Chapter 60: Jean’s day

Today was Jean’s birthday.

Kai had forgotten. Or rather, he had never known that it was today in the first place.

He had only found out recently, but after hearing about it, he decided to plan something special for her.

Well, not like he had a choice considering it was already late in the morning when he heard about it and so, all he could was to plan the rest of the day.

And he believed she would like it.

There was certainly some risk in going out when people were still searching for them, but Kai felt that being overly cautious would eventually cost them the simple, important moments that made life worth living.

He had already arranged for a rental car since he did not want to travel by taxi today.

’That reminds me... I need to buy a new car.’

The sports car he owned was hardly suited for someone trying to live the life of a family man. He would rather get something safer and more practical.

There were a lot of things he needed to take care of.

’So much to do...’ Yet here he was, standing inside the ruins.

The System had informed him that the updates were complete and that he could now check out the new feature.

"Hmm."

Kai twisted the key and stepped into the room that led into darkness.

The door shut behind him.

Almost immediately, a System notification appeared before his eyes.

[The host expressed his desire to earn more points during the previous session. As such, the System has undergone a modification.]

Suddenly, the darkness surrounding Kai began to fade.

It was almost as though someone were pulling a sheet away from the world, gradually revealing the bright landscape hidden beneath it.

"Woah... what is this place?"

Kai’s eyes widened.

He was looking at an entirely new world.

A dense forest stretched in every direction, its endless canopy spreading across the horizon. Kai himself was standing atop a towering tree, high enough above the ground that the sight made his stomach tighten.

When he looked down, a wave of dizziness immediately hit him. He instinctively reached for the nearest branch and steadied himself.

The sky above was clear blue, and the sun blazed overhead. A faint earthy fragrance lingered in the air, making the entire environment feel disturbingly real.

Kai slowly looked toward the horizon.

Far in the distance, he spotted a massive castle perched atop a hill.

[That is your goal, Host. Conquer the fort and claim it.]

[However, to reach it, the host must traverse the dangerous forest, which is infested with countless monsters and other hazards.]

[The System has modified the enemies so that the host will not encounter a foe significantly stronger than himself at any point.]

[Each monster will now provide System Points and Experience Points, which will contribute toward the System’s level.]

Kai tilted his head.

"Leveling up would do what?"

He had thought his current ranking system worked well enough.

[Leveling up will allow the host to track the progress of each individual stat.]

[Furthermore, every level gained will grant the host one Attribute Point, along with a reward that can be used to further enhance another stat.]

Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the distant castle.

"So, this place is basically a hunting ground designed to help me grow stronger." he muttered to himself.

[Host, below is the table that tallies ranks to levels:]

[F-rank: 1-9]

[E-rank: 10-19]

[D-rank: 20-34]

[C-rank: 35-49]

[B-rank: 50-69]

[A-rank: 70-89]

[S-rank: 90-100+]

[Host, your current stats:]

[Level: 2 (30 EXP/200 EXP)]

[STR: 19]

[SPD: 26]

[END: 19]

[INT: 18]

[MP: 35]

[Host, these stats reflect your growth. With every hunt, your attributes will continue to increase, unlocking further rewards and opportunities. Best of luck.]

That... was quite a significant upgrade.

Kai had played a few games with similar status screens, and he had always found them useful for keeping track of his progress.

His magical prowess stood out the most. In the past, his lack of magic had often left him exhausted enough to require two or three days of rest after a particularly brutal session.

His speed was decent as well, but his strength clearly needed more work.

’System, how do I gain those Experience Points?’

If he earned another 170 EXP, he could level up and gain some Attribute Points, allowing him to balance out his weaker stats.

[Simple. Gain experience through your actions within the ruins. Keep hunting, keep learning, and you will grow.]

Kai nodded.

Looking down at the forest floor far below, he smiled faintly.

"Well, I’m definitely going to learn something here."

He took a deep breath and began his descent.

Lowering himself into a crouch, he grabbed hold of the branch beneath his feet before carefully jumping down.

His feet landed on the branch below. He immediately steadied himself before looking toward another branch across from him.

He extended one leg, his toes barely brushing against it.

Kai bit his lip and made a small jump.

His left foot landed securely, but his right slipped off the branch.

Thud!

A shower of leaves scattered through the air as Kai caught himself just in time, narrowly avoiding a much more dangerous fall.

Breathing heavily, he muttered, "Need to take this slowly."

Unfortunately, he did not have a rope with him. Otherwise, he would have made the descent considerably easier.

Cautiously, Kai continued climbing down, taking his time and moving from one branch to the next.

After several successful jumps, his confidence gradually grew. By the seventh jump, his movements were beginning to feel almost natural.

Thud!

Nearly ten minutes later, Kai finally landed on the forest floor.

He straightened himself and released a long breath.

[+5 EXP]

[Experience Points: 35/200]

Kai’s lips curled into a faint smile.

He was beginning to like this new System update.

Grrr...

A low growl suddenly echoed through the forest.

Kai’s expression sharpened.

He immediately purchased a steel sword from the System and gripped it firmly.

He had two hours.

He intended to make every second count.