The blue screen cracked.

  For an instant, reality itself fractured. Thin glowing lines spread through the air like broken glass, splitting space into countless shimmering fragments. Everything slowed to a crawl.

  Then—

  A blinding light burst from the blue box.

  A violent explosion of shattered fragments erupted outward, as if reality itself had broken into pieces. The air tasted sharp and metallic, like biting down on electricity. A strange burning smell filled Damian’s nose — the scent of ozone and something unnatural, like space tearing open.

  The world collapsed.

  Damian was suddenly falling.

  Cold wind rushed past his body, whipping against his skin and forcing the breath from his lungs. The taste of fresh air flooded his mouth — clean, earthy, completely different from the blood-soaked stench of the mall.

  He crashed through thick branches and landed hard on damp soil.

  A heavy scent of wet earth and crushed leaves filled his nose.

  Birds scattered.

  Silence followed.

  Damian slowly stood up, groaning, brushing dirt from his clothes. The ground beneath him was soft and slightly muddy, releasing the rich smell of rain-soaked soil with every step.

  He froze.

  He was no longer in the mall.

  No screams.

  No blood.

  No goblins.

  No friends.

  Only a dense forest stretched endlessly around him. Towering trees reached toward the sky, their leaves glowing under warm sunlight. The air carried the fresh scent of pine, moss, and wild plants. It was so clean he could almost taste the greenery on his tongue.

  “What the hell happened?” Damian muttered, breathing heavily.

  “Where am I? What is this?”

  Suddenly—

  Ding!

  A mysterious blue box with white text appeared before him.

  The screen emitted a soft humming sound and a faint sterile smell, like polished metal after rain.

  “Welcome, Player.”

  “I am the System Admin.”

  “I detect that you have many questions.”

  “I am designed to answer them.”

  “But first, we must complete Player Registration by granting your Job Class and Title information.”

  Damian stared at the floating screen, his confusion only growing.

  “Admin? System? Job Class? Title?” he muttered.

  “What is this… a video game? This sounds like a literal video game.”

  The glowing text reflected in his eyes as the screen flickered softly.

  “Please take this Cube.”

  Poof.

  A cube materialized in front of him.

  Damian grabbed it cautiously. The object was cold to the touch, unnaturally smooth, black with sharp silver edges. It gave off a faint metallic scent, like freshly forged steel.

  “This cube will determine your Job Class and Title,” the system continued.

  “Each face of the cube contains a group number of ten.”

  The cube suddenly lit up. Numbers appeared on each face, rapidly shuffling at impossible speed.

  Damian rotated it in his hands, watching the numbers blur together.

  “So it’s basically a one-to-sixty cube, right?” he said quietly.

  Ding!

  “Once you are ready, please roll the cube.”

  Damian gripped the cube tightly. His palms were damp with sweat, and the forest air suddenly felt heavy in his lungs.

  “I don’t understand what’s happening… but the system said I can rise to greatness,” he whispered.

  “If I can go back and save my friends… I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  He rolled the cube onto the ground.

  It bounced across the soil and stopped.

  17.

  Ding!

  “Primary Class: Mage.”

  “Please roll again.”

  Damian’s eyes widened.

  “Mage? My class is Mage? Can I use magic now?” he asked, excitement creeping into his voice.

  The thought sent a strange thrill through him — like tasting something forbidden.

  Ding!

  “Please roll again.”

  He rolled the cube once more.

  It struck a tree root and stopped.

  22.

  Ding!

  “Secondary Class: Assassin.”

  “System calculating available titles.”

  Damian’s heart pounded faster.

  “Mage and Assassin? I can think of a few things I can do with that… but what the hell is a Title?”

  Ding!

  “Please roll one final time.”

  Without hesitation, Damian tossed the cube again.

  This time, no number appeared.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The cube remained dark for several seconds before suddenly releasing a powerful golden light. The air grew warm, carrying a faint sweet scent — rich and heavy, like fresh blood mixed with iron.

  A shining golden letter formed.

  S.

  The cube had landed on an S-Rank Title.

  Ding!

  “Congratulations, Player. You have received an S-Rank Title.”

  Damian stood frozen in shock.

  “An S-Rank Title!? I need details.”

  Ding!

  “Player Registration Complete.”

  “You may now view your personal profile.”

  The system box suddenly began to distort.

  Its blue surface melted, colors twisting and bleeding together. A harsh static sound filled the air, accompanied by a thick metallic smell that burned Damian’s throat.

  The screen cracked.

  It shattered completely.

  From the fragments emerged a new interface.

  This one was different.

  Dark red.

  Blackened edges.

  Grey text.

  The air around it smelled strongly of iron — heavy and intoxicating.

  At the center appeared his new title.

  Ding!

  “Title Obtained: Blood Prince.”

  Damian blinked in Confusion.

  “Blood Prince? What does that even mean?”

  The system displayed his full profile.

  Ding!

  Name: Damian Skyfall

  Level: 1

  Race: Human / Player

  Job Class: Mage / Assassin

  Title: Blood Prince

  Rank: S

  Stats:

  HP: 100

  MP: 100

  STR: 1

  DEF: 1

  SPD: 2

  INT: 2

  MND: 1

  Passive: Blood Draw Lv.1

  Damian reads the screen carefully.

  “What is this? And what’s that passive? And these stats?”

  He paused, organizing his thoughts.

  “System, show full stat descriptions and passive description.”

  Ding!

  HP (Health Points): Overall physical condition.

  MP (Mana Points): Magical capacity.

  STR (Strength): Physical damage output.

  DEF (Defense): Resistance to physical damage.

  SPD (Speed): Movement and reaction speed.

  INT (Intelligence): Magical damage output.

  MND (Mind): Resistance to magical damage.

  Blood Draw Lv.1:

  Allows the Player to absorb blood from defeated enemies to recover health.

  (Current effect: restores 5% of target’s maximum HP.)

  Damian slowly processed the information.

  “So I’m basically a Blood Mage… I recover health from the enemies I kill.”

  The idea left a strange taste in his mouth — dark, unsettling… yet powerful.

  A strong breeze swept through the forest, shaking the towering trees. The wind carried the scent of sap, leaves, and distant water, but beneath it lingered a faint metallic sweetness tied to his new power.

  Damian called out again.

  “System. Tell me my objective.”

  The bright blue interface returned.

  Ding!

  “Current Objective: Survive and level up within the Arena.”

  “The System separates the weak from the strong.”

  “Multiple Players are currently present.”

  “Return to original location in 3 hours.”

  Time Remaining: 2 Hours 41 Minutes

  Damian clenched his fists.

  He still had countless questions.

  But he understood one thing.

  This was survival.

  Ding!

  “Warning: Monsters detected nearby.”

  “Player must defend himself.”

  The forest suddenly grew quiet.

  The pleasant scent of nature faded.

  In its place came a foul odor drifting through the trees.

  Something was coming.

  Damian quickly lowered his body and moved toward a nearby tree, pressing his back against the rough bark as he hid behind its thick trunk.

  The forest was alive with sound — leaves rustling, branches creaking, insects buzzing in the distance. The air smelled rich with damp earth, moss, and fresh sap. Every breath carried the taste of soil and greenery, strangely calming compared to the metallic stench of blood from the mall.

  But beneath the natural scent, something foul lingered.

  Rot.

  Wet flesh.

  Monster.

  “I have no weapons… no armor,” Damian whispered to himself, clenching his fists.

  “Guess I’ll have to fight with my bare hands.”

  His heart pounded steadily in his chest.

  “The System said Players, plural… so there must be more than just me. I just need to believe my friends are becoming Players too.”

  A figure emerged between the trees.

  A goblin — just like the ones that attacked the mall — strolled through the forest alone, hunched forward, its yellow eyes scanning the surroundings. Its green skin looked rough and leathery, and its body gave off a sour odor like spoiled meat mixed with damp fur.

  Damian focused on it.

  Suddenly, a system box appeared above the creature’s head.

  Ding!

  Forest Goblin Lv. 1

  Class: Warrior

  HP: 40

  Damian’s eyes widened.

  “So the system shows enemy info too…”

  The goblin continued scouting, unaware of his presence. It sniffed the air and scratched its neck with sharp claws, its movements twitchy and animalistic.

  Damian lowered his stance, muscles tightening. He controlled his breathing, feeling the rough soil beneath his feet.

  The goblin turned its back.

  That was his chance.

  Damian burst forward.

  His feet pushed off the ground, kicking up dirt as he rushed toward the creature. The wind whipped against his face, carrying the bitter taste of adrenaline.

  The goblin suddenly sensed him and spun around—

  Too late.

  Damian’s fist crashed into the goblin’s face with a heavy thud. The impact sent a jolt up his arm as bone met bone. The goblin’s head snapped sideways, and its body slammed into the ground.

  Ding!

  –10 HP on Forest Goblin

  “Yes! He’s down — keep the pressure!”

  Damian lunged forward before the goblin could recover. As it struggled to rise, he swung again, driving his fist straight into its face.

  BAM.

  The goblin staggered but didn’t fall this time. Dark blood dripped from its broken nose, releasing a sharp iron smell into the air.

  Ding!

  –10 HP on Forest Goblin

  Damian rushed in again, but now the goblin was ready.

  The creature twisted its body with surprising speed, slipping past Damian’s punch. Its claws flashed through the air and raked across Damian’s right shoulder.

  Pain exploded through his body.

  Warm blood spilled down his arm, and the coppery taste filled his mouth as he gasped.

  Ding!

  –15 HP on Player

  Damian staggered back, gripping his shoulder. The wound burned fiercely, stinging like fire.

  “Damn… that hurt,” he hissed, steadying his breathing.

  “Only two more hits and I can kill it.”

  The goblin screeched and lunged forward first, sprinting toward him with claws extended like blades. Its feet pounded against the ground, kicking up leaves and dirt.

  Damian reacted instantly.

  He twisted his body sideways, narrowly dodging the slash, feeling the goblin’s claws slice through the air inches from his chest. The creature’s foul breath rushed past his face — rancid and nauseating.

  Using the momentum, Damian drove his knee upward into the goblin’s stomach.

  THUD.

  The impact forced the air from the goblin’s lungs. Its body lifted slightly before being thrown backward, skidding across the forest floor.

  Ding!

  –10 HP on Forest Goblin

  The goblin coughed violently, dark blood dripping from its mouth. Its breathing grew erratic as it struggled to stand.

  Then it turned.

  It tried to run.

  “Oh no you don’t! I’m not letting you escape!”

  Damian lowered his stance again, focusing.

  “I’m a Blood Mage… but I’m also an Assassin. I need to move like one.”

  Ding!

  Quick Dash Lv. 1 Activated

  Energy surged through his legs.

  Damian’s body shot forward in a sudden burst of speed, the world blurring around him. The forest air rushed violently against his face, filling his mouth with the sharp taste of wind and dirt.

  In an instant, he closed the distance.

  He leapt and slammed his fist down onto the goblin’s back with all his strength.

  The impact was devastating.

  The creature crashed into the ground, the force sending cracks through the soil beneath it.

  Ding!

  –20 HP on Forest Goblin (Critical Hit)

  Forest Goblin has been defeated

  +100 XP

  The goblin’s body twitched once… then went still.

  Ding!

  You have leveled up!

  You are now Level 2

  Basic stats increased +1

  Stat Points Awarded: 1

  Warm energy flowed through Damian’s body, strengthening his muscles and easing his fatigue. The forest seemed clearer, sharper — every scent and sound more vivid.

  “Well… would you look at that,” he said, catching his breath.

  “I’m level two already… and I just used an Assassin skill to finish the job.”

  Ding!

  Passive Activated: Blood Draw Lv. 1

  The goblin’s corpse suddenly glowed dark red.

  A stream of crimson energy rose from the body and flowed into Damian’s chest. A warm sensation spread through him, sealing his wound and restoring his strength. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, strangely sweet and invigorating.

  “And there goes my passive… and it actually healed me,” Damian said, flexing his shoulder.

  “Just five percent… but it’s something.”

  He thought carefully.

  “My passive and skill are both Level 1… which means I can level them up.”

  A slow grin formed on his face.

  Power.

  Growth.

  Survival.

  Damian stood tall, determination burning in his eyes. The forest wind passed through the trees, carrying distant monster sounds deeper within the woods.

  He began walking forward.

  “No doubt in my mind my friends are going to make it,” he said quietly.

  “I’m more curious what kind of Players they’ll become.”

  His fists tightened.

  “Can’t wait to see.”