Location: Somewhere Horrible in the Tutorial Forest
Time: Too Fast, Not Enough
Mood: Panic. Pain. Possibly Pooping.
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Carl sprinted like his soul was late to its own funeral.
Branches lashed his face, roots tried to trip him, and somewhere behind him, a nightmare with claws and a personal vendetta shredded the earth with every leap.
[Skill 'Sprint - F' leveled up to 'Sprint - E']
[Stamina consumption slightly reduced. Speed slightly increased.]
"Great," Carl wheezed. "Maybe now I can die a little further from where I started."
[Optimism detected. Unusual.]
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
The Mauler's heavy footfalls gained on him, each thud reverberating through the ground. Carl's mind raced, searching for options.
The Crimson Mauler didn't run. It hunted. And it was gaining.
[Warning: Hostile proximity critical.]
[Tip: Turn left in 20 meters or die screaming. Your call.]
Carl yanked left just as something tore past his right shoulder with the force of a wrecking ball. He didn't look. Looking was for people who wanted to die confused.
"System," he gasped, dodging a low branch. "Any advice that doesn't involve crying?"
[Advice: Accept death with dignity. Optional: flailing.]
He shot through a dense thicket and burst into a small clearing—
—right into a group of humanoid lizard freaks, hunched over a dead boar.
They froze.
He froze.
Eight of them. Forest Geks. Rusty leather armor. Jagged spears. Hungry yellow eyes.
[E-Rank Monsters: Forest Gek – Group Encounter Detected.]
[Status: Confused. Irritated. Ready to stab.]
Carl's heart sank. "Oh, come on! Can't a guy catch a break?!" Carl shouted
The Geks chattered among themselves, glancing between Carl and the approaching Mauler's roars. One hissed and pointed its spear at Carl, screeching a battle cry.
"Uhh system… little help?!"
Ding!
[Combat Tip: ]
• Forest Geks are weak but aggressive and rarely travel alone.
• Their jagged spears can cause bleeding if not blocked or dodged.
• Suggestion: Prioritize mobility. Break their formation, isolate stragglers, and use terrain (trees, rocks, slopes) to prevent flanking.
Carl's eyes darted around the clearing. To his left, a low-hanging branch; to his right, uneven terrain with exposed roots.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time to improvise."
As one of the Geks hissed and jabbed a spear, Carl sidestepped, grabbing the low branch and swinging around to deliver a kick to the creature's back, sending it sprawling into two others.
[Unarmed Combat - E]
[Effectiveness increased against lower-ranked opponents.]
The remaining Forest Geks hesitated, giving Carl a moment to assess. The Mauler's snarls grew louder; it would break into the clearing any second.
"Better you than me," Carl said, sprinting toward the gek.
Confused but enraged, the goblins focused on Carl. He weaved through them, ensuring they faced him with their backs to the treeline. As he reached the other side of the group, the Crimson Mauler burst into the clearing, eyes locking onto Carl.
"Come and get me, Feral Boogaloo!" Carl taunted.
The Crimson Mauler exploded into the clearing like a demonic freight train., massive paws shaking the ground.
Time slowed.
Carl did math no one taught in school:
One idiot + Eight Geks + One murder-cat =?
Answer: Bloodbath.
At the last moment, Carl dove to the side, rolling to his feet. The Mauler couldn't halt its momentum and plowed into the cluster of Forest geks .
[Environmental Kill: Forest Geks]
[+500 EXP]
[Environmental Kill: Forest Geks]
[+500 EXP]
The surviving geks shrieked in panic, attacking the Mauler in retaliation. Their weapons barely scratched its crimson hide, but they provided a distraction.
Carl dove behind a tree as chaos erupted.
Clang. Screech. Guts. More Screaming.
The Geks turned on the Mauler. Or maybe they just tried.
Spears stabbed. Teeth snapped.
Carl watched in horror and awe as the Mauler danced through them. Fast. Brutal. Efficient.
One Gek lost an arm. Another got bisected. The rest tried to scatter.
Carl didn't move. He waited.
Waited for the opening.
Waited for—
There. The Mauler lunged, pouncing at the last Gek.
Carl ran.
But not away.
Toward.
He grabbed a fallen Gek spear—rough wood, jagged rusted metal tip, covered in something that was probably lizard blood—and sprinted straight at the Mauler.
[Weapon Acquired: Gek Spear (E-Rank)]
• Durability: Low
• Attack Power: Moderate (with chance to cause Bleed)
• Description: A crudely crafted spear used by Forest Geks. The jagged tip is chipped bone or rusted metal, making it more likely to tear flesh than pierce cleanly. It's unbalanced and poorly maintained, but still deadly in the right hands—especially when aiming for soft targets.
"HEY, UGLY!" he screamed.
The Mauler turned—just as Carl slammed the spear into its exposed side.
[Backstab Bonus!]
[Crimson Mauler – HP: 177/600 → 153→ 122 → 99]
It howled.
Then Carl was airborne—swatted like a fly by a backhand claw. He hit a rock, bounced, and rolled into a bush.
Bones creaked. Something might've snapped.
Carl groaned. "…Ow. Okay. So pain is real. Cool."
[HP: 32/120]
[Fracture Detected. Also, you're very stupid.]
He forced himself up, every nerve on fire.
The Mauler turned, bleeding heavily from the ribs.
It charged.
Carl rolled right, grabbed a second spear, and stabbed upward as it pounced.
The tip caught under the Mauler's jaw—deep, deep—and drove into its throat.
[CRITICAL STRIKE!]
[Fatal Damage Inflicted.]
[Crimson Mauler – HP: 99/600 → 43/600… → 0/600]
[Enemy Defeated: Crimson Mauler – D+ Rank]
[EXP Gained: 1500]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 3 → LEVEL 5]
[+Stat Points Awarded: 6]
The beast collapsed with a final gurgle, twitching once before going still.
Carl stood in the middle of carnage—soaked in blood, panting, blinking through pain and adrenaline.
[+HP & Stamina Fully Restored]
[+New Skill: Improvised Weaponry – F]
Then a warm sensation coursed through Carl's body, wounds closing, pain fading.
"This is really convenient," he muttered, flexing his fingers.
Then he laughed. Just once.
Manic. Triumphant.
"…Holy crap. I killed it."
[Congratulations. You survived. Somehow.]
[Mission Reward]
[Reward: +1 Endurance | +200 EXP |
Title Unlocked: 'Crash Course Survivor' - Slightly less likely to die in stupid ways.]
[Bonus Reward]
[Title Earned: 'Crimson Slayer' - Monsters of equal rank now hesitate before attacking. Sometimes. Maybe.]
[System Note: You're still mostly useless. But now with flair.]
Carl dropped the spear, shoulders sagging as if still exhausted.
Carl exhaled, relief washing over him. He glanced at the remaining Grek, who had fled during the chaos.
"Smart move," he called after them.
Surveying the clearing, he noted the Mauler's massive form and the scattered grek bodies.
Sigh… "Guess I should find Bouncy," Carl mused, stepping back into the forest.
[New Objective:]
• Locate Companion: Bouncy
"Hang on, buddy," Carl whispered. "I'm coming."
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TO BE CONTINUED…