The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion

Damian stared into the eyes of the Alpha Lycan, his expression serious and unyielding.

"I wonder if this axe can even withstand the blows of a Level 15 monster," Damian mused, noting how the weapon had already struggled to pierce the flesh of the lower-level lycans.

While Damian analyzed his strategy for defeating the beast, the Alpha Lycan glared at him with a mix of ferocity and wariness.

It could smell the blood of its pack on him, blood spilled by this lone human.

Unlike other prey, Damian wasn't seen as a victim.

He was a hunter, one the Alpha couldn't afford to run from.

Its instincts screamed that devouring this human would grant unimaginable power.

Then, as if to confirm its desires, the voice of the System echoed in its mind, promising strength if it consumed this puny human.

Consumed by greed and driven by instinct, the Alpha Lycan wasted no time.

Saliva dripping from its maw, it launched itself at Damian with deadly speed.

Damian raised his axe to defend himself. "Defend, then attack."

The moment the Lycan closed the distance, it swung its massive claws at him.

Damian blocked the blow with his axe, but the creature's raw strength flung the weapon aside with ease.

Undeterred, Damian counterattacked with the knife in his other hand, aiming for the creature's neck.

The Lycan dodged, making Damian raise an eyebrow in frustration. Its tail whipped toward him with blinding speed.

"Shit!" he cursed, barely managing to raise the axe in defense.

The impact sent him crashing to the ground.

The Lycan didn't relent, pouncing on him with fangs bared, aiming to crush his skull.

Damian grabbed its massive head, struggling to push it away, but the creature's overwhelming strength was rapidly gaining the upper hand.

Lycans were renowned for their brute force, and this one was no exception.

"Haaah!" Damian grunted, struggling for a few agonizing seconds.

Finally, he mustered the strength to kick the creature in the stomach, forcing it off him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Damian grabbed his axe and slashed at the Lycan's face before it could regain momentum.

The axe arced swiftly, striking one of the Lycan's dark eyes.

The orbs burst like a balloon, releasing a torrent of blood.

Damian didn't stop there.

Taking advantage of the Lycan's pain and distraction, he channeled all his strength into another blow, aiming for its neck.

Just as the blade was about to sever the creature's throat, the Lycan lashed out with its claws, deflecting the axe.

Despite being blinded in one eye and grievously wounded, the Alpha didn't falter.

Relying purely on instinct, it lunged at Damian again.

Grrrr!

It slashed wildly with its claws and whipped its tail, forcing Damian into a defensive stance.

"Why the fuck does it feel like it's gotten stronger all of a sudden?" Damian wondered, gritting his teeth as he deflected another powerful claw strike.

No matter how much he tried to dodge or counter, the Lycan seemed to anticipate his movements, adjusting its attacks to corner him.

The relentless assault began to take its toll.

Damian could feel the sharp pain of claws raking across his arms and the strain in his muscles as he tried to keep up.

His defenses were faltering, and he knew it.

"If this keeps up, it's going to kill me," he thought, his determination hardening.

Pushing himself to his limits, Damian unleashed a barrage of axe strikes with everything he had left.

[Basic Axe Techniques: Skill Created]

Grrrr!

The Lycan growled intensely, the sound so powerful it caused Damian's ears to ache.

But he didn't stop.

After what felt like an eternity of trading blows, Damian spotted an opening.

He kicked the Lycan with all his might, sending it crashing to the ground.

Before the creature could recover, Damian leaped into the air, aiming directly at its massive body.

As he descended, his axe, now imbued with his full strength, swung in a deadly arc, striking the Lycan squarely between the eyes.

The blade embedded itself halfway into its skull, but the creature refused to die.

Its massive body thrashed weakly as it struggled to throw Damian off.

Gritting his teeth, Damian yanked the embedded axe free and struck again, this time driving the blade deep into its brain.

Even then, the Lycan didn't succumb.

Though its movements slowed to a crawl, its monstrous vitality allowed it to cling to life.

Damian attempted to pull the axe free once more, but the handle snapped, leaving the blade buried in the creature's head.

Panting heavily, Damian drew his only remaining weapon, a small knife, and stabbed the beast repeatedly in the chest, aiming for its heart.

swoosh!

Blood sprayed in all directions as he drove the blade in a dozen times.

Finally, the creature stopped moving.

Its labored breathing ceased, and a familiar notification echoed in Damian's mind.

[Experience gained]

[Experience limit reached]

[You have reached Level 12]

[Experience limit reached]

[You have reached Level 13]

[Experience limit reached]

[You have reached Level 14]

[Experience gained]

[Congratulations! You are the first Awakener on Earth to kill a Boss-Type monster.]

[Achievement Unlocked: First Boss Killer]

[Reward: +10 Free Stat Points]

[Congratulations! You are the first Awakener on Earth to clear a Dungeon.]

[Achievement Unlocked: First Dungeon Clearer]

[Reward: +10 Free Stat Points]

[It has been detected that you are the first person on Earth to clear a Dungeon solo, without the use of any power, ability, or the assistance of another Awakener.]

[Calculating rewards...]

[Reward 1: You have earned the title 'Solo Hunter.']

[Reward 2: +5 Free Stat Points]

[Reward 3: Two passes to freely choose from 'Equipment,' 'Skill,' or 'Knowledge.']

"Hehe," Damian smiled through his labored breathing as he read the rewards he had gained.

"As expected, the more struggle I put in, the more gracious the system is in rewarding me. It's totally worth it," Damian muttered under his breath, wiping the blood from his eyes with his hand.

His gaze then fell on the last reward.

"This is new... I've never heard of a third reward for clearing a dungeon solo. I guess I'm lucky," he murmured as he read through the three rewards one by one.

The first two rewarded him with ten free stat points each, but the final reward stood out.

It offered him three separate items.

Among these, the most notable were a [Title] and the privilege to choose two options from 'Equipment,' 'Skill,' or 'Knowledge' directly from the system.

He first turned his attention to the title.

[Title: Solo Hunter]

[A title given to those who remain unfazed in the face of danger and invade the territory of their prey. It doesn't matter how many monsters stand before them, the hunter will always be the hunter.]

[Effect: When facing more than ten opponents, your physical attributes increase by up to 15%.]

"This is good. With this, solo hunting just got a lot easier," Damian thought with a grin.