Lin Yuan collapsed beside the dead demon wolf, sweat dripping from his chin. He stared at his trembling hands, unable to believe what had just happened.
"I actually... killed a wolf?"
[Ding—Detected collectible materials. Initiate decomposition?]
The system's prompt snapped Lin Yuan back to reality. He swallowed hard and looked at the wolf carcass: "Decompose."
A faint light flashed, and the wolf's body disappeared, replaced by several items floating in the air:
[Obtained Wolf Meat×3]
[Obtained Wolf Pelt×1]
[Obtained Low-grade Magic Core×1]
Lin Yuan touched the items, which immediately turned into streams of light and entered his system storage. He curiously checked their descriptions:
[Wolf Meat: Edible, restores a small amount of stamina]
[Wolf Pelt: Low-grade material, usable for crafting or trading]
[Low-grade Magic Core: Contains faint magic power, usable for enhancement or synthesis]
"Interesting..." Lin Yuan's lips curled slightly. He noticed his status bar had changed:
[Lin Yuan Lv2 (15/200)]
HP: 120/120 → 150/150
MP: 50/50 → 70/70
Strength: 7 → 9
Agility: 6 → 7
Constitution: 6 → 8
Attribute Points: 1
Skill Points: 1
"Leveling up really makes you stronger!" Lin Yuan excitedly clenched his fist. Without hesitation, he allocated his free attribute point to Strength, bringing it to 10.
[Strength reached 10, unlocked passive skill "Basic Strength Enhancement": Slightly increases physical attack power]
A warm current flowed through his body as Lin Yuan felt his muscles become more solid and powerful. Picking up the basic longsword, he found it much easier to wield than before.
"Where should I put this skill point..." Lin Yuan opened his skill panel:
[Basic Swordsmanship Lv2 (0/200): Improves proficiency with sword-type weapons]
[Basic Block Lv0 (Can be learned): Increases blocking success rate]
[Sprint Lv0 (Can be learned): Temporarily increases movement speed]
After some thought, Lin Yuan decided to learn the "Sprint" skill. In an unfamiliar environment, mobility might be more important than offense.
[Learned "Sprint Lv1": Consumes 10 MP, increases movement speed by 20% for 10 seconds, cooldown 1 minute]
Just as Lin Yuan was getting familiar with his new skill, a series of low growls came from the distance. He froze and turned toward the sound—deep in the forest.
"No way... more of them?"
The system promptly issued a warning:
[Warning: Multiple demon wolves detected approaching. Recommend immediate evacuation]
Lin Yuan didn't hesitate. He grabbed his sword and ran in the opposite direction. Activating his "Sprint" skill, he immediately felt his legs become lighter, his running speed noticeably increasing.
"This feels... amazing!"
Passing through a thicket, Lin Yuan spotted a large tree with low-hanging branches. Seizing the opportunity, he used his sprinting momentum to jump high and climb up.
No sooner had he settled on a branch than three demon wolves appeared beneath the tree, circling the trunk and growling threateningly.
"Whew... safe for now." Lin Yuan sighed in relief and began observing his surroundings.
From this height, the forest stretched into the distance, with what appeared to be smoke rising to the northwest. Lin Yuan squinted: "That might be a village..."
Suddenly, the system issued an urgent alert:
[Danger! High-level magical beast approaching!]
Before Lin Yuan could react, an earth-shaking roar echoed through the forest. The wolves beneath the tree immediately tucked their tails and fled as if encountering a natural predator.
The ground began trembling slightly. To his horror, Lin Yuan saw trees being violently pushed aside in the distance—something massive was approaching.
It was a three-meter-tall bear covered in rock-like armor, its eyes glowing blood-red. The system displayed:
[Rock-Armored Demon Bear Lv5 (Elite)]
HP: 800/800
Attack: 45-60
Skills: Earth Tremor, Stone Armor
Traits: High Defense, Earth Affinity
"How... how am I supposed to fight that?" Lin Yuan's palms sweated as he gripped the branch tightly. The demon bear seemed to have caught his scent and was heading straight for his tree.
At the critical moment, a silver streak shot from the side, accurately piercing the bear's eye!
"Roar—!" The injured bear turned toward the attack's source.
Lin Yuan followed the direction and saw a woman in leather armor standing not far away, holding a longbow with a quiver on her back. She had short, practical hair and eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
[Eileen Lv4 (Hunter)]
HP: ???
Attack: ???
Skills: ???
"Hey! You in the tree!" the woman shouted at Lin Yuan. "Run if you want to live! I'll handle this!"
Lin Yuan snapped out of his daze and quickly slid down the tree. The moment his feet touched the ground, the demon bear unleashed its skill—massive paws slammed the earth, causing violent tremors!
[Affected by "Earth Tremor": Movement speed reduced by 30% for 10 seconds]
"Dammit!" Lin Yuan felt like his legs were filled with lead. As the demon bear charged, the huntress fired another arrow, this time wreathed in green light.
[Wind Arrow]!
The arrow struck the bear's other eye, dealing critical damage! Enraged, the beast abandoned Lin Yuan and turned toward the huntress.
"Go! Follow the stream north to Breeze Village!" the woman shouted while retreating, drawing a short knife from her waist.
Lin Yuan hesitated briefly, but reason told him staying would only be a liability. Gritting his teeth, he turned and staggered toward the stream...
After running about five hundred meters, the slowing effect wore off, and Lin Yuan's speed returned to normal. Looking back, the sounds of fierce combat and the bear's roars still came from deep in the forest.
"She should be okay..." Lin Yuan worried, but finding the village was his priority now.
Following the stream, Lin Yuan noticed the water widening and the vegetation thinning. About half an hour later, he spotted cultivated fields—human habitation couldn't be far!
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lin Yuan finally reached his destination: a small village surrounded by wooden palisades. A sign at the entrance read "Breeze Village."
"Finally..." Lin Yuan exhaled deeply and trudged toward the gate.
Two guards with spears blocked his path: "Halt! Stranger, state your business."
Before Lin Yuan could explain, a familiar voice came from behind: "He's with me. Let him through."
Turning, he saw the huntress approaching, bearing several wounds but looking otherwise spirited. She carried a bag leaking dark red liquid.
The guards immediately saluted respectfully: "Captain Eileen! You're back."
Eileen nodded and gestured to Lin Yuan: "Come with me. You need rest and treatment."
Lin Yuan followed gratefully: "That demon bear..."
"Taken care of." Eileen said casually, "But you've got nerve wandering alone in the Darkedge Forest outskirts."
"I... got lost." Lin Yuan fabricated an excuse.
Eileen seemed skeptical but didn't press further: "My house first. You look like you'll fall apart any second."
Entering the village, Lin Yuan observed curiously. Breeze Village was larger than he expected, with several dozen households centered around a small square where children played. Villagers eyed the stranger curiously, but Eileen's presence prevented questions.
Eileen's home was a two-story wooden house decorated with animal pelts and herbs. She pushed open the door: "Inside. I'll treat your wounds."
Only then did Lin Yuan notice the numerous scrapes and claw marks on his arms and legs from the battle and escape.
The interior was simple but tidy, with weapons and hunting trophies adorning the walls. Eileen motioned for him to sit and retrieved a medical kit.
"Take off your clothes." She ordered.
Lin Yuan flushed slightly but complied. Eileen expertly cleaned his wounds and applied ointment. The moment the medicine touched his injuries, Lin Yuan hissed—it burned fiercely.
"Bear with it. This medicine works well." Eileen said without looking up.
[Receiving treatment: HP gradually recovering...]
The system notification reassured Lin Yuan slightly. He studied Eileen discreetly, noting she looked younger than he'd thought—early twenties—but her eyes held maturity and resolve beyond her years.
"Thank you for saving me." Lin Yuan said sincerely.
Eileen paused and met his gaze: "Now, the truth—who are you? Where from? Why in Darkedge Forest?"
Lin Yuan swallowed, mind racing. He couldn't reveal his transmigration or system, but outright lies were dangerous.
"I'm Lin Yuan, from... very far away. Hard to explain exactly." He chose his words carefully, "I was attacked during travels, woke up in the forest."
Eileen narrowed her eyes, assessing his truthfulness. Finally, she nodded: "Fine, I'll buy that for now. But you'll need to see the village elder—he's wary of outsiders."
Lin Yuan relaxed slightly: "Of course, I'm happy to explain."
Eileen finished bandaging his last wound and headed to the kitchen: "Hungry? I'll make food. You can rest upstairs—I'll call you for dinner."
Thanking her, Lin Yuan went upstairs to a simple but clean room. Collapsing on the bed, he finally relaxed completely.
Pulling up his system interface, Lin Yuan reviewed today's gains:
[Level: Lv2 (15/200)]
[Items: Wolf Meat×3, Wolf Pelt×1, Low-grade Magic Core×1, Basic Longsword×1]
[Skills: Sprint Lv1]
[Money: 0]
"Need to earn money and keep leveling..." Lin Yuan pondered. This village seemed a good starting point to learn about this world.
Outside, the sunset painted the sky orange-red. Gazing at the unfamiliar scenery, Lin Yuan felt both excitement and apprehension. He sensed this transmigration would completely alter his life...
"Lin Yuan! Dinner!" Eileen's voice carried upstairs.
Lin Yuan shelved his thoughts and went downstairs. He didn't know what awaited him, but one thing was certain—in this world of magic and monsters, he must grow stronger.
And this was only the beginning.