Chapter 2: Bloody
The vortex of light dissipated with a sharp snap, like a fuse burning out. Klaus felt the ground shift beneath his feet: from the glowing grid of the lobby to a cold, sticky mud that clung to the soles of his ordinary boots. The air carried the scent of rust, old gunpowder, and rotting pine. A gray sky, cut by low-hanging clouds and gusts of icy wind, hung over a forest of fallen conifers—logs sawed like exposed bones. In the distance, the echo of Mauser rifle shots and the rattle of light machine guns.
[Beginner Arena: Extraction Mode – "Forgotten Forest"]
[Duration: 10 Days (240 real hours)]
[Primary Objective: Survive and Extract with Value ≥ 50,000 Loot Credits]
[Extraction Points: 7 (hidden, activate at random times)]
[Available Weapons: Technology up to 1940 – Mosin-Nagant, MP40, Thompson, Luger, stick grenades, trench knives]
[Enemies: 98 Players + Patrol Bots (Rank F–D)]
[Starting Inventory: Empty (0/10 slots)]
[Special Rule: Chests and Safes do not require keys – rarity determines opening time and noise risk]
Klaus instinctively crouched behind a fallen log, his senses on overdrive. Perception 12 throbbed like an internal alarm: leaves rustling 40 meters away, heavy footsteps to the northwest, the metallic click of a bolt being pulled. No floating HUD now—just a discrete bar in the upper-left corner of his vision:
[Day 1 – 00:03:12 / 240:00:00]
[Players Remaining: 99/100]
[Loot Value: 0 Credits]
"No loadout. Nothing. Pure Tarkov, but with muskets and wooden grenades," he murmured, his voice muffled by the wind. The denim jacket he wore in the apartment now felt ridiculous against the biting cold. Priorities: 1) weapon; 2) cover; 3) nearest chest.
A tactile map materialized in his mind—initial perk from Intellect 15: partial top-down view of a 200 m radius, updated every 30 seconds. Three icons blinked: a common chest (green) 80 m east; a rare safe (blue) 220 m inside a ruined cabin; and an inactive extraction point (gray) 1.2 km south.
Klaus crawled through the mud, heart beating in calculated rhythm. Every meter was a risk: boots could snap twigs, condensed breath could give him away. At 15 m from the common chest, he stopped. A patrol bot—gray Wehrmacht uniform, Stahlhelm helmet, Mauser 98k—was patrolling 30 m away, scanning the terrain with mechanical movements. Rank F. Weak, but lethal with a headshot.
[Patrol Bot Detected – Distance: 28 m]
[Detection Chance: 12% (slow movement)]
Klaus held his breath, counting the seconds. The bot turned, heavy footsteps sinking into the earth. When the silhouette disappeared among the trees, he advanced.
The chest was a rusty ammo box, unlocked. He pressed the lid—click—and the System registered:
[Common Chest Opened – Time: 3 seconds]
[Loot:]
1x Simple Bandage (heals 20 HP in 10 s)
1x Trench Knife (Rank F – 15 cut damage)
30x Loot Credits
[Total Value: 30 Credits]
"Better than nothing." He strapped the knife to his waist, the bandage in his inner pocket. The map updated: new icon—epic safe (purple) 450 m away, inside a semi-buried bunker. Rare. Extremely rare. But the noise of opening would be loud.
Footsteps. Humans. Two sets, light and coordinated. Klaus threw himself behind an exposed root.
[Players Detected – Duo, Rank Unassigned]
[Weapons: 1x MP40, 1x Luger]
They stopped 10 m from the chest he had just looted. Muffled voices in Portuguese:
— Someone already opened it. Shit, we lost the first loot.
— Calm down, there's still the bunker. Epic safe, I heard it drops a full-mag Thompson.
Klaus tightened his grip on the knife. Two against one, armed, him naked. Cruel math. Retreat.
He circled south, using the uneven terrain. The bunker was a mossy concrete structure, steel door ajar, creaking in the wind. Inside: total darkness, smell of mold and burning oil. His map marked the safe in the center of the main hall.
[Epic Safe – Opening Time: 45 seconds]
[Noise Risk: High – attracts bots/players within 150 m]
Klaus hesitated at the threshold. 45 seconds was an eternity. But the potential… He entered, back against the wall, eyes adjusting to the dimness. The safe was reinforced with a symbolic lock—the System bypassed keys, but required continuous interaction.
Hands on the mechanism. Crrr-clack. Progress began:
[Opening: 10% … 25% …]
Echo of boots in the outer corridor. The duo. They were following him.
— I heard noise. Bunker. Let's go.
Klaus sped up mentally, but the timer was fixed. 30% … 45% … Steps approaching. He positioned himself behind a broken pillar, knife in hand. The first player entered—MP40 raised, improvised flashlight (a kerosene-soaked cloth torch) trembling in left hand.
[Player: "Rafael" – Rank Unassigned – HP 100/100]
Klaus struck the instant the light swept the safe. A low jump, knife plunged into exposed thigh—slash. Rafael screamed, MP40 firing uncontrolled bursts at the ceiling. Concrete shards rained down.
[Critical Damage: 45 (surprise)]
[Rafael: HP 55/100 – Bleeding Lv.1]
The second player—"Mari"—reacted quickly, Luger pointed. Klaus rolled behind the safe, using it as cover. Bullets ricocheted off the metal.
[Opening: 80% … 95% … 100%!]
[Epic Safe Opened – Guaranteed Loot]
The lid rose with a deafening clang. Inside:
[Epic Loot:]
1x Thompson M1928 (Rank D – 50 .45 ACP rounds)
1x Improvised Ballistic Vest (Rank C – reduces torso damage 30%)
1x Military Medical Kit (heals 80 HP instantly)
8,500 Loot Credits
[Total Value: 12,000 Credits]
Klaus grabbed the Tommy Gun—the familiar weight from war manhwas—and spun the drum. Clack-clack. The metallic sound echoed like a death bell.
Mari hesitated at the door, seeing her partner limping. "Shit, he's got a sub!" She fired—bang bang—bullets grazing Klaus' shoulder.
[Damage Taken: 28 – HP 72/100]
Sharp pain, but adrenaline blocked it. Klaus responded with a short burst—rat-tat-tat—conserving ammo. Three rounds hit Mari's arm, Luger dropping.
[Assist Kill: Rafael eliminated by bleeding]
[XP: +800 (indirect kill)]
[Mari: HP 35/100 – Arm Broken]
She retreated, shouting into an imaginary radio. Klaus didn't chase—ammo was gold. Instead, he looted the bodies quickly:
[Rafael's Body:]
1x MP40 (damaged – 12 rounds)
2x Stick Grenades
1,200 Credits
[Mari's Body (escaped): No loot]
The bunker was now a grave. Distant sirens—bots attracted by gunfire. Klaus donned the vest, filled his pockets, and ran to the side exit.
[Day 1 – 00:28:47]
[Loot Value: 13,230 Credits]
[Players Remaining: 97/100]
[Accumulated XP: 800 / 1,000 – Bronze I imminent]
The forest swallowed his steps. The first extraction point would activate in 4 hours. Nine days and 23 hours of hell still lay ahead.
[New Skill Unlocked (Initial Mission Partially Completed):]
[Tactical Analysis Lv.1 – Marks enemies within 50 m for 5 s (cooldown 30 s)]
Klaus smiled for the first time—a cold, calculated smile. The hunt had begun.