Nico woke up to the sound of birds chirping somewhere outside the cave. Warm light filtered in through the entrance, painting soft shapes across the stone floor. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and found Echo curled up beside him, its smoky body rising and falling in slow, steady breaths.
For a moment, Nico just lay there, taking in the quiet. No alarms. No responsibilities. Just a strange new world and a pup made of mist pressed against his side. After a while, he pushed himself up with a groan and stretched the stiffness from his back. Echo blinked awake at the movement, its smoky ears flicking as it watched him shuffle toward the cave entrance.
The morning air outside was crisp and cool, sunlight spilling across the valley in soft gold. Nico stepped out, holding the rusty dagger in his hand. ¨ Time to see what this thing can do.¨
Nico tightened his grip on the rusty dagger, took a steadying breath, and swung with all the force he could muster.
The blade cut through the air and his balance went with it. He stumbled forward, feet tangling beneath him, and hit the ground with a dull thud.
"...Ow." So much for looking cool on his first day. Echo tilted its head at him from the cave entrance, smoky tail flicking in what looked suspiciously like amusement.
Nico tightened his grip again, pushed himself back to his feet, and tried another swing. This time he managed to stay upright… for about half a second. The dagger's weight shifted wrong, his stance slipped, and he staggered sideways, barely catching himself before he face‑planted again.
"Okay… that was almost good," he muttered.
He reset his footing, inhaled, and swung a third time, slower, more controlled. The blade cut the air with a faint whistle. No falling. No stumbling.
Encouraged, he tried a fourth swing. Then a fifth. Then a sixth.
By the tenth attempt, sweat dotted his forehead, but his movements were finally starting to look less like the guy fighting invisible bees and more like a beginner with potential.
Echo watched the whole process from a sunny patch of grass, tail flicking lazily. Every time Nico messed up, the pup's ears twitched like it was holding back a laugh. When he finally landed a clean swing, Echo let out a soft approving chirp.
Nico grinned. "See? I'm getting the hang of it." Then a soft chime echoed in his head.
You have learned the passive skill: Dagger Mastery [Lvl. 1] (A beginner in fighting with daggers.)
Nico blinked. "Wait that´s how it works? Nice!¨ Echo let out a tiny puff of mist, almost like a congratulatory huff, while Nico spun the dagger in his hand, much more confidently this time. Encouraged, he stepped back into position and started practicing again.
After a while, he completed a full hundred swings, each one a little cleaner than the last. As he lowered the dagger to catch his breath, the familiar chime of the system echoed in his head.
The skill Dagger Mastery has upgraded to [Lv. 2] (An amateur in fighting with daggers.)
Nico wiped sweat from his forehead and let out a breathless laugh. "Okay… now that feels good." Echo trotted over, tail of mist wagging proudly, as if it had personally overseen the entire training session.
Nico stretched his arms above his head, feeling the lingering ache from all the swings. "You know what Echo? Let's explore this valley!" Echo perked up immediately, its ears flicking as if it understood every word.
Nico started walking down the narrow path leading toward the bottom of the valley, the morning sun warming his back. The trail was lined with tall grass and strange flowers that swayed gently in the breeze. Echo trotted behind him, paws silent on the dirt, its smoky tail drifting like a small cloud.
The duo made their way toward the stream, the soft trickle of water growing louder with each step. Nico followed it downstream, boots splashing lightly as he walked along the edge.
Echo walked beside him, occasionally dipping a paw into the water and watching the ripples spread. The air grew cooler as they approached the lake, a wide, calm expanse that reflected the sky like a mirror.
It was peaceful, almost too peaceful.
Nico looked around the lake, wondering if there would be any animals here. The water was calm, the surface smooth enough to reflect the sky like glass.
Then a sharp crack echoed through the quiet, a twig snapping somewhere behind the tall grass.
Echo's reaction was instant. The pup's fur of swirling mist bristled, a low growl rumbling from its small body as it fixed its gaze on a single spot near the treeline. Nico froze, fingers tightening around his dagger. "...Echo?" The growl deepened.
Whatever was out there… it wasn't just the wind.
The duo carefully approached the grass and saw the figure of a creature. At first, Nico thought it was small, until it stood up.
A full‑grown lynx‑like beast rose from the shadows, muscles rippling beneath its mottled grey fur. Its amber eyes locked onto them with a cold, predatory focus. Tufted ears flattened, and a deep, rumbling growl vibrated through the ground beneath Nico's feet.
A sharp chime rang in his head.
New Mission!Defend yourself against: Shade Lynx (F+)
Nico's stomach dropped. "F‑plus? Why is there a plus‽"
The lynx slightly lowered its body, claws sliding out with a soft metallic scrape. Its tail flicked once. Echo stepped in front of Nico, mist swirling around its small frame as it growled back, the sound surprisingly fierce for its size. The lynx's muscles coiled, it was about to attack.
the lynx jumped at Echo, a blur of grey fur and claws. Echo leapt to meet it, tiny paws outstretched, mist swirling around its body like a shield. Claws clashed with claws.
A sharp burst of sparks flew as the two collided mid‑air, and Echo was flung backward, tumbling across the dirt before skidding to a stop. The little creature shook its head, dazed but still conscious.
The lynx twisted mid‑air and landed lightly on its feet, tail lashing as it hissed, eyes locked on Echo with murderous intent. Nico stumbled backward, heart hammering. "Ah shit!"
The lynx lowered itself again, muscles coiling for another strike, this time aimed to finish Echo off.
Echo tried to stand, but its legs wobbled. The lynx's claws dug into the ground. It was about to pounce.
Before it could strike, Nico snatched a rock from the ground and hurled it at the Shade Lynx. The stone flew, fast, desperate, fueled by pure panic.
The lynx tilted its head.
The rock missed by a mile.
It did make the lynx blink, though just long enough for Echo to scramble out of the danger zone. But now the beast's attention snapped toward Nico, pupils narrowing into razor‑thin slits. Its lips curled back, revealing long, hooked fangs.
Nico swallowed hard and raised his dagger with both hands. "Okay. Cool. Great. I didn't want to live long anyway." The lynx crouched low, muscles rippling beneath its fur as it shifted its weight toward him. This time, he was the target. And it was fast.
The lynx jumped at him, Nico barely had time to gasp before the Shade Lynx was already on him, a streak of grey muscle and claws. Instinct, not skill, not training, just raw panic,forced his arm upward. Steel met fur with a sharp clang as the lynx's weight slammed into him.
The impact drove him backward, boots skidding across the dirt. His dagger shook in his grip, the blade pressed between him and the beasts snapping jaws. Hot breath blasted against his face as the lynx snarled, fangs inches from his throat.
Nico gritted his teeth, arms trembling violently. "Too close, too close, too close!"
The lynx pushed harder, claws digging into the ground as it tried to overpower him. The dagger wavered, slipping a fraction of an inch toward his chest.
Echo let out a sharp, furious bark behind them. The lynx's ear twitched, a split second of distraction, just enough for Nico to shove sideways, breaking the deadlock as the beast stumbled past him with a furious hiss.
Taking advantage of its distraction, Nico swung the dagger toward the lynx's flank, the blade slicing across its side in a quick, shallow cut. The wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to make the beast jump away with a sharp, furious hiss.
Nico's chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing. "That… that actually worked," he muttered, half shocked he'd managed to land a hit at all.
The lynx flicked its tail once, its breath coming in harsh, uneven bursts. The shallow cut along its flank wasn't fatal, but it was enough to weaken its stance. The fury that had driven it moments ago seemed to drain out of its eyes, replaced by something far more instinctive, survival. It stared at Nico and Echo for a long, tense moment, chest rising and falling in ragged motions, as if weighing the fight it wanted against the fight it could no longer win.
Its ears twitched back, its posture lowering not in preparation to strike, but in reluctant retreat. The growl rumbling in its throat faded into a strained exhale, almost a sigh. It took a single step backward, then another, never turning its back fully, never breaking eye contact. The forest around them felt unnaturally still, as if even the trees were holding their breath.
Then, with a final, defeated flick of its tail, the lynx turned and bolted into the underbrush. Its movements were fast but uneven, a limping blur of greyish black fur disappearing between the trees until only the rustling of leaves remained.
Silence settled over the clearing.
Nico lowered his dagger slowly, his arms still shaking from the adrenaline. Echo stayed close to his leg, mist curling protectively around its small frame as it watched the direction the lynx had fled. Nico swallowed hard, trying to steady his breathing, the reality of what just happened sinking in.
"…It ran," he murmured, half in disbelief, half in relief.