Left to their own vices, Zeph and Hachi reentered the forest, letting their primal instincts guide them.
Hachi, still young and full of boundless curiosity, bounded through the underbrush with an eagerness that never seed to fade. Mischief danced in his every step, his tail wagging as he poked his nose into burrows, leaped onto branches too thin to hold his weight, and chased after creatures too fast for him to catch.
Zeph, by contrast, was disciplined—his experiences in the Expanse had tempered him. Where Hachi ran in without hesitation, Zeph paused, observing before acting. He was cautious, calculating, and watchful, always making sure Hachi’s playful antics didn’t get them into unnecessary trouble.
A rather odd duo indeed—one resembling an older sibling trying to rein in his younger, reckless counterpart before disaster inevitably struck.
They moved through the forest, alternating between exploration and combat, testing their strength against whatever creatures they encountered. At tis, they worked together flawlessly; at others, Hachi’s excitent caused more problems than solutions. But neither of them stopped. The thrill of the unknown kept them moving, searching for anything of value—be it treasure, knowledge, or simply another challenge to overco.
anwhile—
Kei, at this very mont, was frozen in place.
His expression? Wide-eyed. Deadpan. Completely unreadable.
The situation?
His mind hadn’t yet decided how to process what was happening. His body remained still, his gaze locked forward, utterly baffled.
It was the kind of expression one wore when caught in the middle of sothing that, while entirely innocent.
He wasn't sure whether he should be more offended that his privacy had just been obliterated—or more shocked by thewho standing in front of him.
What could be confird, however, was that the people opposite him bore expressions just as confused, just as surprised, if not more so.
Just before this mont, Kei had decided to venture deeper into the forest.
He wanted to better understand his surroundings, learn about the creatures that inhabited this expanse, and see what secrets might be hidden within its dense, untouched wilderness.
Launching himself into the treetops using his Breeze Force, he left Zeph and Hachi behind. They were more than capable of taking care of themselves, and as a precaution, he had given them a small amount of his blood before departing—just enough to satiate their growing hunger for it.
After feeding Zeph and Hachi his blood for so ti now, he had expected only them to gain benefits. But recently, he had started noticing subtle shifts within himself.
His endurance had improved significantly. He could push himself further than before, his stamina lasting longer even after extended combat or training sessions. His body responded faster, healed minor wounds quicker than it should. Even his instincts seed sharper, as if sothing within him was stirring, adapting—evolving alongside them.
Yet, he pushed the thought to the back of his mind for now. There were more imdiate things to focus on.
His Breeze Force stretched outward, threading itself into the air, guiding his awareness through the forest. Every rustling leaf, every hidden movent beca part of his perception. It wasn’t omniscience, but it felt like an extension of his instincts—allowing him to sense before he saw, react before a threat fully erged.
He continued moving, barely disturbing the branches beneath his weight. A silent specter weaving through the trees.
One of Kei’s priorities during his exploration was securing ingredients to craft a healing paste, potion, or salve.
Having used up all his basic healing potions, he was painfully aware that survival in this world would be impossible without a reliable thod of treating injuries.
Each ti the wind picked up on an herb, plant, or anything that resembled a potential reagent, he dropped down from the trees to collect them. He examined their texture, sll, and consistency, committing every detail to mory before storing them away.
This wasn’t his first ti experinting.
After countless spars with Zeph and Hachi, injuries had accumulated—not life-threatening, but enough to slow his training. In those monts, he had already started testing crude mixtures, grinding plants together, boiling extracts, and applying them to wounds.
So worked—alleviating pain, stopping minor bleeding. Others… less so.
Still, each failure was data.
His mind cataloged every ingredient he used, naming them based on their observed effects, tracking combinations that worked and those that were worthless or even harmful.
A yellow, thick-stemd plant reduced swelling.
A dark green moss-like herb stopped minor bleeding but stung like hell.
A red-veined leaf caused dizziness—definitely avoid.
The more he experinted, the clearer the patterns beca.
It was slow progress, but he was building sothing essential.
A foundation for self-sustainability.
His mind continued running calculations as he moved deeper into the forest, his focus divided between the search for more reagents and the humanoid presence he had sensed earlier.
With his Beginner Sword in a broken state and his Jagged Bone Club lost, Kei had to make do with whatever was available.
Sensing a presence closing in from behind, he reached into his inventory, pulling out a sturdy tree branch. Without hesitation, he folded into the currents of the wind, twisting his body as he swung out just as the presence roared and lunged.
CRACK!
His attack landed squarely on the front leg of his attacker, disrupting its balance and giving him the opening he needed.
Before him, the system registered his opponent.
[Black Bear]
[Level: 4]
The beast grunted in frustration, trying to regain its footing, but Kei didn't waste a second. He launched into a flurry of attacks, each movent flowing seamlessly into the next, the branch in his hands functioning like a makeshift staff.
Vibrant orange vein-like patterns flickered across the length of the branch, mirroring the glow of Kei’s own Aether. He focused, channeling Aether Control to reinforce the branch, ensuring it wouldn’t shatter under the impact—a discovery he had refined through countless sparring sessions with Hachi and Zeph.
But the bear wasn't going down without a fight.
Roaring with fury, it regained its footing and launched a relentless counterattack—massive claws swiping toward him, its sheer bulk charging forward with terrifying force.
Kei dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a lethal swipe. Without hesitation, he countered—his body moving instinctively.
A roundhouse kick snapped into the bear’s temple, montarily disorienting it.
Taking advantage of its staggered state, Kei pressed forward—his staff striking in rapid succession, each blow landing with pinpoint precision. He mixed in martial arts techniques, targeting weak points, his attacks becoming a ruthless, fluid combination of speed, power, and efficiency.
The final strike connected with a heavy thud, and the Black Bear collapsed with a final grunt, its massive body crashing against the forest floor.
Kei exhaled, shaking off the tension.
Even without a weapon, even without the power of high-tier Force techniques, he was still capable.
Kei crouched down, inspecting the drops.
"Not bad. Hide for armor, bones for weapons, claws for reinforcent... and this thing—" he held up the Aether-Infused Gallbladder, inspecting the strange greenish-blue liquid swirling inside.
"This could be useful."
Adding the items to his inventory, he dusted himself off and looked around.
One fight down.
Many more indeed.
Kei’s exploration led him deeper into the forest, uncovering all sorts of reagents—plants, roots, and rare herbs—that could be used to create healing potions and salves. Each discovery was a step toward self-sufficiency, ensuring that the next ti he was injured, he wouldn’t have to rely on luck or scavenged potions.
Of course, his journey wasn’t without resistance. The creatures of the Expanse were relentless, and battle after battle followed. He clashed with Chitter Monkeys, Boar Hounds, and even Goblins, but the snakes were the trickiest of them all. Agile, silent, and often venomous, they tested his reflexes and instincts more than anything else.
His Advanced Projectile Mastery shined through in these encounters. At first, he relied on simple pebbles, but after collecting the beast bones from the creatures he defeated earlier, he realized how much sharper, deadlier, and more effective they were as projectiles. Bone shards not only pierced deeper but also held Aether more efficiently, allowing him to infuse them with more force and precision.
Snakes, in particular, proved valuable. After every battle, he carefully harvested their fangs, realizing the potential of venom-infused projectiles. A single well-placed throw could deliver a toxic strike, weakening enemies before they even reached him.
It beca a routine—defeat, harvest, sharpen, prepare.
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Although he felt sowhat guilty for harvesting their lives, Kei made it a habit to press his hands together and offer a silent prayer for each creature he felled—thanking them for the experience they provided. It was a simple ritual, a mont of gratitude in a world where survival demanded brutality.
That didn’t stop him from mumbling a few curses under his breath, though—especially when his gear drops were nonexistent. His sweatshirt was all but shredded, his pants barely holding together, leaving only his Tattered Cloth Hood [Uncommon] as his sole remaining piece of proper clothing.
"Seriously, not even a spare shirt?" he muttered, flicking away a pebble in frustration. "At this rate, I’ll be running around half-naked."
Taking a break near a shallow body of water, he cupped his hands and drank, letting the cool liquid soothe his parched throat.
After a deep exhale, he pulled up his status screen, eyes scanning over his progress.
[Status Screen]
[Na]: Kei Yuichi
[Title]: He Who Denies Fate | Hidden Title (Yet to be accepted)
[Class]: Locked
[Force Alignnt]: Breeze
[Level]: 0
[HP]: 40/40
[Aether]: 80/80
[Attributes]
Strength: 17Dexterity: 16Agility: 18Constitution: 15Intelligence: 20Will: 20Charisma: 20
[Remaining Stat Points]: 0 3 (rewarded for gaining a hidden title)
[Force Progression]: 50%
[Skills]
[Skill Na]: Advanced Projectile Mastery
[Description]:
Through extensive experience and refined control, you have developed an advanced understanding of thrown weapons. By integratingAether, you can manipulate projectile speed, trajectory, and impact force, adapting seamlessly to environntal factors and exploiting enemy weaknesses.
[Effects]:
10% base accuracy when throwing small and dium-sized projectiles.Trajectory Manipulation: Allows subtle mid-air adjustnts, enabling curved throws and precision ricochets.Wind Adaptation: Automatically compensates for air resistance, gravity, and environntal interference.Ricochet Awareness: Predicts impact angles to bounce projectiles off surfaces for indirect attacks.Aether Infusion: Projectiles gain increased damage and speed proportional to the Aether infused, enhancing penetration, impact force, and potential secondary effects.
[Additional Notes]:
The strength of Aether Infusion directly influences projectile properties, increasing impact force, speed, and kinetic energy.Force-based projectiles can develop minor homing properties and increased kinetic damage with refined control.Overuse of Aether may lead to rapid depletion, requiring careful resource managent.Further upgrades may unlock additional traits, such as multi-target tracking, piercing effects, or explosive properties.
Skill Na: [Aether Control]
Description: You have learned to harness and control the lifeblood of reality. Aether bends to your will and responds to your command.
[Hidden]
Potential Multiplier: Unable to calculate at this mont.
[Skill Na]: Phantom Breeze]
Description: By embracing the nature of Breeze Force, the user moves in a way that is neither hidden nor overt—simply overlooked. This technique allows the user to blend into the environnt effortlessly, making their presence as unremarkable as the passing wind. Unlike invisibility, this does not mask the body but instead influences perception, making others instinctively disregard their presence unless directly focusing on them.
Effects:
Passive suppression of presence while moving.Decreases the likelihood of detection by creatures and individuals unless actively searched for.Enhances footwork, making movents fluid and silent.Pairs exceptionally well with agility-based techniques and evasive maneuvers.
Additional Notes:
The effect becos stronger the more naturally the user moves. Forced or aggressive actions break the illusion.Those with heightened perception or strong willpower may resist the effect.Can be further refined through increased understanding of Breeze Force.
[Equipnt]
Beginner Sword [Uncommon] (Broken, unusable)Tattered Cloth Hood [Uncommon] (The only thing holding his dignity together)
With all the fights, training, and experintation with Aether-infused weapons, his stats had grown naturally, reinforcing his belief that leveling up wasn’t his path to strength.
Instead, he had found a way to push past the system’s constraints, choosing to grow through raw effort and refinent rather than relying on artificial stat increases.
Oddly enough, this world allowed for a choice when it ca to leveling up.
Every participant had control over their experience points—they could allocate them to level up, increasing their raw stats in an instant, or spend them to refine and enhance their skill proficiencies instead.
For most people, leveling up was the obvious choice—it provided an instant boost to survivability, increasing their base stats across the board. But for Kei?
He hadn’t used a single experience point yet.
He had been hoarding all of it, letting his body grow through natural progression, physical training, and direct combat experience. His skills advanced through practice, his stats increased on their own, and his Force Affinity deepened the more he experinted with Breeze Force.
So far, it had worked.
But Kei knew that sooner or later, he’d have to make a decision.
Would he continue walking this unorthodox path?
Or would there co a mont when he’d finally cash in all that stored experience
Doing a few stretches, Kei took another sip of water before pressing deeper into the forest.
His movents were fluid, silent, his Breeze Force making it effortless to navigate the uneven terrain. He wasn't moving aimlessly—he wanted to learn more about the world, and if he happened to stumble upon sothing useful, all the better.
Before long, he ca across a herd of creatures grazing lazily in a clearing. They were large, thick-bodied, their fur an off-white, almost pearlescent color that shimred faintly in the dim light. Their faces were long and narrow, goat-like, but their horns curled inwards, more like a ram’s. Their hooves were split into three sections, allowing them to traverse rough terrain with ease.
Fellhorn Sheep.
Highly adaptable herd animals known for their dense, reinforced wool, which could act as natural armor against predators. But what made them particularly valuable was the high Aether density in their horns, making them a sought-after resource for crafting weapons or staves.
His stomach let out a soft grumble.
It had been a while since he last ate.
He exhaled slowly, reinforcing his hands and feet with Aether, then launched himself forward—silent, efficient, and ready to secure his next al.
It had been an arduous fight—far more troubleso than he had expected.
The Fellhorn Sheep’s dense wool acted as a natural layer of armor, making his attacks land with frustratingly reduced impact. And their horns—those damned curved weapons—had been particularly nasty, leaving deep bruises and forcing him to apply his latest healing paste, which helped reduce swelling and stem bleeding just enough to keep him moving.
But in the end, he secured victory.
And secured a prize in the process.
Lifting the weapon he had looted from the fight, he examined it with growing satisfaction. A Level 5 Uncommon sword—the guard shaped like the curved horns of a Fellhorn Sheep. The blade itself was sleek yet weighted, made from a material denser than steel, likely reinforced by the Aether-infused bone of the very creatures he had fought.
“Nice.”
After butchering the sheep for at, a skill he had been forced to refine over ti, he quickly seasoned and cooked his al. The fire crackled, filling the air with the rich, savory scent of roasting at.
Just as he was about to settle in and enjoy his hard-earned al, sothing caught his eye.
A Fellhorn Sheep—but not like the others.
Its wool was onyx black, almost absorbing the light around it. But its horns—pure white, polished like marble, faintly shimring as if carrying an inner radiance.
Kei's eyes widened in an instant.
“A SHINNNNNYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!”
The sheer glee that surged through him was indescribable.
Without a single thought, he slashed his wrist, letting a thin trail of crimson drip down his palm.
Then—
He barreled forward like a lunatic, grabbing the confused onyx black-wool Fellhorn Sheep, and shoved his bleeding wrist straight into its mouth.
The poor creature’s eyes shot open in shock, its entire body tensing as it let out a confused, mournful bleat—
"BAAAAAAA!?"
It tried to resist—tried to wriggle away from the sudden violation of personal space—but the mont Kei’s blood hit its tongue, its body shuddered violently.
The resistance died instantly.
Its pupils dilated, its legs wobbled, and its bleats turned from cries of protest to sothing far more… eager.
It greedily drank.
Kei, still grinning like a madman, watched in pure, unfiltered joy.
“Yesssssssss.”
Patting the now blissfully dazed Fellhorn Sheep on the head, he stroked its thick wool affectionately.
“Good sheep. Good, good sheep.”
If the effects were anything like what had happened with Hachi and Zeph, then—
He could barely contain his excitent.
As the Fellhorn Sheep collapsed onto the grass, now fully drunk on Aether-rich blood, Kei turned back to his al, finished eating, and continued forward, whistling in satisfaction.
Then, for the first ti, he saw one.
A distortion in the air.
It shimred—barely noticeable at first—but as he focused his senses, he could see it more clearly. The way the space twisted, rippled—it was unnatural.
His heart pounded.
A Dungeon Gate.
[System Notice: You have discovered a grade F Dungeon Gate.]
[Dungeons are self-contained realms filled with structured challenges, enemy forces, and valuable rewards.]
[Recomnded Entry Level: 5 ]
[Recomnded Party Size: 5 Participants]
[Danger Level: Moderate]
Staring at the distortion, Kei narrowed his eyes as he read the system prompts.
Staring at the distortion, Kei narrowed his eyes as he read the system prompts.
"So this is real too?" he muttered, rubbing his chin.
He took a step closer, his Breeze Force rippling subtly around him as he let his presence fade. Phantom Breeze engaged naturally, making him blend into the environnt as if he were never there.
Despite his curiosity, he didn’t imdiately rush in. Instead, he observed. He had no prior knowledge of how Dungeons functioned, and he wasn’t about to charge in blindly.
"Should I wait? Test it sohow?"
Deep in thought, he remained completely still, blending into the wind as he analyzed the distortion.
Then—
He exhaled sharply.
A more imdiate need made itself known.
“…Right. First things first.”
With no threats nearby, he turned away from the Dungeon entrance, stepping a few paces off to the side.
Unzipping his pants, he let out a relieved sigh, focusing all his attention back on the swirling distortion. The subtle pull of energy, the warping of space—it was fascinating.
Completely absorbed in the mont, he didn’t notice the soft rustling of leaves or the approaching footsteps crunching against the forest floor.
"Are you sure it was around here?" a voice murmured in the distance.
"Yeah," another answered, a little closer now. "I saw the Dungeon in this area. Level 5, moderate difficulty."
Kei, utterly unaware, continued his business.
"Sam said to go ahead. He’ll et us at the Dungeon. Let’s check the entrance first and make sure everything’s ready."
The voices grew nearer.
Kei finished, sighing in satisfaction before adjusting his clothes, he took a step toward the Dungeon, ready to take his first look inside.
The four adventurers, standing just a few ters away, did the sa.
Neither party noticed the other.
Completely unaware of Kei’s presence, the four adventurers approached the distortion, their focus entirely on the dungeon ahead.
Then—the unexpected happened.
The mont they stepped within range, the distortion flared to life.
A pulse of energy erupted outward, locking onto them as the system ssage appeared.
[Dungeon Activation Detected.]
[Recomnded Party Size: 5 Participants.]
[Sufficient participants detected. Dungeon initializing…]
Their eyes widened in horror.
“Wait—what?!”
“There’s only four of us—!”
Before they could react, the swirling distortion expanded and dragged them all inside.
Kei, who had been quietly standing near the dungeon, minding his own business and deep in thought, suddenly felt an invisible force yank him forward.
"Wai—"
The world twisted.
The forest vanished.
An instant later, Kei stumbled forward, feet barely catching himself. His body locked in place as he took in his new surroundings.
A rolling adow of tall grass stretched endlessly under a sky that was an unnatural shade of blue. The air felt strangely thick, carrying a faint hum of sothing unseen.
Behind him, four other figures hit the ground with varying levels of grace—two landing in crouches, one falling to their knees, the last rolling haphazardly before scrambling upright.
They barely had ti to process their surroundings before their attention snapped forward—to the lone figure standing a few feet away.
Kei.
Wide-eyed. Deadpan. Expression unreadable.
His face held the exact look of soone who had been doing absolutely nothing wrong and had still sohow ended up in a situation beyond comprehension.
The four stared at him.
He stared back.
No one spoke.
One of them slowly leaned toward another and whispered,
“…Who the hell is that?”
Kei blinked once. His lips parted as if to say sothing.
Then closed.
His eye twitched.
"…Huh."
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