"Spit on him. He's completely useless."
Aryan lay on the cold, damp floor of the Bloodfang Dungeon. Blood dripped from his forehead, blinding his left eye. His ribs felt shattered, making every breath a torment.
He slowly looked up at the people he once called teammates.
"Why...?" Aryan coughed, tasting copper in his mouth. "I healed you... I carried all the supplies..."
"You are just an F-Rank 'Porter', Aryan," sneered Kael, the team's A-Rank Swordsman, wiping his blade. "In this awakened era, the weak exist only to serve the strong. You served your purpose as bait. The Boss monster is distracted now. Let's go, team."
The footsteps faded away into the darkness. Aryan was left all alone in the freezing cavern. A low, terrifying growl echoed from the shadows. The dungeon boss, a Level 15 Shadow Wolf, was slowly approaching its free meal.
Aryan tried to move, but his body was completely broken. Was this really how he was going to die? A pathetic F-Rank awakened, forgotten by the world?
He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
'I don't want to die. Not like this. I want power. I want to crush everyone who looked down on me!'
The Shadow Wolf lunged, its massive jaws opening wide to tear his throat out. Aryan could smell the beast's foul breath. He closed his eyes, waiting for the end.
Then, time seemed to freeze entirely.
A cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Intense desire for survival detected.]
[Host's willpower exceeds the mortal threshold.]
[Binding process initiated... 10%... 50%... 100%.]
[The 'Infinite Upgrade System' has been successfully bound to the host.]
Aryan snapped his eyes open. A glowing blue holographic screen floated directly in front of his face. The Shadow Wolf was still frozen in mid-air, mere inches from his face.
[First Blood Reward: SSS-Rank Skill Extracted!]
[Host has received passive skill: Absolute Invincibility (Level 1) - All incoming damage is reduced by 99%, and converted into Health and Stamina.]
[Host has received passive skill: Infinite Growth - Breathing grants 1 EXP. Walking grants 1 EXP. Taking damage grants 10 EXP.]
Time resumed.
BAM!
The Level 15 Shadow Wolf crashed into Aryan's chest with the force of a speeding truck.
But Aryan didn't feel any pain. Instead, a warm, soothing energy flooded his entire body.
[Ding! Host has taken severe damage. +50 EXP.]
[Ding! Health restored. Broken bones healed.]
Aryan slowly stood up, easily brushing the heavy dirt off his clothes. He looked down at the massive wolf, which was now whimpering on the floor, its fangs shattered from biting into his suddenly indestructible body.
A cold, dangerous smile spread across Aryan's face as he cracked his knuckles.
"So... you like to bite?"