A thunderous crash. The whole ship shudders under the impact.
We are sinking, I think. I have to get off this thing. Giel, Kad, what do we do? I shout.
The bird circles back for another strike, this time from the side. I scream, We have no choice, we have to swim to the island.
We back up, run, and jump. For a heartbeat everything moves in slow motion, then reality snaps and we slam into freezing water.
Kad barely keeps his head above the surface. I am underwater, disoriented, cold. I kick up, break the surface, and gasp for air.
Giel is floating face down ahead. I swim like my life depends on it, haul him onto a piece of metal debris, and drag him toward the island.
Kad and I keep paddling until the shore is close. We pull Giel onto sand and I check his pulse.
He is alive, barely. Relief burns through me. The sun is almost gone, the sky a deep orange. We are soaked, freezing, exhausted. No flint, no matches, nothing dry to start a fire.
Then the system blinks in front of me.
NEW QUEST: Kill all bears (0/4)
I stare. Bears, now? Great. I still have twenty unused stat points, but there is no time to allocate them. No cover. No prep.
The forest answers before I can plan. Two bears charge through the underbrush.
Kad chokes out, Oh no, bears? What do we do, Mike?
Stay calm, I say. I have this.
Quest Kill all bears 0 of 4
Reward 1 Level up to Level 4
Reward 2 Portal Key Grade A
I move.
I rush the first bear. Three quick hits and it collapses, dead.
The second bear leaps at me with claws spread. I roll under it and explode up into a counterattack.
Wolf Strike, I shout.
A gray aura wraps my fist. The blow lands clean. The bear is sent flying into three trees. They snap like twigs. Dead.
Bears defeated 2 of 4
A heavier footstep comes from deeper in the trees. The air shifts.
A massive gray bear emerges. It has one eye, a long scar carving its face. Its aura hits me like a weight on my chest. Heavy, violent, wrong.
This one is strong, I whisper. The strongest aura I have felt so far.
I launch a surprise attack, leaping at it, but it moves with brutal speed. Its claws swipe. I try to block, but there is nowhere to go.
The hit lands. Pain floods my face. Blood warms my mouth.
HP 45
Hint Try using your abilities
Right. I shout Raaahh Wolf Strike and drive my fist into the bear's muzzle. It stings, but it is not enough.
System Boss Battle Initiated
The bear's aura flares black and heavy. It clamps its jaws on me and hurls me across the clearing into four trees. The impact is brutal.
HP 10
No, this is bad, I mutter, barely breathing.
The bear winds up for the finishing blow. My vision tunnels. I think maybe this is it.
A crash interrupts everything. A figure slams into the bear and knocks it away.
Giel. He is awake. He stands between me and the beast, grinning like nothing phased him.
You trying to kill one of my new friends? he shouts. I do not think so.
Kad screams, Giel, look at Mike, but Giel waves him off, Relax I got this.
Giel reveals his power. The ground trembles. Gravity bends to his will. He rips two trees free and hurls them at the bear, but it tears through them like paper. He follows with strikes, one, two, three, then the bear grabs him by the shoulder and throws him through the air.
He crashes on the sand near the shore, motionless.
Is this the end? I look at Kad. He is frozen. There is no way he can handle the creature. Everything depends on me now.
I force myself up, wipe blood from my nose, and glance at my status.
A new line flashes under my health bar.
The full moon has awakened
+20 bonus stats to all attributes
Blessing, even if only for tonight. My health begins to regenerate.
I roar, Now it is your turn, and I move.
With the moon surge, I am faster, stronger. I dodge the bear's claws, its fangs, its throws. I find an opening, punch its stomach, chase it down, and slam its head into the ground the same way I did the shadow knight.
I whisper, Got you, then my legs give out and I collapse.
I wake up in a small room. Three bunk beds line the walls. I'm on the bottom bunk and my vision is still fuzzy. Voices drift in—Giel and Kad talking nearby.
"Hey," Giel says. "So you actually survived. Man, I totally embarrassed myself out there. That could've been the end. But you're really strong. I wonder what rank you might be…"
"Today's our first official day in the base," he adds.
I rub my eyes. "What happened after I passed out?"
"Commander Zoio found us," Kad answers. "She's nice. Says she has a few questions for us later. But first, there's a big meeting in the cafeteria at 8:00. It's only seven now, so we've got an hour to look around."
"Alright," I say. "Wait—give me a second. I'll use the bathroom."
In the tiny washroom a message blinks into existence in front of me.
[ 1 New Message ]
Open? → Yes
Congratulations. You have won.
Both rewards have been claimed.
Level 4 Reached.
Two new skills unlock.
Skill 1 — Life Sense
You can now see the HP of allies and enemies.
Skill 2 — Inventory
You have gained access to an inventory system with 20 slots.
Slots used: 1/20. 19 slots remaining.
Mike Tyl — Stats:
• Level: 4
• Free Stat Points: 0 (all distributed)
• Health (HP): 110
• Strength: 40
• Stamina: 40
• Magic: 10 (no points invested)
I grin. Stronger. Good. Time to move.
I head to the assembly with Giel and Kad. Entering the cafeteria I spot Julius across the room. Our eyes lock for a second. He looks away fast.
Suddenly: SILENCE!
A voice booms. "My name is Commander Glus. Starting today I will be your instructor. For the next three years I will train you, test you, and push you past your limits—until you either fail or become real Sals."
He lays out the week's plan: a full tour today, precise ability measurements tomorrow, training on day three, a three-day mission across days four to six, and a friendly tournament on day seven. He introduces the commandants, the medical team, the chefs—Master Healer Ilius included—and finishes with, "Remember, Sals fight for good. That is our mission and our honor."
Tour begins. Commander Glus leads us past the cafeteria, up to the observation balcony, down the long corridors to the training hall. He points out restrooms, the medical bay, the armory. Voices ripple through the group.
A girl laughs, "Aww, the girls' bathrooms are so cute!"
A boy from the other side shouts, "What? Why don't we get something like that?" Then, without thinking, he ducks into the girls' area and grabs one of the girls by the arm.
"Hey, we have to help her!" Kad says, alarmed.
I freeze.
Lasa.
What is she doing here? Why did she apply? My head spins.
"Lasa!" I call.
"Mike! Help me!" she cries.
I step forward, trying to keep my voice steady. "Don't touch her. Let go and walk away."
The guy releases her, then swings at me.
I don't dodge. I can't show everything. If I react too fast or too strong I might reveal what I am. So I take the hit.
Life Sense flashes across my vision. HP readout: me 130, enemy 100. Wolf Strike deals exactly 100 HP damage. My mouth tastes like pennies.
The attacker keeps kicking me. Giel explodes into action, furious. He uses his magic, hurling the attacker across the hallway like a ragdoll.
"Mike! Are you alright?" Lasa rushes over.
"Yeah," I say, forcing my voice steady.
Later, with the day moving on, I decide to finish my daily tasks. They're tougher now: 50 push-ups and ten minutes of moon observation. The moon isn't visible—morning—so I focus on push-ups. Fifty done.
I step outside for a walk. Cool air. The system opens when I call it.
[ System Opened ]
Level: 4
A new message pops in.
[ 1 New Message ]
[ Quest Received ]
Bite a Human
Note: If not completed by tomorrow, 00:00, a penalty will be issued to Player Wolf.
I freeze when I read it. Bite a human? My fingers clench.
What kind of quest is this?
Reward 1: Two level ups
Reward 2: 20 stat points
No. I won't do it.
I join Giel and Kad but I can't shake the message. Giel grins, "Excited to finally get ranked today?" I force an answer. "Yeah…"
Commander Glus's voice rings down the hall. "Everyone, get ready. Measurements start shortly. In fifteen minutes report to the cafeteria."
Before I can think more, three bullies grab me in an empty corridor. One sneers, "We're gonna knock you out and turn you in, mutt."
My system blinks again.
1 New Message
Quest!
Eliminate the bullies permanently — 0/3
Note: This quest is mandatory. If Player Wolf fails, consequences will follow.
Mandatory. Kill. Three of them stand there, knives and malice. My heart hammers. I don't want to do this, but the system doesn't bluff.