Chapter 2 The Forest of Beginnings
Ethan stood in the middle of the forest, the air thick with an otherworldly energy that prickled his skin. The trees around him towered like ancient sentinels, their leaves shimmering faintly with a golden and green hue. The ground beneath his feet was soft, covered in moss that glowed faintly in the dim light. It was beautiful, but it was also unnerving. This wasn't God's Dream. This was something else entirely.
He glanced at his stats bar again, the glowing interface hovering in front of him. The numbers hadn't changed.
Name: Ethan Dawn
Level: 1
Class: Twilight Archon Sovereign
HP: 50
MP: 40
Strength: 4
Agility: 3
Vitality: 2
Intelligence: 4
$#@#?-:??
[Locked]: ??
[Locked]: ??
As he stared at his stats bar, something caught his eye—his class wasn't just Archon Sovereign anymore. It was Twilight Archon Sovereign, and next to it, in bold letters, was the word
His breath hitched. In God's Dream, the highest class grade was
Ethan's mind raced. A Transcendent-grade class. What did that even mean? And why did his stats was so weak? In God's Dream, even a Level 1 character with a Mythic class would have stats far beyond what he was seeing now. Was this world's system different? Or was there something more to it? He didn't have answers, but one thing was clear—his class change had something to do with the Twilight Dragon and its final words: "Give glory to my meaningless existence."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Damn, I can't believe all this silence is making me miss that chatterbox assassin." he muttered. "Annoying as hell, but at least he never let me feel lonely. Hah!." The memory brought a faint smile, but it quickly faded. "I need to get out of this forest before some monster decides I'm lunch. With these stats, I'm not even sure I can run away."
A faint rustling in the underbrush snapped Ethan to attention. From the shadows emerged a deer with antlers that shimmered like polished jade. Its coat glowed faintly, and its movements were graceful, almost ethereal.
Ethan tried to activate his
Jade Antler Deer
Level: 5
HP: 25
Ethan blinked. "What the hell? Why is Insight so… broken?" he muttered. In *God's Dream*, it would've given him detailed stats and weaknesses. Here, it barely scratched the surface. But one thing stood out—the deer's HP was lower than his own. That was unexpected.
Despite the deer's low HP, Ethan couldn't shake his unease. This was the first monster he'd encountered in this strange world, and he had no idea what it was capable of. The deer just stood there, watching him with calm, curious eyes. Before he could decide whether to fight or flee, the deer let out a soft hum and continued to be on its way and disappeared into the forest.
Ethan exhaled sharply, his body trembling with adrenaline. "What the hell is this place?" he muttered. The encounter left him more confused than ever, but one thing was clear—this world was nothing like God's Dream. And he had a lot to learn.
As the deer vanished, Ethan's mind raced. Why was his Insight skill so limited? Why did a Level 5 monster have less HP than him, a Level 1?
He glanced at his stats bar again. His instincts told him he had more power than the status screen showed, but his stats were showing this much low. 'Is this world's system different? Was this the dragon's doing? Had Ecliptar brought him here for a reason? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. If Ecliptar had truly brought him here, then he should be more careful. He had no idea what the dragon wanted.
Ethan moved cautiously through the forest, his senses on high alert. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, made him pause and scan his surroundings. The forest was alive with energy, but it was also eerily quiet, as if holding its breath. He didn't know what to expect, and that uncertainty gnawed at him.
As he walked, he tried to make sense of the world around him. The trees were unlike anything he'd seen before—their bark shimmered faintly, and their leaves glowed with a soft, green light. The air was thick with an otherworldly energy, and the ground beneath his feet felt alive, pulsing with a faint rhythm.
Ethan's thoughts turned to his stats. If this world's system was different, then he needed to understand how it worked. In God's Dream, stats were straightforward—Strength increased physical power which is Attack and Defense, Agility boosted speed and reaction time, Vitality increased Health and Stamina and Intelligence governed Mana and Magic Attack power. There were also Special stats that helped the player in various ways. But here, with his stats so low, he wondered if there was more to it. "I need more Information'
His musings were interrupted by a faint sound—a low, guttural growl. Ethan froze, his heart pounding. He scanned the area, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pinpoint the source of the noise. From the shadows emerged a creature that made his blood run cold—a wolf-like monster, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
A faint flickering interface appeared, displaying basic information:
Shadowfang Wolf
Level: 3
HP: 9
Ethan blinked, surprised. The wolf's HP was only 9—far lower than he expected. Compared to Ethan's 50 HP, the wolf was fragile, but its sharp claws and fangs made it seem dangerous.
The wolf lunged at him, its movements swift and deadly. Ethan barely had time to react. He dodged to the side, his body moving slower than he was used to, but still precise. The wolf's claws grazed his arm, and he felt a sharp pain as he noticed his HP dropped by 3 in his stats.
"Damn it!" Ethan hissed, clutching his arm. He couldn't afford to test his limit by taking hits like that. This didn't seem like a game. He needed a plan—and fast.
Ethan scanned the area, looking for anything he could use as a weapon. His eyes landed on a fallen branch nearby. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He dove for the branch, grabbing it just as the wolf lunged again. Ethan swung the branch with all his strength, the makeshift weapon connecting with the wolf's skull. The creature yelped, stumbling back. Wow. This branch is very sturdy. Didn't even break after that.
Ethan didn't let up. He pressed the attack, swinging the branch two more times at the lunging wolf, each blow chipping away at the wolf's health. Finally, with one last strike, the creature collapsed, its body lying motionless on the ground. Ethan stood over it, breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his chest.
As he caught his breath, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. "That… was easier than I expected," he muttered. "I thought I'd be weaker, but I took it down with just a branch. And that wolf… it was Level 3, but it felt so fragile. What's going on here?"
He knelt beside the wolf's body, examining it closely. There was no loot, no coins—just the lifeless form of the creature. Ethan frowned. "No loot? No EXP? What kind of world is this?"
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. In *God's Dream*, killing monsters was the primary way to gain EXP and level up. But here, it seemed that wasn't the case. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "sigh! This world is more like the real world if I ignore all the magical stuff. I have to more careful not to die. I can't afford to find out if there is a revival center" he muttered. "If I can't gain EXP from monsters, then how do I get stronger? Do I have to rely on something else? Or is there something I'm missing?"
As Ethan stood there, pondering, he heard voices in the distance. They were faint but unmistakable—human voices. Ethan's heart leapt. If there were people nearby, he might be able to get some answers.