The moment I shifted my weight, both horses lunged forward at the same time, their hooves tearing into the dirt as they charged with lowered heads, the curved horns aimed straight for me. The ground trembled faintly beneath their movement, and the distance between us collapsed far too quickly for any hesitation.
I moved to the side at the last possible moment, my foot sliding across loose soil as I twisted my body, letting the first one rush past me so close that I could feel the force of its movement brush against my skin, while the second reacted almost instantly, adjusting its path with unnatural speed and turning toward me again.
I raised my sword just in time, catching the impact as its head slammed into the blade, the force traveling straight through my arms and pushing me backward as my boots dragged across the dirt, barely holding my balance.
Pain flared sharply along my side where the wound had been tied, the pressure forcing blood to seep through the cloth again, but I held on, shifting my grip and angling the blade to redirect the force rather than absorb it completely.
Using that moment, I stepped away, creating space as both creatures turned once more, their red eyes fixed on me with the same relentless intent.
This time, I didn’t wait for them to close the distance in a straight line. I moved backward toward the edge of the road, where the terrain broke unevenly into the forest, roots pushing through the dirt and small rocks scattered beneath the surface.
The first horse charged directly again, while the second angled slightly, trying to cut me off, but that only made their movement easier to read. As the first one reached me, I pivoted sharply around a raised root, letting my body flow with the turn, while the creature behind me struck the same uneven ground without adjusting, its front leg catching just enough to disrupt its balance.
That brief falter was all I needed. I stepped in close, my body moving alongside it as I swung the sword in an arc across its neck, the blade biting into flesh and drawing a heavy spray of blood.
The creature let out a harsh, distorted sound, its body jerking as it tried to recover, but I was already moving again, not giving it the chance to stabilize.
The second one was on me almost immediately, far too close to fully evade. I twisted my body to the side, raising the blade as its horn grazed past my shoulder, the motion pulling hard against the wound in my side and sending a sharp wave of pain through me. I dropped lower instead, letting its momentum carry it forward while I reversed my grip and drove the blade upward toward its underside.
The strike landed, but not deep enough to finish it, and the creature reacted violently, its hind leg lashing out and catching me along my side.
The impact sent me rolling across the dirt, the world tilting for a moment as the breath left my lungs, but I forced myself up before the second attack could come.
Both of them were still moving, though no longer as cleanly as before. The first horse staggered slightly, blood pouring from the wound along its neck, its movements losing some of their earlier precision, while the second turned again, its breathing heavier, the cut along its underside slowing it just enough to be noticeable.
I steadied myself, adjusting my stance despite the pain that pulsed with every movement, my grip tightening on the sword as I watched them approach once more.
This time, I didn’t give ground. I stepped forward as they closed in, meeting them head-on, using their reduced speed against them.
As the first one lunged again, I shifted just enough to avoid the full impact and drove the blade deeper into the already open wound along its neck, pushing through resistance until its body faltered completely, collapsing to the ground in a heavy motion that kicked up dirt around it.
The second one followed immediately, its attack less precise now, and I moved into it rather than away, slipping past the horn and bringing the blade down along its side with all the strength I could gather.
The strike forced it to stumble, its legs giving way as it dropped to the ground, its body trembling as blood spread beneath it.
Both creatures lay on the ground, injured and bleeding, their earlier aggression reduced to strained movement as they struggled to rise again.
I stood there, breathing heavily, the sword still in my hand, my side burning with every breath. Without hesitation I stepped forward and slashed both of their necks one by one.
A clear chime echoed in my head.
I focused, and the notification opened.
[Level Up]
[Level 1 → 2]
[Combat Points +10]
[Influence Points +0]
[Status Interface Unlocked]
[Status]
—-----------------------------------
Name: Ryan Heavens
Level: 2
Class: Unassigned
Talent: Locked
Combat Points (CP): 10
Influence Points (IP): 0
Stats:
Vitality: 8
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 7
Intelligence: 8
Endurance: 8
—-----------------------------------
[System Shop Unlocked]
[System Guide Initialized]
[Core Attributes:]
Vitality → Governs health and physical durability
Strength → Governs raw physical power
Dexterity → Governs speed and reaction
Intelligence → Governs control, efficiency, and skill usage
Endurance → Governs stamina, regeneration, and sustain
[Resource Types:]
Combat Points (CP) → Acquired through kills
→ Used for purchasing items, weapons, and skills
Influence Points (IP) → Acquired through actions affecting the world
→ Used for unlocking advanced features and major outcomes
[Progression Locks:
Talent → Unlocks at Level 5
Class → Unlocks at level 2. Determines growth path toward higher existence ]
"Wow... that’s actually useful," I muttered under my breath as I stepped away from the two fallen horses. The smell of blood hung thick in the air, and the moment I put some distance between us, the strain I had been holding back caught up to me.
I leaned against the nearest tree, letting my back rest against the rough bark as I slowly lowered myself down, one hand pressing instinctively against the cloth wrapped around my side.
The pain had grown sharper now that the fight was over, spreading with every breath, and I could feel the damp warmth beneath the fabric where the blood hadn’t fully stopped.
"Let’s see if the shop has something," I said quietly, focusing inward as I brought up the interface again.
The system responded instantly.
A new window opened in front of me, far more organized than I expected. A list of categories appeared one after another, aligned neatly:
Recovery || Enhancement || Weapons || Skills || Utility || Influence
"A long list..." I murmured, then shifted my focus without wasting time and selected Recovery.
The moment I selected it, the interface changed, the category expanding as a new set of options appeared beneath it, each one clearly listed with cost and effect.
Health Potion - grade 1 - 10 CP
Health Potion - grade 2 - 50 CP
Health Potion - grade 3 - 100 CP
Endurance Potion - grade 1 - 10 CP
Endurance Potion - grade 2 - 50 CP
Endurance Potion - grade 3 - 100 CP
"There you are," I said quietly as my gaze settled on the simplest option available and I selected the Grade 1 Health Potion without hesitation.
The moment the choice registered, a faint shimmer formed in front of me, and a small glass vial appeared on the ground, filled with a green liquid that shifted slightly inside it. I leaned forward, picked it up, and uncorked it in one smooth motion before bringing it to my lips and drinking it down in a single go.
The liquid slid down my throat, cool at first, then spreading warmth as it settled in my stomach, and within moments that warmth began to move outward, flowing through my body in a steady wave.
The pain at my side started to fade, as if something was stitching the damage back together from the inside.
Within seconds, the wound was gone.
I reached down and loosened the knot tied around my torso, pulling the blood-soaked cloth away and checking the spot where the cut had been. There was nothing left but clean skin. I wiped off the remaining blood with the fabric, then tossed it aside without another thought as I pushed myself back up to my feet.