A gentle voice suddenly echoed through the darkness.
“Algeni…
Algeni…”
Confused, he slowly opened his eyes.
Everything around him was shrouded in a thin veil of mist, as if he had stepped into a dream.
The darkness had disappeared, replaced by an endless white space where nothing seemed real.
“Mom?” he asked in disbelief.
The voice answered gently, warm and comforting, exactly as he remembered it.
“My dear, I want you to always remember this: never give up.
No matter how difficult things become, always keep your head held high.”
Tears began to gather in Algeni’s eyes.
“I will, Mom.
I’ll never forget those words.”
The comforting voice slowly faded away, leaving behind only silence.
A moment later, Algeni opened his eyes again.
The cold stone floor greeted him once more.
The damp air of the ruined sanctuary filled his lungs, and the distant sound of dripping water echoed through the ancient halls.
He blinked several times before realizing something strange.
The pain that had been tearing through his body was almost completely gone.
He quickly sat up and examined himself in surprise.
“My wounds…
they’ve healed?”
An unfamiliar voice answered immediately.
“Your injuries have been successfully healed.”
Algeni jumped in surprise and spun around.
“H-Hey!
Who said that?”
“The synchronization with the Warrior of Light System has been successfully completed.”
“…System?”
Suddenly, a translucent blue window materialized before him, illuminating the dark sanctuary with a faint glow.
Algeni’s eyes widened.
“What is this?
And how do you know all that about me?”
“I am the Warrior of Light System.
You have been chosen as the Warrior of Light.”
“What exactly is the Warrior of Light?”
“Your level is too low to access this information.
Please increase your level.”
“Increase my level?
Like in a video game?”
“Level up by killing monsters and gaining experience.”
Algeni looked around at the ruined sanctuary.
“But…
how am I supposed to do that without a weapon?”
“A beginner’s weapon will be granted upon completing a mission.”
“What mission?”
Another translucent window appeared before him.
Beginner Mission
Objective: Kill one Goblin.
Reward: Iron Sword.
Time Limit: Unlimited.
“Oh, God…
please tell me I’m hallucinating.”
He looked at the mission again.
“How am I supposed to kill a goblin without any weapons?”
“Your knowledge level regarding goblins is extremely low.”
“Huh?
Knowledge?”
“The more you fight a creature, the more information the system absorbs about it.”
“So…
if I fight goblins enough times, I’ll eventually learn all of their weaknesses?”
“Correct.”
Algeni remained silent for several seconds as he carefully thought things through.
Then…
An idea crossed his mind.
“Alright…
if I can’t beat it with strength, then I’ll beat it with brains.”
After spending a long time searching through the ruined sanctuary, dragging broken stones and fallen pillars into place, he finally finished setting up a crude trap.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled with satisfaction.
“Perfect.”
“Now all I have to do is lure that goblin here.”
Several minutes later, he found the very same goblin that had wounded him earlier.
A determined smile spread across his face.
“Now it’s time for a little revenge.”
He picked up a rock and hurled it with all his strength.
The stone struck the goblin squarely in the head.
The monster let out a furious roar.
The moment it spotted Algeni, it charged after him without hesitation.
“Shit!
Shit!
I should’ve listened to Ivan when he kept telling me to exercise!”
He sprinted through the ancient stone corridors as fast as he could, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
Just as he reached the prepared area…
He activated the trap.
The unstable pillars collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Massive chunks of stone came crashing down onto the goblin.
“Now you’re the one being hunted!
Hahaha!”
The goblin was still alive…
But it was completely trapped beneath the rubble.
Algeni grabbed a large stone.
Then another.
He slammed them down onto the monster again…
And again.
One.
Two.
Three.
He kept going until…
The goblin finally stopped moving.
A notification immediately appeared before him.
Congratulations!
You have defeated a Level 1 Goblin.
Rewards Level Increased: 2
Algeni immediately felt a strange sensation spread throughout his body.
“Whoa…”
“My body feels different.”
“Lighter…”
“And stronger.”
Another notification appeared.
Beginner Mission Completed
Rewards Iron Sword
“Good.”
“At least now I can defend myself.”
A sword wrapped in a faint white light slowly materialized before him.
Algeni reached out and grabbed its hilt.
The weapon felt surprisingly balanced in his hand.
A smile spread across his face.
“If I see another one of those things…”
“I’m getting out of here immediately.”
He began walking toward the glowing exit.
But just before he crossed the doorway…
Another notification appeared.
Warning
Danger.
This area is extremely dangerous for your current level.
“Huh?”
“Extremely dangerous?
What do you mean?”
Another window appeared.
Warning Recommended Level: 15 Current Level: 2
“Level fifteen?!”
“How the hell am I supposed to reach Level 15?!”
As he shouted in frustration, the system calmly answered.
“Multiple enemies have been detected nearby.”
“Where are they?”
“Skill unlocked: HUD.”
“Wait…
what?”
A strange energy suddenly flowed through his body.
“I…”
“I feel dizzy…”
“The HUD skill has been successfully unlocked.”
“How do I use it?”
“Focus your mind on whatever you wish to find.”
Algeni closed his eyes and concentrated on the goblins.
When he opened them again…
Several green silhouettes appeared in the distance.
Some were even visible through the ancient stone walls.
His eyes widened.
“Those…”
“Those are the goblins?”
The system answered simply.
“Yes.”
Algeni tightened his grip around the Iron Sword.
His fear was still there.
But now…
So was his determination.
“Then…”
“I’ll wipe them all out until I reach Level 15.”
He knew the journey ahead would be difficult.
He knew he could die at any moment.
But for the first time since waking up in this mysterious world…
He had a goal.
Watching the green silhouettes move through the darkness, Algeni took a deep breath.
“Well…”
“If I don’t have any other choice…”
“Let’s go hunt some goblins.”