The ship finally ground to a halt along the edge of a foreign shore. The anchor wheel creaked as iron chains unfurled, rattling against wood with a harsh metallic groan that cut through the silence of the sea. The sand that greeted them shimmered golden, as though scattered by the hands of a god—pure grains glinting like fragments of sun. Yet the sky above loomed gray and joyless, withholding even a sliver of sunlight. The glow across the beach seemed to radiate from the sand itself, as if the island guarded a secret it refused to share with the outside world.
Beyond the shoreline rose a wall of primeval forest. Trunks as wide as towers stretched high into the sky, their roots bursting from the earth like the petrified coils of colossal serpents. The air carried a damp, earthy musk—wet soil, rotting leaves… and something sharper, metallic, unmistakable. Blood.
Arkan's boots sank into the sand as he stepped onto land for the first time. Warm grains slipped between his toes, briefly tricking him with the illusion of an ordinary beach. But that fleeting comfort was crushed almost instantly. The air here was different—thick, heavy, oppressive. He felt the weight of unseen eyes drilling into his skin, watching him from the shadowed treeline.
"This island… it feels alive," he whispered, his voice trembling.
Elara moved beside him with measured grace. Her silver cloak fluttered faintly with the wind, her eyes sharp and vigilant. "It is alive," she answered calmly. "Every inch of this land can turn against you."
Her words made Arkan's grip on his sword tighten. He had endured trial after trial since arriving in this world, but the dread gnawing at him now was unlike anything before. The island felt like a predator, patient and hungry, waiting for the right moment to swallow him whole.
…
The instant they crossed the treeline, the atmosphere shifted. Strange birdcalls echoed through the canopy, but the melody warped as it carried—playful chirps dissolving into sinister, mocking laughter. Leaves rustled though the air lay unnervingly still. Each step Arkan took seemed too loud, reverberating in his ears like drumbeats announcing his trespass.
And then, the silence broke.
A system chime cut through the forest, a translucent blue panel unfurling before Arkan's eyes:
[Main Quest — Treasure Island]
Explore the Treasure Island — Time limit: 72 hours.
Find the treasure chests long hunted through the ages and uncover the island's secrets.
Treasure Chests Found: 0 / 3
Rewards:
+5,000 Exp
+$2,500
Penalty: Permanent Death
Arkan swallowed hard. The words etched themselves into his mind. Three chests. Seventy-two hours. His life on the line. The treasures within could hold unimaginable value—ancient artifacts, forbidden power, once-in-a-lifetime items. But the risk was absolute. Failure meant oblivion.
His knuckles whitened as he gripped his sword tighter, forcing his heart to steady. He stepped forward, the mist thickening around them like the breath of a living beast.
The deeper they went, the more surreal the forest became. Trees soared hundreds of meters high. Leaves, broad as shields, rustled under invisible currents. Roots twisted overhead like natural bridges, forming dark tunnels of living wood. The haze grew heavier, choking the light until only a few paces remained visible. Every shifting shadow threatened to conceal death.
That was when he heard it.
A soft voice. Gentle. Familiar.
"Son… where are you? Come home…"
Arkan froze, every muscle in his body locking. His breath hitched in his throat. That voice—he knew it. His mother's voice. Warm, tender, the very sound that once woke him each morning. A sound he hadn't heard in years.
His eyes flew wide. Through the fog, he saw her. A woman in a simple hooded cloth, standing among the trees with a smile that could melt stone. She lifted her hand, beckoning him closer.
"Mother…?" Arkan's voice cracked. "How… how are you here?" His feet moved before his mind could protest, drawn by an invisible force, every step weighted with longing.
"Stop!" Elara's voice lashed through the air. Her hand clamped onto his arm like iron, halting him mid-step.
Arkan turned to her with wild eyes. "But—it's her, Elara! I know that voice, I—"
"That is not your mother!" Elara's tone was sharp, merciless. Her gaze sliced into him, steady and unwavering. "This island feeds on your most precious memories. It twists them, uses them to drag you into its maw. If you follow, you will never come back."
Arkan's blood ran cold. He snapped his head toward the figure again. The warm smile had already rotted away, stretching into a grotesque grin. Its eyes—once gentle—turned pitch-black, seething with hatred. In the next blink, her form collapsed into a plume of writhing smoke, dispersing into the mist.
Arkan fell to his knees, gasping. Cold sweat streamed down his temples, soaking his face. "If you hadn't stopped me… I'd already be dead."
They pressed on with double the caution, but the forest's trials had only just begun.
Arkan's foot suddenly sank as something tightened around his ankle. He looked down—thick roots were writhing like snakes, coiling up his leg.
"What—?!"
The ground trembled. Trees shook violently as something massive stirred beneath the soil. Then, the forest split open. A hulking beast clawed its way out, its body woven entirely from roots and bark. A monstrous jaw lined with jagged wooden fangs split open, glowing green eyes blazing through the mist.
[Mini Boss]
Forest Root Beast Lv.11
HP: 2,200
Abilities:
– Venomous roots that paralyze on contact.
– 20% regeneration upon taking damage.
The appraisal window flickered before Arkan's eyes, filling him with dread. He ripped his blade free, slashing through the roots on his leg. Fibers tore apart with a sickening crunch, black ichor spraying from the severed ends, stinking of rot.
"Don't let its roots touch you!" Elara shouted over the quake of the beast's movements. "The poison will paralyze you instantly!"
"I figured as much!" Arkan barked back, activating [Dash] to break free.
But the beast moved faster than he expected. With terrifying speed, it lunged. Its wooden fangs tore through the ground, snapping shut where Arkan had stood a heartbeat earlier. He rolled to the side, heart hammering, and swung his blade in desperation.
[Slash] — Activated. -20 MP.
A surge of blue light erupted along the edge of his sword as the skill unleashed. The blow landed true, carving deep into the beast's flank.
+252 Damage Dealt.
Forest Root Beast Lv.11
HP: 1,948 / 2,200
Thanks to his passive Swordsmanship and Slash stacked at Lv.1, his strikes cut 40% deeper. The monster reeled—but its wounds pulsed unnaturally. Roots sprouted anew, weaving back together.
20% Regeneration. +252 HP.
Forest Root Beast Lv.11
HP: 2,200 / 2,200
Arkan's eyes widened in horror. "It heals…?! Dammit!"
He darted back, teeth grit, stacking Slash again and again until his blade burned with power.
[Slash — 5 Stacks Activated.] -100 MP.
Five spectral slashes tore through the air.
+252 Damage.
+252 Damage.
+252 Damage.
+252 Damage.
+252 Damage.
Forest Root Beast Lv.11
HP: 940 / 2,200.
The creature howled, its form shredded—only to pulse with fresh regeneration once more. Roots surged out like veins, knitting its broken body back together.
20% Regeneration. +1,260 HP.
Forest Root Beast Lv.11
HP: 2,200 / 2,200.
Arkan's stomach dropped. "There's no end to this…"
His mind spun, searching—until a spark ignited. Shadow Bind. The skill he gained from Dr. Armand.
[Skill: Shadow Bind Lv.1]
Entangle the target with inescapable shadow tendrils. Costs 100 MP/min per tendril.
Arkan thrust out his hand. Darkness rippled from the beast's own shadow, tendrils of night wrapping tight around its body. For a precious moment, the monster froze, snarling against the binds.
He yanked a potion from his inventory, chugging it in one gulp.
+200 MP restored.
[Status — Mile Arkan]
Level: 10 (EXP: 5,905 / 10,000)
HP: 850 / 850
MP: 330 / 350
He raised his sword high, voice ringing through the forest. "Energy Burst—Activate!"
The blade erupted with prismatic brilliance, radiating raw elemental force.
-264 MP.
MP Remaining: 86 / 350.
[Energy Burst Lv.1] — 1,000% amplified strike.
The prism-shrouded blade cleaved downward. A torrent of energy exploded, swallowing the beast whole.
+2,640 Damage Dealt.
Forest Root Beast Lv.11 — Defeated.
HP: 0 / 2,200.
+850 Exp.
+$300.
The monster detonated in a spray of roots and ichor, fragments raining across the forest floor. Arkan collapsed, chest heaving, sword dripping with tar-like sap. Relief flooded him as another panel appeared.
[Quest Update: First Disturbance Cleared]
+500 Exp.
+$100.
[Status — Mile Arkan]
Level: 10 (EXP: 7,255 / 10,000)
HP: 850 / 850
MP: 86 / 350
Balance: $2,472
Arkan's lips twisted into a tired grin, though his body shook with exhaustion. "Not even an hour on this cursed island… and the first monster we face is already this strong…"
Elara approached, her expression caught between astonishment and admiration. "Only days at my side, and you've already grown this much. Your progress is… remarkable."
Arkan lowered his head, chuckling under his breath. Her words lit a fire inside him, chasing away the lingering chill of fear. He pushed himself to his feet.
"Let's keep moving. We need to find all three treasure chests—and get the hell off this island."
Together, they ventured deeper into the forest. The trees thickened, blotting out what little light pierced the canopy. Darkness pressed around them, suffocating, as though they were being swallowed by the bowels of some vast living creature.
Half an hour later, they reached a clearing. At its center rose a colossal stone monolith, etched with glowing ancient symbols. Embedded within the runes, half-buried yet gleaming faintly, sat a massive iron-bound chest. It pulsed with a soft inner radiance, whispering of secrets within.
A system message flickered.
[System Notice]
The first treasure chest has been discovered. Open it to claim its contents.
Arkan's throat went dry. "The first chest…"
But before he could move, the ground convulsed. The forest roared as trees behind them split apart. A hiss rolled through the mist—long, heavy, primal. The sound of something vast stirring from slumber.
Arkan snapped his sword into guard. Elara's hands wove a glowing magic circle.
"We're not alone," Arkan muttered.
From the darkness, two blazing yellow eyes ignited—burning with an unending, furious hunger.