The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion

"That's my phone!" the man protested.

"I don't care," Damian snapped, his voice sharp.

Then, his expression darkened as he sensed multiple presences closing in on him.

Damian grabbed the man by his collar, his voice cold and sharp. "Listen carefully… This place is extremely dangerous. I assume you've already read what the system said?"

"I… yes," the man stammered, fear evident in his voice.

"Then get the hell out of here! If you don't have the ability to kill a monster on your own, you'll never survive," Damian barked, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Hearing Damian's words, the man's expression shifted, and a great wave of fear washed over him.

His heart pounded, his face pale.

"What should I do?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"It's simple. Get the fuck out of here! Find a monster and kill it. After that, you'll figure out what to do next," Damian growled, delivering a firm kick to the man's backside to send him running.

With the distraction gone, Damian turned his attention back to the presences he had sensed approaching.

In the distance, he spotted fifteen nameless savage Lycans, their hostile growls reverberating through the air as they glared at him menacingly.

Among them, ten were Level 4 monsters, while the remaining five were Level 8.

Damian's confidence surged. He knew he could kill every single one of them.

His initial plan was straightforward: target the weaker monsters first to gain experience and level up, then confront the stronger ones with his improved strength.

But therein lay the challenge.

He couldn't choose which monsters to attack.

The entire pack would pounce on him simultaneously.

"I guess I'll just have to give it a shot," Damian muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on the axe in one hand and the ten-inch bladed knife in the other.

"I'll stab them in the ears, eyes, or neck. Those are their weak points," he thought.

Even if striking those spots didn't kill them instantly, it would significantly hinder their ability to fight.

Given their low intelligence, the Lycans would act on instinct, crying out in pain when injured, making his strategy all the more effective.

Time was running out.

Damian had already achieved the three accomplishments he was aiming for, but there was a chance to unlock two more.

The rewards for these additional achievements would be far more useful than mere stat points at this stage.

Taking a deep breath, Damian sprinted forward in a straight line, heading directly for one of the nameless savage Lycans.

He was faster than the monsters, a surprising advantage. Lycans were known for their powerful bodies, but their speed was lacking.

As soon as he reached the first one, Damian executed a vertical slash with his axe, the blade cleaving through its skull and killing it instantly.

[Experience gained]

Sensing movement to his side, Damian leaped back just in time to avoid a Lycan pouncing at him.

As soon as he landed, another Lycan lunged toward him.

This time, instead of dodging, he swung his axe directly into the creature's open mouth, tearing it apart in a gruesome display.

[Experience Limit Reached]

[You have reached Level 7]

Spinning on his heel, Damian used the momentum to sever the head of another Lycan that had been closing in from behind.

[Experience gained]

He continued his relentless assault, dispatching the remaining Level 4 Lycans one by one with precision and brutality.

[Experience limit reached]

[You have reached Level 8]

[Experience gained]

[Experience gained]

[Experience limit reached]

[You have reached Level 9]

Damian had leveled up to level 9 after hunting the remaining level 4 nameless savage lycans.

He then turned his attention to the five level 8 nameless savage lycans.

They lowered their heads and glared at him menacingly, a clear display of their wariness.

They wouldn't make their move until Damian acted first.

Damian, in turn, matched their glare with equal, if not greater, intensity.

However, his focus wasn't on them. It was on the system panel.

________________________________

 [Awakner: Damian Ignatius]

 [level: 9]

 [Class: None]

 [Titles: Regressor]

 [Achievements: First Killer (Corruptants, Mutated Beasts, Mutated Flora, Gate Monster)]

 [Talents: Elementalist ]

 [Unique Abilities: Extraction(Level: 1)]

 [Strength: 14 ║ Agility: 15 ║ Vitality: 15 ║

 Stamina: 15 ║ Perception: 24 ║ Mana: 0 ║

 Stat Points: 20]

 [Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Basic Archery]

________________________________

"What the hell? I have a talent and a unique ability?" Damian muttered, rubbing his forehead as if plagued by a splitting headache.

The very reason he hadn't survived the apocalypse or managed to cure his illness before was simple: he lacked even a single talent.

Without talent, his strength couldn't progress beyond leveling up, and the minimal stat increases he earned weren't nearly enough to contend with the monsters from the higher stages of the towers.

There was a limit to how much the flesh could be strengthened without supernatural intervention.

To make matters worse, his illness had steadily deteriorated his vitality, causing his strength to wane rapidly.

This was why, despite reaching level 12 before his regression, his stats had remained pitifully low.

But now, staring at his status panel and seeing a unique ability and a talent, one that, judging by its description and the appearance of the [Mana] stat in his attributes, seemed related to magic, Damian was at a loss for words.

First, there was his regression back to the day of the awakening.

And now, he had awakened a talent and a unique ability he hadn't possessed before his regression.

"Why are these things happening to me?" he thought, his mind a whirlwind of questions.

Even if he attributed the awakening of his talent and ability to the regression phenomenon, what could explain the regression itself?

Something had to have caused it.

Damian firmly believed in the principle of cause and effect.

Everything happened for a reason, and he was certain his regression had a cause, but what it was eluded him, and that gnawed at him.

"Now's not the time to dwell on this," he decided, pushing the thoughts aside. "I need to earn two more achievements. Only then can I afford the time to reflect."

Damian didn't even spare a moment to examine his talent and ability.

As for the title [Regressor], it didn't surprise him in the least.

His sharp eyes focused on the five level-8 nameless savage lycans circling him, their weak growls and menacing postures a futile attempt at intimidation.

It had been about 45 minutes since the system descended and the red gate opened.