For a few long seconds, Neel didn't move at all.
He just lay there on his back, staring up at the pale, washed-out sky like his brain hadn't caught up with his body yet. His chest rose and fell too fast, too uneven, each breath sharp as the freezing air slipped into his lungs like needles.
"…Okay."
His voice came out dry, rough.
"I'm… alive." He paused, then let out a weak breath. "Jokes apart… that's actually kind of impressive."
He tried to sit up, and pain answered immediately.
"…Yeah. Thought so."
Every muscle protested as he forced himself upright. Even after trying to break his fall, his body felt like it had been slammed into concrete. A dull ache spread through his ribs and shoulders, not enough to cripple him—but enough to remind him he wasn't fine.
"Great…"
A quiet, tired laugh escaped him.
"Could be worse, I guess."
He brushed the snow off his clothes, but it clung stubbornly, melting into the fabric and letting the cold seep straight into his skin. Only then did he really look around.
Trees.
Just trees.
Tall—far too tall. Packed together so tightly it felt suffocating. Their branches sagged under thick layers of snow, the entire forest heavy and still. The ground beneath him was uneven, hidden under a white blanket that shifted and crunched faintly when he moved.
Neel frowned.
"…Yeah. Of course."
He exhaled slowly, rubbing his face with both hands.
"Random location… alone in a frozen forest…" he muttered. "Great. What am I supposed to do now…"
Out of instinct, he pulled up his status.
---
[Name – Neel Roy]
[Age – 16]
[Clan – None]
[Soul Core – Awakened (Awareness)]
[Natural Essence Recovery – 38%]
[Innate Ability – Teleportation]
[Traits – Speedster, Unyielding Core, Passive Regeneration, Immense Stamina]
---
His eyes moved toward the traits, reading them one by one, slower this time.
---
[Speedster – Enhances agility, reaction speed, and attack speed by 10%. Grants heightened spatial awareness during teleportation.]
[Unyielding Core – Reduces physical damage taken by 5%, increases magical damage taken, and grants 2% resistance to corruption.]
[Passive Regeneration – Restores 1–3% health per second depending on injury severity. Healing is slowed while taking damage.]
[Immense Stamina – Reduces stamina consumption by 15% and delays fatigue buildup. Enables sustained physical activity and combat efficiency.]
---
Neel stared at the last line for a second longer.
"…Okay."
A slow breath left him.
"That's… actually insane."
Healing alone was already a game changer. If he didn't die instantly, he could recover. Slowly—but still. That meant mistakes wouldn't always be fatal. It wasn't safety… but it was something.
Still…
His gaze drifted back to the forest.
Too quiet.
No wind. No animals. No movement.
Nothing.
Humans feared the unknown the most—and right now, this place was nothing but unknown.
No buildings. No roads. No footprints except his own.
Just silence pressing in from all sides.
Neel swallowed.
"Yeah… I don't like this."
He tapped his chin, pacing slightly despite the ache in his body.
"Agh… how do those novel MCs stay calm and actually think in situations like this…"
He clicked his tongue softly.
"Think."
Shelter first. That much was obvious. No weapons, no information, no safety.
Then the next thought came.
Should I find others?
He hesitated.
Can I even trust anyone?
A bitter thought followed immediately.
Humans are worse than beasts sometimes.
He exhaled through his nose.
"The more the merrier… but also the faster things go wrong."
His shoulders tensed slightly.
"I don't wanna die… just play it safe…"
A face suddenly surfaced in his mind.
An anime girl profile picture.
"…Alan."
Neel's expression shifted, something heavier settling behind his eyes.
Alan was the only person he even remotely talked to. Not close enough to call a real friend, but not distant either. Just… there. Late-night chats, random arguments, stupid jokes that somehow made things less quiet.
Did he even survive?
If he did… what kind of ability did he get?
If he was strong, maybe they could actually survive together.
If he was weak…
Neel clicked his tongue.
"…Then sticking together might just get both of us killed."
The thought left a bad taste in his mouth.
"…And how the hell would I even find him…"
He exhaled sharply, pushing the thought aside.
That's when he heard it.
A soft crunch.
Neel froze.
The sound was faint, subtle—but real.
From his right.
Another step followed, heavier this time. Slow. Deliberate.
Something was moving through the snow.
Neel didn't turn immediately. His body went still, instincts taking over before his mind could process it. Then, slowly, he turned his head.
A shape emerged between the trees.
Large.
Too large.
Its body leaned forward, low to the ground like it was always moments away from lunging. Thick white and grey fur hung off it in rough, clumped patches, packed with frost and dirt.
Neel's breath hitched.
Its front limbs were massive—far bigger than the back ones—ending in heavy paws with long, curved claws that dug into the snow with each step.
A wolf-like head lifted.
Pointed ears. Long snout. Small black eyes that locked onto him instantly.
Neel felt his chest tighten.
Its mouth opened slightly, revealing jagged, uneven teeth—too many, too sharp. Large fangs stood out among them, and from its jaws hung strands of drool mixed with frost, slowly freezing in the air.
A low breath escaped it, and cold mist spilled out.
"…Okay…"
Neel's voice dropped.
"Now this is bad."
As it stepped closer, more details became visible. Jagged ice spikes ran along its spine, larger near the shoulders and smaller toward the tail. The tail itself dragged behind, thick and heavy, its tip coated in frost.
The creature let out a low growl.
Then it howled.
The sound tore through the silence of the forest, sharp and unnatural.
Neel instinctively took a step back.
Then another.
His instincts screamed at him to run.
But he couldn't move.
His legs felt heavy, like something invisible was pressing him down. His chest tightened, breath turning shallow.
This wasn't just fear, It felt like death itself was standing right in front of him.
This wasn't a fight. A fight meant there was a chance, even if it was small.
This…
This was a hunter And he was prey.
"Fuck no… I ain't fighting that thing…"
His voice came out low, unsteady.
"I'm not some protagonist… I'm not built for this…"
His thoughts spiraled.
Run. Just run. Why aren't you moving?
"Move…"
Nothing.
"Move, you idiot—move!"
The beast lowered its body slightly, muscles tightening.
Neel's eyes widened.
"RUN—!"
The creature lunged at him.