keep fighting, I'll keep getting stronger? Forever?"
For the first time in years, his heart pounded not with dread—but with excitement.
In his old life, no matter how hard he worked, he could never escape mediocrity. But here?
Here, he had power.
The bushes rustled again. Dozens of glowing yellow eyes appeared in the shadows. A whole pack of wolves stepped out, their low growls vibrating through the clearing.
Ethan tightened his grip on the dagger. His blood boiled with anticipation.
A manic grin spread across his face.
"Perfect. Let's see just how far this infinite level-up can take me."
And with that, Ethan charged headfirst into the pack.