Greetings Daniel, you have died. Generating system…

  An earthy smell assaulted Daniel’s nose. A gentle breeze blew against his face.

  Opening his eyes, Daniel saw a grey holographic screen. Behind it was the canopy of a lush forest. He was lying on his back, but he didn’t move to get up.

  A light ding echoed, and Daniel was almost unsurprised when the text on the screen changed.

  System Generated: Quest System.

  As the screen faded away, Daniel remained lying on his back, processing the events that had just transpired. The pain of getting torn apart was too real, too visceral, to be a dream.

  Daniel replayed his death in his mind with a detached curiosity. He knew he should be overwhelmed, but something was missing. The memories of dying were there, but the emotions that should have accompanied them were absent.

  A loud bird call sounded in the distance, snapping Daniel out of his thoughts. He pushed himself up from the ground and started to pace around the clearing.

  What was going on?

  Now that he could think more clearly, his walk to Olivia’s seemed more suspect. It was almost as if he was being targeted by some malicious force. Did they just want him dead, or had they sent him here? If so, where were they?

  Though his mind was racing, he thought that train of thought wasn’t going to lead to anything useful, so Daniel shifted his focus to another pressing concern. If this was real, why was he back in the clearing? He should have been dead after the attack by the wolves.

  He thought about it a bit.

  Was he in some sort of time loop? The fact that he was in the same clearing as before lent credence to that idea, but he couldn’t be sure. And he certainly didn’t want to try and test that theory.

  There was something else he thought he could check out, though.

  That screen from before—it said something about generating a system, but this time it was different.

  What was it he had said to trigger the screen the first time?

  “Screen? Show? System?”

  Ding!

  Status

  Name: Daniel

  System: Quest

  Stats

  Strength: 1

  Constitution: 1

  Dexterity: 2

  Intelligence: 4

  Willpower: 3

  Perception: 2

  System Abilities:

  Quest Insight: Gain quests based on your current stats and actions. This ability allows you to receive quests tailored to your skills and current situation.

  Quest Reward: For every quest completed, receive a reward that can range from stat boosts to useful items.

  Quest Log: Maintain a detailed log of all quests undertaken, including progress, rewards, and failures. This ability helps track your journey and can provide bonuses for revisiting and completing abandoned quests.

  Ding!

  Quest Gained: What’s going on?

  You’ve woken up in a mysterious forest with a mysterious system, twice! Find out why this is happening, and what you can do about it.

  Ding!

  Quest Gained: Rule of 3

  It’s said you can live 3 weeks without shelter, 3 days without food, and 3 hours without water. Unfortunately for you, you have none of that. Find someplace to live, something to eat, somewhere to drink, or any combination of the 3.

  Though he had been expecting something to appear, Daniel sill reeled back at the bombardment of screens filling his vision. The last time he did this, he only got one screen.

  Gathering himself, and feeling curious, Daniel began reading through each line of text, immediately noticing one major difference: the system was labeled Quest rather than Harem, and the abilities were changed accordingly.

  Though he wasn’t complaining about not having to deal with a Harem System, Daniel couldn’t help but wonder as to why it was different this time.

  Daniel paused. Something about his previous thoughts felt distinctly odd. He decided to test something.

  I’m glad I have a Quest System instead of a Harem System.

  There! He wasn’t imagining it. It was as if certain parts of what he was thinking were more present, more emphasized than others. What was causing this? Why was it only happening when he thought about the Syste—

  A low growl filled the clearing, sending a familiar chill down Daniel's spine. Two wolves emerged from the forest, their eyes locked on him.

  Ding!

  Quest Gained: Escape the Wolves!

  Oh no, the wolves that tore you apart are back! Looks like you took too long thinking when you should have been running. Escape the wolves by any means necessary.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Damn it! The screen was right. The last time he was here, he’d spent too long panicking and the wolves had showed up and chased him to their den. He should have left the moment he could, but he had gotten distracted and hadn’t thought about it.

  Looks like I may get to test out my time loop theory after all.

  Luckily, Daniel wasn’t having a panic attack this time and could react a little more succinctly to the situation. He thought back to the den—the last time, the wolves hadn’t attacked immediately.

  Only after he tripped had they come after him.

  Armed with that knowledge, Daniel backed away slowly, his eyes on the lookout for any roots. As he walked back, the wolves exchanged a glance, their growls deepening. They were tense, muscles coiled like springs, ready to react.

  The forest around him seemed unnaturally quiet now, the usual hum of insects and birds silenced—as if the woods themselves were still, waiting to see what would happen. The soft rustling of the trees felt unnervingly loud.

  The first wolf took a cautious step forward, a low rumble resonating in its throat. Daniel felt a surge of adrenaline, his heart pounding in his chest as he moved back another step.

  He could almost hear the blood rushing through his ears, his entire body poised and ready to bolt at the first sign of attack.

  A sudden crack of a twig under his heel made Daniel flinch, the noise impossibly loud in the still air. He saw the first wolf’s ears twitch, its lips curling back to reveal sharp teeth. Time seemed to slow as Daniel swallowed hard, his throat dry.

  They’re watching, waiting for a mistake.

  He kept backing away, never taking his eyes off them until his foot brushed against a patch of fallen leaves near the far edge of the clearing.

  The wolves tensed, muscles rippling under their sleek coats.

  For a moment, Daniel could almost see the scenario play out—the wolves lunging, him running, the sharp pain of fangs sinking into flesh. His breath came faster, chest tight as he struggled to keep his movements controlled.

  Suddenly, the second wolf flicked its ears back, the growl shifting into a warning bark. It was a clear signal—this was their territory.

  With a final piercing glare, the wolves turned as one and flowed back into the shadows of the trees, tails flicking in a clear sign of dismissal.

  Daniel breathed a sigh of relief as a screen appeared in front of him with a Ding.

  Quest Complete: Escape the Wolves!

  You managed to escape the wolves! For using previous knowledge and staying aware of your surroundings, you receive +2 Intelligence and +1 Perception.

  As his nerves settled, Daniel studied the new screen with interest. He didn’t know what these stats would do, but he could guess—and having more definitely of them wouldn’t hurt.

  He glanced around the clearing, trying to feel a difference. Maybe the forest was a little brighter, but he couldn’t tell. Was he thinking any faster?

  He paused, trying to focus on his thoughts.

  Nothing seemed to be speeding up, but perhaps it wasn’t as simple as that. With a shrug, he decided it didn’t matter for now—he could try and figure it out as he went.

  Daniel moved away from the clearing, leaving the place where he'd come back to life—again—behind him. The quest screens still floated in his mind. He figured completing one of the quests would be a good start to surviving this time.

  Shelter, food, or water—any of them would do.

  The deeper he walked into the woods, the more the trees seemed to close in around him. Each one stretched high, branches tangled above like a massive, green web, filtering the sunlight into patches on the ground.

  Underfoot, a mix of leaves, dirt, and occasional patches of moss crunched softly as he wandered. It was peaceful, but that sense of calm only made him feel more on edge. Every gust of wind seemed to carry the whisper of unseen threats lurking nearby.

  He wandered for what felt like hours, scanning the forest floor and trees for any signs of water or a place to rest. Here and there, birds flitted through the branches, their calls sharp against the stillness. But there were no streams, no signs of animal tracks leading to food sources, and no caves or hollows large enough to serve as shelter. It was just endless forest.

  Suddenly, something shifted in his peripheral vision. A flicker of movement, so subtle he almost missed it.

  Daniel froze, his eyes darting to the spot where he'd seen it—nothing. Just the brown bark of a tree blending into the leaves around it. He let out a breath.

  I must be imagining things.

  Daniel continued on his way when—

  Rustle.

  Without warning, a coiled shape lunged out from the brush, heading straight for his leg. Time seemed to slow as Daniel’s mind processed the threat. He leaped back just in time.

  A snake, its body patterned to blend perfectly with the forest floor, snapped at the space where he'd just been standing. Its scales glinted briefly in the sunlight as it struck again.

  Once more, Daniel dodged. His mind moved quickly, processing the danger with sharp precision. His heart raced, but his head remained clear, the heightened awareness giving him a strange confidence.

  Was this... the stats? His newfound Intelligence? He couldn't be sure, but something had definitely changed.

  The snake, realizing it had missed its chance, slithered back into the underbrush, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. Daniel exhaled slowly, his muscles relaxing.

  As he caught his breath, Daniel glanced around the area where the snake had ambushed him. A jagged opening caught his eye—just a few feet away, half-hidden by overgrown foliage, was a small rocky overhang.

  It wasn’t much, but it was the closest thing to shelter he’d seen all day. The overhang jutted out from a large boulder, creating a shallow cave that might just keep him dry if it rained.

  He pushed aside the leaves and examined the space more closely. It wasn’t deep enough to hide from a serious predator, but it would at least offer cover for the night. And that was all he needed for now.

  As the last traces of daylight began to fade, Daniel made the decision. He would stay here. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than wandering the woods in the dark.

  Ding!

  The now familiar sound filled the air, and Daniel glanced up at the new screen that appeared in front of him.

  Quest Complete: Rule of 3 - Shelter!

  You’ve successfully found shelter! For taking the time to assess your surroundings and locate a safe space for the night, you receive food and water.

  A moment later, a small pouch appeared in his hand. It felt light, but when he opened it, he found a neatly wrapped bundle of dried food and a canteen of water. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth—this would help him.

  Tossing the pouch into his satchel, Daniel noticed something odd. It slipped in without much resistance, but the satchel hadn’t even looked large enough to fit it.

  Frowning, he reached inside, feeling the familiar leather interior stretch further than it should. His hand moved through the satchel’s depths, and his eyes widened in realization.

  The inside was bigger.

  A sense of wonder washed over him. This was something magical—proof that he had stepped into a world unlike any he’d known. While everything else felt abstract, this was the first tangible interaction he’d had with something like this since waking up here.

  Curious, he inspected the other items he had on him, searching for any hidden properties. The boots felt incredibly comfortable, but beyond that, he couldn't discern much else.

  Eventually, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him, he lay back against the soft forest floor, staring up at the canopy of leaves.

  Now that he had time to think, Daniel turned toward something he’d been consciously avoiding. He could no longer ignore everything he had endured.

  Ding!

  Quest Gained: Process Your Grief

  You’ve left your old life behind and faced death multiple times. Find a way to come to terms with what has happened to you now that you’re in a safe space.

  He ignored the screen that popped up in front of him and simply let everything he had been keeping bottled up flow through him.

  As he lay there, grappling with his emotions, tears slipped down his cheeks. Daniel allowed himself to feel the full weight of his sorrow, embracing the pain rather than shying away from it.

  Daniel cried as memories flooded his mind—the laughter shared with his friends, the warmth of his mom’s hug, the simple joy of quiet moments shared with another.

  Each recollection struck him like a wave, threatening to pull him under. But he held on, acknowledging the hurt and letting it wash over him.

  He realized that to heal, he needed to honor these memories, to carry them with him rather than bury them in the depths of his mind.

  With each breath, he felt a little lighter, the act of confronting his grief helping him let go of the weight he hadn’t realized he was carrying. The tears, though painful, were also cathartic, creating space for better thoughts to emerge.

  As his sorrow began to dissipate, he found a flicker of determination igniting within him. He didn’t know if he’d ever make it back home, but he knew he had to keep moving forward one step at a time, embracing whatever lay ahead.

  Ding!

  Quest Complete: Process Your Grief

  You have taken the first step in processing what you’ve been through. For your perseverance, you receive a Good Night’s Sleep.

  Daniel closed his eyes, feeling a sense of peace envelop him as he surrendered to the darkness.