FIRST QUEST — SURVIVE.

CHAPTER 3: THE FIRST QUEST — SURVIVE.

KAYLAN'S POV.

My answer was instant.

'Yes.'

I still couldn't make out the words. I answered with my mind. The moment the thought formed, the screen changed.

[Authorization Accepted]

Then something exploded in my chest. It wasn't pain. Rather, it was power. It rushed through my veins like liquid fire.

My broken bones screamed. My heart convulsed. And my lungs were suddenly filled with air.

"Put out the fire! Get her out of there!" A female bystander said. Her voice sounded distant but troubled.

Darkness began swallowing me again, pulling me deeper into somewhere ancient—somewhere that felt like it had been waiting for me.

Then I heard it — A growl. It was low. Deep. Ancient. It came from within me.

The system then spoke.

[Emergency Survival Protocol Activated]

[Host Has Survived Death]

[First Condition Fulfilled]

[Lycan Awakening Quest Activated]

My eyes snapped wide open. I could see the stars in the clear night sky. Then I noticed a couple of folks around me. I was no longer in the car.

Suddenly, pain crashed into me. My ribs hurt with every breath I took. Heck, my entire body hurt badly. Something warm trickled down from my forehead.

"The paramedics are on the way. Hold on," that same female voice I heard spoke. I could finally see the face of the person who had empathy toward me.

I saw that my car was on fire. Then the realization hit me. 'This woman must have risked her life to save me.'

Another notification appeared, highlighted in red this time.

[WARNING]

[Severe Physical Trauma Detected]

[HP: 3/100]

[Host Condition: Critical]

'Three out of a hundred?' My heart thumped. Whatever that was, I knew three out of a hundred wasn't good.

Then I saw the next line.

[MAIN QUEST: SURVIVE]

Objective: Restore HP to 20

Time Remaining: 58 seconds

Reward: First Lycan Ability — Level 1 Lycan Regeneration

Failure: Death

I gulped, stricken with fear.

'How am I supposed to do that?' I wondered. The system answered immediately.

[Host Possesses Insufficient Lycan Energy]

'Then what am I supposed to do?' I asked anxiously. But there was no answer. Instead, another notification appeared.

[Emergency Tutorial Activated]

Then the system spoke.

[Lycan Energy Originates From The Host's Bloodline]

[The Host May Consciously Circulate Lycan Energy Through the Body]

'How?'

[Think Of Your Heartbeat]

I closed my eyes as I tried to shut out the noise. I was able to zero in on it, but it was weak — barely there.

I imagined the warmth I felt earlier — the strange fire that surged through my body. But nothing happened.

[Time Remaining: 34 seconds]

Panic seized me.

'Come on, come on. Please,' I concentrated harder.

Something finally moved. It was like a tiny spark, deep inside. It felt almost alive. It was such a strange phenomenon.

I pushed it toward my heart, but it resisted.

'Come on,' I gritted my teeth.

The paramedics arrived at this point and crouched beside me. "Miss, stay with me."

I couldn't answer. My entire concentration was focused on the tiny flame inside me.

As I pulled one more time, it moved. It traveled through my veins, surging to my heart, causing my body to jerk.

"What the—?" The paramedic froze.

[HP: 5/100]

My eyes widened in optimism when I saw the increment. So, I did it again.

[HP: 7/100]

Another increase.

The warmth grew stronger with every heartbeat, and so did the pain. My broken bones felt like they were burning from the inside. Tears streamed down my face, but it didn't care.

I couldn't die. Not now. Not after everything.

[Time Remaining: 14 seconds]

I pushed harder. The warmth exploded through my body. My bones shifted. My muscles tightened.

[HP: 14/100]

There was another increase. Then something strange began happening.

I could hear everything. The paramedic's heartbeat, the driver's heartbeat, someone crying twenty feet away, cars driving by from a distance, a bird flapping its wings somewhere in the trees... I heard it all.

[HP: 20/100]

'I did it? I did it!' I smiled, relieved.

The system went silent for a couple of seconds. It got me concerned.

Then the blue screen appeared.

[QUEST COMPLETE]

[Lycan Regeneration — Level 1 Acquired]

Immediately, a strange sensation spread through my body. Underneath my skin, I could feel the wounds closing up. It was gradual.

The bleeding slowed, the pain in my ribs eased, and my breathing became much steadier.

The paramedic lifted me onto the stretcher and rushed me into the ambulance. I expected it to hurt terribly; instead, the pain was fading — Not totally gone.

"Stay with me. We'll get you to the hospital right away," the paramedic said.

I wanted to tell him I was fine, but I couldn't make out the words. I was exhausted.

Eventually, I began finding it difficult to stay conscious. The exertion of the emotional, physical, psychological, and supernatural energy had taken quite a toll on my body.

By the time we finally got to the hospital, I was on the verge of passing out.

My case was declared a "code red."

Doctors and nurses surrounded me. Questions came from every direction.

"Can you hear me?"

"What's your name?"

"Do you know where you are?"

I answered as I could. Not that I remember what I even said.

Gradually, I lost consciousness as I stared at the ceiling of the ambulance.

_______________

"You're defective!"

"Wolfless runt!"

"You're such a disgrace to the Wulf bloodline! You should have never been born!"

The barrage of insults came ceaselessly, accompanied by their hateful looks and disdainful laughter.

My heart raced, overwhelmed by negative emotions. I curled into a ball as I closed my ears with the palms of my hands.

Suddenly I jerked awake, panting heavily and sweating profusely. It was just a bad dream. So, I sighed.

I saw that I was at a hospital — the private ward, for that matter. I found it really odd.

Through the window, the moon hung beautifully over the city. Seeing the time on the wall clock, I saw that hours had passed.

Then I noticed something else: All the pain was gone. I was totally healed. I had to touch my body to confirm.

Something felt different about me.

The word "Lycan" slipped through my lips without much thought the instant it came to mind. It felt strange saying it.

I had heard stories about them growing up. Ancient creatures — the supposed ancestors of modern werewolves. But for reasons unknown, they disappeared centuries ago.

Most people considered them myths.

So it made me wonder: why did that strange voice call itself the "Lycan System"? Why did it choose me?

I sighed tiredly, then the blue translucent screen appeared before me.

[You Are Now Eligible To Access The Status Window]

My brows furrowed at this point, eager to see it.

Another notification appeared.

[LYCAN SYSTEM]

Host: Kaylan Wulf

Level: 1

Rank: Unranked

Species: Unknown

Bloodline: Ancient Lycan — Locked

HP: 20/100

MP: 5/50

Strength: 5

Agility: 8

Endurance: 7

Regeneration: 1

Dominance: 0

Lycan Points: 5

Skills: Lycan Regeneration Lv. 1

I stared at the numbers. This was real.

Then another screen appeared beside the status window.

[New Quest: Reach Level 3]

[Reward: New Lycan Ability]

"That's it? No explanation?" I asked, but I got no answer. Both screens vanished at this point.

I sighed tiredly, wondering how I'd go about it. I was just given a destination — Level 3.

Lying back on the bed, I looked out the window.

For over two decades, I believed I was a girl without a wolf. My oppressors did a good job drilling it into my subconscious. I guess I had been looking for the wrong thing all along.

Deep inside me, something stirred. Not a voice — Not yet. Just a presence, an ancient one. Patiently waiting.

And for the first time since my family cast me out, I smiled.

They thought they had stripped me of everything, and banished a worthless, wolfless girl. They had no idea what they had set free.