He wiped the sweat off his brow as he stood at the edge of the clearing, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. This wasn't what he'd expected. His first quest, handed to him by the system, seemed deceptively simple---find and defeat 10 Devourer Slimes. A beginner's task, right? But as the slimes slithered into view, their bodies pulsing with an ominous red light, he realized the system's beginner was still leagues above his current ability.
The slimes weren't just small and quick---they moved with precision, their gelatinous forms darting like predators honing in on prey. Each time he ducked or dodged, they adjusted their trajectory, striking with sticky, acidic tendrils that hissed and burned wherever they touched.
Krad growled under his breath as one of the slimes lunged at him. He met it with a clean, devastating punch, his fist sinking into its gooey body. The impact sent the slime flying into a nearby tree with a wet, splattering sound.
He allowed himself a small grin. But before he could exhale in relief, the air around the slime shimmered. Its gelatinous body quivered, then reformed instantly, its red core pulsing brighter than ever.
"What the---?" his eyes widening in disbelief.
The slime, now fully intact, slithered off the tree trunk as if nothing had happened. It was as though his attack hadn't even scratched it.
"This is insane," he muttered, backing away as the slime lunged at him, narrowly missing his leg. His Health Points were already down by 20%. The interface flashed its warning in red, making him wince.
Warning!! Health Points: 80/100
"Damn it!" He cursed before clicking the interface.
He quickly check his inventory. Nothing stood out---just the essentials: a one emergency flares and a single potion labeled as Power Booster. He hesitated, the description flashing in front of him:
Power Booster
Instantly increases physical strength by 200% for 15 minutes. One-time use.
The slimes encircled him with an eerie synchronization, their glowing cores pulsed in unison, as though communicating silently, and before he could catch his breath, they lunged together.
"Not good!" he shouted, twisting to dodge.
He managed to sidestep two of the slimes, but another struck his shoulder, its acidic touch burning through his tunic.
Warning!! Health Points: 60/100
A sharp hiss escaped his lips as pain flared across his arm. The slimes retreated briefly, reforming their line, their movements eerily coordinated. They were no longer attacking alone---they were working together, adjusting to his every move.
Krad's fists clenched tighter, his knuckles bleeding from the relentless strikes. He glanced at his inventory. "If I use this now, I'll have nothing left for whatever comes next. But if I don't…"
He looked up, the slimes pulsating with a menacing red light as they readied another synchronized attack. He could feel the air growing heavy, the threat palpable.
No choice.
His hand darted into his inventory, pulling out the potion. The vial felt cool against his palm, almost mocking his indecision.
"Alright, let's see what 200% can do." he muttered, pulling the potion from his inventory and downing it in a single gulp.
A surge of heat coursed through his body, spreading from his core to his limbs. His muscles tensed, his veins felt like they were on fire, and his fists began to tremble---not from fear, but from sheer power. He flexed his fingers, marveling at the newfound strength coursing through him.
The slime lunged at him, but this time he didn't dodge. Instead, he pivoted on his heel and drove his fist into its body. The impact was explosive. The slime's gelatinous form rippled violently before bursting apart, its core shattering into a shower of light.
Critical Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 1/10
He grinned. "Not so tough now, huh?"
The other slimes hesitated, their movements becoming more erratic as if sensing the shift in power. But hesitation didn't mean retreat. Two of them charged simultaneously, one from the left and the other from the right.
Krad ducked under one and slammed his fist upward into the second. The slime exploded on impact, its core obliterated.
The first slime twisted mid-air to retaliate, but he caught it with a backhanded strike, sending it crashing to the ground. Before it could recover, he stomped down, crushing its core beneath his heel.
Merciless Hit! Devourer Slimes Defeated: 3/10
The remaining slimes grew more cautious, circling him like predators waiting for an opening. His breaths came heavy, but the power of the potion still burned within him. He took a step forward, fists raised, daring them to come closer.
Another slime darted in, faster than the others. Krad shifted his weight, narrowly dodging its acidic tendril, and countered with a powerful uppercut. The slime was flung skyward, its core shattering before it hit the ground.
Critical Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 4/10
"Four down, six to go," he muttered.
A ding echoed in Krad's ears, his interface glowing as a notification popped up.
System: Dodge Skill Unlocked. Please name your skill to activate its effect.
He barely had a moment to process before another slime lunged at him, its gelatinous form stretching mid-air like a whip. He twisted to the side, dodging by sheer instinct---but this time, something felt different.
The moment he evaded, his vision flickered. A ghostly afterimage of himself shimmered for a fraction of a second before vanishing.
His eyes widened. That wasn't normal.
The system was waiting for his input. If he didn't name the skill, he wouldn't be able to fully use it.
Another slime sprang forward, its acidic tendrils reaching for his face. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, and gritted his teeth.
"I need a name. Something quick. Something---"
The word slammed into his mind just as the next attack came.
"Evade!"
The system flared to life in response.
Dodge Skill Registered: Evade
Effect: When evading an attack, a ghostly afterimage lingers for 0.5 seconds, confusing enemies and increasing dodge speed by 10%.
A rush of energy coiled around his legs, and suddenly---he moved faster.
The next slime struck, but instead of merely dodging, Krad felt something shift. His body blurred, an afterimage of himself flickering behind him, and the slime's tendril swiped through empty air.
The creature recoiled, confused.
He smirked. "Hell yeah."
His confidence surged. The slimes weren't invincible---he was just getting started.
With renewed vigor, he charged forward, then vanished into shadows, leaving the slimes momentarily disoriented. He reappeared behind a cluster of three, his fists glowing faintly with residual energy.
With a single sweeping punch, he shattered two cores, their bodies disintegrating into harmless puddles.
The third slime tried to flee, but he sprinted after it, his enhanced strength allowing him to close the distance in seconds. He delivered a devastating straight punch, the force of the impact cracking the ground beneath them.
Brutal Hit! Devourer Slimes Defeated: 7/10
The final three slimes grouped together, their movements erratic and desperate. Krad's body trembled as the last dregs of the potion's power faded. His fists were heavy, his stamina almost depleted.
But he couldn't give up---not now.
He charged forward, dodging and weaving between their attacks. One slime lashed out, catching him on the shoulder. His health bar dipped dangerously low.
Warning! Health Points: 30/100
Ignoring the pain, he delivered a flurry of punches, each strike precise and unrelenting. The first slime crumbled, then the second. As the final slime lunged at him, he caught it mid-air, slamming it into the ground with all his remaining strength.
Brutal Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 10/10
He collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving as he gulped down air. The clearing was silent now, save for the faint hum of the interface as it displayed his rewards.
Quest Completed!
Devourer Slimes Defeated: 10/10
Rewards: 100 Pesos, 50 XP
He let out a shaky laugh, his fists still tingling from the battle. "That was way harder than it should've been."
His health bar blinked ominously at him.
Warning! Health Points: 10/100
He sighed, forcing himself to his feet. "It looks like I need to heal," he told himself as he scanned the Quest Log and notifications.
He noticed a message saying there was a Healing Skill that was locked. He examined it closely, which contained information:
Healing Skill: (Locked) Unlock at Level 20
"Level 20? That's so far away!" he sighed. "I need to level up if I want to heal quickly. But how can I level up if I have no health left?"
When he opened his interface, another notification appeared before him:
System: Return to Ustina. Buy a Healing Potion from any Potion Shop.
"So that's the name of that futuristic place..." he murmured. "Okay, it looks like I have no other choice."
He wasted no time returning to Ustina, weak and hungry. His body was nearly depleted of energy, and his health points were close to zero.