Nolvet stirred, blinking as the dim cave light burned his eyes.
"Ugh... Where the hell am I?" he groaned. "Oh right… this stupid game world."
Memories came flooding back—being hunted by a giant spider, poisoned, barely surviving. "How did I even make it out alive...?"
// You have been fully healed, Player. //
"Huh? Me?" Nolvet muttered, spotting the familiar glowing blue screen floating in front of him.
"Oh yeah… I remember now. That store window popped up just before I blacked out. I must've bought the antidote with those points."
Curious, he scanned the rest of the interface.
"Whoa... there's an experience bar now. And a health meter too? Damn, this is actually getting fun."
Only 5 points remained. "So I got 7 for killing that thing, huh?" He scrolled further.
> [Skill: Iron Teeth (Low Rank) – Cost: 200 Points]
Temporarily transforms your teeth into iron for 30 seconds. Activates via keyword command.
"I want that. Definitely want that," he whispered, smirking. "If this is low rank, I wonder what higher ranks look like..."
He stood, stretching his tiny mouse limbs. "Now… time to find a way out of this cave."
Looking around, he judged the structure. "Hmm. Doesn't feel like a massive dungeon. Maybe six or seven floors at most. I must be near the ground level."
He started to move—then—
Crack.
Then again.
Crack. Crack. CrackCrackCrackCrackCrack—
"What the—?!" Nolvet's ears perked up as the ceiling above him shimmered with motion. Cracks split through the roof of the cave as dozens—no, hundreds—of eggs began to hatch.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
From above, hundreds of tiny spiders emerged. Twitching legs. Glossy black shells. Glowing red eyes.
And all of them turned… to him.
Nolvet's heart sank. "They're from that big one… and they know who killed their mother."
The spider swarm hissed and descended.
"Run or fight…? Hah. Easy choice."
Nolvet turned tail—but not to flee. "Those things may be stupid, but they're worth points. And points mean skills."
He glanced to the side—a sloped mud incline caught his eye. "Perfect…"
He scrambled up the incline, vanishing behind a boulder. From there, he surveyed the terrain.
"They'll chase me no matter what. But they don't have brains... I can use that."
He tossed the empty medicine vial toward a shallow mud pit nearby.
Clink.
"Ahhh! I'm falling—help me!!" Nolvet shouted dramatically.
The baby spiders, instinctive and brainless, swarmed toward the sound without hesitation.
But even in birth, they shared one trait with their mother—teamwork.
They spun silk together, forming a crude web bridge across the hole.
Nolvet's eyes narrowed.
"Heh. I knew you'd do that."
> [You have purchased: Lighter – 5 Points Remaining: 0]
He struck the lighter and tossed it.
FWOOM.
The silk burst into flame. The spiders shrieked. The heat swept through the swarm like a wave of death. Their fragile shells, highly vulnerable to high temperatures, began to crack, melt, and burst.
The system chimed like a jackpot machine.
> +30 Points
+70 Points
+120 Points
+150 Points
"Wooahhhh!"
He stood over the ashes, breathing heavily. "Damn... I didn't want to roast you all... but you were going to eat me, so…"
> You have leveled up. Choose a bonus:
Health +20
Attack +10
Luck +1% (Grants a chance-based benefit at unknown times)
Nolvet paused. "Hmm… no weapons yet, but if I boost my attack, even my claws or teeth could become dangerous."
> You have selected: Attack +10.
Stat Updated.
A surge of energy rushed through him. "Whoa… I feel strong. Like, actually strong!"
He turned toward the dark path ahead, eyes gleaming.
"Whoever's watching this little 'game'... you challenged a god. I don't care what form I'm in. You messed with the wrong creator."
His whiskers twitched. His claws dug into the earth.
"Watch me. I'm coming for you."
End of Chapter 3