Richter stood at the mouth of his cave—his home, for now—watching the sun-dappled forest with quiet intensity. The cooldown for the 'Guarded Spoils' event was nearly over. He had spent the hour wisely: drinking a potion to restore his reserves, finishing the last of his scavenger meat, and preparing his gear with meticulous care.

  Today, he was leaving his healing staff behind. This wasn’t a time for defense. He would need to fight—and for that, the metal caster staff, heavy and humming with potential, would serve him better.

  Once again, the sky bled into a crimson dusk, casting long, ominous shadows through the trees. The forest held its breath—an unnatural stillness settling over the land, as if every creature knew the storm that was about to break.

  This waiting reminded him of the six-month countdown the entire world had endured. But at least this time, he knew what was coming.

  Back then, the countdown had plunged humanity into chaos and uncertainty. But for Richter, it had been something else entirely—an unexpected window of clarity. He’d worked alongside brilliant minds, forged friendships in the pressure-cooker of global crisis, and found a strange joy in the intensity of the research labs. Those days had been exhilarating, almost fun, in their own twisted way.

  Thinking about the time before the System always made Richter’s mind wander. His sister had messaged him just before the countdown ended—but he hadn’t replied. A choice he now regretted more than he cared to admit. From what Dave had told him about his own family, Richter suspected the tutorial zones were geographically based. Which meant his sister—still in England when everything changed—was likely in a different tutorial altogether.

  Was she safe? What class would she have chosen? Was she facing the same brutal trial he was—or worse?

  Richter had lost his parents young, and last year, the grandmother who’d raised him and his sister had passed as well. His sister was all he had left. Still, something deep down told him she’d be okay. He had always been the academic, but she had the kind of street smarts that couldn't be taught—sharp, resilient, and quick on her feet.

  A thunderous chime snapped Richter back to the present. Mana surged through the air like a rising tide, crackling with unseen power. Wind tore through the trees in a sudden gale, and the ground trembled beneath his feet—alive with the System’s awakening.

  [System Notification]

  Tutorial Event- Guarded Spoils has begun

  Time Left: 7 days

  Current points: 0

  Across the vast expanse of The Great Forest, lights erupted like fireworks, each beacon slicing through the crimson dusk with vivid intensity. The sky transformed into a shimmering tapestry of color—blues like glacial flame, reds like molten blood, greens pulsing with life, purples flickering with mystery, and here and there, rare threads of radiant gold.

  One of the beacons had ignited nearby. Richter stepped out of the cave, metal staff in hand, the scroll secured at his belt. His pace was unhurried—steady, familiar. He knew exactly where it had landed. Of course it would be the clearing.

  Richter crouched behind a cluster of shrubs at the edge of the clearing, eyes narrowing as he scanned the scene. In the center sat a single chest, its polished surface gleaming with soft blue accents that pulsed like a heartbeat. Beneath it, a luminous blue magic circle shimmered across the earth, etched with shifting runes and faintly humming with restrained power.

  [Common Guarded Spoil Chest] – A System-generated chest created for the event [Guarded Spoils]. Opening this chest will generate a soulbound item tailored specifically to the individual who opens it. 5 Event Points awarded for opening.

  But it wasn't the chest that Richter focused on, it was what was sat upon it.

  The black bird was majestic—clearly a variant of the Duskbeak, though smaller than the scavenger type. Where the scavengers were vulture-sized brutes, this one was leaner, sleeker—more hawk than carrion-feeder. Its feathers shimmered with an oil-slick sheen, hints of dark emerald threading through the inky black like veins of gemstone. Atop its head rose a regal crown of long, flowing feathers, and its eyes glowed faintly with an eerie, pulsing blue light.

  [Duskbeak Flockmaiden]

  Description: A matriarchal variant of the Duskbeak species, the Flockmaiden commands larger flocks through psionic abilities that subtly influence and coordinate her kin. She enhances her allies with empowering auras and tactical precision. Sleeker and more aerodynamic than her scavenger cousins, she boasts superior speed and agility, making her a swift and elusive threat in battle.

  Level:6

  Class: Beast

  The 'Eyes of the Murderer' skill proved invaluable when facing unfamiliar creatures like this. The Flockmaiden was the same level as the Barkskin Bear—Level 6—but unlike the bear, she wasn’t alone. Ten Duskbeak Scavengers circled the clearing, each only Level 1, yet dangerous in numbers under her control.

  Richter didn’t flinch. He knew these birds—and more importantly, he knew they were in his way. This was his chest. His prize. And he wasn’t about to let a flock of overgrown scavengers stand between him and it.

  With calm precision, he drew the scroll from his belt, It was time to test the power he’d bled for.

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  His blade appeared in his other hand, it wasn't designed for throwing but it had helped last time so he would try again.

  Just like last time, Richter would try to eliminate the strongest first—before they even knew he was there. If he could take out the Flockmaiden swiftly, the others might scatter without her guidance. Especially with her buffs still active—her presence empowered them. Remove her, and he might unravel the whole flock.

  Richter began to infuse the scroll, feeling the familiar drain of mana and the sting of health loss. But something shifted.

  The Flockmaiden stirred—her eyes flared red, cutting through the dusk like twin embers. She had sensed it. But was it just the activation of a skill she felt? Or something deeper—had she somehow recognized the essence within the lances? The echo of her own kind woven into the magic.

  It was too late for her, Richter sent the lances for his target. As they flew Richter, threw the blade, again it failed in the air, landing to side of one of the scavengers, causing it to spook up.

  The lances however were more accurate. they weaved, their path straight towards the Flockmaiden. The bird exploded in a shower of feathers.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  One of the scavengers had intercepted the strike.

  Richter had seen the whole thing—the bird moved faster than it should have, unnaturally fast. But something felt off. It didn’t seem like an act of loyalty or self-sacrifice. No, it felt orchestrated—like the Flockmaiden had manipulated the scavenger into taking the hit, discarding it like a pawn.

  In a flash, ten birds took to the sky, snapping into formation with uncanny precision. Nine scavengers flew like pawns ahead, shielding the queen who hovered regally at the rear—commanding, calculating, and perfectly protected.

  Richter ran forward, not to flee—but to press the attack. This was a game of pieces, and the opponent had moved their queen. He would answer in kind. The red lances swirled around him, trailing arcs of mana like blood-stained comets, ready to strike again.

  Richter released the spell, this time focusing all three lances on individual targets. As they launched, he was already channelling mana for his next attack.

  The Flockmaiden let out a sharp, commanding cry. The nine remaining scavengers began to glow faintly blue, their movements accelerating under her influence. But the buff came too late for two of them—the lances struck true, knocking the birds from the sky in bursts of feathers and fading mana. The last bolt flew into the distance.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  The Flockmaiden made her move. She was intelligent—keen enough to spot the brief delay as Richter formed his lances. With a piercing cry, she unleashed her own response. Where Richter had three, she had seven living. They tore through the air, blue auras pulsing as they locked into synchronized flight, converging on Richter like a precision strike. He only needed a second or two more.

  A mana barrier formed—then another, and another. Richter’s focus was beginning to fray.

  Unlike the scroll, which seemed to share the burden of its casting, these barriers demanded everything from him. There was no conduit, no helper—only his mind, stretched thin, holding the line alone.

  The first barrier shattered, then the second. But before the birds could reach the third, the red lances launched—threading through the gaps like serpents of flame.

  The Flockmaiden had driven her pawns too hard; their speed left them no room to evade. They were locked into their charge, hurtling straight into the waiting lances. The birds and lances erupted, red, blue and black scattered the clearing.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  The remaining birds scattered, climbing desperately for altitude. Their formation had collapsed entirely. Richter could sense their panic—fraying at the edges of the Flockmaiden’s control. They weren’t regrouping. They were trying flee.

  One of the birds failed to take flight and crashed to the ground at Richter’s feet. He wasn’t much of a marksman with a blade—but at this range, even he couldn’t miss. With a swift throw, the knife struck true, piercing straight through the bird’s chest cavity.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  With only four scavengers left, the Flockmaiden easily got them back under control, she called again, this time they glowed red, their formation was not as tight, anymore. they were pushed to rage, the red aura seemed to be hurting the birds.

  Richter activated his healing skill, feeling warmth rush through his limbs as his remaining health was restored—at the cost of the last of his mana. The scroll had been draining a fair amount of health each cast.

  Without hesitation, he uncorked a mana potion and drank deeply, the familiar surge of energy returning as the cooldown timer began to tick down.

  The scroll was infused again, this scroll was awesome.

  Richter and the Flockmaiden reengaged—this time, he aimed directly for her. The red lances streaked through the air toward their target, but he anticipated interference. One of the scavengers would surely throw itself in the way.

  Yet, something unexpected happened. The Flockmaiden cried out, and the lances hesitated—caught mid-air, trembling as if resisting an invisible force. She wasn’t just commanding her flock—she was reaching into the very essence of the lances, tapping into their shared consciousness. Trying to bend them to her will.

  Richter had lost focus—or perhaps his connection to the lances had left him vulnerable to the Flockmaiden’s influence. The first scavenger struck, then the next. Snapping back to the moment, Richter hastily raised barriers, deflecting the others just in time. All four birds crashed to the ground at his feet, broken and still. The red aura that had fueled their rage had also driven them beyond their limits.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  You have slain [Duskbeak Scavenger Level: 1]

  Richter was in agony—his health was dangerously low, and the Flockmaiden hadn’t taken a single hit. She still looked untouched, composed. The three red lances now orbited her, caught in limbo. Though they hovered close, as if bound to her will, something in their motion hinted at resistance—they weren’t fully hers.

  It was only a matter of time before she overpowered their will. Pain surged through Richter like fire. Then, a thought cut through the haze.

  He remembered the last time he’d been pushed to the brink—how he had used Unstable Mana Lance. The scroll was still tethered to him, still alive with potential. Gripping it, Richter poured his raw emotion into the parchment—pain, fear, defiance. The lances shuddered, then began to swell, glowing with a renewed, dangerous energy.

  The Flockmaiden fought to seize control, panic flickering in her glowing eyes—but it was too late. The lances, now pulsing with Richter’s fury, refused to yield. They didn’t dissolve. They didn’t fade. Instead, they detonated in a brilliant, synchronized blast. She was caught at the epicenter. Richter watched the explosion with grim clarity, remembering just how much devastation a single lance had once caused.

  You have slain [Duskbeak Flockmaiden Level: 6], You have gained bonus Exp for slaying a foe of a higher level.

  [Level Up: Healer Level 3 Achieved]

  [Level Up: Human Level 3 Achieved]

  Stats allocated

  [Class Skill Available: Choose Now? Y/N]

  Richter had plenty of mana. He drained a good portion of it to heal his wounds, then turned his gaze toward the chest. The blue circle beneath it had vanished. It looked like he had won.