Ayah jolted awake. She frantically looked around, her heart hammering in her chest. The last thing she remembered was kneeling in front of Harith with his sword nearly biting the skin of her neck. She took a shuddering breath at the sight of the tent and looked at the faint bluish light that sprung into existence in front of her.

 

[Player stats]

[Player level : 1]

[Health : 50]

[Attack : 10]

[Defense : 10 ]

[Magic Attack : 10]

[Magic Defense : 10 ]

[Strength : 5 ]

[Mana : 5 ]

[Stamina : 15 ]

[Intelligence : 10 ]

[Speed : 5 ]

[Skill : Slash Lv. 1. ]

[Special skill: Holy Scribe Lv.Max Locked. Requirement not met.]

[Special skill: Heaven's wrath Lv.1 Skill Cooldown: 41:13:21]

 

Only one stat caught her eyes.

[Stamina : 15 ]

Ayah breathed out in relief. It was back to normal. Well…however shitty that normal was. She sighed. That wouldn’t do. She needed to increase the numbers in her stats.

“What’s the rate for recovering stamina?”

[Due to the player's level, the player requires 1 hour to replenish each Stamina point.]

Ayah flopped down to her bedding, the start of a headache announcing itself. Before she could debate whether to go back to sleep or wander around the camp looking for something to help with her level while simultaneously avoiding Harith, the tent’s flaps were pushed to the side and a beautiful woman entered with a leather bag in her hands.

“I see you’re awake. Good.” She nodded. “I’m Jamila, the healer appointed to you by his Majesty. I was also the one who took care of your wounds the day before.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.” Ayah smiled gratefully at her. “They’re mostly healed.” She held her hand up where the bandages were the day before. Ayah had taken them off a couple hours after waking up. The wounds were completely healed as if she hadn’t been injured at all.

Jamila smiled at her. Ayah was glad not all members of Harith’s army were as ignoble as him. Ayah could see both of them becoming friends. Like all the others, she wore a dark blue uniform, though minus the armor. She sat next to Ayah and took hold of her wrist. She closed her eyes, her face smoothed in concentration. Ayah could feel a cold feeling spread from their point of contact towards her arm.

[Warning : foreign entity detected. ]

[Passive Skill : Immunity activated.]

[Foreign entity’s attempt nullified.]

Ayah blinked at the screen.

What…

Jamila frowned as soon as the warning flashed. Her brows furrowed deeply. The warning flashed again with the passive skill’s usage soon after.

Ayah glanced warily at Jamila. She took her wrist and cradled it to her chest.

“Is something wrong with my health?” She tried to smile as if the system hadn’t warned her of the woman’s suspicious actions. Though she didn’t know if she had succeeded.

What did her passive skill nullify?

“No. Everything is fine.” Jamila smiled.

“I see.” Ayah stood up. “I would like to take a stroll outside. I’ve been cooped up here for hours. It started to take its toll on me. A bit of fresh air would do me good.”

“Of course. Though the second reason I’m here is to notify you that we’ll depart before the sun reaches its zenith. The scouting party has returned, we can’t delay for much longer. His Majesty has notified us that you’ll be marching with us. You’ve been assigned to travel with the healers.”

 

Ayah was settled in the same carriage as Jamila. A couple hours ago, she would have thought it a blessing. But after her suspicious attempt that was nullified by her skill, Ayah took every opportunity to evade the healer’s attempt at small talk. She even feigned sleep. The night was the same. Ayah made sure to be the last to sleep and the first to rise. There was no telling what other things the healer would try. Better be safe than sorry.

It was fine the first night. But the new schedule soon put a dent into Ayah’s health bar, which was down with 5 points after sleeping less than 3 hours and training with the sword the night before till she feared her arms would fall off.

Damn those healers and their early routine!

Every night, Shoaib would help her with her swordsmanship. His uncle had somehow become somewhat of a fixture in those times. He would look over their training with an unreadable expression on his face, remain enough time to satisfy his curiosity, then leave.

At first, his presence had weighed on Ayah like a pile of rocks, the sword of Damocles waiting for a taste of her blood. But after the second, and the third night, she barely noticed him.

At least he didn’t ask for a rematch.

 

[New skill acquired: Crescent Blade lv.1 ]

Without a second thought, Ayah opened the skill info.

 

[Skill : Crescent Blade lv.1 ]

[Type : Normal ]

[Required level : 1 ]

[Skill Lv. 1 ]

[Cooldown : 3 seconds ]

[Effect : Sweeping attack that can hit multiple enemies.]

[Leveling up the Skill would grant greater damage!]

She grinned. It wasn’t much, but it would do for now. She only had to figure out how to level up faster. All the good skills required higher levels.

By the second day, Ayah noticed something else, something… peculiar. The warriors, the younger ones, were sending her furtive looks with what Ayah dared to think was admiration.

When she had told Shoaib, he had cackled like a madman. “No one had ever dared to insult my uncle to his face. It was hilarious!”

Ayah huffed. She was glad at least someone was having some fun out of her misfortune.

“I’m sure all the trainees share the same sentiment. They’re just too cowardly to voice it out.” He grinned. “You’ve become their champion.”

“The lot that would do me when he decides my head looks better mounted on a spear than my neck.”

Shoaib snorted. “He’s not that conceited.” He waved her off.

“You don’t know that.”

He rolled his eyes. “He’s my uncle, of course I do.”

Ayah prayed he was right, and not what she had read in Loaye’s novel. The things described were quite…graphic. Ayah shivered.

On the third day, the relative silence was broken by the hurried footsteps and loud shouts that followed the abrupt stop of their march in a narrow pathway through a dense forest.

Ayah stepped into the ruckus. Warriors with more ornate armors were barking out orders while the others were running about, trying to cover the defense of the whole procession.

Harith was a few feet away, near the obscuring trees, Shoaib by his side, his hand on the pommel of his sword. His uncle turned to him and snipped a couple words that sent the kid into a tantrum. Harith glared at his nephew, his hand motioning back to the procession.

Ayah approached one of the younger warriors and asked him, “what’s happening? Why have we stopped?”

The youngster blinked at her, hesitating. “Monsters,” he said. “We’re being attacked. Please return to the carriage. We’ll be on our way shortly,”

Ayah nodded, but instead of following his advice, she turned around the carriage and followed another group of warriors. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Jamila exit the carriage and follow her. She paid her no mind. It wasn’t like she had anything to hide… except from the obvious of course. But as long as she was careful, no one would be alarmed about the existence of the system.

While curiosity was what drove her to head to where the monsters were, it wasn’t the only thing. In front of her, the floating screen carried her next Quest.

[An enemy appeared!]

[Defeat the monsters and survive!]

Ayah huffed. About damn time!

With her sword in hand, she navigated through the sea of armor, intent on getting at least one hit in. After all, it might be the only way to level up.

At their commander’s shout, the warrior fell into a synchronized stance. Hushed silence fell over them as their eyes looked around, searching for their enemies.

In her awe, Ayah let herself be pushed to the side, for a second forgetting her task and ignoring the red warning that flashed in front of her for the sake of locating Harith.

He was standing a few feet away from his army, a couple steps away from the dense forest, his eyes observing the shifting shadow, hand steady on his sword.

Her little moment of distraction was what nearly cost her head.

A hot breath stirred the air beside her, lifting a few strands of her hair to her frigid face. She swirled around, coming face to face with a set of enormous and sharp fangs. She stumbled back, away from far too many teeth and swung her sword.

It happened in the place of seconds. The sword lodged itself into the creature’s thick neck and blood gushed out in rivulets, drenching Ayah’s leather boots.

A ding sounded in the silence as the monster’s corpse slumped to the ground.

[Stamina : 10]

[You’ve defeated monster x 1 ]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

[Your stats have increased! Keep up the good work!]

Ayah couldn’t believe her eyes. She stared at the corpse at her feet.

She had leveled up!

Finally!

She pumped her fisted hands in the air. But her little celebration was cut short when a stern voice yelled at her.

“What are you doing out of the carriage?” Harith glared daggers at her. It almost looked like he would accomplish the monster’s failed mission.

“Get back inside. It’s dangerous here.”

She leveled him with an annoyed look, dislodged her sword from the corpse and sauntered away. She wasn’t going to let him rob her of her sweet little victory. She swung her sword at an upcoming monster. She couldn’t help noting how she became a bit faster on her feet and the sword dug a bit deeper into the monster’s skin.

Was she getting stronger?

[Stamina : 17 ]

[You’ve defeated monster x 1 ]

[Congratulations! You’ve Leveled up!]

[Keep up the good work player!]

Ayah glanced at the screen. Her level had risen two times instead of one.

That sealed it. She was going to become a monster hunter. She didn’t care if the profession didn’t exist in this world and the monsters were mainly dealt with by the kingdom’s soldiers. She was going to worm her way into Mr. Big Baddie’s army and start leveling up.

A severed monster’s head passed over her head, its blood splayed over her face and shoulders.

“This is no time to space out,” Harith hissed.

He stood over her, his sword held in a mid swing. He glared at her and clicked his tongue in annoyance. “If you want to get yourself killed, do it away from my sight.” Then he turned and swung his sword at another approaching monster.

Ayah scowled. He truly was unable to do a good deed without following it up with insults.

She glanced at her Stamina stat. It kept appearing and disappearing on her screen at an alarming speed.

[Stamina : 25 ]

Ayah grinned. Her stamina increased by 5 points each time she leveled up. Now she only needed to kill more monsters. Which was… easier said than done.

The warriors were, as Shoaib had stated, well trained. They descended onto the monsters like the angels of death. As soon Ayah spotted a lone monster slithering around a carriage, it would be felled by one of the warriors.

She glanced at the forest. The thick canopy blocked the sun rays from illuminating its shadowy interior. It looked like the huge maw of a monster that swallowed anyone that dared to venture inside.

But it was also where the monsters came from, and Ayah was in great need of monsters to slay.

Without a second thought, she stepped into the darkness.

It would only be for a second, she reassured herself. She wouldn’t stray too far away from the others. Just enough to find a monster or two to level up. Just two levels, she wasn’t asking for much.

A twig cracked, and a whine came from a distance away. It echoed, not one, but twice, identifying at least three monsters near her. She raised her sword and used the latest skill she had acquired.

The Crescent Blade.

A groan echoed in the dark forest as a whoosh of wind spread around her, cutting through wood and… something softer.

[You’ve defeated monster x 1 ]

[You’ve defeated monster x 1 ]

[You’ve defeated monster x 1 ]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

Ayah beaned at the onslaught of notifications that flooded her screen. She had leveled up twice!

Boldened by her success, she ventured even more into the forest, stopping enough to accept the collection of the items found from a downed monster.

[Dark Wolf’s refined Blood x 1 collected.]

She frowned in disappointment at the new found knowledge that not all monsters drop loot. She shrugged. Better than nothing, she guessed.

She dived deep into the forest, only stopping when she heard a rustle behind her, too soft to be a monster. It was Jamila. Ayah looked at the healer and cursed under her breath. The idiot was still following her.

Jamila was so concentrated with her stalking task that she failed to notice the two monsters that had silently prowled behind her.

“Behind you,” Ayah yelled, her feet already propelling her forward, her sword gripped hard. Ayah had half a second to feel elation at her slight increase in speed before she was in front of the healer. Jamila ducked down at the same time Ayah swung her sword, beheading one of the beasts. Ayah’s right foot came down at an angle, not finding ground where it should be. She lost balance, her weight tipped her to the side, the loud ding of the system drowned her startled shout before she tumbled down a decline. The fingers of her outstretched hand scrabbled at air, looking for purchase. The tip of her fingers came across something soft and solid and she held on for dear life. But the thing she had grabbed, instead of tethering her to the ground, followed her down.

The fall was a blur− fingers scrabbling at dead leaves and decayed sticks, small loose rocks that dislodged at the mere touch of her fingers… she finally came to a stop in a shower of dirt and dark golden leaves. The smell of the rich forest floor invaded her nostrils.

She laid there for what felt like a couple of minutes, mind blank from shock and the bluish light of the screen flashing with a bright red over her blurred sight. After what felt like an eternity, she sat up and surveyed her surroundings.

She had fallen into a gorge, a shallow stream of water trickled to her right. She looked up at the edge of the ravine and groaned. It was a long way down.

Another groan startled Ayah. She looked back and found Jamila slowly sitting up and running her hand over her tangled hair, the golden leaves looked like stars hanging in the darkness of the heavens.

They stared at each other.

The silence that had momentarily settled on the gorge was shattered by the loud growls and shrieks that sounded around them.

Ayah tried to get her feet beneath her, but her ankle burst with pain at the first contact with the moldy ground, and her vision flashed white for a horrifying second before she slumped back to the floor. She panted shallowly while she caught her breath, her ears were ringing with the pulse of her heart, her eyes searching fruitlessly for any sign of the monsters through the dancing shadows.

Her fingers felt bloodless and cold around the hilt of her sword. Sweat dripped down her back, like the claws of the beast along her spine.

The system blared red in front of her eyes.

[Health : 76 ]

[Stamina : 21]

The system’s ding came a second before the first monster launched from the darkness.

[Enemies appeared!]

[Defeat the monsters and survive!]

[Monsters defeated 0/5 ]

Ayah ducked away, the monster landed a few feet away from her. Jamila’s gasp startled her and alerted her that she wasn’t fighting off the monsters for her sole survival. The lack of armor indicated that the healer would be powerless against the beast’s claws.

Ayah’s heart thudded inside her chest. She didn’t know what to do. Her ankle was sprained from the fall, and they were surrounded by more than four monsters.

If only she was powerful…

If only she had a way to defeat them…

If only she had a way to become stronger…

If only…

The system’s ding startled Ayah.

[Special skill activated: Soul Devourer lv.1 ]

The ground under Ayah shifted and trembled, darkness swirled at her feet. It spread in a flash towards the monsters and pinned them to the ground. It looked like tendrils of darkness slithering over the monsters and swallowing them up. The beasts shrieked and trashed in a futile attempt to get out. Their bodies deformed and twisted, till nothing remained.

As darkness devoured the monsters till the last claw, loud dings pierced the deafening silence.

[Congratulations! You’ve defeated monster x 5 ]

[Your stats have increased!]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You’ve leveled up!]

 

---

 

Author’s note:

Hi guys, thanks for reading! :)

If you have enjoyed the chapter, please consider reviewing. It really helps!