Ether: Pulse of the Forgotten

Five days past since the world changed, Kai and the rest of the survivors had begun to settle into some semblance of routine. They had learned the basics of survival: hunting, foraging, finding clean water, and watching each other's backs. They had basic equipment, and everyone had been assigned a starting class. No one had been given any special instructions on how to use the powers that came with it. You just had to figure it out as you went.

Survivor Count: 1150

Kai had flicked through the list of basic classes on the glowing status screen (totally a thing now): Fighter, Ranger, Mage. The obvious choice would've been something flashy. Magic? Healing? Sneaking around? But none of that felt like him. Not really. He wasn't trying to be clever or mysterious out here—he wanted something solid, something he could trust when things got messy. And so he picked fighter. No gimmicks, no prep time, just raw, straightforward skill. He could see it already—bracing for impact, reading movements, turning instinct into survival. Although his physique didn't lend itself to raw strength—he was slim, barely 130 pounds—but his agility and quick thinking were all that mattered now.

Kai and Sasha had landed with 4 other people, he could imagine everyone in their tutorial landing in similar cells. but what about the other billions of people? What was everyone doing? Panicking? Exploring the new world? Searching for resources? However, the tension in the air was palpable. People were on edge. The survivor count had dropped by almost fifty in the past day alone.

Nobody in their group had died in combat—not yet. But danger loomed in every direction, echoed by the thunderous roars of beasts reverberating through the forest.

Kai walked with Sasha, his girlfriend, staying close as they scouted the forest edge. Her eyes scanned the treeline, every rustle of the leaves making her jump. She was always the type to hang back and keep her distance, not because she was scared—nah, Sasha wasn't scared of anything—but because she liked having the whole picture. Watching. Calculating. Back home, she caught stuff no one else noticed, like she was playing a different game the rest of us hadn't figured out yet. And up close, she wasn't exactly the cuddly type either—always needed her space, even with me. So yeah, of course she'd pick Ranger stay out of reach and hit from wherever she wanted.

Kai's knuckledusters were his weapon of choice, and though his strikes weren't overwhelming, they were quick and precise. Every punch, every strike—he made them count. The body wasn't his strongest asset, but his mind was sharp.

The air was dense, like the very atmosphere was charged with anticipation. They were being watched. He could feel it. The others were too distracted by their fear to notice, but Kai was more attuned to the small, subtle changes around him. A flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, a rustling breeze that didn't belong to the forest.

Sasha looked over at him. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Kai said, but the unease in his voice betrayed him.

They moved cautiously, deeper into the woods. It wasn't far from their camp, but there was no sense of safety in this place. The tutorial wasn't just a test of skill; it was a test of endurance, of mental fortitude.

Then, a loud howl pierced the air.

Something large was moving toward them.

Kai's instincts kicked in. He raised his fist, his knuckledusters gleaming in the dim light. He glanced at Sasha, who had already nocked an arrow.

"We have to go," she said, voice trembling. "Now."

But Kai didn't move. His feet were planted, and the wolfish howls grew louder.

The creature appeared through the trees, massive, its body covered in matted fur and scarred from previous battles. This was a Dire Wolf, its yellow eyes glowing with hunger, its teeth sharp and glistening.

The others in the group fell back, panic setting in. They didn't know what to do. Sasha aimed her bow, but the wolf moved too quickly, too unpredictably. Kai's heart raced, but his mind stayed calm.

"Wait," he said softly, watching the creature. 

The wolf lunged.

Kai's body moved before his mind caught up. His left foot planted firm in the dirt, grounding him. Hips turned, shoulders followed, the motion smooth as water pouring from a glass. He felt the stretch in his back, the coil of muscle tightening just before release. His elbow cracked as his arm snapped forward, the punch gliding through the air like it belonged there. Clean. Sharp. Knuckleduster met the wolf's snout with a dull, satisfying thud, the impact rippling up his arm like a muted chord. He watched its head snap sideways, paws skidding as it yelped and stumbled back. First punch in this world, and it landed like he'd been throwing it his whole life.

The wolf snarled, shaking off the first hit with surprising grit, its eyes narrowing as if it finally understood who the real threat was. Sasha shot an arrow, but the creature was too fast—it dodged, flying towards Kai again. Kai shifted his stance, No rush. No fear. Just rhythm. He slid his right foot forward, pressing it into the earth until he felt the ground hold him steady. Shoulders relaxed. Breath slow.

This one wasn't instinct—it was intention.

{THWACK}

The punch landed with a heavy, bone-cracking thud, stopping the wolf mid-charge. Its body went limp instantly, collapsing to the dirt like the fight had been knocked clean out of it.

[You have slain Dire Wolf – Level 7.]

And that's when it hit him.

Kai didn't move. He stood over the beast, his breath suddenly shallow, his mind racing. The calm that carried him through the fight peeled away, leaving the weight of it all crashing down. First kill. First real threat. This wasnt a dream, this was real.

The others were silent for a moment, processing what they had just seen. Sasha, wide-eyed, took a step back. "Kai… what did you just do?"

Kai didn't have an answer.

He glanced around. The other survivors were staring at him now, whispers spreading like wildfire. Some were scared, some impressed, but all of them were uncertain.

Survivor Count: 1149

Another number ticked down. One of the survivors had disappeared.

There was no time to celebrate. The air was still thick with tension. Kai turned away, motioning for them to move forward. "We need to move."

Sasha followed, though her eyes never left him. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to.

They walked in silence, the growing sense of unease settling in. 

The forest remained eerily still, but the tension that had built in the air was palpable. The group had made it through to Day Seven relatively unscathed, but it was clear that things were escalating.

They had managed to make some progress—basic survival skills were falling into place. They were hunting, foraging, and learning the lay of the land. Gaining levels, but the monsters they encountered got stronger too.

Despite the challenges, Kai kept his spirits high. He had a knack for seeing the humor in things—sometimes to his own detriment. But he was the one the group leaned on for those brief moments of levity. After all, what was life if you couldn't laugh at the absurdity of it all?

System Notification: Mission Assigned

Mission: [Clear the Area]

Objective: Eliminate hostile creatures within a 5km radius of your current location. Failure to complete the mission will result in reduced resources for your group.

Rewards: Experience Points, Resource Boost

Time Limit: 48 Hours

Kai blinked, his thoughts immediately shifting to the urgency of the task. This wasn't a simple survival challenge. The system had set clear parameters, and if they didn't fulfill this mission, their resources would dwindle.

He turned to the group, who had been busy preparing their gear. "Alright, looks like we have a mission," he said, trying to keep his voice light, even though the weight of it was sinking in. "Guess we'll be clearing this place out."

Sasha, ever the practical one, raised an eyebrow. "Clear the area? You think this is some kind of reality show?"

Kai shrugged, smiling at her. "I think we're the contestants, whether we like it or not. Just gotta make it to the finale."

Despite the weight of their situation, Sasha couldn't help but smile back. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make them all feel a little less alone in the middle of this strange, hostile world.

They gathered their things, preparing for the hunt, but as they moved, Kai couldn't ignore the strange energy that was still pulsing in his veins. His eyes still felt a bit overwhelming at times. The threads of energy and movement in the world surrounded him, beckoning him to see more, to understand more, but he knew he couldn't get distracted. He needed focus.

The first part of the mission was simple: clear a path and eliminate whatever hostile creatures they encountered. There was no time to waste.

Kai's Status Window

Class: Fighter

Level: 3

Sasha had noticed his increasing abilities over the past few days. "You're really getting the hang of this, huh?" she asked as they rested for a moment, checking their surroundings for any movement. "You've got this aura now."

Kai smiled, trying to keep it casual. "Guess I'm a natural." He tapped his knuckles together. "I mean, it's just like punching the air…if the air punched back."

The rest of the group chuckled, but Kai's mind was elsewhere. He could still feel the looming pressure of the mission weighing on them. The creatures had to be dealt with, or their resources would dry up. It was the perfect setup for a fight, but there was something about the mission that felt like more was at stake.

It wasn't long before they encountered their first target: a massive, boar-like creature, tusks bared, charging toward them with the intent to maim. It moved quickly, charging through the underbrush like a freight train.

Kai had been expecting something smaller. Instead, the creature was much larger than anything he'd anticipated—its body low to the ground, powerful, with tusks that seemed almost designed to tear through armor.

Sasha nocked an arrow, but Kai acted first. "Time to test this out," he muttered to himself. He stepped forward, fists raised, not sure what he'd do, but trusting his body to know.

The creature lunged.

Kai sidestepped the initial attack, his movements almost automatic, and then he struck. His fist connected with the boar's side, but this time, the impact was different His knuckles hit, but there was a sharp, focused pressure behind the strike. The creature staggered, but it was far from done.

"Okay, that was… not what I expected," Kai said as he quickly adjusted his stance. He tried again, this time with more focus. "A Palm."

This time, the invisible force coiled around his fist, at the last second, he opened his fist and rested an open palm onto the boar, sending a shockwave through the boar's side. It crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.

Sasha, who had been ready to fire an arrow, blinked in disbelief. "Did you just—did that thing just fall over from a punch?"

Kai nodded, trying to hide his surprise. "More like a palm."

Survivor Count: 1147

Another number ticked down.

Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he saw the number fall. They had taken down a creature, yes, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. More challenges were ahead. More enemies. And the mission had only just begun.