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Kai looked at the new numbers, elation and frustration battling within him. With every successful mission, he was one step closer to living, yet every point made him realize how much farther he had to go.
Kai mumbled, "Thirty EXP. That’s progress, but these are crumbs. I’m not even able to reach level two. Still 40 exp shorts."
As Kai could rightfully realize the worth of his progress, a sudden, high-priority alert chid out from the nest—a system warning that knocked him back up into a seated position.
[Ding! > SYSTEM WARNING: DANGER! DANGER! ENEMY DETECTED.]
Kai’s heart raced as he scanned the dim corridor ahead. The interface promptly updated with enemy details:
[Ding! System notifications: > Enemy Identified: Zombie Ant – Rank: ¼ Star]
Kai’s brow furrowed in disbelief as he processed the information.
Kai asked, "A quarter star enemy? What does that even an, system? Explain!"
The system responded in its asured tone:
[Ding! > SYSTEM information dump: "Strength is set by star rank in this world. There are a total of 9 start ranks. One is the lowest and the Nine is the highest. High number stars an stronger. More is better. Everyone needs to unlock their full power with training. Everyone starts with one star rank. Everyone is born with a star rank. There are so ways to upgrade soone’s star number but it’s very hard and dangerous to achieve. Most people don’t try to change their fate.]
Kai asked, "Then what’s my star number? How strong am I? I hope I have rank’s like seven or eight stars."
[Ding! System notifications: In your Dream! You got Zero star. But don’t be sad, you have a cheat. Every 10 levels you advance, you collect one star. Your level here does not have a star designation yet. Upon reaching level 10, you will be marked as being of equal strength as 1-star warriors."]
Kai sneered, incredulity and gallows humour dripping from his tones.
Kai murmured, "So I’m a glorified newbie all the way to Level 10? And this monstrosity—this quarter-star thing—is my nesis?"
He sat there pondering the absurdity of it all. In his words, the system provided more information regarding the nesis:
[Ding! New information gathered for the host:
> Enemy Details: "Zombie Ant: A decomposing ant whose head is infected by parasitic fungi. Its only purpose is to seek out and devour fresh at."]
Kai’s mind reeled at the description. He imagined the grotesque visage of a once-living ant now overrun by malignant fungi, its very existence reduced to an insatiable hunger.
Kai muttered, half in awe and half in revulsion, "So, I’m alive... and that’s exactly why it wants a taste. ’Dear Zombie Ant, you want a bite of !’ !"
A heavy silence fell for an instant as Kai absorbed the significance of the enemy’s arrival. His thoughts turned inward, a mix of sarcasm, terror, and black determination roiling within him.
Kai whispered, with a bitter edge, "I struggled so hard to live yesterday, and the universe thanks by giving a walking, fungus-covered reminder that being alive is a plague."
He stretched his small limbs, psyching himself up for what was clearly on its way. His internal display showed the calculated cost of his powers, each application a valuable drain on his aura. The experints that had co before had taught him one irrefutable truth:
Kai whispered to himself, "I must be cautious. Excessive use of my powers will make susceptible to an enemy like this."
A sudden vibration in the ground signalled the approach of the enemy. The corridor fell eerily quiet as the unmistakable sound of decayed movent echoed closer and closer. Kai’s antennae twitched in alert, and he took a defensive stance, every sense on high alert.
The zombie ant erged from the shadows, a nightmare silhouette in the flickering light of the nest. Its own head was an unnatural horror, swollen with fungal growths that squird and twisted like living tissue. With every movent it made, it emanated a nauseating hunger—the single-minded desire to consu living tissue.
Kai’s voice trembling but resolute "So you’ve arrived. Do you think you can just co on in and turn into dinner? Not , you’re not getting a bite out of ."
He quickly scanned the system once more for any tactical solution.
Kai asked, "System, what’s the recomndation on how to handle a zombie ant with that? that fungal head?"
The system’s answer was icy and concise:
[Ding! > SYSTEM RESPONSE: "Zombie Ant, Rank: ¼ Star. Fungal infestation may indicate vulnerability to swift, targeted attacks. Use skills sparingly to conserve aura. Approach with caution." ]
Kai’s mind raced as he processed the information. Every instinct told him to flee, yet his pride and hard-won survival instinct demanded he stand his ground.
Kai said to himself, in a whisper, "I have to watch out for my aura. Every skill cos at a price for . I shouldn’t squander my power on one enemy alone. What if there are more zombies? My aura regeneration is very slow."
A tension hung in the corridor. The zombie ant crept forward, moving slowly, but driven by an inexorable hunger. Kai sensed danger in the thick, clammy air.
Kai murmured bitterly, with twisted laughter, "I guess this is what it ans to be alive—to be pursued by a rotting remnant of what once was a proud beast."
He took a step back, positioning himself in the narrow corridor, where the enemy’s bulk and awkward movents would not be as advantageous. Suddenly the system gave him a surprise ssage.
Ding! System notifications- Because this is the host’s first battle and the host doesn’t have any attack skills. The system will temporarily let the host use all three lock skills. Enjoy, host and Don’t die!]
Kent murmured, "Gosh! Systems don’t give bad buss. Thanks for letting use the skills." His thoughts seethed as he prepared to use one of his newly gained skills. The cost was steep, but in situations like these, he had no choice.
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