A sharp gasp tore through Ethan's throat as he bolted upright.
The air was thick with moisture, the scent of damp earth clogging his lungs. A dense fog curled around twisted, towering trees, their bark riddled with scars as if something massive had clawed through them.
His head throbbed, and his body ached like he had been thrown down a flight of stairs.
Where the hell am I?
A sharp chime rang in his ears. A translucent panel blinked in front of him, pulsing faintly.
[Welcome, Player.]
[You have been chosen.]
[Survive.]
Ethan stared at the words, confusion creeping in.
A game?
Before he could process it further, a low, guttural growl sent ice down his spine.
His breath hitched. His body tensed.
Something was watching him.
Slowly, he turned his head.
A pair of glowing red eyes burned through the mist, locked onto him with predatory focus. The figure stepped forward—a wolf, but wrong.
Its fur was jagged like metal shards, shifting unnaturally with each breath. Its exposed ribs flexed like they were alive, twisting unnervingly.
Then, a notification appeared.
[Direbone Wolf - Level 4]
Threat: Extreme
Ethan's heartbeat hammered against his ribs.
No weapon. No armor. No idea what's going on. I'm dead.
The wolf's muscles coiled. Then—
It lunged.
Ethan threw himself to the side just as claws shredded the bark where his head had been moments before. He rolled, scrambling to his feet. His back slammed against a tree, and the creature closed in.
Think. THINK.
His eyes darted wildly, searching—anything, anything he could use. His fingers brushed against something rough. A rock.
Not much, but better than nothing.
A new notification popped up.
[Skill Activated: Infinite Resource Exploit]
[Select an object to duplicate.]
Ethan barely had time to register the words. Instinct took over. He focused on the rock.
[Duplicating…]
[Resource duplicated successfully.]
A second rock appeared in his other hand.
The wolf lunged again.
With pure desperation, Ethan swung both stones as hard as he could.
A sickening crack echoed through the forest.
The wolf howled, staggering as black blood splattered across the ground.
Ethan didn't stop. He duplicated another rock. Then another. And another.
Then—he rained hell.
A relentless storm of stone bludgeoned the monstrous creature, denting its skull and cracking its exposed ribs. The once-mighty predator collapsed under the barrage, twitching in a pool of ink-black blood.
Silence.
Then—
[Congratulations! You have slain a Direbone Wolf (Level 4).]
[EXP Gained: 50]
[Skill Level Up: Infinite Resource Exploit → Now allows two duplications per day.]
Ethan stood there, panting, shaking.
This wasn't just a normal game skill. This was broken.
A realization settled in.
This world isn't fair. But if I can exploit it…
A slow, determined smirk crept onto his face.
Then I'll rule it.