Game Of Survival

The Blackwood Forest was a beast of its own.

The trees whispered as the wind slithered between the branches, their twisting forms casting unnatural shadows across the forest floor. The scent of damp earth and decay filled the air. Zane had been walking for hours, and each step felt heavier than the last.

His stamina bar flickered, a warning sign glowing in the corner of his HUD.

[STATUS UPDATE]

Level: 3 (9/35 XP)

HP: 30/35

Stamina: 10/50 (Fatigue increasing)

Hunger: Severe (-10% Stamina Regen)

Thirst: High (Drink water soon to avoid debuffs)

Effects: Mild Exhaustion (-5% Speed, -5% Strength)

Zane gritted his teeth.

He needed food. Badly.

His fingers trembled slightly as he searched the forest floor, pushing aside dead leaves and overturned logs.

Berries? No. Poisonous.

Mushrooms? Unidentified.

Tree sap? Possible energy source, but bitter and unreliable.

His eyes locked onto movement near a tree's base.

A small, brown hare was sniffing the undergrowth, completely unaware of him.

Zane tightened his grip on his Rusted Dagger.

[HUNTING MODE ENGAGED]

Target: Forest Hare

HP: 5/5

Agility: High

Weakness: Surprise Attacks

Zane crouched low, adjusting his footing. If he missed, the hare would escape.

WHOOSH!—THUNK!

His dagger sailed through the air and struck just behind the hare's skull.

The creature twitched, then fell still.

[HUNT SUCCESSFUL]

XP GAINED: +5

Loot Acquired: Raw Meat (Uncooked), Small Bones (Crafting)

Zane exhaled, pulling the dagger free. His stomach growled.

"Oh! I already had the wolf meat. Why I was hunting rabbits?"He muttered.

"No worries, now I have a longer supply of meat."

With shaky hands, he collected wood and dried leaves, then struck his dagger against a stone, creating sparks.

Crackle—A small fire flickered to life.

As the meat sizzled, its scent filled the clearing, making his hunger even worse.

A notification popped up:

[You have cooked Basic Meat!]

Effects: Restores 10 HP, Slightly Boosts Stamina

Zane devoured it.

[HP Restored: +10]

[Stamina Recovery Boosted by 5% for 30 Minutes]

The warmth of the food spread through his body, dulling the ache in his limbs.

He took a sip from his water flask, savoring the cool liquid.

[Thirst Satisfied]

[Fatigue Reduced Slightly]

Zane leaned back against a fallen log, letting himself breathe. This was survival.

But the forest wasn't going to let him rest for long.

New Threat: The Vine Striker.

Rustling. A faint slithering sound.

Zane's eyes snapped open.

The undergrowth shifted, as if something was moving beneath the soil.

Then, a vine shot toward him.

SNAP!—CRACK!

Zane rolled aside just in time, the thick green tendril smashing into the ground where he had been sitting.

A blue notification flashed in his vision.

[NEW ENEMY DETECTED: VINE STRIKER]

HP: 50/50

ATK: 12

DEF: 10

Abilities: Camouflage, Constrict, Venomous Barbs

The massive, plant-like creature slithered up from the underbrush, its tendrils writhing like hungry snakes. Its body was made of twisting vines, pulsing with sickly green energy.

Zane gripped his club, preparing to strike.

WHOOSH!—A tendril lashed toward him.

Zane dodged left, bringing his spiked club down in a heavy arc.

CRACK!—The impact sent a shockwave through the creature.

[-8 HP] [PARTIAL DAMAGE: Plant-Type Enemy Resists Blunt Attacks]

Zane's eyes widened. "Shit. That barely did anything."

The Vine Striker lashed out again, wrapping around his wrist.

[CONSTRICTED: Movement Speed -30%]

Zane struggled against the tightening grip. The thorns on the vine's surface dug into his skin, drawing blood.

[-5 HP] [Bleeding Status Applied]

He gritted his teeth. Brute force wouldn't work.

He needed fire.

With his free hand, Zane reached toward the still-burning embers of his fire.

He grabbed a flaming branch.

WHOOSH!—A rush of fire as he swung the torch.

The Vine Striker recoiled instantly, shrieking as its tendrils sizzled and blackened.

[-20 HP] [FIRE DAMAGE MULTIPLIER x2]

Zane twisted free and immediately threw the flaming branch at the creature.

The Vine Striker wailed as it caught fire, thrashing wildly.

Within seconds, it collapsed into a pile of smoldering ash.

[BATTLE COMPLETE!]

XP GAINED: +20

Loot Acquired: +10 Gold Coin, Venomous Thorns (Crafting), Living Vine (Enchantment Material)

Zane panted, heart still racing.

"Alright," he muttered. "Fire is my new best friend."

He extinguished the remaining flames, then moved on.

He opened his status to see what is his stats were:

Level: 3 (34/35 EXP)

HP: 25/35

Stamina: 20/50

Skills Unlocked:

 Agility: Level 3 (3/13 EXP)

 Strength: Level 3 (5/13 EXP)

 Perception: Level 2 (7/11 EXP)

 Vitality: Level 2 (6/11 EXP)

 Intelligence: Level 3 (2/13 EXP)

Night was falling.

And he needed to find shelter.

The distant glow of flickering light.

Zane spotted it through the trees—a stone watchtower, looming above the treetops.

It looked old but intact.

A safe zone?

He approached cautiously, climbing the worn wooden steps leading up.

Inside, it was silent.

The furniture was broken, the walls covered in claw marks.

No bodies. No blood. Just… emptiness.

Zane searched through the wreckage and found:

Bandages(x2) (Stops Bleeding)

A Bit of Dried Food (Restores 5 HP)

A Map of Blackwood Forest

[ITEM ACQUIRED: FOREST MAP]

[Objective Updated: Navigate to the True Safe Zone]

Then, he found it.

A journal.

Its pages were weathered, the ink smudged.

[JOURNAL ENTRY: UNKNOWN SURVIVOR]

"The Watchtower is not safe."

"Something stalks the forest at night. It sees without eyes. It hears without ears."

"If you move, it knows."

"If you run, you die."

Zane's skin prickled.

Then he heard it.

A deep, guttural growl from below.

His blood ran cold.

A massive, hulking figure stood just outside the tower.

Its skin was gray, mottled with cracks like dried stone.

It had no face—just a gaping hole where its mouth should be.

And yet…

It turned its head toward Zane.

[NEW ENEMY DETECTED: THE HOLLOW STALKER]

HP: 120/120

ATK: 25

DEF: 15

Ability: Sound-Based Hunting, Cannot See, Tracks Movement

Zane's heart pounded.

He couldn't fight this thing.

He had to hide.

And he couldn't make…

A single…

Sound.