As the eerie night subsided along the horizon, the sun ascended, showering the land with a golden light that seemed too beautiful for a world so lethal. Haru pushed himself off the dirt floor of his tent, his joints popping. To his surprise, the crushing fatigue of the previous day had vanished. In this world, sleep wasn't just rest; it felt like a "Full Restore" command for his stamina bar.

  He scanned the perimeter, his eyes searching for any lurking predators that might be waiting to ambush him. The silence of the morning was heavy. Once he verified the area was clear, he reignited the campfire. He cooked the remainder of the horned rabbit, the lean meat sizzling over the flames. As he ate, he realized his "Hunger" wasn't just a stomach growl—it was a ticking debuff that lowered his focus.

  "I need a map," Haru muttered, finishing his meal. "And I need levels."

  As Haru moved through the dense forest, he used a sharp stone he’d salvaged to carve deep notches into the tree trunks, meticulously charting his path. He wasn't just hiking; he was "debugging" the terrain, looking for patterns in the undergrowth. His search yielded two more horned rabbits. These battles were far more strenuous than the first; his low Speed and Strength made every lunge a gamble. He was left winded, his lungs burning as he learned to predict the creatures' trajectory. Each kill brought a small surge of heat into his veins.

  [Notice: You have gained 10 Experience Points.]

  "Alright," Haru exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. His heart was hammering against his ribs, a reminder that while his mind was that of a genius, his 17-year-old body was still "Version 1.0." "Time to check the logs."

  [Status: Name: Haru Takuto | Race: Human | Age: 17 | 10/30 Exp]

  [Health: 37/50 | Mana: 10/20]

  [Dexterity: 3 | Durability: 1 | Speed: 2 | Strength: 3]

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  [Skills: Basic Survival Skills: Level 2 | Basic Spearmanship: Level 2 | Appraisal: Level Max]

  He frowned at the numbers. His Durability was abysmal. He was a "Glass Cannon" without the cannon.

  The moment of quiet reflection was shattered by a sharp whistle. An arrow, fletched with crude black feathers, narrowly grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. The suddenness of the ambush sent his heart into his throat. A guttural, wet growl pulled his attention toward a dense thicket of briars.

  His eyes widened, beads of cold sweat tracing his brow as a Goblin emerged from the shadows. It was a wretched thing—sickly green skin, yellowed fangs, and eyes filled with a predatory hunger that no game code could truly capture. It wasn't just an "F-Rank" mob; it was a killer. With a sudden, terrifying burst of speed, the creature lunged.

  Haru gripped his [Wooden Stick] with white-knuckled intensity. A flickering notification flared in his peripheral vision, mocking him.

  [Information: Stick | Durability: 4/30]

  The weapon was on the verge of shattering. One wrong move, and he’d be fighting a monster with a handful of splinters.

  Haru pivoted, his ragged breath misting in the cool air. He managed to lurch to the side as the creature lunged, but his Speed 2 was no match for the goblin's frantic agility. The creature’s stone dagger swept out, leaving a stinging, deep gash along his shoulder. Haru gasped, his vision blurring for a second as his Health bar dipped into the danger zone. The pain was white-hot and terrifyingly real. He knew that if he wavered for even a fraction of a second, his journey would end here, buried in the compost of an alien forest.

  Suddenly, a fierce heat ignited within his chest—a surge of adrenaline that felt like liquid fire, or perhaps a core system override. A new window flared to life, casting a golden hue over the clearing that seemed to slow down the world.

  [Notice: Passive Skill Unlocked: Unshakable Fortress]

  [Status: "Emergency Protocol" Activated. Strength, Speed, and Defense +5. Damage Mitigation: 40%]

  The world changed. The goblin’s movements, previously a blur, now looked like slow-motion frames. Haru felt his muscles swell with an artificial, temporary power. He didn't think; he executed.

  With a desperate final strike, Haru lunged forward. His wooden spear, reinforced by his new Strength, skewered the goblin’s skull with lethal precision. The impact was violent. As the creature slumped to the forest floor, its life light fading, the brittle wood finally reached its limit—shattering into a spray of splinters the moment the kill-shot was registered.

  Haru breathed a heavy, rattling sigh of relief, his knees buckling. He allowed his body to slide down a nearby tree, the "Emergency Protocol" fading and leaving him trembling.

  [Notice: F-Rank Goblin Slain. +20 Experience Points.]

  [Notice: Level Up! You are now Level 3.]

  [Notice: Basic Spearmanship has reached Level 3.]

  He sat there in the silence, clutching his bleeding shoulder, staring at the shattered remains of his stick. He had survived, but the forest had just taught him its first real lesson: survival wasn't a game. It was a war of resources.