As Bharat woke up, the first thing he noticed was the uncomfortable position he was lying in. He seemed to be laying down on a hard floor with his back leaning against a rough surface.

The second thing that came to him was the noise or the lack of one. Considering that for most of his life he was used to living in conditions where it was hard not to hear hustle and bustle of cities or the sound of traffic, it was almost peaceful.

It was so peaceful that for a moment he considered going back to sleep for another hour or two, regardless of his uncomfortable sleeping position.

It was the third thing that made the decision for him though. That being the feel of liquid hitting his legs. Now in his current state of half lucid half-conscious state, he might have believed that to be raindrops hitting his legs.

Then he remembered that rain does not fall in a single spot and it most definitely does not stink. Following this, he came to a very uncomfortable realization

‘Please don’t be what I think it is!’ he prayed to himself and wearily opened his eyes with a curse on his lips, and sure enough, he saw the butt of a creature lifting his leg and taking a leak at his feet.

The creature itself was like a dog, or to be precise a dog pup, but there was one thing that was stopping him from acknowledging it as a dog. It was at least 10 times the size of any normal dog pup he has seen in his life.

A bit annoyed and upset that the creature hasn’t noticed that the ‘log’ he was pissing on has woken up, or maybe not caring at all, he promptly kicked its butt. The ‘dog’ found himself interrupted while doing his business as he felt a kick from behind, which led him to lose his balance and falling on his face.

Looking back, the pup found himself looking at a very pissed off face that was glaring at him with murder in his eyes. Not seeing such an unfamiliar creature in his short life and not recognizing that the creature was weaker than him, he fled the clearing with a whimper.

Looking at the dog? running away he did feel a bit bad for kicking it with such spite, but in his defence, anyone would be angry if they woke up to the feeling of someone pissing on them.

So, for the third time on that day when he woke up, he found himself in a very uncomfortable and very undesirable situation. He was in an unfamiliar forest he had no clue how he got there, his back and neck were hurting from the uncomfortable position he was sleeping in earlier, and his pants were dripping with dog piss.

The forest itself was strange, with the grass being a strange mix of blue and purple with trees having dark-coloured bark with pale blue leaves. The trees were massive, reaching towards the sky itself with their leaves and branches covering the whole forest like an enormous blanket, only allowing faint traces of light onto the ground.

“It’s so Peaceful”, Bharat said out loud, as he stood up and looked around in awe. Who would have thought that his wish to see a real forest would be accomplished in this manner and in a different world no less?

Growing up, he always had a fascination with nature more than most people did. But due to the industrial era in which he was born, and the cities he grew up in, he never had a chance to explore places like this. Then he went to college picking Engineering of all things, and all his dreams of exploring nature were lost, buried in assignments and stress for the future.

Sure, he went on a few trips to hill stations and such but that wasn’t pure nature by any means. So, as he stood there, basking in his peaceful surroundings, all his anger from before was gone. But this moment was broken by an abrupt notification from the system.

*Ding*

<< Training Program Initiated

Location: Unknown

Duration: None

Objective: Survive. Explore for additional objectives.

Description: Your world has been chosen as the newest world to be integrated into the nexus. Certain changes will be made to your world in your absence and meanwhile, your task is to train yourself until you complete the desired tasks and become capable of surviving the altered environment of your world.

Rewards: Final rewards will be given at the end of the completion of all tasks according to the host’s contribution. >>

*Ding*

>

“Pretty much what that alien chick told me. Also, it looks like there won’t be much handholding by the system like in those games as the objective itself is hidden for the most part.”, Bharat muttered to himself after reading the message.

Looking around the clearing that he found himself him, he found that his earlier prediction was true. He was laying on a stone surface earlier or to be more precise, it was a large stone platform in the shape of a circle. A part of it was beneath the tree itself like someone shoved that in forcefully.

Gazing a bit closely at the stone, he spotted weird patterns carved into it that were too small to see with his eyes. The only thing he could discern was something like a tree carved into the centre, on which he was laying earlier.

He theorized that it was something like a transporting platform by which he arrived here. Then those patterns could be some magical language, or runes if they were even called that.

‘Wait, where is that super-rare scroll I got from that lucky draw?’, he thought, panicked when he could not find it. Looking down, he saw he was wearing a grey worn down tunic and black trousers of some rough material but neither had any pockets, so he didn’t bother checking them.

He stepped off the altar onto the ground and felt the soft grass under his bare feet, which was a bit uncomfortable as he wasn’t used to moving around outside without any footwear, but he was more focused on looking for that scroll to bother with such things right now.

While looking for his precio- scroll, he even wondered for a moment if it was left back in that room but calmed down, when after moving around the tree he saw it laying on the ground.

He heaved a sigh of relief and walked over to pick it up. Holding it in his hands, he tried to focus on it, but no option to ‘absorb’ it, as he’d seen in so many other games, came up. ‘Maybe it works differently?’

Trying to open it also proved fruitless, as he couldn’t get it to budge even an inch.

A few steps ahead, he also saw a small box on the ground which seem to be wrapped up in blue leaves and tied with a thread. He might have missed it entirely, due to the surrounding providing it with a cover if he wasn’t already looking in that direction.

Untying the thread and removing the leaves left him with a small wooden box that was no larger than his head, with the words ‘Training kit’ written over it. Opening the box, he found a small crude dagger made from rock, 6 small conical containers, which reminded him of chemistry classes back in school and another scroll like the one he was holding, just white-coloured.

‘This scroll seems more like a normal or poor rarity. And the bottles…? Potions?’, Bharat mused to himself. He was a bit disappointed about the dagger though. It looked like someone tied a relatively sharp rock to a wooden stick with vines, which he felt was one good hit away from getting broken into pieces.

But still, beggars can’t be choosers.

Picking up the white scroll, he got the most anticipated notification of the system.

*Ding*

>

Yes/No

“Yes!”

The next instant, the scroll floated in front of him and unrolled itself. Inside the scroll, he could see patterns like the ones he saw on the stone platform, which were glowing with golden light. Then suddenly the patterns shot out of the scroll and into his head, giving him a headache that came unannounced with a rush of information about the skill he had absorbed.

*Ding*

<< Ability: Appraise (Common)

Type: Non-Combat

Description: Identifies the unknown objects around you to give basic information about the same. The results will depend upon the rarity of the ability and capability of the host.

Remarks: Now you won’t be Completely clueless and appear dumb all the time! >>

“Ha! I was wondering when I’ll get this one. The most common and important skill of them all. But what’s with that sassy remark in the end? I am pretty sure I am more knowledgeable about these things than most people in current circumstances.”, Bharat remarked, after getting his bearings, while completely forgetting that reading web-fictions twelve hours a day was nothing to be proud of.

“It won’t become a normal thing, right?”

He had no idea.

Looking at the now-empty scroll that fell from the air after the light show ended, he decided to try his new ski-ability on the item.

‘Appraise.’

*Ding*

<< Item: Used Ability Scroll

Description: Ability Scroll that is completely useless after getting absorbed.

Remarks: A reliable source of acquiring toilet paper in this forest… >>

‘Okay, what the actual fuck?’

Letting that remark go for now, and hoping that it won’t become a usual thing, he picked back up his ‘Trainer kit’ that he dropped after absorbing the ability. Making his way back to the platform, he with some hesitance picked back up the scroll. As a memento.

Really.

Sitting down on the platform, with the box in front of him, he started going through its contents one by one.

‘Appraise.’

*Ding*

<< Weapon: Stone Dagger (Poor)

Description: A crude dagger made from common rock and wood.

Remarks: Will probably get you killed before you kill anyone with it. >>

“These remarks, urgh! But I can’t deny this one.”

Then he picked up one of the potion bottles with red liquid inside of them

>

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

*Ding*

<< Consumable: HP potion (Uncommon)

Description: Instantly recovers 500 Health.

Remarks: A literal Lifesaver. >>

‘It seems that rarer items will need extra time for the appraisal. And really, I can’t deny this one either.’

*Ding*

>

<< Ability: Appraise (Common)

Type: Non-Combat

Description: Identifies the unknown objects around you to give basic information about the same. The results will depend upon the ability rarity and capability of the host. The time needed for appraisal will increase with the rarity of the targeted item. Could be reduced with higher rarity ability.

Remarks: Now you won’t be Completely clueless and appear dumb! >>

“So, it looks like stuff will keep getting updated the more things I discover. ‘Explore on your own’ indeed.”

>

…

*Ding*

<< Consumable: MP potion (Uncommon)

Description: Instantly recovers 500 Mana.

Remarks: When you are out of ‘juice’. >>

“It seems these remarks will be a regular thing.” Bharat sighed in resignation and went on to the next one.

>

…

*Ding*

<< Consumable: Stamina potion (Uncommon)

Description: Instantly recovers 500 Stamina.

Remarks: When you can’t get it up anymore. >>

Bharat deadpanned at the remark the system gave this time.

Moving on, he reached for the one he was most excited about. For which he had to sacrifice two of his attribute points. The purple scroll.

‘Appraise.’

<< Estimating Time needed for appraisal. Please wait… >>

…

…

…

>

…

…

>

…

…

>

*Ding*

<< Ability: ??? (???)

Type: ???

Description: An unknown ability scroll.

Remarks: Too good for you. >>

“What? Error? Recalibrating? This is the first time I’m seeing this. So, forget about using it, I can’t even tell what it is?! Are you seriously going to give me this excuse after all this wait? And will you stop already with these stupid remarks?!”, Bharat yelled at the screen in front of him, feeling wronged after not getting results after 5 minutes of wait.

Sure, he could say it was rarer than he could comprehend at this time, but what will be the point if he can’t even use it. It was like an expensive paperweight right now.

But he likely wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, and it wasn’t like he could throw it. He’ll just have to wait a little longer to bear the fruits.

So, he put the scroll back in the box with others. Next up, he opened his status screen.

Status

Name: Bharat Kumar

Race: Human (Tier 0) (level 0)

Level: 0

Titles: [Pioneer of World], [Newbie]

Health: 111/111

Mana: 93/93

Stamina: 75/75

Stats

+Strength: 13

+Perception: 10

+Endurance: 11

+Constitution: 8

+Intelligence: 10

+Agility: 7

+Luck: 2

Unspent Points: 3

Abilities:

General:

[Basic Translate (Common)], [Appraise (Common)]

Looking at his status, he found that he had two titles. One which he got at the initiation of the ‘System’ and the next one when he woke up and got the training quest. Back when he first noticed the [Pioneer of World] title, he was too busy fantasizing about all the things he would do now that he had mana that he forgot to check it out. Because, in his mind, Mana equal magic and magic means badass.

After that Xeinkieth, his alien guide dropped the whole ‘lucky draw’ and he forgot to ask her about it then. Focusing on it, he got a description of each title, but to his dismay, it was just like the explanation he got for his stats in that it answered very little of what they would do.

*Ding*

<< Title Name: Pioneer of World.

Description: Proof that you were one of the first ones from your world who experienced the revolution brought upon by the system. May you lead the future generations by example. Grants the temporary title [Newbie] at the start of the training program.

Remarks: If you survive long enough… >>

*Ding*

<< Title Name: Newbie (Temporary)

Description: You are the latest species that has been qualified for entering the nexus. Due to the weak nature of your race, this title is something that’ll assist you in catching up to other stronger species out there.

Remarks: It will help you become more competent… hopefully. >>

Looking at the ‘temporary’ written after the title name, he imagined it would disappear when the ‘System’ considered him strong enough. Although he had no clue what it would do, he had a feeling these questions will be answered when he actually levels up.

He was about to continue messing around with his interface when suddenly a chill went down his spine. Looking around his surroundings, he noticed that the forest had become deathly silent. It remained peaceful till now, but it was never so quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat.

Looking to his left, Bharat caught sight of two pairs of red eyes that were gazing at him from the darkness provided by the forest. He broke out in a cold sweat when the creatures entered the clearing and finally came into sight.

It was a pair of Wolves, with black midnight fur and red eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light of the clearing. But what got him feeling despair was that they were at least two heads taller than him, even on all-fours.

Using Appraise on them just made the situation look even direr.

[Howling Wolf - Level ??]

[Howling Wolf - Level ??]

*Ding*

>

<< Name: Howling Wolf

Description: A species of wolves who wander these forests like ghosts. Known for using their dark coats to blend into the darkness and travelling in large packs.

Remarks: Oh shit! >>

“Oh shit!”