Episode 2 – Into the Mountain
The road was long, the nights longer. Aeron walked until his legs gave out. The system kept him going—offering small boosts, survival advice, and guiding him to the edges of the Devourer's Mountain. It was massive, covered in clouds and legend. Locals called it cursed, filled with ancient beasts and forbidden secrets.
Perfect.
His first night near the base of the mountain tested him. Freezing winds howled through the trees. Strange noises echoed from the dark forest. He barely slept. Hunger gnawed at him.
> [Scanning Area...] [Edible Roots Detected Nearby. Basic Firewood: 12 meters west.]
He followed the system's guide, digging up bitter roots, lighting his first fire with the help of dry bark and the system's friction tips.
A beast—some wild mountain wolf—attacked just after midnight. Aeron barely defended himself, using a sharp branch to hold it back until it fled.
> [Minor Injury Detected – Healing Protocol Initiated.] [Basic Survival Unlocked.]
Bruised and bleeding, he sat by his flickering fire, holding his side.
"I could've died," he muttered. "But I didn't."
The system hummed.
> [Progress Logged. Mission: Establish Shelter.]
He found a cave the next day—shallow, cold, but dry. It became his home. He started shaping it: placing stones at the entrance, gathering moss for bedding, sharpening sticks for weapons.
Each day was survival. Each night was pain. But Aeron endured.
He began speaking to the system more often. Asking questions. Planning.
"I was cast out," he said one night, gazing into the fire, "but one day... they'll know I didn't fall. I rose."
The system responded for the first time with something unexpected:
> [Acknowledged, Creator. Destiny Engine Level 1 Activated. Let the world witness your rise.]
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Episode 3 – Shelter and Struggle (Continued...)