The air was dry and still. The only sound was the whisper of grass brushing against my legs as I crept forward, crouched low.
In front of me, the herd stretched far and wide, a restless ocean of movement and bleating.
I could see them clearly now— thick- horned, short- haired, and bigger than normal goats back on Earth.
Their eyes glowed faintly amber, like burning embers even under daylight.
Feral Goats.
"Alright…" I whispered under my breath. "Let's start small."
I scanned the herd carefully, looking for the outermost one. This could be the most easiest way for me to hunt experience points, and there is no way that I am gonna miss it.
I spotted a straggler, chewing on grass away from the rest.
There— one of them had wandered a few meters off from the main group, turning its head lazily, unaware of me hiding in the tall grass.
There were more goats around it, close enough to make me nervous—b ut I think I can manage.
I tightened my grip around the katana's hilt. My heartbeat slowed, then quickened.
Every muscle in my body screamed for silence.
Step by step.
Slow. Steady.
No sudden movements.
Crunch… crunch…
The faintest rustle of grass marked my approach, but the goat didn't seem to notice.
It was too busy ripping up grass, its stubby tail flicking lazily. There were also lots of noises because of the sheer number of goats.
Just a few more steps.
When I was close enough to smell the wild musk of its fur.
I exhaled and shifted my footing, pressing my dominant foot backward for a better stance.
Now.
I lunged—
The blade flashed once, slicing through the side of its neck cleanly.
Slich!
The air split with a sickening, wet sound as my sword carved cleanly through the goat's neck in one precise strike.
The goat let out a strangled bleat before collapsing, its legs kicking weakly for a moment before going still.
[You killed a Feral Goat. +25 EXP gained.]
The familiar chime rang in my mind.
A surge of adrenaline flooded my veins, followed by a wave of relief.
"Perfect…" I whispered. "One down."
I dragged the carcass into the thicker grass to hide it, wiping my blade against its fur.
Then, I crouched again, scanning for the next one.
Leaving the carcass there would've been a mistake. The scent of blood could alert the rest of the herd… The whole damn herd could go wild before I even blinked.
The herd had shifted slightly, still grazing, still moving toward the river—but they hadn't noticed.
Another goat strayed too far.
Then another.
I grinned.
The next hunt went smoother.
A quick dash, a silent cut, and another notification.
[You killed a Feral Goat. +25 EXP gained.]
[You killed a Feral Goat. +25 EXP gained.]
I was getting faster— more precise.
Each kill made my heartbeat steadier, my movements quieter. The fear that used to grip me before every strike began to fade, replaced by cold focus.
But then… the fourth one didn't die instantly.
The blade caught on its shoulder bone.
The creature screamed, a piercing, guttural bleat that split the air.
Shit!
Every head in the herd snapped in my direction.
Hundreds of glowing eyes turned toward the noise.
For a moment, the world went silent.
Then chaos erupted.
The entire herd stampeded.
"Crap— crap— CRAP!"
I turned and bolted for the trees, the ground trembling beneath my feet as dozens of hooves pounded the dirt.
Dust exploded behind me. I could feel the vibration in my bones as the herd thundered forward.
If I tripped even once… I'd be flattened.
The moment I hit the tree line, I dove behind a thick trunk, gasping for breath.
I scrambled up a tree— clumsily, of course. My inexperienced ass made even that feel like a battle.
The goats stormed past the forest edge, but most of them turned back after realizing they'd lost sight of their target.
But some goats— around a dozen of them— lingered nearby, though I was already out of sight.
I waited.
One minute.
Two.
The rumbling faded.
When I finally peeked out, the plains were calmer again. The herd had regrouped farther away, restless but distracted.
My chest heaved with every breath, a wild grin tugging at my lips.
"That… was close."
The system pinged softly again.
[You killed a Feral Goat. +25 EXP gained.]
Unexpectedly, the goat I'd injured had died. The wound from my katana was too deep— it probably bled out before it could even move far.
[EXP: 205 / 200]
[Level Up!]
Warm energy surged through my limbs. My fatigue melted away, replaced by a faint vibration of raw power.
Muscles tightened, vision sharpened, and I could feel my heartbeat sync with the forest's rhythm.
The same old feeling I'd experienced the last time I leveled up washed over me. Nothing noticeable to the naked eye, but I could feel the energy surging inside me.
[Strength +2
Agility +1
Endurance +1]
"Level 3," I muttered with a grin. "Finally."
I slumped against the tree, the corners of my mouth twitching upward.
Today, the forest didn't feel like it was swallowing me whole.
Today, I'd hunted it.
But deep inside, as I stared at the open plains shimmering under the morning sun, a strange feeling lingered—
something watching me from afar.
Something bigger than goats.
Something that didn't move with the herd.
And for the first time, I realized…
this world wouldn't let me have easy victories for long.
Shaking the unwanted thoughts and cringing on myself for a second, I called the oh-so great system.
"Status" I softly muttered.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Arya
Age: 16
Race: Human
Level: 3
Experience: 205 / 400
Title: Grace of Blood
Strength: 14 → 16
Agility: 9 → 10
Endurance: 11 → 12
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 7
Quests Available:
Active: Quest of Survival]
It wasn't anything too dramatic, but the improvement was obvious. I could feel raw power coursing through my body.
< End Of The Chapter >
Note: Sorry for the recent slowdown in chapters, but I promise it won't happen again.