Kael woke to the sound of his own ragged breathing. The morning sun filtered through a dense canopy of twisted trees, their leaves shimmering like emeralds in a way that felt… unnatural. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the fog of confusion clouding his mind. The last thing he remembered was… nothing. A void. Then this—this forest, and the strange hum in the air, almost like electricity.

  A glowing panel appeared in front of him, hovering mid-air like a spirit of light. Symbols shifted and rearranged themselves, forming a clear interface:

  [System Activated]

  Name: Kael

  Level: 1

  Class: Unknown

  Health: 100/100

  Mana: 50/50

  Strength: 5

  Agility: 5

  Intelligence: 5

  Skills: None

  “What… what is this?” Kael whispered, stepping back. The panel didn’t fade, didn’t blink. It just… existed. And beneath the stats, a line of text appeared:

  Quest: Survive.

  Reward: Experience.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Before he could react, a low growl echoed through the trees. Kael froze. From the underbrush, a creature emerged—small, goblin-like, its eyes glowing red and teeth sharp as knives. It hissed and lunged.

  Kael’s instincts screamed. He ducked and swung a fallen branch like a club. The creature recoiled, then attacked again. Every strike he landed caused the floating panel to update automatically:

  Goblin takes 3 damage.

  Kael gains 10 XP.

  Goblin HP: 7/10

  The words felt surreal, yet undeniable. He swung again, each movement strangely natural, as though his body remembered things his mind did not. With a final crack of the branch, the goblin collapsed, twitching. The panel flashed:

  Level Up!

  Level: 2

  Health: 110/110

  Strength: 6

  Agility: 6

  Intelligence: 5

  Kael dropped the branch, staring at his hands. “This… this is real. I can feel it. But… what am I doing here?”

  A rustle nearby pulled him from his thoughts. Another goblin—a larger one, with crude armor and a jagged dagger—stepped forward. Kael’s heart pounded. He had no idea what awaited him in this forest, but one thing was clear: he had to fight to survive.

  The system blinked again:

  New Skill Unlocked: Basic Attack

  Use it wisely.

  Kael raised his fists, feeling a surge of determination. The forest around him, alive and humming, seemed to lean in closer. This was not just a game. This was life. And if he wanted to survive, he would need more than luck—he would need to grow stronger, fast.

  The goblin charged, and Kael met it head-on.