The sky was dark, starless, and the air was filled with the metallic scent of blood. Aki leaned against the wall of the building, his breath ragged. Blood flowed from a wound on his shoulder, while in front of him, a feral demon stared down at him with disdain.
Aki didn't know what exactly had happened. He had only followed his instincts when he heard a woman's scream—a piercing, desperate cry for help.
It made him run without thinking, even though he knew the world he now lived in was incredibly dangerous.
Entering the narrow alley that led to this old building, Aki didn't find a helpless victim. Instead, he was thrown into a life-or-death struggle against a feral demon.
"You're truly an idiot, human," the demon sneered, its glowing red eyes filled with hunger. "You came here just to become my meal."
Aki coughed, tasting blood in his throat. His body was weak, barely able to stand. The pain in his shoulder was excruciating, but more terrifying than anything was the overwhelming fear building inside him. The demon was massive and powerful, and in front of it, he was nothing more than a mere human.
The demon stepped forward, its sharp claws gleaming under the dim light, reflecting a terrifying glow. "I can't wait to taste your flesh," it growled lowly. "You'll become part of my power."
Aki felt his blood drying, his body growing weaker. He was cornered. There was no way out. Time seemed to slow, every second a painful press against his chest.
But in the middle of that despair, a strange voice echoed inside his mind.
[Shadow Monarch System Activated]
[Syncing with Host: Aki... 10%... 50%... 100%]
[Welcome, Player]
Three holographic screens appeared, glowing pale blue, transparent yet so clear.
[STATUS]
• Level: 1
• Job:
• Title:
• HP: 40
• MP: 10
• FATIGUE: 60
• STR: 10
• AGI: 10
• PER: 10
• VIT: 10
• INT: 10
• POINT: -
[QUEST INFO]
• Defeat the Feral Demon
WARNING: Failure to complete the mission will result in appropriate punishment.
[SKILLS]
{Passive Skill}
-
{Active Skill}
-
[INVENTORY]
Aki let out a faint laugh, a raspy sound echoing through the ruined building. The demon frowned, confused at how a dying human could still laugh in its presence.
"What's so funny, human?" the demon growled, its eyes blazing with fury.
Aki stared at the holographic screen in front of him, his eyes locked onto the [QUEST INFO]. The mission was simple—but insane.
"Defeat the feral demon…?" Aki repeated in a low voice, then laughed louder. "This must be a joke. I'm already dying just standing here."
The demon grew even more agitated. "What are you talking about, human? Have you gone mad before I even rip you apart?"
Aki took a deep breath, holding back his laughter, and looked at the demon with eyes filled with despair and a hint of madness. "How am I supposed to win? I don't even have a weapon. I can barely stand. But… if this is a game, then there has to be a way out."
Then the System spoke again in his mind.
[Item Granted: Dagger]
Aki's eyes widened as a spark of blue lightning flashed in the air, forming a simple dagger that dropped into his hand. Though it looked ordinary, it was his last hope.
He gripped the dagger tightly, though his hands trembled. The pain in his shoulder was unbearable, his breath still labored, and his strength nearly gone. Even with a weapon, he knew the odds were grim.
The demon grinned wickedly at Aki's pitiful state. "Look at you. That weapon won't change your fate. You're already dead, human."
Aki gave a bitter smile. "Yeah... maybe you're right."
The feral demon growled, its eyes glowing brighter. In a flash, it lunged at Aki with terrifying speed.
SLAASH!
The air vibrated as its claws tore through.
But just before the attack landed, Aki forced his body to move to the left.
WHOOSH!
With his breath held, he narrowly dodged the deadly strike, losing only a few strands of hair.
Without wasting a moment, Aki tightened his grip on the dagger. He spun his body quickly and drove the blade into the demon's side.
SLAASH!
The dagger pierced the creature's rough skin, unleashing thick black blood that hissed like acid as it touched the ground.
The demon howled in pain. "ARGHHH! YOU LITTLE—!"
With a wild swing, it retaliated.
Aki instinctively raised his arms to block, but the demon's strength was overwhelming.
BOOM!
Aki's body was flung backward, slamming violently into the building wall behind him.
CRASH!
Cracks spread across the old wall from the impact. Pain surged through every part of Aki's body.
"Guh...!" Aki groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The status screen appeared, showing his HP down to 20.
The demon grinned, still wincing from its injury. "Heh, so you can fight back a little, huh, human?" it said, licking its forked tongue over its lips.
Aki struggled to his feet. He clenched the dagger again, even as his hands trembled violently.
'I won't die here… not again…!'
[Active Skill - Dash Unlocked]
[Info: Increases speed by 30%. MP cost: 1]
Aki's eyes widened. 'Dash?'
Without hesitation, he felt energy surge through him.
[Active Skill - Dash Activated]
His body shot forward with blinding speed. In an instant, he was right in front of the demon. The creature didn't even have time to react as Aki raised the dagger high.
With all the strength he had left, he plunged the dagger into the demon's head.
SLAASHH!
The blade pierced through the hard skull, sinking all the way to the hilt. The demon's eyes widened, its mouth opened in a silent scream. Black blood poured from the wound, sizzling as it hit the floor.
The demon staggered back, claws reaching for Aki, but its strength faded quickly. Its body trembled, then collapsed with a heavy thud.
Aki stood, panting, his whole body trembling. He could barely believe he had landed the final blow.
[Quest Complete]
Aki stared at the status screen floating before him, his breath still ragged.
Lowering his dagger, he looked at the demon's lifeless body. Its black blood still pooled on the ground, releasing a foul, acidic stench.
Then a new notification appeared.
[Passive Skill Unlocked: Will To Recovery]
[Info: Regenerates all forms of physical damage, including restoring lost limbs. Cannot heal fatal wounds.]
A warm sensation spread from Aki's core through his muscles and bones. The pain in his shoulder began to fade.
He took a deep breath and glanced toward the corner of the room where his bag lay. He walked over and picked it up.
Before leaving, he looked once more at the demon's body, now crumbling into ash. He clenched his teeth, then turned and walked out of the old building.