That uneasy feeling of being watched? Still very much third-wheeling with me.
The branches keep grabbing at my clothes like clingy exes who can’t take a hint. Not saying they’re alive or anything, but if one suddenly reached out and slapped me, I wouldn’t even be surprised.
The leaves whisper above me like they’re talking trash in some creepy tree language, probably placing bets on how fast I’ll croak. And the air? Humid, sticky, gross. Like being wrapped in a sweaty towel you can’t escape.
But I maintain my “gritted-teeth march” forward. Eventually, my nerves stop screaming long enough for my brain to catch up.
The forest gets darker. Shadows shift from spooky to straight-up suspicious. Every corner starts to look like the opening shot of a horror anime.
My heart? Still doing the drum solo from that one metal song everybody pretended to know.
I pause here and there, dragging in deep breaths of that damp, earthy forest smell. Honestly, it reeks of old leaves and disappointment. If Mother Nature’s got a sense of humor, this is her idea of a prank.
Or maybe it’s the System throwing curveballs again. Wouldn’t be the first time.
After shoving through a final curtain of leafy nonsense, the trees start to thin. I stumble into a small clearing like I’ve just escaped an awkward group chat.
Yeah. That kind of relief.
And there it is. Smack in the middle. A huge boulder, covered in moss and radiating “mysterious rock of plot importance” energy.
I climb up, hands slipping a bit on the damp surface, but I make it. Standing tall on my mossy throne, I scan the area.
That’s when I spot it.
A cave.
Half-hidden under a hill, wrapped in vines like it’s trying to keep itself a secret. It has that sketchy but tempting vibe. Like the last slice of pizza that’s been out a little too long but still looks edible.
Beside it flows a stream, the water crystal clear, running like it’s got somewhere to be.
I pause, listening to the soft babble. Weirdly calming. The kind of sound that makes you forget you’ve just fought rabbits to death with pebbles.
I slide down from the boulder and make my way toward the cave, taking my time. The ground is soft underfoot, thick with layers of leaves that muffle my steps. Almost too quiet. Like nature just put its phone on silent.
Ferns and wildflowers line the entrance like this place hired its own landscaping crew. A cool breeze slips out of the cave’s mouth and kisses my skin, which would’ve been relaxing if it didn’t feel like the cave was actually breathing.
I lean in, peering into the darkness.
It smells like wet stone and old secrets. A little musty, yeah, but not in a gross way. More like… mysterious-library-that-might-have-a-ghost kind of way.
Shadows flicker on the walls, dancing with the breeze. Somewhere deep inside, water drips at a slow, steady pace—kind of hypnotic, actually.
This isn’t just a cave. It’s got vibes. Ancient ones. Like it’s been waiting around for centuries just for some idiot like me to stumble in and make bad choices.
Before I commit to the spooky hole in the wall, I crouch by the stream and scoop up some water. Cold and crisp, like it just respawned straight from a vending machine. Every sip feels like my bones are finally unclenching.
Feeling a little less like a crumpled soda can, I turn back to the cave. The vines over the entrance look like they’re trying to hide something. I reach up and pull them aside.
That’s when I see it.
A soft glow flickers inside. Just a spark. A tiny light in the dark.
And that’s when I know.
This is either a save point… or the start of something very, very dumb.
I pause. Just for a sec.
The weird rabbit death squad from earlier flashes through my mind like a cursed slideshow. Those things didn’t just attack; they transformed mid-fight like they were auditioning for some edgy villain team in a cartoon show. I still wasn’t sure if I survived that because of skill or sheer dumb luck.
Probably the second one.
But now isn’t the time for flashbacks.
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“Excuse me,” I call into the cave, staring into the darkness like a total genius. “Anyone home?”
Silence. Cool, eerie, and somehow… comforting?
Yeah, I know. Weird.
But after everything I’ve been through, that silence hits different. It doesn’t scream danger. It feels like the world finally hit pause long enough for me to catch my breath. Like, for once, I’m choosing what comes next instead of just dodging whatever chaos the System throws at me.
So, I step inside.
The cave’s bigger than I expected. Like, actually big. Not the “squeeze through and instantly regret your life choices” kind of tight. More like, “cool, I can stretch without punching a wall” kind of big.
And it smells cleaner than I thought it would. Mossy, sure, but not corpse-y. Always a win.
My footsteps echo as I head deeper in. The sound bounces around like the cave’s low-key welcoming me. It’s creepy, yeah, but the chill kind of creepy. Not the sprint-until-you-blackout kind.
I’m counting that as a win too.
Once I’m pretty sure I’m not about to get surprise-attacked by a cave goblin or whatever, I decide to lock things down a bit. ’Cause hey, paranoia’s just preparation in disguise.
I step back outside and grab a few branches and rocks. Nothing fancy. Just enough to slap together a janky little barricade across the entrance.
It’s not stopping anything serious, but maybe it’ll slow down a curious beast long enough for me to nope out the back.
Assuming there is a back.
Yeah… we’ll deal with that later.
I leave a little gap so I can squeeze through if I need to make a fast escape. You know, just in case things go full horror movie.
Once it’s all set up, I slump against the cave wall and let out a breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding; that deep, end-of-the-day kind of exhale that deflates your whole soul.
The tension in my shoulders starts to melt like butter on hot toast.
Finally.
I summon the STATUS WINDOW with a flick of my hand, and bam, the blue screen appears like a holographic pop-up ad, except it’s one I actually want. My eyes immediately lock onto a new, shiny icon blinking at the top.
ONLINE STORE.
Oh right. Leveling up means loot.
I tap it, and the screen shifts. The glow lights up the cave walls around me like the world’s nerdiest flashlight. Several categories pop up—
ARMOR, CONSUMABLES, WEAPONS…
My eyes zero in on the last one.
Bingo.
I tap WEAPONS and start scrolling. My finger moves on autopilot.
________________________________________
- BLADEMASTER WEAPONS
- MAGE WEAPONS
- MARKSMAN WEAPONS
- TANKER WEAPONS
- SUPPORT WEAPONS
________________________________________
I select the MARKSMAN option, and the screen shifts before my eyes.
________________________________________
Based on your level and subclass, the following weapons are available for your usage:
Hunter Slingshot (50 gold)
________________________________________
I groan while staring at the description.
Seriously? A slingshot?
Despite my reservations, I know it’s still better than hurling rocks like a caveman. With a reluctant tap, I buy the thing. It blinks into existence in my hand, sleek and surprisingly sturdy.
I turn it over, checking the grip and balance like I know what I’m doing.
I trigger my status sight.
________________________________________
Hunter Slingshot:
A modern, high-quality slingshot designed for hunting and outdoor activities. These slingshots are built to provide power, accuracy, and durability, making them suitable for small game hunting and target shooting. To use, pull the pouch, chant the loading phrase, and then release the projectile.
________________________________________
I take a deep breath, line up a shot at the wall before me.
“Sōten Ishi,” I say, steady.
I let it fly.
The rock zips forward with a crisp whoosh and smacks the wall with a satisfyingly loud thud.
… And immediately ricochets right back at my face.
“ACK—!”
I dive sideways, barely dodging a surprise nose job. My brain flashes back to that goblin decking itself. That image? Permanently etched into my memory.
Note to self.
Don’t test the slingshot at point-blank range like a moron.
Grinning like a total idiot, I tell myself I’ll give it a proper test run in the morning. After all, I just leveled up and have four stat points burning a hole in my pocket.
I rub my chin, hovering between STR and DEX. But WIS is tempting too.
My fingers hover over the options like I’m trying to pick between steak and sushi at a buffet. Life or death stats served with a side of indecision.
Then it hits me.
What if I just train the old-fashioned way? No shortcuts. Just grind.
With a nod, I back out of the menu.
Yeah… let me play the long game.
Better to hold onto those points for now. Sometimes, patience pays off.
My stomach growls in protest.
Time to eat.
I pop open TOOLS/ITEMS and pull out one of the rabbits, plus the goblin’s knife.
The moment I start prepping, my hands kick into autopilot, like some survival game tutorial has secretly loaded into my muscle memory. I skin and clean that rabbit like I’ve done it all my life. Zero hesitation. Pure instinct.
The fire I’ve set up earlier with some cheap flint from the ONLINE STORE is crackling nicely now, casting warm shadows across the cave walls. The smell of sizzling rabbit fills the space.
It. Smells. Amazing.
I take a bite and blink. “Whoa. Even though you were horny… your meat tastes incredible.”
Yeah, weird thing to say. No regrets.
The flavor hits hard. I actually find myself appreciating the rabbit’s… contribution. Funny how you can feel thankful for something you’ve just turned into dinner.
Once I’ve picked the bones clean, I make my way to the stream. Kneeling by the gentle flow, I fill up the canteen I bought earlier. The moon is out now, huge and glowing, casting everything in a soft silver-blue.
The water sparkles. The whole forest shimmers like it’s been dusted with glitter. For a second, everything pauses. Still. Quiet. No monsters. No chaos. Just moonlight and water and the soft hum of a world that isn’t trying to kill me. Yet.
Yeah. This cave is it.
Hidden. Close to water. Peaceful.
If this were a game, this would be the part where “You can now fast travel to this location” pops up.
I head back in and flop against the wall, letting out that “end-of-day everything hurts but I survived” kind of breath. My whole body finally realizes it’s been through some nonsense.
Horny rabbits. Reckless goblins. Slingshot physics.
An actual ONLINE STORE.
This world’s insane. But behind all the madness… something feels intentional. Like the System isn’t just chucking chaos at me for laughs. Like there’s a bigger picture hiding somewhere in all the noise.
Fatigue settles over me like a weighted blanket. The cool stone at my back keeps me grounded, and the cave’s silence wraps around me like a cloak.
My eyes start to close.
Right before I slip into sleep, I make myself a promise.
No matter what comes next. No matter how weird it gets. I’m going to survive.
And I’m going to find out the truth behind all this. Even if I have to fight every horny rabbit to get there.