Ethan’s hands still trembled. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest aching from where the Nightfang had slammed him into the cavern wall. But more than the pain— More than the exhaustion— There was something new. A notification. A single line of text that changed everything. [LEVEL UP!] +5 Stat Points Awarded! Ethan stared at the glowing text, his mind racing. His first level up. His first step forward. And the first time he had ever felt like he wasn’t completely powerless. The Team’s Reaction Kara was still watching him, arms crossed, expression filled with annoyance. Leah was checking her mana reserves, stealing occasional glances toward Ethan like she wanted to say something but didn’t. Gareth, as usual, remained silent. Then, finally— “Are we done standing around?” Kara muttered. “Or do we need to wait for the porter to have an emotional breakdown?” Ethan exhaled slowly. He wasn’t going to argue with her. Not now. Instead, he took a deep breath and opened his status screen for the first time.

  

  
1. 
   
     [STATUS SCREEN]
   
     Name: Ethan Voss
   
     Class: Unranked (No Awakening)
   
     Level: 2 Health: 95/110
   
     Mana: 20/20
   
     Strength: 10 → 10
   
     Agility: 10 → 10
   
     Endurance: 9 → 9
   
     Perception: 11 → 11
   
     Mana Control: 4 → 4
   
     Available Stat Points: 5
   
     It was barebones. Pathetic, even. Most adventurers at Level 2 had a higher stat base then himself . Ethan was still just a guy. But at least now— He had points to spend. Choosing His Stats He had to be smart about this. He couldn’t just dump his points randomly. The Nightfang had nearly killed him because he was too slow to react. If Leah hadn’t saved him, he’d be dead. His grip tightened. That can’t happen again. He needed to survive. And that meant getting faster. [Distributing Stat Points…] +3 Agility +2 Endurance The moment he confirmed it, he felt a slight shift. Nothing dramatic. No overwhelming surge of power. But his body felt just a little lighter. A little stronger. It wasn’t much. But it was enough. For now. (edited)
   
     Gareth didn’t wait. “Let’s move,” he ordered. “We’re not even halfway through.” Ethan adjusted his pack and forced himself forward. His body still ached, but he focused on the small change—the feeling of slightly faster movement, slightly easier breathing. It was working. He was growing. And if he just kept moving forward— One day, he’d reach a point where no one could look down on him again. The Next Chamber
   
     His heart pounded. His legs moved faster than before. The extra agility helped. He barely dodged to the side, the Nightfang’s claws scraping past his chest instead of tearing into it. It wasn’t enough to win. But it was enough to stay alive. He grabbed a torch from his pack, swinging it wildly. The flame whipped through the air, forcing the Nightfang to hesitate. It snarled, circling him. Ethan’s mind raced. He had no weapons. No skills. No class. Just himself. And that meant he had to get creative. He scanned the cavern—then spotted it. A small crack in the wall. Jagged edges. Sharp. If he could just— The Nightfang lunged. Ethan moved. Not away. Forward. He ducked low, twisting at the last second—and shoved the torch straight into the Nightfang’s face. The beast shrieked, recoiling. And in that split second of distraction— Ethan grabbed its fur, twisted his body, and slammed it headfirst into the sharp rock. A sickening crunch. The monster twitched. Then— It went still. Ethan stood there, panting, hands shaking. He had done it. He had killed it. Without freezing. Without hesitating. His chest heaved. Then— A notification appeared. [You have slain a Nightfang.] Calculating EXP… LEVEL UP! +5 Stat Points Awarded! Ethan’s breath hitched. Another level. Another step forward.