Experience

[System Notification]: You have defeated a Bandit (Level 3).

+50 EXP

+3 Lumen

She blinked at the glowing text hovering in front of her eyes. 

"Well, would you look at that.", she murmured, wiping the blood splatter off her cheek with her sleeve. The sight of her stained hands made her pause. It was one thing to hunt animals in ONI for resources, but this… this was something else entirely.

"Congratulations, Player!", the System's cheerful voice chimed in, completely ignoring the weight of the situation.

"Your combat skills are… above average with respect to your experience. Though you might want to work on your reflexes. You could've taken him down 0.73 seconds faster!~"

Layla rolled her eyes, the tension in her shoulders easing just slightly. "Yeah, thanks, Mom."

-x-

She crouched down to inspect the body. The man's grimy clothes smelled as bad as they looked, but a glint of something shiny caught her attention. Her fingers hesitated before plucking a small, rusted key from his pocket.

[Item Acquired]: Rusty Key

"What's this for?", she muttered, holding it up.

"Unknown." the System replied.

"But keys usually open things! Don't they, now, Player?"

Layla ignored the sarcastic tone and slipped the key into a small pouch on her belt. Her eyes drifted back to the notification panel. Fifty EXP wasn't much in the grand scheme of leveling up, but it was a start. Only her experience of fighting battles in this game had carried over, but not the actual in-game levels. So she had to start from square one in this department. Her level bar—a thin green line hovering in the corner of her vision—nudged forward ever so slightly.

"I guess every little bit counts," she muttered to herself.

"Indeed!", the System chimed in again.

"At this rate, you'll hit Level 2 in approximately 11.4 duels! Assuming you survive, of course."

Layla let out a dry laugh, her fingers tightening around her bow. The reality of this world was beginning to sink in. If she wanted to survive here, she'd have to fight—a lot. And judging by the system's predictions, it had no intention of sugarcoating her odds.

"Alright," she said, standing up and scanning her surroundings. The dense forest felt both familiar and alien at the same time, the strange aura of the trees casting eerie shadows. She wiped her hands on the grass and adjusted the quiver strapped to her back.

"Let's see what else this game has in store for me."

-x-

As she started to move, the faint sound of running water caught her attention. Her lips were dry, and her throat burned. Survival instincts kicking in, she followed the sound, her boots crunching softly against the forest leaves.

The path ahead revealed a crystal-clear stream, its surface shining with a soft, otherworldly glow. Kneeling by the water, she cupped her hands and took a sip. The cool water refreshed her instantly, and a new notification popped up.

[Buff Activated]: Restored Vitality (+5% Health Regen for 10 minutes)

"Not bad," she muttered, a small smile forming.

"System," she asked, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

"I remember there were Guilds in this game, when I played it back on Earth."

"Indeed, Player!" the System chirped, its synthetic voice somehow managing to sound smug.

"Guilds provide a 43.7% higher survival rate than solo play, as well as access to exclusive quests, shared resources, Dungeons, Raids, and Wars! I recommend joining one if you plan to want to last longer than a week!"

"Coool. So, where would I find one?", Layla whispered as she wiped the remaining water off her mouth with her sleeve.

"The nearby town of Aeloria hosts a Guild Hall. You'll need to register there."

Laila sighed, brushing dirt off her skirt. Of course, nothing came for free—not in ONI Online, and certainly not in this twisted real-life version of it. She adjusted her quiver, her bow resting lightly against her back, and began walking in the direction the System indicated with the waypoint hovering over her head.

-x-

The path to Aeloria was a mix of breathtaking beauty yet constant danger. The green forest and shimmering rivers felt surreal, but Laila couldn't ignore the often rustling in the bushes or the faint growls echoing through the trees. Her hand stayed close to her bow, her senses alert.

"You might encounter wild creatures," the System offered helpfully.

"Defeating them provides minimal EXP but valuable crafting materials. Pro tip: don't get eaten."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Layla muttered, but she notched an arrow just in case.

Her first encounter was a pack of [Twilight Wolves]—agile, glowing predators with sleek black fur streaked with silver. The fight was messy, her movements clumsy compared to her in-game self. But after a few near misses and one arrow straight to the alpha's eye, she emerged victorious.

[+80 EXP]

[+5 Lumen]

[Item Acquired]: Twilight Pelt (x3)

By the time she reached Aeloria, the Sun—or whatever passed for a Sun in this world—was below below the horizon, casting long shadows over the cobbled streets.

The town was bustling with a ton of adventures.