"We're at the entrance of Alister Forest, boy," said the middle-aged driver, his voice deep and steady.
"Thank you very much," Ray replied politely, hopping down from the cabin with his gear slung over his shoulder.
The man nodded, his eyes scanning the trees ahead. "It's alright. But do be careful. This forest isn't ranked high in danger… still, it's not without surprises."
"I will," Ray assured him. With that, he turned toward the looming woods, heart pounding with anticipation.
The twilight faded as Ray walked beneath the canopy, the dense foliage muffling sound and shrinking visibility. His boots crunched against fallen leaves, each step marking the beginning of his journey.
"So, what's my plan now?" he muttered, then answered himself after a beat. "I'll start by hunting monsters. Get used to combat, level up if possible."
He trekked for several minutes until he spotted a narrow stream glimmering through the trees—and beside it, two goblins. Scrawny, green-skinned creatures, one sharpening a blade, the other lounging with a crude spear.
Ray crouched behind a thicket. "They haven't noticed me. If I take out one with a spear, I can face the second with my sword."
He quietly unslung his spear, tightened the grip on his weapon belt, and circled to the goblins' flank. Timing his breath with his steps, he rushed forward and drove the spear clean through the skull of the first goblin. It collapsed instantly.
Without pausing, Ray drew his sword and lunged at the second. A swift arc of steel—and its head fell to the soil.
The goblins twitched slightly even after falling, a grotesque resistance to death. Ray raised his sword once more, slamming it down with brute force. Finally, the forest fell silent.
Then something strange happened.
A brilliant white orb burst from the dead goblin's body and floated toward Ray. Before he could react, it phased into him like mist through skin.
[You have absorbed a Level 5 Goblin Soul.] [Agility +2, Strength +2] [You have reached Level 1. You gain 2 status points to distribute.]
The messages flashed across his vision—no physical screen, yet somehow perfectly clear. Ray staggered, the sudden surge of power coursing through his muscles like fire and lightning. His breathing steadied. He felt stronger. Faster.
"What is this?" he whispered, stepping toward the remains.
Next to the corpse lay a scroll—deep purple with glowing silver edges. It pulsed softly in his palm, and though smooth, it radiated an unnerving presence. A whisper of something ancient.
"That's a powerful skill scroll," spoke a voice in his mind.
Ray blinked. "CJ3…?"
"Yes," replied the voice—his personal AI assistant. "To absorb the skill, just think about it. Your system will do the rest."
Ray nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's do this."
He focused on the scroll.
The parchment shimmered, unraveling into golden particles that swirled around him. They spiraled downward, entering his chest and coalescing into a glowing rune on the sole of his foot.
He opened his eyes. His body felt different—anchored, yet light. He didn't know how he knew… but he understood gravity. And more than that, he knew how to control it