Chapter 3 – The First Battle
Khariukhül stepped out of his home and summoned a taxi using the app. When he told the driver, "Take me to the Emerald Forest," the driver's face darkened.
The driver glanced at him and asked, "Why are you going there?"
Khariukhül replied calmly, "My profession and talent have awakened. I plan to become a warrior."
The driver looked at him seriously and said, "Young man, you probably don't know the other name of that forest."
Khariukhül answered honestly, "I'm new to this, sir, so not really."
With a knowing nod, the driver began to explain, "When the World System changed, it took time for people to adapt. Back then, certain parts of the world were designated as 'Sacred Resource Zones.'"
"But inexperienced people who entered died without understanding what they were stepping into. The Emerald Forest, for example — people call it the Forest of Death. Some say the souls of the fallen become demons that remain there."
"The reason it's not officially quarantined is because the government can't just forbid access with words alone."
Khariukhül, undeterred, asked, "Then why not send guards or specialists to monitor the area?"
The driver chuckled. "If only it were that easy. The state once dispatched an elite Hero of the People — he lasted less than ten days before going mad. No one knows what he saw. But if you stay in that forest for more than ten days… you'll likely end up the same. If anything strange happens, just don't react. We've arrived."
Khariukhül paid the fare and stepped out. In the distance, beyond a ridge, the lush green glow of the Emerald Forest shimmered.
He didn't dwell much on the driver's warnings. Before long, he reached the forest's edge — and suddenly, every hair on his body stood up.
Trying to suppress the unease in his body, Khariukhül called up his panel. Using one of his awakened abilities, he attempted to summon a legendary weapon. Two options appeared: Yes or No.
He took a deep breath and pressed Yes.
Seconds later, a radiant light erupted before him. From the golden glow emerged a bow — not just any weapon, but one bathed in the blessing of heaven and earth.
A legendary relic revealed itself: "The Protection of the Khass State."
The bow's form was majestic, reminiscent of the garments of ancient Mongol kings, made of green and blue-patterned wood. The arrow shimmered in divine light — sharp, translucent, and untouched by shadow. This was no ordinary weapon — it was forged from the soul of Mongolia, from the strength of its land and sky. A state's divine protector.
Only a true Mongol with love for his homeland could wield this weapon.
On his panel, the bow's stats appeared:
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Weapon Name: Protection of the Khass State
Grade: Legendary
Status: Sealed
Abilities:
Mongol State's Guardian (Passive): Automatically protects the wielder from one fatal attack.
Blessing of Heaven and Earth: Generates infinite arrows using sky and earth elements.
Khass Homing Arrow: Arrows can shift direction mid-flight.
Stat Boosts:
STR: +500
ARI: +1000
WIS: +1500
VIT: +2500
HP: +5000
---
Taking the bow into his hands, Khariukhül stepped forward into the forest. As the noonday wind swept through the shadows of black pines, he vanished into the emerald gloom.
Suddenly, hundreds of carnivorous insects swarmed across the forest floor. Invisible to the ordinary eye, they moved as a horde. A single arrow wouldn't be enough. Khariukhül focused, climbed a nearby tree, and from the canopy, spotted a minor demon — a soldier-level target.
He took the opportunity to test his power.
Drawing the bow, he formed an arrow and held his breath. He fired.
The arrow exploded near the demon, launching it into the air. Impressed by the weapon's power, Khariukhül chased after the wounded creature, his smile confident.
Though he fired many shots, none struck true. The surrounding terrain exploded instead.
Eventually, the demon weakened and collapsed. Khariukhül calmly aimed his final arrow, whispering a quiet chant as he fired — the arrow struck, and the demon shrieked like a mad beast before dying.
While inspecting his kill, Khariukhül suddenly noticed an unnatural silence. Looking up, he saw a flock of crows circling.
The noise he'd made had awakened something ancient in the forest.
Dark shapes flew from the woods toward the sky. As their screeches filled the air, a heavy sense of doom came over him. Turning, he saw it — a giant bear, ten meters tall.
Before he could react, the beast struck him hard from the side, launching him through trees and breaking trunks like twigs.
Blood gushed from his mouth. His vision blurred with pain. As he cried out, tears mixed with blood, his hair fell wildly over his face.
The deafening roar of the bear echoed — and from the corner of his eye, Khariukhül saw it approaching fast.
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[Giant Blood Bear]
Class: Giant Bear
Status: Possessed / Enraged
Species Trait: Restores HP with every attack
Rank: Elite Hero of the People
Passive Skill: Mad Strike — Each hit increases attack bonus
Active Skill 1: Giant's Fury — Doubles strength, moves faster than the human eye
Active Skill 2: Silent Rage — While active, target cannot detect the bear by any means
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Overwhelmed by despair, Khariukhül clenched his teeth and tried to stand. But before he could react, the bear instantly appeared beside him and slammed him again, throwing him farther into the forest.
Mongol State's Guardian Activated.
A radiant blue light enveloped Khariukhül like divine lightning. An alert flashed on his panel:
Guardian Activated – All stats doubled.
As he flew through the air, a surge of life-saving instinct kicked in. Balancing himself mid-air, he quickly turned and drew his bow. In a blink, he fired five arrows at the possessed bear.
DOOM! DOOM! DOOM!
The arrows exploded like thunder, trees caught fire, and the blasts echoed through the air.
But the bear remained unscathed — only angrier.
Its furious roar filled the forest. Terrified, Khariukhül used the last of his strength to leap through the trees, fleeing.
Behind him, trees fell like dominoes. The beast chased him, its rage boiling over into every step.
Desperate and dizzy with fear, Khariukhül saw a flash of light through the trees — and pushed his body forward one last time.
He fell.
Everything went dark.
From the sky, drones descended, searching…