Chapter 3 The First Skill
The monster’s roar shook the entire hall.
Its massive body charged straight toward Arjun and Kabir, claws tearing across the stone floor with terrifying speed.
Kabir’s face turned pale.
“Arjun, we’re dead!”
Arjun didn’t answer.
Because the glowing blue system screen was still floating in front of his eyes.
CHOOSE YOUR FIRST SKILL
Three options appeared.
1. Enhanced Reflexes (C Rank)
Your reaction speed increases temporarily during combat.
2. Iron Body (C Rank)
Your body becomes tougher, reducing incoming damage.
3. Instinct of the Survivor (Hidden Skill)
Your body automatically reacts to lethal danger.
Arjun’s eyes widened.
Hidden Skill.
That option hadn’t appeared in the first timeline.
Which meant the Karma System was giving him something special.
But the monster was already only a few meters away.
Kabir grabbed Arjun’s shoulder.
“MOVE!”
Arjun made his decision instantly.
“Instinct of the Survivor.”
The screen flashed.
HIDDEN SKILL ACQUIRED
INSTINCT OF THE SURVIVOR (PASSIVE)
Your body reacts to danger before your mind can process it.
The monster lunged.
Kabir screamed.
But something strange happened.
Before Arjun even realized it, his body moved on its own.
He stepped sideways.
The monster’s claws sliced through the air where he had been standing a moment earlier.
Arjun blinked in shock.
I didn’t even think about moving.
The monster skidded across the stone floor, confused.
Kabir stared at him.
“…How did you do that?”
Arjun didn’t answer.
Because the system screen appeared again.
FIRST COMBAT DETECTED
COMBAT EXPERIENCE +1
The monster turned around and roared again.
Its red eyes burned with rage.
This time it attacked faster.
Much faster.
But Arjun’s body reacted again before his brain could catch up.
He ducked.
The monster’s claws scraped against the pillar behind him.
Stone shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Kabir stumbled backward.
“Arjun! What’s happening to you?!”
Arjun exhaled slowly.
“I… think I unlocked a skill.”
Kabir stared at him like he had gone insane.
“NOW is not the time to experiment!”
The monster attacked again.
But Arjun was calmer this time.
The hidden skill was working.
His body moved automatically, dodging each swipe by the narrowest margin.
Left.
Right.
Step back.
Each movement felt natural.
Like his body had already fought this monster hundreds of times.
Which… in a way… it had.
But dodging wasn’t enough.
They couldn’t run forever.
Arjun quickly scanned the hall.
Pillars.
Torches.
Broken stones.
Then he remembered something.
In the first timeline, the monster had attacked the group near the center first.
Which meant it wasn’t very smart.
It simply attacked whatever was closest.
An idea formed in Arjun’s mind.
“Kabir,” he said quietly.
Kabir gulped.
“Yes?!”
“Grab that torch.”
Kabir looked at the wall beside them.
A burning torch was mounted there.
“…Why?”
“Just do it.”
Kabir yanked the torch free from the wall.
The monster roared again and charged.
Arjun ran.
Straight toward the opposite pillar.
Kabir shouted in panic.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“Follow me!”
The monster chased them immediately.
Arjun stopped behind the pillar.
Kabir nearly crashed into him.
The monster leaped forward.
Arjun shouted.
“Now!”
Kabir instinctively threw the torch.
The flaming stick struck the monster’s face.
The creature recoiled with a furious howl.
Flames licked across its armored scales.
It wasn’t seriously hurt.
But it was distracted.
Arjun grabbed a loose stone from the ground.
He stepped forward and hurled it directly at the monster’s eye.
The rock struck perfectly.
The creature roared in pain.
Kabir stared in disbelief.
“…You just attacked it.”
Arjun’s heart pounded.
Yes.
He had.
And something amazing happened immediately.
DAMAGE DEALT
EXPERIENCE +3
Arjun blinked.
It worked.
The monster staggered.
Its eye was bleeding now.
But instead of retreating, it grew even more furious.
Its muscles tensed.
The floor cracked beneath its claws.
Kabir whispered.
“Arjun… it looks angry.”
“Very angry.”
The monster charged again.
But this time Arjun didn’t run.
Instead he moved sideways, letting the creature slam into the stone pillar behind him.
The impact shook the entire hall.
Stone fragments rained down.
The monster stumbled.
Its armored scales had cracked slightly.
Arjun’s eyes lit up.
“That’s it.”
Kabir frowned.
“What?”
“The pillar.”
The monster attacked again.
But Arjun dodged easily now.
His hidden skill kept guiding his movements.
Step.
Turn.
Slide.
Each attack barely missed him.
And each time the creature lunged, Arjun positioned himself near another pillar.
The monster smashed into stone again.
And again.
And again.
Kabir slowly realized the plan.
“You’re making it hit the pillars!”
Arjun nodded.
“Those scales are tough… but not tougher than solid stone.”
The monster’s armor began cracking more and more.
Its movements slowed slightly.
Blood dripped from its injured eye.
But it was still extremely dangerous.
One mistake would mean death.
The creature roared one final time and launched itself toward Arjun with all its strength.
Arjun didn’t dodge immediately.
He waited.
Just one more step.
One more second.
Then he moved.
The monster slammed directly into the largest pillar in the hall.
A loud crack echoed.
The pillar shattered.
And the falling stone crashed onto the monster’s back.
The creature collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
Silence followed.
Kabir stared with wide eyes.
“…Did we win?”
Arjun stepped closer carefully.
The monster twitched weakly.
But it couldn’t stand anymore.
The falling stone had crushed its spine.
The system screen appeared again.
MONSTER DEFEATED
EXPERIENCE +20
LEVEL UP
Arjun felt a strange surge of energy rush through his body.
His muscles felt stronger.
His breathing steadier.
Kabir laughed in disbelief.
“We just killed it!”
Players around the hall slowly realized the monster was dead.
People stared at Arjun.
Some looked amazed.
Others suspicious.
Because while everyone else had been running in fear…
Arjun had fought.
And won.
The system screen appeared one more time.
LEVEL 2 ACHIEVED
NEW ABILITY SLOT UNLOCKED
But before Arjun could read further…
The torches suddenly flickered.
A deep mechanical voice echoed across the hall.
FLOOR ONE CLEARED
The stone walls trembled.
And a massive new door slowly opened at the end of the hall.
Behind it…
Dark stairs spiraled upward.
Kabir swallowed.
“…That’s not ominous at all.”
Arjun stared at the stairs.
Because the system message changed again.
FLOOR TWO UNLOCKED
DIFFICULTY: DEADLY
And beneath the message, another line appeared.
One that made Arjun’s blood run cold.
WARNING
THE TOWER HAS NOTICED YOU
Arjun whispered quietly.
“…What does that mean?”
No one answered.
Because somewhere deep inside the tower…
Something had just awakened.
And it was watching him.
