Ryuji's eyes snapped open, his body jerking as if struck by lightning. The cabin's dim light filtered through the frost-cracked windows, the blizzard's howl a distant roar outside. He sat there, staring at the crimson panel on his left arm, its glow faint and steady, just as it had been... when? His heart hammered, a scream ripping from his throat, raw and terrified. "What the fuck was that?!"
He clutched his right hand, fingers flexing, whole and unmarked. His left leg— he kicked it out, shoe scuffing the floor, no pain, no blood. The memories crashed in: the Wolfkin's jaws tearing his leg clean off, the hot gush of blood, the agony of his hand severed, bones crunching under its paw, the final crack as its teeth closed on his skull. Phantom pain bloomed in his chest, a sharp, lingering echo that made him gasp. *A dream. Had to be. Hunger, exhaustion... yeah, that's it.*
He shook his head, breathing hard, the cold air stinging his lungs. "Status open!" he shouted, voice echoing in the empty cabin. The panel flickered, expanding with cold text, listing his skills: Level 1 boxing, Axe Wielding. Ryuji blinked, leaning closer. Axe Wielding? That's odd, when did I get this skill?* He scratched his head, confusion knitting his brows. *Must've been part of the dream. Or... no, the system's always been like this. Right?*
His stomach growled, a low, insistent rumble that cut through the fog. Hunger clawed at him, reminding him of the empty steel cans scattered like trash. *Still starving. Dream or not, I need food.* He reached for the rusty axe half-buried in the wall, yanking it free. No flash this time, no new skill ping. But the weight felt... lighter, like a part of him, an extension of his arm. He swung it experimentally, the motion smooth, confident. *Weird. But good. Time to hunt that furry mutt again.*
The red tie around his neck—his mom's gift—felt tight, a reminder of home amid the madness. He stepped to the door, kicking it open, snow blasting in like a slap. The Wasteland waited, white and unforgiving, the Furcoated Wolfkin's howl echoing in the distance. Ryuji crept through the snow, shoes sinking, breath fogging, hiding in the same bush as... as in the dream? The beast loomed, its white fur shimmering, yellow eyes glowing, tail lashing. *Same as before. Déjà vu or what?* He gripped the axe, and lunged, swinging for its flank.
The Wolfkin's tail whipped, slamming into his chest. He flew back, crashing through the cabin wall in a spray of splintering wood, pain seared his ribs. Blood filled his mouth, the metallic taste sharp.
The panel flickered:
**Internal Bleeding Detected.**
**Bleeding Stopped.**
**Pain Threshold: 7%.**
**Target: Furcoated Wolfkin, S-Rank, Blizzard Rust Tier, Lowest Rank in Dungeon.**
**Weak Spots: Belly (Primary), Neck (High Risk, Obstructed by Ruff).**
**Survival Chance (Head-On Combat): 0%.**
Ryuji coughed, blood flecking the snow. *0% huh? Do I even stand a chance?* The words hung in his mind, a flicker of doubt cutting through his cocky haze. He pushed up, ribs throbbing but whole, skin smooth. *Healed again. System's got my back.* But the déjà vu hit hard, a chill deeper than the snow. *This... this happened in the dream. Same panel, same pain.*
He didn't realize the Wolfkin was charging until its growl vibrated through the air. When he looked up, it was too late—the claw slashed, severing his left hand in a ragged tear. Hot blood gushed out, spraying the snow with hot crimson. Ryuji screamed, staggering back, the pain a white-hot knife twisting in his arm. He bolted for the cabin, legs pumping, the beast's crunching munch on his severed hand echoing behind him, flesh tearing like wet paper.
The system blared:
**Pain Threshold: 70%, rapidly increasing.**
**Vessel in unrecoverable state of decay.**
At 80%, he burst into the cabin, the wooden splinters cutting into his shoe's. His vision blurred, breath ragged. He fumbled with his red tie, untying it with his good hand, fingers slick with blood. Wrapping it around the stump, he pulled tight, the fabric biting into skin, stopping the flow. The panel updated:
**Bleeding temporarily stopped.**
**Pain Threshold: 78%, decreasing.**
Ryuji leaned against the wall, gasping, the cabin's cold seeping into his bones. *78%... decreasing. It's working.* A chill ran down his neck, the hair standing up. His stomach knotted as the panel's glow cast shadows. He turned slowly, heart pounding, and saw the Wolfkin peering through the crack in the wall, yellow eyes glowing like embers.
"Oh shi—" he muttered, but the beast struck, claw scratching his face in burning lines, hurling him outside into the snow. He landed hard, the impact jarring his bones, blood from his reopened stump soaking the ground.
The system warned:
**Wound reopened.**
**Pain Threshold: 90%.**
**Bleeding not neutralized.**
The Wolfkin leaped onto the cabin roof, readying to jump. Ryuji raised his right arm, but his axe was gone, lost in the chaos. Thinking fast, he tried to dodge left, but the beast landed on his arm, crushing it with a sickening crunch, bones cutting through his skin like splintering wood.
Déjà vu slammed into him again, a wave of nausea. The Wolfkin stomped on his chest, slowly, deliberately, its paw heavy as a boulder. Ryuji's ribcage buckled, cracking like dry branches under the pressure, each snap a spike of agony ripping through him. He screamed, utterly agonizing, the sound echoing through the snow.
Crack.
**Pain Threshold: 100%.**
The crimson panel flared, its cold light searing through the darkness of his fading vision:
**Achievement Unlocked: Hunted by Prey.**
**Returning the vessel to a safer past.**
Ryuji's eyes snapped open, his body jerking as if struck by lightning. The cabin's dim light filtered through the frost-cracked windows, the blizzard's howl a distant roar outside. He sat there, staring at the crimson panel on his left arm, its glow faint and steady. He screamed, voice raw, hands flying to his chest, his arm, his face—whole, unmarked. *What the fuck?* Phantom pain lingered, a ghost of crushed ribs, severed hand, the beast's munching echo in his ears. *Another dream? But... it felt real. Too real.*
He shook his head, breathing hard, the cold air stinging his lungs. "Status open!" he shouted, voice echoing. The panel expanded, listing his skills: Level 1 Axe Wielding, Boxing. Ryuji blinked, leaning closer. Axe Wielding? That's odd, when did I get this skill?* He scratched his head, confusion knitting his brows. *Must've been part of the dream. Or... no, the system's always been like this. Right?*
The system dinged, a notification flashing:
**Achievement Unlocked: Hunted by Prey – 1 Point.**
**Achievement Unlocked: First of Many – 5 Points.**
Ryuji's eyes widened, a spark cutting through the fog. "Let's go! I have skill points." He grinned, excitement bubbling. "Is there a shop in the system?" Nothing. No menu, no response. He tapped the panel, frowning. But the points were there, waiting, and a new section appeared: allocate to will, Strength, agility, Vitality, Intelligence, Magic, Spirit.
*Points? Like a game?* He thought, lightening up. *Now this is talking.* Curious about Magic and Spirit, he tapped on it, and the system responded, as if reading his thoughts:
**Magic**
Determines your command over the Primordial Flow — the living current that weaves through all matter and mind.
Increases the potency of spells, enhances control over elemental forces, and refines energy manipulation.
A higher Primordial Flow allows for stronger, faster, and more stable manifestations of power.
Affects: Magic strengthening, Energy Efficiency (reduced mana usage of magic), Elemental and Enchantment Scaling, Control Stability.
Type: Offensive / Technical / Active.
**Spirit**
Measures the depth of your inner essence — the strength of your soul's connection to the Primordial Flow.
Governs energy capacity, regeneration, and resilience against corruption, despair, or spiritual decay.
A higher Spirit strengthens endurance and expands your bond with unseen or divine forces.
Affects: Max Mana / Energy Pool, Mana Regeneration Rate, Resistance to Curses, Madness, and Soul Damage, Healing / Summoning Potency.
Type: Defensive / Supportive / Passive.
Ryuji scratched his head, squinting at the text. "Alright, I didn't understand anything. But this is actually feeling like a game now." He leaned back, the cabin's wood creaking, a smirk tugging his lips. *where should i allocate my Points.* He pondered, finger hovering over the options. *Strength for the axe? Speed to dodge? Vitality sounds safe...* right?
The sky outside darkened, the blizzard's roar fading. He stood up curiously, peering out the window. *There are day and nights in a dungeon too?* The storm cleared, revealing a snowy night, stars shimmering like distant eyes in the black sky. The system still open, its crimson glow contrasting with the snow.
A hot breath grazed his neck, warm and foul. Ryuji froze, a chill running down his spine. He turned slowly, heart pounding, and saw the Wolfkin standing there, its yellow eyes glowing in the dark, jaws parted in a silent snarl.
"oh hell na—" Ryuji ducked back, but the beast's bite grazed his neck, blood spurting hot and sticky. He stumbled inside, hand clamping the wound. The system blared:
**Pain Threshold: 20%.**
Ryuji panicked, moving frantically trying to find something to stop the bleeding. His hand mistakenly pressed vitality+ the system blared,
**Vitality leveled up
In a blink his wound weaved shut, only the stain of blood remaining.
Inspired, he placed his left arm on a desk, hand shaking, the cabin's cold air heavy in his lungs. *If it works for the neck...* He held the axe, blade glinting, body trembling with fear and excitement. He swung, chopping his hand off in a spray of blood, the pain exploding like lightning. The stump pulsed, blood pooling on the desk.
The system blared:
**Pain Threshold: 40%, increasing rapidly.**
Ryuji panicked, finger jabbing vitality+, but nothing. *Come on, work!* The pain swelled, vision blurring, his breath coming in gasps. He clicked again, and the level up triggered, his hand regrowing in a flash of crimson light, flesh knitting, bones reforming with a tingle. The system showed: Next vitality level costs 3 points.
A new achievement flashed:
**Achievement Unlocked: Pain Feels Like Home – 15 Points.**
Ryuji smirked, adrenaline pumping. *15 points? Pain feels like home... yeah, I guess it does.* He wiped the blood from his hands, the cabin smelling of copper. Before he could allocate to strength, the door exploded, chunks of wood flying like shrapnel, splintering against his skin.
He was struck, flying back, no blood, but the impact jarred his bones. The system panicked sputtering:
**Pain Threshold: 8%.**
**Nighttime detected, seek shelter.**
**WARNING. NULL TIER ANOMALY DETECTED. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.**
Ryuji stopped, body frozen mid air, the world starting to distort—snow twisting like smoke, shadows lengthening unnaturally. The Wolfkin cowered in the corner, its head lowering, eyes wide with terror. A long shadowy figure, deformed like a human skeleton stretched wrong, materialized, reality rippling around it like water. It grabbed Ryuji's waist, lifting him effortlessly. His body stayed static on the air, torso stretching like jelly, bones cracking every millisecond, pain exploding. But he couldn't move nor speak.
**Pain Threshold: 100%.**
The system flashed:
**Returning Vessel to a safer pa—FAILED.**
The anomaly opened its mouth, stretching the world around it's gaping jaw, that started to stretch longer and longer. shadows swirling into a void. Ryuji screamed, the sound warping.
**RETURNING VESSEL TO A SAFER PAST.**