He was ecstatic with this discovery. The fear that had plagued him since waking up in this nightmare world evaporated, replaced by the burning certainty of a man who had finally been handed a weapon.
"So what if I don't have a System like the protagonists in those novels?" Sol laughed out loud, the sound startling a nearby bird. "I don't need a blue screen telling me I leveled up. I'll just eat my way to the top. I'll still become invincible."
Awoooo-gh!
A strange, guttural howl cut through his celebration. It sounded distant, but in a forest like this, distance was a lie.
Sol snapped his mouth shut, his senses… still buzzing from the energy boost… detecting the subtle shift in the forest's atmosphere. The birds had stopped singing. The insects had lowered their drone.
"Right," Sol muttered, his eyes darting to the shadows. "Better move before, becoming lunch for something."
