Chương 18: Zero to Violence

The snores of the beast rattled the loose dirt at the cave entrance, a rhythmic, bass-heavy vibration that Zander could feel in his teeth. He stepped over the threshold, moving from the grey twilight of the Ironwood grove into almost absolute darkness. The air inside was stale, a suffocating mixture of wet fur, dry rot, and the coppery tang of old blood. Zander's eyes adjusted quickly, revealing a cramped, earthen chamber.

It was essentially a hollowed-out pocket beneath the massive roots of the fallen giant, the ceiling a tangled mess of wood and dirt barely seven feet high. In the far corner, huddled against a thick root, was the squirrel. It was licking its twisted leg, its small chest heaving. But Zander's gaze didn't linger on the rodent. It was drawn to the center of the room. A massive mound of black fur rose and fell with the snoring. It was curled up, but even sleeping, the creature was enormous.

Jagged, grey plates of natural rock grew out of its shoulders and spine, forming a geological armor over its muscle. [Identify] [Stone-Hide Bear - lvl 9] Level 9. The strongest thing he had seen since the System arrived on Earth. Zander tightened his grip on the [Ironfang Dagger]. He took a silent step forward, aiming to end this before the giant could wake. Chit-SCREEEE! The squirrel saw him. It didn't cower this time. It let out a piercing, desperate shriek that echoed off the earthen walls like a gunshot.

The mound of fur exploded into motion. The bear didn't just wake up; it detonated. It went from sleep to violence in a heartbeat. It roared, a sound so loud in the confined space that Zander felt his eardrums hurt. The beast scrambled to its feet, scraping its stone-plated back against the low ceiling. It was a wall of muscle, easily filling half the room. It saw Zander. It didn't hesitate. It charged.

"Damn rodent," Zander hissed. There was no room to dodge. The cave was a bottleneck, and the bear was the cork. He activated a skill. [Mind's Dominion] Zander dumped 10 points of Will into Resilience. Resilience: 25 Simultaneously, he triggered [Scarlet Gauntlet] on his left hand. WOOSH The red obsidian formed instantly, creating a heavy shield on his forearm. The bear swung. Its paw was the size of a shovel, tipped with claws that looked like rusty railroad spikes. BAM The impact was terrifying.

Zander caught the blow on his gauntlet. His boots skidded backward, carving deep trenches in the dirt floor. The force traveled through his arm, rattling his teeth and compressing his spine, but his structure held. With 25 Resilience, it would take more than that to put him down. The bear roared again, frustrated that the small intruder hadn't been turned into paste. It reared up, preparing to bring both paws down in a crush. Shift He pulled the Will from Resilience and poured it into Might.

Might: 26 The density vanished, replaced by explosive power. Zander stepped into the bear's guard. He drove his right hand forward, aiming the [Ironfang Dagger] at the beast's chest. CLACK Sparks flew. The bone blade skidded harmlessly off the granite plating protecting the bear's sternum. Alright, Zander thought, ducking under a frantic swipe. Hammer first. Scalpel second. The bear lunged, jaws snapping inches from Zander's face. Zander pivoted.

He swung his left gauntleted hand, the Hammer, in a wide, brutal arc aimed at the stone plate on the bear's shoulder. CRACK The sound of shattering rock filled the cave. The vitrified blood of the [Scarlet Gauntlet], fueled by 26 Might, was harder than the natural granite. The bear's armor splintered, revealing the dark, bruising flesh beneath. The bear bellowed in pain, stumbling sideways. Zander followed up instantly. The Scalpel followed the Hammer. He thrust the dagger into the exposed flesh.

SHLICK The blade sank deep. Hot blood sprayed over Zander's face. He prepared to twist the blade, to widen the wound, when something hit him in the face. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Dirt. Blinding, gritty dirt filled his eyes.

"Chit-chit!" The squirrel was darting around the edge of the fight, throwing debris. It was a frantic, annoying blur. Zander flinched, his vision compromised. The distraction cost him. The bear, enraged by the stab wound, backhanded him. THUD Zander flew backward, slamming into the rough earthen wall. Health: 164/200 The air left his lungs. His Resilience was back to base levels because his Will was still shifted into Might. That hit hurt.

He triggered [Blood Infusion], feeling the warmth flood his veins to knit his broken tissues. He wiped the dirt from his eyes, blinking away the tears. The bear was already charging again, sensing blood.

"Okay," Zander spat, pushing himself off the wall.

"Playtime's over." The bear rose on its hind legs, towering over him, preparing for a gravity-assisted overhead smash that would flatten him like a pancake. It was a telegraphed move. A move born of instinct, arrogance, and size. Zander didn't brace. He waited. The paws came down. At the last fraction of a second, Zander sidestepped to the left. CRUNCH The bear's claws buried themselves deep into the thick, exposed roots of the cave wall where Zander had been standing a moment ago.

The wood groaned, trapping the beast's limbs for a split second. That was all Zander needed. He dropped his gauntlet, needing his hands free. He jumped, grabbing the coarse fur on the bear's flank. He scrambled up the beast's back like he was scaling a cliff. The bear roared, thrashing to dislodge him, ripping its claws free from the roots, but Zander was already at the summit. He wrapped his legs around the bear's massive neck, locking himself in place. Lights off, motherfucker!

He raised the [Ironfang Dagger] high in a reverse grip. He drove it down into the base of the skull, right where the spine met the brainstem. SHLICK The blade vanished into the meat. The bear stiffened. Its roar cut off abruptly, replaced by a wet gurgle. The massive body swayed once, twice, and then collapsed forward. BOOM Zander rode the corpse down, rolling off as it hit the dirt.

'ding' You have killed [Stone-Hide Bear - lvl 9]. For killing an adversary above your level, you receive 50 System Coins and a Stone Heart.

'ding' BloodForged Lord has reached level 8. 5 Will and 1 free point received. Silence returned to the cave, heavier than before. Zander stood up, dusting off his knees. He turned slowly toward the corner. The squirrel was pressed against the dirt wall. It was trembling. Its leg was broken, its guardian was dead, and its exit was blocked by the monster that had hunted it down. It looked at Zander and let out a pathetic, high-pitched whimper. Zander didn't smile, taunt it, or even say a word. He walked over to it.

The squirrel tried to scramble away, scratching uselessly at the hard-packed earth. Zander pinned it with his boot. He drove the dagger down.

'ding' You have killed [Ironfang Squirrel - lvl 5]. For killing an elite adversary, you receive 50 System Coins and a Ring of the Scavenger.

"Finally," Zander exhaled, the tension leaving his shoulders. That squirrel was different from the other beasts he had encountered so far. It was a real menace, just at level 5. It could have grown up to become a very dangerous monstrosity. That squirrel's specialness was confirmed by the reward he got. 50 System Coins, the same as the bear, when the squirrel was below his own level. He retrieved his dagger, wiping the mix of bear and squirrel blood on his ruined jeans. He turned to the loot.

Near the bear's head, a small, glowing rock had materialized. Zander picked it up. It was heavy, pulsing with a slow, rhythmic grey light. [Identify] [Stone Heart (Rare)]: The crystallized core of a Stone-Hide Bear. Highly conductive to earth mana. Can be used as a crafting material.

"Crafting," Zander mused, tossing it into his bag.

"I have no interest in that, but maybe I will find another use for it eventually." He walked back to the squirrel. Next to the small, broken body was a small metal band. Zander picked it up. It was a simple copper ring, but as he held it, he felt a faint hum against his skin. [Identify] [Ring of the Scavenger (Rare)]: A simple enchanted band favored by thieves and scouts. Increases the wearer's Dexterity by 10 points.

"Dexterity," Zander muttered.

"That would help with my throwing aim. And dodging." Ten free stat points just for wearing a piece of jewelry? That was a no-brainer. How would that work with his Might, though? Only one way to find out. He wiped the dirt off the ring and slid it onto the ring finger of his left hand. He expected a surge of lightness. He expected to feel faster. Instead, he felt nothing.

'ding' Foreign magical influence detected. [BloodForged] has nullified its effect. +0 Dexterity. Zander stood frozen in the dark cave.

"Nullified," he whispered. The realization hit him harder than the bear's paw. His trait, [BloodForged], was absolute. It wasn't just protecting him from poisons and curses. It was a firewall against everything external. Potions didn't work. Healing magic probably wouldn't work. And now, enchanted gear.

"I can't wear any type of gear," Zander realized, his voice hollow. In the games his colleagues talked about, players stacked rings, amulets, and armor to double or triple their base stats. Some built their entire power on loot. Zander looked at the useless copper band. The only power he would ever have was the power he generated himself. His blood. His muscles. His Will.

"Fine," Zander said, his voice hardening. He clenched his fist.

"If I can't borrow power, I'll just have to make my own superior." He tossed the ring into his backpack. He might be able to sell it later, or perhaps find a non-magical use for it. He checked his status. Name: Zander Edwards Level: 8 System Coins: 480 Unspent Stat points: 1 Stats Might: 21 Resilience: 20 Will: 50 Fifty Will. He felt his mind sharpen further, the connection to his blood becoming even more intuitive. He looked at the free point.

If he couldn't rely on gear for speed or defense, his base stats had to be overwhelming. He needed to be a force of nature. He dumped the point into Might. Might: 22 He looked down at his bare, unenchanted hands, fully absorbing the reality that his survival in this universe would be carved in blood and sweat. With a resolute grip on his dagger, he stepped toward the massive bear. Zander took the time to butcher his kills, carving slab after slab of meat until his bag was heavy.

Once done, he took his backpack and walked back to the cave entrance. The forest outside was silent, the explosions in the mushroom grove having quieted down. He focused on the indication of the Apex Predator. It pointed deeper, past the ironwood trees, into the blackness of the forest's heart. Zander stepped out of the cave and kept walking.