The echo of the gunshot slowly faded into the dark forest.
Smoke gently rose from the barrel of Kael's rifle.
The dead wolf collapsed on the ground with a heavy thud. Dark blood slowly spread across the wet leaves.
The other wolves stepped back.
They did not understand what had happened.
The loud thunder-like sound.
The invisible attack.
And their leader dying in one instant.
Kael calmly watched them through the rifle scope.
His breathing was steady.
His hands were stable.
Even though this was a new world, holding a rifle felt natural to him. It was the same feeling he had in his old life inside the gunshop.
Target. Distance. Movement.
His mind automatically calculated everything.
The wolves slowly circled him.
One of them growled loudly.
"Grrrrrr…"
It lowered its body and suddenly jumped forward.
Kael didn't panic.
He slightly moved the rifle.
Pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The second wolf dropped instantly.
A clean shot through the head.
The remaining wolves froze again.
Two of their pack were already dead.
They began to understand.
This strange boy was dangerous.
Kael slowly stood up straight.
The cold wind of the forest blew through his messy black hair.
His red eyes calmly stared at the remaining monsters.
"Three left," he said quietly.
The wolves hesitated.
Then suddenly two of them attacked together from different directions.
Kael quickly turned his body.
BANG!
One wolf fell.
But the second one was already close.
Its claws slashed toward him.
Kael quickly stepped back.
The claw barely missed his chest.
For the first time, Kael felt danger.
But instead of fear—
He felt excitement.
His lips slightly curved.
"Interesting."
He quickly re-aimed the rifle.
The wolf jumped again.
BANG!
The bullet pierced through its skull mid-air.
The creature collapsed just a few steps away from him.
Only one wolf remained.
The last wolf slowly backed away.
Fear filled its glowing red eyes.
It finally realized this prey was actually a hunter.
Kael aimed his rifle again.
But the wolf suddenly turned and ran into the fog.
Kael lowered the rifle.
He didn't chase it.
Instead, he calmly looked at the bodies of the monsters on the ground.
Then suddenly—
A blue window appeared in front of him.
[Monster Killed]
Grave Wolf x4
Experience Gained
Another window appeared.
[Level Up]
Level 1 → Level 2
Kael quietly stared at the glowing screen.
"So this world really has a system."
He touched the floating window with his finger.
More information appeared.
[Divine Armory System]
Host: Kael Vieldigo
Level: 2
Weapon: Hunter Rifle
Skill Unlocked: Basic Marksmanship
Kael nodded slightly.
It looked exactly like a game system.
But this was real life now.
The forest suddenly became quiet again.
Too quiet.
Kael slowly raised his head.
Something felt wrong.
His instincts were telling him something was watching him.
From the darkness deeper inside the forest.
Then—
CRACK
A tree branch snapped.
Something big was moving.
Very big.
Kael slowly raised his rifle again.
His cold eyes focused on the fog ahead.
Then the trees began to shake.
Heavy footsteps approached.
THUD
THUD
THUD
A huge shadow appeared between the trees.
Slowly…
A massive creature stepped out.
It was almost three meters tall.
Its body looked like a rotten giant.
Its skin was gray and torn.
Its eyes glowed dark green.
And its mouth was filled with broken teeth.
The smell of death spread through the air.
Kael looked at the monster calmly.
A new system window appeared.
[Enemy Detected]
Name: Rotting Giant
Threat Level: High
The giant roared loudly.
The sound shook the entire forest.
Kael slowly placed his eye on the rifle scope.
He whispered quietly.
"...Let's test this world."
His finger touched the trigger.