Chapter 2 – The Struggle Begins
Reinhardt leaned against a tree, panting.
The second wolf lay dead at his feet, its fur matted with blood. His arms ached, his breath was ragged, and his shirt was torn from a lucky swipe the beast had landed.
For a moment, he just stood there, catching his breath. Killing a wolf with a sword wasn't as easy as the movies made it look. He had dodged, rolled, and swung wildly until his blade finally found its mark.
Then, a familiar blue screen flashed before him.
[Enemy Defeated! +10 EXP Earned!]
[Level Up!]
Reinhardt blinked. Did I just level up?
He focused on the glowing text, and instantly, a new screen appeared.
[Status Window]
Name: Reinhardt
Title: Landless Lord
Level: 2 (EXP: 20/50)
Race: Human
Class: Lord (Novice)
Strength: 12
Dexterity: 11
Endurance: 13
Intelligence: 15
Charisma: 14
[Skills]
Ruler's Command (Active): Intimidates weaker enemies and boosts morale of allies.
Empire's Vision (Passive): Allows the user to view an area's potential for development.
Basic Swordsmanship (Passive): Enhances proficiency with swords.
Reinhardt stared at the screen.
"This… this is basically an RPG system," he muttered. He had stats, skills, and levels. And after killing two wolves, he had gained 20 EXP, putting him at level 2.
He clenched his fist, feeling a subtle difference in his body. He wasn't suddenly superhuman, but his fatigue felt less overwhelming, his muscles slightly stronger.
It was like he had just finished a light workout instead of nearly dying to wolves.
[New Feature Unlocked: Inventory]
A new window popped up, showing an empty grid of slots—except for one item.
[The Emperor's Edge – A sword that grows stronger as your kingdom expands.]
Reinhardt grabbed the sword, still slick with blood. The blade was well-balanced and didn't even feel heavy despite its length.
He smirked. "Alright… maybe this won't be so bad."
Then his stomach growled.
Loudly.
His smirk vanished. Right. Food.
Glancing at the wolf corpses, he grimaced. He wasn't about to eat raw wolf meat.
[New Mission: Secure Food and Shelter]
Reward: 50 EXP, 1 Basic Survival Kit
Failure: Increased Hunger and Exhaustion
"Great. Side quests."
But at least he had a goal now. He needed food, water, and a place to sleep before nightfall.
He turned his attention back to the wolves. Their fur was thick and clean, and their claws were sharp. A thought struck him—if he was going to survive, he couldn't afford to waste resources.
"I guess I should try skinning them," he muttered.
He kneeled beside one of the wolves and pressed the tip of his sword against its belly.
It wasn't pretty. His cuts were jagged and uneven, and by the time he finished, his hands were covered in blood. But he managed to remove a decent-sized pelt.
[Wolf Pelt Acquired!]
[Wolf Meat Acquired!]
A notification popped up.
[New Feature Unlocked: Crafting]
"Huh?" Reinhardt opened the system menu and found a new tab labeled 'Crafting.' Inside, a small list of options appeared.
Basic Leather (Requires: Wolf Pelt x1, Simple Tools)
Dried Wolf Meat (Requires: Wolf Meat x1, Fire)
"Looks like I can make stuff with the right materials," he muttered. That could be useful later.
But right now, he needed to find a place to set up camp.
He sheathed his sword and started moving.
The forest was dense and unfamiliar. Tall trees stretched toward the sky, their thick branches blocking most of the sunlight. The deeper he went, the darker and cooler it became.
He had no map, no compass—just his instincts.
Luckily, he could hear water in the distance.
Following the sound, he pushed through the undergrowth and found a small, clear river.
"Finally."
Kneeling at the edge, he cupped his hands and took a sip. The water was cold and refreshing.
[Status Effect: Hydrated]
He splashed some on his face and sighed in relief. "Okay, that's one problem solved."
Now he needed firewood.
Reinhardt gathered a few dry branches and piled them together.
But then he realized a problem.
"…I don't have a way to start a fire."
[New Feature Unlocked: Shop]
A menu opened before him, displaying a list of basic survival items.
Flint and Steel – 5 Gold
Simple Cooking Pot – 10 Gold
Wooden Spear – 8 Gold
"Wait… I don't have any money."
[New Mission: Earn Gold]
Complete tasks, hunt monsters, or establish trade to acquire wealth.
Reinhardt sighed. So the system wouldn't just give him free stuff.
That meant he had to start the fire the old-fashioned way.
After nearly twenty minutes of rubbing sticks together, he finally got a small flame.
He placed some wolf meat on a flat rock near the fire and let it cook.
[Dried Wolf Meat Acquired!]
The smell wasn't exactly appetizing, but when he took a bite, he was surprised.
"...Not bad."
[+5 Stamina Restored]
As he ate, he opened his status screen again.
[Current Status]
Level: 2 (EXP: 20/50)
Health: 100%
Hunger: Moderate
Gold: 0
He needed to level up and earn gold fast.
Because right now, he was still just a random guy alone in a forest.
But if he played this right, he could turn this into the start of an empire.