When I rose from the couch, my body felt heavy as a corpse, every muscle and bone as if filled with lead. My arms dangled like rags hung on a line; my legs trembled with each step, threatening to collapse. I wanted to do nothing—not stand, not think, not even breathe. My mind was buried in the cave's darkness, the revolting, wet sound of the pulp on my shoulder, MK-2's fire twisting my body, still echoing in my ears. Do I have the right? I asked myself, a voice within, faint but persistent. My father was toiling at work, fighting with sweat and grit. He'd recently gotten a promotion, and I recalled the faint pride in his eyes—as if he'd rediscovered a long-forgotten feeling. Our situation had eased slightly, but my mother's hospital bills, that $30,000 nightmare, loomed like a mountain. Is it enough? I wasn't sure. Maybe it would never be enough. I was human, made of flesh and bone, shaped by fear and pain. The cave's agony…
But I couldn't stop. I have to do this, I said inwardly, my voice alien even to me. If I must, I'll die. If my existence meant nothing—if it didn't touch my mother's breath, Yuki's smile, my father's hope—why was I even alive? I'd vanish like a ghost, leaving no trace, fading like a shadow. But that shadow hadn't given up yet. I staggered toward the dining table, each step a battle. The table was fuller than usual, as if a feast had been prepared. I wouldn't be going to school for a while—exams were over, and I'd use every last absence I had. My mind was detached from classes, grades, the future; only the game, that cursed cave, and the gray-white wolf's eyes remained.
In the center of the table was a note in Yuki's handwriting, its edges slightly curled, the ink trembling: "Bro, I don't know what's going on, but I hope you're okay. I made this food for you—if you don't eat, we're done. Your sister, Yuki." The note sparked warmth in my chest but also stabbed like a knife. I shouldn't make her go through this, I thought, but I had no choice. On the table, eight eggs gleamed with golden yolks; a stack of crepes beckoned with the scent of butter and honey; cheeses, peppers, and olives formed a colorful mosaic. Normally, so much food would turn my stomach, but my body had wasted away lately—my legs thinned, my arms like brittle twigs. Hunger gnawed at me like a beast, and in that moment, I just wanted to eat, to forget everything.
I attacked the breakfast like I'd been starving for a lifetime. The first egg hit my mouth, its yolk bursting on my tongue, warm, creamy, salty. I tore into the crepes, honey's sweetness clinging to my teeth, butter's rich aroma filling my throat. I bit into the cheese, its sharp tang sliding down; the olives, salty and sour, danced in my mouth. The peppers' spice burned my lips, but I didn't stop. Each bite briefly erased the cave's darkness, the pulp's vile weight on my shoulder. I ate, ate, ate, as if food could make me human again. My stomach swelled like a drum, my shirt stretched, but I felt no discomfort—my body craved these calories, this life. When I dropped the fork, I was breathless, the taste of honey and cheese lingering, but my mind was still stuck on that question: Can I keep doing this? Pain shadowed me, and each bite had only held it at bay for a moment.
I didn't check my phone. Lately, no one texted or called—Yuan, Bai, Nero, all lost in their own paths. Their world didn't intersect with my nightmare. I shuffled to my room, exhaustion seeping into my bones with every step. My bed still hadn't dried, left on the balcony under the sun, the stench of sweat lingering in the air. But Yuki, as if reading my mind, had laid out a small futon on the floor—an old, patterned quilt, a pillow, a relic of our childhood. Memories… I thought, a pang in my chest. Yuki's small gesture softened the fear within me for a moment, but the cave's ghosts lingered, the phantom weight of the pulp on my shoulder, the sword's cut in my palm.
I picked up the headset, its surface rough with dried sweat from yesterday, as if the device had absorbed my nightmare. My stomach churned, but I didn't back down. I wiped it with a cleaning cloth, scrubbing away the traces of sweat and fear, then polished it with a microfiber cloth, feeling the cold metal again. I have to do this, I said.
Darkness swallowed me as I entered the game, the headset's cold metal scent filling my nose as the real world dissolved like a misty veil. When I opened my eyes, Galactic Game Online's rocky, volcanic terrain stretched before me—exactly where I'd left off, at the cave's mouth, under a gray sky. But my body… was different. The pulp on my shoulder, that vile heap of flesh and bone, was gone, replaced by wrinkled, reddish scar tissue. My right arm was like a volcano's lava-carved surface—rough, notched, each scar a memory of battle. I breathed, my lungs clean, strong, as if reborn. The cave's dust, the metallic taste of blood, all faded like a dream, but the scars were silent witnesses to my nightmare. At that moment, a notification flashed in the corner of my vision, the system's cold, mechanical voice filling my mind:
[Level Up] x14
[Congratulations, User! You Have Unlocked the Titles Function!] [New Title Acquired: Bloodforged] "Your health hit rock bottom 98 times in one hour. You must be made of stone, buddy." Attributes: Muscle memory skill acquisition speed increased by 70%. Leadership charisma increased by 15%. 100% immunity to bleeding damage.
My jaw dropped, my breath caught. Bloodforged. The title was a medal, but also a curse—a reward for that pain, that desperation, the pool of blood in the cave. My trembling fingers equipped the title, and instantly, a surge of air hit my body, as if a storm passed through me. My muscles came alive, my blood roared like a waterfall in my veins, my mind cleared. I was renewed, reborn, but my scars still whispered: What price did you pay for this, Haoyu? But the level-up detail didn't escape me. I was finally ahead of everyone in my class. But it wasn't enough—I needed to get stronger, to make money.
A spark of pride ignited in my chest. The system didn't stop, filling my vision with another notification:
[Quest Completed: Hunt Wolves (20)] x328
[Hidden Quest Completed: Wolf Den] "The waves of wolves were relentless. But then a strange enemy mowed them all down. The people weren't thrilled. Resources were for everyone, right? You claimed them all and killed every wolf."
Rewards: Wolf Aura [Skill] Claw Style Combat [Style] [Learn Skills? Yes/No]
I chose Yes without hesitation, a fleeting fire of triumph burning within. But immediately, a pain pierced my head, as if someone drove needles into my skull. Compared to the cave's agony, this was a mosquito bite, but I still clenched my teeth, sweat beading on my forehead. The pain passed, and the system flashed again:
Wolf Aura: Exude the aura of a wild beast. Passive. Can be deactivated with mastery.
Claw Style Combat: Attack enemies like a feral animal. As you always do! Additional Attribute: Primal Sense—Detect attacks and dangers from afar, feel your hair stand on end.
The skills seemed simple, but Primal Sense sparked something in me. My combat style was already shaped by my senses—Dance's fluid grace, my sword's bloody song. Claw Style could wait, but Primal Sense would let me feel my surroundings like a hunter. A faint smile curved my lips. The rewards were a treasure.
I opened my stats screen, the hologram's blue glow reflecting off the volcanic terrain's reddish stones:
[Stats]
Health: 32 [+200]
Strength: 113 [+200]
Endurance: 60 [+200]
Intelligence: 75[+97]
Spirit: 1 [+0]
Charisma: +32 [+60]
Available Stat Points: 422
Warning: User has reached the maximum stat limit for the current level. Advance your class to proceed!
Warning: User has no class. Extra passive points stored [356]. Select a class urgently to continue!
Fuck, I thought, a mix of shock and frustration. I'd grown stronger, beastly so—my stats were near monstrous. I took my sword, its bloody bandages still wrapped around the hilt, and swung it to test. The steel sliced the air like a knife, sending a small gust, the stones trembling slightly. I grinned in shock, my teeth bared, as if I'd forgotten the cave's fear for a moment. Finally… I'm strong. But then, that damn hurdle: class selection. Everything I'd read on the forums swirled in my mind like a storm. Special classes like Yuan's Reader of W relied on spirit, but my spirit stat was a disaster. I'd been stubborn, carving my own path—my martial art was the fruit of my experience, and it was better that way. A class felt like a chain, but the system had cornered me. I'd deal with it later. First, I needed to test my strength.
I returned to my stats screen, the blue hologram glowing on my face. My decision was clear: intelligence and strength. Intelligence could make fighting unnecessary; strength could crush anything. I put a quarter of the 422 points into intelligence, the rest into strength. I felt it—my muscles tightened, my mind sharpened like a blade, as if I could hold the world in my hands. But I didn't touch my spirit stat. I recalled the forums: special classes relied on spirit, but I wasn't special. Maybe one day, I thought, but that day wasn't today.
I'd claimed my rewards, but something was still missing. I checked my Nova Mercenary Community Hologram, pulling it from my inventory, its cold, light weight in my palm. This little device had saved my life in the cave—I didn't even have a torch, damn it. I checked my account: zero. I hadn't turned in the quests; my N-PSGs had vanished. But I had proof—the wolf den was gone, and the people could breathe easy. Would this cover a month of Mom's expenses? I wondered, but the answer slipped away like a shadow. I closed the hologram, stashed it back in my inventory, and stared at the volcanic terrain's rocky ground. I wanted to test my strength, my self-created movement style—Swift Leap.
I'd developed it in my spare time, its logic simple: I launched myself forward with my strength, gliding through the air like a projectile. It was fast, it saved time, and now, with my new power, I was eager to see what I could do. I took a deep breath, bent my knees, and leaped with all my strength. But it was more than I expected—my body shot forward like a rocket, the air whipping my face as I soared into the sky. AAAAA, THIS IS AWESOME, INCREDIBLE! I shouted, the wind filling my mouth, my voice a muffled scream. I was 50, maybe 60 meters up, the volcanic terrain shrinking below like a toy. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline striking my veins like lightning. For a moment, I forgot the cave's fear, the pulp's vile sound—there was only freedom, the sky, and me.
As I landed, the stones cracked under my feet, my knees bending slightly, but I was steady. My grin was a victory cry. Humming an old song with joy, I set off toward the starting village to make final preparations before leaving. The dusty path stretched beneath my feet, the sky gray but brimming with hope.