Axe's breathing misted in the frozen air as he looked down at the twitching body of the beast. Blood misted and bled into the snow-colored ground, and the clearing fell into an unnatural quiet. His heart raced inside his ears—half fear, half thrill.
He had won.
Ding!
You killed [Frostfang Boar – Level 6].
+310 EXP
Skill Proficiency increased: [Combat Instincts Lv.1] → [Combat Instincts Lv.2]
Skill Unlocked: [Basic Weapon Mastery Lv.1]
Do you want to extract a trait?
"Yes," Axe whispered.
There was a shimmer of light along the boar's body, and there was a silent shiver creeping up Axe's spine. The animal's power poured toward him like smoke into his chest.
Trait extracted: [Tough Hide – Lv.1]
Effect: +5% Physical Resistance
Axe clenched his fist. "It works."
The cold was freezing his fingers, yet the victory had lit a fire in his blood. This wasn't a matter of survival anymore—it was opportunity now.
He glanced at the rough wooden spear he had used. Stitched together by a thread, smeared with blood, and cracked at the tip. It couldn't last much longer.
He searched the body and ground, creating a makeshift knife from a broken fang. With precision, he skinned the beast, preserving meat and hide. His movements were slow but deliberate, driven by a clarity that had not been present when he first awoke here.
Wrapping the meat in hide and securing it on his back, the system flashed again.
Quest Unlocked: "Shelter in the Storm"
Objective: Build a shelter by nightfall. Optional: Reinforce with monster hide.
Time Limit: 2 hours
Reward: +100 EXP, +1 Endurance, +1 Willpower
Axe blinked at the timer that had suddenly materialized in the corner of his eye.
"Two hours, huh?" He muttered. "Might as well hurry up, then."
He approached the row of trees, looking for snapped branches and dry bark. Time was a factor.