Sa Pa—once a romantic misty town, where wooden houses nestled under old pine trees, where the sound of the Hmong panpipe mingled with the gurgling of streams and the innocent smiles of children. Now, all that remains is a pile of rubble, splotchy walls, and a terrifying silence. The smell of smoke and burning ruins still lingers in the air, mixed with the characteristic dampness of the mountains.
The mist still blankets the terraced rice fields, winding like soft silk ribbons draped across the mountainside. However, the lush green rice paddies, once the pride of the highlands, are no more. Beneath the thin, silken mist is the thick stench of death, bloodstains on the dark red soil, and hideous Unknowns lurking among cold corpses. The wind whistling through shattered window frames sounds like a wail, echoing endlessly.
On the summit of Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina, Nghĩa and Hoa stood together amidst a sea of floating clouds. Around them, the clouds billowed, creating a breathtakingly majestic scene that also held an indescribable sadness. The sheer cliffs and ancient pine forests still stood tall, but somewhere among them were the scars of the brutal war that had just passed. The siblings' jackets were tattered. Daggers were wrapped tightly in their hands, their blades glinting with cold sharpness. Their eyes looked down from the peak, filled with sorrow and pity for a land that was once so peaceful.
Suddenly…
A long, bone-chilling shriek tore through the silent air, echoing down from the sky. The sound was like metal being ripped apart, like a tornado bearing down on them.
From the thick layer of clouds, a gigantic, bizarre creature appeared like a black shadow, slicing through the wind and hurtling down at a terrifying speed. It flew directly toward the Vietnamese Flagpole on the summit of Fansipan. It was an Unknown with the shape of a mutated eagle, nearly 5 meters long, its entire body covered in glossy white, metallic-sheened feathers that reflected the faint light of the clouds. Its wings were as sharp as giant blades; each flap created a "whooshing" sound that tore through the air, sending waves of biting cold wind into Nghĩa and Hoa's faces, carrying with it the monster's vile breath. A dry, guttural growl escaped its throat, making the air thick with tension, signaling that a life-or-death battle was about to begin.
Nghĩa shouted, his voice echoing amidst the whistling wind and tense atmosphere:
"Hide, Hoa!"
Hoa, quick-witted, didn't hesitate. She threw herself behind a large rock, nearly thirty meters away from Nghĩa. The swirling wind blew her black hair, tangling it and covering part of her face. A small trail of blood streaked her cheek from flying rock fragments, but she didn't make a sound. Her eyes, though filled with worry, remained fixed on her brother.
"Brother…" she whispered, her voice so soft only the wind could hear it. Her hand gripped the last remaining healing potion, feeling the coldness of the glass vial. She was ready to throw it to her brother the moment he was in the most critical situation.
Through the blinding dust and thin mist, Nghĩa could still feel his sister's gaze. It wasn't one of fear or despair, but of absolute trust. A small flame ignited in Nghĩa's heart, blazing into a powerful motivation to fight and protect his little sister at all costs.
The Battle Begins.
The giant bird monster, over four meters tall with razor-sharp, steel-scaled wings, tore through the air and swooped down. The sound it made was like a fighter jet approaching, incredibly deafening.
Nghĩa's reflexes were lightning-fast. He rolled to the right, narrowly sliding under the first attack. The monster's sharp wing blade tore down the Flagpole on the summit of Fansipan with a terrifying force, creating a shower of sparks like flint striking in the dark. The wind pressure from the dive was so strong it ripped the jacket he was wearing, sending fragments of fabric fluttering in the air, and a small trail of blood splattered on the rock.
He gritted his teeth and charged, aiming to attack it. However, the monster had an absolute advantage in the air and was as fast as a peregrine falcon. It easily dodged Nghĩa's strike, and immediately, its strong, eagle-like talons raked a deep wound into his left shoulder. Blood began to soak through his torn shirt.
He bit down, enduring the sharp pain, and jumped back to maintain distance. From behind the rock, Hoa saw her brother badly wounded, and her heart sank. She couldn't stay silent any longer.
"Brother! Catch it!" she screamed, her voice breaking with worry, and threw the small healing potion toward him.
Nghĩa snatched the small potion in a flash, and without hesitation, downed it. The cool liquid flowed down his throat, bringing with it a little hope.
Ting!
[ Small Healing Potion used ]
[ Restores a small amount of HP over 30 seconds ]
Nghĩa muttered, his eyes quickly scanning for an advantage in this unbalanced fight:
"One wrong move and it'll cut me in half. I have to find a way to expose its weakness and lure it closer…" He glanced at the Flagpole lying on the ground, and an idea flashed in his mind…
As the monster circled in the sky, Nghĩa pretended to charge, moving quickly to get close to the long, sharp Flagpole on the ground. Then, he faked a stumble, getting up a beat too late—a deliberately slow movement to lure the creature down again.
It lunged. Just as Nghĩa had predicted, the monster, like a black arrow, tore through the air and dove straight down. But it seemed to realize it had been lured; it paused for a moment in mid-air, flapping its wings to change direction abruptly—and in that very instant, a glowing core in its chest opened, emitting a faint blue light.
Nghĩa gritted his teeth, clenching the body of the fallen Flagpole, pouring all his remaining strength into one final thrust and lunging toward the Unknown. He screamed, his voice a mix of rage and determination echoing across the mountaintop:
"Die! Die!!" The Flagpole pierced straight through the glowing core in the monster's chest.
The monster let out a shriek, a horrifying sound Nghĩa had never heard before, and then its Core made a shattering sound, like thousands of pieces of glass cracking. It twisted violently in mid-air, then exploded into bright ash, the glittering dust particles disappearing in the wind.
Nghĩa fell to his knees, his left shoulder torn, blood soaking a large patch of his shirt. His hip was bruised and throbbing with pain. His breathing was ragged, each breath heavy.
Ái Hoa didn't hesitate; she ran to him and knelt down beside her brother. She hugged him tightly, and tears began to fall.
"You're alive… Thank goodness… huhuhu,"
her voice choked with emotion.
Nghĩa let out a laugh, a tired but satisfied laugh, despite his broken body.
"I'm fine… don't worry, that Unknown couldn't beat me… haha," he said, his voice hoarse.
Ái Hoa burst into sobs. Not out of fear anymore, but out of overwhelming relief. Because her brother was safe.
Ting!
[ Congratulations, player has reached Level 5! ]
[ Skill unlocked: Accelerated Reflexes – improves situational processing speed in combat. ]
[ You have received the Level 5 Gift Box: ]
Semi-Crafted Dagger (Grade C)
3 Medium Healing Potions
Pate Bread (x10)
Two hours later, in a small but secluded cave deep on the mountainside, Nghĩa leaned against the cold rock wall, next to a small, flickering fire that gave off a little warmth.
Ái Hoa carefully opened a loaf of pate bread; the aroma of pate wafted through the air, a true luxury in this era. She handed it to him:
"Try to eat, brother. In this day and age, having pate bread to eat means you're the luckiest guy around, haha…" she joked, her face still streaked with tears but now bright with joy.
Nghĩa nodded, grinning. He chewed each bite of bread slowly, savoring the rare flavor. His eyes were still looking toward the sea of clouds on the summit of Fansipan, where the battle had just ended. A new life, full of danger but also full of promise, awaited them…
Character Status: Trần Đại Nghĩa – Breakthrough Challenger
* Level: 5
* Occupation: N/A
* Title: Breakthrough Challenger
* Overall Rating: Rank D
* Growth Potential: Undetermined
Current Stats:
* Attack: 18
* Defense: 12
* Agility: 25
* Spirit: 14
* Mana: 90
* HP: 100
* Critical Attack: 5%
Unlocked Skills:
* Adaptive Injury Resistance
* Devour (Evolved)
* Accelerated Reflexes
Current Equipment:
* Semi-Crafted Dagger (Grade C)