“Just tired,” he muttered, rubbing his face. “Too much training.” Still, a small part of him remained uneasy. Was that just his imagination? Or... something watching him?
He shook off the feeling and got to his feet.
Max woke up early the next morning refreshed and ready to go. He cleaned up his little makeshift camp, ate a light breakfast, and set out to finish the trek to the other side of the island. He was hoping to find another species out there—preferably one that didn’t try to claw, bite, poison, or explode him on sight.
The morning sun was still low on the horizon, casting long golden rays across the dew-soaked landscape. The entire jungle shimmered with droplets, and as Max made his way through the trees, he admired how different the island looked in the quiet morning light. It felt… alive in a way he hadn't noticed before. Not just dangerous. Vibrant. Teeming with possibility.
He figured it was only about a half-day’s journey to reach the far side of the island, and he was eager to get going. Still, he kept his guard up. He’d learned the hard way that peace never lasted long out here.
As he walked, Max noticed subtle signs that something large had passed through—freshly cracked branches, gouges in tree bark, and patches of trampled undergrowth. He paused a few times to listen, one hand resting on the hilt of Spitefang, but the forest offered nothing more than birdsong and distant insect chatter.
“Probably just another one of those oversized lizards,” he muttered.
Then just as he unceremoniously killed the last unfortunate squirrel to be in his path, he heard a grunt.
Slightly startled—thanks to becoming complacent with the easy fights of the past two days—Max spun around to see two yellow eyes staring at him from a nearby bush.
The boar burst out from the underbrush before he could react, tusks glinting in the light. Max barely managed to spin to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature’s charge. At the same time, he cast Fireball into its side—but to his horror, the attack did absolutely nothing.
“Seriously?” he barked.
The boar wheeled around, digging its hooves into the ground and kicking up dirt. Max raised his hand and cast a quick Mana Bolt straight into the beast’s face. That just pissed it off more. It came barreling back toward him like a freight train—and this time, he wasn’t fast enough.
Pain exploded in his leg. Max stumbled backward with a scream and looked down to see the boar’s tusk embedded in his thigh. It had snapped off inside the muscle, and blood spurted with every beat of his heart.
“That’s not good,” he hissed, his face pale. Panic surged in his chest—but discipline kicked in.
With a grimace, he yanked Spitefang from his storage ring, clutching it in both hands. This time, when the boar charged again, Max was ready. Despite the pain, he shifted his weight onto his good leg and dodged sideways in a practiced motion. As the beast flew past, he brought Spitefang down in a sweeping arc, his blade glowing with Genesis energy.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Power Strike.
The impact landed solid—but it wasn’t until the blade punched through the creature’s hide that the real devastation occurred.
The charged energy detonated within the boar, vaporizing it from the inside out.
The result was instant and catastrophic. One moment the beast was roaring—then it was gone. A red mist exploded outward, covering the nearby trees and grass in gore. Birds shrieked and scattered. The air was thick with the scent of blood, ozone, and burnt hide.
Max stumbled, breathing hard, and collapsed against a tree. His leg throbbed with every heartbeat. Opening his system log, he quickly found the entry.
[Boar – Level 9 – Defeated]
90 credits awarded
The Genesis Energy that surged into him was no joke. It buzzed through his veins like raw lightning—nearly enough to push him into level 7.
He pulled a healing potion from his bag and chugged it in one go. The pain ebbed as the potion worked its magic, sealing the wound. His leg still ached, but the bleeding stopped. Max sat there for a few more moments, letting his breathing slow. He cast Lesser Heal on himself to help with the soreness.
He glanced down at his gear—his robes were shredded along the thigh, and Spitefang was slick with blood.
“I’m gonna need some armor that doesn’t rip like wet paper,” he muttered.
Max leaned his head back against the bark, still staring into the jungle.
“If that’s what this side of the island has to offer,” he muttered, “I need to start being a little more careful.”
A beat of silence passed. Then he chuckled softly to himself.
“A few weeks ago, I was worried about squirrels,” he said, shaking his head. “Now I’m turning wild boars into soup, it’s crazy how things change.”
He stood slowly, wincing as the last of the potion did its work. With one final glance at the carnage behind him—the blasted earth, the scorched grass, the torn-up foliage—Max pressed on.
The island wasn’t done with him yet. And something told him… the next challenge would be even worse.
Remembering the tutorial store Max opened the shop to see if anything had changed. He pulled up the system store interface, hoping the listings had refreshed since the last time he dumped a mountain of goblin junk into it.
[Tutorial Store]
A small chime played as the menu unfolded in front of him, its categories as neat and sterile as ever. The main page still featured the same sections: Weapons, Armor, Consumables, Knowledge, and Miscellaneous.
He clicked into Armor and scrolled through the first few options.
- Reinforced Leather Vest (Common) – +10 Physical Resistance – 120 Credits
- Traveler’s Cloak (Uncommon) – +2 Agility, Water-Resistant – 160 Credits
- Bronze Helm (Common) – No bonuses, Basic Protection – 75 Credits
- Cloth Bracers (Junk Tier) – Honestly useless – 5 Credits
Max sighed. “Still not exactly overflowing with quality.”
Nothing stood out immediately, but he had a bit of time. Settling into a sitting position under the canopy of a nearby tree, Max began slowly browsing through the listings, using a new filter to sort by Stat Bonuses. After a few dozen uninspired entries, one finally caught his eye.
[Bracer of the Iron Grip]
Rarity: Common
Slot: Left Arm
Stat Bonus: +5 Strength
Durability: 180/180
Weight: Light
Description: A rugged bracer forged with low-tier Genesis-forged alloys. Increases user's Strength by 5 points when worn.
Cost: 250 Credits
Max blinked. “Now we’re talking.”
It was simple, not flashy, and reasonably priced considering its bonus. A +5 Strength boost could make a real difference—not just in his sword swings, but in carrying capacity, stamina in battle, and even his raw endurance.
Without hesitation, he tapped the [Purchase] button.
A shimmer of light formed just above his hand as the item materialized in the real world. The bracer dropped into his palm with a solid clink. It was matte black with silver accents, minimal in design but clearly well-made.
Max slid it onto his forearm and fastened the leather straps tight.
The moment the final buckle clicked into place, he felt the difference. His arm didn’t glow or pulse with power—it was subtler than that. More like a deep-rooted tension in his muscles had just uncoiled, like something had been holding him back without him realizing it.
He flexed his fingers, then his wrist, then stood and gave a few quick test swings with Spitefang.
“Definitely hitting harder,” he grinned.