Jean confidently walked forward, his boots clunking against the concrete floor as the door slid shut behind him with a loud thud. The room looked as if it were a large circular colosseum, rows of old bleachers arranged like there were going to be spectators. It was like a gladiator's arena. The center was an open, blood-stained floor.
Where the hell is this?
Suddenly, the plate embedded in his arm spoke into his ear, monotone and mechanical.
"Combat Trial Initiated. Defeat all enemies to proceed forward."
Jean's implant started to hum. The HUD appeared before his eyes with new data:
[Evasion: Lv.4]
[Trap Sense: Lv.2]
[Agility: Lv.2]
He rubbed his neck, obviously tired. His body still ached from dodging the traps, but he knew he had to move forward. Stay focused.
"I guess we're doing this. Ugh," he groaned.
A small green creature stepped forward from the shadows. It was a goblin, barely five feet tall, skinny, malnourished, wild-eyed, with long claws.
It snarled.
Jean flinched a little.
The goblin screeched and charged forward, lunging at Jean.
Too slow, the darts were faster.
Jean stepped to the side. The world felt slightly slower as his Evasion and Agility stats kicked in. The goblin charged again, claws pointed forward, whistling past his side. Jean twisted, shoving his knee into the goblin's stomach, sending it flying backward.
It groaned as it crawled back to its feet. The goblin swung its claws wildly. Jean ducked as low as he could, sweeping its legs, and it dropped to the floor. He jumped onto the monster's chest as it clawed at him, and he punched over and over.
Crushing it.
Bones cracked.
The goblin screeched one last time—then it went still.
[Goblin Defeated. +80 EXP]
[Agility Increased to Lv.3]
[Skill Progress: Basic Dodge – 56% to Lv.5]
Jean stood slowly. He heaved a big sigh, trying to steady his breaths.
That was easier than I thought. Am I done yet?
A deeper growl echoed from the shadows.
Ah great, just when I thought I was done.
Jean felt a little scared.
A hobgoblin jumped from the shadows onto the blood-stained arena floor. It was slightly taller than him, but its leg seemed to be broken. It had thick red skin. Its eyes locked onto Jean, and it began to limp toward him, snarling like it was ready to kill.
Jean tensed up.
It seems a little stronger, but its leg seems broken. It might be easier.
It didn't wait for a second. It hobbled toward Jean with a slow yet terrifying pace. Jean barely rolled out of the way as the hobgoblin stumbled past him. The hobgoblin's punch sent a small shockwave through the ground.
He quickly sent his boot into its ribs, only for it to grab him and hurl him across the arena.
Jean hit the rough wall, skidding down the coarse concrete. He had several cuts and many bruises.
[Damage Received: -21 HP]
[Warning: Minor Fracture Detected in Left Shoulder]
His vision blurred as he dragged himself up.
"Okay... you wanna have a real fight? Then I'll give you a real fight!" Jean yelled.
He wasn't done yet.
Jean kept pushing forward. He slipped through the hobgoblin's heavy swings. Each time it attacked, Jean read its body language. It seemed as if Trap Sense was warning him to move away. His Agility was the only thing keeping him alive.
Wear it down. Make it get tired.
The fight went on for another 35 minutes. The hobgoblin became slower, more predictable. It was strong, but not the brightest. Every dodge made Jean stronger—he could feel his Dodge skill improving.
Finally, it punched into a concrete wall. Its hand had gotten stuck. Jean drove his fist straight into its throat. The monster tried to bite him. Jean leapt on its back, wrapping his arms around its neck. He choked it until it collapsed.
Silence.
[Hobgoblin Defeated. +150 EXP]
[Skill Unlocked: Pain Tolerance Lv.1]
[Basic Dodge: Lv.5 → Upgraded: Precision Evasion Lv.1]
"Damn... I'm getting good at this. I could be a professional fighter when I get back home." Jean collapsed to his knees, laughing breathlessly.
His forearms throbbed, his face was slightly cut up, and blood dripped down from his arm. But he stood.
Proud. Strong.
For the first time, Jean entered a door without fear. The system's strength flowed through him as if it was his own.
Another growl came, as a small figure lurked from the shadows. It's menacing snarl felt terrifying, but Jean knew he had to fight.
Again? I might die today, Jean joked in his head.
A kobold stepped into the arena.
Its aura alone was enough to terrify Jean. It was lean, covered in black scales, with long, dagger-like claws, and crimson red eyes. Its eyes reminded him of the day he got the system—the sky was blood red. Its tail flicked behind it like a dangerous whip.
It didn't make a sound.
Just stared menacingly.
Jean jumped into a defensive pose.
I got this, Jean tried to tell himself, knowing he was most likely going to die today.
It ran at him—faster than anything he had seen. It felt like it could slither past his attacks.
Jean barely dodged the first slash of its claws. It grazed his stomach, drawing blood. It spun, whipping its tail into him, sending him crashing into the wall again.
[Damage Received: -34 HP]
[Warning: Internal Bruising Detected]
Jean gasped for air, struggling to get up.
The kobold crawled forward.
Jean wiped the blood from his forehead. He felt adrenaline pounding in his ears. His thoughts began to come fast.
I beat a hobgoblin. I am strong. I can do this. I have to do this.
Jean pounced forward.
Missed.
The kobold slithered past his strike and slashed deep into his back.
Jean screamed.
[Pain Tolerance: Lv.1 → Lv.2]
The kobold pounced, claws aimed for his neck, but Jean instinctively jumped backward. Precision Evasion activated. Time seemed to slow.
He rolled under the kobold's strike and drove his elbow straight into its stomach.
It growled, then hissed, slashing again. Jean blocked it with his arms, taking deep cuts across the metal plate.
Sparks flew.
The kobold jumped backward, afraid of the sparks. Jean grabbed its neck, slamming it to the ground with every ounce of strength he had. It struggled, digging its claws into his chest. His fist pounded its face until...
It stopped.
[Kobold Defeated. +210 EXP]
[Pain Tolerance: Lv.2 → Lv.3]
[Adrenaline Rush: Lv.1 → Lv.2]
[Strength Increased to Lv.2]
[Combat Trial Complete]
Jean didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Jean rolled away from the kobold's body. He gasped for breath. Blood pooled into his mouth. His clothes tattered, and bloody. Jean couldn't tell if it was the monster's blood or his. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he survived. He felt stronger for once.
His chest rose with every breath—it hurt. But he was alive.
Hell yeah. I did it. Jean thought to himself wiping the blood off his arm. A pungent iron smell. He felt like a bloody mess.
Jean lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath, gazing at the fake blue sky. The blue paint peeled in the corners of the ceiling. It reminded him of another ceiling—sterile white, lined with flickering lights. The beeping of monitors. The sting of needles in his arm
Back then he hated his life. His own breath, shallow and mechanical, fed by a machine. A nurse whispering, "Just rest, Jean. Don't try to move."
He'd cried then—not from the pain, but from how helpless he was.
But now...
He was strong.
Then, he slowly got up. He struggled against the pain.
Jean felt proud of himself for once. He didn't feel trapped anymore. It felt like a game.
A door finally materialized in front of him. All he hoped was that this was the door where he could meet his friends.
Jean smiled, bloody teeth and all. "Guess I passed."