The Ruler Of Judgement

The First Battle

Two hours into his trek, Magnus ventured deeper into the forest, his soul sword gripped tightly in sweaty palms. He ignored the established hunting grounds at the perimeter, eager to test his skills. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, dappling the forest floor in a mosaic of light and shadow. Towering trees, their tops lost in the foliage, crowded the landscape. A thrill of excitement mingled with a sliver of fear as Magnus ventured further than he ever had before.

Suddenly, a sound unlike anything he'd ever heard pierced the quiet. He froze, eyes darting around the undergrowth, heart hammering against his ribs. There, a mere hundred meters away, a monstrous rabbit emerged from behind a bush. Its fur, an unnatural shade of red, bristled around its muscular frame, and its eyes glowed with an unsettling crimson light. The system's chilling reminder about the red eyes of magic beasts echoed in Magnus's mind. Fear, raw and primal, threatened to paralyze him. Was this his first encounter with a magic beast, or simply the fear of his first real fight? He couldn't tell.

The monstrous rabbit, sensing easy prey, bolted towards him. "Calm down, host, focus on battle!" the system boomed, jolting Magnus back to reality. He scrambled away, narrowly avoiding the rabbit's gnashing teeth. Relief washed over him, quickly replaced by a surge of guilt. Months of training, and he froze in the face of danger.

"It's only a level-0 beast," the system consoled." You can easily defeat it. "

Encouraged, Magnus tightened his grip on the sword. He appraised the rabbit as it charged again, impressed by its swiftness. The results flashed in his mind:

[[ Rabbit Beast

Level: 0

Attack: 10-30

Speed: 15

HP: 50

Attack Skills: Bite ]]

Relief flooded Magnus. Two hits from his sword were all it would take, but first, he needed to outrun it. The rabbit lunged again, this time met with a mid-air swing of Magnus's sword. The beast, lacking any real survival instinct, took the full brunt of the attack. Blood splattered onto the forest floor as the blade sliced through flesh. The sight, unlike anything Magnus had ever witnessed, churned his stomach. But the rabbit wasn't finished yet. Still attached to the sword, it writhed in its death throes. Magnus, overwhelmed, tossed the sword aside and sank to the ground, nausea rising in his throat.

"Congratulations, host," the system chimed. "You've slain your first beast. "

This was his first kill, and a wave of conflicting emotions washed over him. After a while, he rose, retrieving the rabbit's lifeless body from his sword. He found a nearby stream to clean the weapon, the metallic tang of blood clinging to the blade. Disposing of the body, he turned to the system, unsure what to do next.

"Leave it," the system advised. "It's not edible, and we lack the tools or means to sell its parts." It continued, "The scent of blood attracts stronger beasts. Find another location. "

Disheartened, Magnus decided to call it a day. It was only noon, but the fight had drained his spirit. The system agreed, suggesting he use the afternoon to reflect on his experience.

He returned home to find William absent. After a cleansing bath, he sat in the garden, replaying the day's events. Shame gnawed at him for freezing during the fight. Without the system's intervention, he could have been gravely injured, or worse. Even the kill itself left him nauseous.

"This is the price of power, host," the system said sympathetically. "There will be many deaths on your path to becoming strong. It's a ruthless world, and advancement requires sacrifice. You won't always have time to mourn every creature you slay. "

Magnus understood the logic, but a part of him resisted. He resolved to try harder tomorrow.

"The system has updated your status with your beast count," it announced.

Magnus opened his status screen:

[[ Name: Magnus

Age: 14

Strength: 12

Speed: 12

Stamina: 14

Intelligence: 15

Health (HP): 110

Magic Power (MP): 0 (Dormant)

Magic Attribute: Judgement (Dormant)

Mage Level: 0

Weapon Power (WP): 0 (Dormant)

Weapon Type: Soul Sword

Level-0 Beast Count: 1

Warrior Level: 0

Skills: Basic Swordsmanship

Title: Ruler Of Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet), Hope Of Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet) ]]

Surprised by the sheer number of beasts he needed to defeat to level up (100 level-0 beasts for level 1), he queried the system, "Why does the number decrease with each level?"

"Because higher-level beasts are much stronger and scarcer," the system explained.

"Are there enough beasts in the nearby forest ?" he worried. The system reassured him, "There are sufficient beasts for your initial progress and level up to 3."

William returned home just as Michael arrived. They inquired about his hunt, and Magnus, filled with shame, admitted, "I was scared today. I couldn't hunt properly. But I'll do better tomorrow. "William and Michael, understanding his young age, offered words of encouragement, advising him to take his time. Magnus simply smiled, his mind already set on awakening his dormant magic power and weapon potential, a premonition urging him that he'd need them soon.

The next morning, Magnus ventured back into the forest, mentally prepared for what awaited him. He employed a new tactic – feigning fear to lure the rabbit beasts in for an easier kill. It worked; after two swift strikes with his sword, each rabbit fell. These creatures, relying solely on instinct, proved no match for his strategy. By nightfall, his tally had reached five slain rabbits. Deciding to call it a night before venturing into the dangers of the forest after dark, he returned home, bringing with him two regular rabbits to share with his grandpa and Michael.

William and Michael congratulated him, and after some convincing, Michael even agreed to partake in the rabbit feast with his family. Soon after, Michael, Devon, and his wife arrived. The rabbits were roasted, and as they devoured the meal, congratulations were showered upon Magnus once more.

From that day on, a routine settled in for Magnus. His days were spent hunting in the forest, returning home as night fell. His beast count steadily climbed, reaching eighty-four in twenty-two days. Most of his time was spent tracking rabbit beasts rather than actual combat.

He did sustain a minor injury once when he was ambushed by four rabbits simultaneously. He'd previously defeated them in groups of two and three, but four proved more challenging.

On the twenty-third day, while searching for his prey, a chilling howl pierced the air. His body froze momentarily, but instinct took over as he scrambled up a tree for a better vantage point. A monstrous wolf, easily twice his height, emerged from the undergrowth, no more than two hundred meters away. Panic surged through him as he attempted an appraisal, but it failed – likely due to the wolf's superior level.

"Do not engage," the system warned. "That's a level-2 beast. You're not even level 1 yet."

Understanding the futility of a fight, Magnus perched silently in the tree, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs, as the enormous wolf stalked closer.