Thick, metallic smell of blood lingered in the air.
I stood amidst the corpses, my chest rising and falling heavily. The adrenaline was fading, and with it, the sharp clarity that had kept me alive.
Pain returned.
My back burned.
My arms ached.
Every muscle in my body screamed in protest.
"Argh…" I groaned and slowly lowered myself onto a nearby rock, wincing as pain flared across my back.
I closed my eyes while feeling warm blood trickle down my back.
I knew if I didn't stop the bleeding soon, I wouldn't need beastly monsters to kill me. Unfortunately, though, there was nothing I could do to stop it.
—
[New Notification]
—
My eyes snapped open, hope flickering within them.
In the webnovels, when everything seemed hopeless, it was the system that came to protagonists' rescue.
'Hopefully, mine will do the same.' I thought and stared at the system screen, reading the new notifications.
—
[Tutorial Zone Detected]
[Initializing Beginner Mission…]
—
"..." I resisted the urge to let out a bevy of curses.
I had faced so much danger already and was seriously injured. But now a tutorial zone had appeared out of nowhere and I was given missions.
What did this mean?
It meant I was going to face a lot more danger. How could I not become frustrated and angry?
—
[Beginner Mission: Survive and Escape]
Objective 1: Eliminate 10 Cave Beasts (4/10)
Objective 2: Find the Cave Exit (0/1)
Objective 3: Maintain Stream Activity
Rewards:
Basic Healing Potion ×1
Stream Points ×100
—
As I read the mission objectives, and saw that the four beasts I had slain were added into the first objective, I grunted softly, my frustration easing a bit.
Then my gaze trailed down to the second objective and nodded. This I had to do with or without the mission unless I wanted to starve in this cave.
The third objective eased my frustration even more because it wasn't difficult.
When I saw there were rewards, my eyes glowed.
I had gotten the rewards–Gifts–from my viewers, but they were only temporary.
These two were permanent.
Though, the first reward wasn't going to be with me for long as I would have to use it up as soon as I get it.
'I hope it will be able to heal me enough to survive.' I thought because the injury on my back was already severe enough and chances were I would get even more injured while completing the mission objectives.
Then, there was the [Stream Points]. I knew these were valuable if the system novels I had read were anything to go by.
…
"Ten beasts…"
I glanced at the four corpses that lay scattered across the cave floor.
"Just… six more." My lips twitched as I said this.
It would have been easier to deal with them if my condition was a bit better.
I reached back and touched my back. Warm blood coated my fingertips immediately.
Staring at it and feeling it still trickling down…
'If this continued, I wouldn't last long enough to complete anything.' I thought.
"System," I asked, "Is there any way to heal?"
—
[Insufficient Stream Points]
—
"...Of course, they are." I let out a breath, stayed still for a moment with my eyes closed.
Then, I opened them.
I knew what I needed to do to survive—Stream.
"Since that's the rule of this game…"
I pushed myself up, ignoring the pain.
"I will play by it."
"Start the stream." I commanded.
—
[Stream Starting…]
[Connecting to Audience…]
—
The familiar screen flickered to life.
—
[Viewers: 5]
—
"…Five?" My heartbeat quickened and a grin spread across my face.
It seemed I was getting popular in whatever the place my viewers were from.
Suddenly, I was feeling more confident about my survival.
After all, more viewers meant higher chances of someone gifting me some boost or perhaps some skill that would help me complete the mission.
'No wonder there were so many streamers. This is somewhat addicting.' I thought, remembering those guys on yourtube and other streaming sites.
—
[Viewer 'BloodSpectator' has entered the stream.]
[Viewer 'SilentWatcher' has entered the stream.]
[Viewer '???:001' has entered the stream.]
[Viewer 'LaughingSkull' has entered the stream.]
[Viewer 'GoldenEye' has entered the stream.]
—
Seeing all three old viewers return, I felt better.
Then I read the new names and exhaled deeply.
They were new opportunities. Opportunities that I could not miss.
To do that, I had to do my best to impress and entertain them.
—
[Viewer 'LaughingSkull': Oh? The newbie survived.]
[Viewer 'GoldenEye': Low-grade body, poor technique.]
—
'Low-grade…' I thought.
It came as no surprise as everyone knew how weak and fragile humans truly were. It was thanks to our minds we had managed to become apex predators on earth.
I stepped forward, entering the only way out of this cavern..
As I walked, the air grew colder.
Darker.
The faint blue glow from earlier began to fade, replaced by a dim, flickering light further ahead.
It was from some very old torches, flickering, seemingly on the verge of going out.
Suddenly,
Skitter
A strange sound, completely different from those beasts' growl, echoed.
I froze and raised my guard.
Soon after, they emerged from the shadows.
They were smaller than the earlier beasts, but there were more of them.
Six? No… There were Eight.
They also had those unnerving red eyes that gleamed in the darkness.
Their bodies were lean, and they looked starved, but their limbs were longer, sharper.
The moment I saw them, I instinctively knew they were faster than earlier beasts.
—
[Viewer 'GoldenEye': Cave Runners.]
[Viewer 'BloodSpectator': He's dead.]
[Viewer 'LaughingSkull': This will be fun.]
—
'Cave Runners.' I repeated in my mind, my expression turning grimmer.
Fast enemies.
Injured body.
Outnumbered.
'Just… perfect..' A cold gleam flashed in my eyes.
…
I tightened my grip on the stone, and ignoring the pain in my back or the fear welling up in my heart, I stepped forward, not waiting for them to attack.
Because…
"I'm not the prey." I said, my voice cold, "I'm the predator."
—
[Viewer 'SilentWatcher': Oh?]
—
My eyes gleamed.
My actions and words had the intended effect, though not as much as I would have liked since just one of them commented.
Skcree!
As if offended by my boldness, the Cave Runners shrieked and charged at me.
At that instant, I realized just how fast they were. I could barely follow their figures as they almost blurred toward me.
Shuu!
One leapt and slashed their claws at my throat.
I moved. Barely, but enough as I sidestepped, dodging the claws.
Then, I smashed the rock on its skull, mid-air.
CRACK!
Splat!
Immediately, its head burst apart.
'Fast but fragile. That's a relief.' I thought.
By now, the rest had closed in.
Claws tore into my arm.
"Ghh!" I grunted.
Just as I managed to fling it off.
Crunch!
Another bit into my leg.
Pain shot through my body and I staggered.
'…Too many!'
—
[Viewer 'BloodSpectator': Boring.]
—
"No. Not yet." I clenched my jaws. I couldn't let them leave at this moment because if they did, I would be done for.
The next moment, I realized that not everyone was getting bored. Some... had become invested.
—
[Viewer 'GoldenEye' has sent a gift.]
—
[You have received: Minor Perception Boost (20 seconds)]
—
Ba-Dum!
My heart thumped in my chest loudly and the world changed before my eyes.
Everything slowed.
I could finally see it—their movements. Their patterns. Their timing.
A grin spread across my bloodied face and I moved.
This time, I wasn't just reacting.