Escaping from a giant spider isn't as complicated as it sounds.You just have to be faster than it.
Now, that is a bit of a problem—because spiders are fast. Like, pop up in front of you before you even blink fast.
Also, this wasn't just any spider.It was the first giant spider I'd ever seen up close.
My brain went full autopilot—or maybe it was just fear turning everything into a blur.Run. Just run.That was the only coherent thought I could muster.
But running away isn't just sprinting blindly.Running is an art.And I was learning it the hard way.
I could hear my own breathing—loud, sharp gasps slicing through the silence of the cave—as my feet pounded the damp floor in a frantic rhythm.
The feeling of being hunted was unbearable. Every time I looked back, the monster was closer.She was tracking me—her massive, warped shadow gaining ground.
I could hear the sound of her legs scraping against the stone, that awful click-and-drag of motion—loud enough to drown out my own panic.I didn't know how much longer I could keep going.My whole body screamed.
And then—it happened.
I'd never felt it before, but in that moment, something shifted.
My vision sharpened. The sound of the spider—now distant—faded away as my focus tunneled inward.
My blood burned.
| ABILITY UNLOCKED |
| Name: Berserk Instinct
| Type: Passive / Activatable
| Requirements: Race: Half-Orc | HP below 40% |
| Status: UNLOCKED
The ancestral instinct—deep in the blood of half-orcs, a hidden reserve of power, a primal force that only awakens when you're on the brink, when everything else is gone—came alive inside me.
I still felt the pain. The exhaustion.But as the pressure mounted, something inside snapped.
I didn't think.
I acted.
I lost control.
The air thickened. My muscles locked and then surged, and suddenly, I was swept up in a wave of raw, irrational strength. I had no idea what I was doing. But I felt it.
I was stronger. Faster. Meaner. I couldn't stop. It was like the instinct itself took the wheel, driving me forward even as my body screamed for mercy.
Exhaustion twisted into fury, and with every movement, I felt like a beast unleashed—filled with something that wasn't entirely mine… but had always been there.
I ran even faster.The air around me was hot and heavy, my legs trembling but refusing to stop.
I was heading for the surface. That was all that mattered. Get out. Escape the monster.Survive. But the cost? The cost was brutal.
Every step, every surge of strength, tore something apart inside me.
My heart slammed in my chest like it wanted out. My blood roared in my ears. The instinct was keeping me alive—
But it was also tearing me apart from the inside.
I had no idea how much longer I could last.
My body already knew I was pushing past the limit — way past it. But in moments like this, you don't get to choose.
Fear makes you do the impossible. And that's exactly what I did.
I saw a light at the end of the tunnel — literally. I didn't know how much more I could take, but there was no turning back. I didn't look behind me.
I just ran. And finally, I saw it. Daylight. Filtering in through the jagged mouth of the cave. I was almost out.
The last burst of effort was everything. I leapt forward — into the open field — the sunlight smacking me in the face, blinding me for a split second.
But right then, I knew. I had survived.
Whatever that power was — that rage now simmering down to embers — it had carried me through.
But I also knew the bill was coming due.Every breath was a boulder. Every movement felt like I was breaking in half.
I was paying the price for staying alive.
| PENALTIES: |
| Activation Cost: −5 HP (ignores armor/resistance)
| [Exhausted I] – 20% reduction in speed and strength for 10 minutes
| −2 Constitution (temporary, lasts 1 hour)
| Cannot activate again for the next 24h
I didn't really process what had happened until I turned and looked at the cave.
The spider had stopped.Sunlight freaked her out.
Thank the gods for arachnid photophobia. With that, I started walking toward the trees. The light wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and for a moment — just a moment — I felt alive.
Not whole… But alive.
The forest ahead wasn't really a forest — more like a scattered patch of trees pretending to be one. But there was real shade. Real leaves. Real peace.
My legs buckled now and then, but I kept moving. My body protested every step. Blood still trickled from scrapes and cuts down my legs. My muscles screamed.
I had to stop. That's when I heard it. Water.
A soft sound, barely there beneath the rustling of leaves and the shy chirps of birds.A trickle of hope winding between stones.
I dragged myself toward it like a starving man chasing the last plate of food in the world.
And I found it.
A small stream — shallow, but clean. Cold. Alive. I dropped to my knees and plunged my hands into it. The water hit my skin like it wasn't just washing dirt… It was scrubbing away the fear itself. I drank like it was life in liquid form.
Then I splashed it over my face, my wounds, my arms. Let it soak in.
A little further ahead, tucked between the trees, I spotted a bush with small, dark berries.The leaves around it were untouched — no bite marks, no signs of animals.
That was a good sign.
| ITEM ACQUIRED |
[Dark Wildfruit]
→ Small, black fruit found on wild bushes in rarely explored forests. Sweet and refreshing in flavor. Packed with natural minerals, it's often used by hunters and travelers as a quick recovery source.
| EFFECTS |
+10 HP (light, gradual regeneration over 10 minutes)
+15 EP (restores spiritual energy)
Removes [Exhausted I] status if consumed with fresh water
Can be used to brew calming tea or simple elixir (requires basic alchemy)
| NOTES |
Sweet taste with a mild herbal scent
Safe for immediate consumption
Fragile – spoils after 3 days off the bush
They were good.
Sweet. Refreshing.
I ate them slowly, like I was at some gourmet survival banquet.
A few steps away, I found a fallen log covered in moss, surrounded by dry leaves and exposed roots. I sat down, leaned back, and let my body slump against it, head tilted up toward the sky like I was waiting to be abducted.
No monsters. No noises. No judgmental eyes staring at me. Just me. Alone. With my thoughts.
My pickaxe leaned nearby, my body finally not freezing for once thanks to the sun.And I just… stopped.
For a moment, there were no plans. No fear. No pain. Just me.
The survivor.
Wind slipped through the trees like nature's version of white noise, and then — boom — the screen popped back up.
| LEVEL UP |
| LEVEL: 1 → 3 |
| CONGRATULATIONS! |
Well, look who's evolving.
So, in my totally calm and composed post-trauma state, I started messing around with the screen again and stumbled into a menu where I could upgrade my stats. Apparently I had 3 points. Jackpot.
So I spent them like a responsible adult:
| ATTRIBUTES |
Strength: 4 → 5
Dexterity: 5 → 6
Constitution: 6 → 7
Perception: 8
Intelligence: 10
Did I look any different? Nope. Still the same beautiful disaster.
Then another screen appeared — one I hadn't noticed before.
[NEW MENU UNLOCKED: BESTIARY & FIELD NOTES]
My eyes went wide. It was like an invisible book opened in my brain, flipping pages in the dark behind my eyelids.
Page after page of detailed information on everything I'd touched, fought, or even stared at for longer than three seconds.
| Bestiary |Mine Goblin→ Weak creature. Fragile skull. Travels in packs. Total cowards when alone.→ Weakness: surprise attacks, loud noise, fire.→ XP Value: 10
Dark Rock Spider→ Territorial ambusher. Hates sunlight and warmth.→ Weakness: fire, bright light, slashing joints.→ Status: Fled the battle.→ Threat Level: [Moderate+]
| Natural Collection |Dark Wildfruit→ Edible. Restores small amounts of HP and EP.→ Contains enzymes that boost muscle recovery.→ Possible alchemy use: Light Recovery Elixir
Dorm Gas Ore→ Emits sleep-inducing vapor when heated or crushed.→ Dangerous in tight spaces.→ Tactical use: traps, knocking enemies out.
I flipped through a few more mental pages. The interface was intuitive, like "think it and boom, there it is."And that's when I found a tab that actually got my attention:
[Magical Traits & Latent Potential]Repeated observation of magical phenomena activates dormant energy channels in the user.Exposure to arcane manifestations, even passively, generates Ethereal Residue.Once residue reaches minimum thresholds, the system unlocks basic elemental affinities.Potential Affinity Detected: [Ignis – 4%]
I blinked.
The same thing the spider hated. The same thing I didn't have. Yet.
I was starting to get it. This wasn't just some survival system. This was a learning system.
The whole world was a textbook, and every monster, plant, death, and dumb mistake was a lesson.
I could learn. I would learn.And I was going to become the best damn whatever-this-is out there.
"One step at a time to world domination," I muttered out loud, while poking at the menus again.
But I kinda lost track of time. When I finally came back to reality, the forest was way too quiet. The sun had disappeared, and the sky had turned into a black blanket full of glitter.The breeze had teeth now.
And then I saw it.
Far off in the distance, through the trees, a thin column of smoke rose into the night sky — slow, lazy, like it had no deadlines or responsibilities whatsoever.
But I noticed.
Someone had made a fire. Or someone had been set on fire.
Time to find out which. I stood up, grabbed my pickaxe, and followed the smoke.